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 Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:29 pm
It was a warm day, barely a cloud in the sky but the mood around the young foal was dark. He was tired, and sweat clung to his coat. His legs felt like they were made of wood, almost too heavy to lift.
He had been running all day, until he couldn't run anymore. It had been days since he'd left the herd and he had yet to stop moving, save for the nights when he collapsed in whatever cover he could find. He knew the herd was far behind him now, and they probably wouldn't be able to catch up, but still he continued walking. He could still hear the screams as he'd left them, still ringing in his ears.
Niyol stumbled as he started up a small hill, it was barely even a mound but it felt like a mountain. Reaching the top, he glanced back. Where was he going? He had no idea.
He lifted a hoof, intending to keep on walking, but the grass beneath his feet was slippery and with a shriek, he tumbled down the tiny hill. He wasn't hurt when he'd slid to a stop a the bottom, as the hill was only a foot high, but his strength was gone and he simply laid there.
For a second, he contemplating giving up and resting there, but it was too open and too unprotected. Forcing himself to his feet, he wobbled where he stood for a moment, before raising his head and, with a heavy hoof, continued on.
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:43 pm
It was a warm day that Siska found himself trailing along the edge of the vast pine forest that stretched along the bases of the mountains, his head hung low in laziness. His creamy white tail lashed out behind his rump, whisking away the annoying flies that attempted to hitch a ride. He hadn't much to think about, and he had no where in particular to go. That was always his way, the way of a loner, of a tough, anti-social stallion who never gave a damn. He would eventually find his way, but for now, was content with wandering.
A sudden sound caught his ears, and at them same that his ears swiveled forward, his head jerked up, his long white mane fluttering in volumes among his neck and forehead. His many years alone had keened his senses, and though this sound was a distance away, he could already tell that it was of no threat to him. However, his curiosity was peaked, and he turned towards the origin of the sound, the sound of clumsiness.
He soon came upon another mustang, a young colt, at the look of it. He trailed the foal from a short distance, wondering why on earth such a careless, defenseless creature would be wandering alone, on the open plains. Perhaps he was so idiotic, his herd had simply abandoned him. The thought made Siska chuckle out of mild amusement, but only temporarily. A sudden pang of pity hit him, and despite his want to turn away and forget the foal's foolishness, he knew he had a duty to protect those weaker than him.
No matter how much it irked him.
So he approached the foal at a faster pace, not caring if he alarmed him or not.
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:17 pm
Niyol winced as his hoof hit a firm rock, making him stumble slightly and mutter under his breath. His shoulders were beginning to ache, his legs feeling almost numb by now. He glanced up, slightly panicked when he heard a somewhat mocking noise nearby, it sounding like someone chuckling. Tensing, he tried to glance around but the sound stopped before he could locate it.
Huffing, he figured he had been imagining it. Continuing on, but only for a second, he stopped. He could hear the sounds of hoof-beats now and he knew he wasn't imagining it. He spun around, trying to locate the noise. This time, it was easy to spot the source of the noise, which was coming directly towards him. Stumbling back, he stared at fast approaching stallion.
The adult male was dark and a lot bigger then Niyol. His expression wasn't friendly, but when Niyol examined it, it wasn't threatening either but to Niyol, any other horse was a threat. Turning, he tried to hurry away but his legs were heavy and tense. He stumbled on his own feet, crashing to the ground once again, knees hitting the grass painfully and causing him to cry out. He lowered his head but soon raised it, glaring at the approaching male defiantly. “Stay away!” He whinnied. “My dad will get you if you come closer!” Lies, of course. One, his father was no where near him and two, his dad probably wouldn't have defended him even if he was there. It was worth a try though.
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:02 pm
Siska chuckled as he came upon the young colt, amusement shining in his eyes at the feigned toughness the youngster displayed. He highly doubted that the foal's father, wherever he was, could beat him in a fight; he had had many years of practice in that area of expertise.
He stopped a short distance away from the foal, having no wish to upset him further. A short sniff of the air told him that this foal, whoever he was, was not from around these parts, and that he was afraid. He was also clumsy, but Siska did not need to smell that to be sure of it. The awkward way the foal rested on the ground only confirmed him assumption.
"Foolish colt. Here you go parading around alone, thinking that no one will chance upon you. Well, you are wrong. If I had been a wildcat, for instance, you would have been dead by now." Siska then gave a slight smirk, and his eyes shined with amusement.
"However, I am not a wildcat, and I will not hurt you. What is your name, boy?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:29 pm
Niyol frowned at the chuckling adult and tried to scramble back but he paused when the other did the same. The male didn't move closer though and so Niyol allowed himself to stay where he laid. Being on the ground made the stallion seem a lot larger and more threatening. His stature and posture seemed to scream that he was strong and Niyol knew that if the male wanted to, he could easily dispose of Niyol, wildcat or not.
“I would have heard a wildcat,” Niyol protested, but he wouldn't have. He hadn't even heard the stallion approach, he was too tired to be as alert as he should have been. A foal traveling alone was an easy target, a tired one was something even a young wildcat could take down.
He could see the amusement in the others eyes, it grated his nerves a little to be laughed at. He planted his hooves on the ground and tried to lift himself up to his feet. He made it, just barely and managed to stay upright with only a little wobble. He looked back at the stallion, he looked a little less scary now that Niyol wasn't lying on the ground anymore.
“It's Niyol,” he said simply, focusing his energy on standing. “What's your name?” He asked, to keep the conversation going. If they were talking, then maybe the stallion wouldn't notice Niyol's weak stance.
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:01 pm
"Niyol," Siska murmured, letting the strange name roll over his tongue. He noticed the apparent weakness in the colt, and figured that he had been traveling for quite some time. But why alone? Any other colt would realize how dangerous it was to travel alone, especially in the open.
"My name is Siska." The statement was short and strong.
Then he moved closer, his eyes running over the intricate pattern on the young foal's coat. Even rarer was this sort of pattern, and it made the colt stand out against his surroundings. It also accentuated the thinness of the foal. Siska, even without having been around many young horses, knew that the colt must be hungry.
"You must not travel by yourself in these parts. You are lucky that I am not a herd leader, else I would have dispatched you. Young, lone foals do not belong in loneliness." He turned away, sniffing the breeze. Yes, night would be soon.
"Tell me where you are heading, and I will accompany you there after showing you to some nourishment."
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:49 am
Siska. A strange name. A strong name though. Not like Niyol. Niyol sounded more feminine then masculine. Still, Niyol's mother had named him and he was proud of it. Sometimes.
The foal wanted to back away when the stallion moved closer but Niyol tilted his face defiantly, trembling inwardly. He wasn't aware that his legs had begun to shake outwardly as well, though that was mostly from the strain placed on them by his weight.
Shuddering, Niyol thought over Siska's statement. Would a herd leader really have gotten rid of him? His herd had been kind, and had been welcoming, despite their quirks. Weren't all herds like that?
“I'm heading anywhere,” Niyol said finally, unable to help any further. “I just nee...I just want to go somewhere else from where I am.” It made no sense. Niyol was aware of that, and most likely, so was Siska but Niyol had said it in a way that was just so matter of fact, he obviously believed in it.
"Nourishment?" He repeated, realising what the elder male had mentioned. "I'm fine. I had some grass this morni...well, I had some last nigh..." He frowned suddenly. When had he eaten? Last night he hadn't, he had just crumpled in a nook between too trees and slept until the sun had rose. That morning he had been startled by the sound of other horses nearby and bolted, without pausing to eat. Yesterday morning he would have eaten, surely? His stomach grumbled, as if disagreeing making Niyol shift uncomfortably.
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:06 pm
Despite the young colt's trembling, Siska could see the spark of strength in his clear eyes. This Niyol was not a weakling, as it may seem, but rather a diamond in the rough. Perhaps something had happened to him to make him so uneasy. However, Siska would not prod the young horse; he had had his share of hard times, and knew that it was better to release frustration when the individual chose to do so.
Despite his stern attitude, Siska could not help but laugh at the foal's angry stomach. It seemed that he wasn't too sure of when he had last eaten.
Siska gave a curt nod of his head, gesturing for the foal to follow him. "Worry not, young Niyol. No one will bother you while I'm around. Now come, and let us eat before we start our day."
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:31 am
Niyol stumbled as he tried to follow after Siska, held tilted high in pride as he hadn't crumbled to the ground yet, despite his knees seriously wanting to. “Technically, No one had bothered me when you weren't around either. You are the first to approach me,” he announced firmly. Most horses stayed out of his way, since he was usually moving quickly and had passed them before they realised he was traveling alone. Siska had caught him off guard and he hadn't had the strength to get away.
“I won't turn down food though,” he added. He wasn't stupid. He needed to eat some time and to eat meant to let down his guard. If nothing else, Siska could watch his back while he ate his fill. With any luck, he wouldn't have to eat anything for the next day or two and would be able to catch up some miles before nightfall.
“What are you doing out on your own anyway, Siska? Isn't it dangerous to travel alone?” Niyol tried to contain the mocking tone to his voice, lightening it to a joking tone instead. He didn't want to insult the male, but it wouldn't do any good to get attached. He was just helping him find food, not offering to adopt him. Niyol was still alone and he still had to fend for himself.
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