[PRP] Unseen Dangers (Yanamari, Mercy & Kaleidoscope)

[She-Ra of Etheria]

It was happening again. She could feel it. That undeniable tug of her Kalona blood. It had been so long since this had last happened, Yanamari had thought, hoped that it had come to an end. But now she was faced with the sudden realization that she was not free from the curse but it had simply laid dormant all this time to mock her. She walked on, hoping the feeling would subside, that she would go back to being close to normal again. The trees felt suffocating to her suddenly, and a moment of panic ripped through her. She had to get out! Her other half had to get out! With a snap of her tail Yanamari ran, she knew the edge of the trees wasn't far, once out in the open things should calm down.

Racing through the trees Yanamari took several deep breaths. She could smell them! There were others in the area, possibly a family or a herd, there were enough different scents to be a herd. No! She had to get away. But their blood, she also wanted their blood. A soft growl escaped her throat as she fought with herself, half of her wanted to run, to flee the scent of others and the blood lust it cause, while her other half begged her to go into the trees, find them, kill them and feed. Before she could make up her mind which one to truly do Yanamari found herself coming out of the trees. Now she was struck with a new feeling, her normal self hated open areas, yet the trees whispered to her darker side. What to do, what to do!? Blood she wanted blood. She wanted to run away. "No." She told herself in a quiet voice. But her mind spoke loud, yes, it told her, you will kill and feast.

"No." She said again. "No, no, no!" This time a bit louder. "It can't happen." She began to pace, a few steps into the forest then back out into the meadow. "Not here, it can't happen here." The feeling was still there, it would only be a matter of time before she either succumbed to it or fought it off. The mare continued to pace, tail flicking behind her as she mumbled to herself.  

[JetAlmeara]

"Mistress Mercy, it is time for your patrol" Sorin chirped from the tree branch where he watched her, large owlish head bobbing slightly.

"Tell me something I don't know" Mercy grumped back at the owl, giving it an annoyed look, even as she started to climb to her feet. It had only been about an hour since her last training session - sessions that had doubled since what she now refereed to as 'the incident' had occurred - and that hour did not feel like it was remotely long enough to rest. She wanted to sleep...not go tramping through the woods on some pointless patrol.

"Very well..did you know that the summer Equi..." The owl started to respond to the obvious request for information.

"That was a rhetorical statement Sorin!" Mercy cut off the owls statement before it could get into a full blown lecture on something that she honestly could care less about. To keep from hearing the owl's response Mercy started off in a quick trot towards the pathway she was supposed to be patrolling, this one would take her out and around the meadow and Mercy was looking forward to perhaps snagging a few bites of late summer clover before the frost came along and killed it off.

"Mistress Mercy! Really! you know that you mustn't run off on your own - we are under strict or.." Sorin complained as he caught up to her, but whatever else the owl said escaped Mercy's notice as she tuned him out after a slight rolling of her eyes. Having reached the pathway Mercy slowed so that she could walk along it at a comfortable pace, her eyes straying out into the meadow as she went.

 

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Torn, Yanamari was being torn two ways and she couldn't figure out which way to truly go. She hated what her Kalona blood did to her at times like this but there really was no fighting it. She had tried plenty of times and each time had failed miserably. Curse her father for doing this to her, to her mother. Thoughts of her mother made her calm for a moment, pushing back the blood lust just a bit. It had been so long since she had seen her mother, really she should go home and visit. But if anything like this happened in her mothers presence...Yanamari wasn't sure she could live with herself, especially if her mother was hurt because of her Kalona blood induced actions.

She was starting to win, slowly, but the battle was far from over. She continued to pace in and out of the trees, finding the forest as frightening and calming as the meadow was. Which side would win? She wasn't sure but feared if it was the side she disliked. Movement caught her eyes as a mare emerged from the trees into the meadow. Oh no. Yanamari coudl smell her and it stirred up that pushed back feeling again. A lone mare, that would be easy prey. Kill and feed, that voice told her. "No." She whispered to herself but the voice boomed in her mind again and made her cry out in fear. It was winning, she could see it now. If the mare left everything be okay, but she couldn't walk over there and tell her to leave, that would get her too close and the blood lust would surely win.

Oh this was terrible. Yanamari glanced at the mare again and the deep hunger burned within her. Look away, her sane mind told her, and she did. Returning to her pacing, in and out of the woods, in and out, occasionally glancing at the delicious mare. "I can't let it happen. Not here. It's no good, no good at all." Yanamari began telling herself over and over as she continued to pace trying hard not to breath in the mares scent brought over to her by the gentle breeze.  

[JetAlmeara]

"There is a mare up ahead Mistress" Sorin suddenly called out, having fallen into silence earlier when she realized that Mercy was ignoring her.

Startled by the owl's sudden vocal intrusion, Mercy pulled her gaze from the meadow and look ahead - at first she didn't see anything but then as she watched a figure emerged from the trees, only to turn around and retreat back into them. How strange.

"Should I fetch Master Kale or Master Ironforge?" Sorin asked, landing on a near-by branch and observing the pacing mare ahead.

"What? No..I can handle this, she's probably just lost or something" Mercy told the owl with a scowl, really..running off and screaming for help over one lone mare who looked nervous and lost! Really Sorin was so overly paranoid sometimes. Come to think of it a lot of member of this herd seemed to be.

"As you wish Mistress." Sorin replied in a miffed tone, clearly the owl didn't think this was the wisest choice but at least he was willing to go along with it...for now.

"I do wish..now go and fly into a tree and make yourself useful as ..as a lookout or something" Mercy snapped before leaving the path to trot towards the mare. "Hello!" She called out when she got close enough "I'm Mercy! You look like you could use some help!"  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Popping out of the trees once more Yanamari did her best to resist the urge of looking at the mare, though something had drawn her attention that way. Was that an owl with the mare? Don't think about it, ignore the mare, she told herself. The less she thought about the mare, or the owl for that matter, the better chance she had of fighting back this curse. So into the woods she went again, walking only a few strides in before coming back out again. Though to her horror Yanamari found the mare had come over. Her breathing increasing as she fought to keep calm, but it wasn't working and in fact was having quite the opposite effect as now she could smell the mare even more. Sweet, delicious scent!

Yanamari closed her eyes and told herself the mare was just an illusion. It might have worked...had the mare not spoken in that very moment. Mercy, that was her name...if the mare wasn't careful she would become a mercy kill. "No, no, no no." She said shaking her head, eyes still closed, head tipped down fearing that her Kalona blood would make her see the mare even through closed lids. "I don't need any..." Her head lifted up, eyes slowly opened. Oh dear the mare was close, way too close. Yanamari wanted to take a step back but most of her rational thinking was gone now. Her gaze moved to the mares neck for a moment and Yanamari could have swore she could see the mares strong pulse beating below the surface. Not good. "...help." She finally finished her sentence looking up into the mares dark pink eyes. "You will need help...it's not safe...you need to get away...now!" She was quickly losing hold on the last threads of her sane thinking, the blood lust pounded in her mind, the mare was so close, all she had to do was lash out and she would be hers.  

[JetAlmeara]

Mercy furrowed her brows slightly as the mare said she didn't need help..and then proceeded to speak of some sort of terrible danger that should be run away from. The mare seemed nervous and upset and wasn't she always being told that Knight's were supposed to help others in such a state? Of course she was! Maybe this patrol wouldn't be nearly as dull and boring as she had expected.

"I'm sorry ma'am but you need to tell me what is happening if you want me to help you - your obviously upset..is someone chasing you?" Perhaps some brute of a stallion was after her - that would sort of explain the mare's warning and words. Looking past the mare she squinted into the tree's looking for any sort of pursuer. "Well you needn't worry, I'll take you back to my herd and you'll be safe there" She went on to try and explain to the mare, stretching her neck past the mare to see behind her. As far as she could tell the mare wasn't being chased..but then whomever she was afraid of could just be lurking in the woods too. Maybe it was some sort of predator..a mountain lion..or a mad bear..  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

"I...can't" Yanamari was struggling now, with herself and with his mares presence. She couldn't explain why she was telling Mercy to run. She had hoped the mare would have enough sense to listen and do as she was told, but it appeared not to be. Though she had tried to fight it Yanamari knew she was but a ticking time bomb. The blood churned within her, wanting to be released whether it be through Yanamari's own will or by forcing itself out. It needed to be freed, needed to taste this mares flesh, needed to kill. Yanamari's eyes grew very large all of a sudden as she realized it was over. Please don't make me hurt this mare, Yanamari thought in that last moment of her sanity and the Kalona blood rushed in at full force and took over.

Gone, that last shred of sanity suddenly snapped as Yanamari's Kalona blood fully took over. Now instead of seeing a mare who was trying to help Yanamari only saw a food source. Eyes rolled up to look Mercy over now with renewed vigor. She could almost taste the mares sweet flesh already. Oh yes, this would be a wonderful kill. "You should have ran while you had the chance." Yanamari told the mare in a sickeningly sweet tone, though her eyes flashed with a deep burning fire. It was blood lust, pure and simple. And the foolish mare even stretched out her next towards Yanamari, a veritable offering to the now Kalona crazed blue mare. Without any further hesitation Yanamari lashed out, her teeth went straight for the neck, aiming to clamp down on the delicate flesh of the throat.  

[JetAlmeara]

Mercy wasn't sure what it was that tipped her off that something had changed..was it the mares change in posture? Or the sick sounding voice..so clotted with fake sweetness that even Mercy in all her naivety could see through it. Too slow...too slow, always just a tick to slow to realize such things Mercy tried to jerk herself away from the obviously crazed mare but the blue mare's strike gained purchase and Mercy squealed as her teeth sunk in. Striking out clumsily with a foreleg to try and drive the mare away.

Thankfully her reaction - while to slow to avoid the damage altogether - had been fast enough to avoid what might have been a mortal blow otherwise and the blue mares teeth, merely grabbed a hunk of flesh rather then fastening across her airway and jugular which had no doubt been the intended target.

Thrashing and striking out blindly in an attempt to make the mare left go of her Mercy called out for help. "Sorin!" She screeched at the owl who, having seen what was taking place was already diving down, flapping and pecking about the blue mares head in an effort to make her let go.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Her teeth sank into flesh. What a glorious feeling! Though the mare's movement had stopping her from grabbing onto the more vital part of her neck she at least had hold of the stupid beast. Of course that initial move from the mare also meant this would not be as quick of a kill as Yanamari had hoped for. But that was okay, sometimes it was fun to play with ones food before finally killing it. This mare would learn what pain truly was before the end came. Eyes wide with the thrill of the hunt, Yanamari's nostrils flared, taking in the sweet scent of Mercy's blood as it began to trickle from the wound. Certainly not a fatal wound at this time but it would be soon enough.

The mares thrashing was almost comical. Though a hoof grazed her shoulder Yanamari was not at all concerned with the mares attempt to fight back. What could she possible do to get free? Time to show her what fighting truly looked like. Yanamari half reared up, an act that would twist the mares neck painfully due to the hold she had on it, and kicked out with her front legs, one aiming for Mercy's chest the other for her left leg. Sometime came at her head and Yanamari growled in frustration at the blasted owl. She could do little to fight it off without releasing her grip on the mare. Best course of action was to ignore it, kill the mare and then deal with the feathered beast after. Still she would make sure her eyes were not pecked out by that sharp beak.  

[JetAlmeara]

This wasn't working, Sorin's flapping and pecking seemed to be as ineffectual as Mercy's desperate strikes and thrashing were. "Help!" She wheezed at the owl. "Go for...HELP!" She practically screamed the last word as the blue mare reared up, forcing her head up and back as a terrible angle. struggling to keep her balance and her neck from being broken should she fall there was nothing that she could do to defend herself from the mare's hooves.

Great arcs of fire raced through her body as the blue mares split hooves traced double lines across her flesh, a deep furrow on her chest and lesser but still painful slash down the muscle of her upper leg. Terror filled, Mercy tried to recall her training, tried to think of a way to escape the blue mares grasp but her memory failed her - she hadn't paid enough attention to any of her lessons to retaliate against such an attack. It would be all she could to in this case to survive.

Flaring her wings she used them to help keep her balance as she continued to twist and writhe in the mares grasp hoping that she would find a way to be free. Hot blood dripped down her neck but maybe..that would be okay. Maybe that would make her neck to slippery to hold on too...

Realizing that he could do nothing to save her, Sorin gave a frustrated hoot before winging away through the trees. Thankfully, as the crow flies, it was not all that far back to the herd and before long the owl was racing over the herd.Wheeling as he spotted Kales rainbow hide. "Master Kale!" The owl yelled "Master Kale! There's an attack! In the meadow! Go quickly!" The owl screeched  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Kale had just finished a patrol of the northern border and was about ready to take a short break before setting up the next training session for Mercy when Sorin the owl came screeching at him. The stallions head shot up instantly. If the owl was here and not with the mare then trouble had likely found them. Kale was on the move even as Sorin began to explain of the attack. "Fly ahead, lead the way!" He yelled at the owl as he raced through the trees. Meadow didn't exactly tell him where Mercy was, there was plenty of meadow surrounding the forest that the herd lived in and so he was forced to follow the owl. He knew that Sorin would be the only way to get to Mercy in time, if it wasn't too late already.

Large hooves ate up the ground as Kale ran hard along the pathways. Sorin had not hesitated to lead him to where Mercy was being attacked. What could possibly be attacking her? He was certain the earlier patrols had said everything was quiet out there. Had they missed something or had the beast slipped in behind the patrols. Bursting out of the trees Kale found himself only a short distance away from where Mercy was. His eyes quickly assessed the situation. A Kalona mare had his student by the neck and there looked to be very little Mercy could do at this point. Damnit why wasn't she even fighting back? Anger flared in the rainbow stallion but he pushed it down, he could yell at her later, first he had to save her. With a bellow the stallion let out a challenge to the attacker and raced forward. He came around the side, and reared up, his massive hooves coming down at the mares back. He would have liked to simply plow into her but from the hold she had on Mercy's neck that could be a dangerous thing to try, best to make her let go on her own accord.


Pathetic. The mare wasn't even fighting back. So the beast had such little willpower in her that one little kick had been it. It was no wonder these Soquili were considered weak by her Kalona kind. The mare may as well have just laid down and let Yanamari eat here. At least the owl was gone, but she had to work quickly before it did bring help back. Mercy had spread her wings to keep her balance, but Yanamari knew that could not last forever. Pulling herself down, Yanamari wretched the mares head down towards the ground. If she could get her unbalanced for even a few seconds then she could release her hold and finally clamp down on that succulent throat of hers.

Just when she thought she might have this licked a roar of a challenge reached her ears. Damn! That blasted owl was going to ruin everything. She tugged harder on the mares neck willing the beast to get down so she could land the killing bite before the newcomer got closer. She didn't have the time though. Two massive hooves crashed down on her back. Yanamari screamed out in pain and frustration, letting go of the mares neck but not before ripping some flesh free. There would be no killing the mare quickly now. The colorful stallion had made sure of that. Kicking out Yanamari managed to slip out from under the stallions hooves, though they had done a number on her back she was not ready to back down yet. She may have lost hold of the mare but the taste of blood was driving her mad, she needed to feed! Wings flared, eyes filled with hate Yanamari lashed out at the stalling, snapped at his shoulder before rearing up to kick out at his head.  

[JetAlmeara]

Sorin had flown back to the scene as quickly as he could quite aware that every moment he delayed was a moment Mercy might not be able to spare. The pale mare might speak ill to him from time to time but he had been given the duty of looking after her - so look after her he would!.

Thankfully upon arrival at the meadow Sorin could see that the mare was still alive, perhaps not doing much to fight free other then thrash about but alive was the most important part of that equation right now. "Oh thank the stars! Thanks the stars!" Sorin hooted as he flew around the fight, watching Kale as he launched his attack.

Mercy stumbled as the mare suddenly wretched her head downward's, falling to one knee but struggling to rise when the grip on her neck was suddenly gone - along with a good chunk of her neck, Crying out with the pain Mercy staggered sideways, brought off balance by the sudden release of resistance. A flash of colorful legs swirling into sight and Mercy realized what must have happened. Kale had come! Blood staining most of her neck and chest red, lame on one leg, Mercy regained her balance, lowering her head she pushed off with her still uninjured hind legs and tried to drive her horn into the blue mare's side while she was focused on Kale.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

The mare had let go of Mercy good. And while he was concerned for his student, he had seen a good amount of blood on her when he cast a quick glance her way, he needed to deal with the attacker before he could worry about her. The blue mare had been quick to slip out from under his hooves but not before doing some extra damage to herself, he had meant to hold her down but she had fought her way free, ripping open her back on his hooves in the process. Kale may not be the quickest or graceful fighter due to his overly large frame but he could certainly keep the mares attacks from striking him as needed. Her teeth grazed his shoulder, doing nothing more than pulling a few hairs free as he quickly moved back from the attack twisting away.

Kale reared his massive form to counter the mares attack. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Mercy charging back into the fray. Fool! She should let him take care of this, especially with those injuries. "Mercy, no!" He shouted but it was too late. The cry from the Kalona Kirin told Kale the strike had at least hit. But now he had to keep her off of Mercy once more. Pushing off with his hind legs Kale shoved his body into the blue mares. He needed to knock her down, keep her away from his student and make sure she didn't do any more damage.

This blasted stallion was ruining everything! And it was clear that he would not be a pushover like the mare had been. No, this was no good. Yanamari knew that even though her Kalona blood stirred strong at this moment her skills in fighting were not up to standard due to her weaker blood. Damn it! Why did the blasted mare have to have sent the owl for help? She had been close close to downing the pale beast and now she was facing a massive wall of rainbow muscle.

Seeing movement out the corner of her eye Yanamari shifted but not quickly enough. Hot pain shot through her shoulder as Mercy's horn tip drove itself in. Had she not reacted it would have gone deeper, but even so the wound stung terrible. Then the rainbow massive pushed forward, using his bulk and her momentary distraction get the better of her. Yanamari could feel her back legs starting to buckle and she could not help but let the stallion force her backwards of be crushed under his weight. The horn tip ripped free of her shoulder, extending the wound several inches. Wings flared out to try to keep some of her balance but Yanamari felt herself falling, the stallions bulk pushing her down. They crashed to the ground in a pile of color. Yanamari's head hit the ground hard, pain exploded for a moment before her drive to fight pushed it back. But she was pinned, utterly pinned down by the stallion. The most she could do was snap at him, but the way he had landed on her she had nothing close to get her teeth on. "Get off!" She screamed, wanting to rip this stallion apart. Curse that mare and curse this stallion.  

[JetAlmeara]

Mercy hadn't heard Kale's command to stop until it was to late and by then her horn had already pierced the mare's shoulder..and then it was ripping free with a sickening sound that Mercy wasn't entirely sure she wanted to hear ever again...and yet wasn't she training to be a Knight? Fighting would be a good part of her life if she succeeded. That doesn't mean you have to like it, Mercy reminded herself as she backpedaled away from the fight.

And then suddenly the combatants were going down in a hail of hooves and color "Master Kale!" Mercy screamed before the dust cleared and she saw that her mentor was okay, he had the stranger pinned..it seemed that the fight, for the moment at least, was over. Shaky now that the adrenaline was starting to leave her body, Mercy was once more aware of just how much she hurt, in fact..she was feeling a little bit dizzy...

Shaking her head slightly she blew out a deep breath to try and steady herself as the blue mare snapped and demanded that she be released. "What are you going to do with her?" She managed to ask Kale, limping a few steps closer. "She was acting perfectly fine when I first came up to her, seemed a bit frightened..and then she just..snapped. Is she sick?"  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

"Stay down!" Kale growled at the mare pinned beneath his bulk ignoring her vain attempts to snap at him. For the moment the mare was subdued, there was no way she could wiggle out from under his mass without a lot of effort and he would certainly be able to put a stop to it before she was free. This gave him a moment to turn his attention to Mercy. He saw her limp closer, that gash on her chest didn't look good, neither did the small chunk missing from the side of her neck. Her leg was wounded too, she would definitely need to see a healer and take some time off training, but at least she was alive. "Mercy stay back!" He snapped at her, the adrenaline from the fight still coursing through his veins Instantly he regretted yelling at her but he couldn't afford her to be wandering around while bleeding like that. "Please, just stay still." He told her in a softer tone, concern lacing his words.

Slowly he turned his attention back to the blue mare. "I am going to get up, don't make me pin you down again." He shifted his weight a bit, sliding off the mare so his hooves could touch the ground again. No sooner did he do that then the mare moved, trying to go on the attack. Kale was ready for it and he dropped his weight on her again, he heard a crack as the mares head connected with a rock. The mare went limp underneath him. Kale pushed up, standing over her for a moment before moving over to Mercy. "Lay down. I don't need you passing out on me." She was bleeding fairly badly and with the blue mare momentarily knocked out he wanted to take care of Mercy before returning his attentions to the mare. "She's a half breed Mercy." He began to explain. "They are unstable because of that. Her Kalona blood must have taken control after you first saw her." Not wanting to take a chance that the mare would get up while his attention was focused on his student kale went back over to where Yanamari lay and stood over her.

"I will not be told what to do!" She screamed at the rainbow stallion. His weight was crushing her and it was getting harder and harder to breath, but that didn't knock the fight out of her completely. He would get up eventually, he had looked concerned over Mercy's condition so Yanmari knew he wouldn't ignore it for long. And sure enough the stallion said he would be getting up. Stupid move. As soon as enough of his weight was off of her she trashed, trying to squeeze out before he could react. But the blasted brute was onto her. As he came down on her again her head connected with a rock that was jugging out from the ground and everything went black.

Though she was knocked out Yanamari could still hear the mare and stallion. The mare was injured, the stallion was trying to help her. Blackness fogged her mind, pushing back the Kalona blood. It seemed it took injury or certain triggers to fight back the evil within her. And in this case being knocked out had done the trick. Slowly her true mind was coming back into focus as a pounding headache made it's appearance. Sharp pain ripped through her shoulder where Mercy's horn had tore open the flesh. As Yanamari's eyes began to open once more the blue mare groaned, and then panicked when a mass of rainbow was standing over her. Legs flailed as she tried to get away though it only helped to aggravate her shoulder wound and she cried out in pain. "Please...please don't hurt me!" She was nearly in tears, worried about what the stallion would do to her. And then she remembered about the mare. Oh no! Eyes rolled to see Mercy a short distance away covered in blood. This was all her fault, she hadn't wanted to hurt Mercy, not intentionally. "I'm sorry..." She whispered then broke into a sob "I'm so sorry!" She wanted to run, to get away but with the stallion standing over her there wasn't much chance of that without one of his massive hooves coming down to crush her skull