Cold Hearts Never Thaw

Walking behind Double Diamond, the orange mare took a moment to reflect what had just occurred a few moments ago. Red's face was one of amusement. So the little pink unicorn had really truly tried to make her friends believe she was something more...or something less, depending on the perspective of the viewer. Red had given up trying to discern what she was long ago. Her eyes flicked around, but thankfully, she had had her fill last night. After Starlight's visit of course. Poor sap had no clue what had happened. He was still alive of course. She was not a merciless killer...unless she needed to be. No..she would rather spare her prey, let them recuperate...she might even start a system. Pick a few to feed on each week, or every other week. Maybe twice a week. Or enough until she was ready to leave. One of the reasons she had stopped here. She did indeed need to replenish her supplies.

She was no threat...not yet at least. She was in no hurry to leave, but she wasn't all inclined to settle down in a place where trouble would rear its disgusting head.. On second thought, in such a divided community, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. It would seem as if Starlight Glimmer was living on the outskirts, like a true exile, but Red was sure that as far as being manipulative and clever went, she would meet quite a match...that is, if Starlight stepped back and thought about her actions before executing them. Kind of amusing to watch her flail desperately while she sought approval. It was the kind of entertainment she sought in her...adversaries. To watch and wait, to weave around them and into their minds, driving them apart from the inside...like a weed...like a poison...like venom..

Following Double Diamond closely, Red was able to pick out the ponies, and she took note that there were rather a few more stallions here than there were in many other places, and red found this appealing. More that would be willing to assist her... It seemed to be growing as well, with Red not the only new mare in town. But she seemed to be the more favored. Even more so than the founder, who should have gone down in this little town's history. But no..it seemed the town wanted to cleanse away such a scourge upon what they had deemed the perfect little town. How cute.

Her train of thought was cut off when she felt a firm rump against her chest, and Red looked down as Double Diamond looked back in alarm, his face tinged pink. Red blinked, looking at Double Diamond, and she took a step back, her voice quiet. "What? All I did was bump into you..." she said, a smirk forming on her lips.

The white stallion opened his mouth, closed it, then he looked away again, "Yeah...it was just a bump..." he said, his ears splayed out sideways, letting the orange mare know all she needed.

"An innocent little bump. Maybe in a rather awkward place, but still a bump.." Red cooed, her eyes narrowing. She smiled, her lips curled into a wicked grin, and she strode up to his side, brushing against him forcefully. "That is a bump too...though it wouldn't be accidental..or innocent.." she giggled.

Double Diamond swayed some from the 'bump', and he looked up at her, smiling, "Well then it's not a bump if you do it intentionally...that was a shove." He teased.

"Sometimes all you need is a little push and a shove to get the right results.." Red giggled, batting her eyelashes at him, and she lifted her chin. "But for now, let us pretty ourselves up.." she whispered, her wing flicking out to trail up his flank and side as she passed him.

Double Diamond shivered, his gaze following after her, and a goofy grin formed on his face. As her wing moved to fold back in, he snapped at the feathers, gently of course, but effectively catching her feather, and her attention as she whipped her head around, looking at him in surprise. It was the first genuine look of something other than amusement and confidence he had seen on the strange mare, and he wasn't sure whether to be surprised himself, proud of the results, or scared that she would snap at him for it.

Feather in his teeth, their eyes locked, and Double Diamond held a moment of panic as Red slowly turned, and the look of surprise became one of confusion. "What...are you doing?" she asked, wriggling her feather some, her ears folding back. "You are...I have never had someone....try to...bite me..." she admitted, "Well...not...in a very long time.." she chuckled, and her wing shifted, gently trying to tug the feather free.

Double Diamond let go of the feather slowly, his eyes following her movements as she turned completely, gazing at him. He felt his heart leap in his throat, and he let out a soft, nervous chuckle. "I wasn't trying to bite you...I did..." he added, his eyes wide as she moved closer.

"Indeed." she smiled, chuckling some as their snoots drew inches away from touching, "That was a brave thing you did...I can't say I am easily taken off guard so easily.." she grinned, shaking her head. "I am honestly embarrassed. I hadn't meant to be so...relaxed.." She frowned, her eyes closing as she shook her head some more.

"And what is wrong with being relaxed?" Double Diamond asked, his eyes flicking away briefly as a pink shape flashed by his vision. He spotted Starlight Glimmer, who was giving Red a rather openly hostile look, before giving him a look of disbelief, before she rolled her eyes, and once more stormed off.

"Your marefriend is not happy with me at all..." Red mused, following after Starlight with a glint in her red eyes. "You would think from the way she looks and acts towards me, that I was going to be a big troublemaker..."

"Well we don't know that yet do we?" Double Diamond said quietly, and he looked Red in the eye, his own gaze narrowing. "By the way she is acting, she must have a serious issue with you..." And he blinked, before adding, "A-and she is not my marefriend!"

"Oh darling please." Red laughed. "Mares have many reasons to dislike other mares. Especially mares like me. You see, it all comes down to hierarchy, and mares are the more prominent gender. She who controls the herd, controls the territory." she chuckled. "And as from what I heard, she controlled the herd at one point. She was the prominent and in charge mare...and nature tells that she isn't happy that a mare as equally as..hm... how do I put this? Ah...strong and confident as she is."

"But the herd doesn't have one mare in charge...it has two..." Double Diamond blinked, and he was met with soft laughter.

"Oh dear...you must put quite a bit of faith in your friends...especially your mares. Sugar Belle and Night Glider, while both prominent, are not confident enough to lead, and lack the fortified attitude. They don't take charge. They don't give orders. They follow you. You are the leader Double Diamond...and..even when Starlight was in charge, who was it she trusted above all?" She asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling.

"Me...she trusted me.." Double Diamond answered, shifting uncomfortable. He wasn't happy with the conversation, or the direction it was taking, and he gave Red a suspicious look.

"Exactly. And, not only am I...encroaching on her 'territory', I am speaking to the stallion in which she may have held feelings for, or him for her..." Red chuckled. "Mares...you have to be one to understand one."

"Well...um.." Double Diamond stammered, his cheeks flaring as he looked about. He hadn't wanted to be involved in such a way, and what Red was saying was putting him on edge. Not just about Starlight, but...Red was so nonchalant about it herself. As if she had gone through it before. And even if she had, how and why? How long ago? And what was she hoping to gain by coming here? Double Diamond could only sigh as the strange mare before him only became more and more shrouded in mystery. Nothing he could discern from her made sense, and she never answered much about herself. She was vague, she was closed, and she still hadn't explained about her cutie mark.

Sighing, Double Diamond began walking again, his hooves quiet, "Come on. We can get our manes trimmed and our hooves polished if you liked, or not. But we do have a party to attend to tonight." He laughed, and he began to walk faster.

Red watched him, her smile growing into a smirk, and she chuckled. Following after him, the orange mare's mind wandered. This stallion was bold. Straightforward and honest, and rather cute if she had to admit to herself. Something about him drew her to him. Was it her inept desire to plague Starlight's heart with hatred and anger? Possibly. Red didn't like a mare who tried to overstep herself. It could also be that he was a strong, and...dominant stallion. He was in charge. And he pulled the strings. So why not get cozy with the head of the herd?

Red's smirk faded, and she scowled, looking around at the other ponies going about their daily business, her wings folded in tightly and the mare looked up begrudgingly at the sun. Her necklace, the pearl, she was lucky she had found an enchanter and made it, with promise of secrets of her kind...unfortunately, secrets were something she had learned never to give up, no matter what. And so after she had told him her secrets, she had forced him to stay quiet...forever. His blood had been refreshing. Magic made blood tingle with life. And it was her personal favorite. She licked her lips, wiping away the saliva that had formed, and she shuddered, forcing her legs to move forward before she decided that tonight would be a delightful night for hunting.