Comes the black hawk....[Nevanda/Toxic Chaos/open]

[stormsnow]

A black brumby made its way up onto the plain known as Paddy Rush's Bogong. It was about a year old, and was of solid, muscular build. At first glance, the young brumby would look like a strong colt; but a closer look would reveal that this horse was a pretty but wild-looking filly.

Pengana looked around her. This place was practically devoid of trees; a good spot for grazing and stretching one's legs. Finishing off a cud of grass, the filly suddenly reared up, a shadow against the blue summer sky, and let out a wild whinny. Falling back on all fours, the young brumby looked around with her fierce brown eyes, and spotted two figures trotting up onto the plain. The filly stood stock-still, waiting for them to spot her. . .

[Tiggs]

OOC: Sorry Ballie, Nevada is due in another thread, he can't stay long. If you want to make sure a character can make it to a thread, ask first

The trek up to the Bogong has been slow and painful for the battered grey, but Nevada was determined not to let it show. He had known coming here would make him anxious, but lingering scents and a hunch were starting to build a foreboding feeling inside him. Trying his best to keep his anxiety to himself, he led the escaped black stallion out into the open. He sighed and glanced around, glad to be on familiar turf.

“This is Paddy Rush’s Bogong, or the Bogong for short. It had good grazing, and open hills to see danger coming.” He had pointed out places of interest to the black on their way here, but his fondness for this place was obvious in his voice. “We’ll stop here for a while – but we can’t stay long.” Or he might be found. Nevada would be reluctant to leave his old stomping grounds, but he knew this was the first place old enemies might look for him.

Nevada had managed to perfect his limp to put minimal weight on his lame right knee while moving at a steady pace. He managed to move at a slow jog alongside Chaos, until a whinny brought him to a halt. Up on the rise, a young filly was rearing. She was hardly a yearling, and Nevada huffed. The yearling was slow to notice them, and she seemed to be waiting for them to come to her. Well she was mistaken if she thought he was going to go to her. She was just a yearling; he couldn’t hold any mares, currently, so it was best if he stayed away.

Out on the open Bogong, the scents of other horses came to him easily. The yearling was the most prominent scent, but it seemed there were many other strangers on his Bogong. His ears pricked at a nuance in scent, and he lifted his head and curled his lip to better taste the air. That growing dread came back full-fold. Some of his mares were here at the Bogong. Was Tingara here too? Against his better judgement, he needed to investigate. “Go and have a chat with the filly, I won’t be long.” He told the black arab.

As quickly as his limp would allow, he set off to investigate the source of the scent. There were not enough familiar scents to indicate the whole of the King’s herd were here, so he could only hope it was just a couple of mares he could smell.

[{ Opal }]

A flash of muted gold came from the distant tree line, followed by flitting shadows of black and silvery grey. Out from the snowgum and alpine ash, a buckskin stallion slipped into view. He was six years old and in his prime, his coat a spider web of dapples, his mane and tail a dark, handsome brown, matching his blackened legs. Upon his head was an uneven star, the only mark of white upon him. The stallion's posture was relaxed, but his cunning eyes were watchful and alert.

Cobar carried himself calmly upon the wide stretch of grassland, a perfect place to graze with his herd of two. His ears flicked steadily back and forth, brown eyes scanning the area for disturbance. Cobar immediately spotted three brumbies; one filly, and two stallions. None were that dangerous; the grey stallion was obviously battered, and the four-year-old... Well, Cobar felt confident in his ability to keep possession of his herd. So, after a protective glance back at the two mares (not really fillies any longer), the buckskin found himself a patch of good, luscious grass. It was finally summertime, and with the chaotic weather of spring passed, the days were full of good grazing and strong sunshine. Bending down his head, Cobar cropped the grass with his yellow teeth, every so often pausing to chew steadily on a nice mouthful. While he grazed, he had his eyes particularly on that black filly. She seemed strong, able-bodied, and it wouldn't hurt to add another to his herd. Two was not exactly a handsome number.

However, with competition from the black stallion, Cobar couldn't tell what would happen. He didn't appear very strong, not for a fight anyway, but his good looks might just attract the filly's attention. There was certainly something queer about that stud, though; his body was curved and his body slim and agile, something unusual up in the High Country. Cobar suspected outlander blood, and humans. It seemed that more and more horses were turning up that had pasts with the two-legged... The buckskin gave his head a firm shake, flinging his drooping forelocks out of his eyes, and listened for the approach of Omaroo and Ally. They would surely be glad to see another of their kind, one that was younger than them, for a change.

OOC: Bleh. Sloppy, sorry...

[KAREE]

The black arabian followed silently along the greys side, trying not to stare for to long at the stallions limp. He blew heavily through his nostrils. The trek from the Bogong was going too slow for his liking, but with the stallions nice hostality(if you could call it nice) had kept Toxic from moving any faster than a slow trot. Occasionally he found himself a bit further ahead of the stallion, so he had to nearly stop to let the white pass him.

When they arrived at the place Nevada had said was the Paddy Rush's Bogong, Toxic couldn't help but arch his neck and prance a little in excitement. He looked over at the battered stallion and nodded quietly. Even though the stallion had been quite rude to him, Toxic felt himself warming up to Nevada. Even if it was just a little. He let his eyes sweep over the neat pasture of luscious grass. His attention was soon on a black filly, who was rearing and neighing at the sky. Rolling his eyes, he waited for Nevada to do something useful. But instead of peering over at the youngster, he found that the white was preoccupied. The white mumbled something about him going over to the filly for a chat, then was off.

Sighing, Toxic arched his neck and elegantly trotted over to where the filly stood. He quickerly caught other scents as the wind drifted towards them, but didn't think much of it. "Hey there." He cooed to her, letting his silky black forelock fall over his eyes in a way he knew would be irrisitable. "I'm Toxic Chaos, but you can call me Toxic." He smiled before adding, "What would your name be sweetheart?"

[stormsnow]

Pengana noticed a buckskin arrive with two young mares...and then the black stallion, one of the two she had noticed before, trotted up to her. "Hey there." "I'm Toxic Chaos, but you can call me Toxic." "What would your name be, sweetheart?"

The black filly surveyed him shyly. "Pleased to meet you, Toxic. They call me Pengana." She wasn't sure what to think about this stallion. He had a smell of human about him, and by the shape of his body, he had been bred by man, too. But obviously, he's left man and decided to live with the wild brumbies, or else he wouldn't be here, she thought.

She wanted to see what the other stallion, the big grey one, was doing, but she knew it would be impolite to Toxic. So she stayed where she was, looking him up and down.

[yaruka]

Omaroo was a little ways behind Cobar, having been distracted by a sweet coven of wallabies just off the faint path. After greeting the mother and gently snuffling the little babies she had finally resumed following the buckskin stalloin and was now hurrying to catch up. Not that the black filly was afraid to be left behind, she just didn't want to miss anything exciting. She was rewarded for her haste when she came upon Cobar in a clearing a little ways from three other horses. Squealing excitedly, she danced over to Cobar's side, barely containing her excitement and curiosity. Filly she may be not be any longer but Omaroo still acted like a youngling. Her sleek skin shivered with excitement as she watched the strangers, body trembling all over from surpressed energy. Standing there beside her stallion, the young mare's head was thrown up boldly, ears pricked forward in undeniable interest.

[Tex]

Ally was right next to Omaroo, refusing to hang back or leap out in front. She's just stubborn like that. However, when her dark friend stopped to say hi to the Wallabies, she played with the younger ones of them until Omaroo was done, playing the impatient foal. Finally she had finished talking, and Ally bounced like she's been eating the sugarcane that sometimes grew where brumbies could steal them, as not all crops could stay in the one spot, due to birds and such.
Once they had caught up with Cobar, Ally had a sudden idea, and stopped walking just at the right time for Omaroo and Cobar to not notice her. She stayed until she was sure no-one was watching, and snuck into the bush on the side of their pathway, her dark grulla coat immediately blending in with the plants. Her scent was being blown away from the other horses, and she had been sure to not make a sound, or leave any tracks. Ally watched with a kind of glee, excited that she had independently made mischief.

[{ Opal }]

Cobar was reassured by the sound of approaching steps, crunching softly on the grass, and lifted his head momentarily to spot Omaroo. He was amused as ever by her excitement, but also couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked, too. Pride for his herd, as diminutive as it was, surged up. However, the moment was interrupted as Cobar's ears failed to catch the sound of Ally, who should have been nearby. The stallion's golden head flew up, nostrils flaring, ears searching. With men and stallions about, it wasn't altogether safe to go running off alone. Cobar felt sure that this was what Ally had done, thinking it a fun game. He snorted in an annoyed fashion, but did not permit his anger to rise. With some displeasure, Cobar realized that the wind was blowing away from him, carrying away Ally's scent. "Ally, I know your there." His voice sounded slightly miffed, but altogether relaxed, as he scanned the bushes and snowgum. Well, he had to simply trust that Ally knew what she was doing....

Cobar reluctantly turned away from the woods to glance at Omaroo. He tossed his head, forelocks swinging, in signal that she could feel free to approach the other brumbies. Though Ally's disappearance bothered him, the stallion had to move on as planned. While probing the shadows for movement, Cobar lumbered in the black filly's direction, dipping his head as he came close enough to stop. "Greetings, Pengana," He began. Cobar couldn't help but have overheard her name, and knew it could get tiring to be constantly answering the same question. "I am Cobar, named for the burnt earth. I hope you don't mind be asking, but are you alone? As you might know, men are about, and not all the woods are safe." His thoughts flicked back to his grulla filly. He really hoped she wouldn't get herself in trouble; it would be terrible to loose her, and how would Omaroo cope?

[stormsnow]

Pengana steadied herself a another stallion approached, and answered, "I am alone indeed, Cobar. And yes, I am aware that there are men about." her voice was clear and steady. "If men approached, I dare say I would not be in much of a quandry, as I can run, and I can use my bush skills. Besides, a black filly is not much of a prize to man."

She sensed that Cobar was worried. She had noticed that when he had arrived, there had been two fillies with him. Now there was only one. I bet the other one is playing games, she thought. I wish that I had a fine stallion to play games with.

[KAREE]

Toxic nodded in acknowledgement to the black filly, "A fine name you have there." He compliemented her, he flicked his head over in the direction of the buckskin stallion and Toxic couldn't help but eye off both of the fillies he had. He watched as one melted into the bush and took quick note that he would go looking for her later if she did not appear again that day.

His head turned sharply toward the buckskin again as he began his approach. His ears flickering back and Toxic quickerly realised that he wanted the filly. And perhaps those other two fillies the stallion held with him. Stepping closer to the filly defensively, and waited to see what the stallion wanted. "Greetings, Pengana," "I am Cobar, named for the burnt earth. I hope you don't mind be asking, but are you alone? As you might know, men are about, and not all the woods are safe." Toxic snapped his teeth quickerly together, but didn't make any other motion. He waited patiently for the black fillies reply.

"I am alone indeed, Cobar. And yes, I am aware that there are men about." Toxic's heart jumped and missed a beat before racing away, trying to break through his muscled chest. He wanted the filly even more now than ever. "If men approached, I dare say I would not be in much of a quandry, as I can run, and I can use my bush skills. Besides, a black filly is not much of a prize to man." That made a smile break across his dished face, "A quick mouth you have dear Pengara, but I am sure any man or stallion would take you." He glanced over to Cobar, his ears went back, "And I'd be ready to defend for you if you wished me to." It wasn't quite a challenge...yet.