The life of a lone horse required constant vigilance in order to survive. Although busy with the task of cleaning her foal, Alpenglow was still paying attention to the world around her. She is not a mare that is predisposed to rage and violence but the sound of hooves approaching her through the grass causes her heartrate to quicken. Pumping adrenaline around her body and awakening her primal instincts to protect her newborn foal. Coal lined ears flick back against her skull. Lips curl to reveal bared teeth. Head whips around to face the oncoming threat. Looking up from the ground her blue eyes focused upon an older looking chestnut mare. The stranger doesn’t appear to be hostile and in fact had given the mother and baby some space. In response Alpenglow’s ears prick forwards and her clenched jaw relaxes. She doesn’t recognize this mare and she doesn’t know why she had approached them. Perhaps to take a curious peek at the foal laying in front of her striped knees. The stranger asked a simple one worded question. Even though Alpenglow no longer considered the newcomer to be a threat she still eyed them warily. After a few moments she decided there was no harm in satiating the other’s curiosity. “Forgive me,” Alpenglow sighed and offered a tired smile, “I’ve been alone for so long I must have forgotten my manners.” In fact it would be nice to have a few hours of company. “So far, he seems to be,” she stated in her normal monotone voice. With a grunt the painted dunskin mare shifts her weight onto her knees, lifting with her hind legs before pushing up with the forelimbs, she gets back onto her hooves, taking great care not to crush or step on her son. For a moment her legs shake in protest about baring her weight again but at least this time it was only her weight. She takes a moment to assess her own condition. Looking between her legs she could see that blood still coated her hind legs but at least she had lost an acceptable amount, nothing to be alarmed about there. However the skin on her underside that was once taught now hangs loosely. It would be a few weeks before her body would recover from this and even then she would never have the figure she did before. Just one of the prices that mares paid to bring new life into this world. She then returned her attention back towards her son, who was now making his own attempts to stand, and her visitor. “I’m Alpenglow,” she introduces herself before asking, “What’s your name?” |