"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
It had been almost a year since Ashara had given birth to Cicero, it was such an honor for her to allow Jedi to be apart of the colts life. They had an odd family life and he wouldn't have it any other way. The painted stag stood in an opening of the Falls close to the waterfall that roared out loud. The summer was over and Autumn was in full effect, the days were growing colder and it was coming up on Jedi and Asharas third year in the Falls and the two have grown so much.
He raised his head allowing a whinny to escape his maw hopeful that Ashara and Cicero would hear it and come around. His own mate Sorea had a stillborn last year and seemed to have disappeared after that leaving the stag alone again, still holding his golden vixens secret his heart was fond of her but over the time it was for the deep friendship they held. Her golden colt was a spitting image of her, minus the purple streaks, and it was exciting to watch him grow up everyday and he would soon be off starting his own life like Ashara and Jedi once did.
She definitely knew that call; she'd heard it a number of times throughout the territory. The stud was looking for his lady. Raxa shook her head at the thought of having a stallion near her; she wasn't a huge fan of those creatures. She did admit, she sometimes fantasized what it would be like to have one care for her, but considering the majority of the ones she'd met were jerks or were only looking for one horse to love (surprisingly enough), she had decided to give up on the thought of a stallion for the time being.
That didn't mean she didn't enjoy hanging out with the ones she actually respected, like Jedi, for instance. He was an honorable warrior and went through a lot to protect that palomino mare and her colt. It was that show of family love that had Raxa showing open respect for the stallion, something she never ever thought she would do for any horse.
As she galloped along, sweat lining her neck from the gruesome exercise she'd been going through all day to maintain her muscular state, Raxa glimpsed Jedi up on a hill, looking out for the mare and colt he'd called for. Deciding to humor herself, Raxa turned course and galloped toward him, calling out as she started slowing down before coming to a halt a few feet away from him.
"Hey Jedi," Raxa said, her sides heaving from the vigorous running, "On the search for Ashara and her colt again?" she asked in a joking manner.
If you're ever gonna find a silver lining It's gotta be a cloudy day
Cicero was quite unhappy that the time had come to be weaned but the truth was it was hard on the golden mother as well. He was growing too quickly, seeking independence and defiant against being told what to do. What happened to the sweet days where he was glued to her side, curious and exploring the world with her guidance and obedient to any request. He was testing her today, threatening to run away if he couldn’t get his milk and she wanted to give it to him, wanted to satisfy his needs and feel that closeness but she was drying up. She was pleading with him to understand when the sound of Jedi’s call reached them through the mist and roar of the falls. The little palomino’s crown shot up in the direction, ears perked and eyes wide and scheming. With a scowl towards his beseeching mother he took off towards his father. His long limbs working gracefully in harmony, each footfall landing with forceful calculation providing support and stability for the next stride. With a sigh, Ashara followed. She had long lost the baby weight but she wasn’t as fit as she was a year ago and her hips ached in the cold and when she moved a certain way ever since the attack. But when she saw that the painted comrade wasn’t alone she quickened her pace to head off the little rascal so he wouldn’t do anything rude or get himself hurt. The brindled roan was a fellow resident but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t lash out and teach an obnoxious child a lesson. The honey-hued vixen would have been nervous if it was any acquaintance but the other warrior with her snarky temperament made her especially nervous. With pinned ears on a snaked nape she successfully guided the colt to arrive between Ashara and Jedi, with Raxa on the mare’s other side. With an exasperated sigh and quickly catching her breath she greeted the grown-ups. “Hey guys, how’s it going?” Very informal, even for her but it’s hard to keep a child in check and keep up with social cues. Once she is satisfied Cicero isn’t going to embarrass her does her mind wonder why Raxa is here.
05-24-2016, 09:17 PM (This post was last modified: 05-24-2016, 09:17 PM by Cicero.)
Cicero
It's a new world, it's a new start. It's alive with the beating of young hearts.
Mother was being unreasonable again. Who does she think she is telling me what I can and cannot do? It seems more like cannot do. You can’t leave the kingdom. Don’t eat that, don’t touch that, don’t talk to anyone without mom or dad there. It’s so frustrating. Why can’t I do what I want? I can run as fast as the grownups, I eat what the grownups eat I should be able to go wherever and do as the grownups do. Mom is so worried about my safety, or that’s her excuse anyway, that I’ve learned if I threaten to hurt myself she’ll bend the rules. Today is not a successful day. All I want is that sweet filling sustenance from her and she says she doesn’t have anymore. I suspect she’s lying. Dad’s call pierces the air and I look towards it, pondering whether I should follow through with my threat to leave the kingdom or see if I can’t make her jealous with him or even better yet get him to tell mom to give me milk. With a devious grin on my lips I take off like a bunny, 3 hops and I’m at full speed, something I’ve been practicing. I can’t narrow down the exact location where the sound came from so I rely on my eyes when I’m in the general direction. I see dad, the overo painted warrior, standing tall and regal along with another equine. My curiosity must have caused my pace to slow because mother swoops in to redirect my course. I pin my ears back at her don’t stop till I sidle up next to dad. Nuzzling his shoulder and giving my mother an “I don’t like you anymore” look. “Hey dad. Mom’s being mean again.” I say with a hurt voice before giving a nod towards the brindled roan. “Who are you?”
If there was one thing Raxa did not like, it was foals that were obnoxious on purpose, just to see who they could get a rise out of. The brindled mare noticed Ashara and her weanling colt first, her ears pricking forward as they approached. A couple of strides before, the colt, Cicero, broke away and started galloping toward Jedi and Raxa. The mare flicked her tail, clearly not pleased with that. The colt shouldn't be doing that.
Ashara seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she broke into a gallop and intercepted her colt. The duo continued forward toward the mare and stallion warriors. Cicero broke from his dam's side and went to greet Jedi, nuzzling the stallion's shoulder. Raxa didn't know much about the paint, but if she had to guess, this colt was either his, or he'd taken it in as his own, just as Raxa's friend Anahi had done with the roan colt Loken.
Ashara caught up with the group soon after. The brindled mare resisted the urge to chuckle as Cicero gave her a pointed look, one that Raxa knew well. She'd shot it at her own dam several times before they'd been separated. Raxa nodded hello to Ashara, a non-verbal way of greeting and saying she was fine.
Cicero then decided to turn his attention to Raxa, it seemed, as he asked who she was. Still remembering his earlier display, the brindled mare flicked her tail again, ears turning back slightly as she spoke to the colt.
"I, like your father, am a warrior, young colt. You'd do right to show some respect around us, especially your sire. Galloping up all crazy like that is disrespectful. I can tell Ashara thinks the same thing; she's got that look in her eye," Raxa said, glancing at the palomino mare.
The painted stallion stood awaiting the arrival of Ashara and Cicero, the three made an odd family but Jedi wouldn't trade it for the world. Cicero was not his blood son, but he might as well as have been. His thoughts were distracted when the roan warrior snuck up on him. His ears pricked as he recognized the voice and gave a smile Hello Raxa he nodded his head to the mare in response to her question and gave a small laugh. The warriors had little time to themselves and the Falls was rapidly growing in numbers. It was important Jedi kept everyone trained in case of a war, and border patrols in case of an intruder.
Any down time he had he pretty much spent it with his family. Before he could say more the golden colt came charging in with Ashara trailing behind. He gave a smile at there view although it seemed that Cicero was testing his mother again today. He couldn't help but laugh at the colt who was truly innocent and enjoying the freedom he gains everyday. Ashara was first to speak and give a greeting in which Jedi replied Hello Ashara, how are you doing? he asked knowing the colt was testing her limits. The colt than nuzzled up to Jedi glaring at his mother. He gave him a glance as if to politely request he knock it off in front of company Cicero are you behaving?
His gaze quickly trailed to the roan as she began to spoke, rather snippy in tone and attempting to punish the colt. He knew that Raxa had a short temper, but he did not feel it was her place to correct the colt, nor demand respect. Now now Raxa, he is just a colt. Surely you had a time in life that you didn't want to listen to anyone he gave a snort hopeful to divert the conversation. Cicero was just a colt, barely a year old. It was normal for a foal to not want to listen to there parents, to test there limits.
Raxa glared at Jedi as he practically, though discreetly, chastised her for disciplining Cicero. Why was he taking the colt's side? Surely he felt the same way she did, that what the palomino colt did was disrespectful in the presence of two powerful warriors. And yet, at the same time, she'd been caught.
When the paint stallion made the good point about how Raxa might have been as a foal, well... Darn it. The brindled mare snorted, shaking her head in a show of annoyance.
"I would get mad, but... damnit, I walked myself into that one didn't I?" the mare asked, shooting a look at Jedi as she stomped a hoof.
If you're ever gonna find a silver lining It's gotta be a cloudy day
She could tell the other mare wasn’t pleased, that was expected. For whatever reason Raxa didn’t seem to like Ash much despite her warm interactions and friendly attempts. She was determined to be kind regardless, hoping eventually it would ware down the prickly mare. The others words, however, were crossing a line. It was true the boy was a handful, perhaps genetics from his biological father, but he was her responsibility, regardless if the brindled roan was correct. She was relieved that the overo stallion spoke up, her words would not have held such tact. Her own expression was still that of exasperated emotional exhaustion and embarrassment. It was heartbreaking to love someone with every fiber of her being and determine boundaries. She wanted to give him his every desire and protect him from harm, but also raise a son who was loyal, respectful and kind. It was a fine line to tread between love and tough love. The few times she had to nip him for extreme disobedience it killed her inside. Other mares made it look so easy, raising a foal. Luckily she didn’t have to do it alone, and Jedi’s soft easy-going tone helped the golden vixen relax slightly too. “To be honest, I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Cicero has been very busy, feeling quite confident on his legs now he was climbing rocks at the base of the waterfall just this morning. He’s going to give me a heart attack.” She shook her head to express her displeasure but the love in her eyes was undeniable no matter what he put her through. “And you Jedi? And Raxa, how are you? With all the alliances being formed does that keep you more or less busy?” With the young palomino colt keeping her busy and her fear of leaving the kingdom she had been sheltered from much of the goings on in and outside of the kingdom.
It's a new world, it's a new start. It's alive with the beating of young hearts.
Dad is welcoming as always. His deep chuckle vibrates against my side that is touching him and it kinda tickles. He asks if I’m behaving and the mischievous grin crosses my maw. “Maybe” I say sheepishly. The other mare returns my question with even more sass than I had used. I turn away and try to hide in dads tail but that’s more difficult now that I am over half his size. Nobody talks to me like that. I don’t like this stranger. Dad is quick to jump to my defence though and I can’t help but smirk. It’s always easier to get my way with him, he’s much more lenient. I’m feeling much more confident in his presence after he puts her in her place, that I wonder back to face the one father called Raxa. I’m debating sticking my tongue out at her but I feel like I shouldn’t push it. I am curious what she would do, would she lash out again, or get physical. But I hear mom retelling my morning adventure and I feel quite pleased with myself.
“I want to be a warrior too but mom says it’s too dangerous. She never lets me have any fun.” I rear up to show how big and strong I am now, I can just see over fathers head from this vantage. My front feet slide down his side as I not so gracefully land in a little play fighting. I pin my ears and reach out to grab his mane to prove myself capable.
