Teach Me to See [Russell/open]

[Deleted]

Malece

The soft skin of the mare's nose quivered as she hesitantly scented the air, a cocktail of nervousness and anticipation causing her muscles to tense and her movements to be a little stiff. The near-white mare walked in the mist that engulfed the trunks of the trees, making it difficult to see very far in front of her. This, more than anything, caused her to feel unease, overactive imagination making up some masked caper to hide behind every tree. She probably looked ridiculous - she definitely felt ridiculous - but she could shake the fear that was rearing its head. However, there was also another side of the coin. Malece had been traveling for awhile on her own, and she'd basically been at her wits end. She'd never been alone much as a child, and she didn't like it. She felt unsettled all of the time, and not at all safe. So when she'd come across the boundary to this area and realized there were, indeed, equines here, she'd quickly set her path.

For her, it was a big step. She was a little nervous about meeting strangers, especially since she'd been rather sheltered as a girl. But the risk of them being bad people was worth it to not spend another night in the dark, all alone. Slowing to a stop, the mare raised her head, ears perked alertly forward as she let out a tentative whinny.

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Color ref: xkenren.deviantart.com/art/chestnut-splash-paint-horse-2-382402614

[Hud]

"Rebel children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory."

Russell's afternoon snack often consisted of the berries and other greenery Orut had to offer in the springtime. It was his favorite season, to be sure. The stallion meticulously inspected each blade of grass and each patch of berries to find the very best ones - the ripest ones. It was interesting to him how each crop turned out in relation to how they'd been previous years. The intricate inspection helped ease his strong desire for knowledge and study. His mind was a complicated one, one that craved information above all else. Russell, having finished one of his longer sessions with the flora, raised his head to swallow. The stallion decided that the next thing on his list was to take a well-deserved nap.

Perhaps it wasn't really "well-deserved". He hadn't done much of anything lately. Russell had met up with Gideon once or twice, but above that he hadn't done anything extraordinary. He supposed there wasn't much to do. That is, until he heard the sound of an unfamiliar equine in the distance.

The sound was timid but still insistent. Whoever it was wanted to be found, though the state of the other equine was not certain. Russell was absolutely horrendous at reading emotions from the common sounds of equines. The stallion had virtually abandoned all horse sounds in favor of words. He felt they were more sophisticated and less primal. Nevertheless, any sound was a good sound for a herd in need of members. Perhaps he could show Gideon that he was worth keeping around.

"Yes? Hello?" Russell responded with a louder tone than normal, but still not quite shouting. He picked up his light hooves and began walking toward the sound, hoping he would find him or her.

TAGS: Malece | NOTES: HE'S SUCH A CUTIE AND SO IS SHE.

[Deleted]

Malece

Malece shuffled nervously as she waited, hooves scritching in the dirt to keep her mind occupied. Because thinking was bad. Thinking led to thoughts like getting the hell out of there before anyone showed u-

A voice broke the silence, and Malece's head rose sharply, body skittering to the side. No, breathe. Malece forced herself to calm down, at least outwardly, though her heart rate was incredibly high. Really, above anything, she was excited. Nervous, of course, but excited. Malece realized that she should probably have answered the voice - the stallion, it seemed. He came through the fog, and she lowered her head, brown eyes watching carefully. He was a boldly marked stallion, not much taller than herself but more strongly muscled. Malece lowered her gaze, then slowly looked back up at him, head still slightly lowered. "H-Hello. I'm sorry if I'm intruding, I just... I heard there was a herd here, and..." Her voice slowly tapered off, and she felt heat rise in her face, gaze turning to his hooves. Well, this was embarrassing. She couldn't even speak correctly. Now he'd think some crazy had come to visit, and she'd be turned away. Ah, well. At least she'd get out of the situation quicker, and she'd never have to show her face again.