Post by Cay on Jun 14, 2011 16:01:56 GMT -5
Characters: Miel, Cliantha, Taima and Mimiteh of the Dorado herd
Location: Grassy Plains
-----
The night has been restless, punctuated by howls in the undeterminable distance. It's barely past dawn, the sun still climbing in the sky, but Miel is already up and about, as are many of the horses. The young filly has trotted out from the main grouping of the herd, making a circuit of the grasslands to look for further signs of what might be going on.
This time the noise twitches Cliantha's ears. She did fall asleep near Taima but she opens her eyes, focusing on the howls that still draw an uneasy feel in her. After standing and shaking off the night, she begins her own trot away from the main group, but not at as far as Miel. Her whinny is loud to let others know she is wide awake.
The howls have put Taima a little on edge and try as she might very little sleep came in the night. By morning she's tired but no closer to drifting off and has already moved away from her sleeping spot to stand near the edge of the herd, watching the grasslands in between grazing. Her ears perked, just waiting for the next howl she instead hears Cliantha's awake and neighs a return greeting.
Miel flicks an ear toward Cliantha and Taima's calls, and she turns her head back to see the herd beginning to disperse into clumps. Just like a normal day - though perhaps the small bands are sticking closer than normal to each other, more nervous than usual. The howls seem to be coming from the south, for the most part - south and west. Miel turns her head out to regard the rolling plains again, then snorts. South, is it? Of course it is.
Cliantha neighs in return to Taima, moving out to her. "There you are. How long have you been up?" Yet her head turns to where she now sees Miel. "Seems we are all a little wary of certain noises this morning." Her voice calls to Miel, "Morning!"
Mimiteh is no different from any other horse in that the frequent howlings from the south are getting to her nerves, and so the paint mare has begun to make her way to where the rest of the herd is usually found these days. Though, when she arrives, she finds two strange mares she's not seen around before -- and given how the Dorado have become a rather small, close-knit herd over the winter, and combined with the persistent sounds of predators, she's a little more wary than usual. Stopping short a little ways out from the other gathered horses, she addresses the unfamiliar pair from a distance before approaching further. "Who're you, then?" she snorts out in a rather brusque 'greeting', eyeing back and forth between the two.
Taima flicks her tail with slight nervousness though the rest of her just seems to be on edge rather than ready to jump at the slightest noise "Not so long" she replies to Cliantha "I tried not to wake you" at mention of the noises though she's once more perking her ears to the south, expecting more yet. A small nicker is sent in Miel's direction, tagging along with Cliantha's greeting before Mimiteh comes into view and she blinks at the question "Erm, Taima...and my sister Cliantha, we're new here...hello?" she seems a bit unsure of the correct response.
Miel nods in response to Cliantha's greeting to her, then turns her head to stare out over the horizon again. If the wolves are approaching, they're at least staying out of view. She shakes her mane, and sighs, turning to trot towards the clump of the others. No point in watching empty plais, though she's not about to relax entirely. She nickers a soft greeting as she nears the others.
Cliantha has gathered that others may not be so nice to her and Taima. "Hello." she says confidently. "We recently lost our herd due to fire. How are you this morning?" not at all asking Mimiteh her name but letting the conversation unfurl on its own. Now that Miel moves towards them, she relaxes a bit more. "Miel? Have you seen anything this morning." She shakes her mane in the southern direction with the swat of her tail on her rear in that very same direction.
Mimiteh isn't usually so rude, but having been kept awake by howls tends to make one a bit grumpy. Regardless, at the announcement of the pair of sisters having lost their herd to disaster, she tries to check her attitude a bit. With a flick of her long, black tail, she softly utters an apologetic whicker. "Oh. Well, uh, welcome to the herd, then." Glancing over to the younger Miel as she approaches, she returns her gaze to the two siblings afterwards to continue speaking. "Sorry for your loss...but your arrival is certainly a gain for Dorado, if you don't mind my saying."
Taima as usual lets Cliantha handle most of the conversation but also seems to relax a little as Miel comes over and Mimiteh turns apologetic. She nods slowly and there's the normal little bit of worry and discomfort with talk of the fire, she tries not to focus on that "Thank you for the welcome, it's very nice here..." her eyes flick back to the south "When it's quieter"
Miel snorts to Cliantha. "Nothing but the grass. Whatever out there... it's hiding itself well." She nods politely to Mimiteh, recognizing the older mare - though she hasn't seen her for quite some time. She turns again to look out over the plains for what might be lurking there, though she keeps an ear turned back to listen to the conversation. Taima's comment gets a soft laugh. "I hope it stays quiet."
Cliantha gives a soft smile and bow of her head to Mimiteh, "Thank you. We've already enjoyed the time here so far. There is another of our herd. He is Itzal, if you find a stallion unfamiliar to you. He'll likely announce himself with ease regardless." She continues after a few seconds' pause. "I'm glad to add to Dorado, hoping that one day I'll find others of Amber herd to come here." To Miel's words, she merely gazes out in the direction of the howls came. "What do you think disturbs our /neighbors/?"
Mimiteh slowly nods her two-toned head in response to the news, falling quiet afterwards as the discussion returns to Miel's guarded observations, allowing her to answer Cliantha's question. She realizes that she hasn't seen the younger mare's mother around for several moons now, and ponders inquiring over her whereabouts, but decides against it in the end...could be a rather sensitive topic, after all.
Taima's attention fixes on the grasses to the south as she perks her ears again, still expecting to hear more howling after a long night of it "So long as they're not disturbed by an empty stomach" the idea that there might be trouble coming their way dwells on her mind but she doesn't voice it, hoping she's just paranoid.
"Perhaps they're hungry," says Miel, with a chuckle, and a nod toward Taima. "Or perhaps they simply gather. I don't go asking questions of wolf-packs. I expect not to like the answers." She stares out at the horizon for a moment, then shakes her head. "They don't sound like they're hunting, though." This in a more serious tone. "If they were, they wouldn't announce their presence like this. But something has them stirred up, for sure."
Cliantha snorts loudly at Miel. "I hope it settles down soon. I would think nothing could stir up wolves. They are quite fierce and I wouldn't imagine them being /stirred/." She looks at each of the others near her. "Perhaps we should nap when they aren't howling, to keep up our strengths in case we need to move quickly later." Her tail begins to flick back and forth being the only sign of her wariness.
Taima looks back to Miel as she speaks, nodding after a moment "I suppose that's true, unless they're trying to drive us somewhere noise does at least mean they're not sneaking around" which makes the silence a little more worrying and she's soon looking at the grasses again "...I guess they're not too close currently"
Miel snorts. "Wolves aren't the scariest thing around. There are cougars that wander through sometimes - one of those is about as scary as a whole pack of wolves. Bear, too. And that's just the things that care to eat us. Hailstorms, flash floods..." She cuts herself off right before saying 'fires' - she's not so heartless as to intentionally rub salt in the recent emotional wounds of Cliantha and Taima.
Cliantha doesn't show her own inner fear as she keeps her eyes keenly south. "That helps me know what problems we may face." She leans her head near Taima with a soft whisper, "You okay?" Her muzzle trying to give a soft touch to her sister's mane. To the rest, "I'm glad then we are surrounded by stallions, save for, perhaps Sunrise." Her lips pursing. "He is /persistent/. As you said, Miel."
An ear swivels in Miel's direction as she starts rattling off a list of potential dangers, shaking her head with a little snort in response. "You forgot a big one, Miel... Man." She's been there, and she's seen what they're capable of. Granted, not all of them are bad, but when they /are/ bad...they're the worst. Fortunately, wild mustangs aren't on the top of their hunting list -- at least, killing-wise. They're still at risk of being rustled up and herded away, nonetheless. "Speaking of stallions...anyone seen Sirocco around lately?" For being herd stallion, he certainly doesn't seem too bent on ensuring his status over the number of bachelor males starting to lurk along the outskirts.
Taima now has the idea of cougars and bears lurking close by to worry about, not to mention sudden freak weather. It's Cliantha that snaps her out of it again and she quickly looks back to the other horses rather than trying to spot danger coming "Fine, fine" she mutters back, trying not to react too much to the mention of man. It causes a perk of the ears and a glance at Mimiteh but she keeps her mouth shut. Her father may not have left the people but she'd never met any of them, flying in to defend his decision would only make her look foolish. She looks back to the herd after a moment, latching on to the conversation change "I've heard of Sirocco but haven't met him yet"
Miel snorts, and nods to Mimiteh. "True. Perhaps if we could understand the wolves..." she says, then laughs. A strange idea for a horse to even think about, learning wolf-howls. It would be useful, yes. But how would it even be arranged? She shakes her head, clearing it. "Sirocco? Hard to hide a horse that size. And yet, he seems to have found a way."
Cliantha thinks about learning wolf-howls rather seriously, "How would we even go about that?" A brow ridge lifting in ponderance. "I've not met him either yet. Is he always this mysterious?" Her head begins to scan around them, even to let her body walk in a circle. "That big and he keeps so hidden. We should learn his trick so we can find him with ease next time." She smiles at Taima, "I've wondered that of you, Taima. Will you tell me your hiding secrets?" a little teasing to her sister.
Mimiteh hmms to herself in consideration. Perhaps he'd moved on since their numbers had started to dwindle. "Ah, well. Perhaps change is in the air this summer," the paint mare muses aloud, before falling silent once more, starting to graze at the lush spring grasses by her hooves while idly listening to the other mares converse.
Taima looks curious about the actual thought given into learning about wolves "I guess we'd have to find a wolf...or someone who knows wolves. I don't think they'd be willing to help" Cliantha's teasing results in a shy smile soon followed by a smirk "Everyone looks up for you" she says somewhat cryptically.
"Change? Perhaps. But to what?" Miel considers for a moment, then chuckles. "Well, there are plenty of stallions who would love to steal a herd, I'm sure. And even some that I wouldn't leave because of." She glances out across the horizon, as though expecting one of them to show up, then shakes her mane and lowers her head to take a delicate nibble of a reddish flower and a few stalks of grass.
Cliantha laughs at Taima's response, "Me? Oh psshaw!" but there is a slight blush to her face, the white coat darkening. At the mention of 'Change', her ears twitch, "Is it something that is forseen with the way Sirocco has been behaving? But I thought that is how he has been for sometime. Why now? And to what end will it do for the rest of us?" She sees Mimiteh and Miel eating and her own head dips to find some nourishment in the grass below.
Taima appears a little amused at Cliantha's blush so the smirk remains "Not what I said but sure" she turns her attention back to Miel, too soft to embarrass her sister with an explanation. Since everyone's eating she lowers her head to join "Guess it would be interesting to see who stepped in to take over"
Miel takes a moment, chewing on her mouthful, before she answers. "He hasn't changed, no. But the rest of the world doesn't stay still, either." She stares out at the horizon. "I don't know what will happen. There's always been a stallion, of course." Sirocco, for almost - but not quite - as long as she can remember here - "But the stallions... don't tend to get close. There's always been a bit of distance." And if she has some ideas as to why, she keeps them to herself. "For the rest of us? It means the same as it's always meant. We'll continue on, and make what we can of whatever stallions are here."
Cliantha gives a look of confusion in her eyes to Taima, "Oh! Oh, I get it now. You mean to find you, everyone has to look up to do so!" She laughs now merrily with a little prance. That is quickly stopped by the ominous words of Miel. "As long as we are safe, Miel. Safe. And hopefully the others stallions aren't the same as Sunrise. Are they? He is quite confusing. Itzal is here though and that has eased my worries some."
Taima laughs quietly at Cliantha's prance "Yeah, that's it" on the same lines if she doesn't want to be found, she just has to make sure she's not up above everyone and a quick glance for tall horses won't pick her out. Hiding behind a tree helps too. She looks back to Miel and then back to Cliantha again "I don't think we have to worry too much. None of the stallions I've met so far seem all that bad"
"Sunrise is..." Miel pauses a moment, then laughs. "Sunrise. But, no. Not all stallions are like him. Some of them are trustworthy." She smiles a little. "You've met Orion, after all. And there's that Itzal of yours, as well." Not that Miel trusts the new stallion yet - but the other mares do, and so that's a decent sign.
Cliantha smiles happily now, "Yes, Orion is friendly and kind. Glad there are those that are trustworthy. I'm sure Itzal will do well around Orion. A good role model." She shakes her head to Taima, "Be careful with Sunrise. Make shouts if he is persistent with you." warning her older sister. "Oh, Miel, what other stallions are about that I've not met, well besides Sirocco?"
Taima perks her ears and lifts her head again to listen to the conversation properly, still munching on some grass for a moment. She nods at the mention of Orion, the only stallion she's really met from the herd so far, having just seen Sunrise from a distance. She snorts at Cliantha's warning and actually chuckles quietly "I think I can resist a random stallion lurking around the place"
"There are a few colts," says Miel. "As for actual stallions... well... there's Virgil." She snorts. "Another of those rogues that should never have a herd. But... he's not a bad sort. Just has restless hooves and a bit too full of himself for his own good."
Cliantha nickers with laughter that follows. "Careful of your words, Taima. He will say things to pull you away from the herd. I'm sure Miel and others will tell you so." She looks at Miel for a moment at the mention of Virgil. "So he is a vain stallion? What is he restless over? Surprises me he hasn't gone to find another herd if he is this restless."
Taima gives Cliantha a look like she really doesn't believe it's going to happen "There are other stallions out there" she seems amused still and looks back to Miel "...Alright, so maybe there aren't many of them but that's still three or four others"
"Oh, he has. More than once." Miel snorts. "Always seems to end up back around here, though, sooner or later." She shakes her head, mane tossing. "If you want to know more about him, have a chat with him yourself next time he wanders by. He's a grulla, light gray and dusty brown. Not so big as Taima, but a trifle larger than you," she says to Cliantha. "He's not one I'd call dangerous - at least, not so long as you stay fairly near to the herd." She nods to Taima. "There are others I haven't met, but I've seen them lurking on the horizon occasionally."
Cliantha smirks at Taima, "Yes, other stallions. I'll keep that in mind, Miel. Not sure I want to meet Virgil personally if I need to stay near the herd to speak to him. Sounds more like a warning actually. If I do speak to him, I'm hoping you're at least around, Miel, at that time." Her head quickly dips down to taste some of the grass near her.
Taima is impressed by nothing described as vain and smaller than her "I'm sure he can't steal us away on his own if we don't want to go" she looks back out to the grasses again, this time on the look out for random stallions lurking about "Don't plan on being far from the herd anyway with wolves out there somewhere"
Miel nods. "It's generally best to stay near the herd, in general. Safer there, with the other mares around to help if you need it - whether because of stallions, or predators." She nods her agreement to Taima - not that she always follows her own advice, on her explorations around the edges of the territory. Doesn't mean it's not good advice.
Cliantha finishes her momentary grazing, "Then why do you wander to the borders, Miel? Are you not worried of the dangers?" She dips her head near Taima, "I won't let anyone steal you away." saying more protectively. "We still have yet to meet the other mares as well. Like Luna, the other lead mare. I'd like to meet her as well as the young." She smiles as she remembers the playfulness of youth, the ones younger than herself.
Taima flicks her ears back and gives a vague winny, lowering her head to eat again when her younger sister promises to protect her. Yes, she does rely on Cliantha a lot and probably would be protected by her but there's still a little hint of embarrassment she tries to hide.
Miel tosses her mane. "Because someone has to know when the wolves come close," she answers Cliantha. "I don't like being surprised. If there are dangers, then they need to be dealt with, or fled from, not sneak up unknown."
Cliantha nods to Miel a few times but to her sister, "We will stay near the center and venture out to help a lookout once in awhile. I don't want to be surprised either. And we can't always rely on the stallions." She turns around and flicks her tail from side to side. "Did you want to go take a look around, Taima? Or are you still frightened? It seems to be quiet enough and daylight will help with seeing further in front of us."
Taima flicks her ears again at the question of whether she's frightened or not. She was but the conversation and finally some silence from the wolves has dulled her worries enough for her to pretend she never was afraid to begin with, but then she's reminded they were there and Cliantha's just being concerned for her..."I'm fine" she quietly mumbles before lifting her head and trying to act more confident than she is "We can look around, I'm sure everything's alright"
Cliantha smiles at Taima, "I can't wait to meet others. Maybe they can tell us more about this area. And also how the fire could affect our former herd." She asks her sister, "Who else have you met?" beginning her walk along the grasslands. She sniffs at some of the flowers before she takes a nip from them.
Taima pauses for a moment to look back at the herd before she starts after Cliantha, soon catching up to walk just a step behind to one side. Another small frown to the mention of the fire and she focuses on the horses "Not as many as you I guess" she's not exactly brilliant at going up to strangers "I met Orion, I don't know if you've met him?"
Cliantha bobs her head and nickers, "Yes, he was friendly. Nicer than Sunrise." She pokes at other flowers with her muzzle, "You see all of this? Seriously it is so very beautiful here. I do miss the trees though. The tall ones and short ones. Nice for hiding and playing." letting a long sigh out.
"Tall too" Taima replies in regards to Orion, her eyes still scanning the grasses before she too dips her head and uproots a patch of wild flowers on her way past, munching quietly as she walks and thinks "It is pretty...do you think any of the trees are even still there?"
Cliantha's thoughts lean towards the forest trees. "No. No, I don't think they are there anymore. I will miss them but one day, we will venture there to see other forests. Just for a moment." She is wistful which quiets her down. Her walk is slow beside Taima as they continue on to walk through the grasslands.
Location: Grassy Plains
-----
The night has been restless, punctuated by howls in the undeterminable distance. It's barely past dawn, the sun still climbing in the sky, but Miel is already up and about, as are many of the horses. The young filly has trotted out from the main grouping of the herd, making a circuit of the grasslands to look for further signs of what might be going on.
This time the noise twitches Cliantha's ears. She did fall asleep near Taima but she opens her eyes, focusing on the howls that still draw an uneasy feel in her. After standing and shaking off the night, she begins her own trot away from the main group, but not at as far as Miel. Her whinny is loud to let others know she is wide awake.
The howls have put Taima a little on edge and try as she might very little sleep came in the night. By morning she's tired but no closer to drifting off and has already moved away from her sleeping spot to stand near the edge of the herd, watching the grasslands in between grazing. Her ears perked, just waiting for the next howl she instead hears Cliantha's awake and neighs a return greeting.
Miel flicks an ear toward Cliantha and Taima's calls, and she turns her head back to see the herd beginning to disperse into clumps. Just like a normal day - though perhaps the small bands are sticking closer than normal to each other, more nervous than usual. The howls seem to be coming from the south, for the most part - south and west. Miel turns her head out to regard the rolling plains again, then snorts. South, is it? Of course it is.
Cliantha neighs in return to Taima, moving out to her. "There you are. How long have you been up?" Yet her head turns to where she now sees Miel. "Seems we are all a little wary of certain noises this morning." Her voice calls to Miel, "Morning!"
Mimiteh is no different from any other horse in that the frequent howlings from the south are getting to her nerves, and so the paint mare has begun to make her way to where the rest of the herd is usually found these days. Though, when she arrives, she finds two strange mares she's not seen around before -- and given how the Dorado have become a rather small, close-knit herd over the winter, and combined with the persistent sounds of predators, she's a little more wary than usual. Stopping short a little ways out from the other gathered horses, she addresses the unfamiliar pair from a distance before approaching further. "Who're you, then?" she snorts out in a rather brusque 'greeting', eyeing back and forth between the two.
Taima flicks her tail with slight nervousness though the rest of her just seems to be on edge rather than ready to jump at the slightest noise "Not so long" she replies to Cliantha "I tried not to wake you" at mention of the noises though she's once more perking her ears to the south, expecting more yet. A small nicker is sent in Miel's direction, tagging along with Cliantha's greeting before Mimiteh comes into view and she blinks at the question "Erm, Taima...and my sister Cliantha, we're new here...hello?" she seems a bit unsure of the correct response.
Miel nods in response to Cliantha's greeting to her, then turns her head to stare out over the horizon again. If the wolves are approaching, they're at least staying out of view. She shakes her mane, and sighs, turning to trot towards the clump of the others. No point in watching empty plais, though she's not about to relax entirely. She nickers a soft greeting as she nears the others.
Cliantha has gathered that others may not be so nice to her and Taima. "Hello." she says confidently. "We recently lost our herd due to fire. How are you this morning?" not at all asking Mimiteh her name but letting the conversation unfurl on its own. Now that Miel moves towards them, she relaxes a bit more. "Miel? Have you seen anything this morning." She shakes her mane in the southern direction with the swat of her tail on her rear in that very same direction.
Mimiteh isn't usually so rude, but having been kept awake by howls tends to make one a bit grumpy. Regardless, at the announcement of the pair of sisters having lost their herd to disaster, she tries to check her attitude a bit. With a flick of her long, black tail, she softly utters an apologetic whicker. "Oh. Well, uh, welcome to the herd, then." Glancing over to the younger Miel as she approaches, she returns her gaze to the two siblings afterwards to continue speaking. "Sorry for your loss...but your arrival is certainly a gain for Dorado, if you don't mind my saying."
Taima as usual lets Cliantha handle most of the conversation but also seems to relax a little as Miel comes over and Mimiteh turns apologetic. She nods slowly and there's the normal little bit of worry and discomfort with talk of the fire, she tries not to focus on that "Thank you for the welcome, it's very nice here..." her eyes flick back to the south "When it's quieter"
Miel snorts to Cliantha. "Nothing but the grass. Whatever out there... it's hiding itself well." She nods politely to Mimiteh, recognizing the older mare - though she hasn't seen her for quite some time. She turns again to look out over the plains for what might be lurking there, though she keeps an ear turned back to listen to the conversation. Taima's comment gets a soft laugh. "I hope it stays quiet."
Cliantha gives a soft smile and bow of her head to Mimiteh, "Thank you. We've already enjoyed the time here so far. There is another of our herd. He is Itzal, if you find a stallion unfamiliar to you. He'll likely announce himself with ease regardless." She continues after a few seconds' pause. "I'm glad to add to Dorado, hoping that one day I'll find others of Amber herd to come here." To Miel's words, she merely gazes out in the direction of the howls came. "What do you think disturbs our /neighbors/?"
Mimiteh slowly nods her two-toned head in response to the news, falling quiet afterwards as the discussion returns to Miel's guarded observations, allowing her to answer Cliantha's question. She realizes that she hasn't seen the younger mare's mother around for several moons now, and ponders inquiring over her whereabouts, but decides against it in the end...could be a rather sensitive topic, after all.
Taima's attention fixes on the grasses to the south as she perks her ears again, still expecting to hear more howling after a long night of it "So long as they're not disturbed by an empty stomach" the idea that there might be trouble coming their way dwells on her mind but she doesn't voice it, hoping she's just paranoid.
"Perhaps they're hungry," says Miel, with a chuckle, and a nod toward Taima. "Or perhaps they simply gather. I don't go asking questions of wolf-packs. I expect not to like the answers." She stares out at the horizon for a moment, then shakes her head. "They don't sound like they're hunting, though." This in a more serious tone. "If they were, they wouldn't announce their presence like this. But something has them stirred up, for sure."
Cliantha snorts loudly at Miel. "I hope it settles down soon. I would think nothing could stir up wolves. They are quite fierce and I wouldn't imagine them being /stirred/." She looks at each of the others near her. "Perhaps we should nap when they aren't howling, to keep up our strengths in case we need to move quickly later." Her tail begins to flick back and forth being the only sign of her wariness.
Taima looks back to Miel as she speaks, nodding after a moment "I suppose that's true, unless they're trying to drive us somewhere noise does at least mean they're not sneaking around" which makes the silence a little more worrying and she's soon looking at the grasses again "...I guess they're not too close currently"
Miel snorts. "Wolves aren't the scariest thing around. There are cougars that wander through sometimes - one of those is about as scary as a whole pack of wolves. Bear, too. And that's just the things that care to eat us. Hailstorms, flash floods..." She cuts herself off right before saying 'fires' - she's not so heartless as to intentionally rub salt in the recent emotional wounds of Cliantha and Taima.
Cliantha doesn't show her own inner fear as she keeps her eyes keenly south. "That helps me know what problems we may face." She leans her head near Taima with a soft whisper, "You okay?" Her muzzle trying to give a soft touch to her sister's mane. To the rest, "I'm glad then we are surrounded by stallions, save for, perhaps Sunrise." Her lips pursing. "He is /persistent/. As you said, Miel."
An ear swivels in Miel's direction as she starts rattling off a list of potential dangers, shaking her head with a little snort in response. "You forgot a big one, Miel... Man." She's been there, and she's seen what they're capable of. Granted, not all of them are bad, but when they /are/ bad...they're the worst. Fortunately, wild mustangs aren't on the top of their hunting list -- at least, killing-wise. They're still at risk of being rustled up and herded away, nonetheless. "Speaking of stallions...anyone seen Sirocco around lately?" For being herd stallion, he certainly doesn't seem too bent on ensuring his status over the number of bachelor males starting to lurk along the outskirts.
Taima now has the idea of cougars and bears lurking close by to worry about, not to mention sudden freak weather. It's Cliantha that snaps her out of it again and she quickly looks back to the other horses rather than trying to spot danger coming "Fine, fine" she mutters back, trying not to react too much to the mention of man. It causes a perk of the ears and a glance at Mimiteh but she keeps her mouth shut. Her father may not have left the people but she'd never met any of them, flying in to defend his decision would only make her look foolish. She looks back to the herd after a moment, latching on to the conversation change "I've heard of Sirocco but haven't met him yet"
Miel snorts, and nods to Mimiteh. "True. Perhaps if we could understand the wolves..." she says, then laughs. A strange idea for a horse to even think about, learning wolf-howls. It would be useful, yes. But how would it even be arranged? She shakes her head, clearing it. "Sirocco? Hard to hide a horse that size. And yet, he seems to have found a way."
Cliantha thinks about learning wolf-howls rather seriously, "How would we even go about that?" A brow ridge lifting in ponderance. "I've not met him either yet. Is he always this mysterious?" Her head begins to scan around them, even to let her body walk in a circle. "That big and he keeps so hidden. We should learn his trick so we can find him with ease next time." She smiles at Taima, "I've wondered that of you, Taima. Will you tell me your hiding secrets?" a little teasing to her sister.
Mimiteh hmms to herself in consideration. Perhaps he'd moved on since their numbers had started to dwindle. "Ah, well. Perhaps change is in the air this summer," the paint mare muses aloud, before falling silent once more, starting to graze at the lush spring grasses by her hooves while idly listening to the other mares converse.
Taima looks curious about the actual thought given into learning about wolves "I guess we'd have to find a wolf...or someone who knows wolves. I don't think they'd be willing to help" Cliantha's teasing results in a shy smile soon followed by a smirk "Everyone looks up for you" she says somewhat cryptically.
"Change? Perhaps. But to what?" Miel considers for a moment, then chuckles. "Well, there are plenty of stallions who would love to steal a herd, I'm sure. And even some that I wouldn't leave because of." She glances out across the horizon, as though expecting one of them to show up, then shakes her mane and lowers her head to take a delicate nibble of a reddish flower and a few stalks of grass.
Cliantha laughs at Taima's response, "Me? Oh psshaw!" but there is a slight blush to her face, the white coat darkening. At the mention of 'Change', her ears twitch, "Is it something that is forseen with the way Sirocco has been behaving? But I thought that is how he has been for sometime. Why now? And to what end will it do for the rest of us?" She sees Mimiteh and Miel eating and her own head dips to find some nourishment in the grass below.
Taima appears a little amused at Cliantha's blush so the smirk remains "Not what I said but sure" she turns her attention back to Miel, too soft to embarrass her sister with an explanation. Since everyone's eating she lowers her head to join "Guess it would be interesting to see who stepped in to take over"
Miel takes a moment, chewing on her mouthful, before she answers. "He hasn't changed, no. But the rest of the world doesn't stay still, either." She stares out at the horizon. "I don't know what will happen. There's always been a stallion, of course." Sirocco, for almost - but not quite - as long as she can remember here - "But the stallions... don't tend to get close. There's always been a bit of distance." And if she has some ideas as to why, she keeps them to herself. "For the rest of us? It means the same as it's always meant. We'll continue on, and make what we can of whatever stallions are here."
Cliantha gives a look of confusion in her eyes to Taima, "Oh! Oh, I get it now. You mean to find you, everyone has to look up to do so!" She laughs now merrily with a little prance. That is quickly stopped by the ominous words of Miel. "As long as we are safe, Miel. Safe. And hopefully the others stallions aren't the same as Sunrise. Are they? He is quite confusing. Itzal is here though and that has eased my worries some."
Taima laughs quietly at Cliantha's prance "Yeah, that's it" on the same lines if she doesn't want to be found, she just has to make sure she's not up above everyone and a quick glance for tall horses won't pick her out. Hiding behind a tree helps too. She looks back to Miel and then back to Cliantha again "I don't think we have to worry too much. None of the stallions I've met so far seem all that bad"
"Sunrise is..." Miel pauses a moment, then laughs. "Sunrise. But, no. Not all stallions are like him. Some of them are trustworthy." She smiles a little. "You've met Orion, after all. And there's that Itzal of yours, as well." Not that Miel trusts the new stallion yet - but the other mares do, and so that's a decent sign.
Cliantha smiles happily now, "Yes, Orion is friendly and kind. Glad there are those that are trustworthy. I'm sure Itzal will do well around Orion. A good role model." She shakes her head to Taima, "Be careful with Sunrise. Make shouts if he is persistent with you." warning her older sister. "Oh, Miel, what other stallions are about that I've not met, well besides Sirocco?"
Taima perks her ears and lifts her head again to listen to the conversation properly, still munching on some grass for a moment. She nods at the mention of Orion, the only stallion she's really met from the herd so far, having just seen Sunrise from a distance. She snorts at Cliantha's warning and actually chuckles quietly "I think I can resist a random stallion lurking around the place"
"There are a few colts," says Miel. "As for actual stallions... well... there's Virgil." She snorts. "Another of those rogues that should never have a herd. But... he's not a bad sort. Just has restless hooves and a bit too full of himself for his own good."
Cliantha nickers with laughter that follows. "Careful of your words, Taima. He will say things to pull you away from the herd. I'm sure Miel and others will tell you so." She looks at Miel for a moment at the mention of Virgil. "So he is a vain stallion? What is he restless over? Surprises me he hasn't gone to find another herd if he is this restless."
Taima gives Cliantha a look like she really doesn't believe it's going to happen "There are other stallions out there" she seems amused still and looks back to Miel "...Alright, so maybe there aren't many of them but that's still three or four others"
"Oh, he has. More than once." Miel snorts. "Always seems to end up back around here, though, sooner or later." She shakes her head, mane tossing. "If you want to know more about him, have a chat with him yourself next time he wanders by. He's a grulla, light gray and dusty brown. Not so big as Taima, but a trifle larger than you," she says to Cliantha. "He's not one I'd call dangerous - at least, not so long as you stay fairly near to the herd." She nods to Taima. "There are others I haven't met, but I've seen them lurking on the horizon occasionally."
Cliantha smirks at Taima, "Yes, other stallions. I'll keep that in mind, Miel. Not sure I want to meet Virgil personally if I need to stay near the herd to speak to him. Sounds more like a warning actually. If I do speak to him, I'm hoping you're at least around, Miel, at that time." Her head quickly dips down to taste some of the grass near her.
Taima is impressed by nothing described as vain and smaller than her "I'm sure he can't steal us away on his own if we don't want to go" she looks back out to the grasses again, this time on the look out for random stallions lurking about "Don't plan on being far from the herd anyway with wolves out there somewhere"
Miel nods. "It's generally best to stay near the herd, in general. Safer there, with the other mares around to help if you need it - whether because of stallions, or predators." She nods her agreement to Taima - not that she always follows her own advice, on her explorations around the edges of the territory. Doesn't mean it's not good advice.
Cliantha finishes her momentary grazing, "Then why do you wander to the borders, Miel? Are you not worried of the dangers?" She dips her head near Taima, "I won't let anyone steal you away." saying more protectively. "We still have yet to meet the other mares as well. Like Luna, the other lead mare. I'd like to meet her as well as the young." She smiles as she remembers the playfulness of youth, the ones younger than herself.
Taima flicks her ears back and gives a vague winny, lowering her head to eat again when her younger sister promises to protect her. Yes, she does rely on Cliantha a lot and probably would be protected by her but there's still a little hint of embarrassment she tries to hide.
Miel tosses her mane. "Because someone has to know when the wolves come close," she answers Cliantha. "I don't like being surprised. If there are dangers, then they need to be dealt with, or fled from, not sneak up unknown."
Cliantha nods to Miel a few times but to her sister, "We will stay near the center and venture out to help a lookout once in awhile. I don't want to be surprised either. And we can't always rely on the stallions." She turns around and flicks her tail from side to side. "Did you want to go take a look around, Taima? Or are you still frightened? It seems to be quiet enough and daylight will help with seeing further in front of us."
Taima flicks her ears again at the question of whether she's frightened or not. She was but the conversation and finally some silence from the wolves has dulled her worries enough for her to pretend she never was afraid to begin with, but then she's reminded they were there and Cliantha's just being concerned for her..."I'm fine" she quietly mumbles before lifting her head and trying to act more confident than she is "We can look around, I'm sure everything's alright"
Cliantha smiles at Taima, "I can't wait to meet others. Maybe they can tell us more about this area. And also how the fire could affect our former herd." She asks her sister, "Who else have you met?" beginning her walk along the grasslands. She sniffs at some of the flowers before she takes a nip from them.
Taima pauses for a moment to look back at the herd before she starts after Cliantha, soon catching up to walk just a step behind to one side. Another small frown to the mention of the fire and she focuses on the horses "Not as many as you I guess" she's not exactly brilliant at going up to strangers "I met Orion, I don't know if you've met him?"
Cliantha bobs her head and nickers, "Yes, he was friendly. Nicer than Sunrise." She pokes at other flowers with her muzzle, "You see all of this? Seriously it is so very beautiful here. I do miss the trees though. The tall ones and short ones. Nice for hiding and playing." letting a long sigh out.
"Tall too" Taima replies in regards to Orion, her eyes still scanning the grasses before she too dips her head and uproots a patch of wild flowers on her way past, munching quietly as she walks and thinks "It is pretty...do you think any of the trees are even still there?"
Cliantha's thoughts lean towards the forest trees. "No. No, I don't think they are there anymore. I will miss them but one day, we will venture there to see other forests. Just for a moment." She is wistful which quiets her down. Her walk is slow beside Taima as they continue on to walk through the grasslands.