He was a handsome thing, the young stallion that marched into view, wrapped in shades of bronze and white spots. Built like a rock and with an amber gaze that seemed to search the shadows, looking for her. Atop his head was a dragon that mirrored his bonded’s colours, Ghost hadn’t met many dragons and her dark eyes watched it with wariness. There was something about the way its claws curled and its sharp reptilian gaze that made her skin crawl, although lacking in size of those dragons told in legend, she wondered if it could breathe fire like in the old tales. If that was indeed the case then her steps would have to be quick and cautious, she didn’t much like the idea of being burnt to the ground writhing in searing pain. The equine kid may not be able to fly, but his little carnivorous friend certainly could. As her dark ears caught his words she allowed herself to step out from the shadow she had been lurking in and placed herself in full view for a moment, taking in the two strangers before her.

”But I am a shadow” her breathless voice replied and her granite gaze bored into his youthful features. There was perhaps a year between them if that, but she looked upon him condescendingly anyway, an easy way to taunt another into a fight. ”Do you know the nature of shadows?” She eerily laughed, not really expecting him to answer as she drifted into a float like trot and began to carefully circle him, folds of long tangled mane bouncing on her thin neck. She made no sudden movement, no dive to take a chunk out of him or attempt to fly into the air. She circled him for a few moments more, thinking and calculating, wondering if he’d dare attack her first or whether he was more patient. Was he headstrong or a strategist? Perhaps she would find out soon.

From what she could derive from her eyes alone he was a muscly lad not far from her own height, a battle of sheer strength she could not possibly win. A fight in the skies with a dragon wasn’t too appealing either, but if she was careful it might be her best shot. The not knowing made it frustrating and hard to concentrate as her mind tried to go through several different options her adversary could take, it was only after picking out what she thought would be her best move that her pace changed. A smile crept onto her features as she trotted to his right then suddenly dived left, picking up the pace into a fast canter whilst bearing her horn towards his barrel hoping he’d think she was going in for a quick stab. It was only when she was a couple of strides away did Ghost begin to slap down her wings and lift her feet from the ground, her aim to slice the boys stomach as she took to the air.

In the back of her mind she wondered how quick the dragon would be, after all, she’d never faced one in combat before. Its smaller size might mean it would beat her in an aerial battle of speed, but then again the darkening sky would play into her hands as it camouflaged her better. She didn’t know which was the best option. Perhaps the stallion had a different plan up his bronze sleeves in which case Ghost would soon find out.