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 Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:28 pm
((SRP= Self Roleplay))  It was one of those times Cressida allowed him to go off on his own, towards the twilight hours when Tucker was sound asleep, with the light from both a dying sun and awakening moon working together to illuminate the sky above and land below. However it cast odd shadows on the ground and the sands, whereas Aitumn still hadn't gotten a feel for the terrain and how it sucked and pulled at his hooves. no mater, the blood bay was on a mission and would tolerate the slowed and awkward pace as long as he was able to continue on his way.
He had to. With the all to real possibilty of Zak showing up for blood again, and with his growing affection for Cressida as well as the love of his son, he couldn't simply wait around for the brute to show up again. On no, Aitumn would not allow that as long as he was breathing and able to walk. Speaking of which, he flexed his forelegs forward to test the limitations of his shoulder, which had gradually healed itself over and fotten rid of the soreness. He had kept his word to Cress, not going off on his own until he was fit as use to be, if not better.
Freakin Aeri. the more he thought about him the more of an arch his neck took on, and the more frequently his lengthy midnight tail twitched out behind him. The fact he had finally found someone he could settle down with, and the fact he didn't have the urge to move in such a long time, only fueled his feelings of unjust persecution. The thought of that little family being torn away from him by a grudge holding idiot for something he didn't even remember terribly enraged the stallion. Another reason why he didn't want Cressida coming along with him. he had attacked Zak out of unsensible rage before, and there was no doubt he would do it again if driven to the extremes.
That, oddly, was not why Aitumn was searching for the green Aeri. He needed to know, he had to know... just what Zaknafein had meant by calling him a murderer. And Aitumn couldn't very well get that information while beating the bloody hell out of each other. Best to keep his temper in check.
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Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:21 pm
 "Wow, we're a long way away from the humans!" the filly exclaimed, her limber legs wary from walking all day, but not quite willings to give in just yet. As usualy, the black paintaloosa was stubborn as ever, never admitting to tiredness until she was about to stumble off to sleep. It didn't bother her that the day was running out and that night would soon set in, she wanted to see the ocean like Scabbers had promised her. And of course, Scabbers would keep his promise, he always did. With a small giggle the filly kicked her heels out of excitement to the thought. Scabbers would surely keep his promise! Oh his poor little hooves, he should have realized he would regret his decision as soon as he saw the look on Mec's face. You'd think he'd learn by now, having taken care of her since... well he wasn't sure exactly when, but it wasn't long after her sire ran off. Humph, he'd never understand nequus and their need to run off without their foals, for to the zrun it seemed like a common practice. Oh well, he'd at least save one from becoming an anti-social freak. "Not too long now, Mec. Ya see the sand up ahead, right?" Of course she did, there wasn't much the filly did miss.Little ears perked in the direction of Scabbers as her head darted upwards to glance around. Truth be told she was fairly tired, and hadn't spotted the sands up ahead just yet, but at the mention of it her pale eyes didn't miss the sight of it. "Oh Scabbers look! Look! Scaaaab-bers!" the filly chimed, momentarily renewing her energy for the time being as the paintaloosa urged her hooves into a slow, lumbering lope. She had learned from watching the adult nequus, that long strides meant speed, and speed is what she wanted to be. With tiredness mixed in though, a lope was all she could handle without stumbling in the grass... which was starting to feel loose and strange under her light weight.
As she moved off into the weird feeling ground, slightly startled as it began to suck and pull at her small hooves, she slowed her pace to keep from falling over. It didn't take much though, in her partially awake state, to noticed a dark figure moving up ahead. "Looky!" she giggled to Scabbers, eagerly moving off in that direction.
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Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:12 pm
Surely enough Aitumn was nearing the edge of the sands, however unsure of the exact distance away. With the sand under his hooves, he couldn't wait to get to solid ground, where he could stand, walk, and shift his weight normally without having them pull at his hooves every step of the way. That sinking feeling, he doubted, he would ever get use to. Though there was a single upside to traveling along such a terrain, that of which being: strides were silent and there was no need to be as stealthy as one would be on grass. Why was this an issue? Despite the distance between himself and his son, he still had it in the back of his mind that a single loud noise would wake the boy up; and the last thing Aitumn wanted was to have Tucker wake up and find his daddy wasn't there with him.
As the blood bay plodded along through the sands, his gaze shifting to follow the horizon every now and again, but it was the sounds of a sudden voice that caught his attention. Stiffening all the sudden, paces stopping and neck jerking upwards to allow more of a vantage point, the stallion noticed the two -small- figures that traveled in his direction. Well... it wasn't the form of an Aeri, that was for certain. He wasn't quite sure if he should be relieved of that or not.
Bae then? No, the figures were smaller than that, much smaller, and though he hadn't exactly understood what had been said he was rather curious now as the form of a foal seemed to appear from the distance. Two foals? He wasn't sure, for the twilight cast weird shadows upon the sands, and he was unable to tell what the one farther behind was. Whether or not to approach though...
Not much time to think on about it, for it seemed he had already been spotted. With an inward sigh, he decided it was best not to turn away his attention to a foal. Zak could, and would wait.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:41 pm
Ah, there was the excitement he expected to see from the little fiery filly. He had thought it rather odd to see her quiet, and though he found it annoying half the time, it was relieving to know she was still herself at the notice of the sands. Though, something else had caught her attention? Before he had the chance to inquire just what she wanted him to look at, the Zrun glancing upwards to spot the same dark figure up ahead. Unlike Mec, he reacted in sheer fright as she went charging off in its direction. "Mec! Mecriana, get your spotted bum back over here!" His calls were useless, and he knew it; which meant he would have to go running after her. Damn...
Sure, she heard Scabbers calling after her, but the filly paid very little attention to it. He could be such a worry-wart sometimes, and she was sure whoever this was up here would be better fun than just starring at the sand; which had previously been very interesting as well. "C'mon Scabbers!" she giggled behind her, slowing her pace a bit as the sand began to suck at her little hooves once more. Not too far away now, she could see the sleek figure of a Jala, with rustling feathered wings. An adult, no less! They were definatly more fun than sand.
Oh he was coming as fast as his little legs could carry him, but Scabbers didn't like it one bit. Adult Nequus were unpredictable, and if this fellow turned out to be harmful to Mec-
And there he was, in view finally. He wasn't moving, either away from them or towards them, which set the Zrun at unease. Rounded ears flicked back in a panic as Scabbers tried to catch up to Mec; worry now lacing his features. This might not turn out to be very good.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:06 pm
From where he stood in the distance, dull dark eyes watched the two forms as they drew nearer to him. Wondering, pondering, and all about unwilling to meet them in the middle. Perhaps they thought him to be someone else? A father maybe, or an older brother, he wasn't quite sure; but the last thing he wanted was to give them hope of such things by running out to meet them. He could be calm though, helpful if need be, but he knew somewhere out there was his goal. His target so to speak. Zaknafein was somewhere in the world of Urin, and Aitumn would find him before any more harm could be done to his family.
An ear flicked forward to listen as a voice carried over to him, from the smaller creature in the back. Creature, for he wasn't sure it was a foal anymore with how it ran and how its form changed as it grew nearer. Horns, he was certain he had spotted horns mounted on the little creatures head. Zrun then. Aitumn had only seen the little fellows once or twice in the part of his life he remembered, but he didn't think they were a particularly nasty sort so there was no need to antcipate any problems in their meeting. Ahead of the Zrun, though, he still figured to be a foal. A black, white, spotted foal. Jala. There was some nagging at the back of his mind that the pattern was familar, somehow, and so the blood bay craned his neck around further to get a better look at the filly as she drew near. Giggling reached his ears as well, and a spirited leap in her strides-
"Mecriana", the stallion chuckled to himself. Yes, he remembered her now. He had met the small foal briefly in Shiral while gathering fruit for Cressida one day, and though their meeting wasn't for more than a mere moment, he had at least learned her name. Set at ease now, Aitumn flipped his forelock from his gaze and turned towards them to quench the rest of the distance between them. "Greetings. Whose your friend there?"
She seemed rather excited, for some reason, but he got the feeling the Zrun behind her would be a different story. Then again, he couldn't help but wonder exactly what she was doing out here all alone. Surely she had parents about? You see, Atiumn had only met her once, briefly, and didn't know that much about her. And so, he couldn't possibly imagine she was out her on her own. Best to let her speak her mind first though, if he's learned anything from his own son its that exciteable young things needed to get their energy out before even thinking of talking about something else.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:06 pm
Getting closer, she did happen to notice the stallion's coloring to be a brown or bay of sorts. She would have known, but brown was such a common color, and there were really no other markings to go by. He was just an interesting adult, until he called out to her and she was close enough to come to a panting, prancing stop before the tall Jala. "Hi-hi!" she exclaimed, breaking the silence of the air with a single word. A glance to his sleek face and she noticed the chilling sight she had seen one time before; dark, lifeless eyes. It still sent a shutter down her spine that left her tiny wings shuffling along her back, but it made her all the more exstatic. "Aitumn! Oh, Scabbers is here. Scabbers is my friend", she told him with a happy flip of her tail, glancing back to watch the Zrun. "Sloooooow", she chimed to Scabbers.
Still frantic to get there before anything could happen to his sweet Mec, the Zrun nearly toppled over in the sands as he hooves tried to pick up the pace. No one ever told him how difficult it would be to walk on such a terrain, and as such he had been very unprepared. With widened eyes and lowered head he watched the stallion warily as he came up beside Mec, slipping into a more defeansive posture than he had been. Though... Mecriana seemed to know him, or at least his name. It couldn't be- her father? He was a Nequus. He was male. And Mecriana knew him. That was enough to allow an accusing glare to come over his features. "Mec, we should be going-"
"Nuh-uh Scabbies, I wanna talk to Mr. Aitumn", she spoke up, her demeanor completely free of any of the wariness her companion seemed to show at the stallion. It wasn't everyday she got to meet up with someone she had met before, and she was curious to know more about him.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:42 pm
There went the silence of the night, his lengthy tail flicking a bit as he thought of how quiet he had been trying to be. What if Tucker heard? Well, true, there was quite a bit of distance between them, and it was very doubtful the foal would, but the blood bay stallion couldn't help but feel a bit of unease at the thought of his son waking up in the middle of the night to find daddy gone. A silly thought he knew, when there was a grudge-holding brute out there that could very well steal away Tucker in a fell swoop of hooves and teeth.
"Oh?" Aitumn was drawn out of his thoughts by the comments made by the little paintaloosa filly. She was eager, happy, and all around in good spirits. It wouldn't do to bring her down with talk of himself at the moment, so he merely gave her a grin and glanced down to the Zrun- who seemed to be giving him a dirty look. That confused Aitumn slightly, but not the point of saying so or showing it, for when it came down to it he had nothing to worry about with the little creature. Perhaps he was just shy or didn't like others. That would certainly explain it.
Aitumn couldn't help but snort good-humoredly at the way Mecriana simply denied the others proposal to get going, such a funny thing to hear from a foal. Though, he hoped Tucker never learned the word, honestly. Well, or at least he wouldn't say it to the blood bay. He loved his son, and he loved to play games with the little white fellow, it would simply break his heart if Tucker ever grew out of that.
Back to business though. Aitumn gave them both a welcoming spread of his feathered wings as if to wave or greet someone. "Good to meet ya then Scabbers. Though I must ask, whatcha and this lil lady doing out so late?" He would have asked Mec, but she seemed to be too interested in studying his wings at the moment; at which he didn't hold back to show them off. Fully unfurling them, give them a flap, and twisting one of them forward for her to inspect.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:34 am
Despite the welcoming show Scabbers still couldn't withhold his glarring gaze. He was Jala. A stallion. And Mec knew his name. That was reason enough for the Zrun to believe that this fellow was in fact that no-good, bum of a father that had left his sweet little girl alone at her tree. So when the question was directed to him Scabbers couldn't help but toss his head, and ultimately rattle his large horns, into the air. "Humph! Taking care of her, that's what I'm doing!" he said rather pointedly. Sure, this 'Aitumn' was much larger than himself, and he could fly, but the Zrun was all the more willing to go after him when he had the disadvantage. You see, it was never right to attack someone when they were clearly out of their league.
Mecriana had been perfectly contenct to study and marvel over the large feathered appendages, but the voice of Scabbers drew her back slightly; the filly's head jerking upward in startlement. Scabbers never used that tone of voice, never ever ever ever! Her wide-eyed gaze traveled from Scabbers to Aitumn, fully trusting in her Zrun 'parent', and yet unsure about what it was that set him off. "Scabbies?" she questioned quietly, tucking her tiny wings to her sides and sideling over to him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:47 am
Now Aitumn had not expected such an outburst as an answer, sure he had noticed the Zrun's uncomfortableness, and the dirty look, but the tossing of horns was a clean threat from such a tiny creature. A slow frown creased the stallion's muzzle, dark hallow eyes shifting towards Scabbers as he made it known exactly what he was doing. 'Taking care of her'. What was that suppose to mean? Hadn't she any parents to do that for her?
As if Aitumn wasn't already engulfed by thoughts of Zaknafein and the problems he had caused the blood bay, he now had questions surrounding his concious about Mecriana. She was a good sized foal, lots of energy, and seemed rather sweet right off the bat. She wasn't shy at all, she loved games- but was there more to her life he didn't know? Calmly the Jala stallion took some steps to the side to allow him and the threatened Zrun some distance. He had no reason to fear the little creature, but he didn't want to make it uncomfortable either, especially if he seemed so protective of Mecriana. "Doesn't she have parents to do that?" Something just didn't seem right with the pair, and how Mec actually took cues of danger from Scabbers. Wouldn't a foal normally do that with its parents?
A quick glance to the paintaloosa filly and he saw she was rather unsure about the whole ordeal, so it wasn't her who had the problem. Though, she did look rather... saddened when he mentioned the parents thing. Oh dear, he hoped he hadn't just opened a wound for her. That would certainly explain the Zrun's attitude.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:03 am
'Didn't she have parents to do that?' The words still rung in her ears like a bad dream lingering in a frightened mind. Now she liked Aitumn, and she didn't hold it against him to ask, but the mere thought of her cowardly father had her ears drooping and her head turning away from the scene between Scabbers and the Jala stallion. She didn't like thinking about him, she didn't like remembering their game of tag, and she didn't like remembering the tail end of him as she tried desperatly to catch up. Stubbornly, the filly planted herself where she was, and closed her eyes tightly, trying again to forget such thoughts. It would not do to dwell, Scabbers had taught her that.
The nerve! The very nerve of this guy to bring it up in front Mec! The pompus jerk! The stupid git! The callous coward! Yes, he fully believed Aitumn to be the sire of his precious Mecriana, and as such the Zrun couldn't help but shake his horns to the air again, this time lowering them on an arched neck. "What do you think?! You left her alone at her tree, you ran away from her, and you ask a question like that!" He had tried his best to keep Mec from thinking on it for as long as he could most of the time, and now that the stallion had brought up himself in such a callous manner as that. It must have been a hurtful thing for his dear little filly to hear, and so Scabbers prepared a charge to the large Nequus.
That had her head shooting up once again, Scabbers voice and how it ripped with- well she didn't know but it didn't sound very nice. She looked all the more confused now as his words sunk in. How would Aitumn know of something like that? Why Scabbers say he ran away from her? Oh... oh that was why. Silly Scabbers! With a loud snort of her own, the paintaloosa filly stomped her little hooves into the sands and butted her forehead into the Zrun's shoulder to get his attention; avoiding the flailing of horns. "Scabbies Aitumn didn't do it. He's not him. He's a friend", she tried to explain, apparently oblivious to the Zrun's charging posture. She even ventured a giggle to his silliness.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:29 am
This was rather, confusing, to say the least. He had no memory of running away from Mecriana, and sure his memory was hardly a thing to be relied on thanks to him not even remembering his foalhood, but he still thought he would have had some sort of recolection of a thing like that. He certainly remembered most if not all of his adulthood. And then there was the accusations in his looks and his posture, clearly believing Aitumn to be in the wrong. Well, he honestly didn't feel like getting scured by some horns, especially with how he still needed to deal with Zaknafein, but that didn't stop him from standing his ground and even lowering his head to get more eye level. Now Aitumn was about to say something, but he quickly quieted his voice when Mecriana chimed in to speak.
That was probably for the best, Scabbers would likely listen to her more than he would listen to Aitumn. Who was him though? He ventured to think it was her sire. With what Scabbers had said, or rather accused, said sire had apparently ran off and left her at her tree. Dull dark eyes shifted again to watch the paintaloosa filly, the one so full of energy, happiness, and of course more energy. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be without parents, and to remember them running off.
With a heavy sigh the stallion shook his head to agree with Mecriana. "She's right, I'm not her father." What now, hope the Zrun believed them and be on their marry way? Aitumn didn't think so, the fact she had no parents to rely on left a bad feeling deep down his gut; especially if he were to leave her where she was.
Flicking his gaze out towards the ocean, which was quite a bit of a ways away, he watched as the twilight threatened to turn into complete moonlight. He didn't know if it was safe on the sands or not, but the stallion didn't like the idea of leaving her alone. With a sigh of contempt, he returned his gaze to the two, and after seeing the Zrun was calmed down, shifted once more to speak. "I have a son out towards the ocean more, he's with his mother and grandmother right now. I'm sure he'd be happy to meet you and play games with during the morning", he explained. He hoped he could bait her into staying more towards Cressida and Rhea, he would feel much more content if she did.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:53 am
He had been just about ready to charge the 'cowardly' stallion when a sudden headbutt to the shoulder caught him off guard and sent the little creature leaping to the side out of startlement and surprise. Head raised again and round ears pinned out of fright, he set his sights on a grinning, giggling Mecriana as she spoke about Aitumn. So... he wasn't the father? Questioningly he gaze switched over to the Jala stallion, who had in fact been standing his ground and about to speak with him as well. Huh, well, maybe she was right about this guy after all. He didn't seem cowardly anyway, so slowly he subjected himself to calming down and believing his wonderful little charge. Well, he would have felt foolish, but he would not dare think of it. If that had honestly been Mecriana's father, he would have happily left a gaping hole in his side.
There, Scabbies was calmed down and everything was happy-happy sunshine again for the little filly. Now, it was time to return to her fascination with Aitumn's wings again- that is until he mentioned something about him having a son. "Another foal?" she squeeled slightly, wiggling her little stub of a tail in antcipation. She hadn't seen another foal since Jun! With a quick whirl around she nearly pounced on Scabbers, if such a thing could be done by equines. "Scabbies! Scabbies! Scaaab-bies! We gotta go see Aitumn's son! We gotta! We gotta!" she chimed pleadingly, pale blue eyes wide almost as if she were begging it from him.
What was a Zrun to do? He nearly tumbled over from back-pedalling as the filly seemed to almost pounce him and her pleads did not go unnoticed to his round ears. Well, great, now she was all hyper again. With a sigh he gave a bob of his head. "Yes, yes, we can go see his son. Not till morning though, you need sleep." He gave an uncertain glance towards the tall Jala stallion, and was reassured with a bob of the blood bay's head. Good. Well, now at least she had something to look forward too- oh Gods his ears! He flicked them back slightly as Mecriana went squeeling around him and Aitumn.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:25 am
"Yup another foal by the name of Tucker", he told her with a broad grin. Oh how he loved his little boy, but it was all the more reason for Aitumn to continue onward in search of Zaknafein. Soon, he would need to part company soon, and so he stooped down to get more eye-level with the filly and her zrun companion. "If his mother asks, shes a golden Reya, tell her Aitumn said it was alright if Tucker could play. But listen to her, okay?" He didn't want to put more stress on Cressida by having a naughty foal around that wouldn't listen, but he thought seeing Tucker play with someone else would be a good sight to share. For Aitumn hoped to be there in the morning as well.
With a glance to the ocean once more and then back to Scabbers the stallion attempted to help out the situation a bit more. "Scabbers has a good idea there. Tucker loves to play, so it would be good if you got some rest first." Indeed it would, for if Aitumn could get tired out he bet even the energ-brimming Mecriana could as well.
He supposed he should be on his way now, but the stallion lingered still as he awaited an answer from Mecriana and Scabbers. Again, he didn't like leaving them alone, and as such he would wait.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:35 am
Sleep? She didn't want to sleep! Mecriana wanted to run around and play and run some more! And, and... and- a yawn escaped her muzzle as she slowed her frantic dashing around the two adults to linger over to Scabbers, flicking an ear to listen to Aitumn's voice. "Okies. I'll listen to golden Reya mare", she didn't know her name, but to Mec she would now be known as Miss Golden, or possibly Mrs. Golden-Reya depending on how her mind worked at the moment. Still, there was some stubbornness in her as rest was mention again, and Mecriana firmly planted her hooves into the sand, raising a nose to the air and closing her eyes. She couldn't see them or hear them, so that meant they couldn't either.
Scabbers sighed again, he was already very exhausted from their trip over, but that didn't stop him from nudging Mecriana forward; which she somehow seemed to follow even if she refused to be sleepy. "C'mon Miss Mec, I think I see a soft pile of sand over there." That outta do it. The zrun gave a look back to Aitumn, he didn't know if he was thankful or not, but at least he wasn't Mecriana's cowardly father.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:43 am
He gave a bob of his head to that, hoping that she would follow her word and indeed listen to Cress if he wasn't there. That was unlikely however, he was sure he'd be back by morning, almost positive. He didn't plan on meeting with Zaknafein for very long, enough to get his information, and then long enough to ensure that he would leave his family alone after working out the issue. That was the adult thing to do, even if it wasn't the way Aitumn wanted it to go. His muscled bunched unknowingly just at the thought of the green brute. Aitumn did not want to let him off the hook that easily even if that's what his mind told him to do.
Watching as the two made their way down the sands, Aitumn waited until they were fairly out of sight behind some of the large sand dunes of the beach, before flinging his lengthy tail in an aggressive manner off to the side. Time to find Zak. Time to deal with the devil who wanted nothing more than to harm his family and to harm the blood bay himself. The blood bay's rational mind seemed to be slipping once more as his hooves danced from underneath him in the strange terrain of the sand, neck arching passionately as he took off in a decisive lope once again.
Let Zak have at it, let him try, there was little that could stop Aitumn from getting to the green brute before he got to Tucker and Cressida again.
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