[PRP] Welcome to the New World (Bella and Raleigh)

[Kaefaux]

"Gah... my guts are not toys!"

The glare towards seemingly nothing, joining the similarly categorized comment, were the result of yet another well aimed kick from a still unidentified individual nestled within the young mare. Yep, that's right - Bella was pregnant, and she was beginning to regret it.

Not to say she wasn't thrilled at the concept of being a mother again, of seeing the wide-eyed and grinning faces of her children-to-be... but the pregnancy bit she was very much tired of, and very much against by this point. It hurt, it was annoying, and damn it these foals have sharp hooves!

...although having Callan both on edge and totally wrapped around her whim was insanely worth the physical pains and strains of it all, she would very happily admit.

If not vindictively happily admit.

...

What? She still wholly and fully blamed him for it all, so why not be an evil witch and enjoy the attention?

Oddly, attention she was striving to avoid that day.


The soft crunch of soggy twigs and leaves beneath her hooves both soothed and delighted her as she made her way easily through the temperate forest. Winter was still in season, but the warm weather that had since moved in chased away the snow and ice, leaving rain and thick fluffy clouds to let the female enjoy nature once again. Never had she been one for the cold, but since her stomach began to bulge, she noticed an even stronger sensitivity to the foul temperatures. It kept her huddled and grumbling, hidden away from the world in a natural shelter she and the redhead stallion had begun to call "home."

But oh joyous warm-ish weather~! It sang her name, pulling her to her hooves despite the new additional weight, drawing her like a puppet on a string out to the stream and beyond. She still followed the water, ears twitching this way and that as she took in the soft calls of birds and other woodland creatures that scurried around to make the most of the lack of white stuff on the ground.

Callan? Off, somewhere. Both would be "home" by the end of the day, and that was really all she needed to know or care about right then. For the moment there was a break in the downpours, giving a perfect opportunity to wander as she did then, mind to her surroundings nonetheless.

Quick as she normally was, there was the noted added few pounds to weigh her down should the mood suddenly shift. Last thing she could afford would be to be caught off guard by a random predator stalking her neck of the wood.

Another hoof - or maybe it was the same one, like she could tell - struck soft tissue within her, making Bella wince and pause in her trek. Turning slightly, she glared offended at her stomach and at the little ones within. "I'll admit, you're not nearly as bad as the other, but why do you insist on playing games with one another right now?" She sighed, expression softening as a gentle warmth entered her voice. "Just settle down for now, there'll be plenty of time to beat up on each other, your father, and me once you're born..."

Plus, then she could out run them! Mwahahaha~

<3

 

[Paynes Gray]

RALEIGH VS. THE FOREST PART I.

"Come on' Wake up, Wake up!"
He scolded himself, shaking his metallic white mane in a last-ditch attempt to get all all five senses to play nice. His head was swimming a little, the rays of sunlight seemed to be flooding through the trees right at eye level.

What a glorious day this was turning out to be, he thought; grimacing slightly.

Although true, you could say it was the malnutrition that comes with days without a solid meal, or as a result, an unwelcome third party dubbed simply the "Hunger Spirit" driving you slowly but surely insane, or perhaps it was that kind of rejuvenating feeling that can only come from a nice long mud bath in valley you so keenly believed to be the perfect spot to curl up in for the night that was to blame for his less the cheerful demeanor. Yes it could have been many things that caused the once energetic and adventurous stallion to turn a cold and bitter stare toward the the sad state of affairs the last three days have whirlpooled him into. It might surprise you how many near death experiences it takes to turn you into a real downer on life.

..but wouldn't you know it, he hadn't been attacked by a single disgruntled squirrel for rummaging through "HIS" food supply, or fallen into any cleverly disguised death traps, or eaten any plants of "questionable poisonous value"...
Now, see if it wasn't for dammed weather he might be able to enjoy his freedom today instead of pitifully, pridefully, regretting the day he ever left home.

I'll fated as he was, there had to be something miserable lurking below surface of this ordinary day, and leave it to Raleigh to decide of all things, it was the weather that was ruining and already ruined mood.

....

And Oh, how he loathed the transitioning of seasons.He could shake his head as hard as he wanted, and still the image would remain the same. The ice and snow had partially melted and mixed in with the puddles of rain left by last night's mini flash-flood. By now the terrain was over-saturated and under the shade of the forest it made for some particularly squishy spots of earth where sun couldn't reach. Where the sun was shining, brownish-gray lumps of dirty snow receded, exposing planes of matted leaves and muddy rocks. Everything looked so slumped over and soggy, desperate for a good long soaking in the sun. The birds flitted about from one soggy branch to another, perhaps in hesitation for yet another avalanche of winter-shackeled tree-life to come rolling down on them and their kin.

Taking in his surroundings with a long breath, followed by a deep sigh he contemplated just how slowly the day would go by before it was time once again to find a home for the night.

Not so long ago, he recalled, during the shortest days of winter when the cold air battled against the sun for dominance, he so enjoyed his habit of racing blindly across the snow and ice encrusted terrains just to feel the thrill of the brisk air against his heated form, invigorated by the electric touch beads of sweat seem to have when turned to ice water along the hallow of his amaranth-stained back. Winter's cold grip couldn't hold him back for anything. But times are changing. Now that he is truly a free spirit to live and run as he pleases it would seem the bare necessities of life - water, shelter, food - were slowly consuming his vision of a life all on his own.

Indeed, though the ice still clung to bare-limbed treetops and the cool air was enough to allow the sight of breath, it was clear now that the days of pounding through seas of powdery snow and tumbling with laughter across solid fields of ice, at last appeared to be coming to an end. He could have been gracious for the first tolerable temperature he'd felt in months, and in truth it was quite pleasant, but at the time all he could think about was the stink of musty dead leaves and how the mud forming beneath his hooves was making his skin so cold and pruney...
He half-wished for nightfall before the sun had even journeyed halfway though the sky.

Was this the real world all the cynics seem so eager to welcome you to?

....

Many minuets passed and his musing eventually died down and was replaced by careful scanning as he trotted along a stream's edge in search of straw-colored vegetation that might be good enough to munch on. The forest he found himself wandering in was the rumored homeland for a particular species of grass he once heard could still be found in the wooded areas closest to the shoreline; One of the few scraps of vegetation that might survive the sometimes erratic weather patterns characteristic of the region. Although, at this point any vegetation at all would be acceptable to his eyes. His stomach felt so empty he feared it might start to turn a wandering eye toward it's neighboring organs for sustenance...

"Screw soggy grasses!" he blurted aloud, "What I need is a nice, juicy, green sour apple." The pleasured smile that almost formed at the memory quickly died out at the rumblings of a familiar beast;


"gruuuoo..?"

...

"grooo...blllerrrg...guuurllop!"

"uuuggh..... not now..." He groaned. That heavy mass inside him gurgled and twisted in knots, roaring like an angry god. His features pinched closed in pain and frustration.

"Fine. I won't mention food anymore. Just pipe down so I can concentrate!"

Being estranged from your herd was proving to be harder then he thought.

....

After a quick drink from the stream, -which seemed to do no more then anger the Hunger Spirit further- , a pair of large golden eyes flickered toward the sky. He was feeling another "Why Me" moment coming on... , but something out of the corner of his vision, ...or maybe it was a familiar sound in the crunching of leaves, ..brought his attention toward reality once more.

What he had seen, ..or heard, emanated from a large peachy mound covered in thick wavy locks of reddish-brown. In his mentally weakened state he failed to pin down exactly what was so familiar about the shape at first look, but upon further inspection he straightened up his posture and his eyes and ears fluttered with life instinctively as he realized it was a beautiful young mare basking gracefully in the distance.

Not a steed to underestimate the value of a female's charms, he allowed himself a few brief thoughts on her appearance. Quite lovely she was, and plump; a large mound wrapped securely under her belly with what could only be a tiny one like her self, perhaps . Either that, or she'd eaten her weight in shiny green apples.

....

 

[Kaefaux]

Her attention turned from the "bundles of joy" within to the giggling stream beside her. The ever frigid waters was a nice relief, and seemed to help quiet the little ones. Perhaps they were huddling together to keep away from the cold, or maybe they basked in the chill whilst their mother liked it only in the form of drink.

Whatever the cause, the water seemed to be what everyone needed to cheer up. Head still lowered, her gaze flickered around the area, keen as they delved into the nooks and crannies created by the foliage and shade where threats could hide and multiply.

Or can stand out like a sore thumb with "look at me~!" bright coloring. That works too.

For a while, Bella couldn't help but just stare at the other in question, taking heavy note of his various shades of violet and strange, ever twisting red and beige markings. The white mane also did a wonder at pin-pointing him against the murk of the forest, though what caught her eye the most was the horn protruding from amongst the snowy locks. A Uni? Out here? This was a first, so far as she was aware. Carefully she straightened. It seemed both were now aware of the other, and with cold blood she realized he'd seen her first.

"If he was a predator, I'd be dead right now,", she thought with a shutter, thanking the powers that be for letting the onlooker be a healer rather than a killer.

But he hadn't come after her yet, showing no form of violent or threat. Well, this was her home... least she could do is be polite. With a smile shoved onto her face she stepped carefully towards him - as she suddenly realized he was, upon taking a closer inspection of his sturdy build. "Hello. Glad to see I'm not the only one taking advantage of the good weather," she called out cheerfully, not allowing herself to get too close till she could without pause say he was of no danger to her or her unborn young. With the paths to the ridges behind her, should any trouble be found, she'd be able to make a quick escape up them by the time he got to where she stood.

"Though... sorry, I don't believe I've seen you around here before." An honest, blunt statement, again she let her gaze wander over him, searching for a sign of familiarity. Perhaps he belonged to one of the herds around here, a family member near she might have come across? With a small frown she realized he had none of these traits, though she knew it'd be presumptuous of herself to believe she knew everyone in the area. Still, it was troubling to think she had no idea who this youth was, so close to her home.

 

[Paynes Gray]

WHERE ART THOU, APPLE TREE?

The goddess spoke; gliding gracefully toward him though encumbered with the weight of a full womb. He smiled sheepishly, both in relief to find a beautiful stranger in the godforsaken muck he was so eager to escape, and that that stranger seemed friendly enough to approach one who must look so godforsaken himself; Mud up to his knees, twigs and other life matter could be found poking out like unwanted antennae from his now dull and listless sliver locks. He probably looked to her so very strange, like an alien from a distant planet.
"Greetings, Earthling." a small self-deprecating voice joked in the back of his mind as he tried to ignore the reflection still staring at him from the riverbank. Eager to set things off on a positive note, he replied, laughing a bit at his own thoughts and at the irony of the mare's observation, "Good weather? Yeah..." He paused in her gaze for a moment, then looked down to plot out his path to her through the sink holes and mud puddles between them. "I'm not from around here, no." He added, making the final jump over a half thawed log before coming to a halt a few feet away.

An involuntary exhale escaped his nostrils as he stood before her. She looked even more breathtaking up close; The glow of fertility had become her. He was feeling a little bit shaky for some reason... but brushed it off.

"I'm just traveling through, on my way to...on my way to... Grouuuu....?

Ggrruuggg...grrrooop...gruuuupp!

Ooh, s**t. This is awkward...

His brows curved upward in embarrassment but he smiled, somewhat in vain. After all, the forest was rather noisy this time of day; maybe she didn't hear anything. "Umm, I'm headed toward Kawani, meeting up with a friend."
The truth was far to foolish to tell this early on in conversation.

Far off in his not-so-subconscious, a voice was reminding him what a pansy idiot he was, who through only dumb luck has made it this many nights away from the constant care and supervision of his Mommy and Daddy.

He swallowed hard. Why was his throat so dry all of a sudden?
He swore he could hear her speaking to him, or maybe it was laughing...he wasn't sure anymore.

How spectacular the sun looked, reflected in her amber highlights....
It must be getting late, because he could barely see her face anymore.
....it had just occurred to him how much he wanted to reach over and pluck an apple off a strand of that delicious ocher....

Wait, what?

And down he went.