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 Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 8:10 am
He had never intended to come home with a child unannounced; really such things were Yei's type of thing. She would disappear for a few hours to catch up with friends, only to return that evening with a baby in tow. Whether it was foal or another animal remained to be seen but there was always at least one child within the family. Nevertheless he had taken the decision to accept the foal based on her determination and her naivity. It was better for him to take her with him now, rather than to permit those who knew nothing from filling her head with nonsense. After all, the stallions that lurked in the lowlands claimed to be warriors but when it came down to it they were incredibly weak - if he flicked a wing at them they would most likely fall over.
It was both a matter of principle and responsibility that led him to make his decision and thus he had found himself in charge of the filly. Admittedly he had yet to come to terms with this himself but he was confident that the mentors upon the slopes would keep an open mind. They didn't generally train mares, the majority of Islagiatt mares were softly spoken and unassuming but they certainly weren't adverse to it. Provided Brioso could cope with the expectations and demands of each mentor in turn, then she would excel - she would learn how to fight (within reason) and she would do it well.
This in mind the stallion continued towards the peaks, his large hooves parting and flattening the grass beneath him to cut a path for her to pursue. She would find him easy to follow and her road would not be difficult for the time being. If anything her greatest challenge would be to remain focused! With so much to see, hear and smell there were many distractions on the way to the peaks and even there she would find many marvels that didn't exist in the lowlands. If she learnt nothing in her training she could at least return home with opened eyes regarding the powerful acts of nature that existed on the slopes.
Nevertheless after a short while he did glance over his shoulder to inspect the filly behind him and lifted a brow, "Have you any questions?"
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 8:35 am
{I'm assuming that since they are on higher lands now, the air is thinner?}
Brioso had been excited when the hike first started - climbing up the slope meant getting closer to Grencia's herd. It had started out rather pleasant, the filly finding something new to look at every second or so; there were just so many wonderful things around her! Even the air smells different somehow! Many times, she was tempted to stop and explore the new territory. However, the soquili she was following silently reminded her of the reason why she was here in the first place... To take the first step to fulfilling her dream.
To the filly, it felt only like yesterday when she had first met the winged Soquili, and asked him to be her teacher and mentor. On the other hand, it felt like she had spent months and months away from her family. She sighed softly; Sol, Thea and her parents... She often wondered to herself if they were fine and missing her as much as she misses them... Thinking about her family makes her feel like running home right away, so she often distracts herself to keep her mind off the subject.
After all, she was sure they are rooting for her back home.
At the thought, she smiled, her mind wandering off as she imagined their happy faces when she's back from training... However, Grencia's voice broke her train of thoughts, and Brioso found herself staring at the stallion with a blank look; she soon regained her composure, and shook her head, blushing slightly, "Not really, Mister Grencia... But... Well..." She paused, hesitating before giving a frown, "Its getting a little more difficult to breathe..."
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 6:34 am
Of course; Grencia had always known that those upon the slopes had adapted accordingly to their climate. To him the air was perfectly acceptable, shortness of breath wasn't common for him. However, it appeared he would need to remind himself frequently of the fact that this filly was from the lowlands and as a consequence she wouldn't be able to breathe with such ease just yet. He could guestimate that it would take her a week or so to adapt to the enivornment and then she would be fine - that in mind it was probably a good idea for him to slow down. Correct?
He conceded that this was the best option and with a bemused smile, he offered a nod of his head. "Of course, the air is lighter up here," he wouldn't explain further but his pace did slow considerably to accomodate. "If you require rest you must tell me, one would say the first lesson of any warrior is to know their limits," he continued. He hoped that this response would suffice and perhaps put her at ease. The gods knew that if she colapsed he wouldn't be thrilled; it was better for her to tell him immediately.
Still, he had to admit that it had come at a rather useful time and to find a lesson within it was certainly handy. It was all well and good to marvel at the scenary but she was here for a reason - it was good to begin her training even before she had reached the peaks. Hopefully by the time she did encounter her mentors she would know a few bits and pieces that would be a use - her own limitations and so on... The rest could be picked up at a later date.
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 7:27 am
"Oh! So that's why!" Brioso exclaimed, her eyes widening; she didn't know that air is lighter up in the mountains... She didn't even know that air can be lighter in the first place! As she grinned happily to herself at this new-found knowledge, a question popped to mind, and her grin was quickly replaced by a slight frown, "Will it get lighter and lighter as we go higher?"
At his next sentence, she nodded back at him with a small, almost grateful, smile. She was rather glad that he seemed to have slowed down somewhat, because she was already beginning to pant - both because of the climb up the mountain and because of the thinning air. When Grencia had initially slowed down, part of her guessed that it was because of what she had said, "Yes, mister Grencia, I understand." She is picking up his advice like hungry birds pick up peas - however, that doesn't mean that she understands his advice all the time... She is just too stubborn to ask most of the time.
After all, it is more fun and rewarding to figure it out by herself!
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 1:00 pm
Grencia didn't know for sure. There was a possibility that the air would lighten further as they moved higher but given he lived most of his life at such altitudes it went unnoticed. He had adapted, his body had changed and he was built for this type of climate. As a consequence it wasn't really something he regarded with interest - truth be told the only time he concerned himself with the climate of the mountains was when his mate was with child. Even then these matters were easily dealt with as Yei was a particularly good mother and he positively radiated with heat; they were never cold or exhausted.
"I would assume so," he said at last. Logic would state that the higher they went the 'lighter' the air would be. Hopefully she wouldn't reach the point of colapse, nor would she find things too cold. With the summer season drawing near the mountains would reach a reasonable temperature that would irritate some and thrill others - suffice to say it would be a comfortable temperature for any type of tourist anyway.
"The spirits act in rather unusual ways; they may decide to make themselves heavier further up but for the most part they are beings of habit - so I would think it will be lighter," he pointed out loftily. This in mind he proceeded up the slope further until he reached a more flat region of land upon the mountain. It wouldn't last for long but it would give them the opportunity to weave up a pathway that wasn't quite as steep or strenuous.
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:35 am
"Oh... Okay," Brioso simply replied, panting a little before taking in a deep breath and letting it out. She opened her mouth to say something else, but quickly closed it again, thinking that it might be wise to concentrate on breathing and climbing rather than waste her breath on talking. Pushing herself, the filly followed after her mentor with a rather determined look on her face; although he asked that she "know her limits", Brioso reasoned that unless she pushes herself to her limit, she'll never know where it lies.
As she stared at Grencia's back, the filly wondered if she'll ever be able to scale the mountain so effortlessly... She'll have to admit that it is rather good exercise, despite it being physically and mentally straining for someone as young and inexperienced as her.
When the slope became a flat piece of land, the filly stopped for a second to catch her breath before trotting to catch up to the stallion. Part of her wanted to do some sightseeing, but the more sensible part of her knew that she was too tired to walk and do some sightseeing at the same time... It'll have to wait until she is not so distracted.
"How high up is the herd?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:20 am
Grencia came to a halt as he considered the filly's query before unfurling a wing and motioning towards the forests below them. He then drew his wing along the horizon, permitting it to touch upon various locations briefly here and there as if he was indicating areas of importance to her. He hadn't been lying when he said Islagiatt were big but few realised just how extensive their ranks were. Then again, it was becoming more and more rare for the herd to descend from the slopes so their existence was always something to be deemed questionable. They were here though, scattered within this mountain range and eventually she would come into contact with most of them (even if she had to explore to do it).
"It varies," he began after a considerable pause. His wing remained positioned within the forests at the mountains base. They extended up the slope for a considerable distance before the rocks and slopes worsened the conditions. "There are those who dwell near the base within the forests. A number of families remain there in the shelter of the canopies," he explained and moved on. His wing then fell upon more distant, whiter peaks to the north that seemed much more barren and dangerous. "Then there are those who live in the more extreme climates, often preferring the solitude and isolation of the more severe areas."
He paused briefly for her to absorb this information before moving on. His wing continued to draw along the horizon at various places as he indicated where Islagiatt soquili 'frequented'. There were 'open' areas were most met and socialised where other areas were considered 'closed' such as their homes and where they slept in the evening. His short walk through of the territory would soon draw to a close though and he pointed his wing straight up towards a cliff face nearby. One couldn't see the plateau's that lay above but it was of obvious importance.
"Combat and flight training is generally held within that plateau, you will come to realise why in due course..." he once again paused and finally unfurled his other wing to point straigth towards the peaks. Shrouded in mist and otherwise impossible to see at this time in the morning, it was the final place on the tour. "And up there is where my family reside, just where the mist begins to shroud the peaks..."
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:35 pm
"Wow..." Was all Brioso could manage after Grencia was done talking; it was partially because she was still catching her breath, but the main reason was because she didn't know what to say. She knew that herds normally 'claim' territories, but the whole mountain? The filly looked up at the peaks, before looking down at the forests they were traveling in before; this whole area was to be her temporary home...
"What's a pla... Pla... Plateau?" She forced the word out, frowning a little as she blushed; she hadn't stumbled over her words for a long while, ever since she was much younger and just learning how to speak and put together sentences. She cleared her throat, hoping against all odds that her 'stumble' would be ignored.
Her eyes widened, the embarrassment she suffered a minute ago vanishing as she squinted her eyes to stare at the mist-covered peaks, "That's... Really high up. I can't even see the top!" It was different from the home she was familiar with - forests and a huge, seemingly endless grass plain, where the highest "peaks" were hills.
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:33 am
Every child slipped up on their words now and again, as a father to many children Grencia wasn't easily confused by such things. The quality itself was really quite an endering one and he stole a smile at it, he hadn't heard such a thing in many years. He was beginning to understand why his mate craved children so often, the moment in which they grew up and developed other quirks in place of the coo-worthy behaviour could be deemed somewhat unfortunate to a degree. Nevertheless he was not one to leave a question hanging and glanced back briefly to look at the filly before returning his gaze to the path way to ensure he didn't take a tumble on the way up. "A plateau is a flat region of land on a mountain. Instead of a sharp point at the top, some summits are actually flat," he explained patiently.
Ruffling his wings at his sides he fell silent once more and nudged a few rocks out of his path before continuing. Progress was reasonable given the length of the filly's stride and he was rather proud of her gait. Despite the unfamiliar surroundings she was performing admirably, the thin air and the strain on her limbs hadn't stopped her from trying and there were few foals in the lowland who could have done the same. Suffice to say it was apparent that despite the foal's hero complex she possessed some of the qualities the mentors on these slopes looked for - they would be happy to say the least.
"The peak is split in two," he added with a chuckle as she marvelled at the mist shrouded peaks. "The peak furthest from us is actually flat beyond the mists, while the one nearby my home is jagged. The flatest summit makes for a very good meeting spot in summer, when the mists are not so dense and the weather not so cold, you know?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:23 am
"Flat? On a mountain? Really?" She echoed, blinking curiously at the plateau she couldn't quite see because of the mist. She had always thought that mountains were like larger and taller hills made of stone rather than the grass she was used to, with much steeper slopes. It was thus rather interesting to know that even the mountain have areas where the land is flat. She smiled to herself, feeling a little more energetic; she was missing the large, open plains already, for it provided her with plenty of space to gallop freely.
The filly followed behind her mentor, determined to see the plateau for herself. When she heard that there was a piece of flat land at the peaks as well, Brioso's eyes widened. Looking at the peaks before shifting her attention back to Grencia, she looked surprise, "It gets colder than this? Will there be... Snow?" She frowned a little at the word 'snow'; did she sound too eager to see it? Then, she paused; didn't the peaks looked white from far away? Was it mist or...
"Is there snow right now, mister Grencia?" She asked, looking hopefully at the stallion.
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:34 am
"Just as you have rolling hills on the plains, we too have regions of flat land on the peaks," he smiled warmly at the filly. Steeled on by her curiosity and a renewed appreciation for the inquisitive nature of the foal mind. He had missed this and had half a mind to tackle his mate when he got home for the sake of rediscovering it! If only he had known that she had been thinking along similar lines and had already picked up a small foal for him to call a son - now that would be an interesting reunion if he didn't say so himself. Such thoughts were placed aside though as the filly's mind drifted to a related topic, now focusing on the weather and the climate that so many on the mountainside were accustomed to. Suffice to say that their 'cold' was much different by definition than what she would consider cold!
"There is a reason mountain soquili look fat during winter," he explained patiently. "It is much colder here, far colder than any could anticipate in the lowlands. However in the spring the temperature because more reasonable and enjoyable." He paused briefly, shifted his direction and began to drift up another battered trail that wove near a cliff face, it could be safely assumed that eventually they would end up at the top of said cliff. "We do get plenty of snow though," he reassured her with a small chuckle. "It recedes at a much slower rate than it would below, we have snow in the highest regions until the end of April so it would be safe to assume that at the tops of the peaks there is still some snow even if it has begun to melt slightly further down."
"Unfortunately the snow makes it impossible to reach the summit at this time of year so you will miss the opportunity to see any snow. Or at least you will miss the opportunity until autumn when the frozen spirits return and bless our land with frost and ice," he finished. Ah yes, Summers could be rather short on the mountain slopes but that didn't make them any less beautiful and the stark contrast between highlands and lowlands made for a spectacular view. He wouldn't have it any other way.
"Although if you are lucky you may be able to see some melting icicles nearby the waterfalls," he added as an after thought.
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:01 pm
"I've never seen snow before," Brioso explained, a tinge of disappointment in her voice at the fact that she'll have to wait for Spring and Summer to pass and Autumn to arrive. Taking one last peek at the peaks, the filly continued, "I was born in Spring, when the leaves on the trees were just starting to grow out and it was still a little chilly... A friend of mine told me about snow, and I had been waiting to see it ever since."
She listened to Grencia's explanation, nodding to show her understanding. At least she could focus on training and exploring for two whole seasons... Maybe even get used to the thinner air and lower temperatures to prepare herself for snow. She trotted a little behind her mentor as they started climbing upwards again. Her ears perked at the mention of 'icicles', and she blinked, looking up at her mentor, "Ice... Icicles?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:13 am
"Most of my children were born during the winter so the spring is a novelty to them when they mature," he mused. His children were lucky of course, the heat he radiated from his own body ensured they remained completely healthy as they matured. With a mother so attentive and a father who could provide such safety none of the children he had come to love had struggled to survive, the winter season was not regarded as a time of celibacy to his mate though some might beg to differ. That being said it did leave the foals dwelling on what spring looked like particularly when food was scarce and for the first few months of their life they were submitted to the taste of bitter bark. Suffice to say, it came as no surprise to either himself or Yei that every single child they had raised had a horrendous sweet tooth and love for fruit when they matured!
"However icicles," he paused in his walking and looked from left to right. He searched the rocky path for something to help him with his explanation before his gaze caught upon the ice liining one small rock face. Stepping back ever so slightly, he used his wing to point towards the ice on the very edge. "Do you see the way there are tiny spikes on the bottom of that ice?" he enquired, moving his wing away so that the ice didn't melt before his explanation had been completed. "Icicles resemble those spikes, but they are significantly larger... In certain regions there are icicles as large as my leg," he continued. Admittedly there were larger ones than that (he had been informed of such by his youngest son) but to admire them one would be subjected to the extremities of the arctic and Grencia was not going to send anyone there.
"They are very easy to spot on waterfalls, I am sure you will see some in the earlier periods of training before they melt," he reassured her.
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:18 am
"Spring is filled with lots of food, and its not too hot nor cold... At least, that's what my parents told me." Brioso nodded with a smile, thinking back to the times when she would try the fruits her parents led her and her siblings too... And how she would go berry hunting by themselves when they were younger. Then again, she ate a few poisonous foods due to her curiosity, although all they did was to give her an upset stomach. After the incident with the two-legged creatures, however, she had never wandered too far away from home.
At Grencia's question, Brioso pivoted to take a closer look at whatever her mentor was gesturing too. Careful not to lose her balance, the filly leaned forward a little before nodding when she saw the ice he was referring to. Her eyes widened slowly at the explanation, and her mouth opened in surprise, "That big?" It sounded more like an exclamation than a question, but was in fact, a combination of both... She wanted to believe her mentor, but an ice spike as huge and long as his leg?
"Waterfalls, right." Brioso took a mental note to keep her eyes out for one during her time in the herd.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:07 am
"Your parents are correct, for the most part spring is a time of moderation and balance. The summer spirits have yet to fully awaken but their bleary eyes have opened enough to grant some warmth. Whereas the winter spirits are just drifting into a slumber," he smiled fondly. The transition between Winter to Spring was always one he enjoyed observing, from the mountains it was a completely miraculous change. Day by day the world beneath the mighty slopes would change colour, with each passing lick of the sun's rays new life would stir and what was once colourless and bleak would be filled with vibrant shades. Grass would become lucious once more and the flowers would display themselves warily for fear that they would have their petals frozen should the spirits change their minds.
"But as I was saying, yes...the icicles are really that big, so keep an eye out for them," he chuckled softly and continued on. Now that he had shown her what she would need to look for, he sincerely hoped there would be at least one or two icicles still in the process of melting. Honestly, he wasn't prepared to let Brioso follow Fenghuang's behaviour and go exploring too much at her age. Yei had suffered enough panic attacks upon discovering that Fenghuang had been scaling cliffs and crevaces he shouldn't have been near!
"Just a little ways more," he brushed a rock out of his way and kept walking, weaving along the battered pathway towards the peaks. She would be staying with him for this evening. Admittedly he would have preferred it if she had met her primary tutor right away (his eldest son) but Grencia would discover that said son was unvailable at this precise moment in time. "Then I will have the opportunity to introduce you to my wife."
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