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 Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:59 pm
 He had grown up in a relatively secluded lifestyle, having never met many soquili outside his own herd one might have called him naive had it not been for the tales and stories told to him by other members of the herd. Those who had explored further afield would return home with tales, mighty adventures and sometimes ridiculous ones that would fill the young colt's head with ideas and possibilities. Fortunately over the course of the years the more reckless of these ideas had disappeared and had been replaced by more reasonable goals - most of which would ensure he remained relatively healthy with all of his limbs attached... Not necessarily a comfort to most given his other ideas but his mother was at least satisfied that he wouldn't be dive bombing off forty foot cliffs to practice his 'flying'. Ah yes, he had led a simple life but he had been taught and instructed well.
It should have come at no surprise that his mother had waved him a teary goodbye as he'd graced her with a nudge and a cuddle before declaring he wanted to see the world. Oh he'd most certainly come home eventually, but yet another bird had flown the nest (so to speak) and as the youngest he was graced with a blubbering mother who reminded him that he needed to eat and at least request the aid of a raccoon every three weeks to redo his braids (because the two legger wouldn't be there). He couldn't promise the hair thing but he did at the very least promise to come home for yule and to ensure that his legs, head or any other body part wasn't hanging off when he returned for the reunion.
...It wasn't exactly a hard request to handle.
Alas over the course of a number of days the stallion had picked his way down the slopes, taking into account potential locations to explore. He distinctly recalled the lakes from that fateful encounter with his 'unofficial' sister-in-law and made a note to return to them again. He'd yet to see a kelpi but for the time being he had chosen to go with the easy route - it was winter after all and while his winter coat was thick and exceptionally fluffy he was one who sought out heat and shelter first. Where better then to explore, than the wonderful forests that lay at the foot of the mountains? This decision had also enabled him to visit his uncle on the way!
Eventually though after considerable effort and countless distractions the stallion had broken through Islagiatt territory and now wandered through a forest that could only be described as...bleak. The lowlands forest were indeed different, struggling to survive against the chill of winter the leaves had fallen and they seemed to be asleep. There was scarcely a colour insight and the shadows cast by the sun gave off a most haunting display. It was just as well the male wasn't easily spooked by such things... Nevertheless, with little sign of life anywhere in his immediate vicinity the stallion did have to note that he was less than satisfied with the start to his trip. It was warmer down here but it was also...far more quiet.
Aha but his mother had always encouraged positive thinking and as such the Soquili burst into a low whistle of song and continued to progress through the forest. At the very least it was an opportunity for him to pick his way through and become accustomed to the land on the offchance that he may return in spring...
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:44 pm
 To say that Anelisse was fond of winter would be to assume that she actually had opinions about the weather. Had the mare been posed such a question, she likely would have snorted and tossed her prettily braided head, indignant at the audacity of such a question. Really, as though she cared about such things as weather! Weather was an annoyance or an aid (depending on what sort of weather it was and what she had hoped to do), but was unchangeable and complaining did nothing except make her frustrated, which in turn caused wrinkles. No, definitely not something to worry about. Still, given all of those factors, it wouldn't be far off the mark to say that she enjoyed ASPECTS of winter. The cold she could do without, but she knew that her white hide against the white snow was dazzling and her black braid stood out dramatically against the colorless world. Hadn't she been told that she was a vision? Granted, the stallion who'd said so had been hardly worth her notice, he was so big and smelly and crass, but a compliment was a compliment. So really, for all its hassles, she liked winter. Snow was fun to nest in, it was easy to keep clean, and she didn't have to worry about mud or grass stains or things getting tangled in her mane. No, all that she had to worry about in the winter was how to examine her reflection when the water was all frozen and wonder what sort of look Raccoon was going to come up with today. It was such a wonderance that occupied the mare's attention at the moment, wondering what her loyal companion and familiar Raccoon the raccoon was going to design today. As was the case with most artists, Raccoon never told Ane what she was doing; in Raccoon's case, though, this was less artistic selfishness and more the fact that unlike many familiars, she lacked the gift of Speech. However, she was a devoted companion and the most gifted creature with hair Ane had ever met, and in her own way she was fond of the creature. Without her, things would be so boring... And right now, they somewhat were. She stood alone, staring thoughtfully at her reflection in the polished surface of the iced-over pond. Having just had her unbraided after the night, it was currently arranged in loose waves over her shoulders, the black and white most becoming, if unkempt-looking. Long hair was such a bother, or it would be without Raccoon to help. She hoped Raccoon got back soon, this loose look was just asking to be tangled! ~~~~ At the moment, Raccoon was thinking similar things, shaking her head with a dismissive chitter. She adored working with hair, the longer and finer the better, and Anelisse's mane had been the bond that brought the two of them together. It was her masterwork, her pride and joy, and she loved nothing more than making it look pretty. That was why she prided herself on her creative abilities, going out and about every day to find new and pretty accessories for her mistress's toilette. Feathers, stray lost beads, shells, pretty vines; nothing was too small to escape the raccoon's sharp eyes. Nor, for that matter, was hair firmly affixed to other Soquilis. It was hardly surprising that she found the stallion, obtrusive as his read coat was against the snow. But having seen him, she was honestly delighted, noting the long, dragging tail of red. Red was such a nice color on Mistress, it stood out so beautifully against the white! A few hairs of that, braided with her mane, would be beautiful, as would a band made of the red hair to hold together a ponytail... She HAD to get some, Mistress would be so pleased! But how? Stealth was the first instinct. With her light touch, she could get some hairs and the stallion probably wouldn't even noticed. Still, in her time with Anelisse she had become impressed with the understanding that while taking STRAY things was fine, taking owned things without permission was not. And attached hair was definitely, definitely owned. In that case, asking it was! With an animated chitter of greeting, Raccoon dropped out of the tree she has been perched in and landed with a flump in the snow near the stallion. It would have been more fun to land ON him, but sometimes that was unexpected; she'd been bucked before, and that was no fun, nope! So she dropped into the snowbank instead, giving the stallion a wide grin to show that she meant no harm before launching into her spiel. Chittering animatedly, she pointed to his head and his tail, then grabbed her own tail and held it up, pulling out a few hairs to show him what she wanted before pointing at his tail again, then his mane again, pointed off in the direction she knew her mistress was waiting, pointed at her OWN head, his again, then, still chittering, held out her paws before cocking her head at him in bright-eyed expectation. Totally clear, that request, if she did say so herself!
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:57 pm
If there was one thing Feng had not been expecting to play this afternoon, it had been charades. Such was his astonishment at the appearance of the raccoon that for the first few seconds he remained in a rather startled state. It took his eyes a while to focus, to adjust to the creature in front of him and then it stuck him - his whistling stopped and he raised a brow higher and higher as the raccoon (or what he thought was a raccoon) became more and more enthuasiastic in her movements. A point here, a nudge there and then she sort of lost him - he was good at some games but when she'd pulled out her own hair and then pointed in a random direction he'd gotten a tad confused... So how exactly was he meant to interpret this?
By the looks of things she was expressive in her own right but didn't conform to the traditional expectations of society. Whether she could or couldn't talk wasn't his concern, he'd heard of random animals being quiz masters but he hadn't exactly anticipated this kind of meeting. Her chosen form of communication (and perhaps test) was a game of charades and as he recounted each movement, lips still pursed in a silent 'oh', he came to the conclusion that something further on down the way had lost all it's hair. The continued pointing at his mane and tail indicated that a soquili had lost all it's hair.
"Ooooh, sucks to be them," he mused quietly having taken her request completely out of context. Apparently she was expecting him to help her and he was half right however is immediate interpretation was totally incorrect. He hadn't confessed to being incredibly intelligent and as such perhaps his conclusions could be excuse though he did show ample amount of concern for the 'hairless' soquili - the irony of how little he knew would have been commical for someone.
"They must be really cold," he added after a few moments, tilting his head to the side as he looked beyond the raccoon and nodded in the direction she had pointed. Curious as to how said bald soquili may have been feeling and also 'suitably' concerned, he could only assume that he would have to help them somehow - maybe a leaf wig? ...But where would he find leaves at this time of year?
"Well I guess I could help but I'm not entirely sure how," he mused after a few moments before examining the albeit pale raccoon. "Can you make wigs?" he enquired curiously.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:04 pm
...As a matter of fact, she probably COULD make a wig, but that was hardly relevant. At his first 'sucks to be them', Raccoon had started shaking her head, an action that got more violent as he asked her about the wig. Not right, not right, not right at all! Obviously he hadn't understood; maybe she needed to be a bit more demonstrative.
Without giving the stallion a moment to decide whether he wished to be perched on, she simply did so, grabbing a fistful of his mane and swinging nimbly up onto his back. From that more convenient vantage point, she tried once again, chittering as she patted his mane, then pulled at a section of his tail. From one wrist she unwound a few long strands of Ane's mane, kept there in case she needed to tie something; she then pointed back at his tail, rewrapped the white hair, and brought both of her paws together in a somewhat supplicating gesture. Surely he would understand NOW!
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:12 pm
"You want my hair?" he stared at the fluffy creature increduously, his gaze following her as she leapt onto his back and continued to play her game. As she had unwound the hair from around her wrist it became ever more clear that she did infact want his hair. She didn't want to make a wig out of leaves, twigs or vines that lay around - for some reason she wanted to give his hair to the bald soquili...however he was fairly certain he didn't have enough hair for them both.
However, these musing were quickly cast aside as he recalled Uncle Biscuit's tales of shamans and witches. The firey red stallion distinctly remembered his Uncle telling him tales of the spells these creatures used to cast. Some would change their targets into animals, make them sick or sometimes they'd do pretty nice things to them but all the same - apparently they stole two leggers toes! If that wasn't enough to make the stallion's skin crawl what would be? Well, the very fact that someone might steal his hair to turn him into some sort of shrivelled up ghoul!
He was aware of his irrational thoughts though...
Thus it should have come at no surprise that the stallion eyed the raccoon suspiciously at that moment and raised a brow again. "You aren't intending to do anything funky or voodoo-ish with my hair are you?" he enquired calmly, oddly relaxed despite the potential threat of turning into a mindless and gargling zombie like his uncle had warned him as a child. "Cause you know, I hear that leaf and vine wigs are really quite good at this time of year - I mean it sucks that the soquili lost their hair and all but I really don't have that much and I'm not really sure mine is the right colour, you know?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:22 pm
Half correct was better than none, in the grand scheme of things. At his first declaration, Raccoon had crowed in triumph, nodding her head vigorously only to blink as proceeded to asked her about voodoo. What, she wondered, was voodoo? And what did it have to do with hair?
Upon a few moments of reflection, she decided that he must have been teasing her. His 'voodoo' must be a made-up word, and he was just being silly. Really, how could even CARRY all of his hair, even if he were to allow her to take it? Such a silly stallion!
Having come to that decision, Raccoon wrinkled up her face and laughed, giggly little chitters of mirth in response to what was definitely a good joke. She liked this stallion, yep! Not enough Soquili out there knew how to be funny, but she approved of him.
However, she had business to attend to; even now her Mistress was waiting patiently for her return. He'd basically given permission...mostly. As long as she didn't take all of it. Kinda. And she wasn't going to do anything weird with it, and she wasn't going to take much...yes, he'd definitely given permission for that!
Chirruping happily, she hugged the stallion's neck, then slid down his back to the ground. As she did so, she wrapped her little paws in his tail, giving a suitably sharp enough pull to come away with a small fistful of long red hair, perfect!
Trilling her pleasure at the new find, Raccoon was off like a shot, clambering up a tree and hurrying back to where she'd left Anelisse. Mistress was going to be thrilled!
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:29 pm
"Son of a -!" Feng's shock rippled throughout the otherwise quiet forest as the sudden shot of pain niggled at his neck. It was more so out of astonishment than of pain, but the outcry was enough to indicate that really he hadn't given his permission at all. Sure he might have considered it a little, but given she had 'cackled' like a witch contemplating his demise he had little choice than to heave a sigh as he recovered his composure and attempted to glance (albeit poorly) at the area she had tugged his poor defenseless hair from. Oh he'd known exploring was interesting but this really took the biscuit - first week out and he already had voodoo raccoons stealing his hair to perform strange acts.
Giving himself a shake to encourage the blood to flow through his coat again, he puffed out his winter coat and proceeded to follow the cretaure. Admittedly it was not as easy has he first anticipated, she was scarcely visible save for the black tips of her ears but with considerable effort he could track her. Weaving in and out of the trees, he occasionally ducked to avoid a low lying branch and pursued the furry critter with great fervour - he did not want to turn into a ghoul, no sir! And so it was with such great determination that he bolted after the little criminal with a complete lack of awareness for her true intentions.
Therefore it should have come at no surprise to anyone that he was astonished the moment he fell through the trees and came very close to smashing his chin upside a frozen river, skidding to a halt at the very edge as he glanced around briefly for the little ninja and his stolen hair. Granted there was probably no way to reattach said hair but it was the principle of the matter, at the very least he wanted it back. Unfortunately for him, he had yet to notice the rather pretty mare lurking nearby...
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:39 pm
By this time, Anelisse was beginning to lose patience. While tolerant of Raccoon and her little whims when it came to finding things, Anelisse was also a creature of habit, and one of those habits was to have her long hair out of the way and arranged before she did anything in the morning, even eating breakfast. Consequently, the length of this morning's adventure was directly contributing to the increase of her appetite to the point that she was actually considering eating BEFORE her hair was done.
Thankfully, the sound of Raccoon's triumphant chittering up in the trees prevented her from doing anything so rash. Looking up from her reflection, Ane narrowed her eyes to scan the trees, looking about for the raccoon and spying her at almost exactly the same time that Fenguang, guns blazing, burst rather unexpectedly onto the riverbank.
Anelisse didn't know quite what to make of this, so at first she simply stared at the reddish stallion with undisguised amazement, quickly replaced by annoyance. Honestly, she was going to have a serious conversation with Raccoon about the timing of these little 'excursions' of hers, it simply didn't do for people to see her looking so horribly disheveled! Granted, she obviously looked much more becoming than any other disheveled mare possibly could, but on principal alone it was unacceptable.
~~~
Unaware of her Mistress's thoughts, at that exact moment Raccoon came flying out of the trees, missing Anelisse's back and slithering a bit across the ice from the momentum. But oh, her expression as she held up the red hair was one of pure triumph...until she saw the frown on Anelisse's pretty face. "Chirrup?" sweatdrop
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:34 am
Fenghuang had never completely grasped the concept of maintaining a pristine appearance. Oh he knew that there were individuals in the world who were obssessed with cleanliness and insisted upon absolute perfection but he wasn't one of them. Once a week he begrudgingly submitted himself to the attentions of Moppet and had his hair rebraided but for the most part he was content. He resembled a ruffian according to some, an attractive ruffian but he wasn't what one would call a heart throb if they were inclined towards straightened hair and a perfectly clean coat. Nope, for all intents on purposes it was quite a momentous occasion for him to be so clean - it wasn't often his coat shone this brightly and only his hooves had been exposed to the mud through his exploring. Lordy it was even the middle of the week, even his brothers would have been astonished at how he looked.
Nevertheless in the wake of one such as Anelisse this 'decent' appearance was probably not the most impressive of sights. In fact, as the stallion turned, watching the raccoon shoot through the air to the point that she slid to a halt by her mistress it became clear that the mare wasn't terribly happy to see him. His ears swivelled at this, lips pursing briefly as he glanced from raccoon to mare - the raccoon obviously connected to the mare in some form or another. It wouldn't have surprised him, the mare certainly had enough hair.
"Well, you aren't bald that's for sure..." he mused after a few moments. Straightening up as he shifted his gaze from the raccoon to the mare and offered a slight nod. Now that he had the opportunity to observe her she was terribly attractive - annoyed yes, with her brow creased in disapproval but he was familiar with her sort. She was the type of mare who made the stallions stop, colapse and then splutter like idiots - admittedly he could do that if the situation called for it but he had more sense than that and thanks to his eldest brother he was a little bit skepticle about love at first sight - especially when the mare seemed to think you were an incarnate of satan himself.
...Not strictly true, but heh, he couldn't read her thoughts.
"So uh," he turned his attention back to the raccoon and raised a brow. "Why'd you still my hair fluffbutt? I'd say she's got plenty of her own..."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:50 pm
In all her life, Anelisse could honestly say that she'd never had a conversation begin with a frank assessment of her hair. More specifically, she'd never had a conversation begun with a frank assessment of the fact that she HAD hair which, while perfectly true and obvious, was hardly typical introductory conversation fare. Still, she chose to overlook that rather bizarre comment at the moment, as he obviously had come on the heels of Raccoon. She could forgive him his sneaking up on her, provided that the circumstances merited it. Never let it be said that a daughter of Angelique couldn't persevere, even in the face of utter catastrophe!
And for her, this situation WAS a catastrophe, thank you kindly.
So she simply turned from the stallion to the raccoon, taking particular note of the long, reddish hair Raccoon still clutched in her fist. Drawing herself up to her full (although still diminuative) height, she gave Raccoon a piercing look, uttering one single word as a follow-up to Fenguang's rather bizarre question. "Well?"
~~~
If there was one thing Raccoon didn't like, it was being in Anelisse's disfavor. Knowing her Mistress as she did, she knew very well that the fact Anelisse was in company without being made up was grating on her, even though Raccoon had the most beautiful red-orange hair to present to her. So even though it was intimidating to be addressed by two Soquili at once (one of them her very annoyed Mistress), she stepped up to explain herself.
Clutching the hair in her fist, she pointed at Fenguang and his head, then at Anelisse, chittering a vehement dismissal of the idea that she had ever suggested Anelisse was bald. Continuing to chitter, she hopped back and forth in the snow, miming her original conversation with Fenguang, then pulled at the back of her own head to indicate the hair removal. For Fenguang's benefit, she scampered up onto Anelisse's back taking a few strands of his hair and, still where he could see them, used them to tie Ane's mane into a simple low side ponytail. Not elaborate by any means, but she knew that it was infinitely preferable to Anelisse than having her hair loose.
Then, having completed her explanation, she shrugged her shoulders at both Soquili, entrusting that at least one Soquili there would understand her.
~~~
And at least one Soquili did, for the most part. Having most of her life in Raccoon's company, understanding Raccoon's mimings was child's play to Anelisse, who nodded her head and frowned at varying points throughout the commentary, but waited until she had finished before stating, "From your account, Raccoon, you indicate that the stallion gave permission, but his hasty arrival seems at odds with your story. Are you SURE he gave you permission?"
Upon getting a chirrup in the affirmative, Anelisse glanced at Fenguang and offered by way of explanation, "She says that she told you what she wanted the hair for and got permission before she took it, but she can be a bit high-strung sometimes and isn't always as clear as she can be. If she was mistaken in thinking she had your permission, I apologize." She offered the stallion a slight bow at that, while perfunctory, was structurally sound. She didn't believe in deep bows, not unless the individual in question was her mother. Still, she could understand the stallion's upset; she would be VERY displeased indeed if someone stole any of HER hair!
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:14 pm
If Fenghuang been human he would have leant against the tree by now, eyebrow raised and arms folded at the charade of the raccoon. However, Fenghuang possessed none of the limbs in question and as such, could do nothing more than raise a brow and adjust his weight from one hoof to the other. The overall affect was the same, he looked confused and yet seemed to remain in good humour about the entire thing as the story unfolded. So the mistress in question had not been bald, nor had she really required his hair BUT, the Raccoon had spotted something she liked and could find use for.
It was a misunderstanding and given he had experienced worse in his life time he couldn't help but chuckle at the explanation. He could gather what it all meant, he wasn't sure how he was meant to understand the original encounter but he could get this one with reasonable ease. If he looked at it in one way he could take it as a compliment that the raccoon had sited his hair as something of particular use.
Shock over, he finally cleared his throat and gave an albeit slow not to the raccon. He wasn't angry, he never got infuriated and for the most part had been flustered by the 'theft' but when it really came down to it, he could easily forgive it...It just wasn't the type of introduction to the Lowlands he had anticipated given that his original introduction had come in the form of Elizabeth! Really the thought of Elizabeth owning such an exhuberant raccoon was a bit bizarre in itself...
Would be funny though.
Nevertheless once he had seemingly accepted the raccoon's apology he did look towards Anelisse again. However this time was somewhat different, this time he had the opportunity to look at her properly. It should have come at no surprise that the stallion's lips pursed somewhat in discomfort as he realised exactly what he was dealing with. Now he had seen a lot of pretty mares in his time but his Brother had told him on many occasions that there would be those that stood apart from the others - this would be one of them.
Oho, sharp.
"Heh," A sheepish smile soon appeared on his equine lips and he cleared his throat as he recalled the rather 'wonderful' remarks he had made regarding her appearance. Granted she was nothing like what he had said but then again he hadn't exactly looked at her as he was dealing with the raccoon, now had he?
"Listen the whole 'bald' thing, I thought the fluffball had said you were...bald," he explained uncomfortably and then cracked another of his smiles, this time more wry as he slowly regained his composure and slid back into the slouched pose he often adopted. Unkempt as he might have been, he received few complaints for his own looks - apparently a little bit of mess was appealing to some!
"I didn't mean to point out that you weren't bald, I mean you are..." he hesitated briefly and took a deep breath, leans back on his hind legs. "You are incredibly attractive and if my hair aids you in adding a little more oomph to your appearance then -" he paused and glanced at the racoon again before shaking his head with another of his smiles.
"Who am I to stop you, right fluffbutt?" he enquired, addressing the raccoon again with another raised brow. "Although you do now owe me some hair, or something of equal value - I should just point that out now." Obviously kidding, the grin teasing across his lips should have given that much away.
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:34 pm
If there was anything new in Fenguang's second or third glances at her, it went completely over Anelisse's head. Ever since she was a small filly, she had been praised and admired, both in word and in look, so for her admiration was only her due. Her experience with stallions directly was rather limited, but what she HAD had thus far had been more than enough to remind her that her mother wasn't alone in valuing her beauty.Although it WOULD be nice for someone to fall over in shock and admiration for her beauty, she could be patient and wait for that. She was still young.
And still, in some ways, innocent.
It was a pleasure for her to see that the stallion was being so understanding; Raccoon was a delightful creature, but sometimes her exuberance was too much for some and they got unnecessarily grouchy with Raccoon, and even with Anelisse by association sometimes. Rude, inconsiderate Soquili like that weren't worth noticing, however, and she had never let it bother her. Being civil to such types was trying, but she always thought that her social manners were nothing if not perfect.
Indeed, it was with a hint of that self-congratulatory spirit that she acknowledged Fenguang's comments, bowing her head just enough for politeness and gracing him with her most charming smile as she straightened up, somewhat amused at his tongue-tied behavior. Stallions could be so droll! And so complimentary, for that matter!
She turned her head slightly to the side at his compliments, not entirely hiding the self-satisfied smile that his words brought to her lips. "You are too kind, Mister, and you have no reason to apologize for your confusion, it is Raccoon who owes the apologies. She is rather fanatical when it comes to hair, and can become most single-minded in pursuit of 'accessories' for mine, which, unfortunately for some, can be THEIR hair. Rest assured, she doesn't usually go back for seconds." Mostly because she made sure to take a hefty hunk the first time, but Anelisse saw no reason to mention THAT!
Simple as he current hairstyle was, the fact that her hair was back at all made her feel presentable and therefore able to take pleasure in having an admirer (as a stallion, he had to be an admirer; there was no other type of stallion possible). Even better, this admirer was mostly unobjectionable, unlike the last one with his vulgar over-familiarity, foul stench and general aura of unpleasantness.
No, this one was quite acceptable, she allowed as she turned back, running her gaze over the stallion from stem to stern with a cool, if interested deliberation. A bit scruffy, she allowed, and slightly in need of the services of a Raccoon; but he had a gorgeous color, beautiful mane, and was, in general, very pleasing to the eye. Even better, his coat complimented her eyes, so if some random Soquili should pass by and see them, said Soquili would undoubtedly be struck and how well they complimented each other aesthetically and proceed to be amazed by their own luck.
All things considered, not a bad way to finish out what could have been a catastrophic occurrence. "And you are most observant and pleasant in your compliments; it is always nice to know that Raccoon's work and my own wonderful genes haven't lost their magic. Rest assured, your contribution will be put to good use. We aim to please, as it were...though you are right, of course." Turning to Raccoon, who had been sitting penitently off to the side for a little while, Anelisse gave a nod in Feng's general direction. "You heard him, and I think he's right. We will make do."
~~~
This time, it seemed, Raccoon had gotten off rather lightly. So even though she hated the prospect of parting with any of her treasures, she dutifully waddled through the snow up to Fenguang and started showing off her treasures; the bands of hair that she wore as belts, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and other decorations. They were all so pretty...
Although as she waited for Fenguang to make his choice, Raccoon too started to scrutinize Fenguang's hair, although for slightly different reasons that her Mistress's. While her first love was Ane's hair, she love to style ANY hair, and the orange stallion looked like he would be fun. He had long hair, and for all its messiness it was strong and fluffy. Yes, she would do his hair for him with the hair of his choosing, it was perfect! 8D
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:22 pm
The raccoon was like one of those street caller dealers, open a coat and voila - all the contraband material one could ever want. It was really quite a comical display and the easy going stallion did little to contain his smile. Amused by her treasures, the warm smile soon developed on his lips and it was with a slight shake of his head that he seemed to dismiss her gesture. He had been joking about being owed anything, he was not a stallion to hold grudges or weights above another's head - he'd decided a long time ago that he never would. Life was too short to keep track of bargains and deals, so long as he was happy he would ask for no more.
Nor had he any intention of receiving a makeover either! He'd been brought up in a family with such warmth and care, they chose only to encourage him to reach for the stars. While his eldest brother had asked him to be more 'tidy' on occasions, his family were content when he was happy. There was no denying that Fenghuang was a stallion who had great comfort in his own appearance and treasured the unique and rugged looks he possessed. Some would point conditions he lived in left no option for 'pretty hair' though why bother when he was perfectly content with how he looked?
...Besides, he was striking in his own way and could attract attention and appreciation to an extent. No - what Fenghuang tend to rely on most was his exhuberant behaviour, granted it had tamed considerably with mild warnings from family members but eventually it would stir again. For the time being he was merely well behaved until he grew accustomed to his new surroundings and knew his way through the Kawani.
There was no use provoking dangerous creatures, though when he found friends that would be quite another matter entirely!
Nevertheless the male had long since regained his composure and was no longer totally captivated by the mare's beauty. She was indeed in a league of her own, set aside from others but this didn't mean he would stagger and stutter. He wasn't an idiot and he could recognise that there were some things in life that certain creatures, even himself, were not permitted to attain...especially if they were not prepared to change.
"I was kidding Miss Fluff," he cooed at last with a good natured chuckle, lowering his head to nudge the raccoon gently. "You can keep your treasures, you seem fond of them all and it'd be unfair of me to take them - you know?" Again he lifted his head and flicked his gaze towards Anelisse, offering yet another smile as she referred to him as 'Mister' - now there was another thing he wasn't fond of...a little too much etiquette.
"Name's Fenghuang, though most call me Feng, M'ady." He replied calmly, no trace of uncertainty or admiration in his voice. A relaxed tone at most but nothing more than that. "And while you claim my apology was unneeded, one must realise that it is expected according to etiquette and my family expects good manners at the very least."
"That is the very least I can give, when my immediate entrance appeared to have disrupted your morning routine."
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 5:02 pm
Manners were something that Anelisse could appreciate, so she simply nodded again in acceptance of the stallion's point. "Fair enough...Fenghuang, I'm sure that I can concede that point. It's generally best for everyone if we behave in a proper and polite fashion, otherwise nothing would be sacred to anyone from anything." With that sage (to her way of thinking) speech, she turned and walked a short distance down the shore to the most mirror-like portion of the river ice to inspect her hair. Finding it to be satisfactory, she looked up and shook her head, dismissing the idea that he had in any way interrupted her routine.
"The only thing that disrupted me was Raccoon deciding to take the scenic route in her prowlings this morning, which is her fault more than anyone else's. Still, she has learned her lesson, I think; and thank you for indulging her." This with a glance at Raccoon, who had retreated to a safe distance with a delighted smile up on learning that her treasures were safe. "She means well, and she is a truly wonderful familiar and hairdresser. If you are at all interested I'm sure that she would like nothing better than to arrange your hair."
A bright, affirmative nod was Raccoon's response to that, accompanied by a stream of energetic chittering and a clasping of her paws in delight, a sight that made Anelisse laugh and shake her head. "Really, I don't understand at all why so many can't understand her, but perhaps I am biased. Have you breakfasted yet, Fenguang?"
Being somewhat hungry herself, Anelisse was ready to finally eat some breakfast; now that her hair was out of her face, she figured she could actually enjoy herself. Still, she wasn't so out of it that she was going to forget the basic tenets of hospitality; Raccoon might have disturbed HIS breakfast. "And I'm Anelisse, by the way, and that, as you might have gathered, is Raccoon." Fitting introductions indeed.
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Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:37 am
Was that a veiled insult or simply an offhand comment? Fenghuang mused over the possibilities only briefly as she reasserted the Raccoon's offer. In all honesty Fenghuang preferred the more roguish and lazy approach to his hair. If he expected little of it, he received only that in return and as a result he rarely disapproved of it. That and according to his eldest cousin, Biscuit... If it wasn't bouncey curls then a charming smile and a bit of roguish 'mess' attracted many a mare. Admittedly, Biscuit hadn't informed him that the majority of mares would want to tidy him up but that was beside the point. While he hadn't yet developed into a ladies' man, Fenghuang was most certainly not against the concept of successfully wooing the ladies as so many of his family members had done previously.
...In particular, Biscuit and Althalus.
That being said, he was an opportunist when it came to many things in life but he had yet to place two and two together regarding this encounter. He was still young in that regard, incapable of taking advantage because he hadn't even recognised the signs. Ah, but it was through these experiences and others that he would learn - right? That was the hope at the very least though in a manner of speaking one might have said that Anelisse would have been thankful that she wasn't a test subject.
Popping his lips, the young stallion remained quiet for a few more moments before at last shrugging his shoulders. Compliment or insult, it was hardly someting he should worry himself over. Ever the optimist he chose instead to accept it as an open invitation at a later date and the easy smile was soon to appear on his equine lips. A snort to brush the longest strands of forelock from his eyes and he was content then to respond to the mare - albeit in much the same relaxed manner that many would have mistaken as lazy.
"Yes, I've eaten," he blinked twice at this and then released a sigh, seeming to consider her offer even though there was really no other answer. "But I never say no to an offer like that," he added. He could have said so much more, however the warnings of his mother remained in his mind and he demonstrated patience as he came to terms with those that lurked within the Lowlands. Some wouldn't understand his humour and it would be good for him to recognise their limits and the signs they displayed before they attempted to maul him. A beauty or not, that mare still had a horn!
Nevertheless she seemed pleasant enough and unaware of the depths of her vanity he had yet to find any urge to terrorise her in regards to jeopardising her appearance. Oddly enough he was comfortable sloping after the mare for the time being, though that was apt to change if he became aware of whatever quirks she might possess/ Just as well she seemed to have a sense of humour.
...Right?
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