NYAZIK A short time passed and Nyazik turned her nose from the sky to gaze upon the approaching stranger. The mare was not dissimilar to Nyazik; their build and colour only degrees apart and perhaps in a few years they’d even be similar in height too. Nyazik had observed these facts before from afar, but they were of little consequence. It crossed her mind briefly that the mare was young enough to be a half-sister, or perhaps she had been one of her father’s consorts. Nyazik could find no trace of Maslakhat within the Dunes at present, but that did not mean he had not left anyone behind – maybe Valve had also been left behind. She knew very little about Valve, but her gut told her the black mare could prove to be a useful ally, or a valuable source if nothing else.
From Nyazik’s observations, Valve seemed at relative ease with the buckskin stranger which put the mare in slightly higher stead in Nyazik’s eyes than a complete stranger. That good grace was also extended to the bay, Arabian stallion of the dunes, though she was not nearly so willing to reveal herself to him. Stallions could be tricky, or so her mother and Wolpertinger had warned her. Right now, her freedom was an asset that she was not in a hurry to lose.
Nyazik’s ears perked forward as the stranger descended the dune. “Salam.” She greeted back evenly, giving the mare a moment to catch her breath before extending dark nose to her. She had a kind eye, Nyazik noted. She listened to the question with curiosity, silently wondering what the black mare had divulged about her (not that she had given much away). “I am.” She confirmed, seeing no reason to be cagey. “I am Nyazik. Who are you?” She gave the mare a moment to respond before glancing toward the horizon and back, a somewhat sour frown briefly crossing her face as she decided to fish for a little more information on the unwelcome guests to her conversation with Valve. “I must admit I did not appreciate the interruption that day. Are those two creatures regular visitors to Salem?” If they were, perhaps Nyazik would have to find an alternative island to abide, well, until she was in a position to remedy the situation at the very least.
15.2HH BUCKSKIN AKHAL-TEKE FILLY
MASLAKHAT x KEYIK
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