[ORP] The Flood

[gooberfeesh]

Even if there was enough room, Crimson Tears wanted to give the doe plenty of space to catch her breath. If she was like him, she had been swimming and fighting for her life for hours. “I’m alright,” he replied, nodding for her to have the small patch of land for herself. Upon getting her name, he instantly answered back: “I wish we could have met under better circumstances.” Even though she was wet and shaken from the flood, Sparks of Color was still a lovely Kimeti. That much he knew. It was rather…inspiring. But now wasn’t the time or place to spout out poetic lines.  

[Jun D]

"Oh, no, it is not hard," Vexed said cheerfully as she gently nudged the little filly downwards, "only a little wet." She did not enjoy being wet - especially not when what she got wet in was muddy and bloated with the dead (scrubbing, there would be lots of scrubbing later, when clean water can be found - then she can get her coat perfectly white again, yes, Vexed, stop thinking about how smudged and smeared it is right now, scrubbing later, scrubbing) - but she wasn't about to prejudice Be Mine against the waters she would have to coax her into no matter what. "Most of us can swim - naturally!" she had found that out the hard way as a child, "you might already know how, but just have had to find some water deep enough first - like this."

She dipped a speculative hoof, then slid in as carefully as she could manage, turning to the filly with a tilt of her head. "Just get in slowly, like I did, and kick your legs - like I am," demonstrating with a few deliberate strokes, "don't worry - I'll be right here. If anything happens, just hold on to me - I never tire," (a bit of hyperbole), "I have strong legs, thanks to my work!"  

[Jun D]

Dark quirked a brow-ridge at Night's carefree sport; as Charm smiled, so did she. "Come, little one," she said softly to the foal across her back, who had long been distracted by the series of chirps and mews Far had conversationally engaged in, supporting what spilled off her of it by her side (did the kiokote foal understand her cheetah's vocalisations better than she? Ah, well! Perhaps it was a racial gift.), "it will all be over soon; perhaps that is your uncle or aunt over there."

Quickening her pace, she caught up with the siblings - indeed, the dark shape was a grey kiokote, and there were others of the kind with it. Her foal was already starting to stir and lean up towards its larger counterparts...yes, this would be best for it.  

[Ruriska]

Be Mine obediently moved down to the other end of the tree trunk. She didn’t mind being wet. It was Fall that seemed to dislike it the most; always puffing out his feathers and carrying on when it rained. The foal peered into the murky flood water and wondered what was underneath. But that was a thought she didn’t want to dwell on for long and she quickly shoved it aside, focusing instead on Vexed as the older female slipped into the water.

Well, it didn’t look so bad. “I’m coming in…” Be Mine announced and copied Vexed; first putting a hoof in with a deliberately thoughtful face and then prepared for the task of getting the rest of herself in. But they were both saved a bit of time when the tree chose that moment to budge slightly and the movement sent the foal tumbling forward into the water.

She dropped like a stone; then her instincts and Vexed’s words kicked in and she started to move her legs. A few seconds later her head popped back up again and she paddled desperately to the side of Vexed.  

[Flayre The Pyro Girl]

The foals with Charm and Night perked their ears when they caught sight of the grey kiokote ahead; elder kiokote! They could be with their kind again! And maybe there was a council doe who could help them! Charm turned her head and gently nipped her passenger. "Careful, lovely, lest you slide off and under water. If you go down, I may not be able to find you in all the murk. Stay still, and we'll have you to the kiokote in a short while."

Night's filly had let go of his tail--something he missed already; it was fun having a youngling tag along behind him--and was swimming steadily along his flank. "Do you think my mama will be there?" she asked the buck. "Can we go back to the plains, or are we going to stay here?" Night had few answers. "I hope your mother is there"--he'd have to go find his own mother, and possibly his father too, though he knew both of them would have survived well enough. But he worried, and he wanted to reassure himself. Charm would understand. "You might stay here in the Swamp for a while, would that be okay? Or do you want to go back to the plains?" If the young's mother was not located, maybe he could talk Charm into letting her stay with them? But likely the kiokote would adopt the orphaned foals. But there was hope. Maybe she would want to stay with him.

They reached the grouping of kiokote quickly, and Charm called out again, "We have kiokote young! Please, pardon me," she said to a kiokote swimming out, "we have three foals here."  

[fluorescein]

Doom was worlds away, half paying attention to Look-See's rescue and trying to focus on the black and white doe with the overeager eaglehound in front of her. She spotted a brown kiokote surrounded by kindred spirits. She vaguely registered the teasing and the threat emanating from the kimeti and pal in front of her. She looked at them without really seeing. Totally not her scene. Reversing course, she left Gloom and Lull to their own devices as she swam forward, noticing the slowing current. Look-See was on the way.

Silent communication bypassed between Doom and Gloom. He watched her swim away. Gloom regarded the stranger. Resourceful. Hmm. Necessary, even. The waters had slowed to a more peaceful rhythm. They were all but side-by-side now. In proper society, he was sure obligations meant he made small talk. Ha! He regarded the eaglehound. Such a shame they weren't larger. Something was nagging him, a most unwelcome emotion. And just as swiftly as the thought came, so did two strangers. He felt something bump into his raft. Reflexes kept him from barreling forward face front. He didn't snarl, but he wanted to. Turning his head he saw his assailants. He looked on with a feeling akin to relief. A watersnake had wrapped its body around a crane and both radiated pissed off intentions. The side of his mouth tugged down. It's not like he intentionally forgot them. Without asking, they jumped onto Lull's log, the swan huffing in annoyance with exhaustive notes soon following. Well la de da, Gloom mused.

Look-See barely registered the kind words and tried hard to remember Thoushalt's name. It had been a while since she had to. The youngest of their group was Strawberry Hill and that was ages ago. Still, she rested her head on his backside, too tired to do any more. Her hair trailed over his sides. She heard or felt the others nearby. Relaxing a bit, she surveyed her raft. "We match" she finally said.  

[Jun D]

Whoops. That wasn't how Vexed'd intended Be Mine's first swimming lesson to start. She was over in a flash - and thankfully soon did the little head pop back out of the water. "Are you alright?" she inquired anxiously, "you can climb onto my back if it's too much." She shot a dirty look at the stupid tree, which would have to pick that time, of all possible times, to budge. ...Okay. Now, stop staring at the bird, Vexed.  

[Amizade]

"Yes, from that direction," the buck said, nodding towards the voice.
"I'm rather glad you're not dead too!" said Pearlfisher. But his eyes widened and he drew his head back quickly when the young doe touched him on the nose. Was this normal behaviour? Perhaps she was feeling unwell... (Tooth looked like she would make the doe feel unwell if she wasn't already.)
At her bright smile, Brume relaxed. The doe looked so joyous, surely she was fine. In fact, surely everything was okay. This flood seemed to be more of an adventure than a disaster now.
"A pleasure to meet you too, Stumble. You may call me Brume if you want," he replied, smiling in return.

The buck moved over to allow more room for the doe. Whether he noticed the doe's crippled legs or not was uncertain, as his facial expression didn't change, the smile remained in his face and his eyes. The snake however, hissed as the doe moved closer to her owner.

"Now Tooth, settle down, settle down..."
The doe's enthusiasm was infectious, and Brume was feeling rather excited now. "LET'S GO!"
And with that, they were paddling towards where they hoped Hollyhock was.  

[Ruriska]

Be Mine focused on making her legs move in a rhythm that would keep her head above water, but she utterly grateful for Vexed by her side and the support she provided. She was quickly growing tired and so with a bit of paddling and manoeuvring the little foal half hoisted, half swam onto adults back. “… is that okay…?”

Fall had alighted in the branches of a nearby tree and he kept up a constant stream of twittering while he watched.  

[Jun D]

"Yes," Vexed said lightly as she shifted to move the foal more securely across her back, "and you have done so well! You know how to swim now, Be Mine, so you need never fear a flood - or a pond - again. Now leave the rest to me, I'll show you my home." Or what's left of it. Oh, her feather collection...her heart wept at the thought. Which reminded her - "Tell your little bird not to get left behind!"

Time passed as they passed interminable stretches of rank water, the occasional bloated body strewn left and right. Not that she would ever admit it to the little foal she was ferrying, but her legs were beginning to sink with her spirits. The swamp had changed...they were headed north in some way, but she wasn't sure she could find home anymore. But - ah! She was starting to be able to feel touches of ground beneath her hooves...surely they were nothernward enough that - there!

OH! The old mangrove in which she made her home came into sight, and though she could see a good part of it was underwater in a way she was hardly used to...her feather collection! Much of it still hung where she had painstakingly wound and tied them, among the verdant leaves. "Here is my home!" she cried as she kicked to a stop where the tops of the old mangrove roots peeked through the water, her grateful joy bleeding into her words - hah! They had laughed at her for risking life and limb, carefully climbing and stepping along the branches to stash her precious collection, back then. Who was laughing now?!  

[Shiningamisgirl]

Thunderstep snorted gruffly at the gray ones words. He'd not expected to offer any help, but the calls of others rang loudly with the sight of more approaching their ever growing, ragtag group. Younglings, little foals and fillies, not a hooves width higher then his haunches. Thunderstep supposed he'd have to do something, even if it was something so little as following the others example and offering up his log.

It wasn't too hard a thing to do, the water was sluggish and gentle flowing now, the only worry would be for those who couldn't swim and the little ones. "You have foals, and we have room for them.." Thunderstep replied gruffly, slipping from his perch and back into the water with shiver and small splash, pushing his own log along towards the others. "You've more need of this then I" So many little ones, it was a wonder any had survived, though it only bespoke to the strength of both races. The Kiokote and Kimete, surviving despite the disaster. "The water is being easy now, surely we can find safer perches for them if we keep following the flow."
 

[theCorniest]

Rockface yelled and yelled, and stared and glared, and then he saw a bright blue doe with wavy stripes very like Holly's some ways away - she was rather different-looking, really, but he'd be willing to believe that they were siblings. And in any case, he really wanted to get this doe away from him to family and safety.

To this end, he ceased his shouting and said to Hollyhock, "I think that's your sister over there, maybe you should call her."  

[Ruriska]

Be Mine smiled as she relaxed on Vexed back; her heart warmed by the praise she had just been given. She was very glad she had done well. “It’s okay; he will follow.” Indeed Fall’s gaze never left the foal as he hopped and flew from branch to branch.

During the journey through the swamp Be Mine spent most of it with her eyes closed. After the first few bodies, tangled in high mangrove roots and partly obscured by mud, the foal decided she really didn’t want to see anymore. She shoved down any perky thoughts that said ‘that one there might be your father’ and focused instead on the ceaseless calling of Fall For You.

She was actually drifting into an uneasy sort of sleep when Vexed’s hooves hit ground and then they were clambering up and out. Be Mine slid from Vexed’s back as they came up out of the water and took some time to orientate herself, her legs nearly giving out underneath her. But she quickly shook strength back into them and trotted up alongside Vexed; her little tail curled up happily. Nothing could match the joy of suddenly feeling safe and away from danger.

“It’s lovely.” She breathed. “The feathers are so pretty.” Where the feathers had come from never quite crossed her mind.  

[Jun D]

"You think so?" Vexed called happily as she clambered onto the lower branches (not so far from the waters now, oh well) and nosed through her treasures, "I'm so glad!" Cocking her head to eye the little filly speculatively, she disappeared into the leaves round the back of the tree. A bout of rustling, followed by intent silence, then another bout of rustling - finally, she re-emerged, hopping off the branches with a feather held carefully in her mouth.

It was a songbird's plume, fading from pale pink to a dusky green. Leaning over, she pressed the tip behind the foal's ear. "There," she proclaimed with satisfaction, tilting her head to indicate her own adornments that had miraculously remained through the flood, "just like mine. It's been tree-sapped, so it should stay on for a bit - but don't worry if it comes off, I have plenty more." Her entire collection, still intact. What were the odds of that? 8D