Sabin's Teepee

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Balrog's Early RPs

Many of the logs of Balrog's and Stormwild's interactions can be found in Kamiki's journal, starting HERE, and run from page 2 to page 5  

[Sabin Duvert]

New Balrog RP:
Balrog pays a visit on Stormwild and discovers the strange basket that she is watching over.

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=3&t=10721921#130692491  

[Sabin Duvert]

Cataclysm and Maelstrom meet Sirius
Cataclysm and her twin sister, Maelstrom get in over their heads when they encounter a skinwalker

An Unfortunate Meeting
Maelstrom, Cataclysm, & Sirius

Twin silhouettes spirialed over the grassy slopes of the mountain. This face of the cliffs was still verdant, the succulent grasses out of the reach of all but the most determined ground soquili. However, to the twins Cataclysm and Maelstrom, the crisp verdant blades were an inviting, and accessable treat.

They landed in unison, the first pawing approvingly at the grass. "Untouched!" She declared triumphantly. I knew that no one else would have come by here yet.

The second, the paler of the two sisters flicked her ears back as she sniffed the winds. "Untouched maybe.... but there's a stench in the air. Like something died." She bared her teeth, wary of perhaps a predator nearby.

Cataclysm flipped her mane and shared with her a sly grin, "Stench? You think there's a land-lover nearby?" She whinnied a derisive chuckle.

Sirius lifted his head from his sleep, the sound of nearby voices waking him from his light sleep. His ears pressed back against his head and he curled his lip in a growl. He made it to his feet, billowing up a foal cloud of stench. His pelt perpetually smelt of that of a wet cur, but his little alcove on the mountainside had become littered with the corpses of rabbits and squirrels. The voices were coming from several yards away, and he flicked his tail in agitation.

He followed the sound, a deep grumble already in his throat as he saw the figures. Two silly mares were grazing, and he would make sure they regretted it. He help his head high, approaching the with the body language and the glare of a dominant stallion looking for a fight.

Both of them turned quickly to the stallion that stalked more than walked towards them, a cloud of decay and malice. Ears pressed back and one of them, the darker, raised her wings, at once showing that she could leave at any point, as well as increasing her apparent size. The second, the lighter snorted and made a good show of not showing fear.

"What do we have here..?" She sneered. "Some disease-ridden ground-bound horse?" However, the certainty behind her voice ebbed as the skinwalker became more visable - the mangy pelt that seemed to be growing into his skin.

Covering quickly after her sister, Cataclysm tossed her head. "Worse than that..." She continued. "It reeks. Covered in dead thinks like some two-legger. Inferior!"

A hunger ripped through Sirius stomach, and other places, as he let his gaze linger disturbingly over the two mares. “Inferior?” he growled, continuing to stalk towards them. “Don't make me laugh. I haven't had my breakfast yet.” There was a definite gleam of insanity behind his eyes, and his gaze bored into them, flickering back and forth between the twins.

“Its been too long since my last meal,” he said with a lick of his lips. His teeth exposed for a moment, broken and jagged, horribly stained by blood and misshapen from their unnatural use of tearing flesh and gnawing bones. “And my last mating. Who wants to be which?”

"He would try to eat us?" The dark one laughed. "Worthier predators have tried."

"And Worthier predators have failed." The lighter one finished, speaking more to her sister than to the mad stallion.

"We are daughters of the wind, daughters of the fire! Unbound by the fetters of the earth. And certainly superior to some half-rotten, fetid corpse-eater."

"And he's rotten in more than body, his mind must be rotted away as well if he thinks he could mate with us!"

"If he takes another step towards us, we'll be in the skies! And where would that leave him?"

"Hungry and horny!" The other laughed. "But I suppose there's no difference between then and now." She jeered.

Sirius's eye burned with fury at the mare's bantering, his temper stretched to the limit. He bristled, several stands of putrid black mane slipping up from under his pelt and around his face; the fur on his pelt almost looking as it was standing up on end. He roared at them, a surprising convincing, bestial growl. “You may be regretting those words, little girls,” he seethed.

"How eloquent!" Cataclysm chuckled.

"And how sophisticated!" Maelstrom chimed. "They say that these soquili are cursed. I've heard horror stories. Perhaps these are things that the ground-bound should fear."

"The weaklings." She assented. "Scared by snarling like a beast. Scared of the stench! This is nothing to be scared of. It's something to be pitied!"

"Well of course it is! Given fangs, given the ferocity. He's STILL a groundbound!"

Sirius launched himself towards the light one, hooves first. He was surprisingly agile and quick, moving more like a wolf than a horse. His sharp hooves connected with her haunches before she barely had a chance to react, his teeth gnashing disturbingly close to her throat.
The light one, Maelstrom, cried out in shock, anger, and pain as she reared, striking at the skinwalker with her hooves. The other one responded simultaneously to aide her sister, kicking furiously until Maelstrom could shake him and take to the safety of the skies.

Sirius roared, catching a mouthful of mane from the darker one, ripping it roughly from her skin before she managed to flee from his grasp. The kicks came roughly about his head, jerking his face painfully towards the ground. “Damned half-breeds,” he snared, ducking from their hooves. “Your ancestors mated with the buzzards! You are lucky your wretched wings can save you.,.. for now.”

He tried to shake the pain away, slipping quickly down the mountainside and back into the direction of his territory.

Both of them took to the skies, although if they knew their foolishness in staying on the ground as long as they did, pride kept them from admitting it - even to each other. The same pride that had kept them on the ground.

One was gashed, the other, large chunks of mane painfully ripped from her. Both of them, angry, feeding off of eachother's pain. "You damn flea-ridden monstrosity! We are the PURE race! You mate with DOGS! And you will regret your actions! We can rain misery down on you from above - our sire is Balrog - our dam Stormwild - and you will not live to regret your actions!" They circled higher, retreating to safer pastures.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Welcome to the Herd
Balrog encounters a lone, pregnant alicorn - and finds that she is without a herd - and has mated with a rather strange but airborne soquili - Azure and Kamiki are then welcomed to his herd

Kamiki & Azure Join the Herd

The warm updraft caught in Balrog's massive wings as he soared high above the wooded mountain that he and his growing family called home. Despite the little abomination that Stormwild had been taking care of recently, he was proud of the little herd that had slowly been forming what some day would be a proud, respectable clan of wind soquili. While perhaps it was a small start - his vision of some grand herd that could roam the skies instead of the lowly ground, whose wingbeats would roll across the plains like thunder.... IT was a beautiful dream, and slowly, it would be realized.

For now, Balrog prowled the skies, looking out for strangers - predators or other soquili - at the edge of the territory. Unfortunately, while the wind soquili were majestic and could claim the skies... they had to sleep, and they had to take to the ground at that point.

Kamiki had been on cloud nine since she figured out she was carrying foals. She was just starting to show, but she was certainly feeling the effects. She couldn't fly nearly as long without growing tired, and the food cravings were losing their amusingness and just becoming outright annoying.

Recently, much of her free time had been trying to stake out the best place to have her foals. She had been making her rounds around the Soquili land, but had yet to find anywhere that seemed just perfect. She decided to have a snack and then take a long nap.

Fruit was getting hard to find as winter was approaching, but she did find a tree that seemed to be dropping some rather tasty nuts. She landed near its base and began picking around the ground looking for fallen food.

A flash of color caught Balrog's eyes near the edge of his territory, near some of the choice nut-bearing trees. Catching a draft, Balrog let it do the work for him and carry him to investigate.

At first, he bristled his mane, fluffed his feathers and did his best job to look bigger, more imposing. His ears were set back and he landed heavily. It was only a moment later that he made out the smell and sway of a mare - a winged mare of a beautiful soft lavender. More than that - beautiful feathered wings caressed her back. And.... despite her slim, slight figure, a particular smell and the small bulge in her stomach told the stallion that she was eating for more than one.

His defensive posture eased and his ears flicked forward. "Why hello there..." Balrog nickered.

Kamiki looked up, dropping the nut in her mouth with a bit of a smile. "Hello," she said, seeing the impressive stallion. She
smiled and craned her neck seductively (old habits die hard). Her horn glimmered in the afternoon light as she tossed her mane. "This isn't your tree, is it?"

He tossed his head, but the aggression was gone, replaced by a curiousity - especially at the strange, spirialed horn growing from the mare's forehead. He'd never seen anything quite like that before - and it struck him as elegant... and useful. An additional weapon for a powerful wind soquili.

"Our tree... my herd's... yes, although I can see that you likely need the nourishment in... your condition..?" He nodded towards her stomach.

"I am Balrog. I am the protector of our herd. And what of you..? Shouldn't you have a herd to look after you when you are in need??
"

Kamiki's ears pricked curiously as the mention of his herd. "I've never really had a herd before," she said, rolling her shoulders. "I've been kind of a traveller until recently. But I like it here."

Balrog looked surprised. "Never had a herd? Really? I find that surprising for a mare of your obvious good breeding. I... must admit I have never seen one with such a feature before.." He nodded at her horn. "It is not just another piece of jewelry is it?"


She smiled and tossed her mane again. "No, its real. You have never seen an Alicorn before? We are children of both unicorns and wind Soquili. But no, I've never had a herd before. Its hard to keep a Alicorn is one place for too long... usually." She gave a playful wink.

Balrog couldn't help but smile, but felt frustrated by his ignorance. He had not been the most social of soquili - while he did want to increase his herd, he found himself having a difficult time tolerating most other soquili - and having to deal with those of lesser breeding.

"No, I have never seen one of your kind before... Alicorn you say? And... I am afraid to say I have never seen a unicorn before either. And perhaps you just have not found a place good enough to stay. Or company that is worthy." He smiled proudly and spread his wings while puffing his chest.

"Well," she said, pawing at the ground, "I have been looking for a good place to have my foals. They are going to be grand."

Balrog's eyes glimmered curiously and hopefully. "Who was the stallion? Why is he not by your side? Could...he not keep up with your wings...?" Despite Balrog's attempt at an innoculous question, he couldn't hide a trace of contempt at the concept.

"He's around," she said, a shadow of doubt crossing her features for only a moment. "He's also hard to keep in one place for very long. But that's typical of his kind... but he's simply gorgeous."

Balrog noticed the doubt. "IT sounds that while his breeding may be strong, his dedication to family and herd is not. Tell me about him... what is his kind?" Kamiki may not have known it, but Balrog was interviewing her, judging her and whther she was worthy of his herd. Granted, Stormwild herself had had her... indiscretions... but at least the foals that stayed by her were gifted with her wings.

"We're not really, erm.... " She rolled her shoulders. "I wanted children more than I wanted a mate, if that makes sense. But he's a good friend, and he's just out ... doing his thing I suppose. He's a flutterkind."

Once again, Balrog's ignorance frustrated him. He flicked his ears back. "Flutterkind.? I do not believe that there have been... those sort around him. And yes, passing ones blood to children is a noble reason... finding a strong father is admirable."

Kamiki nodded, but as she opened her mouth to speak a sound floated over the wind. "There you are, babe..."

Kamiki looked up and saw Azure spiraling down off an updraft. Balrog could easily see that he was certainly able to fly - but his wings were not that like he had ever seen. They resembled that of a butterfly, almost transparent in the sun, but blindingly beautiful.

However, there was also another obvious feature of the little stallion. As he landed near Kamiki and trotted over to nuzzle her belly, he stood, at most, as tall as her shoulder.

"Hello Azure. Meet me new friends, Balrog."

Balrog cocked his head. "Speak of the devil..?" He inquired, although the soquili - if... it really was a soquili - was certainly like none he had ever seen before - and the farthest thing from "Devil" that his imagination could conjured.

While it could fly... it was small. And its wings resembled more like the flittering day-bugs than the eagles.... But.. he COULD fly... and admittedly his curiosity was piqued as he looked again to the mare's stomach. THey could breed with each other... and the offspring would no doubtably fly. But what would they be like? Worthy of his herd? Well... he could take to the skies - and that - he agreed with himself... is what was important.

He stepped forward with ears forward. "You must be this unnamed mare's mate..?"

Azure blicked at the imposing stallion. "I'm Azure... and uh," he looked nervously at Kamiki.

"He's the father, yes. And my name is Kamiki, I'm sorry, I can't believe I didn't introduce myself before."

Azure nodded and stood very close to Kamiki.

He chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. "Kamiki. It is a pleasure to meet you, and..." He hesitated, a bit of a smirk as he regarded the flutterhorse. "Azure."

He nodded. "Well... if the two of you are looking for a place to call a home, and other soquili to call a herd, then we have space in our herd. We are seeking to build a strong herd - a herd that has the freedom to take to the skies."

"A herd?" Azure looked to Kamiki.

"I think its a wonderful idea. These babies are more precious to me than anything. They would benefit from the protection of a herd."

Balrog nodded. "Children are the future. And they will have the protection of a strong herd - a herd that can reach the lushest grazing areas, and escape predators."

He spread his wings again, looking as impressive as he could. "It would be my honor to introduce you to Stormwild and the rest of the herd. We have good territory that is well suited to raise foals."

Kamiki's wings fluttered with excitement. "Sounds
wonderful. I'm honored!" She looked down at Azure and gave alittle excited whinny. "Don't you think so? We need the best for our babies..."

Azure cocked his head, looking up at the mountain and stretched his wings. A part of him was a unsure, alittle bitter that he could not protect the foals himself... but he couldn't deny that he wasn't exactly they kind of Soquili that could fight off a puma. And having foals was dangerous, even for an impressive Soquili like Balrog.

"Its a generous offer, Balrog. I would do anything for Kamiki and our coming jewels."

He nodded, his presence certainly poweful and reassuring. "Then consider it done! Welcome Azure and Kamiki. You will find a welcome home and friends here." He flapped his wing, taking to the skies. "Allow me to take you somewhere you can be comfortable, Kamiki, and you will not need to worry about foraging for your food while you are heavy with foal."


Kamiki gave an excited nuzzle to Azure then took flight herself, motioning for Azure to follow. He gave her a smile and fluttered up next to her, both of them following Balrog up the mountain.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Wild Wind
Maelstrom, alone and sunning, encounters a handsome wind stallion, Wild Wind. She takes him to Balrog and the herd grows one stronger


Maelstrom was rarely separate from her sister. The two of them got along frighteningly well and were frequently almost of the same mind when it came to anything. However, after her last encounter with the mad skinwalker, Sirius, and her subsequent injury, Maelstrom had spent more time by herself, licking her wounds. She didn't like to show her weakness, and so she hoped to recover mostly by herself. She had learned that much from her father, at least.

So she was resting - reclining in the warm sunlight on an isolated peak of their mountain territory. The wound was healing well, thank goodness, but it was still highly embarrassing to the proud mare.
No luck, no luck, no luck. He hadn't gotten very far in any of his planning and spent most of his time flying about the mountain just looking over the area he was fond of. Everyone seemed to be against him, it seemed. His rival was of no use and was too brain washed to do anything but oogle of his mate and their children.

He gazed back at the scenery, allowing it to soothe his nerves and bring him at peace. His bicolored gaze beheld something he had never seen before. A mare? He swooped down lower, pulling his legs up towards him before he let them touch the ground. Perfect landing.

Now that he was closer, it was indeed a mare. He didn't notice the injury just that she had wings. "Harken! Another of my kind, I see. Praise be to the Gods!"

The shift of the winds as it carried another strong soquili in her direction caught Maelstrom's attention before the proud stallion touched down beside her. Her ears pricked and she got quickly to her feet as she watched him circle closer. She certainly had never seen him before. And what a sight to behold - his wings darkened the skies as he soared between her and the sun.

She tossed her mane, strategically covering the gash to her neck and ruffled her own wings, a courageous smile. "And an unfortunate rare sight these days it seems. But it seems the winds have brought you to green pastures, stranger." She flicked her tail and watched him execute a beautiful landing.

The medicine paint tossed his head, letting the beads click together with the sudden action. "I must agree, however sad that sounds." He allowed himself to take in the sight of her since it had been quite some time since he gazed upon another wind, let alone a female. But not to let wanton get in the way, he believed in keeping as close to pleasantries as he could. "The name is Wild Wind," he said as he stuck out his best leg and bowed towards her.

"These mountains remind me of my old home that is far from here," he said with a wistful sigh. He was slightly homesick, but there was no turning back now. "Do you call this realm home as well?"

The pale mare kept her head high, ascenting in acknowledgement and a friendly greeting. "Wild Wind... A name that suits you well, I must say. I am Maelstrom, daughter of Balrog and Stormwild. And our herd calls these lands home." Her eyes shone with curiousity and interest as she appraised the painted stallion.

"The mountains make for good homes for those strong enough to navigate them. Patches of the most vibrant grasses can be found in areas that many... "less fortunate" soquili could never hope to reach without injury." There was no disguising the patronizing note in her voice as she referred to other soquili. "My parents chose this territory well, a land were those who ride the winds can truly be home."

It sounded like heaven to him. A place away from all he found beneath him and it sounded like she shared the same sentiments. "That is more fortunate. It seems that while I was wandering I was hounded by female groundeds left and right." He flexed his wings in a showy manner as if to state that it was so obvious that any mare would be attracted to him. "But who could blame them."



"It seems as though great minds think alike. I had been roaming this area thinking it was a perfect place to start up a herd. Though I must admit, I'm not one to handle such politics." It was even more fortunate for him that he might have found one to fall in with for the time being.

A show of obvious distaste crossed Maelstrom's face. "Ground mares? Eugh. You poor thing. Why would you speak to those horses?" She spat. "Misguided, weaklings. It would be an atrocity for a stallion of such fine breeding as yours to weaken his bloodlines."

With a mischivious coyness, Maelstrom looked over the territory below them. "Why make the effort to start a herd when there is already a fine one building? Of course, we would never think to invite such weaklings as those who have harassed you. Besides, Balrog and Stormwild have selected a fine territory." Besides, Maelstrom would certainly not object to a stallion like Wild Wind in the herd....

He snickered and took another step closer to her. "They simple creatures to toy around with." Though he had never actually bedded any of them, it was still nice to hear such concern in case he had made that error. "But nay, I touched not a tail, though the view of the females is very pleasing to the eye. I wish not to repeat the mistakes of my rival and his mate that he picked."

He allowed his brown-blue eyes to follow where Maelstrom looked. The picked area was indeed perfect. He had have never seen it if he hadn't spotted the mare up here. "I might take up on that offer. The worse that can happen is a no."

Maelstrom whinnied a laugh. "They are indeed such simple, poor beasts. I can't imagine why a proud, wind soquili would ever think to take one as a mate." She shook her head. "Unless perhaps that wind soquili's blood was not quite as strong as he let on." She shared a conspiratoral grin with the stallion, who held obvious disdain for this unnamed rival.

"Perhaps he thinks like the ground-bound beasts." Her crimson eyes flashed with amusement.

"But come! Why don't you allow me to take you to meet my father, and you an speak to him about making our home yours as well." She spread her colorful wings in an invitation to lead him to the guardian, and her father.

He laughed along side her. This was turning out to be quite a pleasant run in. Much better than he had in the past. "'We 'ere ta protect th'm," he said, mimicking Tawali's accent as best as he could. "He was always a fool, even when he was a colt."

He chuckled at his own words and snapped his black and white wings. "Lead on, Maelstrom."

Maelstrom's laugh echoed alongside him. "What foolishness! You protect your own kind - when wind soquili gather, our strength is evident - we do not have to stoop to their level, give up good feeding grounds because of a weak link. Or to risk our own when together, we can defeat any predator - striking from the air!" Pride filled her as she took off, wings lifting her from the ground.

She spirialed, waiting for Wild Wind to take flight, and took off towards the center of the territory where she had last seen Balrog.
He took off at a gallop and allowed himself to drop from the edge, his wings catching the wind and allowing him to glide after her. A few flaps of his wings to keep the same altitude was all that was required before his white hooves skimmed along the ground. Now that he had an invitation, he allowed himself to look around himself. The sight was as glorious as it had been from above. "Wow."

Maelstrom's ego expanded even more at the stallion's obvious respect for their territory. "It is home." She responded, chipping in an extra note of temptation, even if it was unnecessary at that point in time.

The weather was perfect, the skies perfectly clear to see the lush forrest that clung to the sharp cliffs. Trickling crystal rivers cascaded down the slopes, and Maelstrom took a quick detour to skim the running river with the tips of her hooves, showing off. Then, careening at a nearly right angle, she flapped her wings a few times to gain altitude before heading towards a grassy area on another peak where a massive black stallion waited below, tribal markings seemed to burn in his hide that Maelstrom's were an obvious derivation of, and his crimson eyes watched the pair steadily as they approached.


His grin was large as he took in the rest of the sights, even if the best one was flying in front of him. It was then that he caught sight of Balrog. His smile was quickly removed as he sobered up for this meeting. Here was someone that gave the vibe of authority and respect. This was the same feeling he had from the Protector of his herd. Would he be fit enough to remain in such a peaceful place away from the rest of the populace?

Maelstrom gave Wild Wind one last fleeting encourging smile before touching down and nuzzling her father in greeting. Taking a place by his side, she let Balrog stride forward to regard the newcomer. "Father, this is Wild Wind. He seeks a herd.."

He lifted his wings as his voice rumbled in his throat. "Wild Wind is it, then?" He looked over the stallion, pausing at the wings with a look of momenary approval before the stern, ascessing returned. "You seek a herd, then? You seem to carry strong bloodlines. Unfortunately, there is precious little of such. But... it has been a promising week. " A ghost of a smile graced the stallion's face.

"What do you seek in a herd?"

The blue and green feather behind his ear moved a bit in the wind as he paused a moment to think. He reflected back on the reasons his parents had first joined their herd. "To protect and be protected." His father had said that very same thing to Wild Wind before he had left home. Strange that those words would ring so true.

He took a deep breath and allowed his body to relax a bit. "My old herd was nothing but winds soring the skies. They migrated like birds because most of the grounded took the better part of the lands. I left because I detested their philosophy that Winds are meant to be like guardians to the grounded." His voice was thick and heavy with the distaste of that motto he had heard most of his years. Of course, the crime he had done many years ago had finally come out. Why did one dead grounded bring such a high price? She would have been food for the wolves anyways.

Balrog's ears pricked and Wild Wind could sense the approval before Balrog even spoke.

"Your plight is familiar, friend." He whickered. "When wind soquili are burdened to be the protectors of the ground, then it holds back the our potential and leads the ground-horses to a false security. They grow fat and prosper from our work. And it is rarely even appreciated just... expected. I have been building just such a herd - one that is not limited by the weak. One that can reach the most exclusive feeding grounds, the safest spots to raise the foals, and have the protection of the strong."

Balrog looked back to Maelstrom with an approving nod before looking back to Wild Wind. "You are welcome here."

He couldn't believe his ears at first. He was accepted. He stood there in a few moments of silence, pulling his head towards his chest and looking down at the ground. His gaze darted on different pieces of grass while he grasped the reality around him. When it finally sunk in, he looked into the crimson hues of Balrog. He smiled brightly, "Thank you."

His gaze shifted slightly to Maelstrom. What a stroke of luck. "Thank you, Maelstrom," he said quietly. He finally felt like a piece of himself returned. He was part of a herd. And one that accepted his viewpoint.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Predatory Eyes

A stray shadow, seemingly without source, flickered over the slopes of the wooded foothills. It had traveled along this course many times before when staking out this new land and its odd denizens. It had watched them frolic from afar, hidden in the deep shadows beneath the bowers of the trees, listened to their language, and made foul mockeries of it in its own chilling voice. It had savored the fear of the foals as large birds passed overhead, when prowling cougars got too close, or when the equines that wore the pelts of carnivores and reeked of death were in the area.

The shadow had observed these creatures, sometimes with a sense of fascination, but usually it was with the same patient calculation of a predator. Certainly, there was excitement in the newness of them, and its unfamiliarity. It was a change, and while changes could be bad – very bad as it had already discovered – there was something to be said for the break from the monotony that had at one point nearly driven it mad.

Gradually, he broke from his isolation and began occasional interactions with them. He tested them – seeing how they would respond to his visage. He delighted in their anxiety, and eagerly sunk his teeth into that reaction, stoking it giving them cause for terror.

However, the more he watched them, and observed their fantastical array of variety, he found himself wondering how it came to be. Did they really breed with the birds? The fish? They seemed to brim with magic – perhaps it was possible that that such power allowed them to do so.

But as that thought mired through its mind, another one joined it. The possibility of passing on his own shadowy ‘blood’. Was it possible? The notion of a brood of offspring, its offspring was an alien, and fascinating, concept. To both control and possess something that was of its own ‘flesh’.

It had gone back to watching…. observing the others. Once again, it was like a predator stalking a herd… only instead of looking for the weak or sickly, it looked for something completely different. Eventually, he had come across an unlikely mare: a paper-white unicorn; a real unicorn!; but with exotic markings of red streaking its side… and a dripping ichor from its tail. It was different – even its fur seemed to bare a distinctly different texture. He found himself fascinated by this creature – even if it seemed to be his polar opposite. If anything, that concept seemed to delight him… to use her for the purpose of breeding something dark. She became his project – even if she did not realize it, and with a predatory focus that bordered on obsession, he began to stalk her.

*
*
*

Now… the deed had been done, and anju still savored the memory of the startled mare. However, a curiosity began to override his other feelings. He shadowed the mare, making certain to stay beyond her perceptions. He watched, in fascination and no small trace of amazement, as the mare’s stomach swelled. And something within the shadow began to change as well. This was no longer quite just an experiment. A part of him wanted to raise them, possesses them – see them grow in his image. Another… felt responsible … almost… that vile word… guilty for the mare’s un-asked-for situation. But both sides could agree… he wanted the children.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Fates Intertwined...
Anju inadvertantly alters the lives of many...

Sabin Duvert

The storm had been a blessing.

Howling rains, fat drops of rain, and massive thunderheads that choked any moonlight before it could reach the earth below, to Anju, had been the perfect conditions.

He had been checking on her nightly, keeping his distance, and watching in anticipation as day by day her belly bulged larger. He never would have surmised that his own anticipation for the birth would rival the mare's, nor the surging emotions that fluttered through his chest - anxiety?? pride?? The young that grew in the mare were his - his progeny, his blood. However, at the same time, it was wholly alien and almost disturbing that the foals that would undoubtedly be produced from their union would be his children.

The previous night, he knew that the time was almost near. The mare had not moved from her place the day before. She had been breathing hard and her stomach was so large. However, when the rays of the sun approached and she still had not given birth, Anju drifted away to avoid being seen. She had been wary these last few days - almost as if she sensed his presence, or remembered the cause of her condition and feared for just such a re-appearance.

So, the next night, as the shadow drifted close to the mare, the rain had, indeed, been a blessing. While normally stealthy, the mare, despite her exhaustion, had been on high alert: standing proudly and defensively over the three new baskets beneath her. There was a moment when Anju almost paused, surprised at how motherly and protective the mare was being over offspring that she had obviously not asked for. Part of the rationale in the moral corner of his mind had been persuaded that she had not asked for children, and it was almost as cruel as giving them to her to leave her to raise them on her own. But that voice was now silenced as the storm had given the shadow the opportunity to slide close to the mare - closer than he had dared approach since the first night.

The baskets were fresh - and despite the rain he could smell the newness of the foals inside. The baskets had not even yet been imprinted by the lives inside of them as he had seen while observing other new mothers. But there was no matter. They were his. He deserved them.

He ebbed closer, summoning his reserves to frighten the mare, and made ready to grab the baskets, ensnaring them in his dark shadows.

*
*
*


It... had not gone as planned. The storm had allowed him even more stealth than the shadow even normally possessed. But when he was upon them, the mare did not need the poorly timed crash of lightning to notice as her young were being taken from her.

Anju had hoped to avoid a confrontation. Not that he thought that she could actually succeed in damaging him..... but he did not want her to discover where he would take them to raise them himself. And even more so, he did not want exactly what had happened.

As Anju fleetly slipped through the trees, his shadowy hooves leaving no trace even in the muddy soil, he only clung to two baskets... and one of them had been damaged. He had seen enough to know that that was bad. Very bad. These baskets protected the weak younglings, born too premature to survive without them. Perhaps because most equines almost never gave birth to more than one offspring. Perhaps it had something to do with their intelligence - but regardless, the baskets were necessary, and one had been damaged. He had to do something about it and quickly.

And as he ran, one option blazed in his mind - Kamiki was a medicine woman, and she wove these baskets. She watched over mothers-to-be and helped them foal. She would have more.

And so Anju continued past his home - where he would care for the baskets ... his baskets... and instead headed up the mountain towards the lone tepee....

Kamiki

Kamiki Ahawi looked up into the darkened sky with a frown. It was always a bad omen for a mother Soquili to foal on such a grisly day. It had been raining on and off, the thunder rolling ominously in the distance. The mare, ironically called Kamiki herself, had been in labor for almost at hour now. Her belly was huge, swollen heavy with foals, and by the looks of it at least three. Quite a feat for a first-time mother. Her mate, a nervous flutter name Azure, refused to leave her side. Noble, but often got in the way.

Kamiki Ahawi had done the best she could to erect a small cover of animal skins over the mare who was laying on woven blankets. Regardless, the ground had become wet and the expectant mother was forced to lay partially in the mud. Kamiki made Azure constantly fetch clean rain water collecting in a clay pitcher to keep her face and regions clean for the birth.

Just as night began to fall, the foals came. Twins, it seemed - both of which Kamiki quickly wrapped and placed them securely in their waiting enchanted baskets. However, there was still something wrong. The new mother was still bleeding... much more than she should be. The inside of her ears were pale and Azure was already stomping in impatience – he knew that wasn't right either.


Kamiki gathered the two baskets, heavy with new life, into her arms and brought them into her teepee. She tucked them into the corner next to a pile of empty, incomplete baskets, grabbed a few medicinal supplies, and hurried back out to the mare in peril.

Sabin Duvert

The rain didn't bother the shadow as it slowly encroached on the large tepee, testing the air and fighting between the caution that his secrecy required and the impatience to save the life that he knew was ebbing away inside the damaged basket. He carefully secreted the first, undamaged basket into a nearby hollowed-out log. Now, time was even more pressing. He didn't want to leave it alone for long.

Then, clutching the other, he slid closer to the tepee, skirted the perimeter, and darted a glance inside.

Luck was with him for the second time this night - the tepee was unusually vacant. He had expected to see her sleeping now that it was past sunset, but he was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He slipped inside and reverently set down his basket.

Just as he had hoped, the tepee was full of baskets - some not completely finished, but there were likewise plenty that were. He selected one quickly that seemed strong, secure, and worthy to hold his offspring. He lifted the lid of the new basket, and then, as he was just opening the damaged basket - which by now almost didn't need him to remove the lid - he heard a noise.

He flattened his ears and snarled. The woman was coming back. He needed to hurry. He opened the damaged basket and barely got a glimpse of the bundle inside before he carefully transferred it to the new basket... and closed the lid.

The noise was closer than he anticipated. He didn't have time for this. But there was no way that he could slip out unnoticed with the bulky, brown basket.

He'd come back. Soon. He tucked the basket among a cluster of other empty baskets, and then used his natural shadowy stealth to slip out the door, just in time.

Kamiki

Kamiki Ahawi rushed back into the teepee, both relieved and nervous. Just like she had originally projected by her size, the mare was having three foals, not two... but the third was having a bit of trouble, and the mare was still bleeding more than she should. The native woman quickly grabbed another blanket and quickly selected the best looking basket in the pile, which was unfortunately near the bottom. A quick tug made the whole pile collapse in a harmless pile on the floor, but she had way more important things to worry about right now.

New empty basket in hand, she rushed back outside to continue with her care of the new mother.

Sabin Duvert

Anju waited in the shadows of the copse of trees near the teepee as the medicine woman rushed into the teepee, and rushed out only a few moments later. She was in a hurry. This was a very fortuotous night. She had only been inside the tepee for a minute - perhaps two. If she had discovered his basket, then she would have taken longer. She would have said something.

He waited only moments after she had departed from his sight and he whispered back into her home. Baskets scattered all over the floor, however, he had NOT expected. He growled in frustration as he began nudging baskets. They were everywhere. And he had barely paid attention to the appearence of the basket he had chosen in his haste.

But, it was only a matter of a process of elimin- *thunk* Heavy. This one had something inside. Something warm. Something that smelled equine and vaguely of blood and newness. Success! He gave it a quick glance-over. It was sealed, and it was safe. A rumble of success and pleasure echoed through the shadow and he carefully plucked the basket from the tepee floor and, once again, slipped out into the night.

He found the other basket - safe and sound where he had left it. Anju paused, momentarily, savoring the sweet taste of success. The baskets - both of them - were safe. He had them, and he had not been followed - he was certain of it. Perhaps he had not succeeded in rescuing all three of the baskets - but he had two. And two out of three wasn't bad.

Now, more carefully, and no longer racing time, Anju slowly, confidently, lifted the two baskets and made for home....

 

[Sabin Duvert]

Baskets...
Sabin sighed as he looked over the two baskets nestled in a pile of blankets near the fire. The crisp fall air had settled over the region, and the clear skies at night dropped the temperature to frigid extremes. While Sabin was not unfamiliar with cold weather, he certainly could appreciate the warmpth of the fire heating the teepee and the animal skin blankets wrapped around his shoulders. And, he suspected, so did the baskets that held fragile life inside.


He couldn't quite decide just how he felt about them. Protective? Certainly. Anxious? He couldn't deny that either. He knew how they had come about, and how they had come here. The diabolical motivations behind them. And their bizarre, disturbing parentage. But.... what choice did he have, really? They were infants - helpless - and they were his responsibility.

Anju had taken them here. Anju had left them in his care. And Sabin wasn't foolish enough to betray the tenuous trust between them. While Sabin was privvy to his motivations, he was doubtful that Anju truly knew what he was getting himself - both of them for that matter - into.

What would they be like? Certainly, the mother was a good creature - a unicorn as fantastical as that concept still seemed to the man. They would be foals of a unicorn.... but also....

A frown tugged at his mouth as he eyed the darker basket. The colors had been developing on them over the past day - and that one had darkened as if stain of blood and darkness that was seeping through the enchanted wood - and perhaps it had. It seemed to have a sinister presence, even now. He hoped that despite its bloodied appearence, that it would not turn out as nefarious as it appeared.

The other basket.... the frown remained- but for a completely different reason. The darkness of the basket had not surprised him. The blue, however, and the scintallating silver... it was odd. Most odd. He knew Anju's confusion - and it matched his own. Although, Sabin could claim no real knowledge in Soquili husbandry. Perhaps there was blood in the mare that was not visable that had carried to her own offspring. Some traits did, after all, skip generations. And so Sabin had settled into a barely muted curiousity. Wondering, on both accounts, what would emerge from the baskets.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Disapproval
Balrog has the "pleasure" of meeting Mahi

Stormwild stood at the bank of the river, bucket of saltwater in her mouth as he poured it over her new addition. The baby frog-horse squealed in a high-pitch delight as the warm water poured over her scales. “Warm wahta, momma,” she said, shaking and prancing about in the mud. “River wahta is coooold.”

”Well,” said the older wind soquili, “As soon as your legs are strong enough, you can walk down the ocean. That’s where the warm water is.”

Despite the chill of the river water, Mahi seemed to be taking to it rather well. From her observations in the past few weeks, she had gathered precious little about their aquatic cousins, but it seemed there were two kinds. One kind were completely fish from the midsection down, which made it impossible to leave the ocean. The other kind, like Mahi, seemed to just a regular Soquili with fins and scales instead of fur. They could walk on land, though not as confidently, and had to be kept wet to keep their scales from becoming dry and itchy. Even the fresh water of the river seemed to irritate Mahi a bit, but she slept soundly in her little water basket as long Storm kept it filled with the salt-water.

Currently, Storm was trying to train Mahi to walk long enough so she could lead her to the ocean and build her muscles. She could, in theory, just carry her down the mountain, but she felt that having it done for her would hurt her more in the long run. She would grow strong and confident if Mahi could do it herself.


Perhaps it was fortunate for Stormwild that Balrog had been kept occupied for the past week or so with the new additions to their herd. He certainly was taking his responsibility seriously as guardian of their herd, and her pride was soaring as high as he was with the three competent new members of the herd. Well.. perhaps two and a half. But he had decided, in his generosity, to welcome the little butterfly-soquili along with the majestic alicorn – she had called herself. After all, the little male could fly, and was unlikely to be challenging him for dominance. And now that they were both with baskets, Balrog made certain to keep an eye over the foaling grounds. Their herd would be even larger soon!

The other male that Maelstrom had found, Wild Wind, was a soquili that Balrog could respect – and one who shared his vehemence on the disregard of ground soquili. He hoped that Maelstrom would continue to associate with him, showing him around their herdlands, and perhaps more….

So, as Balrog wheeled closer to the home territory he saw Stormwild carrying another large pitcher of water towards that infernal water-basket. When would she learn?

But, as he was landing, he caught the flash of scales and fishy skin – it was no longer a shell…. Some… thing had come out of it.

“Dear lord, Storm… you’re still wasting your time with that thing? I thought you were going to take it to its own kind.” He pretended as if it wasn’t even there.



Storm set down the pitcher and flapped her wings with a sigh. “I am, eventually…” she said, hesitating as she looked down at the little froggish girl. “I’m teaching her to walk.”

The baby picked up they were talking about her and hopped a bit in excitement. Her eyes were huge and round as she looked up at the impressive stallion. “Da!” she said and ‘wagged’ her tail – which slapped unceremoniously on the mud like a stranded fish.

”Awww,” Stormwild chuckled, “she must have remembered me talking about you. She thinks you’re her daddy.”





Balrog scowled down at the fishy creature. It was slimy, awkward, and seemed slow in more than just the physical sense to the stallion. It was an affront – not only was it not gifted with wings - the only soquili that Balrog deemed worthy to associate with – but, if possible, it was WORSE. It had a long, heavy tail that hampered even movement on land. It smelled like the more unpleasant aspects of the ocean, and …
“you’re having to teach it to walk??” That was unacceptable – most foals did not have to be instructed in the most basic aspect of life. They were tottering around within minutes of birth, and within a day were capering about with the joy of being alive. This… thing was worse than a ground-bound soquili.

At the creature’s exclamation, Balrog’s ears plastered back to his head. “Oh no!” He snorted. “I am NOT that frog’s father! Why on earth would you tell it such things?! He is going to be a weakness to this herd, Storm – and I will not accept this!



“It knows how to walk, Balrog,” she insisted, “Just its better at swimming. I’m teaching her to walk, so she can walk to the ocean, and back, when she wants to.”

The little fish was attuned to the heightened emotions, especially that of anger, and slid to hide between Stormwild’s legs. A fishy tail clung to her back leg as the little filly continued to stare up at Balrog with giant eyes, now with a look of confused intimidation as opposed to adoration.

“And I didn’t tell her you were her father. I’ve been talking about your – and our herd. She’s never seen another stallion. See? She’s bright.”

As if on que, the little creature blew a few mucus-y bubbled out of her horse nostrils.



“Charming.” Balrog responded with droll sarcasm. Bright was not the word that he would have chosen, and he indicated no guilt as the little filly hid behind her surrogate mother’s legs. The bubbles did not enhance the stallion’s opinion, either. It just seemed to confirm the stallion’s bigoted opinion that these “kelpi” soquili were some hideous abomination that didn’t seem natural. And certainly not on land or anywhere near his territory.

Secretly, Balrog hoped that the fish would swim away once it reached the ocean, and would not be able to trek back up the mountain even if it could make its way down.

“It will be winter soon, Storm. Make certain that it returns to the sea. Soon. We may need to migrate, and food will be scarcer. We cannot afford to have this slow us down. And something tells me that it will not find itself at home in the ice.



“No need to lecture, Balrog,” she said with a sneer. “Superiority of a race does not mean it should leave those lesser than them to the wolves. I am teaching her to walk strong, so she can defend herself once she gets to the ocean. Carrying her there would do little good to teach her anything.”

”Ma –hee can walk” said the little filly. And she went about trying to illustrate. The little creature puffed out her chest and stuck out her limbs, one and a time, and stilted her way over towards Balrog. She was incredibly awkward, her joints stiff, swinging at the shoulder and hips joints like from kind of a wooden toy. She made her way towards the stallion, each of her hooves landing on the moist ground with a sinking thop.


“Apparently there IS need to lecture, Storm, as you have yet to listen!” He tossed his head at her arguments. “Do you think that all of these fish are taught to walk miles on land? Take her to her kind and they will teach it what it needs to know. It is not our responsibility to look after those weaker species.” He didn’t advocate to leave them to the wolves, but perhaps if they were not coddled by the strong, then the wolves would be more distracted by them.

He watched speechlessly as the creature jiltedly “walked” about the clearing. He leveled a stare at Stormwild while the filly was pointed away as if to prove a point.

When the little creature arrived before him, Balrog lowered his head and snorted once at Mahi. “Learn to fly, and perhaps I will be impressed.” He deadpanned.


“Ma-hee will learn to fleh” she said with a determined nod.

”Come back over here,” Stormwild said quickly, pawing with her hoof. On command the fishy filly did as she was told, toddling her way back to safety of her adoptive mother’s legs.
“Oh I listen enough, Balrog,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I just don’t agree. I can’t just dump her off in the ocean, I have to find a proper caretaker for her.”

She gave an exasperated sigh and shook loose her mane. “Why do I even waste my breath. You do not understand. You do not think your wings are a blessing, you think they give you the right to exert power over others. I pity your foal hood, Balrog. What cold parents you must have had.”


“My parents are not the issue here!” Balrog protested quickly and vehemently. “And how difficult can it be to whinny for a fish-horse. Find one and have it take this thing to the world it belongs.”

“My wings make me strong – make me mobile, and when those with wings associate with those who do not possess them, it weakens the strong. They are a hindrance and prevent us from reaching the potential of the herd we are building. Where is your vision??”

He shook his head, at the pair of them, snorting in derisive amusement at the little filly’s determination for the impossible.


“You protest a little too fervently,” she said with a smug grin. “You lack confidence. Your like a … basket. Big and pretty but with nothing inside. Just air. You talk of superiority and this and that, but you refuse to risk anything. I am old – as old as you, if not a season more. I have mothered six children from my own womb. All of them still around, living. Most with children of theirown now. Some of my children, they have children! Obviously I’m doing something right.”




“You accuse me of weakness. But I have sired strong offspring as well – from your own womb. My wings are strong – I guard these mountains and I keep our herd safe. Do not forget this. Forget the predators that I have frightened off – the dangers that the perspective of the skies can see coming well in advance.” He stamped his own hoof and spread his wings with a snap.

“And your blood is strong, Stormwild. If only you had had the sense to breed true with those with wings alone and not mongrelize that strong bloodline with inferior horses.”



Mahi was feeling uncomfortable with all the yelling, and pretended to suddenly be very interested a few blades of grass peaking up from the mud.

Stormwild sighed and lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Balrog," she said. "You are not weak... I did mother your foals...and they are wonderful. But I do wish you would support me. Have a little bit of trust. Mahi does not carry my blood, just my love."


His ears still stayed back, his pride was rankled despite the apology.
"I have said before, Stormwild. I believe in your strength. You have my respect - and that is one reason I chose you for a mate. But I do not think that you should take unnecessary risks - to both yourself and our herd."

He snorted, finished with this conversation.


"I won't dissapoint you," she said seriously. "But I have to do this. She'll be swimming on her own before the first frost, I promise."

She sighed and turned her back, nudging Mahi back towards the teepee.


Balrog did not look pleased. Not in the least. But he did stop arguing.

"Make sure of it." He clipped. "Meanwhile, I will watch for predators." And with that, he took to the air again.
 

[Sabin Duvert]

Anju's Progeny

Anju poised over the two wriggling baskets, staring intently at them. As soon as they had shown signs of active life, Sabin had been pushed aside and Anju took the place, once again, as vigilant father. No matter that 90% of the time they had been incubating in the baskets, it had been Sabin keeping careful eye over them, making sure they were warm but not TOO warm, and still seemed to pulse with life.

While Anju had received a twinge of excitement at the realization that Amaterasu was pregnant, and again when he had the baskets, there was an entirely new tingle as he stood over them, knowing that his children would be emerging in just a few moments. He hoped that they would be proud, strong, and every bit as devious as him. He felt no desire to assist them in breaking out of their baskets – knowing that they needed to do this task their own so they would be independent, powerful. So he waited, motionless except for the whisping shadows of his mane and tail that seemed to undulate around him.

Then, slowly, there was a soft cracking from the dark basket and a small, dark horn emerged between slats of the wood. There was a straining, a moment of quiet, and then the basket tore open as a small, spindly foal topped out, amber eyes blinking up at six red orbs that were focused down on him. The whisp of a shadow that came from the basket barely seemed to have physical substance in many areas. There was no doubt of this little unicorn’s parentage as, seriously and silently he wobbled onto four thin legs – thinner than most foals and partially transparent. If it weren’t for the fact that most of the rest of his body seemed semi-transparent as well, they didn’t seem like they could support the weight even of a newly emerged foal. A long leonine tail withdrew from the basket, and Anju smiled fangly teeth with pride as it seemed like it was tipped with wet blood. Tribal red markings that looked like war paint marked the foal’s body and under his eyes. It seemed like a corruption of the concept of a unicorn, and that thought only magnified Anju’s ego. It was… perfect. A son. His progeny. Anju was very glad that he had managed to ‘rescue’ this foal from its mother. He could already sense a greatness about him.

However, before Anju had the opportunity to think more on this, there was another cracking, from the other basket…. The.. odd basket. Something strained at the woven wood, and then a silver horn pierced the side, and the other end strained as silver hooves cracked free. A few moments of wriggling later and another foal lay breathing heavily on the remains of the basket. Exhausted, but triumphant.

Anju’s opinion, however, was much less exuberant. He cocked his head as he appraised the filly. Certainly, she had his dark complexion, but there was no trace of the shadows about her. She seemed to have her mother’s eyes as she looked up at him with a cherubic smile, and the horn… but the blue… and… the wings?! Anju’s distaste was written in his sneer as he looked back at her, and she cowed back a bit. Her mane and tail were blue and white – iridescent and scintillating silver and blue markings bespeckled her face in similar markings as his son, but … they were completely different in effect. And then, the wings! They weren’t the powerful eagle-like wings like a few of the soquili he had seen in the distance – or even the wings of demons or bats… No. They were the wings of butterflies! What blood did the mare he had tupped have in her?! This was not what he had expected. This was not what he had wanted! It was… it was pretty. How galling! He snorted, flicked his ears back and took a step back, looking at the filly and colt side by side. How different they were. And look at that – already the colt was nipping at the filly’s ears.

It was then, as the filly got to shaking legs herself and both of them closed in on him, nuzzling at his legs, that Anju realized that there was another problem he had not thought about. They would need to eat.  

[Sabin Duvert]

Introducing the Herd
Balrog and Stormwild meet the new foals of Kamiki and Azure
Soquili of mine involved: Balrog

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=2&t=2165623#134844334



It had been a week since her sons where born, and just as anticipated, it was the calm before the storm. Kamiki and Azure had been running non-stop with hardly any sleep having to keep up with three young colts. The largest was Nimbus, who at the naming ceremony was named by a traveling eagle after the two-legged’s ancestor’s word for cloud.

Closely behind him was their odd-child, Sumi-e. Sumi-e was named in the naming ceremony but a small finch who claimed her mother’s mother came from a land beyond the Big Water and told stories of people who painted on parchment with ink, writing stories in letters so beautiful it looked like artwork. This calligraphy was called sumi-e, and since the young one reminded the finch of paper and ink, he was so named.

The smallest one was Spellbound, named by his father, Azure, who had seen a traveling gypsy once do magic. ’It was at night,’ he said, ’And all I saw from my vantage was this beautiful dancing purple light..

So they had been named, and growing like wild weeds. For something so helpless at birth, Kamiki was amazed with how quickly they were running, kicking, bucking, and causing general havoc. Today, she was hoping to present them to Stormwild and Balrog, the leaders of her herd.

Sumi-e was busying himself with pulling Spellbound’s tail, causing the smaller boy to cry out and kick at his bigger brother. For the sixth time that hour, Kamiki wedged herself between them.

Nimbus lay on the ground a little away from his two brothers. He didn't believe that harm should be caused in the family but he also did not believe that he should get into the fight just to stop it. He watched as mom broke up the fight with her authority over the crew. He looked up to his mom. He saw her as the feminine touch in the family of all boys. He wished he could stand tall like her some day.

He snapped out of his daydream as the fight got dispersed, for who knows how long, Nimbus stood up from his warm spot as he trotted softly over towards his brothers. He smiled as he approached the two colts.

Right on time, the wingflaps of a large wind soquili stallion could be heard, and moments later, Balrog's distinctive silhouette came from around the mountain.

He circled twice before his heavy hooves touched down in the clearing. Especially to the small foals, Balrog was a massive stallion, muscles rippling beneath his glossy black fur. Holding his head high, the stallion proudly walked around the new family. "Kamiki! Azure! Let me congradulate you on your new arrivals! It is always wonderful to hear of fine soquili passing on to a new generation." His voice rumbled approvingly.

He directed his gaze downwards, first at the little blue colt. Smiling approvingly he looked him over, nodding smugly at the wings on his back and horn growing from his head. "A fine young colt. What is your name, little one?"

Balrog had not yet turned his attention to the rest of the new arrivals.

Stormwild followed Balrog’s decent, her demeanor, while still one of great authority, was more feminine and definitely less imposing than Balrog’s. She nodded her congratulations to Kamiki, but didn’t interrupt her mate as he looked over the herd.

Kamiki motioned for Azure to keep a close watch on Sumi-e and Spellbound so she could go over to Nimbus. She nuzzled his neck and face, encouraging him to stand up straight and poke his chest out. She smiled and forced herself not to jump in and start introducing him herself, for Balrog had addressed him.

Nimbus backed a little as the black furred Soquili's voice boomed at him, complimenting him. He looked over to the pretty female wind Soquili as she landed with grace. She looked gorgeous like his mother. She stood without disturbing what this male wind was doing. Nimbus had wished she imposed so that he could avoid talking at all.

He was soon nuzzled by his mom to stand tall before this male. He did as his mom had motioned him to. He tried his best to get as tall as he could so mom would be proud of him as well as this Stallion that landed with power upon the earth. "m- m- my name s Nimbus" He said as his newly found voice cracked a little as he introduced himself.


Balrog couldn't keep a bit of a smile from his muzzle as the little foal, with the backing of his mother gathered the courage to speak his name.

"Nimbus" Balrog repeated, in a much stronger, more assured voice. In Balrog's voice, the name seemed to have a much different connotation: respectable and something to be proud of.

He nodded assuredly. "It is a fine name for a fine young colt! Many praises to you, Kamiki and Azure. He will make a fine addition to the herd!"

He moved to appraise the next foal - one that had the dark fur of both of his parents, and shimmery purple wings more like his father. There was a crook of a bemused smile at the tiny foal with the butterfly wings. Perhaps he wasn't a wind soquili, but he bore the shining silver horn of his mother, and he would fly high - even if it was less noble than perhaps his sibling.

"And you, little one, what is your name?"


"Welcome, Nimbus," Stormwild said to the little blue colt, bowing her head. She smiled a comforting and warm smile to him, then looked up to Kamiki.

Kamiki nodded her thanks and went to her next son. Azure was already there, puffing out his chest proudly. The little flutter, small compared to his brothers, had none of Nimbus' shyness. "My name is Spellbound!" he said, in a voice that was trying to be much bigger than it was. His little wings fluttered excitedly, lifting his front half off the ground just a bit as he looked up at Balrog.

Nimbus bent his knees a little as the booming voice of this male. He stood taller as the female spoke to him. She sounded much more warming than the male. He dipped his head to the lady as he peered over to see what the Stallion was going to do with his brothers. He seemed to go over to Spellbound.

He looked up to his brothers even though Spellbound was smaller and Sumi-e liked to pick on others. He smiled a small smile as he wanted to go eavesdrop on what the male had to say. Also he wanted to try gather the courage to ask him his name. But he ended up asking the female instead...

"ec- ecsuse me but... what is your name?" He asked the black and purple coated female. She didn't sound like her voice could shake the earth.


A rumbling chuckle echoed at the tiny foal's bravado, however, this time the smile on the stallion's face was a bit more genuine; the patronizing twinge that was present when he first addressed the little fluttercorn was gone.

"Spellbound..." Balrog echoed again, much like he did with Nimbus, almost testing the name and seeing how it sounded in his booming voice.

"It is a fine name, for a fine young colt. Perhaps one day you can grow to be big and strong like your mother." This time, there was a hint of a smile - but more in a friendly tease than the scathing criticism that the stallion was known to deliver.

He stole a small smile as he watched the first colt approach stormwild before moving onto the third and final foal.

However, as his smoldering eyes lit on the white foal, his ears set back against his head. Where were the wings?? He looked again over the colt, making sure. Well.... there were some strange... whispy growths from his shoulder blades. Perhaps they were underdeveloped wings? An ear flicked back. He had had such high hopes for these new additions to his herd - and indeed, they produced two fine young colts. And three boys! But this one... it looked like something had gone wrong with the formation of his wings... and his eyes... there were four of them. Balrog's head lifted with an anxious expression. Had Kamiki eaten some poisonous plants during her pregnancy?

Instead of asking in turn this colt's name, instead, Balrog's voice boomed, "What is wrong with your wings, young one?"

The dark mare looked down on the icy foal and gave a motherly smile. “My name is Stormwild,” she said, nodding her head. “I am the alpha of this herd. And he,” she motioned to Balrog with her muzzle, “is the protector.”

Kamiki and Azure were both beaming with pride at Balrog’s seeming acceptance of Spellbound. Kamiki had gotten the impression that he was critical of the flutters, but so far Azure nor Spellbound seemed to let him down.

That was, of course, until it was time to meet Sumi-e.

The little defiant foal gazed critically back up at Balrog, no trace of fear and a suspicious sneer planted on his lips as he asked about his wings. “Not wings, there ain’t nothing wong wit dem,” he said said, puffing his chest. “Not that’s its any of yer bidness,” he said around teeth that looked more fang-like than a normal Soquili’s should.”

Azure looked to Kamiki who looked back at Azure. They stood there for a moment before Kamiki finally stepped up. “We think it must be a sign from the Gods,” she said, trying to keep her voice quit. “No one in either Azure or my family have any kind of … features like Sumi-e.”


Nimbus overheard the 'approval' of his small brother. He smiled softly even though the booming voice still rattled him. He turned back over to the dark mare. He bowed his head a little to this mare while eavesdropping upon his brother and the Protector of the herd that Stormwild spoke of.

He could hear the harsh spats of his brother to the stallion. The light blue foal tucked his head down, a little afraid things might get bad around now... But he heard his mother cut in with her tender voice. Young Nimbus nodded a farewell to Stormwild and trotted over quickly to his brother, Spellbound. He wanted to know the whole story but this wasn't the time to ask about it...

Balrog was obviously rankled that this young foal, less than two weeks of age, had the gall to stand up to him. And a wingless foal no less! Balrog's ears flattened while he snorted his disapproval.

Balrog looked steadily to Kamiki. "Sign from the gods?" He asked, dripping with skepticism. "Sign of what? It looks as if he sports malformed wings. Perhaps a result of one with the wings of birds breeding with one with the wings of the butterflies? Something that is neither? Perhaps you were not properly nourished while you were carrying the foals? Or did something happen to his basket?"

Balrog stopped himself, seeming to swallow down an ire. "The cause of this foal's... unfortunate malformed traits is irrelevant. What matters is that this is another weak c***k in our herd if he is unable to learn to fly." He eyed the white foal out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you trying to say he's deformed and its my fault?!" Kamiki snorted, stomping her front hoof on the ground. She sneered, but Azure put his foot out in front of her, stilling her, asking her with his eyes to calm down.

"I know of many flutters who cross breed and I've never seen anything like this. Sometimes the Great Mother works in mysterious ways, Balrog."

Kamiki nodded sharply. "Look at Nimbus! And Spellbound! And you occuse me of not properly caring for my babies?!"

At this point Stormwild stepped up by Balrog and gave him a pointed look. "For whatever reason he is how he is," she said, in her calming voice. "He looks strong, healthy. Balrog, even if he cannot take to air he would not be the first. He can run under Sequoyah's sector."

Nimbus ducked his head down a little in fright as the angry protector eyed him. He was scared of this quarrel. It seemed pointless to Nimbus. He couldn't see what was wrong with brother, Sumi-e. He wasn't lethal and that was okay, right?

He heard Dad talk calmly towards the protector. Stormwild and mom seem to be accepting brother, even though he cannot 'take air'. Nimbus felt like he was the heart of the problem. If he hadn't gotten Mom's wings, Sumi-e might have gotten those features and been accepted by this stallion. He looked down at the grass as he continued to listen to the argument of these adults.

Balrog puffed up to the angry parents and leveled a smouldering stare at the gathering. "Yes. Mysterious ways." Balrog responded with dripping sarcasm.
"Regardless of how the foal wound up the way he is, if he does not learn to fly then he is not a part of my herd. Stormwild, your heart is too soft to allow such ground-bound soquili to associate with us. They may share our land, but they are NOT under my protection, nor will I give them a moment's thought if the need ever comes for our herd to take to the skies!"

Balrog seethed. Why was it that this herd, this proud herd that was finally being built in HIS vision, the vision of a proud, strong herd that was not hindered by the flightless, where they could truly have the freedom to move, without the weakness or responsibility to look after the flightless.

"I do not like the trends that are happening. I welcome strong new blood to the herd to only find more soft hearts. Does no one care for the strength of our herd? Of our future?"

Kamiki smoldered angrily at Balrog, pushing Sumi-e back behind her, but she did not argue. He was the Protector, and it was not her right to say what could or couldn't be done.

Stormwild, however, narrowed her eyes disapprovingly at Balrog. "That's what Sequoyah is for, Balrog, to lead where you lack the ability to," she sighed.

She turned her back on Balrog and back to Kamiki. "My eldest son Sequoyah will watch after him. He will be under his Protection, as he watches the few of our family who are ground-bound, so Balrog would not have to feel responsible for them," she paused and gathered her center, not wanting to get in an argument with Balrog, especially in front of the new recruits. "But it is a privilege. Sumi cannot bring his un-wiged future mate or children into the herd if they can not fly. But of course those will not be issues you will have to discuss with him for quite some time. And he will have to grow up strong, you understand. If it was... a birth defect..."

Kamiki opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off by a warning look from the Alpha. "IF it was a birth defect, it will hopefully not effect his legs. Sequoyah will help build him strong, able to quickly maneuver the steep mountains."

Kamiki and Azure exchanged glances. Azure looked meek and a bit disappointed, but Kamiki was still breathing hard, trying to keep her temper in check. She looked down at her son and saw no weakness in him. She didn't understand at all why he was how he was, but he was not a defect as far as she was concerned. But they were Alpha and Protector, and she really ought to be thankful that they weren't kicking him out altogether. "I understand," she said with metered breath.

Nimbus watched as the 'battle' went on with retorts from the protector and from his mom. He wanted to talk back to the stallion to stop talking about his brother that way but mother had already given in and Stormwild had given sumi-e under this 'Sequoyah'. He felt the need to run. He trotted off a little ways, waving his tail hoping his brother, Spellbound would see.

'come, come~ Let's play!' Nimbus called with his tail to Spellbound. The blue and white foal walked off to inspect bugs or see how high they could try flying to.

Balrog stood tall to the anger that flashed in Kamiki's eyes.

"I am sure that the standards of Sequoyah's herd will allow for the little mutant." Balrog agreed dryly. In his mind, Sequoyah ran a separate herd all his own that just happened to overlap in territory. He shared no love for the stallion, and the fact that he was Stormwild's progeny bore him no favors. If anything, he was a continual reminder of the mare's good genes wasted.

"I hope for your son's sake that it was only his wings and.... eyes.... that were affected by the defect." Balrog took a deep breath, eyes flicking to the other two colts.

"At least... your other two children are fine young colts.... and they are welcome among my herd." Balrog continued adding a note of charity to the violet mare.

Spellbound was staring at his mother, nervously shuffling his hooves until Nimbus caught his attention. He looked quickly between his mother and Nimbus, and then to Balrog. The large stallion intimidated him, and he didn’t like to see his mother upset. Perhaps playing with Nimbus was a good idea, and leave the arguing to the grown-ups.

Kamiki still glowered, sheltering Sumi-e in the cage of her legs. The little colt seemed unphased by the hard words. He silently stared up at Balrog with no fear or intimidating showing through his red eyes. He didn’t move at all, except for the lazy twitch of his straw-like tail.

Kamiki didn’t acknowledge the ‘benevolent’ welcome. She gave a curt nod and turned her back. Azure joined by her side, calling for Nimbus and Spellbound to join them as they made their way back towards the thicket.

Stormwild also gave Balrog a very disappointed look, sighing heavily and going back to find where she had left Mahi to play in the river, leaving Balrog standing alone in the clearing.

Nimbus looked a little dissatisfied as his dad had called him towards him and mom. "we'd better go." Nimbus whispered in his small voice. He slowly walked on his thin legs towards his father who lead them somewhere. "Father, where are we going?" He asked softly in a louder voice than a whisper, still constantly looking back to wait for Spellbound to come with them.

The conversation was over as far as Balrog was concerned. Perhaps it wasn't a total waste. After all, Kamiki and Azure had produced two fine children. The third, however....

WHY was he the only one who seemed to see the problem? It was maddening. He needed to clear his head, get away from this for a while.

With barely a grunt of "I'm going on patrol" to Stormwild, Balrog took to the winds, determined to let the embrace of the sky that Sumi-e would never know help him deal with his ire.