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 Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:12 pm
Winter had loosened it's hold upon the lands just east of D'ob in recent weeks. Frost touched the ground no more and a tentative warmth tinged the air. Grass grew green again and water ran free of ice. Life was returning to the world at large and those that had survived the harsh winter could begin to feel hope once more.
For some of course, it had been a closer call than others.
A shape stumbled across the grassy lands, heading to a nearby brook. His coat was pale, scruffy, dull and stained with what might have been mud or might have been blood. Mane and tail blew about him haphazardly, kept from free movement by tangles and brown matting which once again could not have been identified at first look. By his face, two black feathers gleamed, their sleek healthy appearance in stark contrast to the individual who bore them.
Dark brown eyes studied their reflection in the stream and the stallion sighed at the sight. Bumps, sores, bones visible. Not good. Sighing again, the horned male took a pace forward and dipped his head to drink. Sunlight gleamed off metal greaves and a shining stone pendant. Once again, their neat, clean beauty only made the thin creature look more pathetic.
Wincing at a stab of pain for his right hind leg, the tendril-winged Nequus stepped back from the water's edge and bent once more, this time to graze.
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:07 pm
Now, a chance to inspect this white creature she had landed near. It was a nequus, that was certain. Ichsa, too, from the wings and horn. Stunning eyes and decorations, but that was all noted after the initial impression of a dirty, maltreated nequus who had seen better days and less violent horses. Male, he looked like. Was that dirt or blood? "Hello there, sir. My name is Nizhoni, but you may call me Niz. What might your name be, where are you from, and where are you headed? I know these lands relatively well, and I may be able to offer ypu some assistance, if need be." She didn't know if he'd need any help, but it seemed like a good idea to ask. Certainly looked like a friendly helping hoof could do no harm.
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:04 am
The whoosh of wind made him startled up from his feeding. Dark eyes focused on the creature that had made it and the stallion found a slight smile creeping onto his lips. How long had it been since he'd seen one of his own kind? A long while, for sure. The battered stallion watched approvingly as she made a neat landing, recalling when he'd been able to do the same.
"My name is Sol, fair lady," he replied to the orange-coated mare's greeting. As he spoke, the horned Nequus extended one foreleg and dipped his head down to it in a respectful bow. "I hail from east of here and a little south, though it has been a long while since I last saw my home. As it is, I have recently come from the north."
Sol gave a rueful smile to the other Ichsa. "As you can see, I have not faired very well of late; a harsh winter and harsher Nequus are mainly at fault though I may have made some poor decisions along the way. If you would be willing to share your knowledge of these lands I would be deeply indebted to you, Niz. It was my hope to visit the valley of D'ob and recover my strength." Looking at himself now, the thin stallion was more aware than ever of how terrible he looked. So dishevelled! It was high time he attempted to rectify matters.
The tendril-winged male glanced back over to the stream he had drunk from. It wasn't deep but if he lay down in it the water would easily wash over his body but not be deep enough to sink his head. With luck he'd be able to chew out some of the mats in his mane and tail. His body would be an easier task; there were some long reeds growing nearby that he could pull up and scrub most of himself with. The areas he couldn’t reach could probably be sorted out with a good roll.
"Before we set off however," Sol said with a slight smile, "I should like to clean myself up a little. It has been too cold until now to attempt it but I do not think I can stand to feel so dishevelled for much longer."
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:13 am
"I'm sorry for startling you, Sol," she said with a dip of her muzzle, an apologetic gesture for her. My, my, he certainly was very polite. "Might I ask which type of nequus has gotten the better of you? I had a friend who hailed from the north with a similar injury from a reya stallion, but that was during the middle of winter," said she with a nod. She studied his various decorations; two dark colored feathers, contrasting starkly to his pale coat; the gleaming necklace and greaves upon his lower forelegs. Where did he receive those treasures?
"I'd be entirely delighted to assist you in anyway, Sol. The valley is a wonderful place to recuperate and regain one's strength, provided you don't eat too much of the grass at once. It's very rich, and could cause serious illness. Besides that, there really is nothing to fear in the valley, it's a wonderfully calm place. If you'd like, I can introduce you to the herd leader, my friend Nyx. I'm not entirely sure how many herds are in this valley, but I know she's the leader of one of them, and very nice. She'll allow you to stay until you've regained your strength, and probably longer if you'd prefer to stay," she said with an affirmative nod. He really was very handsome, if one looked past his minor imperfections. Still, was it dirt or blood? "And yes," she said with a giggle, "rinsing off seems like a welcome thing, especially in that condition. If you don't mind my asking, what in the world happened to you that left you in such a state as that?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:36 pm
Sol gave another rueful smile as he headed back over to the stream and stepped into it. The water was cold against his legs, but not so cold as to be unbearable to lie down in. "Mostly Jala but a Reya was leading them," he replied as he dropped down into the flow. A shiver ran down his spine at the tough of the liquid on various hurts. A few moments alter, the shock and the stinging wore off and the pale-coated stallion found himself able to relax.
"You have my thanks, lady Nizhoni," he said with a smile, sighing contentedly as the stream began to numb some of his bruises. The stallion turned his head about to clasp a section of his tail and he chewed at it, wrinkling his nose at the coppery taste that filled him mouth.
"Blah," he said, spitting the hairs out and watching as some of the dried blood was washed away downstream. "I mind not at all, I assure you," he said once he had cleared his mouth of the taste. "I contested a bachelor group's right to have their way with a pretty little filly that had taken their fancy. She was able to flee but they gave me a bit of a beating before I was able to get away. Unfortunately I was already thin and weak from the winter or I might have fared a little better. Still," the feather adorned Ichsa gave a grim smile, "not all of this blood that washes away was mine. I gave a few of them something to remember me by."
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:46 pm
She watched him with interest as he began to clean himself off; even the smallest effort to improve his condition would do wonders, she thought. She smiled at him as he thanked her, nodding her head politely. "It's my pleasure, Sol, and there's no need to be so formal. I'm neither lady-like nor very formal, and you may call me Niz if you'd prefer to shorten my name," said the creme-colored mare with another nod.
"That was very handsome of you," said she after he explained the cause of his condition. "I'm sure the mare you helped will remember the kindness you showed her. And, I'm also sure the stallions will remember the lesson you taught them," she said with a giggle, flicking her curly tail. "You seem like a wonderful nequus, and very polite too. If you don't mind more of my questions, why is it you haven't visited your home in quite some time? Don't you miss it?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:07 pm
The stallion didn't answer for a moment, his teeth working at a patch of mud on his flank. Soon however, he was shaking water from his face and snorting it out of his nostrils. "I don't miss it overmuch," he said with a bob of his head, "but I would like to return sometime to see it again. I have not been there of late as I have been exploring Urin. I love the horizons, Niz, the different people, skies and customs. Home to me is... a place to visit I suppose, to see my foalhood friends but not a place to stay."
The stallion turned his head about once more and dipped his head until his horn was threaded through the clumped strands of his tail. A toss of his head pulled the horn through and the pale Nequus repeated this a couple of times before turning back to the mare on the bank.
"I certainly hope that the young lady recalls me fondly, I like to be thought fondly of... and I apologise if I seem overly formal to you. Speaking so is a second nature to me now but I shall be happy to shorten your name. It makes you feel like a friend already rather than just a kind acquaintance," the feather-decorated stallion said with a nod and a smile as he turned to work his horn through his tail again. A lot of the crusted blood was washing away now and his efforts were removing the mats somewhat leaving behind simple tangles and a pink tinge, which he hoped would soon be gone.
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:04 pm
"Just a place to visit?" She repeated, stunned. Certainly ever nequus liked to stay at home, and only visit other places. It seemed strange for it to be the other way around with others. "Really? I've never heard of such an idea. I can understand liking to explore and go on adventures, visit new places, but surely it must feel nice to be back home. I'd never thought that home would be just like new places, just a place to visit." This thought was a shock indeed, but to each their own.
"I'm certain anyone who meets you will think fondly of you, save maybe those who you prevented from harassing the mare before. And oh, no, there's no need to apologize for being so formal," said the mare with a smile. "It's very charming, indeed. And yes, shortening names does make it feel like we're friends instead of merely acquantances. Too bad I can't shorten your name," she said with a giggle, "I don't think it would be possible, unless Sol is already short for a longer name." She couldn't help but giggle again at that thought, as it seemed silly to attempt to shorten his name further. What would she call him? So? S? Maybe his name was short for Solar, or maybe something she couldn't think of. She studied him carefully now, wondering if he did have a longer name, what would it be? She noticed he was doing a good job of cleaning himself off, already he looked much cleaner and more handsome as the dried blood washed away with the clear waters.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:24 am
The skinny Nequus smiled the compliment; this mare certainly wasn't like most females of his kin. Somewhat refreshing. "I imagine they do think rather less than fondly of me, especially those who tasted my horn." The stallion attempted, and failed, to inspect the state of his mane. Well, it hadn’t been as badly matted as his tail; splashed with blood from others and only slightly soaked with his own from a cut the lead Reya's horn had made upon his neck. Hopefully the running water would do the trick.
"I don't think Sol is short for anything," he went on, giving up on trying to inspect the pale hair. "It has a meaning, though. Sun, or star. So, whilst it cannot sensibly be made shorter, if you prefer one of those meanings to the name itself you are welcome to use them."
"As to home," the Ichsa said slowly, thoughtfully, "I find it a place to come back to. Each adventure isn't really over, can't really be thought about 'til I have told it to those who roam less than I, ‘til I have looked once more upon the place from which I came and seen how far I have come. A little strange, I'll admit, and maybe one day when I am older I shall wish to settle somewhere again but for now I am... restless I suppose. There is so much to do and see, Niz, and so much injustice in the world that I long to right." The dark-eyed stallion looked down at his skinny body and gave a wry smile. "I think it may be a while before I can do anything of that kind again though," he chuckled.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:48 pm
She couldn't help but continue to smile at him. This one certainly was very charming, indeed. Very nice and kind, which was wonderful too. A good friend he'd make, she decided. "Well, it's their own fault that they don't think fondly of you," she said with a nod and another giggle. She adjusted her tendril wings a bit before folding them back against her sides, then peered at him curiously, a smile upon her muzzle. "You're very easy to think of in a fond manner, because of how kind and charming you are. At least, I think so," said the mare with another nod, the smile still upon her muzzle.
"Okay. I wasn't sure if it was short for anything or not, but its meaning is neat," she said with a giggle. "I may use one of the meanings at some point. Maybe Sunny, for instance," she said with a giggle, flicking her curly tail. "Speaking of names, how did you get your name, Sol?" She asked curiously, ears perked towards her pale companion. She took a few paces closer to this curious ichsa stallion; it was sheer luck on her part to be able to meet another nequus, another possible friend. "And, you have a bit of blood or mud or something in your mane, just a bit behind your ears, it looks like," she said with a nod, hoping she could be at least a little helpful to him as he attempted to clean himself off.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:03 pm
"Do I?" the stallion smiled and tried to look at himself again before laughing and ducking his head down so that water ran through the area Nizhoni had indicated. "Thank you," the pale-coated Nequus said as he raised his head again. "I must say I felt they brought their injuries upon themselves but then, I suppose I did too," the gracefully built stallion said with a nod and a chuckle.
He was beginning to feel rather cold now; time to be out of the water if he didn’t want to stiffen his sore muscles. He could always wash again when he'd dried out and warmed up a bit. Reaching this decision, Sol heaved himself upright and waded out of the stream to the bank opposite Nizhoni. Once firmly on dry land the pale-coated creature gave himself a thorough shake. For some moments, water sprayed everywhere but soon the stallion was still again, tossing his head in an attempt to get his mane out of his face. Some of it was caught over his horn. Bother.
Sol gave another brief shake, which returned his mane to something resembling order, and trotted back through the stream to stand beside his companion. "I didn't want to soak you," he said by way of explaining his choice of the other bank. "Warmer the weather might be now but getting wet without necessity is still to be avoided, I feel."
Now somewhat warmer and dryer, the grave-glad Ichsa cast his mind back to the first days of his life, when his parents had been choosing a name for him. "Sol," he said after a moment, smiling as he recalled his dam's words. "Sol for the sun, for how you light up the world around you my little one." His mother always had been the dreamy, sentimental sort. Perhaps he’d go back and visit once he was in a fit state to be seen again.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:07 pm
"You're welcome," said she with a polite smile. It felt good to be helpful. At least, she thought so. "I think they brought it upon themselves, too," she said with a giggle, her curly tail flicking at a fly. She observed him get onto the bank opposite her to shake off, and was about to ask why when he returned to the side she'd been standing on, and she smiled at his explanation. "You certainly are very polite, Sunny," she said with another smile. Very charming indeed, this one.
"Aww, that sounds so sweet! I don't know why my parents named me what they did, if it was they indeed who named me. I just know it means beautiful, but I don't know much of anything else. I can't really remember much of my past, for some reason," she said thoughtfully, ears twitching. Why was it that she couldn't remember much? "I just remember my name and what it means, and where my tree is," she said with another nod. Her eyes wandered down to the pendant around his neck, then to the metal greaves upon his forelegs. Lifting her gaze back to the pale stallion's face, she wondered what they were. "Where did you get those? They're very handsome."
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:16 pm
Sol looked down at his accoutrements and smiled fondly. "Twolegs made them for me," he replied. "I fought for a small group of them some time ago, defended them against some Nequus that wished to hurt them for sport. They revere us so that they could not bring themselves to injure the invaders but they had little ones and... Well, I decided to help them. The greaves, the metal things, are to protect my legs from kicks. The pendant however," the Ichsa said with a grin, glancing down at it. "That was a gift and serves no purpose but that it looks so lovely. They gave it to me after I beat off their tormenters for good."
The pale stallion ran his dark eyes over the curly-maned Nequus before him as he considered her other words. What would it be like not to recall a youth, parents that loved you, foals you'd played with? It sounded unbearable to Sol but the orange-coated female seemed very cheerful. Perhaps she was just one of those who could smile through anything, or perhaps she just did not realise her loss. One way or the other, the horned stallion decided not to bring the issue up again.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:25 pm
"You're so nice, Sol," she said with a smile. "You fight others to protec those who can't protect themselves, it seems. But why?" She asked of her new friend. Yes, why? Maybe to atone for something horribly bad he'd done as a foal. Nah.. Maybe he felt compelled to help others when they couldn't help themselves? Maybe. Hmm...
"Yes, it's very pretty," she giggled. "I've only seen a pendant on one other before, and he was an ichsa stallion, as well," said she with an affirmative nod of her slender head. It was true, she could smile through just about anything, but that was because even though she was an adult, she still retained the mindset of an innocent foal. Inexperienced and innocent to the more negative ways of the world in which they lived, she remained in her protective bubble, her attitude towards the world and to others never changing. Perhaps she'd grow out of it one day, or perhaps someone would pop this innocent bubble of hers, and so shock her into understanding how bad some nequus could truly be.
It was not only she didn't understand, it was also that she didn't understand her loss. True, she could not remember anything about her parents or family she'd had, but how could she miss something she couldn't remember? There wasn't an empty feeling inside of her, she was bubbling over with joy and enthusiasm, a certain energy found mostly in young foals. How she retained this, no one has been able to figure out yet. She never minded being questioned on this topic, and frequently asked others, in response to their questions, how she could miss something she had never even known she had in the first place? It just didn't make sense to the creme colored mare.
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:30 am
Sol chuckled and bent to nibble at an itch on his left foreleg just above the metal greave. "I suppose it could be considered nice," he said with a smile as he raised his head again. "But... I suppose I do not do it so much out of kindness as out of a desire to see the world work my way. I am as proud as any Ichsa stallion, Niz, but the version of the world, with peace and justice for the deserving, retribution for evildoers, is considered more acceptable than the way many like me want the world to go. My convictions are my pride and upholding them brings me great joy." The brown-eyed Nequus smiled again and gave a bob of his head. "I do like to be kind for its own sake as well as for the sake of my ego but it was pride that set my hooves on this path."
The pale-coated stallion looked about and smiled again. "It seems as though these lands are peaceful as it is though, which is good. It shall be some time before I am in fighting shape again I fear. I hope the same tranquillity is to be found in D'ob. I have heard that it is so but one can only trust second and third hoof information so far. My family and the herd we belong to seldom strays from their territory. It will be good to be able to tell them for sure what the great valley is like."
Perhaps he'd even be able to convince one or two of his friends to come out adventuring with him. There were a few among them that he knew would be competent in a fight and effective with a little training. Working with a companion or two rather than alone might lead to fewer injuries, which was always a good thing.
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