[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) The air was cool with the promise of night, as the sunset turned the sky into a palette of oranges, red, purples, and creams. It truly was a beautiful sight, one that Firefly often sought out to admire. The young, appaloosa mix watched the ground as she maneuvered over the sands and rocks. She knew the dangers that might be out if you were to hurt yourself so far from home. And with Avalon Garden, her uncle’s home, being so far away she was determined to be as careful as she could be. She slowly made it to the cove, her destination for that evening, and walked into the shallows of the water, laying down just inside of it, so the water barely touched her. The sunset’s reflection gleamed of the water, toying on her hide, giving the already pretty chestnut and ivory coloring a more vibrant, fiery appearance, which could only seem fitting considering her name, Firefly. She stared out at the water, watching the reflection of the sun slowly disappear, as the day surrendered to the night, unable to believe the majestic beauty that appeared in such a necessary event. That was the way Firefly’s mind worked though, constantly searching for the prettiest, the most natural beauty. She was an optimist, always seeing the world as half bright, rather than half dark. She couldn’t help it, though, as it was in the way she was raised. Her mother had needed an optimist to be by her side, desperately so, and when Firefly was born, she had became her mother’s shining beacon. She’d done her job right though, warming the world so that her mother could always climb out of the darkness that her father had cause her to spiral into. Even to this day, Firefly still hasn’t the faintest idea as to how to figure out her mother and father’s relationship, and now . . . with her father thousands of hundreds of days away, and her mother passed on to the afterlife, she probably would never get the answer. All she was aware of was the fact that her father had loved her mother in a possessive sort of way, and her mother had thought she loved him back, but as father began to take away more of mother’s freedom, with the need to protect her, Blood’s spark had dwindled and eventually, for fear of remaining in that state of mind, her mother had left. It hadn’t taken long for Firefly to decide to follow her mother, feeling a slight disapproval towards her father for causing her mother to feel that, to feel so trapped. Though, that didn’t mean she didn’t love her father, who truly was a grand individual especially in the place she’d grown up in. But, it had been her time to leave, to follow her mother and ensure her happiness in the new found freedom. Which, her mother had had . . . a happiness that grew when she’d met the black stallion (who Firefly still didn’t trust, even now that he’s disappeared.) When her mother had died, however, the stallion had disappeared, either dying himself, or leaving for one reason or another. But, despite all the lose, her mother, her father, at least she had her uncle Grim. But that didn’t mean she liked being with him in Avalon Garden, which was probably why she was leaving so often, going here or there. Avalon Garden, it was were her uncle belonged, but that didn’t mean it was where she belonged, to be honest, she had no idea where she belonged. Every place she’d tried just . . . didn’t seem right. Imbros, with her father, was just . . . to demented for her liking. The south, wanted to kill her father so she couldn’t go to the warmer south either. Here, Avalon garden was her uncle’s home, it was to dark and dreary for her. No place felt . . . right to her. She sighed, looking up as the last of the sun slunk down beneath the horizon, and the moon rose up in it’s place. Night had fallen, and once again she found herself fighting the idea of returning ‘home’ to Avalon Garden. She stood slowly, shaking the water from her pelt before she began to walk to the dry shore line, before once more laying down, watching as the moonlight swept the vibrancy of her color away turning the chestnut into a soft rust, causing her ivory markings to shine with a bit more flavor. She smiled faintly, as she looked up, seeing the familiar flair of red in the midst of the black. The fireflies. Perhaps it was that they were her namesake, or that she often treated them so well, either way, they always seemed to gather around her once the night started to come. They’re vibrant colors washing a bit of the greyed out coat away as the hovered around her downed form, a few landing on her back to walk a few steps before taking off again. It was their usual greeting, a silent swirl, before they took off, to look around the area, a few lingering around her prone body, and she couldn’t help but smile. This was the closest she got to feeling at home . . . here with these creatures, these fireflies . . . but, as the smile dipped into a frown, she couldn’t help but think, it just wasn’t enough. [Tags`` Open [Words`` 912 [Muse`` Pretty good [Sounds`` The television [Notes`` open for anyone, just reply <33 [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

Long dark legs carried him effortlessly forward; dark brooding eyes scanned the slowly darkening landscape. He was cantering everywhere, anywhere, and nowhere. He would need to find somewhere to stop, because he couldn't canter all night, especially after wandering around all day. His gait was effortless, born of months of restless wandering. On the surface, Kaipo was a happy, mischievous stallion. Underneath, there were far more layers than he cared to admit. He cheered up in the presence of others, but times like these, when he was alone, after weeks of being alone, he was a quiet, brooding mess. He couldn't help but long for company, but thoughts of where he was born made him loath to seek out just any horse.

His mother wasn't the most nurturing mare on the planet. Lets just say that she had a vision of who he should be, and she made sure he got punished for not fitting into her mold. Add that to the persecution from the favorite mares of the lead because Kaipo was a strong and competent foal, and you got a childhood that would send a lot of horses sour. Kaipo was different. He hung out with the other outcasts of the foals, and found himself a capable leader in a crowd where he was liked and accepted for who he was. He was allowed to be energetic, hyper, and hilariously out of touch with reality. He could be kind and gentle, but wickedly intelligent as well. Kaipo well understands the two ways life can be, and he does his best to stay in the world where he and others are accepted for who they are and not forced to be something they aren't.

Right now, Kaipo was definitely failing at keeping the dark memories at bay. It didn't help that he was lonely and on edge from not seeing others around. It made him wonder if he had wandered into mountain lion territory or something. He smiled at himself, thinking crazy things in a place that was obviously well travelled, but he kept his eyes and ears open, keeping a vigilant watch. He could never be too careful or too wary. Quite often, it would save your life. He had seen with his own eyes horses killed by predators, in wide open places where they should have been able to escape with just a little bit of warning. No, Kaipo had learned quite early that the easiest way of avoiding someone was to keep a close watch and escape while there was still time to get away safely. It was a tad hard when it was your mother, someone who you instinctively ran to for safety and comfort.

Kaipo slowed, ears pricked as he sighted an open area, well lit by the moon and a multitude of fireflies. The tall stallion was nearly invisible, with only his blaze and small white spots on his body glowing in the moonlight. He made his way forward, fascinated by the bugs that so brilliantly lit the air. They became more concentrated as he walked, ruining his night vision with their bright and sudden flashes of golden light. Forgotten were his musings about his past and about his loneliness in the light of these fascinating creatures. Some of his youthful friends liked to smash the bugs and smear them on their bodies to make themselves glow, but Kaipo didn't have the heart to kill the innocent bugs, no matter how cool it looked to be smeared with the glowy guts.

With a start he realized they were landing on and swarming around a prone figure. He gave a low whinny, announcing his presence. The sand had masked his slow footfalls, and he didn't want to startle the horse laying on the ground. He or she probably thought they were completely alone, and he didn't want to get too close and scare the living beejeebers out of them. He took a deep breath as the breeze complied with his wishes and blew a bit of the horse's scent at him. Mare, he identified. He shook his head, pleased at the pleasent turn of events. Not only had he found himself some company, but the fireflies had managed to scare off his bad mood.

"Hello there." His voice was deep, friendly, comforting. It was dark by now, and he wanted to make sure he didn't appear threatening. He knew that there would be no denying that he was a tall dark stallion wandering around in the dark. That would scare most mares away. But he was pleased that he had found a nice, quiet area, not to mention some bright company, even if the mare didn't feel comfortable enough to stick around.

ooc- yayyy, so proud of myself. 800 words, the best I've written in probably a year. <3

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) It was quiet, relaxing even; with the soft crash of waves against the rocky cove that tended to sooth the worst of them. The soft sounds of nights met pricked ears as crickets chimed for their lovers and a slight breeze whistled through the area. It was the peace, quiet, and the comfort that some places like this offered that had her leaving Avalon Garden so often. She couldn’t really help it. She was just so comfortable in a place like this, so open, bright, filled with the vibrancy that a lot of Avalon Garden didn’t have. Sure, it wasn’t a bad place . . . it just wasn’t her place. She smiled softly as the fireflies flew, lighting the land around her in a fiery display, relaxed as she simply watched them fly around. There wasn’t a way to relax in Avalon like this, not with the wolves running around (a creature she’d discovered fear over after another pack had killed her mother), not to mention all the mist and fog. It was dark, and dreary, and Firefly was meant to shine in the bright light, not grey out in the dark. Her eyes closed as she lowered her head to the soft sand, letting it pillow her cheeks and muzzle, as she breathed evenly, wondering if it’d be good, or bad, to fall asleep in such an area. She could already hear her Uncle Grim’s voice, ‘What were you thinking? It’s dangerous for a mare to be out alone. You could have gotten hurt, in big trouble! I’m suppose to be watching you! I’m in charge, and I meant it when I said you had to stay close and let me know when you leave! And where you go! Then I don’t have to spend half my night looking for you!’ She sighed, before deciding to ignore the annoying voice, and relaxed once again, or at least she relaxed until a sudden, low whinny startled her enough to cause her to jump up, trip over her limbs in the process and fall back to the ground. Shaking her head gently, Firefly sat back up, looking around before seeing a nearly invisible horse in the near distance, only a few vibrant white splashes. She tilted her head as she looked at the stranger, surprised someone had been able to get so close with out her knowing, before realizing the sand had probably hidden the sounds of the stranger’s steps. Hello there. The voice was enough to give her some clue on the stranger, deep enough to show he was a stallion, but both friendly and comforting to show he was no threat. She tilted her head lightly, “Hello, stranger.” She returned the greeting, her own voice light, and bright. You could practically hear the smile in her voice, “What brings you this way so late at night?” She asked conversationally, before adding as if by second thought, “My name is Firefly, by the way.” Her smile might not be visible in the night, but there was no denying that it was definitely in her voice. Firefly was a naturally a female who looked onto the bright side of things, and even the surprising arrival of an unfamiliar stallion wasn’t enough to make her turn away company. She believed in the best of people, unlike her uncle, and she’d always believe the best, “Please, come join me . . . no need to be so distant, I do not bite.” She laughed, before adding, “I’m sure standing isn’t more comfortable then laying down in the sand.” [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 616 [Muse`` Pretty good [Sounds`` The television [Notes`` not my best, but hopefully you can pull something to work off of <33 [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

Chestnut stallion remained still as the mare scrambled to her feet after he whinnied. He had expected nothing less, but he wished he was free to comfort her in some way, to cushion the shock of having someone sneak up on you, even if they didn't mean it. Her hide was mostly white, glowing with the golden light of fireflies and the white glow of the moonlight. Spots in the midst of white were pure darkness, which he imagined that he was as well. Some areas, near her face and legs, faded slightly, and he guessed that they were slightly roaned, something he wouldn't put past the Appaloosa blood that quite obviously ruled her coat. She was pretty, from what he could tell in the dark, and he briefly wondered how fast she would run out of here.

To his surprise, however, she remained where she had fallen. She had attempted to jump up, but was unsuccessful. It caused him worry, that a mare could be so oblivious to her surroundings, laying down even, and then not able to get herself back up off the ground in an instant. Kaipo rarely laid down, mostly because it went against everything in his being telling him that a predator could leap out of nowhere and he would be defenseless to fight. He granted her that he had been nearly silent in his approach, and that she was a mare probably accustomed to being taken care of in a herd, but he still couldn't quite understand it. He was here now, however, and he would make sure to be her eyes and ears for her.

Her voice was light when she replied, completely recovered from the shock of his presence. He couldn't help but smile. He had unwittingly stumbled upon a mare who was the exact opposite of his mother. He paused to reflect on what answer he could give to her query, and she introduced herself before he could come up with a suitable answer. "I'm Kaipo; it's wonderful to meet you, Firefly." He paused again, letting nature quietly fill the silence. "To tell you the truth, I was just wandering around, exploring. I haven't claimed a land and no one has joined me, so I haven't really settled down anywhere." A note of wistfulness was clear in his tone, but just as strong was the note of acceptance. He was a young stallion at only five years old, and it wasn't expected that he would have a large herd and an established land. He wasn't quite sure exactly how to go about doing things, but he had decided that he would find someone or someones to share it with before he decided to settle down.

He was genuinely concerned about her invitation to come close. "No, Firefly, but what if I do?" His question quite obviously told her that he wouldn't, but he couldn't shake the worry for her, a mare, who he had just met. He sighed. "Sorry, I don't know you; I shouldn't be trying to tell you what to do." He moved closer, consciously putting his worries in a box and putting them away. It was probably the darkness that was causing him to be so overprotective, but it could also be attributed to his kind heart. He didn't want to see her get hurt or really anyone get hurt. He stopped close to her, forelegs close to her shoulder. He didn't take her invitation to lay down, choosing to not go over the reasons he shouldn't. "No, I think I'll stand and keep watch," he told her, tone joking at himself. He didn't bother telling her he was half serious.

The fireflies continued their lazy flashes, including him in their landing patterns. He forced himself to relax, ears flicking to keep track of what was around him, but head lowered as he contemplated where he would sleep tonight. "So are you in a herd?" he asked, curiosity lacing his voice. If she was, she was taking a night off. If she wasn't, she was a wanderer just like he, finding the most beautiful and restful places the land had to offer.

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) If you were ever to think that you had come across, or even met a mare like Firefly, you'd have to be mistaken, for it could be easy to see that there truly are few like it. When she'd heard the whinny, sure she'd startled, jumping, and tripping, but otherwise she'd not taken off, not went to hide behind her uncle, no . . she'd looked around to find the source of the noise, that being a horse standing near by almost shrouded in the darkness. She watched him silently, once more laying down in her spot. She had no fear, or apprehension about the arrival of another, why should she when he uncle, and protector, was as feared as her aunt like figure. Sure, Grim had never done anything to be feared for, but just his size and name was enough to cause apprehension. And then mirror that with the fact that her uncle was best friends with the serial killer turned queen, Wiccan's Rede . . . she had protection by mere affiliation. No one would threaten someone under the protection of the two. Not to mention that while she might look delicate and sweet, she was half draft, which accounted for her startling 16.3 hand height. She was well made, her muscles more lean then bulgy, but she knew how to use them to run with speed if the need arose, but rarely did it arise, not for the sweetheart, not for Firefly. She made friends, not enemies. She responded with a light tone, before watching him, waiting for him to respond to her, and wasn't left to wait long, as he introduced himself as Kaipo. She smiled faintly, dipping her head slightly, "The pleasure is all mine, Kaipo," She said respectfully, the smile still gracing her slender muzzle. While she might be half draft, she merely looked like a larger, grander, more feminine version of an appaloosa. She had none of her father's bulk, none of his sheer strength, it had been morphed and grafted to merely give her body a more feminine touch, keeping her design mostly like her appaloosa mother. She fell silent as he began to speak again, listening with a calmness most mares didn't possess in the company of an unfamiliar stallion . . . but then again, Firefly wasn't most mares. She tilted her head, nodding occasionally as she listened, understanding both where he was coming from and the wistfulness of his tone. She might have a herd, but that didn't mean she had a home. "Exploring, the same brought me out here . . . I fear I've inherited a lot of traits from my mother, and my love of exploring new places would be one of them. It's nice to be able to get out and see new things." She responded, with a light, vibrant laugh. Everything about her was always vibrant, just as it had been when she was a foal and taking on the rule of lighthouse for her mother to steer her away from the treacherous cliffs of her depression. She'd always been like that, even after her mother no longer needed her. She was a beacon of light for anyone needing her, a vibrant blast of light to eat away the darkness and promise a better tomorrow, hence her name - Firefly, a creature who could brighten up the night and even make it feel welcoming. And where she was born, it had indeed been like an endless night. She tilted her head as he spoke again, curious about his response, before laughing softly, "You don't sound like the sort. Besides, I know well enough how to take care of myself." She stated calmly, shrugging, "Besides, I have more faith in others then to always expect the worse. When you expect the worst, then the world will always give that to you, I prefer the optimistic approach." She responded as she gently shook out her multi-hued mane, smiling when he apologized afterwards. She shook her head softly, "I don't mind, I'm used to it. My uncle is constantly declaring what I should and shouldn't do. He's worried that I'm going to get myself in trouble. Apparently I'm too naive. Though, I think he's wrong about that." She didn't just inherit her mother's sense of adventure, but a hint of her talkative-ness too. Sure, she didn't ramble like her mother, but she had no qualms about telling the story of her life to a stranger. She glanced up at the stallion as he moved closer, though he still stood, and she giggled faintly with amusement, "Do as you wish, I'll not argue. One's choice is their own to make, no one else can make it for you." She said, as she turned her attention back to her fellow sisters in name, watching them flash and flutter about, before she glanced back at him when he spoke again, and tilted her head, "Kind . . . of . . ." She said slowly, falling silent with an air of thoughtfulness as she attempted to figure out the best way to explain, "My uncle, he has a herd and I stay with him for the time being. It's nice enough . . . I suppose . . . It's just . . . not my kind of place." She explained, smiling, "It's too dark and dreary for my taste, with all the cold fog and shadows. I much more prefer something open and bright, like this place." She shook her head, and sighed, "Not that I should complain though, at least my uncle offered to take me in . . . I really should be grateful, right." She just couldn't help but think . . . It just wasn't were she actually belonged. Not that she knew where that was either, though . . . [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 1025 [Muse`` very nicee [Sounds`` The television [Notes`` I love rping Firefly, I always seem to have muse for her <3 [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

He smiled as she described exploring, liking her reasons, but not able to apply them to himself. Instead of exploring for the sake of exploring, he was exploring for lack of anything else to do. It was far better than staying in one place and mourning the things he didn't have, not that that was in his nature. Exploring was the option that appealed to him. By the time he found mares to join him, he'd probably know all of the lands except those claimed by others like the back of his hand. He had contemplated joining a herd, but he wasn't sure he was willing to give up his freedom and his supreme right of being his own boss.

He chuckled at her response, knowing the only logical conclusion from his question was something about how he wouldn't be one to bite. He thought about suppressing the urge to bite her, but instead nipped lightly at the base of her mane, ready to jump back if she flailed an appendage at him for playing. He raised his head to keep it out of reach, dark eyes glittering at her from his vantage point. The fireflies seemed to laugh, bursting all their fiery glory around them.

He had to smile at her response, to look at the world with optimism. "Been there, done that, and it doesn't work." he muttered under his breath, stopping his mind from pulling him into mental darkness. It was one thing to be awake at night with the darkness covering everything like a blanket, it was another to let it creep into one's being and affect one's mood. He raised an eyebrow as she continued, fully with her uncle's opinion that she was naive. Or at least, not aware of the dangers that could befall her. It wasn't just other horses, but wolves and wild cats that concerned him. A mountain lion could have leaped onto her prone form and gotten in a bite to her spinal cord before she had time to get up to buck him off. Kai knew he was being morbid, but it was his job to think of these things. Maybe not about a mare who wasn't under his care, but he couldn't help that he cared.

Her giggle at his standing watch was musical, lilting, something he could get used to hearing. It wasn't much different from her voice, and yet laughter was something totally different. It implied trust, an ability to see what the other person saw, and, of course, humor. A mare who couldn't see a joke was a mare Kaipo didn't want to meet. Firefly didn't, at least not with strangers, make jokes, but she at least got the value out of the ones he provided.

Her reply to his query piqued his interest. How could one "kind of" be in a herd? She paused to think, and he wondered about what she might mean. Daughter of a herd stallion, ready to live on her own feet? She mentioned her uncle, was she in his herd and related to everyone in it? His mind couldn't give him to correct answer, as she broke the silence to explain. Her uncle "took her in," implying she was a temporary resident. She didn't feel like she belonged, maybe their reasons for exploring weren't that different. He didn't have a place to go, she didn't like the place where she belonged. It was a curious quandary; she had a home, but wasn't satisfied. He didn't have a home, also wasn't satisfied. He let the silence grow, thinking about her situation. "Do you think he'd let you wander with me? I could make sure you don't get into trouble, and you wouldn't have to go back if you didn't want to." It was an offer at least, but not much of one. He'd be her protector, in exchange they'd just wander. She knew he didn't have a herd or a land, and he definitely wouldn't hold it against her if she said no. She was fond of her uncle, he could tell, and it wasn't like he was trying to rip her away from him. He just wanted to see that she got some freedom, that maybe she could find a herd or a place where she belonged.

ooc- I have no idea if Annie will eat him/me/you for his offer, but Firefly can always decline if you fear the Frying Pan of Doom. xP

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) There were a few things that one must understand about Firefly. She's sweet, she's vibrant, she's always positive, but she's still a naive sweetheart. She wasn't afraid to talk to strangers, and discuss her inner most dealings with life, though she was often described to be a bit to trusting, especially according to her uncle. But that didn't stop her from always being happy, and always having fun. She spent her days enjoying life, and that would never change. She smiled slightly in response to his own smile, as she explained her reasons behind her exploring, though she couldn't fully explain everything. It'd be much to difficult to get one to see how out of place she felt when she was home with her uncle in his lands. No she needed to get out and see things, she needed to explore, to feel the briefness of freedom. Her thought were derailed though, as he chuckled, and she glanced up before huffing when she was nipped, "My hair! My beautiful hair, you better hope you didn't ruin my mane!" She playfully retorted, her tone showing she was teasing as she judged the distance between them from where he'd jumped back. She rolled slightly, onto her back, moving her body over enough for her to snake her head out and nip at one of his legs, her smile vibrant in the darkness, "See, you nip me, I nip back!" She declared, before dissolving into giggles and rolling over again until her back was out of the dirt. She flicked her tail up and over her back attempting to dislodge most of the dirt before shrugging at the rest of it. When he smiled again, she tilted her head curiously, before frowning lightly at his comment, and slowly stood, "Doesn't work?" She repeated, tilting her head softly to one side. "It's always worked for me. When I hoped for the best and believed I would see my dearest friend, Emmy, again, I did. When I believed one day my mother would find a real love, she did. As long as you really trust, and hope, and let yourself believe, even if you don't get what you hope for, you still have the hope to help you move forward." She said, before tilting her head, "The place where I grew up was void of any kind of hope, yet I still found enough strength and belief to know I'd make it out of their and be free from the slavery, and I did. Even with out hope, you can still believe and strive for the best. The hope just gives it that much more power to keep it alive." She said with a single, conforming nod of her head. When he raised his eyebrow, she nodded, smiling faintly, "My mother was the same way sadly, extremely naive, though I'm not nearly as bad as she was. At least I know wild predators don't make good pets," Firefly declared, a faint smile at the memory of her mother, and the way her mind had worked. She was surprised suddenly when he spoke again, an offer this time that made her tilting her head in surprise, Do you think he'd let you wander with me? I could make sure you don't get into trouble and you wouldn't have to go back if you didn't want to. She giggled in amusement, tilting her head to the side, "My uncle doesn't control me. He likes to think so, but I'm my own person. I'm three, I can make my own decisions from now on, I really don't need his permission on anything anymore, even if he seems to think he's the boss just because my mother asked him to watch out for me before she died. But still. wandering is fun, and it should be up to me whether I choose to go or not, so whether he lets me or not, I think it sounds fun!" She declared, before starting to giggle, "Besides, what my uncle doesn't know won't hurt him, and since I've already turned his flaxen mane gray, there's nothing left for me to do in Avalon Garden anyways!" [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 767 [Muse`` heh she's so cute. [Sounds`` Fairy Godparents [Notes`` DUDE IMAGINE! What if Fire had fairy godparents O.O [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

Her huffing and puffing at his nip had him laughing. This coming from the mare laying in sand, letting sand work its way into her coat, not to come out for days or weeks. He was laughing too hard to see her calculating glance, and couldn't yank his foot away fast enough to avoid her revenge nip. He stepped forward, running his nose up and down her mane, messing up her 'beautiful hair' as much as he could. It was silky and soft, so it didn't really stand on edge like he had hoped, but the effect would probably be about the same for her reaction.

As she stood, he began to slowly groom her, giving her time to step away if she wanted. He went for the spots most covered in sand, attempting to get as much of it off as he could. He pulled away after she was done explaining about hope. "Hope and you being right is not the same thing. I can honestly say I'm pretty much an optimist. Did that change my mother or the other mares in my birth herd? No. I could wish and hope all I wanted that they would change, that she would love me, and it wouldn't make a difference." Some childish part in him still yearned for his mother's love, but he stifled it to continue. "I had to be a realist, to realize that staying in that herd wouldn't help her love me. Getting out was the best thing for me, even though it meant admitting defeat and leaving my hopes with her." His tone was matter of fact, he tried not to let his wistfulness come through. He didn't need her pity; he had accepted the facts and dealt with them.

He chuckled when she mentioned her mother, being sure to make sure he didn't see teasing in her voice when she mentioned wild animals. He wouldn't put it past her to waltz up to a mountain lion and brightly say her last words. He resumed his gentle grooming, listening to her explain just what role her uncle played in her life. Personally, it sounded like she was justifying her agreement to wander with him, and he made a mental note to casually inquire of her uncle's name and sneak away at some point to notify him exactly where his niece was and that she could be under Kaipo's protection if he would accept. Firefly was a young mare, younger than Kaipo himself, and he felt that whoever was watching over her had a bit more say in her life than she chose to admit.

He laughed and shook his head, turning so that he could look at his mane. "I'm far too young for grays, you'd better not turn those particular charms on me." he warned, eying her teasingly. He realized that she probably wouldn't think before hopping into a situation that was potentially dangerous, and that she would give him premature grays without intending to, most likely. He reached over and tugged a bit of her mane. "It'll be fun having you around, Fly." He immediately thought of a couple of jokes that could be related to that nickname, but chose to save them for a later date. It was a little too early, because he didn't know if the nickname would stick yet.

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) She couldn't help but half smile as he seemed to start laughing at her huffing and puffing, not just that, but laughing hard enough to completely miss her revenge, not moving out of the way fast enough, which left her giggling in a 'ha, what now?' look, before looking up as he stepped forward, huffing when he suddenly ran his nose up and down her mane, though she was now laughing at the action, standing abruptly to get away, "Hey! Stop! No!" She shrieked, one word between each laugh before she finally managed to gasp it all out, trying to keep out of his reach as she shook out her mane until it felt right against her neck and smirked, eyeing her reflection, one she could barely see before turning back, "Ha, see, my mane is so much stronger then that! You can't just try and muse it up!" She responded in a faux haunty voice, her eyes glittering to show she was teasing, "It falls back into order to well." She declared with a sharp nod of her head that had her forelock falling into her eyes causing her to huff trying to move it out of the way, completely ruining the whole 'stays in order' comment. Though before she could comment away the issue with her forelock, she was startled to see him approach again, before grooming her back, where the sand had coated her two toned coat. Amused, she allowed him to continue, knowing she couldn't reach her own back, and her tail only helped so much. Though when he started to talk about hope, he pulled away, and she tilted her head as she listened understanding to a part where he was coming from, and for a moment she looked away before nodding with a sigh, "Sometimes, hope can be . . . a little out of the way. But it's not so much as it helping to make things right, it's about believing that there's the possibility for a better tomorrow, or a better next week." She hesitated for a moment, before looking at him, "There are situations where being a realist doesn't help, though." And it was true. if she'd been a realist about her father, and Imbros, she'd still be stuck in slavery, probably already claimed away to be a brood mare to some other stallion determined to bring more soldiers into the army of the north. "If I'd been a realist, I'd have realized that there was no point in trying to escape my birth herd, and the place we lived. But I kept hoping to get out of there . . . And when my father finally did what he could to make matters up to my mother, he let me leave. And it probably saved my hope. Getting out of bad places is always best, but it doesn't mean defeat, it means you were able to take charge and get yourself out of a bad situation before it became worse." As was usual when it came to her home lands, her father, she avoided mentioning names, avoided to go into detail about that place. avoided admitting what it was she'd really escaped from. Her father tried to protect his mares, but she knew that even he was part of the war, ready to take charge. And if it meant putting an end to everything, she could see herself being the price he'd pay. Many father's did it, selling off their daughters to other stallions to form alliances, to build stronger soldiers by combining the blood lines of two fierce stallions. The mares had no choice, they were simply the tools that were to be used to build a new race, to continue to grow and become something . . . something grotesque. Her mother had escaped, a love helping her out. Firefly had her father get her out. But there were thousands of mares who were still stuck in the slave lands, the waste lands, where they were passed from stallion to stallion, victims of severe abuse. Being forced to foal the children who'd continue the war. Colts sent to train in the war, fillies taught to be the docile breeding material for what ever stallion wanted her. And Firefly was only glad that she was removed before she became another one of those fillies. The stallion's chuckle, from the comment of her mother, had her mind returning to the present, out of the arctic wasteland of her birth place, and she smiled, "Mother thought that all creatures out there wanted to be her friend. She even managed to befriend a fox. She really was . . . well, one of a kind." She said, letting the memory of her mother, and the gentle grooming of her new companion shake off the last of the memories before she glanced at him, explaining just why her uncle didn't command her. She knew who she was, and she was someone who didn't belong in her home, or rather her uncle's home. He laughed then, shaking his head and turning to look at himself, and instantly she started to giggle, tilting her head as if observing him, "You sure? I hear some mares like a man with a bit of gray in their hair." She teased back, before tossing her mane when he tugged it, before smiling instantly at his words, never having heard the particular nickname before, and tilting her head, "Of course I'm fun to have around. I'm the life of the party!" She declare before tugging at his mane, "Though, you don't seem to bad yourself, Kai. "Who knows, this might work out for the best, for both of us. I get to wander, you won't be so lonely, and who knows, maybe I'll decide you're decent enough and show you the ropes on how to win mares over. I bet if you put your mind to it, you could get that herd you want to." He'd offered her a chance for freedom, it was only decent for her to return the offer. Besides, she'd seen nearly every kind of mare at her uncle's herd, and as a mare herself, who better to help him out? She shook out her mane again, before tossing it on the other side to keep it out of his reach with a cheeky grin and laid back down, "Just wait, I bet I could turn you into a casanova easily." [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 1148 [Muse`` Yay for good muse [Sounds`` The television [Notes`` she's super cute, no doubt about, though the stuff of Imbros and her past is a very touchy subject for her. [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

Her reaction was all that he had hoped for. Her laughter-filled voice commanded him to stop, which he didn't, and she had to take a minute to make sure her precious hair was back into place. this included shaking out her mane, craning to look in the water and see a reflection that one, moved and rippled with the water, and two was nearly impossible to see in the moonlight. Then she turned back to him, haughtily telling him that her hair was perfect and obedient, before it falling into her face. He just grinned, not having to defend himself in the least. Her forelock was doing that for him.

He continued grooming her as she instructed him on hope and realism, and he got the feeling as if she sort of understood what he said, but didn't get quite the depth of it. A hopelessly optimistic person would get nowhere. A realist without hope wouldn't think to dream. A pessimist would be stuck in a rut of their own making. Your outlook on life was important, but it didn't change the facts. It did help you think of other ways of viewing the facts, but no amount of optimism or hope would have made his mother love him. He dreamed it, wished it, believed he could make her love him, but despite Firefly's words, he admitted defeat. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could dream that could change his mother's view of him. It was too late to go back now that the stallion had kicked him out, and even if he could, his mother wouldn't have changed.

Being a realist didn't mean not having hope for change, it meant looking at life how it is and realizing that you had to work with the facts around you. His mother wasn't going to love him unless he became a shell of what he was to please her, and he wasn't prepared to do that. Nothing that he did while still being himself would make her love him, so he stopped trying. Realizing a task was useless despite hope otherwise was realism, in his eyes, and he was a realist. That didn't change the fact that he was an bright, happy stallion and had a pretty good life, even if he didn't have a love to share it with. If he had stayed with his mother, she probably would have made his life far more miserable than a little loneliness now and then in Kaipo's life now.

Kaipo rolled his eyes at her comment about gray hair, choosing not to acknowledge her remark. He was five years old, in the prime of life, gray hairs could come after he was ten or so. That gave him five ish years to use his youthful body to attract mares, and then however long he lived after that to be distinguished. "Decent enough?" he asked, pretending to be offended. He couldn't deny that a mare's insight into the realm of the unknown, mares' brains, would be helpful, but he wasn't really in a hurry to get a huge herd. He potentially saw that in his future, but right now he was young, strong, and he didn't need the roots that a bunch of mares and a land would give him. For now, he would wander with Firefly and maybe meet a couple of mares and start a foundation.

He again rolled his eyes at her comment. "And who told you I wanted to be a casanova?" He couldn't refuse the allure of a life like that, but he preferred love to flings or raw appeal. Of course, he wouldn't be able to deny a beautiful mare, but he wanted something deeper than attraction. Call him old fashioned, but he didn't care. As history had proven, he was stuck in his ways, and no amount of abuse would shove him out of them.

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) Usually it wasn’t easy for Firefly to be among others. Sure, she got along with others well, and she even could make friends well, but she rarely allowed herself to feel so calm around others. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was about Kaipo that made her feel like it was okay to laugh and tease, and mess around with him . . . but the sense of security and the feeling that it was okay to just be herself was definitely there. Many called her childish, others scoffed about her never growing up, when the truth was she was just living her second child hood, she’d been denied her first, having to be the parent for her mother before her mother died of her own despair, or worse. Sure, she knew it wasn’t proper, and it might keep her from ever truly feeling comfort or family with another who wasn’t of her true family, like Uncle Grim, but regardless. She needed these years of unwinding, after slaving and overworking to ensure that she and her mother had a place to stay, had water and grass near by. She’d been the reason her mother had managed to move on, to live on in Imbros, and she’d been the reason her mother had managed to find the strength to finally get out, as well. But, now it was her chance to be the immature one, and while she knew she wouldn’t be like this forever, who could after all, she needed this time to just cool off, have some fun in life and really find out who she was. And oddly enough, she was able to act that way around Kaipo, he not seeming to be bothered by it in the least. Because apparently he could be playful too, which is what led to her commanding him to stop, laughter flavoring the command with joy and openness. Of course, once he’d finally let her fix her hair, she’d been happy to demand that her hair was perfect and obedient, so he should give up. Though his grin, when it fell into her face, was enough to show that it very obviously was not going to behave. Regardless, it was easy being around Kaipo, letting him groom the sand and dirt from her brightly colored hide, as they spoke on hope, realism, and all things in between. She had hesitated for, before she pulled away from his grooming enough to look at him, “I guess I’ve seen what it’s like for horses to live with out hope . . . and, I’ve been afraid my entire life that myself, my mother . . . we’d become like that. It was the one thing separating us from . . .” Her voice paused, her gaze drifting away, hesitating, “from the slaves that had already given up, had succumbed to the ‘fate’ that the northerners forced us to believe in. I couldn’t accept that as a possibility for myself, my mother. I was young then, I didn’t fully understand a lot of what was going on, but I knew it was bad. Sure, I’m centered enough in reality to know that mother and I were one of the few lucky ones. We were able to escape from that place; we found freedom, even though we couldn’t stay in the Imbros. Mother had to much feathering to be given shelter in the south, and I refused to leave her alone, even if I could have been safe there.” She looked at him slowly, sighing softly, “I don’t know what became of those friends we left behind, what may happen to them. What became of my father . . . but I was able to find freedom, and I pray, and hope; that the ones I cared about that I was forced to leave behind did to. If I didn’t, if I focused on the worse possible thing that might have happened, I’d never be able to be even half as cheerful as I am now.” She hated admitting the truth of her childhood, hated telling the story of Imbros, but it seemed to be the only way to make him understand why she believed so strongly, focused so much on believing in hope. If she didn’t believe in the best, she didn’t even want to begin thinking about what happened to the ones that were left behind. She hung her head slightly, shaking it to clear out the rest of the memories before forcing herself to brighten back up and give a smile, “And please, if at all possible, don’t share that story. My family doesn’t like talking about it, especially Uncle Grim.” She asked of him, her voice still a bit to quiet for her usual bubbliness, but it was hard to shake off those memories, hard to forget about all that had happened to her, her family. Luckily it’d been easy to focus her mind on another topic, extremely easy. She smiled playfully as he rolled his eyes and gave him an innocent smile, “Just saying . . . I’ve met some terrible stallions in my life, gotta make sure I’m not going to unleash a hormonal beast upon the female population,” She teased, her tone showing she was only messing around with him. Though her expression did show shock when he commented about not wanting to be a Casanova. She tilted her head to one side briefly, as if judging whether he was teasing, or if he really had no interest in the idea before she smiled and nodded her head once, “Then we won’t turn you into a Casanova. The world has too many of them anyways. But regardless. You’re old enough to start thinking about settling down, or having already done so already. So we’ll just have to find you a mare you do like, I happen to be a fantastic matchmaker! I knew immediately when Uncle Grim and Aunt Dream met that they were meant to be together. Though they were very slow about it, so I’m sure you have a perfect match out there just waiting for you to find her!” She said, her tone certain, and her smile vibrant. Firefly wasn’t sure if it’d be easy to set him up, but she knew one thing, she wanted to help him someway, and he was old enough to be a stallion with a family, and a home. She would just have to be careful, because she’d consider Kaipo a friend, and that meant she’d have to match him not on likeliness, but on real love. She might not have a lot of experience – well none at all – in that area herself, but she knew the signs, she’d seen them with her own mother. And she’d find a mare for Kaipo eventually, or so she hoped. [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 1137 [Muse`` hehe [Sounds`` nature [Notes`` Firefly thinks love solves a lot of problems, so she thinks that is what he needs to be all hopeful and happy all the time x3 [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics

Kaipo didn't speak as she told him about her past. They had different situations. "But you didn't have hope that your captors would change." He wanted her to understand where he was coming from. "Instead of hoping they would suddenly love and value you, you put your hope in escape. Being hopeless and putting your hope in something that is unchanging are different things entirely." He wasn't discrediting her or her experience. He was just trying to explain what he meant. He hoped that he had explained enough that with their two different experiences gave them. He valued putting his hope in things that could change and that he could change. She valued being always hopeful, which he found somewhat flawed. Every horse was flawed, so he didn't hold it against her. But he did try to make her understand.

He smiled, dipping his head at her request. "What story, hmm?" His eyes glittered playfully, mouth curved into small smile. He didn't mean to make light of it, but he thought that an effective way to drop the subject while also letting her know he wasn't going to tell. They hadn't known each other long, but they were already fast friends. Or at least, that was how Kaipo felt. Her telling him her story definitely indicated trust, so he felt safe to call them fast friends.

He rolled his eyes again. "Of course I'm a terrible, hormonal stallion. I've taken advantage of you at every turn." His voice was deadpan; his sarcasm evident. He cocked a back foot, the crickets beginning to fade into the silence of night. He liked listening to them, and here you could also hear the frogs. One by one they stopped their chorus, and he flicked his ears to keep track of those who stubbornly continued, as their two equine companions did.

He just shook his head as she prattled on. "If you get to play matchmaker for me, rest assured I will do it for you. And I won't be nice." he warned. He already had evil plans to bring her stallions who were butt ugly who she would have to entertain because she was nice and would probably feel sorry for them. She needed a handsome stud who would take care of her. If he spotted one, he'd probably wander closer until the stud came over to visit and then disappear. If she felt like she wanted to see him with a good mare, he felt the same way for her. Already they were vested in each other's lives.

[atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,.5,true][atrb=cellspacing,2,true][bg=#000000] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) Firefly listened as he spoke, her ears perked forward, not speaking as she allowed him to speak on his opinion. She could understand to a degree where he was coming from. She hadn't hoped that the masters would change, she knew better then that. They were incapable of truly loving and valuing the slaves. Escape was the only option in that place. She nodded slowly, sighing faintly, seeing he was true. It was different, his experience and hers. There was no real way to explain their different experiences so either would completely understand, but that was what made everyone different. Every horse unique. He then dipped his head, smiling, eyes glittering as he asked what story and instantly the younger mare smiled, "Exactly!" She grinned, laughing as he rolled his eyes - again - and playfully laughed, "Oh yes, you most definitely are! A terrible, horrible, hormonal stallion." She teased, before shaking her head, ears perking as slowly the animals began to falls silent, going to sleep while she and her new companion remained awake and talking. She raised an eyebrow suddenly, "Wait, wait, wait, you'll do what for me?! Oh no . . . no need, no need at all. There's no such thing as a good match for me!" She tried to assure him already planning on ways to back out of 'planned dates'. She wasn't the sort to want a relationship with anyone. Sure she might have dreamed of it when she was younger, but now it's different, she knew that there wasn't a thing for her, no chance of it in her future. Just her and some friends was all. Just that and nothing else. She shook out her mane, again, "So we'll just settle with finding you that someone special, alright?" [Tags`` Kaipo [Words`` 317 [Muse`` not to awesome v.v [Sounds`` The television [Notes`` sorry it sucks v.v [Credits``'kae of The Secret for post template and lyrics