Loshenka Lures

Cassandra eyed the long tailed, rich coated horses skeptically. They were strong, made for working, and beautifully colored. They weren’t a familiar breed to her yet, but she had to admit the other demonkin had excellent taste in horses. 

“Well?” Ellah leaned casually against the fence of the stable. 

“I’m listening.” Cass replied with a half-smile, brushing the reddish hued nose of the mare in front of her. Girl in Red, she believed was the name Ellah gave. 

The tiefling gave Cassandra a ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ kind of look. “You mean I have to convince you to get a horse?” 

“Think you can?” Cass smirked, still admiring the sangria colored horse that was now demanding a treat. The sooty coloring darkened the coat, creating lighter spots, along with the white tobiano markings along the mare’s flanks were striking. And the others around them seemed to have equally lovely coloration and marking. Cassandra already had her eye on a few of them, but she wasn’t going to let Ellah know that…. Yet…  

“Yeah.” Ellah turned and walked away, gesturing for Cass to follow her. The confidence and the fact the demonkin seemed to know exactly where she was going implied she’d known the challenge was coming. 

Cassandra followed, genuinely amused. If Ellah was getting this good at predicting her perhaps she’d have to step up her game. 

“You’ve met Girl in Red. Now meet Sin City.” Ellah stopped at a stall halfway down the long hallway. “Apparently they’ve got a reputation for being difficult.” 

“Is that so?” Cass replied with a barely hidden amusement, not really looking towards the horse yet. “And you think that’s all it takes to get me interested in a horse?” 

“Seems to be the baseline, yeah.” 

Cass chuckled, hitching her shoulders slightly in acknowledgement of the hit and looking in the stall. “Well then…” 

The mare in front of her was tall, 18hh most likely. Their long tale was similar to that of Girl in Red… Rapunzel, she remembered Ellah calling that variation. It was longer and richer than the standard variation. 

Ellah smirked, clearly satisfied as she watched Cassandra take in the horse. 

Whereas Girl in Red’s tale was reddish all the way through, Sin City’s was lighter. She wagered a result of the silver in her coloration. She didn’t think the two were related, but there were similarities. 

“Her coloring is similar to Girl in Red.” Cass allowed the mare to sniff her hand, the large horse kicking at the stall door for attention. The action was met with an imperious nip as the demonkin failed to pet her fast enough. 

“Girl in Red is a sangria. Sin City is a malbec. Same color family, so yeah.” 

“Wines… how appropriate.” Cass murmured. It was hard to hide the fact she was pleased with Ellah’s selection of a horse for her. The color was lightened along everywhere but the head and legs. A roan then. And the white tobiano markings were as stunning on Sin City as they were on Girl in Red. 

The horse fixed Cassandra with almost golden eyes, their color nearly matching the half-demons before it once again nipped at her. The mare was gentle enough not to do damage, but enough to make it clear they didn’t appreciate the attention stopping. They tossed their head restlessly just before Cassandra made a comment. “Unusual coloring for the eyes…” Cassandra looked to Ellah, still unfamiliar enough with breed to have questions. 

“They call that variation gemstone.” 

“Hm, and the almost skeletal markings?” Cass asked as she spotted the outline of what appeared to be bones in the fur of the mare’s coat. 

“Phantom.” Ellah managed not to smile, well aware she had Cassandra hooked. 

Cass nodded and reached for the stable door. “Let’s take the two ladies out then, shall we?” 

Cass didn’t bother with much tack as Ellah went to get Girl in Red ready. Either Sin City and her were going to get along, or they wouldn’t, and she prefered bareback anyway. 

Sin City huffed, tossing their head and dancing in excitement as Cass ran their head along the mare’s neck and slipped a lead rope on. At least until she knew the mare better, she’d use that at least. 

Ellah appeared a few minutes later with Girl in Red in town. At 17hh the other Loshenka was a little shorter than the long legged creature at Cassandra’s side, but the two made a pretty pair. 

Sin City flattened her ear at Girl in Red, but otherwise didn’t bother to react further. Instead they pulled at the lead, ready to go. 

“Told you she was a handful.” Ellah quipped, keeping the sangria mare out of kicking range. 

“Yes, you did. Though she’s still milder than my usual suspects.” 

“Given I have to deal with the lunatic animals you like, consider it me sparing myself a headache.” 

Cass chuckled and once they were outside, used the fence to climb up on the large mare’s back. The horse stood still until the last minute and then backed suddenly, almost toppling Cassandra. She managed to get her legs tightened enough to avoid the ground, but it was a near thing. “Hey now, that’s rather rude of you.” The demonkin quipped as she adjusted her seat and attempted to convince the excited animal beneath her to settle. 

Ellah swung up on Girl in Red, watching with an amused grin. “Is that better?” The sangria colored horse beneath her clearly had pep, their long rapunzel tail swishing in anticipation, but they stayed largely still. 

“Oh, decidedly.” Cassandra chuckled, unable to help herself. “See if you can keep up.” 

She signaled the malbec horse to take off, Sin City responding with alacrity. Their long, powerful legs ate up the ground as they sped through the pasture outside the stables. 

Ellah didn’t need any further prompts. “Come on, Girl.” She urged the mare to catch up with Sin City, Girl in Red displaying an equal interest in the open space ahead of them. 

The ride was fast, but Cass kept it to a fast run and the occasional jump. She didn’t own Sin City yet, after all. 

As they looped back towards the stables, Cass once again compared the two mares. The tobiano markings and the wine colored coats. The long rapunzel tails. Goodness, they were lovely. And the gemstone eyes and grim markings were unique to the breed. 

“Well?” Ellah challenged as they both slowed and turned towards the stables. 

“She’s a pretty horse. Strong and fast. Certainly unique and she seems like a good companion for your Girl in Red,” she replied as she watched Sun City’s earlier aggression shift to curiosity in the other mare.  

Ellah gave Cassandra a look and then grinned. “Oh yeah, you’re sold.” 

“Did I say that?” 

“Didn’t have to.” Ellah quipped before nudging Girl in Red back into a quick trot. “Come on, last one there owes the other a drink.” 

Cass chuckled, setting Sun City off in pursuit. She didn’t intend to let the other demonkin win, but she certainly wasn’t displeased in how the day had gone. She’d settle with Sin City’s owner and then find a place with good wine. It seemed fitting.