Tembovu

Tembovu grinned his lopsided grin- the warmth in his face easily keeping the chill of the air at bay, at least for a while- as the striking gold and black mare walked up to him. He chuckled, the rich sound rolling from his barrel, at her pert words. “Apparently nothing,” he answered her question. “You’re quite the saucy mare, aren’t you?” he continued his grin as he asked the question and resumed his swinging strides, “I, for one, welcome the sass. It’s a refreshing change,” again he chuckled. The baritone noise was infectious.

The chill in the air grew as they wound their way through the forest. The trees slowly thinning as the elevation grew more varied.

_________________

Indeed, the elephant’s words had rung true when he said the warmth was in the day. For, as the sun sank to the horizon, painting a brilliant red across the snowed land, the meager heat quickly dissipated. Clouds of breath puffed from his thick nostrils, catching and glittering as frost on the sensitive whiskers. Slight exertion as they treaded up the snowy rise they brought them rather steeply to the Edge.

He also spoke the truth of making the Edge by sundown- surprising himself a little. He hadn’t been sure of it- though his own long strides most likely accounted for it. The cold had made him unconsciously inconsiderate of Cosette’s smaller strides. He snorted a cloud of condensation at himself, “My apologies if I walk too quickly, Cosette,” his deep voice finally rumbled- for the cold had stolen usual, his congenial banter, “The cold finds a way to rob me of good nature,” this time the words were almost grumbled.

His thick columns then to slow their brisk, sweeping stride. He now ascended the steeply growing grade at a more manageable speed. The burn he hadn’t even noticed in his muscles (militant training came in handy) immediately diminished. He sighed, relishing the feel of exertion- despite the cold. Turning his large head over his massive shoulder, azure eyes seek the unearthly gold ones. “Did you mean to come to Helovia? Or did you just wander here?” His eyes brows raise as his strong voice verbalized the questions.

They rose more, and then ground abruptly flattened, revealing a mess of broken glass. The shards peaked through an ample layer of snow. Paths of hoofprints had packed a path through the larger gaps. With a brief pause, his giant horn bobbed as he nodded it towards the wreckage, “Some of the rebuilding the needs to be done,” he said by way of explanation.

“Do you have a proclivity for a certain job, or any skills- apart from your cheek?” he asked, as he carefully chose an opening large enough for his berth. His deep blue gaze laughing as he glanced up from the razor edges towards the attractively marked Cosette.


ooc| @[Cosette] And anyone else who wishes to join the welcoming! :D