And glory was his name [closed]

[lilmisspony]

Eternal Glory

Nal Trotted into the valley with all the grace of a sledge hammer. That was not to say that it lacked style, for it was a most interesting trot, High in the knees, and swaying, like he was a little drunk. It was his favourite of his twelve trots, to him it said "this boy likes to have a good time", and was much more fun than his "Too lazy to care if I wake up tommorow or not trot.

He could see horses all around, big horses, tall horses, fat horses, black horses and grey horses. It had only been a week since he had been kicked out of the last land. Something or other about stealing the lead's stallion, laughing at the lead and trying to send him over a cliff. Not that he had intentended to, no horse was foolish enough to want to fall over a cliff, and no horse was stupid enough to beleive that by falling off a cliff they would fly.

Nal used the sway from his trot to bring him upwards into a rather pathetic rear, mainly so becasue he had tried to do so as he was stepping forward on his backlegs. He tried again from a standstill with much more spectacular reesults, and then, delighted that it had worked the second time, he forgot to call his triumph in the valley. But such was life.

Nal dropped to the ground, and began to graze. Food, mares, and fun. It was his life.

[sundance]

Sundance gracefully cantered into the place. She looked around a few times as she slowed to a jog, and seeing nothing she stopped. But then there was a stallion, looking a little bit woozy, cropping the grass before her. She wondered why he was here, but it was the claiming place, despite the fact he looked way too boozy to even have reached this place. She whinnied politely from a safe distance.

[lilmisspony]

Nal lifted his head upon hearing the mare's calling... surely she was calling for him. After all, Nal often liked to think of him as an extraordinarily handsome creature, his silver dapples adding texture and style to his already beautifully golden hide. He took his time walking towards her, muscles rippling beneath his coat with each slow and exaggerated stride of his canter. Another one of his favourite gaits, this one said to him (and the world) that he was a refined, yet enjoyable creature. At least, he liked to think that that was what it said.

With such a slow stride, there was almost no need to slow his pace to halt beside the mare, so once he was a mere few strides from her, he brought himself into a most minute rear to stop him, and immediately sank to the lowest of bows, one fore leg stretched in front of him, and another tucked behind.

He held such a position for a count of five, before raising as smoothly as possible. She was a lady, was she not? And she therefore deserved the "eternal" treatment. He looked deeply into the golden mare's eyes, attempting to look soulful, and uttered in as silky a voice as he could muster "It is a pleasure to meet you, my dearest mare. May I be so bold to ask what a delicate flower like you is doing in a desert such as this?". Poetry, they loved poetry. Nal knew that one from experience. He did not know what gave him such a thrill in doing this to every mare that he came across, but as long as it gave him thrills, he would sure to woo every equine that was female.

[sundance]

Sundance stared at the palomino before her. He appparently thought he was everything and a little bit more. A very puffed-up stag. Perhaps she could change that. Everything he had done up to this point had not enticed her in anyway. Kindness and grace would, not poetry and swaying strides. She snorted and shook her white mane, breaking into a brisk trot away from him. She wanted to see if he'd chase her, and she swished her ivorn banner playfully.

[lilmisspony]

Eternal Glory

Nal watched the golden hide retreating with mild surprise. The mare had not even given a mere "hello, I hate you, let me go this way now", so much as a warming to his attempted charming ways. Which was strange, becasue that tactic had worked on almost every mare that he had tried it on. And almost was at least ninety-nine out of one hundered. If she was going to be so foolish, was it even worth chasing her? Nal swished his tail vigorously as he thought. To chase her would be playing right into her hooves, for surely she wanted him to follow and enjoy some playful banter. But what if she really did hate him? Or was so, to put it politely, stubborn, as not to know a good stallion when one bowed in front of her?

Nal became more agitated, adding small rears and side steps into the swishing frenzy of his tail, as the mare crept further and further out of sight. He couldn't play into her hooves like a common stallion out to own a mare, and breed her like she was a possession. But he couldn't let her go, either, it was just so, not him to do so. Not to mention that his herd would have been so upset with him for letting such a fine young lady slip away so easily.

In midrear, Nal decided to go after her, and his hooves hit the ground after he had began striding towards her. This time there were no slack gaits, no wobbling, but instead a fast and rhythmic gallop that sent the earth quivering beneath him. When Nal had to cover ground, he could outpace a good deal of other horses. He had had to learn, otherwise he would have ben killed many times over by stallions persuiting him out of sheer blood-thirsty rage.

He was closing in on the mare now, unsure of what to do. Her trot may have been brisk, but he still slowed down to a bounding, stretched canter as he closed in on her. What would she do now that Nal had so willingly played into her hooves? Not even out of breath, he called to her in his kindest, softest tones "Please kind mare, must you run off so rudely and leave me with a slack jaw and a bruised heart?". The canter slowed slightly, but Nal still continued to lift his knees and hocks high with each stride. It was just his natural gait, like foolishly chasing mares was his natural past time.

[sundance]

Sundance stopped trotting and turned to face him. She didn't believe he really had a bruised heart. He probably said that to every mare. Well, she would make him try all of his tricks. Then he'd have nothing to resort to. She stood facing her fellow palomino, although her coat shone in the sun like a gold coin and his was pale, like buttery cream.
She tossed her blanche forelock from her poll as to see him clearly. He didn't look exactly hopeful. Maybe mad. Maybe hopeful. She wasn't sure. Sundance chewed with her words a bit, thinking over what to say."I wanted to find a stallion who meant what he said." Oops. That had been a little meaner than she'd anticipated, but her point and piece of mind nonetheless.
The golden fae cocked one of her hind hooves as to shift her weight. She didn't need a stallion like this one, she told herself. This one - wait, what was his name? She hadn't bothered to ask. "M'name's Sundance."

[lilmisspony]

Eternal Glory

Nal slowed to a halt, slightly put off. This mare would not be wooed by tricks and poetic speech. He had not had much experience with this type, but it had been the most painful in all his experience. His tail swished limply as he quickly formulated a plan. If this mare was not going to fall for him, she would find herself at the end of one of his endless pranks. Simple really, but she did not know that. Not that he was not going to give her a chance to come with him, but if she was to be so stubborn as to fail his advances.... either way, he would win.

He bowed his head respectfully, allowing his silver forelock to fall gently into his eyes, and looked at the mare once more assessing her from beneath the few wisps of forelock. Yes, the decision was made, and it seemed that she would be worthy for him to continue on.... she was pretty, but then, to him, most mares were.

Nal looked up to the heavens, then to the river and finally the mare before raising his eyes skyward once more. Hesitancy, so it would seem. He turned his eyes upon the mare once more, and showing all the kindness in his eye that he could muster, he said "and you would make a liar out of me? That is so cruel, kind mare. Now you just make my heart bleed". It was true, for wht he was, one thing that hurt him the most of all was others doubting him. Especially when it came from mares. Partially it was becasue it made him think that he was loosing his touch, but also it was a genuine sadness that others woulds see him as such.

Nal caught himself before he let an untruthful tear roll down his cheek, and holding his head a little higher, and his voice a litthe more powerfully, he continued on "It is indeed a pleasure to finally hear your sugar-laced tones, Sundance. I hail by Eternal Glory, for it was I that eternally glorified my herd back home, but, becasue you are such a beauty, you may call me Nal." The last two phrases were said with a softness that had taken Nal years to refine, and he was proud to have such a tone.

He had already lain himself bare for the golden mare standing in front of him, for he was playing into her hooves like a sheep into wolf's paws. The next moves was hers, she was now the leader of this dance.

[sundance]

OOC: Noo, that's Ramiera. Different mare. If you could delete your post, that'd be lovely.

Sundance stared at the creamy palomino, looking sad and stripped of his partygoer status. Did he sound serious? Hard to say. The dappled stag seemed like the type to ditch her after a week or two, then find another. But a tear? Unexpected for such a playboy stud. Rays gleamed on her sunkissed canvas as she stood before the dappled stag. Nal. Like Nasal, but not really, but still. Anyway, Eternal Glory? That seemed like a mare's name. No wonder he had a nickname. "Thank you, Nal." He handed out compliments like jellybeans. A bleeding heart? She wasn't sure. Best thing to do was apologize, but could she? "I can't fathom if you lie or not, but I'm sure you've chased some Arabs in your day." She glared at him, he looked like he'd fall for the prettiest mare and she wasn't it. Not that she cared. Or did she? Confusing.

[lilmisspony]

Eternal Glory

Nal bowed his head respectfully, it seemed that this mare may still be won, if only he could lay his heart down to her. But his cards, and true thoughts, would be played far closer to his chest than what he would his heart. Nal composed himself slightly, and allowed the most minute of impish grins to cross his lips. He looked at the mare, again through his forelock, and said to her, as kindly as he could muster "If only you knew what I have chased, dearest mare. An Arab or two, is fantastic indeed, but The hearts of the moon and the stars, the thrill of the chase of the deer, the sheer majesty of the hidden lands. Those make even the sweetest of mares, like yourself, seem beige in comparison. He chuckled lightly, beige. That was a new "poetic license" for him. But now came his most important manouvere. This could cost the mare her heart, her dreams or maybe even her life. it depended on how carefully she chose.

Nal lifted his head a little once more, and softened his eyes. Acting the part was indeed hard work, but Nal had been at it from day one, and the hardest and most important tricks had always been his specialty. Through a soft and sweet voice, one best suited to a kindly forest-dweller, Nal added in one last sentence. The sentence. "I can teach you, if you like". It was far from his best, but it was not his worst either. Who knew, perhaps this mare liked slightly blundering stallions.

[sundance]

Sundance cocked her head aside. "Teach me what?" He was poetic, probably a softie from the way he looked. She swished her whipcord of frost hairs, discouraging the flies again. Her interest had been perked a little, but not too much. She wasn't sure what his sweet tone meant, nor what he had even spoken. What would he be able to teach her?

[lilmisspony]

Eternal Glory

Nal inwardly sighed. How could the mare have failed to understand what he had said? The promise had been such a sweet one, too stay with me, and we can run with the stars, search for hidden lands and befriend the shiest of all the forest creatures, was the essential meaning. Could the pretty arab mare honestly be that silly?

Outwardly, his composure did not falter nor did his heart did not skip a beat. Nal let his voice become quieter, and if possible become softer (to match his ever-widening eyes) as he answered the mares question politely. Of course. "Why, Kind mare, teach you how to chase the hearts of stars and the moon and seek the hidden lands of glory. Teach you how to feel the wind on your mane, and the dirt beneath your hooves. Teach you how to feel like you never have." The last sentence was said so slowly, and so quietly that it was it was a barely audible whisper, as though the wind had spoken it, and not the stallion.

Uncannily, at that moment, a light breeze played past the two horses, lifting Nal's mane and tail ever so slightly. Nal lifted his head, and looked inot the light breeze for a moment before turning back to the mare, and finishing his speech with what seemed to be a renewed power. The wind was on his side, Nal could feel it. "So, delicate flower, shall you take my hoof and let me teach you how to be more horse than you could ever dream?"

[sundance]

OOC: I really had no clue what you meant. Sorry! rofl plz don't bash Sunny for it! xD She is Morab type.

Sundance pondered this suggestion. True, she was shy and hadn't felt much like a horse in a long time. Especially since she'd been seperated from her family band.... but that was all gone now, like the mother she'd lost and stopped searching for after three years. She had only dreamed of finding her old friends and family, not exploring and running wild like Nal envisioned for them. Was that the life that she wanted? Sundance couldn't say.
She lifted her elegant head to look at Nal again. They hadn't had a wonderful start, but better than nothing. Her old mate had vanished, leaving her. Luckily she hadn't been in foal, but pregnant by this laid-back stag? Hard to imagine, and less pretty to think about. Still, did he love her? Love meant more than swooning and poetry. Maybe she could learn to love him over the span of their journey, search for a territory perhaps. So she simply replied, "Yes."

[lilmisspony]

[ooc]it is fine....Sunny won't be bashed for it, don't worry. Nal is too, uh, studdish to bash on mares. Well, for a while anyway. [/ooc]

Eternal Glory

She was unfathomable, the little mare. She would not show any outward signs of love, curiosity or any other emotion really. Which made Nal think: did this mare really understand what she was getting herself into? A dance with glory often turned out poorly for those involved, and Nal almost felt sorry for taking in the mare. Almost. She was too much of a fine lady for him to feel guilty. Surely she was too strong to let one fling hurt her.

Nal nodded, softly, and almost imperceptably "you are wise, my beautiful lady. Come, let me lead the way." He began to turn, before pausing and looking back, "As of yet, I have no land here, so, you and I must find our paradise together". With that statement, and a final soft, calculating look over the palimino mare, he turned on his hind, and began trotting up out fo the valley in his trademark flashy trot, with slightly less sway than usual. Although the mare had so quickly seemed to change her mind, Nal was still upon delicate ground. The pretty palimino was hardly swooning in love with each breath she took. Perhaps the mare had a few tricks up her hoof, perhaps she wanted to bring Nal down for good. Perhaps that was the only reason she was willing to follow him.

Whatever the challenge, be it making the mare fall utterly fetlock over forelock in love with him, making her realise that life was not as sweet as what was promised, or dancing his way out of boiling water, Nal was sure to relish in it.

[sundance]

[[Where do you have in mind for a land?]]

Sundance nodded and picked up a crisp trot, following the pale stag. What had she gotten herself into? She decided to wait and see where he took her, and how it turned out. Perhaps she could even have a foal, although Nal hardly seemed like the type to stick around for the birthing. Lowering her head, she hoped that she wasn't trotting briskly into the mistake of her life. She'd been there, done that, been foolishly in another love-and-run scheme. She'd done what she would attempt to do with Nal, soften up an outcast or loner. And what had the ungrateful brute done? He'd abandoned her. Hopefully Nal wasn't the stallion to stoop that low.

[lilmisspony]

there is no free land, however, I have set up a challenge ofr rival stallions in Apple Alley.

Thread is now officially dead, please lock