Mauja the FrostHeart
ice cold man watches earth die, eternal winter takes its reign

Mauja had left the heat of the Edge behind - he'd never fully leave his precious homeland, but he had no choice except to flee it at times, seeking cooler climates. Often he just went down to the Endless Blue to submerge himself in the cool waters, but sometimes not even that was enough. That was why he'd gone north, pacing east first until he reached the isthmus connecting the northern, cold land to the southern, warmer one. But the sun's rage was felt even here, for the snow wasn't cool and soft, but rather it was a muddy slush churning under his hooves, trying to suck him in and releasing him with mournful plops. It made for dangerous footing, and heavy work, but once you came up on the tundra the wind blew cold and the footing hardened somewhat. Mauja blew out a sigh. Sweat was drying on his coat, stiffening the hairs and clumping them together. He'd always considered it a mildly unpleasant sensation, but the only escape was to toss himself in the ocean, and up here it was just a tad too cool. He had no choice but to remain sweaty, and with a snort headed in the direction of the icy cave systems. Surely the air would be cooler in there.

Lush tundra grasses, more plentiful than he ever remembered them being, cushioned his hooves now, whispering softly as he passed them, a pale ghost in a northland of snow. He blinked his pale blue eyes at the surroundings, casting a brief glance at the towering mountains and the sun, piercing the sky - then he passed into shadow, the flaming star hid behind snowy peaks. The FrostHeart's eyes closed and he smiled to himself, drifting deeper, until he reached the glacier and its many strange paths. The walls dripped, water running in slow rivulets down the sides, clinging to the walls where gravity didn't tug so harshly at them. The wind which sighed through the system was moist but cool, settling heavily against him, like a blanket; he snorted, fog rising from his nostrils and dissipating near the dark ceiling. It was dark in here, and pleasantly cool, but Mauja wasn't fool enough to believe he could stay here for forever. His coat was still the thin one of summer, and once the damp settled against his skin he'd cool too fast. It could very well become dangerous. But just for a little while... The Edge King smiled in the darkness, his soft hooffalls echoing around him, bouncing on the walls and back. It was a beautiful place, this, ancient and powerful - it felt good to walk such icy halls again.

"I'm afraid this cave is already occupied."

He didn't falter in his stride, merely swiveled his ears forward, a look of curiosity upon his face. There were others here? He wondered who they were, and knew there was only one way to find out. Fortunately, they weren't far, and with all the grace of a ghost Mauja slid onto the scene, looking, as always, as if he belonged there. Perhaps he did, child of frost and snow that he was.

Once they were visible to him he halted, effectively blocking the way he'd come. His towering alabaster frame filled up the narrow corridor, but in front of him it opened up into a cave, and he guessed there were many more ways out of it. They were hardly trapped. Wintery eyes roamed across them, settling first on the one whom he guessed had spoken. It was a pegasus, utterly grotesque in conformation and utterly dirty in color. It intrigued him as much as it repulsed him, and with an intense, quiet fascination did he study him; short, lopsided, stunted. Perhaps he'd once been a bay tobiano, but now he looked like he'd rolled in glue and dust. Dirt grimed him, though it seemed the moist air had done something to clean him up. The only beautiful thing about him was his large wings - they seemed to be the only normal thing, too, no weird lumpy growths. Mauja's gaze swept on to the colt next, a thing built much like himself, but still so very young. Hornless, of course, as everything he tended to run across out here was. A black shape on its back, and the suspicious scent of canine, told him it had a companion.

Mauja didn't know what to make of it. Part of him wanted to back away and leave them be, these lowly hornless, but the other part of him was perpetually curious, and urged him to stay. In the end, he simply flickered his raven-adorned tail and settled one hind hoof on its tip. He sighed, then smiled softly, just in case anyone was looking in his direction. "Now now, what's the harm in sharing?" he asked in a smooth voice, arching one 'brow at the twisted pegasus.