[Western Hills] Gallops and Drunkards (Stigandr & Kalila)

[Andalusia]

OOCThe thread begins at the Pig's Foot tavern, but later on will continue and remain at the Western Hills. Sunberth - Pig's Foot Tavern 14th of Spring, 512 AV The Pig's Foot Tavern had already wound its way around Andalusia's heart, the same way it served as the center of Sunberth - seemingly a haven of sorts. To her, the tavern has become sort of like a second home to her, looking just as warm and welcoming as it was before the storm. There were still a couple of mounds of rubble here and there, with parts of the roof dripping, puddles of rainwater peppering the floor, and the interior feeling cooler, damper than usual. It still felt homey to her. She took much more confident steps into the tavern, having left her horse tied outside once more. The door was left ajar the entire time, anyway, and a few windows remained broken and shattered. It will be easy to shoot whoever plans to take her Leopardbred. It was early in the afternoon, and so the area had only a few patrons, drinking lightly, their voices hushed and soft, as if they'd just woken up. They probably just did. She took to her usual spot at the bar, a little bit to the side, on a stool. Dante had followed her in, his body going right under her chair. She and Kalila had planned to go out drinking, and the two decided that the tavern would be their meeting spot. They'd purchase some ale, take it out and go up the hills and drink their sorrows away, not that they had any in particular. Well, Andalusia did, but she had no idea about Kalila. Nonetheless, the girl had nothing to really drink away, but the company of a friend was never something she'd turn down. And so she waited, manteau around her shoulders, hair strewn around her shoulders and back, eyes twinkling with excitement.

[Sahashkalila]

It was actually a rather lovely day as Kalila made her way to the Pig's Foot Tavern, her spirits high. She was meeting Andalusia there for a day of drinking and relaxation, well, Andalusia would be drinking. Kalila did not like the ale the inn had offered, and so she had packed her travel bag with a waterskin full of tea that she had brewed that morning along with her mug and a few foodstuffs so the two could have an enjoyable afternoon. She did not normally drink alcohol, even though she did enjoy finer wines and meads, but alcohol made tongues wag and that had gotten her into trouble a time or two. So she had brewed the tea and placed it in her waterskin, not wanting to make a slip up in front of her new found friend.

She was actually even more pleased that she was able to find the tavern on her own, a smile appearing behind her veil as she saw the swinging sign in front of the building. She ignored the few drunks that were rambling outside of the tavern, noting that Andalusia was already here since her horse was tethered outside, and she stepped inside the open door, looking around for the huntress. She spotted her in her usual spot, along with her dog, and she headed towards her, not paying attention to anyone else that was in the tavern this early. They were beneath her notice.

"Hello Andalussia,"she said in greeting as she got closer to her friend, inclining her head to her. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting long, I wass ssurprissed that I wass able to find the tavern on my own." She let out a small laugh and climbed into one of the barstools, adjusting the pack on her back.

[Andalusia]

Andalusia's face lit up, her eyes perking at the sight of the Dhani. "Hello," she replied with a nod, "I actually, just got here." She turned and called out for a barmaid, but stopped as she caught a whiff of an unusual scent. Dante lifted his drowsy head up from underneath the barstool and barked at Kalila's waterskin. She was about to take note of that the woman spoke with less of a lisp today, but instead inquired about the aroma. "What's that?" she pointed at Kalila's waterskin, her finger poking and prodding at it, noticing that it was very warm. "Soup?" she looked at the Dhani innocently. She also smelled quite a bit of an assortment of food from Kalila, but was more interested in the unknown liquid she had. "Too sweet," she said, and then remembered those mornings with her father and uncle, with the sweet biscuits. What was it again? "Ah, t-tea?" she raised her eyebrows and examined the waterskin, as if it had all the answers. "I haven't had any in the longest time," she giggled. Dante barked twice in agreement. The dog had grown a little more accustomed to Kalila - she was less of a threat, but her aura set him off so easily. The Luvanor remained distant from the woman, and that was enough for him. "Would you like to have that instead?" Andalusia suggested, turning to the side as if she were prepared to leave already. "Alcohol is for groups, i-in my opinion, and we're simply two people, perhaps... tea is better?" she assumed that Kalila wasn't a fan of the bitter things, given that she had brought her own drink. Andalusia would never admit it to anybody, but she was incredibly huge fan of consuming alcohol, and if she could only take it, she'd drink every day. Intoxication was addicting, but Dante and Howlite would never let her have it, making a ruckus whenever she'd try more than one bottle of ale. "We could have it in the fields, the western hills! I-If, if you want to... It's peaceful, there," she added.

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila watched her friend's strange interaction with her dog with fascination, not understanding what exactly was going on between the two. She assumed that there were things about Andalusia that she did not quite understand, but she did not want to ask things that weren't her business so she remained quiet, watching the interaction with an amused smile. As the woman poked at the warm waterskin, Kalila shifted it against her side, chuckling a bit.

"Yesss it iss tea. I'm afraid I don't really care for ale ass much ass I thought and sso I made tea,"she said softly, getting down from the stool. "I ussually didn't conssume sspiritss in the desssert, preferring tea and coffee if I wanted ssomething bessidess water. It kept me....hydrated?" She stumbled over the word a bit, some of the words in Common still confused her at times. It was not her first language and so she could not always remember the proper terms at times, even though she always tried to be articulate.

"But do not let my preferencesss deter you from having a drink,"she said hastily, not wanting her new friend to think that she didn't want her to drink. "I just haven't gotten usssed to the taste." She smiled, the skin around her eyes crinkling as she looked up at the taller woman. "And going to the hillsss ssoundss lovely....I misss the wildsss."

[Stigandr]

14th of Spring, 512 A.V. Stigandr stood in the hills, the city still within site so he could easily make it back quickly. The ground under his feet feels great, the air blowing through his hair and over his skin is a wonderful sensation but not what he truly wanted to feel. Casting his eyes around, scanning the horizon and listening to make no one was near, he removed his shirt and pants, dropping them on top of his sandals next to his feet. Smiling, he closed his eyes, unwrapping his left hand's bandage and dropping it also, kicking it under his clothes. Checking one last time, he scanned the horizon, then closed his eyes, his human form disappearing into a swirl of lights and clouds, then reforming into a solid black horse with a white diamond patch on his forehead. Shaking his head and throwing his mane around, feeling the hair of it brush either side of his neck before settling down the right side of it. Stamping his hooves on the ground a few times, feeling the earth under the weight of his true-at-heart form, he takes off at a trot, slowly increasing the speed at which his strong legs carry him until he is at full gallop. The rhythmic clop, clop of his hooves traveling the earth is music to his ears, his muscles moving along his body to carry him faster, each push of his legs kicking up more earth beneath him.

[Andalusia]

Sunberth - Western Hills It was another delightful day out in the fields. Compared to the dank mustiness of Sunberth, the fields and forests outside were a beautiful bright green, mixed with other earth tones, and the occasional bright reds, blues, purples and yellows. Andalusia was absolutely fond of the brilliant array of little wild flowers that peppered the hills, occasionally mending some into her curls whenever she had the time to. Barely a cloud in sight, the sky could as well be the sea, so incredibly bright and blue, and the sun a beautiful golden fish. Andalusia took in the sweet scent that filled the air, a mesmerizing mix of field flowers, swaying grass, forest trees, and the little hint of sea salt. Paired with the soft, gentle breeze that occasionally blew across them, causing her hair to billow along with her beige-colored manteau. She took small, slow strides next to Kalila, Howlite on her other side. Dante trotted cautiously behind them, sniffing about to ensure that they were safe. Words could not be uttered, for they were deafened by the sounds of the birds chirping up conversations with one another. A simple kind of blissfulness. "This looks like a good spot," Andalusia stopped on the top of a little green hill, letting go of Howlite so he could wander and graze. Dante followed the Leopardbred about, not comfortable with staying too close to Kalila. In the distance, a dark, beautiful horse wandered the fields. Howlite and Dante approached him with wonder.

[Sahashkalila]

It was a beautiful day out, and Kalila hadn't realized how much she had missed being in the wilds as she walked with Andalusia out into the open hills, the breeze ruffling her robes. She supposed she was still a nomad at heart, never having lost her wandering spirit ever since she settled down in this city, and so it was nice to be able to be out and about in nature once again. She was a snake, and she would always feel more at ease in the wilds. She stopped along with Andalusia at the top of a small hill and watched as her horse and dog wandered off to explore, noticing a dark black stallion galloping in the distance. He was gorgeous to say the least, and Kalila had always wanted to at least pet a horse.....but animals did not like her and that always saddened her a bit.

She moved to sit down gracefully atop the hill, removing her pack and waterskin to place them gently on the grass. "Thisss iss lovely Andalussia, I have greatly misssed the wildss,"she said with a content sigh, reaching up to remove her veil and let her hair tumble down her back, the breeze moving through it. She stayed silent for a few moments, watching the animals interact with the black stallion while she got comfortable. "That horsse is quite beautiful,"she said to Andalusia, sure that she had seen it as well.

[Stigandr]

Stigandr was enjoying the feeling of the wind still when he noticed two figures approaching him with two more further behind them still. Slowing his gallop slowly to stand, he turned his black body perpendicular to them, watching them with cautious eyes. His body tensed up, every muscle and tendon on edge suddenly to fight as he made out the shape of the threats approaching him. The spotted horse, who seemed fascinated in part with him, was not a concern. It was the dog with her that has Stigandr's front hooves now gently stomping the ground under them, flattening the grass out and indenting the earth a couple of inches. He saw the dog as a predator, one that would attack him since he was considered a "prey" animal. Though the company of the horse with him confused him, but instead of putting him to ease, caused distrust against the horse as well. Turning and charging towards them several yards and sliding to a stop, he reared up and neighed loudly, his mane and tails falling out back behind him. Looking towards the pair, he neighed again, communicating with the newcomer horse, telling her that she and her companion should stop now and keep their distance. To re-enforce his point, Stigandr charged again towards them, coming to a halt a few yard later, putting him close enough to the dog and horse to see the two humanoid shapes behind them sitting down on a hill, appearing to watch the dog and wolf. With no one else around, it seemed that these two animals belonged to these two humans, making them a threat as well.

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila watched the animals exchange greetings with interest, seeing that things didn't look like they were going well at all. Kalila watched them growning a bit concerned as she watched the exchange, the wild stallion seeming like he didn't appreciate having anyone around and Kalila grew nervous, shifting as she sat in the grass. Kalila wasn't very good with animals, unless she was hunting them, and they didn't seem to like her at all....perhaps she gave off her Dhani scent or something, she would never know.

"He seemsss upsset Andalussia.....and I am not the besst with animals,"she said hesitantly, getting up to stand next to her friend, her body strung with tension. "You sseem to have a connection with them, perhapss you sshould calm him down? He might would lissten to you." Kalila may not have been good with animals herself, but she knew that Andalusia would be able to figure out what was troubling this stallion. They had no intention of harming him.

[Andalusia]

Andalusia prepared to plop down next to Kalila, kneeling onto the grass as the woman began to remove her veil. A whimsical smile grew upon the girl's face at the sight of the Dhani - her beauty was an entirely different and eccentric kind indeed, one that deserved a lot more appreciation. "Yes, it's quite nice," she replied softly. She turned to watch Howlite and Dante trot over to a large black stallion not too far away, her smile widening. "Making friends," she mumbled, almost inaudibly. But as the stallion stomped angrily at the pair, her smile immediately faded, her eyes darkening and her brows knit with alarm.

"He seemsss upsset Andalussia.....and I am not the besst with animals," she heard Kalila say, but she merely nodded in response, her eyes focused onto the trio of animals, observing carefully their every move. She barely even heard what else the Dhani remarked as she gingerly rose from her kneeling position, placing a comforting hand on Kalila's shoulders before taking off cautiously.

"We mean no harm," Howlite seemed to say, the Leopardbred moved backwards slowly, emitting light neighs as the stallion urged them to stay away. Dante made a little whimper of surprise; the Luvanor had never been treated that way by another animal, especially a horse. Howlite was his best friend. Nonetheless, the dog moved back just the same, pawing the floor in front of the horse. There was something about this stallion that reminded them of a certain Lusa, and perhaps he needed help.

Andalusia made soft cooing noises, almost like a whistling bird call, and the pair of animals turned their heads towards her. They immediately turned around and approached her. "Who's your friend?" she asked the two, but they seemed to shake their heads, giving her disapproving grunts. "Hello," she turned towards the stallion with a warm smile. "Are you lost, does anyone own you?" she look about the fields, but only saw a small mound of clothing, worn and seemingly abandoned, left on the grassy floor. Andalusia furrowed her brows in confusion. "Strange, someone left a--" she stopped herself, realizing that a Kelvic may be about, and it may even be the stallion. She turn to the dark creature, a little stunned, but smiled once more. She brought her hands out slowly, so as not to startle the creature, "Come now, I won't hurt you..."