Leaves rustled benieth black hooves as branches bent and their red and orange leaves brushed across a rich dark chocolate coat and danced through her snowy white mane. Their vast fall colors were a breathtaking contrast to her dark coat. The cold wind held the promise of a long, hard winter to come. The wind in her face made her nostrils flare and brought with it an equine scent, several acctually. The one that caught her attention was the scent of the lead stallion. She tossed her head, long ears swiviling this way and that as her brown eyes scanned the terra. She had entered near one of the great lakes and strode along the shore, avoing patches of cold mud and slippery pebbles. She found a nice place to wait in the feeble sunlight, were it was slightly warmer. She tossed back her head and let out a high pitched sound, calling to the stallion that she had scented. It was just past noon and already the tempatures were dropping and the wind was piccking up.

Crush wasn't too worried about the upcoming cold weather, but that was just her. She wasn't complaining much right now, she as was already fully insulated with her curly winter coat. In the peak of the afternoon heat the past few days, she thought it felt rather good while others thought it blustery and cold.

Long, slender legs carried the roan mare out over the browning meadow, she lifted her head to look around for the stranger who had called.; ears perked and nostrils flaring. She thought for a moment that she heard Iliana behind her, but she didn't look to see. With a high pitched whinny, Crush called out to the other horse, trotting on through the

c r u s h
three year old
chestnut roan sabino
bashkir curly mare

Ili too whinnied to the other, she had been following in Crush's wake and couldn't wait to meet this new equine. She drew herself even with Crush and also looked about, thinking she'd caught site of the other but not sure. She looked to Crush and knickered a little as she looked to her left.

She heard the echo of the call of two other mares and her ears swiviled to find the source. It was coming from the other side of the meadow, just over a small rise in the earth. She cantered across the open grassland and stopped to look around her. There, at the edge of the clearing stood a sabino mare and her painted foal. She trotted up to the pair, her snow-kissed banners whipping around in the wind. Her amber eyes met the mare's and then the foal's as she whinnied a greeting to them both.

"Hello, My name is Akeria. My I ask your names?"

Ili whinnied as she looked to this new mare and introduced herself. "I am known as Ili. I have just joined this herd." She looked to Crush and knickered to her as she stepped back. "It's nice to meet you Akeria."

Sending a quick glance over her shoulder confirmed to Crush that Iliana was behind her. She smiled as the painted mare came to her side and looked around for the stranger who had called. She seemed truly nice and one that could be trusted. Crush was sure that they could become good friends with time.

The Curly mare's attention diverted from Iliana as the strange mare came trotting from across the meadow towards them. The mare was a chocolate color with striking white mane and tail; a color that Crush was unaccustomed to seeing but she shrugged it off, she wasn't exactly a common color herself. She bobbed her head in greeting to the new mare, brown eyes skimming over her but meeting her eyes.

"And I'm Crush... acting lead mare." She hesitated for a moment on that last part. "A pleasure, Akeria."

She said after Ili had introduced herself and stepped back. She looked at the paineted mare with a slightly quizzical look but said nothing before returning her gaze to the silver dapple.

"Are you looking to join the herd?"

She had felt herself being studied as she trotted up, but it didn't bother her because she studied
them as well. She nodded to each as they introduced themselves, feeling a little more at ease.

"It is a pleasure to meet both of you, and yes, I came here in hopes of joining this herd."

She shook her head slightly with a soft snort as an annoying strand of hair fell across her eyes.

Ili knickered and smiled. "Welcome." She said and lowered her head in a slight bow.

Crush found herself wondering with concern where Galliant was. Had something happened to him? She'd figured that he would have been back by now from where ever he went, but with a glance out across the meadows, she only confirmed her thoughts that he was no where to be seen. The mare gave her head a sad little shake and looked back up to the other two with glistening eyes. She gave a forced smile.

"You're welcome to join then... I'm sorry if there's not much to offer at the moment, other than a home to shelter in for the cold weather."

Crush lifted her eyes briefly to look at the overcast sky with a frown; brooding snow clouds. Normally she enjoyed snow, but right now it just put a damper on her mood.

Ili had caught sight of Crush's sadness and moved close to her. "If it's any..." Ili struggled to find the right word, and in the end decided upon, "consolation, you are doing a great job as a leader." Then she too gazed at the evil looking clouds and smiles at the new member. "Welcome to the Terra."

She nodded her thanks, the brisk chilly air reminding her that winter snow were not far away. It would be terrible if the bad weather hit while the stallion was away. Or if predators found the swift prey to be too hard to catch in the deep snows. That sent a shiver of fear down her long spine and made her tail swish to and fro.

"I am grateful for your warm welcome and hope that the will not be short lived."

It sounded ominous, but that was the life of a horse.

Ili then looked to her acting leader and waited for her to answer her attempt at being a good herd member. "Thank you Akeria." Ili said "And may your life be long lived as well."

The bold fem entered the lands lazily. Daggers carried her deeper and deeper into the unfamiliar territory. Her audits perked and she started smelling around. Picking up a trot, she started randomly making turns to better view the different parts of the land.

She finally came to see a small herd in the distance. Her plush lips curled into a smile as she made her way towards them. Skidding to a stop she spoke.

"Who is the lead stallion here?"

Feeling the warmth of Iliana's nearness to her, the sabino mare tore her gaze from the dark clouds to look at Ili with a soft smile at her comforting words. Crush felt truly touched by the painted mare's kindness and didn't quite know how to say her thanks. Her deep brown eyes showed it all as she nodded her head gently.

"Thank you Iliana. That really helps."

Hearing Akeria speak, Crush turned her head, ears pricking. With autumn already in full swing, the deep snows weren't far off. The new mare was right; nothing was guaranteed that there would be a tomorrow for any of them. She acknowledged this with a grim twist of her muzzle.

"And so do I, friend."

Crush barely had time to finish her sentence before to rose to attention, raising her head to see another strange mare approaching. Her ears flicked about quizzically as the pale colored mare asked for the lead and for some reason, Crush didn't like the way this mare came up and immediately jumped right to a question rather than introducing herself or stating why she was here. Raising one eye suspiciously, the mare gave a soft snort.

"Galliant is. Why?"

Akeria smiled at the young painted mare, her eys soft as far away thoughts danced across them. "Thank you for you kind words. It's something we all hope for..." Her smile diminished slightly when crush spoke, knowing that the words they spoke were all too true. The wind shifted slightly just a few moments before a soft female voice spoke, so she wasn't as startled when she turned her head to see a pale mare standing there. But like Crush, she was a little bothered that the mare had not at least introduced herself. She swiveled her ears in annoyance. It was also rude to jump in the middle of a conversation. But she brushed it off, figuing that the mare was never taught better. "It's is nice to meet you too," She said with more that just a little sarcasim, "I am Akeria. Galliant is not currently availible to speak. But She is the acting lead mare. I'm sure she would be willing to answer your questions." She gave a quiet snort and glanced over to Crush to see what she would say.

Ili looked up at this new mare paler than her or her two friends. Why didn't she introduce herself? Why'd she butt into their conversation? Why'd she immediatly ask to speak to Galliant? Why why why? To many questions not enough answers. Ili raised her head and looked to her. "I am Illiana, or Ili as my friends call me. As has been stated, Galliant is not here at the moment, but Crush will glady answer any questions you may have, I'm sure." Ili lifted her chocolate painted crown and looked to Crush as her muscles twitched under her bi-coloured coat.

Ili looked from her two friends to this new mare and back at Crush, upon whom she rested her eyes, wondering what she or the other mare would say. Her impatience rising but not showing. She hated when others refused to introduce themselves or why they were there before they started asking for the lead. She knew a young stallion back home that was her acting leader and he was gone one day, Ili's mom was the lead. A new mare came and demanded, not asked demanded to speak to the lead, and when she was told he was unavailable, that mare attacked Ili's mother and attempted to take over. ili began helping her mom and the other foals came over and helped too. The other mare was chased away, but ili's mom suffered an infection from the attack and died within a few days...leaving the lead stallion gone and Ili being 2 the new lead until he returned, he never did and Ili was orphaned...Ili snorted half angrilly and tossed her head as she remembered.

Ili took a few steps away from the other three and took her anger out on a rock she found. Her daggers rose to the dark sky and slammed into the rock. When she had gotten her anger out, she walked back to them her pillars sore and her head low, hiding her tears.

Flicka listened to each mare's responses quietly and patiently. Obviously as each one had stated the lead stallion, Galliant, was not here. However Crush was, and was also the lead mare. She turned her questions and concerns to this mare.

"Hello Crush, I am Flicka."

She dipped her dish in respect to the higher-ranked mare. A smile played upon her features as she introduced herself. The way they reacted upon her arrival seemed as though they were all annoyed, but she didn't know who they were to judge her in the first place. All she did was walk in and ask a question. They didn't know her, let alone been around her for less then 5 minutes. She would have liked to give them an attitude but that would have been the same thing as them having an annoyance with her.

"I come because I am homeless, and would simply like to live in these lands."

She had to repress an irritated snort at the palimino mare and instead settled for flicking her tail at an annoying fly that buzzed around her left hind hock. She had no problem with the female personally, and desided to push aside her earlier feelings and try to be kind to the homeless stranger. She had just been in that postition moments before and knew how hard it could be. But if the mare desided to give Crush and attitude she would have no problem driving her off. She hoped that Galliant would return soon, so that she would feel a little safer here. she waited silently for the lead mare's response to new mare. She started slightly when the young filly began visciosly attacking a out cropped rock near by. Her ears flicked back, but she faced forward to give the filly time to vent.

Ili raised her chocolate head again, all her tears dried up and gone. Ili looked back at the mare a new found strength and smile in her eyes. Though she showed a happiness inside, she wished Galliant would come home. Ili to looked to crush to see what her response would be.