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 Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:04 pm
Today Larissa was on a mission to find adventure, not the regular, everyday kind of adventure but something new, something different. It wasn't that she didn't find the herd interesting, quite the opposite, she couldn't wait to hear what each and every one of them had to say! Every morning her eyes would spring open and she would be the first to rise to her hooves in anticipation to what the members were going to share with her that day... Even if it was a one sided feeling. While she was shouting hello half away across the herd grounds, the recipient was wincing, cringing and hoping with all their might that she was calling out to someone else, praying that there was someone stood behind them, to the side of them, heck even in the air above them just so long as they were escaping her company but - they should be so lucky. Once Larissa had her eyes and her heart set on chatting with someone, well, they may as well just accept their fate. It was much easier than trying to deny her or flee from her company. On cue, Larissa gleefully greeted a passing herd member with "Hello! Good Morning!" And in response they gave her an awkward smile, nodded their head and then deviated their eyes away from her in the hopes she would pass right on by, which she did. Thankfully for them her attention was focused else where and she had every intention of finding someone or something that wasn't herd related in anyway. The rest of the herd, including her family, may possibly mistake her forwardness for her being oblivious or unaware of how she makes others feel but that wasn't the case. She understood exactly how they viewed her, she was the troublemaker, the throw-away. Being the eldest of Leesa and Vira's three daughters meant that there had been a certain expectation of how she should be and having realized she would never meet that expectation she rebelled against it. She was walking down the hill towards where the guards were stationed when they caught a glance of her and in the same instance the guard that saw her began to panic. She chuckled to herself as she watched him fluster in his train of thought, probably wondering whether he had missed such a crucial detail like the dominions going out to gather herbs and food for the herd today but there was no such gathering scheduled and it was just her. "W-wait!" He called in his realisation as she passed straight on by him. Usually she would stop and wait for the others to arrive and spend the time waiting teasing the guards on duty but not today, she wanted to escape them. She hastily stuck her tongue out at the guard and kicked off her back hooves and in to a gallop, her tail whipping wildly behind her. He pursued her for a short while before giving up and returning to his post, not risking abandoning the position and putting the herd at risk for one members childish antics. Usually members would be escorted by more capable and able fighters to defend against any harm that may come to them and while she understood their intentions were good, she didn't need or want a babysitter. At last, she was free! She skipped energetically through the woodland until she came to a wider, open spot between the tree's. Had there been a predator in the vicinity she would have surely been dinner as she was not blessed with pixie-light hoof beats and she certainly had no air of caution to hide her presence from whoever may have been nearby. She came to a halt in the center where the daylight shone the brightest through the canopy and tilted her head to look up at the branches swaying and clattering like a melody above, watching in awe as the sun-kissed petals and leaves broke loose from the ends and glided down around her. Feeling inspired by the sight she felt the urge to push against her back hooves, propelling her front legs in to the air and extending her neck higher so that she may reach one of the falling leaves. A petal carefully caressed the tip of her nose and she couldn't help but chuckle at the touch.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:37 pm
 From birth, Nikolai held one rule above all else: family was everything.
His parents had instilled in their children a sense of pride for one's self and heritage, among many other things. They were the most supporting, most loving creatures on the planet, and Nikolai nor his siblings ever wanted for nothing. Everything they had, they owed to their parents and each other. Casimir and Tiramisu had both struggled with their self identity and worth as they were growing up, and upon finding each other, realized what they could be - realized what they truly were. They were a small family, just the 5 of them, not a part of any particular herd, and they were all the more rich for it, Nikolai thought. They had each other, relied on each other, and life was nothing without them. The oldest of the three children (and the biggest), Nikolai felt responsible for his brother and sister, and so he took on that protective role almost immediately. Don't go into the forest, Mochi, you'll get hurt. Don't play with that stick, Iskander, it'll poke you! And as the three of them grew, his role as the caring, cautious brother got even worse. Iskander had been born blind and deaf, and so his big brother felt it was duty to ensure his brother's safety at all times, and Matcha Mochi, well - her spirit was so big and bright she was impossible to stay mad at, but Nikolai feared she'd wander off and charm her way into the hearts of dangerous Soquili.
He knew his father would raise hell if anything ever happened to any of his children, but he couldn't help but feel that because he matched his father's large frame, he too should take that responsibility. Family over all else. His mother was a fragile mare, soft and sweet, and if her heart was ever pained...he just couldn't take it.
They were swamp creatures, the 5 of them - as Casimir had been raised in a swamp himself, and Tiramisu having adapted to that lifestyle in support of her mate. It was quieter in the swamp than most other places, and so the family had taken up residence and had stayed there ever since. Nikolai did not mind being his legs being caked with mud or other wetland growths, as he knew it meant he was home.
In this present time, however, the stallion hadn't been at the swamp in a few days, and had taken to exploring outside the familiar surroundings at the behest of his mother. She had always believed that her children would make something of themselves out there in the world - and she requested that she and their father not be the reason they held themselves back. So out! Out of the nest you go!, she'd push, knowing they'd be gone very minimally at best. Nik had taken to a valley, quite a distance from the area he's used to, and the hustle and bustle of Soquili going about their day had been surprising to him. Most of them paid him no mind, but some had stared at his sheer size and he was taken aback by their hesitation towards him. Is this how his father felt as a young stallion? Looked upon like someone - something - different than the norm? He would huff, they meant nothing to him, and he'd continue about his day.
He wasn't lonely, but he did miss home. How many more days would he be gone before his heart longed to be within the comfort of those who loved him?
Today, Nikolai had ventured into the woodlands, and a familiarity had washed over him almost immediately. Not his woodlands, of course, but the sense of protection that the trees and foliage provided was almost identical to the feeling he got when he was home. Here he could blend in - here he could take to sleeping under the shade - and no one would notice him. The only part of him that was colorful was the rather large pink tree that grew itself upon his back, but in a forest it would just be like any other tree. He'd be safe here.
Walking along, he caught sight of a creature standing up on it's hind legs, looking up into the sky. A moment passed, and he thought he'd better not disturb whatever she was doing, so he darted behind a nearby tree. He dared not watch her as she...played?, so instead he listened for the sound of her hooves...and...and....
"Achoo," he sneezed, his whole body shaking, a few of the leaves from his tree started to fall with the vibration. Ah, crap...
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:28 am
It hadn't occured to her that anyone would or could be watching her, other than various animals that were native to these woods but certainly not another soquili like herself. She hadn't seen anyone on her way through even though they may have crept in after her. While on her back hooves and still thoroughly occupied by the falling leaves she began pawing at them playfully with a front hoof when the 'Achoo' sounded nearby. The sound was loud enough to shock her, as she hadn't the faintest idea that someone was there but whoever it was, was close enough for her to hear them sneeze. She stepped clumsily in surprise with her back hooves and landed carelessly back on to the ground, side-stepping until she regained her balance with the help of a perfectly placed tree when her side thumped in to it. Staring in the direction of the sneeze with eyes opened wide she instinctively called out "Bless you!" Once the words had left her mouth she let out a chuckle, a sweet grin embedded across her lips. Who was there she wondered? It didn't take much to convince herself in to searching out the source of the sound and pushing herself forward she crept slowly in the direction of where it had come from. Her ears twitched carefully, swiveling to try and capture any stray sounds that may follow or for any indication of the others movements but there was no luck, whoever was there had remained quiet and guarded after the abrupt reaction. "Hmm." She wondered, then playfully smiling wider she "Hmmmm'ed" A little louder. Hide and seek? It had been a while since she had played this game, her siblings were all grown up and were now deemed too old to play such a game. She however despised the idea of putting a limit or boundary on anything fun. If it was enjoyable, why not do it? What was the point of living if everything was serious all the time. She huffed in her thought, fanning the fringe from her eyes with the sudden gust of breath. She peered around the first tree she came to "Gotcha!" She shouted, though there was nothing there. She shrugged loosely and then kept moving from bush to tree to rock, her tail swaying merrily behind her. Why were they hiding? the thought hadn't crossed her mind that they might have been hunting her and targeting her for dinner. No, if that was the case she would have been pounced on by now. Were they shy? Or did she have a secret admirer? Her cheeks warmed a little at that idea though she soon shook them away. That would be the day! "Come out, come out wherever you're!" She sang while her eyes caught sight of something pink twinkling in a stray speckle of sunlight. She paused in her search and looked around slowly, seeing that there were no other plants or tree's adorning the bright and beautiful colour and then made the decision to sneak as quietly as she could towards it, hoping not to alert the other of her whereabouts in the process.
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