Star Scape {Kalti/Open}

[Ehetere]

Light was fading fast; and already a spectacular star scape was spread out across the sky. A lone fruit bat winged its way in the direction of the long set sun; letting out its screeching cry as it did. The twilight creatures of the bush were leaving their holes and hollows in search of food, and there was the quite murmuring of the bush that signalled that everything was well. The dark shape of a filly danced silently through the starlight, her coat blending with the sky and the lights hanging in it like thousands of tiny glowing bugs on a cave roof. She was Eerawai, the Mirage; and she had helped save the red dun colt Kalti from the clutches of a terrifying grey stallion.

Much time had passed since their first meeting; and much had happened also. The great grey had been beaten by another even greater than himself, and Eerawai hoped that that was the last that she and Kalti would hear from him. Eerawai let out a thrilled whinny to the night sky and to Kalti; of whom she had been running with and showing the bush. She knew that he appreciated her trilling call, and Eerawai liked sounding like the bird-song in the morning. It was indeed a nice sound, even to her ears. Nearby an owl hooted and flew low; brushing her ears. She nickered to the owl in greeting and reared; saluting the bird of the night as it went on its way.

Eerawai dropped on to all fours again and waited for Kalti to catch up. Since she had been with him, she had become far more bold and confident within herself, and no where near as reserved. He had shown her that life could be fun! He had also made her feel very special. The lithe filly had always found her coat rather lacking in splendour compared to that of some other fillies and mares; though it was very useful for vanishing. That and her small form; had given Eerawai the impression that she was rather insignificant in the high country, and that no stallions would ever fight over her. Kalti looked at her as though he could simply not believe she was flesh and bone; making her feel very shy but glad at the same time. She finally appreciated how some horses could see her as magical or mysterious. She also especially liked the nickname that he had given her - the mysterious filly. It gave her a sense of self worth; and never had she dreamed when she was a foal that she would ever be called such a thing.

[KAREE]

Kalti paused for a short moment to glance up at the darkening sky. A happy sigh escaping his pursed lips. Stars where slowly begining to show, and Kalti couldn't help but be reminded of the mysterious filly that had saved him from a nasty grey. He shuddered at the thought of the grey, once knowing that he'd never would have had a chance. But that had been a while ago. Kalti had since recovered from his wounds, and had grown stronger.

Kalti continued along the scattered trees. Following a scent he'd grown to know very well. He stopped once to let a sleepy wombat scuttle across his path; he watched it with an amused, lopsided grin, before throwing his head up into the air and breaking into a brisk trot. That one filly had changed his life so much. She'd taught him many tricks of the bush, how to stay silent and how to respect the world he'd once snickered at. He now listened to the gang-gangs and their none-sence once in a while, learning things he'd only dreamed of knowing. They where like the local news, telling the animals of the bush all the broadcasts. Too bad they couldn't be sure what the weather would be like...

He skidded to a halt, knowing that the Eerawai would tell him where she was..he waited and waited, then there! His head whipped around to find where the beautiful, sing-song voice echoed from. He reared, letting out a long call to the filly. He was on his way. It didn't take him long to find the beautiful blue roan. Kalti slowed his pace to watched as she landed on all fours, suddenly remembering why he'd chosen her over that cow of a moonfilly - the same one that had backstabbed them both and had nearly gotten Kalti killed.

He nickered lovingly to the mysterious filly - something he'd come to call her even though he now knew her name - and came to a halt next to her. "Ahh, Eerawai.." He breathed, extending his nose to brush her own for a moment, before he gently traced it down her smooth neck. Kalti turned to look at her face, "Have I told you how beautiful you look under twilight?" He asked, he was sure he had, but couldn't remember the last compliment he'd given her since.

[Ehetere]

Kalti slid to a holt next to her and nickered. When he ran he ran his soft muzzle down her neck; Eerawai shivered excitedly. "Have I told you how beautiful you look under twilight?" murmured Kalti and Eerawai sighed in contentment. This was a bliss that she had never even dreamed existed. “The stars make everything look beautiful,” she replied modestly, even now shyness getting the better of her. She looked up at those twinkling lights again, and was mesmerized by the patterns and shapes they wove across the sky. Suddenly she playfully nipped at his mane, and said “Come and dance with me!” The ridge top would be her stage and the stars the diamond studded back drop for two young horses to weave a dance as timeless as the bush itself.

Eerawai sprang away; her coat blending into the oncoming darkness; propping and wheeling in every which direction. She tossed her mane and flagged her tail excitedly, whinnying in joyous laughter. This was the life; no cares or worries, just she and Kalti alone of the high plateau with none but the stars and the bush creatures to ever know they were there.

She turned back to Kalti and reared again; calling to him this time. Her show was for him, and she wished for him to join in. Oh what fun it was to have someone who cared for you! Her calls had disrupted the bush creatures from their night time activities however, and the illuminated eyes of small animals could be seen watching with wonder as their mother’s ushered them on.

[yaruka]

OOC: you guys don't mind if Doongara pops in do you? he's only two so he's not a real threat

BIC: Along the dense undergrowth lining the ridge trotted an oddly coloured brumby. Appearing almost completely white with a black mane and tail from a distance, when one got closer the palest of tan patches could be seen on his chest and flank. Refined beyond most brumbies, with a relatively dishy face and shapely legs, Doongara was an unusal sight in the High Country. The colt was new to the area, having come from the South-East where his birth herd still roamed. Strangely, he had not seen a single brumby in this new landscape, only men by their huts, with their queer posessions and subdued horses. There had been an unusual amount of horses with them, Doongara had noted, and the stillness of the brush made him wonder if perhaps there had not been a brumby drive not too long ago. For though young, the colt was no stranger to men and their threats. His old her d had lived in relative close proximity to men, that is why he had left, for with his pale coat and dark mane he was a frequent target for wranglers. He vaguely remembered his half-sister, Kaleena, had left for the same reason. He was absent-mindedly wondering if he would run into her over here and whether he would recognize her when the sound of voices reached his ears. Horses. Other brumbies. Excitement flared in the young colt and he broke into an energetic canter towards the others. He had never met another brumby outside of his own birth herd. Finally he saw them, a mare and a stallion. Calling out to them, he slowed so as to appear non-threatening. Bobbing his head in greeting he spoke "I am Doongara, named for the lightning that strikes through the storm. Could you tell me where I am? I am new to the High Country?"

[KAREE]

Eerawai replied in her soft, velvet voice that scent excited shivers down the red dun's dorsal stripe. He grinned, "The stars must always be out than!" He bubbled, mare's alway found something that took the compliment and turn it around. “Come and dance with me!” Shaking his head, he danced after her as she moved away. He balked for a moment when he could only see her outline, but her joyous voice reasured him and he followed her up upon the ridge.

His red dun coat stood out against the dark sky, the moon acting like the sun did in the day. He whinnied after Eerawai did, returning the favour. He danced in and around her, his neck thick neck arching. Kalti was begining to mature quickerly, his muscles begining to become more pronounced due to his quarter horse blood lines and his pace more elegant and speedy. He reared playfully, flailing his legs about infront of him, enjoying the freedom the night created for most creatures.

Then as if you destroy their fun, a stallion's call errupted from not too far behind them. Piviting around, Kalti quickerly scanned the tree line. His joy dying down. Through some bushes came a young colt with long gangly legs and a dished face. He certainly wasn't from the high country, well atleast not this High Country. "I am Doongara, named for the lightning that strikes through the storm. Could you tell me where I am? I am new to the High Country?" Kalti relaxed as he realised the colt would be no threat, he nodded his head in greeting to Doongara. "I am Kalti, named for the spear. And you are at Dead Horse Ridge." Kalti looked over at Eerawai, then looked back over at the colt, his joy quickerly bubbling up again. "Tell me friend, where did you come from? You certainly don't look like a regular of the High Country."

[Ehetere]

Eerawai felt some unknown joy welling up inside her while she and Kalti danced under the stars. Everything was right and perfect. Perhaps what she said about the stars was truer than she had first thought; for Kalti was shining with strangely coloured luminance. It was beautiful. But that magic moment; if it was even that, time had stood still for them it seemed, was shattered and lost as a young stallion’s cry rang out through the night.

The horse that emerged from the trees was… rather odd. Eerawai cocked her head and sniffed, trying to catch his scent, for he was no brumby. Too finely built and the weirdest of colours; he could have come from no where but man’s yards. His words confirmed her suspicions, but also made her wary. Eerawai knew that man seemed to value their horses over brumbies, and they expended a lot of effort to re-capture them if they escaped. Still; men never chased any horse at night, and she was sure that she could help them both escape if they were lurking in the shadows. Perhaps rescuing colts was becoming somewhat of a hobby of hers.

She bobbed her head politely in acknowledgement, and answered after Kalti, “I am Eerawai; for I am like a Mirage.” It seemed as though Kalti wanted to do all the talking; and that was fine with her since she had always had a rather shy disposition, especially when it came to strangers. That and she could not help but feel her hide prickling with unease; as if imminent danger was somewhere close by. She could smell and see nothing; but her eyes were not made for the night, and there could have been sinister eyes watching and she would never know. It was so open up here… too open. Initially she had thought that the night would hide her and Kalti, but now with this new colt she was not so sure.

[yaruka]

Doongara dipped his head in greeting to the stallion and mare in turn.
"I am Kalti, named for the spear. And you are at Dead Horse Ridge." said the red dun.

"Thank you good Kalti, it is a pleasure to meet you." replied the pale buckskin pinto "And like wise, you, dear Eerawai." He kept his head low and his voice level and polite. These two seemed friendly enough, and he wished to keep it that way. The young colt was not looking for trouble.

"Tell me friend, where did you come from? You certainly don't look like a regular of the High Country." came the voice of the stallion.

"Certainly I am not native to these parts."responded Doongara "But I am no stranger to the ways of the bush. I was born wild like any other brumby, though my mother came from the men. I seek a new life here in the High Country for the twoleggeds are encroaching quickly on my old lands and there is room only for my sire's herd." As the colt spoke he gazed about him, intelligent eyes alight with curiosity. So many new things to see, so much more freedom than in the South-East where he had come from. It seemed men were not such a constant prescense here and the creamy colt revelled in this thought for even in the night he could not truly take cover. Indeed, Doongara was perhaps the worst off of all pale coloured brumbies. For though other creamies and greys could not hide in the summer, spring or fall, at least they had the snows of the winter to take cover. But Doongara, with his dark mane and tail, could never truly blend in at any time. He had to rely on his wits alone to keep himself free.

This truth was ever present, for even in the night the colt glowed bright against the backdrop of earth and sky.