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 Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 5:50 pm
This is a private roleplay between Sephora Querida (Mahogany Sunset) and Kendrick (volleyballrocks91). Please do not post without permission.  
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Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 5:51 pm
Sephora ambled quietly down the beach, walking slower than her usual brisk pace. It wasn't that she was tired or weary - she was neither. Though it was high noon and the sun was beating down, her cream-colored coat reflected the rays, leaving her cooler than most soquili would have been on a day like this. No, instead, she was studying the ground before her as she walked, looking for her favorite pebbles and shells among the countless others that littered the sandy beach. Finally spotting one after her hour-long walk, Sephora leaned down and picked it up softly with her lips, tucking it under the slightly loose band of her anklet. Others accompanied it there - semi-transparent chunks of foggy white quartz, a spiral shell or two, and her chipped shell knife for scraping dried seaweed off of things. Glancing back up once making sure that her pearls were secure, she looked down the long beach. Having traveled the entire thing at least once with her mother before reaching the impassable end, she only barely recognized the tract she was currently in - near the forest. It was only a matter of time before she saw another person; the forest seemed to be quite a well-traveled destination these days, and she quite enjoyed being around it herself.
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Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 5:53 pm
Kendrick wasn’t sure exactly what had led him to the coast on this bright sunny day, perhaps it was the fact that he had wanted to take Cloee here once and never got the chance. Now she was gone, picked up and left without a word to him. For some reason he’d thought he had meant more to her than that, at least enough for her to tell her she was leaving and why. Or what he had done wrong.
And now he would never know what had happened to her. But he was trying not to dwell on those thoughts today, obviously failing, but at least he was trying to focus on other things. Once he broke through the trees and stepped out onto the sand, he felt a little calmer. It was so soothing out here. Nothing but the sound of the rolling waves hitting the sand. If any place could try to clear his head, it had to be this place.
He soon realized though he wasn’t alone. Catching the slightest sound, his ear swiveled in that direction and spotted a mare on the sandy shore. She seemed to be searching for something, maybe lost someone or an item of hers. Normally he wouldn’t intrude but perhaps he could offer her assistance, if she’d lost someone he could search from the skies. “Excuse me, miss. I’m sorry to be a bother, but have you lost something?”
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:05 pm
Head down again, Sephora spooked slightly at the sound of someone's voice. Looking up as her body flinched back, she spotted a brown stallion up ahead that she hadn't noticed before. He must have just appeared, she thought, and it was a moment or two before she realized that he'd asked her a question. Very politely, too. "Uh-m..." she started, glancing back down to the rocks she'd been studying before she was interrupted. "No, I've not lost anything," she replied, smiling a little hesitantly at him. "I like to walk the beaches and pick up things." Gesturing to her anklet with a nod of her head, Sephora spotted his horn and wings and felt herself put up a little bit of a guard. She still wasn't certain how to act around winged soquili, seeing as she herself could only barely flutter off the ground.
"And it's not a bother," she continued, her smile gaining a little bit of warmth. "Company is nice when one is all by their lonesome. To me, at least." Looking the stallion over, Sephora noticed his smooth grey eyes and almost flame-like swirls. He was certainly handsome... And was that a beard? "I'm Sephora," she said, introducing herself. Maybe he'd know something about the heritage that it appeared they both possessed - the alicorn genes, or so her mother had called it. She'd left out the kalona part (whatever that was) because Sephora didn't have a set of horns. "Where are you from, stranger?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:42 pm
Kendrick peered at where she had indicated and smiled a little at her collection. It was definitely impressive. "Oh I see, I apologize for both-" She'd already said it wasn't a bother, so he shook his head a bit, "for interrupting your.. um.. gathering." He would have left her to it but it seemed she didn't mind his company, which was an unexpected turn of events. When he first stepped on the beach, he'd been content to spend another day of solitude. And yet, maybe it would be a nice change of pace to spend some time with someone else.
His head dipped politely in greeting. "My name's Kendrick. Sephora is a lovely name." A lovely name to accompany a lovely mare. She seemed delicate to him, and her tiny wings only added to the effect. There was only a passing thought about if her wings could actually hold her in flight, but honestly he didn't care if she could fly or not. It never bothered him, and the small wings seemed to suit her perfectly. "Where am I from? .. Ah.. Well I'm from.." He turned and pointed with his wing, basically in the direction where he'd just come out of the trees. "I'm not really from anywhere specific. I've been wandering as of late," he replied with a sheepish smile.
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:22 pm
Mahogany Sunset Sephora felt herself smile happily at the compliment, though it was really her mother who had chosen the name. "Thank you," she replied, looking out over the ocean for a moment. Thinking of her mother made her a bit anxious - she had yet to see the tan-dappled mare that day. It made her uneasy; as a general rule, they were never far from each others' sides.
Shaking her head mentally at his second attempt to apologize, as she truly was grateful for his company now that she was unsure of her mother's location, Sephora looked back at Kendrick. "Kendrick is quite a handsome name," she said, continuing the name conversation. "I think it suits you." Realizing that that might sound... Weird... Sephora thought briefly about backpedaling, but decided against it. Truthfully, he was handsome - she would say pretty, but that seemed too flippant a word... Maybe subtly vibrant was a better fit. "The path of the wanderer is a long one," she said, turning her lips upward slightly in another small smile. "I have traveled it myself." Giving Kendrick another long look, Sephora gave a little nod. "The ocean is quite a good anchor to wander beside, in my experience," she said. "It is where all things begin and end." She felt her guard lower a bit when he didn't latch onto her wings as a talking point-she was already too insecure to hold much of a coherent conversation about them, and she was thankful that he didn't immediately try to talk about appearances. Apparently, his mother had taught him as well as hers had - one did not need to take looks into the equation of what another soquili was like to make a judgement about them; it was better to get to know them first. Posting from an AIM reply
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:23 pm
She didn't seem the type to be a wanderer like himself, in fact she seemed like she belonged somewhere safe and tucked in, all happy with her family. It was a weird sensation to feel worry for this mare who was still a stranger to him, but he couldn't help thinking of the danger that could be out there waiting to snatch her. "Thank you." He didn't exactly know what it mean to have your name suit you, but assumed it to be a compliment none the less. His head turned to examine the rolling waves of the ocean. He found some peace here but her statement intrigued him. "Why do you think that? I mean the whole.. where things begin and end?" It was probably just some crypic answer, but if could have been meant literally for her in some way. He hadn't spent much time, if any at all, near the ocean so he didn't know much about it. Even though she'd said he was welcome company, he felt normally he would have excused himself by now, and yet.. here he was still wanting to talk to this mare. He'd probably have to overanalyze the reason for that later....
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 11:16 pm
Sephora felt the smile turn into a quite un-ladylike grin at his words, wide and almost laughing. She really hadn't meant to be cryptic - her statement, in her eyes, was a statement of truth. "I mean what I said," she replied, watching a wave roll in. "Once, creatures came from the ocean onto the land; the kelpi are proof enough of that, part fish, part horse. I've heard rumor of a smaller water-dwelling breed of soquili, too, with a name related to the sea... And then there's the granules beneath our hooves," she continued, looking down. "Once upon a time, these were pebbles like the ones that now line the shore. But time and wind and waves wore them down. Now they're barely dust in the water. So, the sea is where things began, and where most will end," she finished, wondering if she'd made a lick of sense. Of course, the whole thing was conjecture, but that didn't stop her from enjoying her theories. It was fascinating to imagine what time would do to the earth, and how the creatures upon it would change. Nature had already gifted horses with minds of their own, unique features too many to count... And only Nature knew when they were to return to her.
"As for wandering," Sephora said, realizing that she hadn't really done too much wandering - just up and down the same path - she knew she should probably amend herself or face coming across wrong. "The farthest I've wandered is up and down the coast, hardly inland at all. In fact, I don't think I've ever reached the other side of any of the forests or plains on the upper shores of the beaches." It was a sad truth, but she didn't want to seem too worldly, as she knew she wasn't really. "How far have you gone in your adventures?" she asked, curious. Kendrick didn't seem to be running off anywhere, so she tried not to feel guilty about possibly keeping him from somewhere. Something sparked near her lungs when she looked at him, warming her with a fluttery sensation. Her clanging nerves about her mother soothed themselves out quietly to the back of her mind.
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 8:45 pm
vollyballrocks91 Kendrick chuckled at her quick wit. "I see what you mean, I never thought of it like that. Perhaps I just need to spend more time here and I'll start seeing things a bit clearer, hm?" She was a wonder, and he found himself almost entranced by her response. Or maybe it was just her voice. That was nice to listen to as well.
"I'm afraid I'm not as worldy as you may be hoping for. My 'adventures', if we're calling them that, haven't extended far from the forests or meadows either. This is perhaps the farthest I've gone. I just... needed to see it at least once." He turned his head to stare out over the shimmering water, hopefully to mask his sudden drop in mood. He refused to let Cloee invade his mind again. She was gone, it was over, and he needed to let it go. Mahogany Sunset Laughing mostly to herself at his response to her long-winded explanation, Sephora grinned as he described his travels. Still, it was farther than she'd ever gone; she had never seen the inland mountains or swamps, or, god forbid, the desert. She was sure she would even be able to handle dry, hot, unending sands without a trace of water for miles - even the idea of the scent of water fading from her nostrils was intolerable. But as he finished his sentence and looked out to sea, his profile looked different to her somehow. Not quite sure what was going on in his head, Sephora took a step a bit closer.
"Is something happening out there?" she asked, following the point of his gaze and unsure whether or not he was simply staring into a distance only he could see. "Do you want to take a walk? There's still plenty of things to find out here. The spiral shells are my favorite," she added, smiling tentatively again. vollyballrocks91 Her voice brought him back and he smiled a little. "No, there's nothing out there. I was just thinking. I apologize for being.. off." He turned back to her. "I would enjoy a walk. I'll try to keep an eye out for any spiral shells for you." Maybe the walk and remaining in her company would cheer him up. "After you my lady," he bowed and swept his wing out to usher her on to walk in front of him. Mahogany Sunset "Thank you, kind sir," she said, unsure whether she was joking or not, then jumped sideways a little when Kendrick's wings moved unexpectedly. They were a pretty natural brown, tipped with black and tan, subtly beautiful in their long grace. Suddenly, Sephora couldn't recall the last time she'd seen the wings of a wind unfurled - was it possible it'd been since foalhood, when she'd met Alarion? It didn't seem like it'd been that long... Realizing that she was probably staring, Sephora started forward. "Have you found anything of particular interest to you on the beaches?" she asked. "I might be able to help you find something, too."
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:43 pm
vollyballrocks91 A pretty mare, he thought to himself as he silently answered her question. He kept his pace even with hers as they strolled down the beach. "No, I had only just arrived before I saw you. So I suppose I found you, which is still note worthy," he smiled at her. She'd seemed distracted by his wings and it had piqued his curiosity about why. She had wings of her own, a bit smaller but still wings. He hoped his didn't frighten her or anything. "I don't mean to pry, but do my wings bother you?" Mahogany Sunset Blushing slightly at what she thought might be flattery, Sephora felt her expression darken a bit as he brought up his wings. She certainly didn't mean to stare, but he'd noticed. "They don't... bother me," she replied carefully. Wings had always been a touchy subject for her, but he was so unassuming, so nice and gentle as he brought them up. "But it is wearisome to always find those with wings prattling on about how we have flight in common, when I cannot in fact fly. Not that you have done that," she added hastily. Having done her best to stick the root of her aversion to winds in the middle of the sentence where it was less likely to be noticed, Sephora felt her own wings wiggle uneasily, though she was comfortable with Kendrick. Scuffing a hoof through the sand, she tried not to glance at him and failed, trying not to meet his grey eyes in the process. Admitting that one's wings were simply decorative was a bit embarrassing. vollyballrocks91 "You cannot fly?" He paused his step to look back at her dainty wings again. So it was as he'd assumed, they were too small to support her. "My apologies if I offended you in asking." His steps continued along with hers. "I know how you feel though, in a sense. My family is very prideful of our wings, not that I share the same views. I lost my mother and sister because I had chosen a mare without wings. They decided I wasn't worth their time anymore if I could be with someone wingless. The joke was on me I suppose, as she ended up leaving. So I lost my only family for nothing."
He wasn't sure why he was telling her all of this. This was personal history, private things he kept to himself, and yet he was spilling everything to a mare he'd known for mere moments. He felt at ease with her, and he wanted to put her at ease as well. He did not care if she couldn't fly, though he was sure she could probably fly a little, he merely enjoyed her company. Mahogany Sunset Watching his eyes flick to her wings, Sephora realized that, as he told his own story, it was not a bad thing for him to look at them. He wasn't judging her. His story, however, made her breath stop in her lungs. Her voice went quiet. "I hover at most, usually crashing to the ground after a few feet. You have not offended me," she said. "I'm not sure sorry is the right word, but it's awful that you family's treated you so over something like that, and I'm sorry. Though maybe I'm a bit biased against wings," she said, trying to find a little bit of humor as she fluttered hers meekly. She almost wanted to ask what had happened to the mare, why she'd left him when he'd chosen her not only over his family, but probably over flight as well. But something stopped her; though they were sharing, he seemed wounded by the loss of her, and Sephora felt like that'd be prying at a wound that didn't need reopening at the moment. vollyballrocks91 "It's alright. It was my choice, and I'll reap whatever consequences come from it." Kendrick decided he'd focus on her for now and try to shove his past back down where it belonged. "Perhaps you just need more practice. I assume you haven't tried much for fear of being judged. I can help you." Now wait just a minute. Commiting to something like could be more than a short term arrangement. Again, to a mare he barely knew! Oh he was definitely in trouble.
He cleared his throat and his thoughts. "It's like when we start out as foals. The wings are small and fragile, they need to be used and tested. To build muscle and gain strength. I won't give you false hope and say you'll soar to the clouds, but perhaps we could get you a bit more off the ground. And maybe work on a better landing. Crashing isn't exactly graceful," he grinned at her but it was teasing and playful. Mahogany Sunset Feeling a little uncomfortable and sad as Kendrick took the blame upon himself, Sephora gave a sad smile. "Perhaps," she said. "You're right; I haven't tried much, but not for the fear of being judged, though that is a small reason. It's painful to fail over and over again at sustained flight... But I would be glad of practice, especially if you can coach me in landings," she said, grinning a bit. "When do you want to start?" vollyballrocks91 Was she serious? He hadn't even known if he was serious, his mouth was just running without consulting his brain first. Her accepting help from almost a complete stranger either meant she was naive or she somehow felt comfortable around him already. He certainly did, but this wasn't the time for that! Focus!
"Well.. I mean I don't have anything planned. So I could realistically start whenever you wanted. I'm sure you have other things to do I wouldn't want to keep you from." Yes he would. "But.. um.. yes landings. We can work on those too." Now his brain wasn't working, oh great. He was definitely in trouble. Mahogany Sunset "Um... Well, I don't actually have anything planned, either," she replied, surprising herself in her readiness to go for this little venture. She remembered the last time she'd gotten lessons from somebody - poor Ellion, at whom she'd lashed out a little. But she felt more mature now, more ready to take advice. And her mother was still missing, but it'd only been a few hours... She was probably taking a break, going inland for a while to get away from the sea. Sephora'd known her mother to get her fill of the ocean once in a while, coming back a day or two later where her daughter waited patiently. It usually wasn't a planned thing; she'd just have to get away and wander off.
"So," she continued, eyeing his wings. "Is there a certain way one's supposed to land? My wings do funny things... If they even tremble when I'm trying to land, the whole air current changes and I end up on my side." Frowning at her remembrance of the last person who'd witnessed her crash-landing, Sephora looked up at Kendrick. "Is it in the hooves or the wings or something that I'm not understanding?" Her curious, frustrated filly-like mindset came back as an association of never succeeding at flight in her foalhood. Determination was a bit more cautious though; last time she'd gotten determined about this, she'd failed miserably, and that couldn't happen again. Frankly, she didn't think Kendrick would let it... But that didn't mean she wouldn't do her best to stay happy about the whole thing. vollyballrocks91 Kendrick chuckled at how quickly she changed to becoming eager about the whole thing. "Patience little dove. I think we need to see what's going on first. So do what you normally do and if you take a fall I'll try to soften it. We're also in sand so that might help as well." He took a couple steps back to give her space to get in the air. Mahogany Sunset Sephora froze for a moment at the sweet nickname, letting it roll over her shoulders and into her skin. Before she could start grinning like a maniac, however, she said, "Okay, hold on a sec. I have to get a running start." Turning around and letting her position hide her blush, she trotted down the beach before facing him again. Breaking into a slow lope as she passed him, Sephora made a small leap, letting her momentum and wings carry her into the air. Only two or three feet above the ground, she glided down the beach, looking for a place to come down that was softer than the normal pebbly beach. Finding a blank patch of sand a little lower on the beach, she began to feel herself lower in the air, wings changing position. Without intentionally doing it, however, her right wing overcorrected and dropped a little bit, sending her veering toward the ocean. She had just enough time to touch down, landing on one foot before the others, before splashing into knee-deep water.
Groaning and dripping in places from the wave she'd kicked up, she turned around and looked toward Kendrick. "See what I mean about landing?" she called, plodding slowly onto shore and doing a whole-body shake. vollyballrocks91 He hadn't even realized he'd used a pet name, he'd gone into instructor mode and it still didn't register. He'd trotted down after her while she flew and winced as she landed in the water. "That wasn't too bad. Have you tried just hovering? It's another good way to practice. As a foal I was always trying to get into the air but all I could do was jump and hover for a few moments. So maybe we're not ready for flying or gliding yet. Try to do what I do." After taking a few steps back, he spread his wings and gave them a few testing flaps before using his powerful legs to leap straight up into the air. Hovering took more work because you didn't have the wind to help you, so his constantly beating wings stirred up clouds of sand. But he stayed hovering about six feet off the ground and then dropped back to land on his hooves in the sand. "I'm officially having this be your daily exercise. It'll help strengthen your wings." Mahogany Sunset Sephora felt her eyes widen as she watched him hover, great wings flapping above her head. Closing her eyes a bit to keep the sand out, she looked up at him, speechless as he landed. She'd never tried hovering without going anywhere before... It'd always taken her a running leap to get off the ground. But maybe it really didn't; it was possible that she could do it from a standing position. Deciding to try it herself, Sephora tensed her leg muscles and jumped straight up, wings whirling desperately at her sides. Despite her best efforts, she could stay comfortably in the air for only a few seconds, and dropped immediately to hovering a few puny inches from the sand. Huffing a little, she did it again, not jumping so high this time, and was happy when she stayed in the air a little longer. Landing again, she grinned. "Daily exercise?" she said, mind slowly recognizing the meaning in the statement. "So you'll teach me every day?" she asked, getting a little excited. vollyballrocks91 Again that wasn't what he'd meant and he was drawn back out of teacher mode into brain dead mode. "Um.. Well.. I. I didn't think.. If you want me to I could.. I suppose." He cleared his throat and once again tried to regain his focus. "That was good. Don't feel discouraged if you can't get as high, that's not the point. The point is to get more comfortable using your wings and also strengthening them at the same time." Mahogany Sunset Watching Kendrick flounder, Sephora realized, a little late, that he probably didn't mean what he'd said. What if he meant it was to be her daily exercise after he left? The thought made her immensely, unreasonably sad. "Okay," she said, putting a hint of the excitement she'd felt before back in her voice. "Should I flap them around on the ground, too?" she asked, raising her wings slightly to do just that. They'd been ornamental for a long time, wiggling involuntarily on their own with her emotions, like a dog's tail. "What else should I do?" Just in case he'd meant he was going to leave, she knew that she was intentionally stalling him now. Kendrick was sweet, good-natured, and the first stranger she'd met in a long time who'd taken an interest in helping her. vollyballrocks91 Kendrick shrugged a little. "You can, it doesn't do as much. And might look a little silly," he chuckled. "What did I say about patience? There's no need to jump into it all at once. Just work on the hovering while you can, and then later we'll try the flying part again." Mahogany Sunset Sighing a bit, Sephora began to do little rolls with her wings, testing their range of motion. She wasn't sure, but she was pretty sure she'd tweaked something when she'd been clumsily attempting flight, and she worked her wings gently until it felt better. "Fine, I'll have patience," she said, feeling her student mindset dim a little. Jumping a tiny bit, just a crow hop, Sephora took advantage of not being too far off the ground to feel how her wings should be in flight. Though they were still far from elegant, her tiny wings definitely had a set range of motion, a pattern and a direction. The fact that she couldn't see them didn't help her attempts at trying to figure out how to use them better, but she hovered by feel for a few more seconds. "So... What would you like to do?" she asked, thinking it might be a bit boring for him to just stand there and watch her. "Do you want to play a get-to-know-you game or something, if we are to spend more time together?" vollyballrocks91 His brow raised at her question. Spend more time together? Well that would be.. nice. "You can take a break, you don't have to do it every second of every day. Just when you feel like it." He wasn't really sure he wanted to play a get to know you game, he'd already told her of his family and the girl who walked out of his life... what else was there? "I don't think I really have anything to tell. I'm sure you have a lot more things to talk about." Mahogany Sunset "Well, I don't know," Sephora replied, feeling her wings pause as she thought. "My mother raised me on her own. She does not have wings; my father was an alikalonacorn... I never met him. That is about as far as my life story goes. My mother drags me along the beaches, and I have never felt a particular desire to leave her side, as I sometimes think she needs me... Anyway, I haven't seen her today," she finished, lifting one foreleg in a half-hearted shrug. He'd already explained what'd happened to his family, and while she didn't want to pry about the mare, she was more curious than she should be about the subject. "What about the mare you've talked of?" she asked. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to... But if you do want to talk about it to someone, I will be a listening ear." vollyballrocks91 Kendrick didn't know whether to frustrated about Cloee being brought up, or somewhat pleased that she'd actually listened when he talked earlier. "I don't really have a lot to say about her. I was willing to let go of my family because I thought we loved each other. She stayed in a cave and had this bear with her." He grumbled a bit at the last part. "I hated that bear. Don't get a bear," he told her and then almost bit his tongue at what that could have implied. Not wanting to have another love in his life with a bear. Hopefully she missed it. "I-I mean.. I.. get a bear if you like! I just.. didn't like them." His throat cleared as he shuffled his hooves and his face feeling extremely warm. "Anyway.. I would sometimes stay with her but others I would visit. And one day she was just gone. No sign of her anywhere. I thought at least she would tell me why.. But apparently that was too much to ask of her." Mahogany Sunset Sephora felt her eyebrows raise slightly as he told her not to get a bear. While she'd never seen a bear before and knew only that they were usually made of long fur and snapping teeth, she didn't know what to make of his suggestion. "Are they really so bad?" she asked, trying not to giggle and only partly succeeding as he tried to cover up his bald-faced bluntness. Quieting down a little, she studied Kendrick, wondering if his apparent bitterness could be helped at all. She knew that there was no way either of them could help what the mare had done to him, possibly and likely breaking his heart... But it seemed uncharacteristically cold of him to be like this toward her. Though, she supposed, she didn't exactly know much of his character. Not wanting to step on his toes, Sephora decided to leave it for another time. Trying to soothe that grudge wasn't worth the pain it might bring if he got annoyed with her, or simply didn't want to hear it. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said, trying to catch his eyes. Sorry was a strange word, though, and she'd never felt right apologizing for other peoples' pain. "Should we talk about something else?" she asked, watching the horizon fold and dip with the clouds.
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Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:20 pm
vollyballrocks91 "I just don't like them. My sister had one too. Doesn't make any sense to me." He shook his head. They were both crazy, there were many other animals they could have chosen but there was no point in worrying over it now. Kendrick smiled at her. She was almost too sweet for her own good. "You don't need to apologize, or feel bad for me. I just have to hope things will work out." His gaze followed hers out to the horizon. "And what would you like to talk about my lady?" Mahogany Sunset "What is it like to fly high, up above the trees?" she asked, training her gaze on a particularly wispy cloud. There was no expectation in her voice; she knew she'd never fly that high, not even with lessons. Just wonder and a bit of wistfulness. Sephora didn't really want to force him to continue to talk about bears or the girl who'd broken his heart... And she wasn't about to try to explain at length that she didn't pity him, exactly - she just didn't want him to have to go through that ever again. So she'd answered his question with a question, which seemed like the only rational thing to do, though she really wished she could turn the conversation away from wings somehow. vollyballrocks91 Again his gaze followed hers up to the clouds. "I won't lie to you. It's.. freeing. You feel like you could go anywhere and see anything. It's a form of release too, to just be able to glide for miles. It's really incredible." He looked down at her, knowing he probably should have lied and said it was nothing special but he couldn't do that. "Maybe you will feel it someday." Mahogany Sunset "Maybe," she replied, turning to smile at him. "But not right now. For now, it's just us, here on the ground," she said, feeling partly like she was stating the obvious, but he was right - patience was worth having, especially if that was even a little bit of what was in store. The cool breeze tickling the nerves of her wings... Oh, she couldn't wait. Content, Sephora turned back to the beach and looked down, eyes returning to the task they'd been set earlier in the day. Spotting a spiral shell like the ones she'd told him about, Sephora turned it in the sand with a hoof. Just as she'd hoped, it wasn't completely whole: missing the rounded sections on one side, the hole revealed the shell's cavities, where a snail had once lived. Murmuring a sound of approval, she picked it up and tucked it behind the string of her anklet, and wondered if she should explain herself. It was too many words, though, she thought, out there in the open... Unbecoming to explain oneself when no question had been asked. vollyballrocks91 Kendrick wasn't sure why but he really wanted her to know what it was like to soar with the birds. It was different when one was born to live on the ground, but her case was almost cruel. Dangling the ability in front of her and yanking it away at the last second. He'd help her do it. He didn't know if it would work, but someday he'd make her fly. He was also unsure about how long he should stick around. It would almost be dark soon, it was rude to even think about spending the night with a lady that wasn't his. But he didn't know what to say without being rude in general, and it wasn't like he wanted to leave it was more out of.. necessity. While he mulled his thoughts over he followed dutifully behind her as she went about her collecting. Mahogany Sunset Looking back at Kendrick for a moment with her body still facing away from him, Sephora studied him up and down for a moment. "How would you feel about staying nearby for a bit once it gets late?" she asked, wondering what it would be like to have company while her mother was gone. No one had ever happened upon her before while she was by herself; it might be interesting. "We could find something to do, I'm sure," she added, completely innocently. It was boring to have nothing to do but wait when she was left by herself - she had no idea how travelers could wander by themselves for such long stretches of time. It was lonely to be by herself with nothing but the sand and the sound of the waves to keep her company. vollyballrocks91 His head turned back to her. Staying nearby.. that could just mean in the area, that would be okay, right? "Um sure I could do that. I'm think I can find a place around here for the night." He really wasn't picky when it came to finding a place to sleep, you had to be flexible when you were a traveler. "I'm fine doing whatever you like, my lady." And he also had no clue what they could so... maybe better that she picked something. Hopefully something that didn't involve him talking because he was losing the ability to that properly around her. Mahogany Sunset "Well, you don't have to go too far, you know," she said, thinking that maybe 'nearby' was too general. "It would be perfectly fine if you were to hang about." Not entirely sure how to feel as he kept calling her 'my lady,' Sephora grimaced mentally. So formal... but proper, she thought. Humming a little in thought, she cast her gaze across the beach. Grinning a little to herself as she saw the long, dry grass the adorned the entire upper part of the visible shoreline, Sephora headed up the beach. "As for what we can do," she continued, "I think I have an idea." Spotting several clam shells, each with a perfectly round hole where some crustacean or other had eaten the poor things, Sephora picked them up with her teeth and placed them gently on a piece of driftwood. "What say you to decorations?" vollyballrocks91 Kendrick watched her carefully, assuming there was some hidden language in what she had said, but as a male it was lost on him. "Right.. Sure. I mean, I won't go that far." His ears perked forward at her curiously and he walked over to where she was placing things on the wood. "What kind of decorations?" This was all very new to him, and honestly had no clue what she was doing. Mahogany Sunset Gesturing toward her anklet, Sephora was no longer able to hide her grin. "I hope you will not think of it as 'girly,' but it would be my great pleasure to adorn your wings," she said, eyes nearly sparkling with delight and mischievousness. "Or your neck or horn, whatever works," she added, calculating how much grass she would need and wondering how brittle it would be during the dry season. It would be a shame if a necklace or an ornament went to waste when a frond broke... But she honestly couldn't think of anything else to do. Dusk would soon be upon them, and Sephora couldn't bring herself to risk practicing jumping in the dark; the slant of the beach and sand was unpredictable, and if she twisted an ankle or hurt herself, she'd be out of commission for a while. "Oh, and I have a question - what are the horns on our heads for?" she asked, eyeing his uncertainly. Her mother had never been able to explain the sharp spiral that adorned her forehead, and all it seemed good for was accidentally poking people. vollyballrocks91 Kendrick blinked a couple times. Wearing jewlery certainly was girly... but again he was surprised at himself that he didn't care. He just wanted to see her happy. "Sure.. I don't think wings would work because it would fall off when I fly." He settled down beside her little work station to watch her. "Our horns come from unicorn blood. Some say the purest of unicorn blood have healing powers, and their horns can heal wounds. But if the blood gets too diluted, probably like ours since we have wind blood, we don't have that power. Otherwise they make good weapons to hurt others. That's about it." He watched her, wondering where the question came from. "Why do you ask?" Mahogany Sunset Grabbing a few long strands of grass from a nearby stand, Sephora bit off the fluffy ends and put them down next to the shells. She frowned when he confirmed her thoughts about her horn - that if they couldn't use them to heal, as he said, about all they could do was be a weapon. A very sharp, potentially dangerous weapon. "My mother could never really tell me from where I obtained my horn and what it was for, other than that I obtained it from my father," she replied, scowling a little at the thought of him. She didn't have much in the way of grudges against Alonzo - her mother had told her that she herself had done her best to run him off after they'd made a deal to each take a basket; neither of them would get attached to the other that way. It didn't stop Sephora from feeling that he didn't have to go, however, and that stung a bit. Picking up a thin piece of grass and nudging the edge of shell with her hoof, the cream-colored mare threaded it through the hole before laying the grass down again. The pearly inside of the shell stared up at her. "Would some really use their horns as weapons?" she asked, thinking about it. That would be so horrible - to have someone's wound so close to her face, especially if she was the one trying to cause it. "How does one know if they have the healing powers?" vollyballrocks91 "Absolutely. If you have someone or something charging at you, intending to do you harm, or someone you care about. Having some sort of weapon increases your chances of winning." He could tell she wasn't too fond of the topic, so he leaned over and tried to nudge her to reassure her. "Trust me little dove, I doubt you'll ever be using yours to harm anyone. But it's good to have just in case." He watched what she was doing with the grass and the shells for a bit before speaking again. "Sometimes it is as simple as that. Horns, wings, all sort of things get passed down from our parents. And I'm not sure, I have to assume they're told they have the power or they just know somehow." Mahogany Sunset Feeling her face heat again at the use of the nickname, Sephora mumbled, "Maybe foals. I would protect them. Or a mate." Nodding as she mentally agreed with herself, Sephora gave him a sideways glance while she put another shell on the strand of grass. "So I've been told," she said, referring to traits passing down. "Were it not for my mother, I believe my wings would be normal-sized. But, like the power of the unicorn horn, they were diminished... Though they are also not without their uses." Though her smile was small, her tone wasn't sad - more playful, knowing now that he'd be teaching her how to use them better. The thought of Kendrick sticking around for the long term gave her reassurance; he'd already proven himself to be kind, patient, and willing to play her games. Threading a third shell on the strand, Sephora looked the piece over. It was big enough to be a necklace, once she'd tied it. Or figured out a way to tie it, anyway. Nudging the edges of the shells to see which sides of them were prettier, Sephora settled on the undersides. White with purple edging and a touch of pink seemed to stand out more than the dull, sandy brown of the upper side. "What do you think?" she asked, tilting her head a little to see if the angle changed anything.
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:47 pm
"Exactly. Only needed as a last resort. I would hope the stallion was able to protect his own family though and not make the lady do it." He snorted just at the thought of it. The way he saw things, the lady was meant to be protected and always kept safe. At least that's how he did things. Any family of his would never have to worry for anything. Unless they ran from him like Cloee did... Just the thought pinned his ears back and put a frown on his face, if even for a brief moment. He was thankful for once that there were no children involved, it would have destroyed him.
He shook his head a bit to rid himself of those horrid thoughts and decided that his next family would be the right one. He wouldn't take another failure. Couldn't take it. He refocused back on their conversation. "You shouldn't waste your precious time trying to lay blame for things, little dove. So you have small wings," he shrugged. "You move on and accept it, and maybe even make them better. Always look forward, because there isn't much left for you in the past." He tilted his head down to look at the shells she had weaved together and smiled. "It's lovely. You have quite a talent."
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Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 3:54 pm
"That's old fashioned of you," she replied, grinning a bit. "But I understand what you mean. Always better to be safe and cared for than not having anybody else to help share the burden of protecting one's family." While she couldn't exactly see herself fighting an enemy with a horn mounted so close to her vulnerable neck, if her family was in danger... Well, she would do anything to protect them, as had already been established.
As Kendrick's face changed, Sephora wondered what was going on his mind. But as he shook his head and refocused on her, she felt her ears swivel around, taking in the sound of the ocean in one heartbeat and the timbre of his voice in the next. Looking up from her jewelry piece, Sephora studied him, wondering if the "there isn't much left for you in the past" line applied to him, as well. From what he had told her, it seemed to. "My father has never been in my life," Sephora said, letting another smile form at the corners of her lips as she gently lifted a hoof to slide the ends of the grass over one another. Bending the frond that lay beneath the other one forward, she used her horn to pin it down and shifted the rest of that side of the necklace over the exposed end. Repeating the process once more after pulling the grass tight, Sephora finished the knot that not only secured the ends of the necklace together, but also secured her new perspective on the subject of her father. It was a rather quick change of heart, but it felt like she had made a quiet epiphany as he told her to accept her wings. "What he gave me, however, has been a part of my life, and it is more of a gift than I have ever been given in this life. He gave me life, and my mother, certainly. But he also gave me my wings, these little things that I have been frustrated with since emerging from my basket," she continued, fluttering her wings softly against the warm air. "And it has taken me until now to realize that, along with the frustration, they have brought me friends... And mentors... And other people who care about me." Letting her gaze fall on the cool beige-grey of his eyes and trace the fiery markings along his cheeks, Sephora felt her smile grow. "And it has taken you to get through the fog of hurt and disdain I bore toward them, but you have shown me that there really should be no hurt or disdain. Only gratitude," she finished. "So thank you, Kendrick.
"Now, hold still," she said, picking up the frond of grass hung with shells in her mouth. It wouldn't last, she knew - it would probably break in a few minutes if he moved too fast, too suddenly, but it had been fun to make it and the shells matched him nicely, the outside matching the tones of his wings, with the inside reminiscent of his muzzle and horn. "Lower your head, but dun't stab me," she said through her closed lips, trying not to giggle.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:05 pm
Kendrick processed that term for a moment. Old-fashioned. He rolled it around in his head and decided it was probably true.. even if he wasn't THAT old. "Perhaps I am a bit old-fashioned. But that is how I plan to live my life. I would live and die for my family, if there is something I can do to keep them safe, I do it. It's that simple for me."
He watched her jewelry making process and glanced up at her face when she spoke about her father. He, too, had not had his father in his life. Only his mother and sister had been there for him, and he had been there just as much for them. Even now he would be there, despite them not wanting to see him. He was taken aback by her gratitude toward him and he was a little speechless. He had only spoken the truth, or at least the truth he believed in. Who knew a little truth could have such an impact on someone. "I suppose it has been my pleasure. I'm glad I could help you see the light of things, hopefully that continues if.. if our paths separate one day." Though he didn't like thinking about not seeing her again. At least they had their training time for now.
He looked at her curiously. Wait.. she wanted to put that.. on him? Not that he was one to be flaunting his manhood but.. a necklace of little shells? It was a little girly. "I.. thought those were for you.." It wouldn't kill him though to be nice so he did as he was told and lowered his head carefully so she could put her shells on him.
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:41 pm
Sephora nodded. The old-fashioned ways... Seemed noble to her. Honor and chivalry, true hearts and protectors. The term "old-fashioned" seemed to be lacking of the true meaning she had meant to give it, but she put that aside. "It is a good way to live," she replied as she slipped the necklace over his head and let it fall against his chest. It wasn't as tight as she thought it might be - it was long enough that the edges of it would probably hug his shoulder and fall loose around his upper legs if he shook it out of place. As it was now, though, Sephora could already see the edges fraying and the places where the grass had split, bent too far. It would not last long.
"I would not want our paths to separate," she said, frowning. "You are one of the most sincere people I've met, and the best friend I've had to boot. But," she added, eyeing him sternly, "do not think that I won't make you try all kinds of silly and pretty things before we part, if we ever do." Her tone was serious and her expression equally so, but whether she meant it as a joke or as a true statement, even Sephora did not know. She liked the way those shells looked on him, though; she knew she would force him to model something else before their time together was through... Just for an excuse to look at him, whispered a thought in the back of her head, but she did the best she could to hush it.
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