Ernesto had been living in the Lagoon for a few weeks now, and he liked it well enough. The climate was warm and humid, the air always thick with moisture, which he much preferred to shivering in the cold. The ground was soft and often moist underfoot, but though he knew he was a handsome man he did not worry about the mud that flecked his legs – besides, the beautiful, warm Lagoon in the centre of the territory was perfect for a relaxing bath.

It was towards that lagoon that Ernesto was headed that day, returning home after he had spent the day exploring the Crossing, when he heard the soft sound of hooves against the soft earth nearby. He knew that there were other bachelors staying here that he had yet to meet, and so he was intrigued and diverted his path to head through the foliage towards the sound.

To his surprise, however, when he emerged he did not find another stallion awaiting him, but a mare. A faint breeze carried her scent towards him, and the smell of her heat was unexpected and intoxicating in this place that was so often filled with the stench of men.

She was bigger than him, her build strong with clear draft blood running through her veins, and stood a little taller than him too, but was no less attractive for her impressive size. Her pelt was quite eye-catching, Ernesto thought as his dark eyes slipped over her frame, a rich colour that seemed almost blue when the light hit it, flecked with white, and which dissolved into bold white patches.

A smile twisted itself around his lips as he approached her.

“Hola señorita,” he greeted, pausing before her, his neck arched as his dark eyes searched her face. “What’s a beautiful lady like yourself doing in a place like this?”

ernesto
heartbreak is savvy and love is a bitch