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 Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:22 pm
Warmth, protection, jewels in her hair, a shawl woven with gold to keep her warm. . . Honestly, life had been so kind to the young mare. Why it had been take from her, why she had been scorned by the world and cast out by the others. . . .
It just wasn't fair!
How she'd wept for Ezenwa's death, for the death of her family, of the other horses. . . . How she'd wept for herself and the lot she'd now been cast. Run out from the soft seas of sand and lost in a world completely unfamiliar. She didn't dare return the way she'd come and was so lost she doubted she could find her way back even if she tried. . .
The hills and mountains never ended. The land was hard on her hooves, and when she'd run in to snow . . . Oh, what a wretched thing it was! Cold white stuff that stuck to her mane and fur, that froze her ear tips and legs, stuff that blinded her when the winds howled in her ears.
Oh, it was horrible, HORRIBLE! And it didn't just fall upon her coat, it lay in heaps everywhere and the young mare couldn't out run it no matter how hard she tried. She slipped and skidded on more than one occassion, and her beautiful shawl did nothing to keep her warm; it too was soaked and frozen . . . .
How long she'd been on the run, the mare didn't know. She'd hoped to seek out refuge of some sort, perhaps another friendly tribe of humans, but that wasn't the case. She'd met none on her travels and was quite sure she'd reached the end of the world. These hills would soon stop and all that would lie before her would be nothingness. . . that had to be it, didn't it?
The world was a finite thing from what she remembered learning. There was a beginning, and an end, and in the physical form Neph was quite sure she was reaching that end. Literally AND figuratively!
Half-starved, eating the dead branches and leaves she could find hidden beneath the snow provided little for her. The treates and niceties she'd been given weren't an option, and while she was used to hard times where food was scarce. . . she never suffered like this.
Broken of heart, and broken of spirit, the mare hardly knew why she bothered. Her legs kept moving out of habit more than concern, shivering with every painful step. Step by step. . pushing her way through the frozen wasteland Nephthys lost her footing and collapsed in a heap.
But this time, the mare did not rise. She was too tired, too afraid, and too damned cold. There was no point. . . Let her be buried here, in this foreign land, as she should have been slain with her tribe.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:07 pm
His meeting had been completed and the stallion was more than satisfied with the conditions of the birthing shelter. He'd never seen one constructed in such a manner, definitely human in design it had been provided to ensure an easy birth for the soquili of the lowland. Warm, clean and well swept it was perhaps even more suitable than the wind shielded caves used by Islagiatt. It hadn't taken him long to confirm that while the mare used no pain relieving ointments or herbs, she had performed this rite of passage many times and was both competant and confident in her endeavours. He had little to add to her expertise and rather than teach the air new methods he merely provided her with ample amounts of ointment and herbs for her use throughout the proceedings. All in all, it had been a very smooth encounter and had left the shy doctor in a rather content state.
He hadn't dwelled for long after as he had never excelled at idle chit chat and had instead made his excuses. Now the tall and ethereal male waded through the snow with only mild regard for it. The shrines within Japan had always been snowbound but the steps and walk ways were usually swept to ensure they were easy to traverse, if they weren't, the snow rarely got beyond a few inches and as such he still found it hard to walk now and then. It found it particularly difficult when the snow acted like quick sand, sucking his large and fluff-ridden hooves into their depths with no intention of relief.
Alas he was capable of admiring it's scenic beauty even if it was rather awkward and inconsiderate to the requirements of various creatures. It was during one of these periods of tranquility and reflection that he had navigated his way back up the slopes. He hadn't gone particularly high but he was making reasonable progress all things considered. The snow was thickening and the chill was becoming considerably more severe but duty compelled him to move, it may be cold but those in the mountains were liable to injury and if there was no medical assistance it would be far worse than the lowlands.
He hadn't been expecting much in the ways of excitement as he climbed though, such excitement was usually reserved for further up the slopes where the soquili were situated more closely. Therefore he was startled when he caught sight of a mound in his peripheral vision that not only stood out from the snow in colour but seemed to be heaving as though it was alive. He wasn't normally a stallion to pause in these circumstances but it had been a long time since he had last seen something like this and after a rather unsuitable delay (in his opinion) he let out a small curse.
That mound...was a soquili.
"No," he murmured and with surprising alacrity he bounded across the snowplagued slopes and towards the side of the fallen creature. When he got there, his stomach plummeted. Oh he had seen creatures in a poor condition before, but when they were quite so emaciated as this small mare and during this type of weather the prognosis was usually bad. It was rare that he was riddled with so little confidence in his field of expertise but even he had to worry. It was with considerable effort that he shook the doubt from his mind and gave the mare a very abrupt nudge to the shoulder.
"Wake up!" he ordered roughly, lowering his head to snort warm air over her muzzle to get a reaction. "Get up!"
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:27 pm
She was dreaming. . . . she had to be. Her body suddenly felt filled with warmth, as if the snow wasn't surrounding her, as if she were back at camp. The terror and fear she felt was washed away by a sense of calm. . . . Her eyes had closed and she felt herself slipping in to a deep sleep, a sleep that would take her away from all of the hurt.
It was a good thing. . . a relief. She could almost hear the camp fires crackling and snapping. . . the scent of meat on the fire. . . the touch of fingers running over her neck and gentle hands brushing her mane. . .
Yes. . . everything was right. She was home. She was - - -
Something jerked her awake. The warmth she felt was pushed away by something dark and black. DAMNIT! Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at what looked to be some sort of shadow spirit standing above her. Her vision was blurred as she remembered the cold and the snow she lied upon, though her mind was trying very hard to compute what was happening and what was going on.
The dark creature. . . it was a horse, just like her. It spoke but she had trouble discerning what it was he said. . . And such an accent! Such a thick accent was he even speaking words or just gibberish? Still, the young female couldn't help but stir, remembering how cold she was. . . her hunger. . her overall complete and utter misery.
"Are you here . . . to . . . . help?" She questioned, her own accent thick and foreign. Her brain slowly translated the stallions demands, and deep down, Nepthys understood if she didn't rise or get to her feet she would die. Death wasn't something that sounded appealing, though it would mean an end to all the suffering. . . . to the pain. . the confusion . . .the snow.
But that wasn't waht she was meant for, was it. . . ? No. Instinct and survival-mode kicked in even if her willpower was weak. Her tribe had fought to survive, so shouldn't she honor them by doing the same?
Whimpering slightly, the half-froze mare rolled over and struggled to find her footing. She could hardly feel her limbs at all, and what parts of her she COULD feel merely ached. Oh, she must have looked quite the sight struggling to rise but by a stroke of luck, she managed to make it to her feet.
A ragged looking thing, partially swaying on her feet, but at least she was up. She hardly had the strength to keep her neck up, much less get a good look of this strange-talking horse. . . It was good that she was so out of it, so delirious and confused. She'd have plenty of time to panic later. . .
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:52 pm
He had two choices and he had to be decisive - he could force her to walk up the slopes or he could encourage her to move down them again. Neither was ideal as it would cause strain on her already exhausted limbs but somethings were better than others in dire circumstances. He considered his optiosn and noted that he lacked the experience and familiarity with the slopes to make her journey even slightly easier whereas he could use his weight and height to keep her from tumbling down the slope if he chose to descend. Neither place was particularly warm, but the slopes were much more open and the caves had a certain chill to them when the coat wasn't accustomed to the natural bite in the air. The forests would provide shelter and if he was efficient and gave his senses a time to recuperate after the descent he was sure he could find a small grove of trees which seemed warmest.
He was going to get her down the hill, why she was up here in the first place he'd never know!
He wasn't entirely certain of what she had said initially, her accent was thick and very unlike anything he had ever heard before. Another foreigner, but she seemed to grasp Kawani to an extent and he understood her after a considerable amount of time. He gave a curt nod and with surprising firmness he nudged the mare forwards, using his tail to direct her as he maneuvered around and came to her side. If she swayed and fell she would hit his side and he was strong enough to hold her up if it came to that. He'd never been comfortable with physical contact, not since his rather abyssmal relationship but when it came to duty and another's life his discomfort could be dismissed in a heartbeat.
"Slowly," he ordered although he suspected she couldn't go any faster than she was. "We are going to find shelter," he explained in his usually calm tones. He was by pure stereotype, exactly as a doctor should be - his voice held a gentle yet rich timbre and he rarely spoke above the level of a whisper. He was heard at all times, caused no strain to those nearby but didn't boom his words or command attention as other soquili would. He was the epitome of calm and while deep down his senses were piqued with panic at her condition he refused to show it. If he was in control of the situation and his emotions then he could think clearly and treat her quickly.
...He had to.
The journey would continue for a while though, the doctor pausing every now and then to let the mare rest. His tail would coil round her leg for added support and when he was satisfied she had breathed enough he moved onwards until they breached the forest's edge and entered the forest packed tightly with a mix of conifer and deciduous trees. While some of the trees were barren and devoid of leaves, the think conifers with their mighty and aged canopies ensured that warmth remained in the depths, even upon the forest floor. The heat grew and the bite in the air diminished as he led were onwards, only coming to a halt when he was sufficently far in and situated close to a small trinkling river.
It was there that he released the mare and cleared his throat, a part of him would have prefered to keep her standing so that he could inspect her but he also recognised her need to lie down. That being said, he couldn't allow her to sleep just yet either.
"You can lie down," he offered quietly.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:32 pm
More walking. . . no . . . .
The complaint she wanted to utter was lost as she was just too damned tired. There was no reason complaining anyway as the blurred figure before her really wasn't giving her much of a choice. Why this was happening she knew not but a small part of Neph knew she should be grateful. . .
This was the first horse she'd come across since being banished from the desert. Since her beloved betrayed her, she'd been lost in what felt like hell. . . . So this black creature before her, this spirit of the mountains, was a blessing and some angel come down. He had to be. . . for why would she be so close to death and yet only now find hope?
Confused, his nudge forced her to once again pick up her legs and move. . . . This time they were going down, and she wound up stumbling or leaning upon the black one for support on more than one occasion. Every passing minute seemed to drag on for Neph and she hardly understood where they were going. . . . . Down somewhere.
Everything looked the same. Down from the mountains and in to some snowy sort of woods. . . . How long they walked, she knew not, but by the time they made it to a place of safety, of warmth, the mare was heaving. Even though they paused to rest from time to time as she skidded and slid down the mountains side, just walking was exhausting and her eyes felt so heavy.
Honestly all she wanted was to sleep. . . .
Until, of course, she heard the trickling water. For a moment she gasped, almost as if struck, and the mare pushed her way forward the last few steps to collapse by the edge of the trickling stream. Water. . . . water! How she'd craved a drink of something cool, of something so refreshing nad sweet. Dehydrated, even eating as much snow as she had hadn't been enough. . . all it had done was chilled her further and never quenched her thirst.
Unlady like as it was, Nephthys couldn't control herself and all she could do was drink the water greedily. Even after the first gulps, she felt her energy rising. . . . The cold water felt wonderful against her parched throat and was just what she needed to gain control of some of her senses. She was still confused and damned tired but . . . . At least she wasn't so damned dehydrated.
It was only after she'd quenched her thirst did she slowly lift her head and crane her head to investiage this shadowed spirit. Part of her expected the horse to be gone, nothing more than some woodland spirit directing her to safety. . . . Some angel some figment of her imagination.
Fortunately though, her eyes landed on the horse. . . . strange, he was still there. He looked, from what she could discern from the blurred image before her, odd. There was something sticking out of his head and his tail was strange in design. . . .
So she was hallucinating. Awesome. Best be polite to it though, right? "Th-thank you . . . . for bringing me. . here. . . " She spoke slowly, dipping her head as her eyes fluttered close. Another sip of water, and she wondered if she might now finally get to sleep.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:57 pm
He couldn't let her sleep, not yet. He was pleased to see the mare drink so greedily but opted to watch in case she suffered from the same desperation that others did - he had no desire to see her drown and choke on the fluid. When he was satisfied with her obvious will to survive ( she wouldn't have drunk otherwise) he gave a nod of quiet satisfaction to himself. It took him some time to discern what she had said, he suspected this would be a common occurence over the next few hours but eventually he recognised her words - they were words of gratitude. Again he could do nothing more than nod and with a quiet sigh he approached the mare once again and lowers his head to inspect her emaciated form more closely. He didn't know where she had come from but she was in a foul state, he wasn't even sure when her last meal had been.
"Count." He ordered rather roughly and moved away once more. "To one hundred," he added as though she needed further direction. He didn't explain why he needed her to do this, he simply expected it. In truth it was to keep her talking, it was to keep her awake and her mind active until he had returned. If she fell asleep now when she hadn't been attended to properly she might never wake up and that was something he couldn't permit. First and foremost she needed food and much more fluid, she could drink while she was here but he needed to locate some food for her to dine on before she slumbered.
This in mind he made his escape into the forest, trotting briskly between the trees as he sought out nutrients. His skills were rather honed in this respect, years of herbalism had taught him to locate plants with particular properties and not long into his search he discovered various pieces of food he deemed both nutrious and edible. They were perfect though they probably wouldn't be tasty and he tugged them from their roots with ease, his tail adapted to perform this action to perfection. A small meal of food bundled into his tail, mouth and strewn across his back it was only fifteen minutes or so until the stallion returned and unceremoniously unloaded his offering.
The food in the tail came first, then the food from his back (as removed by his tail) and finally he removed the food from his mouth. It was a rather substantial meal and he wasn't sure her stomach could handle such quantities but he would offer her a decent amount. Provided she got some food into her he would be happy for her to sleep, her body would be provided with fuel and with the warmth he could provide her with she would definitely wake up in the morning.
Delirious visions aside, she had a better chance of survival this way.
"Eat," he ordered, stepping away to provide the mare with her personal space as he regarded his surroundings. He shook the remaining snow from his feathered hooves and regarded the ghostly wisps of light that rippled at his hooves for a few moments. The area was safe enough and so far he hadn't caught any hostile scent, for the time being it would do even if it wasn't ideal...
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 3:36 am
Nephthys didn't entirely understand what the ebony stallion was saying. His words seemed to meld in to one another, his accent far too strong and strange for her to easily understand. Still, the fact that his words were an order Nephthys was able to pick out a few things. Count and 100. Part of her wanted to just rest her head upon her hooves, but she was a broken spirited creature and naturally quite demure. If he wished her to count than so be it. . .
"One . . . two . . . three. . . " Belly full from her greedy drinking, the mare stared down at her hooves. They were dirty, covered in the thick burning-white that she'd discovered within these hills. How she longed for the warmth of the sand, for the cold evening, and the scalding days. That was the life she was accustomed to . . . This hard ground, the woodlands, the hills and the white-stuff was quite unpleasant to Neph. She didn't like it. . . but at the moment, there wasn't much in this world she cared for, including herself.
The mare hardly realized Azzinoth's departure, staring hard at her hooves. Her counting grew faint, more of a murmur than anything, a sort of droning hum. Her mind was elsewhere as she fought exhaustion. She was much warmer than before, though still cold, and she it wasn't easy resisting sleep. Lower and lower her head sunk, her eyes fluttering now and again even as she spit out numbers.
Still, upon the return of the black phantom, Neph jerked her head up. She didn't want to get in trouble, and for some reason, it seemed as if he didn't want her to sleep. Torturous really but she also feared getting driven out. . . Perhaps this was some strange tradition? Some unique lifestyle. . .?
Things were set down before her even as her counting stopped. She stared at the foreign roots and winter-shrubbery set before her and while perhaps they were less flavorful to Nephthys the bounty was like gold. Surely he didn't expect her to eat it all . . .? And what of him?!
Ah, but another command was given as the shadow stepped away. The food was indeed for her and, once again, Nephthys couldn't control her bodies desire. After sucking her fill from the pond, the mare was swift to dig in to the bounty of food before her. Never had she tasted or seen such foods, but texture and flavor mattered little. Nephthys was smart enough to keep her gorging to a minimum . . .she had been full up on water, and didn't want to make herself sick.
It was hard to resist, but she paused now and then, taking a few moments to let her body settle with the influx of food. It felt as if she'd gone hungry for ages. The feeling of being 'full' was almost new and quite relieving. Now and then she paused to steal a shy glance at the stranger, curious about this phantom . . . he glowed. . . he was made up of shadows. . . and had the strangest look. A long, sinuous tail and a horn from his forehead. It was the craziest looking thing. . . .
He was real, he had to be. Unless this was just a dream. Perhaps she'd wake up from this nightmare, perhaps . . . perhaps she was just fooling herself. Still, the stallion looked to be studying his surroundings as well as his hooves. Maybe with him distracted she could finally sleep. Drooping her head to the food, the mare felt her eyes grow heavy. If she just closed them for a moment, a second. . . . Maybe this time she could rest.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:31 am
To say he wasn't happy with her current condition was an understatement. Hypothermia coupled with emotional distress and exhaustion was generally considered fatal. The likelihood of survival was slim to none and in most cases the patient died during the night. However, it was the duty of any doctor to ensure they were given as much care as possible - if such a sickness proved to be fatal then at the very least, Azzinoth could say that he had tried his best. That being said, he really was not one for finding his patient dead in the morning, no doctor was. He would be forced to accept that this evening would probably be the moment that made or broke the young mare and he would wake up either relieved, or a subject of grief.
Now that she had been fed and watered, the 'phantom' stallion would let her rest. With a full stomach, she would have the fuel necessary to begin her fight for survival - sleep deprivation would have made it worse in his view. With the trees keeping her shielded from the worst of the winds and the undergrowth providing a light cushion, she'd find herself much more comfortable than she had been in the snow. Heck, Azzinoth would have found it much more comfortable, this place wasn't that bad at all!
Pressing his hoof against the undergrowth, he tilted his head to one side briefly. Removing it again, he found that the foliage sprang back quite rapidly. It would definitely provide good bedding and while he'd taken a gamble in leading his patient here, he had to admit it wasn't a bad one. In fact; he'd made a very good call and this was better than some of the other places he'd selected in the past.
...Maybe he could adopt this as one of his surgeries?
The ebony stallion considered this as he drifted back towards the mare and lowly lowered himself to the ground. Accustomed to sleeping while on his hooves, it was a bit of a new experience to find his limbs sprawled out on the ground. Regardless; the mare was in need of his warmth and after a little shuffling he found a more comfortable position and coiled his tail around his body until the very tip lay close to his nose. It was only then that he heaved a sigh and slid his glowing eyes shut, and, with considerable effort persuaded the glowing tendrils around his limbs and upon his lump to retreat. Night lights really weren't something that the ill appreciated and while he was used to it, he wasn't certain that another would be (that and ghostly lights had a habit of scaring the unsuspecting passerby).
Suffice to say, it was going to be a long night for the male who was a notoriously light sleeper.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 6:04 am
It was a good night for Nephthys despite the recent horrors and emotional trauma. With a full belly and re-hydration, along with warmth to the area and nearby snoozing phantom, sleep came hard. Any dreams, or perhaps nightmares in this case, she suffered through went unnoticed and kept her completely undisturbed. It was only with the objections to a still ravenous stomach and a desire to drink once more that the mare both stirred and started awake.
Lifting her head groggily, still weak as it would take a little time for her body to fully recover, the mare blinked away the haze of her world. The white stuff was still sprinkled all around, but the water remained unfrozen. She was warm, cuddled against something soft with her nose tucked nicely against ebony fur. She stared at the dark furs, taking a moment to discern dream from reality. . . . She had been so cold before and yet she remembered some sort of phantom rescuing her.
Phantom.
Dream.
The days events from yesterday came to mind in a flash, and Nephthys realized the warm furs beside her weren't blankets or furs at all! It was the strange looking phantom pony from before!! It was her illusion come to life!
Gasping, Nephtys involuntarily started, half-jerking in surprise as she realized just how snuggled up against him she was. Ooooh . . . oooh! There was that razor-sharp HORN jutting out of his head, and that strange glowy-mutated tail and . . and those split hooves and . . and. . . . .
Oh gods.
Where on earth had she roamed!? Never before had she witnessed a creature so strange. And yet this phantom had taken care of her. . . The food was still before her, tempting her, and the grove he'd brought her to was still warmer than the rocky, snow covered cliffs of before. But . . . what was with this strange creature? It was unlike anything she'd ever seen, ever witnessed. Sometimes the people of her desert tribe had spoke about a rare race of horse, stronger, faster, smarter. . . but never did they don horns or feline tails or split hooves!
Oh gods. . .whatever did she do now? Much more aware of herself, she shyly scooted away so as to not upset this . . .stranger. She felt herself feeling very self-conscious and it was a good thing her coat was so brown because she felt her ears already flushing from embarrassment. She was a wreck, she still felt queasy, and now she was with a strange ghost of the hills. . .
It was almost too much to understand.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 6:23 am
The so-called 'Phantom' had slept as soundly as he was able, he hadn't been sleep walking which was a bonus (and unusual) but this didn't mean he wasn't easily disturbed. The moment his ears sensed the delicate whisper of the foliage beneath him, they swivelled to and fro. He hadn't woken up just yet, but his subconcious was aware that something was amiss, or more accurately, that something was moving nearby. It was only when she gave an involuntary jerk that his eyes fluttered open and he stared blearily ahead. A few blinks, three for good measure, and his vision cleared ensuring that he could see exactly where he was.
It wasn't that the ebony male was sluggish in the mornings, nor did he resemble a sloth, but there were moments in which he did need a second or two to gain his bearings. It would have come to no one's surprise that he wasn't in the company of others as he slept and, as a consequence, the very existence of his patient beside him was a rather foreign concept. What was worse, was that the doctor distinctly recalled that she was female. There were some mares in the world who would take this particular situation very poorly and he wasn't really the sort who could deal with such rejection.
Oh, he didn't expect her to reject his advances (that was a given) but if she opted to reject his assistance he wouldn't be a happy medic. He remained still for a little while longer, permitting the mare to slink away from him as best she could. There was a high chance she was horrified at the lack of distance between them and he wasn't about to invade her personal space - particularly now that it wasn't necessary. Once he was satisfied that she had retreated to a distance she felt comfortable with, he did pull himself to his hooves. He stood for a time, gazing expectantly at his hooves and without further adue the ghostly wisps seemed to awaken from their slumber.
In fact, the stallion seemed to crackle to life as he stretched out each limb one at a time. First the legs, then the neck - his tail gave a quiver as he whipped it out from side to side. However when it came to his neck and back, he was rather startled to find that both gave an all mighty crack. A startled expression registered on his features and he tentatively swung his tail around to prod at his spine. It was unharmed (obviously) but sleeping on the ground was something best to be avoided apparently.
Was he meant to say 'ow' at this point?
It really hadn't hurt.
The expression evaporated from his features reasonably quickly and was soon replaced by his usual placid, yet unreadable one he tended to favour. Satisfied that he hadn't broken anything with the sudden crunching of his spine, he turned his attention at last to the mare and fixed his glowing gaze on her form.
She was as battered as she had been yesterday but this was a given, her frail and rather weakened form were evident. However, it was clear that some sleep and some food had done her well, she had survived the night and this had been his greatest concern. For all intents and purposes she had defied convention and pulled through, she should have been proud of herself (had she been aware of the odds). Nevertheless she wasn't completely well and it wouldn't have taken a doctor to notice the uncertain footing and the timid demeanour.
Alas, best that he continued to nudge her down the road of recovery. Some hearty meals, safe surroundings and good rest would ensure she recovered.
"Hungry?" he asked quietly.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 6:48 am
He seemed massive to Nephthys. She was of a desert lineage that was meant for a desert lifestyle. Little precipitation, extreme heat and many sand dunes. Her body was able to withstand dehydration better than some but only to a certain degree; the winters of this rugged mountainous land were completely unfamiliar to her. . . . As it was, her size was quite delicate and petite. Compared to the massive woodland phantom before her, when he stood and began to stretch himself out she couldn't help but secretly gape.
He was a giant.
Surely he must be a creature of myth of legend, perhaps some sort of god reborn? Her head was filled with various tales she recalled growing up with, and while the desert princess was still a little intimidated by him it was only when he litterally cracked that she started again.
THough she hadn't risen to her legs yet, she did visibly jump while her brown eyes went wide. Now that sounded painful . . . Perhaps he was some ancient soul whose limbs were made of the same woodland treets that snapped and cracked during the winter?
Oh goodness. . .he truly was a phantom spirit! Sometimes they gobbled creatures up if they were malignant. . .and while Azzinoth hadn't yet done anything to harm her she feared she might somehow upset him. Best trod carefully. "Are you . . . all right?" She questioned softly, a practical whisper. Her accent was thick but her words clear enough.
As he seemed to 'crackle' with light, Nephthys knew she was in the presence of something far greater than she. Exactly what the spirits were doing to her with all these tests was uncertain. Surely though she feared failure and only too late realized she was staring. Oh goodness . . what better way to insult someone! As he turned to her, she hastily averted her gaze to look back down at the ground.
A prince amongst phantoms. . . yes, that was what he had to be. Horselike in design, yet not at all, and with limbs made of wood and lightening and moonlight glowing against his fur that had to be made of shadow. . . Yeah. She might be a desert princess by title alone, but he truly was in a league of his own.
"I ... am." She quietly noted, gaze still averted in quiet submission. It sounded almost like an apology and part of Neph wished to will her hunger away. He'd cared for her during the night, surely it wasn't his place and he had better things to do. Neph had many questions and was strung with confusion, but she didn't dare speak a word. No.
Her gaze rose from the ground to the pile of roots not far from her reach. They looked tempting but she did not want to gorge herself again and look even more the fool. " . . . may I?" She questioned softly, not wanting to appear rude to gobble up the treats. If he were hungry, she wouldn't object to him eating first. No need to look greedy, after all.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:17 am
She was giving him far too much credit. The very idea that he was any form of god or mighty spirit would have been laughable. However, it was perhaps for the greater good that she had selected him to regard with awe. He wasn't the sort to harm another and would most certainly refrain from taking advantage. Until she had settled and become accustomed to the fact that the Kawani was a hot spot for Soquili, he would fit well into the role of a 'phantom'. When she discovered that he was nothing more than a mutant unicorn, she would re-evaluate her definition of what he was (or so he would hope).
Unfortunately, while he couldn't read her mind, the reverence she expressed towards him wasn't lost. His expression became puzzled for a short while before he dismissed it. It was best that he didn't ask but he was not comfortable with anyone bowing to him. Granted, in Japan the mares were demure as she, but even then they had a spark and their own little quirks. They would nod in recognition of his profession but he was not of royal blood and didn't require such consideration. All in all it made him feel just a touch out of sorts!
Frankly, if she were a true princess then it should have been him bowing.
Again he gave a stretch, testing his limbs that only now began to regain feeling. They were stiff, unaccustomed to lying flat against the ground.
"Are you all right?"
He'd always had an issue with accents and her's was much different from the usual Kawani. It took him a considerable amount of time to decipher what she had said before he offered a sheepish smile and rolled his shoulders. He was perfectly healthy and he definitely hadn't broken anything. Although if he had been aware that she thought he was made of wood he would have been quick to assure her that he wasn't!
"Mmmhm," he replied as a means of reassurance. They made slow progress in terms of communicating, but body language was enough for him at least. When she nodded to the roots nearby he merely shook his head and moved a greater distance away so that she could approach them. It was evident he had no qualms with her feeding on the remains of the food from yesterday. However, the fact that she had expressed her hunger meant that he would be required to find fresh food.
Fresh roots were better for the body.
He knew this all too well - the only time an aged root was of use, was when it had been preserved.
"Eat," he instructed and with little more than a whisper of disturbed leaves he slipped away from her immediate vicinity and disappeared into the forest to locate herbs, roots and other such foods that would make up her breakfast. Admittedly, he was on the hunt for something a bit more tasty than what he had provided before - what he had given her the previous evening were there to promote good health and tasted horribly bitter. Now that she could sit up and move around a little, she could have a sample of these herbs alongside the more desirable meals.
...Although she would still be expected to take some medicine!
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:07 am
In reality, Nephthys wasn't necessarily royalty by blood. She had been handpicked as a foal to be raised as a the tribe leaders prized steed. Of course, she was no war horse, and instead was primped and pampered. The golden trinkets within her thick dreaded mane and tail, the gold insignia upon her woven cloak, and the general praise caused the other horses of the tribe to consider her such.
In reality though, she knew no other lifestyle. It was more a title than an earned position and she certainly wasn't a stereotypical princess by any means. Truth be told, Nephthys much preferred a less glamorous lifestyle. She had always been gentle and shy, but all of her pampering often kept others at a distance. While she had cherished the companionship of the two-legged ones, she often felt strangely out of place amongst her brethren.
Oh well.
Those memories and such a title were indeed history. Feeling out of place was only natural for Nephthys, so to be placed so awkwardly next to this forest spirit rather suited her. In a backwards sort of way.
Brown eyes turned back, briefly, to the stallion as he answered her inquiry with a small gutteral noise. Still, she understood the affirmative inflection and was pleased that he seemed to be well. Perhaps the bone cracking was only natural, she herself felt stiff and was in need of a good stretch as well. Offering a hesitant but shy smile Nephthys slowly began to relax until she looked back at the food.
FOOOOOOOOOD!
Her stomach didn't so much growl as roar, starling her again with a small jump and an embarrassed dip of her head. Ah, yes. . . sustenance! Along with the phantom's encouragement to eat, Nephthys pulled herself forward and quickly but delicately began to eat the bitter roots provided. Taste had no meaning here. It was unfortunate that she'd been feasting off of some of the most inedible plant life around. Bark and long dead shoots had tasted horrible but anything in her stomach had been better than nothing. These roots, bitter as they were, contained at least SOME sort of flavor compared to the rotting dead things she'd nibbled on experimentally in her fright.
Once her initial hunger was sedated, Nephthys took a look and noticed with mild surprise that she had been left alone again. He sure did like to slip in and out of the shadows. . .but phantoms must be notorious for such a thing, right? Still, part of her was grateful. . .
With him gone, maybe she could attempt to rise. Her legs were rather objecting this 'down' position and she herself wasn't accustomed to sleeping so low. Tentatively, the mare tested putting weight on her legs. They felt partially asleep and mostly weak but she was bound and determined to at least stand.
Unfortunately, her body wasn't so willing to cooperate. After a little flailing about, Nephthys was determined. She didn't want to keep looking so weak. . .no no. She was a desert horse, after all, standing was a simple thing! Forcing herself to her hooves, the mare wobbled unsteadily. Swaying a bit, she caught her balance and stood still as the night.
There. . . .
See?
Standing. Standing was good. Standing was - - -
A small winter parteridge bolted to its roose in a nearby bush. Jerking slightly from surprise, the poor mare realized with horror that she wasn't entirely stable yet on such stiff limbs. Fumbling forward with a starteled "Eeep!", she corrected her stance by pulling back far too much and fell promptly on her rump in a rather undignified position.
Really, this was just ridiculous. Head lowered slightly, she took a moment to war logic with a little bit of stubborn pride. "If only you'd cooperate," she softly scolded, giving a small frown to her hind legs.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:21 am
Stealth was a useful skill to have and any individual who was intelligent and had lived in solitude for much of their life would master it. There would be some who felt it unnecessary. Whether this decision was through arrogance, naivity or otherwise, they wouldn't take it upon themselves to learn but Azzinoth had. He was a fairly mature stallion and suitably older than his brother, as a consequence he had mastered the art long ago and suffice to say, he was more ghost than soquili in that respect. It was just how he liked it - if no one noticed him then he wouldn't bothered and they wouldn't question his reliability and so forth.
Nevertheless with his hunt for food complete he had turned round and returned to his temporary place of stay. What awaited him wasn't something he had initially anticipated. At first he thought she resembled a foal, flailing and snorting as she struggled to regain her footing. A part of him celebrated when she managed to acquire it. However, no sooner had she gained some form of balance than she was spooked and toppled over in a rather undignified manner. He had the decency to wince, though he made no sound to indicate he was there.
...Should he leave her a little to regain her composure?
He puzzled over this for a few moments and conceded that she would recover far better if she had something to munch on while she made other attempts. His decision made he waited a touch longer and then finally cleared his throat. Hopefully he had left sufficient time between her tumble and his small sound to imply that he hadn't seen a thing. Sometimes it was better that no one realised they'd been watched, patients were often already embarassed by their predicament and didn't need to 'humiliate' themselves more.
Weaving around a number of tree trunks, he made his way to the small clearing and deposited the food in much the same way he had before. Food coiled in his tail was dropped first, then the food was swept from his back and finally the food in his mouth was set down. All in all, this food looked decidedly more appetizing with nuts, berries and leaves strewn amongst the roots. He wasn't entirely aware as to whether or not she possessed the knowledge to crack and eat nuts, but he could offer them at the very least.
"Food," he offered with a point of his tail before moving away again to provide her with ample distance. He made no reference to her peculiar stance despite how embarassed she might be and instead turned his attention to the small stream. Puzzling over his own complexion for a few moments, he finally lowered his head to sip at the water and coiled his tail loosely around his hindleg. It was a nervous twitch so to speak, but it was better than having it sway back and forth!
...If she fell while he was here then he would catch her, but he had to make sure she had no idea he'd seen all the rest of her tumbles and flailing. Thus, he feigned ignorance.
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:01 am
Neph was completely and utterly unaware of Azzinoth's swift return. Her pride was quite grateful. It was just as she was going to give rising another go that he did return with a soft clearing of his throat.
Oh goodness!
Still, rather awkwardly she attempted to right her terribly undignified position. Not only was it rather uncomfortable, but she didn't want any further embarressment by him witnessing her in such a state. She still had some pride, albeit it not much. She didn't dare look at herself in the water, fearing her appearance was the worst. She could already see her mane and it's frazzled condition, and knew her coat was stained with goodness only knew what.
Thankfully, the spirits were kind and he didn't catch her foolish attempt to stand. Slinking meekly down to her belly, she said nothing as Azzinoth returned and was glad he too didn't question her earlier precarious position. Ignorance was bliss, after all.
Focusing on the proffered foods, Nephthys almost objected. There were ample roots for her to eat from the day previous and she felt guilty for letting them go to waste. Still, the treats bestowed her were much more interesting than the roots. The berries smelled sweet, and the nuts themselves, while foreign, weren't entirely new to her. Occasionally the people of her tribe traded goods with foreigners or returned from odd lands with gifts. . . Nuts were a rarity but something she enjoyed. Even if she didn't realize how to eat them in their natural state.
"Thank you, Anyaa'ily Haly'a," she murmured softly, gifting him the tribal name of Black Moon. He glowed, like the moon, and certainly was made of the black of shadows. It was only fitting and as she had yet to request his name formally, it would work.
Delicately, Nephthys turned her attention away from the roots of the day before and began to pick at the softer berries. Te moment she chewed and the sweet flavor hit her tongue, the mare looked both surprised and ever grateful. Truly the berries were delicious and the taste was enough to cause her hunger to renew.
How on earth was she going to properly thank Anyaa'ily Haly'a?! Nephthys honestly didn't know how one could make up such a thing - here he was, caring for her, a complete and utter stranger. Even if, as a spirit, this was his job it . . . it still wasn't entirely fair. Just saying 'thanks' seemed hollow.
Hmm.
Perhaps she'd mull upon it later. . when the nuts and berries weren't tempting her pallet.
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