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 Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:44 pm
'And so it is done..' she said with a sneer, walking off, a bone crunching as she carelessly strode over the corpse.
Izusa was plainly bored; it had been a lot easier when she had been ensconced in madness, her addled mind could make merry and be entertained by the smallest of things. But since the fog that had clouded her had cleared, since she had accepted who she was...she licked her lips, as though tasting her daughter's blood again. She really would have to find Neve, thank her properly for her service. But for now her hunger was somewhat sated and she wanted something to do. Some sport. She wanted a challenge.
She sniffed the air, nostrils working, scenting for others. There were many strange scents lingering, hereabouts seemed to be quite the thoroughfare for Soquili, of all kinds. Izusa strolled along, her tail tendrils flicking as she went, her tongue idly flicking the tip of each fang-tooth. She came to the top of a small hill, and looked down into the open clearing, eyes searching the lay of the land before moving onwards.
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:48 pm
 Taraxippus, for one of the first times in the young soquili's life, set out on his own to explore some of the wider surroundings. Also, for once, Arcana who usually, to Tara's unending irritation, stuck to the dark stallion like a burr.
Now, she was suitably distracted with the new arrivals to their little herd, and Taraxippus was free. Granted, he had learned a lot from his father, and there was entertainment in manipulating his sister... but there was only so much that could be done in their neck of the woods, and Taraxippus was growing bored. He craved interaction with others. It was not the weakness like his father belived, it was power. Strength. Power OVER others. His father believed that every link needed to be strong, independent, but soooo much more could be accomplished through the manipulation of others, the dominion over them. And, unfortunately, Taraxippus suffered no delusions to his own personal power. Or... lack thereof. His father found strength in his physique, in his resilience. Taraxippus found frustration. He hated being weaker than his soft-hearted sister. He had to make up for that somehow.
Taraxippus paused on the crest of a hill, sniffing at the air. There was scent of prey about, and that sounded ideal to the frustrated stallion.
Following the trail of a rabbit, he was surprised to find the trail ended with a corpse, picked clean of all the good meat. The was a predator about, and Tara paused, sniffing again with a more discerning air. There was no smell of canine... or feline...
Curious, he followed the trail of blood and other soquili, and then... in the distance, he spotted her. A strange, shimmering mare with dark wings on her back the likes of Megaera's. Her coat glistened like steel, and whiplike tails lashed behind her. His ears pricked forward. While most soquili might find this visage terrifying, Taraxippus's curiousity was piqued and he noiselessly strode forward to meet the stranger.
"Greetings..." The unicorn called to her.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:49 am
Izusa snorted, a little indignant. Who was hailing her as if she were their friend or something? Her wings opened a little as she turned on the spot, an ear flicking as she beheld the one who had greeted her. She stood in a guarded manner, her legs flexing, ready if the other made any move to attack.
A second more thorough look at the stallion made her snort a little to herself. Was he there enough to actually inflict any damage on her? He seemed a weird sort of Soquili, the sharp horn that adorned his head seemed the most substantial part of him. She stayed her ground, waiting for him, letting him approach.
'I'd say the same back, if I knew you.' she said archly, her tail twitching a little. She'd not seen anything like him before in her whole life, and despite herself she was extremely curious about this bold, smoke-like Soquili.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:47 am
The ghostly stallion stood his ground, an obvious curiosity in his eyes as he looked over the kalona. Indeed, it appeared as if the light shone straight through him in all parts except for his horn and hooves, the wafting shadows of his body in constant motion.
When the mare showed no overt signs of aggression, Taraxippus approached, his own tail flicking behind him, the tip seemingly moist crimson.
"Well perhaps we can change that." He responded magnanimously. However, despite his forwardness, he did not bare the insufferable cheeriness of many of the normal soquili. Quite the opposite, the stallion seemed to choose his words with utmost seriousness, and his eyes remained fixed on her in an almost unsettling manner.
"My name is Taraxippus." He finished simply, stopping about a half dozen paces away.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:38 am
'Izusa,' she replied in an offhand manner, as though it meant little to be exchanging such pleasantries. She after all, was not overly pleasant. If he wasn't talking to her, she might suppose that she had drifted back into madness, he looked too ghostly to be real.
'Taraxippus huh?'
It wasn't a name that rolled off the tongue, but she pronounced it well enough, as well as she cared to at any rate.
'What in Kalona's name are you?' she asked, getting straight to the point of her curiosity.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:17 am
Taraxippus had, under instruction of his father when he was young, practiced his stealth from time to time, and observed other soquili while Anju whispered information to him. About their behaviors. Their strengths, and most importantly their weaknesses. Taraxippus had never questioned the detached nature in which Anju instructed him, nor Tara's own distance from them. However, the following question, surprisingly, he had never asked himself. Certainly, he had never seen others quite like him and his father. And, while new, the question brimmed with delicious promise. He was different, and he delighted in that. For in difference there was question in others' minds in how to approach him. Question that he could answer. And the answer could very much depend on who he was dealing with.
"I am..." He rolled the answer about in his mouth with a smug smile. "what my namesake aludes to... That chilling fear that seizes a soquili. And many of those simpleminded soquili are so easily taken to being spooked by something inconsequential.. it is no coincidence." It was a bluff, of course, but delivered with a serious conviction. While that intangible horse-fear may have been the inspiration for his name, the young stallion was by no means some universal force. However, his alien appearance could be useful.
"I do not often choose to appear as I am.... however... you have caught my interest." He stated it in such a way that it was plain that Izusa should consider herself privileged for such an audience.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:28 am
'You are as I was then.' Izusa snorted faintly. Did he think that how he looked would frighten her? She had spent many months of her life living in the burial grounds, which whilst it had not been exactly good for her mental wellbeing, had never caused her any fear, she did not think she had ever been properly frightened.
'No one had seen a Kalona before I came to these parts, I was unusual, strange to other's eyes.'
She snorted out loud this time;
'Oh how wonderful of you that you deigned to show yourself to me in this way,' she bit back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
'You should be pleased that I did not attack you on sight.' she flashed her fang teeth at him, giving a smile devoid of humour.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:31 pm
"Your kind is yet far from common." Taraxippus responded, "And finding you here was a rare bit of chance I must suppose."
Izusa's retort did not rankle Tara, although he did roll his shoulders with indifference. "Perhaps something stayed your hoof from such a decision." he continued, "Furthermore... perhaps there is something that you seek, Izusa?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:01 pm
'More so than yours I would say, whatever it is that you are,' Izusa retorted, her tail flicking a little more as she became a little more nettled by the strange stallion.
'Something what? I have no qualms in that regard, don't suppose I did not attack from some finer feelings.'
Her tone was icy, but Taraxippus had somewhat of a point. She hadn't walked away, or attacked him because he intrigued her, and she hadn't had her curiosity roused for quite some time.
'You tell me, you seem to feel that you know everything, or at least me.'
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:25 pm
"Perhaps." Taraxippus responded cryptically. He did not know what he was per se, but he knew the truth in the fact that they were rare. Perhaps just him and his father. All the better. It gave the others doubt, cause to question, and reason to pause.
Izusa was correct in that she certainly seemed capable and willing to resort to violence, even if it was not necessary. He had heard as much about the Kalona. She seemed sound of mind, however. And there was fresh kills about - she was undoubtedly the cause. But she did not attack. One reason was probably that she did not know how to gauge her opponent. But calling her hesitance was not the proper strategy. She would be offended and likely really would attack then.
So he needed another reason, and likely there was one there that was true enough. It sounded like she had attacked before... hmmm.
"Let me see.... you have had many a fierce battle before... the taste of hot blood in your mouth. Perhaps... it does not hold the interest for you that it did at one point? You have hunted today already and your belly is full. And I hold more potential interest than merely a fight." He put on a sinister smile that matched her own.
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:45 am
Izusa listened to the ethereal stallion with half an ear, amused and intrigued at the same time. She licked her lips slowly before answering him.
'I would not say I am so full as to not hunt, or even relish another kill.' she flicked her tail tendrils lazily, and then chuckled.
'But what joy or nutrition would I derive from you? You don't seem half there,' she walked closer, boldy up to him and circled him.
'I could attack you, simply because you are not as I am, you are not Kalona. But I find you interesting,' she conceded his last point.
'You are as different as I am, unique. I like unique..'
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:08 am
Taraxippus did not back down as she approached and circled him; he merely kept an obvious eye on her while his stance seemed to convey his continued confidence.
"No... I don't suppose I am Kalona." He responded nonchalantly. "But different, yes. And I find unique utterly fascinating." His tail swished behind him like a cat poised at a mousehole.
"But what is the point of unique unless you make use of it? What has filled your days, Izusa? Hunts? Sending other soquili fleeing in terror? Is there a greater purpose to your actions? Some meaning? Or do you hunt for a reason as you hunt for your prey? You have obvious strength. Where is it being spent?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:39 am
Izusa wasn't sure if she was gratified or annoyed that Taraxippus didn't seem intimidated by her proximity. Only her ears flicked as she moved fully around him and stood in front of the stallion once more.
'Then we may get on after all..if I decide not to attack you.' Izusa's tail slithered across the ground and she indicated it with a tilt of her head.
'I am true Kalona..there are so few with my tail. The rest,' she snorted disdainfully.
'They have a tail that resembles yours. The blood has diluted..'
There was a strange light in her eyes;
'Do you know what it is to feel the life drain from something? Blood tastes sweet, like a summer ripened fruit. Hunts and kills. They have meaning to me.' she hissed a little.
'You're a cheeky whelp aren't you.?' she smiled, a touch of humour in her eyes.
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:56 am
As she stood closer to him, his immateriality was even more evident. She could see straight through him in some parts of his body, particularly the extremities. And yet, with the air of confidence he was projecting, there was no doubt of that the stallion was very real.
This mare certainly was interesting. And to Taraxippus, interesting in a good way. "I have not seen another quite like you." He responded honestly. "And your tail is quite fascinating, if I do say so myself." He let his eyes linger on it. "Perhaps it is from your ancestors that the cat-o-nine tails got its true inspiration." He concluded with a smile.
However, at her question, he lifted his head with a gleam in his eyes. "I have. But... I must admit... while the blood is sweet, and the flesh succulent... there is nothing quite like the moment before the kill. With the animal helpless below you. You wield total power over it then, its life is yours to do with as you please. That is precious."
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:15 am
Was this not how it had started before? Pretty words that lowered ones guard. She was wiser; and less bloody mad for a start. If his words meant more than a mere compliment designed to stop her from attacking, she would be strike and be gone..
'If you had, you'd have known by the being injured, or dead.' Izusa grinned, flashing a white fangteeth again.
'The only other I know with a tail like mine was a stallion..' it made her pause to think of him. He had been an outspoken little colt, whose name now escaped her. He must have grown by now. She flicked herself out of her memories.
His next words sent a thrill through her, setting her wings rustling in a moments consternation. He was kindred! It was hard to hold tight to the belief that Kalona were the only true race when she met another that knew the joy of the kill, and the treasure that was panic in your prey's eyes as it knew that it was face to face with its own end.
Her own transgressions and temporary insanities aside, she wanted to be as she should be. No more mingling with lessers. But this one thrilled her.
'Hunt with me..' she whispered, her pale eyes on fire as she regarded Taraxippus.
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