First Touch
RP Owner: Val Waralic
Age: 25
Val had loved neravontiis since she was a little kid. They were so loyal and fierce and powerful, and she really couldn't think of any creature she'd rather spend time with. She'd ridden her dad's gelding growing up and taken a lot of care of him, so she knew what she was doing. There was plenty of property at her small house, she'd fenced in the land to make a lovely pasture. She'd had a large barn built, large enough for three or four neravontiis. It wasn't the large-scale farm she'd dreamt about, but it was a good start. It was cozy. Now it was just missing a nera.
......
The adoption pen was small and crowded. Four neras stood inside, watching the people who milled passed. They looked weary, ears pinned, tails grasping the pen bars or their ankles. Three of them occasionally pushed their muzzles through the bars, baring their teeth at certain people, making their annoyance clear. The fourth stood at the back of the pen, head down, ears limp. She was pale with minimal white striping and green points. Not exactly a flashy nera but she was classic and beautiful.
"What's that one's tag number?" she asked the pen keeper. He glanced at the pale nera and then shrugged. These pen keepers tended to care little for their charges, especially the shy, quiet ones that would make poor racers. A moment's hesitation told Val that the keeper had nothing more to say to her, so she edged around the pen, trying to get close enough to see the mare's tag number.
When she got closer, the pale mare lifted her head, shifting uncomfortably. Val cooed to her, hoping she wouldn't run off before she could see the number on the little tag. She could tell that the nera was watching her very carefully, but she hadn't decided to move off yet. Val talked to her some more, gently, trying to get her to keep still. Just a little closer. She held one hand onto the bar of the pen and leaned in, just close enough to see.
186.Got it. She smiled. "186, huh? How about...Kai?" Now she had the number, she could find the seller and make him an offer before she went into the auction ring. It would make him happy - auction fees were expensive. Hand still clasped on the bar, Val leaned her chin onto it, watching as the mare considered her, flicking her ears back and forth as she listened to Val's words.
"I'll get you out of here and into a nice place, Kai," she said, smiling, "I just hope you like it there...it's kind of lonely right now, but eventually..." As she spoke, the nera sniffed at her, taking a half-step forward. Val trailed off, slowly taking her hand from the bar and putting it in front of the nera's nose. She got closer, extending her neck, taking another whiff.
"You'll be safe," Val said quietly, "And no one will yell at you or put you in a little pen like this..."
The mare huffed and sighed, flicking her ears forward again, and then very gently, pressed her nose into Val's palm.