𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐒 － open！！

[cheshire.]

ＢＪＯＲＮ ── ❝ fear the reckoning of those you have wronged !! ❞
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( hnitbjorg king ) ( 14 ) ( stallion ) ( tags: frigg, atreus, rhae, bullet, azarias, lilura, vanir) ( location: the falls )

Watching the fights break out, Bjorn scolded the young earls within his mind. It seemed they had a death wish to continue brawling with so many kings around. Titan had now gotten involved along with what appeared to be the Alheim king's brother. Bjorn remembered him from some years back though didn't know why he was back. No matter, it wasn't Bjorn's business and being the introvert he was, he wasn't about to get in the middle of it. A warning was all that was needed and should it get worse he would support Phantom as he would rather a diplomatic king to deal with than a brazen earl on the throne. The likes of Mjolnir were not fit to rule one of the three territories and Bjorn was disappointed to associate the foolish horse with his own bloodline. He was still just a colt and Bjorn would refuse to recognise him as one of his own until he proved himself more than what he currently was.

Speaking of his own he felt a bump to his backside. Startling he shifted his hooves, turning to feel the wet muzzle of Frigg navigating along his side to get to his front. He gave a rumbling chuckle and perked his ears as she gazed emptily up at him. It seemed she was already understanding the anatomy of herself and other horses since she located his head relatively easy. He admired the stark blue of her eyes before she seemed to focus on a horse in the distance; Azarias. Bjorn's estimate of her divine blessings was only further solidified when she did this and he groomed her rump a few moments before placing his head protectively over hers. "Do you feel him, little Frigg?" he murmured, glancing in the direction of Azarias as well, "He is a seer and protector of Valhalla. You would be wise to treat him well and trust in his advice."

From behind he noticed Atreus coming and nickered affectionately for his son. Bjorn treated himself to the company of the two without their brooding mothers, letting himself lick their necks messily and nibble their manes. Normally this much contact would get him a nip but he mischievously took advantage of this alone time with them. "My loves you must always look after one another," he nudged them towards each other to physically promote his words. While they may not fully understand his words, Bjorn knew the importance of talking to them while they were young so that they would learn fast. He could see Freja wanting to play with Atreus and nickered for the three to stay close together. He also noticed her glance in Nigel's directions and his ears flicked backwards, stomping a hoof. While he didn't know Nigel that well, Bjorn didn't want to know him and furthermore didn't want him near his daughter. As far as Freja's future was concerned, Bjorn wanted her with him longer.

Rhae's squeal snaps him from his trance and he turns sharply to see a strange mare casually within the herd. His ears immediately flattened and he nudged his three children close before moving to support his mare. Coming up behind her he could see she was efficiently sending the stranger away and Bjorn grated the ground, "I don't appreciate you storming into my family. Keep your distance," he grunted. Some part of him could feel Rhae's irritation at not only the stranger but himself. He recalled his decision to promote Oydis and spared a moment to nudge her shoulder in a request of forgiveness. "I should have consulted with you. You know you are priceless to me and if you disagree with the decision then I will revoke it." The idea of upsetting Rhaenys was enough for his mood to sour and he lashed his tail with rising irritation. Not many would notice, perhaps only Rhae who knew him best, but his patience was waning and he itched to return to Hnitbjorg.

He'd hardly had a moment to turn to see how the fights were going when he noticed Azarias had come down. Bjorn whickered for his herd and looked to Athena, Rhae and Vanir, "We should present the foals to him." Eager for the acceptance of the gods and his relative but not for the possible confrontation of other horses, Bjorn looked to them for their advice.

A noise pulled Bjorn from his attention on them. He'd had enough distractions and his ears were already positioned negatively when he spotted a dark mare approaching the herd. She walked with purpose yet it wasn't intrusive. A rippling mane and tail and big eyes had Bjorn's ears perking, a completely switch of mood. She smelled of female and therefore wasn't marked by a stallion. Her tail also sent waves of her heat in his direction and Bjorn was immediately interested. He was interested enough that he forgot Azarias' presence in favour of hers. Leaving Oydis to manage Lark, Vanir, Rhae and the others, he picked up a calm walk towards her. The stallion snorted when she was close enough, curving his neck gracefully in order to promote his good looks and raising his tail in intrigue. A boyish, masculine side of him wanted to mount her immediately - an unusual action for the reserved king who would normally chase such a stranger. It seemed he was coming across many odd horses today.

ＥＬＩＺＡ ── ❝ the safety of my family is the highest law !! ❞
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( jotunheim valkyrie ) ( 4 ) ( mare ) ( tags: mjolnir, astrid, nigel, ylva, signe, vidar, frigg, lark, vanir, oydis, rhae, athena, imp) ( location: franang falls ) ( in gestation )

Eliza raised her head at the audacity of Mjolnir. For him to objectify Astrid like she was a bargaining chip made her realise her brother was still just a child. Bjorn's call of warning definitely struck a chord in the two challengers and Eliza hissed, "You know if you harm any of father's allies then he will have your head," the mercy from within her was gone and she darted behind Phantom to circle around the herd. Nigel had reappeared after some time away and she gave a whinny of gratitude. He had never been the most dominant horse and instead seemed to work on improving his reputation as loyal and trustworthy. This made him like-able to Eliza who believed every horse should strive to be their best selves. She caught Vira shouting in the direction of Dia and stepped out to nudge the filly, "Do not mind that brute. Stay close to the herd where it's safe." Her words were soft and soothing, her voice never having been that loud due to her lack of verbal communication. As long as she could keep the lot close together, the stallions would handle the rest. She shot Astrid a praising look when the filly brought back Vidar.

She had just rounded them together when she saw Ylva pushed towards them. Eliza stepped out to greet her and offer her protection within the herd while Sammael took up a battle stance in order to deal with Dia. She was impressed by the black stallion's resolution to help and found her thoughts conflicting once again. Never had her love for Phantom been challenged by another and to have her curiosity lean towards Sammael...well it made Eliza uncomfortable. She whisked her tail, praying they would both come out victorious - which was certain due to their obvious prowess. Pretty soon all the kings were aiding one another and Eliza felt herself relax somewhat. There was no way defeat was possible now. Phantom had cornered Mjolnir and spoke with such aggression that she had never seen within him before. His protective nature settled Eliza's doubts and she watched with adoration as he concluded the conflict.

Just as he had, Azarias appeared from up high and Eliza whinnied to him in greeting. He must have been her great, great, great grandfather or something since she had known of him for quite some time. His presence meant the herds could mingle in peace and it gave her a chance to reunite with her father. Looking to Signe she nodded towards Azarias and Hnitbjorg, "I am going to greet them, accompany me? The foals should meet and play." She said this loud enough for Phantom to hear, sliding up to him to wriggle her lips over his light wounds soothingly. "You bring us so much pride."

That said she moved towards Azarias and Hnitbjorg, touching the seer on the shoulder respectfully as she neared him. The two side by side created quite a sight and she smiled in the direction of Atreus, "Another of our coat, aren't we lucky." It was not meant to start conversation, more just a familial statement as she continued on towards them. When near she noticed her father preoccupied with a valkyrie and instead whinnied to Rhae and Oydis. The two mares had practically raised her and she didn't show any discomfort when near them. "Hello Rhaenys, Sydney," the mare smiled, treating them like her mothers. She also spotted Freja and threw her head up playfully. Freja had only just been born when Eliza had been departing. Beside her half sister was Atreus and Frigg. Both incredibly beautiful, Eliza felt her heart swell in joy for the herds prosperity. "Rhae you have been so utterly blessed, what a handsome young man he is," she felt excited to stand near another champagne.

Eliza offered Vanir a submissive clack of her teeth and lowered head to show she was of no harm to Gersemi or Frigg and only wanted to greet the two. Behind them was Imperial and Eliza was in awe of his size. "He will be fierce," she commented to Athena. Being among them all made her long for family. She wanted Phantom's foal and yet she had gone and made a foolish mistake. Quietly in the corner she saw Lark as well. Her coat was golden, just lighter than her own and Eliza could immediately see what Bjorn liked in her. They would produce gorgeous foals that would likely outshine any in Valhalla. "You are very beautiful," she said gently.

ＭＡＺＩＫＥＥＮ ── ❝ the moments we've spent have passed !! ❞
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( valkyrie ) ( 9 ) ( mare ) ( tags: thera) ( location: franang's falls)

As it would seem, Thera knew how to defend herself. When she dropped to stop Mazikeen was attacking her legs, Mazi figured Thera wouldn't risk a kick without the full momentum of standing straight. She was incorrect and while it didn't hit her with the force Thera could have placed should she have been standing, it nicked the dark mare's stomach and gut. After birthing Gaagi she was still sensitive and gave a squeal of pain. Closing up the space again the mare intended to grab at Thera's fleshy throat but was instead greeted with a flurry of attacks. None were particularly painful but instead made to ruin Mazikeen's balance. These tricks worked and she only just managed to regain her footing in the mud when she saw Thera had gotten some space and now had her hind legs swinging her way. If not for her ingrained ability to turn on a dime she would have probably taken a hit to the face. Throwing her head up she lifted off the ground in a rear to try avoid the hit. One of Thera's hooves connected with her shoulder and Mazikeen instinctively turned paced away from the small paint to discover a gash where Thera had sliced her.

It punctured the skin enough to cause no bleeding and her adrenaline stopped the pain but Mazikeen looked with fury at Thera. Bounding forward, her shoulders and hind legs rippling, Mazikeen gathered her momentum and at the last moment dug her hooves into the dirt to send her hind ones flying around in a lethal double barrel kick. She almost did a 360 since as soon as she delivered the hit she spun and dropped her head, teeth bared to chase Thera out. She had taken offence to the buck and would tolerate the small mare no longer. Squealing indignantly she cared little for the outside dramas as long as she could have this mare out of her current proximity so Mazikeen could announce her place among the herd. She had fought rather hard and was now determined to stay and show Thera she was a force to be reckoned with.

Ｄ＇ＡＲＴＡＧＮＡＮ ── ❝ but the heart of a man is a simple one, small and soft, flesh and blood !! ❞
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( lone earl ) ( 8 ) ( stallion ) ( tags: azarias, saorise, amaera) ( location: franang's falls)

The mare before him was quite the looker but she seemed strong in character and her comments meant she was uninterested in being claimed. Dart figured it was a challenge too big for him to attempt at this point in time and resigned to simply talking with her. He nodded in agreement at her words, "Perhaps I'm your distant uncle," he joked lightly. Dart was a humorous boy and tried to lighten the mood but he had a feeling neither of them enjoyed a laugh. A bit out of place among them he listened intently to the drama below and to the two beside him - knowing better than to talk too much. Yet he couldn't help but ponder her reluctance to join a herd. He knew some mares were much harder to court but had never really had the chance to discuss as to why. "Staying with the oracle is a good idea if you wish to remain undisturbed though I figure there may be one or two stallions who would be more than happy to house you temporarily," he hoped she understood his underlying message - you're welcome with me should you wish it. Being distantly related gave him a light instinct of family towards her.

Azarias spoke up and as he did, d'Artagnan looked towards the water. For a moment what he thought was a protruding boulder seemed to morph into the shape of a head. What on earth was a horse doing that deep in the water. The oracle encouraged him to approach and who was he to ignore the suggestion of the mighty one? Nodding, he swallowed and said a quiet goodbye to the two before hopping down the ledge one step at a time. Nearing the kings when they were so geared up had him nervous and he was sure to keep his distance. Passing by Alfheim and Jotunheim he pricked his ears at all the young maidens but dared not look a moment longer. His spotted coat made him impossible to miss so instead he held his head low and trotted along in a non-threatening manner. Ack don't attack me, he thought to himself as he slid past Phantom and then Titan. The calming presence of Azarias arriving helped Dart's mission and when he finally came near the waters edge he could see the more distinct features of the mare in the water. Bay with a strong face marked with a white stripe, she looked tall and strong.

"What do the gods and Azarias have planned for me," he lamented with a groan. She seemed like she would be difficult and d'Artagnan was not sure if he was capable enough to be successful with her. The last thing he wanted was to be chased away by a mare in front of all the kings. Oh, how humiliating that would be. He released a whinny to her, taking a few steps into the shallows. Dart was not a confident swimmer, having never really let water get above his stomach. So he leaped back onto dry land and nodded his head a little anxiously by the waters edge. "Tell me, how do you battle these waters so expertly?" he called out to her.

[haru ;]

██│（ ＬＡ ＥＳＭＥＲＡＬＤＡ ）│██
ＴＡＧＧＥＤ： ＨＥＩＤＩ， ＩＲＭＥＬＡ ， ＩＮＫＥＲＩ ＡＮＤ ＴＨＥ ＨＥＲＤ

indentationIngrid pawed at the ground in mild agitation, her hoof leaving a slight dip in the moist earth. She didn't like the fact that so many potentially dangerous strangers were straying so near to their herd, cluttering the air with sky-rocketing tension and suspicions. Not to mention that this particularly mare who went by the name Amaera, though certainly beautiful, had irately told her father off directly to his face. Ingrid was privately surprised that Titan did not rear up and strike the mare full in the muzzle right there and then. You're not Sammael... The creamy-hued maiden pricked her ear in suddenly piqued interest. Sammael? A stallion a splitting image of Titan? Did her father really have a brother he had never once spoken of? At once, her striking brown gaze flicked expectantly towards the mighty form of Titan to gauge his reaction, but was once again surprised to see almost a faint amusement dancing in his eyes. Her eyes widened imperceptibly. Just who exactly was this strange, hostile mare?

Ingrid suddenly felt a comforting tugging sensation on her mane and at the same time, the whispering wind brought about the sweet scent of her foster mother, Inkeri. The calmness that emanated from her body was injected into Ingrid's own and she felt her racing heart start to relax, her tight muscles slowly loosening its vice-like grip. She focused subconsciously on the ticklish feeling of Inkeri grooming her mane and the warm chuff of her breath. "Never, Ma," she replied softly with matched humour. "I never saw Alfheim this happening, with Cita's foal and Mazikeen and all. Don't you think the gods are trying to reward us for surviving the storm?" The last part was spoken with just the faintest drop of sarcasm in it, but Ingrid's naturally calming soprano hardly hinted at any resentment.

Another scent she was especially fond of swept past her, carrying with it the sharp air that still faintly smelled of rain. Ingrid's eyes glittered knowingly and turned on her heels, just in time to see her beloved half-sister streak towards her. After giving Inkeri a warm nuzzle on the neck in farewell, Ingrid returned Heidi's energetic sentiment with an arch of her neck of her own, her hooves nearly soaring off from the ground. "Now she asks me," she pointed out, rather arch. The fellow Alfheim maiden was one of her best friends, and they often talked of joining a new herd together. In some ways, they could be as different as the sun and the moon, yet in others, there were no two sisters more similar in ideals and intelligence. Heidi was all fire and spunk. Ingrid was ice and wit. The two were literally inseparable.

Just then, the looming form of Titan appeared behind them and lovingly shepherded them away so he could talk to Thera. Not wanting to be in the way Ingrid gracefully twisted out of reach and so that she and Heidi could trot along side by side. "Come, Irmela," she urged their grulla sister as they passed by. A run couldn't possibly be a run without the three sisters reunited, strongly carving a way through the crowd of horses towards the glistening falls. Ingrid's every nerve seemed alive, from her dancing hooves to her mane and tail gently undulating in the wind. She had always been in awe of Franang. How the water could sing and flow with an effortless grace, yet with an undeniable temper, intrigued the maiden. Tilting her head at an angle towards Heidi, Ingrid picked up instantaneously that she wanted to tell them something just as the falls' roaring alto truly claimed them.

The trio came to a gradual stop, and Ingrid lingered closer to the sloping banks so she could look down into the water's pearlescent reflection. At Heidi's sudden question, her head jerked up as if an electric current had run through her. "Why, do you think Pa could ever bear to let us go?" her light-hearted sarcasm trickled back into her response once again, but noticing the grave, almost melancholy expression on Heidi's face, she shook herself back into solemness. "I always thought Phantom seemed decent." Pause. "I'd never met Bjorn personally, though our herds didn't exactly depart the best of friends. Listening thoughtfully to Heidi's next words, Ingrid pivoted so she faced her sister fully, drawing up her slender legs, expressive brown eyes slightly wide. That implication was too heavy. All too real. Her heart sank as she took in the hint, as if a ruthlessly cold wave had just doused her from head to toe, leaving her feeling cold and empty on the inside. "You don't mean, you would be leaving for Jotunheim soon." It wasn't a question. Though Ingrid had always expected something like this to happen, oh, she simply hadn't known it would become reality so soon. All her life she had imagined the three sisters raising their families together. Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be.

[lynettetan1]

A City's Dream

When the bigger foal fell in response, Dream couldn't help the mixed feelings that rose within her. On one hand, she felt incredibly triumphant, but on the other, it felt too much like bullying for her taste. When her mother took over, Dream took a step back, wagging her tail. Cita would know what to do.

Returning her mother's affections and accepting the opportunity to suckle, Dream got her fill and then some, suckling till she even felt slightly sloshy. With that done, she licked her soft lips, before rubbing herself against Cita's hind leg, trying to get at a particularly bothersome itch.

As she did so, her adopted sister moved over, nuzzling her apologetically. Feeling much better and also a little bad for knocking the other over, Dream nuzzled her back, before perking her ears as Nochi offered to play. Not quite sure how to play but definitely wanting to, Dream lifted up a front hoof, pawing awkwardly at the air, before losing her balance and falling a little once more. That headbutt from before had tired her quite a bit, and she had just been born a little while ago.

All the same, Dream seemed to snort in slight frustration, before gathering her limbs under her. Soon, she tottered upright once more. Maybe not so high, then. Tossing her head in the air, she didn't lift her front hoof as high, instead just scraping at the grass below her playfully.

Suddenly, however, Nochi squealed, running for their mother. Confused and a little panicked, Dream huddled a little closer to Cita for some support, looking over at what scared Nochi so. When she saw Inkeri, however, she looked at Nochi in confusion. Inkeri was so much smaller and less angry than that other bay, and Dream sensed nothing but curiosity from her. Though that didn't mean Dream was going to dash forward to meet the new mare, to say she wasn't curious to meet the new mare would be a faulty statement.

Still, Nochi was scared. Deciding that her new sibling was just nervous, Dream planted her body between Nochi and Inkeri, nickering to the other foal gently and nuzzling her to try and get her to calm down. No matter who worried Nochi, she was there and she would stop them. Nochi would be safe with her.

As she did, however, Dream couldn't help but notice an entire group of horses around the same size as her and Nochi. A golden stallion was near them, making her feel a little hesitant, but in a moment, he was walking away from the other foals.

Curious to see those others, Dream let out a loud, tremulous whinny, before meeting one of them- a brown and white foal- in the eye and bobbing her head in greeting as she wagged her tail. Then, seeming to remember that she wouldn't move anywhere her mother wouldn't, Dream looked over at Cita, a questioning look in her eyes. Could she go play?

Midnight's Mirage

After all the chaos, Phantom watched the others retreat, before letting out a quiet whicker as Sammael passed. It wasn't a command, but the King's way of asking for a word in a bit.

First, however, he had some things to do. Moving round the herd, he nuzzled everyone, making sure they were okay, nudging Vira gently toward the lake to wash her wound. She still needed to wash that. She seemed to be making up with her twin though, which was good. Moving quietly toward Signe and seeing her busy with the two foals, Phantom approached respectfully so she wouldn't feel threatened after all that happened already.

As it was, tensions still ran high with all the activity and how keyed up everyone was, though Azarias had come closer, spreading an area of calm around the herds. As such, he kept an eye on everything as he groomed Signe, trying to relax the mother but also not get in her way. As Nigel approached with joy, however, Phantom took a step back, letting his son have a moment with his mother. After a few minutes, Phantom grew a little impatient, wanting to know the foals, so he nudged Nigel gently, giving his son a warm whicker. "It's good to see you back, Nigel."

Looking at Signe, he continued, bringing the group's attention to the foals. "Did you name the two new ones?" He wasn't able to get acquainted with them in the chaos, and he was quite sure Nigel would like to see his brothers.

As he said this, Heidi streaked past with other maidens of Alfheim, almost as if reveling in their strength and youth. Phantom felt a possessiveness coming over him, remembering the pride and yet the sensitiveness that rested just underneath, like the wild seas that the Alfheim land crested. Part of him wished to go over, but he would wait. It was never good to be hasty. Besides, he had family he wished to meet. At the thought, he let out a warm rumble toward the foals, letting his head drop so they could see him. He didn't move forward to nudge them, simply letting them know his scent, and letting them come over on their own terms. Foals were intrinsically curious, after all. Still, he kept an eye on Signe, ready to retreat if the mother showed any signs of distress.

As he thought of that, Eliza brushed past, making him shocked gently to her and step back, ever aware of how many horses there and not wanting to pressure Signe nor the foals. At her words, he nodded quietly in approval. Foals flourished best around others they could play with, and he was happy to be a king stable enough to give them such an opportunity.

As Eliza nudged him gently, he smiled happily, nuzzling her in turn and pulling fondly at her forelock. "As are you." Whilst some might call the jotunheim king calculating and aloof, his herd knew him to be ridiculously tender, even with the lack of words he often spoke.

Watching them leave, Phantom nudged the rest of herd toward the water to drink and eat, before letting out a soft neigh as he trotted toward Sammael. To be honest, he wanted to use the repose Azarias provided to rejoin with Inkeri and see if he could court Titan's daughter, but he felt thanks were in order first.

Though Phantom easily adapted to every situation, he knew the loss of Eliza would have hit him hard, as well as the likelihood of surviving the earls' attacks just a moment before being lower if he had not been there. Nodding in acknowledgement, he spoke. "Thank you for your actions before." He started, making it clear that he both knew and wasn't going to begrudge Sammael what had occurred with Eliza.

"I am Midnight's Mirage, King of Jotunheim, Phantom for short. You have done my herd and I a great favour. Should you ever find yourself in danger, you will be able to find repose in my lands. Of course," he continued, a slight glint in his eye at that, "you'd have to ask for an escort at the border, and not harm any of my herd, and I'd protect yours if given the opportunity. The cliffs of Jotunheim are dangerous to the untrained eye."

With the black stallion's actions, Phantom was quite sure that he did not intend to take over his herd, or he would have been able to easily by teaming up with the bachelors. His actions weren't completely out of kindness, either. Though he was grateful for Sammael's actions, Phantom knew a stallion of Sam's age and experience was a force to be reckoned with, and bonds would be best forged early to strengthen his standing as well as Sammael's. Given that Sammael would be allowed access to a King's lands, he'd be able to hide from bachelors that wished to attack his small band, given that he had no place of rest.

Cocking his head, the Jotunheim king waited patiently for the other stallion's answer. After all, Eliza had spent time with them and reacted favorably, which meant he hadn't covered her by force. She was a relatively good judge of character as well, and if he had seen Forseti correctly, Eliza wasn't quite the only one enamoured with the large stallion. In fact, he had a feeling the two herds would be quite intrinsically connected.

Northern Quiver

Well, this was a dicey situation. Whilst Thera had experience and precision on her side, Mazi had strength, speed and a ridiculous amount of anger. As the mare turned away, turning her buck into a glancing blow that wouldn't make her any slower, Thera was quite sure that her ability to hold out would not last much longer.

In fact, though her attacks were often incredibly accurate, most of the hits she'd landed had been quite by accident, and Thera did feel quite sorry for kicking the other mare in the stomach, though the mare's anger was more than enough to make her fear drive out her sympathy in favour of self preservation.

The space she'd gained was eaten up by the younger mare in a second, the bay's impressive bulk swinging dangerously toward her, sharp hooves slicing heavily through the air toward her. With a bellow of fear, Thera jerked back hurriedly, retreating before she'd even thought to do so. The hooves hit her on the other side of her withers, slicing into her painfully and sharpening her mind into a single thought. I have to get out.

Thera had never been a dominant mare, and the kick Mazi had just thrown stepped over fights of dominance. Mazi didn't want her dethroned. With that kick, Mazi had wanted her dead.

Spinning quickly around, Thera bucked out once more at Mazi, aiming right where she'd hit the younger mare in the buck just before, aiming to have the pain cripple or slow Mazi in some way, knowing that she wouldn't beat the quarter horse in speed.

The moment she connected with flesh, Thera surged, almost spring boarded off Mazi with a force she didn't know she had, before fleeing to the safety of the water, where Mazi's size and speed would be slowed.

Having grown on the beaches of Alfheim, swimming was an action as natural as cantering. The water was her abode. Splashing in and crossing the lake in a few seconds, she sprung into the other back, whites of her eyes showing and ears lowered, but not in aggression. Lowering her head, Thera's response was obvious. She didn't want to be lead, simply wanted Mazi to not chase after. Her legs shivered with the exertion, and the blood pounded in her ears.

Thera had fought many others twice or thrice her size, dealt with those who were in over their head, but none whose injuries only added to a murderous rage. That killing intent had been clear, and Thera had no wish to be on the receiving side of that again, safety of her herd or not.

Diamond in the Rough

As Mjolnir cut him off aggressively, Dia reared, plunging his front hooves into the soil with a snort. He knew the other earl had failed, but if the earl thought he could pick on Dia to relieve some of his frustration, then he was foolish.

However, Mjolnir lowered his head and spoke, and Dia's ears perked slightly. His words were ironic, however, given how the paint stallion looked just about dead, but the prospect was promising.

"Have you looked at yourself, Mjolnir? You aren't even standing straight. Your offer isn't a bad one, but perhaps you should offer it when you would be a healthier ally. Come find me when you've healed."

With that, he trotted off with a flick of the tail. Whilst he would appreciate Mjolnir's help, he wasn't going to agree to a partnership that would include nursing the paint bachelor to health. Maybe if the other bachelor could pull himself out of the mess he landed himself in, they could talk about options then. He'd seen how rashly the other had behaved, and wasn't willing to team up till right before an attack.

[eventer]

❝ ＡＴＨＥＮＡ ❞

mare ■ fourteen years ■ 16"3 arabian warmblood ■ stallion; bjorn■ tags; herd

❝ ＩＭＰＥＲＩＡＬ ＤＡＲＫＮＥＳＳ ❞

imp ■ colt ■ few hours ■ mature 17"0 andalusion x arabian warmblood ■ mares; none ■ tags; athena, sire's herd

■ athena payed little attention to the other mares, in truth, the black mare was to distracted by imp. she pricked her little pony like ears forwards to imp as he bounded off to the side, ears pinning back a second, she trotted after him and cut him off before he could get too far, directing him gently back to the group. a sharp kick to the shoulder from imp out of arrogance earned him a nasty nip on the hip. in fright, and shock, he cried out and jumped forwards sucking his rump under him before spinning and looking at his mother wide eyed while she simply stared blankly at him and raised her brow. she rolled her eyes and nudge him again, he pinned his ears and she sighed, he was going to be fun to raise. seemed his obedience only came in short bursts.

athena flicked an ear back at bjorn as he spoke, but brushed it off, she had no interest in seeking approval of her colt, bjorn seemed happy with him, why should she seek approval from anyone else? she had never done it with any of her foals, and she was not about to now. her foal could be seen from here, and for now, she wanted no one but bjorn near him. with a toss of her head she simply blinked and turned back to imp, eyeing him for a second before grazing.

the mare twitched her ears as eliza spoke up, she smiled softly in thanks and a soft quick nod was all was needed from athena to show she appreciated it. the for the first month of being with bjorn, most the mares thought her a mute until they caught her talking to bjorn, but in all truth, bjorn really was the only one she spoke a word too, she just wasn't a talkative mare and used her body to show how she felt. some mares didn't like the way she was, others didn't care, and in all seriousness, she didn't care what they thought, she spoke when she needed and only when needed. otherwise, she remained quiet. with a soft huff, she lowered her maw to graze, pulling at the grass calmly before flicking an ear back, cocking a leg and watching imp who'd finally worn himself out after a few gallop circles around her, plop himself down at her front hooves, and lay down onto his side against her, she smiled softly and nibbled his mane softly before gently dropping to the ground herself. it took imp a second or two before he stood up and layed back down at her chest, this time laying slightly more upright, his back legs slightly stretched out, his fronts slightly tucked under and his neck and head resting on his dams legs. athena smiled softly and gently rubbed her soft lips over his mane and neck a in a gentle grooming manner to lull the newborn to sleep. but a few minutes later, and imp was in a deep sleep, soft snores could be heard from a few meters from where she lay with the colt. she huff softly, and closed her eyes, falling into a light sleep, still exhausted from birthing the big colt, she wanted to rest, even if now was not the time.


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❝ ＰＡＮＤＯＲＡ ❞

mare ■ sixteen years ■ 16"3 australian thoroughbred x mustang ■ stallion; phantom■ tags; herd

■ grazed calmly, a bump to her shoulder caused the heavily pregnant mare to flinch in fright, with baby brain having kicked in the last few weeks, most of her attention was on eating, so a bump from phantom had given her a fright, she'd threatened to bite him but alas she was not very quick when pregnant, and realised who it was before she got close enough to bite him. with a huff, she understood what he was asking and was about to head off before phantom's attention was stolen, not entirely sure by what, simply happy she could return to graze, and so she continued to do so, flicking an ear deciding to pay a bit more attention this time.

(sorry, 0 muse for panda)


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❝ ＭＯＯＮ ＢＥＦＯＲＥ ❞

artemis ■ mare ■ two years ■ mature 17"1 belgian warmblood x french anglo arabian ■ stallion; none ■ tags; open

■ artemis grazing next to a lake


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❝ ＳＹＢＩＬ ❞

mare ■ fifteen years ■ 15"3 australian brumby x english thoroughbred ■ stallion; titan■ tags; herd

■ sybil watched as mazi's fight for dominance turned into aggression, and immediately, sybil was not happy. the fight didn't last long after that, and thera decided to be smart and took off, still in sights, the chestnut pinto mare watched the duo carefully, ears pinned back, and a dominant aggressive look in her eye when she looked at mazi, there was no way that cow was being lead. and come a week after her foals birth, mazi would be dethroned, sybil didn't usually result to such violence when sorting out lead mare, most mares.. smarter, wiser mares sorted it out in a matter of minutes, a kick or two, a nasty bite was usually enough, but for such violence, this new comer was no leader, she was a bully, and while sybil made sure to be discreet about it, her dominant look was enough for mazi to know not to mess with her, for even with the mares clear strength, she'd be utterly stupid to try to challenge a mare of sybils age. it would be foolish, ears pinned back she circled around the rest of the mares protectively blocking them from mazi and thera, unsure of what was about to happen now thera had taken off, she stood tall in front of the mares, protective over them from the agro mare. while sybil was pregnant, and for the first few days or so after her foal was born, she would not do anything to annoy mazi. but should the mare even dare to be dominant over her, she'd pay with her life when sybil regained her strength.

so for now, sybil stood protectively over the herd, mazi might have won, but unless she proved herself properly to sybil as thera had done before her, her rank would last but a week.

(sorry hers is a bit of jibberish, basically she's going to take mazi down once she regains her strength lol, she's being dominant over mazi without making it seem like she wants to be lead, basically she's just making sure mazi knows she can't boss her around.. if mazi proves herself to sybil, sybil won't over throw her, but if she proves to be the bully sybil believes she is, she won't last long c: sorry mazi, sybil is all about respect and being fair.)

[unnamed]

Ｔ Ｉ Ｔ Ａ Ｎ ！ ！
alfheim king . eleven years . stallion . tags: cita, dream, nuchi, alfheim herd, azarias . location: franang's falls

The sight of the earls leaving eased Titan's worries. With a new young foal, a heavily pregnant Sybil, and the current situation evolving between Thera and Mazikeen the last thing he wanted to be concerning himself with was an earl attempting to snake one of his precious mares. He could only spread himself so thin and at the moment desired nothing more than for his herd to be huddled back together and retreating to the shores of Alfheim. He longed for the sounds of the crashing waves and the feeling of sand crushing beneath his hooves. With so many new foals currently in the herd he desired them to see the waves as well. Being a religious sort he often liked to instill beliefs early, and though this one was more a story than anything else, he was keen on telling his foals that they were forged from the mighty waves and thus would grow strong and capable like the rocks upon which the waves crashed. When he'd told Heidi that little story Thera had looked at him like he was ridiculous, nonetheless most mares indulged his little story in favor of the lesson being taught behind it.

Turning now from the other herds he had intentions of returning to his own and gathering them together, particularly Heidi for he didn't know how long he had left with his daughter. However he paused in his tracks at the sight of Azarias, the oracle of Valhalla. In respect the king dipped his head lowly towards the ageless stallion, acknowledging his presence as he passed. Suddenly a wave a calmness filled Idavoll and for the first time since entering Hnjtiborg he was truly at ease. With Azarias around not even the most foolish of earls would dare attempt anything and any fighting that happened would immediately cease.

As the golden stallion passed Titan continued back towards his herd where all but Mazikeen and Thera stood grouped together, worry set into him a little. The combination of Mazikeen's ferocity and Thera's desire to prevent disruption he knew the two clashing could lead to a serious injury. Turning his head he stood rigid as he watched the last moments of the fight unfold. A final kick from Thera was all he caught before the former lead recognized she'd lost the fight and ran off to provide some distance. Titan nearly lunged forward to coral Thera back towards the herd but once again he was faced with the reminder of herd over an individual. Sighing gently he cast a short glare towards Mazi. It wasn't his place to stop a mare from challenging the lead mare but the chasing out of another? That was something that the quarter mare would receive a hard nip for later on. Nonetheless she'd just cemented herself into the herd and he nickered to her to call her over.

As he drew near he perked up a bit more when he realized this would be a wonderful time to introduce Dream to Azarias, the oracle deserved to hear Thor's thunder after all! As he neared them all he nuzzled Sybil gently, showing his appreciation for her concern over the herd as well as his own concern for her. She had to be getting uncomfortable by now with how heavy her belly hung, "Relax Sybil, all will be well soon enough. She's a dominant mare but you are the eldest. She won't cross a line that you don't want her to." Though he was right, Mazi was dominant and would seek out the dominant position, she wouldn't be idiotic enough to go against the herd's eldest and most capable mare. Once Sybil birthed and recouped she'd be a formidable opponent and could easily overthrow any of the others if it came down to that. For Mazikeen to avoid it she'd have to play nice with at least one herd member.

Now with the desire to bring the herd, and specifically Dream, further into Idavoll he inserted himself into the thicket to approach Cita, "Citadel, I believe it is best we bring Dream to Azarias, she's been blessed with health even as a premature filly. Her thund-" he stopped abruptly upon seeing the form of another young filly. She reeked of death and with a body made of bones you'd think Hel had dropped her into Valhalla. "Cita, my flower, you did only have one foal previously correct?" He looked up at her with an inquisitive look.

ＡＳＴＲＩＤ ！ ！
jotunheim maiden . two years . mare . tags: vira . location: franags's falls

As the former excitement died down with the departure of the two earls, including the arrival of Nigel and another earl, the tensions in her eased a bit. Dropping her head she inspected Vidar and Otabeka to ensure neither had been before the sound of Signe approached caused her to raise her head. The mare's gesture of thanks was returned with a brisk nuzzle. Astrid realized Signe's was likely more interested in ensuring her foal's were unharmed and she was correct as the mother called Vidar out from beneath Astrid to inspect him. She was amused by the young colt's protests and how even after a sharp nip he was boisterous enough to earn himself a second. "It seems he'll grow up to be quite the headstrong young stallion," she mused softly.

Astrid had never considered the possibility of foals before, or at least her opinions on them. She'd always known that foals would come with life, it was both instinct and purpose to carry on one's blood line by producing but she'd never taken the time to consider her thoughts. She'd always been too wrapped up in still being considered a maiden who was under the protection of her father and mother figures of her herd. However, her moment of independence in the forests had caused a shift in the mare's mindset. For the first time she thought that leaving the herd might not be such a scary thing (assuming she didn't get caught up in fights anymore) and that perhaps having foals wasn't just a duty. She'd felt a surge of protectiveness and content when she'd ushered the two foals to her. Then seeing Signe interacting with them, grooming them, ensuring they were loved and protected had made Astrid long for the same feelings the mother must have. Maybe leaving Jotunheim and finding a good, peaceful stallion wouldn't be so terrible?

She was pulled from her moment of deep thought when she felt someone nuzzling her. Rapidly blinking eyes coaxed her out of consideration as she focused her attention now on Vira who was attempting to apologize, rather poorly in Astrid's mind. The tension returned and it was clear by the expression in her eyes that the apology did nothing to quell any feelings. Angry? For what? Vira had no reason to be angry with Astrid! None of this had been her own fault. She hadn't even known Vira had departed from the herd (which also meant she was unaware her sister had gone looking for her) so whatever happened was Vira's own doing. Truly, the mare was ignorant. She knew she was a weakling yet still insisted on her fiery personality protecting her. Of course, Astrid said none of this as she didn't desire to hurt her sister's feelings. Instead she muttered a short, "I'm fine," before turning towards the water behind them.

With everything that had happened after the storm and her wild sprint she hadn't realized she'd gotten rather thirsty through the whole ordeal, and perhaps she wanted more time to consider what her brief moment of independence meant. Dipping her head low she pulled in several large gulps of water while behind her her tail gave a flick of annoyance. As she lifted her head her brow furrowed in thought. She loved Vira, truly she did, and she loved the entire herd but Astrid felt her place there only existed so long as Vira was around. Though Astrid had been the stronger twin it was always overshadowed by every horse's sympathy for Vira, they all felt bad for the younger mare. Gods forgive her, but she'd liked having the attention on herself for once. It had been just Astrid, not Astrid and Vira as she was so used to. No one saw here, then saw her sister and immediately dotted on the younger of the twins. It'd been two earls who'd seen her, albeit as some mindless prize, and had lashed out at each other because of it. Balder forgive me for these vain thoughts.

Ｓ Ａ Ｏ Ｒ Ｉ Ｓ Ｅ
lone valkyrie . eight years . mare . tags: azarias, d'art . location: idavoll/jotunheim

The golden stallion had been silent at her displeasure of joining a herd. Yes, it was instinct that guided mares and stallions to band together in large groups but much like her pelt Saorise was abnormal. The mare's name did not mean freedom for no reason. She wanted to roam the vast plains and go from one edge of the land to the other. Being tied to a large herd meant there was no room for such things, she was forced to remain in the same place night and day and submit to the routines of that herd. She'd follow the same lead mare and suck up to the same stallion who ultimately was never as interesting as he was when you first met him. She'd learned a long time ago that kings and earls and all of them alike were only interesting when they were trying to court you. Once they had you they toned it down.

At Dart's joke beside her she turned her head to face him, though she didn't laugh there was amusement in her eyes. He was a intriguing stallion and she could sense he understood he had no chance of claiming her. Polite as he was she sensed he relied more heavily on his boyish charms to claim mares as opposed to his strength. Interesting to talk to but not interesting to remain with for long periods of time. Saorise, headstrong in nature and opinionated, required a stronger stallion if they tried to claim her at all. Keeping her was an entirely different story as she often bored with mundane life quickly. "Or perhaps I'm your aunt. You're no older than I am young colt," she teased back lightly. She felt oddly calm standing in between the two stallions and her normal demeanor towards Dart, who she normally would have snapped at, was replaced in favor of her sarcasm. Being patterned much the same she didn't doubt his words though, no matter how far back it went their blood lines likely crossed somewhere.

At the stallion's offer of temporary housing she nodded her head in a silent thanks, "It is much appreciated but for now I believe I'll risk my chances in the plateaus dear one. Perhaps soon we'll join each other again." Her words were calm though clearly unreliable. Often the mare was regarded as an enigma and just as soon as she arrived she disappeared. Many times she'd given the promise of meeting again with another only to never see them again. Everything about her life was based on her current desire, she
lived day to day and scarcely worried about tomorrow. She had a good feeling about both stallions though, she'd return to Dart to indulge his familial feelings with her and she'd likely seek out the "oracle" again if just to try and pick his brain. For now though the two stallions had other plans in mind.

As Azarias encouraged Dart to seek after the previously troublesome mare in the water she caught the amusement underlying in his tone. It seemed that the so called oracle was up to no good and willing to encourage some playful banter. She gave a brief nod as a sufficient good bye to Dart before watching him walk away before Azarias' own words caught her attention. Her ears swiveled towards him as she listened quietly. She huffed softly in amusement at his suggestion of prayer, "I'm sure I'll suffice without such things." The mare stood upon the hill a moment longer as she watched the two stallions venture closer towards the three herds. Though she found Valhalla a bit ridiculous with all its god and prayer talk its inhabitants certainly seemed interesting enough to give her cause to hang around for a period of time.

Deciding she'd spent enough time observing the horses below the mare turned swiftly on her back hooves and trotted away comfortably, as if she'd known the land all her life. Perhaps she did, a gift from past ancestors or perhaps it was because the land seemed rather peaceful all things considering. She'd come from dangerous places with predators at every corner and earls who were far less than kind. You learned to protect yourself early on as she had. As she entered the land of rising plateaus the mare continued to consider her opinions of Valhalla so far. It hadn't yet lived up to her granddam's wild tales. Of course Saorise had always considered them rubbish in the first place. Nonetheless the land she'd entered, which she'd recall later as being Jotunheim, seemed pleasant enough and eventually the valkyrie found a pleasant enough spot to graze.

[na'vi.]

ＯＲＩＯＮ ──x❝Today my forest is dark. The trees are sad and all the butterflies have broken wings.❞
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◀ ❰ lone foal ❱ ❰ QH ❱ ❰ colt ❱ ❰ emaciated ❱ ❰ 2 days ❱ ❰ dam: muscadine (rejected, soon Mazi) ❱ ❰ foals: too young ❱ ❰ location: North of Franang's Falls ❱ ❰ tags: Muscadine & Vesperia ❱ ❰ mentions: Alfheim herd ❱▶
Orion's ears hung limply to the side of his face as he stood, legs splayed out and to the side just to stabilize himself. The palomino colt was deathly thin and increasingly weak- not this his dam would have cared anyways. She seemed heartless and unworthy of the two foals she had been blessed with by the gods. Then again the little colt was at least grateful that his mother who he'd come to know as Muscadine hadn't been so aggressively rejectful of his sibling, but even then that mare was still rude to his darker twin. The colt from any view looked broken and half a day from death at best, his ribs and hips jutted out with his pelt hugged tightly to his frame and even then his fur was littered with cuts and scrapes. He had since wandered away from his dam- not that it was hard to do but the distant whinny and nickers of other horses reached his ears and the colt lifted his head, eyes scanning over the horizon and he could make out a single large group of horses, which initially was strange to him. Why were so many of them in one group? Did they not all travel like he, his mother, and sister did? Orion turned to look at his darker sibling, letting out a neigh to her which barely sounded like anything due to how hoarse and weak his voice was but it was surely enough to beckon her, right?

Turning once more the colt stared at the herd, his eyes locking onto a cremello mare, massive black stallion, and a paint mare with two foals around them. The sight was bitter for him- the foals looked nothing like he, and their mother didn't treat them in the same regard that Muscadine treated them. Why? Now though the colt found himself exhausted and he folded his legs under his frail frame, thin legs tucked under his body and he lowered his head into the grass. His ears flicked backwards, listening to the snuffling and sound of grass ripping up from the soil due to his dam's grazing. One might find themselves asking, why did he linger with a mare who had refused to let him nurse and chased him away at any moment? Sheer instinct, his innocent hope, natural familial love for his mother, and his sibling who even in his current state he desired to protect. Now though it seemed that he and his sister, who at birth was originally smaller and weaker than him, were on a level playing field- or she could have even been stronger than him at this point. He didn't really know, all he truly wanted to do was rest however the incessant sounds of the large herd, waterfall, and his noisy mother was just enough to keep the feeble colt awake.

ＣＩＴＡＤＥＬ ──x❝when the world says, "give up." hope whispers, "try it one more time."❞
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◀ ❰ Alfheim Valkyrie ❱ ❰ mustang x morigan ❱ ❰ mare ❱ ❰ 7½ ❱ ❰ foals: Dream & Nochi . ❱ ❰ status: nursing ❱ ❰ location: Franang's Falls ❱ ❰ tags: Dream, Nochi, Inkeri, Titan. ❱ ❰ mentions: the herd ❱▶
Her heart swelled to nearly triple its normal size. While Nochi wasn't hers genetically Citadel claimed her as such and that was that- no question about it. Upon both of them suckling the mare seemed in pure bliss and utterings of thanking the gods fell from her pink lips- to anyone who looked upon her she'd likely seem to glow with sticky sweet love for the cremello foal to her left and the blackened foal to her right. Citadel was born to be a mother, cursed with infertility, but blessed with two foals within the same day and it was obvious that the mare couldn't be happier. She was riding the high of true motherhood and the fight between her friend Thera and newest mare Mazi was all but forgotten within this moment. Nochi's affectionate rubbings brought Citadel back to the present and she turned her head to licked at the filly, the same loving whuffs she had previously only ever given to Dream now being given to Nochi. Her licking of the foal served more purposes than one, she wanted to filly to feel safe and loved but more importantly she desired to erase the scent of fear, death, and the very weak scent of a another mare from the filly. Nochi was her daughter now, not some other mare's. It was now in this stillness that she noticed Dream taking far more than her fill and just as she was about to remove her cremello daughter she removed herself and promptly began to use her leg as an itching post which brought forth an amused nicker from her and a playful wrinkle of her muzzle.

At the ever so distant sound of hoofsteps she looked away from her daughters, initally she was alert, ears perked and posture tensed in case she needed to throw herself into action. It took her only moments to recognize Inkeri and she let out a soft nicker to the older mare, her body relaxing once more and billowy tail swishing against her hocks to keep the pests at bay from her delicate pelt. Her white beauty came at a cost, her skin unlike grey horses, was pink and particularly sensitive to pretty much everything. Her ear's flicked to the subtle rusting of her daughters and she cast a glance towards them, glad to see that Dream had forgiven, or forgotten Nochi's previous abrupt introduction and the two seemed eager to play given Nochi's stance and Dreams slight rear gone a bit wrong. She watched Dream stumble a bit before regaining her balance and she smiled softly to herself, turning again to see Inkeri had made her way to her and was now running her teeth though Cita's silky white mane which caused a delighted whuff to emit from the mare.

After her repeated losses Citadel had changed from a fiesty and dominate mare to one who relied on those closest to her for comfort, Inkeri, Thera, and Titan were the three horses she relied on the most during her losses and that meant she trusted them the most. Towards those three she was affectionate and welcoming- to others standoffish and observant. She relished this moment of closeness with Inkeri, knowing full well that with Thera retreating from the herd to seek safety from Mazi Inkeri would be the only mare she could openly turn to. For the moment Citadel remained quiet, returning the gesture and running her teeth through Inkeri's mane gently in return. Nochi's squeal and dash for cover interrupted the bonding moment she was sharing and she pulled her head away, lowering her head to look between her front legs only to find a cowering black filly between them and Dream quickly reacting to Nochi's frightened squeal and hugging Citadel's legs too. Though her cremello daughter seemed to look at the situation and readjusted herself between Inkeri and Nochi which garnered a smile from Citadel. Craning her neck down she nuzzled Nochi softly, little whickers of encouragement sounding from her muzzle and lifting her head as Dream nuzzled her new sibling too.

Initially Inkeri's words stung and her ears flattened just the slightest bit- not of anger or hostility but of heartbreak. Even if Citadel had been blessed with two foals now her three ones prior were painfully seared into her memory. One colt and two fillies. She hadn't named any of them as she couldn't bear the pain of doing so but the wounds of loss were still fresh in her mind. However she smiled and nodded, she was indeed blessed with two stunning fillies. One a white flower like herself and one a black rose. Her head rose and she gave a soft sigh but in place came a smile as she felt the two little bodies beside her own- even in her losses she truly was blessed. "Oh Inkeri, I hope what you speak is true. The Gods did indeed look down on me today and I'm more than grateful. Perhaps they've seen that I'm capable to raise foals, maybe they've lifted their wrath after so many tries." Her words were both heavy and heartfelt- they were thick with her own truth, "I must admit I was ready to give up on them. I simply didn't understand, but I think they've heard my calls and given me my two beautiful daughters." she finished, her voice warm and thick with her usual optimism.

Now Titan appeared again and her ears flicked forwards to listen to him speak of Dream and his desire to present her to the seer due to her thunderous voice. However his statement was cut short and she followed his gaze to Nochi who remained under her belly and she was almost nervous to see his reaction. However he used her pet name which made her melt and she had a suspicious feeling that he knew of that. Citadel however nodded, a smile that brimmed with joy now coming over her muzzle, and she nodded quietly before speaking, "She came to me from the thicket, she doesn't speak yet and she's so thin Titan." She spoke it worryingly, her ears flattening softly, "I don't know her name so I figured we ought to give her one seeing as she's our daughter now." She said it quietly, ears flicking forwards in curiosity at his reply. She intended for him to name her, seeing as she named Dream she felt it to be fitting. Suddenly her attention was split from Titan and Inkeri, Dream's whinny ringing in her ears and she turned to follow the filly's gaze to a cluster of foals from Bjorn's herd. Dream seemed to cast her a questioning glance but instead of reply she nudged the filly towards Titan, while Citadel wouldn't particularly mind letting her filly play with another foal she wanted Titan to have his own input on it too. He could feel uneasy with it given the sudden burst of drama concerning several Earls and she knew full well that if he didn't desire her to go play she could find playmates, including her new sister, in the herd to satisfy her.

ＦＯＲＳＥＴＩ ──x❝i still believe in you.❞
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◀ ❰ jotunheim maiden ❱ ❰ gypsy vanner ❱ ❰ mare ❱ ❰ 2.7 years❱ ❰ foals: none ❱ ❰ status: 2nd stage ❱ ❰ location: Franang's Falls ❱ ❰ tags: open ❱ ❰ mentions: Phantom & Sammael ❱▶
Forseti watched Dia back away and let out a snort, her ears pinned at the very sight of him. She'd make a fierce mother one day- but a time like that seemed ages away for the particularly picky maiden. Just about to turn to Sammael she came up short, watching the obsidian stallion make his way over to a beautiful golden mare that was painted with white. Initially she felt some form of jealousy but the feeling was quickly subdued with a toss of her head and she retreated back into the depths of her herd. She was always a particularly shy individual- not exactly one to approach others unless the actions came from strong feelings. Perhaps if she were farther along in her heat she would have lusted after him but Forseti's dam had raised her daughter with poise, she wasn't going to lure a stallion to her using just her heat. Stallions who went after mares just to spread their lineage always seemed rotten in her opinion.

With that thought the maiden settled with quiet bitterness, her long tail flicking against her hocks and her velveteen muzzle grazing along the lush grasses. She didn't much care at the moment of the on going ons of the herd, she had enough excitement for today. She merely wanted to graze on the grass that the falls had to offer- she found it to taste sweeter, denser. Overall better in her opinion and perhaps that as because it was fed by the falls and not suffocated out by a forest; she didn't know. Though now her curiosity of the large earl had won her over, yet again, and she found herself with a head raised and gaze trained on him. She didn't know him yet she was enamored with him. His mannerisms and pelt captured her the most- he could have easily fought with those other earls and go against her sire but he didn't. She let out a soft whuff towards him- though the vocalization towards Sammael was short lived as it seemed a frog was stuck in her throat at her father approaching him. For the most part she remained still but ever as observant her ears strained to ear what was being said so instead she played coy. Lowering her head to graze she slowly, but surely, edged her way towards the two stallions, her gaze peeking over ever so curiously.

ＶＡＮＩＲ ──x❝patience is the companion of wisdom.❞
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◀ ❰ hnitbjorg valkyrie ❱ ❰ mustang ❱ ❰ mare ❱ ❰ 6 ❱ ❰ foals: Gersemi & Frigg ❱ ❰ status: nursing ❱ ❰ location: Franang's Falls ❱ ❰ tags: Odyis, Gersemi, Frigg, Atreus, & Eliza. ❱ ❰ mentions: Bullet, Bjorn. ❱▶
The soft snoring and whuffs that came from the mare and foal pair that were laid together could have been calming to almost anyone. Despite being entirely new to this herd she was at ease with the other mares- Vanir had little desire to be of lead and given her age she'd have little chance in a fight to even become the lead mare. Plus she had other things to attend to such as her fillies and she wasn't going to risk some mare being bitter at defeat and take it out on her fillies. She has witnessed it happen before and it was a cruel, harsh lesson that she was lucky to learn at no expense to her. That being said it had been a good, long rest before she was roused and her head uncurled from Gersemi's side, ears flicked forward and her golden-brown gaze cloudy with sleep.

She hadn't seen this mare before but judging by the stench of Bjorn that wafted from her she had a good guess that this mare was one of the herd so she blinked a few times, getting up carefully as to not wake her foal and the grey dappled mare shook herself out, reaching outwards with a wide yawn before shaking her head. "It's nice to meet you Odyis, I see you already know the name of myself and my daughters." She replied, the tail end of her statement laced with amusement. She was put at ease at hearing of the mare's intentions and she dipped her head the slightest. "I'll do the same for your future foal." she replied, her gaze glinted with soft suspicion. Now though her voice fell silent and her posture all but shifted to one of pure aggression as a mare with a bridle clinging to her face and a saddle hugging her barrel burst into the herd. Immediately Vanir postured herself over Gersemi, ears slicked back into her mane. Who in Hel did this mare think she was? Frigg's cry out for her caused her head to jerk upwards and she whinnied back- her gaze glued on Bjorn who thus far seemed to keep his promise of protecting her young. She didn't move near as it was clear that Rhae and Bjorn had a handle on this intruding mare and instead she reached out, touching her muzzle to Odyis in a departing sort of gesture and slowly began to make her way towards both Atreus and Frigg- Gersemi walking along with her and basically hugging her hip the whole way there.

Soon enough she reached the two foals and circled around them worryingly, nose bumping against their rumps and whuffing gently to both her filly and Rhae's colt. This herd hadn't yet seen the likes of Vanir's protective side and thus far she intended to keep it that way. Pausing in her pacing around the three foals her ears perked at Bjorn's suggestion but she was all too slow to reply before he seemed entranced with a mare off to the side that wasn't one of his own. Giving a huff and sharp roll of her eyes she lowered her head to lick at Frigg and Gersemi's rumps, alternating between the two. Her preening was cut short by another mare who quickly clacked her teeth towards Vanir and she eased, gaze still wary but she let Gersemi and Frigg come from behind her to introduce themselves and she dipped her head graciously, "The biggest is Gersemi, beside her is Frigg." She replied gently, her tone level and even. Vanir didn't feel the need to tell the mare her smallest was blind, born with the eyes of the storm- one look at her brilliant blue eyes and it was obvious. However she watched curiously as Frigg seemed intranced with the mare and gave a soft whuff of amusement- her daughter seemed to have a liking towards the Champagne pelts.

Now though her attention was split in two as Gersemi nipped at her shoulder and tossed her head in the direction of a little cremello filly from Titan's herd who let out quite the whinny before catching her eldest daughter's gaze. Vanir obliged and nudged her filly's rump- there'd be no harm in a playdate between newborns surely? She paced closer though, now an equal distance from both her daughters.

ＧＥＲＳＥＭＩ ──x❝chin up princess, or the crown slips.❞
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◀ ❰ hnitbjorg ❱ ❰ mustang x APH ❱ ❰ foal ❱ ❰ newborn ❱ ❰ dam: vanir ❱ ❰ location: Franang's Falls ❱ ❰ tags: Dream, Nochi ❱ ▶
A soft snort followed by a series of snores were truly the only signs of life coming from the slumbering filly. Her belly full of milk and her mother as a comfortable pillow she had all she needed to have a nice rest and it seemed the painted filly was taking full advantage of that situation. Not even waking when her mother stood she was oblivious to almost everything around her. Suddenly though her dam's hurried waking of her caused her to stand upright on spindly strong legs and she snorted, ears pinned in annoyance at being woken. She looked at the mare infront of them, Oydis, with curiosity but turned and walked alongside her mother as she neared Frigg and Atreus which had her letting out a little whinny of greeting.

Her drowsy state had her all the more oblivious to the tense actions of her mother, she just relished in her affections and gazed around the clearing with newfound energy at her disposal. The newest sparkling and golden colored horse to appear on the scene had her attention and she reached forward, bumping her muzzle against Eliza's shoulder in greeting and letting out a whinny towards her. However Gersemi's attention was short lived as soon enough her eyes locked onto a white colored filly who had a back sibling beside her, a white mare next to her, and a painted mare just adjacent to them. She pranced excitedly in place, those foals looks just about her size! Perhaps they'd play with her unlike her sibling? Nodding excitedly to herself she slipped under her mothers belly and her ears flicked at the white foal's whinny which she promptly returned with one of her own. Turning to her mother, who was busy preening over Frigg she nipped Vanir's shoulder gently, tossing her head in a motion that pointed to the fillies on the other side of the clearing. She repeated her motion, striking out playfully with her hooves and prancing in place, her fluffy tail all the while wagging behind her excitedly. Gersemi took the nudge to her rump as an obvious yes and with that the painted filly took off, tossing her head back in a shrill neigh to her potential playmate.

ＦＲＩＧＧ ──x❝kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give.❞
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◀ ❰ hnitbjorg ❱ ❰ mustang x APH ❱ ❰ foal ❱ ❰ newborn ❱ ❰ dam: vanir ❱ ❰ other: blind ❱ ❰ location: hnitbjorg ❱ ❰ tags: Atreus, Eliza ❱ ▶
Frigg seemed to soak up the affectionate licks that Bjorn gave and her concentration broke from the Seer as she now knew him. Granted she couldn't see where he was but she knew- in a much stranger sense than she knew where other horses around her were. He was like a magnet to her, and while she didn't understand nor comprehend it on the divine level that it was she was attracted to him. She let out a soft whinny, not one that could probably even reach this Seer as Bjorn called him, but she did it nonetheless and finally broke the trance she had been enraptured in at Bjorns words. She knew only one of them, her name, and she let out a little squeal in question as it came from his mouth. While she couldn't quite comprehend the rest of his words she felt they had some sort of weight to them and she nuzzled his cheek- taking advantage of the fact that his face was lowered beside hers in a protective manner. Frigg was proving to be an affectionate filly, she desired affection and company but thus far hadn't been demanding. However the familiar nicker of her closest friend, Atreus, caught her attention and her head swiveled, nostrils flaring as his scent grew ever stronger and he nickered towards her before his frame was beside her.

To say that Frigg enjoyed this colt's company would be an understatement. That much was obvious at her nuzzle of him and soft nickers, she knew little of the meaning her actions held as she was still brand spanking new to the world but she enjoyed his presence. Almost more than her sisters. He knew to be gentle around her whereas Gersemi, if not eating or napping, was bucking and running regardless of where she stood in relation to her elder sibling's antics. Bjorn's further grooming of her mane inbetween the grooming of Atreus had the filly give out a little shake and she turned to the large stallion, her muzzle bumping against his shoulder before she gave one long lick over his pelt- almost like one would do to an icicle. Bjorn's words of 'looking after one another' had nearly gone in one ear and out the other before her nudged she and Atreus closer together. For some reason the words, which sounded like nonsense to her, stuck around in her brain and she let out a soft whicker towards Bjorn- only now feeling the presence of yet another horse. This one seemed more lively, bigger than she was and initially it spooked her, causing her to shift and shuffle just the slightest behind Atreus, bumping her muzzle to his flank and her ears flicking about out of both curiosity and nerves. She merely gazed blindly ahead of him, she could fell but the shift of the wind that there was a much larger horse infront of them, curiously she stretched her muzzle forward, ears perked out of curiosity.

Rhae's earsplitting neigh caught Frigg off guard and immediately the filly recoiled, pivoting her body so she was facing towards the terrifying vocalization rather than away from it. She tucked herself into Bjorn's side, her thin and admittedly weak legs trembling with copious amounts of fear. She stuck beside Bjorn as he seemed to herd she, Atreus, and this newcomer closer to him but she let out a whinny for Vanir- almost as if it were a cry for help. While she trusted Atreus and Bjorn already there was nothing that her mother's love couldn't sooth and the little filly wanted her mother and sibling beside her in this very moment. What felt like hours to her were seconds in real life and she felt Vanir and her sibling close to her and she eased, nuzzling her mother's flank and relishing in the affection that was being provided. It seemed to calm her and she pulled away just the slightest from Vanir and Gersemi, pressing herself gently into Atreus and mimicking the action her mother did, licking his shoulder and pressing her head into him. Her actions were soon stalled at a new presence and she turned from him, her gaze settling blindly on the champagne mare before her. She wasn't sure why but she liked the horse- with that she approached boldly, reaching up and stretching to lick the mare's chin with a little whinny to accompany it.

Breaking away from Atreus and Vanir now she stepped ever closer to Eliza, prancing a bit in place and pressing the side of her petite head to the mare's shoulder. She was becoming bold in the jointed presence of Vanir and Atreus but soon enough her more shy side caught up with her and she recoiled, shaking out her head and quickly returning to Atreus' side, tilting her head just the slightest as the older horses spoke words she didn't quite understand yet.

ooc; I will re-read this and edit it! I just wanted to get it up for yall ♥ So I apologize for any terrible typos lol
i feel like a typed a small novel LOL

[evixtus]

♕ O Y D I S ♕
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sydney ● 16 ● hnitbjorg queen ● gestating ● location: idavoll
tags: vanir, azarias, freja, rhae, eliza ● mentions: nigel, bjorn, lilura

By the time that Oydis had noticed the stranger of a mare barging into her herd, Rhaenys had already shoved the saddled valkyrie away from her foals, as well as the rest of the herd. She mentally scolded herself for her lack of attention towards the scenes occurring around her. Bjorn had just designated her as Hnitbjorg's Matriarch and she was already failing at doing her job correctly? While her thoughts traveled over doubt in herself, she was barely able to make out Vanir's own introduction before the spotted mare went to show her fillies to Azarias, a stallion rumored to be dropped into Valhalla by the gods themselves. She dipped her head towards the mother's response, then turned to look in Azarias' direction. She gave him a welcoming nicker with a slight bow before whisking her long plume behind her haunches.

Craning her neck to look over towards the other herds to see what they were up to, the first thing she noticed was Freja slowly beginning to wander from her dam towards Jotunheim, where the eldest male progeny of Signe and Phantom resided. The large grey mare gave the maiden a warning neigh, letting her know that this was not the correct time to find herself a suitable bachelor. Besides, there was an unlikely chance that the Ironborn son and Rhaenys would let their daughter go so easily. She was technically old enough to leave the herd, but stayed due to her parent's wishes.

Oydis approached Rhae and her offspring slowly with her head dropped in disappointment towards herself. "Rhaenys, if you feel I am not suitable for the rank, I'll drop it without a moment's hesitation." She consoled the experienced mare quietly, completely out of character for her usual style. Sydney couldn't help but feel like she'd let down both the eldest mare of the herd--who she secretly looked up to and admired--and her own King, that who she quickly noticed was already leaving Azarias' presence to wander towards a suspicious looking mare. Another champagne coat distracted her for a mere moment, and she was quick to recognize it as Eliza. "Elizabeth." She greeted bluntly, returning to her regular persona.

The Iberian Warmblood raised her head and flattened her ears towards Bjorn and the valkyrie he was approaching. She had a bad feeling about this, and she was soon to know her feeling was correct.

♕ I N K E R I ♕
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ink ● 8 ● alfheim valkyrie ● stage 3 ● location: idavoll
tags: cita, dream, nochi, titan ● mentions: thera, mazikeen, sybil

Inkeri was quick to take a step back by Nochi Mura's squeal of fright at her sudden appearance. Unsure if she should be concerned for the young filly, she decided that lowering her stance to a welcoming posture was the best option. She dropped her head level and relaxed her bottom lip, ears splaying to the sides to show her submissive stature. Though they would twitch as she watched the two fillies, she couldn't help but adore Dream's personality developing at a speedy rate. "I believe they've indeed lifted their wrath, as you've proven yourself to be a worthy mother with how you've handled the shortcomings you've experienced." Ink resumed her grooming, picking out burrs the white mare had acquired from her trip away from Alfheim to bless the herd with her first living progeny.

As Titan approached, she understood that the newfound mother and father needed time to discuss their fillies, even one adopted. Giving a soft touch to her black stallion, she briefly nibbled on his mane before moving off to give them privacy. As she did so, the Gypsy Vanner mustang looked out towards the two dueling mares, and her heart broke to see Thera lose, and then quickly take flight towards the waters. With a heartbroken whinny escaping her maw towards the fleeing valkyrie, Inkeri knew Valhalla was cruel, and that this was how the world worked. She dropped her head briefly to examine the grass between her feathered hooves, and began to graze.

Though Mazikeen was the victor of the presumed lead rank, the young valkyrie knew Mazi was eventually going to run out of luck, especially when it came to Sybil. Though that challenge had yet to play out, Ink knew it would be approaching eventually, most likely after Sybil returned after birthing.

♕ S I G N E ♕
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sign ● 11 ● jotunheim valkyrie ● stage 1 ● location: idavoll
tags: astrid, phantom, nigel, beka, eliza ● mentions: sammael, eliza, azarias, bjorn

Relieved once her two colts were reunited with her, Signe couldn't help but give a hearty chuckle towards Astrid's comment about Vidar's potential future. "I remember when Phantom was this way when I first met him, you wouldn't think him of such a personality now, no?" She cocked a back foot up in relaxation, causing a sudden snort of surprise from Vidar, who thought he was going to be punished again for a misdemeanor he had done earlier. She gave him a reassuring wicker that he was no longer in trouble, and the blood bay colt resumed nursing. "Phantom was boisterous when he was trying to overcome my father, I was just a maiden then. Don't tell him I told you, but his first attempt was a fail, but he continued to lurk about the shadows. Then Inkeri was introduced to the world, my father was more than upset, but spurred on by his firstborn, he overthrew father and took Jotunheim as his own." As she finished her long story short, the spoken of king was soon approaching her side while Vira gave a weak apology towards her twin.

She accepted his grooming with a strong appreciation, and was quick to return the favor before their own son quickly found his way back to her. She was rejoiced with happiness to see he had returned safely from his mission. Though he was of suitable age to not require his mother's care, Signe had no control over her actions. He was the only colt that had survived as long as he did, the others falling to a terrible fate that almost caused the valkyrie to deny Phantom's courts, as she didn't want to experience another loss. His embrace was welcomed with one of her own, though it was short lived as her own stallion nudged Nigel back to meet his two new sons. His question was noted, but his attention was grabbed by Alfheim maidens rushing past the reunited family.

"Yes," As she spoke, she lifted her cocked leg to nudge Vidar towards his sire, the colt giving a frustrated snort as he licked his lips from his meal, he had the idea his nursing had yet to end, though he realized it had ended as soon as he noticed Phantom. The hours old colt strained his head back in an attempt to size up his sire, a challenging whinny followed after. "Your challenger is Vidar, which means fighter in the woods. I thought it suited him for his demand of air during our journey to Hnitbjorg." Though Otabeka was still in dire need of her colostrum-rich milk, Signe reached around to nudge the dun foal next to Vidar. "And this is Otabeka. He found me during the ritual, and you know I couldn't leave him to fend for himself." As Vidar noticed his adopted brother's arrival next to him, the blood colored colt proceeded to gum the dun's mane, his own attempt at 'grooming' as he had seen Signe exchange with Astrid and Phantom over the previous moments. The Gypsy mare held her head up in pride at her colts, thanking the gods for their blessings of these two strong, healthy foals.

As Phantom wandered off to thank Sammael for his assistance in protecting the herd, and bringing Eliza back safely, she decided it was time to introduce her progeny to the oracle, Azarias as he made his entrance. Speaking of such mare, she dipped her head in agreement as Eliza made her own travels towards the seer and her home herd. She noticed Bjorn calling his mares to introduce his own offspring, giving her the chance to nudge Vidar and Otabeka forwards as she escorted them towards the two champagne stallions, as well as Titan and Citadel, who were heading in the same direction as her.

♕ Y L V A ♕
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val ● 9 ● band valkyrie ● stage 3 ● location: idavoll
tags: sammael, eliza, nigel, dia ● mentions: bjorn, forseti

Her train of thought ruined from reliving her maiden days, the dun paint turned as Sammael's needy nickers reached her delicate ears. She warbled back to him, relishing in his attention and touch, pressing her head into his chest as he returned to her bubble of safety. Though she understood he could handle himself, she still felt relieved that he came back to her unscathed from the standoff. Distracted with the shared moment of affection, Ylva didn't notice Phantom's approach until he spoke to her lead.

She dipped her chiseled face in respect as he introduced himself, though she already knew who he was, she was unsure if Sammael formally did. She didn't see a necessity to return her name, as she held a feeling that Sammael would do it for her, and also since the king wasn't speaking directly to her. As the two stallions conversed, the painted mare kept her eyes on Forseti, giving the maiden a welcoming nicker to come and meet Sammael for herself, once Phantom had made his departure.

♕ F R E J A ♕
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free ● 4 ● hnitbjorg maiden ● stage 4 ● location: hnitbjorg
tags: rhae, atreus, oydis, eliza ● mentions: nigel, sammael bjorn, azarias

Dumbstruck with Atreus' lack of acknowledgement towards her playful antics, Freja felt a little hurt at her newborn brother's return of connection. Though that was short lived, as he soon fled to her side as their mother, Rhaenys took off towards an unfamiliar mare who had blatantly barged into the Hnitbjorg herd. Understanding that this was no longer a time for play, she guarded her kin with a bold stance over the champagne colt. She had not been blessed with the significant coloring, instead achieving her mother's own looks, yet the young maiden didn't let it bother her. She was still the daughter of the Ironborn Son, and therefore took pride in who she was. Rhae soon returned from her snaking, and then Free was watching her brother return to the paint mare's side.

Now left to her own thoughts, the chestnut mare did a complete 180 to watch Nigel move off from Sammael's company and return to Jotunheim's group. Unaware of the watchful eye of the Hnitbjorg Matriarch, she was taking slow and careful steps to creep closer to the opposing kingdom to get a better glance at the bachelor she had her eyes set upon. The warning whinny soon reached her harks and she bolted back towards her mother. Though Oydis meant no harm and it was only a signal that this wasn't the correct time, the large grey mare frightened Freja enough to chill her to the bone.

Her frightful spell was downcast as her half sister approached. Elizabeth gave a quick, playful jump towards the chestnut maiden and Freja threw both her front hooves into the air, smashing them into the ground beneath her feet, leaving divots in the soft earth. The banter was quick to end as the champagne mare spoke to both Oydis and Rhaenys, leaving her to her own thoughts once more.

♕ L I L U R A ♕
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lila ● 13 ● lone valkyrie ● stage 3 ● location: idavoll
tags: bjorn ● mentions: azarias, a&j herds

Watching his actions from behind caused a coy smirk to cross her soft lips as he turned with a stance of aggression that was quickly dropped into peaked curiosity. As he approached, the blue roan mare watched Azarias out of the corner of her chocolate iris, waiting for the godsend stallion to ruin her plans, but it seemed the gods told him otherwise. Pleased with his lack of involvement, Lilura returned to her wistful act, another soft whicker towards Bjorn to invite him further in.

Her innards coiled with delight as he took her invitation with full strides, distracted with his own foals whisking around him towards Azarias as well as Alfheim's and Jotunheim's following suit. The arch of his neck and the flick of his tail told her that his full attention was upon her. She shouldered up against him, brushing her roan pelt against his shimmering gold, muzzle running over his spine as she lipped at him teasingly. "The Gods have sent me to you, Ironborn son."

And with those words, she could already feel the energy rippling from him. Had anybody been able to see through the shadows of the taken cover, it would've been a sight for sore eyes. Midnight blue fur with frosting of black and white, it was a complete contrast against the bright color his own champagne, a swirl of dark thoughts crowded both minds, Bjorn's of unrecognizable boyish interest, and her own of destruction to the Ironborn name.

[azhefa.]

xxxx
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{ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ }
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rory ● 18 ● hnitbjorg valkyrie ● nursing [atreus] ● location; idavoll

tags; idek anymore lol it's a lot cx
the painted valkyrie snorts at bjorn when he takes charge and warns off the stray mare before speaking to her of his earlier slip of mind. she wasn't displeased with his choice, oydis was a capable leader, she just likes to be included in such major decisions. "i'm not upset about your decision, i would have chosen her as well," she tells him, bumping her nose against his shoulder as his tail lashes in his irritation. "i just wish you would have consulted me first." a little nip is given to his mane to make a point of her words, but soothes it with a loving nuzzle. rhae trusts the ironborn to include her in future decisions, the same going for oydis. the elder was a well of wisdom, it would be foolish for the others to ignore it. her attention moves to freja after a moment and she lovingly grooms her daughter until the presence of peace sweeps through the plains. the mare looks over to see the pale golden pelt of the oracle and breathes a sigh of relief at his casual grazing. no more fighting will take place with him here. she looks to oydis as the mare comes to apologize as well and snorts a light dismissal. "you are perfectly suitable for the rank, i'm just a little peeved that i was left out in the cold about it," her tone was calm as it usually is and holds no anger or distaste since she was already over her initial irritation. when freja is called back to the herd, she flicks her tail in a bit of stress since her daughter was of age to leave and it was something she was highly dreading. hopefully, she stays a little longer.

rhae nods to bjorn when he suggests presenting the foals to the godly stallion, glancing to vanir and athena as she speaks. "it's expected of us, why else would he remain for so long?" she says, watching the oracle for a moment before looking to bjorn, but the king was no longer beside her. a sharp snort comes from the mare as she sees him wandering off to talk with a elegant mare nearby. rhae takes an immediate disliking to the loner and pins her ears before turning to call atreus to her. she looks to where her son had wandered and perks her ears at the protective pacing that vanir was doing around the colt and fillies. it was heartening to see her being so protective of her son. rhae nickers to athena, urging her to join them in seeing azarias to get his blessings, but knows how silent and almost reclusive the other mare was so she doesn't push the issue if she chooses to remain. the painted mare jerks her head up when she hears a familiar whinny and returns it happily as she spots the golden mare approaching. she bumps eliza's side with her nose as the young mare gets within reach and gives a warm nicker. "i'm glad to see you, eliza, doing well in jotunheim i see," she says then nods when eliza mentions how blessed she was with atreus. "yes, blessed by all the gods and hopefully azarias will confirm it."

atreus enjoys his father's affections and frigg's companionship while it lasted, the stallion's words not really meaning anything yet since he was less than a day old, but they will remain in his mind for when he finally understands them. the colt notices frigg's fearful movements and perks his ears, turning to look for what spooked her, but his dam has it covered in the span of only a few moments. atreus nickers reassuringly to the filly and then to vanir as the mare comes to soothe her daughter. his little head cranes around to lick frigg's shoulder as she does the same to him, but moves his head back around as another horse approaches. the mare looked like himself and bjorn so he automatically deems her family and whinnies a greeting like his mother does. the colt watches frigg approach eliza and steps forward with a soft snort, but the filly spooks and returns to his side. atreus pins his little ears at eliza for spooking his beloved and moves so he blocks her from eliza's curious interest, protecting her against his older sister. his ears perk forward once more as he hears a little whinny and spots a foal a distance away with another herd. though he would enjoy a good romp and playful game of tag, atreus is more interested in staying beside frigg and 'guarding' her.

xxxx
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{ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ }
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no nickname ● age unknown ● oracle ● no prophecies ● location; idavoll [falls]

tags; mares and foals mostly, stallions mentioned
the oracle grazes contently with the herds mingling around him, the peace he brought into the plains giving them the ability to be at ease with mingling with old friends and family. azarias lifts his head when eliza comes to him, his crystal gaze flicking over her golden pelt. it was similar to his own, but darker and more of a proper amber champagne while his is more pale cream. the family resemblance was clear, give or take a few generations. azarias remains silent as the young mare comments on the new colt that shares their champagne beauty, but does nod to her as she leaves. it was pleasing to see the godly color carry on through the generations, an indication of a special future. the gene was difficult to pass from generation to generation, something the gods have done on purpose to show him who will be special. speaking of special coats. azarias flicks his tail at the sight of bjorn moving away from his herd to mingle with lilura, just as the gods had said he would. though he doesn't know why the gods are choosing to test the king, azarias wonders if they were possibly testing for a regime change instead of just bjorn. the dark figure of sammael is seen near phantom's herd as the jotunheim king talks to the earl. perhaps the stallion's sudden desire to return home wasn't of his own volition. the oracle snorts in amusement to himself as his thoughts start working through the gods' riddles and half lies. how interesting it was to deal with such wondrous beings.

xxxx
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{ ᴍᴇɴ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴇᴀʀ ꜱᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴏɴꜱᴛᴇʀꜱ }
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sam ● 10 ● band earl ● 1 mare ● 0 foals ● location; idavoll

tags; ylva, phantom, others mentioned
the stallion enjoys his mare's presence for only a short few moments, the sound of phantom's neigh ruining the moment. sammael's ears fold back briefly before perking at the sight of the king approaching. he wasn't quite sure if he should be defensive or not since he has a mare and is being approached by a rival stallion. sam moves a little to put himself between phantom and ylva, just enough to show claim but not enough to seem overly defensive. his ears perk at phantom's voice and he nods to the king in respect, but is hesitant considering the transgressions he'd done with eliza earlier. "i'm always glad to help, i know how troublesome young earls can be," he replies, his tail flicking a little as phantom speaks again to introduce himself and offer his aid in the future. sammael offers a light chuckle as he speaks, a little amused how the king didn't know who he was. "my name is sammael, you defeated my father for your title," he tells the smaller stallion, motioning off towards the distant lands with his chin. "jotunheim is my birth lands, i know them quite well, but if it eases your mind, i'll happily agree to an escort." sammael gives a bit of a snort at phantom's mention of not harming his herd, a little peeved that he would think so low of him, but then again he doesn't know him enough to understand how much he wasn't a threat. "i wouldn't dare harm your beloved valkyries, i value my own beloved valkyrie too much to do something so stupid." he turns his head to affectionately lip at ylva's cheek before turning back to phantom. though he had covered eliza, he won't dare try to hurt or steal any of the king's mares, such a thing was a death sentence.

xxxx
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{ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀɴᴅᴇʀ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴀᴍ }
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beka ● newborn ● jotunheim foal ● signe [adopted] ● location; idavoll

tags; signe/vidar, phantom/herd, others mentioned
[muse is pretty low atm, just pull him along, he's a scared bean but will follow signe anywhere]

xxxx
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{ ɪ'ᴍ ᴀ ɴɪɢʜᴛᴍᴀʀᴇ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴅᴀʏᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ }
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mae ● 3.5 ● lone maiden ● heat 3 ● location; idavoll [falls]

tags; d'art, others mentioned
the water was cooling and just deep enough for her body to be under water. unfortunately, her peace was interrupted. amaera snorts and pins her ears back at the sound of movement on the shore and a voice groaning softly to themselves. she didn't hear what was said, but already isn't fond of whoever it was since she just wanted to be alone to brood in peace. the maiden doesn't react at first when d'art whinnies to her, but then feels the small ripples of movement in the water and turns to see what they were doing. a spotted stallion attempts to wade into the water, but spooks and returns to the shore with clear anxiety. seems like he wasn't very fond of the water. mae snorts a scoff at the stud and flicks her ears as he calls out to her, asking about how she can swim so well. it takes her a moment to figure out if she wanted to respond to his question, unsure if doing so would just give him a boost of confidence. looking at him though, it looks like he could use a confidence boost. "i'm not swimming, i'm simply standing far enough in to look like i am," she calls back over the roar of the falling water nearby. she watches him for several moments before sighing and moving back to the shore, wading out of the cooling water and shaking out her bay pelt. now that she was no longer submerged, her heat scent picks up again and is spread by her flicking tail as she gets water from it.

xxxx
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{ ʟɪғᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏᴜɢʜ, ʙᴜᴛ ꜱᴏ ᴀᴍ ɪ }
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peri ● 2 days ● alfheim foal ● orphaned ● location; idavoll [falls]

tags; orion, alfheim herd mentioned
[i just don't know how to start her lol]

[unnamed]

Ｔ Ｉ Ｔ Ａ Ｎ ！ ！
alfheim king . eleven years . stallion . tags: cita, dream, nuchi, azarias . location: franang's falls

Cita had left very little room for him to protest to the inclusion of this new foal. It wasn't 'the foal' it was 'our daughter' and he felt that the mare knew she'd get whatever it was she wanted. Between his fondness and protective nature over foals, particularly fillies, and his tenderness towards Citadel he stood little chance in denying the orphans place within the herd. Sighing gently he dipped his head low, dropping it beneath her belly to nudge the frail filly gently and smell her thoroughly. As he recalled death lingered on her skin and even lightly pressing against her sides revealed the roundness of her ribs. If he turned the foal away she'd be dead within a day, he couldn't turn the poor thing away. He'd turn down a sickly maiden but not a foal who needed a mother. Reigning his head back he looked at Cita for a moment before speaking, "We'll call her Nochi Mura. It seems appropriate given her darkened fur and that white mane she's got. Hel seems to have laid his hooves on her." Though the foal appeared weak to him in that moment judging by her appearance she'd survived the storm alone, there was a fire in her and he'd ensure it was nursed.

Much like Citadel his attention was pulled from the current situation as Dream called out to some of the other foals before casting her questioning gaze to her mother. This was countered by the cremello mare nudging Dream towards him. With Azarias around he was more comfortable with the prospects of the herds mingling and felt comfortable with Dream venturing off a bit. Not to mention it seemed to be the mares bringing their foals out as opposed to any rambunctious stallions. He copied Cita's actions and nudged Dream in the direction of the other foals and turned to follow behind her; he wasn't going to miss this opportunity to show off his newest progeny.

Before beginning to walk away he looked towards the mares and motioned to Nuchi, "Take her to the Falls. Get her cleaned up, that smells going to attract something dangerous. We could all use a chance to clean up after that storm as well." Following behind Dream his pride over the new addition to the herd was evident and a little prance accompanied his step. He allowed his daughter to veer off to join the Hnjtiborg foals in order to play. He stepped to the side, keeping a close eye on the white filly, and approached Azarias with a respectful dip of his head once more. Circling around to the oracle's other side he stood beside him as he watched the foals playing. "Great seer," he greeted, "Freyja has been kind to the Alfheim herd. The little cremello is Citadel's, nearly a month early but she's as strong as one can be. Azarias, her voice you should hear it. She carries Thor's thunder in her calls. My herd has been blessed." He paused for a long moment before speaking again, "I cannot speak to the gods but I can to you, I can not thank them enough for bringing this to us. I was worried Cita would not be able to take another stillborn."

Titan was never the most open, he showed true honesty and affection in rare cases due in part to his rough upbringing. His father, the former Jotunheim king, has been a disciplinary and his mother had not been affectionate either. As soon as Titan had been birthed with a coat so dark and unstained he was raised to be tough, an unmovable mountain. Things like this didn't make for adoring stallions. However in the presence of Azarias he had always felt very open and his thoughts often flowed more freely. The pride and thanks he showed to his herd and the gods was never a spared thought in the cream horse's presence.

[cheshire.]

ＢＪＯＲＮ ── ❝ fear the reckoning of those you have wronged !! ❞
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( hnitbjorg king ) ( 14 ) ( stallion ) ( tags: lilura) ( location: the falls )

Much of the king's core characteristics were washed away now that he was in the presence of this new mare. His paranoia, defensiveness, alertness and general caution were removed in favour of interest in the mare. It was a good thing he had boosted Oydis's guardianship of the herd now as his focus could hardly be moved from Lilura. She scented of lilac, sugar and the deep smell of heat. This aroma alone was enough to provoke the instinctive stallion in him and he went straight about courting her. She nickered to him and the champagne stallion lifted a hoof high as if to strike the ground impressively. Instead he just hopped to the next hoof excitedly and tried to circle around to her rump. She seemed to accept his movements and her muzzle ran like silken cloth along his spine. Her words only boosted his attraction to the mare and he was suddenly enamored by the spiritual atmosphere of her.

Any horse that should be a message from the gods was one he would surely greet warmly. His tensions with less religious horses such as the Jotunheim king were purely because Bjorn didn't see a life without faith worth living. In a different situation he would have been much more doubtful of any horse claiming to be a direct symbol from his beloved deities and would go right about interrogating them of their reasoning but Lilura had somehow brushed straight passed his defenses - a first to be recorded considering he was the most reclusive and suspicious of the kings. "I should think the nornir* have plucked you straight from the branches of the Yggdrasill* to be here, and for that I am honoured and humbled," he uttered. Bjorn's knowledge of the mythos of Valhalla was unrivaled and perhaps only to his herd did he not sound like he was talking in riddles for they had surely been educated by him and his silver tongue. His reputation as a story teller was a rather positive one and the king was a knowledgeable speaker.

He paid little mind to the worried looks his mares cast his way, his mind being twisted into submission before this mare. In fact when he spared his herd a glance he became irritable upon sight and raised a hind leg in warning. They were too close. Possessive of Lilura already he wanted to whisk her away to privacy. "Come with me to Hvergelmir, the stallion said. If any of his family heard him say such a thing they would see the warning signs of his infatuation. Hvergelmir was exclusively found in Hnitbjorg in a secluded area that Bjorn rarely even took his own herd. It was a intimate and sacred place for him and he shared it frugally. Horses outside of Hnitbjorg would find it impossible to locate. Bjorn felt a flash of his clear mind tell him that was a reckless and ridiculous thing to do but the thought was quickly clouded by Lilura's presence.

(Nornir, plural of norn - rulers of the destiny of gods and men, also known as temptresses. Can be both benevolent and malevolent.
Yggdrasill, the giant tree that connects the nine realms. The nornir watch over this tree to prevent it from rot.)

ＥＬＩＺＡ ── ❝ the safety of my family is the highest law !! ❞
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( jotunheim valkyrie ) ( 4 ) ( mare ) ( tags: oydis, rhae, vanir, frigg, atreus, freja, phantom, athena) ( location: franang falls ) ( in gestation )

The mare's attention snapped to Oydis as she used Eliza's full name and she blushed furiously. The herd knew she hated being called that because it reduced her to feeling like a scolded foal but she knew better than to think Oydis had done it with ill intention. The mare was simply forward and formal. She nodded her head respectfully as well as rubbed her head affectionately against Rhae's side. The older mare would always be a source of knowledge and comfort for Eliza so she relaxed in the presence of them. All of Bjorn's herd smelled of forest and dew, immersing her in nostalgia. She recalled growing up among some of these mares and listening to stories her father told while they all snuggled in the forest in the evening. Hnitbjorg may be reclusive but they were fiercely intimate and she longed for that. Casting her attention to the foals - many her half siblings - Eliza couldn't help but grin. Bjorn had been blessed the most successful litter of children this year around and Eliza inwardly believed it was because he was the most godly.

Shortly after a small painted filly wandered up. Her eyes shocked Eliza with their intense blue and depth. The way the filly cocked her head and stepped tentatively alerted Eliza to her blindness and yet she boldly approached the Jotunheim mare and licked Eliza. Immediately Eliza liked her and she giggled as she pressed against her. When she looked up to search the source of this wonderful filly she noticed Gersemi beside Vanir and gave a delighted nicker as if to praise Vanir on producing such cuties. When Frigg spooked Eliza squealed in disappointment but it was quickly broken into amusement when she saw Atreus's protective stance. "I will not harm her, little brother," she speaks clearly. As if to both discipline and show Atreus the meaning of her words, Eliza approaches again and nudges his shoulder in the direction of the cluster of foals forming. "Go play, I will look after your pretty friend," she came to lean over Frigg gently and nodded towards the foals - indicating to Atreus that he should go frolic. It was most important for him to do so as he would need to learn play and sociability.

It also gave Eliza the opportunity to babysit and be among the older mares. She couldn't help the happy expression on her face and whinnied to Phantom as if to say 'look at me - I'm in heaven'. She couldn't help that she was such a domestic mare, wanting nothing more to live her life like this. The peace, offspring and company of family was what had her at her brightest. Her pelt almost reflected her mood as the lowering sun and rising moon did nothing to dull its brilliance. The uniqueness of the champagne was that it always glowed no matter the light. She noticed Freja looking a bit dejected and nickered for her, all the while fussing over Frigg. She made sure to glance at Vanir often to make sure she was allowed to have such contact but otherwise indulged in grooming and letting the filly weave around her legs.

"Freja, do you have plans? I know father wishes to hold you until you are old and slow," she giggled. The mare's mood was so unlike her usual self. She was talkative and happy instead of thoughtful and somber. Being homesick was a common feeling for her so now she had the chance to catch up with them all. In the distance she saw Heidi and Ingrid off playing. They were the same age as Freja yet her sister had no playmates her age. "Maybe you should go talk to the maidens of Alfheim. It would be nice for you to have some your age instead of these old broodmares," Eliza gestured to Athena, Rhaenys and Oydis with a good natured smirk. She only wanted to help her family members.

ＭＡＺＩＫＥＥＮ ── ❝ the moments we've spent have passed !! ❞
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( valkyrie ) ( 9 ) ( mare ) ( tags: thera, alfheim herd, muscadine, orion, peri) ( location: franang's falls)

Knowing the fatality her double barrels could cause, Mazikeen was pleased to see Thera knew it too. She was not a murderous mare to those within her circle but she did not know these horses and her lack of familiarity with them only doubled the offence she took when Thera's hoof had caused a gash. Insulted, upset and aggressive, Mazikeen let her adrenaline energize her. But it seemed Thera had gotten the message as she bounded off of Mazikeen after a last hit. The thud made the mare squeal and she charged a few steps after the smaller mare before stopping and watching her flee to the water. She was not a proficient swimmer and she could already tell that she had won the fight. Her anger dissipated and fizzled out as she watched Thera from the other side of the water. Mazikeen didn't even put on a show of triumph, she knew she was victorious and now she could settle in comfortably.

She paced a few steps and kept her head low to make it clear Thera was to give her space before the mare circled around herself once and trotted back towards Titan and the rest of the Alfheim herd. Now that she wasn't in the middle of battle she could assess herself and the damage became very clear. Her gut ached with each step and where she'd been struck hard on the shoulder throbbed. If Mazikeen let her muscles become stiff she would go lame from the injury. This worried her but she put on a poker face and hoped the rest would not see. She would not succumb to her own weakness just after proving her strength. Looking over to the herd she was greeted with looks of disdain and Mazikeen whisked her tail at their sensitivity. The eldest, Sybil, had given Mazikeen a stern glare and seemed to shield the quarter horse from the herd. She would respect the elder but not submit to being disregarded after her efforts. Instead she trotted past dismissively in the direction of her foal, making sure to keep her eyes off Sybil so she knew Mazikeen held no ill intent towards her.

Looking towards Titan to see his reaction she noticed the steel glare she got and Mazikeen was again offended by the herds reaction to her. It seemed they were all happy to defend her in Hnitbjorg under the assumption she was just a placid broodmare but now that she had stated herself they looked with animosity. He called her over but she ignored him, determined to return to her filly first.

Seeing the crumpled figure of her daughter was not a sight Mazikeen was ready for. She quickly lost all spirit of fight and ignored the throbbing in her body to quicken towards Gaagi. Just as she had feared, the filly was not surviving. Her belly rose in short and slow breaths, her injured leg looking awkward and sickly. Mazikeen furiously struck the grass near Gaagi's head and tried to pick the filly up with nudges and nips. She had no time to despise herself for abandoning Gaagi to prove dominance, instead mindlessly urging her foal up like what was unfolding was in fact all unreal. She squealed and came to the desperation of trying to lift the foal manually, grabbing her wither and mane. The foal was unresponsive and hung limply until Mazikeen dropped her. The realization swept in and she gave a broken whinny, circling and pacing until the grass was upturned around the foal. All around her life went on with children being presented to Azarias and horses conversing - leaving Mazikeen alone to deal with her grief. She remained by Gaagi beyond the point of reason, nickering to urge the foal up despite knowing the cold truth.

Soon the soft rises of the filly's body stopped. Mazikeen had always been a lone mare and was comfortable in her solidarity. Losing Gaagi now was her first experience of lonesomeness and she wasn't sure how to cope with it. Mazikeen had not lost a foal before now and still she called with delusion out to her daughter. Only when the birds came to circle did Mazikeen stop her calling. Instead she charged a dark bird that landed near. The flock only seemed to grow in size and Mazikeen grazed near Gaagi, stopping to keep the birds away. She did not want her filly to be torn apart by apathetic beaks and claws. Unfortunately that was the way of life and eventually they started to catch on to their numbers. A few late night vultures were enough to force her away from the foal - the huge birds spreading their wings to intimidate her. With the coming of night she couldn't remain.

Mazikeen knew she could not remain and she had just signed herself up to a herd. Without Gaagi, her point of remaining with them was defeated. She looked bitterly towards Alfheim, cursing having ever come across them. Yet she had sustained injury so it was logical to remain. "Helheim treat you well, my little raven," she gasped in a shaky voice before turning towards the others. Citadel was with Titan, close to the rest of the herds. Sybil seemed to be awaiting her birthing. Inkeri and Elysia seemed well. She could also see Ingrid frolicking with a dark figure that she assumed to be Titan's daughter. Mazikeen did not near them, instead edging the herd in order to keep space but also keep a lookout. She would ward off Thera along with any other unwanted guests.

Unable to rest despite her injuries, Mazikeen knew she couldn't let her shoulder become stiff but nor could she lower her nerves enough to go bath in the water. Hearing the croak of a frog in the brush, Mazikeen perked her ears. In order to stay awake she indulged herself on finding the amphibian if just to distract herself. She knew Titan was able to watch the herd while she did as such and her detachment to him stopped her from alerting him of her departure. He knew she was too tired and dejected to leave anyway. To her great surprise the croaking had not been a frog at all but the broken call of a foal. Mazikeen immediately came into the backside of another mare. The palomino mare seemed to quickly react with attitude and kicked out at her. Backing away she was about to turn away and alert the Alfheim king when she saw what appeared to be the corpses of two foals. Only one was standing and in slightly better shape. However the other looked like a skeleton with a pallid coat and empty eyes.

Diagnosing him as terribly starved, Mazikeen's maternal instinct twined with her dominance and she immediately set to work on the other mare. She'd never stolen a foal before but she'd seen it happen and her desperation to mother something fueled her. Not to mention she was still producing milk and with no one to feed her teats would become sore and swollen pretty fast. Muscadine's lack of interest in her own foals rubbed Mazikeen the wrong way. It seemed she was only fighting because of a bratty attitude, kicking at Mazi and trying to bite her injured shoulder. The seal bay was still older, more experienced and much more short tempered. She had the other retreating pretty fast until she was at a good enough distance for Mazikeen to approach the foals. Muscadine hadn't left entirely and was instead watching for whatever reason as the quarter moved towards the children. One was female, dark enough to seem passably hers. The other, Mazikeen feared, was not faring well.

She snuffled at the colt, cocking a leg and looking between the two. She nickered at the filly, leaning to try tuck her under Mazikeen and make her nurse. Her swaying teats were angled over the two and she lipped the male's neck, whuffing and nudging to try get him up. She wanted them both. When she glanced in the direction of their young mother she flattened her ears, daring her to try come near. How dare she take advantage of the blessings she had been given.

Ｄ＇ＡＲＴＡＧＮＡＮ ── ❝ but the heart of a man is a simple one, small and soft, flesh and blood !! ❞
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( lone earl ) ( 8 ) ( stallion ) ( tags: amaera) ( location: franang's falls)

d'Artagnan may have been a rather free spirited horse but he was not daft. He could see that the mare was beyond his abilities of capturing via smooth talk. She was strong in personality and he abandoned any chance of wooing her with his charisma. However she was young. Dart weighed his chances of snaking her. He was athletic and healthy so surely there was hope, right? Perking his ears he listened to her blunt response and felt a bit deflated. What on earth had Azarias been thinking when he had told Dart to approach this horse. He wanted to come closer but was too unsure of the water and thus remained on the shore. Azarias's arrival meant that hopefully no kings would chase him out but he was still nervous to be around such renown stallions. It was just his luck when she began to wade out the water... and towards him! Perhaps she only wanted a brief interaction but he was an opportunist and would take the chance.

Coming out of the water also allowed him to examine her and his chances of snaking her were quickly thrown out the window when he saw her size. Her sturdy, elegant legs would outrun him. "Excuse the mistake," he corrected as she watched him before coming out closer. Dart immediately smelled her heat and his gut rolled in natural desire. Of course he would not risk an attack from her just to satisfy himself. Instead he went for the charm tactic, "You're braver than I am, going in the water like that. Especially with all these kings around." Dart was a boyish and kind stallion who preferred to just improvise his life instead of planning it all out. It would be some years before he seriously considered settling and even more time before he dared challenge a stallion for the title of king. But these traits didn't stop him from wanting his own little herd. And this impossible mare had certainly piqued his interest. She was tall, gorgeous and her aloof attitude only spurred him on. He could already imagine how hot she'd look angry.

Snapping out of his adolescent thoughts he nodded towards the kings and earls. He could see Sammael, Titan, Phantom and a grey earl he would later know as Nigel (but strangely enough, not Bjorn - who's off getting brainwashed). "The water makes it kind of hard to tell if you're one of theirs. Though considering none are trying to boot my jaw off I'd like to be optimistic and guess you're just passing through?" It was a lie; the water didn't hide her heat or the lack of a stallion's smell, but Dart relied on his humour and flirtatious talks like that to get him anywhere.

ＨＥＩＤＩ ── ❝ it might make them mad but it will make you free !! ❞
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( alfheim descendant ) ( 3 ) ( mare ) ( tags: ingrid) ( location: franang's falls)

Ingrid and Heidi's teasing and sarcastic banter was always something that cheered the maiden up. She thoroughly enjoyed the other's company and didn't want to imagine life without her. And running beside her was even better. As the two came up side by side Heidi allowed her figure to elongate out into a beautiful stride. Her parents had given her a figure to be proud of and her paces were even more impressive. With the grey mare next to her the two would have looked breath-taking. Heidi knew that the two of them were part of the next generation and any in Valhalla knew that and would protect them in order to protect their legacies. Their gentle trots and canters were all she could afford before she spoke with Ingrid. As they headed a little towards the falls for privacy she did notice Phantom glance at her and Heidi naturally raised her tail to give a flirtatious buck, enjoying the attention of the king.

Once she was finally alone with her sister she heard Ingrid's thoughts. "Pa knows we can't stay with him forever - we'll drive him mad," she laughed gently to try lighten the mood. This didn't work as Ingrid seemed to realise what Heidi was suggesting and the melancholy on her sisters face was almost enough for Heidi to want to take back her words and promise to stay with her and Alfheim forever. "Phantom offered me passage with him back to Jotunheim," she began, her tongue feeling heavy and making it hard to articulate. "Oh, Ingrid, perhaps you should meet him. I don't want to leave you here and I most certainly don't want to go into Jotunheim all by myself. It'll be scary for sure. Ma always said it's so easy to trip and break a limb there if you're not careful." Heidi wondered what it would be like not seeing the beach every day but instead being high up on the plateaus.

In Jotunheim you could see the whole of Valhalla, it was the highest point of the place. Heidi longed for that experience but wanted it even more if Ingrid was by her side. "Bjorn and his mares love the gods and no one else, it's no wonder the other two kingdoms don't interact with them much," she commented on Hnitbjorg. She had never really had the chance to be specific about what stallions they wanted to be with. Normally they just imagined a random king in their fantasies of raising a family together. "Do you want to meet those from Hnitbjorg - is that where you want to go?" she asked gently. Heidi wanted to be wherever her sister was but she had already agreed to accompany Phantom. "If you join them Bjorn will take you to the forests and I may never see you again," she lamented. It was true. This was only the first, perhaps second time Heidi had ever seen Hnitbjorg. They were enigmatic and could rarely be found.

The only common champagne coat you could ever see was Azarias' and even so his leaned towards cremello as he lacked the darkened mane that Bjorn's kin had. Even Eliza liked to hide away in the plateaus with Phantom. Heidi had previously seen how Bjorn was interested in her own mother but she had also seen him eye Ingrid. She had a growing distaste for the stallion that wanted to kidnap her family into the forests. "What should we do?" she asked, including 'we' to silently say no matter what, she would stick by Ingrid.