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 Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:21 pm
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Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:53 pm
 It had been a long time since she had last been here. Mismatched blue and green eyes looked lovingly up into the boughs of the great willow that had housed her family's tender moments for many seasons. The mare knew it was wrong of her not to come by during the winter, but she had been making her steady way around the lands, meeting knew people, walking here and walking there.
Yes. Walking.
She knew that was wrong too. After a run in with one parent's rival, Uwoduhi'Suli had grown more and more unloving of flight. She was a Wind with a strong urge to stay grounded. So strong was the urge, she only seemed to use her wings for indication and for hiding a blushing face. If it could really be said, the mare hated flying. As much as she loved her wings, and took such good care of them that they were almost too pristine, they were weakening. Her father had been so proud when one of his daughters came to him with wings. Yet, it wasn't the daughter it should have been. 'Suli couldn't understand it, but she gained more pleasure from walking then she did from flying. Her pale tan tipped wings were beautiful, no doubt, and her light body could still be lifted, if she got a good updraught and remained gliding, but she could no longer truely fly for very long. Her innate disgust of her father's rival, and her own apparant want to be a 'grounded' had got her into a situation that even she could not fully understand.
Bowing her head for a moment, she thought to her foal-hood. Vidia, sweet Vidia, had always wanted to be with their father, and was always so excited about feathers and hearing about her flying lessons. A sweet smile graced 'Suli's face as she thought about the time they had been in this exact place, and her and Vidia had been playing in the river after 'Suli's first flying lesson. So full of questions Vidia had been, and how little 'Suli had obliged her with her answers. A slight frown replaced the smile. Even then, 'Suli had not enjoyed the freedom the wings brought. She wanted the ground, and she wanted to be travelling by hoof with her mother, but she had learned to fly to keep her father happy. Since she had started striking out alone, she had lapsed into that exact mindset, and as such, stopped flying as much, progressively bringing flying to a bare minimum. Was it wrong of her? Vidia had so much wanted to join them, but had been unable, and 'Suli had so much wanted to stay with her sister and mother, but had been made to fly with her father... No, not made, as she had enjoyed every moment with her father, but the circumstances... No.
She loved being so fast on her feet, being a Wind had advantages that way, but Vida, who was a 'grounded' Soquili, was just as fast, if not faster when she wanted to be, really put some effort behind it! What a Wind she would have made! There was another advantage of course! Stepping up to the trunk of the tree, she spotted it. A pair of pale tan feathers with red tips, fastened to a lower branch by digging the strong quill deep into a growth crack. She smiled at them. Her father's strong feathers. Reaching around to the left wing, 'Suli used her teeth to pull a feather from it. It stung, but the newer feathers were the strongest, and she would do this for her family. With the base of the feather fibres held in her teeth, she used a quick, strong motion of her head to jam the pointed part of the quill into the crack below her father's feather. It stayed. Smiling, she repeated this with a feather from her right wing. The pulling of a feather was really quite sore, but she felt that she didn't deserve these feathers, not really. She didn't use them, not like Vidia would of, had she been the one born with them.
Smiling at her handiwork, Uwoduhi'Suli turned her attention away from the tree, looking out from between the long tendrils of leaves. She thought she could spot movement outside, but thought she would wait and see if it was a Soquili. She didn't feel overly curious to find out right now. Taking a few steps, 'Suli peered into the water lapping the edge of the sandy bank, at a reflection she couldn't quite recognise. Her mother's face looked up at her, and both of her parent's eyes, and then, her father's bright red mane flared around her face, a negative version of his tattoo at her throat, and on her flanks. Red and white, not black and blue. They suited her, in a strange kind of way. She adored these remenants of her father, so why couldn't she lover her wings too?
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Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:08 pm
 Many moons had passed when the pale mare had her first run in with Wild Wind. Since then she had only rarely gone out among the Soquili throng when either her uncle or mother dragged her to be "social." Even the stallions she had met were unable to drive away the thoughts that plagued her mind and brought out this morose attitude.
Her world was completely shattered. How does one go about picking up those pieces?
Her head hung low. She watched the ground in a blur with each step she took. It was a miracle she didn't step on her own mane. It was the same white of her mother's but it was clear her father had some influence with the red stain at the ends. But her mind was else where, not paying any attention to where her hooves carried her.
She knew in her heart-of-hearts that her father loved her mother deeply. Yes, it was still gross to watch them be all lovey mushy with one another the rare times they were together. But he loved her even though she wasn't of his kind. What she worried about was that he cared for her less since she was ground-bound like her mother.
Was she a disgrace to her father? She remembered the pride in his eyes, the same eyes as she, when she was a little foal by the family tree. Maybe that was less compared to her sister.
The thought cycle rolled around and around, eating away at her heart. She didn't feel confident around other Soquili, commonly hiding away and unable to meet their steady gaze. She wasn't even equal to another grounded. She was tainted.
Everything was so much simpler when she was still in the basket. It had been safer in the basket.
Vidia finally raised her gaze up enough to see where her steps had brought her. It was an unconscious thought on her part that was trying to find the innocence she once had. What she had not expected was to see her sister standing by the water's edge. Her eyes looked quickly to the family tree and she saw the red and white feathers that were such opposites.
Four now. Symbolic of the number in the family? Perhaps. A ghost of a smile touched her features. "'Suli."
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 10:18 am
Uwoduhi'Suli's mind was so preoccupied, she nearly missed the soft call of her sister. An ear twitched as she looked up, mismatched eyes wide as she gazed upon her sister's form between the thin, cascading boughs of their personal spot. Her face, marred by the frown, was quickly replaced by a look of glee as she trotted carefully over to her sister and nuzzled at her muzzle, a sisterly greeting. Stepping back, 'Suli took in her sister's appearance. Amazing. She truely was a wingless, female Tawali! Down to her very eyes! She was a beauty of a mare, and 'Suli couldn't help but be slightly jealous of her lack of wings. A pang struck deep in her chest, but she ignored it, hoping no sign of it appeared on her face. She tucked her wings as close to her sides as she could and smiled graciously to her sister.
"It has been too long, sister. Ah'm glad to fin' ye in such great condition! Tell me ye're secret! Ye look amazin'!" 'Suli smiled at her sister and motioned for her to follow her into the tree boughs. Her mismatched eyes cast a cursory glance around, trying to spot their parents. "Ye walk alone, sister? No etsi or doda? Not even those crazies from etsi's teepee?" 'Suli chuckled softly, eyes full of glee at the sight of her sister.
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 10:30 am
Her smile was a ghost of what it had once been, an attempt to chuckle at the jest her sister made about their strange little family (more like Vidia's confused family). "It's good to see you too, 'Suli," she said softly.
She took a once over of her sister, noting that she didn't seem as strong as a Wind should be. Obviously there was something wrong for her to have appeared wasted around her feather appendages.
She nodded her head slightly to the question, causing her mane to sway with the motion. "They're catching up with one another. Uncle Nacio is a proud papa now of two boys. And Omani'ceta is off looking for her bond once again."
That had been the hardest good-bye the filly had to make, saying farewell to their resident falcon. The bird had been a wonderful addition and treated everyone like her own little chicks. But after Vidia had spilled the beans to Omani' the bird had grown in such a huff that she decided she needed to find the "feather-brain" and "teach him better manners." And so she had left their area in her search once more.
She focused once more on the present. "How was your journey this winter?"
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 11:00 am
'Suli's eyebrow twitched a little at the saddness behind her sister's smile, yes shading a little with concern. The chuckle was forced, and it seemed odd to hear it from her little sister. Listening to the news of her mother's 'roomies', 'Suli nodded with a slight smile. It was nice to hear that they were enjoying life. She had never really met Nacio properly, but had heard good things, and was glad he was succeeding in life. At the name of Omani'ceta, 'Suli's ears flicked back before coming forward again, a slight face of annoyance flashing over her features, before being replaced once more by her usual grace and poise.
"Well, Ah can' say that it was amazin', but it was excitin'!" She smiled at her sister and looked around them. "It takes a long time to travel from one side to the other, but Ah enjoyed it. More exhilaratin'!" She smiled a little, eyes settling on her father's feathers. "Any news of doda? Has he gone galabanting around the countryside again? He never was able to stay still long."
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 11:07 am
It was simply amazing that her sister was just as free-spirited as their father, to roam the realm and see so much that Vidia was terrified to experience. It was more or less the fact that she feared seeing another Soquili and them seeing the mark of a halfling.
"Dad's his usual self, though I haven't seen hide or feather of him. Mom has been lucky, but I don't think he can stay too long away from her." In actuality, she'd been trying to avoid him as much as she'd avoided the rest of society. Who needed the ton when they could be just as judgemental?
She was just about to open her mouth and mention something, but paused. This was all just banter to hide something that festered under both of their skin. "I--uh--met Wild Wind moons ago," she stammered as she stared at the ground.
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:19 am
'Suli smiled at the news of their father being off adventuring as he often was. 'Suli wondered if there was something he needed to do, something he left had to be done before he could properly relax and fall into life as a mate to a grounded Soquili. He was so free-spirited, maybe it was simply a need to go and explore once in a while. Perhaps as he aged he would feel the need less and less, and be constantly in their home.
Noting Vidia's worried face, she canted her a head a little to the side as she waited for her to speak. The stammered words shocked the sister, and she lowered her ears against her skull and narrowed her eyes at the name, a truely disgusted face marring her features. Her memory of her own meeting with the Wind had resulted in him giving her the name 'Broken Wind'. She had not felt she was broken, just misguided in her choices. Perhaps had she spent more time learning the values of her wings, and less time dreaming of walking the land with Etsi, she could have changed her views, but her love of the walking journey had resulted in her loosing her head for flying, and her preference just became commonplace. How she wished Vidia had been graced with the wings, and not her.
"Ye pay no mind to that oaf at all, sister!" 'Suli's begging words were cold as she turned her face away, imagining that horrid stallion in all his 'glory'. "Whatever 'e said to ye shoul' be ignored! His views are warped by an exaggerated sense o' worth! 'E ain't worth your worries, your pains! Tell me ye don' believe him Vidia!!" When Uwoduhi'Suli's eyes were turned back to her sister, they were full of their own pain from her incounter with the beast. "'E made me doubt, please tell me 'e failed with his spurs on ye!"
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 4:27 pm
She faltered with her careful mask, a slight twitch of an ear and a glimpse of the broken spirit that she harbored. As much as her sister seemed to plead with her that she hadn't fallen victim, she felt that she had gotten the brunt of it all.
After all, she wasn't the startling red of her mother nor did she have the wings of her father. She felt in her heart that she was the lesser of the sisters not only because she didn't have wings, but because she looked so plain.
And so, that mask cracked just a hair and forced her to look over the riverside, away from 'Suli. "Father does love me less," she stated plainly. "He took you to the sky and left me with mother. I love mother dearly, but I didn't get to see father as much as I'd have liked. I haven't seen him since we were fillies playing in the water or hiding in the leaves of the willow."
Her cyan eyes finally locked to the bi-colored tones of her sister with a thin veil of tears and pure sorrow. "What Wild Wind said was true. I have no place to stand in any of our parents' worlds and I am a disgrace because of my halfling blood and lack of feathers."
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:21 pm
Uwoduhi'Suli stopped dead, her whole body frozen as she listened to her sister's words. Her heart seemed to stop, and her chest started to burn as she failed to breathe life into herself. Her eyes welled at the harsh words tumbling from Vidia's mouth, a pain so similar to her own, but magnified in her sister. 'Suli felt a lone tear stray down her face, but could do little to stop it, so completely stunned as she was. When Vidia stopped her words, 'Suli took a step back, a vigourous shake of her head showing she could hardly believe her sister's words.
"Ye can't believe that Vidia! How could ye believe that, of all things!" More tears spilled, the pain in 'Suli's chest growing. "Doda does not love ye any less. 'E loves ye equally to us all! 'E wished ye could learn to fly with him, 'e wished it dearly every time 'e left with me to teach me! Ah wish I could take these wings, rip them from my body, and give them to ye so ye could fly with them. Ah've wished that from out the basket, Vidia! Ah don't deserve these wings. Ah hate flying! Ah feel pain in my chest every time Ah flap them, because Ah know they are not mine. They are ye'rs, they al'ays were! Don't ye dare say Doda loved ye less because ye were wingless, don't ye even dare! He can't help his wandering spirit anymore then Ah can help having these here feathers that are rightfully ye'rs!" 'Suli turned from her sister, stomped to the edge of the river, her tears flowing freely as she glared at her reflection.
"Ah wished Ah could stay behind. Stay with Etsi and ye. Ah went with him to please him, to make him proud of me. Ah knew even then it wasn't what Ah wanted, but back then Ah couldn't put a name to it. Ah wanted to be wingless, Ah wanted to be you." She cast a teary glance to Vidia and smiled sweetly. "Ye look so like him, its not fair. Ye should have had the wings, not me. Ye are the one they belong to!" Her face screwed up as fresh tears spilled. A resolve seemed to appear in her eyes as she trotted back up to her sister, looking her in the eye, before reaching her head around a tugging a mouthful of the feathers from her wings, a pained nicker escaping her in a gasp as she did so. She spat them out at her sister's feet, reaching around the otherside to do the same. Sweat beaded on her flanks as she tore the feathers from her skin, a great clump of pristine feathers. She hissed in pain, and the ends of the feathers came out slightly bloodied. Again, she spat them at her sister's feet. Her bi-coloured eyes glared at her sister, in defiance.
"Ah would do it to all of them, Vidia, jus' for ye. Ah would gladly find a Kalona willing to rip these limbs from me! Jus' for ye!" Her tears were of sadness and extreme pain. From her right wing, a thin rivulet of blood trickled from the great missing lump of feathers. She had caused some serious damage, but it would heal, and they would regrow with the next moult, already new blood-feathers were already pushing up and through. "If'n ye are a disgrace, Ah am more so. Ah am of the same blood, but Ah detest these feathers like Ah detest that abominable paint! That makes me worse, Vidia! Ah have been given a great gift, and Ah wreck it!" She spread her mutilated wings, revealing great chunks of missing feather. "Ye cannot say that anymore Vidia! Ye're not a disgrace, because that is to say the love between our parents is a disgrace! That Ah am a disgrace with ye! Ah won't have that on either of our consciences! We make our own world Vidia!!" 'Suli's tears came harder then ever, and as she settled her tender wings back in place, she stepped up and lay her head across Vidia's neck and back, forcing her, willing her, to believe her words. "Don't block me out, Vidia! Ah love ye, and Ah don't like seeing ye hurting!"
Around their feet, the feathers swirled, and it pained 'Suli to see them. She closed her eyes to the tears and the feathers.
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:37 pm
She stared down at the feathers littering the ground. The wind picked up and blew a few across the grass to mingle in her long mane and tail. Surprisingly, she had managed not to shed a single tear at the stricken look on her sister's. Inside was hollow and empty with the realization she'd made that wintry day.
But what did rise forth was the first stirring of anger. She'd known for many months that she was jealous of her sister, jealous for what the Gods had given her. She stomped a hoof on the ground with a very loud snort, the blood red feathers moving away from the action. "You a disgrace? Don't make me laugh at the very thought, 'Suli. You're everything dad could have hoped for, a daughter to remind him of the mate he loves who would be able to grace the skies and be the part he needed to remind him to return home."
She tossed her head, glaring in the direction of where her mother was waiting patiently for her mate to return. "We don't make our own world, we live in the one we've been given." She turned that glare on her sister, the cyan eyes going a darker shade. "You're blessed. Blessed with mother's looks, blessed with father's wings. And I'm just something on the sidelines to watch the world pass me by. It's your own fault for not making the most of what you got. Heavens know I have tried and been nothing but a voice on the wind."
Vidia gave her back to the red mare with a casual, though dismissive, flick of her tail. She wasn't angry with her, just angry at their luck. "I love you as well, Uwoduhi'Suli. But I can't accept what you're wasting. Dad loves you more than me and there's no changing my mind on that." She took off at a steady trot, away from the family grounds and her family.
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:50 am
Surrounded by the flurries of downy feathers, 'Suli could hardly take a step to follow her sister. Her sister's words stung like a million bees, the anger in her eyes burning 'Suli's very soul. Tears dried on her cheeks as she hesitantly gave chase, a few awkward steps, as though she had forgotten how to, before she raced forward, planting herself firmly in front of her sister. Her own eyes had taken on a hurt blazing anger of their own as she glared at Vidia.
"Don't ye dare! Don't you ever dare turn ye'r back on me, Vidia!" She snorted, head lowering. "If Ah'm everything Doda ever hoped for, why isn't he still here? Why is he still off floating upon a breeze? You answer me that?! Its not because of us he doesn't or does stay, Vidia. Its because of us he comes home when he does, an' its because of us he flies! For those of us that can't, and those of us that detest to!" 'Suli shook her head at her sister's blind-sighted thoughts. How could she say Doda didn't love her as much? Doda had been disappointed Vidia hadn't had wings, yes, but it hadn't stopped him loving her! Quite the opposite!
"Ah may look like Etsi, Vidia, but Ah'm not. Not at all. Ah may have wings, but they only made me able to fly with him. It was to Etsi and ye he longed to return to each time we flew. He wanted to spend more time with ye, he wanted ye to come with us when we flew, but thought it unfair to bring ye, because while we were in the sky, ye'd be on the ground, following. Ah always wanted to be with ye! Ah thought if Ah was with ye, he'd stay more, but that's not his way Vidia!" 'Suli knew even as she continued to talk at her sister, she was fighting a loosing battle. "Don't ye dare hate Doda for what he is, what he's produced with Etsi! We are his legacy, his daughters! You can't let that absurd paint win! Ye'r aiding him by leaving us, Vidia! Ye'r letting him get more points on our family! Just STAY!" Her last word was shouted so loud, and she looked to her sister with pleading eyes.
"He'll come back soon, Vidia! He will tell you himself he loves ye as much and more then any in this world! Ye'r his flesh and blood! He won't desert you, so don't you desert us!"
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:27 pm
She shook her head slowly. 'Suli would never understand, never understand what it was like to have been left behind. She was the only one to have stuck with mother during the year, seen the hidden hope whenever she looked to the sky for her mate and other daughter.
It had been foolish of Vidia to think she could be something her mother and father would be proud of. No matter what, she would always be second best, or the last thought. And now she would be pushed further aside with the new additions to the family. And she had finally accepted her life, finally proud of what she had, only for it all to be taken away.
No, it wasn't taken away. It had never been. It had been her delusional fantasy. Maybe Althalus had been wrong? "No, you're wrong. Dad has already deserted me." She pushed 'Suli out of her way to leave the family lands, leave everyone behind her. She needed answers and she was done waiting to get them.
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