Like a fish out of water[o]

[f u z z z u m s]

Clumsy. It was the epitome of her life, the pinnacle of her career. For it seemed all she could ever do was trip and fall over even the smallest of things. Like did you know just the other day she'd gone and tripped over air? Air!? of all things! Horses didn't do that, especially the ladies. She was supposed to be graceful, cautious, and move like some mystical dancer while showing off her chops to the boys. That's what her mother said at least, almost like Kendall was acting like a stallion! Well that was just preposterous, she acted in no such way. In fact she prided herself in being a fine lady, she bet all the stallions looked her way.

The pale grey mare shook her head, her ears flopping on either side of her face. She dreadfully hated the winter, for some reason it always made her itch while she assumed that was meant for the summer. Kendall clacked her teeth and arched her nape, pulling her muzzle in towards her chest in a way to conserve heat. To help her was a small circular spot of aspen's to keep her warmth circulating. Kendall had never been one for the winter, always huddling beside her mother's large frame in fright of the white. The the mare had gotten over the fear of snow, though she had retained her dislike for the cold. She highly doubted that feeling would ever change...ever.

Kendall sneezed, whuffling inside her throat as she squeezed her eyes closed for the after-effects. Her skin shivering in delight of the pressure through her system. At least sneezing was something she could enjoy, maybe.

Note: open for anyone!

K e N D A L L
everyone needs a best friend...yeah, that means you to!

[E!]

The snow was not something Iuk encountered often, spending most of his time at the heady, damp confines of the Moyungal and its surrounding area. This winter, however, the snow had reached even the lowest areas of his bimble, and Iuk had gone willingly into the blinding white of the world outside of the shadowy mountain ash and clingy old mans beard. It had been an effort, climbing the slow slope toward blinding snow and cold, his tall, thin legs helping only slightly when it came to moving over snow.

Iuks mind was slowly pulling together, the shattered fragments shuddering into place as the broken pieces of himself were healed by company. Not that Iuk was completely sane - it would be a wonder if that could ever occur! After all, his mind had been so solitary for so long without comfort or company that it had grown accustomed to the odd traditions he performed. It seemed so strange now, to be in the world of ice and snow and feel as if he were a ghost to a world that had never welcomed him, never given him the sweetness of a mothers love nor the love of a mare.

Not that Iuk knew what he was missing. He was perfectly content to wander through the world a stranger, a freak. For he was.. really, not a normal brumby. His body was a mess of bones and skin, the skin hanging off his bones as if it were draped there. His body was oddly proportioned, his legs too long for the thin body they supported, his neck serpentine, it looked as if he had been stretched - and this, joined with his sudden growth spurt, made him seem strangely surreal, like he was fading out at the ends. His mane and tail were certainly wispy enough, like silk despite his rough living. His coat, clean from his recent roll in the snow, was as white as the ground beneath him, his eyes a crystal blue. It was this, mainly, that made other brumbies nervous of him. A long past legend that had once been tucked safely to sleep, had arisen with his birth.

The nightrunners, a mysterious breed of albino horses had been told to once run the High Country. Iuk himself had known nothing of the legend until it had been told to him by Werrilah - a stallion Iuk now looked up to with adoration, seeing him as a fatherly figure. However, Iuk had left Werrilahs side, returning to the Moyungal when the first snow fell. But now here he was, wavering light a wraith in the thin sunlight, blending with the snow as his neat hooves took him closer to the sound of another brumby. Iuk was not trained to be stealthy and invisible like some, but he had the advantage of his colour with the snow.

As he rose one of the Ramsheads many hills his pale eyes sought out the source of noise, and remained there. A grey filly cavorted in the snow. Iuk was not one to be attracted to beautiful fillies - the pale creams and whites seemed distasteful to him, ordinary, as he himself was white. He found himself more attracted to the dull browns and bays, blacks especially. This filly, however, was a lovely shade of grey, and her black tresses contrasted beautifully. Iuk found himself interested, for once, in this delightful mare.

He stood frozen upon the hilltop, unsure of what to do. He was certainly not a handsome beast - even he knew that, but he had the mystery of his colour going for him, and he had known the most lovely mares to be interested in such a thing. Iuk, in his newfound sanity, was not sure rejection was something he could take. He rose in a silent half rear, uncertainty in his movements. Perhaps she would not notice the movement on the ridge, and if that were so, Iuk might just turn tail and run, back to the comfort of his bimble at the Moyungal. However, he so wished that she would.

[f u z z z u m s]

Brown eyes flipped open as ears pined forward towards the crunch of snow. Being unsure of whether it be equine or some other marsupial she glanced up to make sure. At first she couldn't see much, just the usuaul snow drift and drip, drip of icy water from a high bough. But when snow began to fly and the black of hooves pawed the air, the mare gave a whinny of surprise and danced in place. There was no explaining it, it was simply something that horses did when they met each other, so don't ask.

Kendall was alert now, wide awake to the sight of a pale, alabaster stallion ranting at the sky. Though he looked fairly harmless, in fact he didn't look like he'd quite filled out into his male parts quite yet. Depsite he roughened edge he seemed like he only wanted some sort of company, putting on the show to obtain her attention. Well he'd definitely obtained it.

One of the first things she noticed about him was his unusual white coat, a lighter contrast her to drab and shadowed gray one. Even his mane and tail were of a pure white, making her black tassles look horrible in comparison. She snorted at this observation but attempted to make no judgements on his character until she'd actually met the creature.

"Would you like to join me?"

Note: awww! he's so cute! :3

K e N D A L L
everyone needs a best friend...yeah, that means you to!

[E!]

Iuk was in it now, there was no chance of backing out as he could see the gaze of the lovely filly settling on his scrawny body. What to do now! Iuk wasn't sure whether to feel elated or frightened at his success. He settled for feeling both, nostrils quivering excitedly as he pranced on the ridge. Her simple question sent Iuk into a tumble of nerves, his ears pricked as he paused in his frolicking, becoming a statue high above the filly.

He rose into a silent half rear and neighed down to her, "Very much so". A rush of pleasure ran through him as his voice resounded strongly, sounding more like that of an older stallions than a three-year-olds. He danced a little and then pushed off the steep hillside, plunging knee deep into the crisp snow. He made his way swiftly down the hillside, leaping and sliding over the snow. Tall and gangly, Iuk seemed to be all legs as he moved, with an odd grace like the dance of brolgas.

All of sudden it seemed he was on the same level as the filly, and Iuk felt a nervous sweat prick behind his ears. He stopped his advance, lifting himself on his hind legs once more and tossing his sallow cheeked face. If there were anything that was attractive on Iuk, it was his face. Bluntly curved, it had a strangely appealing exotic appearance, with shallow cheeks and a strong brow. If Iuk received more nutrition and a healthier lifestyle, there was a strong chance he would grow to be a fine beast.

Iuk slipped slowly forward, tall legs exerting their own strange grace. His serpentine neck stretched out, the mane wavering mist-like in the crisp breeze that shivered across the Ramshead. His pale pink nose stretched out to touch the sweet fillies, ears pricked foreward eagerly, nostirls quivering. His ice blue eyes flicked to her, for once crystal clear with sanity and nervous hope. With one swift touch, Iuk withdrew, voice coming quietly now "I am Iuk, named for the sleek pale eel" he left it at that, slightly confused at the queer compelling quality of his voice that he had never heard before.

ooc; I know, he's such an awkward thing haha

[f u z z z u m s]

He was appealing in his own, strange way, but something about the way his legs flailed down the slope made her wrinkle her nose. He wasn't unattractive, his pale coat a shockingly lighter shade of her own, though his blue eyes did catch her attention. She'd never seen a blue eyed horse before and she had to admit that she was mystified by the depth of them.

He had his eyes on her the whole way down, all the way to the moment he gingerly reached forward to touch her own muzzle. The grey mare shied back a few inches, pulling her head closer to her chest, though it was only out of surprise. It took Kendall seconds to return to where she had been and further, letting her nostrils quiver beside his own as he rumbled his name.

Luk, it was a lovely name and it made her smile, she liked the little "title" that came with it. Made him just a little more interesting as she looked him over. Up close he didn't look as bad, but he definitely had some filling out to do before he was a fully grown stallion. She couldn't honestly guess his age, but she supposed she could start with names as he'd already entailed.

"Kendall, my name is kendall named after my father for he wished for a son, what brings you into this fine seclusion Luk?"

Seclusion indeed, she'd made a point of hiding herself into the deeper aspen's of the Ramshead, hopefully so sniffing stallions wouldn't find her. But she did not sense any serious intent from Luk, only chance that he'd wandered upon her. The snow crinkled beneath her hooves as she shuffled at the dead ground.

Note: he IS and they shall be great friends!

K e N D A L L
everyone needs a best friend...yeah, that means you to!

[E!]

Iuk could feel the nerves evaporating slowly as his nose was touched gently in return - though she had pulled away to start with. If Iuk had been rejected outright though, the hurt would have made him hide away again - it was that his mind was sticky taped back together, easily shattered but searching for a better cohesive to keep it together for the long term.

He gained the fillies name in return, Kendall. Iuk considered this for a moment, taking in the explanation for her name in silence. His pale eyes flicked away to the Ramsheads high ridges, and his thoughts were in danger of slipping away to the lands beyond them before Kendall pulled his attention back with a question. It took him a brief moment to gather his thoughts before his odd wide eyes turned back to the pale grey. "Kendall... its a lovely name, very sweet." His lilting voice drifted off before building again "I had intended on seeing the world covered in its blanket of snow - i've been.. occupied with an area that seems to avoid change" his voice drifted again and Iuks small ears flicked to and fro as if searching for a call that he knew would not come.

With a small snort, Iuks eyes went back to Kendalls. "..And you? Not many brumbies roam the Ramshead at this time, a horse can get stuck in the deep snow.. i've known some to have their bones bleached here.." as if realising the morbidity of his words, Iuk flicked his tail and pranced a little, lifting himself onto his hind legs, his silky mane rippling with his movement. "But we are young and strong!" Iuks pink lips twitched into the smallest of smiles, a lopsided, strange thing - it was obvious this smile was not used often.

ooc; Sorry it took so long, school >.<

[f u z z z u m s]

She watched him with bright brown eyes, the way his white body slithered and jumped through the snow. She would hardly think it possible with the way he looked ready to collapse every few strides. And yet he managed to keep a nervous facade, his head raised high and his body stiff with attempt. He seemed such a young thing, she grew curious about his age. Was he a newly chased out bachelor? Perhaps in search of a lone mare to start a family with? Did he have his eyes on her? Maybe trying to win her heart with his youthful innocence and gangly stride.

"Young and strong indeed, how old are you Luk?"

She stared at him harder now, her gaze boring towards his own in the pursuit of lies. For Kendall had witness, heard, and believed them many times before hand. She was not apt to doing it again, nor' in the mood for a young horses tom-foolery.

There was always the possibility that he truly was just wandering about on his lonesome, in desire of some company to keep the insanity at bay. The actual possibilities were endless, and yet something about his body movements, the way small curls of steam rolled away from his flesh made her slightly weary, though not unpleasant.

Note: I'm terribly sorry for the lateness of this, Tiggs knows that I dont' have access to the net right now. But I managed to grab a sec. and I'm checking things up. Again I'm sorry, and I'll reply when I can. I hate leaving a thread dead.

K e N D A L L
everyone needs a best friend...yeah, that means you to!

[E!]

ooc; its fine, I can't talk away - I have to be the most annoying person to rp with, I take forever to reply!

Another question, and Iuk felt nerves tangle together in his system, his muscles trembling as his brain ran off on a tangent. Was this how other brumbies greeted one another? With questions upon questions? Iuk did not know - he had not been brought up in a herd nor any other social area. He'd had himself and only the company of the wildlife in and around the Moyungal to keep him company.

Finally though, his pink lips stumbled out an answer "Three winters old.. yes, three." This, of course, was an estimate. Iuk himself was uncertain of his exact age - he found it difficult to keep track of time. He knew, however, that three times snow had fallen, and using this as a helpful hint, he went with three. "A-and you, Kendall?" he had grown more nervous now, again his gangly legs jolting and jittering oddly.

Iuks wide, ice blue eyes flicked about, as if unable to stay focused. He was in danger of losing his nerve now, heart shuddering unevenly in his thin chest. He was not searching for love - that much he knew... if only because he did not know what love was, nor how he would present it to a mare or filly. In an attempt to calm himself and his nerves, Iuk tossed his blunt face, white mane tossing into the air as he did so. A quiet rumble was released from his throat as he huffed. A question might be appropriate now, he thought - if that was, indeed, the way brumbies conversed.

"Where is your homeland, O' Kendall of the Ramshead?" He asked timidly, continuing after a moment, growing slightly more confident as he spoke of himself, for he knew his home as well as he knew he stood out like a sore thumb within the normality of brumby life. "I reside at the Moyungal River, and have done so for as long as I remember.. its a place of comfort for me, you see." His throat closed, and Iuk thought it best to stop trying to speak - knowing that he might have rambled a little.