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 Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:46 pm
 "Just one step in front of the other..." Alexandre almost sang to himself as he trotted along a long a desolate path through the mountains. He was still a bit reluctant to leave the safety of his childhood home, just because he had never ventured more then a few miles from the mountains. His home was situated right near a large beach but to the north he could go higher into the mountains, to where exactly he wasn't sure. And to the west he knew there was a large desert that could be home to a variety of soquili.
Soon though Alexandre was going to venture out behind the walls of the forest and find his path in life. He was forcing this upon himself and would do whatever it took to keep him on that journey. As a young colt he had dreamed of flying over the Kawani lands, exploring every crevice that existed in it's wake. Now that it was time for him to 'leave the nest' he found himself reluctant. Maybe it was fear. Fear of what could be lurking out in the world. Very few things scared Alexandre anymore, and the thought of stumbling upon something that would made him quite uneasy.
Sighing loudly he fell to the ground, his wings stretched out around him on the ground. A slight frown made an appearance on his muzzle as he sat there thinking of what he would do right at that moment. Would he venture out of the woods? Or would he remain there for a few more days. "Decisions, decisions." He said to himself. Why couldn't the answer just come bounding out of the forest? Could it really just be that simple?
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:29 am
The soquili land was already beginning to show signs of winter. An icy breeze ran through the land that could send a chill up any creature's spine. Leaves had escaped the branches they were once secured to and had been crushed into ground by the many soquili that ventured through the forest. A once colorful forest, filled with shades of orange and red, had now faded to shades of brown. Green, luscious grass had died and become brown and tough. Soon, snow would cover the land and leave little food for those that lived on the fruits of the land.
A sly mare seemed to slither through the forest as smoothly as a snake. Her brown ears flicked back and forth as she stepped ever so carefully on the crunchy grass below. She would not starve, no. Instead, she had plans to use the two leggers to keep her stomach filled over the harsh season of winter. This plan would be a test of her skills and luck. Anatola had decided that she needed a partner in crime to execute her master plan, but she couldn't decide who this sucker... er... helper would be. He would have to be strong, but weak when it came to listening to the small mare. She tried to imagine the perfect soquili for the job. Her light blue eyes quickly darted around. Who could it be?
Ana thought about her siblings. Ha! They would never help her out. It hadn't been long since they all split up. She remembered it like it was yesterday. Leaving the nest was no problem for her. Her parents obviously didn't receive any awards for being the best parents around, but a harpy and kalona usually weren't meant to be mother or father of the year. Rolling her eyes, Anatola snapped out of her memory of her past and continued to trek through the forest, closer to the mountains. Surely there would be a capable soquili around here somewhere!
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:36 pm
To say the least, Alexandre was quite surprised to hear the footsteps of another soquili off in the distance soon after he had, had that thought. He wondered to himself if the spirits his mother talked to had sent him a sign that his path involved this soquili. Whatever the answer was, he he would follow the sounds of footsteps and discover what the meaning of it could be for himself.
After wandering through the forest towards where the footsteps had been coming from, then following them further as the soquili walked around the forest in a fashion that told him they were looking for something. Finally when he had gotten within a few feet of the soquili he called out to it. "Greetings!" He yelled a bit to them. It was then that it hit him that this soquili he had been trailing was in fact a mare. How very rude it had been of him to almost stalk her. Alexandre could feel his chest tighten a bit as he tried to figure out what exactly he should do to make it up. Bowing his head for a moment before returning to his previous standing position he smile a bit. "I live very close to this forest and know it like the bottom of my hoof. Is there something you are looking for that I could help you with?" He asked, not realizing that she was looking for someone to cause mayhem with.
Once he had finished his sentence Alexandre pulled his wings tightly against his back, not wanting them to flop around at his sides. His mother would probably hit him rather hard if she saw him acting anything like a wayward stallion. The simple thought of it made him feel uneasy. "My name is Alexandre." He said, grinning now at the mare.
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:04 pm
Anatola's ears twisted and turned. As the stallion grew closer, she noticed the sounds of his hooves smashing the hard grass below them. She paused suddenly when she heard him call out to her and she let a smile creep slowly onto her face. Perfect. Someone had come to her, she didn't even have to look too hard for the sucker.
Slowly, she turned to face the pure white stallion. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the new color that filled them. Ana stepped forward towards the stallion as she listened to and watched him carefully. He had been properly trained when it came to mannerisms, but how would he act when it came time for her to use him as a decoy? When he offered assistance, she simply shook her head. "I know this forest well. It is where my family has raised me." She paused for a moment, hoping this didn't cause the male to leave. Now the question was, how would she get this male to become her assistant without him realizing that she was stealing from others. She gave a thought-filled expression as she looked at the pure white stallion. Surely this wouldn't be too hard... right?
"Alexandre, huh? Well, I'm Anatola!" She watched as he tucked his wings close to his body and she tilted her head slowly. "Doesn't that get annoying?" Her ears flicked forward towards him, feeling as though she needed to behave a little more prim and proper while around this stallion, even though she had no idea how to do so.
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:06 pm
Alexandre was quite pleased and happy when the mare responded to him, obviously unaware she had been followed by him this whole time. "It's nice to meet you Anatola. You're name is quite remarkable." He said, smiling warmly. "You were?" He responded, a little taken aback by this new revelation. It didn't surprise him that others lived in the area, but for some reason he felt he should have met her or any of the other soquili before now. Maybe due to his home's seclusion he had been locked away from the possible meeting of others that lived near him. Oh well. There was no use getting frustrated over a fallen tree.
When Anatola asked him about something being annoying he didn't understand right away what she meant or was referring to. Then he realized she meant his wings. "My wings? I suppose to some it may be annoying, but I'm quite happy to have them. Without them I wouldn't be able to get to areas as easily as I can." He replied. "Although, it can be a bit... tiring having to keep them in certain positions for long periods of time." Alexandre tried to clarify.
"Miss Anatola, how are you today?" Alexandre asked, trying his best to converse with her. Being raised among males with only one female, who was his mother, he found it a bit baffling to talk to mares. So this was his best attempt at trying to be a normal male, talking to a normal female. Sadly, neither one could really be considered normal.
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:30 pm
After only this short time of conversing with the male, she could already tell he was weak. Her eyes scanned over his white pelt, noting his outer strength. He would do. Obviously having to climb the mountain had made him stronger than most young soquili around their age. He would be her new side kick. Oh how useful he would be.
"Yes! My siblings and I were raised right here in this forest... if you could really call it being raised." She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Seems like it was just recently we left each other." The only thing telling her it hadn't been so recent was the fact that her brother had foals running around. Him with foals would have been a sight. A smile curled on her lips before quickly fading as she looked at the white male in front of her.
"My sister and father have wings, except they are a little more leathery than yours." Anatola nodded her head. "I'm sure they don't keep them in certain positions if it annoys them. They would rather be comfortable and not care what others thought." The small mare nodded her head quickly as she watched the male and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I guess I'm good. Not much going on, which is always a drag. How are you doing, Alexandre?" Gibber jabber. This was the boring part of her master plan. Soon, however, it would become very interesting and they would wreak so much havoc together. Her treasure cave would be filled in no time.
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Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:01 pm
Had he been able to see he might have noticed her looking him over, testing his worth. Unfortunately he couldn't and thus didn't.
When the female responded to his question he nodded. Even he knew that not all were as lucky as him and his brothers to be raised by the parents they were raised by. They had been blessed by the spirits to have them as parents. But they had obviously done a well enough job as she was still standing here before him. "I know how you feel. Although, me and my brothers. Even our parents--we all just recently went on our own paths." He responded with a simple nod. If he thought about it to much he knew his heart would probably ache a bit from the sadness not yet tapped.
One eyebrow raised at the females remark about her sister and fathers wings. "Really? I've never met anyone that had wings like me except for my brother and father. And they have wings just like me, so I can't say I can even fathom what your sister and fathers must look like." He said truthfully, trying to picture in his head what they must look like. Then the thought occurred to him that Kalona's typically have leathery wings. Did that mean she was a Kalona? Or at least part? Or was she something totally knew? Feeling curiousity well within him he listened further to her explaining more about herself and her family. "Well wings are tricky things at times. Or maybe a better way to put it is newly basket opened foals. They are constantly trying to do their own thing and don't understand that it's not always wise to do so." Alexandre explained, trying his best to word it in a way so that she may understand.
"I'm doing well Miss Anatola." He replied to her, once again smiling like a fool. "I'm glad to hear you are doing well." Alexandre stated. Taking a pause he thought out his next plan of action. Talking so openly to females that were not related to him was certainly a foreign concept to him and he worried he would say something wrong or hurtful and that she would storm off never taking a look back. Although, Anatola didn't really seem to be the type of mare to just waltz off like that. Even though he could not see her he knew she was probably well build and strong. He guessed that she was possibly very agile as well. But then again one had to be to live in these forests.
"May I do something that may seem unorthodox and maybe even a bit unusual for one to do?" Alexandre asked, his wings moving a bit on his back. He wanted to know what she looked like but due to his affliction he was unable to. But there was another way he could see her. He could use his wings as his eyes, which would certainly signal that he was blind. Something he wasn't sure about revealing. Again, she could waltz off and never be seen or heard from again.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:55 pm
Noticing the sudden change in the stallion's expression as he spoke of his family splitting, she couldn't help but feel bad for him. While she was happy her family was splitting up, he seemed crushed. Her ears flicked forward then back as she tried to comprehend this. A close knit family like that didn't deserve to be split up. Curiosity buzzed in her brain as she tried to put together the pieces as to why a family such as the stallions would even think about splitting. Instead of prodding the stallion for answers, she decided to let the subject go. He obviously didn't want to talk about his family as much as she didn't wish to talk about her own.
She tried to fathom what the stallion was saying about wings and shrugged her shoulders. Were wings really all that difficult? Birds sure seemed to make it look easy, but maybe that was because they were so small. Her ears flopped forward for a moment as she listened to him explain about foals. "So... like a foal learning how to walk? That's how it is to learn how to fly?" Ana couldn't quite seem to grasp the concept, but she would leave it alone for now. At the moment, Anatola had more important matters to attend to. She needed him more than he could ever realize and perhaps he needed her in some way. Perhaps as a shoulder to lean on while he missed his family or simply a friend to talk to. Either way, she would figure out more about this stallion and he would become her side kick... sort of.
Anatola nodded her head to the stallion's responses to her simple question. He seemed almost too bubbly, but it helped her feel at ease while around him. If he were too tough she would have to worry about him finding out about her plan and beating her senseless. Her tail flicked, the braids making a popping sound as they smacked against each other and the side of her body. She would definitely not be leaving this male anytime soon. "Well, it is good to hear you are doing well also." Her blue eyes wandered a bit around their surroundings. The forest was beautiful, but could be very dangerous if the wrong creature approached them. Lucky for her, she had Alex, but she couldn't help but wonder if he had the heart and guts to actually fight someone off if something were to happen.
His question puzzled her and she couldn't help but take a step back, away from him. She watched his movements carefully now. His wings shuffling against his back slightly and his body cavity inflating and deflating as he breathed. Her eyes focused on his now and suddenly she noticed something was off. He wasn't looking at her exactly, he seemed to be looking past her or even... through her. "What is it you are going to do?" Her guard was up, but part of her trusted this odd stallion.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:14 pm
Alexandre was actually quite relieved when the mare dropped the subject of family even though he was still very much curious about how one could have leathery wings. He had never met a Kalona before, so he only had what he had heard from his parents to go by. Maybe they weren't as bad as he thought? Obviously if this mare was one that concept was out the window. Or she was far to cunning for his own good. Not that he would really be bothered by it anyways.
"That is exactly right. Just as much effort has to be put into flying as it does walking. I believe in my case the latter was much easier." He said with a light hearted chuckle. It was then that he wondered what challenges a regular most go through or other soquili breeds. What were those things with the long tails? Kelpi's! That was it. Surely learning how to use their tail must be difficult. Or when they go from land to sea. Although, when him and his brothers were colts they seemed to be perfectly at ease with their unicorn tails. Hm. He would need to store this thought for later.
At her response he heard her body tense, her heart pick up in it's pace. He had no intention of harming her, or anyone else for that matter unless necessary. "Miss Anatola, I'm blind. So I can currently see nothing but darkness and thus can not make out what you look like." He said, trying to explain this in a way that wouldn't make him sound like a sick and devious stud. "My wings on the other hand can at times be used as eyes by using them to feel something if the occasion should arise." Alexandre added, now putting the tips of his feathers in front of her and letting her look at them, but not so close as they would touch her.
He smiled a bit, trying to not make her feel like he was any less capable then anyone else. Most questions he got when he told others he was blind was did he need someone to help him get around or what were some things he could not do that everyone else with eye sight could. "Contrary to most beliefs I can get around just like anyone else and in some cases am far more useful then those that can see. My hearing is far superior to those that can see for instance." Alexandre said, trying not to make himself sound conceited. "Not to say that someone who can see might have the upper hand in some cases." He added with pursed eyebrows. How could he explain this?
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:01 pm
She hadn't ever compared a foal learning how to walk to learning how to fly before now. Her father didn't seem to have too much trouble and she wasn't around her sister enough to watch her learn how to fly. With a soft sigh, Anatola closed her eyes and tried to imagine flying. Her hooves pounding against the ground, heart racing, wings out stretched and ready for take off. A couple of flaps and she was in the air. Her blue eyes looking out into the sky, then suddenly she looks down. Jumping slightly, Anatola opens her eyes and looks around, now happy she didn't have any wings. "I suppose one would have to be fearless of heights in order to fly." She shifted her stance slightly at the thought.
Her eyes now focused on his wings as he spread them towards her. She eyed the tips then looked above them and below them. Slowly, she inspected his wings until she felt comfortable with allowing them to come anywhere near her body. Hm... no snakes, no rocks, no spikes of any kind to cut her. They seemed safe enough, but she would still keep a close eye on Alexandre. Who knew what he had up his sleeve... or rather, his wing.
Reluctantly, Anatola nodded her head slowly, "I suppose you could...." If she hadn't noticed his eyes before, she would have thought of him to just be a creepy stallion trying to enjoy the company of a mare a little too much. Her pale blue eyes looked up to his face before quickly glancing back to his wings. She stepped closer to his wings, not exactly sure what they would feel like, since she had never seen nor felt wings quite like his before. Her senses were heightened and the smallest thing could spook her at the moment.
Anatola watched for a moment as he seemed to praise his hearing then try to correct himself from seeming too focused on himself. She couldn't help but smile a little. "So, what I'm getting is that you kind of like to view yourself as an equal? You don't like the extra help and you like to do things on your own. Is that about right?" The small mare couldn't help but feel what he did, although she wouldn't settle for being just like everyone else. No, she needed to surpass her sister and family in general. She was going to be better than them no matter what it took. It was sort of her main goal in life at the moment.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:59 pm
Listening to her response he nodded. "I suppose you have a point there miss." He replied, now thinking about it a bit more then he had before. "I wonder if other types of soquili have the same problem I had." He thought openly to himself. "Due to having wings but being a wingless type." Alexandre continued to think out loud. His head moved upward for a moment then focused back on her. "One day I shall have to ask other types of soquili this question." He said with a smile.
Nodding slightly at her response he inched just a bit closer even though she had done so herself. With a gentle touch he began to move his feathers across her face, trying his best to avoid her eyes as he did not want to poke one out. Then he proceeded to move them over her ears and then her neck, feeling the bandanna that rested there. "Hm." He said, feeling it a bit more, trying to figure out exactly what it was. Giving up for the moment he moved his wing tips further down her chest to her legs and hoofs. Then he moved them back up her mane, feeling the string that held it together.
When he had finished feeling her mane he moved onto the rest over body, making sure to avoid certain parts of her as he did not want to do anything that made either of them feel in the slightest bit uncomfortable. As he worked his way down her tail he could feel the braids and what felt like beads at the ends. His touch was much more delicate as he really didn't want to get to personal with her tail end. If his mother could see him now doing this she would probably kill him. But this allowed him to envision her perfectly in his head. With a smile he pulled his wings back onto his back. "I am sorry if that was uncomfortable or inconsiderate in anyway." Alexandre said, frowning slightly. He had tried his best not to get to personal with the mare, but each soquili had their own tolerance level for touch and thus he felt worried he had crossed the line a bit.
Tilting his head slightly he focused his eyes down at her bandanna, now memorized with how tall and big she was and thus able to focus more on her. "May I ask, what is that material around you're neck?" He asked curiously, sniffing slightly at it but trying once again to not get to close as to freak her out. At her response from his questions he smiled. "Yes miss. Most times when I encounter others they seem to believe that since I am blind I am less capable then them. Which is not true, but that is mainly why I avoid letting others know about my condition." He said truthfully to her.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:17 pm
As the stallion began to gently touch her face with his wings, her head instinctively raised higher and she lifted one leg as though she were going to take a step back or run away. With a soft snort, she replanted her hoof against the ground and lowered her head, forcing herself to trust this stallion. Surely he wouldn't do anything to hurt her, but as a precaution, she kept a close eye on him. As he felt her bandana, her mouth tightened slightly and she watched his wings even closer now. This was one of her most prized possessions. If he ran off with it, she would be crushed.
Instincts told her to step away from the stallion as he began to feel her mane and the ribbon that wrapped around it. She wanted to snap at him for touching it, but again she forced herself to trust him. He was blind, how far could he get away from her if he did decide to run off? As he moved closer to her tail, it began to swish nervously. Her legs shifted as he felt the beads and she turned to where she could watch him very, VERY closely now. When she began to feel uncomfortable, Anatola cleared her throat. "It's fine... I didn't feel too uncomfortable." The mare said bluntly. She was used to her siblings nipping, biting, shoving, and all sort of other rough housing with her. This stallion's gentle touch was something foreign and confusing to the small mare. Part of her enjoyed the tenderness while another part of her wanted to kick him for coming so close.
With a soft sigh, her once pinned ears now flopped forward as she listened to the sound of his soothing voice. "It is a bandana... Not sure what type of material. I would say cotton or something the two ledgers that run around made." When she noticed him sniffing at the bandana, she shifted back slightly. "Hm. I can understand that... others thinking you are less capable than them." Again, her thoughts trailed to her family. What an odd bunch they were. She shook her head, focusing on the pale stallion who seemed far too interested in her bandana. "So you don't touch others often? I mean the way you just did..."
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