Blessed water. The cool liquid was a blessing in this, the true heat of summer. Salem was so vastly different from the thick verdant beauty of the Lagoon he called home, and was different still from the tangled wood of the Thicket where the spotted male had largely grown up. Water dripped from the stallion's dark lips once he raised his head, whilst some clung to his whiskers in dewy droplets.
Alioth's dark eyes scanned carefully over the arid expanse in what he guessed was a westerly direction. If he was guessing correctly, then the black was not too entirely far from the borderline shared by three of the southern territories. He kept track for his own sake-- should a ruler come passing through and seek to remove him.
The blanketed appaloosa wasn't usually one to cause conflict, despite his previous tenure as General of the Lagoon. Alioth had only really taken the position to prove his loyalty to Garmr, who'd mentored him since he was a yearling. Now that the sabino was no longer Boss, he'd felt little need to remain in the position.
So, he wandered once in a while when Eriana was busy minding the boy she'd adopted, feigning intention to recruit when asked his business by any brethren who cared to stop him. He'd recruited Abraxas some time ago; not that it mattered since the young champagne had quit their ranks. His son Iridium out of Daffodil had been trained and recruited as well. The boy seemed content enough, but Alioth wondered if his son was getting as restless as he was.
It was these thoughts that busied him as Alioth lowered his head to drink again, distracting him from the beginning of the leopard queen's approach.