Sleepy Fox Hollow Rose gold

Not again…

The mare groaned, and flicked her ears back when the elk in the nearby mountains began to bugle. The sound was earsplitting- and each scream was answered by another, and another, and on and on until the disputing bulls finally settled the matter physically. But then there would be another bull screaming to declare his manliness, and another, and another…

At least the bison weren’t this obnoxious, She commented to @Selenia as she lowered her head to graze, ears still pinned.

"ugh! shut up!" selenia squealed back at the bugling man and his constant loudness. 

he eyed her with dull rudeness and then went on ignoring the horses, though several cows chuckled a little at selenia's irritability.

she had been nauseous that day, sickened all morning. she had been annoyed and hardly tolerant, and now huffed toward the elk. "nothing has to be that noisy! nothing!"

Fancy's ears flicked forward suddenly, as her friend's voice joined the squealing of the elk. She'd once thought of Selenia as a bovine-lover, as she'd spent some time living among the bison- but it cheered her up to see Selenia's irritability both because it was finally directed toward another species, and because it was amusing to see. 

You weren't this nasty last time you were pregnant, Fancy chuckled, with warmth in her tone. It's good to see you fired up, She said with a snort.

fancy's gentle teasing calmed selenia a bit. "the bison weren't nearly that loud. they knew when to shut up," the buckskin added.

sidling to fancy, selenia chose then to occupy herself plucking leaves from her lead mare's mane, grooming out the bits of living matter until only long silk remained. 

what were they going to do with two little foals and no stallion in the spring? her heart raced; selenia was silent. they'd done well together this far. they could continue.

The sorrel chortled merrily. She recalled how little she had enjoyed sharing grazing grounds with the great bovines. The skin between her nostrils wrinkled slightly. It was the smell that I disliked the most, She admitted. Otherwise, the bison had been tolerable enough in nature. 

Her ears flicked forward and she shut her eyes for a moment as her mane was gently tugged. Uttering an appreciative whicker, she turned her neck so she could nuzzle beneath the mare’s heavy mane in circular patterns with her upper lip. 

The elk’s bugling continued; Fancy’s tail hissed like a whip and she stomped one hoof in annoyance.

"i do understand that," selenia sighed, leaning into fancy's ministrations.

a light laugh accompanied eyes reopening as the elk continued their nonsense, and she pulled gently at the lead-mare's forelock, leading them deeper into the grass and away from the noisy animals.

"have you thought of names?"

Fancy blinked thoughtfully, and lifted her head for a moment, resting it on Selenia’s withers. It’s been such a hectic Fall, with no stallion, that I hadn’t even started to think of names, She replied. She couldn’t let herself sink too deeply into fancy, and daydream about names when she should be on watch. 

I don’t name ‘em until after they’ve found their feet, She said, returning her muzzle to Selenia’s neck. But I think I’ll keep with the pattern I’ve got, She said with a light snort. Adjectives. She scrubbed her velvety upper lip in circles. You got names?

"not really. something with 'feather' in it maybe," selenia chuckled, amused at her own sentiment. 

but fancy's mention of chaos had her head bobbing in somber agreement. "think this hollow will hold?" she asked, glancing around at the bowl of rock which surrounded them. "maybe we should move deeper and make sure there's an exit. there's lot of cover here." for them. for foals.

<3 you for cracking the feather joke

Fancy whickered, amused. Please call your child Onefeather Twofeather, She said, with a laugh. She would spend sometime, now that the topic had come up, pondering names for her own child. 

They would need a safe haven for the winter, so they could safely foal in the spring. I do like the plains, but- She said, staring into the woodlands. Maybe the snow will be thinner in the hollow, make it easier to find grazing.

love love uuuu <3

"do not tempt me, fancy," selenia said with mock severity, tossing her mane a little. "i think i like it here better. less snow, like you said. or at least the promise of it. and wolves might stay out of a big stone bowl."

yet she began to peruse the sides with narrowed gaze, ensuring there were some number of workable ledges should they ever have to climb from their sanctuary. "adjectives. you certainly have a lot," she teased in good-natured whinnying.

She snorted. While it seemed very unlikely that Selenia actually would take the suggestion, it certainly would have been amusing. 

She hoped their winter home might provide them some security. Perhaps in the Spring they could move back to the grazing grounds, where their foals could learn to run and kick up their heels, and they could grow fat over the summer on lush grass. It seemed at least for the time that they would stay where they were, until it was no longer an option.

She nearly had to ask Selenia to clarify what she meant, until the thought clicked, and she whickered in amusement. You name yours Onefeather, and I’ll name my next one Schmancy. She said, chuckling and giving her withers a shudder. This’ll be my…She paused, to consider how many foals she had mothered already. Fourth. Trusty, Antic, Rufous and then whoever this’un’ll be.

four! with new and approving eyes she looked at fancy with love. two for her, and fancy had been there to see the birth of the first. "onefeather and schmancy," she joked. "two little siblings for silverbirch to boss around," selenia laughed. "i think she'll take to it, once she's gotten their respect."

a breath; she lay her forehead against fancy for a moment, cocking her heel. "whatever happens, we have one another. and for me, that's enough." it had been that way for a year. why not the next? it wasn't safe or realistic to never have a stallion again, but — she craved the freedom that the past months had offered.

The sorrel whickered good-naturedly at the sound of their proposed names which were, on their own, harmless enough. 

It warmed her heart to think that Silverbirch might consider her own goal to be a younger sibling; she and Selenia had practically become sisters over the course of the year, so it seemed likely that their children might grow up just as close. She flared her nostrils in humour. If they’ll give it to her, She chuckled. Silverbirch had some attitude- lead mare material, though. 

She relished the feeling of Selenia’s brow pressed against her, and turned her neck to exhale soft, warm puffs of air along the woman’s poll. She wiggled her top lip, to scrub the spot just beneath Selenia’s mane, a comforting action. Damn straight, She breathed. And hopefully- a couple more fillies soon. She mused light-heartedly.

fillies, selenia thought, eyes closing as she enjoyed fancy's preen. she had to admit she would prefer a pair of foals who would grow into sensible mares than rambunctious colts with worsening behavior. especially if they were to do another year alone.

but she knew any colt held already the love of his small herd, and decided not to worry overmuch about it. "come on. i found some ferns not far off."