Mirelda pushed her way through the long grass. It scratched her sides, but she ignored it. Even the grass was her enemy. Well, she was used to enemies. She could cope. Something crunched under her hoof. A stick? She glanced down. A pearly white bone shone in the moonlight. All the better. Most other horses hated dead things, they thought they brought bad luck. Well, death was another thing she was used to. No one would bother her here. No, this was somewhere lonely, somewhere she wouldn't be driven off like all the other places. Even so, Mirelda had an unpleasant feeling that she was trying to convince herself. She shook it off. After all, it was true. "I am safe. No one will come here," she told herself, shook out her mane and pushed on through the rough-edged grass.

Gratia moved in the barren seeming land of the meadow she had recently found. She sniffed the grass and snorted when she found it to be dry and dead. She lifted her head and sighed. She turned to look around her. In the near distance she could see another being. She narrowed her eyes and looked more closely at it. She was surprised to see it was another horse. She was curious as to why other horses would be in this devastating land. She unfolded her wings and lifted into the sky. She flew over to the other horse, landing just feet away.

Mirelda neighed in astonishment at the sight of another horse, then turned and galloped away. "I knew I shouldn't have let my guard down! I knew it!" she scolded herself as she ran. After she was a safe distance away, she stopped, turned, and studied the other horse curiously. A pegasus. She wasn't bad looking, either. Mirelda shook off the thought. What did that have to do with her? Beauty meant nothing. A beautiful horse could drive her off just as well as an ugly one. She began studying the horse again. She was short--Mirelda could easily outrun her. But flying...Flying was another story. She took another step backwards.

Gratia looked curiosly after the other mare. She did not understand why the grey had run off without giving any chance of friendship. Gratia nickered to the other mare when she stopped running. Gratia folded her wings to her back and trotted a few steps in the other mares direction. She wanted a companion but she worried that this mare might be a fire user. Gratia breathed in a thick breath.

Mirelda cocked her ears in surprise when she heard the black mare's nicker. She didn't seem hostile. But then, what was stopping the other from tricking her? Yes, that's what it must be. A trick. Well, she couldn't run and she couldn't fight, so she must just stand her ground. Mirelda decided to show the other horse her powers. Then she couldn't pretend, pretend she didn't know, pretend she would be Mirelda's friend. Mirelda whinnied and a wolf, pale as the moon, padded down from the sky and stood by her side. She whinnied again and he disappeared. Then she transformed into a wolf and back again. "There!" she called to the pegasus. "Can't hide it from me now, can you? You hate me! Everyone does. Well, go ahead. Chase me off. I don't care. I don't care!" Her voice rose until she was shouting. She stood there, sullen, defiant, and waited for the mare's answer.

Gratia watched the display that the other mare showed. She felt relief flood her, though it was tinged with fear. The mare might not be a fire user but she could summon an enemy to the horse. Gratia shivered but then heard the yelling of the mare. It seemed that the mare had a troubled past. Gratia trotted closer to the mare, her ears twitching foreward then back. She slowed to a walk when she was closer. She stopped near the mare and she searched for a way to comfort her. "I do not hate you," she whispered softly, "Nor will I chase you away."

Mirelda listened to the other horse's reassuring voice. Was it possible? Did another horse actually want to befriend her? No. No friends. She pushed aside the thought. For every friend, there was a chance to be hurt, to be betrayed. Still, it wouldn't do any harm to talk to the mare, would it? She raised her head. "I am Mirelda. This is my territory. What do you want?"

Gratia looked kindly to the Mirelda. "My name is Gratia," she said, "It is nice to meet you. I do not want anything. I was simply passing through when I saw you. It has been a long time since I have been in the company of another horse." Gratia swished her tail.

Mirelda turned her head to one side, thinking hard. She went over Gratia's words in her mind. My name is Gratia. That was easy enough to understand. She went on. It is nice to meet you. Couldn't be. No one ever thought it was nice to meet Mirelda, the dangerous wolf horse. Gratia was just being polite. Still, at least she was polite. I do not want anything. I was simply passing through when I saw you. Good. She wasn't after territory. She was just wandering. It has been a long time since I have been in the company of another horse. So, this Gratia horse traveled alone, did she? Mirelda could understand that. She had been alone for half her life. Anyway, a lone mare wasn't a threat, even to another lone mare. She could see that now, after her panic had faded. Almost unconsciously, Mirelda announced, "You may stay here. For a time." Startled at her own suggestion, she took a step back and shook her mane, embarrassed. "Not a long time, you understand," she added hastily. "Only a short while. But you can stay." Half eager to hear the mare's answer, half frightened at what she might say, Mirelda awaited a response.

Ice formed around his hooves as Breeze strode through the meadows. The air was still and deathly. he didn't like it here, it gave him the chills. Well more then what he was use to. He missed the mountains and the nice fresh meadow below them. The brown, dead grass under his foot was awful. He needed to see something alive. A light snow started up around him, as he tried to comfort himself as he past yet another set of bones. The bones were from many animals, but the equine ones bothered him most. He picked up a trot. Some day he would find his way out of this horrible meadow and find his way back to his home. He squinted, trying to see through the fog, but it was so thick, he could only see a couple strides around himself. A tree branch near snapped as a loud screech of an owl pierced through the silence. Breeze jumped and took off at a gallop, a blizzard storming around him. Breeze ran blindly through the fog, not knowing what laid ahead. With a jolt of horror about three strides away he saw a figure and slammed his hooves into the ground, trying to stop. He banged into the horse and collapsed on the ground, ice gathering around him like a shield.

Mirelda stood waiting for Gratia's answer. She shivered. It was unusually cold. Something fluttered down and landed on her nose. A snowflake? That was not normal. Suddenly, something crashed into Mirelda.She lost her balance, fell over, scrambled up, and backed away nervously. Whatever it was, it was as big as her. What if it was a bear? Don't be silly, bears don't live on meadows, Mirelda told herself, and edged away from the strange pile of ice growing next to her hooves. Suddenly, Mirelda saw something. She leaned so close to the ice her muzzle touched it. There was a horse in there! It took her a moment to get over her shock. When she spoke, her voice dripped with sarcasm. "That was a smart thing to do." She wasn't afraid. They were two to one, even if the other horse should prove hostile. Mirelda again backed away from the pool of ice, and stood examining the horse inside it.

Gratia spooked at the sudden crash she had just witnessed. She backed a short distance and only moved closer to the scene when Mirelda nuzzled something on the ground. Gratia stood a foot's distance from the cold being on the ground. SHe glanced down at it. A horse? And in ice? She looked curiously at Mirelda when she spoke to the horse. Did Mirelda know the horse. Gratia sniffed at the air for the ice horse's scent. At least it too was not of a firery origin.

Breeze jumped up and the ice shattered around him. His coat shone even in the ghostly light. "Well I'm sorry for running into you, standing there like that." He replied, the snow around him dissipating. Oh how he missed the clear mountains. He twitched his ears and sighed. " I am Breeze."

Mirelda backed away. "You're...you're a stallion," she said nervously. She hadn't expected that. Was he here to steal her territory? She must stay on her guard. "Well...Breeze, why are you here?" she questioned. She needed to know, even if he said he was here to take territory. Not knowing was worse. Mirelda swallowed nervously. She almost wished she hadn't asked. But she couldn't take her question back now. She glanced at Gratia. At least she had one friend...No, not friend. She's not a threat, that's all, Mirelda corrected herself. Friends could hurt you. All the friends Mirelda had ever had did her no good. If she had had no friends, she would have been better off. Well, she'd learned her lesson. She would never befriend another horse again. Never.

Somebody post, please!

(OOC: Sorry Swirl, I probably had clicked once before and not had time to reply so it showed up as old. I didn't mean to keep you waiting. Please forgive me.)

Gratia shifted her wings and moved closer to Mirelda. She knew that stallions could be a danger and did not want the other mare to lose her home for potentially her life. She looked over the stallion. He was obviously not a companion of Mirelda's. Gratia stretched her wing to touch Mirelda's side in a reasurring manner. The feathers brushed Mirelda's fine coat.

(OOC: I forgive you, Sassy. Even though it was a terrible crime... )
Something brushed Mirelda's side. She jumped. Realizing it was only Gratia's wing, she tossed her head, embarrassed. Gratia seemed to be on her side, anyway. Maybe friends weren't such a bad thing after all? She knew Gratia couldn't harm her, and she seemed to want to help her. All right, Mirelda decided. I'll try it.

(OOC: Oh I know it was terrible -wails- lock me away!)

Gratia felt Mirelda jump away from her touch. She tucked her wing away. Maybe Mirelda did not want her companionship in any form. Gratia stepped away form Mirelda to give her space. She looked at Mirelda with a curious worry.

(OOC: Where's Yuki?)

Mirelda felt Gratia move away from her. She suddenly felt alone, unprotected, unsafe. It was silly, she knew--what protection could Gratia give her?--but she sidestepped until she was near Gratia again, hoping the mare would not move away again. She had forgotten how it felt to trust.

(OOC: Hope it's okay if I join. :O I'm a bit bored lol. (= If I can't join just say so And ill delete it if I can )


Storm Shadow flew over the dead looking meadow. She snorted at the sight of other horses. Horses. She hadn't heard, thought, or seen them for days. She flew down toward them. She landed around 10-15 feet away from them, and said a bit too softly, Hello. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I just haven't seen a horse in so long...