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 Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:13 am
 It wasn't of his normality to wander like this. Morkin knew that he needed to stay within the safe zone. And usually, he did. He spent most his within that small territory within a territory. Though for some reason, he wasn't feeling like he should just sit back and stare at passing people again. He needed to make something of himself. He needed to wander around, and find something to do. Even if it meant just walking until someone needed him or until dusk started to settle, in which he would go back to the safe zone, and go to sleep before waking up again, so that he could do the routine over and over.
He walked quietly, his hoofs making just the slightest of noise. He kept his head somewhat lowered, eyes flickering, before looking around. Morkin wouldn't stay cooped up within that small territory again. He knew that he should have asked for an escort, or that he should have allowed himself to wait for someone to come get him. But Morkin was feeling brave today. He was feeling like he could wander around without getting in too much trouble. And if that was so, then he could make it to wander around without causing too much attention to himself.
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Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:01 pm
Meticulously, Aquilina sharpened her claws. First one and then another, she honed them against the dark colored rock. She wasn't one to let her natural weapons to go without care. She had seen the chipped and cracked claws of those that didn't pay attention to such things. Since she planned on working her way up the ranks to become one of the most talented and valuable harpies in the Flock, every advantage counted.
Her sisters of the Flock passed by every once in a while. When she heard someone moving around she assumed it was another one of them. She heard hooves. It was probably one of the half-breeds. She glanced up from her work and was surprised to see that it was a lone male. That was rather unusual. "What are you doing out here?" she asked. She was part accusing, part just curious. It was possible that he was on some sort of errand.
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Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:40 pm
Morkin moved as quietly as he could, but with hooves instead of claws, it seemed all the louder to his ears. He could recall how quiet his clawed brethren moved; swift foot indeed. But it wasn't in his genetics to have the claws that he so wished he had been born with. Either way, he was to serve, and he was happy with that. But it always felt like something was missing; anything. He wanted to do more, to achieve more than just sitting around as breeding stock. Morkin felt his desire to learn and be taught flaring up with each passing day. His craving to help the Harpies with more than just a simple dance or song here or there.
But when the voice hit his ears, Morkin stopped mid step. His head tilted to stare toward the blue feathered mare. How had he missed seeing her and not avoided her line of sight? Well, there went his day out on the territory. He wouldn't lie to her; doing so could result in far worse punishment then just wandering about. But at the same time he wasn't sure what he wanted to tell her. He could try and consult in her, but she was a Harpy, and Morkin didn't want to trouble her with his mindless banters or trivial troubles. So, with a soft sigh, he turned toward her fully, and lowered his head a bit in submission.
"I was just talking a walk, Mistress Aquilina... I am sorry if I disturbed you." He stated, voice soft.
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Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:51 am
"Hrm. I'm not disturbed, really." She pushed aside her sharpening rock and straightened up to look this stallion over. What was his name again? Somthing with a M. Her brow furrowed in thought until it came to her. "You're Morkin? I seem to remember seeing you among the crafters."
The artisans were favorites to Aquilina. She wore many of their products, and everything jingled sweetly with the sound of bells. Morkin wasn't one of the ones that she generally received things from. She thought he was probably a little young to be a full craftsman just yet. At any rate, she wasn't one of the strict sorts who would punish a male just for seeing them somewhere unexpected. As long as they didn't make bothers of themselves, their presence never bothered her.
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Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:04 pm
Morkin's head tilted to the side, eyes darting to the left, and then the right in a quick scan of the area. He tossed his head, getting some of the feathers from his face, before shifting to take another step toward her. At the mention of his name, he nodded some, confirming her guess. He knew hers, but of course Morkin made it a personal job to be able to identify every Harpy he could within the Flock. The males, not so much. But the females he ensured it so. He would not be caught calling a female the wrong name if he could help it. Letting out the slightest of sighs, he lowered his ears, and spoke in a soft, gentle tone.
"That is because I am not a crafter, Mistress Aquilina.. I would like to become one, but my tasks have never dwelt within the Artisans Guild." He stated, his voice holding a slight irritated tone. At the very least, Morkin wanted to be able to do something. Even if he started out clumsy, and had to spend weeks, months, or even years in training, he was going to eventually do what he wanted. His dreams would be fulfilled.
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Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:44 pm
"Hmmm..." She found herself looking at his hooves again. She wasn't sure how he could hope to be an artisan when he didn't have claws. How would he shape things or lift them up? She had a hard time imagining a soquili able to do such things with their mouth alone. It seemed like a waste for him to spend his time training for something that he obviously was simply not suited for.
"And are you really sure that crafting is what you're best able to do?" she asked lightly. "Not all of us have the particular... traits that make such a lifestyle fruitful." She wasn't going to mention his hooves outright, but she'd referenced them plainly enough that he should be able to understand. If he didn't... it wasn't her problem. She was no life coach to the males. Aquilina dealt with her own personal journey and no one else's.
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Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:55 pm
Morkin's ears perked up some. He stared toward her, up until she mentioned his hooves. The words didn't have to be said in order for him to understand. His head ducked slightly, staring down at his hooves. Blasted things. He always wandered why he was given these, instead of the claws that his mother was blessed with. Maybe it was his own personal curse. But he wouldn't allow such a thing to ruin his dream. He won't allow himself to be stopped when he was so close to what he wanted.
"Yes, Mistress Aquilina. I understand that my hooves would be a hindrance to any sort of craft that I could want to achieve.." Morkin's head tilted, staring off toward the Artisans Guild was located, his ears flicking slightly, tail giving a small swish, before he turned his head once more back toward the female, his eyes determined, body straight and poised. "But I would still like to try... Even if I will to be a gatherer. Even if I have to train for hours on day. I would like to try." He stated, voice confident.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:02 pm
She certainly couldn't fault his willingness. "With that attitude, you just might make it anyways." Aquilina believed that with enough internal strength that almost any goal could be achieved. Though Morkin didn't seem like much from his demeanor, he might just have the gumption to succeed at something like that. She resolved to keep an eye on his progress during her visits to the artisans. She was rather curious about how far his will would take him.
"Maybe I'll even let you make something for me someday." She smiled and flicked her head so that her bells were set ringing. If he looked like he was shaping up into something she might just have to keep fostering their acquaintance. It never hurt to have contacts, especially ones whose services you wished to enjoy.
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:49 pm
Morkin blinked, his eyes locking on her. A slight smile shifted onto his features. He was a determined boy. Nothing was going to stop him from doing what he wanted, unless it was a hinderance to the Flock or one of the Harpies. He would do exactly what needed to be done in order to ensure that, every time, he got closer to his goal. And right now, taking those steps forward toward the want to succeed all meant actually getting to the Artisans Guild, and finding someone, anyone, to teach him in any way shape or form.
"Thank you, Mistress Aquilina. I plan on ensuring that it happens." He stated, nodding his head, which caused the feathers to shift along his jaw a bit. His attention was drawn to the bells after she spoke once more, and his ears perked toward the noise. He always found himself fascinated with the bells that many of the Flock seemed to hold within their feathered manes. He knew of at least two Females that had them, and a couple males. Pushing the thought from his mind, he responded to the mare. "I would be honored to do so." He stated with a smile.
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:21 am
As the jingling in her mane stilled once more to silence, an idea prickled at her. Hooves. He had hooves and wanted to be an artisan, which made him different from the others. He wouldn't be able to weave baskets, but... Aquilina's brow furrowed in thought. It was her bells that gave her the idea. Her bells were shaped from metal, pounded thin and finely wrought.
"Metal." She said the word while staring at his hooves. Realizing that she had given no context for her statement, she continued. "You could work with metal. It is difficult for those with claws to pound it into shape, but you have hard hooves." Visions began to swim in her head of Morkin as the next big flock metalworker. Metal ornaments were always in high demand in the Flock. Much of their traditional garb was worked metal set with gems.
"What about that? Is that a consideration?" Never before had she felt the need to brainstorm a male's future with him... but this one in particular caught her attention somehow.
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:52 am
Morkin paused when she seemed to get her eyes locked. At first he thought he had possibly said something wrong to the Harpy, and his ears pinned back. He went over the conversation quickly in his head, and realized nothing seemed to be off with his speech. He didn't say anything wrong... But, what was on her mind that got her to the point of just staring toward the ground. He lifted one leg, stomping it back down some in a nervous manor, taking a slight step back, before his ears perked at the word. Metal? What was that about? Metal wasn't something he had thought about, really. He had always thought about being able to make things for the Harpies, but what would-
His thoughts were cut off when she continued to speak. Morkin's ears shot up in attention, his eyes flickering from his hooves, up to Aquilina, and back dow. He stared at them for a few seconds, before lifting a hoof once more. "My... hooves..." The thoughts were going wild into his mind. He went over almost every Harpy within the Flock, going over their accessories quickly. Metal was on almost every single one of them, at least somewhere. Hell, he even had metal on his own legs. His eyes flickered to lock on the metal guards on his lower front legs. That could protect from sparks if they happened to fly. Shaking his head to get his mane out of his face, he lifted his eyes, smiling. He could do this. Metal was important to the Harpies, and he felt as if he was one of the only males, or at least the only trustworthy one, with front hooves that could help to make the metal to be crafted.
"Yes... It is, Mistress Aquilina. That is a wonderful idea. I never thought of it, as I thought someone else usually handled it... But I believe I could flatten and thin the metal to be molded quiet easily, and willingly." Morkin stated, excitement already evident in his voice.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:50 pm
Apparently she had fulfilled her good deed for the day. He looked practically ecstatic. His hesitance and then happiness was somewhat charming. Aquilina had to be amused at herself. Here she was, being charmed by a male when she should have other things on her mind. The dance festival was coming up, for one thing. If she wanted to win then she needed to prepare, not whatever she was doing now.
"I think that sort of crafting can be dangerous sometimes, so make sure you have the proper training before you attempt anything." This was something that she had less experience in. She spoke with confidence but internally wasn't sure. She didn't really know much about the art of metalworking. She imagined it would probably be dangerous if done haphazardly but had no evidence to back up that theory. It wasn't the first time she had passed herself off as knowing more than she did, and it wouldn't be the last either.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:00 am
Morkin blinked, his ears perking up somewhat, before he tilted his head to the side. He tried to think somewhat, but his mind kept going back and forth to the metal working. He was excited. It was evident in his eyes and mannerisms. His tail flicked somewhat, before he looked back toward her. Aquilina was marvelous, in looks and mind. She was brilliant. He wouldn't deny that. And he would have never thought to do metal working. It seemed like an easy solution, and he was going to do it, even if it meant he would have to train every day, for hours on end, until he was so exhausted he couldn't move.
"Of course, Mistress Aquilina. Damaging myself would not help the Flock in any way. I will be sure to take the utmost precautions and train as hard as I can in order to achieve everything that must be done." Morkin said, his head nodding lightly. He smiled though, actually showing that side to a female. Even though he barely spoke with the mare, she had helped him with something he had been trying to figure out for a while now. And he was excited beyond belief. He actually wanted to go out and run around to get some of his new-found energy out.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:10 pm
"I'll come by and see how you're doing sometime." He seemed like the type whose gratefulness would carry over the coming days. That could be very much to her advantage. If he didn't turn out to be of any consequence she could easily drop him and find some other upcoming artisan to turn her attention to. If he thrived, she'd be in the perfect position to benefit from his rise. She didn't usually pay much attention to males, but he could be the start of something...
"I want to be the first to wear your work if you can hone your skills enough to make it worthwhile." If he agreed, her personal seal on him was complete.
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:07 pm
Morkin's ears perked some. She would come visit him? If that was the case, he would work all the harder. Morkin refused to allow himself to be seen as anything less tan a sort of perfection in front of any female. But Aquilina seemed the type to not be much into the non perfection type. Shaking out his mane once more, his eyes flickered over toward where he knew the Artisan Guild was. He stared some, his body almost trembling from anticipation, before he turned his attention once more toward the mare, eyes showing that strong, confidant look he held when determined. "I would like that, Mistress Aquilina. I will not fail." He stated.
Nodding his head, Morkin turned his attention back on the thought process. He would find several people to train him, do whatever it took. He wouldn't fail. Wouldn't. His ears perked though, once more, hearing her words. Turning his eyes toward her, Morkin dipped his head some, in a slight bow, his heart giving a slight thud of anticipation once more. "I would be honored. I will ensure to craft my first piece as lovely as I can to only enhance the beauty that you hold." Morkin said, his voice holding that strong property, one that rarely seemed to come into his tone.
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