Ezekiel's time with Ni'awtu had been invaluable. Through her, he had learned all about the different plants that could be used to cure all sorts of different ailments, all without the use of one's abilities. From stomach aches, to headaches, to even helping more serious wounds to close and heal. He hadn't realized there were so many different ways to help someone in need. All he'd known growing up was the horn on his head could do that. It was faster than the healing plants and medicines the mare could make, but it was so much more impressive than what he did. He didn't need to measure ingredients, to apply pressure where it was needed. All he needed to do was lay his horn on a wound. Not amazing at all. All unicorns could do it, but not every creature had the memory or knowledge to do what the mare did. He now considered the mare a friend, but he had felt the stirrings of his wanderlust taking control of him soon after he'd met her the second time, now filled with this new purpose of his. It had fascinated him so much, that he had finally discovered a purpose to his wanderings: How many different ways were their to help others? He wanted to learn them all.
Also out in the woods, piling sticks into a small pile, was Sarathiel. Always on the job, he was gathering wood to craft more Shifter traps. Once he had all the materials he needed, he would shift himself, taking on the body of a human man in order to have the ability to make the traps himself, instead of relying on the many fingers of another animal, like a racoon. He had never relied on someone else. Always doing things on his own. It was much better than trying to direct someone else to do what he wanted. Much easier to just do it himself.
Dropping a stick on the pile, he suddenly heard the sounds of other heavy steps coming closer. He turned his head sharply, muscles tensing. Maybe it was a wandering Shifter, lured here by the scent of another. They were always looking for a meal or at least someone to kill for fun. Well, they wouldn't find an easy target with the Angeni! Larger than the average stallion, Sarathiel had seen his fair share of battle in his young years. Scars lined his body in a few places, all from fights with the dangerous creatures.
What came out from behind a tree, finally in his view, was anything but a Shifter. Though he had seen plenty with the horns of unicorns, this one lacked one key feature: A pelt.
"Good day, friend," he called out in a friendly manner, a smile now on his face.
The Alicorn passed across a meadow, than into another forest, where the trees were sparse, leaving a lot of space between each other. Still, he didn't see the other figure standing in his path until he heard a voice. Startled, Ezekiel staggered back, watching as the stranger merely lifted his head calmly to look at him with kind eyes. The Alicorn quickly noted the tiny wings behind the other stallion's head, the four sets of wings. Looking down, he saw another pair of tiny wings set above very long and beautiful hair growing over the hooves. An Angeni! He had invaded the personal space of an Angeni!
Instinctively, Ezekiel bowed his head, bending one of his front legs so he could get lower to the ground. "I am sorry, sir! I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I didn't mean to intrude on you." Was he about to feel the wraith of the God-like equine?
Sarathiel could only blink, the smile washed off his face as the Alicorn bowed his head to him. Oh. One of these, was it? The kind who just cut under the border of fully worshipping all Angeni who walked the earth. On one hand, he really couldn't blame them for it. His kind had come from another plane of existence, where their bodies were not quite what they were seen here. Not that he'd been there himself, but both his parents had come from it and had told him about it. He had been born beside the ocean, with the smell of the salt in his nose.
On the other hand...
"Please, do not bow to me," the bay stallion almost begged, feeling very uncomfortable. He'd never felt like anything above the other equines. He'd always felt like one of them. just with extra, unique powers to himself. He had no interest in being treated like a God. It was no fault of his that he had been born this way. "I am no different from you. Speak to me as you would a friend."
Speak as a friend? To an Angeni? Ezekiel couldn't do that. These beings were meant to be respected above all others, no matter what they did. They came from a world far beyond what anyone could even begin to imagine and had such amazing powers to help the world around them. He wondered what kinds this one had. Sometimes it was easy to tell the domain of an Angeni by looking at them. Others, not so much. This stallion was one of those. The only distinguishing feature about him was the brightly colored jewel around his neck. Maybe something to do with crystals? Light? Ezekiel was so curious, but it would be rude to ask.
"I could not do that," he answered. He still raised his head and straightened his legs, if just to please the one before him. "You are not like me. I am just a mere Alicorn."
Sarathiel shrugged, his expression stoic. "So would I be, if I had two wings like you." He noted how the other stallion remained quiet after that statement, looking more uncomfortable by the minute. Was he expecting the Angeni to do something to him? It wasn't really in most of their natures to do anything to their fellow creatures.
Tossing his head a little, making his long mane ripple in silky waves, Sarathiel moved, turning to the side in search of more branches. He, too, was feeling uncomfortable by this encounter and was equally at a loss for words. But maybe if he went about his business as usual, the Alicorn would become more comfortable and realize this meeting was nothing as special as he was making it out to be.
"I am Sarathiel, by the way," he said, passing by to reach down his neck and grab a thick branch off the ground. He carried it back to his pile and dropped it, smiling down at his bounty. Still a lot more to go. Perhaps this youth would like to help him. Than again, mentioning that he spent his days using his blood to make charms to alter a Shifter's demeanor to make them safer to be around regular equines might not help the situation and put him back up there into God status. Normally, he didn't mind letting others know about what he did. This time, he did. Most he told weren't this starstruck by his breed. "I am collecting sticks and rope-like materials for a craft project, if you would like to help me. I like the company."