|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:42 am
 |
|
|
|
Emerson flicked his tail with a lift of his head to glance over at his mate who was grazing beside him a moment ago. She hardly stayed in one spot so it didn't alarm him in the slightest. Straightening his neck he took a look around at the field and finally spotted her. The golden beauty that lit up his whole world. Her long pale blonde mane swaying amungst the grass in the breeze. Before joining her side again, he took a long moment to admire her. Which he often did. How lucky he was. When he had first laid eyes on Chantilly, he had been smitten. Her coloring an even blend of tan and white spots and a mask of white on her face that heightened her brilliant blue eyes. He felt giddy, heart full as he galloped to catch up. He chuckled when he was beside her and he made a comment "You make it hard to enjoy a patch if you keep moving my flower." His gaze was glued on her.
Chantilly lifted her head at the comment, giggling and sweeping some of her mane from her face. "Sorry my beloved. I just kept finding good spots and followed it." She took a step towards the grey stallion and nuzzled against him with her apology. "I will try to keep closer to you." She mused and lightly nipped at his jaw as she typically did when they were playful. "Come, this way." She flicked her tail in the breeze and led him towards the treeline. Her head bent down to sniff out the sweetest spots of grass and flowers.
Emerson followed attentively, making it his duty to have a long look around from time to time. By now she was used to his behavior and had on a few occassions referenced him like a deer. Pfft. As they drew closer to the trees, he cantered over before her and hit his hooves against a fruit bearing tree. Raining a few ripe apples down to the ground. "For my beauty. Tastier then the grass." When she cantered over, he stuck out his neck and brushed his muzzle against hers and into her mane. Feeling the golden locks drape his face. He inhaled a breath and removed his face to let her eat in peace. No sense getting tangled up in hair when he just gave her apples. He took one for himself and chewed while again looking around.
She grazed on the apples and paused, looking around as well. "So my beloved, anything spooky out there to be so worried over today?" She picked up a few uneaten apples to place in a pocket on her saddle. Usually her human wouldn't leave it on her when she was let free to roam but the woman had forgotten in her busy thoughts and let Chantilly go still dressed up. "No and I am always grateful." Was his response and she gave him another nuzzle, standing closest beside him. "Mhmm I can always count on you." She moved away from the trees, knowing going past them would make her mate paranoid. He followed with relief that she didn't complain again about not seeing what laid there in the forest. The day drifted on and soon the pair found themselves at an old bridge over a rather large and deep canyon.
Emerson tested the first wooden plank with a hoof. The whole bridge on their side wobbled but stayed in tact. "I will go first. Test it with my weight. Then you can cross." When she responded with a slow nod, he swallowed a lump in his throat and treaded out slowly. The bridge swayed and creaked with each step. It held up even when he was halfway over. "We could go another way?" Chantilly called to him with worry evident in her voice. Emerson felt it was safe enough, he had crossed it a few times in the past. "Come my flower, it will be fine." He called back and finished crossing to the land on the other side. There was an ease to his body once on solid ground again. "I know there are fields of flowers on this side and some humans. They might have something interesting." He called again for some reassurance.
Chantilly turned away and paced with worry before stepping up to the bridge again. She daintily stepped on the first plank like he had but quickly pulled her hoof back. Looking across the bridge to her mate, she saw his patience and understanding of being spooked. He had made it across with no problems. She boldly this time, took two steps out. The bridge swayed causing the mare to quickly canter across. "Whoa whoa slow down Chantilly" Came his voice on the other side. The bridge swayed and jostled from her quick jot across. Creaking noisely to add to her panic. She made it across much faster then he had and as soon as her hooves were set on solid ground she smushed herself in a hard press against him. His head bent down over her neck to comfort her. "Shh it's alright. We are fine." He murmured by her ear. His muzzle moved to fix her mane in soothing strokes until she felt better.
WC: 880
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2022 3:49 pm
|
|
|
 |
After some comfort the pair set off to find the fun and adventure. They walked a few miles before finding a field of flowers just like Emerson had mentioned. And just beyond it was a human settlement, with the smell of food wafting in the air towards them. "Smell that?" He asked, glancing over to her with a broad smile. "Apples!" they both chimed and started to gallop through the flowers.
"Come on slow poke! I might spare you one if you are lucky" she called as she galloped out in front of him with a laugh. Her spirit practically shining in the sunlight of the afternoon. While she was playing with him and pretending to beat him, he was also not picking up pace to really catch up to her either. Letting her win their pretend race. When she was just outside the first teepees, she slowed then stopped to look back at him. "You slowed down? You always let me win" she commented with fake disappointment in her voice.
"Oh no you don't!" he had called ahead to her teasing and like he did, he didn't actually run or be fast at all. Just enough to keep up but let her win. It was his thing. He chuckled when finally catching up to her, his canter taking him awhile to meet up where she stood. "Whew that was quite a ways. What about those apples?" he asked, giving her a nuzzle before walking onward. They mingled and greeted those around them both human and soquili alike. They shared a few apple treats like baked apple turnovers, apple cake and just normal apple in slices. Emerson bargained and traded for various other things that he could place inside a satchel hanging from Chantilly's saddle. It was his bag he used on occassion but she was sweet enough to carry for the day. "Are you sure I can't take the bag now?" He asked her, filling it with several apples along with the cup set she was getting as a gift for her human, a mini weaved basket that was painted up to look like it belonged to them for when they had foals (though this was far smaller then the real ones), and a figure she had wanted to keep for herself. "I could get another bag for the apples. Just so we don't damage the other things." He commented and despite a little protest from her, he did so.
She sighed and took the bag he traded for and helped by hanging it over his neck and adjusting it to side above his right front leg. He handed her each apple that she could place inside the new satchel at his side. She smiled and nuzzled his cheek. "May we go visit those flowers now before we go home?" When he nodded, she whinied happily and trotted out of the settlement to the field they had ran through to reach here. She stopped and waited for him patiently, the wind blowing her long mane and tail like a flag. He trotted up and knew without asking, what she was waiting for. He helped remove her bag and saddle leaving her free to do what came next. She sunk down and flopped onto her side in the flowers, rolling in them and laying on her side. Her head stayed lowered as she relished the various scents of the flowers.
He let her enjoy herself while picking out ones in her favorite colors to make a big bunch. There was a growing pile brought close to where she lay. The ones that looked damaged, undergrown, wilting or being pollenated by the bees he would leave alone. He inhaled a bunch of the scents himself while keeping busy. "There's plenty my light" came the sweet voice of his mate. Trotting back to her form, he set down the rest he had gathered before sinking to lay down. He watched as she busied herself now with an activity of weaving flowers for wreathes, bracelets, garland and necklace. Everything but a bracelet was put inside her bag. "My light, can you please?" The bracelet was beside the leg she wanted adorned and he happily placed it on her. "Beautiful. The flowers enhance you my dear." he admired. He planted a kiss on her head. "Let us go now before it gets dark. I would hate greater chances to run into the scarier things living amung us." She nodded in agreement but before she were to get up, he dragged her saddle up over her back. When she was up on her hooves, he adjusted her dressing with his snout until he was happy with placement then adjusted the buckles that held it in place below her chest and belly.
They walked back the few miles until they made it to the same rickety old bridge. "I will go across first. Like before. Take a deep breath and relax before crossing. We will be fine." Were his words to help her once again with this crossing. They didn't think of the fact their weights had changed with eating and gathering items to bring home. Emerson went out first like he said. A quarter of the way out, a board creaked and snapped under him.
"Watch out!" Chantilly neighed, stomping her front hooves in her worry. He moved his hoof in time, the bridge swaying as the one board fell away below. "That was crazy. It's okay, I'm fine. Just watch your step." He made it the rest of the way with little trouble after that. Though he did notice another board creaking and almost snapping. He would just warn her before she stepped on it.
Next it was her turn and she took several deep slow breathes before taking the first tentative steps out. She got up to the one missing, looking down between the slats at the open space and the canyon below. It made her freeze. "No don't look. Lift your head, take a breath and keep going my flower. Please" he coached from the other side, stepping out a quarter of the way on his side. "Come, you can't stay there." She shakily took the bigger step to the next board, trying not to go into panic mode again. Since the broken board, it wouldn't be a wise idea. She crossed all four hooves and continued to the middle of the bridge as it started to creak and sway again. "Emer?" She called, full worry in her tone when calling out to him. He didn't attempt to cross to her as it would just make it worse. "Almost there my flower. Please don't panic." She fought the need to close her eyes and crossed further as boards creaked and snapped without giving way. "Emer.." she heard a loud snap like a tether had broken. The bridge sunk causing her to gasp. It was only the first part of the problem. One side of the bridge then fell making all of the boards she stood on, tilt to a degree that made it impossible for someone with hooves to hold up. She tried to grasp a bit of the rope hanging free with her teeth but she couldn't hold her weight for long even if she managed to clamp on. "NOOOO! Chantilly!" It was the first time she had heard him say his name since she before she even agreed to be his mate. Now it was the last time, as she fell.
Her whiney bone chilling to the grey stallion who had to scramble back or he too fall. He stared in horror as her golden vision fell and disappeared. "No.. no no.. just keep.. just keep walking. It's fine." His eyes widened, staring after she was gone from sight. Unable to fully wrap his head around it. "You'll be fine. My flower..my love." It took everything not to leap out to join her. She was everything he had and needed. Without her, he didn't know what to do. "Chantilly. Please come across. We'll be home soon." He said in a softer tone, growing quieter in his mumblings. "Your human will loves those cups you found her.. and a flower wreath for the teepee." He took a slow step back, staring still at the broken bridge and where she fell. "We will enjoy the apples we brought, she can make a apple pie with. You love her apple pies." A tear fell from his eye. "I shouldn't have made you come with me." he murmured out loud as it sunk in more. "I should follow you. I can't be without you." He called again as his voice broke. He stepped back towards the edge but stood frozen. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't go through with throwing himself off into the chasm. It was dark with barely any moonlight to guide him home, before he backed away once more. He pulled the flower necklace out of the bag he still had on him, and set it down in her memory. "I'm so sorry. I.. couldn't help you and I failed as your mate." Turning away, he slowly trotted home to inform her family of what happened and how very sorry he was.
WC: 1,543
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2022 4:05 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
