Day's Last Breath {Kurruk, OPEN}

[{ Opal }]

The day was coming to an end; the sun was dropping low in the sky, and the shadows were long. Even on Mount Kosciusko, the long hours of sunlight could burn one's back, so sunset came as a relief to Wilga. She was currently nestled against a rocky ridge, which consisted mainly of rain-washed boulders, and was making the best of the lichen and tough grass the lands offered. In the lower bush, the pickings weren't better; brumbies were abundant, and the more nutritious rations had been quickly depleted. In addition, the men had returned, and with them they brought herds of cattle that trampled and ate the remaining fare. And so, the most logical place to go was the mountain, where little creatures roamed, and the lands were open and free.

Wilga raised her head to glance around as she chewed on a mouthful of vegetation. Kurruk, her newly found stallion, had taken position above the ridge and was probably still keeping watch. The mare's thoughts now wandered to the foal she now carried; Kurruk's foal. She was very pleased with the thought of raising a youngster, if not a little apprehensive. I've come a long way. Wilga mused, allowing herself to ponder and dream, trusting that Kurruk would keep a good lookout for danger. Hopefully they could avoid man by hiding up here in the snow-dashed slopes. Just the thought of all those that would be caught, sold, or killed sent terrified shivers up Wilga's spine.

[yaruka]

Kurruk was indeed, still high up on the ridge, watching out for any sign of threat to Wilga below. Wilga, his first mare. The thought made Kurruk's heart swell with pride. He was so lucky to have such a sweet and beautiful mare join him. And now she was pregant, with his foal. Kurruk could hardly believe he was going to be a father, the thought was quite incredible. He was still the same young cocky stallion he had always been, but now a sense of responsibility had settled on his shoulders. If one wanted evidence of this fact they only need look at the place Kurruk had chosen to spend the night. He had moved up the mountain, in spite of its less appetizing grass, in order to avoid the many roaming stallions and the men and their cattle below. He wasn't intending to lose Wilga, especially not when she was pregnant with his foal.

At this thought Kurruk looked down with some concern at the chestnut mare below. He hoped the sparse grazing would be enough for her and the growing foal inside of her. Tomorrow perhaps they would move lower down the mountain in search of richer pastures. The only trouble was that with better grazing came other horses, and with other horses came competition. Kurruk would defend Wilga with all his might, but he hated the idea of running into a more experienced stallion who may take a fancy to his beautiful mate. Not that Kurruk had any thoughts that he might lose...no not all. Just...well it was better to err on the side of caution these days wasn't it? When he was older, and more experienced, then Kurruk would be able to claim the best grazing lands for his herd.

[Tiggs]

The dark bay mare, pasterns on all four feet, walked and trotted in intervals up the slow incline to Mount Kosciusko peak. She had been here a few times before, but this was the first time she had found other horses here. From their scents which blew in the cool evening breeze, it was a stallion and a mare. Toolain was excited at this. A stallion with a mare was worth something, though perhaps not much if he was only accompanied by one. That remained to be seen.

The young mare traversed the rocky path confidently, picking up her hooves over the smaller obstacles and easily navigating around the larger ones. When she came around a bend in the path, the granite tors opened into less rockier terrain. She caught her first glimpse of the stallion then, stood up ahead on a rocky outcrop. He looked down right fine, the fickle mare thought to herself. He seemed to be a dark sandy colour, and before his barred legs could darken too far, they were liberally coated in white, as was his face.

At first sight he was promising, but there was more to a stallion than his appearance – or so Toolain valiantly tried to remind herself of every day. Her trot picked up as she made her way into view, her neck arching a little and her tail flagging just a bit. For the most part she ignored the chestnut mare, not out of malice but because the stallion held more of her interest.

The mare paused a fair way back, though she was close enough now to make out a white splodge under his stomach. That was interesting. Tossing her head, the bay picked up her fore-hooves and half-pirouetted, showing off her best side. Her actions were deliberate and coy, designed to attract the stallion to her so she could more easily inspect him. She knew the value of a mare to a stallion, but Toolain was inconsistent and fickle, and quick to forget stallions that did not long hold her interest. Kurruk might have sparked her interest, but only the careful application of kindling and vigilant tending would stoke a fire.

[{ Opal }]

Wilga, allowing her attentiveness to slip, only noticed the bay mare when movement warned her of an intruder. Her head popped up, her ears tipped forward, her teeth ceased grinding on the grass in her mouth. A smudge of brown found Wilga's eye, and with a rush of excitement she recognized that to be a brumby. Wilga was so delighted to have discovered a living being that she let free a loud whinny, eager and undeniably friendly, with no consideration on her part. To this point, she hadn't even an idea whether the brumby was stallion or mare, but from her prospective it made little difference.

At a second look, Wilga did discover that the newcomer was a mare, which was great news. Surely it meant a fellow herd member, a best friend, no doubt! Nothing could sway Wilga of her positivity, not even the bay's almost flirtatious display. Instead, such thoughts ran through her mind: Ooh, how lightly she dances on her hooves! And what pretty coronets... I must tell her how lovely she looks. Indeed, Wilga was finding it difficult to restrain herself, and only the urge to appear calm (rather than boisterous, which she certainly wasn't) kept her from prancing up to the mare, asking her name, and delivering all the compliments she was storing up. But Wilga did wait, knowing Kurruk had the right to first greet her, and handle all of the stallion/mare policies. After all, it did seem that the bay was itching for his attention, something Wilga didn't mind in the least.