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 Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 4:06 pm
It had been a long and difficult patrol. The cold had set in harsh and unforgiving in the north, forcing the stallion to walk much of the way. Normally he would have just hunkered down and settled wherever he was until the weather passed, but for some reason he found himself restless and eager to be home.
Home. He'd never really considered the herdlands as such before and couldn't place when he started thinking it, but he suspected it had something to do with the appearance of a new mare in the Kateri. Tocapo had never considered himself much of a romantic, and had no desire to settle down or become involved with anyone. He threw himself into his work for the herd, and stayed away as much as possible. He had always felt displaced and homeless, but since meeting Lona he suddenly felt he had a place he belonged.
His trips have become shorter, his mind less focused than it used to be. He thought it funny, considering he'd spent only brief periods with Lona. There was something soothing and charming about her that Toca couldn't quite place. She made him feel lighter somehow. He smiled a bit, coming into sight of the herdlands.
He shook off the cold and stretched his wings, flinging bits of snow in all direction. He knew the secret path that wound through the mountain pass, but he still preferred to fly. He launched into the air, struggling a bit on his cold bones, but climbed slowly until he could more easily support himself on the wind. He rose up over the river, above the waterfall and through the clouds until the familiar landmarks of home came into view. He glided downwards in lazy spirals until he settled on the ground. He was meant to give his report upon his return, but couldn't resist seeking out Lona.
He assumed she would be out gathering somewhere in the vast valley they called home, though it was possible she was beyond the wall of the mountain gathering the rarer things the herd needed. He folded his wings close to his body for warmth and began his search. He nodded greeting to those he passed, but didn't stop to chat. He considered taking wing to find her more quickly, but thought it would be better to "happen" upon her on a walk. He chuckled to himself at his own foolishness.
There was nothing to be done for it, though. He wanted to see her, and didn't care if he looked foolish. Before long he spotted her. It was lucky that he happened upon her so quickly, considering the vast areas the gatherers went to. The problem was, he had no idea what to say to her. He hesitated, wavering between approaching her and pretending to be busy with something else.
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 3:43 pm
 Ever since joining the Kateri, Lona had met a variety of interesting individuals, some of whom she had grown close with in her time in her new herd. Abigail had been a great part in helping her get established in these new and unfamiliar lands, and she had taken to the elder unicorn and had started to view her as more of mother than she viewed her own. It was almost funny, she thought to herself, that she had so easily abandoned her own flesh and blood but this new family she had found for herself would be near impossible to leave.
She appreciated her humble spot in the herd as a gatherer. It was nice being able to meander on her own, picking up things that the herd would find useful as she went along. Of course, with the winter setting in, it was becoming ever more imperative that she work diligently. The cream colored mare knew that the resources she found now would be incredibly needed and she carefully tended to the sap collection they had set up. Some trees in their lands had been known for having sweet tasting sap that would be turned into tasty confections or at least used to as a sweeter note to their usual food. It was something Lona hadn't experienced in her old herd and she found that she enjoyed the sweet sap.
Though it was rather quiet without Eili with her, Lona always appreciated having some quiet time to herself. The mare quietly hummed as she waited patiently for slow moving sap to drip into the pails she was using to collect her bounty. Her soft voice ended up carrying an old song, one she had heard as a filly, as she began to gracefully half-walk, half-dance between the trunks. Her eyes holding a soft light to them as she quietly sang to herself.
She almost didn't hear the sound of someone approaching her but her ears flickered at the quiet sound of hooves one the earth behind her. The mare turned to see who had come out to see her and her smile grew as her eyes landed on Tocapo. He was a sweet stallion and they had spoken occasionally and she was always happy to talk to him. They had nice conversations when they happened and she had noticed she was running into him with increased frequency, which wasn't a bad thing in her opinion. It was nice to hear him talk about even the most mundane things, as odd as that was.
"Oh, hello Tocapo. You came back from patrolling?" She knew she had seen him leave earlier in the week, but Lona hadn't expected him to return so quickly. "Hopefully the winter weather didn't interfere with you."
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:14 pm
His heart fluttered as she smiled at him. There was something special in the expression, as if it were just for him and no one else. He savored the moment before stammering through his thoughts to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why he'd returned early from his expedition. To busy himself while finding an answer he kicked through the snow, inadvertently exposing a frozen flower preserved in the cold. He stooped to pick it up, shaking it lightly to free it from the snow before offering it to Lona.
"The cold does't bother me too much, but I didn't want to be stuck out in the mountains. There has been kalona activity nearby and I didn't want to be too far out in case I'm needed here." It wasn't a lie. He was a strong warrior for the herd and knew if it came to war he would be needed. However he was also confident that the kalona wouldn't make a move in the snow either. Wretch was a clever mare from all accounts and she wouldn't be foolish enough to attack their fortified position in the winter.
He shook the military thoughts from his head, bringing his focus back to the present and his current company. "Are you having much luck foraging? How are our stores?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:40 pm
Lona waited patiently for Tocapo to respond. She was never one to mind gaps in conversation, but they felt especially natural with Tocapo. Though she didn't see him too terribly often, especially when the leaders of the herd were concerned about the herd's safety and well being when Kalona and other dangers were looming, but Lona always looked forward to their catch-up conversations.
The mare peered down curiously as he scooted some snow away from his clawed hoof and then she realized what he had discovered hidden delicately beneath the layer snow that covered the ground. "It's beautiful, thank you." With a gracious duck of her head, Lona happily went to receive the offered gift, though she hesitated. "Oh, do you mind putting it behind my ear? I'm afraid I won't be able to carry the sap back to the herd with the flower as well."
After the offered gift was safely tucked away in her white mane, Lona gave a slight nod. "I haven't had too much trouble. The winter weather makes it a little more difficult, but there hasn't been too much trouble finding resources." The mare gestured towards the buckets of sap that were still slowly collecting her bounty for the herd. "Hopefully we'll be able to put this to use and even have a little extra. There might be enough left to make sweets with to treat the young ones too. I'm sure they'd love the treat."Fatal Irony You got notified because I had to edit something in here because it was bugging me. RIP sorry for the double notification.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:53 pm
He sheepishly helped the mare put the flower behind her ear, taking his time to be close to her for a little longer. He drew away reluctantly, savoring her sweet scent made more pungent by the flower now in her hair. It suited her. He looked at the buckets gathering sap and nodded his approval. They really did have a wonderful home, full of everything they could possibly need. It was strange to think so, considering how much he had avoided the place for his entire life. He was seeing the herdlands in a completely different way, luminous in the light of Lona, the unicorn. He didn't know how to process these feelings.
"You're doing a lot of great work," he said, feeling as though the words fell far short of how he actually felt. "I'm really impressed by you."
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 9:05 pm
Her gentle gray gaze lit up at the compliment. "Oh thank you. I'm not sure it's that impressive, not compared to what you and the other warriors do." Her words were genuine, she meant them from her heart. She had never thought her role to be of particular importance. Sure it was valued, but it was nothing like saving lives through diligent watch and attention or delivering the foals of the herd's mothers. It was nothing like leading and guiding the herd or teaching the young foals and fillies life lessons that were so crucial to their development as individuals.
"Does it ever frighten you? Going out and fighting others?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:25 pm
"Frightened?" He didn't know why the question surprised him. He thought about it for a while, his gaze fading into the distance as he called up memories from his travels. He had been in plenty of situations that were dangerous that had raised his heart rate and filled him with adrenaline and occasionally panic, but he never really thought about being afraid. "I don't think I can really afford fear," he said finally - though that didn't feel quite right to him. He supposed he didn't feel frightened because he didn't have a lot to lose. Looking at Lona he thought perhaps that was changing.
"I don't really know any other way to be to be honest. I have a duty to the herd." That was true. He liked protecting them. He enjoyed knowing the herd was safer with him on watch. He took pride in his work. He couldn't deny a lingering part of himself that wanted more though.
"I have skills the others don't have, it's my responsibility to use them for the good of us all." There was a twinge of something in his voice and he turned away from her, his claws twitching. Impure...not like the others.... He tried to push the thoughts away. That was another reason he stayed away, to avoid the stares and the judgemental eyes. It's not like he was the only other-than-unicorn member of the herd. He hated the small-mindedness. The newer members were better about it and for that he was thankful, but the world was so much wider and more accepting outside of the Kateri.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:23 pm
"You're very brave, Tocapo." Lona couldn't help the soft smile that came naturally to her, or the way her gaze filled with warmth as she looked at the stallion across from her. Perhaps it was simply because she found him handsome, but she had always enjoyed their little talks together, and being around him was comforting, even when they spent time together in silence. "To be honest, I envy that a little bit."
Her voice twinged with wistfulness, her words falling from her mouth as softly as the snow did from the sky on calm winter days. A duty to the herd... She had a duty within the Kateri, but she didn't adhere to that duty as strictly as Tocapo did. To her, it was simply something to do and something that got her away from the eyes of others. She had had a duty in the past to her previous herd, but she had run away from it without a single word to that herd's leaders, or her own parents. Perhaps that was why she enjoyed the freedom her new role allowed her, precisely because it got her away from the eyes of the other herd members and they wouldn't discover her past.
Lona did her best to mask the melancholy tone to her voice as her eyes settled on Tocapo's claws and then drifted to his beautiful, blue wings, before finally returning to his face. She didn't need to trouble him with her past. She had left that life for her own reasons, and now she was here, among the Kateri; the weight she carried was her own to deal with.
"It's true, you do have skills other's don't have. You're a skilled tracker, you're a talented combatant when you need to be, and you're quick witted, clever, and decisive. The herd is blessed to have you here and so willing to help." Lona took soft steps around Tocapo's frame before gently nudging the feathers of his wings. "But you have every right to enjoy your talents and skills for yourself, too, you know."
Her gaze shifted to the cloudy skies overhead, another soft smile lighting up her face. "I would love to know how it feels up there, soaring through the air." A deep, content sigh escaped her as Lona's gaze lingered towards the heavens above. "How different things must seem from up there..."
"If it's alright to ask, would you tell me what it's like?"
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