Find the Silver Lining {Open}

[Ehetere]

OOC: Open to all who wish to join in.


Aaah spring. This most glorious season was well and truly full swing in the high country with flowers blooming, rivers singing and new creatures being brought into the world. Overall, everything was as it should be. Things were good.

A little to the east of Dead Horse Hut, a pale Silver stallion stood gleaming in the warm sunshine overlooking his humble but undeniably beautiful band of mares. Jirrand was his name, and now having reached five years of age, he was the very image of life, vitality and strength.

The mighty stallion – a champion in his own mind – stepped fluidly off the clump of raised earth he had been standing on to survey his mares and the surrounding area an made his way over to he bubbling creek – swollen to breaking point still from the melting winter’s snow. He took several long draughts, the icy water trickling own his throat and cooling him from the inside out. This was the life.

Previously, Jirrand would never have been seen in the daylight hours out in the open like this. He had been a pale shadow flitting through the twilight followed by his faithful mares so great was his fear of having them stolen from him by an older and stronger stallion. The loss of his first mare before their foal could be born had been a great pain and burden to him – his own personal cloud that he had been unable to shake, and it was only now that he had reached his prime he had the confidence to been seen during the day again.

As with any stallion of his age, Jirrand felt so alive and full of strength and confidence. He felt like he could fight the King right then and there and emerge the victor. The spirit of spring ran strong in his blood, and he was forever restless with its beat within him. He danced then, great silver horse in the morning’s light, for his mares and any other who cared to watch and see. He did not care in this moment who might be watching, be it man or horse or some other unknown. He was Jirrand – son of the Silver brumbies and the Nightrunners, with their blood in his veins, and he was invincible.

Arrogant? Certainly? But without reason? No. Jirrand had seen and won his fair share of fights in his life, and he was confident he could best any horse his own age should he be challenged. He was brave and now had his mature strength growing every day that passed. He was a horse on a mission – a mission to show the world he was not what he appeared.

[yaruka]

Kalari was happier than she'd ever imagined possible. Jirrand was the kind and gentle stallion she'd always longed for, and for once in her life she felt safe, grazing there under his watchful gaze. She watched his dancing steps with tender admiration, and was about to amble over to the creek for a drink when a sudden feeling of danger crept up her spine and set her hair on edge. She had the strangest feeling of being watched...Nervously she danced to the side but she could smell nor see nor even hear anything. Looking to Jirrand for reassurance, she forced herself to drop her head to the grass again, convinced it must only be her imagination.

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The silver stallion and his herd were being watched. Two gleaming wall-eyes considered the pale horse from a distance, scoffing at his foolish dance and proud carriage. Koonaka's gaze followed the stallion over to his mares, watching him as he surveyed them proudly. How precious snorted the appaloosa under his breath. The stallion was in a foul mood today, and felt like casting some of his angst off on another. So, quite stupidly perhaps when one considered the obvious strength and experience of the creamy and Koonaka relative inexperience, the spotted blue roan emerged from the trees, striding towards the silver stallion with that queer swinging gait of his, striped hooves making no move to avoid the clutter of pebbles or conceal his prints. As he passed one of the mares, a cream and white pinto, he swung his speckled head at her with teeth bared, enjoying the feeling of power it gave him to watch her shy away from him at his will.

[Ehetere]

A sound interrupted Jirrand’s prancing, and an ear flickered in the direction before he threw up his creamy head and propped to s sharp standstill. A strangely coloured blue roan stallion with spots had emerged from the trees, making no move to hide himself as he loped forwards, snarling at Kalari who shied away.

Jirrand snorted angrily and half reared, showing off that he was now a mature stallion, fully equipped to fight for his mares. Who was this stallion who thought he could just waltz up and terrorise them like this? Dropping down on all fours again, Jirrand let out a trumpeting challenge to the roan, warning him away. Though he was ready, if fighting could be avoided and this stallion scared off without a blow landed he would take the option.

The stallion did not stop however, and Jirrand called for his mares to move away from the stallion - out of the way as violence seemed imminent. As it was with spring, he doubted that this would be the only time he might have to fight for his herd, as the were all so lovely.

He went forward to meet the spotty stallion then, with his neck arched proudly and a spring in his step. His eyes rolled, showing their whites menacingly. He truly was a sight in the spring light, with his pale creamy coat gleaming and his mane and tail like starlight. He had matured well, with a deep chest and strong muscles now lining his frame. He was no longer some inexperienced colt or young stallion, and this was evident to any who saw him. In short, he was magnificent.

The spotted roan in a similar way did not look at all naive, and was probably older than Jirrand. He too was solid - strong and able. This would be a close fight; and memories of the time he had fought a stallion two years older than himself and lost flickered through his mind. But this was not then, and he pushed aside the images of the blood bay with a firm hand. Beginning to circle the other stallion and get his footing, Jirrand looked for the best opportunity to make his move.

[Tiggs]

OOC: Hey guys! I rolled it, so if Jirrand has 12 points and Koonaka has 9, Jirrand is 1-12, Koonaka is 13-21, and the roll landed on 10. Well done Jirrand!

[yaruka]

OOC: good thing too! Koonaka wouldn't know what to do with mares lol He'd probably just walk away and leave them with Jirrand lol.

I'll get to this reply asap, I just have to write one for Nepelle mares and Nandalie mares

[yaruka]

Kalari was terrified. The foul-tempered stallion had unnerved her and she hated violence. Now she watched Jirrand challenging the strange stallion with eyes lit with anxiety. Would this stallion hurt him seriously? She couldn't bear her noble cream stallion to be wounded. And what if the roan won? Then she would lose Jirrand and the life she had only just begun to settle into, returning to one of fear and constant anxiety. Her cream coat was already darkening with sweat when Jirrand made his approach, and ears flattened she skittered over to stand beside Karween.
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Koonaka looked back at the the pale stallion with a defiant gaze, unimpressed by his show of power. He continued to approach, stopping only a few feet from the furious stallion. He hadn't come here for a physical fight, but was rather enjoying the power he had to upset the stallion and his herd.
Stretching his thick neck, he deliberately yawned hugely, clearly insulting the other male.

OOC: sorry, Koonaka doesn't know what's good for him...

[Ehetere]

The other stallion did not turn tail and leave, and Jirrand snorted impatiently. He thought that perhaps by now with his experience in fighting coupled with his new spring strength might deter other stallions from bothering his mares like this, but apparently not. Oh well, he would make this older stallion leave, no matter the cost.

The roan came on still, stopping within easy striking distance of the silver nightrunner - making his intentions clear. If he would not leave on his own terms, he would leave on Jirrand’s. His creamy ears were pinned in hostility - he had no temper for other stallions right now, at the very beginning of spring and the breeding season.

The already tense situation burst when the other stallion yawned openly right in front of him, as though Jirrand’s display had bored him to sleep. Snorting angrily, he leapt forward, throwing his weight behind him and feeling the glorious movement of muscles beneath his skin, and the upthrust of speed and strength surge through him.

[yaruka]

Perhaps Koonaka should have been paying more attention to the other stallion than his own spiteful actions. The other stallion crashed into him with alarming force, upsetting the appaloosa roan's balance and leaving him rather dizzy. It took him a few moments to regain his senses, and when the ground stopped spinning beneath his ears flattened threateningly against his neck. Now more than a little annoyed he shook his large head once before reaching out visciously with his teeth for the cream horse's crest.

In truth Koonaka had never once fought another horse in his life, and though he could feel his blood begin to boil with anger he hadn't the slightest clue of how to go about defeating this silver giant.

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Kalari still stood trembling beside Karween, useless in her terror but devoted all the same. She was surprised when Jirrand was able to knock the other off balance without any resistance from the blue horse, it seemed as though the other was quite an amature at fighting. All the better for Jirrand though. But in spite of the fact that the other stallion was looking to be slightly less threatening with his hasty manouveres and slow reactions, Kalari's cream coat was still dark with sweat- she did not take the other horse's inexperience for granted. You never knew what could happen in a fight, experience had taught her that.

[Ehetere]

His lunge had done the trick, and the spotted blue roan looked rather dazed. His temper was not at all improved by this – he was grumpy that this stallion had rudely set to bothering his mares. At least this prevented arrogance from creeping in.

He watched with a displeased expression as the other regained his head and then had the cheek to try and sneak in a sly bite. Well, Jirrand was having none of that. Sidestepping easily out of the way of the other’s obvious attack, he struck out with his sturdy forelegs – once more marveling at the power he felt surge through his limbs. How could any horse hope to defeat him when he felt so alive with the bright sunshine giving him such energy and vitality?

He was sure to sort out a strategy early on for defeating the other and hopefully giving him a beating he would never forget for harassing his beloved mares. He kept his bad side away from the other stallion, so he would not have to open it if necessary. He was quick on his feet for his size, which was a great virtue that allowed him to exchange powerful blows as well as dodge them in equal measure. So long as he kept his wits about him, he was confident of victory here today.

[yaruka]

BIC: The other horse was bigger, faster, and clearly more experienced, facts that Koonaka didn't fail to notice. And while he was stubborn, he was not stupid, and had a definite sense of self-preservation. It was quite clear that he wasn't going to win this fight, and he was just trying to work out away of leaving with his dignity intact, when one of the cream forelegs caught him on the shoulder.

As Koonaka spun away he felt the other's sharp hoof cut a jagged line down his mottled side, the fresh pain the wound caused him angering him further and blinding him to reason for a moment. Quicker than even he would have expected he twisted around and flung a viscious kick at his creamy oppenent. Then, hoping the stallion would be distracted for a moment, he cantered off, intending to avoid a formal acknowledgement of his loss. He passed directly by the two mares, flicking his brushy tail at them in derision and pinning his ears foul-temperedly, but otherwise leaving them alone.