Swimming

[LouLou]

She laughed. "I'm from a Tiger horse herd from up North," she stated. The remebering his comment she smiled shyly. "I am glad I came down here as well and decided to nap by a creek in a tranquil territory," she added. She knew it sounded a little flirtatious but it wasn't over the top flirtation, but it was something.

"Do you have any siblings?" she asked. She wanted to know this stallion better. He was kind and respectful but she just knew his personality not some of his memories.

[horsespirit]

Stormfeather was having fun learning Thirteen's history while she learned his. Is was fun and easy to talk with her, which made her shine out to him more and more. "I have no siblings but wished I had more friends, I mean, just because I own territory, I can still be friends with other stallions who also have terri. So how about you, do you have siblings?" he said to her.

[LouLou]

Thirteen listened to his answer and smiled. Of course stallions could be friends with stallions. "Well I am the thirteenth foal borne from my mother. They all have the same father but I have a dark father. When I was born I was considered the bad foal because their father kicked us out because she had been with the other stallion. So I stayed away with them most of the time and stayed close to four siblings. Smoke Ring, Frosty Beau, Lakota Dreamer, and Dream Catcher. They were my friends," she stated sadly. She hated how her mother blamed her for all that had happened. It really wasn't her fault but her mother's own.

"My childhood was not the best," she mumbled softly as she looked again at the horizon.

[horsespirit]

Stormfeather found a nice dry red tail hawk tail feather and put it into Thirteen's mane. It fitted well and stayed, like most feathers do. "It's ok Thirteen, I think it is not fair that you were named just because what your mom did. Find a better name my sparrow if you want but if you don't I won't mind," he said to her softly in her ear. One of the surprises on the bottom of the lake was a water proof bird nest that had fallen in there a long time ago. In it, it held a single feather that perfectly descripted a storm with lightning, and another one was pure white, not yet touched by an equid. Only then did the feather change. He almost got the nest up before but it slipped and he had to breath, he will try once he had trained himself to be able to hold his breath better and longer.

Stormfeather had that distant look in his eyes. Oh how he would love to get that feather! But to get them, the horse had to prove it's way by reaching the bottom and bring up the nest. Then he would be leader of these lands for sure. His queen would have to go through the same thing, and then that would prove that she was queen.

[LouLou]

Thirteen smiled as Stormfeather put the rusty red Hawk tail feather and put it into her mane. She looked at him when he suggested to change her name. "I like my name. I was the thirteenth foal and that's actually crazy considering I don't kknow of mares having so many foals. I may not be unlucky but my name is who I am," she stated with a shrug. She was silently surprised that she said that much.

He noticed how Stormfeather had a distant look in his eyes. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. "What's wrong Stormfeather?" she asked softly, hoping not to completely interrupt his thoughts.

[horsespirit]

Stormfeather snapped completely out of his thinking and looked over out across the lake and back to Thirteen, "Yes your name is lovely Thirteen, and nothing's worng, just thinking of something," he simple stated, the sunset was coming upon them quickly, that would be the best time to try again. Even if he wasn't at full strengh, it would still be a good time to try. He knew Thirteen would silently cheer him on if he told her what he was going to do.

"My dear Thirteen, I shall be going for a long dive during the sunset. Worry only if I don't come up in a few minutes. Horses can only hold their breath for so long," he said to her. It the sun was almost touching the horizan and it was almost time for his dive. It would be ok if he didn't come up with the nest, just as long as he had tried before going to sleep.

[LouLou]

Thirteen nodded as she listened to him. "Good luck," she stated softly and nuzzled him. She looked towards the horizon and noticed the sunset beginning. She watched it. The sun let out a yellow and orange burst. Then the colors after that were a red that mixed with the dark blue sky. She looked up in the sky and noticed the night black sky that seemed to be taking over. She also noticed the full moon that looked breathtaking in the clear black sky.

She turned her attention back to Stormfeather and nuzzled him again. "Good luck Stormfeather," she stated with a sweet, confident smile. She did a quick little prance in place and smiled again.

[horsespirit]

Stormfeather watched the sunset with Thirteen and was glad that he had her luck. She nuzzled him once more before he bunced his mucles and took a few cantering paces in thr water and then diving into the deep center of the lake. He had taken a big breath before, and the water rushed around him, he was quickly going to the bottom. He propelled himself forward by swimming down quickly, useing the momentum he had gotten from his dive to go quicker, and he swished is tail that helped him to got faster. His tail could drag his speed down on help him. He opened his eyes and looked around, the nest was off a little to the right, so he twisted his body slightly going after it. A few bubbles came from his mouth, he only had half of his air supply left.

He let himself float the rest of the way down saving energy, and got to the nest. He slightly opened his lips and ivories and quickly clamped onto the nest, and pushed off the bottom of the lake, this was the first time he actually might make it. He started swimming powerfully up. He was getting tired and his air supply was almost out. He had to hurry, he pushed off the rocks when he came to one and finally burst out into the open. He dropped the nest and it floated beside him. He spit out the water that had come into him mouth. He took huge breaths of sweet air, his muscles were sching like crazy. He treaded in the water awhile before going to Thirteen. "Thirteen, do not touch the white feather, it is meant for the true queen. The one that cen get the nest from the bottom of the lake too," he said to her.

Stormfeather opened the nest by nudging a feew twigs out of the way and picked out his feather. It was different shades of grey like a storm cloud, gave off a faint electrical energy and a faint glowing that was like the feather with yellow. There was a place in the feather that zig zaged like a lighting bolt and was a silver, yellow, and white. He put it on his backand pushed the nest back out to the middle of the lake where he pushed it back under the water and swam back to Thirteen. "Thirteen my dear, can you put the feather in my mane?" he asked, referring to the one on his back

[LouLou]

Thirteen threw her head up in joy when he brought the nest up. He brought it to the shore and told her not to touch the white feather. Of course she listened but she looked at the nest in amazment. How did it manage to stay under water and not have the feathers float away? She watched as he put the exotic gray feather on his back and swam towards the middle of the lake and put the nest back where it was.

When he back to her, she smiled again. He asked if she'd put the feather in his mane. "Of course," she stated as she walked towards his back. The exotic feather was beautiful. It was different shades of gray and a yellow zigzag line ran down it. She picked in up carefully with her teeth and put it in his mane near his ears.

"It fits you perfectly," she stated with a smile as she nibbled the hair around it so the feather stayed.

[horsespirit]

Stormfeather was very happy now. "By the way, I should tell you that the nest stays under water by a stick it is snagged on. The feathers are woven into the nest. Thank you Thirteen," he said and nuzzled her. She was a very nice mare, but night was falling and it was getting late. "Thirteen my dear, it's time to sleep, the night is young, but we shall need our energy," he said and started to walk to the pine forest.

[LouLou]

Thirteen was fascinated that the nest stayed down by a stick that held it in the water and that the feathers were woven into the nest. She looked at Stormfeather as he told her that it would be best to sleep. He was probably tired due to diving under the water. She nodded in agreement and pranced after him.

As she stood next to him, she looked at the feather again. "The feather really fits your name and everything," she stated with a shy smile as she pointed out the obvious. He probably noticed it but maybe he'd appreciate someone else noticing.

[horsespirit]

"Haha Thirteen, very funny," he said to her. He bumped her to the side slightly as her walked. He picked out a big pine tree to sleep under and lowered his bodice down on to the soft pine needles that cover the ground. He put his head how and his eye lids slipped slowly over his eyes. "Good night Thirteen," he said sleepily to her.

[LouLou]

Thirteen rolled her eyes playfully when he bumped her. It was ture. The feather looked stormy and it was... well... a feather. Stormfeather. Now she shifted from hoof to hoof, not sure where to sleep. She went to the pine tree next to him and lowered herself. The needles were not as prickly as she though, but smooth and comforting. Other leaves were mixed in with the needles as well so maybe that was another reason. "Night Stormfeather," she stated as he said a sleepy good night.

She should've been tired but she wasn't as tired. She lain her spotted head on the bed of vegetation and looked around at everything.

She was at the level of a rabit. Huh. They couldn't see much. Her white and brown eyelashes fluttered shut after a time period and her hazel eyes were hidden.