[Tingara's Herd/Open] A Change of Scenery

[tingara]

The threat of both Nevada and the snowmelt had forced the herd of Yarraman’s Valley to finally go on the move. At least those were the reasons Tingara had given, really he was pretty sure that a change of scenery had been long overdue. Happily he pranced behind the herd as Fira took up the lead. For some reason up here in the space of the gap he felt incredibly joyous. So joyous in fact that the black stallion tossed his head up in a wild call before racing playfully ahead. As he passed the mares he willed his sons and daughters to join him in his wild race across the open plateau.

Bucking and pirouetting, the sombre King of the High Country was replaced with what looked like a colt. And that was exactly what Tingara felt like again under the spring sun. Too long he’d been worrying about unimportant things like Nevada and the mysterious black called Garrong. Too long had he kept himself and his herd cooped up in Yarraman’s Valley.

It was also I nice feeling to know this sudden change would be, to his rival, unexpected. For two years he’d stayed in the valley, now it felt good to be up higher in the range. To not be stuck dwelling on shadowy threats under the shadows of the valley walls.

Overhead a flock of gang-gangs screeched at the crazy black horse as he played in the thin snow cover with not a care in the world.
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Of course Prisma and Burnum needed no encouragement. As soon as they saw any playful body language they were after their father in a blur of black and red. Both colts grew bolder with every minute that passed and began to mock-strike out at Tingara. Burnum even went as far as to take hold of his adoptive father’s tail as their game tore across the flat.
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Unlike her brothers, Aroona was a little more apprehensive about joining them in their wild race. This whole place was new to her and her natural fear kept her pinned to her mother’s side like a small foal. Every inch of her wanted to race across the flat too but she waited for one of her siblings to make the move first.

[Tiggs]

Not surprisingly, Fira took to leading the mares well, and was in comparatively high spirits. Kimba followed dutifully along behind her, surreptitiously watching the two-year-old colts as they raced past after their father. Fira had been quite clear that they were not part of this herd, and they were only here until a better offer came along. After all, where better to see the best contenders than when they came to challenge he King.

With the constant warnings, Kimba was not permitted to spend too much time with the other herd members, so the dainty chestnut filly had to settle with simply watching the rest of the herd have fun. Most of the time though, she watched the colts. Being ostracized fro the herd, she had an outsiders view on the growing colts, and she was very interested in the black Prisma in particular. But recently, another brumby took her fancy. The three-year-old chestnut Darel who Tingara had invited to join the herd. This had confused Kimba -- why would the King want to share? -- until she noticed Darel shivering uncontrollably. He was ill, but that didn't stop her from watching his every move with interest. Even Fira's disgust had not deterred her, and Kimba was determined to speak to the young stallion, against her mothers wishes.

Darel was quiet and subdued, though that was a relief when most of her time was spent with her obtrusive mother. She hadn't seen him speak much, and his odd shivering only made her want to talk to him more. She wanted to have a friend, just one friend, but that was going to be near impossible with Fira around.

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Crayola and her young palomino daughter followed in the middle of the herd. Occasionally Kurrin would dance away to play with the other yearlings, then return to her mother's side. The pale yearling was a shy filly, and where as Kimba did not leave her mother's side by Fira's demand, Kurrin stuck close to Crayola because she was worried about being lost.

Crayola nuzzled her young one affectionately, and smiled as her mate rushed by, chased by some of his other sons and daughters. The pregnant appaloosa was encouraged by the change of scenery, and soon stopped to graze when it appeared their journey ended here. Kurrin mirrored her mother, and the two grazed together.

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Fira and Kimba had also stopped to graze, and Kimba began to slowly drift away. Once she was sure she was out of her mother's line of sight, she picked up her head and trotted briskly over to where Darel stood. The filly nickered a greeting, and stuck her nose out boldly to touch his. "Hello." She greeted him, nostrils quivering in excitement.

[yaruka]

Kala didn't think much of the new mare's attitude. She was disappointed, she had hoped a newcomer might become a friend. But she was content to just follow the rest of the herd, keeping out of the way. Though having been with Tingara's herd for around a year now, she still did not feel quite as though she belonged. Her only company was her colt, Biangri, but as a yearling he was now venturing out more and more on his. She was glad to feel another foal stirring inside her, perhaps this time she would have a filly who would stay with the herd longer than a colt. Kala galloped along the ridge, glad to stretch her legs and feel the wind flowing through her mane. It had been too long since she'd been on the move.
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Biangri, now a yearling, dashed after his father. He was almost an exact miniature to the great black and as he galloped after the king it was almost as though he was Tingara's own shadow. He bucked happily, curious to see where his father was leading them. Since he had been born his world had mainly compromised of Yarraman's Valley. Now he was eager for adventure.
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Baree charged after Prisma and Burnum, kicking out playfully as he ran. He had gotten over the scare of seeing men last spring and was now eager to test out his new strength as a two year old.

[Xarae]

A hazy form lurked on the horizon, watching the peaceful herd from a few meters away. Dakota felt quite uncomfortable at such close quarters with unknown brumbies, but she'd been lazily keeping an eye on Tingara's herd for quite a while now. The pale grulla mare grazed absently, always keeping one watchful eye upon the close knit herd. Dakota knew her odd pelage made her stick out like a sore thumb, but she enjoyed her brightly colored coat and markings.

Dakota leaned down and continued to lip up the dry grass, still keeping a contented watch upon the herd. The mare was happy to simply observe and not make a move, because things were just so much simpler that way. It didn't have to get messy - and she could tell from some the mares' body language that her intrusion would certainly not be welcomed.

Resigned to her wandering fate, the mare continued to graze without a care in the world. Occasionally she stopped to shake her fine white forelock out of her eyes, but other than that the small silver dapple dunskin remained motionless. Like a statue she waited, unsure of where she would fit in among the others. Perhaps it would be best to leave now...

[Corowa]

Tingara had gathered his herd and driven them up to higher country, where the snow no longer fell, and shadows did not become fierce menacing stallions. Deeply anxious, the brumby mare had kept off the mossy rocks, careful to leave no tracks. The mare did not wander far from the sheltering band of Alpine ash trees, where she would not show up, fear pushing her steadily upwards. When a flock of gang gangs flew northwards over the great snowgrass ridges of Dead Horse Gap, the mare shied in sudden fear. Myrrina wondered whether that pale grey stallion would follow. Surely she was not such a great prize that he would fight Tingara, king of the Cascade brumbies? When a branch brushed her rump, the mare sprang forwards, blinded by fear as branches whipped her head, eyes stinging, sobbing for breath.

Only when the drumming of hooves grew nearer, did Myrrina calm at last. There in the rough boulders of Dead Horse’s Gap, did the blue roan brumby mare slow her headlong gallop and catch her breath. Standing, flanks heaving and steaming with sweat, the mare drank at a water soak, nostrils dilated as a brown hawk soared lazily towards the Crackenback. On and on the blue roan mare trotted, threading through the narrow white trunks of the ribbon gums, stopping every now and then to listen to the plover’s mournful threnody, the lorikeets’ noisy banter, and woven through it all, the murmur of the wind. Further up, the trees thinned and the mare propped to a sudden stop. Her ears twitched nervously, and then she was trotting out from the cover of the encircling snowgums, legs stretching out onto a gallop as she raced over the springy snowgrass, the dread of the mysterious pale grey stallion forgotten in such boundless joy.

OOC: Yeah, so Myrrina’s kind was some distance behind the herd and only now has she re-joined it.

[tingara]

Tingara, so preoccupied with playing with his children almost missed catching a new scent but not quite. For a moment he stopped and raised his head gracefully to take in the scent fully. There was a strange mare here. Soft brown eyes scanned the Gap for her and almost instantly found her. With his ears pricked forward eagerly, Tingara turned to excuse himself from the game for a moment. Slowly he walked to her, making sure as to not give off any body language that might alarm her.

The stranger was beautiful, a colour the black had never seen before and an aura of grace about her. “Hello,” Tingara bobbed his head in greeting, unsure as of what to say next. “Would you do me the honour and play with me and my children on this fine spring day?” every word he spoke sounded so stupid to the black stallion. He hoped he didn't sound childish to the beautiful stranger.

As he turned around he spotted Myrrina almost dancing from the trees. With an excited neigh Tingara called to his mate to show off he’d made a new friend. It was almost colt like.

[Tiggs]

Bursting from the scrub, four dark shapes raced -- their energy spent -- down the far ridge toward the herd. Behind them came a great while stallion, his posture clearly furious. Coming to a halt on the ridge above the herd, Nevada screamed his anger and used some of his last reserves to rear and kick out at the air.

Two of the group he had been chasing were Prisma and Burnum -- to Nevada's knowledge, both Tingara's sons. With the princes came two solid black yearlings. Stockier than most, they were obviously not in favour with the grey stallion. From his vantage, Nevada was smug to see that the Princes had led him straight to the King's herd.

He thought he saw Myrrina down there, along with a creamy white-haired mare he didn't recognise. With a trumpeting call, he greeted the two mares. Tingara no doubt knew by now that he wanted Myrrina for himself, and Nevada was not below wooing away new mares to the herd.

Standing regally, Nevada called down to Tingara. "Sending your sons to spy on me? Any debt I owe you is forfeit, King. We are even." The grey tossed his head, long mane flying, and he took off again. He disappeared into the bush, leaving the four ragged youngsters for Tingara to do with what he wished.

Nevada wanted badly to talk with Myrrina again, but he was tired from harassing the Princes across the High Country and so he grudgingly made his way back toward the Bogong.

[yaruka]

Kale threw her head up in surprise when from out of the woods burst four young horse and a grey stallion. She watched curiously as Nevada, for he was the grey, called triumphantly to Tingara before turning and disappearing into the trees. Suddenly a wild impulse gripped her-she could follow him. She missed Jannali dearly, he would most certainly lead her to him. Then she could return, back to Tingara's herd. She took a step in his direction then stopped herself, confused. This wasn't right. She knew it wasn't. But the truth was, she wasn't really happy here. She hadn't made any new friends with Tingara's mares and Tingara himself could not be expected to hang around with her all day. And she had been feeling particuarly lonely since Biangri had grown into a yearling. He didn't need her anymore. Standing there, debating inwardly on what to do she suddenly felt a ripple of pain along her abdomen. Her foal! Saved from deciding just what to do for now Kala turned and slipped quietly away in the opposite direction to give birth in private.

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Biangri tossed his head excitedly as the Burnum and Prisma returned, leading two strange horses. He waited until Nevada had turned tail before dashing over to his older half-brothers, tail flagged high over his back in his high energy. Eagerly he touched noses with the new horses and waited for Burnum and Prisma to recount their adventure.
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Baree had been missing his brothers ever since they had left the other day. He had not gone with them because he had felt that having three two year olds descend on Nevada's herd might have been looked at as a threat issued by the King himself. Though only a colt he was already growing up to be a conscientious stallion. He knew that Tingara had done him a favor by 'adopting' him and did not wish to cause trouble for the stallion. Still, he was curious to know what had happened while the two had been away and why they had brought back two yearlings with them. He trotted over to them, bumping Burnum with his nose "What happened?" he asked .

[yaruka]

OOC: hey, do you guys mind if I throw Wirruna into this thread as well? if you do let me know and I'll delete the post

BIC:
Wirruna was new to the High Country, well new to being a brumby actually. As she trotted uncertainly through the unfamiliar territory she longed for sight or sound of other horses. She really didn't like being all by herself out here. Suddenly, as though nature had heard her silent pleas, she heard the furious roar of a stallion and pounding hoof beats. Ok, not quite what she'd been hoping for but maybe she could check it out. Trotting quietly through the bush she followed the noises stopping just in sight of the a grey stallion who stood and glared impressively down at a herd below. He seemed in no mood to be crossed so Wirruna quickly sidestepped to the left, upwind where he wouldn't be able to scent her. She stood, hidden in the trees, or as hidden as she could be with her brillliantly white coat, thankfully widely splashed with chesnut. Gazing down at the herd she saw many mares, a ragged group of yearlings and two year olds plus a black stallion standing magnificently below. Hmm, maybe she could join them? The grey turned and left, charging through the woods. Wirruna stepped close to the edge of the bank, watching and waiting for the best time to go down and introduce herself.

[{ Opal }]

Darel's sides heaved as he huffed, blowing gusts of air from his flaring nostrils. The two-year-old's ears were flattened as he stared toward the far side of the clearing, where the grey stallion had once stood. Several strange, black colts stood in his place. The commotion had taken Darel by surprise; the young stallion had only just arrived here, and was still feeling a bit jumpy. Not to mention claustrophobic, what with all the milling horses. Darel shook his head, taking in a deep breath to steady himself. He cringed at the thought of having another seizure, just from getting too worked up. So Darel forced his gaze away from the shady newcomers, instead directing his attention back to the grass beneath him. He tentatively took a bite of the shoots, his teeth grinding against the ground. He was still a tad skinny from spending the majority of the winter alone, but was quickly growing more spunky as he enjoyed the leisures of a protective herd. Darel's posture relaxed as he thought of Tingara; he was a good stallion, very good indeed. Darel was on his side all the way; he was so grateful for the security the king had offered. Darel contented himself by grazing, his nerves soothed, even though the shadows of the colts hung in the back of his vision.