[PRP] Different Upbringings (Tokeca and Zephyros)

[Cajmera]

 

[Cajmera]

'You are special, Toki; you are unique. From the moment you were born, you were something different, something our herd had never seen before; that is why I named you Tokeca, which means 'unique' in the language of this land. Now, there is nothing you can do to change this; you are, and always will be, something special. How you handle that is completely up to you.'

~~~

Thinking of her mother's words, Toki couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. Her mother had spoken with gentleness and kindness, as she always did, but her tone had done nothing to soften the harshness of her message. Sure, Toki knew that her mother meant to suggest that Toki's differences were special, and something to be loved and appreciated, but life had consistently indicated otherwise. Like the rest of their herd, Toki's mother, Roan, was a beautiful, natural brown color, which went well with her softly curling mane and delicate horns. Also like the rest of the herd, Roan was a Cerynei. Looking over the herd when grazing, they could almost be one single undulating mass, with their horns and cloven hooves, their varying shades of otherwise uniform brown, their flipped tails and their delicate ears.

Almost uniform, because somewhere in the middle of it, close at her mother's side, would be Toki. Toki, the oddball.

~~~

From the moment of her birth, Toki had known she was different. Unlike her mother or any other members of the herd, she had a long, hairy tail; her brown coat was embellished with vibrant reds, blacks, and yellows, and, most importantly, she had WINGS! Wings, just like a bird. Her earliest memories involved other members of the herd staring at her with a mixture of shock, awe, horror, and disgust, looks they would also turn on her mother. When she was a filly, It had been hard for Toki to understand; however, she DID understand the teasing of her fellow foals, who called her 'bird brain' and 'crazy coat'. Her wings were cumbersome and kept her from running as fast or elegantly as her playfellows, and the heavy curls of her mane and tail often seemed as though they were trying to drag her into the ground. In spite of her best efforts to blend in by rolling in the dirt and mud, her bright colors would always shine through.

As she aged, Toki's differences had remained a division between herself and her fellows. While the other young adults started to make eyes at one another and the herds' courting rituals began all around her, Toki remained alone. She was too different, too 'weird'. And by now, she knew her shameful secret; her father was not a Cerynei (duh) or a member of the herd (double duh), but a roving Wind stallion called Guilian who had captivated her mother. Roan was largely unapologetic; she would later explain to a grown Toki that much as she loved the herd, the sameness of it all could sometimes be overwhelming. She had been fascinated by Toki's father, she said; he was colorful in appearance, colorful in nature; charming, fun to be around...their time together had been enjoyable in all sorts of ways, and Roan claimed to regret none of it.

But Toki wasn't so sure. She saw the way Roan was marginalized in the herd, how she had no lifemate or even close friends of her own; how the others in the herd were polite to her without really welcoming her into things. The same way they were to Toki.

~~~

Toki did her best to deal with the curveballs life, but eventually, enough was too much. Feeling both proud and scared, she told her mother than she was leaving the herd, and that she wanted Roan to come with her. Roan had been surprised at first, but then supportive; after all, she had seen how hard life had been for Toki, not fitting in. She encouraged her daughter to make a life she could enjoy, one to be proud of. But Roan would not be going with her; in spite of everything, the herd was still her family, and their land was her home.

So Toki had set out on her own, determined to make the best of her new situation, She was still young and idealistic; she had drive and a will to do her best. Surely that all counted for something!

And along the way...maybe she'd even run into her father. And maybe, just maybe, she'd learn how to fly!

Kesmi

 

[Kesmi]

Cajmera

His shadow chased him, it was always chasing him, like a lowly ground walker. He loathed such creatures who bore not a wing and couldn't take flight. His upbringing had taught him that he was superior to those bound to the earth. He could see better than them for he could fly high and see over tree and hill. Zephyros reveled in the ability to outskirt the earth bounds at every turn. He had grown a soldier, a near identical clone to his father Balrog. Today the sir currents took the heavy built stallion away from the protected ring of the herd lands. Leaving behind all that was familiar and in his terms, clean. This world beyond the mountains was tainted and in more way than just the unwinged.

At this time, Zephyros was bogged down with thoughts of his past and the loathing he held close to the surface. His ember like eyes scoured the ground as he passed high over head. He watched those on the ground with scorn, before he looked away towards the expanse that was his domain. He hadn't realized that he had gone quite the distance from home and the land was vastly unfamiliar to him. Pulling his wings in, the stallion drifted towards the ground and land with a thump. Zeph never was one for gentle landings, he liked scattering anything and everything within a few feet away from his spot. A stretched across his muzzle as smaller critters scurried away from him and the stallion tossed his thick mass of mane back from his face and glanced around.

There didn't seem to be much around, this pleased him. He didn't have to look at anyone who didn't fit his tastes and that was a lot outside his herd lands. Stepping over to a small pond that was odd to one side, Zeph took the chance to get a drink and rest his wings. He would need them to carry him back home. But the sun was still high yet, he wanted to see if this land had anything to offer him. Something had to be worth while, surely.  

[Cajmera]

Toki had always been fascinated with birds, ever since she was a tiny foal. In her earliest days, she hadn't understood just how much she had in common with the little aerial dancers; she'd just admired their colors and the deft way they'd flittered along through the air. As she grew and became more aware of her own differences, she began to feel an even stronger affinity for the birds. Like them, she had bright colors; like them, she had feathered wings. She had even gone through a phase where she'd tried to learn how to fly like them, much to her mother's dismay. Since no one else in the herd had wings, these flying lessons had been born entirely out of Toki's determination; her technique, entirely based on her observations of the birds. Unfortunately, the mechanics did no match up, and with no one to teach her, she was left to hope that instinct would carry the day.

Well, instinct DIDN'T carry the day, or Toki. After throwing herself off of the highest hills she could find on multiple occasions, she had yet to fly; all that she had to show for her efforts were multiple bruises and sore patches. All attempts at flight had finally been squelched by her mother, after Toki made the mistake of jumping off a creek embankment in her mother's presence. Roan had once again been understanding, but she had been adamant: no more trying to fly, at least not without her feet firmly planted on the ground.

So Toki had given up her flying lessons, but she had kept her fascination with the birds. Once in a while, she would try to flap her own wings in a mimicry of what she was seeing, but nothing had ever happened, not the slightest bit of lift. Still, it was nice to dream!

~~~

As she walked along, Toki had kept her eyes skyward, watching the antics of the various birds with pleasure. They always seemed so happy, birds, with their high-pitched song and their intricate aerial dances. If she knew how to fly, would she be able to move like that, she wondered? Or would she be more like a hawk; steady and gliding?

She had been musing along those lines when he'd first come into view. At first she'd thought he WAS a hawk, he was so long and large and solid, but as he came closer, as he changed from a thin black line on the horizon into something bigger, something clearer, she found herself staring with an attention she'd never given anything before in her life.

He was a Soquili. A large, dark, feather-winged stallion. The first one she'd ever seen. And he was AMAZING!

Hardly daring to breathe, Toki watched him make his way along. He was moving so fast, it seemed like he'd be past her and out of sight in minutes...but the spirits were on her side. With bated breath, Toki watched as he drew in his wings and suddenly dove down towards the ground, landing beyond a small rise several dozen feet away.

She couldn't pass this opportunity up. With wide eyes and a heart pounding with excitement, Toki took off towards the rise, scampering along with a deftness that would have done her Cerynei mother proud. Just please, please, please still let him be there when she got there...wherever 'there' was!"

Kesmi

 

[Kesmi]

Cajmera

Pulling his head from the water, the stallion's ears turned as the wind buffeted his mane, the thick mass of hair moved barely within its might. His ears twisted back as something caught his attention that was coming from behind him. Turning his head, those ember eyes searching the land behind himself for the sound. He knew the sound of hooves from anywhere and it was heavier than wildlife that lived in these reaches. Dark wings stretched themselves upwards as he searched, the sounds were coming closer and fast.

He didn't see anything at first glance, but as he watched the direction that he heard the hooves coming, he waited. Eyes narrowing, Zephyros could only think that it was a ground trod-er coming towards him. He wouldn't put up with any of it. Those bound to it were less than his nerves could take. Impatience was another thing that the stallion had little of, waiting was never his forte. Huffing to himself and building himself up to be more menacing than he really was, Zephyros made his way towards the rise that he heard the distant hooves coming from.

It was only when he was at its base did he stop, watching the heights with growing apprehension. Would the lowly thing show itself already? He was growing tired of this waiting even if it was for but for a few minutes of his life. "Show yourself already before I have to hunt you down." the stallion said more to himself, but loud enough for anyone else that was close t him to hear.  

[Cajmera]

It hadn't taken Toki long to close the distance between herself and the mystery bird stallion; her eagerness to meet the stranger had only added energy to her already fleet legs, and she practically flew herself as she raced over the intervening grassy knolls. She was sure she only had another moment or two left until she was within sight of the stallion...and then, just like that, she was upon him.

In retrospect, it was slightly poor judgement to have gone charging in like she had. She'd been so caught up in the excitement of the moment, so eager to meet another winged Soquili, that she hadn't thought of things like 'first impressions,' or even basic courtesy. As she came barreling over yet another small rise, she found herself face to face with the stallion, who was standing just barely over the crest and looking in her direction with...well, certainly not a wide smile, but she wasn't going to let that cow her.

Nor was she going to let her extremely awkward entrance cow her; with the stallion standing so close to the edge of the rise, she nearly ran into him in her excitement to meet him. What a catastrophe THAT would have been! As it was, she nearly fell over in her attempt to avoid collision, digging her sharply edged hooves into the soft grass and skidding into a somewhat shambling stop. He'd said something as she came over the rise, but between the rush of the wind and her own wildly churning thoughts, she'd missed it.

So she stood before the stallion, a wide-eyed, awestruck expression on her face. Up close, he was even more amazing than she'd hoped; unlike her naturally colored home herd, he was as vibrant as a stormcloud; deep purple hair, red markings on his black body; why, he even put her red and yellow to shame! And the crowning glory on that colorful body was, of course, his wings, wings that stood proudly even on the ground.

She knew that she had to look a bit of the clown, but she didn't care. All that mattered was this moment, her first encounter with another winged Soquili. Dignity, grace; those were secondary things to everything else. She could have slipped and fallen into a mud puddle on arrival, and she wouldn't have cared as long as she hadn't missed seeing the stallion up close.

Needless to say, she wasn't disappointed. Still breathing heavily from her run, she finished her gape at the stallion and gave him a wide, bright smile. "You have the most amazing wings, Mister!" Mister might be a bit overkill; she'd never met a Soquili outside of her herd, and she had no idea how best to judge another Soquili's age. He might be older than her, he might be younger than her...however old he was, though, the 'Mister' seemed a properly respectful a greeting!

Kesmi

Sorry this took so long; muse issues >>;

 

[Kesmi]

Cajmera

Those hooves drew closer, he would only imagine it being some ground bound soquili who wanted to try and make friends with him. A snort exited the stallion's muzzle as he had it in his mind to just turn away and leave before he was dragged into conversation. As he was going to do so, the owner of said hooves came into sight. Well there wasn't that much to see from the distance and he couldn't tell if it was just a grounded or something else. There were no defining marks, besides the litheness of the soquili and the speed at which it was coming towards him.

Ears laying back, Zephyros stepped back a pace or two as the stranger came barreling down towards him and stopped mere moments from running into him. A 'hmfph' came from him as he looked the stranger over. It was a mare, a dainty looking one for sure. He noted her browns mixed with reds and yellows. The one thing that set him at ease was the pair of feathered wings that draped themselves over her shoulders and back. So all was not lost, for the most part. One things that he didn't get was why she hadn't just flown to greet him? Why did she had to run like a common soquili? Lifting his head up some, he listened to the mare as babble came from her mouth. Did most mares from the outlands wag their tongue so much?

"Catch your breath before talking please." Zeohyros said as he wasn't all that 'impressed' by the display before him. "Surely your parents taught you better."

His taught him a lot and now he roamed to learn more. More from those that could fly and find someone to take back home... But these were plans for another day when he found someone worth taking home... At the moment, there weren't any worthy out here. Not that he could find anyways. Folding his wings back into a relaxed position, he had forgotten they were standing up straight, Zephyros continued watching the strange mare.

"My name is Zephyros not mister." His tone on he gruff side, one he would use to get others attention. "Why didn't you get use your wings to get here, instead of making me think you were a lowly ground runner?"

Again he was rushing to get to the point, never the 'hi' and 'who might you be' sort. He might have been sure that it would come out eventually, but he wanted answers and wanted them now. He wasn't really about to wait.  

[Cajmera]

As the stallion spoke, Tokeca's bright smile faltered. Perhaps it had been a trifle naive on her part, but she'd ever since she'd learned how different she was from her 'fellow' Ceryneis, she had expected a lot from other wingeds. After spending her entire life being slighted and ostracized, she had wanted nothing more then to feel that she was a part of something, to experience the same sense of camaraderie that her Cerynei herdmates had always taken for granted. Toki didn't think it was too much to ask, but three sentences in to her conversation with the beautiful winged stallion she was feeling as much the diminutive outcast as she ever had back at home. Clearly, she'd let her exuberance and excitement get the best of her.

Clearly, she wasn't going to get into a conversation about her upbringing with a stranger, but it was equally clear he wasn't a fan of breathless conversation. So she remained silent for a long moment afterwards, catching her breath, gathering her thoughts, and standing up just a wee bit straighter. When she did finally feel 'rested' enough to speak again, it was in a much more guarded tone, lacking a great deal of her previous eagerness. "I'm sorry, I was just excited. And I didn't know your name was Zephyros, or else I would've tried to call you by it. My Mama always told me it was rude to just say 'hey you' or anything like that, so..." She trailed off with a slight frown, unable to fully articulate her thought. What was so wrong with 'Mister', anyway? She wouldn't be upset if a stranger called her 'Miss," she didn't think...

But greetings aside, the stallion's question cut right to her. Fortunately, her face was already red, so he wouldn't see the blush that raced like wildfire across her skin. How embarrassing, for the first winged she met to react this way to her running! From his words, it was clear that the stallion didn't have much respect for foot travel or those who used it. Was her first winged encounter going to end like this, before it had even started?

Warily, she glanced over her shoulder one of her large, colorful wings. She was torn; she so badly wanted to learn something...well, something wing-related from this stallion, but he was so stern...she didn't think he would be all that happy to know she couldn't fly. So rather than let that fact out right away, she chose her phrasing a little bit more delicately. "Flight isn't an option for me right now, so I use my feet." There. That was probably as safe an expression as she was going to get!

But in spite of her desire to please, she couldn't help but ask a question herself. "Don't you ever use your feet to move around? What do you do if you hurt one of your wings?"

Kesmi

 

[Kesmi]

Zephyros shook his head, that thick mane of his flicking slightly at the ends like rope. He watched this strange mare as she seemed taken back by the means of his speech. He was a soldier, his home was one of winged elites, no one without them was allowed and he was raised to frown upon them. His father's influence he was sure, his mother was more compassionate to those... Less fortunate. Zephyros took more to his father's side of the family than his mother's, he was superior and was all too happy to show it without a hint of remorse.

"Could have said something along the lines of 'excuse me, sir'," he offered in as a fill in for the meager word, 'Mister'. "In any case, you know it now. Is there anything I can help you with?"

He had this small feeling that this mare wanted something from him. It wasn't everyday that he was approached by those outside his own herd and home. Not that he had ever been outside his own boarders before, to this extent anyways. But here we was speaking to a mare who wasn't completely like himself. Yes she had wings and this brought joy to him, but she was also of another kind. One of cloven hooves and velvety ears. This made him curious, but he knew of some mixes. His own half brothers were birthed with unicorn blood after all, but this was a new sight in deed.

"I fly whenever I can. Short distances and injury are other matters. But if one were to lose their ability to fly all together would be disastrous. I use my wings for just about everything I can, only touching the ground to sleep, eat and quench my thirst." He put matter-o-factly. "And you have never used yours, huh? Never learned how? Or no one to show you how?"  

[Cajmera]

Sir...now why was it that Toki so strongly dislike the sound of that word? Maybe it wasn't the word itself, but the way Zephyros said it; coming from his lips, it sounded like a 'superior' term, the sort of thing you'd say to someone much higher up than you. Toki well knew that she wasn't the top of anything; she was closer to the bottom, when you got right down to it, at least back in her home herd. But this was different; this was a new place, and she was meeting a stranger. Why should she have to greet a stranger with a word suggesting he was her superior?

But even while she was processing those uncomfortable thoughts, the stallion offered the olive branch in the form of his much more gracious question. Immediately, Toki brightened; if he was asking what he could help her with, then surely that meant he wasn't as crispy as their initial exchange had suggested! Maybe he just didn't like surprises, or maybe he was just frosty when he first met someone. Whatever the reason, she could work with that. She couldn't work as easily with someone who was just mean!

But mean or not, she had to give him points for being perceptive; although she hadn't yet admitted she couldn't fly, he came right out and said it! Once again, she found herself blushing; was it really a disgraceful thing, having wings and being unable to use them? In a somewhat timid voice, she said, "There was no one to show me. I can flap them well enough," Toki demonstrated here that at least the basic mechanics were in place, "But I don't think I'm doing it quite right. I don't feel like anything is lifting me up, not even a little bit. And I've never been able to fly, not even after jumping off a hill." Though it had been a while since she'd tried that particular tactic; her mother, upon catching Toki in the act, had been horrified and quite insistent that she put an end to any and all jumping.

Personally, Toki thought it was an overreaction; she had the wings, and her mother wasn't going to be able to teach her to use them; that meant she'd had to teach herself.

Such had been the thought, anyway, but out on her own in the real world, she found herself much less interested in jumping practice. At home, there'd been no one to teach her to fly, and nowhere to go to learn; out here, it had just been a matter of time before she found...well, before she found Zephyros! Sure, the meeting had started out crusty, but if he was willing to teach, then she was more than willing to learn. "So I think there must be some techniques I need to learn...or maybe some muscles I just haven't exercised properly." Biting her lip, she looked back over her shoulder at her wings; they LOOKED healthy enough on the surface, but that didn't mean they worked right underneath!

Kesmi