The time has come!  "August 26th, afternoon" for those who keep chronological post logs.
The race results thread was deleted, but I believe in order, the finishers were to be:
Haven - Dawali - Heath - Hanna - Catherine - Hemming
And for those unfamiliar, the CdM subterritories and map are here, courtesy of Sara-joe/Leroy: http://cdm.soulsrpg.com/map.htm
I will play this as though everyone has already arrived, and the six horses competing are already on the track.
SPECTATORS, you are only required to post during the first round. Make an OOC note if you don't intend to reply again. Posting order will be determined by the first round. The race itself will last two rounds, and after the winner is announced, I'll leave it open for one more week or so in case players want to have a last reply.
Gentlemen, start your engines~! 8D
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Shiny new table courtesy of James! <3
The sun was dazzling at high noon, its summer rays shimmering above the dusty oblong of the racing track. Jacquez Trouillefou, proud owner of all that he surveyed, had never really questioned what the weed-choked circle had been for, especially positioned so near to the horse barn that his followers kept drifting to. And then, like the gambler he was at heart, it occurred to him that the horses were dumb beasts, dumb enough to run in a circle if their rider urged them to... and that if they competed amongst each other, it would be a spectacle easy to bet on. And with that pure and noble reasoning, the deluded monarch had spread word of his intentions, and word had spread quickly.
Perched precariously atop the rickety old stadium seating, the one-armed Optime let his tail lash excitedly behind him, his dark eyes sweeping across the anxious horses, their canine riders, and the murmuring spectators that had gathered to watch the unlikely entertainment. Had Jac had any idea the scale of the human racetrack, the thousands of humans that used to watch a single competition, the pristine expanse of the clean track, he would have scoffed at the ragtag turnout he had garnered today. But without any knowledge of history, he was highly pleased that not only his own loyal subjects had shown up, but a good amount of strangers from a neighboring tribe had come as honored guests as well. His fame had spread, or so it appeared to the egotistical ruler.
Rue, the orphaned filly that had adopted him as a surrogate parent, was loosely tethered to the weathered old post that marked the starting and finish line. The inquisitive paint horse huffed at the tall collection of racing steeds, her nub ears falling back as she saw their canine partners looming over her. Her white tail flicked and swished, small hooves stamping on the weed-covered terrain. She wanted to run, too, to play with the grown-up horses... but mean old Jacquez had tied her up again. He would have locked her up in the paddock, with the rest of the untamed Cour des Miracles mustangs, but she had learned how to clamber under the wooden fence. She had at least earned her place as a spectator, albeit an impatient and very young one.
Shading his eyes from the bright sky, the lean dog rose to his footpaws, his tawny-russet fur preened and coiffed for a regal announcement. He smiled smugly at the crowd before him. At his side was a ragged burlap sack, lumpy with contents unknown. He stooped over to hook his claw in the corner of the bag, whipping it deftly off so that the contents spilled onto the bleacher seat before him. Gold shone and flashed in the sunlight; three doubloons fished out of the Pirata Grotto, a gold-plated chain liberated from a store in Halifax, a strangely-shaped rusted dagger that had washed ashore their side of the Shattered Coast (unbeknownst to Jacquez, it was actually a bayonet), and a shiny glass human-made gem coloured like an emerald.
"Trinkets or treasure?" he called out, his booming voice echoing out over the stablegrounds. Rue squeaked out a whinny at the sound of his foghorn voice, craning her neck to try and see him. "As the benevolent king of this miraculous kingdom, I have gathered you here for a friendly competition. And to the winner of our first-ever horse race-" -he found he still pronounced the word 'horse' with an odd bemusement, still oblivious to the clear bond that these animals had forged with each other- "-I offer you this collection of found objects, along with a flagon of my finest moonshine whiskey. For whatever reason you ride today, be it for the sake of another, be it to reclaim your pride, be it the sheer joy of speed - I wish you bon fortune, and extend my invitation of courtesy to all those visiting our land!" He smiled broadly, high spirits swelling as he felt the attention of every eye on him. He should organize gatherings more often. He hardly ever got to give grandiose speeches anymore. And he was ever so eloquent, too... He would give the motley canines a moment to absorb his cordial phrasings, before telling the racers to begin amusing him.
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8D!
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There were butterflies fluttering in his stomach, but they were being munched on by little spiders of excitement. The silvery wolf grinned as he looked out across the race track, clutching the reins to his friend's horse and wondering how in the world he might avoid utter embarrassment. Hemming had never rode seriously before, and though Bayard had taken him on a few speedy circles through the crops back in AniWaya there was no serious exertion. Ember had words of encouragement, anyway, and it was very kind of her to lend precious Bayard for the task. Hopefully Bayard wouldn't mind the inexperienced rider on his back.
He was stirred from his thoughts by Jacquez's grand speech, and listened closely. The grin on his face widened even further as the King revealed the spoils. It wasn't Hemming's dream to win this race - he didn't even entertain the fantasy, actually - but the prize was quite curious! It shimmered in the sun and looked quite tempting indeed. And, of course, one could not argue with whiskey!
As the words ended, Hemming clasped his hands together and cast a few smiles at his fellow competitors and the spectators. Should he clap now? There was a bigger question on his mind, though: how in the world did he get himself into this?
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[html] YAY.. & i figured Ruri would sit next to Jac
all the pretty little horses
blacks and bays, dapple and greys
For once in his life he felt tall. Seated atop the roan mare, Heath looked up to no beast. Nerves rose into his chest, and the gold eyes male looked off into the distance, following the tracks curve. A deep breath brought the ease of tension, and he smiled at the thought of winning. The soft leather below him of the polished saddle was a comfortable alternative to the horse’s bare back. Though the times he had worked with her the mare had grown more and more comfortable with the halter and saddle. She was fast, that Heath knew and his skills in ridding were practiced.
Lumière moved uneasily beneath, eager to run and even more eager to race. She looked at the other beasts beside her, dark eyes bright and almost wild. His light hued paw rested on her neck, and he spoke in her ear with a hushed tone. He rose his head, and turned to face Haven. The orange hybrid sat upon his stallion, the brown horse that Lumière enjoyed the company of. The younger male looked settled in the saddle, but the sight of his face made Heath comment, “Your looking rough." His smile did not diminish as he spoke, but he did wonder what the 'other guy' looked like.
Gold eyes looked up, scanning the crowd that had gathered to view the race. The King stood in the center of them, and the tawny hybrid could not help but notice the silver merle lady the had settled in beside him. His wished to wave to her, but knew she would not see. Instead he turned to focus on the track, his vision narrowing and the nerves fluttering once again.
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I am just a shipwreck upon your shore
Well, this seemed like great fun! Vigilante had never been involved in anything like this, and though he was only a spectator, he was thrilled to be a part of the race. It was especially interesting to know that there were members of the neighboring tribe here as well. Aniwaya, was it? He knew of it, and one of the members was someone he knew, though Susquehanna had joined the tribe after their encounter, he assumed. She had not smelled of the tribe when they had met by the strange human machine. Vigilante had not said anything to her yet today, but that was very likely because of the fact that she was a racer in today's games and festivites. He would find her later to give his greetings and, depending on the outcome of the race, extend his congratulations.
He recognized many of the members in the stands, as well as a couple of the riders. Reclining in the stands, he malamute mix crossed his legs leisurely, turning his head to look at his shaggy one-armed King. "This was a very marvelous idea, your Majesty," he called benevolently, glancing down at the filly tied near the stands and the horses underneath the riders. Seeing the riders with their horses only made his resolve to find a horse of his own even stronger. Though he did not believe that he would ever ride his horse in a competition like this one, the obvious bond between rider and horse was something to be envious of. Vigilante hoped to find that bond soon in a horse, if he ever made it to the stables to find one to work with. Heath had said that many did not allow a rider, but he was fine with that. He did not need a horse for anything in particular - riding included - but he wanted one, regardless.
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The excitement around him was electric, but Haven really felt none of it. At least not right now. When Jac had asked him to race he had wanted to decline, but considering he had punched his King in the face in a fit of rage he couldn't bring himself to do it. The hybrid barely wanted to interact with anyone, much less take place in such a spectacle with so many on-lookers. Oh well. At least Drogon was excited. When he had explained to the stallion what they were going to do he had been overjoyed and anticipated the day. Now he could feel the energy as he sat atop the mustang, a wild energy just waiting to be unleashed. That was the only thing that was making him look forward to this. Drogon wanted it, and so Haven did as well.
His body still ached from the cuts across his torso and arms and his black eye was still tender, though the swelling had gone down and he could see now (thankfully). Though he had found some pills that humans used to deal with pain and taken a couple and they had done a good job of numbing it. Haven knew he'd be needing more after this. Riding like this in his condition wasn't a great idea. Might have even been a pretty stupid idea, but there was no backing out now. The Knight barely even listened as Jacquez made his grand announcement. If only this had happened before Siobhan had left him. He would have actually been happy about doing this then. But now he was a mess and depressed and had no lady to say he would win the race for. Maybe he could have asked Princess to come, but the thought had never occurred to him.
Haven snorted at Heath's comment, looking sideways at his friend. "No shit," he said without the humor of the other male. At a different moment he wouldn't mind discussing it with the older hybrid, but right now there was nothing humorous about his situation. Though he did his best to try and empty his mind of all that. He could feel Drogon's excitement grow as the stallion fidgeted beneath him. Haven patted the horses neck and set his eyes on the track he knew so well. Who knew, maybe once this started he'd actually have fun.
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ooc: You figured right, Alli ^_^.
The ivory and merle female sat quietly on a bench near Jacquez as the male stood and issued his speech to the participants of the race. She could hear every word loud and clear as her king issued his encouragements to the racers. She even heard Rue whinnying at the sound of Jac's voice. The delicate optime decided that she would have to go play with the small creature after the race. Jac would likely become too absorbed in the festivities, and that was his right. He had, after all, organized this race as a form of enjoyment for himself. That was just the way he worked, and she dared not try to change him. Her pale blue, pupil-less eyes flickered around in front of her in the direction of all the action. She could smell the horses, and their riders, two of which she knew personally. The slender female was excited that both Heath and Haven were riding. Heath, with his love of horses, would probably just enjoy the race, although she did not deny that she wanted him to win. However, she also thought Haven could use a victory, however small it might be, in his life at the moment. With the tremendous emotional injury he had received recently, the younger male needed a pick-me-up. When Jac had stopped speaking, Ruri excitedly called out, "Good luck!" Her kind nature led her to direct the words at every participant, not just her friends. Everyone, whether they were from Cour des Miracles or Aniwaya, would hopefully appreciate the gesture just the same as it was the best encouragement she could offer. There was no way she could top what Jac had just done and she certainly did not want to try. Turning to Jac, her long gray hair blowing in the gentle breeze, Ruri whispered, "Jac, be sure to tell me what's happening, okay? I wanna know how Heath and Haven do in the race." She didn't know if Jac would narrate the race to her in a play by play or just tell her the outcome, but if he would do something to the effect of either of those things she would appreciate it. She was enjoying the event so far, but she had never before been to a horse race. Hearing the outcome was important.
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come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
The young horse was calm under him, clearly different from the mighty mustangs that would be the rides of the riders of the other pack. They seemed to be relatively fresh horses, wild'ish, and probably newly broken-in. His Belle was young, but she had been bred for obedience. Though she had none of that powerful stature as those very proud horses of theirs, with her he would have the advantage of a horse accustomed to riding - and accustomed to other horses. She would listen to him and ignore the others, and even though he had a weaker horse he might very well gain the upper hand that way. And he was light and small for a grown wolf male, although compared to some of them he was probably about the same weight. Still, he was not really here to win. Looking around himself, he saw some that were younger that himself, but they all had something in common: they were strangers to him. And he meant to change that. How better than to introduce himself like this? Hell, perhaps they'd even see him as something else than the old and dusty male he was. That being said, this lot seemed to welcome its members with open arms, no matter their flaws or peculiarities. The King had only three legs, after all.
His face was a smile, and as the King gave a little rallying speech, Dawali saw fit to add his own little part of that. Being a simple person, he kept his message simple, although when he spoke loudly, his voice was rich and deep with a boom to it. "May the best rider win!" His arm was raised above his head in a symbol of greeting, and he hoped the other pack would see him as he wanted the to see him; warm and welcoming. Perhaps one day they could have a race in AniWaya, too, and the gesture of hosting could be repaid. One could dream.
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ooc: --
Catherine was being swallowed by Bluma's excitement. Even though the young mare had been born inside the tribe's bran and raised as an obedient tamed horse, it still had an spirit as wild as of those giant newly-tamed brutes and their young riders. She was the only woman there, but she never felt it as a bad thing. Males, mostly the youngers, had that need for speed, and it sure would be pulling them forward. Bluma always was obedient when it was just them two... or four, counting Saw and Seymour. But, when in a group like that, she would have this dominant wave, and she would do whatever it took to be in the front line. Not everything was lost there. Even though Bluma wasn't a very big thread, being mostly the smaller around there, she still had much of stamina. She would sure be the last to start sweating, even more in such a sunny day. Chances were at their side, or at least some.
Seymour and Saw were at home, in the AniWayan lands. Forced to, of course. But if needed, she was sure Saw would pop out of nowhere to stands besides her.
Her attention was called for the pack's leader, denominated as a king. She knew it was an important, imponent name, but still overranked Dawali for her. Politeness, though, would come first, and she kept quiet, listening carefully. When it ended, she heard a female's voice call out a "Good luck", and she knew they all would need. Even thought the grayish female wasn't that familiar with human history, she knew that those races were dangerous, in the professonal level. And those would rise in an amateur case, like that one.
In the end, a booming familiar voice called out, and she smiled when noticing Dawali's greeting. Well, that race would make the bond she started get more prominient, that was for sure. When it end, she would be sure to me diplomatic in greeting the other pack's members. Nothing less than expected.
Her eyes searched, and she found another familiar face. Hemming. The grayish male was there too, holding hands together. Claps? Well, if the others started, she would follow. The odd-colored female wasn't sure how to behave in that situation, and she could understand what the tribe fellow would be feeling.
Scratching the mare's mane, with it's pigtales, feathers and ornaments, she lowered her head to whisper in the animal's ear. Let's do it clear, right? No biting, no quicking, or that sort of thing, 'kay? She warned, knowing the mare would get moody with so many studs around. Even more if those studs would get in her way. The rgwon female whinned and digged the ground with one chocolate hoof, willing. The stripped woman took that as a "yes", and got in position. Lifting herself from the horse's back, bending herself forward, holding the briddle with both hands. The standart position for a speed race. In her mind, she thanked God for finding those books rather intact.
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Attila had come under Dawali's watch, but by his will. After working that half moon in the stables, he got to meet the horses better, and he felt well near them. As if they would drain his aggressive behaviour, and only his good self would stay. He felt like in his zen moment. No worries, no whims to be bad, no anger, no bad Attila. And it was good. Helped him to keep to the plan. And the ivory juvenile felt it was easier to control his bad temper. And that gathering of newly tamed horses seemed to have a much stronger effect on him.
Sitting on the stands, in the midst of all those unknown faces - not that he cared about it -, he didn't bother to listen to the alpha male in that pack. But he did notice the golden, shiny stuff besides the crippled leader. He sure could steal one of -No, he wouldn't. He was an grown-up, he needed to behave. After all, he was in an unknwon territory, amongst unknown people. Who knew what they would do with him?
He was sitting besides a copper-and-white husky-patterned pup. It was younger than him, and had a bright yellow scarf around his shaggy neck. Why was that? Wasn't his thick pelt enough for that hot weather? The pale boy felt like he was toasting, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his maw. The pup's tail wagged like a hummingbird's wings. What a freak. He looked away, but felt eyes on him. A glance, and he saw deep blue eyes staring at him. A flinch made the younger boy giggle the most childish, humored laughter. "Isn't it exciting, this race?" The younger boy asked, with a baby-like voice. The boy gave him a rather scared look "...Sure." That was all he answered, and turned back to the racers, and a shock. Hemming! He laughed once, and shouted "Hemming! Win the race for me!" He said, knowing it would annoy him. And he wasn't ashamed, as the others had been yelling things to each other, like "Good luck" or other stuff like that.
Then, he just waited, to see if Hemming would actually win or not. Maybe Dawali would. he just wanted someone of the tribe to get the first place. Even though treating his tribe fellows badly sometimes, he wouldn't choose anyone else but them and his AniWaya.
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Hey look, dad let me have the computer while he's gone fishing.  ))))
Word Count: 328. Worth 2 points.
Hanna patted Galilahi's silky neck, quieting the prancing mare. Her ears were set forward, and while Hanna doubted she had raced before, at least with a rider atop her back, the horse was well aware that something new, different, and exciting was afoot. The excitement set the mare's hooves dancing and had a lupine grin on the femme's mouth that she couldn't contain.
Hanna peered around at the other riders. She didn't know all of them, but those she did know were those of her pack. Hemming, Dawali, and the girl she'd met the winter before, with the falcon, were all on equines of their own. Hanna carefully maneuvered her mount into the area along the outer rail of the racetrack, giving her a bird's-eye view of the stands as well.
She scanned those few gathered, recognizing well the form of Vigilante. She raised one hand to wave to him, flashing him a smile, then turned her attention to the King of the Cour des Miracles pack, a one-armed dog named Jacquez. He dumped out on one of the seats a veritable pile of booty. Flat, circular, shiny pieces of coinage, a weapon, a gem, and a piece of jewelry, plus a flask of booze, lay in wait for the winner of the contest.
When Jacquez concluded his speech, Hanna was among those who complimented him for his idea, though her praise came in the form of applause. She then turned her attention to the patch of dirt she could see directly between Galilahi's chocolate ears, her calves and thighs tense, rear raised slightly off the hide that Hanna was using as a saddle. She had not used a formal saddle, nor a bridle, in the two weeks or so since she'd befriended Gali, and she felt at ease riding nearly bareback. She impatiently awaited the signal to go, her fingers wrapped in hanks of the mare's mane on either side, near the base of her neck.
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Vigilante called appraisingly to him, and Jacquez flashed him a grin, although of course any idea he had would have to be a good one. If this race thing went well, they could do another one, and maybe do some gambling on the outcome, to spice it up even more... He let his dark eyes linger keenly on the riding wolves from AniWaya, intrigued in particular by their colorful leader and his tribal braids. Dawali Amara had been gracious enough not only to accept their invitation, but to race with them himself, and he cut a dashing figure on his calm and steady mount.
Jac let his fingers stray to the dark fur of his own mane, tied back in a simple horsetail, then draped over one shoulder. Perhaps he should ask Ruri to braid it for him sometime. Even if she could not see what she was doing, her hands were skillful enough for that sort of task. Anything to draw more attention to himself. His short attention span was diverted as his wandering eyes spotted the two tribal females, a younger grey-furred woman with odd markings, and a more experienced black-furred wolf, quietly applauding him. She might be too far away to see the gesture, but he winked anyway.
Jac ruffled his unseeing companion's ears, a wordless assurance that he would humor her. He still felt a possessive twinge when she innocently mentioned Heath, though... She shouldn't be spending so much time with that coy-wolf. Shaking his head, the one-armed canine cleared his throat, and continued the second half of his grandstanding.
"May the best rider win, indeed!" he crowed, throwing his arm open in a wide gesture.
"And to the six of you, I have nothing more to say to you except... Let the race begin!" His arm dropped, mimicking the lowering of a flag. And they were off!
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Hemming had never seen a gathering such as this in his life. It seemed like the atmosphere had changed, like even the air that hung above their heads was excited and bustling around. There were murmurs all around him, and if he wasn't having so much fun the wolf might have felt overwhelmed. Instead, he basked in it, in the calls that escaped from excited riders and the encouragement of the spectators. He was quite pleased to see Dawali there, as he was always pleased to see his Kalona, and if it was possible his grin widened even more. At Attila's call, Hemming turned to face him and raised an arm, waving it a little. He was starting to quite like the young man, after a very rocky start with him, and though he doubted his own ability to place well he could certainly finish the race for him. Attila couldn't expect everything all at once!
Giving Bayard a little scratch between the ears, Hemming steadied himself in the saddle. Many of the other riders seemed quite experienced, and he suspected that both Dawali and Catherine would be strong riders. He grinned at them both, then at Hanna, and finally briefly at the competitors he did not know, his anticipation and nervousness making him seem, perhaps, just a little bit twitchy. Hopefully Bayard would know what to do. He was a good horse, after all, and though he didn't know Hemming all that well he seemed comfortable enough with the man on his back.
As the King started to speak again, Hemming listened carefully, leaning forward in the saddle, his head close to the horse's mane. As Jac's single arm dropped, the wolf flicked the reins as Ember had shown him and whispered, "Go, go, go!" The grin remained on his face as the horse started forward, his powerful legs pushing the ground beneath them with ease. What a magnificent creature! Hemming concentrated deeply with each stride, readjusting his grasp on the horse's reins to steady himself. His light and long body was thrown about rather easily, but beside a few little slips he felt rather secure on the beast's back.
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all the pretty little horses
blacks and bays, dapple and greys
There were so many that Heath did not know. The strangers made him uneasy, especially around the stables that had been his home since he had joined the pack. He didn’t mind pack members roaming around. His own horses where usually following him where ever he went, but now that the wolves of Aniwaya had been invited to join the race Heath was fighting the territorial feeling that they brought him. He was glad that Haven was beside him, and had stayed close to the Knight since they all began to prep the horses.
The male spoke, and Heath grinned at him even though he was sure he shouldn’t have. Haven looked ragged and someone had certainly hit him a few hard times. Heath hoped that the other guy looked worse then his friend, maybe they would be able to talk about what had happened. But for now it was time for focus and concentration. Heath moved in the saddle, hearing the call of the tribes leader and then the voice of the King.
Heath sat up and forward, and Lumière shifted beneath him. He wanted to win, wanted to show that he spent so much time in the stables for a reason. The mare looked to the track and heath mimicked her gaze. Then the signal and the pack of horses and riders were off. He kicked into the sides of the roan mare, sanding her forward as he had taught her. The merle horse took to a gallop in a few steps, and Heath urged her faster and faster. Dust flew around them as it was kicked up by the riot of hooves against the dry track. His heart could be heard in his ears, and his breath grew ragged as the adrenalin flowed through his veins
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Heath continued to grin and Haven glared at him, snorting in a very horse-like fashion. Drogon neighed and stamped the ground, feeling his luperci's agitation. The older male could be such a chore at times and it was times like these that he did not have the time to work on him. Giving his friend one last distasteful look he focused back on the track and he felt the stallion's focus switch back to it as well. It was almost like their minds were melded, thinking of the same things and working on the same problems. It was a strange feeling, but a comforting one. He knew the mustang would never betray him, there was only truth in the creature. It was bond unlike he held with anyone else and he cherished it, especially in such trying times.
There were calls and muttering but the hybrid Knight paid them no mind, they were only white noise. It was only when Jacquez spoke back up that he took note. He spared the monarch a quick glance and then focused completely on the race. He gripped the reins tightly in his hands and he felt the energy in the stallion reach a frenzy, knowing at any moment the time would come for it to be put to use. All of Haven's muscles tensed and Drogon's did the same. The signal came and the two shot forward with the rest as if from a gun.
He moved seamlessly with the mustang as if they were actually one being instead of two separate entities. Haven felt the rapid hoofbeats reverberate through his whole body and they seemed to be in time with his heart. The adrenalin of the event finally started to flow freely through his veins. No attention was paid to the riders around him. It was as if he had blinders on. All he could see was the path in front of him and all he could hear were the sounds of their bodies.
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[html] http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i235/ ... /chess.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> ooc, I won't reply again but Leroy is simple guna sneak up an watch for a moment then sneak away
Everyone had been exicted about the race that seemed to already started by the sounds of things. Ears flickered back slightly at the sounds of the race as the strong smells of the stables an its spectators filled the air, why he was here wasn't very clear but this was an event that his pack is holding so the husky will show himself. Even if he is unseen to others. Black and white body moved quitely under the fence as he moved towards the stables, one thing he was happy about that no horses were in that field, quitely walking inside the building Leroy could see the race as well some of the other watchers. If they could see him was none of his concern, the strong scent of horses made his skin crawl. Red eyes followed the horses as well their riders while that speed on the track, the patterened male was glad he wasn't done there. A horse in a stall kicked suddenly at it's door, maybe it could feel the race but Leroy let out a loud snort in respone as his hind legs lowered to a sit. He will watch for a little bit.
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come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
His feathered mane flew behind him as he and his horse moved forward; first abruptly and strangely, but then with a steady rhythm. Other riders were ahead of him, and some at his side - some slacked behind. He didn't pay attention to who they were, but kept his hands on the reins. He had ridden many horses in his life, and this young mare was certainly capable of keeping the pace that was needed in this situation. His light body was no burden for her, and he bent forward, feeling the air ruffle even the shortest of hairs in his face as it shot past him. Whiskers moved with the currents on the sides of his face, and he was silent - concentrated. The gaze of the Kalona was fixed ahead, and his signals to the horse made certain she knew exactly where to go, and what to do. Her strong legs moved underneath him and his primitive saddle, so strong was she that it felt as if he flew forward, without weight. Adrenaline drummed his ears and he could feel a warmth growing in his chest and arms, despite the static position. Now, he understood the thrill of a race, and determination rose within him - he would win this! He would carry home this innocent victory to his tribe.
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Sorry for the quality. x.x
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As Jacquez' single arm fell, Hanna kicked Galilahi in her sides with her heels and leaned forward, sending the mare forward with a surge of speed. She found herself rapidly gaining on the five riders ahead of her, much to her surprise. She urged Galilahi on, twisting her fingers tightly in her mane and tightening her legs around the barrel of the horse's body. The paint soared like no bird ever had, in Hanna's opinion, making her way around the track in the number four position.
Hanna's face was fixed in a semi-permanent grin; when the time came, the femme would ask her mare for one last burst of speed and fly past the finish line, bringing victory to AniWaya. Or so she thought.
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Short post, sorry for the late reply...I do not think that Ruri shall be replying again. I shall just say that she waited until the race was won and then mingled with the crowd with Jac.
As the race started Ruri's ears focused forward, intently listening to the sound of the numerous hooves thundering across the track."Go Heath! Go Haven!" she cheered, before turning to face Jac, waiting expectantly for him to narrate the race to her, as she could not tell what was happening simply by listening to the horses' hooves. The ivory and slate woman hoped that her friends would win and bring the victory home to Cour des Miracles, winning their pack some recognition. It would be good for the new pack to have a new reason to be proud of itself. Her plumed tail swished behind her excitedly as she turned to face the track once again, her useless blue eyes dancing about wildly. Now was one of the rare moments when she actually wished she could see, if only for just a moment to enjoy the excitement like everyone else was. Burdening someone else with the task of keeping the event exciting for her was not something Ruri enjoyed.
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ooc: Sorry the late, folks!
Catherine lowered her head so she could whisper to the agitated mare. Let's not step on them, 'kay? Wait a little bit... She said to the restless horse. A chill crossed her body right after the other pack's leader arm fell in the signal they had waited for. She did not needed to do anything. As soon as the other horses mentioned to race, she was already in the air, taking the grayish woman by surprise.
Her light body was quickly throw backwards, but a quick hand held her on top of the running horse by little. Using the strengh she had on her arms, she pulled herself forward again, giving the cream creature a light boost.
Now, there was little she could do over Bluma. When that animal take off, no one can stop it. That was good, somehow. All she could see was the other racers pass very slowly through them, and felt the small mare nearly fly to keep up the pace. It was one competitive horse, that's for sure.
Adrenaline made the butterflies in her stomach turn into albatrosses. She could barely feel her limbs, and the gushes of wind pressed her still in that position, numbing her face. Half shut eyes tried to fight the wind and dust rosen by the other horses' steps. The sound of the air and hooves in her ears were unbearable, the crowd impossible to hear. The most surprising was that it felt good.
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[html] ooc: Probably my last post - this is the final round of racing, so posts after the winners cross the finish line are optional. Thanks for participating!!
The horses surged forward, their hooves flashing in the sunlight, thundering footfalls kicking up a massive cloud of dust. The king leaned forward with interest, drawn to the menagerie of colors shifting and bobbing as each werewolf handled their steed. "They are all so fast," he growled to Ruri, resting his hand protectively on her slim shoulder. "Haven and Heath are fighting for the lead, and the AniWaya tribe's alpha is just as fast, I think he's going to beat them! Then there are the two tribal ladies, looking very nice atop their mounts, elles sont tres belles, vraiment!" He licked his lips, black eyes tracking them as they soared across the field until he could almost feel Ruri's accusatory gaze on the back of his neck. The monarch cleared this throat, resuming his close captioning.
"Eh, the ladies are closely followed by their packmate on the spotted horse, he seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit. I cannot tell who is leading, the three gentlemen are all very close. Everyone here has a fighting chance!" He ruffled his companion's ears, pleased to see her enjoying the sport thusly. Neither of them had much previous experience with horses, so it was very much a novelty. The track was an oval, and the race would be complete once they crossed past the posts that had marked the start. His little filly, Rue, was prancing up and down and bleating excitedly, waiting for the fleet-footed adult horses to come thundering back her way. They were more than half-way there, and it was going to be a close finish!
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