Aludra was lounging near the edge of the oasis the herd called home, watching the wind catching the sand. She was a bit bored. She felt like she'd been in this herd for her whole life. Which was fairly accurate. As soon as she was fully grown, her mother had starting planning for this trip. Naturally, she didn't really want to go. To leave where she'd grown up, to barely be grown up herself, and be moved somewhere completely unknown. Even the landscape was different. Sand felt weird under the hooves. It had taken her some practice to get used to walking on it. Trotting would cause her to slip. Fortunately, the oasis had parts of it that were fertile soil, like what she was more used to. What she missed. All these years and she still couldn't say she was too comfortable with all this open space. She missed trees as far as the eyes could see.
The grey mare flicked some sand with a hoof before turning around to stand under the shade of a tree. All these years here and she could barely say she'd even made any friends, let alone did what her mother had requested of her. How disappointed Yasmin would be with her only daughter. At least her brother had done something with his life instead of feeling like he was wasting away in an unknown place with so few to talk to. She'd overstayed her welcome. She was sure no one in the herd felt that way, but...She couldn't help it. It felt awkward enough coming here just as marriage material. Now it was even more awkward, having failed at that. And she couldn't just leave. Not to the disappointment of her mother or to trust in some stranger to take her home. No way!
Aludra sighed and was about to lay down for a nap, to escape to her dreams, when a movement in the distance caught her eye. She straightened back up and watched their approach, expecting a merchant. That was at least some bit of excitement she could find, hearing their stories or any news of what her family might be up to. Cloth bellowed around it. It wasn't uncommon to see Stars in the desert wearing something around their bodies. Something glittered around their neck, catching the rays of the sun that sat above her. As they grow closer still, so did her form still. This wasn't just a merchant.
With a loud cry, Aludra sprang forward, breaking into a gallop to close the distance between them. A lady didn't run so hard, but she didn't care. With her long tail streaming behind her, she gave a single call of "Daddy!', before remembering herself and slowing down, settling for a slower trot. She was out of breath when she reached him, bending her head low. Even so, she didn't let herself recover before asking a question. "Why are you here? Is everything alright back ho--with the family?"
*Ice_Dragon_Demon*
