The Stallion Hater [Open]

[stormsnow]

A tall , black-and- white paint mare made her way up to Paddy Rush's Bogong, the sun blazing above her, despite the fact that it was barely two hours since dawn. She was sleek and supple, a beauty in her own way, with bold dark brown eyes, and a small star upon her forehead. There was more to her than that-far more. She was an unusual mare, owing to a single fact- she was a stallion hater.

Kaya dipped her head, trying to find a patch of grass that was not even slightly scorched by the sun. Finding one on the far side of the plateau, sheltered by a few ghost gums, the mare extended her neck and began to graze. As she did so, her eyes darted back and fourth, taking in every tree, rock, and patch of grass to the front, left and right of where she stood.

This would be a good place to settle- if she wanted to. There would be less snow in winter than many areas of the High Country, and there was plenty of trees and rocks dotted here and there. The mare snorted softly and returned to her meal. The grass was still rather green and tasty here, if only where the trees sheltered it from the sun's relentless heat. Hearing a sudden noise, her ears flicked forwards in alarm and she jerked her head up, nostrils flaring.

[yaruka]

Along Paddy Rush's Bogong tracked a figure that hadn't been seen in the High Country for some time. After the disappearance of Koiji and her unborn foal the stallion had drafted south-spending a few seasons in the Quambat region. But the flat had held no interest for him, and eventually he had made his slow way back to the foothills of Kosciusko, thinking that at least if he were alone here, he'd be in his own country.

So it was that he was wandering along the edge of the bogong, his dark red coat blending well with the slowly turning leaves. His thoughts were quite occupied with the memories this territory brought back to him, and when the breeze picked up and brought along with it the scent of another horse the stallion stopped in surprise. Raising his kind head, he scanned the bogong to make out the loudly patterned coat of a brumby mare. He had been lonely so long that he quite forget to be cautious. Whinnying a greating, he stood stock still, ears pricked forward good-naturedly, waiting for her reply.

OOC: Woorin! <3 It's been way too long since I've had a chance to play him

[stormsnow]

Kaya whirled around. The noise was, in fact, a greeting from a stallion, and a red one at that. He sounded friendly, so she decided to respond. Trotting over the Bogong towards him, she stopped a few metres away and neighed, "Greetings. I am Kaya, so named for my wisdom. May I inquire of yours?"

As she waited for a reply, she inspected him. He did not look calculating or mean; in fact, he looked to be a rather kindly stallion, and also a lonely one. She wondered if he had had a mate, but lost her. Dispite his friendly demeanour, she stayed alert, though not too visibly.

OOC: I think I remember him! Yay! ;D

[yaruka]

Woorin's gentle eyes took in the mare's cautionary pose and respectful of her obvious desire for space, did not move forward to greet her as he would have another brumby. He met her gaze easily before replying.

"Greetings, Kaya," he said. "I am Woorin, named for the sun. Might I ask if you are alone on the bogong today, or do your companions graze not far off? I wouldn't pry, only it is so unusual for this area to be so quiet. I wonder if perhaps you know something that I don't. "

Patiently he stood in wait of her reply, flicking his burnt red tail absent-mindedly at the flies that still pestered even this late in the year.

[stormsnow]

Kaya considered this for a moment before speaking. "No, I am alone, as far as I know. Apart from yourself, of couse, Woorin." She savoured his name. Maybe he would be the one stallion she had longed for? The one who loved her for who, not what, she was? The black and white paint mare eyed him once more and relaxed her stance, feeling less threatened.

[yaruka]

Woorin was pleased to see the mare was beginning to relax around him. Taking her response, careful but perfectly civil, as encouragement, he bobbed his head and replied conversationally.

"Ah, that is very strange indeed. I myself have not been in these parts for nearly two years, but never have I seen the flat this quiet." As his voice trailed off his dark eyes flickered around the edge of the clearing. Indeed, all was silent. It was almost eery. Surpressing a slight shiver, he turned back to the mare, wondering how to address her again.

"Have you been about these parts for long?" he asked "I have never seen you before, but perhaps that is not so unusual, so many brumbies come and go through these parts and I was only quite a young stallion when I left."

[stormsnow]

Kaya replied, "I have not. I came from the north, for the warmer weather and easier grazing." The paint mare paused for a moment. "I you do not mind my asking, you have the look of a stallion who has lost a mare. Would I be right?" She inquired tentatively.

[yaruka]

Woorin's ears flickered in surprise at the mare's words. Was it truly that obvious? He sighed quietly, but decided to tell her the story.

"Indeed, I have suffered the lsos of a mare, my only mare," he said. When her grown daughter, who was not of my own blood, decided to follow a powerful grey stallion, Koiji became rather depressed. When men startled us one morning, so focused was she on her sorrow, she did not heed my warning, and was slow to run. Though I tried to distract the men, I was no match for them and their dogs, and so I had to watch her be taken by them. She was driven into a mass mob of brumbies being driven across the High Country, and from there I lost track of her."

His eyes had darkened with sadness as he spoke, and after relaying his story, which he had never before told another horse, his head dropped slightly. He had never been able to shake the sense of guilt, the feeling that if he had been more competant, been more handsome so that Koiji's daughter had been willing to stay, more powerful so that the grey would have never approached to challenge him, or craftier so that he could have lost the men, he could have saved Koiji from domesticity. His mood dampened further as he considered, given his history, this mare would be unlikely to stick around for much longer to talk to him. He had never felt confident enough to try and gather a herd again, and had been lonely for a long time. But surely this mare would not even think to graze with him now that he'd given evidence of his incompetence.

[stormsnow]

Kaya listened in silence to Woorin's woeful tale. "You poor soul. I'm so sorry." she murmured when he had finished talking. It was the first time she had felt sympathy towards a stallion. She could see the guilt and pain in his eyes. "I know it is easy for me to say this, but don't blame yourself. Few other stallions could have pursuaded your mare's daughter to stay, or made Koiji heed you. Would she want to see you like this?"

OOC: Sorry it took so long for me to post.

[yaruka]

OOC: No problem! I've been quite busy also!

BIC: Woorin's ears pricked forwards again at the mare's words, and he raised his head slightly at her encouragement. "Those are kinds words," he said "And I thank you for them. And you are right. Koiji would not like to see me so dejected, I am sure of it. I will try and make lighter company. What of yourself? What is your story if I may ask?"