New Goodbye

[rewind]

Wary as a cat tip-toeing along a fence above sleeping dogs the mare crept, only the soft click of hoof on stone giving her away. The wind brushed the thick strands of ebony away from her eyes, which were clear and bright. The moon cats a silverish light over the grasslands, though still her coat kept its golden tinge, the colour of the grasses when the sun has bleached them dry. Her dark nostrils flared with each breath; she tested the air, breathed in the scent of horses- mares and stallions both. It was a fruitful country, then. The barren wastelands of the lower country was left behind her, where winter claimed the lives of mares the men had not already caught. Her dark-tipped ears flicked back; with the wind at her face, she knew she would not smell danger from her rear. Thus, she kept one slender, sharp ear turned back at all times, and her vision's peripherals alert.<p>

She had escaped the roundup. Too easily were they cornered in the low country, without craggy peaks to climb, winding, narrow canyons to lose themselves in and yawning gorges which a tame horse would not leap. She had been born in the highlands, but with the new herd stallion, sturdy, stout but ultimately careless thing, they had ventured toward the lowlands, toward dangers. It was easier going, though not what the herd mares were used to. The flat lands were wide and intimidating. The herd stallion had come from these lands and had sought to return to them with his own herd. It was in the late autumn that the men had come, and the winter had hardly been endured, with deep snow, little refuge and lurking predators. The remaining mares scattered when the herd stallion was killed protectng the herd. Instinctively, they had run North, back to their home in the highlands.<p>

She had fed in this country before; she knew that in the daytime the horse herds would dapple the plains here, grazing while their colts and fillies played in the long grasses, to fall asleep in the shade of their mothers' sides. Birds flew overhead here, comfortable in these altitudes. Rewind's head lifted at the wingbeats of a kookaburra, that laughing rascal, who flew toward the shelter of the dark trees. She watched him go with feigned interest and continued on.<p>

She avoided the open space, lingering instead in the shadow of the trees, where only splashes of moonlight could dapple her golden hide. Here she found not the best of grasses, but safety was more important to the lone mare, rather than the quality of her food. Between the gnarled trees she grazed, ears constantly flicking and eyes alert. She would not be caught offguard, and raised her head at each surprising sound or scent. She knew that there were others here, friends and foes alike. She was alone, a dangerous thing for a mare, but until she joined a herd, it was a life to be accepted and lived precariously.

[Rivre]

Autumn had come too quickly to the South. In the harsh winds and falling leaves a hint of the icy winter ahead was evident, and in it also Balaroo felt the need to return to his home-land. It was not that he disliked the Stockwhip, in fact he much prefered the less populated areas of the far South, but this was his first winter there as a stallion in his prime, with a herd of considerable size and he felt a terrible nervousness - as if some disaster lay in wait. So he had rounded up his mares and they had moved to the North with surprising urgency, far down into the foot-hills of the Brolga's old country.

He traveled now a lone figure in the snowgrass glade, concealed by the towering cliff and tor of the valley walls, rising up around the brilliant golden stallion, cream and hazel mane lit up by the rogue white rays of moonlight, moving like a powerful wraith in the bright darkness. Qana and his herd grazed in the flat above, precariously positioned on a slab of rock and heather, sleeping fitfully as he scoured for better pastures. Some thought it queer that a stallion such as himself should have such stark blazed linaments, but it suited his open self well, and as he moved the ripple of muscle mirrored the brightness of the splashes.

He had heard, form the currawong that perched in the snowgum of Tin mine creek -where his bimble lay in the South- that the mysterious night runner king had vanished, and some part of him jolted at the thought of competing once again. He didn't much like open conflict, but the thought of the title he would gain appealed to him - it would mean total herd security, at least, until he too was lost to a fight or the bush itself. He knew that Alkina dreaded to think whether he should return, and that Qana too would worry herself for a time but it was part of the reason for his return, to investigate.

Lost in thought, the sudden quiet tapping of hooves tripped like a lull into the stallions thoughts, a feeling much like he had just thrown himself into a creek washing over his hide. Proud head thrown up, lobes pricked and crest arched Balaroo tensed to face his silent attacker, but to his utter surprise, spotted the sandy hide of a mare flitting between the gums. From where he stood, and the direction of the nagging winds, he could see no stallion to be wary of, but the careful precision with which she walked dictated her unwillingness to be spotted, so instead of trumpeting his wild call, he hailed her with a strong nicker of welcome. She should know he was watching. "It is as light as the day tonight o' wavering mare of the gums," his voice traveled clearly through the crisp air, only the end whisked away by the breeze, "I am Balaroo, sun stallion of the South, who, and I ask only so I may think of you as more than just the shadow I see now, may you be?"

[rewind]

<3!! T'anks for joiniiing!!

The Brolga. She was familiar with the name and like many of those who considered Thowra to be the true legend and king of the Cascade Brumbies of old, held his name in mild contempt. A sturdy greyed stud in lore, a beast of power, though overcome by the younger, more agile Thowra. Nevertheless, these lands, once held by the stormy pelted stallion, still possessed a certain sturdiness about them. The ground was rugged and hard when the rains had stayed away, the trees had long, twisted limbs. There was something of an air of solidity about the country, and despite the many horses who had come here to grace over the years, it remained virtually untouched, unchanged. Standing in the darkness of the treeline, Rewind knew that had she been a part of the Brolga's herd- or even Thowra's- that it would have looked very much like it did now. Only the company she did not share, that of other mares and stallions, made things different.

A call caught her attention, though she was not terribly surprised. Keen eyes sought out his figure and there he stood, hide shining in the moonlight, illuminescent in the darkness. She felt her heart evanesce, though her nerves stayed calm. She raised her finely shaped head to drink him in like wine with her eyes, a thirsty gaze. She, a herd animal, had been in search of company, trying to find a possessor. She answered his call with a gruff snort; not one of incredulity, but one which showed her wariness. It was the type of sound a mare made to warn a predator; I am strong,] it said. Do not fight me. Still, she did not move away from this stallion, knowing that he was not a predator. At least, he did not seek her blood, though she was, currently, his prey.

She stamped one hard hoof against the ground to punctuate the silence after he spoke. Eyeing him judiciously, for she had every right to judge this stallion, she lifted her proud slightly as she tasted her answer in her mouth, savouring it before she allowed him to feel the flavour of it with his own ears. "Balaroo," She said. "The self-proclaimed Apollo of the South..." She said, watching carefully for a reaction. "You are proud," She stated, a small twist of her lips, while still concealing her teeth, showed her amusement.

Another hoof struck the ground, making a sound not unlike that of flint striking metal. "I am Rewind," She answered. She took a few steps toward him and stopped suddenly, still watching him with curiously bright eyes and an expression that was hard to place. "What else does the sun king need know?" She queried, with a flick of her raven-black tail.

[Rivre]

OOC: Of course! No problemo x)

She was not like many mares he had met on his travels, but Balaroo knew from the silence after his words that he liked her. Not many of the brumbies he met could hold such a quietly confident stare and search for the best way to answer a query - he could see that she savoured every word and not a single syllable was a wasted note. The way she held his name and from the single gaze and a few sentences had strung together his entire self. It disturbed him slightly, but awe and curiosity held him still, fissure poised but not for flight. "Rewind," he replied, tones level - for he did not know this mare and she had yet to earn his respect (some gave this away far too quickly) spare a good enterance. "Proud I am, and yet it appears I waste more words than you do, I unwind a little too easily."

Her hide was nearly as golden as his own, dainty stripes gracing upper legs, coal black banner swaying and for a moment as she stepped out into the light of the moon Balaroo could see her being the type easily taken by his kind. She was an oddity - a rare colour of sorts, but he had never judged one on appearance alone, so his features remained uncannily focused, furrowing only slightly at the mention of a king. Perhaps it was his turn to be careful with words, for he could not easily mislead such a quick mare. "I am no king -though in my true homelands far, far to the south I am heralded as one of sorts by the moon fillies. There is one I seek however, one dispersed into this very night, and his location escapes me. Perhaps this, I can steal from you as I did your identity?"

[rewind]

:3 Balaroo is LOVELY. *steals him away*

His eyes were fastened upon her and she felt somehow flattered. Of course, all stallions could be easily excused for looking at a mare- at least, from the stallion's point of view. Secretly vain, Rewind took his gaze to be a compliment. He did not show a great deal of expression as he looked at her, and this intrigued her. Was he holding back? And was it hard for him to do so? She would see how long it would take for him to break, to frown or smile...Though she felt no pressing need to do so. She blinked her dark eyes at the mention of her name, and when he continued her ears fell back slightly as she lifted her muzzle. She exhaled a small peal of ghoulish laughter. "Your words do not fall upon deaf ears, stallion," She said, her laughter dying to a warmer chime. "You do not waste them on me, unless you think you are wasting your time altogether." She said, tone slightly darker, as though to adminish a small punishment. Did he think he was wasting his time with her? Such a thing would have been an insult. She surely did not.

He did not step toward her and his lack of advances gave Rewind no cause to make hers. He appeared not to be skittish or nervous, but she wasn't sure she didn't sense that he was mildly intimdated by her. She did not find anything wrong with this, afterall, she knew that she could be as dangerous as a stallion when challenged or cornered. Was it not the job of a lead mare to defend the herd from danger while the stallion defended it from lone bachelors? She was pleased by his standoffishness, but wondered how long it would last for...Then again, a great deal of this rested upon how long she chose to be intimidating, how long she kept her own wall up. She feared him, yes- she feared the power he had and the damage he could inflict upon her, should he choose to do so. But she was sure of herself, a steadfast beast was she, and she knew her boundaries fairly well...Despite having a tendancy to tango over the line from time to time.

She listened as he spoke; his words florid and yes, he was very free with the amount that he spoke. He was not direct and yet his point was made clear. Her ears rotated forward again and she became tamed, for the moment, as her answer was not hardly as exciting as it could have been, had she told a lie or if she'd known of the ghostly stallion's whereabouts. "You cannot steal it from he," She answered. "The knowledge of his whereabouts is not in my possession." She admitted. She didn't even know exactly who it was he was looking for...But it did interest her. The moonlight flickered in her eyes. "But why should a stallion be so preoccupied with the whereabouts of another?" She asked silkily. "Surely there are better prizes to be found on a night such as this," She hummed softly.

[Rivre]

OOC: Aw thanks <3 I luffles him to death too, and Rewind is cuuute :3

She was certainly hard to figure out he'd give her that, her tones seeping into an accusation at his disregard. "No time is wasted, unless you begin to question it," he replied, equally, lobes flickering; and he was - beginning to question his purpose here, but for different reasons. How long could he keep up an act of disinterest when she invited him to be at ease? In the silence that followed he found himself admiring her sturdy build more so now that she had spoken those few sentences to him - he could see how she derived character from speech as easily as she did, and it made his features warmer and his lips to blossom into a smile. He had broken.

For a moment he remained still, enjoying the quiet before she too answered his query and his thoughts turned once more to the pull of a restless stallions call - forever echoing the valley. "I seek to ease my pride Rewind," he murmured truthfully, head turning so that he could gaze across the vast drop of peaks below their overhanging valley, and this time the silence caressed his hide, a soft snort distilling the quiet air until the breeze once more lifted threads of a waving mane. It did not last long before more of her carefully chosen words danced about his ears, soft like the tinkling of snowbell flowers as the hit the heather and grass plain during a cool summer, "Surely there are better prizes to be found on a night such as this."

In the words he found himself caught, like the fly in a spiders web, and turned back to face the gracious mare with a look of profound longing. It lasted a moment, as many things that night had done, but it was over in a blast, the same blast that pushed him forwards in the blink of an eye; their noses touched as he tipped the movement towards her, eyes gentle but also lit by an eerie fire. A tingle ran over the skin of his maw and puzzled him greatly - for even with Qana the strength of it was nothing compared to this burning desire. Withdrawing, he once again composed his lost lineaments, nodding courteously as if to apologise for the reckless yet want-some behaviour. "You are too modest O' mare of winding words. Better prizes? I would call you a better prize."

[rewind]

Her eyes sought the slight turn in his lips; how they softened, blending together like the sun into the ocean waters at sunset, and pulling back and upwards at the corners. A gentle smile, an allured one. Without holding back, Rewind mirrored the action, she herself allured by the pale stranger who had happened by her hiding place on the moonlit night. He was captivating, not without his secrets and lacked the typical arrogance she had come to expect from other stallions. He was charming without being showy, strong without flaunting his power. Best of all, he was following along the line that she had left for him and as she expected, he'd followed it to the hook.

He approached and she stood still, unwavering, waiting for him. A soft whicker escaped her lips as his nose touched hers, gently as a feather falls to the ground. She exhaled two puffs of air, as a mare will when she meets a desired stallion. Her onyx ears flicked forward, attentive even to the sound of his breath so close to her cheek. Soon, though, he pulled back...Perhaps a bit too soon. He was closing himself off again, when she was not yet ready to lose him. This celebate act did not irk her, but it did serve to add duel to her fire. She wanted his desire, she needed a strong herd stallion as did any other lone mare...Except perhaps more, given her current attraction to him.

She exhaled a breath modestly as she was yet again complimented, but she looked away from him for a few moments, out into the moon-painted landscape. One ear flicked back to listen for him and she stood where she was, not willing to give in and move toward him. No, she wanted him to come to her as he had before. "But a prize you would easily forsake on your quest for this phantom stallion you seek," She assumed quietly, like a wistful admirer whose love was unrequited.

[Rivre]

Balaroo watched with unease as she turned her own gaze away wistfully - he did not want her to think that her attraction was not returned, and yet how could he appear to be a noble if he took the offered bait? It was so very unlike him to entice a mare so. Shaking his skull gently he smiled without happiness at her assumption, "It is only with half my heart and none of my head that I seek; however it is with the whole of my heart and the whole of myself that I do not carry on my task of finding new grazing and do instead stay with you here." Perhaps it would be wise to give up his previously noble intentions, for this buckskin mare surely wanted him to take her back to his waiting herd and he did not deny that he too would be grateful to save her from this loneliness.

Once again he was reminded by the wavering moonlight, that things could last for a very short while before they were taken away - and with winter close he could not hope to wait for the spring when he would be stronger, to welcome Rewind to him. With a sign of defeat - for it had been a tiring game and Balaroo was not much fond of riddles - he stepped once more into the space of the curious brumby, nose hovering a small distance from her own, this time instead stirring the whiskers about her muzzle with his words; "Come, my herd lies to the East."

Tonight had surely tested his boundaries, and now he felt he better knew how much of himself he could conceal from a stranger, perhaps even an enemy. His words were uttered, filled with such desire and promise, that even he started at the prospect of what was to come. Rewind would be the new focus of chatter amoung his herd, and a small chuckle escaped him at the idea of a few fights breaking out as the ranks were shifted. Qana the bay, Wyralla the chesnut princess, Alkina of the moon, Imbrium of black and white earths, Baragoola the shy mouse grey with her two fillies - and now Rewind, the witty buckskin; a perfectly adequete herd, with this, he could be content.

[rewind]

Which territories should Rewind mainly stick to, in Balaroo's herd?

His resistances were falling. He spoke the words telling her that he wanted to be with her, but there was still something holding him back. He seemed reluctant, but that he was willing at all was enough for Rewind. She wanted no longer to be a lone mare and though Balaroo was the first to come along, she didn't merely settle for him. She'll pulled him in, reached inside the labyrinth of his mind to see where his strengths and insecurities lie, and had found something there which was definitely worth her time and effort. It was not a mare's business, anyway, to keep herself in good company; she would go with Balaroo as he had asked, but her future was no more definite than he had strength enough to make it. Mares could be stolen...She would not wander from him to another stud, unless, of course, his herd laws were in any means unnatural, but she knew that fate brought inevitable changes. Rewind liked change...It was a challenge.

She lifted her muzzle to his, exhaling her warm, sweet breath close to his cheek and she too moved forward to graze her teeth along the muscle-swollen crest of his neck. A fine find he'd been, she thought. Charming and allured enough to sway from his original journey to take her in, yet not fuelled and governed by his own passions and lose track of his course altogether. Like a ship with its sails readied for high winds despite only the present murmur of a breeze, he was alert and capable of handling that which the waves had thrown at him.

She wondered what his herd was like. Had they already an established heirarchy? She would surely be the one to throw a wrench in the works as she was not the type to simply be led by a mare whose capacities were unknown to her. While Rewind had the mark of arrogance and pride in her gait, these qualities were simply developed from the knowledge and experience as a leader. She had confidence, assuredness. She was one to face challenges head-on and to guide the weaker ones toward safety. Still, perhaps his mares already had a mare like her...She wished to know.

She gave her consent as she snaked beneath Balaroo's neck, reaching back to nip gently at his flank as she pointed herself East, the direction he wanted her to go. "Your herd," She said. "Tell me of them," She implored, turning one liquid brown eye to gaze up at him intently as they walked.

[Rivre]

OOC; I'm guessing that from Rewind's characteristics, she would generally take the position as head mare - and that's fine with me x) Balaroo hasn't had the time to appoint one and his mares are somewhat equal.

Rewind's teeth moved in perfect time with the itch that was forming on his neck - she did a good job with it too and it helped Balaroo to let go of whatever had been bothering him - consuming the part of him that could offer such things in return. By the time he had gathered himself together though, she had already turned towards where he now headed and began to walk away. He snorted with quiet surprise at how quickly his night had turned around - but trotted easily to catch-up, slightly ahead of where she walked but still almost shoulder to shoulder with the strong buckskin. "My herd? They are good mares, I would do nothing to change them," softly at first as if the question was a dare, filled with a reserved wonder, his head inclined towards her, "We usually reside in the South - on the Tin Mine creek is our bimble, but this winter I feel will be a hard one and the foothills of the Brolga's country seems as good as any place to be hiding."

It was not like him, to hide - but perhaps he was wising a little to the ways of the bush, and with mares in foal he could hardly risk staying up in the snow-crags of the South, especially being so close to the pilot. However, the coming spring would be one of great interest- now that he had reached his prime- perhaps that was another reason he sought out this relatively new king...

Aware of the silence that had fallen, the moonlight bathing their coats and with a breeze now pushing at them strongly from behind - Balaroo felt the restless need to be moving quickly, and with a silent half-rear broke into a gentle canter, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy the wind in his hide and mane, banner streaming out behind of him. With a twist and a leap he sprung through the long yellowing stalks of the white meadow, silver now under the stars, and felt the chill set uneasily into his limbs. This was the first night of winter, and he must move his herd down into the glade or risk an icy fall come the morning. Although he slowed to a trot, it was still of reasonable pace, stride long and eating up the ground. It seemed wrong somehow to be this far from Qana and the herd - he felt suddenly, that something dreadful must have happened, and looking back over his shoulder saw some shadow following - it must be Rewind, he could not have left her behind that easily. Slowing he dipped his head apologetically, "I fear something that I cannot place - we must hurry back."

OOC: How long do you want this thread to continue? x3 My muse is lacking xD