Down and Out {open}

[Vantha {in college}]

Large splotched form made it's way slowly along. Feathers where dragging through the soggy, fallen leaves. Harks where simply there and the mare's orbs where clouded.
Ivory banner flicked over matching hocks as her gait drifted to a halt. Her limbs folded underneath her as she rested her back against a tree.
Why couldn't I have been blind or deaf?! At least then I could talk. A horse that can't talk has no right living in these times.
She snorted loudly annoyed with herself. It wasn't her fault she was mute! She would give almost anything to be able to speak. Then she wouldn't be in this place, alone again.
Nobody accepted her. Infact the stallion she'd just left said she would be accepted and not ridiculed, and then he'd left after his other mare simply because she had run.
Her harks laced backwards. That's all it took, one horse to hate her and the rest of the herd followed suit. She was too strange to fit in. She just didn't belong. She was really better off dead and the thought had occured to her many times but in the end she chickened out. She didn't want to die, she wanted to be someone.
That's why she tormented herself with trying to fit into a herd. At first she was tolerated but then it went down-hill, and fast so she was forced to leave. She wanted to belong to a herd but no herd wanted her to belong so she was better off alone. Nobody had yet to prove her wrong. And to her it was unlikely that anyone ever would.[/color]

[Fajer]

<sub>My, my,
it certainly is odd seeing you here
without your master.

He was not a colt. In fact, he was a fairly solid four years of age. He was a stallion, not yet in his prime, but he looked it. His rose gray pelt was stunning, shinning out brilliantly against the midmorning light. His mane had the reddish tint to the roots, a trait that all his family shared, his sister Safia and his brother Jada, and this reddish tint was, too, brought out in the light.

Of course, he doesn't know about family traits.
He has no family--real family--of which he knows.

He was not bulky, but rather slender, built more for speed and semi-endurance over a flat surface rather than for combat or climbing. But that was just his Arabian descent, of which he was proud, as any of his kind naturally were, if only a little. And he'd been taught to have at least some pride, by the one figure he respected more than any other, his father.

You just said he didn't have family!
Not his real father, you dimwit.

The young stallion had been adopted, by the legendary Dark Vampire, as but a yearling. He'd been lonely--the colt, not the stallion--and the king had taken him in. Though he'd not spent a grand deal of time with the growing one, he'd given him a home and some lessons on life, and for that the buck was extremely grateful. Until Dark Vampire requested, he was not planning on leaving Nonus. He very much cared for his father.

But he was a young stallion, and young stallions have...needs. Not that he wanted any of the females in his father's herd; that would have been and was unthinkable. To betray Him in such a way was horrifying to him. But he still wanted to go out, and so he did. He was grown up, after all.

Trotting smoothly through Sterling Brook, the not-colt's dark eyes fell upon a mare. She was alone and looked, well, sad. His eyes narrowed with concern and he began to move slowly over. Even though Dark Vampire was, obviously, a dark, this one had turned out something of a neutral. Now, don't be upset, he would willingly murder if his lord asked it, but he would feel guiltly about it. He was a compassionate being. Perhaps growing up mostly alone had done that to him. He didn't like it when others were sad; he wanted to fix it.

And so he would try...

Her head was down when he approached. Being perhaps overly-cautious, he made his presence known by a low grunt, sort of like he was clearing his throat. He didn't know of what else to do. He didn't want to frighten her. And so he did not speak, at least not yet. His next movement was subtle and quiet. He cocked his small head to the side, just a little, and let his eyes narrow once more in concern and question. His entire expression was open and inviting, wanting to help her how he could. It read,

Are you okay?

But Kazmin said nothing.</sub>

[Vantha {in college}]

The vanner mare snorted loudly before laying her dial along her limbs. She could just stay here. Maybe she could over-ride her body's desire to live? She could just starve and dehydrate herself, but her will would waver. She knew it. She was a coward at heart when it came to dieing, how many horses weren't though?
She lay there, wishing and hoping that some predator or something would just come and end her misery. And it seems something had. Hearing a sound the mare's dial lifted, harks pricking, expecting to her words but none came. Her harks flicked slightly, wondering if she had gone deaf. Just another thing she would need wrong with her.
Her nares flared taking in the scent of a stallion and she snorted gently orbs searching for him. She blinked a few times watching him calmly before scrambling to her feet. She noted his look and the fact that he said nothing.
Is he a mute as well? Was the first thought that came to her mind. Shock and confusion spread over her facade. Was she not the only one then? If he was then he would surely know what she was going through.
She took a small step forward, a puzzled look settling over her face. Harks where ramrod straight and opticals where trained on him. Was it really possible that another was like her or was he just shy? Or worse, had he heard about her being a mute from that one stallion, Jab or whatever his name was, and come to pester her?

[Fajer]

<sub>I'm not a mute,
but I know when to be quiet.

She was scared, he could see that, but he didn't know why. Kazmin had never before met a mute in his life; he'd never really met a mare with any sort of physical problem at all actually. Dark Vampire didn't keep misfits. And so, Kazmin had no idea that mute creatures exisited, I suppose. I mean, not that they didn't exist, but not around him.

Of course, I guess he's meeting one now.

He was a bit shy, but not overly so. He was moreso overly sensitive. So when she didn't say anything, again, he really didn't know what to do. Should he say something? Maybe she was shy. So he tried, his newly mature voice quiet

Hello. He said it with a small nod, hoping to be encouraging to her. Maybe now she would say something, or at least respond in some way. That'd be ok too.</sub>

Sorry it's not so good.

[Vantha {in college}]

So it seemed that the pied mare's luck wasn't to hold. The young stallion seemed to not understand. Perhaps he was just young? She doubted that he was over four years old. Her harks flicked back slightly.
Her banner flicked slightly watching him, just waiting for him to get fed up with her silence. How could she tell him he was mute? Did she have to open her maw and try to force the air before he got the clue?
She nodded her dial politely when he said hello. Oh how she wished she could speak. It wasn't from lack of trying. She'd been born with the ability to speak, but sadly a blow to her throat had impaired her ability to speak.
She snorted unhappily wishing that she was blind instead of mute. At least one could still talk if not see. And then her hearing and scent would be greatly improved that it wouldn't truly bother her. Her head dropped almost in shame. She was worthless. She should die.[/size]