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Post by elementals on Jan 25, 2009 15:07:59 GMT -6
Abalar was laying down, underneath one of the few trees that grew on the land half of Land of Sea, the territory of his new clan. Even though he was quite aways from the ocean, he could hear the constant crashing of the waves. It was sunny, a few cotton clouds dotted the sky here and there. In his small patch of shade, Abalar could munch on some of the grasses that also populated the land. Some, whose roots were not long enough, were dry, and pulled away easily. Others, those were the nectar of grasses. Green, juicy, and moist. Their roots were longer, and did not pull away, to eventually grow back again.
Abalar knew he had clan mates, but had not seen high nor hair of them since he joined. A whale, and his clan leader, would obviously not be seen wandering the land, or floating through the sky. His other clan mate, another horse, would not be seen diving and splashing about in the sea.
"At least a small sort of welcome would have been appreciated," Abalar thought to himself. Maybe that was the way of this clan, who knew? Its not like Abalar was able to call upon some great spirit to tell him everything.
Getting up, Abalar shook the dust and dirt of his coat. He felt like a run. It always helped him think or clear his mind. So his trotted off in the direction of the ocean, hoping that maybe he would see some sign of his clan mates. After allowing himself enough time to stretch and warm up his muscles, Abalar dug into the ground with his hooves, and he quickly picked up a gallop. He loved the feeling of the wind through his hair. This was something that he had done with his father, now dead,. He always raced his father, always trying to beat him. One day, he had finally did it, but the next day, his parents both died.
Soon, Abalar reached the ocean, and, as he barely slowed down, plunged into the water, cooling him off. He swam for a short while, the got out, and stood on the shore, looking out towards the ocean, searching for any sign of his clan leader.
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 2, 2009 12:59:18 GMT -6
After hearing rumors of a whale that was a herd leader in the clan Zane had joined, he had raced off to meet her, if he could. Perhaps he would join her herd. There was one problem with meeting her, however. Zane was afraid of the water. How then would be meet such a large creature that it had to be quite a ways out in the ocean to survive? He hadn't the faintest idea. Perhaps he could find a swimming creature to deliver the message for him.
As he waited and tried to think of a way to find the whale, Zane realized he was quite hungry after the trip here. He stopped walking and lowered his head, sniffing the dried grass of the ground. For a place so close to the water, the ground sure is dry, he thought. So, he walked a little further in search of food. He found some fresher grass and took a few mouthfuls. I hope the herd leader doesn't mind if I eat a little bit... I am on her land after all. But then again, whales certainly don't eat grass, so I should be okay.
As the zebra looked up, he noticed a creature coming up out of the water. Was that... a horse? Perhaps it knew the whale that owned this place and could tell him where it was... With that thought in mind, he galloped over to it. "Excuse me," he said, so as not to startle it by yelling something foolish like "hey you." "Do you happen to know the owner of this land?" He asked, eying the wet creature. Had it been swimming? Ugh! What a repulsive thought. Zane liked listening to the ocean and even wadding in the shallows, but he didn't like water that come up over his stomach. It made him fear of drowning.
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Post by elementals on Feb 5, 2009 22:51:12 GMT -6
Without turning around, Abalar flicked his ears backwards. Not in anger though, but so he could tell who or what had approached him from behind. The footsteps sounded like that of a hooved, four legged animal. The voice was unknown to him, like many parts and creatures of this land. Curious, Abalar turned around. In front of him, relatively close by, stood a horse-like animal with stripes. Abalar concentrated as he tried to remember what type this one was.... "A giraffe? No, because that has a long neck. A zebra? Yes, that one was striped black and white, like this one," Abalar thought.
"To answer your question that I have yet to respond to, no I have not. I have not met any of my clan mates since my joining, which was some time ago. The whale which rules this land had yet to even flick its tail above the water. Are you a clan member? If so, or even if not, I am called Abalar. Pleased to make you acquaintance."
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 7, 2009 16:50:51 GMT -6
Zane snorted quietly as a sort of sigh. So this creature hadn't seen the leader either.... He hoped the whale would appear soon. Or at least someone in it's herd that they could talk to.
The zebra dipped his head in respect. "I am Zane. And indeed I am a part of this clan," he said, speaking in his normal formality. "I was seeking to join the herd, possibly, but it makes things a bit difficult with the absence of it's leader." Well, at least his journey out here had found a fellow equine. If Abalar was wanting to join the herd too, then Zane wouldn't have to be the only creature of his kind, even if Abalar was not a zebra himself.
As he waited, his swished a few flies off with his tail and turned his dark eyes back to the water. How could a creature such as a whale stand it? Forever being in the depths of the water, completely surrounded by it. Zane blinked and flicked his ear at the thought.
Remembering the horse, Zane looked back to Abalar. "I suppose there is nothing much to do but wait for now."
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Post by elementals on Feb 8, 2009 19:32:48 GMT -6
"Yes I guess that would be correct. We might not have to wait for our leader to show though. If the other clan member appears then she might know a way to get talk to the leader. While we wait, how about a swim?"
Without waiting for a reply, Abalar trotted to the water and walked out farther until his belly was submerged under the water, but so he could still touch the sandy bottom below. He had expected the sound of Zane following him into the water, as it was quiet hot, but Abalar heard nothing. He turned around, and was surprised to see the zebra still standing where he had been.
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 9, 2009 15:07:51 GMT -6
At the thought of swimming, Zane's dark blue eyes widened in fear. He watched, still as a statue, as Abalar entered the water, seeming quite relaxed. The horse went deeper and deeper, and Zane began to fear that he would drown. But, once the water had come up over his belly, Abalar stopped. Zane did not calm down, however.
Still frightened, Zane suddenly came out of his stunned state. He lifted his front hooves slightly off the ground and stomped twice like horses and zebra do when spooked. He let out a short bark that his kind was known for making and took a few steps back, staring at the menacing liquid just waiting to fill his nose and mouth and throat to suffocate him. Was it just him, or was the water getting closer? Was it coming to kill him? It would surely kill this black equine before him, then it would kill Zane, then it would swallow up all the land and kill everything in it's path.
Just as suddenly as he had become animated in his fear, Zane snapped out of his illogical thoughts. No. No, that's silly. The water isn't going to swallow up the land and, obviously, Abalar knows how to swim, he thought. Zane gave a snort, then cautiously walked over to the edge of the water. He stopped when he was only inches from it and lowered his long neck to sniff at it. It's okay. Just don't go in very far. Carefully, he took a few, small steps in until the water was half way up his leg, then, he stopped. He didn't look at Abalar though, nor did he speak. His eyes were trained on the water in front of him, should there be a wave or something that might submerge his black and white striped hide.
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Post by elementals on Feb 12, 2009 18:38:50 GMT -6
Abalar watched Zane's apparent fear of water, as the zebra tossed around. He apparently came over that fear though, because the zebra took a few tentative step forward, and sniffed the water. After doing so, Zane entered the water, but only up to his knees. He was concentrating solely on the water, as if making sure no water was going to crash about him and carry him out to see.
Abalar felt bad. He hadn't known that the zebra was so clearly afraid of the ocean, yet he had invited him in. Abalar slowly walked towards Zane, but not by choice, because the water slowed him down a lot. He would have ran over to the zebra if he could have, if it would've helped.
"I don't know about you, but this water is a bit chilly to me. I think I'm going to get out and sun myself on the shore. Care to keep me company?"
Abalar laughed lightly, trying to make the zebra more comfortable. All Zane needed were positive experiences with the ocean, and soon he would be able to easily enter the water, and have a good time as well.
Zane apparently didn't hear him, so Abalar nudged the zebra's whithers, and waited for the Zane to respond.
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 12, 2009 18:53:20 GMT -6
As Abalar nudged him, Zane snorted quietly out of surprise. He blinked as he looked at the horse and it finally came to his mind what Abalar had just said. Zane flattened his ears briefly before straightening them again. He knows... He saw how I acted and he knows I'm afraid of the water... he thought, feeling quite embarrassed.
Trying to play it off cool, he nodded and walked closer toward the shore. But, he wasn't going to let this water get the best of him, nor was he going to let Abalar think he was a coward! Stubborn as he was, Zane stopped as soon as he was out of the water, then, he turned to face it and lie down. The gentle edges of the waves just barely reached him, but he didn't fear. The water was hardly touching him, and, should a wave appear, he would be able to bolt away from it to safety. However, though he wasn't going to let the fear over take him, Zane had no intentions of getting over his fear by learning to swim.
Still feeling a little embarrassed, he turned his head to look at Abalar and tried to strike up a conversion; something that Zane was not very good at.
"So, have you seen any others like us around here anywhere? Long-legged hooved animals, I mean," he asked, adding the last part for clarification, as they were not the same species.
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Post by elementals on Feb 16, 2009 21:33:21 GMT -6
Abalar was still standing when Zane asked the question. "No, I have not, but I've seen evidence that there is another horse around. I was hoping that I would have seen something of him... or her, but I haven't," Abalar said, slightly disappointed. "To be honest, when I first heard you, I thought you might have been that other clan member."
Abalar lay down now, slightly farther away from the water though. He lay on his knees and stomach, but stretched his neck out, and lay his head on the sand in front of him. A question came to Abalar's mind, but he decided to delay the asking of that question for just a bit. Abalar enjoyed sunning himself, but looking at Zane's coat made him jealous. Being solid black, Abalar found it hard to maintain a perfect temperature. Zane, being black and white, must find it really easy to sun himself. After a while, Abalar broke the silence with his question. He lifted his head, and stood, stretching his legs. One had fallen asleep, much to his unhappiness.
"I'm sorry if this is a bit... personal, and you don't have to answer it, but I was wondering about your past. Where did you come from? Were you born here? Things like that."
Abalar looked out towards the ocean again, looking for any sign of the clan leader.
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 18, 2009 18:55:30 GMT -6
When Abalar first mentioned the word "personal" Zane's ears were pinned to his head once more and he was sure Abalar was going to ask him about his fear of the water. In that instant, the zebra began thinking up how he could tell Abalar off for being nosy. But, as the horse asked the question, Zane relaxed and his ears returned to an upright position.
He was a little surprised at being asked something personal like that after they had just met, but he didn't mind answering very much.
"It is fine," he assured his fellow equine with a nod of his head. "I lived in Africa, but I came here with one of my brothers and one of my sisters two years ago. We were separated from our herd by humans." He said the word "humans" with disgust. His ears flicked in an irritated sort of way and he snorted quietly. "I'm not quite sure what happened. I just remember something sharp touching my hip, then I fell asleep."
As Zane spoke of his past, he tried to recall exactly what had happened. It annoyed him that he couldn't understand it perfectly. He wanted to know just what the humans had done and how they did it.
Then, his mind turned to something else. Why had he spoken of it to Abalar anyway? His life story wasn't exactly a secret he was trying to keep, but, most of the time, Zane did not approve of speaking of such personal matters to any other than those he had known for a very long time. His mind briefly wandered to a judgmental thought that questioned Abalar's depth and intelligence, then it was brushed aside. The horse wasn't the first to ask personal things without knowing the person well. He's just curious like the others were, he thought, casting the rude thought he had touched upon aside.
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Post by elementals on Feb 21, 2009 21:36:44 GMT -6
Abalar noticed Zane's ears pin back before he asked his question. Abalar became slightly worried when he saw this, and the feeling wasn't quelled when the zebra put his ears forward again. He listened to his short story. "That's strange," Abalar said. "Well, I'll tell you about my life. It's nothing compared to your life, but it seems only fair to me.
"I grew up here, with my parents. They died when I was three. Sometimes... I really miss them. I never had any brothers or sisters, but I did want a sister. I would have been the best big brother... Anyway I digress.
"It was a mysterious illness, and I guess you could say I was hit hard. I miss them... I really do. After that, I wandered around, living in the shared lands for two years. I can't say I've gotten over my grief, but I can cope with it now." With that, Abalar looked back out across the sea, and lay his head back onto the sand. After some time, Abalar spoke again.
"When I find a mate, I want to have a daughter. I'd take care of her so well... she'd be my little princess. I'd take care of my mate just as well. My father was always proud of me, but my mother wasn't. She got better before she died, and I had hoped that I would finally have "The Perfect Family", you know? But that never happened and I'm still living so I guess it wasn't necessary."
Silence ensued, but Abalar didn't care. It surprised him, he hadn't spoken to anyone about his parents, but he was now talking to a zebra he had just met? "It's probably a clan mate thing," Abalar thought.
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 22, 2009 15:13:08 GMT -6
At "it's nothing compared to your life" Zane snorted and shook his head without thinking. After her did it, he realized he probably shouldn't have and he regretted it. He hoped Abalar wouldn't think anything of it. Besides, it could have just been an act to rid Zane's fur of the sand or any bugs on him. It wasn't, but he hoped Abalar would believe that's what it was.
Zane was not social and he was not good at interacting with others. When his friend finished, he just looked at him, unsure of what to say. He was a little uncomfortable with speak about a family as he didn't have a mate yet. He would have been fine with the silence, but he had learned that others usually assumed something was wrong if nothing was said in response. So, after the already long pause, he spoke. "I'm not really sure about what kind of family I want. I haven't really thought about it."
Zane turned one of his ears around so it was almost facing backwards as he heard the ocean water in the not so far off distance. He turned his head to look and saw a small wave coming toward the shore. In his mind, it was huge. The zebra didn't hesitate a moment. The second he saw it, got up and bolted for safer ground, letting out several zebra barks much faster and closer together than they normally were.
His ears pinned to his head, Zane ran as fast as he could and didn't stop until he was several hundred feet away from the water. He then stopped and turned to watch, his dark eyes wide. The wave landed only about three feet from where he had been lying. It hadn't been dangerous at all, but to him it was. He was thankful he had ran. Otherwise he would have got that nasty, salty water in his eyes and ears and nose and it could have drown him. Once again, he was over reacting and still doing so as he stood panting.
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Post by elementals on Feb 22, 2009 22:57:32 GMT -6
Abalar had thought about having a family for a long time. He never really had one, and would continue to go without until he found a mate. He didn't want his children growing up the way he did. It appeared to him that Zane preferred silence, and wasn't very good at making conversation, as the zebra usually had to pause and think before he had an answer. Abalar was fine with this. He was used to the silence. It had been his best friend when he was younger.
Abalar settled into his mind, blankly starring out across the ocean from his low view point. When he saw a small wave approach, he lifted his head so the salty water wouldn't go into his nose. However, Zane panicked. This caused Abalar to panic. When the zebra jumped up and dug his hooves into the ground in fast retreat, Abalar almost did the same. His pack instinct kicked in for a moment. Another equine was panicking, so danger had to be near by, the survival part of his brain told him. He jumped up and turned on a dime, bringing his hind quarters underneath him so he could leap away. However, Abalar's rational brain then kicked in, causing Abalar to stop himself before he ran off into the distance. The wave licked slightly at his back heels, the cold sensation helping to bring him to his senses.
He glanced around for Zane. When he saw him, Zane stood several hundred feet away, on a slight crest. From this distance, Abalar could see the zebra was panting, breathing hard not only from his sprint, but from fear. Abalar could have killed him. The zebra almost gave him a heart attack. He decided he would learn from this experience, and would only run when he himself sensed danger.
Another wave licked at his back feet. The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins. Abalar's hearing had heightened, which caused the waves to sound as if he was right at their surface, and they were crashing around his head. He shook his head. Abalar knew that the water wasn't dangerous if you were smart around it. He made up his mind to teach the zebra about water and the ocean, from one land equine to another.
Abalar could have charged over to the zebra, but that probably wouldn't have helped Zane calm down. It would most likely have the opposite affect, due to a similar frame of mind when it came to herd panic. Abalar picked up a slow paced trot, but opened up his stride so he would cover the distance faster. When he neared Zane, he slowed to a walk, being careful not to spook him. He lay down relatively close to Zane, and watched the ocean from this distance.
“I think you’re right. This spot is better for leader watching. You can see so much more from here.”
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Post by Shadowcat on Feb 24, 2009 17:19:02 GMT -6
Zane hardly noticed as Abalar came near him. He was too focused on the waves. Still, he did know the horse was there and was not startled when he spoke. Rather, his words brought Zane back to reality, however embarrassing that reality was. Zane's eyes rested on Abalar for a few moments, as if he was seeing him for the first time. His breathing began to slow until it resumed it's regular pace, and slowly, he stood up straighter. However, his tail swished a few times and his ears flicked in embarrassment. Still, Abalar had just unknowingly earned points with Zane.
Zane was a zebra who did not like to be embarrassed, as if any did. When embarrassed, any who might tease him of even mention the object of his discomfort were subject to aggression. He didn't like to talk about his discomfort and he didn't like anyone to bring it up. Abalar had been kind enough to not only avoid the how situation which could have had a bad outcome, but he had made up an excuse for his new friend. Zane knew there was no doubt that the black stallion had known why Zane had ran off as he did, but he was willing to cover for him. The striped equine would forever remember that very kindness.
Where most animals would have been less willing to talk due to their embarrassment, and usually Zane was the same, he was more willing to talk. He now officially labeled Abalar as a friend, and felt a little more comfortable around him than before. That is, as soon as his embarrassment wore of.
Once again, the animal lay down. This time, it was as a sign that he felt more comfortable, rather than his sign of defiance of his fears like before. He lied down on his stomach with his hips turned and his legs out to the side. He curled his thin tail closer to his body, as if preparing for a rest.
"Perhaps if the sea creature does not show up soon, we should leave and come back tomorrow," he said, sounding relaxed again like he had been when he first met Abalar.
((Tyto hasn't been on in a long while so I'm thinking about relieving Tumolt of her leadership. What if we had Abalar and Zane claim the land? One as leader and one as deputy? I think they will become great friends. ^^
EDIT: YAY! Tyto's back!))
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Post by elementals on Feb 26, 2009 18:07:15 GMT -6
Abalar was prepared, and ready, for sleep. Swimming made him tired, as did the ocean sounds in general. He was gland when Zane motioned to do the same, when he lay down on his side, with his hips and legs turned out to the side. Zane spoke, and despite his best intentions, had to concentrate really hard. The sun and sand was warm, and he was just becoming more and more relaxed.
"Yes, that does sound like a good idea. Do you feel like a nap, because I certaintly do. I'm sure if the leader shows herself, she'll make a lot of noise for us to hear her. I can listen and sleep at the same time, I don't know about you, but you're probably the same, being a fellow equine and all."
Abalar adjusted himself, and tried to get really comfortable. A pointy rock dug into his side, causing Abalar to jump up and shake his head in pain. He glanced at his side, but saw no blood. His desire to sleep had quickly dissipated. Abalar gently shifted the sand from around the evil rock, and took it in his teeth. It was a bit larger than he had expected, but was still quite light. He stretched as far around to the right as it would go, then whipped his neck straight, letting go of the rock quickly. It flew through the air, and landed with a soft thud in the sand about twenty metres away.
"Stupid rock."
Abalar then lay down again, as he had been, legs tucked underneath him, neck curled up, with his head not touching the sand. The need for sleep soon overcame him again.
"Sorry for being such a part pooper but I really have to sleep. I hope you won't think less of me for being such horrible company," Abalar said. He glanced over at Zane, waiting for him to reply.
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