06-16-2019, 11:03 PM
Taiga's woods were not very noisy during the night, save for the occasional night predator in search of a meal. There was just enough that the forest did not entirely go to sleep once the sun left the sky, giving the kingdom a vibe akin to that of ghost stories that mares told their foals in order to scare them into falling asleep.
The fog that rolled into the kingdom during the late evening hours only added to it's ghostly appearance, the thick blanket resting at knee height for the average sized horse, causing their legs to develop a humid feel. The residents who traveled the forests at night knew this well, especially the golden king who often traversed the trees during the late hours to make sure things were calm and settled to ensure his kingdom's safety.
On this night, the golden king was nowhere near the stallion and mare who had come into his kingdom, several kilometers down south among the winding trees. His golden coat often took on an eerie pasty color under the light of the moon when it hit him right, so much that he could've been the subject of the ghosts stories like his dam told him many seasons ago. His hooffall was quieted by the layer of pine needles on the trail grounds, but that was also due to his careful consideration.
The night hours required the stallion to be silent to avoid alerting others of his presence, especially if he wanted to sneak up on the source of trouble so he could chase them out. Many days and nights in Taiga's forests had taught the stallion many, if not all, the tricks, and it helped that he remembered what he learned under Ruan's tutelage.
Another reason to keep quiet was that Aten didn't have the guidance of his friend this late. Turul had his own sleeping habits, which included staying awake into the late evening until the moon was far in the sky. At this late hour, however, the falcon had gone off to get his share of sleep, meaning that Aten had to depend on his own instincts to stay hidden. He couldn't rely on his friend to warn him of danger or someone who had found him.
Of course, this was no issue; the stallion had been doing it long before he met the falcon.
The night winds didn't seem to shift much while in the forest, so at first, Aten didn't detect the arrival of the two new horses. Only when he was about a dozen kilometers or so away from them did his nostrils pick up on their scent, and immediately, he was on the alert. Two horses here, this late at night? He usually expected visitors, if any at all, during the day. This was highly unusual, so it stood to reason that Aten was going to investigate immediately.
Picking up a gallop, the stallion raced through the trees, his powerful strides carrying him around each tall redwood with ease. He knew these trails, the twists and turns, so it did not take long for him to cover the distance and spot the two strange horses in the distance. Aten took note that, while in his kingdom, they were not very far from the border. Perhaps they decided to think twice about stroding in unannounced at this late hour? Aten would not have been mad, but he appreciated their consideration.
Able to stay in the cover of the shadows since he knew many places to hide, he took a moment to assess who had come. There were two horses, from this distance, Aten couldn't determing if they were both stallions or mares. They both had wings on their backs, though one appeared to have more than one pair.
The shorter horse had lighter coloring in the moonlight, some portions of it's body masked by darker shading. More than likely, that was part of it's coat, and not just a trick of the shadows. It's legs seemed similar, so either it was the heavy fog, or dark dun markings. Aten had seen both, and knew enough of each to make a good guess.
The other horse, the one with more than two wings, also seemed to have markings, but in a different fashion. It also sported a golden colored coat, though some shades differed that horse from Aten, indicating not quite a champagne color like the king sported.
He continued to wait for a moment, wanting to look from a distance more. He didn't know if he should trust these two horses, for they could mean danger to the horses who lived here. Aten would not put them in harm's way, the Taiga couldn't afford it. But at the same time, the way the two horses interacted, it almost seemed like the taller one was struggling to a degree. It's posture was strained, not quite like it was in pain from a physical injury, but still struggling that it told Aten he might not need to worry about that one as much.
He would not underestimate either, but perhaps, if they meant danger, the shorter one would be more threatening. He needed to play this carefully, and would, even though he would be exposing himself.
With a breath, the golden king moved to be in front of them to block their path, and then stepped out of the shadows. The light of the moon combined with the heavy fog layer and his golden coat gave the illusion of a ghost stepping from the shadows rather than a horse, but his calm, collected voice calling out to them in the night air assured them he was very real indeed.
"Who has come to Taiga's forests at this late hour of the night without announcing their presence? Surely you can see why the forest is unsettled by this arrival," he informed them, his eyes watchful but steel, his expression nearly impossible to read and determine what he was thinking.
@[Wolfbane] @[Lepis]
The fog that rolled into the kingdom during the late evening hours only added to it's ghostly appearance, the thick blanket resting at knee height for the average sized horse, causing their legs to develop a humid feel. The residents who traveled the forests at night knew this well, especially the golden king who often traversed the trees during the late hours to make sure things were calm and settled to ensure his kingdom's safety.
On this night, the golden king was nowhere near the stallion and mare who had come into his kingdom, several kilometers down south among the winding trees. His golden coat often took on an eerie pasty color under the light of the moon when it hit him right, so much that he could've been the subject of the ghosts stories like his dam told him many seasons ago. His hooffall was quieted by the layer of pine needles on the trail grounds, but that was also due to his careful consideration.
The night hours required the stallion to be silent to avoid alerting others of his presence, especially if he wanted to sneak up on the source of trouble so he could chase them out. Many days and nights in Taiga's forests had taught the stallion many, if not all, the tricks, and it helped that he remembered what he learned under Ruan's tutelage.
Another reason to keep quiet was that Aten didn't have the guidance of his friend this late. Turul had his own sleeping habits, which included staying awake into the late evening until the moon was far in the sky. At this late hour, however, the falcon had gone off to get his share of sleep, meaning that Aten had to depend on his own instincts to stay hidden. He couldn't rely on his friend to warn him of danger or someone who had found him.
Of course, this was no issue; the stallion had been doing it long before he met the falcon.
The night winds didn't seem to shift much while in the forest, so at first, Aten didn't detect the arrival of the two new horses. Only when he was about a dozen kilometers or so away from them did his nostrils pick up on their scent, and immediately, he was on the alert. Two horses here, this late at night? He usually expected visitors, if any at all, during the day. This was highly unusual, so it stood to reason that Aten was going to investigate immediately.
Picking up a gallop, the stallion raced through the trees, his powerful strides carrying him around each tall redwood with ease. He knew these trails, the twists and turns, so it did not take long for him to cover the distance and spot the two strange horses in the distance. Aten took note that, while in his kingdom, they were not very far from the border. Perhaps they decided to think twice about stroding in unannounced at this late hour? Aten would not have been mad, but he appreciated their consideration.
Able to stay in the cover of the shadows since he knew many places to hide, he took a moment to assess who had come. There were two horses, from this distance, Aten couldn't determing if they were both stallions or mares. They both had wings on their backs, though one appeared to have more than one pair.
The shorter horse had lighter coloring in the moonlight, some portions of it's body masked by darker shading. More than likely, that was part of it's coat, and not just a trick of the shadows. It's legs seemed similar, so either it was the heavy fog, or dark dun markings. Aten had seen both, and knew enough of each to make a good guess.
The other horse, the one with more than two wings, also seemed to have markings, but in a different fashion. It also sported a golden colored coat, though some shades differed that horse from Aten, indicating not quite a champagne color like the king sported.
He continued to wait for a moment, wanting to look from a distance more. He didn't know if he should trust these two horses, for they could mean danger to the horses who lived here. Aten would not put them in harm's way, the Taiga couldn't afford it. But at the same time, the way the two horses interacted, it almost seemed like the taller one was struggling to a degree. It's posture was strained, not quite like it was in pain from a physical injury, but still struggling that it told Aten he might not need to worry about that one as much.
He would not underestimate either, but perhaps, if they meant danger, the shorter one would be more threatening. He needed to play this carefully, and would, even though he would be exposing himself.
With a breath, the golden king moved to be in front of them to block their path, and then stepped out of the shadows. The light of the moon combined with the heavy fog layer and his golden coat gave the illusion of a ghost stepping from the shadows rather than a horse, but his calm, collected voice calling out to them in the night air assured them he was very real indeed.
"Who has come to Taiga's forests at this late hour of the night without announcing their presence? Surely you can see why the forest is unsettled by this arrival," he informed them, his eyes watchful but steel, his expression nearly impossible to read and determine what he was thinking.
@[Wolfbane] @[Lepis]