There was the briefest moment of concern, worry, for herself as the stallion reacted at last to her presence, an initial indication of defensiveness appropriate for someone dealing with a trespasser. Apparently he hadn't heard her walk up, as she'd guessed, but whatever he saw in her seemed to cool much of that rising fire. Though it did make Phoebe wonder yet again how she must have looked to his eyes, and she had to consciously stop her new telekinetic gift from fidgeting with her mane as she wanted to do in an effort to smooth it down--undoubtedly he would see that and she didn't want any preening to be visible. There was no further hope for her appearance anyway.Her magenta eyes lit up for a second as the beautiful stallion introduced himself--Jarek--as a soldier, one of the famed warriors she had been hoping to see--though the excitement was immediately stifled and smothered as he commented upon her journey being visible in her appearance. A little piece of her wilted inside--Oh no, it is obvious!--but froze, surprised, when he scooted aside to make room for her in the pool beside him. Phoebe stared, gawked, at the godlike figure, still glistening under the waterfall, a picture of temptation and beauty. And he was looking at her, expectantly, with eyes even more dazzling than the pool he stood in. He was waiting for her.
She wasn't aware her breath had caught until she took in another to follow it, and again she cleared her throat, regained her smile, and dipped her head in polite gratitude. "Thanks," she muttered, unsure how to else to respond as she stepped forward into the pool, careful not to slip on the slick stone, and began to dip herself into the waters. It was only as she did so that she realized just how large the stallion was, easily head and shoulders above her, much like the young winged stallion back home. But they were very different. There was a rugged beauty to this soldier, a strength and power that simply radiated off of him, effortless and beguiling. Now mere feet from him, Phoebe gave up any pretense of hiding her stare.
The sunset mare didn't venture into the waterfall yet--that would bring her so much closer to the stallion than she felt ready for--but instead gave herself time to adjust to the sudden coolness, the brisk relief that immediately overtook her body as she submerged almost entirely up to her back. This section of the pool was clearly better suited to the stallion's much larger frame, but she wasn't about to complain let alone comment on it. "Oh. I'm Phoebe. Of the Dusk Court," she answered with what she hoped was a winning smile, all nerves tucked away behind it. "I'm a soldier too." And suddenly her thoughts turned: what if he thought like her old herd did? What if he believed she, so dainty and fragile beside his toned, muscular physique, was ill-suited to such a line of work, incapable of holding the title?
Subtly, Phoebe lifted her chin, commanding a sense of pride in the little gesture. Well, Adonis or not, if he did think that way, she just needed to prove him wrong. "It's so nice to meet another soldier," she added, the vaguest challenge behind it, daring him to question her standing as an equal--at least in this regard.
