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 Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:52 am
The girl was exhausted. It wasn't just physically, or mentally, or emotionally but . . . . but everything. The night had passed and left the mare more exhausted in the morning than she'd been after her fight. Her wounds stung and smarted, her muscles only now feeling the effects of her run in with Malice.
. . . . needless to say, she wasn't feeling very good or up to par. The girl stared down at the pool, still tucked away quietly in Azumoth's grove. Things were quiet, the black stallion no where to be seen unsurprisingly. After his tirade and rage the night before, the abused mare wouldn't be surprised if he were avoiding her.
It wasn't as if she ever improved his mood . . .
No wonder he hid from the world!
The sight of her reflection almost made the mare sick. No, she wasn't vain but it was true that she didn't hold the maimed look very well. Her neck was puffy from the wounds, and though they had stopped bleeding, they were ugly to behold and still looked as tender as they felt. Her ankle was swollen, and she stood at a bit of an angle so as not to put much weight on it. Everything throbbed or stung, and the shadows that clouded her heart didn't help. . . .
Yes, for once her light and sunshine had been tucked away for something more morose and delicate. Tail swishing behind her, she sighed. ".....I was right. Fighting doesn't achieve anything...." She murmured, tearing her gaze off the pool before lowering her head to drink. Sure, it had saved their lives but. . . . Had Malice chose not to pick a fight none of this would have happened.
And as far as she was concerned, nothing had gone right since. Her perfect day had been turned upside down in an instant. What was the saying - when it rains it pours? Well, figuratively speaking there was a shower overhead and Bella had forgotten her umbrella. . . . .
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:14 am
Wandering took up a great deal of the young filly's days.
Not that she went far, pappa wouldn't be happy if he would have to track her down; and the animals were always with her to remind her of the boundaries. But the grove, and indeed the surrounding wood bordering the badlands, held more then enough secrets for the stripped youngling.
Sadly she hadn't met very many who looked a she did, aside from papa and the bunch from her very earliest memories; and while it didn't enter her thoughts very often... when it did she wondered. Wondered quite a bit actually. Was Papa the only one out here? Where had those others run off too?
As if on cue a soft garbled trill penetrated her thoughts, drawing her attention outward once again. Snorting softly she peered up through the branches, trying to spot her constant red companion amid the sun dappled foilage. The cardinal was a bit of a mute, and had started off as an outcast from the rest of his kindred; but Muriel wasn't much of a talker herself and she didn't see why she shouldn't be friends with him. It just seemed natural really, he was lonely, she was lonely...
Again the trill, and she smiled.
"Right, home." She murmured, barely above a whisper before turning her rapidly elongating body in the correct direction. They weren't far, and home sounded like a good place right now, warm and comforting. Perhaps papa would be there.
- - - - - - -
The scent hit her before she reached the grove. Heavy and metallic, it hung in the air like a fog, blurring her eyes and causing her ears to lay flat against her skull. Rednal flit down from his perch to land in her forelock, puffing out his feathers threateningly, but Muriel hushed his gestures with a flick on her head.
Papa wouldn't allow danger here.
"Shush." She whispered, pushing aside a wayward branch so she could see the small grove.
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:47 am
And there the mare stood, lapping up the cool water. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see her reflection within the cool waters and spoil her drink. But despite it, her appearances - and Malice - was burned in to her mind. There would be no forgetting so easily. . .
Finishing her drink, the mare hobbled back a few paces, wincing as her ankle was forced to be used. It could have been worse, she reminded herself, she could have broke it completely or been killed! Bruises and hurts could heal. . . . death could not. She was lucky to have walked away so easily, and was doubly so that Azumoth had allowed her to stay. The black stallion could have walked away, could have refused to come, or could have turned her out.
But he hadn't.
And even though he'd been a wee-bit irritable (wee-bit being an understatement) at least. . . .at least he had allowed her temporary refuge.
Oblivious to the fellow mare peering in on her, the wind working against her favor, Bella lowered her head. Her eyes shut, sleep doing its best to entice her back to the world of dreams, but she even feared them. The night had been long and painful, she'd been restless and haunted by fresh blood and rage. . . . She didn't want to go back there so soon. Not if she could help it.
Pawing at the ground with her hoof, Bella sighed and stayed silent. The solitude of the grove was relaxing - the cool air tickled the leaves of the surrounding leaves, causing a chorus of flutter from the leaves. Birds sang, the sun shone through cracks of the foliage, and it truly could have been a wonderful day.
. . . . no thanks to Malice for ruining it for her. ><
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:02 pm
One could call it morbid fascination, but Muriel found herself unable to look away from the creamy mare. Set aside were thoughts of why the mare was here, who she was, or where papa was. Her prevalent thought was only on those savage cuts and the bloodied pelt.
What could do that? Why? Was it because the mare stood out so easily from the native greenery?
What predator would savage to this point but not kill?
Unknowingly she stepped further from the concealing brush, led first by her nose as she sniffed the air experimentally. All of her instincts told her to leave well enough alone, that surely papa had reason for allowing this female here in that condition.
But Muriel was ever the curious and inconveniently frank sort.
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:23 pm
There was a rustle, just loud enough to make the mare glance up. And do a double take! What she had thought might be Moppet or even the black stallion himself turned out to be all wrong - there was, in fact, a brown and cream striped girl standing before her.
A perfect stranger.
Amber eyes going wide from surprise, she lifted her head quickly and blinked. What. . . who . . . ? First and foremost who was the young mare before her, staring at her throughout the bushes, and secondly . . . . why wasn't Azumoth kicking her out? As far as Bella understood the black stallion kept a faithful guard over everything within his woods. So how this mare had slipped so close to his secret garden made her wonder. . . .
. . . . This couldn't be a fluke, this couldn't be a surprise.
No, the other mare seemed far too calm to be a stranger. She was either another resident or guest of the woods. . . . perhaps another acquaintance of the black stallion? It was possible. Unlikely but. . . possible. As far as she knew the social life of Azumoth was slim and small - there were only certain folks that could settle so contently in his life. Moppet, Horne and Nono but. . . . another soquili?
Bella would have never guessed.
Giving a small, apologetic shake of her head - she had stared - the cream femme dropped her gaze to the ground. A small, almost shy smile crossed her features as she allowed her bangs to fall over her face. Come on Bella, she encouraged herself, mind your manners.
"Uh sorry," she started softly, "I . . . you . . . you surprised me there. I. . . wasn't expecting to see another soquili here," she explained, tail swishing softly behind her, still a wee bit confused at Murial's presence. Well, at least another soquili that wasn't Azumoth!
"G-greetings," she finally stammered with a chuckle, feeling more than a little self-conscious thanks to her horrid state.
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