Awaiting the Future;;

[»starla]

But the river keeps runnin'
O T H E L L O;;
Don't even know that I'm around.

The talc stag stood firm on a craggy outcrop of Shang Mountain.His long,colorless tresses danced on the crisp air.He looked out steady as a veteran as the foggy peaks of the smaller mountains that surrounded him.He did not expect to see any of the tiny ant-like movements of equines on them,for the mountains were unoccupied as of now.
After having had his fill of the breezes,Othello expertly navigated his way down the slippery rock faces as surefooted as an Earth bender.

Once down at the foot of the massive rock structure,he seemed to be looking for something,or someone.There was an anxious aura about him,and if one knew his story,they would think he might be looking for Zephira and their new son,Nero.Perhaps he was expecting them and they were late.
The truth was that he hadn't seen much of either of them since Nero's birth,about a week ago.It was normal for a new mother to stay separate from the herd a while to bond with her foal,and Othello wouldn't have been so worried if it wasn't a blind mare and newborn out there alone without a stallion to watch over them.

The hessian made himself graze while he waited for their arrival.He wished to have to best enterance for his son,but that was hard without a big herd to welcome them into the Air Kingdom.Betrayed and Cansip were also doing the customary bonding,so they weren't here.It had been a lonely week for Othello,but also an exciting one.He had two new foals now,and his herd was finally growing.

Gah...so crappy..

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Zephira://

Small waves of air pulsed out in all directions, its originator being none other then Zephira. One hoof in front of the other she walked, pace slow to accommodate her disability along with the small foal walking beside her. Nero, she thought with a smile as she glanced down with her one eye, colt clearly visible through the blurry barrier. She felt suddenly more relaxed now, sharp anxiety pangs disappearing when she confirmed her vulnerable foal was safe.

She had seriously considered going immediately home after giving birth, she wasn't one of those fearless types. But strength wouldn't return to her limbs, and she needed bonding time with her son, even if it meant she would have to return to the mountain after Othello had already left. After all it wasn't like he could have stayed with her any longer, he had to get back to the mountain. She knew that, and it didn't bother her. It was his duty. And she had lived with her blindness almost all her life, she could go another week alone. Or not really alone, as she had Nero.

Auds perked as a noise entered them, startling her enough to make her stop abruptly. She sent out a powerful draft of wind, trying to paint a picture of what was ahead as her eye couldn't quite make it out. She unintentionally stopped breathing, waiting for an answer from the wind. It came back to her swiftly, and she took it in while she inhaled deeply. An equine.

"Othello?" she called out loudly, standing in front of her colt as a shield in case it wasn't-in fact-Othello. A sharp paint erupted in her stomach, though it was nothing like the pains she had experienced while giving birth. She shuddered at the thought, but tried to focus her attention on the possible threat ahead. She was too far away to tell for sure, though something told her it him, that she didn't have to worry. But she didn't want to take any chances, especially with Nero with her now.

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[»starla]

But the river keeps runnin'
O T H E L L O;;
Don't even know that I'm around.

Othello picked up the first traces of Nero and Zephira right away.He turned his pale skull in their direction,watching with pride as they made their way towards home.The mare seemed cautious,naturally,but Nero was carefree and bounded ahead.Othello called out to them when he heard Zephira call his name.
He set off at a trot to meet them halfway,chuckling as Nero cavorted after a nearby butterfly.The brute slowed as he neared them,careful to come up on Zephira's good side.He had already sent waves of air out to her when he first saw them,the breeze carrying his familiar scent to calm her nerves.
His maw reached out to nuzzle her neck,glad to have her and Nero home safe and sound.
Welcome home he spoke,smiling.
He glanced over in Nero's direction,stilling bounding around trying to catch the butterfly.
Full of energy,that one he chuckled to her.
C'mere son.He notioned with his crown for Nero to come join himself and his mother.

I set my sights on you,
N E R O;;
and no one else will do.

The vibrant buckskin colt had had an exciting week with his mother,seeing new sights and smelling new smells.By now he had gotten used to the constant worriedness of his mother and thought little of it.He was entranced whenever she used her bending skills,and had tried out his natural born abilities while they were away,although his could do very little without the training that would come.
And now as they approached what his mother had told him was home,he could hardly contain his youthful vigor.While his mother was doing her usual air scouting of the land,taking careful steps,he ran ahead,spotting a white horse in the distance.But a butterfly suddenly altered his course,and was soon off chasing its random flight patterns.

The white horse,who he had forgotten about,called him over to them and he left the butterfly to its own.Nero skidded to a halt infront of his mother and this strange horse,who butted his flank gently and playfully.He lapped at the stud's long forelock,automatically liking the sound of his booming laugh.
He heard his father ask him to show them what he had,which he assumed meant show them what he knew of bending.
The colt summoned his strength and focused on the light breeze,trying to figure out what he could do with it.He began to move his head in small circular movements,staring at the duts floor.Nero succeeded in stirring up the dust,a feat he was proud of.He looked up at his mother and father,glad to see a proud smile on the white horse's face.

[Random]

Zephira://

The scent of Othello reached her nares quickly, and this instantly calmed her. Muscles going from tense to relaxed once his his burst of air hit her. A smile played on her velvets as he came into view, being thoughtful enough not coming on her blind side. She returned his nuzzle, taking a deep breath by his neck inhaling more of his scent. She had never felt happier, though even after all this time she could hardly believe this wasn't just a dream. She would have never guessed this would be her life, she had thought she'd be destined to a life of a loner.

"Thank you, it's good to be home," she replied, turning her head quickly in Nero's direction to verify his safety yet again. Senses told her he was chasing something, cantering off in pursuit. Though she couldn't tell what, but guessed it was a butterfly or some other sort of harmless flying insect. She chuckled audibly, oh the short attention span of foals. She was so glad he didn't have an impairment like herself, she did at first worry of his sight. But he seemed perfectly fine, and that satisfied her. She would have felt horrible if he was blind.

"Yes," she agreed letting out another laugh at the colt, her colt, their colt. She sent out her wind to follow him, keeping track of his every movement. Now that she was with Othello again she needn't worry as much, but she just couldn't help herself. Othello spoke again, calling Nero to them. She urged her wind to give him a little push, not enough to make him stumble of course. Just a reminder. He came back quickly, then proceeded to play with his father and then tried out his skill at bending.

"Good job!" she exclaimed, bending her crane in search of him by feel then nuzzling his small frame in encouragement. She lifted her crown back up, and moved in Othello's direction. "How'd he do?" she whispered into his ear, trying to mask her disappointment at not being able to tell what he had done. No need to focus on the negative when she had so many good things in her life now.

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[»starla]

I set my sights on you,
N E R O;;
and no one else will do.

The colt beamed at his father's proud stare.Nero though he saw worry in his pale blue orbs,but was distracted by a breeze that had suddenly picked up and was tusseling his fluffy mane.He glanced back at his father to see him laughing and realized it was Othello that was controlling the wind.The buckskin youngling dared to wish to become as great as his father.It reminded him of something his mother had told him about while they were away.She had told him about how foals begin training in order to be accepted as a true bender in the herd.Nero glanced around,sighing at how empty the lands seemed to be.There were no other foals to play with,and the foal suddenly dreaded spending his foalhood without a playmate.
When will I begin training? he asked quietly,half to himself, as he turned back towards his parents.
He saw his mother lean in to Othello and whisper something to him,but wasn't overly concerned with it and turned back into his scattered thoughts.

But the river keeps runnin'
O T H E L L O;;
Don't even know that I'm around.

The cremello stud stared down at his son,wanting the best for him,like any father.And if he could,Othello would give him the world.But there was a nagging thought in the back of his thoughful skull that Nero might become blind like his mother at a young age.He knew he shouldn't let such things bother him,because Zephira got along just fine.
The beast shook his head,trying to calm himself by playing with Nero,sending wisps of air in his direction,chuckling at his confused son.
Othello head Zephira speak,saddened by the fact she didn't see Nero's bending clearly.He nudged her gently in answer.

Othello turned back towards the colt,smiling at his impatience to become a great bender.
Soon enough son.There are some thing you have to learn on your own,though,before you begin to train he warned.The surging power a true bender feels is not something you can teach,nor is the feeling of the closeness of nature.Nero would need to find his own rhythm so that they could have something to work off of.

There was something the stallion had been meaning to ask the beautiful mare beside him.He had been entranced by her from the beginning,and their child bonded them together even more.He returned his gaze to her,and became oddly nervous,for fear of rejection.
Zephira...I would like you to be my queen.

[Random]

Zephira://

Thoughts scattered themselves in the appaloosa's speckled crown, mainly about Nero but they had their fair share of Othello too. She was surprised how she rarely thought of herself now, before she had to do everything in her power to not feel sorry for herself. Now she barely had room in her head for such trivial things, and they were so few and far between that she didn't think twice about it. For once she was truly happy, her world revolving around her son and King. Or could she call him something else?

She pondered this as Nero's distanced words invaded her thoughts. Her head turned in his direction, more from habit then anything else. So he wanted to begin training already, had her stories influenced this? She chuckled inwardly, he sure was an eager foal. Nobody could say otherwise, that's for sure. Natural wind blew her banner upwards, her forelock collapsing on her sightless eye. She didn't bother to move it, for what sense would it be?

A nudge from Othello beside her brought her out of her thoughts once again, as it always seemed too. An habit already forming, one that the foal frolicking in the grass had adopted also. She sidestepped closer to cremello stallion, resting her weight on her right side rather then her left. Another habit, though this one was far more common and one she had developed in foalhood. His words rang into her auds, automatically responding with a nod before she had even fully comprehended his words. Though it was all too true, as expected when it came out of a King's mouth. Techniques could be taught but not the acts themselves.

"Patience Nero," she spoke calmly to her young one, another chuckle escaping her maw. She hadn't meant to laugh, though she hardly believed he would take offense. Othello spoke again and she turned her head toward him, sensing importance in his words. She was right, as the short sentence made its way to comprehension. Queen? Her? She was just about blind! She hadn't seen her reflection clearly in a while, though she hadn't thought herself as exceptional in looks even when she was younger. And she doubt that had changed now. She just couldn't understand.

"Yes! Of course...but...why?" she answered slowly, as if tasting each word before speaking them. She would love to be his Queen, but she almost thought this might be a sort of test or joke. She hadn't thought of even that possibility. She still remembered the shock she experienced when he accepted her into his herd...and then again when he wanted to have a foal with her. But this was even more, needn't the Queen be as powerful as him? She had her fair share with experience with the air and wind, that was certain. But she was far from perfect, and then there was the issue of her sight. She just couldn't grasp his reasoning on the decision.

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[»starla]

Blah,I'm so museless for Othello at the moment "/
I might be slow on replying to this

[Random]

['tis fine, I know how you feel.]

[»starla]

I set my sights on you,
N E R O;;
and no one else will do.

-frolic- 8D

But the river keeps runnin'
O T H E L L O;;
Don't even know that I'm around.

Othello gazed at Nero while his mother answered his eager prodding.His own answer did not seem to upset the colt,but he had thought he saw an glow of awe in the foal's orbs,as if Othello had just given the best speech this side of the Valley.The cremello stud couldn't remember when exactly he had learned how to bend air.It had just come naturally,and he had embraced the talent ever since.And here he was now,king of the Air Kingdom.
He turned to watch the impact of his own question to Zephira.She seemed doubtful and wary at first,as if she thought it was some cruel joke.Othellos couldn't imagine doing something like that to anyone.To get their hopes up and then just laugh it off.No,he was completley and toatally serious,but her own unsureness made him worried.What if she actually said no?
But her shocked words releived him,and he automatically leaned in the nuzzle her nape.
Because not only are you an excellent bender,someone I've produced a wonderful colt with,and a beautiful mare..you have a great personality that I couldn't imagine going on without having you as my Queen to help me rule the Kingdom.

This also meant Nero would be the heir.The brute glanced over at the oblivious colt,busy with something in the grass.He had no idea of the responsibilty he had just been given.One day,if all went well,Nero would be the Air King.He would be the one who all the Air equines in the Valley would look up to to lead them.But for now,Othello let him have his fun.

OOC:
Sorry,I had nothing for Nero ;)

[Random]

Zephira://

Amazement, worriment, disbelief are just some of the words that described the feelings Zephira was experiencing. Her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to break free from it's cage. She felt as if she couldn't wait anymore, for his answer. She still thought this might be a joke, or maybe he didn't understand what he was saying. She had never thought of him as harsh, or dense either. Though that could be the only explanation in her mind as to why he would offer this to her. She never thought much of herself, doubted she ever would. She never was one overflowing with self-confidence or self-belief. She tried diverting her attention to Nero, her patience wearing thin.

The colt was just frolicking in the grass, not a care in the world. She didn't need perfect eyesight to know he was happy, romping around, exploring his surrounding. She tried to go back, remember how it had been to be a foal. She only remembered the feeling of being so carefree, so naive. Everything else was as blurry as her vision. Words now spilled out of Othello's mouth, words that barely made sense. Things she could barely comprehend, but she needn't let it sink in. His tone was as comforting as his touch, and for once she didn't try to argue. To try to make sense of it neither. For even if she didn't feel herself fit for the position, and even if she felt his words were anything but true. She knew that was what he felt, and that she would just have to trust his better judgement.

"Thank-you," she spoke in a hushed tone, the words slipping out in a whisper as she leaned into him. For now she was just going to live in the moment, to not question things just for once...to let her differences disappear and just be Zephira. She wasn't blind, she wasn't petty and she wasn't weak. She was an equine, an air bender, a mother and now a queen. She stole a glance over to Nero, a hazy image of him was better then none. And for a change she was actually glad she could see out of that eye, even if it was a burden to live with only blurry images of the world around her. But still...it would have been better if it wasn't blurry at all...

OoC://lol, that's fine. I kinda ran out of muse too...I just can't think of anything to keep the thread going x.x. Ugh I'm tired. Maybe I'll think of something later x(.

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[»starla]

OOC:
Yea,mother-and-foal-returning posts are never museful ^^
So we'll just end it here and start a thread whenever at Exix Beach.