Meadow
Force-claiming is not allowed here. This is a peaceful, neutral area meant for socialising.
Posted on July 4, 2020 at 06:07:54 AM by Solomon
Solomon
The defiance that storms across her face is more fearsome than any wind or rain that could blow across the islands. He can see it brew in the way she struggles with her emotions, her breath hitching as she works to gain control. It gains strength as her lips grow tight and her chin raises, almost as though she was daring him to come closer, to give her a reason to take out her wrath on his spotted hide.
And just as suddenly, it changes. Some thought, some feeling, crosses through her mind, and the mare's entire countenance changes subtly. A smile replaces the defiance, and while he doubts that he is the true reason behind the change, he appreciates it all the same. A ghost of a smile crosses his lips as she replies in a deadpan voice that is neither warm nor truly cold. Relaxed, the tense bow of his neck lessens and he inclines his head in acknowledgment of her name, rolling the exotic sound of it around in his head.
Quietly he watches her relax, snorting away the evidence of her tear-thickened voice. It's evident to him that something has happened to her, although he knows not what. It's not often that mares wash up on the shores of the common areas with tears leaking down their faces. Still, he had meant to give her more time to relax and gather her thoughts before he interrupted her again, but he is beaten to the punch.
Movement draws his eye to a golden mare like a magnet, and he traces her path towards them with interest. Her markings were unique, and he vaguely recognized her from the Inlet. She was a rare glimpse from the borders of the Cove, and he did not know her name, but he had to assume she was either a mare of Warsaw's or one of his relatives, as Tavas had been. From what he had seen, Warsaw kept a tight roster in the Inlet, and few that he did not trust were allowed across the borders of his home. Absently, Solomon wondered if this would change as the grey stallion healed and his son's came of age. Surely the boys would be wanting to spread out now that Fall was nearly upon them.
The uniquely marked mare enters with a grace that is rivaled by the ferocity in Poka, and he watches with no small amount of surprise as the dark mare recoils from their new arrival. He cannot place the emotion on her face exactly - disgust and fear come to mind, but neither seems quite right. The new mare repeats his name, with a gentleness he would not have expected, considering Poka's reaction, but does not offer her own. Silently he tracks her as both mares settle into their new respective positions and listens as the new mare speaks, citing that she used to live in the Ridge herd.
Surprise widens his eyes at the implication that the mare was Bjorn's, and his mind works quickly to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. He had known that the grullo stallion had once been an ally of Warsaw's, and that it had been broken in some manner due to the war. The specifics of the break had not been shared with him, but it was interesting to hear that a mare of Bjorn's had been returned to the Inlet. Had the grullo not been strong enough to keep her? Or had that been a condition of their alliance?
The thought of the golden mare being something that he might be able to request for himself gave him pause. He knew little of the mare beyond what one could see from a distance, and that was largely limited to the fact that he had seen two children nurse from her, implying that she was either selfless enough to adopt or had given birth to two very different looking children.
He turns back to Poka for her answer, still half distracted with thoughts of strategy in his mind. As a result, he nearly misses the way her eyes dart too and fro and mistakes it as a desire to escape the situation at hand. He does not know why she would fear the golden mare, but much of his interaction with the small roan has left him with questions so far, so he accepts it as par for the course. He intends to ask after Bjorn, but it is immediately evident to him from the way the smaller mare positively brims with a desire to be away, that she's not likely to admit to knowing the grullo stallion.
A split-second decision later and he decides to press a bit of his luck, testing the waters with a repeat of his earlier, more subtle proposal. Perhaps the pressure of the golden mare will be enough to force the roan's hand.
"Well, the Falls are a short walk away in that direction on the Crossing," he illustrates with a lift of his muzzle. "And the Cove is back that way, past the Peak. It's a short swim, if you're up for it."
Carefully he keeps his face neutral, attempting to hide the curiosity that burned as he waited for her decision. Solomon doubts that she will misunderstand the options laid before her, but he will not press her hand either way. Coda had burned into his mind the repercussions of forcing fiesty mares into places they didn't want to be, and there was a long hike past the Peak they would need to traverse if she decided to go with him. He turns then to the unnamed golden mare, giving Poka time to think over the choices he had offered to her.
"I don't believe we've met, but it is a pleasure to meet you." It is sincere enough, and he does offer her a smile with an inclination of his head. With careful selection, he chooses the way to word his question, not wanting to tip his hand too early to the roan mare. He does not know if being neighbors with the golden mare will sway her decision away from him, and does not want to risk it. "I've seen you around Warsaw's herd, I think? I don't believe I caught your name though."
Again his attention switches to Poka, most eager to hear her answer. The Cove did not need new mares any more than he needed to have children. But there was no denying that the addition of both did much to enrich his life.
And just as suddenly, it changes. Some thought, some feeling, crosses through her mind, and the mare's entire countenance changes subtly. A smile replaces the defiance, and while he doubts that he is the true reason behind the change, he appreciates it all the same. A ghost of a smile crosses his lips as she replies in a deadpan voice that is neither warm nor truly cold. Relaxed, the tense bow of his neck lessens and he inclines his head in acknowledgment of her name, rolling the exotic sound of it around in his head.
Quietly he watches her relax, snorting away the evidence of her tear-thickened voice. It's evident to him that something has happened to her, although he knows not what. It's not often that mares wash up on the shores of the common areas with tears leaking down their faces. Still, he had meant to give her more time to relax and gather her thoughts before he interrupted her again, but he is beaten to the punch.
Movement draws his eye to a golden mare like a magnet, and he traces her path towards them with interest. Her markings were unique, and he vaguely recognized her from the Inlet. She was a rare glimpse from the borders of the Cove, and he did not know her name, but he had to assume she was either a mare of Warsaw's or one of his relatives, as Tavas had been. From what he had seen, Warsaw kept a tight roster in the Inlet, and few that he did not trust were allowed across the borders of his home. Absently, Solomon wondered if this would change as the grey stallion healed and his son's came of age. Surely the boys would be wanting to spread out now that Fall was nearly upon them.
The uniquely marked mare enters with a grace that is rivaled by the ferocity in Poka, and he watches with no small amount of surprise as the dark mare recoils from their new arrival. He cannot place the emotion on her face exactly - disgust and fear come to mind, but neither seems quite right. The new mare repeats his name, with a gentleness he would not have expected, considering Poka's reaction, but does not offer her own. Silently he tracks her as both mares settle into their new respective positions and listens as the new mare speaks, citing that she used to live in the Ridge herd.
Surprise widens his eyes at the implication that the mare was Bjorn's, and his mind works quickly to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. He had known that the grullo stallion had once been an ally of Warsaw's, and that it had been broken in some manner due to the war. The specifics of the break had not been shared with him, but it was interesting to hear that a mare of Bjorn's had been returned to the Inlet. Had the grullo not been strong enough to keep her? Or had that been a condition of their alliance?
The thought of the golden mare being something that he might be able to request for himself gave him pause. He knew little of the mare beyond what one could see from a distance, and that was largely limited to the fact that he had seen two children nurse from her, implying that she was either selfless enough to adopt or had given birth to two very different looking children.
He turns back to Poka for her answer, still half distracted with thoughts of strategy in his mind. As a result, he nearly misses the way her eyes dart too and fro and mistakes it as a desire to escape the situation at hand. He does not know why she would fear the golden mare, but much of his interaction with the small roan has left him with questions so far, so he accepts it as par for the course. He intends to ask after Bjorn, but it is immediately evident to him from the way the smaller mare positively brims with a desire to be away, that she's not likely to admit to knowing the grullo stallion.
A split-second decision later and he decides to press a bit of his luck, testing the waters with a repeat of his earlier, more subtle proposal. Perhaps the pressure of the golden mare will be enough to force the roan's hand.
"Well, the Falls are a short walk away in that direction on the Crossing," he illustrates with a lift of his muzzle. "And the Cove is back that way, past the Peak. It's a short swim, if you're up for it."
Carefully he keeps his face neutral, attempting to hide the curiosity that burned as he waited for her decision. Solomon doubts that she will misunderstand the options laid before her, but he will not press her hand either way. Coda had burned into his mind the repercussions of forcing fiesty mares into places they didn't want to be, and there was a long hike past the Peak they would need to traverse if she decided to go with him. He turns then to the unnamed golden mare, giving Poka time to think over the choices he had offered to her.
"I don't believe we've met, but it is a pleasure to meet you." It is sincere enough, and he does offer her a smile with an inclination of his head. With careful selection, he chooses the way to word his question, not wanting to tip his hand too early to the roan mare. He does not know if being neighbors with the golden mare will sway her decision away from him, and does not want to risk it. "I've seen you around Warsaw's herd, I think? I don't believe I caught your name though."
Again his attention switches to Poka, most eager to hear her answer. The Cove did not need new mares any more than he needed to have children. But there was no denying that the addition of both did much to enrich his life.
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