{the look in her eyes;

[zoe]

Chardonnay

I stepped into the arena, head held high, tail tall in carriage. Daintily placing one hoof before the other, I slid my body seductively through the pulsing crowd of horseflesh. I did not turn as I heard the screams of a mare being raped; I did not turn as I saw a colt get beaten to the ground. They were below me. I was here to be claimed by a proper brute, someone who would put me where I liked it. My apricot coat felt a splatter of mud hit my underbelly, and I snarled in response. Watch it.

My delicate pink nares trembled and widened as I breathed deeply of the scents around me. Oh, how I loved the swirl of life around me: pain, anger, happiness, betrayal. I could live here, just watching.

[solyss]

You know what? This place smelled. It wasn't so bad as sulfur or rotting flesh, but still, it wasn't so pleasant on the nostrils. It seemed like one too many paltry animals had pissed themselves with fear. One would think a slave would at least empty his bladder before sitting pretty for their keepers, but apparently such high thinking had been bred out of those little monstrosities. Speaking of little..His eye had wandered to a delicately small hooved creature, almost white, but not quite. Maybe she had rolled around too close to a slave lacking bladder control. He approached, noticing she didn't smell as he would have expected, good, because his mood would've have suffered...

She seemed involved with her own musings, obviously entertained by the scene around her. He lumbered up on over to her, his expression offering no hint of his intentions or ideas. " Are you some sort of midget or something...?" He asked in a dull, deep voice. Of course, she was a pony...but she looked pretty out of place among beings a tad taller than she was, so she basically beckoned some teasing. " Pardon my ruthless lacking of manners, no harm intended, dear. " His tone warmed up slightly, flowing with a thick, solid chord. " So I guess someone finds this place mildly amusing as well, huh? Not everyday you get so much to look at in the pinpoint of a territory..." Yada, yada, he started rambling, then ceased his words and eyed the little white-ish thing below him.

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[zoe]

Chardonnay

I tilted my skull back to peer upwards at the hellion before me. My auds pricked forward indignantly, and I tossed my head with scorn. "No!" I snorted. "I am not a midget. I am just short... and it isn't amusing. It is very interesting... kind of like watching a replay of every emotion out there. Watching them all is like stepping into their shoes for a moment, and looking at life from behind their eyes..." I trailed off, thinking again. Who is this mahogany steed before me? He does not act like any Master I have ever known, thats for sure.

[solyss]

His expression held a bemused quality as the short little thing tossed her head around. As she spoke, his eyes scanned the small plot of land...watching...which he didn't find to be overly interesting since he's seen it all before. Of course, nothing going on here was really doing anything for him, so why should he bother? " You've got your own eyes to look behind ,dear. Best keep it at that before you get lost in this filthy little world. " He watched her for a few moments...wondering how the world looked so close the the ground... her neck must get sore looking up all of the time. he mused.

Anyway, back to the basics..." So, are you here to just watch or are you just another product sitting on display for fellows like me. " He asked, his tone sadistic; devious. To put it bluntly, he had been disappointed by the lack of decent creatures to add to his ranks. This little one could have potential use, not everyday you see a midget- er...short horse among a sea of tall ones. His tail flicked a few times, boredom beginning to seep back into his thick, chocolate skull.

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[zoe]

Chardonnay

I frowned. He almost had a point, but "Get lost in this filthy little world"? No, I don't understand that. The world was beautiful and interesting. How could anyone get lost?

My nares flickered as I studied the stallion further. He was a deep wine shade, with almost chocolate undertones: Somehow, he reminded me of a cherry truffle. He was tall where I was short, sturdy where I was dainty. The questioning part of my mind wondered what a foal from us would look like; perhaps normal, like any other? I smirked. No, a foal from someone as unique as myself would not be boring.

And now, I needed to answer him. I was beginning to think the hellion I had mistaken for a free-roamer was a Master, and as such, he needed my full and undivided attention. "I am a slave, Sir. It does not please me, but it is so, and will probably always be." I scowled darkly, daring him to tease me for my rank.

[solyss]

His head and neck shook slightly, ears flopping to get the bugs away, they almost bothered him as much as the garbage-like horses laying around. The little mare explained that she was a slave and all that, so his let his eyes grow mockingly wide with a slight gasp " You're a slave? I never would have guessed..." His tone was jokingly dark. " At least you've still the will to hold your head up...even if its a long ways down from here." He stated coyly, lifting his head with flaring nostrils to test the scents around them...

A few muscles rippled, either flicking away pests or in anticipation to get moving again. His mind discontinued the ease lallygagging, and his thoughts began to collect toward getting to the point. " How about you trot yourself out of this slave trap and head on over to my caves...make yourself at home as the first member of my ranks if you wish. " He could imagine that this little piece of horse flesh could be useful in the future, plus she didn't have that lifeless look in her eyes that made him sick. He watched her expectingly.

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[zoe]

Chardonnay

I blinked. Life was proceeding at a much faster pace than I liked for it to. It was hard to think things through when they were thrown at you in chunks! My auds roled back, and I listened carefully to those around me, drawing inspiration from the fact that I was not stuck where they were. This brute, at least, seems to think of me as more than a womb on four legs. Perhaps I can work with him.

"Join your ranks?" I repeated. "That sounds lovely.. Master." My last word was spoken quietly, and with uncertaincy. I did not yet know how he would extpect to be treated, or how he expected to treat his slaves. This was the worst part about getting a new master: learning their behaviors, their attitudes. A misstep could kill.

I flicked my tail, and lowered my skull. Obedience and submission, obedience and submission. I thought.

[solyss]

He nodded to the mare, good, good...She was the first, starting hopefully a steady steam of worthy horses to file into his abode. " I am pleased,dear. Might you have a name by which I shall address you? " He could have made it easy, and left the acknowledgment on a 'hey you! basis, but that would prove ineffective when there were more slaves. It seemed amusing, that he had no name, but they could call him what they wanted, if they needed to address him, they'd have catch his glance. And now to break this ice with his explanation of how things were to work...

" I am not the strongest, smartest, or best master you may ever have. But this I promise, no creature under my command will fall to the cruelties of others. I'm not going to kick you for having opinions, just don't ever betray the herd. " He paused for a moment in thought. Those that try to leave...don't get far, and don't come back. " He stated with a dry tone, his eyes flickered their sincerity. He was not expecting this little monster to give him trouble. Not at all....

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[zoe]

Chardonnay

I looked up at my now Master, and I felt almost pleased. I allowed my mind to wander after I heard the question, but I was drawn back to reality by his last sentence: Don't get far, and don't come back. It sent a shiver down my backbone, though I had no intention of running away. Perhaps that was what he had wanted, though: a good dose of fear to keep his new toy in line.

I turned to look again at the crowds of sweat and stench, and felt a mixture of emotions well up inside of me. My chest constricted, and I wondered if I would ever have to come here again.. and next time I came, how would my life have changed? Would it be a day from now, being sold again? Or a year, to drop off my unwanted colt? I wished I had some control over my life. It hurt to have no choice.

"They call me Chardonnay, master." It was certainly too presumtious to ask, but the words escaped me anyway.. "What do they call you, Master?"

[solyss]

She offered her calling, then asked his name and his expression remained unchanged. " Chardonnay..." He nodded at her, storing the information within his memory. "I have no name, no label to my being. If you wish to speak with me, you best get my attention with more than just words." He wasn't used to being called 'master' is just seemed odd and offered him power that he didn't really enjoy having. " There is no need to address me by master, as I won't be addressing you as 'slave', I will be heard when it is needed. "

Now, Chardonnay, my home is yours so long as you can find it on your own. It is best advised that you don't stray too long, others aren't so willing to let their members wander, but you have your own decisions and ideas to play off of. " He needed to at least be sure her senses were acute enough to pick up his scent within his stale, cold abode. " I will return there soon. " He assured with a small nod. " You may go as you please...I still have the need to finish some things up here. " He flicked his muzzle toward the general direction of his land, then turned and took a few steps away before looking back to see if she was headed off.

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(ooc: you can reply here and/ or make a post in the caves if ya want ;P )

[zoe]

Chardonnay

I listened carefully, wondering. He was sending me on my own, to find his lands? What about the risk of me running off? It was an odd position to find myself in. And yet, I liked it. This nameless hellion (How odd is that, anyway?) was trusting me enough to give me freedom to go to his home.

I breathed deeply of his strong, musky odor. If I was to trck him back to his home on scent alone, I would need a good idea of what that scent was. I am no wolf, after all, and equine aren't exactly known for their olafactory sensors! Besides, the area around the Rock was laced with the stink of a thousand horses: slaves, Masters, and those in between.

I had found my place among them... or had I?