Homelands Are Calling [Open]

[Storeh]

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[bg=#000000] Vaiveahtoish extended the arch of his muscular neck out upon the still surface of liquid, training an eye to the small secluded ripples his breath broke across the mirror. Distortion of his mere reflection drew his gaze farther to it, the light stallion watched with undisturbed tranquility as his mind outlined each shape. Finally, his rose to full height, shaking the collected flakes of snow from his matching pelt. Muscles groaning with the effort of moving in the chilling expanse, Vaiveah moved through the snow-brushed trees. The lengthening grasses of the small patch reached out to almost caress his ivory pelting, but he took no notice... The Konjou stag bestowed his mind for a quest of spirits in this place, allowing the far reach of his mind to prod his surroundings. Nostrils flaring, his motions brought him into the heart of Animus Elegancia, grasses brushing against his pillars with each new gait. Soon, he brought himself to a halt, head raising to gaze out upon his new surroundings with an air of collected interest, the petals of his ears swiveling to catch any new audios that might present themselves as an off chance. Long strands of his whipcord were taken in the rising call of breeze, fluttering about as they rose and fell in regular time of beat. Soon, the trendils of his mane also extended into the heavens. Frozen into place as if a iced statuette, Vaiveah once more took to contemplating this area, taking on a since of unidentifiable purpose. Unable to withstand the urge any longer, a soft call erupted from the normally silent stag, mixing as an odd chorus of echos throughout the area as he himself began to wonder if there was any true time to his lands...

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[sibber-chow]

It had been several months since the mare had found a home. She had traveled from nomadic herd to herd in the unclaimables for many years. The herds changed so often in those lands that it was easiest to find one willing to take her in. Yet, her face was starting to grow familiar amongst the nomads – they knew her ruse; she would come to their leader for shelter and stay until she was no longer welcome without providing herself as a brood. Then, in the dead of night she would sneak off to a new home. They knew her games – her lack of commitment and loyalty. Many had a warrant out for her death. It appeared she had no choice but to move on.

She found herself in the claimed lands of element without realizing it. Despite having lived on the isle for so many years, she seemed unaware of the animosity that many elementals held for the normal equines. She assumed she could pull the same con on the landowners here – she would stay in the protection of a herd, eat their foods and drink from their waters, then when something was expected of her in return, she would flee. Easy enough, right?

A bugle sounded in the air, frightening the mare slightly. Was it angry? No, it appeared not. Rather, the voice seemed merely as if it were calling out to any and all. It wanted the occupants of the land to find it. This was not her home, but she found herself unable to resist following the sound; what could it hurt? She had wanted to find the lead of these lands after all.

It was not long until she had trekked her way through the snow-littered grounds to gaze upon the calling stallion. He was quite the mesmerizing sight. His coat blended in with snow, yet stood out with the majestic changing hues when touched by the light. A gentle whuffle could not help but slip from the mare’s maw as she approached.

Realizing she had given herself away, it was time to put on the act. She had to play up the normal mare routine and get a temporary home – one in which she desperately needed. The pretty little speckled mare was withering in the harsh winter without a reliable food source or the protection of a herd. The frail thing bowed her head to the ground, awaiting response from the stag before she would rise.

[Storeh]

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[bg=#000000] Vaiveahtoish bestowed the ambit of glacial oculars upon a frail form belonging to what appeared before his being as a drifter mare. Raising the extent of unclouded vision to a fraction, the aged stallion discovered neglect upon her pelting as well as submissive manner. The dished pools of nostrils dilated with manageable exhale as it was noted this stranger was of Non-elemental breeding. Despite the actions she took in immediate response to his very presence, Vaiveah could almost tangibly detect the air of rehearsal in each of the movements. The Konjou's interest was merely captivated by the wonder of her showing, knowing full well she had to be in search of sheltering by genteel natures. It almost offered itself as a shame to the light-pelted stallion that she had happened upon him rather than another one of his well-known counterparts in these lands. Or had she...worn out her welcome? It was unnerving to find that this vagrant was easily read but mysteriously collected to him. With a shake of his head, the mere statuette of a stag made decided action. Vaiveahtoish found himself decidedly melting into the very scenery serving him suite as a background from this place, the more time crawled the less he felt himself as warmth in veins. Being Konjou, this practice was well-rehearsed, though he continued to stand with unmoving tendencies to observe what this mare wanted with his lands. Bowing his muzzle to his chest, Vaiveah waited with extended patience for the mare to notice his seeming departure.

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[sibber-chow]

Niamh-nell remained in her silent bow for what seemed like ages. Her well-arched neck ached from being forced into its strained position in the bone-chilling winter air. What was this stallion waiting for? The mare was somewhat taken back that he had yet to speak to her; such a response, or lack thereof, had never happened to the drifter before.

Eager emerald orbs peered from their spot on a frozen patch of grass to where the stallion had stood. But, it was just that… he had been there. Hadn’t he?

The mare’s neck jerked up in alarm. The distress was soon replaced with a sense of oddity. Had she not seen a mesmerizing white steed there only minutes ago? Had she not heard his call; smelt his scent? Or, was the mare simply going utterly mad. “Certainly I have not lost my sanity. Yet, I am speaking to myself now aren’t I? Niamh, Niamh, perhaps it has been far too long now that you’ve been on the move…” The mare mused quietly to herself for a while – all speech of her possible insanity and desperate roving state that must have been the cause of the fragile state of her psyche.

Eventually, after a layer of snow had blanketed her speckled pelt, she came to the conclusion that chaffering on to herself about how insane she was would prove neither to herself nor to anyone else that she wasn’t, in fact, a loon. The fragile vagrant shook herself free of the unwelcome precipitate before gazing around idly. If that had been just a hallucination, where, oh where, was the real leader of these lands?

[Storeh]

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[bg=#000000] Vaiveahtoish delicately reserved in mere speculation observed the mare with unguarded channels serving as intent mind, lighten gaze of crystalline orbs fixed without other motion upon her collecting pelt as audios feverishly were murmured into the expanse of air about the pair. Bending the degree of his head once more to tuck it neatly by his muscular chest, his mind churned as well as digested her own thoughts to stir into his own, patience residing upon his masked face. Purposefully, the stag raised himself carefully as to chose motion rather than stillness. Strides lengthy from the elongated reach of powerful stilts, the sound of the motions merely mimicked the gentle tug of breeze playing through his whipcord as the Konjou stallion circled her from distance with calculating measure, cranium raised to inspect her minimal form. Pity, it tugged at the corners of his aged mind, for it seemed the mare before him really had no other place to return to, at least by his speculation of her state of health. A short exhale from his ribs removed itself into the surroundings, as he once more stopped at her head, raising his own to once more gaze upon her. Vaiveah, though ashen wisdom was always upon bitter tongue, bowed low in the expanse of blanketing snow, head bowed to allow the long folds of his heavy shimmered mane to give grace to frozen earth, the lands of his own. Slowly, his grip upon scarcity of pelting lessened, allowing himself to reappear in front of her, only a pace closer than where he had before, the heavens giving grace to lighten pelts.

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[sibber-chow]

The speckled creature jumped with alarm as a form began to take a visual appearance before her. Now, the mare was troubled and truly believed insanity to have taken a grasp upon her in these bitter months! She blinked several times over – trying to refreshed her strained and weary green orbs. Yet, each blink revealed the same sight every time. There was an ivory stallion, neck arched to the icy terra, standing before her. In fact, it was the same hallucinated lead she thought to have conjured up only minutes before. Was she crazy? Or, had he been there the whole time? Had he seen her crazy spill? What kind of misfortunate trick were her eyes and mind playing upon her?

The mare took a cautious step forward. She heard the snow crunch beneath her own hoof and wanted to flee with fear and bewilderment. However, Niamh-nell managed to hold her ground. She had to know if this creature was a physical being or not! Her muzzle roughly tapped against the stag’s flesh to find he was truly there. Rather than the embarrassment she should have felt for approaching the stag in such a manner – daring to tap the lead without permission! – Instead, she jumped back in awe and fear. Her hooves momentarily left the ground, body rearing, and legs, flailing into the air with anguish. What nasty trickery was this?

After coming to the ground, the mare to tremble in place. Frightful thing soon spoke up, although she longed to merely run. “Speak. Assure me that I am not as insane as I surely must be… are you real?"

[Storeh]

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[bg=#000000] Vaiveahtoish extended enough patience to hold his everlasting position as the fea approached with idle steps. Pelting burned with the slight touch of her velveteen muzzle tapped roughly against the smooth pelting of his shoulder, for he had not be approached, let alone been brushed by, and equine in ages. The stillness was disrupted as she seemed to leap backwards in what could be classified, based on the blind judgment that came with his current position, astonishment or fear. Silence shattering soon followed suite, a question-no-almost an order dancing off her lips. The Konjou stallion smoothly collected himself to his feet, light oculars gazing down upon her as mind reeled. Pray, she thought him an illusion. Fit of pure imagination as well as insanity. Did see not know of this place? Of his Animus Elegancia? The herd that resided in this wonder-filled place? Muscles tensed as Vaiveah read easily the motions marked deeply into her features. She was timid, afraid of him. Calmly, he did not show the unease for this, speaking with smooth, even tones. 'Welcome to Animus Elegancia. My name is Vaiveahtoish, the herd leader of this place. And pray, I am no illusion.' The stag wished to assure her that the process that she had just bore witness to was of common occurrence upon his breed, though he did not utter another sound. He wished to say sparingly little, for she was still but a stranger in a land she did not know. Once more, for he had taken to such actions before, he observed her quivering form. Was this truly such a startling actions for an equine of...normal breeding? She must at least have knowledge that she had wandered into the land of the elemental herds. He supposed it fortunate for her, however, that she had not strayed into Fire lands, or Reaper lands, for there she would have met more than just the lead. A more...timely demise to be sure. Calculating the situation, he raised himself to the extend of his height, testing the area surrounding them for any spirits, or disturbances.

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[sibber-chow]

Aforementioned the mare was not the most knowledgeable (or even close to being such) of the elementals that inhabited these lands. Truly it was most peculiar that mare native of the islands had not had a chance meeting with one of these mystic creatures beforehand. She’d been told as a filly to avoid any equine of unnatural markings – they were danger. And, although Niamh didn’t realize the true threat, she had avoided contact with any equine that looked the slightest bit peculiar… until today.

She hadn’t a choice now though. The elemental, which she had not until this moment realized he was, was the only creature she could turn to. They were far from any other herd lands or equine, and there were few who were left to take in the vagrant mare and her trickeries. This was an insight the flighty mare had yet to arrive at. Currently, her mind was too preoccupied with whether such a stag would take her in at all. Had he heard of her lies? She hoped not. She, also, had hopes that the stallion would have large enough a herd that she could milk a longer visit from him before something was expected of her in return.

Shaking her crown to get over the shock, the fragile mare bowed her crown once again. Yet, this time, she would not allow her crown to dip quite so far in case the odd stallion might disappear to never be seen again. The speckled mare still wasn’t all too sure or understanding of his mystic tricks; he was elemental and tricky – she would have to be more vigilant among these parts.

“I apologize for such,” she stopped to think of the proper term to describe what the oddity of her actions must have been in his eyes. “Misunderstanding and peculiarity on my part. I am not familiar with your bloodlines or such mysticism,” she admitted. Her gaze was apologetic, this particular bit being an unrehearsed part of her act. Never had the mare had such an experience. “My name is Niamh-nell, and I was merely passing through your lands in search for a home,” temporarily that is.

[Storeh]

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[bg=#000000] Vaiveahtoish swiveled his petaled ears forth in genuine interest, tempting his composure as she searched the extend of her minimal words for a meaning that lay under the surface. There was a fault, and it peaked his mind to continue the search underlining each pronunciation. What drew him closed was her orbs, the look that was brought to the surface of their depths. Sincerity, something he had not seen for many years in the confines of this place. His mind took into consideration the many lines of thought that would lend to this all. Compassion. Empathy. He struggled with that side of his feeling. Strive. 'Naimh-nell, you may stay in Animus Elegancia, if you so choose. You may take the need of leaving whenever suited.' Vaiveah gave a short bow of his head, announcing the last bit for her benefit, as with the war looming, the stallion did not wish to be responsible for the wandering into hostile territories for the mare. Smiling softly, the fine features of his face barely giving grace to the gesture, he excused himself, for he knew that the mare would soon tire of him. Turning to move through the idle landscape, he paused for a moment mere footfalls from his previous motions, raising the extent of his toned neck to decipher the breezes. The rays of light peeked out from behind the clouded expanse of mist, giving crystalline droplets grace upon rippling coat. Blue oculars shimmered as they gave another glance toward the mare with a wonder of how she would take this. Freedom was a costly thing to hand out, and this land was large enough for the stallion to offer it with patience to whomever he saw fit. The mare was one of these, though she was not Elemental. She would most likely take her leave of him. Yet, there was something exceptionally drawing....about her...

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