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 Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:40 pm
(OOC: Nina is Samira's twin sister who survived the plague with her. She is not technically a real Wild horse, more of an NPC)  A few playful birds sang to one another as the sun drifted lazily through the morning sky. It was perfect, it was home. Samira stretched herself out making sure to get all of her stiff bones working again. Last night had been the best sleep that she had had in quite a while and she was feeling rather refreshed. The young mare was just about to grab a bite to eat when Nina came walking up to her.
"Oh! You're awake? I'm sorry if I woke you." She spoke quietly to her sister. "You worry to much," Nina responded, as she slowly came to a stop by her sister. "And with good reason. You're still weak and I don't want to lose you." Samira was still worried about her sister. Their parents had died in the plague and her sister, Nina, had barely survived. As it was, she was still not feeling well and needed to rest. "Just take it easy okay?"Nina just rolled her eyes and grabbed a bite of grass to eat. "I still think you worry to much." She grumbled as she chewed. "I'm actually feeling better though. I was thinking that maybe we could go on a walk today?" She gave her sister her 'pleading' look. "Oh no. Samira started. "I know you might be feeling better, but you still need to take it easy. And that look won't get you anywhere. I grew out of that months ago. It may have worked on mom and dad but not on me." The young mare really did want to see her sister happy, but she also wanted to see her stay alive. "Oh come on Samira! What is one little walk going to do? You've kept me cooped up in this grove for far too long. I'm feeling stronger I really am!" Nina was really pleading now, she had even raised her voice a little. Samira let out a little sigh. She knew there wasn't any arguing with her sister. If she didn't go with her, then Nina would go by herself when she wasn't looking. At least if she went, then she'd be able to keep an eye on her. "Fine," She grumbled. "But just a short one."Nina gave her sister a thankful look and started walking out of the grove.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:23 am
Samira looked over at her sister a little nervously. Was she having trouble breathing? Perhaps she should take a rest, they'd already been walking for about twenty minutes and she didn't want her to overwork herself.
C'mon Nina. Take a break please?" She asked. Just for a minute or two okay? We can keep going after that if you'd like."
Nina nodded and stopped. Hmm, that was strange, Samira thought. Her sister had too much spark for that, she hardly ever just gave in without any sort of fight. Maybe she was worse then she had appeared? "Nina, you okay hon?"
Nina could hear the worry in her sister's voice but wasn't sure how to answer. She wanted to be fine, she really did, but she wasn't so sure she was. "I'm not so sure. Maybe you were right, we should have stayed. Just give me a few minutes and we can head back okay?"
This was worse then Samira thought. Maybe she should go for help? Yeah, that might be best. Perhaps she could find Duska, that creepy little mare was the only healer that they had right now. "You stay here okay? I'm going to go see if I can't get Duska."
Immediately Nina looked a bit worried. "Now, now I don't think it's that bad. Besides, that little pony is creepy!" She protested. "Just.. just wai.." She cut off mid-sentence and collapsed on the ground.
"NINA!!!" Samira screamed. She galloped over to her sister and listened to for her heart. She was still there, somewhere. Maybe if she hurried. No, failure was not an option. "I love you sis. I'm going to go get help, you need to hold on. Just till I get back."
She galloped then, faster than she had galloped before. Back to the herd, back for help. If she wasn't fast enough she might lose her sister, her best friend. She couldn't let that happen.
Samira slid to a stop as she came thundering back to the herd. Duska might be creepy, but she was her sister's only chance. "DUSKA!" She screamed as she wove her way between the other herd members. Where was that little pony? "DUSKA!" She was crying now, desperate for help. If she didn't get back to Nina soon she was going to lose her.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:57 am
 Duska had been standing in the shade of a smaller tree, standing in the shadows as she watched the herd mingle, graze and interact with one another. "yes...yess, is good they get to know their new home, build roots - grow strong!" The elder pony mumbled to herself as she swished her tail, the bones and antlers tied within the woven strands clacking slightly at the movements. Oh but what was this? A disturbance "Never a good thing" she muttered as her eyes tracked the rising puffs of dust watched as horses scattered out of the fillies way "Galloping into the herd..never good never good!" Duska continued on with her verbal narration even as her ears pricked forward to catch the distraught fillys words, the pale colored Samira she noted - and the cause of the disturbance. "Looks quite upset...quite upset" And then she paused slightly tipping her head for a moment as the branches rattled in the wind above her "Spirits are restless" She continued before stepping out of the shadows and trotting towards the young mare. "Come! come...lead me to what bothers the spirits so" She told the filly without any bother of a greeting.
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:46 pm
As soon as Samira heard Duska she immediately spun and started racing back to her sister. Unfortunately she had to slow a little so she knew that Duska would be able to more easily follow her. Even if she were to race on ahead there was nothing that she could do to help her sister. Not without Duska to help.
After what felt like forever, Samira led Duska to the spot where her sister had collapsed. Quietly she paced back and forth focused on Nina. She couldn't tell if she was still breathing or not. Oh spirits let her be okay, she pleaded. She had already lost her parents to the plague and had almost lost her sister just a short while ago. She didn't know what she would do without Nina.
The little mare took a deep breath and quickly explained to Duska what had happened. "She'd just been recovering from the plague and convinced me to go on a walk with her. We really hadn't been gone that long and then we went to take a break and she collapsed. I don't really know what happened." Samira tried to calm herself and let Duska do her job. She had done what she could and it was out of her hands now.
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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:03 am
Duska trotted along at a quick pace, she hurried for the sake of the filly leading her though the spirits knew Duska could probably walk there and reach much the same conclusion. Her eyes fell upon the fallen horse as they approached, so terrible this was to reach the promised new home only to be felled by a complication! "yes,yes" She told the pacing filly as she moved closer to the fallen "Happens sometimes, weak from sickness other problems crop up, take advantage to fell the recovering" she went on, ears pricked as she listened for sounds of breathing, tried to spot a sign of movement.
There was nothing, no signs of life and a rustle in the grass that spoke of spirit steps. Eying the survivor however Duska sighed - the filly would not take t easily and perhaps a token attempt to save the unsavable would help. Rooting about in her bag Duska found a sprig of mint the herb had a pungent smell and could sometimes wake the unconscious when waved under their noses. This time however there was no response and Duska turned to the sister with a solemn look. "Retrieve an Oak branch young Samira and we shall see your sisters spirit safely away"
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:09 pm
Samira stood impatiently as she watched Duska work. She couldn't see any sign of movement from Nina, but still felt her heart go numb at the ponies words. Her sister was gone? No! It couldn't be. She wouldn't give up. The filly was about to say something but just couldn't. Her heart didn't want her sister to be gone but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Arguing wouldn't help and it would only anger the spirits. Instead the mare nodded, then turned and went to do as Duska had asked.
As she trotted along, somewhat lifelessly, her mind was swarming with thoughts. What if she had been faster? She knew they shouldn't have gone on that walk but her sister had wanted to so badly. If they hadn't gone so far, or if Samira had known how to saver her sister, then perhaps she would still be alive right now.
The dun mare carefully collected the branch and then made her way back to Duska. She was determined now. Samira was not about to have let her sister die in Vain. Perhaps if she learned how to heal, then she could save others in her sister's memory.
Samira carefully passed the stick to Duska and looked solemnly at her sister's now lifeless body. She wouldn't allow another incident like this to happen. "Duska, will you teach me to heal?" She asked the pony, trying not too think too much about what had really just happened. There would be time enough to grieve when she was alone.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:10 am
Duska waited for Samira's return humming a small tune as she did so and prodding the poor dead mares form until she was in a spirit pleasing position. The spirit were finicky lots and one had to be ever so careful. They demanded their due too - this mare had nearly beat their grasp but had succumbed in the end. It was not unheard of. They were lucky really that the spirits had not taken them all.
Taking the branch when the mare returned Duska shushed her with a rattle of the bones in her tail, later,later they would discuss such things. First they must see to the dead. Laying the oak branch across the mares chest - where her heart had one beat so strongly before lifting her head and calling out int the sky. "Go easy to the land of the ancestors. Let the winds carry you up to the Blessed Stars where your family and loved ones await. May you see with eyes of light in ever-dark, may your mind walk free and unfettered amongst all, touching wisely and well, may you go in peace."
A few moments after the words had faded into silence Duska lowered her head and turned to walk off. "Come come, nothing left here, she has gone elsewhere now" Duska told the grieving sister - it was sad yes, but only to those left behind.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 4:48 pm
The little mare, though quite large in comparison to the pony, nodded quietly to Duska and stood in silence while she waited. The pain of losing her parents had been great, but now she had become numb. The loss of her whole family had begun to sink in. Her sister had been her best friend, the only bit of her family that she had left. Now that she was gone, Samira felt empty. Her heart had been torn into tiny pieces and there were holes left that could never be healed.
Samira followed Duska obediently. She knew that she shouldn't be quite so upset after the death, knew that her sister would want her to be happy, but it was just too much to ask for. The filly knew that there were those in the herd who considered her family, she had friends and those who loved her. She needed to focus on them and on the future.
"Duska," She asked the mare. "Where did she go? Her and all of the others?" The question might be childish, but she needed to direct her thoughts somewhere.
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:10 pm
Duska just kept shambling along in her typical pony gait while Samira in her grief followed along behind. Her questions were ones the pony had heard many times before of course, and recently more then she wanted to but they still deserved and answer of sorts. "Did they not teach you of the spirits while still a foal?" She remarked with a slight tsking sound "A word with the Oak talker must I have" She continued with a brief shake of her head.
"But since you have asked then clearly I must answer - else why would the spirits have bid you ask me?" She continued on with only a brief glance at the following mare as though expecting an answer of some sort. "The spirits have herds of their own you know, large ageless herds among the stars and while they have many already so grand and large are their duties to the living that at times they must ask one of ours to come and help. Your sister has been so called and while we left behind grieve it is important to remember that she is now helping the very spirits themselves..why it may be your sisters spirit who decides to bless the life of a sickly foal and allow him to live...or gives us a fine spring this coming year so that we all might prosper!"
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:38 pm
Samira vaguely remembered lessons about these spirit herds. It had been long ago, and she had nearly forgotten what she had learned. Shamed, she held her head low as she walked behind Duska. She must be a disappointment to her herd and to the spirits, having forgotten such important lessons from her foal-hood. It would be some time before she could hold her head high again, Samira would have to relearn what she had lost, so as not to shame her family any further.
Though with her sister's death, came much grief, she did take solace in what the elder told her. Perhaps it would be her sister's spirit who helped them in their next stretch of life. No matter where her sister was now, Samira knew that she would always look after her, the two had been insuperable in life, why should the afterlife be any different?
"Duska," Samira started to speak. Sorrow still weighed down her words, but the initial shock of her sister's sudden death was beginning to fade. "It would be a great honor if you would teach me your ways." She spoke respectfully. Samira had proposed the question a little earlier, but the pony had given no reply. Even if she was rejected, the young mare still wanted an answer.
"I want to help heal, I know it's a lot of work, and it will take a lot of time and hard work, but I'm alone now. I need new purpose, to help others where I could not help Nina." The mare's voice became stronger with every word that she spoke, she became more confident.
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:47 pm
Hmm the second time such a question had been posed - surely it was a sign and pausing the pony glanced at the waving grass about them, weaving tendrils that seemed to bob up and down in tandem..a clear and unmistakable sign if ever there was one. "The spirits do seem to desire such a path for you" The pony agreed after a few moments of silence. Perhaps the sisters death had been for just such a purpose..perhaps this sorrowful little mare would become the herds next great healer.
The spirits worked in mysterious ways. She would not deny them their desires. "The last true healer went with the spirits in the time of sickness" She told Samira "I am not a true healer but i know their way and can set you upon the path as the spirits desire." She agreed with a slight bob of her head "but come! Now is time for apples!" She concluded breaking into a bouncy pony trot which might have been cute...if it didn't make the bones in her tail rattle in such an unearthly manner.
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:59 pm
Samira was greatly pleased by Duska's response. The mare didn't think that she could handle the disappointment of being turned down right after her sister's death. Thankfully, it seemed that the spirits approved of her wishes also. She might have a lot of hard work ahead of her, but she was well prepared for it. In time, perhaps by healing others she might well one day learn how to heal herself of the void that seemed to have worked its way into her heart.
No matter her depression, at the mention of apples, Samira perked up just a little. She felt her stomach rumble rather fiercely, apparently unhappy about its neglect. With all that had happened today, she had been too busy to bother to pay attention to her body. Yes, apples would be good, they would make her stomach happy and she would eat and extra one in memory of her sister. After all, she now lived for two.
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