“Welcome, stranger,” my voice calls forward before my hooves touch down with the sand below. I am quite surprised to find myself taller than this stallion, as it is a rare occurrence for one of my stature. Still, we are built much the same. Small, very small in terms of height, yet the bulk upon our limbs tells the story of a warrior, though it apparent by the array of scars upon the dark body of this stallion that he has more years of experience in the ways of fighting than I likely have spent alive on this planet.

I greet him with a smile, something unusual for those of his particular gender. I felt connected to this rough looking pony, without even knowing him, and therefore would handle him with a kindness not fit for lazy stallions of no discipline. My own figure draws nearer, possibly shaking him from his reverie, steps carrying me swiftly and easily over the familiar terrain.

“I am Kri,” I say, my voice warm and strong. Were it not for the slight feminine undertones of my voice, the power behind it would often be mistaken for that of a stallion. After all, my bulky frame and strong features were not exactly the picture of femininity. Luckily, my daughter had not taken after me in that regards - I guess Zodiac had been quite girly. “What brings you to the Dragon’s Throat, brother?”
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I let my eyes fall swiftly over the scarred body of the elder stallion before me once more, noting with a small satisfaction that he has seen his number of battles. He was a hardened man, and one that I could likely respect, unlike the unruly colts and idiot stallions that seemed to plague the earth in droves. The smile upon my lips, a slight pinch of my face, remains tacked in place as I await his answer to my question eagerly. I was not certain whether he was in search of a home or not, but I was hopeful that he would consider staying.

The Throat could use more wise warriors such as this.

The bow surprises me a bit, I have to admit. As soon as the gesture begins my eyes widen in surprise, but I too lower my head in a sign of respect. While it is clear that he is doing it out of manners, I am often a little uneasy to be recognized as a leader. The title does not seem to fit me, and I am more prone to believe that the seat of a general would suit me better. Regardless, I have ended up leading my kin before the Throat, before Helovia - perhaps, even against my wishes, to rule was to be my fate. “No need for such formalities here,” my voice says calmly, evenly as my head lifts from the nod. The Throat was a rather relaxed place to live, and all of its members my family.

I smile at his words, locking his name away in my memory for future use. My lips tug upward more than before, a genuine grin that lifts my features into a friendly expression that almost seems too girlish for me. “We would be lucky to have you, Cysaro,” I say, echoing my thoughts as they play through my head. “Perhaps you can teach the young warriors a thing or two.”

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“Of course, brother,” I say instantly in response to his query, wanting to be as helpful as possible to this older warrior. A smile dances across my lips for a brief moment as I contemplate how different my opinion was of veterans than regular, old stallions with no sense in life at all. “Azzuen is our General in these lands,” my explanation begins, a light tone taking over my gruff voice as I speak to him. “He is black with white markings upon his wings - you can’t possibly mistake him.” Azzuen - another stallion I oddly approved of in comparison to the rest of their idiotic gender.

“He will have all of the information on the current soldiers in the herd, as I know there are quite a few.” Our herd had gained popularity quite suddenly, after a brief lull following our successful invasion. You would think the burst would be right after we established our new herd, but sometimes the influx was impossible to predict. “He will also be your commander, second only to myself.” I was sure this stallion knew all about ranks as a warrior, but further explanation never hurt. “I am sure he would be pleased in your eagerness to aid our herd in improvement.”

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