|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:14 pm
The little mare's parting words echoed through Kal's mind as he trotted as fast as he dared through the darkening woods. The path was near invisible as the shadows grew deeper, or maybe it was and he was just imagining seeing signs of his previous passing. Or perhaps it was really there in plain sight but he was too close to panicking to see it. He couldn't be sure either way, it was too dark.
The poor stallion was so frightened, but he knew he couldn't go any faster just in case he lost his way for good or stumbled and hurt himself. His own terrified breathing couldn't muffle the sounds of the woods, and he flinched and startled at every single rustle or glimpse of movement through the trees. Twice already his nervous skittering had almost resulted in a twisted ankle. Despite his fear he stuck to his real or imagined path, desperately hoping to himself back out of the woods, and then safely to the edge of the two legger village where there would be light for him to sleep by.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:27 am
She had wandered off away from the hat wearing Soquili after a moment. The air was strange and, even with new words, she hadn't known what to say to make things right again. There were, perhaps, some things that not even words could fix.
She found herself... Lost. Lost and in woods that were slowly growing darker than she was used to. She shivered, giving her head a light toss as she picked up her pace to a light trot. All she had to do was make it back to the lake... The lake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:46 am
It was only a soft sound that made Kal's ears swivel again, but this time there was truly something large out there. Catching sight of something in the shadows, something perhaps around his size, made his breath catch in his throat and he stopped dead in his tracks. He stood still for a second as the thing came closer, his entire body quivering with fear. Finally he bolted in a flash of white and gold, no longer thinking about risking injury or getting himself even more lost, but just needing to be away from whatever it was that spooked him from the shadows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:14 am
Hearing the sudden snap of twigs she jumped, almost bolting... But something kept her in place. Maybe whatever it was wasn't after her. She froze, soon sticking her head between her knees, letting out a frightened squeak as the sound thundered closer. She didn't want to be eaten... Not without saying 'goodbye' to her sister.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:32 am
Kal's panic kept him at a frightening speed for traveling through the woods, he was lucky his hooves hadn't slipped on the dry leaves of the forest floor at that pace. Nor did he run into anything, he hurdled what underbrush he couldn't dodge, and the trees simply flew past on either side of him.
His luck held until he encountered something that certainly wasn't a tree. He didn't get a good glimpse at it as he sped past, but he tossed his head and tried to veer away from it. His hooves finally lost their purchase, and he skidded a short distance before an inconveniently located bush knocked his feet out from under him. The grounded stallion was so terrified he just curled up and cowered where he fell.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:08 am
Something sped past her, narrowly missing her... And then something fell. Curiosity got the better of her and she glanced up, spotting a flash of what. Bad Things weren't white, were they?
She inched closer to the figure, eventually leaning down to touch it with her nose. "... H-ello?" Her muscles were still tense and she was prepaired to spring back at any moment... But she could at least try to make sure that it was alright.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:20 am
Kal trembled and kept his eyes tightly closed as whatever it was approached, and visibly flinched as he was poked at. But he didn't expect it to say hello to him. He nervously opened his eyes and turned to look up at the thing, and then realized it wasn't a thing at all. Just a mare.
"H-hello," he stammered in reply, still horribly frightened in the dark, but feeling some relief that he hadn't run into something that would eat him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:53 am
Her brow furrowed slightly with concern as she glanced down at the stallion who seemed about her size; caught somewhere between big and little. She gave him another gentle nudge before stepping back to give him room to stand. "... Hurt? Okay?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:03 pm
With some difficulty Kal got his hooves back under him and stood. Physically he was well enough, just a few scratches he could easily heal later, but his fright made his legs shaky. "I-I'm n-not hurt," he said weakly. "I-I d-didn't run i-into you, d-did I?" He asked quickly, now knowing that this mare had been the not-tree that had spooked him. He couldn't remember if he had turned away in time or not, it was all a blur.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:20 pm
She shook her head slowly. No, he hadn't run into her. He had come close... But he hadn't. She was just fine and she smiled brightly to prove it as she reached out to nudge his shoulder with her nose. Everything was going to be alright. The forest wasn't so scary when there was someone else with you.
She gave her head a light toss, lowering it to nod towards herself. "Guli."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:36 pm
The jittery little stallion flinched back a bit when she got closer, but he forced himself to relax a little and let her nudge him. She didn't seem to be something to be afraid of, and the soft gesture seemed to calm him down just a little. At least he hadn't accidentally hurt her in his panic.
"I-it's n-nice to meet you, I-I'm K-Kal," he replied. He wasn't quite able to keep the frightened stammer out of his voice, but at least those words had been said often enough to come to him now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:19 pm
She was used to stammering and thought nothing of it, doing it enough on her own when she tried to form sentences with multiple words. She prefered keeping things simple when she could, speaking with simple gestures and small, one word sentences. It was easier that way... And if people didn't understand her then there was a good chance they never would.
She smiled and nodded at his greeting, eyes shining with delight as she looked to see his wings. "Kal-bird like Kileyo-bird. Fly?" A dear friend of hers had wings and he could fly... Could all bird-soquili fly?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:42 pm
Kal-bird. The little stallion felt a little bit of amusement at that title despite his fear. It was the first time he had been compared to a bird because of his wings, although he had to admit that birds had better use of their wings.
"I-I c-can, a-a little," he stuttered nervously, trying hard to put aside his fright when he saw how happy she seemed to be to see his wings. "B-but I-I can't f-fly here, th-the trees... " he gulped and trailed off. The trees were too thick overhead, and it was so dark... Kal's trembling just got worse thinking about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:33 pm
She glanced up for a moment before nodding. It would be hard to fly through the trees. Of course, it was also hard to run through the trees; far too easy for someone to get hurt like that when they were so close together. Someone could get hurt doing something like that...
Taking a deep breath and releasing it as a soft sigh she tilted her head back down to the stallion. "Home?" Shouldn't he be there. That's where she was headed... If she could find it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:46 pm
At that point Kal just about broke down, he needed so badly to be back at his safe spot, with the soft glow of the two legger fires to keep his fears away just long enough for him to sleep. It was so dark here, and he wanted nothing more than to just flee so Guli wouldn't have to see his fright, but that same fear kept him from leaving and being alone in the dark.
"I-I w-want to go home, b-but I c-can't find it," he said, sounding for all the world like a lost foal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
