"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
02-17-2016, 02:34 AM (This post was last modified: 02-17-2016, 02:35 AM by Zayn.)
He is pleased when she finally dials back in her game, more or less officially accepting his offer of a home. “Oh I’d certainly hoped. Perhaps we should head out? The route can be a bit of a trek …” Another mare to join his little herd - his little collection jumps to four.
He pauses for a moment, enjoying her closeness. He is so unused to having a mare be so willing to join him. But, while the route to the Mountain is not long, it can be arduous to those not used to the mountain paths, and it would be best for them to reach the mountains before dark - the paths are even more difficult to traverse then. Best not to linger.
Without another word he steps away and turns in the direction of the mountains. He pauses once to make sure that she is following, then heads out.
__________________________________
Hours later, as the sun is beginning to dip towards the horizon, they finally stand at the border to the little herdland. He takes a moment, as always, to drink it all in. It’s not the most hospitable of herdlands - the rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation can seem forbidding to a few, but the place holds meaning for him. Partially because it once belonged to his father, but also because it is here that he finally started to make something of himself. That he finally started to build a life.
He turns back to look at Koda, red eyes seeking out the reaction on her face. Will she accept her new, grim home, or will she try to reject it? “What do you think, my dear?”
I keep pace with the sabino as we trek across the land to his territory. I enjoy the silence between us; the only sound in my ears is that of our breathing and the muted thud of our footsteps. With the sun gracing us with its light the way there is less challenging than it would at nightfall. I keep close to Zayn, only tiring when we closed in on his borders.
The sun has begun to sink lower in the sky by the time we cross into his lands. The vegetation grows scarcely here, along awkward rock faces and jutting cliffs it would sprout. Despite the lack of growth the land still had a certain charm to it. I would be able to welcome his lands as my new home almost easily. My own home had been within a forest, secluded and possessed a sort of enchanted beauty. But my new life was here, and I was fortunate that at least he did not live in the swamp or desert.
I continue to look across his territory, but I sense his red eyes beating into me as they search for a reaction on my face. A smile creeps onto my lips and my warm voice fills the air, ”It has a unique beauty; not too shabby at all.” I give a small laugh as emerald eyes flicker to see his response.
How long should he play the game with her? Or, should he even stop? She is pretty and charming and inexplicably attracted to him, so unlike some of the other mares that he’s forced into his home. So far he hasn’t needed any show of force, or any particular show of charm like he’s used on some. He feels easier with her, there is no tension, no anger or frustration beneath the surface.
But the question is … will it last? So far, they’ve all rejected him in the end. His mother, those mares in the field, Becca … he's always needed force to get his point across. Will she be like them? Will she too, turn from him? Or will this easiness between them always last?
There’s no way of knowing, and it makes him nervous. Females really are a mysterious creation. But he knows what he will do, if she does turn away. And she won’t like it.
For the moment, he will continue to enjoy … whatever this is.
He smiles at her response, red eyes turning away to look back out across the territory. “That it does. I’m glad you approve.” He’s uncomfortable to find that he is indeed pleased with her approval. He should not need her endorsement for the territory that his father had hand picked. “The shrubs are a bit sparse, but tasty. The caves are the best place for resting and for sheltering from the weather. Would you like to take a look?” He gestures ahead of them, where one of the cave mouths is visible. Thankfully it’s not Becca’s cave. While he knows they will surely meet eventually, he is certainly not eager to rush that particular meeting.
My eyes flicker across his humble abode, blind to an open mouthed cave that hid itself openly in the stone. Being so young I hadn’t quite perfected the art of observance, instead I was focused on seeing how oddly beautiful his home was. My gaze shifts to Zayn, the attractive palomino with red eyes who was welcoming me to his lands and giving me a place to call home. I would one day bear his children. I was doing what my mother had done and her mother before her, a simple pawn in the game of life. Fortunately Zayn was not my father, and in my eyes he seemed much more kind than the unruly beast that had ruled my life. But that was only for now, and life was always subject to change.
When Zayn turns away, so do I, but a black ear swivels towards him when he speaks. I listen quietly, but I can’t help but giggle at the choice of his last word. ”I also approve of you.” A smile lingers on my lips even after my words are done, happier than I should be about what he had said. When he speaks again, I turn my dome in his direction, my ears perked forward as he speaks. ”I have been able to live off less, however I’ve never been in a cave. I would be delighted to see yours!” I follow his eyes further ahead to the open cave I had been so oblivious too earlier. I move towards the open mouth, only sticking the tip of my muzzle into the darkness before turning my head to see where Zayn would be.
02-24-2016, 03:53 PM (This post was last modified: 02-24-2016, 03:53 PM by Zayn.)
“I also approve of you.”
Zayn blinks, startled. She … what? He feels hot suddenly, and awkward. He actually looks down for a moment, unsure, before mentally giving himself a good kick. What the hell? Why does he care about her approval? She’s a mare that he’s seen fit to bring into his herd along with the rest of his breeding stock. He certainly doesn’t need her approval.
And yet somehow he’s still pleased that he has it.
He simply avoids replying to the statement (unsure as he is), and leaps to her next. “Alright! Follow me!” He immediately turns away and heads in the direction of the nearest cave, pausing once at its entrance to make sure that she’s following. Then, he steps inside.
It’s one of the smaller caves, but it’s spacious enough for both of them to fit inside with room to spare. This particular cave is quite dry - there’s no water source in here like there is in Becca’s cave - and the dirt floor is loose and comfortable. The entrance faces away from the wind, so it’s protected from the poor winter weather as well. Not the best of the caves (he almost regrets giving that one to Becca, except that she has given him Waylan, his most prized son), but certainly adequate.
“This could be your cave, if you wish. It’s a bit smaller, but it’s warm and dry, and quite well protected from the elements.” His red eyes turn to Kodaline, waiting for her response.
She hardly notices his awkward appearance after her statement; instead her green eyes look to the rocky ground where her chipped hooves rest. A young and inexperienced thing she was, and she can’t help but be excited for the life to come. Even if she was lower on the totem pole than the other mares or if Zayn cherished them more, she was not the type to let such things get to her. Even though Zayn was now her alpha that was all he was to her. Her childish crush was nothing more, or so she hoped. Like all things, it was also subject to change over time, but Kodaline was not in any rush to fall in love with anyone.
His voice brings her back to the real word and her emerald orbs now watch as he turns into the direction of the nearest cave. Kodaline does not wait long to follow him, though she is slower at it. He reaches the cavern first only looking back once before the open mouth swallows him up. Koda gingerly walks inside the shelter and the darkness swallows her up too. But the cave is not too deep, light still finds its way inside and her eyes are quick to adjust. Beneath her the dirt is fluffy and soft and around her the cavern is somewhat spacious. With winter approaching a cave seemed more appropriate than anything else, and Kodaline is once again grateful that Zayn rules here.
Black ears flicker towards him, and she humbly smiles at his words. “I’m sure this cave will suffice, thank you.” She eyes the mouth of the cave for a moment before moving to see what kind of view she had. Her head is kissed by the sun as she approaches the entrance and her green eyes take in the beautiful landscape. She stares out for a moment before turning her head back to Zayn, “It seems you gave me a cave with quite the view.” She keeps a smile on her face and her eyes on him as she waits for a response.
What is it about her that’s actually making him … care?
The last object of his interest, Lirren, had been mysterious, wild. She’d been beautiful, colourful, powerful. What is Kodaline in comparison? Pretty, yes. But ordinary. Unmistakably ordinary.
Perhaps that accounts for the difference in feeling - Lirren had captivated him, Kodaline … his feelings towards Kodaline are somewhat … smaller. She feels attractive to him in a comfortable sort of way. The sort of mare he can see himself happily raising a small family with.
Bizarre, really. While he wants children to carry on his line, he’s never particularly felt like a family man. What is it about Kodaline that tempts him to be one?
Not that he will in the end. He is rather set in his ways at this point. But it is nice to toy with the idea for a short time.
Kodaline is looking over the cave and the surroundings, so he gives her a moment to take it all in. He can still remember the first time he came to the Mountains, looking for any scraps of evidence as to his father’s whereabouts. He’s been struck by the wild beauty of the place, the starkness. That, and knowing his father had once owned it, had attracted him to the place.
He’s pleased when Kodaline comments on the view. “I’m glad you like it. The Mountains can seem a bit harsh to some. But to me, it’s home.” He gives her a quick look over, finally remembering how the trek from the field to the Mountains can be wearing on some. “Should I take my leave so you can rest? I know the trip here can be a bit of a hike.”
ZAYN
I'm an ugly mess
I was thinking we could start a new thread for the birth of the twins?
She can feel the ending of their congregation nearing, but Kodaline would enjoy the last few moments they spent together before seeing each other again. If anything sprouted between them she would welcome the close companionship, but she refused to let her hopes grow any higher than they should. The future was shrouded in a thick haze of mystery and Kodaline was no fortune teller. She was one to let fate play things out however they may be and would not push anything to happen between her and Zayn. At a quick glance in his direction she is reaffirmed of the attraction she feels towards him.
Her gaze returns to the vastness of his territory, a black ear flicking in his direction when his voice breaks the silence. Her smile is full of joy when she looks at him, “It is my home now too, and I’ll one day love it as you do.” She shuffles her hooves in the soft dirt before turning to go back to the hollow of her home, “Oh! Of course, don’t let me keep you. I know you must have others to tend to.” And with that her knees sink to the plush cavern floor and she puts herself in a comfortable position, watching as Zayn leaves before lying her head in the dirt for a rest.
Pregnant Blue Roan Mare of Mourning Mountains
OOC: Ah yes! I am too excited for them I'll have a post up on the 3rd for Zayn! ^_^
I'll have a post up on the 3rd for Zayn! ^_^