[PRP] Winter Critters (Caraway and Batibat Lili)

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

This is a PRP between my Caraway and Batibat Lili. Please do not post unless permitted.



The smaller stallion tensed against the cold winter wind, his tail slapping against his leg, which had lost most of its feeling by now. It stung uncomfortably, and Caraway's haunches twitched at the sensation. Although the sun was high in the clear sky, it gave him little comfort in the freezing air. He had no wings to protect him from the wind, and his pale coat absorbed little warmth from the light above. The only advantage he had was the shaggy bangs he had hanging in front of his eyes, which helped prevent some of the inevitable stinging brought on by the moisture being cooled far too quickly. He grumbled at the cold, cursing it in his mind. Winter was his least favorite season by far, even though this one had been mild thus far. Groaning, he stretched his legs and began to lurch forward.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

Although the air was frozen and the waters were still, Batibat Lili's delusions remained. Where there was thick ice, she saw grass, blazing and smoking. Where the tree bark was dry and cracking, the hybrid saw scorched trunks and ruin. Her breaths were deep, and with every exhale she panicked, confusing her own steam for smoke. Had she done this? Had she caught her beautiful forest ablaze? Was she the horrible monster that she had so hunted for the past months? The thoughts only added to her upset, and she stabbed at the frozen ground with her spaded tale, chipping away at the ice. After a few moments, everything was normal again, and she sighed. The trees were fine, there was no burning grass. All seemed to be as well as it should be.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

Caraway's eyes shifted as he started walking, as there was a sudden unexpected noise. He looked down at his hooves as they crunched on ice, but there was more noise elsewhere. No, this was not from him. The stallion halted and swiveled his ears toward the sound. It were as if someone was chopping at the ice, trying to get to something beneath. A two-legger, perhaps? Curiosity got the better of him, and he crunched along the path toward the noise. After all, two-leggers were usually generous enough to offer a small share of their dried berries, or maybe even some stale leaves that they had kept hidden in their tepee for an occasion such as this. His mouth began to water at the thought. He hadn't quite had time to think about food in the frozen forest, and he was just now realizing how hungry he had become.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

Having been temporarily distracted by her disillusion, the half-kalona's keen hearing didn't catch the presence of another not far away. Her nose caught the intruder first, and the rest of her body followed. Batibat grumbled as the sound of footsteps came nearer to her, and her ears pinned back. How dare they catch her off guard! Her tail swished and her nostrils flared, puffing out steam for quite some time. The mare's eyes narrowed to slits as the stranger approached her location, and she snarled. "What," she hissed, "do you think you're doing intruding on my territory?" Her head hung low and her wings were twitching as they began to stretch out to their full glory. She lunged forward before the stallion could offer an answer, and suddenly there was blood.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

Caraway's eyes widened at the sudden onslaught of violence. "Whoa ho!" He got a decent slice on the leg, and he grunted. "Hey!" His eyes were wild, and his confusion grew. "I didn't do anything! I was just passing through! That's no reason to attack me!" His nostrils flared and he glared at the mare. "Now you need to calm down, miss! I really don't like violence, you know!" As she continued to strike, he kept his head down and made his way back from where he had come. "Now, now! I don't see this as being very productive at all!" He grunted and bled and blocked her lashes where he could, and all at once she stopped. "Now, I never! I didn't do a single thing to you, and I don't appreciate how you've treated me just then!" He looked down at his wounds, which were made up significantly of small scrapes brought on by her hooves. It was apparent that she wasn't entirely trying to hurt him, but perhaps just scare him away. "Now, if you're of the right frame of mind, I think I may like to have a word with you!"  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

Batibat growled and snarled at the intruder, and her eyes seemed to turn red with anger. His words fell on deaf ears as she struck, and continued to, until finally she felt her point had been crossed. She never truly wished to hurt anyone, unless she were to catch them hurting her beloved forest, but all too often, words and threats didn't work. Her nostrils were flared and they puffed steam furiously as she caught the last few of his words. "Right frame of mind? You are intruding on my territory, and I am not of the right frame of mind?!" She huffed and sneered at the obviously incompetent stallion. "You should be running for the hills right now, going to your little herd and crying about how the big bad protector of the forest barely let you escape with your life! If I were trying to hurt you, you'd certainly know it!" The scales on her spine prickled and she growled lowly, perhaps a warning of another attack.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

The stallion simply shook his head. "Well how am I supposed to know that this is your territory without you telling me so?! It seems to me that your, 'attack first, question later,' method was not very well thought out!" He looked at the blood on his legs. "Now look at this! Not only does it put me in danger, but do you think there are not predators out here who have smell as keen as yours? Do you think they won't swarm to this very spot hoping for an easy winter snack? It seems to me as if you've done more to jeopardize your territory than protect it!" He huffed at the mare, but for a moment was thankful that how cold and hungry he was had been forgotten.  

[.Tortured. .Pumpkin.]

The stallion had some very valid points, and that only upset the mare further. "Well if I always questioned first, who says I wouldn't be ambushed?!" She defended her actions as best as she could, and her wings began to flare again. "I think you'd best go and tend to those wounds, little grounded colt, before your prediction becomes correct." She snarled, awaiting his departure. When he just stood there staring at her, she began to lunge again. "Now be gone with you, you pest! Let me see you in my forest no more!" She grinned at his departure and settled down once more, happy with her deed.