The Magical Herd

You ask Firecracker to take you to the valley. It was a deep rift between two towering walls of sheer cliff face, but inside the barren rock borders it was lush and green with the very river that carved it a bright band of blue right down the center. There were trees for creatures to hide amongst, and large expanses of thick grass for grazing and running. Birds, butterflies and the delicate perfume of hundreds of flowers filled the air.

Firecracker took you to a forested area which filled an entire section of the valley. You were happy to get out of the midday sun for it was turning into a very warm day.

~Here live the Chevei,~ Firecracker explained. ~They are very shy and flighty animals, and though sentient, they are not very intelligent nor do they like to talk much. Though you can think of them as horses, though genetically they have many traits a horse would not, such as paws, horns and their bright colouring.~

You realized Firecracker wasn't joking when a bright blue/green stallion with paws came prancing into view. His ears were huge and he stopped suddenly when he spotted you. He obviously recognized Firecracker, but he was equally obviously having difficulty understand what exactly it was that was upon his back.

You could see him deciding between fight and flight, then he made his decision and flew towards you, ready to protect his little white friend. Firecracker had to quickly explain you were a friend as well and that you had not leapt onto his back with a desire to devour him. The stallion blushed and became the shy, quiet creature Firecracker had described.

~This is Darmy. I apologize for your fright, he was just trying to protect me. Even the shyest stallions will fight to protect their friends and their Akali, what you would call a herd.~

Darmy's ears drooped and you reached out to pat him gently, letting him know you had forgiven his outburst. He smiled then and indicated that you were to follow. Firecracker seemed to know exactly where you were going.

You had to duck under some low branches as you rode you way through the trees, though Firecracker did his best to make sure you weren't knocked off. Then the trees opened up around a small gurgling stream. And standing next to it was a pure white mare. An albino perhaps. She was frightened of you and bolted towards Darmy.

~This is Ashana.~ She looked back and forth between you and Darmy and Firecracker. Then she came closer to you, her soft, wet tongue darted out to lick your hand. You smiled and she smiled back. Deciding that you were harmless, she went to encourage Darmy into a game of tag. The characteristically long legs of the Chevei served them well, and soon they had vanished into the trees, Firecracker hopelessly slow in comparison.

Suddenly, there was som rustling in some nearby bushes, and a young female Chevei bounded out.

She was just a foal and she skittered around you. ~Ah, well what do you know. It's Ashna and Darmy's filly, Selva. Cute little thing, isn't she?~ She bounded