Shararat tucks her chin close to her chest in an expression of modesty following Illusion’s compliment. "Thank you," she says softly. "It means a spark." She reflects for a moment on why the red mare might have chosen such a name. It’s cradled softly by the tongue, almost soothing to say as it’s clipped from the mouth by gentle teeth. There are no hard consonants, no bold snap of the jaw with each syllable. Her name is not a whip to cow a crowd. Shararat does not feel like it carries any real weight.
"The sands here are deep," The Arabian agrees, smiling as she draws her own attention away from her estranged mother. It is so satisfying to know how disappointed the red mare has been in her all her life, but Shararat does not care to dwell on that now— though it is a discussion she means to have when she next see Ak Burun. "The terrain here will make for stronger legs, lungs, and hearts of all who call it home. I am eager to replenish my own stamina. What has deprived you of yours?" she asks, regarding Illusion curiously. The gold mare seems to be in good health, bright-eyed and alert, barely winded by their climb. Perhaps she has not lived in the Dunes for very long after all and is facing the same situation as Shararat as she acclimates to a new territory.
Her gaze is drawn back to the high dunes in the distance, lingering on the shadows cast by the sun rising higher. The day will be hot as ever in a sky so blue and uncluttered by clouds. "We should go for a run on the beach," she suggests with a quick smile. "Keep cool and stretch our legs a bit with the sun at its zenith. And perhaps this evening I’ll attempt to scale a dune, just to see how far I can get." She jogs in place for a moment, energized at the idea of this future challenge. It will be good to have a general idea of what she is capable of here so that she may better improve herself this season. It’s always best to work toward a tangible goal. |