Cold Thoughts

[tingara]

As Tingara snuffled through the snow on a rise above the herd his thoughts were restless, always thinking of the merciless beating he’d witnessed the previous night. Garrong, Nevada’s attacker, and his brutality disturbed Tingara greatly but he was also concerned. Concerned about the safety of his mares and foals and the well being of Nevada. As much as he hated to admit it, Tingara liked having Nevada as a rival, he was full of surprises. Tingara pulled half-heartedly at the newly uncovered grass and he discovered that he wasn’t really hungry after all.
He pulled himself away from the thoughts of other stallions and wandered down to the mares. Tingara felt so guilty, he didn’t spend nearly enough time with them.
‘No more excursions for awhile,’ he vowed to himself, he also vowed to give them a change of scenery. The valley was great but they were always there. Tingara ploughed his way through the moderate blanket of snow and found his favourite spot between the mares. He started to groom them, apologising over and over again to them in his head. They were in foal again and they’d need him to be there for them. Speaking of foals, Tingara glanced over to the mob of ever-tireless foals, only they weren’t foals any more, almost yearlings. He chuckled to himself while he groomed behind Binda’s ear, they grew up so fast.

Tingara had noticed something that went against all laws of the bush. He found he missed the company of Ammi the dingo. Her presence had been nice but, Tingara bit his lip with guilt, he had taken advantage of her. He’d never actually told her how much she was appreciated. He shook his head, so many things to take care of, so many things to fix.

[Tiggs]

Crayola snuffled about in the loose blanket of snow, unearthing patches of grass for her sons to nibble on. They'd learnt quickly how to do it themselves, but Crayola liked to mother them. Nipping a few blades for herself, the appaloosa mare ambled over to where Tingara fussed with Binda. She sniffed at his shoulder and flank, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle on his side to sooth an itch.

She huffed, watching with interest as her breath clouded in the cool air and rose into the sky. Winter was coming in fast, but she was not worried. She had survived winters before, and this was hardly her first. Turning back to her stallion, she began to nibble at his withers, absently grooming her ebony King. She hoped she was carrying another of his foals, though it was too early to tell if he had begot her yet. She looked forward to spring when she could make him a proud father once again.

[Illu]

Binda was really quite comfortable now, and it showed. Her head was level with her back, her ears were turned behind her and her hindleg was propped up smugly. Special treatment from Tingara, and a decent level of tierdness from the day to help lull her off to sleep. Tingara had done a good job of keeping a lid on what was worrying him, but she could feel the muscles in his jaw were tighter than normal. Something was worrying him, but she was in too good a mood to ask.

[yaruka]

Kala raised her head and nickered happily as the black king descended the slope into the dusky valley. She hadn't seen much of him lately, and had found herself increasingly lonely since the depart of Jannali sometime a few nights ago. The red roan had woken to find her friend missing, but had known instantly that the other mare must have gone seeking Nevada. Though it broke her heart to be apart from her closest friend, Kala knew that Jannali had never quite settled down here as she had, and she'd known that her restless would have kept her from ever being happy with Tingara. She reflected that at least she may have a tiny foal to keep her company come spring. A stirring of excitement went through her blood- her first foal! And the baby of a King too! Not that Kala was too wrapped up in the whole "I'm a mare of the King of the Cascade brumbies thing", but it was pretty cool. She saw Tingara go over to Binda and begin grooming the blue roan, and then watched as Crayola joined them. She wasn't one to be jealous over a stallion's personal attentions, but she ached to move closer to them. She was ever so lonely. Sighing quietly, she stood in the gloom of the night, drifting fitfully off to sleep, part of the herd but yet not quite feeling as though she was accepted by the rest of the mares.

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Baree too was drifting off to sleep, standing among his colt friends. The lot of them had long since stopped depending on their mothers for milk or protection at night- although they still tended to check in with their dams (or adoptive dams) quite frequently. Baree had grown quite a bit since he'd arrived as a scraggly, malnourished foal. Now his winter coat was thick and fuzzy and his body beginning to fill out quite nicely. Baree was looking to be quite a nice horse, though he himself was virtually unaware of this, he never gave much thought to his own appearance. Sighing contentedly, Baree drifted off to sleep, dreaming of playing with his friends come the morning.

[tingara]

Tingara stopped grooming Binda to go to each mare in turn. Although not as rare in colour as some stallion's mares, they each had rare personalities that Tingara adored equally. He paid special attention to Myrrina and Kala. Tingara was worried that they still felt like the outsiders of the herd, but with Crayola around it was almost impossible. All thoughts of the moon filly were soon pushed from his mind, replaced by thoughts of a future generation that was sure to come next Spring.


Prisma and Burnum stood side by side with Baree, gently dozing in the afternoon sun. Prisma opened his eyes and gazed around lazily for Cobalt. He let out a shrill whinny to Cobalt which woke Burnum. Burnum glared at Prisma before giving him a sharp bite to the rump.

[Valatone]

Ooc: Just a question, is this pretty much the thread for Tingara's herd? I've still got all my characters stuck on dead threads...

[tingara]

Ooc: Yep, so feel free to bring Valatone and Cobalt in at anytime ^-^

[Valatone]

Ooooc: YAYYAYYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYA

Cobalt awoke at the sound of his half brother yelling at him. He nipped Baree on the neck and slowly got up, shaking his mane and stamping around, trying to wake his adopted brother. Then he turned to Prisma and attacked the ground, inviting him to play fight.
He kept one ear to Baree, hoping to hear the sound of him awakening. Nope, he still had his stupidly playful side, but had grown a lot. His legs were no longer too lanky and long for him to run properly, and his mane had grown wild and thick. Like his 'brother', he had a thick coat for Winter too.
As for his mother, he'd noticed how fat she'd grown lately. By now he'd realised he would have another sibling, but it wasn't long ago that he thought she'd been grazing and sleeping too much. But he didn't dare say that out loud. But by now, he was paying less and less attention to her.

---

Valatone had noticed how her son had grown. He was waaay less attached, but then again he never really was. She despirately missed his company, having a little foal to look after and sleep next to at night and guard. But no, she wouldn't go and lecture him about it.

The white mare had also realised something- her boy was growing up, very fast. And now, she would have another foal very soon. Her belly was huge, and she spent most of her time lying down in the snow.
For some reason, this foal was taking more energy out of her than her first one did.
All she did was sleep and eat now, rarely getting up. Valatone didn't think anything was wrong, because it wasn't pain, but it drained all the energy from her. She didn't talk much now either, not to Tingara or to her herdmates. The mare had grown lonely, but it was partly her own fault she didn't talk anymore. She'd changed so much in the past months with this new foal, but once he or she was born, it would hopefully be all over.

A little sunbeam touched her face as she lay down in the snow, only moving her eyes and sometimes changing positions and slowly eating what was left of the grass. It was only until a little later that she felt a tiny kick in her belly, then another ripple of pain striking her. It was time. Getting up, she quickly left the scene, not taking the time to notify the herd.

(Insert Tingara here xD: kosciusko.proboards82.com/index.cgi?board=paddyrushs&action=display&thread=403&page=1)

[yaruka]

By now Kala was certain she was expecting Tingara's foal come spring. Tingles of excitement ran down her spine whenever she thought about her future newborn, but her joy was tinged with a touch of melancholy and regret. Jannali might never see her first born foal. She was missing Jannali dearly and sincerely hoped that she had found Nevada and was happily integrated into his herd. Sighing, Kala hung her head and cocked a hind foot, not quite sure what to do with herself. It was seriously unlike her to be so lethargic, she was normally quite bubbly and energetic, full of positive attitude and life. But being half of a twosome is no fun when your other half is missing.
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Baree was quietly dozing beside his adoptive brothers when he was awakened by Burnum's shrill whinny. Flinging his head up, startled, he glared at the roan with mock anger, then nipped him on the neck. Cobalt then bit his neck and Baree squealed again, striking out warningly with his right front leg. It had been about 3/4 of a year since Baree had joined Tingara's herd and the grey colt had finally found his niche. Under his adoptive family's care he had thrived and developped into quite a striking yearling. His mane was no longer sticking up, instead it flopped on the side of his neck, and his tail had filled out slightly. He was still quite leggy, but filling in to be quite an impressively built colt. His simple, dull grey coat had slowly turned a lovely, pale shade of rose grey, and his blaze had widened down his face. In short Baree was content. He yawned and was just about to instigate a play fight with Cobalt when he caught sight of Valatone looking rather subdued and depressed. He looked at her in concern, in the past few weeks, as he and Cobalt began spending more and more time away from the mares and with the other colts, he had noticed her seemingly withering condition. Nothing that he could name, but just a sort of sparkle that was dimming in her over all personality. Now, she looked worse than ever. Baree was just about to approach the white mare when she slowly wandered off. Realizing that she must be due to have her foal any time now, Baree decided that she'd probably prefer to be alone, but made a mental note to go see her when she returned. His eyes lit up at the prospect of a new foal for Valatone, that would surely cheer her up! He looked at Cobalt and decided that his brother was in no mood to discuss his mother at the moment, he looked ready to play. So, convinced that when Valatone returned she'd be happier, Baree pranced over to Cobalt in a mock fight stance, then reared up and tugged the other colt's mane, waving his legs invitingly in the air, hoping to entice a mock battle. With the way Cobalt seemed to be spoiling for action, he was almost guarenteed a game.