[PRP] Something to Stand for (Aetheria and Garrick)

[AlexiaSilver]

He had been venturing out further and further for the past year, pressing through the boundaries that had been set by his mother for him as a foal. He spent days at a time away from the small family his mother, Sunshine, had raised. One day soon, he would turn around and leave his home to find a new place to dwell. Unlike some Soquili, Garrick could not cling to his childhood.
The forest around him was lush, green vines hanging from the high branches of the trees with birds and other woodland creatures chattering around him. It felt like for the first time his presence in the forest did not disrupt it. Maybe he belonged here? Probably not...

Him nor his sister were evil. The curse that his damned father carried did not pass down to either of them. Rumors had passed saying that it could be, but in their case it was proven untrue. Unless the gods had blessed them from the curse. Garrick snorted. No gods cared about him. If they did, why would they have given him a father like Godric? His mother had deserved the best, yet she got the exact opposite. Maybe before Godric had been cursed, he had been a stallion worthy of a mare like Sunshine but like this; he was fit for no one. She never told him what had happened between the two of them, but Garrick knew. He could see the fear in her eyes as she spoke of their father. The fear that she tried so hard to hide from them. Maybe his sister couldn't see it, but he was always so observant. So watchful.
Garrick knew that he did have his father to thank for certain things that had been given to him during his life. The first was simple though dark. Something that no foal should have: A tolerance for carnage and gore. He had seen the male he was supposed to call a father rend and tear apart the most innocent of animals. It was common knowledge that skinwalkers were unforgiving in their love of blood and violence. This wasn't different with Godric.
Another thing he had received from the Skinwalker male: The genes that allowed his body to be larger than that of a normal sized male Unicorn. From what he had seen during the time he spent afar from his sire, he could tell that before the cursing Godric had been a rather large muscled regular stallion. He wasn't sure if the curse made his limbs grow longer than the normal male or if he had just been taller before hand. Garrick figured that he would never find out.
And above all; A reason to live. A goal to stand for. When he was just a foal, watching his father, he had made it his life's reason to purge the world from as many bloodthirsty beasts as he could before meeting his own death. Demons like Godric were not made for this world. So many innocents were lost due to their cruelty, and no consequence fell upon them as they took the lives. He would do his best to change that. He would give them the same swift judgement they laid upon their own defenseless prey. Unicorns were known for their expertise in healing. He would show them that the skinwalkers that their horns could cause pain as well, not just remove the aches of wounds.  

[AlexiaSilver]

Her eyes scanned the trees. It looked like a normal forest that could be found anywhere back in her land but... It carried a different air. It isn't home. Aetheria thought sadly, her hooves kicking up dirt as she dragged them into the ground. Her heart grew heavy with the depressing thought. She would likely never see the lands of her home again. Would the trees that had been sent aflame in that fire still stand? The soft green grass would be gone, all of the flowers and the herbs would be burnt to a crisp. The birds and other critters would have had to abandon their homes just as she had to, to survive.

Everything she had loved most about her herd was gone. They had split apart in the panic the fire had caused. They didn't have an emergency meet up place like most herd would, if they were somehow separated. Aetheria was sure that they were regretting not preparing for a disaster ahead of time. She could only imagine how her Alpha felt about this.

Somehow she had found herself alone, traveling but not knowing where she was going. She needed to find the other survivors of the herd. Her parents would be worried about their youngest daughter, and she wouldn't be surprised if her older siblings had already set out to look for her. If they're okay... They have to be alright. I'd know if they weren't, right? Aetheria bit her lower lip. She was the baby of the family, always watched over and protected because of it. She knew the basics when it came to surviving on her own; what she could and couldn't eat, where to take shelter if a storm hit, and to avoid strangers unless she couldn't avoid it. So far she had being doing fine on her own. Given that these lands were very large, she was still surprised that she hadn't run into another Soquili by now. Maybe if she had, they could point her in the right direction? Father wouldn't be happy with me breaking a rule... but if it leads me back to them he'll forgive me.

Pleased with her decision to ask the first Soquili she came across, Aetheria continued on, her tail wiggling behind her happily.
 

[AlexiaSilver]

Garrick's ears perked up. Even though the small animals continued their business around him a shiver went down his spine, signaling that he wasn't as alone as he had thought. There was only one thing that mattered to him. Friend or Foe? It wasn't always the easiest deduction to make at first glance. Likely, if they had fangs or horns, he knew to be on guard. Skinwalkers were always the easiest to pick out, unless they were in their feral form. He had only encountered one other skinwalker outside of his father. It was a bloody fight, and he had survived due to almost pure luck. But it had made him stronger. His trophy was the mask of the skinwalker mare. Her pelt had been beautiful, despite what it stood for. He knew that it would be of use to him later down the road. Narrowing his green cat like eyes, Garrick's shoulders crouched down as he waited for whatever creature was coming to pass.



It would have been simple to see that Aetheria wasn't paying too close of attention to where she was going, as long as she wasn't running into any trees or tripping over something. The only thing that made any sense to her right now was to just go. Keep walking and everything would work itself out. She was still heading directly south, or at least believed she was judging by the small signs the forest and sky told her. Or was that north? A frown tugged at her lips. She should have payed closer attention to her father's lessons. Then maybe she wouldn't be so turned around. I've already come all this way. Might as well keep going. She thought to herself, continuing.