firewood ― open

[skibbereenfarms]

ASTRID
―the valiant

Solidarity had been the only source of serenity for the mare, but recently she had discovered that such serenity could only be milked for so long. Astrid could not recall the last time she had spoken with an individual that did not happen to be her own reflection or an inanimate object. It was rather difficult for her, considering most of her experiences with those of her own kind ended rather poorly. But she supposed that if she could change and mold herself into the kind of creature she wanted to be, then she would be able to merge herself into a world where

She meandered about the wood, pacing, wishing there were a proper way to plan for this just as she could with an attack. Defending herself was not the problem, but offending others was. It was basic knowledge that Astrid was not a sociable one; she was bred for the soul purpose of being a warrior. At this point she was a soldier without something to defend. In other words, essentially useless.

The mare's peripheral vision trailed toward the lake in the far distance― a filthy place where not even she would dare to tread. She turned away with a snort and a flick of her head, burrowing deeper into the solid grounds of the Halete forest. The echoes of those she lost to the water could not be heard from such a distance. Besides, she wasn't listening to them. She was searching for something foreign, someone new.

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[nala]

Pilate.

Standing in the shadows was a trait of Pilate's family. Often the dark lineage of the great Caiaphas was found taking shelter in the cold depths of such places. However, at the age of four, a necessary curiosity was constantly tugging on the conscience of Caiaphas' only son. He couldn't remain still in the shadows for long. He need to touch things, taste them. He needed to experience every aspect of his life in order to feel like he was living.

His height was nearly full, and his coat gleamed with its total vibrancy. No longer was he plagued by the grey fuzz of colt-hood, yet still he hadn't worn himself out enough to fade. He was blacker then the night and his sweat slicked back his coat with a greasy shine. Pilate liked to think of himself as a looker. If only everyone else thought this his life might go a lot more smoothly. If only the ladies thought him to be as stunning as he thought himself, he wouldn't have to worry about his blunt tongue. Often he found his eyes falling over a young female with a confidence that trumped his father's ten times over, but as soon as he opened his mouth to speak he found himself getting a mouth full of hoof that his father never experienced. Arrogance always got the best of Pilate. If he was to succeed he needed to learn how to control it. If he was to succeed he needed to care.

Standing in the shadows of the freelands during the spring months seemed to be the prime hunting time for lady friends, and it wasn't long before a pretty young thing came pacing towards him. The silver in her mane was particularly intriguing and Pilate couldn't help himself and longer. "Well, hello beautiful." His voice was husky, just as his fathers had been. Everything in his posture mirrored Caiaphas and yet, as he began his pursuit he betrayed everything his father had come to stand for.

ooc: it'll get better! I promise!

[skibbereenfarms]

ASTRID
―the valiant

The very last thing Astrid wanted right now was to be pestered by some fool who thought she would swoon from a couple of clever words, but alas, it seemed that the mare never really got what she wanted. She likely would have payed no heed, had he not directed a comment at her which she was not overly fond of. It was that sort of thing that really set her off; stallions like him thought they could just say what they want without consequence. Astrid supposed that's what she was here for, to show them that there was consequence to speaking to someone like that.

Astrid had halted when he spoke, stomping a hoof into the dirt. She rolled her eyes, unable to believe that she was going to have to confront this stallion. Talk about a waste of her time. She could've been heading for the hills by now, but instead she had to spin herself around to face the source of the rugged voice. As she usually did, Astrid looked him over with an unimpressed stare. She wasn't sure if he even knew what he was doing; he looked so young, which likely meant that he was inexperienced. In other words, stupid.

"Oh what the hell," she exhaled. She was finished with the conversation before it had even gotten the chance to start. "What makes you think you can just hit on someone like that? Are you that thick in the head?"

^{ooc: formal apology for her rudeness :'D}

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[nala]

"Strong words for one so small." Pilate's face contorted with confusion and anger as he watched the little bay mare sass off to him as if he was but a mere rat crawling around her hooves. Quickly he decided to move away from the shadows that his family called home. If words weren't what she wanted, perhaps his striking good looks would be able to take her for a spin. His feathered hooves were lifted high as he walked out towards her and his chest doubled in size as he took in a gasp of air.

He eye'd her, taking in her soft wisps of silver colored hair more then anything else. She was a looker even if he wasn't, there was no question in his mind. "What's your name, Princess?" He didn't get too close to her as he circled, in fact, when he'd made a full turn around her he put a tree between them. He wasn't about to risk his hide just to attract a testy mare. "Mine's Pilate." He whispered, peaking out from behind his tree of protection.

ooc: yuck. I suck at this. -rust falls off in heaps-

[skibbereenfarms]

ASTRID
―the valiant

Such a comment made the mare's jaw drop in disbelief. Clearly she had declared her dislike for the stallion's comment toward her, and yet he felt the need to continue with such disrespectful words. It hadn't occurred to her that it was all he knew in the ways of speaking to other mares, for lack of proper teachings was hardly an excuse. Some horses could be naturally respectful toward others, should they permit themselves to. But clearly, he had no regards for such ideals. Astrid was the least bit amused. His words made her cringe slightly. It was words like those that could get a mare going. "I do not think you are worthy of learning my name just yet," she spat. Her eyes traced the shadows, searching for breaks in the darkness and movement from the source of these rude outbursts. "In my opinion, you have quite a long way to go before I can even consider revealing my identity to you." The mare remained motionless, her hooves practically clutching to the earth.

There would be no more of this mysteriousness, she decided. She didn't have time for such stupid games. Either he was going to tell her the truth, or she was going to leave. If there just so happened to be an altercation in between, so be it. Astrid was in no way weak. "What is it that you want? Do you always hide yourself? That's quite a sign of cowardliness, you know. Too afraid to reveal your face, and yet you are so proud of your words. It leads me to believe you are weak, and that we are simply wasting our time here. Either state your purpose or leave."

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