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 Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:01 am
After his encounter with Telikos, Kal found himself wandering slowly in the direction of the lake. He avoided the river where he had met the kalona but just told himself that the river current was too strong to bathe in anyway. The obvious excuse didn't help his low mood.
As lost in thought as he was, it seemed as though he reached the shores of the lake quickly enough, and with a heavy sigh he waded in deep enough to wash the mud off his belly and the last remnants of blood from his haunch. He waded around a bit to dislodge the grime in his fur, never going deeper than where his hooves could touch bottom, and then stood to dunk his head and snorkle a bit out of frustration. Was it even possible that one as scrawny and pathetic as him could learn to be brave?
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:17 am
Deeper out in the waters of the lake, a curious nose peeked just above the surface. After satisfied that his nose wasn't sensing any immediate danger, Myde allowed himself to break the surface further. Now with ears, head fin, and eyes above the water, the darker toned Soquili took a look around.
And instantly spotted Kal. CRAP. Why didn't he smell him before?! Ears flicking, he quickly ducked back underwater. He was safe here right? The other one...looked oddly out of place. Sure they had the same basic body structure, but from his brief glance at Kal it appeared he had feathery wings like a duck. ...A very oddly shaped duck.
Slowly he peeked above the surface again, even daring to swim a bit closer to the paler stallion. If attacked, he was pretty darn sure he'd be able to outswim the odd duck creature anyway.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:41 am
Kal lifted his nose for air, and went back to his frustrated snorkling without so much as glancing in the other soquili's direction. Why did he have to be so small anyway? Why couldn't he have grown up to be just a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger?
With an unhappy snort he raised his head again to shake the water off his muzzle, and blink droplets off his eyelashes. That was when he glanced over, and noticed a frighteningly dark, finned head peeking up from the water nearby. He went completely still for a second, before giving a shrill and frightened whinny. He tried to scramble backwards out of the water and away from the creature, but the depth impeded his progress, and he ended up stumbling and falling over with a splash.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:45 am
Kal's whinny was met by one from the dark Kelpi as well, and Myde quickly dove back under the water. Okay. Not a duck. He had never known a duck to be -that- loud.
The fishy stallion idled under the water for several frightened minutes before attempting to peek above the surface once more. Last he had seen the not-a-duck creature had fallen in the water. But...where was he now? Pale eyes darted around, struggling to locate Kal.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:57 am
Kal kept trying to scramble backwards after the creature vanished, but after much scrambling and splashing he only got as far as the shallows where he sat tangled up with his own limbs. Incapable of escaping further for the moment, he was able to stay still when the creature's headfin broke the surface again. It was frightening, feeling trapped and helpless all over again.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:04 pm
Myde blinked, staring at the odd creature. After a few moments of silence, he lifted his scarred head full above water. Kal didn't seem so threatening...maybe he should show himself and stop scaring him so much?
"...You're not a water creature...or a duck, are you?"
Myde couldn't recall seeing very many land dwelling creatures in his lifetime. Besides the odd bird here and there, and the few times he had spotted a creature taking a drink, he was mostly secluded to those that lived in the water like him. Seeing a creature that looked like him yet...wasn't, was confusing, to say the least.
"You...need some help?"
The water stallion's voice was tinged with fear, but if Kal needed help than he'd help him out. If nothing else it'd get him out of his home.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:11 pm
With all words seeming to escape him, Kal just shook his head nervously. It kinda looked like a stallion under all that water, but... different. He was relieved it didn't look like a monster, but then again, the last monster he had encountered hadn't looked the part either.
The little stallion contented himself that this one didn't sound like a monster. It didn't seem inclined to approach or attack, and it was being nice to him too?
"N-no, I'm okay, I-I'm sorry for startling you."
Kal finally found his voice, blinking sheepishly and tucking his wings close to his soaked flanks.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:16 pm
"I think I should be the one apologizing for startling you..."
Myde swam a bit closer, just enough to plant his hooves on the sandy bottom. His finny wings poked above the surface briefly, and gave a bit of a flutter before tucking against the darker stallion's body.
"Good thing you aren't a water creature, those wings would make for horrible swimming."
A nervous attempt at humor on his part. Really, he'd do anything to try and break the nervousness now. Myde really hated that anxious feeling in his chest when confronting someone new.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:24 pm
Kal managed a little smile at the other's humor. It cheered him to know that he wasn't just going to be eaten on the spot, or chased back to cower in that blackberry bush again like a frightened foal. He made a bit of an attempt to untangle himself so he could get back on his feet.
"I-it's okay, I've just never seen a stallion with fins before." He fluffed his wings, and smiled a bit more. "Th-they would be horrible for swimming, wouldn't they..."
Once he was standing ankle deep in the shallows, he realized his efforts to clean his white fur had been ruined by his floundering. He could feel the trapped sand scratch against his skin as he moved.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:32 pm
"Then...I guess we're on equal grounds as far as our surprise goes."
Myde met the other's smile with one of his own. Good, at least some of the awkwardness of the situation was waning away.
"Well, since you aren't a duck, yes...they'd make for awful swimming."
The Kelpi flexed his fins a bit, their bright colors fanning out before flattening against his back once more. Grey eyes fixed on the other's fur, quickly noticing the sand and mud trapped there.
"Just...what did you get into before coming here? You look awfully messy..."
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:40 pm
Kal stiffened a bit, and ducked his head.
"I-I had a bit of a rough night..."
The little stallion was pretty sure he wouldn't be eaten, so he quickly waded deeper to both hide the dirt and get it washed off. He went just deep enough to shamefully stick his nose in the water, and fluffed his wings a bit. What a coward he was...
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:48 pm
"Did you get stuck in the storm?"
Myde stayed put, much preferring the comforting feeling of the water around his body over the cool air of the above world. He couldn't help but notice Kal's body language howeer. It seemed so similar to his own.
"Or...were you in a fight? You know, losing a fight isn't anything to be ashamed of..."
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:54 pm
Kal shook his head a bit. No, he didn't really get stuck in the storm, and no, he didn't lose a fight... After a couple more seconds he brought his nose up for air.
"I-I ran, I-I didn't even stop to fight."
A shameful mutter, and then he dropped his muzzle back into the water. Even though he had only just met the other stallion, he was very ashamed by his admission, and couldn't bring himself to look up.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:01 pm
"Sometimes running is the more noble thing to do. It's easy to be foolhardy and rush a situation you can't handle..it takes a much clearer head to realize one is outmatched and flee the situation. Besides...living is good, right? You can always learn from it and handle it later."
Myde gave a calm smile, watching the other duck his head.
"You don't have to be ashamed in front of me, pale one. I've been in your situation before, and have the marks to prove it."
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:07 pm
This strange finned stallion made running sound so much less shameful than Telikos had, but he merely dipped his muzzle deeper into the water as he thought about it. Hadn't he told Telikos that running was the only way he could have survived? After a minute he pulled his nose up.
"I-I'm part unicorn, I should have been able to stand my ground and be brave. What if someone else had been there and had needed defending?"
Kal found himself repeating what the massive stallion had told him earlier in the day before hesitantly glancing in the dark one's direction.
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