So many scents teased her senses day after day, those of numerous unknown faces included. The pale stallions that had drawn her to the icy kingdom was known well now. Better than any she had known in some seasons in truth. When he returned from his patrols, emerging almost unseen through the white of her current world, Amica could not help but secretly rejoice in his presence, warmed by his calming scent and the deep tones that voiced his greeting. In the background she had come to learn of another male scent, Pagans elusive second she had been informed. That same scent lingered over many of the mares that lingered in the group, even the youngsters that frolicked through the snow. Though part of the herd they did not belong to Pagan. And for a while the buckskin lady wondered if she were the only one.
But upon the frigid winds one lonely scent slipped. Some days it was gone so quickly she wondered if she had simply imagined it. Others she struck out in search of that fleeting little waft upon the air. But by the time her shadowed limbs had cautiously trodden through the thick snows the near blind mare found only that lingering scent that left her puzzled, to stand alone with her dark ears twisting to the air curious to the lady that so easily evaded her and so resolutely kept away from the herd.
Travel was becoming no easier as winter progressed. Not only did the snows stubbornly keep her lingering within the shelters she couold find, and the soothing heat of the hot springs, but there was now no hiding from the fact she was well and truly with child. That more than anything held her close to the group, fears of endangering that precious little life within causing her to reduce her wanderings. But bit by bit she determinedly roamed away. Welcoming the distracting of attempting to map her surroundings out within her hazy world and chasing that ghostly scent.
It was there again that day. The winds had picked up driving a fresh blanket of snow down upon her gilded hide and forcing a halt to her careful exploration. And rather than make back for the herds protection she chose to aim for the closer shelter of a shallow cave she had learnt of if days past. Small shivers crept along her broad sides, a prodding movement within drawing a grunt from her dark lips as she moved with slow steps testing the ground beneath with each. "Still yourself little one, its just ahead I'm sure," she murmered to the growing life. Cloudy eyes blinked, staring ahead to the blurred of white, willing it to part and show her something, any thing. And finally as if in answer to her wishes a dark expanse rose up dimly out of the white, a sigh pluming from her nostrils as she edged along the stone was, searching for the indent. Only to freeze as that elusive scent found her on the biting winds. "Hello?"
