Mæva settled in the prairie which was quickly becoming he favorite spot to hang out. They were finally in the region they were going to be living in and she had to admit she was impressed with the prairie as a nearby hunting territory. As clouds drifted through the gray winter sky she fantasized about hunting buffalo and deer and antelope. She could almost smell it now…

Wait. Mæva scented the air and caught the distinct smell of deer. She followed her nose to a half-eaten kill that was being picked at by coyotes. Hmm… if she was quick, maybe she could steal a piece. It would be good practice of her stalking and reflexes either way. She slinked forward, moving through the dry grasses but just as she was about to bound forward one of the coyotes saw her. It snarled and charged, followed swiftly by its mate. Two other coyotes hung back by the kill.

He’d ranged out of the west, on his own for the time being. As yet, he had little say in what Kamilah did—nor did he desire it. He hadn’t claimed the mare as his. He’d spent much of the season to consider her story from every angle, comparing it to the facts of just how young she was. If she was to be believed that she was a lead mare for many seasons, then she would have ended up a Queen as a filly. Which said little in her favor that the whole herd had forced her out. Horses were social creatures. It was true that a sire would force out colts and fillies who were of age to leave, in order to avoid inbreeding, it was generally the lead stallion’s choice. It was one of the few places where he had full sway. But for a whole herd to force one mare out? He wasn’t certain if the mare was being truthful in her story. She was young, and inexperienced by his reckoning. His heavy tail swished as his thoughts were pulled to the presence by yipping ahead, then snarling. His great, horned head, shaggy now with the impending snows, lifted high as his eyes scanned the distance ahead. Four coyotes, and one wolf pup. He made a swift decision. Adults ganging up on a pup was something that needed balancing. He broke into a trot, circling well before he reached the ruckus. The two by the kill were watching the other two as they charged the pup, and missed the steady drum of hooves as he drew in. He charged in at the last twenty feet, slinging his heavy head low and raking a startled ‘yote with the sharpened blade point strapped to his horn. Isolde stooped, harrying the female that had joined her mate in attacking the pup. The two Taliesyn had engaged wavered before lunging at the strange, brightly glowing creature that had interrupted the easy fight. A hoof flicked forward, dropping one of the coyotes with an audible crunch of hoof to bone. His head snaked in again, front teeth clacking on the air to drive the other back as the other two wavered, distracted from the pup by the bizarre turn of events. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva swiftly set her defenses and as the coyotes lunged she dodged to the side, moving so that one coyote ran right into the other. She dove in low snagging the nearest coyote by his left hind leg. While still technically a pup she was getting close to being full brown and with the momentum she had she tripped up the coyote. The other one lunged for her but was soon distracted by a hawk. She also heard the thundering of hooves and whipped her head around to see a strange glowing creature attacking the other coyote duo. Was it a ghost?

She didn't have long to think on it for the female coyote grabbed her tail. Mæva snarled and twisted around and grabbed the coyote by the scruff, letting gravity work for her she pulled the coyote down and to the side, throwing it into its mate.

One liquid teal eye kept watch on the pup as she sallied and threw herself into the fight with her pair of coyotes. She seemed to by handling herself quite well for a wolf so young, and as she threw one of her opponents into the other, the thrown coyote charged back at the pup to avenge its dignity, while the one its forcefully-flung form as sent barreling whirled and ran straight into the huge horse it hadn’t noticed before. Taliesyn didn’t bother with any showy rearing or ramping. That was best left to scaring off larger predators. Really, coyotes usually weren’t an issue to horses. They weren’t generally large enough to endanger a foal, unless, of course, they gathered in a pack. Then they were dealt with, and with a vicious trampling, more often than not. Instead, he was quick. He might have been large, but even a large horse could swerve and twist like a blink to deliver a double barrel or single-barreled kick to a cocky predator. He was still faced with two, but two swiftly became one as Taliesyn snaked his great head down and clamped his blunt teeth on the nearest ‘yote’s scruff and shook it violently, rearing finally. He slung and twisted, front legs hammering up into the small body which emitted a shriek of terror and pain as the horse’s hooves hammered the ground and he slingshot the coyote as far as … equinely … possible. The coyote hit the ground again, but not very quickly. And it didn’t come back or even glance over its shoulder as it scrambled to its paws and bolted, one foreleg tucked up against its breast, the paw flopping uselessly. Tal didn’t bother watching it as he whirled back to the fight with a lash of his tail and a snort. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Both coyotes scrambled to their feet and Mæva took a few steps back, backing herself up against a tree but she didn't mind. At least she knew one direction she wouldn't be attacked from. Her limbs coiled beneath her, defenses set. The male coyote lunged and she dove to the side at the last second. The coyote was unable to stop in time and, hitting a patch of ice, slid right into the tree. The female coyote dove for her then and Mæva swiftly dropped to her belly, the coyotes fangs just grazing the top of her head. With her jaws flung wide she seized the coyote by the throat. She dug her jaws in deep but there was so much fur and more muscle than she expected for her slimmer jaws. Not to mention she wouldn't be able to watch her back.

With as much force as she could muster she wrapped her arms around the base of the coyotes neck and with a twist threw her down. Just in time as the male coyote dove toward her. To her surprise though he skidded to a halt, standing over his wounded mate. Mæva snarled violently, defenses still set as she took a few steps forward. The male coyote nuzzled his mate and got her to her feet before the pair of them fled.

His hooves trampled the ground as the two remaining ‘yotes fled and he bolted after them to ensure that they truly had fled. When Isolde dropped from the sky once more, clicking softly, he turned, tail flicking as he ambled back to the pup, head dropping to eye-level with the girl as he examined her with one great eye that crinkled around the edges in a visible smile before he raised his head again. “Good fighting, young miss.” His rumbling voice was tinged with approval as he studied the carnage. One dead coyote, and the rest scattered and not bothering to return. The wind buffeted the great, long mane and tail, and brought no scent of further problems, so his weight shifted, one hind leg cocking comfortably as his attention returned to the girl, head tipping slightly to observe her out of one gentle eye as he asked, “What brings a young wolf out on her own?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva sat down heavily, breathing a sigh of relief. She was glad the coyotes were gone. Her ears twitched as she turned to look at the strange hoofed creature. "Yea, you too! I was out hunting and scavenging. What are y-" She stopped mid-sentence at the sound of something else moving about. Oh no… she spied the large brown shape walking slowly toward them. Another bear. Another bear out of hibernation and this time, as the wind came to her, she could smell the sickness on it. Her keen nose could tell there was something just not right with this bear. Maybe it would just go away and wouldn't see them.

Ha, yea right. She was standing next to a giant glowing animal. The bear saw, the bear attacked. It charged right for them.

The wind shifted as his head jerked up. Bear? Out at this season? It didn’t smell right. ” Isolde, fly.” The Hawk took to the wing and climbed as the bear charged. Taliesyn didn’t hesitate. Where other horses might have fled, the stallion bounded forward, ears laying flat to his neck among the whipping mane. The bear was clearly only really seeing the giant glowing white horse, and veered to zero in on the stallion. A paw lifted to slap for the horse, but Taliesyn’s front legs had already snapped up, knees tucking as his head slung down, the blade-tipped horn carving across the bear’s face along the cheek. He veered away, drawing it in a circle to face away from the young wolf. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva didn't have much in the way of spiritual beliefs but she was starting to wonder if the universe was trying to tell her to stick closer to home. The bear dove and she ran. What was the saying? Discretion is the better part of valor? However, as the glowing man charged for the bear she immediately felt bad. She couldn't just let him fight it alone. Setting her defenses Mæva turned around and charged.

The bears rear was facing her, its tail like a glowing target as she reached up and bit it sharply on the ass, her front legs wrapping around its hips as best she could. The bear snarled and whipped around, the force throwing her down to the ground. Suddenly, it was bearing down on top of her and she screamed.

The girl dove in after him, though he was certain he could have managed on his own. The bear was ill, and could well tire swiftly. However, it spun on the child, and as she screamed Taliesyn’s blunt teeth bared, nostrils wrinkling with an equine snarl of his own as he drove in at the bear. His head bowed and he rammed the bear with the point of his shoulder, sending the distracted creature staggering off its feet. His fore-hooves flashed out, feathering swirling as he brought the two clubbing down on the bear’s rib cage and giving the girl a chance to gather herself and flee or re-enter the brawl. The bear was ill. He had no qualms in putting it down. He kept one eye on the pup, the other on the bear at his hooves as the beast lumbered to its feet and he danced out of reach of the swipe it threw his way. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva scrambled out of the way as the glowing man crashed into the bear and stomped on it with his hooves. It was then she spied a wound on one of its hind legs. Zeroing in on it she charged forward and this time opted for a glancing blow. Her fangs tore into the pre-existing wound and this time it was the bears turn to scream at that point Mæva took off running. She didn't look back, she just charged ahead, hoping that the glowing man was following her and that the bear had suffered enough damage it would be willing to leave them alone.

She slowed down as she neared the western edge of the prairie and sat down heavily.

The girl dove in and delivered another bite to the bear, which bellowed after the young wolf as she bolted. Taliesyn nodded to himself, noting that she wasn’t going to turn back. However, the bear made a movement to lunge after the girl, and Taliesyn’s ears flicked back. Wheeling on his hocks he brought his front hooves down, hind feet flashing back in a well-aimed, definitive strike. Both hooves struck hard on the bear’s head, and he heard a heavy thud as the bear hit the ground, convulsing. He wheeled and backed several stepped to survey the thrashing form, then bolted forward and plunged his horn between the ribs, ensuring that the beast wouldn’t be after them again. He backed away with a heavy snort, nostrils flaring then wrinkling with distaste as a trickle of blood slid down the spire of his horn to his brow. He’d have to find a stream to wash his head in after this. He turned with a flick of his tail, head tilting to the side as a flutter of wings announced Isolde’s presence above him. “Now are all the threats gone?” Isolde clicked her beak, then said, abashed, “Yes. I’m sorry I missed the bear…” Taliesyn snorted, head shaking. “No need to apologize. It was unexpected. You were watching after the coyotes. A hawk can’t see in all directions all the time.” Another click of the beak before she pushed off, back into the sky to patrol, just in case. Taliesyn, meanwhile, made his way to the girl, eyes checking her over once more before he asked, “Are you alright?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva watched as the horse stomped brutally on the bears head before thrusting his horn into the bears side, killing it. She got to her feet and trotted back over towards the man. She nodded. "Yea, I'm ok, thanks for your help." She gazed about once more, just to reassure herself. "My name is Mæva. I have to say, I've never seen a creature like you before. Are there many of you?" She wondered if his kind were indigenous to Boreas or if he too was a stranger from a strange land. In many ways he reminded her of an elk but he clearly wasn't an elk. The horn and hooves were too different. She didn't know of any other creatures that glowed constantly, not even lightning bugs.

A smile crinkled the skin around his eyes, lips twitching softly as she assured him that she was alright. His heavy tail swished, long, glowing strands sliding over his hips as she introduced herself. “I am Taliesyn Trystan Tempestien. And I am a horse who was born a little differently. I’m told I resemble a mythical creature called a unicorn. They’re said to have magical powers, but I’m just a horse. I’ve sired a few children who took after some of my traits, and they may pass that stamp to future foals. So, there are some like me. Who knows, maybe there are other horses like me that were born before I was.” He studied her from one large eye, blinking with a smile as he added, “And it’s a pleasure to meet you, Maeva. But I have to wonder, why is a wolf so young out on her own? Are your parents nearby?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Mæva licked at her injuries while Taliesyn introduced himself and explained what he was. She was anxious to get moving but knew she should take the time to catch her breath just in case she ran into trouble on her way home.

"Oh, I wander a lot. I was out hunting when I smelt the carcass. My dad isn't too far." Well, she didn't think he was too far anyway. Now that she thought about it though she wasn't for sure he was in earshot. It'd be worth doing a test to see if her howl's could be heard this far east.

"Do you live here by yourself or does your family live with you?"

He watched as she cleaned her wounds, and as she spoke, his muzzle dipped once or twice in acknowledgement. A nomadic child, then. It soothed him some to know she wasn’t completely alone at least. With horses, a foal out alone was as good as a death warrant. At her own query he chuckled softly, a rumble deep in his great chest. “I wander a lot.” Soft lips quirked in amusement at the parroting of her initial answer to his question, nostrils flickering in another softer laugh, a little sadder. “I left my last herd to embark on a quest of sorts. I haven’t seen my sister in longer than I’ve been here. Eventually she and I will cross trails again, but I’m content wandering until I find a calling that holds me in one place. Occasionally I accompany others for a time before splitting off on my own again.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think