[PRP] Tree-huggers Unite! (Ryade and Teo'xihuitl)

[Cajmera]

 

[Cajmera]

It was another gorgeous day in the forest, Ryade thought with no small amount of satisfaction. Granted, she found any and every day spent among her beloved trees to be gorgeous, but it definitely helped when the trees were aided and abetted by pleasant weather! It had been raining for almost a full week previously, but today the sun was shining, a breeze was blowing, and the forest was bright and alive. Thanks to the rain, the world was green; leaves were in on the trees, grass was growing, and flowers were beginning to bud, high up in the canopies. Everything smelled fresh and alive; even if the ground was wet and boggy, that was nothing compared to the overall beauty of the forest.

Humming happily to herself, Ryade skipped along the exposed tree roots of a stand of massive oak trees, her dainty hooves staying well clear of the mud beneath. As she leapt from each tree to the next, her dainty little wings fluttered as though to carry her along; however, in Ryade's case, her wings were almost purely for show. She had no idea why she'd ended up with such tiny wings; no Angeni had ever had such useless little nubs, and in fact Angeni were typically reknowned for their high-flying abilities. But Ryade didn't mind; having large wings would have been a major handicap in her woodland home, and she'd never felt any lack by her inability to fly. Besides, her wings suited her; they were dainty and cute, just like her!

Oh, she wasn't vain; it couldn't be vanity, because it was simply accepting the truth! She'd been told often enough that she was cute that she simply accepted it as fact; obviously her small stature had a lot to do with it, but her dainty little wings couldn't hurt. She was contented with being a 'sprite'; it made her feel like something more than merely a mare.

Coming to a stop on a high exposed root, Ryade let out a happy sigh and leaned her cheek against the gnarled bark of the tree. She loved oak trees; mature ones seemed to carry the weight of the world on their bowed branches, drinking deep of the wisdom of the earth through their strong roots. This particular tree was a favorite of hers; she called it 'Grandfather Oak', and spent a great deal of time enjoying his branches. They were fat enough and low enough that she could actually climb them, aided by the weak fluttering of her wings; it was exhilarating to be able to enjoy her beloved trees from another angle.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to do today, to be honest. Usually, she climbed when she wanted to nap, or surprise someone, or just get off the ground. But with today being the first non-rainy day in over a week, all she really wanted to do was...well, move around! Laughing, she bumped her nose affectionately against the trunk of the tree. "Well, I think I'd better keep moving, Grandfather Oak; there's so much to do today! You enjoy the sunlight, and I'll be back to talk to you later." With that, she took another flying leap on to the next tree. Onward!

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

It had been a while since he'd been able to get away from the herdlands for a bit of peace and quiet...the addition of a whole new set of siblings had kept him busy helping out with not only their charge but of course aiding his mother in her herd duties and chores. It was always a rough spot for the little usdia when babies were around, her heart called to their care at all times (and really, any of her kids if they fell ill or injured or were just lonely) and it made choosing between them and chores always brought down her mood. Thus, Teo had no qualms of taking over the gardens for her, as it was also her baby in a way. Like their family and herd, her gardens were a prime testament to her love and nurturing ways. Both were such a sight to behold.

Yet now, the garden had been primed for the season, what could be harvested was, and now he was blessed with some free time.

So he took it on himself to stroll through the woods, one of his favorite places to be. Nature had always been his calling, and it reminded him of the friends he'd met along the way; spending time admiring flowers and finding magical spots which took their breath away in their wonder. It was something about the lush green, the smells of life all around him; and his docile and quiet nature that made it all the more splendid. He could no longer count how many times as a shy but eager colt he'd scowered the woods for new flowers to add to his mother's garden. Now....oh, well now it was a sight to behold as well; so many varieties all in one spot. It was his baby, that was for sure.

Today would be different than his days off, as it came apparent he was not alone with movement to his side. Snapping his head over as his heart gave a painful pound in his chest at the chance of predators, he was nearly instantly relieved to see a blur of body leaping from branch to branch. Once the body had landed in the next tree he got a better look and realized it was a mare, perhaps a flutter? He'd only seen one, so he couldn't be positive...but there was one thing he did.

How could she be standing on those branches with just hooves? He assumed only harpies could scale branches with their avian claws? Oh, how his father would love to hear about this.

"E-Excuse me!" He called, before he knew it he was trotting her way slowly. "How are you doing that, Miss....if you don't mind my asking. Isn't it slippery?"

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

Ryade had just touched down on one of the lowest branches of the neighboring oak tree when the voice, slightly shaky and unsure, broke in on the silence of the forest. Instinctively, she dug the tips of her front hooves into the bark of the tree, anchoring herself into the branch even as she leaned against the trunk for support. She might be able to dance along the fat branches, but that didn't mean she was much good at standing on them!

Still, she didn't mind the interruption; the same energy and enthusiasm that had led her to run, jump, and skip her way through the trees welcomed the chance to have a proper chat with someone. The fact the speaker was a strange stallion who had apparently appeared out of nowhere didn't phase her; she wasn't afraid of strangers, and liked the idea of meeting someone new. Well, someone new within reason, of course; she wasn't going to cut anyone slack if they had the wrong attitude!

At this point, though, the stranger had done nothing to raise Ryade's hackles. Once firmly latched into the tree, she beamed down at him, fluttering her little wings for added balance. "Well, these are very big, very level branches, see? And they have such lovely nubbly bark that I can dig in if I need to. Though really, it's best if I keep moving; even with my hooves being like they are, I can't really balance for long. But it's so nice up here!" Grinning, she skipped from her current branch to another nearby branch in the same tree, balancing herself for just a moment with another flutter of her wings. "It might be hard for you, though, since you're so big and you have those solid one-toed hooves; I don't think you can 'grab on' too well with them. And without any balance aid, you might fall and hurt yourself," she added with a thoughtful frown. "So I don't recommend you try. I'm absolutely no good at healing."

Making her way over to another, closer branch, Ryade perched right up against the trunk of the tree, leaning her cheek against it in an obviously affectionate manner as she continued to peer down at the stranger. Poor guy, he really WAS unsuited to any sort of tree antics; she doubted he'd even be able to manage the roots with those solid hooves! "But oak trees like these lovely guys...these I can manage, with my hooves. And it doesn't hurt that I'm so little," she added with a bright giggle.

Feeling relatively secure in her current perch, she allowed her wings to settle, resting them lightly against her back. She wasn't too far above the stallion; her hooves were just about at his eye level in her current position. But it was still a peculiar level from which to have a chat. Realizing that, she suddenly asked, "I say, would you like me to come down there? I can, you know!"

Tirokio