Sound Advice Part 1

Eagle meandered through the herd as he grazed, boredom tickling at the edge of his mind. He was being uncharacteristically social today, actually being a part of the herd rather than skimming the edges as was his wont. He had a feeling his conspicuously absent friend Fox was planning a surprise for him that he wouldn't enjoy, so as much as he loathed socializing, he'd put on his happy face and hid in the anonymity of the herd. Better safe than sorry.
He nodded greetings to those around him, playing the friendly young stallion to a T, but that didn't mean he liked them. Oh, he could be nice when he wanted to, sure, but it was mostly to curry favors for later use. Horses were more likely to help a friendly stallion rather than a grumpy one. He glanced about, trying to pick today's sap. He had to buddy up to someone, but who?

Fajarah was in her own little world, happily ripping out the grass to munch on. The mare caught sight of Eagle ans she stopped chewing. She happened to be one of the horses he nodded to and she dipped her head in response. "Hello, Eagle." her shy, soft voice was amost barely audbile with all of the horses that surrounded them making noise.
"Hello, Eagle."

The mare's voice twitched at his ears, and he glanced over. One of the dark mares, not that that narrowed it down any. Andromedus loved dark horses. Especially dark mares. His thoughts flew towards his mother and the foal growing in her belly. He didn't much care about coat color, and neither did his parents, but he hoped for the foal's sake it was lucky like him and didn't inherit his mother's grey genes. Either way, the unborn would be showered with love, but he'd heard enough stories about the horrible treatment his mother had received for her grey coat that he didn't want that for his baby brother or sister. It might actually be enough to make heads roll.
He turned his thoughts away from family and coat colors and back to the mare. What was her name again? Oh, Fejarah. Right. She'd spoken to him. He eyed her. As good enough protection as any, he supposed.
"Hello, Fejarah," he replied, none of his thoughts reflected in his voice, only soft friendliness. "Nice day, isn't it?" He meandered closer, teeth tearing at the soft, moist grass. The recent storms may have played havoc with the footing, but at least the feed wasn't quite so dry.

A breeze blew by, gently tossing her mane as she picked her head up slightly to look at him. She carefully noted to friendliness in his tone. She was too ignorant; too trusting to notice how Eagle’s friendly voice was all just a ruse so he may get something in return in the near future. She suspected nothing.
Fejarah smiled a bit. “Yes, it’s very nice out today.” she answered, her small voice tinkling like a tiny bell. “How are you doing?” she asked before bending down to continue grazing. It’s not too often that she speaks to a stallion or really anyone for that matter. She is quite frightened by some of them and how they choose to treat mares but Eagle seemed different, at least to her.

Eagle wandered closer, aiming for a sweet clump of clover near the mare's hoof. "I'm doing well. The rain has made the grass quite sweet, hasn't it?" He raised his head, glancing around. So far so good. Maybe his friend had been grabbed by the healer for some task? He could only hope. He tried to think of something else to say to keep the conversation going, but he couldn't think of anything. He had never really been one for conversation, and even around the select people he liked he let them do most of the talking. It was just easier that way.

Fejarah shifted her weight from one leg to the other as her tail swished behind her. "That's good to hear," she said softly. "Yes, it's much sweeter. I prefer it this way." she agreed, giving him a small nod. She wasn't exactly the most talkative horse either but if she was in a good mood, she would speak. It just so happened to be one of those days.

Eagle nodded, chewing in silence a few moments. Conversation with those he didn't know well was not his strong suit. He briefly considered moving on and finding another victim, but it would likely end up the same way, and besides, the mare was grazing near a very nice patch of clover. He twitched his tail, trying to find a way to continue the conversation. She was a nice, quiet mare, he supposed, better than some.
"So, will you be participating in the games?"

She was a bit caught off guard by his question and stopped chewing, her ears flicking forward. "Oh, no, no. I don't think I'm ready for that sort of thing." she said in her usual shy tone. "Are you thinking about going?" she wondered, glancing at him quickly before resuming her grazing.

Eagle snorted before he could stop himself, a derisive sound of disgust and denial. "I never participate." He said, then caught himself, adding in a kinder tone, "I'd rather just watch the other stallions compete. I have no desire to compete against them."

She flattened her ears apologetically, taking note of his evident disdain toward the event. “I-I’m sorry.” she stammered. It was never a good thing to make a stallion angry. “Is… is there any particular reason why you wouldn’t want to participate?” she asked quietly, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her bounds. Her curiosity always gets the best of her and makes her ask questions that would probably be best if they were left unsaid.

Oh, great, she was one of those. A dark mare bred to be submissive towards any stallion who gave her two seconds of his time. Eagle sighed. Time to reassure her. "Don't apologize," he said, forcing his tone to be kind and gentle, rather than the snappish response he wanted to give. The mare needed a backbone. "The only reasons to participate in the games are to impress Andromedus and become a Scout, or to earn the right to a mare. I want neither." He had no ambition for greatness as his parents had dreamed, something he felt bad about, yet still, he wanted to live for himself, rather than at the whims of others. And there had never been a horse that could turn his head. He was only twelve, he could wait, though he doubted he'd ever find anyone. And if he did, well, he had no doubt he'd scare them off.

If she were keener, she would be able to hear Eagle’s forced tone but just a few kindly spoken words were able to sway Fejarah’s judgment as she listened to the stallion speak. She couldn’t judge him for not entering the games, she herself wasn’t participating but her reasons were much, much different. She simply wasn’t skilled enough and she had very little faith in herself that she would even do well in the first place. She let out a tiny sigh. “I see.” She bent her head down and started to graze once more.

Eagle sighed. He couldn't take this. She was really testing his patience. "Do you always agree with everything everyone says?" He was beginning to regret his choice in partners. "You can speak for yourself, you know. You don't exist at the whim of stallions."

The mare looked at him surprised for a moment before she gave him a hard stare. Anger wasn’t something Fejarah was accustomed to displaying but topics like these got under her skin. “I don’t know if you realize this, Eagle, but mares get reprimanded for being insubordinate to certain stallions,” her tone was still soft but her words dripped with venom as she continued. “That can easily include disagreeing with them. So, yes, I agree with everything that everyone says, existing at the whim of stallions.”
Her tail flicked irritably behind her as she snorted, turning her head away for a moment. She could’ve continued, went on for days about what she’s been through just for having an opinion but it was best not to go there. It’s not like he cared anyway. Why would he? He’s a stallion who can say whatever he wanted, think whatever he wanted and do whatever he wanted. She shook her head and turned back to the stallion, not knowing what to expect from him.

Eagle snorted. He knew very well what could happen to a mare for speaking up to the wrong stallion. "Then get smart instead," he grumbled. "Learn about them, watch them, know which stallions to avoid, and do so. For instance, if you watched me, you'd know I've never attacked anyone, mare or stallion, and have no wish to."
There was a reason Eagle spent so much time alone, watching the herd. He knew most of the herd by sight, if not by name, and in watching them, was able to learn enough to know who to avoid and who to associate with. "Just get clever."

“Get smart instead…?” she repeated, giving him a quizzical look as she mulled over everything that he said. Everything he told her made her view the young stallion in a new light, almost as if he were a different horse. She took his words to heart and decided this was something she would have to do in order to escape anymore mishaps with angry stallions. “Hmm, I see your point.” she said after a moment of silence.

Eagle twitched his tail in satisfaction. Seemed she wasn't as hopeless as she'd first seemed. Maybe there was hope for her yet. "Good. Living at the whim of others is boring. Much better to be your own horse, rather than just another meek little mare."

"Sounds like your speaking from experience..." she noted, eyeing him curiously. "Why is it your so adamant about this particular subject?" she chanced, hoping to get a few answers from the young stallion. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, advancing on a tasty looking patch of greenery as she listened for his reply.

Eagle twitched an ear, shrugging. "I simply prefer to be myself, rather than what others want me to be. I've seen too many horses hurt by blind obedience. Modern conceptions of how things should be and how others should act and look...bah." His ears pinned back in a mixture of annoyance and anger. He'd never given others a chance to mock him for his rather mundane coloration, preferring isolation from the start, but in his observations he'd seen how other horses were treated, simply for being other than what was socially considered beautiful or proper. His own mother had been shamed for having a grey coat, and no one saw anything wrong with that. Colts aspired to be scouts, mares to be foal-bearers. Dark was beautiful. To be otherwise was wrong. "I just don't want to be like everyone else, that's all."

“I understand, I too wish to have my own opinion but sometimes that is impossible. Most of these horses were brought up this way, being young and impressionable, they were taught to hate what they do not know and act a certain way. Fear is sometimes the motivation behind it all. Fearing exile, punishments and all the like.” she said as her gaze steadily moved to the ground. Fear was her only motivation to listen and be the shy, obedient mare she was. She never said anything out of turn, she was never rude or talked back. She was always just trying to avoid getting hurt or beaten. It was the only way for her to survive.

"It's always possible to have your own opinion. It's simply not always wise to share it." Eagle said. He had been one of the lucky ones, not growing up in fear of one or both of his parents, never receiving a beating for acting out of turn. Through his own cunning and guile he'd avoided the negative attentions of the rest of the herd as well. However, that didn't mean he didn't know it was there. In a way, it made him different from much of the herd, not having that fear as a motivation for blind obedience. As a foal he'd been free to think and behave as he wished, something he still did as an adult, but with more wisdom. He truly couldn't understand the fear that drove the herd so strongly, but he knew better to push it and betray himself. But that didn't mean he had to like it. He often dreamed of a herd without fear. How nice would that be?

Fejarah let out a small chuckle as she slowly nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's very true. She could recall many times where her mouth and her curiosity had gotten her in trouble. However, she just needed to be smarter about how she went about things and who she talked to, perhaps doing more observing rather than talking.
"You are a very interesting stallion, Eagle." She couldn't deny that she was intrigued by him. He made her curious and she wanted to know more about his story. What made him into the wise, fearless stallion he's become?

Eagle snorted in self-derision. Him? Interesting? Hardly. He was one of the most boring horses he knew of. "And that is where you are wrong," he said, ducking his head to reach for a juicy bunch of clover as a way to hide his expression. "I've never done anything worth taking notice of. Interesting is not the word I would use to describe me."

"No, Eagle, it is you that is wrong this time." she said with a small smile. "You chose not to do anything worth taking notice of but even so, you are still very interesting, even if it's just to me."
She couldn't help it, she was facinated with how intellegent he was for one so young, She secretly wished she witheld even a half of the wisdom that seemed to dwell within him. Even though he seemed a bit unmotivated, the mare believed that if he'd set his mind to do something, he could perhaps do something that the herd would take notice of.

Eagle blinked at her, frowning in consternation. What had he done to suddenly endear himself to her so suddenly? All he'd done was snap at her with some much-needed advice. He wasn't interesting. He shook his wild mane out, trying and failing to tame the flyaway strands. "Hrmph." He was at a loss for words. That never happened. How had this silly little dark mare made him tongue-tied? He tried to shrug it off. "You obviously need to meet more horses then."

She couldn't help but laugh at his comment. "I beg to differ."
It felt really good to talk to him, to feel that she didn't have to blindly agree with whatever he said, even if she felt he was wrong. Is this what it felt like to have an opinion?

"I'm starting to think I liked you better when you didn't talk back to me," Eagle grumbled, a wry twist to his lips. It was obviously a lie, there was none of the disgust or reluctance that had been in him before. There was still the trace of usual disdain that was always present, but one had to look very closely and know him well to see it. "Why do you think I'm so interesting?" He asked suddenly, honestly curious.

Fejarah laughed lightly. "Ah, then you should be more careful who you share your advice with!" she teased, a playful gleam sparkled in her eyes as she spoke. It wasn't totally out of character for her to joke around a bit but not many have been able to enjoy her humorous side.
"Well, it's not everyday that you see an intelligent horse, especially one as young as you." she pointed out, holding her head a little higher than she would have to a stallion. "Plus, you encouraged me to have my own judgement on things as long as I'm smart about it. No one has even hinted towards such an idea and for that, I'm grateful."she said with a genuine smile.

Eagle mulled over her words a moment, having it once again brought home just how unusual his views were. How he'd never fit in here. Hell, if it weren't for his parents and Fox, he'd have hoofed it as a nomad years ago. Half the herd already thought his mother had sneaked off to be with a Feral to get him, anyways. His coat was too bland. If they knew how unusual he really was, Andromedus would probably have him thrown out of the herd anyways. He glanced at Fejarah. "Just don't spread the word, alright? I prefer to stay unnoticed, thank you. If word got around I was inspiring the mares to think, well, forbid the thought!" He threw his head up dramatically, voice lightening as he imitated what the herd would likely say of the matter. "It would be outrage! Mutiny! How dare I!" A wicked glint showed in his eye as the corner of his mouth lifted. He rarely made glib, but it was better that than allowing himself to become even more gloomy than usual. He doubted she'd like seeing that.

Jarah couldn't help but chuckle at his dramatic display. It may have seemed a bit funny coming from him but there was no doubt in her mind; that's exactly how the herd would see it. Insubordination at its finest. Andromedus would kick him out for sure. She shook away her nagging thoughts and faced Eagle with a light smile. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone anything. Who would I tell anyway?"
The mare didn't have too many friends or at least she didn't know if they thought ofher as a friend. Not to mention her usual shy demeanor. No, his secret was safe with her, locked away forever.

Eagle nodded, the dramatic expression mellowing back to his usual neutral demeanor. He glanced around, reminding himself that they were still in the middle of the herd, and anyone could be listening. It was a sobering thought, he'd spoken far too freely. He didn't even know this mare very well, he shouldn't be expressing himself like this, but he felt fairly certain she was telling the truth. "Thank you, Fejarah. There are always people you can tell, but I think I can trust you."