Post by darkstar2000 on Feb 27, 2010 3:15:12 GMT -5
Characters:
Luna - Female Horse
Mitexi - Female Horse
Nukpana - Female Horse
Takala - Female Horse
Darkstar - Male Horse
Lootah - Male Horse
Setting:
Grassy Plains
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Darkstar has been keeping a low profile lately, mostly by patrolling along the borders of the herd lands and keeping an eye out for rogue stallions. The black stallion has taken a calculated risk by giving Lootah space. There is simply no way he could have forced the stallion to stay in the herd by shadowing his every movement. It wasn't a realistic expectation, nor practical. No, the only way to keep Lootah in the herd was to give him the space and time to want to stay on his own. Darkstar gambled the mares would do their best to convince him to stay, or at least he'd hoped so. Now that sufficient time has passed he is on his way back towards the heart of the herd territory to see how things are going. He is uncertain whether the other stallion has chosen to stay or not but there's really only one way to find out. Darkstar is keeping up a slow trot to avoid jostling a healing wound on his right shoulder. During his time along the border he had gotten into a brief skirmish with a wolf, before he'd managed to drive it off. The wound is aching but at least it is healing well and the bruising around it is gone.
Like Darkstar, Lootah too was trying to keep a low profile. This was rather unlike him in a way, as he did enjoy being the center of attention when it came to mares. Now though, he was at the eastern side of the herd's territory, capitalising on the vast expanses of grass that this area had to offer. He'd offered the advice to the mares: bulk up while you can. For days now, the stallion seemed to be endlessly grazing, only running around and burning off the calories a few times per day, but he was still very fit. The paint did the same this day. Having just ran through the area, he had now stopped and had his flesh-toned muzzle pinned to the ground, ripping at large chunks of grass and guzzling them down before he repeated the action hundreds of times. With his white tail flicking at his flanks and hocks, the Mustang lifted his head and interrupted his grazing activity only once, and that was when he heard the sounds of something arriving. His deep brown eyes caught sight of the black stallion, Darkstar, and for once, he didn't react at all. Gnawing at the leafy blades, his golden ears flicked forward, and then tucked back in a relaxed manner. With the bit of grass swallowed, he let out a quiet nicker to the other male. Apparently, he wasn't going to start anything today. From this distance, he could tell something was odd about the Arabian's gait, but he couldn't see the wound just yet.
Darkstar slows almost to a stop when the sharp tang of another stallion grows thick in his nostrils. He brings his head up and both ears perk forward, while his dark eyes scan across the vast expanses of grassland. It takes a moment for the familiar scent to be recognized as Lootah's, but he relaxes as soon as it comes to mind. He turns his head in the direction of the nicker just in time to see Lootah's voracious grazing. He's almost tempted to crack a joke about eating out the herd, but he keeps it to himself. The Arabian is glad that his gamble worked, but it's been a while since he last saw the other stallion and he's uncertain of how the other stallion will react to him. He doesn't seem to want to cause trouble for the moment, but Darkstar knows he can be rather unpredictable from their previous encounters. Darkstar approaches Lootah cautiously at a quick walk, doing his best not to favor his shoulder. Still, he's received worse injuries from Lootah in the past and so he's not goin to worry about it. Instead he gives the other male an unsteady smile once he draws closer, "Hello Lootah. How are you faring?" He asks simply. He doesn't ask him why he is still here, or anything else. For now it's best just to try and keep things simple...and hopefully civil. The Arabian comes to a halt several feet away and doesn't go any closer. He doesn't act dominant, though he does remain rather wary.
At the stallion's arrival, Lootah doesn't give any signs of being aggressive or hostile at all. The poor guy just wanted to graze for a while, with his presence not overbearing on a few mares in particular. Mostly the one that he'd had a talk with the previous day, Nukpana. Not that her words really got through to him, but because he didn't particularly like her and the other mares were either resting or grazing in their own spots. Now though, he had Darkstar to deal with. Or, so he thought. The black stallion had arrived with all the valor that the Arabian had given in previous meetings, which gives Lootah reason enough to roll his eyes at the older male. Though the eye roll is friendly enough. "Hey." He says nonchalantly, and tosses his head in a greeting. ..Greeting?! Yes, he went so far as to even /respond/ in a friendly manner. Such progress he was making! Looking back to the ground, he scuffed an ivory hoof against the grass in thought, and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm alright. Just grazing for a bit. What about you?" He wondered aloud, half-heartedly. Looking back to Darkstar, he notices the gash in his shoulder and blinks. "..What happened to you? Have a run in with a wolf or something?" He asks with a chuckle, completely oblivious as to the real reason why, though.
Darkstar is honestly surprised by Lootah's behavior. Where is the stark hatred in his eyes? Where is the hot-headed anger? Where are the insults? He blinks and glances at Lootah to make sure that this is indeed the same stallion. It's all very encouraging but at the same time he isn't sure if someone can just change their true nature that fast. Still, he's not looking to start something and the other stallion does deserve a chance. Darkstar gives a whicker of greeting in return, still a bit taken off-guard by this new Lootah. Darkstar then gives a very brief roll of his shoulders, his version of a shrug, "I am glad to hear you are doing well. Actually, irony of ironies, I did get in a scuffle with the rogue wolf actually. It's gone now, probably limping around with a hoof print to the rear. It did get my shoulder, but if it hadn't been a wolf it likely would have been something else, it'll heal." He black stallion remarks, not that the other stallion would care at all anyway. Darkstar gives his mane a shake and then ventures to ask, "So what have been up to lately, other than grazing I mean?" He asks, wondering what the stallion has been doing during his absence. Darkstar considers grazing for a bit himself, but with the way the other stallion is eating he decides to wait until later. It's odd, normally he gets along easy with others, but now things just seem rather awkward.
Lootah is just as surprised with his behavior toward Darkstar. It wasn't like he wasn't thinking angry thoughts about the stallion; here he was, grazing peacefully away from all the crap he'd gotten in the past few days, and now this guy had to come waltzing in to take all of his peace away. Those thoughts were, for once, kept to himself however, on top of the fact that he just didn't want to have another argument. If Darkstar stuck around, he'd just have to silently deal with it. It wasn't as if the Arabian's presence there was a threat, anyway. He'd made it quite obvious that he wasn't going to assert dominance. Hearing the real reason of the wound to his shoulder, Lootah lets out a brief chortle of laughter, though it wasn't meant to be cruel or even at the wound itself, but that he had guessed right. "Really? Well.. at least it didn't eat you or anything." He offers this token of sympathy, and then blinks slowly, looking up to the sky when the silence occurs. "Mm, nothing. Keeping a watch on the mares..grazing.. that's.. that's about it."
Luna is among those mares who are just grazing. She's not close enough to catch all of the conversation, though she picks up enough bits and pieces on the wind to get a general idea of what's being talked about. She can't see Darkstar's wound from here, but she knows what a bite mark from a wolf looks like. Still, that's not what's got her attention. Like Darkstar, Lootah's sudden change of heart and behavior has her curious, and although she disguises it with her muzzle in the tall grass, her ears and eyes are turned towards the two stallions.
After her little chat with Lootah, Nukpana hasn't given him very much thought at all. That's not to say that she's blocked him out of her mind completely, just that she hasn't bothered to rehash the same thoughts over and over again since there's nothing new to think about. She's gone back to her old trick of ignoring him. Darkstar, on the other hoof, gets an occasional glance, as the mare hardly knows him well enough to figure him out and his actions have left her wondering about him enough that she's not as dismissive of him as she'd otherwise be. But mostly her focus is on grazing; what the males are talking about hardly matters to her.
Takala is grazing somewhere in the vast space between Nukpana and Lootah. Briefly, she looks up at the two stallions and wonders if the conversation is going to take the same nasty turn it has in the past. So far, it doesn't look that way and she is both curious and yet grateful. The mare turns her attention back to the task at hand - namely, chewing - as she doesn't want to interrupt their conversation, and satisfies herself with her own silent thoughts for now.
Darkstar is good to his word about not asserting dominance. He doesn't crowd Lootah's space or get too close. He's quite content to remain where he is for the moment. He isn't talking to Lootah to be cruel, but simply to catch up on what he's been missing. Still, something about the stallion's behavior does seem rather off to him. Darkstar blinks at the sudden laughter, and he's even more surprised to find himself joining in with it. Sympathy isn't something that he's seeking anyway, so the dark humor seems much more suitable...and more Lootah in a sense. When he stops laughing he blinks rapidly before rumbling in amusement, "No, not entirely anyway. Just a bite." He agrees. Darkstar then scuffs at the ground with one hoof, more out of habit than anything. His ears flick at Lootah's description of events and he gives a dip of his muzzle in acknowledgement. At least things have been peaceful, and it almost sounds like the herd has settled back into it's normal pattern. Despite everything that has happened, the black stallion is happy that Lootah decided to stay after all. He didn't think Dorado would be the same herd without the paint stallion. He remains silent for a moment before at last speaking again, "I'm glad you stayed." He admits, though he doesn't give his reasons why. Instead he decides to do something rather unusual. While most of the place is just grass, there is the occasional shrub here and there. Most of them have lost their leaves, but one scruffy one looks to have some dark shapes along the branches. The stallion leans his head over and snips one of the branches from the shrub before dropping it to the ground, "Here is a rare treat." He announces. It's amazing that the squirrels haven't stolen them all, but attached to the snipped branch are wild hazelnuts. He doesn't wait to see if the stallion will try them or not. In a few moments he has even more branches from the shrub snipped down. He closes his teeth around them and lifts them up, looking in the direction of the mares in the distance. He gives a soft whicker of greeting from around clenched teeth. From the way they are looking, they seem to be curious he's guessing. It's about time for him to try to get to know them, as much as they'll let him anyway.
Glad that everything had been taken in stride and that Darkstar took no offense to his laughter, even if he hadn't intended it that way to begin with, he still grinned. Glancing down to Darkstar's hoof that had been scuffed across the ground however, he clears his throat and looks off to the distance where he saw the mares were, and blinked. Surely they would've been confused by his civil behavior, and also by there not being any signs of a fight brewing between the two stallions. In fact, Darkstar had even given him something and had thanked him for staying. Another blink, and his white tail flicked harsher than normal. A scoff was finally given, and he looked away. "I never said I was staying." He said in a rejecting sort of manner, but brought his head back and sniffed at the hazlenut branch, but wrinkled his muzzle and rejected the gift as well. "No thanks. Save 'em for the mares." He said, and took a step away from Darkstar, heading at first toward the mares, but noting Nukpana's presence there, he took a swift turn away from all of them, Takala and Luna included, and instead headed back to the lowlands where he was more comfortable.
Luna gets more and more confused. Civil behavior? Gifts? What in all the worlds is going on here? If she didn't know better, she'd think the two stallions were becoming friends, bonding even. She's seen a lot, but that'd certainly be a first for her. She doesn't really react to the called offer from Darkstar, unable to see clearly what he's holding in his muzzle, but when Lootah first approaches only to change his mind and head in the other direction she at least raises her head. There's obviously a lot going on she hasn't exactly been privy to, and that ... somewhat annoys her. She takes a deep breath, bones creaking a bit as she starts walking towards Darkstar. Might as well find out what all the fuss is about.
Just because Nukpana takes an instant disliking to stallions doesn't mean that she's not interested in getting to know them better. In fact, they may find her willing to completely reverse her opinion. But at the moment, Lootah is scum, so she flattens her ears slightly when he takes a step in their direction and doesn't appear upset at all when he changes his mind. On the other hoof, Darkstar's behavior has her curious as she can't quite tell what he's doing, and her interest is enough to cause her to stop grazing and watch, though she doesn't approach yet.
Darkstar's whicker captures Takala's attention. She lifts her head once again, in time to see Lootah walking in her direction. Wait, now he's leaving! The mare frowns as she watches him turn and head in the opposite direction. Her senses now focus on the other stallion, her curiosity renewed. As Luna begins to walk, Takala does too, trotting a little until she comes up alongside the older mare. She pauses to look over at Nukpana. "Are you coming?"
Darkstar watches Lootah head off but his mouth is stuffed too full of branches with hazelnuts on them and he can't answer. It's a shame that he's run off, but it seems the other stallion still needs some space for the moment. Darkstar gives a soft huff and then turns his attention back to the mares. He's surprised to see three pairs of eyes on him. To be honest, he's just as curious about the mares as they seem to be about him. He's a little more familiar with Nukpana than the other two, but not by much. He turns his head so that all three are somwhat within his field of vision and trots forward to meet them half-way. The stallion then comes to a halt and drops the branches a few feet in front of him so that he can talk to the mares. The male dips his head politely in greeting and addresses all of them at once, "Hello there. For those of you who haven't met me yet, my name is Darkstar. I am going to be part of this herd from now it on it seems, though I won't presume to be in charge. As for these branches, they contain a special treat. You are all free to help yourself to some or not as you choose. I would like the chance to get to know you all better at some point. But I can tell you a little bit about myself to start. I used to be lead stallion of the Sagebrush heard, back when Starlight was the lead mare then. Some stuff happened and I ended up being captured by two-leggers for a while, but I escaped and managed to find my way back here only to find a lot had changed. Anyway, if you have any questions for me feel free to ask." He tells them, before falling silent and waiting patiently to hear what the others have to say.
Luna simply listens to the stallion's little monologue, giving a couple of polite nods at key points of the story. She'd heard about as much from listening to others talking, but it's nice to actually hear it from the stallion himself. "Two stallions in a herd," she muses, looking from the black arabian down to the offered branches. Too bad they're not olives, that would've been a much more interesting metaphor. "I thank you for your gift, but I tend to get those stuck between my teeth for days on end." She looks back up, tilting her head a bit as she finally gets a chance to actually look closely at this black stallion. "And congratulations on not only escaping the jaws of two-leggers, but finding your way home to what remains of your old herd. Few are as lucky."
Snorting quietly at Takala's question, Nukpana reluctantly follows the others. In fact, she trots briefly to catch up. She's certain that whatever's about to happen will be utter foolishness. However, what Darkstar says obviously perks her interest even though she's heard or has guessed most of it already. It's the way he finishes that causes the reluctance in her face to vanish. Questions? Oh, she has questions! And plenty of them, too. "Why did you want Lootah to stay?" she speaks up quickly, as that's the question that's been foremost in her mind lately.
Mitexi moves from the west at a steady, pacing trot, which extends to a smooth canter as the small gathering of horses reaches her eyes, her ears. It had been some time since the kiger mare had seen others; again, she had a tendancy to wander off into the world, searching for something to interest her, and keep her interest held. Arriving down to the other horses just as the strange mare asked something about Lootah, Mitexi swievelled her ears, slowing to a walk and moving next to Luna; the only familiar face. She looks at the others, her ears tilting backwards. Miraculously, she holds her tongue.
Takala is cautious of the hazelnuts lying on the ground in front of her. So far, no one has taken the proffered gift. Reaching out her muzzle, she sniffs tentatively at the thing before grasping one of the 'treats' between her teeth and plucking it gently from the branch. "S'good," she mumbles quietly after a few seconds of chewing, and then helps herself to another. She snacks all through Darkstar's tale, listening with interest; especially the part about being captured and escaping. His history, and the manner in which he speaks, helps her to form a favorable first impression of the stallion. Then it's question time and Nukpana pipes up immediately. There is movement out of the corner of her eye - another horse approaching. The black mare doesn't recognize her and gives her a smile as she walks up next to Luna, before turning her hears in anticipation of Darkstar's response.
Darkstar pricks his ears forward upon hearing Luna's comment about two stallions in the herd. He knows it isn't directed at him but he can't help but chuckle, "These are going to be interesting times indeed." He mutters softly. Darkstar then dips his muzzle in acknowledgement of her polite refusal, "I understand." He replies, not pressuring her to take any if she doesn't want them. The stallion then gives a whicker of gratitude in response to her words, "Thank you. It was not an easy feat but I am definitely glad to be back. I am very very luck to be here at all and I'm not going to take that for granted. Anyway since we're all just getting to know one another, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself? Of course you don't have to if you don't want to." He assures, making it clear it is only a request. His attention soon shifts to Nukpana and he gives her a small smile. She's the only one he knows to some small degree, although he also remembers her dislike for stallions. Even so, it doesn't make him any less curious about her. Still, it seems she does have some questions. And it looks to him like the others want to know the same thing. So he takes a moment to gather his thoughts and then begins his explanation, "That is a good question Nukpana and I'll do my best to answer it. I'm sure most of you have probably heard of the fight that happened between Lootah and I. Well he was defeated, or call it a draw perhaps because of what Starlight did. But either way, Lootah was ready to leave because of it. I stopped him from leaving for the sake of the herd. In my absence the old herd disbanded and a new one was formed. Lootah was the one to help form this herd, along with Starlight. Even if I had been leader of the old herd, I couldn't rightly expect everything to go back to the way it was with this one. Lootah formed this one, shaped this one, and is ultimately a part of this herd whether he wants to admit it or not. During this time you all got to know him, but few of you know much about me. I did not wish to take that from him which he had rightfully earned, and I did not wish to take from all of you someone who is important in his own way. Lootah does have his faults just like any stallion, but I do too. Also, having him with us will give the herd an added measure of protection, even though I could handle that fine on my own if needed. Does that explain it well enough?" He asks, before turning his attention to the arriving Mitexi. He's not familiar with her scent but she doesn't seem to be dangerous like Pauwau. He whickers a greeting to her, not seeing any reason why she can't join up with the other mares. A sidelong glance is given to Takala and he grins, glad to see that someone is enjoying the hazelnuts at least. Silence falls after that as he waits for further questions, or anything else they might have to say.
Luna is about to answer the stallion's request for a bit about herself, but when he delves into another monologue she merely smiles, nodding once and taking a single step back. She's in no rush to tell her story, and the longer she gets to watch and examine this new stallion's behavior, the safer she'll feel about telling it at all. So far, indeed, he's made a good impression, but she knows better than most how looks can be deceiving. "It's very big of you to let a defeated rival stay," she says after taking a few moments to consider a proper response. "And I hope you'll forgive me for being so direct, but won't this become a much bigger problem after the winter, once spring sets in with ... all that entails?" She smiles a bit, looking to Takala with the hazelnuts, then the arriving Mitexi. Her attention quickly returns to the stallion, though, and she bows her head a bit. "And my name is Luna, by the way."
Though she can't listen to Darkstar's explaination without getting a bit of a sour look on her face since she has an entirely different opinion of Lootah's merits, Nukpana does appreciate being able to get a glimpse into how Darkstar's mind works. She's not sure how she feels about the reasoning; perhaps she'll have to think it over later. In the meantime, while she does have more questions she's sure they're of more particular interest to her so they'll go unasked if the others have their own. Instead she takes a brief interest in what appears to be yet another mare that belongs to the herd that she hasn't met yet. Her ears perk as she looks in Mitexi's direction, though her expression remains neutral.
Mitexi swishes her dark tail over tan haunches, still looking slightly irritable as she shifts her weight from leg to leg, until she decides to rest her right hind. She doesn't even look placid at the myriad of smiles she recieves, she merely regards them with a nod of her own, before the stallion begins a talk - and apparently, he's a talker. Of course, Mitexi thinks that the strange stallion makes a grand old point - Lootah had been the one to greet herself, after all; him and Luna. Still, Luna - whom Mitexi had started to associate with wisdom - came out with another response, which surprised the kiger mustang. Mitexi had thought that Luna and Lootah, bickering as they do, were fairly close. "Yeah," she finally pipes up, uninvited. "I don' think that Lootah will want to share the...loot." Harhar.
Noticing Nukpana's lack of response, Takala takes her silence as an opportunity to hold out the hazelnut branch towards her as an offering. "Try one," she urges. Whether Nukpana appreciates it or not (and the answer is probably not), the young black mare has become her rather devoted follower. Oh, she's still paying attention to the conversation, but all of her questions (and more) are being taken care of by Luna, whose judgment and wisdom she has begun to trust.
Darkstar is disappointed when Luna doesn't tell more about herself, though he knows much of it is his own fault. He could ask again, but that might put undue pressure on the mare. He knows nothing of her past, and he could be stepping onto some painful subject he doesn't know about. She seems willing to wait to tell it, so he decides he'll just have to wait to hear it. He then nods as Luna makes a very good point, "Thank you. Indeed, nothing about this is going to be easy. The way I see it, when the time comes it should be your choice as to whom you choose. That will keep us stallions accountable, and make things easier for all of you. Maybe it's a bit idealistic, but the risk is really only to myself, and that's something I'm willing to take a chance on. It may come down to the old-fashioned way to settle it, and if it does then it does. But until then I'll do my best to try to make this work." He states. A nod is given to Mitexi, who seems to have the same concerns. If the answer isn't satisfactory then he'll explain further, but he stops there for the moment.
OOC: Posting as we go.
Luna - Female Horse
Mitexi - Female Horse
Nukpana - Female Horse
Takala - Female Horse
Darkstar - Male Horse
Lootah - Male Horse
Setting:
Grassy Plains
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Darkstar has been keeping a low profile lately, mostly by patrolling along the borders of the herd lands and keeping an eye out for rogue stallions. The black stallion has taken a calculated risk by giving Lootah space. There is simply no way he could have forced the stallion to stay in the herd by shadowing his every movement. It wasn't a realistic expectation, nor practical. No, the only way to keep Lootah in the herd was to give him the space and time to want to stay on his own. Darkstar gambled the mares would do their best to convince him to stay, or at least he'd hoped so. Now that sufficient time has passed he is on his way back towards the heart of the herd territory to see how things are going. He is uncertain whether the other stallion has chosen to stay or not but there's really only one way to find out. Darkstar is keeping up a slow trot to avoid jostling a healing wound on his right shoulder. During his time along the border he had gotten into a brief skirmish with a wolf, before he'd managed to drive it off. The wound is aching but at least it is healing well and the bruising around it is gone.
Like Darkstar, Lootah too was trying to keep a low profile. This was rather unlike him in a way, as he did enjoy being the center of attention when it came to mares. Now though, he was at the eastern side of the herd's territory, capitalising on the vast expanses of grass that this area had to offer. He'd offered the advice to the mares: bulk up while you can. For days now, the stallion seemed to be endlessly grazing, only running around and burning off the calories a few times per day, but he was still very fit. The paint did the same this day. Having just ran through the area, he had now stopped and had his flesh-toned muzzle pinned to the ground, ripping at large chunks of grass and guzzling them down before he repeated the action hundreds of times. With his white tail flicking at his flanks and hocks, the Mustang lifted his head and interrupted his grazing activity only once, and that was when he heard the sounds of something arriving. His deep brown eyes caught sight of the black stallion, Darkstar, and for once, he didn't react at all. Gnawing at the leafy blades, his golden ears flicked forward, and then tucked back in a relaxed manner. With the bit of grass swallowed, he let out a quiet nicker to the other male. Apparently, he wasn't going to start anything today. From this distance, he could tell something was odd about the Arabian's gait, but he couldn't see the wound just yet.
Darkstar slows almost to a stop when the sharp tang of another stallion grows thick in his nostrils. He brings his head up and both ears perk forward, while his dark eyes scan across the vast expanses of grassland. It takes a moment for the familiar scent to be recognized as Lootah's, but he relaxes as soon as it comes to mind. He turns his head in the direction of the nicker just in time to see Lootah's voracious grazing. He's almost tempted to crack a joke about eating out the herd, but he keeps it to himself. The Arabian is glad that his gamble worked, but it's been a while since he last saw the other stallion and he's uncertain of how the other stallion will react to him. He doesn't seem to want to cause trouble for the moment, but Darkstar knows he can be rather unpredictable from their previous encounters. Darkstar approaches Lootah cautiously at a quick walk, doing his best not to favor his shoulder. Still, he's received worse injuries from Lootah in the past and so he's not goin to worry about it. Instead he gives the other male an unsteady smile once he draws closer, "Hello Lootah. How are you faring?" He asks simply. He doesn't ask him why he is still here, or anything else. For now it's best just to try and keep things simple...and hopefully civil. The Arabian comes to a halt several feet away and doesn't go any closer. He doesn't act dominant, though he does remain rather wary.
At the stallion's arrival, Lootah doesn't give any signs of being aggressive or hostile at all. The poor guy just wanted to graze for a while, with his presence not overbearing on a few mares in particular. Mostly the one that he'd had a talk with the previous day, Nukpana. Not that her words really got through to him, but because he didn't particularly like her and the other mares were either resting or grazing in their own spots. Now though, he had Darkstar to deal with. Or, so he thought. The black stallion had arrived with all the valor that the Arabian had given in previous meetings, which gives Lootah reason enough to roll his eyes at the older male. Though the eye roll is friendly enough. "Hey." He says nonchalantly, and tosses his head in a greeting. ..Greeting?! Yes, he went so far as to even /respond/ in a friendly manner. Such progress he was making! Looking back to the ground, he scuffed an ivory hoof against the grass in thought, and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm alright. Just grazing for a bit. What about you?" He wondered aloud, half-heartedly. Looking back to Darkstar, he notices the gash in his shoulder and blinks. "..What happened to you? Have a run in with a wolf or something?" He asks with a chuckle, completely oblivious as to the real reason why, though.
Darkstar is honestly surprised by Lootah's behavior. Where is the stark hatred in his eyes? Where is the hot-headed anger? Where are the insults? He blinks and glances at Lootah to make sure that this is indeed the same stallion. It's all very encouraging but at the same time he isn't sure if someone can just change their true nature that fast. Still, he's not looking to start something and the other stallion does deserve a chance. Darkstar gives a whicker of greeting in return, still a bit taken off-guard by this new Lootah. Darkstar then gives a very brief roll of his shoulders, his version of a shrug, "I am glad to hear you are doing well. Actually, irony of ironies, I did get in a scuffle with the rogue wolf actually. It's gone now, probably limping around with a hoof print to the rear. It did get my shoulder, but if it hadn't been a wolf it likely would have been something else, it'll heal." He black stallion remarks, not that the other stallion would care at all anyway. Darkstar gives his mane a shake and then ventures to ask, "So what have been up to lately, other than grazing I mean?" He asks, wondering what the stallion has been doing during his absence. Darkstar considers grazing for a bit himself, but with the way the other stallion is eating he decides to wait until later. It's odd, normally he gets along easy with others, but now things just seem rather awkward.
Lootah is just as surprised with his behavior toward Darkstar. It wasn't like he wasn't thinking angry thoughts about the stallion; here he was, grazing peacefully away from all the crap he'd gotten in the past few days, and now this guy had to come waltzing in to take all of his peace away. Those thoughts were, for once, kept to himself however, on top of the fact that he just didn't want to have another argument. If Darkstar stuck around, he'd just have to silently deal with it. It wasn't as if the Arabian's presence there was a threat, anyway. He'd made it quite obvious that he wasn't going to assert dominance. Hearing the real reason of the wound to his shoulder, Lootah lets out a brief chortle of laughter, though it wasn't meant to be cruel or even at the wound itself, but that he had guessed right. "Really? Well.. at least it didn't eat you or anything." He offers this token of sympathy, and then blinks slowly, looking up to the sky when the silence occurs. "Mm, nothing. Keeping a watch on the mares..grazing.. that's.. that's about it."
Luna is among those mares who are just grazing. She's not close enough to catch all of the conversation, though she picks up enough bits and pieces on the wind to get a general idea of what's being talked about. She can't see Darkstar's wound from here, but she knows what a bite mark from a wolf looks like. Still, that's not what's got her attention. Like Darkstar, Lootah's sudden change of heart and behavior has her curious, and although she disguises it with her muzzle in the tall grass, her ears and eyes are turned towards the two stallions.
After her little chat with Lootah, Nukpana hasn't given him very much thought at all. That's not to say that she's blocked him out of her mind completely, just that she hasn't bothered to rehash the same thoughts over and over again since there's nothing new to think about. She's gone back to her old trick of ignoring him. Darkstar, on the other hoof, gets an occasional glance, as the mare hardly knows him well enough to figure him out and his actions have left her wondering about him enough that she's not as dismissive of him as she'd otherwise be. But mostly her focus is on grazing; what the males are talking about hardly matters to her.
Takala is grazing somewhere in the vast space between Nukpana and Lootah. Briefly, she looks up at the two stallions and wonders if the conversation is going to take the same nasty turn it has in the past. So far, it doesn't look that way and she is both curious and yet grateful. The mare turns her attention back to the task at hand - namely, chewing - as she doesn't want to interrupt their conversation, and satisfies herself with her own silent thoughts for now.
Darkstar is good to his word about not asserting dominance. He doesn't crowd Lootah's space or get too close. He's quite content to remain where he is for the moment. He isn't talking to Lootah to be cruel, but simply to catch up on what he's been missing. Still, something about the stallion's behavior does seem rather off to him. Darkstar blinks at the sudden laughter, and he's even more surprised to find himself joining in with it. Sympathy isn't something that he's seeking anyway, so the dark humor seems much more suitable...and more Lootah in a sense. When he stops laughing he blinks rapidly before rumbling in amusement, "No, not entirely anyway. Just a bite." He agrees. Darkstar then scuffs at the ground with one hoof, more out of habit than anything. His ears flick at Lootah's description of events and he gives a dip of his muzzle in acknowledgement. At least things have been peaceful, and it almost sounds like the herd has settled back into it's normal pattern. Despite everything that has happened, the black stallion is happy that Lootah decided to stay after all. He didn't think Dorado would be the same herd without the paint stallion. He remains silent for a moment before at last speaking again, "I'm glad you stayed." He admits, though he doesn't give his reasons why. Instead he decides to do something rather unusual. While most of the place is just grass, there is the occasional shrub here and there. Most of them have lost their leaves, but one scruffy one looks to have some dark shapes along the branches. The stallion leans his head over and snips one of the branches from the shrub before dropping it to the ground, "Here is a rare treat." He announces. It's amazing that the squirrels haven't stolen them all, but attached to the snipped branch are wild hazelnuts. He doesn't wait to see if the stallion will try them or not. In a few moments he has even more branches from the shrub snipped down. He closes his teeth around them and lifts them up, looking in the direction of the mares in the distance. He gives a soft whicker of greeting from around clenched teeth. From the way they are looking, they seem to be curious he's guessing. It's about time for him to try to get to know them, as much as they'll let him anyway.
Glad that everything had been taken in stride and that Darkstar took no offense to his laughter, even if he hadn't intended it that way to begin with, he still grinned. Glancing down to Darkstar's hoof that had been scuffed across the ground however, he clears his throat and looks off to the distance where he saw the mares were, and blinked. Surely they would've been confused by his civil behavior, and also by there not being any signs of a fight brewing between the two stallions. In fact, Darkstar had even given him something and had thanked him for staying. Another blink, and his white tail flicked harsher than normal. A scoff was finally given, and he looked away. "I never said I was staying." He said in a rejecting sort of manner, but brought his head back and sniffed at the hazlenut branch, but wrinkled his muzzle and rejected the gift as well. "No thanks. Save 'em for the mares." He said, and took a step away from Darkstar, heading at first toward the mares, but noting Nukpana's presence there, he took a swift turn away from all of them, Takala and Luna included, and instead headed back to the lowlands where he was more comfortable.
Luna gets more and more confused. Civil behavior? Gifts? What in all the worlds is going on here? If she didn't know better, she'd think the two stallions were becoming friends, bonding even. She's seen a lot, but that'd certainly be a first for her. She doesn't really react to the called offer from Darkstar, unable to see clearly what he's holding in his muzzle, but when Lootah first approaches only to change his mind and head in the other direction she at least raises her head. There's obviously a lot going on she hasn't exactly been privy to, and that ... somewhat annoys her. She takes a deep breath, bones creaking a bit as she starts walking towards Darkstar. Might as well find out what all the fuss is about.
Just because Nukpana takes an instant disliking to stallions doesn't mean that she's not interested in getting to know them better. In fact, they may find her willing to completely reverse her opinion. But at the moment, Lootah is scum, so she flattens her ears slightly when he takes a step in their direction and doesn't appear upset at all when he changes his mind. On the other hoof, Darkstar's behavior has her curious as she can't quite tell what he's doing, and her interest is enough to cause her to stop grazing and watch, though she doesn't approach yet.
Darkstar's whicker captures Takala's attention. She lifts her head once again, in time to see Lootah walking in her direction. Wait, now he's leaving! The mare frowns as she watches him turn and head in the opposite direction. Her senses now focus on the other stallion, her curiosity renewed. As Luna begins to walk, Takala does too, trotting a little until she comes up alongside the older mare. She pauses to look over at Nukpana. "Are you coming?"
Darkstar watches Lootah head off but his mouth is stuffed too full of branches with hazelnuts on them and he can't answer. It's a shame that he's run off, but it seems the other stallion still needs some space for the moment. Darkstar gives a soft huff and then turns his attention back to the mares. He's surprised to see three pairs of eyes on him. To be honest, he's just as curious about the mares as they seem to be about him. He's a little more familiar with Nukpana than the other two, but not by much. He turns his head so that all three are somwhat within his field of vision and trots forward to meet them half-way. The stallion then comes to a halt and drops the branches a few feet in front of him so that he can talk to the mares. The male dips his head politely in greeting and addresses all of them at once, "Hello there. For those of you who haven't met me yet, my name is Darkstar. I am going to be part of this herd from now it on it seems, though I won't presume to be in charge. As for these branches, they contain a special treat. You are all free to help yourself to some or not as you choose. I would like the chance to get to know you all better at some point. But I can tell you a little bit about myself to start. I used to be lead stallion of the Sagebrush heard, back when Starlight was the lead mare then. Some stuff happened and I ended up being captured by two-leggers for a while, but I escaped and managed to find my way back here only to find a lot had changed. Anyway, if you have any questions for me feel free to ask." He tells them, before falling silent and waiting patiently to hear what the others have to say.
Luna simply listens to the stallion's little monologue, giving a couple of polite nods at key points of the story. She'd heard about as much from listening to others talking, but it's nice to actually hear it from the stallion himself. "Two stallions in a herd," she muses, looking from the black arabian down to the offered branches. Too bad they're not olives, that would've been a much more interesting metaphor. "I thank you for your gift, but I tend to get those stuck between my teeth for days on end." She looks back up, tilting her head a bit as she finally gets a chance to actually look closely at this black stallion. "And congratulations on not only escaping the jaws of two-leggers, but finding your way home to what remains of your old herd. Few are as lucky."
Snorting quietly at Takala's question, Nukpana reluctantly follows the others. In fact, she trots briefly to catch up. She's certain that whatever's about to happen will be utter foolishness. However, what Darkstar says obviously perks her interest even though she's heard or has guessed most of it already. It's the way he finishes that causes the reluctance in her face to vanish. Questions? Oh, she has questions! And plenty of them, too. "Why did you want Lootah to stay?" she speaks up quickly, as that's the question that's been foremost in her mind lately.
Mitexi moves from the west at a steady, pacing trot, which extends to a smooth canter as the small gathering of horses reaches her eyes, her ears. It had been some time since the kiger mare had seen others; again, she had a tendancy to wander off into the world, searching for something to interest her, and keep her interest held. Arriving down to the other horses just as the strange mare asked something about Lootah, Mitexi swievelled her ears, slowing to a walk and moving next to Luna; the only familiar face. She looks at the others, her ears tilting backwards. Miraculously, she holds her tongue.
Takala is cautious of the hazelnuts lying on the ground in front of her. So far, no one has taken the proffered gift. Reaching out her muzzle, she sniffs tentatively at the thing before grasping one of the 'treats' between her teeth and plucking it gently from the branch. "S'good," she mumbles quietly after a few seconds of chewing, and then helps herself to another. She snacks all through Darkstar's tale, listening with interest; especially the part about being captured and escaping. His history, and the manner in which he speaks, helps her to form a favorable first impression of the stallion. Then it's question time and Nukpana pipes up immediately. There is movement out of the corner of her eye - another horse approaching. The black mare doesn't recognize her and gives her a smile as she walks up next to Luna, before turning her hears in anticipation of Darkstar's response.
Darkstar pricks his ears forward upon hearing Luna's comment about two stallions in the herd. He knows it isn't directed at him but he can't help but chuckle, "These are going to be interesting times indeed." He mutters softly. Darkstar then dips his muzzle in acknowledgement of her polite refusal, "I understand." He replies, not pressuring her to take any if she doesn't want them. The stallion then gives a whicker of gratitude in response to her words, "Thank you. It was not an easy feat but I am definitely glad to be back. I am very very luck to be here at all and I'm not going to take that for granted. Anyway since we're all just getting to know one another, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself? Of course you don't have to if you don't want to." He assures, making it clear it is only a request. His attention soon shifts to Nukpana and he gives her a small smile. She's the only one he knows to some small degree, although he also remembers her dislike for stallions. Even so, it doesn't make him any less curious about her. Still, it seems she does have some questions. And it looks to him like the others want to know the same thing. So he takes a moment to gather his thoughts and then begins his explanation, "That is a good question Nukpana and I'll do my best to answer it. I'm sure most of you have probably heard of the fight that happened between Lootah and I. Well he was defeated, or call it a draw perhaps because of what Starlight did. But either way, Lootah was ready to leave because of it. I stopped him from leaving for the sake of the herd. In my absence the old herd disbanded and a new one was formed. Lootah was the one to help form this herd, along with Starlight. Even if I had been leader of the old herd, I couldn't rightly expect everything to go back to the way it was with this one. Lootah formed this one, shaped this one, and is ultimately a part of this herd whether he wants to admit it or not. During this time you all got to know him, but few of you know much about me. I did not wish to take that from him which he had rightfully earned, and I did not wish to take from all of you someone who is important in his own way. Lootah does have his faults just like any stallion, but I do too. Also, having him with us will give the herd an added measure of protection, even though I could handle that fine on my own if needed. Does that explain it well enough?" He asks, before turning his attention to the arriving Mitexi. He's not familiar with her scent but she doesn't seem to be dangerous like Pauwau. He whickers a greeting to her, not seeing any reason why she can't join up with the other mares. A sidelong glance is given to Takala and he grins, glad to see that someone is enjoying the hazelnuts at least. Silence falls after that as he waits for further questions, or anything else they might have to say.
Luna is about to answer the stallion's request for a bit about herself, but when he delves into another monologue she merely smiles, nodding once and taking a single step back. She's in no rush to tell her story, and the longer she gets to watch and examine this new stallion's behavior, the safer she'll feel about telling it at all. So far, indeed, he's made a good impression, but she knows better than most how looks can be deceiving. "It's very big of you to let a defeated rival stay," she says after taking a few moments to consider a proper response. "And I hope you'll forgive me for being so direct, but won't this become a much bigger problem after the winter, once spring sets in with ... all that entails?" She smiles a bit, looking to Takala with the hazelnuts, then the arriving Mitexi. Her attention quickly returns to the stallion, though, and she bows her head a bit. "And my name is Luna, by the way."
Though she can't listen to Darkstar's explaination without getting a bit of a sour look on her face since she has an entirely different opinion of Lootah's merits, Nukpana does appreciate being able to get a glimpse into how Darkstar's mind works. She's not sure how she feels about the reasoning; perhaps she'll have to think it over later. In the meantime, while she does have more questions she's sure they're of more particular interest to her so they'll go unasked if the others have their own. Instead she takes a brief interest in what appears to be yet another mare that belongs to the herd that she hasn't met yet. Her ears perk as she looks in Mitexi's direction, though her expression remains neutral.
Mitexi swishes her dark tail over tan haunches, still looking slightly irritable as she shifts her weight from leg to leg, until she decides to rest her right hind. She doesn't even look placid at the myriad of smiles she recieves, she merely regards them with a nod of her own, before the stallion begins a talk - and apparently, he's a talker. Of course, Mitexi thinks that the strange stallion makes a grand old point - Lootah had been the one to greet herself, after all; him and Luna. Still, Luna - whom Mitexi had started to associate with wisdom - came out with another response, which surprised the kiger mustang. Mitexi had thought that Luna and Lootah, bickering as they do, were fairly close. "Yeah," she finally pipes up, uninvited. "I don' think that Lootah will want to share the...loot." Harhar.
Noticing Nukpana's lack of response, Takala takes her silence as an opportunity to hold out the hazelnut branch towards her as an offering. "Try one," she urges. Whether Nukpana appreciates it or not (and the answer is probably not), the young black mare has become her rather devoted follower. Oh, she's still paying attention to the conversation, but all of her questions (and more) are being taken care of by Luna, whose judgment and wisdom she has begun to trust.
Darkstar is disappointed when Luna doesn't tell more about herself, though he knows much of it is his own fault. He could ask again, but that might put undue pressure on the mare. He knows nothing of her past, and he could be stepping onto some painful subject he doesn't know about. She seems willing to wait to tell it, so he decides he'll just have to wait to hear it. He then nods as Luna makes a very good point, "Thank you. Indeed, nothing about this is going to be easy. The way I see it, when the time comes it should be your choice as to whom you choose. That will keep us stallions accountable, and make things easier for all of you. Maybe it's a bit idealistic, but the risk is really only to myself, and that's something I'm willing to take a chance on. It may come down to the old-fashioned way to settle it, and if it does then it does. But until then I'll do my best to try to make this work." He states. A nod is given to Mitexi, who seems to have the same concerns. If the answer isn't satisfactory then he'll explain further, but he stops there for the moment.
OOC: Posting as we go.