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 Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2022 4:39 pm
 Her entire life revolved around the dark, mysterious woods of Moth territory, sheltered by the lack of sunlight, the radiant bioluminescence of fungi and the sweet, dreamy scent of night-blooming flowers. Her sisters were grown and more than able to fend for themselves, though she loathed to admit such a thing, but it meant that she could now travel at her leisure. She'd dreamed of traveling through the lands to finally meet the other members of her family all her life, and now... well, now she finally felt as though such a thing could be possible. Diphda knew how to protect herself thanks to the teachings of her father, though she'd never been on her own outside of her family's territory. Having made her goodbyes, nothing stood in her way as she stood at the forest's clearing... but Diphda hesitated. She would greatly resent the suggestion that she was afraid--she was merely being cautious! Rushing headlong into any situation was never wise. She took a deep breath, holding her head up high as she forced herself to march out from the trees into clearings that she'd never ventured to before.
As a few hours passed, she no longer jumped at every single sound she heard. She was well within her right to be wary, though so far, she hadn't seen anything that she would consider to a be a threat. Honestly, perhaps the most intimidating thing about this journey was that Diphda had no idea where, exactly, she was going. She vaguely knew of the various areas that her extended family resided in, but she was on her own to explore and wander as she saw fit.
Not having her twin sisters to watch over and keep her company was--lonely, she admitted, but she had made up her mind and was too stubborn to go fleeing with her tail between her legs. Still, she minded the amount of noise she was making, having no interest in crashing about and attracting the attention of any unsavory sorts. It was only when the sun was beginning to set that she realized with alarm that she hadn't given a single thought towards what she would do for shelter during the night. Staying out in the open felt like an invitation for trouble. Diphda stamped a rear hoof with open irritation before casting her gaze across the wide, rolling plains. There were no trees to be seen, and if the mare looked a little lost, well, she'd never admit to it.
((WC: 418 ))
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:27 am
 It had been several days since he had encountered another, and this was just how he liked it. Though he hated to admit it, Zian did rely on others to an extent, but only in material ways. Payment for services is what he sought whenever he ventured close to settlements and villages. He would conduct his business quietly, collect his payment, and silently melt back into his solitude before anybody even knew he was there. If he planned things right, he could go weeks without seeking out his next job. He wandered the wilderness in his in-between times, living out his life in isolation. For all he knew, the emperor's soldiers may still be hunting him, so it was safer if he was alone and unattached.
As he trotted along the open plain, he reminded himself that he deserved all of this. He once had everything he could have dreamed of and more. The love of a devoted and beautiful mare, the favor of the emperor, great success in battle. But he had let his success go to his head, squandered the love of his mate, and betrayed the emperor. These were all decisions that he had made, and he alone had to suffer the consequences.
The heavy weight of his tack and armor fell noisily with each step. He knew that the bright colors and extravagant adornments he wore could easily make him a target, but he refused to leave them behind. He wore this armor as a constant reminder of the weight of his decisions and his fall from grace. He would never take it off.
The sun was beginning to set as he caught sight of a golden and blue figure off in the distance. Here he had a choice to make. He could change paths, completely avoid this stranger and continue along on his own, or he could risk making contact. He tentatively turned in the direction of the figure and saw that it was a mare and, if he was not mistaken, she looked a little lost, gazing across the plain as if she was in search of something. She was covered in bright blue and gold adornments, somewhat extravagant...perhaps she might have something to offer him in exchange for his help. Keeping his guard up, he decided to approach the mare, holding his head up high and puffing himself up impressively.
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2022 3:29 pm
The sound of jingling metal and leather snapped Diphda out of her contemplation, and she spun to catch a glimpse of a stallion approaching. He was certainly making no attempts at stealth, though that didn't mean he wasn't necessarily a threat. She proudly lifted her head even as she squared her shoulders, prepared to hold her ground in case things turned ugly. Though his adornments were strange, there was no mistaking the fact that it was armor. He was a warrior then--and he looked too old to be a young, puffed up fool with no amount of experience.
"What do you want?" She asked warily as he drew closer, "And that's far enough, thank you." She had little experience with strangers, and even as a young foal, had been disinclined to trust those outside of her family. Still.... though Diphda knew she was perfectly capable of finding somewhere safe to bed down for the night, she didn't doubt this stranger knew the lay of the land far more than she did.
Asking for help wasn't one of her strong suits, but she supposed she could swallow her pride and see what he knew--assuming he was a reasonable sort of Soquili!
((WC: 200))Nori Ishida So sorry for the delay on my end!
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:01 pm
Zian halted abruptly as the mare ordered him to and he raised his eyebrows at her commands. This was clearly no damsel in distress, though he thought he detected a hint of panic in her voice despite her squared shoulders and proud stance. He allowed himself a slight chuckle as he lowered his head slightly. It seemed this mare might be a bit of a challenge. He was sure to keep eyes on her as he bowed his head, not wanting to give her an opportunity to strike with those unusual horns on her head, but showing that he was no threat.
"I mean no harm. I merely came to see if you needed any assistance. You seem...a bit lost." He was careful with his tone as he said these last three words. Though this mare did indeed seem lost, she didn't seem the type to admit it, and he didn't want to insult her and ruin any opportunity he might have to gain a little coin from her.
"If you're looking for something, I may be able to help you. I travel around quite a bit and know these lands quite well." For the moment, he left out the bit about his help coming at a price. They could always get to that later, when she may be a little more grateful to him.
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 3:57 pm
The bow of his head was an unexpected courtesy, and after an uncertain pause, she dipped her head briefly in turn. It reassured her opinion that perhaps this was a stallion of manners. At the mention of being lost, her nostrils flared momentarily, but Diphda bit down on her sharp reply with a slightly irritated toss of her head. He at least had the good sense to keep his tone sensible! His words were easily forgotten when he continued on to explain his knowledge of the surrounding areas, and her ears pricked despite herself. If he was as savvy as he claimed, he might serve as a perfect guide... and, perhaps, bodyguard. Those that might find one mare to be easy prey would surely pause at the sight of the armored stallion.
"Maybe you can," Diphda said after a moment of thinking, her gaze more thoughtful now as she scrutinized the stranger. "Shall we continue this discussion somewhere less out in the open?" She certainly wasn't worried, but it was a sensible suggestion. After all, she very much doubted that this stallion intended to help her out of the kindness of his heart.
((WC: 194))
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:16 am
A slight grin played across his face as he watched the mare work through her situation. He could tell that she had taken slight offense at him saying she was lost despite his careful tone. He could tell this one would certainly keep him on his toes. He hoped that his hunch was correct and that she was indeed wealthy so that she could make this worth his while.
At her suggestion of a more sheltered area, he nodded his head and gazed across the field. Though the sun's light was quickly fading, he recognized a familiar set of rolling hills off to the east. Turning back to the mare, he tossed his head in the direction of the hills, as if pointing. "There is a small forest on the other side of those hills, we could seek shelter there for the night, then we can work on the rest once we have some daylight tomorrow." Awaiting the mare's response, he forced a smile onto his face.
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 3:39 pm
So, he did know the land--unless he was making things up as he went along. Still, Diphda tried to comfort herself with the thought that she should be able to flee if this whole situation turned out to be a clever ruse. She nodded briskly at his words. "Fine then. Shall we?" The mare paused briefly to frown at him. "You might as well keep scowling. When you smile like that, it looks... painful." She slipped past him, keeping her eyes fixed on the east and one ear back--just in case the stallion wasn't as honest as he seemed.
((WC: 100))
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