Winter would soon be upon them, and with the sudden disappearance of most, if not all of the leaves in the trees that had previously cut out the sunlight, the red dun had surmised that the first snowfall of the season would be upon them. At the sign of the first dusting of snow, he would protectively gather up his family and move them further into the belly of the forest, where the wind from the ocean would not find them, and where, hopefully, the snow drifts would not be so high as to impede the movement of the herd. There he would let them graze as best they could by picking through the ice and digging through the snow, hoping that they had managed to build up enough fat and fur to keep them warm.

Of course, in comparison to the straggly looking appaloosa, Vercingetorix looked to be rugged and robust, seeming to be well prepared for the cold weather. His red coat had darkened and thickened, making him look larger and perhaps more muscular than he had in the cooler months when his coat had been smooth and flattering on his shape.

The colder seasons almost made the red dun look rather comical compared to his spotted companion.

“I'm glad you're comfortable here.” And thankful, even, that Indian Hemp had stayed a respectful distance from the main body of the herd. Having earned the trust of the forest stallion through being invisible and keeping away from Vercingetorix's mares, Indian Hemp had earned his keep here, and would likely be welcome to stay for a long time, or at least until he made a grave mistake or decided to find a kingdom of his own. Of course, if he managed to make it through the winter without starving to death, as was an unspoken fear of all horses these days. “I think, once it starts to get colder, you and yours should stay closer to the group. It would be safer...” Pausing, he thinks for a moment and realizes he had never seen any of Indian Hemp's mates. “... and maybe it would good for your family to meet mine?”

The request seems almost uncomfortable, and Vercingetorix hopes that his friend will understand that it takes some effort and humility on his side to be able to request that the other, small herd living in the forest tried to stay closer to his quickly growing group of mares and foals.

stallion, red dun, crossbreed, fifteen and one hands, russell.