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 Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 9:03 pm
Tonight was one of those nights.
Flight was faster than running, and he wanted to get away from the herd, away from his family, away from everything he wasn't. Night was always a time he loved, but it was also a reminder of everything he could never be. Maion, the great angeni leader of his herd, and all his glory was made of starlight; even the moon was Sengdroma, his mates, nickename which would always remind Ariashi of their daughters. . .regal. . .strong. . proud. . .
Once again, everything Ariashi was not.
It wasn't easy being one angeni out of a herd of many. Even more, it wasn't easy being the runt, being so small, being darker in personality and shyer. He was no warrior, he wasn't charming like his brother nor as courageous. He was . . . different than the rest. And that was something that would never seemingly change.
The angeni caught sight of moonlight reflected off a pond in the plains. Slowly, lazily, the golden soquili spiraled lazily over the water before backwinging and coming to a delicate rest on the shore. Crickets sang, frogs croaked, and all was well with the world. A small woodland wasn't far and Ariashi happily embraced the quiet.
Lowering his head, he ignored his reflection, and drank.
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 9:49 pm
It was quiet here, out in the plains. Stars flickered and gleamed in the endless expanse of sky as the world slowly darkened. Color flashed like fire touched upon the earth, golds, pinks, oranges, red, silhouetting the trees and distant mountain peaks of her home. Even the moon, a slim silver sliver hung suspended like a great glittering talon or a slitted eye, watching and waiting for the ever-nearing night.
It was quiet then, when they came through the blackness…
Light hoofbeats fell on the still warmed earth as the mare moved steadily through the approaching twilight. The light brushed over the blue hide, warming the soft fur as it did the earth and all upon it. But it could not touch those pale eyes. Cool and hard, like frost that turns the grass brittle and shrivels flowers into withered scraps of brightness, they remained fixed steady and resolute on the path she had set out for herself.
Sah’erir was what she had made herself to be. The world was as cold and cruel as the harshest of winters, the feircest of storms. Only those who had the will to weather that dark cold place would step out into the sunshine of spring once again.
She knew where she was going, this blue mare with the frozen eyes. Her long slender ears flicked slowly in the wind, picking up small and distant sounds or perhaps listening to some unknown message on the breeze. Perhaps she had once come this way before, for the ground her feet traveled over felt no less familiar than any other path she’d walked. But, then again, they seemed no less foreign either.
A mystery. But one that, answer or no, Sah might keep to herself a while longer.
For now, her main priority was water. She’d not had a drink for a significant portion of this day, and if she continued without she would, naturally, begin to feel the discomforts that came from doing without. They were minor things, things she had and would overcome if need be. But it did not need to be, not this time.
She did pause when a stranger flew down, literally flew, and landed at the shore of the very pool she’d been approaching. How had she known it was there? Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was some far-off memory, all that mattered was that it existed before her, within easy reach. Her eyes traced over the winged being for a moment, he was unusual to her, but only because she didn’t recall meeting one like him before. No matter, there was no fear triggered by his presence, nor anger. She’d naught to worry about, he felt like no threat and, if he should be one, Sah was well versed in the arts of survival.
“Evening,” she said calmly, announcing her own presence as she moved to take a drink. Startling a stranger was poor manners, and poorer strategy. She gave him space, at least two lengths, respect personal boundaries being a vaguely remembered inkling. Her thirst satisfied for the moment, she took the time to examine him further from the corner of her eye.
Wings. What a strange and marvelous idea…one that felt oddly familiar.
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 10:11 pm
Ariashi might have heard the soft sound of hooves against dirt had he paid more attention to his surroundings. While he wasn't stupid, he could be a bit unaware, especially when his thoughts lingered on his family, his life, his insecurities in general. And unfortunately, sipping at the water, he allowed his thoughts to stray.
It was the soft shuffle of hooves pressing down both soil and grass that caused his ears to twitch. Only too late did his brain put together that it meant someone was near -- to drive in the point, a voice called out from the darkness. It seemed almost foreign to the angeni, who quickly lifted his head and allowed his troubled gaze to focus on the source; it was . . . a female. But one he'd not recognized. . . .
Fore a moment Ariashi couldn't help but allow his gaze to linger. She looked so strange compared to those with in his heard. Certainly, Sengdroma was without wings and even Maion's son had taken after her in appearance. . . and yet . . he was so accustomed to beings covered in wings and feathers. His father, his mother, his brother, many within his herd were angeni like he . . head feathers, ankle feathers, two sets of wings . . . Even his tail and hair clips were donned in strange feathers, as if making up for his lack of ankle-wings. It always seemed to catch him by surprise when he witnessed one without wings. . . .
And this one was definitely without.
It wasn't a bad thing. In fact, Ariashi was almost intrigued. Her ears were foreign though, never had he witnessed a pair quite so long. A defect, perhaps? Maybe. He certainly wouldn't bring it up and he was quick to avert his gaze in an almost shy sort of manner. But manners reminded him he was being a complete and utter plank about this and he'd best not leave the mare waiting for a reply!
"G-good evening, Miss," his voice broke the silence, sounding louder than it was. It was quiet and unassuming, gentle as he was. It wasn't that he was shy he just feared judgment; Maion, his father's, his mothers. . . his herds. . . what would stop a stranger from looking upon the small angeni with such coldness? And this was a mare. . .
Poor Ariashi always felt rather inadequate when it came to females.
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 10:28 pm
There were feathers all about him, now that she was looking. Not just the wings on his back, was there a second set there? She couldn’t tell. Something was strange about them, as though they were only somewhat there. An illusion? A figment of her mind? Some strange distorted reflection from the pool under the mix of moon and fading sun? Why would any creature need more than two wings, if it needed wings at all?
Her own long ears twitched as she wondered if those feather on his head were wings for his ears. But then, she’d a pair of some manner of horns or antlers on her own skull, not to mention the icy chill that seemed to cling to her very soul. Who was she to stare at a few feathers?
“It’s quiet,” she commented in response to his uncertain greeting, though what she meant by that was not quite clear. The steady cheep of crickets and the warbling peeps of the frogs that, doubtless, inhabited the pool were a twilight symphony singing out around them. But her cold eyes drifted over the smallish orange horse with the feathers and wings, gliding over the distant forest and stretch of plains, even lifting briefly to the sky before returning to him. “Pleasant,” Sah added after a moment, shifting her weight vaguely as she studied him. The flash of familiarity the wings had brought was quite gone now. They were odd, the wings. Not the ones she’d almost believed she might have recognized.
“Do you dwell in the skies?” the mare heard herself asking, and frowned faintly as she always did when her voice did not seek proper permission first. How very strange, did other have this problem? Or was she as alone in this as all things? Puzzling. Another mystery to ponder, along with those wings… they were such pretty things, this young stallion’s wings…
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 8:36 am
The young stallion's ears twitched and turned, focusing on the words that the mare spoke. He didn't hurry to finish his drink, though his mind now contemplated her words. The world was always a hushed place, at least when evening drifted over the world. The night time sounds were usually peaceful, but to the over imaginative and skiddish, could also prove rather frightening if one were unprepared.
Thankfully, Ariashi had always enjoyed the night. It was within darkness he had met his friend, Nyx, and it was within the shadows that he could easily fade and pretend to not exist. Finishing his drink, he lifted his head and gave his tail a little swish. Thankfully, the quiet was something this melancholy stallion often enjoyed and could thoroughly appreciated. "There's peace to be found within shadows," he agreed softly, giving both sets of his wings a bit of a stretch. His head wings ruffled a bit in response, but too often Ariashi had no control over their movements.
In fact, as far as the angeni were concerned, his head-wings were nothing more than excess. Odd really. . . but such were the wings of his breed.
Gazing out over the pond, since he didn't want to look over at her and have his lingering gaze be construed as staring or impolite, Ariashi studied the small ripples in the pond and reflection of moonlight against the water. It was the serenity of his surroundings that often put him most at ease. . . even this mare, odd-looking as she might be, wasn't quite as intimidating within shadow.
Still, her question, her curiosity, did catch him off guard. He turned his neck back to her, and his stoic expression twitched in to what might have been a reflection of a smile. It was too small and over to quickly to truly study, but he gave a little shake of his head. "Actually I . . . I don't. Many Angeni . . at least the pure breeds . . . live within the clouds and within heaven. I was born in a grounded herd, far from here. . . and only take to the skies now and again," he admitted with a little shrug.
Ariashi always wondered what life might be like amidst the clouds, amidst heaven. Unfortunately, while he was fairly sure he was a pure breed, his lack of ankle-wings seemed to state that someone . . be it father or mother. . . wasn't quite as pure as they believed. Added to his runt-like size and Ariashi was almost certain he'd be unable to make the flight.
Good manners and good form did remind him he was being quite the cad. Dipping his head in a bow, formal as ever, he added, "I'm Ariashi." Even if she wished not to give her name, at least she had an idea of whom she was conversing with. He hated inquiring names, he hated inquiring folks about anything lest they misconstrue it as poking and prying in to information and affairs that were none of his business.
He was a very cautious stallion. . . nervous without entirely looking the part.
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 2:19 pm
“…peace…” Sah repeated with a faint frown, whether of contemplation or disagreement was hard to say. It had been quiet then too…when… She shook her head, long ears laying back then relaxing upright again. Peaceful. Yes, the night could be painful sometimes. Peaceful. The night could be peaceful. Rogue thoughts again…
She looked at him as he spoke, her pale eyes catching the flicker of a smile before it vanished. She thought little of it. She did not know him well enough to think much about how he reacted to things as he did. Everyone had reasons, everyone felt differently. What did it matter what she thought about another? It mattered no more than what they thought about her.
“I see,” the mare murmured, glancing back at the pool. Her eyes slid over his reflection, trying to puzzle out the way his extra wings seemed like they were only somewhat there. It was strange, very strange. “I am called Sah,” she added, inclining her antlered head very faintly in response to his bow, never letting her eyes leave him while her head was lowered, the icy orbs peering through a clump of deep blue mane.
She did not say ‘I am Sah’, for that would be false. She was not ‘Sah’ because she was not ‘soft’. The name, while nice enough, did not suit this austere mare as far as she knew. Maybe when she was young, perhaps then she had been soft. But time and trial hardened her, and instead of ‘sah’ she was strong. Softness had no place in survival, not as she’d learned it.
“I know little of your kind,” she continued coolly, “If my question upset you, it was not my intent.” But she wasn’t about to snivel and apologize for it either. She was merely clarifying her point.
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