Blinded by the Light

[<3Kodi]

The valley was beautiful, one of the most beautiful things Ro had laid eyes on in a while. The thing was she was seeing the valley slightly blurred because at the moment her slender ebony bodice was in motion. Daggers clipped at the ground, thudding out a brisk rhythm upon the sun-baked earth barely sheltered by emerald blades. A warm breeze caressed Rowena's neck, toying with her tresses as she cantered through the light woodland toward a nearby meadow she had glimpsed a few days ago. She had been lurking around the area for a while because it was beautiful and pretty quiet. Ro had been hoping against hope that someone else might be living in the area so she could at least meet someone for a little while.

It was her third day here and Rowena was stretching her legs, heading gracefully toward the meadow. Coming out of the trees, Rowena slowed her pace to a brisk trot. Sunlight warmed her onyx pelt, accenting the muscles flowing like water under the dark coating. A gracefully arched neck angled a narrow muzzle as the dark-eyed mare glanced around the meadow. Finding it empty, Ro let her guard slip away. Three days here and she'd found no trouble so far, so Ro wasn't bothering with being insanely jumpy. Slowing her trot, Rowena flowed into a graceful walk.

Striding confidently through the meadow, Ro enjoyed the quiet day. Tall grasses swayed around her knees. Occasionally Ro would pause and drop her head to nibble on some grass, enjoying the sweet taste of summertime grass but overall she kept a slightly restless if not slow pace, in constant motion. Her mane swung around her neck in time with her pace as she wandered aimlessly around the meadow over gentle slopes and pausing here or there with no real destination in mind. Ro's ebony tail swung loosely, flicking occasionally at an insect flitting along her flank. Pausing on a slight rise, Rowena looked around, hopeful for someone else to be around.

A screech from overhead drew her gaze to the sky. It was an eagle floating lazily on thermals searching for prey. Standing alone in the empty meadow, Ro watched the proud bird as it circled lazily. Vaugely she wandered if it was hunting for chicks or its mate? Wouldn't it be nice to have someone waiting for her or with her now?

With a wistful sigh the ebony femmora dropped her head and began to graze and loosing her focus in her wistful thoughts.

[Halo]

BAh...I'll get to this soon...

[Halo]

’Oh, that was good,’ he thinks, laying on his side with his full belly bulging and licking at the lingering fruit juice on his lips. He sighs with contentment and turns his gaze around, trying to find the source of the birdsong coming from somewhere above his head in the branches of the apple tree. He chuckles quietly and swishes his tail when he sights the little bluebird twittering away down at him. Apparently he had taken without asking. “Sorry, little bird,” he apologies and sits up (with a little bit of difficulty) and stands, shaking away the leaves and grass that had accumulated on his ivory pelt and conveniently dropping his bangs over his strange right eye.

The same screech that had drawn Rowena’s eyes draws his own, his muzzle tilting up towards the sky and his gaze following the lazy circles that twirls through the blue expanse. A ruler of the heavens, to be sure, and it brings forth a strange desire, to join the master of the skies and to duck and weave along with him. But that is a silly dream and quickly fades as he steps from the shade of the tree, but not before ducking his head to gluttonously nibble on the fragments of an apple. It’s okay to feast once in awhile.

And when he lifts his head, that’s when the perlino stags sees her, an onyx goddess all by herself. Well, of course she may very well want to be by her lonesome, but it seems such a shame that she should be without company. Besides, not all stallions are so easy to be convinced to leave someone to their wishes and would just snap her up without a second thought. So what is the harm of this one just simply waltzing over to introduce himself? Jynxed Halo sees none and so approaches slowly with his belly swirling full of apple juice.

“Good day to you, madam,” he says from still a decent distance off, bobbing his head once in a physical greeting and stopping a few feet from her. He stretches his nose out slightly, trying to do it subtly, in order to investigate her further and satiate is overwhelming curiosity. The contented smile he had beneath the fruit tree still remains. He has experienced nothing in that glimpse of time that would change his emotions.
~Jynxed Halo

(OOC: Sorry it took me so long.

[<3Kodi]

Looking away from the eagle, Ro perked her ears. She had just been contemplating testing her eagle form again when the sound of an approaching equine drew her gaze from the eagle. Ignoring it's calling screech, Rowena turned her finely shaped head to see a stallion coming toward her at an easy pace looking full and content like some old stag left out to pasture. Rowena smiled a little at the thought. For now at lest the stallion didn't look dangerous and besides, if he tried anything Ro could try the eagle form Komi had granted her. She wasn't good at flying too high yet though and sometimes couldn't quite get all the way in the form of an eagle, just finding feathers in her mane or something silly.

"Hello" she neighed, nodding her head to the stallion and sidling at a bit closer. The gentle summer breeze tugged at her ebony mane. Twined in her mane Rowena carried a raven's feather, one of the things she had had to retrieve for Komi but the stallion hadn't taken but simply left with her. After all the trouble she'd gone through to get the stupid feather, Ro wasn't going to just drop it so she wore it in her ebony mane.

Turning her narrow head to look at the stallion, she leaned forward and breathed in, studying his scent. He smelled like grass and apples but also like other equines. Ro's onyx optics lit up with interest. A herd stallion? Swishing her black tail, Rowena offered a friendly smile, not quite flirty but bright. "Are you a herd stallion, sir?" she asked curiously. She was seeking a herd to join since being by herself wasn't something she desired highly. Sure she liked a little time to herself now and then but Rowena was the sort of mare that enjoyed the company of good friends, stallions to flirt with when she felt like it and a place to find her perfect stallion. Maybe even practice her eagle-shifting and get better at it?

[Halo]

Seeing her leaning in with her own curiosity made Halo feel more comfortable with taking another step towards the mare, cautiously of course, in order to get a better sense of her. He grins, his tail swishing but more for something to do than being annoyed by something, his ears flicking about as he takes in the sound of her voice, growing accustomed to it. “A herd stallion?” He bends his neck and touches his nose to his side as if smelling himself and noticing the scent of the other horses on his pelt. Ohhh, okay! He turns back and grins.

“I guess you could say that. I lead a herd over in the eastern part of Penori called Symphony Falls. I came here for the apple trees.” He grins and he stomach grumbles shortly as if agreeing with him. “The apples are very good here.” He bobs his head with enthusiasm and a small laugh.
~Jynxed Halo

(OOC: Sorry for the ugly length.)

[<3Kodi]

The fine black mare laughed lightly, glad to have found somebody that wasn't stuck up or anything. After putting up with Komi's superiority complex she was more then ready for a laid back companion though his words sent a shock of surprise down her spine. Herd stallions were one thing but lead stallions? That was an unexpected venture though Ro couldn't quite decide if it was good or bad quite yet. Instead she flicked her harks up with interest in her dark eyes. Looking beyond the stallion she caught sight of the grove of apple trees, she had noticed a sweet scent on the breeze but who would have known it had been apples?

"I've been looking for a herd recently" Rowena informed the stallion, swishing her ebony tail. "It just seems like whenever I get to looking, I can't ever find the herds." Ro laughed at herself, lazily wandering toward the apple trees.

Her pace was relaxed as she stepped into the shade. She'd been out in the sun for a while and her dark-coated flanks were starting to feel warm so the shade was much appreciated. It was pleasant. Looking back at Jynxed Halo, Rowena flicked her tail and turned to face him though she kept to the shade because it did feel nice and she planned on taking his advice on trying the apples. Mentally she smirked, eyeing some of the apples on higher branches and pondering the possibility of getting to show off just a little. A little couldn't hurt right? And, if this stallion was going to maybe take her to his herd he'd have to know right?

Looking back over, Rowena shifted her weight slightly. "My name is Rowena but everybody calls me Ro. What's your name?"

[Halo]

Rowena moves into the shade and, after a moment of deliberation, Jynxed Halo follows slowly after her with his head in a relaxed position in the hopes of not alarming her. (She doesn’t at all uneased by his presence, but he doesn’t want to give her a reason to be neither.) He smiles when she introduces herself, lifting his head just slightly when he opens his maw to return the gesture. “Jynxed Halo, but everyone usually just calls me Halo.” He grins and trots the rest of the way to the mare, unable to control himself in the easy walk any longer.

He has to remind himself to try to keep it together, to be the rock of good sense and the cool and quiet kind of stallion a leader is supposed to be. If he keeps galavanting around and acting like a gosh darn fool every time he has the chance to meet someone new then nobody is going to take him serious and he’ll look like...well a fool, to put it lightly and to be easy on himself. So, with a flick backward of his ears and then forward again, he tries to maintain the resolution.

“You’ve been looking for a herd, you say? They can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look. But it seems you’ve come to the right place, anyway. Greenway Meadow usually trafficks those in search of a herd or a land to reside in.” He takes a couple steps into the shade, the sudden coolness sending prickles along his warm skin. The sun is nice, but the sensation of moving from light to shadow is an unexplainable joy.
~Jynxed Halo

[<3Kodi]

Dark harks flipped up to listen as Jynxed Halo introduced himself. He seemed like a lighthearted and kind stallion, not anything like she'd expected from some fancy lead stallion but then again, appearances weren't everything. Swishing her ebony banner, Ro inclined her elegant head politely to accept his introduction and looked out at the meadow spreading out all around the grove of apple trees. To think she'd been hanging around here recently and hadn't known the actual purpose of the meadow! Rowena snorted softly to herself, making a mental note to be more observant and aware in the future. Turning her well-crafted cranium back toward Halo, Ro flicked her ears forward and let a playful light come into her onyx eyes.

"Well, there is a little something any future lead stallions might want to be aware of. It might or might not help with anything but still, I think it's only fair that you know..."

Smirking playfully, Rowena focused, concentrating on the form of an eagle in her mind. Rearing up onto her hind legs, Ro felt herself shifting. Hind legs grew shorter, black feathers tipped gold spread over her ebony pelt, her tail shortened and became feathered while her head and shoulders realigned to the new form. When Ro blinked her eyes open she was looked up at Jynxed Halo, perched upon the ground with wings folded against her sides and sleek feathers being warmed by the sun. She fluttered her wings, still awkward in the eagle shape.

Flapping her wings, Ro leapt into the sky, flying up and clumsily grabbing an apple in her talons before dropping it down to Halo and swerving to drop onto a branch. She wasn't quite graceful, this was only the second time she'd try to fly and still didn't fly high, still weary of her ability to hold the eagle form. Still, she looked at Halo and regarded him with an eagle's piercing eyes, letting out a soft chortling sound.

[Halo]

Jynxed Halo watches Rowena's transfirmation, completely entranced by the sight and magnificience of it. He'd heard about such a power before, but this is the first time he had ever actually seen it and it is truly amazing. Sure, his former lover had possessed the power of flight by the wings upon her back, yet this is completely different, far beyond that. He stamps the ground with his fore and tosses his head in approval, a large smile on his face and his eyes bright with enthusiasm. 'So cool, so cool...wait...cool and collected! Bah, not working!'

"Very nice! That's a lovely gift you have." He gets his body members under control so that he can step forward the ruffles the pretty feathers with his breath without worrying about accidently stepping on the mare...er...eagle...um...Rowena, yeah we'll go with that. He moves away as she flaps her wings, taking to the air to knock down an apple and perch upon a branch above his head. He cranes his head up, determined to continue watching her. "You just recieve your power?" It's so interesting, he can't contain his questions, though he's probably being rude.
~Jynxed Halo

(OOC: Sorry it's so short.)

[<3Kodi]

The eagle shape felt strange but Ro held on to it, holding it like a cloak around herself to keep it intact now that she was off the ground. She could feel everything differently when she was like this and see things differently as well. Sharp talons held on to the branch she perched on and her keen eyes studied Jynxed Halo in closer detail then her normal equine optics could gather. At his question she pushed off the branch, taking to the air again a little more easily this time. Making a rather sloppy circle, Rowena slowly began letting go of the eagle form. Her legs changed, her feathers were shed away and when she hit the ground, Ro blinked her eyes open to find herself once more a slender ebony Paso Fino mare.

Snorting happily at her victory, Ro looked back over at Halo. She could see the wonder in the stag's gaze and swished her tail happily. Shaking out her mane though careful not to shake loose the raven feather, Ro ambled back over to Jynxed Halo and nodded to answer his question.

"Yes, I got the powers not long ago from some insane equine out in the desert" Rowena replied looking unhappy at the mention of Komi. She hadn't forgiven him for the fireball yet.

Lowering her head the young Paso Fino nibbled on the apple she had knocked down with her sharp talons. Jynx was right, the apples here were very tasty. Savoring the flavor, Ro raised her head again and swerved her harks toward Halo.

"My powers aren't very good yet but still, I might be able to help your herd in some way."

The ways Ro thought were mainly spying on other herds or fetching things that were at far distances or great heights. Maybe if she could get better at holding the eagle shape longer she would be able to do those kinds of things if it ever came to war between Halo's herd and some other herd.

[Halo]

(OOC: Whoops! I forgot about this thread! Sorry! *blushes*)
BIC:

The perlino stag watches the mare’s display with both admiration and awe, completely overlooking the ‘sloppy’ part of her transformation back into her equine state but just simply amazed by the whole bit. He listens politely when she speaks and enjoys the enjoyment on her expression when she samples the apple she had caused to drop to the earth. He likes to see others happy, even if it’s the simplest form of contentment from eating something as delicious as a piece of fruit. He certainly had enjoyed them when he had eaten, it’s also nice to see his opinion is agreed upon.

“Oh, yes, you would fit well into any herd, though I’d be quite pleased if you would come home to mine.” He bobs his head, wondering an unspoken worry as to whether that had sounded creepy or not. Still, he can’t call back to his mouth words that have already been uttered. Halo will just have to hope that she didn’t take it the wrong way. “And I think you’d like Symphony Falls. There is a lot of room for you to practice your new ability.”
~Jynxed Halo

(OOC: I just have NOT had any muse for this guy! UGH! Sorry! You’re making such good posts and mine stink. *hangs head*)

[<3Kodi]

Raising her elegant head, Rowena regarded Jynxed Halo with a happy expression, not the least bit embarrassed by a little bit of apple juice on her jaw. Swishing her ebony tail the mare bobbed her head, the raven feather in her mane catching the sunlight and shimmering differently from the fine dark threads of her mane. "I think that would be nice. I don't like being alone." Ro made a face of dislike at the idea of wandering around all alone for the rest of her life. That would just get too boring. She liked running and needed a little alone time every now and then but she liked to talk to others and race and not be alone.

Her expression clearing, Rowena flicked her tail and prnaced around Jynxed Halo, a playful smile on her velvet muzzle. "Lead the way Mr. Lead Stallion, if the equines in the herd are anything like you I think I'll like Symphony Falls well enough."

Really Halo had no idea how she could be when she was around other equines, whether that meant around foals, mares or stallions. She was a social butterfly, or at least that was what Lyria used to call Ro. Really in her younger years she was stubborn, a pain for any lead but today she was in an agreeable mood and Halo seemed like a good stallion. Of course if he tried to push her around or something, Ro would all but go insane on him and then he would see what her parents had put up with for nearly two years. For now though, Rowena felt relaxed, goin' with the flow so to speak.

Besides the fact that Ro was just sick of talking to empty air and trying to converse with eagles, Rowena really could be rather agreeable. She just got stubborn about things that were forced on her and so far Halo had done nothing to bring out that particular trait. He had given her an open option and she'd made her choice so, hopefully he didn't mind if she was a little light-footed and happy.