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 Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 9:29 pm
((This way to my Teepee. This Soquili is now Maxed!))
Ever since he had taken the first step on this new journey, to a new life, Raikinti had not bothered to look back. Before leaving his homeland he had looked his fill, drinking in the sight of the scrub land. His dark green eyes lingered on the stunted trees that made up the forest that sheltered him, swept slowly over the waving golden grass that rustled dryly in the plains. There were no predators lurking in the distance at the moment, but he could see others of the herd milling about. He wanted nothing to do with them now, not after considering all the ways they had failed him. He clearly had no friends here at all, and thus there was no reason to linger.
'Don't waste a moment more than you have to... When the time comes, just go.'
"I'm going, mother... If you can here me wherever you are... If you can see me, I'm going." The young stallion murmured with a quick glance to the bright blue sky and the burning golden disk overhead. "I'm leaving this place, and I won't return... I hope you're happy, wherever you are."
He struck one dark hoof at the hot, golden sand, gouging a trench in the shifting surface that was quickly swallowed by a gust of wind and the whispering crash of golden waves. With a last shrug and a flick of his tail, he Raikinti began to move on again. He had taken one final drink, deep and lingering, at the watering hole the herd favored. He had surveyed the land that bore him, that shaped him, that in the end betrayed him.
He would not miss this place. He would not linger.
And so he did not look back when he left. He flicked his tail in a final, dismissing gesture and set his gaze forward, eyes fixing on the distant horizon. He would borrow his fathers stubborn, intractable spirit for this journey. Would let his rage blaze a path into a new life, and then forgo all thoughts of this one. He would seek out a far-flying friend he had met many seasons past, and build a new life in the presence of strangers who would one day become friends.
Anything would be better than this land of familiar herd mates who had never done anything to declare themselves as allies, much less companions.
'Enough thinking, Raik.' He grumbled to himself. 'Time is a wasting away, and a journey not begun grows no shorter.'
So he picked up a brisk, ground-eating trot with perked ears and a flagging tail, and a heart that promised to grow lighter with each stride. It would be better, from here on out. With friends and a new life and a new start, it would be better.
'Well Delri, I hope you meant it when you called us best friends... Because we're about to test your theory.'
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 6:35 pm
There was little reason to linger as he left the herd lands and moved through the free lands that were still fairly common to him. Raik was happy with his early start and swift pace, preferring not to meet many of those he knew in this land. It would be best for all concerned if he simply 'disappeared' from here. Perhaps soon enough he would fade from memory and need not worry about someone following him. There was little he wished to keep from this life, and he'd send the memories back too if only they would let him. For now it was enough to have a swift and silent departure.
'Farewell, and feel free to forget me once I am gone.'
***
It was interesting to watch how the land changed as he traveled further and further from the place he had grown in. As a foal he had found there was sufficient cover in the waving golden fields, that he could crouch amongst the whispering stalks and spring up at a moment's notice to catch them in their game. And beyond that golden sea was a forest made of short, twisting trees. Others still grew tall, their branches like black needles against the soft blue sky.
Now as he moved away, he left that climate behind. Found himself fording giggling streams that swelled into softly-bubbling brooks and then lazily-meandering rivers. Left behind pale gold grass like land-locked sunlight that whispered in the wind. Now there were bright green strands that grew soft and short, crushed sweet beneath his hooves. Here were soft hedges and shrubs, dark-green in hue, with glittering water-plumped leaves and strange-colored blooms or berries.
There in the distance rose mountains, row after row of stone giants that were misty gray, charcoal, darkening into shadow. He was sure the hues of stone would become more apparent as he drew closer, but at the moment they were beyond his reach... Lurking like menacing shadows, like hunting cats circling just out of sight.. A menace at a distance.
'Stop that, you're just going to alarm yourself.' He mused, giving himself a firm shake. 'Keep an eye out now, when you reach the coast where white sand meets bitter water... Delri said to turn your nose North and follow the soft sand until it meets high cliff, and then slopes to white sand again. He'll find you when you're within reach, but only if you pay attention and avoid getting yourself lost.'
Shaking off his skittering thoughts at the distant threat of the mountains, the copper stallion gave a soft smile and picked up his pace. If he was lucky he'd reach a decent rest stop before high-sun, and could have himself a bit of a wade and a rest before continuing on. The journey was passing with good speed and consistent progress, and the thought that he would soon be in the presence of friends made his heart lift.
"Let's hope you remember what you promised, old friend."
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:52 pm
***
Travel had taken a bit longer than expected, adding another day to Raik's estimate of his journey. He'd made significant progress the first day, but didn't feel as though he'd made progress sufficiently northward until the next morning. Still, he slept in a pleasant enough grassland and started early, and as such found himself a sufficient resting ground for the hottest part of the second day.
With the early legs of the journey well-behind him, the copper-coated stallion decided he had earned himself a rest by the time the scorching sun had become unpleasant. As such, Raikinti spent high-sun of the second day of his journey lounging in a medium-sized meadow not far off the beach. The cry of the sea birds was a distant music, but the ocean's soft sighs were beyond his hearing here. Still, he could smell the salt-air if the wind blew just right, but he'd left the salt-grass and white sand behind for young trees and short, sturdy shrubs.
The ring of soft green was reassuring, the grass and wildflowers crushed sweet beneath his hooves and perfumed his mane when he rolled with joyous abandon. Shaking the remnants of grass from his coat he returned to his hooves, lazily eying his surroundings.
'If Delri hasn't showed up by sunset, perhaps you should move onward with morning's light.'
Giving a faint nod, the stallion gave a flick of his short tail. Yes, that would be a suitable plan for now. Hopefully his best friend would appear before he was forced to continue northward. It would be easier to make it to the right place with a guide, in any case.
'Come on Delri, surely you'll find me sooner or later.'
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:23 pm
 The day had started early for the youngest silver stallion. He'd visited with his sire, grandsire and great-grandsire before taking a brief flight over their usual wandering lands. Since none of his friends were out and about, he decided to turn his nose Southward. He'd take a quick flight out to see if he could find Raikinti, and then hopefully find his way back in time to visit some of his other friends. Unless of course he was lucky enough to find Raik, and then they'd walk back to his haunting ground.
The thought cheered him, making him grin into the wind as it whistled over his hide and sent his mane streaming. With that, Delrialto stretched his wings as broadly as they could reach, taking advantage of the thermals that so obligingly held him aloft. In a moment he would gather himself to dive down through the thin wispy clouds and begin searching the land for any sign of a rather obvious copper coat.
'Come on Raik... Please tell me you got away from that herd... Please tell me you're going to go where you have friends, and can have a real life.'
***
Sometime later, after Delri had skipped through a few clouds and thrown himself into some wild loops just to alleviate the boredom of his journey, he caught a flash of something that made him fix his eyes on the ground. There was a suspicious copper-brown pool in the midst of a soft-green meadow that made his ears perk.
Maybe, just maybe...
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:35 pm
Giving himself another shake to scatter the remaining leaves and flowers strewn over his pelt, Raikinti eyed his surroundings speculatively. This little meadow wasn't so bad of a place to settle down, all things considered. There was a source for fresh water further inland, not too difficult of a journey to make each day. The ocean was also a convenient distance, and if he was honest it was of far more interest than his homeland's terrain.
It wouldn't be too bad of a place to settle, assuming it wasn't too far away from the lands where his friends called home. If it was, maybe he'd find a similar location that was closer to his goal. It would be nice to visit his friends and the sea whenever he liked.
"Here's hoping you can find a place with everything in easy reach." He murmured to himself, giving a faint grin as he flicked his short tail. "That would certainly solve all your problems, wouldn't it? Best of both worlds, at any rate."
Glancing skyward once again, he was pleased to note a familiar silver-blue shadow amongst the soft white clouds. Shifting faintly on his hooves, the copper and white stallion swiveled his ears and listened for any distant call. He was hoping that the shape above would resolve itself to be Delri, hoped that no other grey wind had reason to be out flying in this area.
"Delri?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:53 pm
Delri let himself make a short dive, limiting the distance between himself and his still-too-small target. As he grew nearer to his goal he was able to confirm that it was indeed a Soquili, though he was still too distant to determine any specific features or markings. It was unlikely the distant copper figure had wings, but beyond that the details were still somewhat of a mystery.
'Come on Raik... If that's not you I'm going to be awfully disgruntled whenever you do finally make your way here. I can't spend all my days looking for copper-coated idiots. My sister is bound to be annoyed at my never coming home, and the rest of the family won't be pleased either.'
***
With a graceful tilt of a wing the young SilverShadow stallion spiraled himself lower, circling the small meadow with his keen eyes narrowed on the figure. As he drew closer he was able to see more of his target, making out distinct white markings on the hindquarters.
'Now that looks like a certain, silly stallion that I know.' He grinned to himself, giving a piercing whistle of greeting.
"Hey! Raik! That you?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:11 pm
Raikinti danced in place as he watched the silver shape progress toward him. A restless sort of energy filled his limbs, and he paced a tight circle to try and ease the tension. There was a certain familiarity in the motions, something he recognized in the tilt of the wing and the spiraling approach.
Waiting in silence for a few moments, the copper stallion couldn't help but give another nervous little jig. He was fairly sure that was Delri, watching the wing-strokes. There had been a time when he'd watched Delri fly the morning away, laughing and cheering with their other friends. Even though some time had passed, he was fairly sure he remembered the reckless, joyous grace of his best friend's flight.
"That has to be you, SilverShadow." He grinned into the air. "There are only so many featherheads I know that would fly up and down the coast, and spiral down toward strangers. Get down here already, Delri!"
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:26 pm
The whistling wind wasn't loud enough to drown out their words anymore, not with the distance so reduced between them. Delri was close enough to note the pattern over his friend's haunches, to see the laughing green eyes as they fixed on him. He couldn't quite see the mischief in his friend's gaze, but he knew it was there.
Delri grinned as the words drifted up to him, borne aloft on the breeze to his keenly perked ears. He could hear the joke in each syllable, the laughter in the tone. That was indeed his friend, every annoying inch of him too, by the sound of it. Raik had never had trouble being himself around Delrialto, it was the rest of the world he seemed to have trouble with.
Well, Delri would work on getting him over that... But in the mean time, it was good to have his best friend back.
"Get out of the way so I can land, you overgrown deer!" He shouted cheerfully. "Or I'll plant a hoof in your backside to make you move it!"
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:52 pm
"I'll believe that when I see it, SilverShadow! I think I'll be old and grey before you even make it to a landing. What happened to that young rascal that would dive out of the clouds at a moment's notice? I've spent half my life waiting for you to catch up and show me the way!"
As he call up tauntingly, Raik frisked in a restless circle, grinning at his friend as he watched the wind stallion draw slowly closer. It was partially in restless energy and partially because he knew Delri would appreciate the sass inherent in the move. Soon enough he'd back to one side and let his friend land, but he couldn't help tease a little.
"I'm wondering exactly why I went through the trouble to travel all this way, as swiftly as possible, only to find you meandering your way along lazily." Raik grumbled good-naturedly. "But I suppose I should be glad you're here at all, and not out lost or wandering, having completely forgotten our deal."
The striped stallion smiled and stepped to one side of the clearing, waiting for the wind to land. "Get down here so you can show me the way home... It'll take a bit longer on hoof than on the wing. You can explain everything while we walk."
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:19 pm
"You must have had quite a journey, to be so high spirited!" The wind stallion taunted back as he circled, grinning all the while. "Don't worry, we'll still be friends even when you're old and grey, Raik. I'll still be the more handsome of the two of us, so nothing will really change."
Delrialto had barely managed a decent landing before he was skirting over to give Raikinti a companionable shrug. The copper stallion's teasing made him grin widely, wings flaring wide before he folded them to his back.
"It's good to find you in such high spirits even if I did make you wait." The young SilverShadow stallion offered with a smile. "I'd apologize for the delay but I'm sure you'd enjoy the story even more. Sitara was mad at me. Anyway, it will take a good part of the journey to tell, maybe you'll have forgiven me by the end."
He glanced around the clearing for a moment and then shrugged. "More for all of that later. Shall we go? I've got a few friends to introduce you to on the way, if we make decent enough time."
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:35 pm
 "The journey went well enough, all things considered. Thank you for asking, it is always so touching to be showered with the force of your concern, Delrialto." Raikinti replied with a grin and a nod. "And I suppose we'll have to be, I'm not sure anyone else will bother with taking you off of my hooves. So I'm stuck with you forever, and I must learn to make the best of that situation."
He gave a dramatic sigh and then darted close enough to give Delri a playful shove. "Nice to see you, ya know. I would have appreciated you arriving earlier, but I suppose I'll just be grateful you didn't get lost in one of your exploratory flights. I'll take what I can get."
He grinned as Delri offered a partial explanation. "Ahhh, the fierce little sister! No wonder you were late to the reunion party. Alright, let's begin walking and you can start this tale of yours.. I'm sure it will be a good one. I can't wait to meet her, too."
He chuckled at the thought and gave his friend another friendly shove. "Lead the way toward home, and start this story of yours. I'm warning you, it better be a good one."
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:44 pm
((RP considered closed at this time))
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