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 Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:58 pm
This is an RP for belloblossom's Rosalyn, Ambrose and Rosemary, as well as Whoan's Savva.
Please don't post here unless you were invited.
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 11:37 pm
   Rosalyn had been anticipating her mate's arrival for days and everyone who knew the mare could see both anxiety and hope in her eyes. She did extra chores, harvesting all the food and digging out the carefully made storage units for all they would need in the coming winter months. She carefully arranged the irrigation system to lead away from her flowers and only trickle in, so the danger of the water freezing and contorting her well-maintained flowers into odd frozen shapes was prevented. Naturally, she also saw to Bracken, who would be tucked away in his burrow for the majority of the cold seasons. While rabbits didn't actually hibernate, Bracken spent a great deal longer in his burrow than most during the winter, because Rosalyn would leave his food at the entrance of his burrow, so he would not have to deal with the harsh winter's chill.
Still, despite trying her best to keep busy, she couldn't stop herself from leaving her grove to try and look down the path that lead up to it. More than once, she had thought about going out to meet her mate, especially now that she had others to watch over the grove in her absence, but she always feared that she would find a more unsettling sort on her way. A dark shadow that loomed over her life and kept her in her cozy grove, away from everyone else's darkness.
Yet, today she stood just at the entrance of the grove, shifting from one hoof to the other in her impatience. Her ears twitched, her tail swished and she wished not for the first time that day that Savva would return to her. How she so wished he would appear."Rosalyn" Ambrose came to stand beside his sister and pushed some of her forelock out of her eyes with his muzzle. "He'll get here when he gets here. Maybe it's not yet cold enough for him to venture down yet." This would be Ambrose's first time meeting the stallion that had captured his sister's heart. She spoke so fondly of him that he was eager to meet the stallion and curious to see if he was really the giant everyone claimed he was.
"Come back to the grove, Rosa." He nickered at her. "A watched flower never blooms." He urged and then turned around and walked back himself. "Roslind, go see to your mother." He told his nephew. "Maybe you can convince her to come back into our limited warmth, before she catches a cold." He added with a sniff of his own. Despite his efforts to be cheery and supportive, winter was Ambrose's least favorite season. He just wasn't built for it, he thought as he settled down on a patch of dry grass. Oh well, at least it hadn't started snowing yet.Roslind raised his head from his task of gathering dried grasses, much like the ones his uncle was now laying upon, as their warm bedding for the winter to come. Rolling his eyes a little, he nodded.
"Yes, Uncle Ambrose." He replied and then trotted quickly over to his mother. Sure enough, she was beginning to tremble and her eyes were glazed over with worry."What if something's gone wrong, Ros? What if he won't make it this year? What if he's hurt? Oh! Or Molodoy or... or...""Mom." Roslind interrupted. "He'll be fine. Dad's, well, he's made of tough stuff. Here, I've got an idea. I'll go out today, I gotta look for thicker grass anyway, the stuff here only grows all dainty and gentle, much like their gardener." He teased, nuzzling his mother. "If I see him, I'll march him straight back here and you'll hear me coming from miles away." He added quickly. "And besides, what will Dad think, seeing you worrying away here? Then he'll get worried about you and think that something's wrong himself! You don't want his first thing to do to be worrying, do you?" He waited until his mother shook her head and then he passed her. "Awesome! I'll be back soon enough!" He said and then disappeared from the grove and out into the rest of the forest on a hunt for his ol' man.
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Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:45 am
 "I told you to eat before we leave," the frost giant groaned. His adol bear was nowhere to be seen, trying to hunt ground squirrels or something she wasn't the best at. Savva had pawed trenches in the dry ground in his impatience. His breath came in frosted annoyed puffs. He was late, deep in his heart he knew he was late. His better half would worry and that was the last thing he wanted. It was slightly too warm for the giant, but for her he would grin and bare it.
"Father look! It was fast!" growled the bear happily as she tossed a fat slightly smashed lizard at the giant's hooves. He rolled his eyes.
"Eat. Fast. Ve must go," Savva grunted looking past the bear. Molodoy snorted rudely before wolfing down her lizard. The giant went a little further down the path and saw the faint shape of another soquili barring his way. It was doing something among the tall grasses. Savva tossed his head, conflicted. He was more peaceful since being welcomed to his new family. But the giant was still a warrior of frost.
Puffing himself up as much as he could, he approached the stranger head on. His horn was at the ready to strike before the familiar flash of green caught his gaze. He stopped his approach with a blink. Molodoy rejoined him almost not stopping in time.
"Son?" Savva tentatively gasped, "You have gotten tall!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:57 am
Roslind hadn't made it very far into the woods before he heard the familiar chatter that accompanied fond memories. He spotted Molodoy first, her white fur standing out in the browns and oranges of autumn. Then, rounding a corner was his father and Roslind perked his ears happily. He stood a little straighter and waited for his father to approach, grinning from ear to ear.
Would he recognize him? Roslind thought. He was considerably bigger, though not nearly as large as Savva, goodness no. Still, he was no longer the yearling he had been when Savva first met him.
"You're as giant as ever, Dad." Roslind nickered, gently bumping his head against his father's shoulder. "I wonder why that might be. It's not like your entire species is based on how big you are or anything." He grinned wider and then looked down at Molodoy. "And Molodoy you!... You actually look about the same, if not a bit smaller." He teased, but bounded away with a few quick leaps before she could retaliate.
"C'mon! Mom's been fussing, of course, but she'll be so excited to see you! And you've still got to meet Uncle Ambrose, right? Aw man, this is gonna be great!" He crowed and then headed back towards the grove shouting on ahead "Mom, Uncle Ambrose! Dad's here, come see!" As they neared.Of course, Rosalyn poked her head out of the grove as soon as she heard her son's call. Her ears perked and her eyes became misty as she regarded the familiar sight of her mate. She forced herself to stay where she was until he had approached her, made certain not to run over to him and press into his side until she felt his comforting coolness. Made sure to act with decorum, like he would expect of her.
Yet when she spoke, her voice was thick with emotion and she blinked away the tears of relief at seeing him before her.
"Savva..." She murmured and then closed the distance between them, pushing herself against him and murmuring sweet things to him. She heard Roslind sigh happily somewhere, but it seemed so far away now that her mate was here. "Oh, Savva... I missed you so." She couldn't begin to describe the hollowness she always felt when he left and the anxiety just before he was meant to return. She had no words for the relief that she felt now and wished for a moment that she was a poet, so she could cover him with grand words of her affection for him. In the end, she just ended up repeating her words, like a soft hum. "Oh my love, my love, I love you, I love you." She wished they could just lay together, endlessly and spend forever together, but she was coming back to herself and she finally stepped, turning around so that she stood side-by-side with Savva and looked out onto her family. She nodded to Ambrose happily and leaned against her mate before finally getting around to the introductions.
"Savva, dear heart, this is my brother, Ambrose." She said, inclining her head slightly to her brother before returning it to its place on her mate's flank.Ambrose had gotten to his hooves when he heard the commotion that Roslind had made and stood behind his sister, within the grove and the minimal warmth that it provided. Yet, once Savva entered, it was as though a giant snow cloud entered their tiny spring hideaway. He smothered out a great deal of the light that came from the entrance and Ambrose felt himself start to tremble in the sight of him.
"Ah, so you're a giant, then." He said to Savva, weakly, before approaching. At least he wasn't a giant mare, Ambrose thought. Were there such a thing as giant mares? Ambrose shoved the thought away before he could ask it. That was something he was definitely fine with not knowing.
In some distant part of his mind, he realized that while a giant, Savva was also a kirin and he thought back to his herd and his mother, someone who hadn't crossed his mind in a very long while. What would Rosemary think now that her daughter ended up taking a kirin mate? Guess family habits were hard to break, he thought, but shook his head. No, it must be coincidence. Ambrose knew full well how Rosalyn hated anything that tied her back to their family herd.
He'd been staring for too long, he realized. He had to do something to break the silence.
"Well met, Savva." He greeted. "I've heard great things about you, though the peoples in question may be called bias for their obvious love of you." He glanced at Roslind, who smiled sheepishly and then Rosalyn, who only had eyes for Savva and smiled. "Still, family is family and I'm happy to have you be apart of mine and me to yours." He looked down at the bear familiar he recalled to be called Molodoy. "The same goes for you, too, naturally." He added and then stepped back. "Please, won't you two come in?" He asked as he made his way back into the grove. "I'm sure you must have traveled a long time and have many a story to tell about what we've missed." If his sister was the lovestruck princess, Ambrose thought, he could play the gracious host. This, at the very least, was something he was good at.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:54 am
The giant chuckled as Molodoy snarled in defence of being called small. In truth, she was on the smaller end of her race. The bear growled something about how Roslind couldn't hide from her anymore as Savva leaned into the other's sign of affection. She bounded ahead of the stallions wanting to prove herself to her adoptive brother by finding the grove first. Savva followed quietly, his heart pounding against his ribs drowning out Roslind's excitement.
The scent of greenery filled his nostrils. And a figure stood out from the growth, a shining beacon that caused the giant's heart to fall suddenly silent as his children rushed to the others. Carefully making his way, and an excuse to look at his own hooves to catch his breath, Savva slowly approached the mare. He couldn't help but to smile as she gracefully closed the gap between them. He savored her leaning into him, being afraid of knocking her over if he were to do the same. He draped his head across her neck breathing in the scent that was her.
"I sorry we late. Molodoy vouldn't listen," he muttered happily against her. But then he saw the other Kirin stallion and straightened himself up.
Rosalyn introduced him quickly putting the giant at ease. He hadn't heard his son earlier over his own emotional turmoil.
"I have been called frost giant, yes. Varrior vith trees on his back said so," Savva grunted shuddering slightly at Kinak's memory. "I am glad to see more of Rosalyn's kin...Am-ber-ose." He tripped slightly over the new name, his face scrunching as he tried to sort out one of the longest names he had ever heard. His tail flicked slightly with the annoyance that he knew he got the kirin's name wrong.
"Are you gold small frost giant?" Molodoy asked from her position in front of the rabbit den. She was trying to get the rabbit to play with her to no avail.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:22 am
Roslind laughed with delight and followed Molodoy to the grove, careful not to herd her as they approached. He scooted around his mother and father, trusting Molodoy enough to get out of the way of the giant and Rosalyn's hooves. He glanced at his uncle and then back to his parents,
giving a happy sigh. Finally his parents were reunited again.
It was always hard when his father left and while Roslind had been taught long ago that it was a necessary part of Savva's survival to be embraced with the cold, it was always hard to see him go and harder to see the toll it took on his mother every year. Yet, when she saw him again come the chilly nights of fall, she was always happier than he had ever seen her before and it warmed his heart in spite of the cold breezes that slipped through their grove.
When the talking began, Roslind stood at attention, ready to invite everyone further in, for he realized that his mother would be otherwise unavailable to make any courteous motions, until she had properly adjusted to her mate's return. Roslind would never be able to comprehend how other Soquili, or even some familiars, didn't believe in soul mates, when it was clear that they existed. Just looking at his mother and father standing so close to one another, so obviously in a love that would last into the next life and beyond,
he knew it was true and it made him the happiest stallion he could be, just to be able to watch them like this. Even though it was just starting, Roslind suddenly knew that this would be one of the better autumns and later one of the best winters, that the family had seen through any of their lives.Rosalyn couldn't help, but want to stand next to her mate forever and ever. Even as she had introduced her mate and brother together,
she found herself sticking to Savva's side like a leaf that refused to fall from a tree in the autumn. She glanced at the trees around her, thought her metaphor appropriate and then set her eyes back at her azure lover. Only,
she had known for quite some time that Savva was more than that. He was her soul partner and she would love him for all eternity.
Listening to him speak with her brother gave her a fair bit of amusement. She would work on name pronunciation with Savva when they were better settled in. For the time being, she worried it may come across as insulting if she brought it up. She only hoped that Ambrose would have the sense not to push it too. She glanced at her brother, noted his shaking knees and snorted with amusement. He wouldn't try anything, he was still in the process of overcoming his anxiety in the face of someone much larger.Rosalyn had been the first to warn Ambrose about how large her true love was. She described the frost giant as taller than her, by a head and bulky. All muscle and not many scales, she had said. When she had mentioned scales, Ambrose had though first of his own kirin scales. Kirins weren't a particularly large species, he thought. Surely his sister was just meaning Savva was giant in her book. Later, Roslind told his uncle about Savva's size. Again, he said that he was a giant, yet Roslind had seen Savva first as a foal. Surely, now that Roslind was grown and nearly Ambrose's own height, the frost giant would seem smaller in comparison, right? So, Ambrose had written it off as a matter of personal perspective. The same could be said of Bracken, who had said adamantly that Savva was a giant that was as tall as the mountains, but everyone was giant compared to Bracken, so Ambrose hadn't taken him very seriously.
He realized his mistake as soon as he saw Savva. While his family had told him that Savva was a giant, Ambrose had failed to put one and one together in order to realize that Savva was simply giant.
And giant he was, for when the massive body that was his sister's mate came lumbering through the grove's entrance, Ambrose felt as though the stallion could drink an entire lake before his thirst was sated or eat an entire field.
Would their stores for the autumn and winter be enough?
Ambrose shrank back a little when he was addressed and nodded, all to aware that he was trembling. Glancing at his sister, he locked his knees,
took a deep breath and then smiled, though uncertainly.
"And I am glad to meet the infamous frost giant, Savva. I have heard much about you, though I can safely say that the stories I've heard hardly compare to your..." Ambrose searched for the right word and then tried. "greatness." He finished with and flicked his ears. "I do look forward to getting to know you better in these coming moons." He told the blue giant,
before turning his head down to peer at the bear.
"Bracken is hibernating, well, sort of. He won't wake for a long while, I'm afraid, but I'm sure Roslind would be more than happy to play with you, if you're amiable." Ambrose informed the bear, before going on to answering her question. "And no, I'm not a giant, scaled though I may be. I am a hybrid of sorts." He felt awkward about explaining his heritage, especially when it had caused so much strife between him and his sister in the past.
He shot an apologetic look at Rosalyn, who tipped her head in acknowledgement before going on. "But if that interests you, I'm sure we can discuss it sometime while you're staying here." He offered.When he had finally gathered his wits, though he spooked a bit at Molodoy's question, he replied to the others and Rosalyn turned to her mate and bear-child with a smile that could've outdone the sun with its brightness.
"Now that you've all been introduced, perhaps... Perhaps we ought to lay down for a bit? Savva, I've already prepared a place for you and I. Molodoy,
you're welcome to sleep with us, but if not, you can either have your own nest, or Roslind has offered to share his with you. Is that alright?" She had agreed to let Roslind take charge of a great deal, but Rosalyn, weary that she was, would make sure that everyone was well adjusted and taken care of.
before thinking of her own self and the mild shock she had just from seeing her mate again.
"If you'll just follow me in, keep aware of the dirt path, if you two can. It helps distinguish what you can tread on versus what you shouldn't." Angeni above knew how many flowers and herbs that had been trampled last winter, so Rosalyn and her family was going to extra lengths to make sure that wouldn't happen this season. Hopefully, the designated pathways would help.
Leading her mate and bear-child through the dirt paths, she eventually came to a very large cleared out space. There was a pool next to it which was filled with water. Stones lined the bottom, so it wasn't muddy, but charming and when you moved a single stone away, water flowed into it, water that came from Rosalyn's garden's irrigation system.
"Bracken helped dig the hole. He wishes you a pleasant winter, when we come to it, though, as usual, he'll be asleep through most of it." Rosalyn explained, nodding towards the pool. "And you'll find your bed is covered in moss and soft grasses. Those were thanks to Roslind and Ambrose."
Rosalyn went on with a smile, gesturing to the large bedspread. "Molodoy's nest, should you choose to use it," Rosalyn said, turning her gaze to the bear as she addressed her, "Is mostly moss and feathers. Roslind, will you show her where it is?" She asked her son, who quickly nodded and then beckoned with his head for the bear to follow him.
As they left, Rosalyn glanced pointedly at Ambrose and her brother, too,
found something he could do elsewhere, mumbling something about finding something to lay beside Bracken for whenever the rabbit woke up next.
Finally, Savva and Rosalyn were alone, at least until Roslind and Molodoy returned and the rose-patterned mare looked up at the stallion with love in her eyes.
"Oh, my heart," She told him, her voice wistful. "I've missed you so." And she leaned her muzzle forward, nuzzling what part of him that she could. Then, glancing around to what she had laid out for him, she asked,
"I hope this is all enough for you, dear heart?"When Roslind was bid to show Molodoy to her own nest, he nickered happily.
"Yeah, I can do that, no problem!" He told his mother, before turning to his bear-sister. "C'mon, Molodoy! I bet you're gonna love it! Bracken and I were working on it for ages!" He told the bear, before prancing off, careful to stay on the path, like his mother had told them all to do.
When he arrived, it was a bit further off in the grove, if only because the location was better suited for it. Here, there was a tree, but its roots were loose and bendable. Underneath the roots, there was a large dug out hole, big enough to fit Molodoy.
"Go on in, I'm sure you'll love it. I couldn't fit in there, obviously, but Bracken did and he assured me that you'd like it." He chattered happily. Sure enough, what the bear would find inside was a hole that was lined first with moss, thick and soft. Then, intertwined with the moss was all manner of soft things, like the fur that Bracken had shed and feathers that both Rosalyn and Bracken had found on the forest floor. There were bugs that crawled above on the roots of the tree, too, not so many that they would get into Molodoy's fur, probably, but enough to snack on. It was that idea that had cemented it with the entire rose family. After all, what didn't Molodoy eat.
"Go on, go on." Roslind urged. "Well? How do you like it?"Whoan Sorry for the delay! I promise I haven't forgotten about this RP! heart
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Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:07 pm
Savva stared at Ambrose for a few more moments, drinking in every detail about him. Like his mate, he had flower markings that gracefully climbed up his body, but unlike Rosalyn his were not delicate. He had a brave face but weak hooves. And his horn seemed sharper, more elegant than Savva's. The giant realized his blank stare was almost making him seem hostile and shook his head with a small snort. His new expression was a bit warmer and inviting. He still was not used to friendly males. Kinak and Nash, though they attacked him, turned friendly unlike the male polar bears and elk in his lands. He followed Rosalyn, hooves staying on the paths thank the north wind. It helped they were cloven, so even if his weight accidently shifted he did not go crashing through his love's garden.
"The spring vas boring," he rumbled in an attempt at conversation, "the giant hunter and his cat did not return as promise. Other than volves...I slept a lot. Molodoy say I got fat." He made a face of distaste as he continued to watch where his hooves fell. His tail flicked showing his disdain at being called fat. Molodoy snickered behind him. With a low grunt, Savva pulled his ears back and focused on the small frost flowers peaking white petals through the drying grasses. He wanted to see the flower printed on Rosalyn's hide badly, bit she had told him roses don't normally enjoy the cold. He looked up to see the procession had stopped and froze before he ran into his smaller mate. Molodoy bumped his legs making the giant connect lightly with Rosalyn, his beard tickling her shoulders. He stomped a back hoof as he ragained his composure causing the bear to yelp. He was grateful when his son ran off with the troublesome bear.
"Son has grown into very nice stallion," Savva rumbled with approval. He was saddened that the winged son decided not to stay...the harsh words between them and Savva not being his father remained in the giant's heart. But he was so proud of Roslind. He flushed as Rosalyn snuggled into him snapping his wandering thoughts back to her.
"It is nice yes," he murmured into her mane. He pulled away and tucked his legs under himself. He was tired from walking down his mountain. He scooted to let Rosalyn settle beside him.
"Since brother is here I only need to meet other son?" he asked tilting his head to one side. His eyes met Ambrose again. "You feared me...vhy? I am just tall."
Molodoy bounded after her adoptive brother. She wondered what the adults were talking about, but quickly decided it was probably boring anyways. She stopped as Roslind showed her the nest he spoke of. She chuckled sittiing on her haunches.
"Opening needs opening. But it looks warm," the bear grinned scratching her stomach absent mindedly. Using her claws, she tore a few of the branches and carried them inside. She could eat the sap and use them to scratch where she couldn't reach and keep her claws sharp. She lumbered inside and curled up. "Go annoy father," she dismissed Roslind, "he needs it. He got fatter than me for winter."
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Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:34 pm
 Rosalyn tilted her head towards her mate.
"Wolves?" She echoed with some alarm in her tone. She had no doubt in her mind that Savva and Molodoy could defend themselves, but the idea that they were still facing such dangers... It frightened her to the very core. "Well,
at least the two you faced last winter kept their word." She sighed, shaking her head and cozying up next to Savva when room was made for her.
"Yes, after you meet Rosario, my eldest, that will be everyone." She confirmed with a nod of her head. "I'm sure you'll love Rosario. He travels all over the place in search of others to heal. It's almost funny, because you'd think as a half-unicorn, he'd be as small as I am, but he's actually nearly as tall as you are!" She chuckled. "He's due to meet us later this season,
actually. I hope you don't mind that I invited him. I just thought, how fun would it be to have everyone together, you know?" She tilted her head back to look fondly at Savva as she smiled at him, before looking across the way at her brother as she waited to hear his reply to Savva's question.
Yet, when she saw him struggling to answer, she quickly put in.
"I don't think it's fear so much as shyness. Ambrose is a little wary on newcomers, but I'm sure you'll all get along, once you get used to each other." She said, smiling warmly at Ambrose. She didn't expect everyone to immediately take to one another, but she was pleased that it was working out as well as it was, for the time being.
When her brother left, Rosalyn leaned back against Savva.
"Let us enjoy this moment, shall we?" She breathed, though she nudged him playfully in the side. "We can work off that fat you may've gained later.
I'm sure I've got something here you can work on to gain muscle rather than fat." She snickered softly.Ambrose shrugged a shoulder.
"It's... I'm just..." He looked to Rosalyn, who stepped in on his behalf.
He tried to hide the relief on his face. It was always hard explaining his situation. His fear of strangers, because so many of them had only wanted to cause him harm when he met them. He was especially nervous around mares, for this reason, but Savva had been so big... He couldn't help, but remember darker times.
"Aaanyway," He said suddenly, "I'm going to go check in on Roslind and see how he and Molodoy are settling in. It was nice meeting you."
He informed Savva, before turning and hurrying away. Roslind watched Molodoy tear away the branches and roots of the tree and cringed. Mother wouldn't like that, he thought, but smiled through it all the same.
"I'm glad you like it." He nickered with amusement and then glanced over his shoulder, back where his mother and father were sure to be cuddling right about now. The idea of going to sit through that wasn't appealing, but he nodded. "Alright. If you're happy here than I'll come check in on you later." He told the bear, before deciding to walk around the perimeter and check the entrance. He wasn't a particularly protective son and no one really came a-knocking in winter anyway, but he could use the leg stretch and it would keep him busy until his family called upon him again.
Walking through the entrance, he glanced around the path to the grove and found it deserted as always. He was just turning around when a soft, melodic voice called out to him."Oh, excuse me!" Turning back around, he saw a mare hurrying down the path, just having rounded the corner to see him. Her face was flushed and her mane dragged slightly in the leaves on the ground, but she slowed when she saw him. He perked his ears as he took in her appearance. She looked familiar, so familiar it was on the tip of his tongue, but who was she? The mare, having finally caught up, smiled at him."Thank you for stopping. My name is Rosemary and I was told that I might find a healer mare, by the name of Rosalyn here? Is this her residence?" The mare paused, took in Roslind's appearance and her eyes softened. "Could you be... her son?""Um, yes?" Roslind replied, uncertain of what this interaction was. "Rosalyn's my mother. Are you in need of some healing? She's a little busy, but I could-" It was then that another voice, one he did recognize as his uncle, Ambrose, cut through. There was shock in his tone,
but also a hint of fear. Turning and stepping back, Roslind looked at his uncle."Mother...?" Ambrose asked, his mouth fallen open and his eyes wide. Roslind had come to the same conclusion as soon as Ambrose had appeared. The similarities were so obvious, between the flowery markings that Rosemary bore to their names and scales and... Roslind turned away. He had to tell his mother! She would be so thrilled to know! He didn't stop to consider that the reason why Rosalyn never spoke of her own parents was that she didn't want to. Even with Ambrose calling for him to stop, to wait, he leaped in front of his mother and father, trembling and looking eager.Rosalyn looked up in alarm as Roslind bounded in.
"Careful of the flowers, my sweet!" She cried, but her son avoided stepping on every one, albeit a little narrowly. Sighing in relief, she looked up at Roslind. "What's happened, Roslind? What did you want to tell us?" She couldn't help looking amused at her son's excitement, though she couldn't blame him. With Savva and Molodoy here, she was plenty excited herself."Mama, mama! There's a mare here who looks just like Uncle Ambrose and she calls herself Rosemary and Uncle Ambrose called her 'Mother' and... Mama?" Roslind's excitement turned to concern as his mother's eyes slid to glare at someone behind him. He moved hastily away.
He'd never seen anger like that in his mother, not even when he stepped on a flower bed as a colt. No... this wasn't even anger he was seeing, he realized.
For the first time in his life, Roslind saw hatred in his mother's eyes and great Angeni, it terrified him.Rosalyn's eyes were fixed on a mare behind her son. A mare with long hair and golden scales. A mare that had haunted her in the forms of angry shadows since Rosalyn had left her herd. Rosalyn got to her hooves, but she trembled, in anger and fear. Her ears snapped back to be pressed against her head and her nostrils flared. She took a step back, Savva being a comfort beside her.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Rosalyn asked tightly. "And how did you find me?"The mare named Rosemary had traveled a very long way.
Her travels were nearly as long as the story she carried with her. She had walked many miles, farther from her herd than she had ever gone, though she had realized that even with the blood ties she had there, that it would never really be her herd again, no matter how much she tried to fit in. After her golden child, her dear son, hadn't returned, the herd elders had turned on her again. They told her it was her wanderlust in her youth that had polluted the star pupil of the elders and that now that her son, the only hope for her future in the herd, was gone, so too must she be.
Exiled from her herd, unlike her daughter had been years prior, the mare left and went on to find her remaining family members, the son who had left home and the daughter who had been forced from it. Rosemary's search was difficult, she had faced many trials, but her resolve was stronger than the first time she had left on such an adventure. She didn't let a pretty stallion steal away her heart, no, this time she kept her heart closed. She asked after anyone if they had seen a mare or stallion with markings like hers, with golden scales, with a rose-themed name.
She followed any lead she could and was let down many times. Yet, when she was finally ready to just give up, someone told her of the healer among the rose grove in the western woods. It was a mare who used her namesake flowers (among others) to heal the minds of those under considerable stress.
If this was not it, the mare had decided, then she would end her search. She didn't want to hope and as she made her way to the grove, she was beginning to wonder if there was anyone there at all, when she saw a brown-coated stallion turning away down a path.
As soon as she had gotten closer, to see the green markings on his legs and a notably dark coat, she knew that the stallion had to be Rosalyn's son. He confirmed her desires, saw Ambrose standing beside him and her heart melted at the sight of her son, so much older, but looking so scared. He tried to keep her where she was, but when her grandson bounded off, she pushed past to follow him and there was Rosalyn, her daughter, propped up against a large, well, giant really, blue kirin stallion.
Rosemary was smiling and while she didn't expect a warm welcome, she wasn't ready for the sudden hatred in her daughter's eyes. Her words cut into Rosemary's heart, but the mare did not shrink away as she may have done in the past. Instead, she straightened up, meeting her daughter's eyes.
"I have come a very long way to find you, Rosalyn." She began. "I have come to speak with you." A pause and then she added more softly.
"And to apologize."Ambrose had heard Roslind's uncertain voice at the entrance and tilted his head curiously. Did they have another visitor? It seemed unlikely, but Roslind wasn't exactly the time to talk to himself. All the time, anyway. Besides, the question in his nephew's voice sounded interesting enough, so Ambrose strode forward a few steps, raising his head to see over Roslind's shoulder and froze.
His mother dropped open and with it a single word.
"Mother...?" He said and Roslind stepped back so that Ambrose could move forward to see her better. Sure enough, it was Rosemary that stood before him. There was dirt and fallen leaves in her mane from where it dragged. He was so used to seeing it up in some fashion that to see it down and long without any sort of styling was a surprise. In the heard, raccoon familiars were popular for the sake of having those tiny things called thumbs. Rosemary hadn't had one of her own, but the raccoons she employed had done beautiful things to her main. Now, it just looked tangled and sloppy by comparison.
Roslind quickly turned away and bolted towards the direction Savva and Rosalyn were in.
"Roslind, wait! Come back here!" Rosalyn couldn't know! She had just found her happiness with Savva's arrival, to put this on her... It would be too much! He turned to his mother and steeled himself. "You need to leave." He said firmly, though his body shook."Leave? Don't be silly, sweet, I just found you all!" Rosemary replied and pushed past him. Ambrose tried to block her, but she was stubborn and his legs wobbled. He felt like he was walking for the first time as he eventually let her pass and trailed behind her, his head hanging and his eyes ashamed.
How would his sister react? His mother had been the reason it took so long for them to reconnect, after what Rosemary had done. It had taken so long for Rosalyn to trust Ambrose again, even when they were both victims of circumstance. But Rosemary... She had been the cause of that circumstance, the one who had caused their birth and by extension, their suffering. When Rosemary approached, he heard the tension in Rosalyn's voice and he moved to stand with Roslind over his mother. He saw the hurt beyond the hatred in his sister's voice, saw that her legs were trembling as his own were. He wished he could stand beside her, but he couldn't make himself move, so instead, he found himself grateful for Savva's presence and willed the stallion to speak up on his sister's behalf, while Ambrose felt his voice leave him for fear of what was to come next.
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Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:07 pm
Savva smirked. "Vhat vill I do this vinter?
More vater lines in dirt? Or take dead off trees? Move big rocks to show you how strong I am?" he almost purred teasingly. He liked being a part of the garden even if labor was his strong suit and not helping the flowers survive the cold. And he knew his mate stole glances at him working making him want to show off a bit. He did have a giant's strength behind him.
His eyes went back to Ambrose as things were explained to him better. "I see. I am glad you not afraid of me...brother. I vould not hurt unless need calls for it. It vould make Rosalyn sad," he rumbled going for a term easier to say than Ambrose's name. He pressed against Rosalyn's warmth as Ambrose left worried he said something wrong. Low grunts and grumbles broke the silence as the giant struggled with his feelings. Hoofbeats interupted his processing. Roslind burst into their moment narrowly missing the frost flowers. Savva was a bit envious of his son's dodging grace. He would have smashed them on accident then felt bad. His ears pricked forward at the word mother. He tensed as Rosalyn surged to her hooves.
The mare the entered was pretty, but paled in comparison to her daughter. She resembled Ambrose more than Rosalyn. Savva slowly stood as Rosalyn leaned against him. The anger in her sharp words reminded Savva of his own as he cursed whatever being fathered him to a herd that cast him out for being too big. Anger and betrayal. He knew that well.
"Roslind go to your uncle," Savva muttered pointing to Ambrose with his horn, "I have Rosalyn." Ambrose looked shakey as well. He cleared his throat and loomed over the mare in the best giant guardian pose he could muster.
"Vhat brings you here besides apology? And vhy now?"
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