Raven was curled up now, sleeping heavily in the corner of her little cave on a big bed of fallen leaves that she had collected before winter came. Her breathing was calm and soft. It was peaceful and silent in the cave, and somewhat warm. It was safe. It was her refuge, and dare she even feel that for one moment she had a home to go back to. It was lonely. She had no one but herself. Sometimes she would dream of a beautiful herd, a loving stallion and mate and a beautiful foal clinging to her side. She loved those dreams and even though she was starting to feel like it may never come true, she still had hope. She couldn't be this unlucky her entire life, right?

The sound of snow crunching drew closer, slowly pulling herself out of her dream. She opened her eyes and looked around for any sign of anything but it was growing dark and becoming hard to see outside. She saw eyes lurking just beyond the brush and trees. A tall figure was coming closer to the cave. She froze, not sure what to do. She was cornered. With any luck the stranger would move along, but after moments she realized that wasn't happening. She let out a warning call hoping it would scare the intruder off. "This cave is taken, leave or else." She snorted.

He could finally see the cave enterance and was itching to enter and lay down from his aching legs, he came to a stop when he heard the sounds of a warning from what sounded like a mare. Audits softly perked "Or else what!?" he hissed with a clack of his teeth, his audits soon pinned flat to his head from the challenge. He was tired and in pain, and was in no mood to fight, but would if he needed too. He pawed the ground with stricking hits in frustration "I am tired and cold, if it's a fight you want, you will get it, come out or I'm coming IN" as he blew more fog of hot breathe from his muzzle, not being able to see the equine lerking in the dark of the cave. He gritted his teeth and stood in a fighitng stance, his red hues glued to the cave enterance.

Raven sighed standing up, she stretched her legs and then walked out and looked around. She shook out her mane a bit trying to fix some of the defiant strands. She sighed looking at the other horse. Her eyes widened slightly and shifted nervously. She watched him cautiously, unsure of what to do or say now. She was confused. What was he doing here? Was he trying to follow her? She just stood there frozen. She was unable to move, her legs felt like they were locked in place. She just looked at him.

Seeing movement from the cave, and hearing the soft sounds of clicking on the cave floor, he rose his frame higher, he was ready to attack if needed, but soon the equines face came into view, if it wasn't for her bright white frame he wouldn't be able to make her out very well, but he reconziged those eyes. His red hues locked to her blue orbs and his fighting stance dropped, his expression of irritation faded, feeling stranged he had come up on the same mare, seeing how exhausted she was and knowing how tired he was he glanced away. "Sorry. I didn't know it was you.." he softly nickered. He was disappointed his attempt to find a place to hunker down in, but the weather was horrible tonight, however, he wasn't about to run her off... mainly because he didn't have the energy. Letting out a sigh, "I'll find another place" he soon spoke turning away from the mare, as he flicked his plumage lazily.

Raven studdied him cautiously at first, not sure if he was being serious. One minute he seemed pissed off at the world and mad at her for reasons she didn't understand. The next, he was calm and soft. She didn't understand this stallion at all. The other stallions wouldn't have hesitated to chase her out of her cave and take it over. They wouldn't have took one look at her the way he had before the anger and frustration disappeared from his red hues. She cocked her head slightly looking at him in confusion. He looked tired upon further inspection. She wondered if maybe he just didn't have the energy to fight her, even though he could have easily chased her off. This was about the ppint when she finally took a chance to look his features over. He was strong for sure, a bit older maybe, but strong. His musculature was smooth but well defined. He had old scars, some of them burn marks that never grew back, but to her they gave him character. His coat was beautiful, big white spotting almost like the sky crystals had painted his black fur underneath.

She sighed slightly intrigued by him and also frustrated because she couldn't figure him out. Her audits pricked to his words and she eased a little, relaxing a bit. "Um...There isn't really anything else for miles....If you promise you're not going to hurt me again, You can stay if you want.." She said softly.

The stallion stood there in ponder, still he had not moved, trying to contimplate how he wound up doing a huge circle right back to where he was eariler today. Frustrated at himself, he stomped the ground slightly, his pelt softly flinched feeling her eyes travel over his body, but he was too tired to care. An audit flicked her way when she began to speak, he rose a brow before turning to her once more "I will be fine out here, I'll just....... go over here" he muttered softly, pulling his frame away from her view once more, he dragged his feet over by a thick and tall pine tree a few feet from the cave enterance. His legs couldn't take much more walking before the stallion crashed to the ground, letting out a loud grunt from the pain as his knees cracked, for a moment he struggled to settled himself down upon the wet ground of the pine forrest.

His long legs soon tucked under his body, he layed his frame down on the ground, letting out a blow of breathe through his muzzle as he was finally able to rest his aching legs. Slender audits flopped as his forelock fell over his hues, his plumage curling around him like a blanket. He closed his eyes and allowed the silence between them swollow him whole, and for a moment he had forgotten about the painted mare by the cave.

Raven listened to his voice, her audits following his movement as she watched him leave and disappear out of view. When she heard him lay down, followed by a painful sounding grunt, she winced slightly. She sighed, fully relaxing, having felt relief and the nervousness fade from her body knowing that they had found a bit of a truce for now. She walked back inside the cave and over to her bed of warm and dry leaves. She laid down and curled up into herself. She looked outside again just taking in the calm and quiet of the wintery evening. Finally, sleep came to her once more.

The night was quiet after the two equines had fallen asleep, nothing more to say between them until morn. The sun was shinning bright the next day, birds were singing, squirels were rustling through the trees, a few deer frolicing through the snow that had finally remained calm from last nights disaster. The snow was still around, but seemed this would be the last of the winter snow storm they would have to endure.

Soft sunrays danced in between the swaying pine trees, that would shine down upon the stallion, making his pelt warm, as his body laid on the cold ground of the pine forrest. Audits softly twitching in his sleep, as his side rose and fell ever so peacefully. The pain in his legs faded during the night, as he laid there still in his deep slumber, as the wind softly carried his scent in the air.

The mare had woken up early, but she just laid there wondering if he had left or if he was still there. She stood up and stretched with a yawn. She shook her body out and walked out into the glistening snow. The sun was shining, instantly warming her back. She stood there and closed her eyes enjoying the warmth. Her audits flicking to the sounds of the birds and other animals, and the piles of snow melting and falling from the trees around them. She took in a deep breath and then exhaled gently, the air from her warm breath became foggy around her. She looked around once more before seeing the sleeping stallion off in the corner of her eye. Raven walked a few steps and over to a small patch of grass that peaked up from the snow. She bent down and grazed quietly on the frosted patch.

The near by snap of a stick from a small raccoon soon startled the stallion to awake. Audits flicked at the snapping sound as his frame jolted up quick, which caused the creature to flee. Opening his sleepy hues, he let out a big yawn with a shake of his frame. Licking his dry lips as his vision came more into focus he looked around. He was still in the pine forrest, he took in the morning scent of the trees and the surrounding scents around him. Stretching his back legs before he pulled himself on all fours, letting out a grunt as he shook off the wet leaves that was caked to the sides and bottom of his belly from sleeping on the ground. Thick plumage flicked calmly, audits perked at the peace of the day when he caught sight of the cave, he rose a brow before turning away, rolling his eyes. He figured the mare was still in there, as he walked out into the opening snowy meadow of the mountains. Large hooves softly flatened to the ground beneath him, the sun shining in his eyes as he moved out of its way. He paused for a moment, seeing the painted mare pulling bits of grass from the snow.. what she could find to eat at least.

He was curious about her as he watched her for a good bit... watching as the sun glistened off her pelt, how she seemed so relaxed to be a lone mare.. he looked over every little painted black freckle that was planted on her frame, she was absolutely stunning. Relizing he was staring at her, he cleared his throat with a shake of his frame pulling his attention away from the mare, furrowing his face as if to fuss at himself, a snort escaped from his muzzle as he paced along the wood line, slowly heading out into the meadow little by little, his muzzle to the ground, stopping every so often digging through the snow for grass.