[PRP] Into the Badlands (Dameer Ankaa & Ignazio)

[SylverStar]

Dameer set out early in the day. The sun just peeked over the eastern dunes as she looked back at her herd in the distance. Now that she had more freedom and her own bells she wanted to see the Badieh Badawei for herself. Many in the Rasheeka talked about the marketplace and all the exotic and beautiful items that could be bought there. It also happened to be not too far from where the herd was now staying at the southern oasis. So she thought it was the perfect opportunity to venture out on her own, with just Little Bit on her back, who seemed to be trying to readjust and secure her stash of bells in the scarf tied to her tail feathers.

Both Dameer's father and mother had told her to wait to go to the marketplace. They said the herd would soon be headed into the badlands and they usually stayed in the area for a good while. But Dameer did not want to wait. Nor did she want others around when she was browsing and learning about the world and those in it. Dameer had learned that Soquili are much more honest in one on one situations and not when trying to impress others. If she had the rest of the Rasheeka around she didn't think anyone would be straight forward. Of course she didn't tell her parents this. They probably would not be happy to know she liked to snoop into the lives of others. Plus that wasn't the kind of thing you shared with anyone anyways. She just told her parents she couldn't wait, she wanted to know now. At least take an escort they pleaded, but she refused. She was old enough to take care of her self.

She refused to look back again, only forward. Today was going to be something new and different. She trotted briskly in her excitement down the southern route while the morning was still cool. Her head held high as she personified confidence. Today was the start of the life and name she would make for herself outside of the Rasheeka. She toyed with the idea of pretending to not be part of the Rasheeka at all, but decided it would probably be too obvious. Also being a member would help her get more things she wanted. Everyone wanted to be like her she thought.
 

[Faithofthefallen]

Ignazio had awoke with the dawn as the first fierce rays of sunlight streaked over the horizon and pierced his eyelids where he slept, cradled in the shadow of a large boulder. He had wanted to begin the day's travel early, hoping to make it to the marketplace before the previous night's chill was baked away by the unforgiving sun, mid afternoon was not a good time to be out in the desert. Coughing, he stumbled to his feet, grimacing and smacking his lips at the slimy coating in his throat, he needed water. Thankfully there was a small concealed oasis not far from where he had made his night's camp, it would tide him over until he reached the badlands where he could pawn the fruits of his thievery at the marketplace and potentially, at the black market.

Gathering his few possessions, he set out at a steady ground eating trot into the beautiful, deadly furnace of the desert. Already, the heat was unbelievable. The world seemed to shimmer and undulate as heat waves rose from the blistering sand, and though he was sweating profusely from the exertion and the temperature, the moisture evaporated so quickly that by the time he reached the oasis, nearly an hour later, his dark body was still completely dry.

Ignazio splashed happily in the lukewarm water that bubbled up from an underground aquifer, enjoying his first real bath in days. The bag of loot had been tossed carelessly near a small copse of fan palms and bushes that concealed the pool, along with his beaded collar. His star ornament, the only connection he had left to his mother, had been carefully nestled on top of the pack and glinted as stray beams of light filtered between the gnarled branches to reflect off it's burnished gold surface. Feeling refreshed and triumphant at his luck, cornering a rich and snobby pair of traders foolishly traveling unguarded through a ravine, he threw back his head scattering an ark of sparkling droplets as he let loose a wild war cry. The other herds viewed his as a mistake, a group of evolutionary aberrations, but he wouldn't let them condemn his family to starvation and struggle regardless of the color of their coats. Perhaps he was not physically suited to survive in the desert, but it was his home, and both he and his sister deserved life as much as the lighter coated members of the Badieh Badawie. If they couldn't find enough resources to support themselves in the wastelands, he would take what they needed from those who could. Kynreeve would never want for anything.

SylverStar

 

[SylverStar]

Dameer had been traveling for awhile now. The morning sun now beating down on her back keeping her warm, Her confident and speedy trot had slowed to a leisurely walk. She preferred to move slow when the sun was out, she seemed to be able to keep from sweating that way. She still had a confidence and determination though. The sun did nothing to sway her from that.

Her stomach did rumble a little though. She hadn't eaten much this morning. She had been too anxious and excited to get going. She decided to stop and see if there was a good direction to head to scavenge something to eat. Everything looked the same from where she stood. So she decided she would push herself up into the air to see if she could see anything from an aerial view. She noticed off in the distance to the right of the path there seemed to be a bit off green shimmering. It could be a mirage but she decided to head that way. All the other directions promised was more sand and dust and no vultures seemed to be circling near by either.

She landed back on the ground with a soft thud and started heading in the direction of what seemed to be a small oasis. As she got lucky in it not being a mirage. The green plants seemed to get larger and more in focus. Her stomach grumbled more as she grew hungrier the closer she got. It was then she herd the cry of another. At first she thought it was her stomach but her heart sank a little when she realized it was another Soquilli and they did not seem to want to be messed with. Then she grew angry. How dare another keep her from eating she thought. And with that she stomped towards the Oasis ready to confront the stranger.

Faithofthefallen

 

[Faithofthefallen]

Heavy hoof falls drew Ignazio's attention, crouching down he peered through the greenery surrounding the pool and spotted a beautifully pale colored mare headed towards him, irritation etched across her features and seemingly aimed at him. His sharp gaze took in the fine scarves draped around her slender figure and then fixated with razor intensity on the ornamental bells arranged on one side of her headscarf. There was only one herd in the desert with enough wealth, "Rasheeka Bayda," he growled in a low voice as he pulled his glistening body from the water to confront the newcomer. He still had a few minutes before she reached him so he busied himself with gathering his belongings, there was no need to dry, the water steamed from his body quickly enough. He wondered what the mare was doing so far from the rest of her herd, he had never know them to wander far from their accumulated comforts. As she drew nearer his green eyes swept along her delicate form approvingly, she was a pretty little thing and her coloring reminded him of a sunset, he wondered if she would be as vulnerable to his charms as the females of his own herd. He wouldn't mind getting a hold of some of those bells, but most Rasheeka looked down on his kind. His sister despised them with a passion, she hated the way they looked at them, he himself felt indifferent to their opinions. Let them pity him, scorn him, treat him like dirt. They sang a very different tune when he caught them alone and robbed them blind, they respected him then. He spread his wings wide both to allow the last of the moisture to evaporate and to display the haunting mutation that had earned him fear and suspicion throughout his childhood. Many whispered that he watched those around him even as he slept through the eye like markings on his back and webbed pinions. He paid the rumors no mind, they suited him, and the aura of foreboding added another layer of protection around his family in the hard world of the Debbani, where weakness bought you death.

He stretched languidly while smiling, an impish glint to his eye, at the approaching mare. Under different circumstances, he would play the part of a sniveling servants of the Rasheeka Bayda. He knew they had them, dark coated souls who trailed after them like puppies looking for a handout... It was a good cover to get close to some of the families, to gain their trust. But out here he was in his element, the mare was alone and as far as he was concerned, at his mercy, perhaps he would have more loot to store in the pack slung over his muscular shoulders. "Good morning lady" he called out, "You're far from home, what brings you out into this glorious incinerator at this time of day? Shouldn't you be tucked safely at home being fanned and shaded by your adoring servants?"

SylverStar

 

[SylverStar]

Dameer would have been sweeter had her stomach not been bothering her so. She was out to get to know people not start fights but she let her hunger get to her. Little bit having sensed her frustration decided to take refuge under the mares scarf, still holding the other scarf of bells.

As Dameer got closer she was able to make out the stallion. She watched as he got out of the water. When she saw his feature clearly her expression changed and she stopped her stomping and walked normally towards him. There was something slightly familiar about him. But she was sure she had never seen him before. His wings were unusual and his eyes had a slight glow. She had only had one other encounter with the dark skinned horses outside of her herd. That filly had also been black, brown and red with unusual features. She was starting to wonder if maybe her herd were the strange ones. That previous encounter had not gone well. She had lost some of her wealth. She was glad Little Bit had decided to hide and whispered to the mouse "stay hidden.". She did not trust this stallion or his dark skin, but maybe she would change her mind.

She watched him gather his stuff. He didn't seem to trust her either she thought. She was a little taken aback that he had assumed she was Rasheeka. She guessed that it would not be possible to pretend otherwise. She cringed a little at his words. "Having someone to fan me does sound nice right about now. Why don't you go over there and grab one of those palm branches." She said sarcastically. She did not like people making assumptions about her weather they were true or not. She also did not feel too open to discussing her plans for the day with this stranger, so she decided on continuing her snootiness. "And while your at it see if you can find me something to eat. I'm famished" This was not how she expected her day to start off but she was still frustrated and this stallions manners were not making her feel very cordial.

Faithofthefallen

sorry for the long wait.

 

[Faithofthefallen]

Ignazio peered at her through his veil of dark hair, green eyes glinting with irritation at the mare's presumption. It never occurred to him that it had been his own behavior that had spurred her hostility and sharp words. He bent down to pick up the beaded collar with his nose, flipping it over his crown with practiced ease and tossing his head a few times to slide it down his neck and settle it in place. The star pendant he tucked over his shoulder into his pack, preferring to leave his long plait hanging free while it dried. "I could grab one of those palm branches, but I doubt you'd like what I would do with it. Certainly not fan you." The threat was half hearted, he would not play servant for the pretty mare, but in truth, he didn't feel like hurting her either. He was in a good mood after his swim and truth be told his bags were still bulging from his last conquest.

He relaxed, letting the tension drop from the air. It was too hot for petty arguments. "If you're hungry, these plants are edible. The water is fresh, or there is a stand of cactuses a few miles away if you prefer, on the way to market.... You really should bring food with you when you travel, and water if possible. The desert outside the Rasheeka's oasis does not deal kindly with those who travel it unprepared. What are you doing out here anyways? Admiring the scenery?" Now that she was closer, his eyes roamed over her appreciatively, noting her colorful feathers and the strange beak-like projection of her jaw. He had never seen a mare like her before, her coloring and adornment gave away her status, but her physical features were foreign to him.

"Are you a wind?" he grunted curiously, flapping his own wings to indicate her plumage. He was incapable of flight, the threadlike fibers of his wings were far too fragile to carry his weight. He wondered why she would grub around on the ground like the rest of them if hers worked.

SylverStar

No worries ^-^ stuff happens!