Falls

As always, Rehoboam brought his antics with him when he approached her, and Cel was smugly appreciative of his consistency. As he pressed his teeth to her withers, the tall draft mare offered him a sharp squeal, rising onto her hind legs for a brief moment before returning to allow the affectionate tickle of his breath against her ear.

“Not a single moment,” she teased, circling him like a giant cat, pressing against his skin and enjoying the warmth between them against the bitterness of the late-winter breeze. For a little while, she was simply affectionate, but after a few moments the tune of her body language changed to something more playful, as it usually did.

Celestine’s umber lips played in Rehoboam’s mane for a moment, before she took a mouthful of hair and gave it a tug. It wasn’t hard enough to truly be a yank, but she gave enough force that the message was clear. She spat out the two-toned locks and darted away, her low-set tail billowing behind her like a grand skirt on a person of high status. She glanced over her shoulder at him, blue eyes taunting, before taking off through the trees.

She did not lead him on the chase for very long. After a few breathless moments, she whipped around to face him again, allowing herself to be caught. She purred with amusement — Celestine loved games.

But games couldn’t hold her attention forever. She was hungry for the lands beyond the Crossing, and she saw no point in hiding this from Rehoboam. “I’m getting bored, Reh,” she said, arching her dusky neck over his withers. “I want to go on an adventure.”

With you, preferably, she thought, but would not admit out loud. “Take me somewhere fun,” she said instead. Celestine was well aware that she could go somewhere fun all by herself, but she liked the dynamic she had with Rehoboam; he was a very fun toy, and she wasn’t quite ready to leave him behind.