There was something to be said for the reawakening of the world after its long dark slumber in winter. This was without a doubt Anderis’ favorite season when the world was robust with color, the lush green of new grass and the magnificent blue of deep water. He would never tire of these sights because Anderis was a beast whose very soul seemed entwined with the land. No matter how many times he stood before the majesty of a roaring ocean it would always hold the wonder and mystique of seeing it for the first time.

This morning found the young, hearty stallion in good spirits because today he found himself on the cusp of another adventure as green eyes eagerly searched the threshold for any sight not yet beheld by him. There was something different about this place. He could feel it in the deepest parts of himself like the hum of energy or perhaps life itself. It was exhilarating and pushed the stallion onward. Dwarfed in the shadow of the mountain he picked his way carefully through the tall, skinny pines as he stopped periodically to sniff at some strange scent he encounter on the way or intrigued by some new creature scurrying about the forest floor he had never seen.

It was one such creature that held his attention and Anderis couldn’t help veering off his chosen path to investigate. The small creature was brown in coloration, waddling along on short legs. It looked like a tiny bear or perhaps a tremendously deformed squirrel. Anderis watched it go on about its business completely oblivious to Anderis’ interest in it. The stallion walked slowly, picking his way behind the little beast his head lowered to get a better look and a scent. What odd guard hairs this little creature had, as it stopped to rummage through the earth Anderis pushed his luck as his muzzle inched closer. Little did he know this creature had a name and most knew it as a porcupine.

Anderis was so very focused on the little oblivious creature before him he never took note that someone else was approaching. He knew of course, that eventually someone would stumble upon him. There were many other scents here belonging to his own kind. The voice seemed to come out of nowhere and startled him. He was more than willing to heed the words of the caution but as the stallion startled, the prickly creature came to the realization was not alone either and raised his quills defensively, instinctively. Anderis just couldn’t move out of the way fast enough and stumbled away from the creature with a few porcupine quills lodged around his sensitive muzzle.

Curiosity did kill the cat, but that never would have stopped him. Anderis swung his head toward this new arrival. “Wise words, my friend, very wise words indeed.” He grimaced at the pain caused by the quills. “I suppose I can’t be angry at the little thing, It was just defending itself from this monstrous face.” Anderis teased, good naturedly. If there was anything to be mad it was himself and his inability to focus once something had captured his attention. He lowered his head in an attempt to scrape them off with his foreleg to no avail. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to get these things out, would you?” He asked his green eyes finally settling on the gray warrior before him.

Quietly, Anderis took stock of his newest companion, he seemed a hearty beast, larger than Anderis of course but then most were. There seemed to be a quiet confidence about him as if he were fully aware of his strengths and capabilities. He took note of his scar, and pegged him a warrior but what Anderis found most interesting were his eyes, eyes that blazed an electric blue and inside them he found a kindred spirit that longed for the wilds of the world as much as he did.