If she were being honest with herself, she picked one hell of a time to wander into Novus. First of all, it was downright cold. Sloane was not quite so accustomed to the chill of the winter mornings and she often wondered if she might have been better off having some sort of fire making ability. At least then she could start herself a fire and keep herself warm by it. And this precisely brings her to point number two.
Secondly, she just so happened to wander into a damn wildfire – one that was engulfing this area in flames, growing bigger by the moment. She did not like the way the air was replaced with smoke. It made her lungs burn and it really made her want to do nothing productive. Not only that, but the smell of smoke was nauseating. It made her feel as though she could upchuck her breakfast. Definitely not the best time to wander into this new place.
And yet, she stumbled on a meeting, a meeting of herd members. Was she really considered a member? She wandered here, asked for directions, and was pointed this way. Did that really make her a productive member of society? No. In fact, she really disliked herd life. They called meetings and actually expected her to do something to benefit the group. She wasn’t here to benefit the group, she was here to benefit herself.
And yet, as she meandered through the gathering of unfamiliar faces, she couldn’t help but allow her ears to perk forward at the mention that any who needed it, there was help here. Free food. Free shelter. Free protection. It didn’t sound like half a bad idea. Perhaps she could lay low here for a little while. Perhaps there was something worthwhile in this place that she had simply not discovered yet.
But there was still something that kept her on edge. Nothing was ever simply given away for free. Everything required a cost. What was the cost that this stallion was asking for? To take something for free was a sign of weakness. She could not appear weak. Perhaps it was best if she did not partake in the free food, free shelter, and free protection. No. She needed to earn her keep.
And so, the mare steps forward as the crowd is beginning to disperse. She does not want to seem too eager, so she meanders at a slow pace. But eventually, she makes it to the front of the group. “…and what will this cost me? Surely food and shelter is not something you are giving away so freely.” It did not occur to her, or if it did, she didn’t care, that she was a new face here. She was the stranger. She was essentially an intruder upon their land. This stallion had no need to answer her and yet she asked anyway. She did not even start with her name, a friendly introduction, or a grand entrance. She slipped in past the shadows, undetected. It was only now that she made them aware that she had arrived.
