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Ah night, it was one of his favorite times, actually it was his only favorite time of the day. Stepped away from his sleeping brother, leaving the kind hearted stallion to sleep away the night, he often cursed his brother for leaving the night to live during the day at times. But he could never say it to his face, if anything he still loved his brother. Advancing away from their sheltered home, Nikolas fell into his normal routine. Darting through the trees like a ghost, though his white coat often picked up the small hints of light from the moon that hung low over head. Tonight was going to be just like all the rest he assumed. Nothing interesting was going to happen... Right?

Breaking through the trees and out into the open, the full light of the moon gazed down and shown against his ghostly white coat. His mantel of black hair fell over his neck and flank. Around his neck his black arrowhead necklace lacked the gleam as he never took the time to really care for it. Black soulless eyes glanced around the clearing before the stallion started walking, his ears ever listening to his surroundings. He wondered what to stalk this night, everything the nights before was boring, he needed something... New...

Nikolas stopped for a moment to let the coolness of the night caress his body like a blanket. Shaking out his black mane he looked about the open. Well it seemed less hen likely there would be something here, but maybe. Something had caught his eye, well from the corner at the very least. Turning his head, eyes squinting a bit, the scent of another caught his nose. Well this would be divine, another of his own kind, if stallion he would have loads of fun with it. If Female... He hadn't an idea, but he was sure he could think of something. Turning in the direction of the motion that he had seen, he started walking again.

His coat shining like a beacon against the dark background of the night. He walked steadily closer to the spot where Awnaety was standing frozen in her place. Though he hadn't caught sight of her against the blackness, the scent of her was drawing him closer until he could see the outline of another of his kind. Stopping a fair distance from the figure he waited for it to make the first move, though from this closer look, he could see that it was female and a fairly dark colored one too. But all the same he remained silent, letting just the music of the night be the only sounds.

Not a sound or a peep came from the one before him. Though he could tell from the movements from her that she wasn't pleased with his appearance. Well, that was just too bad, he was there and apparently he really wasn't intending on leaving. His own eyes narrowed slightly as his own head raised a bit as he watched her, he over looked the glare that came his direction, he had gotten many within his life time and well.. This one wasn't that much different then all the rest. Take things like a grain of sand, he had always told his brother and nothing would bother you, though his brother still let things get to him.

"Kind of cold to be out alone, ain't it?" he asked, his voice a bit course giving the feel that he wasn't exactly a 'short shelled' soquili.

Shifting his footing some, his black tail flicked over his rose branded flank. Nikolas let his ears sit forward on his head to listen for an answer. Though from how she was holding herself, he found himself thinking that it wouldn't be a very 'happy' reply. He didn't really know much of the mare gender, besides the filly that had come to live with them. But she was a fledgeling, nothing more, someone whom they took in to teach their own ways of life. This mare was a mystery to him and he was going to have fun solving this mystery.

His head cocked to one side as she spoke of liking the feeling of being alone. Well, that struck him as a bit odd, from what he understood of most of his kind they preferred to be in groups to share the warmth and shelter even in the harshest of climates. Yet this one wanted to be alone, well fine for her until something came alone. Something worse then even him and he thought himself as one of the lowest creatures around, no there were ones lower. Ones he dared not even really think about at times like this.

"I see." Was all he uttered for now in an uncaring manner. "And what hopes do you have of not meeting something that would simply love to tear the flesh from your bones?"

Eyes giving a sort of 'tired' expression, this wasn't exactly what he would consider fun, this one was a hard nut to crack. Standing there all stiff like she were being looked down upon by one of the meanest of creatures without much fear for her own well being. Though he did give her credit for something, most wouldn't give him the time of day, much less just stand there and talk for a second. Still, his lips rolled back in a sort of smile, though if the moonlight reflected off hi silently pointed canines. He wondered what reaction would come, none preferably, but only time would sort that one out.

Well he had to commend her for her brave front, but wasn't sure if she could really stand up to one that wasn't exactly... 'Friendly'. He had heard of skinwalkers with paws and being the ultimate in evil, ready to ripe one limb from limb and not even care if the victim were still alive, the screams were like music to them. But he merely shrugged, watching the trees behind the mare then looking straight at her for the moment. Letting her look him over and wonder what he really was. He was of her own kind, just a breed that tended to live more in the night then the daylight.

"Something like that." He mused over after a somewhat long silence. "I hear that they enjoy the screams of others while they unwittingly peel the flesh away from bones." Was he really trying to 'scare' her? Perhaps, he certainly scared another of his 'kind' with such talk. "But if you are that brave, just a glare should scare them off back to their shadows and turmoil." He concluded closing his eyes to thought.

Letting his stance give sort of a, 'what do I care' expression, he leaned to one side a little, though minded to not fall over. He too wasn't really interested in leaving, though he would if he had something else to do, which he really didn't. Stalking forward a little, he sidestepped as if he were going to just merely pass her. Though stopped when he was parallel to the mare, a black eye opening and turning to watch her from the corner. There he just stood motionlessly, his tail unmoving, besides when a breeze drifted through the strands.

"The name's Nikolas, protector of these lands and of the mountains beyond. Tread lightly." He said in clear warning, though it was a casual one. He wasn't of the kind to 'attack anyone' that came to the valley, he would merely try and intimidate those into fleeing on their own accord. "Stay if you like, get comfy if you want. The night is young and many will be out to play." His tone still casual, but something laid beneath it, but what?

Nikolas watched as she looked to the starlit skies over head, then back toward him with the same disgust she had given those over head. The silence was deafening as he stood there watching her, listening to the wind whistle through the trees like souls looking for someone to care about their loses. Ears flipping to the sides some as she silently questioned him, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going through her head, nor did he really want to ask either. Though there was still something that gave away the fact that something was wrong, behind the disgust for him, there was... Hurt.

His eyes softened from their common unforgiving expression, he watched her still unmoving. Head tilting to one side as he caught the tears that had come to her eyes, before she closed them tightly, now he had gone and done it. Swinging his rump around so that he was watching her, Nikolas now felt like the heel here. Making the mare cry when all she wanted was to rest and let the night carry her away from the world for a least a moment.

"I'm sorry if I had hurt you, in any way." He spoke softly, like the wind as it were as his head dipped down a little. "I don't know who or what might have hurt you first, but I meant not to open healing wounds... That of whom might have hurt you before must have been a fool to do something like that." he nodded gently before looking back toward the mare with his black eyes, forgetting what he was for the moment.

If had been a feather the wind would have knocked him over when she stated quite clearly and rather loudly that she had been the fool... How? He didn't take her for a fool, nor one to make mistakes. Though the statements about his side of the species being all alike, he gave a mild shrug. Remaining silent and watchful as she stepped away from him, though only a few hesitant steps it seemed. Before she glanced around with tear stained eyes, boy, where was his brother when he needed him. He was the one for all this, Nikolas hadn't really 'loved' since a time he had almost forgotten.

"That is true, we all are the same. The same could be said for many others of the Soquili race. But is it not something we can't look past and see what truly lies beyond the foolish masks? Each face if different, as is each heart and soul. Share the same then tear it apart..." He stopped trying to remember how it went. "Oh, Kris, what was that saying again." He muttered trying to recall his brother's saying, now he really did wish he were here. "Tear it apart and you might as well be living a half life." He finished finally, though had to improvise the last part as he couldn't really remember.

Turning to watch the mare, whom still hadn't spoken of her name, he doubted she would ever speak her name to him in a million nights. As she had said, all his sex were the same. Heartless, cruel beasts of burdens. Though not in so many words, but he got the idea. What ever had happened in her past seemed like something that might have happened in his own. A love gone wrong, pain and torment from being tone and tossed away. Yeah, he knew that feeling all too well, though his brother's pain was a deeper anguish then his own. Nikolas never really found true love, perhaps he was just learning from the wrong master... Who knew.

Nikolas showed no change in his softened expression as he watched her. Watched her turn around to face him once more, the glare that came toward him. He just let it roll off his back like water he didn't care about being glared at. Though there was still something that kind of nagged at him. He wondered why she spoke of everyone being the same on his gender. Whom ever she had met before, had they really done something and made her feel that it was her fault? It would be interesting to meet this someone she was upset over.

"Keep to your shadows, they can only hide you for so long until something find you. Remember that not all shadows claim to be of shelter. Chose the wrong one and you'll end up in more trouble then you ask." his tone light before he turned to walk away from her, though an ear turned back toward her. "You might find that perhaps someone can help you if you let them. I'm sure that I am not the most appropriate one to look to. My past is laid in shambles of love and lost. Hurt and turmoil, mostly caused by one whom hurt another I care for. Remember, you are not alone in this world." He said softly letting the wind carry it back towards her.

Stepping into the trees, his ebony black tail twitching as we seemingly vanished like a ghost into the shadows. Though it was still there that he stood watching the mare, watching of her reaction. Would she follow and want more answers, or would she stomp, huff and walk away in the opposite direction. He waited to find out, if anything he would leave her alone... For now.