[IC] =Meeki's Teepee=

[Epine de Rose]

"Destiny?" He took a few moments to consider this before giving a slight nod as though in agreement with the observation, "Perhaps that is so, however on occasions I dearly wish she would have been male for I might have been able to relate to her with a little more ease." He pointed out, indicating that even though she might have been an animal, her feminine charms were almost identical to that of a human and thus...terribly confusing to him.

"As for your reference to others," He frowned and shook his head a little before taking another sip from the waterskin, "What do you mean by 'mean'?" He enquired curiously, for he hadn't met a volatile stallion before as far as he could remember.

---

"She is really that competitive?" Yei seemed rather taken aback by the determination of the cub and couldn't help but gaze down at the ground briefly in shock, nevertheless there was a part of her that pointed out (with some logic in mind) that the lion would have to learn to lose eventually, it would help build character to say the least.

"Well tarnishing our records is something we all must deal with." She mused at last before releasing a sigh and keeping her ears perked for any 'foreign' sounds, "Chasing her out would also be quite simple..." She gave him a coy smile and seemed to look him up and down.

"As for why I'm here...I find it easier to trek through the forested paths up to my home in the mountains but that isn't the point -" She cut herself off suddenly and turned her gaze back towards him as though in thought.

"How are your acting skills?" She enquired finally.  

[Meeki]

Meeki bit her bottom lip and wondered how she could explain it. She hadn't seen the soquili actually be mean too much but they had that aura and way about them all the same. "Well, there's this black stallion with blood red eyes, hair and horn that seems the worst of the lot. I've seen him snort and stomp around other males as well as females if he felt they were too close. He just has this dark way about him. The other one is a mare and she likes to headbutt people. At first I thought it might have just been rough play but she is not doing it to play. I just don't think she likes people much."

Meeki sighed softly. She found them both to be gorgeous animals but hard to earn the trust and friendship of. "I have not seen much of the darker one lately, though. He seems to have wandered off for the time being."

---

"I think it's because she lost so much when she was younger. Her father was killed by a hunter before she was born and her mother by one soon after. I guess she just strives to be the best at everything she learns. Hiding is one of those things." Whisper decided not to mention his own parents dying due to the fact he did not know this Soquili and really didn't want any sympathy or pity that was the usual response.

"Chasing her out might work.. unless she's in a tree." Whisper instinctively looked up to scan the trees around him before turning back to the mare. "Acting? I guess.. I've never tried to know. Say, what do you have in mind?" Whisper thought the mare might make a fine friend once he got to know her better. "My name is Whisper. Can I ask what yours is?"  

[Meeki]

Echo sat on a branch in a tree watching Whisper and the mare walk by below, whispering to one another. She had been following them for a bit now, jumping from branch to branch quietly. She couldn't make out what was being said exactly but was sure her name was mentioned more than once.

Had Whisper abandoned their game for a.. a female? She continued watching until they had gotten a bit ahead before pouncing gracefully and quietly to the next tree.  

[Epine de Rose]

"I see." He understood what she was trying to say despite her lack of eloquence and pushed the matter no further in relation to descriptions although the rather volatile mare was a little worrisome - nevertheless he was certain that if the mare ever turned her attentions to Yei...then she would promptly find herself put in her place.

"Perhaps he has located something else to occupy his mind for the time being, in time he will come to you as although some may not desire to admit it," He gave a sigh and a slight shake of his head, "Deep down we all enjoy a little bit of hospitality from another living being." He confessed and offered a coy smile.

---

"Oh." Yei replied simply as she absorbed the explanation of Echo's history and pushed the urge to pause and look devastated to the back of her mind. She was astonished at how brutal some could be and it made her terribly grateful that Achak was not of that sort.

"That is unfortunate." She murmured at last in an attempt to express some form of sympathy without it being over bearing - if there was one thing she hated it was the over played sympathy many couldn't resist playing out upon hearing tragic news.

"My name? It's Yei Umeko but everyone calls me Yei." She added and gave a slight whicker before creeping closer and leaning her muzzle against his ear.

"As for acting - all you need to do further down the track is to cry out in pain and tumble forward...and then stay perfectly still." She whispered softly into his ear so that only he could hear her before granting him his personal space once more.  

[Meeki]

Meek smiled in return. His statement was completely true. Though she liked living alone and preferred to be away from most people, she enjoyed the company of this man. It never hurt to have a little social interaction once in awhile.

"Is Yei the only Soquili you have your eye on or are you hoping to bond with a few more? It's so hard seeing all the lovely Soquili around and knowing I can only tend to what I can manage. I love all the animals in this world from the good to the bad." Meeki sighed dreamily. Her mother used to tell her that she took her animal obsession a little too far but she never cared.

-----

Whisper paused slightly. The idea wasn't half bad at all and could probably work. "I like that," he started before quickly adding, "Yei Umeko."

Whisper turned and winked at the mare before dashing off and yelling "Race you to that large tree!" But just on cue, as he made it about half way to the tree, he stumbled and fell down on all fours with a loud cry. In truth, it did hurt a little but the cry was definately exaggerated.  

[Meeki]

Echo jumped down from the tree and ran towards Whisper. "Whisper? Brother, are you all right?" She was a bundle of nerves and tears were already forming in her eyes. She didn't want to lose another family member. She had seen many horses take a bad fall and end up.. put out. Only the kindest of humans would care for them until their leg healed and Echo did not believe kind humans existed anymore.  

[Epine de Rose]

"In truth, I have sighted a stallion wandering through the mists that Yei seems familiar with but he has yet to take those steps towards our teepee - perhaps in time he will decide that I am deserving of his presence." he offered with a small snort and shook his head, the idea of the stallion being both intriguing and yet rather silly at the same time.

"But Yei is quite the handful so she will do for now." He added and flicked his hand up briefly to push a lock of hair away from his eyes, which, by now had turned quizzically towards the woman as she confessed her love for animals.

"Really? ...I've always preferred plants." He mused thoughtfully.

---

Yei gave a delighted giggle as he took her plan into account and with a coo she tensed her hindlegs and cantered after him, only to skid to a halt and give a gasp of horror as he 'tumbled' forward although inwardly she was grinning like an idiot.

"Whisper!" She cried worridly as she hurried forward with a flurry of her fiery mane and came to his side, giving a small nudge to his neck as if providing him with some form of support. Needless to say a part of her was rather triumphant in the sense that the feline had come out of her hiding place but the true worry on her feline features troubled her.

"It was just a slight tumble little one, he'll be fine." She murmured at last and gave a reassuring nod, "Won't you?" She added to Whisper and canted her head to the side.  

[Meeki]

Meeki nodded as she listed to the man talk. She liked that he was fond of plants. It made her feel.. a little less weird. "I only know the basics when it comes to plants. I know what to avoid due to poison and which are best in some forms of medicines and which berries are edible but I really only know what I needed to learn to survive here in the forest. It must be hard keeping so much information in one's head. You must be very intelligent."

Meeki smiled, "Oh!" she added, "I know which plants can be used to make some pretty colors of dye. I really love to paint leather and.. my teepee." Meeki couldn't resist a giggle.

-----

Whisper felt a fool many times over. Echo really was a playful sort but he forgot to take her worry into account. When it came to him, she was a worrywart in many ways. He decided it was probably best if he didn't tell the lioness that he was faking.

"I'm alright. Just a little sore, Echo. Really. See?" With a dramatic wince, Whisper stood back up. Luckily, his knee did have a nasty looking scratch on it which helped make it look real. "Echo, I would like you to meet Yei Umeko. Yei, I'd like you to meet my sister, Echo."

-----

"Well it's a good thing I stopped hiding a little ways back, huh? I've been following you two for awhile.. thought maybe you forgot about our game, Whisper." Echo turned and looked at Yei. Well, Echo thought, she doesn't seem too much of a threat. And she did seem caring about both Whisper and herself. Resigning her previous grudge, Echo bowed her head in greeting. "Hello, Yei. My name is Echo and I'm Whisper's big sister."

-----

Whisper sent Yei a look that said 'Long Story'. Perhaps he would tell it to her one day if she was ever interested.  

[Epine de Rose]

"You paint your teepee..." He repeated cooly, as though he was not impressed by the statement and yet there was a glint in his eye that declared otherwise, in fact he found it rather endearing that one would paint their teepee in their spare time - that and it did give the home a more 'quirky' feel to it than a normal, very bland teepee like his own.

"And I am really not that intelligent I assure you, why...my intelligence spans as far as your knowledge of wildlife." He pointed out and offered a small smile.

"Which is your preferred colour?"

---

Big sister?

Yei quirked a brow briefly and then gave a small smile as she too bowed her head in respect of the young feline who had introduced herself so nicely, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Echo." She replied politely and gave a wink of appreciation.

"I apologise for distracting your brother from his game, but you have to admit that a mare can hardly resist his handsome appearance; now can she?" She cooed softly in the hopes that Echo would forgive her for causing such a distraction.  

[Meeki]

Meeki flushed. She probably appeared quite childish, painting her teepee. It's times like this that remind her why she chose to live alone in the forest. She just did not fit in with the others and probably never would. A part of her wished the man would leave before she made a bigger fool of herself.

After pushing the thoughts to the back of her head she finally answered, "I don't really have a color I prefer most over another. No, I suppose that's not quite true." Meeki fumbled with her necklace and continued, "I really like the shades of blue found on the turquoise stone. I collect them and like to make jewelry out of them."

------

Whisper made a strange face at the comment Yei made. Handsome? Of course, she was just being nice to Echo but still, a faint pink came over his cheeks nonetheless. He always considered himself quite ordinary.

------

Echo tried to refrain from rolling her eyes. What was it about romance lately. Was there something in the air? Echo lifted her head to sniff around before sighing reluctantly. It seemed that Whisper was simply mature so why wouldn't females notice him or he start noticing females?

"It's okay. It doesn't take much to get that lout distracted," Echo teased, "I suppose I'll leave you two to talk or do whatever it is you types do when you're together." Without another word, the lioness turned and ran off into the forest.

------

"She's a strange one, Yei," Whisper hoped she wouldn't mind him using a more intimate form of her name, "but she has a way of growing on you after the first year or so." Whisper took a moment to look at Yei, not as just another Soquili this time but as a female. She really was a lovely mare.  

[Epine de Rose]

"Blue?" He smiled at this and set the waterskin down by his bag as he leant back and glanced briefly into the canopy at the rays of light that seemed to have conquered the barricades so to speak - despite the atrocious weather of the morning it seemed be brightening up outside which was rather good for travel.

"Blue is often a colour associated with stability and healing, a good colour to be inclined towards." He mused, a glimmer of inexplicable meaning crossing his features before it vanished once more into the pleasant and hospitable one that his facial features had been coaxed into.

"As for jewellery - would you care to show me some?"

---

Well at least she was forgiven, she could give herself a brief mental sigh of relief before her ears perked. She hadn't meant for the feline to leave but if she really wanted to leave them be for a time then she would at least give the pretty creature something of interest to take a look at.

"Oh! If you're hungry you should visit the lake, there's loads of fish there!" She called after the feline although she wasn't entirely sure as to whether she had been heard or not. That done however, she did feel a little better and politely turned her gaze back to Whisper who, was shortening her name as she had said he could - could he finally beginning to see her as some form of a friend?

"How many years have you known her?" She enquired curiously.  

[Meeki]

Meeki blushed once more. She felt like a young girl again around this man. She nodded her head and ducked into her teepee and came out a moment later with a makeshift wooden box with turquoise necklaces, beads, hair pieces, bracelets and anklets nested inside. There were a couple pairs of her new project inside as well, which were leather wrist cuffs with small turquoise stones adorning them.

"It's just one of my hobbies. There's not much to do in the forest so I find little things to keep me occupied. Quite a small thing compared to collecting herbs." Meeki turned to sit down on the rock again, hoping he would find them at least of average quality.

-----

Whisper opened his mouth as if to respond but nothing seemed to come out. His expression was a bit pained and he knew it would be hard telling the story of meeting Echo without going into his own background. There really was little choice other than appearing rude and he didn't want to damage the friendship that might be growing with the mare.

"I met her when I was a foal. I.. really don't remember much before then, something happened, a war I think between two leggers. My parents had gone off to help.. and never came back. I guess I had wandered off in the woods because that's where Echo found me. She said I was curled up in a leafy pile and crying so loud that she was sure half the predators would be upon me any moment." Whisper cracked a smile. In truth, Echo should have fallen under the predator category. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Echo was just a cub back then but a couple weeks older than I was. Her mother had been killed several days before by a hunter. So she was already out living on her own. She said she would take care of me. Though we couldn't be more opposite, she is still my sister.. where it counts. She said that when I cried as a foal, I was so loud but when I would talk, it was a barest hint of a whisper.. and that's how I got my name. Though I suppose I found my voice since then." Whisper smiled, trying to hide the sadness that wanted to sneak it's way out. "What about you, Yei? Do you have a story to tell?"  

[Meeki]

Scar ruffled the feathers in his wings as he walked near the forest. He was starting to wonder if they were useless and he'd never learn to fly. The other Wind Soquili made it appear easy to fly so what was he doing wrong? Or was he simply still too young and weak? Scar wondered if he should stop thinking about flying and concentrate more on meeting others.. not that he really needed anyone. He was just fine alone.  

[Epine de Rose]

"Collecting herbs is an idleman's work." Achak grinned as he undermined his own hobby, love and whatever else it might have been as he leant forward to admire each of the jewels in greater detail - needless to say he was impressed as his lips parted into a silent 'oh' of appreciation and his eyes seemed to glow, he was more inclined towards green but the turquoise did have a pleasant appearance.

"Making jewellery takes more effort." He pointed out as he pointed towards the anklet and then the hair piece with a shake of his head, "You forget that a herb wilts away, such pieces of art will last for eternity, so to speak." He added softly and sat back once more, "Your hands must be skilled but tell me - where do your stones come from?"

---

Yei listened to his story without a hint of emotion on her face, she gave no indication as to how she might have felt towards it despite the brief moment of sadness in which she experienced when he recounted how he had been left alone so long. Needless to say, she could now appreciate his friendship with Echo much more and allowed herself a small smile of gratitude at having been bestowed with such knowledge despite the lack of time she had known him.

"I am undeserving of such a tale," She murmured delicately before releasing a sigh and considering his question. Now, she was fairly good with digressions that made absolutely no sense but a tale about her past was one that she might struggle with in the given circumstances...

"If I am to be honest, I do not remember much." She confessed sadly and gave a ruffle of her mane, "I don't remember my parents, not even their name's or voices...I don't remember my friends or whether I had any." She cleared her throat and released another of her tentative sighs, it wasn't that she was upset by the thought, merely agitated at her inability to remember when her mind was so clear nowadays.

"I think I might have hit my head very hard at some point as my memories before meeting Achak are very vague, I know I came from the mists and took a fall but otherwise...I'm really not sure." She gave a slight chuckle and canted her head to the side, "But I promise that when my mind begins to co-operate again, I will be sure to tell you as much as I can."  

[Meeki]

"Herbs do far greater things than jewelry. Jewelry merely aids one's appearance while it seems herbs can be used for so many different things." Meeki couldn't help but admire Achak's hobby. So many things could be done with the herbs or plants he collected from increasing the taste of foods or helping ward off illnesses, animal bites or perhaps even saving a life.

"I found a wonderful area not far from the base of the mountain to the west, where the ground is still yet rocky and not fully of the earth. I think the sky kissed the earthy rock there and blessed the land with these beautiful rocks. It's not a big area of turqouise, but it's enough to work with. I often wondered what could lie on the mountain itself, if there's any stones that I would be able to find there.. but I have always been a bit intimidated by the mountain. It's so.. big.. and high."

----

Whisper smiled and leaned over to nudge Yei gently, in a playful manner. "If it's one thing I learned it's that the past is simply the past. Can't really dwell on it for too long because it takes away from what's happening now. What happened to me lead me to Echo and our journey that brought us here and I am very thankful for that. Probably wouldn't have met you otherwise. And what happened to you lead you to this Achak and those that you have met here as well."

Whisper took a few steps forward before turning back to Yei and adding, "Maybe everything that happens is supposed to happen. Maybe our lives are decided the day we are born and all we do is follow the road set out for us."