Welcome to Gaia! ::

“Beautiful, isn’t it, Momi?” Naupaka Kahakai was enjoying a well deserved moment of rest, lounging under the shade of a tree after a long morning spent tending to smaller plants and flowers in the area. His front hooves were dangling in the water, tracing lazy, pointless little patterns that left ripples in their wake. He was at peace and perfectly at ease, not an ounce of fear to be found in the smile on his face. The stallion didn’t need to fear anything lurking in the water here, not when his beloved familiar happened to be the biggest, baddest water dweller around.


A dangerous and fearsome reptilian Momi was... currently snapping playfully at the waves Naupaka was making, occasionally bumping his hooves with the end of her toothy maw. She would eventually grow lazy herself with the heat of the summer sun, abandoning her friend to rest beneath the shaded falls of the nearby waterfall.

But not before she hit the water with one playful smack of her tail to announce her departure, splashing drowsy Naupaka right in the face and startling him awake.


“Ack! Hey!” Naupaka hadn’t realized what was happening until water hit him right in the face, leaving him floundering and with a messy mane. “...Really? Really?!” Freshwater dripped from both his bangs and braid, and his attempts at blowing hair out of his face and making any sort of graceful recovery failed miserably. “Thaaanks a lot, Momi...” He thought to himself, grumbling halfheartedly in annoyance as he rose from his spot and moved to the safety and shade of another tree - a mango tree with some heavy branches, from the looks of it.

Far from the water now and clear of any future sneak splash attacks (MOMI...), the stallion dealt with the first thing on his mind. Tipping his head and carefully removing his flower crown, Naupaka began to assess it for any damage. The blooms weren’t too messed up, just dripping wet and in need of some time in the sun to properly dry off. Some of the flowers were askew, but... eh, he could fix that later. Another lei could be made easily enough if this one was broken or roughed up, he supposed, so long as he found someone skilled at weaving... but Naupaka didn’t feel like dealing with that. No, not on a summer day like today, where he had spent the early hours gardening so that he could specifically relax during the hotter hours of the day instead of roasting in the sun.

The outburst had not gone unnoticed, the distant cursing causing a confused and... admittedly curious Naupaka to make his way into the jungle to investigate what on earth was going on near his home. He hadn’t caught wind of any blood yet, and had yet to observe the sight or sound of frantic prey, which was a good thing, right? A sign that the noisy stranger wasn’t an immediate threat? If push came to shove and they were a threat, he knew how to use his horns, and Momi served as a prettyyy good backup plan...

Naupaka just needed to locate them to figure out the rest. Only one way to go about doing that in a place this dense with greenery.

“Hellooo? Anyone out there?” The stallion called out, “I mean you no harm! I live around these parts! I’m just here to lend a helping hand, if you need one!” Pausing to allow them the chance to reply, he did his very best to pay close attention to the sounds around his home.

It was during this moment of pause that Naupaka realized his mane was still fairly soaked thanks to Momi’s antics, the freshwater dripping off of him causing his legs to gather a not-so-pleasant layer of jungle dirt and grime as he had been walking. Yuck! There wasn’t much he could do about that, unfortunately, not until he made his way back to the falls near his home. He had other matters to attend to right now though. Poor Naupaka did what he could to tidy himself up, shaking off to try and get a majority of the water off. Or, at the very least, speed up the process...


Another soquili, out in a place like this? What were the odds...?

Meadow March considered the faceless stranger’s offer, weighing his options: struggle to maneuver his way out of this damned jungle “paradise” in his current state (heavy emphasis on the air quotes, given the situation he was currently in, ugh), or trust that they were being honest and kind with no ulterior motives.

Hind paw raised enough to avoid grazing the damp earth of the jungle, Meadow March did his best to take a few steps forward - Oh, forget it. This wasn’t walking, this was hobbling. He huffed in annoyance, nose scrunching in frustration at the slowed pace.

The rabbit-stallion could hold himself in a fight (as he had proven time and time again in previous years), even if he was injured. He would just need to make adjustments and push through the pain...

Why not? What was life without a little risk.

“My oh my, am I glad to hear your voice, friend!” Meadow March finally replied, making sure that he sounded relieved as ever, “I hate to trouble you, I really do, but I could use a bit of a hand here! I went and injured my leg here while trekking through the jungle.” He considered pushing onward into the jungle at a snail’s pace to try and meet up with them... and then thought better of it, maintaining his position in hopes that the stranger would find him. “You wouldn’t happen to know someone with healing skills, or be a healer yourself, would you?”

After all, he was in no rush. The plants around him weren’t going anywhere, nor the sprouts and seeds growing in his garden back home. Meadow March had plenty of time on his hands.


The moment the stallion heard that the stranger was injured, all prior concerns about his own appearance went right out the window.

“Oh! Oh no, that’s not good at all.” Naupaka Kahakai was no unicorn, but he did have a fair amount of knowledge when it came to plants and their medicinal properties. If all else failed, he could at least offer the stranger a place to rest and help them get their bearings, at least until they were back on their feet again. “Sit tight and I’ll be right there in a second, promise!”

And so he began to make his way into the denser parts of the tropical landscape, following after the other’s voice. Naupaka traversed the land with relative ease and avoided possible injury, having lived and tended to the jungle for years at this point. “Hey, friend? Are you around here? Keep chatting with me and I’ll find you in no time! Or just, uh, call out a few times? Whatever works for you! I just need to follow your voice.”


Yes, it seemed he had made the right decision after all.

Resting his leg for now, Meadow March was happy to stand idly by and await potential aid. “Oh? Just a second, hm?” He gave an exaggerated hum before he clucked his tongue, as if he had come to a decision. Might as well have a bit of fun to waste some time and assist his rescuer, as requested. “Alright then, the clock. is. tickiiiiing. Let’s see how long it really takes you.” Raising his voice to ensure that he was heard, he began to count out loud.



This simple game of his was beginning to grow awfully dull. Meadow March tried not to let his boredom be heard, maintaining the chipper tone he had started off with.

“Thirty. Thirty-one. Thirty-two. Thirty-thr-”


“Okay, okay! I guess it was longer than a few seconds...” A head popped out from some ferns, looking back and forth in search of something before eyes finally locked onto Meadow March’s form. “Ah, there you are!” Naupaka exclaimed cheerfully, discreetly giving the stranger a once over to check for any sign of danger or aggression. “You needed help? I can guide you to a spot that’s less...” He trailed off as he emerged from the brush, words failing him, “...plant-y. Hard to navigate. I’m sure you get what I mean, haha...”

He approached with some timidness, offering him a friendly smile. “Look, I’m not a professional healer by any means, but I’ve picked up on some things while tending to my garden and exploring the jungle here. I have a safe place where you can rest, at the very least. And this is a pretty safe place, tripping hazards aside.” It was then that Naupaka offered a shoulder for the other soquili to lean on. Whether or not the strange looking stallion chose to share the space was entirely up to him. “Naupaka Kahakai, at your service.”


Pleasantly surprised at the arrival of the soquili so willing to lend a complete and total stranger aid, and a fellow gardener no less, Meadow March gave him a once over... and then dipped his head in a respectful nod. “That’s fine by me. Thank you.” The rabbit-stallion declared, taking up the offered assistance as the two began to carefully walk together, side-by-side. “I’m Meadow March. It seems we have something in common, friend, as I’m rather fond of plants myself!” He flashed his friendliest grin, giving a tilt of his head. Naupaka didn’t need to know any specifics. No, all he needed to be privy to was the fact that Meadow March was just like him - someone that loved and cared for plants - and immediately likeable as a result. That would secure the aid he needed, nice and easy. “I don’t know much about all of these strange tropical plants, they’re entirely foreign to me. But, if you have a few common herbs planted somewhere... Well, let’s check out this garden of yours and see if we can work a little natural healing on this busted up paw of mine, hm? No fantastical healing magic necessary, just the craftiness and expertise of two soquili that know their stuff.”