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 Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:13 am
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As the sun rose over the mountains painting the trees below in its soft golden light the teal eyed mare woke from her dead sleep. She'd been having such an odd dream. One where a stranger came from the forest depths, but anytime she'd tried to focus on the entity it had slipped from her view as if made of smoke or mist. She stood from her nest, stretching sore legs, wondering what this meant. Dreams often had meanings after all and some of her family boasted the ability to see the future through them. She however found herself scoffing. It was just a dream after all. Right?
It had been a long time since Holly Rose had seen other Soquili though. She'd settled into the forest easily enough and had started herself a lovely garden to keep her busy. Fruit bushes and flowers abounded in her tiny little haven. She'd occasionally travel to see her family but even that had tapered off as each of them got busy with their own lives. She found herself sighing a lot more often. It wasn't that she wasn't happy with her life, she was, she just wished she had someone to share it with. It was a moot point though since she never left her home. You can't meet someone without traveling or at least leaving for a little while, but the idea of being out there alone without her warm little cavern with its warm moss blanketed floor and natural window in the front. Maybe she was just meant to be a homebody gardener. Was there really shame in that? Maybe not...
Her flowers were a lovely distraction though. She kept all different kinds, any that would thrive in the soils here. Pink ones, purple ones, blue ones. She was a fan of the softer colors honestly. Ones similar to her own pelt were her favorite though. It was a guilty pleasure. She'd yet to find a flower the similar shade of green as her feet however. Maybe someday she'd find out. Who knows?
She took some time wandering through her flowers, watering here and there with a piece of bark that had a hollow in it to hold the water from the nearby stream. Then she moved to her fruit bushes. Winter was coming soon and she'd have to find other sources of food when the berries stopped fruiting. "Going to be a long winter..." She said to herself, especially if the frost on the ground each morning was any indication. Carefully she plucked and munched some of the late season berries, wincing at the tartness. "Ick..." She said as she chewed.
Word Count: 444 |
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:53 pm
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It had rained the day before causing the swamp to become overly saturated and tar like. Usually that didn’t bother Reaver, but it was a nuisance when it came to hunting or scavenging for food. Trudging through a thick watered swamp was never something he enjoyed doing on an empty stomach and usually caused his mood to be even more rotten then it already was. So what he did was trudge to the nearest shoreline and step out to get his bearings on the situation at hand. He needed food and the one place he loved hunting for it was in the woods. He was the type to hunt deer or anything big enough to get a couple meals out of it. It didn’t matter what it was, but deer was his favorite. When he didn’t hunt, he scavenged. He was big and bulky enough to scare a lot of creatures off and those he didn’t scare away he would attack without mercy unless it was a day where he wasn’t in the mood. Those were rare, however.
Flicking his tail, he felt the slight chill to the air. It would be winter soon and while he didn’t mind the cold, he didn’t love it either. It would mean his swamp home would be off limits until the spring so he was going to have to find a new place to reside until then. He began to wander over to the wooded area in the distance and peeked in. He wanted to see if he caught a glimpse of anything moving and when he didn’t, he took the time to step further in.
Before he knew it, he was surrounded by tree’s which he didn’t like. He didn’t like that confined feeling and it was one of the reasons the swamp was preferred by him. Anything could be hiding behind the tree’s he was passing that could cause issues for him and be more of an annoyance then anything else.
Then he noticed something in the distance. Something colorful and a pain to look at. A mare that appeared to be weak and part Cerynei from the look of her horns. This was better. She would be easy prey, which was exactly what he was looking for.
Stepping towards her, he flicked his tail trying to hide the smirk that wanted to creep up.
“You shouldn’t be out in the woods alone..” He said in a deep dead pan tone. He had always been terrible at being nice or even trying to act it. He just didn’t care to and this was no exception.
Word Count: 434 |
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2022 12:41 am
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Holly rose felt herself startle quite a bit, barely suppressing a shocked eep, at the sudden voice from behind her. She'd been so focused on tending to her garden, paying close attention to a few bushes that appeared to have a slug problem, that she didn't hear the large stallion walking up. Turning herself to look at him she eyed him up and down, teal eyes searching out any information she could find, before speaking, "Well I mean, this is my home and I live alone so of course I'd be alone in the woods..." She eyed him curiously. Horns, long tail, cloven hooves. An Ulun'suti by the looks of it, or at least a half blooded one. She didn't see a lot of his type around the forest. They mostly stuck to the swamps or desert where carrion was easier to come by, since they ate whatever was available at the time. As she examined him her eyes finally locked onto his and she did not like what she saw there. There was darkness in this stallion, a darkness she hadn't dealt with in a very long time. A slight shiver started in her legs as she wondered what he wanted from her. "Is there uh something I can do for you sir? Are you lost or do you need help?" She was still trying to be friendly even if the stallion had an off putting air around him. Gut feelings aside maybe he was just lost or wandered off from his intended path. She was willing to give the benefit of the doubt for now at least. That was at least how her mothers taught her to be. Fair and just and understanding and willing to give folks a chance. She couldn't help but wonder if her mothers had ever run across someone like this stallion though...
Word Count: 309 |
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2022 8:39 pm
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She screamed as the stallion charged her out of the blue. She'd been listening to what he'd been saying when the voice turned to a growl and then he was on the move. He missed his first lunge hitting a tree behind her causing it to shake and shed pine needles all over the place. Another scream from her as he turned and came at her again this time his teeth finding purchase in her back flank. Terror had turned her blood to ice but terror also had this funny way of giving someone strength. The pain from her wound searing bright she ripped her leg away from his teeth, flesh parting and blood spurting. He hadn't seemed to hit an artery which was a gods sent favor!
Once she was free of his teeth she ran and ran and ran. She ran until she didn't hear his pursuit anymore leaving her home, memories, everything behind. Tears streamed from her eyes. She's lost everything to a hungry predator! He only wanted to eat her...
When she finally stopped at a lake south from her home she found refuge in an under hanging bank with a little moss but mostly mud. Laying down there to rest she felt every muscle in her body tremble. From exertion yes but also from fear. She never been so scared in her life. Despite living in the forest all this time she'd never run afoul of someone like Reaver. Someone who just wanted to eat her. "My gods..." She said to herself, even her words trembling.
She could never go back there. Not ever. She'd risk losing her life if she tried because now he knew where she was at and there was always the chance he'd return to finish the job.
Fear, pain, loss, exhaustion. Everything finally caught up to the mare and she felt her vision growing dark. She passed out then and there, wound still leaking blood from the teeth that tore her fur and flesh.
---
When she woke the next morning the mare was surprised she was even still alive. She was sure she wouldn't wake up at all or that he'd of found her somehow. Carefully she rose, wound painful, possible infected, and limped off to the nearby herd she knew was summering there before winter, and hoped she'd be able to get them to help her. She also knew that she'd never trust another Suti again. It was a prejudice sure, but once born of action on the part of their kind.
Fear was a powerful thing and tainted all memories with it's darkness after all...
Word Count: 437 |
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