herza was used to reading the subtleties of the equine body. that language came to her as naturally as breathing, usually. adelheid was definitely harder to gauge than most though. at times the mare looked as though she was feeling one way, and spoke in a different tone altogether. quite honestly, it intrigued feuerherza, who strove to be an open book, wordless as she was…

the statuesque black mare had kept many friends throughout her childhood and even during adolescence. she loved meeting new faces, finding new challenges, and broadening her sense of the world. the hurdle of introductions is when, most often, she would be dismissed because of her disability…often times those seeking a friend to gossip with or hang around didn’t wish the conversation to be continually one-sided… and many didn’t care to put in the effort to understand what herza tried to communicate. the mare also had a temper and if feuerherza noticed others using her solely to vent their frustrations without even the attempt at trying to understand her, she would dismiss that relationship pretty quickly…

at any rate, the friesian mare is glad that worry has passed. adelheid, despite her earlier chilliness, seemed ready to make a friend of her..as uncomfortable as it may be… though herza keeps a cautious eye on her companion, watchful for any sign of aggression she may have stirred up at her gentle touch, she only senses a subtle sweep of confusion as the splashed mare works through her thoughts. as they seem to crystallize, herza becomes visibly excited. her elegant head bobs eagerly, as if to say yes? yes? you’ve almost got it! and when the word falls from adelheid’s lips herza dances in place gleefully, lifting her head and pawing the air playfully with her forelimbs, all the while nodding her praise.

she wants to reach out to the painted mare beside her, to bump her shoulder with her soft black muzzle playfully in exultation, but she guesses it is safer to give the physicality of their friendship more time to develop. when adelheid starts speaking again, her delicately curved ears listen attentively, dark eyes looking out over the landscape to imagine her story unfolding as she hears it.

herza’s breath hitches a few times, as adelheid recounts the tale… she can tell the mare is shielding her from a deep well of emotion as she speaks of the trauma. with a tip of her head, quizzically, she wonders why her mother had said no to taking the stallions as captives. to threaten children was a terrible thing…herza liked to think if she had been there she would have showed them the justice that adelheid and her friend had deserved.

when the mare finishes recollecting the story and speaks of her wish, that the children of this place might roam freely with no threat of peril, feuerherza snorts in approval. she bobs her noble head in agreement, but doesn’t press any further. as the gears in her mind start to turn, she wonders absentmindedly if adelheid had any children of her own. that would be a question for another day, she mused… as the splashed white mare apologizes for rambling, she shakes her head, rolling her eyes with a little smile as if to say no need to be sorry… she was just pleased the other mare had noticed her interest in the story and explained further. her dark eyes look out over the cliffside for another moment, enjoying the majesty before them, before nodding. it was much colder up here, at this height, and the day had grown late. she preferred to descend now, while there was still a little daylight left to light the path.