[PRP] Jealousy (Castor's Lament x Midnight's Whisper)

[tefla]

He would admit later that he should have seen this coming. Castor had been peering up at the sky with an intensity, trying to ascertain just how it was that a star could grant wishes. The mystery still had not been solved but at the same time he knew that both him and his brother were indeed, different. They had come as a blessing to their parents. That did not seem to matter though as one of his sisters continued to follow him around. She would just not let go of her instant jealousy. The stallion sighed as he scanned the heavens almost as like he was trying to divine an answer to the one question rolling around in his mind. Just what was Midnight's problem?

He was about to turn around to head back towards home when her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. A groan escaped him as Castor caught sight of his supposedly biological sister.  

[tefla]

To any other observer the mare that came up behind Castor would have seemed sugary sweet. However the only thing sweet about Midnight was her appearance. It seemed as of late that the mare was becoming even more scathing in her whispered attacks to the two newest members of her family. Why had her mother even gone to the altar of the wishing star? Why did she receive a blessing in the form of more children?

Midnight felt as if her world had shattered when her mother had found the two baskets. Once again it seemed as if she was relegated to being second best. It seemed that even her father was captivated by the newest arrivals. At that realization, something had snapped deep inside of Midnight. She became very bitter towards all of her siblings and even carried a dangerous air of defiance around her parents. However Midnight soon realized that she needed to resort to manipulation instead of outright hostility to achieve her means. Nothing else mattered except regaining the precious spot of being number one in her mind.

For now that meant keeping tabs on her "brothers" and she knew where to find at least one of them.  

[tefla]

Castor felt his guard come up as he took in Midnight's newest accessory. Somehow she had persuaded a local to adorn her with a feather cape. The stallion had to admit to himself in honesty that Midnight seemed to have a keen eye for colors. She had chosen colors that accentuated her form rather than clash with it. However he knew that she wore the cape in order to try and distract others. Instead he let his gaze narrow on the cold expression that his sister wore. That was the true danger. Castor shivered a little before attempting to be courteous.

"Hello sister, what brings you out here tonight?"

Castor couldn't help but feel like he was talking to a brick wall. He knew that Midnight harbored little to no love for him and Centari.  

[tefla]

The cape that she wore was beginning to feel more and more natural around her neck. The mare knew that she looked pleasing to the eye when she placed it on and had taken to wearing it when she wanted to fool someone. Although it had already seemed as if Castor had caught on to her deception. She'd not lower herself to come to address him as her brother but he seemed to possess a shrewdness that had him stripping away her different disguises. That irritated Midnight to no extent. The other irritation was that no matter how silent she was around him, he continued to try and talk to her as if they really were related.

As she came to stand near Castor she heard the question he posed to her before she gave him a measured look. In the back of her mind she was trying to figure out how to get rid of Castor and Centari with the challenge of making it look like an accident. "Don't act like you care how I am. I know that you know that I want both you and your brother gone from my world." Midnight sneered before she continued, "I don't suppose you could make it easier on me and go jump off a cliff?"  

[tefla]

Castor felt his heart flutter suddenly as Midnight spoke. Surely the rivalry was not that bad between them was it? He thought back to a brief discussion that he had held with his other sister Coda when she expressed concern over Midnight's apparent attitude shift. To have this level of hostility coming from a supposed family member was alarming. The fact of the matter was that Midnight was the only one who seemed to be bothered by their presence in the family. Everyone else had accepted them so why couldn't she?

Castor sighed heavily as his heart rate slowed down and he brought his gaze to give a level stare at the mare. "I wish I only knew why you detest me so. What did I do to deserve such open hatred? Come on sister, spill it."

Castor planted his hooves firmly against the ground as he waited for any reply.  

[tefla]

If there was one thing she would never do it would be to take directions from this fraud. Midnight sneered as she met Castor's stare with one of her own before she smirked. Oh there was some fun to be had in the chance that she could plot Castor's downfall. The idea that she could cause the misfortune to befall her "miracle" brothers demises had been going through her mind for a while.

Her cape rustled softly as she moved to pace around Castor, circling him like a predator would, all in complete silence. The mare offered no dialogue to what it was she was doing before merely walking away from Castor. She had spoken her piece earlier and now perhaps it was time to act on her ideas instead of merely thinking of them. She would have to be coy about her actions though. Already she had aroused Castor's suspicions about her true motive. Perhaps there was an individual out there that could aid her in bringing her plans to fruition.  

[tefla]

It was really no surprise to him that Midnight refused to answer his inquiry. Castor watched as the mare paced around him before merely walking away. Considering he somewhat understood how her mind worked Castor believed that he would need to be on guard around Midnight. He'd spread the warning to Centari too but considering that Centari was the one to stay closer to their parents it seemed as if he would not be the first to be targeted.

Castor sighed before ranging a little further away to crop at some small shoots of grass that were defiant enough to continue to grow during the cold season. He went over this newest interaction with his sister and shuddered briefly. She was planning something. It would not have been evident to anyone else but Castor knew better. He would need to keep his guard up.  

[tefla]

A couple of days had passed since Midnight had had her last run in with Castor. Since then she had kept a low profile and stayed away from the family. She was thinking very carefully about how she wanted to go about staging the "accidental" demise of her newest siblings. Castor would of course be the first to meet an untimely end. He was too cunning to leave around. However it was the manner in which she wished to see both of her "brothers" destroyed that was eluding her. Of course she physically would be far away from the scene of the crime to implicate her innocence.

But how could she go about causing such mayhem. There was one piece of information that she had that she was sure that Castor didn't know about. She had been quietly observing him by utilizing her hawk familiar. She had compiled a list of locations that he liked to visit. One of the more favorable locations was the hill that served as the point where Soquili went to wish on the stars.

Knowing this piece of knowledge Midnight went on a hunt herself to locate a powerful force that would be formidable enough to take down Castor. Her absence would surely be noted but Midnight knew that she'd have to make a bargain with a devil, so to speak, in order to see her plan come to fruition.  

[tefla]

Castor had made yet another trek to the shrine that, in a roundabout way, had brought him into existence. It was his mother's wish on this hillside to the bright star in the night that had brought him and his brother into their family. Castor sighed heavily as he ascended the gently sloping hill. The altar stood alone at the crest and Castor wrinkled his nose at the leftover gifts that had been brought here the last time that the star shone bright in the sky. The stallion could not understand the hatred that had developed in his sister when they had been discovered by Echo's Song. Although he had made mention of his worry to his mother and father it seemed as if nothing had been done. Castor was sure that Midnight had been talked too but she had her own agenda and it seemed as if she put on an act to make it seem as if she were being pleasant enough while around family.

However Castor knew that once she was out of earshot that Midnight reverted to the cold, seemingly heartless mare that he had recently encountered just days earlier. Her attitude had actually shocked him as had her suggestion that he throw himself off a cliff. Sighing with frustration Castor kicked out at a random leftover offering before flopping down onto his stomach. It was definitely strange to be feeling like he was not entirely wanted. It was only Midnight that gave off that vibe and that puzzled him.

Thinking on the matter made it worse as the confusion grew. Why did Midnight view him as a threat? He had not done anything to deserve that label. Lost in his own thoughts Castor was unaware that he was being watched. A hawk the color of midnight circled high above his position on the hill making observations on the general mood of his target. With its observation complete for the meantime it ceased its circling and winged its way towards the one it was bonded with to report.

Castor sighed once again before his interest was piqued about what sort of offerings had been left at the altar. Rising to his feet the stallion nosed at various piles of what he assumed was junk but clearly what were items of value from those that had come to wish. Who would think that such trinkets could be so pleasing to the spirits? Shaking his head Castor flicked his tail and shook out his mane before gently placing an errant feather back into place at the base of the altar as he turned around to make his return trek home. There was a good chance that he would be back to this spot in the days to come.