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 Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:22 am
 It had been a while since the goat came onto these lands. He used to live in these mountains with his flock, happily living in the snowy area and scaling the slopes like they where little more than small ant hills. However his time on the land below had made him... out of shape? He puffed and panted making his way higher and higher. When he used to live here there were rumors about a wise lady who ruled the mountain tops. Goats love to gossip like that, hopefully there was some truth behind this tale. For the sake of the mare he had bonded with. The hills started to smooth out and he knew he was near. Zeda could not follow him up the mountain. She would not be able to make it, after all she had never really experienced the conditions up here. More so she seemed reluctant about this plan. Even though she knew it was for the best to seek so advise from a higher power. So for her sake he hoped the wise lady was as understanding as everyone made her out to be. The young goat looked side to side, nothing could be seen but the clouds which where closer that he ever saw them. Waggling his little tail and clearing his throat he called out. "Mrs WiseLady!" His little beard twitched as he called, his hooves and voice echoing through the mist. It was a long shot, but sometimes chances paid off.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 1:31 am
If anyone had called Yei Umeko a 'higher power' she would have given a bark of laughter and advised them that they gave her far too much credit. She was certainly wisened by experience and could speak on many topics but she possessed no god-like abilities and recognised that the spirits could play her just as well as they could toy with any other soquili. Alas, she had never been called 'Wiselady' either and it took her a considerable amount of time to realised that the holler that had come from nearby may very well have been for her. Perhaps if the individual had used 'old' she might have cottoned on more quickly, but she was accustomed to being referred to as boisterous, exhuberant or eccentric - definitely not wise. Nevertheless when she had figured out that it had been she that the voice was referring to she gathered up her composure, gave a little shake of her legs to shoo away the numbness and pottered in the general direction of the voice.
Suffice to say she was grateful for the coming of spring. The snow hadn't completely melted from the mountain slopes just yet, but the bite was lessening and the faintest trickle of melting ice could be heard now and again. On one evening she had been awakened by a mighty crash in the distance and had later been reassured by the borderguards (and her mate) that the ice blocking the waterfall had broken through and had been thrown from the top of the falls to the very bottom. Unsurprisingly the ice had shattered with an almighty crash and she hadn't been the only one to hear it! There was never a dull moment on these slopes, mother nature seemed to take great pride in making them dramatic at all times. Still, Yei certainly favoured spring, especially when it made it easier to get around at a suitable speed - she may have been able to move faster than most in winter but she preferred to be able to see where she was walking rather than trusting instincts alone.
No sooner had the mare made her decision than she rounded the small hillock and revealed herself. Red and swirled coat glistening in the early morning son, she certainly stood out from the white around her. A small smile lined her lips and as she caught sight of the goat she canted her head to one side and lifted a brow in question.
"Yes, Sir Goat?" she offered in amusement.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:58 am
Koda's little face lit up when he saw a mare come into his sights. Straight away he knew the rumors were right. He had seen many a mare in his time yet no one like her. This was the right place he knew it. Now he just wondered how he could ask this question, or if he should chitter chatter first. Then again he really did not want to take up any more time that he needed to, no matter how many questions he wanted to ask. He hoped over. The snow coming up hit little body more than most. He smiled and looked up at the large mare with beady little crimson eyes. She had called him sir goat! this put a little bit or pride into his heart... also a small childish blush on his face. Like a little kid who was just given a shiny star.
"Yay its you! I mean, your the elder of the mountain, I knew I would find you. Did not know it would not be so quick though. My name is Koda and I really need your help, you see my friend, my mare companion. She is in trouble you see. I mean she is not hurt, not on the outside at least, however shes... its hard to explain, but she needs some guidance. A kick in the right direction so to speak to stop her from changing into someone she does not want to be. Us goats have always lived up here, we all know the stories and the gossip which runs from flock to flock and I was hoping you could help me."
The words seemed to all come out at once, he was nervous, no good with strangers. Especially those who were respected so highly. So few had it in them to be considered elders, not many people ever met one, yet here one was in front of him! It was a sight to say the least. His little tail waggled, his ears flopping back as he waited a answer. Taking a breathe into to recover from his long string of words.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:26 am
Yei was usually renowned for her exhuberance and excitable natures but it was at times like this when it became apparent as to why she was an Elder. She was often the optimist and very enthusiastic in everything she did, but when the moment called for it she could hold her tongue and simply listen. It was often what most needed, an ear to heed their concerns and occasionally a voice to offer advice. However if there was one thing the mare never did it was thrust her opinions on others (unless they were her own children), she found that very few individuals appreciated the sentiment. No, it was better for a creature to recognise their own strengths, weaknesses and in turn, to come to their own conclusions... she just liked to give them the helpful nudge in the right direction if they were at a crossroads.
"I am one of three elders on the slope," she replied gently, a small smile lining her features. Granted she was the eldest of the three with Flame closely following her (she believed it was only days between them) but it made little difference. She had confidence that the other two elders within Islagiatt would have been just as capable of providing assistance, although reaching one of them might have been too risky for some - particularly when Azumoth was so disgruntled about visitors! "But you would be correct in the assumption that I am an Elder..."
She hesitated only briefly as he explained though. His words came out as mere syllables for a time, so rapid and disjointed that it took her a while to translate them but she got them eventually. What she had gathered from his immediate explanation was that he needed her help, his friend was in trouble and that he feared she may do something foolish if she didn't receive some form of aid. She wasn't completely certain of the accuracy of all of what she had heard but at least she had the general jist, it was far better than sounding like she hadn't understood him!
"Slow down," she advised and lowered her head to give him a gentle nudge. "There is no use being anxious, you will simply make yourself worse," she canted her head to the side and smiled mildly before nodding in the direction of the climb down. "However I think it would be best if you explained on the way rather than wasting time up here, don't you think?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:52 pm
Koda took a deep breathe in and nodded. Swollowing as he turned around, looking at his prints that seemed to go on forever, he was so out of shape. He nodded and made a leap down, the first step was always the hardest so he wanted to make this one count. Taking her advise he stopped for a moment, this time actually considering what he was saying before he talked. "Yes, thank you this way." He smiled, he was still shocked, he had never met a Elder before, he did not know they where real. Romours were Romours, then again Skinwalkers were real. God did he not know that, if it was not for the fact she was so small and nimble he would have been eaten when he first wondered down from the mountains. He looked up at Yei. "I am sorry I did not ask your name, can I know it?"
He asked and closed his eyes before his eats slipped slightly as he walked. "You see Mrs. I have been adopted by this mare named Zeda, she is a little different from everyone else, shes a bit violent, a little moody but nice to her friends and strong, but in the last few weeks things have been bothering her, so much so that she... has been changing, she has started to do things, that she would have not done before. Bad things I am afraid, Things that she is ashamed of... shes confused and I have tried to help but I can not." He stated, he was ashamed to admit it, that him as one of her best friends could not help her...
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:34 am
There was no smoke without fire, or so the saying went. Elders, Skinwalker, Kelpi...They were all rumours and myth yet this mare in particular had been witness to them all. It was a testament to her age, to walk amongst these so called 'mythical' beasts. She had scarcely missed being assaulted by the Skinwalker and would never wish the attention of one upon another, but she could profess so baring witness to their violence and brutality. She had also encountered Kelpi, slithering out from the depths of the lakes and oceans to explore the outer rims of land along the coast. They were rare sitings of course and were generally left alone by passersby but they were still there, still real and so was she!
"Of course you can," she smiled pleasantly as she swept along beside him, her long limbs keeping up with him despite his occasional leaps and bounds. He was out of shape (that much she could see) but his determination was admirable and his loyalty to his friend even more so. "My name is Yei Umeko but the vast majority of creatures address me as Yei," she introduced herself in a mild tone and nodded her head. Suffice to say, the mare was not one for pomp and circumstance, she was much more comfortable when others felt they could speak to her plainly and in a relaxed manner. Full names, Sirs, ma'ams and other terms of respect generally created a rift before a bond could even be formed. She lapsed into silence following the introductions and patiently listened to his tale relating to his companion.
...In the end, his friend seemed like a lost child.
"Sometimes it is difficult to help a friend," Yei murmured gently, lowering her head just a touch to meet his gaze. She couldn't lower it by much, she would end up losing her balance and rolling down the slope if she did. "We cannot be completely honest, brutal truths and hard facts evade us. No one likes to hurt their friend even if it is perhaps the best course of action on occasions," she explained - in this she spoke from experience. Nevertheless, she kept her mind fixed on his explanation and furrowed her brow only briefly. There were a few things she would need to consider when she reached her destination but for the time being it was best if she continued to hear his tale.
"And you have no idea what has caused her to take this turn...?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:59 pm
Koda looked at the mare and thought for a moment. "Well, I do not know really. It all started a couple of weeks ago, that is about the time when she really started to loose it. There was this pregnant mare you see and well... she was in one of her moods and seeing her made her madder and next thing she knew she was chasing her though the forest, she stopped. She did not lay a finger on her but you could tell she wanted to. Since then she has just been getting more irritated with herself and everyone around her." He stated, he was ashamed to be saying all this, with every word he thought that he would drive Yei closer to just saying forget it and walking off. I mean he was not painting a nice picture at all and he hated to talk badly about Zeda, he knew she was not evil. He just knew it. He had seen what she was like, she had showed him she could be compassionate and loving. It was hard to believe but that was only because she did not show that side to many other people.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:55 am
If Yei had been surprised by his explanation then she didn't know it. Alas, she wasn't surprised in the slightest and in the years she had seen a staggering decline in the behaviour of the soquili within the Lowlands. While the mountainous soquili maintained their dignity, honour and good manners it seemed that the lowlands had lost all concept of how society should ideally compose itself. This in mind she had avoided the Lowlands for quite some time despite the birth of her newest niece - she found no comfort down there and quite a bit of disappointment. Long ago she had aspired to improve on the standards but it had simply required too much work and as a consequence she could do nothing more for them. She swore instead, that her heard would demonstrate such integrity in all they did and asked no more of them.
...She hadn't been disappointed.
The soquili of Islagiatt had composed themselves incredibly well over the years and had developed a name for themselves. They were considerate yet firm (or at least the males were) while the women, with the exception of a small few, were demure and otherwise modest. She was proud of her family and those she was connected to but even as the years progressed she could recognise that on occasions her intervention in the lowlands was needed. She was firm in the belief that no one should have advice shoved down their throats but if someone requested her help then she would give it...provided she was capable.
"I see," she replied quietly, having absorbed all the information. By the sounds of it the young mare was misguided and very foolish, both qualities were something that Yei did not regard very highly. Alas, she had long since accepted the failings of certain parental units within the Lowlands and sucked in a breath as she dwelled on the reasoning behind such behaviour. There could have been any number of reasons for this behaviour (even if it shouldn't have existed to begin with) and fortunately, Yei was not one who would leap to conclusions too soon. She did note that 'pregnant' seemed to be a very particular quality to draw out but thought it best to ask first.
"She sounds rather immature," she murmured in a vague manner. From any one else this remark could have been taken as an insult, but Yei was making a very simple observation. An adult of sound mind wouldn't assault a pregnant mare in anger, particularly if unprovoked, and as a consequence the Elder was in half a mind to believe that through a lack of proper direction the moody Zeda hadn't yet progressed into adulthood. She was stuck on that precarious precipice between adolescence and adulthood regardless of her age - after all, you were only an 'adult' when your mind was prepared for it.
"And you have no idea why she would react with such hostility?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:48 am
"Hmm. I think I do, she is a mare who likes to ignore things, however when ever she takes a hit, to her emotions I mean, it piles and piles until she lashed out at someone for something small, then suddenly that person is the cause of everything she sees as wrong with her life. She has never had a constant in her life, someone who has always been there. Her mother abandoned her, her father ignored her and her sister rejected her. Since foalhood she has been a child to reject people, becoming emotionally attached to people seems as dangerous to her than skinwalkers are to most soquili. I must say, I have been with her for 3 months, in that time she has probably been with company two weeks. I stick around, however she even does not acknowledge my company much, however she did save my life, so I shall stay, because I feel like its my turn to save her."
He stated as he looked up at the large thick coated mare. That was the explanation that came to his mind, how did he know this? simple Zeda's mate Heha was the only person she really opened up to. Even though he was not around often when he was, he talked to Koda and told him things about Zeda, he knew that Heha loved her. She could see it in him, however he has duties to attend to away from her and no matter how much it pained him to leave he had to. He knew she missed him, no matter how much she did not want to admit it. She was always so paranoid he was not coming back, so many of her past loved ones had abandoned her she expected it by now.
"We are almost there Yei, I felt her near the base." he said in a cheerier voice... thats if she had not changed her mind and ran off...
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:22 pm
"Ah the tangled webs the irresponsible weave," she murmured gently aas the goat explained his predicament in greater detail. Her expression became pained in recognition of yet more signs of a disintegrating society came to the for - the lowlands were in complete turmoil and while she had desperately wished it not to be so, she could recognise why her eldest son held such disdain for those who chose to live there. There was no such thing as a stable family in the Kawani Lowlands, the basic principle seemed to be that all mares must have a one night stand or random fling to mature and appreciate the partner they did have, it was in startling contrast to the upbringing those on the slopes received. In Islagiatt a mate was for life and if the pair were to separate then it was for a very good reason - in the case of her nephew he had made a dire mistake and it was only when his children had grown that he had parted ways with his mate. In the case of her adoptive brother, he hadn't had a choice in the matter...his mate had left him to find a more powerful stallion.
...It had left him in tatters.
Yei had always tried to keep an open mind about things but there were occasions when she channeled the views of her eldest son and held those who treated one another with so little respect, with great disdain. However Koda would have found the knowledge reassuring, had he known that she recognised that in part his friend's upbringing had caused these rather complicated issues. Unfortunately, he would not have appreciated the methods used to fix them; in circumstances like these Yei Umeko was forced to cast aside her normal exhuberance and in its place she would have to be cold and blunt. In essence she had to transform into her eldest son, or perhaps unbeknownst to her, he had picked up her steely edge and kept it as his own a long time ago.
"Your companion has my sympathy but not my acceptance, you must understand that I will not tolerate a foul mouth and violence," she warned Koda in a careful tone. She had no intention of abandonning him after he had come so far to find her, but she would not be adverse to bringing his companion to her knees if it was called for.
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:03 pm
Koda looked up at the mare and smiled. "I know." He smiled up at her, before he stepped forward a little more, seeing a little black dot on the horizon. He smiled and ran towards it, the little frame jumping in and out of the snow. Before he came to the feet of the other mare. Zeda looked down at the goat. "Oh Koda." She sighed. She went along with his plan, she did not expect someone to care to see her, in fact she was hoping so because she did not know what to say at all. She looked at the mare who was following the young goat. Before her gaze went back to her little friend who was looking up at her with bright eyes, his little tail wagging. She forced a smile on her face, he was like a little kid, more so a really annoying younger brother!
Next thing she new, the little one was pushing at her hind leg, she glared back at him and rolled her eyes as she started to walk towards the older mare, her friend basically nudging her every time she slowed down. When she was close to Yei. Koda ran between them beaming. "Yei, this is Zeda. Zeda this is Yei." He smiled. Zeda looked at the redish coloured mare. She usually stayed away from strangers, feeling awkward meeting new people. This was way out of her comfort zone, in fact just leaving her field was way out of her comfort zone. However something inside of her made her think this would do her some good. Although she was not really looking forward to it. "Erm... hello." She mumbled looking up at the mare. Crimson eyes taking a look, she had never seen a elder before... she wondered if all the stories were true...
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 5:55 am
Yei Umeko's initial opinion of the mare was 'young' - it was a rather vague description, but it could have meant any number of things. She was a child of mind, naive, uncertain... Her shy demeanour was easy to see and her discomfort in her new surroundings indicated that she was a mare that wasn't well travelled. Yei couldn't fault her for this, not every soquili was destined to go off on grand adventures and some were more than happy to live their lives in one area. However, the black mare had made the effort to come and while she may not necessarily understand the reason that drew her to this meeting, something inside her seemed to think it would be beneficial if she took the plunge.
So as not to make the mare more uncomfortable, the elder allowed a smile to lift the corners of her lips and she inclined her head in encouragement. Koda was working rather hard at his companion, his determination admirable but Yei also recognised that it was important for her to assist him. How did anyone (including she) expect her to help the mare if she intimidated her and merely brought about more shyness?
"Good afternoon," Yei replied after a few moments and canted her head to one side. Unsurprisingly the older mare exuded confidence but given her age, this was a given. She'd seen too much and experienced far more, there was no reason for her to be a timid sort. "I must say it's rather peculiar to be back down here, the air is rather thick," she mused thoughtfully, her mountainous body more inclined towards the thinner air.
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