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 Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:49 am
It had to be the novelty of it all. She found delight in things that he had long since grown accustomed to. He appreciated the sights, even loved some of them beyond comprehension... but not once had he been inclined towards running wild trough the open meadows on the slopes. On his first patrol he had swooped low against the tree tops, savoured the feeling of the mist on his wings as he drew ever closer to the falls and plunged down against the cliff faces but now... Well, he had matured considerably and as such could enjoy the sights in a more quiet manner. That being said he certainly had nothing against the mare's enthuasiasm, particularly when she was showing the 'real' mare that lurked beneath the stiff-as-a-board mannerisms.
She certainly suited the windswept look, it was better that she let her hair down and the mountain air was definitely healthier. Alas, it wasn't long before her run came to an end and her movements ceased. She didn't seem breathless - on the contrary she seemed refreshed. However she had turned her gaze back towards where he had been standing only to find he was absent. It was rather comedic, perhaps she had assumed that he would trail after her at a slower pace though this would have been rude and inconsiderate. She wanted to see the sights and making her weight wouldn't do.
"Accounted for," the stallion murmured reassuringly as he approached the mare from her right hand side, ruffling his wings as he closed the gap. He needn't inform her that he had flown after her, he simply needed to answer her call and be prepared to move when she did. Apparently this was one of those times and it was with another nod that he indicated he was more than content to follow once more.
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:11 pm
Honestly, Elizabeth didn't know what she had been expecting. Perhaps for Ambroise to be hanging back at the far end of the meadow, shaking his head; perhaps for him to have turned tail and fled. Knowing him to be a gentleman as she did, though, in the end it was no surprise to find him settling his wings and greeting her. Wings. He was a wind, of course h would be using them. A truly reasonable and practical way to do things, if she did say so herself, and hardly something to be concerned or surprised by.
And if he WAS recoiling from her silly behavior, he was doing an exceptional job of hiding it. At that realization, the stallion rose another click in her estimation; after all, it was just as important to put others at ease as it was to be at ease oneself when one was claiming to be a gentleman or lady. The mere fact that she'd never actually heard Ambroise make any such claim hardly excused him from falling under that particular umbrella of reasoning, but that was just as well. Another unspoken compliment never hurt anyone, after all!
If he could be such a gentleman, then she could respond in a like manner; consequently, it was with only the slightest hint of a blush (one that could theoretically even be written off to the energy of her run) that she nodded at Ambroise in response to his statement. "Very good, I'm glad to know that I didn't lose you during that little dash. I have to say, there is something about the view that just...made me want to run!" Smiling in a deprecating fashion, she gave her companion a look that very clearly indicated her enjoyment of the day thus far; for Elizabeth, though, that look was the equivalent of a more energetic Soquili yelling from a hilltop. "I think that I've gotten that out of my system for now, though; shall we walk on?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:17 am
Evidently he was quite good at this etiquette thing, despite his stiff manner and lack of conversation. The influences of both father and mentor had done the trick, had he been human he would arguably have been destined to become a knight. Still, he was no mind reader and as a consequence could not accept or reject her compliments with any form of grace. It was just as well really as he was so terribly unaccustomed to such exchanges that it would have made him decidedly uncomfortable. Not that he wasn't uncomfortable already but it was the principle of it all.
That being said he would have never recoiled at her 'silly' behaviour. He had siblings, nieces, nephews and an array of cousins and herd mates that were decidedly more active. They were louder, more brash and generally speaking acted in such an idiotic fashion that he was often prepared to apologise on their behalf. Her behaviour was tame in comparison and merely served as an amusement. For one how held such a controlled and calm front, it was refreshing to see her act in a manner that defied that. He had perhaps mused over it before, but this was certainly something for him to be grateful for. Few gained such insights without becoming a close friend...
"You are entitled to your moments of self escape," he agreed gently, nodding with ease at the statement that followed. He need not be asked if he was prepared to move, he would simply do as he was told. Of course she was being polite by asking, but she really didn't have to. "Lead the way..."
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:10 am
Self escape. That was a rather nice way to describe random acts of silliness, she would have to remember that one for future reference. In the meantime, though, there was no reason not to take advantage of this lovely day and her escort's kind acquiescence.
"Very well. I was thinking that we could continue on until we've found a likely place to stop and eat breakfast." Though she had had an opportunity to eat earlier, Elizabeth practiced the concept of not eating unless she was hungry; grazing just because one could was unhealthy and led to needless weight gain, to say nothing of taking food from those that actually WERE hungry. Still, after that little dash she knew it wouldn't be long before she was feeling peckish, and thinking of that made her reevaluate her plan. Best to have a grazing place sorted out BEFORE they were hungry, otherwise traveling might get distinctly uncomfortable. "Actually, do you have any recommendations of grazing places? I remember you saying in our previous meeting that foodstuffs were a bit sparser than I'm used to."
She was fine with leading the way, but there was no shame in taking advantage of a commodity like a local! Not, she quickly amended, that she was thinking of Ambroise as a commodity. No, he was a welcome and comfortable companion who happened to have firsthand knowledge of the region; unlike some, Elizabeth wasn't too proud to use that knowledge. Better to ask for help than to starve, freeze, or thirst to death...
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:29 pm
There was nothing like a good, healthy breakfast. Those of the slopes were often of the routine that they fed themselves and then drifted off. It was a routine and while they chose specific times of the day to eat, they were always on the button each time. This wasn't to say that they returned to the same area too eat but one could predict when another Soquili's lunch would be. For example, Ambroise had already taken the opportunity to satiate his hunger when he had woken up and as such, he would be set for the next few hours.
Nevertheless when she happened to mention breakfast it became apparent that she was not accustomed to such habits. He afforded a slight smile at this, the mountains had certainly gone to her head and she seemed to be recalling things in hindsight. It was rather sweet - while she would deny being similar to a foal the novelty of all the sights was taking it's toll! Consequently the stallion was content to take the lead just this once and he began to make his way down the slope at a diagonal manner. It was a little strange on the hooves and caused one side to stretch more than the other but he had his reasons.
"This way," he murmured. After a while they would find themselves drifting beyond the meadow she had run through and towards another one. It was still covered in snow but this tended to work to a Mountain soquili's advantage. Granted it meant you had to work for your meal but in the end it paid off. It was here that he paused and after a few moments began to dig and chip mercilessly at the snow beneath his hooves to form a hole. He'd eventually reach the grass, it would just take a little moment.
"Might I advise eating the snow if you are thirsty, it will beat back the thirst long enough to find a river..."
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:43 pm
Hindsight, perhaps; however, Liz herself would rather chalk it up to a drastic change in settings. In the lowlands, the snow had barely started, and there were still numerous places where one could find food even beyond the Kawani camps. The fact that she was thinking about the differences at all was something, even though she would be one of the first to admit that she wasn't being nearly as thorough as she should be. The next time she went on a trip, she really ought to just sit down and meticulously plan things out...
No, she wouldn't. Too much planning completely voided the concept of a vacation; she would just have to be a bit more prudent and thoughtful in the future. Starting today, if not now.
Regardless, she was content to follow after Ambroise, looking around the frosty, snow covered grass with interest, if surprise. The mountains were so peculiar; in some places, the grass was tall and visible, and in others, buried by snow...
But that shouldn't surprise her. Not all grasses were flavored equally, and the grasses she'd run through she could see at a glance were dry and bitter. If Ambroise was willing to dig to get these, then they must be tasty indeed. After a mere moment of eying the snow, she started to paw at it herself, giving a nod of agreement before taking up a mouthful of snow. At first, her face scrunched up from the intensity of the cold, but after a moment she was able to enjoy the refreshing taste of water. Not bad, not bad at all!
((No speech, sorry))
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:01 am
It wasn't the best way to get water, it led to a lot of brain freezing and yelling if you didn't fully prepare your mouth for it... but it paid off in the end. A patrolling soquili could sustain themselves by scooping up snow into their mouth. It didn't stop them in their tracks and nor did it leave them vulnerable, unless their brain did freeze over and they caused an avalanche with their curses of disapproval. Ambroise had done that quite frequently as a youth until his mouth had 'hardened' and become accustomed to the ice cold bolt that often shot through it during such occurances. Now he would occasionally scrunch up his nose for a few seconds and that would be the end of it.
Nevertheless, it was difficult for a Lowlands soquili to fully grasp the necessary instincts and skills required to survive on the slopes. Elizabeth had certainly been tossed in at the deep end in that regard. She was subject to hunger and thirst and probably would have wandered about until she heard the flow of water or found less nutritious grass. Alright, so he had to admit his mother had a point in booting him out earlier this morning, while she was an independant mare there were somethings she did need help with ...It was sort of like teaching a foal, only they picked it up faster and didn't argue when he told them to do something.
Soon enough though he had broken through the layers of ice and snow to be greeted with the flattened yet well preserved grasses below. His job was done and with a swift thrust of his wings he cleared most of the snow away from the sides of the hole so that she wouldn't stumble when she reached in. He shook the remnants of the snow from his wings and furling them to his sides, placed a gap between himself and the grass he had revealed - she was the hungry one after all.
"Dinner is served," he offered quietly. "Though I will warn you that it is equally cold as the snow..."
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:33 am
That had been an experience, alright, but it had served its purpose; Elizabeth was no longer thirsty. Granted, she hadn't been terribly thirsty to begin with, but Ambroise had raised a valid point in seeking out the 'frozen meadow' when he did. Just because she wasn't that hungry or thirsty now didn't mean that she wouldn't be later, and later there might not be such...bounty available.
That was the theory, anyway, as she surveyed the frozen grasses available to her. Then again, an important part of traveling anywhere was sampling the local food. That in mind, she stepped up to the cleared space and with a "Thank you very much," to Ambroise, she leaned over and took up a mouthful.
COLD. Cold, cold, so very, very, cold. Once again, her face was scrunching up, but by using the maximum self control available to her she managed to suppress the faces and focus on the meal which, while frosty, wasn't that bad. The frozen grasses had a surprisingly unusual crunch to them and were very juicy and sweet, very nice indeed. Still, even with that unusual treat it didn't take more than a few minutes for her to reach a stage of comfortable satiation. That was one of the nice things about having a dainty appetite; much less time was spent eating. "Were you at all hungry, Ambroise?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:47 pm
Ambroise couldn't surpress his amusement at the second scrunching of the nose and his stoic expression cracked. A small chuckle emitted from his lips and a hint of a smile crept up on the corners. Suffice to say he had sufficient control over his features to the point that the corners merely 'teased' and 'jested' but he couldn't take back the chuckle itself. She really had reminded him of a foal in that instant and he couldn't contain himself. He hadn't seen such a facial expression in years, the last time he had seen it one of his nieces. To make matters worse, said niece had also spat out the grass and shook her head so violently that she'd ended up toppling into the snow through unsteady footing... needless to say it wasn't the most dignified of ways to declare you didn't appreciate something but alas, such was the way of things. In time she had managed to master the art of eating though and so the facial expression had lived on in memory until the day it was replaced by another foal.
...Only this time it was Elizabeth.
He had already covered that she was indeed an adult but her mannerisms had been so foal like as of late that one might say it was difficult to differentiate. As always he would maintain his silence, content to simply absorb the peculiar quirks and the expressions that flickered upon her features with each new discovery. A cavern here, a waterfall there and eventually she would begin to lose herself to the mountains - eventually she would forget he was here and merely drink in the magnificence of mother nature. There would be no risk of reverting back into the shell of decorum - or at least there would be no risk until later when evening struck and she would once again say her cordial goodbyes.
Thoughts aside he was not caught out when she next raised concerns regarding his own hunger. "I have already eaten my fill," he confirmed smoothly, a curt nod following his statement. He'd lived his life as a creature of routine and breakfast was more of an automatic motion for him now. He didn't think about it, it just happened and the day began anew.
"Suffice to say, when you are content to proceed onwards you may once again take the lead."
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:50 pm
If she didn't know better, she would swear that she had just been snickered at. Unfortunately, Liz had been a bit preoccupied with adjusting the frigid temperature of her breakfast, so she had completely missed any change to Ambroise's expression and only caught the chuckle as the merest side noise. A quick, suspicious glance in his direction showed nothing, nothing other than the same stoic, solemn expression she'd seen thus far; however, that had SOUNDED very much like a chuckle. Which it naturally couldn't be...or could it?
Ah well, it wasn't something to scrutinize about; if he chuckled he'd chuckled, if not, then she was hearing things. All things considered, he had ample provocation to not only chuckle but outright laugh; she was, after all, pushing the boundaries of acceptable behavior into the realms of outright silliness. One would never suspect that at the moment, though, with the regal and ladylike way that she acknowledged Ambroise's dismissal. So he wasn't hungry, fair enough. "Very well, then I suppose that we'll just continue on."
With a smile, she started off again; however, before she'd gone more than a few paces she paused, looking down thoughtfully at the snow and then back at her companion before very carefully and very deliberately scooping up another mouthful of snow. Keeping an eye on his face, she straightened up and swallowed, her expression this time remaining constant and calm. If nothing else, she was a fast learner...but darn, that snow was cold!
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:53 am
Had he been caught? No! A tiny part of him gave a cheer of triumph as he was eyed suspiciously and then apparently dismissed. His chuckle and half smile had gone unnoticed and reasonably undetected. Oddly enough this stirred a ridiculous amount of pride within the stallion who generally wasn't concerned with such trivial things. It was like a game and he could distinctly recall Fenghuang playing it as a child as well. He'd make faces at Grencia's back and then remain very still and innocent each time the father had turned round. Ambroise had never partaken in games as a child but at the moment it was reminiscent of such behaviour - Lizzy had become his father and Ambroise had become his youngest brother. Really, the entire thing was utterly ridiculous but unlike Fenghuang he hadn't been caught.
HA! So he could have been the best at pretty much everything if he had played as a colt too. He cleared his throat however and chastised himself for the modesty that had been lost. It was unlike him to be so uncouth and inconsiderate, he may not have had the opportunity to partake in such games but he hadn't needed to. Whether or not he had performed successfully didn't mean he should be sending mental 'nyahs' at his brothers.
...He was better than that.
Sort of.
Nevertheless there was a small part of him that suspected that her suspicions were still with her. This was proven when she lowered her head and proceeded to gulp up more snow. She'd been very direct about it as well, choosing to show that she would not wrinkle her nose or cringe again. Well, that was all good for now as her teeth had hardened briefly against the chill. However when the time came to eat again he would suspect that her nose would crease again - there was no avoiding it! He gave himself another mental slap, chastising himself for taking further pleasure in utterly ridiculous things. Really, he had been so much more well behaved when he had not been subject to his mother's scrutiny, now he felt more like a rebellious kid.
Clearing his throat the stallion subconciously slapped his childishness into shape and cast it aside again. Discipline and logic were once again dominant and he found himself 'settled'. His expression had been unreadable as she gulped down the snow, but his eyebrow did threaten to quirk out of habit. She had proven her point, she could keep a straigth face!
"I would be inclined to agree," he replied smoothly with no trace of amusement within his voice. "By all means, choose your path and lead the way..."
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:44 pm
Oblivious as to Ambroise's inner role model's feud with his inner gloating child, Elizabeth waited for a long moment before finally throwing in the towel. She must have been mistaken, undoubtedly he'd coughed or cleared his throat or done some other such thing that could have easily been confused for a chuckle. That had to be it. Still, this wasn't the end of it; chuckle or no, she was starting to get the distinct impression that there was more to Ambroise than a stoic and somber stallion. His expression the night before at the waterfall had been one indication, his good-natured acceptance of his mother's ribbing another; whatever the reason for his manner, there was more to it than that.
Then again, wasn't that how it was with all of them? Behaving oneself in a reserved, proper manner around strangers and casual acquaintances, polished and polite...
Though at that thought, Elizabeth had to smile. Polished and polite wasn't just a veneer with some, up to and including herself. Polished and polite was who she was, and it was quite likely that polished and polite was Ambroise, too. She just couldn't shake the idea that he was hiding something, though.
Ah well, it wasn't her place to pry or nose. "Very well, I think that I'd like to go this way; I've always found that travel is much more enjoyable when the sun isn't in my eyes." With that, she started off through the snow towards the west, head held high. Now with any luck, they'd make it back to grass again before long!
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:29 am
Ambroise 1 - Elizabeth - 0
Or so the inner child gloated before it was firmly pushed into the cave and grounded for the next six months. Once the feud was over and the appropriate 'selfs' were either satisfied or moping, Ambroise could continue on without further delay. Still, there were very few in the world who gave a completely honest and accurate picture of themselves to those who met them. Ambroise was most certainly one of those, preferring to revel in his stoism and stiff manners. Individuals who couldn't deal with this front often fled to the company of his more amiable siblings and they were left with no doubt in their minds that he was in charge. As a protector of the slopes it was his duty to look intimidating and provided this role was enforced and recognised he could continue to be happy.
He had the opportunity to savour the sights and the mountains would always know what he really was. Secrets were something he kept on a regular basis, on occasions they loaded him down with great weight but it had to be done. There were just some things in life that were not meant to be shared or revealed, the slopes with agreed with him and aided him in keep such things hushed. Nevertheless, had he known that Elizabeth considered herself to be polished and polite he may very well have called her out on that. She was far from 'polished' at the moment, more giddy and over joyed by the novelty of it all. This wasn't a bad thing of course - but would have been an inaccurate definition of 'polished'.
Obedient as always to the whims of a guest, the stallion did follow the mare without contradicting her views. The warmth of the sun on her back would be good for her and she would be able to observe much of the terrain without blinding herself. There was logic in her statement even if it did mean she was moving down the hill and would have to use a considerable amount of effort to get back up again when she was ready to sleep.
No sooner would she set out walking again then she would meet further gravel and snow, but with the coming of spring the further down hill she went the more grass that became visible. Ah - but the peaks had always had much shorter spring and summer seasons than the lowlands that were less suseptible to foul weather, nyah?
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:50 pm
The hill would undoubtedly be a challenge later in the day, but at least one bit of common sense applied to low and highlands alike: don't wait until you're about to pass out to start for home or its temporary equivalent. In the lowlands, it was possible to sleep where you fell or to find comfortable nooks with little effort; it was also possible to eat pretty much anywhere. However, it took energy to walk across the lowlands, especially if there were rivers to ford or forest to traverse, things that Elizabeth had had to do more than once in her day.
Had she known that she was being 'judged' in her survival skills, she would have likely given herself a point there; as the matter stood, she simply trotted down the hill, her attention carefully focused on the sloping ground underfoot. In addition to the snow, there were numerous small rocks just waiting for her to slack off and fall on; she certainly wasn't going to humor THEM, so way!
For the navigation of the slope, she maintained a careful silence. Careful, in the sense that the silence came about because she was BEING careful. After too much longer, though, they reached another semi-level plateau. Taking solace from the increased amounts of greenery about, Liz paused again, looking around thoughtfully. Now then, did she want to keep going this way, or did she want to change direction now that the mountainside was partially blocking the sun? Then again, they had been walking for so long now that it would be high noon before they knew it, and then it would be directly overhead...hrm.
Actually, what sounded like a good idea was finding a real mountain river. The waterfall had been wonderful, but ever since Ambroise had broached the subject she'd been curious to see how water responded to the mountains when it DIDN'T jump over an edge. That in mind, she turned to her equally silent companion and queried, "Are there any rivers near here, Ambroise? That is to say, rivers of a larger scale?" Streams were all well and good, but she was interested in the drama right now!
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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:33 am
'Dramatic' displays of water were difficult to find on a general scale, most of those displays often led to the waterfalls that lay scattered across the slopes. It had taken hundreds of years for the water to carve into the rocks and silence the mountains disapproval - it had been a part exchange. In return for passage through the slopes in a greater volume, the mountains had made the condition that this journey must be a thing of beauty. As a result waterfalls had been formed or the water had chosen to traverse beneath the ground to avoid being an eyesore or a hinderance upon the slopes. Or at least this was how it had been explained to him as a child and he saw nothing to contradict this statement...after all, there was no such thing as science in this age.
It was a decision made by the individual and more often than not the water that deviated from these larger rivers often came in the form of streams and minor rivers that slithered down the slopes in relative silence. They were unassuming and made little effort to disturb the peace. However, such news would probably not be a welcome explanation to his guest and he pursed his lips as he considered her words. Really, there were so few dramatic rivers up here that did not directly link to thundering waterfalls and he was struggling to come up with a suitable site.
...The only way it could possibly work was for them to start climbing even higher.
"To see rivers of such an intense nature we would be required to climb higher than we already are," he replied at last. There was no use in lying about the complex nature of things, whether he liked it or not the largest rivers were most definitely attached to the waterfalls with the most violent aspect and rapids being at the top. When the water had made it's plunge to the lands below it was often significantly tamer and carried about on its way without further adrenaline rushes.
"Such features are difficult to locate in the slopes and are generally at the higher regions before the waterfalls are put upon display..."
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