SoL - The Mare's Meadow (CLOSED)

[Keen]

Round 5 in the Mare's Meadow is Open!
This is the final round for the Mare's Meadow!

[ABeardedDragon]

Username: ABeardedDragon
Horse Number: #14
Species: Horse
Age: 5 years
Name: Anurvi
Herd: Bleakwind Pass Herd
Herd Position: Lead Mare

Personality:
517 words
Most would say Anurvi is one of the rudest horses in all of Arraspel, as well as too blunt for her own good. If anyone speaks against what she says, they best be prepared for a good kick. She is in charge and she knows that all too well. Almost anything for she asks for, she gets; most of the time she no longer has to force another mare to do what she says. Anurvi is about as harsh as it gets, put one hoof out of line and she'll quickly and relentlessly correct that. Or perhaps it's her love of drama that pushes her to kick off with the mares in her herd. As a stubborn mare, it takes some real persuasion to change her ways and she's willing to fight back. She's known to show off to stallions, even if she already chose a lead stallion, just for the fun of it. The attention she gets from watching them fight over her is quite amusing to her. It's often a surprise that she can fend for herself, able to fight off a stallion when he's a little too interested. She has no interest in foals; her time is for her only, there is no chance for her to be throwing that away to raise a foal. There is absolutely nothing rational about her train of thoughts, Anurvi will throw herself head first into a situation and worry about the consequences later. One should never but their trust in her, as she will surely betray them; no secret is safe with her.

She is a rather observational mare when she takes the time to step back and look around. Anurvi knows when others are feeling off, when an area has changed, and in fact she's unusually aware of the approaching weather. In the case of a sick herd member, she will excuse them from being a target for her drama. Her bossy nature can be encouraging at times, able to push her herd on in times of hardship or grief, though it's not unheard of her going a little too far with this. Being optimistic, she's confident in taking chances that probably aren't the best for the herd. Anurvi is emotionally stable and being rather stoic helps. While it may not outwardly look like it, at times she does sympathize with others but she struggles to express it. Yet at the same time, she moves on from this quickly as she forgets about problems that aren't her own. She may be quiet, but she has no issues with conversation. Being somewhat ambitious, she goes out of her way to achieve goals that are very rarely out of her abilities. She does dream of things she could never do, but she is well aware that she shouldn't chase them; Anurvi will let others know if they are thinking too much of themselves, often being blamed for crushing the dreams of foals. Being young, she has plenty of energy to be a very lively mare; she likes to move and is always pacing unless she has to stop.

Ancestors:
77 words
Her ancestors bravely fought against Kasamata in the war, upset at the destruction that spread across Arraspel. While they might not have done anything significant. A filly was left orphaned when her mother died fighting, but she managed to survive and carried on her lineage which Anurvi is the most recent of, many generations later. While her ancestors' names have been lost in time, their story has been told to many of the foals descended from them.

Relationships:
170 words
Vashkar
Anurvi has long forgotten why she chose him as her lead stallion, perhaps because he was the strongest stallion at the time. He has whittled her down into a shell of her former self, a mare who couldn't care less for her herd. She doesn't even listen to his problems anymore but he seems to think she does. In an attempt to be take pride in something, anything, about her new self, she has demanded to be the center of attention with Vashkar being the main horse she appeals to for her wants.

Ravani
At this point, Anurvi has no interest in the mare. She can't teach her a lesson or force her to act how she wants; her day is always easier if she doesn't even glance at Ravani. There's an urge to kick her out of the herd, but deep down there's something stopping her. She's not sure what this is, but an idea is that it's because Ravani has been around since the very beginning of the herd.

Story:

-----

Username: ABeardedDragon
Horse Number: #15
Species: Horse
Age: 5 years
Name: Ravani
Herd: Bleakwind Pass Herd
Herd Position: Member

Personality:
505 words
A sweet mare who is always ready to comfort any horse. Though she tries to hold back, she is often voicing her opinions in defense of others, regardless of who she is fighting against. Outside of that, Ravani is submissive and tries to stay out of trouble. The mare hopes that one day, she won't have to fight but she knows that unless she finds a new herd, there's no chance of doing so; for now it will be a world she can only dream of since she has no intentions of leaving. She's proud of herself and thinks she has done well making it this far in life so far. It's rare to see her without a spring in her step as she's a happy mare. She tries to spread the happiness and make light out of darker situations, however, she's not always welcome. Foals would say she is the best mare in the herd, being their first choice to play with. When she's by herself, Ravani enjoys basking in the sun, usually laying down so much that it's gotten to the point that her herd is concerned about her. Other times she'll be expressing her creative streak by crafting items with sticks, leaves and rocks around her, pretty much anything she can find. She challenges herself to use everything to make some impossible things. Some of her creations are meant to be games for foals, which they always enjoy until the herd moves on and leaves the items behind. The mare is grateful for most things, and has a great appreciation for nature.

Ravani is rather shy and can be nervous with new horses, she gets especially anxious around loud, prideful stallions. It's hard for her to trust others, even more so if she has had issues with them in the past; while she may easily forgive, she does not forget. There's nothing more terrifying to her than the thought of danger so she will run as fast as she can to get away from it. She tries to stay in the middle of the herd and never lags behind. She's wary of any bachelors the herd passes, in case they try to steal her and this may very well be her biggest fear other than abandonment. Ravani is a little greedy and subtly pushes her way into the best spot of grass, a lot of the time she'll have more than her fair share. She's methodical and feels unsure about doing something unless it's taken slowly, step by step; but would always feel even better with a horse by her side in case things go wrong. This mare is always the last to investigate anything new. Ravani is somewhat vain and always tries to keep her coat clean, worrying about how she looks; she hates to be constantly covered in dust and wishes there was somewhere cleaner that she could go. This drives her with a small desire to explore, but the mare is too scared to stray far from her herd.

Ancestors:
76 words
The most notable of her ancestors was Elaheh, a mare who took foals far away from the war. She mothered them when they lost their parents, all while raising her own foals. None of them got to see the true horrors of the war as Elaheh shielded them from that, moving when the destruction was heading their way. She never fought as she only wanted peace, believing that fighting fire with fire was never the answer.

Relationships:
189 words
Vashkar
Ravani is probably the only mare in the herd that truly likes Vashkar. He clearly notices this and she is his favourite mare, being his most frequent choice when he wants to be groomed. A few times she has followed him when he disappears from the herd and has seen the vulnerable side of him. It's hard to not notice the certain special bond forming between the two. Sometimes they fight when they disagree, the worst with Rivani trying to stop Vashkar from abandoning herd members or kicking colts out. He's been more willing to listen to her and wait a little longer, but in the end his decision is always the same.

Anurvi
For the most part, the two mares avoid each other. Ravani does retaliate against Anurvi when she starts arguments with a herd member for no reason, but Anurvi has learned that trying to put this mare in her place is useless. Ravani watches her step around the lead mare, for there's tension always rising between them. On calm days, the two can enjoy eating together or even grooming, but these moments are few and far between.

Story:

[Queen Vivane]

Username: Queen Chrysalis
Horse Number: #011
Name: S'azda
Age: 5
Gender: Mare
Height: 17HH
Color: Palomino overo
Herd: Lunar Oak
Herd Position: Lead Mare

Personality: (505 words)
A loyalty driven Mare that leads her herd with pride. She is loyal to a fault, those she calls friends will have their loyalty tested even if they don't actually figure out they're being tested. S'azda is the type to always have a plan for numerous different situations, from the smallest thing to something with dire consequences. She is rather cheery and bright despite her near constant planning for things. S'azda watches out for her herd and dotes upon all the members equally, there will be no special treatment from her.

Hope has a predominant place in her heart. Hope that perhaps one day Arraspel will recover from the great war; that it will become like it was in the tales. Lush and full of life. S'azda would never allow another horse to walk all over her, she'd walk right over them instead. She does tend to be a little naive sometimes, which lets others attempt to pull a fast one over her. Thankfully S'azda usually manages to recover her thoughts in time to send them packing with a fierce bite.

There is often friction between her and Dar'irr due to her fondness for jokes. Seriousness isn’t her number one trait but, she can instantly snap out of her happy go lucky state when necessary. Strangers tend to make her quite nervous and when S’azda gets nervous? She gets sloppy and that never spells good news for the herd. Luckily there has been no disaster due to her nervous muck ups as of yet.

Feels doing things like bottling up emotions are completely and stupid, she'd rather have them out there in the open. Patience isn't her strong suite so she tends to lose her temper and grow impatient so easily; it's practically a given for others to push her buttons on purpose. S'azda is rather possessive of her herd and if strangers didn't make her so nervous she'd phsycially chase them away herself.

She keeps the rowdier members of the herd in check with firm actions, though she goes a little easier on the foals than she does the adults. Often finds it extremely hard to stay quiet when she knows she has information others might not know but might want to know. Being vain has never been something S'azda found to be worthwhile, she's just too busy to waste precious time on her looks. She is rather skeptical about many things, particularly miracles.

S'azda finds little use for pointless things such as common niceties, there are more important things in life than asking someone how their day was. Now she doesn't find any point to constantly being rude but sometimes there is just one way to rid of someone who won't shut up. She'll usually stay out of petty squabbles unless it comes to physical violence. She's extremely sneaky, surprisingly so for a creature of her size and weight. Honestly she enjoys creeping up on others and making them jump but she only does it in order to try and make them laugh.

What part did her ancestors play in the war?:
In generations long since gone from the world, there existed an Pegasus by the name of Ra'ava. A stallion with a coat darker than the night itself. He was admired and loved by many, for he was a strong and powerful leader. There weren't many who shared his ideals of a world without war

What relationship does she have with her herd stallion and other herd mares, if there are any?

WIP

[-Isabella-]

Username: Isabella45
Horse Number: #016
Horse Name: Anwen
Name Meaning: 'Very fair'
Species: Horse
Age: 7 years
Herd: Zelimir Herd
Herd Position: Lead Mare

What part did his or her Ancestors play in the war?

Anwen's ancestors were a peaceful people. They were a small herd, mostly undisturbed by the world, but when the call came for assistance her father's ancestor knew he could not refuse. Choosing to do the honorable thing he took half of their herd to join the fighting. A half moon later his mate and foal received the news that he, and his followers, had been killed. Grief stricken and seeking vengeance his mate, Aeronwen, went to fight, leaving her daughter in the care of a wounded pegasus. Aeronwen quickly became known as a fierce and merciless fighter, over time her name, which meant 'white', was changed to Aerona, meaning 'slaughter and carnage'.
But her victory and success lasted only twice as long as her mate's had. She died a moon after she left her land, leaving her daughter orphaned. Her daughter, called Anwen because she was very beautiful, was raised by the pegasus. Too injured to fly and with a permanent limp the pegasus hid Anwen, and her own foal, protecting them during the war. The name of this brave pegasus has since been lost, if it was ever known, but her foal's name we know. Braith. He grew up beside Anwen and the two became very close. It broke Anwen's heart when he told her he felt he had to join the fighting.
He left, promising he would come back one day.
Anwen waited, and waited, but no news came. So, she set off on her own to find him. When she did at last find him he was injured but alive. It was then that, despite his protests, Anwen joined the war. She had already lost so many that she loved to the cruelties of war, now she was determined to either help the defeat this darkness, or die beside those that were left.
Anwen may not have been a war hero, she didn't infiltrate the enemy lines, or perform some terribly daring deed, but no one, no one but Braith and Anwen, knew the pure courage it took for a sheltered young mare to step out and fight for what she had.
By the end of the war both Anwen and Braith had survived and Anwen said she would never again raise a hoof against any horse, and the two of them went far away and started their own herd.
And long down the line, many generations later, born to Celi and Elyan, was a filly called Anwen, named for her brave ancestor. Her name may not have gone down in the books for any great deeds, but her story was passed down through the generations so that all of her offspring and theirs would know of her courage and be encouraged themselves to stand up and fight for what they loved and believed in.

How Did She Meet Nirav?:
Anwen was born to a very small herd, living in a valley where no one ever dared wander. As a foal nothing made her feel happier than just being with her parents and siblings, but as she got older she began to yearn for something new. In her herd, though she knew her parents loved her dearly, she was just one of many daughters. She would never really have a unique place, and unless she left eventually, never have foals of her own. So, she set off to make her own way. As her name implied, she was a pretty mare, fair of face and feature. On her journey she met some stallions who noticed and tried their best to impress her, but their showy manners were not what she was looking for in a protector. She didn't really know what she wanted, but she was sure she would know it when she found it. And in time, she was proved right.
She had found her way into the tall grass where there was some decent grazing to be found.
After just a few minutes she sensed a new presence nearby. Slowly she turned her head, and standing at the edge of the grass was a stallion. For a minute their eyes met, each holding the other's gaze and neither speaking.
Then Anwen broke the silence and asked him if he intended to join her or if he was simply going to stand there.
He then joined her quietly. When he had reached her side he had thanked her and said he hadn't wanted to intrude.
Anwen had never seen such manners in any stallion and was both impressed, and amused.
For some time they grazed quietly together and Anwen kept casting curious glances toward him. At first glance she had thought he was mud colored with cloud-like markings, but now that she looked again she could see golden highlights beneath a rich brown color, framing a blanket of the purest white.
He was certainly handsome, but, it was his manner that truly mattered, she reminded herself.
When he'd had his fill he excused himself, saying he had better keep moving if he was to find a decent sleeping place before dark.
Anwen was reluctant to lose his company so she came up with an idea and offered to show him a good sleeping place.
He had been silent a moment then he said that he would be grateful for her help.
It occurred to her then that she didn't even know his name, so she asked.
After apologizing for not having introduced himself earlier he said his name was Nirav.
Nirav she thought to herself, a nice name.
She led him beyond the grass, over a hill and through a feild before they came to a gnarled, twisted tree. Though there were no leaves left on the tree its thick branches provided shade from the sun.
Nirav thanked her and she settled down a short distance away. As the sun disappeared and the world grew dark she wondered if Nirav would be there in the morning when she woke up.
~
The sun's rays beat down heavily on Anwen, bringing her out of her slumber. She tossed her head then glanced up at the sky. It was then that the events of the previous day came rushing back and her head whipped around to look at the tree where Nirav had slept.
He was gone.
Anwen couldn't quite describe what she felt, disappointment, emptiness, loneliness.
She stretched and ate a little then got ready for her journey, still searching for a protector for the herd she wanted to help build. She had thought she might have found him, but apparently she was wrong.
She headed in the direction of the mountains, hoping to run across more horses there. She hadn't gone far when she heard hoofsteps behind her.
She turned around and there was Nirav. For a minute it felt like her heart had jumped out of her chest and into her throat. She stood still until he caught up then waited as he stood there silently. Finally she asked him what he was doing. He then replied in a very sensible way that if they were going in the same general direction it made sense for them to travel together.
Anwen agreed and the two set off together.
On their journey each observed the other carefully.
Anwen was searching for a lead stallion, and though Nirav wasn't outwardly commanding or impressive, he had a good nature and in many ways seemed to her to be wiser than the brash young stallions she had met before. He also wasn't hot-headed, and she appreciated that. Though courage was sometimes called for, rashness could get a herd hurt.
Nirav was looking for a lead mare who might accept him. Anwen seemed gentle and smart, but there was also a certain spirit in her that he liked, the kind of boldness that he lacked. She also seemed honest, and was clearly skilled. He could only hope she might consider him worth it.
When at last they arrived at the base of the mountain Anwen knew they would have to decide whether to part ways as they had planned, or maybe stay together.
She also knew it was up to her to make the first move, but what if he refused her. She knew most stallions were glad when a mare chose them, but what if he had no desire to be part of a herd? What if he wanted to be a loner forever? She had never done this before, what if she did it wrong?
With these thoughts in her mind she made an attempt to bring up her proposal to him.
He was standing beneath a tree, grazing where she had found a good spot when she approached him. He lifted his head to meet her gaze and asked if she needed anything.
"Yes, well, no. No and yes. I mean, I had . . . I had an idea, more of a suggestion, really," she said, shifting from one hoof to the other.
Nirav watched her, his expression impossible to read. "Go on."
"I just, I thought, maybe you might . . . want to come with me? You know, do this together?"
For a moment Nirav was silent, but Anwen could tell he was thinking. "I would be honored." He said at last.
"Honored? I mean, that is good, of course," she said. "But, do you really want this? I mean I know I am supposed to pick a stallion and all that and you kind of just go with it and all but I want you to want to be, er, you know, want to . . . " She trailed off, feeling foolish as everything she had meant to say flew out of her head.
"If you are asking if I want to join you, I do. I have seen your capabilities, I admire your character, and I would be honored to be your protector." As he spoke his expression became overall warmer and Anwen felt more at ease.
Anwen wanted to say something clever or heartfelt, but all that came out was, "I think that is the most I have ever heard you speak at once."

Personality:
Anwen is a gentle and compassionate mare. She approaches other horses with a gentle, almost motherly manner. Her compassion for others is sincere and those around her can tell that she is genuinely interested in how they feel.
But just because she is gentle doesn't mean she doesn't have a fiercer side. She is fiercely protective of those she loves and her temper may arise if you push her too far. In addition to that she can also be very firm with members of her own herd. She doesn't like having to be harsh, but she realizes that her responsibility as lead mare means she has to be tough sometimes for their own good.
Anwen is also very passionate about the things she cares about. She often has to remind herself not to show her feelings around her herd at times. By nature she is an open book, one to wear her heart, not hide it.
Anwen is also clever with words. She can twist them and use them in an art form to confuse, convince, and persuade. But, this talent does have its limits.
If Anwen is nervous, or speaking to someone who makes her nervous, her words will come out in a tangle, often nonsensical or mixed up. Because she tends to show her emotions so clearly, nervousness being one of them, others can see the effect it has on her speech. This is something she tries to master because she doesn't want it to be a weakness to her herd.
Anwen can be very stubborn at times and is not easily persuaded. Her protectiveness over her herd can sometimes blind her to the bigger picture.
When they have to leave a herd member behind Anwen will sometimes contest the decision, trying to find some way to help the horse, but in some situations the only option, for the better of the whole herd, is to leave them behind, and she has to trust Nirav's judgement.
Because of her compassionate nature Anwen is sometimes too quick to believe other horses, particularly their tales of woe. She immediately wants to help them, even when it is sometimes better to hold back.
She is a quick thinker, which can be both good and bad. Sometimes it leads her to come to a quick and intelligent conclusion, other times it leads her to be impulsive which can be both good and bad.
Anwen tends to take on to much a time, sometimes taking on more than she can handle at once. She wants to help, but often extends herself too far to do so.
She always means well, but sometimes her desire to do good for others can lead her to neglect herself and run herself down. And yet she still pushes herself to give more and more.
At heart, she is also a romantic. She dreams of romance, but the practical side she has cultivated as a lead mare wars against her inner romantic and she ultimately ends up deciding that a good, steady job as lead mare is more important than any romantic dreams. A true, but sometimes disappointing conclusion.

Relationships:
Nirav:
She and Nirav have an overall good relationship. They seem to have a way of working together, filling each other's 'gaps'. They are different enough that together they can give the herd what it needs, but alike enough that they share the same general view and goal for their herd.
Nirav is one of the few horses who can persuade Anwen, and one of the few who makes her nervous enough at times that she beings to stutter and mix up her words.
He can also get her to relax a bit when he sees she is overextending herself, and he can step in to help and take some of the weight. The real problem is getting her to let him.
Where she is a quick thinker and at times impulsive, he is a slow thinker, a calculative thinker and together they can come up with a solution, though they sometimes have a hard time understanding each other's logic.
Anwen can sometimes bring some calm to Nirav, getting him to relax.
Though he usually struggles to talk to horses on a purely social level, rather than leader to herd member, Anwen can sometimes get him to open up just a little and step down a minute and be 'just another horse'.
Anwen can't deny that she has special feelings for him, but she isn't quite sue just what they are herself, and she has no idea if he returns any such feeling.
They work well together and are loyal, to their herd first and each other second, and that is all that really matters, she supposes.

Her Mother:
Anwen will always have a special place in her heart for her mother, no matter where she goes. Her mother was a beautiful, strong mare, and Anwen wants to be like her. Her favorite memory was the time she was a foal and her mother told her that one day she would miss her if she left. Anwen had said she would never leave and at such a young age she had been sure she was right. But when she got older and decided she did need to leave she had felt bad and told her mother she was sorry, but she had to go. Her mother had simply reminded her that she had always known she would leave, and she wanted her to because she wanted her to be happy, even if she had to leave to find happiness.

Username: Isabella45
Horse Number: #012
Horse Name: Farrah
Name Meaning: "Happiness"
Species: Horse
Age: 5 years
Herd: Zelimir Herd

What part did his or her Ancestors play in the war?

Farrah's ancestors were a neutral herd. They tried to stay neutral in the war but in the end they were forced to pick a side. The herd split, half choosing to fight against Kṣamatā, the other half choosing to fight for him. The half that chose to fight for him left to join him and their friends and families never saw them again. Farrah's grand sire, with too many greats in his title to count, fought against Kṣamatā, but when he realized that what remained of his herd was getting killed off he sent his pregnant mate away. he died in the war before his foal was born. His son, Anwar, was his only offspring to survive through the war. Anwar never fought in the war. His mother was determined to keep him safe to protect and preserve their herd's bloodline. She even arranged a meeting between him and his first mate, a mare whose bloodlines were also dying out due to the death of relatives in the war.
Anwar and his mate led a simple but happy life and through them both of their bloodlines survived the war, though never as strong as before.
Their story survived through the generations and Farrah went to sleep almost every night hearing that tale told. Being her father's only daughter, and he the only true ancestor left of Anwar and his mate, Farrah was determined to honor her family and raise strong foals to keep the family line going, maybe even be a lead mare one day, but her future took an unexpected turn and changed her, and destroyed some of her hope for her future.

Farrah's Destiny?:
As a foal Farrah always believed it was her destiny to preserve her family line, raise strong foals and tell them the tales that had been told to her. She was fearless and bold, a curious foal with no hesitation in asking questions about anything and everything. But an accident changed all of that.
Farrah had set off on an adventure, playing by herself as she always did in the absence of siblings. She was chasing a butterfly, her eyes on the sky and she didn't see the hole. She stepped in the hole and lost her footing, falling into the brambles. Her cry alerted her mother who rushed over and helped her up.
Her leg was fine, much to her mother's relief, but she soon noticed that something was wrong with her filly. Farrah was walking into things on the way back to their sleeping place, bumping against even the most obvious branch or bush. After a closer examination she saw that the bramble branches has scratched her left eye and as a result her vision was blurred.
They tried to find some way to fix her eye, but it was useless. The blurring eventually became almost total blindness in her left eye, and with the loss of vision in that one eye, Farrah's confidence left her as well.
She became quiet and withdrawn, not so much out of self pity, as out of a feeling of being a failure.She had wanted to make her parents proud, carry on their family line, but how would she ever raise foals if she couldn't watch them properly? How would she even protect herself? As it was her parents were watching her closer than ever, and even as she got older they continued to watch her closely.
Farrah had stopped dreaming and become a ghost of her former self.
One day as she was standing quietly she began to recall the story of her ancestors. She felt that familiar ache, knowing she might not ever have a chance to pass that story on to foals of her own. But the more she thought about it, the more she began to wonder, why couldn't she? Surely she could learn to live with her disability. An idea came to her and she crept away from her parents, into the coming darkness of the night. She would prove, to her parents and her self, that she could survive with this.
She walked through the night, at first spooking at every sound and whipping her head around to see with her right eye what her left eye might have missed. But as she relaxed she began to realize nothing much was different, she might have lost vision on one side, but for the rest of her life it would simply be like this, nighttime in one eye. If she could walk through the night like this and navigate her way, surely it would be easier in the daytime.
When morning came she returned to her parents who scolded her and asked if she was alright. She knew she had worried them but begged them to understand that she needed to have her own life, just as she had always planned. Full of foals and stories and adventure.
Though they were reluctant, they realized they couldn't keep her, so she left to find her own way.
The story has a happy ending. Eventually Nirav's lead mare found her and invited her to join them, and now her dreams are coming true.

Personality:

Farrah is both the same, and changed after her accident. In time she regained her lost confidence, and her old her spirit. But she is still mellower now then she once was.
No longer hotheaded, she thinks things over a little more carefully and truly considers the cost and the result of her choices.
She was always kind, but now there is a certain sweetness about her that was never there before. She finds herself more compassionate toward others. Where she once thought fearful horses were weak, she now remembers her own fears and has more patience than ever before.
She is calmer when she feels her temper rising, though if you make her angry enough nothing can truly hold her back.
She still has her old fire and is fiercely protective of her herd members. She is always trying to help her friends, though she sometimes has to remember that even the best of intentions may not always be what they need.
Farrah is curious, very curious, by nature and if there is a mystery or a question to be answered she will explore it until she has come up with something, even if that answer is that there is no answer!
She likes things that keep her mind engaged and busy, maybe this is one of the reasons that she enjoys babysitting so much, answering the foal's questions and inventing stories and games for them.
She has a definite skill for story telling and often times even the foal's mothers will stop to listen as she weaves a story for their young.
When you first meet her she can seem like a very calm, quiet mare, but when you really get to know her and she is comfortable around you, you can see her excited about something it is then that all of her spirit and warmth shine through.
Farrah has a unique way of looking at things. She seldom sees a situation as many do, glass half full or half empty, but rather half full with a quarter of something or half empty with a little bit missing.
She is always looking for details and trying to get all the little pieces to come together and form the whole.
She is very diligent, never liking to give up on anything and considering it a fail if she does.
She is also unassuming. She can look at others and instantly see their good points, but looking at herself she tends to be a harsher judge, seeing her faults before her good and judging herself by them.
She is working on being less harsh on herself, perhaps the worst threat to her confidence, is herself.
She likes exploring new things, new places, new relationships, new ideas. Because she was once so scared of new things, thinking she might not be able to handle them, now she loves at least trying, because when she succeeds she realizes that her limitations are most often the ones she has put on herself.
She is slow to let herself get close to other horse, cautious in entering into relationships, but when she does become your friend she will try to be the best friend she can be. Of course, she will make mistakes, as everyone does, but she is also willing to give an apology when one is owed.
She is certainly a mare with many layers, and those that go to the trouble to dig through them will discover just what a treasure she is.

Relationships:
Nirav:
Farrah is calm and gentle, but at the same time she can be so excitable at times that it can be overwhelming to Nirav's quieter personality.
They get along well, but nobody could say they are particularly close.
Nirav admires and appreciates her willingness to watch the foals and her ability to smooth over conflict and be resourceful, but he definitely looks at her as a loyal and well-liked herd member, not a personal friend.
Likewise, Farrah thinks him a competent and intelligent protector, but she doesn't feel particularly close to him. But their personalities clash in such a way that even if she wanted to be close to him they might never be close friends.

[Keen]

Username: Keen
Horse Number: 003
Species: Horse
Age: 7 years old
Name: Tenikara
Pronunciation:
teh-nee-CAR-ah
Meaning: Strong
Nickname: Kara
Herd: Hynder Herd
Herd Position:
Lead Mare




Personality

Tenikara is the type of mare that others look to for guidance and stability. She
has a strong personality that others tend to be drawn to in time of danger or
when the need is otherwise great. She is not loud, preferring to speak in low
tones so that others must be silent to hear her words. When she makes a de-
cision she follows through with it with unwavering determination. She is firm
in her choice but also knows when it is time to stop the pursuit and give it up
for lost. This does not generally need to happen though, because Kara makes
decisions based on careful planning and consideration, so her plans seldom go
awry.

She is the type of mare that others instinctively follow, so she does well in the
lead position. She does not follow others well, though, especially when she
feels that they are making the wrong choice. She is not shy about voicing this
to them, but rarely does she contradict someone in public. She will find them
in private and have a quiet word with them about what she feels are the pit-
falls of their plans. So great is the respect the herd feels for her that they in-
evitably change their plans to something that Kara feels will be more likely to
succeed.

Pāntha, the stallion of her herd, trusts her completely. He never questions
what she says, even if sometimes he feels misgivings about it, because she so
rarely fails the herd. Kara knows where to find the cleanest water, the least
coarse grass, the best resting place. She seems to have an instinct for when
danger is ahead or when the section of the stream they are near will dry up
and divert its course. She moves the herd with firmness and unwavering cer-
tainty.

Kara does have a downside to her personality though. She has a cold, calc-
ulating way about her when dealing with those she feels are a threat to her
herd. She is not the warmest mare to spend time with either, even for those
within her herd. She is difficult to get close to, so she does not have many
horses that she can talk with and let her guard down. Pāntha is one, her hand-
some herd stallion.

Kara is not sentimental at all and does not attach any extra significance to the
statements of others. She takes everything they say at face value, so the other
horses have learned to say exactly what they mean. Except of course when
they deliberately use sarcasm because they know she will not understand it.
Sarcasm is lost on Kara. She simply does not comprehend the purpose of saying
something that often is the opposite of what you really intend to say. When
she speaks, her words are clear, concise, and to the point. She assumes others
will speak the same way, and does not try to interpret their meanings. If they
have something else she is supposed to get out of their conversation with her,
then they had better just come out and say it.

515 words







Relationships

Most of the horses in Tenikara's herd are well-mannered. Well, most of the
time. There are a few exceptions to this, such as with the mare Jhura. That
particular relationship is rocky at best, but Kara is determined to break into
the gray mare's hard-as-rock defenses to find the loving mare beneath.

Pāntha is one of the horses that she is closest to. When her herd consisted of
herself and one other mare, they had been traveling through the prairie when
they heard a commotion. They went to investigate and found a band of
stallions. A couple of them were sparring in the middle of a trampled patch of
grass. The big bay stallion was being overwhelmed by the even bigger, much
more flashy stallion. The bay conceded defeat and another horse took his
place. This one, a black, was accordingly subdued, along with every other
horse that faced the big stallion.

After the melee was over and the stallions went about finding grass to eat,
Kara approached the stallion that had beaten all of his opponents. She spoke
with him about joining her herd as the herd stallion. He was quite pleased that
she had singled him out but asked what they had to offer him that he could not
get himself.

"A family," Kara said, turning away from him and walking back out into the
prairie. She and her mare spent the night under the stars. In the morning they
awoke to the sound of hoof beats on the hard-packed earth. The flashy stallion
had found them.

"I thought about what you said after you left. I thought at first that it was ridic-
ulous. Why would any strong, young stallion want to be tied to a herd? But,"
the stallion went on. "As I stood guard over the others for my turn at the watch,
I realized that that was exactly what I wanted. Mares to watch over, foals to
play with and protect. It's what I was made for."

Kara looked at him without speaking. The stallion seemed to grow uncomfor-
table with her direct gaze. "My name is Pāntha," he said finally. "What is yours?"

"Tenikara."







Her Ancestors and the War

One of Tenikara's great, great (and then some) grandsires was a Pegasi called
Quell. He fell for a unicorn mare named Asimati and they went off together
into the hills of Nuvola. However, here Asimati's magic did not work, so they
attempted to live in the forest of Msitu instead. This also proved to be very
difficult because the trees would get in the way of Quell's wings. With broken
hearts they decided that they must part. She could not live outside of the for-
est and he could not live within it. They spent one last night together, then
parted ways.

Six months later, Asimati laid two eggs. She was concerned about incubating
them. She was unsure that she could care for more than one foal at a time.
She decided to hatch one, raise the foal, then hatch the other once the first
was weaned. So this is what she did. One year later, a beautiful filly foal
hatched from the egg. The filly did not inherit either her mother's horn or her
father's wings, but her color was absolutely stunning. She had a glittering coat
that shimmered when the light touched it. Asimati could see that she would
have her own long mane and and feathering on her legs, but that she would
not have a unicorn's tail. She would be a stunning mare when she grew up.
She named the filly Mira.

When Mira was only a week old, Asimati decided to try to find Quell so that he
could meet his daughter. She hid her second egg and set out, leaving the forest
behind yet again. They reached Nuvola and Asimati began asking everyone she
met if they knew where Quell could be found. Eventually someone did, and
they pointed her in the right direction. She happily turned her nose to the
northeast and went to find her lost love.

She found him near the base of the mountain range, which she thought was a
strange place for him to be. She ignored this though, telling herself that he
had the right to live where he pleased. She showed him his daughter, who was
by now nearly weaned. They had traveled a long way from her home in the
forest. She told Quell of the second egg that she would begin to hatch when
she returned to Msitu. She told him of the clever place she had hidden it to
keep it safe. He seemed so pleased at the idea of being a father that she pro-
mised him that she would bring his second foal to see him as well.

After bidding him farewell, Asimati and Mira started the long walk back to the
forest the following day. By the time they arrived at their home, Mira was
weaned and Asimati was looking forward to hatching the second egg. She
walked into the small clearing where she had hidden the egg... but the egg
was gone. She cried out in dismay and grief and searched everywhere for her
missing egg, but never found it.

Back in Nuvola, Quell stood with an Alicorn named Kasamata, looking down at
a gleaming white egg on the ground in front of them. They found a mare to
hatch the egg, a quiet Alicorn named Eluna. When the egg hatched, all three
of the adults were there to see the foal stumble to his hooves. His black coat
had the same iridescent quality as his sisters, but there was a difference. His
was covered in the tiny white flecks of stars and a constellation pattern.
When he raised his head, Quell saw with amazement that the colt had inher-
ited his mother's horn. The foal struggled to his feet, and when he stumbled
to his knees, he flared his wings to balance himself.

Wings??

The foal was an Alicorn.... The first new Alicorn in over 100 years! Kasamata
and Eluna were speechless. Quell was not. He helped the foal up, and when
the foal rose into the air, along with about a dozen small rocks, Quell said,

"I will call you Teža,"



It wasn't until over 12,000 years later that Kasamata turned on his brethren
and the war began. Teža was an integral part of Kasamata's plans and was in
fact the first Alicorn that he called upon for help. Teža was a cold, brooding
stallion that hated servitude as much as his friend did. He had no second
thoughts about joining him in his fight for freedom, which is how they viewed
it. It wasn't until the war had been going on for several years that Teža began
to feel that the servitude had only switched to a new source, not disappeared.
Kasamata was demanding and overbearing. It began to wear Teža down until
he snapped.

At this point in the war the other species had the advantage as many Alicorns
had died, usually at the hooves -- or horns -- of their former friends. He and
his friend argued and then fought, rending the earth between Thrylos and the
rest of Arraspel. By the end of this duel, Kasamata admitted defeat and fled
deep into, and some say even beyond, Thrylos.

[Keen]

Username: Keen
Horse Number: 008
Species: Horse
Age: 8 years old
Name: Jhuṛa
Pronunciation:
ZAR-uh
Name Meaning: Storm
Nickname: None
Herd: Hynder Herd
Herd Position: Member




Personality

Horses are known to speak about Jhura in a less-than-flattering way. She is a
pushy mare, always fighting to get her own way. Her parents named her Jhura
for the stormy personality she exhibited as a foal. They had hoped that she
would grow out of it, but their hopes were in vain. Jhura is a very stubborn
mare, but unlike with Tenikara her stubbornness rarely ends happily. She does
not know when to quit and when to push forward. Her words are harsh and
often cruel in her attempts to get her way. She feels that if others do not like
her, then it is their own fault for not understanding her. She feels that other
horses are beneath her and should do her bidding and this feeling comes out
in the way she speaks and acts toward them.

She has a raging temper and makes no effort to control it. She lashes out with
both words and hooves if any horse dares to get between her and what she
wants. She has been known to bite other horses just for walking too near to
where she was grazing. Her thought process is muddled and often hazy. She
does not seem to understand the finer points of dealing with her herd mates,
but most of the other horses do not see this. She is not a born leader or a
natural follower. She feels out of place no matter where she goes or what she
does, and this makes her rage stronger than ever. If she feels any emotion like
sadness or empathy, she instinctively throws up mental barriers and turns those
emotions into anger or scathing hatred. She has no room for pity or love in her
soul. She refuses to see anything from anyone else's point of view, instead try-
ing to force them to see it her way.

She has raised a few foals in her time, all of whom felt the brunt of her harsh
personality. She is not a good mother and Kara would often intervene on the
foals' behalf if Jhura's behavior got out of hand. Jhura of course resents any
such interference and feels that her own way is always the best way.

She has been in several different herds, as they keep making her leave. Each
time she is forced out, her personality becomes more and more harsh and de-
manding.

She has an overwhelming jealous side as well and despises any mare that gets
Pāntha's attention. She wants him and his caring side all to herself, but of
course this is not possible. This only adds to her foul temper and causes her to
lash out even more. It is not uncommon for her to pick on a mare more than
usual if she has been with Pāntha.

Deep inside this hard, harsh mare is a heart that wants to be allowed to love
and be loved. This is a side of her that she is determined will never show to
anyone... not even herself.

503 words







Relationships

Jhura of course does not get along with any of the herd mares. She often tries
to force them to go her way instead of Kara's way, sometimes even going so far
as to tell the others that Kara wants them to listen to her for one reason or
another. The first few times she did this she succeeded, but after every time
ended with Pāntha having to get them out of trouble, the other mares began
to regard her with scorn. No one believes her anymore, since she is known to
lie to get what she wants. She uses heavy, biting sarcasm often so the other
mares just ignore her and do not associate with her any longer.

Pāntha sees her as a nuisance more than anything, and only pays her attention
when Kara prods him to. He does not like her pushy, mean-spirited manner and
prefers to spend time with the other mares or foals instead.

Kara, on the other hand, understands Jhura. The other mares often wonder
why the lead mare tolerates Jhura when all of the other herds have always
forced her to leave. Kara knows the heart of Jhura's problem, and has glimpsed
the heart of the angry mare as well. She hopes that one day Jhura will learn
that it is okay to let her guard down. For now, she will try to protect the other
herd members, and Jhura herself, from the evil-tempered mare.







Her Ancestors and the War

Jhura's personality is not new in her bloodline. Her ancestors were angry,
vicious horses that turned on their allies with ease when called upon by
Kasamata. The Alicorn had heard tales of the ferocity of the herd and sought
them out specifically in his quest for victory. The herd was not large, only num-
bering around ten individuals including the foals. Kasamata put them on the
front lines of any battle that he himself was in. They were invariably successful.

[Keen]

The final round of the Mare's Meadow for the Opening Event ends in just over 48 hours! Don't miss the deadline!

[Phina D Wolf]

Username: Phina D Wolf
Horse Number: 015
Species: Horse
Age: 5
Name: Keyva
Herd: Aralon
Herd Position: Member
Personality:

Keyva is the type who rarely lets her emotions take over, so she normally is very successful at preventing herself from looking like a fool. However, she isn’t one for social interactions for the most part, especially with new horses. She will gladly hang out with mares she knows, but ask her to go and hang out with a group she has never met before, and you will get a shoulder so cold your grandchildren will have frost bite. Even in situations that she hates, Keyva strives to keep an upbeat, positive, cheerful attitude. She refuses to go up and introduce herself, but if someone begins a conversation, she will return their advances with a smile. No matter how irritating or terrible a situation, Keyva is always courteous to everyone she meets. If you have been cruel or obnoxious to earn a terse or rude answer for Keyva, you had better watch out. Because once someone has broken through her courteous, positive, kind exterior, they are in for a world of pain. If you have annoyed her to that point, she no longer had any control over her actions and will say or do whatever come into her head, no matter how cruel or hurtful it might be. She will be very apologetic later, but will not take back anything she aid or did that she believes was deserved. One of the best ways to unlock Keyva’s rage is to betray her trust. No matter how shifty a character, once they have started a conversation with her, they are immediately accepted as one of her close friends, which has led to several ‘Incidents’ in the past. Keyva bonds very closely to those horses she knows, so when one of them turns out to not be trust worthy it breaks her heart. Once her trust is lost, it will never be gained again, and if you try to do so, hellfire and brimstone will reign upon your head.

While Keyva does not have a particularly inquisitive mind, once she is interested in something she will do everything within her power to understand it, including things that she probably shouldn’t risk. She depends on her friends to attempt to monitor her impulses, since once she has set her mind to something, she is powerless to change it. Thankfully though, she has a very logical mind, so as long as a friend can provide her with a logical reason why her insane idea is actually insane and a very bad idea, she will quickly back down from the idea, wondering how on earth she came up with it in the first place. If she is allowed to go through with a crazy plan, and it succeeds, she will normally realize the insanity soon afterwards. She hates it when she allows her lack of self control and tendency to take idiotic risks over whelm her local thinking, and will normally fume about it for several days. Because of this, she tries to stay with other horses who are likely to prevent her from doing something incredibly stupid, instead of those who would find it amusing, or even encourage it.


What part did his or her Ancestors play in the war?
Altriton shook his mane as he scanned the gathering of horses arrayed behind him. They were his to command, and any of their deaths would be on his head. He had accepted that reality when he had taken charge of them, but the incomplete final row tore a hole deep into his heart. He knew the name of each of the lost. Azikir. Corona. Illiva. Terak. All loyal to the last. All fighting to protect not only themselves and their loved ones, but their races. Altriton turned as his superior, Roshan appeared. Roshan scanned the several groups assembled, eyes resting on each empty space, where everyone knew a brave stallion or mare had been standing that morning. Altriton bowed his head as Roshan’s gaze turned to his group and his keen eyes saw the four empty places. “Roshan, I am sorry.” He murmured, “I lost them to an ambush. It was my fault entirely. I had not checked our path well enough. Illiva..” he stopped, unable to continue for a moment, “Illiva died protecting me. I am sorry.” Roshan’s eyes softened as he heard the unicorn’s story. He knew who Illivia was. She was his eldest daughter, the only one of his children who took after him and not their mother, a horse. While Altriton loved all his children, Illiva held a special place in his heart, and loosing her would have totally devastated any other commander. But as Roshan looked into Altriton’s eyes, he did not see despair. He say quiet fury, and total determination.

“It is not your fault entirely,” he assured the younger stallion, “Your troop has lost the least members today, and I know that you never throw away the lives of those who follow you.” He paused, before continuing, “Altriton, I have a mission for you. Come with me.”

Altriton turned, calling up a young, determined stallion who he had been grooming to take his place, “Kerosh, you are in charge until I return.” As Kerosh looked into his superior’s eyes, he saw the unspoken end to the sentence, “If I ever return.” He took a deep breath, nodding, “Yes sir. I will lead them well, I promise.”

That was the last that anyone saw of Altriton. Rumors circulated around the camp that he was responsible for the death of one of the rebellious Alicorns who had disappeared around the same time, but it was never been confirmed. Kerosh knows what happened though, because he has seen Altriton since then. He knew the truth even before the older stallion visited him. He knew as soon as he discovered the identity of the missing Alicorn. So, when he met Altriton while he was on watch one night, he already knew where he had been, and where he was going. He had killed the alicorn responsible for the death of his daughter, and was on his way to hunt down the stallions responsible for the deaths of Azikir, Corona and Terak.


What relationship does she have with her herd stallion and other herd mares, if there are any?
Keyva’s relation to Mchenga fluctuates between strictly business and constant flirting. Depending on her current mood, Keyva can be very serious and down to earth, during which times she was basically nothing to do with Mchenga. However, if she is in a flirtatious mood, she hands off his every word, and rarely gives him a moments peace.

Keyva’s relationship to Kṣata however is very different. Keyva views Kṣata as both a mentor and a friend, and the two are almost inseparable. One is rarely seen without the other, and Keyva is constantly seeking Kṣata’s advise about anything she is unsure about.

Story:

Keyva was only about two years old when her father passed away. She often has a hard time remembering his face now, but she remembers the day of his death very distinctly. Her herd collapsed into pandemonium, as there were no colts that were able to take his place. The only mare who was totally unruffled was her mother, the lead mare. She set about calming her friends and their daughters before encouraging them to move on to another grazing ground, one they had never visited before. “We need an escape from the memories.” she said. Keyva was devastated. Her father had meant more to her than anything else at that time, and now her mother was telling her that they had to leave, to escape the memories of her father. She pouted the entire way there, refusing to talk to her sisters or her mother. Her gloom continued for the first week, but was quickly and violently expelled on the first day of the second, when her herd committed the ultimate betrayal to her father’s memory.

A new stallion had been allowed into her herd. How DARE they. Hoe dare her mother! Her mother was the lead mare, and she had done nothing to stop him. In fact, she had WELCOMED him into the herd. How DARE they. Keyva refused to speak to the strange stallion, and attempted to convince her sisters to do the same, but with minimal success. The youngest filly, Lavi, joined her protest, but their older two sisters took to him immadetally.

“Oh, Keyva, Lavi, he isn’t all THAT bad!” Tiva tried to convince them.

“Tiva’s right.” Avini agreed, “He’s been very nice to us, and mom really likes him. Your mom thinks that he’ll do a good job protecting us Keyva, that’s why she found him.”

Keyva stared at her older sister in disbelief, “Mom found him? She brought him here?”

Avini nodded in agreement, “Why do you think she brought us here? This meadow is right next to the bachelor grounds. They were fighting all the first week to see who would be allowed to ask your mother for the permission to protect us.”

Keyva’s eyes filled to the brim with tears, “No.” She insisted, “Mom would never try to replace Da. Never.”

Tiva smiled, shaking her head, “Oh Keyva, she isn’t replacing him. Taron isn’t trying to become Da, he just wants to protect us.”

Keyva’s tears began to fall as she took several steps backwards, still shaking her head, “No!” she shouted, “He can’t protect us! Only Da can do that!!” She whirled, tears streaming down her face as she bolted for the forest. She ran and ran, not caring where she was going, ignoring the cries of her sisters behind her as she let the woods swallow her up. She had run for maybe an hour when she finally staggered to a stop, dropping to lay next to a large oak tree, weeping.

She lay, oblivious to anything around her, until a soft touch on her neck and the words, “Hey, you okay?” alerted her to someone’s presence.

She scrambled to her feet, glaring at the young grullo stallion that stood near by. “What do you want?” She snapped, shaking the last few tears from her eyes.

The stallion smiled kindly, taking a step back to try and make her more comfortable, “I just saw that you looked upset. And, unless you’re older than you look, you should still be with your herd.”

She glowered at him, “Why do you say that? I’m old enough to care for my self. Who are you anyway?”

“I’m Mchenga. You must be from that herd that Taron went to. He’s a good guy, you guys are lucky.”

Keyva snorted, tossing her mane angrily, “Lucky. Yea, right. I feel so lucky right now.”

Mchenga cocked his head, unsure why she was so angry, but deciding to leave it for now, “How about we get you back to your herd?” He offered, “You are quite a bit away, and if you want to get back before dark we should start now.”

Keyva eyed him warily. She was normally very skittish around stallions, but this one seemed okay. “You know the way to where my herd is?” She asked, skeptically.

“Of course I do.” Mchenga assured her, “Every bachelor knows where that meadow is.” He turned and started off, back the way she had come from, going a few steps before glancing back and asking, “You coming?”

Keyva hesitated, but finally trotted a few steps to catch up with him, offering a shaky smile, “Yea. Thanks for walking me back.”

The pair walked a little bit in silence, before Mchenga asked, his voice hesitant, “So, your lead mare came looking for a stallion. What happened to your father?”

Keyva almost shot him a venomous look, then shrugged. “He fought a pack of wolves about a month ago. After the fight, he seemed fine, but within a few weeks…” she trailed off, swallowing hard, trying to force back the tears.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.” Mchenga said softly, but Keyva shook her head.

“No, it’s fine. I need to tell someone. After the first week, we noticed that his speech was getting slurred strangely. Sometimes one of the mares would notice a little bit of white foam on his mouth.”

Mchenga’s eyes widened as he sucked in his breath, “No,” he murmured, her eyes filled with pity.

She nodded before continuing. “The week after that, he started having seizures, and becoming aggressive, even to little Lavi. That’s when mom insisted that we live on the opposite side of the pond from him, so she could still care for him, but none of the rest of us would be in danger. A week after that, she came back crying one night, when only I was still awake. I knew what had happened, even before she told me. The next morning, she told the herd, and we moved here.” Mchenga was quiet for a bit, nuzzling Keyva’s neck gently as tears streamed down her cheeks. “And then,” Keyva said, her voice still choked with tears, “And then Mom ASKS this new stallion into the herd, and everyone is just okay with it! They won’t talk about what happened to Da, and Mom won’t even acknowledge that maybe we don’t want another stallion in the herd yet. Maybe some of us just need time to recover.”

Mchenga gently nuzzled her neck again, taking a moment to put what he was trying to say into words. “It’s always hard to lose someone you love.” he began, “I lost my mom just before I left my herd. Even knowing that she died peacefully in her sleep, it still hurts. I can’t imagine what you went through, and I won’t even pretend I understand how much it must hurt to not only lose your father, but to have it seem like your herd is trying to replace him. But if you can take any comfort from this, Taron is a good stallion. He won’t ever be your father, but he will keep you safe. You can talk to him whenever you like, and he will listen to you. The reason your mom found another stallion so fast is because she doesn’t feel that on her own she can protect your herd. Imagine how she would feel if she waited, to let everyone grieve, and something happened to Lavi. It would be her fault. So she isn’t trying to replace your father, she is trying to keep you safe.”

Keyva smiled shakily at him, glad that she had found someone to talk to who would listen, and try to understand. “Thank you Mchenga.” she said, “I think I’m ready to go back now.” They were just to one side of the final band of trees separating them from the meadow where her herd was staying.

“Will you be staying long?” Mchenga asked, a little hopefully.

“I don’t know.” Keyva admitted. “Do you hang around here much? Maybe we could run into each other from time to time.”

“Maybe.” Mchenga agreed, smiling. He jumped a mile as Taron appeared out of the trees next to them.

“Keyva, there you are!” Taron said, choosing to ignore Mchenga’s presence for the time being, “Your mother is worried sick. You had best go let her know that you are alright.”

Keyva blushed, glancing over at Mchenga where he had seeped into the shadows of the trees. “Later.” she mouthed to him.

“Later.” he agreed.

“Oh, of course Taron. I’m sorry to have scared everyone.” Keyva said, turning and cantering back to the meadow.

Taron turned, one eyebrow raised to Mchenga. “I hope I won’t be tracking you down later.” He said, semi-threateningly.

Mchenga shook his head earnestly, “No sir.” he assured Taron, “She just got lost, and I helped her home. We talked, but that’s all.”

“And keep it that way.” Taron warned before following Keyva back to the meadow.

[Keen]

The final round of the Mare's Meadow for the Opening Event ends in just over 14 hours! Don't miss the deadline!

[Keen]

The final round of the Mare's Meadow for the Opening Event is closed for judging!