[PRP] A chance meeting... (DeathWitch & Celandine)

[kaliskanny]

DeathWitch rested near the edge of the trees, watching the sunset. He'd woken up a bit earlier than usual and decided to venture out to see the sky blaze with colors. With the evening coming, the light wasn't as harsh on his nocturnal eyes as a glaring sun would be.

He nosed a near by thistle bush, munching on the soft purple flowers blooming there. When the sun was set and the night sky was overhead, the stallion would go search for some moon blossoms. They were a tasty treat, and he was in the mood for a sweet snack.

His dark eyes focused again on the sky, watching it burn with the sunset. Maybe there would be some interesting flowers in this nearby field that would still be in bloom during the night.  

[derivative]

It was getting dark, and the air was certainly cooler than it had been during the day, but Celandine didn't really mind. While she would normally be looking for a place to sleep, she wasn't exactly tired yet, and knew if she tried to sleep she would only end up shifting restlessly and getting irritated. She might as well do a little exploring and see what the night had to offer, and get tired in the process, than try to force sleep when it didn't want to come.

Nose low to the ground, the grasses tickled the end of it, and she smiled as she blew lightly against them and walked. They smelled very sweet, and even though she wasn't hungry, she cropped at them in a vague sort of way as she walked. It was good grass, though if she could've found an apple, she would've gladly munched the entire thing, hungry or not.

Wings rustling, she paused, leaning forward on her front legs to stretch. In the distance, she caught the faint stirrings of another's presence, and her ears perked, head lifting and swiveling to the direction she heard it. From what she could judge, they were a fair distance away, but she'd always had exceptional hearing.

Debating, she decided that company was just about always better than not, and shifted direction, lifting her head high and all but prancing in the direction of the other. An easy smile curved her lips as, when she got close enough, she greeted, "Hello, stranger! Are you enjoying the moonlight as well?"

 

[kaliskanny]

DW turnedhis head in the direction of the speaker, getting to his hooves. He smiled slightly at the familiar mare moving toward him. He fluttered his wings and all but pranced to her, trying to greet her before she got too close to the trees and their pesky roots. "Hello, Celandine. Are you enjoying the evening too?"

He moved a bit in front of her, to block her path near the trees. "Careful, there are some roots sticking out of the ground around the trees. I was just resting near them...thinking about moon blossoms."  

[derivative]

Celandine blinked, surprise crossing her features as she tried to place the voice in her memory. She hadn't been in Kawani lands long, though she'd met several others, but clearly this was someone she'd run into before. How exciting! Because she was constantly on the move, she hadn't thought she'd meet many Soquili who were nomadic as she was, much less that they would run in the same circles.

Nevertheless, she was pleased. It took her only a moment for everything to slide into place - the sound of his voice, and as he approached, the familiar scent - not to mention, it was night time.

"DW!" Sounding delighted, she spread her wings out, fluttering them in childish excitement. Mindful of his tip about the roots, she danced a wide circle around him, judging that by his voice he was attempting to shield her from them.

A laugh in her tone, she ducked her head, beads swinging on either side of her face as she did so. "I didn't think I'd see you again. What luck!"

Then, attention diverted, she wondered aloud, "Moon blossoms? Are they flowers that only bloom at night?" After a beat of silence, she asked, "Are they tasty?"

 

[kaliskanny]

DW turned to watch the mare dance about him, smiling. He nodded, still not fully aware the mare couldn't see. "Yes...they only bloom at night. They have a sweet taste to them. The best ones grow on vines higher up, closer to the moonlight in the trees. They almost seem to glow, because they're pale. They're a nice treat after a meal of dry moss."

The stallion realized he'd been rambling a little, then ducked his head. His wings fluttered in nervousness, then he looked up. He was a little confused. "What brings you close to the woods? I think we met out in the open last time...I was exploring. Do you live close by now? I mean...close to the woods? I live in them...easier to hide from day walking predators while I sleep."  

[derivative]

Lifting her head, she looked to the sky, not really certain if she was even looking in the direction of the trees or not. Regardless, the moon was certainly up there, and though it bathed her face in a soft light, she couldn't tell. Moonlight was funny - not at all like sunlight, not warming or letting you know it was there at all - and so sometimes she wondered about the mystery of it.

"They sound lovely. I've never had them," she added, voice dropping to a thoughtful murmur. Behind her, her tail swished, the soft clicking of beads a signal in the quiet night.

It was decided; she was going to try these moon blossoms. If DW didn't have anything better to do, she hoped he would stick around and help her find some. Her trusty nose would help her if not, but it would be more fun with company, as many things were.

Ears flicking toward him, she glanced over, still smiling. "Live here? No, I don't actually live anywhere."

Turning to face him once more, she canted her head, not seeming bothered in the least by the admission. "I've been traveling for days, and I think I will be for a very long time. I mostly find places to sleep and then move on." She pursed her lips, thoughtful, and then asked brightly, "Do you live around here?"

 

[kaliskanny]

"I live in the trees, in a clearing hidden by the thickets and such," DW nodded to the mare, tilting his head. He wondered why she roamed so much, and if she was nomadic. "You travel a lot? Why is that?"

He glanced up at the moon, then back at the trees. He smiled, glancing back at her. "Wait here a moment. I'll be right back."

The stallion stepped back from her, then fluttered his wings and took to the air. He flew up into the tree tops, unaware that she couldn't see where he'd gone. After a moment of searching, he returned with a bouquet of moon blossoms. He dropped them at the mare's hooves. "Here we are...see? They almost seem to glow in the moonlight. They smell really good...but taste better....try some."  

[derivative]

Almost before she could tell him why it was that she never stayed in one place, he was off, the wind stirring gently with the beating of his wings. She couldn't hear feathers shifting, as she did when she took flight, and it made her wonder what his wings were made of. She'd never really considered that there were other substances; she'd just thought that flutter wings were, well, shaped differently from her own. It seemed foolish now that she thought about it, but no one had exactly corrected her, and it wasn't as though she could take a good long look and see for herself.

Still, she could always ask!

Thoughts of his wings were briefly driven from her mind, however, when she heard him land softly next to her, and begin to explain his present. A smile bloomed on her face, and despite the fact that she couldn't see the glow, she could almost feel it.

Happiness had a glow, right? So things that brought pleasure, like the simple and kind gift of flowers in the middle of the night, could glow for her.

"Thank you!" Girlish delight in her tone, she leaned over, rubbing his neck with her nose in a friendly, thankful gesture. "They smell wonderful!"

Happily, she dropped her nose to the little bouquet, nudging a few blooms and taking them into her mouth to chew slowly, savoring the taste. It was like nothing she'd had before; not necessarily extravagant or a real punch to the senses, but soft and sweet, like the night felt.

 

[kaliskanny]

DW felt the tip of his nose go warm with a blush from the nuzzle, "It's um...nothing. You have to know where to look, is all."

He watched her eat a little, then tilted his head. "Are they better than day time flowers? I've always wondered..."


The stallion looked up at the moon, his eyes dancing over the stars that haloed it. He often wondered about things that were out during the day, and if he was missing it. But, he'd always been a night dwelling soquili. The sun hurt his eyes if it was too bright.

He glanced back down, looking at the mare's wings. He stepped closer, careful not to invade her space....his mother had told him girls like their space. He couldn't help but be curious about her wings. "Why do you have so many wings? Is it hard to fly with them?"  

[derivative]

Leaving a few of the flowers for DW, should he want them, she brought her head up, ears perked toward her companion as he shifted closer and began to speak. She hadn't really thought about it before, but it was so nice having someone familiar around. Growing up, she got used to having the same playmates and teachers, and had taken it for granted. It was exciting to be constantly making new friends, of course, but there was something to be said for getting to know someone and becoming comfortable with them.

"I don't know, really. I haven't actually tasted many daytime flowers. I really like the ones you got, though." She bobbed her head, gesturing at her hooves, and grinned. "Guess I'll have to go to bed a little later and wake up a little earlier so I can enjoy them more often!"

At the mention of her wings, the ones behind her ears fluttered, and she looked confused a moment. Did she have a lot of wings? Of course, everyone back home had been graced with two wings behind their ears, two on their hind hooves, and four at their sides, but she realized abruptly this probably wasn't the case of everyone. Hadn't someone mentioned flutters only having four wings? Or was it two? She couldn't remember, exactly.

"I guess I was just born this way." Stretching them out, she waved them toward him playfully, laughing a little as she did. "Everyone I know has as many wings as me. I guess it's no more difficult, or easy, to fly for me than it is anyone else who can fly. You just learn to adapt."

Expression going thoughtful, she murmured, "You can learn to adapt to a lot of things, really."

 

[kaliskanny]

He nodded, silently agreeing with what Celandine said. "I suppose...like being nocturnal."

The flutter looked at her wings, inspecting them, then extended his own. He still wasn't aware she couldn't see them. "I only have two on each side, like moths...or butterflies. My family are moth flutters, both my parents were. I even have a skull marking like my dad, but it's kind of hidden under my mane."

He lowered his wings, then leaned down and scooped up a mouthful of the blossoms, munching them thoughtfully. He swallowed before asking, "Where did you come from that everyone had so many wings? I've heard there are winged soquili that have bird wings...but not so many. And there are some with wings like a bat...but I've never seen them either."

"You could always be nocturnal and enjoy the moon blossoms...and listen to the sounds at night, and the cool breezes," DW muttered, before stooping to get another mouthful. He smiled, to himself more so than the mare, remembering something from his days as a foal. "When I was younger, still a foal...I used to say 'nocturtle'...instead of nocturnal."  

[derivative]

"Hmm... maybe! Or maybe just partly nocturnal."

It was funny. She'd never really considered being nocturnal, but the idea wasn't entirely out of the question. There were some Soquili she'd only be able to meet at night, like DW, so she ought to try to at least be up for part of the night on a regular basis. Maybe not entirely nocturnal, because she did love the feeling of the sun on her back and the sounds of the birds in the morning, but there would surely be no harm in adjusting her schedule a little bit here and there.

Everything was a little different in the Kawani lands than home, anyway! So she should be prepared to try all kinds of new things.

Looking up, she replied cheerfully, "I came from the heavens. This is my first time away from there, actually. I'm Angeni, so we all come from there, unless we descend and start families down on Earth, I guess."

His childhood admission made her laugh, and she lowered her head, thankful for it. The distraction had made it impossible for her mind to linger on where she'd come from, and had pushed aside the ever-present wonder of whether she'd ever see any of her loved ones again. She tried not to dwell on things that made her unhappy, and DW was making it easy for her to find brighter topics.

"That's so cute! I was always in trouble as a filly." Her tone became wry, but there was still humor in it, and fond reflection. "I was too rambunctious and outspoken. I was always being told 'Celandine, you need to act more ladylike and play quietly like the other girls!'" After a moment's pause, she shook her head.

"Playing quietly never seemed like as much fun, though."

 

[kaliskanny]

DW nodded his head gently, listening to the mare. He remembered how much fun it was as a foal to jump around and argue with his brother."Yeah...Dad really never let us be too loud as foals either. He said that we might attract something we'd be sorry for."

"Partly nocturnal...like staying up late and getting up late?" The stallion asked, fluttering his wings curiously. He tilted his head, considering it. She's still be up during the day, but also at night to keep him company. "That doesn't sound too bad....I'd still get to talk to you then, right?"

"From the heavens?" The flutter looked up at the sky, searching it. "I've never flown that high. The cold air that waaay up there makes my wings hurt, and strong breezes could tear them. My mother told us that when she taught us to fly. Our wings are delicate, not sturdy like a wind soquili's wings. We don't have feathers to help protect them..."