Welcome to Gaia! ::

He emerged from the woods, letting the moonlight bathe his coat, dancing through the wraith-like arms of the nearby tree branches to cast shadows across his pale face. To the last mare he'd come across he had been a frightening sight... He had done his best to avoid most since then, not wishing to appear as a ghost to any other than those he sought out.

Of course, sometimes one managed to come across another when they were least expecting it... Now would have been one of those nights. "What am I to learn from this?" He murmured to himself as he stepped forward, quietly clearing his throat to alert the mare to his presence.

This mare was certainly far different than the last mare he'd met and that alone brought a slight smile to strangely curved lips. Amazingly, he even found himself chuckling. "That woud all depend, I suppose... How thick do you think the ice is and how much do you believe you weigh? The ice might be more likely to hold a spectre than a mare... But one never knows. The nights have been colder, haven't they?"

"Crow could probably find out... But he has gone to nest for the night." Unlike most other nights, of course. Then again, his feathered companion had taken to keeping watch durring the day since he himself had taken to being awake all night.

He took a step back as the mare took a step forward, leaving enough room for him to bow his head politely. "My pleasure to meet you, Fortune... Or, perhaps it is my luck... Or Lady Fate, who does guide us as she wishes. I am Draven... Eric Draven."

His brow lofted slightly, using his 'mask' to hide a chuckle as he moved closer, giving the mare's shoulder a gentle nudge. "Careful... The snow may be soft but it is cold... And wet. Being wet in the cold is rarely a good idea. As for what I prefer to be called?" He paused for a moment, thinking of the many things he had been called over time... "Draven, please." Only she had called him Eric...

He seemed to bristle at the mention of fire, but that reaction was only momentarily and soon replaced by a sort of fondness as he spoke of his winged companion. "Crow... He is just that. A crow who has chosen me as a companion or, perhaps, in my time alone I chose him. We have been traveling together for many moons now."

"Strange?" Odd. Did all Soquili around here consider others who were slightly different than them strange? "You aren't strange. Different than others, perhaps... But certainly not strange."

His eyes drifted towards the ice for a moment before his gaze returned to the mare. "... Do you know the signs to watch for so that you know when ice will break?"

"They often say that birds of a feather tend to flock together..." He looked away from her as he said this, slowly making his way towards the lake. He placed one hoof on the frozen surface. "To walk on ice you take it one step at a time... You must listen very carefully. Ice makes sounds just before it breaks... You must also watch very carefully. Sometimes, if you're watching carefully enough, you can see the cracks forming..."