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 Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:23 am
 Agares rose from his resting place quietly, his face solemn. He glanced up at the sky, seeking the sun, but he knew it was in vain. Even if it was right above him he would see only the gray oblivion he was cursed to see. He supposed it was dusk, by the scent in the wind and the winding down of the forest. He could hear the day creatures settling in for slumber as the night creatures began to stir. A few small fruit bats flew overhead, confirming his suspicion. He stretched his limbs and shook away the sleepiness, preparing to see an old friend. He knew the way well enough, for he had traveled it many times. He set out slowly, leisurely. The two-legger was somewhat nocturnal also and in his old age did not get up as early as the stallion did anymore. Agares exited the trees, stepping out into a small clearing with a river running through it. He paused, looking into the shadows of the forest. Did he see something move? His face remained neutral as he searched the shadows. He hoped it was something...alive. He was always unsettled by the phantoms that visited him.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:00 am
The mare had only recently awoken from her slumber. While the awful burning day ball had finally fallen behind the horizon, the mare had made preparations for the night at hand. The winds had spoke of change on the horizon and the frosty bite of autumn warned her that winter was close at hand. . . It was, of course, her most favorite time of year.
To experience a world in an extreme state of change; death would surround one as the land was laced in white and grey. The nights reigned supreme during the winter and the chill in the air kept many away from facing the weather. Eshara adored winter and found herself reinvigorated after the first snow. Let others hide from winter, it was during those cold nights she embraced the solitude of the world.
The gypsy mare pushed her way through the woods, alert as ever about the construction of nature around her. Everything 'spoke' to the mare, everything whispered its secrets and sometimes gave her glimpses of what the future held. She was a bit of a shaman and thoroughly believed in what the leaves, the stars, and the wind said. There were secrets to be discovered that many a creature chose to ignore; blind and deaf was the majority of the world, but the stormy mare was not one of them.
For now though, water. . . Something to cool her dry tongue and a small, bubbling stream nearby would be the perfect resource for her to use! Trotting delicately through the trees, her grey eyes were fast to notice that she wasn't alone. There was another in view, on the opposite side of the stream; an ebony creature that looked to be made of shadow himself. Though she preferred a life of solitude the mare held no objections to interacting for a temporary while. Not all soquili had retired yet, it seemed as if this one might very well just be passing through.
Unafraid and far from shy, the mare pushed herself out from the woods. She was here for a drink and wasn't going to be put off just because a rogue stallion was near. Politeness allowed her to glance his way and offer a small nod in greeting, her cool smile etched permanently upon her features. But such warmth was the most Agares would receive from the mare. . . With luck he'd stay away. Long ago had Eshara realized she was often dubbed 'crazy' once one began to get to know her.
Stepping up to the waters edge, she lowered her head and drank. Let him move on and say nothing. . . He meant nothing to her.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:52 am
His ears twitched to and fro as he listened intently. He was certain he had heard movement across the stream and as he watched the shadows a mare walked out fearlessly. She nodded to him, but for the most part ignored him, which only caused him to watch her curiously. Agares has been plagued by many sorts of spirits, some that sought his attention and some that did not and who walked through the spirit realm mimicking the life they no longer had. He had seen different spirits that had behaved much as this mare did, locked in some scene of life with minimal notice of him.
He watched this one, wondering if she will walk back to the woods again just to turn and repeat the process of coming to the stream to drink. He took a few steps forward cautiously, staring at her hard. She seemed so solid, but then so had many of the visions. He lowered his gaze to the stream as he got near and saw her reflection and the ripples from her gentle lapping, which brought a measure of relief to the stallion. He bent his head to satiate his own thirst, keeping a wary eye on the female across from him. Perhaps the most compelling thing about the mare was her air of strangeness. Something about her was different, but Agares wasn't quite sure if it was because she was an apparition visited upon him, or if it was that she was flesh and blood and cursed in some way such as he. Whatever it was, he felt drawn to her, curious.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:33 pm
Eshara could feel his stare and part of the mare wondered whether she should be flattered or insulted. Giving no hint of feeling, no air of notice the mare allowed herself to focus first upon her drink. Who knew what the stallions intentions were and part of the mare wondered if she should even bother to care. . . It wasn't as if he were anyone but a momentary and possible distraction. The earth had spoke of change this day, of new meetings; perhaps this stallion was one of them.
Assuaging her thirst, Eshara finally lifted her head to turn to the ebony stallion. Her expression was pleasant enough, albeit a bit cool. Her smile was kind but held little warmth and the light didn't dare reach her eyes. There wasn't much that could truly make her smile and Eshara found little reason to as of late. Only the moon and the stars and the shadows of night gave her much joy; other soquili were merely play things and distractions best left for others to handle.
"By the light of the moon, something seems to have caught your eye," she finally spoke, breaking the silence of night. Her voice was rich and not at all sing-songy like some mares; if anything it sounded a bit forced, as if her vocal chords hadn't been properly broken in and used. Which usually was the case.
No, she wasn't like all the other mares in the world nor did she intend to be. She wasn't out in hopes to impress the world. She merely was. Standing still, front hooves left in the cool waters, she waited for a response. Let him say what he had to say, let her hold nothing back and scare him or cause him to believe her crazy. Let nature return him to others better like him. . . . most soquili had little place near the wandering gypsy.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:07 pm
He finished his drink slowly and rose to meet her dark gaze. Her voice was strange to him, unlike any of the other females he had known. Then again, it had been so long since he had heard another soquili’s voice perhaps he was imagining it. She had the most cool and casual air to her, and an almost reckless independence. She had such dark eyes that spoke of depth and intelligence unlike the others that Agares had known. He shifted his gaze to the sky, but saw nothing there but grey. “Is the moon out?” His voice was low, almost a whisper. He sounded regretful, sad in a most profound way. “I would know nothing of the moon,” he said as he leveled his gaze back to the mare before him. He felt no need to shield his truth from her. “I wondered if you might be some apparition come to visit me, as they are wont to do.” His voice was neither warm nor cold, and his demeanor was casual. “I’m glad to hear that it is, in fact, night. I sometimes wake too early to find too many other creatures still stirring.” He watched her curiously, wondering what brought the strange mare out. She was no spirit, he was now convinced, and he could think of few reasons another soquili would come out at night unless they were as strange as Agares himself. He mused that perhaps some misfortune had befallen her much as it had him. She certainly had the morose atmosphere around her that could suggest such. He felt a slight longing in his heart that she could be like him, cursed. The only friend he had was the two legger that had been the cause of his current condition and Agares couldn’t help but admit to a desire for soquili interaction. He pushed the ideas down and simply regarded the mare. “I’m Agares.”
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