Young and the Restless (open)

[Halo]

Stetson leans forward, intent on hearing Shamrock finish what he was going to say, waiting for him to finish his sentence. At first he doesn’t quite realize that his companion’s attention had been drawn to something else, something in the distance. Soon, though, he turns his head to follow the direction of his fellow colt’s gaze, laying his visionaries upon the treeline as he too begins to pick up the sense of someone...or something. His nostrils flare to pick up a scent, any scent at all that could on the shed light on the situation they’re in. “What is it?” he whispers, ears pointed forward and his eyes growing worried.
~Stetson

(OOC: Sorry it took me so long! And then it ended up a crappy reply! Um…I wasn’t sure if you had anything planned, so I didn’t want to go too far. *wince*)

[<3Kodi]

Instead of answering his friend, Shamrock remained intent on watching the treeline facing west. A light wind tugged at his tresses, caressing his neck but Sham didn't move. He'd been on his own for a couple months so it was pretty much common sense to him now to stand still and be quiet until whatever was coming showed itself. Luckily the young quarter horse didn't have to wait long. From out of the trees Sham saw another equine coming toward them, weaving through trunks toward the open meadow where they stood. Momentarily Sham tensed until he saw the equine step out into the sunlight. His ears flipped forward with interest and mild surprise flashed in his dark brown orbs. It was a filly! She was a young beauty, ebony in color with a surprising flaxen mane and tail. She still was young, no older then Stetson, maybe even younger.

Merci for her part, caught sight of Stetson and Sham. She shied slightly back toward the trees, watching the older colts. Her momma had warned her not to go far from the creek but she'd heard voices and she was curious. Surely her momma wouldn't be mad. Merci studied the pinto colt as he studied her and slowly she came forward. The closer she got, the easier it was for the boys to see some of her other features. She was long legged and would probably be taller then Shamrock when she was fully grown. Her mane and tail were flaxen blond, fluffy with youth and her eyes were very unusual. She had crimson eyes, her right eye darker then her left but they had the depth and richness of rubies. Between her eyes rested a cream colored heart.

Sham blinked in surprise at the sudden appearance of the filly and glanced at Stet. When the filly made no move to come any closer, Shamrock took a step forward and nickered to her. She whinnied back and he couldn't help but think it sounded quite nice. She looked shy so Sham tried not to scare her. "Hi, I'm Sham, this is Stet." Sham flicked his tail to indicate his silver roan companion.

[Halo]

Stetson blinks, somewhat surprised, after they had been so worried at first, to see their anxieties turn into a young ebonite filly coming to stand on the outskirts of the wood line. Sham greets her and she returns it shyly. The silver colt can’t help but to do a small, excited jig in place, though he too doesn’t wish to bring fear to her, just like Sham. But today has been such an eventful day, first meeting Shamrock and now this new foal. Maybe he’ll be lucky and have two new friends to play with, that would be oh so cool. But he tries very hard to contain himself, which can be difficult as all his energy is cooped up all the time.

“Hello,” he calls out in the gentlest way he can while still having to lift his voice to be heard over the distance between them, his bush of a tail swishing behind him as a way to keep his excitement under wraps. It would be quite a shame if he did something that would scare her off before they could even now her name. He looks towards Sham for guidance on the matter in the hopes that he’ll know what they should do to proceed, as he has very little experience in dealing with others.
~Stetson

(OOC: Sorry, this post ain’t much better. )

[<3Kodi]

Merci whisked her tail nervously, shyly looking over at the colts. With her father she was bold and playful but this was her first time around actual strangers. She was just really getting used to being more independent from Banshee and keeping out of Fantom's way when he was busy. Flicking her ears, Merci came forward slowly. She offered a shy little smile as she got closer. Her legs were still long and looked stilt-like because she was going to be quite tall when she got older so her legs looked lankier on her body for longer. Still, Merci tried not to be so shy but instead to look proud and elegant but it wasn't really working. Her black coat was still dusty from her little run through some fields from the Cutberry Downs.

"Hi" she said, looking from Shamrock to Stetson. "My name is Merci. I'm a little lost." She frowned a little, looking at the ground for a moment.

Shamrock nickered a soft laugh. "Wow! Am I the only one that's not lost?" he asked, looking over at Stet.

Merci tossed her head and tried to look dignified but couldn't help but smile. Her crimson eyes roved over the pair, noticing the slight difference in their ages and....Garnet eyes lingered on Stetson's deformed leg. Blushing under her black coat Merci quickly looked away.

"Do you two know which way it is back to the Cutberry Downs? I don't mean to be a bother..." Merci trailed away, flicking her ears shyly.

Shamrock shook his head and looked over at Stet. Maybe he knew where they were? Sham didn't know the area very well but maybe her herd was close to Stet's?

[Halo]

Okay, it’s one thing for a fellow colt to notice his limitation, but it’s just plum too embarrassing when a girl takes note of it (the guy is supposed to be the big strong one and he’s just a wimp with a funny leg). He blushes something fierce and steps halfway behind Shamrock so he can partly hide but still be able to observe Merci. He smiles shyly when Shamrock jokes about being lost, shrugging his shoulders. “And at least I’m not the only one who is.” The silver colt chuckles and secretively stares at the filly, though every time he thinks she is looking he pretends not to be.

He pays attention to what the girl foal has to say, blinking when his (first) friend turns to look at him expectantly. All eyes on him, he guesses, so he thinks really hard. “Cutberry Downs, Cutberry Downs. That’s the integrated herd, right? Daddy says it’s opposite of our home in Symphony Falls, so it must be in the west.” He shrugs his shoulders, “Since the Falls are in the east,” he explains shortly and then adds a smile as a finale. Maybe he didn’t really answer in a helpful manner, he thinks, because he hadn’t actually told Merci which way to go.

“Hm,” he hums thoughtfully and turns around in a lopsided, hobbly circle, looking up at the sky and judging by both the sun and the direction his family and him came from when Cowboy and himself were first dropped off at Lackadaisy Brook. “That way,” he states, pointing with his muzzle in a westerly direction. He looks back at his two companions.
~Stetson

[<3Kodi]

Merci watched curiously as Stetson studied the sky. Fantom had taught her a little about that kind of thing but she'd not been very good at it and even Fantom had admitted he had little skill at such things, taking things more on luck. Of course her father hadn't said it in so many word but Merci had still gotten the gist of it. It was actually a bit weird being around equines that spoke so much because she was used to her mother and father whom seemed able to talk without actually talking. Call her a little romantic but Merci hoped to find a stallion like that someday but that day was far away so she just settled for watching Stetson and Shamrock with shy crimson eyes.

Sham turned his head in the direction Stet indicated and flicked his ears before looking over at Merci. "Is that enough of a direction for you to find it?" he asked, swishing his chestnut tail.

Nodding, Merci smiled and trotted toward Stetson. She bumped her black velvet muzzle against his silver one. "Thanks" she neighed softly. "And I don't think dad is integrated...he never calls it that." The tall filly frowned as she thought before remembering. "I think he calls the herd neutral." Looking up at the sky, Merci tried to figure out how long she had until dark when Fantom and Banshee would offically go into a fit trying to find her. Giving up on being percise she settled for guessing.

"Who are your parents?" Sham asked curiously. "Your dad sounds kinda important."

"Fantom and Banshee" Merci replied.

Shamrock looked over at Stet looking confused. He didn't know herd hierarchy so...leave it to the herd colt to see if he knew any of them! That was how he solved his lackwit problem.

[Halo]

Stetson fights a blush when Merci nudges his muzzle, trying not to allow the bashfulness to come up into his eyes though he is sure that he is quickly losing the battle and succumbing to his own shy mannerisms. So much for guys being big and bold and cool, he’s none of those things. Risk, his father, tells him that he should come to terms without and that nobody will accept him until he learns to accept himself. Of course, that’s coming from one of the biggest klutzes this side the Penori, but he supposes there is wise truth in those words (Mama never chided him so she must agree).

“Ooh! Neutral.” He chuckles with embarrassment and tilts his head with a small smile curling his lips. “That’s right. The Integrated herd is in the South; stupid me.” Just a silly mistake, he guesses. He can’t be expected to know everything just because he is a foal of Symphony Falls, right? He’s still just a kid with a lot to learn, even if most his age don’t want to admit it out loud they all know it. But, even after that, Shamrock is once again turning to look to him for answers and he grins, feeling a little important, needed; and for a little guy with a bad leg, the feeling of being needed can be a powerful thing.

“Fantom and Banshee?” He gets an ‘uhhhh’ look on his face, a quiet voicing of the thoughtful sound whispering off his breath as he rolls his eyes upward in thought. “Welll, the last that was heard was herd of Cutberry Downs, the herd was lead by Twilight Darkness and Mozart, but the King disappeared. So it’s quite a possible that these two are the new leads?” The look on his face is just a guess, using the power of deduction, sort of. Okay, it was just a good guess.
~Stetson

[<3Kodi]

Merci shrugged in the way horses did and let out a soft snort. "I dunno, nobody ever made me call momma or daddy a king or queen." Of course usually a "princess" or heiress would be expected to be respectful of her parents, call them by proper terms in company but the Cutberry Downs had a very small herd as far as Merci knew. Sure, Fantom was the lead but Merci would probably never in her life call him a king. He was her daddy, not her ruler even if others would disagree. Besides, with just Squalin Ruins, Papercut and Knives around, who needed fancy titles? Not to mention Merci just didn't like them. "Momma's going to kill me if I don't get home by dark but..." Merci looked up at the sky again. "I think I have some time to wander around."

Shamrock let Stetson have his moment to shine because he honestly knew nothing of the local herds so he kept quiet until the filly mentioned staying a while. His ears perked up and a playful sparkle lit his brown optics. "Really? There's not much here though, just a creek and this meadow I think."

"Thats ok" Merci nickered, shaking her still fluffy flaxen mane. Pawing at the ground with a small black hoof the filly pranced around the two colts playfully, her crimson eyes brightened with the hope of play. Young muscles flexed under her ebony coat and her playful personality almost making her glow. "It's just like on the downs."

Turning the young filly set off at a quick sharp-beat canter toward the Lackadaisy Brook. Shamrock tossed his head and snorted, stomping his front hooves and looking over at Stet. "Come on Stet, we can't let a girl wander around by herself now can we?" His tone was playful as he set off at a brisk trot after Merci, making sure to keep an eye on both Merci and Stetson. Merci for her part however, made directly for the lazily flowing brook, weaving through the trees until she saw the glittering waters. Pausing at the bank the young heiress glanced back for Stetson and Shamrock before springing forward into the water with a loud splash. Her long stilts held her well above the water despite her young age but the cool water felt good after wondering around all day.

Rearing up in the water Merci brought her hooves down with another loud splash as Sham's form became clear through the trees as the quarter horse cantered toward her. Merci let out a playful whinny, calling the two boys to play with her. Merci had inherited her father's love of water and in the heat of a summer afternoon what was better then playing in the creek?

[Halo]

”Nuh uh!” Stetson answers Sham with an exaggerated swing of his head that is meant to be taken as a ‘no’, but hesitating slightly when his slightly older companion briskly takes the lead and forges ahead. He places his hind undecidedly on the ground and tentatively tests his weight on it; all the stretching from the day’s exercises seems to have done him a little good as when his tendons flex and the muscles up his limp grow taut with movement the pain is lessened than from earlier. This gives him some courage and he tosses his head and sets off at his own invented gait (something between a trot and a waddling, bouncing step that is completely unique to the young colt), but not quite as swift as the quarter horse. He certainly doesn’t want to be left behind or look silly in front of the young lady they have made friends with.

He weaves the best he can in between the trees, taking his own path as he seeks out the clearest way so that he might not trip or entangle himself in something that he won’t be able to easily get out of. Stet knickers with delight, liking the sound his jogging feet make in the crunchy loam left from seasons past and he tries a small toss of his head. He doesn’t get to experience such freedoms too often, his limitations hassling him at every corner, so he has learned to really enjoy the times that he can actually be young.

Then, he gets to the creek. He stops short, laying on the brakes and staring with wide eyes at the playfully burbling water. It giggles at him, even seems to taunt him. Oh, sure, it’s not so deep, and glancing in Merci’s direction, she already being in the water, confirms that fact, but his previous scare in this same flow of water has strengthened his fears of water. Slowly, warily, he lowers his nose towards the chuckling blue ribbon, sniffing at the riverbed’s contents and snorting in a disapproving manner with his ears swiveling backwards. And he snorts again as he lifts his head and looks towards his companions, changing direction to limp/hop along the bank, neck curled so that he can easily watch the water always.
~Stetson

[<3Kodi]

Shamrock, unlike his younger companion, charges into the water with no fear knowing full well that even though he's still young he's perfectly safe in the shallow brook. Rearing up, Sham brought his hooves down hard into the water sending a splash toward Merci before prancing along the bottom of the creek, swishing his tail and flinging his head high with a happy neigh. He has friends and his heart feels content, no longer lonely. At the end of the day he would follow Stetson back to Sympony Falls and give his piece to the herd leader and hope for the best. If things didn't go well, maybe he could find Merci again? She seemed sweet enough and plenty playful. Swinging around back toward Stetson, Shamrock trotted over to the bank and stepped out of the water, noticing Stet's unhappiness about the water and also remembering his friend's earlier mishap with the brook that had led Sham to find him.

Looking over at them, Merci flicked her ears up curiously. Trotting through the water raising splashes around her long legs the filly stood in the water watching Stetson curiously. "Come on Stet" she invited sweetly, "you don't have to run in the water and it's not deep at all."

She wasn't trying to pity him or patronize him, just be friendly. Sure, she knew she was tall for her age but Merci had seen Sham in and out of the brook and he was just fine so Stetson would be too, she was sure of it. Even with his gimpy leg Merci was sure he'd be just fine because the brook was shallow and had such a lazy current. The stones were rounded under her hooves but keeping balance wasn't too hard.

Reaching out toward Stet with her muzzle, Merci nickered softly, a soft invitation. "Come on, I'll help you if you want."

Shamrock for his part watched with mild interest, half wondering if the filly was taken with Stetson or just that sweet to everyone, limp or no limp. Snorting softly the yearling lowered his head and grazed lazily, watching his two friends out of the corner of his eye, harks angled toward them and amusement in his eyes. Would Stet accept the invitation? Sham hoped so. He didn't like the idea of Stet being scared of drowning all his life.

[Halo]

Stetson looks up from where he had been eying the brook suspiciously, like his is wary it would jump up and bite him, blinking curiously at her since he is unsure of how to take her and her kindness. Most try either baby him or look at him with something bordering disgust, but these two (his friends) don’t seem to have shown any signs of doing either; it makes him feel good and yet worried at the same time for both the fear of being left behind because they think of him as equal or for holding them back. The silver roan licks his lips with worry and tries to accept Merci’s invitation into the water, reaching a forelimb out to delicately scrape the surface of the water with the point of his hoof, snorting at the swishing sound it makes around his toe and stepping back. He glances at the filly again, uncertainty in his head before he tries again.

The colt soon has one front in the water, then two, his hinds still resting on dry ground as the water swirls around his limbs, splashing up against the opposing side of his leg as it rejects the resistance and grumpily continues around him. Stet breaks out into a smile and lowers his face towards the water, sticking his tongue out to lick at the blue current and chuckle to himself. Without really knowing it his good back leg steps forward eagerly, gimpy stilt following without any choice in the matter, lifted slightly as if with a mind of its own and still afraid to take the plunge.

“It’s cold,” he says allowed. Though he had been floundering in it just before he had met Sham, he hadn’t really taken much notice to any of the creek’s attributes besides that it was scary. He does his short little hoppy thing as he moves a little farther into Lackadaisy Brook, freezing suddenly and looking on the verge of petrified for a few seconds as he feels the shift of the pebbles under his feet, staring wide-eyed at the reflection of the riverbed. “The floor moves,” he muses and looks up at Merci as if to silently as her if it’s normal.
~Stetson

(OOC: Sorry I’ve made you wait again.)

[<3Kodi]

Raising his head a little from his lunch, the pinto quarter horse watched with interest as his friend studied the water. Smiling softly, Shamrock blew softly through his nose. Go on Stet! You can do it! Sham thought, half wondering if his littler friend was telepathic. Probably not but...eh...maybe he'd get the vibe anyway? Still watching out of the corner of his eye, Sham swung his head through the grass looking for perfect green juicy strands and pretending he wasn't really watching just yet though there was a smile on his lips. Stet would have to walk in water eventually, better he learn young like everyone else, with or without his limp. Besides, Merci seemed like a sweet girl, just right for helping him.

Merci swished her flaxen tail happily as Stetson started to advance into the water, seeming surprised at the temperature. She laughed softly and stomped her front hoof a little making a small splash in the crystal clear waters. "Yeah but you'll get used to it. It feels great when it's hot" Merci assured him, her eyes bright and happy.

Still swishing her tail, Merci followed Stet as he moved a little further toward the middle of the Lackadaisy Brook. When he froze she flicked her harks curiously, looking from Stetson to the brook's bottom, wondering what made him so scared suddenly. Bumping him just so lightly with her velvety black muzzle, Merci whinnied softly. "That's the water moving the stones. If you try to walk on the big ones they don't move so much." Merci stepped onto some of the larger flat stones that were along the bottom of the brook like her momma had shown her once when she played in the brooks at the downs with Papercut and Knives. "These don't move so much, see? It's not hard." Merci looked over at Shamrock and whinnied, rearing up and bringing her front hooves back into the water with a loud splash to get the pinto's attention.

Sham raised his head, mischief in his eyes. With a deep snort the yearling charged toward the brook from his grazing spot. His hooves thudded heavily on the ground as he approached the brook and sprang forward. With a loud crash, Shamrock landed with a splash in the waters sending waves of water flying at Merci making the filly squeal and shy away. When Sham looked over at her again she didn't look offended or hurt but he could see she'd be getting revenge. "Did I miss all the fun?" Sham asked causally, prancing slightly as he ambled over to Stet. "Look at this! He's in the water without drowning!" Turning to Merci, Shamrock tucked a leg and bowed on three legs to the western heiress, playfullness bright in his eyes as he straightened. "My fair princess you must be a miracle worker!" Sham looked over at Stet and grinned, swishing his chestnut tail.

[Halo]

Stetson smiles at Merci, admitting to himself that the temperature of the water is nice and the flow comforting enough to inspire confidence to lower his left leg into the massaging current. He tries to take her advice, looking for the larger rocks with his feet when he walks about though it takes him a little bit to get used to recognize them and walk safely. He’s too intent on his feat that when Sham charges forth into the water it surprises him and he darts (or trips...) to the side, creating his own splashes that spatter all up his legs and sides causing a short shiver. Stet blinks over at the two from where he had explored off to, soon grinning as he staggers on unsure footing. “I would have gotten here...eventually,” he professes, reaching out to nip Sham playfully.

He stomps his fore in the attempt to splash Shamrock, not too keen on trying to rear up, especially when he’s not too sure of the certainty of the ground to be experimenting on his hinds. “That’s for splashing Merci,” he laughs.
~Stetson

(OOC: SO SORRY THAT THE REPLY STINKS! There was TOO much distraction in my house…*glares at the dogs flipping out over the squirrel. )

[<3Kodi]

Shamrock snorted loudly, flinging his head up and shaking the water from his mane as Stetson splashes him, the cold water feeling good against sun-warmed skin. Ah it's good to have friends, Sham thought happily, prancing on the spot and sending littler splashes at Stetson. He was glad his friend was able to enjoy himself. He hoped that Stet's confidence would stick around when they got to Symphony Falls. Considering how shy Stet had been when Shamrock had first met him, the possibility was iffy but Sham was known for his optimism, sometimes scorned for it but he had it.

Merci let out a laugh and trotted over to stand behind Stetson, as if hiding from Shamrock and his splashing. "Ah!" she yelped when Shamrock brought down both hooves in the water and still managed to get her soaking wet. "He got me!" Charging out from behind Stetson, Merci reared back on her haunches, boxing the air though missing Sham by a mile so she was sure she wouldn't accidentally hurt the older colt. She brought her hooves down on the water as hard as she could and sent a large splash right at Shamrock making the older equine shy a little, water spinning off his tail and flying from his mane.

With a sqeak of fright when she saw a promise of revenge in Sham's eyes, Merci scurried to hide behind Stet again, ducking her head down even with her friend's silver roan shoulder, a smile on her velvet muzzle and her crimson optics bright. "Save me Stet! He's going to get me!"

Shamrock snorted and flung his head high, puffing out his chest in a rediculous attempt to portray a fully grown stallion. "You think he can stop me?" Sham boasted playfully. "Come on Stet, do your worst!" He stomped his hooves in the water, inviting Stet to try and out-splash him.

[Halo]

Stetson blinks, somewhat surprised when Merci hurries to hide behind him for ‘protection’ against Shamrock, but soon a playful grin moves across his expression and he lifts his head high and proud. The silver colt tosses his muzzle in the paint’s direction, stomping one fore in the water in challenge (he’d seen his father do the same thing once). “Don’t worry, Lady Merci. I’ll protect you,” he announces ‘bravely’, trying to look serious and not to giggle. But now he also has to try to figure out how to play like them with only one good leg, not an easy feat for him on dry land, let alone on a bed of shifty river pebbles.

He shifts onto his good right leg and with a grunt picks as much of his weight up, merely balancing lightly on her left. When he does so he sprays water up at Sham, hopping forward then to land heavily in front of his friend, sending a ‘cannonball’ wave at the painted yearling. “Take, that!” He giggles uproariously, unable to hold back his merriment.
~Stetson