MQ March 2 - Think this song is about you

With a fluffy, white fur draped across her back and a simple leather lead attached to the curve of her pink horns, Joan felt proud of herself and the girl who treated her like royalty. The ballator stood perfectly still while Ellie attended to the stones in her bare hooves and the sheen of her coat with a brush. Ellie was a black haired human with pink ends on her hair the same color as her horns, and Joan was rather fond of her two-legged compatriot. In fact she was so fond of her, she didn’t mind being ridden - but anyone else would end up face first into the snow.

Joan’s mane was freshly brushed out and elegantly braided up from her neck, and her tail was also brushed so that it hung nicely and without tangles. The ballator mare dipped to one knee to help Ellie as she jumped on the simple, bear-fur saddle blanket they used in lieu of “real” tack and then walked out of the stunning, oak barn. All of the snow was thankfully gone from the ground, but the air still had a small bite to it. Joan’s breath puffed out in clouds and she enjoyed Ellie’s nails scratching at her neck.

They rode like this often - up into the mountains, the valleys and the fields. Joan knew it kept her fit and ready, and Ellie seemed to settle down after the first half hour or so. Though Joan tried to understand the stress of her human’s world, it all just seemed so trivial. Why go to work, school, or pretend to like other humans when they could just get lost in the mountains together and never return? While Joan didn’t particularly enjoy the thought of losing her amenities in the big, oak barn, she liked her time with Ellie more.

Today, they went a new direction, and Joan didn’t hesitate when Ellie’s soft hands lightly tugged at the lead strapped around a curved horn. They trusted and believed in each other, and besides, Ellie had some device she called a compass that told her directions. It was metal like the decor she had in her ears that Joan liked to bump with her nose. The ground beneath her hooves got softer and the mountains seemed to part into an ethereal glade. Grass was thick and green. Flowers bloomed everywhere they looked and a glittering lake sparkled in the distance like a blue diamond.

Even the sun was brighter than its normal, wan winter light. Joan knew what was happening, but Ellie wasn’t privy to the comings and goings of the Highlords or Regale. From what little Joan knew, this glade could be trapped since the Highlords were constantly sniping at each other, so she tread carefully. That was until Ellie stiffened on her back and Joan jerked her head up, the pair staring at a stunning, golden stallion standing near the water.

Even Joan, vain as she was about her own spotted coat, had to admit that he was entirely something else to look at. Sparkling stripes adorned his neck and his legs were gold as well. His horns were curved and unique, and Ellie gently guided Joan with her legs to approach the stranger. It was clear that Ellie wanted to bring him home and care for him - as she cared for all things within her grasp, so Joan was determined to help.

“You there!” She called, tossing her pink adorned head proudly. “What is your name?”

The stallion lifted his head and regarded her as nothing more than dirt beneath his hooves, and she bristled at the look because she was CLEARLY magnificent as well. Did he not see the braids in her mane? The shininess of her tail? The beautiful human upon her back? Fool.

“My name is Midas,” he said, as if she should already know and he was bored with her already.

“Well, Midas,” she replied, still walking toward him. “It seems like Aether brought us here - and what other reason is there than to meet you?”

He nodded, as if this was clearly the case. The world revolved around his axis, afterall. “I am here to find interesting ballators…” he said. “Do you happen to know of any?”

Oof. Joan struggled not to pin her ears back against her head. “Oh, I’d say we are interesting enough. I live in a large barn with plenty of food and Ellie, my human, takes care of me.” Ellie watched the stallion, aware they were conversing. The human knew that ballators could speak to each other - they were intelligent creatures, and sometimes she could swear she could speak to Joan too….

“I suppose,” she said with a heavy sigh. “You could come back with us?”

Midas laughed but glanced at the human with some interest. “Perhaps, perhaps,” he said. “But it will take someone truly special to catch my interest. I am glorious, as you’ve seen.”

Wow, he really took the vanity to an entirely new level.

Ellie hopped off her back then and reached into the pocket of her jacket. She pulled out a delicious smelling treat and held it out for the golden stallion. The girl was obviously kind and gentle even if she was a bit rough around the edges in appearance and with other people.

“Be kind to her,” Joan warned Midas, and the stallion ignored her, intrigued by the good-smelling treat. The treat let her get close enough to him to stroke his golden, striped neck, and she started to gently untangle the strands of his short mane and the hair on his shoulders. She was very good and seemed to soothe Midas to the point where even Joan started to relax again. In fact, the grass looked very good.

Both ballators munched while Ellie fixed up his coat and gently touched under the stallion’s jaw. Immediately, Midas jerked his head up and stared at her warily and Joan let out an exasperated sigh. “Really? What is that for? She’s just trying to guide you home with us,” Joan said. “She’s good, and I have an excellent life. What more could you want?”

Midas narrowed his eyes slightly. “Freedom? Aether is my lord and no other can compare.”

“Then follow Aether while having good food in a nice home with a human who cares for you,” Joan argued, getting tired of dealing with this selfish creature. “Or don’t come. I get more for myself then.” The pink ballator approached Ellie and rubbed her nose along the bath of the human’s neck, gently biting a black braid.

Ellie seemed to get the point and came back to Joan, hopping on the plush, fur saddle gracefully. Joan backed away and started the trek back home. “Follow if you wish,” Joan called from over her shoulder. “There’s more treats where that came from.”