we built this city on broken glass

Frosts own violet gaze continued to linger upon that former Mongolian King- or whatever word the man might have used to denote his title. How a vampire intended to exist upon those Mongolian plains when any and all potential victims were fitted with their own tracking devices and those cameras flying intermittently overhead he hardly knew. That very thought was pressed to Alexander's own mind as the pair jostled for their place upon the starting line. The excitement and adrenaline around them seemed to have prompted a near frenzy in those other horses as nostrils flared and snorted, hooves stamped, people shouted and the riders struggled to rein in those overly eager animals. Alexander's own thoughts were quick to turn sour between that mental bond they shared. The Hunter's mind a veritable flicker and flash of dancing imagery that moved far to quickly for Frost to truly comprehend before the Macednian commented with a blunted insistence that Khan intended to feed from his horse. Frost's gaze shifted sideways once more to eye that dun stallion that stamped and pawed along with the rest of them. Khan, upon his back, seemed as poised and unphased as Alexander and yet the image of the Mongolian latched onto his own animals neck was a distinctly.....disgusting one. Frost entirely content to echo that sentiment that Alexander's own mind offered in turn. Filthy Mongolians indeed.

The sudden collision of one horses shoulder into his own saw Frost's thoughts jolted back to the matter at hand as his own ears pinned in disdain. The war horse readying himself to bite at the next horse foolish enough to trample upon his space. Alexanders hand reached downward then to pet the side of his neck, that unexpected touch, along with those Greek words, prompting Frost's ears to swivel backwards in turn- the stallion inclined to still beneath that touch. The other horses hardly worth his effort. Not when that race was about to start. His own muscles tensed beneath his snowy pelt as the starter lifted that gun within the air, the stallion readying himself for that cracking, booming sound that followed only moments later and sent that group of horses and riders charging forward in a stream of thundering hooves and tangled manes. Those very horses Matteo had indicated stumbled at the starting line, Frost, in anticipation, content to guide Matteo and himself to the outside of the group and that clear space as his own limbs extended eagerly forward to eat up the flat countryside beneath. For all his efforts to suppress that equine part of himself within his human form, Frost saw little need to deny himself the pleasure of that gallop now as his pace increased but a little more. Those horses all but flying across those flat, tussocky plains.

It was only once that initial gallop had lost its momentum and those riders had spread themselves far and wide that Frost allowed his pace to fall back to a trot. Alexander, as effortlessly as always, fell into an easy rhythm with that change in gait. The Hunter nothing short of fluid in his movements, his hands barely felt upon those reins. Hmmm. Perhaps he hardly gace Alexander enough credit. The Hunter by far the most superior rider he had ever had sit upon his spine. The man making that ride almost effortless in comparison to others. Frost's limbs extend smoothly across that open ground then, his hooves thudding dully on that sandy ground and dry earth as the sky above seemed to grow darker and darker. That storm and rain would hardly be far away. A few hours perhaps. Frost as keen as Alexander surely was to be as close to that next camp as possible before the downpour and the frozen air the night would bring their already soaked bodies. Several moments passed in silence between the pair. Each lost in his own thoughts as they travelled those plains before Frost's mind pressed agianst his companions own once more. The equine querying after the French Fae, the one whom had called Alexander 'Dad'. That Matteo was the man's son was...curious. Frost readily inclined to admit the title intrigued him. Alexander had told him he had children before and yet the Hunter never spoke of them. That Matteo was so present within the Hunters life and Alexander had made no mention of their shared blood was curious in turn. That family resemblance was hardly strong and yet, with the knowledge of their relationship, Frost was assured he could see those shared mannerisms, actions and words between Father and Son. That answer Alexander offered however- was irritatingly vague. He had not played the role of Father for some time now?

"You have not played that role in some time? What role do you play then?"

What a perfectly curious answer. Frost's own head shook lightly, the curiosity still turning within his mind as he kept that even trot across the landscape. Regardless of that relationship the Fae and Hunter shared those similarities between the pair were clear. Matteo, the stallion was willing to admit, had been a good horseman. Near as good as Alexander. The Frenchman one of the few Frost had been willing to allow to act as his veritable groom. That praise, so rarely offered, uttered with a genuine sincerity to Alexander then. His rider offering that simper in turn before insisting it had hardly always been so. Frost inclined to offer that snort of amusement then.

"If history speaks truly- then neither were you."

Those stories of Alexander's own battles were significant. History dedicating book after book to the Hunter and his exploits and yet too- those histories spoke of Alexander's own impatience as a young man in turn. Frost chuckling softly to himself at that very notion. The pair fell into silence once more as Frost continued to pick his way across the uneven ground and towards those snow capped mountains and the valley that ran between them. The first of their river crossings located upon that valley floor. Alexander hardly pushed him any faster, Frost in turn inclined to keep that even pace and yet both horse and rider were equally as keen to reach that river before the skies opened above. The pair had only just reached that trail that led downward and into the valley when a shout from behind saw Frost's own pace hesitate- if only slightly- that gentle urging from Alexanders heels coaxed him forward once more, his own long strides forcing those two women that travelled behind them to urge their geldings further onward until one kept pace on either side of Frost and Alexander in turn. Maddie and Jocelyn, it seemed, having brought news from that base camp via radio. Alexander having insisted before that race he hardly needed that 'ridiculous device'. Frost having been inclined to roll his eyes.

Maddie's description of that fight however saw Frost's own ears pricked forward. A Mongol groom so apparently having attempted to attack Alexander's son in those moments after the race. The Hunter's grip tightened upon those reins, that very gesture, though near imperceptible, felt easily by the stallion as Alexander attempted to appear nothing but concerned in front of those women as he queried after his son. That very response coaxing an amused snort from Maddie. "Your groom is fine, the Mongol guy had to be taken to the nearest hospital for stitches and a concussion though. Apparently the police are their now trying to work out what happened. Charges might be laid. It's all that was said." Jocelyn readily took hat opportunity to speak her own piece. "If Alexander's groom got attacked first though, he was only defending himself! He won't go to jail for that will her?" Maddie's head shook. "I wouldn't think so but no one really knows what happened, I don't know what the laws are in this country either. He might be in for a rough time with those police though, being a foreigner and all. Your boy looked like he could handle himself though." Those final words were offered to Alexander alone as the horses began that slow trot down and into the valley. Jocleyn spoke up once more. "I hope Matteo doesn't get in trouble for that. Imagine having to call you wife or girlfriend from a Mongol jail! Does he.....does he have either of those? Are you married, Alex?"

Jocleyn, it seemed, was hardly shy about inquiring after either man's marital status, her words earning her little more than an eye roll from her female companion as the trio reached the base of that valley. Frost was inclined to find himself baffled that he had managed to escape his mate and pack only to find himself surrounded by those women all over again. One of which seemed determined to make her own single status noted to Alexander in the middle of the Mongolian steppes.

"You don't intend to have us ride with these women the whole way do you?"

That question was prompted to Alexander alone as Frost increased his pace just enough to bring his head and forelegs ahead of the other two horses- as if to better illustrate his point. The single, colf, first drop of rain fell heavily from the sky then to land atop the snowy stallions shoulder. That drop followed by another and another in a sure sign of an impending downfall. That river, at least, was finally in sight as Frost navigated his way toward the bridge- only to find those ropes and wooden planks that held the bridge above that rushing river floating and fumbling in the water themselves. That bridge so seemingly having collapsed.

"Fuck."

That singular word was pressed to Alexander's mind alone as Frost's hooves paused at the water's edge. That river was wide, its depth unknown and yet the speed of that water, ever increasing from the slowly strengthening rain presented a problem in turn. "Oh no! We're going to have to ride around! This will add an extra half a day to the ride! Its miles before another river crossing." Several swear words fell from Maddie's lips in turn as Frost's own gaze lingered upon the field on that far side and the dun stallion and rider who lingered, looking back, some ways ahead.

"Hmmm. Isn't it amusing that the bridge suddenly seemed to fall after Khan roade across it."

Did that Mongolian vampire truly take them for fools? Frost's teeth ground across that steel bit between them in irritation, the stallion abruptly turning to wander back along the ban without Alexanders instruction, seeking a place upon it that might allow him to step down and into that rushing water. "Alexander! What on earth are you doing are you mad? Your going to get washed away! We don't know how deep that-" The war horse was nothing if not determined to ignore those women (and Alexander too for the moment) as he stepped into that chilled stream. That undertow was nothing short of powerful as it tugged at his legs, Frost wading deeper and deeper into that water and yet- he was by far the tallest horse in the race and in turn, the most powerful. His very build so designed from strength and steadfastness. That raging water, surely capable of sweeping those lighter horses from their feet, if they could stand at all, little more than an irritant to himself as each hoof pressed firmly into the mud and silt beneath the surface. That water having reached near halfway up his sides, soaking Alexander's feet in turn least the man had lifted them up. "Jesus, Alex! And here I was making fun of you for bringing that elephant of a horse! DO you think ours will make it across? How fast is the water going?" Frost paused within the very center of that river then, the water tugging uncomfortably at his tail as he snorted, expeling that water from his nose as the rain began to pour down then.

"If you make me drag those two women and their horses across this river with us I will drown us all. Don't think I won't."

FrosT