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Post by corruptpudding on May 11, 2015 22:53:11 GMT -5
Snake (still known as Ze'ev at the time) and Varien form a relationship that gradually fades in less then three years as Ze'ev realizes how much more enjoyable the company of mares are over a stallion's. (I went ahead and placed this one around the beginning~)
A warm spring breeze swept across the early morning plains of the Eastern Isle just as the bachelors were beginning to stir. Ze'ev, up bright and early, was anticipating his upcoming day of training. His father,Scipio, was his main source of upbringing and had a loose sense of parenthood at best. He had trained his son in the ways of a bachelor for the past sixteen years, but expected the boy to find his own path in life and to keep his distance when he wasn't in the mood for a youngster to trail him about. This morning, Scipio had already made it clear that today was on of his don't-bug-me-or-else moods and Ze'ev wasn't exactly excited to find out what the 'or else' was. So off he went, trotting through the early grey light of morning in search of another bachelor to train with. He slowed as he spotted a large, stony-colored stallion a short distance off, his dappled coat mimicking the pallid dawn. He recalled the older equine's name in a heartbeat, Varien. A stallion who bore the title of scavenger, the very position that Ze'ev was aiming for. His pace slowed to a standstill and he took a moment or two to gawk at the sizable horse. His hide was flecked here and there with scars Ze'ev imagined he had earned in his raids and adventurous hikes across the Eastern Isle, perhaps others even. His tail was cut short, curling slightly at the end, and somehow reminding Ze'ev of his own unruly locks of mismatched mane and tail. But his achievement of rank wasn't the only reason Ze'ev was interested in the larger equine. All sixtien years of Ze'ev's life, his father had filled his head with the stories and ideas that contrived mares as lesser beings, things to be looked down upon. His impressionable young mind had absorbed it all without question and he had gradually come to despise these underlings his herd called broods. His life had been consumed almost exclusively by an all male infrastructure as he was not even allowed to near the females for fear his mind should be sullied and weakened. So it was to little surprise that his attention should be directed to the only gender he knew and understood. Not one to fall victim to shyness, the appaloosa moved in quickly, skidding to a halt on the dew sodden grass beside the larger stallion. "Hello Varien." he nickered, his voice its ever quiet tenor. "I need someone to help me explore the northern end of the ruins." he explained. Normally, Ze'ev might have just attempted the stunt on his own, but only yesterday he'd had a run-in with a pack of grassbeasts and only survived the encounter on account of his father's help. He figured brining back-up on his mission couldn't hurt, and besides, every scavenger should know the layout of the ruins!
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on May 13, 2015 0:34:22 GMT -5
Varien sighed deeply as he bent his back leg, flicking an ear to dismiss a fly that had landed on him. He was not too intent on harming the fly, or doing much of anything really. He had felt this way for about two months now. He really should have gotten over his horrible, abusive ex-lover, but he just could not. There was too much that they had experienced with each other, how could he forget? Varien had recently chopped lengths of his tail off, trying to remove one of his ex's favorite traits. Varien wanted to rip himself apart simply so that he would not have to think "Oh, he really liked this aspect of myself". It truly was pitiful.
The dappled stallion snorted at his own thoughts, shaking his head. He had duties to perform, and he was not some heartbroken mare. Sure, it hurt, but it never could have worked out between two stallions in the Bachelor herd anyways. It never had, and never would. That did not mean that he could not still partake in promiscuous activities with the various herd members. Thinking about how quickly his previous lover left, Varien felt more enticed to seek out the attention of others. When he was responsive, he was typically either more aggressive and confrontational, or he was extremely flirty. Right now, he felt like exercising the latter. He was distracted, though, when a younger stallion came up to him, his uniquely spotted coat immediately capturing the older stallion's attention. He raised an eyebrow, initially not remembering who he was. As he continued to study him, a wall of recognition hit him. This was one of Bat-Sheva's numerous sons. He must have been one of the older ones, because Varien assumed he could not be younger than fourteen. He realized that the teen had said something, and he had been too busy gawking to respond immediately. He took anoter couple of seconds to think about what he had said before responding.
"Isn't that something you should be doing with your father?" Varien questioned, his head tipping slightly as his ears perked. He quickly ran through names in his head, and felt stupid because of the uniqueness of this youngling's name. How could he have forgotten Ze'ev's name? "Is Scipio much too busy to even pretend like he cares for his son?" Varien's words were sharp and full of contempt.
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Post by corruptpudding on May 14, 2015 17:09:12 GMT -5
Ze'ev's dark dappled ears swiveled back and his dandelion yellow eyes narrowed. Was this stallion ridiculing him? He couldn't help if his father got temperamental. The two might not always get along, what with Scipio's aloof attitude, but he was all he had. He was unaware of his mother's identity and Scipio was always going on about what a foolish creature she was, and so it must be so. After a moment, the teen dropped his initial irritation into a neutral gaze, starring doggedly into the eyes of the sizable stallion in something of a challenge.
"I'm sorry." Ze'ev replied, his tone drawn out and saturated with sarcastic sympathy. He decided now would be a perfect time to test the grounds of his unasserted orientation as well as attempt to gain a temporary mentor. He began a slow, steady circle around the length of his dappled acquaintance. "I see you're in a mood right now." he cooed, eyes alight with fiery unrest. "Perhaps a bit of fresh air would soften your outlook. Accompany me to the ruins?" he persisted, the sarcasm drained from his voice only to be replaced by a troublesome smirk.
He tossed his head, stirring up the mismatched tangle of mane atop his crest and shifting his forelock across his head so that his X scar was partially hidden.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on May 17, 2015 20:41:12 GMT -5
For a split second, Varien almost felt like he had been a little too harsh about the younger male's father. As Ze'ev's expression changed, Varien began to focus a little more intently. It was as if the dark appaloosa's demeanor had changed completely. As his purple eyes followed him, his eyebrow raised. Was this younger stallion suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? That seemed extremely unlikely. Varien could not help but be mildly interested, though, as Ze'ev circled him. His eyes wandered on the other stallion's body, turning his head slightly to follow his movements. A slow smile grew on his face.
"If you insist, Ze'ev," he replied, flicking his tail. All of the body language that the younger was exponentially piquing Varien's interest. What were his intentions? Varien turned to face him, his ears perked. "Is there anything in particular you are searching for in the ruins?" He questioned, walking over to Ze'ev. He stood a bit close to him, brushing his side ever so slightly with his hip. "I'm sure that I can help with whatever it is that you need."
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Post by corruptpudding on May 23, 2015 22:27:22 GMT -5
A wry smile curled across Ze'ev's features. He didn't move away as the larger stallion brushed against him. "I'm certain you can, Varien." He agreed, his tone soft as silk, every word falling with the sinewy grace of a spider's web. "I just need to learn the layout is all." he cooed. "All the twists and turns can be difficult to navigate and the predators lurking within tend to pose a problem to lone horses." He said with a sigh. "Right this way." the young stallion said, flicking his tangled tail.
Ze'ev trotted in the direction of the ruins, picking up into a canter as the two wandered further from the herd. He glanced at the large dappled equine, paying special attention to his companion's reactions as he tossed his head, sending his bi-colored mane into an arc of wind rippled hair. Some horses thought he looked a mess what with all his spots and colors, but personally Ze'ev loved the diversity in his coloration and hoped his companion would take notice. If it turned out his assumptions were wrong, he could always deny his initial intentions as a mere game or perhaps convince the older stallion he was imagining things.
"I couldn't help but notice your recent absences from the herd lately. Have you been trying your luck at solo missions?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on Jun 8, 2015 10:54:50 GMT -5
A single corner of Varien's mouth pulled up in a smirk, and he flicked his tail. "Of course, you can't be too careful when it comes to the city," he replied. The dappled stallion started off at a trot, a little bit after Ze'ev. As the younger stallion moved, Varien could not help but notice the tangle of mane and tail that caught in the wind, revealing more spots hidden along Ze'ev's body. He wondered if this was always how Ze'ev had caught the attention of others. With a wild coloration like that, there was no way that he had not at least tried it a few times. Then the dapple stallion realized he was doing it right then, to him.
Varien sped up to match the darker stallion's pace, each hoof print on the ground met with a loud thud. He had to work a little harder to match pace with Ze'ev, the appaloosa's body built for speed. He cocked an ear to the side at his question, taking a second to mull it over. "I suppose you could say that... I mostly just wanted to be on my own, you see," he finally stated, his tone somewhat defeated. "I used to travel with one equine, and never really anyone else. That did not end well, though, so I figured it would best be done on my own." Varien thought that he sounded ridiculous and naive. He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "I sound like a lovestruck brood. Don't mind me."
Word Count: 252
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Post by corruptpudding on Jun 8, 2015 11:14:32 GMT -5
"Oh no, these ears were meant for listening." Ze'ev encouraged, swiveling his dark dappled ears, though his voice still retained a trace of sarcasm, making it difficult to discern whether or not he meant what he said. "please continue." To be honest, Ze'ev had always found something interesting about the life of a loner. He almost felt oppressed as a herd animal. and in such a militaristic herd, he constantly felt the need to rebel, something that had gotten him in trouble more than once. Following the rules just didn't come naturally to him.
His yellow eyes glanced to the horizon and he saw the dark, crumbling ruins looming against a rapidly nearing rise. They were almost there.
"This...other horse..." he ventured. "Was it a stallion?"
This time his eyes fell away from the horizon and he made a sidelong glance at his dappled companion.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on Jun 10, 2015 15:53:24 GMT -5
Varien did not continue to speak, feeling that his past relations were of no importance. It did not matter if it was a stallion causing his solo excursions, he was still doing them. Besides, relationship issues should not interfere with herd business. And with Varien's ex-lover, it absolutely was. The dappled stallion could hardly think about anything else besides him. He absorbed every waking minute of Varien's thoughts, and sometimes even in his dreams.
He glanced up at the towering, dilapidated buildings ahead of them his eyes drawn to their hulking forms. A flock of birds flew out of one, sending a cascade of debris down over its side. Varien continued to look forward as he answered Ze'ev with a sigh and a nod.
"He is." A stone of apprehension settled in the dapple grey's stomach. Whatever happened next was all up to Ze'ev. The appaloosa stallion could choose to share his biggest secret with anyone, and potentially destroy Varien's life. He could choose to simply live with the knowledge, and be one of the many that housed this secret. Or Ze'ev could take this opportunity as a chance to live a little. The draft glanced over at Ze'ev, a single ear pointed in his direction.
Word Count: 206
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Post by corruptpudding on Jun 10, 2015 19:58:27 GMT -5
Well that settled the matter.
Ze'ev had learned all he needed to know.
Things should go smoothly from here if he handled himself well.
A wry smile snaked across the teen's maw and he leaned a little closer to the large dappled stallion, tilting his head at an angle that diffused both the arrogance of youth and unequaled interest. "His loss." the appaloosa nickered, as it was quite obvious this other stallion wouldn't be returning.
"I don't suppose your looking for a replacement? Your companion obviously wasn't suited for the part if he didn't stick around."
The spotty horse brushed by his acquaintance, a hair's width between them, and continued into the ruins, pausing at the base of a crumbling wall. "No use lingering on the past after all." he continued.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on Jun 10, 2015 22:21:50 GMT -5
Varien turned his full attention to Ze'ev, and he felt his skin prickle ever so slightly. The dappled stallion felt his ears wanting to pin back, and he felt slightly offended by the appaloosa's words. But why? Varien should not have felt the urge to defend his previous lover, and yet, he did. He tried not to continue these feelings, knowing that they were not going to get him anywhere. He was not going to come back for Varien.
The proximity of Ze'ev made the draft shiver. He slowed slightly, distracted by the conflict in his head, and locked his eyes on his companion. With ears perked forward, and his head raised high, Varien flicked his blonde tail and trotted over to the other at the base of the wall. With a lustful gaze, his violet eyes traveled over Ze'ev's body until they met the golden flecks amongst a dark coat. Varien could not help but agree with the younger stallion.
"I would not mind having another to fill his position," he replied, his voice low. "Life is too short to live with regrets."
Word Count: 184
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Post by corruptpudding on Jun 11, 2015 12:20:09 GMT -5
Ze'ev's smirk faded but his yellow eyes still gleamed with a troublesome spark. "Well, might I suggest a new partner?" he asked, his voice soft and intentions clear. He wasn't an easy equine to get along with, but his smooth talking and overconfident charisma could snag him a friend or lover now and then. That is, until, he bored of them and leaped to the next best thing he set eyes on. Ever the finicky persona, Varien had become only his latest interest, but he wasn't about to let him know of his fastidious habits.
This time, Ze'ev didn't walk further into the ruins, leading the larger stallion on, he approached him, nearly nose to nose. "It's a good thing I don't have regrets then." he whispered.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on Jun 11, 2015 15:36:47 GMT -5
Varien knew exactly where Ze'ev's imagination was going, but he figured he might as well play along. He wondered if Ze'ev even knew that many stallions that would be interested in a male's company, and decided that was a conversation for a later date. It was blatantly clear that the appaloosa desired the attention of the dappled Scavenger now, and Varien was not one to disappoint others.
"Who might you suggest?" He questioned, shifting ever so slightly, and allowing his head to lower. As Varien gazed upon Ze'ev from up close, he began to notice small things in his behavior. There was a confidence in the way he stood and hidden in those pale eyes. A trace of something else played around his features, but Varien could not quite place it. Something about Ze'ev's expression almost made Varien hesitate. Almost made him withdraw. A hint of danger rested on the younger appaloosa's lips and in the lids of his eyes.
The dapple grey ignored these signs, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "That may change." Was all he said about the other half of what Ze'ev said. It was amazing how much a few years could change someone. Varien didn't want to think about it.
Word Count: 209
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Post by corruptpudding on Jun 11, 2015 23:09:59 GMT -5
"Oh...let me see..." Ze'ev drawled, rolling his eyes in mock consideration. "He's covered in spots, has the pretties yellow eyes, and is devilishly charming. Know anyone who fits that description?" he asked innocently. His pale gaze drifted down his companion's neck and side, eyeing the grey dapples. He had a few faint dapples of his own, but not so obviously displayed as the other scavenger's.
The young stallion nearly scoffed at Varien's suggestion. Regrets. Those were for the indecisive. The timid. The horses who dwelt to often on their past. Instead he responded to the large scavenger's words with a faint smile and toss of his head, sending his messy mane in a frenzy. "Are you interested or not?" he asked, adding a playful note in his quiet voice. "All this talk of past regrets and possible future regrets is giving me a headache. Live a little in the presence." He snickered, boldly stretching his long neck and nipping at a lock of Varien's short white mane.
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swaggalatte
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Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Post by swaggalatte on Jun 15, 2015 20:43:05 GMT -5
Varien chuckled quietly at Ze'ev's flirtatiousness, and found it rather amusing. Young and bold... Although, Varien did not have much right to say something like that, being that he was not actually all that much older than the appaloosa before him. No matter, a few years could still really change someone's outlook on things. That cocky, dust in the wind behavior tended to wear relatively quickly in the Bachelor herd, especially if you followed the path that Varien was walking. He had to be extremely cautious with everything that he did. Any slip ups, and he would be wearing the diamond scars for life.
Varien's ears flicked back slightly, but then back forward. He was beginning to recognize the trait that displayed itself on the young stallion's features. Narcissism. Ze'ev knew that he could have anyone he wished, all with a toss of that wild, tri-colored mane. With the fluttering of an eye, the appaloosa could win anyone. Varien knew that the younger stallion was manipulating him, but he could not help but be attracted. As he watched the other, Varien made his decision. "Just for future reference, Ze'ev," he replied, flicking his tail and nuzzling along the crest of the bay's neck. "Sometimes the past can teach you things. So I would not suggest leaving everything behind." During the last sentence, Varien's nose had shifted to Ze'ev's ear, and become deeper and huskier, trying to suggest a double meaning within the words. When he pulled back enough that Ze'ev could see his face, Varien threw him a wink.
Word count: 259
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Post by corruptpudding on Jun 16, 2015 10:36:36 GMT -5
Ze'ev reveled in the attention and touch of Varien, returning the favor with a grateful nicker and nuzzling along his crest. He liked to think he was tall, nearing 16 hh, but such hopes were nothing compared to Varien's height. He was rather disappointed when his companion pulled away. The appaloosa's faint smile grew into something shiftier upon the dappled scavenger's words. "We'll see." was all he said. Then he leaned forward again, nibbling the white locks of mane he could reach and pressing himself against his newfound 'friend'. He wouldn't outright make a scene and risk exposing himself and Varien for what they were, but he wasn't the most careful stallion at this age either. He might let slip a flirty phrase or two in public now and then, but little beyond that. Most important, he thought, would be to keep his...relationship... a secret from his father. It was doubtful the dark elite would approve, though, Ze'ev sometimes wondered why he was Scipio's only child.
(I can't handle real explicit scenes beyond pony kisses and nuzzles xD so I suppose we could just put the rest to presumption if that's ok? Should we do another with the two hanging out or just a last one to show how it all ended?)
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