Falls

One pale ear twists to catch the footfalls that announce the approach of another, someone who has slowed their pace considerably and moves on light feet. Kendry lifts his head with his latest mouthful and regards the mare curiously, still chewing, as she hails him with a good morning. He nods his head in an amiable reply and half-expects her to carry on, but instead the iron-gray mare halts completely and regards him with a stare he finds intense. He hardly has time to register that she intends to engage him in conversation before she fires a volley of questions at him and, alarmed, Kendry chokes on his food as she startles a laugh from him. He shakes his head, ears flipped back, and coughs until he can breathe again. The stallion swallows, snorts, and then pushes his ears sideways as he regards the mare ruefully. “I’ve an idea how mares in the Commons must feel when they’re approached by strangers,” he rumbles goodnaturedly.

She’s short, but then everyone is compared to him. Kendry has the horses on these isles outclassed in height and weight (and hair), as least so far as he is aware, save for perhaps two or three. Kendry hopes to change that in the future by continuing his own bloodline. Surely his sons and daughters will inherit some of his heft and stature. He shakes out his mane and flicks his ears forward, offering the mare a wide and easy grin. “The Crossing has been more of a home to me than anywhere else lately and I’ve missed it,” he answers her first question. “I’m a native to the Islands. And I’ve been here just long enough to be startled into near-suffocation by... well, you.” His blue eyes gleam as he teases her.

With his composure regained, and all the heavy gray clouds of his introspection fled in the face of his garrulous new companion, Kendry cocks a hind hoof and nocks his own questions one-two-three behind his teeth to fire back: “Why’ve you come to the Falls? Is it your personal mission to interrogate others? And have you ever seen a ghost?” He can’t explain what prompted that last one. Kendry’s never actually considered the concept before, but now that he’s brought it up, he’s gotta know.