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 Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:14 pm
Manovia was slowly getting used to the land that was to be her new home. The ship had long sailed off into the sunset, leaving James and herself here to fend for themselves. Thankfully, the duo had a pair of friends in Wambli and Anpo, and had been able to adjust better to the shock of the situation through them.
Right now, the grulla mare was plodding along the edge of the river, close to where it fed into the nearby lake. Her amber eyes soaked in the sights, having never been quite this far before, alone at least. The ground here was squashy in places, covering her hooves in a thin layer of ground. Her tail swished along behind her, brushing through the bushes and undergrowth. It wasn't often that she went off on her own, but she'd wanted to get away and see some things on her own for a change. There'd been so many strange sights here, she almost couldn't believe what she'd encountered lately. A winged horse who was now a good friend of hers topped the cake. What more would she see here in this new land?
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:10 pm
Kael was, perhaps, not the most exotic scenery the wonderous Kawani lands had to offer. In fact, he was rather dull in compairison, with his horned and fairy-winged kin calling this place their home. He was content though, and not without his fair share of character. His brother might have had size and and a lofty, day-dreamer personality, but he was honorable, and likable enough to be memorable in his own right.
That wasn't on his mind as he trekked through the wilderness though. His pale blue gaze was waving rather intently over the landscape, while his ears twitched with attentiveness one would expect from his kind. The object of his attention was difficult to discern at first... But maybe it was because he didn't particularly have one at all.
If he didn't, he made a pretty decent job of looking purposeful. His stride was an aimful one, and as he made his way along a lonely stream, he stopped only once something demanded his attention. At one point, it was an angry squirrel that gave him pause, and he had eyed it questioningly as it scittered across the trodden path, giving him an upset shake of its balled little fist. For the most part though, it was uneventful.
So much so, he abandoned the slow regularity of his going-nowhere walk and pushed himself into an easy canter, taking the muddy terrain in great strides. It carried him easily along the rest of the bank's length, until it met with a lake and pooled into its rippling waters.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:58 am
Manovia, tired of wading through the muck, and determining that the river didn't have a strong current at all, (mostly due to watching a fox skip through from one side of the bank to the other without missing a step), decided to wander through the water. Her previously shod hooves felt perfectly at ease in the cool liquid, sloshing through it and allowing the spray to dampen her legs, darkening her body where it hit.
The grulla mare was by no means quiet in her trek, but she wasn't aware of all the of the dangers around, yet. If she happened upon something like a blood thirsty kalona, who knows what'd happen. Her head bobbed slightly with her stride, her mind drifted off into nothingness. So caught up in the sound of her hooves sloshing through the river, she didn't hear that someone else was nearby.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:23 pm
The mustang slowed to a lazy amble here, where the river opened into a lake, and the patches of trees faded into fields. On clear afternoons, there was nothing blocking the horizon, and he could see what felt like ages in a clear area such as this one. Green grasses mixed inconspiciously with gold, blanketing the earth all the way to the place where it met the sky. He let his gaze trace the line for a moment, squinting as it passed over the sun. A fair distance off, he could make out the river continuing on again, spilling from the lake's pool like it never slowed.
Just as he was about to conclude his curious sightseeing, something out of the ordinary caught the corner of his eye. Kael's head swiveled toward it, and after a moment, he turned fully to face it.
This would be a rare occasion; it wasn't every day he happened across random someones. This one was different though... He could tell that much even from his distant vantage point, now that he'd had opportunity to observe. She carried herself in a different fashion - a way that suggested maybe she wasn't all that wary.
The stallion arched a brow at the thought, but he pressed forward anyway. He did enjoy making new acquaintances, and who knew; maybe she'd prove to be the most enjoyable company yet. "Afternoon," he offered politely - almost quitely, as not to startle her. "Lovely day, isn't it?" It might have sounded hollow from someone else, but Kael had a way of making himself sound genuine and conversational.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:52 pm
Manovia's tail was held high as she trotted along, streaming behind her like a banner. This day, she wasn't wearing her trademark saddle and bridle, but if one looked close, lines from where the bridle rested at her head could still be seen. Her gait was a little on the flashy side, but that was normal for her. She was a showy horse, after all, but not one who had her nose stuck so far up in the air that she felt herself better than all others.
The grulla mare shied though, at the male voice, looking about her in confusion. He'd been careful to be quiet to avoid just that, but she'd not expected to come upon anyone out here. So lost in the beauty around her that she hadn't stopped to think for a moment that she'd stumble on someone else.
Once she got over her initial shock, however, she shyly stepped forward to greet him. "It is indeed. I don't think I've seen anything this beautiful before." Turning her head she glanced into the same direction he had moments before, her eyes wide in awe, as if she'd never seen the view from that spot before, and indeed she hadn't.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:54 pm
That unsuspecting reaction confirmed his suspicions; she hadn't really been paying any attention at all. Either she was sorely distracted, or she was new to the area, and unaware of the perils lurking in every nook. And if he were to judge by appearences, he might have placed his wager on the latter... She didn't look like a fish out of water, persay, but this did not seem her element either.
The mare saved him the risk of assumptions though, and as she approached, he cracked a wider smile. "It's definately one of the better places to be, I'd say." By then, he was almost certain she was largely unfamiliar with her surroundings, but he opted not to tackle that obstacle just yet.
The pinto did allow her a moment to take in the sight he could tell she was rather enjoying, but eventually he spoke up again. "My name's Kael, by the way. May I ask what I might call this lovely lady?" His gaze had drifted to the horizon at some point, but he dragged it back then, and looked curiously to her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:43 am
"Forgive my manners, I seem to have lost them somewhere back there," she gestured behind her, "my name is Manovia." She took no heed of the 'lovely lady' comment, it wasn't that she felt it her due, or expected such a comment, more so than she had simply passed over it in haste to give him her name. Manners were more important to her than most things, a first impression was always a lasting one, in her eyes.
"Very nice to meet you, Kael." Bowing her head in greeting, the grulla mare glanced back to the horizon for a moment before giving him her full attention again. "Would it be rude of me to ask where you are from, Kael?"
She swished her tail along her sides, taking another moment to glance over the horizon again. Too pretty for her to forget, she'd have to remember this spot, to show Wambli later. Then too, Wambli probably already knew about it, but no harm in taking her friend on a walk with her, right?
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 3:42 pm
As far as he was concerned, there was nothing to forgive. "I'm just relieved to know I'm not the only one that still stops to enjoy the scenery." He was exaggerating a bit, of course, but sometimes it did feel that way. "Pleasure's mine, Manovia." The stallion bowed his head politely as he tested the name on his tongue.
"Not in the least," he assured, giving her a nod. "My family and I traveled some, but I'm more or less from here." Kael let his gaze wander out across the landscape, and he couldn't help but smile again at its splendor. "The place I call home is further upstream though."
Turning back toward her, he started again as she continued to take in the scenery. "And where do you hail from, if you don't mind my asking?" That was the question he had been itching to persue since he first saw her, and he awaited an explanation with rapt attention.
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 8:09 pm
Shifting slightly, the mare thought on her answer. Indeed she wasn't from around there, but how could she explain to him where she DID come from? Would he believe her? He wasn't one she'd seen around the village at any point in time, so it was likely her tale would be stranger than fiction to him. But, all happiness lies in truth, for the truth shall set you free. Or so they said.
"I'm not from around here, to be quite honest. Another land, far away, across a body of water larger than this lake, is where I used to call home. We rode a... ship across the water to get here, and now this is where I reside." Turning her head away, she waited to see whether he would believe her, or laugh at her for such a story. He didn't seem the type, but there were horses back home who'd laughed at her for the slightest of things. That was part of the reason why she was glad to be starting off fresh, with horses she didn't know.
A flush crept across her face, and if she had realized it, she would've been glad for the dark fur that covered her nose, for it kept the flush from being seen.
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 8:26 pm
It was a shame the mare knew nothing of his mother. Isilme would have given her a whole new insight to his perspective, and perhaps might have opened a door to understanding of his acceptance. He had to be, because Isilme had a tale for every occasion, and she was more than convinced every one of them was true. It was only natural he did too (though not to the same passionate extent as Kyer), and he had little difficulty wrapping his world around new impossibilities.
"You must have a hundred stories." It was clear from his tone he rather admired her already; he could only try to fathom the things she must have seen and done. The land here was beautiful; that was plain enough already. To experience something completely different though... Entirely free from the binds of this reality was really something to behold.
But one word snagged the limits of his imagination, and briefly, his brow furrowed with a hint of confusion. "Pardon my ignorance, but would you mind telling me a bit about this ship?" he queried with genuine curiosity. How grand would sometihng so powerful have to be? And how did it travel across water? Was it some foreign variety of fish, or a creature he'd met only in lore?
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:29 am
Blushing, Manovia sidestepped slightly. "Maybe not a hundred stories, but I do have some interesting tales of things that've happened in my lifetime." Nodding, the grulla mare chuckled softly, thinking on a particularly amusing time with James.
"A ship... well, a ship..." How could she describe it in a way that he could understand? Most soquilis couldn't believe it when they SAW it, hell even she didn't understand what it was, fully. But an idea formed in her head, and she motioned him over to a clear patch of sand and silt at the edge of the water, perfect for 'drawing' in. "I'm not good at explaining, nor am I good at showing what I mean, but I'll try to do both, okay?"
With the front edge of her left hoof (a left handed soquili?), Manovia drew a kind of halfmoon shape in the sand. at the top of it, she drew a flat line to form the boat itself, then a line going up from it. From there, she let her hoof drift off from the line going up, working on what would be the sails of the ship.
"This," she pointed to the halfmoon shape" is the ship. We rode on it, and it kept us floating on top of the water." Pointing to the sails, she continued. "These were like...animal skins the tribal two-leggers use. They caught the wind, much like the wings of a soquili would when they take flight..." It never occured to her that this one might not've met a wind soquili. "The wind pushes the ship across the water. It's how we got here..." She hoped that that was a good explaination. She really didn't know how else to explain it, which embarrassed her slightly.
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:08 am
The stallion watched her shift with an inwardly amused smile and held where he was, allowing her uncomfortably embarrassed space. "I'd love to hear a few some time, if you're willing," he commented, his tone suggesting gentle, almost child-like curiosity and reverence.
If there was one thing he enjoyed hearing above all else, it was a good story. Even Kyer's ambitiously fabricated expectations were entertaining from time to time, and Kael was certain her tales would be no exception. Not even her explanation would be a disappointment. How could it be, with such an... an unbelievable foundation?
Unbelievable was always a good thing. Except when the description was so far removed from what he was familiar with, he had difficult wrapping his imagination around it. And this was bordering on far-fetched - Kael blinked a few subconcious times as he tried to take in the crudely-drawn picture.
"It's not alive?" was the first thing he thought of, and he hadn't the mind not to pose it. It didn't occur to him until after it probably sounded foolish, and probably could have been left unsaid... but that was probably to be expected, all things considered. And then he realized something less jovial: "You live in the village, then?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:36 pm
Manovia perked her ears up as Kael spoke of wanting to hear some of her stories sometime. If she was willing, no less. "I'd love to tell you of my life back there." The young mare pranced a bit in place, whipping her tail softly against her sides. "They're not much, but to me the stories mean a lot because I've experienced each and every one of them." She smiled earnestly and looked back to her somewhat poor drawing of the ship. "No, it's not alive. I don't think there could be anything that large, alive in the world." Chuckling softly, 'Via didn't know how wrong she was. It was quite possible that some of the largest sea creatures she and her shipmates had sailed across, dwarfed the ship by many fold. What she didn't say though, was how she herself had thought the ship was alive, with it's billowing sails before they left the European port at the start of their journey.
The grulla mare nodded in answer to the question of whether she lived in the village. "Yes I do. They're all so pleasant there, everyone's been so kind to us since we arrived. Do you live in the village as well?" Obviously, she was oblivious to whatever his mindset on the village was, but her association with the village was apparent if one looked closely. At her nose, a worn spot where her bridle rubbed against the fur there, barely apparent, but there for one who truly looked. Likewise, a patch of fur was rubbed shorter than the rest at her belly and chest, where the girth and breast collar of her saddle rested. Had she not thrown her shoes soon after the race with Wambli, her feet would've told the story a thousand more words than she could ever say.
Kindly, the mare smiled at Kael, changing the subject as swiftly as if she'd meant to, despite the fact that she really hadn't. "Surely living around here, you've got quite the story to tell, right Kael?" Dual toned eyes settled upon her conversation-mate, eagerly stamping the ground as if to emphasize her inquisitive nature. She wanted to learn more about her new home, and with each new friend she encountered, she was able to gain a bit more understanding for it all.
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Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:26 am
Her demeanor was unusual in his limited encounters; the enthusiasm and earnestness was a refreshing contrast to some of his more controlled, even distant acquaintances. And it made Kael grin brightly, appreciative of the acceptance. "In that case, I'm honored you'd be willing to share them with me." One didn't just extend their most heart-felt treasures to anyone. To him, that was meaningful.
"I don't know if I'm ready to let go of that just yet-" briefly, his thoughts shifted from the immediate conversation to the unreality he'd been considering earlier. The world where the mosnters and giants of his childhood were still a distant possibility, even if he was never to lay eyes on them. "- but I'll take your word for it." The pinto's expression had faded some, but his lighthearted tone renewed it. "That really is amazing though. How does it stay on top of the water?..." It was a hypothetical question though; he didn't expect Manovia to have an answer any more than he needed one.
"No, I don't." Kael took a sidelong glance at his untamed coat. It wasn't ragged by any means, but it certainly wasn't sleek or glossy. And then he turned fully back to her, grinning still. "My aunt lives there, with a human. I haven't really visited, to be honest, but I figure it must have plenty going for it, or she wouldn't stay around." Part of him was plenty curious about the establishment, but with Isilme and Loki traveling anywhere but, his youth hadn't led to any exploration. Now that he was older, it seemed to have slipped his mind, only just rekindled.
The mustang took a moment to think on that, and looked on in brief silence as he flicked his tail over his hocks. "Yes, and no. It's a wonder my parents managed to tolerate raising my bother and I, I can tell you that much." He flashed a mischevious grin, but it vanished as quickly as it had come - perhaps because Kyer had always been the instigator in the duo, with Kael trailing uncertainly after.
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Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:02 am
Quite opposite to Kael's thinking, Manovia was more the type to share her memories and stories with anyone whom would listen, than to keep them to herself till she found someone worthy to tell them to.
She pondered upon his question, having to think for a moment on how the ship would stay afloat. "I... I'm not sure. It floated, and didn't take on water, so maybe despite how big it was, it was like a leaf? The shape of a leaf, if placed correctly in the water, will float, despite having weight within it." As if to explain her thinking, Manovia looked around for a suitable leaf to demonstrate. Her treasure was found right above her head, and she stretched out her neck to latch teeth delicately upon the veined object. Plucking it from the tree, she tossed her head slightly as a small 'follow me' gesture. Slightly dirty hooves trotted to the edge of the riverbank she'd been following, and she lowered her graceful head to set the leaf gently upon the water. Shielding the leaf with her feet, so the current couldn't take it, the grulla mare found some small pebbles and gently, carefully placed them within the scoop shape of the leaf, then proudly raised her head, ears pricked happily, to see if her companion was viewing her triumph. The leaf, laden with pebbles, remained afloat despite the weight.
Her ears lowered slightly, hearing that he didn't live in the village, but perked up immediately afterward. She'd hoped to be able to drop in on him from time to time in the village, but if his aunt lived there, that meant he'd be visiting at some point, right? She caught sight of his mischevious grin and flicked her tail in amusement. He certainly was a character, someone who would be sure to make a quiet walk a more enjoyable and exciting one, for sure.
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