|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:54 pm
"Let's be off, then!" He walked ahead of her and plunged back into the cold snow. With an air of gallantry, he strode out ahead of her and began forging a path through the snow. "I'll break the way for you," he said back to her. "It can't be easy being so small in all this snow, can it?"
He wouldn't have been able to stand being born an usdia. He wouldn't even be able to take himself seriously. Kayleena being an usdia, that was an advantage. She was just the right size for dragging, should she become unwilling. She was also a good size for penning up or pushing around. Unless the little mare could run like the wind, it might be the easiest kidnapping he had ever attempted.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:15 pm
Kayleena snorted softly as Daimhin began to plunge ahead. Her gaze took in the stallion's powerful muscles as he cleared a path in the deep snow. The mare was grateful that she would have an easier time moving through the deep drifts. She was a little envious that he could move so easily without noticeably tiring.
She was loath to admit that Daimhim had a point in his question. She gave an unseen frown as his voice carried back to her. Kayleena hurried to catch up to the back of Daimhin's back end. "It's not easy being small. There's always danger hiding in the larger drifts. Pushing through the snow becomes tougher and tougher as the season lingers on."
Kayleena stopped and sighed softly as she cast a long look over her shoulder. Already the land was swallowing up the former area in which Kayleena called home. She'd be welcome to leave whenever she wanted according to Daimhin. She'd just have to take the stallion's word on that. The little mare realized that she was being left behind. Kayleena broke into a canter to catch up the the retreating form of the stallion ahead. She couldn't wait to see what this herd of Daimhin's looked like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:55 pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:33 pm
(( above post denotes a scene change ))
Kayleena took in the new vista beyond her in awe. This couldn't possibly be right. The land before her seemed unending. The sight was enough to bewilder her. She'd never seen such a large swatch of claimed territory. Her gaze shifted to the stallion that was pacing beside her. Daimhin almost seemed on edge over something. The little mare couldn't figure out what was causing her companion to be so jittery. Shouldn't he be more happy at returning home? Timidly she began to walk the little hill that she stood on.
What would she find in this visit? Would she want to stay here? Kayleena's steps faltered. Her feet scrambled for purchase on the loose gravel underneath her hooves before she fell down. Well of all the luck. Kayleena rose to her hooves and checked her legs. Nothing seemed injured. Just her pride. The little mare glanced back to Daimhin to note that the stallion still had not moved from his position. What was going on? "Daimhin ... is there anything wrong?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:25 pm
"Nothing's wrong... nothing at all." Daimhin sniffed at the air. He could smell familiar soquili on that breeze. They had arrived. The Mahapadma were close. He paused. He couldn't just stroll on up with an usdia following him. There would be questions. If Samsara had come back, there might even be violence. If he had finally caught his pokesoquili only to have her eaten alive he wouldn't be very happy.
He glanced at Kayleena. He needed to scout ahead and figure out what conditions were. If he couldn't keep her safely there then he'd have to improvise and find somewhere else secure to stash her. It'd be much more convenient if he didn't have to go running back and forth between her prison and Mahapadma, but he'd do it if he had to. Maybe he could even get Terra to help him out.
"Could you wait here?" he asked her. "I need to run ahead and..." What did normal soquili do? "And ask permission of the alpha mare to bring you over." That sounded reasonable enough to his ears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:34 pm
Kayleena took in the scents on the breeze. They were strange. Alien. Unknown. A shiver passed through the mare as she stood watching Daimhin. The stallion said that nothing was wrong and who was she to doubt him. He'd brought her to the lands that his herd called home. Kayleena looked over the land and had yet to see anyone or anything that looked threatening. If this was Daimhin's herd - where were his herdmates?
The other times that she'd gone to investigate she'd come across Soquili that acted like guards. They'd chased her off before she could even ask her questions. Kayleena sighed softly at the memories. Maybe Daimhin's herd was different. Maybe they didn't feel the need to utilize guards. As Daimhin finally answered her query the little mare paused to think.
"I can wait here I guess. You won't get in trouble for bringing a total stranger into your lands will you? I'd hate for this to turn sour for you." Kayleena trotted back up the small incline to stand at Daimhin's side. She was rather curious about who the alpha mare of his herd was. "Will you be gone long Daimhin?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:57 pm
"It shouldn't be long..." Daimhin chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. Either way, he doubted it would take very long for the Mahapadma to make their choice. They'd either allow him to keep her... or not. "Stay here." He turned more serious with that command. "You must stay here." What if she wandered off while he was gone? He hated the idea of leaving her alone.
"There are wolves and things about. It isn't safe." The wolves were mostly in their service, which made them even more dangerous. That much wasn't a lie. "So... stay here!" He waited to make sure she'd agree. He wasn't going to leave her anywhere unless he trusted her not to escape.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:39 pm
Her eyes widened a little at Daimhin's words. There were wolves? Kayleena didn't like the sound of that. She could hear the seriousness in the stallion's words as he spoke them. It almost sounded like a command. Kayleena stomped a tiny hoof in annoyance before settling herself. It'd do no good to have come all this way and then antagonize the Soquili who was giving her this chance ... even if he was sounding a little bossy at the moment. Kayleena gave Daimhin a small glare. It was his home though so she kept the look short.
"I don't like being ordered around Daimhin, but since you apparently know best I'll agree."
Kayleena watched for any reaction from her words before huffing silently. Why did she have to wait here? Sighing Kayleena lowered her head and began to graze on the scarce shoots of grass at her feet. Might as well utilize the period of waiting doing something that would be beneficial to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:46 pm
She was getting a little mouthy now. Daimhin would have preferred that she accepted his orders without griping about it, but didn't comment. "I'll be back soon," he told her. After that, he was off. He ran at a swift canter to the gathering point of the Mahapadma. The task he had ahead of him was no small one. He prepared himself to use all of his wiles in order to smuggle Kayleena into the herd and keep her there unharmed.
As it turned out, he was in luck. Samsara wasn't there, which saved him an explanation to her. The other members were skeptical at first but came around when Daimhin phrased it as an elaborate kidnapping that he needed their cooperation in. They wouldn't help him just for the sake of helping him, they needed a more nefarious reason behind it. When he finally had assurances from them that they would do their best not to scare off his captive, he returned to Kayleena.
It had been about an hour since he had left her and Daimhin hoped that she hadn't gone anywhere. "Kayleena?" he called as he neared the last place he had seen her. "I'm back. The herd would love to meet you." That was a bit of an exaggeration, but they were interested to meet her, at the very least.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:39 pm
Kayleena hadn't spent the hour doing absolutely nothing. She'd been able to find a good grazing spot and had managed to make a decent meal of grass and water from a nearby stream that was only partially frozen. It seemed that this area was a little more temperate than where she had called home. Satiated for the moment Kayleena returned to the little hilltop where Daimhin had left her. She was small and very noticeable. If there were wolves as Daimhin explained then she didn't want to make it easier for one to spot her.
Now she merely stood as still as a statue might as she tracked the movements of a Soquili growing larger and larger. She let a sigh go when she recognized the figure. It seemed as if Daimhin had returned. As the stallion neared her position she heard him call her name.
"I'm still here Daimhim."
At the other news that the heard would like to meet her Kayleena's attitude shifted just a little. Her eyes took on a small sparkle. Here was a chance to find someplace that might accept her. Her tail whipped back and forth a bit before she managed to calm down. She couldn't quite keep the smile from her face though. "They do? Are you sure?" There was a little bit of fear creeping into her mind but the excitement burned through her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:52 pm
The relief Daimhin felt at seeing his prize still waiting for him lent warmth to his smile and sincerity to his words. She was equally cooperative and lovely. He wasn't going to lose her. She was his little pokesoq. "They aren't used to strangers so might act a little strange." Daimhin thought for a moment then added, "And they're strange in general." He gave her an exaggerated wink. "But don't tell them I said that." He didn't doubt that the Mahapadma would be imperfect in their attempts to seem normal.
"But, we're very close. If you follow me, we'll be there before you know it!" Daimhin hoped that Bushkin wouldn't snap her brain and attack Kayleena on sight. There was something wrong in the head with that mare and Daimhin didn't trust her to act rationally.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:51 pm
Kayleena digested Daimhin's words carefully. Strangers acting strange. The little mare shook her mane. Anything else and she might have broken out in laughter at that sentence. Why she found it hilarious was probably do to the small amount of trepidation at going through with this meeting. Struggling a bit to contain the hysterical laugh that wanted to find its way free Kayleena stumbled over a small twig before righting herself. She grit her teeth before cursing her small misstep. It wouldn't do well to find her way into a herd and be stuck with an injury that would prevent her from leaving if she needed to.
Following behind Daimhin allowed Kayleena to hide behind the stallion. Nervousness was setting in and it took all her willpower not to bolt for safety. What would happen if she did run? Closing her eyes only momentarily Kayleena took a deep calming breath. She would see this meeting through. It would most likely be awkward for both sides but she wished to make a good impression on the other members of Daimhin's herd. She could be charming if it came down to it. Her voice came out softly as she put her fear out into the open. "Will they like me Daimhin?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:18 pm
They were almost there! Daimhin tried not to let his tension show. Coming up was the big moment. It would decide Kayleena's fate. Would she accept the Mahapadma and settle in as a misguided herdmate? Would she try to run away and need to be dragged back and kept entrapped?
"I like you, so I can't imagine them not liking you." They'd like her whether they wanted to or not. They'd pretend to, at least. Daimhin had tried to see to that in his meeting with them. He briefly considered warning Kayleena about not letting herself be alone with anyone other than himself. He considered it, but decided not to. They would be just as likely to kill her in front of the entire herd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:32 pm
Kayleena listened to Daimhin's words. She couldn't quite fathom how he could deduce what his herd mates would think of her. Even if he did like her as he stated - he could not very well read the minds of those around him. The little usdia sighed softly before shaking her head. She'd witness the reactions from the others herself and be her own judge as to whether or not they liked her. She had no idea what to expect from Daimhin's earlier ramblings. The idea of going in semi-blind was not comforting. Given her small stature if things turned out bad ... what advantages did she have over Soquili larger than her?
Maybe it was time to start making a small plan just to try and get away if things didn't turn out so well. Kayleena turned her head back and forth trying to pick out locations that she could use as obstacles to hide behind if it came to that. She kept the motions slight and hopefully as unnoticeable as possible. Time and again she flashed glances towards the stallion guiding her deeper into this strange territory. The excitement was still pulsing through her small frame but it had been tempered down by caution. Her response to Daimhin was genuine. "That'll be a good thing. Not everyone has the same mindset as you though." Kayleena gave a soft chuckle. It was better than cowering in fear at the unknown. From her lower vantage point Kayleena could make out figures on the horizon. Where these Daimhin's herd mates?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:47 pm
"Well well well, look at what we have here!" Carmilla strode up before Daimhin could even present his little prize. The others had universally agreed that Carmilla was the best actor and therefore the best one to present as a public face of the Mahapadma. She was fine with Daimhin having an usdia pet. She was half tempted to get one of her own so that Svanbjorn could sacrifice it for her the next time she felt the need for renewal.
"You must be Kayleena." She smiled down at the little mare. Unlike Daimhin, there were no gaps in her facade. Carmilla was an expert at appearing charming and kind when she couldn't be further from that in reality. "I'm Carmilla. Shall I introduce you to the other members of our group?" She would do most of the talking. As long as they kept their mouths shut, they couldn't destroy the illusion.
Daimhin was surprised and pleased with how well Carmilla was doing. He had never before now seen Carmilla in action and gained new appreciation for her cunning abilities. She could probably charm the fur off a mink with that tongue of hers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
