"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
As he scouted the area all six senses became alive in him. He was "The Hunter" after all and it was his given gift from the stars... The scars that crossed his frame forming the pattern from the night sky. Nothing escaped his pursuit, they could avoid him but sooner or later their fate was inevitable...
His sensory organs were seemingly on crack and loving it... Nares drew in scents from a mile off distinuishing source of each one that wafted by. He could hear the faintest of scuffles. One in particular coming from the brush from where he departed. He halted, looking to it's source. The mare had laid and the filly shifted about... Interesting. He decided to make his way back towards the pair. He caught a request from the mare of retrieving foilage for the filly. Surely if she was hungry she would come out... Wouldn't she... He figured he'd try speaking once more and see if she care to graze nearby. As he made his way back his mind wandered to the real reason he had come to this land. She was avoiding him as the scent trail he followed was long gone. Such a foolish girl. He'd find her... eventually.
Suddenly a gust of wind awoken him from his thoughts. He halted appruplty as sky hued eyes looked for its source. From within the brush he had neared, much faster than he calculated, a tiny snout appeared then withdrew. Muffled snickering shook the dried leaves. He smirked in amusement. A playful expression came about his features. He spoke in a tone of confusion and surprise...
The winds must be playing games with me for surely I felt the most blustery of breezes coming from this bush
He glanced about as if looking for an explanation. His gaze fell upon the mare still lying upon the turf. His muzzle forming a smile at the antics of the child. He spoke to Giselle...
Giselle let out a small chuckle as the darling child played with Orion. Giselle was glad she was sarming up to at least one of them. [i]"Did you feel that too?"[/b] he asks.
Giselle shook her head. "No, I guess that's a magical bush." Her eyes wide in astonishment. Her voice weighing with shock. Giselle smiled mirthfully.
Her attention returned to the foal. "Do you want to eat?" she asked. "I'm going to graze over there if you two need me. she said, pointing with her nose to a sunny patch. The rain had turned into a mist, and the sun had begun to shine. Giselle got up and walked over and began to graze.
The warm sun felt good on her back, the dampness on her back slowly disipating. She lifted her head. "Darling, you shoulde graze here for a bit, there's a puddle left from the rain."
She liked how he looked so watchful. He was careful like her and that was nice to see. She hadn't been around a whole lot of people, sure, but she sort of got the feeling that they normally weren't so cautious as she was.
She snickered from inside the shrub as he played along and asked the mare if she'd heard the noise. Azar turned to spy on her and beamed in delight at the wide look of astonishment on her face. Maybe she was good at this sneaking stuff! Then the woman looked to her and asked if she wanted to eat, then went to graze in a small clearing nearby. The filly's face blanked a little as she shook her head No, despite her growing hunger.
She would stay right here until Siberian returned for her, and sat her rump down pointedly to emphasize it. And he would come. Some time. He had never been gone this long but that didn't mean anything, really.
The little one shook her head no again when the mare tried to coax her over to eat, and she again turned so she couldn't see the woman. It was easier when she couldn't see them, as though in mirror they couldn't see her either. But her dark purple eyes looked to the man again and stared at him blankly as she now sat in plain sight. She would not eat til the black stallion came for her. She would not leave this place. Somehow this man would understand that even if she didn't say it.
Her body trembled a little from the cold. The dampness had not yet dried up from her coat. She still didn't say anything; she could, and she thought about it, but nothing seemed to be important enough to force her soft little voice from her throat. She well knew what it was like to go hungry, so it didn't upset her and she simply studied Orion to see what he would do next. Would he leave her too and never come back?
He remained still watching contently as the filly shifted about again. The weather was changing again around them. No more was the pitter patter of drops but a swirling and whirling of flakes. A few settled on his thick hide and as quickly as they appeared they vanished. The mare walked off a ways to graze on what little was left. He thought about joining her as a beckoning came from within. He dismissed the rumbling, for now. Lobes flickered about his crown to various noises. The young one exposed herself in a stubborn fashion, sitting... Waiting... What was she waiting for? Or who? Head cocked as he wondered what had happened to whatever it was she waited for. Lost in thought for a moment he pondered the who, what, whereand why... If it was someone she had lost surely he could offer assistance. He was "The Hunter" after all. He questioned her again hoping he had gained enough trust for an answer this time,
Who is it you wait for? Fore surely I could assist in your search if you shall wish.
Crown lowered to her level once more. Icicle blue orbs looked upon her in question. Waiting...
Giselle noted the shift in weather. As she grazed on the lowly blades of grass, she glanced at the filly. Understanding took over Giselle. She had been waiting for somthing (and someone) too. Giselle quit grazing and looked to see what Orion's reaction to her obvious rejection of fodder would be.
The spotted buckskin dam took notice that the girl preferred the man. Perhaps there's a reason to why she's seemingly refusing me. she thought to herself. Giselle grew more concerned as the temperature dropped and the girl seemingly had no winter coat. The lady slowly walked beside the gray steed. "Here's a riddle: I look flat, but I am deep,
Hidden realms I keep.
At times I am beautiful.
I can be calm, angry and turbulent.
I have no heart, but offer pleasure as well as death.
No one can own me, yet I encompass what all men must have. What am I?" she asked, to both the gray and the roan. She smiled. Word games were one of her most liked when she was a youngster.
His head tilted at her as he puzzled out for himself her behavior. She smiled shyly when he asked who she was waiting for and offered his assistance. She shook her head again though; she didn't want to find Siberian, Siberian would find her. When he was ready. It's how these things go. He leaves, she stays. And then he comes back! It was just taking a little longer this time, that was all. Right?
She trembled again as she glanced around a little nervously. Normally she avoided strangers, and she'd tried to this time too, but she was slowly seeing that she might need them after all. At least the man, she wasn't really sure what mares were good for. She rubbed her foreleg on her other leg as she mulled things over, knowing it would only grow colder when night fell. Would they leave then?
The woman Giselle moved to stand next to Orion and little Azar scrunched her nose and frowned at her weird speech. She spoke nonsense and it didn't hold the girl's attention for long. Instead, she moved cautiously to the man's other side, her head low and wary like the a wild critter. She tip-toed over slowly, and just barely touched her red muzzle to his foreleg.
She thought the mare moved again and startled, dancing away a few steps. But maybe she hadn't, so she carefully made her way back over. Wide, purple eyes stared up at him watchfully as she edged her little body closer and pressed against his leg. He was definitely warmer! And so big. She wasn't sure she should touch strangers, but she didn't think Siberian would want her to be cold. So she closed her eyes and nuzzled a little further into him, sighing softly and suddenly so very tired.
Safe. She felt safe with him, she thought. Almost like her black stallion, but not.
Lobes hung lazily off to the side as darkness soon consumed the lands. He was aware of all that was happening around the trio. Nothing concerned him much... The chill of Old Man Winter crept upon them. His frame was large enough and hide thick enough to maintain the heat needed to survive. His thoughts surfaced to the filly who avoided his question once more. He grinned. In time maybe she would speak. A look of concern as the filly thought things over. An internal battle of instincts and survival were taking place. He did not move, he waited...
A glance was given to Giselle as a riddle came forth. He smiled warmly looking towards the filly to see her response... Confusion. His massive shoulder shrugged as he spoke, Nice try. I will guess though. Is it a snowflake?
Stubborn little thing she was. He dismissed it as hind quarter cocked slightly. The girl scuttled about as she neared cautiously. Falling to rest at his hooves. Huddling for what warmth they gave. As she settled and seemingly nodded off he lowered his muzzle. Silver tassels draped over her like a blanket. His deep inhales were warmed then exhaled across her small frame. Any help he could provide her with was given. Even if she refused most of it...
As he makes his way back to where he had stashed the little filly who had brightened his dark world with her laughter, Siberian is joy tempered by apprehension. As outlined by Reagan, her gift of restored sight did indeed only extend to Taiga's borders, and the cursed milkiness filled his eyes once more as his hooves carried the Budyonny away from the piney territory. With a sigh, he adjusts his pace from a trot prompted by a proud excitement back to the shuffle-step of the sightless. It was still a better situation, this limited vision, than to not have it at all. Once he has brought Azar home, he will be able to see his little girl for the first time, will be able to run and play with the tiny unicorn. The bearshifter just hopes that, over time, Ruan might warn up to him and accept his presence in Taiga. Their first meeting had not gone so well, but he reasons that he can hardly blame the other stallion, since he had apparently suffered at the hands of the very horse who had sent Siberian to Taiga to begin with. Once Azar has been reunited with himself and settled in, perhaps he can locate Nymph and learn what his closest friend has been doing in the time since they were last together, or even Misra, who had brought to life in his heart feelings that had never stirred for anyone else. But first, Azar. He just hopes that she had remained in her hiding spot, and that no would-be rescuers had taken her away.
They were a family, now and always, and he would find her even if she had been spirited elsewhere. The black stallion retraces his steps as best he can, sniffing the air for familiarity and judging which direction he is facing by the feel of the sun's warmth on his body. It doesn't take him long to single out the little one's scent and travel along after it, but he pauses when he realizes there are two other scents intertwined with hers, one male and one female. He considers bear form for the intimidation factor, but decides against it. His daughter had never seen him as anything but a horse, and it could backfire horribly and frighten her as well. Best to save that for back in the pinelands, where he would be able to see and reassure her that it was merely her daddy in a different form. Resuming his careful walk, Siberian continues on until the triplet set of breathing can be heard, so loud as to nearly be on top of the gathered equines. Extending his muzzle for a horsey-kiss, he turns his sightless eyes towards the sound of the one he had come seeking, focusing on her before either of the two strangers. "Azar? Are you alright? "
It had been so long, so surely it would be soon now. Soon and he would come for her, as she knew he always did. It had been the longest time apart this time, but he always came back for her. He wouldn't just leave her forever. So she's only mildly surprised when she finally catches his scent, her little head jerking towards it with a frozen focus. Waiting. It really was him, wasn't it?
Oh, it was!
The black and blind stallion she knew as her only family appeared through the trees and approached. She gasped softly and gave a little squeal of delight as she trembled in place in excitement, waiting for him to find her. Ah! But she couldn't hold still after so long of missing him, and launched herself at him, pressing her cheek into his leg and shoulder so the little horn on her face wouldn't hurt him.
When his muzzle reached for her, she didn't hesitate to fill the space and nuzzle her nose into the contact, stepping forward more so that his touch dragged into her dark, crested mane to her withers before pulling back to stare at him. It was really him! He came back for her! He asked if she were alright, and for the first time since his departure, her soft voice coaxed right from her to answer him easily.
Yes, she answered. I'm ok. Orion and Giselle played with me and kept me safe and now you're here and we can go, right? She peered at him with wide, hopeful eyes he couldn't see, more than ready to be just the two of them again as it had been before.
