The Sun in Paradise: 8432 Wild Hunt Attempt 1

It was too good to be true, so Nix thought. This was the place that was said to be a paradise for most ballators: Regales Glade. The glades were rumored to be the one place that Aether has landed and blessed with many gifts. One gift, in particular, had the humans back at Foxtail Crest head over their heels for. Hearing that there would be competition in this beautiful land, the humans had sent in their favorite young mare of the ballators to find this mysterious pony. Along with the most seasoned of handlers, Elliot. Unlike her human companion, she enjoyed the hunt. It felt more like a game to her more than anything. Meeting new ballators of all shapes and sizes, plus they got to go to a new home. So it was a win, win either way.

She trotted about the glades holding a sack of bait on her rump. Elliot browsed through maps and compass, this place was hard to find in the first place, trying to figure out how to get home was going to be harder.  This bait was starting to smell more delicious to Nix the more she looked back at it. She had to ignore it, at least for now. There was no one to say she couldn’t eat it afterward. However, she guessed that there wouldn’t be a chance to eat it like the last time.

 That chromed lilliput managed to steal her entire bait stash and made off with it! In the end, though she did get captured and fed afterward. Nix only hoped that this ballator would let her have some at the least. Biting her lip she groaned as her stomach turned and clenched.  “Don’t eat it, don’t eat it, don’t eat it…” The temptations were growing great as she came up to a small stream. “Exactly what I need.” Nix approached to take a mouthful of water. Surely this water would help her ignore the--hey this water was pretty good! Surprised at the taste she took another gulp of the water. This was incredible! How does water taste so refreshing?! Her handler was too preoccupied amongst himself to take notice of her findings as he dismounted. “Now if it's a steppe mix, it will want to find the sunniest place to be…” The human mumbled amongst himself

“I wonder…” Nix turned about to discover a lush grass growing nearby with spring flowers blooming. She bent over to bite into the grass, only for her mouth to water at the taste. It wasn’t meat but it was the best tasting grass she ever had! A small breeze combed through her manes with a fragrant spring smell. The sounds, the sights, it was...just….relaxing.  “Sorry human, I’m going to have some fun today!” She reared up before darting off across the fields. The noise of her happy giddy was enough to make Elliot turn about and looked on in sheer panic. “Hey hey! My gear! Come back Nix!” A frustrated Elliot ran after her, quickly being left behind as the mare disappeared into the open field.

Flower petals scattered about as she raced around making a giggling fit. The mare found a nice spot with dirt and decided to roll over. Nothing like a cool patch of dirt on a warm spring day! The bait sack slipped off of her as she got up to shake the dirt off. Not noticing it missing, she darted off to explore more; unaware that she herself was being followed by someone other than her human handler. 

For the short while, Nix was having the greatest time of her life. Hunting down that ballator didn’t come close to this experience! There was small prey everywhere to eat, soft grass beneath her feet, and tall trees to provide cool shade. It was as she was told it would be. A paradise that no ballator would want to leave. The only thing though that lacked here was the presence of a ballator; besides herself. However, that didn’t stop her from indulging in the pleasures of the glades. She slowed down to collapse in the field of tall grass. “I will never have this much fun every again for a while.” She sighed out happily letting a butterfly land on her ear. 

Taking in the peaceful atmosphere, Nix found herself slowly drifting off to sleep feeling mighty comfortable. It would be for another couple hours before she finally woke up. The birds were chirping over her with nothing but blue skies above. She yawned sitting up lethargically before sneezing. Pollon had gathered up her nose during her slumber. She sneezed again wiggling her nose, darn pollon. “Bless you...” A gentle voice spoke out. “Ah thank you, I should have known better than to sleep on top of dandelions--wait a minute!” The mare quickly turned her head about to find another ballator sitting just a few feet from where she was laying. 

The stallion chuckled at the mare's frantic maneuverability. “Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to scare you.” The ballator glistened in sunlight with his poecilia and was crowned in unusual, but beautiful adornments. There were so wild looking ballators that Nix had seen before, but this one took the cake! He was even sparkling around his feet, like a noble. His heterochromia was hard to miss as well.

“Don’t you think that maybe you could have made yourself present before scaring the life out of me?!” Nix was a bit shaken up. The stallion shook his head smiling. “Again I apologize for that, you were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you up.” The mare grumbled to herself, “Y-yeah well. You can’t just sneak up on creatures like that you know--” 

She was rudely interrupted by the grumbling of her stomach. The grass and water didn’t seem to fill her up to her needs. “Ah, the other reason I originally came here for. You dropped this while frolicking in the fields.” The steppe mix dragged over the bait bag to Nix. “It smells really good, mind if we share it?” The mare licked her lips but her ears did catch something else he said. “Oh yes, I mean if you don’t mind--wait you were watching me?” Nix stares at him suspiciously with her ears folded back.

“Well, it wasn't’ like you were trying to hide girly. You were clearly enjoying the sights, who was I to interrupt such a moment?” The stallion helped himself to some meat bait leaving a portion for her. Nix slowly took in the bait as well while he ate. “So, you’re not going to run away?” The stallion perked a brow at her and questioned her. “Why would I do that?” Nix sucked in her lip before responding. “Well, most ballators often try to run away from me before they get-- uh, acquainted with me.”  The mare didn’t want to add in just yet she was specifically here to hunt him. “I enjoy the company, isn't that a good enough reason for me to not run away?” The stallion did get up on his feet though as the breeze made his manes sway. “Though, if you’re up for it, I would like to join you in the game of chase. It is more enjoyable playing with another, don’t you think?”

With that said Nix swallowed the bit of bait in her mouth and quickly got up to her hooves. “Are you trying to say that you’re lonely Mr--” “Midas...it is Midas Ms.--?” 

“Nix, my name is Nix. Now my answer please?” The mare tilted her head to which the stallion nodded back. “I guess you can say that I might have a need for some social interaction. If you don’t mind?” Nix wiggled her muzzle then lightly trotted out. “That depends whether you can catch me or not?” A sly smirk was made as she darted off in the tall grass. The steppe stallion followed her eagerly not long after. 

The human handler had managed to make it up a hillside where he crashed. “I knew I should have brought the blue roan instead of her…” Elliot sat up just as a glimmering sheen of light was cast his way. Pulling out binoculars, he spotted the unmistaken steppe. “Oh yes yes!” He had his own small sack of meat as he headed towards the ballators who were still playing in the grass. It was only when Nix spotted her human heading her way did she stop chasing the steppe mix. She then playfully grinned looking Mida’s way. “Hey, you know if you’re lonely...I know somewhere better we can play in…” The gold poecilia male stopped momentarily and looked over her flank. Elliot was already there just ten feet away with some bait in his hand. "He's a grump, but a softie. You come with us, we'll have endless fun!" Nix assured the male. Midas wasn't so certain, but the bait did smell delicious. The steppe cautiously approached to take a nibble.