Post by kivva on Nov 22, 2007 18:49:27 GMT -5
Location:
Wooded Terrain
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Heading away from the lake means moving into the woods where trees stand in varying stages of growth. The older trees are taller and reach to the sky while the smaller and younger trees struggle upwards towards that same light. Along the ground are bits of broken tree limbs and different types of shrubs and other vegetation staking their claim on whatever sunlight they can find and keep. Leaves rustle and grasses wave in the breezes that occasionally come through this area, though most of the surrounding air is fairly mild compared to some areas. However, when winter or a large storm hits, this wooded area offers protection to all creatures who can make their way to safety. The flow of melted snow from the south continues down the gentle slope towards the north, emptying into the nearby lake.
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Characters Involved:
Maheono, Adolescent Bald Eagle (Male)
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Still young enough not to have developed the full striking markings of an adult bald eagle, Maheono is covered almost entirely with deep brown plumage, dotted all over with speckles of creamy white. The white feathers are more evident along the undersides of his wings and all over his chest, though brown feathers are beginning to show through. Splashed over his head and neck are white feathers just beginning to patch in, a sign of his journey towards adulthood.
Maheono's lethal beak, like his plumage, has not gained adult colours yet. It is still largely a steely black, though the same yellow that covers his large talons is beginning to creep in from the inside edge of his beak. Both his natural weapons and his wings are full-sized, but his chest still looks rather small in comparison. This gives him a gangly look, a lanky uncoordinated movement that takes away some of his raw strength.
The eagle holds himself with bold confidence, and he almost always has an unpleasant smirk on his face, as if he is laughing at the world for not quite being as worthy as he is.
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Dartangnan, Adult Horse (Male)
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The 17 hands high Clydesdale Stallion before you is Dartangnan. His coat is a beautiful dark dapple grey. His mane, tail and all four flowing, feathery socks are stark white, concealing massive hooves beneath. From his forehead a star is born, trickling into a broadening blaze, marred only by the tell-tale indent on the bridge of his nose, revealing that a halter had once claimed him. Now you notice the rest of his scars. A jagged spiral around his right hock tells a sad story involving barbed wire. Long gouges, now black and hairless, explain a heart-stopping escape from at least one daring cougar. Crescent scar on his shoulders and chest boast of stallions in battle. Various other scars are scratched into his hide, and yet he seems no less magnificent.
================================================================================
Dartangnan was wandering through the Mountains, an unusual course for the average horse. But Dart was more than average. His muscle and build permitted him broader leeway with predators. Even cougars would think twice about coming after him, and they normally thought a third time, especially once they got a look as his scarred rump. The outcome of a clash with this horse was pretty predictable with his mass and dinner-plate sized hooves. For now though, he was moving quietly along the brush and between trees, performing his usualy patrol to simple spread his scent and presence around. Hopefully, a mare might stumble onto his scent.
Even if one were actively looking for eagles at this hour, they'd be hard-pressed to see this young one perched up on a branch, high up in a lonely tree. A dark ball of dull, fluffed out feathers is all that betrays his presence. But he picks up the faint sounds of another creature in the area and lifts his head from his wing eagerly. With the curiosity of the young and the fearlessness of the foolish, the eagle begins dropping from tree branch to tree branch, investigating this arrival to his neck of the woods.
Dartangnan paused a moment for a sniff of the breeze, when his ears alerted him to some movement up in the branches. It was unnatural for a horse to look up, little danger came from above. But there was one kind of creature that might try such a move, and the cougars were doing odd, un-cougar-like things lately, so Dart lifted his gaze. He did not spot Maheono, his eyes were looking for larger more feline-like shapes up in the trees.
The young eagle doesn't try to hide his presence, and it even looks like he draws himself up to stand a little taller when the Clydesdale's gaze comes his way. Imagine his utter consternation when the look sweeps past him, leaving him unnoticed. Taking a petty personal offense to this obvious affront to his magnificence, the eagle lets out a sharp, reprimanding screech. "Horse! Horse! Are you blind, horse?"
Dartangnan whuffles softly, chuckling as he oriented on the young bird. "Hardly," he nickered, a smile on his muzzle, "But I may be deaf now," he said jokingly.
Maheono ruffles his feathers, looking even more annoyed than an eagle naturally does. "You must be!" he calls back raucously. "You didn't see me! I think maybe you aren't deaf, but blind. You got your own weaknesses the wrong way around," he says smugly, thinking himself comfortably in control of the conversation. If it can be called a conversation.
Dartangnan chuckles, amused. "What?!" he calls, feigning deafness.
Maheono looks, oddly enough, proud of himself. "Oh, so you're deaf AND blind!" He lets out a raucous, unkind laugh. "You better be careful, horse. Lots of things around here that would eat you. Big blind deaf horse on a mountain. Hahaha!"
Dartangnan laughed with Maheono, then shook his mane. "Funny little bird. I wonder how you avoid the cougars? Certainly they would try to silence you?" His tone was filled with warmth and mirth.
A little disarmed by the horse's continued good nature, Maheono settles back into the comfortable warmth of talking himself up. "Cougars?! Hah! They couldn't catch their own tails!" One gets the impression that he'd speak differently if he thought some might be around. "They can't fly. I can fly." He eyes Dartangnan. "You can't fly either. I bet it makes you sad."
Dartangnan nickers."I don't know, I think you're judging unfairly. Cougars can catch their tails, but they can't catch us." he nodded. "That's true," he agreed. "I can't fly like you, but I'm not sad. I can fly in my own way." Thoughts of galloping through vast oceans of grass filled his memories.
Maheono makes a few more hops, bringing him to a closer branch. "Well, they'd catch you. Because you're deaf. And blind," he points out relentlessly. "How do you fly? You can't fly. You need wings to fly." He spreads his own wings. "Can't fly, can't see, can't hear..." He seems a bit desperate with his offensive manner now, though, being faced down by all the kind words.
Dartangnan could see the bird's distress. He decided to humour the poor fellow. He gained a feigned look of fear, pinning his ears, "I never thought about that! You are in a much better way than I!!" The stallion gave an exaggerated flinch, as though spooked. "What was that?!" he paused, his ears flickering about, "Oh no, they heard you, I think!" Dart was having difficulty repressing a mild smile- this was fun!
A grin, obviously tinged with relief, spreads across Maheono's beak. Young as he is, he's not too good at reading sarcasm nor irony. Typical land animal! Not thinking about his limitations. It takes a superior creature like an eagle to point it out. However, the grin fades rapidly at the thought of cougars actually hearing him. But he keeps up his front. "How do you know, horse? You're deaf! I would hear them first!"
Dartangnan gives an immense sigh of relief. "Oh, that's right!!" he nodded. "I should stay with you! You can protect me and tell me of danger!!"
"What?!" The eagle looks aghast. "Why would I saddle myself with a groundbound creature like you?"
Dartangnan was laughing inside, especially as he imagined literally saddling the bird and getting onto his back. "Maybe you can teach me to fly! It can't be very hard!" At this, Dartangnan reared up and waved his forelegs in the air simultaneously, as though trying to fly.
Unburdened by knowledge of saddles and, for that matter, an active imagination, Maheono fails to see the humour in the situation. The stupidity of this horse, it's astounding. For a moment, he's rendered speechless by the sight of what he truly believes is a horse attempting flight. "You...you...you can't fly!" he screeches. "Why are you even trying?! You can't be taught to grow wings!"
Dartangnan put all four feet on the ground again. He hadn't meant to upset the bird, and now felt badly for it. "Oh!" He let out a deep sigh. "Well, maybe when I die, I might be reborn as an Eagle! Maybe, if I'm lucky, I might even be one of /your/ fledglings!" He whinnied happily. Dartangnan pictures Maheono as an adult, returning to his nest as an egg hatches, a tiny Dartangnan popping out. Then, Maheono looks around, making sure no one see as he kicks Dart out of the nest!
Maheono bristles. The thought of one day having a chick the reincarnation of this...this...this -horse- mortifies him. "If that's your luck then that's...that's...my bad luck!" He grins triumphantly. He is certainly the pinnacle of wit in this exchange. "But of course, it's only natural that you want to be an eagle. If you didn't, then you're sillier than I thought."
Dartangnan nods, looking hopeful. "There may be hope for me," and Dart was going to restrain himself, but it was too much fun, "Right, /daddy/?"
It's probably quite amusing to the more heartless animals to watch Maheono's face change. Opening his beak to deliver yet another cutting comment, he freezes up at the last comment. His beak is still open. He isn't even trying to say anything as he glazes over, even his barren imagination is conjuring up his future horrors. He quivers slightly, and for a moment it looks like he might even burst into tears out of sheer stress.
Dartangnan feels the amusement fade quickly. He lets out a snort. "What am I saying? I could never be granted the grandeur of being an Eagle one day!" He paused for effect. "The Spirits will have to teach me much more before I can attain such magnificence!" He takes on an expression of sad acceptance.
Maheono latches onto this familiar territory with the desperation of a floundering swimmer snagging a float. "Yes! Yes! You could never be an eagle! You're too, uh...too...too silly. Eagles are elegant and strong and smart. Not silly."
Dartangnan nods at Maheono, granting him a look of the admiration of a student for the wisdom of the teacher. "Right, not silly." the horse nodded, as though storing away the importance of his lesson.
Maheono catches the look and decides to preen a little. At last, the horse understands his place in the world in relation to eagles - that is, below them. "Exactly. Maybe if you were less silly, you could be...maybe like a nuthatch or a woodpecker or something."
Dartangnan looks hopeful again. "Oh wow, a nuthatch!"
Maheono shakes his head. Well, it's good that the horse is setting his aspirations to a more reasonable level now. "At least then you could fly. Not as well as an eagle, but better than...you now."
Dartangnan nods acceptingly, and sighs. "Oh woe is me, to be an awful, stupid, deaf, blind horse who cannot even fly!" Dart put his ears back, looking sorrowful.
Even Maheono feels just a little twinge of pity for the poor horse who obviously has no chance up here against all the predators. He shifts his talons uncomfortably. "So get out of here then!" he says harshly, the only way he knows to give advice. "Or the cougars will come get you or something!"
Dartangnan nods, looking determined to meet the high standards of one day becoming an Eagle! "Right!" He chants, and then wheels upon his hindquarters and trots away.
What the--the horse actually listened to him? Maheono blinks at the Clydesdale's retreating back, then regathers himself just long enough to yell, "And, uh, and stay away from here!" before flying back up to his roost. Oh yeah. That showed him.
Wooded Terrain
================================================================================
Heading away from the lake means moving into the woods where trees stand in varying stages of growth. The older trees are taller and reach to the sky while the smaller and younger trees struggle upwards towards that same light. Along the ground are bits of broken tree limbs and different types of shrubs and other vegetation staking their claim on whatever sunlight they can find and keep. Leaves rustle and grasses wave in the breezes that occasionally come through this area, though most of the surrounding air is fairly mild compared to some areas. However, when winter or a large storm hits, this wooded area offers protection to all creatures who can make their way to safety. The flow of melted snow from the south continues down the gentle slope towards the north, emptying into the nearby lake.
================================================================================
Characters Involved:
Maheono, Adolescent Bald Eagle (Male)
================================================================================
Still young enough not to have developed the full striking markings of an adult bald eagle, Maheono is covered almost entirely with deep brown plumage, dotted all over with speckles of creamy white. The white feathers are more evident along the undersides of his wings and all over his chest, though brown feathers are beginning to show through. Splashed over his head and neck are white feathers just beginning to patch in, a sign of his journey towards adulthood.
Maheono's lethal beak, like his plumage, has not gained adult colours yet. It is still largely a steely black, though the same yellow that covers his large talons is beginning to creep in from the inside edge of his beak. Both his natural weapons and his wings are full-sized, but his chest still looks rather small in comparison. This gives him a gangly look, a lanky uncoordinated movement that takes away some of his raw strength.
The eagle holds himself with bold confidence, and he almost always has an unpleasant smirk on his face, as if he is laughing at the world for not quite being as worthy as he is.
================================================================================
Dartangnan, Adult Horse (Male)
================================================================================
The 17 hands high Clydesdale Stallion before you is Dartangnan. His coat is a beautiful dark dapple grey. His mane, tail and all four flowing, feathery socks are stark white, concealing massive hooves beneath. From his forehead a star is born, trickling into a broadening blaze, marred only by the tell-tale indent on the bridge of his nose, revealing that a halter had once claimed him. Now you notice the rest of his scars. A jagged spiral around his right hock tells a sad story involving barbed wire. Long gouges, now black and hairless, explain a heart-stopping escape from at least one daring cougar. Crescent scar on his shoulders and chest boast of stallions in battle. Various other scars are scratched into his hide, and yet he seems no less magnificent.
================================================================================
Dartangnan was wandering through the Mountains, an unusual course for the average horse. But Dart was more than average. His muscle and build permitted him broader leeway with predators. Even cougars would think twice about coming after him, and they normally thought a third time, especially once they got a look as his scarred rump. The outcome of a clash with this horse was pretty predictable with his mass and dinner-plate sized hooves. For now though, he was moving quietly along the brush and between trees, performing his usualy patrol to simple spread his scent and presence around. Hopefully, a mare might stumble onto his scent.
Even if one were actively looking for eagles at this hour, they'd be hard-pressed to see this young one perched up on a branch, high up in a lonely tree. A dark ball of dull, fluffed out feathers is all that betrays his presence. But he picks up the faint sounds of another creature in the area and lifts his head from his wing eagerly. With the curiosity of the young and the fearlessness of the foolish, the eagle begins dropping from tree branch to tree branch, investigating this arrival to his neck of the woods.
Dartangnan paused a moment for a sniff of the breeze, when his ears alerted him to some movement up in the branches. It was unnatural for a horse to look up, little danger came from above. But there was one kind of creature that might try such a move, and the cougars were doing odd, un-cougar-like things lately, so Dart lifted his gaze. He did not spot Maheono, his eyes were looking for larger more feline-like shapes up in the trees.
The young eagle doesn't try to hide his presence, and it even looks like he draws himself up to stand a little taller when the Clydesdale's gaze comes his way. Imagine his utter consternation when the look sweeps past him, leaving him unnoticed. Taking a petty personal offense to this obvious affront to his magnificence, the eagle lets out a sharp, reprimanding screech. "Horse! Horse! Are you blind, horse?"
Dartangnan whuffles softly, chuckling as he oriented on the young bird. "Hardly," he nickered, a smile on his muzzle, "But I may be deaf now," he said jokingly.
Maheono ruffles his feathers, looking even more annoyed than an eagle naturally does. "You must be!" he calls back raucously. "You didn't see me! I think maybe you aren't deaf, but blind. You got your own weaknesses the wrong way around," he says smugly, thinking himself comfortably in control of the conversation. If it can be called a conversation.
Dartangnan chuckles, amused. "What?!" he calls, feigning deafness.
Maheono looks, oddly enough, proud of himself. "Oh, so you're deaf AND blind!" He lets out a raucous, unkind laugh. "You better be careful, horse. Lots of things around here that would eat you. Big blind deaf horse on a mountain. Hahaha!"
Dartangnan laughed with Maheono, then shook his mane. "Funny little bird. I wonder how you avoid the cougars? Certainly they would try to silence you?" His tone was filled with warmth and mirth.
A little disarmed by the horse's continued good nature, Maheono settles back into the comfortable warmth of talking himself up. "Cougars?! Hah! They couldn't catch their own tails!" One gets the impression that he'd speak differently if he thought some might be around. "They can't fly. I can fly." He eyes Dartangnan. "You can't fly either. I bet it makes you sad."
Dartangnan nickers."I don't know, I think you're judging unfairly. Cougars can catch their tails, but they can't catch us." he nodded. "That's true," he agreed. "I can't fly like you, but I'm not sad. I can fly in my own way." Thoughts of galloping through vast oceans of grass filled his memories.
Maheono makes a few more hops, bringing him to a closer branch. "Well, they'd catch you. Because you're deaf. And blind," he points out relentlessly. "How do you fly? You can't fly. You need wings to fly." He spreads his own wings. "Can't fly, can't see, can't hear..." He seems a bit desperate with his offensive manner now, though, being faced down by all the kind words.
Dartangnan could see the bird's distress. He decided to humour the poor fellow. He gained a feigned look of fear, pinning his ears, "I never thought about that! You are in a much better way than I!!" The stallion gave an exaggerated flinch, as though spooked. "What was that?!" he paused, his ears flickering about, "Oh no, they heard you, I think!" Dart was having difficulty repressing a mild smile- this was fun!
A grin, obviously tinged with relief, spreads across Maheono's beak. Young as he is, he's not too good at reading sarcasm nor irony. Typical land animal! Not thinking about his limitations. It takes a superior creature like an eagle to point it out. However, the grin fades rapidly at the thought of cougars actually hearing him. But he keeps up his front. "How do you know, horse? You're deaf! I would hear them first!"
Dartangnan gives an immense sigh of relief. "Oh, that's right!!" he nodded. "I should stay with you! You can protect me and tell me of danger!!"
"What?!" The eagle looks aghast. "Why would I saddle myself with a groundbound creature like you?"
Dartangnan was laughing inside, especially as he imagined literally saddling the bird and getting onto his back. "Maybe you can teach me to fly! It can't be very hard!" At this, Dartangnan reared up and waved his forelegs in the air simultaneously, as though trying to fly.
Unburdened by knowledge of saddles and, for that matter, an active imagination, Maheono fails to see the humour in the situation. The stupidity of this horse, it's astounding. For a moment, he's rendered speechless by the sight of what he truly believes is a horse attempting flight. "You...you...you can't fly!" he screeches. "Why are you even trying?! You can't be taught to grow wings!"
Dartangnan put all four feet on the ground again. He hadn't meant to upset the bird, and now felt badly for it. "Oh!" He let out a deep sigh. "Well, maybe when I die, I might be reborn as an Eagle! Maybe, if I'm lucky, I might even be one of /your/ fledglings!" He whinnied happily. Dartangnan pictures Maheono as an adult, returning to his nest as an egg hatches, a tiny Dartangnan popping out. Then, Maheono looks around, making sure no one see as he kicks Dart out of the nest!
Maheono bristles. The thought of one day having a chick the reincarnation of this...this...this -horse- mortifies him. "If that's your luck then that's...that's...my bad luck!" He grins triumphantly. He is certainly the pinnacle of wit in this exchange. "But of course, it's only natural that you want to be an eagle. If you didn't, then you're sillier than I thought."
Dartangnan nods, looking hopeful. "There may be hope for me," and Dart was going to restrain himself, but it was too much fun, "Right, /daddy/?"
It's probably quite amusing to the more heartless animals to watch Maheono's face change. Opening his beak to deliver yet another cutting comment, he freezes up at the last comment. His beak is still open. He isn't even trying to say anything as he glazes over, even his barren imagination is conjuring up his future horrors. He quivers slightly, and for a moment it looks like he might even burst into tears out of sheer stress.
Dartangnan feels the amusement fade quickly. He lets out a snort. "What am I saying? I could never be granted the grandeur of being an Eagle one day!" He paused for effect. "The Spirits will have to teach me much more before I can attain such magnificence!" He takes on an expression of sad acceptance.
Maheono latches onto this familiar territory with the desperation of a floundering swimmer snagging a float. "Yes! Yes! You could never be an eagle! You're too, uh...too...too silly. Eagles are elegant and strong and smart. Not silly."
Dartangnan nods at Maheono, granting him a look of the admiration of a student for the wisdom of the teacher. "Right, not silly." the horse nodded, as though storing away the importance of his lesson.
Maheono catches the look and decides to preen a little. At last, the horse understands his place in the world in relation to eagles - that is, below them. "Exactly. Maybe if you were less silly, you could be...maybe like a nuthatch or a woodpecker or something."
Dartangnan looks hopeful again. "Oh wow, a nuthatch!"
Maheono shakes his head. Well, it's good that the horse is setting his aspirations to a more reasonable level now. "At least then you could fly. Not as well as an eagle, but better than...you now."
Dartangnan nods acceptingly, and sighs. "Oh woe is me, to be an awful, stupid, deaf, blind horse who cannot even fly!" Dart put his ears back, looking sorrowful.
Even Maheono feels just a little twinge of pity for the poor horse who obviously has no chance up here against all the predators. He shifts his talons uncomfortably. "So get out of here then!" he says harshly, the only way he knows to give advice. "Or the cougars will come get you or something!"
Dartangnan nods, looking determined to meet the high standards of one day becoming an Eagle! "Right!" He chants, and then wheels upon his hindquarters and trots away.
What the--the horse actually listened to him? Maheono blinks at the Clydesdale's retreating back, then regathers himself just long enough to yell, "And, uh, and stay away from here!" before flying back up to his roost. Oh yeah. That showed him.