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 Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:51 pm
 The was barely making it's way over the mountains when a young female collasped onto the earth with a fairly loud 'thud' sound. Her body shivered and winced in pain as she struggled to get back onto her hooves.
Florian had never felt so weak before. So much strength needed just to do little tasks as to lift her head and even breath. Her lungs burned as she inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Why? She thought to herself. Why do something foolish? She snorted as she rested her head down against the ground not caring if dirt was to filth her mane and ruin her roses.
Florian should've stopped and turned around when she noticed the forests here were bare and had been neglected for years. But the mare didn't turn around, but instead continued nonetheless.
She couldn't remember when the last time she had a decent drink. There were very few streams and rivers that flowed through these barren lands. She came across a couple shallow creeks that provided an awful drink.
The water was dirty and fithy with mud. Florian could've sworn she drank a bug a couple times when trying to satisfy her thirst.
But that wasn't the only problem.
Hunger. Florian's stomach grumbled with a need to eat. Sure there were a couple patches of greenery but most were dry and made her throat itchy after eating them. She couldn't even find a couple berries to nimble upon.
Florian sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She wondered if anyone was residing within this horrible territory. She doubted that even a Kalona would be living in such dull woodlands. The only life that Florian noticed were a couple birds that flew here and there.
She opened her optics and looked around. She smacked her lips as they felt dry. Florian's eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to get onto her hooves. Thankfully she managed and leaned herself against a nearby tree. She exhaled before dipping her head down and looking to the ground in hopes that she wouldn't fall again.
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Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 2:30 pm
A big lot of nothing. Emptiness. Some birdsong, but otherwise everything had been tame. The young and brash stallion had hoped he may have been able to do something epic, like many of the tales he boasted about and admired from afar. There were a great many things that could happen in this world, but unfortunately, none of them wanted to happen to Atraiu!
Woe upon woe.
Though the land he currently walked through was barren and seemingly lifeless, the maroon coated stallion was hoping the spirits might find favor on him this day. Dead lands were always lurking with some sort of terrible creature, and the silver eyed male wasn't going to leave until he found someone, or something of interest. He couldn't just return to his family empty handed - hadn't he promised his sister a new trinket? And knowing his father, he'd get teased about finding gold and glory. No. He wouldn't return until he had something great within his possession, something to prove that his adventuring as was worth all the time he'd invested!
There was a dull thud, and Atraiu's ears pricked and focused. Pausing, the winged stallion hesitated before picking up his pace. There was movement nearby, and movement meant life, and life meant possible monsters, and monsters always meant adventure! Ooooh, what might he discover? A skinwalker, feasting upon some helpless creature? A fierce kalona, ready to protect his land at all cost? A giant and ruthless bear, bad tempered and blood thirsty? A wolf? A coyote? A . . .
"A mare!?" Sure enough, rounding a small hill, he saw not far away some brown furred, pale maned, female. Oh, why were the great spirits cursing him? He didn't need a mare, mares were never any good at threats and certainly weren't any fun when it came to adventuring. Still, she looked tired as she leaned against a tree, and her thick mane and tail looked mighty disheveled.
Silly girl. Why'd she keept her tail so long anyway? It was only going to get dirty and be a tripping hazard. Not that Atraiu had the right to judge, since his own tail was fairly lengthy and often dragged behind him as well. "Hey you . . .girl. . . " He called out, not exactly known for his manners or polite nature. He could be charming when he needed to be, but more often then not was not. He just didn't feel the need to ooze on the charm unless absolutely necessary. And talking to the dusty and disheveled mare was not a necessary anything.
"Are you all right?" He questioned, having been brought up with some form of decency and manners. He was young though, and picking his way closer he did his best to investigate the situation. She really didn't look all right but . . . maybe she just had a fond enjoyment for getting dirty, which he could approve of. Or maybe this was her home. It wasn't much of a home, but hey, one mans junk was another's treasure, after all!
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Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:50 pm
At first Florian thought she was hearing voices. Could you actually blame her? She hungered for something other than dried grass blades and something more than muddy water. The mare was weak as she leaned against the tree in hopes that it wouldn't topple over and she'd fall against the ground again.
But the voice wasn't of her imagination and she realized this when it called out again. Florian didn't think too much of it being another Soquili because these lands were desolate and barren. Why would any creature want to roam in such a pathetic-looking forest. In fact, Florian wouldn't even call these woods a forest.
Forests were filled with greenery, song, and life. What Florian had stumbled across was dead, barren, and dull.
Her head lowered again as she breathed in deeply. Her ears flickered as whoever it was neared closer to her and asked if she was well. "Are you blind?" she muttered with a grimace. Wasn't it pretty clear that she wasn't 'all right'? Florian lifted her head and realized that the voice belonged to a stallion. Shocking that a lone stallion would be wandering these parts of the woods.
Shocking, yes. But Florian was grateful that he had found her. But would she ever admit to that? Probably not.
He didn't look all that rustic to be wandering out here in the middle of no where. In fact, he looked dainty. Her eyebrows furrowed as she studied him for a brief moment. Was he to be her hero? Florian pulled her head back and snorted, closing her eyes as she turned away from him. If she HAD a choice in who was to be her savior, it certaintly wouldn't be him.
But why judge? Florian didn't know who he was.
Literally.
Nothing. Zip. Zilch. And considering the position she was in, Florian knew better. She needed help...desperatly.
Her eyes opened as she looked to the stallion. The red of his coat reminded her of her sister and mother's roses. The design on his side was very peculiar. Very odd. Very different. But Florian herself was different. Half this breed and half another.
Florian's optics narrowed as she stared to him. She had to say something in return. It was awfully rude to be staring. She sighed deeply and cleared her throat quietly.
"I'm...I'm lost," she mumbled. Obviously. "I'm starving and quite thirsty. I lost my way somewhere back there," she glanced over her shoulder to where she figured the came in through. Florian turned back to the stallion. She debated on asking him for help, but what if he didn't want to. What if he didn't feel like helping her? She exhaled deeply as she just looked to him in silence unsure of what to say.
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Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:10 pm
Atraiu quirked a brow as the mare finally seemed to acknowledge him. She really looked to be in poor shape, certainly not the sort who often headed to such barren lands. And obviously wasn't in it for treasure. Still. . . perhaps she was a spy, or a decoy, meant to turn him away form his mission?
No, no. Not only was he not at all interested in mares, but she really wasn't doing a very good job at being a distraction. Besides, there was no treasure here. He'd spent weeks ambling the area, investigating clues and the very few locals he had met. The story was nothing more than a myth, and the stallion had other leads to follow. For now, he'd turn his back on the desolate place and look to more promising fields.
Approaching the mare, the winged rogue gave a small snort. "You lost your way somewhere back there," he repeated, glancing over her to look in the direction she came. "Well where were you going anyway? These lands are dead for miles. . . . You sure got yourself in to a bit of a pickle since it's at least a good days flight before you find anything green. Longer on hoof." The male gave a small whistle before grinning ruefully at the mare.
"I've been in this area for a while now. I could help you get back on course if you need it." He didn't really want to help her, he was definitely not a gallant knight in shining armor. He was a rogue, and borderline thief. Oh, sure, he never did any harm with his treasure hunting, but every now and then a favored item might just happen to disappear . . .or he might accidentally walk away with something that wasn't originally his. He had sticky hooves, which was part of the reason he stayed so far away from his family. He didn't want to shame them, after all, and had decided not to return until he'd struck a vast fortune of trinkets and treasures. He'd prove that some of the stories he followed were true. . . .
Someday.
But right now he had to deal with the silly mare who turned herself around. "I'm Atraiu," he added amicably. "Say. . . you haven't stumbled across anything worthwhile have you? Nothing shiny or anything, right?" He tried to ask casually, to make it look like he wasn't poking and prying, but tact wasn't something he possessed. And if he DID possess it was something he didn't often use. His father would be appalled if he were witness to Atraiu's behavior.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 5:18 pm
I could help you get back on course if you need it...
Florian blinked with parted lips as she looked at the stallion. Of course she needed help as it was quite obvious she was suffering from the lack of any nutrition. His words were like a kick in the gut to the
young female. It sounded as though he didn't really want to help her. Not really, but he was offering to help her. Boy, Florian sure didn't think that when she heard the rustling through the trees to be someone of this stallion.
He sure wasn't her prince in shinning armor, but Florian was in in no need to be picky.
She snorted, exhaling deeply as her eyes wandered away from him.
"I am Florian," she nearly whispered as she spoke. Her eyebrows furrowed as she quickly took a glimpse to him. Blinking a couple times to the question of seeing something--anything worthwhile.
Was he truly taken absence of the situation she was in? She grunted, pulling back her head. Could he not see the dirt that covered her legs and underbelly? Or perhaps the leaves and twigs that scattered about her mane and tail.
Florian felt like filth. Never before would she be so accepting of being so...messy, but she was so weak and just didn't care anymore of looking like something that crept from the earth.
She breathed deeply to calm herself before saying something that she would regret.
"No. I haven't seen anything shiny or of value," she simply stated.
Suddenly, the corners of her lips curved into a devilish smirk and her eyebrows arched. She paused as she stared to the stallion named Atraiu. The stallion whom clearly didn't want to take pity on the poor pathetic Florian.
Florian didn't really want his help anyways. She'd rather wait for someone else who had more interest in finding her nourishment, BUT she doubted any others were traveling through these woodlands.
The young mare cleared her throat. "I haven't seen anything that would spark your interest within these parts of the forest. As you say, they're dull and barren. But back where the forest flourishes, I've seen something," she grinned.
Florian raised her head and kept her face serious. "I'll make a bargin with you, Atraiu. If you help me, I'll help you. I give you my word to bring you to what's hidden in the forest. Deal?" she asked, raising her brow.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 3:10 pm
It wasn't that Atraiu wasn't interested in helping Florian. It was just that he wasn't exactly the best when it came to rescuing damsels. His father would have been appalled and likely ousted him from the family had he been privy to this entire event. Thankfully though, it wasn't that Atraiu had no heart, he just . . . .didn't realize that Florian was in a terrible state. Being covered in dirt was a normal state of being for the wind; having disheveled hair and looking a mess was just par for the course! And of course, since he was incredibly ignorant on the ways of mares, it didn't occur to him that this wasn't a natural look for the mare.
Yes, she did look tired. Yes, she was obviously lost. But he was no mind reader, and he had no idea that she was so hungry or out of place. It wasn't that he was trying to be mean or uncaring, he just didn't know much better. He had resigned himself to helping her at least find her way out of the barren lands. Exactly how she managed to get so turned around, he had no idea.
Florian, huh? He took note of her name, tucked it way for later use if necessary, but otherwise he was completely uninterested in her. He certainly was no prince charming, after all. She was a mare, and he would help her, and then he would continue seeking out treasure. "I'm Atraiu." He would have said it was nice to meet her, but unfortunately, it seemed she wasn't exactly keen on meeting him. Of course, the same could be said for the wind. Girls were just a setback to his operation of finding adventure, fun, and shinies. . . . Florian was no- - -
"What was that?" His ears pricked and his gaze turned towards the mare, sudden interest causing them to light. "What sort of something?" He questioned cautiously, tilting his head. He was no fool, after all, and any body could claim to know of 'something' . . . . there were many somethings in this world, after all, but only some of them interested Atraiu. Namely gold, silver, shinies, and trinkets.
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