A gruff breath heaves forth from the stallion's dark nostrils, escaping into the chilly air as no more than a plume of vapor. His whiskers catch many droplets and give his maw an almost dewy appearance. Alioth watches the falling snowflakes quietly. The first snowfall had always given him such joy: seeing it his first time, then playing with Dagon in her first snowfall, and now he had experienced that first with his son Iridium, but this time it frosted the edges of the ache Daffodil had left behind. The mass of the stallion's head shook back and forth, as if chiding himself.
He'd been taught by the other bachelors to care less for the mares, their trinkets. They were pawns, pieces in a game, bartering chips if need be, companions if they were willing. Daffodil had seemed to be becoming the latter, but, in his heart, the Appaloosa had doubted her. Being abandoned so easily by his father had left its mark on the spotted male. In doubting her commitment to him, Alioth had offered Daffodil her freedom, and she had taken it, promising to return. Now.. seasons later with the palomino nowhere to be found, Alioth supposes he may have been right to doubt her affection for him.
Now, he stands and watches the snow alone. Stoicly, he remains pinned to the spot as the flakes thicken the air. After several long minutes, Alioth shuffles forward. The snow muffles his steps, but he is by no means impeded by it. The accumulation upon the ground dampens the dark fur of the stallion's fetlocks as he strides forward. Chance puts her into his line of sight, leaning against a tree: Eriana.
Some unidentified emotion rushes through his veins: hot, then cold at the sight of her. Immediately, Alioth is drawn in. He'd thwarted another stallion from claiming her a season or so ago, but they hadn't spoken about it after. She could be angry with him, but the prospect didn't keep him from approaching the champagne mare and saying gently,