I think my unicorn is pregernet

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

Vesper

Twilight settled with a chill, its starlit eyes winking into view among the violet seams of the world. Colt glanced at it with a huff, pulling her jacket tighter around her neck to trap the remaining heat of the day against her. "I don't know how we got stuck with night watch, but c'mon" she urged, and the bay gelding beneath her offered only a grunt in response before moving into a comfortable jog. The coiled rope on her side thumped rhythmically with the soft squeak of the leather saddle, which was in tempo with the whispering frill of her chaps and the metallic ting of her spurs. The horse's hooves determined the speed of their song, and she hummed along in time with it all, smiling softly as they rode the borders of their ranch. Although this land was relatively safe, they still ran patrols to monitor the herds for predators or risks, especially now with so many due to foal out any night. 

Although Colt had a pattern she typically rode, she cut across the meadow towards one unicorn herd in particular. A report from earlier said the palomino mare was producing wax and looked deeply set. She was due to foal, and since this would be her first, the odds of complications were higher than normal. 

As they neared Colt sat deeper in the saddle, the subtle shift of her hips a silent communication to slow. The gelding moved into a steady walk. She didn't want to come running into the herd and scatter them. "Do you see her?" she asked herself more than her mount, scanning the group which had sprinkled themselves across the fields for some evening grazing. If she was going to go into labor, the mare would have wandered off to do so alone, to keep that moment of vulnerability more private for herself and the babe. That of course, meant it'd be a bitch to find her.

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

He wasn’t lost.

Not exactly.

Vesper’s boots moved quietly over the soft grass of Meadowreach, the earth pliant beneath his steps and blanketed in a riot of blooming flowers that caught in the wind and his boots alike. Twilight painted the world in slow gradients of lavender and gold, the horizon dissolving into stars at the edges, and even he had to admit—it was almost disgustingly peaceful.

His shadows didn’t like it. They curled lazily at his heels, slow and aimless, like snakes too full to strike. Not even the usual hum of unseen predators stirred around him, which only made the hairs on the back of his neck lift. Predators didn’t avoid places for no reason.

And yet here he was, traveling through this pastel postcard on his way to something far less wholesome: the House of Midnight. Vesper had never been, but he’d heard whispers—rooms shaped by Frey’s magic, a loft tucked away for more professional dealings, and more than a few patrons who'd be worth listening to with a drink in hand. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, and now, here he was, tracing the edge of the meadow where starlight kissed the petals and the scent of wildflowers clung to his skin.

He caught the sound of hooves first—steady, deliberate, not fleeing. A working pace. Then the jingle of tack, the faint rasp of leather, the silhouette of a rider cresting a low roll of meadow. Vesper slowed, hands loose at his sides, expression unreadable but alert.

His gaze flicked over the figure: a woman on a bay, her posture sharp and sure even in the fading light, eyes scanning the herd grazing nearby. Rancher, clearly. Not someone he’d met before. Still, something in her focus made him speak, voice low and even as he stepped just into the glow of twilight, where the stars hadn’t quite claimed him yet. "You lookin’ for someone?" he asked, casually, like he hadn’t just emerged from a bed of wildflowers with shadow wrapped around his ankles. His gaze lifted to the unicorns beyond her. "Or just out enjoyin' the view?"

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

Sometimes you look so hard you fail to see. Colt assumed that was how she'd failed to notice the young man crossing the open meadow until he was close enough to call out to her. She jolted faintly, but smoothed out quickly enough as she twisted in her saddle to better look at him, muttering under her breath at the gelding, "thanks a lot for the warning." He could have at least flicked an ear or something. Instead the mount was overly relaxed, back foot already cocked in preparation of a wait.

"Can't say nighttime is the best way to take in these sights," she said pointedly. "Unless you got cat eyes, I suppose." Which was to say, she did not. She took a moment to openly regard the stranger, literally looking him up and down. A judgment seemed to weigh behind her eyes, a debate about whether she actually wanted help that might prove more of a chore. He certainly didn't look like he knew his way around a horse's ass, which would normally be a compliment, but less so in her line of work. "You got ants on your face, you know," she pointed out coolly, mistaking the shifting constellation freckles for bugs of some manner in the low light.

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper slows as the rider turns toward him, catching the flicker of surprise in her movement even if she smooths it over fast. He doesn’t smile—just tips his head, eyes flicking between her and the gelding with mild curiosity.

"Didn’t mean to startle you," he says, tone dry but not unkind. "Guess I walk quieter than I thought." His hands remain tucked in his coat pockets, posture easy despite the scrutiny she levels his way.

The night wind stirs his hair as she takes him in, and he bears the appraisal without flinching, as if used to being measured and found confusing. At the remark about the "ants," he raises a brow, then lifts one hand and brushes his fingers lazily across his cheek. "Not ants," he offers by way of explanation, eyes glinting faintly in the moonlight. "Just freckles that have a habit of wanderin'."

Only then does he glance toward the herd scattered across the meadow, realizing there’s more going on here than a midnight ride. "Didn’t mean to interrupt your... field trip, or whatever this is," he says with a flick of his fingers toward the grazing unicorns.

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

He seemed harmless enough, but most dogs wagged their tails before they bit. "Strange," was all she said in response to his correction about the skittering on his cheeks. Then again, this land had a habit of being strange, so she spared it no further thought. He at least handled it gracefully, which was more than most people who met her for the first time. She might still change that yet. "Field trip?" she laughed, but it lacked humor. "Are you allowed to be out on a school night?" She spoke as if she was an old crone, but it had less to do with her age and more her impatience, one that was often worn down by the inexperience of youth. They tended to be liabilities.

A few unicorns moved in her peripheral and she lifted her head, watching them for a moment. She turned back to him, assuming she hadn't chased him off with her welcome yet. She inhaled deeply, as if regretting her next words before she even said them. "Looking for a pregnant mare. I think she's going to try to give birth tonight, and I want to be close by in case it goes south." Colt watched him steadily, to see his reaction. They could very well call it a good night right then and there, and he'd continue on his travels while she kept a wary eye over her shoulder, just in case. Or, he could help, "We're short staffed, so I don't have my usual partner to help me look." She trailed off, not outright asking.

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper’s brows lift slightly at the school night jab, the faintest glimmer of a smirk curling one corner of his mouth. "I’ll take that as a compliment," he murmurs as he pulls his hands from his pocket and places a sprig of peppermint bark between his teeth. 

The demigod follows her gaze to the movement in the herd, his posture still easy, though there’s a flicker of sharper focus behind his eyes now. Pregnant mare. Complications. Short staffed. His attention returns to her, and when he speaks again, it’s quieter—still casual, but with a thread of sincerity undercutting the sarcasm. "I don’t know the first thing about birthing unicorns," he offers, though he doubts if she thought he did. "But I’m not exactly busy, either. If all you need’s an extra pair of eyes and someone who ain't gonna flinch at the sight of blood or fluids, well..." He shrugs.

"Name’s Vesper, by the way," he adds, tone dry again. "Figure if I’m going to get kicked by a mare tonight, we should at least be on a first name basis."

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

She smirked at his response, grateful even if she wouldn't outright say it, not yet. In her line of work, you just did what needed to be done, simple as that. If she thanked everyone who worked hard around here she'd be breathless. "Seen much birthing fluid?" unless he meant other fluids. She didn't really need an answer either way.

The smile lingered, his sarcasm kind enough not to put her on the defensive, but instead to lean into her shared manner of speaking. "I'm glad you're prepared for that," she said with no hint of a joke, "Though you might want to be more worried about the horn if she's lying down." Colt leaned towards him, offering a hand to help him up in the saddle. "You ride, Vesper?" He'd sit behind her, for now. He wouldn't do much good helping her back there, but it was the quickest way to get him back to the barn and get him his own set of four-legs.

"I'm Colt."

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper’s grin curved slow around the sprig of peppermint still caught between his teeth, eyes glinting with something sharp and amused. "Seen enough fluids to not flinch," he answered, voice low and dry. "Got two sisters, so...' He added with a shrug as if that explained all there was to explain. And given Nova's gods-awful penchant for glitter, maybe it did.

The demigod didn’t argue when Colt warned about the horn. Just dipped his chin in a subtle nod, like he was already cataloging it—how close he should or shouldn’t stand, what the angle might be if a creature like that spooked. His expression didn’t change, but Colt would feel the shift in his posture—something just a little more focused now, quiet calculation settling into his frame like muscle memory.

When she leaned down and offered a hand, Vesper glanced at it, then at her, the peppermint bark clicking gently between his teeth. "I ride," he lied easily, reaching up to clasp her hand. He swung up behind her with surprising efficiency, his body folding into place with the kind of practiced grace that didn’t come from horses but from rooftops and ledges. Vesper didn’t crowd her—his hands found the back of the saddle, not her waist, giving her space but staying steady behind her. The smell of worn leather and wildflowers was strong up close—hers, he guessed, or maybe just the land.

"Nice to meet you, Colt," he murmured by her shoulder, voice barely raised above the sound of the meadow breeze. "Let’s go find your unicorn."

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

"Good." It was all she said as she turned the gelding back the way they'd come and pressed her heels into his side. She waited until she felt Vesper settle before doing so, but the wait was not long. The low light of twilight was fading fast, had been, so they needed to hurry. She wasn't worried they'd miss the foaling, that always seemed to happen at midnight by some unfortunate luck. No, what she was worried about was them not being able to locate the mare, which was why she was taking the time to run them back for another horse. Unless vesper could shift, his two legs would barely be worth a damn out here with miles upon miles to search. The herd they were near was the mare's herd, but she was decidedly not in it. That meant she was hiding somewhere, and usually it wasn't half as close as you wanted it to be. They always found a way to settle into overgrown thickets and sheer cliff drops to do their deed.

"Hang on," Colt grinned in her voice as she tutted under her breath at the bay. She'd let them trot for a minute to ensure Vesper was fully settled and on, but something faster than a trot was needed, and smoother for him anyway. The horse moved fluidly into a different gear beneath her, hooves consuming the distance with a thunderous exhale on every other beat.

"So where're ya from?" she called over her shoulder to him, to avoid the wind wrestling her words away. They were covering ground quick and would be back to the barn before long, but might as well get to know her new hand a bit better.

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper didn’t expect the sudden shift in pace. One moment they were gliding in a steady trot, and the next, the gelding surged into something faster, smoother, and a hell of a lot more vertical than his balance anticipated. His hand shot forward on instinct—catching Colt just above the curve of her hip, fingers curling around her waist to steady himself. It wasn’t a tight grip, not possessive, but firm enough to keep Vesper locked into the motion of the gelding beneath him.

"Apologies," he murmured near her ear, the wind catching the low rumble of his voice. Whatever discomfort having his hand splayed across her stomach might cause, he got the impression she was practical enough to permit it if only so he didn't bounce off the back of her horse. Still, the heat of her back against his chest, the scent of leather and sweat and distant meadow flowers at midnight might have made for an unexpectedly intimate moment, were they not fresh on the heels of talk of birthing fluids. Though something told Vesper that in the right context that might be exactly the sort of shit Colt could be into, when her mind wasn't so focused on finding and helping whatever mare they were after.

Leaning in slightly so he didn’t have to shout over the wind, Vesper said near her ear, "Torchline. Was just makin' my way to the House of Midnight when I pumped into you."

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

She laughed despite herself as she felt Vesper struggle behind her. She'd been hoping for a little bit of that, but was thankful he hadn't fallen, else she'd have to circle back for him and apologize. Her mirth was quickly replaced with surprise as his voice brushed so close and soft against her ear. Coupled with the sudden splay of his hand against her waist, a shiver ran through her, cold at first, then warm in an aching and familiar way. Her cheeks reddened, and she was grateful he could not see. She was uninterested in sharing a saddle with this man for much longer, much less anything else. It had just been, well a while since she'd had a moment like that.

Her scalp prickled when he leaned in again. Although he was only trying to make sure he was heard, Colt leaned a bit away. "That explains the tan," she calls back to him, choosing to focus on the Torchline answer more than the House of Midnight one. Although the nearby house attracted many a person, it's enchantments were certainly one of its main appeals.

They pulled up to the barn before she could broach any additional wind-torn topics. Colt slipped off with a practiced ease, not even waiting for the horse to fully stop. "Stay on," she remarked to him as she stalked quickly to a shed. She vanished for a moment then reappeared with a bridle on her shoulder and a saddle hooked on her hip. "He's yours for the night. Name's Chip." She said it with a grunt as she slid the saddle onto a nearby wooden post that came out from the wall. The bridle stayed around her shoulder, but swung around to her front as she marched into the main barn and vanished inside a stall. Another beat later and a buckskin mare was bridled and plodding along obediently behind her. "Hold the reins like an ice cream cone you don't want to melt," she instructed as she used her hand to brush minimal debris from the horse's back. "Keep your hand down, don't get in his way, he knows what he's doing better than you do." She slung a pad and then a saddle on in turn. The mare stood mostly still, taking the occasional step as she reached for scraps of food on the floor, like individual strands of hay. "Draw your hand towards your hip if you want him to turn. He'll turn the same way your hand goes." Colt cinched up the mare tight and tested the saddle before glancing back at him. "Press your heels against his side to speed up, hold them out and sit back to slow down. Keep. Your. Heels. Down." She swung up into the saddle, sliding the split reins between one finger as she settled into the stirrups. 

"Ready?"

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper remained astride as instructed, watching Colt with the kind of idle attention that might have looked lazy if not for the faint gleam in his eye. She moved with a purpose and ease that reminded him of certain smugglers he'd known—no-nonsense types who didn’t say more than needed and always knew exactly where their hands were. The kind who didn't often get rattled, and even less often let themselves blush. Not that he said a word about the flush he'd felt rise against his chest back on the trail. He filed it away, just like her voice, her posture, the warning in her heel-heavy gait.

As she reappeared with the gear, Vesper shifted slightly in the saddle. His shadows, sluggish but responsive, coiled up from beneath his coat like slow-moving ink in water, slipping down and around his calves to brace his legs against the stirrups. A second set crept around his midsection—loose and low like a belt—not enough to restrict him, but just enough to catch him if things went sideways.

Reaching forward Vesper ran a hand along the gelding’s neck, fingers brushing through the coarse hair with a low hum. "You stay under me," he muttered to the horse, "and I’ll stay outta your way." He gave Chip a gentle pat, then shifted to listen to Colt's instructions.

He didn’t interrupt. Just nodded at the proper intervals, committing the commands to memory while his shadows gently mimicked the posture she described, steadying him in anticipation. "Ready," he said simply, voice smooth, fingers wrapping around the reins as if he really were holding something fragile and cold. "If I die, I’d like it on the record that I was cooperative," he murmurs more to the gelding than the rancher.

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

COLT

Cowboys ain't easy to love
And they're harder to hold

Colt nods as he gives his response, pausing only for a second to look him over with that critical eye one more time before setting her heels to the buckskin side. The mare under her reluctantly gave up the pursuit of second dinner and strode off with a dramatic snort and grunt. Similar to Chip's stride, this one roused the music of leather and ropes, the melody just a bit different, as if each horse had their own private song.

Colt twisted in her saddle a bit to glance over at Vesper, a grin already on her face. "Hangin' in there cowboy?" She called over to him, warming up to the stranger bit by bit. As good a listener as Chip was, she was grateful for the company, not least of all because so far he listened nearly as well as the gelding. It wasn't most strangers, or men, who'd take so readily to being bossed around. He genuinely seemed willing to go with the flow though, and she could appreciate that. "So the unicorn mare, she's golden colored, white mane and tail. She'll be somewhere hard to find on purpose. We'll go back to where we started, then take it steady, can't spook her."

They'll never stay home
And they're always alone

just because the fog is there

Vesper adjusted the reins lightly in his hands, letting the gelding find a comfortable rhythm beneath him. The shadows around his calves gave a gentle squeeze—reassurance or warning, it was hard to say—and he sat into the motion with a bit more ease than before. Chip didn’t seem offended by his lack of skill, which was about the highest praise Vesper figured he was going to get from a horse.

At Colt’s call, he glanced sideways, a dry smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. "Still vertical," he replied, mentally repeating the word cowboy and letting it roll off his tongue like a language he didn’t speak but liked the sound of.

The description of the mare had his gaze sliding forward again, scanning the horizon like something golden might just shimmer out of the grasses if he looked long enough. "Hard to find on purpose, huh." There was a note of appreciation in his voice, not just for the unicorn but for the mare’s stubborn sense of privacy. He could respect that.

"Forgive the stupid question," he began, a touch quieter now. "But if she doesn't want to be found, any reason we're tryin' so hard to find her?" His shadows loosened slightly, as if to mirror the shift in pace Colt was describing.

don't mean nothing's behind it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3