A Little Afterglow Banter

"...you're not even going to ask me if I'm alright?"

Id could communicate almost completely with his eyes; Brittle chuckled at the flat stare the other warrior shot him. He galnced over his shoulder, almost admiring the thin slash of red across his side. A shallow wound to tell the truth, but teasing Id never really got old. Anything to keep that golden tint from his eyes.

The other stallion kept silent, but Brittle noticed the slight limp in his stride. The ashen silver at his shoulder was starting to turn a mottled gray-black, the color of stormclouds. Brittle smirked to himself; his horns had left their mark. Id tended to leave scars, painful for the first few days but fading nontheless. He left behind an ache in the bones that lingered long after he had struck.

But they were warriors, and pain was nothing to them...or sometimes the only proof that they were alive.

"It's been awhile, has it not?"

Id spoke suddenly when he spoke at all, but Brittle had had a lifetime to get used to the other's strange ways. The same way he could read the meaning behind the few vague woards. He looked to the west, toward the red of the setting sun, and for once his tone wasn't light at all.

"It has," he answered, slowly. "But we have no choice but to wait really. We've got the little one to take care of now, and..."

There was a flicker almost like remorse in his eyes. "The kid - no - Hinote needs time."

Id said nothing, but Brittle could feel him move onward, deeper into the forest. He sighed and followed, walking the worn way home.

((Open to all, just trying to brush up old skills xD))

ooc| excuse any... odd decriptions. ;; I've just have to get back into the groove of things.

ic| An odd form sauntered between the brush, trying to go unnoticed. The voices in the distance however, did not. Tiny ears flicked forward from the tumbling silver hair, straining to hear for more. Silence roared all around her, and it haunted her. The little mare hesitated before continuing, watching the distant colours slowly coming closer. She paused again, watching them with timid curiousity.

The deep forest loomed all around her, mocking her small presence in the world. She was nothing, especially when alone in this dark place. Trace glanced around, unsure as to what she should do. There is safety in numbers, but who knew if those close by could be trusted. The sudden screech of a crow behind her sent her bolting through the thick weeds, senseless fear clouding her thoughts.

She came to a gradual stop, finding herself sticky with cold sweat and closer to the voices from before. A glance around her allowed her to spot the pair, and she managed to slide behind an old oak, watching them carefully.The one stallion she knew of, the smaller silver male. She had overheard a mare at her Bonded's home telling the a story to another mare, and the description seemed to fit.

The sight of the two sent chills down her spine. They both appeared intimidating and wild, something she would rather not be caught up in. A decision was made to stay put, they would leave eventually and she could continue on her way.

Id froze the same moment Brittle felt the telltale shiver of a presence down his spine. Someone was watching them - close.

They needed no words to communicate the shared sense. Id turned back, wary, taking his stance at Brittle's side, the one he had wounded not too long ago. Brittle cocked his head, listening. He noticed Id had stopped breathing, and in the sudden silence he heard the stirrings of another small breath. Very quiet, very scared.

Very...small.

He relaxed slightly, though not by much. With the coming of Lock he had come to realize just how dangerous small things could be. But he could sense no malice, no waiting attack. Only the fear, the thundering of a heartbeat. He caught Id's eye and shook his head slightly. The other stallion nodded.

He took a breath and called, letting his voice have the easy, teasing edge he used to use with Hinote, those many lifetimes ago. "It's alright, little one. You might as well come out - we won't harm you."

The pounding in her chest echoed into her ears, momentarily fearing that her heart just might jump out. The sweat was drying, causing her fur to become damp and begin sticking together, not exactly something one would want when out in public. Bark had always told her she was too vain.

Slow steps were taken forward, until she could tell she was within sight. She could now see the other two clearly as well, and quickly absorbed their forms. Both were warriors, she could tell that much, addicts to the rush of the fight. Her tail clamped down, much like a submissive dog, and she did something no warrior would do. She cowered. The trembling in her legs began, hardly noticable, but it was there. Teal eyes gleamed with anxiety, and she watched, waiting for the next move.

"Please... Have mercy..."

Well, she was a pretty little thing, but scared stiff wouldn't even begin to describe it. Brittle blinked - the only time he had ever seen this much fear was in Mist, way back when she first came. Almost unnatural.

Did she really think they were going to attack her? Even after his words? He shot a glance at Id but the other stallion remained silent and impassive. Definitely not the type to be in this situation; at least Brittle had some form of empathy. He sighed. So it would fall on him then.

"Easy, easy," he soothed, staying where he was. He wanted to reach out to her, like he did with Mist, but he was pretty sure any motion he made would cause her to bolt. "We're not going to do anything little lady. Warriors we are, but far from savages. You have no need to fear us."

It was the best comfort he could give her; after all, their appearance was far from gentle, especially carrying the wounds from their sparring match, and Id being his usual silent, disquieting self. He cursed mentally, but tried to keep his voice as gentle as possible.

"...what are you doing so far out here? Are you lost?"

The shivering beneath the dark pink fur began to cease, slowly realizing that what they said was true. They were stallions of their word, as she was starting to learn. The bigger one who spoke she found oddly comforting, but the constant silence from the other she found unsettling. She no longer feared them, it was more... hesitation to trust.

"Lost? Heavans no," her soft, sing-song voice fluttered from the small smile. Maybe she could make friends of these two, Bark would be proud. "I live in the area..." She narrowed those gentle teal eyes, examining them further, they looked banged up and she couldn't even begin to imagine why.

"What... happened to you?" The thick silver and pink forelock was tossed to the side and out of her sight so her view was no longer obstructed. That silver stallion didn't look pleased at all, was she intruding?

"Who are you?...Where are you from?" Trace couldn't remember the last time she had spoken this much, but that was part of the reason she had been out wandering in the first place. Too much anger, she couldn't handle it.