The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most(OPEN)

[Valatone]

"I see we meet again, big mouth," jeered a voice from behind Koiji. The light brown mare known as Althea stepped out from where her friend had come. For some time she had been slowly wandering along in Koiji's faint footsteps and listened to their convosation. As he had been doing to her a while ago, he was teasing these two, poor mares like herself. She too had lost her mate during a blizzard down a cliff near the place they were standing.
She flung her glorious dark mane to shoo out some snowflakes, then wandered over beside Koiji."I'm surprized you made it this far into the Winter," she teased, pulling a smirk. "Like these two, I've lost my mate, not that you'd be interested, and now i'm wandering with Koiji here," she finished her statement with a snort after hearing his last saying.

"He is merely teasing, as he did to me. I thought you would grow out of your old ways, Damon, but maybe its humans that have enforced this rudeness into you and your dim thoughts of human activities," again she smirked, trying to break him. She liked a good competition, especially with stallion like Damon. Then she realised, all this time she had been ignoring the new filly Yaruka. She turned to her and laughed, "I apologize for ignoring you, my name is Althea and I come with Koiji. I have met Damon before, when he insulted me with a much kinder, gentle stallion of more strength than he could ever have," she said the last bit while drawing her lips back and baring her teeth at Damon, then quickly turned her hazel eyes back to Yaruka.

[»Koiji]

Koiji couldn't believe her ears! When Ryu disappeared, she had spent ages looking for him by the waterfall and the surrounding area, and had had no success in finding any trace of him! How could this be? A wandering stallion finding her star? No, surely he had got it wrong... But it was a bit too late, the look of terror had seeped across the mare's elegant face, something that she was sure was going to provoke a reaction out of Dämon. It couldn't be... Not now... Not while she was without him... She couldn't think of a decent responce, apart from either a 'NOOOO!' or 'WHAT?!?!'

But she didn't have to think or use either, for thankfully Althea appeared behind Koiji and started talking to Dämon. "I see we meet again, big mouth," came Althea's silky voice, jeering the stallion. Koiji spun round, thankful for her friend's appearence. "Althea!" She greeted her and moved over to her to say hello. Koiji could tell that Althea was having fun, it was quite obivious that she hated Dämon. Althea explained to the Yaruka and herself about Dämon, and Koiji saw red. What was this guy's problem? Picking on helpless looking mares. Pathetic really, wasn't it? Althea had told her some of about the days that she had had her stallion, and Koiji had felt the utmost sympathy for her friend, as she knew Althea had felt about her losing Ryu. Spring was on it's way now, the land was showing signs of life now and the snow storms were growing less and less.

Koiji remembered at that moment, that Yaruka was having to hear this too, and walked slowly over to her. "It's all right," She told the filly, hoping that she woudn't be too scared. Althea introduced herself, and Koiji added; "Don't worry about Althea, she'll calm down soon enough." It was true, altough the mare was angry, she wasn't one to stay in a fowl mood for ages. Well, at least since Koiji had known her.

Turning on to face Dämon, she said; "Well, being a horse from some stables would explain the gentleman's manner," She snorted. "Except what buisness would men have teaching you manners? From what Althea's just told us, I should think your master's would had failed at that." She was hoping that she wasn't touching too many nerves. It wasn't in her nature to be mean, but an angry Dämon may mean problems... "I suppose you never saw a grey stallion did you? I know he's alive, I just need to find him." Living in hope was Koiji's way. Although it hadn't always been, when she first found herself without her star, she spent a good amount of time moping. But when she met Althea, she soon pricked her spirits up. "My Granmother was of tame blood," She told him. "And she told me that there was a way that man calmed male stallions down."

[yaruka]

OOC>>>lol! a way that man calmed stallions down XD burn...sorry, I found it funny
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Although it was not in Yaruka's nature to be rude, she couldn't help but snort and roll her eyes in disgust at Damon's lofty tone as he described his successful career with men,honestly- he considered himself a lord? She quickly covered up her reaction though, it would not do to get the big horse mad at her. She twitched her tail anxiously when he came to the part about the dead stallion. The black mare beside her tensed and Yaruka felt herself fill with concern for this horse that she barely knew. Death of any sort was never good, and she hoped with all her heart that it was not the stallion that this black mare seeked whom Damon had found dead. She looked up in concern and noticed the emptiness in Damon's eyes, and stopped to wonder. There was a chance...but no how could any horse joke about death in that manner, especially to a mare that had never, as far as Yaruka knew, harmed him in any way? I see we meet again, big mouth came a voice from behind her. Yaruka jumped and swung around in panic to see a brown mare approaching. She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts about Damon that she hadn't even noticed the other mare's approach. Mentally she kicked herself, she was going to have to be more careful if she was to survive without a herd. Of course she would rather be with a herd, but the question was- which herd? She wasn't yet at the age when she should be joining another stallion's band and she was afraid that few would want her. Yaruka watched as the newcomer jeered at Damon, obviously they had a history together. And it seemed that Damon was not new at harrassing mares either. So she had been right in her first instinct, the pale horse was not to be trusted.
The light brown horse then turned to her and laughed, "I apologize for ignoring you, my name is Althea and I come with Koiji. I have met Damon before, when he insulted me with a much kinder, gentle stallion of more strength than he could ever have," The brown mare continued to look at her, waiting for a response. Slightly taken aback at going from being alone to surrounded by three horses, Yaruka replied shyly "It is quite alright, my name is Yaruka. Nice to meet you." she nodded at the black mare "You are Koiji?" she asked, trying to get all the names straight, she felt overwhelmed and slightly concerned. She had been used to moving about in secret and now three horses knew of her existence in these parts, what if they attempted to chase her off this territory, the only somewhat sheltered grazing grounds she had found since the winter began? Koiji walked over to her, "It's all right"[i/] she said "Don't worry about Althea, she'll calm down soon enough." Yaruka flicked her tail, she wasn't worried about the brown mare, she wasn't a threat to her, not now at least. Damon she was concerned about. Although she longed for the comfort of a herd,she didn't want to get stuck with him. Not that she thought he would want her to hang around him, although he hadn't said anything she could tell that he thought himself way above herself and Koiji. Still, she ought to be careful. She did not want any trouble.

[Valatone]

Ooc: I know its not my turn and Illu needs a go, but I just had to agree, and sorry Illu, but yeah, BURN!

[Illu]

Dämon just gave an imperious, agitated snort at Althea’s reappearance; she was one mare he hoped never to see again, yet here she was, and by the looks of it trying to run him off. Ha, if he was leaving he was determined it not be on her account. Feigning a hurt tone, he started trying to undo any damage she might have made. ”I do beg your pardon, O shrew,” he said, as impeccably as ever, ”But despite what judgements you cast on my character there are some jokes too cruel even for me to make.”

Moreover, what was this she was saying? A kinder, gentler, stronger horse than him, huh? Apparently he’d targeted someone she liked at some point, and he had to cast his mind back to remember until eventually the image of a straight shouldered Clydesdale with upright pasterns re-entered his mind. OH, that oaf. Apparently he was right in assuming that he’d managed to win that conversation, because seeing as Althea had chosen to leave the bay behind his comments had obviously gotten to her.

”Despite our history, I am glad to know you left that draft behind. However much you think it can’t happen to you, small mares will often take injury while breeding to much larger, heavier stallions, a fate undeserving for one such as yourself.”

Right, sure. Actually he was starting to wish he’s just left her with that oversized lump, let her figure out she was becoming knock kneed, floundering and swaybacked at only 5 years old no thanks to Komo’s heavy rear and huge foals. Then she would have totally enjoyed seeing her haggard, ruined reflection in the water and Damon could have saved himself a headace. The only reason he'd even done it was his inherent hatred for draft horses and his desire to wipe them all of the face of the planet. The physical toll it would have taken on her wasn't his concern, as long as no more draft horses or infernal half-breeds were spawned to pollute the earth a little more.

[yaruka]

Yaruka watched the conversation with slightly narrowed eyes. Despite Damon's denial she had a feeling Althea was infact telling the truth, that the big cream horse simply liked watching other's suffer mental distress. She swished her long tail uncomfortably as the conversation turned to yet another horse, Komo. She wondered what a draft horse was, she had never heard of one. Damon seemed intent on unerving Althea but Yaruka just kept quiet. It was not her place to intervene, besides, she was quite sure Althea could handle the situation. She couldn't help but lay her ears back a little though as Damon spoke, that horse thought so much of himself, and what was his deal, tormenting innoccent passerbys like this?

[Valatone]

Althea snorted then whinnied in fury, once again forgetting all those around her but Damon. "I did not leave Komo because of your comments, if that is what you are thinking. And I did not plan to have anyones foal anytime soon, and he was kind enough to understand that. Even if you wanted to start a proper herd, you couldn't, you're not even a proper stallion!And even if you were, you wouldn't get any mares because of you're rudeness!" she screamed, driving her hooves into the frosty earth.
"I left him because of the blizzards, the snow and wind were fierce at the bogong and the grass was impossible to reach. I hope he left too and is alive, unlike I want you to be," she spat. Althea wanted to tear the large stallion apart right here, but she knew that he was much too strong, even if not like Komo.

Suddenly her fury calmed and she looked over at Yaruka and Koiji, "Pardon me, but I believe we should leave this stallion alone with his love for himself!" she announced, flicking her tail.

[»Koiji]

OOC;; Lol, *gets out karaoke machine* Burn baby burn, It's a disco inferno! Burn baby Burn...

The little gathering of brumbies was turning into a rather heated debate. Damon had obviously trod on a touchy subject with her friend, as she had never seen Althea as bad as she was at that moment. It was as if fury had taken over her body and she no longer had control of what she was going to say. ONce she had spat out a few remarks to Damon, she reared and continued; ...Even if you wanted to start a proper herd, you couldn't, you're not even a proper stallion!And even if you were, you wouldn't get any mares because of you're rudeness!" Koiji had never seen poor Althea this angry.

"I knew it!" She squeeled. "I knew you had something about you that didn't seem whole somehow!" It seemed that they were going to leave the stallion to his own buisness in a minute so what did it matter what she spat a him now? "What my Grandma told me was something to do with... A knife I believe, and your undercarrige!" She snorted as if to laugh. "Well, that was a waste of those human's time wasn't it? They really didn't do their job properly did they?" For once Koiji was letting herself be a bit mean. It wasn't oftne that she did so, and it felt good, what with the new found hatered for Damon.

"Pardon me, but I believe we should leave this stallion alone with his love for himself!" Althea announced. "I couldn't agree more Althea!" Koiji whinnied angrily, rearing as she said it. The pale giant was really getting on her nerves. She flicked her tail angrily and turned towards Althea. Her anger faded as she went to walk away. "You coming Yaruka?" She asked in her normal voice. Her blue eyes looked sweetly at the young filly. "I'm sure that you don't want to stay with this bully." She glared at Damon. Hoping that this prat of a stallion was going to take the hint and leave them to it.

[yaruka]

Yaruka watched with wide eyes as the argument went from snide undercomments to flat out screaming on Koiji and Althea's part. She rolled her eyes nervously, and backed up looking from side to side, concerned that they might attract the attention of someone who would take anger at them being here. She still had no idea who's land she was on, or whether men roamed close by. Flicking her tail anxiously she winced as the mares brought up what was sure to be a touchy subject with the giant horse. This was not looking good. Yaruka wasn't exactly a complete pacifist, but she didn't like full out fights either and she worried about what this stallion could or would do to them. Tucking her head into her chest she danced nervously in place, barely aware of her own movements. Althea turned to look at her and KoijiPardon me, but I believe we should leave this stallion alone with his love for himself! said Althea. Yaruka couldn't agree more. She was not without courage but her time alone had made her paranoid and she was worried about provoking Damon's, or some other surrounding creatures anger. Not knowing these parts well, she would have her main advantage, her speed, compromised if she was forced to dash through the trees that surrounded them. Although she was quite good at dodging and fleeing in any setting, anyone else arround here would most certaintly know the terrain better than her.
Koiji turned to walk away: You coming Yaruka? she askedI'm sure that you don't want to stay with this bully. Yaruka nodded and made to follow Koiji, still prancing slightly from her pent up energy.

[Illu]

Dämon was disquietingly still during Althena’s little outburst, a large white statue with a warped expression of sick amusement while she yelled and kicked up the dirt in her anger. Still, even after Koiji had had her say, he didn’t move at all until an infuriating length of time passed. Whatever was going through his mind wasn’t showing in his face, but whatever it was couldn’t be pretty.

Suddenly, in a high pitched voice, ”Of course, it would be you," he jeered, turning his head to the side surprisingly femininely and batted his eyelashes excessively, though his eyes retained that twisted look. "That doesn't mean I will join your herd,” he added in the same voice, moving his back in surprise, but in a tone more like an afterthought before continuing, ”but if I had to, I’d rather be with someone I could actually carry a foal of.”

After a chillingly menacing, slow, deliberate laugh he spoke again, in his own voice this time, with none of the pleasant overtone of before Althea arrived. ”Your own words, were they not? A friend, or a brother as I said, but you rejected him yourself by your own vocation. Play not the role of the victimised innocent my dear, you were planning to leave him eventually even before the storm by your own admittance.”

Althea herself didn’t bother him, but all these mares seemed to suddenly be in a very anti-Dämon frame of mind which common sense was telling not to push. There was still a creepy look on his face, even though he was starting to back away, and there was definitely something wrong in the manner he went, ”I’ll see you soon, ladies,” just before he turned around and disappeared the way he had come.

||OoC|| Exit Damon. ||