|
|
Post by Hud on Nov 25, 2011 20:41:18 GMT -5
The forest seemed quiet this morning. With only the chirping of a cock-of-the-rock to wake her, Eponine arose rather late. She wasn't upset, but instead interested. The brown and white mare couldn't fathom the rain forest's slow morning... Perhaps there was someone near? Someone it wasn't too familiar with? Eponine's first thought was jaguar, though she knew they never came this far south... Maybe she was just imagining things.
Eponine took a long breath and set about searching for breakfast. Nose to the ground, she sought out the scent of something nutritious and found it quickly in the form of a brush at the base of a foxtail tree. Tail brushing against her hocks, Eponine munched in solidarity...
OOC: SHORT.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Nov 25, 2011 22:24:16 GMT -5
He'd been laying low as of late, in part to avoid the insane chestnut mare, but also out of a sudden need for solitude which was easy enough to find in Aquicul. He'd risen early that morning and finding his mood lightened had decided to return to the Rebel community. It hadn't been a very direct trip until just recently. A familiar scent had reached him, not one he'd come across in sometime, and Merlo found himself compelled to reach it's source.
He was fairly sure knew her, but still proceeded as quietly as possible. It was a habit, but Merlo also hoped to reserve the right to a quick retreat if he'd been mistaken.
He wasn't.
Eponine. He stopped as soon as he spotted her form through the undergrowth, remaining still and silent as a rock even as water dripped on his nose from the leaves above. They'd met a few times before but always in the company of others. To come across her now, alone, was all together different.
Inspired to approach her Merlo closed the remaining gap. No longer trying to mask his approach, he called out to her, black eyes shining with unexpected eagerness.
"Not quite the same as grass is it?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Nov 26, 2011 23:04:23 GMT -5
It seemed as if despite the morning's quiet start, Eponine could never remain by herself for long. Aquicul was so teeming with life that if it wasn't a lemur swinging by to say hello, it was a tree frog interrupting her dust bath and, is it was in this case, if it wasn't a parrot, it was another equine.
A rebel, to be exact. Better one of hers than someone who preferred the Northern King. Eponine was not one to fight, though she did support the rebels' cause fully even to the point of calling herself one. One did not have to fight to be of the same cause as one who did fight. This time it was Merlo.
The mare knew him, though not to any real extent. Her friend Raylan had introduced them, yet she knew she hadn't said more than a kind "Hello" to him at the time. Eponine only truly recognized him when she raised her head from her breakfast to inspect her disruption. He was a striking boy - yellow, black, and above all, white. His spots were handsome and so was his frame. She couldn't complain at the sight before her. Merlo started the conversation. Raising a brow as a smirk emerged:
"Indeed sir, I must admit that by insinuating that the brush beneath such a tropical tree is not identical to common grass found in other climates, you are correct."
How astute, she thought. It was not her intent to appear rude but rather sarcastic. There really was no perfect way to greet others and she could understand that. She was not unforgiving. Eponine turned to face him and took a few steps closer, a smile evident as she waited for his response.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Nov 27, 2011 12:48:53 GMT -5
Merlo's ears fell back at her reply, his open expression closing at once as the mare became instantly less attractive to him. Merlo had particular way with mares, very rarely did he find a female who he wanted anything to do with, and even then the slightest annoyance caused his almost immediate dislike. To receive such a sarcastic remark in response to what had been a pleasant enough greeting was all the reason he needed to turn tail and leave Eponine to her own devices, but as she turned a friendly smile on him it occurred to Merlo that she might not realize how offensive her behavior was.
He wasn't certain if that made her more repulsive or less, but at her approach the stud felt that same clenching in his chest he had felt upon first spying her through the trees and found himself unable to leave... At least not yet.
He returned her smile with his own humorless grimace, making his irritation known in the politest manner he knew.
"Thank you for the clarification madame, though I'm well aware of the difference between the two. I was simply expressing my opinion that the forage of Aquicul is is not as agreeable as, for example, the lush grass of the Plains and inquiring as to your feelings on the matter."
Feeling his rebuttal had been a successful one, Merlo's expression soften again. A faint but genuine smile touching his lips.
"Though if you'd like to talk at length about the differences in fauna between the territories, I suppose that would constitute as a conversation as well... Though not a terribly interesting one I'd think."
ooc: ... Merlo, once he starts talking, he doesn't know how to shut up >.>
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Nov 27, 2011 12:57:32 GMT -5
"Merlo you must know a quip when you hear one," she said quickly with a smirk. She could recognize his frustration immediately and silently cursed her behavior for having failed so miserably. Eponine could already consider him a worthy foe when it came to verbal communications - something that was hard to find in these parts.
There was nothing Eponine liked more than a nice heated discussion. She wasn't sure if he felt the same, so she quieted herself for a moment, offering only her expressions for bait. Eponine's eyes glanced down at her hooves in a bit of an apologetic style. Despite her love of arguments, she never wanted to be disliked because of them. That part of her always trumped the other.
OOC: SHORT.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Nov 27, 2011 13:49:59 GMT -5
What a confusing creature she was. He found the sudden transition from jeering wordplay to a tone of remorse bemusing though not altogether unappreciated and raised a inquisitive brow as he replied
"Yes, I suppose I do though I will admit I have grown unaccustomed to such a quick turn of phrase since arriving in the jungle."
True enough, though not all the rebels were idiots clever conversation was not a common pastime... Nor would he have expected anything of the sort from a member of the feminine gender, but Merlo tactfully kept that thought to himself.
ooc: ALSO SHORT
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Nov 27, 2011 14:10:33 GMT -5
A reasonable response.
"Might I ask where you come from then?" Perhaps it was because both of them were not rainforest-born that they could banter so similarly. Those from Aquicul were not concerned with wit, though few were in the Homeland. Eponine's fillyhood had been spent in Cadmon, battling the stifling heat and brightest sun. As much time as she spent in the company of her family helped her gain a complex form of speaking and a rather extensive vocabulary. It was a style that was often only appreciated or even understood by those she was related to, though she was trying to quiet it down a little to let more normal manners into her system. Eponine didn't want to be ostracized for her uncontrollable tongue. Practice would remedy her problem, right? The timid-hearted mare concealed her true ways as best she could with her wit - it was hard to open up.
OOC: Boooooooo, Hud sucks! xD
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Nov 27, 2011 21:56:09 GMT -5
Certainly not his favorite topic, but surely it was better than botany.
"Nowhere really, but I suppose I should say Kalf Lake. That's where I was born anyway... And you?"
Merlo felt a shade vulnerable, though he offered her nothing more than a noncommittal smile; anything to turn the focus away from himself and back to her.
ooc: hat wins the short battle ;D;
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Nov 30, 2011 18:56:43 GMT -5
Eponine had never been to Kalf Lake, though she'd heard of it. In fact, she'd never been to the Freelands at all. "Cadmon Desert, actually," she said with a bit of a smile. The mare was proud of her heritage as a desert horse and would never forget her roots even though she had every intention of remaining in Aquicul for the rest of her days. Her brown-and-blue gaze drifted from Merlo's eyes down as she took a quick glance over his coat. It was exceptional, to say the least. Not a bad looking stallion at all, though he would be hard-pressed to get her to admit to it.
Eponine turned back to lower her head for a quick mouthful of her earlier meal of rain forest brush and returned to restore her line of sight to his eyes. Swallowing the last of her morning's nourishment, Eponine continued: "Occasionally I long for my sandy home, but for the most part I thank the Mother for leading me here," Eponine said with a genuine smile. Without the rebels, Eponine wasn't sure what would've happened to her. They were blessings, to be sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Dec 1, 2011 22:11:05 GMT -5
"Cadmon, really?" He meant it not as a question, but more an expression of surprise. The Far South was one corner of the Homelands he had never seen, nor did he have any intention of doing so. True at times Aquicul was just as blisteringly hot but at least there was always water to be had.
Eponine wasn't exactly what Merlo envisioned when he thought of a desert horse either. He looked her over discretely as he could, enjoying the scenery but failing to see how it fit into the heat and sand. She was dark and painted, easily warmed, easily burned, thank the Mother indeed that she'd chosen to come here... But enough of that.
Merlo gave a light shake to rid himself of such trivial trains of thought.
"It's nice isn't it, to have a sense of purpose?" Realizing that he hadn't quite explained himself, Merlo continued "At least that is why I joined the cause, perhaps your motives for coming here were different."
It wasn't exactly a question. Merlo of all horses knew that sometimes such things were not up for discussion.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Dec 1, 2011 22:29:25 GMT -5
His surprise was not unwarranted - Eponine had often gotten such a response. True, she had been born beneath the desert sun, but she belonged beneath the shade of a banana tree. She'd easily said goodbye to her foalhood. The stallion opposite her continued. She smiled softly with a blink and nodded a little to him.
"That could be described as part of my joining, yes," she agreed. "As for the rest, it is centered around my concern for the conservation of the last wild kingdom in the Homeland. Under the control of the Northern King of any other stallion for that matter could spell disaster for Aquicul and I hope I can help keep it as wild as the day I entered it." As Eponine explained, her eyes shone with passion for her cause, slowly drifting up toward the canopy. A blue and green parrot proceeded to extend his wings in a long stretch and let out his distinguishable call as if on cue. Returning to Merlo, Eponine gave a regained hopeful grin.
"I do apologize for rambling. It is a character flaw of mine I'm trying to correct."
|
|
|
|
Post by Hattie on Dec 1, 2011 23:04:14 GMT -5
She surprised him yet again, such passion, such light. He had to avert his gaze, least she see his unsuppressible smile and think it condescending; all in all the parrot was quite conveniently timed.
"Oh no, please don't. It's one thing to ramble aimlessly, but speaking at length about that which inspires you... I can find no fault in that."
He turned his smile on her then, certain she would now know it to be genuine. "It's extraordinary really."
Merlo had intended this meeting to go somewhere certainly, but this is not at all what he had intended... No, it was far better. The speckled stud doubted he had ever come across anything so wonderfully unexpected in his life so far, his only regret that sometime in the near future it would almost certainly draw to an end.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hud on Dec 2, 2011 18:23:48 GMT -5
Merlo seemed to not understand why Eponine was not proud of her speech. In fact, he went on to compliment it. Its sincerity, passion - everything. She could see his truthfulness as he finished his compliment gracefully.
Eponine couldn't help but smile and if her cheeks had been white, her blushing might've been visible. As it was, she lowered her head a little, a tad embarrassed. "Thank you for understanding," she cooed softly.
It was nice to meet someone who would listen at all, let alone enjoy what she had to say. True enough, the stunning mare got more male visitors when she kept her mouth shut rather than when she let them see her true colors. Eponine was glad this stallion had come across her and interrupted her breakfast. She'd skip the morning meal to make a new friend any day!
OOC: Thread done. 
|
|
