[VampireMessageNinja]

Username: VampireMessageNinja
Name: Hope in Tomorrow (Hope)
Gender: Mare
Prompt:
Hello there, I'm Hope!
Or well, that's what they usually call me. Rain always says that's just the shortening of the name she gave me for my personality and background. I always think that's a bit of an overstatement. But how about you listen to my story and tell me what you think about it? Don't worry, it won't take too long.

I was raised high up in the mountains by a wild horse herd. While I did, and still do, consider them my family I know that none of them are related to me. I was found as an orphan foal, barely clinging to life by the time the herd discovered me sitting at the edge of a cliff. While I don't exactly remember much from this early foalhood, I will never forget the feeling I had back then - A feeling of loss. Of having lost someone very dear to me, without knowing who. I like to think that it was my true family, because even though the thought makes me feel sad, it also makes me think that they had to have been great people that I looked up to.

I was in love with my home, spending hours and hours of my childhood rolling around in the fields of small pink flowers (Chamaenerion latifolium*) that littered the ground up there. My foster mother used to pick up some flowers and put them into my mane, telling me that I am her beautiful princess. Sometimes I dream of that.
The water from the small mountain springs is the best thing I have tasted to this day. Nowadays, sometimes when I drink from my bucket it feels like I am thrown back in time, my mind playing tricks on me, making me think that I am back there, sipping from the spring.The thought does make me feel a bit sad occasionally.
I quickly became friends with the mountain goats, the birds and even a snake. My foster parents warned me of the serpents who supposedly bit horses regularly, but somehow I was always lucky enough to get along with everyone. One of my herd friends, Crescent, always used to say that I am too nice and trusting for my own good and perhaps she was right.

The feeling of loss struck again a few years later, when my herd was rounded up and caught. Most of them I never saw again, only Crescent was taken to the same place as I. In retrospect, I wish I had been alone. Sharing the pain made it easier, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The farm owner was a horrible, horrible man with little regard for us. To this day I sometimes still go into panic attacks when my head or legs are touched and I couldn't be more greatful that Rain understands and is patient with me. It's not that I want to be this way, I have just been through so much that it's hard for me to trust. It's funny, considering I was once the very opposite of it.
But right, back to the story.

One day the man was gone and an old woman took his place, just like that. As if he had never existed. She smelled similar, perhaps she was part of his family. The woman was gentle and caring, but she had another major flaw. She was addicted to us, to the point where she took in more and more of us, eventually lacking the energy to care for us all. Yet she continued bringing in more horses. I really want to believe that she only meant well, but how would I know. Humans are hard to understand sometimes, I am sure even you know that.
Many of us died before what Rain calls 'authorities' took control of the situation and took us away. The last time I saw Crescent was as she was led away, her third young foal almost glued to her side. At the time she was almost as thin as her offspring, both of their furs dull and lacklustre, full of dirt, and sometimes I wonder if I looked the same.

Soon after it was like arriving in Heaven. Rain's farm was vast and open, friendly and full of light. I had been cooped up in the barn for a long time, the first time I got to eat grass again I wondered if I was just dreaming. It took a while until I managed to let Rain touch me at all and it was only thanks to my new friend Vanny, who never grew tired of explaining how nice a person this human was. That and the delicious carrots, a brilliant new discovery, won me over. I also discovered that I love having a shiny coat, being brushed makes me feel loved for some reason. It's almost like my foster mother rubbing my back lovingly. Rain, Vanny and the others are my new family now and while I miss them, I hope my herd members are fine, enjoying life as much as I am.

I am greatful for every experience I made along the way, the good and the bad, because they made me who I am. I know for sure that I am safe here and it's only due to my experiences that I can truly appreciate it. And perhaps one day I will have enough courage to allow myself to trust Rain completely. I know I want to, but it's hard. There's always hope in tomorrow, right?



* Fun fact: Those flowers, also commonly called dwarf fireweed or river beauty willowherb, really do grow in alpine and arctic regions and have even been observed going from completely frozen to thawed within a few hours without taking damage. Nature is exciting!

[MoonLesbian]

Username: MoonLesbian
Name: Winter
Gender: Mare
Prompt: Despite her name, Winter hates cold weather! It puts her in an awful mood, but come on, she's so stunning in the snow. She's done many snowy photoshoots for her beloved owner--as much as she hates it, she loves her girl and would put up with anything for her...even a prickly wreath around her neck or a pair of ugly felt antlers!

[ivyy.]

Username: bunnoblizzard
Name: Clove
Gender: Mare
Prompt:

"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎?"

Clove stood across the fence from the bare mountains that lay ahead. So much land to run, graze, and prance on... yet I'm stuck in this tiny pen. She thought apprehensively, snorting in anger. Clove used to remember that thought. Being trapped in a crazy farmer's skeptical reach. He knew she was a special clover, perhaps even going as far to consider her a rare breed, something maniacal and stupid, Clove would always reply back in her head. So? She had powers? What difference would that make? All she wanted to do was hang around her own kind and have fun. Wasn't that the point to life? Not to be some sort of limited slave to humankind. Clove lay down in defeat, just- just so tired of fighting the wrath and unkindness of men.

Clove had tried everything. From 'misbehaving', not eating, not drinking, laying on the floor in a play-dead manner... it never worked. They just brought men in white coats but the crazy farmer guy never gave her up like her clueless previous owner. Clove snorted again, this time a bit of steam flew out too, something she learned was best to hide most of the time and now she only did it when she was very frustrated, in pain, or extremely angry. She closed her eyes and dreamed she had iridescent white wings, floating and gloating above these ridiculous farms and watching as the farmer that had kept her caged for so long shouted in confusion. It was perfect.

Quiet hoof beats thrumming into the earth. Nearby. Clove jolted awake and stood excitedly, night had fallen by now and the sun was in hiding once more. The sound of running water made her tilt her head in confusion. There were no human water sources or natural ones nearby so then what was this? A beautiful dripping wet mare approached her and stopped a few hoofbeats away from in front of Clove. Clove stared in awe and fear, was this her kin? Her species? No longer some stinky old pig or dumb goat... it was another horse! "Hello. My name is Lapis." The beautiful, water-runner mare spoke in a calm tone of voice unlike the man who kept her trapped, she couldn't make out anything they said.

Clove breathed steam, feeling no longer nervous or uncomfortable. The mare silently reached over the fence and unlocked it from the inside after a bit of fiddling. She stepped back and the old fence creaked open very loudly. "As long as I'm here... no one can hurt you. Don't wanna lie here... but you can learn to." It was wise but something it'll take her years to decode. One thing she knew, though, was the fact she didn't need wings to see what had happened in front of her. This mare was granting her the freedom she so desperately craved. The invitation to freedom was finally here.

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑼𝒔𝒆𝒅

Clove (main character // unjudged adopt - not mine)
Lapis (my officially owned founder)

𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

Everything I Wanted by Billie Ellish

[LemonBunny]

Username: LemonBunny
Name: Polar North's Once Upon A Midnight Dreary // Poe
Gender: Female
Prompt: Poe is a very outgoing and social mare, she has a lot of energy and seems to put it to use by creating the small wind storms that constantly swirl around her enclosure. She has a very fun-loving and free spirit and enjoys playing with the other elementals and even engaging other breeds of horses and foals in some playtime. Poe is very laid back and calm, she doesn't spook very easily nor does she have much of a temperament, she's perfectly fine with being ridden or performing tricks and tasks and is one of the most docile animals at Polar North. She likes to pick on Blaze by biting at his ears until he decides to give in and chase her around, which is exactly what she wanted. She's exceptionally fast when she is able to reach a speed that she, herself, is most comfortable with and can be a bit of an intimidating ride for those uncomfortable with such a fast-paced mare, but for those who are okay with a horse that is quicker than most, she is very freeing and fun to ride with. Poe managed to wander, somehow, into Blaze's enclosure, pestering him and pestering him one afternoon, it seemed that the two had known each other somehow. The ranchers thought she wandered away from a nearby farm, but when no one had ever seen her before, Polar North decided to keep and register the mare as she got along with Blaze so well and had such a wonderful personality. Poe is now a permanent member of Polar North and has furthered their research into these elemental creatures and what exactly they can and cannot do. It is obvious that Poe has some sort of slight control over wind and possibly even the weather as it seems to take a bit of a turn when she's upset, though luckily for the handlers, it is very hard to upset her. She can make small, rotating bursts of wind, much like a miniature tornado, and it is thought that if she reached her full potential, she could form a much, much larger one. Her powers, along with Blaze's, are being researched and monitored by veterinarians and scientists as she is being trained and looked over by handlers.

[Bayfire213]

Geeze, y'all made this one hard to judge! So many wonderful entries, it was a pleasure to read through them all. Thank you all for entering, and allowing me to read your works<3 After careful consideration, I've decided that this mare goes to Bunnoblizzard! Congratulations, Clove is all yours<3 I'll get her info updated in just a minute!

But- hang on a moment! Since y'all made this so tricky to judge, I'd like to offer a little something to a couple runners-up. So an honorable mention to both .Lyrebird and VampireMessageNinja! My customs will largely be running off a point system, and each HM will be worth a set amount of points that can be put towards customs as either full or partial payment. So please keep a hold of this link, that way I can help you add to your herd at some point in the future<3

[ivyy.]

adjhaskaj oh my gosh!! thank you so much!!

[VampireMessageNinja]

Congratulations, please take good care of her!

And thank you Bayfire, I really appreciate it <3