The Warmth of Contentment (O)

[stormsnow]

Pengana could sense that this young mare was trying to boss her around. No-one told her what do! Ignoring the silver's first question, she drew herself up regally and whickered proudly, "I am Pengana, named for the black hawk." Beautiful she did not think herself, but feirce and battle-ready she surely was. She already hated the way that the mare looked down her nose condescendingly at her, and that at the same time she was showing off to the stallion. She shook her head disapprovingly.

Pengana, in fact, was not what she seemed to someone as self-centered as Illoura. She had spent much time learning how to hide herself in the bush; she as she had been thrown out of her herd as soon as she could eat grass, she had learned little from her foster-mother, who had taught her a tiny about the bush and what she needed to do in order to remain alive and uncaptured. No, she had learn most of it on her own. And only a smart flly could do that.

She had been chased by men before, because never had they seen a plain black filly with such a luxuriant coat or fierce brown eyes. They had told eachother that she'd be a hard one to break, and they'd bet a lot of money that none of them would be able to. But they couldn't even capture her.

Pengana stood her ground; not showing off, not looking down her nose at the mare, just standing there, her wild brown eyes staring into Illoura. She doubted that the silver had been thrown out for being an "ill omen" when she was too small to fend for herself. No, Pengana, being wise, knew that this kind of arrogance only came from one who'd been loved and admired all her life. But of course she had, because she was a silver filly.

Illoura would never know how it was to feel second-best too another; she'd never know the feeling of being ignored by a stallion. The thing was, hardly anybody spent enough time with Pengana or got close enough to her to know what she was really like. Not even her father.

[aquiladorado]

When Pengana emerged from her hiding spot, posing no obvious threat to anyone, the first thing that came to Wirinun's mind was Illoura. He sent a glance in her direction and saw her soften at the appearance of the harmless filly, yet he could still tell that she was not quite herself.

Despite his lack of knowledge for female competition, the tension that arose through the thick morning air would have been noticeable to even the most obtuse Brumbies. Illoura addressed the dark, stocky filly - in what seemed to Wirinun like a logical manner for it was true that she was eavesdropping whether she intended to be rude or not. It was obvious that there would be no competition between a shaggy youngling and a descendant of Thowra, but for some reason the black filly sent Wirinun more than a dozen cautions. Perhaps it was the mention of the noble hawk she was named after that made him wary, or the manner in which she observed the two with wild brown eyes. It was in those eyes that Pengana showed how she was no mere youngling and must have faced many trials in the short part of her life that she had experienced. The attempts Illoura made to intimidate this filly were poorly thought through and, considering Wirinun himself was a gentleman, they came across to him as unjust. But the aging colt was wise beyond his years. He did not argue with the pompous mare beside him in fear of angering her, for that would truly be a bad decision. Instead he kept conversation to a minimum between him and the others.

"Greetings, black one. I am Wirinun," he said with a guarded voice and a frozen stance. His muscles itched to run, to leave the restraints of the clearing for the freedom that called out to him on the wind. He would not leave though, out of courtesy to the mares. Illoura was willing to accompany him - to the North they were supposed to be already headed, except the lack of an urgent destination gave them few options for an urgent "escape". Instead Wirinun gave Illoura's shoulder a soft nudge. Perhaps there was some form of reason that could be reached between the three - he sympathized Pengana considering she had been alone, so he was not willing to abandon her. Wirinun attempted to display the need for a conversation with Illoura, and then lowered his head to the black filly. "Forgive me, Pengana, but would it be possible for Illoura and I to have a few more minutes in privacy?" The patterned coat strained against his muscles as Wirinun shifted his balance. He was more than sure that Illoura would be annoyed; therefore, he portrayed a lack of interest for Pengana so that the root of the conversation might seem casual to her. It was a known fact, and without trying to be cocky, that Wirinun was very skilled in persuasion.

[stormsnow]

Pengana dipped her head. "There is nothing to forgive, Wirinun," she neighed, no resentment whatsoever in her soft, husky voice. She trotted to the other end of the clearing, out of earshot, and bent her neck to graze on a large, slightly withered clump of grass. She knew that rejection from this stallion was nearly inevitable- the fact that she was only a filly compared to this mare had not helped the situation for her at all. She would not be at all suprised if he was telling the silver-coated mare that he would tell this intruder to leave at once, but she somehow sensed that he was not like that at all.

[Ehetere]

Illoura flicked an ear in annoyance as the young filly ignored her obvious authority as an older and prettier mare. Even the thickest of foals recognised that they didn’t go usurping the elder’s obvious experience and wisdom. And how dare the boring little thing think that it was better than her - shaking that boyish and totally unattractive head at her! As if it thought it was wiser than she! She, a Silver Brumby! Outrageous!

Already Illoura was getting bored with the situation. This always happened whenever the spotlight was turned away from her and absolute admiration from everyone was not received. She nonchalantly scratched a leg - paying the insignificant black filly no heed at all while she was contemplating her options. Really, the question was whether she though that Wirinun was worth the effort of fighting for and keeping. Sure - his exotic coat would cause quite a stir combined with her own. And there was nothing Illoura enjoyed more than to cause a stir.

However, Illoura’s cool and seemingly uncaring demeanour was shattered when the young stallion actually paid the filly heed - why was he not ignoring her! Surely her own beauty eclipsed and smothered any of the tiny filly’s charm - what existed of it. Honestly, what stallion was going to be attracted to a mare who acted like a stallion? One that was pretty confused in his head; that was for sure. At least he did return his attentions back to her - as he should.

Despite the stallion’s words and stance, Illoura could detect that he was interested in the filly. Maybe it was just something she had already guessed of his character, but she doubted he would leave her behind. He seemed too righteous. Normal mares might consider this a rare and extraordinary trait to find in stallions, but to Illoura it was unnecessary and annoying. And if it meant tagging along with the likes of that filly it was simply intolerable - no matter what kind of trouble she could muster up.

“Let me make it perfectly clear to you, Wirinun,” she stated quite simply, not really bothering to keep her voice to a hushed whisper - the black filly could undoubtedly hear her. “I do not travel with others often. Only a select few become my travelling partners - brumbies who are wild and free as I. That does not extend to the company of small black horses. If it is indeed your wish to travel with it over me, then so be it. I will take my leave and vanish like the snow in the spring, and be gone forever more. The choice is yours.”

OOC: Sorry for the wait guys. I am also sorry for Illoura's appauling behavior - I swear she gets ruder every time I play her. It will be... interesting to see what she ends up like when she's an old crone.

[aquiladorado]

The young stallion could hardly contain himself. Of course I am equally as free as her, and that shall leave me the capability of doing what I please! screamed the unwelcome thoughts in his mind. After all, he was practically a stallion and in that sense could choose to travel with whatever mare he wanted to. No stuck-up princess could take that away from him. Wirinun's temper was rising and he snorted in annoyance at it. He had never unleashed a tantrum on anyone and was not prepared to start, yet the disrespect Illoura was displaying to him was not appreciated - even if she was a silver Brumby. He stood only slightly taller than the mare already at a young age, but at the moment he seemed to tower over her; proud and handsome, Wirinun forced his stern glare upon hers.

"I advise for your own sake that you listen more than talk, o 'beautiful' Illoura. In no means of rudeness, I simply will not take such a lack of consideration for others! You made it perfectly clear where you stand on this, and for that I pity you. Yet in fear of losing a companion such as yourself..." Silence fell abruptly upon the small clearing. The wind whistled through the Ash trees and Wirinun closed his eyes for a moment. He had been ranting at the same level of voice that Illoura had and Pengana was sure to have overheard most everything he had said. He let out his breath slowly and watched it evaporate before him, then continued in a rough whisper. "In spite of my character, I will do as you wish. If, Illoura, you see no other options then so be it - but if you would listen to a piece of reason for once in your life, you would earn the respect and attention of many more than you do now. It is true I am fond of my solitary existence at the moment, and in no way am I looking to pick up any 'wandering black fillies', so it is not for that intention that I ask of you to allow her to join us. She has not seen another for what in her mind could well be an eternity and for that I am not the kind of Brumby to abandon her - one in need. I can not judge her agility from what I've seen, yet I am almost certain that compared to the likes of you and I she will struggle; therefore my proposition is that we, or I, will offer our, or my, companionship until we reach the closest herd."

Wirinun struggled with this conversation and his persuasion seemingly faltered and showed a deep emotion and hurt, which he quickly managed to replace. He did not look back at Pengana but solely continued to maintained his cool disposition towards Illoura, never removing his eyes from hers. "This might go against everything YOU stand for, but in a sense we would be doing the right thing while at the same time being rid of an extra presence within an instant. I have heard news from the herds nearby and it shall not take long to track them - at the same time, we will inform her to heed our warning of our intended destination and travel speed and if she falls behind there is nothing we can do." The colorful colt raised his head and relaxed the tension that had built in his muscles, giving off a much more mysterious yet playful attitude to the idea of his plan. Silently he prayed to the heavens that Illoura would accept his proposal. Surely his 'judgment' of Pengana that he had shared with the silver mare was false; the black filly deemed herself perfectly capable of keeping pace with that look in her brown eyes.

For some reason Wirinun had a feeling that the heavens might be on his side for once. Then again, those heavens that he had consoled with on numerous occasions were tricky and deceitful so he was prepared for whatever outcome.

[Tiggs]

Fresh from his sweet victory of the day before, Thalera was in high spirits. His crest arched, and his flaxen-cream mane lay on his golden neck and bounced with every proud step. The wide white blaze down his face bisected the darkness of his face – the gold there smothered with sooty lack hairs. His legs too were almost completely black with dark hairs, until his high socks turned them a stark white. His rump too was dappled with black, and his tail was a flaxen and black mix. The overall effect was quite handsome in his eyes.

Cresting the hill, he urged Bindaree and Wyralla on. He was finding grazing for the three of them – though he was slowly realising that the forest in the valleys below would probably not yield much. Unperturbed, the young three-year-old stallion tossed his head, tilted his pink nostrils to the wind and made a course change, apparently purposeful but entirely uninformed.

Luckily for him, there was something up ahead, but it was not good grazing. Three other brumbies. A boring black filly, a splotchy blue and white colt, and the most beautiful mare he had ever seen. Illoura. He drew in a gasp, not believing his luck. The silver mare had eluded him for so long. He longed to have a mare like her in his herd. Bindaree and Wyralla were good stock, but it was a rare mare like Illoura that he truly wanted.

He strained his black-tipped ears forward, his salt-and-pepper tail flagging with overwhelming excitement. His tossed his head and called his wild greeting to her – his voice more like a stallion’s than the last time he’d seen her. “Illoura!” He called, leaving Bindaree and Wyralla behind to canter to the silver mare. “Illoura! It is I! Thalera!” He slowed, feet dancing in his excitement.

He flicked his ears back as his eyes turned on the mottled colt. “Why do you bother a silver filly? You are but a colt! And an ugly one at that.” He snorted, eyeing the other male in contempt. “Illoura, come away with me. I will fight this colt for that honour if I must, though he is a waste of my time.” In truth, Thalera was only one year older than the colt, and had been younger than him when he’d first tried to woo Illoura but he left those juicy details out. He was too flush from his success the day before to consider he might lose a fight, added to the fact he hadn’t yet won a fight, his chances were slim.

[yaruka]

OOC: LMAO at Thalera...if he makes it past the next month without being beaten to the ground by some older stallion I'll be surprised lol. xP

BIC:
It had only been a day since they'd joined Thalera's "herd" and already Bindaree and Wyralla had been dragged across nearly half the High Country. OKay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but sometimes the two cousins could swear that the sooty palomino had ADD or something. Or a severe lack of experience, which is what Bindaree was coming to suspect, though she was still entirely too impressed by the fact that he was a stallion other than Nevada and Tingara to mind too much. It seemed her normally infallible sensibilty had taken a backseat, for now at least. It was summer and the beautiful weather and cool breeze kept the blue roan mare in good spirits. Wyralla, too, was hard to bore, though she didn't like Thalera very much. But she was along for the adventure and for now would continue to follow him. At least until the idiot stallion tried to lead them over a cliff or something, then she thought she might have to draw the line.
As they reached the crest of a hill, Wyralla pinning her ears as Thalera tried to urge them on faster, Bindaree merely ignoring the stallion, three new horses came into view. Wyralla looked on them with curiosity, her interested further piqued by Thalera's reaction. Not that she was surprised by his enthousiasm, it seemed the stallion would go after anything that breathed, especially if it was shiny, but she was alittle surprised that he seemed to know the silverly mare so well. Or atleast it appeared he thought he did. Wyralla watched as the stallion raced down to her, entirely forgetting about herself and Bindaree, making a big fool of himself by calling repeatedly and insulting the colt that really wasn't that much younger than him. Rolling her eyes she looked at Bindaree sympathetically. Unlike herself, Bindaree actually seemed to have some affection to the big golden buffoon, and she felt bad that Thalera repeatedly snubbed her for the interest of another mare or filly. But Bindaree didn't seem too concerned, merely sighing and lowering her head to graze, ears flickering to keep an ear out for danger. Thalera wasn't much of a guard stallion.
Wyralla snorted and rolled her eyes, Bindaree was definitely too laidback about this. If Wyralla actually cared about Thalera she'd be down right insulted by now. But Bindaree was taking it all in her stride.
Standing there for a while, tail twitching Wyralla finally decided that, while Thalera was having fun, they might as well too, and impishly she moved over to Bindaree, snipping the roan playfully on the neck.
"Come, let's hide from him," she suggested.
Bindaree raised her head, her gaze uncertain. Wyralla snorted, "Do you honestly think he would leave you because you hid from him? That stallion's not going to give up two mares so easily. Blame it on me if you're worried." Bindaree sighed softly but followed her younger cousin, Wyralla was hard to resist when she was in such a playful mood.
Quietly, though Wyralla was pretty sure they could have galloped and squealed and Thalera wouldn't have noticed, they moved over to a nearby copse of trees and hid themselves among the branches.
Oh what fun it would be when Thalera came back to find "his" mares missing thought Wyralla. That was, if the stallion even noticed.

[stormsnow]

Pengana narrowed her eyes as a stallion came into view, neighing loudly and arrogantly enough to wake the dead. She saw his slight expression of disgust as his gaze slid over her and Wirinun, then watched with amusement as it changed to ruptured excitement as he saw Illoura. Rolling her eyes, she turned her back on the scene. Her keen eyes saw two mares, presumably the stallion's, sneaking away from their leader. Good idea, she thought. It'll give the idiot something to do other than showing off.

If Pengana had been of Illoura's disposition, she would have been envious of the attention that the creamy mare was getting, but she wasn't. Picturing the self-centered Illoura and the arrogant Thalera side by side, as mates, captured the independent black filly's imagination, or rather, amused it. Quickly finishing off the tough cud of grass, she gave vent to a neigh of mocking laughter that echoed around the clearing.

[Ehetere]

Humph. Illoura was becoming increasingly irritated - she was usually harmless, but when her temper rose she had been known to react… violently. That glare Wirinun was fixing on her wasn’t appreciated either. As with the black filly, she was the superior elder here - and he needed to recognise this. It was not for some impertinent colt to look down his nose at her!

The words that began to spill from his mouth were his second mistake. The last stallion who had simply ignored her had gotten a swift kick to the chest, and the disrespect Wirinun was displaying here went far beyond that. She lifted her head higher in a self-righteous pose, her ears pinned back with extreme displeasure. She snorted, almost laughing at his proposed compromise. She would never have taken it up at this point - he had annoyed her far too much.

As for doing the right thing? Well, that was debatable. Villains did not think of themselves as ‘wrong’ and the definition of right was a different thing for different people. In Illoura’s case - doing the right thing involved in satisfying her own wants and desires in any way possible.

She opened her mouth to unleash a tongue-lashing on the colt before departing on her own, when a familiar scent wafted to her nostrils on the wind. The call of the sooty colt she had once met sounded even more like that of a stallion’s now - and it was a call to her. Never in Illoura’s life had she been more glad to set her eyes on any colt or stallion. She returned his wild call with one of her own. Here was the perfect opportunity to show the impertinent colt and filly the revenge they deserved for their disrespect.

She trotted over to stand next to the sooty colt - although he now appeared to have grown into a stallion. She threw a quick glance to the fillies atop the hill, but paid them very little heed. They were plain in comparison to her, and the fact that Thalera had left them there in the open to come to her left her very little reason to worry. She nuzzled at his neck and mane; shamelessly flirting in hopes of getting her way. A smug expression crossed her face as Thalera immediately jumped to her defence - that was more like it. At least he knew the value of a silver filly.

“Thalera,” she whispered in his ear, but loud enough for Wirinun to hear also. The colt deserved what was coming to him, she decided. Thalera may only be a young stallion, but the point still remained the same. He was a stallion, and Wirinun was a colt. Thalera had the upper hand here. And of course she was going to exploit that fact. “This colt has been extremely rude to me. He wanted to take me with him, and that filly over there. He insulted me. I fear that you must fight him if you wish to take me, as he is cruel and mean, and I doubt he would go down without a fight. Oh please! Please save me - don’t let him take me away!”

A peal of laughter distracted her, and Illoura whipped her head around to death-glare at the black filly. Fury boiled inside her like fire in her veins, and the shrill neigh she let out could have rivalled that of an enraged stallion for ferocity and malice. Her ears were pinned to her neck and she barred her teeth - her eyes turning red would not have been surprising at this point. She sprang at the impertinent black filly with flashing teeth and flailing hooves - intent on teaching Pengana a bit of respect. In a brief moment of non-selfishness, Illoura did recognise that as a younger mare, the filly should respect her and her position as an older mare, no matter of her coat colour. And there was a reason that older mares should be respected - because they could pack much more punch than fillies.

[stormsnow]

Pengana had known, somewhere in the back of her mind, that as soon as she had laughed, the proud Illoura would react. She dodged to the side as one of the silver mare's hooves went whistling past her face. I mustn't hurt her. She's not a stallion who wants to force me into his herd, she thought. The fighting skills the black filly had learned were enough to beat a stallion black and blue- no matter how big he was.

As she was thinking, one of Illoura's wild bites stung her neck. A small drop of blood oozed from the bite. An arrogant mare who ignores other fillies and insults them, just because she's got a silver coat and thinks she's the most beautiful mare on earth doesn't deserve respect! Her brown eyes gleamed dangerously, and her ears went flat to her skull. She charged at the silver mare, occaisionally rearing, and kicked at her opponent, bit her, and dodged blows from her, her hooves flailing, using the fighting skills she had learned. She was not going to submit to an arrogant, pompous, selfish silver mare like Illuora!