Quote:
This is copied over from Discord, from December 2021.
"Dad, would you please just slow down--" Matthius called after his father before breaking into a trot to keep up with him. It was not the first time Hathi had just seen or heard or smelled or felt something new and exciting and just taken off, and knowing him, it wouldn't be the last.
But that didn't make Matthius any less frustrated about it.
Hathi slowed from his canter and sniffed the air again, his wings twitching slightly in anticipation. He didn't notice when Matthius finally fell into step next to him.
"What are you even--"
"Shhh," Hathi said, and Matthius shushed, because he knew that look in his father's eye and knew trying to convince him to let it go was useless. "I think I smell something...familiar..."
"Familiar?" Matthius echoed with a snort. "Dad, come on, there's trees and flowerseverywhere, of course it smells familiar--"
"Shhh," Hathi said again, slowly moving forward, following his nose. Matthi rolled his eyes, but followed him all the same. "It's not a flower or a tree. It's..." Hathi sniffed again and frowned. "I know it. I almost know it. I just can't quite..."
Matthius sighed and said nothing - now they were going to spend all day chasing down this mysterious smell, which like as not wouldn't be anything at all. But he stayed with his father anyway, because when Hathi got like this not much else mattered, and someone had to keep him from wandering off a cliff or into the den of a bear or 'walker. Since they didn't have anyone else, that "someone" was always Matthius. He loved his father, he did, but...sometimes, all Matthius wanted was a little help - a little break.
Maybe someday...
((wc: 285))
nekoFayre
Ruka looks around he had shown up early at his son's home near the the river. They decided together they would go apple hunting it had been so long since he had been with Tomas. He hoped that he could meet with his brother Aiden, his sons Tomas and Ash. He hoped his family would like this time together looking for apples and enjoying their company.
Tomas waits near the apple trees with his uncle Ash. He smiles and watches his uncle. The stallion he didn't know well was Aiden. Aiden was his grand uncle. He was only a few days older then his uncle.
Aiden watches his family and waits for his father to join them.
Ash plays with his wings and looks at the apples.
Tomas waits near the apple trees with his uncle Ash. He smiles and watches his uncle. The stallion he didn't know well was Aiden. Aiden was his grand uncle. He was only a few days older then his uncle.
Aiden watches his family and waits for his father to join them.
Ash plays with his wings and looks at the apples.
As they walked, Matthius started to notice little apples popping up occasionally on the trees around them. He knew his father loved apples - so did Matthi, for that matter - but Hathi wasn't stopping at the first tree he found.
"Dad, what are you..." Matthius trailed off, because now he smelled something too. Other horses, and close. "Dad," Matthius said warningly. "We shouldn't--"
But it was too late, and Hathi was pushing his way through the trees easily, with a big smile on his face. "I knew it," Hathi said, more to himself than anyone.
He approached the circle of males and grinned at them. "Hello!" Hathi said, wings flitting with excitement. "You don't know me--"
"Dad--" Matthius said, skidding to a halt next to his father, in front of a lot of...wow, okay, a lot of Soquili, one of which had wings and claws and made Matthius very nervous.
"--or my son," Hathi amended, smile still on his face, "but I think--" Hathi faltered slightly, suddenly realizing that someone smelling familiar might sound silly out loud. "I think--um, do any of you know someone named Macchiato? Or, um, Torren John?"
Mathi was so surprised he forgot to be wary of this gang. He knew his grandparents names, but even learning that much had been like pulling teeth, because his father never ever talked about his family. Until recently, Matthius hadn't even known Hathi had a family.
((wc: 236))
nekoFayre
Tomas, Ruka, Aiden and Ash all stare at the two new stallions that joined them. "Hello and welcome." They say in greeting.
Tomas steps forward he looks both stallions over. "How do you know my daughter? Are perhaps her son? Are you Matthi? Is this your son?" He has tears in his eyes.
Tomas steps forward he looks both stallions over. "How do you know my daughter? Are perhaps her son? Are you Matthi? Is this your son?" He has tears in his eyes.
Hathi blinked in surprise, and Matthius' jaw literally dropped in shock. What?
"Y-yes," Hathi said, nervous smile on his face. "I'm Hathi. Macchiato is my mother. I have a brother and a sister,, I thought maybe..." Hathi trailed off and shook his head, amazed smile still on his face. "This is Matthius," Hathi said. "My son. Matthius, would you like to say hello to your..." Hathi paused, his smile growing wider. "To your great-grandfather?"
Matthi barely managed to shut his mouth as he stared at the other stallion. His great-grandfather? This was--it was impossible. If it wasn't happening to him, he never would have believed it as something that could happen to anyone, but here they were.
"Hi," Matthius said, sounding too timid. He gave himself a little shake and tried for a smile before he repeated, "Yes, I'm Matthi. You're...my father's mother's father?" He asked, glancing at the other stallions around him. Who were they? Matthius wanted to ask--he wanted to ask a million questions, actually, but he kept a grip on himself. He wasn't his father, after all... "It's...it's nice to meet you. Sir." Matthi added as an afterthought, because he didn't really know what else to call him - what did people call distant relatives they ran into in the middle of nowhere?
((wc: 216))
nekoFayre
Tomas approaches Matthi. "You look like your parents your uncle Xion met your mother once and your father. Your mother was so angry. Im Tomas. This is my father Ruka,." - he looks at the yellow stallion his father.- " my uncle, Aiden." - he looks to the dark red stallion with cloud mane-" half brother Ash." - he stares at the stallion with wings.- " hello Matthius, if you have questions ask."
Ash looks at his nephew and Great nephew. He bows " hi "
Ruka watches his great grandson and his great great grandson. He knew they might be overwhelmed.~ " your great great grandmother will be happy to meet you, your aunts, cousins would be happy to meet you both welcome."
Hathi was smiling so big he thought his whole face might fall off. All of these people were family? It was more than he dared even consider, never mind hope for.
"Wow," Hathi said slowly. He looked at each of them in turn, trying to find any point of commonality between them and himself, and he didn't find much, except maybe in Ruka, whose spots and stripes maybe looked a little bit like his own. And Ruka was his great-grandfather. Wow. Wow!
"I--I have aunts?" Matthius said slowly, stunned. "And a great-grrat grandmother? And cousins?" Matthius felt like his brain was melting but also exploding. "Dad....dad, did you know...?"
Hathi shook his head. "No," he answered. "I didn't...I don't know anything about you, any of you," Hathi said, looking at them all again. He couldn't believe he was looking at his family. "But...I think we'd love to find out?"
To his own surprise, Matthius found himself nodding - he'd never really known his mother; it had just been him and Hathi for as long as he could remember, and now...now he had multigenerational relatives, and he felt like he'd never been luckier in his whole entire life.
((wc: 196))
nekoFayre
Ruka looks at Hathi them Matthius~ " good, my mother lives in meadow at the base of mountains. My father Entei is a great grandian he is busy patrolling . Your grand aunt Lomdia will be happy to see you. Your at Feri is a little different she looks nothing like you.. the gods sent her to Your parents she is healer. Anyway I take you both to our herd if you wish?"
Tomas nods.
Aiden listens to his brother.
Ash stares at them and relaxes.
Both Hathi and Matthius could only nod in mute amazement as Ruka spoke. Not only were all these stallions their family, but they had so much more family. More family than either of them knew what to do with.
Naturally, it was Mathi who found his voice first. "Yes," he said, then shook his head and straightened up. "I mean, yes, please, I--we--would love to meet the others."
Hathi nodded in agreement, though his mind was still processing. "Did you say--someone was sent...by the gods?" Hathi asked, glancing around at the males again - he could see some resemblance between him and Matthius to Ruka, and a couple of the others, but Ash? The only explanation he could think of was godly intervention.
((WC: 122))
