Prowling was not the right word to describe what Adelheid had taken upon herself to do. She would have preferred the word ‘patrolling’, though she did technically have any authority or ranking to do so. It had become clear The Peak had innocent lives living within the walls of the mountains, the duty to protect them was one the friesian mutt had taken upon herself. And so, though she preferred the higher cliffs and landings of the mountains, she lingered in the fields of the lower lands.

Fall colors were lost on her dark sapphire eyes as she focused on the trails into the territory. She had remembered the familiar routes into the mountains, and she knew the ones villains would try to use to sneak in a little more undetected. They were the trails foals and adventurers would take to try to sneak around undetected by the watchful eyes of mothers. Her consistent watch and trailing of the land alerted her to a change in a trail. She noticed new tracks, freshly pressed against the broken leaves. Her eyes narrowed as she investigated the trail. There were two sets of hoof prints here. She snorted at them and picked up her pace. Whether these new arrivals were friendly or not, an introduction to The Peak was usually welcome.

Along the river she picked up per pace as seasonal mists started to obscure the trail. Instead of relying on visuals, Adelheid switched to flaring her nose, taking in whatever she could. She was hit with the scent of a mare, and that of a stallion. She gritted her teeth and surged forward through the moisture, memories of another time when stallions dared enter when unwelcomed. Flicked back in a moment of rage, her ears pressed forward as much as her body did, straining to hear any sign of danger or trouble, her heavy hooves taking her swiftly over the stones.

Before her, she could finally see and hear the stallion, who apparently made no effort to make his presence a secret, as he approached the mare with his own aura of anger. His aggression only fueled Adelheid’s own, but instead of barreling into the couple, she slowed just before coming upon them. Here, she did not believe she would need to have a show of force. His words though, set her teeth on edge.

”What kind of stallion would I be…

Adelheid stepped forward, blue eyes hard as the dark sapphires they represented. Apparently a pretty stupid one if you believe you could have just come into this land without announcing your presence or your intention. the mare growled as she stepped forward, distaste and venom dripping in her voice. She stood tall as tall as the mountains behind her, her breed’s warrior blood pouring from her as her hot blood pulsed through her veins. Ears flattened against her skull and she looked between the two of them, her teeth bared at the stallion. What is going on here?