What are you going to do next? (Echo)

Spot nibbled at the grass stems below her hooves, tearing off the tips and working down. She had been grazing in the field for a few hours now, lifting up her head every so often to keep a check on danger. After a while the flies were starting to bug her and she moved away from the heating field.

The sun was beating down on her white black-spotted coat as she trotted into the shade of the trees not far from the grass. The shadows cooled Spot's burning coat as she swished up her tail, unknowingly spreading her heat scent to all inhabitants near and far. Spot settled between two trees and fell asleep standing up.

(Insert name here)
The sun beamed down on my speckled hide, and my muscles twitched gently every time a fly landed lightly on my thin hide. I bobbed my head down away from the bugs, pinning my ears for a moment. Lifting my head back up, I stared out at the rolling, grass-covered hills that made up the small valley. Wildflowers of every color, particularly in shades of mustard yellow and blue-shaded violets, dotted the country side and filled the air with a tantalizing aroma, though most of the flowers would be bitter to the taste. Flicking my ebony-dark tail, I broke free of my standstill and began moving again.

My light flea-bitten grey coat had quickly lost it's winter hair, giving way to the glossy whites and greys and browns of my color this year, though my lower legs and tail remained dark, my mane ranging from black to white to brown to grey. No clouds dotted the sky, and few winds rustled the green leaves on the trees, makingthe day seem hotter than it really was. Sighing, I delved deeper into the valley, looking for a good tree to get out of the sun and heat in.

Suddenly, I paused, a new smell filtering through my nasal passages, and I widened my nostrils to better scent it. A mare, in heat, nonetheless. I felt my instincts begin to kick in, but forced the feelings down. It wouldn't do well to lose y head. So I continued on, searching my the lone mare that stood somewhere in this valley. Not long after my search had begun, I spotted her, standing beneath a group of trees all by her lonesome. From where I was, I could tell she was sleeping, by the way her head hung without her grazing of moving much. I allowed myself a small smile, though soon hid it. For a while I had been hoping to start a little band, but first I would need that first mare to spawn my newborns, though none I had met so far had been good enough. Perhaps this would be my lucky day. Lifting my head up, I let out a deep-throated bugle, not wanting to creep up to the mare and startle her into spooking.

( My first post is pitiful compared to yours... XD That's what i get for staying up till 2:30 in the morning... And what do you mean by 'Insert Name Here'? )

The sun shown on the lake, making it glisten like it was made of glass. Bugs danced over the thrashing waves, with the occasional splash and a bug disappeared from their numbers. The fish had eaten the bug in one gulp from below and carried on it's way, but then something about flashed in and grabbed the fish by it's torso and yanked it out of the water. A fox's head emerged from the surface with a whithering fish in it's sharp jaws. The amber-coated fox scampered away with it's prize, just glancing at the herd of equines. The horses merely watched the vixen with interest as it disappeared with its food for the day.

The lead stallion looked over his herd with joy at the sight of the new births in the herd. All his foals had been born this season without harm and were growing with flying starts. One mare in peculiar had given birth to his first foal, his mate. Sure he had all mares in his herd but she was the one he had chosen first, to start the generation of his herd. His mate had given birth to a beautiful filly, white with little black spots all over her furred coat. He felt proud of his mares for producing suck fine colts and fillies...

Spot danced around her mother, wanting to play with the huge mare that towered over her. She neighed and whinnied and even nudged her mother but all she did was graze along the grass. She scowled and swiveled away from her mother to find another play mate. Spot spotted another foal, a colt to be exact, and rushed at him, bucking along the way. As soon as she came up to him he reared up on his tiny little legs and she did the same. They spared out with their flaying hooves, not causing a hair to fall off each others pelt but in their minds thinking they were so tough and fierce. Spot as a foal had played around with her foal-mates all in her childhood... But then the great flood happened.

It was a normal day of sunshine, all the mares were filling their bellies with grass or sharing the latest gossip. Then the skies all of a sudden rolled in the most enormous clouds, almost black with how sinister they looked. And not a minute after it instantly started to pour and the wind picked up so hard it could have blown a horse skyward. Spot's father had sped down his watch post and nickered to the mares to follow him. He had led them at a fast pace, determined not to lose his mares and his newborn foals. But it was too late, as the winds picked up so did the rain and the valley was rising in water as the rivers couldn't hold the mass of water. The land filled up with water till the mares were already struggling to keep their feet to the ground and the foals were swimming along. Already some had drowned with the surging water, foals and mares. The stallion started to fear for his life as well when the storm turned for the worse, waves picked up and flung the horses under the water and barely letting them catch their breath.

After the storm, only one horse from the herd had survived and that filly happened to be Spot. Spot had found herself lying unconscious on a tiny hill where her mother had pushed her before she was swept away by the current. Now Spot lay alone, surrounded by water on her little island. She had seen the rains damage, how the whole grassland had turned into one huge lake. Spot was exhausted from the night before and slept for almost two full days, then with her little strength she had swum across the lake since her island was close to shore. The little foal was lucky that she had learned to eat grass and some flowers because with her mother out of sight her milk wasn't a option. Over the years Spot had grown up alone, without a mother or father, no herd to keep her safe. Just her pure wits and luck had saved her from death.

Spot woke up as she heard the bugle, struggling forward with her head high and her eyes alert. She turned round and half-reared at the stallion. Her startled self calmed down as she realized their was no danger, only a annoying stallion. She huffed out her breath, looking at the stallion squarely in the eyes. Her mind was puzzled with why he was here and what he wanted. But she knew he would make himself clear to her what his intentions were if she gave him the chance to speak. Spot nickered quietly, signaling she was ready for talk.

( Haha, it’s fine, I like it. Plus, the latter makes up for it Lol. And I mean that I have yet to come up with a name for him. I was thinking somewhat along the lines of ‘Espirit’, though it isn’t the most original name. )


I found myself studying the mare in the shady cleft of trees, her head lowered nearly to the ground as she dozed. All around me the emerald sea of grass shivered and breathed with life, whispering quietly to the wind that moved it. The patches of flowers seemed to tremble with the delight of living, standing tall and distinct from the blades around it, specks of color and brightness in a shimmering world of jade. The appy mare lifted her head up sharply, clearly started by my sudden call. Lowering my head slightly towards the ground, nostrils flared, my shoulder seemed to move on its own, dragging my leg forward. My foreleg pawed at the ground, unsettling the tranquility of the separate world that lived and breathed beneath us. My eyes never leaving the mare, I flicked my tail and moved closer, watching with interest as she began to rear, but stopped at mid height. She dropped back down onto her fore, lifting her head to stare at me, and my eyes met her’s for an instant. I shook my head slightly, sidestepping to my left by a few feet. Her soft call reached my ears, the typical voice of a more feminine horse, and I answered her, my tone deeper.
My long black tail flicked out behind me with a swishing sound, and my legs seemed to move of their own accord as I started forward in the direction of the mare, down a little dip and back up out of it. The short, flat plain stretched out before me, otherwise empty save for the few patches of trees that stood here and there, one of which the lone mare stood under. For a moment I wondered why there were no other horses here, for I had never been to this area and did not know its history, but soon dismissed the probing question, deciding it unimportant and discarding it. My long stride quickly closed the distance between the appy-colored mare and I, and soon I shorted my stride as I came closer, gradually slowing until I stood a couple yards away. My head dropped slightly when I stopped, and I eyed her curiously as the trees murmured quietly around us among themselves. I dilated my nostrils to breathe in her sweet scent, turning my head slightly to eye her multi-colored coat. At the same time, I extended my muzzle towards her, almost tentatively, towards her own, exhaling and inhaling quietly as I sought to greet her. My muzzle brushed her own gently before pulling away, and I tossed my head slightly at the flies.
“Hello,” I say finally, pulling my head back and eyeing her curiously, and I was sure she was doing the same to me. I didn’t want to push it too far; My time would soon come, and, although I was loathe to have to wait for it, I had become a master at this simple-sounding task. I was, as usual, completely in control, both mentally and physically, at least for the time being.


( Ahh, yeah, looks like this is my punishment for not doing my homework until last-minute and staying up all night --> Not even 510 words! My brain must’ve quit finally xD )

( At least it's long. ^_^ )

Spot flicked her eyes nervously at the eager stallion. His movements and calls didn't seem to threaten her in any way but her ears were still pricked in alertness. She feared that if she trusted the male too much he would take his advantage and deal with her quickly then leave. Her legs automatically lifted and lawed at the ground, stepping tentatively and shifting as the horse grew closer to her.
The wind stirred over the plain as if noticing the confrontation between them, blowing against their nicely built bodies and swishing both their tails around. The air seemed to grow stiff and humid as the two met and greeted each other, darting their eyes and tossing their heads.
Spot only flinched slightly as the stallion came right up to her, pushing his nose against the tip of her muzzle in a small greeting. Her muscles rippled at his touch, flaring her nostrils and slowly letting her hot breath blow along his nostrils. She nickered softly as he spoke, decideing with herself whether to reply the the male.
Her feelings were against her body, wanting to be kind to the stallion. "Hello..." her voice was small, almost like a little bell being gently shook to relase it's soft and high chime. Her hooves padded nervously while she stood still for the stallion. The mares's mind told her to run, sensing so ething bad from the stallion but her manners and body did not want to leave him. Spot was a kind mare but she was cautious... letting her eyes fall on his body curiously while he did the same.

The flea-bitten grey stallion pricked his darker ears forward to catch the mare's gentle voice, bobbing his head slightly to ward off a few flies, though they just came irritatingly back a moment later.  
 "I'm Espirit," he said after a brief moment of awkward-feeling silence, pricking his ears to the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees around them.  The tall grass gently brushed against his fetlocks, the air warm and surprisingly quiet.  Cocking his head slightly, the stallion realized that there were little to no birds out and about and singing, though he shrugged the discovery off, instead sending his mind to searching for a good conversation-starter.  


( Oh wow, I was trying to come up with something better, your's is so much better than mine ^.^ But hey, I'm back! )

Spot stepped back slowly, finding the space between her and the stallion a little too close for her liking. She flicked her ears at the mention of his name. She darted her eyes around, nervous as she was she wasn't sure if this horse had friends or not. Her mane felt awkward on the back of her neck so she swung her head up, flinging her hair into the air and letting it land neatly back onto her arced neck.

The mare's body tingled slightly at the thought of telling him her name but it seemed the only option. "I'm... uh... Spot..." she realized she had stuttered in the middle of her short sentence and hoped the stallion had not noticed since it was a clear sign of her worries. Once again Spot felt the need to run from the male. But she also had a little voice in her head telling her to wait... She didn't know which to follow so she just stood still. Either way, this mare wouldn't let the male hurt her in any way if she had something she could do about it.