mare; mérens horse; 14hh; black
3 years
no home

It wasn’t that Nadine wanted to leave. She had truly enjoyed Berit’s kindness and company, and Cain’s laid-back, friendly spirit brought her much joy. Even when the Desert was overrun by the palomino mare and her enormous dark companion, she did not mind staying with Cain’s family under the newcomer’s rule.

Really, the only reason she decided to depart was curiosity. There wasn’t actually much turmoil in the Desert with this change of leadership. The whole event had been surprisingly calm. But part of Nadine, in a way, wanted the excitement of a more tense territory battle. She had come from a calm, sheltered life, with nothing really exciting to speak of; and, with Spring right around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time for adventure. So she slipped away, not particularly trying to be sneaky but not wanting to hurt Carbon and Vulcan with goodbyes, and slipped into the ocean before the first light of dawn.

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When she arrives on the first island she comes across, Nadine is pleasantly tired. The sun is just beginning to send its first rays into the sky, casting a peachy glow across the clouds and the waves. She steps from the surf and into the white sand and shakes the water from her ebony fur. The air is warm and a bit humid, but not hot yet, and a great chorus of birdsong can be heard from the dense trees at the edge of the beach. Her ears perk forward in delight; the Desert had been so peacefully quiet, so lovely and serene, but this is equally as excellent. She begins inland at a bright trot, water still streaming down her legs and causing her feathers to whip lightly against her heels. Her thick mane and tail hang heavy with moisture, and will probably remain so for some time; the air here is quite damp compared to Salem. She pauses in the shade of the trees and twists around to rake her teeth across her fur, working the salt out, doing her best to help speed the drying process along.

As she grooms, Nadine becomes aware of a stallion’s scent on the undergrowth of the forest, but this does not discourage her. She is not in heat, and aside from her hesitance at bringing a child into the world, she has no problem flirting with stallions and playing their games. Perhaps whomever runs this jungle can even help her reach the more difficult spots on her hindquarters that still itch with salt. She remains alert, but for the most part pretends not to notice her surroundings as she works her way down one lean foreleg, posing innocently for whomever might find her here.

Nadine