A New Home, A Little Scary

((bear with me guys, I'm new to warm-bloods and so Fair Wendy's design might change a little from time to time as I test her out))
((edit: already realized I forgot her leg markings XD So not used to leg markings! But I already deleted the original raw file, so for now, have to leave it))

It was late by the time Will and Clara had gotten Fair Wendy back to Adhacrann, having made many roundabouts on the way to make sure no one followed them. By the time they reached the Virginia coastline where the island had parked at last, the sun had long since set and Adhacrann lit their path along its roots with will 'o' wisps to get them home safely. As much as Clara wanted to let Wendy run free in the pastures, it was too late and she couldn't risk the spooked mare getting hurt in the night. So they set her up in a stall of the ever changing stables (the tree still couldn't figure out that one, too many people had too many ideas of what a stables should look like XD )) and hoped for the best in the morning.

By early light, Clara was already up and had Kimmie up as well so they could start homeschooling. After breakfast, mum decided that the first subject should be biology of large animals and towed daughter to the stables with her. It wasn't totally forced, Kimmie didn't mind the horses, but she wasn't as impassioned by them like everyone else. It was fun jousting with Will and Mandy, but she preferred her time running with Max and the other cats or climbing trees. However, Mom's word was law here and so lessons began with a blend of biology and veterinary science. And for Clara, it seemed all too soon that her daughter was old enough and smart enough to be this far in lessons. Not only were they on micro and macro biology, but had started atomic theories and were edging close to intermediary algebra. Gordie chalked it up to a smart mother, but Clara couldn't help feeling like her little girl was slipping away, turning too fast into a young woman.

So these mornings, she relished them, tried to make them last as long as possible, knowing all too well that one day they would be gone. They took their time, went over all of the other horses, giving love and attention especially to Stella, Spitfire, and Mandy before sending them out to the pastures after feeding. Clara left Fair Wendy till last, only because with such a nerve wrecked horse, she wasn't sure how long this would take. The mare was awake and antsy, pacing her stall and huffing. Hearing the other horses had woken her, unsure of who the other inhabitants were. Clara waited until the mare was willing to accept them approaching her and readily ate as they filled her bin and water, which mother was grateful for. A horse too nervous to eat was a bad sign. So long as Wendy had a good appetite, she had faith and assurance in their presence. Eventually, Kimmie went into the stall, petting and talking calmly to the mare before beginning to brush her down. This too, Wendy was more than willing to receive. As scared as she was of her new surroundings and all this attention she had been missing, she missed the touch so much more, desired to feel wanted by someone. They took their time, cleaning her own until her coat shined in the early sun like aged copper.

Unlike the other horses, who for the most part ran free on the open pastures, Clara decided that for now and for Wendy's sake, she should stay in a fairly enclosed pasture so they could keep a close eye on her. Thus, they let her fun free in a forested paddock to the south west of Adhacrann's entrance, a simple temperate zone not unlike a spring in Minnesota. At first, Fair Wendy stood near the fencing, watching her humans and not sure what she should do. They watched her and she them, until finally the mare decided that maybe she could explore this place a little bit. After a half hour, she mustered enough courage to start sprinting around, testing the new territory. Once mother and daughter saw her relaxing a bit, they decided they could leave, needing to go inside to start music lessons now.

Wendy paused, unsure of their absence, but the smell of sweet grass and morning fog beckoned her. It felt so strange to her, being able to run in a pasture without running into other horses, but the solitude felt nice for now, trotting freely without dealing with dominance battles in a new herd. She danced a bit longer in the open field before making her way towards the forest line, zigzagging through the light that filtered in the trees. The quiet stillness of the morning had so enveloped her that when she finally did hear something other than early birds, she became fearful once more. Bears? Cougars? Wolves? Or worse...dogs! The mare skidded into a clearing and rose herself up out of fear and the need to protect herself, trying to stop herself in time to avoid fanged mouths that she thought were waiting for her from the crashing sounds.

Instead, a small herd of deer were colliding out of the opening and trying to flee her back into the forest protection. It took only seconds and Fair Wendy was back alone in the stillness of morning. She lowered herself back down and stood there for a bit, listening once more to the emptiness the deer left behind. She felt a little silly now, having gotten spooked so easily. Once, there was a time when she wasn't like that. It seemed so long ago now. But the larger human, she seemed so calm, even when Wendy was frightened in her new stall, the woman just stood and waited, an aura of calm. Maybe she could teach her how to be calm again, the willow in the storm that would bend, but never break...

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Fair Wendy's pose: colourize-stock.deviantart.com…
Deer: piratelotus-stock.deviantart.c…
Background: selvastock.deviantart.com/art/…