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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:34 am
 Once again, the urge to do some relentless traveling had grasped Aitumn by the throat and had him tugging along the thick leash that was attached to such a desire. Never being one to stay in a single place for to long, the blood bay had welcomed this change of scenery, whatever it may be this time around. Though, as his feathered wings came a close around his body upon touching down in a landing, he could feel a slight difference in its strength, as if it nearly came out from under him. Snorting at this, the stallion balked ever so slightly, glancing down at his hooves to discover, that this part of the land, where grass shot up in places, was also covered in a grainy sand. Huh, well that made sense, he supposed. Swinging a hallow gaze around him, he found that this was a place he hadn't exactly been too in his travels. Who knew such a thing still existed! With all his travels and wandering, he was sure he had met all the terrain Urin had to offer. That is, asides from trecherous mountains that he didn't care to climb.
In this new light, the stallion was transfixed on all the new things around. Which was mainly, the scent of the ocean, the feel under his hooves, and a breeze that brought with it the slight taste of salt. Content with his findings, Aitumn dipped his muzzle to nose at the sand, before continueing forward, wanting to explore a little bit.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:55 am
The bone-clad Aeri sighed to himself as he looked about at the familiar cliffs. Getting back to the sea had taken much longer than he'd expected. Vox was certainly at or very near his full size by now and probably wondering where his father was. The black-coated Aeri grumbled to himself; he felt as though he had been lax in his duty to the young creature but knew it was not really so. He had come as swiftly as circumstances had allowed and would doubtless encounter the green-coated creature soon. Orange eyes scanned their surroundings in case the yellow-maned Aeri had popped out from some hiding place or other.
A few strides later, the boned creature was digging his hooves into the sand in order to skid to a halt. The figure that had just landed was no Vox but was known to him all the same. The travelling Jala he had met in the winter. It was good to see that the blood bay had survived the bitter season.
"Greetings Aitumn!" he called as he trotted towards the other stallion, who seemed to be engrossed in the sand under his hooves.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:28 am
Figuring just how far he had traveled in the past few days, Aitumn scruffed his front hooves into the soft sand. It was just to new, despite his mild age and personality, to not get fully into what he was doing. Of course, his lengthy midnight tail also dragged in the sand a bit, and he thought a moment, with a bit of alarm, if the grains would stay entangled in the hairs for a lengthy period of time. Gah, well he supposed every beautiful thing had it drawbacks; and this was the sand's. Oh well, Aitumn wasn't about to let such a drawback aggitate him at the moment, for the beach, he had come to realize, was an amazing place that still held several secrets he had to discover. One of which still being, the shore where the sand met the sea. With this thought, he flicked his gaze upwards and towards the brillant scene, just about to get into his wandering thought series, certainly he could create a story to go with this terrain like he had many times over with others. But, there lies the problem. He couldn't quite focus and going into himself, for his hooves seemed to dance in place. There was still exploring that needed to be done. Amazingly, he was even more active then he had been during the winter season.
About to set off towards the shoreline, a single ear flicked to the side at the sound of a voice, familar it would seem. Turning his muzzle in that direction, his hallow gaze following suit, it wasn't an overstatement to say the blood bay had been surprised at what he saw. "Nice to see ya Lucius!" he called back, and surely it was. He remembered vividly the tale of the elemental and the bones, and they're conversation about the winter season all together. Well what do you know, they actually had gotten the chance to meet again.
Deciding to meet the other half way, and that it would be rude allow the Aeri to do all the work, Aitumn stepped forward. Perhaps it was to further experiment with the sand, but needless to say, he gait was quite awkward at first, as it had been before with his earlier landing and walkings. He also wondered, if that water was safe to drink like any stream, but the strong taste of salt on the air soon turned that into a bitter thought. Perhaps it wouldn't be safe at all, and the salt was too much bare. Of course, there was only one way to find out, and he'd test that later. Returning his attention back to the Aeri, came to a stooping stop not far away; stooping because he didn't quite trust himself to stop normally on the shifting ground.
A single glance back to the bone-clad, told him that Lucius was much more experianced in this kind of terrain then himself. Well, Aitumn didn't quite mind if he was making a fool of himself, it was all very interesting. "Do you come here often?" he had to ask, for it certainly seemed that way to Aitumn.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:57 am
The muscular Nequus smiled faintly at the blood bay's gait; he remembered his first steps on sand quite well. It had felt very odd underhoof with it's cool graininess and its shiftings. "Aye, I do of late," he replied with a smile and a nod of greeting. "My son lives here abouts or at least he did last I saw him. That was quite some time ago now though and I've come back in the hopes of finding him. He's green with pale speckles, yellow mane and tail; name of Vox. Any chance you've seen him about?"
If the Jala had that was excellent news, if not then it was no great issue. The young creature wouldn't have left without leaving some way for the two of them to find one another again. As he moved a little closer to the other stallion, close enough for friendly conversation, something began to nag at the back of Lucius' mind.
Something to do with the wandering Jala perhaps? Something he'd seen that he'd wanted to tell the feather-winged, far-travelling soul? Damned if he could remember now. Hopefully a little more talk would bring it back to the surface.
"How've you been since I last saw you?" the orange-eyed stallion quizzed with a smile. "You look as though you weathered the winter well." Not that he'd expected any less from one who was used to wandering about but still, it had been a bad time and coming out the other side looking well was an achievement.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:32 pm
The restless sonofanag Jala had found himself some unique little place after all. Such an odd thing, the sand was; and the smell of salt in the air made him want to wrinkle his nose and breathe it in at the same time. With a small quirk of his sleek head though, he tried to think of if he had seen the green nequus Lucius had just described. Hmm, it seemed that he couldn't recall quite an individual like that, but the stallion gave a thoughtful twitch of his ears before answering. "I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone quite like that; but if I do I'll seek ya out to tell ya so", he answered. Heck, he had nothing going on, ever, so a small journey back to the bone-clad aeri was nothing at all to the blood bay.
Shifting his weight slightly as it seemed his hoof had sunk far enough into the grainy sand, Aitumn flicked his hollow gaze down the predicament for a only a brief moment' trying to manuver his hooves into a comfortable position before continuing. When he was satsified, the blood bay once more lifted his sight up to meet the other stallion's, and to address the question given to him. "Oh same as always really. Been traveling quite a bit, nothing to impressive though." Of course, the very curves of Urin were wonderous to him, but he didn't think Lucius would have much of an interest in his own theories of fantasied beauty.
It was the last comment that got his attention though, and almost automatically his hide twitched at the thought of the cold. Thank the heavens above it was warm again. "Yeah, though I'm hoping next winter will be quite different. Warmer. Though I did happen by D'ob in the last weeks of winter, little help that did me then", he spoke with a faint sense of humor as his lips upturned into a tiny equine grin.
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 12:33 pm
Ah well; if all else failed he could go to the fruit lands and seek out the young Aeri's tree. He knew the green visited it often enough for it to be worthwhile. Yes... Actually going to the fruit lands suddenly felt like a good idea; he'd talk to Lydia about it later on.
"Thank you, that is most kind of you" the orange-eye Aeri said with a return smile. "I must say I rather hope the same; I dislike harsh winters intensely. Normal winters I have nothing against but that one was thoroughly unsavoury." It was so hard to keep in condition when there was no decent grazing and when your body ate away at itself to keep the cold at bay in any case.
"I've been travelling for the most part as well," Lucius went on. "Met a lot of interesting folk who..." Oh. That was it. "Aitumn," the orange-eyed Nequus said, his previous thoughts forgotten. "I met a green Aeri; pale green with swirling on him and with red eyes. He said he was looking for you, that he knew you... Honestly I don't think he meant you any good. Do you know of such a creature?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:03 am
By all means, the Jala didn't care if the winter was harsh or not, for his opinion of the cold weather was always the same. Unpleasant. Chillingly unpleasant. He supposed the warmer months were reason to rejoyce because of this, despite the chance of meeting up with particularly hyper or excited individuals. Oddly enough, he found those were the ones most difficult to talk to. With a small shake of his head to dislodge an unruly strand of forelock from behind his ear, the blood bay pricked his ears at the mention of travel.
It was fortunate there were others like him in their world, otherwise it might have been odd for a stallion such as himself to never stay put in one place. Heck, he supposed it still was a bit odd, but it was a part of him he wouldn't willing give up without a fight. Anyway, what was Lucius talking about? Bringing his hallow gaze up to meat the Aeri's, he was quite surprised by the change of subject. Surprised, and disturbed.
"That is rather troubling..." Now he couldn't quite recall a time in his travels where he left someone with such ill-will towards him. Heck, he couldn't remember seeing a green Aeri of that describtion. It was possible, for he no-doubtedly saw many nequus over the years. That is, the years of adulthood he remembered. Was it possible he had forgotten an encounter? Somehow that didn't seem very likely. With a hard flick of his lengthy midnight tail, the stallion dropped his gaze down his hooves as he often did in deep thought. It was easier to focus this way, he had discovered, though he hardly ever needed to. Swirls? Red eyes? The blood bay's brow furrowed as his racked his mind for any clue. A name, an image, some sort of bit of conversation. Nothing came to him though. Nothing but a barrier that prevented him from seeing further into his past.
His past? The stallion didn't remember one bit of his young adulthood or foalhood. Heck, he didn't remember how he had ended up lying on his side with that... sight, horrible scene of destruction just mere feet from him. Everything after that... was clear as day. It was possible, but highly unlikely. With a quick jerk of his head to the side, Aitumn fought off an uncoming dizziness he got everytime he tried to think of his past. With a grunt, the blood bay raised his head and his gaze once again, disgruntled by the fact he couldn't recall the nequus that had ill-will towards him. "Afraid not. I usually remember all those I meet upon my travels, but if its possible I have forgotten by any means... well, then it may be best to seek out such a fellow and discover what the issue is", probably not the best plan, but the Jala was a reckless sonofanag when it came to issues such as this. A nequus he didn't remember that had some sort of grudge against him? Somehow it didn't seem right to just wait for the Aeri to find him.
He did give Lucious a slight bob of his head in apology, no need to drag the subject along any further; except- "How long ago was this?" Perhaps there was a chance the issues had been dropped by the opposing party already. Hopefully, anyway.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:55 am
The curly-maned Aeri nodded his approval of the Jala's attitude to the issue. In his opinion it was always best to face things like this head on than to skulk around hoping it would all just go away. Such cringing was the way of a coward. "It was when the weather was still cold," Lucius informed the other stallion. "Around the end of winter if I remember rightly." Yes, frost on the ground but relatively long days.
Come to think of it, if the dark-eyed Jala was to find the big brute more information probably wouldn't hurt. "I met him near to D'ob," the bone-covered stallion said after a moment, frowning as he tried to recall more details. "He was big, bigger than me and..." What had the b*****d's name been? Something beginning with zed. Ah yes. "His name was Zaknafein or similar I think, though I could be wrong." He was fairly sure he was right; he remembered the other Aeri's curled neck and the set of his ears as he had introduced himself nearly perfectly.
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:36 am
Carefully the blood bay listened to whatever information the other stallion had for him. Not only that, as he was defined Aitumn tried to picture the Aeri in his own mind. Hmm, larger then Lucious? He found that rather difficult to believe but didn't question the possibility at all, knowing full well the heights some breeds of nequus could get too. Perhaps even the creature's name would help him to remember whatever encounter they had? "Zaknafein", he muttered to himself, trying to see if the word was familar to his own tongue. Unforunatly no jolt of remembrance came to him, which was quite frustrating considering the situation. Looks like he'd be going into this thing blind, but he hardly saw that as a problem.
"Alright. Its kinda iffy whether or not he'll still be around D'ob, but I suppose that's where I better start looking", he pondered aloud, such business was quite unfortunate. The end of winter? That was quite some time ago, and the chances were very slim that the Aeri would still be there. "Thanks for the headsup, I'd be outta luck if he happened to bump into me on his own." Not that he doubted himself, he just perfered to have some sort of warning first.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:09 pm
Lucius bobbed his head in acknowledgement of the Jala's thanks. "Not at all Aitumn," he elaborated, ears pricked forward attentively. "Always best to know when there might be somebody out for your blood I feel." Wasn't that the truth. If you knew the threat was there you could prepare for it. Slightly difference muscles and very different skills were needed to fight than to run and do day to day activities. If one had forewarning of a battle, both muscles and technique could be honed to perfection.
Looking at the Jala, Lucius wasn't sure of what would happen in a pitched fight; he didn't know enough about either combatant to make a judgement. Aitumn would probably have speed and manoeuvrability on his side against the green brute's raw power. But then there was the possibility that the Aeri was fast as well as big. Far too many variables and perhaps to wager on.
Blinking, the bone-clad Nequus pulled himself from his musing. Getting lost in thought was impolite. "Still, if he's still looking for you he might well be looking in D'ob. Many Nequus live there after all and many more pass through from time to time." Had he also mentioned to the big Aeri that Aitumn might have been headed there?... Possibly, he couldn't quite recall. Something to ponder, certainly.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:27 pm
"Then I suppose my next stop shall be D'ob", he spoke with a flicking of his ears, pondering over the distance and the directions. Had managed to make it to D'ob by pure luck and remembering what he could from the directions of the bone-clad stallion before him. Well, if he needed more direction, he guessed he could ask again, but only if he didn't recall it before he left.
With a shake of his head the stallion turned his attention away from this Zaknafein character, and again towards the splenders of the enviroment. For the sand was a still a very strange thing that sucked at his hooves whenever he tried to move, and he had yet to explore to the shoreline and the water. With a roll of his shoulders in an equine shrug, Aitumn allowed his gaze to wander towards the foamy ocean. "I'm sure such a terrain could hold many tales. Hopefully I'll be able to come up with one before I take my leave; it would be a shame not to." At that he gave a definitive bob of his head, he would certainly create a story of fantsy for such a place that held a strange beauty, much like the mountains of Urin.
Flicking his ears and his attention back to the Aeri, he remembered the gripping tale of the Elemental and his bones, so he had wonder if Lucius knew of any other stories, by chance. With a curious flip of his forelock the blood bay continued, "You wouldn't happen to know if any tales of the ocean exist at this point, would ya?" Certainly, if he should ask anyone it would be this insightful fellow.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:30 am
Lucius nodded his great head slowly. The ocean was certainly an impressive, inspiring sight. He had yet to meet a Nequus who hadn't been at least a little impressed by the never-ending body of water on first sight.
"Certainly," the boned Aeri replied after a moment. "There have been many tales told of this place." He remembered a few from his youth; listening in on the stories that parents would weave for their foals. It was mostly from stories that he had decided which places he would make it a priority to see in his lifetime and Quirne had been one of them.
"I remember one of the tales in particular at this moment," the black Aeri went on after a moment of silence broken only by the sounds of the world. "It was about the waves. You see the whiteness of the foam they make?" A toss of his head illustrated the curling water. "Nequus older and wiser than myself have referred to them as white souls," Lucius went on. "I was told that they were spirits of Nequus that had died before their time through sickness or violence or accidents. Those who leave their bodies before the years given to them are spent cannot cross over to the other side. Instead they are drawn here to race up and down with the pulse of the sea, to give life to the coast while they wait to be admitted to the next plane of existence."
The tall equine turned his orange eyes out over the ocean, pondering his own words. "I don't know if it's true or not but at times, especially during the harsher storms, I find it easy enough to believe that the crashing waves have life and minds of their own." A slight smile flickered across the Aeri's face as he turned back to Aitumn. "Not a bad way to pass the time until you can move on so far as I see it," he said with a bob of his skull-clad head.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:52 am
"Certainly" the blood bay remarked at that. The tale of the White Souls certainly roused his interest in the vast body of water before him. Perhaps his own story would involve the foam, but his tales of fantasy always had a certain character, always a nequus no matter the breed, and always a moral. For a moment longer the Jala pondered over such thoughts. What kind of story could he create? What or who should the main character be? What should he/she learn? The possibilities were of course endless, and to a creature such as Aitumn, who twisted truth into fathom of the venturing mind, he felt the need to jump right into it. No no, he would not be rude to a Nequus he considered a trustworthy friend.
"Perhaps I will make it my purpose in life to hear out the tales of other Nequus, and hopefully visit every terrain Urin has to offer", he pondered aloud, flicking an ear inquisitively towards the bone-clad stallion. Oddly, the blood bay hadn't a clue to how old he actually was, and at times he felt like the foolish elderly, while others the reckless youth. Most of the time he shrugged off his words and allowed them to flow as they will, but he couldn't help but wonder just which group he needed to act like a bit more.
Then again, Aitumn didn't have anything to do in this world except wander around where his whim of the wind heart and soul took him. So a purpose would certainly give him more direction; so he hoped anyway. With a dip of his muzzle his long midnight forelock slipped from behind his ear and towards his forehead, dull sparkless eyes betraying the age he felt at times. It was a bother to not know one's true existance.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:31 am
Lucius studied the other Nequus carefully for a moment. Was something troubling the Jala?... Well, it wasn't any of his business; he didn't know the wanderer to have the right or the inclination to ask.
"Sounds like a reasonable purpose to me," the black stallion said after a while, twitching a muscle in one shoulder to rid himself of a fly. "The world is certainly worth exploring from what I've seen of it thus far and I've seen a good deal of it." Perhaps it was time he visited parts of it again; the mountains of fire and of ice, the fruitlands, the crystal lands, the fruitlands... Why had he listed Shrilal twice? It wasn't like him to fumble a list like that. Well, it mattered little, he was probably just tired.
The curly maned Nequus shifted his stance slightly, briefly inspecting the neat prints his large hooves had left in the sand. Soon the sea would rise up and wash them away as though they had never been. An oddly sobering thought, perhaps a metaphor for life and time save that some Nequus through their deeds managed to make a permanent print on the world. It would be good to be one of those, to be remembered like Pyrus but to succeed where the elemental had fallen.
Yes, perhaps sometime when he was older and done with travelling the world he would find a group of Nequus to organise, to lead, to show a way to peace and plenty. Rewards to the strong, to the brave and those who strove to better themselves. Punishment to the lazy, the craven and the traitors. Yes. He could do that and he could have a family, foals to be siblings to Vox, to raise and teach and to remember the story of Pyrus.
He was getting lost in thought again, time to return to the present.
"It's a good time of year to see Casa Tiner right now," the orange-eyed Aeri said, shaking his head to clear it and focus himself. It was quite possible that the well travelled Jala knew that but it had been something to say.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:39 am
Pricking his ears at the sound of the other's voice, Aitumn raised his muzzle with the intention of once again flipping the pesty forelock out of his vision. Though it didn't quite go as he had planned, for part of it had gotten caught on his upright ear, and stuck there like a trapped and wary traveler. Bother, really. Giving a good shake to his sleek head, the problem was fixed in a matter of seconds. Such strands of hair would not get the best of him, that was for sure.
"Casa Tiner? Hmm, there's a place I have yet to see for myself. Though climbing is hardly what I consider a pastime, I believe it would be worthwhile to do so." The Jala had no dwindling urge to conquer that beast of a mountain for a mere thing such as glory; but perhaps he just may be one of the first to see all of the Nequus world if he did so. No doubt he could come up with a story grand enough for such peaks. Then again, there was always that perception of danger he got from it, oddly enough. Well, he supposed it couldn't hurt to try some time if that's what his whim of the wind heart and soul called him to do.
Come to think of it, he didn't know of much other Nequus who had boasted of such feats. Something to ponder over, that was for sure. Was it more difficult then he expected?
In a rather dismal effect his ears twitched side to side in a thoughtful manner. He yet to really see the mountains up close, so perhaps it would be revealed to him in the future when he had the gumpsure to venture towards their direction. Yes, that seemed like a good plan to the blood bay.
"How much of the mountains have you seen for yourself, Lucius?" he was rather curious now, and wished to test his theory on exacty how difficult it might be for himself to see. The Aeri at least knew of them, so Aitumn figured it was a question worth asking.
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