Finding their own way...[Warring/Karuah/Corowa]

[yaruka]

Warring walked proudly through the bush, leading the beautiful silver filly and her quiet and mysterious dam. Although dark in colour himself, he realized the difficulties that would arouse from having not one, but two light coloured mares. He wasn't too concerned for the moment though, he was too happy. And now that he had a herd of his own he realized he needed to find some territory for them. No where to permanent though. He'd always be somewhat of a wander. Finally he came to a opening in the dense brush, a small clearing with a quiet pool in the middle. With only three of them it would provide ample enough grazing for now. He scented the air carefully and listened for any sign of danger. Satisfied that all was safe he nickered to his mares before walking over to the pool of water and lowering his noble head for a drink.

[Corowa]

Corowa crept soundlessly through the snowgums, the filly at her side, neck arched proudly. The thick belt of timber gave way to glade, carpeted in white snow-daisies, and too tired to move, the mare dropped her nose to the pool of water and drank. “I have been here before, though I cannot remember it,” Karuah said, ears pricked, a puzzled expression in her eyes. I brought you here when you were a foal,” said Corowa, for the mare knew the country along the river well.

The creamy filly gleamed in the sunlight, and Corowa could see such a splendid filly would be a prize among stallions and men indeed. While Karuah drank from the small water soak, the brumby mare grazed, troubled by the intense silence of the bush. The silver filly was beautiful but she was foolish, for Corowa could not teach her to leave no tracks, nor to hide in the safety of the bush where her creamy hide would not show up.

Karuah seemed unable to stand still, and occasionally the filly would move restlessly, and Corowa could see she was trembling. “Do not be so troubled my daughter,” the mare said, yet Corowa was wondering how much trouble the creamy filly would bring. The mare nuzzled the filly’s ears gently, as if she were a young mare again and this, her first foal.

“We must beware man,” the mare said. “I have seen a stockman on his bay horse and smelt fresh smoke on the south wind.” Further east to Paddy Rush’s Bogong, away from Dead Horse Ridge, this was where Corowa would go with the creamy filly, and the magnificent bay stallion Warring. “To the east we will go, for you cannot hide a creamy filly forever.”

[yaruka]

Warring was curious to hear that the two mares had been here before. Unlike the other two he had not been born in the High Country and was still learning his surroundings. His adventures with Kye though, had given him a solid enough background with the area that he was always ready with an escape route in mind. Thinking of the falcon he glanced up at the sky, wondering if she had followed them. He hoped she had, he would hate to lose her now, he had become too attached to her. He could sense the two mares were troubled so he moved closer, nuzzling first mother then daughter reassuringly. Corowa raised her head to speak and her words troubled him though he knew she spoke the truth. After all, such a beautiful and pale coloured filly would never remain a secret. Still, Warring hoped to be stronger and more mature before he had to fight for her for real. He was ready to protect them but hated the thought that he might lose his two mares to an older, more experienced stallion. He gazed off into the woods, carefully keeping watch for his new family.

[Corowa]

Karuah dropped her head and grazed alongside her dam. Corowa nickered gently, glad for the filly’s company. Wurring seemed worried by what the mare had said, and Corowa picked up on his anxiety and her skin crept.

Surely it was natural for such a young stallion to be filled with unboundless confidence in his own strength. Yet if there was a real fight, Corowa knew he would most certainly lose. Shyly, the mare reached out and gave him a playful nip. This handsome bay stallion who possessed not the living light of the sun, but who had stilled the restless throb of blood in her veins nonetheless.

“You will need your cunning and your strength if you are to keep her,” the mare said. Soon, very soon, the mountains would sound with the trumpeting calls of stallions, would come alive with the challenge in those ringing answers. Karuah, who was by now sore and stiff all over, hopped on three legs towards her dam. Corowa could see the filly was very lame, and she stretched out her nose to her creamy daughter, came and stood close beside her, silver filly and pale-grey mare.

It would be foolish to move any further north, for the country grew rougher around the stony tors of the Ramshead. “We will not go northwards yet,” Corowa told him. “Soon but not yet. Now it is simply time to rest.”

OOC: Haha kind of forgot Karuah was supposed to be dead lame

[yaruka]

Warring was so focused on keeping watch on his little herd that the mare's shy nip made him jump. Turning around he nibbled at the base of her mane, blowing out in a deep sigh. He had been listening to the call of the gang gangs and the whisper of the wind through the trees. Nothing brought the sound of trouble, yet. They were safe here for now, and noticing Karuah's prononced limp the stallion noted that it was just as well. She needed to rest in order to heal. He nodded in agreement to Corowa's words, glad he was in the company of such a wise mare.

[Tiggs]

Stepping quite suddenly out of the bush, Nandalie was more than surprised to see the small herd grazing around the pool and drinking from its calm water. He had not expected to see any other brumbies here, knowing it was a fairly quiet spot. Eyeing the bay stallion warily, he noticed he had a grey mare and a creamy filly with him.

Nandalie was not interested in populating his herd with the most sought-after mares, and as it was not the season for fighting, Nandalie huffed a greeting the the bay and stepped fully out of the bush. The red roan seemed careful, but not overly worried about the presence of the other stallion. He was three days fresh from a fight with two inexperienced and overeager young stallions. He still bore a fresh scar on his neck, a dark mark on the frosted strawberry roan of his pelt.

With a confident nicker, he urged his mares and yearlings to come from the bushes and stood sentry while they drank or grazed. While not overly friendly, he made no move to aggravate the stallion or 'tempt' away his mares. He was happy with his own mob, and he definitely didn't need the additional stress of another fight and more mares to care for.

[Corowa]

Too tired to stand any longer, Karuah flopped to the ground and slept. Nosing the pale shape at her feet, Corowa nickered gently. Karuah stirred at the warm touch, and half-woke. Through the sheltering clump of snowgums, the mare heard a faint sound, and two kangaroos went hopping by as the mare whinnied a soft greeting. Then there was sound, fainter still, and Corowa smelt horses on the wind. The snowgum branches moved, became a stallion, and the mare gave a soft snort. Ears pricked forwards, Corowa saw a few shadowy mares melting back into the bush, led by this proud roan stallion.

Karuah half-dreaming, heard her mother’s silent call and leapt to her feet. Standing there on three legs, the creamy filly took a nervous step back. “Remain still,” Corowa said, and the filly obeyed, trembling with fear. With that proud, swinging stride, the pale grey mare stepped forwards and called aloud to the strange stallion. Karuah lifted her head. Anxious and deeply troubled by the stallion and his mob of mares, the creamy filly gave an uncertain whinny. Surely Warring would drive this stallion and his mares off. Fearful, Karuah moved closer to her mother, felt the beat of Corowa’s heart against her body, strong and sure.

OOC: I invited Tiggs to add some action into our thread (:

[Tex]

A bird was watching from above, eyes all-knowing but brain not all-knowing. She still followed Warring wherever he went, as thanks for taking care of her when she was hurt, making sure he wasn't captured by men and also seeking out fillies to add to his now existent herd. She flew in slow circles above the group, getting plenty of updrafts from the warm weather, and realized that a Roan Stallion was approaching what she thought of as her group of horses. Kye flew a little higher, and peered down, trying to decipher the horse language of huffing and showing off. It didn't look like the male was trying to steal the fillies, so Kye didn't dive-bomb his eyes or head, instead slowly gliding to land on a branch near the group of one stallion and two fillies. She watched carefully, making sure that they were not in any danger.

[yaruka]

> Warring had been standing quietly next to Corowa when a faint rustling in the bushes met his ears. He raised his head in alarm and stepped protectively in front of his mares just as a red roan stallion emerged from the bushes. Warring snorted and pawed the ground in warning, tossing his head. The stallion did not seem to present any threat so Warring did not stop him or his mares from drinking at the pool, after all he hadn't claimed the territory. Warring knew it was best not to pick a fight. He would need all hs strength to protect his two pale mares and compromising himself in a battle of pride would be foolish. Besides, the stallion was a good two years older than him, Warring, just newly turned four, would have little chance of wiinning a battle of strength. He was not interested in the other stallion's mares either, he had enough of a job protecting and keeping hidden the ones he already had. Out of the corner of his eye Warring caught the shape of Kye gliding silently on to a branch above his head. Warring felt a spark of relief and gratitude, he felt better knowing she was safe and here to support him. Deciding that he couldn't just let the stallion pass without a word Warring took another step forward, holding his noble head proudly. "Greetings red stallion," he said politely "What brings you to this part of the bush?" Eyeing the stallion more closely Warring could see that he had relatively fresh wounds, undoubtedly from a recent battle with another stallion. It was not exactly the time to be gathering mares so this came as a bit of a surprise to Warring but he didn't remark on the injuries. He nodded politely to the stallion's mares as they crept cautiously out of the bushes after their leader.
> ----------
> Cautious was the word. Irawaddy and Amarina had not expected to run into others here, and judging by the look of surprise on Nandalie's face neither had he. Ira followed her stallion calmly but her daughter was trembling from head to toe as she walked out of the cover of the trees.
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Wyuna on the other hand paid no heed to the strangers at first. It wasn't until she passed the palomino filly that she stopped suddenly in shock. It couldn't be. These were mares from Rezar's herd! Had a stronger stallion finally got the best of that blubbering fool then? She looked at the bay with new respect and interest but said nothing to the mares, tossing her head as she passed. She still despised their flashiness that her daughter so unfortunately shared.
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Camira stopped in suddenly in shock as she suddenly recognized the bay's two mares. Nickering a greeting she extended her trembling nose to Kessa's.

[Tiggs]

Nandalie responded to the grey mare with a polite nicker, assuring her he was not a threat. He looked to her stallion, and bobbed his head respectfully. "We're just passing through. We came via the Cascade Valley. We encountered a hungry dingo there -- beware your yearling -- he seemed fairly intent on my own." He snorted, clearing his nostrils of dust.

He didn't mention the recent fight in case the other stallion thought it would be a good time to take advantage of his weakened state. "My name is Nandalie, these are my mares and daughters." He glanced to Wyuna, noticing she seemed to know the grey mare. He wondered if the bay was her abandoned stallion. His stance became a little more rigid. "Do you know then, Wyuna?" He asked cautiously.