Forest Ghosts

The blue stallion slowly loped though the forest; moving with such talent as not to leave a print of or sound of his passing. He however was aware of all around him and for the first time he was trying to find someone. He always hid in shadows and watched and when given the chance gave the a great start, or so he thought. It may have been funny at the time but after seeing his bond brother Dart and his ways... Well he never wants to be ever again in that boat, that thought of mind; another prankster. That was not what he wanted, to sound mean or hurting. So sure pranks were still something he liked but he make himself known before throwing one out in a way.

Anyway back to the present; the green mare that so far other than Amber, was the only one he went out into the fields with ha challenged him to as she put it "Forest Ghost". To move around an area and do the best to see your hunter and not be seen and if the hunter or tracker to catch up with the prey. She was the prey as of current and he was the tracker. Though this was really his first time- sure he could move soundless as air and leave no trace but a lot good that did when it came to tracking- the mare though had experience in both. So this would be his challenge. Traveler has started out 10 minutes ahead of him and really he found no real trace of her. His eyes combed every place around him and still nothing. His ears swiveled around for any sound; though only forest bird songs were heard. She was not making it easy on him what so ever. He tossed his head; he would find her.

The green mare jogged through the trees enjoying the breeze that swept though like slow waves but the beach, sometimes strong and other times light. Her brown eyes were scanning everything she passed and years of practice had taught her how to know where each foot should fall for each gate as to not leave a trace. She was doing a wide ark; she would track the tracker if she could; even better would be to be able and see him without being seen. That was her challenge, she knew Rain not been the tracker so she had to give him a little luck. If he had been a tracker there would be fun still in tracking him but not to be found might be better to keep away.

She closed her eyes in content; it was nice to feel comfortable and well... To have friends like her. Kyra was a great bonded but she could be herself around her easily, it was other serians she needed work. Though she could never be one to ask to hang out, but given the push of another asking then it was a yes. So she was thrilled and determined to get used to hanging out; being around others. Once the stallion had asked her what they should do she knew him from their first encounter and before she knew what she was doing, she said "Forest Ghost". Well she felt as shocked and confused as Rain did. Not having any clue what that was. Some how her shyness took a leave of absence and now here she was playing a game with a stallion no less. It was always easier with mares but he she was.

She figured another 4 minutes and she be around the spot he would have started from. So she was on high alert, listening, searching. The wind was a cross breeze, so sense of smell was not the best for these conditions.

Three serians were walking together through the forest. One, a multi-blue stallion named Paint, ran ahead of the group, prancing and playing and relishing the feel of stretching his legs. Another, this one a mare that looked like she was made of the aurora borealis named Sirensong, walked slowly behind the other two. She was still shy and uncertain. The third, a bright red stallion named Sunspot, trotted in between, delighting in the company of his new bondmates.

Paint half galloped half pranced through the forest, sometimes rearing back on his hind legs just to shoot forward with a new burst of speed. With his natural playfulness and energy combined with his excitement at being rebonded and out exploring, he was like a giant hummingbird! He turned and ran back towards the others, circling them a few times before running ahead again.

Sirensong flinched away from the energetic stallion. She was alone for so long that such a loud personality wasn't just unsettling, it was down-right unnerving! Even Sunspot was a little disconcerting. Her new Bonded had come to visit her the other day and they spent a quiet afternoon just sitting together. At one point she had asked for a song and by the time it was over the little bat was misty eyed. The memory warmed her and she continued forward with a small smile on her face.

Sunspot watched the blue stallion bolt back ahead and couldn't help but whinny happily. He was so happy to have company. Moon Blaze was great, but she wasn't very good at holding a conversation. Or starting a conversation. Or finishing a conversation, she just let the subject drop. Thinking of quiet ones, he turned his head to look at the beautiful mare behind him. She seemed lost in a memory, a good one based on the smile on her face. He smiled sympathetically, remembering when he was first rebonded. He dropped back slightly until they were walking shoulder to shoulder. He saw the way she tensed slightly, and took a half-step away from him. He just smiled and whispered It gets easier. I promise. before trotting ahead again.

Sirensong snapped out of her reverie when she saw the red stallion slowing down. She tensed subconsciously and moved away from the new presence. She turned and gaped at what he said and continued to watch him as he trotted ahead again. She started thinking hard about this when she suddenly heard a sound coming from up ahead.

Rain had been searching a while now, and there way nothing. He had his head lowered and was observing some leaves and dirt that been disturbed but on closer look, there were bugs and a feather beside it, so it made sense to that the maker of the disturbance were birds. He sighed long and hard causing the leaves to move a little ahead of him. Raising his head, he gave the area another look over, but nothing stood out. His blue eyes swiveled around but other than bird, the vary same that may have got his hopes up with hunting for food, were singing and chirping.

Well this is proving quit hard, but he was not going to give up, but not having any leads at all was very hard to even know if his direction of travel was even working. She is good he thought as he picked up a slow job to cover the ground quicker but not too fast as to miss the leads to his bond-mate.

After a bit he was beginning to think "Forest Ghost" was a game only the creator could win or be good at. The Ghost part he figured would be more him, the tracker was proving not so. He was thinking of turning direction when he caught sight of a leaf that that dirt on the side facing up and a outline of where it has been. He nearly jumped to the spot and lowered his head to check it. Yes, this had been moved and not too long ago. Next thought was this was a false trail for her to leave him astray. His head shot up looking around, he was sure she was watching the little sprite. He did not hear, smell or see her but that meant nothing.

He pondered it for a bit, he follow, it was the only thing he had. He just hoped it was her trial. As he moved along he was beginning to think she was very very clever, trying to make him think there were 3 serians traveling together. One pounding marks into the dirt and 2 others hardly at all, but he would not fall for this trick. He figured the lightest print to be her and that he stick with it. Rain was not overly sure how she made this show but he had ideas, he need lots of practice to be this good though.

She was toying with him, now he would bet, knowing she could disappear in a flash. Though he was sure he could do a surprise attack in a sense and catch her before she vanished again. He tossed his head and picked up a moderate gallop, he could see the prints and hopefully catch her out in view. Rain also hoped that the wind would shift the scent of flowers from somewhere behind him was killing any hopes of catching a small hint of her scent in passing. He kept moving an soon noticed the prints seemed newer nothing in them at all, but deep and dark from the earth breaking to the hidden moist layer.

Rain ran though ideas and decided to take it to break out the full throttle and get to the new set of trees. Either he see her or she was already gone and very good at killing any hopes of him reading her prints

Sunny bolted toward the noise to find his blue bond-mate lying face down with a small bat perched on his rear. He gapes at the scene and the bat just shrugs and says He wasn't watching where he was going. Said 'he' picks his head up and gives her an annoyed look. So you trip me? How did you do that anyway? She grins and says in an I'm-being-ornery-and-I-know-it tone Wouldn't you like to know! Sunny's just been grinning throughout the whole thing, having been on the recieving end of those mysterious abilities of her's. Sirensong came up at this point and could only stare. Sunny started to explain but she just muttered I don't want to know. The bat finally notices them and smacks her head with her wing. Oh! Duh! Double duh-duh! Sunny I came to tell you. Shimmer said yes. Shadowstar is staying with us now. All that was left was a cloud of dust shaped like Sunny where he was standing. The bat stares and whispers I haven't seen him move that fast since he found out Shimmer is close by now before shaking her head and saying Well, my work here is done. See you both back home. And with that she disappeared in a flash of light.

The two remaining serians stared at the spot, looked at each other, looked back at the spot, then just shook their heads. Come on, get up. No use lying there. Sirensong said, nudging him gently with her hoof. He stood up and they kept going. After a while he looked at her and said, How you been doing? She gave him a puzzled look and answered Alright I suppose. My cove is nice and I have a great view of the sky. Paint grinned. She could have just left it at that, but she gave him that other little nugget of information. He was starting to see her as an older sister, and wanted to get closer to her. Then, being a little brother, he nipped her shoulder and shouted Race ya! before bolting ahead.

Sirensong jumped when she felt his nip pinch her skin and just watched him run ahead with an are-you-kidding-me? look. She walked after him a bit faster so she wouldn't lose him. She felt oddly responsible for the playful blue stallion. She hoped that he wouldn't get them into trouble while they were out here. She soon caught up to him and found him waiting for her under a large tree. He grinned and said Let's rest for a bit. I'm a little tired from all the running. She agreed that sitting in the shade sounded nice, so she laid down next to him. He reached his head over and laid it across her neck. She stiffened, then relaxed, taking it as the friendly gesture it was.

Paint pulled his head up and looked up at the sky, then started giggling. What's so funny? That cloud over there looks like Moony with a flower on her head. It did look a lot like the bat. She smiled and looked at another cloud. That one looks like a serian rolling on a log. That sent Paint into hysterics. She giggled and thought This is fun. They spent the next few minutes finding shapes in the clouds and laughing over how ridiculous they were. She nudged him and said Let's find something to eat. I'm starving. He agreed and they went on a hunt for food. This might just work out after all She thought as she trotted after him with a grin.

The sky blue stallion moved to the next area, but what he thought was a big open area was only a very sunny spot in the forest. He stopped and tossed his heard and snorted. darn, well that was a waist of energy. He trotted around the sunlight area looking and breathing hard. He bobbed his head in frustration, he really hopped for something.

Rain was still venting his annoyance when he noticed a set of very hard and obviously a serian taking off in a hurry and not caring what prints they left. The stallion halted and lowered his head to get a closer look, he took a whiff but with all the stupid flowers, its all her could smell. darn things were plugging up his noise and if he been allergic he be sneezing like no tomorrow. Lucky that was not the case but it did not help him figure out who it was. Though he was sure it was a deploy run by traveler to lead him on a wild horse chase. So he decided to ignore them and follow the direction of the other two, the green mare's skill at making to sets of tracks. It was the only thing he found so sure another game for her to enjoy him trying to figure out and for her to smile and laugh at him but it was the only thing he had. He looked to the direction he been traveling before the sun spot, and was sure a good bit there was much more light showing, that had to be a meadow.

He bobbed his head, dang mare, set this ploy. Rain may have been on her trail all along, but by being distracted he gave her time to cross the meadow he was sure was up there. The flower smell was strongest in that direction, so he tossed his blue crown and bolted to the next area. It was a meadow of a path, an open area either way that give him a chance to maybe spot her.

Only took a bit but he gave it extra go to and burst onto a path, however the forest lighting compared to this was quite the difference so he was momentarily blinded.

They eventually stumbled across some apple trees. Seeing the opportunity this provided, Paint sent her a grin and shouted Hey, watch this! before jumping up, hooking his front legs over a branch, then picking an apple and dropping it down for himself, before grabbing one for her. He dropped down, and laughed at her open mouth. Impressed? he asked slightly smug. She nodded slightly, still shocked beyond speech. He offered the apple and she took it. Well, more he shoved it in her still open mouth, and she reflexively bit down. Siblings.

She sent him a 'really?' look, and began eating the apple. It was really good, crisp and juicy just like she liked them. She had to admit, that jump was impressive. After they finished their firsts, Paint jumped up for seconds. He tossed her the apple, and she caught it easily. They continued crunching in companionable silence. The easy mood was broken when a giant blue blur came crashing into the sunny grove they currently occupied. They both jumped out of the blur's way, looking at it in bewilderment. Sirensong looked at Paint, who just shrugged, before they turned to look back at the blur. 'Well, that came out of nowhere,' she thought with a what-the-horns-just-happened look in the blur's direction.