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 Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:28 am
It had been a handful of days since he'd led Maharet back to the two-legger's teepee, and she seemed to be doing well. Jonquil was grateful for that, and though he didn't reside with Sisika, he liked to stop by and see how she was from time to time. She'd been kind to him in the past, bandaging up wounds that he'd gotten while exploring, and so he trusted she would take care of others with equal concern regardless of whether she knew them or not. Since Maharet had come under the care of her capable hands she had only shown improvement, so at least on that count, he was correct.
Though Jonquil didn't generally hang around the teepee for any length of time, he found himself lingering while Maharet recovered. The two barely knew one another, but he felt a responsibility toward her, and that aside, he liked her. She was troubled and quiet, but he thought once she came out of her shell she could be a lot of fun to be around. It bothered him, too, that she'd suffered abuse at the hands of her family, and he wanted to make life a little brighter for her in the wake of it. Everyone needed a friend, didn't they?
It was with that thought in mind that he pranced back toward the teepee, tail swinging merrily behind him. Sisika was outside, her hair tied up on top of her head in some complicated two-legger style, a colorful blanket spread across her lap as she worked on it. At the sound of his steps she looked up, a smile on her face, and waved to him.
They couldn't communicate, not really, but he tossed his head, hoping that she got the message. He couldn't call out a greeting, after all, as his mouth was full of flowers.
Pausing next to her, he dropped the flowers, nudging her shoulder with his lips as she laughed and rubbed his chest. Though they were for Maharet, to try to make her smile, he didn't think the mare would mind if he shared a bit.
"Here, for you," He said, knowing fully well that to her, his words were little more than unintelligible noises. Still, when he nosed a flower over to her, she accepted it gratefully, kissing his nose before she slipped it into her hair.
He blew on her bangs, making her laugh again, before gathering the flowers up and trotting around the teepee. There was a large tree behind it, and during the heat of the day, he could usually find Maharet there.
Ah! As regular as the sunrise.
Walking over, he stopped before her and dropped the flowers, an offering with a smile. "Hello, Maharet. You're looking good today. How are you feeling?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:43 am
The two-legger had left her pretty much to her own devices after tending to the wounds Izusa had inflicted, only checking on them now and then which Maharet allowed with barely a nervous twitch to show her feelings. In the times between Jonquil's visits she'd stood quietly under the shade of a thickly trunked tree, her hip resting against the scratchy surface of the bark. Just thinking. She had to return to her family at some point, but she was in no hurry to expose herself to Izusa's cruelty.
'Hello Jonquil.'
She'd gotten used to his approach, his scent so that when he did turn up it didn't alarm her as it had done at first. She turned to look at him, a smile on her face for she'd had come to like him very much - her rescuer.
'I'm feeling okay, thank you. My wing seems to be mending well. It's good to see you again.'
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:04 am
Pleased, he did a quick circle of her and the tree, satisfied to see that she looked like she was indeed healing well. If anything, Sisika was capable at mending injuries, so he didn't imagine it would be long at all before Maharet was in prime shape once more. Hopefully they could keep in touch afterwards, as he was growing fond of her and wanted to keep an eye on her.
Jonquil was no fighter by any means, but if need be, he'd raise a hoof in defense of someone he cared about. Maharet was a friend now, so he'd look out for her if he needed to.
Stopping in front of her once more, an easy smile on his face, he nodded. "Glad to hear it. Sisika is great, isn't she? I can't count the number of times she's patched me up when I came wandering out of the woods."
Glancing back to her, smiling when she shifted her weight to sit more comfortably on another leg, he wondered how he could properly show his gratitude to her. There was an obvious language and species barrier, but part of him thought she recognized his feelings, and that they shared a bond.
Ears pricking toward Maharet, he grinned. "It's good to see you too, and see you smile. I found a field of pretty flowers, so I brought some back, since it's still a little early to take you out romping with me." He nudged them with a hoof. "Purple, like us! Well, I'm the one who's mostly purple, but you get the idea."
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:39 am
Maharet followed him with her eyes, twisting her head as he moved around her, curious as to what he was doing. She was unused to anyone looking her over in such a way and warmth rose in her face.
'She's certainly been very gentle and kind, letting me be by myself and not encroaching on my space,' she said, following his gaze this time and looking over at the two-legged female.
'For me?' she asked, all astonishment. She didn't think that she could recall anyone outside of her family giving her a gift, let alone one so pretty and sweet.
'You sport the purple more than me, this is true.' Maharet laughed lightly, nosing at the flowers, before picking one up, bending and tucking the stem under the feathers of one wing. She wouldn't be flying yet, so it would sit there safe for a while.
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:52 am
Jonquil's smile grew, glad that his two-legged friend was getting along well with his new four-legged one. Though it had been necessary to get Maharet's wounds healed, and he couldn't do it himself, it was nice to know that she didn't feel uncomfortable or pressured where she was staying.
"Of course it's for you!" Leaning forward playfully, he swished his tail, admiring the look of the flower against her wing. "A pretty gift for a pretty lady, right?"
Compliments came naturally and easily to him, and they always had. He'd never been one to consider keeping his opinion of others to himself, after all, and he thought that if you found good in someone, you might as well let them know.
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 2:57 pm
'It's a pretty gift to be sure, thank you.'
Maharet replied, not really able to see that she could acknowledge the compliment when she wasn't pretty...timid, and all banged up because she couldn't fight back. But not pretty.
'Where do you go when you're not here?' she asked, looking at the ground, unsure of herself again. She wished she was like her sister, as easy with male company as she was with female company, not caring what any thought of how she acted or looked.
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Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:32 am
He could see that she was uneasy by the compliment, and even though he wanted to reassure her that he found her pretty no matter what bruises and bumps she had, Jonquil let it pass. He didn't want to make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already did. When they were better friends, and she understood that he was sincere, he'd make certain she knew that she was valued and appreciated, both for her looks and otherwise. For now, though, he would have to be content to take things at her pace.
It wasn't really that hard. Jonquil was a laid back sort of fellow with patience to spare.
"Oh, here and there." He tipped his ears toward her, expression merry. "I like to explore, but I also like to be able to come home easily, so... Usually I can be found romping around the woods, or in a field of flowers, or just about anywhere."
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Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:55 pm
If Maharet knew his thoughts, only knew the extent of his patience she would have been thanking the spirits for meeting him more than she already did. As it was, she was afraid of being a burden, worried that he'd get fed up of talking to her, of her nervousness. And she didn't want that, she liked him very much.
'How d'you do that?' she asked. Before the attack by Izusa she had started to be more bold, but never to the extent where she would venture away from her home just to play, there was always a reason for her travels.
'I can't imagine ever being that carefree.'
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:02 pm
He'd never really considered that his explorations and curiosity could be considered carefree. Growing up, he'd always been inquisitive, and his parents had never tried to curb that trait in him. Though it was true he left with his father at a young age and saw his mother mostly in passing, it was Jonquil's understanding that she was a free-spirited, wandering mare herself, so he assumed he came by it naturally. To someone like Maharet, though, who seemed fairly contained and even shy... it probably looked very bold.
Cocking an ear to the side, thinking, he finally shrugged and settled for a smile. "I don't know, really. It's just something I've always done."
Looking at her curiously, he asked, "Would you like to come with me sometime? When you're feeling more yourself, I mean. I'd make certain you stayed safe, and it could be fun."
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:12 pm
'So you've never felt any sort of fear in your life?' Maharet asked. How might that have been for her, if she'd never known of her grandmother..or maybe if she'd been a different sort of mare and taken the news that she had a Kalona relative who would kill her lesser family members the same way Marut had; with caution but never letting it rule her life.
She nodded carefully, wanting to answer him so that he didn't think she was making excuses so as not to be with him.
'I would like that, but only if you're sure you wouldn't tire of my nervous company.' she laughed in a deprecating manner about herself.
'I'm not the easiest travel companion I am sure.'
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:21 pm
"Oh, I've felt fear." Scuffing the grass with his hoof, his smile turned a little wry. "I think fear is a good thing, in reasonable doses. It reminds us that we aren't infallible, and that's a valuable thing."
Tail flicking behind him, he listened, wondering what had happened to Maharet in her past to make her value herself so little. Aside from her family, which obviously had a great impact on her... though he wondered if her entire family was like that. At least one member, maybe more, if she would readily spend her time with him instead of returning to the safety of the familiar. It wasn't his place to pry, but he still wondered a little. He considered her a friend, so that meant he would be there for her if she needed him, and even when she didn't.
Leaning toward her, nudging her shoulder with his own, he scolded her gently. "Don't be so down on yourself. I like you, so traveling with you would be fun."
Smiling, hoping that she would take his words the right way, he asked, "We're friends, right?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:42 pm
Fear was a good thing? She supposed it might be if for herself it was as he said; a reasonable amount. Hers was all consuming at times, and it was no way to live a life.
Maharet tensed, and flushed all at the same time as Jonquil leaned in and bumped her shoulder with his. He made her want to be better than she was, because she didn't want to disappoint the one who had done so much for her.
'I guess..I guess we would have to see?' she ventured, giving him a hesitant smile, then hastily adding with a quick nod of her head.
'Of course! I like you Jonquil,' she said quietly, with much shuffling of hooves.
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:30 pm
"Good!" Tossing his head cheerfully, he trotted a few paces away, wanting to feel the sunlight on his back. It was a nice day, the perfect kind for a little walk and a swim. Normally, he'd be indulging in just that. He wanted to spend time with Maharet, though, so unless he could get her to go...
One ear cocking toward her, the effect making him look a little doofy, he asked, "How about we do a little test?"
Enthusiasm in his face, he leaned forward, keeping his hooves rooted to the spot, head lowered. "You and me, take a little walk? Not too far, really, just to enjoy the sunshine. There's a pretty little bend in the river just over there, and the current's pretty tame, so we could even take a dip if you wanted."
The idea was sounding more and more pleasant, so he hoped she agreed. If she'd rather not, he could just go himself, of course, and had many times in the past, but he wanted to share the experience with her.
The thought made him flush a little, a rather obvious tinge to his purple coat. Uh, whoops.
"Well. If you want to, anyhow."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:23 pm
'Test?' she echoed, wondering if her voice had sounded shaky, or if she'd stuttered as she'd spoke. Test, what did he want to test? ..
Calm down! she chided herself severly, forcing herself to look outwardly relaxed. Jonquil is a good guy, and you know he won't do anything crazy dangerous.
'That sounds really nice.' she said, with more feeling to her words. As she thought on what he was suggesting it did sound very pleasant. Maharet looked at him, and then noticed his coat colouring. Was he warm? A river dip would be good for him in that case.
'I would like that. You wish to go..now?'
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:32 pm
Grinning, pleased that she'd agreed to go, Jonquil straightened, shaking his bangs out of his eyes. "Why not? We can work up an appetite on the walk and dip, then go find something good to eat."
Apples or berries, maybe. Jonquil had a weakness for raspberries, and if his memory served correctly, there was a pretty little grove within a short distance of the river that grew very tasty ones.
Eying Maharet, he decided to keep that part of the plan a secret. It'd be a nice surprise, he thought.
"This way, then. Oh, by the way, Maharet... do you mind me calling you by your full name?" He tipped his head, looking thoughtful. "I know some prefer nicknames, but yours is so pretty as it is, I think it'd almost be a shame."
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