Arrival of the King [open/mares/fillies]

[Tiggs]

Much better, Balaroo was paying her the attention she deserved now. Fairly preening, the vain mare lapped up his words and pressed her muzzle close to his. Squealing joyfully as he took off, Calca bolted off after him, running by her stallion’s side and trying hard to ignore the grey mare running at his other flank.

Unlike Noorinbee, Calca was not built for racing. As any brumby did, she felt the pure joy of a gallop in her heart, loved to feel her legs flying her over the High Country, but she was descended from the moonfillies. In the baking heat of the summer daytime, she was quick to tire and she was glad when Balaroo came to a halt.

Coming around him to stand under the shade, she crooned sympathetically as he mentioned his shoulder, “You have won many great battles to be here, my King. Let the summer sun and the good grazing heal you.” She gently reached out to him, reaching up to groom his withers and back. The heat of him was almost like a furnace, but the mare persisted, determined that the grey mare should learn her place as the King’s second mare.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and Calca looked up to see Noorinbee looking intently at something. Following the line of her sight, the self-proclaimed lead mare saw a muddy brumby descending into the King’s valley. Huffing, she paused in her administrations to weigh up the intruder. By her litheness – she tested the air for a scent – and by her smell, it was a third mare.

Calca snorted. It seemed all manner of common mares were seeking out the King with ideas of being in the most prestigious herd in the High Country. She understood that a large herd was part of the course for Balaroo, but could he not find a few more interesting mares. On the flip side, all these simple mares made her shine all the brighter. Fine, let them come, she would not let Balaroo forget who his most prized mare was.

[Rivre]

Under the overhang of branches, Balaroo felt calm, content even - without the sunlight that betrayed his beauty or his heritage and he grazed quietly, glancing every so often at the beautiful mares that accompanied him. So this was what it was like to be a king! Surrounded by fair fillies of all shades and colours that wished to have the strongest (or luckiest) stallion as their protector. In a way it was a smart observation, as it was unlikely harm would come to any under the kings protection, but Balaroo felt a prickle of unease at the prospect of loosing it all if his title was removed. Being king meant everyone knew where you were and he was going to defy that - he would take his mares from the cascades once the good grass was eaten and he would hide them away until winter came again. Creamy tinted locks shifted as he turned to gaze at the rich toned Calca, but seeing her head flung up turned his attention to what she scrutinized. Another stallion? No, flaring his nostrils and stepping out into the light once more, he breathed an internal sigh of pleasure at it's warming rays that made him want to dance and prance in sight of all. Taking in the scents that traveled on the gentle breeze, Balaroo determined it was in fact another mare. Snorting quietly to himself, half in amusement, he offered a loud and ceremonious greeting to the strangely pretty brumby, hoping that she would join them, for some other scent had been on the gale and it made the golden stallions blood pump through his veins a little faster, fueling his being with testosterone and valor.

He made his way quickly across the small gap, neck arched and face open, attempting not to make her feel uncomfortable, "Greetings," he nickered softly, touching his nose to hers and brushing the soft whiskers of her nostrils, "What brings you into the valley? I am Balaroo, the king" he added, without any particular confidence but portraying his pride in the title non-the-less. She was a strange mare, but Balaroo found her sooty tone refreshing, and found pleasure in the way it dappled, catching and keeping the light within it, dulling her creamy undertone spare the part of her which burned in the sunlight a white gold. He had gained two mares today already and the quietly uncertain stallion felt greedy to be gobbling up another, but if she wished to accompany him he would not turn her away. For the love of the high country! He needed to be less modest! Shaking his head at the thought he turned his full attention to the newcomer, trying his best to hide his emotion and not influence her words.

[KAREE]

Allunga froze as the stallion finally noticed her arrival, she cast a frantic glance at the two mares, wondering how they were reacting to her appearance. 'Not good...' She guessed, ears pushing forward as she gazed at the prettier, golden dappled mare. A sigh escaped her maw and she turned her attention to the approaching stallion. He was incredibly handsome and a colour she had never seen before on the High Country; it made her shrink inwardly and she began to become even more self conscious about her appearance.

He was friendly and open, brushing noses with her in greeting. She returned the gesture, but in a more shy and withdrawn way. His thick voice made her freeze in place for a moment, before she suddenly realized how silly she was being and an embarrassed smile crossed her sooty lips. "G-greetings King Balaroo." She lowered her head briefly in respect, her hazel eyes lifting back to gaze at his beautiful coat and the way the sun seemed to catch that pale mane and make it glow. Her's did the same, but she was unaware of this fact and would deny it immediately if someone pointed out to her. Though, the way his shimmered and glowed, it was spectacular in her eyes. "I...was just, you know, wandering..." Also, she wanted to see who the new King was and she was not disappointed at all. This stallion was beautiful and certainly seemed like he suited the job perfectly. Her eyes flickered over to where his mare's stood, then back at him. She did not say that it was because of him that she was here...actually she did not say anymore. Her shy and awkward side over taking her to the point where she could only stare and smile at what she saw.

ooc. I am sooo sorry about the wait for this!! D:

[Rivre]

She was a pretty mare but seemed nervous of his approach, so he lowered his stance a little, snorting softly through relaxed nostrils. So she was wandering, but in search of what? Of him? Blinking slowly, the soft breeze lifting hue streaked mane from his hot neck, he extended his muzzle to touch hers, "You need not call me king," he chuckled quietly, head bobbing with the effort of standing up for so long - he hadn't realized how tired he'd gotten, perhaps a little foolishly. "What is your name? Perhaps you could wander a while with me? There is enough grass to feed twenty horses at least and whilst you are not a stallion I think it's acceptable to share it." With tiredness he did not waste time in allowing her to make false assumptions, he thought her very striking and quite sweet in countenance, it would be nice to have another in his company - other than Noorinbee and Calca of course, who were just as beautiful in their own right.

Nickering softly for her to follow if she wished, he turned and trotted proudly but lethargically back to his mares, ears flickering as he came to a halt beside the dappled Calca, resting his head across her back and blowing soft warm air across her withers. He had grazed enough to fill him for now, so he was content to guard his valley and those in his company from any stallion with a wandering curiosity whilst he rested. His gaze flickered often in the direction of the new mare, whose upper half shone like gold in the sunlight, watching her progress with kind brown eyes, half lost in slumber. Calca moved every so often, which kept him from falling completely asleep and he was thankful for it.

ooc: Sorry for crappy reply :L

[Corowa]

OOC: Hope it's okay to slip this one in here since I guess Allunga has indeed followed Balaroo back to his herd.

Noorinbee looked up curiously as Balaroo approached with the new mare. She was not surprised when the stallion went and stood by Calca. Obviously, the ill-tempered brown mare was his favourite, but Noorinbee was not bothered by her jealously. She had chosen to run with Balaroo, strongest of all the stallions that made their bimbles here in the Cascades. If that meant tolerating the mean-spirited Calca, then that was how it must be.

Noorinbee studied the new mare closely. She was very strangely coloured, and Noorinbee was suddenly reminded of a fierce-looking stallion she had once seen up by the Thredbo River. Undoubtedly, Calca would be jealous of any newcomers, and so Noorinbee stepped forward to offer the strange new mare a gentle greeting.

She thought it might prove very entertaining to provoke Calca. The younger mare seemed ready to lord it over whatever mares Balaroo could gather, but Noorinbee had no interest in being bossed around by any other but her stallion. Yet if she could make friends with the other mares in the herd, perhaps they could beat Calca at her own game.

The thought sent a thrill through her, and Noorinbee flicked her tail as if suddenly disinterested in the goings on of the herd. Yet when she finally dropped her head to graze, it was only a few feet away from that strange, golden-coloured mare.

[Tiggs]

Calca could not hear and could not care less what transpired between her stallion and the muddy mare, but it seemed the common creature was to join them. Huffing, Calca returned to her grazing. She supposed it was a good thing really that all the other mares were so plain; it really put it in perspective for the King how unique she really was.

It seemed he knew it, for after a brief conversation with the new mare, he returned to her an draped his head over her back. She greeted him with tender nibbles to his chest and upper legs, and she glanced around to make sure all the other mares had seen before she went back to her grazing. His weight on her back was comforting and a warmth curled around her, making her smile inwardly. There was no better feeling that to be doted on by a stallion, and Balaroo was no different.

No, that wasn’t right. It was completely different. Balaroo was a stallion of perfect heritage. As a sun stallion, it was only right that they were together, and Calca was starting to believe that it was some act of fate that put them together. Sunstallion and moonfilly. Day and night. Yin and yang. Nickering softly, quite tenderly, she shifted around so that she and Balaroo stood nose-to-tail before she draped her head over his back in return. So comfortable and satisfying was the position that she too was soon drifting off the sleep. Standing with the King in the King’s own valley, there was no safer place. She could ignore the High Country, ignore all those other plain mares, and concentrate on being close to her stallion.