Word Count: 1796
The rays of light which heralded the late spring peered down through leaves and branches, dappling the forest floor with light and windows into the sky and nature beyond the trees; a world often held by those gifted with the magic of flight to hold court and plan things pertaining to their herds. Light and life trickling down into the world below caused an ephemeral glow befitting fae folk, and illuminated bush and flower below, making the walk through the forest a pleasant one for Kes. The Wind-kirin was easily able to take to the air, but she didn't always fly and today the forest afforded shade for the dark coated female, accompanied by a little black fox thaty was, in truth, a giant of a Charmed Purewalker whom had met her, and then promptly attatched himself. Amusingly, as a fox, he was smaller, albeit, more muscular to compensate Susanoo, whom whom represented his name with strange characters, was ever nearby, hunting prey - he seemed to need to - or degending the mare with poise and calm, erupting into chaos at the first sniffter of trouble. Susanoo was fed today, but Kes was not yet, and the walker deftly vanished into bushes and wildflowers to smell for things she might enjoy, pausing only when he scented... Something that sent him flying to Kes in a fluffy, a wsmall storm as he whipped around defensively. Kes paused, looking down in bewilderment before the lights danced, and Kes realized amongst the wildflowers there was another Soquili of white and red, nine tails swaying lazily as she watched the male skitter away, and snorted, looking up.
"...Never thought I'd see Susanoo aroiund another creature." The female greeted, tails still swaying before she shifted. "You're welcome to join me. The flowers are delicious. You as well, you troll." The mare was calm, and Kes stepped around Susanoo to spproach, despite the grumble the male afforded Kes settled nearby, taking a good look at theur host's face. Kes had never seen a Soquili with many eyes before, and the mare held still before smiling and chuckling again.
"Well, aren't you lovely, miss. No wonder Susanoo's following you. A fancy night mare. I am O-Inari, or merely Inari for short. I like identifying myself as a Kitsune." The mare wickered then at Susanoo. "Stop scowling, you old trickster. I know better than to touch yours."
"You best." Susanoo finally spoke, still assuming his pelted true form as he approached before laying beside Kes, scowling at O-Inari analytically. He was quiet, and O-Inari stared several more minutes before snorting. O-Inari looked unimpressed, instead shaking her head before sneering. Kes looked between the two, one ear flicking a moment before Susanoo finally spoke.
"We've met before. She's... Difficult." He finally explained. O-Inari hissed.
"I wasn't the one who pranked, as I recall, you bloody troll. Oh do tell me he's not tried that with you, my dear. He's so incorrigible."
"Susanoo? No -- he's a gentleman. Uhm.. I'm Kes." Kes' ear flicked, but so too did the tip of her tail, and O-Inari paused, looking to Susanoo analytically. Susanoo's paw knead the soil a moment, and then he frowned.
"What?"
"So. Proposing. When?" O-Inari asked with a grin, and Susanoo sputtered, suddenly off his paws and visibly flistered, squeaking as Kes blinked, nosing him reassuringly before looking at O-Inari.
"You misunderstand." She argued. "Susanoo's helping me look for someone -- my brother. We got seperated as foalsd, and--"
"As foals? Are you sure he's even alive?" O-Inari interjected. Kes paused at tht before her ears drooped. Susanoo immediately growled, however, scowling.
"Don't tell her that! She hasn't got anyone else!" Susanoo snapped, but O-Inari continued to study them for some minutes before her ear flicked, once, twice, and her eyes blicked before her tails lowered.
"I mean no disrespect, you understand." O-Inari remarked. "He could be alive. But would he want you roaming the lands, risking life and limb to find him? There's many dangers out there. Susanoo's an example of a lucky break. Had he not been charmed, you'd be dead, or worse."
"Charmed?" Kes repeated the word curiously, and O-Inari pinned her ears, looking at Susanoo with an obviously displeased look before sighing.
"He's a Charmed Ourewalker, dear. The gem he bears frees his soul of the evils of... Wherever his kind originates. Uncharmed Walkers are wont to slaughter, torture, and cruelty for pleasure. You're pretty small, they'd tear you apart." O-Inari sighed, then, and shook her head before looking to Susanoo. "And you're painfully obvious yourself, fox. I know you. You're smitten. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
Susanoo shifted, unsure how to respond even when Kes looked to him in bewilderment. Finally he found something to say, a flimsy answer, but an answer.
"In my herd... Those with some night markings are.. Desireable as mates. But... I'm not... Only attracted to that. You're kind. You think of others and act. And for your information, kitsune, I've seen her fend off predators with those hooves. She's feisty." Susanoo fell quiet a moment after speaking, Kes hiding her face in her mane shyly. Suddenly, she felt flustered, unsure how to respond. Nobody really called her beautiful, at least, not directly like Susanoo. And she did like him, but she hadn't thought much of it -- Susanoo was simply... Always beside her, when not hunting to feed; he was considerate, thoughtful, and mindful of their different needs. He led her to secret patches of clover, or when she was sad he'd cheer her up by doing something over-the-top rediculous; he shielded her, and respected her. She wasn't sure how to reciprocate, but she was grateful. ...She finally had to admit to herself, however, she had no idea what she'd think of anything anymore. Something brushed the top of her head and she peered to spy Susanoo nosing her reassuringly, and the mare wriggled a little closer. For the entire moment, O-Inari watched, one ear listening to them, one to one side, the very tips of her tails switching before she hummed.
"Have you considered observing herds? To learn I mean. See if you'd fit in. You're... What are you anyhow?" O-Inari spoke and Kes paused, looking, then flicked an ear again.
"My parents? A kelpi and a... Wind? Flier." Kes expolained. "That's all I can guess." She paused, hesitating a moment as she considered adding more, then withered. "My parents died.. When I was still in my basket. My brother was taken and... They never saw me. So I began looking when I came out. I've never had a herd."
O-Inari immediately looked to Susanoo, the stallion tense and concerned as he looked back wityh a grim frown, taking in the information as deeply as possible before O-Inari gave a snort and a grumble. The mare herself looked quite dire, as if trading unspoken words with Susanoo even as he looked to the kitsune just as gravely, jaw still set. O-Inari nodded to him, a regal motion bespeaking her poise and calm, allowing herself to express concern before sighing and extending a paw of her own, resting it on Kes' hoof akin a mother conforting their child, and she sighed.
"That's dreadful, though it does explain a lot, my dear. Our parents shouldn't be taken from us. Alright, Susanoo, I see your issue. I mean, really." O-Inari sighed, slowly rising to her paws before stretching. Nine tails swished, thrashing a moment before rising from the flower bed as the pale mare took her full height, tossing her red mane and stretching once more. Susanoo, for his part, looked up, studying O-Inari analytically. His ear flicked, as if he were deep in thought, and he seemed to close his eyes but a moment before planting his paws to lift his hulking size, looking O-Inari over. Kes looked between the pair as they held a staring match, silent, alert; Susanoo's ears listening as O-Inari's tails sway behind her, paws planted firmly before Kes looked between them again. It was quiet. It was uncertyain. They two seemed to speak without speaking, before Susanoo scowled, and nodded.
"Les needs to eat." He affirmed. O-Inari sniffed.
"I'm not the keeper of these lands. The nearest herd's half a day away, although the Charmed Alligatorwalker is a quarter day's travel. Rex can be reasoned with though." O-Inari smirked some. "She might well be a testy mare, but less likely to attack. Kes, you're half-kelpi, you said? Rex might be more agreeable to taking us to actively meet some of those in the herd if you help her eat fish. Swampwater's disgusting, but it's a necissary evil, and the herd's very welcoming. Not every herd is." O-Inari looked at Susanoo when his hackles rose. "Rex won't eat her. Or me. Never seen her meet another Walker. She's pretty big, but she behaves, and likes those that aid her hunt."
"She'd best not harm m-- Kes. I've no issues killing." Susanoo threatened, but O-Inari laughed, Kes blinking between them before turning deep red under her coat, hiding her face in her forelegs this time. An ear flicked, before she peered out, mostly eyes, and swallowed.
"I don't mind you saying 'My Kes', Susanoo." Kes murmured quietly. Susdanoo froze, before looking to the mare silently. Slowly, evenly, and calmly, he approached, before lowering his head to her ear, and carefully, he lipped her ear, softness and tenderness in the gesture as he rumbled a shy affection most unlike him. After a moment, Kes looked up, nose touching his before nuzzling, the stallion breathing a moment before nuzzling her back, eyes closing to appreciuate the tender moment for the subtle, unspoken meaning it held. O-Inari rolled her eyes, visibly unimpressed, but not judgemental; instead, she looked away, gracefully closing her eyes a moment. There was no sorrow in the pragmatic mare, although some part of her seemed disappointed, and then, grateful as she turned her gaze back upon them, and swayed her tails, speaking at last in a soft, calm tone.
"I suspect you'll want to at least show her to your herd, Susanoo."
"Yes, but you may be right. Kes... I want to help you find where you belong. We can always travel to meet, but... I want you happy, my radiant eve sky. Safe.Finding a herd might help you find the pieces you were denied -- a sense of self outside an unending journey, with likes and dislikes; joy and sorrow." Susanoo spoke softly, and Kes turned a worried gaze on him until he grinned, and nuzzled at her reassuringly. It was comforting, soothing her worry, and the mare nuzzled back as Susanoo stayed to nuzzle iun turn before stepping away, and sighing. O-Inari looked to him, silentm calm, and understanding, nodding to him. Reassured, Kes rose, and lowered her head to eat as her guardians moved to watch, and wait.
There were smal clovers under the wildflower blossoms, and they were delicious.