The mare took one last look behind her. At the white tipped waves crashing towards her. At the sound they made when they hit the beach. Her left ear remained turned towards the water, even as she had been walking away from it before risking this one last glance. The water had been like a constant companion to her over the years. Like it could enter her mind and wash away her troubles like it did her hoof prints deep in the sand. Or the little shells she spied in the shallows and tried to reach before the ocean claimed them back to the depths. There were days it was tempting to walk far out in the ocean. Not to drown. Just to see if she could. To see the life hidden away deeper beneath the line of clear blue. To feel away from the land and the troubles it brought upon it's inhabitants. To be in her own little floating world where the only thing on your mind was avoiding sinking down to the bottom like a huge boulder fallen from a cliff.
She was sure she could float, but she never tried. Sinking was much more fun. As she stood there, watching the waves, Hahalua wondered, not for the first or last time, if she had been meant to be born of the sea instead of the land. She was drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Already she was feeling detached from it. It was, however, about time she moved on. There was nothing she was gaining by staying near the undrinkable water. Other Soq only came here for leisure. She missed a more constant company.
And maybe, if she traveled, she could find some old friends, again. Not that she made that many. Spending all one's time near the ocean didn't make for many friends aside the water creatures.
Turning her head back around, the brown mare took in a deep breath like she was about to walk over a snake invested pit. In a final attempt to cut herself off, her ears moved forward towards the sounds of the birds of the inland. Taking one step, she increased her pace until she was at a fast walk and well away from the ocean before she dared to slow down. When the temptation of the water's sound was gone.
On the road, again!
Teh Roarie
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 12:42 pm
It had been a week since Kuwahu had sent him out again to search. But the search had began months ago and Life was beginning to loose hope. Life had not idea how the idiot stallion could dissapear so quickly. He was huge and covered in his ridiculous tribal markings, one would think he'd be easy to spot.
Well that wasn't true. He has been easy to find the first time. Just hard to retrieve. He'd helped Kuwahu track the huge hoof prints and strange smaller claw tracks all the way to a dangerous new herd of soquili with prehensile claws. It had taken almost a year to devise a scheme to get Hoto out because the females of that herd were devious and dangerous with those taloned feet. But they'd finally managed it in a small night raid that had only managed to free Hoto. There appeared to be many other males in captivity but Hoto had insisted they be left behind. He assured that he would be the only one not missed.
Hoto had been home less a day before he went missing again. This time, supposedly of his own accord. And Life had been searching ever since. It boggled him that a stallion so big could hide his tracks so well.
Now a days Life flew over ever bit of territory he could think of and scoured the ground far below with his sharp eagle eyes for anything that looked similar to Hoto. The job was seriously beginning to bore Life and he had been thinking lately of giving it up...but he'd promised Kuwahu. So he continued searching. Today he was near the sea, a place he swore he had not scoured yet. He let out a shrill eagle call before he saw something that looked to be the right coloring..."Now what is that?" He flew lower to get a closer look, excited now. "Finally?!"
The mare had almost been running by the time she had stopped. With head bent, she breathed in deeply of the grass scent filled hair, her head so low her exhaled breath made the blades at her hooves move. For the moment everything had been forgotten. All that mattered was the much needed air into her lungs. It wasn't that she was out of shape. Haha kept an exercise routine so she didn't get slack. It was the strain of leaving the ocean. Of venturing into the wide world that made her nervous and increased her heart rate. By the ocean, she had a very small area in comparison to the land beyond the sands. She couldn't very well walk out into the ocean and expect to survive. Nor did she want to leave the water. So that only left the small surrounding area as her 'home.' Setting out into the wide world as she now was it was more overwhelming than she would have first expected.
Nonetheless, the decision had been made. There was no point going back now. As tempting as it was.
Raising her head, Hahalua struck out a few steps. She only got out a few steps before a shrill sound caught her ears. Instantly her head went skyward where a bird was circling overhead as if focused on her. She didn't much like that suggestion. Was she treading too close to its nest? There were a few lone trees about. Clearing her throat, she decided there was only one good solution to this situation.
"Hey, now!" she called, her voice cracking a little from disuse. "You up there! I won't be long in this area if I'm too near something of yours! So you don't need to watch me so closely!"
Teh Roarie
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 2:00 pm
Strange, as he got closer he realized it indeed wasn't who he was looking for. But it was almost correct. She was the wrong gender but she was a big old warhorse, she was the right color in mane and coat and she was indeed covered all over in native tribal markings. There weren't as colorful or numerous as Hototo but they were there. He was most interested in the big fish-like creature on one of her sides. He'd seen one swimming once but he didn't know what they were called.
More than just curious he circled a few more times and then flapped to a landing in front of her on the grass. "Who are you? You are not what I was searching for, but if you are what I think you are then how are you alive?" Life had traveled with Hoto and Kuwahu for years. He was familiar with the story of Hoto's village. Hoto had never questioned that everyone was dead. And yet...here was a warhorse female with the right markings standing right in front of him.
When the bird didn't verbally answer her calls, Hahalua had every intention of continuing down the path she had started for herself. If it wasn't going to answer her, than she certainly wasn't going to give it anymore of her time. Whether it had heard her or not was not the point. If it had a desire to speak to her it would have come down to her level instead of making her scream to the heavens.
It was thus to her surprise that, after only a few steps taken forward, the bird suddenly lowered itself to the ground. The mare retraced her steps almost exactly as she backed up, not sure what next was about to happen. But before she could even consider thinking of possibilities it started to speak. She listened intently to it, not fully registering what it was saying exactly.
"Who am I? Who are you?" she returned with the faintest hint of a snort in her voice at the quickness with which the bird had targeted her for what she still perceived as no reason whatsoever. "Coming down at me as if you know me. What am I, than? This what I have been mistaken for?"
Teh Roarie
Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 1:48 am
Defensive. And also rather cheeky. If he were a Soquili with lips he probably would have grinned at her. But he was a bird with a beak. And also still one with a mission to attend to.
He ruffled himself and preened a wing feather absently before answering. Being on the ground in the middle of the open made him a tad edgy but he didn't think she was going to hurt him. "I think you are what you appear to be. A warrior war horse." He looked up at her face and cocked his feathered head to the side. "My name is Life. I was sent to look for one such warrior warhorse. But I found you, similar but not quite it."
He stretched out his wings and ruffled himself again, absently he looked over at one of the sparse and sparing trees not far off. "You tell me your story and I'll tell you mine?" This had to be more interesting than scouring the countryside, even if she didn't turn out to be helpful. Which he greatly doubted. There weren't that many soquili walking around with markings like that and he knew it.
Hahalua couldn't resist raising an eyebrow at the bird before her. So he was confident enough to preen his feathers. He wasn't worried about leaving himself out of his element on the ground in front of a strange and large mare. It was intriguing, really, how little fear he seemed to have. So much so she couldn't resist the small smile that graced her lips. In truth he need not have any fear in dealing with her. Unless provoked, she wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was biting her rump or ears. But he didn't know that. It was almost like he knew he had nothing to fear from her. Like he knew something.
But that was silly. She would have certainly remembered this bird. She was only being paranoid, being so soon from her comforting body of water.
At the words "warrior war horse" both of the tan mare's ears came around and her head lowered so they were facing the hawk, her eyes searching his face for anything distrustful.
"Good observation," Halalua couldn't resist answering, gesturing with a backwards head tilt to her body, which was noticeably larger than most mares tended to be. In fact she was about the height of an average or slightly above average stallion. "Warhorses are not a common sight. I have not seen one for many years. Not really since..." She stopped there, looking away while her mouth slowly closed. Her head came back up above her shoulders. Her brown eyes looked down at the hawk, the one called Life, on the ground at her hooves for a length of time before she spoke once more.
"You think I may be of connection to this one you are looking for?" she observed, squashing the tiny bug of hope that tried to surface. It was just as she said: Warhorses were not a common sight. And if he had mistook her for a particular one, there was a chance the lost warhorse had tribal markings, too? Those were even less common than a warhorse. Far as she knew, only her family sported them. But her family was gone. All burned and blown away with the wind. At least that was something she had clung to as truth ever since the blue stallion had spirited her away to keep her from going back, even while the fire raged strongly. So she had not seen the bodies exactly, but it was still something she held onto for truth. And accepted.
But hope is a fickle thing. Even when you think it's all gone, it will surface from seemingly nowhere. She was lonely. She wanted so much to belief there was someone else out there. She also didn't want to have that same hope crushed by disappointed and so she squashed it down once more.
Shrugging her massive shoulders, Halalua pretended it didn't matter. "My story? Is not a long one. I've kept myself company all these long years by the ocean. It's better than facing the reality you're alone in the world, the last of a long line of warhorses adorned with these markings."
Teh Roarie
Posted: Mon May 27, 2013 3:31 pm
He listened quietly even as he shifted around as birds will do. She did know something. She was highly interested in his turn or phrase. It made him really wish he had a more expressive face. He wanted to laugh and smile like an idiot. She shifted and she was uncomfortable with the subject and there were pauses in her answers but that didn't deter him. It was her last statement that was the final 'Aha!'. He'd heard Hoto make the exact statement several times. Excepting it as fact implicitly. But if she was here in front of him then clearly at least two had survived.
With mirth in his voice he began his promised story. "I have been searching the countryside for months looking for a big warrior warhorse. A friend of mine. He looks alot like you except much bigger and his markings are more colorful and more numerous. He's been being a cantankerous brat lately but his partner and I still miss him." He stopped to considered his next words for a moment. If she didn't turn out to be who he thought she was then the next question would be pointless. "Does the name Hototo mean anything to you?"
The female warhorse had managed to keep her face straight and free of the increasingly difficult bug of hope that kept getting out of the way of her fictional hooves through most of the hawk's story. Warhorses were perhaps even less common than the drafts. So much so she never intended on seeing more than...Two, three if she was lucky, in her lifetime. Hope wasn't something she held onto much over the years. But the similarities were too similar for mere coincidence, right?
Then he said the magic word.
Hototo.
It wasn't until her chest strained for air did Hahalua realize she had been so shocked that she had stopped breathing. Turning her head sideways, she gulped in the precious oxygen until she was calmer, than looked back at the bird. There was a war raging inside her body. And she was afraid the victor she didn't want to win would come out on top.
With a wide grin on her face, the mare couldn't resist the little prance around Life, all the while shooting questions his way with a dip of her head every now and than.
"Really? Alive and whole and not burned? How'd he get out? Where has he been saying? Oooh, it was a good idea to leave the ocean!"
Suddenly she stopped, looking very embarrassed, and backed away from the hawk, clearing her throat as she did so. "That is to say...Yes. It does. I had-have-a brother of that name who had-has-much more colorful markings. Skull on body. Band across muzzle. Handprint on cheek." Even so many years later, the image could be brought up as if it were yesterday. All the markings that always put hers to shame.
Teh Roarie
Aw, whose a cute little confused warpony?
Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 3:59 pm
Interesting. She'd stopped breathing as soon as the name had come out of his mouth and he counted a full twenty seconds until she took her next breath. Kuwahu would have to pleased at least with this. He'd found another one. Not Hoto but a relative. Maybe she would help. He almost hopped with joy.
But then she started breathing again and began throwing questions at him while prancing around him. He flapped up into the air briefly, nervous of her big hooves. He flapped in a hover a few feet off the ground and tried to listen. He caught most of it up until she finally stopped prancing, obviously embarrassed.
Taking the assumption that she's not want him to leave now, he winged himself over to her and landed on her back. It was a better vantage point and safer than the ground and he was used to riding on Hoto's back or neck anyway.
She was his sister! She must be Hahalua. Hoto had talked about her a few times. He thoroughly missed his sisters and parents sometimes. Mentally he immediately shook himself for not recognizing her right away. The fish on her side was a manta ray! Hoto had mentioned it being Haha's most prominent mark. But he decided to not let her know that he knew so much.
"You have to let me talk or I cannot answer all your questions." He ruffled himself, scooted sideways towards her rump and got comfortable. "I think Hoto is alive. I haven't seen him in months. But I know from experience that's he's damn hard to take down without a fight. Hoto is alive because he wasn't near the village that day. He was training with his new partner. He's been with said partner, Kuwahu, up until about a year and a half ago. Hoto has not been doing so well since Wahu fell in love with a village girl and decided to settle down."
The big mare flattened her ears in embarrassment, down towards the ground in the show of submission in the horse's language. The ears stood back up as Life perched on her back, her skin giving a slight twitch at the unfamiliar feel of a bird's feet on her flesh. She wasn't as used to clawed birds as she was ones with paddles for feet. Or little fish nibbling at her legs. But as he wasn't out to hurt her and seemed to just want a better vantage point to talk than the ground, she made no objection to the action.
Turning her head around so she could see him clearly with one eye, Hahalua said a quick apology for losing her composure. But her brother was alive! The line didn't end with her! She was no longer alone, forced to stay by the ocean so the crushing reality she was alone would not weigh her down so much she feared it would sink her.
As the hawk spoke, she calmed herself, one ear turned towards him while the other kept her usual focus on the world around her in case something or someone wished to take her unawares. Always on the lookout.
"Ah, yes," the mare agreed, nodding her great head, her parted forelock bouncing against the sides of her head. "He would not like that, no. We were not meant to be common village ponies. I was on the other side, in the river. A stranger kept me from running back to my death. And you cannot find him?" she finished, knowing the answer already and just wanting to say it out loud. "Not surprising. He seemed more focus on battle than I ever was. He would know how to cover his tracks if he didn't want to be found." Turning her head back around, one ear swiveled back to the hawk, Hahalua announced clearly, "I would like to go. If not to simply be reunited with my beloved brother, perhaps I would be the better choice to find him." Turning her head back around, she gave the bird a sly smile. "I have forgotten my own name, but since you are his friend I assume you already know it."
Teh Roarie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:42 pm
He listened quietly to the pretty mare warhorse as she answered him. Maybe she was right and it would be easier for her to find him. It could be a luck or simply fate. He'd been looking this long, any help he could get would be welcome. But then she mentioned she did not remember her name and her blinked and his head twitched to the side.
"You don't remember?" He made a birdlike noise of confusion and wished he could frown. He paused for a moment. "Your name is Hahalua. Your brother says it refers to the manta ray on your side." He ruffled hismelf and burbled like the bird he was a moment. "Come with me to meet Kuwahu before we find Hoto? I would ike him to see you."
"Silly bird," the mare chuckled, brown eyes looking at him kindly. More so than before now that she had plenty of proof for his true intentions. "I know my name. But I knew you didn't need it." She chuckled, again, feeling a very light heart with all the good news of the day. She wanted to break out into a run to reach this village quicker, but thought better. She wanted to get there quicker, not tire herself out when she did get there. There was no danger to her brother the longer he spent by himself. He would be a well seasoned warrior by now. He didn't need his little sister rushing off to his aid.
At least not physically. By the sounds of it, he needed her mentally. If not for a talk, than at least for a swift kick in the stomach to smarten him up. It sounded like he was sulking, being off by himself all the time. They were meant to fight alongside people and there he was, going off without his person.
Haha's eyes shone with excitement at the offer as her thoughts returned to herself. "I would dearly love to meet the two legger my brother chose as his companion."
Teh Roarie
Always. <3
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:43 pm
Oh! His feathers fluffed and rustled as he realized that she'd tricked him. She wanted to know if she could trust him and if he was telling the truth. It grated him a bit that she'd think he'd lie about her brother. But then he supposed that one did not get the the kind of new he'd delivered every day. He blinked at her and then pointed with a wing, choosing not to comment on anything. "Towards the river, if you know where that is. We'll follow it back to the village."
