Common

until the lion learns how to write

The fog muffled the stallion's approach, but in the near silence of such a dreary day it was loud enough that she turned toward him, long before the mists parted to reveal him to her. He was unfamiliar to her, but that was hardly surprising. She knew few other souls beyond her family, and she held little hope that she would find her father or any of her extended family here. The stallion before her carried a fraction of a resemblance to the painted stallion her family had stayed with when she was young, but she doubted there was a relation. Leaders tended to come and go on these islands as often as the seasons.

She braced herself, uncertain if he meant to come and force his hand. It was not unlike stallions to do so, and it had factored into her risk assessment when she'd chosen the Commons over the Meadow and the Falls. She also knew there were other dangers to her bodily autonomy, but given that she had gone this long without dipping her toes into motherhood against her will, she expected to be just fine. When he halted a respectful distance away, she dipped her paling face in his direction but allowed him to speak first.

"I did," she answered, with a flicker of surprise. Of all of the things she expected a band stallion to do, questioning her decision had not been one of them. After a moment of consideration, she offered an explanation. "Fall is nearly over, and the Commons are the fastest way to find a home." She explained, with the equivalent of a shrug. "I don't want to spend another winter alone if I don't have to."

She watched him for a long moment, wondering what thoughts were crossing through his mind. Lakota knew little of the minds of stallions, and less of courting, but surely he had come up to her for a reason. "And what have you come seeking?" Her question bubbled up, not nearly as refined as she would have liked, but still honest. She didn't expect to receive flattery or praise (nor was she likely to believe it if he offered), but she imagined she would be able to tell a lot about him by how he decided to answer her.

young mare // Mutt // gray // 15 hh