Common

Draco had been reluctant to leave the Hills. The decision weighed heavily on him, but it was an act of necessity that found him leaving his small family behind, having sequestered them safely within the secluded highlands of his home while he turned his own gaze towards the Commons. The risk of leaving his herd behind was only barely outweighed by the opportunity that he knew awaited him there. The Hills would not prosper on pretty dreams. There was work that needed to be done, and though he was not wont to admit it, Draco had been rather neglectful of his herd-building duties. He had lingered too long in comfort, but Draco knew that comfort would not lead to growth. Though it was easier to simply stay put and watch over his tiny flock, simpler did not always mean better.

Crossing into the Commons, Draco wasted little time. His movements were proud and purposeful as he skirted the border, lingering at the edges where the masses grew thin and mares sometimes wandered a touch too far from safety. It was there, amidst the autumn-dry grasses, that he spotted her. She stood alone, her white-splashed coat and glacial blue eyes commanding his attention. Something about her lax and leisurely demeanor suggested that she was not lost, nor had she been mistakenly separated from the throngs of horses that milled about the meadow, but rather that she was alone of her own volition. Independence had always been a draw for Draco, who quickly singled her out, eager to make her acquaintance and herd her back to the Hills before the prying, greedy eyes of any other stallions could catch sight of her.

But Draco decided to forgo his usual blunt and brash tactics, choosing instead to shadow her from a distance, keeping pace as she moved through the meadow. His attempt at subtlety was awkward - Draco never had been inclined towards nuance.

It didn't take her long to notice. She turned her attention towards him, pale lids narrowed over icy eyes. 'You're following me,' she accused sharply, bringing Draco's wavering figure to a sudden halt mid-step. Her words were a jest, but still they had caught the young stallion somewhat off-guard. For a long moment he simply stared, then raised his head to its full height and pinned her with his own dark gaze. "I'll stare all I want, thank you," he replied, his own voice holding a hint of playfulness. A crooked smirk was already beginning to unfurl at the edges of his lips, belying the defiance in his words.

He half expected her to flippantly dismiss him, but to his pleasant surprise, she did not flee. Instead she turned to face him fully, and Draco drank in the elegant arch of her neck and the way the delicate cups of her ears flicked towards him. Draco dared to take a step closer, then another, and another still, the distance between them slowly shrinking.

"You're right," Draco intoned, his voice lower now, his gaze steady, "You do have better places to be. With me, in the Hills."

He didn't lunge towards her, nor make any move to corral her towards the shore, though his body tensed almost imperceptibly, preparing to pursue her should she flee.