Re: Apollo and jeannette, the proud parents (mature)

[horsegodess]

(im sorry. i didnt realize you wanted me to help. i thought that you were implying that you were giving up trying to think up something, so you were dropping the topic. im sorry. would you like me to help you?

[Greed]

[Ugh, I apologize as well. I kind of snapped at you and that wasn't particularly nice. I've just been having a really hard time lately. And yes, that would be much appreciated. Like, where do we want the RP to go?]

[horsegodess]

(its okay. it happens. i understand. anyways, assuming that you still want this set of horses to remain in the thread, i suggest that they dont just trail behind. maybe they'll disappear untill the next day or something but apollo wont be present to intimidate them. also they could maybe be more appealing this time, or maybe Saffron will just be in a higher stage of heat, and craving affection more so than before so she wont be so snooty.)

[Greed]

[ oh GOSH i am so so so so so so so so sorry i haven't been on!! I'll fix that D: And your ideas are good ~ I'll reply now ]

Zazu snorted and shook his head, rolling his eyes. Nary a second did he usually feel guilty about something, but secretly he did wish for the companionship of another horse other than his brother. Zazu shook out his mane before turning around, "I'm not following them. I don't want anything to do with them." There was a bitterness in Zazu's voice that betrayed his true feelings, but it was just him being Zazu that caused him to react towards the others like he had. Perhaps he'd end up apologizing if he ever saw the small family again, or perhaps not. Maybe Zazu was just going through a phase. ....Yes, that's what he'd prefer to call it. A phase.

Odin turned his head and watched his brother slowly walk away, head swaying close to the ground, his muzzle brushing up against threads of green grass every now and again. There was a frost in the air, a chilling nip, that suggested perhaps a cold front coming on. As Zazu walked, however, Odin didn't seem to detect any trace of care in the horse's stance. It was just as well, however. Zazu always hid his true feelings from people, and it would be amazing if a mare could ever get him to open up completely. Even being his brother, Odin had never fully been able to comprehend his younger brother. Zazu was always so... distant, so out of reach. He needed a firm mare by his side that would pull him out of the clouds and drag him back to earth, and keep him rooted down on it. Odin looked at the fading figures of the small groups of horses as they walked away, for a split second wondering if that mare would've had what it takes to truly tame the wild mustang that was inside of Zazu.

Jeanette snorted and stopped walking, leaning heavily against a tree. In her age, she hadn't done well. Perhaps it was something with her family lineage - although her bloodlines were pure and rich, full of good health and prosperity, there was always that one gene that skipped a generation, and Jeanette was beginning to think she'd gotten it. Whenever she walked her spine seemed to slither like a snake, unnaturally and uncomfortably. Her joints seemed out of place and her bones seemed to crack with every step. But Jeannette usually carried on, for the sake of her family. She wanted to produce another 'award-winning' foal for her mate, this time, preferably, a colt, so Apollo would have a true heir in his bloodlines. Jeanette would do almost anything for her mate, but as time passed, Jeanette's will was dwindling. She wasn't terribly old, either. She should be in good health. And yet, all of these years that her precious Saffron was growing up, she'd hidden her declining health from her family like an outlaw. She hid it as if, if they knew, they would disown her, leave her to fend for herself, to be picked off by a hungry lone wolf, to become easy prey to a mountain lion. The thought of her family doing such a thing was simply preposterous, but Jeanette couldn't help but have these thoughts anyways. She was afraid, honestly, that Apollo would no longer want a colt from her if her bloodline threatened the health of a colt. Saffron seemed quite healthy, though, and Jeanette was slowly losing her argument against herself. Pushing herself up off of the tree, Jeanette followed behind Apollo and Saffron at an unusually slow pace, even for herself, and decided to ignore the searing pain on the spinal bones near her croup.

[horsegodess]

Saffron walked along, head swaying back and forth with each step. There was a slight warm spring breeze. The coarse strands of her main and tail blew with the wind. Her eyes were constantly covered with her forelock. Saffron shook her head. She continued to amble along, occasionally stopping for a moment if she spotted a particularly juicy patch of grass. She followed behind her father, and ahead of her mother trailing behind. Looking behind her, Saffron noticed that her mother seemed to be moving particularly slow. She moved in jolted movement, as if she was in pain. Saffron slowed down and allowed her mother to catch up to her. "mom i think we need to stop and rest. you don't look good." Saffron sympathetically said as she nudged her mother's wither with her velvety honey colored muzzle.

[Greed]

Jeanette bobbed her head in slight defiance, "No, I'm fine, really," Jeanette did her best to lift her head higher and walk stronger. Being estranged from her family because of health wasn't an option, and she'd do whatever she had to do be 'fit' in their eyes. But perhaps...perhaps she was trying too hard. Jeanette snorted and looked over at Apollo before lowering her voice so only her daughter could hear, "Plus, your father doesn't seem to be in the best of moods because of the two bachelors back there. It would be best if we put some distance in between ourselves and them, and then stopped for a rest." Jeanette smiled gently at her daughter and pulled on her mane in a gentle and playful way.

Zazu snorted and continued forward, occasionally stopped and grabbing a mouthful of tender sweet-grass, or glancing upwards at the sky. It looked like it might rain a small amount in the coming hours, and Zazu wasn't necessarily a fan of getting wet. Especially when it was already nippy outside. Odin trailed along silently behind his brother, brooding over the appearance of the family. For some reason, something seemed off within the small trio. The father seemed lively and healthy, and the daughter seemed lively, and healthy, as well, Odin supposed, but the mother hung off in the background. She didn't seem to belong. A simple observation, Odin mused, but didn't concern himself after that at all. As he continued onward, little drops of rain began to fall, and he trotted up to his brother, nipping his rump, and the both of them went into an easy canter to find shelter.

[horsegodess]

"okay" Saffron responded. She trotted back up behind her father, leaving her mother to straggle behind. When her father, Apollo snaked her in a direction, she flattened her ears and kicked up at him. She seemed to be saying to not be so bossy. When they took shelter under the tree, Saffron stood there with her ears flat to the sides. She let the rain come down on her.

Apollo lifted his head. a storm was lurking in the air. He halted, turned around to his mate and his prized daughter and have a low nicker. He lowered his head, flattened his ears, and snaked the mares to a more foresty area. Jeanette seemed to lag, so apollo gave her a nip to the hindquarters. They took shelter under a thick large pine tree. Apollo stood there, the top of his coat darkening due to the rain, while his lower body stayed a pure dapple grey. His ears were alert.

[Greed]

[ I feel like something needs to happen where Apollo would find out, and Saffron as well, that Jeanette's health is declining. Like maybe she lies down and can't get back up? I'm going to have her lie down in this post, but if you like the idea, we'll add it in next time. ^_^ Otherwise help me brainstorm maybe? ]

Odin had found shelter for his brother and himself, however Zazu had seemed to find himself more enjoyable in the rain, and was standing outside the small cave that Odin had found, grazing without a care in the world. Odin knew the words of the stallion had cut Zazu down to the deepest of his core, and nothing Odin could say would help him feel any better. If Odin tried to say, "Well I won't ever leave," he knew Zazu would reply with, "He was probably right, I'm nothing but trouble. Maybe you'd be better off without me." And that was the last thing Odin ever wanted to hear his brother say. Snorting and shaking his mane, he lowered his head to the ground and closed his eyes, giving one glance at his younger brother before allowing himself to fall into a peaceful slumber.

Zazu snorted as the water on the grass tickled his nose. He lifted his head and saw his brother sleeping and sighed gently. What was wrong with him? Was he really going to let a stupid stallion's words get to him that deeply? Zazu knew Odin would never leave - they had been together since he had been born, and they were virtually inseparable at this point. Shaking his wet mane, Zazu slowly moved away to find a source of running, clear water that was drinkable. Sure, raindrops were technically clean enough, but it was hard to 'drink raindrops.' Head lowered to the ground as he walked, sniffing out sweet patches of grass, Zazu continued on his way, farther and farther from his brother, to find water.

Jeanette snorted when she felt Apollo nip her hindquarters, and she stumbled into a trot, ignoring the pain. Her trot was lopsided, and the hooves on one side fell heavier than the hooves on the other, and by the time they reached the cave, her gait wasn't even a trot - it had melted into something like a mixture between a light canter and a slow trot. Jeanette slowed when she got to the shelter that Apollo had found and walked to the very back, plopping herself on the ground with a thud and spray of tiny raindrops from her mane and tail. She looked up at Apollo and snorted gently. Really... where would she be without her family? She couldn't let them know. To ease the pain, Jeanette leaned against the farthest wall and laid her head down, closing her eyes and trying to find the peace to sleep soundly.

[horsegodess]

(sounds good! maybe jeanette dies, and so apollo doesnt know what to do with himself, so he becomes aggresive and abusive to Saffron.) (also, there is no wall, they are under a big pine tree. ill pretend that she leaned against the trunk)

When the rain had lightened and the thunder and lightning gone, Apollo led his family to open meadow. But when he turned his head, His mare wasnt following. "We are leaving Jeanette" Apollo said sternly. He didnt like how jeanette was so defiant recently.

Saffron waited next to her mother. She flicked her ears. She didnt like how he was adressing her mother. "dad!" She said. Apollo snapped back quickly to discipline his daughter. "Saffron you stay out of this". Saffron lowered her head in defeat.

[Greed]

[ Okay! That's perfect. And oooh... I totally knew that... XD ;; I'm going to play Zazu and Odin in later posts, there isn't much they can do at the moment... I'll add Odin's reaction to his brother being missing in a post or two. ]

Jeanette had nearly fallen asleep when she heard Apollo calling to her. Jeanette lifted her ears and pulled her front legs underneath her, pushing with whatever might she could muster to get herself to her feet. Instead, Jeanette fell back down, crashing further against the tree trunk and garnering a scrape or two on her shoulder. At his tone towards their daughter, Jeanette pinned her ears, "Don't talk to her like that, Apollo. She's still young and has time to learn, which I'm sure she will." Jeanette turned her attention to trying to get back up, her forelegs trembling as she managed to get herself up to knees height before falling again. Jeanette stared wide-eyed at the ground when she realized she honestly couldn't get back to her feet again. "I...I can't get up," Jeanette murmured to herself, stunned to the point she didn't even bother trying to get up again. Instead she just waited, wondering if she was going to get a verbal lashing from her long-term mate, ready for the rejection, waiting for him to walk off and leave here there to die at the hands of whatever predator found her first.

[horsegodess]

"Saffron, walk up ahead, i will be with you in a moment" Apollo says to Saffron. His eyes are full of seriousness. Saffron gave her mother a nuzzle and a high nicker, sounding like a whimper. She held her head in the crook of her mother's neck for a still moment, then lifted it up and stepped away. She knew what was next. She wouldn't defy her father in such a fragile moment like this, so she obeys, and starts to walk as if her family were just right behind her.

Apollo stood tall above the weak mare. "how did this happen." Apollo says, not entirely asking, just kind of thinking out loud. "You were so beautiful Jeanette. so strong, so pure." Apollo says, spilling out his deep emotions that he wouldn't dare share with Saffron. Apollo lowers his head and sniffs the mare.

[Greed]

Jeanette pulled on Saffron's forelock in a playful manner, offering a smile in the hopes she'd reassure her daughter. Immediately her demeanor changed when Apollo walked up to her, and she made no eye contact. She couldn't bear to see the look on his face, the twinge of disappointment and regret in his eyes. But his words were enough. Jeanette turned her head and stared at the ground, "It's...been going on for a while now," she admitted quietly. "A long while. I wanted to be strong for you, I wanted to give you an heir. I didn't care how much it hurt... I had to... I had to live up to the expectations of my mate." Jeanette hazarded a glance through the corner of her eye at her husband, who had leaned down to sniff her, almost like she was no longer the same Jeanette she had been. In a sense, it was true. Jeanette nickered softly, "I'm so sorry, Apollo... I tried for so long." Jeanette finally turned her head, dulled eyes staring at Apollo sorrowfully. "But please... please take care of Saffron. She needs you... And... And you need to find a mare who will give you an heir, as well. Please forget about me, Apollo," the words made Saffron cringe. They were words she'd never thought she would ever have to speak. She didn't want Apollo to forget about her - but she knew how important lineage was to him, to the both of them. And since she could no longer have even the slightest hope of bearing him one last child, it was better off for the both of them if it was as if she had never existed in the first place.

[ My muuuuseeee issss backkkk! dang it's nice to RP again! :D Glad it got to be with you, too. You're an awesome writer! ]

[horsegodess]

(thanks great! thank you. you're not a bad writer yourself.)

"I wont forget you Jeanette." Apollo says, not daring to say another word. Apollo stood over his dying mare. He held his head low and waited untill she was gone. His forelocke swept over her face for one last time, and with that, Apollo turned around. The sun was now setting. Night would come soon. He walked slowly towards the onlooking Saffron. He didnt make eye contact with her. he just looked at the ground. After a moment of walking, Apollo picked up a trot. He needed to leave this part of his life behind, and a walk was just too slow. Saffron followed in a trot.

That night, The two horses stood. Their heads hung low. The world seemed so cold without Jeanette to warm it up with her buckskin coat and gentle personality.

(so do you want to play Saffron now?)

[Greed]

[ if you want me to ~ but i have Odin & Zazu to play. If you mean you want me to play her until they meet up with the two again, then sure, or whatever you wanna do is good with me... Although we should probably decide before I reply and screw something up ;;; and thanks :3 I appreciate that ]

[horsegodess]

(well i was thinking about apollo abusing her. but yes. why dont you play her untill the bros come back.)

[Greed]

[ All right, will do! ]

Saffron snorted and tilted her head at her father as he walked, his gait less-than-slowly turning to a trot. She turned a wary head behind her, wondering when her mother would join up. But it hit her soon enough that her mother wasn't coming back. It killed Saffron inside. She had already felt the need to give up two levels of pride for her parents - making herself someone her father would be proud of, as well as her mother's less-strict version of a mare to be proud of. Now, with only her father, Saffron was afraid she'd screw up, and her mother wouldn't be there to save her. Saffron continued at a slow trot behind her father.
When night had fallen, Saffron had gone off a while and cried her tears until she felt confident enough to come back to her father. Timidly, she asked, "Where are we going to go now?"

[horsegodess]

"we are going to head to the hill where better grass is." Apollo responded unenthusiastically. The hill was also where all of the mating activity happened. Apollo had noticed that Saffron is almost in the hight of her heat, and he wanted to find her a suitable mate. maybe he could find a mare too.

the sun broke through the darkness of night and Apollo awoke. He nudged Saffron awake and began the 5 hour trek to the hill. Apollo was still grieving about Jeanette, but he knew his responsibility. to find Saffron a mare. Second priority was him finding a mate.

[Greed]

Saffron nodded gently. The idea wasn't necessarily appealing to her, seeing as she was young and couldn't read stallions well. She hoped her father would give her free rein on the mate she chose, but at the same time she hoped he would help her make a decision. Without her mother's expertise, it was like Saffron was left to fend for herself. Her father seemed so distant...so cold. It worried her. When morning broke and their trek to the hill had begun, Saffron mustered up the courage to talk to her father, "What if I...don't find a suitable mate? ...Are you going to look for a new mate, too?"

[horsegodess]

"you will Saffron. you are a beautiful mare with pure blood and I dont know how the stallions will be able to resist you." Apollo said, trying to offer some comfort. When Saffron asked him if he was going to find a mare, he paused and said, "you are my first priority right now. but if i get the chance, then yes."

Apollo and Saffron came to the base of the hill and they began climbing the grassy hill scattered with trees.

[Greed]

Saffron nodded her head quietly before returning to silence. She wasn't sure how she could comfort her father. Not only was she juggling trying to become a mare he'd be proud of, she was stressed out with finding a suitable mate, comforting her father from the loss of his mate, and dealing with the pain of having lost her mother, as well as a great friend. Saffron wasn't sure she was all that ready for a mate yet. Despite being in the prime of her first heat, the unexpected turn of events had left Saffron feeling empty. She didn't want a mate, but she couldn't tell her father that. The timing was horrible, but she couldn't rebel any further from her hurting father. So, Saffron remained quiet as they continued to walk, the thoughts jumbling in her head as she tried to sort out what she was going to do.

[horsegodess]

It was now mid early afternoon. the sun was high in the sky, and the scent of mares and stallions polluted the air. Apollo peaked the hill and halted. He lifted his head and picked up the scent of many mares. He naturally lifted his lip to take in the luring scents in better. Apollo lowered his head and continued up, Stallions were galloping everywhere. Bachelors attempting to steal mares, Band stallions protecting their herd, Mares being snaked in all directions. To an animal that was not a horse, it would look like chaos, but to Apollo could see the complex structures of all of the running.

"go on Saffron. A stallion will pick you up immediately. Now i am trusting you to choose a worthy mate. The stallions will try to order you around, but just show them that you have your own opinions. If anyone gives you any trouble, bring them to me." Apollo says. He gives her a gentle nip on her rump to encourage her to go forward.

[Greed]

Saffron was weary by the time they'd made it to the top of the hill, but her parents (her father especially) had taught her not to let it show. Especially not now, when she had to go out and at least make an effort to pretend she wanted a mate, even if she didn't. She didn't feel comfortable flaunting herself in front of all these stallions, but her father seemed occupied in the scents of other mares. If she came back without a stud, it seemed to her he was less likely to mind. However, she could be wrong. With the thoughts of confusion swirling in her mind, Saffron made her way down to the group of stallions, tail pinned nervously down. If looking lost and scared was cute, Saffron had a feeling all the stallions would flock to her. However, some stallions she noticed right away were there just to pass on their bloodlines, while others, if not still looking for the right mare, were having pleasant conversations with older mares. Saffron stopped in the middle of everything and lifted her head, warily looking around at all the other horses.

[horsegodess]

(do you want me to play her mate? also, where do you want the story to go here?)

[Greed]

[ Ummm, sure, that works. And as for where we want it to go... Well, you said that Apollo would abuse Saffron? Or did I misinterpret? Or read wrong? xD I don't know. And if that's the case, it can be mainly about Jeanette finding out she's her own person, and her mate would play a huge roll in that, in trying to help her realize staying with her father isn't the best for her... Zazu & Odin kinda just flew away xD ]

[horsegodess]

(yeah you heard me right. and great idea! so are zazu and odin out of the picture now? also remember that saffron is in high heat, so she will be more affectionate towards studs even if they are not up to apollo's standards. that might fuel his first abuse of her.)

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