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 Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:54 pm
"I'm telling you, Selly and Yue, you will be utterly amazed when you see Sai. I mean, she's the most charming basket to ever have existed...perhaps barring present company."
The three Soquilis were strolling down the hillside above the teepee clearing that Safi called home. Safi was almost dancing with excitement, because the reason they were there was the time had finally come for him to introduce Selene and Yue to the most important mare in his life: his adopted daughter Saiena.
Or rather, her basket; the filly had not yet seen fit to emerge from her reedy shelter, but she already had her father wrapped around her little hoof. Smart girl.
He'd been planning on bringing Selene and Yue around a lot earlier, but with various complications coming up, more time had passed than he'd been planning. Ah well, the important thing was that they were here now! "And I'm sure that Elizabeth will be more than happy to give her back to me after my latest vanishing act." This comment was in reference to the unicorn mare that usually watched the basket when Safi was absent; since she lived full-time at the teepee, she'd been more than accomadating about watching Sai. Not that she minded giving her back to papa when she could!
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:10 pm
The two mares followed behind him, one content to smile at him shyly, the other content to make disgusted faces at the sticky heat. The narrator would leave the decision up to the reader. It was fairly obvious. Selene looked around, horribly curious. So, this was where Safi lived, hmmm? She'd finally get to meet his teepee mates. And the hills here were absolutely precious! "Who is Elizabeth?" Yue asked, voice borderline bored, borderline annoyed. "And are we there yet?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:22 pm
Grinning from ear to ear, Safi was too pleased with everything to notice that Yue was less than the same. Besides, it had been a long journey from their teepee, even WITH the time they'd spent flying, so her listlessness was understandable.
Leading the two into the middle of the camp, Safi gave Yue a grin. "Elizabeth is our resident unicorn and the only member of my herd that doesn't travel, so she babysits for me when I'm off elsewhere. And yes, we are here; behold the simplicity of my life!"
As he spoke, he gestured around the clearing with a smile, indicating the circling teepees. Through the far side of the circle could be seen the sparkling waters of the lake, and off to one side was a small stand of trees. It was very picturesque...and very quiet. In fact, there were no indications of life of anyone else at all, other than them. "What do you think, ladies?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:26 pm
The area was lovely. Peaceful. So very, very different. Where was the hustle and bustle of too much life? The lake was placid, didn't rush, like the river. Nothing here was hurried, and Selene immediately relaxed, getting into the jive of it all. Yue, on the other hand, lashed her tail, not meaning to be rude... But she was. "Can we just see it, and then get back to civilization? Safi, how do you handle it out here? It's so.... quiet!"
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:35 pm
Ah, for the tact of youth. Grinning at the younger mare, Safi couldn't help but laugh. "Point, Yue; I admit it's not the liveliest of places. Most of my herd wanders, so it's a rare occassion that there are even three in the area. Barring Elizabeth, we all wander through as events let us. And I handle it like anyone else does; by dealing with it!"
Smiling, he patted the mare on the head. She might be used to more chaos, but compared to what he'd started with...he and Indawo had been the first Soquili Cajji had taken in, and compared to back then, this was chaotic! After all, there were multiple teepees to house the various Soquilis when they were around, food, and all that stuff; that was high life!
And it took him a moment staring around before he pinpointed the teepee he was looking for; the one he himself occupied along with Saiena, where Lizzy must undoubtably be as well. Gesturing for Selene and Yue to follow him, he walked up to it and nudged his way in, looking back at them and talking as he did so. "She's probably sleeping, but Lizzy is such a good baby-sitter that Sai is always in a good mood when I get home, which is why-"
But as he turned from the two mares to the inside of the teepee, he broke off in surprise. Instead of seeing the uni mare he expected, curled beside the basket in what had a few short moments before been restful slumber was a very familiar dark blue stallion. "Zaphiro? What are you doing here?"
Zaph could have asked the same question of Safi. When he'd agreed to watch the basket for the day while Elizabeth dealt with a battle-related emergency for Ladius, he hadn't been expecting Safi to show up, especially not with mares! "Watching your basket, in case that wasn't obvious. But what about you...three?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:46 pm
Lively? The place was a tomb. A TOMB. Yue glanced around, mildly horrified. This wouldn't be possible. When she got a mate, and her own teepee, they'd have TONS of kids and family over. TONS. The silence was deafening to her chaos-trained ears. She followed the teal-and white stallion however, bouncing in front of her mother, picking up her feet smartly to keep herself awake. When the teepee flap opened, she glanced at the dark blue stallion wryly. "I take it you're not Elizabeth." she said with a wry grin.
Selene's head poked in. "Awwwww, look at the basket, Yue." she murmured, nosing her daughter. "Isn't she precious?!"
Yue.... didn't see the charm. Lovely colors, for sure.... but it was a basket. Entertainment Value -1.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:58 pm
At the comment from the brighter mare, Zaphiro's brow arched ever so slightly, and he returned her wry observation with one of his own. "Unless I'm greatly mistaken, that would be correct. Though I don't usually do this basket-watching and she does, so it's possible that I've acquired the moniker along with the job."
He'd risen to his feet as he spoke, not liking to recline while speaking to those that were standing. It hurt his neck, and was very rude. And speaking of rude... "A-hrm."
Safi had followed Selene up to the basket, beaming with pride at her compliments. "Isn't she just lovely? Those spots are so cute, and that blue; I know she'll be utterly adorable when she hatches, since-"
At Zaphiro's throat clearing, he broke off to turn and give the other stallion a miffed stare. "What are you getting grouchy about now, Zaphy-boy? I'm back, aren't I?"
Zaphy-boy. Right. Sighing, Zaphiro gave Safi a Look. "Safi, are you EVER planning on introducing your companions? You haven't changed a bit, I see." Not that that was truly hostile; it had been a while since the two had seen each other and Zaphiro had to be a bit gruff...but he HAD missed his friend. Not enough to ignore introductions, though.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:05 pm
She grinned. "I think you'd make a beautiful Elizabeth." the tone was reassuring. "At least, for the time you're replacing her." she said it cheerfully.
It took her a moment to realize the stallion wanted introductions. When it registered, however, she turned to Safi and her mother, nosing at them imperceptibly. Zaphy-boy? Zaphiro, she'd also heard him called. "I'm Yue." she said, as Zaphiro finished commenting to Safi. "Yue Shuang."
"And Selene." the fluttercorn said with a smile. "Her daughter." Yue twitched, a visible tic.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:18 pm
A beautiful Elizabeth, eh? Better than an ugly one, he supposed, though that adjective had never been a favorite of his. It wasn't like she was flat-out complimenting him, though; merely teasing. So Zaphiro didn't close up as he tended to around mares...or at least, he didn't yet.
When the mare took it upon herself to make introductions, Zaphiro was a bit chagrined; he hadn't meant for their guests to do that, but for Safi to take the hint. He himself should have spoken first, but it was too late to do more than nod.
Since she was the one he'd been talking to, he gave Yue a smile and nod of greeting first, then gave the same to Selene. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yue Shuang and Selene; as Safi mentioned earlier, my name is Zaphiro; we're herdmates, in case you couldn't guess, and somehow I also got to be the babysitter for the day."
However, he got the distinct impression, at least from Safi and Selene, that the basket was the most important thing. Well, that WAS probably what they'd come to see, and Elizabeth had told him that Safi was a doting parent. Which made him wonder about the mare that stood next to him, the one called Selene...
He'd ask about that later, though. Unless Safi offered information on that subject, of course, which would be the preferable thing. Zaphiro hated to meddle in the personal lives of others, and always had. Which was why he was suddenly feeling a wee bit uncomfortable in the teepee...
Though actually, since Safi was there, he himself really didn't have to be. Which meant that he could both get out into the fresh air and escape a possibly awkward situation, all at once! Brilliant.
Inclining his head once again, Zaphiro moved towards the doorflap. "Now that you're here, Safi, I'll leave you to your basket and your guests without my intrusion. It's been a pleasure to make your acquaintence, ladies, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit." And with that, he started out of the teepee.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:33 am
Selene smiled at the winged stallion. So pretty, all blue and gold. It made her instincts, being the silly mare she was, flare up and cry out in unison "Oh, Shiny!" then she flushed as she heard her voice pop it up out loud.
Yue gave her mother a disgusted look. "Safi, your little girl is absolutely lovely. But I'm.... well... you know." she tossed her head. "I'm going to go scrounge up a little adventure, if maybe Mr. Zaphiro here would show me the way?" she tossed him a small smile. "He can babysit someone a little more likely to cause him trouble. If he doesn't mind, of course."
The mare glanced about, nodding, and moved for the tentflap. "She's gorgeous." But her mother was cooing over the little girl, and so Yue's desire to see the sky took precedence over seeing the basket again.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:01 pm
Zaphiro was halfway out the door when Yue's request brought him up short; he turned just in time to hear Safi say, "if you want to go with him be my guest, Yue, though I don't know how much adventure there'll be!"
Zaphiro couldn't have agreed more with that statement, seeing as how he wasn't extremely adventurous or anything...but one didn't have to be brilliant to realize that Yue was bored. Extremely, terribly bored. Which, if she was as young as she must be if the other mare was her mother, made sense.
So it was with a nod of permission that Zaphiro greeted Yue's request. "I don't mind at all, provided that you remember I'm tired from staying up with the basket and hardly likely to deal well with more complicated sitting. I'm trusting in your ability to keep yourself from getting lost or snatched, but otherwise you're welcome to accompany me."
And with that, he was pushing out of the tent into the bright afternoon sun.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:13 pm
Yue followed him quickly, darting after him. Freedom! She tossed her head, snorting, and breathed in the air. It smelled better here. Cleaner, not as many other Soquili in the same small area. Then she turned and nodded towards the blue and gold stallion, finally getting a good look at him, in daylight. Handsome fellow. Not as handsome as that Safi fellow always hanging about with her mother, but, well, not everyone could be perfect. And not that she'd ever admit he was a good guy, and maybe, just MAYBE she liked him.
But that was another something entirely. She shook her head vigorously, getting some blood flowing through her body. She had been feeling almost... dried up. She liked the basket, it was cute, don't get her wrong. But she would be much more appreciative when, you know, it could move. She'd be more than happy to volunteer for babysitting time then! "So, Zaphiro, what do you do around here? I mean, any fields for roaming, great breezes for riding, mountains to wander up?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:22 pm
Zaphiro was amused as he watched the mare caper about. Perhaps it was going out on a limb on his part, but she didn't seem to care that much for teepees...so maybe they were wild? That hairstyle of hers seemed to indicate something like that, as he'd never seen such a haphazard arrangement in his life. It was interesting and exotic, however; the sort of style that made you double take and look back a second time.
Disregarding the question for a moment, he gave Yue an amused smile. "You don't care too much for teepees, eh? Or is it baskets? Or all of the above at once?"
Granted, he didn't care for teepees that much either, nor was he the greatest at basket watching; but he came to this area to relax, so they weren't that objectionable in the grand scheme of things. But it was nice to be out in the sun again! "As for things to do...we've got the hills to roam, the lake, of course;" there he turned and gestured at the huge expanse of water beyond the teepees before continuing, "the woods aren't too far away, and there are some nice warm springs in that direction as well. No mountains, but nice breezes. Any other questions, Yue Shuang?" But he was smiling as he spoke, indicating his amusement rather than irritation.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:40 pm
She stretched herfelf, then turned her attention back to the deep blue stallion. "Well, I don't mind teepees that much, but I'm not really used to them. I sleep outside, with the stallions and Miss Quisty. So it kind of makes me a little... I don't know, claustrophobic? when I step into an area that's mostly silent, and dark. I don't mind the forest, I can see the sun, and know that I can get out, but teepees... They make me nervous. And I get bored very easily. I need to be out, moving. The basket's cute, but it would be a lot cuter if it could move." She tossed him a confident grin.
She perked up at the lake. "Oh, I'd forgotten." she almost took a step, but then her face fell. "But it doesn't have any streams running off it? Thw water is pretty still, isn't it?" she flicked her tail, debating. Any water was better than no water. And springs! Breezes, and hills... There was more to do than she'd thought at first... though the lake might be out.
"A spring?" What was that exactly? She'd heard the term used, but she'd never actually been to one. "Which way is that?" She asked in the hopes he'd point her on her way... after all, Yue hated appearing ignorant, but more than that, she hated not knowing everything. Though she'd grown resigned to that rather quickly.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:51 pm
"With the stallions, eh? I assume then that you're part of a relatively constant herd?" So much for the 'wild' theory, but the truth made just as much sense. Just because his herd was lousy at haning around didn't mean that all others did!
Watching her was like being on a roller coaster, though. Her face rose and fell by the moment, and the amount of expressions that had already crossed her face in their short conversation was staggering. He didn't doubt that Safi got along well with this one, all things considered, but he himself would have to speed up his thought process if he wanted to keep up!
So he moved to address her questions first, as a mental exercise. "There are streams coming off of it, but not on this side. We get our water from the river, or the sprongs. And springs are like ponds or small lakes that get their water from underground, where it rises up; there aren't any streams that feed them, and they tend to be much purer than regular ponds for that reason. We have both warm and cold springs around here, each of which have their perks. If you'd like, I can how them to you? If you don't mind flying, of course."
That last bit was a deliberate tease; he'd seen the way she held her wings and knew that she didn't regard them as pure ornaments. Though why some Soquilis with perfectly good wings ignored their practicality was frankly beyond him.
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