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Description

Leader: Viren

Tracker

Art/Lit Features: Fullbody (3R)+Background (2R)+1000Words (5R): 10R

Favarro 10

Event Response: Yes - Dead Raven + Apex Predator Challenge (Wendigo)
RNG Rolls: Yes

Healing: No

===========

As Viren made her way west, the sun grew ever closer to the gray horizon, a slightly lighter spot against the thin clouds veiling its position. It would get colder, and more predators and dangers would be out. The roan mare puffed a breath from her nose, mist forming and trailing behind her as she kept the brusque pace. Despite her efforts it seemed the storm behind her kept gaining, and soon she’d no doubt a snow storm would begin. While that wasn’t so much of an issue, the mare set to looking for a safe place to camp for the night, at least until daylight brought a continuation to her travels.

Her current location was still thick with pines, though they were scraggly and nowhere near as massive or ominous as the pine forest. These trees served as a bit of camouflage with her pelt, and as she trotted along, she noticed a light gold colored blur. She froze, lifting her head high to watch the other movement, but it had disappeared around some shrubs and old logs.

With the plan to get the drop on this predator, Viren moved back into a trot, tailing the blur and moving to find its tracks. If she could get a clear one in the snow trail she’d be able to judge the threat. However, it seemed the threat was nothing but another horse, given the circular hoofprints in the frost.

She was simultaneously overjoyed and concerned. What were they running from? Unless that horse thought she was a predator as well. Viren quickened her pace, calling out, “Hello! I’m not a threat! Please come back!”

She hoped the other wasn’t some jerk stallion, but even if it was, she could always tolerate their behavior to at least have some manner of protection off the mountain. Her calls were answered with an inquisitive snort, and when she passed another patch of trees, hellbent on finding the other horse, she was startled by the peach blur popping out of nowhere.

It was a pony. A champagne stallion, with short legs, a rounded face, and smooth shiny look to him.

He trotted with speed to her side, nipping her shoulder and getting a disgruntled snort from Viren.

“Keep going- Smilodon near!” Was the stallions short and quick response to her accusing looks.

“A Smilodon?!” She whisper-yelled to the other, her long legs making her faster at an easy trot, and the shorter stallion having to move double time to keep near her.

“Yes!” He retorted in an equally yelling-whisper shout, glancing to her, then off to the side.

The pair ran together until the snow started, and the pony stallion started to lag. Viren slowed and offered and questioning look back to him, to which he offered a heaving pant, dropping his head. He needed a break if any, and she circled back around to meet up with him.

“Well, now that we’re stopped, I’m Viren. Don’t try anything funny, or I’ll kick you in the face.”

The champagne stallion flicked an ear, lifting his head enough to show his furrowed brow, “Is that how you greet every horse you meet?”

“Nope, just stallions.”

“…. Right. We’ll, nothing to be worried of. I’m not in the mood when being tailed by predators that would like a taste of me.”

“Fight them then.” Viren retorted. It was a stallion’s job to protect others and show their toughness, even if they were small. At least she assumed that. All the stallions of her herd were bachelors or studs, and often fought off all manner of threats for a chance at impressing a mare.

It could be a different scenario with short ponies like this one, but she was pretty sure all stallions had mares on the brain. That was the first thought before everything else, even predators. Why fight with no motivation.

“Are you crazy?” The stallion snorted, stamping a foot, “I’m not getting a leg torn off. I’m a pint compared to you.”

“That’s not very impressive.” The roan mare whispered, not caring much about his lack of moxie, as she went to walk around him and check him out. He swiveled his head and pinned his ears as she did so.

“Aren’t I supposed to be the one inspecting you?”

“Maybe, but I beat you to it.” She lowered her head to sniff at his sides and back, “You going to tell me who you are, or shall I consider you a cowardly pint-sized colt?”

“-I am no colt!” He bellowed out of nowhere, straightening his legs and stretching his neck out to look large and manly, “I’m Favarro! Horse adventurer extraordinaire! Marvel in my beauty and grace!”

He went to strut around, movement graceful and fluid, his gold locks flowing, and his tail raised like a flag. He then stopped with his body adjacent to her. “I’ll fend off that scruffy Smilodon, and then I’ll have you.”

“Oh-ho? Is that so?” Viren tilted her head some to the side, “Even if you beat a predator like that…” She cocked her head down a bit to his legs, “Aren’t you too short?”

Favarro flustered a bit, “Not when there’s a prize in mind!”

He then played up his words with a charming smile, and a smoldering look. Probably more impressive on a full-sized horse, and Viren muffled a quiet laugh with an unladylike snort.

“Yeah, if you’re so sure- “

She started replying, being cut off by a raven crashing nearby, its wing and body a mangled mess. The bird croaked out a breath and went still. It was dead.

“What the f-!” She gasped, looking the direction it came from, her eyes wide. Favarro seemed to share the sentiment, as a short distance away, on a short slope stood a white, blood covered Smilodon.

The cat licked its lips, bearing its teeth, but not having to do much to startle the horses as its large saber fangs already scared the two horses. Its maw was filled with dagger sharp teeth, looking to be stained red by its last meal. The evil cat had probably caught the bird just for that purpose, tossing it at them, judging by how it licked its paw and looked down its bloody face at them. Its eyes glinting with malice.

“Time to fight!” Viren called, keeping her eye on the cat as she turned about to prepare her offence.

[1071 words]
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Description

Leader: Viren

Tracker

Art/Lit Features: Fullbody (3R)+Background (2R)+1000Words (5R): 10R

Favarro 10

Event Response: Yes - Dead Raven + Apex Predator Challenge (Wendigo)
RNG Rolls: Yes

Healing: No

===========

As Viren made her way west, the sun grew ever closer to the gray horizon, a slightly lighter spot against the thin clouds veiling its position. It would get colder, and more predators and dangers would be out. The roan mare puffed a breath from her nose, mist forming and trailing behind her as she kept the brusque pace. Despite her efforts it seemed the storm behind her kept gaining, and soon she’d no doubt a snow storm would begin. While that wasn’t so much of an issue, the mare set to looking for a safe place to camp for the night, at least until daylight brought a continuation to her travels.

Her current location was still thick with pines, though they were scraggly and nowhere near as massive or ominous as the pine forest. These trees served as a bit of camouflage with her pelt, and as she trotted along, she noticed a light gold colored blur. She froze, lifting her head high to watch the other movement, but it had disappeared around some shrubs and old logs.

With the plan to get the drop on this predator, Viren moved back into a trot, tailing the blur and moving to find its tracks. If she could get a clear one in the snow trail she’d be able to judge the threat. However, it seemed the threat was nothing but another horse, given the circular hoofprints in the frost.

She was simultaneously overjoyed and concerned. What were they running from? Unless that horse thought she was a predator as well. Viren quickened her pace, calling out, “Hello! I’m not a threat! Please come back!”

She hoped the other wasn’t some jerk stallion, but even if it was, she could always tolerate their behavior to at least have some manner of protection off the mountain. Her calls were answered with an inquisitive snort, and when she passed another patch of trees, hellbent on finding the other horse, she was startled by the peach blur popping out of nowhere.

It was a pony. A champagne stallion, with short legs, a rounded face, and smooth shiny look to him.

He trotted with speed to her side, nipping her shoulder and getting a disgruntled snort from Viren.

“Keep going- Smilodon near!” Was the stallions short and quick response to her accusing looks.

“A Smilodon?!” She whisper-yelled to the other, her long legs making her faster at an easy trot, and the shorter stallion having to move double time to keep near her.

“Yes!” He retorted in an equally yelling-whisper shout, glancing to her, then off to the side.

The pair ran together until the snow started, and the pony stallion started to lag. Viren slowed and offered and questioning look back to him, to which he offered a heaving pant, dropping his head. He needed a break if any, and she circled back around to meet up with him.

“Well, now that we’re stopped, I’m Viren. Don’t try anything funny, or I’ll kick you in the face.”

The champagne stallion flicked an ear, lifting his head enough to show his furrowed brow, “Is that how you greet every horse you meet?”

“Nope, just stallions.”

“…. Right. We’ll, nothing to be worried of. I’m not in the mood when being tailed by predators that would like a taste of me.”

“Fight them then.” Viren retorted. It was a stallion’s job to protect others and show their toughness, even if they were small. At least she assumed that. All the stallions of her herd were bachelors or studs, and often fought off all manner of threats for a chance at impressing a mare.

It could be a different scenario with short ponies like this one, but she was pretty sure all stallions had mares on the brain. That was the first thought before everything else, even predators. Why fight with no motivation.

“Are you crazy?” The stallion snorted, stamping a foot, “I’m not getting a leg torn off. I’m a pint compared to you.”

“That’s not very impressive.” The roan mare whispered, not caring much about his lack of moxie, as she went to walk around him and check him out. He swiveled his head and pinned his ears as she did so.

“Aren’t I supposed to be the one inspecting you?”

“Maybe, but I beat you to it.” She lowered her head to sniff at his sides and back, “You going to tell me who you are, or shall I consider you a cowardly pint-sized colt?”

“-I am no colt!” He bellowed out of nowhere, straightening his legs and stretching his neck out to look large and manly, “I’m Favarro! Horse adventurer extraordinaire! Marvel in my beauty and grace!”

He went to strut around, movement graceful and fluid, his gold locks flowing, and his tail raised like a flag. He then stopped with his body adjacent to her. “I’ll fend off that scruffy Smilodon, and then I’ll have you.”

“Oh-ho? Is that so?” Viren tilted her head some to the side, “Even if you beat a predator like that…” She cocked her head down a bit to his legs, “Aren’t you too short?”

Favarro flustered a bit, “Not when there’s a prize in mind!”

He then played up his words with a charming smile, and a smoldering look. Probably more impressive on a full-sized horse, and Viren muffled a quiet laugh with an unladylike snort.

“Yeah, if you’re so sure- “

She started replying, being cut off by a raven crashing nearby, its wing and body a mangled mess. The bird croaked out a breath and went still. It was dead.

“What the f-!” She gasped, looking the direction it came from, her eyes wide. Favarro seemed to share the sentiment, as a short distance away, on a short slope stood a white, blood covered Smilodon.

The cat licked its lips, bearing its teeth, but not having to do much to startle the horses as its large saber fangs already scared the two horses. Its maw was filled with dagger sharp teeth, looking to be stained red by its last meal. The evil cat had probably caught the bird just for that purpose, tossing it at them, judging by how it licked its paw and looked down its bloody face at them. Its eyes glinting with malice.

“Time to fight!” Viren called, keeping her eye on the cat as she turned about to prepare her offence.

[1071 words]
-----

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