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 Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:20 pm
This is a PRP for Brackenhide and Betula, both owned by Darkmoon Dancer. [ Link to Teepee ] 
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:27 pm
'Where is this guy?' The stallion, brow furrowed, had been told there was a cerynei he could find in the area that might be able to help him. Yet he had already been looking for the past two days and still hadn't come across him. Granted, the forest was a large place but at this point Brackenhide was on the verge of giving this insane thought up and just forgetting about it altogether.
If he didn't find this cerynei by nightfall, Brackenhide was done for good. He didn't want to spend another day on what was probably a waste of time in the first place.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:40 pm
Betula was nervous to set off. He had experienced the best meeting of his life just the other night and was to head out into the world at long last with her. The plan was they would be there to help one another along, to keep the other on track and to at long last make it past the borders of the forest and into the big wide world. There was so much they both wanted to see, but there had always been something holding them back, a loneliness that kept them grounded to the territory they knew. But together they stood a chance at making their dreams come true.
Now he just needed to wait until Kagali Lillian was ready to leave and then he'd be off to new territory. But until then, he was still here, still in the forest that he knew so well and grew up in. The trees here were mostly birch, like those depicted on his hide. The ground looked strange in green, but it would be a few months more before it would be blanketed in white snow, when it looked the most.... right. Yes, the winter months were lovely here in the birch tree forest, but Betula was saying his goodbyes to these trees because he didn't think he'd be in the area for this upcoming winter.
Hooffalls to his right. Betula's ears flicked in that direction and he stood still, unsure of who might be approaching. They made no sound, so Betula did not have much to go off of until the stranger would come into view. It wasn't altogether strange for Betula to have guests in this part of the forest, but he liked to know what he was up against before the last second. He was, afterall, quite small and therefore always looked for anything that could give him the upper hoof in case of the need for fight or flight.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:00 am
It shouldn't be this hard to find someone to ask for help, in Brackenhide's opinion. He was just trying to get a hold of someone who wouldn't tell anyone what he felt like he needed to say. He didn't have any friends apart from Thesh-Ah, and this was definitely something that he couldn't talk to her about, so who better than a Secret-Keeper? Now if only this guy would show up where he was supposed to be found...
Brackenhide narrowed his eyes as he scanned the white trees. He was told that the Secret-Keeper lived in this forest, but he would blend right in. What the hell did that mean? Well, he was about to find out.
Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. Chittering squirrel. Tree. Tree. Tree. Strange mass. Tree. Tree. Blackberry bush. Wait, what? He had to do a double-take and figure out what the strange mass had been. As his eyes found it again and began to focus he realized he was looking at not just a mass, but a Soquili. His coat was painted like the trees around them, and suddenly everything made sense. This had to be the Secret-Keeper.
A big sigh escaped Brackenhide before he began to approach the well-camouflaged cerynei he had been looking for.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:07 am
He didn't have to wait long before the wanderer came into view. A kirin, golden scales and black mop of hair with strange accessories. Definitely not someone that Betula had met before. He seemed to be looking for something, looking this way and that through the trees only to rescan back in his direction. Aha. He had been looking for Betula.
The sigh that the stranger emitted calmed Betula, easing his tensed muscles so that he took a few steps towards the blackberry bush where the trees were not quite as dense. Stopping in front of it, Betula kept his gaze on the kirin, but his body faced the bush, showing that he intended to munch on it if there wasn't anything to stop him from doing so.
He was not one to start conversations, not often at least, so he stood silently, watching but otherwise still. It was up to the kirin if he wanted to talk.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:14 am
Approaching calmly, Brackenhide had assumed that he would be greeted, and thus found it a little strange that the cerynei merely stood there watching him. He brushed the thought away a moment later though, as this soquili was called a Secret-Keeper, so silence kind of made sense.
Stopping a few strides away, he respectfully bowed his head and started with, "Almost missed you, Secret-Keeper. You are indeed well hidden here among these trees." A jovial hello seemed appropriate... right? Well it was all that Brackenhide could come up with, in any case. He did not speak with males often, so it could be said that his awkwardness stemmed from inexperience.
An awkward pause followed before he figured he should probably introduce himself. Clearing his throat he added, "My name is Brackenhide," another momentary pause, now doubting himself. "... I did find the Secret-Keeper, didn't I?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:31 am
The stranger seemed confident and yet strangely uncomfortable. Betula concluded that this must be someone with something to tell, something they wanted to share. He waited until the kirin got closer and began to speak. All he responded with at first was a smile and a slight nod, acknowledging his painted coat and the forest around him.
It was quite common for others to miss him amongst his natural cover, so it did not surprise Betula that this kirin had nearly over-looked him entirely. His cover was good in some cases, as when any of the nastier breeds made their way through the area, but it could also be why some troubled minds couldn't find him.
He blinked slowly to acknowledge the kirin giving his name, but only when he was asked a question did he finally make any sort of audible sound. Shaking out his mane, the cerynei lifted his head a little, but still came up about two hands shorter than the kirin. Voice calm and even, he replied, "I am a Secret-Keeper. My name is Betula."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:50 am
Small acknowledgements, but they were acknowledgements. Brackenhide was beginning to understand and accept this cerynei's silence. Strange for any normal soquili, yes, but it made sense for a Secret-Keeper to be so silent, at least it was starting to.
Nodding once, Brackenhide accepts the name, but doesn't really know where to start. How did these things go? Was he supposed to ask if he could begin to speak? Was he just supposed to start talking?
Glancing at Betula, he decided to invite himself over to the blackberry bush for starts. Taking slow steps so as not to seem like he was charging at the cerynei, he didn't really notice how small the silver Secret-Keeper really was until he was this close to him. He took one more glance over at Betula before allowing himself a mouthful of blackberries. Chewing them over thoughtfully, Brackenhide finished swallowing them before he came up with something else to say.
"I have something to share. Something... I have not yet dared to say out loud. Something... that I do not understand," helping himself to yet another mouthful of berries, Brackenhide turned his head to look at the Secret-Keeper once more, hoping to get a helpful prod in the right direction.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:27 pm
Having let Brackenhide come closer and partake in the blackberries, Betula also took indulgence in the fruit. Picking at the berries carefully, he ate them one at a time so that he could pay attention to the other male and would be able to respond at a moment's notice.
Betula understood the caution and hesitations that the kirin showed, this was typical in any soquili that held a secret that had yet to be shared with another living soul. This was one of those occasions where Betula had to step in and help push the Bearer along.
Turning his body to the side a little, so that he faced Brackenhide slightly more head-on, Betula raised his gaze to the teal pair that almost hid under the kirin's mane. His own lilac eyes were wide, but trusting as he began to speak.
"You have come to the right soquili, brave Brackenhide. The words that twist and burn inside of you ask to be released, to be shared, and I am one who can keep those words safe for you. I have as much time as you need, so do not feel rushed or pressured. Speak at your own pace, and I will listen."
His voice is soothing, if a little rough from such limited use, but his aura is collected and warm, as if sitting in the company of an old friend. Anyone could be comfortable in his company, once they get past his quiet demeanor, but that was the hardest barrier to cross.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:33 pm
Brackenhide chewed slowly as he turned his head and looked at Betula when he spoke. A small nod here, then there. He understood what he had to do now. This cerynei really was there for anyone who needed to get something off their chests. Finishing his mouthful, he glanced at the Secret-Keeper before he plopped down onto the ground not all-too gracefully. Allowing his front half to slowly sink to the soft grass he tried to find the words that yearned to escape him. How was he supposed to explain something he didn't understand?
Opening his mouth... and closing it. There were so many things he could say, but none of it made any sense. Did any of it fit together? Did any of it really mean anything? He lay there, struggling with his thoughts and doubting the idea of coming out here to tell some stranger his muddled feelings. But it all changed when he glanced back up and found the pair of lilac eyes calmly looking back at him. They were soft, and warm, -if a pair of eyes could be such things- and though he essentially stared at Brackenhide, he did not feel any pressure to speak. He was merely being watched, by what felt like a father-figure. And that was what finally broke the wall of silence for Brackenhide.
"There's a mare. And she's shy and she trips over things because she doesn't always look where she's going. And she's too busy worrying about what others think of her, or for that matter caring about others. She wears a mask, and sometimes it feels like she's hiding behind it, but I keep telling her that she doesn't need to use it as a shield." He shook his head, not understanding any of it, but now feeling obliged to keep going and say the rest of the things that had been spinning around in his head. "Well... not that she CAN take off her mask, as it's... well... stuck. Something happened that she will never talk about that has made it fuse to her lovely muzzle as she healed. But it doesn't matter to me! He mask is just part of who she is now, even if it represents what she used to be in the past!" He was beginning to get riled up, emotions flaring and beginning to make him speak more passionately.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:42 pm
Betula was patient. In fact, if he were to think about it, he couldn't think of anyone he knew that was even close to as patient as he was. And he wasn't being conceited when he thought that. He figured he only knew others that were constantly moving and pushing on to get somewhere faster. Well, there was one mare that he knew that came somewhat close to his patience, but this shouldn't be where his thoughts stray when he's here for someone else as a sounding board and wise voice of advice.
Snapping his ears forward, Betula kept them trained on the kirin as he eventually began to speak and spill his thoughts, fears, and emotions. For some it took no effort at all, but for others, like this Brackenhide, it took time and a memory trigger to really give them a kick start.
Settling in comfortably, the silver cerynei continued to munch on the succulent berries, but he turned his body to face the other male. Settling his gentle gaze on Brackenhide, he sat his rump down and listened.
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Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:25 pm
As he spoke his limbs began to feel itchy, as if there were a hundred tiny little flies nipping at him but not hard enough to hurt, just enough to begin annoying the kirin. It wouldn't be long before the stallion has to sit up so that he can at least shuffle his forelimbs a bit to ease the itch.
"She's noble, and protective, and crazy loyal. She even helps to protect the teepee of her two-legger, the brave mare!" He shook his head, not because he didn't believe the words he spoke, but because he was starting to realize what an amazing mare Thesh-Ah really was. His bushy mane was disorderly, and his cravat sat off to one side, so it was easy to see that the stallion had been fretting over these thoughts at least all morning. Then was the time that he chose to sit up, shaking out one leg, then the other, trying to find a comfortable spot for them to settle as he continued to speak his mind.
"But the confusing part is that I really have no idea why I keep feeling like I should spend more time with this mare." A pause and a somewhat crazed chuckle, uncomfortable in it's manner but trying to be jovial as it was about common knowledge. "Well, not that it's weird for me to want to spend time with mares! I can never get enough of them! Their flowing manes and enchanting smiles, I mean... what stallion could resist the call of a lonely mare?" Another pause, as his expression fell back into confusion with a touch of sadness.
"But that's not what it's like for this mare. I feel so..... comfortable around her. As if she were more than just a mare in search of company.... as if... as if she were a friend. Or something." He shook his head and finally decided that the itching in his legs would not go away with just a few shuffles. He needed to stand up and pace. Which is precisely what he proceeded to do.
"It's just... strange... I mean... why should I feel such an attachment to someone? Could it just be infatuation? I've seen many mares encounter that obsessive character...." he shuddered, before continuing. "I wouldn't want to hurt her! No, no, Thesh-Ah does not deserve to be lead on and then left behind like I have been. She deserves better than that." He went silent then, but continued to pace back and forth. He was deep in thought, mulling everything he had just said out loud for the very first time.
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Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:56 pm
Stubby cerynei tail twitching back and forth every so often, Betula finally stopped picking at the berries when he felt satiated. It wouldn't do to fill up to the point of bursting, when he was to have a nice dinner later with his beloved.
A few nods here, a bow of the head there, Betula stayed silent during the kirin's musings so as not to interrupt his thoughts and break him away from the open state of mind. He found that if he let people talk until they could talk no more, it seemed to help them finally feel like they had gotten something off their chests. Quite often, he would sit through someone repeating themselves a few times before they would fall silent, and though one might think this annoying and redundant, Betula had seen it help so many in the past, that he no longer questioned it. He actually found it quite interesting how everyone coped slightly differently, even if most people followed one pattern or another in their process no two coping mechanisms were exactly the same.
Only when Brackenhide fell silent did Betula slowly stand up and address the pacing stallion. Voice calm and soothing, it spoke with wisdom and confidence.
"Sounds to me like you still have feelings to work out. Perhaps this is a matter of strong emotions that you have yet to uncover and understand." He did not want to outright say that the stallion obviously loved this mare, as it was not in his place to tell him what he felt. But perhaps his gentle hint would help him discover it on his own. "I think you still have lots of thinking to do, but perhaps you do not have to do this on your own. You may find those that are close to you will also be willing to help you sort things out. But all must come at your own pace. Your thoughts and feelings are safe with me, Brackenhide, but I think it is time for you to be on your way. I can not help you any more until you discover more about yourself. You know where to find me in the future, brave Brackenhide."
And with that he took a small bow and began to walk in the opposite direction, deeper into the white woods to find his own lovely mare. Humming to himself softly, he was putting these delicate thoughts away into safekeeping for both study and lock-up at a later time. The stallion could come back at any time to seek more audience or advice, that was no question, but this was as far as Betula could go just now.
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Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:25 pm
Pacing back and forth, back and forth, Brackenhide had begun to tread some distinctive marks into the ground under hoof when Betula addressed him and snapped him out of his concentration and eager pacing.
Drawing to a sudden stop and tilting his head to one side so that his hair completely obscured one eye he listened, and though he could understand the words, he was only really registering the advice he was given to replay it in his head at least a few hundred times over later. Nodding along, he accepted the kind words and open invitation for revisiting, but it wouldn't be until much much later that he would even begin to understand what he needed to do to unravel his complex and confusing feelings. For the time being, though, Brackenhide had to agree with the Secret-Keeper, it was time for him to go. Maybe a nice walk would refresh his mind and clear his thoughts. In fact... maybe even a quick nap would help replenish his fatigued body and mind.
Returning a bow of the head, he muttered a quiet, "Thank you, Secret-Keeper," before turning away and heading for a wander. Though whether or not the thanks were heard was anyone's guess. No matter, this stallion had much too much on his mind to concentrate on the Secret-Keeper's feelings, as his own were more than enough for him to handle.
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