Morning found them side by side, grooming each other's manes and necks to try and drive away the chill. Jola stepped forward to reach her darker companion's withers. He leaned gently against her and sighed. "We should not have come here," he declared softly, a strand of her hair falling from his lips. "It's too cold." The strawberry roan simply chuckled, not even pausing in her grooming to reply. Jusket felt more than heard her laugh. He sighed again and moved to nibble at her back.

They had arrived on this dark beach during the night. Jusket had almost thought they walked on the sky, until he reached down to snuff at the black sand and got some of it in his nose. They had huddled together by the edge of the forest, hoping their combined body heat would warm their soaked coats. It had worked well enough even though winter already seemed to have taken over this land. A light cover of snow lay on the ground, but grass still poked through. Jola turned her head to better watch the sky as the sun streaked it with pinks, purples, and blues. It wasn't strong light, but it was light nonetheless. She would take what she could get.

Jusket had stopped grooming her entirely; he nearly leaned too heavily against her. "Wake up! It's morning. We should explore." He murmured some sort of response, but it wasn't good enough for the mare. She stepped aside from his weight. Jusket barely caught himself before he fell, cursing loudly and unceasingly until Jola nudged at his neck with her muzzle. "Come on," her eyes glinted mischievously at him, "let's go explore! If a herd finds us before we find them I'll whine all day."

"You wouldn't dare," he groaned, but smiled as she flicked her tail at him in passing and entered the forest.