Rayleigh stood in the middle of a wide, empty, grassy field. The wide, flat blades of grass swayed in the wind, nearly brushing her knees. Her mane streamed away from her face, twisting and tangling somewhat. She wore a small smile on her face, enjoying the tumultuous weather. She wasn't a fan of huge storms, but this milder version suited her just fine. She closed her eyes and focused on the scents carried on the air currents. A faint whiff of loamy forest soil from the nearby grove of trees, a bright splash of fresh water from the bubbling creek that wound its way through the trees and the field, the musk of furred animals (squirrels, foxes, badgers, rabbits), and scents she had yet to identify. Yes, there was plenty to be explored here. She was out here on her own, to her slight dismay, but even adventures by oneself were better than no adventures at all. Rayleigh had always been a fairly social creature, never straying far from family and friends, but she understood that it was a necessity to have one's own interests and pursuits. And so, with reluctance, she had ventured out here all by herself to see what sort of interesting things she could rustle up. She had to admit, it was turning out to be more fun than she'd anticipated.
As she mused on her next course of action, her nose picked up the scent of a nearby Soquili, and one that was unfamiliar to boot! Her nose flared in excitement and she let out a whinny. She hoped that whoever it was would come toward the sound.
Roarie Desu
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:19 pm
Hoto was standing under a tree and just watching the world pass around him. He'd found himself doing that move or the past few years. Before there was always something needing done and an almost edgy anticipation that make one constantly ready for a fight. Now a days he rarely battled. He'd run into a Kalona or two but even those nasty bastards ran from someone so huge as him after one or two hits. Prey that fought back and won was not desirable after all. And he'd deliberately stayed away from areas the Skins were said to roam. He could defeat one, he just didn't want to.
He watched the wind and rustle of the leaves and grass and smaller creatures of his world moving about on their own business. Choosing to stand apart from it and just be. The whinny of Soquilli caught his attention though and his ears swiveled towards the sound before he moved his head to look. His keen eyesight and vantage point above the grass revealed a brightly colored individual. He sniffed and tried to pick out her breed, a reflex from days past. He picked up mixed genes, kelpi, unicorn and something else. Interesting mix. He wuffled in the direction of the newcomer but did not move. He was aware his sheer bulk could scare others off.
Rayleigh waited for a few moments as her whinny floated through the air. When it produced no visible response, she chuckled, shook her head, and started walking in the direction of the scent's origin. It seemed whoever was nearby didn't want to come out into the open. That was just fine by her because she wasn't afraid to go searching. It didn't smell leathery like a Kalona or evoke chills of fear down her spine like a Skinwalker, so she deemed it was safe enough. She mused over what the stranger would be like. Shy, friendly, grumpy? Tall, miniature, stocky? This was one of her favorite parts of meeting new Soquili - discovering the personalities of each of them.
As she neared the grove of trees, Rayleigh could see a stallion standing underneath a tree, partially hidden by the tree's shadow. He appeared to be aware of her approach, but stood there rather than moving toward her. Already she was intrigued. He was not engaging, was not fleeing, and was not watching her warily the way a wolf does when it's waiting for you to decide. He was simply...existing. She wondered for a brief moment what it would be like to do the same, but realized there was no point in wondering when she could just try it. Rayleigh swung her body around and stood next to the stallion, still and quiet, watching the world move around them.
Roarie Desu
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:17 am
He watched her approach. His first assessment had been correct about the mixed breeding. Briefly he wondered if the kelpie blood would hinder the natural healing ability of her horn and how much. But then most uni didn't use the ability so she might not even be aware she could do it. He was intrigued when she showed absolutely no fear or him and then walked to stand right next to him...like she belonged there. He resisted the urge to chuckle at her. Bravery was a quality he already valued and clearly she oozed it. Or she just wasn't aware the world could be dangerous. Either way he was amused.
He turned his head to look at her. The markings on her top half and her horn gave her the look of delicacy and elegance. The sunset on the bottom half of her and tail reminded him of the beach. He wondered if the kelpie blood was from carnivore or herbivore. It would color her behavior. Though carnivore would give her trouble with the uni blood. She seemed far too happy and care free to him so he was going to assume an herbivore. He was much taller than her also, but he'd gotten used to that over the years. He imagined he was probably as big as his father had been. As a foal, his father had seemed like a giant. But a gentle one.
Inwardly he shook himself to stop his musings. "Good morning Little Lady." he spoke softly in a low bass drum of a voice, melodic but deep. "I see you have no fear of me. That is interesting. My name is Hototo. You are?"
She had never considered interacting with the world from this sort of viewpoint - standing still and letting it turn around her; slowing down and detaching somewhat from the day-to-day responsibilities that most felt necessary. She realized that it had already begun to give her a feeling of peace, of calm, of harmony. Rayleigh glanced over at the stallion, her interest piqued. To be considering the world in such a way already, and that it was obviously commonplace for him, made him stand out from other Soquili she'd met so far. She wondered briefly what other unusual or interesting things this stallion might have in store.
She took in his tribal markings, bold and bright against his otherwise tan body. His mane and tail were loose, his dark hair free to blow in the wind, and there were a few feathers somehow secured in his otherwise unfettered hairstyle. She wondered if the markings told a story of some sort. Would it be impolite to ask? Perhaps, but she wasn't one to stand on social niceties just on principle when there was something interesting to explore.
As she mused, he spoke. His low voice rumbled. She suspected if she were touching him when he spoke that the vibrations of his voice would resonate through her the same way that it resonated in his chest. She chuckled at his assessment. "I don't see any reason to be afraid," she replied. "If you were going to hurt me, you probably would have already." She grinned up at him. "I'm Rayleigh. Well, Rayleigh A'Cappella, but no one calls me by my full name." She paused, letting the silence extend on as she returned to watching the world for a few moments. "It's nice to meet you," she said with sincerity.
Roarie Desu
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 2:31 am
Sunshine. He'd been correct when thinking of her as reminding him of a sunset. In a way that was the brightest kind of sun. What was the saying? Light is always brightest in the dark. Or something like that. Perhaps if she stuck around to befriend him long enough, he'd stick her with the nickname. It had been far too long since he'd had a friend.
Unbidden, he chuckled at her assessment. "You're probably right. I'm capable of all kinds of violence. Haven't found much use for it lately though." He huffed out a small sigh but still managed to smile at her name. Whimsical. It fit. "It's nice to meet you too. What are you doing today? Wandering about all by yourself. There are those that would frown on mares adventuring by themselves."
Nikkichomp
((Btw, Hoto to absolutely huge. Easily six feet at the shoulder plus several feet of neck. He has the ability to tower over small trees. His hooves are the size of large dinner plates. He can easily crush a skull with them. Kalona and Hypogrph are the largest of Soq and he easily matches any of them. Funnily he's as light on his hooves as a ballet dancer, but I suppose all things come with practice. xD))
Rayleigh looked up at his face at the mention of violence. He didn't look particularly bothered by it, but she still got the impression that he carried sadness in his heart. Whether it was related or not she hadn't a clue. She supposed there were plenty of good reasons for violence - protecting one's family and friends, for example - and she got no aura of viciousness from him, so she continued to trust her initial impressions of the enormous stallion. As she watched his expressions, a breeze tousled her mane, sending thin strands of hair dancing across her face.
She raised an eyebrow at his question - or more specifically, at the statements made directly after it. "Those that would frown upon mares being 'out on their own' have no place in my life," she said, matter-of-fact. "Protective is one thing, but not allowing it or considering it improper is another entirely." She paused, a grin on her face. "Plus, I'm not much for rules," she chuckled. She watched the grass blades curve with the movement of the air, focusing on their subtle grace. Someone once told her that those who fail to bend in the wind become broken, while those who have the flexibility to adapt to the changing winds are truly strong. She'd seen it confirmed by observing trees. The branches of softer trees like the willow swayed, bending and curving, and rarely broke off the tree, while sturdier trees like the oak often had missing branches that could be found littered on the ground after a storm. Rayleigh often found that the metaphor extended naturally into her life. While some guidelines were necessary to give structure, she found most rules to be too rigid and restricting. No, she preferred to behave more freely, allowing a mixture of fate and chance to guide her path.
"Most days I go wherever my hooves carry me, and today is no exception. I hadn't been out this way before, so I thought it'd be nice to explore. And it seems I was right. I've found both a nice walk and nice company." She smiled at him. Rayleigh hadn't expected to run into anyone today, but she was glad to have found the intriguing and mysterious giant. She wondered who else might be around here and made a mental note to explore in this direction again in the future. In the meantime, she wanted to explore Hototo. She was nearly certain he had some interesting stories to tell. Rayleigh had known even from a young age that there were lessons to be learned from the wisdom of others, and she found enjoyment in attempting to gather as much of that wisdom as she was able. There was no sense in letting useful knowledge go to waste.
Roarie Desu
I'm sorry for the long wait sad
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:16 pm
On his journey he'd often preferred not to have company. For many months he's been too down to notice much of anything past the ground one hoof in front of the other. Eventually there had been run ins with others. One couldn't go forever without something or someone coming along. He'd taught a few and talked to others. But nothing stuck. He'd never wanted to stay or have anyone stay with him. This bright creature hadn't been in his presence for more than a few minuets but he was already hoping she didn't walk away just yet. Truly an unusual experience for him. Perhaps it was her smart mouth and the fact that she didn't appear intimidated by him in the slightest. Not by his size, not by his markings and not by his words.
She made him smile in spite of himself. Spunk. He hadn't realized he'd wanted someone in his life to show him that emotion until that very moment. "I never said I would frown upon it. I just said some might. Rules or not. Personally I think ladies who have not been taught to defend themselves should not wander alone. But not everyone has the kind of luck to get training."
He nodded his head as he listened to her continue. A wanderer. Like him but not. She wandered because she wanted to, he wandered because he had nothing better to do. "Lady, you hardly know if I'm grand company at all. Perhaps you shall tire of me. I can be quite old and grumpy. Certainly much older than you."
Nikkichomp
Certainly no longer than me. My only excuse is that I've not been feeling like myself.
At the mention of defensive maneuvers, her face lit up a little. She did enjoy gathering information, and there was very little more useful than knowing how to defend oneself. Plus, she was graced with this enormous horn protruding from her head. She was sure it could be used with finesse, with practice and training. She just didn't know quite *how* to practice, so her skills were somewhat rudimentary. "It could be that I am lucky in having run into you," she said. "I'd be grateful to learn any defensive knowledge you might be able to impart." She imagined, both from his rippling muscles and offhand comments about violence, that he was pretty well versed in both defense and offense when it came to dangerous situations.
She idly wondered sometimes if her mother had been kidnapped, and she wanted to be able to fend off any intruders who might consider doing the same to her. Or on the other hand, if she ever stumbled across her mother and she had, indeed, been kidnapped, Rayleigh would like to be able to assist in her escape. But she also knew that it was likely all just her imagination, and that it had been something much more mundane. She never was quite sure if she wanted answers or if she would prefer to leave it alone and not know.
At the mention of her tiring of him, Rayleigh giggled. She tilted her head and looked up at his face. She scoffed. "Perhaps *you* shall tire of me," she said with a hint of good-natured sass. She didn't believe that either of them would tire of one another, not just yet, not when both of them were interested in finding out more. At least, she was interested. She was only assuming that he was also interested because his body language hadn't closed off yet. That and he was still talking to her. Rayleigh was guessing that he was a creature of very few words when he wanted to be, and took it as a good sign that he was still forming entire sentences rather than giving short, clipped responses.
"And I don't particularly care how old you are. Age is only a measure of time passed, not of experiences lived." Aside from allowing large groups of Soquili to gather together at the same moment, she believed that time was one of the silliest ideas anyone had come up with. It was always more important to be in the moment, to make the most of wherever and whatever came across your path, and to experience each piece of life as fully and deeply as possible. Deep down, she knew that what you do with your time is truly what matters, not how much time you have watched pass you by. And, she knew since she emerged from her basket that you never really know how much time you truly have. It just wouldn't do to waste a bit of it!
Roarie Desu
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 12:27 pm
He turned to her with a slightly surprised look on his face. She'd guessed he could teach her, though he was sure that she didn't know just now much. "Yes I can show you how to use your hooves, body and horn to defend and protect. But training is not easy. Remember that. And you will be with me for at least a few weeks if you want to learn the better part of what I can teach you." This was always the part that scared him the most, telling his students that his price for knowledge was time.
Her giggle made his heart flip. It was a strange emotion and he could not remember the last time he'd heard a lady giggle. Nor could he remember the last time he'd wanted one to like him so much. He had several female friends, what the hell was wrong with him today? He blinked at her and suddenly felt like a silly, awkward colt again. "I don't think I will tire of you. If I'm honest, I find you more interesting that I've found anyone in a very long time." He turned his head away to try to hide the almost embarrassed look he knew was now on his face. "You have interesting views on life. I wouldn't mind to hear more. It's been a rather long time since I've been around someone so bright."
She smiled at him, pleasure written all over her face. "I have nothing but time," she said softly. Rayleigh found herself unexpectedly happy about having an excuse to spend an extended amount of time around this enormous, thoughtful, handsome stallion. But even that aside, she wasn't going to do anything halfway, especially not something as important as learning to defend herself. That'd just be foolhardy.
She was amused to have embarrassed the stoic stallion so easily, but she knew better than to chuckle aloud. She had no intention of mocking or accidentally hurting his feelings, and Rayleigh didn't think there were too many other ways to interpret such an action in this moment. "Well, I happen to find you interesting as well, Hototo. We can chat about whatever you'd like, whenever you'd like. I am rather open and frank about myself. I don't believe in secrets or misrepresentation of oneself. It just causes more pain than would ever be worth the trade-off." She stood at his side, patient and relaxed, and lifted her head to look up at his face.
Roarie Desu
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:57 pm
What an unexpected thing to happen today. He'd gained another student, he'd just used more words that he had in weeks, and he felt a little lighter. Which was even stranger. He'd taught others on his journey but even they hadn't been able to remove any of the weight that pressed at his heart and soul. He turned to look at her again with what he hoped was his usual even expression. Even if what he was feeling was anything but even. "Good. It is settled. We will travel together and I will teach you. Do you have an idea where you might like to learn? You are going to fall and get bumps and bruises. Best to have soft ground at first." Before long she wouldn't need it, he was sure. She'd be fighting with a dancers flair just like he could.
She was different. Each time she opened her mouth she proved it. And he liked it. He'd been around other mares. Heck he'd had several practically throw themselves at him and been turned off. That part of him that was ever present kicking in, in situations like that to treat women like ladies no matter what. Somehow he knew if he treated her like a lady, she'd laugh at him. "We can talk about anything you want while we train. You will be tired at the end of the day. Either you will only want sleep or we can talk then and then I will keep you safe while you rest and regain your strength for the next day." Probably he would just end up listening but he was okay with that since he'd always been one for listening and learning.
Just like that, he agreed to take her on as a student. Her heart flip-flopped a bit in her chest. Rayleigh found herself a little surprised at how simple it was, for there was some nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told her it wasn't usually that easy. But whatever his reason for it, she was quite glad, both for the promise of new knowledge and for the opportunity to get to know him better.
She considered his question about location but couldn't think of any place that struck her fancy. Besides, a few hard knocks would teach her more quickly. Subtlety wasn't exactly her strong suit. Not that it was a weakness, persay, but she generally preferred the direct approach and sometimes doing things the hard way was the best way to improve. Finally, she shook her head. "I have no preference on where to begin training. Here is as good of a place as any. I have no destination in mind for my wandering, either, so we can travel toward any place you'd like to go." Rayleigh tended to travel wherever the wind blew. She knew that she would be able to find her way back if she was inclined to do so in the case that they decided to part ways. She also felt more and more at ease with the stallion the longer they talked, and she had no qualms about travelling with him. By this point, she had no doubt that he would never do her harm -- and his statement that he would keep her safe further confirmed that. Although she was accustomed to taking care of herself, she somehow found herself charmed by his natural inclination to protect her. As long as he never tried to take away her freedom, there would be no problems.
Rayleigh nodded. "Bumps, bruises, and exhaustion are to be expected. If anything less occurs then I am not working hard enough," she noted. "I expect we will talk when I have enough energy and I will sleep when I do not. And I will greatly appreciate your protection," she said, smiling. She shifted her weight slightly and leaned gently against Hototo's side for a few brief moments, grateful for his tutelage, for his presence, for having been lucky enough to meet him today. He was warm and sturdy, a comforting presence. Then she shifted back to support her own weight again. She wondered briefly if he would find her action too forward; if he would recognize it for thankfulness or if he would find it perplexing; but it really didn't matter one way or another, because if she had to do it again, she'd do the same thing in a heartbeat.
