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Winter had hit the peaks this year with a sudden fierceness. In recent years, Khar’pern was used to the first snows of fall melting and weather warming before turning bitter with cold. This year, their mother mountain seemed to be teaching her a new lesson. Never expect the expected.

The rose-gray mare shivered, despite the warmth of Diccon planted against her side. Thanks to his father’s muscled lineage, the pale stallion had grown a much denser coat than her own winter fluff. Most winter days, he could disappear amid the soft white blanket that covered the upper fields. Khar knew that she never needed to worry for him, not when the elements allowed him to blend in so easily with his surroundings. However, since the confirmation of her pregnancy, her son chose to stay close to her side, providing added warmth when possible and doing his best to appear as useful as he could to the peak herd. It was no secret that Khar’pern struggled deeply with his continued presence among the sisterhood that held itself together by tattered threads. On the one hand, he was here, a body, a protection against the hunting mountain cats, and a watchful eye for the hungry wolves that strayed onto the lower meadows in search of prey. Yet he was still a stallion, maybe not now, but eventually, the drive of testosterone would present itself and she would be forced to draw the attention to the other members of the peak. To send him to the lagoon to be corrupted and add to their numbers or find a place for him beneath the watchful guidance of an older stallion willing to curve his urges with wisdom and education. Her only struggle was which path to take and when to take it.

A sigh escapes her lips as she leans against his weight and dips back her ears. That was at least, a trouble for another day. For now, she was content to weather out the snowstorm with him at her side.

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