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 Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:43 pm
 Ever was still running as fast as her hooves would take her, stretching as much as she could to cover more ground. She heard two others join the one, they snarled behind her and she pinned her ears back low, trying to get closer to the ground to pick up even more speed. Her breath was coming out in quick bursts and foam coated her sides now.
The trees seemed to thin out up ahead and her heart seemed to practically soar, until she noticed that the river was before her and she would need to cross it to get to safety. She pranced nervously at the bank, looking back and seeing that they were going to be there soon and she would have to jump in and wade across. She took one final glance before charging into the water, kicking her legs as much as she could at the mushy ground.
The water wasn't as fast where she was crossing, but that meant her enemies would be able to keep up with her as well. The bottom soon dropped beneath her hooves and she kicked as much as she could until she was over on the other side. Rocks flew out behind her as she kicked up speed again and heard a small yelp from one of them as a rock slammed against it's side.
She was going to be slower now with water dripping from her mane and tail. She kept on, laboring now more with the added weight. Her jumps were lucky enough to clear the fallen logs and other dangerous sections of the path. The trees started to thin out again and she nickered out in calling to the village she saw before her.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:29 pm
 Tawali was beginning to panic when he didn't see her exit the line of trees after him. His cyan green eyes searched frantically for her, and when he finally spotted her, it did not fill him with hope. There were three wolves at the bank she had just leapt from, but they seemed hesitant to test the waters. They were weaker then the mare, and the one that attempted got hit by a rock flung up from Ever's hooves. He watched her lope slowler then before into the new line of trees, and he followed slowly over head, eyes trying to catch a glimpse of her as she made her way through.
"Come on, lady, where'd you go?!" He swooped lower, but banked quickly when he saw real signs of civilisation. Gods! This was too close for comfort! He back winged until he was as far as he dared be from the Village. He could see some two-leggers walking around, and he didn't like the look of it. He frowned and tried to think of a way to find out if Ever was alright without being spotted by two-leggers. As far as he was concerned, they were dangerous. He had nothing that proved otherwise, and he had heard stories of two-leggers seen hunting around these parts. Would they think him an abomination and try to hurt him like the wolves? Gods help him! He remained airborn, hovering on air currents and waited for Ever's shape to filter out of the trees. He wanted to ask her if she was alright, check to make sure she wasn't hurt. Damn those wolves! He finds a friend and what do they do? Torment him!
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:42 pm
Ever's ears perked forward listening to the sounds before her. Yes, the village was before her. She had never been to it though and had only meet her two-legger out in the forest. She skidded to a halt, practically stopping on a dime and paced just inside of the forest, not sure if she wanted to risk going out there and being seen.
She picked her feet up high, pacing back and forth in a nervous fashion. There had to be some way passed this and to a better spot to meet up with Tawali. She whinied in nervousness, snorting and calming her heart beats. Decisions, decisions. She took the risk and stepped out into the open, keeping a close eye on those in the village.
There were other Soquili there, but none that she knew and she kept her pace up and continued on away from them until she could no longer hear their voices and other funny sounds. She bent her head to look over herself and only noted a few cuts and scraps from where the trees and plants had reached out with claws. Nothing else was injured, except her courage.
Her bright blue eyes looked to the sky in hopes of spotting her winged friend, but the sunlight was so bright she couldn't make out anything very well. "Tawali," she called, pacing in a nervous manner on the ground. She pawed at a spot, causing the ground to be disturbed and move on behind her as she waited.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:04 pm
Tawali circled above, watching and waiting. It was after a while that he spotted her slinking away from the village, looking nervous or scared, he wasn't sure which. He swooped down and landed a little way ahead of her, trotting forward, a happy smile to his face, relief showering off of him. He butted her gently and nuzzled her neck, stepping back, eyes twinkling with excess adrenaline.
"Wow! I was sure you wouldn't make it out unharmed! They got so close to you!" He circled her, making sure she wasn't harmed. "Thank the Wild Gods you are ok! I chased after you, but you got too far ahead! I'm not good in the trees, better out in the open." He looked sheepishly at Ever. "I didn't know whether I should take to the sky or not! I wouldn't be able to see or hear if you were ok! Its torture up there, knowing you are down here." He shrugged his wings, trying to act as though the encounter hadn't shaken him up as much as it had.
"Grr, I hate wolves." He mumbled, looking the way Ever had come. "I suppose it was a good idea, heading towards the Village. Wouldn't have thought of it myself. Don't like two-leggers. They are a little weird..."
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:18 pm
Ever returned the nuzzle, still a bit shakey in the flanks from the run and getting too close to something she didn't know. When he moved to make sure she was okay, she winked playfully at him, "I told you I'm fast. Never had to use that skill when it's life threatening, but glad to know it's a handy one out here."
She nuzzled him again, pulling at his mane a bit in play. She was still a darker color, her dark red being a dark reddish brown. There were bits of leaves and twigs sticking out, but she was just glad to be alive at the moment. "I'm all right. They didn't get me. You saw for yourself I'm well." Her head turned to look back at the village, it wasn't visible, but the smoke rising was a sure enough sign for her on where it was. "I only know one two-legger. I don't know how the others are nor do I want to try anything new like wandering into the village."
Her light blue eyes came back to look at him. "Are you okay? I apologize for running out of there so fast," she said, nuzzling against his neck in reassurance.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:31 pm
Tawali nodded with a grin when he made enitrely sure she was ok. He used his teeth to tease some of the twigs and leaves from her mane and her coat. Her body was cold under his muzzle, the water must have been really cold, either that of the heat from her run had gone quickly with the water. He worried she'd become ill with such a dramatic change in temperature, but knew she would be fine. She had a two-legger after all, who could look after her. He mock glared at her when she pulled his mane and pulled her's back. He followed her gaze to the smoke of the village and circled back to stand beside her, motioning with a wing for them to walk further away.
"I am fine. I have encountered wolves before, they are nothing new to me." His cyan green eyes glazed over a moment or two, then returned to their normal exhuberance. "And do not worry about leaving me, I was more worried about you! I was so worried I almost flat out head butted a tree!" He chuckled at the memory of the large tree trunk that had appeared out of nowhere and shook his head. "It was silly of me really. I should have listened to you." He looked at her with a smile. "Bit exciting, wasn't it?" He laughed and trotted ahead of her.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:55 pm
She snorted, keeping her pace up with his and falling in step beside him. She smiled at him, reaching out and touching him from time-to-time with her muzzle. "It was exciting now that I look back on it. At the time, I was terrified. I didn't even know where I was going, I was just running."
She shivered a bit, moving closer to Tawali for some warmth. She knew she would need to keep her temperature up with the coolness of the water still on her coat. She kept looking on ahead and glancing over at him. "Just don't run into anything out here," she spoke softly with a wink.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:12 pm
Tawali smirked and puffed out his chest, making himself look bigger then he was. He noted her shivering and smiled kindly, trotting back into sync with her and laid one long wing over her back tucking in close so his heat would radiate into her. He smiled at her words, taking note of the quick touches of her muzzle, wheeling with glee. He thought through his relationships with Ever and Aeris, and he had to admit he had certainly hit it off better with Ever then he had with Aeris... But he didn't want to upset the lady, and he knew she could take offence easily. He didn't like being stuck in the dilemma. He was a free spirit, he was wild, and he didn't like the problems possible mates could come up with! It was bad enough the incident with Tally and Aeris, never mind this one. He snorted in distaste at his thoughts and pushed them back in his mind for another time and place to think about.
"Excitment?" Tawali scoffed and shook his head at her, astonished. "You truely are mad, lady!" He chuckled softly and continued to smile. He looked out toward a large willow tree that swung its branches out into the middle of the now smooth river. It looked like the perfect place to settle down and recover after their mad dash! He motioned to it with his free wing and smiled. "C'mon, we can settle down and warm you up! The sun is still warm, and the branches should trap some of the heat!" He nudged her with his nose and gently loped toward it, peering into the long, dangling branches, sniffing about to make sure there had been no others here lately. Deeming it safe, he turned and stuck his head out between the streams of leaves, a silly grin on his face.
"Care to join me lady? Or is this Wild Child too much excitement for one day?" He chuckled and disappeared into the gree confines, rubbing his side up against the tree trunk to rid an itch, before laying down on his side and leaning his body against it, wings drooped around him.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:32 pm
Ever smiled thankfully to him as she offered more warmth to her by the use of his wing. He seemed off in his thoughts for a while and she frowned a bit wondering what he was thinking about to have him stare off in the distance with such distaste.
When he came back, she didn't dwell on it and only thought of answering him. Later, she might question him a bit to understand, but she was enjoying the company and the warmth. "Not mad, sir. Just in love with life to want the dull moments."
One ear stayed perked up while the other pulled back in bemusement when he started heading over towards a large willow tree. She had never thought about how much those trees did trap in heat until he peeked his head back out beckoning her with a tease. She tossed her head up, rearing up a bit as she spoke "I have danced with the wolves. I think you shall be more tame than them."
Ever's dark hooves plotted a way into the messy greens and spied Tawali just settling down on the grass near the tree. She was still a bit cold from the swim and moved to lay right next to him, being sure to not trap his wing between their bodies.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:54 pm
Tawali lifted his wing as she lay down beside him, draping the long feathered appendage back over her. His tan side quivered a little with the sensation of the feather tips tickling it, but it settled quickly. Teasing a few more leaves from Ever's mane and looking out to the small ripples made by the dipping willow leaves, Tawali smiled. This was nice. A warm afternoon, a quiet rest after too much excitment, a nice young mare laying beside him, a mare who was not only smart but extremely beautiful, and a nice, trickling sound as the river washed away the silt and stones on the shallow basin of its banks. A few birds twittered overhead in the hanging branches, and Tawali almost felt at home. This lady was not only a playmate, but a friend who enjoyed silence too, and Tawali could appriciate that too, though he preferred the more active side of their new found friendship, even if it had drawn the attention of the wolves. He chuckled softly at the memory of their flight, moments before having a water fight, then fleeing through the trees.
"We were very lucky you know, lady." He said, cyan green eyes sparkling. "You saved our lives! I didn't even notice the birds, never mind the soft padding of those wolves!" He laughed again and lay his head on her shoulder, not bothering to hold it up any longer. He was lazy like then when he wanted to be, and he chuckled inwardly at his own revelation. Flicking his left ear, which held the ball bearing, he listened to the soft clicks as it hit the feather that was just behind it in his mane. It comforted him when he felt that silence got too unbearable, which was quite often in his lonely, one stallion brigade. The travelling Wild Child with no particular direction, no particular home, just wherever he decided to stop. Though that abandoned Teepee he had found was a nice place to stay when he was in the vicinity of it. He rolled his head to the other side, looking at Ever before tugging her mane gently.
"It is strange, isn't it. Us two opposites, you, tamed with a two-leg, though still wild at heart, and me, just simply choosing my course as I please, a true Wild Child Soquili!" He chuckled and raised his head up onto his own neck, nipping gently at his shoulder to remove an itch that was irritating him just where his wing started. "Do you think we will meet again?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:45 pm
She sighed, thinking over all that had transpired in the last few hours. She didn't know what to think of him exactly, though. She had never really had friends, rarely ever considered anyone close enough to be one, but he seemed to her like so much more. Her mind and heart were conflicted, but she knew that no matter what she would be perfectly content with just friendship if it came down to that.
But she was dwelling on it too much. "Dilly dally, shilly shally," she said softly to herself, shaking her head a bit and returning to the present. Ever turned her head a bit to nudge his muzzle a bit in thanks for preen her. "I was just wondering why the beautiful song of the birds stopped so suddenly and then heard the crack of a twig across the lake. We had the Gods on our side for that one," she said with a smile.
She stretched her long neck, laying it down on the soft grass that grew around the willow tree. It was so much nicer than the grass she normally ate, but it wasn't worth the taste. She peekd up at him, locking his cyan eyes with her icy blues. "I shouldn't be that difficult to spot from above. We will definately have to meet again, even if it's just to relax from the stress of our lives. Playtime is a nice reprieve." She nudged him with her nose again, smiling and winking playfully. "The Gods may very well have a plan for us, it is very possible that they will see to it we shall meet. Hopefully with less danger or little interruptions."
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:37 am
Tawali stopped flicking his ear to listen to her, a small smile playing on his face as he looked down at her. He stretched his wings in an arc of feather and replaced them, one clutched tight to his side so as not to displace the feathers on the rough bark of the tree, the other drapped over his new friend's side. Thinking a moment, he pulled the wing close and plucked two long feathers from it, ones that would shift his flying patterns and would not be too badly missed. The red tipped tan feathers stuck out the corner of his mouth and he reached his neck over her shoulders and laid them beside her.
"There. Now I will be able to remember you, and you me. If I see a mare that looks like you, I will be able to tell quickly if it is, because you will have two of my feathers!" He smiled at his plan, and chuckled softly. "Clever really! And a Wind knows where all his feathers lie! I want two to be with you!" He smiled and shook out his mane, the red hair that flopped forward between his eyes obscurring his face a little. Cyan green eyes watched the water for a moment, enjoying the company. "Ahhh, those meddling Gods." Tawali said. "Well, we must hope they meddle in a good way!" He looked into the ice blue eyes of Ever with a smile.
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:16 am
Ever smiled brightly, nickering a bit to him very low, "As if I could forget you, but I do thank you for the gifts, my friend. I truly shall cherish them." She looked through the sway of the willow leaves and heard a high note being made in the distance. Her face twisted a bit in distaste, not wanting the time to end, but knowing full well that it would have to here soon.
"Evening Night, my two-legger, is calling me. I must be leaving now." She moved to stand up and dipped her head down to pick up the feathers between her lips. She turned and nuzzled against his neck, a twinkle in her eyes. "Today was... interesting. We shall have to meet up once again, my friend." She heard the sound once more, her ear perking to the northwest in the direction it was coming from. Her two-legger was getting nervous and all Ever could do was shake her head with a smile. "She is worried," she said over her shoulder, walking through the veil of leaves.
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 9:28 am
Tawali's face fell as the mare responded to a very high pitched whistle that echoed around the lands. He twisted his ears back as he followed suit and stood with her, looking to the north through the drapping tree limbs. His eyes held a sad note at loosing his friend to the two-legger, but knew that Ever would need to check in, after all, she had said that the two-legger looked after her, and Tawali couldn't allow for the two-legger to get worried. He sighed heavily and nooded, moving to the edge of the green drape and used one wing to allow her exit.
"I..." He frowned and shook his head, smirking at this seemingly stupid act that had taken over the usual Tawali. "I... I want us to meet again!" He said, looking up at her, a slight blush colouring his ears, diverting his eyes in embarrassment. "I loved today! Exciting as hell! I don't want to loose contact with you, and these are big places!" He looked out, and sighed. "I'll come looking for you! Maybe you can show me your two-legger one day?" He smiled, eyes softening as he looked at her, ears perking forward with a hopeful look on his face.
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 9:42 am
She touched her muzzle to his quickly in a friendly manner, her smile very bright, even with the feathers sticking out from the corner of her mouth. She looked about nervously, unsure of this feeling she was getting. It was still very conflicting to her. "Yes, I would like that very much. My two-legger lives by herself near where the mountains part for the desert by the river that snakes among the trees."
She hesitated her departure, looking to where the sound had come from earlier and then back to Tawali with a nervous look. "Today was enjoyable. I hope to see you again soon, Tawali," she said quietly, turning to make her way towards "home."
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