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 Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:39 pm
She gave a little grumble, but fell against his (slightly) warmer body as he snuggled her, shivering. "You're so cruel to me." she buried her face in his (barely) warmer body, giving little hiccup giggle-sobs of amusement and mock sorrow. "And you bet your feathers I could punish you. I didn't say it had to hurt." the words were muffled against his side, but the menace was unquestionable. She was dripping water rapidly, her hair slick enough naturally it didn't stay too long.
And as for the light.. "I was down there. Saw something shimmering from around a rock... it looked like normal light through the water. But I've never noticed any kind of caves around here." she pulled away, grinned sheepishly. "And you know how I like shiny things. Now I simply have to know." she grinned. "Why don't you go take a looooook?" she teased, prodding at him lightly with a wing.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:53 pm
In spite of his attempts to treat the threats with all due seriousness merited by the sincerity Selene spoke with, Safi couldn't help the grin from his lips. She was trying so hard to be annoyed, but he could tell laughter when he felt it! "But would you really want to have that on your conscience, Selly?"
But her comment about HIM checking out the light caused him to actually laugh. "Ok, the girl has a shiny-things complex and she wants ME to check it out? If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were chickening out!"
He had a plan, though; a sneaky stealthy plan. As she poked at him, he'd edged closer to the edge of the water. "But since I know that you don't get scared...come with!" Grinning, he fell into the water again himself. Surfacing briefly, he gave the mare a wink. "You have to show me the way, Selly! As you often say, I'm a scatterbrain"
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:01 pm
She didn't have time to formulate a snappy reply before she was getting doused in a Safi-induced wave of lake water. "You're the stallion aren't you? And you're bigger." she batted her eyes at him. "The big, strong stallion, who should check it out in case anything happens. That way I can run for help." She didn't point out that, theoretically, she wouldn't know if he'd been injured until... well.... he didn't come back.
"And I don't know which way it was!" she said cheerfully. "I got a little turned about, what with falling, and all that. I just know it was that way."
She wondered if he'd catch her silly comment about not knowing which way it was, or if he'd pass over her phrasing. Hey, if it got him, that was his fault.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:14 pm
"Yeah, go and be logical about it, see if I care. Just remember how much you like me if I'm gone too long!" Sticking his tongue out at the mare, Safi folded back his wings, then dove down under the water.
Behind the waterfall, she'd said...so it was that way that he swam at first. The water was a bit turbulent, but as far down as he was the crush of the falls was minimal, if best. And his eyes were on what was behind it, because now he could see the light as well. That must have been what she was referring to.
Arrowing his body, the stallion braced himself for the inevitable pressure of the waterfall, but managed to pass through it without issue. The time underwater was starting to get to him, though, and his lungs were starting to burn. Just a little longer now...
With a huge gasp, he suddenly and unexpectedly burst to the surface...of what appeared to be a cave, or rather a grotto. He was in a pool of water, and looking back he could see the rush of the falls that he'd just passed through. And looking ahead... "Wow."
Light refracted through water danced off of polished stone walls, giving the impression of polished gemstones. The floor he now stepped out onto shimmered as well, and his hoofsteps echoed with an eerie calmness. It was like it's own little world, seperated by the water from the world. Totally cool.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:23 pm
She watched him go with a fond smile. She did like him, didn't she? And yes, it was.... nice. Not like a father, not like a brother. There was definite friendship... Maybe more? She didn't want to dwell on it though. Not again. He'd never given any indication of things being any other way but friendly on his end, and after the experience she'd had with Forrest, she was hesitant to undertake it with another stallion...
Though, her feelings for Forrest had been... nothing. She was as cool to him today (if not cooler) than she had been before they had bred. And she'd heard, really, it was the mental enjoyment of each other, not just the physical enjoyment that made the act more... pleasant. And either way, the rewards for her sin and pain had been more than enough to make up for it. Her children were wonderful.
She tore herself away from her thoughts, tail flicking nervously. What was taking him so long? If he hadn't found anything, why wasn't he back? Or what if he...?! She snorted, pawed at the grass nervously, and watched the water, anxiously. She hadn't meant to get him... killed!
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:35 pm
Behind the waterfall, Safi had no idea that time was passing as rapidly as it was. Having pulled himself out of the water, he was slowly prowling about the grotto. A single pool of light in the back had attracted his attention, and following it back he discovered a single column of light, one that penetrated through the ceiling of the grotto and, he imagined, into the hillside above. Very interesting.
His mane and tail were still dripping, the sound pronounced and echoing on the polished floor. How long had it taken to make this place, he wondered, and how many people knew where it was? Or did anyone?
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:04 pm
It had been a whle two minutes! Where WAS he?!
She calmed herself however, by thinking. If he had found a cave, or a place, then of course, he would want to check it out. Most like to satisfy his own childish curiosity. And she wanted in on it. She was just as curious.
Steeling herself, she plunged into the cold water, moving for the place she estimated the light to be, and dove, searching for it. Forget the whole, you know, going for help idea. She had a horn, and four legs. And wings, if it didn't.
She finally found the light and strove for it, desperately, the air being forced out of her lungs by the heavy water against her smaller body. And then she was in, and there was air, and she was gasping in air... that had never tasted so sweet, the sound of her breathing loud in the area.
Ohhhhh, it was beautiful.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:14 pm
Selene's breathing was loud enough to wake even the dead, amplified as it was by the stillness of the cavern. The noise had caused him to jump at first, busily examining the light and it's effects on the grotto walls as he'd been. But when he saw that it was only Selene, the surprised expression gave way to a large grin and he cantered over to the edge of the pool.
"Glad to see that you made it, Selly. Damn, isn't this place a sight???" To put it mildly.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:32 pm
She shivered, stepping out of the chill water, into chillier air. Maybe it was just her imagination though, or the fact that the air back here was kept cool by the seclusion of the area. She shifted, taking in the beauty of the area with wide eyes. "Safi." she breathed. "You found me something gorgeous." she gave him a bright smile and moved around the grotto curiously, admiring the walls and floor. It was smooth, colorful. Her hooved clacked against the smooth floor, and her long mane and tail left wet streaks, with the occasional tink as some of the shorter hairs in her mane dripped.
Her eyes moved to the beam of light, and she moved towards it, curious. Where did this hole go? What place was sooo high, that it could enclose this entire cavern, and no one would notice this hole? Why was there a hole here, then the waterfall came from someplace to much higher?
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:42 pm
One brow immeadiately shot skywards. "I found YOU something gorgeous? Scuse me, but since I found it, I think that it's mine. Finders keepers and all that."
Still, it was with a sense of propriety that he flopped down on the floor beside the pool of water, watching as Selene explored the grotto. Now that he'd been over it once, he could take a few moments to enjoy the scenery, and to see Selene's reaction. Now maybe she was rethinking sending him after it! "Amazing, isn't it?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:50 pm
"Well, you know, it could be ours." It came out of her mouth flippantly, and she was surprised. She hadn't meant to say it. Hadn't meant to bring something so awkward between them. But at the same time, she was glad it had come out. She hadn't thought about it, it'd been something natural for her to say. Maybe.... there was a chance. But no, no hopes. They were still friends, even if he said no. Heck, she didn't even know... maybe he had a mate and five foals at his home. Maybe....
No, he wasn't like that, but she turned with a sheepish smile, and finished it. "Maybe we could try and be.... more than just friends?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:01 pm
"Ours, eh? Well, that would imply that we'd be capable of sharing, and given my selfishness and your flippery, that could go anyway!" Safi was laughing, amused at the ease to which they had returned to banter. That was one of the great things about Selene; she always knew when to laugh and how to deal with humor.
He was about to continue, though, when her last words, words accompanied by a smile that seemed almost shy, hit him with all the force of a freight train. He had to be hearing things, she couldnt' have said what she just had...
No. He only had to look at her, to see that expression on her face, and knew that he'd heard correctly. Heard correctly...and now had to face what he'd been trying so hard to avoid.
Rising to his feet with the pool at his back, Safi met Selene's gaze and held it. This time, he had to be serious, and that knowledge pained him more than anythign else. He'd tried so hard to find the words...to tell her the last few times that they'd been together. But he'd never been able to, and now...it was too late to handle this painlessly.
More than friends...if only that were possible. How he loved this mare, more than any other mare and no doubt more than he ever could. Yet what she was asking could never happen. Not with him.
And she deserved to know why.
The look in Safi's eyes was that of pain, pain he couldn't hide. And for a moment it was visible to Selene before he turned his head to one side, ashamed. And when he spoke, the words were soft; barely above a whisper. "Please don't hate me, Selene...please don't hate me for what I have to say."
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:09 pm
She had hurt him? No, it was something else. She nodded slowly. "Is this my cue to sit down?" she said lamely, cracking a brief smile. And moved closer to him, nosing at him gently, though her heart was breaking. "You can tell me anything. Safi, I won't hate you." it was a quiet promise. "I couldn't."
She... loved him, yes. But more than anything, she valued this friendship they had come to share. She wouldn't comprimise that for anything. He would have a good reason. An honest one. And how could she hate Safi for being true to himself... and her?
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:17 pm
Somehow, he's had the wild idea that Selene would freak out and run away at hearing the tracest bit of negativity, and that suspicion had almost made his heart cease to beat for the few terrifying seconds before her words came, calmly, reassuring. He should have known better than to second-guess Selene, not after the amount of time they'd spent together. But that didn't make the task he had to do much easier.
As she nosed him, he nuzzled her back, wondering how much more he'd ba able to nuzzle her after he'd spoken his piece and wishing desperately that there was some other way. But there wasn't and never could be.
"Sitting down might be for the best, Selly...I have no idea how long this is going to take, but please hear me out completely, before you decide anything." His eyes as he looked at hers were intese with emotion, sadness and distress beyond anything he'd ever felt before. "Selene...I love you."
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:22 pm
She nickered at him gently as he nuzzled her, reassuring him. And then stepped back, and shifted her body down onto the cold stone, looking up at him. "If you're trying to tell me you have a mate and 5 children..." she said, voice gently teasing. But she knew there would be more. Telling a mare you had a family wouldn't make someone look so very.... sad.
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