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Yup.
He was a Big. Ass. Stallion.
In every sense of the phrase. Capitalized, bolded and italicized.
The way the men talked about “taming” him had spiked her nerves and made her worry. She was glad to see that they hadn’t maimed this gorgeous creature. She wanted to hunt them down again just for thinking about it.
“I’m sorry they hurt you, baby,” she cooed. “I’ll take care of you until you’re healed. Don’t worry. Mommy won’t let those bad men come near you again.”
The stallion shook his head and snorted softly, shying away from her touch as if he took issue with her words.
She chuckled at his reaction and reached for his muzzle, which he let her hold briefly with her palms before pulling away.
“Did I offend you with my coddling? I know you’re big and strong and think you can take on the world. But even the strongest and bravest of us can use a little help sometimes. I just want you to know that I’ve got your back.”
Talking to herself was something Divina did naturally. As she was almost always surrounded by animals, since they couldn’t talk back. In her dragon form, she was able to communicate telepathically with her pets. But she preferred her human form to enjoy them more and take care of them with the use of her hands.
Speaking out loud was relaxing. She did it to calm both herself and the creatures she doted on, keeping her voice low and soft. Animals cared more about the tone she used than the words she said, and sensed her emotions and intentions through the way she touched them.
She put all of her charms to work now, stroking her hand firmly over the stallion’s coat. Horses didn’t like to be to be petted by half measures. You had to use a firm hand. Otherwise, the tickling sensation on their hides irritated them after a while.
She knew all about it. She knew what they liked to eat, how they liked their hair and coat brushed.
With this particular beauty, she was already thinking ahead to the first opportunity to bathe the filth from his body, clean his wounds. Surely, there must be a stream nearby. They needed to make camp at night in any case, satisfy their thirst and hunger.
“Lift up, big boy, let me see the bottoms of your hooves.”
He obeyed her commands readily, as if he understood what she said.
But then, that wasn’t surprising. She always did have a way with the four-legged variety of beasties. And the two-legged sort, for that matter.
As long as they were male, she knew how to charm them.
Well, not those awful horsemen just now. She’d like to charm them into a coma for what they did.
Horses were Divina’s favorite creatures, of all the animals on earth. It was a difficult choice, because she had a soft spot for the furry ones. But she always thought horses were the most majestic, the most regal and noble.
Wild and free. Intelligent and loyal.
And this stallion was the most beautiful of all, by far. Even underneath all that grime.
Distantly, she wondered whether it was strange for her heart to be beating so fast around him, as if she was an untried girl who got her first taste of Eros’ elixir.
But then she simply shrugged.
She was a dragon.
Who admired a horse.
Surely, there were stranger things in life.
Like centaurs carrying off virgins every four years on the August full moon.
“So…” Ere mused, “what do you intend to do with this beast? By the looks of things, he doesn’t seem like the sort who’d countenance people riding him. Not sure how much help he’ll be on our quest. He looks like a rather fierce and wild and dangerous fellow.”
“Of course we won’t ride him,” she admonished, smoothing one hand down his long, muscular neck.
“Look how weak and starved he is. And wounded besides. We have to make him better.”
