Running

[latymier]

Latymier didn't look back, he just ran. He needed to get away, away from the humans that only wished to saddle him and make him a slave. The lead rope still hung at his face and he could feel it hitting his back as it flew out behind him. That wasn't his biggest worry though. The captors would come after him, he knew. He had fetched a fine trade and the humans wouldn't want to let him go easily. His mother had taught him that men would barder for horses and that they had great value.

His nostrils flared out, gulping in breath and taking in scents. Wild horses! It was a sweet smell and one that told him that he could live on this land free of humans. Near exhaustion, he slowed, looking back for the first time. The horizon was empty of pursuers. Even so, he continued on his slow gallop until he could barely put one hoof in front of the other. Breathing hard, he stopped near a shady tree, finally noticing how hot he was. He remembered smelling horse, now only if he could find them.

[Tiggs]

Summer was a welcome relief for the spotted mare. While winter was not without its merits -- no men or brushfires for one -- summer was this mare's favourite time of year. As spring warmed, she had left the herd as briefly as possible to give birth to her newest foal. The strangely white and brown-marked filly foal played at grazing not too far away, her awkward legs bent as she tried in earnest to crop grass with her underdeveloped teeth just like her mother.

Crayola nickered to the youth, and lavished affection on the young one as she nursed. Crayola was a doting mother, and she had not forgotten her other charge. A yearling black filly, large and bulky compared to her youngest daughter, grazed a little ways off. It had taken a lot of patience, but she had gained the trust of her adopted daughter. Crayola loved foals, and she would adopt every single one if she could.

The group of three had drifted away from the herd as Crayola grazed, but they were not without protection. Almost hidden in the abundant grass of the Gap, an orange-pelted lump lay in the grass,her golden eyes surveying the scene. The creature was a dingo, but the mare did not seem unsettled by its closeness. She would occasionally look to the canine for reassurance, and was placated by it.

Ammi was content to be a watchdog. As a seasonal addition to the King's herd, she acted as messenger and scout, often watching over the foals and mares to make sure they did not get into trouble. The temptation to hunt the herbivores was still there in the back of her mind, but she refrained from doing so. She had plenty of other things to eat at this time of year.

The dingo raised her head suddenly, her nose tilted up in the air to catch a scent. An unknown stallion. She barked a warning, and the spotted appaloosa mare nickered for her daughters to come closer. She strained her senses, and finally spotted the shape of another horse further across the gap. Crayola was a friendly mare, and more than a little foolish. She neighed a friendly greeting to him, inviting him closer. She was a sociable animal, and Ammi shook her head in disdain.

Hoping the worst that stallion could do was attempt to steal Crayola away and not attack her fillies, she raced off toward the main herd to warn Tingara. Crayola was oblivious, and with another sweet whinny, led her fillies toward the stallion. It was safe to say Crayola was one quill short of a echidna, but her intentions were good. It did not occur to her that another brumby might be a threat. She only worried about men or their dogs. Brumbies meant more friends to make, and she enjoyed their company and any new tales they had to tell.

[latymier]

Latymier's dark ears swiveled at the sound of a bark. 'Oh, great,' he thought, 'Either I am being hunted by some wild dog or the humans had sent one to track me.' Prepared for a fight, the grullo stallion stood tall and defiant.

His demeanor changed, however, when he heard the joyful sound of another horse and he realized that his exhaustion had caused him to miss the obvious. The smell had drifted to him but he hadn't registered it and he quickly nickered back, letting them know that he was not a threat.

Cautiously, he stepped closer, looking more curious than threatening. One mare ran off, which was probably not good news. The lead stallion would soon come to chase him off, but maybe he talk to these mares for a little while before that.

"I'm not from around here," he began, "I may need a bit of advice on how to survive." If there were other herds here, he could surely start one of his own. The friendliest mare was handsome, as were her little fillies and for the first time since he had been shipped off to this strange place, Latymier thought there may be some hope.

[Tiggs]

Crayola looked a little confused at the stallion's words. "You look alive to me. And you can't not be from here, you're standing right here, so where else could you be?" The mare gave him a consoling nicker, as if he were the one confused. "My name is Crayola, Can you tell me yours?" She asked earnestly.

She reached out her muzzle, touching his confidently with her mottled nose. Her short tail waggled happily and she looked at the stallion with hopeful brown eyes. She seemed completely fearless of the animal who could easily steal her away or hurt her if he was so inclined, but she was completely unaware of any possible danger.

[latymier]

OOC: Is that a hint for me to try and steal her?

Latymier's ears flattened incredulously at her comments about him standing before her, "I mean I have come from somewhere else." he said, but then realized that he didn't want to talk about his hated home, and nickered, "Never mind."

"I;m Latymier." he said, standing taller. It was the only thing he refused to let the humans take from him; his mother given name. Now they had tried to name him all sorts of things; Prince, Charger, Captain, but he usually ignored them.

Charmed by the little mare, in spite of himself, he let her nuzzle him, and swished his tail in a welcoming gesture. Smelling her all over, he stepped closer, nearly forgetting that this mare was already part of a herd and belonged to a stallion.

"Where is your herd?" he asked. He had never acquired one before and wasn't entirely sure how to go about it.

[Tiggs]

OOC: Hehe, if Laty is feeling daring, sure! Give it a try ^_^ Cray isn't exactly the sharpest crayon in the box, lol.

Engaged with the stallion, Crayola maintained a friendly posture. The brown stallion was nice, and she did love to meet new brumbies. She returned his gesture, boldly sniffing at his face and withers. He smelt a little different than most horses, but he was still pleasant on the senses. He smelt mostly like Tingara, but with some subtle differences. That was what made him Latymier and not Tingara, she supposed. That and he was dark brown, not black. His legs and face were a little black though. Was he related?

The trusting spotted mare gave him a soft nip on the shoulder and stepped back to nuzzle her foal. "Our herd is not far. We were grazing over here because the grass is not so flat." And because the black yearling was still shy around her herd mates, but Crayola was sensitive enough to withhold that. "Would you like to meet my friends? You seem to be alone. I was alone once, but they found me in the swamp. There were only a few then, I have lots more friends now. We used to graze in Yarraman's Valley. He was once a King too, you know. But we graze here now. This is Dead Horse Gap. I don't know why it's called that, no dead horses here!" She continued on, rambling about the Gap, the scenery, anything of little importance that the mare deemed important enough to tell the stallion. Most of what she said made little sense, as if half of the conversation was going on inside her head. It was apparent she would continue for a while unless interrupted.

[latymier]

Latyrmier found himself in an awkward position and found no choice but to politely interrupt, "Yes, of course. I would love to meet your herd, unless you think your stallion would chase me away..." he thought a moment, "You could come with me." he suggested.

[tingara]

Snuffling her way through the grass curiously, Castelle’s eyes widened at what fluttered before her. A strange tiny creature that looked like a bird but it was too small to be a bird. The butterfly flew uncaringly passed and the strangely marked filly gave chase. Squealing excitedly she reared at the butterfly but then things took a turn for the worse. The strange little creature was coming right for her!

With a fearful whinny, Castelle turned and bolted back to her mother’s side. Slowly she peered around Crayola’s flank, there was no sign of the butterfly but the filly wasn’t stupid. She knew it was still out there, watching, waiting. So wrapped up in her game with the butterfly Castelle didn’t notice the stranger until her mother spoke to him. It was a stallion like her father but not her father. Instinct mixed with the already present fear caused the filly to back away.
-------
Yindi watched the filly she had now come to call her sister, a smile plastered on her face. Although Yeranda was her blood brother, Tingara’s herd was now her family. At last she felt like she belonged and it was thanks to Crayola. The black yearling couldn’t help but laugh at Castelle’s fear of the butterfly but stopped laughing when she saw the strange stallion.

She too went to Crayola’s side and stuck herself firmly there. All the while she eyed the stranger suspiciously. Surely Crayola wouldn’t go with him after sticking by Tingara’s side for so long.
------
Tingara grazed quietly with the main herd, strategically making his way over to each and every one of his mares. All but one were there and that bothered him. Sweet Crayola was missing along with their daughter and adopted daughter. She’d said she was going to graze a little farther away to give Yindi space and although the black had said he was fine with it, on the inside it tore him up. He hated to have any of his mares gone for any period of time. Kala was gone, presumed dead along with their foal and Nevada was lurking.

Crayola was ok, Ammi was watching over her. Over and over Tingara told himself that in his head. A little while later a small russet dot appeared on the horizon and immediately the black stallion began to grow nervous. Before the dingo could even finish her warning about the strange stallion, Tingara was gone. Quick as a flash he galloped to where he knew Crayola would be. There in front of her was the strange stallion. It took a great deal of strength to suppress an outraged scream but somehow the black stallion did.

Instead he stopped at the appaloosa’s side and brought himself up to full height. “What brings you here stranger?” he snorted, less then friendly. Subtly he put himself between the stranger and Crayola.

[Tiggs]

Broken from her ramblings, Crayola shook her head vigorously. "Oh no, Tingara wouldn't do that! He's nice." The fact that he probably would was a strange concept to the mare. Sometimes she didn't quite understand that not every brumby liked to make new friends, and that stallions inherently disliked each other.

"Where would I go with you?" She asked, confused. She couldn't think of anything he might want to show her, unless he had some friends to meet. "I don't know about that -- I told Tingara we wouldn't go far..." The sound of hoof beats turned her head, and her ears perked toward the black shape coming so fast toward them. The spotted mare nickered softly under her breath. She liked it when Tingara ran -- he looked majestic. She was a little bit entranced as her stallion came close, and she remembered the other stallion as Tingara spoke to him.

Resting her head over the black stallion's back, she informed Tingara with a contented expression. "This is Laytmier, he wants to take me somewhere." She said it conversationally, as if she didn't know what sort of effectit would cause.

[latymier]

Swishing his tail, Latymier continued to nuzzle the mare, "I mean you could help me make my own herd, like the one your stallion has." he snorted when the lead stallion approached.

Latymier's ears flattened and his pelt prickled in annoyance at the mare's words. If he wasn't going to be chased off before, he surely would be now, "You must be Tangara," Latymier counted with agitation, "I am afraid I was unaware that this mare had a herd, I would not presume to steal her from you, she is obviously not of your relation." He lied, knowing that the most valuable mares to have were ones that the stallion could breed with, making his own daughters a poor match for this purpose. Maybe if the stallion let him stay for a day or so, he could scout out the few mares that could leave with little resistance.

"I have never been in this territory before now, so I would just request the safety of staying with your herd for a day or two until I am able to learn how to survive on my own here." he tried.