[PRP] A Glassy Surface (Nituna x Ersa)

[Nori Ishida]

The morning light had come in brilliantly, reflecting brightly off of the freshly fallen snow that blanketed the plains. As the young mare stepped into the untouched snow, there was a soft crunch as it compressed beneath her foot. Leaving the shelter of the trees she had slept beneath, the sounds of the world were muted as she crossed the plains, heading west towards the sea.

Her pale mane and tail blended in with her whiteout surroundings while her deep purples stood out boldly in the empty field. It seemed she had even beat the smaller creatures - the birds, small mice and rabbits - and perhaps even the fierce wolves and other hunting creatures, and was the first one to break the snowy surface. She always loved being the first one awake, before the world was noisy and alive with energy. In these early morning hours it was quiet and still, and Nituna felt at peace.

She came upon a small river, its flow halted by the freezing temperatures, its surface like glass, blue and slippery. She peered over the bank of the river, catching her reflection and carefully placed her foot onto the surface of the ice. There was a tiny crack as the ice shifted beneath her weight, and she quickly withdrew her foot.

"Hmmm, maybe not thick enough." She had seen other, much smaller creatures slide and play across the ice, but she wasn't sure if this was thick enough to fully support her weight. She knew that falling beneath the surface could be deadly, and she shivered at the thought of being caught beneath the frozen surface. Perhaps if she was very careful, she could have a little fun. Deciding to take the risk, she slowly inched her foot out again, carefully testing her weight against the solid surface of the river.  

[Uta]

It was early, and the land below was still and inviting. High up in the morning's rosy sky was a black winged mare, circling, wheeling, and diving as she caught the weak current of the day. Wintertime meant the thermals were stodgy and weak; there were fewer updrafts, fewer thermals to push her high up into the air. The time of day made it doubly tricky for Ersa to stay airborne, but thankfully, she was strong and spirited; she didn't min the extra workout. It was worth it, after all -- hadn't she been privy to a beautiful sunrise? Weren't the skies clear of clouds, and ever inviting? And wasn't the snow covered land below a beautiful sight to behold? If her wings were sore and in need of a break, Ersa didn't mind--it was a beautiful start, to what would surely become an even more beautiful day.

Having enjoyed the sunrise, the windborn mare decided to try to find some sort of lake or river. All of her acrobatics had left her a bit parched, and while there was snow aplenty to munch on if she was desperate, finding some sort of watering hole would be more beneficial. Unfortunately, the recent snowfalls had covered up the ice, making it more tricky to discern from high above. No, she'd need to either find one larger enough it might not be totally frozen over, or (perhaps easier still) follow where the local natives might roam. Unfortunately, there were very few soquili out and about as far as she could see--so when she caught sight of what appeared to be an obvious trail, she followed it.

Lo and behold, the sight of Nituna far below certainly caught Ersa's attention; not only was the being a soquili, and a very purple one at that, but she appeared to have solved Ersa's troubles and found some sort of ice covered river. Better and better!

Shifting the position of her wings, Ersa made a few lazy circles over head, letting herself spiral downward slowly. "Careful now," she called out when she was low enough, "Would hate for a beauty like you to slip through!" Her circling had allowed her a decent sight of Nituna--and it was clear she'd stumbled upon a very pretty mare. Like her father before her, Nituna couldn't help but be a flirt, and she was more than happy to pay this stranger a few compliments.

She finally landed after one final circle, not terribly far from where Nituna was inching her way onto the ice. She gave a small shake of her feathers, before turning to smile warmly at the stranger. "Hope you don't mind a spot of company--I dare say we might be the only two soquili around here for miles." That wasn't necessarily a problem for Ersa though -- it meant more time to better get to know this winter rose.

Nori Ishida

 

[Nori Ishida]

Step by careful step, Nituna slowly inched further out onto the ice. As her last foot stepped away from the safety of the shore, she paused a second to gain her footing, her hooves gliding slightly over the icy surface. She was listening carefully for any telltale cracks from the ice, straining her ears and almost holding her breath. Thankfully, the ice appeared to be strong and thick, enough to support her weight, but she suddenly heard an old familiar sound above. Was that the rushing of a large pair of wings through the air? She gasped and her heart swooped as she thought of her father and sister and craned her neck upwards as she heard a voice call out.

Alas, the winged soquili that was descending towards her was not Shikoba or Nivriti, but instead a brilliantly colored, feathered mare. Her faded pinks, purples, and blues reminded Nituna of a sunset, the splotches of black the silhouettes of trees or birds in flight. As this mare landed on the shore, Nituna turned to face and greet her.

Suddenly, all four of her feet flew out from beneath her, sending her crashing down to the ice below. She froze in fear, waiting for the ice to break and the frigid water below to engulf her, but to her relief it held fast. The ice crunched in protest as she struggled to regain her feet, feeling embarrassment wash over her in a warm wave.

"Oh...oh my gosh..." she giggled nervously as she slipped and slid back to the shore and off of the ice before she embarrassed herself any further. Regaining her footing back in the soft snow, she shook herself off, glancing shyly at the stranger, hoping she wouldn't laugh at her. "I...hello...I'm sorry...hi..." She giggled once more, overcome with embarrassment and not sure what to say at this point.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Ersa's feathers flared in alarm as the stranger took a hard fall on the ice. Like Nituna, she expected the stranger to crash through the ice--and was quite prepared to throw herself in after! Thankfully, though the ice seemed to object to such abuse, the mare was able to make her way to more solid ground. It was only when Ersa was certain she'd cleared any risk that she let her feathers slowly droop back to their usual position.

"No! No, no--no apologies are needed," she hastily assured, giving a small, involuntary, bird-like whistle. "That ice can be mighty tricky--are you quite all right?" She asked, green eyes looking the pretty mare over--as if she could somehow tell from sight allone how the stranger fared. The fact she seemed to be able to get to all four hooves was a good sign at least--she would have hated for a worse injury to disrupt the mare's morning.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Ersa spoke, dipping her head in her own form of apology. "I dare say you would have kept to your hooves had I not interrupted!" The good news was, at l east there were no witnesses outside of Ersa. Perhaps that could be a balm to Nituna's possibly bruised pride.

Nori Ishida

 

[Nori Ishida]

Nituna collected herself as the stranger made sure she was ok. Shaking her head to toss her hair out of her face, her giggling continued. "Oh, apart from the pain of embarrassment, I'm sure I'll be fine!" She looked up, finally making eye contact with the kind stranger. "I guess that's one way to see if the ice is thick enough."

She took in the mare's appearance, which was even more captivating up close, with her cascading layers of feathers and her long, flowing mane. Nituna smiled coyly, suddenly remembering the compliment she had been paid before stumbling on the ice. "I wouldn't mind the company at all! It's been a very quite morning, and it's always nice to make new friends. My name is Nituna, it's nice to meet you!" She bowed her head slightly in greeting to the fine feathered mare.

"The fresh snow must look amazing from up there." Though she was not the jealous type, Nituna had always harbored slight envy for her sister's wings. She imagined the world looked both vast and small from such heights, like looking out from the top of a moving mountain.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Ersa was relieved when the purple mare confirmed that she was all right. Spills and tumbles could be painful any time of the year, but a trip on the hard ice could be extra so. "It was quite the test," she agreed with a little laugh, but gave a quick shake of her head, "but I promise, I think I might be the only witness. Perhaps a little walk on the firmer snow might help you shake it off?" There was certainly nothing for her to be embarrassed by, but Ersa hoped a distraction might help.

The colorful mare's wings flared slightly in pleasure at landing a name, and her smile warmed. "A pretty name for a lovely mare," she complimented in her usual silver-tongued way. "Mine isn't nearly so, I'm afraid; you may call me Ersa," she introduced with a small flick of her feathered tail and a little grin. "A pleasure to meet you."

At mention of the snow and an aerial perspective, Ersa gave a nod. "It is quite bright, honestly," she confessed, "And can be a bit blinding. However, there is something peaceful being in the company of clouds, and seeing the world coated in a blanket of white. However, one thing that doesn't change, is just how blasted cold everything is!" Her feathers ruffled reflexively in response. "Spring can't get here fast enough."

Nori Ishida

So sorry for the dela!