[PRP] The World I Know (Guirien x Azimene)

[Uta]

The pale coated mare picked her way through unknown territory. Part of her knew the trouble she was causing her brother, especially if word got back to her father that she had up and left - but this was something she needed to do. This was her one shot at living life her way - not under the concern and worry of her family. Granted, she loved her family, and would ultimately defer to their wishes . . . . but . . . . this trip would likely never happen again. And it was that fear that caused her to part ways with Tempest as soon as they had settled themselves in the plains. She wouldn't go back to the mountains until she felt satisfied in her exploration of this unknown world.

Glancing over her shoulder, the dark haired mare peered at the mountains. They were so small and so far away. Somewhere in their protective hills was her herd and family; her beloved mother, father, and all of her siblings. She trusted Tempest and knew he understood her desperation to tackle a little independence. Just because she was sickly, weak, frail, didn't mean she needed aid in everything she did. Of course not. Tempest understood such things, which is why (as far as she could realize) he hadn't given her chase. . . .

And so, her new adventure had begun.

For days she had roamed with little happening. Now and again she crossed paths with another soquili, but they often kept to themselves or were headed away from where she walked. Not that Azimene minded the quiet . . . Her entire life had been quiet. She had been the phantom of her fathers woods, making up her own friends in her foalhood and youth, and accustomed to only having family around. Besides which, she was interested in the world . . .the new colors, scents, and scenery that greeted her every morning.

Knowing that once she returned home, her life and its routine would begin again. Her father would find out, one way or another, and she would be back in lockdown. She knew why he was so protective, and she knew she was lucky that they loved her so to want to keep her safe, but . . . .it was also a little stifling. Under this knowledge though, the mare knew that it was best to keep friends minimal. They wouldn't exactly be embraced should they want to visit, and the chances of her ever getting to see them again here in the open plains of the Kawani, was slim. So it was, in a way, better this way. . . .

She had the sunshine, the promise of spring in the warmth of the wind, and solid earth beneath her hooves. What more could the petite and sickly mare need?
 

[Cajmera]

The plains had never been a comfortable place for Guirien. While it was true that there was a beauty in the plains, the wide open space was a double-edged sword for one who didn't always want to be seen. As a trained fighter, he could appreciate being able to see for miles; less chance of being snuck up on. But also as a trained fighter, he hated the knowledge that he was as obvious as a full moon on a clear night. His coat was so vibrant and unique compared to the landscape that whether the plains were covered in snow or at their most vibrant green, he was bound to stick out. It was an unsettling experience; even if there was no one else around, he knew that he would be visible to anyone that appeared before he had a chance to see them himself.

That was why he tried to keep his time on the ground in the plains to a minimum. In the hills or the mountains or the forests, there were enough obstructions that he could be confident in his stealthiness. However, from time to time his path brought him to the plains, and even a wind couldn't make that crossing in one flight.

Spying a likely place, Guirien tucked his wings in and swooped down to the ground in a direct line. He'd been following a stream for some time, and it seemed a good idea to continue that path.He could use a drink, and if he kept to the stream bed he'd be a bit lower on the horizon and therefore less visible. A perfect plan.

Alighting beside the water, Guirien cricked his neck and shook out his wings. He wasn't going anywhere specific, which made it ironic how purposeful he was in his travel. Walking, running, or flying, he was always moving and with drive. Even now, he was shifting around and stretching all of his muscles while essentially standing in the same spot. Rotating one of his shoulders, he mused on the subject with no small amount of irony. He'd left in order to think, and since then he'd done as little thinking as possible. At this rate, he was going to be going around in circles forever.

Sigh. That was a depressing thought, and he allowed himself to acknowledge that fact as he flopped over into the stream. Meh.  

[Uta]

Cajmera

I didn't know if he really was flopped in the stream or . . how deep it was or . . what. So pardon my generic response! xD

The scent of water tickled her nose, and the young mare realized just how parched she had become during her roaming. If there was one thing her uncle Azzinoth had instilled in her, it was to keep herself hydrated. She had enough wrong with her genetic makeup, she didn't need to add dehydration to that list. Without the older unicorn to fall back upon in case she did over exert herself, the pale coated mare didn't want to take any chances. Besides, if she didn't stop now, who knew when she would find another place to drink? It was with great pleasure the dark maned mare changed the course of her walk, and sought out the source of temptation.

She heard the water before she saw it, and pushing through the grasses Azimene stumbled across a lovely little stream. It reminded her of home, many gorges and canyons in the mountain harboring a twisted path of water. Granted, the one thing she missed was the waterfalls of the hills. Many streams either began or ended with the roaring waters, and Azimene could almost hear the rush of the falls.

The mare closed her eyes for a moment, cherishing the moment. As much as she hated to admit it, while there was an entire world out to be explored, Azimene couldn't help but feel a bit lonely. Homesick. All of her life her family was the only soquili she'd come to know, and while she had felt stifled before, now that she was free she . . . . couldn't help but miss their familiarity. What she would give to share some of these moments with her brothers, father, and mother.

. . . but then again, if they had their way, she wouldn't be here at all.

Picking her way to the edge, the mare satisfied her desire to drink. Thirst parched, she decided to head down stream, curious where the current lead. Maybe, just maybe, if she followed long enough she'd come to rapids or a small waterfall! Surely the plains had to have them somewhere, right? The land couldn't be all flat. . . could it?

Trotting around the bend, lost in her own little world, for a moment she didn't notice the flash of pink in the stream. Unfortunately, such a color really was a bit unnatural, especially in the midst of water! The bright shade of magenta did capture her gaze, and it suddenly occurred to her that it was no flower or water lily that intrigued her. In fact it was . . . a soquili! At least what bit of it she could see. It was rather flopped haphazardly . . .

And it looked . . . No. It couldn't be!

Granted, she had never met another soquili quite so brightly colored such as Guirien but . . . The colors were close. And they did match the feather she kept braided in her hair. (Unfortunately, it was quite tattered despite her best intentions to keep it nice.) Dismissing the thought, (though a small part of her did hope) the mare trotted closer. Whoever was flopped there might be in need, especially if they hadn't meant to look so . . . miserable. . .in the waters edge. "Excuse me! But are you all right?"

 

[Cajmera]

Guirien had apparently developed a very bad habit of zoning out when he thought he was alone. How else could he explain the fact that in spite of being out in the open, he hadn't been aware that anyone else was around? True, the stream was running water, but the current was so gentle that the sound shouldn't have masked the sound of another's approach, even with one of his ears underwater. This was sloppy, and he would have to work on curbing this habit before it resulted in curbing him!

These thoughts ran through his head with great rapidity as soon as the first syllable of greeting reached him, and he was on his feet in the knee-deep water only moments later. "Oh yes, I'm fine, thank you for your....Azimene?"

It was hardly a dignified greeting. In additional, although the stream wasn't very deep, he had been lying down on his side and as a result, his whole body was drenched and his side was sandy. But Guirien had never placed much stock in dignity, and right now he didn't particularly care how he looked. It had only taken a glance to identify the his friend from the hills; there couldn't be TWO with such a distinctive appearance! "It IS you! Man, who'd have thought we'd run into each other all the way out here!" He grinned, shaking out the sand in his mane and brushing it back with practiced care. "And for a second time, you stumble upon me daydreaming. I promise you that it's nothing personal..."  

[Uta]

Azimene was absolutely delighted! As soon as the stallion scrambled to his hooves, despite the disheveled, dripping, sand and mud covered coat, she could recognize him anywhere. There was none other that sported such a brilliant colored coat, or wore such unique mask markings upon his features!

"Guirien!" She exclaimed with a laugh, her excitement bubbling to the surface and immediately chasing most of her homesickness far away. While it was true, he was not part of her home high up in the peaks, he had been her first friend. . . well. As far as that friendship could be extended. The last they'd met, she had been . . . perhaps. . . a bit untrue about her condition. But he'd never asked, and even as her father came roaring down upon them -- and humiliating her in the process -- once again, he never seemed to judge.

Yes, he was her friend, even if it had been a good while since they'd last crossed paths.

"What a pleasant surprise!" She practically danced from hoof to hoof, her golden eyes absolutely radiant with delight. "You are certainly the last stallion in the world I thought I might meet, much less flopped in a stream, and yet here you are!" The mare bridged the distance between them, not at all concerned that he was a dripping mess. "I don't mind your daydreaming, spirits know that's about all I've been doing since my . . . retreat." Escape was more like it, but he didn't need to know the details.

Yet.

"Tell me, how've you been? Whatever have you been up to?" She hastily turned the conversation on to her friend, hoping he might have a few moments to catch up. "Unless you'd rather go back to your mud bath! I'd hate to interrupt," she gently teased, hoping he might not take any sting from her words.
 

[Cajmera]

It was just as well Guirien had never put too much stock in being dignified, because it would have been impossible for him to consider himself 'dignified' at the moment. As if being small and bright pink wasn't enough silliness, he was having a 'reintroduction' moment dripping with water and half-dirty to boot! To be sure, if Guirien cared at all about being wet or dirty, he wouldn't have been lounging in a stream to begin with, but that was beside the point.

A small part of Guirien's brain acknowledged the silliness of the situation, cataloged it for future reference, then promptly ignored it.

"Isn't it just/ Can't say that when I started out this morning I had even the slightest idea you were in the area, never mind that we might run into each other. Talk about your weird coincidences!" He grinned back at Azimene, his pleasure at the situation equal to hers. Running into Azimene meant a distraction from trying to deal with the mess that was his own feelings, and just because the point of his excursion was to deal with his family issues didn't mean he wanted to be stuck with them constantly! "Obviously it's a sign from the cosmos that we've been spending too much time talking to ourselves and needed some Soquili interaction. If I'd know being moody and childish would have gotten me some company, maybe I'd have tried that a long time ago."

He grinned, swinging one hoof into the water and casting a splash of water at Azimene. "No more talk of mud baths, unless you want to be unceremoniously tumbled into one yourself. You're looking far too enthusiastic to not be able to benefit from a roll in the mud." As he himself was beaming with enthusiasm, there was something to be said for mud being a complement to the mood. "And there's not much to say about me; why don't we talk about you, instead? Like...what's a nice, well-protected girl like you doing all the way out here?"

It was perhaps a bold question, but Guirien had never been one to hold back on what he deemed important questions. It was a delight to see Azimene, but when they'd parted last time, he'd gotten the distinct impression from her father that Azimene would end up chained to a tree before the end of the day. Not that he wasn't pleased to see her apparently enjoying freedom, he just couldn't restrain his curiosity at who else might be lurking around...  

[Uta]

The spirits were truly blessing her this day! Surely this was a sign . .a sign that she was on the right path, that she was doing the right thing by taking her life in to her own, cloven hooves. Granted, the mare knew very well that abandoning Tempest to face the music was not particularly kind of her, and honestly, the guilt she felt for putting her brother in such a precarious situation was quite significant.

But.

She had to do this. Azimene had every intention of returning to the peaks, more than likely for good, after her little holiday was finished. Granted, she knew she didn't have eternity to wander through the plains, but she still had some time yet...hopefully. Surely, her brother wouldn't incriminate her, would he?

Besides, now that she was out on her own, struggling to get by, she was finding that the freedom she had sought was not without its own problems. For one, she was desperately lonely more often than not; for as active and crwoded as she had deemed the plains to be, it was more often than not, rather quiet. She'd passed some soquili, but either they did not have time to talk, or gave the large mare a funny look and turned around. Furthermore, she had been exerting herself a bit too much, and she often had to stop and rest or find herself wracked with coughs and other such ailments. Sometimes, she did miss her uncle Azzinoth's treatments and tender ministrations. Lately, she'd pondered turning around and heading straight back to where she'd last left Tempest, but meeting Guirien, well. . . Maybe she wouldn't have to quite turn back so soon.

A spot of company was just what she needed to revitalize her spirits, and the mare was only too happy to consider this a good sign. Had she turned back any other day, she might not have met him, and yet. . .here he was. Her old . . . her only . . . friend.

"Clearly," she laughed, "we were both meant to meet. I take this as an auspicious sign, and will simply have to run with this moment, fully!" Even as the stallion sent a spray of water, the mare gave a small hop in to the shallows, kicking up a small splash, and letting her front legs sink in deep to the mud of the banks. "Mud has never been an enemy of mine," she stated with a smile. "I'd happily roll around in the stream, if I didn't think I'd steal the limelight in mud wearing. You pull it off so handsomely, I'd hate to detract from the scene." She teased, unable to help herself.

Her friend's good humor and easy going nature was refreshing to Azimene. She loved her family, and appreciated their dry humor, their sarcasm, and their clever wit but their silliness was not so abrupt or forward as the stallions. He didn't judge, he didn't care, and best of all, he didn't pry or hover or coddle.

Of course, when he did inquire as to what she was doing out there, the mare did give a small duck of her head. It was almost a bashful gesture, recalling far too clearly how their last meeting had ended. She had not been entirely honest with him before, and it had caused them both no amount of trouble from her father. "Well, let's just as some convincing and a great amount of pleading had to be in order." She almost stopped there, but knowing that she was, essentially, criminal, she figured she might as well be perfectly honest about her situation. Or at least, a little more so. "I may have taken some liberties over the ruling of such freedom, now that I'm here, but I dare say Tempest won't turn me in quite yet. I'll go back soon enough, I just. . . . wanted to do some exploring without a brown and cream coated tether."

Poor Guirien. He'd been caught up in her stubbornness to prove herself last time, and it seemed he was getting caught up in it once more. "It seems we're making some traditions, the two of us. I catch you while you're daydreaming, and you catch me while I'm fleeing the nest." Still, she understood if the pink and black stallion didn't wish to linger.

Azumoth might very well disembowel him, purely for the association, should he come sweeping down the mountain to find her. And find her, she was certain, her father very well would
 

[Cajmera]

Fortunately, Guirien had never been one to worry about details. Given his prior run-in with Azimene's father, one might question his wisdom in relegating Azumoth to the category of 'detail', but the facts of the matter were that Guirien was content with Azimene's explanation. It was true that at their last meeting, he had been alarmed at the state of Azimene's health and worried that she had inadvertantly caused herself damage. He could understand the sense in a loving family being worried about a member with such obviously serious issues, and could respect their desire to keep her safe. But he could not agree with confinement of a grown creature and the suppression of any natural desire for freedom.

Life was not worth living if you weren't allowed to live it on your own terms.

So in spite of Azimene's admission that there may have been some less-than-aboveboard dealings leading to her solitary presence in the plains, he showed no concern, judgement, or hesitancy. Rather, he he responded to her admission with a chuckle. "Well, thanks for the head's up. Obviously this means we'll have to rely on your best judgement regarding your capabilities,because I'm hopeless when it comes to anything regarding sickness. Though I'm your guy if you happen to get injured!"

Perhaps it was a cavalier attitude to take in regard to a serious condition, particularly one which was severe enough to cause so much worry in her family. It was definitely not a chivalrous attitude, as there was no suggestion of his "protecting" her, taking care of her, or otherwise seeing to her well-being. But just as Guirien had never been one to worry about the small things, he'd never been one to worry about gender roles. His mother had been a poor role model, but he had been 'raised' by the very strong female role model of his uncle's mate, the kalona Loveless. She, and her daughters, had needed no male to "protect' them, and would have scoffed at the very idea it was needed. He would not replace the cloying protection of one Soquili with another, not even himself.

So he grinned at Azimene, bobbing his head in agreement with her frank assessment of the situation. "No kidding. It makes us seem somewhat like a pair of rebellious youths rather than seasoned and mature adults, don't you think? Obviously we'll have to work on choreographing a more mature and respectable meet-cute for next time." Glancing down at the stream underfoot, he quickly added, "A place with less mess would probably be a good start."

But there was no sense in complaining over the hand they'd been dealt. "Excuse me for one moment while I make myself respectable. Or at least, less un-respectable." With that, he waded out into the deepest part of the stream and promptly submerged himself.  

[Uta]

There was no reproof in his words. There was no judgement, not needless fretting, no scorn or patronizing nature. In fact Guirien, once again, seemed only too happy to accept things just the way they were -- he did not ask questions, he did not pry, and he did not seem at all fussed by her decisions. It was a nice change, and one she absolutely appreciated. It felt nice to be around someone who did not treat her like some delicate rose, that did not trust her judgement.

She pushed herself, from time to time, but without Azzinoth or any unicorn healer, the mare found herself being more responsible about her health. She didn't have anyone to show off to, didn't have a need to show off to her family, rather, and thus she was smarter about her choices. Usually. Sometimes, the mare couldn't help but find herself in a miserable fit but thus far, even on the worst of days, she knew what roots to seek and when to keep it easy and low-key.

She wasn't helpless, and it felt good to be treated just as any other mare might be. Guirien was a good friend like that, and it was nice to cross his path once more. The spirits were being generous today, and she appreciated it!

"Oh, I'll be all right," she assured breezily, lifting a leg to give a small, nonchalant splash of the stream. "I've had many years to know when to push it, and when to take it easy. Being on my own has been a great help, honestly." She admitted with a little laugh, which did turn in to a bit of a cough. Clearing her throat once it passed, the mare leaned down to sip at the convenient stream which felt nice against her aching joints. "It's been liberating."

Rebellious youths.

Azimene crinkled her nose for a moment before she beamed back at her friend. "I think we still fall under the youthful category -- we're not grey yet, are we?" She questioned, glancing behind her to check out her thick, ebony tail. The slightly curled thing was still plush as ever, and she didn't see any grey streaks in it at all. "But what would you have our next, ever so dignified meeting be, hmm? Perhaps I should be stoically guarding some young foal? And you protecting the borders some territory? Does that sound adult enough for us?" She giggled at the thought, trying to imagine such a scene.

"I think I like our undignified meetings just as well, thank you." Giving one last little splash at her friend, the mare decided it was best to retreat back to some dryer ground. There was no sense getting too soaked by the cool waters, and catching cold. That wouldn't help her case at knowing her limitations at all.
 

[Cajmera]

It was a reassuring thing to know that Azimene was able to take care of herself. Guirien didn't doubt that she didn't know herself and her condition better then most, but their last encounter had definitely had a few exciting moments, not even including her father's appearance! It was reasonable to suspect things might have gone differently if she'd let him in her condition, but how could he fault her for wanting some privacy and normalcy?

And he would give her that privacy and normalcy, as much as he could. Just because her situation was out in the open didn't mean things had to change. Not that they had a lot to change from, but still!

Guirien popped back up the the surface of the water, shaking back his mane and grinning at Azimene. So she wanted to be a rebellious youth? Well, he could roll with that, if that was her game. "Ok, so we'll be youths. There are worse things, I suppose, though I would like to point out that you don't have to be fossilized to be an adult, thanks very much. I don't know much about your teenage years, but I'm pretty sure mine involved a lot of episodes of running away and fighting with my cousins." They had actually been some pretty rough years; for all his pink coat, he definitely could have qualified as a bad boy during that period.

"So I'll be an older youth, the kind who has less to prove to the world and consequently acts like less of an idiot in public." He chuckled, wading back out of the water and shaking himself off. "And you got me; planning a dignified next meeting seems like a lot of work. And I don't like guard duty, so let's stick with spontaneity." He followed Azimene out of the water, then cheerfully asked, "So, spontaneously, what do you feel like doing now that this meet cute is out of the way?"  

[Uta]

Azimene pondered her friends words, smiling as he explained what his youthful years entailed. She could imagine the pink and white wind, getting into no amount of trouble with his family, and of course, making a break for it! "I suppose I'm getting a late start on my rebellious years. My earlier years consisted of being stuck at home, being incessantly fussed over, healer appointments with my Uncle, and only having my brothers and parents for company." She crinkled her nose a bit, heaving a wistful sigh. "We didn't -- and still don't -- get much company that far in the mountain peaks. Which is why," and this time her smile brightened, "I am now here. And away from all supervision. I'll go back to it all, soon enough, but I have to confess it's been liberating." Maybe a bit boring, and very quiet, and yes, she was realizing she did miss her family and all their quirks. . . . But. . . . She could finally let her mane down and simply live however she felt like it, come hell or highwater. She knew her family had only meant the best, but Azimene came from a stubborn line, and she absolutely needed this chance to come in to her own.

Maybe she'd be sick all her life, maybe she'd never get away from being a slave to her body, but she would at least have one chance to live the way she wanted to live.

"You can act in any way you please," Azimene assured with a laugh, gold eyes bright with mirth. "I promise, I won't judge your antics, even if you do suddenly start acting like a foal! Better yet, if we don't want to delve back in to your youthful years, we can simply be adults that are young at heart, what do you say? It means we can get the best of both worlds!" It sounded like a good plan to her, and was essentially what the mare had been raised to be. She didn't think she'd ever grow to be bitter or crusty and disenchanted with the world -- at least, she sincerely hoped that wasn't in her future.

Giving her own mane and plush tail a heavy shake, she attempted to dry out.
It was going to take awhile given the thickness of her tail, but her mane was conveniently braided. Heaven forbid she ever undo her braids. "Well, sir," she smiled, "I . . . I have to be honest, I don't really know. I haven't had company in weeks now. I'm not familiar with this area, so have mostly been roaming. What about you? Know any good sights, or have any grand adventure in mind? Or were you simply roaming, too?"

 

[Cajmera]

"Ok, so we're in agreement, then: unsupervised shenanigans, within reason. No judgement, no cynicism, just a couple of young Soquili enjoying their freedom and their lives. Sounds good to me!" Guirien flashed Azimene a grin, glad that she was in favor of just doing things for the sake of doing them. Their first meeting had ended on such a sad note that he was more than happy for the chance to make up for it.

Though there had been one element of Azimene's prior departure that had inspired sadness in Guirien for a reason unrelated to her, and that had brought back to him the reason he was out on his own to begin with. Azimene had family who cared about her, a lot. In specific, her parents cared about her to the point that her father had gone out searching for her, miles away from their home. Guirien doubted his own father even knew he was alive, let alone worried about him, and his mother...well, at least he could pride himself on the knowledge his aunt and uncle probably worried about him. They just knew he was an adult, and that was why they'd let him run off without going after him...right?

Of course right, and besides, that was neither here or there. He was off finding his own way of doing things, dealing with his own demons, finding himself on his own terms. And as an extra bonus, he had a friend to help him focus on things other than those nagging thoughts and anxieties, things like running around like a foal ought to do!

Werp, he was edging dangerously close to the Dark Place again. Shaking off the negativity, he gave Azimene a suitably casual shrug. "Honestly, I'm here because...I'm here. Don't really have much in the way of plans these days, I've mostly been going where the feet or the wings take me and seeing what happens. You aside, it hasn't been much, so this is a very welcome meeting. My own company gets awfully dull after a while."  

[Uta]

Azimene herself could not help but feel ever so envious of Guirien's response. While she did not understand the complications of his home life, or the hurt and darkness that touched his own soul, she did realize he seemed far more free to do what he wanted, when he wanted, than herself. The fact that he could just go here, or there, travel, see the world, and so freely on his wings. . .

Well.

Azimene had forever been trapped in the mountaintops, and while her family was wonderful -- if not crazy protective -- sometimes she couldn't help but want more. She hated being stuck, being weak, or being coddled. She . . . she was strong. Maybe not like her siblings, maybe not like her mother, or other mares, but she . . she wasn't all cough, splutter, and exhaustion. Not. . .not always.

Oh, she had her freedom now, but how long before she was forced back home? How long before Tempest found her, or worse, her father? Ah, but she would worry about that later. Right now, she had the sunshine, and a friend, and the entire world in front of her to explore. No mention of her sickness, no mention of her friends deep thoughts. Just. . . the two of them, ready to take on the world! "Oh, well," she started with a small smile, "I'm glad your wings took you here, then. Seeing as you could have wound up anywhere, I'll take it as a sign that the spirits want us to have some shenanigans! You are very much a well wanted respite from my own shadow! So tell me . . . which way would you like to carry on our journey?" They could go anywhere, do anything, pretend to be anyone. . .

Azimene was delighted by this. Absolutely delighted.

Unfortunately for the two soquili in question, they were no longer alone. A large, ferruginous hawk had circled overhead a small while earlier. While this was not uncommon in the plains of the Kawani, this particular hawk belonged to a particularly deranged kalona scout. Two young soquili, while one was rather large, was wingless; and the other was pink and simply a wind. No horn, no claws, no mutations, just . . . a pair of lessers hanging about, gabbing loudly near a river.

Well. Wasn't that convenient? This scout was hungry, and he was not held by honor or black or white rules of good and evil. He was arrogant, over-confident, and loyal only to his herd. Still, with his hawk, he was certain he could get a few bites out of either of them. . . and wind wings were rather tasty.

Slinking through the tall, dried grasses of the plains, the scout gave a low, twisted chuckle. ". . . well, well. Whatever have we here?" His hawk was circling high above, waiting to give aid with wings and claws should it look necessary. "Enjoying the water, I see." The kalona gave a great stretch of his scarred, leather wings. For being a scout, he was big, and battle weary. His smile was not kind, though, and feral light behind his gaze was telling.

Caution would be needed.

 

[Cajmera]

In one moment, the world as you knew it could change. In one moment, any illusions you had about your life could be ripped to shreds...

Guirien was about to make an appropriately goofy response to Azimene's query about going places. He was laughing at her word choice, and a comeback was on the tip of his tongue when he paused, then frowned. It was only moments later that the interloper spoke, and every one of Guirien's internal warning alarms went off.

One shouldn't judge a book by its cover, true. There were many good Kalona half breeds out there, such as his relatives, and even a few good Kalona. It was wrong to automatically assume that just because this fellow was a Kalona he was up to no good. But there was more to him than being a Kalona, many more things that added up to plant deep suspicion in a mind already inclined towards distrust. The way the Kalona had basically snuck up on them, doing his best not to be seen or detected, the oily way in which he spoke...

If Guirien had been alone, it would have been time for him to leave. He might be small, but he was still a wind and could outrun any Kalona who tried to pursue him. But he wasn't alone.

He moved with such nonchalance that one not used to trained fighting would be hard-pressed to realize that rather than just casually sauntering closer to the Kalona, he was moving between him and Azimene. That rather than just stopping in a casual stance, he had stopped with his weight perfectly distributed to allow him to lash out with his front legs in less time than it took to blink. That his apparently artless wing ruffling was to loosen his muscles and prepare them for any necessary beating. Those pretty feathered wings were more than just tools for flight, after all; one well-placed attack could theoretically shatter bone.

In moments, his encounter with Azimene had gone from meet-cute to quite possibly the most dangerous experience he'd ever had. But thanks to his uncle and cousins, he was ready for this. He hoped.

Having prepped and settled himself in less than a minute, he cocked his head at the Kalona stallion and regarded him with suitably cool politeness. "I believe what we have here is a company of two; considering that three's a crowd, don't you think you ought to move on?" Wishful thinking at best, but never in his life had Guirien launched the first strike. Here, with an opponent almost half again his size, he wasn't about to start.  

[Uta]

Azimene did start some at the sudden appearance of the kalona; he was like a serpant slipping out of the grasses and she feared, like such snakes, he might attempt to strike. The long maned mare, whose hair was a bit water logged thanks to her earlier play, couldn't help but gape at the creature. She had never actually met a pure kalona before, though she knew that, until recently, her family had a very low tolerance of the species. Her mother still sported scars from an incident with a particularly nasty female when she was a young mare, and while there were half-breeds and kalona mixes in the herd, they had learned to keep clear of her father's land. Still, seeing one up close, Azimene could understand why, perhaps, her father had such prejudice against them as a whole.

This one. . . well. He didn't look particularly friendly, not at all!

While she was large for a mare, inheriting her father's larger size, and her mothers draft like proportions, she was not a weak mare. Or at least, she was not thin and delicate. Unfortunately, her sickness often kept her compromised; her muscles weren't as well-developed as her more trained siblings, and she certainly, outside of learning a few tricks to get out of a jam, had not been worked over and given as extensive training as her siblings.

While Azimene knew danger could lurk behind any corner, she was still young, and perhaps still a bit foolish. She had been so careful away from Tempest, and yet, now, having a bit of fun with Guirien, this kalona shows up out of nowhere. How long had he been lingering near? Had she not heard, not noticed? Had she let her guard down or was he simply that stealthy? Worse, if he was around, was anyone else? Her ears pricked some, and she stole a quick glance around. The tall, dry, plains grasses made it a little difficult to see through, but as of the moment, he seemed to be it.

Her smile faded some, especially when the kalona leered at her. Giving a small shake of her mane, she tried to remember what her family had taught her. Obviously, don't engage unless coerced to, but . . . Be careful, be cautious, be on guard. Her muscles tensed, the mare standing just a little taller, a little firmer. She wasn't quick, but she had size to her advantage, even if. . . well. . . . this kalona seemed to have size too.

Maybe, though, they could get out of this quickly. Her gold gaze did glance over at Guirien, watching as the wind seemed to ever so lazily move up a bit, closer to the kalona, and conveniently between her and the scout. Well. Nice as that gesture was, Azimene wasn't going to just sit back if things got ugly. . . She spent all her life running to prove she was not some damsel in distress. If the spirits were kind, she wouldn't soon be distressed.

Still, it was kind of Guirien, all the same.

The stallion, though, looked between the petite wind, and the larger, grounded mare. He was not so blind as to miss the pair of horns that sprouted from her head . . . or at least were placed there; it was difficult to tell if it was just some freakish mutation or merely an accessory. Hah. He had horns himself -- the real kind -- and a whipe like tail. It swept back and forth behind him, and after glancing away from the mare, he focused on the wind.

His feral smile only grew, yellow fangs exposed. "Now, now, son, that's rather rude, isn't it? Casting out a stranger as soon as he arrives?" He tsked some, though it came more of a hiss. His wings remained flared, and he took a few steps closer, not at all intimidated by the wind. "Think I'm some big, bad beast, do you?" He sneered, though he was not offended. The truth was too great -- he was a big, bad, beast, and his taught muscles and flared wings proved that he was not quite keen on leaving the pair alone.

In fact, a low growl could be heard in his throat, and sadistic, arrogant humor lit up his eyes. This was but a game for him, and he planned on walking off with a few bites, at least, from a good meal. Guirien and Azimene were the lucky entrees.