Hooves clattered, and as Pride realized just how fast the foal was, he broke into his full speed. A speed he'd never touched before, a speed he'd never had reason to try for outside tangles of jungle. Tail flagged behind him, head up, his legs working faster than they ever had, a white blur: and as the stones crashed down to one side of him, he veered and reached for his magic.

A touch of magic, and he leapt, bringing himself down against the stone--and then sailing, not as far as he'd have hoped (he'd hoped to infuse himself with kinetic energy; to go flying away into the air, really) but it imbued his next leap with an obviously unnatural distance. He came clattering down beyond the stones with a slight stumble and launched back into speed.

His laughter--pure joy at the game--could be heard ringing out as he went; and he didn't fail to praise his companion.

"EXCELLENT, James-! Keep it up--you nearly had me!" he called, between gasping breaths.

Pride glanced to the foal. It did look ludicrously fun, but at the same time, dangerous: if James crashed into him going that speed he'd be surprised if a single one of his white stag legs came out of it unbroken.

He thought fast, and reached for one of the first spells he'd learned: his form appeared to split in two, even the sound accurate. Two Prides veered off in two slightly different directions, away from the sledding James-...

...Did he have some way to pick truth from false? Either way, Pride was happy for him; the colt seemed to be having more fun in this moment than he could remember having his whole life!

Pride had not stopped running, nor had his double, but he too had not let it go--and it was somewhat taxing to maintain.

He, too, was tiring swiftly, having never run so far, so fast. His mouth was parted, now, nostrils flared and tongue visible, breaths coming in massive heaves--he'd have to stop, soon. It was just a game, but some distant prey instinct sparked in his brain and warned him to flee, to run, not to get caught. It was still fun, yes, but subconsciously he was looking for a way out.

Had he known what James had done, he'd have found it ingenious; as it was he assumed it was a lucky guess that the young stallion was galloping behind him, and not his double. He released that magic at last, and reached for another: leaving a cloud of mist billowing out behind him. It was thinner than he'd hoped, but perhaps it'd give the young horse pause; as it was it provided some cover, and Pride veered off left and clattered to a stop behind a few stones, panting.

If the colt found him now, well, he'd be it, he supposed; the running was wearing him down.

Pride laughed as James clattered at last around the corner, and hung his head for a moment, purely to catch his breath. When the colt suggested that they stop, he glanced up with mischief twinkling in his eyes.

"Ahh, tired already?!" he asked (through gasps of his own), and then comedically staggered a few steps for effect. "It was a good run, regardless--but yes. I think rest is well in order."

He turned, for a moment, leaning against a rock until his breathing had calmed, a bit. "I was unaware how swift horses were. I don't think I've ever seen one running, before." Or had he--hadn't there been one at one of the, ahh, what was it--Olympics? He wasn't certain--he knew there'd been a unicorn, but she'd been one of the judges, so perhaps he was misremembering.

But-!

"Your magic's improved a great deal. I applaud your creativity with it," he added, amused at the mental message he'd received.

He chuckled at the pun, good-naturedly; it was a good metaphor, and he offered a nod.

"Did someone teach you that-? That's a very wise saying; you should remember it. Maybe come up with a few more like it," he went on, amused, leaning idly back against the colt; "make a small collection of them. You will be seen as... oh, I don't know, a monk or a shaman in no time." He offered James a brief, kind look, and then glanced around. "If you need me for some reason, leave a black stone by the Throne so that I know it is you, hm? Meanwhile, what would you say to getting some rest? I haven't run like that in..." He thought, for a moment, and the realization since Raheerah faded the smile somewhat from his face. "For a long time," he finished, amiably enough.