A barrage of information; absorbed with interest but little understood. She was new to the world of treachery and conflict, and fairly new to Helovia and its broad, unusual culture. With a keen yearning to learn and discover however, young Africa took any slight of information presented with a gracious smile, swiping it away into the recesses of her bubbling mind for afterthought and consideration- at a quiet more convenient time. The crowded gathering of large and small, old and young was unlike anything she had ever witnessed no more been a part of. The herd meeting was as intimidating as it had been exciting and enlightening, though as the herd began to gradually dissipate, Africa swiftly slipped from the group’s rear where she had cast herself clear of any focused attention.
The day was aging quickly and lanky shadows were dappling the Throat. Africa now had little to fill the remaining hours in with. Still heavily laden with the ominous blanket of Kri’s words, the dapple grey Pegasus was not particularly drawn to step from the safe, rolling red dunes of her homeland. Not anymore. Beneath the elongated and graceful swing of her stride, the still warm desert sand began to separate where lush, green grass finally found rich moist soils in which to bed their roots. She knew it would be no hardship to confine her exploring to the vast and intricate gardens of the oasis. A keen love for flowers and the like, especially the rare exotic natives thriving there, swelled through her pulsing heart. Hours could be lost dabbling in the diversity of radiant blooms, or stripping the messy palms of their old, discarded clothing- either way, Africa thought conclusively with a blithe smile, a lazy evening at home could turn out rather fine...
She covered the supple carpet of emerald grasses quickly, for now not stopping to spoil herself with supper. Inhaling deeply, her legs paused for the moment, and already the dry hot northerly had been overcome by the swirling coolness of a premature, ocean driven easterly. Flimsy sea spray was carried across its gentle breath and the delicate flavour of salt filled her fluttering nostrils. Although tolerable, Africa still found herself vulnerable to the often unforgiving climate of desert life, and while it had been her home for some time already, an unquenchable thirst was apparently still her greatest demon. Twice, or perhaps three times every day she hastened through the sparse, hardy scrub to the central lake, though she reassured herself always that she would acclimatise soon enough.
She continued, throwing the thick grey curtain of forelock from her eyes with a playful flick of her face. The dying heat of the falling sun cloaked her body in orange warmth as it passed between thin rails of shadows cast by the tall reach of evergreen palms. Africa saw the small orange fruits spread around the tree’s narrow bases, and pondered their quality for the next morning’s breakfast- most had been sampled already by zephyr or bat, and young and precious, she preferred not to share such delicacies. The path guiding her hooves narrowed as the thick healthy shrubs closed around it, clawing the mare’s grey coat as she too squeezed through. Behind the prickly barrier, the lake spread out far in every direction, the heart and sustenance of the sanctuary.
Edging the softly lapping water, slippery red dunes and sharp sandstone embankments rose somewhat steeply, and as Africa began to descend her clumsy step found no traction. There were a couple of other horses nearby, thirsty too I suppose after the meeting... she decided, peering curiously while slipping sloppily through the yielding sand. She continued brazenly with a splash, the strike of her hooves crashing through the lake’s calm surface and the weary young horse sank to elbow height with a deep sigh- a refreshing dip to wash the burden of her Saltana’s warning from her shoulders.
"Thinking. Speaking. Acting."
|
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
⇒
[O] The Shadow Of Evening Closed In [Edge, Open]
![[Image: afri_zps12e4f1bf.png]](http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u438/SapphireTitanium/afri_zps12e4f1bf.png)