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 Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:16 pm
Time had passed, and winter was settling around them. Snow had fallen, and this kept Talencia and Delphia busy. Since their teepee was a distance from the village, they had noone to help them with their daily needs, such as clearing the ground around the teepee and hunting for their meals. Delphia was beginning to regret that Sparrow Moon was so far from the others. She had had no time to go play in the snow or visit with the others, and noone had come to visit them.
The good news was that Jaden's wing had healed admirably. He now spent more time roaming the woods, as there was little he could do with the more menial chores. He did, however, help by hunting small game, such as rabbits and foxes. Sometimes he'd perch on Delphia's back as she pulled loads of firewood or dragged a log to scrape snow. He'd chatter on about what he'd seen in the forest, but he rarely mentioned the other soquili, as he tended to avoid the village and meadow. He did not like the human who had wanted his feathers, and that human was still lurking about. Delphia had heard about Leonis trying to ride one of the other soquili without permission, and shuddered her hide when she thought of him getting near Jaden again.
But consequently, the raccoon-marked mare was starting to feel very lonely again. She wished the holidays meant that she could have a break from the daily chores, but the weather did not cease for such things, nor did they cease needing to be fed and kept warm. So she plugged along, growing more and more dreary as the days passed.Takakun
His long mane spooled into the swirling waters of the river as Sora took a deep satisfying drink. Though the air was crispy, and snow had fallen, the eternal river gushes on, providing ice cold wetness giving vitality to the soquilies.
Sora was no exception, and he had grown up in the forest, learning to appreciate the life that the river brought. Not to mention this was how he spent his childhood days, splashing about, but that's some time past.
The gray silvery soquili lifted his graceful head and took a cautionary sniff. There was a strange yet familiar scent...... family?....another one like me? he thought to himself and began looking around. Soon he spotted a darkly grayed mare, hidden by the trees alongside what looks to be a teepee. Sora wondered if he should approach. When sighting lone soquilis he had no qualms about whinnying to them, but to a human dwelling....he knew his bonded humans would not likely enter another encampment without much 'courtesy'..
What should he do.....perplexed, he stamped one foot into the waters and subsequently splashed himself, ice cold droplets sticking to him like snow. Thus came the loud whinny, from the very surprised grey soquili hurrying out of the watery chill.
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:20 pm
Delphia was standing by, still hitched to the drag which held a couple day's worth of firewood. She was watching Talencia tending the fire, which had gone out while they were gone. They had cut it too close, fetching wood just at the last possible time. Delphia heaved a sigh. She knew Talencia was avoiding moving into the village, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Still, she could tell all this was wearing Tal down too. Perhaps they would need a winter home in the village.
A distant splash and a very loud neigh echoed across the forest, and Delphia threw her head up, ears pricked. A soquili was about? Talencia had also stopped tending the fire to glance around. Delphia gave her a pleading look, and Talencia chuckled. "Yes, little one, you can go greet whoever approaches." Tal walked across the crunching ice-covered clearing in front of their teepee and unhooked Delphia from the drag.
Delphia paused to nuzzle Talencia lovingly, huffing her warm breath into the woman's cold face. Talencia laughed and pushed the mare away and slapped her shoulder in encouragement. That was all Del needed to go bounding through the drifted snow towards the neigh and... the river! With this realization Delphia gave a squeal and a happy buck. She loved the river! Soon she exploded from the forest in a flurry of snow. She slowed then in surprise that it was a stallion she did not know who waited there. Momentarily thrown off kilter, she stopped in her tracks and shyly averted her eyes, managing a soft whicker of a greeting.Takakun
The gray soquili had turned in circles, stomping about to shake the chills from his coat. He gave a momentary shiver and huffed, blowing warm mist from his face.
Soon he heard a soft knicker and looked up in surprise. There she was! The soquili he saw....delighted, he was distracted from what he was doing and smiled instead, "Hi. I'm Sora....what's your name?"
He twitched his long tail, and noticing that she had averted her eyes, he walked closer, whinnying softly.
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:22 pm
Delphia smiled more at this kind greeting and bobbed her head politely. "I'm Delphia." She paused and gazed at him, her smile turning into full amusement. "Ah... you have... a beard." Dangling from his chin was a few short iciccles, water that had dripped down his jaw and froze in the winter air upon his chin. She laughed a bit. "With your coloring, it looks rather nice!" And indeed it did! The pale shimmer of the ice reflected well with his pale coat.
Delphia came closer and stretched her neck to breathe on the ice a bit, hoping her warm breath would help detatch it from the stallion's chin. "How did you manage such an unusual accessory?" She grinned sideways at him, still shy but laughter dancing in her eyes.Takakun
Sora look blankly before shaking his head, trying to see what was on his chin. Just out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted something sparkling and harrumphed, then tried standing still so that Delphia can warm the icicles off. Standing still has never been Sora's forte and before long he shook his head again and leapt aside, dislodging the ice in the process. Delighted he grinned cheekily back at Delphia,"Thanks!....I like your name..........did your bonded human give it to you?" He trotted back to her, his long mane and tail swishing. "Where do you live? How come I've never seen you before?" Full of questions, he circled around her.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:27 am
Delphia whickered a laugh as he pranced around her. He hadn't yet noticed the ice crystals sparkling in hs mane and tail, making him look like a soquili from beyond. She stood still as he circled her, turning her head to watch him with amusement as she answered his questions. "Yes, she gave me my name. I live in that teepee over there." She tossed her nose towards the trees that seperated it from this part of the river. She missed the click-clack of beads in her mane, but Tal had decided to leave it loose to help keep Delphia warm.
She turned her face back towards the prancing stallion. "And since we live so far from the village, I am the only one who is here to help Talencia with keeping us fed and warm. So I have been busy working with her lately. I haven't had any time to play." Her ears flicked back and then forward again. She honestly didn't resent the restriction, but she did miss equine company quite a bit. That was why she was so glad to see another of her kind, even one she hadn't met before. It made her happy, and since Sora seemed so full of mischeif already, she grinned a bit, ducked her head, and as he circled behind her, she kicked a snowdrift behind her to spray him with snow.
She whinnied a laugh and slogged through the snow in what during summer would have been a swift dash, but now was just a slow wade. She made her way behind a large mound that might have been a bush at another time of year. Once behind it, she hunkered down to hide, swishing her tail gleefully.Takakun
"Really? Why don;t you come closer to the village? Even though big brother and I spend most of the time in the forest and I like being under the clouds, the village is fun too. it's where I meet our other brothers and sisters..." His words were cut shot as he was suddenly showered with a face ful of snow. Blinking in surprise, he let go of a small neigh, and stared after the dark grey mare who disappeared behind a large snow drift.
An unbidden smile came on his face so she wants to play... and silently, he sloshed through the snow to the other side. Awaiting his chance, he peeked slightly to where he knew she was and suddenly leapt out, whinnying loudly.
Sora chortled and winked.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:28 am
Delphia was waiting for him to leap out, though he happened to come from the wrong direction. She had expected him to follow her, but he hadn't. Consequently, her own trick backfired on her. For you see, she had grabbed the end of a snow-laden branch in her teeth and gently bent it back... so that it would shower Sora in snow again when he came around the snowdrift. But when he leaped out behind her, she let out a startled neigh and leapt in the other direction... directly under the branch she had just let go. She ended up looking like a snowhorse, with only bits of her mane peeking out and her eyes blinking at Sora.
Then she neighed a laugh, tossing her head to free it of the snow, and shuddering her coat to try and loosen the damp snow. She was starting to regret this cold play, for her hide was now soaked and she was beginning to shiver. She shuddered her hide again, trying to warm herself, and gave Sora a mildly sheepish smile. "Guess the joke's on m-m-me!"Takakun Sora laughed loudly along with Delphia, seeing her all covered with snow. But then he noticed her shivering and frowned slightly. He leaped through the snow to get by her side and leaned in close, lending her his warmth, "hey are you alright? Maybe we should get you back to the teepee. Or would you like to come to the village? There's always a warm fire when the bright light goes away and the dark comes."
The grey soquili attempted what he thought was a comforting smile, but it came out rather comical on his face.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:30 am
Delphia leaned appreciatively into Soras offered warmth. She gave me a shivery smile. "Apparently I'm not meant to get doused in snow." Suddenly she went thoughtful. "I wonder if raccoons hibernate?" She shuddered her coat again, trying to warm herself. "That might explain it."
She smiled at his suggestions, then grinned at his laughable smile. "A trip to the village would be nice. Getting there might help me warm up, too." She nuzzled him in thanks and then began slogging through the snow towards the trail that would take them to the village.Takakun Racoons? thought Sora to himself wondering what she was talking about. He continued to lend support, and sloshed through the snow with her, "The village is cosy, we'll be able to find a warm place to rest. Might you want to tell your bonded? In case they are worried....I know mine always wants to know where I am..." he said it in a way that sounded half frustrated but also jokingly. He loves his big brother and little playmate but sometimes a soquili just wants to go and run, not cooped up in the teepee all day long. Sora glanced at the darkly marked mare and smiled shyly, his deep green eyes twinkling.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:33 am
Talencia smiled at Sora, the movement already warming her so that she didn't shiver so much. "She already gave me permission to come play. She knows I'll be back when she needs me." She paused to lunge over a hidden log that only looked like a short mound of snow. "She can send Jaden to fetch me if she needs me before I think she does."
They broke out onto a trail and the going became easier. The trail was already broken by previous travellers and it wasn't long before they approached the village. Delphia slowed down uncertainly. It was just dawning on her that, although they lived close to it, and she knew it was here, she hadn't often come into it actually. She glanced at Sora a bit nervously and edged closer to him, sidling sideways. "Where to now?" she inquired, ears flicking all around as she gazed about her.Takakun
Sora continued to plough through the snow, whinnying slightly as they got nearer. He could smell scents of warm food wafting through the village. The he noticed Delphia had dropped behind and he turned slightly, "Hmm? " his ears twitched along with hers, "Um...well, we can go visit the other soquilis. Or go back to our teepee. I'm sure big brother has some food there and it'll be warm. It's closer to the forest though...if you want to stay inside the village, we can go to the center instead?"
He shuffled quietly next to the racoon soquili, awaiting her response.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:35 am
Delphia shuddered right down to the bone. Her coat had grown very thick since the snows began, but every bit of it was now soaked through, slowly freezing from the outside in. Her grey coat was starting to pale with the icy crystals forming in her fur. Her fetlocks ached, and her pace slowed. She wasn't in danger of her life, but she was possibly in danger of catching clod. She let Sora catch up to her and leaned against him in a non-subtle plea for warmth.
"W-w-which e-e-ever is c-c-clos-s-ser," she manaaged, ears drooping. She was feeling distinctly less playful than she normally did. She hoped Sora did not think badly of her for her lapse in good spirits. If she could just get WARM, and soon! Then she would perk back up, she was sure.Takakun
Sora dropped his head, nuzzling her on her cheek. "Come on then......maybe big brother has blankets around"
He gently led her through the side of the village where they soon came upon a little dishevelled teepee half hidden by the tall oaks. Sora gave a slight sheepish smile to the grey mare and poked his head inside. There werent anyone there so he whinnied for her to follow him.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:39 am
Delphia followed Sora inside, where it was significantly warmer. She was still smiling at his nuzzle on her cheek. She stepped carefully, making sure to avoid any personal belongings that were inside. It seemed like it was pretty spacious in here too, bigger inside than it looked outside. She mulled for a moment that most of the teepees were that way. She explored a bit, poking her nose here and there, sneezing once at what she found. Her shivering was already slowing and was nearly gone, just from the short time of being in the shelter of Sora's teepee. She gave him a sheepish smile. "Thank you for inviting me in. It seems to be helping." She in turn nuzzle him, nipping at his mane and giving it a playful tug. Warming up made her return to her generally jolly attitude.Takakun
Sora turned slightly red when Delphia nipped at him, hard to do for a soquili....turn red that is.
He dropped gently on his knees and curled up on the ground, whinnying to the mare to join him, "it'll be warmer here..." and he tugged at one of the furs closer. Inside the teepee there were two mounds that look like makeshift beds with several other random objects scatterd around, furs and arrows and boxes of meat. In one corner was a small silvery basket, gathering dust.....it looked like a soquili basket.
Sora looked at the mare and smiled.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:42 am
She carefully made her way over to him, but was watching the basket. Was that really a soquili basket? Unable to resist, she minced right by him, swishing her tail across his face, and went to nose the basket. Her snuffles raised the dust on the basket, making her sneeze and move back a few steps. Since she was headed that way anyway now, she eased backwards until she was beside him, then settled down to the ground as well.
Still, that basket had her attention. She turned an inquiring gaze on Sora and asked, "Is that one yours?" She didn't really want to come right out and bluntly ask if it was his son or daughter. What an embarassing thing to ask! But she did want to know.... just because. She tried hard not to blush at him as she both leaned into him and waited for his answer.Takakun
Sora smiled shyly, and gave Delphia a gentle nuzzle, blowing warm breathe to keep her warm. As he tugged the fur blanket over her, he said, "that used to be mine. I was in there for a long time....big brother said that must be why I run around all the time now because I was silent for so long...."
He gazed at her for a moment then blushed, laying his head to the ground. The gray stallion was not accustomed to talking to other soquilis...especially mares.....he usually just leap about in some game. This was new to him, just sitting and being silent....but it felt comfortable and he sighed inwardly..happy..
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:50 am
Delphia closed her eyes and enjoyed his nuzzle. Funny how it warmed her more inside than it did on the outside. She opened her eyes when he laid his head down. Smiling, she nibbled a bit on his mane, then laid her head across his neck, settling closer. This was very comfy, she mused. Suddenly she wondered what it would be like to share space like this with him years down the road. The thought made her smile. He was a very gentle and loving stallion, and as playful as she was, if not more so! Content, she closed her eyes.Takakun He closed his eyes, hardly moving as Delphia settled on him.
She smelt nice....of the pine trees found on higher grounds..it teminded him of the dream a long time ago as he laid safe in the basket. The same scent...
Sora opened one clear green eye slowly, watching the shadows darken and fall against the form of the mare beside him.
Then a sound ...from outside the teepee. His long grey ears twitched, listening. A cough and a shuffle caused him to lift his head, could it be big brother?
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:52 am
She had fallen asleep. She was so comfortable with him, and she had grown so nice and warm... she breathed heavily but softly, her head still propped over his neck, completely unaware of his gaze. However, when he lifted his head, it woke her. She gave a startled snort and threw her head up and alarm, just due to being unexpectedly awakened from her doze. Her eyes were wide and her ears were flickering hither and thither, looking for danger, nostrils flared wide.
But Sora's warm and earthy scent were the first thing she inhaled, and the pace and safety she connected wth his smell now counteracted her startled fleeting fear, and she heaved a great huff of a sigh. "What is it?" she asked quietly, for he was clearly listening and watching and waiting, though not with any touch of fear, but of welcome. What had she missed n her slumber and then startlement?Takakun He smiled gently and nosed her, prodding her to relax and to lean back into him, "It's alright...."
His eyes were still trained at the teepee's opening..
The young hunter stamped his foot to get rid of the snow that had clung to him as he had roamed the wildlands to the north. It's been some time since he last came home to the teepee he and Ahiga shared, along with Sora of course. As he carefully opened the flap into the tent, a shy smile came onto his face as he thought of seeing his family again, but a snort within caused his caution to return.It did not sound like Sora, this one was softer and smelled of the highlands within, so he poked his head inside tentatively, "hello....?" and saw the grey stallion neatly tucked beside a warm darker marked mare. Tahatan casually raise one eyebrow.
Sora gave a whinny of welcome, albeit a softer one than he usually does in order not to startled Delphia. He met big brother's raised eyebrow with a shy grin and nosed the mare beside him.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:56 am
Delphia trusted Sora iimplicitly, despite their short tme together, and so she had relaxed back beside him, though she too turned her head to the door flap. When it was first pulled aside, she had snorted in mild surprise, but not in fear. The stallion's ease next to her reassured her that he knew just who it was that was coming in.
When a young man entered cautiously and greeted them curiously, she gave a low, rumblng whicker and blew gently through her nose at him in welcome. She closed her eyes with a smile when Sora nudged her in response to his human's questioning look. She turned to nuzzle under his chin and asked softly. "Who is this, Sora?" There was no concern n her voice, but interest and... yes, and love. Delphia let that mull in the back of her mind. Her heart wasn't hammering, nor was she nervous... nothing like her crush on Cyrus. This was warmer, deeper, and more comfortable and happy. Was this love? Takakun
Sora laid his head across her, his mind not really contemplating anything but filled with bubbles and berries and pine cones and little squirrels and sunlight and the stars at night. He was comfortable and liked spending his time with the mare although the full reality of it have not sunk into his mind.
His breathe came in soft wisps from his nose as he sighed happily. In some way he has no idea how to tell his bonded humans, so he was rather showing....
In the half dark, he smiled at the sight, recognising that Sora has somehow brought a mare back to share the tent. He wondered where the stallion found her, she was a beauty no doubt, and not once he has seen in the village.
Carefully, he threaded his way past them towards the bed of furs, and sat down, watching the mare. He laid down his bow and brought out one calm hand, whispering softly to the mare, "where did you come from, beautiful one...." and petted her behinds the ears.
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