[PRP] Silent Understanding (Idonea and Cedric)

[Summer Raaven]

Oh how life was grand!

Coming from a family hell bent on spending every waking moment together for as long as possible, growing up with a twisted sense of the world was almost inevitable. There was a need to be around someone at all times, a 'I-depend-on-you, you-depend-on-me' thought process waking up every morning and going to sleep every night. And oh, forgot about venturing out for a few days, as you were likely to be found and scolded for your actions. The typical amount of alone time consisted of a few short hours, at most.

To anyone else, this secluded, seemingly boring life would be unacceptable. A run-away was likely the outcome if it had been anyone else living within this family, but to one particular stallion, it was life. He grew up with his two older brothers and his older sister, along with his 'twin' sister and their parents. Love was the most obvious emotion protruding through everyone's body it was almost literally coming out of their eyeballs. This style of living was the only thing he ever knew since birth and for that, he accepted it. Cedric grew to understand as the months passed that it had probably been this way for his older siblings as well, based solely on the fact that his father's childhood wasn't necessarily...memorable.

And to Cedric that was okay. His father wanted a better life for his children than his own father had given him. That was a noble act, correct? Any stallion willing to do the right thing for his family was good enough in his eyes. Growing up close to them gave Cedric a reason for living - his 'twin' sister Cheer and him had been best friends for a long time before finally going their own ways...hell, it was Cheer who convinced him to wear the damn flowers in his mane ("the ladies will loooooove it", she used to say). He lived off his family.

But hitting a certain age and it was time to move on. Even his father thought so. As long as he visited from time to time, of course.

And so now his live had to revolve around surviving by myself and exploring the world. First adventure? The ladies! As a young adult, he met a few along the way and they were always very pleasant toward him (he was convinced it was the damn flowers in his long, curly mane). It was a nice feeling to be wanted by all! But his mother always taught him that the first rule of thumb was to be kind and so, he was.

For a little bit. He wanted to have fun and fun he had. Even if that meant breaking a few hearts along the way.  

[lysia_nyteblade]

She'd been returning this day from spending time off with Amelia, fishing and playing and other wise dorking about having some girl time for themselves. Amelia was her closest friend, her sister even if not by blood the two of them had a connection that she and her sister Merte lacked. Maybe it was the fact that Merte and her mother left after they grew or maybe it was that Merte felt... suffocated by her cuddliness and need to place her nose on the neck of others as the spoke so she could feel the vibrations of sound. Sure signals worked but they only worked so far when others didn't carefully enunciate so she could in a way read their speech.

Heave hoof falls, the chiming of her blue bell as she walked, things she'd never hear for herself but it made it ever impossible for her to creep unnoticed, not that she ever wanted to. She wanted to meet new soquili, just often they saw her deafness as something to hinder them from becoming too friendly with her. Amelia was often her translator and she felt almost. lost.. shy without her there beside her. She wasn't small and meek but big, even for a draft like her father. Soft and fluffyish was her coat even during the warmer days. Blue eyes glanced about as she moved under a tree to rest for a moment, stepping over a fallen branch but kicking it accidentally with her hind hoof as she moved further into the shade causing that dull thus of hoof on wood to sound off. she felt it's solidness but nothing else. Smiling, she looked beyond the tree's canopy at the sky. It was a rather nice day thus far.  

[Summer Raaven]

The day had so far proven to be decent enough for him, but it was time for a bit of a rest. Sunlight shown down from it's highest point, heat blazing out from every corner...yes, it was indeed time for a little nap.

It wasn't like he was lazy...no, no...never lazy.

He had been born in the winter and therefore he was used to the cold. Snow and ice were what he grew up with and so it was what he preferred. For now. He soon came to discover that more soquili were out and about when the sun was warm. And so, with each passing day the sun got warmer and warmer, and it sometimes drove the stallion mad. Nights were cool enough, but the daylight made him drowsy enough to want periodic naps. After all, a stallion such as himself deserved a little break every once in a while! It was hard keeping up with his lifestyle, even if he was the one living it! Imagine the soquili around him....

Weaving in and out of the trees trying to find a suitable resting spot, his sharp blue eyes caught sight of something he wasn't necessarily sure he wanted to see at that exact moment. A mare stood her ground under a nearby tree, her attention glued elsewhere...and well, from the looks of it, she was enjoying the day just as he was. Aha! He could only see her from behind, but as far as he could tell, she was attractive. Enough. She wasn't as dainty as the majority of mares that swooned over him, and her coat was most definitely thicker than anyone else's that he'd seen. Hmphf, well...he didn't want to make any rude assumptions, but perhaps this 'mare' wasn't even a mare at all? Perhaps she was a he?

Nah. That couldn't be. Her scent attracted him from where he stood, and the heavens knew he wasn't into stallions. Psh. This mare was just a burly mare. Right? Burly or not, she was still attractive, and Cedric was not about to pass up an opportunity to talk to a pretty mare. Perhaps she would be easy to talk to, unlike some of the silly, absent-minded mares he ran into quite often.

Cedric picked up his hooves and trotted closer to the burly-mare's tree in hope he'd catch her attention. A few seconds after standing there, still staring at her with no response from her end, he piped up.

"Excuse me, miss? You seem to have found the biggest tree for the shade....mind if I share it with you for a bit? The sun is mighty hot today."  

[lysia_nyteblade]

She'd felt the vibrations in the ground but had passed it up as just a passerby. Little did she know standing behind her was some one else, let alone that he was speaking. After some more time passed after his sentence, she turned her head to n** at an itch on her side. Blinking she cocked her head to the side, slowly turning to face the stallion she gave him a rather pleasant, if a bit lopsided smile. It was her match to her father's usual goofy smile he often gave when happy and meeting new faces for the first time sadly she just hadn't perfected it like he had which often made it more humorous than his.

Giving a nod, she flicked her ears in a happy swivel, her form of a greeting to him. Stepping aside, she nodded once more for him to join under the shade and escape the sun's heat. A small fluffy pom pom like tail flops and wiggled almost canine like showing she wasn't feeling threatened though it most likely looked to others like she was avidly swatting at flies with a short tail. All the while, she didn't utter a word, not even a whisper. Since she didn't often speak, she often accidentally yelled when she attempted to speak. After learning that the hard way a few times, she just gave up trying to speak unless she really needed to and only then it was short lived.  

[Summer Raaven]

Was this mare not friendly? Or did she just have issues with stallions? Hmpf! How dare she ignore him like that! Even if she didn't want his company, she could have at least shooed him off with a simple word rather than ignore him outright. It was just the proper, correct way of doing things. Or at least that's how he was raised. Perhaps this mare had been taught differently? Ugh so many questions running through his mind.

But then, she acknowledged him. Or at least...he thought she did? That awkward smile she managed to give was an indication that she knew he was there, but she still wasn't talking to him. Boy, her parents must be strange ones. Cedric returned her smile with a small bow of his head, refusing to talk to her if she wasn't going to talk to him. Two could play at her game! And he knew, if he wasn't going to talk either, she'd eventually give in. They always did.

The stallion took her stepping aside as an invitation to join her. Oh! So she had heard him after all! And well, she seemed nice now that she was willing for him to spend time with her...perhaps she was just shy. He trotted happily over to her side, his flower-crown bouncing up and down with each step. It was a good thing that his 'gift' came from his sister and not anyone else...cause it sure was annoying when he walked. When he reached her side, he stared at her, still refusing to speak unless spoken to. Instead, he took in the sight before him.

She was...not what he expected, to say the least. Hmm...maybe he shouldn't judge someone from behind anymore. Her front-side made her look prettier than he had originally thought, and he quickly took back the 'burly' adjective he had given her. He doubted she'd like hearing that anyways.

The first thing he noticed, however, were her eyes. They were like his. And her sense of jewelry. Was she friends with his sister? Cause Cheer would certainly love her for it. That mare sure loved dressing him up with different things she found, hence why he wore all the stuff he did. He wanted to make his sister happy, and well, frankly...he liked the look.

After what seemed like forever standing there, next to this pretty mare and just staring was beginning to drive Cedric crazy insane. She was not about to give up her game, was she? Well, he didn't want to look like an idiot so he gave in...and spoke.

"Um, hey thanks for sharing the shade! I like your necklace by the way, it suits your beauty. Ha, you're a very pretty mare but I'm sure you get that often."

He really never had to start the conversation himself, so why not give it a go?  

[lysia_nyteblade]

She noticed his flower adornments and was slightly reminded of her herd leaders family, they too wore flowers.. roses to be exact. They seemed to fit him though, add to his rustic yet handsome look. She watched him as he came to join her under the tree, not talking, just... looking.. at her.. Strange.. was he unable to speak? Or was he just the type to be silent? Either way, silence was what she was use to and had been for some time. She was happy to set quietly and just.. observe.

She was about to return to looking over the land when she was his mouth move. Ste stood still ever so, patiently her eyes locked on his mouth watching every word formed. She nodded at his compliment to her necklace, shuffling on her front just enough that it gave a happy jingle to the blue bell. Her brow furrowed only slightly as she hadn't caught something right.. had he said she was pretty or petty? Cocking her head to the side some, she mouthed the two words as if trying to figure out which he'd said by the forming of the two alone. Sighing she stepped close and gently placed her nose against his neck and looked up at him almost expectantly as if asking if he'd repeat himself. She waited for what he might do. It was about now that Amelia or her herd members would explain to others that she was deaf had they been around, but they weren't and she couldn't very well rely on them being thee constantly now could she?  

[Summer Raaven]

Blue eyes were too busy wandering about the mare's body to realize that she had been staring at his mouth while he spoke. She still had yet to speak in return, she just nodded her head as he went along with his words....and again, Cedric thought it strange. Okay, so if this mare was playing a game with him, she was most definitely a pro at it. There wasn't very many times when a mare didn't speak when he was around her...granted, he rendered a few of them speechless of course...but never like this. So this was new. New and strange, but still interesting.

The bell's pretty sound rang in his ears and his eyes tore down to it's location. Where did she get that? Better yet, where could he get one! It was like he could be a walking music-player if he had one of them...oh imagine the ladies that would cling to him! Flowers, jewelry and bells! He'd be a mare-magnet yet.

Of course, not like he needed the attention.

His eyes still focused on her bell, he was taken back a bit when the mare nosed his neck, her eyes staring up at him. What the...? For being shy, she certainly had no problem getting close to him! Haha! He knew that would happen eventually...but wait, she...she was asking him something, wasn't she? Her eyes pleaded for his direct attention to the situation they were in and well, considering she hadn't responded, he spoke up again.

"I said...I said you were pretty. Um...cute, beautiful...whichever you prefer. Can you understand me? Did you hear what I said? Honestly I gave you a compliment and you never said thank you...most others around here would take that as rude. But me, see...I am a nice guy. I'll forgive you for this. I can tell you're shy but it's okay...I'm not going to do anything." He flashed her a charming smile, hoping that would seal the deal off this little game she was playing with him. He would get her to talk if it was the last thing he did!  

[lysia_nyteblade]

The vibrations of his voice tickled against her nose as she watched his mouth move once more. Ah pretty, that had been what he said not petty.. Smiling she took her nose away giving him back his space she nodded her thank you though still watched his mouth. She understood him though at his question of her hearing she gave a light shake of her head. She then wiggled her ears tick toking them back and forth a moment to get his attention to them and shook her head once more. It was her sign, her symbol if you would that she was deaf. Opening her mouth, she mouthed a polite thank you those still... no sound came of the motion.

Thinking a moment, she guessed he might have missed her from the movement of her ears and with one hoof, she did as Amelia had once done with her she pawed the thanks into the dirt for him then pointed to it with her nose. She then looked up smiling once more. Hopefully she wouldn't have to attempt actually speaking after all.. Yelling wasn't something she wanted to risk after all and when one couldn't really hear, controlling the volume of your voice was just... a dice game... Especially if she was excited about something. She didn't want him to think that she was being deliberately mean after all.  

[Summer Raaven]

There was that silly little nod again. This mare really didn't want to talk to him, did she? Well, he wasn't willing to give up just yet no matter what the cost. But it just didn't quite add up...she was being friendly by smiling at him and nodding, and she had been the one to make the first move toward physical contact...so obviously he didn't repulse her. This silly little game she was playing was almost too much now.

He wanted to tell her to stop, but his mother's nagging voice came into the back of his mind, telling him that wasn't proper. So he didn't.

Cedric noticed that the mare shook her head when he asked if she could hear him...wait, what? Seriously? Had she misunderstood him? Surely it couldn't possibly be that she literally couldn't hear him! He never heard of such thing! His parents told him that there were evil soquili, winged ones, horned ones, ones with fins...but never one that couldn't hear. Isn't that one the of basic joys in life? Could she hear anything at all? Like her bell, that pretty little bell, could she hear the sound it made when it jingled?

Her mouthing of a 'thank you' was an even further indication for him, as was the pawing and point to the ground she showed him to give him thanks. This suddenly made Cedric feel foolish. This mare standing before him couldn't hear him speak to her, hence why she wasn't responding. Well, she was responding but she was using her body to respond, not her mouth. Did her lack of hearing impact her voice?! Could she not talk, either? Cedric frowned at her, feeling slightly sorry for the mare. She was pretty, she didn't deserve a life like this.

"So...I'm guessing you can't talk either than, can you?" He deadpanned in spite of himself. A thought came to him while he stood there, thinking of what to say next. Her way of communication was body language, so why not play along? Why should he shove in her face the fact that he had words and she did not? Oh, but how to talk to a mare with his body when he was indicating that he wanted to 'have some fun'?

This was going to be a challenge.

Turning his body around so that his behind was facing her, he wiggled his bum happily, his curly tail staying in place because of it's tie. He hoped it would come off playful and not too forward for this mare...and he hoped he hadn't looked awkward.

"My name is-! Ah crap I forgot you cannot hear." He spoke out loud, still not facing her. How would they be able to exchange names?  

[lysia_nyteblade]

At his question of her being able to talk, she nodded her head and nearly blurted out an answer. Luckily she caught herself in time. She had nearly yelled in her excitement of him starting to catch on that she couldn't hear. Still, when he turned and started to shake his rump at her, she couldn't help it. An audible giggle escaped her and then broke to full laughter. Her voice wasn't soft and dainty like any other mare instead it was more thick, sweet with a deeper tone like honey given voice or molasses, only with that warm feminine undertone not harsh yet... not delicate.Her response to his playful display was to kick up her hind hooves and do a mock charge towards him aiming for a light headbutt  

[Summer Raaven]

Aha! Success!

Her voice was...well, unexpected to say the least. If she had a voice, why not use it? But the sound of her laughter brought a smile to his face, regardless if it confused him even further. She sounded pleased with him for attempting to communicate and that made him feel good about the situation he was in now that he realized she couldn't hear. It was sad and he wanted to pity her, he did almost, but he didn't want to say anything that could potentially hurt her feelings...

But her laughter, while musical, was overtly confusing. She couldn't hear, but she could talk? Or at least, form a sound. Why had she reverted to using her body then, to respond to him rather than her voice? It would make trying to flirt with her a lot easier.

She was, he finally realized, unlike any of the other silly mares he ever met. Whether or not Cedric was willing to read into that was a different story. But there she was, a larger, deeper, and thicker mare than most...but she still radiated girly-ness. She couldn't hear and yet had discovered a way to understand language. Her laughter was musical, as was her bell...and yet....she wasn't even able to hear herself.

That was a sad thought.

It was best not to dwell on that though, for that was none of his business in the first place. They weren't even acquaintances, let alone friends. He didn't even know her name yet! She was probably humoring him as he was her, just to be polite.

When she came at him, he laughed in response, only to stop abruptly when he remembered she couldn't hear him laugh. So what was the point? He didn't laugh, he wasn't a funny kind of stallion. He only wiggled his bum to show her that he (somewhat) understood her and was willing to attempt a communication through body language. Call it being nice. Yea. That's right. He was being polite. He ran around the tree to get away from the potential headbutt but stopped midway to turn and face her, willing her to read his lips once again.

He wanted to know. No. He needed to know. What was it like? Cedric concluded that this mare was far more fragile than most...and his mother's nagging voice told him to give her a chance to explain herself before toying with her. This mare's condition was...unusual.

"Can I ask a personal question, if that's alright? It's more for my curiosity than anything else." He paused, not giving her enough time to shake or nod her head before continuing. "How did you....how did you lose your hearing? Was it a birth condition?" Cedric couldn't fathom being born without something such as that, but if being born without sight was plausible, just like being born stupid (as his father called his grandfather), then hearing was to. Right? "Or...did something happen?" Oh wait, she could hardly answer him correctly...the basis of their conversation would have to end up in 'yes' or 'no' phrased questions. "Wait, let me fix that. Accident?"

He stared at her as he talked, hoping he wasn't too far away for her eyes to pick up on the movement of his mouth. "Oh by the way, I came this way intending to take a nap. You're far more entertaining than a nap would have ever been. So thank you!" He grinned again, he couldn't help it. Flashing her a brilliant smile, he wondered if she knew how to flirt without using words...cause if he tried it on her well, things could get interesting.

But what if I don't want to flirt with her? What if I want to get to know her?

....He blinked. Where did that thought come from?  

[lysia_nyteblade]

Her attempt had missed how disappointing.. but it was ok at least he was playful and playful she could do, she actually liked goofing off like her father, it was fun. She watched him start to go behind the tree then stop and wait for her. Ah.. he was waiting to get her attention before speaking. Stopping, she waited till he started speaking. Carefully she watched his mouth and thought how best to answer his questions. No use.. She'd have to talk even if he had tried to shorten it to a yes or no sort of thing. Opening her mouth, she tried to concentrate on her words, make them come out an even tone but when she got her words out, half were a whisper and half were yelled.... "I had AN ACCIDENT!!!" That hadn't felt right at all.. Wincing, she gave an apologetic look and frowned. Clearing her throat, she stepped up closer and gave it another try... "Sorry.." She managed to get our as a whisper. "Idonea...." She smiled offering her name to him.  

[Summer Raaven]

!!! What the-?!!!

Seriously?

The mare couldn't hear herself talk, that kind of went without saying...but he didn't really expect her to be able to speak because of it...let alone yell at him. He could tell in her eyes that she hadn't meant to be so loud, which only told him that she wasn't quite sure how to talk normal.

Which would explain the lack of her voice. No wonder she chose to use her body for communication. He probably would to. Oh, honestly he shouldn't be thinking this way...he shook his head at himself, feeling ashamed for feeling pity toward her. She couldn't help it.

"No, it's alright. I'm sorry...you do not have to talk if it makes you uncomfortable." Cedric frowned, trying desperately to find the right words. He couldn't....he couldn't deal with something like this, if it was him he probably would have thrown himself into the ocean by now. Stepping closer to the mare, he lowered his head in apology.

He didn't even introduce himself. Wow. Talk about being rude. Did he really have to wait until she did it first? Some stallion he was.

"Idonea is a pretty name, by the way. I am Cedric." He smiled his ever so charming smile once again, taking another few steps until he stood next to her nudging her side in greeting. This was...so strange for him, wanting to chat away, tell this mare how gorgeous he thought she was, get her to fall for him and then dump her the next day. But he couldn't...not with Idonea. She was soft and fragile, her intentions far away from his own. It didn't seem fair to treat her that way. Even if he had wanted to do that to her and she to him, the approach would have to be much different...much more difficult.

Or you could just nudge her backside and see how she responds. He told himself. No, no...that wasn't right. It just wasn't right. Stupid brain.

"So er...." He mumbled, nudging her again. Cedric turned toward a nearby open field and began walking that way, turning around to face Idonea...his head motioning for her to join him. He could take her on a walk. Yea. A walk seemed harmless.  

[lysia_nyteblade]

She offered him a less lopsided smile and nodded. "It's ok.. I'm just.. not use to talking any more..." She had to form her words slowly and concentrate on keeping her voice level and not yell. "Cedric..." She thought his name over a moment before giving a nod and yet another smile. It seemed to fit him, then again didn't everyone's name fit them?

She chuckled and nudged him back, sneaking in a slight butt with her head. Ah hah she was victorious after all.. of only slightly delayed. But as he left her side, she watched him head for the open area with perked ears wondering what he was doing. AT his nod, She filed in behind him. It didn't take much for her to catch up to him after all she had a long stride and her hooves gave the thump of their size against the ground in time to the jingling of her bell as she walked. It appeared to her that they were going to be taking a walk. But a walk to where? She looked around and then focused up ahead for a moment before finally touching his shoulder with her nose to get his attention. "Where... Where we going?" She'd try her best to communicate on a level he was comfortable with and not yell much while doing so.  

[Summer Raaven]

The mare's voice had a nice ring to it, even if she did have a little trouble keeping it under control. It was different, not bad or weird different...but not...normal. Ears perked up as the words flowed out of her, he realized he liked the sound. It was as if it were a miracle...her being able to have the gift of speech even if her hearing was taken away. Idonea wasn't challenged by any means...she was just...not as lucky as some.

One thing Cedric dare not admit, however, was the fact that hearing his name with her voice, on her lips, was like hearing it from the heavens above. It was....strange. Yea, everything about this mare was strange. But he liked it. Oho!! Was she flirting with him? He chuckled as she nudged him back, she seemed rather pleased with herself. So was that her intention after all?! Cedric wondered if he'd be able to go there with her, albeit a bit awkward....she had just attempted a flirting movement. The stallion smiled at her, as he walked a few strides ahead of him, his neck turned in her direction. Upon her question, he wasn't necessarily sure how to respond.

The sun was still up, but he could tell by the location it had currently in the sky, that it was only a couple hours or so before it started to make way for the moon. If she wanted to stay with him for that long, they could have a nice little chat until he showed her his favorite thing.

Sunset was by far the prettiest thing. And Idonea deserved to see a pretty thing. So yes, if she wanted to stay with him, he'd show her. "I have a nice resting place that I use to watch the sunset, if you want to join me? I'll bet you've never seen it from this spot before."