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 Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:24 pm
Stepping out from behind a rather sizeable tree, Espiridion shook out his mane, peeking out at the open meadow cautiously before dashing out of the surrounding woodland. Relieved to see that there was no apparent danger, he kicked up his heels, sprinting in a series of small circles before dropping to the ground, rolling luxuriously in the fragrant grass.
Getting to his feet, Espi shook, his entire body moving with the force of it, dislodging bits of grass in every direction. As he lifted his head, looking around, a small rabbit, obviously surprised to see him, darted underfoot. At the flash of dark brown fur, Espi went scrambling backwards, a surprised squeak escaping him as he went down, landing in a tangle of lavender-and-black limbs.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:35 pm
It was an awkward thing - he found these limbs to be rather perturbing as he scuttled along uncomfortably. He had been maturing for a few weeks now and it had only been once he could walk firmly that his mother had permitted him to 'explore'. Even then such explorations had their limitations given that Fenghuang was not permitted to go out of his chaperone's sight and was not allowed to talk to anything that looked dark and 'scary'. Unfortunately, he didn't even know what scary meant yet and found the point rather difficult to fathom. This point was especially moot given that his herd members were hardly your conventional sort to begin with.
...After all the Seer was dark, Azumoth and Penance were dark. The list of 'questionable' characters was endless if the tiny foal took his parents orders literally. What he hadn't yet realised was that said parents had been referring to his instincts. Anything or anyone that made him feel scared was 'big and bad', he should listen to those primal urges and run for cover. No doubt as he matured he would become aware of this but given his mother was following after him he had no reason to fear anything at this moment in time. Sociable and loving as she may be, she was a devil if anyone hurt her babies.
That being said as the pair finally reached the meadows the foal largely under estimated the length of the grasses. Stepping into them he was immediately submerged in a sea of green that caused him to squeak in surprise. Mother not far behind, he soon submitted to allowing her to cut a path for him until they reached the more 'grazed' locations. Besides, it was fun for him to bounce in and out of the hoof prints his mother left behind - they were so big in comparison to his!
With his mother in front things did progress considerably faster though and he soon began to take note of the humidity and the warmth that were otherwise not present on the slopes. His fur was already substantially poofier given his origins, so he was just a little uncomfortable. This wasn't something that he let prevent him from savouring the strange smells though, everything smelled a lot sweeter down here... was it the flowers that everyone kept talking about?
Preparing to open his mouth to express his curiosity, the colt soon found his eyes on the flailing mass of lavender and black in the distance. It was only a short distance but it was enough for him to lose interest in his previous question. A small gasp escaped from him instead and he stared at his mother in surprise - having never seen his siblings flailing in such a manner he wasn't sure what it was. "M-mother, what's that?"
It was with a bemused chuckle that the mare glanced over her shoulder just a little and arched a brow, responding with only the words, "Why don't you find out?"
...That was all the encouragement the babe needed as he plunged forward. Bouncing through the grasses until they thinned considerably and he could move with more ease towards the odd 'creature'.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:25 pm
At the sound of approaching hoofbeats, Espiridion scrambled, scooting backwards as he struggled to find his footing. Being that he was so much smaller than just about anything he'd yet encountered in the forest (aside from the occasional chipmunks and birds), he was instinctively leary of new things.
Compounding his unease at the approaching noise was the fact that he was still off-balance, and finding it difficult to regain control of his gangly limbs, now that he'd gone tumbling to the ground. At last, he got all four legs underneath himself, and pushed himself up, his movements jerky and uncertain, much like what a toddler's would be like. He knew how to walk, and even run, but things like getting up and laying down remained difficult, requiring a more precise sort of control.
Wide-eyed, he finally managed to steady himself, his ears flicking back and forth nervously as he watched the apprach of the other colt, his entire body quivering, as if he were debating whether to stand his ground, or attempt fleeing.
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:03 am
It wasn't quite like him, a little bit smaller in height but then again most things were. Fenghuang had originated from a family of rather 'tall' soquili and even as a baby he followed this trend. Therefore it was no surprise that he was still a little bit taller than this foal - not that he cared. Height was irrelevant to the baby, he might have been smaller than this one but his mother was huge. That and such trivial things didn't impact on how he played...if anything it made it more interesting. After all, both babes had rebellious limbs and were inclined to be clumsy...a part of him (even with a lack of understanding) knew that no matter how tall or stumpy he was, he was still going to end up with his rump planted on the ground at some time or another.
Nevertheless as the colt drew near the other he attempted to slow down. Unfortunately this wasn't as successful as he would have liked, rebellious limbs seeming to laugh at him as skidded passed the other colt. If it had just been a skid it was highly unlikely that anything else would occur, but as fate might have it a stone caught his hoof and threw him forward in an abrupt tumble. Flailing red legs could be seen for mere seconds and the colt disappeared back into the long grasses with a yelp. It wasn't the most subtle of entries, exits or introductions that his mother had ever seen...Although it was entertaining to watch.
Eventually the foal recovered his composure (if he even had such a thing) and with a wriggle and a shake of the tall grasses he managed to push his way back out into the clearing. Pausing at the edge of these grasses he gave himself a quick shake, blinked his eyes and glanced over his shoulder briefly in surprise. Well that had been something he'd never done before - he'd actually flown like his father had! Aha, he was a happy camper.
"I...am okay!" He announced merrily, more for the benefit of his mother in the distance as he approached the other colt again. Admittedly he was significantly slower in his approach this time to avoid a second accident. Knowing his luck and lack of grace he would land on top of the poor foal. Nevertheless as he caught sight of the shivering, his ears did perk and he came to a halt. His mother had told him on the way down that you shouldn't immediately tackle another person for attention down here, so he would have to at the very least stand back and greet him before flattening him into the ground.
He could be polite!
"Hello," he offered at last, giving a short wag of his tail as he inspected the foal. "You look cold, are you?" He continued after some inspection, it hadn't crossed his mind that the foal could be scared as that simply didn't happen where he came from. "If you are I can get something to warm you up!"
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:45 pm
Eyes widening, Espiridion was suitably surprised by Fenghuang's rapid approach that he hesitated, standing his ground...for now. he watched, pale gaze following the other colt as he went flying past, landing a reddish-tinged heap not far off.
When Fenghuang popped up again a moment later, recovering cheerfully, Espiridion couldn't help it...he laughed. It was more like one solitary giggle, as he stifled it quickly, watching the other cautiously, as if afraid he may have offended.
After a moment of silence, and a mustering up of his courage, Espi shook his head. "No...I'm fine." Concentrating, he slowly brought his shivering limbs under control--what use would they be for running, anyway, if they quaked so strongly?!
With that done, he continued staring at Fenghuang, not quite sure what to make of him...he didn't -seem- to mean him any harm, but being unfamiliar, Espi tended toward caution.
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:01 am
Fenghuang wasn't the most subtle of creatures, he probably wouldn't master such skills until his eldest brother got hold of him. Up until this point his mother had doted on him and his father had been more than happy to let him play. Islagiatt had been immersed in peace for over two years now, subsequently neither parents saw it as necessary to teach their son the art of combat at this particular moment in time. Granted Ambroise would most likely take on that role later but for now...Well, Fenghuang could at least enjoy his childhood. As a result of such decisions, both parents were used to Fenghuang's rough and tumble lifestyle - as was he.
He also knew the humour in it too!
As he heard the other foal laugh he flashed a mischievous grin and shook his head. He would have laugh too (provided the other foal was okay) if he had seen it fly over his head. It hadn't been the most graceful of introductions, he had other brothers and sisters for that sort of thing. Thus, he had always favoured the more...unusual way of introducing himself. Generally speaking these introductions were tackles but he had made a minor miscalculation today.
"Uh huh, you can laugh you know," he gave his tail a little wag and inspected the colt closely. "I'd do the exact same thing if I saw a foal fly without wings too - it's not every day you see something so amazing!" he announced, thrusting out his little chest as though he expected some type of congratulations. Nevertheless as the foal ensured that he wasn't cold, Fenghuang couldn't help but furrow his brow and lean forward - nose to nose with the shy creature.
"Then why were you shaking?" He gasped softly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:39 pm
Shaking his head in some vague attempt at gaining understanding of it all, Espiridion flashed the other colt a shy smile, tail flicking nervously from side to side. He wasn't quite sure how to respond-not only was he unused to such enthusiastic greetings, but he, himself, was far more reserved by nature.
He relaxed slightly, smile widening in relief. "It was rather...impressive." he finally offered, his voice slightly more firm. Blinking, it was all he could do to not withdraw when Fenghuang leaned forward, until they were almost touching noses. It was fortunate, perhaps, that he couldn't blush. He did, however, clear his throat, and avert his eyes slightly at the question that immediately followed.
"I was just struggling to properly regain my balance!" He did have some pride, after all.
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:37 am
"Losing your balance makes you shiver?" Fenghuang grimaced slightly and attempted to gain an understanding of the foal's words. He knew that when some one was cold or scared they quivered, but he'd never associated such an action with someone who had just lost their balance! Did this mean that he had shivered when he had flown through the air and landed in a heap? Perhaps it was a subconcious thing that soquili didn't even realise they were doing until someone pointed it out. Oooh, but if he pointed it out...wouldn't that make him incredibly rude?
Uh oh.
"You know what - mommy told me it was rude to ask lotsa prying questions. So, I'ma take the hint and not ask no more," he announced. His expression was one of pride, almost as though he had been terribly considerate. Alas his words were not supported by his actions given that he was still going to ask questions, they'd probably just be on an entirely different topic! Oh ho, he just couldn't help himself though, he was his mother's son and she could be a terrible lover of gossip.
"Well I hope you're all steady now, wouldn't want you fallin' over like I did eh?" He flashed another smile and took a few hops back. There he inspected the purple colt again and wagged his tail thoughtfully. "Unless of course, you can fly better than I can?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:15 pm
Espiridion froze, scrambling to think of an explanation. He opened his mouth, half-panicked as he fought for some semblance of a response.
However, when Fenghuang continued, offering him that easy-out, as it were, he grasped at it like a lifeline. "It's...fine." he said, marvelling at how easily the other kept the (admittedly mostly one-sided) conversation going.
Somewhat convinced that the other wasn't going to harm him, Espiridion cocked his head to the side, expression finally easing into some semblance of a casual, if somewhat shy, grin. "Somehow, I think you've probably had a lot more practice at it than I have." the attempt at humor was rather bold, for him, and he pawed at the ground, as if slightly nervous to see how it went over.
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Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:22 am
Fenghuang possessed both the image of his mother and the rather bubbly personality as well. In later life he would develop some of his father's restraint but for the most part... Well, none could deny that Feng could talk the world into a stupor. Continuous chatter usually involved a topic of relevance, then it would drifted into something entirely different as the tiny colt shot down the rabbit trail after the rabbit (metaphorically speaking at least). People might marvel at his ability to talk, and talk, and talk until the fateful day in which they met his mother and realised that such an inability to 'shut up' was in fact a genetic trait.
That being said it wasn't necessarily a bad quality to possess!
On the contrary, the young colt was a very sociable young creature and through his rather boisterous behaviour he could often lower the guard of another. Shyness wasn't something this particular foal registered, he didn't find it stupid...he simply didn't recognise it. Ignorance and naivity were truly blissful from this stand point as such behaviour might have deterred others and sent them running for the hills. Nevertheless, as the colt began to smile (albeit it shyly), Feng's smile grew and he gave his tail an appreciative wag.
"You reckon?" he mused after a few moments of what seemed to be careful consideration. "Well I suppose that might be right - I do a lot of flying," he confirmed with an emphatic nod. A small giggle erupted from his lips, ever the good natured creature that he was. "You should see it too - up in the mountains you fly real far...and then all of a sudden you go splat and it's all over!" His eyes positively lit up at the mention of the countless times he'd fallen over his own legs and hurtled into a bush or some form of undergrowth further down the slope.
"Then of course you wanna do it again...so you run the whole way back up but the flying bit is never the same each time, you should try it some time!"
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:00 pm
Espiridion was not usually very outgoing. Like the deer that his antler-nubs so made him resemble, he was quick to take flight, rather than sticking around and risk harm.
It wasn't even that he'd had some horrific experience, to prompt the behavior--he'd always been somewhat skittish. As he was exploring more of the surrounding woodland, however, the occasional encounter, like this one, made him slightly more bold, once he'd established to himself that there was nothing to fear.
Epi's smile widened marginally, and he shifted slightly, planting his hooves more solidly onto the ground. "Doesn't it...hurt, though?" he enquired, after a brief, almost imperceptible hesitation.
Blinking, as if he'd only just thought of it, Espiridion cleared his throat. "Um. My name is Espiridion, by the way. What's yours?" He blurted it out in a rush, shuffling awkwardly a few inches to the side as he did so.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:55 am
Oh no! He'd been rude again and it was his turn to look sheepish. He always tended to forget introductions, became carried away with his antics and didn't mention his name until the last minute. It was in completely the wrong order and he was sure Anuie would have given him a good telling off for it. It was just as well he was in the company of his more light hearted parents then - to the point that neither would interrupt his playtime. Manners would come later in his life, even he had faith of that...right now they weren't exactly the most important thing to him.
"Oh oh oh!" Prancing from hoof to hoof the colt circled the other curiously before flashing a bemused smile. His sheepish expression quickly vanished as he caught the name and let it play about in his head for a time. A few moments later he was rolling it on his tongue until he was satisfied he could pronounce it. He could sort of pronounce it and as a result that suited him just fine! Nodding more so to himself than to the other colt, he came to a halt and wagged his tail from side to side enthusiastically. "Mommy and Papa call me Fenghuang, but most people shorten it to 'Feng'!" he announced proudly.
"You can call me Feng if you like," he added smoothly, ears pivoting slightly as he giggled. He was still unaccustomed to Espiridion's apparent shyness and as such, tact continued to be non existant within his behaviour. It was just as well Fenghuang really was harmless or the poor thing would have been scared from the start!
"Pfft, and you think that hurts?" He puffed up his chest and struck a pose, attempting to mimic his father and the brothers of his family... in particular 'Anuie'. He was ridiculously proud of his heritage and the stories he had been told. As such, he often disregarded his 'baby pain' in order to honour the pain that his brothers and father had experienced throughout their adventures. "Ye ain't seen nothing! It's never gonna be as sore as the stuff Papa or Anuie do - so there's no way it'd hurt you know?"
"I could show you how to do it?" He offered with a smile.
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:52 pm
Craning his neck, Espiridion watched as Fenghuang circled, as if not quite sure what to make of the action. Almost imperceptibly, he shifted his weight from one of his fore-hooves to the other, although other than that, held himself steady.
Mouthing the other's name once, he repeated it dutifully, his tone somewhat questioning, as if he were seeking insurance that he was, indeed, saying it correctly. "...Feng?" They both, it would appear, had particularly long names. Blinking, he thought quickly, and then cleared his throat, not wanting to come across as being stuck up by not offering a nickname himself. "You can call me Espi, if you like!" it came out sounding peculiarly loud, to him, and he shuffled his hooves once again.
"I mean, you don't have to..."
He shut up, stopping to listen to Feng, who had continued chatting, moving on to the subject of 'flying', and the lack of pain associated with it. Looking at the other with slight trepidation, as if he didn't quite believe the claim that it didn't hurt, he nodded slowly, curiosity piqued.
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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:54 am
If Espi was stuck up then goodness only knew what Fenghuang was! There was very little that insulted the little colt, in fact he probably had met anything recently that did. Everything that he had encountered was so strange and fascinating, sometimes he considered things to be odd and sometimes he didn't really understand why they acted the way they did, but this didn't mean he treated them any differently. On the contrary, for the time being everything in the world was the colt's friend and would continue to be as such until he matured and received that reality check that most teenagers receive at some point in their life.
Even then it was unlikely that he would change too much.
He was painfully optimistic and overly enthusiastic. There was no doubt in any of his family's mind that he took after their mother. Thus, when the purple colt offered his own nickname Feng simply wiggled his rump appreciatively and offered a gentle nudge to the neck in reassurance. Now that they'd been introduced they could be best friends forever, right? That was how it worked! He had many best friends because of that, even though some of them didn't even want it!
"Alrighty I'll call you Espi," he announced before tilting his head to one side. "But if I didn't then what am I meant to call you...?" he pointed out, making quick reference to Espi's apparent desire to take his offer back. However, no sooner had the excitable red colt made this comment than he had returned to the previous topic which involved flight (of course). According to this particular colt it was far more interesting than musing over the technicalities of a name.
"Anywho," he shook his head dismissively and glanced around the long grasses. Given his height it really wasn't particularly easy for him to see anything other than mountains to jump off, and mountains could take days to reach (speaking from experience). "You know any could hills we can bounce off?" he enquired curiously, hopeful that the purple colt might be familiar enough with the world around him to know about places of interest. That being said there were very few creatures who were inclined to take part in the same activities as Fenghuang, he simply hadn't caught on to this fact just yet...
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:35 pm
"Okay." Espiridion replied, tail flicking from side to side, expression more openly curious, as if he were waiting to see what the other did, or said, next. His initial caution, and shyness, was slowly fading as the other's easygoing, cheerful nature became more and more apparent.
As a result, he relaxed a little more, pleased to have made the acquaintance of such a fun new 'friend'--as yet, he'd not really socialized with others of his kind, having always been too cautious to approach them, or allow them to approach him.
Thinking, Espi debated the surrounding area, expression clearing as he thought of the perfect place. "There's a hill not far that way," He motioned to a small, barely visible path that led out of the clearing just off to their left. "It's not very big, but it's the only hill I remember seeing close to here..." he continued, slightly more uncertain, as if half-afraid his offering would be found to be lacking."
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