The coming of Spring

[Valatone]

Althea was still enraged by the time she reached the group's next destination, the top of Mt Kosciusko. With the snow melting it hadn't been easy for her, and constantly slipping wasn't a hobby of hers. But up here, the sun melted the snow fast and grass was plenty. She called out to Koji and Yaruka, hoping they had fallowed closely.

She reached down to take a bite of grass. It felt delicous eating after her journey through Winter. Althea had only eaten seed pods, which she soon grew tired of. She was noisily munching when she was sure the call of a stallion entered her ears. Of course, it was far away, but once again she was reminded of Bakoli. Sooner or later, she would find another stallion she liked. Althea had to forget about him, but it was hard. He had engraved memories into her heart she would never forget, but sooner or later there had to be a stallion to her likings. Figuring it might help, she whinnied out a loud cry, hoping to be heard by a stallion and her friends.

[»Koiji]

When spring came to the High Country, it came slow. The snow falls narrowed out until they were becoming little more than rain, and the time that the horses had in the light of the God's grew longer and longer. More animals were coming out of their winter homes and the birds were flocking back into the High Country with their happy cries. The time before the spring was Koiji's faveorite time of year and she had decided that after living through her three short years of life.

Her head in the clouds, she followed Althea and the filly, Yaruka up the hills of MT. Kosciusko. She often daydreamed, as it was a habbit of hers and sometimes the world in her head was a lot easier to deal with. Like when she had met that dreaful stallion, Damon. Just turning her thoughts to that guy made her lip curl back slightly in annoyance. Far off in the distance, the cry of a stallion echoed across the hills.

A few moments later, she heard Althea's whiny in what some may have thought of as a reply to the stallion. Koiji whinied in a reply to her friend to show her that she was still there. She turned her head to see if Yaruka was still following, and then turned back to Althea. "Hey, Althea!" She called "Where are we going to go from here? I once knew of a valley, that was really sheltered and peaceful." She looked off the top of the mountain and smiled. It was so beautiful... "What d'you think?" she asked, turning back to look at her freind.

[yaruka]

Yaruka followed the other mares, glad to have company after being alone for so long. It was not natural for a filly, especially one of her young age, to be alone for so long and she had had enough of lonliness to be throughly disconcerted by it. She followed Koiji up the mountain side, close enough to belong to the group, but at a respectful distance. She knew she was the newcomer here, she wasn't quite sure what the history between Althea and Koiji was yet, but she knew that there definately was one. She wondered how long they had been without herds themselves but didn't ask, she really was a very shy and her experiences had also made her somewhat nervous and flighty. Nimbly leaping from rock to rock, Yaruka eventually managed to relax a little. She could do this. She had been raised on a mountainside, and could climb like a goat. Beginning to prance again, she reveled in the feeling of spring. Tossing her mane she shied slightly as a mouse scuttled out from the grassy, although still brown, tussocks she danced upon. A stallion called from far away, Yaruka froze with one hoof raised, her ears pricked and her body held still as though carved from shining garnet. Shaking herself she continued on, following the gentle black mare in front of her.

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OOC: Hey Koiji, we need to think of some reason for Yaruka to leave. I'm thinking she has to be scared for some reason, scared enough to not return to look for Koiji and Althea after the danger has passed. She needs to have some reason to continue in the direction Ryu will be in....any ideas? getting chased by something or other seems valid, but what I don't know. it obviously has to be realistic, but I can't think of anything (short of having to escape from a mean stallion) that would cause her to give up Althea and Koiji's companionship once the danger has gone. lol, maybe Maluka (that mean stallion) can happen upon Yaruka and capture her (we'd have to ask whoever plays him of course) is that too cliche/unreleastic/dramatic though? what do you think? you too Althea

oh! what if there was a flood? like a GIANT flood. I don't see why she wouldn't return to Koiji and Althea though....

[Valatone]

Ooc: What about a man? Yaruka gets so frightened that she gets herded away from the other 2 by the man, but in the end he loses her and Althea and Koiji. Btw, I'm trying to get started a story on Althea's past on deviantart.

Through a mouthful of grass, Althea mumbled, "But I liksh itsh her!" The grass tasted so sweet, it was irresistable. "We might go later, but you should try this!" she said when she finished. Spring brang freedom to the high country, freedom to run and play around the tops of mountains. But all she really wanted right now was a stallion, a kind, gentle, noble stallion to keep her company. She also wanted a foal of her own, as when she was with Bakoli she was too young.

She tossed her chocolate brown mane about and flicked her tail.Althea let out another ringing cry, this one for fun. She knew that stallion was too far away to come, but she didn't mind. Now she had Koiji and Yaruka to travel with. "Spring, wonderful spring," she sight, lying down and rolling in the springy grass.

[Illu]

||OoC|| Here with Garrong by Valatone’s request. I got Maluka for you. xD ||

Garrong had officially arrived in the area a mere two days previously and had thus far been taking a huge amount of care to keep his arrival quiet. He’d kept in the trees, listening for news during the day, and exploring at night where he was invisible. The area seemed immensely favourable, good terrain and not too many horses. He didn’t care about that though, for some reason Thowra’s old country was utterly devoid of Silver Stallions, and he hadn’t seen any silver fillies either. The realisation had made him strangely light-hearted and giddy. All right, so the place was crawling with stockmen, but it was still worth it if there weren’t any cream and silver mongrels to ruin the peace. Overall, it looked like a nice place to rebuild his miserable little existence. Besides, if there were any silver colts being born this year he could just kill them and be done with it.

The half-Friesian colt just been climbing one of the mountains slopes for an aerial view when the sound of another stallion called out, and the black colt stopped dead and swerved around automatically, but the look of fierce reprisal faded as soon as the realised the call had been some distance away.

What did keep his interest however, is that a filly answered.

Now, Garrong had no mind for fillies just yet, peculiar considering he was of age to gather his first little mob and all. A friendly face would be enough for him if she didn’t get put off by his appearance and decide not to talk to him. He didn’t exactly give off ‘friendly’ vibes; he was tall, heavy set, feathered, and a coal black all over, a combination that had earned him some choice nicknames in the past. Nor did he look his tender age either; he was easy to mistake for a 4 or 5 year old. Today he didn’t want to think about it, so against his better judgement he decided to wander over and see who was there. They’d be good for news if nothing else.

It took the black horse while to work his way back down to where the voice had came from, and he was almost there when their scent wafted down and Garrong almost started. Three fillies? All right not what he was expecting, but suddenly the same one neighed again, so he sucked it up and started forcing his way through the clump of trees separating them. They’d be good for news if nothing else, just ask a few questions and try not to take up too much of their time.

Just when he started to step out into the open, Garrong suddenly got cold feet and shrank back. What if they knew him here too? What if they ran? What if their stallion came back, knew him, and tried to kill him? Garrong mentally chastised himself. This was not behaviour befitting him! So, he went to step out again, and the same thing happened. Angry with himself now, he counted to three, and on the third managed to get out of his hiding place and into the open.

Oh great, now he just felt weird. Garrong hadn’t actually talked to another horse for a very long time, and as he walked over to the three fillies he was feeling distinctly awkward. He kept his body language as non threatening as possible and was about to open his mouth to introduce himself when another smell suddenly hit him. Garrong was momentarily distracted and looked around quizzically. Hang on, another horse was nearby...

[tingara]

Maluka had been watching in the trees for some time, mulling over the disappointing fact that
1) his attempts at aligning himself with Komo had failed. The great Clydesdale would have been handy in the crusade against his brother.
and
2) that the 'great' king had disappeared before Maluka could fight him.
He remained stock still as the fillies talked, they had no idea he was there. Suddenly, out of the shadows appeared an enormous black stallion, Tingara? Maluka tensed then looked again, no it was too big to be Tingara. Big... the word hit Maluka like a tree branch.
"Step right up, it's a new candidate," he chuckled to himself. Maluka settled himself and stepped cockily out of the trees.
"Well, well, well and who do we have here?" he said effortlessly smooth making sure he threw in an extra smile for the big blacky.

[»Koiji]

OOC;; Yay! There's loads of people joining in ^.^ Koiji's got a lot to catch up on here xD;;

Bic;;
Koiji watched her friend as she reveled in the glory of the hills. She laughed gently to herself, and lowered her head to take a bite of the grass that was supposedly so sweet. "Oh Woww!" She managed to say through the giant mouthful of grass. She quickly lowered her head again to take more and to fill herself up. The mountain ranges were slowly filling back with life, both plant wise and creature wise. Koiji was in love with the time before spring.

She whinned with the sheer joy of being free and happy, it was one of those times where she was grateful for just being alive. ALthea let out one too, the merry sounds of their cries bouncing off the mountains and into the creives that only some animals dared to enter. But although Koiji was in such high spirits, they were dampened by something that had been lying on her her shoulders for a while now. Her stallion. Ryu had to be out there somewhere, and she knew it, but the problem was proving it. She couldn't belive that she was alone. Not now. She was carrying a foal, she tried to deny it at first, but she could no-longer, she had definately swelled a bit in size. How could anyone let this happen? Her foal had to have a dad...

Koiji felt that there was someone aproaching, but she couldn't quite place a finger, or hoof in her case, on what it could possibly be. Her theroy was proved when a stallion trotted effortlessy onto the patch of land that the fillies were stood on. She raised her pitch black head to look at the newcomer. "Well, well, well and who do we have here?" he was smiling. Koiji turned round fast to look at him. 'I hope he's not like that blasted Damon...' She thought, tossing her mane elegantly as she often did. What she was unaware of was that there was another stallion about too...

[yaruka]

OOC: wow! I'm going to have to catch up too two stallions? uh oh and a man is a good idea Vala, but at this rate, I think having two stallions here might be enough for Yaruka to leave
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The three mares reached a grassy plateau and Yaruka watched in amusement as her new found friends grazed and rolled about in the springy grass. Lowering her head she snatched a quick mouthful for herself but raised her head worriedly when Althea and Koiji called out again. Flicking her tail with unease she just about to open her mouth and ask them not to cry out again, she was still paranoid about being found by an unfriendly group of horses or men, when a large black stallion came out from the brush. Stiffening, Yaruka flared her nostrils to draw in his scent. He didn't give off quite the same arrogant vibe as Damon had but he still seemed strange. What was most peculiar, however, was that he seemed almost a little nervous about being there. Relaxing slightly, Yaruka reminded herself that she was no longer alone, and really, shouldn't be of any interest to a stallion yet. Bracing herself for the black horse's next move she suddenly whirled around in fright as she heard yet another stallion's voice "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" said a grey stallion. Obviously the horse had been downwind from the three mares and thus they had been unable to scent him before he made his appearance. Yaruka's skin started to crawl and she broke out in a mild sweat. What should they do? Trying to calm herself, she tried to think to herself that they didn't know if these two horses were a threat yet. But honestly, ONE arrogant male had been enough in the case of Damon, and she did not like the look of this grey horse. The black was very different from any horse she had ever seen before, both in appearance and mannerisms, but did not, as of yet, seem a threat to them. Pinning her ears slightly she trotted over to Koiji and Althea's side, so that they made a sort of outwards facing circle. Flicking her ears back and forth nervously, she watched the two newcomers with wide eyes. Deciding that the grey was most like the biggest threat for now, she focused most of her attention on him, but did not neglect to keep the black horse in her sight at all times.

[Valatone]

Ooc: Sorry Illu, but now Althea is going to meet and join Ryu. I thought about it, and if she did go with Garrong then both my mares are with blackies. Kinda wierd? Lol, and no offense to Tingara, nothing against you, but if I went with Maluka, then my mares are both with your characters. Sorry again!
Bic:

Althea immediately threw her head up when she heard someone-no, two - approuching. She saw the massive, black stallion and the greyish stallion arrive, probably because of her childish calls. But now she got a little excited, it had been ages since she had met a proper stallion, maybe that was now. Or maybe they were threats? "Who are you 'fellas?" she said, cooly. Hopefully there wouldn't be a fight. Althea stood close to Koiji and Yaruka, (she is the largest and oldest of them, right?) just in case something nasty was going to happen.

[yaruka]

OOC: well, as Yaruka's only a yearling, Althea is definately older and bigger than her Koiji is three I believe? and about 14hh. correct me if I'm wrong Koiji and about Ryu- did you change the plot with Koiji? If so, please let me know the deal cause Koiji had a plot idea and I need to know how my character fits in thanks. sorry, I have nothing to rp oO/