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Post by Ferabird on Feb 14, 2009 22:18:01 GMT -5
Why was it that once a year, a Jack doted on all his fine consorts at once? there were so many does, and each had to have a show of favor from her Jack lest there be a swelling in the rivalries. Naturally- each had to have something different, yet equal. And what Jack could waste his time in gathering the more trivial items that would set his girls to swooning? Thus was Laurelin again out and about, hopping along as rapidly as she could without spilling out the heavily fragranced blossoms she was carrying. The basket the tiny leveret clasped to was only just large enough that it would accomodate the precariously piled offerings, all of an array in color and shape to appeal to each doe. "Nnf.... they're so picky!" she finally complains, her wrath honestly a bit on the futile side when that was the harshest complaint she could muster. |
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 14, 2009 23:08:21 GMT -5
No other region could boast quite the natural splendor of the Highlands, and Dorian intended to get its fill of his beauty until forced to permanently locate himself in a warren by his age. Which... would be coming up quite soon, no doubt. Then he would travel from the beauty of the flowering Highlands to the barren but wonderfully enigmatic Wastes and settle, building himself a warren unrivaled by any other. His father would likely send him a Doe, and he would have to acquire a Leveret, and then things could really begin for him! He waded through the field of flowers, happily away from the influence of Cards in this part of the region and enjoying the scenery on a warm, cloudy day. A voice in the distance made both of his ears flick straight upright, the rings on his left jangling quietly against one another. What was...? Moving cautiously closer, he eventually caught sight of a fiery form in the sea of green and yellow and white, the pink of her back clearly visible now that he was looking for it. She was only a Leveret, and looked to be out on a menial errand... probably. He hadn't realized there was a warren so close. "The flowers?" he asked in regard to her complaint, ready to bolt should she do something obnoxious like scream for help or some such thing. He looked just shy of being a fully grown Jack and it might intimidate the silly thing. |
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Post by Ferabird on Feb 14, 2009 23:20:40 GMT -5
Intimidation was only natural when one was faced with a foreign Jack! Especially outside the propriety of a formal visit to one's warren! Poor Laurelin's left staring in shock.... something that may well end up as a mark against her were the young Jack a stickler for proper manners.
After a comically extended pause, those pale pink eyes finally fall appropriately to the turf. It may well sound as though she was on the verge of hyperventilating, nerve shaken by the surprise of such a chance meeting. She had to be polite, of course... this was a Jack. But what if she was too polite? What if her own Jack took offense if he heard about how she composed herself? Would she be punished? So many thoughts, near all of them unfortunate, race through the mind of the jumpy leveret while she goes daintily about setting her basket amongst the lush grasses.
"I uhm.... I didn't know anyone was here. I'm sorry. I can leave- if you want me to. There are lots of flowers...." Oh, but wouldn't Nanny be waggling a finger at her now! Bowing and scraping to get out of trouble was well and good, but stammering was something a child did. At least she'd brushed herself this morning.... making as good a showing in the name of her Jack as she could.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 14, 2009 23:31:52 GMT -5
Dorian assumed that her shocked stare was due more to his magnificent bearing than his sudden appearance and preened a little, standing straighter and letting his chest puff just a little for effect. Oh, and wasn't that a good feeling, the awe from an unsuspecting Leveret! She even dropped her eyes, lest she gaze too long at his beauty! Or perhaps she was embarrassed by her own reaction? That could certainly be the case. The lower ranks were such odd things.
"Oh no, not at all necessary," he said with a magnanimous wave of his hand, moving it up to brush back a few stray curls afterward. At least his hair was behaving as it should today. It would be terrible to meet a strange Leveret looking a fright. "I'm passing through, and I certainly don't wish to interrupt you at your drudgery. I'm merely enjoying the day." Having someone there to see him enjoying it made it more enjoyable, oddly enough. Company could be a pleasant thing. He could only appreciate himself so much before he needed an audience.
Time for a dramatic introduction. "The name... is Dorian. And you are?" If it even had a name.
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Post by Ferabird on Feb 14, 2009 23:53:58 GMT -5
Oh, she'd certainly play up to the young Jack's vanity- intentional or no! All the same she looks the part of a shy little thing, breath catching as she dares a glance up come the introduction. He was gifting her with his name....? Oh my!
"I am just Laurelin, sir." she replies. Regardless of a sudden urge to fidget, she'll be quite sure to keep all four paws on the ground. It wouldn't do to look uppity by sitting up! Only Jacks got the honor of being two-footed.
"I hope... I hope I don't ruin your walk? I've left some bald spots I think...." Sheepishly she'll cast a glance behind, long ears trailing on what was thankfully thick grass rather than just the earth beneath it. For all her silly complint, she'd been doing a fine job of getting exactly what she needed to. And well, if those flowers were all crowded in one spot it was hardly her fault!
Oh, but she felt out of sorts! And even though Dorian's temperment was more than good, she found herself possessed by the sudden urge to give her whiskers a quick grooming. It took only a sweep or two of a paw, but it was just the sort of thing he was like to notice and find silly.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 15, 2009 0:03:18 GMT -5
Such a pretty, silly thing! Not more attractive than him, of course, which was quite fitting. No mere Leveret could match up with the stature and allure of a Jack. Still, for her rank, she was a fetching little thing. Her master had obviously trained her well, or else traded something of moderate worth to obtain her. The ears were quite a statement, and the colors very loud.
Ah, and she did have a name. A feminine one, too, which was always a good sign. Dorian wasn't aware of the habit of some Rabbits to name their Leveret sons more feminine names to appeal to others, and so he counted it as a near sure thing as to her gender. Female was the only fitting gender for anything besides a Jack. "Laurelin. A good name. My walk has yet to be ruined, provided that I can still see the flowers. Which I certainly can."
He pulled a strand of hair forward to twirl against one of his fingers. "You don't belong to the Czar's warren, since it's nowhere near that part of the Highlands. Where is your home, and what is your Jack like? I shouldn't wish to become involved in a territorial conflict." No need to mention that he wasn't mature enough yet to rate such a thing.
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Post by Ferabird on Feb 15, 2009 11:58:33 GMT -5
It was only appropriate to keep her eyes lowered, but that mane! None in her father's warren had ever had anything like it, nor any in the warren to which she'd been traded. One of the does perhaps had a mane- but it was nothing so shimmering... so long. Perhaps vainly she wished that she could brush it. Nanny'd given her such a fine brush when she left home- and it would make his hair as smooth as fine silk in it's wake...
Oh, but how was that for a daydream? She'll blink a time or two and even perhaps subject herself to a bit of a flush for her trouble, hoping that her pause wasn't too very notable.
"Oh, no.... not the Czar. My Jack, he sends me far out from the Warren for my chores. I uhm.. I don't think the does like me very much." The confession actually brings her around to looking hurt rather than angry, for all that her great dangling ears don't flit about to various angles to assist in her self-expression. "You're far enough, here. It's back that way..."
Here she'll turn about, indicating with a goldenrod colored paw in the appropriate direction. "These hills are soft, so it's not as pronounced, but back there one of them is far broader than those around it, and that's where he's dug his warren."
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 15, 2009 15:09:01 GMT -5
Dorian had no idea of the girl's daydream, though he would have believed it of her in a heartbeat. Who didn't admire his beautiful mane? The fact that he'd gotten it from his father didn't dim its unique nature - the Esterberry had it in purple, not his glorious gold, and tended to keep it in a different style. Thus, unique!
He continued to preen subconsciously as she kept herself in a submissive pose. "Oh, well, that's quite a shame," he offered in a vague attempt at sympathy. If she wasn't liked, she'd probably done something to deserve it. Or not done something, as the case may have been. "Highland Jacks seem like such picky things." Pot, meet kettle.
"Dun into a hill? Yes, there are enough of them here to make that a worthwhile location. Unfortunate that I am not in the visiting mood, or I might have dropped by for a spot of tea on my travels." A mature Jack would have sooner driven him off than allowed him into his home, but a young man could dream of social acceptance from his peers. "And you. What do you do, exactly, my dear?"
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Post by Ferabird on Feb 15, 2009 17:03:38 GMT -5
For all that the leveret would never be so haughty as to imagine it for herself, her blazing colors and draping ears made for potential competition! What if she was coached into becoming more than a subservient leveret? That was just one more doe to have to share with!
"Me? Oh, sir.... nothing important." she quickly sputters come the inquiry, hardly about to call his bluff. After all, the business of Jacks was the business of Jacks!
"I just run errands. Always fetching things from outside the warren." she goes on, though she'll hardly list specific chores seeing as her workload was an erratic thing. There was always something to be done, but it wasn't always the same thing!
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 15, 2009 19:22:37 GMT -5
Nothing important? Probably true enough. She was only a Leveret, after all, and errands were nothing spectacular. Maybe she was particularly young or new to the warren? Or just generally incompetent. Any of those were possibilities. Truth be told, he didn't really care, but she was a pleasant enough distraction on a nice day and pretty enough to look at.
"I can see that you're out often enough to know the land. Isn't your Jack at all worried about... oh, I don't know, you running away or something silly like that? Or perhaps being stolen?" His voice sounded thoughtful. Now he was just teasing the little Morganberry, curious to see whether she would pick up on it or get all flustered. Most Leverets probably weren't up to the task of parrying his rapier wit, or so he liked to believe.
They weren't up for much that didn't involve cleaning or errands, were they? Well, there had been that one Selkie who showed a surprising sense of humor, but she had thus far been quite the rarity.
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