The violet gaze of the stallion remained watchful throughout that introduction of the two women. He hardly anticipated any aggression from either party, neither of their minds so much as hinting at it and yet, horse or otherwise, those matters of pack or herd so tended to be the same. The man aware of just how quickly those situations could go amiss if allowed. Frost, by that token, simply refusing the entertain it, the man prepared to come between them if need be and yet he held faith in Nadya's sense and too Malia's own good judgement. He new less of the coyote as a being then he did the feline woman and yet from what he had come to learn of the canine she was a creature of good sense. She understood the ways of things. She respected them. Frost assured her value to him had not at all been overestimated and too that Nadya might take to her in time and allow herself that companionship of another woman her other pack had failed to provide through that supposed clash of personality. Frost a distinctly different Alpha to Tetradore in every sense of the word.
That brief touch of irritation within Nadya was hardly missed, Frost too finding himself curious of just what Malia had to do with the Nightshade pack and yet here and now he saw little need to address it. What she did with her own time was hardly his concern unless it brought danger to his own pack, whom she befriended her business alone. Nadya quick to let go off that irritation in turn as Frost merely sought to offer that shared like of the women with the mention of that jacket and the first shopping experience he had undergone with Malia earlier that week. The man still content to find some amusement in those values the coyote seemed to form as she navigated the human world. That confusion in her mind as to why he would mention that shopping hardly missed, his words offered silently to Malia alone then. His affinity so readily engaged to deliver those thoughts to her mind alone. Shopping for clothing, as we did, is considered an activity of enjoyment that women often do with other women. Nadya enjoys it and she can teach you far more of it then I can. He saw little need to speak those words aloud and display Malia's lack of knowledge. The girl would learn in time and who better to teach her of those materialistic things then another woman? That comment upon those mannequins and fur, stirring a rumbling sound of amusement from within him. His words, this time, spoken aloud.

"Malia does not believe in the use of real fur and she finds mannequins to be pointless. Perhaps when you take her, Naja, you might find she enjoys more.... practical clothing. Have you been to the hiking store yet, Malia? I think you would enjoy that."

Leather boots and jeans and warm, practical, durable clothing seemed a far more likely choice for the woman then those more fashionable outfits Nadya would surely attempt to coax her into. The very idea of Nayda within a hiking store wholly amusing to him all the same and yet, perhaps the coyote in turn might take some pleasure in Nadya's fashion choices if given the chance. That, he was sure, was women's business. His gaze shifted then to those children. The stallion content to keep at least an eye or ear upon them throughout that evening. Whether they were his own or not held little weight, his very species designed to watch over those young ones. Some animalistic part of him, perhaps, displeased with the knowledge they were not his own and yet that decidedly human part held little cause for care. That control he exacted upon himself assuring he offered tolerance for those children and that simple desire to watch of them. The small girl toddling forward to pounce upon Malia's tail, as if that fluffy plume was a delightful toy, Frost frowning slightly at the notion that the girl seemed to possess a great love of tails in general. The hairs she had ripped from his own still scattered in the grass. Malia, for her part, remaining decidedly calm even as those sharp kitten teeth bit into her skin, curiosity tugging slightly at him once more.

"You are used to children, Malia?"

If her pack had been active then he suspected she was, his own words commenting idly then upon the age of Nadya's own and that surely they were old enough to learn to ride. Nadya's comment met with a simple snort and a horse-ish shrug off his broad shoulders.

"Children learn to ride at two where I am from. I learned at that age. They are cat's, they should have natural balance- as should you."

One eye lifted beneath that thick forelock of hair, that suggestion that he intended to teach her too surely clear before that inquiry from Malia saw his head tilt back towards the coyote and the kitten that still jumped at her unfortunate tail. He had hardly considered the notion of riding might be foreign to the girl and yet, once more, it was a human act the sort of which she had never seen. His words, as always, offered with that same cool, expressionless ease.

"You have seen how some people keep dogs as pets? Others keep horses, creatures like me, to do work for them that they are not strong enough to do themselves or they use them for transport- sitting astride their backs to be carried by us. This is what riding means. Humans use a saddle and a bridle, ropes of sorts that they tie to the horse to control it. I will show you a picture when we return home tonight. Before I came here it was my job, unwillingly in most cases, to carry Hunter's. Now I do it only when I choose.

He paused, allowing those words to process, the man affording no more upon his past in any sense. Frost guarded by nature, such tales surely having no place here tonight though he was curious, perhaps, off Malia's reaction to it all the same given her apparent enjoyment of animal rights.

"Amongst my own kind it is a game of sorts between us as to who can stay on the longest. Riding is a skill that must be perfected. I would let you try, Malia, but I am sure you will fall right off."

His shoulders shrugged once more, as if unaware of his own tease at the woman, that tail lashing up at his flanks to flick aside those small night insects that rose from the long grass around.

"If you two desire to hunt you may- but do not bring anything you kill back here. Meat disagrees with me."

f r o s t
we built this city on broken glass