The feeling of the wind beneath her wings was exhilarating. Nothing compared to the sensation. She would never understand her mother's fear of flight. Mariam reveled in the sight of the world below her, free from the restrictions of being hoof-bound. She wished she could soar through the skies until the end of days, going where ever she wished without trees or lakes or mountains to stop her. Unfortunately, she was still quite new to the practice, her wings were rather under-developed and she could only stay up for short periods at a time. The amount was growing more with each passing day, but it was hardly enough to satisfy her.
As the dull throbbing in her wings started to become a bothersome ache, Mariam searched for a spot to land. She had decided to fly over a particularly dense forest, and clearings seemed to be sparse. Thankfully, the trees were split by a large river and that provided Mariam with the space she needed to settle back onto the ground. It was also a convenient spot to get a quick drink and to get her skin rehydrated. It wasn't exactly visible, but the kelpi blood that ran through her veins still had an effect on her.
With her feet now firmly planted on the ground, she gave her wings a small stretch then tucked them against her sides. Then, without any hesitation, she waded belly deep into the freezing waters of the river. The cold never bothered her much, another effect of that aquatic lineage. She let her muzzle dip into the water, not even bothering to remove the scarf covering it, and took a long, slow drink from the river.
Moon_Princess_Yuki
I'm so sorry this took longer than I said it would. Things got busier than expected. orz
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:22 pm
Kulasi froze. A wind mare had just landed in her clearing. No waring at all. Just one second Kulasi is watering her small garden of to the side and the next second theres a blue wind soquili wadding in her river. Ku said nothing and looked away not wanting to chance looking the mare in the face. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't prepared to face someone else today. Why did she decide to land in HER Clearing. There had to be other ones that were just as nice. Ones with out Kuu in them. She stood with her heart pounding in her chest wondering where Aki was. Normally he'd be here with her, he could protect her from unwanted attention. But he had said something about picking blueberries and left earlier that day, which under normal circumstances she would be okay and he'd return later. But most days didn't have unwarranted visits from flying strangers.
She breather slowly to calm her heart and loosen the tightening fear. If she just stayed quiet and limited her movements maybe the soquili would miss her and leave after she drinks her water. So Kuu picked up her makeshift watering can and continued to quietly water her plants while being hyper aware of the soquili in her water.
Once her thirst was quenched it was time to take a good look around. In all honesty, she had no clue where she was. She hadn't one for quite a while now. Mariam's knowledge of the Kawani lands was about as vast as her father's-that is to say, basically nonexistent. It hardly mattered to her though. It's not like she needed to know where she was, because she never had a specific destination in mind anyways. She just wanted to explore, to experience the world, meet new Soquili.
Still, it didn't hurt to be aware of her surroundings. The trees, the river, the other trees, some flowers, more trees. And something very pink. Mariam's ears perked up curiously at the sight, craning her neck around to try and get a better look. There were so many of these stupid trees around, though. It was absolutely impossible to see exactly what the source of this brightness in the shade of the forest was. Which meant there was clearly only one option. Get closer. She stepped from the river and gave a good shake to try and rid herself of all the excess moisture. Once that was taken care of, she maneuvered her way into the forest, eagerly peering around trees until the very distinct form of another Soquili was finally in her sights. A cheeky smirk curved her lips under the dark scarf and she continued her advance, calling out in a friendly voice, "Well, hello there!"
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:56 pm
Kuu dropped her makeshift watering can and stared at the winged soquili. Her brain had stopped. She was still only looking at the body though and not the face. which kept her from having total panic attack. No now she was only having a minor panic attack. The soquili she hoped would just leave had come. She turned her head back to the flowers and breathed in their sent to calm her down. To let her think clearer to breath easier, to keep her very small frame from shaking. She was going to be fine as long as she didn't look up. This girl wouldn't stay long. She'd get bored and leave and Kuu won't have made an attachment. She wont hurt for weeks because of the rejection her leaving causes. She wont go through that again. And she certainly wont look up to see the hate and disgust on this mares face as she leaves. So she'll be fine. About a half a minute after the girl spoke Kuu replied, "Hello Miss." Very quietly.
Mariam's eyes followed the watering can as it fell to the ground, giving it a questioning gaze before examining the area around this bright mare. She had herself a little garden. How cute. The hidden smirk on Mariam's face was growing wider and wider by the second. Every move the pink mare made was just painfully precious. Her avoidant eyes, the way she took in the flowers' scent, her quiet voice. She was so meek. Already Mariam was putting on the moves. It really didn't take her long to start flirting...
"This is a lovely garden. Is it yours?" She moved past the other mare and approached the flowers, brushing her nose against one and inhaling. She made a small, pleased sound at the bloom's scent then turned to her quarry with a slightly shocked expression, "Oh! I'm so sorry....I should have introduced myself first. I'm Mariam." Her face softened into a warm and friendly smile, though the corners of her mouth were still drawn into a devious smirk under the scarf.
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:24 pm
Kuu backed away just a little. She was nervous around this mare but she didn't want to be rude so she didn't out right run. She just took a step back. But at the question of her garden she looked at the small but varied group of flowers threw her fringe and smiled meekly. She was proud of this little garden she and Aki had made. With various wild flowers from within the area and little shiny stones and shells to form a border. It was her pride and joy. It was nice to know someone else besides her and Aki liked it. "It is my garden. The garden is something my friend and I work on together." Her voice getting a little stronger with the new topic of her garden and friend, but still a barely a whisper.
But her small confidence that was building left fast when they moved to introductions. "No it is quiet alright. I had the opportunity to introduce my self an failed as well. I am Kulasi. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance miss Mariam." She said still only in a whisper and still only looking at the mares hooves.
Mariam could hear the other mare's voice strengthening just a bit as she talked about her garden. It seemed to be a source of pride, and apparently confidence, for her. That was good to know. Mariam would gladly talk about flowers all day if it meant getting some attention from this pink pretty. But just like that, the other's confidence slipped away as the subject changed. This would be a bit more difficult than Mariam had anticipated. Which was fine. She was always up for a challenge. Patience and charm were going to have to be her big players for this round of flirting.
"Kulasi..." She pondered on the name for a moment, playing it back several times in her head, "That's a cute name. And, Aki, was it? Who's that, if you don't mind me asking." Not a mate, hopefully. That would completely ruin her fun. Mariam would gladly flirt with a single Soquili, but at least she respected those who had already found someone to love. She wasn't interested in breaking anyone's relationship. All she wanted was to have a little fun and build her own relationships, however fleeting they may be.
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:05 am
As the mare continued to talk to her Kuu couldn't help but start guessing after how long she'd leave. Right now her guess was ten more minutes. When the mare realized Kuu would never look up at her. That she'd only answer in the barest of whispers. The mare would glare sigh and leave. Disgusted by how rude Kuu was being. Her parents did it. Her siblings and child hood friends did too. What was stopping this mare? So she guessed and counted playing along with this temporary conversation to maybe keep the realization at bay long enough that the mare would leave with out realizing to protect Kuu from adding another face to those who found her disgusting.
Hearing her name come out of someone other then Aki was odd. Very odd. She didn't know if she liked it or not. But it's fine it's not like a name could hurt her. "I do not mind you asking it is fine. Aki is a humming bird and a very close friend I have had since I was a child." whispered Kulasi nudging one of the stones that border the garden back into place.
Oh, good. Nothing more than a familiar. Then Mariam could continue to play her game. Though, perhaps it wouldn't hurt just to be sure. She didn't want to put in all this work and suddenly have a stallion strut in to ruin everything, "Ah, I see. And it's just you and Aki here all by yourselves?" ...Alright, even if there might be a stallion waiting nearby, Mariam still wanted to have a little fun while she could, "What a shame. A pretty mare like you shouldn't be all by her lonesome."
They were just words. Just a bit a harmless flirting. That couldn't cause any real issues, right? Right. That was always her line of thinking. Word never actually hurt anyone. Maybe feelings would get a little ruffled, but everyone would get over it quickly and there'd be no lasting damage. At least, that's the way it worked in Mariam's mind. And that's why she rarely held back what she was thinking. Like now, for instance, "How would you feel about having some company for a little while, hmm?" There was coyness in her voice. Only subtly so, but enough that someone perceptive could pick up on it. Mariam hoped Kulasi would pick up on it, but she had her doubts. Which was fine. She'd keep subtly flirting if she had it, it really wasn't a bother to her.
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:55 pm
Kuu frowned slightly at her questioning her aloneness. She couldn't really see why anyone would be anything besides alone. Okay maybe not that drastic seeing as she had Akiru by her side so she wasn't really alone. But she was absent soquili company which she much enjoyed. Soquili could be mean even when they weren't trying to be. They could hurt just as much as they could cause joy if not more hurt then joy and Kuu no longer wanted to deal with it. So of course she answered "Yes me and Akiru are the only ones who live here. We also do not tend to get visitors miss Mariam." The flirting went un noticed by Kuu, she was often told she was lovely as a child. That her looks were really her only redeeming quality so she doesn't see it as a compliment any more. Just pretty words people say. But she couldn't very well tell someone off for trying to compliment her so she very politely said "Thats very kind of you to say but I'm sure you are busy with other things and do not have the time to keep me company. But if you wish to stay you may. I would not object to it." This was also an answer to her last question and flirtation. Which Kuu did not see as a flirtation at all see as spent her whole life being told that she does not act in a way that could be likable by others in such a way. Not including the fact that she also has no clue that it is possible for two females to like each other, let alone she is capable of that very same love.
"Please, just Mariam will do." She gave a quick glance in Kulasi's direction then began to wander through the tiny garden, taking great care not to crush any of the delicate flowers, "And, well...I'm rather alone myself, you see. I've been traveling for quite a while now and it's been a very long time since I've had any company. I really would like to stick around and perhaps talk with you for a little bit. But ah..." Mariam's head hung down slightly and her ears rolled back in a rather pathetic display, "If you'd prefer I'd leave, then I'll let you get back to your garden and be off..."
It was nothing more than a show, a ruse. Mariam wasn't really that upset at the thought of being sent off. It wouldn't be the first time someone had rejected her affections. Certainly not the most volatile either. But she was hoping to tug on the other mare's emotional strings, manipulate them like a puppeteer. Just a little bit. Enough to make her feel some guilt at making Mariam think her company was unwanted. Of course, it hadn't even really occurred to Mariam that her company actually was unwanted. All this quiet speech and avoidant gaze seemed like simple shyness to her. It was simply unimaginable that Kulasi would truly want to be left alone. No one ever wanted to be alone. Not really.
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:29 pm
Seeing as Kuu refused to look near someones face she didn't see Mariams 'Pathetic display' But she heard the words and they did make her epithetic. When she was a child she always wished someone would stay and talk, to not get annoyed by her rude habit of not looking people in the eye. She wanted someone to help shrink the gap she felt separated her from other soquili. She has since grown out of wanting that and has found her own little happiness in her clearing, alone, where no one could hurt her. But still she did know the feeling Mariam described. So even though it made her leave her safe zone she decided to let the girl stay, and be decisive about it. "No no I would be greatly pleased if you would stay and chat, Mi- Um M-Mariam." It was heard to get her name out with out the miss. The intimacy it caused was another discomfort she was giving in to this mare it seemed. It'd be rude not to call her in a way she wanted to be called right? "I do not know if I will be all that good of a conversationalist though. I have had little to no interaction with other soquili since I was small and am not all that versed in conversing." The mare couldn't be too disappointed by her rudeness now. Kuu had warned her. She wont leave utterly disgusted. Maybe she'd leave now? Yes don't let either of them build expectations that will inevitably get crushed, if she'd just leave. If she'd just let her stay in her safe little bubble alone.
Mariam gave a curious and confused look, knowing the other mare wouldn't see it. She really hadn't held a conversation with another Soquili for that long? Surely she'd had her family to talk to. Mariam couldn't even imagine being away from others for such an extended period of time. Until very recently she'd always had her family to keep her company. Sure, there were times when she had wished for some privacy. There were a lot of times like that. But they never lasted long. Even now that she was on her own Mariam still craved company after a few days of being by herself. Surely Kulasi was just exaggerating.
"Well, that's alright. I'm pretty good at keeping up a conversation. Some might say a bit too good." That is to say, she had a habit of talking too much some times. Not that the protests of others ever really stopped her anyways, "So, do you have any family? Brothers and sisters or anything?"
Moon_Princess_Yuki
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:56 pm
Kulasi's mouth turned down in a frown. Most people star to feel uncomfortable at this point in a conversation with her. Kuu supposed she was just on of the few who think her face aversion was temporary or just a cute little quirk. People like that tend to talk with her longer, some actually come back to talk with her again. But they all eventually get tired of her. Hate how distant she can be, hate how she never looks up, hates how she's always so shy. How she only does things to not be rude and rarely because she actually wants to be in any given situation. The nice ones when they find out just leave, don't say why don't give a reason, just one day they never come back. The meaner ones will shout and rage and hate and make sure she knows just why their fed up with her, make sure she knows the reason all her friends leave is her fault. Those Soquili are the reason she keeps her head down, why she doesn't talk to people unless she feels it's rude not to. Those are the people her family was. Nothing she did was ever right for them. She couldn't stay.
Kuu's ears pinned back and she frowned with anger and her eyes glared at nothing, at the question of her family. The she soften her ears lolled to the side, her frown more of sadness, and her eyes downcast. She was angry at them for driving her away but she still missed them, and she missed having a family, even if shed never go back. She was done with them. "I had a mother and father and a younger sister. Though I have not seen them in quiet some time." She paused, she didn't know what was the right way to continue. She thought and decided asking her that question would be the best path. Properly polite and it'd get her talking which would take pressure off her to always reply and speak correctly. "And what of you Mariam? Who makes up your family?"
Woops. Perhaps family wasn't the best choice in topic afterall. The look on Kulasi's face made that pretty apparent. For a moment, Mariam was worried the smaller mare would tell her to leave, or at least politely ask. She didn't think Ku was really capable of demanding something for someone. But then her face softened and the change in expression actually made Mariam feel a pang of guilt. She was quite familiar with the drama that came with family and could only imagine what the pink mare's own story was like. She made the decision to answer Ku's question and promptly change the subject. It wouldn't do anyone any good to linger in the uncomfortable atmosphere of this topic.
"Oh, well there's me, my mom and dad, and my brother and sister." Mariam began to circle around the garden, making her way back to Kulasi, "Haven't seen them in a while, I kind of wander off on my own. We lived next to a two-legger village, by a lake. My dad and siblings are kelpies, you see. I had a lot of fun swimming in that lake, even if I didn't a special tail or fins to help..." A secret sore spot for her, but that wasn't anything that they needed to go into.
And as her circle around the garden was complete and she drew close to Kulasi again, Mariam's eyes had a rather mischievous glint in them, "Have you ever been swimming? I mean, real, proper swimming, completely submerged in water. Not just splashing around in a dinky little pond."
The feeling of the wind beneath her wings was exhilarating. Nothing compared to the sensation. She would never understand her mother's fear of flight. Mariam reveled in the sight of the world below her, free from the restrictions of being hoof-bound. She wished she could soar through the skies until the end of days, going where ever she wished without trees or lakes or mountains to stop her. Unfortunately, she was still quite new to the practice, her wings were rather under-developed and she could only stay up for short periods at a time. The amount was growing more with each passing day, but it was hardly enough to satisfy her. 
