[FIN] Every rose has its thorns

[elufae]

((everyone's rp's here are private, but i think orps can be posted here o.O))

Nightmare-of-roses walked slowly through the swamp-forest. Mud oozed from beneath her hooves with each step. In her mouth, she carried a red rose, gently nestled between the two rows of teeth. Her golden eyes stared straight ahead as she passed tree after tree. She reached a nest of thorns, much like the ones that adorned her hind legs and lower back. The ground was slightly higher here and much drier. Dirt rather than mud and puddles.

Her tail swished against the floor, sweeping dirt in little clouds that dissipated into the night air. She sampled this air, clear and fresh. It had just rained and it made the air seem new and cold. There was a break in the nettles that she approached, and it led to a small clearing in the center of the brambles.

Knealing down to rest in the night air, she knew she wasn't actually tired. She simply wanted to take a break from walking. All she heard were crickets and the occasional night bird crooning in the dark. She paid no mind to the trail of hoofprints she left or the tell tail signs outside her briar nest. She knew no one in their right mind would bother her here. She knew that....did she? Stubbornly, she ignored the little voice that told her there were braver souls.  

[SerinaNight]

Shadowed Moon found himself unable to sleep, it seemed all he could do was lay and stare up at the moon that so gently caused his blue-white fur to glow. Deciding he had no other choice but to get up and explore he slowly stood up stretching for several moments before glancing around the hilltop he had previously been sleeping on. Contemplating where to start he felt his eyes drawn into the swamp and found himself on his way.

The young buck descended down the hill into the mud. Wandering through the swamp he spotted an area the seemed to rise above the murk, just as his normal sleeping spot did. Wondering what this place could hold he pushed through the gunk he was currently walking in toward the solid ground. He glanced at each tree as he passed, wondering if there was something interesting there, but he found nothing.

Finally reaching the solid ground he found himself staring at a set of hoof prints. Wondering who else could he out in the swamp this late Shadowed Moon began to follow the prints toward the nettles. Following the trail up to the edge he noticed a hole in the patch of thorns and against his better judgment decided to follow it in. If he found he was interrupting another's sleep he could just leave. Shifting his way awkwardly through the brambles he soon found himself in a small central clearing. This however was not the most surprising thing. Upon entering Shadowed Moon had found himself staring at, what he thought, was the most beautiful doe.  

[elufae]

Hearing rustling brambles and hooves sliding across the dirt, her eyes darted quickly to the entrance of her nest. A sort of annoyance festered inside her as she dropped her rose to the floor and brought her head down with it. Using her hooves, she moved it here and there until it was woven into her hair. Her eyes never left the entrance, and sure enough, an ice-blue buck came out of the tunnel of thorns.

Instantly, she took to studying him. His gray markings and blue scales. The odd marking on his flank and back that resembled a crow's wing with a few less feathers. It was a strange thing to bear, but no stranger than the blood that permanently stained her coat, and the thorns that could never be removed from her legs.

She snorted at the buck, who seemed to be staring at her. "Who are you and what are you doing here in my nest?" she said plainly. Her voice was soft and deep, but there was a sort of sting with each articulated syllable. She tensed her leg muscles, ready to act at any moment if he turned out to be hostile. Her eyes darted to the left and back to him. Then to the right and returning to the light blue buck. No escape save for the one behind him. She hummed quietly to herself, thinking she would have to fight in order to escape if he attacked.  

[SerinaNight]

When the doe snorted at him Shadowed Moon snapped back to reality. He became aware he was staring at the doe and suddenly felt a little awkward. As the doe started speaking he listened intently to her voice, the sharpness it held at certain moments was fascinating. The buck paused for a moment before realizing he should be answering her question. "I'm Shadowed Moon." The young buck's voice seemed to rest between the high and low ranges in such a way it sounded like both. After his initial statement he quickly glanced behind him before answering her next question. "Sorry, I didn't mean to invade your nesting area. I was exploring and stumbled upon your tracks."

Shadowed Moon paused, and looking extremely awkward, he glanced towards the exit again. "I mean you no harm, I had no idea you were in here." As though contemplating what to do he remembered the plan he had come up with in case he did find someone else. "I can leave if you want me too, I don't want to interrupt your sleep or anything." He sounded slightly unsure of what he was saying, like he didn't know how to react in a situation like this. He hadn't really expected to run into anyone, let alone such an amazing doe.


((In cause you don't understand my explanation of his voice, because I'm not sure how to explain it, he kinda talks with a higher pitched voice but in a deep tone if that makes any sense... sweatdrop ))  

[elufae]

Sensing no threat from the young buck, she ceased her intent glare. His nervous antics amused her slightly and she chuckled to herself. Standing, she used her tail to brush the dirt from her coat. She walked slowly up to him to the point where she was face to face with him. She stopped only centimeters from his nose, then moved closer to his ear and whispered "Little bucks should not stray far from the comfort of their dens." Her voice was playful and had a sort of resonating sound to it.

She grinned and pulled her head back to see his reaction. "But I'm not saying you have to leave~" she said, still grinning playfully, tilting her head.  

[SerinaNight]

Shadowed Moon watched as the doe stood up and dusted herself off. As she did so he took the opportunity to take in the pattern on her fur, which was one of the most unique he had ever seen. As she approached him he watched her slightly confused. Feeling his breath catch in his throat as the doe came only centimeters from his face he forced himself to breath. As she moved to his ear and whispered he found himself laughing softly at her comment. His laughter was also partially due to the fact that the resonating of her voice made his ear feel funny.

As the doe pulled back he saw that she was grinning and found himself smiling back at her. Laughter still in his throat he couldn't help but grin at her next comment as he tilted his head as she did. Looking at her for a moment longer he realized he was no sporting a rather large smile and laughed at himself, pawing at the ground for a quick moment. "I don't have a den. I sleep on a hill." Was all he managed to muster. However, right after saying this a rather random thought popped into his head. He realized he didn't know the doe's name. This, he decided, was something he would have to find out.  

[elufae]

She laughed heartily at that, seeming pleased by his response "...same thing.." she said, lifting a foreleg off the ground gently. She tilted her head, letting her hair fall like a waterfall of blood that seemed to dry at the ends.

She jerked her head back at the feeling of something stumbling upon her legs. Lifting her leg higher, she looked down at the filly at her hooves. "And what manner is this?" she asked, not really expecting an answer, as the filly seemed rather distracted. She watched as a bright orange frog ambled over some thorny vines and disappeared into the briars.  

[SerinaNight]

Shadowed Moon couldn't help but join in her laughter. He was glad she seemed happy with his response since he had told the truth. "It is." The buck said, continuing to laugh to himself.

As a flurry of legs wound up at their feet he looked down to see a brightly colored filly. As the doe he had been talking to asked the filly something he noticed the doe look away and he followed her eyes. Noticing the frog as it disappeared into the thorns. "I think you've lost your prey." Shadowed Moon said, touching the filly with his hoof softly to get her attention.  

[elufae]

What a strange foal. Nightmare thought to herself. She brought her head lower and blew off some of the dust that was left on the foal's coat. "My name is Nightmare-of-roses. Lengthy, yes. But I believe it fits me well. And what is the buck's name? She said, raising her head to be right in front of his face. The rose in her hair loosened and fell on top of the foal. "Oh.." she said, looking down at it.  

[SerinaNight]

Laughing, Shadowed Moon picked the rose up off of Jumping Frog. The buck responded through closed teeth. "Shadowed Moon." Pausing for a moment he pushed the rose back into the Nightmare-of-roses' hair and quickly pulled away. "I'm not sure how well it's in there so you may have to fix it." This was said very fast and it sounded like he was extremely embarrassed. Turning back to Jumping Frog he smiled. "Well, it's good your having fun." Giving the filly a reassuring look he added, "It's also okay if your still unsteady on your feet. All that hopping would cause anyone to fall over."  

[elufae]

Nightmare tilted her head at the little filly. Falling is not something she was quite familiar with. She hadn't fallen as far back as she could remember, not even at Jumping Frog's age. She thought back to those times and how she was still an eerie-looking kimeti, even at that young an age. She never had playmates. She looked from Jumping Frog to Shadowed Moon. She then realized he had fixed the rose back in her hair, "Thank you.." she said. Even those words were unfamiliar. She felt that things were changing tonight. Maybe she should stop being so hostile. Her brow furrowed, unsure of what to do next.  

[SerinaNight]

Shadowed Moon nodded at Jumping Frogs last comment. "That's a good way to think about it." He felt a little sad for the filly, since she seemed to be rather upset by her falling, but there wasn't really anything he could think of that would make her feel better. Glancing back at Nightmare-of-roses he noticed she seemed deep in thought and wondered what could she could be thinking of. When she seemed to come back to the current situation she thanked him. "Oh, um, your welcome." He sounded a little surprised.