Spring was coming to a close, but the amount of injuries brought on by the season of love hadn't yet tempered off. Young stallions trying to impress mares by showing off in the most dangerous of ways, still in that youngster's mindset of feeling invincible, were learning they indeed were not as indestructible as they thought they were. Battles were taking place among those more dramatic of youngsters, resulting in wounds from small scratches from teeth to large bruises from kicks and bites. Ni'awtu had even had to help one colt, barely old enough to be thinking about these things, who had been bitten so badly, it looked like he'd been nibbled on by a small predator. The mares sometimes were no better, having petty rivalries and setting traps for their competitors in love. It was all beyond the older mare's comprehension. She had certainly never been this stupid. At least she didn't think she had been. Not that her past was anything she liked to indulge in, even now, so many years later and her life much better. No, she had gotten lucky with both of her loves, it seemed. No one to fight over them or her.
Was it just the changing in the times that made the youth of today act out like this? Or was she just not as observant as she always thought she was, to only notice now that she was older. Whatever it was, it hardly mattered. Lectures did nothing. All she could do was keep tending to their wounds and hope they learned from this.
From up high in the air, Ni'awtu looked down on the world, searching out anyone who might need her help. She passed over a forest, entering a meadow where she spotted a bay stallion who looked like he was bleeding from one of his front legs. Instantly concerned, she dove down, landing gracefully from much practice a good distance away from him, but close enough that the air from her wings ruffled his mane, streaming it behind him for a few seconds. She admitted it made for a regal sight, combined with his height and muscular frame, that any mare would find utterly captivating.
He didn't look young enough to be partaking in competitions for affections, however. Than again, age didn't always equal maturity. Nonetheless, she put on a friendly smile as she approached him. Her basket of herbs was tied to her back, hidden underneath the folds of her wings.
"Hello. I see you are bleeding. Do you ne--" Unicorn horn. She stopped speaking before she realized what she had been doing. He had a unicorn horn, meaning he likely had magical healing powers of his own. "Do you need assistance?" she managed to finish off, a large part of her now hoping he'd refuse her help. Feelings of failure coursed through her body. She should be able to do this, too. Had she a horn of her own.
Sarathiel, of course, did not need assistance. He had just finished enchanting a small bag of charms with his magical blood when this enchanting creature flew down from the sky to ask about his wellbeing. How kind and honorable of her. And such a beautiful mare she was, that he stood up a bit straighter, puffing out his massive chest just a little bit.
"What sort of assistance do you think I need?" he asked her with a hint of a suggestion in his voice. He watched as her eyes went a bit wide, his grin increasing. He always loved the more bashful reactions he got.
Oh, that....Wasn't the reaction she had been expecting. Ni'awtu cleared her throat, not sure what to do in situations like this, though she had received plenty of reactions like that from other equines over the many years of her doing this line of work. If Shikoba could cover ground like she could, she'd never leave home and thus spar herself these awkward interactions.
"Um...Your leg?" She had said he was bleeding. Was he secretly mocking her lack of a horn by ignoring the obvious question of if he needed medical help? He could. That made her even more nervous. Should she turn and fly away? Oh, but he had wings, too. Four of them, in fact. Four wings...
Oh, dear! She was in the presence of an Angeni! Now she definitely couldn't leave. She didn't want to offend that nobliest of breeds.
"Oh, that little thing? Never you worry about it. Is that why you have come down here to speak to me?"
"Yes?" she replied, uncertainty all over her voice. She couldn't recall speaking to someone like this ever before. He was filled with such confidence, it was almost blinding. But instead of being intrigued like other mares might be, Ni'awtu was more confused. She'd never been one for honeyed words. Words were just words and sometimes disguised true intentions. She'd been hurt too much in her past to allow herself to easily be swayed by another.
Besides, she had Prism back home. Sweet, kind Prism. She didn't need to play around with this stallion.
Forcing her head up higher, the blue mare shook her head, trying to shake herself of any insecurities playing about in her head. Clearly she needed a tougher approach with this one, Angeni or not. She needed to show confidence herself or he'd think he could walk all over her. "Yes. I offer healing services to anyone who needs it." She raised a wing to show off the basket, mentally stomping down on her anxieties. The way he was behaving helped bolster her own confidence. She didn't like feeling so uncomfortable.
Sarathiel kept the easy smile on his face as he listened. She didn't seem all that interested. At least not yet. Some mares took a bit of time to warm up to him, but they always came around to him.
He didn't bat an eye or waver when she lifted a wing, showing the basket against her side. The Kirin blood was obvious with her. But without a horn of her own, she couldn't heal and had to rely on other methods to do so. Admirable. He wasn't sure what he'd do without his own abilities, so dedicated to his own job was he that he barely did anything else.
"As I said," he continued. "I am fine. Nothing to worry about. Of course, if it would make you feel better, you can go ahead and heal my wound if you wish."
Ni'awtu thought only a little bit on that. "No. If you say it's fine, I believe you." Normally, she would have gone ahead and did what she could. Even a small wound could get infected and become something more serious later on. The uncomfortableness she was feeling kept her from going too close to him.
Lifting one foot, she stopped and put it down. She thought about leaving, but than got curious.
"How did you get it? If I may ask."
"Oh, I did it to myself." Sarathiel shrugged, showing her it really was no big deal. When her eyes went wider than they had before, he decided more than that would be needed in this case.
"I'm sure you have noticed I am an Angeni." He flapped his four wings to emphasis this, before folding them on top of each other against his sides. "And that we have powers the rest of equines do not. I am using my blood to make charms for Walkers." Nodding his head, he indicated the small bag at his feet, where a blue charm was clearly visible.
"Oh, my. That is a dangerous job." Like most in this world, she had heard a bit about the different things the God-like breed could do. She knew the ones who protected a domain had unique powers to themselves. This one, judging by what he was doing, definitely had something he protected. But that seemed like a rude thing to ask, something so personal to a single Angeni.
Ni'awtu was old enough to have grown up revering this angelic set of equines. She believed them to be the wisest of them all and the kindest. Despite how uncomfortable this one was making her, they all knew better than the regular equine. If his cut was nothing to worry about, she wouldn't worry. Maybe among their many talents was the ability to heal themselves.
Bowing her head in respect, she raised it with a little smile on her face, deciding to ignore the awkwardness. Or at least pretend like she was. "In that case, if you are okay, I must go back to my job." And before he could say anything more, or have the chance to think about making the situation more awkward, she turned and galloped away, unfolding her wings to the wind.
The bay stallion watched her go, the smile never leaving his face. He couldn't remember the last time is flirtations had failed. It never mattered if the mare in question had a mate or not, he had always managed to woo whoever he had wanted to. He felt a little taken aback by this one and part of him wanted to pursue more interactions with her. It always left him wanting more, like something was missing when he couldn't talk his way into spending a little time with a beautiful mare. But he wouldn't. Many may call him shameful, not knowing that he did, in fact, have some respect for those so clearly not interested in spending more time with him. It was fine. It wasn't as if she were the only female out there.
Chuckling a little, Sarathiel picked up the tiny bag and carried it off to a safe spot to store it.