Liekos

As I plodded along, learning my surroundings, sniffing at stallion piles, and searching for a band to join(or take over, which ever came first), I came to a lake. There were crocs sunbathing and hissing at each other along the shore. I made sure to avoid them. My black hooves struck the ground evenly, strongly as I moved and I counted my steps. It made me happy that I was still fit, my muscles rippling powerfully with each stride. My raven black coat still shone with all the intesity it had ever possessed. I loved the way my mane and tassle never got tangled, the way they waved as I ran, walked or moved. My eyes scanned the area as I caught a whif of a mare. Maybe I was imagining things.

Looking for a blank area of shore, I slowly walked to the water's edge. Looking in the crystal depths, though not seeing passed much of the surface, I bent my strong well muscled neck and drank deeply, sucking in deep draughts of water through my versatile lips. This was nice, I had finally found a home. Now all I needed was a band. Raising my head and flattening my ears, I let out a loud trumpeting neigh for any mares in the area. Stallions were welcome too, but only if I was to continue as a bachelor.

Glaze & Lysismach

Lieko's nose was not lying to him, nor was the breeze that offered up the scent of a mare; or rather, two mares. Glaze had spent the last three months separated from her shattered herd, with her best friend's daughter, Lysismach, as her only source of company. There had been so much violence and warring in the old herd that the dapple-gray Lusitano had fled from the place in order to escape the constant stress and threat of attack, and Lys had followed her after her own mother had been slaughtered.

"Listen!" Lysismach whispered, her head perking up the instant the stallion's cry hit the air. The two-year old mare stood out as much as the Glaze did against the dark green foliage around them, except that her muzzle, mane, and tail were all black, where Glaze was light gray throughout. "Can we go see him?"

Glaze was a little leery, taking a moment to make up her mind, despite Lys's eagerness to meet this new stallion. Sure, she wanted to be a part of herd life once again - she wanted it more than anything, truthfully, but after all the setbacks she'd met and the brutal downfall of her last herd, she had her reasons to be cautious. "Yes, we can... but you'll stay near me." Speaking at length and finally making up her mind, Glaze couldn't resist Lieko's call. Moving in an almost anxious, wary gait, the mare moved down from the foliage-covered slope she and Lys had been grazing in, and led the way down towards the beach. She stopped several respectable paces from Lieko, nares flaring and ears pressed forward in a look of alertness. Trotting along behind the older mare, Lysismach didn't look nearly so reserved, but at least she obeyed Glaze and stayed put beside her friend, rather than sprinting over to greet the stallion as she had wanted to.

Liekos

Liekos blinked at the sight of the light mares trotting to him, he hadn't expected anyone to answer his call so quickly. His neck arched in greeting then stretched out to offer his scent. Raven black nares quivering slightly as they flared to catch the mares' scents. "Hello, ladies, how has your day been?" He said politely in a ragged deep voice, he hadn't spoken to anyone for quite some time now.

Liekos noticed they were both a bit apprehensive, though the younger mare seemed eager to meet anyone new. His laugh was deep and looping, like a deep bell. His ears flicked then pointed once more as he touched his soft nose to the older mare once she got close. "I'm Liekos and i'm definately new here, so I could use some company." He said smiling.

Glaze & Lysismach

The polite mannerism of the stallion went a long way to ease some of Glaze's guardedness, and got her to trot forward a few more paces to stretch her muzzle in his direction to better pick up his scent. "It's been fair." Her dark eyes looked quizzically over him, from his dark coat, to two-toned eyes, and then to the bluish scare that he bore.

"The weather has been holding steady the last few weeks. Not too hot, and not to cold." Lysismach was obviously the more talkative of the two, and certainly more inviting and friendly than the older mare, "I'm Lysismach, and this is my friend Glaze. It's a pleasure to meet you, Liekos." She watched as Glaze tensed briefly beside her when Liekos touched noses with her, but she relaxed again just as quickly - after all, Liekos was being nothing but a gentlemen, and she had to admit that she was was looking forward to traveling with a stallion again. And it was Glaze that spoke next, "We wouldn't mind a bit of new company ourselves. It's been some time since we were last part of a herd."

Liekos

"I myself was just ejected from a herd. I didn't like that feeling very much. I assume you girls just left?" He briefly touched noses with Lysismach then dipped his head, his raven ears swiveling slowly. "We should maybe move away from here...The crocs look hungry." The crocodiles had begun to slowly inch their way towards the trio.

His mismatched eyes scanned the area as his head came up, ever the cautious look out. The one mare, Glaze, seemed tense and uneasy. One of his ears went back in curiosity as concern flicked across his face. He wouldn't ask questions though, not knowing if she would answer them, or even welcome them at all. Lysismach seemed the more talkative, as was the way with young mares. Liekos let out a small stallion grunt, letting them know he was harmless and that he wanted to move. The crocs were making him nervous, they had gotten too close to him and the mares. "Where do you want to go?" He asked polietly.

Glaze & Lysismach

Something flashed through the elder mare's eyes; a look of surprise, or perhaps anger? Whatever shift of emotion shown through, it was gone in an instant and she responded in a tone that was almost a little curt, "Yes, we left." Well, it was the truth at least, without detailed exactly why the left. Lysismach fell silent for a few seconds, sensing the heavy mood of her friend and the awkwardness that suddenly sprang up when Liekos asked the innocent question.

To alleviate the tension that Glaze's less than friendly response might have produced, Lysismach took her turn at speaking again, brandishing a smile and a hopeful tone to make up for her friend's clipped words, "That's a good idea. East of here is prairie land, much more open, and with better grazing." She lifted her dappled-gray face, briefly pointing her soft muzzle in the direction of the Tall Grass Prairie. Then her dark almond eyes fell downward, gazing at the big reptiles that were making them all nervous. With pinned-back ears, Lysis murmured half under her breath, "And there's no big lizards over there, either."

Liekos

Liekos smiled at Lysis. "Alright then lead the way." He nudged the other mare and laughed. "Don't get grumpy on me, twas only a question."

Glaze & Lysismach

Glaze's ears went back to show how little she appreciated the light-hearted jesting from the mare, but Lysismach giggled quietly and whispered to Liekos as she started to lead the trio towards the Prairie, "Don't mind her... she can get a little snappy sometimes."

The mare huffed under her breath and gave her head and pale mane an exasperated shake, "I heard that, Lys."