Hydra craned her neck, eying the loose bank beneath Kauri’s hooves. Was there something there? She almost convinced herself that she had seen something dart from view, melt back into the shadows, but there was no way that she could see what he saw. His demons had been yoked to him alone tonight. Hers were still growing, festering low and out of sight. She had dared to take a step towards the stranger, toeing lightly through slick river rocks beneath her, when suddenly the tiger-striped stallion lost his footing. Without thinking, she bounded forward, deftly dodging the creek’s snares. Her foalhood had been spent dancing in the waves, springing merrily along the rocks and crags of her ocean home. The dangerous currents were always just out of sight, invisible sharks waiting to drag down victims who were not so sure of foot.
Of course, there were always real sharks, too.
He righted himself before she could reach him, twilight violet eyes staring at her from beneath the borrowed (stolen? taken?) skull of something vulturine. Her dark eyes beheld it curiously for a moment when the spray exuded from his nostrils dusted her face. She snorted, ears flicking sideways as she realized – no, felt - his anger and took tentative steps back to respect his personal space.
Did it kill me? he shot back at her, trailed by a pregnant pause filled only with quiet moonlight. It didn’t feel like she was the true audience for that question. She stood stoic against the ire emanating from the tiger before her, conflicted. What do you want? the stallion asked from the cool waters and she noticed his eyes had once again found hers, guilt playing the ivory of her spine.
“I just… wanted to help,” she forced out, barely bridling her natural standoffishness. The two-year-old filly often wished it had a switch. She got the impression that offering now would only fan the flames that Kauri kept inside, so she refrained.
“I couldn’t see what was going on, but I didn’t exactly want to storm headlong into whatever it was you were doing,” she shrugged broadly. “Sorry for interrupting you,” fell from her lips bluntly as she idly pawed at the stones beneath the surface.
Another pause.
“Are you alright?” These words were softer, spoken as she gently extended her muzzle forward in a genuine gesture of concern. An olive branch after the thorns had a moment to settle.
@Kauri
ooc. still wrestling with html - it always seems to win! Naked posts for now.
