InsaneJournal

Wednesday: February 13, 2008
Who: Lysander harsi Herrenlaia and Xanthus harsi Herrenlaia (log) and then open to anyone who wants to waylay them as they walk into town
When: Mid-morning
Where: Approaching Helicharis from the North East
What: After getting bored for one reason or another in the forest, Xanthus and Lysander make their way to town.


Xanthus was glad for all the travels that he had already survived. The experiences had left his mind open to surveying the area for any sort of threats that may exist in this haven. This was easier when he didn't feel the need to stare in wonder at the scenery like a newborn colt just because he'd never seen such wonders before. That however didn't stop Lysander's curiosity. He was amazed they managed to get past the large building that looked as if it was a continuation of thehill it sat upon without having to explore it. It was a relief of course as the building looked as if it was a better thing to appreciate from a distance rather than to approach and inspect it. It was a more manageable size at a distance.

This same thought was running through his head as his pace slowed more and more as the smaller buildings crept closer towards them. It felt crowded and open at the same time and neither in a good way. Who knew what sorts of dangers lay within those buildings? What if it was more men with the metal pellet weapons? In this sort of setting, he wasn't sure how well he could protect Lysander, let alone how well the colt could flee if the need arose. Besides, this didn't look like a place where other centaurs would reside anyways.

Dragging his hooves, he stopped, his hind hoof cocked up in resting position as he shook his head. "Maybe there is somewhere else to explore. Somewhere more interesting," he added, in hopes of using the younger centaur's curiosity against him.

"I don't see how!" Lysander replied with a distracted laugh, circling so he could walk backwards and face Xanthus when he spoke. "What could possibly be more interesting than a town!?"

"That larger building on the hill," Xanthus supplied with a roll of his eyes. "A million other things that are likely running about in your head."

Lysander smiled brightly, but the look in eyes knew that he was being annoying to the older centaur. Good. He spun back around to fall back in line with Xanthus. "Perhaps if you would have let me assist on the scouting I wouldn't be so breathlessly interested," he pointed out with the teenage wise-ass tone that was pervasive in every species of a certain age in the universe.

Still staying stock still where he was, he snorted out a breath and swished his tail sharply. "If I had let you assist on the scouting, it would have taken ten times longer and if you had wandered off on your own, I would likely never see you again considering all the things about to capture your attention."

Lysander paused too and looked over at Xanthus. "Isn't that why you agreed to this in the first place? So you'd never have to see me again?" he drawled sarcastically, then rolled his eyes and continued to walk.

"That would be avoiding my duties," Xanthus pointed out before huffing out a heavy sigh and reluctantly following the other centaur. Shaking his head, he lengthened his stride to get beside Lysander. Glancing over at the young centaur, he smirked wryly. "I agreed because it would be even worse in regards to my duties if I were to put an arrow in the person I am meant to be protecting."

He snickered and rolled his eyes because if time had done anything, it had solidified Xanthus's personality in his mind. For all of his bravado and machismo (of which there was a LOT), Lysander knew that his personal sense of responsibility was greater than any annoyance he could throw at Xanthus, on purpose or on accident.

"You agreed because you're lonely. We are social creatures," he said simply, the sarcasm turning abruptly to honesty.

Xanthus narrowed his eyes and his jaw tightened. The colt's enthusiasm always made him forget that he was more observant than he seemed. Which normally wouldn't be that bit an annoyance, but in a herd of two, there weren't very many other things to focus on. Especially when hiding out in the woods while hoping that there was no big attack while he was healing. Shaking his head, he found relief in the fact that his dark hair was long enough to actually fall in his face again.

"I said no such thing," he said, even though he knew that the young centaur would likely argue that he didn't need to say it for it to be true. Tossing his head to get his hair out of his eyes, he reached a hand up to brush a few stragglers back before raising his chin to get a better focus on the town. "I doubt there will be any others like us there..."

"You just have to look outside the outside," Lysander replied with the same smile he'd worn previously, but without the sneaky look in his eyes. "With such a broad sampling of creatures, it's highly likely you'll meet someone like you. You know. Warrior. Alpha. Boisterous."

It was, however, highly unlikely that Lysander would meet someone like himself. That was the price of being who he was and something that he was so used to that it allowed him to disregard uncommonality.

"It's meeting other warriors that worry me," Xanthus breathed out heavily as he kept his eyes on the town. "Just because they have the same profession doesn't mean they have the same way of thinking and standards..." Glancing over at Lysander, he let out a hearty chuckle as he reached out and slapped the young centaur's human back good naturedly. "And the point of an alpha is that there is one. Trust me, you do not want to see too many alphas stuck together for even a short period of time."

Lysander winced a little at the hard smack, but managed not to stumble forward.

He looked over at Xanthus and grinned, that snarky glimmer in his eye. "I want to see everything." Then he took off at a gallop towards town.

Xanthus had enough time to realize he didn't like the gleam in Lysander's eye before the colt went galloping off. Rolling his eyes, he blew out a breath between his lips as he shook his head. "Kytherion!" he called out in aggravation before galloping after the young centaur. "Slow down."

That halted Lysander abruptly.

"Don't call me that." He turned and started towards Xanthus, the excitement stolen by sudden flustered anger. Lysander stopped in front of him, glaring with no regard to their difference to stature or status.

"You're the one that keeps banging on about keeping me safe - maybe you should try using my name and not my title," he near-ordered, brogue tripping over the vowels.

Skidding to a halt, Xanthus blinked in surprise at the outburst as he regained his balance as he shifted his weight solidly back on all four hooves. Squaring his shoulders against the onslaught, he puffed up his chest slightly to make himself look even bigger. "It is your title. One of utmost respect and admiration," he pointed out before eying the town as if it were a rotten carcass. "I doubt anyone in this place would even comprehend the full meaning of it."

"And if they did?" Lysander asked, undeterred. "For all your huffing and puffing about safety and your mistrust of the people in town, you would give them that leverage?"

He dug his heels in. Lysander was going to get his way on this point, determination all over his youthful features. He couldn't nor wanted to escape his abilities, but he could shed the cloak of responsibility. He could get rid of the title.

"Do you even know my name?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly, the notion suddenly occurring to him.

Focusing back on Lysander, Xanthus gave the colt a withering look. "Of course I know your name," he muttered gruffly, not mentioning that he had paid attention to his daughter long enough to know her half-brother's name. Sighing, he took a step back, though he kept his challenging posture so that he could focus on Lysander's face better. "If there are others of our kind, they will need to know," he continued softly.

That knocked Lysander back - not physically, but it showed on his face.

He looked down, biting his bottom lip. He shouldn't want there to be no trace of centaurs in town - it wasn't as if they should be. That they were going into such a populated area was unusual - it was why Lysander liked the idea so much. It was new and exciting and a little bit forbidden.

"Yes," he replied, finally. It had the heavy tone of solemn acceptance. "I guess we'll cross that river when we come to it. Just... until then. You know. For safety," Lysander added, trying to recover his stance.

The look that crossed Lysander's face made Xanthus relax his stance, his shoulders drooping just slightly as he studied the other centaur. "Hmmm," he hummed a moment before an amused smirk tugged at his lips. "We may have to indeed cross a river in order to come to that. I can't imagine any self-respecting centaur wanting to spend too much time here."

Reaching out, he placed his hand heavily on the younger centaur's shoulder and squeezed gently but firmly. "And speaking of safety, Lysander, it may not be the best idea to go galloping into town like a colt with his tail on fire. Even you are quite large compared to other sorts of creatures that we may find there."

"But it's the only way to get you to move any faster," Lysander replied, head cocking plaintively.

Rolling his eyes, Xanthus stepped to the side to walk around Lysander, giving the young centaur a slap to the hindquarters as he passed, his legs tensed in anticipation at any sort of retaliation. He shied out of the way in plenty of time to miss the young centaur's hind hooves flashing out an him. He pranced a few steps before settling into a lazy walk. "There are much better ways to get me to move faster," he laughed warmly. Not to mention give him less of a heart attack.

"Not without having a whole conversation about safety and your inherent reticence and blah blah blah," Lysander replied, making a squawking mouth with his hand. "Let's just go."

"If everyone's legs moved as fast as that tongue of yours, the world would be set forever at a gallop," Xanthus joked back as he rolled his eyes. Looking back over his shoulder, he quirked an eyebrow. "Now, if we are done with your whining and name clarification, we can by all means head into town."