[aliyaah]

Singles Mingle
Kashmir & Anwen

finish date: April 16th 2024

Your characters have arrived in Unclaimed Hearts for the Singles Mingle event. Now, equines have begun to break off to converse with others. Will love flourish? Or will complete incompatibility lead to uncomfortable encounters?

Please refer to the sign-up thread for further information regarding this event, found here.

If fulfilling any of the bonuses in your posts, please mention it in an OOC portion of your post to make it easier for staff to tally the points you have achieved.

Thank you, and have fun!

A z z y & faeriiefox

[A z z y]

K a s h m i r

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face
And stars fill my dream
I'm a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been

The mahogany and ivory hued virile had moved in tandem with the group, his flowing steps carrying him with ease as the group moved and mingled. Whereas some were keen to engage directly, for now, Kashmir merely observed. His oceanic optics scoured the gathering with intrigue, some of the attendees far more brazen than others in their approach. Whilst Kashmir was confident, occasionally cocky with it, he could safely say he lacked the abundance of arrogance some seemed to hold. The left corner of his lips subtly twisted upwards in a smirk, his gaze shifting from the gathering of equines to the birds in a branch overhead. They danced their own dance, the male bird so vivid in his hues, so extravagant in his movements, his song so melodic and in tune. There was no arrogance, no ferocious demanding of the female's attention. Kashmir smiled, a genuine smile, before returning his teal lampistras to the group. Flicking his obsidian cords against his ivory fetlocks, Kashmir watched with intrigue as there was a break in the bodies, some splitting from their counterpart, others remaining firmly in place.

His lingering gaze fell then upon a curiously marked maiden, her base hue ivory but her sides were licked with fiery hues dashed across from the corner of her eyes to the end of her tail. With such an outspoken and eye catching appearance, her demeanour screamed that she'd rather be anywhere else than here perhaps. Kashmir didn't need to deliberate on his approach for such a thing came truly naturally to him. With his nape held in a soft, yet refined arch, his lobes positioned attentively upon his atlas, he moved towards her with ease across the distance between them. His mass positioned itself beside her, not infront of her in the confrontational manner some might choose. If she wanted to flee, her path was clear. If she wished to stay, he would remain in place. Whether or not she knew it, the choice was entirely hers.

With a flick of his obsidian cords against his fetlocks, he rested a hind dagger on its apex, his teal optics scouring the gathering around them as a brief silence fell over them. Forgive me if I have the complete end of the stick, he began, his smooth tones low enough only for her. But I get the impression you'd rather be anywhere else but here... The cadence of his words were playful, light, but low enough only for her to hear. A wry smile curled his lips then, releasing her from his gaze briefly. It was never his intention to come across as aggressive or overbearing and so, with another small smile he said, My name is Kashmir, Kash if you prefer, and who might you be?

"Others speech"
Kashmir's speech

faeriiefox sorry its so ropey x.x

link to ref

[faeriiefox]

As the gathering moved and mingled around her, Anwen remained on the fringes, her vibrant markings standing out against the backdrop of the crowd. She had never been one for large gatherings ever since her father had started his abuse, preferring the solitude of her own thoughts to the chaos of social interaction. Yet here she was, surrounded by equines of all shapes and sizes, each vying for attention in their own way. In a way, she knew deep inside that she would like this kind of interaction, but it was all too new and scary for her. As for now as least.
Lost in her thoughts, Anwen barely noticed the approach of the mahogany and ivory-hued stallion beside her. His presence was like a gentle breeze, subtle yet undeniable, and she found herself turning to face him as he settled in beside her. He was handsome, confident.. Something she wasn't.

His teal gaze met hers, and for a moment, Anwen felt a flicker of surprise at the intensity of his gaze. But there was no aggression in his demeanor, no hint of malice in his words. Instead, there was a playful curiosity, a genuine desire to understand her better, or at least that was what it looked like to her. It made her almost blush a little at the though, unsure if anyone would actually want to get to know her like that.
With a small smile, Anwen nodded in acknowledgment of his observation.
"You're not wrong."
She admitted softly, her voice soft but kind, just loud enough to be heard to the other.
"Large gatherings like this haven't really been my thing since.. A while back."
She appreciated his understanding, his willingness to see beyond the surface and talk to her, it meant alot for her to know that someone was willing to try.

When he introduced himself as Kashmir, or Kash, Anwen couldn't help but return his smile with one of her own.
"It's nice to meet you... Kash?"
She replied, her voice tinged with warmth, and maybe just a little foolish happiness that she actually got to introduce herself, without feeling like she'd have to remove herself from the conversation right away.
"I'm Anwen."

Looking out over the gathering, she saw more and more duos wandering away from the middle, looking to talk more in private, to get to know eachother and see if they were compatible. Standing here with this man actually felt good, honest and... warm. Like he just exuded warmth in both his physics and with his personality. No matter what happened here today, she'd try to stay friends with him.

[A z z y]

K a s h m i r

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face
And stars fill my dream
I'm a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been

“You're not wrong,” she admitted, her tones soft, quiet. Was it shame? Was there something beneath the surface that held her back, that kept those words so low, so close to her? Or was it someone, had someone held that throat so tightly she dare raise her voice in fear of that grip tightening further? “Large gatherings like this haven't really been my thing since.. A while back.” His brow deepened, the waves of obsidian tresses draped across his features, framing his oceanic optics as they searched her features gently. He wouldn't push her, it was none of his business lest she wished to share her woes. Kashmir hummed thoughtfully to himself, peeling his scrutiny from her to view the crowd around them. I wonder if large gatherings are truly anyone's thing, he mused, his tones easy still as he looked around them, his thorns dancing upon his atlas until they swivelled in her direction once again. I was once part of a large herd, he began, his devilishly handsome features turning to view her and her alone now. Hated every moment of it if I were to be honest. There was a rough, rumble of a chuckle that shivered through him then, his optics leaving her once more to avoid any sort of pressure.

"It's nice to meet you... Kash?” she spoke his name in different tones, a warmth beginning to creep into them slowly but surely. Kashmir winked at her, a friendly gesture offered in the hopes that she might thaw a little further. “I'm Anwen,” she offered her title to him, and he made a mental note to keep it locked away, should they ever encounter each other again. Anwen, he repeated aloud, his tones rolling like whiskey in a tumbler, as another smile curled his lips. A pleasure to meet you, even in such a sordid event like this, he joked, his obsidian tendrils flicking against his fetlocks, batting away the first of the parasites to arrive when the warmer weather crept in. That was one thing about the nomadic lifestyle he had led for so long, the warmer months were sometimes spent in such dry and arid environments that even parasites dare not venture. That wasn't to say they didn't come with plenty of their own risks and dangers, but when not plagued by bloodsuckers, one could navigate the treacherous landscapes with a little more skill and concentration.

So, Anwen, if I may, he mused, maintaining silence rarely one of his strongest skills. What's your story? He queried easily, genuine interest tinging his words as his teal optics drank her in again. He knew it was perhaps to personal a question, he knew she had every right to decline divulging and he would in turn respect that. Yet, with a lighter, more humourous follow up he uttered, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours, there was nothing untoward nor hidden meaning with his words, he was as honest as the sun was bright. Something that could be a blessing or a curse, depending on the situation.


"Others speech"
Kashmir's speech

faeriiefox

link to ref

[faeriiefox]

Anwen's heart fluttered nervously as Kashmir's teal gaze met hers, his presence like a gentle breeze amidst the chaos of the gathering. His understanding demeanor and genuine curiosity seemed to pierce through her defenses, and she found herself drawn to him in a way she hadn't expected.
"You're not wrong."
She confessed softly, her voice still soft, but growing a little bit more confident the more they were speaking to eachother. Anwen couldn't help but wonder if he noticed the shame that lingered beneath the surface of her words, the invisible scars of her past that still haunted her. Was it fear that kept her voice so quiet, or the memory of someone who had silenced her long ago?

"Large gatherings like this haven't really been my thing since... a while back."
Anwen tried her best to explain, her gaze dropping momentarily as she wrestled with the memories that threatened to overwhelm her. She felt Kashmir's gaze upon her, could feel his green eyes on her, and in a way it both felt daunting and quite comforting. He didn't push her to elaborate, and for that, she was grateful, but the gentle nudge for her to tell him, and he'd tell his, made her seriously consider it.
"Well..."
Anwen began, her voice steadier now, while she felt herself be a little more courageous with how he seemed so patient with her cowardly nature.
"My story isn't particularly exciting, just the usual story so many have probably told others... I used to love gatherings like this, you know. But... things changed."
She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. This was something she had always been finding it difficult to talk about, her past.
Anwen's gaze drifted momentarily, memories threatening to overwhelm her before she refocused on Kashmir.
"My father was quite... abusive. He made all of us regret ever meeting others and although I eventuelly got away, it's hard to come back, you know? I guess I've been trying to find my place again ever since."

As she spoke, Anwen felt a weight lifting from her shoulders, as if the act of sharing had lessened the burden of her past. She met Kashmir's gaze with newfound clarity, grateful for the opportunity to share a piece of herself with someone who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her.

"I suppose that's the abridged version."
Anwen concluded with a small smile, her heart fluttering with a mixture of nerves and anticipation.
"What about you, Kash? What's your story?"
She awaited his response with bated breath, eager to delve deeper into the bond that was forming between them. She was curious about this man that so easily had coaxed out her history from her, like few had ever done before.

[aliyaah]

OOC. A z z y failed to post within 5 days and faeriiefox failed to post within the 5 days after that for thread completion. This thread is not eligible for the completion award but please feel free to continue posting until the end of the event to try to win the bonus prizes!

[aliyaah]

Singles Mingle 2024

rewards

faeriiefox

• None

A z z y

• None