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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:15 pm
Hunger was an irritable thing. It coursed through his belly like some snarling wildcat, dragging its claws through his guts and rousing him from dreamless slumber. Glittering eyelids cracked for a moment, letting red-rimmed eyes shiver off the glaze of sleep before the stallion could fully awaken. His broad chest swelled with breath before he yawned, giving himself a rough shake to stimulate his muscles into awareness. He could still feel the sun on his flanks, peering through the leaf-laden branches of the tree he'd picked for a short doze. That meant it was still midday at the very least--a perfect chance to squeeze some hunting in. With a grunt, the Kalona lowered his head, stringy strands of crimson spilling across his shoulders. His horns and shoulder scraped against the rough bark to relieve silent itches scrabbling across his gleaming flanks. though he was hungry, for once, Nemesis was not irritable. His short nap had done wonders to soothe his temper, and he'd been given time to mull over the words of wisdom left for him by his mother. The beast wordlessly set off with a lash of his spaded tail, taking his time to settle into the hunt. Another rumble told him that his gut agreed; he'd feast before doing anything else just yet. What would be on the menu today? More deer? Or perhaps he would resort to a more cannibalistic tongue and pick off whatever Soquili that had strayed into the forest alone.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:40 pm
 Newadi'Woyi was spending the beautiful and sunny day out of the sky, which might have suprised her family. She loved the sky, loved the bright expanse of blue that enabled her to travel far and wide on its high currents and explore all of the land from its glittering vantage point. But sometimes her Grounded genes kicked in, pulled her out of the far-away sky and instead compelled her to walk upon the ground with her bright red hooves, to go slowly and examine each thing that she came upon individually, to pause for every flower or insect that caught her attention. In that way she almost might be thought of as slightly foal-like, with her curiosity quickly caught by each new thing. But it wasn't because they were new and she was naive that she wished to stop and examine anything that slightly interested her. It was because she was interested in the beauty of everything, its individuality, its uniqueness, the small characteristics that made this flower slightly different from that one, that categorized the world into its little parts.
Perhaps that single-minded attention to such small details would get her in trouble eventually, but the young mare hadn't been taught that painful lesson yet. Her wandering father, of course, would be disappointed in her for so terribly letting her guard down, as would her mustang mother, but 'Woyi was still young, only a new wanderer, and she would do things the way that she so desired. The forest was warm and peaceful, she had wings, and she did not smell or hear anything amiss. And so she strolled, content and quiet, glad to be able to enjoy herself, to slow down and take in the world from four hooves instead of two wings.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:57 pm
It'd been simple luck that his sharp eyes had picked out the slender doe nestled admist the tall oaks, her speckled hide offering almost perfect camaflouge against most hungry hunters. Unfortunately for the young female, he was far above the ordinary slew of predatory beasts. A brief pause told him he was downwind from the unfortunate creature, and stealth would be his tool in stealing closer. She grazed peacefully, unaware of the black behemoth closing in at an angle towards her flanks. A violent flash of hooves, beating like blunted hammers against her spine to send her crashing to the earth. The bushes shuddered, branches snapping as the massive stallion descended to snap her neck before there was even time for a scream. Licking his chops, blackened lips delicately brushed themselves against the doe's shoulder for a moment while he inhaled, his stomach growling from her scent. Normally, he might have taken the time to enjoy the thrill of the chase... but he was hungry now, and all he wanted to do was eat.
His fangs pierced her thick hide, opening up the doe's belly to better expose her still-warm entrails. A right-royal feast, in the Kalona's mind. He ate rapidly, ignoring how gruesome the sounds and sights may have been for anyone unfortunate enough to be watching. This was his meal; anyone with half a brain would be wise to realize how lucky they were that he was already preoccupied, and clear out before their luck turned sour.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:03 pm
'Woyi was wandering slowly, eyes and hooves content to rove from one interesting stop to another, seeking out the hidden areas of the midday forest. There was something so peaceful about traveling by hooves instead of wings, for you were forced to move slower, and did not have to fight against buffetting winds, or work wing muscles to keep your body aloft when the breezes did not work your way. While sometimes, soaring far above the ground on the thermals, you could get the same peaceful feeling, it occured far more often in the depths of the forest while simply ambling along.
But then the wind shifted, and 'Woyi stopped, throwing her head up to catch the new scents that drifted toward her. It smelled like a Soquili, but one that was slightly...different. If she was older, with a far greater amount of experience under her belt, the mare would have known to run or fly away as fast as she could if she caught that strange, off-Soquili smell. That smell signified a danger that she was not well-prepared to face. But then she heard a several strange thuds and a crash that sounded suspiciously like several branches falling to the earth. The sudden sound made her muscles tense, her wings unfurl themselves from her side, as she prepared to take flight, but after several long minutes of silence she let her body relax and analyzed the sound that had so startled her. It had close, and it had come from the same direction as the strange Soquili. Maybe the other one's hurt, she thought, feeling anxious, turning and preparing to dart off to rescue the poor Soquili who must be in terrible pain, from the sound of things. But what if something attacked it? I must be quiet. It had sounded close enough that walking delicately but quickly shouldn't cause any more problems for the poor Soquili victim. 'Woyi was fortunate not to know that if she had gone crashing off into the bushes, she probably would have been the victim of this "poor" Soquili, but, as it was, all her senses were on alert as she crept through the thick trees toward the source of the crash.
It was as she got closer that she started to feel like something just might be slightly...off. She could smell blood, lots of it, fresh and sharp, and it both made her want to fly away rapidly and dart toward the side of the Soquili who must be terribly injured. And then she heard the sound. She had once watched a coyote devour a jackrabbit when she had been younger, having thought they were playing some elaborate game until the coyote pounced upon the rabbit and the rabbit stopped moving, bleeding upon the ground, and the sound had been much like this, enough to fill her spine with trembles and make her wings raise up once more, even higher than when the simple crash had startled her. It was a wet sound, a sound of blood and entrails, accompanied by the tearing sound as the predator ripped flesh and gulped down its meal. Whatever it was, it was very hungry, and was eating quite fast, and 'Woyi feared it was too late for the poor Soquili she had heard falling. It would have never crossed her mind that the Soquili might be the one doing the eating.
Trembling, but driven by her insatiable curiosity and her knowledge that both of her parents had faced this and worse while traveling throughout the Kawani lands, 'Woyi quietly crossed the last few yards to stand at the edge of the oak grove. As her eyes adjusted to the speckled light-and-dark of the trees, she felt her insides churning with horror at the sight in front of her. A creature that was definitely a Soquili, one she now recognized as a Kalona from her parents' tales, was gorging himself on a deer, tearing off the flesh so fast that it looked to be inhaling the meat. The scent of blood and gore filled 'Woyi's nostrils, so much that she wanted to gag and her instincts screamed at her to flee, but she was rooted to the spot by the sight. Her bright green eyes were wide as she realized that this was what so many Soquili were afraid of, and she couldn't help but watch it. She had to know, she had to understand, and ultimately, she didn't want to back down from something until she had to. Just because he eats meat doesn't mean he'll attack me, she comforted herself, though she made no move to speed up their meeting, simply watching the Kalona with very wide eyes and suprisingly little tremble in her body.
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Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:29 pm
For a while, it was easy enough to focus on little more than his stomach. Flesh turned to paper when pitted against his gruesome mouth, and he shredded the thick, sweet meat until the bare bone lay clean. The carcass shuddered underneath the brutality, limbs jerking in a frenzied mockery of fleeing, though it was only the doe's spirit that had managed to escape. The hot splash of blood against his thick tongue was probably the most pleasurable feeling the stallion had felt all day, and he relished in the sensation. Of course, like all good things, it wasn't meant to last. The mourning wind made to pass over the violent scene, carrying with it the scent of one who hadn't the sense to flee upon stumbling across a Kalona and his kill. His thick neck arched, lifting his head slowly to stare at the newcomer with narrowed eyes and a bloodied muzzle.
A low, undulating sound began to rise from the depths of his throat, not unlike an enraged crocodile before it charged. His spaded tail slapped menacingly at his flanks, tearing the earth behind him to choppy shreds. Save for the slew of animalistic snarls that fell from his maw, Nemesis said not a word; there was little profit in communicating when he so clearly was engaged with something else. Be it a lesser, or another Kalona--he was not in the mood for idle chitchat and posturing. Irritating. That's what he saw other Kalona outside his family to be, and had met only a few whom he could consider equal--as far as standards went. But this? This feathered, senseless fool? Had he not a meal already, perhaps it would be her belly he would have torn into...
He studied the earthy toned mare with her sanguine wings, snorting harshly at the mixture of terrified awe scrawled across her youthful features. A wind--possibly one of the most irritating to catch if they had any chance to escape to the skies. Having offered his warning, the monster returned to his meal. It was her decision whether or not she would wisely heed it; he would not hesitate to drive her off should she approach, or simply stay and gawk. He wasn't one for unwanted attention.
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