Astrid

In the back of her mind, Astrid mused about the interesting group the four of them must have made to any outsider who may stumble upon them. The two winged stallions were similar in colors, yet very different in their own rights – there was definitely no relation, Astrid was sure of it. The way they carried themselves was different, too; something about the shorter of the two stallions was distinctly different from the taller, but Astrid could not place it. Astrid knew that she herself stood out like a sore thumb, particularly against the stark blanket of white snow on the ground. She hadn’t been created with stealth in mind, but then again, neither had her mother. As birds of a feather, she and her late mother had certainly favored barreling into trouble and drawing attention rather than sneak about.

Astrid’s stormy gaze flickered to the other mare, flickering briefly to the tree upon her back out of curiosity as the mare answered the first stallion. A puzzled expression crossed Astrid’s war face features as she tried to imagine just what the “edge of the world” might be like, before dismissing it. Maybe they just hadn’t found the other side? Astrid’s oversized wings shifted so that the bony, knobby tops of her wings rest on the ground, allowing Astrid’s body weight to sag as she relaxed further. Astrid blinked, taken aback when she realized she hadn’t actually introduced herself until the taller of the two stallions gave his name. “Oh, right. I’m Astrid. It’s nice to meet you all,” she commented sheepishly, offering a one-sided shrug that jostled her as her weight shifted between her wings before settling again. Astrid’s head tilted slightly, trying to cast the stallion’s – or rather, Bucephalus’ – herd into her mind’s eye. Warmth sounded nice considering the biting wind, but she also had other things to consider.

Her stormy gaze flickered to the other stallion, Midas as he introduced himself. “To be fair, I’m not partial to one climate over another. I’m adaptable and I’ve been traveling for a long while. Anything will be a luxury compared to the bitter cold here,” Astrid said candidly. She was an honest soul, after all. “I was born in a mountainous land, but my military career took me everywhere; as long as my body and my skills can be put to good use, I’m sure I can make any place a home.” At this point, Astrid had drawn herself back up to her full height and had stretched some. With her dragon like wings once again tucked at her sides, she shifted so that her right shoulder, home to a multitude of thick, ropy scars from the battle that led her to Helovia, were displayed to the two stallions. “I’ve been relaxing for too long. If you can promise me a place to rest my head and that I’ll be put to good use, you’ve got my loyalty,” she continued, driving straight to the point. A new herd would be easy enough to deal with, but sitting idle was not something Astrid could ever do.

"Speech!" Thoughts

notes: @[Fig] @[Midas] @[Bucephalus]