The Gift

Panther385 · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:21 am Post subject: The Gift

Panther's silver opticals scanned the clearing. She'd heard from the other Evil Councilpeople that this was near where the colt, Ajaxon had been born. He was going to be the heir of this land, a very high place for a young horse. He will have a lot to learn.... She'd thought while contemplating the news that morn. That's when it dawned on her; a leader needs every ability it can get, so why not shapeshifting?

The feline sat down in the soft, green grass and began scratching behind her ear. She had talked to Embri, the colt's mother, about granting him this ability. The firehorse agreed and set up a lesson for that afternoon in the very spot Panther was now.

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

Embri wove her way through the forested landscape away from the Cave, a faint glimmer of thought seeking a presence nearby and guiding her towards a small clearing. Like a grey shadow, Ajaxon trotted along beside her in the shadow of her wing. His soft baby hair fluttered in the breeze and he flicked his tail contentedly.

~?~ Embri sent concepts instead of words to her son.
~hunger~ Jax replied in thoughts. ~nice-wind~ He curled his lip up, sniffing the breeze.
~amusement-mild annoyance~ The mare shook her head. ~always hunger~
~agreement~ Jax nosed his mother's side, but Embri trotted on, not willing to stop and let her colt drink. Jax squealed softly in displeasure.

~hunger!~ He sent, indignant.
~soon~ Embri continued, finally sensing a being close at hand. She walked out into the clearing and stopped, apprising Panther's feline form lounging in the grass.

~hunger-now~ Ajaxon took advantage of his mother's halt, and tucked his nose under her belly for a meal.

"Greetings, Panther." Embri tossed her head, glancing down at her insatiable youngster with a slight smile. "I'm afraid Jax is going to make us wait a bit. I swear he's got more than one stomach."

Panther385 · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:04 am Post subject:

Panther smiled and lept up from her sitting position.
"It's okay, I don't mind." She chuckled abit, unknowing of what to say next.

Shaon · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:06 am Post subject:

Shaon followed, silently, invisibly.

When the two stopped, she leaned on a branch, making herself visible only to the colt.

~Gei'ei. Gei'ei, -picture of his horn-~

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

Embri sighed and dropped her head to nibble the grass a bit. She wasn't particularly hungry, nor did grass normally make a significant part of her diet, but she had little else to do while Ajaxon had his meal.

The colt nudged her hungrily, soft curly tail swishing in the breeze.

~contentment~ Was his only thought, head pressed possessively against his mother's belly. He fed until his belly was stuffed full with warm milk, and turned to take a good look around this new place. Somewhat shy but curious, he stared at Panther, then looked up at a tree, whickering.

Shaon's words held no meaning for him, but he recognized the deity and tossed his little head in imitation of his mother.

Panther385 · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:56 am Post subject:

Panther slowly advaced forward, so she was in two arms length of Ajaxon and Embri.
"May I touch the colt?" She asked, knowing how sometimes mothers could be protective.

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

Embri smiled. "Of course, if you can catch him... he's as skittish as a young sedja." The mare followed up her reply with a brief mental picture of small furry four legged creatures bounding across a mountainside, looking a bit like a cross between a kangaroo and sheep.

Ajaxon continued to stare at nothing from Embri's perspective, bobbing his head and making dust swirl around his tiny forelegs as he stomped and pawed the ground.

Panther385 · Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:24 pm Post subject:

Panther grinned inwardly as she approached Ajaxon.
"Hey little guy..." She whispered to him, walking forward with an arm out the entire time.

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

Jax spotted Panther's approach, losing interest in Shaon temporarily and twisting his head around to look at the approaching person.

"Whurrrrr...eeee!" Ajaxon squealed, turning tail and fleeing towards the protective shadow of his dam, hiding behind Embri's legs.

"Jax, Panther is a friend. You have nothing to fear from her." Embri unfurled one wing with a sigh and nudged Ajaxon towards Panther. The colt refused to budge, pressing against Embri's belly.

"Hurrr... This may be problematic...."

Shaon · Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject:

Shaon smirked, remaining visible only to her Gei'ei.

She hadn't attempted to approach the cowardly foal as of yet, letting him gain familiarity with her.

If he ran and hid from something that did not exist, it would completely blow her cover.

Panther385 · Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:14 am Post subject:

"Hmmm, I have an Idea."
Panther fell to fours as her fur changed to a light tan. After a few moments, she'd become a young horse, around the same age as Ajaxon.

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

"Come on little one, go see." Embri nudged Ajaxon again, hard enough to make him stumble forward a few steps. He wickered in uncertainty, before catching sight of Panther's new shape.

Staring for a moment, the colt crept out of his mother's shadow to investigate this new "foal". Neck stretched out to sniff, Jax curled up his lip a bit and wuffled.

~?~ Ajaxon seems most curious.

Panther385 · Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:20 pm Post subject:

Panther whinnied softly and attempted to send him a message in MindSpeak.

~happy~ She conveyed, saying she was happy to meet him.

Embri · Black Spider Blackstar Native Old Friend Posts: 2172

~!~ Surprise, on Ajaxon's part, mostly because he's never been spoken to by anyone other than his dam. ~excitement!~

The foal trots a small circle around Panther, looking her over.

~?~
~play?~

Netdroid9 · Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:39 pm Post subject:

The Elites of the Council ala Evil, however, had other plans for the colt. He was to become a mere puppet for the council to control. First, however, he had to be corrupted, and to do so they needed someone who would both be impure enough to corrupt the foal and innocent enough to not be immediatly discovered by the foal's mother.

Lacking anyone who even remotely matched that description, they sent Net instead.

***

*Net pops into existance a few meters behind Shaon. Of course, he didn't know that, so it was not a pleasurable experience when he bumped into what seemed to be a patch of air.*

Net: Uhhm... Hello?