Misty Morning (Open)

[tingara]

With a snort and an agitated whinny Koora moved himself further over between Baragoola and Nowego. His muscles twitched as they readied themselves for a fight. Adrenaline coursing through his blood, the sun stallion pawed the ground again. Nowego’s emphasis on the word young when he said it did not go unnoticed. “I’m am close to the age you are stranger,” he said angrily. He wasn’t young, he just wasn’t old either. The other stallion was obviously so jealous of his colour he had taken to meagre insults.

Too enraptured in what the other stallion was doing, Koora missed Baragoola edging away and disappearing into the scrub. He did here a new voice behind him which told of another mare lurking. To be honest he’d never thought about gathering or fighting for any mares besides Moonfillies –which he was automatically entitled to- until now.

“The only ugly thing here is you,” Koora quipped slyly. He was a hypocrite, meagre insults were so not above him but when they came from others it was just sad. “I am Koora, for the day which, unlike you, is my element. I am at my most powerful when the sun is at its highest,” he whinnied, more than a hint of challenge in his voice. Koora began to prance in anticipation before rearing his full challenge at the buckskin stallion.

Ooc: Please note that the insults are Koora's, not mine. I don't mean to offend. ^^;

[Tex]

Nowego flipped his ears back faster than a snake would blink, and pawed the ground, his teeth bared as much as he could allow them without splitting his cheeks. This... colt! It was ill-mannered, and even though he had to admit, it was nearly the same age as he, Nowego did not use a sharp tongue to defeat his opponents! And it also seemed that this foe was one that used words rather than action. Nowego whinnied in laughter, the sound echoing about the trees, and glanced to make sure that Yaruka was not near. He was not afraid of this horse, whether he defeated him or not, but Nowego did not want his one mare to go if he did lose.
"I am not afraid of you, stranger! I am not one to bandy words with, so do not attempt to win by insulting your elders and betters. Now let's feel its heat on our flanks, and do not try to stop me with words!"
Once he had finished speaking, Nowego lunged forward, just as his foe was rising from the ground. He lashed out at the general direction of its stomach, and backed up to avoid any counter-attack, baring his teeth in anger.

OOC- Thx for letting me fix it x3

[Ehetere]

The two stallion's moves were becoming increasingly violent and finally Baragoola could stand it no longer. She turned her tail in the other direction and fled for cover; wanting to block the sounds of conflict from her ears. She simply put her head down and ran, no time for sneaking or silence now. She was so focused on escaping the scene that she almost ran headlong into what looked like a flaxen chestnut filly. Baragoola pulled up sharply on her quarters and stood only and inch away from the other mare’s nose, her eyes wide and fearful.

"I am Yaruka, named for the light that plays on my coat. May I ask your own name? asked the other mare in a barely audible whisper. Baragoola blinked several times, still in shock before replying, “I am Baragoola! For the Flood Tide I was named! Why, oh why, are those stallions making such a fuss? And all that noise… how I hate conflict,” whimpered Baragoola, her voice rising and falling, heavy with emotion. She glanced back fearfully in the direction of the two stallions once more before turning to the calm and friendly eyes belonging to the kind if a little shy mare, Yaruka.

[yaruka]

The grulla mare swung about suddenly, pulling up short only inches from Yaruka's nose. The little chestnut filly shied backwards slightly, not having expected the abrupt face-to-face. The other filly looked equally dazed, finally answering the question Yaruka had posed.
“I am Baragoola! For the Flood Tide I was named! Why, oh why, are those stallions making such a fuss? And all that noise… how I hate conflict,” gasped the other mare. Yaruka glanced at the clearing behind them, flicking her tail once to show her own displeasure. "They fight because they are stallions, and stallions are rash like that." she said "I do not like it either, but I have given up trying to prevent it at moments like these." Sighing, she added "I do hope Nowego knows what he is getting in to, the other stallion looks strong and I do not wish for Nowego to get hurt showing off." Sudden screams behind her made her tremble, and she rolled eyes backwards slightly at the sound of hoof hitting flesh. Shuddering she looked at Baragoola "I think it best if we move a bit further off, I would rather not bear witness to this. Still, I would like to be close enough so that we could intervene if things sound as though they are getting too dire." She looked at the other mare, waiting to see if she would agree, ready to turn and lead the way to a slightly more sheltered grove of brush a few feet away.

[{ Opal }]

Unknown to the horses present, another brumby stood in the background. He was a lean specimen, his coat a greyed-out white, and his body shaped with unusual grace. But Gurnmil was heavily scarred, giving him a fearsome appearance, and his misty, unseeing eyes would strike most with unease. He stood silently, hidden by the undergrowth, his curved, arabic ears angled towards the two mares just ahead of him. Gurnmil had evaluated the situation long before, and was pleased with what he had found. With the stallions distracted by their fight, it would be all to easy to take the unprotected mares for his own...

For a moment Gurnmil paused, nostrils dilating, then he stepped forward with poise that belied his blindness. With his cover blown to the mares, Gurnmil picked up his pace, until he was rushing steadily toward the pair. As he came within range he let out a threatening snort, then bared his yellow teeth in the general direction of the brumbies. He then aimed his menacing display specifically at Baragoola, who Gurnmil could tell, by scent, had no herd. With a cruel glint to his clouded eyes, he snarled, "Time to go, miss." As if on cue, a ball of black fury hurled toward the innocent Baragoola, clawing and screeching with ferocity. Gurnmil appeared to smile at his raven's actions, then jerked his head toward Yaruka. "Stay here of you wish, but don't you dare try to save her!" he snapped, then lurched toward Baragoola with a flinging hoof. It was time to take his leave, and not alone.

OOC: I hope you don't mind; if you are not happy with the kidnapping, don't worry, Gurnmil can easily surrender. ^^

[tingara]

Outraged that Nowego had not let him complete his rear before attacking him, Koora squealed. Teeth and hoof hit his stomach painfully. The silver bay came down hard on his hooves, shaking away the pain. At least the buckskin had had the decency to attack him where it wouldn’t detract from his looks. He gathered himself, shaking out his silky mane before launching an attack if his own. Light and agile Koora wheeled one way towards Nowego’s flank on his neat hooves before changing mid-stride and going for the other stallion’s withers.

For a moment he held on before something distracted him. There was movement in the trees, something heavy that was no mare. Again the sun stallion squealed angrily as loud as he could with the fur in his mouth. ”Hold that thought,” Koora let the other stallion go then took off into the trees, following Baragoola’s scent intently. He tried to move silently but he was breathing heavily from physical exertion. For a moment he stopped, his light ears flicking to and fro for any sounds. At last he caught the harsh, low tone of a stallion and took off in its direction.

The new stallion was a fearsome sight to behold. For a moment Koora had to fight the urge to turn and run but the look on Baragoola’s face pushed him on. ”Leave her alone you brute!” the sun stallion called angrily.

[Tex]

Nowego tossed his head in triumph once he had seen the other horse wince and stand back on his four legs. Yes! A hit, and to a rather sensative part of the foe, as well. His enemy did not nurse his wound for long, however, and took a whack at his flank, making Nowego squeal in surprise as instead of attacking that easy target, the stallion took a bite at his withers. The attack didn't penetrate far, thankfully, but the sharp teeth did rip some hairs out of the back of his neck. He didn't feel much pain either, and Nowego leaped forward, striking back at the same time in an effort to make his foe let go.
Suddenly, the little pain that was there disappeared, and Nowego fell to his front legs, surprised. His foe had let go and run off towards the strange sounds issuing from where Yaruka and Baragoola were hiding. He felt sorry for making her frightened, but fighting was something all stallions had to at least practice, in order to keep his mares with him. Koora ran straight to the strange sounds, and Nowego realized with a start that he coudl hear, of all things, a Raven cawing at the top of his lungs. He tucked in his front legs and kicked off to run towards the sounds, not caring if he made any noise, and skidded to a halt beside his mare, Yaruka. Baragoola was being stolen by the stranger, who was trying to act impressive, but he looked at him closely, trying to find some flaw.
Ah, there it was. He was blind. That big black Raven must be his eyes for him. Nowego nudged Yaruka, telling her to escape, and strode to stand next to Koora, laying his ears back at the other stranger.
"I agree. You have no right to take Baragoola; she is not yours, and I don't think she wants to be. Do you?" he asked her, half-stepping forward.

[Ehetere]

Baragoola followed Yaruka to the shelter of the trees, where the sounds and smells of the fight were dulled. But all of a sudden the bush seemed to be alive around her; a terrifying grey-white stallion covered in battle scars charged out of the trees behind her. He cam forwards with such speed and menace that Baragoola let out a cry of fear. He snorted threateningly and said, “Time to go, miss,” in a voice that Baragoola decided was bad and evil. He barred his horrible teeth at them and snarled at Yaruka, “Stay here if you wish, but don’t you dare try to save her!”

It seemed that the commotion was not unheard by the two stallions fighting; and the silver bay came crashing through the scrub; and when he had assessed the situation, he exclaimed, “Leave her alone you big brute!” But the grey stallion came at Baragoola with flailing hooves; and by now she was driven into a frenzy of fear. Her eyes were showing more white than brown and her body was trembling so violently that it was surprising that she could even stand. The buckskin then entered the scene and it looked as though there was going to be a stand off then and there; with Baragoola right there in the middle of it.

And then her vision was filled with feathers; feathers, feathers everywhere! Sharp, raking claws scratched at her face and terrible screeching filled her ears. Baragoola cried out in shock and pain; shaking her head to rid herself of the spirit who was torturing her. Her eyes were wild as she looked between the three stallions and Yaruka. The noise, the dust, the smell, the sudden heat, the heavy breathing, and the tension that seemed to fill the air; it was too much for poor, quiet Baragoola to handle. With one last desperate, terrified looks around; Baragoola wavered on her feet, her eyes rolled back in her head and she keeled over and fainted; falling heavily to the ground.

[yaruka]

As if from now where a grey stallion hurtled into the two mare's clearing and Yaruka shied violently in surprise. Looking up she saw his cruel face, his battered body and could barely surpress a shiver of horror from running down her spine. Time to go, miss ordered the stallion to Baroogala and Yaruka noticed the milkiness in his eyes, was he blind then? Just then a screeching ball of featheres hurtled towards Baroogala, clawing at her face. Yaruka snorted in surprise and fear, what was she to do? Stay here if you wish, but don't you dare try to save her! said the grey stallion, evidently directed at her. Yaruka tossed her head worriedly, as if she was thinking about following him. But still, she could not let him take Baragoola just like that. But what was a shy filly like her to do? Pinning her ears, she snapped at the black raven, trying to distract it from attacking Baragoola. Just as Yaruka was beginning to despair, the sun stallion who had been fighting Nowego burst into the clearing, closely followed by Nowego himself. Relief flooded through Yaruka, and she nickered to Nowego. The stallion nudged her, clearly telling her to leave, but Yaruka shook her head stubbornly and stayed put, she was not leaving until she made sure that Nowego and Baragoola were safe, from all threats. And it turned out to be a good thing that she did stay. With one last look of terror, Baragoola keeled over, falling to the ground with a thud. Leaping nearly out of her skin, Yaruka had to control the impulse to flee. Finally, snorting nervously, she made her way over to the fallen filly, nose reachin gout hesitatingly to nose the grulla's soft coat. "Baragoola," she whinnied "You must get up! Come on!"

[yaruka]

OOC: ha, I just realized Yaruka and Baragoola have very similiar facial markings