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 Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:32 pm
Alaina galloped through the forest. The last fading sunlight of twilight filtered past bare branches. She was ranging away from her family today. She needed her space. She loved her parents... but she was an adult now, or close enough to it. She wanted to stretch her legs. She wanted a little solitude. She wanted space and time to herself. Running was good for that. For some reason, she found peace in movement.
She didn't usually encounter other soquili on her runs and she didn't expect to this time. No... she didn't expect at all the encounter that was coming for her.
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:44 pm
There! She spotted the blue and white mare in a run, and what luck! The mare was running nearly straight toward her as she stood hidden just at the edge of the forest. Tabitha wasted no time -- she powered her legs and took off in a gallop, bursting out into the open, the excitement of the chase filling her with joy. A guttural sound escaped her as she snarled, yellowed fangs bared.
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:57 pm
An instant before she saw the skinwalker, Alaina smelled it. It was a musky feline smell... but twisted somehow into something far less natural. She had never smelled anything like it. If she had, maybe she would have reacted faster. As it was, she reacted fast enough not to stumble and get her throat ripped out. When she saw the creature bursting into the open she instinctively put on a burst of speed, sprinting away from a monster that she had only half-glimpsed.
A quick look behind her filled her with a chill that far surpassed the winter cold. It was a skinwalker. She was glad in that moment that running was so natural to her. It's familiarity was the only thing keeping her hooves moving. She sprinted ahead, mind too busy frantically working for the moment to allow for anything else.
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:15 pm
"HA HA HA!" Tabitha tossed her head as she saw the mare bolt away, trying to outrun her, and still she laughed on and on. Her chest heaved as her hooves kicked up snowy dirt and dead grass as she ran, the thought of sinking sharp teeth into soft flesh urging her to keep pushing her slow horse body to its limits. "YOU CAN'T OUTRUN ME, MARE!" Her voice was a roar, but she did not know if she spoke the truth; Tabitha could only hope that she was right. Her breath was visible as a smoky cloud in the cold air as she panted harshly, every muscle straining to keep up, to close the distance between them. How fast her prey's heart must be beating! Tabitha longed to tear the mare's chest open and taste the warm blood pumping beneath. She would be a fine meal indeed -- if she could catch her.
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:29 pm
Alaina hadn't thought it was possible but her stride lengthened even more at the harsh laughter from the skinwalker. The skinwalker said she couldn't run away? Well.. could she? Perhaps. Perhaps not. In her haste she could twist a leg, or worse!
She didn't have time to make a decision. She only had time to act. She had to keep running! Either that, or...
She spun around in only a few steps and reared up high, hooves pawing at the air. Even while she made the defiant gesture part of her mind told her it was utter idiocy. You're going to get yourself killed here, Alaina, she muttered in her mind. Her father had taught her to be strong. She wondered what he would say if that desire for strength is what got her killed here...
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:43 pm
Tabitha was caught off guard; she nearly tumbled right over in her haste to slow down so as not to run straight into the mare. In hindsight, it may not have been such a terrible idea, but she was a creature of instinct and so she skidded through the mud as she came to a stop in front of the mare. She attempted to dodge, but a hoof caught her on the side of the head, leaving her dazed for a few seconds before she reared up, front legs flailing in retaliation. This mare was fighting back! From the way she had been running not moments before, Tabitha had assumed this would be an easy kill -- she would have merely had to run the mare down to exhaustion or into a corner, but no. This one was taking a stand. Well, what fun would it be if they all ran? None, none at all, and the sharp bruising pain on the side of her face acted as fuel to her murderous rage.
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:55 pm
Alaina knew a moment of surprise when one of her hooves connected with the skinwalker's face. She'd never really hit another soquili before. She didn't have time to reflect upon that as the skinwalker's own hooves lashed out. Alaina couldn't dodge them and stay on her back legs so she fell back onto all four hooves. Unfortunately, she had to twist to the side to avoid falling on top of the skinwalker. This presented her side as an easy target however, and she gasped as she felt the hooves strike.
She jerked away from the skinwalker in an awkward hop, ears flattened back against her skull. "Back off!!" she shouted. Her voice was fierce but something shook through it all the same... a fear of her own demise, perhaps. Her hop had carried her further away from the skinwalker... enough range to let her kick out with her back legs if it got any closer, or so she hoped...
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:05 pm
As soon as Tabitha felt her hooves connect with the mare's side, she dropped back down onto all fours and lunged, but her sharp teeth clicked together as she closed her mouth around nothing but air; the mare had turned away just in time to avoid her. "You don't scare me, little mare, and you won't scare me when you're on your back, your belly split open -- I'll feast on you while you still have breath in your lungs!" she snarled her threat and made to lunge at her opponent. Her tail was swishing and swooping in excitement, snapping teeth together as she attempted to get a hold of her prey's throat. Unfortunately, Tabitha had not noticed that Alaina had been in perfect position to kick her with her back legs -- and the skinwalker was putting herself at risk in her attempt to get closer.
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