[ORP] The Games

[phoenix kiss]

Since the flood, the swamp has returned to relative normalcy. Hooves do not sink into soggy loam or get stuck in tangled, soaked moss; there are no corpses rafting in on swollen rivers, no caiman or crocodile where they should not be. The sky has been hot and bright every day, so beyond the thick clouds of mosquitos and gnats that any new water always brings, most remnants of the flood have disappeared.

There are still a few toppled grandfather mangroves, and those are not hard to leap over, if one gets a running start. Their tangled, upthrust roots make a fine maze. In fact, though the landscape of the swamp may have changed because of the flood that brought them here, the kiokote have already begun to leave their impression on it:

"I can race to that tree faster than you can!"

"--that log is higher than this one; see if you can jump over it!"

"Hah! I bet my cat could walk backwards and still beat YOUR slow hooves!"

Each kiokote can run faster, farther than its siblings or friends; they can leap higher, explore more, do anything better. Their competitive nature has not been dulled at all by the swamp, and one by one they leave that impression on the kimeti they meet. More than one kimeti has already been challenged to feats of speed or strength, and even in the swamp the kiokote leave their cousins in the dust.

Eventually, it is decided that all kiokote and kimeti who are willing and able should meet near the borderlands; directions are given to meet up in a vast floodplain that now only stands under an inch of water, where the ground is mostly firm. They are to have games, and races; the kiokote have decided to show their cousins what they do, and do best.

Rumor spreads, as it often does, and as the day dawns for the event, it is warm and sunny; the water that stands on the floodplain may yet dry during the afternoon. And already, as dawn breaks and the sky lightens, there are kiokote and kimeti milling about, of all colors, tossing their manes and laughing, glowing eyes (and eyes that do not glow) sparkling in the dawn...  

[Lexenos the Gypsy Bard]

Glowing Stream had been vaguely following the hype surrounding the games since it first started up. She was curious, wondering what the outcome would be. For the past few days, she had been milling around the floodplain that had been mentioned, her giant moth friend sitting astride her back and making it look like she had wings. Today, she was watching the vast number of kimeti and kiokote around her that had showed up for the big games. A lot, like her, were watching, standing around in groups and gossiping about who they thought would win. There were some very handsome bucks and does already starting to try and impress their friends, she was entranced by their rippling muscles.

She was standing off by herself, as she didn't really know any one there, or at least she didn't see anyone she knew. She shyly looked around at the gossipers, wondering if there were any friendly enough to let her join, and decided she should stay on her own. She returned to watching the athletes, her eyes sticking on some of the more handsome bucks.  

[Ruriska]

There was one Kiokote in the group with not only glowing eyes, but with glowing markings sweeping along his side. He trotted out onto the floodplains with a toss of his head and a very serious look at everyone already gathered. Slowing his step Once Forgotten began a slow arc in order to get a good look at each and every one of them. Despite being new to the swamp, rumour and talk had quickly reached his ears and it had seemed to him like the perfect opportunity. The buck was surprised at how many other Kiokote were there, but they weren’t the ones he was interested in. No, the Kimeti held his attention. He watched and searched for similar markings to his own but found none. Never mind, surely more would turn up. Such a gathering was the perfect chance to question about his lineage. Oh… and he might just take part in the races. Just a few. Or all of them. After all, Once Forgotten was still a competitive adult male. He glanced back the way he had come. The Kiokote had told his siblings he had gone to follow a lead and had left them to decide whether they would follow.

Ah wait, there was Scattered. What was she doing? He gave an exasperated snort and trotted swiftly over to her side. “Scattered…” He breathed out in a sigh, bending his head to nudge her cheek gently. “Come on, get up. We have work to do here… just keep close to me.”

Speak Softly burst into the area with a delighted laugh; her ears perked forward and her steps high. This was exactly the sort of gathering she loved. Lots of others to talk with, play with and just be with. Anyone close to her would soon find themselves drawn into the vortex of doom that was the chattering, loud and much too close for comfort doe.  

[theCorniest]

Among the early risers on the damp plain was a buck of black patches and cracked yellow lines. Mountainblood tossed his head, reveling in the company and the promise of sport to compete in... and to watch; this day would prove a valuable gauge of the abilities of his cousins, the Kiokote. They were reported by the old stories to love running, so he assumed they would be good at that, at least. As for matters of strength or wit, however, the field was open to all competitors. This was going to be a very interesting day indeed!  

[Owlied]

Riddle was not the type for social pleasantries. As his Mother and her Father had lead by example, he realized from an early age that your tongue will get you far, but your presence will get you further. Of course, when the young buck heard that a strange sort of Kimeti had found it's way to the swamp from a dry place, he simply had to overstep his boundaries and make his presence known. This was home to his kin, and though he cared little for the Kimeti outside of his brood, he had to make an appearance. His insatiable wanderlust, a gift from the elder Night Heron before him, brought him to the tattered edges of the swamp, and here he was certain he'd stake his claim. What did he hope to prove, really, other than the fact that this was his swamp and he was a dominant male? It would have been an embarrassing case of bravado had he not been greeted by so many does.

He had spent three whistles of a loon in the crowd and had yet to feel threatened. In fact, these strangers, though willowy and brash, seemed like pets. They lacked impressive horns and long, graceful tails, a shallow impression but true. One of them cowered and others cried, yet still they had come to this place, and what a pitiful sort they seemed! The least he could do before all these gentle bystanders was step into the spotlight, test his spiral horn against a fallen tree and let a rumble escape his throat before kicking off with his powerful hind legs, just clearing the fallen mangrove. He wouldn't let the others see he was winded from his mighty effort...not even a running start!  

[elufae]

Shadowstalk laid lazily on a small, but dry patch of land, his tail flicking away the gnats that plagued him. Despite the constant annoyance of small buzzing insects, he wore a devilish grin on his face. He had been around the borders of the swamp for some time now, and when the flood hit he only barely survived. But the disaster brought more of his kind to the swamp, which also meant their culture as well. He loved, no, -adored- the competitons the kiokote always had. He just hoped none of the ones present recognized him from when he was still among the tribes.

He didn't exactly have the best reputation among them.

Shadowstalk was already planning what shortcuts he could take in the case of a race. He was already sizing up his competition and trying to fish out their weaknesses, things he could take advantage of. The kiokote would take any measure to win, even if there was no prize. He wanted everyone else to lose.



Nightmare-of-Roses sauntered into the view of the floodplains. Her hooves made gentle splashes of the shallow water that in some places reflected the sky like a mirror. She had caught wind of such games a while back and made her way to the borderlands. She had no intention of participating, but instead decided to observe. It was a perfect chance to find a suitable stud to mate with. The strongest and smartest one was surely to be the winner, and his genes would be perfect to add to hers. A small smirk played on her features scanning each of the competitors.

As much as she hated all bucks, she was in a surprisingly good mood today, her instincts kicking in for a spell. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt her to be a little less bitter towards them for a day.

Thornprick was sprawled across the doe's back, her body twisting around the sharp scales that protruded from her owner. One would think she was uncomfortable, having to contort in such ways. But the owlcat was sound asleep while the doe moved slowly forwards.






Wayfinder stood at the far end of the gathering crowd, a ways apart from everyone else. He listened to the soft hum of their voices, all melding together. His head and tail both hung lowly as he nibbled on a few blades of grass absent-mindedly.

Grass..something not so commonly found from his home. The home that the Acha buck wandered away from, seeking a new life and a satisfaction for the yearning to come this way. He was surprised to see such a gathering. Apparently the strange, yet familiar creatures that lived here were planning an event. He had heard tell of such beings, so alike to his kind but also very different. And seeing them together dazzled him, but he kept his distance.

Destiny's Union whimpered at her master, cocking her head to one side while her tail wagged behind her. She looked back and forth from him to the crowd, seeming to wonder why they were here, and not there. But she stuck by his side, just barely touching his leg, to keep her master company.  

[phoenix kiss]

Stormbreaker found himself shuddering at the amount of kimeti already there; it was both out of something akin to fear (so many kimeti -- he wasn't sure how he'd find his siblings or his father) and then purest exhilaration (well, if they were to find their father, it'd be here!). The black kiokote, with his strange glowing markings, cut a swath through the gathering kimeti and kiokote, drawing stares and attention as kimeti recognized their own glowing markings on the athletic body of a kiokote.

Aware of the rumors, Stormbreaker could only smile thinly. Maybe those rumors would drift back to a certain buck who had once had a dalliance on the plains, and then everything would be resolved, wouldn't it?

Leaping over a large rock that jutted up from the damp ground like a hoof, he found Scattered crouching in the lee of it, with Once Forgotten over here: this was a familiar scene. He skidded to a halt in front of them, looking concernedly down at his sister: "What's wrong?"


-*-

The buck known as Walks Without Rhythm had heard the rumor -- and had seen it in action, as well. More and more kimeti and kiokote had begun to make their way past his cave, all heading in the same direction. Aware that only things of some magnitude called such numbers of people, he had left his beloved flatlands, interested to see just what had stirred up the swamp. Clearly there was no flood, or any other natural disaster; their pace had been slow, their attitudes lively and excited. Those fleeing disaster did not act like that.

With his mongoose, Pillar, on his back, draped limply across his shoulders, Slide made his way into the throngs of kimeti, moving silently between them. So many glittering eyes and tossing manes and tails, he noted -- he wondered what he looked like, all sand and sun-roughened, too thin and too weathered.

And so much water. After a moment's indecision, Slide bent his head to the water at his feet and drank greedily, quenching his thirst. It was something he got to do only rarely.  

[Owlied]

The group was alive with distant walkers, alive with glowing markings like those he'd only seen behind the eyes of his brothers and sisters. Sure, there was the occasional Kimeti who displayed an unusual glowing leaf pattern or a dusting like stars, but these strangers seemed to all bear the unusual glow. Riddle's instinct was that all of the no-horns were bright, and that gave them a terrible disadvantage in the swamp, where crocodiles would surely snatch them up even in the night. They were like fishing lures, the lot of them...and he was about to smile inwardly at this flaw before his eyes settled on a different sort of creature. A thin, graceful creature with a coat like a pastel sky. He couldn't tell if it was buck or doe from this distance, but regardless, it stopped him in his tracks. He brayed silently, seething at the newcomers, especially the beautiful ones.  

[elufae]

Shadowstalk flinched at the sight of something in the corner of his eye about to stumble over him. He whipped his head around and when he saw Acorn, he couldn't even manage to say 'watch where you're going!'. Instead, his jaw hung agape, while his old 'companion' passed him by with..what is that?

Some manner of creature followed her through the growing crowd. The kiokote would have been angry that the small doe ignored him if it weren't for this strange creature she had. Looking back and forth at the two of them while catching up, he suddenly burst into laughter.

"What is that -thing- you have with you, tiny-Acorn? It's almost the same size as you!" he said, his chest heaving with boisterous giggles. He pranced around her until he was in front of her, but ended up falling over onto his flank to continue laughing. The feeling was nostalgic, and it had been such a long time since he saw her that he almost missed...

Wait. Nope. Shadowstalk stopped the thought.  

[Phoenix Songbird]

Shadow stepped forward hesitantly. The sound of laughter had drawn his curiosity and he had slowly made his way to the edge of the swamp. While on his journey he would sometimes chance upon other kimeti traveling in the same direction, as well as creatures that called themselves kiokote. They were a boisterous race, loud, but still somewhat unnerving to him. But even their revelries could not compare to the sight he now saw before him.

Milling about were countless kimeti and kiokote, each unique but the colors seemed to blur and run together as the crowds milled about. He paused for a moment and would have stood there in awe for quite sometime if it had not been for a hearty push from someone behind him. Soon he found himself amongst the adults, quickly becoming disorientated and barely able to stay firmly on the ground. As he was once again jolted by the pressing crowds, he felt all four hooves leave the ground, and could not help the loud cry of anxiousness that left his throat.  

[waphel]

Snow-Blind enjoyed sleeping late. He had spent his entire life careful to avoid obligations of any kind specifically so he could afford to wake up whenever and wherever he wanted. There had been days when he had lazily stretched himself awake at noon. It was a nice, lazy existence he had, and he didn't plan on changing it any time soon.

Imagine his disappointment, then, when he found himself awake well before dawn, a crowd already gathering for the day's event.

Just my luck, he thought to himself, that I'd fall asleep right next to all the excitement.

Knowing the noise was only going to get worse, Snow-Blind abandoned any hopes of sleep and stumbled over to try and get a good spot.

As sleepy as he was, he couldn't deny the buzz of excitement in the air. After all, he'd never met one of these strange new visitors to the swamp and he'd been wondering what all the fuss was about, and there were sure to be a few cute does about. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all...