|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 6:31 pm
One, two, three, four....
Meridah ran, the foliage and scenery whipping past her young frame as she raced from whence she came. In her mind she was counting along with what would have been the words of her younger brother as he was 'it' - the hunter, the searched, the chosen one who would challenge her in hide and seek. Unfortunately for her brothers, she was a pro. She knew they had their own skills, but she was already anticipating where they would think to look for her in spots she had chosen prior. She needed something new, something not like anywhere she'd hidden before. Enough so her dark body, unlike the tan of her brothers, wouldn't stand out in the brightness of the day or the green of the forest.
Breaking through the trees as she wasn't aware how far she'd gone she looked to her right as her eyes caught something grand. The ocean.
Perfect.
Who would think to look for her down there! She could see where the rocky cliffs she stood on sunk down to sea level, and even out in the water could see large outcroppings of rocks amongst the waves. They would be perfect to hide behind so she wouldn't be seen from the shore. Meridah had this in the bag.
Racing down to the shore she was only hesitant a moment when her hoofs hit the slightly cool salt waters of the ocean. She'd never swam before in her life thus far, the herd lands she hailed from only held rather shallow streams. However to her vast understanding it was about kicking your legs and keeping your head above water, how hard could that be?
With the decision it would all be fine she pushed into the water, past her knees and up past her belly as she wadded with the floating her tiny frame began to do as she bobbed along the waves and hid behind one of the rocks with a gleeful smile. She had no doubt she would win till time began to pass, and as she stood strong against the waves which pushed against her side wondered just how long it would take for them to even come close to her location.
Seven thousand two....seven thousand three.....
Unaware the tide already began to rise as she kept a vigil stance with her mind still counting away, she felt the water splash against her face as she began to realize she was rather deep. "Oh..." She breathed, before seeing a larger wave crash right before her and she yelped; getting pushed against the rock as the filly was submerged. Kicking her legs sporadically she didn't understand why she wasn't swimming, but luckily the wave pushed her against the rock and she clumsily used her hooves to try and climb up to no avail. At least though it allowed her to keep her head above water. "Oh man!" She cried out, frustrated beyond all belief that her well devised tactic was backfiring in her face at a dangerous rate.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:05 pm
Beneath the crashing waves, past the sandy slope of the shore and near the rocky outcrops that marked the passage into deeper waters, the kelpi colt swam peacefully. He kept his nostrils pinned tightly as he swam, a huge breath of air taken only moments ago providing him oxygen enough to spend quite some time beneath the waves. He much preferred the coastal waters to the vast open ocean, for life beneath the sea was clustered near the shore and he could swim for hours without seeing anything if he drifted too far to sea. His young muscles tired if he swam for too long, though his movements as he glided through the water were (almost) as graceful as any adult's. The open ocean provided another challenge he had yet to conquer: he feared sleeping in the water in case he did not wake before he needed air... staying near the shore was more practical, given his physical limits, and since he had yet to develop the patience to wait hours on end to come across something interesting, it suited his mental needs as well. So he stayed near the shore, and eagerly explored the shoreline communities.
His ears perked as his eyes wandered up along the side of a rock that crested the surface further inland. Though the sides of this rock were smooth even so far down, for it caught the force of the waves at both high and low tides and any clinging organisms were quickly drawn away, he saw a flicker of movement towards the top. A fish, perhaps? Or a hunting bird?
Vodadragan swam closer, moving towards the surface with arching movements of his tail as he approached.
His brow furrowed, puzzled, as he saw that the thing appeared to be struggling. Perhaps it was a hunt after all? He considered moving away, for he found watching another enjoy their gory meal to be distasteful, but something about the struggle seemed unlike anything he had witnessed below-water before.
Garbled words reached his ears, for the sound did not pass well beneath the crashing waves. From the feel of the current, he noted that the tide was beginning to rise, bringing nutrients to the intertidal communities as the water levels rose onshore. Why was the form resisting the natural flow of the water, seeming to struggle so hard to stay close to the rock?
A scant meter away, the struggle of the dark form seemed even more earnest. The colt's brow furrowed as he watched the tiny hooves- hooves! a goat? or a small Soquili, perhaps?- flail frantically at the smooth rock.
He titled his head, using his front legs to counteract the movements of his great tail and maintain his position beneath the waves. Now that he was so close, the figure seemed definitely equine, but there was something different about it... there was only a short tail of hair, rather useless beneath the waves, and unless the movements hid them there were no fins that he could see. A land-dweller, he thought curiously, moving stealthily even closer as he tried to figure out exactly what the land-dweller thought it was doing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:11 pm
As she continued to struggle as the harsh scratching of her hooves on rock sent an unsettling vibration up her legs she knew instinct was kicking in and she was blessed with the stamina to continue. She dared not plunge back into the water to give swimming another try; for if she did there was no guarantee she could get another hold back on the rock and it smooth surface worn away by the waves and time.
It seemed luck was on her side as as her hoof caught into a divet in the rock and she was able to with one last heave pull her body up so her knees pressed against the rock as well as her cheek. Laboured breathing from her struggle sent her chest into a slight quiver, but she'd made it and that all which counted. A few more steps and perhaps she could get herself fully out of the water, and be able to rest her screaming and tired muscles. Looking around for a steady spot for her rear leg she spotted a potential spot; and when she pulled a little more to get her hoof in place she felt the unthinkable happen; the growth of algae was too slick and twisted her front hoof which threw off her balance completely. Unable to take even a breath in to gasp she plunged back into the waters fully submerged. Once she was under the water she opened her eyes despite the sting of the salt against her warm brown orbs, she needed to access, figure out quickly what she could do and her next course of action before she drown.
That was till she saw something nearly right in front of her face.
It was a bit murky from her inability to see clearly under water, the motion of the waves and bubbles enough to distort the image but clearly....the shadow of something the same size of her had her heart immediately skip a beat or three as she flailed and screamed; only coming out as a mass of bubbles and a gargled echo from her lips. Oh gods, she was going to die in the least favorable way - eaten by some predator of the sea! What a disgrace for a knight!
Either way as she tried her damnest to co-ordinate her legs to swim she could not; and the release of her final air in a ill devised scream had left her lungs burning for air she could not get to.
Her vision began to blurr as she felt herself sinking; her struggling less violent...watching as the figure before her despite being small like her slowly fade into darkness as she struggled now to keep conscious.
How could this had happened? Her plan had been flawless....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:44 pm
Vodadragan watched the surface-dweller with interest, trying to figure out if it was a strange dance that- he? she?- now performed, though the frantic nature of the movements seemed to negate such a theory.
He did not understand the ways of the land-dwellers... not all of them, anyway. Beneath the waves, everything seemed so... serene. The way the seaweed swayed in the gentle currents, the slowly-scurrying crustaceans across the ocean floor and the simple lives of other marine beings. There were times of chaos, it was true, but those few crazy moments held purpose and meaning: even a predator attacking its prey was an event marked by the need to feed. He didn't have to agree with everything that went on around him, but he could swim away if things got too uncomfortable for him.
On land, he was far less graceful, and found himself in awkward situations far more often. Explaining himself using words instead of movements (there were very few who could translate a sequence of bubbles into a phrase, and he was not among them...), having to make a hasty retreat as his fins began to dry out, his tail flopping around as he moved it out of habit- though it was more a hindrance to his movement on land than anything else.
There were so many creatures, of all shapes and sizes, both on the land and underwater that he had yet to encounter. And each and every one of them had goals, aspirations, and thoughts of their own... so complicated. Add to that the customs and habits of those who dwell on land, where the pull of the ocean currents holds no sway over daily routines, and his understanding of the world seemed to just stop.
As the other foal (the form was not stocky, like the miniature breeds, from what he could see, so the only explanation for its size had to be youth) scrambled onto the rock, seeming to still for a moment of peace as if something had bee accomplished, his little mind began to put the pieces together.
Oh. he thought, tilting his head in the other direction as he processed the information. The struggle seemed to be explained by the need of the land-dweller to get back on something solid- the rock. But, the flails seemed terribly inefficient, and there had been so much wasted energy-
With a rush, the dark foal plummeted back into the water, and the watching kelpi's eyes popped open as he darted back a slither, his mouth widening as his nostrils flared in surprise. He quickly plugged them again, losing only a few bubbles' worth of air; he was skilled at surviving beneath the waves, instinct and practice pairing with his natural gifts to make him adept at the art. Rule one was: you do NOT breathe underwater.
As the dark foal twisted around and golden eyes met warm brown (he could not know that the water that separated them marred her vision even as his specialized lenses gave him perfect clarity), Vodadragan realized that perhaps land-dwellers did not understand the ways of the water just like he did not yet understand theirs.
His suspicion was confirmed as he watched the precious air release from the silent mouth of the other foal. Not good. He moved forward hesitantly at first, then his great tail seeming to work of his own accord as he tucked his little legs and darted towards the sinking form. Not good NOT GOOD. He was almost upon her now, the less-than-a-meter of water quickly vanishing due to his sudden burst, and his nerves started fraying as he saw her earlier struggles seeming to cease altogether.
His speed was his greatest aid, as he passed beneath her and carefully positioned himself so that her body began to slow as it met his. He winced and tucked his backfins tight against his side, bracing himself for her pending impact at the same time as he kicked his legs and wiggled his tail furiously to try to propel them both to the surface.
He could barely think; he was pure adrenaline, now that he understood what was going on and what could happen if he failed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:38 pm
The under water world began to become even more of a blurred mess, her body slowly using up the last reserves of her oxygen as her body cried out despite its fading resolve. Meridah was a strong willed filly but there was realistically only so long someone could push before something would break. Her statistics were becoming slimmer and slimmer with each passing moment she remained below the surface. She knew this, yet had failed to take into account the water rising....unaware of tides and the motion of the sea. It was a grave error....one she'd not yet realize she could make; yet either way, the filly had realized that her knowledge would not always be there to keep her from harm; and her arrogance had come with dire strings attached.
The mounting pressure was a strange sensation as her small mane swayed weightlessly as if a thick breeze was tousling it in motion; the feeling of her body tightening as she sunk lower and lower was something new. Was it the same if one flew up? Who knew, and at this rate what did it matter. Grimacing with the ache of oxygen deprivation she was ready to close her eyes when she saw the blurr approach, wincing as if she was ready for a bite but was pleasantly shocked when one never came. In fact, if she wasn't sure she was ready to slip into death she would have sworn on her life the blurr was trying to....save her. As it dove down beneath her vision; she felt her mind finally blurr as thoughts escaped her and she was just numb.
Motion.
Warmth radiated on her stomach as she felt her body be pushed up, the pressure releasing her as the water forced her tuff of a red mane against her neck and face. She was going up! Up towards the surface and more importantly air! Needing to close her eyes as water was relentlessly stinging her she fought with renewed strength the basic need to survive, the need to breathe with hope only meters.....feet....seconds away.
Air
Erupting from the depths to the surface the filly gasped out, coughing and spewing water from her lips as she held on the best she could with her legs while being as still as she could - not wanting to injure the one who had so selflessly helped her. As her gasps became coughs, which evolved into mild wheezes as she looked down to see the brown of a mane, and the sea green of a pelt ladled with blue fins. Equine. It was a soquili like her, but so, so vastly different. Drenched to her core as it felt she wasn't aware she was trembling slightly; her nerves fried and her body finally getting some oxygen back into its system.
"T-t-thank you...." She sputtered, while she was a proud filly, she wasn't a rude one. She owed him so much, that perhaps he didn't have the idea of who he just fished out of the depths. "S...sh.....shore...." A gentle request, but she knew she couldn't get there without this one's help.
Meridah didn't want to drown any more, and frankly was rather eager to get her hooves on the sand where she didn't have to flounder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:12 pm
The colt tried harder than he ever had, for anything, as he propelled them towards the surface. He had positioned himself well, and the flurry of movement that accompanied their adrenaline-fueled ascent did not dislodge the filly from her careful perch. His tail whirled rapidly as he pawed with his front hooves wildly to keep himself fairly horizontal and keep her on top.
Go go go... it was not a thought, rather a surge through his body, as every muscle strained at the simple command inspired by necessity. Breathing was required. It wasn't an option, and though it could be delayed it could never be stopped. The body knew this, that was why it constantly sought air- even when it was not air, but water, that surrounded it.
His body knew to rely on the supply of oxygen that rested in his sturdy lungs when it was underwater, but the body of a land-dweller? It couldn't do that, it wasn't equipped for that, especially when the mind started to panic, and that meant go! Up, faster, hurry!
As he rushed towards the surface, he didn't even notice the discomfort of another form atop his own, for he was concentrating with every ounce of his being on getting the other foal up.
As the pair crested the surface, giant gasps and sputters rewarding the kelpi's frantic efforts as the other expelled the water and refilled burning lungs with air. His ears flickered to and fro, as he spread his wing-fins beneath the other's ever-so-slightly-smaller form and spread his legs wide to balance them. His tail worked tirelessly against the current, keeping them roughly in the same place as he poked his muzzle barely above water, his neck craning to one side as water cascaded down his ears- once they were clear, he listened to the sputters intently, satisfied that the need to breathe had been met.
His nostrils flared as he drew in a breath of his own; he had burned up much of his stored oxygen in their flight. Her high and clear voice rang true, for all of her sputtering, and Vodadragan felt almost embarrassed as he realized that he held a filly- not just another foal- on his back. The concept of decency had been introduced to him by a land-dwelling couple, which included something they called etiquette and how close it was proper for even young foals to get. But, he thought, even those.... strange rules that seemed to have no real-world value (they did not help anyone survive, unless there was retribution for disobeying them) surely paled in comparison to the need to breathe, to survive. He shrugged off the flicker of embarrassment as he shrugged off the discomfort of bearing another's weight, counter-balancing with his tail as he listened eagerly for her first water-free, deep breath.
Shore? Shore. He knew shore.
He pinched his nostrils and ducked his head below the surface, angling her carefully so that her head was still above water but so his hind end was slightly behind hers as he worked to renew their momentum. They had surfaced a few feet from the rock, a product of the current's motion as much as her angled descent, and Vodadragan steered them gently towards the shore.
The urgency of her plight was behind them, but he still moved quickly. Her request, like their bodies' demands, were easy to understand and (somewhat) easy to comply with. He made their way towards the shore, using his legs to give his tail's strikes through the water a little extra oomph.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 11:48 pm
With shaken breaths in and out as her body struggled to regain a sense of normalcy with its natural rhythm, she blinked her eyes furiously to give any kind of relief when it came to the redness settling amongst the brown. Even now out of the sea it was still hard to see well as she squinted; hoping to force whatever had settled against her eyes out so she could see without reprimand of pain. This didn't mean she couldn't see, oh no, for now she was able to get a better look at the colt who had come to her aid as he began to swim for shore....but she could feel that, and didn't need to truly see it to know.
He swam like nothing she had ever seen or fathomed in her life, as her head looked behind to see the splashing and rising of a rather thick tail with fins; which made her own tuft of a tail pale in comparison. It wasn't shocking she thought him to be some kind of sea predator, she knew little, obviously, about the sea and its strange inhabitants. How was she to know? His determination to get her to shore warmed her heart, while it may have just been noble intention - it meant so much more to the little filly who really had no one do anything for her ever. She was always the one looking out and in control....so it was a strange change of pace to have it reversed...unintentionally or not.
The shore approached finally, and once she was sure she would get footing she moved her forelegs off his shoulders and rolled slightly into the waters. plunging her legs down quickly she was relieved to hit the sand below the surface, before crawling her way up till she was in quite shallow waters and promptly collapsed on the shore. Laying in the small inch or two of water as it washed slowly up against her with the waves she could feel her body melt in a sense, no longer struggling or deprived...she was exhausted but not as much as he may have been. After all, he did the swimming with not just himself, but her as luggage. Turning her head to look back into the water, she could see him clearly now, and offered a small but kindly smile. "T-thank you again.....You really saved the day..." She breathed, the taste of salt water sour in the back of her throat.
Yet what was she to do? How did someone go about repaying such a debt as life? She doubted there was anything she could do, at least nothing that required her under the sea like he was capable of; that would just be disastrous.
The least she knew would be the polite gesture of introducing herself.
"My name..." She coughed, water droplets falling as she still was trying to get the water out of her lungs she'd swallowed when she screamed. "Is Meridah..." The little dark filly was still shaking, trying to regain her body temperature amidst the cold dampness of her pelt and of course the breeze offering little heat to her soaked frame.
"What kind...of Soquili are you? I have never seen someone with fins..." She asked quietly, although enough to be heard over the rolling waves. "Do you....have a name?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:18 am
He focused on the sandy shore, pushing his small body to ensure that her simple request was fulfilled. He didn't think much, as he made their way into the shallow waters- and he didn't think much when she slipped unsteadily off his back and crawled the rest of the way. He paused to stretch his shoulders, his tail still moving steadily behind him even though it was barely submerged now. He stopped the movements sternly, breathing in the crisp salty air as he followed the filly to shore.
His walk was rather unsteady, though it was not just from exhaustion- as she had struggled for her life, he had struggled beneath her- rather the gangly gait of one who had spent too long beneath the waves. It always took some time for him to regain his land-legs, and he let his tail flop about where it liked to keep him balanced.
As the adrenaline slowly faded away, his golden eyes fixed once more upon her form. He watched cautiously as she lay upon the shore, inspecting her for injuries when he should have examined himself.
He was not particularly selfless, or uncaring of his own well-being. How could someone who had learned to survive on his own not care about his health? But he knew that he was just tired for now, though he would be aching tomorrow, whereas she... he only hoped that what he could do had been enough.
He returned her thankyou with a small nod and a quick smile that was gone as soon as it appeared. He felt rather awkward, here above the waves, with the slight breeze wicking away moisture while the sun slowly worked to warm their bodies.
His ears jerked upright as she coughed, and he watched in concern as (hopefully) the last water droplets were expelled from her lungs. He didn't know how long it would take her body to recover, but it was good that she felt well enough to speak- right?
"V...Vodadragan." he said just as quietly, answering her second question first. His name had been the only thing his parents had given him before chasing him off; some Kelpi were as uncaring as any of the darker breeds, seeking to rid themselves of the burden of their children's presence as soon as they were able to fend for themselves. It was just one more thing he didn't understand... there were so many different beings in this world, with personalities as seemingly diverse as the many forms that life came in, it was just one more aspect of that grand idea that he did not yet comprehend: living, among others who were similar but so very different from himself.
He realized that he had been quiet while he remembered things that he actively chose not to dwell upon on a daily basis, and flashed her another of those quick smiles as an apology. Sometimes silence made others uncomfortable. "I'm... we're called Kelpi." he didn't know how to explain himself other than that; that word meant so much, and yet it lumped him together with others so unlike him... but, then, if she had never seen another with fins, perhaps she did not know how diverse the breed could be.
He stood there on unsteady legs, watching her as trickles of water flattened his short brown mane against his silken neck before being swept back to rejoin the sea.
"The fins... they help, underwater." he explained lamely, trying to justify an evolutionary trait that could have appeared from chance as much as necessity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:40 am
She kept her eyes trained on the colt as he stood what seemed a little awkwardly above the waves. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, quite contrary....how can you not trust someone who just saved your life but it was habit to watch, to gather, to detect. From this watching she had gathered a few more things about this water dweller than she had during the chaos, that his fins were rather thin the blue almost seeming like they were water type wings from the airborne soquili she had seen around. As well that his body had very little hair, not like hers; it seemed the color was in fact his skin tone and not the fur which covered it. Perhaps it was because he was so wildly different than anything she had seen on land that made her wonder about him and the world which he came from all the more...but there was time for that.
Now, she had all the time in the world.
"Vodadragan?" She echoed, testing it on her light vocals, before a giggle rose as her cheeks flushed slightly. "The Knight and the Dragon!" Perhaps he didn't get the meaning like she did, and although she wasn't a full fledged knight yet she would be able to start her squiring soon, and nothing was going to stop her from her dreams.
"Kelpie...I see." Meridah knew she would have to start researching Kelpies more, starting with her family. She wondered if they had met any of these quite miraculous creatures before; but as her smile remained on her lips as she curled into herself to try and heat up at a swifter pace; her head gave a bob of a nod before continuing. "They're amazing..." She commented about his fins, trait or not, they were a blessing to her. "Are you alright though...? Fins or not...its not easy to carry someone else..." She was aware even though she was small, the strength it must have taken to pull her ashore and swim was no scoffing matter. While once she was to the surface and able to regain her thought process she had known to stay still....what had happened when she was under the water? Her hooves could have potentially hurt him.
Yet as she watched him, her own humility returned to settle in her soul. It was a hard lesson, despite all the pro's of meeting someone like him had made the situation lighter than it truly was. Meridah was aware she could have died, if he hadn't been around she would have been floating still amongst the sandy bottom of the ocean. The sobering thought would be one the little filly could never forget, the way her body reacted to the chaotic moments which only had two outcomes - live or die. The little filly had taken it on herself to assume such a grand role of leadership amongst her brothers...no one had asked her to, or told her she had to....but it was something she desired. To grow up faster than her childhood was allowing her, so to make such a grave error had really stung her esteem. With eyes looking down to the water as it lapped up against her legs before drifting back to the vast ocean she felt her own eyes water slightly. "I'm....really lucky you were around, Vodadragan." She breathed out quietly, absorbing the sensations and feelings she was experiencing in a rare event in her life....one she hoped to never truly experience again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:19 pm
Content now that she would not suddenly keel over and die of shock or some unseen internal injury, Vodadragan took a moment to admire her short firey mane. Though it was plastered with saltwater, the color was striking.... his ears flickered as she uttered his name, and he blinked owlishly at her giggle.
He did not know the meaning of his own name, for his parents had not seen fit to explain themselves. He had to admit that Dragan sounded somewhat like Dragon, but Knight could not be extracted from the sounds of his name... so the Knight must be her? He eyed her with renewed interest, wondering how a filly- or anyone as young as they- could come to bear such a title. Stories of great Knights and their conquests had been related to him on his few visits to the land, but such fables did not exist underwater.
... but, always, if a beast was mentioned- and surely Dragons were beasts of great power- ... the Knight prevailed, and the Dragon's inner fire was extinguished.
He peered at her, his burrow furrowed in concern as his tail flickered hesitantly. Why... Why would this Knight go after her Dragon?
Unless she wasn't the Knight after all? Maybe the Knight was someone that would come to punish him for getting too close to one of the opposite gender? He look around nervously, silently reassuring himself that saving someone was definitely not the same as being rude.
He shook his head slightly, a fine spray of droplets accompanying the movement. One more thing he didn't understand.
Gender was just a pronoun, one that conjured mysteries of adulthood but held no other meaning for him yet. Maybe some day he'd learn why it was important, but not yet... a foal was a foal, and a filly could play just as hard as a colt, if she wanted.
He liked her smile. It was continuous and sure, and he felt that her brown eyes would only ever be hers and no one else's. He knew it was a common color, but something about them just resonated... Meridah.
He looked away quickly, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his staring now that he did not have the reason of ensuring her health.
"I'm fine." he said, hoping that his stoicism was not a lie. He could feel tightness in his muscles, as though they protested coming to rest after so much frantic movement, and he figured that he'd have a few bruises come morning. But the tender membranes between his fins has been spared, for all that his wingfins were already sore- they were not used to being pressed by his side, and he figured that his body had its rights to protest unusual actions. Sometimes he saw himself as its caretaker, for when it was hungry or tired he couldn't resist its pull, even if he dearly desired to play more or keep exploring.
His little chest puffed up a little with pride. "I dunno, it would be really hard on land but underwater things seem... lighter." It was so much easier to move beneath the waves, at least for him. He wouldn't want to swim around with almost-twice his usual weight all the time, of course, but if he had to do it again at least he knew he could!
He watched her curl up, and frowned lightly, wondering if he should offer his bodyheat but still slightly paranoid that some Knight would come galloping in and think he was being.. un-proper-...y. He stomped a little hoof against the sand, frustrated at the mysterious ways of land-dwellers and adults. His body seemed to adjust well to the cold waters, but even he could feel the slight chill of the wind even as the sun tried to warm them.
He wasn't much for words; it seemed that he'd already said more to her than he'd uttered in the past moon. But, after what they'd been through, he felt strangely at ease... like she wouldn't make fun of him if he used the wrong word or didn't understand.
"Lucky..." he repeated, blanching and shaking his head furiously as he considered what might have happened if he hadn't been there, or if he'd come across the scene too late to do anything. He didn't want to even think about that, no no no! "I'm... i'm glad you're okay."
He found his mind racing again, though his body remained calm. What if this happened again, and he wasn't around? Her flails had been so inefficient, she really wasn't using her legs right even if she didn't have fins... why was she in the water in the first place? Yes, it was really fun out there, but if she couldn't swim then she couldn't see the best parts!
"Why were you drowning?" he blurted, though he meant more why had she been at sea than why she had been unable to breathe water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 2:10 pm
Looking up but a moment she was lucky to catch that rather wide eyes blink sent in her direction; while she wasn't a master at reading people, it was fairly easy to put what she had just said against his look to tell her he perhaps didn't see it as clearly as he. "Someday, i'm going to be knight!" She beamed, the one topic which always without fail put such a brilliant smile on her face. "My family is a bunch of noble knights, I will walk in their hoof prints and bring great happiness and justice to the lands!" She announced, musing with a gentle chuckle. "I may not be one yet, but I get to be a squire soon - and thats kind of like training to be one so that might not be exactly true right now....but nothing is going to stop me from being one." Oh, the determination in her voice was astounding for someone so small, her drive to get what she wanted could have been akin to years trying even in her small short life as of now.
She couldn't fail....it just wasn't an option in her stars.
"I guess..." She was thinking out loud now, drawing her eyes over the ocean as the ever descending sun cast the waters in an almost magical array of sparkles, as if fireflies were dancing above the surface of the rather beautiful blue. "You're not really a Dragon either....I heard dragons are scary and ferocious beasts; and you're not a bad guy." Meridah gave him a pointed look, somewhere between curiousness and suspicion, "Just don't grow up to be a big bad dragon okay?" She really didn't want to have to fight him...she wasn't sure if there were in fact dragons she had to vanquish out there, but she did know of Skinwalkers and dangerous Kalona; those were the baddies she and her family would help rid the land of. "However....I think you're good. I can tell."
It was hard not to see when her life was saved by him.
A gentle sigh of relief escaped from her lips, shaking her head so her usual voluminous hair could once again regain that luster and not be stuck to her neck and face like a drowned rat. It worked for Voda, but it didn't quite work for her. "I'm happy...and strength is measured more than just one's physical strength..." She truly was, it would have hurt her more to know she'd hurt him in any way shape or form; and although she didn't really think to how sore he might have been - she took his word for what it was. He was alright, and she believed it with ever fiber of her being. Yet his show of character at such a young age, and of course, her clinging maturity at her young age; she was one to take character into consideration was astonishing to her. How was it she had yet to truly meet anyone like him - and she wasn't just thinking of his fins or aquatic lifestyle.
She'd scoffed at the other foals she'd met, finding them too silly, too....childish in all the wrong ways despite how strange it sounded coming from someone like her. It may have been his quiet nature, perhaps a hint of shyness....or truly the fact they had met under such unusual circumstance; but she'd felt more at ease with him than she had playing leader to even her brothers - and they were her world.
Yet the enthusiasm mellowed for a moment at his odd, but rather appropriate question. "I was playing..." She sighed, looking up to the path she had come from earlier. "I had scoped the area while trying to hide from my brothers and behind that rock was the perfect place. A location I'd never used before, nor a type of hiding spot I'd used. I....wasn't aware the water rose. Swimming seemed such an easy concept, kicking one's legs and keeping your head above the water." She subconsciously took a deeper breath in, her body still reeling from the shock of not being able to accomplish such a simple and dire action. "Standing post is the art of letting your thoughts go, so much time pasts quickly as you aren't becoming impatient. It also takes you away from the world around you though; an awful mistake since I didn't notice the water rose before it was too late." Her eyes adverted, lowering slightly. "I was over confident of my abilities, thinking I could swim without problem."
Yet that was always her problem, wasn't it? Meridah always tried so hard to be in control, to be the bigger filly so she could prove to anyone that she was noble, strong, fearless....all the qualities a Knight was supposed to possess. Reliance was something she figured others needed, she was the one others relied on, but it was truly the other way around. Yet when she allowed herself to really think, to use the maturity she desperately tried to maintain at all time...it was when she could see with more clarity than her childish heart would allow her too.
"Can I tell you something, Voda...?" She began, biting her lip as she closed her eyes. It was a hard truth to admit, not only to herself but someone else... "I....I was scared. Really scared. For once....I didn't know what to do, and that was so....so scary...."
Perhaps it was a statement only seen by herself, but it was in fact an incredible feat to allow anyone to see her vulnerability - since in her mind...knights were to be invincible. Yet she wasn't....she was just a filly still, after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:55 pm
He nodded slowly as she spoke, almost as if confirming her claims. With her family's support, and the brilliant brimming confidence and good soul that shone through in her smile and chuckle... yes, he believed it could be done. He didn't know anything about what it took to become a knight (he just sort of assumed that was something that others were, from the moment they were born... but having to train to develop such famed prowess seemed much more realistic,) whereas she seemed to know so much already... yes, if anyone could do it, it was her. And her whole family had done it too!
A pang of loneliness ached inside him. He liked his freedom, the ability to roam where he wished and see what he could of the world, but sometimes when darkness fell... the ocean could be a scary place, and the land held terrors of its own. Those frightful things were still there in the daylight hours, but at least with light enough to see they could be avoided by practical and cautious individuals. He had never come across anyone in dire circumstances, at least until today, and so his courage remained somewhat untested.
He tensed his jaw, determination setting in as he logically sorted through his innermost fears. Big bad monsters were beings who lived and died, and they had reasons of their own for doing what they did- even if that reason seemed strange to him. Just because he couldn't understand something didn't mean it didn't have a value of its own, and he tried to respect the opinions of others even as he resigned himself to never really 'getting' why they did what they did or believed what they believed. He liked exploring new places, and that was the kind of unknown that was exciting and thrilling and just plain fun. It was the unknown dangers, including those that were merely figments of his imagination- like a shadow twisted into some drooling beast under the light of the moon-, that made him sad to be alone.
It must be nice to have a family full of knights to draw courage from.
He looked straight into her eyes, confirming that he was not a scary and ferocious dragon by chomping his smooth and rounded teeth. One thing he always remembered was that if someone a lot bigger than him smiled directly at him and their teeth were pointed and their eyes cruel, it was best to swim the other way as fast as his little tail could take him. But, sometimes, the best thing couldn't be done if something of greater importance needed to be done instead, like saving someone else from the big pointy-teethed baddie.
His teeth weren't jagged, and from what he'd observed of older Soquili they would simple keep getting rounder and rounder as time wore them down and eventually fall out entirely. He couldn't grow up to be a baddie, see?
But, somehow, showing her physical proof just didn't seem like enough. Drawing himself up with a grave air of dignity, he spoke with all the importance of ceremony. "I won't. I promise."
He watched as she fluffed her hair, and arched his neck a little while casting a pleased-yet-bashful glance downward when she stated that she was pleased he was alright. Of course, everyone probably didn't want to hurt anyone, but it meant something more to him coming from her.
He listened to her speak, his ears perked while she shared her story. Playing in the waves was something he did a lot, but scoping and hide-and-seek were foreign to him. He sought interesting sights, and he sometimes tried to play with fish weaving in and out beneath the waves, but he didn't have someone who would come looking for him if he hid. Aside from predators, maybe, but that didn't count as a game.
He watched her sorrowfully as explained what she had done, but was somewhat awestruck by her vigilance- she trained to be a knight even while playing, taking every chance to better her skill! That only confirmed his earlier conclusion that she could definitely succeed in her proclaimed goals. He could stand still with no troubles, when his tail cooperated, but he didn't think he could ever concentrate so hard that he would become completely unaware of his surroundings. He didn't notice that he was even now so captivated by the filly's words and firey mane and warm brown eyes that he hadn't even glanced at the setting sun.
As her eyes closed and she bit her lip, he tilted his head to one side. He liked the sound of his shortened name.
When she admitted that she had been afraid, he offered her a hesitant smile- even if she might not be able to see it. "I... I think it's okay to be scared, every once in a while. Fear can be paralyzing, but it is also an important part of keeping yourself alive... sometimes you need to get away, or get up to the surface, and sometimes you need that fear or that rushing sensation in your body or a thought you just can't let go of to get yourself moving." he paused, finding comfort in the truth and hoping that she would too. "And, maybe you didn't know what to do, but you haven't finished your training yet, right?" he continued, perking up slightly as the idea formed. "I mean, they've got to teach you to swim too, right?" He frowned again, wondering why that wasn't one of the first lessons for those who didn't take to water naturally, and then remembered that knights were something the surface-dwellers aspired to and shared stories of... so maybe the didn't need to swim, after all? But, no, she was a knight- or, well, she would be one day- and she had needed to know how to swim!
With a gentle sigh, he wondered if he'd get a brain bruise too. Things got so complicated sometimes- it must be nice to have a teacher or a friend to help sort things out.
He made a silent vow to never, ever, betray her trust. If she'd never been scared before, she'd never told anyone that she had been too, and it seemed like it was hard for her to even say that much. He felt honored to hear it, and wanted to help her not feel so bad about something that was only natural.
"Meridah?" ... "I get scared too, sometimes..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:04 pm
She'd said it. She'd shown the vulnerability that she was certain Knights didn't have, yet instead of feeling like more of a failure than she had before....a small part of her felt better. Felt that if someone knew that she wasn't all she was cracked up to be, behind the strength of her mask, that it was a little more acceptable. Voda certainly wasn't laughing at her, or mocking her weakness....and while she didn't think it was in his character to do something like that she was still glad he didn't. Heavens knew if he had been someone else and such a thing had happened she might have never opened up again. She looked up, perhaps a little shocked glistening in her doe brown eyes as she watched him. There were a wide set of emotions on his face as she could see him tense, before such a sturdy golden gaze met her own. Words hadn't been needed as she watched him show his teeth, perfectly flat and rounded like her own. While she was aware that there were wolves in sheep's clothing, soquili like her who thirsted for death and blood....he was not the case.
So much so he promised.
Perhaps such a simple thing shouldn't have meant so much to her, but it did. For one who didn't seem to speak unless he had something important to say she felt her lips curl into a smile, nodding her head in return. It would be a promise she'd not forget, perhaps in a way, a forge of trust. "I'm glad....I don't think i'd be able to fight you if you went down the evil path..." Well, she knew she couldn't. One look at him, no matter what he did, and she'd not believe it. Dare she say, she couldn't vanquish a friend no matter what her duty told her.
However, the biggest surprise was when he truly piped up, addressing her confession of fear. It was her turn to have an owlish expression as she listened intently. Her eyes fell as she absorbed what he had to say, giving her head a small shake. "But...I couldn't keep myself alive." Not without him. "I'd have drowned if it wasn't for you. Yet..." She breathed, feeling her jaw tense slightly to suppress the emotions which bubbled in her throat. "...you're right. I have a long, long way to go. I have not started my official training as even a Squire yet, Knightship is a long road away." One which she would get to, but childhood impatience was hard to quell completely. When he mentioned she would probably be taught how to swim she felt herself blush, she'd actually never heard of that being part of the training. Her family was so far from the water at times that it just didn't seem...well necessary. Now, she would be sure to inquire; but what if it made her seem silly for even bringing it up? What if it was something she was expected to already know? "Im not sure...if that is something we train for."
Her name. Looking up she was polite to gaze at him directly in the eyes, not sure what else he had to say. Yet when he did, she felt her breath hitch.
Perhaps she was reading too much into it, putting too much faith on her sense of knowledge; but to her....that was a sense of trust. A return of the vulnerability she had shown him; and it was something she hadn't expected in the slightest. The little filly couldn't help it as she felt the water brim at the corners of her eyes threatening to spill as she stood up on wobbly legs, sand sticking to her pelt and the traces of water trickling down her legs. One step, two steps she took towards him; aware the sun was setting so quickly now as the base touched the horizon as she could see in her peripherals over the ocean. Once she was in range, so close to the fellow foal she dropped her head to press her forehead against his shoulder. It was a motion which held deep meaning, being so close with one's head down was a sign of trust; for exposing one's neck was a dangerous position to be in.
Yet...Meridah had never experienced a kinship to anyone, not even her brothers in a sense she had today. Proud, but not blind....she didn't want to take something like this for granted. "Voda.....be my friend, okay? Please?" Perhaps the most awkward way to go about it, but she didn't know how to make friends, or how such a process worked. Honesty was the best policy, as strange as it sounded to be asking for friendship as she had assumed it was something which just happened.
But...she couldn't risk it not, being lost from miscommunication or assumptions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:41 pm
Fight? No, he didn't want to fight her- ever. Maybe fight with her against something really bad, or fight for her.... but he would never ever fight her.
As her eyes widened, he wondered if perhaps he had said too much- a strange concern, coming from him, for there had been days on end when he had said nothing at all- but as she continued to speak, he wanted to say that it wasn't the fear that was required for keeping her alive rather the action inspired by fear, that with the proper training she'd surely prevail, that if he hadn't been there... if. He was glad that he had waited for her to finish speaking instead of bursting in, because he shied away from that if vehemently.
"It's a long road, but it's not unending!" If it was easy, everyone would do it, right? They were only foals, with their entire futures spread out ahead of them, and though neither could imagine what the future had in store... Voda knew that Meridah would soar. Even long apprenticeships had an end, and since she already knew what lay at the end- Knighthood!- that could only inspire her to travel her path quicker.
He frowned, puzzled, as she admitted that swimming lessons were not a part of a knight's training. If knights were based on land, then surely their ranks were not dominated by water-dwellers? Maybe it was something families did in their spare time, but if the family was knights then weren't any lessons that came from family also part of knightly training?
Her hitched breathing derailed his train of thought, and he went on instant alert. It couldn't be the water in her lungs again, could it? She's expelled it by now, and she hadn't even dipped her head below the gently crashing waves, he was sure of it!
His concern grew as he watched moisture growing at the corners of her big brown eyes. Why...? Something he did, something he said or didn't say, something hurt? Something bad? He'd never seen anyone cry from anything other than sadness, or hurt, or pain... tears of joy were nonexistent in the life of a lonesome foal.
As she stood, he felt himself jerk forwards in instinct, ready to help if need be. His golden eyes darted from her hooves- stepping, one, two- to her forming tears as she moved closer.
He stopped breathing as her head thunked gently against his shoulder, and he arched his neck upwards and around so he could peer at her, stunned. Even his tail ceased its seemingly endless flickers.
Her voice, slightly muffled by her position, was carried to his ears several long moments before his brain registered her words.
His name, her request- ... Please?
He tried to speak, and realized that he had forgotten to breathe. Wondering vaguely how his body had let him do that, he drew in a deep breath, his little ribcage swelling as he prepared to respond.
"I'm here." he whispered, so very glad to be right where he was. In his young life, he had never been this... close... to anyone before. She had been sprawled across his back, yes, but this... seemed so much more... intimate. Confirmation, dedication, promises of youth with the gravity of adult proclamations. He had no way of knowing that one did not usually request friendship, or how friends were made, but this- him, her, together- felt right.
"Okay."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:00 pm
Despite her ducked head, the filly smiled, willing the watery tears from her eyes as he'd spoken so kindly to her. A simple colt...but thats how she liked it. It wasn't complicated, the friendship was based on trust; not play, not liking the same things...it was deeper than that. There was reason Meridah had no friends outside her family, for she felt she didn't fit in with the jovial pleasures and simplicities of youthful silliness. She had dreams, aspirations, she was a serious filly at time who's mind never stopped working in thinking of how she could better herself to her goals.
Such adult behavior often was lost on the mind of those why just wanted to chase butterflies, but she wanted to anticipate its moves, corner, how to gain the upper hoof, learn everything she could about the butterfly. Things weren't just simple for her....but perhaps that's why she enjoyed Voda more than just her savior. His simplicity and quietness wasn't off putting, but in fact it was enough for her not to draw away from excessive hyper-ness but the maturity he held was similar to her own.
Friends...
Honestly she hadn't expected herself to want any, or to have found any she would enjoy the company of....but Voda was different.
Lifting her head up so she could look him in the eyes she nodded, a smile curling onto her lips. "Thank you..." Though she had a good feeling he would be around, through silent promises each of them had made; it felt nice to hear it no matter how simple the statement was. "I'm sorry....I'm never like this..." She admitted quickly, leaning her head down to brush her cheeks against her shoulders to brush any tears still lingering on them. It was a rather extreme day for her emotions though, and she'd had nothing to compare it to in her young life so it was fair that she was having a bit of a breakdown. "You're right again....it will end. It'll be so grand when it does..." She felt her mind slip, imagining her first valiant act as a full fledged knight of honor. Oh but what...she shouldn't get ahead of herself!
Looking to the side as she didn't move from the close proximity she glanced to the sun, already halfway and setting further into the ocean. "I hope I haven't kept you from anything, Voda. Your parents are probably worried about you!" Hers....probably. It wasn't uncommon for her to be out quite late; often pleading to go on night recons so she can gain a sense of the land when it was hard to see. She often didn't have to worry about predators, the land surrounding them was clear, reputation enough to keep the baddies at bay. Besides, out of her two siblings she was designed for night, the dark of her pelt making her camouflage perfectly. She wasn't sure what his parents were like, but she knew her dad would be fussing on how a little lady shouldn't be out so late but he knew how much it meant to her to push the limits of her knowledge.
At least now she knew just how careful she really should be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
