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 Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:38 am
Green became tawny as grass gave way to sand beneath the Kirin Kalona mare’s gilded hooves. All humidity was sucked from the air as a gust of hot, dry air enveloped her and caused her to come to a sudden halt. Her head turned from one direction to the other as she carefully observed the expansive desert unfolding before her. Minuscule grains of sand danced over great dunes as the wind played across them, painting a beautiful picture and concealing the true nature of the merciless landscape and all of its dangers. “It would not be wise.” Whispered the more gentle spirit of the three and causing her to flinch in the process as she was dragged from her thoughts. Screwing her mouth into a frown of deep concentration accompanied by conflict she observed the desert once more before taking a tentative step forward. “I’m aware of the danger,” she began, “and as long as I keep my faculties about me we should be fine.” Inwardly she knew to a certain extent of the foolishness behind such a statement but she was unwilling to concede.
“We?” Hissed the most undesirable specter. “You are the only one in danger as your frail mortal body can perish so easily. We are already beyond the world of the living and if you were to expire we could simply find another host.” It cackled self-assuredly. Her tail whipped back and forth in an expression of displeasure and her ears lay back against her skull as she felt the familiar drain on her energy as the spirit strove to prove its unwelcomed point. Pushing all thoughts of the otherworldly lampreys attached to her from her mind she strengthened her posture and confidently entered the barren maw of the desert, proving to the apparitions that she was not theirs to command or neglect as they saw fit. That she was still her own mare, and that she could make decisions for herself without their input.
After what seemed like only a few moments Tatiana cast her eyes over her shoulder in an attempt to see how far she had come, but already the green land she had left behind had been swallowed up entirely and her bearing became all but lost. Even the voices of the spirits were drowned out by the combination of heat and wind, something she wasn’t all to displeased about though it was still disconcerting. The hot air snatched at the crimson wrap about her and the sand forced her to close her eyes against the onslaught. In the back of her mind a voice screamed that she should turn back or, better yet, that she should have listened when she had the chance. She had no business being in this desert and similarly had no reason to be. She went wherever her wanderings took her and now the thought that perhaps they were delivering her to her demise became quite present.
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Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 3:43 pm
He had spent some time away from the desert landscape recently, and reluctantly admitted that he'd missed the hot, dry wind. The sun beating down against his back, keeping his coat nice and warm. It wasn't a place he'd settle down by any means. But Sandsablaze did so enjoy visiting it often enough. And those herds that braved the desert to call it home held his utmost respect. For the desert herself could be quite the nasty creature. He chuckled to himself at this thought, pausing along the non-existent path he'd been traversing. Sandy glanced up towards the blazing sun and clear sky. His nostrils flared briefly, a tiny gust of wind toying with his mane. "Very interesting... " He murmured to himself.
Snorting and shaking out his long mane, the stallion began walking again, making his way up along one of the dunes. Perhaps finding shelter would need to happen sooner rather then later. The air felt too... calm. Green eyes narrowed as he reached the peak, taking in the landscape before him. Though it all looked the same, Sandy knew these constantly changing dunes. Knew how to navigate through them. Something he'd picked up from some of the local herd members that were willing to share. He did not, however, expect to see another soq out this far. At least not one he was fairly sure wasn't part of the herds. Though she could have been. Frowning, Sandy watched the mare - who was a rather lovely thing - curious as to what she might be doing out in the desert. And the longer he observed, the more he felt certain she was not familiar with the area.
Checking the area for any others, Sandy carefully made his way along the top of the dune, allowing the mare to spot him a ways before he could approach. When he found an area less steep, he moved down towards where the mare was walking, a friendly smile working its way along his face. "Greetings, fellow traveler!" He called, reaching the same level she was on. "Are you out here on your own, m'lady?" He asked, a faint bit of concern coloring his tone.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:15 pm
The sun played mercilessly upon the dark patches of her coat and the back of her throat began to feel much like the dunes beneath her hooves. She could feel the force of the wind begin to pick up until she was forced to tuck her chin downward and squint in order to continue. She could just barely make out the sound of faint whispers mixed in with the breeze as the spirits voiced their displeasure. She could not make out exact words but she was aware of the basic message. “All will be well!” She affirmed within her mind but was soon met with a wave of nausea as her passengers made evident their disbelief. She had never asked them what would happen if she were to die and only went by what the negative apparition said but she imagined finding a new and susceptible host would be difficult, hence what she believed to be the root of their frustration. Just as thoughts of her death became more realistic movement caught her eye and she lifted her gaze.
A figure off in the distance was walking with ease on top of one of the dunes, a feat that was harder than it looked she had discovered. She only realized it was a stallion once he began to travel down the side of the dune in her direction. For a moment she was overcome with the urge to turn and walk away, to spurn him before he drew nearer but the notion of rescue was one that could not be neglected. Stopping herself midway in her march of doom she awaited the stallion to come to her, observing him as he went. There were a few places on his body that gleamed in the sun and upon further inspection she noticed a few unique items upon his being. But beyond all of that, what caught her attention most were his eyes as he came into focus. There was just something about them, something behind them that drew her. It helped that he was one of the more handsome stallions she had crossed paths with to be certain.
She dipped her head respectfully as he greeted her and cleared her throat. “Merry meet.” She hadn’t felt foolish until now. The concern in his voice made her feel somewhat like a filly that had foolishly become separated from her mother. It was her mistake and she counted herself lucky that he had come along, but her pride smarted a bit. “I,” she hesitated as she was about to suggest that she was not alone, but soon realized disembodied spirits didn’t count and would likely drive him away, “I am.” Directing her blue eyes toward his face she gave a meek, distant smile before continuing. “It would appear I was a little too rash in my decision to enter the desert.” She admitted.
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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:07 pm
He let his gentle gaze sweep over the mare, making sure she was not injured. How many tales had he been told of foolish soquili attempting to 'tame' the desert on their own, only to fall victim to its sometimes harsh ways. But she looked to be in good health, if perhaps a little tired? The sun out here was indeed brutal. And the wind could be painful when it caught the sand up in it. When she spoke, though, Sandsablaze couldn't help the smile that curled his lips. She sounded like a sweet person! Poor dear. He wondered how she'd found herself out here in the first place? There was also no suspicion garnered for her hesitation in answering. The stallion appreciated it and could understand it, seeing as she didn't know him.
His ears flicked forward and back, tail flicking out once. "Ah, such is the curse of the desert. It draws you in whether you are ready for it or not." He chuckled. "Alas, m'lady, you are in some luck. If you would allow me, I am familiar enough with the desert I could be your guide?" He paused, lifting his head briefly towards the sky. Too calm now. Sandy's ears flattened. "Or perhaps the lady would allow me to lead her to some shelter?" There was no need to frighten the mare! Though if there was a hint of veiled urgency in his tone, he couldn't be faulted. A calm like this typically lead to storms. Sandstorms.
"Ah, but forgive me! I've forgotten my manners." Sandsablaze let his gaze settle back on the tan mare. "I am Sandsablaze. A frequent traveler of the desert region." He offered her a very gentlemanly bow before righting himself and shaking out his mane. "What might I call you, m'lady?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:32 pm
His tone was forgiving and non-judgmental as he spoke to her which made her feel a bit more at ease in his presence. He did not reprimand her for her foolishness or assume a condescending manner concerning the scenario, he maintained a gentlemanly composure and she found herself returning his smile in spite of herself. “Ah yes, it appears this is one force I was certainly not ready to challenge.” Dipping her head she shook some sand from her mane, knowing she likely looked to be in quite the sorry state at this moment. She looked up as he mentioned being her guide and without thought quirked a brow. He had only just met her, yet he was showing her such kindness. She didn’t know whether to be more suspicious or grateful, or both even. He hadn’t even flinched at her obvious Kalona lineage, though she shouldn’t complain about something such as that.
“Though normally my pride would sway me otherwise…A guide may be exactly what I need.” Suddenly, as though a switch were flipped the wind began to die down slightly and she was able to see more clearly. She did not think it strange as she had seen many weather patterns in her day, but there was something in his tone when he suggested shelter that made her pause. Her gaze swept over the landscape and soon came to rest on what appeared to be an angry red cloud heading in their direction. Her heart leapt but she remained calm as she focused on her handsome rescuer once more. “Shelter sounds like an even better idea.”
She took a step back as he bowed at her, uncertain of the movement at first. She had seen bows before, but very few directed at her. Shaking her reaction of, she gently tipped her chin downward in a very feminine greeting before speaking. “Sandsablaze, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Especially since I don’t know what my fate would have amounted to had you not shown up.” Directing a pleasant smile at him she went on. “My name is Tatiana, but most just call me Tati.” She laughed gently. “As you can see, I am a novice in the ways of the desert.”
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:33 am
Sandsablaze chuckled softly, knowing how often he heard tales of travelers attempting to brave the challenges of the desert and were so unprepared for what it was like! At one point, he himself had done this. But he'd found one of the nomadic herds that were gracious enough to teach him some of their ways. And now, he tried to do the same with anyone he stumbled upon that seemed to be in need of assistance. Even if they didn't want to admit it. Ah, but that was something he'd learned to work around. Apparently, being a father taught you many things. "Such seems to be the curse of challenging the desert. No one is ever prepared." He said, still chuckling. She really was quite charming and cute in the way she admitted this!
He was very relieved to hear she would allow him to be her guide. The stallion inhaled deeply, eyes softening. "Well, I am glad your pride will allow it for today." Sandy winked, ears twitching as the wind died down. Glancing up he frowned a little. Right. They really did need to get moving. There may have been a tiny bit of alarm in him, but he didn't show it, offering the lovely brown mare a cheerful smile. "Shelter it is. Or as close to it as we can get." He added.
Tatiana? What a lovely name that was! "Please, call me Sand or Sandy. Or even Blaze. I've been called them all." He grinned, nodding his head towards one of the larger dunes nearby. "Consider me your desert knight, my lady Tati." Taking a few steps towards the dune, he paused and awaited for Tatiana to follow before continuing on. As he moved along, the stallion looked her over, glad to see she had a wrap of sorts with her. "Not as novice as you think, my dear. That wrap of yours was a smart thing to bring. And, as it so happens, very useful at this moment." Sandy moved closer, making himself appear as harmless as possible. "Please forgive me for being forward, but you'll need to pull this up over your nose, like this." Carefully, he nipped the wrap she wore and pulled it gently up over her nose. "There. That will help you breathe much easier. As I'm sure you noticed, we have quite a large wall of sand coming at us. I do apologize for the ill timing of it." In much the same fashion, he maneuvered a small wrap of his own that he carried on him whenever in the desert, so his own nose was covered.
"Now," he said with a much more muffled voice, leaning in so she could hear him. "We'll be taking root just over there, by the dune. The storm will strike a little roughly first, but once the first hit passes, it's just troublesome more than anything. Just stay close to my side, and I'll help you through it." Once he reached the spot he felt was high enough but protected by the peek of the sand dune, he indicated the area. "Make yourself comfortable here, dear. I'll buffer as much of it as I can." Meaning he would lay beside her, but his body would face the worst of the sandstorm. However there was no fear in him. Just a steady calmness.XBlind-DarknessX ps congrats on your new boy, Utu! <3
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:26 pm
The stallion standing before her was definitely suited to the ways of the desert, even the way he smelled informed her of that. He was so at ease in the harsh surroundings that she allowed herself to take a small measure of comfort in it; considering that there may be more to the desert than just hostility. A spark of hope ignited within her chest that had previously been extinguished with regret and fear; seeing Sandsablaze standing confidently against the barren backdrop made all of the difference. Tatiana shyly nodded her head as he commented on the challenge presented by this land of sand and attempted to compose herself in his presence.
Though she was certain something about this setting was amiss Sandy’s demeanor never would have given that away. He remained as strong and focused as when she had first met him, refraining from dancing in place or even coating his tone with a sense of urgency. If his words before had vaguely hinted that he had helped others in the past his present state confirmed it. It was plain to see that he had garnered a lot of experience in helping those who had lost their way, something she also knew a little bit about. Her eyes skittered away as he winked at her but she directed a gentle smile in his direction, uncertain of how to behave in a situation where someone was as kind and polite as he was. “The carnival.” The tender spirit added after having picked up on her thoughts.
“Hm? Oh, Sandy then. I like the way it sounds and how perfectly it suits you.” She responded distractedly. Having a conversation with two individuals at one time was difficult enough, but when she was the only one able to hear one of the two it only added to the pressure. Slowly shaking her head to clear her thoughts she followed closely behind him, fearful of getting separated or lost. “My knight?” For some reason the sound of it was very pleasant to her ears. “Thank you.” She added quietly.
She had hardly heard what he had said about her wrap as her thoughts had become scattered in multiple directions which was why she was surprised when he drew near to her. Her muscles stiffened and her heart began to pick up the pace as he softly adjusted her wrap. When he moved away to adjust his own she found herself desperately attempting to catch her breath without drawing attention to herself. She definitely hadn’t expected that, but it was disagreeable. “O-oh,” she stammered, “I see. Thank you for your assistance..” She knew that she was likely beginning to sound like a magpie that had fallen in love with a phrase and decided to repeat it over and over, but she couldn’t help it. So much was being thrown her way at once that she hardly knew how to respond.
Once again he drew near to her but this time she had prepared herself for it and was a little more stable in her reaction. Turning her gaze in the direction he had indicated she gave him a definite nod and followed. Upon reaching the spot she turned to him and leaned in to speak. “Are you sure you will be alright? The last thing I want is to see you come to harm on my account.” She questioned sincerely. The idea of him taking the brunt of the blast concerned her, and she also hated feeling as though she were a burden causing him to make all kinds of sacrifices.
Kyrieko Thank you! I can't wait to see him grown. XD And sorry this took forever dearie! <3
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:26 pm
She really was a pretty thing, which he was having a much more difficult time shrugging off for the time being. Maybe it had just been a while since he'd felt this way about a mare again? There was the adoring feelings for his daughter. And the tender spot he held for Paavai too. But this mare tugged at something more. Ill timed sandstorm indeed, he snorted to himself. At least his desert lady here was not so uncomfortable around him any longer. Though how that could change once she saw the wall of sand was a different story.
"Thank you! Y'know, I was once in the same shoes as you, so to speak." Sandy said with a secretive grin. "And please, it is my pleasure." It really was. He had a knack for helping others, it seemed. This made him think of Vai briefly, a small smile forming. "Some years ago, when I first thought to take on this beast," he indicated the desert with his nose as he lead her to the dune, "I almost wound up lost forever. But I happened across a kind soul that was willing to help me out. And the nomadic tribe they belonged to taught me some of the ways of the desert. It's sort of been my favorite place to return to ever since." Sandy admitted, letting his bright green eyes scan the sand fondly. Then he shook his head to bring himself back to the current... inconvenience.
The stallion took note of the stiffness that she suddenly displayed, wondering what had happened to make her feel so insecure in the past? Or perhaps he'd just caught her off guard? Whatever the case was, Sandy couldn't help but notice she had a very soft and sweet scent about her. "As I've said, Tati, you are most welcome. And please, know that I promise not to hurt you or do anything you dislike." He didn't want her to feel afraid of him. More so than usual and it threw him slightly off balance.
Despite the slightly dire state of things, Sandsablaze laughed. A good hearty laugh. "I will be just fine, Miss Tatiana! These old 'dust' storms don't have a chance against me." He flashed her a grin - which she couldn't see but it was reflected in his bright gaze. "When the sands hit, it may sting a little. But it will be gone quickly. Visibility will be impossible, so keep leaning against my side. So you don't think I've left you." There was a little bit of teasing in that last bit. "Most importantly, don't get up and try to move. You'll be disoriented before you can even take a few steps with how thick and blinding the sand is." Giving in to an impulse, Sandy gave Tatiana a gentle nuzzle. "I'll be right here by your side the entire time. Okay? Besides, it's not every day I run into such a pretty mare out in the desert!" With another laugh, the stallion ducked his head slightly and steeled himself for when the sandstorm hit them. Hopefully it didn't last too terribly long! XBlind-DarknessX Oh look, Kyrie tagged a thing |DDD
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