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 Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:33 am
That day had come, the day in which his father had finally relented and released his sons from his rather 'suffocating' embrace. Penance had always been aware that the protective nature of his father had been necessary. There were many things in the world that could cause harm and so his father had taken measures to prevent that. However it was now that the colt had grown into something much stronger and faster than he had previously been. He had only received minor instructions from his father and his grandfather, but even he could survive in combat against the majority of foes...though he might have been unseasoned.
Thus, it had been the decision of his father to at last permit his son's to explore. Certain they would be strong enough to hold their own, they had been released into the world. Completely unaware of what lay beyond Azumoth's dark forest, Penance was once again brimming with excitement. Golden eyes glowed with a renewed vigour and yet, months of careful training had ensured that his expression remained passive. For the most part he was unreadable but youth still had a way of creeping passed disciplines great veil and he still had a bounce in his step.
One day, though he had yet to realise this...things would change and that bounce would be lost, in favour of the powerful saunter his father had long adopted. Alas, naivity would remain intact for at least a little while longer as he continued to distance himself from the forest's edge. Glancing back over his shoulder every now and again in a silent farewell to his safe haven and the 'kingdom' that his father had created. No doubt he would be back, but not before he had seen a little of the world.
Nevertheless it wasn't long before the young stallion had turned his gaze back towards the world that lay beneath his hooves. Having never seen the Kawani lands that lay below the Grove, he was positively mesmerized by the beauty of what existed. The glittering lakes, the colourful forests and even the plains that appeared to be dotted with Soquili. It was only after he had observed it for a little longer that he realised that what lay below was actually where his elder 'siblings' and his mother had once lived...
Curiosity could no longer be controlled at this point, it became unbridled and urged him forward until he was at a gallop. Wings unfurling, he gave a beat of the extensive leather appendages and thrust himself off the slopes. For a brief time he plummeted to his 'death' and then the currents caught him and permitted him to glide seamlessly through the skies towards the foreign lands beneath his hooves.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:10 am
 Unlike Penance, Inali had lived without parental restrictions for a long, long time. She could not even recall her parents. At one point they must have been important in her life, but now they were a distant, hazy memory, fading into obscurity with the rest of Inali's early life. She wished she could remember, but wishing did not make things happen.
The past was not on Inali's mind today, however. No, today was all about the present, and how boring it was. Every day seemed to go by in exactly the same way. Inali would rise early in the morning, bathe in her pond, then trot out to her meadow to sun herself. Then she would eat the long grass and have a touch of clover, and nap. Then she would wander around the forest a bit, following birds, and the day would be over. Sometimes other soquili would interrupt her private world, but not often. It was so monotonous! Inali could no longer stand the life she had built for herself. Why would today be any different?
Standing miserably in her patch of meadow, Inali lowered her head to stare at the gross. She couldn't even bring herself to eat today. What was the point? What was the whole point of existence anymore? For Inali, it was a world with few friendly faces, and a world without love. She couldn't bring herself to love anyone, and regarded herself as completely unlovable; otherwise, she wouldn't have faced so much rejection in her short life. Rejection and heartbreak and boredom. That was all life amounted to, and that was all it would ever be.
Inali would never be able to say what made her look up that day, especially when her mood demanded she be fixated upon the ground. But look up Inali did, just briefly, and that was enough to spot a dark shape circling against the sky. The sun was in Inali's silver eyes, making it difficult to make out the true nature of the soquili. A wind? Too big for a flutter. No... Inali noticed the way the sun shown through the wings, outlining only the general shape. The soquili had the wings of a bat, and only one breed of soquili had wings like that. Fear filled Inali's heart, but she strengthened herself. A kalona was on the hunt, and Inali would not be his prey.
"Hie, foul kalona! You will not find easy prey here!" Inali's voice rang out, likely loud enough to be heard by the soaring kalona. Rearing up, Inali's hooves beat the sky- one white, one black. She would not be eaten today, no matter how depressed. There had to be some reason to continue with life. If she was to die, Inali would choose her method. She was not going to be an easy meal! "Come down and fight like a true soquili! Face me and fight!" Inali would lose her voice from crying out, but she didn't care. Today, she would fight to her death.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:31 am
Kalona?
Where!
Penance came to a halt in the air, his wings beating rapidly to ensure he remained afloat. Amber eyes flicked from left, to right and then over his shoulder somewhat yet he couldn't find any sign of a Kalona. Had he missed something in passing? His current flight path had led him down from the slopes, across the lower forests and towards the plains. However, he could logically assume that in his half entranced state he hadn't taken note of any foul beasts. It seemed reasonable but how was it that he couldn't see them now that he had come to a halt?
The young stallion was fairly certain he wasn't blind and as if to prove the fact, he shook his monotoned hair from his eyes and looked around again. Still, he found no signs of this 'kalona' and furrowed his brow in a somewhat confused manner. Alas, it was unfortunate that this particular soquili had yet to recall some of the lessons his family had provided him with. Low land soquili were notorious for stereotyping and of course, with leather wings he was going to automatically be a...
DING!
Ah, as if by magic something clicked and the glowing amber eyes shifted this his own wings. They narrowed suspiciously and then, it was with a quiet grown that realisation hit him. He now began to understand why his father had enjoyed solitude, if this were to happen on a regular basis then even Penance would begin to take refuge! Shaking his head, the stallion at last relented and ceased in flapping his wings. A seeming delay occured before he plummeted to the ground and only just beat his wings once more to land smoothly and softly against the long grasses.
It took him just a little while to regain his composure, and then at last he turned round slowly and arched a brow. His expression was somewhat quizzical as he fixed his gaze upon the rearing mare. By the spirits he hadn't even done anything yet! All he had done was fly across the sky and she was ordering him to fight her...
Had he missed a memo in regards to 'customs and traditions' somewhere along the line?
"I think you are mistaken," he offered at last and shook his head. "There are no Kalona in the area."
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:05 am
As her supposed kalona circled lower and lower towards the ground, it became very evident that he was not, in fact, a kalona. In fact, besides the wings, he was rather obviously NOT a kalona. If he had any kalona blood in him, it was far diluted. Whoops.
Was there any way to get out of this awkward situation? Inali, had she been human, would have been whistling and twiddling her thumbs, a look of pure innocence on her face. As it was, she scuffed a hoof against the dirt, and managed to look properly humiliated. No, there was no way to get out of this, not that Inali wouldn't try.
Watching the stallion land, Inali continued to scuff her one black hoof, not caring about dirt for once. He had nearly crash landed, thanks to her. Evidently he thought there was a kalona in the air with him, and was trying to flee from the danger. Or he had realized that Inali was, in fact, referring to him, and was about to chastise her. Well, she deserved it, didn't she? Acting out of fear and a quick glimpse of bat wings was hardly commendable behavior, and it wasn't terribly polite.
Even more horribly, Penance's arched eyebrow made Inali giggle like a filly. Oh dear gods, what was in her today? First she was near suicidal, wanting to end her life, and now she was almost giddy with relief that Penance wasn't a a kalona bent on killing her. Couldn't she make up her mind if she wanted to die or not? And did she have to act like such a child? Evidently so, because Inali couldn't calm her hysterics.
Finally managing to pull herself into some semblance of control, Inali drew a deep breath, red chest rising and falling. With her luck, she would be sobbing soon, and that was exactly what she didn't need right now. Luckily though, Inali didn't fall into /that/, thank you very much.
It was time to confess to her mistake. Taking another deep breath, Inali blinked her large silver eyes, trying to appear cool and collected, and not like a mare who had just challenged an innocent soquili into a fight, because she believed he was a kalona. "From the air, your shape was obscured by the sun. I just saw the wings, and I've never seen a soquili that wasn't a kalona with those wings before, and I've had bad experiences with kalona, and I didn't want to die today..." Rambling, Inali tried to collect herself again, and finally managed to do so.
"Look, I'm sorry I thought you were a kalona and that I challenged you. It was foolish. I'm honestly very sorry." Lowering her head to emphasize how truly sorry she was, Inali peered upwards through her forelock, still keeping her head lowered. "I'm Inali, and I can be a bit irrational." Smiling ruefully, the red mare tried to convey how repentant she was with her body language and words. "Can we... er... start again? We don't need to forget that I'm an idiot. Just I don't want to make a random soquili hate me. You can continue on if you like."
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:04 am
There were certain things that Penance needed to learn about Soquili that lived below the slopes. The first of these appeared to be that they weren't logical, rational and they never made any sense. It took all his self control not to clear his throat at her numerous declarations. Her insistence that she hadn't wanted to die, alongside with her yell of battle didn't exactly add up. However, his father had taught him well and as such he had mastered the art of holding his tongue - to a point. This in mind, he remained silent until the mare had all but exhausted her explanation and looked sheepish. Well, having insulted him beyond all measure, he figured she deserved to sweat just a little.
As a result of such thoughts, he forced the mare to wait for his response. His glowing gaze otherwise drifting up and down her form as he inspected her. All in all, she was like his mother - lacking in wings or any discernable 'quirk', she was most definitely one of the lowland soquili. Even her coat was thinner than his and well, he wasn't sure but his father was not kidding when he pointed out to his sons that such soquili could be seen from miles off.
They really were different.
"You have never met my father then," he noted calmly, his tone cool and otherwise authoritive. Ah, it had been many months since his voice had finally broken. It had been with a certain amount of satisfaction that it had deepened and developed that almost seductive purr that his father (and grandfather) possessed. Not that he had mastered that art yet, but it was there if he needed it!
"Nor have you delved any further onto the slopes," he continued, flexing his wings briefly before furling them against his sides. It would have been disturbing to say the least, to find that they folded upside down - most unlike that of a Kalona. "Logically speaking it would have been easier to keep your mouth shut to avoid attracting unwanted attention," he pointed out, once again raising a brow. It was only after a few moments that he dropped the facade and shook his head, he could be a prat when necessary but now wasn't the time for it.
"They call me Penance and you have my assurances I am not a Kalona."
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:34 pm
((xD Poor Penance gets to meet the least rational soquili there is on his first day out.))
Ah yes. So this was what incredible awkwardness felt like. Inali had always wanted to experience that. Not.
Tuning back to Penance, Inali heard his statement about his father. Why would she have met his father? She wasn't often in this area, and this soquili clearly wasn't from around here. "No, I have not met your father," was all Inali said, which she rather thought was demonstrating considerable restraint.
Penance continued onward, however, and Inali found herself drawn into his words. He had a deep voice, and one that seem tinged with some degree of authority. If Inali had been a more obedient soquili, she likely would have found herself drawn in. Since she was not, the mare remained alert and watchful.
Again, Penance spoke the obvious. She had never been to the mountains. Did all mountain soquili look like that though? For all that Inali pretended to be worldly, she knew very little of what was beyond the forest, and what you could find there. "I haven't been to your slopes either, no." Slopes had to do with mountains, right? Yes, that was what Inali thought. They had to; Inali didn't feel like being incorrect again today.
Suddenly, Penance seemed to drop his anger, making him much more endearing to Inali. Ah, there was the true soquili! She was glad he wasn't a kalona, and that he wasn't too horribly angry with her. She needed friends in these difficult times, and Penance was certainly interesting looking. "If I give you my assurance that I'm not a kalona, would you believe me?" For the first time since meeting the winged stallion, Inali cracked a true smile, trying to resist her laughter.
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:32 am
[[Azumoth had the same bad luck, it's a family trait.]]
Penance had always been the one to state the obvious in difficult situations. It wasn't that he was deliberately being rude, nor did he have any intention to belittle a person...it just sort of, happened. For this reason the often approachable stallion came off as somewhat offensive and snobbish to some. It was a largely inaccurate assumtpion of him, he simply wasn't that good at social interaction given that there were only a few Soquili present in his childhood. This didn't mean he was adverse to the company of others, he just wasn't accustomed to it. That...and his family were oddballs as it was and therefore his peculiar quirks seemed almost normal!
Nevertheless, as she continued to agree with his words he took note of her wariness and couldn't help but raise his brow further. He had always been aware (since the day his voice broke) that it was of great entertainment to his family and friends. The forests creatures found the 'seductive' quality to be highly amusing for one as laid back as he was. The concept of Penance being at all authoritive seemed completely and utterly perposterous! Ah, but as his grandmother (a raccoon no less) had said, in time that seductive voice would help him get the girl he wanted.
Or that's how it worked in theory.
In practice, he hadn't been able to amount any sort of courage to so much as confess that sort of interest in the poor mare. To say he turned into a babbling idiot was an understatement - but at least his brother received plenty of ammunition for blackmail when it happened. Life was unfair in Penance's eyes when such moments happened but he endured them and moved on - even if it did take him three hours to recover his composure.
Sigh.
"I assure you I was already well aware of your lack of Kalona traits before I landed," he replied smoothly and shook his head. He blinked his glowing eyes and took a few seconds to recover his 'composure'. It was better for him to regroup before speaking if he were to lessen the 'effect' of his odd voice. If he was more relaxed it would still possess the same rich quality but would seem more lazy - in a manner of speaking it was much more appropriate. Less authority, more approachability - he had listened to his grandmother, his mother would be proud!
"However returning to the previous topic of conversation," he flicked his eyes open again and gave a lazy smile. "On the slopes you would find that there are a great number of Soquili who do not conform with society or it's ideals. They have wings like mine, wings of fire, multiple wings..." he shrugged loosely and leant back on his hind hooves, a thoughtful expression lining his features. "The list is endless."
"My father is one of those individuals who definitely does not conform, to say he has been called a Kalona a few times would be an understatement. Though the assumption that he is such a thing is highly inaccurate..."
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:48 am
Inali had none of the trace of the seductive about her. In fact, she was rather naive when it came to anything romantic, if her prior failures had been any indication. As such, she was rather easily swayed by Penance's voice, though she struggled admirably against it. She was sure that if she had not wanted romance so badly, it would not have had such an effect on her. It wasn't as if she found the stallion particularly attractive- in fact, Inali was still in mild distrust of his kalona-like appearance, despite what Penance said.
Apparently, Penance didn't have much of a sense of humor either. Inali's attempt at a joke seemed to have fallen on flat air, and she shifted uncomfortable as Penance announced that he had no doubts as to her lack of kalona heritage. How could she explain that was humor? Oh well. Inali knew better than to make a joke again.
Penance's description of the mountain slopes was absolutely intriguing. They all had wings? All the soquili? Envy clouded Inali's vision, making her imagine such a land, where winged soquili flew and played. "I would like to see that place one day. If they wouldn't mind me there." Unexpectedly shy, the red mare ducked her head, letting her silver forelock obscure her face. She had made such an idiot out of herself in front of Penance already. He probably wouldn't want her meeting all his relatives and friends. Of course, Inali could always try and find this magical place herself, but the idea of going about it alone seemed almost distasteful. She would get lost, and dirty, and by the time she actually found them all, she would be a right mess, and Inali wouldn't be having any of that.
"I am sure that I wouldn't make the same mistake of calling someone a kalona again. At least not until I can see them close enough to tear out my throat." Even though her previous attempt at a joke had failed, Inali dared another one, a small smile touching her lips. She hoped that Penance would pick up on the smile, and realize the humor of her statement. He didn't know her, but surely... Surely.
"Sorry that you had to meet me first though. Not all soquili here in the plains are as foolish as I am, or as skittish. I am just the grand fool of them all."
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:43 am
It wasn't that he didn't have a sense of humour, his humour was simply different from hers. This was bound to happen given that he resided in an entirely different location but he hadn't realised it would cause quite so many problems. That being said, even though his mother was born on the plains she was more than capable of recognising his father's rather dry sense of humour. It was dry wit and dark comedy that often made this particular stallion snicker more.
That being said he wasn't one to thrust his views on anyone and tried his best not to lie. The pictures he painted and the manner in which he portrayed himself were generally accurate and honest. Granted, he was edgy and self concious regarding his voice but aside from that he had no secrets. He was perfectly sociable and avoided as many misunderstandings as he could - despite his appearance he was about as dangerous as a cuddly toy...provided he wasn't threatened or at risk from attack.
Thus, as she seemed to radiate with some form of disappointment he did furrow his brow somewhat in confusion. Ever one to listen to his instincts, he was aware that he had obviously missed something. Unfortunately he lacked the ability to put his hoof directly on the missing link and remained in the dark. He knew better than to ask what he had missed either as it often was misinterpreted as him failing to listen which wasn't true at all.
He did listen.
When his best friend and the mare he worshipped the ground he walked on wasn't prancing around. When she was it generally got a tiny bit more complicated.
Nevertheless her smile hadn't gone unnoticed and he released a small snort and offered one of his own. She had no need to be wary of him or uncomfortable, but he hadn't yet realised that it was his voice (the bane of his existence) that was causing the problem. "My mother was born on the plains," he confessed at last and tilted his head to the side, expression full of fondness at the mention of his mother. "I know a small number of Soquili who come from the plains but I had never been here until now..."
"Though I must ask," he paused and arched brow. "Why in the world did you provoke me in the first place?"
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