Warming Up to Chocolate Strawberries !

Jessi had spent the last few minutes watching the adorable stallion munch on his snack. It seemed like he had gotten quite used to being around her already, even though they were such new friends! When the sweet boy finally finished his snack, he lifted his snout and made a small huff. It was as if he was asking where they were going to go next---what they were going to do. Jessi knew that it was far too soon to expect him to join her stable, so she considered what would be a good adventure for the night. 

Just as she was about to take him out into the forest, she remembered the adorable pink ribbon she'd stored in her pocket. How perfect! It could be a bit too soon to try and braid it into his hair, but she couldn't help how badly she wanted to try, anyway. Besides, he seemed so docile and sweet. With a swift grasp, she pulled the bell from her pocket. The high jingle made the pony tilt it's head, then lower his nose to inspect the bell. He took a moment to let his lips travel over the metal, then tug at the ribbon a bit. There was a playful side to this quiet stallion that Jessi couldn't deny. He would be so fun in her farm!

With a cautious movement, Jessi lifted the ribbon to his mane. It was soft, long, and dark brown. It matched his pink undertones like a box of Valentine's chocolate! Jessi realized she had picked the perfect pink ribbon for him today. A Valentine's ribbon for a Valentine's pony. Hesitantly, Jessi began to braid the pony's hair, flinching away when he moved from her touch.

"What's wrong, boy?" she asked, easing him with a soft pat. "Not a fan of the braid?"

The stallion huffed, almost in a grunt. His shiny coat gleamed in the midnight moon, the light shifting as he shook his head. Certainly, he couldn't have known what she was saying... right? Nevertheless, Jessi knew that the flinch had to mean something. And she wasn't going to risk losing out on a friend because of a braid. So she let her hands glide up his mane again, petting it smooth of the remnants of her failed braid. Once the small knots and crimps were finally out, Jessi curled her fingers around a section of the stallion's mane, tying the pink bell ribbon into the area with care. 

The stallion stepped in place, breathing out in a quick sigh. With the nudge of his snout to her waist, Jessi realized he was ready for an adventure. Though, there was a glaring issue at hand: Jessi wasn't familiar with the area around her farm quite yet. She was new to the area, only ever really seeing the mountains and rolling plains from the comfort of her bedroom window. She really should've gotten out more before buying the property, but the prospect of owning ponies was far too exciting to slow her. 

However, there was no time for regretting that now. Especially when she had a new friend to explore the wilderness with! Without thinking, she turned on her heel to start for a particular area around her farm, one where she'd heard a river flowing. She hadn't even remembered to figure out a way to get the stallion to follow her. She had taken ten paces before she realized that the Teddy could've shot into the wilderness already! Though, when she turned back, the wonderful sweetheart was looking right back at her. He was following at her heels, already seeming excited to see where she had to take him. Jessi knew that the stallion probably knew the lands better than she did, but she was happy that he seemed amused by her taking him somewhere new. 

When they finally approached the river, Jessi placed her hands on her hips. There was no way to cross except a shallow bend. Even there, the water rushed a bit too fast for her to comfortably walk without being swept into the water. The stallion grunted, going up to the river with a happy step. He lowered his lips to the water and began to drink, paying no mind to the worried look on Jessi's face. 

"Guess this isn't so tough for you, huh?" she joked, smiling softly as she watched him drink. Maybe sometime in the future, Jessi could ride him over the river and explore the mysterious other side of the lands. Though, for now, she had to accept that there were some areas best left unknown. At least, until she had a sure friend to explore them with. Just as she thought that, the stallion lifted his head and seemed to nod toward another area. He began to walk off without her, but stopped when he realized that she wasn't following him.

"Hey, hey, wait up!" she called, jogging up behind him. 

After he noticed her following, he began to walk again. Every step following this beautiful stallion brought her closer to a wooshing noise on the horizon. Wherever he was taking them, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Maybe Jessi's new friend was more of a guide than she expected!