|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:41 am
 The young foal huffed as she got to her feet once more. This walking thing was rather difficult.... Looking around quickly, she didn't see anyone, so Frosty was reassured that her difficulties would not be held against her. Getting onto her wobbly feet, the young foal took a few confident steps. Maybe it wasn't so hard after all! In her excitement at her accomplishment, the young filly whinnied cheerfully, then stopping abruptly at the noise. Everything had sounded much different inside her wicker basket. Looking around suspiciously once more, she tried whinnying again, this time prepared for the sound and rather happy that she could make it. Taking a few more steps, slowly at first, and then more confidently, the white and gray foal looked towards a maple tree a short distance off. She wondered how fast she could make it to said tree. The leaves were beautiful this time of year, the colors fading from yellow to a deep orange. She had a vague memory of green leaves, but it was vague and quickly covered by memories of her basket.... Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she focused her brown eyes on the path she would take and then started walking, one foot in front of the other. When she was walking as quickly as possible for her unmuscled legs, she found a desire in her to change the way she was moving. It was at that point that she broke into a full out gallop, skipping the intermediate gaits. It was a bit difficult for such a small body to keep such long legs under control, though, and she found herself barreling past the tree, with only a backward glance. It was at this point that an unknown object appeared grabbed at her feet, and the foal was quickly back into a pile of legs and tail again.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:40 am
Life had been something he could not complain about, events that had transgressed before him had been minor and otherwise 'sweet'. Life for Islagiatt and himself had been peaceful with respite provided to all those involved in previous conflicts. There had been no signs of unrest in the depths of the Kawani and as such all individuals had enjoyed this period. Children had been born, relationships had blossomed and this particular Angeni had at last submitted to the will of the spirits and had begun his journey. His task was a specific one though he had put it off time and time again to ensure that his immediate family had remained safe - now the land was secure he could go about what he had been charged with.
So far he had encountered a number of individuals who had been deemed worthy of his care and guidance. This wasn't to say that the others he had met weren't worthy, they simply didn't possess the qualities required to ensure success. The majority had been children or young soquili just bordering on adulthood. Each had possessed the ability to listen and had demonstrated a willingness to learn. In essence they held the qualities necessary to learn and to grow into something so much more impressive than the usual Soquili.
Whether they ultimately chose the way of combat or the way of a more spiritual creature, it was his hope that through his teachings they would grow accustomed to the old ways and spread them throughout the Kawani lands again. Honour, Courage, Justice, Mercy... All things that many Soquili of the newest generations lacked and the Angeni was determined to restore them. There was plenty of darkness in this world and as a result it had shifted fate in it's favour - in a manner of speaking balance had to be restored. It would have been a misconception to assume that the Angeni was a being of pure light, he was firmly of a neutral stance but for the time being he represented the 'light' in order to encourage it's rebirth...
Nevertheless, this morning was one of the more quiet days he had experienced. While the sun had already risen and the rays lapped at his luxurious coat, there was no sign of any immediate company. The horizon had been bare and blank for quite sometime, with even his travelling companion (a spider) complaining of boredom. With no obstacles to guide the blind stallion around, even the spider had very little to say. However, such a reverie was interrupted rather abruptly as the whicker was heard and the stallion's ears pivoted in the direction. By the tone it sounded like a child...but according to the muffled thump and the vibrations that soon reached his hooves it appeared that there was something more to it.
Releasing a whicker, the stallion indicated he didn't require the spider's immediate assistance at present. Instead he would decide to wait until the child came in to view and then he would have the spider inform him - there was no use asking for a description when the spider couldn't even see what he was looking for...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:54 pm
Huffing to herself, Frosty looked about at the upside down world. Why did it have to keep changing itself like that? Just because her head was where her feet were supposed to be, didn't meant that everything else had to get all messed up. Carefully, the filly slipped her back right leg out from between her front legs, rolled onto her stomach and lifted her body up to its proper place, at which point everything else decided to got the right way again as well, which was nice of it....
Looking around absently, the grey foal decided to try something other than the two gaits she had learned thus far, and started off at a trot. At first her movement was quite sloppy, and her hooves clicked from time to time as she didn't lift one fast enough, but eventually she got the hang of the movement, and happily trotted over the rise she had been steadily climbing. As she reached the top, which wasn't that much of a feet since it was a small hill, she started to descend, but stopped as she spotted a very dark... thing... ahead of her. It looked like an adult, but she had never seen an adult that looked like THAT. Shaking her head in mild amazement, Frosty wasn't even sure if the creature could see her, since she couldn't see his eyes... Did he even have eyes? Was it even a he?! This world that she now found herself in was far more complicated than the little meadow she had thus far grown up in, and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to handle it all by herself....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:27 am
At last the tiny foal came in to view and without the slightest hesitation the spider swinging from his horn informed him of as much. Indicating that the creature who had made such sounds was both a child and female in the process. The Angeni had assumed as much given the noises she had made previously but rarely one to jump to conclusions, he had waited until she presented herself to him. It was unfortunate that he couldn't see for himself (in a manner of speaking) but at the same time it was just as well. Cyn Generis loathed seeing through his cursed eyes, the sights that he beheld were not as beautiful or miracle filled as that of a creature with normal eyes. Alas such was his punishment for testing the spirits and he much preferred to remain blind, what he couldn't see couldn't disturb him.
Nevertheless as time passed and the two Soquili seemed to 'observe' one another, it appeared that the foal had no intention of coming any closer. His tail switched from side to side and he waited expectantly for more vibrations under hoof but none seemed to appear. Ah, once again it appeared that his appearance had categorised him in with the 'evil' or intimidating sort. Black his coat might have been but he was not an evil creation... On the contrary when he had first walked through the lands coat colour hadn't been important given that his kind had always been so honourable.
He shook his head at such thoughts, long mane rippling against his neck and tickling softly against his muzzle. It had many many years since the land had been so pure, when the world hadn't been so warped. Even he wept for the loss of the Old Ways in the same manner that his comrades did. It was not something to dwell on though, there was much to be done and as such the stallion shook a fluffy hoof testily and at last made his way forward. Despite his disability he was surprisingly steady on his hooves - thrusting each limb through the tall grasses with ease. Once again the spider chose to remain quiet given the lack of obstacles but he did give a 'chirp' of warning when the distance between the pair of Soquili had reached a certain point.
Too close and the foal might get scared or squished.
It was then that the stallion tilted his head to the side and adjusted his weight from one hoof to the other for greater comfort. With the warmth of the sun now reasting on his back he was decidedly more content than he had been before. However, his immediate concern was the peculiar manner in which she had 'arrived' and if the vibrations had been correct then she had take quite the tumble.
"Are you all right, child?" he enquired softly, unaware of the thoughts that currently flowed through the foal's mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:01 am
Frosty had stood fairly still, simply watching the dark creature as it moved forward. It didn't seem threatening, though she had really no frame of reference to make that decision, but it didn't smell mean. His mane was actually quite pretty in a strange way, and the little foal had a slight temptation to stick her nose into it. It looked like it would be fun to play with. When the male stopped, and Frosty was fairly certain that he was a male now, it was just before the point that she would have become nervous. She was still fairly certain that there was no way for him to see through that thick forelock, and she hadn't noticed the insect hanging from his horn, so she was at a loss if he even knew she was there....
But then he spoke, and there was no mystery as to his knowledge. Frosty was unaware that he knew of her fall earlier, and was quite hopeful that no one would know of her clumsiness, so she answered the question with little thought, "I'm fine.... But...." for a moment she hesitated whether it was safe to ask him questions, but his voice did not sound threatening, and she did have some reference as to that, so she continued, "How did you know I was here? And what's with that stick sticking out of your forehead? And why do you have a giant bird on your back?" To a little one who had never heard of unicorns or pegasi, these were legitimate questions. Though she probably should have worried about the strength of the black creature, she was simply curious, and still had her eyes on that mane....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:09 am
A typical and naive foal - that was his immediate judgement of her character and her inquisitive behaviour. It brought a smile to his face and a soft ripple of laughter erupted from deep inside his throat. In a world where children were always so abrasive or violent, it made a change to have one coo and enquire as to his oddities. In a manner of speaking she was acting her age and expressing herself in a way that was completely natural for a child. Yet to have many of the worlds secrets explained to her, yet to be corrupted she had great potential to shift and change in accordance with those who chose to embrace her and raise her. He had always viewed children as a blank canvas to be shaped and moulded, but it warmed his heart when they demonstrated interested in what existed around them.
However she was accurate about him being unable to see through his heavy mane. Years of care had trained it to drape over his eyes in such a fashion that he was blinded. His eyes functioned perfectly (in a manner of speaking) but what he saw tormented him and as such he preferred not to see anything at all. Thus the methods in which he used to detect other creatures differed from those of other Soquili and relied heavily on heightened senses to succeed.
"You made quite an audible bang," he explained softly and with that, stomped his hoof down on the earth to demonstrate the vibrations and rippling affects such an impact had on the ground. "You revealed your whereabouts through your tumble, which might have been quite an entertaining trip I must say..." he mused. Given the power behind the impact on the ground he could just about picture a foal careening off into a tree trunk or bush somewhere. Comical in it's own right...but there were few things that could generate that sort of force at will.
Nevertheless the topic soon shifted to the extra appendages that adorned his form. He remained silent for the time being as the spider cuddled up in his mane made reference to each thing she spoke of. Horns, eight pairs of wings - evidently she found his appearance to be utterly bizarre. Not that he minded, the majority of foals within this region rarely encountered Angeni and as such she was entitled to be confused. His smile deepened at the reference to having a 'bird' stuck to his back and then he shook his head.
"There is no bird - what you see are my wings, all my kind have them...and the 'stick' you speak of is a horn," he lowered his head so that she would have the opportunity to inspect said 'stick', careful not to knock his forelock away from his eyes. "It can heal the injured and the sick."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:42 pm
Any misgivings Frosty had had about this creature were quickly dismissed when he smiled. It was a nice smile, certainly not mean looking, and his laugh reminded her of a laugh she had heard when still in her basket. It was mostly because they were both made by adult males, but that mattered little, because it was nice and made her smile as well. He was scary one bit! But when he mentioned her fall, the little foal's eyes widened in a bit of embarrassment, "I didn't fall! I meant to do that! I -uh- I like to make that noise, yeah, it's fun." As if to prove her point, the little one slammed her hoof against the earth as hard as she could. It of course didn't make the same sound as her fall had, but it was as close as she could get while staying upright. It also made her leg sting a bit, since she hadn't really taken into consideration that the earth was hard as well, but she hoped her slight grimace wasn't noticed by the blind form, since that would just add further embarrassment.
When the spider was the focus of the creature's attention, Frosty finally noticed it. Her little foal eyes peered at it strangely, watching the interaction between the two creatures carefully. What a strange companion to have! But then he smiled some more and spoke again, startling the filly into focusing back on the larger form in front of her. "Wings?! So can you fly like the birds? How come I don't have wings? I wanna fly!" When he lowered his 'horn' down, Frosty finally closed the distance remaining between them and gently prodded the object with her muzzle. His mane was so close to her face now, she just couldn't resist any longer. She quickly moved past his horn and stuck her head in his long locks, flipping them happily. It was just too much fun! After a few moments, though, Frosty realized that he might be mad now, and she backed up a bit, her eyes wide and watching for a sign of his reaction. She had vaguely heard the details about his horn, but the whole concept was so foreign to the foal that it hadn't really registered when there was a mane to be played with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:01 am
He would humour her, intent on ridding her of the embarassment she clearly felt in regards to her 'clumsy' behaviour. Really such tumbles and skirmishes with plant life and creature alike were all a part of foalhood. However, if she was so uncomfortable with the topic he was not about to distress her further by mentioning it anymore. Truly, he was an individual who preferred to ensure that those surrounding him were both comfortable and content. This didn't mean he was harmless though - on the contrary he could be rather vicious when pushed but his preference was to remain amiable.
His smile never wavered as she continued to explain herself, even deepening as she stomped her hoof on the ground in a 'copy cat' manner. Admittedly she made less of a mark than he did, but none could expect miracles from one so young as she. Such mimicry was really quite endearing and he knew a great many mares who would have squealed at such adorable qualities. It was at moments like these that he questioned travelling alone, the opportunities and encounters he often had were memorable but there were a number of individuals who would have gotten more out of them than he did.
Nevertheless such thoughts were interrupted as the child gave a squeal. Extra appendages forgotten she breached the barrier of personal space between adult and child, and buried herself within his hair. The extra weight was somewhat uncomfortable, the occasional tug on his neck often sharper than necessary but she was a child and curious by nature. Thus he permitted her to cuddle and explore his mane until she was satisfied - reprieve soon granted as she placed distance between them and stared at him. Unsurprisingly, his expression remained wistful and he was unharmed by such attentions. That being said he did raise his head a little to avoid further sharp tugs should she opt to explore again.
"I trust you like soft things..." He mused softly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:55 pm
As the black male before her did not react negatively to her actions, and in fact seemed almost amused by it, Frosty relaxed her stance slightly. She doubted she could actually out run him, but it was the only defense she had, so adrenaline had made her legs rather tense. She hardly noticed that he preempted any further outbursts by lifting his head, since her attention had diminished as soon as she was sure he wouldn't hurt her out of anger. His quiet statement, though, did not escape her ears, and the little grey foal had to think about it for a moment. Soft things.... She hadn't encountered that many things that should be called soft, really. She had yet to encounter an adult that let her get close enough to tell if their fur was soft, and other than that she had really only felt the grass and other plant life, which was definitely not soft.
Realizing she should probably say something, Frosty looked up with her wide brown eyes and stuttered a bit, rather out of character for her, "I- I don't know...." For the first time in her short life the filly had little to say. She was still rather intimidated by the larger creature, and her outburst of exuberance had been fueled by adrenaline. Now that that had died down, she was rather unsure of her actions around him. Gulping noticeably, the filly took a breath, lifted her head up in mock confidence and continued on, "I don't get a lot of soft things out here. Living on your own is hard after all!" That should impress him right? Because really, how many foals live all by themselves? So what if she had been so far confined to this apparently very safe valley, didn't mean that she had had it easy. She had had to teach herself how to walk, and what to eat and such....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:49 am
Again? He'd stumbled upon another child without guidance or care from a parent? This was becoming a regular occurance and to say the Angeni found such a thing to be alarming was an understatement. The mere thought of permitting a child to wander alone in an age of such danger appalled him. The hair on his beck prickled, his hooves tingled and he struggled against his better nature to send a curse to those who had left her behind. This was his duty, this was the reason that he had been dispatched from his Grove by the spirits. With such a rise in orphaned children, a guiding light was needed now more than it had ever been before. Admittedly the Kalona species maintained strong family bonds but everything else struggled...
He remained silent for quite some time as he listened to the filly, little by little she was revealing the rather unfortunate life she had been born in to. She lacked direction and yet maintained her innocence - this combination was ridiculously dangerous. While Cyn was not one to force his presence on another he was certainly not about to let another slide into the unknown. Thus, there was only one thing he could do... Shifting his weight from one side to the other, he turned his head back towards the young foal and released a soft sigh.
"You are correct, living alone is a rather challenging experience," he replied softly, a small smile lining his lips to indicate he had no intention of belittling her. "But one of your age should at least have a home and something soft to return home to," he pointed out. Really he was referring to the embrace of a loving mother but she appeared to be lacking as much. He would leave the door open for her to follow him if she chose, but he wouldn't demand that she do so. "However I suspect that you do like soft things given your interest in my hair!" He chuckled at this.
"Though I must say hair is more silky, a fur coat such as mine is more soft and cuddly..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:30 pm
Frosty had expected a different reaction from the stallion. She wasn't sure exactly what reaction, but it seemed like adults didn't tend to give her much credit, which was probably why she insisted on being so blunt. If they wouldn't believe her anyway, she might as well say what she wanted to. But this one was different. Wow, that was an understatement! He was different in many many ways from what she had encountered before, but that was not what she had been thinking about. He acted differently than the other adults she had seen, especially towards her. Though there were certainly some kind Soquili who would at least allow a lonely foal to share their grazing grounds, there were many who ignored her and kept their own foals from playing with her because she was alone. Now this didn't make that much sense to the filly, but it was the only experience she had had with the world, so it was how it was.
But this dark and scary looking stallion had said she was right, and wasn't angry about her playing with his mane. At his mention of a home, Frosty thought of all the little foals that she had seen with adults, they had seemed happy, and it did sound nice, but it just wasn't an option for Frosty, was it? "Your fur is soft?" The little one's eyes traveled to the ebony fur covering the stallion's body, and temptation rose once again to find out for herself, but she didn't want to push her new companion into anger. Shaking her head, the foal look determinedly up at the stallion, "Well, I don't know much about homes.... But I do know about this valley! And I like the valley! It is a little lonely though, without friends...." Then Frosty had a marvelous idea, "I know! You could be my friend!" The little foal's ears swiveled forward and her brows rose in joy at her brilliant idea. And who could turn down an offer like that anyway?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:42 pm
With age came great wisdom. As one grew older they endured many trials and drew experience from each in turn. While Cyn didn't approve of her solitary lifestyle he could accept that even the youngest of creatures could be quite hardy. They found ways to survive and while not necessarily conventional in their approach, they worked. They thrived and developed in their own unique ways and as such he would give credit where it was due. Thus it was not his place to lecture or pity her based on her life, though offering an alternative was something he wouldn't have been adverse to if he could find the appropriate opening for it.
Alas his thoughts were drawn to a halt once more as the tiny filly continued to speak. According to his guide she was relatively animated, yet when he had made reference to his fur her eyes had 'lit up'. He may not have been able to see her but he knew what that look meant, he had raised more than enough children in his time to recognise it. All foals were born with curiosity within them, an inquisitive nature was how one grew and developed. However, physical contact was also important to a certain degree for an individual to realise it's importance (and dangers)... To never know of a mother or father's loving embrace would often affect the emotional maturity of a child.
How would they connect with others when they grew?
"You can touch it, if you would like?" he offered, the small smile still remaining on his lips as he adjusted his weight from one side to the other. His great bulk shifted somewhat and caused his hair to shiver and ripple in accordance with even the most subtle movements. That being said he soon grew still again when he discovered greater comfort in his new position.
Nevertheless as she made reference to a friendship he did offer a small chuckle. Truly an innocent outlook on life to attempt to befriend so easily, but it was an offer that he was more than happy to accept. Admittedly he couldn't remain in her company forever as he had his duties to attend to but he could provide an ear to whisper to and a shoulder to cry on. Goodness if she even opted to travel with him then she was more than welcome to!
"Of course I will be your friend," he reassured her gently. "I too am fond of this valley though I have seen far more places than just this, perhaps some day you will too..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:52 pm
Touch his fur?! That must mean that he wasn't mad after all! Frosty was delighted to realize this, quite determined to not risk such a thing again. But he had said she could, which meant that he wouldn't get mad this time. After that thought process was complete in the foal's mind, she approached the male once more with her muzzle extended a bit. The sensitive area of her lips made contact with his black pelt and she came to the conclusion that he had spoken truthfully, it was soft! She hadn't really thought about whether other Soquili's pelts felt the same as her own, but she realized that this male both felt and smelt differently than her. It was a fun discovery, and just one more revelation to add to the line.
She wasn't sure why he chuckled, but she with drew her snout from his pelt at the sound. She smiled, though, when he accepted her friendship. He looked like a good friend to have around, and she felt safer with that bond in place. At the mention of seeing other places, the grey foal's ears perked forward in interest, "What do they look like? Can I go see them too when I get bigger?" When she thought about it, Frosty realized that she had been growing bored with her safe valley. She had explored almost all the places there were to explore, and running through the field was bond to get old fairly quickly. Perhaps she could convince her new friend to take her with him to these other places that he went.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:12 am
Foals were a blessing on society and simple pleasures often thrileld them far more than any adult. They could see a butterfly and marvel, an adult would see a butterfly and only give it a passing glance. Such innocence couldn't last forever and nor could it be preserved. It was unfair to stifle the development of another just for this sake. However, as a foal she was entitled to such pleasures and Cyn Generis had encountered enough children in his time to know what to do. She could cuddle into his mane and fur if she so chose, it did no harm after all.
That being said her touch was still tentative and uncertain. Curiosity was clear in her voice and actions but there was still a nervousness about her. It was a giddy nervousness of course, as though she was wary of her own behaviour. Such a delicate touch was enough to make him smile though and even as she withdrew his ears pivoted to acomodate the shift. Not many adults could remain still for as long as he, but years of training and conditioning had long since chased impatience and anxiety from his form. Time was irrelevant to the Angeni, given that he lorded over such a domain.
"How a place or creature looks to another Soquili is based on their perception, what I find beautiful is not necessarily something you would agree with," he pointed out gently, offering her a gentle nudge - ticklish forelock included in the deal. "Such questions are best answered by journeying to different places to see them - to follow your hooves wherever they wish to take you," he explained. However as she requested permission to see them, even in the absence of parents alarm bells did ring in his head somewhat.
...That slight lack of independance and a need for permission might be problematic in the wrong hooves.
"One does not need to be an adult to explore, Little One. If you wish to see the world you are more than welcome to accompany me until you are ready to explore on your own..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:28 pm
The little foal listened more respectfully to the stallion's words this time, quite interested in what he had to say about the places he had journeyed. She didn't much care about the beauty of the world though, she just wanted to know what was there. Even if it didn't look as pretty as her valley, there was likely still more to do. That was all that mattered, after all, seeing new things! When the stallion nudged her back, Frosty couldn't help but let out a giggling whinny. She had still been slightly worried that he would get annoyed with her foalish fascination with his coat and leave, but that certainly didn't seem the case! He had also agreed to be her friend, so the foal was quite happy that he would also let her come with him to see other places.
Nodding enthusiastically, Frosty almost leapt in the air she was so exciting to start her new adventure, "That'd be great! When can we get started? Can we go now?" She was obviously over-exaggerating in her excitement at the new idea, but it didn't lessen her exuberance for that moment, and the foal probably wouldn't have been opposed if the stallion had agreed to continuing on his journey immediately. It seemed unlikely, not to the foal, but in general, that the dark stallion would agree immediately, but since the idea of patience and a collected nature were not part of Frosty's worldview, her eyes were large and her tail flicked impatiently from side to side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
