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Thick shimmering mist draped over the world like a shroud. It was strange and otherworldly, a barrier between him and the landscape he knew was there. As he trotted along, hooves sure and steady, shapes would loom out of the stark whiteness, become clear for a moment before vanishing back into the mist behind him. Grinning he moved into an easy lope, thrilling at the chill of the mist against his body, the slight sting that only seemed to make his blood run hotter and his legs move faster.

Soon he was stretching his neck, legs flying, body driving forwards through the non-landscape around him at a reckless speed. Clod and stone scattered as he swung sharply, narrowly avoiding a tree that materialised right in front of his nose. Feeling bark scrape his shoulder as he shot past he let out a ringing call. A call of joy and freedom, a wild spirit in a wild place exulting in being alive.

Something, some instinct, caught at him. Making him sit back on his haunches, hooves braced as he slithered to a stone-scattering stop. It was the same feeling that guided him across the hills and helped him avoid the few humans he saw every so often. Straighening from his slide he stood, head held high and nostrils flaired as he snorted low, seeking some kind of hint as to what it was that had caught his attention.

Stepping forwards now he slowly moved thrugh the thick fog, his silver dapple coat making him near invisable in the whiteness. Following the faint, yet enticing scent he walks quietly, the natural stillness of the fog making him instinctly disguise his steps.

Suddenly the fog shifts just enugh for him to make out the dark figure of another several paces away. Ears pricking he tries to recognise the stranger, but he can't see clearly enough to identify them. With a mental shrug he walks silently closer, seeming to simply appear out of the fog as he drew up infront of her, his white coat disguising him until the very last moment.

"Greetings."

Her sudden scramble surprised him. But he probably should have guessed that suddenly appearing like that would be a surprise to anyone. Contrite he tried to make himself appear threatening, though it was hard when he was naturally tall and clearly difficult to see in the whiteness.

Taking a slow step forwards and making sure that his hoof clicked on the slightly wet rocks that littered the ground, in order to create a noise to go along with his pressence, he smiled warmly at her.

"No ghost. I am flesh and blood just as you are." His voice was low and deep, with a husky, warm timbre to it that was at odds with his icy-white coat. Flicking his tail against his flank he dipped his head in appology. "I am sorry if I startled you. I did not expect anyone to be out here with the fog so bad."

Relieved that she didn't seem too upset at him he smiled, watching with amusement as she inspected his coat more closely. Even among his family he was one of the more unusual ones, his stark white was simply too easy to breed darker.

Allowing his body to settle and relax from his run, he tipped his head as she studied him, his bright blue eyes returning her appreciative look.

"Honestly I'm not too surprised. Few tend to come out here when the visibility is so poor. For precisely the reason we nearly demonstrated." Chuckling he was glad he hadn't simply collided with her which would have been very easy to do in this weather.

"I'm Stirling. It is a pleasure to meet you." He couldn't help but return her gaze, admiring her rich, warm, dark colours. So very unlike his own.

Her comment caused him to crane his head round in order to look back over himself. Eyeing his pure white coat with its light pattern of spots he chuckled softly. Looking back at her he smiled again. "Well, I was born high up in the mountains. We have plenty of snow up there." Flicking his tail idly he continued. "It is useful, as I am very hard to see in winter." Tilting his head he studied her intently, only just realising what she had said.

"You have never seen the snow?" He sounded shocked.

It took a moment for him to overcome his shock. The idea of someone never having seen the snow was so strange to hi when he had lived within its cold embrase for most of his life. Suddenly grinning broadly he jumped forwards, whipping round behind her and pressing his shoulder to her flank lightly as he came up on her oppersit side.

"There is no way to describe the snow, you have to experience it." Flashing her another grin he pranced forwards, tail high and banner like behind him "Come. I will show you!"

Pausing he turned back to give her a reasuring smile. She seemed nervous and it puzzled him, until he realised she was likely nervous of him. Hopefully she would give him time to prove that he wasn't someone she needed to be wary around. But he pushed the thought away, unwilling to entertain anything beyond this moment, this day, for the mist created them this special place and nothing should reside with them except this moment.

Grinning when she finally agreed he moved back beside her, pressing his shoulder lightly to her own. "Don't worry, nothing could make me loose my way. And I won't loose you either." Taking a step he indicated for her to walk beside him. "Even if you can't see me easily, you can feel me, yes?" Easing into a trot he made sure to stay beside her, careful not to let her go adrift in the indistinct whiteness that surrounded them.

It wasn't too far to the snowline, seeing as he had come down from the mountain's lowest peek just an hour ago. And within minutes the air around them grew noticably shill, a freshness to the air that hadn't been there before, making their fur glisten with frost-bits and the air felt bright and crisp in their lungs.

Then suddenly they broke through the mist bank and were blinded by the bright flood of sunlight. Warmth washed them and lit the landscape all around. The snow sparkled like diamonds, crisp and pure. Little flurries of shimmering particles lifted all around them, stirred up by their hooves in the deep drifts and caught aloft by the sharp breeze. Behind them the fog bank hung like an indistinct wall of white-grey, forbodding, but before them was the brightness of the moutain in all its glory