Post by Tala on Jun 18, 2011 21:48:10 GMT -5
Scenein which some grave news is presented among several members of the herd, along with a fox that wandered by. Orion, Cliantha, Strawberry, Dandelion, Taima, Mimiteh and Felix.
Orion can be found makes his way back towards the herd, tail slowly swaying and ears perking forward while hie gaze drifts over the area to catch sight of whom is around it would seem. A faint nickker escaping him once his closer to a few. After a few steps his resting comfortable at the edge and a half yawn escapes him before his head lowers and he grabs hold of a few clumps of grass and proceeds to chew away. His tail lashes now and then while his ears wiggle and twitch forward and back.
Dandelion stirs from a brief nap. A foaling mare eats much, sleeps little. Her little colt is getting stronger and bigger every day, but is still quite young and needs momma's milk, and the mare must eat for two. She also needs a lot of water to help make milk, and she takes care to never get too far from the river. The flourish of spring growth seems to have reached its peak, and soon the lush green grasses will start to dry out. Dandelion hungrily devours a lush tuft of grass before lifting her head and swivelling her ears at the sound of Nukpana's son approaches near and nickers. She answers his nicker with one of her own.
There is a grimness to her face, eyes are wide and showing some kind of wildness in them. Her gait is calm, yet still a trot that nears the edge of the territory. She is heading to it from beyond its borders. Her mane shakes in the wind, "I am strong." is her personal whisper. However, following her is an ominous air. Cliantha slows as she first sees Orion. She neighs loudly for his attention and then stamps with her front two feet.
Taima stands among the herd, close to the edge already and nibbling away with her head lowered to the grass. Her ears twist to Orion's nicker and she looks up as she hears Dandelion greet too, returning a nicker in greeting to the pair herself as her tail swishes away a few insects. It's not until she hears Cliantha's neigh that she spots her sister too but Cli's looking serious and focusing on Orion. She falls into silence as she watches curiously.
Strawberry was resting beside Mama, trying hard not to sleep. The silly colt had been prancing and running all morning until the little guy was totally tuckered out, but like all young creatures he didn't wanna miss anything just because he needed to sleep. Oh from time to time sleep would win and the foal would nod off and catch a few winks but when he woke up from these little naps he fought sleep again with all that he had. But here was something interesting! His ears perked as the grown ups greeted each other, then something was different as a mare called in a different way to one of the stallions Strawberry did not know.
Orion lets his gaze turn over to Dandelion and a nod is offered. "Afternoon Dandelion, how are you.. And your new foal?" He questions with a curious tone. A look and soft smile is offered to Taima as well. "Hello Taima.." Though before he is able to say anything else his attentions turns towards the movement of another and he looks towards Cliantha some distance off, it doesn't take much for him to catch on that something may not be right and he quickly moves towards the mare. "Cliantha.. What's wrong?"
Cliantha takes a few heartbeat moments to quell her need to spill all she knows frantically. "I know what happened to..." She takes a long deep breath which calms her further. "To Sirocco." Her tail flicks quick from side to side, her body belying her emotional state. She twitches her ears but her head turn is slow so she can take in the others. A little dip of her head to her sister, then a closing of her eyes to Dandelion and Strawberry. Her eyes reopen to keep her attention on Orion.
Dandelion nods and nosebumps Strawberry gently. "That's O r i o n," she says, sounding Orion's name out slowly for her own very young son. "He is N u k p a n a's son," she explains to Strawberry. "And that is C l i a n t h a," she nickers and points with her muzzle to the white-silver-coated, black-maned mare. "And that is T a i m a," she introduces the large, stocky dusty-white-and-dark-brown-dappled mare. "And ..." she is about to introduce other herd members when Cliantha's tone in news about Sirocco immediately catches Dandelion's full attention. Her ears flatten in anticipation of ill news, and her gaze and attention are immediately seized upon Cliantha.
Mimiteh isn't far from the rest of the herd, quietly grazing on lush prairie grasses when the foreboding scent wafts her way on a warm summer breeze. The paint mare to raise her head suddenly in alarm, ears swiveling about alertly as she seeks out any signs of immediate danger, her eyes also falling on Cliantha as the new mare announces her news.
Taima only briefly flicks an eat towards Dandelion as he name is mentioned for the foal but her eyes remain on Cliantha and the moment it becomes clear that she's not being paranoid and worrying for nothing she trots forwards to her sister, stopping at her side so she's not in the way of news being given or interrupting something that's clearly important. With a very quiet, nervous and concerned whinny her expression silently question if Cli's alright.
Strawberry looks up at his Mama and thinks about this, then he turns to watch the action unfold. Unsure just what is going to happen, "taima..." He says. Yes he knows this one.
Orion hears the name lesson going on behind him between mother and son yet his attention is fully on Cliantha at the moment. "Sirocco..?" He questions softly, ears lowering for a moment before his head lowers to gives Cliantha's neck a soft nosing to try and help comfort her. "Its alright, take a moment and then you can tell us." His ears twitch forward and then to the sides, listening out for anything that not be right.
Seeing her sister come to her side and the soothing from Orion allows Cliantha to calm down considerably. "I saw what happened..." Her voice going hoarse as if it is being taken away by some unknown force, the horror of seeing Sirocco. She takes several deep breaths, "I found him injured." Now she can't look at anyone's face at all or the words will not come. She keeps her eyes closed. "He couldn't get up nor walk."
Dandelion shifts her weight forward, forgetting for a moment she has a new foal of her own to attend to, wanting to gallop out with her herd sisters to rescue the herd stallion, even there have been chasms and voids between them. She looks about. "Where are Nukpana and Luna?" she asks. "They need to know." Momentarily calling with authority she's never before put forth, and certainly hasn't earned but nontheless may be prudent, she says, "A group should go and bring him back, we could protect and nurture him ..."
Mimiteh turns to Dandelion as she speaks and firmly nods her approval, her mane shaking along with the motion. "The whole herd needs to know. Especially with a young one around," she muses aloud in response, gesturing briefly towards the other mare's colt. She doesn't mean to alarm either the days-old foal or his mother, but it's certainly something they should all be alert about...if it, whatever it is, has taken down their herd's rather large stallion, are any of them completely safe? "What happened to him?"
Taima looks alarmed, she may not know Sirocco but she wouldn't wish anything to happen to him. She looks back to the direction Cli came from, paying high attention for danger as she sticks close to her sister and lets her get the story out for the others.
Strawberry listens attentively, but not knowing the direness of the situation the foal appears as carefree as ever...at first. He knows the adults arn't happy about something, he turns and nuzzles his Mama, hoping that in some way that might help. The little colt looks up at his mother uncertainly, "Mama? Bad? Ugly?" He asks in as plain a words as he canbut when ones vocabulary consists of less then ten words ones ability to communicate is very limited.
Felix had heard of fires to the south, and refugees and death and many unpleasant things. And in so hearing, felt as if he had heard his calling. They must need his help! But where are they? He hasn't exactly heard, and so he is searching. Far and wide, wide and far, he is searching for those who, no doubt, lost home and family. It's what his grandfather, Braxton, would do.
Orion blinks and lifts his head to peer at Cliantha, a frown clearly seen and a faint unsure nicker escapes him. "Where did you find him?" He questions softly, a glance offered towards the direction that the mare came from, wondering. A ears twitches to Dandelion and a slight nod is seen. "We can certainly try to bring him back and tend to him.. I'm not sure where Nukpana or Luna are at the moment." His not seen his dear mother since his return.
Cliantha shakes her mane several times, "I fear it is too late to heal him." to Mimiteh's question. "He was dying by the time I got to him. What I saw I do not want to see again. What he told me, I do not want to alarm." Her ears droop with sadness. "I was at the edge when I heard something. It was very faint but also distinct." She lowers her head, tail flicking in agitation. "I went to explore. He was south of here where there is less grass and more dirt, hard on the hooves." She whinnies in anxiety as the horrific sight invades her mind's eye again.
Dandelion answers her son. "S i r o c c o pretty stallion. S i r o c c o nice to mommy. S i r o c c o protect mommy and herd. S i r o c c o hurt somewhere."
Mimiteh's ears pin back briefly as the news slowly unravels, though she's still earnest to hear more of the details...the more they know, the better protected they can be. "What happened to him? What did he say?" she questions of Cliantha in a desperately insistent voice.
Taima isn't sure what to do and scrapes her hoof nervously on the ground, sticking close to Cli and watching their surroundings. Her questions have been asked and she awaits the answers uncomfortably. Really she knows that if they were in danger they wouldn't be stopping to stand about to talk but the thought doesn't help to lay her fears to rest.
Strawberry listens to what his mother tells him and gradually as things start to sink in the foal's ears sink lowere and lower as does his head. His face falls and while he doesn't have the words to express his sorrow he does give a heartbroken nicker, "Bad Dat..."
Felix sees... a lot of horses! Well, some of them might be the refugees he heard about! Of course, if they're in a herd, then any offer he'd be able to make must be rather flat and empty. Still, he'd at least benefot from knowing if there are others to save and help He clears his throat, and, in a meek voice, says, "Excuse me."
Orion frowns as he hears Cliantha, his ears lowering at the thought of Sirocco gone. Its not that the pair was close by any means, but Sirocco was the only one he would ever consider a father. "Cliantha.. What did Sirocco tell you?.. Did he tell you what harmed him?" His head leans forward and he offers a soft nosing to the mare's neck once more. "I know you don't want to think about it but you must tell us what was said." For a moment the fox is missed and soon he glances towards the voice. "One moment.." He feels that what Cliantha has to say is more important than the fox at the moment.
Cliantha steps around in one spot, just lifting her hooves and putting them down in anxiousness. This continues until she feels Orion nosing her neck. "Yes, he told me who did it. I saw the marks on him and all around him. The gouges of him gone." Her voice drops into a very grim tone. "He said it was an ambush.
Dandelion casts a momentary glance to the fox, absently clinging closer to her very recently foaled son. It might seem laughable that a fox could be much menace to a horse, but still she stays close ... those fangs can do damage if ignored, and the timing of news of a deadly attack on their herd stallion has her a bit more on edge. She knows Cliantha is anxious, but wishes she'd just spit it out. Dandelion hoofs at the ground in her own nervousness.
Mimiteh's interrogation continues, her long black tail flicking about erratically. "Of what? Wolves? Cougars? Men?" The herd needs to know what to prepare themselves for. Her eyes are intently locked on the other mare, nostrils flaring wildly; the fox goes momentarily ignored in light of the more pressing news.
Taima becomes momentarily distracted as there's movement and she sees the fox just as he clears his throat and tries to gain attention. She gives the others a nervous glance before very quietly nickering a greeting to the fox. He doesn't help with her discomfort but he's still only small and the conversation is still more pressing on her mind.
Strawberry appears interested in the fox, despite his Mama seeming nervous about it. Another new thing!? Yesterday he met a bird and a goat, and now what was this bushy little creature? He started to trot towards it, his neck extended curiously, the tiny foud day old colt was trying to sniff the vulpine visitor.
Felix looks a tad timid, stepping back. He definitely doesn't look threatening. If there's any horses here who knew him, he looks exactly like his grandfather, Braxton. "I'm... I'm sorry. I can... I can go. If this is... yeah. I'll just... uh..."
"Mimiteh.. Give her a moment." Orion offers, not that he expects her to listen to him. His gaze stays on Cliantha while he shifts a few steps closer to her. "We need to know everything Cliantha.. So we know what to expect and can prepare for it." A ear twitches towards Felix, a soft breath escaping him. "Its not that.. There is just a more pressing matter at the moment.
Cliantha looks down now, her wild gaze is on the fox. "All need to know of this beast. All need to know. Sirocco described him." She looks at the others now in more a 'scary story around the campfire' and begins to tell what the creature looked like. "It has large tusks and snout. The height was taller than a regular boar. Oh, it is a boar. But it is more than that. Much more than that if it took him out. And he said it was wide and heavy. Heavy in ways I can't begin to imagine. You should have seen how it tore his body up." the story coming out of her as if she is distant even from herself.
Dandelion hurrhurrs unpleasantly. "Boars can be nasty ... the bigger they are, the nastier," she says. She flattens her ears and looks to her herd sisters. "What can we do about a large boar that can kill a stallion?" she asks. And ... what will the herd do without a herd stallion? She glances to Orion, and off in the distance where she imagines Sunrise is. Would Sunrise flee himself away with a stallion-killing boar about menacing the herd? Or Itzal or Virgil who also hang about? Questions come to her as the 'what now?' worries begin sinking in, with the herd stallion -- absent as he had been -- now, it seems, permanently gone. "Nukpana and Luna must be found and told. In the meantime ... I think it would be best if the herd came together and we all stayed near and close. Ourselves, each other, and especially our foals can be protected better if we are banded together, instead of scattered," she nickers. Dandelion has been pretty quiet and inactive in the herd, but this crisis seems to be prompting her to at least speak up, if not try to fill in an immediately missing leadership at present.
Mimiteh's hooves anxiously shift about in the dirt as Cliantha finally elaborates upon the vicious beast responsible for the herd stallion's fatal injuries, and finds herself in shocked disbelief. A...boar? Occasionally her former rider's tribe had hunted one down for dinner, but they weren't nearly large enough to take down a horse so easily. And if this one could best such a large stallion... The paint mare falls silent in the full realization of the gravity of the situation.
Taima's attention snaps away from the fox and back onto her sister as the attacker is described and she becomes alarmed. A boar who could do that is a terrifying thought. She shifts her hooves uncomfortably as her eyes go back to the grasses again "Why would a boar set up an ambush for him?" she asks, the question voiced very quietly and with a lot of worry.
Strawberry leans down to nose at the fox as the grown ups all talk around him. He amuses himself by investigating the new creature in their midst. However he does keep his ears perked, listening to the chatter.
Orion pulls his head back slightly as Cliantha tells what happened. "A boar..?" He finds this a big hard to believe, Sirocco was large after all. "One boar set up and ambush for him?" His ears turn towards the others, listening to Dandelion and nods slightly. "I agree.. The rest of the herd needs to come together." As for him leaving?.. His not going anywhere that's for sure, he said before he would do what he could to keep the herd safe and he means it.
Felix looks a little nervous, but lets the foal investigate him. How else is a creature to learn? He had that part of his life before, the wondering curiosity of the young. He's still young now, but now his interests are in the spiritual... and the feminine. "I'm.. sorry... is this about a certain fire to the south?"
Cliantha droops her head slightly as the story ends and seems to drain her. "We /will/ stay together. We will need to make sure that we are all accounted for. This news is important to everyone." She shakes her head, "I don't know why a boar would set up an ambush for Sirocco. He spoke to me not of why but what is." She is trying to harden herself to all this pain, "I just know that the danger..." She hears mention of the fire. "The fire can't hurt us like this creature can -- this boar can." Her eyes finally focus in on Felix, "Do you know something about the fire?" not at all stunned by speaking of that disaster anymore. While she waits for the fox's response, she gazes at the others, holding onto Orion's and Taima's gaze a little longer. "We will get through this all together." with a more confident voice.
Dandelion says, "I haven't smelled the smoke in a few days. It may be gone ... this boar is much more immediate. We can, at least, smell the fire approaching. Big as it is, a monster boar on a rampage could happen upon us much more suddenly." She keeps a close eye and ear on her son trying to play with the fox.
Taima adds fire back to her list of things to really worry about as the fox gains her attention with that question. At least the likelihood of of flaming boars attacking them is very remote, though it does cross her mind. She looks back at Cliantha when her gaze is caught and after a long pause she hesitantly nods to the reassurance.
Strawberry takes a step back after the fox speaks to him and looks closely at it, he had heard this word before, and with a great deal of effort he tries it on for himself, "L...Lo."
Orion is quiet for a moment, listening to the few around him before taking in a breath and leans forward to nose out against Cliantha's neck as he watches her droop more. "Of course we will get through this." He then looks out over the others. "All of us. We will find a way to deal with this problem." He doesn't think a boar would actually take down more than one horse at a time, at least he hopes so.
"I only heard about the fire recently. From a bird. She said there were three survivors... horses. And something tugged at me and now I can't help myself." Felix says, then looks over at the foal and smiles, waving his tail at him. Obviously one of a fox's best traits, another being cunning. In Felix's case, like his grandfather, an insatiatiable longing to help others. "Please... Tell me there are other survivors in need of aid. I must help them, by the spirits."
Cliantha takes a deep breath and gives Orion a small grin for all his soothing. "Who is on good terms with Nukpana? That is the person who should find and tell her of this event. I haven't met Luna, so I suppose someone who does know her well enough should speak to her." She feels a little stronger now and looks to the fox. "We were hoping to find out who else survived. My mother was the lead mare of the herd that lived there. My sister and I and friend stallion, Itzal are from the herd the fire took from us." In return, she nudges her nose against the side of Orion's head, "Thank you." Right after that she nudges her sister. "I'm glad you weren't with me when I found him, Taima." then she looks at Dandelion and Strawberry with softness now in her eyes, the wild fear gone.
Dandelion nickers to her son, "That's a f o x." She looks to Cliantha. "Good terms, bad terms, it doesn't matter. She is the herd leader. I must stay with my son, or I would seek her out to tell her. We are a herd, and Nukpana is our alpha mare. Her leadership and Luna's experience will give us the best chance of seeing through this." She looks to Orion. "Orion is the closest we have to a herd stallion ... and you are a fine stallion now, its nice to see you fully grown ... but his mother, and Luna, have the leadership and experience needed for us to survive." She thinks for a moment. "Maybe you should seek your mother out, come to think of it," she looks to Orion.
Taima nudges her nose back at Cliantha "I'm just glad you're alright" she looks back down to the fox "We don't know of any other survivors yet but if you should find any we'd certainly want to know" the herd decisions she leaves to the others, listening closely still. She certainly won't be straying out on her own "Someone should perhaps warn the other stallions if we see them?"
Strawberry is preoccupied with his learning the names of things, and when Mama tells him a word in that slow way she does when teaching him he looks down at the fox and repeats it as best he is able, "F-Fox? Fox."
Orion offers a soft smile back to Cliantha and nods slightly to her. At the talk of whom is on good terms with Nukpana he grunts slightly and winces at the thought. If anything he is at the bottom of the list of being on good terms with her that's for sure. "Your welcome." This is offered with a soft tone to Cliantha before turning his attention to Dandelion whom he offers a smile to as well. "Thank you Dandelion.." He appricates the complement. "As for my mother.. I can search her out.." Its something that needs to be done. "If I see the other stallions I will warn them of this danger."
Felix listens to this. This search for survivors may not be unchallenging. And he's not necessarily limiting himself to horses in this one. After a while of thought, one question bubbles up in his brain. "You all spoke as if this fire might be spreading...?"
Cliantha looks to Dandelion with hard eyes. "I mean not to keep the leaders out of the loop in this information but who delivers the news is also important. We wouldn't want our lead mares to lose control of their mind in this sort of situation." She smiles at her sister. "Thank you for worrying about me. I'm fine now." Her head leans near Orion, "Please, can you tell her. I'll be happy to speak to Luna." Her answer goes to Felix with, "Spreading? Only the animals are spreading. The fire seems to have cause so many to lose their homes. Even the wolves have been howling more than usual."
Dandelion shakes her head. "This is a deadly attack on the herd. Personality conflicts are secondary. Whomever encounters them first should not wait for someone they like better to show up and give them the news," she snorts. She grooms her son's meager but growing mane.
Strawberry glances up when his Mama starts to groom his small mane, he nuzzles her chest and foreleg, nickering softly, "Strawberry love Mama." He looks around at the other mares and the one stallion, the colt's ears push forward, he hadn't met a stallion before. His curiousity was again warring with his desire to stay by his mother's side.
Orion nickers out softly while he watches the two mares as they speak. "As soon as someone sees Nukpana or Luna they are to be told." This is offered with a soft tone while taking in a soft breath and shifts upon his hooves. "An I will tell her if I see her. Not a problem there." This said with a soft murmur.
Felix listens to this, and the thinking can be seen going on in the fox. "Where did the fire happen? Is it far?" He figures a good place to start would be in the place of destruction.
Cliantha shakes her mane, "I wasn't talking about personality conflicts. I was talking about the sanity of our leads. I have had nightmares of the fire. Imagine now here is such this other deadly thing endangering our herd. But I won't argue on this. If our leads are not fit this will show them to be so." She answers the fox quickly, "It happened about a week walk south of hear, but we weren't running for that time. I'd say running, likely three days south." She steps away from Orion, feeling stiff and drained from this recent ordeal. "I will even take the leads to Sirocco, so they can see him in pieces. I just don't recommend anyone else." in a more darkly morbid voice.
Dandelion smiles at her son. "Mama love Strawberry." She repeats the stallion's name for her son. "That's O r i o n," she hurrs gently to Strawberry. "O r i o n is a nice stallion. He is N u k p a n a's son."
Orion hrms softly as he hears Cliantha. "Luna and Nukpana have lead this herd for a long time Cliantha.. We have stayed together and I've grown up here. I feel that they are very adept leaders when it comes to leading the herd through problems.." Not that the herd has ever faced anything like a horse killing boar before. "We will wait and see what the leaders wish to do once they have found out about this." He pauses a moment. "One of the herd needs to see where Sirocco is I suppose.. We will let Luna and Nukpana decided that though." This said with a soft tone. A glance is offered over to the colt, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Something like that.."
"A week. A week to get there. That's too much time. If there's any injured or lost they surely cannot survive that long!" Felix says, highly agitated now.
Cliantha nods once to Orion, "If you are to assure me that they are, I will believe you, Orion." Also she places all of his words back onto him if things do not work out. "When someone is ready to go with me after there is word from the leads, I'll show the location. It is not something I'll forget overnight." She is slowly pushing her emotions of death from her, stuffing it down to cope. "Well it may be less time for you. I don't know. Maybe you can find someone who could walk it faster. It was two days from another herd and that was three days from here. Taima and I waited for the right time, three weeks, before approaching Dorado."
Dandelion realizes she hasn't formally introduced her son. "This is Strawberry," she nickers. "I wish I had time for a more patient and fuller introduction ... but ... other events are pressing." She makes no mention of who his father is, for now -- an unnecessarily complicating detail when the herd needs to unify. She laughs as she eyes Orion. "I remember when you were Strawberry's size," she says. "Amazing to see you all grown up." She shakes her head and nickers to the fox, "You must be pretty young. Death happens. We take care of those we can, but if we galloped to everyone who needs our help whenever they needed it, our entire herd would die of exhaustion. If the fire flares up and heads this way, we'll be running from it, not toward it. The monster boar is a closer and more immediate concern, to our herd and all herds, packs, clans and tribes in the area." She idly starts to wonder if Nukpana and Luna might have to consider some sort of agreements with that fangy, nasty wolf pack or other predator groups. "Are you in any kind of clan or pack?" she asks the fox.
Strawberry smiles at the big stallion, his ears canting back to catch his mother's words, not realizing he is being introduced to the herd members who don't know him yet. He looks up as his name is mentioned.
Orion watches Cliantha a few moments. "You have to understand.. That they are the only leaders this herd has ever had. An with that in mind we give them our trust.. Everything done to a degree of course." If he saw that his mother was doing something well.. more stupid then normal he would of course voice his thoughts on it. His ears lower for a few moments, his gaze drifting off before hearing Dandelion and he looks over to her. A slight smile offered. "Yes well.. We all grow up.." He lowers his head down to look back at little Strawberry. "Hello there.. You do everything your mother tells you and you will grow up as big as me alright." This said with a playful wink to the colt.
"Ssssort of. I wouldn't call it a formal group. Big, mixed-species group up at the tributary where I grew up. Apparently a legacy of my grandfather and his dearest friend Rye, a coyote, who is still around. We've got quite the composition, really... coyotes, hares, foxes. We've got an even wider assortment of friends not really part of our group exactly, an alligator, the deer herd apparently all knew and loved my grandfather. Apparently some wolves and a cougar who was like a big sister to my grandmother. It's definitely given me a different view of things, for certain." Felix says.
Cliantha moves towards Felix, "Are you able to help us then? I mean with all the friends you have. You could surely find out all there is to any danger because you're small and able to move and hide better than us larger." She looks at the others but there is more pain in her expression that keeps her face tight and distant. No one knows what she does of the death, not on the way she experienced. No one to even share it with to discuss and she realizes this now. Her ears stay perked and no fear is in her but the tension that keeps her on guard.
Dandelion flicks her ears. "And spread the word. A deranged boar that can kill a horse would surely be a threat to everything smaller than a horse, even carnivores." This spoken to Felix.
Strawberry leans up to brush his nose against the large stallion's, his ears forward, "Be good?" He asks with a soft nicker. "Strawberry good, Strawberry pridy." he remarks as if in answer to the instructions.
Orion chuckles softly and nods as he hears the colt. "Oh I'm sure you are." This said with a soft tone. His attention turns back to the mares and the fox, ears perking while he watches Cliantha. "I'm sorry that you had to see what you did Cliantha.. I'm sure it can't be easy.." This said with a soft tone.
"Well, I can help, but I'd have to make sure everyone knows what I'm doing or they might get worried." Felis says, then his eyes get wide. "A boar? a big boar?"
Cliantha looks distantly for a few seconds, "Yes, one who can kill a large stallion. It should be a strong warning of danger that this boar even knows how to ambush. Meaning the threat is even higher." She frowns slightly to Orion, "If you smelled the pain I did. Saw the blood, the way he was attacked. I was helpless and I didn't even want him to speak so I could come back here and have others help me. He told me not to go until he told me of what attacked him. He worried about the herd and not himself." She takes steps backwards away from the fox as well.
Dandelion's body hungers, needing to make milk, and she lowers her muzzle to graze ravenously for a few minutes. She keeps her ears perked and listening in, however.
Orion ears lower slightly and she snuffles out a moment. "Sirocco was a good stallion.. I knew him better when I was younger but he cared for the herd deeply." This said with a soft tone. His seen some attacks on horses before, he himself was attacked by a cougar some time ago and still carries the scars from that encounter.
"Noble of him. One can only hope he saved more lives than just your own. Not to mean your lives are not worth it. But the tragedy it may be if most of your herd perished even at his sacrifice." Felix says. "With big creatures who mean harm, you don't go up against them with strength. You go up against them with cunning and wit. It's still dangerous. I can spread word far and wide about this boar, but be sure to tell everyone you meet, all the same."
Strawberry nickers and prances uneasily at all the serious talk. Then he moves towards his mother, walking under her as he seeks a meal of his own. Plus a little reassurance from his dam.
Cliantha nods somberly at Orion, her eyes stare a him while she speaks. "He watched out for us, indeed so. Yet, I also told you of the beast out there so you can tell others." Her words are obviously to Felix. "Since I lost my herd and now have been adopted here, I understand of the importance of knowing the local news, bad or good. Taima and I couldn't join another herd because there was too little food. I know what it is to not be wanted out of practicality. I live with what is." She turns away from them now.
Orion casts a slight glance towards the fox, ears lowering slightly and a faint huff escaping him before he looks back to Cliantha. "Yes you did.. An that is another thing he was able to do for us. He hung on long enough to tell you of what happened and thus you was able to tell us and then we can tell others about it as well." This said with a soft tone, he slowly shifts forward and gives Cliantha's shoulder a soft nosing. "We will get through this.. Just remember that." He offers before moving forward once more. "I'm going to try and find my mother and Luna.. I will not be gone long."
Cliantha bobs her head a few times allowing her mane to shake, "Yes we will. Thank you both. Thank you for the help." She stamps her foot on the ground to say farewell to Orion. Her head goes down for a little bit of food before she walks on towards the river.
Orion can be found makes his way back towards the herd, tail slowly swaying and ears perking forward while hie gaze drifts over the area to catch sight of whom is around it would seem. A faint nickker escaping him once his closer to a few. After a few steps his resting comfortable at the edge and a half yawn escapes him before his head lowers and he grabs hold of a few clumps of grass and proceeds to chew away. His tail lashes now and then while his ears wiggle and twitch forward and back.
Dandelion stirs from a brief nap. A foaling mare eats much, sleeps little. Her little colt is getting stronger and bigger every day, but is still quite young and needs momma's milk, and the mare must eat for two. She also needs a lot of water to help make milk, and she takes care to never get too far from the river. The flourish of spring growth seems to have reached its peak, and soon the lush green grasses will start to dry out. Dandelion hungrily devours a lush tuft of grass before lifting her head and swivelling her ears at the sound of Nukpana's son approaches near and nickers. She answers his nicker with one of her own.
There is a grimness to her face, eyes are wide and showing some kind of wildness in them. Her gait is calm, yet still a trot that nears the edge of the territory. She is heading to it from beyond its borders. Her mane shakes in the wind, "I am strong." is her personal whisper. However, following her is an ominous air. Cliantha slows as she first sees Orion. She neighs loudly for his attention and then stamps with her front two feet.
Taima stands among the herd, close to the edge already and nibbling away with her head lowered to the grass. Her ears twist to Orion's nicker and she looks up as she hears Dandelion greet too, returning a nicker in greeting to the pair herself as her tail swishes away a few insects. It's not until she hears Cliantha's neigh that she spots her sister too but Cli's looking serious and focusing on Orion. She falls into silence as she watches curiously.
Strawberry was resting beside Mama, trying hard not to sleep. The silly colt had been prancing and running all morning until the little guy was totally tuckered out, but like all young creatures he didn't wanna miss anything just because he needed to sleep. Oh from time to time sleep would win and the foal would nod off and catch a few winks but when he woke up from these little naps he fought sleep again with all that he had. But here was something interesting! His ears perked as the grown ups greeted each other, then something was different as a mare called in a different way to one of the stallions Strawberry did not know.
Orion lets his gaze turn over to Dandelion and a nod is offered. "Afternoon Dandelion, how are you.. And your new foal?" He questions with a curious tone. A look and soft smile is offered to Taima as well. "Hello Taima.." Though before he is able to say anything else his attentions turns towards the movement of another and he looks towards Cliantha some distance off, it doesn't take much for him to catch on that something may not be right and he quickly moves towards the mare. "Cliantha.. What's wrong?"
Cliantha takes a few heartbeat moments to quell her need to spill all she knows frantically. "I know what happened to..." She takes a long deep breath which calms her further. "To Sirocco." Her tail flicks quick from side to side, her body belying her emotional state. She twitches her ears but her head turn is slow so she can take in the others. A little dip of her head to her sister, then a closing of her eyes to Dandelion and Strawberry. Her eyes reopen to keep her attention on Orion.
Dandelion nods and nosebumps Strawberry gently. "That's O r i o n," she says, sounding Orion's name out slowly for her own very young son. "He is N u k p a n a's son," she explains to Strawberry. "And that is C l i a n t h a," she nickers and points with her muzzle to the white-silver-coated, black-maned mare. "And that is T a i m a," she introduces the large, stocky dusty-white-and-dark-brown-dappled mare. "And ..." she is about to introduce other herd members when Cliantha's tone in news about Sirocco immediately catches Dandelion's full attention. Her ears flatten in anticipation of ill news, and her gaze and attention are immediately seized upon Cliantha.
Mimiteh isn't far from the rest of the herd, quietly grazing on lush prairie grasses when the foreboding scent wafts her way on a warm summer breeze. The paint mare to raise her head suddenly in alarm, ears swiveling about alertly as she seeks out any signs of immediate danger, her eyes also falling on Cliantha as the new mare announces her news.
Taima only briefly flicks an eat towards Dandelion as he name is mentioned for the foal but her eyes remain on Cliantha and the moment it becomes clear that she's not being paranoid and worrying for nothing she trots forwards to her sister, stopping at her side so she's not in the way of news being given or interrupting something that's clearly important. With a very quiet, nervous and concerned whinny her expression silently question if Cli's alright.
Strawberry looks up at his Mama and thinks about this, then he turns to watch the action unfold. Unsure just what is going to happen, "taima..." He says. Yes he knows this one.
Orion hears the name lesson going on behind him between mother and son yet his attention is fully on Cliantha at the moment. "Sirocco..?" He questions softly, ears lowering for a moment before his head lowers to gives Cliantha's neck a soft nosing to try and help comfort her. "Its alright, take a moment and then you can tell us." His ears twitch forward and then to the sides, listening out for anything that not be right.
Seeing her sister come to her side and the soothing from Orion allows Cliantha to calm down considerably. "I saw what happened..." Her voice going hoarse as if it is being taken away by some unknown force, the horror of seeing Sirocco. She takes several deep breaths, "I found him injured." Now she can't look at anyone's face at all or the words will not come. She keeps her eyes closed. "He couldn't get up nor walk."
Dandelion shifts her weight forward, forgetting for a moment she has a new foal of her own to attend to, wanting to gallop out with her herd sisters to rescue the herd stallion, even there have been chasms and voids between them. She looks about. "Where are Nukpana and Luna?" she asks. "They need to know." Momentarily calling with authority she's never before put forth, and certainly hasn't earned but nontheless may be prudent, she says, "A group should go and bring him back, we could protect and nurture him ..."
Mimiteh turns to Dandelion as she speaks and firmly nods her approval, her mane shaking along with the motion. "The whole herd needs to know. Especially with a young one around," she muses aloud in response, gesturing briefly towards the other mare's colt. She doesn't mean to alarm either the days-old foal or his mother, but it's certainly something they should all be alert about...if it, whatever it is, has taken down their herd's rather large stallion, are any of them completely safe? "What happened to him?"
Taima looks alarmed, she may not know Sirocco but she wouldn't wish anything to happen to him. She looks back to the direction Cli came from, paying high attention for danger as she sticks close to her sister and lets her get the story out for the others.
Strawberry listens attentively, but not knowing the direness of the situation the foal appears as carefree as ever...at first. He knows the adults arn't happy about something, he turns and nuzzles his Mama, hoping that in some way that might help. The little colt looks up at his mother uncertainly, "Mama? Bad? Ugly?" He asks in as plain a words as he canbut when ones vocabulary consists of less then ten words ones ability to communicate is very limited.
Felix had heard of fires to the south, and refugees and death and many unpleasant things. And in so hearing, felt as if he had heard his calling. They must need his help! But where are they? He hasn't exactly heard, and so he is searching. Far and wide, wide and far, he is searching for those who, no doubt, lost home and family. It's what his grandfather, Braxton, would do.
Orion blinks and lifts his head to peer at Cliantha, a frown clearly seen and a faint unsure nicker escapes him. "Where did you find him?" He questions softly, a glance offered towards the direction that the mare came from, wondering. A ears twitches to Dandelion and a slight nod is seen. "We can certainly try to bring him back and tend to him.. I'm not sure where Nukpana or Luna are at the moment." His not seen his dear mother since his return.
Cliantha shakes her mane several times, "I fear it is too late to heal him." to Mimiteh's question. "He was dying by the time I got to him. What I saw I do not want to see again. What he told me, I do not want to alarm." Her ears droop with sadness. "I was at the edge when I heard something. It was very faint but also distinct." She lowers her head, tail flicking in agitation. "I went to explore. He was south of here where there is less grass and more dirt, hard on the hooves." She whinnies in anxiety as the horrific sight invades her mind's eye again.
Dandelion answers her son. "S i r o c c o pretty stallion. S i r o c c o nice to mommy. S i r o c c o protect mommy and herd. S i r o c c o hurt somewhere."
Mimiteh's ears pin back briefly as the news slowly unravels, though she's still earnest to hear more of the details...the more they know, the better protected they can be. "What happened to him? What did he say?" she questions of Cliantha in a desperately insistent voice.
Taima isn't sure what to do and scrapes her hoof nervously on the ground, sticking close to Cli and watching their surroundings. Her questions have been asked and she awaits the answers uncomfortably. Really she knows that if they were in danger they wouldn't be stopping to stand about to talk but the thought doesn't help to lay her fears to rest.
Strawberry listens to what his mother tells him and gradually as things start to sink in the foal's ears sink lowere and lower as does his head. His face falls and while he doesn't have the words to express his sorrow he does give a heartbroken nicker, "Bad Dat..."
Felix sees... a lot of horses! Well, some of them might be the refugees he heard about! Of course, if they're in a herd, then any offer he'd be able to make must be rather flat and empty. Still, he'd at least benefot from knowing if there are others to save and help He clears his throat, and, in a meek voice, says, "Excuse me."
Orion frowns as he hears Cliantha, his ears lowering at the thought of Sirocco gone. Its not that the pair was close by any means, but Sirocco was the only one he would ever consider a father. "Cliantha.. What did Sirocco tell you?.. Did he tell you what harmed him?" His head leans forward and he offers a soft nosing to the mare's neck once more. "I know you don't want to think about it but you must tell us what was said." For a moment the fox is missed and soon he glances towards the voice. "One moment.." He feels that what Cliantha has to say is more important than the fox at the moment.
Cliantha steps around in one spot, just lifting her hooves and putting them down in anxiousness. This continues until she feels Orion nosing her neck. "Yes, he told me who did it. I saw the marks on him and all around him. The gouges of him gone." Her voice drops into a very grim tone. "He said it was an ambush.
Dandelion casts a momentary glance to the fox, absently clinging closer to her very recently foaled son. It might seem laughable that a fox could be much menace to a horse, but still she stays close ... those fangs can do damage if ignored, and the timing of news of a deadly attack on their herd stallion has her a bit more on edge. She knows Cliantha is anxious, but wishes she'd just spit it out. Dandelion hoofs at the ground in her own nervousness.
Mimiteh's interrogation continues, her long black tail flicking about erratically. "Of what? Wolves? Cougars? Men?" The herd needs to know what to prepare themselves for. Her eyes are intently locked on the other mare, nostrils flaring wildly; the fox goes momentarily ignored in light of the more pressing news.
Taima becomes momentarily distracted as there's movement and she sees the fox just as he clears his throat and tries to gain attention. She gives the others a nervous glance before very quietly nickering a greeting to the fox. He doesn't help with her discomfort but he's still only small and the conversation is still more pressing on her mind.
Strawberry appears interested in the fox, despite his Mama seeming nervous about it. Another new thing!? Yesterday he met a bird and a goat, and now what was this bushy little creature? He started to trot towards it, his neck extended curiously, the tiny foud day old colt was trying to sniff the vulpine visitor.
Felix looks a tad timid, stepping back. He definitely doesn't look threatening. If there's any horses here who knew him, he looks exactly like his grandfather, Braxton. "I'm... I'm sorry. I can... I can go. If this is... yeah. I'll just... uh..."
"Mimiteh.. Give her a moment." Orion offers, not that he expects her to listen to him. His gaze stays on Cliantha while he shifts a few steps closer to her. "We need to know everything Cliantha.. So we know what to expect and can prepare for it." A ear twitches towards Felix, a soft breath escaping him. "Its not that.. There is just a more pressing matter at the moment.
Cliantha looks down now, her wild gaze is on the fox. "All need to know of this beast. All need to know. Sirocco described him." She looks at the others now in more a 'scary story around the campfire' and begins to tell what the creature looked like. "It has large tusks and snout. The height was taller than a regular boar. Oh, it is a boar. But it is more than that. Much more than that if it took him out. And he said it was wide and heavy. Heavy in ways I can't begin to imagine. You should have seen how it tore his body up." the story coming out of her as if she is distant even from herself.
Dandelion hurrhurrs unpleasantly. "Boars can be nasty ... the bigger they are, the nastier," she says. She flattens her ears and looks to her herd sisters. "What can we do about a large boar that can kill a stallion?" she asks. And ... what will the herd do without a herd stallion? She glances to Orion, and off in the distance where she imagines Sunrise is. Would Sunrise flee himself away with a stallion-killing boar about menacing the herd? Or Itzal or Virgil who also hang about? Questions come to her as the 'what now?' worries begin sinking in, with the herd stallion -- absent as he had been -- now, it seems, permanently gone. "Nukpana and Luna must be found and told. In the meantime ... I think it would be best if the herd came together and we all stayed near and close. Ourselves, each other, and especially our foals can be protected better if we are banded together, instead of scattered," she nickers. Dandelion has been pretty quiet and inactive in the herd, but this crisis seems to be prompting her to at least speak up, if not try to fill in an immediately missing leadership at present.
Mimiteh's hooves anxiously shift about in the dirt as Cliantha finally elaborates upon the vicious beast responsible for the herd stallion's fatal injuries, and finds herself in shocked disbelief. A...boar? Occasionally her former rider's tribe had hunted one down for dinner, but they weren't nearly large enough to take down a horse so easily. And if this one could best such a large stallion... The paint mare falls silent in the full realization of the gravity of the situation.
Taima's attention snaps away from the fox and back onto her sister as the attacker is described and she becomes alarmed. A boar who could do that is a terrifying thought. She shifts her hooves uncomfortably as her eyes go back to the grasses again "Why would a boar set up an ambush for him?" she asks, the question voiced very quietly and with a lot of worry.
Strawberry leans down to nose at the fox as the grown ups all talk around him. He amuses himself by investigating the new creature in their midst. However he does keep his ears perked, listening to the chatter.
Orion pulls his head back slightly as Cliantha tells what happened. "A boar..?" He finds this a big hard to believe, Sirocco was large after all. "One boar set up and ambush for him?" His ears turn towards the others, listening to Dandelion and nods slightly. "I agree.. The rest of the herd needs to come together." As for him leaving?.. His not going anywhere that's for sure, he said before he would do what he could to keep the herd safe and he means it.
Felix looks a little nervous, but lets the foal investigate him. How else is a creature to learn? He had that part of his life before, the wondering curiosity of the young. He's still young now, but now his interests are in the spiritual... and the feminine. "I'm.. sorry... is this about a certain fire to the south?"
Cliantha droops her head slightly as the story ends and seems to drain her. "We /will/ stay together. We will need to make sure that we are all accounted for. This news is important to everyone." She shakes her head, "I don't know why a boar would set up an ambush for Sirocco. He spoke to me not of why but what is." She is trying to harden herself to all this pain, "I just know that the danger..." She hears mention of the fire. "The fire can't hurt us like this creature can -- this boar can." Her eyes finally focus in on Felix, "Do you know something about the fire?" not at all stunned by speaking of that disaster anymore. While she waits for the fox's response, she gazes at the others, holding onto Orion's and Taima's gaze a little longer. "We will get through this all together." with a more confident voice.
Dandelion says, "I haven't smelled the smoke in a few days. It may be gone ... this boar is much more immediate. We can, at least, smell the fire approaching. Big as it is, a monster boar on a rampage could happen upon us much more suddenly." She keeps a close eye and ear on her son trying to play with the fox.
Taima adds fire back to her list of things to really worry about as the fox gains her attention with that question. At least the likelihood of of flaming boars attacking them is very remote, though it does cross her mind. She looks back at Cliantha when her gaze is caught and after a long pause she hesitantly nods to the reassurance.
Strawberry takes a step back after the fox speaks to him and looks closely at it, he had heard this word before, and with a great deal of effort he tries it on for himself, "L...Lo."
Orion is quiet for a moment, listening to the few around him before taking in a breath and leans forward to nose out against Cliantha's neck as he watches her droop more. "Of course we will get through this." He then looks out over the others. "All of us. We will find a way to deal with this problem." He doesn't think a boar would actually take down more than one horse at a time, at least he hopes so.
"I only heard about the fire recently. From a bird. She said there were three survivors... horses. And something tugged at me and now I can't help myself." Felix says, then looks over at the foal and smiles, waving his tail at him. Obviously one of a fox's best traits, another being cunning. In Felix's case, like his grandfather, an insatiatiable longing to help others. "Please... Tell me there are other survivors in need of aid. I must help them, by the spirits."
Cliantha takes a deep breath and gives Orion a small grin for all his soothing. "Who is on good terms with Nukpana? That is the person who should find and tell her of this event. I haven't met Luna, so I suppose someone who does know her well enough should speak to her." She feels a little stronger now and looks to the fox. "We were hoping to find out who else survived. My mother was the lead mare of the herd that lived there. My sister and I and friend stallion, Itzal are from the herd the fire took from us." In return, she nudges her nose against the side of Orion's head, "Thank you." Right after that she nudges her sister. "I'm glad you weren't with me when I found him, Taima." then she looks at Dandelion and Strawberry with softness now in her eyes, the wild fear gone.
Dandelion nickers to her son, "That's a f o x." She looks to Cliantha. "Good terms, bad terms, it doesn't matter. She is the herd leader. I must stay with my son, or I would seek her out to tell her. We are a herd, and Nukpana is our alpha mare. Her leadership and Luna's experience will give us the best chance of seeing through this." She looks to Orion. "Orion is the closest we have to a herd stallion ... and you are a fine stallion now, its nice to see you fully grown ... but his mother, and Luna, have the leadership and experience needed for us to survive." She thinks for a moment. "Maybe you should seek your mother out, come to think of it," she looks to Orion.
Taima nudges her nose back at Cliantha "I'm just glad you're alright" she looks back down to the fox "We don't know of any other survivors yet but if you should find any we'd certainly want to know" the herd decisions she leaves to the others, listening closely still. She certainly won't be straying out on her own "Someone should perhaps warn the other stallions if we see them?"
Strawberry is preoccupied with his learning the names of things, and when Mama tells him a word in that slow way she does when teaching him he looks down at the fox and repeats it as best he is able, "F-Fox? Fox."
Orion offers a soft smile back to Cliantha and nods slightly to her. At the talk of whom is on good terms with Nukpana he grunts slightly and winces at the thought. If anything he is at the bottom of the list of being on good terms with her that's for sure. "Your welcome." This is offered with a soft tone to Cliantha before turning his attention to Dandelion whom he offers a smile to as well. "Thank you Dandelion.." He appricates the complement. "As for my mother.. I can search her out.." Its something that needs to be done. "If I see the other stallions I will warn them of this danger."
Felix listens to this. This search for survivors may not be unchallenging. And he's not necessarily limiting himself to horses in this one. After a while of thought, one question bubbles up in his brain. "You all spoke as if this fire might be spreading...?"
Cliantha looks to Dandelion with hard eyes. "I mean not to keep the leaders out of the loop in this information but who delivers the news is also important. We wouldn't want our lead mares to lose control of their mind in this sort of situation." She smiles at her sister. "Thank you for worrying about me. I'm fine now." Her head leans near Orion, "Please, can you tell her. I'll be happy to speak to Luna." Her answer goes to Felix with, "Spreading? Only the animals are spreading. The fire seems to have cause so many to lose their homes. Even the wolves have been howling more than usual."
Dandelion shakes her head. "This is a deadly attack on the herd. Personality conflicts are secondary. Whomever encounters them first should not wait for someone they like better to show up and give them the news," she snorts. She grooms her son's meager but growing mane.
Strawberry glances up when his Mama starts to groom his small mane, he nuzzles her chest and foreleg, nickering softly, "Strawberry love Mama." He looks around at the other mares and the one stallion, the colt's ears push forward, he hadn't met a stallion before. His curiousity was again warring with his desire to stay by his mother's side.
Orion nickers out softly while he watches the two mares as they speak. "As soon as someone sees Nukpana or Luna they are to be told." This is offered with a soft tone while taking in a soft breath and shifts upon his hooves. "An I will tell her if I see her. Not a problem there." This said with a soft murmur.
Felix listens to this, and the thinking can be seen going on in the fox. "Where did the fire happen? Is it far?" He figures a good place to start would be in the place of destruction.
Cliantha shakes her mane, "I wasn't talking about personality conflicts. I was talking about the sanity of our leads. I have had nightmares of the fire. Imagine now here is such this other deadly thing endangering our herd. But I won't argue on this. If our leads are not fit this will show them to be so." She answers the fox quickly, "It happened about a week walk south of hear, but we weren't running for that time. I'd say running, likely three days south." She steps away from Orion, feeling stiff and drained from this recent ordeal. "I will even take the leads to Sirocco, so they can see him in pieces. I just don't recommend anyone else." in a more darkly morbid voice.
Dandelion smiles at her son. "Mama love Strawberry." She repeats the stallion's name for her son. "That's O r i o n," she hurrs gently to Strawberry. "O r i o n is a nice stallion. He is N u k p a n a's son."
Orion hrms softly as he hears Cliantha. "Luna and Nukpana have lead this herd for a long time Cliantha.. We have stayed together and I've grown up here. I feel that they are very adept leaders when it comes to leading the herd through problems.." Not that the herd has ever faced anything like a horse killing boar before. "We will wait and see what the leaders wish to do once they have found out about this." He pauses a moment. "One of the herd needs to see where Sirocco is I suppose.. We will let Luna and Nukpana decided that though." This said with a soft tone. A glance is offered over to the colt, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Something like that.."
"A week. A week to get there. That's too much time. If there's any injured or lost they surely cannot survive that long!" Felix says, highly agitated now.
Cliantha nods once to Orion, "If you are to assure me that they are, I will believe you, Orion." Also she places all of his words back onto him if things do not work out. "When someone is ready to go with me after there is word from the leads, I'll show the location. It is not something I'll forget overnight." She is slowly pushing her emotions of death from her, stuffing it down to cope. "Well it may be less time for you. I don't know. Maybe you can find someone who could walk it faster. It was two days from another herd and that was three days from here. Taima and I waited for the right time, three weeks, before approaching Dorado."
Dandelion realizes she hasn't formally introduced her son. "This is Strawberry," she nickers. "I wish I had time for a more patient and fuller introduction ... but ... other events are pressing." She makes no mention of who his father is, for now -- an unnecessarily complicating detail when the herd needs to unify. She laughs as she eyes Orion. "I remember when you were Strawberry's size," she says. "Amazing to see you all grown up." She shakes her head and nickers to the fox, "You must be pretty young. Death happens. We take care of those we can, but if we galloped to everyone who needs our help whenever they needed it, our entire herd would die of exhaustion. If the fire flares up and heads this way, we'll be running from it, not toward it. The monster boar is a closer and more immediate concern, to our herd and all herds, packs, clans and tribes in the area." She idly starts to wonder if Nukpana and Luna might have to consider some sort of agreements with that fangy, nasty wolf pack or other predator groups. "Are you in any kind of clan or pack?" she asks the fox.
Strawberry smiles at the big stallion, his ears canting back to catch his mother's words, not realizing he is being introduced to the herd members who don't know him yet. He looks up as his name is mentioned.
Orion watches Cliantha a few moments. "You have to understand.. That they are the only leaders this herd has ever had. An with that in mind we give them our trust.. Everything done to a degree of course." If he saw that his mother was doing something well.. more stupid then normal he would of course voice his thoughts on it. His ears lower for a few moments, his gaze drifting off before hearing Dandelion and he looks over to her. A slight smile offered. "Yes well.. We all grow up.." He lowers his head down to look back at little Strawberry. "Hello there.. You do everything your mother tells you and you will grow up as big as me alright." This said with a playful wink to the colt.
"Ssssort of. I wouldn't call it a formal group. Big, mixed-species group up at the tributary where I grew up. Apparently a legacy of my grandfather and his dearest friend Rye, a coyote, who is still around. We've got quite the composition, really... coyotes, hares, foxes. We've got an even wider assortment of friends not really part of our group exactly, an alligator, the deer herd apparently all knew and loved my grandfather. Apparently some wolves and a cougar who was like a big sister to my grandmother. It's definitely given me a different view of things, for certain." Felix says.
Cliantha moves towards Felix, "Are you able to help us then? I mean with all the friends you have. You could surely find out all there is to any danger because you're small and able to move and hide better than us larger." She looks at the others but there is more pain in her expression that keeps her face tight and distant. No one knows what she does of the death, not on the way she experienced. No one to even share it with to discuss and she realizes this now. Her ears stay perked and no fear is in her but the tension that keeps her on guard.
Dandelion flicks her ears. "And spread the word. A deranged boar that can kill a horse would surely be a threat to everything smaller than a horse, even carnivores." This spoken to Felix.
Strawberry leans up to brush his nose against the large stallion's, his ears forward, "Be good?" He asks with a soft nicker. "Strawberry good, Strawberry pridy." he remarks as if in answer to the instructions.
Orion chuckles softly and nods as he hears the colt. "Oh I'm sure you are." This said with a soft tone. His attention turns back to the mares and the fox, ears perking while he watches Cliantha. "I'm sorry that you had to see what you did Cliantha.. I'm sure it can't be easy.." This said with a soft tone.
"Well, I can help, but I'd have to make sure everyone knows what I'm doing or they might get worried." Felis says, then his eyes get wide. "A boar? a big boar?"
Cliantha looks distantly for a few seconds, "Yes, one who can kill a large stallion. It should be a strong warning of danger that this boar even knows how to ambush. Meaning the threat is even higher." She frowns slightly to Orion, "If you smelled the pain I did. Saw the blood, the way he was attacked. I was helpless and I didn't even want him to speak so I could come back here and have others help me. He told me not to go until he told me of what attacked him. He worried about the herd and not himself." She takes steps backwards away from the fox as well.
Dandelion's body hungers, needing to make milk, and she lowers her muzzle to graze ravenously for a few minutes. She keeps her ears perked and listening in, however.
Orion ears lower slightly and she snuffles out a moment. "Sirocco was a good stallion.. I knew him better when I was younger but he cared for the herd deeply." This said with a soft tone. His seen some attacks on horses before, he himself was attacked by a cougar some time ago and still carries the scars from that encounter.
"Noble of him. One can only hope he saved more lives than just your own. Not to mean your lives are not worth it. But the tragedy it may be if most of your herd perished even at his sacrifice." Felix says. "With big creatures who mean harm, you don't go up against them with strength. You go up against them with cunning and wit. It's still dangerous. I can spread word far and wide about this boar, but be sure to tell everyone you meet, all the same."
Strawberry nickers and prances uneasily at all the serious talk. Then he moves towards his mother, walking under her as he seeks a meal of his own. Plus a little reassurance from his dam.
Cliantha nods somberly at Orion, her eyes stare a him while she speaks. "He watched out for us, indeed so. Yet, I also told you of the beast out there so you can tell others." Her words are obviously to Felix. "Since I lost my herd and now have been adopted here, I understand of the importance of knowing the local news, bad or good. Taima and I couldn't join another herd because there was too little food. I know what it is to not be wanted out of practicality. I live with what is." She turns away from them now.
Orion casts a slight glance towards the fox, ears lowering slightly and a faint huff escaping him before he looks back to Cliantha. "Yes you did.. An that is another thing he was able to do for us. He hung on long enough to tell you of what happened and thus you was able to tell us and then we can tell others about it as well." This said with a soft tone, he slowly shifts forward and gives Cliantha's shoulder a soft nosing. "We will get through this.. Just remember that." He offers before moving forward once more. "I'm going to try and find my mother and Luna.. I will not be gone long."
Cliantha bobs her head a few times allowing her mane to shake, "Yes we will. Thank you both. Thank you for the help." She stamps her foot on the ground to say farewell to Orion. Her head goes down for a little bit of food before she walks on towards the river.