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 Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:14 pm
Setting Cool night, a few pregnant clouds stretched out overhead, with a thin sliver of moon occasionally peeking out. The air feels charged and dense, as if it is about to rain soon. After all, it is Spring; the season of snow is over. There are trees in every direction, and most of them are already green. Here is the heart of the forest, as beautiful by night as by day... but of course, Kirin do not have very good vision and this matters little to them. Somewhere about all this is a river that winds through the forest, and there are rock structures about it - one of which being the cave Alucard takes shelter in.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:40 pm
Alucard trotted out of his cave, shaking his mane back from his face. It was the fifth night since he had first emerged into this world, gunk-covered, weak and alone. On the first, he had crawled into this new home of stone. On the second, he had starved. On the third, he hunted successfully. On the fourth, he rested. This time the foal was determined to explore - his legs were growing longer and steadier each day.
Nothing I've seen so far is like me. Surely there are others out there. The young vampire Kirin could not tell he was lonely, for he had always been alone, but he longed to find someone just like him. Someone he could play with, talk with, and maybe even hunt with.
He had no idea he was a freak amongst his own kind.
He stood still for a moment, then continued along the banks of the river, for in that direction the wind favoured his mane. The forest contained many surprises, and he hoped to find one of them this night.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:31 pm
 Khalidia was newer to the world than Alucard by two days, and had come out of her egg far closer to the forests edge. Unlike him, she'd yet to find any secure shelter, and her fear of predators had kept her moving as long as she was able before she tucked herself away for the night, shivering and hoping no one would find her. She grazed as she walked, managing to feed herself quite nicely, and avoided most creatures - the only ones she sought out were birds. They made such beautiful noises, and they eased the Kirin's troubled mind as she made her way through potentially dangerous wood.
That night, she bedded down near the river, behind a small outcrop of stones that she hoped would protect her for a time. She found herself tired, but not able to sleep - the air was too charged, and she was waiting for what she knew would happen even though she'd never before experienced it. Her legs, grown stronger than most foals of her young age because of her need to keep moving, ached slightly, and she began to wonder if she oughtn't try wading in the cool water to relieve them - if only she wasn't so afraid she'd be swept away!
Lonely, and feeling rather miserable, ears flat to her skull, the Kirin began to try and imitate the calling sounds the bird had made, wanting to soothe herself and unable to do so.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:02 pm
Alucard halted mid-step, both ears swivelling round to face the front. Even above the roar of gushing water and the rustling of leaves in the wind, he could hear something really strange. It was close to the song of a bird that nested somewhere outside his cave - but every now and then a note would change, the melody would twist in a way the bird itself would never be able to manage. A good imitation, but not entirely convincing.
It was also impossible for that bird to be awake at this time. He used it as a signal to head back and sleep, to avoid the Great Heat that burned his skin and hurt his eyes.
He could smell the impostor on the wind. Not squirrel, not bird - nothing he had ever encountered before. Alucard approached it at a fast clip, the scent getting stronger and stronger. When he was roughly sure he was close enough for this strange, new creature to hear, he whinnied a soft greeting, and waited for a response, tail swishing.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:44 pm
When the whinny came, Khalidia jerked her head up, nostrils flaring as she sniffed, trying to catch the scent of whoever it was that had approached - unfortunately, the breeze worked against her carrying his smell away. That only made her more nervous, but after a moment, she gave a soft whicker in return, deciding that she had to risk it.
Slowly, tentatively, she raised her head a bit higher to peek over the pile of rocks she was using to hide. First her ears came into view, and then her long, equine face. She made another soft, unsure noise, then rose to her feet, ready to flee if she had too, trembling slightly. Night was even scarier when you were awake for it, she realized, tail flicking back and forth with nerves.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:33 pm
He sensed more than saw it move, and was intrigued when he saw that it moved like him, and it was roughly the same shape and size as he was. Alucard gave a surprised huff through his nose at this - he hadn't expected to encounter anyone just like him, even though he had instinctively been searching.
The first scent was made all the stronger with the stench of sweat and fear, much like the tiny creatures he had drawn blood from on the third night. He didn't want to hunt this thing, he wanted to be friends, and so he stood very still and approached no further. It seemed to be on the verge of fleeing, and he very much hoped it wouldn't. Right now, all he wanted to know was: could it speak the same language he did?
"Hello. I... I won't hurt you. I promise." And then, all out in a rush: "What are you? Are you just like me? Did you come from an egg, too?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:55 pm
"You can talk?" she blurted out, sounding astonished - she hadn't understood the tongues of any of the other creatures of the forest. "I... I'm not sure what I am." she admitted sheepishly as she tentatively took a step forward, sniffing the air; he smelled interesting, she decided, ears coming forward as she gained interest. "But my name is Khalidia, and I did come from an egg. Maybe I am like you."
For the first time, she wasn't alone, and that eased a great deal of the fear. Daintily picking up her hooves, careful not to slip on the rocky river bank, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of this new, intriguing creature. Once she cleared the stones, her pace was spurred to a trot, and soon she stood before him, still smelling him carefully. "What's your name? Have you been all by yourself, like me? It's scary, and I don't really like it." she admitted, pawing the ground with her left front hoof.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:19 pm
"I'm Alucard." He said, straightening up proudly as she sniffed at him. "I've been lonely, too...
There's nothing to be scared of in this forest. We're bigger than everything, except maybe the trees. And they don't do much." The foal wiggled and stifled a laugh when she exhaled unexpectedly at a tickly part. What a funny creature!
At the same time, he also observed that she was very much like him, though not exactly. They smelled different, yes, but only as two different creatures of the same kind would - her scent was lighter and sweeter. As the moon shone down overhead he noted that the colour of her face did not change, while the parts of him he could see gleamed faintly in the light. The sound her hooves made when she moved was the same as what he made when he moved.
In... teresting.
"Where do you sleep? Surely not out here? The river's been getting wider lately." He dipped his head and touched her nose lightly with his enquiringly, hoping she would understand it as a friendly gesture.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:49 pm
"We might be bigger, but there could be things that are stronger." she pointed out to his first point. "Besides, I was all by myself... most creatures seem to be with others of their kind. I was worried I would get cornered by several somethings that wanted to eat me." She shivered dramatically, looking up at him with large eyes, studying what she could make out with her poor vision - made even poorer by the night - and depending on her sense of smell to fill in some of the blanks.
She'd noticed some differences too - mainly that, while he seemed to indeed be one of her kind, there was something about him that was... off. A hint of something coppery and tangy that lingered in his scent reminded her more of a predator than a grazer, and she wondered at that, filing it away to consider later. For now, she was simply glad that she finally had someone with her, and so she didn't dwell on it - the thought was banished entirely when his nose touched hers, and she let out a soft, pleased whicker.
"Where else would I sleep? I haven't been able to find anyplace that's safe enough to use all the time. I've been walking since I could stand, almost. I only stop to sleep... because I was alone and scared. Now..." she paused and dug at the ground again, ears flicking almost nervously. "Maybe... we could stay together, and then I could stop walking all the time?" she suggested, half afraid he'd turn her away - maybe he liked keeping his own company. "W-we could play, and talk, and I'd let you have all the best patches of grass." she offered in a rush, shifting her weight from side to side. "So could I maybe tag along with you?"
Something about him made her feel safe, after all. Maybe it was the way he wasn't afraid of being eaten, or even that slight hint of contained danger she could smell; either way, she didn't want to be sent out alone again.
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:15 am
Alucard considered her words quietly, letting her speak her mind completely before voicing his own opinion. Oh, it felt so good to talk to someone and have them talk back! He was curious about the "several somethings" she had found such a threat, and felt a sudden desire to protect her from them, if they dared come into his patch of forest.
Eat her indeed! Alucard could already picture the battle in his mind: he'd batter the things - which for some reason were giant mice in his imagination - with his front hooves, and if he failed to pound them to dust he'd bite them and drink the life out of them. The other night he had only drained enough from that old slow squirrel to make him feel stronger, but something told him if he had kept going the furry critter would have perished. He tossed his mane arrogantly at the thought of taking the life of something threatening, unaware in his innocence that he was merely a baby.
"How far did you walk? You must have some impressive strength... I can't go out of my home in the day. The great ball of fire in the sky hurts me." His admiration was sincere. The sun burned his skin and hurt his eyes, and he was painfully aware everything else could see him well in the light while he remained half-blind. At night at least the playing field was level. He was faintly puzzled at her mention of grass, though, and made a note to try some himself one day. It had to be tasty if she ate it.
"You can keep the grass if you like. It's not fair I should have the best all the time. Um." He pranced on the spot sheepishly, suddenly feeling his place was inadequate for someone as dainty and graceful as she was. "I... live in a cave. It's made of this," he tapped a rock lightly with his front hoof. "And it blocks out the sky. There's more caves around the river - there's even one behind the bit where the water drops down in a wall. You can get your own cave if you like, you don't have to stay with me if you don't want to.
"I'll show you my place. Follow me!"
At this, he turned and headed back the way he had came, naively trusting her to follow him. It never occurred to him that she might find him different or strange, or that their kind was supposed to eat grass.
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:32 am
"I like the ball of fire in the sky." she told him with a giggle as she spurred herself into a trot to catch up. Once her shoulder drew even with his flank, she slowed again, letting him keep the lead, content for now to follow - especially since Alucard seemed to know so much more than she did! "When it's out, so are the birds... and I like the way they sing. And it's nice when it warms my coat. It gets cold at night, sometimes." Tossing her head to shake her mane out, glad to finally have a direction instead of wandering aimlessly, she thought about his offer for a moment.
"I like the water. When I came out of my egg, it was by the river. Maybe I could look at the cave behind the water wall tomorrow... it sounds like a fun place to play!" The foal laughed merrily, gently nudging him as they walked, then looked up at the sky. "The air smells like water tonight, did you notice? I wonder why..."
She was also starting to ponder the differences between them less. After all... not every bird sang the same song or nested in the same way. Maybe their kind was the same. He was the only other Kirin she'd ever met, after all, and while she was completely certain that she was normal for her species, she was also reluctant to label her first and only friend as anything less than the same.
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:54 am
"Well," he said, weaving through the trees, still going up-river. "It's nice to be warm, and bird songs are wonderful - were you trying to sing one when I found you? - but when it's too warm... I'm not sure if you've had this happen to you, but I start feeling dry and... and a little faint." Alucard slowed and turned his head away, embarrassed to admit his only weakness. "I end up having to drink lots from the river, maybe even roll a bit in the slow part. That's why I'm running around only now, at night." He looked back at her again, feeling a little sad. Maybe they wouldn't get to spend as much time together as he would like, since like most other forest animals she slept at night and was awake in the day.
They were already there. He recognised the arrangement of the trees at the mouth of his cave in the gloom, and there was the crashing of the waterfall close by. He ventured in, pushing the lighter rocks aside to make room for both of them.Setting Change The sky overhead rumbles long and low, and the wind picks up. A light drizzle begins. Fat clouds block out the moon, and it is now very dark. We are no longer in the forest proper, but in a network of caves and rock structures around the river, right next to a short waterfall. "Come on in, if you don't want to be wet. We're... home."
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:46 pm
She'd listened to his talk of getting weak during the day with wide eyes, hardly able to believe it. "Really? All that happens to you? I don't think I'd like that at all... I'd sleep during the day too. I was trying to sing a bird song, but I couldn't do it right. I'll have to keep practicing." The filly gave a giggle, and as he rearranged rocks, came to a decision. "Maybe sometimes, even though I like birds and being warm in the light, I'll sleep during the day and stay up with you at night! Okay?" she nodded, then trotted happily into the cave after him, tail swishing with glee.
That left her as soon as the thunder rolled; though it was muffled by the roof now overhead, her delicate ears were able to pick the sound up clearly. She squeaked in fright and jumped slightly, then shivered and pressed closer to Alucard, now flank to flank with him. "I wonder what that noise is." she whispered, looking up, ears laying back slightly. "Maybe there are big creatures with feet like ours running around on the clouds..." The thought thrilled, chilled and delighted the young Kirin, and erased the fear of the unknown - now she had a theory and a friend to share it with.
"I'm glad we're home." she told the male at her side, whickering after - the word sounded nice... home. It was nice to have one. "It's too wet outside now, after all. But now I'm all awake and I don't want to sleep. Do you know how far this cave goes back yet?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:21 am
Alucard started a little when he sensed they were right next to each other, but he was so utterly delighted by her proposition of staying up at night with him that he didn't shy away as he instinctively would. He put his neck against hers in an attempt to reassure her they would be safe, protected here from the rain and the thunder, but since this was his first experience of both he wasn't all that sure either. He was quiet, though, content to listen to her chatter away. She said so much at once without him edging a reply in, he decided she probably knew what his response would be.
"These big creatures are so high up above. Maybe... maybe the water that comes down is from them. Running around should mean they sweat lots, right?" He huffed through his nose, a little disgusted at the thought of walking through and drinking the sweat from something else. "Or maybe it's tears... tears because they're lonely, and haven't found each other yet."
The foal felt oddly melancholy for a moment, then he shook his head to clear those thoughts. Khalidia was such a cheerful, imaginative, chatty thing. He should keep his gloomy thoughts to himself, not bring her down by voicing them. "Forget what I said, it's probably wrong anyway. I'm glad I met you, I... I don't like being lonely."
There was an awkward pause before he remembered her last question.
"N-no, I've never gone back there before. The forest just seemed so inviting." He raised his head and sniffed the warm air, but was unable to tell anything about the inside of the cave proper. "Want to go exploring? We might find others like us back there!"
He jigged on the spot a little, excited at the thought of making more friends. And even if they didn't find any, he'd be spending more time with this new one, and he was content knowing that.
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Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:39 pm
"Tears?" Khalidia asked, eyes going wide as she let that idea soak in. "That's so very sad, Alucard, and I don't think you're wrong." she murmured, sounding rather sorrowful herself for a moment, feeling keenly for the poor sky-Kirin, alone and thundering through the sky as they searched fruitlessly for each other, crying from loneliness. "We should both hope real hard that they find one another soon, okay? I don't want anybody to so sad that they cry that much. I was that sad before, until I had somebody to talk to. Now I've got you!"
That quickly, she was cheerful again - now that she wasn't terrified, she seemed determined to stay happy for as long as she could. "Oooh... we should go exploring! We could maybe find lots of others like us, and we could all live together, and be friends!" she laughed, rearing up into the air, though she was careful not to go as high as she could - she didn't want to hit her head on the ceiling, after all. "We won't ever be lonely! It'll be so much fun!"
When she dropped back to the rocky ground, she tapped her nose against his, then stepped forward, moving carefully through the darkness. "I liked it better when there was the white shiny thing up above." she admitted quietly, shivering again. It was harder to see now, and soon after she'd left the colt's side, she came to a stop, waiting for him. He was her friend and companion, and she didn't want to leave him behind or get too far ahead - it was safer to be together.
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