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 Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 2:30 am
Cera watched the silent communication between the mother and son and turned away, allowing them a private moment to themselves. She tentatively set her head down on Silhouette’s back, wary of taking the liberty though she knew that stallion would not mind. Silhouette had always shown her more affection than others in their herd, though it was likely due to her close friendship with his mother. He had always been protective of her, even as a foal, and his instincts had extended over to Cera to a certain degree.
She sighed, softly, feeling the warmth of the stallion’s body and the soft motions of his breathing. While she longed for the spring, longed to see the gentle flowers that would slowly creep them way up from the earth and bloom into beautiful, bright spots of happiness against the green green earth…
While she was a creature of spring and summer, on nights like these, the winter wasn’t too bad either.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:15 am
Imperio meandered happily over to his adopted uncle, headbutting Orion affectionately. The sweat was rapidly cooling against his back, sending a desperate chill up his side. Despite taking a moment's break, his breath was still heavy, a cloud of ice vapors sputtering out from his mouth with every exhale. Imperio could feel his mane clinging wetly to his forehead and he gave his head a quick shake to dislodge the clump that fell in front of his eyes. It remained stubborn. Imperio pouted in response before giving it a mental shrug. Instead he grinned, leaning up against Orion with another hapless grin, nuzzling his nose against the other stallions neck in a cry for some attention.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:21 am
Orion grinned back, nipping fondly at the younger stallions ear and watched it twitch for a second before he repeated the process. He finally stopped, rubbing his check against the other's.
"Having fun, my dear sweet little apprentice?" he drawled with a wry grin. He had been watching Imperio dance for the better half of the night as he flitted between speaking to his mother, subtly jesting with Demon, prodding Damascus that lazy b*****d, and jokingly flirting with Eury. It was a habit that Orion had gained when Imperio had just joined them, fresh out of the basket. The little bugger had always been the most excitable little thing and while Orion wasn't one to talk, prone to wandering his little head into trouble.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:28 am
Imperio nodded happily, his head bobbing almost comically up and down in response to Orion's question. "Yes, yes, yes! Dancing is always the best!" His grin was infectious, sweet. "Join, join, join!" he cajoled, doing a few laps around Orion at a trot. His tail flared out from behind him, a streaming black banner, the barest sparks of red and orange glittering among the threads like a fire.
Stopping on the opposite side of Orion, he pressed his forward against the older stallions flanked and pushed in an attempt to forcefully move the gray stallion. When Orion resisted with a laugh, Imperio stopped and pouted. "Unnccclleeee Orrrioooooonn~" he said, his tone a mix between petulant and amused. "Daaancceee with meeeee~" he pleaded. He did another quick circle around his uncle, nudging his playfully here and there. He caught one of his uncle's braids in his mouth and gave is a tug as he had often seen the other do to others. The feather tickled his nose in the process and halted abruptly to sneeze. Loudly.
"ACHOO."
He scrunched his nose up, making a face at the sensation. "Bleh."
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:33 am
Nixsi giggled as she watched Imperio and Orion. Those two were always so full of life, and it was always so enjoyable to see them together. Nixsi always forgot that Orion was technically older than she was. He always acted so far below his age, pulling pranks and getting into all sorts of mischief. Everyone had thought that when Imperio came along, the dearest little thing in his basket, that Orion would mature some as he was charged with watching over the dear. It hadn't quite worked out as well as they had all hoped, she mused as she watched Orion string Imperio around by refusing a dance, his ever present grin will across his face. But, in some ways, she mused, maybe it had worked out just as well.
She nudged Cera softly, trying not to disturb his children too much around her. At the mare's questioning glance, she nudged her head over to the spectacle the two stallions were making and they shared a smile.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:39 am
Silhouette raised his head a little at his mother's movements. Her mane had brushed over his ear, alerting him to her amusement. She was whispering with Cera now, their soft conversation spattered with feminine giggles and her customary smiles. He loved seeing his mother smile.
He eyed the two stallions in question as he laid his head back down to rest on his mother's back, reveling in the warmth of her body. It reminded him of his childhood, of the many nights that he spent curled up against her body as a foal as she wrapped herself around him to protect him from the cold night's wind and sleet. His favorite part though was when she would start to sing to him, his own secret lullaby. When Shiranai was born, she'd sing to them a different lullaby, one softer and almost sadder. But his song, his special secret song, was always his favorite.
Sometimes he entertained the idea of asking her to sing it again. Maybe one day.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:45 am
Nixsi stilled for a moment when she felt her son move, his head lifting from his back almost sleepily. One shining blue eye opened and eyed her before flicking up to watch the antics of Imperio and Orion for a few seconds. She relaxed a moment when he simply put his head down, his eyes slipping closed against and she carefully matched his breathing. Her son was always so alert about everything that she loathed to disturb him. She rarely saw him as relaxed as he was now, curled up between herself and his sister.
She chanced a quick glance to her other side where Shiranai was, her back pressed up against Nixsi's side and her head curled around her body. Her head laid on the ground and flecks of snow had settled into her mane, unmelted and undisturbed. She considered giving her daughter a quick nuzzle but she looked so peaceful there that Nixsi was loath to disturb her as well. Instead, she simple turned back to Cera, who watched the family with a familiar look of fondness, and went back to their conversation.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:56 am
Silhouette closes his eyes again, letting the soft murmurs of his mother and Cera lull him into a relaxed calm. He focused on the soft up and down of his mother's breathing and his own slow, steady inhales and exhales. He could feel the bite of the wind against his flank that wasn't quiet as protected against the elements as the rest of him. Cera was on his right with his mother on his left, protecting him from the worst of the elements. Idly, he hoped Cera was warm enough. She was a creature of spring and summer unlike himself, his mother, and his sister. She thrived in the spring, when the flowers started to bloom and the birds came out to sing with her. In the winter, her coat did not thicken as well as his and he often saw her with a blanket thrown over her back for extra warmth. He knew he should offer to swap places with her, to sandwich the mare between his bulk and his mother's but he was just so comfortable, surrounded by the three mares that he loved most in the world.
Maybe he could be a little selfish. Just for tonight.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 4:10 pm
Eury glided herself effortlessly between the moving bodies that danced around the fire. She expertly dodged the cantering Imperio and spinned herself in a graceful circle around Orion. She had been with the herd too long to bother with her coy looks and simple flirtations. She knew Imperio was oblivious and ever devoted to his Keahi. Orion, once upon a time, might have indulged her (or her him, in all honesty), but since his return to the herd he had been oddly silent on the matter. His manner was just as easy-going and affectionate as ever, but the serious edge to his compliments, his pretty words, had been lost. They were nothing but friendly nowadays.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 4:21 pm
Isiyah snorted, shaking his head as he watched the others dance. This was a foolish thing, he thought, to celebrate the coming of the snow and ice. Who would ever welcome the bitter cold of winter and the challenge of finding fresh food as all around them withered and died. But, it was tradition and Isiyah respected little, but even he understood tradition.
He lingered on the outskirts, half hidden by the shadows of the trees. At this distance, even the warm dancing glow of the bonfire barely reached him. He shivered, already feeling the cold of the snow starting to seep into his bones. He was thankful for his blanket, the warm wool covering his hide helped keep the heat in. In his youth, he used to curse the blanket, its sweltering heat only made worse by the covering. However, in recent years, he had come to be, perhaps grudgingly, grateful for it.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 4:22 pm
She spread her wings, flapping gracefully in tune with Nora and Auri's singing. Her mane was uncharacteristically adorned with bright red ribbons, typing off clumps of curls and mingling prettily among the dark backdrop of her mane. She had graciously given the best of the bunch to Cera, who with the assistance of the other mares, had carefully tied the holly together with a dainty bow. Cera dropped it into the fire as was customary, everyone looking onward, and the area soon was wafted with the fragrance of burning holly, the fire sparking in dim greens and dancing dancing.
The rest of the ribbons had been carefully woven into the manes and tails of many members of the herd. Eury had kept the second best batch for herself, but had offered the third best set to Nixsi (who had, predicatively, given them to Cera). Looking around the herd, she could see the bright red ribbon, the result of many trips to a fro to traders to find the perfect winter shade, intertwined in the manes and tails of the herd. Orion had comically tied his to the end of his tail before weaving a braid into Imperio's. Nixsi and Cera sported matching, dainty braids in their mane before tying a small bow in Shiranai's tail. Auri and Arctica had each tied off one of their braids with the ribbon and even Orchu could be seen with this tail wrapped carefully in bright red. The ribbon was her contribution to the festivities every year, just as Cera's always found the holly and Nora always brought the song.
Eury might be flighty, might be secretive and elusive, but this was her family and this was their night.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 4:29 pm
Isiyah eyed the group, his eyes flitting from mare to mare, from stallion to stallion. Well over have the group was adorned in the red festive ribbons that Eury, that flighty, vain mare, had brought once again this year. And once again, some fool had some toward him, baring curls and curls of the elegant satin ribbon draped over their neck in offering. And this year, like every year, Isiyah had declined, haughty and careless.
The herd had long gotten used to his demeanor though, and his biting words, angry snorts and snarls, no longer fazed them. Some of the newcomers would be wary at first but Isiyah cared not for any of them. He often wondered why he stayed, but as his eyes lit upon the soft lavender mare, her silver accents gleaming next to him in the firelight, and he cut off his train of though. Foolish sentiments, he thought, but it lacked his usually bite. I am a fool.
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:28 am
Imperio grinned, moseying on over to join Eury in dancing. The flank brushed dangerously close to the bonfire and he reveled at the burning warmth that spread through him. Fire held no fear for him and he blossomed in its warmth and light. Tonight was the first night of their winter and normally the chill would set deep into his bones--this first night of dancing and fire help stave off the chill until the coming spring and winter. Winter, at loath as Imperio would be to admit it, was the time where he was the most listless--unable to be content with the snow covered ground and unconsciously yearning for the hot summer sun. Oh, he would prance and frolic among the snow and down the path, rolling himself carefully into the fresh powder snow, but it was in the summertime that he truly thrived.
But this fire on this First Snow, this was his favorite part of winter. He could hear the crackling of the burning oak and smell the pungent scent of the holly. His red ribbon bounced into his face with each jump he made and he loved the feeling of the silk tickling his nose.
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 6:02 pm
Eury rolled her eyes in fond exasperation as Imperio came to join her. He danced comically out of beat with the singing, but unlike Orion who danced horribly for laughs, Imperio simply did it because he did not care. Imperio could be a creature of an odd, ethereal grace sometimes when he lost himself, but most of the time, he simply danced to make himself happy and whether this dancing matched the stomping of hooves and the humming of a song or it matched some unknown beat that only he could hear, Imperio cared not.
Orion on the other hand, was a horrible dancer, Eury mused as she bumped her flank against Imperio's playfully. He had never had a sense of rhythm of grace, something that showed each time he attempted to fly and each time he attempted to dance. Even at his best, Orion had four left hooves and would stumble over any mare who tried to lead. She smirked in his direction, playfully batting her eyelashes teasingly at him and didn't hide her smile at his determined challenging look. Orion only danced crazier, dancing and jumping back and forth, pinballing himself between Imperio and Eury and knocking them both off their balance.
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:12 pm
Isiyah snorted as he watched the foolish members of his herd dance, though dancing was a generous word for what they were done. He eyed them disdainfully, watching the gray son of Orchu bounce back and forth, knocking into Eury and the fire stallion. He flicked his tail once, twice, but did not look away. He could feel Moir's move a step closer to him, feeling the pressure of her flesh through his knitted wool blanket. He didn't acknowledge her presence, but did not move away, tacitly accepting her company.
He continued to observe the foolish trio in the middle of the valley. Eury was always the most free and playful during these times, where she shed her normally coy and mysterious veneer for a more genuine demeanor, still flirty but less conscious of her appearance. Everyone here had seen her at her best and worst, had seen her with fresh brushed mane and newly grown flowers, had seen her roll out in the morning, covered in dirt and snow, flowers limp and gray.
Isiyah thinks her preferred this Eury though.
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