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 Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:35 pm
It looked like there might've been a few storms while he was away too; there was a large chunk of rock in the sand some way off to his left, and yes it looked as though the cliff had changed shape a little there where it must have fallen from. There also seemed to be quite a lot of other debris scattered about so the storm, or the most recent one at any rate, probably hadn’t been all that long ago. Satisfied that all was well, the bright-eyed Ichsa turned to his companion with a soft smile.
“So then,” he said, gesturing to the view with the tendrils of his right wing, “what do y’ think of that?”
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Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:37 pm
And the beach... She couldn't tell from where she stood, but a few scattered shells rested upon the shifting sands of the pale strip of land, and a brown moving speck or two here and there marked a crab as it scuttled back towards the salt water it called home.
The waves... They looked like something that was alive, some sentient being that refused to hold still and constantly beat its waves of water upon the shore. Here and there, she noted, were large chunks of rock that had broken off from the cliffside, and she could only imagine from what. How terrible were the storms here, to tear rocks from the cliff and scatter debris over the whole beach? But still, this place was simply, completely, and absolutely, "...amazing..."
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:45 am
The blue-eyed stallion grinned at his companion and nodded. “That was pretty much my reaction when I first came ‘ere,” he told her, smiling faintly as he recalled the moment. It had been slightly interrupted, but not spoiled, by that weird Ichsa mare of course but compared to the memory of the vast majesty of the sea she was a half remembered dream, insignificant as a fly.
“So,” the stallion pulled himself back to the present, “Y’ wanna go down t’ the beach? It’s kinda... shifting as a warning. Like loose soil but more... umm... sandy. Hard to describe but the footing’s a bit better where it isn’ too dry.” So far he was doing a pretty awful job of being a guide; far too many kindas and umms and the like. Sighing internally, the silver-marked Ichsa stared out over the expanse of sand below them again. Not only ought he to be being a better guide, he ought to be looking for this Bastet girl. Oh well, he was doing his best and he’d find Bastet in the end, he was sure. How well could a black and purple Jala hide on a sandy beach? Not very well, but then presumably a black and purple Jala couldn’t really hide anywhere very well.
Refusing to worry and more about his end of the bargain with Nyx, the blue stallion smiled over at the taller Ichsa; she hadn’t shown any sign of minding his lack of way with words yet, so presumably she wouldn’t start now. Provided he’d made sense, it was all good and if he hadn’t he’d just have to keep trying until he did make sense; no reason to get himself worked up about something that didn’t matter.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:17 am
She could only stare in awe at the sights before her, at least for a few more moments. The lapping waves, the jagged cliffs, the bright sand scattered over with debris.. Even after a storm, the whole area was absolutely beautiful. Why hadn't anyone taken her here sooner?
She blinked, drawn back to reality by Maurice's question. "The beach? Down there?" She turned her emerald eyes to him before peering down the jagged cliffs, all the way down to the sandy beach below. It was terribly high, and she didn't know how they'd get down other than flying. Well crap. Was there any other way down? She glanced in either direction, studying the cliffs carefully, but she couldn't find a path or anything. Maybe it was hidden somewhere. "How?" She asked, turning her slender head to look at the silver-marked stallion, biting her lip a bit. "I can't fly."
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:38 am
Ah. He hadn’t expected that. Err... “No worries,” the blue stallion said after a moment with a thoughtful frown. “There’s ways down without havin’ t’ fly...” If he could just remember where they were; he’d so sledom needed them that he hadn’t really taken very careful note. Perhaps, in retrospect, that had been a poor move.
“I think,” the silver marked Ichsa said slowly, “that the nearest route down would be that way,” he nodded to the left. “There’s a... well sort of a path down. It’s very steep an’ it twists an' turns a bit but I’ve been up an’ down it once when the wind was bad an’ flyin’ wasn’t practical... Does that sound okay?”
If not they were going to have to walk quite a long way to find an easier way down; he knew of one or two, vaguely recalled them anyway, but they were quite a way off. If she was willing to try the steep path that would be far more convenient; if his memory served him it was only a few minutes off at a reasonable canter.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:51 am
She gave him a small smile, ears twisting back a bit. "I'm sorry," she offered, scuffing her peach-colored forehoof on the salty grass a bit. Not being able to fly was such a pain... But, upon hearing there were other ways down, her smile turned to a bright one. That was good; she would have to memorize these pathways down so she could return later.
"The left?" She chirped, dancing sideways a bit towards where he'd pointed. "It sounds perfect!" She didn't mind that the path was narrow; she had faith in her hooves and grace, she wouldn't fall, and therefore needn't worry about it.
"Let's go!" The pink-speckled mare exclaimed eagerly as she set into a slow canter towards where he'd pointed; she didn't doubt she was faster than him, Milo had said he hadn't seen anyone faster, but she had no desire to outpace her companion and guide who, despite his way with words (or lack thereof), he was doing an admirable job, in her honest opinion.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:13 pm
Maurice loped into an easy canter, keeping pace with the mare beside him rather than overtaking. As a guide and just as a friend, that would be really rather rude of him. “Might be able t’ teach y’ t’ fly a bit if y’ hang around f’ a while,” the small stallion offered with brief a smile to Sonata before returning his attention to the way ahead of him. “It’s a useful skill t’ have, even if y’ can jus’ glide a bit. Means y’ don’ have t’ worry about bein’ high up, yea?”
It might be quite nice to teach somebody something like that; sense of achievement but, more than that, of being useful. He did enjoy being useful to people. Not that he was a pushover and just let people walk all over him but... Yes, there was something about helping people that he loved. He never had been able to pinpoint why he felt like that or where it had come from but... Well, no sense over analyzing himself. He liked to help people, and to protect people if they needed it and whatever the reason for it, surely that was a good way to be.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:29 pm
He could teach her to fly? Well, he could try, but she'd learned rather early on that it was best for her to not try it. Maybe gliding a bit would work, but no flying. Definitely no flying. Though, on the other hoof, it would be nice to try and at least attempt to glide. Especially with such a nice teacher/guide/friend.
She allowed herself a small smile, twisting an ear towards Maurice. "Gliding might be nice," she admitted, though added quickly as an afterthought, "but no flying. I can't fly, I know that much. I might be able to glide, though." She didn't know, she'd never really tried. She just found out that, after flying lessons from her parents, she just didn't have the ability for some reason. She might very well have glided a bit, but she couldn't remember. Perhaps they gave up too soon and told her not to try anymore before she really was physically able to. Well, whatever the circumstances, she didn't really want to try. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to, all the same.
"So where exactly is this path?" She asked after they'd cantered a fair distance. It seemed like a good question to get her mind off flight for the moment.
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:04 am
For a moment, Maurice wondered privately why she didn’t want to learn to fly. After that moment however, he decided it wasn’t any of his business and turned his attention to her next words. “Just ‘ere actually,” he said with a nod, slowing his pace first to a slow canter and then to a trot. Indeed, they had arrived; he was glad he’d remembered the position of this route correctly, he'd've looked damn silly if he hadn't. Slowing to a halt, the silver marked stallion indicated the steep and winding path which led down the cliffs to the beach below. “ ‘ere we are,” he said needlessly, “doesn’ look like it’s got damaged much by the storms, or if it ‘as it wasn’ in a way that’ll stop y’ getting down...”
Should he take the path down as well, or should he fly? He was capable of making it down the steep incline without any real difficulties, he knew that, but it would take more effort and concentration than just gliding. This said (or thought) however, he didn’t want to just flit off and abandon Sonata to picking her way by herself. Humm. Well, perhaps she’d say something to help him on in making a choice, and if not he’d just pick one option and go with it. Perking his ears forward attentively, the stallion peered down the patch once more to assure himself that his initial assessment of its state of repair was correct. As far as he could tell from here, it was.
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:43 pm
The pink-speckled mare slowed to a trot and halted by the path, peering over the edge of the cliff as she did so. She could see the path curving around the cliff, and it did indeed look rather steep, but the gray Ichsa had always had faith in her hooves. They'd never done her wrong before.
She paced over and stepped onto the rocky path, taking several careful steps along it before flashing Maurice a confident smile. "I'll walk, you can fly. I'll catch up with you as soon as I get to the bottom," she offered. No need for him to have to worry about falling off the steep path when he could just fly. "I'll catch up easily if you get a bit ahead of me - just make sure I'll be able to see you," said the music note-adorned mare. She didn't know where he'd hide on the beach, anyways; maybe there were caves? That would be a wonderful sight to see.
With a toss of her head to get her dual-colored mane to the other side of her neck, as well as ridding her eyesight of the annoying forelock that so often blocked her vision, she quickly and carefully began picking her steps down the path. She supposed Milo might advise her to slow down, to be more careful, but she had more faith in her hooves than he seemed to.
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:58 pm
Maurice smiled slightly as the mare began her descent; problem solved. Pacing to the edge of the cliff, the blue stallion looked down on his companion’s progress. Having ascertained that she was coping well with the task before her, he moved a little way along the cliff so as not to be above any section of the path and therefore potentially distracting. With one more glance at Sonata, the long-horned creature stepped over the edge.
The winds were light, plucking at his mane and tail but not threatening to pull him off course. Smiling softly with the simple pleasure of gliding down towards his home, the well-built stallion changed the angel of his wings a little to curve his course around; he wasn't looking to glide on towards the sea today. A few moments later, the sand was just below him and the blue-eyed Nequus reached out for it with his forehooves, landing a moment later and changing his momentum from flight into a brisk trot.
Settling his wings back by his flanks, the silver-marked creature trotted towards the end of the path to await Sonata. By the looks of her progress early on, he would not be waiting long at all.
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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:41 pm
Although the path was steep, it was a fairly easy thing to do: Pick your steps carefully, and avoid falling. She smiled to herself as she increased her pace a bit; once she got the feel for the rocky path, it was easier to continue. Somehow. She wasn't quite sure why.. Maybe Milo would know. Yes, he'd know.
She paused partway down as she noticed a shadow along the beach, and her bright green eyes flitted towards the gliding blue figure headed towards the sand. For a moment, the gray mare felt a bit envious; she'd love to join others in the sky, to fly around as she pleased, but she doubted she could. Her parents had told her she couldn't, and Milo had told her she couldn't, and therefore she couldn't. Maybe if Milo told her she could, then she'd try, but if he didn't think she could do it, then she probably couldn't. He knew more about those things than she did.
Pushing all thoughts aside, she began picking her steps down the rest of the path. Once close enough to the end, she broke into a brisk trot, though whether she slipped or not didn't quite matter at such a low height, but she knew she wouldn't trip or anything.
She nearly fell, however, upon reaching the beach and taking several trotting steps onto the shifting sands. Swiveling her ears forward curiously, she stared down at her now motionless hooves in wonder. Maurice had told her about the sand, but she didn't expect it to be anything like this. Still, although it felt rather strange, it was wonderful all the same. With a smile, she bolted into a gallop as fast her hooves -- and the sand -- would permit, and within moments she'd spotted Maurice and descended to a graceful trot. She slowed rather quickly and halted just before him, grinning at him widely and kicking the sand a bit with a peach forehoof. "I know you told me about it, but the sand still feels really weird to run on," she admitted with a chuckle. "It's wonderful!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:20 pm
Maurice grinned; he was glad she liked it. “Is, isn’ it?” he responded with a chuckled, pawing a shallow groove in the sand with one hoof. “Splashin’ about in the sea’s good too,” he added with another grin, “only not s’ much in winter.”
It was good to find somebody to enthuse with, perhaps Sonata would even become a neighbor. He lacked neighbors at the moment. So far as he was aware, the nearest permanent or semi-permanent resident of the coast to him was that twerp Chandara, and he had no desire to run into her again. Pretentious bint.
“ ‘ere, y’ wanna see my cave?” the blue stallion asked after a moment’s thought, perking his ears forward enthusiastically. “ ‘s a lovely palce t’ live, though it’s probably full of all bits of seaweed an’ driftwood right now. Still, driftwood is cool; y’ get all twisted up bits an’ stuff.”
Now probably was not the time to tell her he collected bits of it... though she’d soon find out in any case so where was the harm? “I use bits of it t’ decorate the place anyway, nice lookin’ bits that is, along with pretty shells an’ rocks an’ that. There’s cracks an’ that I can wedge bits into, though if the storms got really bad I might’ve lost some.” Ah well, there was always more driftwood to be had and always more shells and rocks, too. So long as his favorite bits were still there it didn’t matter much, and those bits had been the most securely placed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:01 pm
"Really, now?" She said with a thoughtful 'hmm' as she turned her slender head, squinting her eyes at the waves lapping at the sandy beach. It certainly looked fun to splash in, but then again all water was fun to splash in, except mud. That was just gross, but it made you have to go splash in water to get clean, so it was okay. With another 'hmm,' the pink-speckled mare pranced over and watched the waves wash up on the beach, stopping a mere inch or two before her hooves. With a flick of her lengthy tail, she took a few quick steps onto the hard sand as the water washed away from her, and managed a prance or two there before the cold water rushed back, pouring over her mismatched hooves and up her legs. With a surprised squeal she bolted back to the shore, and pranced in a circle a bit. "That's cold!" She shouted with glee, giggling afterwards. She figured it would be, but she'd wanted to anyway, just to see if it really was.
Caves? He'd said caves; she knew it! She knew it and he said and ooh, that sounded like so much fun. "Caves? Ooh, I'd love to go see it! Can we, please?" She asked, halting before him with ears perked forward eagerly. Driftwood? She wasn't sure what that was, but she figured from the name and his description, it must have been wood that got into the ocean somehow and got all twisted and interesting-looking, or...something. It sounded neat all the same, even though wood was normally boring. Shells? She'd never heard of those, but rocks she had, of course. Still, if he was interested in it, and it came from the beautiful ocean beside her, it must be cool. "That sounds wonderful! I've never seen a cave, but if it's just rock I'd say that bits of driftwood and neat-looking rocks and shells, although I don't quite know what they are," she said the last bit with a confused, furrowed brow as she tried to figure it out, "would make it unique and really cool, too." Oh, caves! She'd only heard stories of them, usually that Milo told her.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:44 am
Maurice watched the taller Ichsa gambol down the beach and into the shallows with a soft smile and something of the manner of an elder watching a foal at play. As the blue stallion realized this he snorted to himself and trotted forward to meet her as she raced back up the sand. For all he knew they were of an age, and there almost certainly wasn’t enough of a gap between them for him to be thinking like that. He was far to young to be turning into an old man. True he wasn’t exactly sure how old he truly was but ‘not very’ seemed a fair description.
As the mare gabbled away though, the silver-marked stallion felt the same tone of smile overtake his face and gave it up as a lost cause. Some people, he supposed, were practically born middle aged and only got older from there.
“Sure we can go,” he said with a chuckle and a nod once she had finished. “It’s jus’ a little way back the way we came, maybe half way back t’ where we stopped at the cliffs. Y’ll know it when y’ see it; it’s the first opening in the cliff we’ll come to.” He just hoped that nobody had moved into it during his absence; it was a good cave and nobody would willingly give it up which would mean if he wanted it back he’d probably have to fight and he didn’t like fighting. Oh well, he’d just have to hope that if there was anyone there they were just a visitor, he supposed he wouldn’t mind sharing his home a little while provided they weren’t a total idiot.
Smiling up at the musical-marked mare, Maurice turned to face the direction they were to head in and allowed his smile to shift into a lopsided grin. “After you,” he said with a chuckle, nodding to the inviting expanse of sand ahead.
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