Callaquioa

Callaquioa's nostrils were flaring and her sides heaving by the time she'd made it to the top of a steep hill. She gave her head a toss, freeing her eyes from a tangle of black hair that had fallen in front of them. The growing filly was full of energy, and proving to be a handful for her mother and father to look after. Today she was no exception; Calla had snuck away from her mother and was racing her shadow up a nearby hill, doing her level best to beat her umbra companion to the top of the flower-strewn plateau.

"Got me this time." She panted, and gave her shadow a friendly kick, "But I bet you a heap of rose moss that I can beat you to creek, over there." She turned and confidently pointed her dished face towards a dark line that cut in loose curves through the grasses further down in the valley.

Daga

"Talking to your shadow again?" Daga questioned with a wry grin, watching Calla from where he lay beneath the shade of a sprawling old oak tree. Between the tall grass that wove around it, and the clusters of stubborn winter leaves still clinging to the branches between the spring's new budding leaves, the little white-tail was perfectly camouflaged.

Callaquioa

The filly snorted and spun around in surprise, eyes going wide for a moment before her startled brain caught up with the familiar voice. "Daga?" Her ears went back and her face took on a mischievous look of faux antagonism as she darted towards the tree, bouncing as she went. "I knew you were there the whole time." She lied as she tossed her head and pawed at the ground around dripline of the old tree, trying to spot the deer behind the sagging branches. Callaquioa was full to bursting with energy, and Daga's only encouraged more of that to come out. "Are you hiding back there because you know you can't beat me in a race?"

Daga

The youngster's chuckling could be heard as he watched Callaquioa try to spy him through the tangled grasses and low branches. He still had quite a few spots decorating his tawny hide, making his camouflage all that much better with the dappled light falling in amongst him.

Daga waited until Calla was close before he bunched his spindly legs beneath him and burst from his hiding spot, white tail wagging with excitement. He playfully bumped his head against her shoulder before darting a wide circle around her, kicking his legs up in the air and bouncing with the same energy that she displayed. "Haha, gotcha Calla!"

Callaquioa

The filly reared back and squealed playfully, boxing her front hooves in Daga's direction with no real intention of hitting her smaller companion. Her daggers landed with a thud against the ground and she pranced towards him, "I haven't seen you in two days, where have you been?" She gave the little cervid a nudged with her snout, a move that was equal bits friendly and playful.

Daga

Daga snorted and butted Calla's shoulder with his own head, while his tail continued to flip from side to side behind him like a merry dog. And even though he put some force behind that nudge, his scrawny self couldn't hope to even budge his heftier friend.

Daga huffed, an irritated sound, and raised his head to meet her eyes as he took a step back, "Where have I been? Avoiding your dad." The young buck's tail stopped switching and he sighed, "And evading my mom, because she doesn't like him. Where is he, anyway? You'll get an earful again, being this far from the herd."

Callaquioa

Callaquioa rolled her eyes, "I'm old enough to take care of myself. And I don't know.." The filly gave a half-hearted look to the land spilling out below them, flushed with golden hues of the moss rose. "..He's probably off chasing Xena around or something, or doing one of his stupid patrols." Finding no entertainment in talking about her family, Calla pranced towards the edge of the steep hill and nodded, "So, you up for a race, Daga?" Blue eyes flashed with a grin, "You, versus me and my shadow?"

Daga

Daga joined his equine friend in an over-the-top eye roll, sharing the same sentiment about the stallion that ruled this land. "Well he can stay on his stupid patrols. He better just not have a go at me this fall, or he'll get the business end of my antlers!" The young white-tail offered this empty threat, even though his fuzzy head hadn't even begun producing what would be but a pair of small spikes this fall. Hardly anything to challenge a stallion that beat him in weight and strength many times over.

Letting that end of the conversation fade, his prickly attitude brightened at the challenge, and he scraped a delicate hoof against the ground in excitement. "I'll beat both of you." And without another word, the little buck bolted forward and began careening down the hill as fast as his spindly legs would take him...

Callaquioa

"Hey!" Callaquoia snorted as her friend got a head start by bolting down the hill without warning. Ears back and neck thrown forward, the filly plunged down the steep incline after him, hooves flying and ebony tail whipping behind her. With gravity to aid her flight, Calla went faster and faster, until she was afraid her legs couldn't keep up with the dizzying speed.

Wind lashed pleasantly against her face, and cool air filled her lungs. For a moment she wondered if they was what the birds felt when they flew! The terrain began to level out then, just as she was catching up to her leaner, spotted friend. Feeling gravity now shift against her, Calla arched her neck down and pressed her velveteen muzzle forward, and ushered in a burst of power, trying to overtake Daga as the stream grew closer and closer...