Meadow

Esther is excited to hear that this mare is after just what she is, the chance to explore, to see something new, to travel to fresh places and meet strangers. The itch in her hooves that drives her to wander is ever-present, and Esther is eager to get moving again. She glances curiously around at the serene meadow that surrounds them, surprised that the mare grew up here. The idea of staying in the same place for an extended period of time is foreign to her, because seeing the same meadow over and over is so boring, she would have gone utterly insane by now. She does nod along to the comment, humming in understanding. Esther had never known her own father, but she’s run across enough of them now to know that overprotectiveness seems to be a common male trait. “At least you know he cared,” Esther says brightly to the mare, following as she begins to walk away. She’d never really had a close relationship with her own father, often doubting the tall stallion cared where she was. It certainly hadn’t been hard to leave when she was a yearling; no one had sought her out, and Esther has never tried to go back.

A chance to rinse off does sound delightful; the mud caked thick to her coat is starting to dry, and with it comes that uncomfortable sensation as the hair begins to pull tight. “That sounds amazing,” Esther tells Presti, eyes bright as she looks ahead for where the stream spreads to a river as she follows along. “What was it like growing up here? I haven’t seen any real herds...was it just you and your father alone?” She’s eager to know more, always thrilled with the possibility of making a friend. Has this mare been anywhere else? Esther especially likes the idea of Atlantis, intrigued by the thought of thick green forests she could wander for days on end. Or Tinuvel, perhaps, to cool off in the far North after suffering through this miserable heat. There’s so much to see, and Esther is eager to begin.