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 Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:11 pm
The sun was high and bright in the sky, its rays warm on the dark back of the sapphire blue stallion. Dazzling sparkles glittered in both mane and body, a clear reminder to anyone looking at him of just why Zaphiro was called "the Sapphire".
Not that he particularly cared. Sun and sparkles alike were old news, and, as usual, he wasn't paying attention to them. No, the reason he was out here, trotting through the meadow on a well-worn path, was simple; he needed to get back a little peace of mind.
Which, frankly, could NOT be gained at the teepee.
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:35 pm
Well, apparently peace was not something that Zaphiro would find here either. There was a unicorn mare walking along the same path, golden horn sparkling in the same light.
Unfortunately, the mare wasn't paying much attention, lost in her own musings and thoughts about the oncoming spring, and managed to run into him with a small smack that echoed through the silence.
"Ow! Oh! I'm so sorry!" That brought her out of her own musings and she could only be thankful that she hadn't gone in head first and poked him with the sharp horn atop her head.
"Please, forgive me. Are you all right? Did I hurt you? Oh, dear...."
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:50 pm
Obviously there were problems with watching the ground instead of the path ahead. Zaphiro hadn't been at all prepared to encounter another Soquili, which was evident when he ran right into the purple mare without once registering her prescence. However, even slow-speed collisions could draw one's attention, and the mare's chin had connected rather sharply with his forhead. Talk about your attention-getters!
Blinking a bit in surprise, Zaphiro stepped back, eyeing the mare who had run into him. She seemed to be even more upset than he was; and why not, when he was bigger and likely more suited to take abuse?
Still, there was no reason for her to beat herself up.
"My apologies as well, Miss; I"d say that the blame was just as much mine as yours, since both of us seemed to be rather inattentive. Probably not the best of behaviors on a two-way path, wouldn't you say?"
Zaphiro was smiling as he spoke, hoping that she wouldn't think him seriously hurt when it was in fact far from the truth. "And I'm fine; a little bump, nothing more. Are YOU alright? I've been told I have a hard head, after all, and you hit it pretty cleanly."
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:15 pm
"Perhaps," Hienna said, "But I should have watched...and..." A sigh. Calm down, Hie. You didn't hurt him. The mare smiled a little bit, "I do have a horn, though, and it could have been worse..."
What part of calm down do you not understand? Calm. Down.
Her inner voice eventually did calm her down and she let out a soft breath, "I'm all right, thank you for asking." She generally wasn't so easily flustered but she also didn't generally run into people and was a bit more alert than she had been a few moments ago.
Hienna's thoughts had definitely caught up with her this time. At least nobody was hurt.
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:26 pm
"So you do." At the mare's mention of the horn, Zaphiro's eyes went to it for the first time, noting how sharp and pointy it looked. Lucky for him she hadn't had it aimed his direction... "But if you HAD impaled me with it, you would have at least been able to fix the damage, which is at least a start. And being impaled might have taught me to pay attention to where I'm going."
As he finished speaking, Zaphiro lowered his head once again, this time in a bow. "But all's well that ends well, and aside of bruises we're both alright. That's something to be thankful about, I'd say."
Lifting his head, Zaphiro gave the mare a warm smile, but in his eyes there was something else; amusement. "I can't say that I'm used to LITERALLY running into people, so this is a new experience. And my name is Zaphiro."
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:35 pm
"Ah, yes. Sometimes I forget that I'm able to do that." Her smile widened a little bit, "But it still would have been a painful lesson and one that you likely wouldn't have liked."
The mare returned the bow lightly, curls coming out of their place as she did and forming an impromptu veil over her face before falling back into place as she straightened out again, "I am Hienna. An odd circumstance to be sure, but the pleasure is all mine."
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:38 pm
"Most likely not, but since I likely could have avoided learning it by paying attention, I wouldn't have had any right to complain. Though given my inattentiveness, I'm pretty sure you can determine how used to encountering others I am! At least on this path."
Zaphiro was smiling as he spoke, relieved to have realized that not only was the mare unhurt, she wasn't taking their collision too seriously. A positive thing, really; he hated having to constantly soothe nerves. "And it's a pleasure, Hienna. What brings you out this way, if you don't mind my asking? While not personally acquainted with everyone in these parts, I am for the most part familiar with the appearance of the local Soquilis, and I have to admit you're completely foreign to me."
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:47 pm
"Ahh, It's just a lovely day outside today," the mare answered, "So I decided to go for a walk. I just recently came to this area, truthfully, so the walk was also a way to learn my way around. What about you? Did you have a particular place you were supposed to be? Am I keeping you?"
Hienna flicked her tail and looked levelly at Zaphiro. She sincerely hoped that she wasn't holding him from something important. If that were the case, she would have to make it up to him somehow.
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:59 pm
Ah, now THAT was believeable. Wasn't that why he was out himself?
Well, no. Not entirely. He was trying to regain his sanity, shattered into bits by dealing with the erratic personalities back at his teepee.
Of course, he didn't really need to be anywhere for that, so he was entirely truthful when he answered, "No, you're not keeping me. I just thought it was a good idea to get out and about; my teepee is having a bit of a population explosion, you see, and it's not something I'm really used to." Definitely not, since he was used to being on his own, but that was neither here nor there.
"So you're new to the area, Hienna? In that case, welcome on behalf of everyone here. Are you a new resident, or just passing through?" Either was possible, of course; Zaph knew of many transients in the area. "And either way, perhaps I could be of assistance?" That would be an excellant way to get back to himself, being useful!
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:10 pm
"Well, I'm glad to not be keeping you. A population explosion, you say? Has someone recently had foals? Perhaps yourself? If so, my congratulations." Hienna absolutely adored children - they were so pure and innocent most of the time.
At the other question, however, "Currently, I am wondering whether or not to stay or continue my journey. I have not found a place to put my feet down and with my mother recently passing I'm afraid I would much rather not be at my own home. I'm not sure if I need assistance or not, but the company is always welcome."
Hienna was, apparently, slightly long winded.
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:18 pm
Zaphiro couldn't help but chuckle at that statement, innocent as it was. "No, if I myself had foals then you can be sure I woulnd't be running off. Call me old-fashioned, but if a mare is going to go through the stress of giving birth, the least that the stallion can do is hang around and offer moral support. However, one of my herdmates seems to have adopted a new child, and brought both the basket and the basket's mother along...and the new arrivals along with those of my herd in attendance already are a bit too much for me."
Obviously Hienna wasn't the only one feeling long-winded; that was an overly elaborate explanation if he'd ever heard one! But oh well, at least it was truthful.
However, he was still paying attention to Hienna, as evidenced by his thoughtful nod. "I see...my sympathies on your mother, Hienna; and I'd be more than willing to offer you my companionship for the time being. There's not that much to this part of the landscape, but it can get a bit confusing if you aren't familiar with the landscape and don't have wings to use to get your bearings."
Pausing, he lifted his head, absently flicking back his curls with one wing. "Anything in particular you're looking for, in terms of location? Or are you just roaming?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:46 pm
Ah, that made the mare smile, "That's a very good philosophy to have, Zaphiro. Whoever your mate is, should you have one, is a lucky mare. As for your herdmate, that's very kind of them to do that. Unfortunate that the basket was in need of adoption, though."
Hienna was pleased to find that the stallion she was speaking to was so polite. It was a rarity, truthfully, to find one that did have such manners. At least, in her experiences.
"I thank you for your sympathies and your companionship is appriciated. As for a location , so long as it's peaceful, and maybe near some kind of water - but the water isn't necessarily important.
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:55 pm
Perhaps is was resignation to his status that made it so easy for Zaphiro to smile off what in a sense was a very painful facet of his life. Or maybe it was something else, something that he couldn't quite define. Either way, he simply smiled and shrugged off the mate comment. "Your words are kind, though unfounded; at the moment, I'm as single as I was as a babe. But I'm sure that my herdmate would appreciate the compliment and agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment; this is actually the second abandoned basket he's taken under his wing."
And since leaving the teepee, he'd shared that same regret. It was difficult to say which idea was worse; that something had happened to two sets of parents, or that two sets of parents had abandoned their offspring. Neither was particularly cheerful, at any rate.
But that was a ponderance for later. While he could debate on the cruelties of the world for hours, now was not one of those times. He was supposed to be distracted, after all.
So with a slight shake of his head, he dismissed all of those thoughts from his mind, regarding Hienna thoughtfully. "Peaceful and possibly near water, hrm? Well, from the sound of it you actually bypassed such a spot not too long ago. Up this path and shortly inside the forest there's a lovely collection of springs; very good company if you want time to think. It would be my pleasure to show you the way."
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Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:06 pm
"Ah, well, it is no great loss," Hienna responded, offering another smile, "Being independent of another helps us grow in ways that can only be hindered by being bound to someone else." It was what her mother had always taught her. Females did not need a male to be validated.
It was good to be independent. Good to be able to stand on your own two feet without relying on someone else to catch you. It was something that Hienna had believed all her life.
"That would be lovely of you, if you would be so kind as to walk with me there. I'm likely to get lost, myself. Perhaps there is a path, but even those wandering on a path can get lost."
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Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:22 pm
"A sound viewpoint, though I have to say that there is a distinct allure in the concept of a soulmate. It's fine to be on your own and learning to handle yourself, but there comes a point where it would be nice to have someone else to live for."
That was the closest Zaphiro would get to airing his own heart-felt thoughts on the subject of romance; it was his most cherished dream to find "the one" that was waiting for him, but time had taught that love was a fickle mistress. He was confident he just had to keep looking, but in the meantime it could be downright depressing.
Oh well. Life itself could be depressing, if you let it. And he didn't feel like letting it, not now.
The mare's rather chagrined explanation was enough to keep his spirits buoyant, however, and he laughed a bit at her self-effacing explanation. "Well, it would be a great pity for you to lose yourself; moreso if you lost yourself after talking to me, since I'd hold myself personally liable and have to go track you down. Hopefully my presence will keep you from getting lost." With that and a gesture of his wing, Zaphiro indicated the path down which Hienna had just come. "It's this way; shall we?"
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