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 Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:03 am
"The big water?" Illidan asked, looking off toward the ocean his friend Shoshanna had so recently introduced him to. "Why would you think to start there? It's water as far as the horizon." Nothing could possibly be beyond the water, right?
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:42 pm
She flicked one ear back, the only outward sign at this point that she had begun to worry. Would it be best to explain her full past to him? If he knew the truth, she wondered if he would be less likely to believe her daughter could be found at all. Having escaped her first humans, she moved towards the water and eventually let herself be captured by others, traders, who dealt in selling Kirin from her homeland to the people of the Kawani lands. She had come across on a ship, was what she hesitated in telling him.
There was no proof that her daughter--having heard of the Kawani lands from Doan, who also originally heard of the lands from her long-passed mother--had even taken the initiative to find the traders' camp and make the uncomfortable trip.
Against the pounding guilt in her chest, she lied. "Water is a gathering place..." she began. "I think that since the big water can be found from so many places, she might think to follow it to a river for some fresh water or company." That sounded about right. "I thought since we have no leads, maybe we can search the most likely places first."
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 4:36 pm
Illidan considered this. "I suppose that is possible. I don't know many that would come to the big water without a good reason, but she could be having the same thoughts to use it to find you." He looked at the mare. "And if not, we might be able to find a route to areas to look for her with the rivers that meet the big water."
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 4:57 pm
She sucked in a breath, feeling immediately glad that he had believed her idea. And yet, that feeling of guilt, leading on a stranger who had been so kind in offering his help... For a mare her age, she suddenly felt like a child. However, not was not the time to think about it. She had to keep pushing forward with the hopes of finding her daughter and making her life right again.
Shooing the thoughts of lies to the back of her mind, she nodded. "Do you know the fastest way to water from around here?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 7:50 pm
"Through the trees... that way," the stallion answered, nodding with his head. "Or over them, if you prefer flying." He started walking toward the direction he'd gestured.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:45 pm
Following the line of his nod, she eyed the trees. Nothing unusual, not that she had expected it. Still, part of her was a bit girlishly sad to be leaving this nice little clearing. Bouncing up, she grabbed one last apple and munched it idly as she turned to follow. Doan was not quite sure where she was going around here, so she was happy already to have his assistance.
"Oh, well-" she paused, finishing off her apple and clearing her throat. "I don't mind either way. Would you like to fly for a bit?" Behind her, her wings began to buzz experimentally. They functioned a bit different than the average flutter's wings.
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:50 pm
Illidan shrugged one shoulder. "Flying is faster." He looked at the mare. "Your wings are different. I've never seen a horse quite like you. I'm curious to see how your wings work."
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:02 pm
At the idle chatter, she slowly but surely began to feel better again. A soft little smile slipped to her lips and she nodded, glancing up over the trees for a quick second before returning her gaze to him. "I can't fly as long as ones with feathered or leather wings," she admitted, eying his impressive ones for a moment. "But I can hold my own for a while, especially if I shrink down, though I don't prefer to do that as much." It always felt somewhat tingly and uncomfortable. Perhaps because she wasn't a pure flutter.
Rolling her shoulders, she set her wings to a faster buzz, enough that they could barely be seen as more than a blur of color. "If I don't keep them moving, I can't stay airborne," she told him as she carefully kicked her feet away from the ground. Her ascent was slow and thoughtful, but the rhythmic beating of her wings kept her decidedly steady.
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:48 pm
Illidan watched a little in awe as the mare rose. Interesting creature. He spread his large leathery wings and, with one strong flap and a leap, he was airborne himself, flying after her. He caught up easily. "We don't have to fly all the way there. If you get tired, we can walk."
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:07 pm
Despite herself, Doan nodded approvingly as she watched him make his way easily to her height. For her, the take off was always the most difficult. Once up, she could fly pretty fast, but until then she had to be conservative.
"Okay, I'll let you know how I'm feeling," she assured. It was more like her to be upfront and honest, even in the face of her earlier fibbing. Still, she had all but forgotten that little white lie already, feeling both excited and worried. With such strong emotions wrapped up into one package, she was quite ready to get moving.
"It's this way?" she questioned quietly, almost so soft that it might have been more for herself than for him. Angling her body, she flew a bit in the direction he had pointed out before, though kept at a pace she was sure he could keep up with easily.
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:18 pm
"I've only ever walked there before, but, yes, I believe this is the correct way," Illidan called over to Doan. He had to admit to being amazed at her wings. It was no doubt that she was faster in flight as his wings were more designed for gliding, but he didn't think she could remain airborne for long. "We'll land before reaching the beach. Might frighten anyone living around the big water if we swoop down on them."
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:46 am
A small, gentle laugh rose in the mare's throat. That was true! she thought. A bird diving at you was one thing, but two horses, and one of Illidan's size, could startle most anyone. And if they were to ever ask for help or if someone who looked like her daughter did had ever been seen, it would be best not to make any enemies by startling someone out of their skin.
"Alright," she called back, her normal voice picking up over the wind noise of their flight. Turning back, she squinted into the distance, thinking that from this height, it shouldn't be long before the water came into view. In truth, she had no idea how far away from it they were, but she continued to look anyway.
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:28 pm
After some time in flight, Illidan motioned a bit with his head that they should land. The big water could be seen just beyond the treeline, but he preferred to come to ground before that. Moving his wings, he angled his descent to come to rest just on the forest side of the trees.
"We can walk from here," he said as the mare came to rest beside him. "Give our wings a rest and not scare the local wildlife that might have seen your foal."
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Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:59 pm
Noting his signal, she nodded, though he probably hadn't seen as he began his decent. In a moment, her wings stopped buzzing completely, giving her an almost floating appearance. But as soon as it happened, the moment passed, and her wings were going again, only slower than before, allowing her to move down carefully. With her wing type, she was largely unable to angle her body in the air.
Hooves softly clopping against the ground, she buzzed her wings one last time before they came to a rest, lowering towards her back. "Okay." She glanced around, the water could no longer be seen, but that wasn't surprising. They view from here was not as all-encompassing as the view from the air. "I'm feeling a little nervous already," she admitted, laughing softly.
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Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:17 pm
Illidan glanced back at the mare. He was nervous, too, but for different reasons. He wasn't sure he really wanted to run across anyone for worry of them attacking him for being Kalona. "It's not a far walk from here," he told her, "but long enough the gather your courage." Gracing her with a brief and encouraging smile, he headed for the beach.
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