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Post by Tiggs on Apr 2, 2008 10:12:26 GMT
After spending a long while standing upon the Ridge and staring down at the silent hut, Nevada came to the conclusion that the men had left. There was no sign of them here, most likely due to the coming winter. The sky was darkening above him, and the sun's light was fading even though it was barely midday.
Huffing, Nevada called Mica and the two fillies he had led down from the Ramshead out of hiding. The grazing here was relatively untouched. The cattle passed a few weeks ago by the tracks, but the grass had quickly recovered and was looking delicious. No horse dared graze here while the men were in residence but with their leaving came this pasture of fresh grass atop a hill which gave him a good vantage point in case Aleo was going to come after him yet again.
He called again to the dark fillies, rising onto his hind legs and kicking at the air. The two were a direct contrast to Mica in their personalities. Mica was sweet and kind, she liked his company and in return, Nevada shared his worries and his fears, but also his plans and his pride. The two dark mares were fickle and blunt. They had no tact to speak of and were horribly vain, but their colour was so rare! He had to have them and to do that, he had to woo them.
He hoped Mica would understand his affections were not bias. These two needed a great deal of attention to keep them interested. Mica would always be his favourite, the one he shared things with. The dark fillies were his prizes, trophies to be flaunted. Or rather, to hide away until he could risk showing them without bringing every stallion in the high country down on him like a flash flood.
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Post by Illu on Apr 2, 2008 10:32:09 GMT
Brael had absolutely no idea why Nevada was taking all that time staring down at the hut, after all, she’d been down there herself with Ria and all it ever did was smell funny. What, where the fences going to up and chase them? Despite her growing agitation, she thankfully had enough to sense to understand what he was doing for her own safety, and enough grace to privately appreciate it, even if she did put on a show of being impatient.
So, in accordance with her standard behaviour, Brael was quite noticeably relived when he finally called her over, and she arrived with her usual high pacing ‘look at me’ walk. Brael was barely even there a moment when, whether on purpose or not, she somehow managed to plant herself in the single most visible position on the ridge.
”We’ve already been here,” she whined, nosing the grass and only just noticing the tracks. They were hooves, but not horses hooves. Maybe there where mutants out here? The thought made her dart her head up quickly away from the grass and back a step or two in Nevada’s direction. ”What made those?”
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Post by aya on Apr 3, 2008 2:16:36 GMT
Mica could see why Nevada was so interested in the two vain fillies - they were of rare colour, they were beautiful and they would produce beautiful foals. She lagged behind them in many, many departments and even as they descended, she fell behind literally, due to her newfound heaviness that came with the breeding season. She didn't feel insecure, however, since these young fillies would never really be capable of understanding anyone but themselves, and would never be able to understand Nevada like she did. She came and stood next to him, her slightly swollen stomach touching his side as she listened to the complaining of the moon fillies. She sighed and touched her nose to Nevada's. "They are beautiful." She said under her breath to him, "but they are such a handful!"
After following the grey stallion down the ridge, Ria felt as if she was beginning to get some strange vibes from him. He always seemed edgy, as if here were a little paranoid all the time. Ria knew within herself that she wanted a stallion who wasn't so self-absorbed and was more interested in her than herself, but she followed Nevada anyway.
She heard Brael whine as they reached the bottom and shared her dismay. She'd been lead right back to where they had started. She breathed out a long sigh and caught her breath after all the climbing. "Is it really safe out here?" She heard her own high pitched, whiny voice but didn't care, "I'm not sure you know how to look after mares, you know."
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Post by Tiggs on Apr 3, 2008 9:28:33 GMT
Nevada nickered and nudged the dark muzzle of his new quest. "Don't panic. Cattle made them. They are men's beasts, greedy, large and cumbersome. They're harmless, and they're long gone from here following their men." He reassured her, drawing his nose back.
He turned to Mica for a moment, stepping close to her and nibbling at her forelock. "I know I should let them go for now, but I can't bare the thought of Aleo finding them and taking another mare out from under my nose. Trouble, but worth it to see Aleo's face when I'm ready to fight him." He murmured, nuzzling her cheek. He smiled at her, brushed his muzzle over her flank then turned to the last mare to join them.
"It's perfectly safe here. So long as you keep near the middle of the rise, away from the edges where stallions below can see you," he directed that at the darker mare, "Then no one will bother us. I can see clearly downwind and smell anyone up wind." He decided not to comment on her jibe at his leadership skills. After all, he still wasn't sure if he was any good at all.
"Let's graze a while, and you can tell me about yourselves. I still don't know your names." The grey stallion gestured toward a less revealing grazing spot toward the middle of the rise and waited for the two to move.
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Post by Illu on Apr 3, 2008 9:36:11 GMT
Brael was interested at this new information and quickly began snuffling at the cattle tracks again. She didn’t hear when Nevada had said to Mica; otherwise, she would have had a few angry words to say about it. Thankfully, the prints kept her interested long enough that by the time she checked to see what Nevada was doing, he was talking audibly to her again. ”Oh, alright,” she said, a little confused at herself she was actually bothering to pay attention to what he was disguisedly telling her to do. Staying safe seemed cleverer than taking the grey for a spin, so she retreated down closer to where they were. ”Um, yeah, I’m Brael. It means star.” she introduced, with the customary mane toss.
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Post by aya on Apr 3, 2008 16:06:49 GMT
Ria ignored Nevada for the most part, sniffing the now icy breeze that whistled past her. She still felt a calling from the high country to explore - to keep her freedom - while she could. She liked Nevada, even if he was a little inexperienced, but she wanted to roam the cascades for at least a season or so. She wondered how Brael felt. She snapped out of her reverie as her half-sister introduced herself to Nevada, and Ria felt she should do the same for politeness' sake. "I am Ria." She said proudly, lifting her head up so the breeze caught her mane, "it means.... Amazing." Yeah, okay, it was a lie, but who cares? She was amazing, so it wasn't that far from the truth.
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Post by Tiggs on Apr 3, 2008 16:21:55 GMT
Ria and Brael. Nevada tossed his head, his mane catching in the gathering wind. "Your names do suit you, you're both unique mares. Where did you come from? I've never seen mares quite as wonderful as you." He said, hoping flattery would help his cause. He'd do almost anything to keep these mares for himself. Hopefully Aleo would not roam so much now he had that dapple and perhaps even Dilali by now. Nevada hoped chasing him about was not on Aleo's immediate agenda right now. If he could just hide away until he was ready to fight the stronger stallions roaming the area.
He sighed into the wind so the sound wouldn't carry to the black-pelted flaxen-maned beauties. He knew Mica was right as soon as he had laid eyes on the pair, they would cause him so much trouble, but his reputation would soar high, and though he'd be sought out and many stallions would try to take them, he would rather have them then simply let them slip away.
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Post by Illu on Apr 4, 2008 1:10:03 GMT
Brael pricked up her head and tail happily at the compliment, overall looking quite pleased with herself. The boy knew beauty when he saw it! She hadn’t seen him talking to that third mare he was dragging around, so she thought it safe to assume he may just be forgetting about her. Hang, what did she look like anyway? Brael gave her a glance. Oh, pinto, right. Pfft, boring!
”We come from the Moyangul Valley, far south from here,” she tittered cheerfully, ”we are some of the last of a dying breed,” she emphasised so he could grasp the full spectrum of just how awesomely unique they where. Okay, so maybe the Moon Fillies weren’t quite dying out, but there weren’t very many, so that had to count for something!
”... Hang on a sec, who are you again? I forgot your name.” Assuming he had given it, she couldn't quite remember.
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Post by aya on Apr 6, 2008 2:30:35 GMT
Ria was pleased that Brael had emphasised how rare the moon fillies were to the grey stallion. Perhaps he would be even more appreciative towards them now. As Brael asked his name, Ria felt a pang of annoyance at her half-sister. His name? Like they needed to know his name! Ria was more interested in roaming around the mountains, showing herself off! She didn't need to know any stallion's name. "Brael, don't ask him such trivial questions." She said, wondering also if he had already told them and she had forgotten too, "its not like we will know him for long, anyway."
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Post by Tiggs on Apr 6, 2008 10:41:42 GMT
Nevada bobbed his head. Rare and beautiful fillies! Albeit a little vapid, but he could forgive them of that if they were so used to being doted on. The browner filly - Ria - seemed to be set on the idea of leaving soon, and Nevada felt a flush of panic. "Why leave? I know this country well, and I can find the best grazing spots and avoid all the dangers lurking. The men will want you when they come, so is it not best to find a small herd where hiding is easier?" A cheap effort to sell himself, but every mare had to understand the advantages of a stallion who knew the best way to avoid men and their drives. In a larger herd, not every mare could be accounted for. While he had a small herd, he would know where every mare was and so he could keep them close and safe.
"My name is Nevada," he said again, "At least graze with me a while, then if I can;t prove to you I am worthy of your presence, then I'll even take you to the King himself!" A fool's promise, but he knew he'd lose them soon if he didn't impress them soon.
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