occident [OPEN]

[Forte]

Here, up on the side of the high ridges, summer's heat was tempered by the distant biting of the wind, foretelling a temperate autumn, a cold winter. Up above yawned the mountains, frost-peaked and lazy in the heat, worn down by centuries of wind. The air was thin, less humid than that below, and through it rang the occasional bleating of a mountain goat, the calling of a golden eagle as it dropped from the sky like a bullet. Such noises were far from alarming - in the hazy light of the morning the ridge seemed harmless enough. It was little more than a bluff reposing against the mountains, not quite into the range itself but not in the foothills, either. It was a kind of in-between place, like the twilight, an adornment and far from necessary. Thin grasses pocked the smooth, baked Earth here and there, and overhead a shelf of rock formed a hazy shaded area, in which the shadow lay thin and gentle, but cooling all the same.

A yawn escaped the maw of the mare who stood in this shade, dozing in the cleft of the rock. A treacherous upward path lay in front of her, but behind her, from whence she had come, the ascent was relatively easy and harmless. She had cased the place already - the air was full of the stale smells of mountain lions and unfortunate goats. But there was no immediate danger, for the tawny cat was elsewhere, stalking her domain. Natavi was not afraid of pumas as a rule - a full-grown horse is too big a quarry for the cats, and since they hunt alone there is little danger for an equine who is on guard and healthy. Plus, felines do not care for a determined assailant, and that Natavi surely was. Most cats will run or cringe away from one who rushes into the assault, though should the same enemy show fear or confusion they will certainly become a good snack.

It was lonely up here, but that suited Natavi well. The white patches on her coat showed plainly in the thin shadows, and the blaze that ran between her eyes was plainly visible. She was far from hidden, but again she didn't have much need to hide. Just in front of her hooves, a little lizard skittered across the ground and disappeared into a cleft in the rock face behind. Natavi watched it's progress lazily, before turning her head to look at the hawk that had been too late. It cawed in frustration, landing for a moment on the shelf overhead and shifting from claw to claw, beady eyes glinting, before it took off again with powerful strokes of its wings. Natavi thought nothing of it. She was not creative and did not feel bound to her form - she did not wish that she could fly like it, that she could soar over the land and find a place of her own. There was no place for her - the whole world was ruled by stallions, and that would not do.

Natavi was not a common mare, not just a vessel for carrying embryos and bearing foals. The fact that she could be thought of as such never failed to put her in a mood, as she was now. Even the thought made her ears tilt back just a fraction, her eyes glint with a well-known frustration. On an impulse, she let out a roaring call, a noise that burst from her animal core, bestial and ancient. 'I am here!' it declared 'Come and find me, should you dare! I will fight the lot of you!' It echoed for a time off the walls of distant valleys, shut the red beak of a brave raven, calling death from a distant peak. Natavi scuffled at the earth with her front hooves, now spoiling for action. But the loneliness of the place came home to her, and she grew silent and still once more, having released her frustrations in the form of pure noise.

[Trillian]

It's not what I took from you
It's not what I stole
We are born like this

The brute of a stallion, Zarian had just claimed a decent peace of land. When his powerful strides had first lead him into the boarders of the land he had felt something of a like he had never before. Even now, a little over a week later he still wasn’t sure what had first drawn him to Serenity Lake. He’d spent the first few days just exploring his new territory, getting aquanted with every hidden expance of his terrain. But soon his tireless journeying had brought him back to where he had first layed eyes upon the breathtaking land. Yes he was content with himself, happy in claiming the land. But there was something missing. Zarian had been able to live without another horse in his presence for the past three years but now that he had something to claim as his own he had the strangest desire to share it. That is why he found himself taveling out of the boarder of his land and into the vast wilderness. He was no newcomer to the uncharted territories having been a rouge and surviving upon the harsh land for a long time.

The territory he now found himself wondering was mountainous, he could see the white capps of the soaring earth high in the air and was thankful that it was summer. It would be easier to search the narrow mountain paths looking for his prey when there was no snow upon the trails. It also meant that there would be more of a chance of actually finding another equine being. Zarians right front leg hovered in the air, while the rest of him looked as if frozen in taking a step; because a call from somewhere higher up had been released. His grey ears twitched while the rest of him was still. He took in the lyrics of the call, perseaving them with some surprise. Such malise in just one out burst of vocals! And from a mare no less. Zarian knew the call belonged to a mare because the part of him that was definely stallion just confounded the knowledge.

The fact that the mares call could be almost mistaken as a stallion challenge had Zarians mouth twisting in a smile. He was in for a challenge, a challenge he would revel in. His land had come to him too easy and he was do for some excitement. The call was easy to follow, his ears having taking in the direction and distance of the owner. So after his long, granit legs started into a quick trot and he followed his instincts he soon found the vocalist. He’s traveled up a few paths taking some turns and encountering little greenery on the trail, why any horse would travel up so high was beyond him. But he didn’t ponder it long because he soon came upon an equine like form shadowed under that of a jutting surface of rock. Zarians penetrating eyes took in the mare, the silence standing so they could size each other up. He knew that this would be no easy feat, courting this mare. But that’s what made it all the more exciting. What had made the mare scream out such animalist rage was a question Zarian hoped to find out. But for now Zarian was content with taking a few more long strides towards the female and then stopping.

The wind was stronger up here, from there being no greenery for it to penetrait so it tugged at Zarians long black mane and tail. For once even his waved forlock was out of his eyes. “Well little mare, you’ve made your dare, do you really desire to fight me?” His vocals were deep and accented, leaning on his Spanish heritage.

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Word Count: 626
Character: Zarian
Other: Sorry for the wait.
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[Forte]

Natavi saw Zarian coming from a long way off; he was down the slope, and his gray coat stood out against the decidedly sepia landscape, faint and bright as a ghost in the sun of the late morning. That treacherous white orb was hovering somewhere behind her head, making it's slow way up through the Eastern skies. It threw her shadow out a distance across the ground, her ears looming long like those of a wolf across the grown, dust hewn with pebbles and a band of sparkling mica. She watched him for a time, as warily as one might watch a wolf. One hoof pawed at the earth restlessly, impatiently. She was not afraid of his approach, in fact in that moment all of her silence had turned to determination. She stood her ground, only the tilt of her ears showing that she had any interest in him whatsoever, the flare of her nostrils wide to catch the scent that would not come - he was downwind from her.

Nonetheless, she could tell from the way his head was set and his carriage that he was a stallion, and a right cocky one at that. A look of disgust crossed her visage as he drew nearer, the ears flicking back to lie flat on her head, the one hoof stamping down on the Earth as she set it down, hard. She studied him as he studied her, only her expression did not soften one bit as she did so. Yet she did not run, as many would do when faced with a stranger who they did not want to meet. In fact, she came well out of the cleft of rock and stood on the path, blocking his way forward should he want to pass. Her ears were still set almost against her neck, her neck arched as proud as his. Natavi did not notice, nor did she particularly care, that Zarian was a good hand taller than her. Size does not mean much to horses when in comes to fighting.

All that matters is ferocity, the willingness to close, the ability to trigger than instinctive flight that stops fights from ending in deaths. And she had plenty of that. When he spoke one ear flicked toward him slightly, then both as she faced him down. The immediate rage and disgust had passed and now she stood, still as moss on a stone, but muscles rippling under her thin summer coat. She was wary, knowing that if he chose to attack now she had the advantage of the slope, and that even less of a fighter than herself could take him down going downhill on the rocks. Any horse in their right mind would not initiate an attack on this field, and he seemed level-headed enough. "If I fought you now you would fall to your death down that slope there," she said after a moment, guarded but clearly not about to attack him. Although she would gladly kill him if he made her, she had no desire to hurt a stranger.

"Not that I wouldn't take pleasure in the extinction of you and your kind," she said, a tone of bitter dislike tinting her words. It was acrid, stinging, an an implied insult. Her tail swished restlessly about her hocks, scattering gnats. She still bore the scars of the day that a group of bachelor stallions had forcefully removed her from her band, weals marked by raised bits of fur more matted then the rest. She didn't introduce herself, nor show any sign of being particularly interested in why the stallion was here. More likely than not, he was looking to increase his harem. She felt herself quite apart from that sort of silly business, and would hardly acquiesce to have one of their number feel that he had dominion over her.

[Trillian]

I'm gonna suffer for the rest of my life
But I will always find a way to survive
I'm not a failure but I know what it’s like
I can take it or leave it or die

Zarian watched amused as the mare stomped her foot at him. What had her hating stags so much only lord knew. But her disgust and hatred of Zarian was prominent in her every muscle and move. But Zarian didn’t take exception to it because he was pretty sure that if any stallion stood before this mare she’d be just as hostile. Zarian had to hold back a smile as the femme stepped out from under the alcove and into his way. That may have been a problem if Zarian had wanted to wander further up the mountain. But that was not his destination. He’d heard her call and had come a knocking. He could see the female sizing him up, though he was not worried that she’d attack. For some odd reason Zarian felt as though her first call had been a false challenge. Zarian was well compacted, with thick bones and he was pure muscle, was this mare really trying to stair him down? He sighed, audibly. There had been no hostility in his body when he’d come upon her, why was he getting so much from her?

When the mare spoke Zarian listened with upturned ears. So she thought that he would be that easy to shove over the side? He almost shook his head at her ignorance. How her little form could come close to ever shoving him more then an inch…

[/color] ‘Well little femme I don’t know what has you so hostile but I have no fancy to be bitched at this afternoon. I’d ventured upon this land looking for others who may be looking for more then roaming solo but…’ He paused, his mind flashing back to his land in all is breathtaking splendor. ‘I would not want to claim anyone who may be a danger to others who reside in my kingdom.’ The mare was of odd coloring, which he could appreciate silently now that she was out in the sun. It made him wonder what a foal with her would result in. But Zarian did not let his mind wander more then the initial thought because more would simply be outrageous. ‘And the utterance of you claiming some sort of my extinction does not reassure me.’ The words that Zarian had just spoken may lead some to think that he was week, not taking on the challenge, but he had more to think about and this mare may just prove to be a danger. He thought about turning around in the next moment, to forget that he had ever met this mare. But he waited, wondering what the mare had to say back to him.



Word Count: 442
Character: Zarian
Other: I hadn’t known that the mare was going to be that hostile when I had Zarian reply to her. He’s looking for a band right now and bringing home an unwilling mare isn’t of his preference.
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[Forte]

Of course he had heard her and come, looking for a little whore to take away and breed with. Natavi knew this as well as she knew anything, and she, for one, was not going to stand for that kind of thing. She sized him up - the curve of his neck, the set of his jaw. Younger than her... A hopeful little stag, then, building up his first herd. No doubt some of her kind would come running, fueled by adoration of his glistening coat and strong set. He was not as hardy as a wild horse, though; how some kind of man-bred stallion had come to be on these lands at all was a mystery to her. He looked, with his big clumsy body, not well put together at all. No doubt if she turned now and continued up the side of the side of the mountain, she would soon come to places where he could not follow. Nonetheless, he was wrong in her assumption that her challenge had not been meant with all possible seriousness. She would fight him, but she would not do it here where there would be any doubt as to the fact that it was her superiority that did so, not the simple advantage of the slope or the unruliness of his own body, so badly made for wandering up steep slopes or fleeing down steep places. She had no intention of hollow victory in these things - not that he would take any of this seriously, of course. Stupid stallion, he'd probably run off to find some more little mares before he'd fight for one that was actually useful. Most mares like herself were perpetually left behind, because if there was one thing a stallion feared, it was being beaten by a mare. Since mares were "weak" and "helpless."

"Don't you know that it's just that that has me so hostile, as you put it? If another stallion came up here to find you and make you part of his herd, you would no doubt be just the same as I," she snarled, with a little chuckle. Oblivious, like all stallions - unable to see past the haze of all they had learned from stupid traditions and old superstitions. "I would not consent to be 'claimed' by you in any case - nor would you to anyone else. What a disgusting notion that is! As if any horse should be completely under the dominion of any other. And as to being a danger to anyone else in your kingdom, you will lead them into more danger than I." She did think that he was weak, cowardly, just like she had assumed he was all to eager to go and find easier prey. What would he do if she, right now, challenged him for his land? Laugh, no doubt. Because a mare could not own land - oh no! That would be an atrocity, it would go against nature. Wasn't her very personality, formed out of things that were good and wholesome, proof that it wasn't against anything but silly superstitions? Spread by stags like the one who stood before her now, cocky beasts who thought that they ruled the earth.

ooc: I'm afraid I don't understand you - we have all of four posts here. Uh. Sorry that not every mare you reply to is going to be instantly taken with Zarian and automatically agree to join him?