AND the winds howled, [O]

[Ehetere]

Just as she had hoped, Allirea finally got a reaction out of Boolee. Though, perhaps not quite the reaction she was hoping for. Like a furious grey storm, he galloped full pelt towards her, but she did not move, thinking he was doing it all for show. But then he went around and around before finally rearing up and biting her neck. Allirea squealed; in both pain and anger. Firstly, Boolee had left her behind, and then he had gone and tried to woo a couple of mares who had been just begging for attention, and now he was punishing her? Allirea whipped around in pure fury and lashed out with such vehemence that it actually shocked her a little. She was a storm of flying, striking hooves and lashing teeth; refusing to submit to him, her ears also turned well back and pressed against her neck. She would not be bossed around by any other horse; no matter who that horse may be.

“You were to stay in the trees Allirea where you would be hidden,” hissed Boolee through his teeth at her, his eyes rolling, “What if another had seen you and sought you out? You are no foolish filly; you are a mare beautiful as the snow itself, and for that you must listen.” Allirea threw up her head imperiously at his words, his flattery only adding to her anger, and replied defiantly, “Then it would have been your own fault for not keeping better watch over me! Was it not you who said that very few horses would know this valley? Or that other stallions had far more pressing matters to worry about than fighting in winter? I followed you because you were wise, or at least I thought you were. I thought you cared for me! And here you are gallivanting off with the first two mares you set your eyes on, all the while leaving me on my lonesome! I have half a mind to call into the mountains until another stallion comes to take me away and punish you for being foolish enough as to anger your only mare so!”

Allirea then looked beyond Boolee to where the two mares were, one lying in the snow with the other urging her to get up. She was not like other mares; she was a free spirit, and a fiery one at that. Never before had she let another make her decisions for her, and she did not intend to start now. If any stallion wished to keep her for his own, they were going to have to view her as one of equal measure, not a mindless being who would follow blindly and comply to their every wish. She knew perfectly well how to care for herself, and did not need a stallion to protect her and find her food. She was here by her own choice, and she would leave by her own choice if her first impression of Boolee had been incorrect.

“I am winter; the cold, the ice, the harshness, the beauty! I could leave and you would not be able to follow me; I could vanish under your very nose. If you wish for me to stay then you actually have to show some affection towards me,” said Allirea, looking directly into Boolee’s eyes this time, meeting his angry gaze with her hard determined one, “You can have your other mares… but I will not be one of the crowd. I was your first, and you are my mate, but I will leave if I see fit.” Allirea then stood very still, a defiant tone still underlying her posture. It was up to Boolee now to decide what was to be done. She would not be rounded up, and if tried again she would simply disappear long enough for him to pine for her and regret his actions. If he did accept her now though, she would try to at least not be completely hostile to the other mares over there. Or at least not to the little paint one… And she would almost forgive him for his impertinence, since no matter what she said, she did care for the great grey stallion, even if he was being a royal pain in the behind.

[yaruka]

Tyrilly flinched sharply as Boolee's rough teeth made contact with her skin and rose again to stand on weak and shaky legs. Throwing a disapproving glance at the grey stallion, Cardinia moved forward to reassure the little filly, providing her steady frame as support for the delicate two year old. Suddenly a throbbing neigh rang out and Boolee froze, body tense and listening. He whirled about and galloped towards the dancing grey filly, biting her smartly on the neck. Cardinia tossed her head, she did not like the excessive display of dominance by this stallion. Backing silently into the bushes she called gently to the filly to follow. They were not his, not yet. And if he wanted to keep them then Boolee would have to demonstrate he deserved them. But the little filly did not want to leave the security she had only just found. Boolee's dominance wasn't an issue to Tyrilly, few things bothered the little paint. With a sigh Cardinia left the filly to her choice, she had no right to force the little thing to do what she thought was best. Still, for herself at least, this bossy domineering stallion was going to have to ease up a little. Melting into the snowgums Cardinia stood concealed, though not far from where the other horses were, watching and waiting.

[Corowa]

Blind with rage and roaring angrily, Boolee swung around and gave the mare a resounding kick. Furiously, the mare had turned on him, striking and kicking like a whirlwind, and the stallion had moved wisely out of reach. The whites of his eyes showing, Boolee snorted at this fierce grey virago, coat glistening with a fine lather of sweat. “No Allirea, you are not my first,” he answered harshly. “I have run with many fine fillies, and have known many who have been as spirited and beautiful as you. You possess all the wildness of the High Country, and I will not be the one to tame it.”

“You are a foolish mare,” he went on angrily. “For it is a foolish mare that believes a stallion will seek out none but her. Vanish if you will Allirea, but know I will not follow.” Turning nimbly on his haunches, he cantered back towards the trees, to where those two exciting fillies hid. Yet in the glade of black sallee and damp blanket-woods, only the brown and white filly waited, for it seemed the creamy mare had vanished into the stillness of the bush. Tossing his head proudly, Boolee pranced towards her, forgetting that other elusive silver wraith. He had softened towards the filly, and with several excited whickers, sniffed her, nipping her more gently when he was reassured, she would not run. “What is your name young one?” he asked softly. For fine-legged and fine-boned, the stallion understood she would mature into a beautiful mare.

Ears flickering, his curled back nostrils drew in the faint smell of another. He knew it to be the creamy, though he did not know where it was she had hidden. Whinnying softly, Boolee called to her, telling her she need not be afraid of him. In the wide grassy flat above, the tearing winds had dropped to a murmur, and the leathery snowgum leaves whispered in the gentle breeze. Although the snow still fell lightly, Boolee felt the blood stir in his veins with the promise of spring. With this queer brown and white filly and beautiful creamy mare, he would have a fine herd. Yet Boolee wondered, whether that handsome spirited grey would ever truly be his.

[Ehetere]

“No Allirea, you are not my first. I have run with many fine fillies, and have known many who have been as spirited and beautiful as you. You possess all the wildness of the High Country, and I will not be the one to tame it,” proclaimed Boolee, with a harshness that she was beginning to dislike rather a lot. Perhaps her first impression of Boolee had been wrong; maybe he was not the caring, strong stallion he had first seemed, “You are a foolish mare, for it is a foolish mare that believes a stallion will seek out none but her. Vanish if you will Allirea, but know I will not follow.”

Foolish? How could he possibly call her foolish? She was sure that she had more brains in her skull than twice tha amount of his, so who was he to be calling her foolish? He turned on his heel away from her and cantered back to the other two simpering sods in the snow. Allirea tossed her mane; he was not worthy of her - it had all been an act, and oh the rage she felt at this. He had willingly and knowingly deceived her; flattered and fed her ego to make her feel like it was only her that he cared about. Well, if that was the way that he wanted to be, then he could be that way without her.

She screamed at his retreating figure; and then raced after him and past him. Galloping through the trees far faster than when she had with him. This was not a controlled playful run; this was anger and rage and fury being channeled into her legs as she raced out of the valley and around to the very top of the cliffs. There she stood; glorious pale filly, a creature of the snow itself, in all her glory and fury. She called once more - not to Boolee but to the winter spirit and the sky. And then she turned without a backward glance and cantered away through the snow, knowing that the next night’s snowfall would cover her tracks and none would be able to find her. Boolee was going to regret the day he left her alone in those woods.

[yaruka]

Tyrilly looked up at the stallion as he returned, feeling no fear even in spite of the dominance he had shown towards the grey mare. He sniffed her gently, even asking her name quietly. "I am Tyrilly," she replied "Named for the Heavens, or the echo." She looked at him curiously "And you are Boolee," she said "But for what are you named?"
------
Cardinia watched the fearless filly with interest. The little pinto had suffered much today, had seen the violent behaviour of the stallion before her, yet she still stood there, bold as brass, showing no sign of fear as he approached. Still, the dun did not think the filly stupid, merely trusting. And Cardinia resolved to keep an eye out for her, for such a trsuting, sweet creature should not be forced to suffer for her innoccence.
Boolee drew back his lips, scenting the air, and Cardinia knew he smelt her own scent. With some satisfaction, she noted he seemed unable to pinpoint her location. Even so, the stallion called to her, but Cardinia resisted the urge to reply to him. She would come, but not yet. And she would err of the side of caution, make the grey prove himself, before she gave herself over to this proud stallion.

[Corowa]

From where she hid, the creamy mare gave no answer to his call. Nose lifted to the wind, Boolee stood still for a moment. Then hearing nothing but the gentle swaying of leaves, the stallion turned to Tyrilly so quietly waiting. “Will you follow me?” he asked of the brown and white filly. For gentler than the highly-strung Allirea and wiser than the foolish creamy, Boolee felt Tyrilly would be a fine filly to have at his side. More playfully now, he nipped her, thinking only of the spring when he would lead her up into the higher country still buried beneath the snow. Longingly, he thought of those wide stretches of snowgrass, those sheltered basins and snow touched tors. To the north of the Ramshead he would travel, to those great slopes of mountain.

“I am named Boolee of the whirlwind, for I am as swift and furious as the strongest of gales,” he proudly answered. For Boolee’s name had been given by the very bush itself, spoken in the threnody of that lone currawong, hidden in the snowgums surrounding the old bushman’s hut. Nervously, the stallion looked at those thunderous black clouds; sensing fouler weather was on the way. Deciding it time to leave, he turned and nudged the filly, told her to come. Then with that nimble light step, Boolee threaded his way through the forest of black sallee all hung with streamers of moss, breaking into a canter where the bush sloped gently down to a grassy basin interspersed with clumps of scrubby snowgums. Wondering if Tyrilly still followed, the stallion neighed to her, reassuring her he had waited.

OOC: We can end it here, or you can post once more to say Tyrilly went with him if you want.