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It was very much a cliche, but anyone who spoke when gearing up from combat was either a cliche, an idiot, or no true fighter. As a rule, Ladius preferred not to speak when fighting and had more valuable things to do with her time when making grand pronouncements. The stallions that tended to trespass and warrant action weren't worth wasting breath on, and when fighting with her daughter she was more occupied with sharp critique and counsel than anything else, peppered with a healthy dosage of 'motivation' in the form of dry and cutting remarks. It was a testament to just how annoyed she was that she was willing to break her rule and speak to this cocky stallion, one who spoke grandly and chivalrously but still hid in the shadows like a common skulk.

For her part, Rynia was awash with emotion. Guilt was the common driving sentiment; it was her ill-judged behavior that had both provoked her mother into this and drawn the Spirit and his birds into what had, at the very best, to be an unpleasant situation. The Spirit was seeing her mother at her worst, which was unfair to Ladius when it was due to Rynia's actions, and being provoked into behavior that was unwise for either. At the same time, she was unable to shake the usual fear and trepidation inspired by Ladius' looks, her understanding of her mother's temperament allowing her to understand that no good could come out of them.

And that realization was shown to be true when both mother and daughter had had a chance to process his last words. Accusing Ladius of cowardice, of all things, accusing her of assault, and making such an audacious comment as to ask her to leave Rynia unharmed...for a moment, both female faces were identically struck with amazement. But after a moment those expressions took entirely different expressions: Deepest shame, and blackest rage.

Ladius was not going to compromise or sport with anyone, especially not an interloper. How dare he come into her land and make demands on her? Who was he to judge her world, her life, her actions towards a most reprehensible child? And who was he to to take the moral high road while lurking in the shadows? If he were actually worried about her daughter...

Narrowing her eyes, Ladius turned to Rynia and in a very soft, dangerous tone, asked, "Rynia, are you in agreement with this stallion?" It was a very soft tone, but no one, not even a stranger, would be able to miss the malice or note the way that Rynia dropped her gaze. Still, Ladius continued on, "Do you feel that you are assaulted? That you need to be defended" This last was in a slightly mocking tone, one that spoke both mocking and contempt.

Rynia felt very much on the spot. It was amazing that a spirit was taking interest in her, but it was putting her very much between a rock and a hard place, and besides that it was unfair. While she couldn't meet her mother's gaze and wanted to shy away from the obvious anger radiating from her, she still couldn't agree with something so obviously false as that statement. In her own very soft voice and with a slight shake of her head, she voiced her own opinion, brief as it was. "No, Mother, I don't. It is all for my own benefit and ultimate safety, I have always understood. I need no defending from you."

Still, at the same time she was silently praying that the Spirit would understand what she couldn't say: that she was grateful to him for speaking on her behalf, even if he was going about it a horribly bad way. He might be misunderstanding the situation, but he was still defending her more aggressively than even her sister ever had. That, she would always have to be grateful for.

While Raines was correct in some respects, there was one deduction in which he erred. Yes, Ladius was violent and vengeful, but she had also firmly believed (albeit misguidedly) that force would be the cure-all for Rynia's defects. Where conscious will lacked, self-preservation should logically have been ready to kick in! And for all her aggression, she had never, idly or otherwise, so much as suggested actually killing her daughter. After all, if she were dead there would be absolutely no chance of redemption, no chance of Rynia turning her life around and finally taking combat seriously as Ladius had always desired.

No one would be able to blame Raines for thinking she would be homicidal towards her daughter, though; not if they'd seen her expression. And honestly, Ladius wouldn't discourage that thinking, if it got her the results she was after.

One of Ladius' ears cocked slightly at the soft sound of a single large wingbeat, and a maliciously satisfied expression crossed her face. ~So the trespasser is winged, then; well, at least that explains a few things.~ She wasn't a fan of wingeds as a rule; hated the way they had of 'dropping in', though she couldn't deny that the extra mobility would be useful in many cases. Still, this wouldn't be the first time that she dealt with one of that ilk; Rynia father, after all, sported the feathered appendages.

That one flap had been enough to prepare Ladius, so when the stallion literally dropped in she showed no shock or emotion, which was more than could be said of her daughter!

~~

For her part, Rynia was still in the role of bewildered observer. There was so much to be despaired of in the conversation of both her mother and the Spirit; so much antagonistic language, so many suggestions and implications of a fight that shouldn't be taking place, wouldn't be taking place if she hadn't allowed her weakness to override her better judgment. In the same moment, she was castigating herself for bringing this on and trying to figure out a way to stop anything from happening, knowing full-well that nothing would stop Ladius at this point shy of the target actually leaving...

These musings were abruptly interrupted when the stallion came diving down through the trees to appear in the middle of the clearing. Though he had had a masculine voice, she had still harbored the hope/wish that he wasn't actually manifested in a Soquili; Kaiya she'd been able to deal with after much dithering, but old habits died hard. He was definitely a male, and for all his sparkles and rainbow wings, still darned imposing, prompting her to start shaking violently and retreat behind a tree.

For her part, Ladius was pleased, if just that he'd finally decided to make an appearance. Sure, he was moralizing in a sickening and obnoxious way, but at least he was no longer hiding in the trees. Though to be sure, if there was one thing she disliked it was the outside world; consequently, being threatened by an unaccepted world-view was hardly going to cheer her mood or change her mind!

She hadn't seen him drop behind her, but even before he'd spoken she'd turned to face him, sizing him up while largely ignoring what he was saying. It was a stallion, and a wind, but without a horn or any other physical advantages beyond size and probably speed. She'd faced worse. "Your chivalry towards my daughter is touching," She said with the same cold, mocking edge, "But hardly necessary or appreciated. For all your fine talk, you're still trespassing, and still interfering with things that don't concern you or any of your 'wider world.' But I'm not interested in bandying words with you, Stallion; if you're really that upset, then let's see you do something about it."

It was always best to start out on the defensive, if you were ready and aware. She'd give him one chance to make an attack, but if he spoke so much as ONE more word, she was going to rip him a new one herself!

For her part, Ladius was unwilling to give into any manipulative games. She was no novice, to be provoked into attacking just to prove herself, to give up her position or give into words. For all her aggressive tactics, she most appreciated and enjoyed a straight up fight, physical skill against physical skill, and did not appreciate those that resorted to disguise or shields. She might be furious with her daughter, might regard her as a failure, and might be very willing to deliver vastly under-utilized punishment, but she would not turn that punishment into a manipulative tactic.

Not unless she had to, anyway.

Having already done a quick assessment of the stallion's physical appearance and assets, she took note now of the easy way he held himself, his calm manner. He was condescending, but he wasn't cocky; while he looked every bit the pretty boy, with his unmarred hide and his curls, his carriage was too sure for him to be unschooled in combat. He either was trained or he was a complete idiot who didn't know his danger, and given the care he had taken in his position, she doubted it was the latter.

A small, satisfied smile curled Ladius' lips for a moment. It had been a long time since she'd had anyone around that was worth fighting. And the time for talk was over. She might not be willing to be provoked into action, but that didn't mean she wasn't willing to knowingly take it, and with that in mind, she was lunging at the stallion, head down, teeth bared, and hooves ready.

She had been hoping that he would try something with his wings right off the bat. In her experience, wings were more than just a convenient means of escape for their owners; they also packed a mean punch and could serve as both a shield or extra defense for the face. Feathered wings weren't as bad as the nastier, spiked leather wings sported by the kalona, but anyone who had ever even tangled with a goose could tell you how bad wings could be if not taken care of properly. Whenever she was taking on a winged opponent, one of the first orders of business was to disable those wings.

But he was playing it cautious, yet another sign that he had been trained. She might not approve of either his trespassing or his disgusting attention to her daughter, but she did approve of his combat instincts. Especially when he went sideways, an unexpected maneuver when she was anticipating a step backwards, but not something she hadn't seen before. It was a foolish and careless Soq that allowed their own momentum to be used against them, and she wouldn't deserve to defend this territory if she fell prey to such a move in the first few seconds of combat!

Besides, she had another trick up her sleeve: one couldn't be a small mare used to fighting large stallions without learning a few things. Without slowing, she went sideways herself, then dodged towards him, literally intending to pass under him. Two good kicks at his knees, and she'd either be able to drop him or at least give him a good limp!

As Raines dodged what had been intended to be a painful, perhaps even debilitating attack, Ladius wheeled around a couple paces away and regarded the stallion with narrowed eyes. Combat instincts were all well and good, but this stallion had not only read her attack, he had done exactly the thing to evade it without receiving even a token injury. He not only had instinct, he had training. While she appreciated a good fight, the fact that this impudent creature was a trained fighter was alarming. She had encountered other fighters from time to time, but this was the first time that she'd encountered one of HIS ilk trespassing on her land.

Artemis Entreri was the last fighter who had appeared in her territory, and he had been the ideal male specimen: confident without arrogance, properly distrustful of everyone regardless of gender, and suitable scornful of the softening of their race.While saying that they were friends was a stretch, she and Entreri had been suitable respectful of each other and found much to admire in the other. They had even made the decision to have foals together, a testament to their mutual respect for one another. The epic catastrophe of that experiment had discouraged and angered both, but neither was so illogical that they blamed each other. Still, it was something to never, ever be repeated!

This stallion, unlike Entreri, was a threat. He scorned her ideals, espoused frivolous behavior, and encouraged her daughter the worst kinds of vices. As if Rynia weren't pathetic enough already, now she was gadding about with songbirds and mooning over impractical things! She didn't know what this stallion's game was, but she didn't trust him. For all she knew, he could be planning a takeover of her incredibly pleasant territory; well, if he thought he would succeed that easily, he was dead wrong!

~~~

For her part, Rynia was currently in a state of shock. While it was true that thus far the 'fight' had only consisted of a couple of moves, in her experience that was all the time that Ladius needed to really get going and do some damage. With a grace Rynia had never seen in combat, the stallion had simply stepped himself out of harm's way! It was amazing, it was unbelievable, it had never been done before; obviously this stallion WAS some sort of otherworldly creature. How else could he make the impossible look so easy?

~~~

Ladius spared no glances for her daughter, as to look away in combat was foolish and potentially suicidal. But as she hadn't heard the telltale sound of Rynia's retreat, she knew that she was there watching. So while she kept her gaze on the stallion, taking his measure and trying to assess his strategy or purpose, her next remarks were directed to her daughter. "I see I must give you some small credit, Rynia. I cannot believe that you could have trained as long as you have and not now see that this stallion is a fighter. So perhaps it was simple cowardice on your side that caused your grevious lapse in judgement. At least cowardice is more understandable than insubordination and improper thoughts." While not malicious, Ladius' tone was hard and carried a dangerous edge. Even in the heat of combat, Ladius was not about to let Rynia forget that she was personally accountable for this mess. Physical punishment was too easy for Rynia to deal with, but a little mental work...now that was different.

Ladius has been prepared for some now volley of nonsense from the stallion, perhaps a new defense of her daughter's shameful behavior and why Ladius should not hold her accountable for what were clearly Rynia's own shortcomings. In fact, she was so prepared to deal with the expected inane drivel that it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say his silence caught her off guard. There was something unnatural about a creature previously so hell-bent on disruption going silent.

~~~

Rynia noticed the eerie sounds first. Having much less need to focus on movements and motions, she was attuned to an almost painful state to what was being said by the combatants. Consequently, the first whisper sound caught her attention, and then her fear. Already on edge, she moved closer to the tree for protection, her eyes wide as she looked around for the source of the new chatter. Even after all her experiences this day, it didn't occur to her that they might be coming from Raines. It was much more feasible that there was another here, and that was a very unsettling fact. "Who's there??

~~~

For her own part, Ladius was unnerved by the new 'voice'. Having never encountered or even considered the idea of ventriloquism, she had no inclination to blame it on Raines. Always a pragmatist, she believed in what her senses and instincts taught her. And what they were telling her right now was that there was one stallion in front of her, and another lurking in the shadows. This was a dangerous situation, and she hoped with dark humor that it wouldn't take both of their deaths for her daughter to realize just how naive and idiotic she'd been in lowering her guard around the orange stallion. Who knew, perhaps there were even more of the damned intruders!

"So there really are more here than just you and a flock of birds, Stallion. How unsurprising...and how pitiful that your companion isn't willing to come out himself. Or is he willing to let another fight his battles for him?" Her tone was scornful and her body remained angled towards Raines, but her eyes slid away from him briefly to peruse the surrounding trees. It was folly to turn her back on an enemy, and so she wouldn't. But it was also foolish to ignore whatever menace was lurking out of sight.

There were few things that Rynia would consider herself skilled at; in fact, she probably regarded herself as even more bumbling than her mother. But there was one attribute in which Rynia outshone all others; where she could distinguish herself not only against her mother's expectations, but her own and those of the Soquili world at large. In this one arena, she was indomitable. And that attribute...was speed.

As a child, Rynia had always loved to run and race. Even though her twin sister was a unicorn, she was no match for Rynia in any racing game. On foot, she could leave the world behind; in the air, there were few as graceful or agile. It wasn't often that she allowed herself or was allowed the pleasure, but on wing she was unrivaled.

And that was when she was calm; add fear to the mix...

~~~

Later, Rynia would look back on the sudden mood change in Raines with bewilderment. Later still, she would understand the method to his madness. But right now, at this moment, she didn't stop to think. Her nerves, already stretched taut with the stress of the afternoon and the current fight, snapped; and with a neigh of panic she wheeled and bolted as though running from the hounds of hell.

~~~

Too late, Ladius realized that Raines was driving off Rynia. She wasn't going to rule out there being another creature around, but she suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling that this treacherous, trespassing creature had pulled one over on her. She was not amused. Ladius was no speed demon herself, but she knew the area and had stamina on her side. Everything depended on whether that stallion could find another clearing before she caught up with him, because if she did, she would show no mercy!

~~~

No conscious thought, no specific goal. Just run, run, run, run! Run until she could see the sky, and then, to wing!

Rynia was operating on full-on instinct at this point, with no troublesome thoughts getting in the way of leaping, ducking, and dodging her way through the trees. Years of first playing games with her sister, then training with her mother made speeding through the woods second nature to the mare, and she was in no more danger of striking a tree here than if she were running through a meadow. She couldn’t hear any pursuers anymore, but to stop and listen would be the height of foolishness. Having never been shadowed by a songbird before, the sound of tiny wings was lost on her, and though she continued to race along, the initial adrenaline rush was starting to fade from her system. Still, the one word racing through her brain was run!

The forest was all around her, with the canopy effectively blocking out light. Still, her body knew where she was going, even if her brain didn’t, and it wasn’t long at her current rate until she burst out into the daylight on the bank of the stream, close to her favorite resting place on the rocks where she’d first met Raines and the birds that morning. Above, the sky stretched in a wide, welcoming band, and as she emerged from the trees she unfurled her wings. Within two steps, she had leapt up and was winging her way skyward, to safety!

~~

Truth be told, it was a major source of annoyance for Ladius that she was not fleeter of foot. While she scorned those like her daughter who used their speed for cowardly fleeing, there were times, such as now, when speed would be to her own advantage. Chasing down foes was a worthy undertaking, but it was one she was woefully unskilled at. To say she found this frustrating was a major understatement.

The stallion had her on speed, this was unmistakable. But he was a stranger here, while she spent every day of her life in and around this area. If only she could find a way to shorten the distance between them, to take a shortcut, to catch up to him, she would once again have the upper hoof. But unfortunately, there were no obstacles in his path she could think of, other than the damned stream. If he made it to the stream, she would lose him.

Damn, damn, and double damn that daughter of hers!