Meadow

The season was upon them all, and as he did every time it came around, Gent had wandered from the Lagoon in search of women. So far his charms had been effective on just two, but they were a sweet two indeed. The first had been a peach-colored dream with strange curved ears, whose name Gent had not caught. The second he had encountered only a few days ago. Khar’pern was a lean little thing with a coat like a snowy winter’s day - she was ice to the fire of Gent’s previous hookup. Gent had been especially careful not to smother her with his weight, but she had held her own as well as any other lover. In time he would forget her, like he did all the others, but with their encounter still so fresh in mind, he still thought of her often.

Gent only felt the smallest twinge of guilt that he had left Diamant to fend for himself in the Lagoon, and he did not dwell on it. His adopted brother was familiar with Gent’s tendency to disappear during breeding season, and who could blame him? Who wanted to be stuck in a place that stank of stallions during the most sensual time of year? Even if Gent found no willing partners, he still preferred to linger here on the crossing for the season, where he could at least enjoy some quiet away from the bachelors and enjoy the sweet, heady scent of mares in heat.

It was late as he grazed, and moonlight spilled across the meadow like a pale blanket. Gent was growing cold and weary, and soon he would retire, but for now he would enjoy his illicit late-night snack while the quiet sounds of the night sang all around him. This serenity was soon interrupted, however, by the thundering of hooves that crescendoed until Gent witnessed a stallion galloping at full speed across the meadow. Curious, Gent swallowed his mouthful of grass and walked in the direction the stallion had disappeared, to see what could make a stranger run so recklessly in the middle of the night.

He did not have to travel far. From a distance, Gent saw that the stallion had approached a lone mare. Of course. ‘Twas the season, after all. But wait… The mare was oddly familiar, with her slim build, dappled coat, and moon-bright mane and tail. Gent peered closer, and realized it was none other than Khar’pern. Normally Gent would have left her alone - he rarely felt the need to approach the same mare twice - but now he was in the precarious situation of witnessing another stallion try it on with her. Gent smirked to himself, and decided to approach.

To make things more interesting, he caught the waft of the Lagoon as he neared the couple. So the stallion was one of his brothers? Gent eyed him curiously, and realized that - although he didn’t know his name - he recognized him easily enough. This was a stallion that carried some rank within the Lagoon. Gent would have to tread carefully here… And so he did, literally and figuratively, his hooves crunching softly on the frosted grass and his bearing confident but casual and non-threatening.

“Well, well, what have we here?” he said as he stopped before them, offering a gracious smile to them both. “A fellow brother and, well… Khar’pern. I can’t say I expected to see you again so soon. It’s a pleasure, truly.”