Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had been at least a week before the young mare had finally felt as though she could stand on her own four feet again. She'd kept herself alone, secluded, and spent her time wandering the fields in broad daylight instead of the usual dusk. The hazy cloud of her mind had finally abated, and she could now look upon the events of meeting that strange stallion with some clarity. Lon, he'd called himself. The Lord of Nightmares. A shroud of shadowy illusion, with warm and comforting wings. He had reached out to a complete stranger with no apparent reason--and, given his namesake, she somehow doubted it was from the kindness of his heart.

So what did this mysterious stallion have in mind? He wasn't going to follow her, but told her she was free to do as she wished. Well, she was no doting lap dog, but she had to admit, curiosity compelled her. She still wasn't quite sure if he was mad or sane... Her great wings, the only gift from her mother she had been forced to accept, propelled her across the rapidly darkening skies. Sharp eyes scanned the forests below, searching for the place she'd been instructed to go if she'd ever wanted to see him again. Once she'd spotted a place decently clear of trees, the mare delicately descended, tucking her wings close to her sides. Yes, this looked about right...

Soundlessly, she shifted through the forest with ears swiveling to catch any sounds. The last thing she needed was to be stalked and ambushed in the dark. No, she was hunting her own prey now, be it in a rather figurative sense. Lon... He'd said some things that, though she'd had difficulty accepting at first, now understood and somewhat agreed with. What instincts she carried from her father weren't a curse. Her mother may have believed it made her a monster, but at least she could remain a civil and polite one. She didn't have to attack everyone she met, or even other Soquili. And loathe as she was to attacking animals... Well. She hadn't forgotten the offer that the stallion had made to her, but she was reluctant to accept it. That would make her dependent on him, and that was absolutely unacceptable.

Nyx allowed herself to finally stop moving when she felt as though she'd gotten deep enough, glancing up at the towering trees to watch the last colors of the dying sunset fade. She had played her part in this bizarre little game of his. In fact, she wasn't exactly sure what she should even say to him, should he decide to show. Her bloodlust was sated, and she was calm. Now all that was left was to see if he would show.

And there he was in turn, all unfurling wings and crackling shadow--a stallion only nightmares could produce. Yet, he lacked the ferocious savagery she would have expected from such a beast. His lordly behavior was apt for the title he claimed to have been bestowed upon him, though the frosty mare found herself arching her neck a little at his question. Confident, wasn't he? Yet, she remembered bitterly, she'd acted like little more than a mewling pup in his presence last. Was it really so surprising? "You sound as though you've been waiting." Nyx responded after a moment, tactfully resisting the urge to tack 'my lord' onto the end just for reaction's sake. She remembered he'd said he'd do as much... For him to actually do such a thing, however, was a different story indeed.

As he approached, she shifted delicately to better face him with a musing sort of expression. "...I've only thought about some things. Though your offer was... generous, I'm hardly inclined to think of you as merely a blood bank." There was a barely audible snort, before she suppressed a sigh, shifting her wings. Still, she observed him from the corner of an eye, wondering if she'd catch a glimpse of disappointment or even amusement. Who could say, with this one?

"I know little about you, Lon, but you seem to have figured me out after one meeting alone." She watched him carefully for a moment, calculating. "...You're curious." The mare admitted, shaking her head slowly as though to fight back the faint smile that pulled at her muzzle. "...I suppose it's safe to say I've never met anything like you." She wasn't going to pry directly, not when she could be subtle and yet still polite. And he'd waited for her, hadn't he? But what were his true intentions...?

Another moment of silence passed before she made up her mind, turning slowly while still keeping him in her sights. "I don't know how long you've been in these particular woods, or if you've discovered their secrets. If you haven't... Well, will you fly with me?"

He was so close again without warning, her breath stuttering a surprised protest in her throat before it died. Golden eyes had snagged her own so effortlessly once more, but the mare found herself struggling to pull away. Who was she to be so transfixed by a still-stranger? She had more dignity than that! "So you say. Forgive me if I remain skeptical." The mare said coolly, almost relieved when dark hair fell in front off the sheen of his gaze. It gave her time to compose herself, the darkened tips of her wings brushing against her sides as though to soothe with their touch alone.

The feel of his touch against her skin was almost enough to make her miss what he was saying, flustered and snorting almost indignantly as she slipped away from his touch. "Be careful what you see in them. What might seem genuine can always be a cleverly casted illusion..." Still, he'd managed to rattle her once more, but the sight of him looking a little unsure was enough to bolster her defenses back up once more. Lord of Nightmares or not, he wasn't all unlike any other stallion!

"If you'd like." Came the simple enough reply, but her eyes gleamed with what might have been amusement. "You're used to wandering in the dark, no? Let's see if you can place trust in a guide." She watched those great wings unfurl, her own extending before she sprang aloft. It wasn't wise to fly at night, she knew this, but it was still light enough for her to see should she proceed carefully. "Would you? That's flattering." She rolled her eyes quietly, looking exasperated and almost irritated had it not been for the faint smile that flicked briefly to her muzzle.

What a rush it was to feel the wind bunch underneath her wings, carrying her high above the trees as she winged her way towards one of her more favorite musing spots. She trusted the stallion to follow, her ears constantly flicking back to listen in case he tried anything funny. Soon, the sound of roaring water was enough to drown her senses, and the sweet smell of water told her she was getting close. The ivory streak dove without warning, a flutter of wings letting her land soundlessly on the damp soil that blanketed the feet of the massive waterfall.

It was a beautiful thing, powerful and unstoppable in its own right. She craned her neck to stare up as far as she could, having flown over its mighty falls many a time. She enjoyed venturing here by herself to think and muse, fascinated by the chaos of the rushing waters, and the quiet peacefulness of the river that lay both before and after it. Her misty eyes flicked skywards once more, this time seeking a dragon-winged shadow among the night sky.

Her eyes had strained through the darkness to glimpse the elusive stallion before a rush of wind near her face nearly made her jump out of her skin. Startled, Nyx danced back, glancing towards the falls just in time to see the male attempting to fly straight up the rushing waters. He sounded and was acting just like a foal... but somehow, she found herself amused rather than irritated, the slightest grin pulling at her face while her tail flicked thoughtfully. He returned to her soaking wet and not the least bit sorry. She could only chuckle softly, wondering why it pleased her to know her spot had turned out to be a success.

"I'm sure you would have found it eventually. It's free for all who manage to discover it. ...But you are welcome." She tilted her face up to see him better, listening with a flicker of amusement as he admitted just another piece of himself for her to tuck away and remember. "Versatile, yes... It knows how to adapt itself for whatever situation." So he'd really be satisfied with such a thing? Hm. How simple. To a fault, it was almost endearing.

"I come here to think." She merely offered, a ear pricking at his question. "It does. When the sun is first rising, it hits the waters just right... They practically sparkle as they tumble from the rocks. When it's warm, the mist from the spray keeps one pleasantly cool, and I've even heard of some leaping from the top to plunge into the pools below." Perhaps that was why she couldn't fully give herself away to the dark. Too much would be missed in the light.

"The sun truly drives you away? Does it... hurt?" She cursed herself for not being able to phrase her question more elegantly, but it would have to do. She was curious. He insisted he had to retire when the dawn peaked... Besides, didn't he say that perhaps he would indulge her more about all his peculiarities?