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Post by sooty on Oct 30, 2011 2:40:30 GMT
Delicate round hooves carried the small steel gray mare down the burnt out ask covered bank to the flowing water. This was not a place she would normally come at this time of year but she was sure that the man would not be back for some time, there was not much left for their cattle to graze on now after the hot walls of leaping fire had swept the land. So she came to one of her favourite places to play, and to chase away the burning feeling in her throat, Dead Horse Creek.
Young Eerin reached the water’s edge and lowered her muzzle to it, her whiskers sending ripples away from her as she fleered her nostrils and snorted loudly at the water. Her dark muzzle is dipped into the water and she sucks at it, soothing the burning feeling in her throat that just seeing the burnt landscape and sniffing at the ash had brought back to her. She then lifts her head up, water dripping from her muzzle. Her ears are erect, alert and her eyes scanning the land, she could not be too sure than man wasn’t around.
When she was once again satisfied that he was not she lowered her muzzle back to the water, sniffing it once more before she slowly lifts up one of her forelegs and dangles her hoof above the waters surface. Then with a little high pitched squeal she slams her hoof down in the water, sending droplets of water all over herself. Then the other foreleg is picked up and that too is slammed into the water.
As she splashes, a continues cycle of her legs being picked up and then slamming down into the water the petite gray mare sways her head back and forth in a wild manner, her thick black mane whipping against her neck as she does so. Even her hind legs started to get in on the action as she danced from one to the other, her rump all bunched up as she does so. She also flicked her tail up and down, from side to side and even around in circles as she played murdering the water. Her whole body was moving not a part of her was still.
Her whole body was soaked and dripping with water when she pushed off with her hind legs and leapt out into the creek, creating a huge splash as she landed. Her sides were heaving and she lifted her head, her eyes wide as she swing her head from side to side checking out around her to make sure she had not been snuck up on. Her nostrils quivered, she could still not smell man.
With a satisfied snort she goes back to splashing in the water this time with all four slender legs, her little hooves sliding slightly on the loose stones beneath them but she did not slip she was good on her hooves after all the crazy playing and dancing she had done over the years. So the little gray mare looses herself in her dancing game almost shutting herself off from the rest of the world off.
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Post by Tiggs on Oct 30, 2011 9:07:23 GMT
How could one little spark turn into something so powerful? The fire had grown and spread with such ferocious speed, only to slowly burn out and fade away, leaving behind it a charred blackened husk. Kurrin felt like that husk, and the fire within her had been her love for Nepelle. It had started with just a spark. It had raged for two years, unkempt, but now it had faded, and her heart felt as black and hard as the ground.
Now that her yearling colt Maka had gone his separate way, she supposed it was time she found another stallion. The idea squeezed her pain-filled heart, the fact that she did not think instantly to find Nepelle echoed in her chest. That pain made her wonders if embers for her fiery red stallion still burned inside. If nurtured, would they rekindle? Would her love burn bright again? She tried, albeit not very well, to stir them. It only caused more pain, so she left the feelings alone.
The creek up ahead – a strange life-giving ribbon across this desolate land – called to her. She walked toward it, head low, pace unhurried. Her usual sandy-palomino coat was dull and lifeless, the blanket of spots across her rump fairly obscured by soot. And she approached the creek, her ears swivelled to pick up the sound of splashing. Pausing, she approached cautiously.
A sooty-white mare danced about in the creek, apparently oblivious to everything around her. It made Kurrin smile a little to know that despite all this carnage, joy still remained. She wondered if she would ever feel it again. Sighing, her smile fell. She nickered in greeting to the grey mare before dropping her pale muzzle to the water.
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Post by sooty on Oct 31, 2011 10:53:14 GMT
Splash, splash, splash she went in the water. The young gray mare was really getting into it. Now starting to throw herself back on her hind legs and then come crashing down on the water and rocks bellow. She knew it probably wouldn’t do her hooves to good but right now it was all just too much fun and she didn’t care. She was twisting around and kicking out at the water and behaving like a right young filly which was the norm for this young mare.
When she heard the call of another horse she froze, she had been having so much fun she had forgotten to keep a look out around her! She quickly swings her head in the direction the call came from and her face lights up with excitement as she sees another mare. She wondered if this mare was friendly and if she would like to join in her game.
She lifts up her forelegs and splashes it back down in the water as she bobs her head up and down with excitement. She then opens her mouth and calls out loudly with her high pitched almost squealy voice. She then lifts both her forelegs out of the water and spins around on her hindquarters coming back down on all fours in the creek before pushing off and cantering the few strides back through the creek to then jump up the bank next to the other mare.
She tosses her head and prances over to the other mare and makes another excited squeal as she does so. She sticks out her muzzle quickly to the other mare and sniffs at her, introducing herself very quickly before she tosses her head in the air, her head soon followed by her forelegs as she goes into a rear, striking out at the air playfully.
When she brings herself back down to the ground she does a little happy buck and then swings her head to look at the mare next to her with her happy and bubbly face. “I’m Eerin, wana play?” She asked in her almost childlike voice. She had missed her playmates when she lost them in the fire and she so desperately wanted to play with another horse again. She waits ever so impatiently for the other mares reply, dancing on the spot, tossing her head wildly and snorting the young gray could just not stand still for one moment at all.
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Post by Tiggs on Nov 1, 2011 23:27:00 GMT
Watching the mare, Kurrin further realised just how heavy her heart was. Her chest ached for carrying it, and she could barely remember ever feeling as joyful as this grey mare. She knew she had been, once. It struck her suddenly that watching this mare was like looking at a mirror reflecting her old self; loving life, and enjoying every part of it. Now she just couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to try. She was a ghost of her old self, and she hated it.
She lifted her pale head, water dripping from her chin, the ripples swallowed up by the crashing of the other mare’s hooves in the creek. The mare cavorted over, seemingly weightless on her hooves. Kurrin reached out her pink muzzle to the grey, snorting as the mare reared but not pulling away. The mare was clearly just playful, there was no mal-intent to her movements.
With a nicker, Kurrin bobbed her head in greeting when the grey – Eerin – stood still enough to speak. Even now she was prancing, every muscle coiled and ready to launch. “My name is Kurrin,” she replied, her voice subdued despite her efforts, “I would, but I’ve travelled quiet a way...” She heaved a great sight, tssing her head to clear her face of her near white forelock. Oh how she wished to feel that exuberance. She wanted to play, she wanted to prance and gallop and chase. But despite wanting, her heart refused to respond. She just couldn’t muster the emotion or ability to play.
Her love for Nepelle had withered, and with it, her lust for life.
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Post by sooty on Nov 3, 2011 1:48:06 GMT
The young mare almost looked like she was twitching as she waited. The small moment of silence was killing her as seconds seemed like years in her fast ticking mind. Nodding her head she lifts up her foreleg to the outside from the other mare and olds it there in the air, poised and ready for action now and then it would paw a little at the air as she waited.
When the other mare speaks her name the gray plants her leg firmly back down on the ground and tosses her head. With a shift of her weight she goes back onto her hind quarters and sits there with her head turned to look at the young mare and her ears pricked up in her direction. The others name wasn’t too important to the young mare, names went in one ear and out her other. She just didn’t have the capability to remember anything like them, she was surprised she remembered her own name at times.
She tilts her head to the side slightly and slowly lowers her forelegs back to the ground. This other mare did not see very playful. Snorting she shakes her head making her thick black mane stick out in all directions. With a flick of her tail she prances up to the other mare, well into her personal space as young Eerin had no concept of personal space. She thrusts her head up to the others and sits it there right in front of her.
“So? Why does travelling matter?” She snorts again and blinks a few times before she speaks again. “You don’t look happy, and to not be happy is...” She paused for a moment and pulled her head away from the other a little as she thought about what she was meaning. Then she snorts, tosses her head a little and then continues. “It’s just not good. Having a good old play and dance will make you feel much better, come on I show you!”
With that she rears up again, nice and high this time and she spins around on her hind legs and then seems to leap as she is facing away from the other mare. Through the air the delicate little mare sores for a few seconds before she comes back down on the ground. Soon after all four hooves have touched she lowers her head between her forelegs and lets rip with a couple of bucks, springing up into the air, twisting and turning as she does.
The dust and ash are forming a cloud around the little gray mare as she leaps, bounds, and dances in her crazy manner. She had to get her energy out before she went crazy and talking with the other mare had meant she had stayed still for far too long. After a few moment s she had grown tired of that moment and freezes in the dusty cloud.
She turns her head back to look at the other mare and see if she is joining in. She better be because all playing is more fun with another. They can buck together, gallop together and maybe even spar together. She tilts her head and then lets out her high pitched whinny to her then leaps forward into her speedy little canter around in a circle around the mare burning off more of her never ending supply of energy. “Come on!” She squeals as she zooms. “Play!”
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Post by Tiggs on Nov 3, 2011 14:08:51 GMT
She felt tired, like she had ran a thousand miles. In truth, she had simply been walking for miles. She only thought she was tired. The strength that was sapped from her by that heavy weight in her chest as only imaginary.
Watching Eerin dance, she wished she could just roll up all those dull aches inside her and cast them away. But she couldn't... could she? Was the other mare right? Would a simple dance make her feel better? She remembered that she always used to love to dance. A weak tickle of happiness at the memory made Kurrin wonder if that really was the answer.
The dappled grey mare danced around the sullen palomino, wheeling and rearing and winding up that inkling of happiness inside the creamy mare. Like a whirlwind, and more Eerin danced, the stronger Kurrin felt the urge to join in. Finally when Eerin called to her to play, Kurrin joined her.
She was tentative at first, almost clumsy on her feet, but then the old desire to simply play emerged from the gloom in her heart and she was soon splashing and dancing and leaping with Eerin. With a sudden burst of glee, the almost silver mare called out her excitement to the High Country with a voice so strong and sweet.
Kurrin had been sure she would never shift the cloud that hung over her. But here she was, dancing with a mare she'd only just met and feeling beter than she had in years. The weight in her heart was not gone - no, it was too pervasive to disappear after one dance - but Kurrin was full of excitement. If she could push it away for the length of a dance, maybe she could push it away entirely one day!
Cavorting over to the grey mare, she bumped her muzzle against hers, eyes glittering with an unspoken thanks. Eerin had put her on the path to happiness once more, and for that Kurrin would be eternally greatful.
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Post by sooty on Nov 12, 2011 7:31:47 GMT
The gray mare closed her brown eyes for a moment as she ran; she liked to run blind at time times it made her heart race even more. When she opened them back up again she saw a sight she did not expect to see, the other mare was joining her! Eerins face lit up with joy and she tucked her head deep between her forelegs and madly she began to push up in the air leaping up into the sky each jump a little higher than the last as she tried to touch the beating sun above her.
Dust was flying up around her when she stopped, dead still, her sides lifting up and down with her heavy breathing, sweat dripping from almost every spot on her body getting the dust stuck to her turning her from steel gray to a brownie red. She only stood still for a few seconds though but to her they felt like years in length, every second ticking slowly by as she watches the other mare play.
She could not watch the fun for too long and when those few seconds were up she reared up, tossed her head lifted it up and called out to the high country. She didn’t care who heard her, let them all come, give her some fun, give her someone to run from or more to dance with. When her call had left her she pushed off with her hind legs and leapt after the other filly. She raced past her and into the river, sending water flying everywhere as she race to the other side and jumped up the small bank.
Once she was up she turned around and ran back across to the other mare who was still playing. Once there she slowed down again and pranced, tossing her head and snorting now and then digging holes in the ground with her forelegs. It was while she was doing this dance that she felt the other mare close to her and then her muzzle against hers. Her dainty gray muzzle shot up in the air and she looked over at the other. Seeing she was happy made the young gray fill with happiness as well. She nudged the mare back on her shoulder. ”See you look so much better now. You look pretty when you not look so down.”
She tosses her head and looks around them. She was starting to grow bored of this spot, this scenery. With a snort she looks back at the other mare and tilted her head to the side. ”This place grows old and boring. Where do you like to go?” With a flick of her tail she turns and trots to the edge of the creek and lowers her muzzle to the water to drink. She had just realised how hot she was and hoe thirsty from dancing and playing in this heat.
She lifts her muzzle up and looks back to the other mare waiting for her answer as patiently as she can though now that she had drunk the water she was feeling the need to roll in it. She holds herself back though and just lifts up on for her forelegs and paws at the water with it, splashing it up over her chest as she does so.
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Post by Tiggs on Nov 12, 2011 17:20:16 GMT
The mare’s happiness was simply contagious, and the creamy mare nickered, feeling pure energy coursing through her. She felt as if she could run for miles! Tossing her head, she closed her eys and delsighted in the warm summer breeze that lifted her flaxen mane and cooled her warm skin.
Sighing contentedly, she seemed bashful at the flattering remark. She had been told before she was a pretty mare, but she was modest and the compliments were always unexpected. “Thank you, Eerin,” she said, turning to her new friend with a shy smile. The grey mare was gentle, and Kurrin could not believe how much she had to give, even to a relative stranger. It was inspiring.
Looking around the creek, Kurrin gave a nod. There was not much room to run here, and the rocky stream bed could be dangerous if they played too vigerously. “Why don’t we head to higher ground, where the snowgrass is flat and we could run and graze?” She asked, glancing up toward the Ramshead, or perhaps the Bogong.
She felt so good, as if a great weight had been lifted off her back but the dappled mare. Kurrin owed her so much, and hoped that she could make up the mare’s gift with her company, at least. The High Country sang to her, filling her with a joy she had been missing for a long time. Out there were many wonders, and brumbies, and perhaps even a love to satiate her massive heart. Nepelle might be gone from her, but she felt set free, ready to accept someone else into that space...
Whinnying to Eerin, the creamy mare with the spotted rump reared up, stretching out her legs into the air and tossing her head in excitement. “Come, this way!” She set off at a canter, and speeded into a gallop, elated to see the High Country in full colour once more. Her heart no longer dulled it. Life was beautiful, and she was ready to live it to the full again.
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