Hoshor Plains sediment ii

She flicked an ear, as if to say obviously, we're smarter, but thought better of making the comment out loud. She knew stallions could be proud, and while she felt confident in her own role, she didn't want the punishment of a nip or to see him snake his head in irritation. For now, his attention seemed to be fixed on the other mare, and when he moved forward, she followed. 

She eyed the roundness of the buckskin's belly again, and her ears flicked back thoughtfully. Odd, she mused, for a pregnant mare to be on her own. She should have a stallion somewhere, but if she was choosing to graze alongside the bison, she must have been desperate for protection; seldom would a stallion leave a mare unattended, especially if she carried his bloodline. 

She eyed the bison, and again her expression grew grim. She didn't like approaching a herd of them, even if they did seem to tolerate the buckskin well enough. She blew out a breath, as if in a warning, catching the warm, doleful gaze of a grazing bison who didn't deign her presence worthy of anything more than a glance. She followed along behind Maplesmoke, her gaze shifting from the stud to the mare, whose withers shivered as she watched them approach. 

She had reason to be nervous, though Fancy felt she would have little to actually fear. The sorrel pinned her ears once, and jerked her chin into the air with a short, near-silent squeal. A whip of her tail made a dull slap against the thick fuzz of her own hindquarters, and she pivoted to close their approach with a sideways prance, poll lifted and ears cupped forward. She halted and stomped one hoof against the ground, turning her head to watch as she allowed Maplesmoke to have the first direct interaction, as she believed was his right. She, meanwhile, stood stiff; if he collected her from the herd of bison, she would be quick to step in and establish what she hoped would be their heirarchy.