XOLANI

The sun was brilliant as it sank towards the horizon, painting the sky with beautiful hues.  A gentle breeze drifted across the sands of the desert, bringing the first hint of the coming night's chill with it.  A lone cremello mare stood beneath a palm tree at the edge of the oasis, watching in silence as the sky grew orange, as red blossomed in the cloudless sky.  Behind her, blue had begun to fade to purple.  Dusk was quickly approaching, and the mare was pleased to be able to watch it arrive.

She had begun to grow used to life in the desert, though it had been a mere few days since her arrival.  The sun was hot during the day, though she knew that it would be more so during the Tallsun months to come, and the nights were bitterly cold in comparison to her homeland.  The oasis, though, maintained a relatively stable temperature, and she had not ventured past the edge of the palms as yet.  Why would she want to go anywhere but here?  The Dragon's Throat had quickly become her home, more so even than that in which she was raised.  For the first time in her young life, she felt accepted.

In the coming days, she would seek out the leader of the apostles - Maren was her name, if Xolani remembered correctly.  She had wanted a job, had worked it out so that she would be useful to her new herd.  She could not yet consider them family - but she hoped, and that was more than she had been able to do in some time.  Perhaps, one day, they would become her family, a better family to replace the one that she had left behind.

ilios

Teal ivy marked legs roamed through the sands of his home. Watching the sun rise and set was his dirty little secret. The lowering sun was a reminder that everything changed, all things came to an end. While the rising fire ball was beacon of hoping, showing that everything could start over, there was always a chance to start fresh. Silver eyes watched the sun slowly sinking as he made his way towards the oasis, the heart of the Dragon's Throat.

As he neared the oasis the stallion smiled warmly as silver eyes fell upon the creamy mare; Lani. She was mysterious, that was for sure. She couldn't speak, but her body langue and flashing colors could say it all. He watched her silently for as she gazed up at the changing sky. He watched as the chilly breeze ruffled her long tail a shiver making his hide twitch. He wasn't sure if it was the cold or the pretty lady standing on the other side of the lake.

If she turned and saw him staring at her she might think he was creepy, so he called out a warm nicker. He threw his body into a smooth canter leaving puffs of sand in his wake. His white tipped tail flowed behind him as he made his way around the fresh water. As he neared he slowed to a walk and stopped beside her smiling brightly. "Hi Lani! It sure is a beautiful sunset." His voice was deep and warm as he glanced up at the sky before turning to look back at her. "Are you enjoying the Throat?" He inclined his head curiously, seriously hoping she did enjoy her home.

Talk
Words;; 281
OOC/Tags;; Horrible! -_- @Xolani

I'd sell my soul just to see your face.
And I'd break my bones just to heal your pain.

XOLANI

The sun sank lower, and the sky grew darker. Orange and blue created a stark contrast against the silhouette of sand and palms. Still the mare stood, watching, captivated, holding her breath as though the soft gust of air from her lungs would push the sun down faster. Her gentle, excited eyes reflected the color of the sun, shifting their hue from a clear blue to a brilliant gold. One of her hind legs was cocked, her posture denoting her complete relaxation in her new home, and her ears were pricked eagerly forward. A soft sigh finally escaped her as the breath she had been holding released. She was completely entranced.

For the first time in days, the mare was not concerned by the colors that had begun to flare to life on her pelt. There was more than just a variety of hues now - they had begun to form shapes, too. The image that was present currently was a brilliant yellow that faded to orange along her back, a silhouette of the sunset with her pelt shining whitely to represent the dunes. Yellow, she had found, coincided with instances of joy; orange was seemingly associated with anticipation. The brilliance of the hues seemed to have something to do with who strongly she felt the emotion, and the shapes... well, the shapes reflected her thoughts.

A soft nicker made her jump, for she had not expected company; upon turning to find the teal stallion approaching, Xolani grinned widely. A brilliant yellow with a hint of green flared briefly, trust and affection making their display on her pelt into an image of a pegasus and an equine, bumping noses as though in greeting. Unaware of the display, the mare copied it, reaching to offer her muzzle for his. When she pulled away, she gestured enthusiastically toward the sunset, half-rearing and snorting with glee. It was, as he said, a beautiful sunset.

The Dragon's Throat painted its way onto her pelt, an oasis and a lake growing from hues of soft yellow that represented the peace that she felt. She thought of the welcome that she had received, the ease with which she had entered her place here. She smiled, affection gleaming in her eyes, and nodded - I enjoy being here quite a lot, thank you. The feather that Ilios had given her settled against her neck; she flicked an ear toward it, and then touched the place on the wing from which he had pulled it. How are you?

ilios

Ilios watched the sunset silently before looking at the colors shifting over her pelt. A smile lifted up his lips as he noticed the relaxed stance she was taking. 'She really does look happy here.' He stood quietly behind her allowing her to relax before moving towards her. He grinned warmly as a beaming smile spread over her face and the yellow and green flaring over her pelt. he loved how she was always happy see him and he her. She was a bright light that shone even in the darkest of nights The stallion smiled as he halted beside her. So captured by her face he missed the colors flaring into images along her pretty hide. Her nose moved to meet his own; which he accepted easily.

Nostrils dilated drawing in her warm now sandy scent. She washed over him like a fog as silver eyes closed briefly enjoying the easy way they fit together. She always eased the darker parts of his young mind, calmed the storm inside. There was no pain or angst when she pulled back for all good things came to an end. Laughter bubbled from his golden lips as she rear head tossing towards the sunset. "I agree completely." With her there wasn't a need for words She always understood what he was getting at, just as he did her.

He watched the oasis paint itself upon her pelt as they stood in silence. His head bobbed happily as he assumed it ment she was happy here. Then she graced him with another smile, one that made his stomach twitch. An answering smile lifted his lips his own eyes gleaming with joy an affection. Then her muzzle reached to touch his wing where he had plucked the feather that rested in her mane. Carefully he unfurled the teal and silver lined appendage showing her the empty place The smile never fell from his face as he watched her. "If you're worried about that, it will grow back. Feathers taken gently will always grow back." He smiled softly and playfully tried to brush the long bottom feathers against her dished face. "I'm glad you're enjoying it here as much as I do." He paused his brows furrowing for a moment. "Would you like to hear about how I came to be here?" He looked at her quietly the smile faltering as eh thought of everything that had come to bring him here.
Talk
Words;; 407
OOC/Tags;; @Xolani

I'd sell my soul just to see your face.
And I'd break my bones just to heal your pain.

XOLANI

The sun was sinking lower, nearly gone behind the western horizon.  The pale mare was content beneath the palm trees in the company of her knight in shining (teal) armor; she could not stop a smile from appearing and remaining on her face in his presence.  She tried very hard (and failed) to resist the images of affection that appeared on her coat:  apple blossoms and roses bloomed vaguely, shimmering slightly with the mare's efforts to keep them from showing.  How embarrassing would it be were he able to discern the pictures?  And what if he were somehow about to decipher the meaning behind them?

The blooming flowers became blurs, though they still gleamed yellow joy with a tinge of green trust and orange anticipation.  If the sun were still providing its light and warmth to the land, it might have been easier for Ilios to see the colors shifting on her pelt, but as night fell, it became quite difficult to see more than a vague outline of the mare.  Xolani was relieved; she relaxed completely allowing her guard to fall, for she was much more comfortable conveying her feelings with facial expression and body language.

The gentle touch of feathers along her face fed a growing heat in her belly.  It stretched luxuriously through her body, leaving a tingling line where his touch had been moments before.  A new color of desire leapt unbidden to her hide, curling along the lines of her face where his touch had been mere seconds before, very much like a blush might mantle the cheeks of a human.  It might have been dimly visible as a slight darkening of her face, but even she would not have been capable of discerning a true color under the circumstances of night.

Unaware, Xolani swallowed, lowering her gaze shyly, trying very much to avoid whatever strange feelings the stallion inspired in her.  It was foreign and strange to one so used to being alone.  She focused instead on his words, nodding with another smile in agreement.  She was quite enjoying the Dragon's Throat, particularly when Ilios was around.  Stop that, she told herself firmly.  When her gaze found his again, she noticed that his smile had fallen, his brow furrowed.  She frowned, stepping closer, the only comfort she had to offer being physical closeness.  If he allowed it, she would rest her muzzle on his shoulder, gazing towards his face with wide, tender eyes.  She nodded slightly in response to his question, her maw brushing against his hide.  Was his sudden sobriety a result of some traumatic past?

XOLANI

The last traces of sunlight died upon the western horizon, stealing away any chance that they might have had to discern the colors dancing across the mare's pelt. All that they might have been able to discern then was a blur of varying shades of grey. Nevertheless, her pale coat shimmered faintly in the moonlight as Xolani smiled encouragingly up at the teal stallion, stars glinting in her pretty blue eyes. Whatever he had to say, she would listen happily, offering her shoulder for him to lean on should he need it. The mare could not help but notice that, even shrouded in darkness, he was quite pleasant to be around.

He spoke of a horrible illness that drove all of Helovia into caverns underground, and she shivered. For all the wonder that this new land held for her, she was quite happy that she had not been around to witness those particular events. He spoke of his parents, briefly, and of a herdland (she gathered that it had not been this herdland, for him to speak so sadly of it). He told her that his mother had been afraid there, and she shivered again, resisting the urge to press against him for comfort. She was supposed to be here for him, not the other way around.

When he told her that his father had allowed him to leave with his mother, seemingly without a second though, the mare sighed sadly. That was a pain that she knew all too well. Her parents may not have left her, true, but they had abandoned her all the same. They had locked her up, kept her a secret, blamed her for their fall from the higher classes of society. They had held her at fault for her mother's inability to bear prettier children; they had suffocated her in their own depression, driven her to the point of madness until she had finally taken it upon herself to leave. They had never wanted her, not since the day she was born. To feel unloved, to feel as Ilios felt about his father... she knew what he felt as intimately as if she had felt it herself.

The mare pressed her muzzle into his shoulder as he trudged on, offering him the gift of her support. She found herself thinking about how strong Ilios must have been to have endured so much even as a child. Again, she felt that there was much that she shared with this stallion, this knight who had saved her, offered her a home and a loving embrace. (Was it love? She couldn't be quite sure. She didn't even know what a parent's love felt like, surely she was simply imagining things...)

As the steed finished his story, he smiled and thanked her; she looked at him, surprised, for why should he be thanking her? All she had done was listen, as anyone would do given the chance. It was she who should be thanking him. He had opened up to her, offered her a piece of himself that he said had not been given to anyone else. The thought warmed her, bringing a shy smile to her face. He pressed closer, so that their chests touched; she reached along his neck, wrapping her muzzle across his withers in a gentle embrace, closing her eyes to better savor the moment.

ilios

Even as darkness fell the stallion watched her a small smile playing over his lips. Still young and full of testosterone he could feel the urges pulsing bellow his hide. She was so beautiful, so close, and so sweet. Fighting the feelings the best he could he tried to focus on behaving. Silver eyes gazed into her sapphire eyes watching the way the starts sparkled in them. His heart leaped as she smiled at him the way she was so relaxed around, just as he was with her. As the darkness thickened he glanced down at his shimmering silver boots. He had grown so used to the things he had forgotten they were there. When was the last time he had been out in the night to enjoy the way they glowed?

Taking a deep breath he dove into his story silver eyes squeezed shut against the surge of memories. When her body quivered his eyes opened and a small kind smile covered his muzzle. Pausing in his story he whispered softly, "Everyone was healed, there wasn't any permanent damage to anyone. The gods made sure we were all safe in the end." Feeling as if he had reassured her, or at least tired he trudged on. It was easier to explain than he had thought it would have been. Maybe it was just because he was so fond of Lani, the way she listened so intently, how she was there for him. He wasn't sure, but it was nice to ease this off his chest.

When her soft hurt sigh touched his ears he tried to touch her muzzle with his own. he would ask about that when it was all over. He was afraid if he stopped there would be no starting back. Eyes closing again his skin jumped at her fiery touch against his shoulder. He enjoyed her touch, more so than he ever had any other mare's; even Eden's warm embrace. The grey mare had never been there for him like Lani was. Shoving the thoughts away he continued.

When it was all over and he thanked her the look she gave him made his horned head tilt in confusion. "Are you wondering why I thanked you?" Without waiting for a response he explained, "I thanked you because you were here for me. I can see in your eyes that you weren't judging me, at least I think anyway. I feel like you aren't holding my past against me and that's amazing. Just like you Lani." In the darkness he could see a smile touch her lips and he responded with his own before stepping into her chest. Young heart hammering away he reached out to embrace her much like she was doing him. What was this feeling soaring through him? It was different than it had been with Eden; sweeter and sharper. Was this real love, or was he just caught up in the moment, again? Either way he didn't care. He longed to be closer for this moment to last forever. As the moon rose and the starts sparkled he engraved the feel of her body and her sweet scent to memory. His stomach flipped as the words flew unbridled from his mouth. "Lani, can I stay with you tonight?"

Talk
Words;; 546
OOC/Tags;; @Xolani Sorry it is SO late! Maybe after she posts next we can start a new one? I think Ilios might be falling in love!

I'd sell my soul just to see your face.
And I'd break my bones just to heal your pain.

XOLANI

The darkness surrounded the pair, lulling Xolani into a sense of peace and warmth as she found herself closer to the stallion. It was strange, what his touch had become to her: though she was naturally inclined to offer physical affection (particularly since it was denied to her for so long), there was something... different about Ilios. Her skin tingled where his wings brushed, where his muzzle lingered, even where his eyes gazed. It was a foreign feeling, and it left the young mare bewildered and nervous. What if she did something wrong, something that would chase him away?

But he seemed appreciative of even her slightest movements. When she pressed her muzzle into his shoulder, he offered a slight smile and a reassurance, though she couldn't quite determine if it was for her benefit or for his. She sighed, and he offered his muzzle, as though to assure her that all was well, despite the difficulties of his past. Every movement that she offered to comfort him was returned in gestures that she appreciated and cherished. For the first time in her life, she felt... loved.

The thought made her pause, suddenly bashful and elated and afraid in equal measure, for what if she was wrong? Or what if this feeling wasn't love, not in that sense - what if it was merely friendship, or family, or something other than romantic? How was she supposed to know the difference, having been given nothing in her short life to compare to? Butterflies flared in her stomach, so she cast her clear blue gaze to the sands to hide her sudden insecurity. It would be better that he thought her upset about his story, at least until she could determine if what she was feeling was something to be shared.

When he thanked her, it was for her lack of adjudication, and this brought her gaze immediately to his, a spark in her eyes with anger at those who thought themselves worthy of passing judgment. She had, after all, been the subject of such unfair practices in her homeland. By the Gods, she had left her own family to escape it! At that moment, she wished that she was able to tell him that she understood - that she, too, had been bypassed for the favor of the herd (or, in her case, the court). That she, too, had been ignored, even hated, by those who were supposed to love her the most. That she had been blamed and judged for things that were far beyond her control.

But mostly, she wished that she could show him that he would not receive that sort of inane treatment from her.

He called her amazing.

She pressed against him, a feeling of complete and utter adoration and satisfaction bubbling within her breast. Her heart skipped its way into a faster rhythm, moving to match Ilios's quickened beat (though she didn't realize that their hearts were beating as one, even as her chest came to rest against his). Her neck leaned against his, her muzzle thrown across his withers. She squeezed, softly, acknowledging his praise and hoping that the simple gesture would return it. The mare closed her eyes.

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

Xolani nodded.