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 Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:15 pm
 Beneath the shade of a great willow tree lay a buckskin mare. She seemed to be dozing in the warm afternoon sunlight. A cool breeze rustled the leaves of the willow tree and startled the little green hummingbird that had been resting within it's protection. Noticing the time of day, Alexander quickly fluttered over to his mistress and attempted to wake her. If they were to find shelter before nightfall they would need to get started soon. On their lucky days they could find a warm place within an hour, but most often it took much longer then that. Zarita began to stir with the persistent pestering of Alexander. "Wha?" She spoke sleepily. She didn't open her eyes, she didn't want to. The sun was so warm on her fur and she lazily laid her head back down and tried to continue her nap. The mare would have succeeded too, had the little bird not dive bombed her nose. Alex might be tiny, but with enough speed he could make a decent impact. "All right, All right." She told him. "I'm getting up."
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:29 pm
Maj shifted and paused in his grazing. He'd heard something off to the west. Rapid chirping....or something like that. Being the ever curious and trusting soquili he picked up his hooves and swished his tail over a nearby rise that over looked a wooded area adjacent to the the native encampment. He chose to stick close his two-legger. She seemed to find him useful and enjoy his company. But he was free to do as he wished. She'd never tie him. Never.
So he trotted up the hill and caught what looked like sun glinting off sleek fur. Mare. He wondered if she knew she had napped so close to camp. Not that it was a problem or anything. No one about was likely to disturb her. Especially if I didn't look like she belonged to anyone.
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:48 pm
Still a bit tired from her nap, the mare managed to stand up and shake the dust out of her fur, oblivious to any onlookers. Next she stretched out her muscles a bit, forcing herself to be less drowsy. There, that was better, she thought to herself. A bit more awake now she focused on the bird waiting patiently just a little bit off. "Now then," She began. "What was so important that you had to wake me up for?" Zarita was fairly sure she knew the answer, she just liked to bother him a bit whenever she could.
"We slept too long." He told her plainly. "You know just as well as I do that we need to be moving out. Especially if you still insist on hunting for this-" He stopped mid-sentence as he spotted an unfamiliar figure. If there was one thing that they had learned, it was to keep their secrets to themselves.
Quickly he darted in close to her ear. "Someone's watching." He told her quietly.
At Alexander's warning, the mare turned her head to spot the trespasser. If there were others nearby, there might be shelter. "You there." She called out to him kindly. "Don't be shy." The niceness was a little unusual for her, but the mare was tired of traveling, tired of not knowing if she'd find a safe place to spend the night, just tired.
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:21 pm
Maj watched the exchange between the mare and bird curiously but did not comment or move. Only the bird seemed to know he was there so he waited and when she spoke he let out a laugh on a wuffle. "I'm not shy Miss. But I'm also not stupid. A mare needs her space."
He trotted down the rise to stop a few yards away. "You are close to the Kiwani encampment. I don't know if you meant to be but you are."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:42 pm
Zarita watched the stallion carefully as he approached. He seemed to be nice enough and she felt that she was in no immediate danger. The mare let her guard down just a bit and tried to relax. She knew that Alexander would let her know if he suspected this stallion of any unkind motives.
"Oh really?" She replied. "I didn't know that, though I do wonder how I missed it." And how had she? Well, no matter. She was aware of the encampment now and that was all that mattered. "I truly am sorry, i hadn't meant to trespass on anyone's land. My companion and I were only resting for a short time and were just about to head out and find shelter for the evening." The mare hoped to receive an invitation, but she also didn't hold her breath.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:54 pm
Odd creature, he thought to himself. She doesn't trust me at all. He tilted his head at her and shook his mane. "Well the winds blowing the smoke away and the rise hides the top the tepees." He shrugged as if it didn't matter and to him it probably didn't. "You don't trespass. You are Soquili. You can go where you please." He was a tad boggled as to how she didn't know that. "The natives don't bother us without permission. We're not dumb creatures to be controlled...but I do have shelter if you want it. I have a covered place and food. Ehawee will not mind. She might even think it good for me to have a mare around. I do not bite Miss. I will not hurt you. My name is Majesty." He waited patiently for a response, not at all perturbed by being so forward.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:12 pm
She studied the stallion carefully. It seemed unlikely that he meant her any harm and his invitation seemed genuine. She nodded as if deciding that he was okay. "Thank you, you are too kind." She told him gratefully. Why did she feel so exhausted all of a sudden? Perhaps it was the relief of finding a place for the night, perhaps it was simply because she had been traveling for far too long, whatever it was, it made her much calmer then she usually was and a lot less snappy.
"I don't mean to impose on you, but if you're sure then I know my companion, Alexander, and I would be forever grateful to you."
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:50 pm
He genuinely grinned when she assented. He liked the idea of having a pretty mare about. Even for a night. But he wasn't the kind to expect anything from her. Or think anything might happen between them. "You need not be so wary. It's not like I would be bringing a Kalona into camp." He chuckled at the thought. "Don't worry about imposing. There is plenty for me to share and I would really love to." He turned and craned his neck backward and then forward indicating that she should follow then clipped up the rise.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:59 pm
Her ears perked up a bit at the stallion's words and she allowed herself to fully relax. They were going to go to the village now, that thought automatically made her tense up, but she forced her muscles to relax again. It had not been her fault that the village had died of the plague, she had to remind herself. Shenowa had made that clear, but she still felt responsible, she still felt that she had been the cause. If not for her carelessness, they might all still be alive right now.
The mare forced the thoughts from her mind and followed after the stallion. It would not do to dwell on the past, to remember the painful memories that she had no hope of forgetting or fixing. Well, perhaps one hope, but she would put that out of her mind. For now.
Quickly, the mare trotted to catch up to the stallion, she had fallen a little too far behind and she was not about to dampen his mood. He was being kind enough to offer her shelter, and she would be the best guest that she could be.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:17 pm
He stopped at the top of the rise and turned to wait for her. He wondered briefly at her but it was not in his nature to ponder long. She was here now and that was all that counted for him. "Do I get to know your name Lady? And the bird? Who keeps staring at me like I'm the enemy." He grinned at her and the bird in her hair. "I won't hurt her or you little twitter. And I won't let anyone else either. Ehawee is my lady and I take care of her. She's single and alone after her father died in battle last summer. She takes care of her tepee and my small paddock. So it's quiet and peaceful around me. The only other disturbances will come from the other ladies calling her for work. There's a bushel of apples I've been saving. Would you like some?" He turned to face the village and looked down his nose pointing towards the outer edge and a small gold skinned and decorated tepee.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:35 pm
"Forgive me." She said happily. "I'm Zarita, and this here is my companion Alexander." She continued on, a little embarrassed at having forgotten to introduce herself. "And you?" She asked? "What is your name?"
The little bird continued to glare at the stallion, but backed off just a little bit at his words. Alex was a little afraid that he might take Zarita from him. He had found her after the plague, he had brought her from her despair, and he was not about to let her go easily. Warily, the little bird nested in the mare's mane and kept his watchful eyes on the stallion and on their surroundings.
"Oh don't mind him." Zarita told the stallion. "He's just a bit over protective at times. He found me after the plague." Her voice trailed off a bit, filled with sadness at the returning thoughts.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:20 pm
He nodded at her. "A very pretty name. Hello Alex." He smiled again at the bird. "I thought told you my name. Perhaps I was confusing or you were thinking about something." He shrugged. "My name is Majesty. Maj for short. No I don't know how I got tagged with something so frivolous."
He listened and watched Alex she she talked of plague. He felt his skin shiver. It was easy to forget other tribes suffered while his was just fine. "There is none of that here. Be sure. You are safe." He fought a very sudden urge to nuzzle her to comfort.
Movement caught his eye and he looked down to see his lady walk around the side of her tepee. He grinned. The willowy native caught sight of him and stopped. She was rather plain but her black hair gleamed and her buckskin was clean. He felt his heart swell with love and turned to nod at Zarita to come with his and he cantered and pranced down the hill.
Ehawee blink a few times at the mare and gave Maj a questioning look but urged him to come forward. "What have you found Maj?", she asked as he got close. He pushed his nose into her hand and looked into her eyes in question. She giggled and hugged his neck. "Yes she may stay. She's pretty. How could I say no?" He nuzzled her happily then pulled away to look at Zarita.
"I told you she'd be alright with it." She grinned and tossed his head. Happy.
Ehawee turned her attention to the mare. "Hello pretty creature. Where did my friend find you? He so rarely brings things home. I was beginning to worry about him." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye in significant question but when he gave her a disdainful look she laughed. "Alright, alright. I get it. None of my business." She tuned again fully to the mare and put out a hand, clearly asking if she could touch.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:33 pm
The mare blushed with embarrassment. "I suppose you did didn't you?" She said recognizing the name now. "I suppose I've just been so overwhelmed by the past lately I was a little lost in thought." Zarita was glad when the stallion didn't question her about the plague. She wasn't sure if she could tell her story to a stranger, at least not yet, the wound was still healing.
As the stallion beconned her to follow him, the mare almost laughed at the boyish way he pranced to meet his lady. She followed close behind him, not quite as light in step, but his good mood was definitely having a positive effect on her and she showed it in her movements. Zarita stood quietly as the two conversed in her own way and let out a sigh of relief when the girl said she could stay. Her heart warmed at the interaction of the two, it reminded her of her days with Shenowa. The memories still hurt, but they were good ones and she would always treasure them. Looking at the stallion, Zarita realized she was growing quite fond of him. Perhaps she could open up to Maj and gain another friend.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:21 pm
Ehawee cocked her head and wondered at the mare's glazed and far off expression but shrugged and pulled away her hand. She patted Maj's side and gave him an affectionate rub. "Take care of her big boy. There are apples just inside the tepee and there's dinner to make for me. Have fun." She grinned and wandered off.
Maj smiled after her then turned to look at Zarita. "Come. I'll show you were I sleep. Then I'll go get a treat for us." He nodded and motioned towards an open sided pen with a covered area in one corner. Tall poles stuck into the ground and taught buckskin had been pulled over them. Dry grass covered the ground under and a couple blankets were thrown over a fence rail. He stepped toward his little home and waited for her approval. It wasn't much. "What do you think?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:17 pm
Slowly, yet surely, the mare followed Maj to his own private space. Curious, she peeked around him as they reached the spot and she found that she was pleasantly surprised. It looked much like her own had used to and she immediately felt at home in this place. "Oh wow!" She said quietly awed. It had been months since she had even seen a bed of dried grass let alone had a chance to sleep on it. Maj was a lucky stallion, and she hoped he knew it.
"You know, you might not get rid of me." She told him jokingly. Surprising herself, she almost took back the comment but then decided to let it stand. It had been far too long since she had allowed herself to have any fun or act like the carefree filly that she had been. It felt rather nice to be back to her old self, even if it was only a glimpse.
From up in her mane, the little bird relaxed his scowl. It was the first time she had heard Zarita happy with anyone other then him, and she rarely even showed Alex that side. Perhaps this stallion would be good for her after all.
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