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 Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:30 am
"Shikoba, eh? Catchy name, that. Do you go by any nicknames, or is that your limit?" Perhaps a strange question, but Safi was a stallion with a habit of coming up with nicknames...and a three syllable name like Shikoba? Definitely had potential!
However, he was straying from the point. Not unusual for him...but he doubted that the other stallion was of quite the same mindset. Not if those somewhat long pauses were any indications. "So, you're neither adverse to or in favor of meeting anyone, but will take either circumstance as it comes? You're a remarkably philosophical fellow, Shikoba."
Strolling past the other stallion to look over the edge of the cliff, Safi almost missed the last question. Granted, it was a rather atypical question, so that alone meant that Safi was interested.
"Mares? Sure, I've met several. Probably more than I've met stallions, actually. Why, you doing a survey?" The look that he gave the other stallion, a look of amusement, belied that statement; somehow, he seriously doubted that there was ANY survey going on. But what was?
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 6:10 pm
Shikoba shook his head.
"I do not as of yet have any nicknames. I am just called Shikoba by those who know me."
Shikoba's ego swelled a tiny bit as Safi called him philosophical. He knew that others who were considered philosophical were usually also considered fairly smart. He was proud to hear that somebody thought that of him.
"No, I am not doing a survey. I am just curious about them. I have met a few in the time that I've been here, and some of them, well, one in particular, has succeeded in confusing me. I'm really not sure what to make of her actions. And I was wondering if you could give me some advise, as you seem to know more about the other Soquili in these lands than I do."
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 9:22 pm
"Well, just as a head's up, I might start calling you by some abbreviated version of your name, Shikoba; it's a character trait of mine to give longer names a bit of a trim." Grinning, Safi gave the long-maned Soquili a wink, backing up his words with the somewhat silly nature of his body-language. Indeed, giving nicknames was his thing; whether it was Indy for Indawo or Selly for Selene...he liked shortening, trimming, what have you. However, he accepted that such could be annoying....but that didn't neseccarily stop him from doing such! Hell, he didn't even know if he COULD stop doing it!
Shikoba's following comments provided a bit of a distraction from that line of thought, though, at least for a little bit. Given the deliberation of the lead-in, he honestly wasn't that surprised to hear that there was a SPECIFIC mare that was on his companion's mind; after all, he'd had enough chats with mares who had a specific STALLION on theirs to know that romantic issues were a natural part of most Soquilis' existances.
It was weird to be asked advice of a stallion, though. He tended to commisserate with mares more than stallions, perhaps because they identified more with him, or because he seemed like a sympathetic soul or whatever. It was a weird and different feeling to be asked advice by a stallion...
But different wasn't a bad thing. "Well, I can try! What're the details, Shiko?"
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 7:49 am
Shikoba shifted his weight a little. He had never had a nickname before, and he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted one, but if it made things easier for Safi, he wasn't going to complain.
"So long as its nothing to make fun of me or something."
He sighed as he was asked about the details of his last question. He hadn't spoken to anybody yet about his confusion over Aishwarya's actions, and now that he was about to say it, he was having second thoughts. But if he didn't ask now, while Safi seemed somewhat interested, he might lose his nerve completely and never ask anybody.
"Well...I've never really had any kind of....feelings for a mare. But this one...when I met her, I found myself really enjoying her company. And it seemed that she enjoyed my company as well. Well, recently, during our last meeting, she started doing...physical things to me. She rubbed her nose against mine, and nibbled a bit at my mane. And I found that very strange. I don't really know what it means...is it normal?"
He looked at Safi, a little embarassed at his lack of knowledge with other Soquili.
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 12:48 pm
...Wow, this stallion was even more innocent than a foal! As he listened to Shikoba's explanation, Safi was struck by a couple things; first, the desire to stare blankly, which he managed to suppress. Second, the urge to ask if he was being toyed with, which he ALSO managed to suppress, and third..
"Normal?" He wasn't quite able to keep the surprise out of his voice, but the tone combined with the words was ultimately kind. "Are you asking if her doing that was normal, or it your thinking it strange was normal, or your other reactions were normal, or what?" Turning so that he was facing the other stallion, Safi summed up his question rather bluntly. "Did you like what she was doing?"
After all, THAT was the important thing, right?
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:24 pm
Safi seemed surprised at Shikoba's little problem, and that in turn surprised Shikoba a bit. Perhaps it was normal, and Shikoba was just making too big a deal out of it. He considered Safi's question.
"Well....I guess so. Yes, actually, I did."
He smiled as he felt his cheeks blush the tiniest bit. He had enjoyed Aish's company, and also the closeness that they had shared. He never had thought of it that way, though. He was too busy analyzing it all and trying to figure out if it was normal.
"Has it happened to you before?"
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:49 pm
Well, there you go. He was just hormonally confused, that was all...which had Safi wondering how old this Shikoba even WAS. If he was that perplexed by the advances of a mare when he'd obviously liked them, he was either very young or very sheltered, or maybe even both! Good thing that he was smart enough to ask for advice, though, if Safi did think so himself!
Adopting a tone of moral instruction, he gave Shikoba a sage nod. "There you go; obviously you have a sexual attraction to this unnamed mare, which, considering that she instigated the contact, isn't necessarily a bad thing. To put it mildly, you've got the hots for each other!"
And thus the species would continue to propagate! Good stuff.
Shikoba's question brought a slight smile to Safi's lips, however, as he answered "yes, as a matter of fact it has." What wasn't crucial to this conversation was the fact that such feelings had been inspired by a stallion, rather than a mare. But feelings were feelings, and on that, he could sympathize.
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 6:05 pm
Shikoba was a bit taken aback at Safi's answer. Sexual?! Well, that had crossed his mind, but the way Safi put it, he felt as though he was being somewhat disrespectful to Aish. Obviously, there was no harm in his speaking to Safi, and he wasn't suggesting that Shikoba take advantage of her, but he hadn't expected to blunt an answer.
"Well....sure, I guess. What am I supposed to do about it, though? I mean...I don't want to be disrespectful. What did you do when the mare you're speaking of did things like that?"
He had hoped to clear up some confusion by speaking to Safi, but more and more questions arose in his mind sa they continued their conversation. Would he never figure this stuff out?!
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 6:22 pm
Ah, there was the difficult part, deciding WHAT to do. No two Soquilis were alike, after all, and what appealed to one might not necesarily work on another. Never having met the mare Shikoba was talking about, Safi honestly had no idea what would work as far as wooing her would go.
But then, she really didn't need wooing if she was the one who had started the contact, right?
Skirting the question of his own experience, he tapped his wing tips together thoughtfully, contemplating what might be the best angle. After a few moments of silence, though, he offered up a few tidbits. "Well, if she is doing things like you're saying, then she's basically initiating the contact, right? If you were to respond to that, then you'd be basically returning her interest with your own, which wouldn't necessarily be disrespectful. However, I suppose the question is whether or not you actuall like this mare, or are merely attracted to her. That might affect how you want to act..."
Complicated stuff, alright!
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 8:26 am
Shikoba noticed that he didn't relate at all to his own experience, but he let that go, as that was not his focus at the moment.
He thought about Safi's advice. Of course he liked Aishwarya. It was her wonderful personality and calmness that initially drew him to her.
"Yes, I like her very much. So I guess it makes sense that I should return the gesture. Obviously, she's comfortable with it, right?"
The question was directed more at himself than at Safi. It made sense to return effection, right? He had never received effection like that. Well, he may have when he was young, or before he came to these lands, but he had no memory of anything before he came here, so he was clueless on so many things.
"Thank you for your help. You seem to know more than me about a lot of things."
He smiled at the stallion. He was tempted to ask him about his own experiences with mares, since he seemed to know about the whole thing, but since he dodged his question earlier, he decided to let it go for now.
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 8:54 am
Easy enough. Shikoba liked the mare, the mare liked Shikoba, and the world was good. Although in a way having a more than physical relationship was asking for complication, it also had it's merits.
"Well, since you like her otherwise, it could be that's she's potential lifemate material; unless, of course, either one of you isn't into that sort of thing and would rather go the whole 'friends with benefits' way. Theoretically that works for some...but really, it depends on what you guys want or feel or whathaveyou. Maybe it merits a good talk with your lady friend, see what she thinks?"
Talking things out was always a good idea; you yourself could have an idea of what you wanted to have happen, but if the other one didn't feel that way, well! Unnecessary complication.
Still, Safi found himself hoping that things worked out for Shikoba; he was such an earnest stallion, it was almost like talking his kids through adulthood all over again. Without the clumsyness, that is.
Grinning at the compliment, Safi gave Shikoba a slight bow of acknowledgement, the gesture kept light by the accompanying grin. "No problem, my friend; I've been around the block once or twice, so it kinda makes sense I know a bit about it, wouldn't you say?" He had done a lot of traveling and met a lot of Soquilis, after all, so say nothing of those he'd honestly befriended!
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 9:05 am
Shikoba mulled over the new ideas that Safi suggested. Lifemates!? Would that really happen with Aishwarya? Thinking about it, it almost made Shikoba happy. It would be nice to fall in love with Aishwarya, and build a family with her. He could imagine little foals running around, and watching them proudly.
And talking to her about it did seem like a good idea. That way, both of them would know what the other wanted, and hopefully nobody would be too upset.
But the idea of children still excited Shikoba. He looked to Safi, wondering if he had any himself.
"Safi, do you have any children?"
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 9:17 am
The question about children might have been a bit more surprising, had the two stallions not been chatting about matings a moment before. It made sense to draw one from the other, indeed it did, and Safi answered without missing a beat. "Two, as a matter of fact; I have both a daughter and a son, though both are grown adults now."
Not that that didn't mean he couldn't harass them unmercifully when they merited it! Saiena in particular was good at being a twit, albeit in a charming fashion. She was too much like him, really...but then, he HAD been a single parent. Kileyo had at least had a mother, albeit a flakey one!
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 9:23 am
Shikoba smiled. Safi seemed like he would be a good father. He had seen both of his children to adulthood, so he wasn't horrible, right?
"How did you meet their mother? And was is confusing for you, trying to figure all this out?"
Safi gave off an air that almost anything seemed simple and easy to him, and always came naturally. Shikoba found himself feeling a little jealous of his ease in the world.
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 9:45 am
Ah yes, this was where the explanation came in. "Actually, it's not quite that simple with me. Both of my kids are adopted, actually; or rather, I found them as baskets, quite alone and unattended. I'm sure you can understand the direness of the situation; when I first came across the basket that wound up containing my daughter, I actually hung around the area for five days, waiting for a parent!"
Chuckling, Safi gave Shikoba a shrug of his shoulders, as though implying 'what can you do.' After all, the basket COULD have been temporarily left on it's own, but NOT for five days. "Anyway, I wound up taking her in, and it wasn't too long after she'd hatched that a friend of mine showed up with ANOTHER basket that SHE'D found; lovely mare, great personality, but an absolutel flake. SHE was afraid she'd forget about it somewhere, and asked if I'd co-parent it with her. Long story short...it's a complicated family dynamic, but it works out. Blood might be telling, but it isn't necessary for family, you know?"
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