Welcome to Gaia! ::

We must move swiftly...

There was little Achak could do other than to aid Yei's ascent from the mountains, leaning forward and grasping her mane lightly for balance as she hurtled down the mountainsides towards the forest and ultimately towards the beaches where they might be provided with a better look and insight into the beast that caused such chaos upon the shores.

Swiftly!

The urgency within his mind seemed to urge the mare on as she leapt over various obstacles within the forest with ease and ducked beneath the low lying branches of the trees. In fact, she was making better time than she normally did as she dove out across the clearing and began to head Northwest towards the beach, slowing her pace ever so slightly as a cautious measure - although her nostrils still flared at the putrid and acidic smell of the odd clouds.

"Ho there!" She whinnied loudly in the hope that another Soquili would hear her.

The wind carried the news of the white newcomers to Citlalli before she would have discovered it herself. Tehya nickered as her as she left to find them, dropping in with her. "No no, sister." Citlalli whispered to her softly. "You must stay here. The air burns with the scent of burning trees, and is full of shouting, chopping, and their fire sticks, they... boom, like all the arrows in the village being let loose at once, but multiplied! I will not have you go into danger." she kissed the tip of Tehya's nose, and the mare nickered.

And I am to let you go?! Tehya tried to cry, neighing loudly her displeasure. She reared up onto her back legs and stomped in her two-legger's path, annoyed. Let the Kawani deal with this. This is their land. We can leave!

"Tehya." Citlalli ran her hand down the furious mare's muzzle, soothing her gently. "I will stay out of sight. I am smaller." and she had heard the rumors of the way their Soquili were treated, and their fire sticks. She had seen the fire sticks kill a bear! One stick had let loose it's fire, and the creature had fallen. Could she really bring herself to risk that with this precious mare she had found? NEVER.

The half-Lakota woman threw her bow and arrows over her back, flame-red hair pulled back tightly into a braid, and started off. Tehya watched her go, eyes rolling. No! Stay with me! Citlalli!

Citlalli crept silently over the plains, wishing there was more cover. Finding some in a rocky crop near the each, she settled her bow down and found a seat on the rocks, emerald eyes watching every movement of the pale faced people.

Tashika inched on through the trees, watching the pale-faced intruders and their bound horses. She jumped at the sound of Soquili hooves and the soft steps of what could only be other Kawani, and smiled, scooting for the underbrush in search of her people.
She would feel safer if she could discuss these new people with Foalen, but he did not seem to be around. The thought of him and Ayita made her smile, and send up a quick prayer for their safety.
'Great Spirit keep my friends well.'
With a glance at the sky she mooved on, spying the flash of a coat and the catching the sound of Soquili words. Upon reaching her fellows, Tashika stood and smiled, winding up closest to Nokomei.

((Thought we could talk Ivory! smile ))

((@ Latonia & Ivory, I could join you two if you like,be aware of my character's name cahnge as soon as I think of one.))

Two had finally caught up with Chaleha,who always proved to be the fastest in a race between them. They had come down to the ocean shore to gather shells.Planning to spend the day in the salt water,before returning to the teepee on the river's bank. TwoHorses froze as she looked on Chaleha.Her frozen form was intently watching the shore.Remembering the strange creature she had seen rising from the river,Two became concerned.Creeping up a little farther on the dune than Chaleha,she peered through the sea grasses onto the beach.
What she saw surprised her.There were strange pale people.The odors rising from them hurt her nose.Then she saw the huge beast with it's white manes all billowing in the ocean breeze.The people appeared to be familiar with it.They were climbing off it's back.
She noticed several Kawanii down the beach,doing the same thing she was. This was all too unsettling for her.Grabbing Chaleha's mane she steered her away from the sight.Feeling the nervousness of the mare,she took one last look,and then there was something she had never seen before. A Soquili,with a human on it. Or was it a Soquili? Chaleha built up a whicker and Two made her look away,not wanting the mare to draw attention to them. Holding her by her nose in a comforting manner,Two watched the horse and rider.
It was too much,turning back to the inland she encouraged Chaleha to move with her.They were going home it was not a good day after all for shell hunting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chaleha was quiet as was Two. All afternoon upon returning to the teepee,both had alot of thinking to do.Chalee stayed close to the young native woman.Never had she felt this type of tension from the girl before. Snorting and blowing more gave Two every indication the young mare was stressed also.As the sun climbed higher into the sky,Two Horses left from the teepee.Chalee turned to follow,they were heading to the river to wade and splash along the white sandy beaches and cool theirselves in the pristine waters.
They would stop along the way for Two,to pick some of the dark grapes.These she would place in the spring that issued from the bank where they would swim.
Two was walking along thinking of grapes,and what she has seen on the beach earlier.Hoping they had only come to visit and would go home in a few days,she found the boughs of the vines well laden with the large black grapes. Chaleha waited patiently for the girl to finish grabbing a couple of bunches.Chaleha was anxious to get to the river,she was feeling the heat.

There was no response and yet both Soquili and two-legger companion drew near the edge of the clearing, their eyes fixed upon the encampment that was most unlike their own. The thunderous bangs had ceased and yet there were no words to describe what the pair saw as each took note of seperate things.

In Achak's case, he couldn't help but notice the pale faces and light eyes of the two-leggers that walked around the encampment. Their odd clothes also seemed to look quite unusual, much tighter and they wore much more than even he did despite the heat.

"Clouds!" He murmured through awe as his gaze focused on the large ships and the huge triangular clouds that hovered above them...there really was nothing quite like it.

[****]

Meanwhile, Yei had her gaze trained on a group of Soquili within the encampment - in part they looked similar to her and yet somehow they had been cruelly bound by leather and cloth so that they could scarcely open their mouth due to the metal in their mouths, it made her sick to the stomach just seeing it.

"How could they do this?" She breathed, the air catching in her throat as her eyes widened in horror at the horrible manner in which the Soquili were treated by those pale-faced two-leggers. "They're savages!" She whispered again in horror.

Nevertheless, despite her horror she did look round for other fellow Soquili in which she could talk to - perhaps they knew more?

Kanti was in utter shock. She had never heard that noise before in her life. It had frieghtened her, and normally she wasn't frieghten so easily. She was brought back by Hok'ee's nuzzle.

"I'm fine" she said in a bare whisper. On the brightside at least she wasn't alone. She didn't like the noise. She stayed close to Hok'ee, she was afraid to leave his side and be stuck with the noise that the pale faces where creating. What they were doing, was wrong, she thought as she glared at the pale faces.


Alona was worried. A loud noise had echoed through the forest. She was worried about the herd as well. She nickered to a few of the mares and started to nudge them farther away from the forest. She didn't like what was going on, not to mention she was afraid of it. She was afraid of what would happen to Kanti as well. She stopped and noticed Moki still remaining close to her legs and gave him a soft nuzzle.

As soon as Isi and king reached the spot they had been watching the settlers in before, isi jumped off of king and sat crouched in the grass. King of coarse stood there, but could hardly be noticed becuase of his brown coloring. So for once he felt good about being a less eye catching soquili.