Echoing softly through the snow blanket'd forests came the lilting tune of a christmas carol, the joyous music a call to celebrate the wonders of the season, and a high to lift even the lowest spirits.
The caroller was a slightly heady Plunge, the bright red and blue of his markings standing out like a beacon against the pristine white of the snow. The joy of the season and the boisterousness of his singing kept him warm in the snow, and his eye were bright as he sent flurries of snow swirling into the air with each timed beat of his wing to the music.
Beside him, barely visible and silent as her companion was raucous, walked a shivering Echo, her Desert blood at odds with the chilled environment. But she had ventured forth despite the cold, because her seemingly unaffected stallion had sung to her of trees hung with glowing lights, and brightly coloured baubles, and of Sams getting together to celebrate regardless of territory. And of gifts, given in good spirit, of course! So she merely walked closer to his warm body as it vibrated with the strength of his song and watched for other Sams amongst the trees, curious.
"The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles." - 11th Doctor
Chilling got a chill as she heard sweet music flow through the chilly air. Her ears perked up as she began to walk towards the sound. Her draconic wings are neatly tucked to her sides and her jewelry is extra polished. She tiptoed through the forest until she found the epicenter of the song.
He stood there, his mouth beltching a beautiful tune. A blue and red draconic winged male. He was handsome. She eyed the desert female as she got close to him for heat. Her face made it obvious she was not wanting to be there.
Chilling smiled and poked her head out from behind a tree.
"What song is that?" She asked simply. She was not one for beating around the bush. Chilling did not have the normal childhood of a sam. Her experiences are much different. So to her christmas is new this year.
Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la...
Heedless of the wind and weather.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
As the song drew to a close, Plunge took a deep breath to begin anew when an small exclamation from the mare beside him caught his attention and drew it to the approaching Lamanayr female. Elated that someone had been drawn in by his singing he beamed a large, open smile at the striped stranger and turned his steps toward her.
"That? A little ditty called 'Deck the Halls', a seasonal song to celebrate the event so close at hand." He blinked, and let loose a short laugh. "But listen to me, where are my manners. I am Plunge, and this is Echo. Forgive her silence, tis not her fault for she is mute... Perhaps you have come to usher in this joyous season with a song or two?"
While his manor was one of playful, unassuming openness, his companion was not so quick to come out of her shell. Though she watched the new mare curiously, Echo kept her distance, sticking close to but just behind the warm, safe bulk of her stallion.
"The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles." - 11th Doctor
Chilling was grateful for the warm welcome from the very handsom stallion. She smiled big and walked out from her little hiding spot more. She was still a little skeptical as to why anyone would want to sing out in the open. She listened as he introduced himself as Plunge and his female counterpart was Echo.
"A pleasuyre to meet you both!" Chilling said happily with a nod as she walked away from the saftey of her hiding place. Her tail swished happily as she approached the two.
"I am Chilling! But you may call my Chilly if youd like" She smiled sweetly and stood awkwardly infront of the two. She did not want to get too close, but she REALLY wanted to know exactly what these "Dittys" were. Besides the female on his side seemed to be quite attached to him and Chilling didnt want to impose.
"So... why ayre you singing... exactly?" She eyed him with wonder.
"What event?" She asked quickly after finishing her last words. She pondered the answer she would receive.
((This looks fun! I might bring Cuddle's stallion in later, but to start I'm just going to have Cuddle herself show up.))
The distant sound of singing had reached yet another set of Samanayr ears, or Lamanayr ears rather if you wanted to be picky. With her stallion's consent Cuddle of the Southern Skies had taken off from their tropical home to go visiting further north and see the snow and other traditional sights of the season. As Cuddle circled in search of the source of the singing she found herself merrily humming along to the tune Finally she caught sight of a trio of Sams below and with a happy warble she began to decend.
Ignoring the fact that they had started a conversation before she reached them, the cheery Lamanayr mare began trying to join in as she came within hearing distance.
"Deck the halls with bows of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Oh, that's a lovely song, I've heayrd that one befoyre! I've often wondeyred what a hall is though. Hello, hello! Season's Gyreetings to all of you!" she cried out as she circled for a landing, beaming happily at all. Her wings stirred up a small flurry of snow as she touched down, briefly making her vanish from sight before reapearing amidst the sparkling white, eyes bright and merry as she shook the snow off of her back and out of her crest. "Ayre we having a payrty alyready? Oh, Dance will be so sad he stayed behind to tyry and coax Sweep into joining us."
Cuddle had landed just too late to catch the introductions, but she didn't seem terribly bothered, In fact, she seemed to be acting as though she was old friends with all, despite never having met any of them before.
Warming inside at the mare's answering smile, Plunge flicked his ears forward to both dislodge the thin coating of snow that lay there and to better listen to the bat-winged mare's words. What an appropriate name, considering their surroundings! Cocking his head to the left curiously at Chilling's reluctance to approach further, he smiled gently. "Chilling… Chilly, tis wondeyrful to meet you indeed!" Before he could continue on to explain the relevance of his song, the same way he had not long before with his own Echo, a warbling voice fell from the sky above and with surprise he turned his gaze upward, following the path of the pale lamanayr mare as it circled before coming in for a solid ten-point landing, stirring up the snow around her into a miniature maelstrom.
"Ho, styrangeyr! Faiyr season's gyreetings to you as well!" With a grin, he dodged the flurries of snow she shook from her crest and swept his head in a brief nod of greeting. "I like to think myself that they refeyr to the halls between the tyrunks of gyreat tyrees… And tis neveyr to eayrly to celebyrate my fyriend!" With a delighted prance, he swept his head back and forth between the two new mares, a foolish grin wide on his face. The familiarity was catching, and the urge to introduce himself was not as oncoming as his sense of courtesy would usually have it. In fact, his excitement was so great he almost forgot entirely about Echo huddled beside him, and this was something she would not allow.
With an indignant head butt to his midsection, she made sure the brief lapse didn't go unnoticed, then moved away from his side to stand separate to him, yet still close enough to let the two mares know he was hers, and she his, and that they would have to meet her approval if they thought to get anything more from the encounter… After all, if her brush with Dance had taught her anything, it was that you could never be too careful in unknown territory.
Plunge let out a quiet 'oof' at the sudden pain to his waist, and sent an apologetic glance to the normally invisible mare before continuing. "I was just about to explain to youyr pyredecessoyr why this payrticulayr season is of such impoyrtance… Peyrhaps you could assist me in heyr education?" The smile he shot briefly to Chilling was warm, showing that the sentence was not to mock her, before he turned back to the newer of his 'guests'.
"The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles." - 11th Doctor
Chillings face lit up as the white winged Lam flew for a touchdown. Her crest flurried and her feather wings ruffled. She giggled aloud. "Hullo theyre" Chilling was not used to strangers approaching her so easily. It was refreshing. She reared on her back legs as the snow fluffed into the air around the bird like female. "Wooooh! That was so cool!" She said happily.
"Party? Where?!" Chilling said as she looked around. The assumption of a party in her midst made her excited. When she realized it was sarcastic her visage changed and she tried to play it off like she knew all along. Her face seemed awkward. Hilarious, kind of like the kid who trips and plays it off. Though with a simple smile and a happy laugh she giggled her embarrassment away.
Chilling smiled at the stallion and nodded. She took no offense. "So...mind teaching me one of these songs?" She asked politely, her wings still tucked neatly to her sides.
Cuddle tilted her head towards Plunge, crest bobbing up and down as she considered his take on the meaning of halls. "But how does one deck them? Oh, no matteyr, t'is the season! No time foyr gyrumbles!" She pranced slightly to one side as the young stallion's mare reminded him, forcefully, that she was there, and turned her attention to the wintry colored Lamanayr mare instead.
At first the other mare seemed just as pleased as Cuddle herself was, but then suddenly she seemed to droop. As Cuddle had not meant her words to be in the least sarcastic and had been quite cheerfully serious, she was confused. Cuddle's crest of feathers drooped, flattening back against her neck. "Oh deayr, is theyre no payrty afteyr all? I heayrd the singing..." Her normally cooing voice sounded sad as she looked around. Then she perked up again. "Well, no matteyr, we'yre heyre! We'll just make it one, yes, that will woyrk nicely!"
She had spun on her heels, ready to go trotting off to find some late berries or some such to bring back when Plunge's return to the conversation made her turn back again, resulting in her spinning a complete circle and having to shake her head slightly to regain her balance. "Oh, well, it just is, isn't it? We celebyrate to make suyre the sun yremembeyrs to come back to us instead of just dwindling fuyrtheyr away each night." She tilted her head at him, curious what else he knew of for this festive season.
