[Soq PRP] The OTHER Son - Cricket, Ethan, and Diogenes

[Sabin Duvert]

Despite the countless days that Ethan had been traveling since he left his home in the grassy valley, Ethan still managed to greet each new day of their journey with optimism and enthusiasm. Each day held new promises, new hope. And despite the wide breadth of land they had traveled and the many new faces that they encountered - many of whom regarded him with mistrust - they still had yet to find anyone who had even heard of the stallion by the name of Dyson Graves. The world was a much bigger place than Ethan could ever have imagined, and every day seemed to present at least one new wonder. But hellish scorched earth or flower covered meadow - it was all a part of the grand adventure. And Ethan refused to get discouraged. Because he knew, deep down to the bone, that he WOULD eventually find his father. It was fate... or something like that at least.

And the search, the adventure, it helped distract the young half-kalona from the possibilities of just what his father might be like. He had seen the reactions of other soquili to his kalona traits - traits that he knew must come from his father. He knew that his mother refused to speak about him. But still... Ethan desperately hoped that meeting his father, finding out that he wasn't as bad as the stories could prove - to himself if nothing else - that he didn't have such negative influence in his blood.

So today was little different than most other mornings of their journey. It had been only two days since they had crossed the dead scar of land, and Ethan saw that dangerous crossing as a veritable trial by fire. Surely, something good, some reward had to come from this crossing. Already he had encountered strange, new creatures. The ocean reminded him of his mother's stories of her passage to this land. The thick forests leading up to the mountains in the distance struck a chord in his chest. That's where they would go next.

So with the salty sea air still flavoring the air, he and Cricket headed north along the coast and into the woods.

Ethan grinned widely over to Cricket as they passed out of the sunny fields inland from the beaches and into the darker, cooler woods. The scent of salty sea air mingled with the dank, earthy smell of the woods. Rustling noises heralded their arrival as hidden creatures scampered away from the two larger soquili. The wood were thick, dark, and as they traveled further into the trees, the air got cooler, and the shadows grew deeper. A presence, like the feeling of being watched, settled on the pair.

Ethan cleared his throat, trying to shake the eerie feeling. "This is diff'rent." He murmured, trying to add a positive spin.

[Sosiqui]

Cricket walked alongside Ethan, trying to be brave - after all, they'd come through that terrible place where the land spat and shook, and traveled a very long way besides, and she'd been okay the entire time... well, except the night when Ethan had...

She shook her head a little, then a little more, as if she was shaking off a fly. Just for cover.

But it had been good otherwise, and safe, and this forest was pretty even if it was dark and thick and-

Cricket's ears began to tilt back, flatter and flatter, the further they went into the cool shadow of the forest. "Ethan... " She felt a little like Maharet, jumping at shadows, but this was... this was different.

Let's go back. Let's go back to the ocean and the meadow and I want to stick my head in the river and talk to a kelpie and... and...

If you're afraid, he might leave you~

...

"Y-yeah. Different," Cricket managed, trying not to startle at every noise.

[Kamiki]

Not too far away, lurking in the shadowy depths of the forest, Diogenes' ears flicked at the sound of pleasant chatting in the distance. The large stallion snorted and shook his head, shaking a few fall leaves from his heavy mop of curls. His serpentine tail twitched as he considered what to do... his antisocial nature didn't normally make him inclined to greet people, but a shiver of boredom motivated him to at least inquire what these trespassers were doing coming so close to his herd's land.

He slowly made his way in the directions were the voices were coming from, his mouth in a tight frown and cloven hooves hitting heavy on the ground, making no attempt at stealth.

[Sabin Duvert]

It didn't take long for Ethan to remember why he generally didn't like trekking through thick woods. Between the thorny brambles that would catch at his legs and Cricket's tail, to the low-hanging branches that he would periodically konk against his horns or try to tangle him up. But beyond that, these wood seemed somehow darker, spookier than ones they had traveled through in the past, and there certainly were a lot of shadows to jump at. Although Ethan was likewise reluctant to give word to his apprehensions. But he certainly didn't mind the fact that Cricket seemed to be drawing closer to him even as her eyes darted after the noises and rustling in the underbrush.

There were old smells here now, smells of rot. Any remnant smells from the ocean had taken on a more sickly odor - like old tide pools or brown-water brackish bays. And then, the sound of something much bigger than perhaps a squirrel or a fox. Heavy footsteps cleaving through the dry, fallen leaves and to the earth below.

At this Ethan stopped, his own ears flicking back in apprehension before looking to Cricket. "Did you hear that?" He instinctively whispered. It was probably nothing to worry about. After all, they were looking for others to talk to. But something about the chill in the air and way the trees seemed to grasp at them as they had traveled had put Ethan more on edge.

[Sosiqui]

"H-hear what?" Cricket scoffed, trying to be brave - but the words shook at the end, betraying her nerves. In truth, the mare had heard not only the footstep-sounds, but every creak, crack, or rustle of leaves in range. She felt like she might break apart any moment, like the sounds around her were actually striking her skin. She twitched imperceptibly at even the slightest noise.

Not.... scared...

[Kamiki]

Diogenes snorted when he saw the two figures in the distance, their forms merely vague shapes through the mist and the trees. They were coming dangerously close to his herd's domain, and in thus ran the risk of running into something truly horrifying. He shook his head and twitched his long, fleshy tail. He wasn't the most horrifying thing in this forest... he knew that. But he also knew his appearance was off-putting enough that, while not making most flee in terror, at least gave them pause. He let them pass, purposefully holding his breath as they came relatively close to him as he watched in silence. Once they had several paces in front of him he began to follow. He did not do anything to draw attention to himself, but nor did he hide his presence, following them a few yards behind; his hoofprints landing heavily in the ground in step with theirs, until they dared to turn around.

[Sabin Duvert]

For a moment, Ethan began to doubt what he had heard. It had grown silent, and Cricket at least implied she hadn't heard (which Ethan really wanted to believe despite the tremulous shake to her words). But then, a thud, and another - from behind them. All of Ethan's hairs stood at attention. All of his bravado began to melt away and give way to a very small feeling. He was hundreds of miles from home and mother. He was in the middle of a spooky forest that the spirits only knew what lurked in the deep shadows. He wasn't even a very big stallion.

Every time they took a step there was a thud behind them as, Ethan realized with a chill, there was definitely something behind them, and it was matching them step for step. With a shaking breath attempting to draw confidence from the air into his lungs, Ethan stopped, pausing a moment, before turning his head to look behind.

[Sosiqui]

Cricket's reaction, on the other hand, was very different...

something

behind us-

The mare stared straight ahead, her eyes fixed on a point in the distance, as if a two-legger had put blinders on her. Her movements slowed, became almost mechanical as real fear gripped her, but she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, trembling now completely obvious in every limb.

not... scared...

[Kamiki]

In the dim light, it took a moment for Diogenes to seem to materialize in the shadows, his large form moving in pace with their motions. He snorted a sort of approval with Ethan's head turned back to see him, letting a dark lopsided smile spread on his face. He wasn't terrifying looking.. at least not compared to most of the inhabitants of his shadowy herd, but he knew his appearance was strange enough to be off-putting to most Soquili. He was thickly muscled, with razor-sharp cloven hooves, a twisting, hairless tail, and two long, spiraling horns that reflected back the night so perfectly they were barely noticeable until a patch of moonlight caused them to flash brilliantly in the dim light.

He didn't speak just yet, instead he paused his movements and narrowed his eyes at them, his body language indicating he was looking for some kind of explanation. The yellow orbs probed over Ethan, his smile fading as he examined the horns on the young stallion. From afar, Diogenes has thought the small stallion might have been a timid cerynei, but no..he was just young and small despite his obvious kalona heritage. He frowned some more... he was small as a young stallion himself at one point in time.

He tossed his thick mane of curls and let his eyes settled on the still-moving sway of his companion's backside as she marched on.

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan squinted as the figure emerged from the deep shadows of the forest. But from the moment that the soft, diluted light of the thick woods illuminated the thick figure just enough for Ethan's eyes to see, his jaw fell open. Long spirialing horns crested the broad head. A hairless tail swished behind him. Two characteristics that Ethan had never seen on another soquili apart from himself. Instead of the gripping fear that perhaps he should feel, he was filled with hope and wonder.

He tried to slow his racing heart. This WAS the first he'd seen another that looked remotely like him. But still, the same shape of the horns, the same tail. Even though his fur was a dark, dappled blue and he dwarfed the small stallion, the resemblance was uncanny. Could... he be a relative? His father even?

The other stallion was silent, but there was a strange smile on his face. Just what had brought it there, Ethan couldn't divine, but his almost ever-present optimism decided that it was a good sign.

But for as often as Ethan had visualed a meeting such as this, finding precisely what to say seemed almost as difficult a task as having found one such as he.

So, with an earnest smile and tone in his voice, Ethan turned around to fully face the stallion. "H.. hullo." He questioned more than stated. His mind bubbled with questions, who he was, if he knew or was Dyson Graves, if it was true that he was Kalona, if there were more like him...

But... with self-restraint that bordered on a feat of will for Ethan, he began simply with, "I've... been looking for someone like you, I think. My name is Ethan."

[Sosiqui]

Cricket heard Ethan turn, heard him begin to speak - and that broke the grip of fear, allowing her to at last turn herself and face whatever was behind them.

...

"Oh," Cricket blurted, after a long moment during which Ethan finished speaking, "you look like... kinda...!" She glanced back and forth between the two stallions, bemused. Despite the highly imposing air of the strange stallion, the odd similarity between the two also helped Cricket to relax, and though her tail kept swishing nervously back and forth she summoned up a shaky smile for the newcomer.

"I'm Cricket..." She sidled over to Ethan, unsure of what to do or say.

[Kamiki]

The creepy smirk fell dramatically off his face, his brows knitting in a knot of confusion. He snorted and flicked his tail, causing a ruffle of the leaves behind him. Why would anyone be looking for him.

His flicked his gaze between Ethan and the mare, his ears pressed against his skull.

“I do not know you,” he finally rumbled out. “You should leave before you run into something truly terrifying.” His imposing demeanor seemed shaken by the unexpectedness, his eyes continuing to gave over Ethan’s strangely familiar features.

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan kept that shoulder reassuringly pressed against Cricket as they took in the eerie, and yet encouragingly familiar look of the new arrival. He flashed a brief smile to C4ricket. There was hope in his eyes, but more than a little bit of anxiety as well.

His ears flicked back at the blue stallion's pronouncement of wicked things that might lurk in these woods, but shook his head resolutely. He wouldn't be scared off when he felt he was THIS close! "I... I know you don't know me." He protested, "But... I mean... maybe you might, kinda." He drew a steadying breath. "Is the name Dyson Graves familiar to ya?"

Please, Ethan thought to himself, hoping that the desperation wasn't evident in his voice.

[Sosiqui]

Cricket practically held her breath, waiting. This might be it, this might be... the end of the road?

That thought, more than the imposing look of the strange stallion before her, made her stomach twist. But I'm not ready for it to be over, she thought, and pressed ever so slightly closer to Ethan as she waited for the stranger's answer... unsure what she wanted that answer to be.

[Kamiki]

The imposing stallion's eyes narrowed into severe slits, his mouth creasing into a disturbed frown. "What do you know of Dyson Graves," he nearly bellowed, stamping a malformed foot into the soft ground of the forest floor. He tossed his mane, his thick curled flaying out behind him as he snorted, the possibilities starting to form in his head... and not exactly liking the outcome of any of them. He began to pace, in a circular motion around the pair of horses puffing out his chest and sneering.