Wandering seemed to be a thing in his blood, something he did as he moved from place to place to place. Silly, really, he supposed, but it was something embedded in him since before his life altering meeting with some mischievous deities. A shake of his horned head, and he pushed the thoughts away, finding his hooves pressing in to soft grasses while his good eye focused. There were greens and blues, the skies, the grass, the trees. Hues that he could see out of his bad eye (somewhat), and many that he could see in the ruby red gaze that he held in his remaining eye. This was new territory, but since when did he tend to stay in his own places, the old lands that held him so? Once upon a time, chains had kept him down, and attached heartstrings. But now?
Now he seemed to drift wherever he pleased, and though he was a member of the Day Court in Novus, he still found himself meandering in to neutral territories. Here at least, he could find some semblance of peace for the day. He'd had plenty of sparring earlier, and though his muscles didn't ache, his mind seemed to be slow on attempting to keep up with his motions. He needed a break, something to allow him to stretch out like a proverbial cat and bask in the sunlight.
Actually... that wasn't a bad idea. A torn ear perked, and he moved himself, walking on heavy hooves towards the water nearby, allowing himself to wade in to it, the liquid soaking in to his feathering and cool against his skin. It only rose a little up past his feathering, nothing deep, but it was enough to sink down in to tired bones as his ears went back and his head decided to lower. Carefully, he drank, cream and dark hair trailing in to the water, soaking at the ends and dripping when his head came back up, winding together in to stringy little patches. It pressed against his neck, dripping through his fur, and he could only blink, gazing upward. It was still early in the day, and he would have to return back to the Day Court at sooner or later, but for now? For now he would take it upon himself to enjoy the solitude that came with being out here.
maaan oh man this is short but ah well. still a starter for anyone <3
Her laughter carried on the wind, loud and very uncharacteristic. The mare was like a child in the moment, using her feathered limbs to splash and romp in the cold water of the creek. She did not know what struck her so about the creek, but she had been unable to resist. Perhaps it was the lack of such silliness as a child, or that her days could very well be numbered. The mare that had accompanied her to Novus had warned her that by leaving the borders of the Dusk Court, she was making it all the easier for her father to find her. And yet, if she hid...what difference did the cage make?
Water clung to every inch of her underbelly and legs -- dripping back to the depths from which they came. Inara had to be careful, the various rocks and ledges making her playground quite unsuitable, but she had a purpose for being here. Not necessarily in the water, but the area surrounding the creek. Another had told her that this particular creek had very good medicinal herbs growing along the banks, although she didn’t know exactly what for. Inara was very new to being responsible for the healing and care of others, which made her all but helpless. She knew that she needed to begin contributing to the herd in some way, or else she feared that the Sovereign might ask her to leave. She had no base for such a thought, but the idea of leaving the only true home she had ever known was enough to send her searching.
She lept forward, throwing her head in a child-like fashion, charging against the gentle current. Somehow, her feet seemed to know where to step and avoid the slippery surface below. The mist curled around her knees, broken by her presence as she moved upstream with the broadest grin until she came to a sudden and abrupt stop -- frozen in the presence of another. The smile she wore disappeared, her green eyes widening as the paused babbling of the creek resumed and she found herself directly across from a stallion. The black and white brute was amid the water as well, but with none of her foolish splashing or play. He seemed more dignified, with a pair of red eyes that frightened her for some reason. A pair of horns from his face and numerous scars only added to the anxiety he caused her, the painted mare taking a dancing step back.
Her audits flickered, falling back against her crown as she averted her gaze -- aware of her open staring. ”I-I’m s-sorry.” She stammered, a common enough occurrence. It seemed she lacked the ability to speak around strangers, or people who frightened her. ”I d-d-didn’t know anyone e-else w-w-was here.” Her demeanor transformed, the carefree mare splashing through the creek disappearing and in her place stood someone who was much more fearful and submissive.
He was grizzled and worn from his span of eight years, but not tired, never tired. Even now, he wandered here and there, though he always seemed to gravitate back towards 'home' now. A new home, a new place. The Day Court seemed to welcome a gladiator such as himself, a pub brawler with scars to match his attitude and a tendency to be lazy unless he was fired up for it. Ah, thoughts that teased him even more these days, he was getting an itch that was only scratched by the arena. Some day, he'd get to it, he would have to.
For now, however, Leviathan lifted his head, blinking and tilting it so his good eye focused on the mare that had suddenly appeared. Well, not suddenly, he just hadn't really paid attention until a moment ago. Like most, she seemed to react in an intimidated way, and it made the titan snort softly, his neck arching as he stretched himself and shook so his mane smacked against him. The wet strands tangled around his horns before he finally stopped, flicking an ear toward the woman, still mildly amused. He didn't understand why most didn't have the guts to speak to him, honestly.
"Don't know why you're apologizing. It's a free land, after all." A neutral land, anyway. It wasn't like he was going to berate someone for splashing around in a creek, no matter how silly it seemed. All the same, he lifted a hoof, shaking it so the feathers dripped a little before he moved to step himself a little deeper. Rather than say anything, he lowered himself and rolled in the water.
It felt good, the coolness seeping in to his fur, and he straightened up, laying there a moment with sopping wet features before he got up and instead shook himself, pleased. "It's not often I get to enjoy water like this. Solterra is a rough place." At least here he could cool off and wash the dust and grime away that would build up, even bits of sand that trickled off of him with the water.
Her audits perked as the stallion spoke, her gaze lifting over the water to watch his lips move. He was right, she supposed, but she had intruded upon whatever it was that he had been doing -- and she hated to be a bother to anyone. And he was rather grisly looking to boot, which indicated to Inara that he was someone she certainly did not want to bother. He surprised her further as that large body of his began to falter forward, creating a great splash as he rolled into the waters.
The ripple he caused lapping against her own lightly feathered feet. She was surprised, to say the least, watching in silent curiosity as he rolled himself right again after a moment or two. A sense of ease began to find its way around her shoulders, although she knew that she should not let her guard down too much. He was still a stranger, after all.
She turned her face away, just to hide the little smile of amusement, taking a few sloshing steps further upstream before pausing again. She didn’t know whether his roll had been intentional or not, but it had made her feel better. ”S-solterra?” She found herself saying, her voice a bit stronger with her curiousity. ”T-that’s the d-day court, is it n-not?” She frowned, her stammering a source of frustration for the young mare.
”S-s-sorry. I s-stutter when I’m nervous.” She cleared her throat. She wasn’t quite as comfortable as he was to lie down, but she gave the water a good thrashing, throwing water against her underbelly. She found herself glancing in his direction again, twisting her neck in order to get a better view.
”I’ve n-not met anyone from S-s-s-solterra before.” She admitted. Hell, most of the courts were still a mystery to her -- but she loved to learn about them. Dusk court had simply been a fool’s luck for her, their ideals matching with her own. ”I-I’m Inara. F-f-f-rom Terrastel-la.”
