Falls

Kendry is pleased to have succeeded in mimicking his opponent’s attack. He’s missed this: the push and scuffle and competition among men, the light-hearted taunting between them. When the older stallion makes another push it is clear to Kendry that he is tiring, and the perlino presses his chest against his sparring partner only briefly before he peels apart and backs away. His own breath has begun to come heavy, and he becomes aware suddenly of sweat patching his withers and hips as a cold wind cuts across the field. He shivers and shakes himself out, content to catch his own breath for a minute as he sizes up his opponent again. It satisfies some deep urge within him to test his mettle against another stallion and reminds him, strongly, of the days he spent in the Lagoon. Kendry misses, fiercely, that camaraderie. This friendly spar has let him feel it again, however briefly, and for that he is grateful.

The pale stallion snorts and shakes out his mane. He feels the ache of their fight spreading through his chest and shoulder, the burn of muscles extended down his hind legs, but still he has energy. The scrapes on his face sting but not any worse than the jolt of wind against sweat as his body rapidly cools, and he blows another exhale as he jogs in a tight circle before his spotted opponent. Kendry is ready again to run and kick his way through the snow, certain that he’ll sleep better tonight than he has in months. He pauses, pawing at the snow they’ve shuffled through, but the grass here is short and yellowed and not at all good for grazing. He scoops a mouthful of clean snow up to slake a sudden onslaught of thirst before he raises his head toward the other stallion.

“Thanks for that,” he nods, then swings his vivid blue gaze out across the tree-dotted field. The day awaits him and he is eager to meet it. “I’m Kendry. You got a name, old-timer?” he asks, glancing back with a grin. He wouldn’t mind running into this fellow again, of the Lagoonies Kendry would invite him back— but he has been a long time gone from the band of bachelors. He will linger until he hears the spotted stallion’s reply, and only then bids him a warm farewell before jogging off through the snow.