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 Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:37 am
 Cheveyo wasn't sure what it was that had drawn him to this particular mountain. From the moment he'd spotted it the little Usdia had been enthralled however - it was huge, forested and green but not sharp and hard like many of the other mountain's he had seen in his life. No this one was soft and rolling - an old mountain worn down through time until it was a softer looking thing.
Somewhere at the base of this mountain Cheveyo thought perhaps he would find the place he had been looking for, a safe place where he could raise his basket and not have to worry about the ill things that lurked in the more populated lowlands.
While every parents worried about the safety of their children, it was perhaps a bit more of a concern for the Usdia stallion - for one thing he was small, and while he could and would fight to the death to keep his basket safe, odds are that he wouldn't fare well against those who were larger then he and for another - he was alone. The basket's mother had opted to move on, leaving him with a child to look after and no real idea on how to do it.
A bit of thought had result in the current plan - find a safe, isolated place...wait for the foal to emerge..and figure out everything else after that. This gently rolling mountain had seemed like it might be the place he was looking for and so without any further hesitation he had started off, pushing and dragging the basket up the various inclines until he had managed to work his way a good deal up the slope.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:42 am
 Ironforge was not pleased with the way things had been going lately. He had gained little sleep in the last few nights thanks to the haunting memories that continued to chase him and while he wasn't the most pleasant of Soquili at the best of times he was in a particularly foul mood today.
The only thing he had to be thankful for was the relative peace of his chosen hide away - hardly anyone came this way..and the higher into the mountain you went the fewer that number became until it was a near certainty that no one would bother him.
Usually....
Imagine his dismay when not to long after having that thought the sound of someone moving through the tree's from below caught his attention. Ear's flicking Ironforge grimaced and turned to move back into the tree's, intending to hide away until this intruder had passed by. How bothersome.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:30 am
Moving a basket up the side of a mountain was turning out to be more then Chev had bargained for - indeed it was downright exhausting and while he wasn't one to give up easily Chev was certainly beginning to rethink this idea. If only this place didn't seem so peaceful..so perfect...so right for raising a foal.
Sweating and straining the little stallion pushed the basket ahead of him over a particularly difficult stretch of land, steeper then many of the area's he had traversed so far and filled with loose soil to boot he was starting to wonder if he would get up this small incline or be forced to retreat and find a different way around. Bracing his front legs to keep the basket from sliding backwards Chev took a break to catch his breath. Squinting up into the sun to try and estimate how much of the slope he had left to climb. By the looks of it he had made it about halfway up - well, he supposed that was better then only a quarter..right? He thought to himself attempting to look on the bright side of things.
Despite his best intentions Ironforge had not gone very far into the woods. He told himself how annoying the company of others was, how much he enjoyed being alone...serving no one, knowing no one. And yet..he always turned around to see those who passed..to watch and shadow. He told himself that he only did this to make sure that those passing wouldn't cause any trouble. He couldn't quite bring himself to admit that he wanted to ensure those passing were not in need of his assistance.
This ingrained urge to help and protect was one that he was trying very hard to suppress, he had already sworn off helping other's he reminded himself on a regular basis and yet...every time he turned around there he was...doing just that. Like now..he certainly had no reason to be following whatever intruder had decided to wander through his self proclaimed lands today and yet he was.
Silently he had worked his way around to the intruders flank, slipping through the woods quietly until he came upon..well..this was certainly not what he was expecting to find. An usdia stallion attempting to drag a basket up the mountain? How strange. Forgetting for a few moments his previous thoughts about staying out of other Soquili's business Ironforge moved a touch closer.
Cheveyo was completely unaware that he had an observer, all of his attention and focus was needed in order to keep the basket from sliding away from his grasp. This task was harder then he had originally planned but he continued to assure himself that it would be worth it in the end, when he had managed to find a safe place to raise his child.
His child - it was still such a foreign thought and one that he hadn't even considered until just a short time ago when one night of what he had thought was innocent fun had ended up in well...the little basket at his feet. In any case there was little point in considering what ifs and the like now...he had a child on the way and he had already decided the best thing to do for it would be to find somewhere safe for it to open and grow. Having gathered his breath he lowered his head and pushed the basket a few steps higher, following quickly so that he could then brace it against his legs again. Over and over he completed these steps, making his way up the steep ridge a few strides at a time.
All seemed to be going well with this method so far...at least until he hit a bit of unstable, loosened ground..and suddenly the basket he had been pushing forward was shifting sideways, tilting off his muzzle to skate backwards down the slope. Frantically Chev tried to stop it, throwing his forelegs out in a desperate attempt to stop it..but the basket was much to fast and his flailing legs caught only air as the basket slid past and began its bouncing descent, picking up speed as it went. Whinnying Chev whirled around and dashed after it, sliding and skidding down the slope behind his precious basket.
The curious sight of a Usdia, attempting to push a basket up the slope was enough to have kept Ironforge's attention - and in truth he was starting to feel a little bit bad for the smaller stallion, the going was certainly slow and rough going...but he steeled his heart and told himself to stay out of things. What matter to him was it that this stallion was working so hard? Perhaps he deserved it, perhaps he had stolen the basket in the first place..why else would he be dragging it all the way up here? Getting involved in the lives of others led to nothing but disaster..he had tried, once, to do the right thing..be the good steed, the gallant Knight and look where it had gotten him? Wounded, betrayed..cast away.
No life was much better up here alone in the mountains with no one and nothing to answer to save himself. The fact that he couldn't even look at his reflection in the stream anymore for sheer loathing was a fact that he stubbornly refused to acknowledge for more then a few moments at a time. That was just guilt over the past..certainly it had nothing to do with the present and as long as he continued to keep to himself it would disappear in the future as his actions continued to do no more harm.
Such inner thoughts were interrupted however by the shrill whinny of terror that suddenly broke the silence, whipping his head back around to see what had happened Ironforge's eyes widened slightly as he caught sight of the sliding basket and it's terrified warden. Almost without thought Ironforge was leaping forward, all thoughts of 'staying out of it' completely forgotten in the face of possible disaster. Because he had been following the stallion and basket the shaggy stallion just happened to be in the perfect position to help save the endangered unborn youth and a few quick strides brought him to the point of interception.
Even then however the large stallion was almost to late, as the basket was quickly picking up speed on the loose soil, reaching down Ironforge was barely able to snatch the sliding basket by the edge as it went past, a quick twist of his head and it was safety secured against the edge of a large rock - a rock, that the stallion reflected, the basket had been lucky to miss as it went careening past.
Cheveyo wasn't sure where this stranger had come from..but one his intentions were clear the little stallion was more then happy to have had him show up. With the basket safe he could slow down his own rather reckless pursuit and make the last few strides in a much safer fashion. "Thank you Sir! thank you so much..I don't know where you came from but I'm ever so glad you happened to be around!" Cheveyo started to thank the larger shaggy stallion. How exactly did you thank someone for saving the most important thing you had? Surely a few words were insufficient but Cheveyo had little else to offer and so his undying gratitude was what the other stallion would have to make do with.
Hmm..what? Ironforge had acted so quickly to stop the basket that to be honest he had nearly forgotten about the Usdia stallion until the beast had shown up and started spewing words of gratitude. The little stallions voice was so sincere that Ironforge was almost certain his intentions with the basket had to be good...no thief that he knew of would risk their own neck to save their loot when it came right down to it. No they were typically more interested in saving their own hides so that they could live to steal or cause havoc another day.
Turning his attention to the little stallion Ironforge regarded him, recalling now his previous intentions to just leave it all alone. "It was nothing."
"Nothing?" Cheveyo responded with a slight shake of his head "You are mistaken friend..it is everything to me." How could one put a value on something so important, so above the usual standards of value that it was essentially priceless? Then again..this was something he himself never would have understood until he became a father to be.
Moving towards the basket he gave it a quick inspection, but other then a slightly scraped up looking bottom he didn't think is had come to any serious harm. "How very lucky we were that you were nearby...my heart just skips to think what might have happened otherwise." A quick glance down the slope revealed the maze of trees and rocks that would have met the basket. Eventually it would have hit one of them with terrible results.
"I live here, there was very little luck involved." Ironforge told the other stallion, still unwilling to accept that he had done something extraordinary. What he had done rather - was insert himself into the lives of another and while sure it seemed to have a good result at the moment no one could tell if it would remain this way. Perhaps the basket would have slid to a stop all on its own, perhaps his last minute snatch had wounded the foal inside and no one would know that until it was born.
Once more he was doing something he shouldn't..he was bad luck to anyone around him and the world was a better place with him safety off to the side of it.Look how many had already died because of his ill thought actions?
"Oh well, that is even luckier then." Cheveyo responded, quite unaware of the other stallions thoughts about the encounter. As far as he was concerned the shaggy stallion was simply an unexpected hero to be grateful for. "Perhaps you can tell me if there is a safer path up the mountain?"
"No, this is the only way." Ironforge replied, turning as thought to head back into the woods, the faster he removed himself from this family to be the better off they would be. "Perhaps you should return to the valley." He suggested as he went. Surely the little stallion would not attempt to make it up the slope again - given what had just happened.
"I see..." Cheveyo responded and with a sigh he maneuvered the basket in front of him again, clearly preparing to start back up the slope. "Well thank you again for the help."
"What are you doing?" Ironforge demanded as he glanced back to see the other getting ready to attempt the slope again. "Just go back down the way you came."
"No" Cheveyo replied with a grim slime "I promised this basket that I would find a safe place for it to grow and the valley is dangerous..there are predators and cruel things lurking about just waiting to harm a newborn."
The stallions sent of pang through Ironforge's chest, yes the valley was dangerous, the entire world was dangerous and cruel. "What makes you think it will be better up here?" He finally asked, pausing for a few moments. He was still going to leave, he was..he wasn't going to get any more involved then he already had been.
"Maybe it won't be..but what kind of stallion would I be if I didn't at least try to keep it safe?" Cheveyo responded, glancing at the shaggy stallion before turning his attention back to the basket at his feet, lowering his head to push it foreward, back up the slope.
Ironforge blinked at the little stallion, pausing as the little creatures words burned a furrow through his heart. What kind of stallion indeed? It was a spoken form of the thoughts which had been silently plaguing the deepest part of his mind since he had arrived here. He told himself it was for the best and he grieved and he pined and he sacrified the whole of his very being to keep from facing the very words that this little stallion had so unwittingly spoken in such a matter of fact manner. What kind of stallion indeed.
Snorting to himself with disgust the shaggy stallion turned back around, laying down beside the basket. "Secure it to my saddle, I will carry it up the mountain for you." Ironforge stated in a matter of fact voice.
Cheveyo was surprised, it had seemed only moments ago that the shaggy stallion was about to leave and with the white steed already having done so much Cheveyo wasn't about to ask him to stay and help..but here he was offering it anyways. "But why? Good sir you've already done so much, I couldn't possibly ask you for any more...not that I'm not grateful."
"My name is Ironforge..." the shaggy stallion introduced himself "and ...because I think I need you as much as you need me." He responded to the other stallion. Cheveyo might not know it but the little stallion had opened a light into Ironforge's heart, a small, tiny glimmer...and Ironforge was unwilling to let that glimmer die so soon after he had seen it brought to life. "I would like to know you and I know of a place which might be fitting for you and your foal."
"Cheveyo. But most call me Chev." The usdia replied, and although the stallions words were still a touch confusing he was hardly going to refuse the help so gallantly offered. "Thank you...your help is most appreciated." The little stallion continued while he busied himself with securing the basket as instructed.
"As yours will be as well." Ironforge replied, standing once the basket was secure and starting his way up the mountain with the little stallion in tow. "Tell me about yourself Cheveyo..and when you are finished, perhaps I will tell you a story of my own.." It was not the first time that Ironforge had come to the conclusion that he needed to stop what he was doing and return to what he was meant for..but it was the first time that he had heard it and seen it from another, so matter of factly uttered that he felt foolish for ignoring it before, for falling back into self pitying habits because they were far easier then doing what was right. Never again he told himself as he and the other stallion walked up the mountain. Never again would he backslide...from now on it was all to be moving forward.
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