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 Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:51 pm
Setting Where the trees begin to grow closer together and even sunlight is scarce. At night, the rays of the moon illuminate little, and it can be a scary place to wander. However, if one is feeling brave - or has a friend with them - there are many patches of delicious, early ripening berries. With the sun having set hours ago, there is now a slight chill in the air, but it is still a nice night, filled with the chirping of bugs and the hooting of owls on the hunt.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:59 pm
 With every sound, Khalidia couldn't help but flinch slightly. "Alllluuuu..." she whined quietly, shifting a bit closer to him. He was tall and imposing now, scary to those who didn't know him, she thought. Still, even that wasn't enough to comfort her at the moment. "Do we have to be getting something to eat now? And does it have to be from this part of the forest?"
It was too dark here... far too dark for her liking. She was sure he was enjoying it, and could see perfectly fine, but she still felt half blind. A sudden rustle made her squeal and give a small start, and her side was suddenly pressed to the stallions, ears back. "I m-mean... we have all we need in our cave, and you could just send your bat-thingy away to eat and we could talk and eat and not have to go searching for food."
Oh, the berries would be good, and she'd be glad they'd gone once they got there but... part of her was terrified that he would slip away once they reached their destination. He still did that sometimes, and it fed her nervousness, fraying it to the breaking point; the thought of facing the long walk home alone terrified her. As they got nearer, she was also beginning to hear sounds that upset her... sounds that vaguely resembled another Kirin, distorted by the wind. "I think there's a ghost." she whispered, gulping.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:29 pm
The small rational part of him wanted to turn to Khalidia now and say, "Go away, you're scared and I'm not in any mood to comfort you right now. You're probably also frightening off my food with all the noise. Find Silarial or Alluna, I'll return before sunrise. I am a bad friend, and I don't treat you half as well as I should, and I am sorry." But he was too much of a coward to reveal his secret yet, and all thought processes were dwarfed right now by a large, savage, angry, hungry beast within him. Instead he said, voice rough from keeping everything from turning into a snarl:
"No such thing as ghosts. Could be dangerous though. I'll go ahead and look. Be brave."
And with that, he sprang ahead in one lithe movement through the trees, ready to prove to Khalidia there was nothing there, the berries were very close, and she could stay there and eat while he went to hunt.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:41 pm
When he left her, she almost screamed like a scared little filly left behind by her dam; she very nearly spurred herself into a run behind him. But... then he'd just be even more upset with her, she realized. She didn't want to make him any angrier, not at all. Giving a rather anxious noise, the young mare pranced in place, crushing grass shoots and leaves under her hooves, feeling terribly anxious.
 And, of course, as luck would have it, the small clearing that held the coveted berries was not empty. Instead, standing there, illuminated by the sudden wash of moonlight, was a rather impressive stallion. Roughly Alucard's size, but clearly older, he stamped a hoof and snorted, annoyed that his meal had been disturbed. Slowly, he pulled his head up and looked to the younger male; his hide was subtly marbled with scars, badges of honor or tokens of shame, depending on the battle they were from.
"This place... is my territory now youngling." He proclaimed proudly, with no precursors, no small talk. "I have decided I like this area. I've marked most of it. This is last of it, and I stopped to eat first. Leave please." Then, almost insultingly, he turned back to delicately lip a few more berries from the bush he grazed at, expecting Alu to submit to him out of fear or respect.
He didn't know the other stallion very well.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:55 pm
 For whatever reason, the glowing mare had found herself unable to sleep that night. It was most likely linked to the mid-afternoon nap she had taken earlier that day, but she just wasn’t tired enough to sleep yet. So instead she ambled silently through the dark forest, enjoying the night for what it was. True, it was rather dark, but her own personal glow helped her to see her surroundings a bit better.
She paused in her tracks when her ears picked up sounds that did not normally belong to the night. Straining to listen, she found that it almost sounded like conversation. Curious, the navy mare started on her way forward again. Perhaps she would find more of her kind.
At the sound of a squeal, she halted once more. She was much closer to the source now and could tell that it was definitely verbal conversation that her ears had picked up. There seems to be two different voices. Interesting. She listened intently to the sound of hooves beating the ground and rapidly moving away. After they had disappeared she trudged onward once more, her curiosity still getting the better of her.
She was surprised to discover another female up ahead. The strange mare looked rather anxious and was prancing nervously in place, not seeming to have noticed her presence yet. “Good evening,” the glowing female greeted softly, not wishing to startle her already anxious company. “Are you alright? You seem dsitressed.”
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:58 pm
When Alu first saw the other stallion, he had first been surprised, then ready to call Khalidia over to show her her "ghost". It would have been the perfect distraction while he went off for food, given how Khalidia loved making friends... and then it had spoken. What an arrogant twit. Food could wait; this other male needed to be taken down a notch.
"Territory?" He snarled, lowering his head and pawing the ground. "The berries are for everyone, not just your fat self. You have no right to just march in here and claim the whole patch. Besides, the forest and caves belong to Silarial if nobody else. If anyone should leave, it should be you."
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:07 pm
Khalidia nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the new voice, but she calmed quickly, still staring after Alu. "Oh, I'm... fine. It's just so dark, and my friend is upset, and I think I heard a..." During her speech, the young female had been turning, and it was only now that she turned, and finally saw who... or in her mind what she'd been speaking with. "Ghost!!" she yelped.
Quickly, she surged forward, hoping she could warn Alu before the ghost mare... well... did whatever it was ghost mares did with Kirin that wandered across their paths. However, before she got to the clearing, a rock tripped her up - she still wasn't used to her longer legs - and sent her sprawling. "Please don't eat me!!" she begged from the ground, terribly distraught.
Silvanus snorted and jerked his head up again, this time turning his whole body to face Alucard. "I will not be listening to a young, scrawny thing who just crawled out of his egg!" he bellowed, not used to having others balk his will. "Go back to your dam and nurse a while before you think to challenge me."
Then, echoing Alu's own posture, he tipped his head down, his freshly sharpened horn gleaming in the moonlight. "I mean it, boyo. I might not have a herd anymore, but I won't be giving up a berry bush to a youngling like yourself. I bet you don't even have any mares to your name." he jeered, his wounded pride showing in the way he taunted his opponent. This young buck reminded him of the one who'd beat him out just before the last rut... the one who'd then cast him out. Not this time, oh no. This time, the ending would be different.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:21 pm
“Ghost?” the female echoed quietly in her silvery voice, clearly confused. She watched with silent surprise when her companion suddenly leapt forward, trying to flee and failing when she was tripped up by a rock. Concerned for the mare's well-being, she hastily trotted up to her side. “Eat you? I am no predator,” she replied with a faint smile. “Are you alright? That was quite the fall you took there.” The navy mare paused as her ears picked up the sounds of harsh conversation up ahead. “Sounds like trouble brewing. Your companion went that way, did he not?” At least she had guessed it was a he from the deeper voice she had heard earlier. Hard to be sure without having really seen him though.
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0dile rolled 1 10-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-10)
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:22 pm
Alucard gave a stare of disbelief at the insults that were mostly irrelevant to him, then let out a wild laugh. "I have no dam. I need no mares.
I challenge you for this patch of ground, for the sake of those who love and cherish it. Back your words with your horn, you old fool." Teeth bared, Alu charged at Silvanus, mane and tail streaming out behind him. He was tempted to use his fangs immediately, but some strange sense of honour told him he could not use them in this fight and claim victory. All he could do for now was use them for show.
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Tahlruil rolled 1 10-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-10)
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:55 pm
100/100
Silvanus darted out of the way with a deep, throaty laugh. There was a glint in his eye as he circled, measuring up his opponent. This youngling looked intimidating, yes, but... he wondered what the fanged one really knew of battle.
The older male charged in, horn lowered, seemingly trying to gauge Alucard's side... but about three feet away he suddenly dug in his front hooves and turned about, kicking for Alucard's head. "Take that!"
"Not... a ghost?" Khalidia asked softly, her eyes going wide. "Are you very sure?" After a moment, the other female's scent reached her nose, and that decided her - the dead wouldn't smell so much like the living, of that she was sure. "Oh good. I was afraid that - wait, what?"
She paused and listened hard, ears straining forward. There... there were a few sounds that reached her ears, and they didn't sound pleasant. Was he in trouble? Maybe the real ghost had got him!! "I'm coming Alu!" she yelled, running towards the sounds, heart racing.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:05 pm
“Yes, I am quite certain that I am of the living,” she replied with a small chuckle. “My name is Natsuhi by the way.” The younger female didn’t appear to be listening though, her focus instead on the sounds coming from up ahead. Natsuhi flinched when her companion unexpectedly shouted; before she could blink the mare was up and running again. The navy female stared after the female for a second, her glowing eyes looking contemplative, before she decided to follow as well. Perhaps she could be of assistance in some way- though for what she knew not. Still, she had to see this through at least.
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0dile rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:07 pm
98/100
Alucard ducked out of the way just in time, feeling Silvanus's hoof whoosh over his head; and suddenly realised that the other stallion was way more experienced than he was. Going for the horn like that meant there was a strategy in mind. He had never fought his kind before, never had a reason to... all fights he had been in previously were with other creatures, and he was usually doing the chasing.
He needed to figure out how to end this quickly, and reserve the rest of his strength to feed.
The vampire Kirin reared up on his hind legs and struck out with his front hoof, going for Silvanus's eye. If he could blind him, temporarily... this fight would be much easier.
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Tahlruil rolled 1 10-sided dice:
8
Total: 8 (1-10)
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:21 pm
Khalidia broke through the trees in time to see her friend's hoof smash into another male's eye. She gasped, then shrank back, shaking her head. "No... no. Alu, what are you doing? she moaned in shocked disbelief, unable to believe what was going on. He was usually so nice... how had he gotten into a fight so quickly?
91/100
Something between a whinny and a scream of pain escaped when his eye was clipped; agony exploded in his head, and the right side of his vision went dark dotted with stars. After a moment or two, vague shapes came back, but he was still having trouble seeing clearly. The damned youngling had gotten him good.
Knowing just how futile it probably was, but needing to do something to keep the other at bay, Silvanus struck out with his horn almost blindly, trying to aim as best he could for the others neck.
((Whatever I roll, divide it by half and round to the nearest whole number - he's half blind, after all. This will last just for this turn. <3))
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:29 pm
Natsuhi followed closely behind the other female, watching the fight between the two males with both mild interest and concern. While she was curious as to what the outcome may be, she could definitely see this turning ugly really fast. Especially with that blow to the eye. “Which one is your friend?” she asked quietly, feeling sorry for the other mare. She looked crushed.
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0dile rolled 1 10-sided dice:
10
Total: 10 (1-10)
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:31 pm
93/100
((Done. I'll apply this to Alu as well when appropriate e.g. lamed.))
Alucard had barely enough time to feel a sense of grim satisfaction at his opponent's pain when he had to dodge the next move. Distracted by Khalidia's sudden appearance, he failed to clear Silvanus's horn completely. A large, shallow gash opened diagonally along his neck, and he watched his own blood fall to the ground.
"For the berries!" Was the only explanation he could offer her as he locked horns with Silvanus, trying to break part of it off.
The silly young fool had no idea that a broken horn could probably wound worse than a whole one, of course.
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