A flaming blue mare hesitated outside of her herd. She knew she was bringing news that the others would not like. Kaltrina did not know how they were going to react, but she could guess. The herd prized those with fire features like she herself possessed. Pairings were encouraged among those who possed the treasured traits. The pairs that passed on their traits were praised.
Ever since she'd been a young foal she had always seen herself finding a mate with his own fire. Never once had she ever considered that she might end up with a male that didn't have fire. Kaltrina pawed the ground. Liora swished her tail as she looked over at her. "Well?"
"I know, I know." She would get an earful from all sides it seemed. Her lips twitched slightly with amusement. At least Liora had managed to find someone suitable. Well putting it off would only draw this out. With a sigh, she headed in to the herd with Liora at her heels.
WC: 169
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Grün had spotted her friend and Liora, her own companion Lila bouncing up and down before rushing to greet the two faster than her green friend could. "Kaltrina." She greeted her friend warmly. The two of them having grown up together, they were like siblings without being blood related despite how similar they looked. Grün cocked her head at the other, those eyes sensing that there was going to be some sort of talk about to happen.
"Don't make me squeeze whatever you're going to say out." A half demand as she straightened a little more.
WC: 96
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"Hi Lila," Kaltrina greeted the green fox with a laugh. Grün could always read her. Ever since they had been foals, the green mare could always tell when something bothered her. Today was no different. Liora simply gave her a shoulder nudge. "Better to just get it over with." The little blue fox of course could have just spilled the beans for her, but this was hers to tell.
Kaltrina gave a half eye-roll and sigh as she awkwardly rubbed one hoof against her other leg. "Uh, well ya see....... I kinda found a stallion." Liora bounced up and down eagerly, this part was hers to tell, "and I found a boy too!"
WC: 113
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Lila beamed up at the other. Happy to see her friends as her tail swished back and forth, eyes darting between Grün and Kaltrina before settling next to Lila. "What exactly are we getting over?" Grün questioned, an eyebrow raising as she looked at her dear friend. She knew there had to be something big for her to act so weirdly. Especially with that half eye roll she gave to her own little fiery companion.
"Kind of found a stallion?" She has, eyebrows now very much raised in curiosity. She looked down at Liora, another shocker there. Lila looked pretty shocked but very happy. "So both of you have found some one! That is fantastic news! When do we get to meet these boys?"
WC: 124
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Liora came up to greet Lila doing her best to politely ignore the two ponies. Something said this would be easier without a large audience. Instead she distracted Lila with her own news. "I don't know when you'll get to meet them. His name is Tiny Char. He's orange and has the cutest fire on his tail!" She was very pleased with herself.
Kaltrina on the other hoove was not so happy. She had kind of been hoping that maybe she could hide this for a little bit longer. It really didn't affect Grün all that much. But Grün was her friend and she'd find out sooner or later. "Well his name Guafi Bero Blaze. He's a sweet little mini with a passion for fire. I have to say he was utterly smitten the moment he laid eyes on me." She puffed out her chest just a tiny bit. Most other ponies were wary of their fire, afraid they'd get burned. Bero had no hesitation or fear. Kaltrina thought he'd be a good addition to a herd that was mostly made up of fire.
WC: 184
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"Tiny Char?" Lila asked, "What an interesting name! A fire you say. I want to meet them and welcome another feiry friend into our little circle. I guess I should be looking for my own flame it seems." She gave her friend the most spectacular grin, "Tell me, how did you two meet?" Curious as to the tale of their sparking flame.
"That is quite a mouthful of a name. Passion for flame?" She asked curiously, "Not one of fire?" Curious as to how her friend had stumbled into this other pony that he had become so smitten with her. "He does have a flame right Kaltrina?" Their fire is what made Grün so wary of love. That and their tradition was to be with someone like them, with flames so they understood. To be with another without flames, it was honestly not something she could fathom.
WC: 147
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"Very! He's super cute and tiny. I'm sure he'll love it here. He'll fit right in." Liora cast a glance towards her companion wondering how the mare was getting along with her own telling. Seemed things were getting heated. She turned back to Lila. "Pure chance I think. We kind of just crossed paths. The pair just stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us." She giggled delighted. "Oh yes! I can't wait to see who you find."
She could hear the foxes gabbing away eagerly. If only she could be as happy. "Yes it does stand out doesn't it?" Kaltrina nodded slowly. "I would say he is one who should have been born to flame. He even looks fiery." She glanced away as her friend asked her if he had an actual flame. "He does not have a flame on the outside, but it burns inside of him." The flame was out of the log now. There was no hiding it any longer. "I think you should meet him before you judge him." She tried to buy more time.
WC: 181
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Lila looked between her friend and her companion for a moment before her eyes settled back down on Liora. "I can't wait to meet them!" Lila was a little more open to the ideas of finding love wherever it may be. "Just stopped dead in their tracks huh. You are beautiful." She grinned. It was true all of them were beautiful so it would be hard not to stare anyway. Look at the flames they carried and their markings. Stunning in all ways they should be. Lila came over to her friend and nudged her a little, "I am bursting at the seams to meet them. Thank you for giving me such wonderful news." Then she whispered just a little lower, "Hopefully Grün can be just as happy."
Grün rolled her eyes at her friend. Not fiery on the outside, just inside. No. That's not what their tradition stated. "Looks fiery and is fiery are two totally different things Kaltrina. I don't know why you are trying to break tradition at all. How do you know you won't hurt him with your flames and him just leaving you?" It was pretty harsh of her to say but she had a point, "If you want me to meet him I will. I won't like him." She stated, words feeling more like a promise to dislike the pony that her friend was falling for. Might as well meet him even if she heavily disagreed with it. She sighed heavily, she should try at least for her best friends sake. "I will try to keep an open mind to this but I don't like it and I don't want you to be hurt."
WC: 280
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Liora chuckled. Maybe she had exaggerated just a tiny bit, but it was close to a full complete stop! There might have a little bit of stopping and staring on her part too. Not that she would tell. "I can't wait for you to meet him too!" She puffed up a bit as Lila called her beautiful. "Right back at you! I'm sure you'll find someone nice soon!" The fox glanced towards the two ponies and nodded. Lila was a little bit more accepting than her pony companion. Maybe Guafi would be able to change her view just a tiny bit. She nodded and whispered back, "she needs to meet him first. He's an odd one for sure."
Kaltrina laid her ears back. She knew physically there was a difference. She knew what tradition dictated of them. But she just couldn't bring herself to adhere to tradition in this. "Because...... because it feels right Grün. We tested it out. He's not afraid of the flames. I even warned him that he would get burned, but he didn't care." There was always the chance that he would get hurt at some point and decide to leave. Kaltrina did not get that feeling from him though. "His familiar is fiery," she nodded towards the whispering foxes. "He doesn't have any burn scars that I could see."
The blue mare heaved a big sigh as her friend agreed to at least meet him. "Thank you Grün. I don't ask for more than that. I know, I don't want to be hurt either. But I'll never find anyone if I don't get out there." Kaltrina was surprised by how smoothly it had gone over if she was honest. One hurdle done. However many more to go.
WC: 292
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Lila nodded back to her friend. Grün so set in her ways sometimes. Stubborn but you could wear on her enough that she would relent. Especially when it came to her friends. So it relieved her when she heard her companion agree to meet. "It really can't hurt to at least know the guy before you completely condemn him Grün." She was proud of her friends.
Grün listened further. She could see that her friend was happy and really that was all that mattered to her in the true end. She would meet her friends lover and hope that they had the best of luck. Everyone was right, she should meet them first. "You're my best friend. I will stick around even if I don't end up liking him, but I will hold my judgement until then." She nudged her friend. "Thanks for confiding that in me."
WC: 147
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Liora nodded her approval and smiled at the green pony. All was well and right in the herd once more.
Kaltrina smiled and nodded. "And I'll hold judgement on your future mate." She teased. The next step would be to bring everyone together to meet. She'd think about the best place for that. Definitely not near the herd and not near where he lived. Neutral territory would be ideal. But that was later. For tonight, she could relax. "C'mon Grün, Liora, Lila. Let's go have dinner." With a purposeful stride she led the tiny group off.
WC: 96
Fin!