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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:51 am
 It was strange, having the two fillies running around. Branwen hadn't seen any foals since the incident that took her memories but there was a familiarity in their presence, at being called 'mama'. It just felt right. She was happy, happier than she had ever been in quite some time. The twins were so full of life and energy and joy. Even the one with a darker mane and wings- who seemed to be the meeker of the pair- would kick and buck and whiny along side her sister. Things seemed to be turning around for Branwen. While there was still no signs of her birth family, she had unintentionally pulled together a small one of her own.
Branwen couldn't express just how grateful she was that Auntie Tesni and Uncle Koletis had allowed the foals to join their travels. The couple actually seemed as excited to have them around as Branwen was. Even Gethen was more amicable than usual. Still grumpy as always, but at least he didn't immediately suspect the twins of foul play somehow. It would seem he wasn't entirely unreasonable all the time. He was also quite protective of them. Possibly even more so than he was of her. Of course, if Branwen tried to bring this up he would huffily try to brush it off as nothing. But it was plain to see that the little fillies had grown on him fast and that he did care about their wellbeing. It was a blessing that everyone wanted to be involved in raising the twins.And Stellina was glad to have all these others around. Not as extra playmates or someone to ask endless questions of, though. She was glad to have them around because they made her feel safe. Sure, they were great when her and Fia needed another member to join in on chase or hide-and-go-seek. But Stellina much preferred to use them as a shield against scary things. Like bugs, or squirrels, or rustling bushes, or just about anything that made a strange or unexpected noise. She would scurry over to their side and tuck herself under a wing, if the nearest adult happened to be Branwen. Then it would take twenty minutes to convince her that everything was fine and nothing scary was going to pop out and try to eat her. The little filly's fears gave Branwen some cause for concern but she always seemed to do much better with her sister nearby. Even if the firey-maned foal did like to tease her a bit.
It was true, though, that Stellina did fare better with Fiametta close by. Her twin was effective in making her forget about all the scary things in the world. Either by distracting her with a game, or by helping her see the good in what was once terrifying. After all, Fia was the one who made her realize that butterflies- while harboring a great threat of fluttering around in your face- were actually completely harmless and actually quite pretty. And all those birds screeching loudly in the trees were only trying to defend their nests. The adults tried to do the same, but they just weren't as good at it. They tried to explain it all and too often it didn't make sense or just made everything even scarier. Fia always knew exactly what to say. It helped that she had absolutely no hesitation in demonstrating either.
What didn't help was when Fia was deliberately trying to be scary. Such as this very moment. They had been playing such a nice game of tag with Branwen. Everyone was running and laughing and having a good time. And then Fia got tagged as it. If she hadn't started growling and saying things like 'I'm gonna get you' maybe it would have been fine. And maybe it would have still been fine if she hadn't suddenly disappeared only to pop out from behind a bush when Stellina least expected it. But, as it stood, all these things did happen and Stellina now stood cowering beside their adoptive mother and scowling at her sister. It could be argued that the filly was just a bit overly sensitive about these things, but that didn't stop her from being quite upset about them, "Fia!! T-That wasn't funny!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:12 pm
 It was at times like this that Fiammetta wished that her sister could shake the timidness out of her system. Her words and actions would have been seen as completely innocent with any other foal but with her sister, Stellina, it was seen as being deliberately cruel. There were just too many times that she had been silently given the look from her exasperated mother or her aunt and uncle for causing Stellina to cower against them.
Fia felt as if sometimes she couldn't help herself. She loved Stellina dearly but her sister was just too easy of a target at times. Most of the time though Fia was well behaved around her sister. The filly would take the time to explain things to her frightened twin in order to get her to cease her worries about whatever was scaring her at the time.
Today though a moment had appeared in which Fia momentarily forgot exactly who she was playing with. Her growling would have been harmless around others but Stellina did not see it that way nor did she appreciate being "attacked" from behind.
Scuffing the earth with her hooves Fia looked up at Branwen's expression before hearing Stellina words. She gave a soft giggle before silencing it. Nearing her sister Fia nudged Stellina's side. "I thought it was funny. But we have to disagree on that I guess. I am sorry I jumped out at you without warning."
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:49 am
Branwen knew Fiammetta meant no harm in her actions. She was just a child trying to have a little fun. The love between the twins was strong, of course Fia would never want to hurt her sister. They all knew that. Even Stellina. But the poor thing was so skittish. Caught in the wrong moment and something so blatantly obvious was lost to her. It was exhausting, in all honesty, constantly reminding the dark twin that she was safe. But Branwen had plenty of patience. And a little help from Tesni and Koletis during those rare moments when that patience wore out.
With a quite hum, she draped a wing over the foal, "Come now, little Lina. You're alright. Fia didn't mean to scare you. There's no need to be upset with her." She could feel the filly completely disappear behind her wing. Pouting, no doubt. She would need only a moment to recover from the ordeal before accepting her sister's apology and gladly returning to play time. It was a blessing that the two made up so quickly. Branwen recalled hearing about Ethan's daughter, who had been so angry with him that she disappeared for months. Hopefully no such tragedy would befall their unconventional family.Meanwhile, beneath Branwen's wing Stellina struggled with a confusing collection of emotions. She wanted to be angry at Fiammetta. That was the easiest option at the moment. Her sister knew she was easily frightened! So why did she continue to be so scary when they were playing? Such a shallow observation would make it easy to believe that Fiammetta was doing it on purpose. But sense always had to kick in and complicate everything. Sense told Stellina that her sister cared about her and would never intentionally try to scare her. Sense told her that her sister was just easily excited, especially while playing. Sense told her that anger wasn't the proper response.
And that left her to deal with a much more difficult feeling. Embarrassment. Accepting that she might have over-reacted was always so much harder to do than simply blaming it all on her sister. Which is why she usually hid away while going through this process. It was bad enough trying to understand that she was wrong, but she also made some unattractive faces while doing so. There were only so many things she could handle being embarrassed about at once. After this internal struggle was- for the most part- resolved, Stellina sheepishly pushed through the feathers of Branwen's wings, "I guess I'm not upset with you..." It was important to make it clear that she wasn't upset with her twin. Because she was upset. Just with herself more than anything else.
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 10:47 pm
Fia gazed at the ground as Branwen tried to coax her sister back out into the open. The bright filly scuffed at the earth some more in order to give her sister a little time to think the situation over. At times Fia felt the insane urge to truly mean to scare 'Lina but she would, and could never do that. The thought remained tucked away in a little corner of her mind that she often balked at accessing. She did not wish to completely lose out on all the fun of childhood though and usually in moments that she had to herself Fiammetta would chuckle softly at schemes that would never come to pass.
In truth the filly knew that something was a little off about her family unit but she did not wish to dwell on things that were not important. She and Stellina had a loving family unit that helped to look after them and keep them safe and out of trouble. What more could she ask for?
As Stellina finally emerged from Branwen's side Fia gave a little nudge to her sister's side. "I'm glad you aren't upset," her face was one of concern but she gave her wings a little flap before prancing around.
"Do you still want to play 'Lina?
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:12 pm
Stellina pouted at her sister, giving her a playful -if a little rough- nudge back. She freed herself from the shelter of Branwen's wings and circled around her sister, now at the fiery filly's back side. "Yeah, I guess so. But-" and a devious little grin grew on Stellina's face at this and she gave her sister a quick n** right on the rump, "I'm it this time. So you better start running!"
Then she turned that grin to Branwen. "You too, momma! Better run or I'm gonna get you." She giggled with excitement, clearly over the whole ordeal already. Or, in the very least, doing a good job of pretending she was over it. The game was really a distraction more than anything else. If she didn't find something else to think about, Stellina could very easily mope about it all day. And she really didn't want that. Moping was no fun. Everyone started looking at you and asking if you were okay. It all made Stellina rather nervous, in all honestly. She didn't enjoy the limelight as much as her twin did. Going unnoticed in the shadows was more her style. Especially when she was it in tag.Branwen's eyes went wide with mock surprise at Stellina's demand. "Oh no! Lina's going to tag us, Fia! Quick, into the meadow. It's our only hope!" She opened a wing around Fiammetta to herd the bright filly towards safety and to shield her from getting tagged. Behind her she could hear more giggles as the darker twin disappeared into the shadows of the trees. It was actually quite impressive how the foal was able to blend in with the shadows, even with her pale coat. She may like to yell at Fia for scaring her often, but the number of times Stellina had unintentionally snuck up on Branwen and startled her were beyond counting. If she really wanted to, she could probably pull of a jump scare even better than her sister. Thankfully, she was much too meek for such a thing. Most of the time. Games like tag did some times bring out the devilish side of her. And now Branwen was watching every bush they passed as she trotted along with Fiammetta towards the meadow. There was no telling where their pursuer could be hiding now. Even if it was just a game, neither Branwen nor Fia wanted to make it too easy to catch them.It took everything she had not to giggle as she stalked behind her mother and sister through the trees. Stellina could quietly tiptoe through the forest surprisingly well for a Soquili. The sound of the other two crunching through the leaf litter masked whatever sounds she wasn't able to silence. But her true talent was definitely hiding in the shadows. She could slink in and out of the darkness like she were a fish in water. It was just natural. Maybe someone would catch a flash of white. Just a brief moment that would leave them wondering if they saw anything at all. But that was it. It was a great tactic for sneaking up on her playmates.
But it was also useful for hiding. Stellina found comfort in the shadows. When frightened, her first instinct was always to seek comfort at Branwen's side. Taking refuge under the shade of her wings. While it was mostly the presence of someone she considered safe that made her feel better, the darkness was a great help as well. And Branwen wasn't always around to shelter her. It was in those moments that Stellina sought the darkest spot she could find. She would lay down in the shadows and cover her face with her wings. And though this method certainly helped to calm the fright, it did make it rather difficult to find her at times. On more than one occasion Branwen had spent the better part of a day looking for the skittish twin. They were still working on a solution to that problem.
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:20 pm
Fiammetta's wide eyes were but a front. She knew that she might look like she was feeling frightened but it was only play acting. The filly allowed herself to be shepherded away by Branwen as Stellina began a countdown. Inwardly she could not be happier that the game of hide and seek / tag continued. It was always funner if the game lasted multiple rounds. As they scurried through the long grass Dia craned her neck to peer at the forested area. It was just a feeling at the moment but she just could not ignore it. Somehow she knew that Stellina was already tracking alongside in the shadows. The strangest thing was that it was not the first time she knew with a degree of certainty of Stellina's general whereabouts. The connection that existed seemed to only work with her sister. Although she had not broached the topic with Stellina just yet. She was not sure that Stellina was ready to hear about a freaky connection. She had kept this observation to herself because she definitely believed that Lina would be scared off. Fia did not wish to frighten her sister when the observation was revealed.
Fia closed her eyes for a brief moment and breathed in deeply. She wanted to try an experiment but did not know if it was the right time to do so. Her eyes snapped open as she realized that she would be a sitting duck if she did not catch up with Branwen. She kicked out her back legs and dashed forward to overtake her mother. "Wait for me!!"
The idea that she yearned to try was that of flight. She had not yet felt the sensation of having the wind soar under her wings. Short, hovering hops had been the best she could do so far. Fia envied her mother and her familiar. They could fly freely around all over the place. Fiammetta yearned to be able to join their mother on such flights. Fia had tried observing her mother's familiar as he flew around the area. The filly felt a brief shudder rush through her before turning her attention back to the game at hand. On one hand perhaps she could try flying really soon. Maybe even as soon as the game was over she could try and talk Branwen into giving her and Lina a flying lesson. Slowing down momentarily Fia let herself relax before realizing that once again while she was lost in thought that she had fallen behind. The bright-winged twin ran to stay at Branwen's side for an extra safety measure. Somewhere in the forest lurked her sister. Her wide eyes narrowed as she scanned the tree line. Where exactly was Stellina now?
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 11:07 am
Little did Fiammetta know that, to some degree, Stellina also felt a strange connection to her twin. It probably would have sounded like magic had she tried to explain it to anyone. It really did feel like magic some times. And maybe it was- after all, ulun'suti were known for their magical abilities and both Fia and Lina had some 'suti blood running through their veins. But really it wasn't some inexplicable sixth sense. It was more like knowing the specific sound of Fia's gait- the uneven pause between the second and third step. Or the way the air changed when Fia got close- the subtle warmth the grew stronger the closer Fia got. That was always a comfort to Lina whenever she ran off to hide, scared by something. Knowing Fiammetta was close by, even if she couldn't see her, made Stellina feel a little bit safer.
However, this connection obviously didn't help much in games of hide n' seek or tag. Fiammetta still managed to sneak up on her sister, much to Stellina's frustration. Stellina could still feel Fia's presence, but it always seemed to be much less precise when Stellina was actually trying to find her. It certainly would have saved her a lot of panic and embarrassment otherwise. Thankfully, she didn't need this special twin-detecting sense right now. Fia and their mother were both clearly in sight as Lina darted through the woods after them. She grinned deviously as she noticed her sister's pace slowing and saw an opportunity to make her move.But Branwen wasn't going to make the game easy for Stellina. She did her best to match Fia's erratic pace, slowing down only to have the fiery filly bolt past her suddenly and then slow down again. It was a little unusual for Fia though. She was typically all fire and energy, running as fast as she could during their little games. Either she was trying to egg her sister on or something was distracting the filly. Branwen would have to make sure everything was alright once the game was over. But right now she had to keep Fia out of the clutches of her sneaky sister.
"Come on, Fia. You don't want to get caught, do you?" Branwen brushed a wing against Fiammetta's side, redirecting the foal's attention back to the game at hand. She looked into the dense woods around them, completely clueless as to where the other twin was at the moment. Some times she would catch a flash of white but Branwen was uncertain if it was actually Stellina or just a patch of sunlight. It gave her a brief moment of anxiety. What if the filly had fallen and hurt herself? Or gotten lost? Or taken by someone? Branwen quickly pushed those thoughts away. There was no need to be paranoid, they were completely safe here. "Look! Let's head for those bushes over there. I bet we can hide behind them."And just as Branwen was trying to herd Fiammetta into the bushes, Stellina jumped out of the woods. She tried her best to give a loud, intimidating roar as she did so- It wasn't very impressive. But the rate at which she was gaining on her mother and sister was. Branwen gave a playful- if a little surprised- yelp and kicked it into high gear, urging Fia to do the same. "I'm gonna get you!"
Stellina giggled childishly, an act that would have been innocent were she not so relentlessly pursuing her family. In spite of Branwen's best efforts to get Fiammetta moving fast enough, Stellina was still gaining on them. Her sights were dead set on Fiammetta. She may or may not have been considering this a bit of revenge for the fright Fia had given her earlier. Every step she drew closer and closer, her sister's back end just within reach. And just as she was about to bump her nose against Fiammetta, a black and grey wing put itself between the two sister. Stellina's nose brushed against the soft feathers and she skidded to a halt, noticeably pouting. "Awww, mama! I almost had Fia!" Branwen chuckled softly as she slowed to a stop. "Sorry, Lina. I have to protect my girls!" She walked back over to Stellina and nudged her affectionately. Then her wings drooped down, tips touching the ground in a dramatic display of exhaustion. "Phew! I think that's enough tag for me. Why don't we take a little break, hmm?"
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