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 Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:28 pm
Another fall rainstorm had come and gone, leaving in it's place clear blue skies, crisply clean air, and a pervasive dampness that still clung to the earth despite the bright sunlight. Kal had long since emerged from his nighttime shelter to let his wet coat dry, but he was finding that task harder than anticipated. Even as he went about foraging for his breakfast he found himself stepping in cunningly disguised mud puddles, hidden by grasses, what looked like solid dirt, or clear puddles with a silt-covered bottom.
The little stallion's legs were soaked brown with mud before he got a full five body lengths from the forest's edge, and he had come to a squelching halt before he could even double that distance. By that point he just wanted to eat a quick breakfast, and retreat back to the more sturdy soil of the forest before he sank right into the muddy ground and vanished.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:40 pm
 On their own, rainshowers and storms had a beauty all their own. The fresh scent of rain, the brightness after the clouds had passed, the soothing hiss of falling water...at that time, it was almost magical to witness them. But afterwards, when the ground was boggy and one couldn't help but be damp and dirty and muddy...then the magic was officially gone. It made one appreciate wings, that much was certain, especially in Raphael's case.
However, it was impossible to stay aloft all the time, and when forced to choose between staying dry and staying hungry, he'd decided to chance the mud, coasting down to alight as lightly as possible in the meadow. Almost immeadiately he could feel the mud squish under his hooves, but that couldn't be helped. After all, there were rivers around, right?
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:01 pm
Kal had his head lowered to graze, and only became aware of the other stallion's presence when he heard the telltale 'squish' of hooves. He lifted his head, and with some squelching of his own he turned to see who he was now sharing the muddy trap of a meadow with.
It wasn't someone he knew, that was for sure, but Kal was immediately struck by the large blue wings, and golden horn. The little stallion had never met anyone quite like himself, with both a horn and wings, and this stranger was as close as he had seen.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:14 pm
It was very rude of Raphael to land and start eating without checking to see if anyone else was already around, but he'd done just that in his desire to remain dry as long as possible. However, after only a couple mouthfuls he became aware of the fact that he was being looked at; with a slight flush of embarrassment, he lifted his head and looked over at the other stallion.
Though at least one element of his omission made sense; the other stallion's coloration in some ways lended itself to camoflague among the graying meadow grasses. That was a pretty lame excuse overall, though, and he didn't doubt that he'd acted ridiculous.
Swallowing his mouthful of grass, though, he was quick to try and rectify that etiquette breach. "Not bad grass for autumn after a rainstorm, don't you think?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Kal wasn't easily offended by matters that did not involve his small size, and in this situation he hadn't even seen the other's behaviour as a slight. He was just relieved to be greeted in a friendly manner.
The little stallion smiled, a little nervously like he always did around strangers, but certainly not in an unwelcoming manner. "Th-the air is beautiful," he replied, picking up a mud-drenched front hoof knowingly. By the time he dropped it again, all signs of his hoof's previous placement had vanished.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:43 pm
...Air? Raphael wasn't exactly what was to be meant by that comment, but the one thing that struck him was that the other stallion didn't seem to be upset. Maybe a little shy, if the stammer was any indication, but friendly and not the least bit mad (or a great dissembler). Well, that was a positive!
Encouraged by the pleasant return, Raphael gave the other stallion a stronger smile, one not tinged with embarrasment like his previous expression, and nodded his head. "Yes; the ground might be boggy and hard to walk in, but at least there's that great smell in the air. Really makes you feel alive, you know?"
Landing in this meadow had originally been for one specific purpose: lunch. However, Raphael was never adverse to a bit of conversation, at long as it was pleasant, and besides; this stallion was new and different...and even an ali! That was something atypical, at least in Raph's own experience.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:11 pm
Kal nodded in reply, showing a bit more enthusiasm. He did understand, it was the kind of fresh air that was good for running around in, assuming the ground was suitable for more than just a messy walk. His smile lost some of it's nervousness as he fluffed his wings agreeably.
"The ground is firmer in the forest," he offered with a trace of hesitance. "I didn't sink at all until I got out of the trees." Kal wasn't very good at casual conversation, but already this stallion didn't seem like the type to make him feel out of place because of it.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:15 pm
"Yes, but if you're in the forest then you have to contend with trees and branches and hazards like that. I don't know you'f you've ever been so unfortunate that you've caught YOUR horn in the cleft of a tree-branch, but I personally find that sort of thing unpleasant. I'd rather deal with the mud, honestly."
It was funny, how easily conversation could take off in right circumstances. Here they were, two total strangers, managing to talk animatedly about utterly pointless topics!
The 'strangers' part reminded Raphael of another thing he was being remiss on, though; looking over at the other stallion, he gave a slightly sheepish smile, then bowed his head formally. "I'm Raphael, by the way; what's your name, Friend?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:26 pm
Kal quickly scrambled to return the bow. He was both flattered and flustered to be called a friend after such a short time. "I-I'm Kal, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
It was Kal's turn to flush slightly as he thought about 'forest hazards', but he didn't lose his smile. "I-I once knocked my horn on a wasp's nest, but I've never snagged it on a branch before... I-I'm pretty small, I guess I just don't reach as many branches." The little stallion's wings tucked tighter against his body in a self-conscious manner as he spoke.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:32 pm
Ouch. Wincing sympathetically, Raphael tried not to think too hard about what it must have been like to have a nest of angry wasps after one's self. "Well, I hope that you were able to reach most of the places stung with your horn, Kal; otherwise that would have been an unpleasant time for you, I'm sure."
Having finished with that comment, Raphael gave the other stallion a more scrutinizing look, having failed to really notice the other stallion's size before. But now that he was actually thinking about it, Kal was actually a small fellow, almost the size of a mare. That was novel. "Well, I'd say that there are definite advantages in being little in the woods; manuverability and all that. I try to avoid the woods because it seems like there's always something either get my horn or wings or tail or mane caught in...or maybe that just means I ought to get my hair cut."
Though that might traumatize his mother, who adored her oldest child's blonde curls. He was fond of them himself, at that, but having them caught in thorns was hardly endearing.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:48 pm
Kal would have remarked on the unfortunate placement of some wasp stings, but Raphael's talk about advantages had started to make him fidget nervously, his hooves making a series of wet squelching noises as he shifted. When he did speak up again, he was clearly uneasy. "I-I d-do have an advantage in thick forests, I am thankful for it..."
He didn't want to talk about his run in with the kalona, not now, so he tried to find his smile again. "I-I like your mane, a-and you wouldn't need to cut it if you didn't spend time in forests anyway..." The little stallion quickly realized he had started to babble, and that perhaps the comment about Raphael's mane could be taken the wrong way. Unfortunately he couldn't think of a way to fix that without babbling further.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:53 pm
However, Raphael wasn't one to take offense so easily. While his parents had taught their children at a young age that appearances were fleeting and never to judge, they had also taught them to have pride in themselves, and Raphael was fond of the way he looked, right down to the mane. Besides, it was only an opion, nothing more. So he nodded his head, in total agreement with what the other stallion was saying.
"Actually, I DO usually avoid the forest; on days like today that just means I'm condemned to dealing with the mud. Luckily for us mud washes off, though!" Chuckling, Raphael lowered his head, finally remembering that he was hungry and should be grazing at least a little; as long as he didn't talk at the same time, he ought to be fine. "Sorry, if I don't finish eating I'm going to get surly, and I really hate it when I get surly over something I could prevent." Just in case the other stallion was offended.
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:15 am
Kal nodded again, but he seemed to be regaining his composure the farther away the conversation took him from thoughts of his encounter with that kalona. His smile even came back for real this time. "I-it's okay, I wanted to eat quickly too so I could get out of this mud."
He squelched forward a bit to find some fresh grass. Thankfully the rain only made the grasses wet and the ground muddy so the little stallion didn't have to worry about eating mud along with his morning meal. Still, the way the ground squished and slid under his hooves... Kal didn't even want to glance down to see what had become of his poor fur.
But maybe after they were done eating, his new friend would be willing to join him at the stream to wash off. It really was nice to have some company for a bit.
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:56 pm
Well, it seemed that they were in agreement, then. Cheered by the realization that he could eat and still not be perceived as rude, Raphael allowed himself to graze with relish, enjoying the tangy sweetness of dryish grasses recently bathed in moisture. There was a certain crispness to autumn's foodstufs, after all; a consolation for the impending loss, he supposed.
Regardless, there was no reason to worry much about such things at the moment. He simply stood, happily grazing until he felt comfortably full, then once again looked over to Kal. It would be rude to interrupt while Kal was eating, but at least he could see that way if his new friend was done or not. And if so, perhaps they could speak again!
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:36 am
Kal was comfortable with the silence as he took that opportunity to also satisfy his appetite. It didn't take long at all, since he had begun before Raphael's arrival and had a marginally smaller body to maintain. By the time the blue stallion glanced up, Kal was only squelching around nibbling at some of the last flowers from summer.
When he caught Raphael's glance, the little stallion smiled brightly. "I-if you were done eating, maybe we could go to the stream and get the mud off?" Both the prospect of getting clean and having company cheered him.
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