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 Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 5:46 pm
Berry smiled, lifting her head back up. "Well he is supposed to be a trickster Spirit, least that's what I've always been told." she replied, glancing up at the breeze-moved leaves as well. "My herd told me a story once, where he created the birds without the permission of the other Great Spirits." She began, smiling fondly. "They said He took the color from the flowers, and the soft floating seeds that he moved for Grandfather Earth so new patches of plants could grow in new areas, and some flaking bark from the oldest of Grandfather Earth's children, the trees, and the sweet song of Sister River." she motioned over to a bright patch of wildflowers when she mentioned that part of the story, since they were there anyways. "From those things Brother Wind made the first bird, a small songbird, white as the fluff from the floating seeds she was created from. He gave her the voice of Sister River's song and she sang so beautifully. He gave her the colors from the flowers and she became bright as Father Sun so all would see her and admire her. He gave her the bark from the trees so she could live among the branches where she'd be out of danger." she retold the tale with a fond familiarity, she'd probably heard this story retold many times before.
"But when the other Spirits found out, they got very upset with Wind Brother, and as punishment they decided that the bird he'd created would not be able to run from predators. The bird became heavy as a stone, and was in terrible danger from predators. But, Brother Wind, being a trickster, worked out a way to keep his first child safe. He blew, and blew, and blew, so strongly that the bird could hardly stay upright. He almost blew her over, but then she opened her wings to try and balance herself, and she was blown right up into the sky. Brother Wind taught her to fly, to dance with him in the sky far from the wrath of the spirits he'd taken the gifts that made the bird. They could no longer harm the bird, but she could not shed the weight and would eventually have to land again, but as long as there was wind under her wings, she could avoid most dangers. She plucked some of her feathers and gave them to Wind Brother, and from them he made more birds, of all kinds and colors, The sweet singing song birds, the powerful hawks, the trickster crows and ravens. All of them. Supposedly, Brother Wind's first bird still lives somewhere, singing sweeter and more beautifully colored then any other bird descended from her plucked feathers."
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:23 pm
When she started into her story, Antinanco's ears flicked forward. His attention and curiosity perked as she wove the tale. Her words painted a wonderful picture in his mind and he could almost feel like he was there watching it all unfold. But when it ended he frowned just a bit. It was too quick to notice, quickly replaced by a smile. "A lovely story." He rumbled. Green eyes turning skyward once more. "To see the first bird ever created and hear it sing....that would be a journey worth taking." Closing his eyes he could only marginally imagine it. Anything he could try to imagine would probably never compare to the real thing. If it were real.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:18 pm
"Yea," Berry agreed. "But who knows where to even start looking? All I know of it is it's a story my foster parents told. One of my favorite of Wind Brother's Stories. But things are different here, somehow. To my old herd I might as well have been part spirit, for my strange coloring. Colors like mine don't exist where I come from... or rather, where I grew up." she corrected herself, smiling a little, but it was... more fragile, then her previous smiles. Not by much, but noticeable enough despite her effort to mask them as just regular smiles.
The conversation was wandering closer and closer to a topic she didn't usually talk about. True she'd just let a few words slip by, and she regretted it immediately, but it would be better to try and change the topic before it became the topic. "Things must be different here, since there are winged horses here, and ones with scales like a snake, and ones like strange straight horns sticking out of their heads. What stories do you know? Are there ones to explain all the differences?" She asked, hoping to avoid bringing up 'family' again for a while. If her previous luck with talking to others held up, then she wouldn't have to hold off the topic for long. Eventually she'd say something off-putting and she'd have to apologize and split ways with the stallion. It'd been the pattern so far at least, why think it will change this time?
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Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:52 am
He grinned. "But that's all part of the adventure. Looking for clues to set you off on another path to find more clues that lead you perhaps closer and closer to finding what you were in search of. And that feeling of amazement when all your hard work and exploration pays of." The stallion sighed lightly. It was something he longed for honestly. Wandering the lands was nice but without a purpose what was the fun? Antinanco pursed his lips lightly for a moment. "Well I can tell you the story from my families beliefs. To be honest there is so much diversity between families that not everyone has the same story to tell. But..." He lifted his head proudly. "I believe you would enjoy this version." Clearing his throat he started with the story. "Back before the two leggers , before the other Spirits felt the need to meddle in the lives of the Soquili. Mother Earth had a tree. A tree that bared fruit. But it was no ordinary fruit that one ate, no. The fruit bore life, it bore Soquili. For many moons the tree bore Soquili of no considerable difference. They had no wings, no horns. The only difference was in their coat colors which were fairly natural in nature. Nothing wild like the pinks or greens we see today. Bored of this repetition Mother Earth enlisted the help of the bees. Sending off to all corners of the earth to collect pollen from different flowers. Each bee collected the pollen of a different flower and then returned to pollinate the flowers of the tree. Soon Soquili with horns and wings and scales began to emerge. Wild and brilliant colored Soquili. Some of the new breeds began to integrate with the natural Soquili from before, creating even more new breeds and new colors." He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Of course there were those of the new Soquili who saw themselves as too special to mingle with the common types and so they stuck to expanding their lines within their own kind. Though the occasional slip up does happen from time to time." Antinanco chuckled.
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Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:06 am
Berry listened to the story as Antinanco spoke, making sure to keep pace beside him on the trail. She'd never heard of such a story before. Soquili coming from the fruit of trees and pollen from flowers? It was as strange as the story she'd told about Wind Brother and the First Bird, but it sounded wonderful. "Have you ever seen this tree?" she asked, all curiosity. "Does your family think it's near by somewhere? Or a Specific kind of fruiting tree, like an apple tree? What about an Oak?" she added, smiling again, bright as before. "I know of a similar story to yours, but not the same, and certainly not as fascinating! Would you like to hear it?" She asked. Maybe they could share a few stories before the trails he knew ran out.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:44 pm
Antinanco shook his head at her question. "Perhaps long ago it was once on this plain of existance but it has long since been moved to keep it safe. There are too many negative forces in this world that would use it for harm instead of the life giving goodness it provides." He had to think for a moment on her second question. "No, not apples. Perhaps I guess the closest comparison I could give for it's fruit would be a peach tree. Oak trees are a different creature all together and very protective of their acorns." He couldn't help but smile in return. Enjoying this little walk a lot more than he had been previously. "Of course. I love stories!"
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:28 pm
Berry laughed a bit. "Well, it's a good thing my old herd told lots of stories, then." she replied. "I'll tell you My Story," she said, putting a soft emphasis on the word 'my'. "Though, it tends to be a little sad, in it's way." This story wasn't just one she knew, it was her very own. Normally she didn't like telling this story, or talking about it, or anything to do with it, but it was similar to his previous story, plants bearing Soquili and all. It just had less to do with the Great Spirits and more to do with more mundane matters.
"There are creatures that look a lot like Soquili, but they have no wings, they have no strangely colored markings like you have, no colors like mine either. No scales, no horns, no cloven hooves. If not for your green marks you could blend in quite well with them. They live in herds, like Soquili, and live on the edges of the lands were Soquili roam. One day, a Stallion from one of these herds was checking out an area on the edge of Soquili lands, and his kind's lands. He had a whole group of Mares and foals nearby, and he was making sure the area was safe for them to graze there." she said, remembering the Stallion, and how he'd told the story, when she was old enough to under stand it.
"The Stallion had found a bush that had berries hanging on it's branches, bright red surrounded by pointed leaves. He'd gone over to get a better look at the bush, to see if the berries on it would be safe to eat. When he got closer though, he saw something strange nestled into the branches. He'd heard of these strange things before, from others like him and his mares and young. Two-legged ones made these things. He checked the scents of the area, but there were no other scents to explain how this thing had gotten there. No scent of Soquili, no scent of the Two-legged ones. It was as if this thing had grown from the bush like one of it's own fruits. Colored like the berries had dripped juice on it, except for a few spaces at least."
"He wasn't sure what to do about it. Had it grown there? Had one of the two-leggers left it? He'd never spoken or gotten near Soquili, so he didn't think one of them had left it, how would they even get it way out there? While he stood there watching the strange thing and trying to figure out what to do about it, it popped open. To his great surprise, a foal was inside the thing. Red as the berry-juice stained basket, except for a few spaces. A little Filly, who caught her mane on the bush's branches as she learned to stand and get out of the basket." Berry paused to tip her head forward, making the holly circlet fall forward. just as it slipped off the end of her muzzle she caught it with her teeth, and flipped it back up into the air, catching it on her head again, where it sat still on her head for the time being, so long as Wind Brother didn't come and blow it away again. The leaves were still green, the berries that clung to it still red as ever. "He didn't have it in his heart to leave her there with the bush that had sheltered her basket so far. So he brought her back to his herd, to one of his Mares."
"The mare had lost her own foal shortly before, to predators, and her heart hurt so much for her lost foal. The Stallion hoped bringing the Mare this new little filly would help heal her Heart from it's pain. She adopted the filly as her own despite the strange coloring. The Stallion and his herd, and the filly they'd adopted, traveled far from the edges of the Soquili land for a long time. The filly grew, the other Mares kept hoping the strange color was just juice stains from the berries, but the color never washed out. It wasn't until the filly..." she stopped, taking a breath to brace herself to admit the truth.
"Until I... was fully grown, that my herd came back to that same spot to graze. The stallion brought me up to the bush where he'd found me, and told me the story himself, of why I was so different from the other fillies and colts I'd grown up surrounded by." She smiled a bit sadly at the memories. The Stallion and the one Mare had been very kind to her, but what child wouldn't want to know their blood-bound family? And there had been Mares who were not as welcoming, colts and fillies who had teased and tormented her as they all grew up, for her strangeness. "After he told me that story... I decided I wanted to know where I'd come from, if I had grown up from the berry bush, like the Stallion thought, or if I had parents somewhere who'd left me there for some reason. He was sure there were no scents nearby to explain it, but, in these lands, where every color I've seen on other creatures is a possibility for a Soquili, Maybe one day I'll see another with a berry-stained pelt, but I haven't so far. The Herd still believes I might have grown from the bush itself, like a berry touched by magic from one of the Great Spirits. Or a lesser spirit who went stealing magic and talents from others, like Wind Brother had when he created the first Bird."
She gave a slight shrug, not entirely sure of the answer herself, she hadn't even come close to finding anyone who might be related to her. Either she had wrong colors or was missing parts, like wings, or horns. "It's why I'm wandering out here so near your home. I'm searching for answers."
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 1:49 pm
Her story, hm? Well if she was willing to tell it then he was willing to listen. Origin stories were always the best. Though his own was probably lack luster in all honesty. He was born into his family and for the most part that's pretty much it. Unlike Berry he'd known family straight from the basket. At least family related by blood. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Family was not something he lacked. But as he listened he could hear the sadness in her voice. It was understandable. Often one will ponder where they came from when the information is not available to them readily. "Wishing to know of where one comes from is an admirable goal. One of which many lost children have taken upon themselves to chase as adults. Knowing where you come from gives you a sense of self. A look into who you are and how you came to be." He tilted his head slightly to the side in thought. "Perhaps our efforts might be a lot more fruitful if we work together." Looking towards the sky, the stallion squinted. "I wish to see this bird of Wind Brothers and you seek your true family." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You help me I help you?" If she accepted great! He'd be off on a whirlwind adventure, something he had been pining for. Of course, they were total strangers after all. She could say no and he'd probably not give it a second thought....but part of him also felt....sad that she could not know the joy of true family. On the other hoof she could find them and they could be horrible Soquili and end up angry at him for setting her on this path. "I'm pretty sure my grams can point us in some kind of direction. Migration paths and the such. She's been around a long time and has watched the herds come and go."
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 2:20 pm
Berry glanced at Antinanco as he spoke, "There are others who don't know why they were left..?" she asked. She'd never met another without parents, it was a completely new idea to her that there might be others out there with just as little idea of who brought them into the world as she had.
What surprised her more then that though was his offer to help her find her family, if they even could be found. She smiled and nodded. "Sure! I'm not sure we'll find either Wind Brother's Bird, or my family, but traveling with someone is always much more fun then traveling alone. Are you sure you want to go though? You'll be away from your family, possibly for a very long time, if you still want to search for Wind Brother's bird later on and not give up that is." she pointed out. She was used to traveling alone, didn't have anyone who would worry about her; at least no one she could go back to just yet. Antinanco did.
"Traveling Isn't like the stories you may have heard. There's all sorts of things you definitely don't want to meet alone out there. Bears, Wolves, even the land can turn against you if you aren't careful. So can Wind Brother when the snows come. Are you sure you want to go and face those things?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 2:34 pm
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Oh yea, my gram was just like you. Except her basket was found by a two legger instead. Though she doesn't really talk about it, perhaps she just doesn't remember or doesn't like to dwell on it. Either way, I try not to pry too much about her and gramps." Antinanco grinned at her agreeing to the deal. Flicking his curly tail he gave an amused snort. "As long as I say good bye to gram before we leave I'll be fine and not have my butt kicked by my dad when I return." His snort this time was a bit indignant as the stallion puffed out his chest like a boastful foal. "I'm not afraid of such beasts. Just make sure you stand behind me so you don't get any beast bits on you when I smoosh them mightily." He hummed happily to himself. If he could fly he'd probably be walking on clouds. All that ran through his head at that moment was 'adventure! adventure! adventure!'.
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 3:09 pm
Berry smiled and laughed a bit. "Alright, I'll keep out of the way." She agreed with a grin. "Best go tell your family then, Won't know how long you'll be gone until you decide to return home." she added. "And I surely wouldn't wand your dad to kick your butt for leaving without warning."
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Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:31 pm
The stallion nodded. "They live right up the path so it will only take a minute. I hope." A wry smile flashed across his lips. He would probably get the fourth degree from his father. What running off with a mare he'd just met on some adventure. Grams would understand more though. His ears flicked back a bit. "Yeaaaaaaaa. I do enjoy not having hoof marks on my rump."
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Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:24 pm
"Could.. could I come with you to talk to them?" Berry asked. "I'm curious if having a real family... is anything like how I was raised. If it's no trouble, that is? I could wait nearby if that'd be better." She added quickly, not sure if it'd be better for her to stay out of sight or not, but she was curious how a real family looked and acted, rather then a foster family like she'd had.
Yayoi So short, gah. sorry sorry, trying to get back to longer posts but my mind is going 'blaaaaaah' atm. x.x *hunts muses*
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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:03 am
He tilted his head thoughtfully for a second, would probably get teased by Wanageeska for bringing a mare home. But he didn't particularly care. If she was curious he would show her his family, there was no harm in that. Plus he was sure Gram wouldn't mind. "Of course!" He gave a laugh with a shake of his head. "No need to just wait nearby. I'm sure my family would like to know who the mare I'm running off with on an adventure is. You know, just so they don't think I'm being led to my doom by some temptress...or something." The stallion wasn't sure about that kind of thinking really. His father might be a bit skeptical at first but he'd come around. He moved to step off the path into the trees. Winding his way through a smaller hidden path that lead deeper into the forest. "This way."
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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:00 pm
Berry followed Antinanco, letting him lead the way. "Not a temptress, just a wandering story-teller." she joked lightly. "What was it like growing up in a family like yours...?" She asked, still curious how her foster family might be different from his blood family. "I mean... Did you have older siblings? What about Aunts or Uncles? Did you all move around a lot or had this always been your family's home, stuff like that?" she asked. Surely there must be some differences in how he had been raised, right? He knew who brought him into the world, he knew they cared.
Berry tried to imagine what growing up in a family like his might have been like, knowing her parents, maybe having grandparents, or Aunts. Maybe staying in one place instead of moving around constantly, but it was hard to imagine any of that, at least for her. She'd been adopted into a roaming herd of horses where she'd always been, and always would be, the odd-one out. What would it have been like to grow up knowing where one belonged? Hopefully meeting Antinanco's family and seeing how they treated him would help her figure things out. She hoped it'd help, at least.
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