Jay flicks his ears towards the mare as she begins to speak. Her voice intrigues him. It lacks the pressure and the battle-weariness of the mares at the peak, as well as the daggers and violent rumblings of other stallions. It's almost as if she speaks with the world instead of against it. She does not need to fight to make herself heard.
He almost chuckles when she introduces herself. Reef, pleasure to meet you. My name is Jay. Reef is a fitting name, he thinks to himself, given her choice to nap by the sea.
Would you like to wade with me?
The mare's invitation is unexpected in the same way it's unexpected that the sunset appears each night. He bobs his head in agreement, and heads towards the shore. He had learned to swim as a foal, taught by a mother and her filly in the peaks. Though he missed the mountain lakes, at least he was prepared for the chill of the water. The salt was still foreign to him though, and the way it coated his legs in a sticky layer caused him to shiver in mild discomfort.
He watched from the water to see if the mare would follow. He assumed that she would, but now that he was in the water, he didn't know quite what to do.
She had said they were to wade, so perhaps his going up to his chest had been a little too enthusiastic. A gentle current tugged his tail to the side, and he could see the gulls calling to each other overhead. It was a rather peaceful occurrence. It seemed that his time as a lone stallion had yielded a sense of foreboding at all times. For a moment however, he could feel the tension swirl away with the flow of the water.
What are you doing in the meadows Reef? Do you travel alone?