by Manx » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:13 am
Dadrika stood with her neck proudly arched, looking down at the valley below as the sun slowly crept into the skies. By anyone's standards, the valley of Eytherae was a stunning sight. But at dawn, the sun touched the mountains in such a way that they shone, bathing the valley below in the purest of light. The waters sparkled with the light, reflecting it in dazzling ways upon the stirring Nalas herd that called this valley home. It was a spectacular sight, that truly showed the peace and tranquility this place could possess. This habit of waking to watch the sun rise had begun when Dadrika was merely a foal, and now, she made a point to awake each and every morning to gaze upon the valley as the sun made it's slow ascent into the sky, chasing away the darkness of the night. Heaving a sigh, Dadrika gazed out at the valley, her home, standing as a light breeze gently fidgeted with her golden mane. Her eyes followed the ascent of the sun, and movement below informed her that some of the herd had now awoken. Stallions mostly, she assumed. They were normally the first to wake, especially the youngsters, always eager to begin their training. Dadrika gave a small snort of annoyance. In their herd, mares were never given the true opportunity to live up to their potential. They were expected to be little more than mothers and caretakers, rarely given the title of warrior or scout, as the stallions did. Even if they were granted the title, the stallions rarely respected the mares. It was a constant battle to try and win the respect of the stallions, to be seen as an equal, and one that was rarely won. It was, at best, infuriating and unfair.
"Lost in thought again, are we, Sun Chaser?" called out a teasing voice, pulling Dadrika from her thoughts. Dadrika didn't bother turning, knowing very well who it was. The nick name 'Sun Chaser' came from her tendency to watch the sun each and every morning, and it was a name she allowed few to call her. "Good morning, Enda," Dadrika grinned, glancing at her friend from the corner of her eye. Amongst the herd, it was quite a well known fact that there were very few Dadrika got along with. The stallions were always too narcissistic and conceited, while the mares were normally too compliant and without ambition. So, she was forced to look outside her own species for companionship. Enda was a male golden eagle, and was her closet friend. He was one of the few that supported her dreams and ambitions, and one that stood by her, always. They were an odd duo, but neither had any care for what others thought. Dadrika had first met Enda one morning, much like the one that day. Over time, a bond of friendship was struck. It became custom to meet every morning, if simply to sit in silence in each other's presence.
"You should be going soon, you know," Enda remarked, shuffling slightly and bending his head to preen his ruffled feathers. The sun had now topped the mountains, and below, most of the herd was now awake. "I know..." she sighed, dropping her head. "Another day of being ridiculed by those hot-headed stallions and learning how to take care of the elven gardens; sounds fantastic," Dadrika added sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Part of the reason she escaped to this mountain look out each day was to escape from the reality below. Of course, hiding can only protect you so long until you must once again return to the world of reality. Such was the dilemma Dadrika was faced with each day, and each day she was forced to descend the mountain again, and hold her tongue as the other stallions her age were taught the basics needed in order to defend her herd. One day, they would be the defenders, the saviors, of the herd, and earn the respect of all the Nalas, with the other mares going weak in the knee to be near one of the so called champions. The very thought was enough to make her gag! "If anyone's got a shot at becoming a warrior, it's you, you know," Enda said quietly, seemingly reading her thoughts. Dadrika turned with a smile towards her friend, gently nudging him with her muzzle. "Hey, watch it!" Enda cried in mock distress, making an exaggerated fall off his rocky perch. Dadrika grinned, dipping her head to look the eagle in the eye. "I'll see you around, Enda," Dadrika said, then turned to begin threading her way down the mountain side.
~~~
An arrow cut through the air, hitting it's mark with a soft twang that resounded through the otherwise silent forest. Angrily, it's owner strung her bow once again, hitting her mark for a second time. Aaliyah glared at the target one last time, slowly steadying her breath. The elves certainly had a way in holding on to old values, never leaving room for new change and growth. Women shouldn't learn to fight, was what it came down to. Apparently, the place for females was in the gardens and at home, tending to the flowers and the children. Everyone expected you to rely on the men for protection, all the while doing what were deemed a woman's duty. Flushing with anger, Aaliyah nocked yet another arrow, sending it flying towards it's target. She was luckier than most, at least. Her parents weren't completely submersed in old values, and allowed her to at least learn how to use a bow and arrow. The same could not be said for many others her age... Aaliyah allowed her hand to drop now, leaning against a nearby tree for support. It was tiring, and infuriating, always being told you could never do something. True, she was not as strong as some of the males her age, but she was faster, possessed a quicker wit than most of them, and her aim was impeccable. Surely that should count for something?
Aaliyah sighed now, looking at the sun dappled forest around her. She always escaped here, simply to think, when things at home simply became too unbearable. Knitting and gardening; those were the things she was taught at home. Perhaps they could be useful things, but the boys were all off training, learning to fight. It was true that they hadn't suffered any attacks in years, but the village continued to maintain an army. Most of those who trained were also attempting to attract the attention of a Nalas stallion, in hopes that they may be honoured in becoming one of the few warriors allowed to ride such as creature. She sighed again, thinking of the Nalas. A few of the warriors in her village rode them, and there was no doubt that they truly were magnificent creatures. Of course, it was normally the males who were given the honour of riding them... The stallions often chose warriors that complimented their own personalities and skills. The only other ones who occasionally were chosen were those who tended the gardens. Nalas were quite skilled with tending to plants, and sometimes a mare would choose a fellow garden tender as a companion. Although Aaliyah dearly wished to become a rider of such a creature, that was not the life she was willing to live. Sighing, Aaliyah laid her bow across her shoulder and began the walk home, knowing her family would be growing worried if she was out too long...
~~~
"Well, good morning to you, Sun Chaser. Nice of you to join us," sneered a voice as Dadrika delicately stepped from the last rock onto the valley ground. She very nearly winced hearing the familiar voice; he had been precisely the one she had been hoping to avoid. A fiery red chestnut stallion by the name of Cadmar, he was considered by most of the herd to be a valiant and promising fighter. Though barely older than herself, he stood at exactly eighteen hands high, making him a formidable presence. Even his name was daunting, meaning 'brave warrior'. From what she had heard, he was an impressive fighter, but the rumors did little to impress her. The fact was, he was arrogant, conceited, and was completely and utterly stuck to the old ways. In his mind, mares had no purpose as being fighters and scouts, and if he had his way, none would ever be able to join the ranks of the stallions. That alone was enough to flame Dadrika's temper, but it was not the only reason she despised him. Most of the herd knew that Dadrika had little interest in the roles normally given to the mares, and that her true goal was to prove herself. Few had faith in the little mare, but rarely did anyone actually object to her dreams; the exception being Cadmar. Oh no, he had to flaunt his success in training whenever it was possible, taunting her with the future that thus far, she had been denied.
Suppressing a sharp retort, Dadrika turned to face the stallion. She refused to correct him about her nick name. Although she hated when he used it, admitting this would only bring the stallion pleasure, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. "Good morning to you as well, Cadmar," Dadrika replied sweetly, keeping the venom from her voice. "Off to training this morning, I assume?" Dadrika strode purposefully forward, hoping to wrap up this conversation as quickly as possible. If anyone could get on her nerves, it was Cadmar, and she had no intentions of showing him precisely how much his very presence irked her. "Indeed I am," Cadmar replied smugly, unable to keep the pride from his voice. "Well then, do be careful," Dadrika replied, her voice deceptively sweet. "After all, we'd all hate to see something unfortunate happen to you." Cadmar offered no reply to this comment, though his face darkened. Judging the conversation to be over, Dadrika quickly trotted away, in case he happened to come up with some witty reply. His strength didn't exactly lie with wit, so it was highly unlikely, but Dadrika still didn't want to take the chance. Pushing the thoughts of Cadmar away, she pricked her ears as she trotted, keeping alert for some of the other mares. Most of the Nalas in her herd had now scattered from their normal sleeping places, and now were spaced out across the valley and forest, a good deal of them cropping grass. Most of the other younger mares stuck together, often staying close to the treeline. With this in mind, Dadrika continued forward, eyes flicking along the forest to watch for movement...
~~~
Aaliyah listened intently as one of the elders droned on about the different medicinal properties of various herbs. Learning about nature was one of the few lessons she didn't dread. It was also one of the few lessons both genders were required to attend. After all, there was very little point in becoming a great warrior, if you were to die simply by mistaking a deadly nightshade berry for something else. To say the least, most were less than ecstatic about having to attend. Many had already grown weary of the lecture, and soft whispering could be heard behind her. Aaliyah frowned at this. One would think that those so close to adulthood would be able to behave appropriately, with respect. Obviously, that was not the case. Ignoring the interruptions, Aaliyah focused her full attention on the elder once more, who was now explaining the value of mint plants. Aaliyah listened carefully, taking note of the characteristics he pointed out, and absorbing all the information thrown her way. Biology was certainly one area she had no problem learning. Plants and animals had always captivated her, and so learning about it was rather interesting. It was one thing that she found useful in daily life, and that could honestly serve a valuable purpose. If a warrior wasn't her future, then certainly a healer was. Though many would say that those professions were complete opposites, as one served to heal while the other wound, Aaliyah argued differently. She saw each as equals, as the plants healers used could be just as deadly as a sword or arrow. Healers held just as much choice over taking or giving a life as a warrior did. In many ways, they also defended the village. Perhaps not against invading enemies, but they did prevent disease and infection, which could be just as catastrophic should it be allowed to spread.
With a raise of his hand, the elder came to the end of his speech. It signaled the end of the learning session, and so they would be allowed to do what they wished for the rest of the day. Aaliyah scrambled to her feet, intending to spend the rest of the day in the forest. Perhaps she would go in search of herbs; the healers were always looking for more, but they didn't always have time to go out in search of them throughout the day. Besides, that would take her near the river, not far from the valley of Eytherae, home of the Nalas. Although she never dared navigate the forest in the valley itself, it always satisfied her imagination to walk near the border. It was a ways out, but near the river it was always calm and beautiful. The herbs were plentiful there, and often untouched, as very few would make the trek out there simply to gather some herbs. Happy with her decision, Aaliyah turned to find most of the others had already dispersed, which suited her fine. She had no intention of hanging around with them, anyway. Most of the boys would probably be off practicing their sword fighting, and who knew where the girls would be. Perhaps in the kitchens, working alongside their mothers. Moving off towards her own home, Aaliyah paused for only a moment to grab her bow and quiver. Hoisting it onto her shoulder, she jogged towards the forest, happy to be off once again...
~~~
"Enda!" Dadrika whinnied, turning in a circle and eyeing the sky. "Where is that bird?" she muttered under her breath, eyeing the sky and calling his name once again. He always did seem to have a knack of not showing up when she was actually in need of him. Pawing the ground in frustration, she turned sharply and trotted into the forest surrounding the valley of Eytherae. If he wasn't around the valley skies, he would most likely be perched among the trees. He rarely went too far, so it was unlikely it would take long to find him. As she trotted onward, Dadrika allowed her thoughts to wander back to earlier that day, and her mood soured at the memories. After she had descended from the mountain and escaped her encounter with Cadmar, it hadn't taken long to find the others mares. From there, she had spent the remainder of the morning with the other young mares, learning about the tending of gardens. Although Dadrika did enjoy plants and learning about their useful properties, there was only so much gardening she could take. Perhaps the Nalas did play an important role in tending to the gardens, but it was only interesting for so long. The same task, every day, was enough to drive her mad. Without excitement, how on earth could she actually enjoy what she was doing? Dadrika shook her head, unable to understand how some of the older mares did it. Movement suddenly caught her attention, wrenching her from her thoughts. "Enda!" she called, and the eagle looked up from his preening. "Good afternoon, Dadrika," Enda replied, looking down from his perch. "I'm off for some exploring, do you want to come?" Dadrika nickered back, pawing the ground. She had waited a good deal of the morning for this, and couldn't wait to be off. "Do I have a choice in the matter?" Enda sighed in return. "No, no you don't; you're coming along whether you want to or not. I'll climb that tree if I have to," Dadrika grinned, taking a step forward. "I'd like to see that," Enda smirked, but compliantly opened his wings to follow her.
Dadrika gleefully leaped away as Enda spread his wings, taking to the sky. Grinning up at the sky, she urged herself into a full gallop, until she was thundering full pelt through the forest. The sun dappled her golden coat, and she threw her head back, feeling the wind rush through her mane. Racing through the forest and dodging the densely growing trees always filled her with a rush of a adrenaline, and she absolutely loved the feeling. Perhaps it was not the adventure and excitement she had always dreamed of, but it was something. Much better than learning about gardening, at the very least. Above, Enda kept pace with her, never wavering far from her path. "How far are you planning on going today?" Dadrika heard Enda call down faintly, the wind whipping his words away. "Farther than we've gone before!" Dadrika called back, but if he heard, Enda didn't reply. Dadrika kept the swift pace up for as long as she could, before finally slowing to a brisk walk. Her sides heaved as she strained to regain her breath, but joy still welled inside her. Few things could beat a gallop through the forest. Grinning, she watched as Enda descended from the sky and alighted on a branch a little ways in front of her. "We're pretty far out; I've never been here before," Enda said nervously, shuffling his wings. "That's sort of the point of exploring," Dadrika huffed. "Besides, what are you worried about? You can fly, and I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Very few things would take on a fully grown Nalas." Enda shuffled again, not at all comforted by her words. "Direwolves," he suggested, his eyes flicking around the forest. "Oh, please," Dadrika snorted. "Direwolves haven't been seen in these parts for years; since well before I was born. Even if some still live, I highly doubt they'd come within a hundred kilometres of Eytherae. They learned that lesson the hard way years ago."
"It's never good to be cocky; a lesson, I do believe, the Nalas stallions learned a number of years ago, as well," Enda countered, flying just above her head as Dadrika continued on. "Look," Dadrika sighed. "I'm not going much farther. And besides, although I've never been in this particular place, I still know where we are. We're not far from the Elven city, and there are quite a few Nalas bonded to the elves residing there. If something were to happen, to either of us, the other could always go down there to fetch help, alright? Now let's get going." Enda offered no argument, but it was obvious he still was not happy about being so far from the valley of Eytherae. Dadrika forged on, ignoring her friend's reluctance. Before walking far though, a sudden rustling caught her attention. Above, Enda let out a strained screech of warning. Lowering her head curiously, Dadrika watched as a grey rabbit streaked out from the foliage, bounding away into the forest. "Would you look at that; a killer rabbit!" Dadrika teased, looking up at her now sheepish friend. "Would you just relax? I swear we won't go much farther; I just want to take a look around. I never get to go far out of the valley." Enda once again made no reply, probably still embarrassed about the rabbit. Dadrika sighed, but carried on, taking a look around her as she walked. It wasn't much different than the rest of the forest; the same broad-leafed deciduous trees and the same soft moss growing underfoot. All the same, it was beautiful and calming to walk through. Well, for her anyway, Dadrika thought as she glanced up at her anxious friend. An unexpected scent suddenly caught her attention, and she turned curiously. The sound of rushing water informed her she was near a river, and the scent seemed to be coming from that direction. It seemed vaguely familiar, but she continued onward, finally poking her head from between a group of bushes...
~~~
Aaliyah carefully cleaned her bow, taking care to dry the wood, lest the water warp it. It was without a doubt of her most cherished possessions. That, and the necklace with a golden trinity charm that hung around her neck. The charm had been a gift from her grandmother before she had passed away, and Aaliyah had kept it by her ever since. The exact meaning of the symbol was quite vague, and it seemed everyone Aaliyah had ever asked had a different opinion on it. To her, though, it had always stood for a bond, that provided strength, harmony, and magic; one for each of the charm's three tips. Woven together, they were a powerful force, that could stand the test of time. At least, that what's her grandmother had always said. Smiling at the memory, Aaliyah brushed her fingers tips over the charm, before once again turning her attention to her bow. Satisfied it was clean, Aaliyah checked once more in the satchel by her side. As she had expected, the river side had provided plenty of herbs, all untouched and ripe to pick. She had focused mostly on picking those that the healers were rarely able to find closer to the city, as well as those they almost always seemed low on. Contented with the amount she had been able to find, Aaliyah leaned back fully onto the lush grass, eyes searching the sky. The lowering sun informed her it was now getting late into the afternoon, but she could still spare a bit of time here and still get back before dark. With the gentle sound of water rushing by, Aaliyah found herself relaxing as she gazed at the clouds lazily floating in the azure sky. The startled cry of an eagle suddenly cut through the air, disturbing her peace. Nervously, Aaliyah glanced around the forest. Eagles were not an uncommon sight here, but the panic-stricken cry had startled her. Anxiously shifting, Aaliyah raised herself into a sitting position. A rustling noise caused her to look around suddenly, and she found herself gazing into two golden eyes...
~~~
An elf; that is what she had smelled. Dadrika blinked in surprised as she gazed down at the girl, who seemed quite startled at her sudden appearance. That would explain why the scent had been so familiar. Although she had never actually come face to face to one herself, many others of her herd had bonded to elves, and the scent of their riders could often be found on them. She cocked her head slightly as she gazed at the girl, taking in her features. She certainly resembled the many descriptions of elves she had heard from the older mares and stallions. Her skin was fairly dark, suggesting that she had spent a good amount of time outdoors, and her light brown hair nearly fell to her waist. Wide green eyes stared incredulously up to meet Dadrika's, seeming to be awestruck from her sudden appearance. Slightly embarrassed from the attention the girl was giving her, Dadrika stepped fully out of the bushes, keeping her head low to gaze at the girl as she stood over her. The elf suddenly seemed to wake from her shock, and flushed as she looked up at Dadrika. "H-hello," she stammered quietly, still gazing up at the mare. Dadrika relaxed as she found she recognized the language. Although it was not her own, Nalas had always been known for their knack at picking up languages, and the elven language was no different. "Hello, I'm Dadrika," Dadrika responded bluntly, ears pricked now as she down at the girl. Never having a had a chance to meet an elf before, already Dadrika was itching ask questions. Above, a soft rustling notified her that Enda had finally caught up, and he alighted gently onto her withers, gripping her mane to steady himself. Dadrika flicked her ear, but didn't bother to turn back to gaze at her friend; she was far more interested in the elven girl before her. She appeared to be recovering from her shock now, and cleared her throat as she gazed up at the two. "I'm Aaliyah, pleasure to meet you," she replied, raising herself to her feet.
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...ιη тнє ℓιgнт σƒ ∂αу
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