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 Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:24 pm
Galilee had ran up the path a ways, stopping to catch his breath. He glanced behind him to see if the mare had followed. He hoped that she had not been playing him for a fool and been trying to get rid of him. He rather liked her gruff manner.
He was eager to go on their adventure, to see snow close up. He'd only seen it in passing as he flew over head. He was curious if they could find any travelers on the mountains to pillage, or if there'd only be hairy beasts...like bears.
Where was that mare anyway?
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:51 pm
 Alvilda was /tired/, not that she would ever admit that. Galilee had set a pretty strenuous pace, and her pride didn't allow her to ask him to slow down. He was larger and stronger and probably had some kind of magical power attached to those blasted wings, while Alvilda was just a regular mare. Blast it, she would show that stallion what a regular mare could do! See, Alvilda didn't even need a particular reason to be angry. She just had a temper on her, and it was easy to set off. Especially when she was tired and sore like this.
But their goal was almost there. They would be in the mountains soon enough, right? There had been no sign of her two-leggers, but Alvilda was still retaining some kind of dim hope that they would magically show up. It wasn't as if the trip was without merit. Alvilda warmed up to Galilee more and more as the days went by, but it was hardly a confession she would make. She wasn't even willing to have that discussion in her own head, so why would she voice it out loud to her strange stallion companion?
Galilee was further ahead than Alvilda had reckoned. Panting more heavily than she would like, she soon neared the stallion, who was looking around, presumably for her. "Drat... you...," she panted, trying to collect herself and seem less tired than she was. There could be predators in these woods, after all, or something equally terrible. Or there could just be her anger and her weary need to rest for just a few more minutes, please.
"How did you get so far ahead?" she demanded. "Did you cheat and fly? Flying was not in the terms of the race." Anger cooling off as her body did so, Alvilda collected herself .
"Anything interesting yet? I could use a good fit, or something tasty from two-leggers to pilfer. Are there signs of life?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:08 pm
"Maiden, I am appalled and aghast that you would accuse me of cheating. Really! I resemble that!" Galille huffed, tossing one his dreadlocks from his eyes. He stretched a bit, "I am simply faster than you. I did stop to let you catch up."
He looked at her, lowering his head ti meet her eyes. "Are you tired, Alvilda? Would you like to rest a moment while I scout the area? See if there is anything to drink or eat...or pillage?"
The stallion stepped back, stretching his wings out as if ready to leap into the air. "A couple of circles around should do it. I have not taken to the air since we started our daring little foot race back at the beach. I really could use an excuse to take to the air...even for a moment. Do you give permission?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:42 pm
"You have longer legs than me," Alvilda retorted to Galilee. "I'm sure if we were to shorten them, I would win the race." There was a wicked glint in her eye at the suggestion of shortening the larger stallion's legs. She could do that. "I'll even use a sharp sword, so it doesn't take half as long." Well, he had said he was faster than her. That was practically an insult, in Alvilda's books.
But she was tired, so she gratefully nodded and collapsed in an ungainly heap in the shade of some trees, nibbling at some sweet clover as she did so. "I thought I might have seen a two-legger dwelling when I ran around a corner, but I ran so quickly that I wasn't sure. It looked abandoned though. Perhaps they left something of worth behind." She shrugged as best was possible, and gave herself a satisfying roll in the dirt. It removed much of the sweat that matted her coat. Never one to mind her appearance over much, Alvilda did not consider how it would cover her markings. If there was stream nearby, she would gladly plunge into it to cool down, but not to bathe.
"You don't need my permission to fly." Again Alvilda shrugged. "Go and stretch your wings and scout ahead. Tell me if I was right about that human place. And make sure they aren't there. I doubt it would be my humans in this land. Probably one of their families." Alvilda didn't much feel like dealing with their gawking, and their inevitable attempts to tame her. That wasn't her style whatsoever.
"I see some berry bushes. I'll bring back what I can. But I'll eat your half if you take too long," she teased, getting up slowly and meandering to said bushes, carefully picking off the berries and nosing them into a growing pile. This was almost like collecting booty. Almost, but not quite.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:00 pm
Galilee arched a brow to his companion, she was a prideful creature. And saucy. He liked saucy. He lifted a leg, inspecting it. "If I was short, i might not be that attractive. I would aslo lack the lift I need to get into the air, maiden. No, you would not like me short..."
He watched her settle in the shade, then looked down the road they had traveled. He nodded to indicated he knew what she'd meant, he'd seen the little shack as well. He walked a few steps in that direction, thinking over his strategy. "I'll go check it out while you rest. Then we can invade together...in case they're still there."
The stallion laughed heartily, leaping up into the air and flapping his wings. They made a slight clicking and tinkling noise as he hovered above the mare. "I am so glad for your permission, though I would have taken to the air even if you denied me. I shall return soon."
With that, Galilee flew back the way they had come, disappearing over the tree line.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:41 pm
"Now you're assuming I find you handsome, stallion." Alvilda arched an eyebrow, but there was a coy smile on her face, making it difficult to read. Difficult, but not impossible. Galilee would be a fine piece of treasure to take home. That he could verbally rally with her was an added bonus. He wasn't pretty and empty between the ears. That would make him worthless. That he seemed intelligent made him even more valuable.
And he had his own mind too! When Galilee set off, Alvilda stretched out her muscles once again. She could do a little wandering of her own while he was gone. His large frame and wings wouldn't allow him into the spaces she could fit. There was a lot to see around the pass. The rocks were getting thicker and the trees turning to pine. It was starting to smell like home in the air. There was also the faint smell of two-legger, perhaps from the cabin Alvilda had thought she had seen earlier on in the day. But that was in Galilee's path, not her own.
Alvilda soon found herself nosing into a copse of trees. They were crowded extremely close together, so that the light barely filtered down. A less brave soquili would no doubt be scared, but Alvilda had no fear that anything would harm her here. Her senses were still honed enough to detect anything fresh. There was an old odor that made her flinch, true, but whatever it was had been gone for quite some time. It smelled faintly like cat. Alvilda had never met a mountain lion, or she would recognize the scent.
Further on in the trees were a few bones, likely from where the big cat had once had its bed. They were vaguely interesting, but nothing to truly write home about. Certainly nothing that she would want to show Galilee. And there wasn't much else left to explore in this little thicket, so the mare trotted out, shaking her head in disappointment and waiting for her partner in crime to come back. Hopefully he had found something more interesting.
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:24 pm
Galilee had made a few passes over the cabin before settling near it. He had to be sure it was empty, no telling how a two-legger might react to his wings. He nosed closer to the building, then peeked in the window. No one was home, that was a relief. He wasn't afraid, but he knew his own limitations too. The stallion was no match for a herd of two-leggers.
He huffed, sending dust off the window pane. The place seemed to have long been abandoned. Perfect. The pirate would just slip in and see what had been left behind. A souvenir perhaps, or some treasure. he'd just help himself, thank you.
Galilee walked over and stuck his hoof against the door, knocking it open. Pulling his wings close to his body, he stepped over the threshold, and into the cabin. He looked back and forth, taking in the room...the cabin seemed to only be made of one room. Two-leggers were so strange sometimes. They even had to sleep on raised cushions.
He shook his head, making his way to the bed. There were still some blankets on it, moth eaten and dirty. Not much there. Time to inspect that large wooden box. He knew it was a dresser, his two-leggers had called it that. He grabbed the handle carefully with his teeth and pulled.
After some effort, the stallion got the drawer open. He looked inside and grinned, then grabbed his treasure. He hurried out of the cabin, launching himself back into the air as soon as he was outside. He couldn't wait to show his companion what he'd found. He clenched his prize in his teeth, speeding back to the mountain pass.
Galilee let out a muffled laugh as he landed near Alvilda, grinning around the length of lace in his teeth. It was the color of the ocean, and looked delicate and sturdy at the same time. He tossed his head, draping the lace over the mare. "The cabin was empty, and this was the only thing worth bringing back...to you."
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 8:36 pm
Alvilda did not anticipate the queer drop her stomach made when Galilee returned, delicately draping the lace across her back. It was beautiful. To be honest, Alvilda hadn't expected him to bring back anything- maybe an old boot, at best. This was a very nice treat. The cloth was in good condition too, and it felt like cool water over her haunches. It looked like the ocean too, sewn delicately in lace form. Lace wasn't normally something Alvilda enjoyed, but this was too beautiful not to like.
"The two-leggers left something like this behind? I'm surprised." Alvilda gently lipped at the cloth. It would have been worth something in two-legger money once. Now it was Galilee's... Or, if he was truly giving it to her, her's. And two-legger gold wasn't of much use for Alvilda, unless it was in the form of jewelry. That she liked, as any proper pirate should. It showed in her gold bracelets and accents, and her earrings as well.
"Do you not want to keep it?" She wasn't sure how to take the gift, but were soquili capable of blushing, Alvilda would have been bright red. In lieu of that, her tail whipped up once in agitation, nearly dislodging the lace. "We can split anything we find in an equal share, whenever we decide. This is your first find. You should keep it. The blue offsets your mane nicely." Had she really said that? That wasn't a very Alvilda-like thing to say at all. How humiliating!
Regardless, they had to solider on, and Alvilda was eager to get past the awkwardness of the situation. "I smelled a large cat in the grove of trees nearby, but it was an old smell. But it may still be nearby. We should be wary." It seemed like the world was conspiring against Alvilda. No sooner had she spoken, than she heard a crackle of broken branches. She was fully prepared for it to be the large cat, and whirled, baring her teeth at the intruder... Only for a frightened deer to see her and spring away quickly from this evidently insane mare, and the threat she presented. "It could have been the cat..." Alvilda tried to defend her actions.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:10 pm
Galilee shook his head, "No, Alvilda...I brought to to you. The place had been abandoned, but seemed like in a hurry. There might have been other things, but this..."
He nosed toward the lace, "Seemed to suit you. It's too...lacy for me, don't you think? Maybe the next treasure we find, I can stake claim on? But for now, you saw the cabin, the swath is yours."
The stallion looked in the direction she'd indicated, tilting his head at the deer. He nodded at his companion, agreeing with her. "If the big cat left, chances are something bigger might come instead. We should move on...no telling if that deer is being followed."
He walked to the path, looking up the rocky side of the mountain. He watched the wind whip a few brambles about that grew there, then looked at the mare. "Perhaps we should secure your new scarf, then be on our way? It looks to be a bit windy. We also should consider finding a shelter before the dark, even if it is a good few hours away."
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:26 pm
Alvilda was continually flustered, and she wasn't sure what to do at all. She was used to various treasures, and she was used to them being given to her, but always by two-leggers; never by a stallion. She was so used to distrusting them, and to being mean to the point of cruelty. With Galilee, she could not summon that hatred, and that was extremely vexing.
"I wonder why they would leave so quickly. Two-leggers rarely do anything quickly, unless their lives are threatened. I doubt even the largest of cats could pose that much of a thread." The mystery would have to remain unsolved, because they would move on soon, and to be honest, Alvilda wasn't /that/ curious. She had what she wanted, and two-leggers held very little significance to her, with the exception of those she considered her own. Her two-leggers would have never left such a valuable treasure behind. They were more intelligent than that.
As for the next treasure... "I'll find something that suits your coloring, and your role as a big, manly stallion." Quirking a grin at Galilee, Alvilda carefully draped the blue lace around her neck, using her teeth to gentle wind it around several times, so that it would stay, and so it wouldn't drag in the mud while they ran and explored.
She also glanced up at the mountains. "It won't be dark for a few hours yet. Are you getting scared?" Making everything a challenge just made everything so much more fun! "There's likely caves if we go further up, where we can spend the night, long as we don't disturb any bears." The wind was really picking up though- she would give Galilee that much.
"If we keep moving, we won't get too cold." The idea of huddling together for warmth made Alvilda hesitate. Was it too much, or not enough? Poor, muddled mare!
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:59 pm
"Perhaps other humans came and chased them away...or some mighty beast frightened them," Galilee shrugged, his wings flexing slightly. He tried not to guess the manner that two-leggers behaved, only that there were none here to harm him or his companion. "Just be glad they, or what ever sent them fleeing, was not here to stop our journey short."
"I am manley, aren't I?" Galilee grinned rakishly, tossing his dreads about. He laughed, to show he was joking, then looked around. "We big, strong stallions do not get scared. I was merely concerned for you, mare. As you might tire before we get to the caves."
He took a few steps up the path, then glanced at her, "With luck, there won't be any bears...not at this time in the season. They'll be out busy getting fat for the winter."
He turned back to the path just as a gust of wind blew past, ruffling his dreads. He didn't shiver, but it did catch him off guard. He looked back at Alvilda. "Joking aside, the higher up, the stronger the wind. We should find a place to sleep...shall we be on the move?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:38 pm
"The only part of me that will get tired soon are my ears, from your constant prattling." Alvilda snorted, but there was still a smile playing on her lips. In truth, she grew more tired and cold as the minutes slowly dragged on, but she still refused to admit it to Galilee. They couldn't be far from a shelter now. The mountain was pitted with holes, and some looked both large and deep enough to shelter two soquili for the night. Of course, those were also the same size that would shelter a bear easily, but no use thinking on that. Galilee was right. Bears would be out hunting this time of season... Wouldn't they?
"You are as manly as I am feminine." Alvilda had a feminine build, but that was just about where that ended. "Maybe if I wore some of your fancy ornaments, I would look more a proper female." Hah, he had more glitter than she did, and likely more vanity too. All that brass would need polishing.
There was a large cave just up ahead, as it happened, hidden by a turn of the corner. Alvilda was far too tired to be wary, though she was normally twitchy at the best of times. She didn't bother to sniff the air. Her eyes were riveted forward on their goal- some place nice to rest for the night, that would be waterproof and warm and large enough to fit them both easily. It was not quite the time to cuddle up yet.
Alvilda's hooves made sharp sounds on the stone of the cave floor. It seemed like they were producing more than a normal echo... Wait, what was that? "Is there anyone here?" she called out.
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:18 pm
"Did you check it first?" Galilee moved to Alivilda's side, peering into the depth of the cave. He stepped in front of the mare, ready to protect her. "Who ever you are, show yourself! Or, fear the wrath of very tired and cranky pirates!"
The stallion paused, arching a brow and shooting a glance to Alvilda. After a pause he decided to walk in, holding his head high. He made his way toward the back of the cave, where he could hear something moving around.
After a few moments, some shouting and hooves clashing against the floor echoed out of the darkness. Something was clattering it's way toward where Alvilda stood.
What appeared to be a scraggly mountain goat came crashing past the mare, bleating in fear. Galilee was chasing after the frightened creature, his head down and snorting. "And stay out, you mangy beast!"
He stopped and grinned at his companion, "Cave's all ours, m'dear."
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