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 Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 11:35 am
Fear flashed, hard and fast, though him as he lost his grip, but he felt her pull back, though the sharp pain in his shoulder told him she was not entirely graceful about loosing. Opening his eyes, or at least one of them, he unsuccessfully dodged the swipe of a wing before watching her slink off. No doubt she would try again, but then.. there were many Kalona out there that would have a go at them both for no other reason than they were prey.. food..
Taking a deep, worn breath he dropped his head with the intention of rubbing his swollen eye, but the pain as the torn flesh met hard knee made him abort that action. Instead, he turns and faced the mare, head tilting to study her with his good eye. He was still breathing heavily, blood from the cut above one eye, and the shredded ear matting sapphire coat.
Padding over, knowing he was going to stiffen up soon from the blows the kalona dealt, he watched her briefly before speaking. "You are upset... why?" His voice was oddly gentled, still a little rough from the fight, low with a deep rumbling as it passed from the broad, scared chest of the stallion.
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 11:46 am
'Why?' she echoed, looking up at him. Was he serious, had this all been nothing to him? She noticed the old scars he had for the first time, and shook her head faintly.
'This wasn't meant to happen. This might be something that you are used to but I am not. Running for my life, fighting to live...I was a fool.' Chatura let her breath out in a low, hissing way, annoyed with herself, looking at the ground again.
'I thought I was so clever, so wise with my research, my quest for knowledge. And where has it got me?' she looked back up, into his eyes.
'Chased, nearly killed, and I got you hurt! I don't know you, but I owe you my life..'
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:54 pm
Regarding her from his one storm-grey eye, the stallion listened silently, breath slowly calming as the low of blood from tattered flesh eased, though continued to flow slow and sluggish to seep through sapphire coat in a goreish stain of dark crimson.
"We survived, no one died.. " He replied in explanation, surly surviving an attack from such a predator was cause for celebration or at least, relief, not sadness?
The one still upright ear flicked, pricking forwards in a rare movement. "Not a fool. Inexperienced, maybe... but no fool. As to where, you still gained knowledge, no? Maybe not the kind you wished for, but valuable none the less." Shifting carefully on stiffening limbs, the large stallion met her gaze with his one working eye, the other closed with drying blood. "You are not at fault. To run from them is often the only course available. I chose to become involved.. I could have run but did not wish to. I may be just another soquili, but I have some experience dealing with their kind." Shifting again he winced, the wounds now beginning to throb deeply, letting him know just how bad he was hurt. Yet still, the stallion's expression could not fully hide the concern he felt for the mare's own injuries.. for she had not escaped all harm and the Cloud that he had been was not entirely lost to the stallion he had become.
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:09 pm
Chatura's teeth suddenly started to chatter, and she lowered to the floor on legs that had become jelly-like, the shock of her near miss only now sinking in. She felt slightly sick, and her face paled for a moment as she took in deep breaths, trying to rid herself of the dizzy feeling. When she felt slightly calmer, and the world was spinning less she looked up at the stallion, simply unable to express in words the debt she owed him.
'You're not..you could never be just another Soquili, not to me. Not now...' she said fervently, and then managed to smile.
'All that's happened and I don't even know your name.' she said, before becoming concerned again for him, now that the shock was passing.
'Rest..please..' she pleaded gently.
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:53 pm
The stallion's sleek head followed her down as she sank to the ground, worry revealed in storm-grey gaze. After a moments hesitation, he took a stiff step forwards and dropped his head, huffing warm breath over her mane briefly before pulling back, instinctively wanting to reassure her yet unsure how to do so.
Perhaps for the first time in his life, he was tongue-tied. Standing like some fool colt before his first crush, not knowing what to say. "... I'm known as Cloud Runner.. Cloud is fine." Shifting his weight carefully he looked down at the churned ground under his hooves, not sure that he would be able to get up again if he were to lay down just yet. One rear leg had become streaked with drying blood from the wound at his thigh, the limb stiff and sore. After a moment he carefully eased his muscular bulk to the ground, settling close to the mare and knowing that if he had to, he would get back onto his hooves somehow.
"May I ask your name?" He finally replied after gingerly stretching out the wounded rear limb, forelegs tucked under broad chest as some semblance of his old polite self returned, if briefly.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:30 am
'Cloud..thank you.' she lowered her gaze, cheeks warming as he settled himself carefully on the ground. Her eyes found his again as she realised that now she should give her name and so she did.
'I am Chatura. Is your leg okay?' she looked at it, and then moved closer, sniffing at the blood.
'I can clean it for you if you wish..' she glanced at Cloud, unsure of herself. It felt almost like it would be an intimate gesture to do so, and despite all that had happened between them they still felt alot like strangers..but she also felt closer to him than anyone else which was quite the contradiction.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:06 am
Cloud found himself watching her as she dropped her gaze, noting the faint hue that warmed her soft blue fur. Surprised at himself, at the slight lift within his chest he felt when she met his gaze once more, he was caught off balance by her question. Feeling himself floundering like a fish out of water, a sensation he had never experienced before meeting the strange old indian and getting his tail handed to him by Fate herself, he replied before giving himself time to think.
"If you wish to..." Trailing off he felt his own embarrassment p***k his skin and hoped he didn't look quite as much like a foolish young colt as he felt. Yet he knew he was too sore to do much for it himself, and they would have to leave this area eventually, for the scent of the battle and the blood left behind was sure to lure scavengers once the sun went down.
Dropping his head he looked back at her, wishing he didn't sound quiet such an idiot, as for the first time in a while, he felt something within him stir, a relaxing of the tension he had felt ever since he had been sent on this journey back into his own past. The mare's gaze lifting the weight from his shoulders when she looked his way.
Realising he had been staring silently, he cleared his throat and shifted a little, wishing his torn ear would quit throbbing quite so much. "You are wounded as well." Dropping his gaze he looked at her, concern in his gaze. He was built to take a beating, but she looked far more delicate.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:22 am
Chatura smiled, feeling slightly more emboldened by the fact that he seemed to be slightly bashful around her, almost as much as her. Why was that though? He was surely older than her..and probably had some lovely mate waiting for him to return home.
At his assention, she gently tended to his leg, carefully peeling and cleaning away the dried blood, taking mouthful of grass in between which she rolled around in her mouth to remove the coppery taste. When it was cleaner, she could see that her ministrations has set the wound to bleeding a little and so she rolled a larger mouthful of grass around before depositing the moist pad onto the wound, pressing down with her nose.
'Keep that still for a bit please..' she said, wiping her nose against her foreleg to clean it.
'They're just scratches, I'll be fine.' Chatura replied, looking up at him again, for even when he was laying down he was still taller than her.
'How's that ear?' she looked at it, then back at his face, seemingly unable to tear herself from his gaze for long. Stop that.. she scolded herself. Mooning over him, he was nice to you because you were in danger, nothing else.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:45 am
Her smile transfixed him, sending warmth right through him, chasing away more of the shadows that had plagued him these past few moons. Shifting a little so the wound was easier to reach, he let his nose rest on his forelegs as she worked, slowly relaxing as she moved quickly and efficiently.
By the time she finished he found himself more relaxed, the flashes of pain from the wound barely felt as he enjoyed the simple warmth of her company and nearness, something he had been without for far too long. Looking up as she spoke he gave her a genuine smile, grateful for her aid, but more so for her simple presence.
"Beyond help, I think..." He lowered his head for her to see the sorry looking ear where it flopped, torn and tattered from the Kalona's razor fangs. Yet his storm-grey eyes were warm as he met her gaze, little trace of any pain that ear had to give him visible. "It will be fine, ears bleed a lot anyway." Dropping hishead to itch at a graze on his shoulder he flexed his hind limb though was careful not to move it as told. "Thank you. It already feels better." Smiling a little he felt the new and strange sensation of shyness. He had never been shy before... but he could not help but meet her beautiful clear gaze. Yes, he realised, thats what she was, beautiful.
Shes going to think you're a fool.. staring like that..
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:54 am
'I'm sorry..' Chatura said, looking from his face to his mangled ear and back to his gentle eyes again. She was determined not to be a wet blanket and she blinked her eyes rapidly, but she was upset about his injuries. She'd caused that, and his leg and the other scratches by being a blundering idiot whilst carrying out her research.
'I'm so sorry..'
She repeated the words, her tail giving a little flick. She took in a long breath, her gaze steady as ever.
'Please forgive me Cloud, I would never want anything I did to cause someone harm, and yet it did. You're a wonderfully kind and patient gentleman, and I owe you everything..forgive me.' she dropped her head, her mane falling over her eyes.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:10 am
That was it, even a worn a soul as his could not stand up against the soft look in her eyes or the feeling in her voice. As she lowered her head, he couldn't help but lean over, gently wuffling her forelock from her eyes, his own expression concerned.
"You have nothing to apologize for Chatura. Truly, you did nothing wrong, though I would advise to stay away from kalona in general. I got myself involved, and I am glad I did. I am just sorry you were hurt at all." Lifting his head back he studied her a moment, feeling strangely protective towards her.
"I am a wanderer, I have no purpose, no one to protect, no family. So it is I who should thank you, for letting me play some part in your safety. And for your care towards a stranger." Smiling gently he found he wanted to comfort her, to reassure her.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:25 am
'I had to, how I could I not apologise?' Chatura said, shaking her head slightly.
'Your injuries happened because of my mistake..' she insisted, and then let out a soft sigh. Stay away from kalona? Did that include half-kalona as well? As he touched her mane she moved her head upwards and her nose met his, before her boldness left her again and she looked back away, colour rising even more.
'No one?'
How was that possible? He was kind and caring, strong, protective and would go out of his way for a stranger..I could love him.. - the thought popped into her head as though a lightbulb had gone off. She'd never even thought about a romantic entanglement before today, and what a situation from it to have been borne from..but she was getting ahead of herself.
'I'm sorry to hear that. I have family. And.'
Now she looked at the ground again.
'There was a reason. My family line - well, there is Kalona in it. My mother's mother is half. It's very very diluted in me.' she said swiftly, hoping that he wouldn't now think badly of her.
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:18 am
He could see his suggestion for her safety troubled her and wondered why. Had something happened in the past with a kalona? But surely if that was it, she wouldn't want to see one. All the kalona he had met had been blood thirsty, vicious and wanting to eat him for dinner. Not the kind of soquili you wanted to meet more than once. Yet he didn't think that was the case, and if so, then what?
His train of thought was cut short as the soft warmth of her muzzle touched his own, and for the briefest of moments he was flooded with the delicate, warm scent of her. All of a sudden he felt content, calm after so long adrift in the world, an island in the storm of troubles the Fates had conjured. Then that wonderful warmth left and he felt his own cheeks heat. Gods... thank the spirits she can not know my thoughts, get a grip you old moron. She probably thinks you too old and too dumb after a fight like that.
Grateful for the sound of her voice that cut off that line of thought, he gave a slight shake of his head, trying not to move too fast and set his ear to bleeding again. Though his leg felt better for her ministration. "No.. I have been travailing alone for a long time."
Smiling gently at her soft voice he watched as she lowered her gaze his confusion at the movement clearing when she continued. Ears pricking forwards before he could catch the movement, he ignored the pain to study her intently. Ahh.. that explained her interest in them.
Smiling gently he touched his muzzle to hers, letting it linger a moment, hoping to reassure her. "That is why you went to see one?" His voice was soft and low, gently reassuring, no hint of dislike or anything negative pressent. It certainly didn't bother him that she had kalona blood. She was gentle and kind and very knowledgeable, nothing like the violent kalona he had run into before.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:47 am
'Careful of that ear.' Chatura said, concern tinging her voice again. She wondered if it would ever heal properly, or if thanks to her he would be scarred even further. Not that there was anything wrong with his scars, he had lived a longer life than she had with much adventure and they showed that, but it still would remind her of what she had done. In time she would probably forgive herself for her mistakes but for now she had to keep them in mind so that she didn't mess up again.
'That's a shame, are you travelling alone through choice?' she asked lightly, and then flushed with heat and colour from her nose to her tail when he touched her muzzle with his own. She was sure that the gesture was meant to be one of friendly comfort, and what if he said yes to her question? He would go on his way, and she would never see him again.
'Uh..' her mouth opened and that was pretty much all that came out until she collected her thoughts into a semblance of something resembling intelligence.
'In a way. My father's father was greatly opposed to my mother and father being together, still is I think. Because of who her own mother is, and what her grandmother is. I wanted to know where the truth lies, why it is that you can have demon blood and be vicious..or you can have it and be as amiable as anyone else.' she let out a soft sigh.
'It had been going well up until today..I was careless and blundered into a very bad situation. But..' she looked at him and smiled, her face lit by a thought.
'If not I wouldn't have met you. And even though I got you hurt, I wouldn't have changed the part where I met you for anything..'
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:34 am
Her concern made him smile, it had been so long since someone spoke with tender words to him, so long since anyone seemed to care, he couldn't help but want to linger,to speak with her more just for the sound of her gentle voice and that concerned, warm look in her eye. His wounds were sore, yes, but he doubted that they were life threatening, so long as he didn't run into some other predator for a while anyway. Maybe he should take a detour into the mountains to heal, fewer of them lingered up in the cold heights.
Letting that thought trail off as it seemed, distasteful while she was near, he considered her question for a moment before giving a faint shrug of one muscular shoulder. "I am travailing through choice, I suppose... not that the spirits would let me quit now, they seem determined that I finish the journey." The second part of that added in a low mumble, the stallion's storm grey eyes darkening slightly with troubled emotions before he seemed to pull himself back and look up at her again. "..But alone? No.. I have met others, made some good friends, but I was young and reckless and the wind called me." The stallion lifted his head, stormcloud eyes lifting, briefly, to the skies above them. Perhaps it was the pain of his wounds, or the exhaustion of the fight that left him vulnerable for a moment, for the expression of old longing, guilt and the feeling of failure that crossed his face would not normally have been shown so easily.
Dropping his head at the soft breath of her voice, he smiled gently, the lingering trace of sadness still visible behind the shadows of experience in his eyes. Listening to her quietly as she explained, he gave the matter serious consideration, the one good ear flicking slowly, automatically listening for any sign of the kalona's return. After a moment he nodded his head, expression thoughtful. "Perhaps the same way one with no demon blood at all can grow up abusive and bad tempered, through the treatment of family and the individual's predescribed personality. Some of us are simply born with an unpleasant temper, others are the most gentle of souls."
Grey eyes settled on hers, gentled with most of the shadows that had haunted them hidden for the time being. Her words clearly surprised him before he smiled warmly. "You would not...?" The stallion actually blushed, for he knew he did not deserve such words from one like her. "I as well, am glad we met. Though I am sorry I wasn't enough to fully protect you." Dark eyes dropped to where the fresh wounds marred her soft blue coat, guilt revealed in his expression. "Are you sure they will be alright?"
His own pains ached, reminding him that they had to move before he stiffened completely. He felt rested know, but knew from experience that he had to find a safe place to stay for a few days while the wounds scabbed over and began that slow, itchy process of healing.
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