[PRP] And now you're back (Anelisse and Fenghuang)

[Cajmera]

"You know, life is a delightful thing sometimes, Raccoon."

Anelisse was not a complicated mare much of the time. She was very simple and straightforward in her wants and her desires, her feelings and intentions. She was beautiful, most of the rest of the world was not. Her family was perfect, most of the world was not. Her familiar was the most wonderful creature in the world, most familiars were inferior. She was always right, she was always to be considered first...the list went on in its beautiful simplicity. It had always been that way.

Well, it had always been that way until it hadn't. And to be honest, she didn't know what she thought of that. Life had certainly been easier when she could adhere to the black and white code of conduct and ethics that had thus far ruled her life.

But on the other hand, perspective was nice, too. Being calm was nice. Having answers was nice.

No, it had to be a good thing. Things happened to her for the best. Things that happened to her WERE the best. She was, after all, the best.

Or so she kept thinking, and so Raccoon kept confirming. As long as she stayed away from the grimmer realities of life (realities like family, to name just one), she was fine. Beyond fine. Exquisite.

Right now in particular. At this particular moment, the mare was enjoying one of her favorite activities; sitting beside the water, watching her reflection as Raccoon styled her hair. Sure, it was a vain activity, but there was just something delightful at seeing Raccoon in action, making something already beautiful into something amazing. Besides, it was time for the two of them to truly bond, and even though she wouldn't admit it in those words, Anelisse loved Raccoon.

She received no response to her comment, but that was hardly surprising. When working, Raccoon was all business and hardly communicative; any noises were purely musings. Indeed, Anelisse found it hilarious how a creature that was so completely devoted to her could block her out for a couple hours each and every day. Raccoon was so very cute when she was thinking...

At the moment, Raccoon was at her most thoughtful. Like most artists, she was very serious about her craft, and Mistress' hair was her art. Right now it was loose and unbound, cascading over Anelisse's shoulders and over Raccoon's paws as the familiar eyed it with artistic discernment. Anelisse had always left Raccoon complete freedom when it came to her hair; the only input Ane ever offered was if she felt like a particular style: Low, braided, simple, dramatic...if no opinion was offered, then Raccoon was free to do as she wished.

Today, Ane had expressed no opinions, and that meant that Raccoon got to play with free rein. The difficulty was determining what to do.

Pursing her lips, Raccoon gathered two fistfuls of hair, then let it go; grabbed a bigger hunk and raised it towards Mistress's ears, then let it go. It was always such a decision, such an undertaking; above all else, it had to be perfect. Hrm...

"Let's go with simple today, Raccoon. I think that I want to go for a walk today and don't feel like too much top-heaviness."

Aha, input from Mistress! That would help create today's perfect look, indeed it would! Beaming, Raccoon went to work, her paws flying as they finger-combed and gathered up Mistress' mane, paying particular attention to the glossy black half that formed the lower part. Having completed that, she gently gathered it to the side at the based of Mistress' neck, tying it up with a braided band of reddish-orange hair from her own personal collection. That done, for the final touch she carefully the brooch into the band, the brightly sparkling gem brilliant against the black hair.

Beautiful!  

[Epine de Rose]

His brother had been furious, his father had come close to it but his mother? Well, it wouldn't be like his mother to pitch a fit and instead she had positively glowed with pleasure at his reappearance in Islagiatt. She had subjected him to a great deal of fussing, many nuzzles and a stream of questions but she certainly hadn't been mad. When all was said and done, the stallion had been completely honest with his mother and when he had explained everything to her she had welled up. Ambroise had looked unmoved having already passed judgement on his younger brother's behaviour and his father's expression had been a puzzle but when it came to Yei Umeko she had stayed true to form - the die hard romantic she had squealed in delight and informed him that she completely supported his behaviour.

As she'd pointed out to his father, his motives were good.

...He hadn't touched her inappropriately either - this of course was something she had needed confirmation on and had shot him a quick look. Unlike other stallions who might have spun tales to improve their standings he merely shook his head. If there was one thing he wouldn't lie about it was that and he anticipated that his brother would have been quick to point out a few details as it were. For a start, she hadn't been terribly happy to see him so how could he possibly bed the mare! Ah, but would you ever confess that to your mother anyway?

No sooner had the truth been made readily available than the reunions were cut short. Satisfied that her baby was in one piece, she had tutted in exasperation at her mate and her eldest before shooing him away. Feng had given no protest and had willingly agreed to visit at every family holiday. He'd pop his head in at much more frequent intervals and if needs be he'd send word that he wasn't dead. With this out of the way he had spared no time in bolting from his parents' home to the lowlands once more. He certainly hadn't lost his touch and the stallion had expertly bounded down the slopes, hind legs flicking out around loose boulders and muscles tensing as he dropped into low skids at the more treacherous parts. He supposed this was the definition for skiing and might have looked fairly impressive from a distance it was just a shame he couldn't see it for himself!

There had been a few interruptions in his descend of course, one wayward mare he would later find out had joined the herd for protection and a few minor slips ups but outside of that he made good progress. Suffice to say, it was easier for the stallion to climb down the slopes than it was for him to clamber up them - that heavy weight of guilt had evaporated and made him significantly lighter...well, that and he'd lost the extra weight of the mud and he'd given his mother his reindeer pelt as a holiday souveneir.

It was in no time at all that the stallions hooves plunged into the much shallower snows around the lowlands. However, while most would have expected that he would hurry back to his princess he did pause for thought and hesitated. Did he really want to go back?

Yes. A part of him answered silently and he shook his head. He'd kept an eye on her for quite some time and received no thanks, while he knew he would ultimately return (he couldn't help it) the child born of wanderlust couldn't help but embrace the rare opportunity to nose about and explore for just a little while longer. It might be quite some time until he encountered another soquili again, they didn't often frequent her forest so the likelihood of him conversing would be slim to none. Pale eyes narrowed a little and a glint of mischief flickered within - well, he'd only live once so why the hell not? His father had express worry that the mare was stifling him and perhaps he was right to a degree, he'd play for just a little while for anchoring himself to one spot again.

His smile deepened considerably and with a rather enthusiastic hum the red male trotted through the snow. His knees kicked high as he pranced through the snow with a surprising amount of grace... It was only an indication that he was indeed well practiced in traversing such terrain. Nevertheless he would have to remain optimistic about the chances of discovering another soquili when he took the weather into account - the majority might prefer to hide where it was warm; the lowland soquili made no secret of how thin their winter coats were (and nor did they take measures to change that)!  

[Cajmera]

"As always, your taste does you credit, Raccoon." With an expression of extreme satisfaction, Anelisse surveyed her reflection in the calm of the water hole, thinking to herself how amazing she looked at this particular moment. The jagged hole she had knocked in the ice framed her reflection, the dark of the water a perfect backing to her white face. That was one thing that she had never cared for with regards to winter, the surrounding whiteness always seemed hellbent on making her vanish. To be sure, it was folly to think that something as commonplace as snow could counter HER charms, but it was still far too close for comfort; little patches of darkness, such as her drinking place, were a great consolation.

Peering over Anelisse's shoulder, Raccoon could only coo with pleasure at both the results of her work and Mistress' obvious enjoyment of the look. For Raccoon, hairstyling had always been a two-pronged hobby; she first got to play with hair, and she secondly got to witness Mistress' reaction. Not a bad set-up for one with tastes as simple as Raccoon's, and one that she was quite happy to live with for the rest of her life (if Mistress would only be so obliging!).

The relative beauty of the look agreed on by both parties, Raccoon was quick to move onto business; gently poking at Anelisse's cheek to get the mare's attention, a cocked head and a questioning chirrup provoked a smile on Anelisse.

"Well, I was thinking that I would go now, as we have both breakfasted and the sun is nearing a high point. If I am going to get out and about at all today, it makes sense to do it while it is warm, right?" Warm being a relative term, of course. Anelisse was no great favorite of the cold on its own merits, but it had always held a certain charm for the mare that detested snow and dust and general untidiness. Melting snow created mud and damp and filth, but this time of year it was the ultimate in perfection, crisp and clean and lovely.

Raccoon had less attachment to the snow than her Mistress, but she loved it for exactly what Anelisse disliked: the white allowed the raccoon to escape detection in her souvenir hunting, as long as she was careful yo avoid actually touching down on the ground. After all, tracks were the sneak's worst enemy! It was unfortunate that the snow made everything plain and dull and colorless, cold and wet, but at least she could enjoy her prowling in peace.

And it was that thought that had brightened Raccoon's mood when Anelisse proposed the idea of a walk. Obviously she was not going to let her Mistress wander off on her own, but there was a great deal of flexibility in being "together" on these walks. Often Raccoon would dash off while Anelisse was moseying, or while the mare had stopped to rest or drink something. The important thing was that she was always close enough to get back if Mistress needed anything, and she always had been.

Though she considered herself much improved in her 'escaping detection' than in times past. If she were to once again try and take hair from Red Friend, she was at least reasonably confident that he would never be able to trace her back to Mistress...well, sort of.

Glancing at Mistress, Raccoon pursed her lips for a moment as she mulled. Red Friend had been gone from his lurking for a long time, and she wasn't sure if that was good, bad, something she should tell Mistress...though Anelisse had been aware of Feng's presence after the incident with his brother, Raccoon was pretty sure that she didn't know that he had been around before that. Ever since Raccoon's meeting with Red Friend, she had been carefully keeping tabs on him, making sure that he wasn't doing anything untoward. She hadn't had any reason to be upset with him, other than his whole lurking to begin with...

No, it was best not to wonder at the way things worked out. It was probably best that Mistress not have close neighbors anyway, least they trespass and invade her personal space.

Turning away from the reflection, Anelisse let out a small sigh of contentment, then paused as Raccoon's contemplation caught her eye. Raising one brow, she studied her familiar for a moment, then asked, "Something on your mind?" Raccoon, in turn, simply shook her head, giving Mistress a hug and then vaulting up onto a tree branch with an enthusiastic chirp. Her enthusiasm caused Anelisse to laugh, which caused Raccoon to giggle, which left both of them feeling that the day was off to a good start. With that to keep them going, Ane started off through the trees, Raccoon bounding after her overhead.  

[Epine de Rose]

Fate was a funny thing and while both the raccoon and the mare were firm in the belief that their day would be wonderful, Anelisse may beg to differ if she caught sight of Feng. Admittedly, hell would probably freeze over before the mare would beg for anything but she would certainly make herself heard if she disagreed with something. She would be thankful in one respect - that being the fact that he was much cleaner and didn't stink anymore, suffice to say the mountains and the bite in the wind had done rather well to air him out. He was reasonably presentable now, still inherently scruffy due to his chosen style but respectable to most soquili. However, his time with his family hadn't given him a personality transplant as some might had hoped, in fact, it had probably made his quirks a little worse... Yei was horrid for encouraging mischievous behaviour, especially when it was done in good humour!

Nevertheless, Fenghuang's search for company had proved rather fruitless this morning. Either he was too early and the vast majority were slumbering, or the soquili in the lowlands really did hibernate when the snow came. It was no wonder that he was so peculiar, he simply didn't fit in with the behaviour of those who existed here. Hiding from the weather would be rather boring, especially when it lasted for so long. Alas, he could do nothing more than give a shrug at his lack of luck and push his way forward - no company or not, he could always drop in on a cousin or two; admire the view or hunt for some breakfast that was not generally within his reach.

When bored, it was generally best to find something to occupy time rather than to vedge!

He snorted one of the longer strands of his forelock away from his eyes and permitted a hum to escape from his lips. He would have whistled if the cold weather hadn't been so inclined to chap moistened lips. However, the sound that emanated from his throat when he did hum was perhaps more suitable for them environment. Deep, soft and barely above a whisper; his hummed tune was decidedly more pleasant on the ears than any high pitched whistle would have been. There were times when he could be considerate to his surroundings and very few soquili were morning creatures anyway, it was best not to provoke anything that could enrage the masses.

Keeping his eyes focused on what lay ahead, the stallion scarcely paid attention to the forest's edge as he drifted alongside it, regarding his horizon and what lay beyond it with more interest than the sullen and melancholy state of the trees beside him.  

[Cajmera]

The things that Anelisse did for the sake of the greater good! About an hour into the walk, she had started to think that it was a bad idea to go traipsing about in the snow; now that almost the entire morning had passed, she was firmly irritated with herself for her dedication to fitness and general good health. To be sure, she didn't want to backslide into another "grunge" phase, but it had certainly been simpler and less exhausting to be lazy. Also less cold.

But she was not the type to grouse about the inevitable, oh no. Instead, she would bare her hardships with dignity, grace...and a very obvious look of resignation, although that fact was unbeknownst to her.

Still, it was a testament to the changes that she had undergone over the past year that she continued onward with ONLY a sour expression. The old Anelisse would have stopped a long time ago, turning back when she reached the end of the path. Current Anelisse was more determined to complete what she started, the chaos of her last year having shown her in sharp relief that she couldn't count on luck to keep her strong. Genes were a prominent part of her beauty, elegance, intelligence, and obvious superiority, but she now knew that she had to take accountability for ensuring those gifts were not squandered, even if it meant plowing through knee-deep snow.

It was at least a nice winter day, and the walk wasn't terrible. Besides, Raccoon was enjoying herself, if the fact she was nowhere to be seen was any indication. Raccoon was a dear sweet creature, and she deserved to have a bit of fun once in a while. Honestly, Anelisse didn't know why Raccoon didn't go out and about more; it wasn't like she was COMPLETELY helpless when left to her own devices. Look at now; she had walked all this distance by herself, farther than she had really meant to...

Now wait a moment.

Considering the distance she had traveled, it was rather amusing to think that she hadn't been watching her surroundings. But now that she was actually looking around, she realized with some surprise that only a short distance ahead she could see blinding brightness through the tree trunks. Without intending to or realizing it, she had actually made it all the way to the edge of the forest!

Blinking a bit, Anelisse looked around in surprise, the disgusted look giving way to a self-satisfied smile as she reflected on her own accomplishment. To be sure, her home wasn't in the deepest parts of the forest, but it was still a long ways away. It was a credit to her dedication and perseverance that she had made it this far, indeed it was!

With renewed energy, Anelisse bounded through the last lengths of the trees, bursting out past the tree line with a delighted laugh as she beheld the vast, perfect stretch of white that marked the plains lowlands. "How utterly, perfectly delightful!"

Well, the almost perfect stretch of white. Looking about her, Anelisse noted one slight splash of color on the white background, one that caused the aesthetic part of her nature to nod in approval. A slight bit of orange against the white snow, it was the perfect accent color (rather like her eyes against her coat). A pity that it was winter, or she would be able to display a beautiful contrast herself instead of the matching of pristine white one white...

But wait, orange? It couldn't be...could it?

Now what was Fenghuang doing all the way over HERE?  

[Epine de Rose]

It had been a pleasant walk, the lowlands were significantly warmer than the slopes and unlike most, he didn't struggle to find comfort in the conditions. His humming had succeeded in cutting through the silence with delicate precision and the crunch of the snow beneath his hooves had worked in perfect harmony with the rather obscure song he had chosen to recall that day. With each step the warmth in his limbs grew and the further he moved into the lowlands the warmer he became. Admittedly this was down to the additional exercise he was doing, the continuous movement combined with his thick coat was generating a lot of heat but it made the cool air much more pleasant.

...Lowland soquili for all their delicate and hibernating ways, were missing out!

Nevertheless his pleasant reverie and idle humming were interrupted in a fashion he hadn't actually anticipated. He had long since passed by countless trees, the forest's edge was a mere blur to him. It's interior radiated heat that he would embrace at a later hour but for the time being it held no importance. What lurked within the trees had been largely forgotten as well - or rather it had been forgotten until the pale mare had barrelled out from the line of melancholy trees with a rather delighted giggle. It should have come at no surprise that he didn't initially recognise her and had prepared to approach until it had dawned on him that the mare in question was in fact Anelisse. What was worse, was that the mare had apparently seen him.

He paused, his hooves sinking into the snow as he failed to drift through it at a pace more suited to remaining mobile. He'd regret it later of course when he had to tear his hooves from the ground to keep moving, but he was permitted at least one opportunity to freeze. Had she not spotted him, there was a high chance he would have done an about turn and headed back the way he came but as she had indeed seen him that gave him very little choice - he'd have to keep going. His jaw tightened at the thought, and with the quality of her laughter still fresh in his mind he was acutely aware that his absence had been enjoyed. Fabulous, he was about to ruin her day again and he hadn't even been near her home.

"Thanks," he drawled as he shot his pale gaze up to the greying sky and shook his head. The spirits may have worked in mysterious ways, but sometimes they were completely ridiculous. Rolling his shoulders, the male forced himself to relax to some degree and when he was comfortable he moved forward again. Eventually he did start to hum again as he bridged the distance but the tune had changed to something slightly more appropriate. It would be a fairly quick meeting or so he could assume, he could acknowledge her with a friendly hello and continue on - she had already made it well known she didn't like to talk to him so he wouldn't force the issue. He could be considerate when he wanted to be...

"Afternoon," he offered as he drew within a distance that didn't require him to raise his voice too much.  

[Cajmera]

Once she had verified that it was indeed Fenghuang, Anelisse had come to a mental halt. On the one hand, she had already talked to him and cleared the air (well, close enough), so she really didn't need to talk to him. But on the other, having seen him she found that she still wanted to talk to him, sort of. But not really about anything in particular. On the other hand, he was good at frustrating her, and she was having SUCH a good day so far, did she really want to risk him ruining her good mood? But on the other hand, the ground was frozen, covered in fluffy snow, and no mud was to be seen anywhere...

Before she had a chance to make up her mind one way or the other Feng had made the choice for her, approaching and offering a greeting while she was still hemming. On the one hand, it was a relief to have the issue decided for her, on the other...

Now STOP that, Anelisse; you are not the type who should ever be second guessing yourself; you are a gorgeous, articulate, wonderful, perfect, and superior creature who is more than capable of behaving properly in a social setting!

Giving herself a mental shake, she returned his greeting with a cordial nod and a smile of her own. "Good afternoon to you to, Fenghuang. I see that we both seemed to have similar ideas when it came to leisurely pursuits today."

Her tone was composed, her manner polite; she was the penultimate picture of a lady as she spoke. Behind the politeness was a very active eye, though, one that was examining Fenghuang with a mixture of surprise and something that she couldn't really pinpoint. The surprise was at the fore, though; he looked so DIFFERENT!

Well, different was an exaggeration. She had seen him looked somewhat presentable in the past, it had just been so long that seeing him now looking washed and groomed was a bit like seeing Raccoon with a hot pink mohawk. He didn't have the most formal style, but the loose and somewhat dishevelled look worked for him, showing off his face and shoulders in a very fine way.

Not that she was looking, of course.

"I hope you had a pleasant journey up the mountain."  

[Epine de Rose]

He didn't look that different! Her sudden take on him was probably down to the fact she wasn't mad at him, but had he known he would have been the first to admit that he hadn't made any changes. He'd cleaned himself up, had been home, had soaked in the hotsprings for a bit and then bolted down again. He definitely didn't have any assistants for his hair and to be frank, he wouldn't have been himself if he did have someone else making him so tidy. Let his brother be the well kept model of respectability, he was a rogue by nature even if he had the inclination to anchor himself to one spot as of late. That being said it did require all of his self restraint to keep his expressio neutral as she opted to speak to him. He had the greatest desire to raise a brow at her general chit chat.

...What was this, she was talking to him?

"Well the weather is certainly agreeable for it," he replied smoothly. He'd already taken longer than was strictly necessary to reply and he had mentally kicked himself into gear. He hadn't anticipated that she'd want to drag the conversation on any longer than was considered polite. Suffice to say his expression may have been neutral but his eyes were a little puzzled - he had assumed that she would either stick her nose up at him or say hello and send him on his merry way; either way, he had expected a snub of some sort (though he'd been hoping for the less painful one).

"That being said I didn't have much of a choice," he shrugged loosely and flicked his gaze back towards the mare. "Given that I just came back down from the slopes this morning," he explained. His tone was as neutral as his face, it wouldn't do him well to ruin her day and his own by being his normally chirpy self. He'd restrain himself for now, be polite and do what was required to get through this rather uncomfortable reunion... as attractive as he might have found her and as desperate as many would have been to prolong such a meeting, he was already firmly aware of his place!

"But it was a very pleasant excursion, thank you," he added. Again he lapsed into silence, regarded the mare for a few more moments and struggled through an array of possible excuses to get away. She didn't need to know he'd be back to keep an eye on her later but really, was it too much to ask for a little bit of R&R before he went back to pretending he didn't really exist?

...Somehow he didn't think that any of his excuses would be taken terribly well and resigned himself to the knowledge that she would need to be the one to dismiss him, it'd work out better that way for them both.

"You look well, glad to see," he offered quietly and fought hard to avoid a grimace, he wasn't very good at keeping his behaviour under wraps.  

[Cajmera]

Ane's pride would have been mortified if she had even considered the fact that Feng didn't want to talk to her. Sure, it was because she hadn't wanted to talk to him in the past, because SHE had told him to buzz off, for a million and one reasons of her instigating...the fact of the matter still remained that he should by all rights be clinging to her every word and only tear himself away from her side when she let him now she expected that of him. It was the only proper way to do things!

However, as he made no sign of his inner torment she had no way of knowing and was able to simply enjoy the moment in all its glory and confusion. It WAS possible for them to have a civil conversation, who knew?

"Well, without presuming to know the particulars of your family reunion, I'd think that it wasn't entirely necessary for you to come back down here today, so there was perhaps a small amount of choice involved. Though if I had to make a journey in the winter I would take advantage of the nice days like this. Probably." It was interesting to think about how rarely she had conversations where the other party actually spoke back. Being so used to Raccoon and her mannerisms, Ane understand Raccoon's gestures and inflections as well as if they were actually speech...but it was still something completely different to speak to someone who SPOKE long enough to have an actual conversation. Extraordinary.

Though she naturally brightened at the compliment, distracting her from the mental to bask in the praise of the physical. She new that she had to look well; the exercise brought a glow to her complexion, her coat was glossy and her hair was flawless; it would be crazy to think that someone could see her and NOT admire her. That said, it was still wonderful to her herself praised, and her pleasure at that showed.

"Thank you, Raccoon was in particularly good form today and, as you can see, I am back to my properly proportioned self. Life is too short for despair at the cost of one's self, I have to say." It could have been inspirational, it succeeded at being vain, it was very much Anelisse. "But you look well yourself. One would almost never know you were a Swamp Beast so very recently."  

[Epine de Rose]

She certainly had a way with her words, had it been any other individual they would have taken offence and the encounter would have taken a turn for the worse. As it was, Fenghuang's gaze merely hardened and he regarded the mare a little more critically - it wasn't as if he had any desire to remember how he had looked (or smelled) in recent weeks, she may have been attempting to compliment him but given how things had played out... Well, he wasn't as thrilled as any other simpering male might have been at her recognition that he wasn't that bad to look at. He had the confidence to know that he looked decent with or without her admiration, granted it did knock the ego when he was dismissed but Anelisse had rather mastered that skill quite a few months ago! Consequently he wasn't immune to her lack of admiration for his form but the disregard wasn't quite as much of a punch as it should have been.

"My mother was content to let me wander again," he replied to her remarks and shrugged his shoulders in an unconcerned fashion. "She didn't have any desire to anchor me to the spot, merely to make sure that I was safe," he explained in patient tones. He stopped at this point though, aware that if he didn't then he would chattered on endlessly about his family. She had already made it clear she didn't like to be spoken too, only heard and he wasn't going to bore her with the details. All the mare need know was that his mother was content to pack his bags for him and send him on his next adventure.

...With the promise he'd be home for christmas and his nephew's nuptials.

This in mind, he listened politely to the mare as she made reference to her recovery. He would agree with her there, she had managed to pull herself from her slump and was looking all the better for it. That being said, if being 'better' gave her a greater desire to explore then he was going to have to be a little more creative with his patrols - evidently, he may be reverting back to swamp beast very soon if it was the only way to stay camoflauged!

"I was of the impression that your raccoon was always in good form," he offered politely and tilted his head to the side. Surely it couldn't last much longer, she'd get bored with the mundane and overly polite chit chat eventually right? Then he would be free to bolt off and try his hoof at some of the other things he'd had in mind before the unexpected reunion - like ice skating for one, and he hadn't been 'fishing' in an age.  

[Cajmera]

Anelisse wasn't that good at compliments, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone. At best, her's tended to come of as backhanded compliments; at worst, they were out and out insults. Feng's lack of reaction may have been the result of him having control of his emotions, but he could have cut himself free a great deal sooner had he rejected the compliment or taken it (visually) in any way other than the way she intended it. She was proud of her self-control, but it only extended so far!

But as he hadn't, she was able to believe that he was pleased to be complimented, just as she always was when she was complimented. It was impossible that someone could be UNhappy with a compliment, right?

"Well, that was nice of your mother." Both the concern for his safety and the willingness to let him go about his own business. Her mother was willing to let her make her own way in the world, but as to voluntarily making contact...

No. Tightening her mouth slightly, Anelisse mentally berated herself for even half-thinking that her mother lacked maternal concern. As a perfect being, Angelique had much to occupy her time and would intrinsically know that her offspring were alright without having to hear or see it for herself. That was the way it was, and the way things always had been, it was ridiculous for her to think traitorous thoughts about it.

Best to move away from the family topic, period. And it was very nice of Feng to allow that opening, moving back to Raccoon and letting Anelisse move there too. "For the most part she is; in all the time she's been with me it is very rare that she ever had an off day. I've made things a bit harder for her lately, but she has been very accommodating." Smiling, she turned her head to one side so that Feng could see the jewel nestled in the dark hair at her neck. "Isn't it pretty? Ever since this turned up, Raccoon has had to find some way of incorporating it into every look, making sure it is placed so as to be visible but not in danger of falling out and getting lost. I find it quite charming, and Raccoon has been a dear in humoring my whims."

As she spoke, Anelisse looked sideways at Feng to watch for any reaction. She still wasn't 100% sure that he had left the gem, but it was too much of a coincidence that it had appeared the last time he had. The proper thing to do was thank him, but some acknowledgment on his part that he'd left it would be nice, too.  

[Epine de Rose]

Feng had never been privvy to the details of Anelisse's slump, the only thing that he could recall was seeing red. This was decidedly ironic given the colour of his coat, but when she had lost her sparkle and resembled a creature on it's death bed he had found that any patience he did possess had evaporated. In hindsight even he could admit that his actions that day had been both irresponsible and utterly horrid, he had in essence physically assaulted the mare. He had no excuse and many years ago had recognised that when he did enter a negative mind set, his mood was dire and unpleasant. It was just as well that he was a pleasant creature and only snapped when pushed, but he would have been severely punished for his behaviour if any of his family had received wind of exactly what he'd done that day.

Nevertheless her reaction to family had been negative on that day too, she had uttered bits and pieces he hadn't quite understood. She had never given him all the pieces of the puzzle and rightly so, why should she? However it was clear from the get go that she was only making polite conversation. Whatever her reasons might have been continued to evade him but 'family' was not a topic that she favoured at all. She had practically leapt at his change of topic and now clinged to it like a life raft. Raccoon was obviously someone she held great affection for and as a consequence she could converse with ease.

...Unfortunately for Fenghuang, this was probably the most laboured conversation he had ever been subjected to in his life!

That being said he took great pride in himself for maintaining a politely interested but otherwise vague expression. Internally he might have take note of the jewel and congratulated himself for getting something right, but it would be uncouth to claim something was his when it had been found, correct? He forced a pleasant smile onto his lips as she brought it to his attention and gave a slight nod in agreement; it certainly suited here even if (and he noted this with mild disapproval) it was attached to the hair that her raccoon had unceremoniously stolen from him. It certainly brought out her eyes, raccoon had an eye for colour even if she was a thieving little minx.

"It certainly suits you," he responded dutifully as he pondered over the amount of time it would take for the mare to get bored of the chit chat. He wouldn't be able to keep this up forever, he'd crack eventually and say something to tick her off but for once in his young life he would have like the opportunity to leave her presence with out a headache - if she could just slip away on her own to find something more entertaining then it would be the first time ever that she wouldn't storm off seething with some form of rage.

Well, he could hope at least.

"She has done well as always, though I suspect she enjoys her ministrations as much as you appreciate the end result," he added quietly.  

[Cajmera]

Some Soquili seemed to be born understanding the finer points of conversational niceties. Others, through exposure and practice, overcame natural handicaps to become schmoozers of the first order, able to read their companions' body language, tone, and expression as clearing as understand their words. Such Soquilis, happy creatures that they were, could steer conversations in entertaining directions, tell when their compatriots were bored, and know when it was time to go.

Anelisse fell into neither of these groups, and it was Fenghuang who was forced to pay the price. His internal sighs and agonies over her mannerisms and small-talk were unnoticed, his small and somewhat terse replies (that SHOULD have indicated his disinterest) taken as permission for her to continue, rather than an indication she should stop.

There was definitely a hint of irony present, though Ane would be the last to detect it. While Feng suffered, she stood proudly, trying her hardest to be polite in a 'socially conventional way.' Thinking about what she was saying was new for her; it wasn't like she had ever had to watch her phrasings with Raccoon! To be sure, Raccoon had never once flipped out on her and yelled at her (and the fact that she was physically unable to tell was COMPLETELY beside the point)...and really, fear of yelling was a silly reason to be defensive, but still.

The bottom line was that to her, she was being a model of decorum, and anyone that say her would be privileged to speak to her and hear her new and improved communication style!

And it had its rewards for her as well. Beaming at his praise of both ornament and hairdresser, she nodded her agreement to both items. It was a delightful jewel, the sparkle adding even more luster to her already glossy mane, and as for Raccoon...

"I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even enjoy it more, if I'm being honest. If Raccoon had her way I would look different morning, noon, and night, just for the sake of artistic expression. On principal it truly is a delightful idea, but the time involved is a bit excessive." Not that she did a great deal during the day, but considering that she had to lie perfectly still for the bulk of all hair work, once a day was enough. Her natural beauty and elegance kept her look from becoming scraggly in the interim, there was no need for anything but the barest of touch-ups.

"We are actually out and about today partly so that Raccoon can scavenge. Her store of odds and ends is getting low, though I couldn't tell you what she does with most of her things. I can assure you that I have never once worn a pebble." Glancing back over her shoulder into the woods, Anelisse wondered just where Raccoon had gotten to, that she hadn't made an appearance yet. Either she'd found some particularly buried shiny, a new Soquili to pilfer hair from, or was completely unsuccessful; there could be no other explanations. And hopefully it was the former; it could be bothersome to have to rescue her familiar from an irate Soquili, and Raccoon would be sad if she couldn't find anything, which would in turn sadden Anelisse.

Point of fact, she really ought to go and locate Raccoon before long if they were going to make it back home before it got dark. Besides, Raccoon was the one with the basket containing Ane's food!

That settled it. Much as she might like to stay, she had a mission to undertake once again. Turning back from the woods to Fenghuang, she commented in a voice lightly tinged with regret, "And now I really should go and see where she's gotten herself to. We have a long walk back, and it would be horrible of me to leave without her, even if she WASN'T carrying dinner. As I'm sure you can agree, it wouldn't be proper for two ladies such as we two to be out in strange parts of the the woods after dark, and that's exactly what would happen if we lolly gag for too long." Not that she was at all nervous; as Feng had himself observed in the past, she had a somewhat dangerous tendency to underestimate the dangers of the world around her. That hadn't really changed, she just followed the social conventions.

"But it WAS nice to see you, and I hope you enjoy your own travels of the day."  

[Epine de Rose]

Was that regret? He could scarcely believe it and a tiny part of him thought it would be unwise to make assumptions. His lips pursed somewhat, not quite a thin line but fairly close. This was a first for him, if only because it was coming from a mare he hadn't believed was capable of it. When he'd first met her he'd held out a little hope but that had quickly faded as he'd watched her. It had been a hard lesson for him to realise there were certain things you couldn't change but maybe, just maybe she held something he had suspected she had from the beginning. Huh, who would have thought it, eh?

"I would be inclined to agree with you," he replied smoothly. He hadn't hesitated for quite as much time as he had before. A small part of him was glad that he would be receiving a breather from her, but the other part of him wasn't so sure. Ultimately he would end up in her shadow again, regardless of what vacation he may have taken. She didn't seem to hate him anymore either, he wouldn't be so bold as to assume she liked him but she definitely tolerated him for some reason. He wasn't sure what had brought about this change and he certainly hadn't confessed that the jewel in her hair was his so what could have possibly happened? To his knowledge, he was fairly certain Raccoon wouldn't have 'said' anything either. She was a good sort - the furball - she doted on her mistress but at the same time she seemed to appreciate what he wanted too.

Hmm...

However it did pose the question of how she would react if he was discovered again. His expression clouded briefly at this, his shoulders seeming to steel in preparation for an argument. Could he really cope with another argument or lecture? He'd lost his temper before and he suspected he might lose it again in those circumstances. It wasn't a pretty side of him. But what if he confessed to her? What if he told her right here, right now that he was here and always had been here to ensure her security - would she laugh at him? It was a possibility and was just as undesirable as the latter of his choices. If she knew then she may not necessarily desire his company (something he had accepted already) but if she found out later she may dismiss him completely. Suffice to say it was much more appealing to be recognised and kept at a distance than turn into a mere shadow again.

...That and he liked to be rather vocal, he didn't sound terribly enchanting when he croaked which was bound to cause a murmur of concern when he visited his mother.

Confessing had a lot of pros, but admitting that wasn't so easy.

Do it. His mind urged. Dare you!

Shuffling his hooves, he heaved a deep sigh and regarded the mare for a considerable length of time before shaking his head slowly. He made no attempts to glorify his activities, nor did he sound like he was dunking for compliments. On the contrary, Fenghuang sounded rather modest and appeared to be stating fact - Ambroise would have been impressed had he been witness to it. "While it is unsuitable for the pair of you to wander unprotected it is not as if you are ever unprotected for a long period of time anyway," he shrugged loosely. "I haven't permitted anyone to harm you since the day I returned from the glaciers -"

He paused.

"The time when I accosted you in the river excluded of course, which I apologise for," he added flatly. He certainly hadn't forgotten that event, necessary as it had been at the time he shouldn't really have reverted to such boarish behaviour. His parents would have been ashamed of him.  

[Cajmera]

Accepting Fenghuang's initial comment about agreeing with her with a smile and a nod, Anelisse had taken that as the end of this encounter and begun to move away when his sigh caught her attention and caused her to pause and turn back. It was in this angled posture that she then remained for a the entirety, brief as it was, of Feng's confession, allowing her to see his expression as he spoke. Perhaps more telling was her own expression, or rather expressionS, as what he was saying actually registered with the mare.

On one level, it shouldn't have been at all shocking for her. She was a beautiful mare, it was only fitting and proper that she should have stallions unable to leave her once they'd met her. It made even more sense that those hypothetical stallions be devoted swains, enamored of her but respectful of her to the point of worshiping her from afar. In the vain world of Anelisse, what Fenghuang was saying should have been the natural order.

Except that it wasn't. The wrinkle came from the fact that it was Fenghuang speaking, a stallion who had proved himself to be impervious to her charms, disrespectful of her natural state, dismissive of her very wishes! Yes, perhaps in retrospect he might not have been TERRIBLE, but the facts remained that he had acted in a most ungentlemanly fashion. He even admitted it! But at the same time...

Ane's expression had been querying when she first heard the sigh and turned. The querying look had given way first to perplexity, the surprise, disbelief, and ended with a look of pronounced confusion as she mulled over exactly what Feng was saying. How long had it been since he'd come back from wandering about, looking like an over-sized shaggy dog? The same amount of time that she'd had her jewel, actually...but how long was that again? Did it even matter.

Her features still set in confusion, Anelisse stood silent for a few long minutes after Feng had finished speaking. What he was saying both made sense and didn't make sense, and she didn't appreciate that she couldn't make something reasonable out of it! Breaking the silence with a bit more suddenness than she might have hoped, she exclaimed, "But you don't even LIKE me!"

A reasonable belief, given how he had acted, but not exactly what she had meant to say. Really, who could dislike HER? Coloring almost as deeply red as Fenghuang, she clarified in a much softer tone, "That is to say, you never struck me as a stallion who would hang around that much, given..." Still not coming out right. Raising her head and squaring her shoulders, she decided that stumbling over her own tongue was hardly the proper impression ANYONE should get of her, and with even more care and candor she simply offered, "I wouldn't have expected that you would be a gentleman."

A back-handed compliment at best, but that time, at least, she had said what she meant to say without sounding completely ridiculous. Her face remained crimson and she was looking very intently off to Feng's left, but she hadn't SOUNDED ridiculous (to herself).