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 Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:58 pm
The first thing Ginger was aware of was a dry, gritty taste in her mouth. Groaning, she raised her head, blinking groggily as she worked to spit out...sand? That's right...she'd been in the ocean, that terrible, monstrous, deadly ocean that had nearly claimed her for itself. With a sudden whicker of panic, she hauled herself to her feet, standing splay-legged as she cast about for any of those that she'd been penned up with.
A long, searching whinny. Are you there? Is anyone there?
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:07 pm
Beneath a large tree, just a few bounds down the shore, lay another of the chestnut mare's kind, though this was a black stallion. Like she, he was hornless, and he had a star on his forehead and a sock on his right foreleg. He was splayed out, almost collapsed in the sand, having fallen asleep immediately after arriving on the shore and making his way to the trees. Or was it fallen unconscious? Either way, Beauty was almost completely out, the only sound managing to make him raise his head being the whinny of his herdmate. He blinked a few times, the left half of his head shedding sand and his mane caked with it. Then he staggered to his own split hooves, paused a moment, and looked down the beach, sending out a whinny of his own as he began to walk down to where the sound had come from. I'm here! I'm coming to you!
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:24 pm
At Beauty's whinny, Ginger's heart leapt with relief. The storm hadn't taken them all! Picking her pace up into a stumbling trot, she plowed her way through the fetlock-deep sand as quickly as she could. It wasn't really very fast, since she was unaccustomed to walking in sand, let alone running in it with legs that felt made of lead. Concern was clearly etched on her features as she peered at this side and that, inspecting Beauty for wounds. You're alright?
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:31 pm
The stallion's head came up as soon as he saw the chestnut mare come trotting down the sand. A much more joyful whinny escaped his maw, and he leapt into a trot, as well. No matter how little the two had known each other back with the humans, it felt good to have someone by your side that you recognized. As she came up to him, looking over his sides, he did the same for her. Then he grunted. Yes, I'm fine. Are you? He had a few scratches and cuts on his barrel and haunches, but otherwise he was fine, and those had already stopped bleeding. Then he glanced up, looking around him; he hadn't seen much the night before except dark, moon-brightened forms against a darker sky. His long ears flicked to indicate the forest beyond. Where do you suppose we are?
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:04 pm
Snorting, Ginger shook her head, trying to ignore her own scrapes that burned and itched from the salty sand embedded in them. I'll live. Something in her expression warned Beauty not to push the issue. She didn't want to remember the storm, or the egg-heavy mare that had almost certainly drowned. She'd wash out the scrapes once they found fresh water, but until then... Pricking her ears, she tilted her head as she followed Beauty's gaze. Somewhere better?
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Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:07 pm
The black's ears flicked to the side as his herdmate shook her head; he wasn't about to contradict her statement. Her expression of hope of somewhere better affected him, though. He'd been raised in the human world; though wild-born, he considered himself as captive as most of the others. He had enjoyed each caress by his caretakers, and thought the food given to them and time spent frisking in the pastures lovely. He'd always had that nagging feeling to be in a group, though he tended to ignore it. In his mind, it was a small price to pay for his wonderful life. So much so that he'd not minded being put into a ship with the others. It was only some time after they'd set off--down in the hold, he couldn't see the sky--that he'd began to question his trust. And now that he was certain that the other two mares did not survive, including the one heavy with eggs, his trust had waned even more.
Perhaps, he replied with a twitch of his neck. Then he pinned his ears for a moment. Or perhaps somewhere much worse. Then he looked back at the pretty mare and nodded his head once, with a small whinny. Have you seen the others? Perhaps they had survived, but the two just hadn't seen them yet. No matter how little hope he had, he needed to be careful. Amazing, that his lead stallion instincts were kicking in already.
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Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:10 pm
A snort. It doesn't matter. Conceived in the wild but born in captivity, Ginger had never known freedom. She knew pens and fetters, stolen eggs and unknown offspring, resentment and the occasional rebellion. Her ears flattened at the thought of her clutch, her lovely wonderful trio of eggs that had been taken. If this place had none of those things, then it would be a better place. Even if it wasn't, there was no way to return. For better or worse, they were free.
An uneasy whicker escaped her. I haven't.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:39 pm
Beauty snorted in reply, though this one was without words. He wasn't about to press the matter or his own opinion; what was the use? It wasn't like they were going home anytime soon. Might as well make the best of their predicament. As the chestnut mare whickered, he bent his head down, touching her muzzle with his own. Hopefully they're all right, and we will find them soon. Then he turned and looked back at the forest, taking a few steps toward it, and whisking his tail. We should probably investigate this place, if we're going to be living here. He glanced back once, then headed into the trees at a slow enough pace that Ginger could keep up.
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Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:09 am
Ginger wasn't so sure that they'd find any of the others. The storm had been fierce, and her own survival had been difficult enough to procure--doubtless Beauty's had been the same. However, she kept these doubts silent. After all, they had survived. With a nod, she trotted after the stallion, stiff movements and the occasional limp betraying her sore muscles. Her ears were constantly swiveling to take in the strange sounds, and she shied more than once at strange small creatures in the underbrush.
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Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:26 pm
As the mare started to trot after him, Beauty paused, letting her come alongside him before moving off again. He could see her limp and constricted movements, clearly showing that she was somewhat hurt, or at least just sore. He was, as well; the cuts on his barrel and shoulders were painful, and he'd just discovered another one, right on his crest where the mane met his neck. It was small, though it had leaked blood into his mane, creating a shimmering dark red and black banner of horsehair. Of course, he couldn't see it. There was also the fact that he was sore as well, and tired, from fighting the current to get here. At least he'd gotten some rest. He was lost in his thoughts as he walked, though still on the lookout for danger, until a strange creature just appeared in front of them, making him nearly start. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It was covered in brightly colored skin, and had strange slit-pupiled eyes. It stood on two legs, like the human, and had little many-parted hooves like theirs. Its head was long like a kirin's, and it had a long, unfurred tail. To the natives, it was a Norora, but to the two survivors, it was likely an unknown, unseen creature. As it stared at the two and chittered, Beauty's ears pricked forward, his neck curving as he stared at it, his hooves making soft thumps as they scooted backwards. What is that? he asked, flicking one ear to Ginger, then back to the strange critter.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:23 pm
What in the world is that? Every muscle tensed at the sight of the strange small creature, Ginger's ears pricked forward so alertly that they nearly touched at the tips, her nostrils flaring in alarm. Knees lifting high, she pranced backward a step or two, the russet-coated mare unwilling to risk coming too close to such an unknown. I've never seen anything like it.
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Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:21 pm
Beauty's head rose and his neck curved even more as he watched Ginger's reaction. He almost played off of her, increasing his fear of it unconsciously as she did. He snorted. Neither have I. What do you suppose it is? All of a sudden, he remembered the lizards that he had seen in their pastures back home, and how similar to they this creature was. All of a sudden, it chittered again and ran up to him, cocking its little head a little and looking at the black stallion with slitted eyes. This close, he could see its little teeth poking out from the top jaw. He lowered his head slowly and cautiously, putting his muzzle ever closer to it. When it was close enough, the lizard raised its own muzzle and tapped Beauty's, then looked to Ginger, its head cocking the same way. After an initial backwards jerk of his head at the touch, Beauty was fine with it. He looked back up to Ginger and gave a small, quick nod with his head. I think it's all right. I didn't get hurt, see? It means no harm.
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