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 Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 8:09 pm
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 8:10 pm
One two three, One two three, One two three...
Keahi soared through the field, her hooves beating the ground in counts of three. The soft hairs of her mane and tail were carried backwards by the force of her momentum, streaming out behind her like banners in the wind. Her powerful legs churned the dirt beneath her delicate hooves, creating a light cloud of dust to mark her passage.
She did not know where she was going; she did not care. She had awoken that morning restless, no longer pleased by the beauty of her home. The seemingly endless pools of sapphire water, the emerald leaves upon swaying branches, the butterflies and ladybugs and birds. She had once loved to simply gaze upon them, passing no judgement on even the most unlikeable creatures; she would take in all they had to teach her, furthering her knowledge of the world about her by simple observation.
Those creatures were far behind her now, going about their lives as though she had never been present. They would follow the same path as the day before, eating their favored foods, drinking form their favorite watering hole. They could no longer provide information for her, for she had taken all they had to give. They may go on, ever evolving as a result of their own ageing and enviromental change, but what they were at the core would never change. Their very being, what makes them them, would remain the same from the day she had first laid eyes on them to the day she galloped out of her home with no purpose in mind.
Her mind was blank. Once constantly active, it was now at rest. Ever since she was a foal, she had needed to absorb information, to stick her nose in every nook and cranny, to discover all the world had to offer. But no more.
All that swirled in her once clouded thoughts was a pure, restful rythm...
One two three, One two three, One two three...
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:45 am
Flick. Flickflick. Flick.
Sometimes, rest and relaxation was hard to come by; other times, it literally snuck up and knocked you upside the head with a two-by-four. Such seemed to be the case with Antony today; after a long, leisurely flight up the river, he had landed in this field and almost immeadiately fallen asleep. He enjoyed flying a great deal, but even wings like his were capable of feeling exhaustion. Magnify that by his entire body...and you had his current situation.
Which is why, at the moment, all that was occupying the stallion's mind was sleep. He lay in the tall grass, dark wings draped over his pale body; aside of the constant flicking of one ear, he was completely still, completely relaxed...
For the moment. So into his sleep was he that he didn't even hear the pounding of approaching hooves..
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Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 1:21 pm
Keahi's half-lidded eyes swam with pleasure; she found true joy in her escape. The momentum she had built up over the course of her journey had reached it's maximum velocity... she would go no faster, for her powerful legs had met their limit and would churn no faster, no matter how hard she willed them to. She viewed the world about her with indifference, seeing no difference between plant and animal. She moved in a straight line now, clearing logs and bushed that stood in her way with an effortless grace.
Freedom…
Ah, to run through green fields without wondering what it was that made the plants green. To look upon the sapphire sky and not wonder what made up the clouds, what caused birds to be able to fly about as though they were filled with air, why different species were limited to different levels of the atmosphere. To gaze upon…
A small part of her mind set off an alarm, and she remembered that she could not stampede through this field with no thoughts to spare for living creatures that might meet their doom at the hands of her sharp hooves. A pang of guilt stormed through her: had the insects that made their home in dust and on blades of grass been able to escape? Had the vibrations of her movements been enough to warn them away? Or did a trail of squished bugs stretch out behind her?
Now awakened to her surroundings, she noted a particularly large obstruction in her path. Her brow furrowed in thought. It was of a color she had not seen before: an almost washed-out lavender that had been spread over a slate of grey, creating an effect almost like a rare gem. What appeared to be hair spread over the curve of what could have been a neck, deep purple in hue… blood-red… and what could only be wings lay folded over the form. They held the same deep purpled and blood reds of the body. As she approached the barely-moving form, she could see the almost imperceptible rise and fall of breath.
Her red eyes widened, the whites showing. It was alive! That was a neck, that was hair, those were wings.
She was unable to slow her speed, and she knew that any efforts to skirt around this creature would throw her balance and end with a crash.
Keahi gathered her back legs, almost sitting in the effort to get enough leverage for this feat, and flung herself into the air. She soared over the form on the ground, tucking her legs beneath her so as to protect this creature from any damage inflicted by her hooves. She landed a scant foot behind the thing, her sides heaving with the effort that small excursion has cost her already-tired body. She turned and stared.
Her long flight had ended; now, she wished to know what this former obstruction was. She peered closer. A stallion?
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 10:26 am
It was telling as to just how tired Antony was that he didn't so much as flinch while he was being leapt over, nor make any other acknowledgement that the mare's presence had even registered with him. Of course, that was likely connected to the fact that he HADN'T realized she was there, but who was keeping track?
However, as the mare leaned over and peered at him, Tony frowned slightly in his sleep; that feeling of being watched, of having something nearby within the bounds of one's personal space...that was noticable, even when one was asleep. Consequently, his subconscious mind decided to act on its own.
With that, one large leathery wing flipped out, making an attempt to 'brush away' the offended bug/creature/whatever. It wasn't a very powerful wing sweep, granted, but more than likely had enough power behind it to be noticed!
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:10 pm
Keahi started slightly at the motion, her weary muscles flinching hard and her ears automatically flipping backwards. When the stallion on the ground made no further movements, her ears perked forwards curiously again. She eyed the now-extended wing...
She had only before seen wings on birds and bats. This stallion's wings had been altered somewhat to fit the form of a horse... larger, definintaly... only feathered at the base... were those spikes along the edges? They seemed to be a mixture of the wings posessed by other creatures that could fly, and yet be their own thing. She had to admit: they were beautiful.
She studied the base of the wings silently, wondering how the internal organs had been altered to accommodate their addition. She sighed. She wouldn't find out unless she asked the him, and if she asked be may become offended at her assumation that his wings were something special... he would see them as normal... for he'd been born with them, had he not? To him, she may be the different one, the one to be studied...
It seemed that when her flight ended, her inquirous nature had come back in a full flood.
She lowered her nose, leaning forwards slightly and extending her neck around the wing. Her breath came out in a gentle whuff on his neck.
"Hello?"
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 4:25 pm
Gentle as the whuff was, it barely registered at all in Antony's relaxed state; after all, he'd learned to sleep through fights when growing up, so it was hardly shocking that he could ignore what basically amounted to a light breeze.
In fact, he acted as though he'd been landed on by a bug, swatting lightly (for him) once again at the source...and, as a result, at the mare. He was tired, after all; the least the bugs could do was respect that!
((Sorry for the shortness sweatdrop ))
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 11:49 am
Keahi gave an indignant snort, her head shooting up as the blow landed. She flicked her tail irritably. She blinked, considering, then decided that although the swat could have been interpreted as a 'begone' command, since it was not accompanied by any verbal clarifications as to it's meaning she could ignore it without actually going against any polite pleas for peace. Smiling satisfactorily at her reasoning, she put on her most polite expression and cleared her throat quietly.
"THE BRITISH ARE COMING! THE BRITISH ARE COMING!" She yelled, her voice raising quite a few decibles higher than was normal. It was not yet particularly grating, however would interrupt the thought process of even the most focused Soquili. Or, so she hoped...
She was determined to make contact.
(( xd Is okay.))
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:13 pm
Ok, THAT was enough to wake him up. However, it was eerily reminiscant of unpleasant risings as a foal when his sister had decided he'd slept in enough. Consequently, Antony's waking presence was not a pleasant one.
Leaping up to his feet with surprising speed (given that he'd been fast asleep mere moments earlier), Antony's wings spread about him and his lips curled in a snarl, his pale eyes flashing fire as he whirled on the source of the disturbance. "DAMNIT NEVE, CAN'T YOU SEE I WAS-"
However, as soon as he actually focused on the mare before him, Antony realized that he may have jumped the gun. Lowering his wings, he stared blankly at the strange mare for a few seconds before finishing his own statement, albeit in a much softer and more conversational voice. "-And you're not Neve. Sorry about that!"
And he was, though at first glance that might not be obvious. Upon realizing his mistake, the snarl had shifted into an amused and sheepish grin, a look complimented by the folding of his wings and shifting into a less...aggressive stance. But that reminded him.
"Do you always go about waking strange Soquili, or was I just the lucky tenth sleeper?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:50 pm
Keahi had started at his sudden awakening; though she had wanted a reaction, she had not been quite prepared for such an immediate one. She had been tempted to cower at the tone of his voice, though had restrained herself. Her father's pride ran strong in her veins.
"There is no need for apology." She assured him, a small reasuring smile flickering on her face before fading as she continued to speak "Many react with actions along those lines when disturbed." The mare could not help but respond to his sheepish smile, and her rigid stance (it had never quite settled after her start) softened into one more becoming of her gender. She shrugged.
"No, I do not. You were simply in the path I had chosen to take this day, and I have never been one to ignore that which may prove to be amusing." She laughed, red eyes sparkling, and tossed a wayward clump of hair out of her face.
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Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 10:29 am
"...So, you decided the idea of waking up a stranger sounded amusing? Or that dealing with the wrath of said stranger would be amusing, or did you just decide to wing it?"
Antony himself was actually amused now; the fact that she was not the least bit put out by the fact he'd been about to rip her head off (beyond that first stiffening) was a point in her favor, at least. Besides, sleep was a common enough thing; why wouldn't he want a chance to talk with a new Soq? Especially an interesting new Soq who wasn't neseccarily afraid of a kalona.
Granted, not being afraid of a kalona wasn't always a good thing; hopefully she just had one of those 'intuition' things and decided that he probably wasn't that bad before she'd tried to wake him up. He was pleased he didn't have to automatically defend himself and prove that he wasn't evil, of course, but there was also the other side of the equation.
Regardless, there was no reason to dwell on the abstract right now.
"So, mare that likes amusement, what's your handle?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 1:31 pm
"It is best to take life as it unfolds; if you focus only on the past, pondering encounters long since finished, you are not able to register new ones... and if you allow yourself to become lost in your plans for the future, you forget to live..." Keahi drifted off, her thoughts wandering in a seemingly endless sea, colliding with the rocky cliffs of reason, before focusing again on the stallion in front of her.
"I am Keahi." She said the name with a lilt, her ears perked and her eyes bright; the fact that she had forgone basic niceties with a complete stranger escaped her for the moment, for if it had not she would have been quite flustered indeed. "And yourself?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 8:50 pm
So, a closet philosopher decided to wake him? Probably a not so closeted one at that, since she was randomly going off on her little tangent so soon after meeting him. He could respect that; having opinions and being able to discuss them was a great and positive element of life.
Just because he himself couldn't really appreciate such, having mere moments before been fast asleep, didn't mean that he couldn't have some sort of positive thought about the IDEA.
He could be pleasant and coherant enough for the basics, at least. "Keahi, huh? Well, I'm Antony, Keahi, and while being woken up wasn't so pleasant, it's nice to meet you."
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:03 pm
Keahi grinned sheepishly, her head angled down slightly. If it could have been viewed beneath her ebony skin, a slight blush would have been apparent. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Antony." Her eyes traveled along the trails of dirt in front of her hooves before flicking back up to him. Her neck straightened and she peered again at him with the same curiousity that had originally been painted so clearly upon her features. "If it is not too bold, may I ask why you were endulging in sleep at so fine an hour?" Of course, to Keahi, all hours were fine, for they all presented new opportunities to learn. The early morning gave a delightful insight to the lives of birds, midday provided quite an array of choice Soquili to interact with and the ability to wander freely without having to worry about not seeing danger before it was too late, the afternoon was a time for winding down and finding a bite to eat- and so gave a delightful array of tastes-, and then night was beautiful in it's own right.
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 10:12 pm
"Does there really need to be a reason?"
Tony wasn't offended by the questions, nor was he even the slightest put out. After all, if one was trying to instigate and maintain a conversation, SOMETHING had to be done, right? There were more awkaward topics of conversation she could have picked up on, and he personally had no issues talking about his reasons. Not that there really WERE any reasons, granted, at least when it came to why he was sleeping.
So he was grinning as he replied, "I was tired, so I slept. Not terribly exciting, but life isn't always so dramatic, I guess!"
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