laika
'It's not mine,' and 'Stopping is allowed.' There was no describing the rush of relief Laika felt at the words. Not that they had anything against the idea of this stranger holding the territory, of course. He was pleasant company, which was more than Laika could say for some horses. But if the brindled stallion could come here without reproach, then at least they weren't in immediate danger of being chased off.
Laika turned their head in the direction of Rafe's gesture and winced softly at the sight. Well, maybe chased away wasn't the chief concern at hand for most visitors here. "... rude," they commented at last, looking back at Rafe. And unwise. Acting aggressive like that was practically begging for a fight when one inevitably angered the wrong horse. A buck to the jaw, a kick that happened to fracture a leg--those might as well be a death sentence if the claimer got unlucky. Laika didn't understand--didn't the mares here seek out herds themselves near water and good grazing? That had been the way back home. Those who were feeling warlike simply fought off their competitors to maintain control over the territory, and the herd would naturally stay for the food, water, and safety. Instead, this perfectly good piece of land was... unclaimed? And herd leaders ushered away their recruits by force. What an excellent way of building loyalty...? The logic was bizarre.
"Thank you for the warning," they added sincerely. Unorthodox traditions or not, they were grateful to the stranger for at least telling them. Without his warning, things could've gone worse. "I am. My name is Laika." It should not have come as a surprise that horses tended to avoid the Commons, but it did, and that sparked a quiet resentment in Laika's heart. What could have been a haven to support a number (!) of herds was instead a place to be avoided, and horses were left to build their families in rocky, barren Badlands. It all felt so horribly wrong.
Laika managed a smile, at least, at Rafe's invitation. "You might consider naming it something different," they teased, tail flicking to shoo away a pestering fly. "It doesn't make for the most attractive invitation." Anxiety flickered inside as soon as the words left their mouth. Rafe wasn't a brother back home, familiar enough to poke fun at without reservation. They had judged him mostly to be a horse of good humor, but they were still barely more than strangers to each other, and here Laika was teasing him on the name of the home he'd so kindly offered to share.
"I think I'll take you up on the offer," they hastened to add, hoping he hadn't taken offense. "In a few days, if you don't mind. I've swum... a long way." Talking about it made that dull pain flare up in their heart again as they wondered just how far they were from home. In any case, Laika didn't think they'd ever be going back. They doubted that there was even anything left. The ache of homesickness gnawed at their heart worse than any hunger, and they dipped their head to nibble on a patch of grass. They needed to have something to do, even if that something was as small as chewing.
"I'll stick by the Falls in the meantime. Thanks again," they added. The idea of going up those mountains wasn't the most appealing, but they could climb if it meant freedom and safety. At least it wasn't swimming.