08-03-2018, 06:46 PM
Nalia didn't even bother to answer the stallion's question before she started after him, easily keeping up with his fast-paced trot despite being of smaller stature. The two made pleasant conversation on their way to the seaside kingdom, the filly eagerly prancing alongside the stallion as she answered a question here and there while listening and taking in his descriptions of the land so that she would soon learn her way around.
According to the stallion, their journey was rather long since they had to skirt the borders of another kingdom on their way. He referred to it as Taiga, a land Nalia had heard a great deal about. However, it seemed most of the horses in the Field avoided that kingdom as a topic of conversation, and given Nalia didn't know much about it herself, she didn't pry. As they went along Taiga's border, when they took a break from their conversation, Nalia would spread her wings and take to the sky, glad for a chance to stretch the feathered appendages since they could get cramped when held still for too long.
The exception to this seemed to be after she woke up, but then again, she couldn't recall one morning where she'd refused a flight to wake herself up. Perhaps she'd just been in a state where she didn't register the cramps and soreness of her wings until her morning flight was over.
A couple of times, Nalia would swoop down low over the stallion's head, as if to taunt him into playing with her. Of course, Nalia knew such a task would be difficult due to Ardashir's lack of wings, but she was simply having fun. And it was entertaining to see his mane and tail fly up from the gusts of wind she kicked up with her wings.
Following their passing through Taiga, the filly and stallion cut through Hyaline, another land-based kingdom. This one was by far more quiet, according to the information Ardashir had to share. Nalia flew up into the sky again to keep an eye out, just in case, but every so often returned to the stallion's side to share in his company. The farther they traveled together, the more pleasant being in his presence became, something that made Nalia smile when she returned to the ground and continued talking to him.
Finally, after a long period of travel, the two horses arrived at Nerine's border. Or, at least, Nalia deduced they had arrived, given that a new scent entered her nose. The stallion mentioned Nerine was surrounded by the ocean save for its land border; was this the new scent she detected? It smelled like salt, something that resembled the smell of brine within a desert her herd had once crossed in an effort to reach better grassland. A sudden breeze came by and brushed Nalia's mane back so that it now had a windswept look, her forelock now split down the middle and laying in front of her ears.
The filly's eyes widened as the two horses finally crested over a small hill so that, instead of heading to the heart of Nerine, they were heading down a path to the beach. Ardashir asked Nalia if she wanted to follow him to watch the sunset, but the filly offered no verbal response. Never before had she imagined... seeing the view in front of her, not aware that there were several in Nerine that were even more incredible...
Nalia let out an excited whinny before spreading her wings and galloping a few strides before launching herself into the air, soaring down to the sandy beach at the end of the path. She did a couple of flips and spins in the air, soaring low over the ocean waves and laughing as some kicked up the salty sea water so it sprayed her coat. At one point, she soared low enough that she could brush her hoof across the water's surface, something that both excited and surprised her.
Finally, she couldn't hold back the rest of her excitement. Nalia soared into the sky again before turning and nosediving for the ocean water. At the last second, she opened her wings and slowed her descent, diving into the water at a much slower pace so that it wouldn't be like hitting solid ground.
After a second or two beneath the surf, Nalia broke the surface, throwing her mane back as she let out another excited holler. She was close enough to the beach that she didn't need to use her wings to get out of the water, using her powerful legs to propel her back to land. When she got to shallow waters, she stood straight and walked out of the surf, smiling at Ardashir before giving her tail, neck, body, and wings a good shake to try and help them dry.
When she finished with that, she turned her excited eyes to the stallion, loudly proclaiming, "That... was... amazing!" She flapped her wings again while rearing into the air, kicking up a small wave of sand when she came back down. She pranced around the stallion before doing the same expression of happiness in place, her wet mane falling sloppily down both sides of her neck.
But it wasn't over yet. Remembering what Ardashir had asked of her, Nalia gave him a sheepish smile, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I would love to watch the... sunset..." she managed to get out while turning back to look over the beach horizon. Though they still had a short while to go, the sun was already beginning its descent, casting a haunting glow over the waves and sandy beach. It made the surf seem like it was on fire, and the sand like molten lava.
Nalia was so awestruck by the sight that all she could say was, "Wow..." while taking a single step closer to the waves. Her eyes widened in awe as she spoke again, "It's... beautiful..."
@[Ardashir]
According to the stallion, their journey was rather long since they had to skirt the borders of another kingdom on their way. He referred to it as Taiga, a land Nalia had heard a great deal about. However, it seemed most of the horses in the Field avoided that kingdom as a topic of conversation, and given Nalia didn't know much about it herself, she didn't pry. As they went along Taiga's border, when they took a break from their conversation, Nalia would spread her wings and take to the sky, glad for a chance to stretch the feathered appendages since they could get cramped when held still for too long.
The exception to this seemed to be after she woke up, but then again, she couldn't recall one morning where she'd refused a flight to wake herself up. Perhaps she'd just been in a state where she didn't register the cramps and soreness of her wings until her morning flight was over.
A couple of times, Nalia would swoop down low over the stallion's head, as if to taunt him into playing with her. Of course, Nalia knew such a task would be difficult due to Ardashir's lack of wings, but she was simply having fun. And it was entertaining to see his mane and tail fly up from the gusts of wind she kicked up with her wings.
Following their passing through Taiga, the filly and stallion cut through Hyaline, another land-based kingdom. This one was by far more quiet, according to the information Ardashir had to share. Nalia flew up into the sky again to keep an eye out, just in case, but every so often returned to the stallion's side to share in his company. The farther they traveled together, the more pleasant being in his presence became, something that made Nalia smile when she returned to the ground and continued talking to him.
Finally, after a long period of travel, the two horses arrived at Nerine's border. Or, at least, Nalia deduced they had arrived, given that a new scent entered her nose. The stallion mentioned Nerine was surrounded by the ocean save for its land border; was this the new scent she detected? It smelled like salt, something that resembled the smell of brine within a desert her herd had once crossed in an effort to reach better grassland. A sudden breeze came by and brushed Nalia's mane back so that it now had a windswept look, her forelock now split down the middle and laying in front of her ears.
The filly's eyes widened as the two horses finally crested over a small hill so that, instead of heading to the heart of Nerine, they were heading down a path to the beach. Ardashir asked Nalia if she wanted to follow him to watch the sunset, but the filly offered no verbal response. Never before had she imagined... seeing the view in front of her, not aware that there were several in Nerine that were even more incredible...
Nalia let out an excited whinny before spreading her wings and galloping a few strides before launching herself into the air, soaring down to the sandy beach at the end of the path. She did a couple of flips and spins in the air, soaring low over the ocean waves and laughing as some kicked up the salty sea water so it sprayed her coat. At one point, she soared low enough that she could brush her hoof across the water's surface, something that both excited and surprised her.
Finally, she couldn't hold back the rest of her excitement. Nalia soared into the sky again before turning and nosediving for the ocean water. At the last second, she opened her wings and slowed her descent, diving into the water at a much slower pace so that it wouldn't be like hitting solid ground.
After a second or two beneath the surf, Nalia broke the surface, throwing her mane back as she let out another excited holler. She was close enough to the beach that she didn't need to use her wings to get out of the water, using her powerful legs to propel her back to land. When she got to shallow waters, she stood straight and walked out of the surf, smiling at Ardashir before giving her tail, neck, body, and wings a good shake to try and help them dry.
When she finished with that, she turned her excited eyes to the stallion, loudly proclaiming, "That... was... amazing!" She flapped her wings again while rearing into the air, kicking up a small wave of sand when she came back down. She pranced around the stallion before doing the same expression of happiness in place, her wet mane falling sloppily down both sides of her neck.
But it wasn't over yet. Remembering what Ardashir had asked of her, Nalia gave him a sheepish smile, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I would love to watch the... sunset..." she managed to get out while turning back to look over the beach horizon. Though they still had a short while to go, the sun was already beginning its descent, casting a haunting glow over the waves and sandy beach. It made the surf seem like it was on fire, and the sand like molten lava.
Nalia was so awestruck by the sight that all she could say was, "Wow..." while taking a single step closer to the waves. Her eyes widened in awe as she spoke again, "It's... beautiful..."
@[Ardashir]