Common

What did he do to gain her trust? He watches curiously as she draws closer, but he stays put where he is. If Kvothe was learning to trust that her claimer was an alright stallion, he could not push his luck in this moment. He did, however, make sure he was standing as tall as he shoulder, pushing out his shoulders to seem strong and proud. Not that his height had anything on that of Kvothe, but it was the best picture of masculinity he could muster. Ironclad did his best to keep his breathing steady but the distance between them was closing fast, thus he was becoming increasingly more humid.

The tingling feeling quickly returned so he couldn't help but shift his hips now and again. Her body brushes lightly against one of his shoulders, causing a slight shudder and a loud gulp. Ironclad didn't know what was happening here. Typically he could be this close to any of the opposite sex without any trouble, he enjoyed it actually, but this felt more like torture. At the same time, he could feel the transfer of energy from Kvothe. Her energy was calm and comforting. Her head lowers to rest near his withers to which he tries to keep himself contained.

It was hard to stay still! Dark ears flick back as she begins to speak, a large smile rising on his face. His eyes glance down at the grass floor as he thinks Kvothe was truly happy to be his mare. They barely knew other, but maybe his kindness had shown her enough to be able to accept becoming apart of his herd. This makes Kvothe his second mare alongside the wild filly Medusa. If she stays this sweet all the time he was sure she could get along with Medusa, but Medusa being on good behavior was a different story.

Instinct takes over as he reaches up to lightly lip at her tall shoulders. His eyes close as his nose presses to her skin. He inhales slowly, taking in the strange scents that make up her body. The tingling sensation intensifies just as she asks if his home was far. Her words were mumbled in the background of his inner struggles, but he pulled himself away from her to gain better focus. Just as he pulls his head away, she begins to run her teeth along his back. Besides his mother (and Cherokee), no other female has ever given him such physical attention before.

But he never remembered having all these strange sensations when Cherokee would groom him. She speaks again, but this time he listens to most of it. She was weary from her recent journey to the commons and didn't particularly want to swim a far distance again so soon. He understood her request, but his eyes grow wide as she continues her touching. Her lips move over his mane as he works to find the words. It was so easy what he needed to say next so why weren't they coming out? Ironclad realizes his jaw was hanging a bit so he closes his lips as his eyes shoot to the meadow around them.

"Your new home is a swim from here, he begins after a few more seconds of silence. "It is a whole other island full of mountains, trees, lakes, and snow. Well, it snows a lot there, but there is no snow right now. Not yet anyway." He takes a deep breath. "Tinuvel is what we call the island, but the Inlet is where my family lives and where we are going. Take all the time you need and rest before this next journey. You will need your strength when you meet my father." Why did he just say that last part? He watches her nervously hoping he hadn't just startled her.

In an attempt to change the subject, Ironclad pulls away from her embrace and prances a few paces away to a spot of higher grass. "Would you prefer to lie down or rest standing up? I'll watch over you either way." He smiles charmingly as his eyes take in her whole body in one view. There is that tingling again!