clods of dirt flew from beneath selenia's heels as a breakneck gallop flattened her against the hoshor plains.
all around her was the heavy smear of wolves, their scat, their voices.
a stitch of pain in her bulging flank forced the mare to stop, to slow, but to keep her canter toward the impassive black shapes in the near distance.
bison.
a desperate soul would join other ruminants, but she was tested with nudges of blunt head, cows extending their tongues to taste her scent and bulls standing gruffly nearby, annoyed at the presence of the horse among them.
she will eat all the best grass! a cow complained, lowing to her herdmates. a bull snorted in selenia's direction. it is more likely she will be caught by the longteeth. look how slow she is!
and onward and on in this vein, until, exhausted, selenia took up a position at the edge of the herd, her presence at last ignored. tolerated.
when they moved, the mare trotted with them, ears pinned and lips tight at the teasing of several calves; she switched her tail against her hocks and lumbered gracelessly from their reach.
and when night fell, and the bison moved toward water, selenia was among them, a tall and lighter figure who stood out among the curling horns and heavy dark shoulders of her new herdmates.
all around her was the heavy smear of wolves, their scat, their voices.
a stitch of pain in her bulging flank forced the mare to stop, to slow, but to keep her canter toward the impassive black shapes in the near distance.
bison.
a desperate soul would join other ruminants, but she was tested with nudges of blunt head, cows extending their tongues to taste her scent and bulls standing gruffly nearby, annoyed at the presence of the horse among them.
she will eat all the best grass! a cow complained, lowing to her herdmates. a bull snorted in selenia's direction. it is more likely she will be caught by the longteeth. look how slow she is!
and onward and on in this vein, until, exhausted, selenia took up a position at the edge of the herd, her presence at last ignored. tolerated.
when they moved, the mare trotted with them, ears pinned and lips tight at the teasing of several calves; she switched her tail against her hocks and lumbered gracelessly from their reach.
and when night fell, and the bison moved toward water, selenia was among them, a tall and lighter figure who stood out among the curling horns and heavy dark shoulders of her new herdmates.
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