"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
09-27-2015, 04:35 PM (This post was last modified: 09-27-2015, 05:30 PM by MischeifManaged.)
The small mare walked around the edge of the Field wondering where she was and how she got there. Everything was such a blur anymore since that stallion attack on her previous herd. She breathed in deeply then letting it out in a cloud of vapor and the scent hit her horses, not just any horses stallions and mares but the scent of stallion scared her and sent her into a shivering mess. She stuck by the small creek and the bare trees hoping that she wasn't noticed by anyone of the male gender. She scanned the area, it was beautiful to was probably more beautiful in the spring and summer time but it still took Hoku's breath away she had never come across anything so beautiful in her 3 years of living. She walked out into the open space and her dainty hooves crunching in the snow, she was slightly under weight and her mane was matted from her travels but she was nothing short of unattractive.She shivers slightly in the cold breeze she would kill, figuratively speaking for anything warm right at the moment in time but yet warmth isn't going to be found.
09-27-2015, 09:10 PM (This post was last modified: 09-27-2015, 09:12 PM by Shahrizai.
Edit Reason: closing tags
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All things are possible, even the worst of things.
He has been caught up in his grief lately. Too caught up. As he realizes he might truly be in danger of becoming a wallower, he thinks that he needs to do something. Something productive. He’s not a fighter and as far as he knows the Deserts has no diplomatic missions to send him on. And let’s face it, he’d probably be a hardcore failure at stealing someone (he’d probably laugh at the wrong minute and ruin the whole thing). So, for those reasons, he turns to the field.
It is a chilly day today. He always seems to have rotten timing when he makes these trips to the field. If he recalls correctly, one of the last times he’d been here, it had been absolutely frigid then too. And unfortunately his coat is rather thin, having come from the Deserts (which had boasted a quite nice, warm, albeit sandy, breeze). So, ultimately, he hopes to make this a quick trip. Mentally though, he prepares himself for a long haul, because who knows how much convincing and sweet-talking he might have to do. It’s a good thing he’s such a great sweet-talker.
He approaches the field at a rather quick clip, his long legs carrying him easily over the frozen landscape. As he slows his pace, he spots a small mare pacing the fringes of the field. As he watches her, curiosity in his brown gaze, he notes that she appears rather nervous. He wonders at what had caused such uneasiness. This alone induces him to approach. He would very much like to help her if he could (he had always been the helpful sort).
She looks as though she might easily frighten (having been born and raised in a land filled almost entirely with women, he likes to think that he knows them rather well). In deference to her nervousness, he approaches slowly, blocky head lowered so as to pose less of a threat. A smile stretches his lips as he steps forward, an expression that sits easily and comfortably upon his features.
Hello there! I’m Shahrizai, or Shah, if you prefer.
He pauses briefly, hoping his rather exuberant greeting hadn’t frightened her. Sometimes he just can’t seem to help himself.
I hope you don’t mind my saying, but you look like you’ve had a bit of a scare. Are you alright?
The mare finally spots a fellow equine and her heart bursts at the though of another female companion she walks quickly towards the figure but her excitement quickly turns to fear then that emotions is tossed back and cold exterior settles on her face her hazel eyes hardening slightly but fear is still settled in their depths, it was a stallion the same gender that terrorized her herd for months and finally attacked leaving her with a wound to tend to and no home. Stallions in her eyes were nothing but monsters, mare hunters, they had no respect for the female race. When he approaches she heart pounds and her mind runs with the possibility of attack. She takes a deep breath as he lowered his head, but instead of a sly and scary look on his face its a pleasant smile and no harsh look in his eyes. But the little mare couldn't be so careful, he could strike at any moment. He spoke in a warm tone that made her body relax a fraction before she checks herself and returns to the cold nature. She bows her head slightly, its all she could do to be polite to this monster he spoke his name Shahrizai, she nodded and she opened her mouth to speak to the stallion " Hello, I am Huko" she said her voice wavering in fear slightly as she met his eyes and her body told her to run but she couldn't she was terrified but she chose to stay and act calm. His next question took her way off her guard he asked if she was okay, he knew she was scared. "Yes I've had a rough go these couple of years, we had a stallion stalking our herd for months then finally he attacked in the dead of night resulting in my scar, It's only fair for me to be nervous around your gender." she said her voice emotionless but her wide hazel eyes say otherwise
All things are possible, even the worst of things.
When she first notices him, she appears somewhat enthusiastic, even going so far as to take a few steps towards him. But then she seems to notice something, her demeanor instantly transforming as she withdraws from him. She quickly hides the fear behind a cold, neutral mask, but he had seen it. Something about him had frightened her.
He is admittedly a rather intimidating looking stallion. Both his parents had been large, with a fair amount of musculature. It is no surprise then that he is also large and muscular. The only saving grace to the entire picture of intimidating stallion is that he has no tail. Honestly, who can actually be frightening when they’re missing their tail? Rather silly, to be honest. Given that his mother had been completely hairless though, he supposes it could have been worse. She at least had had her tattoos to cover up her nakedness. Imagine if he’d been born hairless? A laugh and a half that would have been.
Despite her well-hidden fear, she does not retreat from him. He rather likes that about her. If she let him, he could help her transform herself into something quite magnificent. Kingdoms are good for that kind of thing.
She tells him her story readily enough, not hesitating to lambaste his entire gender. He winces slightly, as though she had struck him. It’s true, stallions could be brutes. He hopes at least that he can convince her not all stallions are like that. He wouldn’t want her to dismiss an entire gender because of a single bad experience.
That sounds downright awful. I’m so sorry you had endure that.
He pauses, warm brown eyes considering her in concern. After a moment, a slow grin begins to curve his lips.
Although, I’m not certain it’s entirely fair to paint my gender as a whole with the same brush. I like to think I’m not so bad as all that.
The grin deepens as his eyes begin to twinkle.
However, I do have to admit that I rather enjoy a good bit of teasing now and then. Don’t tell anyone though, my reputation would be ruined.
Winking at her, he has to resist the urge to laugh (which fortunately he does - barely).
The young mare's body betrayed her as she relaxed a little to see him shrug her bluntness off and grin at her harshness at his gender. She can't help herself, she smiles back at the stallion finding his humor some what relieving her stress and her slight inner hatred for the stallions. He hazel eyes sparkled as the tall stallion stood before her. She sighs slightly a cloud of vapor bellows out of her nostrils as her eyes wonder him briefly she noticed something that made the stallion a lot less intimidating more comical he didn't have a tail, the dunskin mare smirked slightly then her eyes meet his again "So what are you doing out here alone in the cold" she asked as she tilted her head making her ebony forelock fall into her right eye making her look younger then she actually was. She flicked her long black tail and nosed the ground "I have always hated the snow, the wind isn't cold enough here is some colder frozen liquid to make you colder" she said and she scoffed raking her left front leg through the snow in disgust and she giggled slightly at her actions
All things are possible, even the worst of things.
Finally the small mare begins to relax. The pewter stallion notes her stiffness seems to largely dissipate, her icy features becoming slightly more open, more friendly. He smiles brightly at her, glad that she seems less inclined to hold another bastard’s infractions over him. He is not used to being seen as the bad guy. Charming, silly, humorous – these are things he has been called before, many times. His own mother, who had been well known for her fearsome temper, could never stay mad it him for more than about ten seconds. He had somehow always managed to charm his way back into her good graces. She is likely the reason he had learned to be charming and funny in the first place. He’d needed it to win her favor. And she had needed it just as much. She had always been far too serious (well, volatile, more like). She had needed someone to around to tease her, to lighten her mood when she got a little too intense.
The thought of his mother causes a pang of grief to well. It comes at the strangest times, the heartache and pain of his parents’ death. Even now, months later, he feels their loss as keenly as he had when first he had found out. He has to blink back tears before he can continue their conversation, hoping she had not noticed his sudden relapse into grief.
Clearing his throat, he continues, answering her questions.
Well, see, that’s a quite a funny story. I actually live in the Deserts. It’s really quite warm there. A bit sandy, but beautiful, and the oasis is heavenly. Unfortunately it’s a little empty at the moment. So I thought it would be just a dandy idea to head out here, into the snow and cold, hoping beyond hope that I’d stumble into someone fun to talk to.
He grins, resisting the urge to reach out and nudge her shoulder in a teasing manner. He is generally a tactile horse, but he doesn’t wish to push her newly emerging trust too far.
It’s quite lucky I’ve run into you, or I would have certainly been doomed to a cold and lonely walk before I finally gave up and headed home.
He pauses a moment, considering her before continuing.
If you’d like, you could accompany me there, check things out. I can also guarantee that it is infinitely warmer there than it is here.
The young mare watched the stallion out of the corner of her eye when he suddenly went silent staring off into the distance with a melancholy look painted on his attractive face. The mare walked closer, she was close enough to where she could put her muzzle on his shoulder if she wanted to, but ine step at a time for the little mare. She couldn't just rush into things. "Are you alright Shah?" She asked her voice soft and bell like as it lost its hard edge and its cold facade. She had to admit this pewter stallion is the first equine in a long time to bring a smile to her muzzle and actually make her feel real emotions. She tossed her head as her forelock fell into her hazel eyes veiling her vision of the stallion.
He cleared his throat and spoke to her the depression disappearing with in seconds it made the little mares head spin. He spoke of The Desert how it was warm, and it had sand. "What is sand?" she asked cocking her head, she had been in the forests and the ground was covered in grass she had never felt the feeling of sand on the skin underneath her hooves. She smiled softly again "This place sounds wonderful Shah" she said her eyes twinkling as he nudged her shoulder, she couldn't help her self and she nudged his neck in a playful manner and pranced slightly. "Well aren't you glad you ran into me?" she said giggling softly like a little school girl. This is the first time she has ever felt safe around a stallion and she wanted to relish the feeling of it, once he offered to take her to the desert her heart lept and she grinned "I would love to!" she said excitedly she also wanted to get out of this chilly wind making her shiver slightly. "You know I have never felt safe around any stallions, Then you pranced into my view and you make me feel safe for once and I thank you for that Shah" She said nosing his shoulder and breathing in his scent and closing her eyes slightly in contentment.
All things are possible, even the worst of things.
Watching her slowly come out of her shell is a gratifying experience, gladdening the speckled stallion’s heart. It is something he could sorely use these days. She sees his grief, for he had done little to hide it. The strength of it still astounds him, but it comes in waves. Most of the time, he is able to keep it contained in a small corner of his mind. But sometimes it escapes, overwhelming him with the sense of loss once again.
She steps forward hesitantly, the concerned inquiry falling from her lips on a softer note. He offers her a small smile, dipping his head slightly in response to her question.
I will be fine. I just… It’s just that… I lost my parent’s not too long ago. I still miss them.
He suspects that he will miss them for a very long time to come. But he knows that the gap between death and life is not impassable. And when he feels that he could handle seeing them again without falling apart, he would find someone willing to bridge that gap for him.
The conversation turns to the Deserts then, his description followed by her curiosity, a hint of excitement spilling from her at the thought of his home. He grins, giving her a gentle nudge in return when her muzzle presses briefly against his shoulder.
Well, it’s a bit hard to describe. It’s kind of like dirt, but loose and shifty. It does take a bit of practice to walk the dunes without tripping all the time, but I’m sure you’d get the hang of it, no problem.
As she continues, a more serious expression settles over his features. He has never been thanked before for simply being kind to someone. It is a novel experience, and rather surreal. He had never before considered kindness to be something truly worthy of gratitude. It is a humbling realization.
You should never have been made to feel unsafe.
As usual however, he cannot remain serious for too long. A slow grin begins to curve his lips once again.
Although, I would like to think I don’t prance.
There is laughter in his tone as he teases her, his dark eyes twinkling merrily. Tipping his head in the direction of the Deserts, he readily invites her to join him.
Well then, let’s prance on over to the Deserts, shall we?
He does laugh then, unable to help himself, as he turns to show her his home.
The small tan mare looked up at Shah as he explained his grief, her eyes wondered his face as he spoke about losing his parents not to long ago making her heart ache for him, Hoku blinked her hazel eyes trying to get the sympathy tears away from her vision. She didn't know how to respond to the stallion's depression and sadness towards the loss of his parents. "I don't know how you feel nor do I understand. But I'll try to make you happy, I like seeing the smile on your muzzle" She said looking away from him her cheeks warming slightly as a shy smile flashed on her face before the subject changed to the Desert. She grins along with him as he spoke about his home in a loving way.
She couldn't help but giggle at his description of this thing called sand "Oh my, I trip enough as it is" She said with a soft smile on her muzzle as she looks up at his her hazel eyes twinkling with wonder and humor. Then the exchange turned slightly serious when she thanked him and his smile disappeared, he told her that she shouldn't ever feel unsafe. "Sadly my friend being unsafe as a mare is coming more and more common." She said with a soft frown to her face and her tone growing cold again as the memories of the years past flood her head with the unwanted memories. She was shook out of her head by his next statement that caused her to laugh softly "Oh my dear, Yes you did prance, It was a very enjoyable sight" She said humor back into her hazel eyes as she looked up at him with a pleasantly happy look as she smiled shyly at him again.
"Lets prance to the Deserts, you lead the way King Prancealot" She said walking up to his side and nosing his shoulder affectionatly.
I'm sorry for the delay, it has been a crazy week.