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Drashi smiled, it seemed this young filly had something in common with him.... for he too liked the solitude and comfort that came with exploring and travelling on his own. Still, this one was young, she should be playing and enjoying her childhood... there was time for seriousness later. "I believe your aunty Alice is due to have her children soon, I am sure you will have much to teach them when they arrive.... perhaps one of them will enjoy joining you on your travels?" He smiled, knowing how lonliness could consume a person if it was they always sought.

Then he froze..... he could smell..... something? He eyes darted to the nearby trees, he had seen his father tense moments before, knew the old man had scented it too.... but still he didn't wish to scare the little ones so after only allowing a moments pause he continued onwards.... it was not unusual for strangers to appear in the herd, if they tried to get too close to the herds centre, especially since there was a pregnant mare there they would be stopped. He trusted his fellow protectors..... but still the forboding feeling refused to shift!

Aveve was the first to spot them coming up the path as she hid in the shadows, red eyes gleaming dangerously as she formed her own plans in her mind. She looked back towards the approaching hulking beast that was her father. She turned back towards the group, a brisk breeze blowing her chocolate mane against her sleek neck.

Her tail curled slowly back and forth and she bowed herself in, tossing her mane to hide her eyes behind it's locks. Slowly, almost meekly she stepped out of the shadows into the path of the oncoming group. Her tuffed tail tucked under her body wings folded down in a broken way and nose nearly touching the ground she walked slowly

"You shouldn't be here ...." her voice was sweet, almost angelic in tone. "this forest is not safe." Well honed muscle rolled under the leathery hide, her red runes glowing softly against the dappled gray hide. Thorns wrapped tight around her neck, one almost seemed ride to punch right through the flesh it pressed against.


Deception stayed back farther in the shadows, a sense of pride as he watched his daughter work, there was advantages to not looking full kalona, it put others off guard and she'd learned well to use this to her advantage.

The larger kalona waited muscles rolling and flexing beneath his coat, a soft breeze blowing through his messy black mane. He knew his daughter's game well, she would try to lure them in deeper, decide the weakest member of the party and then would give him the signal to come forth.

The problem .. more than one Angeni traveled in this group, he had faced the breed before one on one and had fared fine but two on one, or even one going after his daughter untested against the breed could cause a problem. His tongue flicked out to run across his lips as he considered their course of action.

He finally decided that his daughter was strong, she could handle a silly Angeni.

Rocking back he slipped just far enough back into the shadows that the group wouldn't see his eyes glowing in the darkness. There the beast waited for his daughter to spring their trap.

(rolling a random number, this is the one Eden is thinking of)

Maion narrowed his eyes as he listened to the words... something was definatly off. "A devil you say," his voice steady and firm. He knew he had to remain calm, to keep his voice the same so that the foals wouldn't be spooked by what was going on. "And how would you know of such a thing?" The fact was that these forests had been part of the Miakoda herd lands for as long as he could remember, and no member of the herd had ever been injuried or hurt because of something that naturally lived there... which meant that it was likely this 'devil' was a visitor just like the strange mare before him.

Maion found himself torn, he needed to do two things. Protect the foals and find the threat.... her words gave him the distinct impression she was not alone, and he needed to figure out where the threat was and how outnumbered they were. Knowing he couldn't do it all on his on he turned his head slightly to the left, a subtle indication that he wanted Drashi to join him for a moment. It was one of the signals they learnt in training, silent communication often gave you the element of surprise.

Drashi felt the hairs stand up on his neck but he remained silent. His eyes scanning the area, and it was sheer luck that he had turned to face Maion in time to see the signal. Following it he stepped closer but not too close.

Maion heard the soft patter of Drashi's hooves on the ground, and when he was closer Maion spoke two words in a whisper. "Protect. Foals." He knew his son would do what he asked, and would do it well. That would leave Maion to use his full attention to discover any threats. Nothing seemed to moving in the shadows.... but that meant nothing. It seemed they were going to have to play the waiting game.

Drashi moved towards the foals. He would protect them with his life.

Crown felt a shiver of nerves run through his body. He could tell something was happening, if only by the fact that Eden seemed to be acting strange. Still he tried to do as she said. "Em.... five....?" Figuring he was probably wrong, after all he was usually wrong when it came to guessing games. "Nine? One?"

Oops, seems her game might have been caught on to quicker than she would have hoped. She watched the stallions move into place around the two foals, as if it matter .. she didn't want the pipsqueaks. She giggled inwardly to herself, well then she must prepare for the next phase of the game then.

She snapped her tail hard, and it nearly made a crack like a snapping bullwhip.

She grinned then, her mouth contorting into a malicious and insane mockery of a smile, pearly fangs glimmering in the low light.

Tossing her small head, the chocolate mane finally fell back out of her eyes. They say the eyes were the windows to the soul, if that was so then this mare's was a twisted place. Her eyes were pure red, only the bright half circle that should have been pupils in a normal eye, glowed out from the red pools.

"There's nowhere for you to run, nowhere for you to hide when death calls your name", the angelic voice didn't match the demon that had revealed itself fully for them now.

('ception will come back in next post.)

Crown felt a slight shudder run through his small and fragile body, he moved his wings protectively around him, the tips meeting at the front to give himself a slight hug. Eden was hiding something... he could tell by the increase in smiles and attention, she only ever did that when she was trying to hide something. And on top of that Drashi and Maion seemed to be hiding something too. They looked.... too serious in Crown's little mind.

Of course he had thought that before the strange voice came out of no where, and unable to stop it he let out a yelp and reared up slightly in fear... natural instinct telling him to run while common sence told him he was safest here with Maion, Drashi and Eden.... and then there was a small whispering voice that wouldn't allow him to leave his sister is there was danger. With the last of his courage he stepped forward once more, towards his sister and simply buried his head into her mane. "Three...." He said after a long time. Desperate to distract himself from his shaking legs and fast beating heart.

Maion could have sworn as the other Kalona appeared, and even his best efforts at being stoic caused a slight look of discomfort at the situation to flicker over his features.

In Maion's mind having love and connections with his herd and the foals within it was anything but weakness, though he could see why this monster before him would say it was so.... they would use the foals against him to get what the wanted, he knew it before it even happened that they would not show mercy based on their age. Maion was not afraid to die... but he was afraid to lose someone that he loved and held dear.... and that was everyone within the Miakoda herd.

Maion's eyes took in the deadly newcomer, the stallion was much larger than the mare behind him... and given his kalona nature Maion was sure it was a deadly combination that had worked well for the pair in the past, and Maion couldn't help but wonder how often the pair had played this game of theirs.... lure and trap, bait and tackle. At first Maion had been willing to ignore the stallions words, but something about the way he said 'snacks' rattled Maion's cage the wrong way. With a soft growl, nothing in comparison to the growl of a kalona he was sure, he spoke, "No one will become a snack here. Not while I still have breath in my body." Even after that, he knew instinctively that his son Drashi would either get the foals to safety or die trying, though Maion suspected that even though it would kill the stallion he would take Maion's death as the distraction he needed to get the younglings to safety.... the way it should be.

Eventhough Maion expected an attack he did not make the first move, it went against everything he believed in... so unless these beasts actually attacked no harm would befall them. "Come in peace.... or leave in pieces" was the herd moto of sorts.

Drashi stepped back instinctively towards the two young foals, and when he was close enough he spread the wings on one side to press over Eden (and now Crown's form, since he was nestled into his sister also) in an effort to offer them both protection from any attack and from the deadly nature of those before him. He also hoped that the slight contact would bring them comfort, a silent sign that he would not leave them.

His father, Maion, had asked him to do something and do it Drashi would.