'Wait!' her stalker called from behind her. Rosalie halted and swiveled her delicate skull around to peer at him from over her shoulder, the messy crimson curtain of her forelock falling across her sun-speckled brow. 'I didn't mean to sneak up on you.' The admission drew a soft snort from Rosalie, a smirk blossoming on her lips. "Oh, really?" She turned towards him fully then, another teasing remark poised on the edge of her tongue. But when he inquired about who she'd spoken of, any hint of humor vanished from her expression, replaced by a dramatically emphasized pout. "Ugh! I don't wanna talk about that. Ask me something else." She whined with a stomp of her hoof, ears flicking back towards her poll. The very last thing she wanted right now was to be interrogated about her mother or her motives.
This stallion, handsome as he was, seemed like a tempting distraction. Rosalie stepped closer, shrinking the space between them, amber eyes raking appreciatively over his figure. Growing up in the Peak and being sequestered away by Marceline had not afforded the young mare many opportunities to get close to those of masculine persuasion. Or at least, those who did not take on a fatherly role. Perhaps if she knew anything of shame or humility she'd have refrained from staring so openly, but as it was Rosalie was more wild animal than horse, free from the binding chains of societal norms. Marceline had tried and failed to tame her, and now she had finally broken free, eager to see the world.
And what pretty things the world had to offer. Even if she had any semblance of politeness it would have been hard not to want to stare. His coat was rich and smoky, flecked with white as pure as the snow that blanketed the highest reaches of the Peak. And his eyes, crystalline in their color, were by far the most captivating. The roan mare's heart stuttered strangely inside her chest as she took yet another step and then another, until they were but a few feet apart.
"Why don't you come walk through the woods with me? I really have no clue where I'm going but you look like you'd make good company." Her expression shifted towards something playful, lips arching up into an easy smirk. "Maybe you can tell me what you're doing out here sneaking up on unsuspecting girls." |