the blood that binds us [open]

[DingoMutt]

~~~~~

The stallion and colt moved in sync. The spindly yearling was just a few feet behind his sire, his relaxed brown eyes focused on the older male's movements. Lark copied every twitch and bend of his sire, enjoying the little game that they played. The colt was happy to have a playmate while his sister was sleeping, and the stallion was content to amuse his youngest child with something so easy as walking. Anarchy gave his long, luxurious tail a small flick to the left, then a large one to the right. Lark's short, curly tail did the same just a fraction of a second later. While Lark certainly showed off his friesian ancestry, he was nearly identical to his father save for the silvery blue eyes and more minimal markings. Both brutes were content to walk along the blood-colored lake's shore, enjoying the abnormally warm winter day that began to speak of spring.

"Papa?" said the colt.

"Yes, Birdie?" said the stallion.

"Where's momma?" asked the colt.

"I don't rightly know." replied the stallion.

"Okay. We should find her." suggested the colt.

"Alright. I'm sure she's resting with Adelaide." finished the stallion.

Anarchy and his family enjoyed a relaxed, quiet existence. He knew his herd was small, and he ached for the hustle and bustle that life had once been. At one time they'd been a great herd, the largest one around, but now they'd dwindled to just five horses. While that meant plenty of graze for those that remained in the Lake of Blood, it left a terribly large hole in the stud's heart. He longed for the mares he'd once loved so dearly, only for them to simply disappear into thin air. While he had seriously considered a trek to the Willow Tree to claim more mares, the thought came and went in his fine, Thoroughbred head. He flicked an ear at his son as they moved, having to search for the sound of smaller hoofbeats. The colt was a master of imitation, making the older horse smile.

Lark was a rather shy colt, often spooked by small things like birds or the wind. While Anarchy was concerned for his son, he was sure that the colt would be better off a little bit too sensitive, as opposed to being far too mild. As a yearling, Lark was rapidly growing into his long legs. He still maintained a generic yearling build, a little bit awkward, but his withers and rump were even and his legs were strong. He was turning into a handsome little brute, his hooves feathered and his mane and tail curly, his immature steps flashy. Lark was a dreamer, and his sire loved him for it. He was sometimes moved nearly to tears by sunsets and singing, and he was quite in tune with those around him.

Anarchy decided that a walk was much too slow, an ache to run settling into his limbs. He gave his head a quick toss, feeling frisky in the warm but cool air. His son picked up on the movement, imitating it and letting out a delighted squeal. Both equines picked up quick, lively trots; Anarchy's collected so his son could keep up, Lark's extended so he could stay side by side with his sire. Their trots shifted to rocking canters and then to swift gallops, their long strides eating up the ground. While Lark had inherited a heavier build from his dam, he was still leggy and swift. The colt tore away from the stallion, his ears pinned with fierce determination to outrun the older, faster, more finely bred horse that was his father.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been impossible. But, Anarchy was feeling generous today, so he slowed a bit as they rounded a corner of the lark, his gallop becoming a canter through the sand. He kept a close eye on his son, studying the colt's swift, reaching movements. He was proud of his boy, as he was proud of all his children. Wherever Zorro was now, the stallion was sure he was doing well, driven to compassion by his father's lack of sanity, driven to be aware and quick by a strict, aging wolfess. Adelaide was growing to be a fine young mare, something that scared her father to no end. She was the most precious thing in the world to him, a gem to be hoarded and protect. But he knew the longing gaze in her eyes, the desire to be free and wander the world and fall in love, fore it had once shone in his silvery eyes too.

It was his colt's laboured breath that dragged him from his thoughts; the stallion's ears perked, and a concerned nicker grew in his throat. Ahead of him, Lark's gait was slowing as he anxiously tossed his pretty head. Anarchy bolted forward to catch up, concern lacing his features. He wasn't sure what was happening; he'd never heard his son make that noise before, a sort of choking breathing, accented by high notes. When he pulled alongside the colt, already a towering fifteen hands, his concern was replaced with a delicate smile. The younger horse was breathing hard, laughing and smiling as he galloped along in the sand.

"I'm faster than you, Papa!" laughed the colt.

"Is that so, Birdie? Race me to the apple trees." challenged the stallion.

Both horses quickly changed their course, the sound of their thundering hooves echoing in the relative silence of the territory. It told them Hibiki was prowling for a meal, or hunting for something that looked to make a meal of him or his family. He knew not to worry, sure that the she-wolf would raise the alarm if there were any threats. The two horses sped along the grassy plains they lived in, leaping easily over randomly strewn rocks that lay hidden in the buffalo grass. Ahead sat a trio of apple trees, set in a perfectly straight line and with the exact same amount of space between them. While they wouldn't bear fruit for several months, father and son raced to touch their noses to the rough brown bark.

~~~~~

word count: one thousand fifty one
tag: Anarchy & Little Lark for anyone
notes: These two are such a pair. <3 No replies less than three hundred words, please.[/size]

[leira]

The sound of rustling grass was the only indication that the blue-roan mare was trudging through the terrain. Her head was lifted high, bold eyes gleaming with curiosity and wariness, and her tail twitching every few seconds. This was a new land; Ataullah, her older brother, would be upset that she had wandered so far into the dark lands. But seriously, though she lived with him in Waterfall Valley, she couldn't wait to get away, and to perhaps live somewhere... darker. Tossing her head arrogantly, Latifah's nostrils flared as she scented the air. She had been doing this for the few minutes she had been here; but she only got faint, non-threatening smells, not exactly the strongest of a stallion, but hints here and there that the area was completely controlled by someone.

It worried her to think that perhaps a 'dark stallion' was meandering somewhere in this land, but the mare snorted in anger. Why would she doubt her ability to scare of a stallion? Hah, she could do anything! Her lies made her pin her ears against her head, and her face took to an ugly snarl for a few seconds. Sighing, the mare peered around, and then flounced forward, feeling a bit more confident due to her constant lies, and a bit embarrassed that she had to lie to herself to get this confidence. Whatever would work, she was mostly okay with that.

Though it was winter, yet nearing spring, it was unusually warm, and the young mare appreciated the strange change in temperature. Stereotyping the word 'dark', she had basically thought of a cold, dark void. Was she ever wrong! The beauty of the dark lands had her speechless, and she smirked grimly. Raising her muzzle to the air, she scented the wind again, and this time, her eyes widened in a bit of alarm to the closer scent of a stallion. And, another one, perhaps? Two stallions in one land... Latifah tilted her head and was curious if they were related, or battling. But, if they were battling, couldn't she hear them? Her thoughts were all over the place as curiosity won over and she trotted closer to the smells.

An amused look crossed the blue roan's face as she watched the adult stallion move, with the colt imitating his move just a few seconds later. It was quite humorous to her, and she found herself smiling despite the worrying if the stallion was kind or not. He sure didn't seem horrible, and she turned her eyes to the shore. Blinking a few times to see if she was just seeing it, she noted that the water was lapping up crimson waves. Blood? Yet, the air smelled fresh, no rusty scent of death and blood. Shaking her head, she moved a bit closer, shuffling slowly and quietly.

The stallion and colt had begun to converse, too far for Latifah's ears to hear, but close enough for her to hear slight murmurs on the wind. It was relatively silent for the next few moments, and a heartbeats later, her ears were filled with the pounding sound of hooves flying across soil. Her head jerked up, and her eyes grew wide as she saw the colt and stallion take off, and a competitive look shimmered through her eyes. The young mare pranced back and forth for a second, and then cantered slowly, wide around the area where the two boys were. She was tempted to try and get there first, but settled for calmly trotting in a large circle, casually approaching the apple trees. No doubt the stallion and colt would get there before her, but she hoped she had a slightly mysterious element of surprise in hand. Maybe they wouldn't pay attention to her as much if they were sprinting across the ground.

Yet, her eyes glowed as she watched the two dashing across the land. Her body yearned to follow them, but she had no clue who they were, and it was probably unsafe to do so. Finally rounding the corner, her decision was made. She broke out into a flat gallop, yet it wasn't as loud as the boys, and smugly reached the apple trees. She had definitely cheated; the stallion and colt were way faster than her, as she hadn't galloped at a breakneck pace in a long while, and she tapped a dainty hoof against the bark, a smirk on her lips. She tried to not admit the face that the whole time she had been ahead of them, as she had been sneaking around in front of them as to way behind.

A brief expression of worry crossed her features as she wondered what the stallion's were thinking, and she cranked her head up a bit higher, eying them with some sick sort of pride. Sure, she had gotten to the apple trees, but she had not only cheated, but endangered her pretty little life. Still holding her hoof against the bark, she made it obvious to step back and observe the two as they approached. Wondering if they'd hear her over their own hooves, she called out, "Hello, boys!" Latifah figured that if she was going to risk the stallion and colt beating the crap out of her, she mine as well take it to the full level. Eyes glowing, tail held high, and neck arched, she grinned at them, hoping they could take her 'little joke' lightly.

muse: excellent.
words: 921
other: Latifah's being all reckless and awesome and stuff. she's fun. XD

[DingoMutt]

~~~~~

Anarchy's breaths came out in a even, long gasps, while Lark's were short and shuddering and rough. Anarchy was glad that today was warm; he was sure his son would be hurting later, his trachea gone rough and raw from breathing in the cool air far too quickly. Lark was aware that he would ache later, that his voice would be shattered and weak, and he was aware that his father was letting him win, holding back in their game of race, but it didn't matter. The colt pushed onwards, his small, hard hooves hitting the grass in tune with his father's. His strides were much shorter than his sire's and he'd never be as fast as the finely bred brute, but he'd grown to appreciate the stallion's faux-losses to boost his confidence. Because of his father, he'd blossomed into an elegant and swift, if a bit spooky, colt with nothing to fear but life itself. He knew he was protected and loved, and he was sure his father and sister and mother and Hibiki would listen to his scratchy voice and laugh with him. Both brutes loved their small, close family.

Anarchy's stride faltered as he took in a quick breath of air, his head jerking skywards. Ahead of them, nearing their goal in a quick gallop, was a tiny blue roan mare. The stallion's ears flicked back, at first outraged at the intruder, but then curious as to what a little mare was doing wandering around the dark lands. While his family, aside from himself and Axisha, were neutrals, they all leaned a little more closely to the neutral line. Anarchy possessed no evil chuckle, and the bones of his enemies didn't decorate the land he grazed casually upon. Oh no; it was his insanity that made him dark, but with his children and mares he could keep his silliness in check and focus on being normal. He did like his land, though, and he was sure it was one of the nicest ones out there. Aside from the chilling color of the lake, it was average. Buffalo grass fluttered, parted for him as he lengthened his stride, catching up to offspring in just a few puffs of breath. Lark quickly caught on to the tension in his father, but he remained relaxed and casual. The mare looked like she was here to race and cause trouble, not to harm the stallion's small family and pretty plot of land.

Lark's ears were perked to the wandering mare, who seemed to be racing them to the apple trees. Anarchy was curious too, and the two brutes slowed a bit as they approached, their race forgotten as they watched the mare daintily raise her hoof and press it to one tree's bark. A smile flitted across the stallion's lips as he slowed to a canter, his rump dropping as he slid to a stop. He pressed his muzzle to the tree, not caring how close he was to the mare. There were just two or three feet between the two equines, and he raised his head a little higher to look down upon the mare. She'd greeted them as they'd approached, but neither were impressed by her light tone. Anarchy was curious what she was doing here, interrupting his race with his son, but Lark was peeved the mare had cheated. He too slid to a stop next to his sire, standing so that the giant stud acted as a barrier between the puffing colt and the smug mare.

"Hello there," said the stallion, his voice light and airy. He still hadn't caught his breath, so he gave his tail an annoyed flick of his tail, smacking Lark on the rump. Lark squealed and bumped against his sire, a delicate laugh rumbling in his chest. "I'm Anarchy, and these are my lands. This is my son Lark," he added, arching his neck and bobbing his head for a moment. His shiny black pelt was covered in a fine layer of sweat, his white foreleg stained brown from wading in his lovely red lake. He took a moment to admire the mare; she was short and stout, with a hint of refinement in her well-built, muscular body. She wasn't too muscular, though; her shape was distinctly feminine and attractive to the big stallion. His silver-blue gaze fluttered from the mare to the blood red lake, then back to his guest. "What's your name?" he questioned, his tone light and curious.

"And what are you doing here?" asked Lark, resting his head on his father's back so he could glare at the mare with his dark brown eyes. He could feel the older stud's body shake with light laughter, and he could see the smile that spread across his lips. Lark's glare faded and drifted to curiosity; he was sure his sire would be interested in the mare, but at this point in his life he didn't see what was so exciting about girls. He stuck his tongue out at her just as his sire had turned his head, earning him a bump from his father's hip. He knew his sire would never hurt him, but the stallion was a strong supporter of physical discipline, and a fan of being close in the first place. Lark's chin was resting on his fathers broad back, his throat-latch pressed to the stallion's dark withers. He still huffed a bit, his sides heaving as he chased the breath his father had already caught. His still-short yearling tail swayed to and fro, a delicate breeze cooling his warm body. He could feel the buffalo grass tickle his hocks, his ears twitching as the apple tree's branches swayed and crashed together.

~~~~~

word count: nine hundred and eighty nine
tag: Anarchy & Little Lark for Latifah
notes: There we gooo. C:[/size]

[leira]

The mare waited in a hushed silence to see the stallion's ears turn back as if she was an intruder. A sly smile crossed her face for a second, as she admitted to herself she did slightly intrude on a seemingly fond father-son moment. Latifah shook herself, and her worried look faded as the smile on the older brute's face relaxed her. Maybe a smile was a good thing; maybe it meant he wasn't this horrible, mean old dark. A grin naturally decorated her muzzle, and her eyes glowed. A good ol' guy was never a bad thing, and she watched with amusement as the two met her at the apple tree. She craned her head a bit to get a good look at them, and then snorted gently. The pair was certainly a handsome bunch, she noted wryly, and a sheen of sweat glowed off their fur. It sort of impressed her, and she ducked her head twice, peering at the older stallion first, and then eyes flickering to the colt.

Latifah held herself at a relaxed stance, making sure she didn't look like she was out to cause harm. Cause of course, she didn't need a good guy turning all bad on her. Her eyes lit up as he spoke to her, and she smiled in reply. The interaction between father and son, well, so she assumed since they looked quite alike to be different relations, was almost adorable, and to hear the chuckle made her smile wider. She never realized how sweet foals were, though calling the colt little would be a bit of a ... mistake. He easily was taller than her, and would perhaps tower over her as he got older. Not like she'd be there when he got older.. right? Her desire to travel usually brought long relationships to a stuttering end.

Bowing her head with respect and politeness, she addressed the stallion named Anarchy. "Nice to meet you, sir!" A peppy tone took her voice, yet she lowered it to a softer, more girly and normal sound. "These are some beautiful lands you have, and a very strong little boy." She ducked her head once, briefly and smoothly, to the one named Lark, to acknowledge him. The mare wondered if the younger stallion would be offended calling him little, but she meant it more as he was younger, then as short and small. A barely noticeable chuckle escaped her lips at the thought of the boy Lark being little, and she returned her gaze to Anarchy. "My name? It's Latifah." An urge to ramble on caught her off guard, and she shrugged her shoulders lightly. She was positive Anarchy did not want to know about Ataullah, and her mother and father, and her life. Another smile flickered over her mouth as she stretched her neck to relax more.

She was surprised to hear Lark speaking to her, but it wasn't like there was some rule that said he couldn't. Shifting her gaze, she tilted her head and whinnied, "Well, you see, I don't really know these lands all too well. I live in the light lands with my brother, but don't get me wrong, I'd love to live somewhere completely else if I could." Rolling her eyes, she continued, "Also, I just kind of wandered here. Partially lost, but y'know, I'm not lost very easily. Just... can't figure out where I am." Latifah bobbed her head for a little, and then grinned at the two. They were an amusing pair, and she shifted her weight back and forth on her hooves to entertain herself. Feeling energetic and pumped from running to the trees, she pranced a bit in place and watched the colt resting his head on his father, it was quite an endearing little moment in her head, but she wasn't sure they thought anything of it.

A snicker leaped out of her lips loudly as Lark stuck out his tongue at her, and she grinned at the childish action. Holding her head up high, she shook her head and tsk-ed gently, sticking out her tongue in reply and smirking. "Awh, come on Lark, you know I didn't mean to disturb your race!" She flicked her tail with the idea of flirting in mind, but changed it quickly at the idea of the stallion and colt judging her. She was no one to jump quickly into a relationship unless a guy struck her boldly, and frankly, she wasn't sure what kind of boys these were. A notion of flirting might annoy them, so she shrugged instead. Plus, flirting was just a bad idea. Bad. Bad Latifah. Rolling her eyes at her inward scolding, she focused her gaze on the two.

"So..." Awkwardly scraping her hoof against the ground, she peered around at the terrain. At the moment, the blue roan wasn't really sure what to talk about, so just stared at them for a second. "Do you guys live here alone, or what? I wouldn't mind keeping you company for a while, I usually roam around and I'm kind of lonely." She was surprised to hear herself admit to loneliness, but it wasn't a lie. Lately, all she'd done was meet up for a moment with a few other horses, and then left again to wander in no-where land for the next while. It made a young girl's life boring when she had no one to talk to.

Blushing a bit inwardly, she muttered, "I mean, I just don't have very many others to talk to right now. It's no big deal, I was just saying... anyways..." She tossed her head up into the air again, though, energy replacing the potentially awkward moment. She wouldn't ask the tired stallions to race her, even though the idea of a fun little race didn't sound bad right now, and smiled. Realizing her throat was twitching with the possibility of being thirsty, she curiously changed her gaze to the crimson-colored lake. "Is that safe to drink, if you'd allow me a little sip? Just a bit thirsty, y'know." She held out one hoof in the air for a second before shuffling a few steps closer to the shore, eyes curiously watching the stallions.

words: 1071 - yesss! over one thousand :D
notes: baha, she's fun to play with. I sort of ran out of things to write about, so I kind of have some 'out there' paragraphs. xD

[DingoMutt]

~~~~~

Anarchy's ears perked forward as he studied the mare, and she seemed to be doing the exact same thing. He was glad that she was relaxed around him and his son; they weren't scary, not in the slightest, and Lark was still a gentle, quiet child. He couldn't bear to think of his son as an equal yet, as anything more than a little boy that followed him to and fro and was content to watch the wind make waves across the blood red lake, happy to chase grasshoppers and listen to Hibiki's stories. He was just a child, something to be protected like a gem. He leaned a little closer to his son, feeling more protective of the young brute. The colt seemed to understand what his father was thinking, so he edged a little closer too. Anarchy had so very few around him, so he was glued to those that stuck around, glued to the mares that would ultimately leave him, as this one probably would. The black stallion found his thoughts turned rank, so he gave his head a delicate shake to get some fresh air flowing between his ears. Lark sighed lightly, letting himself lean against his father as his short tail swayed.

Anarchy fluttered back to reality to notice the mare dipping her head, glancing slyly at him and his son. His smile grew a little more, almost asking her if she liked what she saw. He'd never be so bold to say that... at least not with a mare he'd just met. He tucked away that line for later, if she were to stick around and a romance was to bud. But he was getting ahead of himself; he perked his ears forward, watching as the mare lowered her head a bit to show she meant no harm. The fur on her face a pretty, slick black, much like his own pelt, while the rest of her body, save for her legs, was a random mixture of monochrome hairs with a blue hue. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen a horse her color before, so he was intrigued. Lark too was curious of the mare's coat; he only just noticed her odd color, so he stared at her curiously with his dark brown, all-seeing eyes. He was about to ask her, frankly, what it was, what had happened to make her that way, when she piped up with her name, her tone cheery and light, her head dipping in a polite bow. The stallion's smile softened; when had he last heard the sweet, honest words of another mare? He wouldn't count her; as terribly charming as she was, his heart fluttered for this mare in a way it hadn't in a long time.

"Thank you, Latifah... it's nice to meet you, too. Please, do call me Anarchy. And these lands are lovely, my family is very-"

"I'm not little!" challenged Lark, interrupting his sire. Anarchy spared him only a curious glance, but that did nothing to calm the colt's temper. He wasn't a little boy. "Bah, I'm bigger than you are!" The colt backed away from his father trotting over to the mare to stand beside her. His withers didn't lie; he was taller than the petite mare. He glanced at her with a cocky smile, moving forward to stand beside his sire again. He nearly bumped the mare with his hip, but the stallion had anticipated the move and pinned his ears. Obedient as always, the colt had moved away and spared the mare a little jolt. Anarchy gave his son a smack on the rump with his tail, his ears pinned to show he wasn't happy with his son's rudeness. Lark flicked his ears back anxiously, knowing he wasn't in too much trouble, but that he'd stepped out of line with the stranger. He was welcome to talk to her, but outbursts were out of the question.

"If you'd like, I can escort you back to the light lands... And you'd be welcome to stay here, if you'd like." said the stallion. Was it really this easy, this casual, to ask a mare to stay with him? He was sure things had been different when he was younger, that there was more elegance and dancing and showing off in impressing a mare, but now he could simply, casually, express a desire for her to stay. The two brutes were curious as the mare pranced in place; they watched her movements, and Lark let out a light laugh. Sure, his father pranced, but his movements were long and elegant, while hers were more tight and compact. He wouldn't deny that she was graceful, but surely he'd whisper to his sister about the silly, strangely colored mare when he found her again.

Anarchy was content in the silence that followed; his eyes fell shut, and he took a quiet but deep breath. The cool air streamed in to his throat, and he exhaled warm breath through his nostrils in a quiet snort. Lark did the same, peering at his sire through a half-open, curious eye as he copied the older horse. When the mare's question filled the air, one of Anarchy's silver-blue eyes peeked open to eye her. They were still standing rather close, but he was comfortable near the mare, casual, even. He digested her question for a moment, not sure what to say. Really, he was only sure that his two children and wolf companion remained. He wondered if he should share, tell Latifah that a few of his mares had vanished, but not officially left his herd. He was sure they were all gone, but he had to grasp weakly after some hope.

"No, we're not entirely alone; I have a daughter named Adelaide, and a wolf friend named Hibiki. Surely you could smell her?" Hibiki's scent crisscrossed the territory like a small child had scribbled around with a highlighter. It was everywhere and vibrant, soothing to his wild soul. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like... but please, do not linger too long if you have no intention of joining my herd. I've had my heart ripped out too many times to be so casual in opening my home to strangers." he said, his voice quiet and honest and rough. Lark smiled sadly at his sire, his muzzle moving to the stallion's neck. At his son's touch, Anarchy seemed to brighten, twisting his neck to his forehead against his son's cheek. He appreciated the contact for a moment before raising his head to hear what Latifah had to say. She was a talkative little thing, both brutes thought in unison, appreciating the lack of silence. Quiet was one thing they were sick of, that they had plenty of.

"Yes, of course. Drink away; the red color is caused by the minerals in the soil. As I'm sure you'll find, both the water and the grass have a unique taste." said the stallion, having answered the question more times than he cared to count. Always his mares were concerned when they appeared, worried that the lake was truly filled with blood. Lark wondered how many bodies it would take to leave that much blood behind, but he wouldn't voice his question. Father and son turned, moving fluidly towards the lake. They both picked up an elegant extended trot, their heads held low. When they reached the shore, Anarchy dipped his head to drink, while Lark took a flying leap into the water. He landed with the lake up to his chest, so he dipped his muzzle and drank eagerly, his soaked tail swishing. His sire smiled brightly, a rich laugh escaping his throat.

~~~~~

word count: one thousand three hundred twenty seven
tag: Anarchy & Little Lark for Latifah
notes: Lalala~[/size]

[leira]

The blue roan watched the stallion with interested eyes, wondering if she'd ever grow to be that height. No, most of her growing was completed, she wasn't going to grow much larger at all. Man, she must appear tiny to them! A smile flickering across her lips, she perked her ears forward to listen to what the stallion was saying. His name was Anarchy. She liked it, the name suited him fine. Her name on the other hand, was nothing like herself. Latifah, meaning what? Peaceful or calm or something... she couldn't bother to remember right now.

Grinning at the younger stallion, she laughed. "I only meant that you were littler than your father, not like... little." A playful look came in her eyes as the colt stood by her side, and she peered up at him. He was tall, taller than he seemed from father distance, and protested, "You may be bigger, but I'm older!" She flicked her tail and smiled at him, and glanced at Anarchy, who's ears were pinned back. Unsure of what was happened, she skittered back a half-step, and craned her neck forward, curiosity glittering in her eyes. As Lark went back to his father's side, she watched the scolding. Ducking her head, she neighed softly, "Don't get mad at him, Anarchy. He's just a boy, a big boy," a smile was thrown at Lark, "and I'm sure he meant no harm. Just proving his point."

Despite that she hadn't known the pair very long, she didn't like seeing the colt getting in trouble with his father. He hadn't done much, just burst out his opinion, and it kind of reminded her of herself. She wouldn't like being called little, either, and made a mental note to watch her words. Latifah worried she was becoming too comfortable with her language around them, and didn't want to ruin the image of a peppy little mare who was lonely, and change it into something they didn't want.

The mare twitched at his offer to escort her to the light lands. "I may look light," she scowled, "But I'm sure not. I'm a neutral at best, though perhaps it'd be better if I was dark. But Ataullah wouldn't like that, he's very light, and I'm not sure I want to leave him all alone like that, but I think it might be better if I stayed here, because I don't like the light lands, and I really like here because it's prettier and stuff..." Her sentence was spoken extremely quickly, she was unsure if they understood anything she just let spill out. Sighing, she leaned forward on her hooves and whinnied, "If you don't mind, maybe I could stay a while? I'm kind of tired of traveling, and you're one of the kinder souls I've met in a long time." Her eyes glowed, showing her honesty, and she glanced uncertainly between Lark and Anarchy. Hopefully they wouldn't mind if she stayed, right? I mean, he did kind of offer... in a way... she wouldn't overstay the hospitality if it was so.

Her eyes flickered shut as she relaxed for a second. She had been so wound up lately, and perhaps this would officially become her home? So many questions ran through her head, but her eyelids opened to hear the small snort, and a smile ran on her muzzle to see Lark copying his father. It was kind of sweet to her, how they kept each other's company. And her ears pricked forward at Anarchy's voice, wondering who the mother to the mare was. How long had the small herd lived here? Certainly he wouldn't mind having another mare around, even if she was not sure about her future.

At the mention of a wolf, her eyes darted around, and her nostrils flared. Now that he mentioned it, the lingering scent of a predator was in the air, and she ducked her head sheepishly. "I wasn't really paying attention to scents. My older brother says that's a problem with me, I jump into situations before looking at them." Shuffling her hooves, she grinned at the pair, and tossed her head lightly, mane fluttering around her. Her eyes lingered over the stallion's face, hearing his voice, and her heart dropped with sadness for him. She could imagine a herd filling this land, beautiful and strong, and then slowly disappearing. It was an image that broke her heart. Slowly, she thought over this. It was an invitation into his life, basically, and her mind drawled over the thought.

Leaving her older brother, her dear Atau, would make her miss him greatly. But she had barely thought about him in forever, and figured he'd get some mares soon. She liked the pair as well, and tilted her head, eyes closed as she mulled over the idea. She liked the land, and slowly those eyes opened to stare gently at Anarchy. Lark had moved his soft muzzle to his father, and she found the moment endearing, father and son comforting each other. Taking a shuffle forward, a sad look covered her face. "It's internal conflict for me, I'll be honest. I have family in the light lands, my only relative that I know of, my brother. I don't want to leave him." She touched her tail lightly to Anarchy's hip, as a comfort, and then neighed, "But I'd rather join your herd. You guys have already been so welcoming and kind, and I enjoy your company very much." A smile made her face light up, and she pranced towards the shore. "If you don't mind, I will probably stay here forever and chat your ears off, until you wish you never invited me." She grinned, and nearly threw herself off balance as she stopped.

Interest made her look back at Anarchy. It was very disturbing, the color of the lake, but she liked it a lot. Ducking her head to the water, she quietly slurped it up, tongue tasting the flavor and liking it. Maybe the minerals would make her bigger. She smiled to herself, and then laughed as Lark threw himself into the water. Her eyes flickered with childhood immaturity, and she waded into the water, stopping at about ankle deep to roll, then leaped back up with failing elegance as she stumbled a bit into deeper water. Eyes glowing, Latifah splashed at Lark, then nose a ripple of water towards Anarchy, not sure if her childish ways would make him frown. But that was part of who she was, she couldn't live without just a little bit of fun. Sopping wet, she pranced her feet under the water, enjoying the feeling of buoyancy, and then ducked her lips to the water to drink up. While the water only came up to Lark's chest, it nearly went up to her back, and she wondered if the red hue of the water would make her white sock look red.

She grinned out at Anarchy, and neighed, "Would you like to join us?" Her body lurched towards the stallion, and she stood ankle-deep in the lake to address him. Water dripping off nearly every part of her body, she grinned. "I needed a little bath, sorry. I was getting pretty yucked up." She shook her head, water droplets flying everywhere, but made sure they mostly avoided Anarchy. It was rude to shake water all over the kind stallion, she had assumed. She pranced closer, and then ducked her head to drink again, eyes closing to mull over the flavor of the water. It was good, not bad, and it was really cool how the minerals had colored the water so.

Stretching her neck and then glancing back at Lark, she shivered and smiled. "I like the water. You're right, Anarchy- it has a unique flavor. But I like it." She bobbed her head, mane dripping everywhere, and pranced in place. It was a habit of hers, to do whenever she wasn't sure what to do next, and she glanced at the pair. "So, what do you usually do here? Do I need to know anyone, meet anything, or..." Latifah smiled, "I'm not quite sure how your days usually go, sorry." Now she was apologizing? Good grief, she rarely did that, but it was a casual use of the word. Shrugging her shoulders, she relaxed from her tight, quick little prancing movement, and stood still for once, silence in the air.

ooc;; good grief, long reply. 1,456 words.. xD

[DingoMutt]

~~~~~

"Mmm, Little Lark's fine... he's a good colt... just a little hotheaded, eh? He knows he should be polite around newcomers, especially ladies." Anarchy said, raising his head from the lake, a smile gracing his lips as he revealed the colt's full name. The red water dripped from his whiskered muzzle, and he gave his bearded head a delicate shake. While he was a finely bred, refined horse, feathers hung from his fetlocks and he grew a small beard in the winter. Lark, however, sported a great mass of feathers, inherited from his lovely Friesian dam, and he was quite shaggy throughout the winter months. Lark nodded at his sire's comment; he was a frisky, excitable little colt when the conditions were right. The prospect of a visitor, and perhaps a new mare in the herd was terribly wonderful to the little colt. The herd hadn't grown since he'd been born, but he was glad that it would grow today. Or at least, he hoped it would; the colt's brown gaze moved to the mare, and he dipped his muzzle to lip the water and drink when he was done fooling around with the blood red water. As glad as his sire was to see the colt so open and comfortable, he was also worried. He knew his son, his wonderful son, would need a healthy respect for strangers, especially little lost mares.

The stallion chuckled at the mare's words, how angry she seemed to be. He hadn't intended to upset her, so he kept his expression neutral and merely listened. He wasn't implying that she was light; he'd simply offered to escort her back to the light lands where her brother lived. He knew that dark stallions would try to take advantage of her, and he knew it from experience. Shaking his head, clearing it from the dark thoughts that had tormented his brain for far too long, the stallion nodded at the mare's words. He was sure he'd be upset if Adelaide had simply left him and changed alliances, but he knew he'd respect her choice. But perhaps things were different between brothers and sisters; he'd never had any. While he'd shared a weak bond with his half-siblings, he knew deep in his heart that they were not real brothers and sisters, and that he had ruined that for his mother. No one had lied to him; he knew that he had made his dam sterile from the instant he was aware enough to process the words around him.

"I didn't mean to insult you, Latifah... I was simply offering to escort you back to your brother's lands. I couldn't let you leave on your own... I'm surprised you got this far without being harassed," he said, dipping his head for a moment to rub his muzzle against his knee. He shifted his weight a bit, raising his head as the mare began to speak again. "Yes, of course you're welcome to stay," he said, bobbing his head lightly. He smiled gratefully at her compliment, glad that the mare thought he was kind. He tried to be; he tried so hard to be polite to everyone around him. "Sometimes it's not so bad to leap before you look. It brought you here, to the lake of blood, where you met my son and I." he added, smiling lightly. He was sure that the mare's personality hindered her sometimes, but that ultimately she'd come out ahead. At least, he hoped so... she was far too kind, she didn't deserve for the world to chew her up and spit her out because she was a bit too hotheaded for her own good.

"You won't be a prisoner here," he said, raising his muzzle a bit. He licked his lips, blinking his silver blue eyes slowly. "You're welcome to leave and visit your brother whenever you like... and he could come visit too, if he so desires," while Anarchy hated the idea of another stallion visiting, if it meant the mare would be happy, he would agree to it. "Hmm, I don't think you could chat my ears off... Adelaide and Lark have already tried without success, but I suppose you can try. All the same, you can remain and live here as long as you like... welcome to the lake of blood herd, Latifah." When the mare touched him gently with her tail, he moved forward boldly and pressed his muzzle to the mare's shoulder. He was tempted to give her mane a nibble, but he didn't want to startle her with his affections. He watched contentedly as she moved away from him into the water and dropped to roll. Lark watched the adults with amused eyes; he wasn't dense, and he was sure he understood what Latifah joining the herd meant. The colt reared in the water, balancing easily on his hind legs with the aid of the water. He thrashed his tail the best he could, raising his lip at his sire and inviting him to come in as Latifah asked him with her soft, feminine words that he knew his sire would not be able to resist. He held the same sway over the stallion, the same ability to bend the big brute to his will.

Flicking his tail, Anarchy edged towards the water, pausing when his forehooves hit the edge. He pranced a bit in place, his hind legs under his body as he tried to decide what to do. Did he want to leap in, or simply walk? No, he felt far too good today, far too accomplished and proud to just stride neatly into the water. Pulling his hind legs more underneath his body, the stallion tensed and leaped in one smooth motion. He landed with a large splash, his eyes squeezed shut as he hit the surface of the lake. Latifah and Lark were battered by the waves he created, forcing the colt to drop back to all fours. Laughing brightly, the stallion shook his dark coat. He moved towards Lark, raising his legs high so that he'd splash the colt. Lark laughed and splashed at his sire too, then the pair spun and kicked water at Latifah for a moment. When she began to speak, they paused and perked their ears forward to listen, both blowing hard with excitement.

"I'm gonna call you Auntie, is that alright?" Lark asked, smiling brightly, still breathing hard. "Well, my half-sister Adelaide, Hibiki, and my Mom, Axisha are the only ones still here. Adelaide's a bay... she's nice, and she'll play with me whenever I ask her to. She's kinda suspicious of strangers, but she's still really nice. Hibiki's a biiiig black wolf that'll eat you if you're mean, and my Momma, Axisha is nice and pretty and she's the best." said the colt, nodding quite seriously. Anarchy chuckled softly, knowing that Lark was dead-on with his descriptions. He hoped that Latifah would meet the rest of the group sooner rather than later, so she'd have company when he went searching for other mares to add to the herd. He knew that it was for the best, that the little blue roan would enjoy a new face and someone to chat with. While Adelaide was a fine young mare, she wasn't very talkative, and she knew Hibiki would threaten to murder Latifah until she was sure she'd stay and she was worth the wolf's time.

"We mostly just stick around and relax... I'll show you all the good pasture, and where we usually spend the night. I give Adelaide and Lark words to live by... most of my time is spent keeping an eye on them and patrolling our borders. You're welcome to tag along and do whatever you like. Hibiki has good stories that she'll share if you ask nicely." Anarchy said, snorting loudly and finally catching his breath. Lark still blew hard beside him, his little nostrils flaring as he tried to catch the air his body screamed so desperately for. Both brutes gave their tails a quick flick, smacking the other on the hip. Stallion and colt grinned brightly at the coincidence, also excited that one had gained a mare and the other a friend. While Anarchy hoped the mare would want foals, brilliant little babies like Lark, he wouldn't press her. While Lark hoped the mare would want to play, to romp through the grass and eat apples, he wouldn't press her.

~~~~~

word count: one thousand four hundred sixty four
tag: Anarchy & Little Lark for Latifah
notes: Wow, long post. xD Man, I love Latifah. <3[/size]

[leira]

The little mare skipped in place, her mane dancing to the rhythmic sound of her hoofbeats. She was in a gleeful mood; this would perhaps be her next home. Though she would miss the wise face of Atau, she didn't like living in the Light lands. They held no life for her, but now that she had ventured into the Dark lands, see what she had found? A kind stallion, and his playful colt.

Her eyes flashed as she heard Anarchy announce Lark's full name. A chuckle escaped her before she could contain it, and she flicked her ears forward apologetically. The way the older stallion had said it, it seemed almost like a rebuke to her. A kind way of telling him to have respect. Smiling, she pranced towards Anarchy, her head low and her tail swishing back and forth slowly. Glancing at him for a split second, she ducked her head swiftly to the water and drank the unusual tasting liquid. It was a good taste, definitely, just special.

Right after her little rant on how she wasn't a light, Latifah immediately felt bad. She hadn't meant to sound so defensive, so stubborn about being called a light, but it really had tweaked a nerve. Maybe she had a light brother, but that certainly wasn't who she wanted to be in life. The faint scowl that had appeared on her lips faded away, and she sheepishly looked at him, shuffling back and forth.

"Oh, it's okay, Anarchy.. I didn't mean to snap out like that." She ducked her head and smiled at him, pawing at the ground gently. Her poll raised when she listened to his next comment, and she chuckled darkly. "I didn't exactly escape without harassment. I met a mare and a stallion; the mare was nice, the stallion was.. special. I think he liked the mare and wanted me to back off." A half-smile lit her face, and she shrugged. Her eyes were hopeful as she waited to see if he'd allow her to stay; and when she got the yes, she gleefully nuzzled his neck in gratitude. "Thank you, Anarchy. I've missed having a home so much, I'd love for this to be my own." She skipped in a brief circle, a cheerful whinny escaping her lips, and then lowered her head to gaze happily at the handsome stallion. Latifah craned her head when Anarchy spoke, and she grinned. "You're right. It wasn't a mistake to end up here. Fate, destiny, something like that."

Her ears flicked forward to listen as he spoke again, and she watched him attentively. "You'd let a stallion come into your land just for my sake?" A giggle leaped from her tongue, and she shook her head. "No, I understand I will not be a prisoner, but Ataullah would never come her, or ever approve. Plus, he can be rather full of himself and obnoxious." She smiled, and shook herself lightly, roan coat shimmering with the movement.

She was startled as he moved closer to her, but a small feeling a pleasure made her smile as he pressed his face into her shoulder. Touching him lightly with her own face, she was eager to be back into the water, and she splashed through the reddish water. Watching Lark rear, she swam closer to him, trying with difficulty to splash him, as the water was much deeper for her than it was for him. Giving up, she nosed a small wave towards him, unamused with how small it was. Latifah shook her head and glanced at Anarchy, her eyes bright with excitement.

A giggle burst from her lips as soon as the stallion hit the water, and the splash covered her with reddish water. She grinned, and shook her head, kicking her legs as she managed to stay above the water. She heard Lark's voice as the droplets in the air splashed down to their original positions in the lake, and she smiled happily at him. "Call me whatever you like, Lark." She was tempted to call him Larkie, but was unsure if he'd be offended, and instead kept that sweet grin plastered to her muzzle. The mare shifted as she heard the descriptions, but the only one that truly worried her was the wolf. "I'm sure I'll avoid being eaten," she neighed playfully, nudging the colt with her head, "But thanks for sharing that with me," her eyes turned serious, "I don't like being eaten, y'know." A small smile flickered across her lips, and she nodded her head, swishing her tail the best she could as it was soaking wet.

Latifah was interested in their way of life, and bobbed her head excitedly. "I like this land, it'd be nice to get to know it better." Her eyes glowed with joy, and she swam past Anarchy back to the shore, pressing her body against his for one brief second and then flashing him a brilliant smile, and continuing to climb out of the blood-red water. She felt flirty, awake, and thrilled to be here. Skipping around, she shook, letting the water droplets fly all around her for a brief few seconds. Eagerly, she gazed around, wondering where her life would take her next. Maybe Lark's next sibling? Just maybe?

She was shocked to think of that, but the thought had meandered into her mind, and she stood there was an expression of surprised for a few moments. Peering at Anarchy once her moment of foals was over, she smiled at the father and son. They were an inseparable pair, she figured, and hoped Lark wouldn't leave home anytime soon. He was a sweet little boy, and his "Auntie" now. She liked the already building relationships she was forming, and fondly turned her eyes at Anarchy. He was the kindest stallion she had met, other than her brother, and well, maybe she was liking him more than she meant to.

Hopping from hoof to hoof, she tilted her head towards the stallions. "Hey, would any one of you care to show me around a bit, before I absolutely collapse from exhaustion? It's been a long day, but I really wanna' know my way around." Latifah flashed them her prize-winning smile and pranced off in one direction, stopping to gaze behind her. Of course, she wouldn't run completely off. She didn't know where in the world she was trying to go anyways.

[DingoMutt]

~~~~~

Anarchy stiffened a bit when Latifah nuzzled him with gratitude; he hadn't felt the touch of a strange mare in such a long time. But then he relaxed, and he leaned a little closer to the little mare and twisted his neck to nuzzle her cheek. Lark glanced quickly away, feeling as if he was witnessing something that didn't concern him, something that he shouldn't be peeking in on. He was happy for his sire, no doubt about that, but intimacy had always made him a bit uncomfortable. When the exchange was done and Latifah whinnied brightly, the colt turned back and grinned, bobbing his head in approval. Yes, he was so delighted to have a new playmate, so delighted that his father would have a lovely mare he could confide in.

"You don't need to thank me, Latifah... I should be the one thanking you, really," said the stallion, smiling softly, as if ashamed of his words. Surely it had been his fault that his mares had wandered away, surely it had been his fault, and he could only hope that whatever he'd done wouldn't scare Latifah off too. Lark smiled gently at his sire's words; he'd told the stallion a thousand times that it had been the stupid mares that had left, and Anarchy's mannerisms had nothing to do with it. Pawing anxiously at the water, Lark trotted sluggishly around his sire, wringing his tail impatiently as he moved. He came to stand on the stallion's other side. Anarchy was sufficiently distracted, then shook his head to focus on the situation at hand. "I wouldn't be happy about letting another stallion visit, but I would if it would make you happy. Surely you understand that now you are a member of my herd, and that I would die if it would make you smile." he finished, nodding slowly. Yes, he would do anything for this little mare, anything to keep her content.

Anarchy perked his ears when Latifah began to move towards shore, and he briefly contemplated calling for Adelaide and Hibiki right then so they could meet the newest addition to the herd. But for now he was content to keep her all to himself, or as much as he could with his yearling son as his shadow. The stallion was surprised when Latifah pressed against him, but he leaned against her to show his appreciation. She was a sweet, fiery mare, and she was lovely too. The two black brutes followed her a moment later; Lark moved with big, sloshing steps, and Anarchy followed with long, elegant strides that made hardly a splash. Glancing back behind him, Anarchy was a bit chilled by the blood red lake. He'd lived here for years now, but still it caught him by surprise. The stallion shook his fur as neatly as he could, trying not to wet his mare or son. Lark, however, shook as violently as he could. The stallion nipped the colt's rump to get him to stop, but he chuckled and squinted in the spray of red water.

"Yes, of course we'll show you around," said the stallion, nodding lightly. Lark suddenly yawned widely, a tremor of weakness rippling through his little body. He'd had a long day; he'd patrolled with his sire all morning, and then they'd raced and found a little blue roan mare. "Lark, why don't you find Adelaide, and the two of you can meet Latifah and I in the forest in a bit," he added, and the colt merely nodded in response, nuzzled his Auntie's cheek, and then took off at a slow lope. When he was out of earshot, Anarchy let out a soft sigh and offered Latifah a smile. "They grow up so fast, and still they are so young." The yearling colt exuded confidence and intelligence, and Anarchy often relied upon him as he would another stallion his age. Still, the colt was a colt, and he hoped sincerely that Lark would always stay and help him take care of the herd. Anarchy didn't want to rob his son of a future, but he hoped that Lark would sacrifice a few years of his life to keep his sire content.

"Ahem, shall we?" said Anarchy, and he picked up a quick trot and approached the mare. He brushed against her as he passed, telling her that he certainly had the capacity to flirt, and that he would. Feeling young and excited, he took a quick whiff of the air, and decided that Lark wouldn't need long to find Adelaide. Quickly correcting his course, Anarchy headed towards the hill that overlooked the lake of blood. This was where he spent most of his time when he was relaxing, and where he'd found the best grass. He'd always welcome guests upon his perch, so he felt that this should be one of the first places that Latifah saw and knew. This was the highest point of the territory, and from here she would always be able to find the others.

"This... this is my hill. This is where I come to think, and from here I can see everything. If you ever get lost, head here, and you will be able to find us." he said, coming to a halt as he reached the top of the hill. A soft breeze toyed with his mane and wet pelt, and a shiver ran through his body. Smacking his thigh with his tail, he forced himself to stand still. Nostrils flaring, he spotted Lark meeting up with Adelaide. He smiled as they play fought for an instant, then spun to head to the forest where the herd spend its nights. He smiled sadly at the blood bay filly; her past was a messy one, all because he couldn't keep tabs on his mares. Glancing at Latifah, he smiled weakly. "It's lovely up here, isn't it? This is my favorite place." he said, unable to hide a hint of sadness in his voice.

~~~~~

word count: one thousand ten
tag: Anarchy & Little Lark for Latifah
notes: Sorry for the wait. D;[/size]