sable
Sable followed dutifully, trying her best to keep pace with the stallion without tumbling face-first down the dunes. With her long legs, it was quite a feat to attempt, and worked muscles she didn’t know she had; while Sable was quite familiar with sand – having explored numerous beaches the past few weeks – she had never experienced such large hills of it. One misplaced hoof and she could have made quite the fool of herself.
Soon enough she was sweating, however, which was bad enough – the young mare hated the cloying, dirty feeling of being sweaty – but, ever the optimist, she kept her head up and her eyes forward, drinking in the landscape with her senses and secretly admiring the way Xanti seemed to glide effortlessly over the dunes. He was made for this place, she mused.
When finally they reached the shimmering blue and verdant green of the oasis, her dark eyes widened with gratitude. It took all her self-control not to rush foward; indeed, she trotted to the edge of the waters with as much grace and restraint as she could muster, before plunging her mouth into the lukewarm liquid and drinking until her throat was cleansed of its dryness.
She had just turned her dripping muzzle to nibble delicately at some of the greenery when there was a large splash. Sable quickly lifted her head to catch the rather absurd sight of Xanti’s striped legs flailing in the air while water sloshed all around him. He is reminding me more and more of someone I know. When he sat up and suggested she join him, Sable balked. She had just had a plenty long bath in the ocean, and while sand and salt was making her coat itch, she did not relish the idea of getting wet again so soon.
“Thank you, but I’m all right,” she replied, and then – because she felt guilty for declining and didn’t want her companion feeling too awkward at being the only one laying down – folded her legs beneath her to rest in the dappled shade on the sand, while prickly desert grass tickled her sides. Then, to make conversation - and because she hadn't smelled any other equine on the breeze yet - she asked politely, “You're not the only here, are you, Xanti?”
{15'2 smoky seal brown mutt}
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