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 Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:46 pm
 Movement-in-the-Grass was taking a run. He didn't have a specific route to take, nor did he have any specific destination, but this is what he liked to do. It's what kept him looking fit for the ladies. He could spend hours on end darting between the trees, over the hills and through the bogs of Mother Swamp. He loved this feeling beyond almost anything else.
Today's run took him to the higher and drier parts of the swamp. He'd be seen running through the mud, but today he felt light-hearted and didn't want to come out of it, looking like a mud-baked pie. He danced through the trees, now chasing a foxbun, later following the erratic flying of a bright bird. His hooves hit the ground rhythmically, and his heart joined in, beating hard and quick. His ears were slicked back and his head was slightly lowered, all to keep him to a maximum speed. The wind rushed over him, and he was the happiest soul around. Now this was heaven. Well... if there is a heaven without lady-goats, that is.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:00 pm
Peering into the reflective waters of a small pool, Jade tilted her head this way and that, her ears twitching as she tried to get a better look at them. She had really only just noticed how much she had changed and grown since tumbling out into the world.
It didn't take her long afterwards to find her footing and wander away from her birth site. Ever since then it seemed to be all she did- wander- this way and that, wherever the wind decided to take her. She was certainly a free spirit and, thankfully, the swamp provided regardless of where she decided to stop for the day, night, morning or whatever strange hour she would grow tired.
She had recently spotted some other Kimeti in the forest, the truth was she had not seen many. Jade had chosen, instead, to wander to areas that did were not heavily populated, as such she had next to no skills dealing with others, the few occasions that she had met with others left her feeling somewhat confused, different.
Jade was so engrossed with the strange reflection of herself that she did not hear the hooves beating on the ground in the not too far off distance; she would have surely wandered away if she had.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:15 pm
His limbs began to grow weary by the time he passed the pool, so he decided to take two more laps as a finale to his run. The circles he made around the pond were very large, giving it lots of berth, so as he wouldn't run into any of the trees. On the first time around, he saw a flash of white out of the corner of his eye, but before he could focus on it, he had already ran past. The second lap was cut short when he realized it was a kimeti that he had seen. She seemed not to have noticed him yet, and just as he picked up a foot to step closer, all of his thoughts were cut down. He shook his head and tried to dispel any of his former thoughts of this one's beauty when he noticed she, too, had bunny ears. She could be related to me!
And so, having rid himself of any ideas of praise, he cautiously approached the pool of water, head about shoulder height, watching the white and green doe. He stopped on the opposite end from the doe and tried to figure out why she looked like him. Without taking his eyes off of her, he dipped his muzzle into the water and began to drink, sending ripples across the surface. As he attempted to drown his thirst, his mind whirled with a million possibilities, and his sides began to slow as his breathing did.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:36 pm
Suddenly, Jade froze. She blinked her bright red orbs when her reflection was disturbed by a parade of ripples and then slowly lifted her head to see the cause of the disturbance... Her breath caught in her chest and she was left blatantly staring. Normally, this would be about the time she would turn and dash off deep into the swamp, she had no real desire to get to know any other Kimeti better, but this one... He had ears.
Well, of course he had ears, but the surprising thing was that he had ears like hers. His eyes were the same brilliant red that hers were and his fur, though solid unlike her striped fur, was the same green that appeared on her coat. Just who was this Kimeti?
Jade took a step back and simply stood there, staring rather rudely. It hadn't occured to her to simply ask.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:51 pm
The buck continued to watch as the other kimeti reacted to his disturbance. Like she, he was also staring, but when he realized this, he quickly ended it by droping his gaze to the water. He lifted his head, if only just enough to stop drinking, and looked into the calming waters. Like he did so often, he took in his reflection. His long ears, floppy and intrusive. Bright red eyes staring back at him.
All of this took merely moments, but it felt like forever. He lifted his head entirely, tearing his gaze away from his reflection to look at this doe that looked so much like him, and yet so different.
She had the same ears, and eyes, but her coat was striped and her horns and scales were black. The stripes. He had come across those before. Ahhh... Eyes of Wind.... He realized this had to be his daughter, but was not ready to say it out loud. So instead, he bowed his head slightly and shuffled his feet as he said, "Uhhhmmm... Hello, Little One."
Of course, he knew she wasn't little, but he thought this fitting, as she had to be his daughter. There was no other explanation for it. This was not at all comfortable for Movement. He had never been in such a situation. His coat tingled, and his feet were restless, there was even a stutter climbing into his voice. Maybe she would break the tension.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:03 pm
Jade cocked her head to one side when he spoke, she heard what he said, but it had taken her a moment to realise that a reply was needed.
"Oh, me." she started, her long tail flicking nervously behind her, "Hello."
She was confused as to why he had called her "Little One" but hadn't the courage to ask about it. Instead she took a few steps along the side of the pond, keeping her eyes on him.
Halfway to him, she paused, "Who... Are you?" she asked.
She had never felt the need to socialize, but she felt an inexplicable longing to know who this was. It was more than just a curiosity about their similar appearances but she had no idea what, exactly, it was.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:45 pm
She's nervous, too. Good. Good. Her tail flicks calmed him down a little. He knew that had he possessed a longer tail, it too would be twitching back and forth a little more convincingly than his short fluffy one was right then.
She came closer, and all he could do was attempt to straighten up and continue to look at her. Curiosity pulled at the sides of his mind. What were the chances? How had she got on? She seemed alone. Did she know her mother? Her siblings? All of these questions went unspoken. He had lost track of Eyes of Wind shortly after that one fateful night, and hadn't had even a glimpse of any of his other children. Perhaps he would go out to look for the others, but right then, this one spoke to him.
"I.. I'm..." he cleared his throat and began again, with a straighter posture this time and a little more confidence. "I am Movement-in-the-Grass." For the first time in his life, at a complete loss for words, he finishes, "But you can call me Blade, if you like." His voice was gentle, and his eyes softened as he offered the doe a smile with his introduction.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:02 pm
Though she had all the outward appearances of being at ease, Jade was terribly nervous and suspicious. This new and confusing longing to know more was tugging at her patience and her tail flicked erratically at a slightly quicker pace- back and forth, back and forth.
"Blade."
Like grass, she thought.
Jade had never introduced herself to another Kimeti as she had never stuck around long enough to do so. Her voice held a touch of confusion when she finally said, "I am Jade Storm."
She peered cautiously at the larger Kimeti and took another step or two closer, finally gathering up the courage she needed to voice a piece of what was on her mind, "Your ears..."
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:15 pm
"Jade Storm." He tested this out, let it roll over his tongue. It was pretty, no doubt, and normally he would have commented on that, but today he was not thinking straight. Instead, he replied to her half-question.
"Yes... they look like yours. As do your eyes. But you lack my tail." This last bit was accompanied by a side-step with his back legs, so that he could wiggle his bunny-tail at her. A childish grin spread across his face as he did so, but he quickly forced it down.
He stretched his neck out towards her, and wriggled his nose a little, taking in her scent, so he could remember her. Not that he would forget another kimeti bestowed with such lovely features as long, if awkward, bunny-ears.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:28 pm
"Oh..." she spoke softly, feeling somewhat envious of the unique tail and her's fell to a stand-still, or rather hang-still.
She wasn't sure how to react when he leaned in closer to her, so she simply stood still. She watched him curiously for a moment longer before suddenly peering around the pond, as if searching.
"Are there... Others?" she asked before returning her gaze to Movement-in-the-Grass. "That look like you?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:44 pm
A few moments of sniffing, and he pulled back. He was confident he could pick out her scent among others, now. This put him a bit at ease. He would know. Just in case.
Her sudden movements brought him back to the present and he followed her gaze, this way and that, until she spoke. Others? Like me? He thought to himself, tilted his head and dropped his gaze to look at the ground. His brow furrowed in thought, and it took him a few moments to come up with a response. This doe was really eating his words wasn't she? He had never been caught with this little to say.
"Well... I should hope so! After all, here you are. Why wouldn't there be others?" He knew well enough that there could be hundreds running around, looking just like a mini him. With the way he could sway the lady-goats.... He shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts.
"Do you know of any of your siblings?" He would imagine she would have atleast one or two. As to whether she knew them or not, he could only guess not.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:55 pm
Jade's brow furrowed in a similar manner when he asked about siblings. Siblings? She thought back, thought back as far as she could but she could remember nothing.
So she asked aloud, "Siblings?"
Her eyes suddenly lit up and she looked at Movement-in-the-Grass in a different light, "Are you..." she wanted to ask, but the words were so difficult to formulate! It was such an awkward question; here she was, all grown up, no knowledge of a family- a mother, father, brothers, sisters...
"Are you my father?" it was difficult to not look away in anticipation of an answer, but Jade kept her gaze firmly on the buck that she resembled so much.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:27 pm
So many questions, and each one lead her closer. Closer and closer her deductions led her to that word. Father. Such an awkward word, so unfamiliar and unused. He didn't know his own father, and had no idea how to handle being one himself.
He nods in response, not really knowing what to say. Yes, he was her father. He had to be. But what else was there?
Blade couldn't bring himself to actually say anything, because he didn't know if he should feel embarrassed or proud, or something else altogether. He just stood there, feeling like he had nothing to lose, but everything to gain, holding the young doe's gaze.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:57 pm
Was that... A nod? Jade was slightly confused. She wasn't terribly surprised, but... Her father? And she supposed it made sense for her to have siblings. She wondered for a moment what they were like- were they like her- Anti-social? Or were they, perhaps, more inclined to seek the company of others?
And her parents! Oh, right. There was one of them right now.
She shook her head, snapping back to her senses. She wanted to ask so many things; Who is my mother? Who are my siblings? Why wasn't anybody there when I grew up?
She supposed it was normal, really, for Kimeti babies to grow up on their own, without their parents, but some small part of her felt betrayed.
Jade stood tall and opened her mouth to ask. Anything, really- but instead of asking any of the questions on her mind, instead of saying anything significant or even slightly intelligent- "I'm not little." poured out.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:59 am
"No, no... of course not.... no..." again, he was really confused as to what he was supposed to say next. Of course she wasn't little! She had just said that for lack of knowing her name. But, he guessed it could have been taken offensively. But she was smaller than he! He shook his head, clearing his mind.
"I'm sorry, Jade Storm. I merely meant it as an affectionate greeting. I've never had a family before, either, and it's just so... odd." He stopped for a second to take a deep breathe before continuing, "I... I don't know what to say." He chuckled at this, and sat down rather heavily. "I don't think I've ever admitted that to anyone before. I'm never without words... but here... I just don't know. I've never had a father either, and though I survived well enough, sometimes I think it would have been nice to have him around."
He stopped there, having come to the end of his thoughts. He just sat there, rump in the mud, ears drooping down past his shoulders, front hoof drawing little lines in the mud at foot. He felt so vulnerable, and had no idea what to do about it.
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