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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 16, 2008 18:18:11 GMT -5
Zania had been walking for a while. She was weary. The light fur on her side was stained with dried blood from a fight with a cougar earlier that day. She was a far way away from home, but she didn't know where. She lifted her nose to the air. She smelled other horses, but she couldn't see any. She stopped to rest for a moment.
"Maybe I should stop for now....I think that the cat is far away.Besides, I DID give it a good kick in the side...."
Her side was hurting her. It stopped bleeding a while ago, but it still hurt very bad.
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Post by Swede on Mar 16, 2008 18:30:05 GMT -5
A smoky grey shadow slunk along silently. Almosa wasn't an evil horse- just odd, and fairly old-fashioned in his ways, and somewhat gruff. Some thought he was bad, but he wasn't. No, really, he's actually a pretty good guy. He just didn't like to talk, preferring body language and acting the way traditional stallions do. And at the moment, he was hunting for mares. And here was one, right in front of him, apparently injured. Iron plume tucked against his body, he picked up a steady trot, swerving closer. The scent of her blood was unnerving, and he wanted to check that out first. Claiming her could be done later.
A low, rumbling nicker welled from deep in the stallion's throat. He stepped closer, coat reflecting no light, until he was only inches from the mare. His nose crossed to her side, where blood was clotted in the thick winter coat. Inquisitive eyes ran across the wound, observing the mare, while flared nostrils took in her scent and investigated the damage done. With a snort, he yanked his muzzle away, swishing his tail while looking her in the eyes. Typical horse behavior, yes? Some thought his ways were odd. Others recognized him for the utterly natural horse he was. Take your pick.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 16, 2008 18:38:52 GMT -5
Zania didn't smell or see him until he was inches from her. She didn't move, terrified of what he would do, and too tired from running to run anymore. She watched him examine her wound. He didn't talk, like all the other horses she had known. No, instead he nickered. Zania wondered why he did this. She looked at him. He was iron grey with a snip. She could tell he was a wild horse like the ones she had seen. She didn't consider herself wild. After all, she was born from a purebred thoroughbred and her sire was a purebred percheron. No, she was not a mustang originally.
This stallion interested her. She lightly whinnied at him, thinking maybe he didn't like talking. Still, she wondered why he didn't talk like the others.
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Post by Swede on Mar 16, 2008 18:50:53 GMT -5
Once he was satisfied that her injury was not life-threatening, Almosa fixed his entire attention on her. Perhaps he could just claim her now- that was something he often did, though rival stallions tended to challenge him for mares and win them away. Still, maybe it was best to get to know her first. This world perplexed him- as a colt, he had only his father to look up to, and his father behaved as your typical stallion did. But around here, there was all this caring and convincing and such. Almost never was it a fight and winner-take-all, no, around here each stallion put forth his best charm and then waited for the mare's choice. Almosa didn't understand it at all. But he was no stranger to enticing a mare along, either. So long as no competition was around, that was fine by him.
So, the iron-grey stud stretched out his neck, memorizing her scent as he always did around strangers, before finally saying quietly, "What's your name?" He cut it as short as he could be bothered; when you don't talk on a daily basis like all the other yakking equines around here, you get out of practice.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 16, 2008 19:00:23 GMT -5
The stallion fixed his gaze on Zania. She didn't know what he was thinking, but he was staring at her. She thought about running....but maybe not. He looked like he could easily caatch her anyways, even with her heritage. She watched him stretch his neck out and smell her. She wondered what he was doing, but realized he was just seeing what her scent was like. She heard him ask quietly what her name was. If she hadn't been looking and listening, she probably wouldn't have heard him. She replied,looking him in the eyes, "My name is Zania. What is yours?"
She listened intently for his reply. Her own voice wasn't too loud, since she hadn't talked to anyone in a very long time.
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Post by Swede on Mar 16, 2008 19:16:06 GMT -5
"Almosa." It was all that was necessary to say. If he talked anymore, he would get awkward or do something stupid. And this was not a stupid stallion. Not talkative, but not stupid. The thought of competition came to him again, and he threw up his head, scenting the wind and gazing at all the other horses here. If another stallion came and caused him trouble, he would quite happily fight. But he would not fight if he was easily outmatched, oh no. Almosa's cardinal rule was to always take care of number one. Bindaree was an exception; he had grown quite fond of her, and she had stayed with him longer than most mares did. For her, he would fight hard. And for any mare in his herd, really. But it was a rare thing that a mare lived with him.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 16, 2008 19:31:00 GMT -5
Zania thought. Almosa. Hmm. Strange name. But weirdly, it fits him Zania realized that talking made him uncomfortable. She wondered why. She didn't say this, of course, so he wouldn't become even more uncomfortable. She noticed that he used body language and such more than he talked. So, that's what I'll do. I'll be like a normal horse. She smelled him, taking in his scent.
It was winter, and she was frisky. Maybe he likes playing, she thought to herself. She pushed him lightly on his neck with her nose, then ran a short distance, kicking out behind her occasionally. Her wound didn't hurt like it had earlier. She stopped, turning her head and nickered at him, stretching out her neck to see if he would catch on. She ran back to him, running around him in circles. She then ran back to where she had been minutes before
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Post by Swede on Mar 16, 2008 20:03:54 GMT -5
The stallion nodded to himself. Yes, a bit of frolicking might do him good. Almosa tossed his mane, and his thickly coated body came hurtling after her, loping tight circles as he kicked out. How long it had been since he had played like this... really, he could not remember. He had been a loner most of his life, and never been around others much. His parents never 'played' with him, and he wasn't around other colts throughout his juvenile years. Then, when he was an adult, he went straight to being a stallion. No play involved there. The stallion's breath fogged in the crisp winter air, and he nipped Zania's withers playfully.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 16, 2008 20:12:44 GMT -5
Zania whinnied in delight. Yes! He's playing! She galloped around in circles, trying to get away from him. He nipped her withers playfully, and she laughed. She galloped in a straight line, and then stopped. She whipped around. She barreled toward him. She didn't know whether or not he would swerve, but she kept on running straight at him. She thought, Wow, I haven't played like this forever. She swerved around him, and stopped. She reared up, pawing the air playfully, and came back down. She stopped then, looking to where Almosa was. She looked at him to see whether he would come join her where see was. She called out, "Almosa!"
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Post by Swede on Mar 18, 2008 18:48:39 GMT -5
Almosa threw up his head, and drove through the light snow back towards her. A light, carefree whinny echoed around the fields, as he caught up to Zania. The stallion bucked exuberantly, sprays of fluffy virgin snow kicked up from beneath his hooves. Quite suddenly, he stopped near her, and neighed loudly, calling Bindaree. Perhaps, if they met and liked each other, things would flow along more easily. As he did so, he glanced around uneasily, but was soothed by the fact that no other stallions had approached yet. He scraped at the ground with his hoof, unearthing some dry grass and snipping at it hungrily. Winter was a poor foraging season.
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Post by withers on Mar 18, 2008 20:08:55 GMT -5
The gray Arab cross's head flew up, ears shooting forward, as the call of her stallion beckoned her towards him. She began to canter, closing in on the sound, and let her brown eyes take in the snow-covered grass. In the distance, the River could be seen, if only as a mass of ice, glittering in a hypnotizing way as the winter sun's rays danced across its surface.
It was with difficulty that she located Almosa - in the Winter, though many horses stood out, he blended in with his surroundings as well as ever. His gray silhouette stood out like a shadow, and she slowed to a trot, cautiously making his way towards him as she noticed the other horse that was near. She lifted up her head, taking in the scent that blew her way with the wind. As it met with her muzzle, her nostrils flared. The scent of a mare and dried blood. At first, she felt a flare of concern; then comfort. If this mare was fatally injured, Almosa wouldn't have fetched her. He was smarter than that, this Bindaree knew.
Having confirmed that this stranger horse held no danger for her, her trot became livelier, and she slowed to a walk by Almosa's side. She nickered softly, nuzzling him, and allowing her warm breath to defrost the crystals of snow that stuck to his side. She raised her head and looked over at the mare. She trudged through the snow, closer to her, and dipped her head in greeting. Bindaree hadn't been the most talkative of mares, though never as silent as Almosa. Since when she met him, having found he didn't speak very much, she had come to use his method of motions rather than words. Still, she wasn't against speaking - not yet - and spoke to the mare easily. "My name is Bindaree. Who are you?"
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 18, 2008 20:45:50 GMT -5
Zania heard Almosa call for a mare, but what mare, she did not know. A gray mare came into view. Zania watched the mare left her head, smelling the air, and she came towards them. The mare nuzzled Almosa. 'Maybe this is his mare...',Zania thought to herself. Zania was looking to the ground by now, absorbed in her thoughts. She jumped when she heard the mare address her by asking her name. Since she didn't think she would need to be cautious about this mare, Bindaree, she replied in a friendly tone,
"I am Zania. Hello, Bindaree. How are you today?
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Post by withers on Mar 18, 2008 20:50:42 GMT -5
ooc: Posting order~
-Swede
-Withers
-Savveh/Savvy/Savannahgrey/Savannah...^^; I haven't decided on my nickname for you yet.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 19, 2008 4:59:07 GMT -5
ooc:okie dokie. lol. my friends call me vannah too. Theres another for you to ponder. =]
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Post by Swede on Mar 19, 2008 20:23:39 GMT -5
ooc: skip me, no muse
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Post by withers on Mar 20, 2008 10:47:48 GMT -5
ooc: Okies, Swedeh.
bic: Bindaree's ears flicked forward in response to the mare, Zania's, friendly tone. This mare seemed not at all hostile - rather pleasant, actually.
The gray mare shook her head, clearing her mind of the thoughts that seemed to drift there, almost like the gentle snow that fell from the heavens to land on her hindquarters. "Zania," She repeated softly. The name sounded odd on her tongue, but it seemed to fit her. "I'm very well, today - though I can't say your day has been the same." Rude or not, Bindaree was determined to find out what exactly caused the wound on this mare's shoulder.
"What was it that caused that?" Worry flashed through the spirited Arab's mind. As of late, equines had been disappearing, and there were rumors of vicious cats - cougars - who were preying on the weak and ill. If the cougars were attracted by blood, then this mare could be a danger to them all - even if the scent was mostly gone. Even if Zania told her it was an old wound, Bindaree would insist she roll, washing any bacteria traces out in the clean snow. The snow would also help hide the scent of blood - though it was still very faint, Bindaree knew not the sharpness of a cougar's nose. Perhaps it was much duller than her own; perhaps many times greater.
She shivered, sending the bit of snow that had fallen on her sailing to the ground. It was mid-winter now, the season that, for Bindaree, seemed to stretch on endlessly, on and on. But Spring would come - it always did; she'd learned that - and the valley would be filled with little dwarfed images of the larger, matured horses. Once more, Bindaree would go into heat. She glanced sideways at Almosa - it hardly seemed like yesterday that she'd met him, playful and in heat with Summer, but already it was Winter - and later, Spring. By then, perhaps, she would be the mother of his foal. But only if he decided to.
ooc: Yay! Muse! =D
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 20, 2008 16:04:04 GMT -5
The gray mare repeated Zania's name. She informed Zania that her day was going well, mentioning that she couldn't say the same for Zania. Bindaree asked what had caused her wound on her side.
"It is from a cougar, hours ago. I wasn't paying attention because I am tired, and the cat appeared out of nowhere it seemed; although, it most likely came from a tree."
The snow around the three horses feet had melted by now, so Zania moved to get out of the slush. She hated winter. The ground was so cold and wet. Plus, there was no grass. Even if there were, it was brown or yellow. Food was scarce in winter, unless it got warmer. Spring was coming, soon. Zania could feel it in her bones. She had never mated; been in heat, yes, but never had a mate or a foal before. She had seen mares and their foals, and felt almost deprived. The mothers looked so happy with their foals. Zania had never really wanted a mate, but was depressed when she didn't. She hoped spring would come also because of all the greenery and it was a time when the world came alive again.
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Post by Swede on Mar 20, 2008 17:24:12 GMT -5
Almosa swung his head upwards attentively. He had heard sneaky rumors about the pumas preying on equines like themselves- typically the young or the weak, but occasionally attacking those caught unawares, like Zania. But the dark grey stallion was more attentive than most. The space in his head that most equines filled with gossip and dull talk, he filled with care and observation. Few things passed him by unnoticed. But through some odd sort of events, Espirit de Fiesty had vanished and Almosa and Bindaree had been forced from their home. He did not quite understand how this had happened, but it was evident that a territory would have to be challenged for soon, ideally after this.
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Post by savannahgrey on Mar 28, 2008 22:40:41 GMT -5
ooc:Withers said to skip her because she has no muse....so, Im skipping her.
bic:Zania saw Almosa swing his head towards her.
Seems I got his attention at that. I wonder why?
Zania nickered questioningly at Almosa. She hoped he would talk, but perhaps not.
Zania wondered also why there were not more horses with them. She swung her head to look at Bindaree.
Bindaree, why is there only two of you? Did Almosa choose that? Or is there more of you somewhere else? Why doesn't Almosa have a territory? I'm assuming he doesn't since he isn't there, but, why not?
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Post by Swede on Mar 29, 2008 16:52:38 GMT -5
Almosa shrugged, and decided to answer simply for the sake of not seeming anti-social. "Cougars bug me. And I had a territory of sorts, the other stallion vanished and others moved in. For some reason, this left us homeless. And we used to be three, but she disappeared. I plan on claiming another territory shortly." It was a long speech, for him, anyway. His voice was slightly husky from disuse, and made him sound a little hoarse. But why was this mare alone? An unusual sight, a mare unaccompanied by a stallion. At least where he was from- here, however, mares tended to be loners much more often.
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Post by withers on Mar 31, 2008 11:37:39 GMT -5
ooc: 0-o; I'm forgetting a lot of things about my charries lately... Swede, did Almosa breed with Bindaree? -drawing a blank- And,by refusing to read the thread with Droom and Canisp, as well as listening to Return the Sea (such a powerful song... replenishes muse!) a bunch of times, I'm glad to say my muse has returned! Return to the Sea (youtube): ||Click||(One downside - listening to the long, 5-minute version kind of makes me want to kill my charries very dramatically... Hehehe... ^^; ) bic: Bindaree was surprised at how calm Zania sounded when speaking of a cougar attack. She was surprised even more, however, when Almosa spoke. He hadn't spoken to her...
Well, I guess I'm a lot less chatty than Zania, She admitted, and let it go - it wasn't like her to be jealous, especially not over such a small thing as words! She nodded in support for Almosa's story. "Espirit de Fiesty just... disappeared, without any mention of what he was doing," She added. "As loners on the edge of his territory, we had no choice but to leave, as well." She thought bitterly of the day when Espirit de Fiesty had gone missing. It was really rude of him! She bet he hadn't even thought to tell them he was leaving. Well, there was no way she would let herself be stolen when a new stallion came along. So... they'd left. Just like that. Bindaree herself wasn't sure how she felt of Almosa gaining a territory - she hadn't always been a loner, of course, but she'd grown used to the easy life, free of worrying challenges from other stallions. She didn't have to deal with such troublesome thoughts such as, "Is he okay?" or, "Did he lose our territory? Did he lose me?" Still, it could be nice to live a life where Almosa made the decisions - not some stranger stallion. Spring was in the air, and thank the heavens! Bindaree took in the sunlight, glittering on the still-melting snow that covered a patch of grass to her right. The Arab was having thoughts similar to Almosa's right now. Why was Zania alone? Obviously, she'd been alone, but that had been because of the flood that drove her from her herd. And she hadn't been alone for long; Almosa had soon found her. Bindaree decided to voice her thoughts. "Why are you alone, Zania?" |
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Post by Swede on Mar 31, 2008 16:04:41 GMT -5
ooc: Remember when he claimed her, they bred at the BC? It was like 2 posts long, then they went to the watering hole and then to Espirit's place. ^_^
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Post by withers on Mar 31, 2008 21:57:58 GMT -5
ooc: YES! I remember now!...That was in summer, right?
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Post by savannahgrey on Apr 4, 2008 9:54:08 GMT -5
ooc:sowwy ive been gone. =/
bic:
Zania heard Bindaree ask why she was alone.
I'm alone because I don't like humans....my mother and father were domestic creatures. My mother gave birth to me in the wild, and the wilderness was all I knew for a year, until my mother was taken away bythem. She tried to get me to come inside the strange barrier, but I wouldn't because of the humans. I don't like them, with their noisy machines and things. I was born in the wild, and I would stay there. I ran away from my mother's cries after a while. I've been wandering ever since. Sure, stallions have tried to claim me and bring me to their herds, but I never liked them. When they would try to force me, I kicked and bit and ran away. The reason the cougar got me was because i wasn't paying attention; I was being stupid. I knew there were cougars, I just didn't think.
Zania said all of this with her head down, remembering.
And I am calm about the cougar attack because I have been attacked many times by them or other things. They just don't scare me anymore. If anything, they get me extremely mad. I killed one once......and then I felt ashamed. I don't know why though.
Zania lifted her large head and looked at Bindaree and Almosa, trying to gauge their reactions to her story. Some would think it almost sad. Not Zania. She hated humans. She hated them because they took her mother away from her when she was a year, and she never really learned anything.
The things she did learn, like where to go to escape rain, wind, and snow, and how to effectively fight off cougars or other carnivorous animals, she had taught herself. She still was naive in many things, though.
I really hope they don't feel bad for me... Zania thought.
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Post by Swede on Apr 13, 2008 11:20:36 GMT -5
ooc: Me too, all week in Sweden with no internet. And I tihnk it was withers, dunno...
Almosa listened as quietly as he always did, and remarked on nothing when Zania finished. He had never really come in much contact with humans; his father had kept them isolated, hardly ever even coming in contact with other horses, and Almosa had adopted the same habits, knowing no other way of life. How was he to know this was strange? When he did meet others, few had liked him much- never saying anything, staying in the shadows, stealing mares while stallions weren't looking. But it was how his father had behaved, and it was the only influence he had ever had. And whenshunned for his behavior, he stayed even further away. He had Bindaree now, but still was fairly anti-social and never had anything to say.
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Post by savannahgrey on Apr 15, 2008 18:39:20 GMT -5
ooc: have you talked to withers lately? does she have any muse right now? And do you think that Almosa and Bindaree could accept Zania into their little herd? Because I'm starting to not be able to really think of anything to write. =/
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Post by Swede on Apr 15, 2008 20:12:15 GMT -5
ooc: withers is on minor leave, some school things apparently. And Zania is more than welcome  |
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Post by savannahgrey on Apr 19, 2008 9:24:23 GMT -5
ooc: Okay, yay! So now then...is anyone else's charrie in this herd besides us three?
And oh...okie dokie. =]
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Post by Swede on Apr 19, 2008 16:04:44 GMT -5
ooc: Nope. But I think Almosa's going to steal some land in WHV.
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Post by savannahgrey on Apr 23, 2008 14:50:44 GMT -5
ooc:okie dokie. =]
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