Mom! Can we go to the cliffs today? The sun had barely crested the snow capped Peaks, the day hardly in its first hours of life, and Adelheid wanted to smother her child to convince her to go back to sleep. Dark blue eyes opened to the filly’s eager face peering up at her. Though she was already getting big, she held her body back, her nose and neck stretched to the furthest extent. One word would send the foal racing up the trails she knew, she wanted to be as far along on her journey already as she could be.Black ears flicked back and Adelheid’s mind raced through every possible excuse she could come up with not to let the filly go tearing away into the more treacherous mountains. It was not that she did not want to teach her daughter the ways of the mountains, it was that she was positive Claudya already had too much of a heart for them and she would lose the child to her sense of adventure.

Stretching out her own neck and limbs, Adelheid gave herself a moment before answering. Let’s see if we can find any of the others to come with. There were a number of foals running around the lowlands of the Peaks, eager for outings, and plenty of mothers desperate for rest. Claudya accepted this answer and pranced beside her mother as they both moved from the alcove Adelheid had chosen as their ‘home’ while her foal was young. While they made their way to the more common meeting grounds, Adelheid had to keep herself at a steady trot while her daughter skittered, frolicked, and raced around her, following every possible distraction.

The pair had not made it to the creek’s banks when the stallion’s call pierced through the otherwise calm air. Adelheid froze.

What was that? We have to check it out! Without question and ignoring any possible protest, Claudya raced in the direction the sound had come from. Adelheid was hot on her heels, going as fast as she could while still keeping a pace the smaller creature could match. They both descended on Rade and Sciannath, slowing in their approach so as not to cause alarm to either of them.

From a distance, Adelheid saw the foal by the stallion’s side. At first she smirked, readying cutting remarks on the tip of her tongue. Once they were within range however, she saw the state of the boy and the look on Rade’s face. Any sarcasm she had prepared was swallowed with a single glance. She held her head high and stood back while Claudya at her side reached curiously forward. The mare looked into the faced before her and saw the mirroring eyes. With the boy’s too thin body and look of near death on him it did not take a genius to piece together what Rade wanted. Is this your boon of me? she asked, her voice not unfriendly but not exactly eager either.

Claudya glanced up at her mother, uncertain about what was happening, but she was certain of what she saw standing in front of her. Ears forward and friendly she stepped up next to the boy. You don’t look so good. She said with the blunt innocence of a child. Here! We can share! Taking charge and making up for her mother’s lack of maternal instinct, the filly nudged the colt to Adelheid’s side and demonstrated how to fill himself with nourishment.

Adelheid’s face promised to flay Rade alive if he uttered a word about how ridiculous this possibly looked and still the mare patiently stood without a word of real protest. What exactly do you want? she asked hesitantly, her guard ready to protect herself, but still open to hearing what he had to say.