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 Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:38 pm
Lowering her head for a moment, Misaki took sips of the cool water that the lake provided. It was a serene place, the water rippled as she drank moving the plantlife that floated in the water and close to the bank. Her muscles flickered under her coat, chasing away insects that buzzed about.
It had been years since she had visited this lake. She smiled to herself as she remembered times that she and her sister had romped as fillies in the cooling waters.
The sun was far over head, the rays beaming down and glistening on the ripples as though the water was glass. Misaki's eyes surveyed the scene, she would take refuge under some nearby trees until later in the afternoon, it was much to hot to travel at this time of day.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:57 pm
Heat and any other form of discomfort had been something he had learnt to tolerate over the years. Constant travel through a variety of climates had caused him to be either very cold or very warm at certain times and regardless of the attempts he had made to avoid it he had always been largely unsuccessful. As a result, he had over the years nurtured and trained his body to the point that such things became trivial - mind over matter as it were.
Nevertheless, this afternoon was particularly warm and despite the white dust over his coat he could still feel the heat against the glistening ebony fur upon his form. Unfortunately the dust hadn't hidden it all - despite sleeping for many years it appeared that his cave simply didn't have enough dust in it to cloak him entirely...either that or his 'guardians' had continuously cleaned and tended to his fur while he was unaware of it. Regardless, he really wished they hadn't at this precise moment in time.
Alas, his disgruntled snort was not in reference to the incredible heat as he broke through the edge of the forest and began to wade his way through the long grasses towards the lake. On the contrary, he appeared to be receiving a lecture in his ear in relation to some matter that he considered to be both irrelevant to the current situation and trivial. So he had taken a short cut without informing his 'guide', she had been forced to shriek directions had him far more rapidly than she was accustomed to but there had been no mishaps and no more horn in the trees incidents now had there?
Really, his companions were never satisfied.
However, as the sun finally turned its unforgiving gaze upon his head his companion retreated into the depths of his mane and he was permitted some form of solace. Choosing to slow his pace to more of a saunter, he bobbed his head in quiet content as he moved towards the water's edge - most would have marvelled at the sight of such pristine water at this moment in time but he lacked the ability to do that - he simply followed it's scent. It wasn't that he couldn't see, he had perfectly functioning eyes beneath his rather ridiculous mane but the years had taught him that more often than not it was better to be blind than to judge a book by it's cover.
"If you do not stop now you will land right in the water!" Apparently his companion was looking through his mane at where he was going - so much for Solace.
Regardless, he did come to a halt and rolled his shoulders at last. Lowering his head to drink it should have come at no surprise that his furry mane rolled in ripples down his neck to rest like a roll of silk upon the grass beside him as he drank.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:26 pm
Watching the arrival of the stallion from the nearby trees, Misaki was silent. She could not see the companion of the stallion, nor hear the words of warning she offered. Misaki's head tilted as she watched, wondering how the stallion saw where exactly he was headed.
As he lowered his head to drink, Misaki watched as his stunning black mane fell and gathered on the blades of grass below. Her eyes looking over his mane, horn, coat, and wings. She smiled as she recognized the traits of an angeni. It had been a long time since she had been in the presence of such a creature, those she had met in the past were full of knowledge. Misaki was a soquili that thirsted for information on subjects unknown to her.
"You've a stunning coat and mane, but I must inquire, if it's not to much...as to how you know where you're going?" her voice was soft, though loud from having to call out to him from the tree line. She hoped he would not be offended by her curiousness. She also hoped that she had not intruded on his journey.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:08 am
"You could have at least been gracious enough to inform me that I had company," he mused to the company hiding beneath the mountain of hair that made up his forelock and mane. There were times when he could detect the presence of another through sound and smell, but on a day when it was warm and he craved water his senses directed him to just that - water. That being said, he was fairly certain she hadn't moved much either as he would have heard that at the very least.
"Ah, I am sorry but you DID declare that you could detect a being without ME at your side," clearly, his companion remained in a foul mood. His behaviour hadn't been that appalling but it had been enough to irritate the spider to the point that she was on 'strike' for want of a better word. Some would have surrendered to this disgruntled behaviour but Cyn had known his companions for generation and knew that well...he could keep pushing. Yes, they remained irritated at his inability to inform them of changing decisions but they still led him well.
So what if they sometimes went on strike?
"I usually can," he replied mildly, a wistful smile lining his lips as though he found entertainment in pushing the spider's 'buttons' so to speak. However, now that he was aware that he had company he spent little time in drinking and instead stole the last few sips of liquid before lifting his head again. Rolling his shoulders, he adjusted his footing and turned his head in the directon the voice had come from before chuckling.
"The answer is quite simple my dear, I do not."
"You liar!"
"Well I do not, you have to tell me..." He hadn't desired to over complicate matters but alas, sometimes he was just not permitted to take the simple way out. "I take a guess and generally hope for the best."
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:41 pm
She didn't move to begin with, she enjoyed the shade that the trees offered. She wasn't as accustomed to the warm weather as she once had been. She did smile though as the stallion seemed friendly and didn't take offense to her question.
Her tail flicked quickly, swatting at a few flies that buzzed around. She tilted her head with a quirky look as the stallion seemed to speak to another beside her. Had she not known for sure that she was the only other soquili in the area, she would have turned to see if anyone had come up behind her.
"You must have good instincts, you stopped just as I thought you were going for a swim," a soft laugh escaped her lips. "If you're in no hurry, you're more than welcome to share the coolness of the shade. I'm sure the heat is attracted to you dark coat." The trees cast a large enough shade that they could both rest without being in the other's personal space. Misaki would enjoy the company, especially that of a quirky angeni.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:50 am
Now wasn't the time to confess that it hadn't been his instincts that had stopped him, was it? He paused for a few moments as he mulled over the alternative in his head and opted to leave it for another time. No doubt this would anger his companion who received no thanks or recognition for anything she ever did (apparently) but it was a lecture and further ranting that he could endure after many years of hearing the same thing.
"Instincts? I suppose you could say that," he replied with a mild smile upon his equine lips. Whatever company he may have been in seemed rather pleasant to say the least, if her voice was anything to go by she seemed like quite the belle. Nevertheless, having only heard her for a short while he could only assume that her words were out of politeness and etiquette as opposed to anything else. At least he could grant her brownie points on the basis that she had yet to sound 'sympathetic' due to his lack of sight.
...He had chosen to be blind!
Indeed, it would be terribly comical if he should choose to lift the mass of hair from his eyes, they would be terribly out of place and with his mane clipped or braided back he would look most unusual. No, for the time being he was perfectly content to be completely oblivious to what lay ahead of him - it had never hurt him.
"I'm assuming she is referring to some sort of tree," he mused to his companion who released a small tut of annoyance before agreeing to his assumption. "Straight ahead then, or to my left?"
"You are hopeless!"
"I know, but you love it...at least admit that."
"Do not keep the mare waiting, you are so rude!"
He gave his rather fuzzy body a shake and clearing his throat he began to move in the direction he had been instructed to. His lumbering form may have caused loud 'thumps' to be heard where his hooves fell but otherwise his movements seemed effortless despite the obvious weight around his head, neck...and well, pretty much every muscle on his form.
"You have my thanks for the hospitality," he offered at last, his body seeming to rejoive as the shade embraced his dark form and the shadows chased the 'violent' heat from his flank.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:33 pm
Misaki continue to enjoy the shade, a content look upon her face as the stallion made his way to join her for a bit. She watched as his large body moved with grace over the ground.
Once he had gotten within range so that she could speak in her normal tone, she continued, "It's the least I can do. The sun knows no kindness some days, and the clouds are few and far between." She looked up to the blue skies over head, there were few clouds to come between them and the suns rays, causing the heat only to rise in the mid day hours.
She looked back over to the stallion, she couldn't imagine how hot he must be beneath the coat of black and the mass of hair that formed his flowing mane and tail. "Might I ask if you've been traveling far?" she wasn't the best at making small talk to begin, but she tried. She found first meetings to be a unsteady but unavoidable situation.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:20 am
This was why Cyn had always favoured the role of the 'bumbling old man' instead of the action-packed knight in shining armor. Conversations and first meetings were often too slow and uncomfortable for the knight to be taken very seriously. This wasn't to say he was a knight (unless you deemed him a veteran) but really, who didn't find the bumbling old man to be more entertaining anyway?
The same wistful smile formed on his lips as she replied to his thanks in a rather eloquent manner. Evidently, she had been raised well and spoke in such a way as to be someone he could openly approve of 'at a glance'. However, more often than not first encounters were always strewn with social etiquette and customary politeness - he had both but he tended to find them terribly stuffy and boring!
Nevertheless, as she enquired to where he had travelled from he paused briefly and attempted to discern how long he had been walking for. A few hours? He couldn't quite recall, all he knew was that he had been walking in a straight line and mulling over his own thoughts. They were trivial thoughts, revolving around his adoptive son and his mate...then there was the grandchildren, the great grandchildren and...
Well then there was the orchard he used to visit, he'd always wondered if that was still there.
Completely irrelevant musings, as one might have gathered!
"Did I travel far?" He shook his head, shifting his weight as he 'looked' left and right expectantly. The response he received was not what he wanted though, an exasperated tut. It was hardly an adequate response and he could hardly 'tut' at this poor mare. "My companion tutted," he confessed at last, the smile still planted on his lips. His tone was recognisably good humoured, light in quality.
"I can only assume that this means that I have indeed travelled quite a way this afternoon."
"You're hopeless!" The spider shrilled in his ear before releasing a sigh.
"Yes, quite far I should expect."
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:35 am
"Your companion?" she asked in a curious manner, eyeing the stallion with intrigue even though he couldn't see her. She wondered if, perhaps, he may be a little 'left of center', but she dare not ask or say anything out of the way.
"Well, in that case, it's a good thing our paths crossed," She beamed and nickered lightly, "Someone was signaling that you apparently needed rest." she refered to destiny and fate a lot. She believed that every being at a designated end but many paths to reach it. In her mind, the journey was much more important than where she ended up, though, she did hope to meet her end in a beautiful and harmonious place.
Misaki was at a stand still, again, her social abilities didn't allow for first meetings to be easy. She was more accustomed to being on the informative end of things, offering advice and discussing philosophies. She never tried to pry too deeply into one's past or present without them offering first. She wasn't exactly sure where to go next in the conversation without stepping on the stallion's hooves.
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:07 am
'Left of center' was most definitely a role he would like to be slotted into, it was better to be assumed 'crazy' than grumpy or intolerable. Admittedly, crazy individuals could be intolerable too but given that he couldn't see the person beside him they were perfectly capable of walking away. If they were quiet about it he wouldn't even know they were gone until the spider in his hair cleared her throat and informed him of the change in circumstances.
Nevertheless, he cast aside his own thoughts as she continued to speak. It was evident from the outset that like all not-so-social butterflies she was struggle to find common ground to stand upon. Perhaps now, outsiders would realise that he preferred the bumbling role simply because there was more to talk about...she had done what he had hoped for and had asked about his companion.
The cobwebs and dust should have been a give away of course, an indication to what his companion might be. However, very few soquili wandered the world with a spider as their guide, nor had they entrusted their lives to them and so it left much to discuss for him. For the most part, people merely assumed he hadn't washed in a while which would be largely acurrate but even so...
"What, you cannot see her?" he enquired in an equally curious manner, tilting his head to the side as the wistful smile flicked onto his lips. He always did have a love and appreciation for games, he could humour himself and his company for a short while at least.
"But she is right here!"
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:14 pm
She was thankful that if he was 'crazy' that at least he wasn't the dangerous definition of it. She peered over to him as he tilted his head and tried to explain that his companion was 'right there'.
She snorted a bit, giving an 'But I don't see anyone' look. Thankfully, she knew he wouldn't be able to see it. "You know," she laughed and nickered at him, "I think you're pulling my tail."
She had noticed the dirt and cobwebs, but she hadn't thought much of it. He had been traveling for a while now he said...it very easily could have traveled through an area and gotten the spider's silk on his coat without realizing it.
"Describe her for me?" She was curious as to what his answer would be. A spider, definately not what she would be expecting.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:14 am
She shouldn't have said that! He couldn't even help it as the boyish grin flashed onto his lips and he poked his nose closer to the mare. He was aware that personal space was often very important in the minds of those individuals on the lowland but she had walked right into his 'trap'. In a manner of speaking, she was playing along wonderfully and had provided him with further material to jest and converse with.
She may struggle with opening conversations.
He didn't.
Bumbling idiots for the win, no?
"My dear lady, if you desired me to pull on your tail that could be arranged," he purred, altering the tone of his voice to mimic that of a seductive stallion. The truth was that he could be terribly good at being the charmer if he wanted to but it really wasn't him, it simply fitted the situation in a much more appropriate manner than the jesting tone. She had made innuendo and he would respond to it. Then of course he would 'correct' it by following up with another jest.
"But in answer to your question," he continued and gave his mane a rather abrupt shake to shoo the spider out of his hair and up onto his horn. "She is small and is quite the tailor."
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:22 pm
Her ears perked and her head tilted a bit more as he nosed closer to her. In most cases she would have retracted her own head, but, the curiousity got her. She couldn't imagine what it was he was doing, but, he surely was entertaining.
She looked embarassed and at a loss for words as his comment about her tail registered in her ears. She caught the jest in the comment though, not taking offense as she would have had she thought him to be serious.
Just as he was beginning to answer her, she saw the small body of his 'companion' crawling up onto his horn. She, for a moment, almost forgot to listen to what he was saying. It dawned on her, quite suddenly, what he meant by 'tailor'.
"The spider?" she asked in a childlike amazement. She outstretched her neck and got as close as she could to inspect the small creature.
"Please, don't move or you'll kebab me..." she said to him quietly. She figured it best to give warning in case he couldn't tell she had moved closer.
Her attention, still on the small creature. "Do you speak?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:40 am
"Of course I don't!" The spider replied shrilly, releasing another tut and waving a leg in much the same manner as a dismissive human. If she could roll all of her eyes she probably would have. It wasn't that she was being deliberately rude but her exasperation at a certain stallion had worn her patience (and social skills) rather thin. Bumbling idiot indeed...
"He simply chatters away to himself, I steer him using his hair!" She continued, waving two of her legs together before releasing a small sigh. Sliding down from the tip of his horn on a delicate silk thread she extended a leg to tap at the mare's nose. It would hardly have been detectable given her size but it was, unmistakebly...an attempt to 'connect' on a social level. "While the concept of a spider taming a soquili is really very entertaining, I do indeed talk," she continued to speak in her very quiet tones.
"I simply have to rely on his 'swift reactions' and common sense to make sure we do not crash - which fails."
"A lot." Cyn added wistfully almost as though head on collisions with trees and other obstacles was really nothing to be concerned with. Either this stallion had walked into one two many trees or he wasn't annoyed by very many things at all - both could be entirely accurate given the circumstances. "Personally I find my guide more entertaining to keep a secret."
"Everyone seems to enjoy speaking with a crazed fluffball - no?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:01 am
A wide smile crossed her face, she took no offense to the small companions first actions as she seemed to be a bit irritated. She watched as moved down her silken thread, Misaki's eyes trying hard not to cross to focus on the small body at the end of her nose. She moved her head slightly so that the spider could rest on her nose instead of having to dangle there in the breeze.
"And to think," she laughed softly, "I was amazed by his 'instincts' of where he was going." she was, in her own gentle way, poking fun at the bumbling idiot at her side. She cast a sideways glance at him, "I knew you were pulling my tail, about something." she jested with him.
Looking back down to the spider she continued, "In his defense, he is quite large to make sudden movements." She, of course, had no idea of his background or history, but, she was trying her best to make small talk with the, now two, friendly strangers.
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