This meeting was prophesised (Rhiannon Jones/open)

[Valunce]

The story had been passed down from generation to generation, throughout the centuries of centaurian existance, the coming of one who would understand them, and breech the barriers that kept humans and centaurs so very divided.

It was a fable, a mere myth, a foal's story meant to delight them...yet some believed.

Word of mouth had enriched the legend, some said it had been altered and corrupted, the prophesy had differed at each retelling. Others claimed it was pure truth; that one day a hero or heroine would come; their saviour.

Valunce believed differently, but crucially from the scant few, he did believe and was prepared to take action to unveil his belief. Whether it were the truth or no, only time itself would tell. He believed he'd potentially encountered the one spoken of in the prophesy. On their last meeting he had sensed an aura about her, not strong or powerful particularly, but different, to any other he had ever witnessed. The prophesy foretold a meeting, yet when where or how it didn't specify, countless centaurs had prayed to the stars that they be chosen for the task of fulfilling the prophesy. Yet fate would decide the one...

Valunce had long since forgotten the foalish dream, he'd been preoccupied with defending the borders, not from the humans, but for them. He rightly feared the hatred his tribe held for them, advancing into their territory could spell the death for them. Valunce trotted along at a gentle pace, contented to simply listen to the earthly sounds, and detect the sheer difference of a humans heavy hand. Softly the breeze picked up, carrying with it a scent, of human, but a human treading softly. Sniffing the air Valunce's features broke into a grim centaurian smile, he had a duty and he was more than willing to keep to it; divert the humans from foolishly entering the forest, breaking into a gallop his sharp nose led the way.

[Rhiannon Dorvalle]

There was hardly an evening when Rhiannon was not in the forest, and that night was no exception. Things had begun to get increasingly frustrating regarding her freedom, as more and more ministry officials seemed to patrol the forest area. She had already been escorted out the forest five times that week, the most recent occasion by the Auror who had been ordered to observe her lessons as well. In the end he had to physically drag her out of the forest, not before being hexed several times by Rhian of course.

She was quite surprised that she still had her job after that struggle, Deitrich was just waiting for an excuse to fire her. The man, Lance she thought he said his name was, seemed quite apologetic about it all, which made it all the more confusing to Rhiannon. She couldn't see why the ministry were making such a fuss over the forest.. to not even allow her to go in just seemed ridiculous.

The ComC teacher was following the tracks of a unicorn that she had been observing for several weeks. She was a bit worried about the young foal as it didn't seem to be adapting to forest life as well as the others. Rhian was couched down poking through a patch of leaves with her slender wand. It seemed that Locks (that she had fondly named the young male referring to his golden hair and more curly tail than most) had just been around the area and if she continued a little further into the clearing she would be sure to find him.

Treading softly so she wouldn't alarm the unicorn, Rhiannon made her way through the tangle of trees to a more open area. It was when then that she heard the sound of something or perhaps, someone, running through the trees somewhere nearby. Wanting to avoid any more ministry nuisances, Rhian stepped back into the shadows, concealing herself from any prying eyes.. any prying human eyes that is.

[Valunce]

Pawing the earth in anticipation and with an avid air of alertness Valunce peered around the forest, having come to an abrupt halt before tangled bushy undergrowth. Vines hung limply from towering trees, they seemed out of place, and Valunce eyed them warily, envisaging a forest power playing tricks upon him. Creeping cautiously forward as he heard the human take a swift intake of breath and stall a moment, he moved onwards, selected a fine goose feathered arrow from his quiver, and notching it to his strong yet slender yew longbow, leaving his shorter quick-draw elm bow latched upon his back.

Trotting around the mangled creepers beneath his hard hooves, he trod carefully, knowing that with the forest's almighty power they could quite easily come alive and ensnare him, as they once had in his youth, when he was a carefree foal running merrily about hither and thither. He'd learnt his lesson well from that lucky escape.

With wary eyes and ears he searched for the human presence; and shortly found it. With bow hanging loose he called out into the shadows beckoning the human forward. "If you're friendly I shan't hurt you." he commented dryly. As his sharp eyes pierced the gloom he believed he recognised the form; though from quite where he couldn't tell. She, for it was a she, had a grace about her, she seemed completely at home in the forest. He found that strange but exhilarating nonetheless, Valunce wished more humans would treat the forest with the respect it thoroughly deserved. "

"Why are you here?" Valunce asked suspiciously, his eyes fixed upon the shadows and boring holes into the gloom.

[Rhiannon Dorvalle]

Rhiannon dared to exhale when she realised that the other presence wasn't human. She really didn't fancy another run in with a ministry drone, a different person was sure to be much less lenient than the last. Rhian knew she there was no point staying in the shadows now, and stepped out. Besides, it was a forest dweller before her, and that was something she could deal with.

'It is Rhiannon, Valunce.' She stated clearly, holding her wand high and in view to show no threat. It was well known how much centaurs hated wands. 'We have met once before.' And not in the best of circumstances. A couple of her students had run after a salamander, only to find themselves faced with a very angry herd leader, who just happened to be Valunce's father, Mercutio.

'I've been observing one of the new unicorn foals. A young male whos been struggling a bit with forest life.' Rhia took a few steps closer to the centaur. 'You know I'm not like those other humans, I want to preserve this place, not ruin it.' A brief look of disgust crossed her face as she mentioned the "other humans" - the ministry weren't exactly careful in their "patrolling" of the forest.

[Valunce]

As the form of the female teacher of the human children flitted out of the shadows he started back, surprised to see her hiding from him. Usually she strode around briskly aiding the forest in whatever way she could. He'd frequently seen her among the trees; being especially caring towards unicorns.

"Ah Rhianone," he exclaimed happily, in a deep booming voice which over emphasised her name as he found it incredibly difficult to pronounce; it seemed so very foreign upon his tongue.

"I remember vividly our last meeting, Father has grumbled about your lot ever since," he chuckled softly "called your children young foolish foals, and far worse besides." He smiled down at Jones, knowing he would be safe in her company, as he stoutly believed she meant no harm at all to the forest, nor any living peacefully within its boundaries. Quite frankly in that sense she was very centaurian, and it was a very worthy quality; the love of nature. As to to emphasise her adoration for the creatures within the forest she explained about caring for a unicorn.

"Yes they often find it hard to adapt at first, humans trampling the food they forage doesn't help matters," he said scathingly, knowing that Rhiannon really had nothing to do with it, but feeling his pent-up frustration boiling over at her anyway. Even for an apparent human lover as he had been dubbed, he still found it highly disrespectful the way the humans trampled the very earth and foliage beneath their dirty boots, they cared nothing for the forest, and centaurs typically believed them ignorant and arrogant for it.

Struggling to dissapate his anger at the degredationof his grazing land, Valunce flexed his fingers and pawed the earth beneath his hard hooves. "I know you mean no harm, but so many others do, it is difficult not to be highly sceptical if not aggressive towards people who destroy our homeland." He explained "But on behalf of the tribe, we are thankful for your efforts, few would openly admit it, but we find your quaint way of protecting creatures rather comforting, we know at least one human loves nature."

Scratching his nose in thought he enquired after a moment, "why have humans been entering the forest so much more frequently now? What could possibly bring them in here? No they not it's dangers?"