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 Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:11 am
 Aoibheann trotted by the side of her son, Zephyr, as he worked on getting enough velocity to launch himself a few feet into the air and fly. She was quite proud of his eagerness to fly, and even watching him get a few feet into the air for a few seconds at a time pleased her. It wasn't going to be easy for him to fly for some weeks yet, when his adolescent feathers finally came in so he could start flying properly, but there was no harm in slowly teaching him so he would be ready when the time came. Zephyr puffed hard. It was hard work to run like this and flap desperately for a few seconds at a time before landing and repeating the cycle, but his mother was encouraging, and the little Keshi who'd started following him around, Miltiades, chittered excitedly about the ride on Zephyr's mother's back and Zephyr's work at getting off the ground. It made him happy to see his mother and his friend so happy with his flight, but it was still grueling work for a colt who still had some baby fluff mixed in with flight feathers. It was when the forest trail they followed as a path to practice flying opened out onto a broad meadow with a few gurgling streams running through it that Zephyr saw his mother slow to a halt. He tried to do likewise with as much grace as her, but he had built up too much momentum and tumbled in attempting to stop.Aoibheann smiled and helped Zephyr to his feet with gentle nudges with her delicate muzzle, smiling as he fought to get his breath back."Did I do alright, Mama?" he asked, getting his breath back.Aoibheann laughed. "Of course you did. Even Miltiades here was impressed." She reached out to nuzzle him when she caught a familiar scent on the wind. Could it be...? Neva...? And someone who smelled similar to Neva, probably a child. Curious and excited, she whinnied to whoever bore that familiar scent, hoping it was Neva.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:33 am
 Neva was out walking with her daughter, enjoying the quiet of the day. Being a mother was confusing, stressful, and such, but she had overcome it to have had a beautiful daughter. She just hoped that her daughter wouldn't make the same mistake as her, and actually find someone to love first before having children.
Pausing in her walk, she heard a whinny nearby. Could it be the one that had helped her so long ago?
"Come Avena. Let's go see who that is." The colorful mare looked around as her mother walked a bit ahead of her. It had been awhile since she had seen her mother but was glad for the time with her today. Avena's childhood have been rough but it wasn't bad. At least for her anyway. Looking up at her mother as the other mare spoke, she nodded and followed.
She to was curious to see who it was that was nearby.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:17 pm
Aoibheann continued to watch, pricking her ears as Zephyr and Miltiades began playing a game of their own devising. Finally, she spotted a familiar purple mare on the far side of the meadow, walking with a more brightly-hued mare that must be Neva's daughter. Excited, she called out again. "Neva! It's me, Aoibheann!"
Zephyr and Miltiades picked up their heads from a game akin to Hide and Seek at the sound of Aoibheann's call to see two purple mares walking toward them, so alike that they must be related. Miltiades scrambled up onto Zephyr's back with a bit of help, and chittered curiously. Zephyr wasn't sure what he was saying, but he grinned. "I can't wait to see who it is, either, Milt."
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:17 pm
Neva saw the mare and smiled happily. It was the one who had helped her so long ago. "Aoibheann! It's been so long. How've you been?" She asked as she got closer to the mare. The purple colored mare noticed the little one near her. "Whose the little one there with you if you don't mind my asking?"
The multi-colored mare watched as her mother talked to this new mare. She preferred just waiting off to the side, quiet, at least until she was introduced anyways. It wasn't like she had anything to tell either. She never really wandered much and hadn't come across anyone. Avena was a lonely mare.
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:14 pm
Aoibheann was quite happy to see her young friend again. "I've been fine, raising my two youngest sons, though the younger one, Vinesh, got into a bit of trouble with a lioness foal recently." She sighed. At least Vinesh hadn't gotten killed. "Anyway, this little one is Zephyr. I'm starting to teach him how to fly." The thought of flight restored a smile to her face quite easily. "How've you been?"
Zephyr also watched the conversation for a little bit before turning his attention to the younger mare next to his mother's friend. "Hi," he said quietly, wondering if she was shy. "I'm Zephyr. And the Keshi on my back is Miltiades. What's your name?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:20 pm
"A lionness foal? He's alright though right?" Neva questioned, concern on her young face. The young mare had fallen into motherhood and survived, and while still young was still quite motherly. "Flying? I wish that was something I could do. He's a lucky one to be able to fly." she gave a small nod as she glanced over at the small boy and her daughter. "I've been alright. Both kids have grown and left the nest. Avena comes and visits me every so often."
Avena looked down at the young one and gave him a small smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Zephyr and Miltiades. I'm Avena." Her head bowed in an introductory nod as she spoke. "What are you and your friend doing today?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:41 pm
Aoibheann nodded quietly. "He's alright, just missing his tail feathers, but they'll grow back." She had to laugh a little. "Now that he's safe, I can laugh about the fact that he doesn't have a tail right now, I guess. It just kind of makes him look so...silly...and so undignified." She glanced at Zephyr, who seemed to be chatting quite amiably with Avena. "He's not quite old enough to fly properly yet, but I'm still helping him build the muscles and endurance so he can fly." She smiled at Neva. "Flying can be fun, but it's never fun to fly through a storm, in my experience."
She glanced at Avena again. "Quite the pretty young lady, and that's sweet of her, to come visit sometimes." It made her a little sad to remember that she only sometimes saw Elune and almost never saw Rementh these days, but at least Clifton was around to help out with his two baby brothers.
Zephyr smiled up at Avena. "Hiding and Seeking. Do you want to play?" It would be even more fun with three players than with the usual two, since he couldn't always get his parents and two older brothers to play with him and Milt.
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:57 pm
Neva gave a small laugh as she tried to picture a young foal without a tail. It was an amusing sight. "At least he's learning the endurance it needs to fly. Better to learn young than old." She turned and watched her daughter talking to the young one and smiled. "Avena turned out really pretty. She's a quiet thing though and keeps mostly to herself."
"Hide and Seek? You want me to play with you?" Avena gave Zephyr a confused look. She had never had anyone ask her to play. "Aren't I a bit big to hide properly?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:18 pm
Aoibheann felt more relieved, talking to Neva. Definitely nice to see her again. "Yes, it is much better to learn young than old." She also watched Avena and Zephyr. "She reminds me a bit of my Elune, one of my two daughters." She smiled quietly. "Elune is so dignified and proper that she's a very quiet girl who doesn't seem to reach out that easily to others, either."
Zephyr stopped. It was a problem he had not heretofore considered. "Well...you could hide in the trees, right?" It didn't matter that Avena was bright, especially since it was sometimes hard to find his jewel-bright family members when they wanted to hide. Milt chittered excitedly about the prospect of another to play with, and Zephyr laughed. "Sounds like Milt wants you to play, too," he added with a smile.
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:52 pm
Neva smiled as she watched Avena with Zephyr. "Elune? Does she look like you? All beautiful?" she glanced over at Aoibheann and smiled. "I do hope that she finds someone she can care for. That's all I want for her." She gave a small nod as she continued to watch her daughter quietly.
The young mare considered this. She could attempt to hide in the trees, though she'd stick out being brightly colored as she was. "I guess I can try." she smiled down at the little one and his friend. "Who counts first and who hides?" Avena asked, in a way looking forward to this. She hadn't really played much most of her childhood.
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:16 pm
Aoibheann watched the young ones briefly before answering. "Elune looks only a little like Mayur and me, but the same is true for Rementh, my other daughter, who's almost never home. Elune is all yellow-green and tan, and Rementh is white and frosty blue." Aoibheann nodded at Neva, sharing her concern. "My girls haven't found anyone to my knowledge, either, and I think my eldest son said something about having met a lovely mare recently. I just hope all of my children can find someone to care for." A thought struck her. "You haven't talked much about any of Avena's siblings. What are they like?"
Zephyr paused to consider this. "Do you and Milt want to hide first? I'll count and look for you." After all, it only seemed fair that he should offer to be the seeker first.
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