Crystal stepped nervously into the claiming grounds, her foster-sister Jewel beside her. In unspoken agreement, they went to the small stream that ran across the meadow to drink their fill. What kind of stallion will claim me? Crys thought nervously as she lifting her head, water dripping from her slim muzzle. She looked longingly towards the edge of the meadow, where the two mares' brother, Ski, stood waiting unseen to follow them to whatever territory they were claimed for.

Jel noticed her sister's disquiet, and raised her own dripping muzzle from the stream's clear water to gently nudge her forehead 'gainst the white mare's neck. "If nothing else," She said quietly, correctly guessing the reason for her sister's nervousness, "Ski'll hang around the edges of whatever land or herd we're called to. He wont just leave us, you know this."

Crys smiled, a purely equine smile that lit up her eyes with laughter and love for her family, and for life itself. "You're right, Jel," She said gratefully. "I know you're right, I just can't help worrying." Jewel wordlessly pressed her cheek to her sister's, offering support, which Crys received gratefully.

Right about then, Ski poked his head through the brush lining the meadow, catching his sisters' eyes immediately. He winked, mischief shining brightly in his black-flecked silver eyes, then disappeared once again, with nothing but a slight rustle of branches, which could have easily been mistaken for the cool breeze that blew through the claiming grounds to play with the gathered mares' manes and tails. Crystal almost choked, trying to hold in the unexplainable (to others) laughter that threatened to bubble up, while Jel covered her giggles by pretending to cough. Ski'd done what he'd set out to do, however, which was relieve the stress and nervousness the wait to be claimed had put upon his sisters.

Both young mares had but one thought running through their minds: What would they do without their bothersome, wonderful elder brother?

((Eh, not the best, but I suppose it'll do ^_^))

Excitement driving his pace, Sharloch bounds into the meadow with the avid attentiveness of a colt beholding his first Spring bloom. Eager ebony harks and sharp bi-coloured eyes scan in unison the contents of the lands, his dark and burnished gold brown pelt shimmering underneath the morning sunlight. His impetuousness is squashed as he sees how bare his surrounds are, and he wishes, sadly, that he had been offered a little bit more choice for his first ever claiming. Sighing once he trots loosely over to the nearest femmes, one a milky, pale lady, the other a deep bloody chestnut. As he halts and engages in introductions with them, he does his best to hide his disappointment. They were, after all, both very lovely and striking creatures, and it would mortify him if they felt as if he considered them second rate - for that wasn't the case at all.

"Good morning, my young dears! My dubbance be Sharloch Evenblood, King of the Sacreds." He begins in a friendly tone, a small, charming smile upon his velveteen. Now that he was closer to the tessas he could take note of their yet undeveloped frames, knowing that they must have seen no more than two winters - and would be a year off, at least, from bearing any heirs. Still, they were both very beautiful, and oddly marked. Unique. He was intrigued.

"May I enquire into the charms you lovely belles go by?" He asks, being straightfoward, eager to know their names.

OOC: Please dear member! No coloured text! *cringes* Bold font for speaking please, it's even in the rules.

((Oh man >.< Dahg it, I'm so sorry Saregona - it completely slipped my mind! I'll fix it immediately after this post, and I'll also re-read the rules to make sure there aren't any other unique rules to this site that I forgot!))

The mares' ears twitched at a not-curse from the direction of the trees (and Ski), and their laughter broke through before they could stop it. Hence, they didn't notice the stallion approaching until he spoke, at which they jumped a foot in the air, eyes going saucer-wide - and Crystal was quiet sure she'd gone two feet! They were slightly bemused by the archaic-like speech, but since it was clearly understandable, they pushed it to the backs of their respective minds for later.

Their eyes widened even further (if that was even possible) when they learned that the handsome, oddly-marked stag before them was the King of the Sacreds! They simultaneously shifted, more then a bit uncomfortable under the Royal Stallion's scrutiny, although they were put somewhat-at-ease by his smile and friendly voice. As close as ever two equines could be, they exchanged a quick, nervous glance, a world of unspoken, yet completely understood words flowing between them in that one, three-second-long glance. A large part of this was a silent plea from the snow-and-sunlight mare to her ruby-hued sister, Jewel, to take the lead in the conversation. The answer she received reassured Crystal, and she was able to follow her sister's lead in bowing her head in submission and respect to the King Stag before them, sunlight falling through the nearby trees to dapple their hides with golden light.

"Sire," Jewel began in a soft voice, wondering if this was the correct form of address, "Before my dam passed on, she named me Jewel Hiteiapreta - she said it meant 'High-tall-and-pretty' in an old, almost-forgotten tongue." She hesitated to continue, since he'd really only asked their names, but then mentally shrugged and ended with, "I have a twin brother, dubbed Ski Hiteiahadso, which our dam said was 'High-tall-and-handsome' in the same tongue: He waits just beyond the glade for us, hoping for a place within whichever herd we are called to." She didn't really think she needed to add anything more - her closing sentence said it all.

Jel then obscurely nudged her foster-sister with a hind hoof, and Crys barely managed not to jump again. She swallowed nervously, then spoke in a shy, quiet voice. "Sire, my dam chose Crystal for my first calling, and in the same language as Jewel, dubbed me Hiteiaso - 'High-tall-and-showy', she said - for my second." Here she fell silent again, relying upon her sister to take hold of the conversation once again. She'd tried her best to use the form of speech Sharloch had, but she had to admit that she probably hadn't done that good of a job.

Jewel tipped a sympathetic ear towards her sister, and obtrusively stepped a bit closer, her flank brushing Crystal's for what comfort she could offer at the moment. She studied the amber stallion before her, wondering if he had some lineage of draft in him, which she remembered from her captive days, though her memories of that time were somewhat hazy in places, being that she had been but a babe then. "Have you come to claim us, Sir Sherloch?" The ruby mare asked hesitantly, unsure as to how she should address this kindly Stag. Sherloch had introduced himself with no obvious sign of formality, stating his position with no sign of overdue arrogance. And yet, although she'd never been around equine royalty before this moment, she felt that some form or title of respect was due this magnificent Stag.

((I hope you don't mind, but I'm not very good at the archaic 'Boa, cranium, daggers, banners' type of roleplaying, unfortunately - though I can do my best and work on it, if you'd like ^ ^ Also, where might the colored-text rule be located? I looked through all three Rules threads, and I couldn't find a mention of it. That's not to say I'll keep doing it - I'll refrain from using colors unless you say otherwise - I'm just curious. I could've missed it, but I went through the 'General Rules' about three times, and the other two at least twice each >.<))

OOC: Oh, you couldn't find it? Hmmm, I remember putting it there, but my memory might be failing me. Regardless, I'll check and add it if it's not there! My apoligies if I have directed you there to find no such rule =P

Also, I don't mind if you don't use the fancy vocab at all, I use it because that's how I learnt to play text RPG's - but you don't have to if you're uncomfortable with it. I think you're a fine player as it is! =) I'll have Sharloch react to your characters speech and have him speak a little more casually in my next reply okies?

((Sounds great ^_^ Thanks! Oh, and I'm sorry it took so long to edit my first post - I was going to do it after my last one, but I was hurried off to bed *sigh* I did it before this one though, so it's all fixed! =D))

OOC: Sorry it's a bit short, I'm tired X(

The stag bites his ebony lower lip subtly with clean and even ivories as he realises the confusion and tension his formal speech had roused in the young mares. So, feeling somewhat ridiculous for being needlessly eloquent, he continues in a much more casual style.

Heh, forgive the formality - I am a King after all. He laughs warmly, poking the slightest bit of fun at himself, his twinkling odd-coloured eyes lingering upon the pair.

Anyway, straight to the point! You pair, young Crystal and Jewel, are looking for a home, and I am looking for belles to fill the lonely but beautiful land I reside in. I think we can work something out. He says with a friendly suggestive grin and, a moment later, a flick of his forelock to rid it from the place between his pools to reveal an off center white marking. He shifts the weight of his brawny frame about on his pillars so that he is more comfortable as he stands and awaits the reactions of the femmes - his focus on them only wavering to let his gaze follow the frame of a silvery stallion stalking the borders of the grounds.

((Don't worry about it - that post alone is at least ten times bigger then some of the posts on this one site =P))

The mares couldn't help but smile in return. Sherloch's willingness to laugh and make jokes at the expense of himself put them much more at ease, even more so at the realization that he was doing so even though he was king. "No worries, sir," Crystal said quietly, plucking up the courage to speak, "It's understandable, under the circumstances." Jewel flicked a ruby ear at her foster-sister in quiet support.

Crys had used up her speaking-courage for the time being by the time the stag had spoken again, so Jel spoke next. "We're honored that you've chosen us, sir. We've been roaming on the outskirts of the herds for so long, the three of us -" She pointed her nose to the bushes where Ski waited "- finally decided that we'd like a permanent place to call home."

On that note, Ski decided to speak up. "I hope so, sir!" He called, poking his black-and-silver head above the bushes, his silvery-gray forelock falling across his eyes. "I made a promise to protect my sisters, and it would be fair hard to do so if we were separated!" His tone was light and cheerful, not threatening in any way, though his black-flecked silver eyes told very clearly that he had mischief and fun enough for five stallions.

Crys flattened her snowy ears in mock-severity at her brother, arching her neck and assuming the voice she'd heard other dams use to lecture their foals as her golden mane fell to partly obscure her face. "Ski! Get your rump back in those bushes, I doubt the other mares appreciate you popping in and out so much! You can rejoin us when we leave, if sir Sherloch permits it." Though her voice and posture was serious and rebuking, her eyes held a lively sparkle that said this sort of thing was a normal occurrence.

"Yes, Mother!" Ski said, flattening his own ears and pulling back into the surrounding brush, rattling the branches. "Don't be too long though - it's my nappy time soon, and you promised to tuck me in with goose feathers and fern curls!" His sisters struggled to contain their laughter at his innocent-sounding voice yet ridiculous comeback, and their giggles turned into coughing fits instead. It only lasted a moment, however, and their heads came up once more.

"Sorry about that," Crystal said, her nervousness mostly gone for the time being - which she suspected had been her brother's goal all along. She tossed her golden forelock away from her eyes, resettling her long mane as a slim braid settled once more behind her left eye. "Ski can be a brat at times, but he's got a good heart, and he's taken good care of Jel and I."

Jewel added quietly, "He'd risk his life for a friend or loved one without a second thought, if circumstances required it - which I pray they never will." Her sister's white-and-gold head bobbed in grim agreement to Jel's statement, hoping and wishing fiercely that nothing would ever steal their fun-loving brother away from them - how'd she ever get over her shyness with his teasing? That thought, though a bit sad, brought the smile back to her face as she realized the truth of it - just how would she get over that issue without him?

Sharloch remains patient and quietly observant of the threes behaviour, forgiving it only because of their youth. When they are all quite silent again, he smiles in a friendly fashion - even though he is now a little annoyed - and responds warmly..

"As fascinating as your family dynamics are," He pauses to chuckle a bit, his words not intended to carry malice, "We had all best be getting back to our new homelands yes?" He inquires, though anyone could tell it was much more a carefully hidden order than a question. A shadow of worry crosses his mind as he turns slowly to head back home, hearing the steady hoofbeats of the mares following and the rapid beats of the stallion chasing after him from the opposite borders. He had come out here to find himself a potential queen, and as lovely as these belles were, they did not evoke any particular desires in him. With a near silent sigh of longing, he crooks his head back as he begins to trot across the flat grounds to check his followers with a pale amber eye. Sure that they were tailing him with sufficient awarness, he breaks into a powerful gallop with an excited whinney, his hind flints dug into the soil as his haunches elegantly launch him forwards on to strong, expectant forelegs that then pull him into a sharp pace. He races up a gentle slope, throwing his hinds out in excitement as he rushes over the rise to see his terra in the distance - delighing in the prospect of the lengthy gallop ahead.

The two mares flattened their ears and lowered their heads, suddenly worried that they'd aggravated this stallion with their actions. But he didn't show any obvious signs of irritation, or at least not much (if they caught any at all), and they raised their heads a bit at his gently-put order, relieved. Their ears pricked when he turned, and they trotted after him. Ski emerged from the surrounding brush as the king stag looked back, and when their claimer let loose a call and speeded up, the three siblings leapt into into action as well, Crystal's long legs and natural speed carrying her a bit past the other two at first, although they could've easily caught up to her at this pace if they'd had a mind to.

Jewel couldn't resist a laughing protest, even though it didn't have much hold at the moment. "Wait up you two! Not all of us have your speed!"

Crystal glanced back briefly as they pounded across a clear stretch of ground. "Not my fault, slowslug!" She retorted, her eyes alight with the excitement that always filled her during a good, long run.

Ski tossed his head, speeding up to match his sister's pace a length away from their leader. "Be nice to your sister!" He chided playfully, kicking up his heels as Crys just flicked her ears at him. Jel picked up her own pace, steadying when she pulled even with her sister, wind whipping her mane around and making her tail stream behind her like a banner just as it did the others'. The small family thundered along together, staying well clear of the flying hooves from Sherloch before them and each other's to the sides. They were finally going to have a home!