&& time is all we have (zed)

[Silver]

Meriday

She wasn’t the most outgoing mare in the world. Actually, she was one of the few mares that didn’t want the company of most anyone. It wasn’t a choice that she would have made originally, but semi-recent events had caused her to think twice about a lot of things. Whereas she had thought she was the prettiest looking thing in her herd, now she was careful to show herself in the least provocative manner that there was. Even with her mate around, she still found it hard to break out of that shell. Her history was marked by a big open wound, further opened by the reappearance of a certain stallion that had wreaked havoc on a young, impressionable filly. The slight palomino mare sighed and sniffed around the ground. Small green shoots were pushing up through the spring ground, providing sweet snacks for those who cared to be picky. Meriday wasn’t a picky mare per se, but she knew a good thing when she saw it. Well, she thought, it took me a time to see Zed for the thing he is, and for what he ain’t. She was a little ashamed at how long it had taken her to realize this, but it wasn’t all her fault, really. He took a big ol’ time figurin’ his head out too.

Theirs had been (and perhaps still was) a long courtship. It had first started when he had found out about her store of blackberries (a clever idea of hers to keep all of the other rodents from eating her favorite fruit). Blackberries were his favorite as well, and soon companionship turned to something more serious. She was still shy, and perhaps more scarred than even she realized. It was something of a weakness that she herself hated. How could she be with him and still flinch at the idea of anything more physical than a simple nuzzle or standing close to him? It wasn’t that she didn’t love him - she did - but she was afraid. The last time that she had been with a stallion had turned to dust; her best friend had stolen him right from under her hooves. After that day, she had begun to think of herself as inadequate as a being, and certainly inadequate as a female. Zed never seemed to think that of her, but her mind constantly doubted any such compliments or truths that he and logic offered.

She was a mostly proper mare, except for the fact that she was not averse to getting “down and dirty”. If anything needed doing, she would do it. If a foal needed tending to, so be it. There was nothing to low for Meriday. She was the kind of mare that was always there to get things finished quickly and neatly. The only problem was the fact that the Homeland was grossly underpopulated after the winter. It had been a hard one, wiping most of the equines and animals away with it. Thankfully she and Zed had made it out. She didn’t want to think about what she would have done had he died as well. In any case, there was nobody around that needed help, or advice, or anything of any kind. She was beginning to get restless, ranging further as she walked. Proof that the Homeland still needed horses like her still had to be seen. The idea that she wasn’t needed gnawed at her stomach like a hunger. She felt her mood slip downwards and tossed a look over to her mate. Slowly her heart lifted a bit, knowing that at least he needed her. He didn’t know how much she needed him.

ooc: she's still adorable and i still love her. <3
word count: 612
tag: zed

[Hud]

"Sometimes that's what the f*** life is... One vile f***ing task after another."

Zed's mind was rather empty this morning as he grazed on the new grass that had sprung up in the plains, reminiscent of the season. The stallion chewed diligently, filling his belly with as much as he could find. The portly stallion's shorter tail whisked back and forth over his hocks as he ate... The only parts of him that wasn't quite as focused on food were his ears.

Meriday was nearby, as they were sure to listen for. The lovely dame was his, and there was no way he'd let anyone take her from him. The two were quite the uncommon match, but they made it work. In truth, Zed had never felt the same way about another equine before he met Meriday. She was his equal, his partner, his love. The palomino was also the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and that didn't hurt either.

The stallion raised his large head, glancing back at her as he swallowed. Thoughts began to meander away from breakfast as he took her in. Every time he saw her it was like the first time. It was as if he had to take a double take to make sure this was reality. Zed knew he was lucky, though his pride kept him from articulating such. The bay had grown up around a very rough, prideful crowd with language to be ashamed of, not that he ever was. In truth, the stallion was rather long-winded. The issue was that in his long-windedness, cursing was not infrequent. He did not, however, enjoy cursing before her, though it was almost impossible for him not to.

"How ya doing this morning, Day?" he managed to utter as his hooves remained planted in their spots.

[Silver]

Meriday

The palomino mare looked back at her breakfast, now unappealing. Sometimes she wondered what they were doing, just lazing about all day and all night. Sometimes she felt like they should be doing...something. The sun was getting brighter, moving slowly through the sky. She savored the warmth on her back, causing little hairs to stand up, almost reaching towards the sun. Her winter coat was shedding, and a horse could see where she’d walked by just following the trail of golden hair that seemed to fall off in giant clumps. One such spot itched fiercely, so she reached her head around and rubbed at it with her nose. Golden hairs flew everywhere, some spiraling in the air to float down to the ground, others sticking to her muzzle and - to her annoyance - getting in her nostrils. With one unfortunately gigantic sneeze, she cleared out her nose of itchy hairs and shook her head. A patch of glossy, smooth gold shone faintly in the sun where her uneven, fluffy coat had been a moment before. Cool air whispered over it, and she could actually feel the breeze. Spring was a wonderful time.

Her mate called her name and she turned to look at him again. A smile stole upon her face, and her eyes lit up without her knowledge. It was perhaps her mind that kept her shyness upon her, not her body. Being in heat was not helping either. Her body was sending her signals that she didn’t want to acknowledge at all, nor did she think Zed did. He wasn’t exactly the kind of stallion who wanted offspring, she knew. She didn’t exactly know if she was ready either. So she left it, but her body certainly put up a fuss. With a small, under her breath snort, Meriday pushed the thoughts aside and picked up a hoof. Moving slightly closer to the large stallion, she nickered softly. “It’s spring again, Zed. I just love this time of year, and spendin’ it with you is mighty fine.” That drew the conversation to a halt, and she stood, pondering whether or not she should say something. They hadn’t been mates entirely too long, so sometimes she wondered if silence was unwelcome or not. “I saw some berries yesterday,” she commented, remembering her quick trip to one of the small creeks. “Must have forgotten to tell you ‘bout ‘em.”

ooc: UGH. she was fighting me so hard on this one... it was so much easier when she was human. gah.
word count: 405
tag: zed

[Hud]

"Sometimes that's what the f*** life is... One vile f***ing task after another."

Meriday praised the season as Zed looked back at her. He was happy she was happy, though he didn't exactly express it with the smile that any normal lover would respond with. Zedock was an unconventional stallion, to say the least. He showed his love to his mate by not telling her to leave him alone. Even in her condition Zed managed to control his not unusual stallionly urges. It was certainly not to say he didn't have them... He was an older male and he'd had his share of mares in his prime - some forcefully. Zed fully suspected that it was Meriday that had left him a milder version of himself - in a good way. The course and unrefined stallion he once was lingered, but was not as prevalent as before he'd met her and 'seen the light'. The mare had brought happiness into his dark world. Her golden coat shone like the sun in his life. She showed him that the world was not what it once was to him. There was good in it.

Zedock had never expected to find love in his life. His disposition and appearance assured him of that. Meriday waltzed into his life and he never wanted her to leave, though he wasn't sure how to show it. The stallion did manage a smile at her mentioning of berries. She knew his vices.

"Forgotten to tell me? The idea. You mean you ate them all," Zed joked, leaning his nose in to nip at her withers. It wasn't often that he engaged in physical contact with Meriday... He wasn't sure why.

OOC: Oh my gosh I know. I've just resolved that this isn't exactly the same character personality-wise because I can't say the F word all the time and he doesn't own a saloon. xDDD Lol, I just imagined horse Zed standing behind a bar. ALSO, poor Zed is so conflicteddddd. He doesn't know how to love her. <3

[Silver]

Meriday

It wasn’t often that her mate actually engaged in physical contact, so she was surprised when Zedock made the effort to enter her personal space. Meriday’s body ached with pleasure as she felt the gentle brush of soft skin on newly shed coat. Her body nearly vibrated with excitement. It was so long ago that she’d had a physical relationship, and she was buzzing with female hormones and the desire to be truly loved. The golden mare sighed with pleasure as a rush of warmth surged towards the tiny spot where her stallion had nipped. Yet as quickly as it had come, the touch left. Her heart ached for him to love her, really love her, like a stallion loved a mare, with all of the physicality, but she had the sinking feeling that it would not be forthcoming with their relationship, at least not soon.

That realization made the warm feeling falter. She loved Zedock - she couldn’t deny that - but sometimes Meriday wondered if he loved her as much as she loved him. The thought that perhaps he wasn’t as mentally committed as she was, even if his intentions were good, was frightening. Could she handle a major relationship with someone who didn’t share her desire for intimacy?

A quip from Zedock pulled her from her from her daze, and she blushed under her coat. A quick flutter of her lashes revealed that she had eaten more than she had planned, but it wasn’t all her fault. After all, Zed’s taste for the fruit rubbed off on her. Merri laughed softly and bobbed her head. “You found me out, darlin’. I did find a fine patch of berries off yonder, but I’m supposin’ you won’t want t’hear ‘bout that.”

ooc: Merri's got troubles too, wondering if he really loves her if he can barely touch her. (I wrote this while watching TV. I can't write in front of the TV. So...sorry for the shortness.)
word count: 292
tag: zed

[Hud]

"Sometimes that's what the f*** life is... One vile f***ing task after another."

Zed took in a long breath as he watched his mate speak. He could feel the tension. He knew her so well, and yet, sometimes he didn't. There was more beneath her response than the words' literal meanings. The stallion's dark, wide ears fell back against his head, his black forelock thick between his icy eyes. He blinked as his gaze ran down her form and back to her face. Why was she with him? What did she think she would gain? The old stallion had always counted himself lucky that she wanted to be near him, but why would she? He was a dinosaur compared to her, and it couldn't be his charming personality that kept her around... Zed had always wanted to know, but he'd never had the gumption to just ask in so many words. Perhaps now would be the best time.

Zed's pride was precious to him. He never wanted anyone else to think that something was important to him. It was such weaknesses that could be used against him, but really. Who was against him now in his old age? He stood as no challenge to any land-owning stallions, and Meriday seemed to be pretty attached... Did he have everything a stallion could want? He supposed so... Everything except the reassurance of his mate.

"Meriday... Why do you stand by me?" he asked with a grumble in his words. The tone was not directed at her, and he knew she understood that. His voice had always been gravely and leathery. For as long as he could remember. The stallion looked at his mate with all seriousness in his eyes...