Stray

<sub>A storm was rolling over the complex, blowing dark clouds over an otherwise flawless evening sky. The full moon shed its flickering light between the clouds as the wind whipped the storm ever onward. Thunder rolled in the distance, beyond the peaks of the mountain range that the back of the massive complex stood against.

Everyone was preparing for the spring storms. The horses who stayed in their stalls in the evening had all been brought in, and those that preferred to shelter outside had stayed out there. 

In the newly constructed barn just for the otherworldly Snjorrirs, the gilded herd had nestled down for the evening, even the most noisy and demanding of them quiet as the sound of far-off thunder rolled through the air and shook the floor.

Penthe glanced up and frowned.

"We're down one."

"Yes," Returned Shea-tam, who had finished taking a head count, "Iumy isn't in."

"He's a Mancer-- he can handle the storm."

"But perhaps we ought to locate him anyway." The Argonian flicked her tail, "The storm sounds bad."

"And it hasn't even breached the peaks yet. It'll get stronger when it's forced over the mountains."

"...You're right. Maybe he can be coaxed into his stall for the night."

Together, the two set out into the fields with lantern and halter.

The majority of the Snjorrirs were kept separate from the other horses on the Rescue, and stayed in their own large pasture, with a few isolated, smaller corrals. Iumy naturally kept his distance from the rest of the nobly marked herd, and so fights rarely, if ever, broke out. He and the upstart Kuja had gotten into a scuff not long ago, but the gilded stallion had retreated when Iumy nearly took his feathers for a prize, and bit his hind quarter with those lethal fangs. The wounds had not been deep, thankfully, but the Mancer had driven his point home-- he was not to be trifled with. Even Aeldi, the wizened herd leader, knew better than to needle the lone wolf.

Calling out for the stallion, Penthe kept a weather eye out for the flash of peach against the treeline that would give away their quarry. 

They heard him before they saw him. A gutteral cry more befitting a large cat or a great beast cut through the shifting of leaves and rumble of far away thunder. It rose in pitch, and then fell, much like the howl of a wolf.

Shea-tam stopped dead, but Penthe only laughed.

"Howling at the moon." He assured the alarmed Argonian, "He's simply feeling at home. That's a good sign. It means he's happy." At the Drow's explanation, her ears fell to a more relaxed position and she sighed.

"Hardly a pleasing noise."

"It's more intimidating when called on the battlefeild. An entire pack of them will do that to communicate with one another, especially if they've circled and flanked the enemy. They think like wolves. They act like wolves. They would be wolves were they not bred horses."

The howl sounded again, and following the sound, the two handlers discovered the Mancer stallion standing alone in the field, with his head canted up and eyes blissfully closed as he sang to the moon. Thunder rumbled again, and his white fangs glistened in the flickering moonlight.

Penthe whistled, and Iumy lowered his head, ears perking forward and predatory eyes fixing on the pair. They reflected red in the light of the lantern, making him an imposing presence for a moment.

Once he realized who they were, however, he trotted over, tail swishing and ears forward. He pressed his nose into Penthe's shoulder and huffed lightly as the Drow scratched behind his earss.

"It's storming. Come in for tonight."

Reluctantly, the stallion agreed, and was lead halfway to the barn before the first of the rain rolled in off the foothills.</sub>

Some Headcanon for Mancers and something I've been wanting to draw for a while. I always thought it'd be interesting to translate a Mancer's markings onto a wolf since they're more wolf than horse, and see what happened! It's kinda faded out, but that's basically it. I might upload the wolf separately if people really want to see it!

Colored Fullbody +2
Background +1
Word Count 645 +2
Total: 5 VP