Shades of Grey {O}

[Ehetere]

The air was cool that morning, the grey light of dawn only half lighting the shadow landscape. A pair of kangaroos were startled when two quiet shapes moved past them – grey like the trees and the earth and the sky. Everything was shades of grey.

Allirea had left the herd far earlier that morning, sneaking out in the very dead of night with her grullo-going-grey daughter Dulloora. She usually took her daughter wandering when she wanted to teach her something about the bush, so Dulloora who found exploring ever so exciting was eager to follow.

A dark shape showed up ahead, barely reflecting the slowly lightening sky on its still surface. Allirea was well and truly a horse of the mountains, being both sure footed and nimble, and she loathe to leave them. As it was, Dulloora had left the high ranges of the Ramshead and Kosciusko but once, and for only a brief time while Allirea assessed the presence of man earlier in the summer. The rugged landscape was all the little filly knew, and she loved it almost as much as her mother did.

The smooth surface of Lake Cootapapamba rippled as a small breath of wind gusted across it, and it lifted the pale mane of the lithe mare and her offspring. Allirea breathed in deeply, savoring the smell of the high mountains and the scent of wildness and freedom. She urged her daughter to do the same, for only when young horses had the desire for freedom burning so strongly within them would they be sure to evade capture when they left the safety and watchful eyes of their parents. Allirea could simply not bare the thought of her perfect daughter being held by men’s ropes.

The pair moved forward then, cantering across the rocky ground with certain steps, never once faltering despite the terrain. Sliding to a stop on the shale shore, Allirea dipped her soft dark muzzle into the icy water to drink. The more her daughter knew of the land, the more elusive she would be in a hunt, whether it be from man or horse. For in Allirea’s eyes, there would be no man nor horse who would be able to resist her lovely daughter as she aged.

Dulloora was cavorting around, thoroughly enjoying herself. After running a few circles chasing her tail, she plunged into the shallow water with a shrill whinny as the freezing droplets splashed up all around her. Allirea tugged at her daughter’s tail in punishment for making such a racket – she should remember her lessons about being quiet. But still, who was there to hear them up here but the lone white-breasted kite who had appeared hovering over a tall peak. All the same, Allirea stood to attention, her ears pricked warily to pick up the slightest noise that would indicate the approach of another. They were right out in the open here, and quite in plain sight.

[E!]

It was in the early mornings that Bokara could not help but feel energized, his long, slender limbs dancing along, neat hooves making slight thuds on the earth as his mane flew like a black flag against the pale sky. He felt stronger than ever - though he had yet to reach his prime and full strength. Despite this, the beautiful bay looked fit and strong, his lean body fuller and more muscled than it had once been.

His keen mahogany eyes flicked over the landscape, not so much eager to find company, but interested in the lake ahead - he had visited it once, with his dear Quinja, but it had not been warm enough to swim or play in the water. Of course, the weather was cool and chilly in the early morning, perhaps a little cold to go further than the ledge, but Bokara decided with ease that he was willing to get a bit cold for the sake of fun.

Slowing into a graceful walk, Bokara headed toward the lake, only to pause at the sight of two brumbies. His intelligent gaze settled onto the playing filly and then back to what was obviously her dam. He continued, there was no sign of a stallion around, and Bokara was quite sure no threat could be posed by himself going down to the lakes edge. Incase he had not been seen or heard, and through this caused a shock to the pair, he let out a warm neigh.

Bokara trotted down toward the edge of the lake, mane bouncing on his slender neck, long legs graceful as always. Despite having muscled out, he was still a tall beast. "A fine morning, grey beauty of the lake" this welcome was uncommon for Bokara, whom generally kept quiet rather than welcoming another with such a...flirtacious sentence. He had not intended on gaining more than two mares this season, or any season, but chance had brought them to his doorstep and the two were quite beautiful, almost in a surreal way - their coats matching the pale morning.

Bokara was, after all, feeling full of energy. His neat hooves touched the edge of the water, and Bokara lowered his nose to its cold waters. After taking a small sip, he lifted his head smoothly to look at the grey mare and then to her daughter once more, his fine head lovely in the dawn light.

[Ehetere]

Perhaps it was her bush instincts that had told her that something was not quite right, for a few moments after Allirea had been keenly examining the landscape; a bay stallion came trotting out of the tree line. Allirea’s ears were already half pinned – any mare would be stupid to assume that a stallion trotting towards them could mean anything but trouble, especially when a mare had a foal.

Allirea, forever condescending and wary, did not relax her stance when the bay approached with his whinny of welcome, though Dulloora did stop in her playing with such abruptness that she could have been set in stone. The young filly’s life on the Ramsheads was surprisingly sheltered, and they rarely met other herds of horses as her aging father avoided them in order to keep his mares. She had not seen a lone stallion this close in her whole life, and the situation was rather intimidating. She was no fool either, and the tension coming from her mother was palpable.

Allirea remained unmoved by the bay’s welcome – she was sure her heart would belong to none other than her beloved old grey stallion. She did become far more suspicious however – the bay stallion was not to be trusted. He looked young – younger than her at least, not quite yet in his prime. The grey mare sniffed slightly. “That it is,” she replied curtly, but making no other conversation. Allirea and her daughter rarely met other horses on their expeditions – they were almost never so far out of cover. Dulloora had begun to creep closer to her mother, her instincts telling her that her mother would protect her from any perils that may arise.

The pale grey mare shook the moisture from her mane, most of it having been collected in pushing through dense undergrowth that was covered in dew. She had no high hopes that this young stallion’s intentions were very noble at all, and so was thoroughly on her guard.

[E!]

OOC; sorry its so short >.<

With some amusement, as well as confusion, Bokara noticed the wariness of the grey mare, and the interest of her daughter. Obviously the two did not venture far very often - or in the least, they were careful brumbies. Bokara gave no mind to the curtness of the mares reply, just cocked his head a little then lowered it to sip at the water once more.

Had he been less confident, Bokara would have backed away from any conversation with this cool mare - she obviously wanted nothing to do with a strange stallion. But Bokara was feeling elated on this fine morning, and after pacing into the water up to his knees he turned his head back to give a cheeky grin to the grey mare.

"I am Bokara, named for the heat." He didnt expect a reply. So he pranced a little in the lake, splashing water upward to catch the suns light. Bokara turned his handsome head toward the grey mares daughter "Pleased to meet you too" he had a feeling this might annoy the grey mare a little - she seemed rather protective of her daughter, as mothers should be.

[Ehetere]

Allirea was rather annoyed at the young stallion’s unconcerned manner. She was an elder to this young upstart, and should be shown resulting respect. Most mares were claimed well and truly by this age, and her foal should have been enough to indicate to the young bay that she was spoken for, but then some stallions had few brains in their heads and felt they should try their luck anyway. Not that the bay could compare to her own handsome grey stallion with his dished face and shapely frame. She doubted very much if any brumby could – Boolee was of fabulous tame horse stock but with the free mind of a wild horse. Who could hope to compare?

Allirea herself was no ugly animal, likely sharing some heritage with the same tame breed as her stallion Boolee although she would never admit it. She liked to think she was as wild as they came, and would deny any suggestion she was anything but. Her sons and daughters had all so far shared her father’s looks, and were handsome animals indeed.

The young stallion announced his name – Bokara – and the only reply he could have received was a haughty sniff from the grey mare, who looked disapprovingly upon his flirtatious behavior. She liked to think she was wiser than her years, and her actions did display this might be true. Any young mare might have seen the bay dancing in the lake and been smitten, but Allirea’s heart had been won at the tender young age of two, and never had it been given back so she barely spared a thought for the colt’s looks.

Dulloora, having been brought up on her mother’s teachings and opinions, thought higher of her own appearance than even her own mother thought of her own. She was very vain, thoroughly of the disposition that might accompany a princess – a daughter of the King. She often looked down upon the other foals as uglier than she, but did not quite possess the same mean temper of her dam. In the future it would take quite a colt to tame her – but for now when she was not even a yearling, her mother would dictate her actions.

Allirea’s reaction to the bay’s inclusion of her daughter in his greeting was swift and furious. She laid her ears fully back and took a threatening step forward – clear warning that the bay was not welcome to her daughter. Dulloora, in typical fashion, did not behave quite as violently, feeling that of course despite her young age she should be admired and noticed by young stallions, for was she not the daughter of the whirlwind and glittering crystals? The fact she did not immediately take offense did not go unnoticed by her dam, and she received a sharp nip for this.

“Is this so, Colt of the Heat?” replied Allirea with her proud head thrown up. “Then why do you venture out on such a frosty morning? Do you not have some silly fillies to fawn over you elsewhere?”

[E!]

Bokara received the mares reaction with a flick of his tail - his silly behaviour continuing for the morning. Well, his pride had to be cut down at some point, and surely this mare would be the one to do it. Had he been watching himself, no doubt he would have turned away in shame - this was not his usual polite self. Instead of replying to the mares question, he danced out a little further.

The chill of the lake set his blood afire, and Bokara gave a grin as he leapt into deeper water, striking out with his long legs. He could not speak while swimming, or at least he didnt want to, and so the silence between the three horses stretched as Bokara paddled, carefree for once in his life. As if the water not only supported him but also his worries. He slowly made his way back to shore, a silly smile on his face, though a little sense returned to his head.

Climbing effortlessly to the shore, Bokara shook the water from his dark coat, wet mane slapping on his muscular neck. The lovely bay exhaled, shuddering a little and then prancing forward once more to a sandy patch on the shore. Finally, he looked back to the grey mare, eyes distinctly more respectful "I do. Though silly isn't particularily a word i'd use to describe them" at this, worry crinkled his nose. Without warning, he dropped to roll.

Long legs in the air, Bokara scrubbed the water from his coat, enjoying the scratching of the sand. Rolling upward and smoothly onto his hooves, the delicate bay tilted his head a little as if thinking "As to why I venture out alone, I can only guess at such a thing. The morning was fine, and my head too full to be around others so close to me.." a flicker of sadness touched his sweet eyes, but was gone moments after. His troubles would be of no concern to the mare - or her daughter.

He was not wanted here, Bokara knew it - and knew too, that the mare was claimed and not for him to dance with. Her daughter was lovely, but too young. Though Bokara did keep in mind that one day she would not be. Looking rather refreshed, the stallion glanced back to the lake, pleased but distracted. He did not quite want to leave the conversation, happy to converse with these strangers. "And you? You are here alone, with your daughter. Surely a stallion waits upon your return somewhere, and yet you are here" it was not an accusation of any sort - nor did it sound like one. Scratching at an itch on his knee, Bokara waited a little apprehensively for the snappy reply he would surely recieve.

[Ehetere]

Allirea watched with continued disapproval as the silly colt continued to take no notice of the fact that she was clearly claimed by another in his flirtatious manner. Her sharp replies seemed to bounce off his hide, ignored completely. He dived into the freezing lake, and Allirea callously hoped the cold might render his limbs stiff and he might sink. But in truth, the mare was not this cruel, she had simply been put in one of her bad moods, and these were near impossible to shake by anyone but her stallion.

Her expression remained unchanged as the colt did climb from the depths unscathed if very wet – some mares may have found his slick coat attractive but not she. It was as if she was blind to all beauty in stallions who were not her own sons thanks to her own old grey back home. Grey was of course, the most handsome colour any horse could be – it shone in the moonlight like silver and could blend with the ice and snow. It kept them cool from the blinding rays of summer and certainly was the only colour which was both practical and stunningly beautiful at the same time.

Allirea found herself rather surprised this arrogant bay actually had a harem of his own – surely he was too young and inexperienced to leave them alone? Some older stallion could waltz by and collect the lot thanks to his inattention. Apparently, the colt thought not as he spontaneously dropped to the ground to have a good roll as though he had not a care in the world.

The grey mare had been born a two year old and had only gotten older since then – so she automatically assumed a matriarchal role around others, especially ones who were younger than she. Snorting disapprovingly, she voiced her opinions on older stallions she had thought of but a few moments before.

Dulloora found the whole situation rather funny, but she daren’t laugh, knowing she’d receive another sharp nip. She was relatively sheltered from other horses outside her father’s herd, so this was an unusual bit of excitement for her. She was likely to grow up an appallingly spoilt flirt who enjoyed nothing less than having the most handsome stallions fight over her, and perhaps it was in situations like this such notions were born. But that was the future, and for now she was too young to tease, and would have t be content to watch.

“I am claimed by none but the whirlwind,” replied Allirea haughtily, raising her proud head even higher. “I run with a stallion who is the wind itself, and even he cannot hold me with him forever as the call of the mountains and unexplored places is too strong. He is assured however that I will return to his side for always, and no one less would even hold my attention.”

Dulloora was fascinated with this talk – she’d never really seen her mother behave so since no stallion had seen them to approach her, and it occurred to her that she must love Boolee very much, no matter what her cool outward manner might suggest.

[E!]

Had Bokara still been in his simple minded, cheerful mood, perhaps he would have smirked and continued baiting the grey mare, but he was not. As she spoke his gentle gaze was thoughtful, his silence a little heavy. As the grey finished, her head high with pride and condescention, Bokara caught her gaze with a small smile. "Sounds like a mighty beast" his grin grew slightly.

"I, myself, need to return to my fillies... you've got me concerned for their whereabouts." With a slight frown upon his lovely face, Bokara pranced upward, following the way he had come in. For a moment he paused, looking back, his musical voice echoing across the lake "O' grey of the lake, may your travels be pleasant" It sounded odd, a bit too... kindly, for his previous behaviour.

Reaching the top of the hillside Bokara couldnt help but turn, his hind legs tensing as he rose into a half rear, a loud neigh leaving his sooty lips. With a toss of his head he called out "I'll come back for your lovely daughter someday! Who knows, we might meet again!" his grin returned, and no doubt Bokaras back was being singed with a furious glare as he left.

OOC; Hope its ok to leave it like that?