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 Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:16 am
Ah, so they hadn't planned theirs either. The thought brought a smile to her muzzle and she gave a light chuckle. "Good to know we weren't the only ones. Hopefully next time I have foals, they won't be a complete surprise. I suppose it's a good opportunity for that question, though," she added after a small, thoughtful pause.
When he glanced at the white-bay fruit on the tree she couldn't help but succumb to the temptation to look at it, too. It still worried her, though. What if it fell early? Would they both be there when it hatched? Would the foal be all right, since it's a cross-breed? The last thought brought a small frown to her muzzle. How would it be treated once hatched? Not all cross-breeds were bad, in her mind, but then again she had never met one, so she couldn't rightfully say. Hopefully their child, as well as Lucius' and Lydia's child, could avoid being ridiculed or hated for simply being cross-breeds. If many nequus like Zak lived in Urin, ones who hated cross-breeds for simply being what they are... The thought wasn't very promising. At his mention of an adopted son, she turned to him, ears perked. "Adopted son?" She inquired with a smile. "I suppose adopting a foal can make you want to have foals of your own. I wouldn't know, I haven't adopted any foals, myself."
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:52 am
Lucius gave a whicker of amusement and bobbed his head. "I didn't really mean to if I'm honest. He and I were exploring the beach one night when we found some Rit tracks. We followed them, since he'd never seen one before, and eventually we found the little thing. Once he got over being scared of me we talked a bit and he mistook Vox for my son. I didn't correct him, which led him to comment that the boy must take after his mother a great deal."
The orange-winged Aeri chuckled. "Still, the fruit that's growing at the moment doesn't look all that much like myself or Lydia. Odd how we could still tell it was ours; I often wonder how these instincts were given to us, whether it was Gods as some say or whether we developed them over time. I see both as possible; the former because presumably Gods can do whatever they please and the latter because..." He'd actually thought about this a lot and wasn't sure if it was a normal thing to consider. Well what did it matter? He wasn't normal himself and if it bored the Reya mare that was too bad for her; it would be over soon.
"Yes," the stallion went on. "I believe such instincts are things we could have developed ourselves generation by generation. Foals, whose parents knew them as a fruit, would survive and grow to adults and... And perhaps there could be a feature within the mind that can be passed on like size or the colour of a coat for knowing one's fruits even if they do not resemble one. In this way over time all Nequus would come to recognise their own fruit no matter what it looked like as those whose forbears did not would not survive... Did that make any sense?" It made sense to him but that didn't necessarily mean it wasn't utter Rit-s**t.
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:28 pm
She nickered in amusement as well, flicking the tips of her tails. "Well, at least now you'll have your own child instead of just an adopted one. Hopefully they'll both get along," she said with a bob of her head. What would it be like if hers and Aitumn's child had an elder sibling? No use thinking on it, since it wasn't going to happen. Perhaps, maybe, the child of Lucius and Lydia could become friends with their child? Hopefully, it was always good for foals to have other foals to play with.
At the mention of not looking like either parent, she flicked an ear, offering an equine shrug. "It doesn't look like our fruit has a touch of gold in it at all, oddly enough, just white, and Aitumn's bay color," she noted, looking at the fruit with a smile. A lovely combination, she figured, before looking back at Lucius, listening to his theory carefully. "Well you got me a bit lost, but from what I understand it sounds plausible enough. I don't know how we acquired our instincts, through the Gods or through evolution, but I just know we have them and they work. Very useful, too, obviously," she said with a bob of her head and a chuckle. "I s'pose if we didn't instinctively know which tree was ours, we might find the wrong one, or never find it at all. Might not even know one exists at all, which is an awful thing to think about."
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:22 am
Lucius almost scowled at 'just an adopted one' but managed to keep his face free from annoyance. Doubtless the mare had meant no offence. If she hadn't been the mother of a friend's child he might have given her a piece of his mind but, as it was, the Aeri felt it best to let the matter slide.
"I'm sure they will get on," the orange-eyed stallion said with a nod. "Vox is probably grown now in any case so he wouldn’t be jealous and I don't think I've ever met a kinder soul than he in any case. I’m not sure if he’s even capable of jealousy or hate." It was only a guess but, from what he knew of the speckled Aeri, his adopted boy would be over the moon.
"Yes, anyway," the stallion went on. "I can't imagine how we would cope without these instincts so I think there must have been something there to begin with to tell us. I think it may have been improved on over time but again I can't be sure of that. It's a nice thought though I suppose, that you could pass on things other than breed and colour and shape to a foal without needing to teach it." Innate. It was a good word, possibly one of his favourites.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:43 am
Indeed, the mare had meant no offense at the statement, simply meaning he would now have more than one child to love and care for. She bobbed her head, the thumb claw on one wing reaching up to rid the mare of an itch on her neck. "That's wonderful. And you have two children now, adopted or not, which is lovely. I couldn't help but feel more would be nice," she said, looking back at the small tree with the single growing fruit, "but I suppose, since neither of us have had children before, that only one would probably be best for now, until we get the feel for parenting." Oh dear, didn't that imply she wanted more children with him? Oh well; Aitumn was wonderful so far, and truth be told, she wouldn't mind sticking with him even after their child was grown.
She looked back at Lucius as he spoke again, and bobbed her head. "Yes, it is a nice thought. Perhaps we even pass on a bit of personality to our foals, as well? Though I'm not sure how their personalities shape, either from something hereditary we pass on or if it's because of how they're raised," she said thoughtfully. "I know after I was separated from my mother I grew up in Ryuten, but I don't think the two-legs helped mold my personality. I like to think I've remained the same since then, although I've learned a thing or two from past experiences that my mother hadn't taught me."
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:55 am
Lucius nodded his agreement to the gilded mare's wonderings. "I've noted that foals can sometimes end up like that parents but that could be to do more with nurture than nature." Some kind of an experiment would be in order then... Getting people to volunteer could be difficult though. Oh well, he'd probably have great fun theorising without any evidence of any kind; he liked wondering about things.
…How long had he and the mare been talking? Not all that long, he knew, but he couldn't help feel compelled to make a move soon nevertheless. Maybe another instinct specific to stallions; care for your mate before all else while the tree grows. Lucius glanced down at his basket before returning his gaze to Cressida. A few minutes more to round things off politely wouldn't hurt.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:11 pm
She bobbed her head in agreement, flicking the ends of her tails idly. How long had Aitumn been gone now? She couldn't tell. "Yes, I think so. But we can't really tell for sure, I don't think." Could they? She would have to think on the subject more.
She noticed his glance downwards at his basket, and she smiled, nodding towards it. "You can go now, if you'd like, to get food from the two-legs. Getting food to your mate is more important than standing here, talking to me. You might even see Aitumn while you're there," she said with a bob of her head. He certainly was polite. She knew a score of others who would simply say they had to go now, good-bye, then just up and leave. He was polite about it, though, and if he felt that it was time for him to take his leave, then he should do so. Lydia was, in truth, more important than the gilded mare was, at least for the skeleton-clad Aeri. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Lucius. We'll have to see each other again sometime," she said with another smile and a bob of her head.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:26 pm
The bone-clad stallion laughed aloud and nodded. "Indeed we shall Cressida, and thank you. Now I know where your tree is you can hardly avoid me; this route isn't desperately out of my way to Ryuten so I may as well pass by to see if Aitumn wishes to come with me, or simply for a few words with you."
Lucius glanced up at the mixed breed fruit once more before looking to the Reya mare again. "Farewell then Cressia; until our next meeting." Wit these words, the orange-eyed Aeri bent to grab his basket and, in the same fluid movement, took off through the trees of Shrilal at the gallop. Lydia would not have to wait long for his return.
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