Whatever It Is (open)

[nala]

"What now?
I just can't figure it out."

Stephani.

    She cried blood every single day of her life, and it dripped down, covering the left side of her neck and staining her heart a crimson that ran far deeper than any other equines heart. The mare, lanky and thin in all the right places, was white in all areas but that. Her heart and her tears would forever be stained just as her ancestors had been. She was alone now in this world, alone with her bleeding face and restless heart. The loneliness bored her. Or at least that was what she said.

    Thirsty and lonely, she traveled day in and day out looking for adventure and danger. She craved to feel alive, for so often these days she didn't. Feeling the crunch of bones and the sting of flesh was about all that could awaken her crimson heart. She didn't know of love, or its power to do the same. She'd never experienced anything deep but blood.


    Steph snorted as she smelled the border line. She'd arrived in the plains, a new and unfamiliar territory. She'd arrived and she was ready to take on whatever came her way. The mare paused, her thin body a mirage on the snow covered ground. The chestnut that peaked through, her families bloody tears, stuck out like a sore thumb on the landscape. Perhaps, though, this would allow her to be spotted rather then ignored. She huffed lightly, sending pillars of steam rolling up into the cloudless atmosphere. Her eye's searched the horizon as she mental sent out the message. I'm here. Come and get me. Give me a reason.

[skibbereenfarms]

     This was one of the rare days in which the sun could peek out from between the clouds. Since they were diving straight into the winter months, the sun's warmth hardly offered much comfort, and even intensified the reflective snow on the ground around them. Each step poked holes into the white blanket surrounding him, providing very little relief for his eyes.  Perhaps, Friederich considered, the plains was not the best place to stay during the winter. But it was a place where he was most welcome, so the stallion could hardly find the need to complain. Today, the stallion decided to scope out areas with a decent food source; knowing how scarce things could get around this time of year, he figured he would need to find somewhere he could feed without being bothered and keeping out of others' business. It struck him that genuine privacy could be hard to find in an open and public place such as this, but Friederich was lucky to find that very few others hailed here. So he was free to enjoy the eerie silence associated with a frosty winter's day and not risk being disturbed.

     Friederich decided to start in a small little area near the border. He found the air here to be a little less crisp, and if he stood in one place for a long time, he could just feel the sun's rays bringing warmth to his pelt. The stallion nuzzled through the top layer of snow in an attempt to find some decent blades of grass to nibble on. For the most part, the greenery was a little frosted, some to the point where they refused to budge even at the touch of his nostrils. But he managed to luck out a couple of times, finding blades that were decent enough for actual consumption. The pits of his stomach still rumbled, so he mindlessly continued his search, but not before his ears began twitching instinctively.  Perhaps he was not as alone as he thought.

     His body hastily assumed its proper position; legs straight, head high. A proper posture. He stuffed down the bit of nervousness that was attempting to replace the hunger in his stomach as his eyes scanned what open area was before him. He had to squint a little, but eventually his eyes fell upon another creature--actually, only a portion of a creature. From his position, he could only identify a single marking that seemed to make up only a small percentage of an animal, and though it confused him at first, he quickly determined that this unfamiliar face must have been genetically gifted with camouflage.  He was able to spot hints of movement against the bright landscape, and it slowly became clear that he was in another's presence. Which meant, of course, that it would be rude to ignore such an individual. So, the least he could do was say hello.

     The stallion, outwardly appearing to be rather curious, began making a trail in the snow that led toward the creature he had spotted. There was no need to smile, but he did settle with a look of concern and interest, to show that he was at least showing some form of care for the horse he has never met. "Begrüßung, do you mind if I ask who you are?"

notes. -casually squeezes in here- also Begrüßung = greetings.
words. 556.
muse. Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice) by Arcade Fire

[nala]

"What now?
I just can't figure it out."

Stephani.

It wasn't long before her eyes adjusted to the intense glare that covered the snow coated territory. With the adjustment came the blood of his own coat. Of course the he was but a judgement on his size. Sheltered as she was, large was always male and small was always female. She could only hope, in her case, she was right. Stephani was not stupid, but sly in a deviously calm way. She bore no smile when she noticed his posture change. He knew she was here, but he didn't seem to be able to pin point exactly who or even what she was. Quietly the mare turned to her left, disappearing almost entirely into the landscape, her chestnut marking held away, opposite to him.


She breathed deeply as he still approached. He had nothing to be afraid of, from the looks of it at least. He was at least twice her size, and looked bigger considering her intense camouflage. Holding in the air, she instinctively puffed up, still holding her head to the side. Camouflage was all she had at this particular moment. "Nzuri asubuhi. I am Stephani." She eased in and out of two languages just as easily as he had. Language was a strength she had, speaking many throughout her life. Her mother's tribal speak the one the instantly graced her tongue. Her eye's traveled over his body, gauging him and preparing a test.

[skibbereenfarms]

     With another foreign language gracing his ears, Friederich had to say he was steadily growing intrigued. He had no intention of intimidating her in any way, so he made a subtle attempt to relax in his stance. It was clear to him that this mare felt the need to protect herself for whatever reason; he hoped to convey that she need not act in such a way here. Knowing Waleran and his kindness, it was unlikely that she would have to fear for her life--unless, of course, she were haunted by demons. The stallion never really believed in those sorts of things, but he was sure of the fact that the past can creep up on a beast and bring much misfortune. It was for this very reason why he found himself living on the Plains. Everyone deserves a fresh start.

     Though Friederich could easily be a tyrant, it did not alter the overwhelming kindness in his heart. He really did try to be a good stallion, and he hoped that he could at least express this before this mare. "Stephani. It is a pleasure to meet you. As my father would say, willkommen." He perhaps would not have flaunted his mother tongue, but again, he enjoyed her foreign words almost as much as he enjoyed his own. "Welcome. You may call me Friederich." Though her expression hardly faltered, the stallion still found himself smiling. It felt good, greeting strangers on the land he shared. Thrill aside, there was a certain business he felt he needed to take care of. "What brings you to the Plains today, Miss Stephani?"

notes. n/a
words. 269
muse. Suburban War by Arcade Fire