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 Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:50 pm
It was a mild day with a gentle breeze carrying a soft spray of water droplets with it. Lyric's eyes shut on him as he drew in a satisfied whiff of the clean air. He adored visiting Yisi any chance he got. There was always something to tell about, always something to immortalize in song or poem. That was why he was here this day, to think up a new device to entertain with. Yisi always inspired him.
Clean as the air I breathe..
Crisp as the breeze that carries me..
He smiled and let out a light chuckle, his mind ran away with him again. He was too happy, too joyous at the moment to entirely care about the poem. This place was heaven and how could one focus on work with a beautiful atmosphere all around them? He certainly could not! As beautiful as it was it was the gentle breeze and sound of chirping birds that captured him the most. Aye... Yisi owned his heart, and he had no desire to have it returned to him.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:11 am
The tall Jala mare swished her long tail, its end sodden by her passage not long ago through a stream, at a buzzing insect. She missed, but the small flying thing seemed to take the hint, for it bumbled off in search of somewhere less risky to hum away its life. Now satisfied that she would not be nibbled or bumbled into, the black-coated Nequus lowered her head to a green-blue grass-like plant known for its tangy flavor; it was one of her favorites and it tasted all the better fresh.
Bastet raised her head after a few mouthfuls of the refreshing stuff and gave a deep sigh of contentment. It felt like forever since she’d been able to depart the herdlands but now she had an excuse to do so and was making the most of that excuse. She felt a little guilty for using her youngest daughter’s disappearance as an excuse for mini holidays, which she insisted she used to search for the filly. Still, her not doing anything would have look suspicious, and the truth might well have come out.
Far away by now though she suspected Sekhmet was, the powerfully-built Nequus had no desire to blow her daughter’s cover. She’d escaped the possibility of having an arranged mate thrust at her, and the last thing Bastet wanted was to be the cause of her capture. Gods knew she herself despised how she had been used as a tool; anything she could do to keep her child from suffering the same was something she had to do, and if she enjoyed the doing of it then so much the better.
Smiling around at the mossy trunks, the dripping leaves and the babbling rivulets, the gold-eyed mare stretched out her wide feathered wings and beat them a few times to loosen the muscles there. It was good to be free.
Just as she had been pondering what to do with this freedom next, the quiet chuckle reached her ears, and the tall Nequus turned about. There, not too far off, stood a Bae stallion, who looked about as lost in thought as she had been a moment or two ago. Grinning at the prospect of conversation with somebody she didn’t have to fake being a proper little mare to, Bastet whickered a greeting and trotted towards the white-legged creature.
“Hello there,” the purple-striped Jala said with a smile to her unexpected companion, “beautiful day, isn’t it?”
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:41 am
Lyric watched contently as a bluejay swam through the crisp air twitting about. He envied the little beast for being so free and yet tied down to all it's circumstances. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to have a home or family waiting for you to return. Nonetheless, he wasn't sure he would trade his life for anything. Being able to wander at will had done him quite well for the time being and little ones would only slow him down. Perhaps in time though.
The sound of crunching grass caused his head to turn, he was immediately struck by the black and purple stripped female coming toward him. As usual, his shyness welled up in the pit of his stomach when she addressed him and he couldn't do much other than lower his head in her greeting. "Ay-Aye.. it 'tis..." He forced the words out and slightly cursed himself for his speaking problem.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:17 am
Oh... well he wasn’t really being rude just... Quiet. Was she unnerving him? Bastet considered her tall, well muscled frame and her slit-pupiled gold eyes; entirely possible that she made something of an imposing figure, and if you were shy already...
Well, she’d just have to make an effort to be friendly then; she didn’t want to scare off the first Nequus she’d seen all day. Whilst she wasn’t a great social butterfly full of small talk, Bastet did enjoy company, especially if it didn’t insist on thinking she was also obsessed with her coat and which stallion was the most dashing.
“My name’s Bastet,” said Bastet after a pause which the mare had used to tuck her wings in a shade closer to her flanks to make herself look a bit smaller. It might not help, but with was worth trying, certainly. “Do you live around here, or are you only visiting?” she went on to ask, noting internally how awkward the question felt without a name to call the stallion by. Hopefully, now that she had given her name, he would give his too; it would make things a lot easier for sure.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:36 am
"I'm L-Lyric Madam-m." He stated this in more of a sing-songish way so that the words would flow better but he was still having trouble. He had hoped she rather liked music and didn't mind him singing or this whole thing could turn sour rather quickly.
Truth be told, Lyric was unnerved by most anything that wasn't a bird, especially other Nequuses. He wasn't around his own kind that often so the rare occasion that he was caused him to studder. He didn't know what to say or how to speak around them which made him seem like a dolt, which was rather the opposite as he was a very well educated and intelligent Bae.
"I-I tr-avel..." He drew in a deep breath as he forgot to say it in more of a singing tone to calm his nerves. His head gestured out toward the land to indicate what he was trying to say.
Here and there..
Around the square..
Just to catch a glimpse.
Stories to tell..
And what befell?
Just to catch a glimpse!
His head reared about and he caught her eye only to cause himself to blush in his own shyness. "I-I'm a b-bard of sor-ts... I-I tra-vel where-ever... Wh-What about y-you?"
The Nequus was quite striking with her black and purple striped pelt. He wondered perhaps if this trip to Yisi wasn't wasted, perhaps... just perhaps he could think up a good story after this conversation was done.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:15 am
Bastet smiled. A bard, hu? Her own herd and indeed Diego’s herd had one or two Nequus of such talents. Bastet, who had never been able to sing anything but bawdy marching songs, had always been intrigued by such creatures. “You have a lovely voice,” she began with a grin and a dip of her head, “one of the best I’ve heard, I must say...” A traveler too, the lucky creature. What she would give for a life like that.
“I belong to a herd that lives near to Ryuten,” the Jala said after a moment with a slightly tight smile. “Used to live a bit further west than that but... well, I was mated to one of the herd lord’s sons, so I live there now. Always quite liked the idea of being a wanderer myself; got to see a bit of the world a while back, must be wonderful to be able to go whoever you like all the time...”
The best thing, Bastet decided, would have been to be able to stay with her own herd and become a guard. Wandering the world as a loner came second to that, and being bargained off for favorable relations with Diego’s lot came way, way down at the bottom.
Sucked to be her.
“Still,” the tall mare went on with a happier smile, “I’m out and about at the moment, which makes a lovely change of course. Never been this far into Yisi before; it’s wonderful.” Humm... She should tell him why she was here, or why she was pretending she was here. If anyone ever found out that she’d had a conversation of significant length without asking after Sekhmet, she was screwed. Still, it didn’t have to be right away. A bit more talk without too much thought on her duties as Diego’s wonderful mate sounded most appealing to her.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:37 am
Lyric took in all that she was telling him with a raise of his head to the horizon. She seemed like a nice enough mare, but there was definitely something eatting at her. Easy to tell, but he couldn't imagine what it might be. Part of this excited him, the prospect of being in Yisi was enough to inspire him but this mare was definitely intriguing herself, which caused his creative juices to begin to boil. Mystery, ah, how he loved it.
"I- uh.. Th-Thank y-you." His blush became a little brighter and he dipped his head to try and hide it but he knew it was of no use. His tail twitched behind him as the woman spoke of her life in a herd. He considered, truly wondering what a life like that must be like. "I-I ssuupose." He stated when it was his turn to speak. "I- I do like th-the pro-spect of bb-eing ab-le to go wh-where I-I like..." He sighed at the slur of words that left his mouth. Why couldn't he get this speaking thing down right? Was there something wrong with him? "B-but.. it mm-ust be-be gg-ood t-to have some-someone th-ere for you..."
He did wonder what it was like to have someone that close. He couldn't really even say he had friends. Then again, most other Nequus prefered to stay away from someone who might turn their life into a story. He supposed it came with exploiting others, though that wasn't in the least his goal, he just liked to tell stories. "Wh-What's it li-like to have a mm-mate?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:59 am
Bastet gave a half laugh and shook her head. “I’m not the best person in Urin to ask,” she admitted easily, “as I say, I didn’t choose Diego so... I suppose my experience isn’t all that normal but I’ll give you my opinion anyway...”
At this point, the striped mare trailed off to really think, perhaps for the first time, what it was to be mated. “Well... He’s there when I wake up, right next to me if it was a cold night, and he’s there when I go to graze in the morning. I can look him up during the day if I want, not that I usually do, and when it’s time for sleep again, he’s there...”
He was always there, was Diego, or had been until Sekhmet’s ‘disappearance’. They still argued quite a lot but... Diego didn’t instigate it. It was always her, finding something to snip and snarl over, something to be angry with him about. She even, on occasion, tried to fight him physically. Despite her greater size and muscle mass she never won... and Diego never pressed past the point when she knew she was beaten. Even if she’d kicked him in the face, he was there beside her in the evening and in the morning.
He hadn’t wanted to be her mate any more than she’d wanted to be his... but he was always there if she wanted to look him up. Whenever he came looking for her, she rebuffed him with snarls and pinned ears if she was alone.
Damn.
She’d spent the last however long it had been being a spoiled little, big, brat.
On realizing this, the tall mare gave a heavy sigh and kept the information to herself; she could think about that later.
“In all... I guess it’s good,” she said with a shrug, focusing on the short-maned stallion before her once more. “I mean, I don’t love him but... He’s a good stallion, and I think he could be a good friend.” If I let him be one, the striped mare added silently to herself.
Damn; and he was gone off to find Sekhmet, so she couldn’t apologize and attempt to make amends... Perhaps she herself would have to leave the herdlands properly for a while and hunt, not for her child, but for the stallion who was always there for her and never the first to strike. Damn. When had Diego of all Nequus become the better person?
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:22 pm
Ah... suddenly things made more sense. She was unhappy. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her and even guilty for his own situation of being alone. That was clearly what she wanted. Whoever this Deigo was he didn't make her happy and she had been left to fend for herself in her own way. It was sad really and he couldn't imagine being forced in such a situation, he had heard similar stories but he had never actually met someone in such a situation.
"I-I amm tru-ly sorrrry." He slurred. He would trade situations with her if he could, if even for a day but he knew there was no possible way for that. "Isss there anyway I co-could hhelp?" He tried returning to his humming tone with words but couldn't help but feel withdrawn from it for her loss of freedom. He suddenly felt his creative atmosphere drain from the horizon and was now replaced with a more solemn state. He hated seeing anyone in distress, but he could also tell that this mare was plenty strong enough to fend for herself.
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:59 pm
The striped mare was half way through shaking her head when she remembered that favor she was supposed to ask of all. She stopped shaking her head.
“Well... Yes, actually.” He was a wanderer, it wouldn’t put him out to keep his eyes open while he went about his life, and if he did bring any news back to her, she could try to hide it or twist it. It would be good to hear that her daughter was doing well, actually. Yes, it would be good to ask him.
Bastet took a breath and turned back to the paint Bae with another somewhat tense smile. “My youngest daughter vanished from our herd a while ago,” she began simply, “nobody knows where she went, if she went of her own accord or was taken or what. That’s why I’m here rather than at home; I’m looking for her... If you’d really like to do something for me, could you look out for her as you wander? Her name’s Sekhmet, she’s mostly black but has stripes on her face and rump, they’re a blend of my purple and my mate’s gold... If you hear anything, or if you see her, I’d greatly appreciate you bringing word to me. It’s Estavan's herd, just a little south of Ryuten; anyone you meet will know where I’m to be found.”
There, if he really wanted to help her, it gave him something to do and if he only wanted to look good he could promise to keep an eye out and then never do anything about it. Either way was fine with Bastet; news of her daughter would be welcome if he could bring it but was not necessary. Sekhmet was a smart girl; she’d be alright.
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:44 pm
Hearing news of the vanished daughter immediately excited him. What a story to write about! But then he was instantly filled with guilt over his own thoughts and felt sorry for both her and her mother. He didn't know what had come over him or why he would even consider his own needs above theirs. "Oh-Oh mmy... that that's terrri-ble." He studdered over his words with his head hung low. It was then that he decided something. It could perhaps be the worst thing he did or maybe even the best. Fate would tell soon, he was sure. But he was tired of writing about other Nequuses, perhaps for once this was his chance to step to the plate.
"My dear, my dear," he exclaimed.
"To what can I do?
It seems you have lost your daughter,
So I cannot bid you adieu
Tell me then where to go.
Rather it be high or low.
For until you find your lost mare,
I assure you I will be here."
A little bit more seriously he glanced up into her eyes. "I-I a-mm yyoursss.." He stated with conviction. "Unttill you fin-find you-your dd-daughter.. t-tell mme what to ddo..."
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:13 pm
Bastet smiled softly at the Bae whose name she still didn’t know. Seldom had she met such a kind Nequus, and she couldn’t help but feel selfish and shallow beside him. “What I’ve asked would be enough and more,” the tall mare said with a nod and a smile. “As we din’t know where she went ,anywhere you happen to wonder might be where she wandered too... And thank you. I can’t tell you how grateful I, and everyone who knows her, is for any help anyone is willing to offer.”
She felt bad about that, about the almost-lie. She did want to know where Sekhmet was, yet she didn’t want anyone else to know. Still, if he did ever find her, it would take the note-marked stallion a while, and that might be long enough for Sekhmet to have set herself up as somebody not to be used as a bargaining chip.
“I can’t offer you much in return,” Bastet went on with another smile to the pale-maned stallion, “but I can tell you that you’ll always be welcome in Estavan's lands, and in the lands of my father, just west of there as I’ve said... Oh! Umm... What should I call you? I feel strange, owing somebody so much whose name I don’t know.” If he didn’t want to give his true name that was fine by her; a nickname, anything to know him by would do. If all else failed, Bastet decided, she would think of a name for him herself.
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:32 pm
He had given her a name, but he supposed she hadn't heard him or didn't realize that that was his name. Still, he didn't really care what she called him, his name was just something he had picked up over the years on his own, just something to give to others. He didn't really ever call himself by the name. "L-Lyricc.. iss m-my name..." He stated as his eyes raised a bit from the horizon.
The wind ruffled his tail hair and he smiled softly at it. "I-I ddon't neeeed anything, but I-I th-thank y-you." Though he had to admit, the thought of being able to visit these lands freely did pique his interest just a bit. He wondered what new things he could discover there to write or tell about. Considering, perhaps this might be a good prospect for the both of them.
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:54 pm
Oh drek, he had told her already and everything. Why so distracted? Was she really that worried? No, she couldn’t be; Sekhmet was a sensible girl, she’d keep herself safe... Right?
Bastet gave the Bae a somewhat abashed smile and nodded. “Yes, Lyric, sorry, I seem to be all over the place today... it suits you, you know.” It did. Had his parents been good guessers, or had he picked the name himself? Well, either way it mattered little, what mattered was that it was a nice name, and a distinctive one too. If a stallion named Lyric came looking for her, she could be almost entirely certain that it was this Lyric.
“You’re very kind,” the tall mare said after a moment with another smile to the paint Bae. “I’m glad I met you today, you’ve rather restored my faith in Nequus kind as a whole, you know.”
These days it was hard to believe that everyone, anyone, was basically decent. So much of her time was spent saying things she didn’t mean to people who didn’t mean what they said back, and didn’t take her words at face value in any case. It was hard, very hard, not to snap under the strain of it all and just kick someone. When she felt like doing that, she had to remind herself firmly that if she made herself look bad, she made her father’s herd look bad. It was not, the tall mare considered with a sigh, always an easy thing to do.
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:09 pm
"Th-Thank y-you Mmadamm." He lowered his nuzzle into a slight bow. He had meant every word he said though he wasn't quite sure she knew how much he had meant it. "D-Do you kn-know wh-ere sh-sh-she could-could bee?" He studdered through the words with his eyes upon her. He honestly didn't want to waste any time, this girl could be anywhere.
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