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 Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:29 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:01 pm
It was utterly amazing! The one time he was genuinely minding his own business and 'trouble' found him. Only in this case trouble was an alluring hippogryph mare with a colorful coat and plumage. Allegro had snorted and stammered like an idiot, not even really able to get a word out, when she appeared through the trees- she had landed in the next grove over from what it sounded like. There was something in her manner that had a little voice in the back of his mind questioning whether he was in over his head or not. But pure curiosity almost always won over that little voice no matter how much common sense it might be spouting. He bowed his head and offered a greeting, an act that seemed to please her if the hint of a smile that was any indication.
"Greetings to you too." Zuleikha raised her muzzle in reply rather than lowering her head. The stallion took her gesture as a cue to right himself which suited her just fine. From the looks of him he was young, but not too young and clearly had good manners. His mother had raised him well then. "And your name is?" She gave no thought to his borderline gawking; admiration and appreciation was a healthy thing and not all that uncommon in her dealings with others. That and it was quite potent when put to use in the right ways.
"Allegro, ma'am." His ears stood up when the mare snorted at him. He had not meant to offend.
"Zuleikha." She did not particularly care to be called ma'am, something about it seemed very 'old mare'. That was something which she certainly was not! Allegro appeared to calm down once he realized he had not done any real damage. Had she raised her talons just then he might have bolted. It was quietly amusing how much power she had over him in just this short space of time. Perhaps she could push this a further and observe his manner in a bit more detail. "I have been flying a while and am in need of a rest. Do you know of a place I might stay?"
"Sure." Since he had been busy minding his own business this was actually an area he knew well. There were plenty of places to hide out short term and a few more long term as well. "Somewhere more open so you can leave quick or a bit more...private?" He wasn't trying to imply anything in particular but he did hope Zuleikha would not mind company for a time. She was captivating in a way he could not quite explain. Physically, yes, she was quite unique but it was her manner and attitude that had him truly curious. Pretty much every mare he knew, his mother included, had been rather soft and dainty. Zuleikha seemed quite the opposite in both counts.
"Private will do nicely." A well executed, rather bold move on his part. She could appreciate that. She allowed herself to be led to the place of shelter, which turned out to be an almost cave like thicket. Decent protection if any of the lesser 'big bad things' came along, it would not do much against an angry skinwalker if one happened to come along however. Still, it was an effort at safety. She tucked in her wings tightly as they went in and settled down, picking thorns out of feathers and flesh was a pain. On the short journey there had been some small talk about family, mostly his family. She was content to let him talk about himself for a while. That was the best way to learn about another. He seemed indifferent about his relationships with his family aside from his mother and grandfather.
His mother had fallen pregnant while still very young from the way he described things. She had done the best she could by him and had done well, despite the awkward relationship that had developed there. Unfortunately for them the situation his mother had found herself in was not so easily understood by someone who had not lived it. She did not fully understand it herself but had seen other young mares who had gone through it and how they did, or did not, cope. Heavily pregnant and no lover who had sired the foals in sight. From what she had learned it was not all that uncommon. Though not everyone could be the fantastic judge of character like she was. And speaking of judging characters thus far Allegro was panning out nicely.
"Where did you fly from?" There was that curiosity again. But he had answered many of her questions, surely he was entitled to a few?
"The desert." Obviously not all in one trip, but he was not a dullard and could figure that out for himself. "It has taken quite some time to get this far."
"I've never been that far north, of course I don't have wings to cross the mountains." There were hoof paths too, he knew because he had looked, but many weren't entirely safe for travel particularly when one got up high. Some had been covered by rockslides or collapsed and fallen down below.
"That does make things easier, yes." She had seen the paths he was thinking of from high above, some were far more passable than others. "You told me about the situation with your mother but where were you and your brother born?" As she spoke she unfurled one wing just enough to slide it over his back and shield him from the cooling air. They had been talking a while now and night was coming fast. It was far more mild here than the deserts of home had been but others often appreciated the cover of her feathers.
"Near the Kawani village. My grandfather's two legger still lived and my mother did not wish to stray far from my grandfather." He turned his head to see what was brushing his back and finding brown and tan feathers covering it surprised him a little. "Almost makes me look like I belong in my own family."
It was easy enough to read between the lines of his answer from the information she already had. His mother had been a young mare, scared and unsure of what was to happen when it came time to give birth. His tone gave away the meaning behind his other comment. "Surely you are not ashamed of your coloring?" There was nothing wrong with the pink. The colors of his mane, tail and even his legs softened the brightness of it in an elegant way.
"I did at one time, when I was little. My mother is colored like your wings, my grandfather too. With white manes and tails. Even my brother was." From what little he remembered of Avery anyway. "I never really met my father, but he was pink like me." There were some vague impressions from very early foalhood but the only way Allegro would recognize him now was from the pink coat like his own.
"It shows growth to move past things like that." Any physical appearance could be awe inspiring if one had confidence. "Your coat suits you." The comment was taken as a compliment and she smiled a little over his embarrassment. The gesture made him seem a bit colt-ish but he recovered within a couple of moments.
"It is late, perhaps I should be going." He started to rise, gentle enough so her wing would slide off his back but a taloned foot stopped him.
"Stay." She watched him hesitate, but it did not last long. It did not even take him settling down for her to be sure she had him.
- fin
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