Joukahainen shifted his weight uncomfortably between his hooves as he waited with his mother and sister for one of the bachelors to turn up. He wasn’t sure what he was meant to do in the lagoon; what being a bachelor entailed. Would the lagoon stallions teach him what to do or was he just meant to figure it out for himself? His mother had been no help when he’d asked her, merely stating that she was mare and not privy to the inner thoughts and intentions of bachelors. He suspected she knew more than she let on but didn’t push.

A voice startled him from thoughts as a bay stallion appeared from the shadows. He spoke directly to his mother, and Joukahainen listened in confusion as he referenced some mistake that the pale boy’s father must have made. He studied his mother’s reaction yet her body language and words gave him no clue as to what had his father might have done and he was wiser than to butt in and ask.

A colt around his age joined them just as another stallion and a mare were approaching. The adults seemed engrossed in their own conversation but the roan colt spoke to him. "Uh, hi" he greeted back, his gaze lingering on the adults a moment to make sure he wasn’t needed. They didn’t even seem to acknowledge the two colts existed. "My name is Joukahainen." He would have offered a nickname to save the boy having to say the mouthful that was his name but everyone seemed to have a different version. "Do you live here?" and if so, for how long, he wondered.

XY . Smoky Cream Sabino . Ee/aa/CrCr/nSb. Mutt . 16.0hh
Lyden X Jörmungandr