Sunset and Flame [Nowego and Yaruka]

[Ehetere]

OOC: This is for Nowego to come in and meet Curlah since, he didn't get Baragoola. Yaruka is also welcome to join

Curlah trotted purposefully out of the trees and onto the high ridge. The high country stretched out beneath her, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. A flock of lowries winged their way to the fiery red circle that was just beginning to sink below the horizon. She let out a contented sigh, loving the feeling of that warm light wash over her. She loved her life, and intended to live every second of it. She let out a ringing neigh drop over the land and echo into the distance, before rearing and pausing there, a fiery mare silhouetted in a fiery sunset before charging off down the slope as fast as her legs would carry her.

She whinnied in exhilaration, and barely checked herself as the ground started to even out. The landscape was steadily starting to darken now, and she danced between the trees, occasionally catching a glimpse of her bright orange tail flying far behind her. Her tail was her pride and joy. In the sunset, the dawning light or by the light of the moon; it would glow as if it had its own luminescence and would look quite spectacular. It wasn’t the perfect silky tail that flowed like banner in the wind behind her when she ran, but Curlah felt that it’s colour certainly made up for it.

She broke away from the trees and cantered up another ridge as red light was red light filtered over her; the very last remnants of sunlight for that day. She pushed herself faster and sprang nimbly onto a small rocky outcrop and stood in a half rear saluting the great ball of fire as it left the sky. The light blazed bright red for an instant, momentarily blinding her, and then it was twilight.

[Tex]

A horse of the sun and night, his coat embodying both, also galloped across the harsh land that day. He used his energy and strength to try and lose the memory of Baragoola, the mare he had given up to that fool colt. Though he had seemed to be willing to take care of the mare, Nowego realized he had been an idiot to entrust the welfare of such a filly to a horse like that arrogant stallion.
He snorted and tossed his head up, black legs eatimg up what soft ground lay before himself, the last light of the sun glowing on his golden coat and the approaching darkness causing the black on his legs to seem to grow. He danced to a halt, throwing his black legs into the air and acknowledging the night sky that appeared from behind the sun's veil, making his tail flag like an Arabian's.
A loud whinny caused him to pause, and listen hard. It didn't belong to a stallion, and it certainly sounded feminine. He raised his head to the skies, and called back, his loud voice echoing like wind in a canyon.

[yaruka]

OOC: This is going to be quite short as there really isn't much for Yaruka to do or say at this point

BIC: A delicate chestnut filly ran a stride behind the buckskin stallion, her own fiery coat aflame with the light of the dying sun. She galloped easily, barely expending any effort despite the brisk pace, Yaruka was built for speed and endurance. Her silken, flaxen mane and tail flung out behind her, catching the th sun's last rays and seeming to glow with the light. A sudden whinny rang out, stoppng Nowego in his tracks. Neatly, the filly pulled up, smooth movement belying the nervousness that cry had released in her body. It had sounded like a filly, but what if she were not alone? She had already seen one fight recently, that was quite a enough for the timid mare. Anxiously, she gazed in the direction of the call, flicking her ears nervously as Nowego's proud whinny rang out.

[Ehetere]

Just as the sun died; a stallion’s whinny answered her own. Curlah looked down from her perch to see if she could find the owner of the call; but wherever the stallion was located it certainly wasn’t anywhere in sight. Suddenly self conscious, Curlah sprang nimbly down the rocky promontory to the springy snowgrass slope that she had run up. Delicate snow daisies sprouted around her feet, and Curlah looked curiously around at the surrounding area. She could smell a stallion, and perhaps another mare… but where were they?

Curlah trotted quietly forward down the valley, searching, searching; straining her every sense in order to discover the mystery stallion who had answered her joyous neigh. If her nose was correct as well; this stallion had a filly with him; which might mean that he was not some upstart son of a past King who was too big for his boots. She tossed her head at this thought; if this stallion who she was seeking out did in fact turnout to be just another inexperienced colt; she might have to take decisive action should he try to steal her away.

She emerged from a bank of trees to find a buckskin stallion standing proudly with a flaxen chestnut mare at his side. Not bad to look at; at least. Curlah shook her strangely coloured mane and stood a little straighter; prancing a few dancing steps to make her tail come alive with colour. “Are you the stallion bold enough as to answer me at sunset?” asked Curlah in a flirtatious manner, seeing as to what he could do. The mare he had with him was pretty; pretty enough for another stallion to want to steal her. The fact that he had her was proof enough for the moment that he was not some brainless dolt.

[Tex]

He turned and nibbled on Yaruka's withers comfortingly while he waited for the mare he had called to appear, occasionally looking up in case she had already arrived. Yaruka seemed a bit nervous, and he whickered, deep in his throat, to calm her down. He loved having the chestnut filly with him, and had been lucky enough to not lose her to some colt... yet.

A whinny caught his attention, and reeled it in with a vengeance. Nowego turned to see the other horse he had called out to, and almost blushed. She was... pretty. Like the sunset is red, and the white clouds that appear later in the day. She was daylight itself. Yaruka was his mare, yes, but it would be fascinating to have someone else to talk to, a new mind to befriend. To his annoyance, she asked if he was so bold as to call her. A bit arrogant, but perhaps that could be worn out of her eventually.

"Yes, I am, sunset mare. I am the sun, and the shadows of the sun, Nowego. What is your name?" he asked gently, blowing his nostrils in and out.

[yaruka]

OOC: "The mare he had with him was pretty; pretty enough for another stallion to want to steal her."
aw yay Yaruka's pretty <3

BIC:
Yaruka nickered softly at Nowego's attempts to calm her, grateful for his kind thoughts. All the same, she was unable to prevent herself from starting slightly when the other mare revealed herself. Gleaming chestnut and white, this new mare also embodied the sun's light, and Yaruka noted that together the three of them must make quite a powerful sight on the crest of the hill. But instead of filling her with pride this thought only served to make her more nervous and she glanced about her, certain some stranger would spot them awash with light upon the dark mass of the hill. Tossing her head anxiously, long pale mane falling over her eyes, she longed to take this conversation somewhere less open, less exposed.

[Ehetere]

“I am Curlah, named for the fire,” replied Curlah proudly, flicking her forelock out oh her eyes. Nowego; she liked that. She wondered who his other mare was and asked curiously, “Who is the lovely companion who travels with you?” She was standing boldly, and eyeing the buckskin with interest; he was at least something to look at. “Do you have any other mares?” If he did; then it meant that he had even more credibility than she had first thought. Still, he was going to have to prove himself if he wanted her to come with him.

Curlah nickered playfully, her voice almost sounding like laughter and she trotted around the stallion and his mare in an exaggerated, bouncy way; throwing her mane and tail willy-nilly in the air so they could dance like she did. “Come and dance with me, stallion of the sun!” she called; completely unconcerned about the possibility of other nearby horses. One of the benefits of belonging to no one but yourself; was that you did not have to worry for others. Curlah had always enjoyed this freedom; but knew that eventually one day she would have to settle down a little and join a herd. It simply was not appropriate for a mare to be wandering around on her own like she was.

[Tex]

The buckskin stallion looked about at Yaruka, who was growing more nervous by the second. He nudged her in the direction of a clump of trees, surrounded by tall grass, and murmured to her quietly. "Yaruka, hide there in that spot over there. I won't be a second," he promised, and shook his mane over her neck for a while. Once he was confident she would be okay, he stepped forward and tossed his head back, ears flicking about for a moment.

"My companion is Yaruka; we are, as of yet, alone. This suited us during the hunt, but now..." he trailed off, and looked at her under his forelock cheekily for a moment. "A dance? Sure, we have enough time. The sun has nearly set below the horizon, and we would make a fine sight at night, yes?"
He did not wait for an answer, but lunged forward to halt next to her, digging in his hooves and nudging her excitedly. He was anxious to begin running, partly to have some fun, but also because he was worried about leaving Yaruka alone for too long.

[yaruka]

"Yaruka, hide there in that spot over there. I won't be a second," said Nowego. For a moment the copper coloured mare thought about arguing, but acknowledging that the sooner Nowego won over this mare, the sooner they could get out of the open, she nodded once politely to the pinto mare before turning and trotting off into the trees. Ordinarily she might have protested, for Yaruka loved to run, but she knew this was about more than just her nervousness of being exposed; this dance was between Nowego and Curlah as stallion and prospective herd member. As she melted into the bushes she thought about what it would mean if Curlah joined their little bimble. Would Nowego no longer be interested in his first mare? She did not think so, but supposed this was always a possibility. If this happened to be the case though, Yaruka was apt to leave. Shy and nervous she may be, but she was not one to be pushed around or forgotten.

[Ehetere]

Curlah leapt excitedly after the Buckskin, letting out a whinny of joy as she raced after him. Her tail streamed out behind her like a banner, and she reared and pivoted and pranced dancing for the stallion of which she was sure was worthy of her. Nowego began nudging her as they ran, and each time she felt an excited shiver run through her. Running with a stallion was glorious like this; in the twilight of a day. He was the sun and the shadows combined; and very exciting, in Curlah’s opinion. She whinnied to him and stopped. The other flaxen mare; Yaruka, had seemed something of the nervous type, and Curlah felt rather guilty at keeping her stallion from her.

She nuzzled Nowego’s shoulder affectionately, and breathed in his warm, musky stallion scent. “I will run with you,” she whispered delicately, happy that she had finally found a stallion who could really protect her in times of need. She refused to be passed around like a dusty old trophy. She wanted to form a meaningful relationship with a herd, and here was the place to start.