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 Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:44 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:07 pm
Alianna had been away from these lands for a long time now. Her ventures into the world beyond had left her wiser and in some cases more cautious while at the same time forcing her out of her comfort zone. She emerged from the forest back into familiar territory only to find that she knew next to no one now. And so she set off, finding that being home again seemed to bring out her usual introverted tendencies. Though she saw a few others, she spoke to no one and kept mainly to herself. Alianna told herself she just waiting to see what had changed, who had come and gone, but truthfully she had already forgotten how to approach a stranger. It wasn't as if she had not done so on her travels, but now that she was home... Well, it was an entirely different thing. She chose not to delve into the reason why she was so shy amongst those she shared a home with because truthfully the possible answers scared her a bit.
And so she trod on, following the coastline as she went. Her surroundings had not changed overly much, but she had yet to come across the vast plains she so loved. It took her days coming out of the north west and following the coast before she finally found herself clear of trees with the waves foaming at the shoreline and grasses sprouting up to begin her beloved grasslands. A wicker and a snort announced her glee and she was off at a quick pace, racing the wind with laughter quick to follow. For a while she was content to frolic on her own, but eventually her pace slowed and she set about looking for a good spot.
It had been a long time since Alianna had simply laid in the sun and enjoyed the sound of the wind through the grass and the sound of waves nearby. She had not strayed far from the beach, not trusting herself to remember her way after so long abroad. Finally she picked a spot near the sand and settled into the grasses, her legs folding neatly beneath her with her tail splayed out in golden waves. It had always been a sore spot for her, her tail. It marked her as lesser, impure, though Alianna couldn't see how it mattered. She was good, wasn't she? She was helpful and kind to those around her. So why would it matter how "pure" she was? Golden eyes leveled a glare at the offending tail before she turned her gaze out to the sea. She may not be as pure as some, she may not be able to heal as well, but she was not worthless. Right?
In any case, Alianna was determined to enjoy the day. She was in her home lands now and perhaps with the past thoroughly behind her, she could begin anew somewhere.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:23 pm
It was really a lovely day, the sun hanging lazily in the clear skies above riddled with nothing more than a few stray puffy clouds slowly making their way across the vast blue. It was below these ideal conditions did one heart beat a little quicker than most would on a day like today...standing at the very edge of his herd grounds. Teo had been outside of his herd's territory before...but the older he became the less he really enjoyed heading out into the great vastness that was the world outside. Why would he? His lands were perfect in every sense. It was always a wonderful climate, he had the lush beauty of temperate rainforest with such vibrant colors. His herd settled on a peninsula surrounded by beach and sea; tucked away behind a range of mountains with one of the main passages being a small trail between the sea and a rock cropping which dissipated in high tide. Plenty to eat, plenty of company with his family and growing herd mates...what possibly could be out in the world that he really needed to head to? His siblings often headed out in search of knowledge, adventure and the sorts yet it just wasn't something he felt his heart yearn for. In fact, he and his heart were fine just as they were. It wasn't like he had missions out here, but still....a small distance wouldn't hurt.
Well, he hoped it wouldn't. Surely he wasn't so unlucky as to run into some malevolent creature while mere strides from his homeland crossing.
With caution to his steps he headed along the beach, surveying the sand to see any differences he could spot from their own semi private beachfront. The sea breeze was warm as it tousled with his bi -hued locks, catching the bells which adorned his body in decoration. The bells chimed dantily with each step he took with hooves sinking slightly into the sand, golden eyes scanning across the area. It was then he saw something at the angle he was heading he could see a sweeping blonde amongst the grass; wondering momentarily if the grass hadn't renewed and somehow remnants of the fall withering grasses could still remain. Pausing for a moment with a very obvious blink of confusion he took a few more quiet steps forth and made a quick discovery it was someone's tail and not foliage.
In his moment of silent observation he did take note her head had turned to level a glare at her tail, which was more than preculiar to the stallion. Perhaps there was a spider in it, or maybe it had gotten burned? He couldn't tell from the distance between them but felt himself clear his throat to get her attention. "Hello...." His soft voice called out, betraying the pounding of his heart to butt into this stranger's affairs...yet perhaps he could help her out? "I don't mean to interrupt, but is something the matter with your tail? I noticed....not that I was staring or anything, just happened to notice....I'd gotten sap on my tail once and it wasn't enjoyable so I figured if something of that caliber had happened I could..." Oh, he was babbling. "...Help."
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:15 am
The sound of a voice startled Alianna into standing, dragging herself up out of the grasses and leveling a wary look at the male standing before her. She had not heard him approach, though his hooves were muffled by the soft sands. She noted bells in his mane and tail, but she had not heard them over the crashing of the waves nearby. "What?" She stared at him, eyes wide and tail flicking back and forth nervously, trying to let his words sink in through her surprise. She did not like surprises, they always made her jumpy and were rarely ever good. But finally the words sunk in, leaving Alianna feeling a little foolish. Here was this male trying to help her out and she was staring at him like a loon. "Oh, my tail? No no... It's just... Not... Uhm..." How did she explain what it was that bothered her? A look of mild frustration and perplexity came over her, though it was brief. "Well, it just sets me apart from others, I guess. It's nothing fixable, though."
The thought actually made her a bit sad, which showed in the droop of her ears and neck. Her eyes were downcast to hide the sudden self-consciousness that filled her. She did not know this male, with his merry bells and golden eyes. He spoke nicely enough to her, but she felt odd talking about her weaknesses with someone she did not know. But after a moment of hesitation, she spoke again. "I'm Alianna," she murmured, raising her head enough to meet his eyes. She had been determined to meet new friends and find a place for herself only moments ago and she was not about to let an opportunity pass her by. "I'm... I guess I'm a little new here, now."
"New" was an interesting way of putting it. She had once called these lands home - and still did - but she did not know anyone or what had changed and who was who anymore. It was all new, just like everything on her travels. Perhaps that was what had prompted her to introduce herself despite her nervousness, something she thought she would never have difficulty with again.
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:09 pm
Perhaps perplexed was the right word for the stallion as he felt his head tilt as his eyes moved to her tail to stare in a semi cryptic fashion. The mare had said it set her apart from others but as far as he could make out it looked just like any normal bunch of tail hair to him. In fact if he didn't know any better it looked rather well kept, such a cheery blonde like her mane. "How so..?" His inquisitive nature getting the better of his reserved personality. "Your tail looks perfectly fine to me. Its not like you have the tail of an octopus or something repulsive. It had never even dawned on him that she was a half bred Unicorn, for in his herd there were too many half breeds to even keep track of now.
As her expression fell a bit of panic welled in the stallion, oh no, he'd gone and said something he shouldn't have. Perhaps she didn't like the color...or maybe it wasn't curly, he knew his mother was a bit fussy when her hair was all messed up but braids were a little hard to maintain. Either way he felt awful for whatever he had said to upset her but have a sheepish smile when she seemed to snap out of it a little and offered him her name. "Its really nice to meet you Alianna...I'm Teo'xihuitl....but you can just call me Teo like everyone else does." Remembering his manners he slid out one of his fore legs and dipped his head and torso into a bow; although his were not as elegant as his siblings who had wings to spread out in such a beautiful display. At least he had the soft chime of his bells against the waves to make it at least a little impressive.
Once he was back to his usual upright position he gave her a gentle smile, his tail swaying. "I feel the same. I am not new to this part of the plains as its so close to my homeland but I can't say in confidence I have gone much farther than this." A nervous laugh escaped his lips, but drew his undivided attention back to Alianna. "You must be well traveled then, the sights you must have seen out there..." Kind of like his sister family - the Amachi's who made up the other half of the herd it seemed like. They'd more or less traveled the world and he just adored to hear recounts of their adventures...all from the safety and security of their home.
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Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:08 pm
The look Alianna gave Teo was mildly baffled, though not angry or hurt by his questions. It struck her as a little odd that he didn't seem to realize what her tail signified, but she also did not know the type of herd her came from either. She brushed it off, though and gave him a tentative smile when he introduced himself as Teo'xihuitl. "Teo... zhi... hooey... Teo works, then." Her smile turned sheepish. Trying to pronounce his full name was only going to make her look foolish. "It's such a pretty name, I won't butcher it." More than she already had, anyway.
She blinked as he bowed to her, graceful as can be. The chime of his bells could easily be heard over the waves now, jingling merrily with each movement he made. The gesture, though she was sure it was one of mere politeness, made her nervously blush. "Your bells are so pretty," she blurted after a moment of silence, broken only by said bells and the crashing of waves. She stepped around to peer at one close to his ear, acutely aware that doing so was probably not very polite, but it broke what she felt was an awkward sort of moment.
The mention of a homeland had Alianna's ears drooping slightly. Briefly she wondered what had become of her foals, part of the driving force that had brought her back to these lands to begin with. She missed having a family. "I've seen some... interesting things, I guess. Mostly its just been lonely." Her head cocked to the side, brief sadness replaced with curiosity. "You've really not been far from your home? No travels at all?" Even with Alianna's shy disposition and general quietness, she had liked seeing new things and even meeting new friends. The thought of spending her life in a single area without exploring the world around her at least a little bit was an idea entirely foreign to her, probably about as much as the opposite was foreign to Teo.
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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:33 am
Bashfully tilting his head to the side the stallion gave a small little smile, not really minding that she had a little difficulty saying his name. Not everyone was familiar with different ethnic namings, and it wouldn't be the last time he himself would be tongue tied when learning someone else's name. "Thank you, its for the better anyways. Its been a long, long time since anyone's addressed me by my full name anyways. If there is a more simple version why not use it right?" It took him a while to be fully comfortable saying his own father's name, luckily as his son he was able to revert to 'Father' for the better part of his life but it wasn't every day someone heard a name like Cuauhcoatl.
"Bells?" Teo blinked before clicking in that well, he was adorned with bells. The constant jingle had become so common in his ears it was something he rarely noticed anymore, only in the way of winds picking up in a storm did he notice the frantic rattling a little more; but the novelty had long since dissipated for him. "Oh! Thank you again...my family's sister family, the other half of our herd pretty much all have bells. It was a gift to my parents when they found me and brought me home." As she moved his eyes followed, keeping his head stationary so she would be able to get a better look. "The Amachi's really make their bells sing though, some of the most beautiful and amazing dancers i've ever seen. Majority of them travel a lot too, so they bring back tonnes of interesting trinkets and jewelry!"
Yet....as she spoke she felt his own demeanor falter. Ah, so she picked up on that did she? He sent her a sympathetic gaze, for really, that concerned him a great deal about traveling. "Lonely...." He began, looking off to the side down the long stretch of eastern beach; where he hadn't even stepped foot. "I've been around here plenty of times. I did venture a little ways north of here as a child, nothing to scoff at though. If I were honest with myself, I've never really wanted to go anywhere." His head turned back and he found his sights settling on the mare before him. "One could say i'm afraid of being lonely being out there all alone. Sure, I could probably travel with a herd mate but the Amachi's are busy with their trading and I'd slow them down. Besides the point there are plenty of family and friends in my herd, i'm pretty much never alone." He chuckled, especially if his neices and nephew's and even older brother had anything to do about it. "So really...i've just stayed home. I don't really have any special skills or traits like my sisters or brothers to really thrive out there alone. I wonder sometimes, but I also get to hear plenty of stories of the world out there....and thats kind of a taste of it."
Although, if he hadn't even come this far he was sure he wouldn't have met Alianna and her kindness. Yet, in the same breath, there were new faces coming into the herd all the time too - so it wasn't like he didn't make any new friends. "Do you not have anyone waiting for you somewhere?" Surely she had a family of her own...right?
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Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:05 pm
Family. Someone waiting for her. She did have family... somewhere. But Alianna wasn't sure where, not anymore. She would give anything to find her foals again -- well they weren't really foals anymore -- but it had been quite some time since she had seen them. How would she even recognize them again? Her nose wrinkled at the thought, a pained expression passing through her eyes. "I had family, but I don't know where they are now." It was the easiest explanation she could think of. For a moment she studied his bells for a distraction, then let her eyes shift out to the surf. "You're lucky to always have someone close by." The sting of sadness wasn't new to Alianna, but for a long time it had not been there. She was capable of seeing families and hearing about loved ones without the pain of loss making itself known. This instance was different, though. Perhaps because she was returning to relatively familiar lands -- lands where she had had family and someone to wait for her.
Of all things that Alianna could possibly be, jealous and prone to brooding she was not. So a moment later she was all smiles again, curious about her new friend. "So... The Amachis. They trade? What do they trade?" She had come across many traders in her journeys, but the name Amachi was not familiar to her. Granted, not many of these parts were all that familiar to her anymore. She didn't know anyone, nor where to go. "C'mon, walk with me. And tell me more." Out of respect for his hesitance to stray too far, she set off in the direction he had come at a slow pace and let him decide their exact course. "What's it like being in a herd?"
||-Holy crap, I'm so sorry about the wait. Real life sort of hit the fan. :c-||
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:57 pm
If he hadn't of been looking right at her in that alert, yet polite stare he would have missed that flash of sorrow in her eyes. The pain that rose like a flash of lightning in the night and was gone just as quick with that one simple sentence. She had family. Had. He wondered immediately what happened, and why they had separated in the first place. It didn't seem like it was from some event, per say...she didn't seem feverish in trying to find them. She also mentioned travel...perhaps she left to see the world and they stayed behind? It would be incredibly rude of him to pry...and he wasn't too keen on seeing that sad expression return to her face.
"You'll find them." He stated, rather matter of factly as if he knew deep down in his core she would. "The world may be big...or so i'm told...but its not that big. You'll see them again."
As quickly as it came...it was gone. Left in its wake was questions and a new direction in both conversation and physical movement. "Alright..." He said with a calm smile, taking a small mental note they were heading back into familiar grounds. The bright stallion fell into stride with her, albeit his bells chiming softly with each of his own footsteps. "The Amachi's are friends of my fathers...co family which founded the herd. Mecho would trade with my dad, until the two males met their love - My mom and Melody respectively. There are so many, both of Mecho and Melody's own children and Mecho's relatives who live far in the desert. While they joined the herd and live with us, travel and trade is in their blood so many of them come and go. So as far as I am aware they reach all the way to the badlands of the desert. You'll probably meet one someday with how expansive they are!" He chuckled, loving that family like his own...in which they all were really one huge, odd family unit. "Being in a herd is amazing....its like its own little world inside another. I couldn't imagine being alone...I always have help, or company. There are chores, lessons, dances...you name it. Perhaps not all herds are like ours....we are all kind of misfits in our own way....but its that sense of family and bonds which I find...very hard to leave. I've never been on my own before, and I don't think i'd like it very much or am cut out for solo exploration."
"It may also help the herd settled in a beautiful temperate rainforest along the coast. The lands there are easy to find yourself lost in at times looking at all the sights..."
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Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:11 pm
Surprisingly, Teo's kind words calmed her too. She was quick to hide her pain, lest it upset or annoy others, but he seemed to catch on quickly. She would have to remember that if they spent more time together. Alianna gave him a small, warm smile to show she was grateful for his surety because she definitely was not. It was good to hear that someone was so confident that she would find her family since she herself was feeling more lost than sure of anything.
Hearing Teo talk about his herd and his family was both pleasant and a little intimidating. She enjoyed his expressions as he spoke about his family and she enjoyed hearing stories of things she had never encountered before. At the same time, it was difficult to imagine such an extensive family. "Wow, that's a big herd," she murmured, cocking her head to look at Teo with a rather astonished look on her face. "Well... Who says you have to go alone?" She smiled at him, an encouraging smile. "If you ever want to go exploring a bit, you let me know. I'd be happy to keep you company."
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 11:31 pm
Teo couldn't help but fashion his own homely, lopsided smile once Alianna's spirit was lifted; offering her own smile to him as well. There was something endearing about the way her lips curled up, her eyes softening even as he clumsily tried to navigate this little meeting as if he was a pro at such social scenarios. While he wasn't as bad as a few of his family members, he wasn't as bold as a few of them either. Teo was smack dab in the middle...normal...mundane, one could say.
However that didn't quite stop him from blinking twice and feeling the heat return to his cheeks; meeting her gaze as she cocked her head to look his way.
"Y-you would?" He choked a little but was quick to recover. Travel with Alianna? Was that really alright for a mare and a stallion who'd just met to set off in the world? He supposed that was what most travel arrangements came to be, and really, with her extensive time out there in the vast beyond he wouldn't feel so inclined to take lead and suffer getting them both helplessly lost. It wasn't like they were strangers, either though. While he may not have known much about the wonderful mare, Teo had never been so comfortable around someone outside his herd before. Someone he'd met completely on his own, not a friend of a herd mate introduced to him...so that was a feat all in itself. As he really allowed himself to dwell on it in the mere seconds since he last spoke, Teo found himself rather excited about such an idea. It would give him a bit of a chance to find out more about his new found friend, which is realistically what she was now that strangers had passed.
Looking down to his hooves as they walked along, he felt his smile spread on his lips. "I'd...really like that! Maybe we can head out sooner than...later?"
Teo turned his own head, the bells giving a chime in the motion as he looked rather serious. "I'd really like to help you find your family, maybe we can do both at the same time?" It made sense to him....he'd have to find a way to thank her for taking his sorry inexperienced behind out into the world...why not hit the proverbial two birds with a single stone and maybe find her family too!
"I'd need to head home for a few moments, though. I should tell my mother where I'm off too so she can find someone to cover my chores though...Would you...uh....like to come with me? See the herd lands? Then start our adventure if you are not busy and would like to?" He offered, along with a warm smile.
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