08-07-2016, 02:12 PM
Akkadian
"Awk-ay-dee-Uhn"
"Ahkva! Ahkva!", she squealed, irritated with him. "Why do you ignore me!" Princess Jjalari was not used to being so easily dismissed.
"Not now sister", Akkadian tossed over his shoulder at her with a wicked grin aimed at his targets, "there are still threats yet." He zeroed in on them and removed her presence from his mind, letting all distractions melt away. Then the two colts charged him simultaneously, synchronizing their attacks in a desperate attempt to outmatch the Guardian Son and wipe that cocky sneer off his face.
As he gradually became accustomed to the surreal visions of this land, his awareness expanded. The misty apparitions of other horses slowly solidified, and sound slipped in to his consciousness. Then, as if in after-thought, smell joined the greeting. He pulled a slow deep breath through his nose, testing, but nearly every scent was new and unrecognizable. That is, save for the general perfume of a female nearest him.
The sound of her gallop had teased him like a whisper on the breeze and he'd ignored it momentarily while his senses labored to be fully adjusted. He attuned to her now as she drew nearer to him, the approach demanding his immediate attention, and complemented the smell and sound with sight, mentally fitting her pieces together in his mind.
His heart nearly stopped, unprepared as he was for the stranger's likeness to the princess, his baby sister. She was only months old the last he saw her, but would have probably been around the same age had she not been slaughtered with the rest of them. His expression hardened as he endured the pain in silence, observing the stranger mare passively as he continued to hold himself still.
She tossed herself about without a care in the world, running freely with a soul unmarred by the tragedies of reality. So consumed in her play, she appeared to be barrelling toward him on a collision course. Coming from a land where everyone was on watch for attacking clans, nearly to the point of being hyper-aware, he couldn't believe her actions were accidental. This must be some sort of test, or initiation, in this place. Perhaps to see if he would baulk to avoid her. He was no coward, and he wasn't afraid of the pain this collision would cause him.
Akkadian shifted his weight a moment to test his balance was even and loose, then held solid as a rock with his gaze locked on to her. He took mental note of a new presence approaching, but dismissed it in order to keep his full focus on his immediate adversary. Her eyes met his for a brief instant, registering surprise, and she braced her legs forward, churning up earth and pebbles beneath her hooves as she slid to a stop.
Her muzzle came to rest just a hair's breadth away from his own, a very intimate distance in his culture. His eyes narrowed, but he did not back away. Apparently he didn't need to as she threw a hasty apology his way and quickly began retreating a few paces. Her gaze avoided his as she mumbled more speech, introduced herself as Josie, and ask his name in return. He remained quiet, and a few seconds later she seemed to compose herself, standing taller than before and lifting her chin.
He ignored her questions, dismissing her as harmless and possibly uncivilized; not an opponent, not his test. His gaze instead shifted to the next possible threat as a buckskin stallion called out to them. Akkadian released his taut muscles and felt warm blood lubricate them for action. His training and the near-constant warring state of affairs of the clan taught him to be prepared for anything and suspect all, friend and foe alike.
But the stallion halted at a generous distance, especially when compared to the mare, and announced himself as Magnus without any apparent malicious intent. Akkadian believed he recognized a fellow or former warrior in the knowing glint of the stallion's eyes and an ease in the way he carried himself, and nodded solemnly in acknowledgement. "What brings you both to the field on a day like today?" he had questioned.
Ah, so they called this place The Field. He stole a quick glance around, coupling the title to the images in his mind. The people here seemed inquisitive, each one so far had greeted him with a statement then a query, twice so in the woman's case. Perhaps it was customary to do this, so he decided he'd adapt to it as well in respect of their culture.
"I'm a traveler," he stated. His eyes slipped to the mare and away swiftly, hoping she wouldn't catch his avoidance of her inquiry as to his name. It was a touchy subject at present, but would have to be breached eventually, he knew. Until then..
"What sort of place is this?" he questioned, keeping to the tradition. His voice was not as deep as perhaps expected, but a mid-level baritone with smoothness to it often found in younger stallions. His gaze stayed trained on Magnus, though his other senses focused more on Josie, belatedly hoping he hadn't disrespected her in his foreigner's ignorance.
"Not now sister", Akkadian tossed over his shoulder at her with a wicked grin aimed at his targets, "there are still threats yet." He zeroed in on them and removed her presence from his mind, letting all distractions melt away. Then the two colts charged him simultaneously, synchronizing their attacks in a desperate attempt to outmatch the Guardian Son and wipe that cocky sneer off his face.
As he gradually became accustomed to the surreal visions of this land, his awareness expanded. The misty apparitions of other horses slowly solidified, and sound slipped in to his consciousness. Then, as if in after-thought, smell joined the greeting. He pulled a slow deep breath through his nose, testing, but nearly every scent was new and unrecognizable. That is, save for the general perfume of a female nearest him.
The sound of her gallop had teased him like a whisper on the breeze and he'd ignored it momentarily while his senses labored to be fully adjusted. He attuned to her now as she drew nearer to him, the approach demanding his immediate attention, and complemented the smell and sound with sight, mentally fitting her pieces together in his mind.
His heart nearly stopped, unprepared as he was for the stranger's likeness to the princess, his baby sister. She was only months old the last he saw her, but would have probably been around the same age had she not been slaughtered with the rest of them. His expression hardened as he endured the pain in silence, observing the stranger mare passively as he continued to hold himself still.
She tossed herself about without a care in the world, running freely with a soul unmarred by the tragedies of reality. So consumed in her play, she appeared to be barrelling toward him on a collision course. Coming from a land where everyone was on watch for attacking clans, nearly to the point of being hyper-aware, he couldn't believe her actions were accidental. This must be some sort of test, or initiation, in this place. Perhaps to see if he would baulk to avoid her. He was no coward, and he wasn't afraid of the pain this collision would cause him.
Akkadian shifted his weight a moment to test his balance was even and loose, then held solid as a rock with his gaze locked on to her. He took mental note of a new presence approaching, but dismissed it in order to keep his full focus on his immediate adversary. Her eyes met his for a brief instant, registering surprise, and she braced her legs forward, churning up earth and pebbles beneath her hooves as she slid to a stop.
Her muzzle came to rest just a hair's breadth away from his own, a very intimate distance in his culture. His eyes narrowed, but he did not back away. Apparently he didn't need to as she threw a hasty apology his way and quickly began retreating a few paces. Her gaze avoided his as she mumbled more speech, introduced herself as Josie, and ask his name in return. He remained quiet, and a few seconds later she seemed to compose herself, standing taller than before and lifting her chin.
He ignored her questions, dismissing her as harmless and possibly uncivilized; not an opponent, not his test. His gaze instead shifted to the next possible threat as a buckskin stallion called out to them. Akkadian released his taut muscles and felt warm blood lubricate them for action. His training and the near-constant warring state of affairs of the clan taught him to be prepared for anything and suspect all, friend and foe alike.
But the stallion halted at a generous distance, especially when compared to the mare, and announced himself as Magnus without any apparent malicious intent. Akkadian believed he recognized a fellow or former warrior in the knowing glint of the stallion's eyes and an ease in the way he carried himself, and nodded solemnly in acknowledgement. "What brings you both to the field on a day like today?" he had questioned.
Ah, so they called this place The Field. He stole a quick glance around, coupling the title to the images in his mind. The people here seemed inquisitive, each one so far had greeted him with a statement then a query, twice so in the woman's case. Perhaps it was customary to do this, so he decided he'd adapt to it as well in respect of their culture.
"I'm a traveler," he stated. His eyes slipped to the mare and away swiftly, hoping she wouldn't catch his avoidance of her inquiry as to his name. It was a touchy subject at present, but would have to be breached eventually, he knew. Until then..
"What sort of place is this?" he questioned, keeping to the tradition. His voice was not as deep as perhaps expected, but a mid-level baritone with smoothness to it often found in younger stallions. His gaze stayed trained on Magnus, though his other senses focused more on Josie, belatedly hoping he hadn't disrespected her in his foreigner's ignorance.
OOC: I give up. Shorter posts are just impossible for me. So very sorry
