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  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura


    Now or Never
    #11
    The stallion would graze and lift his head to hear the questions firing through, he would ask one when they were done so he got up and trotted down the gully and to the river where he started to drink, once done the stallion walked up the hill and cantered past the mare but not right next to her, he kept cantering and jumping over the river, his long stamina was prooving very useful and training it was quite fun, the stallion halted and started trooting to the mare, this time he started to graze only 13 horses away, this stallion was taking the slow and quiet approach.
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    #12


    kreios

    don't you tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash

    I’d not meant to make her nervous with my observations, and I’m glad when she smiles, clearly unperturbed. Despite my impressive size, I know that I am not especially handsome. ‘You’re easy on the eyes’, my older sister had said when pressed, ‘but you’ll probably never make the ladies swoon.’ That was more than enough for me, especially since being some sort of Casanova had never appealed to me in the slightest. I’d only wanted to make my parents proud, and being handsome was not a trait valued by the King of the Desert and the Queen of the Dale. For them, I needed to be strong – a fighter – and I am still learning that despite their too-early deaths.

    Naira answers my question readily, and while I do spare another glance to the pinto stallion in the distance, he still seems disinterested, so I turn my attention back to the palomino mare. She’s not heard of kingdoms, as I might have guessed. The word that she uses - tame - is unfamiliar, at least in the context that she uses it. There have been no humans in Beqanna for over one hundred years and the idea of domestication has never even occurred to me. How would a horse belong to anything but itself, or to their herd or kingdom?

    Whatever ‘tame’ is, it does not appear to have made Naira happy, if her mumbled words and sigh were any clue. “You should be what you want,” I tell her, and it does not occur to me that perhaps I should make an attempt at following my own advice from time to time. I am still somewhat curious about her life before coming here, but I can tell that it is not a pleasant memory, and do not prove. Instead, I do my best to do as she has asked and tell her about my home.

    “The Dewdrop Desert is a mythical kingdom. It is ruled by two queens, Pevensie and Camrynn. There are two castes, one is the army and the other is diplomacy. I sort of grew up there, and though it is in a desert, there is plenty of water at the oases, and everyone is very kind.” That is true in my experience anyway, and I’ve never heard of anyone actually disliking the kingdom.

    “And my herdland, the Orange Country, is right on the edge of the Desert. It’s small – just myself and two other mares – but it’s beautiful there.” I want to give both places equal praise, since they are both my homes. I do spend most of my nights in the Country, but I serve the Desert and am there training and patrolling during the day. I am fortunate that it is a short climb up the canyon from one to the next. “If you’d like, I could show you them both?”

    As I ask, the other stallion decides to stand and begin running. At first I think that he is finally coming to converse, but then he simply gallops right past us and leaps over the river. I turn my gaze back to Naira, clearly bewildered at what he’s trying to do. He starts to graze again, this time a little closer than before, but with no sign that he intends to talk. “do you need some help?” I finally say, pitching my voice so that it carries across the distance between myself and the other stallion. Perhaps there is something the matter with him, and he needs assistance. I can’t imagine what it is though, and I look back at Naira, waiting to see what she has to say to my earlier offer.

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    #13
    The stallion listened to them converse and was asked a simple question "no, i am fine, you see all these things im doing you could say are tacticall im getting closer, but im waiting for you to finish your conversation" the stallion replied in his quite deep and wise sounding voice, the stallion then took twi steps firward and grazed looking up at the two, he bet they were confused but Aziz isnt himself without confusion, this stallion confuses and conquers, well he had defeat three stallions but still he'd keep them as trophies, Aziz never really talks about himself too much but he all you really need to know is that he's black and white and has a large quantity of stamina, he was born with it, he had run the deserts in three days on canter, of course nit much horses knew cause he kept it to himself.

    The stallion took two more steps forward while grazing and jolted slightly as a hare bolted out of the long grass, the stallion snorted and continued to graze, he hoped this conversation wouldn't be too long and that the stallion wouldn't take her too fast, no one even knew his name, the paint was now eight horses away from the mare, he lifted his head and plonked down awaiting to wait out the conversation
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    #14
    Kreios continued tossing glances in the other stallions direction, the question in his eyes making it apparent that he was not disturbed by the horses prescience, merely inquisitive of the stallion's motives. She could see a curious glint in his eyes when she mentioned the tame horses, and made a note to explain what the situation had been like in better detail if he asked her later. "You should be what you want." That one sentence put her completely at ease, and she smiled at him, her eyes softening even further as she warmed further to he burly stallion with the handsome face and kind eyes. "Thats why I'm here."

    "Your kingdom sounds interesting, but I fear I could never fit into either of those categories. As you can see, I'm not exactly built for fighting, and it may not seem like it now but I can get rather...hot-headed about things I'm passionate about. I'm not exactly the diplomatic type." She said the last bit with a quiet laugh, the herd sounded interesting though, perhaps she could finally be a part of something that would accept her for her. It made sense that the powerful stallion would have his own herd, he was obviously very capable. However she refused to dismiss the kingdom without ever giving it a chance. That kind of judgement was against her very nature; she also knew how it felt to be on the receiving end of that judgement.  "I would love to see both of your homes," she stated decisively.

    Almost immediately after she answered Kreios' question, the pinto stallion came cantering past her, spooking her and causing her to draw slightly closer the large stallions body. She tracked his movement, suddenly on guard, and watched closely as he began approaching them at a swift trot only to begin grazing quite some distance away from the pair. The warrior next to her seemed to share her confusion towards the movement of the other horse and asked, "Do you need some some help?" His answer only proved to confuse her more, "no, i am fine, you see all these things im doing you could say are tacticall im getting closer, but im waiting for you to finish your conversation." She lifted her eyes up to the stallion standing next to her, shifting even closer yet to his large body. Why was he trying to get closer to them, to her? She watched as he cast one last look at the two of them before flopping down onto the ground once again. Drawing up all of her courage she took a step towards the horse laying on the ground. "If you have something to say, then by all means say it."
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    #15
    "Sure il say" the stallion got up trotting to the mare and stallion "right, im here because i dont have anyone, you could say im a bit of a loner, yeah, my herd left me and i didn't really follow, i started working on my stamina as i found out about it, i ran the deserts and after that i kind of just stopped, i lived in the forest speaking with the spirits and other creatures, then when i emerged i remembered who i am, i stayed in that gully, now there is activity here and im here, im not to sure what im doing either" the stallion turned around and trotted down a bit luke a display, he would always trot like this, his head curved, legs high, tail high, the stallion then shifted smoothly into a canter halting quickly he lay his head to the ground and started to graze.
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    #16


    kreios

    don't you tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash

    TI am somewhat surprised when the other stallion answers me; I had half-expected him to just ignore me like he had for the rest of the conversation that Naira and I had been having. His response doesn’t make much sense though – why does he need to employ tact rather than simply approach? It hadn’t been at all tactical to wake up Naira and then proceed to ignore her, but to each his own I suppose. The pinto comes a bit closer, jumping at the emergence of a brown hare, but begins to lay down again rather than talk. With a mild shrug, I turn back to the pretty mare as she begins to speak.

    She says that she is not built to be a fighter, and I wonder again what the scars are from. Perhaps I’ll earn in time, if she is willing to share the story. From personal experience I know better than to pressure someone into being a warrior when it is not their desire. I am in the Army to make my parents proud, after all; I lack the bloodlust that drives my twin brother. At the mention of her being hot-headed I cannot help but smile. She does not strike me as the fiery type, but I am somehow pleased that she is willing to admit to a more passionate nature. I have never understood those creatures that care for little but themselves, and the depth that Naira shows by admitting this makes me even more certain that she will be a good fit wherever it is that she decides to go.

    And she decides both, at least to look over, and I nod happily. She will like them both, I’m sure; they are both wonderful places. And even if she chooses to stay in the Desert, I will still see her often, as my duties require.

    As the other stallion canters past us, I can see that he is putting Naira on edge. With a low snort, I take a step between them even as she steps toward me. I am not threatened by the other stallion, but I do not like seeing Naira ill at ease and am more than willing to do what it takes to calm her. She gathers her own courage and approaches him where he lays on the ground, and though I instinctively want to follow closely, I stand my ground and let her go. My tail switches irritably at my hind legs despite my still posture, the only sign that I am somewhat displeased at her nearness to this rather puzzling stranger. She asks him to say what he wants, and he stands up and comes closer, clearly ready to answer Naira’s question.

    I take a single step to the side, pressing my red and white shoulder against her golden one, my dark eyes hesitant. He talks for a rather long time, about being a loner and being abandoned by his herd, speaking with spirits and running through the Desert. I’m about to reply when he sudden turns tail and trots (then canters) away and begins to graze. I am utterly bewildered by his nonsensical behavior, but it is not within my nature to be cruel.

    “You might be less lonely if you talked to others rather than running around and grazing all the time.” Though he’s a fair distance away I hope he can hear me, but I don’t wait to see before I look back at Naira. “If you’d like, I could show you the Desert? This late in the day” - the sun is just starting to descend in the west - “the heat is more bearable in the Desert, and we can rest for the night in Orange Country?”

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    #17
    The stallion looks back at the stallion with a bit of an angered way "do not question my nature" there is an evil look in his eyes as he says this, he calls out to the spirits with a whinnie, probably looking weird, the stallion didn't like the way the warrior was being protective " your protecting her like shes yours" the stallion starts to walk toward them with his head high, thinking the spirits were with him, the stallion stood two heads away " you probably find me weird, i find younweird, horns, horse? Or ram? Who knows?, now m'lady what do you think?" The stallion flicked his tail and stood tall giving the stallion a glare, " i think i'd make a fine contestent for the army with my stamina, who knows" the steam coming from his nostrils was filled with an almost evil air as he spoke.
    ((I feel evil))
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    #18
    Naira couldn't help but notice Kreios' uneasy movements and expressions when she moved closer to the pinto stallion (who still hadn't even told them his name), his  motions definitely hinting being protective of her. His smile when she mentioned her temperamental tendencies brought a small smile to her own lips, for she had never thought that her more unpredictable side would be something she was encouraged to embrace.

    As the strange horse moved swiftly towards them, Naira drew strength from the solid feel of Kreios' muscled shoulder pressed into her own, and leaned into the contact and security that he was offering. She fought the urge to step backwards as he continued stepping closer to her, and only allowed herself to relax when he stopped moving and began to speak. That temporary reprieve from caution disappeared when the painted horse wheeled around and trotted off, causing her to start slightly before settling again. He shifted gaits fluidly, moving into a swift canter, his long legs carrying him further away from them before he stopped suddenly and began to graze again. Her eyes filled with confusion and her mouth slightly agape, she looked up and smiled seeing that  Kreios' expression closely mirrored her own. "You might be less lonely if you talked to others rather than running around and grazing all the time." Naira couldn't agree more with that statement, shaking her head and swishing her pale tail in utter perplexity.

    She could feel the gaze of the horse beside her return to her, so she met it with her own. "I would love to see this desert. I have never seen one before. And your home in the Orange Country sounds equally intriguing. I'm excited to see them both." She saw his gaze continually stray to the pale white lines crisscrossing her golden coat and smiled faintly. Well, maybe that would give them something to talk about on their journey. After casting one last glance at the stallion who, apparently, contented himself with frolicking around and grazing, she nodded definitively at Kreios, hearing a bit of the anxiety she felt by the presence of the other horse leak into her tone. "Lead the way."

    Naira felt the tension in the air before anything was even said. The pinto let out a whinny, causing the young mare to extend her neck and cock her head in curiosity. "Your protecting her like shes yours." Naira didn't mind, she enjoyed the feeling of having someone look after her, for once in her life. He continued to approach them, showing no sign of stopping any time soon. Naira pressed into Kreios, laying her ears back slightly and shifting backwards. He stood very close to the pair of horses and the apprehension the mare felt was palpable. " you probably find me weird, i find younweird, horns, horse? Or ram? Who knows?, now m'lady what do you think?" Before giving Naira a chance to respond, he continued, his tone threatening, " i think i'd make a fine contestent for the army with my stamina, who knows." Naira let out a soft whicker in response to the stallion's continued approach, pinning her ears flat against her head and backing up. Her heart was beating so fast, she felt as if it would pound right out do her chest.
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    #19
    "Now now, im i a little too mean? Oh im sorry" the stallion spoke sarcastically " you know Pevensie right? Yeah shes over at the deserts isnt she, you know she was the one that led me to the deserts, shes a fine mare, very decisive and confident, she was with another mare when we went there but still, the question about the army isnt a joke, i personally think im capable, "the stallion snorted and looked at the mare circling her, he studied her frame " quite a fine mare i see that you've decided to protect, dont worry i dont harm mares, the stallion looked at the two evily and awaited responses, his quite side had been turned into his bitter and evil side.
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    #20
    Naira had had quite enough. This stallion was scaring her, that much was obvious, but if there was one thing she had learned over the years is that you cannot submit, or the aggressor will think he has broken you. After all, he may not hurt her per se, but her mother had always told her stories about mares being brutishley claimed by domineering stallions and having no choice but to follow along with their every whim. She had always thought that they were only that, stories. This stallions behavior however wasn't doing much to enforce that theory, and she wasn't about to let it happen to her.

    The young mare tossed her head, bouncing up and down in little half rears. She stomped her hooves, trying to make herself appear threatening, but knowing she was failing miserably. She was small, only about 15 hands, with a frame that was admittedly well muscled even though it was slight. She knew she couldn't fight the stallion, but she could do what was in her power to try and keep him at bay. She reared high and whinnied, pawing at the ground and snorting. She wasn't sure why he was talking about this Pevensie, other than to egg them on somehow. 

    But, then again, she wasn't sure about the motive behind any of the things that the pinto had done so far so far. His actions had taken a complete one-eighty from the evasive and non confrontational horse he had been only a short while ago, to now this. He began to circle her thoughtfully, making her feel more and more like a gazelle caught in the sights of a hungry lion. While Kreios' examination made her feel warm and safe, the other stallions perusal of her body made her more than slightly uncomfortable. His obvious appreciation of what he saw only made her want curl up and hide, and his confirmation that he wouldn't hurt her did not succeeding in settling her racing heart the slightest.

    "Please, what is it that you want?" She tried to force the fear out of her tone, but the slight shake in her voice surely gave her away. 
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