If she had been of her immortal form, she could have struck him through with a bolt of elegant lightning, shot him through the heart and slayed him without batting an eyelash. Dusty was not like some of the foes she had faced, lacking a mouth of fangs or spine full of protruding spikes; but the circumstances were wholly and fully different. Unfortunately, Hespera was not a goddess here.

For once, she wished she had paid better attention to the painstakingly long and dramatic epics recited by Faeron, rather than watch the way he smiled or how he flicked his ears. He and Berian- may they rest with the gods in peace- knew the ways of combat. She had watched them in the fighting pits of Kir-non-ja, taking out their opponents until blood washed the floor in crimson red. They were afraid, every time the one who called himself their master had forced them into the arena; afraid of finally meeting an opponent better than them, for the day when they would be the broken, bruised and battered body.

As Dusty pivoted toward her, her shining white horn nicked his silver-gold shoulder. The cut was not what she had dared to hope for- hope. No, she should not be hoping for landing a blow. Hespera needed a strong and clear mind with a set goal and aim.

Yet as he swings towards small, nimble body, her jaw sets. As the smaller horse, her center of gravity is lower, and thus she is harder to throw off-balance, even if he has weight on his side (chubby horses). The momentum she used to charge throws her forward, and when he rears, the equine has fallen behind her. As she skids to a halt, sliding in the wet snow, she lashes out with her hind legs, yet the likelihood of it hitting him is minimal, due to the distances between them and her admittedly short legs. In the moment it takes for him to land on all fours and pivot- he’s quick, by the gods- Hespera braces herself on forelegs, and lashes out at his chest, being unable to lift her hind legs off the ground any higher than that, due to the differences in size.

May the gods be on her side, and let this land be as well.

With that, Hespera rollbacks, like the stylish move of a western horse, albeit less practiced- or, in other terms, she pivots on her hindquarters once landing. Pinning her ears tight to her head, for all the world she looks like a small, very hairy winter pony; any trace of former grace gone. She’s not immortal anymore- the stormchild looks like any angry toddler. Or yearling.

She drops her head and aims a bite at his right knee (her left), shifting her horn to avoid unwanted contact. From there, she also collapses onto her knees, much in the way a horse bows, and gives an angry little squeal, nipping at his right knee once more.

While it poses a risk to herself should he decide to stomp on her, for most part she expects that he will lie down and do the same; for what stallion does not?

For a moment, she is reminded of the kirins, doing such a move in an entirely different way; the graceful bow of their heads, the curve of their silk-clad necks, the scales gleaming and shining upon their chests. How they cared for wanderers, the gajin, without question; how did the kirin fight? She could not remember. Their sekemotos were so graceful, so effortless in their movements, fluid-like and always cycling, it was hard to remember.

The snow is cold on her knees, sinking through her hairy winter coat and soaking the outer layer, but she doesn’t mind. No matter how horrid the sensation is, she loves being able to feel.

Maybe he’ll just trip over her. That’ll work as well.

From his tree where he waits, watching, Otienu stiffens, uttering a quiet croak of alarm. It warms her heart to see him root for her; to an outsider, it would be so insignificant, the way he loves. How could she hope to explain the fact he roots for her, wishes for her to win, tells her she must win? She cannot let her companion down.

Hespera simply loves him too much.

2/3 + 0/1 Closing
Word Count: 730
Summary: Her momentum carries her forward past when he rears; she kicks out once as she stops immediately, and then again when he comes after her to bit at her butt. She pivots to face him and bites at his right knee, and then drops to her knees and bites at it (right knee) again.