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 Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 8:54 pm
He nodded his head at her, indicating that he would follow her lead. He seemed to approve the location on her logic... sounded like a nice secure spot to raise foals... as long as they didn't try to leave the nest too early.
He did look a bit flustered at the mention of being propositioned by others. He blinked and his feathered ruffled up a bit. Spirits be with him... he had just wandered out on his own and already he had an attractive, strong, fierce mare offering to foal with him. Now there may be more.
He gave a quiet, rumbling whinny deep him his chest. Perhaps, however, that wasn't such a bad position to be in. After all, his mother and father had treated him barely better than a pawn in their 'master plan' to steal power from his grandfather's herd. This lady at least seemed to see the value in him. Why, he's almost be a king, right?
So he let a sly, satisfying grim creep over his face. "They're free to ask," he purred, "as long as I have reign to decline. As I said before, I'm not a dispensary. I should be a bit rebuffed that you even asked me without looking for others. But clearly you know what makes strong lines... I like that." He gave a self-assuring nod. "But perhaps I am more picky than you. I like what I'm hearing so far, though. What rules do you speak of?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:18 pm
She turned back the way from which she'd come. The going would be easier now. She knew the land between here and her home. Zo turned her head to see if Vesuvius was following, then slowed for him to catch up and walk beside her. She debated flying, but his questions changed her mind. Walking would suffice for now.
Noticing his unease she tossed her head playfully. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It's just that you'll be the first stallion to be on herd lands. It might go to their heads, and I wanted you to be prepared for that possibility."
Zo nodded confidently, "You are there as my mate and you may decline their advances. Right now no one is dispensary." She smirked and flicked her ear. "I've been searching for some time. You're aren't the first I've run into." Let him mull over that one.
She tilted her head, "Of course, if you'd like me to keep looking I can do that. Once I take you there, and introduce you to the others then I'd head out again. Vesusius, it is difficult to come across a stallion that is up to my standard. Nothing is set in stone yet. Either you or I may decide that it wont work between us in the interm. You could stay or leave if that became the case." Zo felt that she must meet a certain standard or he wouldn't be agreeing to come along in the first place.
So far so good. She moved into an easy trot; it would cover more ground while letting them talk.
"The three of us are mares, but don't let that fool you. We are strong and can do practically anything a stallion could." Her feathers came up as she cocked an ear. "Except one. We can't have foals on our own. Don't let that go to your head. We don't need any stallion thinking he can come in and simply take over, or thinks he needs to take care of us." She gave him a hard look to be sure he understood that. If not, she'd end this right here.
"And as I said before, all the foals must remain with me." She wondered if he'd be able to accept that. Some of the others she'd approached had tried to take that attitude with her. It hadn't ended well.
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 7:42 pm
Ves easily kept the pace, nodded as she talked, letting his mind wander with images of three beautiful and strong mares bickering and vying for his attention. The thought was admittedly growing on him.
He had never considered females the weaker sex, so that wasn't going to be a problem. His mother and sister where vicious, fiery mares... to be honest a meek, wilting mare would hold no interest for him. Better suited for pets and familiars than mates.
"What about when they grow up," he queried. "They can't be forced to stay if they don't want to." He gave her a sideways glance. "But as foals, they will stay with their herd, I promise. If I find it suitable enough to sire foals to begin with."
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:10 pm
Zo found she liked talking with him. He wasn't putting her down or trying to put her in her place. He was a strong stallion that could add much to the small herd.
She gave a long sigh and nodded. "True. I would never force anyone, an adult, who felt that they didn't fit in with the herd to remain. However, I hope that is a very rare occurrence. Even then an adult may leave the herd for some time to find a mate, either temporary or permanent, like I'm doing with you."
"The whole purpose behind doing this is to expand our numbers. We can't have every colt and filly running off whilly nilly." Deep down, Zo hoped that none of her offspring would feel the need to leave. She'd grown up with no family in her valley, now was her chance for one.
A thought ran across the deepest part of her mind. Would Ves stay long enough for the foals to reach adulthood then lead them away?
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:21 pm
"That's good," he said after a few moments of silence. He spoke, but his words came slow and thoughtfully. Like no sound left hims mouth unless it was a conscious decision. "I don't want any of my children born into captivity of course." He paused, looking for over and with a small hint of a smile, "But I suppose if they are raised right they would have no reason to leave."
He found himself getting excited over this prospect of a new life. He was lonely, even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone he couldn't deny he did not like the wandering lonely lifestyle. Though he knew he wasn't suited for just any herd. He was peculiar, he could admit that. He couldn't tolerate incompetence or weakness.
Was this a blessing from the Spirits? Were they trying to make up for his humiliating defeat led by the hot-headed blind rage of his father?
Perhaps They were giving him a gift in the form of an amazing importunity.
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:30 pm
Zo tossed her head and made her feathers sway. "No member of the herd would ever be a captive." She smiled, "even a foal born without wings. He or she would be raised in our ways and as they approached adulthood I would encourage them to make their own way in the world. Our home is not suited for the flightless, but they would always be welcomed there."
She pawed the ground aggressively. "However, trespassers wont be tolerated. I suppose we could hold them captive, but for what? I'd rather have them run off our territory. If they want permission to remain they can ask the proper way.
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:48 pm
Ves bobbed his head as he listened and followed. "Careful breeding should eliminate the possibility of wingless offspring anyway," he said. "Hopefully that will never come up. I know for sure both my parents had wings, too. My father's side is downright obsessed with it."
He gave a sage nod.
"Weakness should not be tolerated. This can be easily controlled, especially starting form such a small start. It's not the quantity, but the quality."
At least, he thought to himself, that's how it should be. He wouldn't let the shadow of his father's defeat follow him for the rest of his life. He was ready to shed all that and start anew. He would show his father in the end.
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:03 pm
"I hope it wont too. One of the reasons I've been so careful in selecting a partner for this. However I am prepared for it to happen. We wont abandon a foal just because it has no wings." She grinned, "that's good to hear. That will increase our chances. See I don't remember my parents at all. I don't know if they both had wings or not." Her red eye scrutinized him carefully as she revealed that little tidbit. How would he feel about it?
"It doesn't have to stamped out, but gently guided." She had dreams of being the tiny start to a large successful herd. Zo wasn't vicious unless she absolutely had to, like protecting her herd.
~~~~~~~~
A month of steady traveling finally saw the two soquili at the entrance to the valley. Zosime lead Ves over the ridge so that the valley opened in panoramic view. It was lovely in her eyes. Content to be back home she leaned against her potential future mate.
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