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 Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:43 pm
 Sastimos bent his body around huge trees and weaved through the woods on the edge of the Maheo herd territory. He hadn't been here long, not long at all. But he loved it here. It was beautiful and worth exploring. He was trying to make a map for himself of the herd's lands. He wished he had someone with him to tell him where to go or at least someone's company to enjoy. After another hour of dodging trees and stepping over roots and various pretty flowers, Sastimos' advance began to slow. Exploring was fun, but his hooves were sore and he was getting very tired. He moved his wings around on his back uncomfortably, wishing they would just detach themselves from his body and fly away without him.
He decided to take a break from his mapping, figuring he wouldn't come across anyone or anything new anytime soon. Now was a good time for relaxation and meditation. He stood by a tree and leaned against it, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to call the spirits to his mind. He wanted to tell them how weary he was today, and ask them to guide him on his journey around the herd territories.
His ears twitched, his relaxation suddenly interrupted. Something was wrong. He couldn't focus on his meditation, and usually it came so easily to him. But something was wrong. There was panic in the air, a sense of emergency that he could not shake from the back of his mind. He stood bolt upright, ears swiveling around, nostrils flaring, trying to see what was going on. The spirits were pointing him towards something...he just needed to figure out what. Cautiously, he stepped forward through the trees. He wanted to run, to search, but his better judgement told him to proceed with care. He could be in danger, himself. He peered around trees and jumped at any sign of movement, and looked up to realize that he had strayed out of herd territory. "Go back! Go Back!" he thought immediately. No...he had to keep going. He had to find out what the spirits were telling him.
The further away from herd territory he got, the more his sense of urgency escalated. But the urgency was not for himself, he knew that now. No, someone else was in trouble. Someone needed help. He pressed on, moving a little faster now despite his sore hooves, the spirits cheering him on all the while. Where are you? What do you need?
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:23 am
(( I had a text colour for her but I forget it now XD )) Chatura's ears twitched, and then laid flat against her head, the muscles under her pelt along her back twitched with the feeling of dread. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she tried to moderate her breathing, hearing it come out heavy and harsh, possibly sounding louder to her in her current state than it actually was.
She tried to get real quiet, to calm right down and to listen to the sounds around her but her mind kept playing tricks and all she could think was that the Kalona she'd seen was creeping up on andwasabouttoattack...she let out a frightened whinny and darted from her hiding space, her tail and mane streaming out behind her like jet black banners as she ran and stumbled and darted here and there, winding between trees and tripping over rocks and clattering with noisy hooves down hills and into little valleys.
Chatura eventually slowed, ears atwitch again. And then she caught the noise of someone, something approaching and she took off again, blood singing in her ears, making it seem as she was surrounded by hoofbeats and whirling around she ran headlong into something solid, letting out a panicked noise as she fell to the floor in front of the stranger.
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:03 am
He had heard the hoofbeats pounding on the earth and knew there was panic in them. Despite all of his sensing and listening though, he hadn't expected the collision between the two of them. He let out a slight grunt, but when he looked down at the mare at his feet and saw the terror in her eyes he immediately stood over her. He looked around, his muscles tensed and ready for any more collisions, expecting the next to be more violent. He lifted his usually dormant wings high into the sky, feathers and nostrils flaring. He looked in every direction and his ears swiveled to pick up anything he couldn't see. All the while he was hushing the mare, trying to calm her and let her know that he was here to protect her. He was trying his hardest to appear calm, while preparing himself for battle. He'd never had to fight for anything, never had to prepare himself for inflicting and receiving pain. Normally he would be nervous, but the power of the spirits pumped through his veins, and he feared no pain. He only feared that the mare was not safe.
After a few minutes, the spirits told him it was time to move. Need to find a safer place. He looked down at her again, his gaze meeting the deep purple of her eyes. "Shh. We have to move. Don't panic, I'll protect you. No sudden movements, ok?" he said, moving his leg from its protective stance over her, his wings still touching the sky. He was worried they were being hunted, but more than anything he was afraid she would run away from him. He bent his head slightly to offer to help her up from the ground.
Spirits help us. He had gotten turned around a while back, and the huge trees prevented him from deciphering what was herd territory and what was not. Even if he knew where it was, he wasn't sure if Jeremiah would approve of him bringing an outsider onto herd territory. That might be worse than whatever they were currently running from. So, scooping her up and instructing her to walk ahead of him so that he could watch and guard her, he decided to press on to find shelter elsewhere, outside of herd territory and into the unknown.
(Haha, that's ok. Black goes with her mane. :3)
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:01 am
'Don't hurt me, don't hurt me..' Chatura mumured, not knowing who she'd run into, just sensing the shadow looming over her. She shrunk further into herself as the Soquili came in closer, but eventually she registered that the voice, the male voice was making soothing sounds and she slowly uncurled, picking herself off the ground, her hooves shaking as she placed them on the ground.
She was less scared now and more mortified at having panicked so much, and even more so when she looked up into the stallions kind and concerned face.
'I'm..I'm okay.' she said softly, trying to downplay how shaky and on edge she still felt. Although she was embarrassed, she wasn't entirely sure if she had been followed, and if even now she had bought danger on this stallion. She notedhe had wings though, so if she had done, he at least could escape.
'Yes..' she said.
'Yes, we should move.'
Chatura allowed herself to be guided onwards, straining to hear as she walked on still trembling legs, attempting to calm herself with logic, trying to tell herself that her reckless and erratic flight should have shaken off any pursuing hunter.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:16 am
After a while, he slowly lowered his wings to their normal position on his back. He tossed them around and adjusted them before focusing on the task at hand. "What's your name?" he asked politely in hopes of keeping the situation calm and under control. He did want to know her name, and he was curious about her and why she had been running. He hoped this wasn't some kind of trap, but then he remember the fear she had displayed earlier and knew that couldn't be faked. So the thought of a trap flew out of his mind.
He watched her walk, looking ahead to find anywhere that they could take shelter. It was almost night time, they would need someplace safe to stay in case they were still being hunted. If they really were being hunted. He almost wished their enemy would show itself, or launch an attack, just so Sastimos knew what they were up against. But then again, wouldn't the hunter have already made his or her move by now? Or was this some sick game to them? He wouldn't be surprised. He continued looking in every direction, and smelling the air in hopes of catching wind of the evil-doer. Spirits, reveal the danger to me. I cannot do anything if I do not see the danger.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:18 pm
Chatura hoped that this stallion knew where he was going as her panicked flight had turned her around and nothing they were passing currently looked familiar. The longer they walked, the more her panic subsided but the day was drawing to a close and they both needed to find shelter; a thought also filling her with disquiet as she would have to spend the night with this strange male.
'Chatura,' she replied, pausing for moment, turning her head to look at him as she spoke, the fringe of her mane falling into her eyes until she gave a little toss of her head and shook it out of the way.
'Can you hear anything? I think I might have lost..it.' she said, turning her head to concentrate on walking and not stumbling on anything in her path, her tail sweeping the ground behind her.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:11 pm
"Chatura," he repeated, his eyes met hers once again when she turned, but their gaze was interrupted when her glossy black mane fell across her face. Much to his disappointment, she faced forward again to focus on walking. But oh well, they had to keep moving anyway. He was more concerned about finding shelter now, but still cast an occasional glance behind them, hoping he wouldn't see some shadowy figure dodge behind any trees.
What was...it? He wondered, worried by the tone of her voice upon saying the word. "It" implied so many things that go bump in the night. "No...I don't hear anything..." he said. He adjusted his wings again restlessly, and trudged forward, causing the bells weaved into his tail to jingle and tinkle in the silence of the woods. He hadn't noticed it before in his heightened sense of fight or flight, and now he knew he was a dead giveaway. His heart fell. Instead of protecting her, he had put her in more danger. Every last being in the forest knew where they were because of his bells. He looked back at them. He had never tried taking them out, and knew it would be nearly impossible because of the way they were weaved in. He sighed. She wasn't safe with him. He was no hero.
He saw a clump of bushes ahead that formed a hollow space big enough to fit a Soquili, if not a few. But he knew only one would be there tonight. He leveled himself next to her now, and prodded her lightly, pointing to the small, but safe shelter. "Go on. I have to leave now...You will be safe here," he said, beginning to turn away. He checked around and sampled the air again, checking to make sure the area was safe for her, his bells tinkling with every movement, making him wince and move as slowly as possible. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew that was best for her. He vowed to himself to get a safe distance away from her hiding place and watch over it through the night, just to be safe. Perhaps his bells would attract the evil being towards him and away from her.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:28 pm
Chatura jumped slightly at the sound of the bells that adorned the stallion, a cold shiver running along her spine. Months ago her logical brain would have been able to keep her calm through all of this but ever since she was attacked..fears were ever irrational though.
'I hear..you.' she said, her eyes looking at the silvery glints. She wondered how he managed to get along without being attacked, but again, wings were definate plus there, and could take him out of danger whenever he wished.
She allowed herself again to be pushed forwards, at this point it was just easier to submit to someone else but when he said he was leaving she turned hurriedly and shook her head.
'Please..I can't, I mean, I don't want to voice this, I sound so, so, pathetic, but I can't master my fears right now. Please sir, don't leave me alone.'
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:40 pm
The fear in her voice practically broke his heart. He wanted to stay. More than anything he wanted to stay. "I am a danger to you, Chatura..." he said, swishing his tail and causing the bells to clatter loudly. He sighed and looked at her. How could he leave her? He couldn't. He realized that now. The spirits urged him to stay with her. He had stopped listening to them for a while. Bad idea. Forgive me spirits.
He glanced at her, and then at the shelter. "You go ahead, I will keep watch through the night," he said, bumping her towards the bushes and taking a firm stance in front of the entrance, adjusting his wings again slightly. He looked at her reassuringly, unmoving from his post. "It is going to be ok," he nodded, "goodnight Chatura."
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:50 am
'And I'm a danger to myself whilst I'm this panicked.' Chatura replied, she had enough left of her old self to realise that at this moment. She needed company, and possibly even an escort out of this area once it became morning. There was always more courage in the light; everything seemed brighter and the shadows were less, and she could take a look around, see where her frightened hooves had carried her.
She pushed herself deeper into the twisting foliage, turning and nudging leaves and branch with her body so that it became a leafy cave of sorts, and looked back at the stallion once she felt as if she were sheltered enough.
'Talk to me a while, I could not close my eyes yet even if I wanted to.' she said.
'Your name for a start.' she added, with something approaching levity, although she still wasn't feeling particulary lighthearted.
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:59 am
He looked back to make sure she was properly hidden, and he walked over to fold one last branch over the entrance just for added camouflage. Then he returned to his post. The breeze was icy as the sun finally disappeared completely on the horizon. He looked up at the stars and for the first time today, smiled. The stars were comforting. It was like all of the spirits were winking at him and reassuring him that he was doing the right thing.
"My name is Sastimos," he said, his voice low for safety but still soothing. He began to speak to her, not expecting a reply at all. He told her that he was a teacher of meditation in the Maheo herd and he told her about the spirits. "There are spirits all around us. In the trees, in the rocks...in the stars," he looked up again at the sky which was packed and glowing with stars. "I can teach you some meditation tricks. It might help you to calm yourself..." he added, again not expecting a reply. He was just talking to talk. He looked back at the bushes, and of course saw nothing, but he felt those purple eyes on him. He hoped she was calming down, hoped he was being of some use.
His head jotted back forward at the snap of a twig. His eyes widened, looking for the assailant, his wings shuffling and ready to raise. But as he heard the chatter of a pair of squirrels and saw them twist and turn around the body of a tree after each other, he knew he was over reacting. He settled down, taking deep breaths and settling down into a short trance to help himself stay calm. He opened his eyes and turned towards the bushes. "All is well. Be afraid no longer, Chatura," he said soothingly, "you should get some sleep."
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:01 am
Chatura nosed the branch out of the way, wishing to keep her eyes on him, even if he was now a large mass in the dark. She repeated his name when he gave it, and then listened as he spoke about his beliefs and practices. She knew that alot of Soquili had mystical leanings, but she had a more logical side, though she conceded that belief could be comforting to one in a time of crisis.
Her eyes had become heavy after a while, thoughts slipping away until she heard the same noise as Sastimos and she jolted full awake, her ears going flat again. He didn't move however and once more she relaxed, realising that at some point she would need to sleep or she would be no good in the morning.
'I'll sleep for a while..you must wake me if you become weary yourself though, and I will watch over you..' her voice tailed off and her head dropped. Finally she slept, her body pushed against the dense bushes to keep her steady whilst she did so.
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:07 pm
He spent the first few hours pacing back and forth in front of the bushes, pondering the day's events and worrying about the next day. How was he going to get back to his herd's territory? Would he leave her behind? Could he leave her behind? He glanced back at the bushes every now and then and stopped his pacing to listen for footsteps or twigs snapping or anything of sinister nature. But nothing caused any such noises, and he began to drift away into sleep. He caught himself every now and then and scolded himself for being such a lousy guardian. But in the end, he decided that anything with evil intents had left this area long ago. Even the squirrels were asleep. He moved in front of the entrance of the bushes so that no one would be able to enter without him knowing. He adjusted his wings a little, and finally nodded off to sleep, waking up every now and then to check the area and to check on Chatura.
He felt the sun rising and felt the warmth of day on his cheeks. He opened his eyes one at a time, squinting at the sunrise. He had almost forgotten the events of the previous day, but it all came rushing back to him and he quickly checked to make sure everything was alright. "Chatura...Chatura?" he whispered. She was well hidden, and it was hard for him to see her in the depths of the bushes. "Chatura?" he whispered again, hoping not to startle her.
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:12 am
Chatura had slept fairly soundly, given that she was in a strange place and with a strange stallion but the reckless flight and fear induced adrenaline rush had worn her out, and her body had needed it. She woke slowly, and at first she was confused; this didn't look much like her home and it didn't smell the same either.
Turning her head towards the quiet voice calling her name, and awake enough now to remember the previous days events, she pushed out from the foliage, stopping a moment to untangle her mane from a grasping branch, and shook the hair out as she walked out into the open.
She stretched, staying quiet for the moment, her gaze flickering towards Sastimos, before looking away again, feeling awkward now that is was daylight, remembering her silly fears with not a little embarrassment.
'Did you sleep at all?' she asked, still not looking properly at the stallion, unsure as to how to proceed. She was still lost, but did she really want to be even more indebted to him? She barely knew him after all, as kind and yes, as handsome as he was.
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:57 am
He was beginning to worry she wasn't in there at all when suddenly the bushes rustled and revealed dark hair and a purplish-blue pelt. A rush of relief swept through his mind as she emerged from the bushes. He watched her shake leaves and branches off of herself and stepped forward gently to remove one last twig from her mane, not noticing her shifty and awkward behavior towards him. He stepped away again, tossing the twig to the ground.
"I must admit, I slept a little. But I made sure to check on you often," he said, feeling guilty. What will happen now? He found himself thinking. Well, first thing was first, he needed to see where they were. He looked around at the seemingly harmless woods surrounding them. It was not nearly as terrifying as it had been last night, but the only thing he could see was trees. "Well...shall we go and explore?" he asked with a slight uncomfortable grin and a laugh. He knew they needed to find water for sure.
He looked at her, hoping she would feel comfortable enough to come with him. But he realized he wasn't all that sure that he was comfortable enough to bring her. The situation was tense and awkward, and he could feel it in the air. He began to notice that she would not look at him. Why? What was wrong with him? Was he scary? He looked down at himself and then back at her. This did not seem to be the great reception that most heroes get after saving a damsel in distress. He felt strange, and he knew she felt awkward. He sighed and smiled. "Let's start over....Hello. My name is Sastimos. What is yours?" he tried to seem as friendly as possible, as if he had just met this mare while taking a nice stroll in the woods and had just happened upon her. He didn't want to leave things the way they were right now.
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