The first to arrive after her is a pretty buckskin mare. She is a young, beautiful thing, shorter than the grulla, but very attractive, in a feminine way. If she'd had reason to, she might have found herself envying the younger mare, but she has no need for jealousy. She is content to live her life in the background, going unnoticed day after day - it is the life she prefers, even. She has no desire to stand out amongst the rest. To her, too much attention is never a good thing. It only brings trouble, amongst many other unwanted, undesirable things. Dark eyes roam over the buckskin's frame; it is evident from the slight swell in her belly that she is with child; whose, though, she is unsure. But she doesn't really care to know - it is none of her business, after all.

Bloodmane's little tiff with the speckled mare startles the grulla from her thoughts, and she lays her ears against the nape of her neck, nostrils flaring and whites of her eyes flashing as she takes a few steps back, trying to distance herself from the sudden outburst. She stamps a rear hoof into the pliant golden sand, inhaling sharply. Their encounter is brief - over almost as soon as it has begun. Winchester blinks as Bloodmane re-appears at her side, pressing his nose to her neck. Normally, before, she would have become startled at this gesture, especially after such an unexpected outburst. She would have turned tail and fled as fast as her legs could carry her over the unfamiliar terrain. But now, as his words echo once more through her mind - she forces herself to stay rooted in place.

Next to arrive is a painted chestnut mare. Like the grulla, she stays silent, choosing to place herself on the fringes of the group and remain quiet. She shows all the obvious signs of displeasure, and she can't help but sympathize with the painted mare a little. She, too, does not wish to partake in this gathering, but she knows she must. It is her duty, after all - a duty she accepted when she told Bloodmane, back in the Falls, that she would join his family. After the chestnut comes a pretty painted grulla, who comes to rest on Bloodmane's side opposite her, and she spares a glance in her direction. Not only is she beautiful, but the air of superiority about her immediately makes the younger mare feel inadequate. She knows, in the back of her mind, she is the lowest ranked among all these mares, and she is fine with that - after all, it is what she prefers. But an incredibly miniscule part of her feels... well, she's not quite sure what word she's looking for. Inadequate, definitely. Envious? Bitter? Perhaps. Perhaps a small part of her finds itself longing for something more, something fulfilling on a personal level. But she is not going to seek out whatever it is she might be unconsciously desiring. She hasn't the time or the energy for that.

She shoves away these niggling, distractings emotions, and focuses on her surroundings. Several others have arrived in the short span of her mental trip. A beautiful, dainty chestnut Arabian, a black mare, and a dark-colored stallion with a white face. The black mare inquires about a blind stallion, and the grulla shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I have seen no such stallion." she says, then falls quiet again as the first mare - Warsong - speaks. She announces that she is going to move the herd from their current location. She speaks of the lack of abundance of food at their destination. The warlander becomes nervous, then, shifting about a little, leaning her weight slightly into Bloodmane's side, as if seeking comfort or reaching out for reassurance. Any questions? Warsong asks, and she purses her lips, shaking her head a little. None from her. Dark eyes glance about at the others, wondering if any of them would speak up.

three. warlander. female. grulla.
the dunes. childless, loverless. pippa.