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 Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:43 am
 Her sides burned and the sweat was dripping down, but Gemmae kept running. The stallion she was running from was a specter of her past that had somehow found her in the present. He wasn't visible behind her, but it was just a matter of time, she was sure now, before he found her. She'd have sworn that she'd left him behind years ago when she left for the Kawani lands, but he'd tracked her down, though many months separated them.
She hadn't actually seen him in years, but meeting Elena and hearing that she'd encountered him...it was more than Gemmae could bear. She'd given Namid a sad goodbye nuzzle and, not even waiting to figure out where her children had gone, run off towards the mountains. She wasn't sure how Fregit had followed her across them - it could just have been luck - but she thought she'd heard that it was much harder to track over rock.
If not for that, she'd probably have avoided the mountains since a certain flaming Angeni almost certainly still lived there somewhere.
The terrain was getting harder now and she couldn't keep the same pace. It had gone from flat to uphill and now there were large rocks to avoid. There was a path of sorts, but it wasn't the sort of thing that encouraged running flat-out. That was probably for the best, as Gemmae was forced to slow, sides heaving and soaked with sweat. Her thoughts were focused only on going forward...and on not looking back. She couldn't shake the feeling that if she were to look over her shoulder, he would be there, following, and drawing inexorably closer.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:00 pm
All things taken into consideration, his reunion with his parents hadn't gone poorly. They had been delighted to see him as he had anticipated, it had only been the suffocating presence of a very angry brother that had dampened proceedings. Admittedly, neither of his parents had appreciated his absence and lack of communication but the instant his mother had been made aware of his reasons she had melted. Ah yes, he had felled his mother in one sweep by merely uttering his romantic tale into her ears. She had been delighted and more importantly, insistent that he return and finish the job so that she could prepare for the introduction of a fourth daughter in law.
...Really, his mother had very little tact.
Nevertheless, he had appreciated it and without much in the way of a farewell he had placed a kiss on his mother's cheek and bolted. His father wasn't quite as enthusiastic as his mother on the matter but he could appreciate that his children had to make their own mistakes. Thus, the firey stallion had begun his descent and bounded down the slopes with ease. It wasn't the most graceful of activities but there was a certain amount of appeal to the way he skidded, leapt, bounded and drifted down the slope and around the obstacles he encountered.
Up until this point he had been alone but as he careened around the battered walk way, drifting precariously close to the edge as he swung round he was greeted by something he wasn't generally accustomed to in his own home.
A very frightened mare.
It should have come at no surprise that he ground to a halt in a rather abrupt fashion, reddy-brown locks flopping over his azure eyes in protest. Suffice to say he'd never been great at this thing but after he'd regained his composure he shook his hair from his eyes and peered at the mare curiously.
"Afternoon," he offered with a tilt of his head. "You look a little worse for wear."
...He took after his mother, subtlety wasn't really something he favoured.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:21 pm
Gemmae's world had narrowed to the compulsion to move forward and the refusal to look backward when there was suddenly a mass of red in front of her. Startled, the mare lost her footing, hooves scrabbling on the tricky slope as she fought to keep from sliding back down the mountain. Pebbles went flying as her front legs slid around and finally collapsed underneath her. In shock, her back legs went too and the uni was suddenly lying down, looking up at the stallion who had appeared out of nowhere with wide, frightened red eyes.
Legs bleeding from several little cuts inflicted by the landscape, she could only stare upwards at the stranger. He'd come from...from nowhere! She'd seen no trace of any other living creature until now, and she wasn't certain how to react.
And then he opened his mouth.
This stallion had to be the bluntest individual she'd ever met before. She had to look like hell, since she certainly felt like it, and that was all he could think to say!?
And yet somehow her mouth was capable of functioning after all. "You...could...say...that," she replied, pausing to catch her breath between each word. The ghost of a smile touched her lips. This situation was ridiculous, but she had to admit it was amusing.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:33 pm
He really needed to work on that - you know, the being able to read a situation better so that he didn't put his own hoof in his mouth. No sooner had he made his dramatic entrance than his 'introduction' was greeted with a rather clumsy response. Initially he had thought she was going to tumble the whole way back down the slopes again but evidently falling on your backside was the ideal way to apply the brakes. Admittedly it wasn't the more graceful of solutions but it did the job - that being said, it didn't take him long to notice the wounds that he been inflicted in the process. Well if he hadn't known she wasn't a mountain dweller from before he certainly knew it now!
He had the decency to wince, rather than to burst into laughter at her position even though the same wouldn't be said if he had found one of his siblings in such an unusual pose.
"I did say that," he pointed out frankly, his brow lifting as he bridged the distance a little to inspect her injuries. They weren't deadly, but they certainly wouldn't do her any favours if she intended to continue up. That being said, did his mother even know she was having a guest - or were the borderguards already monitoring the young mare's activities in their lands. It wasn't like them to keep their heads low and wait!
"Should probably stand up, the stones won't do your cuts any favours if you let them slice into you anymore," he continued and released a small sigh. "You're definitely not from around here though, your coat is way too thin to be a mountain mare..."
"Eh - you're either lost, a criminal or a runaway bride," he mused after a few moments and quirked a brow. "Which is totally cool by the way but you probably shouldn't let the guardians know about your criminal past," he advised with a firm nod, although the twinkle in his eyes indicated he was joking.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:47 pm
Well, a point in the stranger's favor, aside from being amusing, was that he did wince. At that point she was questioning his intelligence as he responded to her labored comment. He certainly seemed to have a talent for stating the obvious.
But then he moved on and revealed that there was more to him than he'd displayed previously. His logic was sound and his conclusions were correct...until he started theorizing on who she was and why she was in the area. The mare snorted and carefully pulled herself to her feet, making sure each hoof was on a stable part of the mountain before placing the next. Only when she was standing sturdily once more did the uni look back to the red stallion.
"Lost...is irrelevant," she told him. She was about to rebuke him for calling her a runaway bride, of all things, when he mentioned guardians. Eyes widened in surprise and quickly narrowed in calculation. "You have guardians?"
Was there actually a real herd up here? Like the kind she'd grown up in? And if they were organized enough to have guardians...would they be inclined to allow her in where she too could enjoy that protection? It was the first ray of hope in the nightmare this situation had become, and this stallion suddenly seemed to be the key to her future.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:00 pm
It was probably a good thing that Fenghuang was unaware that he was the key to her future. Really, he was only steady and decisive regarding his own and his princess' - if she was in danger then he would lay down his life but when it came to this purple stranger the same couldn't be said. He probably wouldn't have responded well to such a thing, that level of responsibility was something he would have struggled with and as a result, it was safe to say that ignorance was truly bliss in this situation.
However, when she made mention of the guardians again he did raise his brow higher. He was fairly certain they were a visual presence, if not then always a constant one. He was often certain something or someone was watching him whether it be from below or above. Every now and then he'd even see them drifting across the slopes on solo patrols or in pairs. He'd never quite understood what they did outside of patrolling but he was fairly certain it was more complex than that.
The militia and he had never gotten along.
Obviously.
"Well, duuu-errr..." He fought the urge to say 'duh' and conceded that there was a chance she may not have taken note of the more stealthy members of the order. "Yes, plenty of them. You have to have a large number of guardians to cover such an expanse, wouldn't be logical to leave the borders open to invasion and place the lives of so many in jeopardy," he pointed out in his most reasonable voice possible.
"Why else do you think there isn't a Kalona in sight, or a Skinwalker for that matter!" He tutted softly and shook his head. "Well, even if you weren't lost you were completely blinkered if you didn't see 'em, some of them are really freaking big and fat."
"You probably shouldn't tell my brother I said that, by the way."
... 'muscled' would have been the correct term and he would most likely pay for the remark later, but for the time being it was the most suitable way to describe their appearance. Most people would describe them as 'fat' from a distance, it was only when you came up close to the massive 'beasts' that it became apparent it wasn't just fat that made them quite so bulky!
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:11 pm
With a mother's experience, Gemmae caught the shift in what the stallion had been about to say and what he hastily changed it to, but she let it slide without doing more than raising her eyebrows as she waited for him to elaborate. Really, this stranger really made her feel her age and then some.
But as he continued, she found herself amazed. This really was a herd, and a well-organized one at that! She wasn't certain that a guardian would be fat, per se, but it didn't particularly matter what the stallion in front of her thought of the guardians as long as they did their job.
"I've never seen a Kalona or a Skinwalker," Gemmae pointed out, "so I wouldn't know too much about seeing them in these mountains." She considered what she'd been told. "It sounds like your herd's guardians do a good job though."
Now...how to steer this conversation into going deeper into the herd's territory and the possibility of her staying there? It could be a challenge.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:23 pm
Usually Fenghuang was very supportive of his herd, he absolutely adored them and was fiercely loyal to his family. The same could be said for any who lived within the herd, the bonds between families were incomparable and few soquili could fully understand the depth of the emotions shared between each of these family lines. Nevertheless, there were times when he couldn't express himself in the most eloquent of ways and given that he was anxious to return to the side of his princess, the quality of his conversation had plummeted. At some point he appeared to have lost most of his manners between the small crevace he had leapt across and the brief slide down the mountainside.
His father would have covered his face with his wing, his mother would have giggled. Had neither been present then it would have been guaranteed that he would have been lectured by his brother. Alas, when it came to Ambroise the words tended to flow in one ear and out the other - Feng's brain was definitely not a sponge when he was being told off.
"Of course they do," Fenghuang's voice grew firm and his brow lowered. His expression wasn't necessarily grim so much as definite, there was no denying that his herd's guardians did their job and he would have no one dispute that. "Their skills are unparalleled and I can assure you that no other herd in these regions has had the skill or numbers to emulate them," he explained calmly.
His body had recovered from it's adrenaline filled jolt and now that his muscles didn't quiver he was able to stand still. However, without the adrenaline to befundle his mind things were finally starting to click - she wasn't acting the way a normal soquili would even if they were lost.
A spy?
Mmmm no, too direct in her questions.
He could play that game to, but he could guarantee he was way better at being blunt than she was!
"You're very curious about our defences, you know," he mused after a few moments, taking another step forward to inspect her more closely as if she were about to sprout horns and wings. "I'm surprised your suspicious behaviour didn't cause rise for concern until now, unless they know something I don't know about you..." he cooed thoughtfully.
There was a pause and then...
"Oooooh, I always wanted to interrogate someone!" He chirped merrily and flashed a smile; it was short lived though and it soon transformed into a smile. "Not really sure how to go about that though - can't say I have the personality of a plank so mimicking the brother would probably fail harder than the last time Poochpooch tried to keep quiet about the surprise party..."
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:35 pm
Gemmae was reassured as the red stallion seemed to take her prying about the guardians a little personally. A truly professional sounding group, more than she could have ever dreamed of. There was only one problem...she wasn't a member of that herd. Well, she hadn't been a member of any herd for a couple years now, but that was beside the point.
She was a bit taken aback as he stepped towards her, pointing out how suspicious her curiosity could seem. Well, it was true she wanted to use the information to her own gain, but that wasn't her only motivation...right? She just wanted to be safe from Fregit, damnit!
But she was hard pressed not to laugh at the red stallion's excitement. He was even sillier than Calor tended to get! As he continued on, she couldn't help but giggle a bit.
That landed the ball squarely in her court. But...how to explain her position? She mused for a few moments before replying. "I've...been looking for a safer place to live. Your herd lands sound like a wonderful place," she said wistfully. She wondered if she should outright ask about living there or joining the herd, but just because the stallion was very blunt didn't mean he couldn't pick up on hints, right?
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:51 am
If there was one thing that Feng tended to do, it was to thrive on his ability to be deliberately obtuse. It wasn't his place to invite others to stay despite his heritage - that was down to the guardians and his mother. Nevertheless he wasn't going to deny how much he loved his home, his family and his herd even though some would argue that he didn't. After all, he spent most of his time stalking a certain mare as opposed to dwelling in Islagiatt but he was fairly certain that would change after he had persuaded his princess that he was the one for her and that Islagiatt was perfect.
...He tried not to think about the possibility of rejection.
"Heh," he mused after a brief pause and shook his head. A half smile teased its way onto his lips and his eyes glowed just a little more at the thought of his family. "I certainly wouldn't deny that - gotta admit I adore them even if the majority of outsiders would infer that I'm biased," he pointed out smoothly. He rolled his shoulders in a light shrug and shifted his weight from one side to the other for greater comfort. It had been a while since he'd stayed on the slopes for a sufficient amount of time, his back and legs were no longer accustomed to the uneven ground and as a consequence he was more achey than was the norm for a mountain soquili.
"Although if you're aiming for a place to stay," he finally moved on to the topic she was not-so-subtly nudging him towards. "I'm really not the one you should be asking; my brother would probably string me up if I said you could chill out here -" he gazed at the mare cryptically before leaning towards her in a conspiratal fashion. "Between you and I, I'm really not in his good books right now..." he murmured, failing to mention that he had vanished for over a year without word regarding his health and had left his family fretting in regards to his whereabouts.
He totally deserved his brother's wrath.
Even if he didn't care to admit it out loud.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:35 am
She was getting used to how this red stallion spoke, musing on things aloud before actually coming to the point and answering her questions. Gemmae wondered if it was a trait of mountain Soquili or if it was just him. Finally though, he did answer the question she wasn't quite asking and she couldn't help feeling a bit crestfallen. The only outward signs of her disappointment was a certain look in her eye and the sudden slumping of her shoulders - though the latter she would chalk up to the mountainside not being the most pleasant place to stand and chat.
"I..see," the mare finally responded. This...was less than good. The stallion before her seemed like a nice enough guy, and honest too, to admit it wasn't his place to allow her to stay. But that he was not the best person to argue for her to be able to stay...it wasn't a promising thing. She wondered if his brother was going to be as insurmountable an obstacle before her as the one she was desperately trying to leave behind.
"Who, then, would be the one to talk to about staying with your herd for a time? This brother of yours?" She certainly hoped not.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:47 am
He'd seen the crestfallen stance, it was hard to hide the slump of the shoulders and the lack of warmth in her eyes. He didn't know the reason behind her disappointment (other than the usual rejection) but he was fairly certain that his reference to his brother was something she didn't appreciate. Evidently, her rather dishevelled appearance was down to running and if he had to put his hoof on it she was in the middle of a rather dramatic escape. Rest assured she was injured enough to indicate that she'd been reckless in her scent and her rather direct approach to particular subjects gave her away.
Huh - this left him with a bit of a conundrum.
Well, not really.
His brow lifted at her persistence and after a few moments of consideration he permitted the sly smile to appear on his lips. The official standing was that she should definitely consult his brother, alternatively that massive new guy they called 'Forcas' but Feng knew better. If Gemmae wanted a guaranteed yes (or close to it) then she needed to go to a more amiable and considerate source - in short, she needed to consult Yei Umeko.
"Hell no!" he announced with a shake of his head and leant in a little closer, his smile deepening. "My brother's a complete a** about that sort of thing," he laughed warmly, clapping his tail against his flank to shoo away the cold. "You'll be wanting to speak to my mother. She's the nice one," he pointed out wisely, failing to mention that the mare was potentially bonkers as well!
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:22 am
The other Soquili was quiet for a few moments that seemed to stretch on forever in Gemmae's experience. He and he alone held the key to her future right now and she could almost hear him thinking whether he should or shouldn't help her. All she could do was continue to stand on the mountainside and hope. Well, she could pray, but it didn't seem like a wise idea at the moment.
Then a smile grew on his face, and Gemmae's heart lifted as she felt a renewed sense of hope. Surely he wouldn't smile if he was going to turn her away, right? He didn't seem like that kind of guy-!
And then he began talking again. In a friendly, if still a bit blunt, manner. And told her, clearly and plainly, that she should speak to his mother. A sigh of relief escaped from the purple mare's lungs and she smiled back, giving the stallion her full attention.
"Your mother? Well, thank you very much!" Gemmae paused and considered things before continuing. "Would you...take me to meet her? The guardians probably wouldn't let me get much farther in on my own, since you say they're very good at what they do." If he was being so helpful, chances were that he'd either say yes, or find someone inclined to help her find his mother.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:10 pm
She wanted him to help her? He'd just got away from his evil brother's clutches and she expected him to walk back in there! She was bloody mad, that's all he could think of in response. Admittedly she knew nothing of his current situation and therefore her request was perfectly acceptable (or would have been to a normal sort) but to him, it simply didn't wash. He had long since come to the conclusion that if she'd gotten this far in without being interrupted in her excursion then he didn't need to guide her any further!
"You seem like the capable sort," he floundered after a few moments, his expression clearly conflicted between good manners and what he really, genuinely wanted to do. "I'm sure you'll be fine on your own - if the guards let you in this far then they obviously think you're not a major risk," he pointed out. His expression transformed into another of his boisterous smiles and his eyes lit up. Yes, that was the answer! The borderguards had assessed her and deemed her harmless so she could move on herself; that sounded about right.
"All you need is her name if anyone asks you - just holler for Yei Umeko and say you want an audience with her or something," if he had had hands he would have waved one dismissively as though it were of little consequence. Instead his grin just widened and he hopped from hoof to hoof. "Just mosey on up the battered paths and you'll probably find her," he cooed. Admittedly, she would probably hear the mare before she saw her but again, this was something he failed to mentioned.
"She's bright red, you can't miss her. Bit like me really but I suppose that would make sense," he paused and furrowed a brow. "I am her son after all," he added as if chastising his own ability to state the obvious. The moment was lost however and he shook his head dismissively, his thoughts returning to his task at hand.
"I however, must continue on my merry way. I have a princess to save, I have to let her know I'm the only one for her!" he announced dramatically and with that, leapt off the ledge and slid down the pebbled slope with a surprising amount of grace. Somewhere his father would be wing-facing at his lack of etiquette but at least it wasn't foul weather and she wouldn't die from exposure just yet.
...This was his excuse anyway, and he would be sticking to it.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:13 pm
In hindsight, perhaps it had been too much to hope that a young stallion, clearly impatient to get to the mare he loved, would be her guide the rest of the way. Or maybe she was deeper into the herd's lands than she'd thought. If that was the case, then perhaps it was just as well that he was abandoning her to make the (hopefully) last leg of her journey on her own, as the rest of this grand trip had been all throughout.
Gemmae watched the red stallion sliding gracefully down the moutnain side. Was that her destiny, to forever go through life alone? When she was a young filly she'd dreamed of a handsome Prince Charming coming to canter with her into a glorious sunset. Later her imaginings would start with him pounding Fregit into the dust. Then she'd hoped to meet him in Kawani lands, but dealing with Moltres, the children and Fregit's reappearance had ground those old dreams into the dust.
Still, perhaps here, in this herd, she would find that perfect stallion. It was a nice thing to think about anyway as she continued onward up the mountain, looking for a bright red mare named Yei Umeko. Following the stallion's advice, she began calling out, feeling slightly foolish as she did so.
"Yei Umeko! I'm looking for Yei Umeko please!"
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