| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
11-24-2012, 12:41 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-24-2012, 10:02 PM by Murdock.)
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
The morning air was heavy with frost, the skies painted pale pink and gold with the absence of stars. The sun had already begun to crown the peaks, snowy cliffs gilded with bright gold. The cloud bases had sunk low over the night, and heavy masses loomed overhead the base of the mountain. The grass was lined with frozen dew, and a fresh layer of snow coated the ground. Murdock stood at the foot of the cliff, his body sheltered from the sunlight by the long boughs of ash trees. He looked out across the meadow, the tall strands of golden grass bending slightly beneath the weight of a gentle breeze. The dawn air was frigid, and his ebony coat had not yet grown thick enough to guard against the assaulting cold. His spirits were low as he stood beneath the sheltering branches, snowy wings pressed to his sides in an attempt to conserve heat.
His breath came in misty puffs that quickly dispersed in the sub-zero air, and he watched with a sigh as the sun began to peek through a break in the clouds. There was little he enjoyed more than flying above the clouds, nothing but the vast sky and the fiery sun above you. Pacing out into the field, his hooves left shallow scuff marks in the fresh snow. Despite the cold, the world was beautifully trapped in a golden glow that announced that beginning of another day.
Unfolding his wings, Murdock stretched out his limbs, frost crackling along his feathers as they extended. A nice flight would be just the thing to raise his spirits, and warm his frozen body. Breaking into a gentle jog, he beat his wings powerfully, finally building up enough momentum to lift off the ground. He soared upwards, leaving the earth behind him. There was a certain thrill to flight; the sort of thrill that only came with lifting yourself thousands of feet off the earth to be one among the stars. The trees grew smaller below him as he rose through the barrier of cloud.
He hovered for a moment, hind legs dangling down into the damp mass of the clouds. To his left, the gentle slope of a mountain curved up through the fluffy white blanket. Turning about to face it, he spread his wings and soared effortlessly towards the dark stone. At this temperature, and with such precipitation as there had been recently, the cloud base had lingered around 2000 feet and curved low around the girth of the cliff. Atop the peak, a great expanse of meadow sloped down the face of the rock. Angling himself towards it, he let his wings slip across the air to bring him down for a landing.
He landed roughly, stumbling over his feet as he came down hard on the ground. The tall grass knotted itself about his hooves and trapped him, and he had to wrestle with the thick stalks for a moment to free himself. Looking around, he admired the sea of clouds that lay below. This meadow, so close to the paling skies, would be a perfect place to spend an idle afternoon. After all, a day of rest was just what he needed.
"speak"
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Cal|variam
"'Hmph. Look at all this 'sun'."
|
Calvariam surveyed her surroundings disdainfully; she had told that one unicorn filly-girl (still never figured out that fawn's name) that the old mare wanted some sun; the warmth of that golden sphere would sooth her-- slightly-- aching joints and make her travels that much more enjoyable. Somehow and somewhere down the road, Cal had managed to find herself traveling northward instead of southward; though it made not a lick of sense to travel away from the planet's Midline, she was told over and over again on the grapevine that this path would take her to enough sun for a lifetime. Now the old fart was steadily making her way up the cliff-face of a mountain, the clouds and fog settling thickly around her like the blanketing embrace of a mother pegasus' wing.
Look at all the sun.
No, really, it was safe to assume that Cal's earlier good mood and well and truly vanished. Walking through the Threshold (as she later came to know it to be called) had left her feeling this vague sense of contentment that had permeated her entire body, from her forelock to the tips of her feathers. It was a directionless happiness, and so it had settled over every aspect of her life and she was willing to abandon herself to it. She was pulled back to earth, however, when it was still apparent that contentment didn't make you automatically alone in the world. She had to snap out of it.
And now that she had...Cal found that she preferred blissful oblivion. Now that she had a direction and purpose to her self-imposed march, she saw all the flaws in the world again, and deemed it fit to mutter to herself about them. "Irritatin' little ants," she muttered to herself, heaving her frame ever upwards through the fog,"Irresponsible, self-righteous, skinny little ninnies..." she cursed, thinking of all these dandy-legged yearlings running around the place, puffed up into believing they knew a thing or two about life. Why, back in her day the youth weren't so--
so--
Oh.
Cal's eyes widened; the fog and clouds were gone. Gone, ever so suddenly, as though they never existed in the first place. The sky was suddenly opened and clear, and Cal saw before her NOT the featureless gray expanse of mountain-side, but the sun-drenched, verdant fields of an elevated mountain-valley. The grass was splashed with color here and there, splattered with the different kinds of cold-air flowers that blossomed in the direct sunlight of the Heavens.
Look at all the sun!
Cal took a deep breath of the thin air, her eyes cast above and watching the brilliant mother-of-pearl dawn of the sky. She glimpsed a shadow amongst the clouds; a fellow pegasus that traveled the thermals as was wont with her race. A pang of envy and sorrow filled her chest; it was the rare day indeed she ever got into the air again. It took so much of her energy and the joints in her shoulders weren't as sure and steady as they used to be. With a large huff, she tore her eyes from the sky and set about exploring this strange sky-meadow, dipping her head to nibble the springy vegetation to see just now sweet it really was.
"This place. Chock full of surprises."
(OOC: SO sorry for the long wait, I kind of blanked out and I've been working non-stop since before Thanksgiving, so I've been out of it lately..)
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|
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
11-25-2012, 08:32 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2012, 04:57 PM by Murdock.)
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock chanced a few cautious steps forward, neck craned as he glanced nervously around the field. It was a beautiful and heavenly place, yet even such a beautiful face could mask unseen dangers. The grass swayed gently in the breeze, the perfume of wild flowers surrounding him. With nothing but the clear sky above him, he felt a weight lifted from his lungs, and finally he could breathe easily. Ever since his arrival he had been trapped beneath the netted arms of ancient trees, and finally he could touch the sky.
Striding placidly along, he inhaled deeply, feeling the cool freshness of the air fuel his tired muscles and clear his sleep-fogged brain. The meadow seemed devoid of dangers, and pleasantly quiet. Dawn had only just arrived, and still the vast heavens were painted with delicate pinks and golds. It was so peaceful, to be able to simply sit and admire the sky; to have the time to appreciate the smaller things in life. He sighed softly, lowering his gaze back to the golden grass as the breeze stirred his charcoal mane across his neck.
He was used to northern climates, where the cold was always eating away at your heart and driving you crazy. Not that crazy was anything out of the ordinary for him. However, here the sun was warm upon his back and he felt calm and at ease; free from all the shadows of his past that had haunted his dreams. Tossing his head back, he looked pensively about himself.
Cresting the steep cliff, he spotted a pegasus making its way into the lush fields towards him. The roan mare bent her head to test the tender blades of grass, seeming not to notice him. Well, he would soon take care of that. Spinning about on his heels, he broke into a swift lope towards her. He noticed her thick stocky build, and guessed by the slight graying of her hide that she was older than him. "Good morning" he drawled, sliding to a halt a few feet away from her. "Mighty fine day for a walk, would you not agree?" he smiled crookedly, stepping towards her curiously so that he was a little too close for comfort.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"'Ain't no rest for the Weary....or is it the Wicked?"
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Hmm. Not the sweetest,Cal thought as she chewed the shrub and vegetation with a thoughtful air, but definitely surprising for this climate. Perhaps it was the altitude and all the exposure to this sun? Cal chuckled within the depths of her mind; how ironic. She licked the tiny morsels of leaf blades and readied herself to a non-stop marathon of chomping and grinding (that climb had left her running on empty), but it soon became apparent she wasn't alone, and she had enough self-awareness to act appropriately grumpy at the shadow of this intruder.
*"Good morning...Mighty fine day for a walk, would you not agree?"*
How funny. The heavens were just pouring irony all over the place today.
Cal got herself an eyeful of a shadowy, white-winged stallion with pale eyes before the creature so unceremoniously forced himself into her personal bubble. Cal glared slightly, a silent challenge pouring out of her eyes. Wanna play it like that, don'tcha, young buck?Instead of retreating from his impressive bulk or directly replying to his rather polite and sincere statements, she reached up and snorted loudly, violently, sloppily in his face before shoving past him to find greener grasses. Hmph. That's what the hell she thought about a fine day for a walk. The heavens seemed content to screw with her today, and she was in a fine fettle to let everything drop dead.
Mmmhmm. She reached a rather plentiful sprig of greens where she set her jaws a-chompin' and her molars a-grindin', swishing her tail this way and that as she dutifully ignored the stallion. Her wings ruffled slightly in the slight breeze of the mountain tops, and she snorted again into the grass, abandoning herself to her grumpiness and vaguely wondering if the stud would get the message and leave her be.
"....Either word fits my description, heh heh.."
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock watched the roan mare curiously, a crooked smile creeping onto his face as she glanced up at him. She seemed to study him, a bored look on her face as she chewed a mouthful of grass. Her expression soon changed, and she fixed him with a dark, challenging look. He frowned slightly, taking a hesitant step back as she leaned up towards him. Her face neared his, her broad muzzle swiftly approaching his face as a spray of wet something-or-other covered his face. Aghast, Murdock sneezed, bending over as the mare shoved past him. He coughed violently, wiping his face across his lower leg and pushing his muzzle into the dry grass.
His face free of most of the sticky unknown, he raised his head and blinked in surprise. He turned his head to watch her walk away from him, lower jaw gaping open. How dare she spit in his face?! Somewhat dazed and confused, Murdock turned towards her. He marched over to her, giving her rear end a wide berth as he came about to face her head-on. “Well! Pleasure to meet you too, you old bat” he grumbled, watching her forage about at his feet, completely ignoring him. Normally he could be quite a pain in the ass, but he hadn’t even done anything yet!
He sighed in defeat, looking away from her to admire the field. All he had done was greet her kindly and that was the kind of respect he received? He couldn’t imagine what he had done to set off this mare, though maybe she just had a bad attitude. Well, he could play that to his advantage and maybe even have a little fun. Slyly, he looked back down at her, spotting a lush patch of green grass that he figured she would go for next. Quickly, he bent down, snatching the healthy blades between his teeth and straightening up. His cheeks swelled with his mouthful, and he smiled defiantly at her.
His sides trembled as he suppressed a laugh, leaning towards her face as he opened his mouth. He exhaled quickly, blowing out a sticky mouthful of half chewed grass towards her face. “Ha! How do you like that!” he laughed childishly, turning about to dance away from her. Putting himself out of the range of her teeth, he came to a halt and turned to look at her. Was he always this immature? Yes. But at least it entertained him.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"Boy has some legs on 'im."
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Cal heard the shadow-boy mutter something as she walked away from him; she cocked her head in the air in a slightly threatening fashion, tilting an ear in his direction. Eh? What's that you gotta say to me? She challenged in her mind-- but all that came from her throat was a low, irate grrrrrrrmble out of the deepest vestiges of her chest. With a self-satisfied sort of snort at the sight of the stud withdrawing from her, Cal turned back to her business and reached down to chomp-up a large mouthful of the green, no-so-sweet stuff.
The old mare was very close to chomping-up genuine horseflesh; with a jolt, Cal realized that the sprig of grass she was fixing to work on was mowed down, and a broad, black, velveteen muzzle was left in it's place. Her eyes weren't quite wide, but they were sure as hell disbelieving as she watched the young buckling chewing smugly in her face. The absurdity of the situation had not quite hit her before a bit of the grass-spit-goo from his mouth had splattered on the side of her face. She had tried turning away to avoid the projectile, but to no avail, and she was settled with a great eyeful of the goop. With a short, panicked squeal she stepped away from him, throwing her head high and low, to-and-fro to get rid of the disgusting brew of chewed food. Karma was indeed being rather lively today; the irony was particularly potent as a stray thought crept into Cal's subconscious: "Do unto others..."
*“Ha! How do you like that!”*
It was quite lucky that the young buckling had enough forethought to back away as quickly as he did; a hint of acknowledging admiration crept into Cal's opinion of him at the observation. Nevertheless, it didn't stop her from reaction in a justifiably furious manner, in which she bared her long, craggy bricks of teeth, snapping at the air his forelock had just occupied. She also threatened the laborious motion of kicking; she wheeled around on her front legs, swinging her rump towards him, lashing her tail as she lifted a hind-hoof from the verdant green ground. As the hoof raised into the air, Cal's rage-induced energy very suddenly drained from her, and the subtle yet unmistakable ache in her joints chorused The HELL You Think You Doin', Girl? You Ain't Young Enough For That! Cal loosed a side-quaking groan. Damn it. She very much wanted to kick the crap out of this cheeky little bastard, but it seems age won out in the battle of wills this time. She slowly lowered her leg back to its rightful place on the ground, and contented herself to lashing her tail once more his direction.
Seemed like Cal was stuck with him for the time being. She didn't have the mojo to even kick, much less run away, and she didn't like the notion of running from anything no-how. He didn't seem dangerous, really; the vibe she was getting from him was childish, playful-- as though he had found a new toy to play with. The thought of being a child's plaything was less than savory, but at least it didn't seem Cal had to expect the usual coarse, cocky behavior of some studs. Cal extended a wing, reaching behind her a nibbling an irritated section around her primaries. She eyed him from over the edge of her wing, deciding to throw him one of her more "courteous" greetings.
"The hell you want from me, boy?"
"I ain't in no story-tellin' mood."
|
|
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock laughed as the roan mare swung her rear towards him, and he cautiously danced back a few steps farther as she raised a hind leg. She seemed to reconsider the action, and with a slight groan replaced the hoof upon the dry earth. He watched her flick her tail irritably towards him, and he smirked slightly. Really, he knew he was supposed to respect his elders. Although he did hold a certain amount of regard for the elder mare’s feelings, he couldn’t help but seek out a bit of entertainment. Besides, she seemed to have retained a fair amount of spunk.
He figured her joints were too stiff to allow her to do him much damage, and so he would push his luck a little farther. He watched curiously as she bent her head back to preen her feathers. He offered a charming smile as she peered at him over her wing. Though she had spit in his face, he was quick to forgive. Or forget. Her eyes held an annoyed, dark look, and it only served to encourage Murdock. He smiled as her words reached his ears, and he took note of her thick accent. His own voice held a certain drawl, but hers was much more prominent. “Aww, don’t look at me like that, darlin’" he said, mimicking her accent teasingly as he chanced a few steps closer.
He took a few steps to the right, positioning himself so he was closer to her, but still a respectable distance from her rear legs. She might be smaller than him, but he was sure she could still pack a punch. He smiled amiably down at her, folding his wings lightly against his sides as a warm breeze caressed his feathers. “I don’t really know what I want, ma’am…But I’d start with yer name” he smiled, continuing to imitate her accent. Changing his voice was one of his many skills, as well as a favourite pass-time of his. He loved to put on different ‘faces’, as it were, and pretend to be someone he wasn’t.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"I...don't really sound like THAT, do I?"
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*“Aww, don’t look at me like that, darlin’"*
Cal gave a great grunt of disdain as she heard the alteration in his vocal cadence, realizing rather quickly that he was imitating her own down-home drawl. She wasn't quite sure if the stallion was mocking her in his own way, or if he was still acting upon his childishly playful persona-- or if it was both. Cal didn't know the boy that well to give him enough benefit of the doubt if he truly was asking for a Christmas Ass-Kicking and intentionally baiting the old girl. She decided to let it slip on two grounds; A) the boy had a smidgen of manners, even if his cheeky personality warped them into something amusing and infuriating, and 2) she had no energy to act on it no-how. She was at his mercy.
True, Cal was slightly mollified watching him keep his distance. It made her feel like she was still a threat (not like she wasn't) and gave her a bit of control over the situation. Shucks, a little indirect flattery could get a young buckling a long way! Folding her wing again comfortably atop her back, Cal lowered her muzzle to continue trying to forage for the green stuff. All of these manners and flattering gestures weren't sufficient to give her enough strength for the inevitable climb down. The sun was pleasant enough, but if Cal had wanted to stay in one place she wouldn't have come to this strange land in the first place. It was certain that, at one point or another, she was gonna leave.
*“I don’t really know what I want, ma’am…But I’d start with yer name”*
There was a short pause. "You can call me Cal," she grunted between bites, pointedly deciding to ignore his continued mimicking of her accent. There was no harm in telling another one's name, unless you owed them something. "And what kinda label they dun give you, Sunny Jim?" For that matter, what was a strapping young stud like him doing here alone with no lady on his arm? True, the sun was warm and the scenery was striking, but he *supposedly* didn't have creaky joints that weren't agreeable to cold. Maybe he was just out exploring?
Maybe he was just out for a morning flight?
Cal tried to stuff a sudden pang of envy with another mouthful of grass, but to no avail.
"Lucky bastard."
(OOC: Writing Cal's dialogue is so vague and fun! ^^ I'm sitting in the middle of Cockney colloquial and Southern American drawl)
|
|
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
A smile crept onto Murdock’s lips as he noted the slight groan of irritation the old mare uttered. Her accent was quite amusing, and he couldn’t help but desire to imitate it. He had expected more of a reaction, though, but this would do for now. He was surprised she hadn’t just turned around and flown away by now; although, upon closer inspection, perhaps her wings would not hold her weight with ease. Flight was Murdock’s favourite thing, and he couldn’t imagine losing the use of his wings. He hoped age would treat him kindly, and he would forever be able to soar through the skies.
He watched, somewhat crestfallen, as she returned to grazing. Once more, he was being ignored. However, this time the period of silence did not last so long, and it was broken by her hesitant response to his question. He smiled broadly as her accent reached his ears again, and he sauntered a few steps closer to her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you…Cal” he smiled, dipping his head in a bow. “Sunny Jim? No, they don’t call me that. It’s Moony Bill” he winked teasingly, a mischievous smile returning to his lips.
Dramatically, he turned away from her, wings spreading to give him a majestic appearance. Not that ‘majestic’ was exactly something he could achieve. His back to her, he tossed his head back to look up at the sky. “Yep, Moony Bill. Adventurer and captain of the skies! Conquering land and exploring new frontiers!” he turned back to her quickly, lowering his head to her level, “And a real hit with the ladies”. His words stumbled off his tongue in a thick drawl, and it only served to make him sound a bit stupid. He grinned, stepping back away from her lest she decided to try lashing out at him again.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"By the Gods that lil' boy can be annoyin' when he wants to!"
|
The bastard was becoming cheekier and smarter by the second; watching him cautiously move away from her, Cal acted on impulse, pinning her ears and lashing another fruitless kick in his direction. Surely he was doing this on purpose; it seemed like the stud (whose name sure as hell was NOT Moony Bill) was baiting her into a chase she was unable to participate in at the time. He was also distracting her from necessary grazing to get her energy up and out, and was absolutely infuriating in the way he kept referring to the skies and posing with those ridiculous wings of his. It was stirring painfully envious feelings within her, and Cal didn't feel like being jealous of this flighty buckling. Which only served to annoy her further still.
It also didn't help that he continued to make fun of her drawl.
"I wonder if you'd be as uppity if yo' ass had made the climb up this here cliff side like I had'ta," she growled through a mouthful of grass. She was trying very hard to get some eating in, but he was making it somewhat difficult to accomplish, "You got too much energy fo' your own good, boy. Might getch'a into trouble one day."
As if to underline her point, Cal suddenly lifted her head high, squaring her chest and legs while spreading her wings as majestically as possible. However, Cal placed a face of utmost silliness upon her features, staring vapidly with her eyes and lifting her upper lip foolishly as she mocked his own demeanor. She wasn't as tall as "Moony Ass" and her wings were graying with loose feathers in places, but it only added to the parody of his "grand appearance". After holding the pose a moment, Cal lowered her head to it's normal position, rolling her eyes and snorting with derision before attempting to go back to her grazing.
"Foolishness."
(OOC: I'm sorry it's somewhat short with no quality, twice now my browser crashed and I lost my response so I lost muse x.x)
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock shied out of the way as the older mare lashed out at him, his knees barely escaping a firm collision with her hooves. He smiled defiantly, backing up again so as to once more sustain a safe distant from Cal. He could tell it was not wise to piss her off, but he was having so much fun. Who knows, maybe they could be good friends after all. Keeping that hopeful albeit possibly hopeless thought in his mind, he listened as she began to speak once again in her thick drawl.
"Well, I got tons o' energy to burn climbin' up cliff sides, ma'am...I don't think no little walk up a cliff's gonna shift all this steam" he grinned teasingly, tipping his head as she spoke to him through mouthfuls of grass. Her expression was one of pure annoyance, and it reminded him of the looks his mother used to give him when he was being a pain in the ass. He fondly recalled all the events which conditioned the use of said 'look'. "Oh, it already has gotten me into trouble...many times. Never fails, I tell ya".
Murdock watched with a bemused expression upon his face as Cal attempted to arrange herself in a regal manner, no doubt mocking the way he held himself. He struggled not to laugh, an entertained grin splitting across his face as she spread her wings out. He doubted he looked quite that ridiculous, but of course her disshelved appearance would only add to her mocking pose. He chuckled slightly, stepping slowly towards her as she relaxed her position. "Very nice...but I do think you could do with a few more feathers, don't you agree?" he suggested teasingly, tipping his head. "I mean, look at my wings! Nice n' full and white" he grinned.
"You're impression's great, but...you're also lacking a little in the height n' muscle department...oh and of course, the colour" he smiled brightly, circling her slowly and picking out all the differences between them. Of course her impression had only been meant to mock him, but trust him to take it seriously. He circled her body fully, giving her a considerable berth of course, before turning once again to face her head on. "Why did you come up here anyway? Aint it an awful long climb just for some grass?" he asked, watching her attempt to graze between his interruptions.
(No problem! I hate it when that happens :[ )
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"This is getting us nowhere.."
|
Cal bent her head down to the sweet verdant stuff, seemingly ignoring Bill's tirades and criticism of her impersonation of him-- though seemingly against her will, she kept an ear cocked in his direction and took in his words, if only in broken chunks here and there. Her annoyance toward the insufferable stallion continued to bubble on the back-burner, but it was pushed aside for now; Cal was hungry, positively starving, and she set about mowing down a respectable pathway around the white-winged buckling. She was starting to feel a little friskier than before and her joints weren't aching so bad, but the lull of grazing eventually caused Cal to blank out from Bill's endless banter, and it was some moments before she recognized a direct question from him:
"Why did you come up here anyway? Aint it an awful long climb just for some grass?"
Cal pinned her ears, but this time it wasn't in annoyance towards the stallion. She was starting to get irritated with all these age induced cloudy headedness. That, and the obvious tolls on her body that hadn't been there before. "Came here for the sun," she said, taking a peak upwards at the sun which had been steadily climbing over the course of their little "escapade", "it's nice 'n all and the scenery's kinda pretty, but it's not worth the work getting up 'n down,"she shook her mane, "I might just head south when I finish with this. Nice, flat terrain-- should do a lil' ol' lady like me some good."
Cal snorted suddenly, in a fit of heated frustration; she reared up, flapping her wings violently and giving a heavy, gut-shaking neigh. As her wings rose and fell, a most pleasant sensation of the chilled wind flying through her feathers distracted her slightly from her tirade. She truly missed the sensation of flying-- the genuine freedom that came with it. Cal landed on all fours again, but she was gazing off towards the sky again, throwing a disparaging glance toward the path she had taken to get here and trying to find a way to justify the crazy idea she had in mind. It had been nearly a year since she had taken to the air; she just didn't have the energy anymore. Would it be wise to test her strengths against the wild thermals of the heavens?
Should she risk it?
"I really do miss them clouds 'n shit.."
(OOC: sick sick sick x.x So sorry for late reply!)
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock watched as the older mare continued to graze, making a point of ignoring him. It didn't really bother him though, as he had been used to others paying little attention to his antics after they had grown used to him. He smiled down at her. She sure was stubborn, but she could fight back. Her wit was enough to put her one step ahead of him, and it kept him on his toes. He wondered absentmindedly why she didn't just leave, and rid herself of his teasing comments. But maybe he wasn't worth the effort. He found that thought oddly flattering.
He grinned as she pinned her ears, her response coming as a simple statement; short and sweet. Just like her, except without the 'sweet' part. He kept his eyes on her, not making any move to respond to her reply. There sure was a lot of sun in the meadow, but it wasn't why he had come there. He had always been the adventuring type, and he eagerly took advantage of any chance he had to explore. He had hardly been in Helovia for a month, and he had not yet seen most of the province. He tended to stick to the north, though, where the terrain reminded him of home and he could frolic in the snow like an idiot whenever he pleased.
"South'd be nice...but I like the north, per-" he began, but his statement was cut short when she reared up in the air. For a moment, he thought he was being attacked and he flinched away from her hooves. He backed up a step out of caution, and watched her flap her wings as she called out to the sky. Was she going nuts? He noticed the longing look she aimed at the clouds, and he followed her gaze upwards towards the pale sky. His gaze returning to her face, he studied her expression.
"Miss flyin', do ya?" he asked, hardly even noticing the drawl he continued to put on. He loved flying, and couldn't imagine a life without it. But then, he though about that often, and thinking about it would do no good as old age caused his own joints to seize up. But he was a long ways from that point yet. He stretched his snowy wings out alongside his body, long feathers contrasting sharply with the coal black of his coat. "Come on, I'm sure you can still do it..." he said encouragingly, though inwardly he was a tad sceptical. He'd seen many older pegasi still take to the air, but he didn't know how long it had been since she had flown.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"Youth is wasted."
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"Miss flyin', do ya?"
It wasn't as though she was trying to hide the annoyed longing from her eyes, but his obvious assessment of her emotions did nothing but bring a fresh wave of anguish. She was upset, but it wasn't his fault, not really; this Bill person was only standing there, being a natural doofus that had nothing to do with her own age-centered dilemmas. She listened to his question with an angry cock of the ear, then threw her head a little in response.
"You gonna tell me yer real name?" she spat back at him,"I told'er mine." Cal lowered her head and continued to graze for a moment; one of these days he'll get the picture and get to steppin', leaving her to her own devices and keeping the bitter-sweet thoughts out of her brainpan. The way his wings so vividly contrasted to his shadowy body only drew more attention to the way those appendages were admittedly handsomely built, and Cal supposed in her expert opinion that he was a fantastic flier. Which did nothing to quell her suddenly stand-offish demeanor.
*"Come on, I'm sure you can still do it..."*
In rapt response, Cal blew another raspberry through her nose, rolling her eyes in a most insolent manner before returning to her green. The skepticism in her body language was evident. As if! It was such a coltish thought that she would have laughed out loud if she wasn't in such an irritated state. The young had a way of believing anything was possible, but they had no possible way of handling concrete facts and situations. Sometimes, enough hope won't fix everything. Age don't move so well, no matter how bad you wanted it.
But as she continued to stew on his words and the careful plea in his voice, Cal let the notion drop through her defenses and actually gave it some contemplation. The truth was she was terrified of flying-- or rather, of her own fault and defeat of it, even though she had never had any other problems in the air. Age had never affected Cal's flying prowess-- but she had seen others affected by it. Images of senile old bats, taking to the air foolishly in a fit of dementia and being taken by the wind, their brittle bones broken by the force of nature and their own foolhardy yearning for youth--
Cal shook herself some, waving away those darker, horrifying images that had plagued her for some time. There was no turning back the clock. Eventually Cal would succumb to those bouts of dementia, and long ago she had decided to abandon the air and the naive idea that she could handle it, to save herself the worry and pain that might accompany her in the future years. You're not that old yet, though, a small voice reasoned in her mind, you still have good sense of right and wrong, and your mind's still sharp. It's a phsyical problem you've got right now, and girl, that ain't really no thing, is it?
Cal had leaned to one side, her eyes lidded as these thoughts flitted through her mind. At that moment, the breeze had decided to pick up; it tousled what was left of her mane, slipping its way through the long, tangled cords of her tail and ruffling her feathers. Clouds had appeared in the sky; they obscured the now-golden sun, allowing small shoots of its brilliant rays peek through as they traveled amongst the heavens. It truly wasn't a bad day for flying. Cal suddenly threw "Bill" a cautious, calculating look that had the slightest hint of a plea.
"You think?"
"I'm about to clean bust my ass..."
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
12-20-2012, 01:17 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-20-2012, 01:18 AM by Murdock.)
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
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Murdock watched in silence as Cal battled with herself, a mixed expression of doubt and longing on her face. Surely she wasn’t as old as she let on to be, as she still had plenty of flesh on her bones and a smooth figure. She could hardly be twenty, but he guessed she was younger than that. Still, she had plenty of years ahead of her, and plenty more good times to have. He wasn’t sure that a re-introduction to flight would turn out to be one of those ‘good times’, but might as well try, right? If he helped her along, maybe it would go smoothly and no one would break any bones.
However, his heart fell as she changed the subject and returned to grazing. “Oh” he said, returning to reality from the fog of his thoughts. “Well, I suppose it’s only fair…” he grinned. “The name’s Murdock, ma’am”. He had decided to leave the ‘Captain’ out this time; that rank no longer belonged to his name, and he didn’t feel like explaining himself if she grew curious. His fighting days were behind him, though he missed them, but he still had knowledge enough from those days to help him out today. Perhaps all those grueling flight lessons he endured would help him get her re-connected with the skies.
Once again he noticed her drift off into thought, and patiently he waited for her to come to a final decision. Perhaps she was once more considering an attempt at flying, and if so he hoped she would decide to give it a try. A Pegasus’ place was in the air, and she deserved to be back up there feeling the freedom of it all. He smiled brightly as she fixed him with a calculating look, nodding his affirmative. “Hell yeah, I think” he grinned.
“Don’t worry, you ain’t dealin’ with no amateur, Cal” he assured her. “I got tons o’ hours up there, and I know all there is to know about flyin’. I’m willin’ to help you if yer willin’ to try”. He had never actually taught anyone to fly before. In fact, he had never taught anyone anything. He was always the student, the follower. However, he had been subject to many teachings and demonstrations, and he figured it couldn’t be too hard to transfer the knowledge into words. Besides, it wasn’t like she was a beginner. She had flown before, she just need a little help getting back into it.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"This ain't the smartest idea I ever had..."
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Murdock. No wonder the poor fool had decided to keep his name disclosed. Cal was polite enough to keep the amused sneer out of her body language, however; the studly boy answered her well and true enough, she supposed, so she owed him that much respect. Besides, he hadn't laughed at her when she gave her suggestion of getting back into the air. In all fairness, there as still a piece of her mind that whispered all sorts of humorous, horrible things; things like You gon' break yo' ass in the air sang through the corners of Cal's mind, but the rest of her brain was strangely calm and resolved, while an electric current of excitment coursed through Cal's body. She as going to fly again!
The huge wave of relief and nostalgia she felt was unexpected.
Cal brought herself back to her senses as she listened to the young buck Murdock address her again. *“Don’t worry, you ain’t dealin’ with no amateur, Cal. I got tons o’ hours up there, and I know all there is to know about flyin’. I’m willin’ to help you if yer willin’ to try”*
She snorted with a smug expression. "Please, Murphy," she said with a jaunty kick of her leg, "I know I ain't messin' with no amateur. I'm just worried about you, shug." She cackled a little at her own, rather weak joke. In all honesty she welcomed his presence. Whether or not he as a good flier remained to be seen, but any type of adult pegasus in tow would be good enough for security, and there was an added bonus knowing that he at least had a head on his shoulders.
Cal took a step forward, opening her wings and letting the breeze catch underneath the arch of her primaries....then hesitated. Her flight shoulders felt rather stiff and rickety from disuse; she let her wings fall experimentally, making the air hum from the weight, and a spike of worry pierced Cal's excitement. The air current felt heavier than what she remembered, and she realized she would have to work much harder than usual to get herself into the air. She reared up a little, lifting her forehooves from the ground and flapping her wings a little harder; she mentally nodded, her theory becoming concrete. Cal was gonna to be sore in the morning.
This was the perfect place to practice flying; there were cliffs and hangings and plenty of rocky places to bust your ass on to further drive home a lesson. She also supposed that having an experienced back-up was a plus too. Whether she liked it or not, Cal's respect for Moony Murdock was blossoming into a sort of liking, even if he turned out to be rather talented at royally pissing her off. She tensed her muscles, casting a glance back at Murdock before taking off into a spirited canter that intensified into a hard gallop, gaining momentum for the large, fat-bellied mare to take into the air.
"....but this is what Life's all about!"
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
12-31-2012, 12:45 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-31-2012, 12:51 AM by Murdock.)
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Cal looked nervous, or excited, or maybe both at once. She seemed to doubt herself, and yet her eyes held a certain spark of hopefulness. Despite how he had teased her mere moments ago, she seemed to put all those empty words behind in place of trust. If she was willing to place her life in his hands then he was willing to prove that he was capable of such a responsibility. He offered an encouraging albeit mildly insane smile as she appeared at war with herself, stepping slightly closer to her as she looked up at him.
His grin widened at her smug statement, an ear flicking dismissively as she adressed him with the wrong name. "Didn't know ya cared, sweetheart" he drawled, watching her test the wind with tawny wings. The sky was relatively clear with few clouds to obstruct the sea of pale blue, and he knew from his flight up to the fields that the air was quite calm. Gentle currents of warm air provided sufficient lift, yet they weren't strong enough to cause turbulence. It was the perfect day for a first flight.
He met her gaze calmly as she tossed a glance in his direction, and he watched as she broke into a stiff gallop. She was certainly gaining momentum, but the question was whether or not she would be able to maintain said momentum when she was in the air. Atleast she had the right idea, and so far it appeared as though she was off to a good start. Eager to keep up with his 'student', Murdock bounced into a springy canter. After a few swift, light steps, he spread his white wings and lifted off easily into the air.
He soared low over the ground, his hooves a mere few feet above the thin tips of the golden grass. He wanted to make sure she had successfully taken off before he rose up into the skies without her, as he wasn't about to leave her in the dust. Looking upward, he scoped out the skies above them. There was little traffic apart from the occassional bird, and the clouds appeared un-disturbed by high winds. Once she was up by his side, he figured he would lead her in a slow ascent to a higher altitude. He knew he should have some sort of a flight plan, but from there on they would just have to wing it.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"Here we go!"
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Ow. Ow. Ow.
With every pound of her hooves against the hard ground, a slight yet distinct twinge in her joints, her hips, her vertebrae-- pretty much everywhere. It was a painful reminder that she was too old and too out of her comfort zone for this type of activity. It had been a while indeed since she last galloped like this; hell, she barely remembered the last time she went into a modest trot. Big whoop. Cal supposed that she was going to have to trudge through this type of pain for a while yet if she wanted to fly again. She needed to build up a lot of lost muscle. No pain, no gain, right?
At the peak of her speed, Calvariam plunged her wings down powerfully while lurching upwards, willing herself to rise into the air. At this point, many a youngling would panic or time their ascension inaccurately, and so would fail to make any headway into the air; Cal, however, was able to lift herself off of the ground and hover for a few yards, balancing herself skillfully on her outstretched wings, before carefully bringing herself back down onto the ground. Damn that hurt! Her back muscles were searing with pain and her wing joints were oddly numb, supposedly from the shock of lifting herself from the ground. She gritted her teeth, but then she looked to her right and watched as Murdock glided alongside her.
The sight of him effortlessly riding the wind caused a surge of envy and admiration in her breast. She knew what it felt like to fly like that-- as though you were born in the air, and meant to be joined in its domain. It was this thought more than anything that made the pain Cal was feeling turn into a perverse kind of inspired pleasure; she felt as though every uncomfortable twitch was a trophy well earned, and with renewed vigor she plunged her wings down once more and joined the shadowy stallion in the air.
Cal actually laughed out loud, her exhilaration was so great. It had been so long, and now she was back in the sweet, sweet air, and here was someone to share it with. She strained with every flap of her wing, but slowly and surely she was beginning to get her groove back, and she rocked easily back into a repetitive pattern that resolved into something that didn't hurt her back as much. She could do this. She could keep this up...for a time. Cal knew she would have to land at some point, as her muscles weren't accustomed to long flights, but she supposed that she should get her money's worth in the moment. She cast an inquiring look towards Murdock, allowing the stallion to guide her wherever he supposed was right.
"Worth it."
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| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
M U R D O C K
If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
|
Murdock watched as Cal struggled to get off the ground and into the air. She was doing well, for not having flown in so long, but he could see she was in pain. A concerned look flitted across his features as she rose into the air briefly, but soon came to stand upon the earth once more. Maybe this flight thing was going to be too much for her, after all. However, he was fortunately proven wrong when she lifted off once more and rose to drift along beside him.
He tipped his head back, enjoying the smooth, warm breeze that blew across his face. The wind danced through his mane and caressed his pale feathers, giving him lift and fluttering through his tail. Beneath them, the field sped by as they passed over it. It had been a long time since he had ever flown for enjoyment, as normally he only ever used his wings for transportation. Of course he loved to fly, but he had little time to play about in the air like he used to as a colt.
He grinned widely at her, enjoying the pleasant sound of her laughter in his ears. It felt good to help someone achieve something they desired, even if all you had to do was be there with them when they tried. He held his wings out for a moment longer as they drifted over the field, allowing Cal some time to adjust. Sure, she would be sore tomorrow, but he planned on making it worth it in the end. Catching her inquiring glance, he began to beat his wings steadily as he began a smooth climb.
The winds increased as he rose higher into the air, but he had little trouble fighting them. Cal was experienced enough with flight that he guessed she would get back into the rhythm of things quickly, and soon nothing the sky threw at her would set her off course. Once he was high above the field and it was just a pale smudge of green below them, he slowed to a hover and turned to watch her. He wanted to make sure she was still doing alright before he tried anything more drastic. If her wings were to give out at this height…Well, he really didn’t want to think about it.
"Speak"
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Cal|variam
"Let's see how well I do."
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There was a split second of confidence that surged through her chest as she watched Murdock's effortless maneuvering in the air, beguiling Cal into considering showing off for his sake. After all, everything he did was nothing new to Cal-- once upon a time she could fly just as well, with as much passion and second-thought as the soot-coated stallion she flew next to. It was a pig-headed thing, really, and not something Cal was much inclined towards lately, being a little more mature than than those baser desires. Something about being in the air, however, made Cal somewhat giddy-- she felt like she was 3 again.
In response to this sudden desire, Cal tilted her wings ever so slightly in order to make herself swerve from side to side, as though she were a delicate leaf caught on the breeze in Orangemoon. Almost at once she realized just how terrible of an idea it was. The wind up here was a little more fierce than she imagined, and weaving from side to side like that while staying steady took much more control of her muscles than previously realized. Cal cursed to herself, feeling her frame starting to give out at a prodigious rate. It looks like I have a lot of practice ahead of me before I get this figured out, she thought with a hiss.
Looking above her, Cal saw how Murdock hovered high in the air, waiting for her. She set a standard; Cal would make it to Murdock, but then she would have to land. As she approached him, however, Cal had a wry thought-- a remnant of her previous courage. She reached him sure enough, but she flew past him, then swerved on the pivots of her wing joints-- and dived
The wind was merciless; it howled in her pinned ears and blew back her sparse mane and forelock, but she grinned and laughed in the wind's face. She tucked in her wings in order to fall much faster-- she hadn't realized how far up they had actually flown, but here was the ground, rushing up to greet her most enthusiastically. Baring her teeth, Cal opened her wings at the last moment, feeling a pop and a huge strain on her wing shoulders. If Cal couldn't keep this up, it was very likely she could tear both of her wings from their sockets, and maybe even fatally wound herself. The knowledge did nothing but exhilarate her further.
As she neared the ground, her descent became gradually more level until she was gliding about parallel to the ground. It was at that point that her wings gave out-- they simply couldn't hold her weight anymore. Fortunately, she was only a few feet from the verdant grasses she had nibbled on before, and so when she clumsily fell to the ground in a hasty gallop, she didn't fall too far.
However, it was jarring enough for Cal to miss her footing and trip on herself, flipping forward and landing on the ground with an umph! and a couple of rolls before she finally came to a halt in the dust. Cal panted heavily, making no move to rise; she was covered in sweat from head to toe, her wings and back were on fire, and even her left leg shoulder hurt from the fall.
And she couldn't stop laughing.
"Ha. Ow. Ha. Ow."
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