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 Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:45 pm
 It had been a few days since his ignominious defeat by the blue stranger mare and Calor had thought hard about what had happened since then. He'd gotten little sleep that first night as he tried to work out just what he'd done wrong. He'd been polite until he lost his cool - bad idea, try not to do it again - and the only insult he'd flung at her was "harridan," which she'd shaken off like it was water.
But what had he learned? He'd learned that the stranger was smarter and quicker to use those smarts than he was. He'd learned that he couldn't let her get under his skin too much. He could (try) to ignore her calling him a turkey. He didn't want to prove her toddler argument right!
He did have a goal for their next meeting though. Learn her name! He wasn't going to go back to the blackberry bushes though. Not to the field of his defeat.
So today he was running over the plains for the sheer joy of running, and if he was on the lookout for a distinctively blue hide with white markings and black legs...who would be the wiser?
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 4:37 pm
It would have been inaccurate to assume that the mare had been marred with guilt or plagued by memories of her previous encounters. She'd rarely had a memorable encounter with anyone and as a consequence she never gave them much through. Calor had been nothing more than a passing fancy, another turkey that just needed direction on where he should be sat. Admittedly he hadn't taken well to the nickname but one couldn't change who they were in that respect - he was definitely a turkey and no manner of argument would change that. Perhaps if he got a personality transplant and shaved off his hair... But that would be when hell froze over and even then, would he be able to walk like a proper male?
Nope.
Alas, this afternoon was the same as any other day for the mare. She had very low expectations, she never anticipated that anything of interest would happen and generally found entertainment in creature watching. It was the conversations, the quirks and the displays they tended to put on that kept her occupied. A simple pleasure, but she wasn't one for dramatic adventures anymore, oh it wasn't that she wouldn't like to explore far flung places but unfortunately her leg just couldn't cope. She could barely walk, let alone traverse unsteady terrain.
Wading her way through the grasses with her usual unsteady gait, she continued to survey her surroundings for an ideal place to 'park' and allowed a soft sigh to escape her lips. Now, was she in the mood to sunbathe or would she just recline under a tree? She popped her lips at this and drew to a halt, it was one of those moments when she had to make her decision since it would affect the direction she went in within the next few seconds.
Tree or...sunbathing patch?
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 4:47 pm
Calor had been running long enough that he was starting to get winded and despairing of finding the blue mare easily. He'd hoped that she was living on the plains, where it was much easier to see people at a distance, and not in the forest. He had just about resigned himself to a long walk through the trees when something caught his eye. It seemed to be the right shade of blue, with bits of white and black!
Slowing from a gallop to a trot, the stallion aimed his course towards the Soquili he'd spotted.
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 5:19 pm
Sunbathing was out of the question, if she got too warm it would take her forever to get up again. As a result she had decided to move to the right, taking into account the smattering of trees along the plains that would provide her with suitable cover for the afternoon. She would still feel the heat, would appreciate the breeze as well, but she wouldn't be overwhelmed and at risk from heat exhaustion in taking position there. Her decision made she had once again began to move towards her chosen destination with her now customary broken gait, otherwise unconcerned by her surroundings. It was only when she felt the hair on her neck rise and the sense of dread churning in her stomach that she realised something wasn't quite right.
Her senses were tingling.
Sure enough, there was someone behind her and with a small sigh she opted to turn around to meet her fate. She had anticipated some form of predator but instead she was greeted by the sight of a familiar form. It took her a while to register who it was, musing over his familiar qualities until it dawned on her. It was that stallion from before, the toddler that had stormed off in a rage after she had put him down. In short, it was the -
"Turkey," she murmured with a small sigh, not quite of exasperation but at least of an individual who had accepted her fate. If he was heading directly towards her then her morning wasn't going to be quiet.
Was it round two?
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:35 pm
He slowed even further, down to a walk as he saw from her stance that the mare had seen him. He wanted to talk to her again (obviously) but he didn't really want to hasten his probable fate of sharp and harsh words. When he finally came within casual speaking distance he was scarcely out of breath.
He stood there for a few long moments before finally opening his mouth, hoping it wouldn't be a repeat of their first meeting, and speaking.
"It's a lovely day, isn't it...I'm sorry, I forgot to ask your name last time we met." It sounded like he'd practiced it, but at least he got it out without stuttering or stumbling over his words. And he was trying to be polite. Really! It was just hard because he was expecting her...not to be.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:32 am
Maybe he hadn't quite gotten the message the first time, it was a difficult concept for individuals such as himself to grasp. She didn't do small talk, she hadn't mastered it and got irritated when she conversed over such mundane things. Sure enough he had led with an opening mind that made her skin curdle just a touch - he was discussing the weather. Why was it that they all discussed it? She was fairly certain that everyone had seen a bad day, a good day and an average day without feeling a need to comment on it.
She knew it was a conversation starter for some, perhaps the only thing they could talk about. However, she was a mare who needed a little more substance and remarking on the sun wasn't what she defined as 'substance'. Her nose wrinkled just a touch as though mirroring her internal monologue and she shifted her weight a touch until she was more comfortable. There were some things in life she just had to grin and bear, manners stated that this was one of them.
But if he was asking her name, did this mean he intended to pester her more than this afternoon? She wasn't quite sure, but she was aware that she may lapse into boredom if she was constantly putting him down. Turkeys were fun to wrankle now and again, but not constantly...even she liked her peace and quiet!
"It is," she agreed at last, once again failing to discuss it further as most would have done. She could have brought up the heat, the intensity of the rays or something along those lines but she missed the opportunity. In fact, she even missed the opportunity to change the subject by using the weather, such was her lack of skill when it came to idle conversation. "To be frank you didn't have time to ask my name either," she continued after a few moments. If there was one thing that she was, it was blatantly honest, painfully so.
"You stormed off, as I recall."
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:11 am
It was hard to stand there (trying not to fidget) as she left him hanging for long minutes. But, she did respond (thank the gods) even if she didn't answer his question while still being so blunt and to the point that he winced and flushed a bit in embarrassment.
"Yes, well, I apologize for that. It was, ah, rude of me to do so." Not entirely tactfully did he avoid the fact of the mare's rudeness, but elaborate word games were still not Calor's forte. And probably never would be.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:18 am
She shrugged her shoulders, albeit loosely, in response to his apology. She had been aware that his composure would be shattered within seconds and as a consequence, his storming off had come at no major surprise to her. She'd seen worse, she' experienced worse and given that she had provoked the reaction one might have argued that he was entitled to the apology, not her. Alas, she was firm enough in her own beliefs that she had irritated him for the greater good. After all, wasn't he in the proper place for gigglers and gobblers now? Rather that lost in the under growth he was out in the open where he could parade about unhindered.
"It happens, at least you are now in your proper place," she pointed out mildly. Completely unconcerned by his apparent 'rudeness' and what she had experienced before. Evidently she didn't let very much bother her, particular when it came to encounters she considered to be fleeting. She hadn't anticipated she would bump into him again and why in the world should she?
Unfortunately for Calor she had taken not of his very slight fidgeting and raised a brow. With stiffening legs she made the decision to keep walking, rather than to let them ache more than necessary. However, even as she drifted away she did broker the question that seemed to need voicing. "Why are you here, exactly?" she enquired cooly.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:25 am
Proper place? Calor had the nagging feeling that that offhand remark had soemthing to do with the mare's talk of "gigglers and gobblers" from the other day, but if she didn't actually say it he could pretend he hadn't heard or or understood that.
She really was direct though. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. It was her thing though, the stallion had figured that much out. "I want to know your name," he answered, simply and honestly. If she was going to insult and tease him it was the least she could do, right?
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:30 am
That was it? The stallion wanted to know her name? A tiny part of her puzzled over this for a few moments before she came to a halt once more and glanced over her shoulder. What followed was a very long stare as she pondered over the reasoning for such an odd request. The unrealistic and imaginative side of her mind (often surpressed) piped up that perhaps he intended to spread warning towards other turkeys in the region lest they come under fire. He was making some sort of sacrifice on behalf of his kind, such a noble male he was - in short, he could probably add that to his list, right?
Calor, saviour of the plains. Policed and slew the great 'harridan' that terrorised his vulnerable flock.
It was like a bad play.
Unsurprisingly her expression was a picture as her imagination ran wild for once and after a few moments she shook her head dismissively. Her composure restored and her imagination thoroughly chastised she permitted a soft sigh to escape her lips. Her eyes rolled, she paused for just a touch longer and then she finally spoke.
"It's Equinox," she replied and tossed her forelock from her eyes, turning her head back round and continuing to walk towards her chosen tree.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:41 am
He hadn't started to follow her when she started to walk away - he hadn't wanted to pressure her too much, just find out her name. As she hesitated he had to wonder if she'd even tell him at all.
Finally she did. It was an unexpectedly interesting name. Equinox. The between time. The time of balance. He liked it. Then again, his coloration was often described as "sunset," which was another between time, though perhaps not also a time of balance.
But now, perhaps, to remedy the balance a bit. He'd found her, and found out what he wanted to know. He'd leave before she had a chance to try and take him down a few more notches.
"Thank you, Equinox. Perhaps we'll see each other again," he told her, before turning and trotting away in the opposite direction. It wasn't, perhaps, as resounding a victory as his defeat had been at their last meeting, but it was not at all a loss on his part. A good day's work, and it was still early!
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:49 am
It was the world's shortest soquili meeting. She had seen very brief encounters between humans, one would appear then disappear with only the barest hint of conversation. Calor had taken this sort of behaviour and drawn it right into her own little world. Suffice to say she was left rather bemused by the entire encounter and couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. She'd always known that turkeys were bizarre creatures, they strutted about hour upon hour and made the most ridiculous remarks. Their displays caused giggling and great interest, their remarks brought gasps of mock horror and what... surprise?
It wasn't often one scuttled over to say hello in the most random of fashions.
"Weirdo," she murmured to no one in particular. Perhaps it was to satisfy her own train of thought, but there was no other way to describe him. If she hadn't been completely sure of what he was in their previous encounter she was now made her final conclusions. He was a turkey through and through, he looked like one, he acted like one and in short was as weird and peculiar as any normal turkey too. Oh well, perhaps this week was going to be a more lively one than she had previously anticipated, perhaps a random squirrel would run by shrieking that the sky was falling down at some point in the evening. It would help to complete the entire scene.
Shaking her head, the mare merely gave another sigh and continued on into the shade. Here was to hoping no one else would stop her before she got to lie down!
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