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 Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:52 am
The orange-brown marked aeri nodded. "Yes, and great consideration should be given to the means of the trip. Food and water, perhaps, would have to be carried somehow and perhaps some way to keep oneself afloat constructed..."
Lucius turned his eyes speculatively back towards the sea. "I think it would be an interesting trip. Perhaps I shall come with you, once I have devised a plan of some kind." Who knew what opportunities lay beyond that great expanse of water?
Opportunities worth investigating, if I ever come up with a workable plan in any case.
"Perhaps you should explore a little of the rest of this world before you tackle the ocean," he added as it occurred to him that the colt might go galloping off into the surf without a clue as to how he would make the trip. That would be a sad end to one who showed such potential.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:28 am
"Yes, I think I shall," Vox decided, shaking his short mane and wishing, not for the first time, that it would grow faster. "The land and skies must come before the Ocean, no matter how the stars catch so beautifully in every dip and swell. For now, I shall be content to walk along the shoreline. The moon sets every crest of every breaking wave to shine like purest silver - to come so close to that beauty is more than enough for one so small as myself."
As if to demonstrate that fact, he trotted a few paces forward and let the wavelets curl around his hooves. Each little break soaked his feathers with salt water.
"Perhaps I should learn how to swim, too!" he laughed, splashing in a little deeper but still well within his depth. "Do you not think that such skills would make a fine Aeri indeed? Shall I not be mighty like you, sir Lucius, when I am grown? Children of the moon, creatures of the sable night with none to match us! Hahah, look at the waves - see, even the ocean bows before us!"
If he had known it would be this much fun, he would have gone looking for company sooner.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:48 am
Lucius gave a small snort of amusement and followed the green colt down to the water, allowing the foamy wavelets to run over his huge hooves, cleansing away the dirt of the day. He had never met a Nequus so happy just to be alive, nor one so poetic in his descriptions of the world.
"Swimming is a useful skill," the stallion confirmed. "It is good to have other options than flight for crossing rivers in conditions such as high winds... Of course one must always be careful of currents," he went on as the sea sucked hungrily at the sand about his hooves. "Even the strongest swimmer has little chance if a strong current catches them..."
The orange-winged aeri paused as he pondered the best strategy to employ should he ever find himself in such a situation. "It would be better to allow oneself to sink and put all effort into reaching the bank," he concluded after a while. "Kicking with hooves and 'flying' with wings one might have a chance of getting to one side or the other and climbing up the bank. Of course, you would have to be sure not to head to the sheer-banked side of the river."
Hadn't the colt asked him something else? Ah, yes; of course.
"And in answer to your questions, I do think that skills such as those are part of what makes a great aeri; there are others to consider as well of course but they come with time. All of our kind and indeed the other Nequus have the potential to become mighty creatures if they but try."
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:49 am
Lucky him to have met Lucius. The elder Aeri was a veritable fountain of knowledge. Vox nodded gratefully to his advice. "I shall take your words to heart, sir Lucius," he assured him. "You are wise and worldly indeed, and I am endebted to you for sharing your knowledge with me. I have...never before known one who looks so terrifying to be so patient, or so kind."
In fact, he had never known anyone to have such patience with younglings at all. From what he had seen, hiding at the edges of the valley while the herds fed nearby, young Nequus were often brushed off by adults as frivolous. Their opinions were seldom sought, and their ideas seldom taken into consideration. This was another reason why he had been so reluctant to join them. Had it not been for Lucius' arrival, he realised all at once, he might have spent his life alone. The moon was good and kind, but she was too far away to speak to him. And she, unlike this good creature, was not a Nequus - in the end, that had to count for something. The company of one's own kind is not to be taken for granted.
He trotted a little closer to the stallion and gently nudged his flank with his nose. "Thank you, Lucius," he said softly. "I feel at last as if I have a friend."
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:01 pm
The aeri smiled a slightly puzzled smile under the ruby red skull that adorned his head. "Umm... well, thank you. It is always good to have friends. I admit I often have trouble making them, people avoid me oftentimes and those that do speak to me tend to think me a trifle slow because I am not the best at applying what I know on the spur of the moment. This is why I think about things like what I would do if I were trapped in a current or other such scenarios..."
What was he doing? Telling his weaknesses to this foal he hardly knew? Who already seems to like me, to be fair. True, people did speak to him at times but they didn't get close, let alone allow physical contact to occur. Well, he seems like a good enough child and he could have guessed my trouble with practical application of knowledge by knowing me a little longer, no great seacret.
Lucius gave an internal shrug and bowed his head to be on eye level with the green-coated youth. "I have never been called kind or patient before that I recall but I think that I like it. We are heard creatures after all; the need for the approval of other Nequus is built into our very bones... I am happy to have helped as well, by sharing what I know. As I have said, I feel you have great potential and any aid I give you in reaching that potential is gladly given."
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Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:54 am
He listened to the voice as much as to the words this time. His bruised limbs were beginning to trouble him again, and the sound was soothing. It was easy to see how Nequus might become lazy when offered the comforts of a herd - it was good simply to be near to another pair of eyes and ears, another set of hooves and teeth (far stronger than his own), and to feel a little safer in an ultimately dangerous world.
"...The night wears on," he said quietly, a little wistfully. "Needs must I be gone from this place - sanctuary though it appears it lacks food and fresh water, both of which I regretfully require. I am for my tree, Lucius, in a moment or two. You are more than welcome to accompany me there if you wish. Goodness knows there is more than enough clear water and good grazing to share, and I am loath to remove myself so soon from your company." And from company at all, for that matter. "Or if you will not, at least let me point it out to you that you may visit whenever you please. Even if you do not find me there, consider it as much your home as any place in the world: take from the land whatever you desire, and welcome."
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Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:03 pm
The aeri raised his head to look at the skies and gave a soft snort of agreement. "I would be glad to accept the invitation, young one. I have travelled far this day; fresh water and food would be most welcome." Besides, even if he hadn't required sustenance of any kind Lucius suspected that he would have gone with the colt.
Pleasing to find agreeable company, especially when it warms so quickly to me.
"If you will lead on I shall be glad to follow you, friend Vox." Is calling him friend a little premature?... No, I doubt that this one is deceitful or full of hidden depravities. There is no harm at all in a little trust now and again.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:26 pm
"Then onward in the prints I leave, sir Lucius," Vox laughed, suddenly filled with joy. His bruises mattered less by the moment. "Eclipse my marks utterly while you still can - some day I shall be tall and strong like you, and you shall have to try harder to scuff them out! Haha!"
He set off towards the cliff path at a gentle jog, not wanting to tire himself out before he reached the top or leave Lucius behind. It would be a terrible thing to do to his first real friend.
A friend.
Silently, he sent a prayer of thanks to the moon. She had done him a great service in guiding Lucius to him tonight.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:34 pm
The black Nequus smiled slightly to himself and set off after the exuberant colt; he had a feeling that this relationship was going to be thoroughly exhausting.
Enjoyable too though, I feel, Lucius mused as he placed his hooves over the prints that Vox had made as best he could. The younger creature's short stride made this somewhat awkward but, on balance, the stallion felt that the pleasure he gleaned from the youngling's joy outweighed this slight inconvenience of taking such small steps.
"I have no doubt you will, young Vox," he smiled at the green-coated colt. "No doubt at all."
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