"Besides, I'm pretty sure that would be asking for a death wish, and I don't know if I'm more afraid of you or the other Unicorns...." Her theatrical whisper brought a grin to his face. If he didn't kill her, they would, eh? Good thing she wasn't going to try, then. Things would become so complicated.. so different from what it was now; relaxing, warm water and gentle playfulness. So easy, to just exist. So very easy...

The silence born from the absence of words claimed them, and in a way, he regarded it as silence despite the far-off noises of the sleeping herd, the gentle lap of water, the sounds of two living bodies. He had expected it. Embraced it. Invited it. But then, something had broken it, something subtle that he barely heard at first until it grew a little stronger. Its rhythm, its rise and fall, moments of pause, matched the pattern of her breath released against him, the small hitches caused by murmur and movement. After a moment he realized that she was singing, and his ears tipped back, listening. Barely more than a hum, snatches of a tune, yet it was the shadow of a song, sung for them. Something about it touched him, made him feel thoughtful although he didn't know what he should be thinking of. Sinking deeper into that, resting in soothing darkness, he let his teeth wander around her shoulder, moving slightly across her black skin. For a moment he had feared that she would shy away, but she didn't, barely twitched. It seemed that he did not have fangs, despite all the stories some told of him, and a small smile curved his lips in the dark.

It seemed so natural, to stand there in the water with her, close, quiet. He did not feel awkward, his thoughts did not run at full speed — rather, they lay dormant on the bottom of his mind, sloshing around gently but not raising their voices. In a way he did not notice at all when she moved, and in other ways he was very aware of it, how one region was bathed in hot breath one moment and cold air the next. His own muzzle had traveled from her shoulder further down her spine, his white neck extended to reach comfortably. The side of her cheek nudged him out of his trance, eyes blinking rapidly for a second or two before he pulled back, angling his head to better look at her. Her quiet suggestion brought another, wider, smile to his face and eyes. "Probably," he said, stars twinkling in his gaze, though he would rather stay in the embrace of the hot waters. They were soothing, pleasant, and the night air oh so very cold upon his wet skin, but wisdom won out. A small, content sigh left his nostrils, and without reflecting on it he tilted his head slightly when she pushed in under him, gently rubbing the side of his jaw against the ridge of her nose. He'd expected the same slow wade back to shore, but he should've known better. Truth was, he was still floating in that pleasant, dark space, remembering the touch of her teeth against his skin, and only when she spoke did he snap to attention. He caught a flash of mischief in her eyes before she was past him, working against the weight of the water to get to the steps out.

Laughing, mostly at himself, Mauja launched himself into motion after her. He was broader, heavier, generated more resistance. He'd never tried running in water before, not this deep, where it felt only like he floundered without getting anywhere; to push off a hind foot he needed to expend himself more than on ground, but yard by yard the water level sunk until he followed her out, not too far behind, heaving himself up on the edge with splashes flying everywhere. Water dripped off his mane and tail, following the clumped strands towards the earth, leaving a wet trail as he chased after her. Vaguely aware of his own thoughts, he realized that he'd decided life was quite good — at least tonight.

Faelene dropped to the ground in front of him, and he stopped, giving himself a vigorous shake like a dog. More water droplets flew through the air, shimmering like stardust. Then, the Ice King too bowed his legs, and fell to his knees, far enough away from her that they wouldn't accidentally kick each other. Lush grass and cool, damp earth cradled his white frame, and he winced under his breath when he realized he'd lain down on his smarting left side. One moment I'm white.. the next I'll be green and brown... It felt good to rub his skin against the earth and grass, to try and force what wetness out that he could, and as he managed to roll over on the right he lay still for a moment, peering at the stars from the ground. He couldn't quite pin his thoughts down, and gave up after a moment and clambered to his feet. Summer was just around the corner, but the nights were still bitter and cold, testament to the steppe around them. Mauja shook himself again, and this time dirt and bits of grass flew off too. "Brrrr." Going back into the pool seemed like a good idea, but there was one thing that seemed like a better idea. Dirt-covered legs drew him closer to her, muzzle extended to touch her neck again before he tried to step closer, to see how near she'd allow him to stand. In truth, he felt like rubbing himself against her shoulder just for the friction, but he knew that sometimes you had to approach cautiously or get kicked aside.

Mauja Frosthjärta