Kianzo

The dark princeling had not ventured further onto the salt flats. His short experience with the heat, the maddening filly with her wolf pups (Keusi yipped behind him in agreement), and the general ennui the mundane expanse of reflective water and skies with no definite horizon held no further interest for him. The dark gold colt, in short, had turned after leaving the pups to choke on his prize, and ventured back north.

Foal legs, which were more tired than he would ever admit, slowed with each small stride. He sighed, sharp blue eyes blinking slowly as he looked around; a cool mist had begun to gently envelop his lanky body. Long, hollow rods of bamboo rose around him—this was where he and Kia and found their companions. A black rimmed ear swiveled backwards, followed by a swing of his head. His cub, despite her vicious bark and bite, was also fading into exhaustion from their long trek.

A small, surprisingly sharp pang for home—for sister and mother and their cave— hit his empty gut. His anger at Kia and annoyance with mother were momentarily forgotten. A soft, surprisingly foal-ish and vulnerable sigh (especially for Kianzo) left his pale, whiskered muzzle. Amid the mists and the tall, thick reeds he, for a few precious moments, looked his age. A small, tired colt that had ventured too far from home and had gotten lost in his exhaustion.

But it lasted only a few breaths; for the tiny prince squared his gold-dusted shoulders and puffed out his ash-dusted chest. “Come on, Si,” his emboldened voice, deep for a young colt, bounced off the thick reeds they were surrounded by. His hyena cub, however, was not as reenergized as her companion. She was tired and hungry—cheated of her meal in the flats.

He turned to glare at her as she plopped her small, striped haunches down. And her equally bright blue eyes stared back.

Bellisma

Bellisma wondered, idly, why the young man had chosen this path specifically. The foliage was too dense to pass unscathed on the left, so it pushed any passersby to the right - continually. She didn't know this land well, but during her explorations she'd ventured through the labyrinth a time or two, excited by its twists and turns. She'd made this mistake a dozen times before realizing there was an area where the reeds were not as solid as they appeared.

She could have told him this little secret, but if that had been her intention then the mare would not have been his shadow all this time. It still felt slightly wrong to her, tracking him like this, but his bravado at the flats had warranted the attention. He reminded her, vaguely, of her captor; but he was young and pliable (maybe), which meant there still may be hope for him. If she could just have a few moments to talk with him, then maybe he would change his ways. Doing so right now was probably not the brightest idea Bellisma had ever had, but she rationlized that both he and his yippy companion were tired enough that this was her best chance of getting out of the conversation alive. Yes, he was "just a colt", but she was no fool - she was both outnumbered and outgunned.

A moment came then that appeared to be her best shot: the boy quieted to the point of near-defeat. Up until that point he had not let his true age show, but for a breath Bellisma saw him as he was. That, almost, had her turning away; but doing so was a double-edged sword. Leaving meant not talking to him, which meant he would go down the reckless path he had sown for himself and, in Bell's eyes, inevitably become a monster she feared. It would also leave him stranded in this place, unlikely to escape until he let go of his stubborness and retraced his steps - which seemed unlikely, given the interaction she had seen. Therefore she stayed, sighing very, very quietly, committed to wait until the next opportunity presented itself... Two heartbeats later.

Steeling herself, Bellisma stood tall. It was now or never. She strode forward through the fog that had begun accumulating, fixing her features into her best approximation of contempt. "I agree, Si," she offered smugly, dipping her head in a nod toward the companion, if only briefly. Having entered the stage, the little mare now felt the weight of her decision - but she had gone too far to turn back now. Cocking a hip as if the mare had a single tough bone in her body, orbs the color of the reeds around them stroked the boy from head to hoof. Had he not been so exhausted - and young - she may have found him handsome. Now, however, especially after the show he'd put on back at the flats, she thought of him as nothing more than a nuisance in these lands. One she fully intended on relieving it of.

"You seem lost, little boy," she offered in way of greeting, a sincere smirk curving one side of her mouth - pleased with herself for having the guts to say something that could come across so sinister.

Kianzo

“I agree, Si.”

The colt spun on heel, eyes widening and head flinging up, surprise and shock stealing away his exhaustion for a few moments as he searched for the source of the unexpected voice. Keusi, likewise, jumped up on her over-large paws, youthful jaw (that would one-day crush bone) snapping once as she started.

But the colt’s tired, startled eyes did not need to look far—the contemptuous voice came from a woman wreathed in the thickening mists. A small woman, but still larger than his coltish body. And age had burnished her elegant coat to a coppery gold, unlike the dark prince’s bright gilt. His wide, unblinking gaze began to narrow as her delicately sculpted head dipped towards his now silently snarling companion.

“Who are you?” His surprisingly deep and clear voice for one so young rang with command in response to her sincere smirk and vaguely ominous greeting. His black-rimmed ears tilted back, angular body that was just growing into awkwarditity shifting uneasily on his small, onyx hooves.

And then he snorted, lightly stamping a single foreleg as his bright blue glare boldly met her bright green—it leapt out of her copper face amongst the verdant bamboo around them. And, despite the colt’s dark proclivities and exhaustion, even he was not immune to beauty’s naturally soothing effect on youth. The effect (for better or for worse) fades with time; but the dark prince had not experienced that time, yet.

So, with a slight sigh and subtle relaxation of the tension her surprising appearance had caused, he glanced over her body, “I’m not lost. I’m going home, to the Basin.” Where other colts may have infused false bravado into such a claim, Kianzo said it firmly—as if he, himself, believed his delusion in his tired state. His glancing gaze halted, lingering on her hind left leg—were those scars? A small ear swiveled forward, eyes staring closely to try and discern the bright white hairs against the equally white fog. He couldn’t quite tell.

Bellisma

The element of surprise gave Bellisma the upper hand, however slight that was. Her lips twitched in a smirk at the colt's reaction, though she knew she would have reacted exactly the same had the tables been turned. Emerald eyes briefly flicked to the ferocious little companion, who would have intimidated her had she not been through much, much worse. One benefit of being captive for years: there was always something worse to look back on. While it left her spineless for a long time, she now used it to fuel her forward. What was the saying? What didn't kill you made you stronger?

"My name is not important," the mare countered deftly, allowed her gaze to once again roam the boy. "Though you, Kianzo, seem to put a lot of stock in yours." Orbs locked then on his, her first attempt at true malice. It wasn't much, but if someone approached her and called her by name, she'd be more than a little frazzled. Hopefully it had a similar effect on the golden boy.

At his response, Bellisma lowered her crown slightly and gave a gentle shake of her head, tsking under her breath. "Oh, dear boy, I am loath to inform you that you are not." For this, she awarded herself another inward bit of praise. She meant, of course, that his current path wasn't actually taking him home - it was winding and turning on itself, and he was too tired to realize the mistake. At this rate, he'd never get home. Of course, it had the bonus of sounding like a threat. I'm getting good at this, she thought, both proud and perhaps a little disgusted. It was empowering, being in this position - she understood why others did it. Did that make her an evil horse? She hoped not.

Like a hot iron, she felt his gaze lock on her scars, and it took a considerable amount of effort not to shift them from his view. That would suggest weakness, however, and she knew better than most just how far someone could pervert those kinks in one's armor. Instead, she spoke suddenly, boldly. "I wish only to speak with you, but I can see you need rest. Take it now, and we can chat once you wake," she offered, doubting he'd take it but hoping he would. Advice falling on tired ears was just the same as deaf ones; and what she had to say was important.

Kianzo

Small, black-rimmed ears still filled with remnants of foal-fuzz tilted back as she used his full name, wariness replacing his firmly confident demeanor once again. How did she know his name? While the colt did not hold the social brilliance of his sister, his young mind was still sharp it it’s own, darkly cruel way. And he did not recall ever meeting this copper colored woman. Beautiful faces stick in young minds—and hers had not.

Before he could stop himself, he instinctively took a step backwards as her green eyes locked wickedly with his. Though there had been no outright threats (which was odd, for with the dark princeling there usually were outright threats by now; either given or received), there was no denying the ominous cloud that fell over the this encounter, just as the sun's rays (that barely percolated through the mists and bamboo canopy) were falling beneath the horizon. “How do you know my name?” His question was demanding, but his young voice had lost some of its self-assurance.

At her use of the word ”boy”, his ears pinned flush with his skull and and he snorted indignantly. He was no mere ‘boy,’ he was a Prince. A Prince with magic—but only feeble amounts of ash puffed from his chest as he tried to throw it at the delicate woman to show her that he was nothing to be trifled with. His nostrils wrinkled in annoyance; even as his bright blue eyes took a prolonged and tired blink. He was too tired and had used too much magic with that skull-faced cow on the Flats to be able to use it again.

Perhaps if he had been less exhausted, the adrenaline from this foreboding exchange would have lasted longer—would have provided him with more mental acuity to threaten or barter or otherwise talk with the elegantly scarred mare. Alas, the young weanling was tried—nearly fully spent. So, with her scars nearly fully forgotten, he attempted to brazenly answer (though he was too tired to be entirely brazen) her invitation to sleep, “I’m not just a ’boy’. I can find my own place to sleep.”

And Kianzo, being Kianzo, could not simply accept the mare’s invitation to sleep beneath her dubiously ‘watchful’ gaze. So, with a snort and flick of his black-and-white tail about his hocks, he began to march right past her, much to his companion’s annoyance. Kesui yipped and snapped at his heels—but the dark prince ignored her, eyes searching for a proper place to rest his already heavy-lidded eyes.

———————

Dawn came, finding the colt curled in a tight ball and slightly shivering with the mists’ cool dampness. He had been mostly unsuccessful in finding a proper bed, and had resorted to curling into a alight alcove between bamboo rods. Though, despite it lacking the comfort and warmth of home, the exhausted youth had quickly slipped into a deep slumber. Keusi, likewise, curled her striped body around his head; but loud yips and laughs had punctuated her coma-like stupor. The colt’s sleep had been silent (it seemed Si made enough noise for their dreams for the both of them); though he never once woke from his raucous companion.

Bellisma

A thrill ran through her bones at his retreat, the single step giving her much more joy than it should have. Maybe I am becoming something... else, she worried, though she wouldn't let it show on her face. Who was she, to idly threaten this young boy? He had done nothing to her, and what did it say of Bellisma for preying on something even smaller than herself? She snorted involuntarily at the thought, and had to hope the colt would take it as her laughing at him rather than her being disturbed by her own thoughts. Even that made her feel terrible, though. Perhaps she wasn't cut out for this work she had started - except, she had to remind herself, the young one had not been her original target. There was one other first - a behemoth of a man, who she also only wished to speak with, though she imagined she risked her life trying to weasel his way to him.

Thankfully, Kianzo's voice broke her of her reverie; who knows how long she would have been stuck in her own mind otherwise. "I have been watching you," she stated, mildly dazed, though as her eyes returned to the boy she smiled. Good lords, she probably looked insane. But hey, insanity was scary, right? Grr.

At his feeble display of power, Bellisma raised a brow. Her gaze fell to the boy's chest before swinging back up to meet defiant blues. "Now now, there's no need for that. We're only talking, remember?" she scorned mildly, one ear flicking briefly back. It was likely a terrible idea for her to allow him rest (and recharge) before having her conversation with him, but she'd have to take the risk. A lecture was best received by the well-slept.

"You do that," she responded with amusement, eyes crinkling at the sides as he brushed past her. She'd let him get settled before she followed, for the sake of letting him believe he had privacy. "Manners will be the first topic of the morning," she called after him.

He'd appeared much too exhausted to travel far, and with the boy's yippy little companion never leaving his side it was easy for Bellisma to track them (as was already evident in her stalking them this far). So, minutes after he'd disappeared from sight, the mare followed, keeping far enough back that the tired colt would hopefully not realize. Once she saw him settle, she cocked a hip and let herself fall into a fitful sleep, thanks to Keusi.

--------------------------------------

The morning was surprisingly quiet. As Bellisma gradually woke, she heard only one bird singing, and wondering if the rest had been scared off by the hyena. Unfocused eyes swung to find the pair now, resting amongst the green stalks in a fashion that filled the mare with mild envy. What she wouldn't give to have someone she cared about that much... But, alas, it seemed such a thing was not in the cards for her. If it ever had been, the man she would not name had ensured she'd never desire it enough to pursue.

Instead of waking him - which, she assumed, would only serve in pissing him off more - Bellisma waited quietly for the colt to wake on his own. Only once she saw him stir did she offer greeting, and even then she waited a few moments for the boy to gain his bearings. "Good morning."

Kianzo

“Good morning.”

The quiet, soft greeting (as soft as mother’s) wormed its way into the dark haze in which the foal slumbered. It was a gentle summon—and the mare was right in her internal assumptions. Awaking the darkling prince with a light call made for a much more amenable princeling.

Slowly, dark lids rise. Bleary, bright blues stare unseeing for a few moments—only overwhelming green imprinting on his vision. Their cave in the Basin wasn’t green. This time of year, none of the Basin was green. So his cloudy eyes blinked rapidly, small head slowly raising from his furry, Keusi pillow (who was also beginning to stir).

And then they landed on the copper face with green eyes, sharpening with focus, as the previous day came flooding into his still-sleepy consciousness. This coppery mare was still here, waking him with the quiet morning’s pale yellow light. She said she had watched him. She had spoken of ’manners’. Mother also spoke of manners. Often. And the dark prince had yet to find them—or to find the value in finding them.

But just-waking made the colt more pliable, more agreeable; it was before the dark whispers or stubborn voices had gained momentum in his youthful mind. So, uncurling slightly from his tightly shivering ball, he spoke in a voice that was thick with sleep, “There’s nothing ’good’ about it.” But there was no malice or venom in his words, despite their complaining nature.

Slowly, he stretched his slender onyx legs across the thick, dewy grasses, “Who’re you, anyway?” And then he yawned away the last cobwebs and remnants of sleep, milk teeth gleaming in the morning’s early light. The pastels of sunrise had faded from the lightly misted morning, but their gentle hues foretold of a bright and storm-less day. It’s unsure if the same could be said for the colt.

Bellisma

"Cheerful as always," the mare observed with a smirk, shaking her head lightly. What was it with today's youth thinking the world owed them something great? That each day was to begin and end with them, as if they alone were the reason the sun even chose to make and appearance? Bellisma wasn't even that old, but with the grumbling boy before her now, she felt it.

She was far enough away that even without backing up, the colt had plenty of room to stretch. Not feeling the need to observe his every sinew, she allowed her gaze to wander off, stroking along the shafts of bamboo and wondering in the ability of the fog to adhere to it so tightly. In the seemingly never-ending dance, she pondered which of the pair was the prisoner, and, juxtaposing it to her current situation, which she was more like. It pleased her to think she would be the fog - a soft but persistent companion.

The boy's question demanded her attention, and she began responding to him before her jades returned to his figure. "You may ask that question all you like, but I still will not give you the answer." Her tone was soft, even bordering on pleasant; hostility was not needed here, as it would only harbor more walls to impede her progress with the boy. Even still, it would be best for her not to give a name, lest he return to his family and immediately send a hunting party her way. She was small and lithe, but she still did not know this land like the many patrons did - they would find her regardless of where she hid, she knew.

"Do we need to eat before we can get started?" she asked, trying to be considerate, "Or should I jump straight into it?" He was, after all, an impatient boy - she imagined he wanted this over and done with as quickly as possible. It wouldn't make her a very good captor, but the point of following him hadn't been to hold him permanently against his will. Tipping her gaze downward, she addressed the companion. She wasn't sure if that was a thing most equids did, but it seemed rude to ignore the third party. "What about you? Do you need food?"

Kianzo

Her voice, though denying his sleepy question of her, was soft enough to lull his slumber-drenched mind into a tentative compliance. And her pleasant, gentle jade eyes caused a temporary calm to subdue his dark proclivities. Maybe because the young could was nursing some semblance of homesickness and the mare’s quiet tranquility offered some sort of comfort. Or, perhaps it was because she did not immediately demand, rebuke, or pester him to moment his eyes opened. Instead, she asked him if he needed anything.

His sharp blue eyes blinked at her a few times—this was not the same ominous mare that stalked him last night and provoked him to try to use his magic. Instead, he finished his stretches and slowly rose to his onyx hooves, just as Keusi stretched and let out a soft yip. They both shook in unison, Keusi’s hackles rising and resettling all along her back; Kianzo’s two-toned mane settled messily on his striped crest.

And then he pinned her with his bright blue stare, “Let’s get it over with then, goldie.” He named the woman for her coat and her stature, which was an odd compliment as he did not name her something derogatory in the absence of her true name. He leaned his haunches lazily against the thick, reedy poles that dripped the mists’ moisture. “What do you want? And how do you know my name?” His fore hoof pawed slightly at the lush grass as he waited, threats of his father’s wrath against this small mare on the tip of his so-far-appeased tongue.

Bellisma

Instead of doing the gentlemanly thing and acknowledging that Bellisma had even spoken, the mare watched as the colt seemed to size her up. The companion, who she'd only heard him call "Si", ignored her altogether, which she supposed shouldn't have surprised her. The little creature was perhaps more volatile than her bonded, if that was possible. Bellisma supposed it was because the little canine was a natural predator, whereas Kianzo had to find his darkness. Or, maybe, the darkness had found him.

"Temper," she responded immediately, curtly, at his less-sleepy demand. Despite his words, however, he didn't appear too terribly concerned with her. Waking him kindly had probably been the wrong choice, but she'd already mulled that over; it was better he think her less fearsome than he become annoyed with her and lash out. "It seems this might take longer than necessary, if you insist on my repeating myself," the mare pointed out, flicking an ear back. "As I said before, I was watching you." This was said calmly, brow raising slightly in intrigue. Either he was too stubborn to really care what she said, or he'd forgotten... And Kianzo did not strike her as the forgetful type.

"What I want is to prevent this land from falling victim to a wrath it does not deserve," she began cryptically, starting towards the boy. Her steps were light, her posture easy, so as not to give off the impression of looking for a fight. She gave the colt a wide berth and paused to his right, facing opposite directions. "You are powerful, Kianzo, and that will only grow with time..," gradually, she made her way around his back and stopped his other side, "but if you fail to learn to use it properly, you will become something you do not want to be." Her eyes on him were sorrowful, filled with memories she would much rather forget. Panniculus twitching at phantom, she pulled her hind end further from Kianzo. He was naught but a boy, yet the knowledge of what he would become was enough to make her stand a little straighter.

Kianzo

“Temper.”

At her abrupt change in tone, sleepiness swept away from his face and his black-rimmed ears tilted back. And then her following words were obviously annoyed with him, but were spoken calmly, repeating her answer from the previous night: that she had been watching him. His eyes narrowed slightly, watching her closely, “Why?” His own, deep voice mimicked the curt tone she had first used.

But then she began speaking again, speaking of victims and wraths, which the colt didn’t understand at all (though part of him was interested—he would like to know those with wraths causing victims). “You are powerful, Kianzo…” But at these words, his distracted thoughts cleared and he snapped to acute attention on Goldie. Now she was saying things he both understood and wanted to hear.

“’Learn to use it properly? What do you mean? Show me,” his questions were equal parts demanding and desperate. He wanted needed to know what she meant by using this ‘power,’ eyes alighting with desire. Rarely heard was the warning she tacked onto her mentions of power, so wholly did his dark ambitions focus on that singular thing it craved. It disregarded her ominous admonition of “becoming something you do not want to be.” Because his young mind wanted power—it had seen how Lord Deimos had so easily commanded and entire herd. And he saw the reactions in other’s faces when they heard his father was King. So, to the boy, it appeared that power was paramount.

Keusi, feeding off of her bonded’s sudden, rapt attention swung her bright blue eyes to carefully study the mare with a predator’s stare. The innate need of knowledge flowing from Kianzo through their bond and morphing to an innate predator’s need for food. She growled softly, but stayed still beside her dark prince for the time being.