Adoption Attempt for 10025

Gwen walked down the street of Merriwin, watching the crowd curiously. It was market day in the small town and everyone seemed to be out in force, and there were vendors of every variety calling their goods and wares to the people roaming about. 

The fae didn’t have anything in particular she was looking for, but something told her there was something in the market just waiting for her. She flicked the hem of her blue tunic into place before reaching for an old silver and turquoise she wore and fiddling with it absently as she continued her stroll. 

She’d just about reached the end of the row where the vendors were set up when a slate colored horse nearly barreled into her, the stallion's pangare lightened facial region and underbelly, along with their rabicano markings were striking. Or at least she was pretty sure they were striking. The stallion had run past her so quickly she wasn’t entirely sure she’d seen him right. 

She didn’t need another horse, but something told her to follow after the stallion. For all he left a wide clearing in his path, he hadn’t toppled any stalls and at worst his long slate and white tail seemed the only thing to clip the people walking along the road as they scrambled to get out of his way. 

She didn’t run after him. That would probably just spook him. Instead she followed the trail he’d made through the crowd at a steady pace. Enough to take advantage of the opening the slate stallion and keep him in her line of sight, but not enough to close the distance. 

Just outside of Merriwin, the stallion finally stopped. He was breathing hard, regarding the world around him with golden eyes wide enough to still see the whites around them. 

Gwen approached him carefully, her voice soft and calm. “Hey. Hello. Easy now.” 

The slate gray stallion backed away, the white on their tail nearly forming a blur as the slate and white curled mass swished rapidly. 

“Easy now. I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m not even going to chase you if you run. I just want to make sure you’re okay. That all right?” She managed to get a little close, her hand outstretched and open. 

The stallion tossed his head, not backing away further, but the dragon-like sound he made warned Gwen to be careful. 

“Do you like carrots?” Gwen asked hopefully as she slowly fished a broken carrot from her pocket. She’d taken to carrying treats recently, as bribing horses was becoming an unfortunate habit. 

The stallion tossed their head again, clearly unimpressed. 

“That’s a no then. Apple?” Gwen asked, switching treats. She was still careful to keep her movements slow and even as she didn’t feel like chasing the horse again. 

The same dragon-ish sound was made and the horse backed up just a bit. 

“Definitely a no. Sugar cube?” She switched treats out again, rapidly running out of options. 

Fortunately it seemed the third time was the charm. The slate, pangare rabicano stallion didn’t exactly approach, but their ears did prick forward and the whites around their golden eyes became less visible as they eyed the sugar cube resting in Gwen’s outstretched palm.   

“Sugar cube it is. Come on, you know you want it.” Gwen cooed softly, extending her hand a little further and risking another step forward. 

The slate and white curly tail sent several leaves flying as the stallion tentatively reached out and delicately took the sweet treat from Gwen’s palm. They didn’t move closer, but they did display just how far their neck and tongue could reach. 

“Would you like another?” Gwen chanced another step, the stallion watching her ever so closely as she fished out another sugar cube. 

This time there was less hesitation as the stallion snagged the cube from Gwen’s palm and finally stopped looking like they might bolt at the slightest provocation. They were still watchful, but most of the tense caution had eased. 

“What do you think? You going to let me pet you?” Gwen moved up next to him, careful to stay where he could see her and wouldn’t feel trapped. She still had no idea who the stallion belonged to, and no one had come out after them, so for now she figured he was her problem. At least until she could find his propper home. 

The slate stallion snorted at first, not backing away but clearly unsure about the touch. Though he leaned into it quickly enough as Gwen’s fingers brushed along the narrow white marking on his nose and forehead. 

“There, not so bad, huh?” Gwen smiled as the stallion bumped her gently with his head. He wasn’t the tallest horse she’d dealt with of late, but he wasn’t short either. Not quite seventeen hands unless she missed her guess, though he wasn’t far off. 

The stallion seemed to agree that the affection was a good thing and quickly demanded more, nipping at Gwen’s sleeve when she paused to straighten a piece of hair that had blown free and was whipping her in the face. 

“You know, we should find where you came from. I’m sure someone is looking for you.” Gwen started petting the stallion again, paying extra attention to scratching at the white marking, an action the stallion seemed extra pleased with. The lack of a halter or lead rope, or tack of any kind on the horse, however, made the proposition a great deal harder. 

Gwen looked to the horse and then the town before heading back to the market. She had no way to tie up the horse and no way to lead them, so going back to town and getting something was her only real option. “Don’t run off, please…” she murmured as she stepped away from the slate horse. 

The stallion let her get a step or two, and then followed after, now more curious than afraid. 

“Well, this would certainly be easier if you followed me. Or I think it will be,” Gwen said hesitantly. 

As she got closer to the main path into Merriwin, the stallion caught the edge of her sleeve and pulled her in the opposite direction gently. 

“You don’t want to go back in, do you?” Gwen tipped her head, regarding the golden eyed stallion. 

The horse tugged at her sleeve again, pulling her back towards Evermire and her home. 

“No… No… you absolutely can’t be what I was feeling was waiting for me here. Can you be? Can a horse be that?” Gwen frowned and turned towards the stallion. 

The stallion regarded for a moment and then tugged at the hem of her shirt one last time before setting himself on the road to Evermire, and glancing back at Gwen to see if she was coming. 

“Okay, apparently a horse can be the thing that was waiting for me in the market. Nooone’s come out looking for you yet, and it’s not like you tried to hide your path, so I guess you’re coming with me home.” She paused as she caught up to the horse, eyeing him suspiciously. “Or am I coming home with you. I think we may have this a little backwards at the moment.” 

The stallion tossed his head in amusement and trotted a little ways ahead, always pausing and turning his golden eyes back to Gwen to make sure she was following. It seems he’d adopted her and wasn’t allowing room for discussion on the matter.