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 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 8:50 pm
He stood in silence for a long time, not sure that he could willingly say all that. She was bound to find out the truth someday anyway. Wasn't she? That is...if the boy is alive and well somewhere. He eventually gave a slight nod and wandered off to another tide pool to wait.
"She'll find out the truth...yes...yes...you can't guarantee he's alive. Mama probably sent something after him by now..." He murmured, staring at his reflection in the water. "She'll see right through me..."
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:23 pm
Zalashji shrugged again. "Wait here, Father." He trotted off and disappeared into the sea. Several moments later he reappeared from the depths, his mother in tow.
"Honestly, Zala, what is so important to drag me all the way here to the beach to tell me?" Darkspine grumbled, following her son. Then she caught sight of Atal'ai. "You! What are you doing back here?" She looked at her son again. "Was he trying to take you, too?"
"No, Mother he came to visit, to talk to you," Zalashji answered and looked at his father. "Didn't you?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:39 pm
Atal'ai snapped to attention, pulling his face out of the water of the tide pool and quickly looking at the two of them. He was honestly surprised to see Dark had come with him back to the beach at all.
"I did n--othing to take him." He murmured, eyeing Zala carefully. Inwardly, he was impressed with the look the younger stallion was giving him. It reminded him of his mother and sister in a way. Stern, knowing and threatening. "I was not going to." He said, refusing to move any closer to the pair.
"Naj'entus is alive...somewhere. If that's all you care about."
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:01 pm
"Naj'entus?" Darkspine asked and then it dawned on her. "Our other son. He's okay. He no longer lives with you?"
Zalashji gave his father a look that clearly said "do not hurt my mother" and moved a bit closer to the older stallion to close the gap."He wanted to come see you, Mother."
Darkspine'ss expression clearly showed she knew her son was full of it, but she appreciated him bringing his father back anyway. She strode over to Atal'ai. "How about you? Have you been well?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:06 pm
"He left. On his own. I don't know where." He said, stepping back slightly as they moved closer to him. He looked back at Zala again. The last thing he wanted to do right now was see Darkspine after he had grabbed their son and ran off. He felt inwardly that she was judging every ounce of him and what he had done.
"...well enough." He murmured, keeping a close eye on her instead.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:17 pm
"Atal'ai, why did you take him away and leave? You could have been happy enough here." She touched his shoulder with the tip of her tail. "I am no longer angry with you, just confused."
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:21 pm
"I cannot live here. It's too open. Unsafe. I cannot swim like you." He glanced towards the ocean pointedly, having watched them emerge from it. "I am not like you, I don't belong here...the swamp is my home."
He sighed and stepped back again slightly. "I panicked when I took him. My sister did the same with her first...we did not know how to react. Had he been female, he would have been a fine heir. But he wasn't...." He murmured, sounding extremely upset and disappointed by that detail.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:34 pm
"Yes, your herd does like females more. Atal'ai, he would have been better off here. My herd needs males. I am sorry he was not happy there and left." She nodded a bit in thought. "And you are right. You would not have been suited to life here any more than I would be in the swamps." She patted his shoulder affectionately. "Perhaps one day you will get your heir if you have not already. You speak as if you have other children."
While his parents spoke, Zalashji made himself useful at the charged tide pool. He had stopped by his den on the way to get his mother to retrieve a bottle he had found on the beach that some two-legger had left behind. holding it in his tail, he pulled the stopper with his teeth and then dipped it into the pool filling it before pushing the stopping back in with the tip of his tail. He walked over to his father and held it out. "Here. A gift for Grandmama."
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:07 pm
"Well...he's yours to take if he turns up around here then." He glanced at her tail as it touched him. "...I have had three more...two live in the safety of the swamp and I'm not sure whether the third is alive or dead. Mama does not approve of my daughter though. She is not good enough and has been resigned to only living in the safety of home." He mumbled, thinking back to his encounter with the skinwalker and the scars. He was at least thankful they were not all that noticeable thanks to the treatments from family.
He nodded a slight thanks to Zala, taking the bottle and nestling it between his feet in the sand for now. He had to admit, it was better than carrying a large shell of water home.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:38 am
Darkspine frowned slightly at the news of Atal'ai's other children. The stallion really had the worst luck sometimes. "I am glad you were able to find a mate. Perhaps someday you can bring them to meet their brother, and you know you are always welcome here." She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his for a moment before stepping back. "Take care of yourself, Atal'ai. I have to go back to my duties now." She headed back into the sea to return to the island.
Zalashji watched his mother leave with a soft sigh before looking at his father. "I think she feels a bit better about it all now. It is an open invitation, Father. You can come visit anytime. I hope next time we meet, I will have a chance to meet my siblings." He walked toward the edge of their territory. "If you know where my brother might have went, I would like to find him."
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:46 am
Atal'ai frowned at the mention of a mate. The skinwalker was far from that. Before he could open his mouth to protest otherwise, she had bid her farewell and left. He sighed and shook his head. "At least...that's settled." He noted and nodded to Zala.
"Perhaps they'll visit....or me...I don't know about Naj'entus though. He could be across the world by now." He finished, picking up the bottle and moving to return to the swamp with the gift.
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