[PRP] When flowers bloom - (Imogen and Dayunsi)

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Immi made her way through her garden of bright flowers. She paused at a deep blue flower and bent down to smell its pungent odor. Her mind wandered over the passing day. So many things had happened, but now a quiet time was upon the herd. While she was happy that Dayunsi had been located she still worried over why he had left. He had seemed quiet, almost morose when they had returned even if he had been thankful the troll had hunted him down. Malis, her large pregnant belly making her movements muted and heavy, was still sharp in sight and it was she who had discovered the lock of hair that had been torn away in his flight.  

[Malis Delnaria]

Dayunsi peered out through the trees towards the burgandy mare, his slight body hidden by the thick branches. He sighed softly as he sensed her thoughts and teetered between revealing himself and staying hidden for as long as he could. The sound of the brook nearby hid his footfalls as he took to the air and flew up to a branch of the willowtree that gave the glen it's name. He didn't know what to say even if she had seen him, the day's transgressions adding to the burdens he already felt upon his back. The flutter snorted softly in indecision.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

The burgundy mare shook her head to dispell the thoughs that ran through them and set to work making sure her garden was still well tended. The stepping stones were the only places that wern't covered with floral colours and verdant leaves. The were kept cleared by the critters who lived in the trees surrounding her glade. It was then she heard the soft chuffing coming from the willow tree and Immi looked up to see Dayunsi in one of his smallest forms looking down at her. "Hello there," she murmured softly, not wanting to startle him. "It is nice of you to visit. Do you wish to talk?" She waited for him to take the first step.  

[Malis Delnaria]

At first he wanted to just shake his head and dissapear, not likeing confrontations, but then he gathered up his courage and fluttered down. Alighting on the ground with a small sound he grew until he was around the size of a small foal and then looked around at the flowers surrounding them. Anything to keep from looking towards her. Dayunsi knew what she wanted to know, and part of him wanted to say it. But he didn't know what her reaction would be and that stopped him. He didn't want to admit he was terrified of open places. The groundless fear he would be picked up as pray. He believed it was weak of him and for all his wisdom he was afraid it would make him lesser in the others' eyes.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

When he didn't answer she frowned. Immi could see that he was trying to avoid her and wondered why. The had spent many good times chatting in the glad before but this seemed different. Was it to do with what had happened or was it something else? Coming close to the earthy flutter she reached down and nuzzled his side. She wanted him to know that they were all in this together and, though a few of the herd had funny ways of showing it, they all enjoyed each other's company. "If you don't want to talk, that's ok... I just want to make sure you are ok."  

[Malis Delnaria]

Dayunsi didn't know what he was, if he was ok why did he feel this way? He looked up towards Imogen as she came close and nuzzled him, unconciously leaning towards her and gaining strength from her care. Taking a deep breath he decided to speak... to just let it flow and hope that by the end of it he wouldn't loose her. "I... No, I'm not ok. I ran, I didn't know what to do when you said..." He paused and tried again. "I felt lost, I needed to find something but I didn't know what it was. When I left the woods... I didn't expect it to be so... wide." The flutter closed his eyes remembering the shock of the expansive fields he had seen beyond the safety of the forests shadows.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

What had she said that had unnerved him so? Imogen's brow furrowed as she tried to remember. The conversation they had that evening seemed normal, they had been talking about Rasui and his apparent lack of fear. Or was it more his tendency to have a new lady interest every week? She shook his head doubting that had anything to do with it. She had asked him how the newest addition, Suiseiseki, had been doing. The childish mare had caused some strife when she joined but had mellowed out some though she was still capable of some bursts of selfishness. Immi knew that Dayunsi hadn't taken a liking to her at first and didn't blame him. "Go on..." she realized he had stopped in his story and nuzzled his tangled hair to help him keep talking.  

[Malis Delnaria]

The flutter's mane looked a mess since his misfortunate journey and resulting chase. Most of the flowers and vines that were braided in to his green locks were gone, only a few leaves were left. A large scrape on his back was luckly the only wound that showed and it had already been taken care of by Rynth using the mosses that the flutter had gathered himself. He shuddered a little when she got close to the gash but managed to continue. "I almost didn't make it when that feline..." The mad flight of trying to get away from those claws had haunted him.

He took longer to shift sizes than pure flutters and by then the large cat had a good hold. Even his horn was no match at his smaller size and he was easy pray. When he finally had grown large enough to fight back he was already pretty badly wounded. It was the final bolting away from the scene that ended dislodging the hunting cougar from his back but his wings hung useless as the fire in his back was to great. Dayunsi took another deep breath to calm his nerves. "I managed to get away finally but I had gotten lost. I had found a cave... it didn't seem to be occupied for which I was thankful..." Lost and alone the uni-flutter had spent a fitful night, already missing from the herd for two days. It would be another few days before they would find him.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Immi nickered softly as listened to what the flutter had been through. She remembered the worry that had spread throughout the herd when he never returned. The odd dream that Rasui had dreamed and the resulting commentary by Suiseiseki that had sparked the search. it was a pitty they didn't get along, Rasui and Suisei made a great team together, both of them having an afinity with dreams. Though it was Malis who had found him. Though the troll had said she had asked the spirits for help, Imogen was sure it was her skills in tracking which was the key to hunting down Dayunsi. Rynth was a good healer, gently taking care of the uni until he could take care of himself which made Imogen feel kind of useless as she didn't do much to help his return. The burgandy mare hoped that she was helping him now but had that nagging feeling in the back of her mind. What if his flight from the forest was her fault?  

[Malis Delnaria]

Dayunsi sighed and leaned against the burgandy mare. He could sense her discomfort and for a fleeting moment wanted to comfort her and let her know things were ok, that nothing was her fault. The flutter ached to tell Immi how he felt but then he could have to explain everything and after what she had said... Dayunsi remembered the conversation, he recalled how she had wished she could see more of Tohopka and Juliet. They had been talking about the other soquili they had met, the different people and about connecting with others. He had been about to ask her something important when she had blurted about him and Absinthe. Immi had wondered why he didn't stick with her.

"I mean, you are both flutters. You two would work well together, you're of the same type..."

The words, simple and innocent in their spoken way, still haunted him. He tried not to let it show, surely Imogen had not meant it that way? If she had, then why would she spend time with him at all? He had though back over all the other soquili she had made friends with and they all were regular, no winds, no other flutters... Malis was the only odd one and she was more odd on the inside than the out. Some how in the dark of that night her words had sounded a little more hollow, a little more vengeful.

As if his hooves moved of their own violation, Dayunsi began to shift away, slowly making his way towards the outskirts of the glade. He suddenly didn't feel welcome anymore...  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

The burgandy mare spoke as she sensed his weight shift away from her. "Look Day, I know you don't want to talk about it but something happened last time we talked. I said something that must have hurt you, or mabe I did something to make you run. Sometimes words can't explain what is the matter but the unspoken thoughts show in the way you are acting around me now. I want to know what it was. What did I say that was so bad that you can't be around me anymore?" Imogen's eyes glistened as a deep pain welled up within. She didn't want to think about what the glade would feel like if he never came back. She would see the fluttercorn in the evenings at the teepee but this had become a special place for Dayunsi and herself. It would feel so empty without him. Immi noticed him start to trot away and took a few steps forward. "Please don't go... I couldn't bear it if you left like this. I care for you too much to see you leave so upset. Please Day... I love you." She shocked herself at the sudden outburst and took a few steps back.

But it was true.

While she cared deeply for the rest of the herd, it was the thoughtful fluttercorn who she spent most of her days with. Her feelings for him went deeper than just friendship.  

[Malis Delnaria]

The flutter paused in his steps, mind whirling. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, had he been wrong the whole time? "But what about Tohopka? Wouldn't you prefer to be with him?" Dayunsi turned to face Immi, his wings fluttering slightly as if he was shivering, or was it the soft gusts of wind? "If you loved me, why would you say I would be better with another flutter? Am I not good enough to be with you? Is it because I choose to be smaller? Is it because I am different? Because I am not a regular, a halfbreed no less... one who doesn't fit with either Unicorns or Flutters?" He felt tears p***k at the corner of his eyes and stomped his hoof to try and keep the tempest of emotions under control. He wanted to run again but this time the more recent fear of the larger cats was greater. He shook his head, the flowerless green locks falling over his face. The fluttercorn felt like a cork in the middle of a raging storm, being tossed and turned from either side.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

"Tohopka was before I met you!" Immi shook her head and took a few more steps forward. She didn't want him leaving the glade for she feared he would be lost forever. "I never meant you were not good enough, Dayunsi. You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, your nature is caring and sweet and I have never see you think of a bad though about anyone." There were tears running down her cheeks as she spoke. "Dayunsi, I like you because you are different, I only though you did not like me the same way before I am so plain." She looked down at her own 'normal' body and sighed, letting go the tumbled mess that was making her stomach sink to the ground. "You are special, you're 'halfbreed' status only makes you even more unique. I am sure you could find anyone you wished and so I didn't want to tie you down. I..." Imogen paused and hung her head again. "I'm sorry I suggested that you would be better with Absynth but I would have preferred you to be happy with her than alone thinking that no one would have you." Everything seemed to be coming out wrong and she hoped that maybe there was a chance he would at least forgive her and they could be come friend. She didn't even dare hope that he would share her feeling.  

[Malis Delnaria]

It was the tears in her eyes that made him pause. Surly he had to have been wrong. Did she really say those things so that he wouldn't be 'stuck with her' as she so aptly put it? He wanted to speak, to tell her how he felt but the words just wouldn't come. Instead he tried something else. "I would give anything to be 'stuck with you' Immi. You are such a sweet mare and I lo... I love... spending time with you. I just didn't want to come between you and Tohopka." Dayunsi moved closer to the burgandy mare, growing larger with every step until he could reach over her shoulder and comfort her. "I... I care about you too Sweet Immi... I always want to be there if you ever need me." The fluttercorn nuzzeled her neck and smelt the sweet fracrence of the crushed blossoms between them. "I never wanted to hurt you and I hope that we'd... that we'd always be friends." The tide still rages within but the flowery stallion finally felt like he was on the right bearings, with Immi as his lighthouse on the rocks.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Immi almost didn't believe what she was hearing. How could the feeling of the glade change so quickly, it had been full of loss and fear just a few moments ago. But she did feel the change sweep over them as if the breaking of chains suddenly made them free. Something so hurtful as unspoken words and mistaken meanings almost cost them the thing they both held so dear. She leaned against his larger frame, for a fleeting moment unsettled as she was more used to his smaller stature. The burgandy mare knew it was only a step in the right direction but there was something so special about this moment of togetherness that she didn't want to end.