Just Another Bachelor (Open)

[bullseye]

What was once a sharp stabbing pain had dulled to consistent throbbing. The fall had been a mere week ago, but it felt like much longer since Banner's herd had been yanked from his life. The dull throb of his left foreleg and now scabbed over gash in his far hindquarters made walking--a once easy task--sheer agony.

Banner's number one goal had been water. Find water. Follow water. Drink water. It was the key to survival out here, he knew. One of the keys, at least.

The next key to obtain would be a herd. Whether bachelor or traditional was unimportant--large numbers were.

For the time being, Banner decided, he would drink some water, nibble some grass, and regain some more strength.

[Saz]

With each step that took her further away from her homeland, Mask grew increasingly nervous. This was the first time, ever, that she had been on her own outside of the herdlands. Her mother had told her many things of her previous lifestyle, including where she had met Elding, Mask's sire. That place was named Sunshine River, the place that gave almost every terra its water. She had followed the river out of the Ridge and back to its source, bringing her to this place. Unusually she had come across no other beings in her walk out of the terra. But it seemed, as she drank from the cool waters of the Watering Hole, that finally she had come across someone new. Her gaze locked onto the stallion, watching his every move as she paused mid-drink. She swallowed the water already in her mouth before straightening up and observing the stallion a little more openly.

She moved out from her shadowed haven, taking careful steps toward the damaged creature as though not to spook him. He had various scars and scratches across his bodice, but the most prominent was a large gash over his far hindquarters, it was scabbed over and slowly healing, but he limped as well, showing that he had obviously been in a bad fight or accident. Her ears quirked forward and she halted a few feet away, unsure whether to go any closer. By appearance, he would be quite a bit slower than most should he decide to suddenly attack her, not to mention she was a full hand taller than he was, giving her a height advantage should he chase her. Her compassion shone through her nervousness as she glanced him over once more and finally spoke, "Are you okay?" She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly and catching his eyes with hers. "Sorry, where are my manners, I'm Masquerade, or Mask. Who might you be?" She asked sweetly, her eyes crinkling at the sides as she smiled warmly at the slightly older stallion.

[bullseye]

The movement of the sun was the only testament to the passing of the time. Hours ticked by and the only sign of life was the occasional bird, though even those were rare due to the season. Although faded and dry, the grass provided fulfillment and a mindless, familiar task to the displaced stallion. Every now and again, he'd raise his head and peer around him, taking in the sights of this strange land. Here, by a rich source of water, the trees proudly displayed their autumn hues of red and yellow, but those further from the moist soil sported leaves ringed with various shades of brown.

This shaded scenery, full of tall, hearty trees was unfamiliar to the mustang. Even the dying grass contained more moisture, more life than that of which he'd grazed upon his entire life. The hydration was certainly a welcome change from the arid trek that led him to this land.

The unmistakable cadence of hoofbeats eventually caught Banner's attention. A mare, his honed sense of smell told him. Her steps were slow, cautious. The stud scented the air, searching for any indication of an accompanying stallion before his eyes even laid rest upon the filly's shadowed form. He snorted, limped a few additional strides away, to be on the safe side, and carried on with his mindless grazing.

After lurking in the trees for a few minutes, the black filly eventually moved out of her cover and approached the watering hole's bank. Banner flicked an ear in her direction. No doubt about it, this gal definitely didn't have the confidence of an aged mare. The dark stud moved toward a fresh patch of grass when the obsidian filly caught his eye with a tilt of her head. Looking up from his meal, Banner met Mask's friendly gaze as she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Mask. Name's Banner." The stud sized up the young mare. It seemed strangely fortuitous to encounter a lone female so shortly after entering this territory. Banner again scanned the trees, searching for a sign of another stallion. 'I'm in no state to fight. If this is another stud's gal, I shall tuck tail and run... for the time being.

But if this pretty lady happened to be unclaimed, Banner was not about to blow his shot at a new herd. Limping closer to the water provided an easy way of maintaining conversation without approaching the filly and ticking off whomever called her his.

"I'll live. Just some new battle scars to add to the collection--it'll heal," he gave the filly a reassuring smile. "I'm a stranger to these new parts, I'm afraid. Not sure of where I'm going or what I'm doing. I don't suppose this little paradise has a name?"

[Saz]

She grinned brightly, "Lovely to make your acquaintance, Banner." She replied, watching him and waiting his answer on his actual condition. She took after her sire in her compassion and kindness toward those she did not know. But when offering assistance and help to those in need, it was always an upside when they were easy on the eyes, just as this battered, rugged stallion was. She nodded silently, not bothering to argue on the case of his health, after all, most individuals knew themselves better than a random stranger.

She glanced around the watering hole before lowering her muzzle to the sweet grasses and taking a few bites as he asked her about the territory. "Oh this place? This specifically is known commonly as the Watering Hole, we're currently in the land known as Sunshine River, the name comes from the river that flows through most of the territories here. If you follow the source of the watering hole back, then you'll find the river this place is named after." She nickered, easily sharing the names and some brief information about the land they both now resided in.

She paused, glancing around the terra once more before refocusing once more upon the older stallion. A swift breeze blew through the trees, catching hold of her obsidian mane and causing it to swirl stormily around her face and neck. She inhaled the fresh air deeply, closing her graphite orbs for a brief moment before glancing back toward Banner. "So where do you hail from, Banner? I was born not far from here, my father owns part of a territory known as Rainbow Ridge, it's a truly beautiful sight. Though most of the territories scattered around Sunshine River are beautiful, so its possible I'm just being biased." She blushed a little as she realized that she was rambling, it was often something she resorted to whenever she got awkward or nervous.

If Sken or Alskling, or really any of her siblings, were here she knew that they would rib her over it, repeatedly, for the course of the next six months. That was if Sken didn't get all territorial over her and get all grumpy with Banner. One could never quite know with stallions, but at least you always knew where you stood when you were with them. Mares on the other hand, crafty and sly creatures. More than once her mother had given her the cold shoulder over some small matter, it was always quickly forgotten however. Life was peaceful in Elding's herd, just as it always had been.

[bullseye]

The stallion watched Mask as a brisk breeze cropped up and teased her flowing mane. Banner took in what was nothing short of a picturesque image of a strikingly pretty wild mare. And though the young stud attempted to curb his male instincts, being alone with this lovely filly made it tough to focus on keeping his distance.

Banner cast his eyes over the Watering Hole as Mask named it and the land that contained it, Sunshine River. That river must be the one he followed into this territory, Banner mused. The one which had supplied him with lifesaving water and some form of direction in an unfamiliar place. He had no doubt it had been a saving grace for many equines before himself, possibly even this sire Mask mentioned. The stud doubted that the obsidian filly, young as she was, had ever strayed from this safe haven. When he thought about it, short of ticking off the natives and getting himself driven out of town, he couldn't think of a reason to vacate the premises. Here, there was grass aplenty and an abundance of fresh water. No humans, no men with flapping yellow raincoats, no loud machines descending upon an unsuspecting herd from the sky. Not yet, at least. Banner reminded himself to wait for confirmation of his suspicions before jumping to conclusions.

Mask described her sire and his territory. Interesting, that he should let his daughter stray from his sight—apparently the stallion was secure in his status. Though, Banner had to admit, any reasonable stud would seek to send his daughter off to a new herd. Couldn't have blood breeding blood. Did this mean, though, that this lovely filly was unclaimed?

The black filly's words came to an abrupt halt, a look of sheer embarrassment crossing her already shy demeanor. Banner eyed her curiously, almost forgetting to answer the query she'd offered him.

“Um, don't know that where I come from has a name,” the dark stud mentally kicked himself for starting off so ineloquently. “I've just always called it, well, Home. Never known another, so this place is quite... new to me.”

For a moment, he just eyed the black filly. “I suppose eight years in a desert is long enough, though. Perhaps, if I can find myself a reason to stay, I'll spend a bit of time enjoying a new land. A new Home.” Banner gave Mask a quick grin before moving on. “You're not out here by your lonesome, are you, Miss Mask?”

[Saz]

She smiled gently, understanding, to some extent, what he meant as he spoke of his homeland. She paused before the corners of her mouth quirked upward in a bright grin, "Perhaps, why do you want to know? So you can possibly steal me away? Or are you merely being a gentleman and offering to escort me back to my homeland?" She asked, watching him with a mischievous glint in her graphite eyes. Bravery flooded through her and she took a few steps to close the distance between them both. "To answer your question. Essentially I'm not here alone, I am with you, am I not? But if you are asking about my status within the world of mares and stallions, I am alone. But it seems you are too." She was unsure where she was going with this, but her instincts and hormones were currently ruling that she seduce and flirt with this handsome stallion.

He was riddled with scars but was also very healthy, something that added up to him being a strong individual. Before she could speak again, a blast of cold air ripped through the trees, cutting through her shaggy winter coat. She glanced up at the darkening skies and knew that she should probably head home, but what of Banner. What would he do for shelter and protection. Instantly she knew. He would come home with her, and in the spring, they could leave. Swishing her tail decisively, she turned back to her new friend and resumed speaking, "It's getting cold and winter will soon set in. And considering you're new around her, I vote that you come to my homeland. My father is kind, he will allow you to seek shelter with us. And then, maybe in spring we can resume this conversation." She grinned slightly, and gently pushed her muzzle into his neck before taking a few steps toward the trees she had come from. "C'mon slowpoke, don't wanna get beaten by a girl, do ya?" She teased him lightly, glancing over her shoulder at him as she spoke.

[bullseye]

Banner couldn't help but to be taken aback as Mask's lips curled into a flirtatious smile and her words gained an edge of seduction. Naive as this gal seemed, instinct seemed to be grabbing her by the ears and leading her headlong into the world of courtship.

The dark stud returned Mask's smile with one of his own, but didn't have time to answer her query before she continued her train of thought. There was no doubt in Banner's mind that this young mare was as interested in him as he was in her. You've just arrived in this land and already have a potential mare. You lucky devil, you, thought the young stallion.

The mustang's thin, desert coat proved to be no match for the barrage of icy winter wind that battered the two equines. Stoic as the average stallion, Banner hid his discomfort, but just barely. His body would have to adapt to this new climate, he knew, and he could only hope his system was as fast a learner as he was.

"Impossible to say no to a forward gal such as yourself, Miss Mask," Banner said with a wink. "And I'd be a downright rogue if I didn't escort a pretty lady back to the safety of her herd.

"I just hope," the stud started, sidling closer to the filly, "that this particular gal can keep up."

He ended his sentence with a nudge to her shoulder, kicked up his heels, and galloped in the direction Mask had started.