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 Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:58 am
"Pity" Pirata told the pale mare "Mine is the only true path to greatness. Spend your life in servitude to the weak if you desire, they shall only constrain you, chain your abilities to their misguided ideals until you are but a fragment of what you could be...what you should be.." She told the pale mare, a tempting lilt in her voice. The mare was young...by her motions Pirata deduced likely still in training, while she had no desire to gain another worthless minion there would be great joy to be had in turning a rescuer into a murderer. "Kill the mare...join me and mine, I will let you gain your true potential..."
She attempted to put an enticing look on her face - it was rare to find someone who was not willing to consider the thought of gaining power, even the most gentle of Soquili often had something in their past, some event, some individual in which they would like to have power over.
"By turning me into a slave?" Mercy stated with a shake of her head even as she attempted to slink around the side of the slave so that she could reach blue mare. "That hardly seems like reaching my full potential...helping those who can not help themselves is a far greater calling then selfishly serving myself...or joining one such as you and spreading nothing but cruelty throughout the land.I am sorry for whatever event transpired in your life to make you so very angry and sad..it must have been a terrible thing to make you lash out like you are. You can save yourself..but only if you set aside the hatred in your heart. Let the mare go and come with us willingly, we will help you heal." Mercy offered - though she was sure that the mare would refuse, while she truly believed that everyone had goodness in them somewhere..she also knew that not everyone was willing to embrace it.
"Don't listen to her!" Supreme told the pale mare, suddenly afraid that her apparent rescuer would be swayed by Pirata's lies. However it seemed that she didn't have to worry about that..instead the pale mare offered to help Pirata change. If she wasn't in such a dire situation at the moment Supreme might have laughed outright. There was not saving the spider mare. "She is vicious and cruel..you cannot save her, kill her and save the world form her torments" She encouraged the pale mare. Trying to dart forward as the pale mare tried to slink behind her, hoping to help and expose the blue mare to the other's menacing horn. One good stab was all that it would take and Supreme could think of no way in which the world would be worse off if Pirata was dead.
Pirata snarled as Supreme opened her mouth to add her worthless thoughts to the discussion, but the tan mares words had all but shown that there was no point in attempting to convert the alicorn any further. "You are as stupid as the thought behind your name" She spat at Mercy, even as she attempted to keep Supreme under control and between herself and the other mare. Finding that it was proving to be a difficult task she decided to give the alicorn something else to think about. "Feed my loves!" She told her spiders in a cooing voice. "Feed on the foolish and show her the error of her ways!" She encouraged them and drumming their legs in response the spiders hopped from her and onto Supreme, from there launching themselves at Mercy while Pirata laughed.
Agave felt the spikes connect and a brief spark of victory coursed through his mind..but the victory was only short lived and the fight far from over. Although his maneuver had given him a few moments to reorient himself and certainly saved him from the grasp of his colorful nemesis...it did not save him from the follow up attacks.
Whirling out from under the massive stallions weight Agave sought to avoid the flashing hooves, however he was not quite quick enough and ragged slash opened on his shoulder as at least one of the others hooves struck true. Gritting his teeth Agave refused to cry out at the searing pain, to cry out only showed weakness..that much had been beaten into him until he was certain of it. At least the strike to his neck and chest had missed its mark and with a quick jerk of his head Agave was able to turn the stallions bite aside and teeth that orginally would have crushed he bridge of his nose and hindered breathing only drew a shallow gash across his cheekbone. Half rearing he brought his forelegs up and then launched himself at the other stallion with all the power in his hind legs, spiked forelegs seeking to tear into the other's chest, while a mouth, gaping wider then a normal Soquili's was twisted towards the others neck in hopes of slashing open the jugular..or getting a strangulation hold.
Ironforge was ready when the mare charged for him again, settling his weight and waiting for the right moment to respond. He had hit her - but not nearly as hard as he would have liked, her ability to avoid his strike had only cemented his earlier thoughts. This was not a mare to be trifled with and he had been right to take her on himself. Kale was good but he was not quite up to the armored mares level..not yet.
When her foreleg lashed out at him Ironforge responded, exploding into action as quickly as she had struck. Rather then completely avoid the blow however she merely shifted slightly sideways relying on his shaggy coat to protect him from what would have normally been a grazing blow, instead he focused on defending from her headress..false horns that could no doubt do as much damage as the real thing when used properly - and he was sure that the mare had spent a great deal of time learning how to use them to her advantage. Still he had horns of his own and twisting his head he blocked her strike, ignoring her teeth, secure in the knowledge that she would get no purchase with them at this angle with his shaggy coat in the way. Instead he lashed out with forelegs, attempting to strike at the leg she had extended to hit him as her chest seemed to be protected with a breastplate of sorts.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:25 am
Curse this stallions shaggy coat. It would take a great blow in order to rip through it and hit actual flesh. That did not deter She-Ra in the slightest and in fact increased her resolve to put an end to his life. He would earn his death as a fellow warrior but that was where their similarities ended. He was on the side of good, or so he likely thought, but She-Ra knew that her side was the true way and no matter how many knights and warriors came this way she would always remain on this side. A loud crack broke through her mind as the stallions horns collided with her golden headdress. Unlike the stallion, whose horns grew from a thick skull and were designed to take such an impact and lessen it, She-Ra's headdress afforded her no such luxury. Pain flashed in her head as the impact drove her headdress hard into her skull. She pushed it back only a moment later but it had been enough to reduce her reaction time.
Her teeth clamped down on fur, and not wanting to miss anything she gave her head a snap tug, pulling at the mouthful of fluff. The stallions cloven hoof bit into her extended leg and that only infused her with more hatred. He had to die. Pulling her leg back, ignoring the pain it caused She-Ra spun around, pushing off with her hide legs, propelling herself to the other side of the stallion. As she moved the snapped her teeth at his face. Landing she kicked out with her back hooves aiming for his shoulder and throat, while putting a slight spin her body so that she would face the stallion a moment later.
Come on, let go of the rope! She wasn't sure how much longer she could stand here and watch while the mare was used as a shield. But she had to give Mercy the chance to make the mare drop the rope first. If Camaria threw herself into the fight in order to free the mare from her tether the plan might go awry. Patience, it was part of her job and in this moment Camaria had be to extremely patient. She kept her attention on the surrounding area still, making sure the numbers on one side were no increased. So far, so good, but they longer the battle raged on the better the chances of someone coming in were.
His hoof had hit the mark on the shoulder but Kale did not like that single victory distract him from the fight itself. One blow did not mean a win but it could mean a loss if one let it get to their head. The disturbing taste of blood and flesh filled his mouth as his teeth took purchase on the green stallions cheek and ripped free a piece of it. The green stallion reared up and Kale only had a single moment to see what his opponent was up to. He knew his bulk would not afford him the luxury of avoiding this completely so he had to make a split decision, avoid the spikes but let the stallion latch onto his neck or save his neck and take the spikes in the chest. His chest was wide and muscular, while the wound there would hurt it would likely not be life threatening, but if the green monster got those large jaws around his neck then it would be the end for sure. Time was up he had to move.
Kale twisted his large body, pushing himself into the stallions spiked legs. He could feel the flesh on his chest rip open, warm blood flowing from the fresh wound, as blood also continued to pour from his check. He swung his head and neck around, narrowly avoiding the stallions massive jaws and then threw his entire weight forward, doing so ripped the spikes along his chest but gave him the opportunity to use his weight to his advantage trying to unbalance his opponent. His head swung up and around, aiming to slam it into the bottom of the beasts jaws.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:20 am
"Even the vicious and cruel can be redeemed if they want to be" Mercy told the brown mare, though the 'want' there was the key factor. Mercy had already deduced that the blue mare had no interest in such a redemption..and her thoughts were confirmed when the blue mare set her pets upon her. Throwing herself backwards from the arachnid Mercy lashed out at one of the eight legged creatures, catching it in mid air and sending it sprawling away from her, the second landed on her side and delivered a painful bite.
It felt as though lighting flashed along her side as the spider bit her and Mercy couldn't help but cry out, whirling in a circle and thrashing her wings in an effort to dislodge the creature the alicorn cried out once more when the efforts were all in vain and the spider bit her again. The fire in her side was maddening an she was on the verge of panic when Kale's words floated back into her mind, 'calm and careful.Think before acting.' had been his advice and they calmed her now and in calming a thought came to her. Quicker then a flash she turned her head and speared the arachnid with her horn, flicking her head about to send the speared creature flying. It landed in the dirt some distance away where it writhed in pain for a few moments before curling up in death's embrace.
Mercy did not see this however, her attention was already turning to the spider she had knocked aside earlier, the beast was already scurrying back in her direction, apparently having recovered from it's earlier knock. The bites on her side were hot and tight - Mercy knew without looking at them that they were angry and swollen, she did not know if the spiders were venomous but it they were she certainly did not want to be bit again.
Pirata's laughter continued as the tan mare whirled about like a maddened tornado. "The spider's bite is a painful thing..you remember don't you Mud? The fire...the feel of fangs piercing flesh, your rescuer experiences the same thing and it is likely she will decide you not worth the trouble afterwards" She told the brown mare, speaking softly in the other's ear, her tone almost sweet and motherly.
Her eyes remained locked on the whirling mare however, her joy in the terror her spiders were causing evident in her multiple eyes..but wait, what was this? The mare was slowing and.. "NOOO!" PIrata shrieked as the mare's horn pierced the spider. Forgetting about the slave Pirata cast the rope down in favor of running to the wounded spider. Nudging it softly she murmured endearments and encouragement to the beaten creature, when it became evident that the arachnid was past any help she could possibly give her blazing eyes turned upon Mercy and shrieking in fury and pain she charged.
Supreme couldn't help but shudder as she felt the spiders land upon her, this was it then, Pirata was going to order them to eat her before the tan mare's eyes. How cruel to be so close to freedom and rescue only to die before reaching it, but no, that was not to be, almost as soon as she thought such things the spiders were launching themselves off her back, using her as a springboard in order to get to the tan mare "Watch out!" She cried even as the alicorn shied away to try and avoid the creatures.
She had moved too late however and Supreme watched as the mare panicked in the face of the spider's bite. She had seen such reactions many times and the sight of it now, couple with Pirata's words only made her recall her own various bites, the areas although long healed almost throbbed in sympathy.However the effect was short lived when the alicorn mare turned the tables on the spider and handily killed one. Supreme mentally cheered and might have even called out in appreciation for the act...had not Pirata cast down her rope in her fit.
I am free.
Supreme thought, almost paralyzed by the sudden turn of events to her fortune and while she had a brief thought to help the alicorn and her comrades against Pirata and minions her fear at failing, at being recaptured was so great that she could bring herself to do nothing but bolt. The end of her rope had barely hit the ground before she was making a mad dash for freedom.
Agave's jaws snapped shut with a sickening clack as the other stallion mimicked his earlier move and slammed his head into his bottom jaw. Thankfully the rainbow colored stallion did not possess the spikes that he himself did or the painful blow would have been much worse. As it were the strike made his head ring and his vision blacken for a moment. He barely had time to savor the feel of his leg spikes ripping into the stallions chest.
Regaining his senses he became aware of the other stallions attempt to unbalance him with his superior weight and felt his hind legs buckling under the pressure. he was going to go down it seemed but if that was to be the case he would at least make sure that he did so on his own terms. Twisting sideways and ripping his spikes free from whatever flesh they still managed to cling to Agave left himself fall..but now his heavily spike back was under the stallions weight and if the beast intended to try and pin him..he would have to impale himself to do so. There were not many who were willing, indeed in Agave's experiences most tended to shy away from such self injury. Then again this stallion had already driven himself into his spikes once, he could very well do it again.
While he fell Agave caught a glimpse of Supreme, free from his mothers grasp suddenly make a dash for freedom. "Run Supreme! Run!" He called out in encouragement to the mare. What a curious thing for the evil stallion to call out.
Hair flew around them as She-ra tore at his hide, the insignificant pain of the hair loss barely registering in Ironforge's mind as he focused on the battle at hand. He felt his hoof strike home , but had no time to assess how much damage he had managed to do as the more wasted little time in attacking in return. Jerking back he felt her teeth snare a furrow across his muzzle but it was not a significant wound - more more serious then the surface graze he spotted on her leg when she flashed past. Certainly it seemed as though the two of them were quite evenly matched.
No matter - while beating her would likely take a days worth of battling, until one or the other was slowly worn down Ironforge only had to keep her occupied long enough for the brown mare to be spirited away and the rest of his comrades to disengage and make an escape. To that end he could afford to expend a bit more energy then he might have should he foresee a lengthy battle ahead. Rearing as she kicked out at him he lashed out with his forelegs aiming for her hocks as he legs flashed close, the tender joint that would almost certainly cripple her should he strike them, but no the spin on the mares body saw them out of his grasp and she was facing him again.
This time it was up to him to make the first strike, and he rushed, feinting a strike to once side, as though he meant to try dashing by and battering her with her horns as he had earlier..only to duck to the other side a stride before reaching her and try to snag her already injured leg with a powerful blow of his horns.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:48 am
Adrenaline coursed through her body as she continued to assault on the stallion. Neither of them had made much headway, a bite here, and kick there but nothing to say who had the upper hand. This was no walk in the park fight like she was used to and She-Ra was fueled by it. How many months had she longed for a true challenge? Oh Agave was a challenging enough sparring partner, but she had trained him and knew the beast had little capability of thinking for himself so always resorted to the same moves. She saw the stallions legs come down, an aimed kick meant for her back legs but she had spun out of it's way. This would be a long and glorious battle.
"Run Supreme! Run"
Those words cuts through her concentration. It was Agave yelling. That traitorous b*****d! The distraction had been enough for She-Ra to miss the fact that the shaggy stallions charge had been a feign. Pain screamed in her leg as his large horns slammed into the gash. "AGAVE!" She screamed. How dare he betray them? Betray his mother? They should have killed that slave ages ago. The blow to her leg pushed her back. Stumbling She-Ra quickly caught her balance and surged forward again, ignoring the extreme pain that flared up from her leg. These intruders needed to die, every last one of them and then she would deal with the traitor, providing him with a painful death. She was blind with rage. Lowering her head as she raced towards the stallion she swung it up once more towards his jaw, while kicking out with her from legs meaning to cut through his fluff and rip his damned side open.
Finally! It had seemed agonizingly long standing here waiting for the brown mare to be released from the blue demons hold. Instantly Carmaia's wings beat as the mud colored mare launched herself from the perch. She flew low over Ironforge and the armored mare so he would know she was doing her part of the rescue and it would tell him the mare was on her way to safety. For a moment she watched as the brown mare simply stood there, perhaps she was afraid to run or she hadn't realized the rope had been dropped. And then to Camaria's relief the mare began to run. With strong wing beats Camaria came up onto the brown mare quickly. "Follow me! I'll guide you to safety!" And I'll keep a look out for trouble along the way, Camaria added mentally. She stayed in the area, so as to have a better vantage point of their way out and to watch out for patrols they might run in. But she was also certain to keep an eye on the brown mare, to make sure she followed. A quick glance behind her told her she was and that the battle further behind them was still raging on.
His skull slammed into the stallions jaw and he could see a flash of pain in the brutes eyes. It gave him half a second to reassess the situation. Kale could not hold back the scream of pain as the green stallion twisted, pulling the spikes through his chest, ripping more flesh. The pain was like nothing he had ever felt before. It took a lot to push that back. In all his training and in those few times he had used his skills as a fighter he had never received an injury to this extent. With the pain forced to the back of his mind for the moment Kale felt the stallion shift underneath him as the stallion lost his balance. He was coming down towards the stallion and had two options, land his full weight on the beast but in the process impale himself fully on those rows of back spikes, or aim his two hooves at the creatures head and end this.
In that moment he was making his decision the oddest thing happened. The green brute yelled out to the one they had come to rescue, telling her to run. Kale had never expected this and it made him rethink his move. He should kill the beast, end this evil but now he was wondering if the stallion was as truly evil as he looked. Battle was not the time to change ones mind, and while Kale may very well regret this move he felt it was the right thing to do. Instead of going for the killing blow his hooves came down on either side of the stallions head, which effectively kept him from the spikes. The his teeth were snapping at his neck. Evil must be destroyed, yet he knew it was possible to turn individuals away from evil, could this stallion be one of those cases. He wouldn't let his guard down though, the stallion's words may have been a rouse to trick Kale, and he could not afford to suddenly giev his opponent the upper hand.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:25 am
The scream of rage and pain behind her was enough for Mercy to know that Pirata was less then pleased at the demise of her pet. Snorting she lashed out at the lone spider still coming towards her, stamping her front hooves into the ground as hard as she could and satisfied when the eight legged beast shied backwards clearly not wishing to share the fate of its fellow.
It's retreat gave Mercy enough time to glance towards Pirata..but not nearly enough time to move when she realized that the blue mare had released the slave and charging towards her. The mare did not slow at all but barreled straight into her in a fit of rage and Mercy found herself taken clean off her feet in an instant. Tumbling to the ground she scrambled to right herself, brandishing her horn, still covered in the gore from the spider at the blue mare to keep her back while she did so.
How dare she! How dare that insignificant little whelp kill on of her spiders, her rage was so terrible that Pirata was seeing in red, no heed was paid to the rest of the battle and what was happening elsewhere, instead her sole focus was on the tan mare with the pink wings and streaks in her hair. Death...A horrible painful death,was the only suitable answer for the sin the pale mare had committed.
Not slowing for an instant Pirata slammed into the pale mare with all the force she could muster, a vicious look on her face as she relished in the mares flailing. "Away my love" She called to the remaining spider "I will avenge your sister" Snarling she stalked forward, ignoring the brandished horn with a sneer upon her face. "You think I fear your horn? You are dirt beneath my hooves, I fear your little spike no more then I fear the thorns upon a rose" She snapped.
Supreme had barely gone a few strides before a shadow appeared over head, at first the brown mare shied away, fearful that another of Pirata's minions had appeared to give aid to her tormentors, but the voice above called down something entirely different and while she did not know the mare she certainly couldn't be any worse then the hell she was trying to escape from. Agave's voice from behind only cemented her decision, though a part of her realized that the green stallion had revealed himself and so..almost certainly sentenced himself to death.
Accordingly she adjusted her path to follow the low flying mare, quite sure that wherever she was being led it had to be a better place. Anywhere was better then in Pirata's grasp - especially without Agave's protection. "Where are go?" She called up to the flying mare, adrenaline spurred her on at the moment but Supreme knew that such things would not last and in her condition she wasn't sure just how far she could go at this pace.
Agave stilled as the shadow came down from above - the distraction of calling out to Supreme had ruined any chance he might have had to defend himself from the incoming strike...and only moments later the rage filled scream from his mentor made him realize that the shout out had done even more then simply distract him from his battle - it had clued She-ra in to his inner betrayal.
In that light Agave was almost glad that he would die at the rainbow stallions hooves instead, and closed his eyes to accept the blow...when the shuddering thump of heavy hooves hitting ground instead made him open them again, instinct making him snap back at the other stallions muzzle, at attempt to save himself from the strike to his neck before quieting again. "Kill me quickly, or she most certainly will" Agave told the rainbow stallion, his eyes rolling towards the fight his mentor was currently engaged in "Your young mare seems to be having trouble as well.." He added, having caught sight of his mother ramming the alicorn. "But you will not have Supreme, she has escaped my mothers hell and you will not catch her to take to yours" He taunted, seemingly under the mistaken impression that Kale and the others were rival tyrants looking for slaves to add to their own cause.
Distracted..she had been distracted by the green stallions cry thought Ironforge did not have the time to sit and study the thought further - nearly as soon as her attention had been diverted it was back again and the armored mare was on the attack once more - this time with anger fueling her strikes in a manner that even her previous rage looked like a child's fit in comparison. "Temper,Temper" He remarked to the mare in a chiding voice, although eh was not the type to spend a great deal of time chatting or throwing taunts during a fight once in a while it served a purpose..if he could make this mare angry enough that she made a mistake well..justice would be served completely.
Avoiding her headdress as it screamed towards his jaw was no easy task and while he jerked his muzzle up as far as it could go he still felt the headdress brush through his hair below. Close call. Her lashing legs were less easily avoided and thought he jumped sideways, one of them managed to find a way through his shaggy coat and drag a furrow down his ribs. Wheeling he lashed out at her with powerful hind legs, hoping to catch her in the face before she had time to recover from her earlier attack.
A shadow sweeping by over head drew his attention and he took note of Camaria as she signaled him that she was escaping with the slave. Good..they would keep the enemy occupied long enough to ensure the slave put some distance between them and then they would disengage.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:53 am
His taunts meant nothing to her. They were infantile. Taunts did nothing but distract one from landing blows. Her headdress missed the mark, but only just, as it came through the thick fur of his chin. This brute was pissing her off in a number of ways. That shaggy coat did a damn fine job of hiding his vulnerable spots and she couldn't tell for certain how thick it was. But it was enough to soften even a direct hit into something minimal. It was as good as having natural armor, while she wore some armor it was not as full of protection as this stallions coat.
At last she managed to puncture the protection of her coat as she felt her hoof take purchase on the flesh beneath ripping it open with a delicious sound. But her commitment to that strike had left her vulnerable for a moment, though she blamed Agave's treasonous act that her own inability to fight. Without that single distraction fueling her rage beyond anything and no longer allowing her to think clearly she had left herself open to the stallions hoofs. But she was not about to let them hit her if she could manage it. There was no way of avoiding it fully but She-Ra twisted her body away as best she could. The crack that echoed out as his hooves hit the side of her face spoke of the damage it had done. Her jaw may very well be broken but now was not the time to figure that out or dwell on the fact. It hurt like hell and he would pay for that.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the stallion who had been fighting Agave break off and charge after Pirata. What the hell? Though the mare Pirata was fighting was clearing lacking experience She-Ra knew Pirata was not a fighter herself, she was the brains of the operation. As She-Ra caught her balance after the stallions hooves connected with her face she made a decision she half regretted. She could not left that pair harm her mentor. She charged away from the shaggy stallion aiming for the now half rainbow half brown beast of a stallion that was slamming into Pirata. Letting out her own bellow she came between the alicorn mare and the large stallion. She swung her headdress at the alicorns neck, trying to drive her back while sending a kick with her back legs at the massive stallion.
Camaria's gaze swept over the land and she flew low leading Supreme away from the fighting. She could hear screams of rage and pain behind her and it almost made the yellow mare spin around to help out the others. But she could not afford to leave Supreme now, the others were trained for this type of thing and Camaria had faith they would make it out. "Quickly!" She called down to the mare, wanting to get as much distance between them and the others as possible. "Someplace safe." She finally answered the question. "There is a goat who wishes to see you free from this hell." Camaria added, thinking that mentioning the goat would help Supreme continue the run. It was a long distance to safety even this close to the edge of the mutant mare territory and they couldn't afford to slow down or stop until they were full clear from it.
Kale pulled his head back to avoid the stallions bite, but made no further move to attack. He remained poised, ready to resume the fight at a moments notice but had to listen to what the stallion had to say. The stallion wanted him to kill him, to avoid the death that was surely his by the golden haired mare. So there was good in this one. "We are here to rescue Supreme, not enslave her as our own." Kale said his voice low. With a split second glace up Kale realized the stallion spoke true, Mercy would need help. Be damned if he was going to let anything happen to her. He had a choice to make, kill the stallion and end it all, thus robbing him of possible redemption, or let him run and hope it was not another lie, of he could not afford to have the green spiked brute coming at his back when he helped Mercy.
"Get out of here. Don't make me regret this choice." His narrowed eyes stared at the stallion for a moment before pushing off with his hind legs, leaping over the stallion below him. Kale raced forward, hoping the stallion would take his advice and not turn on him now that his back was turned. He watched as Mercy fell to the ground under the blue mares assault. Supreme was no where to be seen so he could only hope Camaria was rushing her away. Kale let out a bellow of a challenge, lowering his head he came galloping towards the blue mare, shoulder aimed to slam into her and knock her clear from Mercy.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:35 am
Someplace safe - it was really almost to much to hope for and Supreme wondered briefly if this really was to good to be true, she even slowed slightly to consider making a break for the trees and loose herself from both parties, never mind the chances of eluding a winged one. But then the mare mentioned a goat."Lolly.." She breathed in an amazed tone - had her old friend actually managed to organize this rescue? The little beast was so shy around strangers it was almost impossible to believe and yet there was no way they could have known to mention a goat if it wasn't.
The reassurance was enough to make Supreme dig in and give running all she could again, ignoring the burning from her lungs and the muscle complaints from her legs. If she stopped now then Pirata and them would surely catch her...and she was still frightened enough of the mutant mare to know think that the others stood very little chance against her.
Agave was more then a little bit surprised when the stallion offered a chance even considering the injuries he had given him. In all his life he had never given mercy to a defeated foe that had wounded him - his training simply wouldn't allow it. But..his training had been wrong, he knew that now..knew it without a doubt.
When the rainbow and mud colored stallion jumped over him and galloped off Agave rolled onto his chest, getting his feet under him and pulling himself to his feet. He was wounded and dripping blood, he was almost certain that he had cracked some ribs in that last fall to boot...but there was still fighting going on. His mother seemed to be under siege now and although She-ra was rushing to her rescue they were outnumbered. He had to leave now while they were still distracted...but it was hard.
He knew that staying would mean his death, either by the attackers or his mothers own minions, but leaving meant striking out into a world he didn't really know. It meant leaving everything he had even known behind and as terrible as some of those things were they were still home. Anguish filled him, years of trained and forced loyalty warring with a change in his heart that had been growing ever more demanding since he had seen Aquitaine again.
Aquitaine.
There was more out in the world that he knew after all. Grasping hold of thoughts of her, he turned on his beleaguered mother and She-ra who was so desperately trying to help her and forced himself to run. He would go to the ocean, he would find her and she would help him.
Mercy was still getting to her feet, her eyes locked onto the blue mare as she advanced, the hatred in her voice was appealing and terrible. That there could be so much hate within one soul was horrible and saddening to a degree that Mercy hadn't even known existed. If the mare wasn't threatening to kill her she would weep for her and what must be her terrible life.
"From the dirt grows all things, it is the lifeblood of the world and if I am dirt I am happy to be it" Mercy told the advancing mare with sincerity in her voice even as she regained her feet and half spread her wings to prepare for the coming attack....before such an attack could occur however Kale was there, battering the mare aside in much the same manner that the blue had hit her only moments ago and then a flash of gold caught her eye and Mercy barely had time to avoid the metal headdress snaking towards her face with a half flying half hop backwards. "Kale!" She cried out a warning "Watch out!"
But if the golden mare was here..where was Ironforge? The thought entered her mind a brief second before the shaggy stallion came into view, clearly having followed the golden mare in her desperate attempt to save her leader.
The crack issuing from the golden mares face was more then enough to let Ironforge know that his strike had hit, perhaps it it had not caught her square on the jaw like he had intended but it had almost certainly hurt her...whirling around to face what he had assumed would be a follow up attack by the golden mare he was surprised to see her rushing off instead. Without waiting he launched himself after her, his eyes taking in the situation even as he did so. Agaves green opponent was quitting the field, taking off in the opposite direction that Camaria and Supreme had taken and Kale..kale was going to rescue Mercy and in doing so had drawn the ire of the Golden mare. putting his head down he dug in and demanded his legs give him more speed so that he could make it in time to even out the fight against Kale.
"Go Mercy!" Ironforge commanded as he skid to a halt and reared up to try and slam his hooves down on the golden mare - more of an effort to make her abandon her attack on Kale then with any hope they would actually hit. "We will be right behind you!" He promised, knowing that the alicorn would not leave otherwise. He hoped that enough time had elapsed and Supreme and Camaria had managed to make it out of the territory. With the fight changing swiftly there was no more time to wait, even though they outnumbered the foes now that the green stallion was speeding away - though Ironforge did not yet know why, Kale must have offered him the chance to retreat - Ironforge did not want to keep the fight going on much longer. Mercy was too inexperienced despite her great strides lately and Kale he could see was wounded from his earlier fight.
"Kale!" He spoke to the rainbow stallion, knowing that he would understand the plan now..let Mercy break off and then follow as soon as they could.
Pirata was so focused on the alicorn in front of her, so filled with rage and fury that she failed to even noticed the stallions approach until he slammed straight into her. With a muffled cry Pirata was spun sideways by the blow to her shoulder, staggering and stumbling she tried to keep her balance and finally managed to do so after turning a near complete circle.
The mud colored rainbow stallion was now between herself her target and inwardly raging Pirata hissed at the beast "You'll pay for that" She told him "You and the little brat behind you!" Almost before she could finish the words vengeance did indeed arrive, vengeance in the form of She-ra. Pirata half hoped that meant the golden mare had finished off the shaggy stallion but his arrival soon after her stated otherwise. She had yet to notice Agave's absence. "Kill them! Kill them all!" She commanded the mare with the utmost confidence that if anyone could pull it off it would be She-ra. Skirting around the outside of the battle Pirata made for Mercy again, multiple eyes drew into slits as she ran at her with teeth bared. The other two were for sure occupied enough with She-ra that she would be able to take out the weaking alicorn.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:06 am
Kill them all. It was a command and yet She-Ra already had that plan in mind. Kill these intruders and then hunt down Pirata's son and add his body to the pile. She wasn't sure if Pirata was aware of her sons betrayal but she would be in time and She-Ra was determined to put an end to his life before that happened. The shaggy stallion had followed her and now she was in a three against one situation, not that she was worried. But there was little room to move here, as the large rainbow stallion and shaggy stallion had her mostly boxed in. Pirata was moving against the alicorn again which gave She-Ra the time to concentrate on the two stallions. She twisted her hide end away from the larger of the stallions right before the shaggy stallions hooves came crashed down on her shoulder sending her sprawling back onto the ground.
But She-Ra was quick to recover and went after the shaggy stallion once more. Though it seemed their little team was calling for a retreat. She would chase them down and kill them one by one. As she reared up against the shaggy stallion she saw the other stallion turn and race away along with the alicorn mare. Hooves flashed as she kicked out towards the horned brutes face.
"That's the one." Camaria reassured the mare as they continued their hurried flight from the terrible lands that lay behind them. With each moment they gained more ground between them and the fighting. She couldn't hear it clearly now, they were too far away but she trusted that Kale, Ironforge and Mercy would make it out, though they would certainly need to see a healer based upon what she had seen. "We're almost there." In truth it was still a good run to get to their designated meeting place but she had to keep Supreme running, had to get her to safety. Ironforge was relying on her to do this and she would not let him down.
Kale had not bothered to look back to see if the green stallion had indeed ran or not, but the fact that he did not instantly fall to attack told him there was a chance that he had run. Kale was able to regain his footing after knocking the blue mare away, but before he could do much more than blink the golden haired mare was upon him, lashing out at him and Mercy. Right behind her was Ironforge. He heard Ironforge yelling at Mercy to run and hoped she wouldn't be foolish enough to ignore the command. He would stay just long enough to see that she was moving before peeling off as well. The golden mares hooves sank into his side but he had managed to side step enough to have them hit lightly enough to only cause a bruise. As Ironforge joined the fray Kale kicked out at the golden haired mares backlegs, between him and Ironforge there was no way the mare could avoid both attacks.
Ironforge's blow was the one that hit and while the mare hit the ground Kale took this opportunity to look over at Mercy. "Go!" He yelled at her as well, making sure she did as she had been told by both of them. Ironforge had also told him to run and making sure that Mercy was on the move Kale was right behind her, blood pouring from his various wounds. He kept his ears turn back to make sure Ironforge would be following behind them and to listen for the sound of anyone giving chase.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:49 am
Mercy lashed out with her forelegs as the blue mare came at her, aiming to drive her back if nothing else. Ironforge commanded her to leave and having been briefed on the plan and been told over and over again on the way here that it's success depended upon her actually listening to what they told her to do Mercy turned and raced off, ear's flicking back at the sound of pursuing hoofbeats. A twist of her head however revealed it not to be an enemy..but Kale.
Surely Ironforge would follow them soon.
Returning her focus forward Mercy flattened her ears and tried to run as swiftly as she could, it was difficult given the fire in her side from the spider bites and the dull aches in her shoulder from where she had been rammed, but it was imperative that they keep moving. That much she knew for sure.
Pirata was outraged when the alicorn struck at her, but wary of those cloven hoofs, danced backwards to keep from being harms, her rage at being struck at was nothing compared to the anger at seeing her enemy try and escape however..well most of her enemies, the shaggy stallion had stayed behind. No doubt to keep them occupied while they fled. She-ra was on the ground but Pirata was not worried, the mare was quick to recover and determined to make the shaggy stallion pay for what had transpired Pirata lowered her head and jabbed the spike on her head as deep into his side as she could, with She-ra to keep him occupied she had no doubt that her strike would ring true.
Although Ironforge desperately wanted to turn and ensure Kale and Mercy got away cleanly he knew that he could not. Instead he kept his attention on the armored mare, she was still the largest threat they had and as she struck out at his face he ducked the strike, bringing his head down and under her legs only to jerk it back up in the hopes of catching them on his horns or knocking her unbalanced and causing her to fall.
He was not counting on a strike from the blue mare however and bellowed in pain as the spikes from the top of the mare's head sank into his side. Jerking himself sideways he tore himself from the spikes,ignoring the fresh pain this brought upon him and set off after his friends as they raced away ahead of him.
Ironforge's pained cry from behind her made her check her speed and half turn to go back and help the older stallion. "Kale! Kale they'll kill him!" She cried, digging in her hind legs in an attempt to slow herself and turn.
Even as he raced towards him he could see Mercy slowing, turning back no doubt in response to his cry. Such a wonderful heart - even if it was not what he wanted her to do, the knowledge that she would have come back to help him in the face of such danger merely cemented what he already knew about her. Mercy would always do what was morally right..even if she wasn't supposed to. Kale he knew would have done the same..if the larger stallion didn't have the faith in him he did. "No Mercy! Keep going!" He shouted at her, lengthening his stride to try and catch up as the mare thankfully focused on escaping once more.
Supreme was tiring - it felt like she had been running forever and she had long ago stopped hearing the sounds of battle behind them though she knew that she had not been running nearly long enough in regards to what might very well be chasing her. "I'm sorry about your friends.." She gasped to the mare above, almost certain that they must surely be dead or dying by now.
Later on she would likely feel guilty that they had died saving her, in truth she wasn't all that sure that her own measly hide was worth that much of a price. Her mind to much on her thoughts and not enough on where she was going she stumbled as her tired legs hit a root in the ground. Regaining her feet however she went on.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:30 pm
Ironforge's move indeed did as intended as his horns collided with the bottom of her chest pushing her up and back. But the cry of pain from the stallion told her Pirata had also landed a blow on him and so the battle was not yet lost. Stumbling backwards She-Ra managed by some miracle to not flip over onto her back, but in the time it took her to recover the shaggy stallion had ripped free for Pirata's spikes and was running off. Once her hooves were back on the ground she glanced over at Pirata for but a split second before chasing after the stallion.
She-Ra chased after him for a short time before spinning around and returning to Pirata. Much as she hated to let the stallion and his companions get away there was something bigger nagging on her mind. If this group was bold enough to make a rescue attempt then what about others, was this one of many attempts to free slaves. Returning to Pirata's side She-Ra gave an annoyed snort. "We need to return to the mountain, there may be others breaching out borders and I need to rally the troops." She glanced in the direction of the escaping stallion. "They can run now, but I will hunt them down and kill them."
They continued on but Camaria could see that the mare was tiring. The poor thing, to go through so much already and then have to run all this distance. "I'm sure they are fine." Camaria called down, before tipping her wing and landing beside the mare at a run. "Stop and rest, I need to check on the others." Without waiting Camaria took to the air again, flying up higher. There in the distance was a trail of dust and after a moments wait she saw three figures running along the path. It took only a moment to realize it was Ironforge, Mercy and Kale. They had survived, all of them. A smile crossed her lips as she watched them running this way. There was no sign of the others pursuing them either, which was a very good sign.
"Ironforge and the others are on their way." She told Supreme as she landed once more. "We will only have a short time to rest before they are here and then we must get moving again. I'm sorry to push you so hard but we must get as far away from the mountain as possible." Surely Supreme would understand given what she had just escaped.
Kale's head swung around at Ironforge's cry of pain. Damn had he left the shaggy stallion too soon. His pace slowed slightly along with Mercy but the second he saw Ironforge running this way he bumped Mercy's side with his nose. "He's coming, we have to keep moving." A second later he heard Ironforge call out to keep running. They were all wounded and in great need of a rest but they needed to escape, to reach safety before stopping to rest and assess their various wounds. He could no longer feel blood pouring from the wound on his check which was good but the one on his chest still stung and fresh blood oozed with each step.
"You did good Mercy." He finally said as they ran hard. He knew she still needed plenty of training but after today she would certain appreciate all that they did to keep her as trained as possible at this point. Plus nothing beat actual combat to truly test ones skills opposed to sparring matches against opponents you trained with daily.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:32 pm
Supreme was having a truly hard believing that anyone who had a run in with She-ra and Pirata could be fine - but it seemed cruel to tell the flying mare that when she was so clearly hoping they would be. Hoping enough to make herself delusional about it. She was however more then grateful for the chance to rest and as soon as the mare gave her leave to do so Supreme stumbled to an exhausted halt and practically threw herself upon the ground.
Her coat was wet and foamy with sweat, her breathing harsh and haggard sounding. It would have been nice to find something to drink but to be honest she didn't have the energy to do so and as far as she could tell there was nothing in the area but half dead weeds and twisted trees. It was an ugly environment and she was certainly suffering from being in terrible condition..and yet despite it all Supreme thought it all the most beautiful thing she had ever seen..it was the first place she had been as a free mare in a long long time.
Despite the possible danger of doing so Supreme closed her eyes and attempted to catnap while the other mare was gone, she was sure the other mare would return to say that they were on their own now and should that be the case Supreme knew they would have to run a lot harder and a lot father then they had already. Her rest was hardly long enough however and she forced herself to open her eyes when the mare returned..her news enough to make Supreme stare at her gape jawed. "They survived? Are you sure....who is this Ironforge? Why would he risk this much for me?" Sure she could understand Lolly finding her help but actually assaulting Pirata and her minions seemed like an incredibly insane thing to do - the news that these four had somehow pulled it off - well it was just all so hard to believe after spending months watching the blue mare consolidate her power.
Assured by not only Kale alongside her - but Ironforge himself and further spurred on by the sight of of She-ra giving Chase Mercy needed no further encouragement to keep running. Being smaller then the others and lighter boned she was easily faster then both of the stallions and had little trouble keeping up with the pace they set once Ironforge caught up with them.
Stopping herself from looking back to see if the golden mare was still following them proved to be a harder task. "Did I?" She asked Kale between breaths as she ran "It was all so sad..how angry and cruel they were...something terrible must have happened to make them like that.."She told the stallion. The fire in her side was a harsh reminder of the anger in the blue mares eyes. "I think I killed her spider..I've never killed anything before" She added softly but wasn't sure if Kale had heard her. In any case this certainly wasn't the time to talk about things like that..not when they might still being chased. That was a discussion for another time. Once they had gotten well away from these lands and had their wounds seen to properly.
Having caught up with the others Ironforge surged ahead to take the lead, leading them through several stream beds and harsh terrains to make sure they lost the pursuing mare, it would do no one any good if he led her straight back to the mare they had just risked so much to rescue. They were all injured he knew and they were all grave need of a healer - but it would all be for nothing if they didn't take this extra precaution.
After several detours and a few trips back to check their trail while the other two rested Ironforge was at last satisfied enough to lead them to the meeting place and as they approached he was relieved to see Camaria's winged form high in the sky. To most she would simply seem like a bird, but Ironforge knew it was Camaria and when the winged form descended a few moments after it spotted them then Ironforge knew Camaria had seen them too.
"We are almost there" He assured the other two, especially the struggling Mercy who seemed to be having trouble with the bites on her side the most. They had swelled dramatically in the short time they had been running and Ironforge feared the spiders could have been poisoned. Getting her to a healer soon would be essential.
Slowing the pace to a more manage speed now that he was fairly certain no one was following them - though Camaria could tell him for sure - He led the weary team to the meeting area, nodding to Camaria as they arrived "Any signs of pursuit?"
Pirata was still infuriated by what had happened, but as the group fled with She-ra on their tails she had turned her attention to her spiders. One dead..the other still alive but clearly grieving the loss of its siblings. "She will be missed" Pirata agreed with the remaining spider, nosing the dead one sorrowfully. "But we shall honor her with one of your hatchling" She promised the other - it was no good to keep her pets alone, they were a social sort.
It wasn't until She-ra returned and spoke of possible other intruders that Pirata growled and belatedly realized that Agave was also missing. "Where is Agave?" She demanded, looking about but seeing no dead body or wounded green stallion that would give reason for his absence. Without waiting for She-ra's answer she headed back to the mountain. The mare could answer as they went "They get away for now" She told the mare "But we will hunt them down soon enough..that wretched mare killed one of my spiders." They had also stolen a slave but Pirata did not care overly much about that. She had plenty of slaves.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:58 pm
She-Ra looked over at the dead spider, though she was never fond of the beasts she would exact revenge on that alicorn for killing her mentors pet. But that thought was pushed to the back of her mind at Pirata's question. Damn that traitor son, he was going to cause so much hell now. She waited to answer the question, instead falling into step beside Pirata all the while staying alert to the area around them. Pain shot through her leg with each step but she ignored it, showing pain was for the weak. Even though the injury was bad she refused to even show the slightest hint of a limp. Her jaw thumped with pain as well, it was not broken as she initially thought it might be but that kick from the stallions hooves have broken off two of her teeth for sure. "We will get our revenge on them." She told Pirata confidently as they made their way back home.
Finally it was time to answer Pirata's question. "Agave has betrayed us and fled in mid fight." That b*****d would pay, with his life. "No one betrays us, betrays you. I will see that he is hunted down as well and punished for his traitorous ways." Although in the end she would follow Pirata's orders, if the spider mare wanted her son brought back and not killed then She-Ra would do that...although a bit begrudgingly.
Camaria looked down at the exhausted mare and smiled. "Ironforge is..." How could she describe the gruff stallion to Supreme. "the kind of stallion you are fortunate to have on your side." She glanced down the path towards the direction the group would be arriving from. "He is a knight, they all are. It is their duty to defeat evil and save those who are in danger." She could not yet see the trio but knew they would be here soon enough. Her gaze swung back to Supreme. "Just get some rest, they will be here soon." There was probably more Camaria could have told Supreme about her rescuers but the mare was so tired she wanted to make sure she got as much rest as possible before the group met up and continued their journey. "I'll keep a watch out while you do."
After a short while, too short for Supreme to get much rest Camaria watched the trio trot up. They looked fairly beat up, covered with cuts and blood but they had survived and the rescue had been a success. At Ironforge's question Camaria took to the sky once more there had been nothing earlier but she knew how quickly things could change. "All clear." She called from above them. "But you can't afford to stay long. They may be regrouping." She would remain in the air above the group to give them as much warning as possible if a second round of attacks were coming their way.
Kale nodded. "Unfortunately cruelty breeds more cruelty. And while they can't always be saved there is sometimes a chance of redemption for even the blackest soul." He did not mention how he let the green stallion go because the spiked brute had shown he was not truly evil, he had clearly been a pawn. Kale hoped the beast would turn from evil but who knows if he would be successful without some kind of help. He didn't say anything about the spider she had killed, now was not the time, but when they were back home and rest and healed then he would address this. This first kill was always the hardest even when it was for a good reason.
Kale was glad to see Camaria and Supreme at the meeting place and the large stallion pulled to a halt. His head swiveled around to check their path but as Camaria said they were alone for now. His breathing was heavy and his wounds would need to be treated. His gaze shifted back to Mercy. "You best lie down for a bit, we've all had a hard run." Not to mention her injuries, which looked swollen and tender. Kale's gaze ticked to Ironforge and he could see the shaggy stallions concern over their student. But what they all needed at this moment was a bit of rest before making the rest of the journey to true safety and the healer. Looking at Ironforge he saw his mentor had came out of the fight in fairly good condition, thanks to that shaggy coat of his no doubt. Now that they had stopped Kale took stock of his own injuries, with the adrenaline now fading the pain took hold again. He knew his cheek was torn up pretty good but the worst was his chest, even now it continued to ooze blood thanks to their flight. The healer would have a hay day fixing this. Sinking to the ground himself Kale took the opportunity to rest though doing so pulled at his wounds and put dirt in them. He had to ignore it in order to catch his breath. Once down he looked over at Supreme, the mare they had risked their lives for. "I'm glad you made it out safely." He said with a smile.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:40 pm
"I see" Supreme responded to Camaria after the mare had described her rescuer. Knight - she supposed it would have to be Knights who were brave enough to go after Pirata just for her sake. And trust Lolly to find Knights to help her, when she got back she would have to think of a suitable thank-you for the little goat...but how did you thank someone for saving your life?
When the other three appeared Supreme looked them over, the last time she had seen them they had been fighting and she guiltily recalled her own selfish decision to run and save herself at the time - she couldn't even say that she hadn't now they were rescuing her, as Mercy had told her right at the start. No she had run because she'd thought the rescue attempt doomed and she had been terribly wrong. By the wounds they sported however Supreme could see that the rescue had not come without cost and that made her feel even more guilty. "Thank you..I..I owe you all a great deal" She answered the rainbow stallion who had spoken to her. "I..know some herbal healing" She offered "Though I'm afraid I don't have the herbs..." So that did nothing at all to help but perhaps she could find the needed ones as they traveled.
Mercy pondered her mentors words as they traveled, glad that Ironforge had slowed the pace once he was satisfied they were not being followed. She however did not answer Kale's remark with one of her own - to be honest her mind was far to weary to come up with anything appropriate.
It was somewhat cheering to return and find the slave mare relatively well - if looking a bit exhausted. At the very least it meant their mission had been a success and they had achieved their goal - now all they had to do was get out of this terrible land and back to the herd. "It's okay" She told the mare as she took Kale's advice and lay down for a few moments "There are healers in the herd..good ones too" She knew this first hand as they had not so very long ago helped her recover from the vicious Kalona attack. Certainly her life as a Knight was far more healer filled then her previous in her home herd had been. Twisting her head she nosed the wounds on her side causing a sickly looking yellow fluid to ooze from them, wrinkling her nose she turned back and decided to just leave them alone.
Noticing the mare nosing the bite wounds Supreme grimaced slightly "Chickweed, you need chickweed - it draws out the poison, you should be okay as long as you find a healer within the next day or so..it is a very slow acting poison" She decided not to tell the mare that the effects while they might take a long time to kill her would grow more painful as the poison spread - and the recovering would take longer. "PIrata used to use the spiders to discipline the slaves" She explained how she knew this information "Once she had deemed they learned their lesson she would allow them to be cured..you would think such treatment would make the slaves rebel against her but oddly enough they are so grateful for the treatment that they thank her."
"Good deed are done for the sake of doing them" Ironforge told the mare as she stated she owed them. "Nothing is owed but your safe return to your friend." He concluded with a dip of his head before turning his attention to the trail behind them, flicking an ear to indicate that he had heard Camaria's response.
Although their trail remained clear the stallion was uneasy, hearing that Mercy was indeed poisoned did not help to ease that news..although apparently Supreme knew the cure and that was something at least. "We will rest until the sun falls another notch..then we move." He told the small group before going towards Camaria. It was a short rest, far to short for the weary troop, but all that he was willing to risk. "Suggestions for a clear and quick path out of her?" He knew the mare would have taken a look around before they arrived. She was far to observant and even a bit paranoid not to.
"Oh yes" Pirata agreed with hatred in her voice "And a terrible revenge it shall be" She promised as they walked along, the fact that She-ra had not immediately answered her about Agave was not lost on the mare - it meant of course that the news would not be good, but Pirata had already half suspected that.
"I see" She stated grimly as the mare finally relayed the information "Then a terrible fate will be his future as well..although I do not want to grant him a quick death, no he has betrayed his own mother, his cause..and he has to suffer for it. Suffer for a long ...long time" She told the golden mare, turning her many faceted eyes upon the other mare to make sure she understood. This would be no quick hunt and kill revenge..but something far more drawn out and brutal. Death in comparison...would almost be a blessing. Increasing her pace she moved towards the mountain, like the mare ignoring her wounds. "Quickly now...we go home to plan and fortify"
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:13 pm
Camaria set down beside Ironforge as the group called for a slightly extended rest. "The best path is to the east, it winds a bit to the south, has good cover in the off chance we are followed and will bring us to the trail that takes us to the herd faster than any of the other paths." It was not the only option, in fact there was a more direct path though it was through some rough terrain and she did not believe they could make it given their injuries and Supreme's exhaustion. but certainly the best given the various injuries to the group. "If anything happens we can cut south across the river, it's not too deep in this area and then make a run for the herd, but that is only if needed." Her gaze swept over the three Knights and the mare they had rescued, they all needed rest and a healers attention. "Let me double check the path before you set out." With that she unfurled her wings again and took to the air.
Kale nodded his head. "We live to help others, our reward is seeing those we help come safely through their experience and reuniting them with their friends and family." Anything else was just a bonus which they would often turn down, unless it was something simple like a place to sleep the night. In response to Supreme's explanation of the use of the spiders Kale shook his head. "It is a sad thing to hear and though it pains me to know there are others suffering such a fate each one we rescue brings us closer to freeing them all." He went silent for a moment before continuing. "Unfortunately the ability to rebel does not always happen, and it often takes more than one slave to do so. And not everyone is willing to risk their death at a chance for freedom when they are currently allowed to live, even if it means an existence of suffering.
He listened to Camaria's chosen route and knew after today she was giving them their best option. Before he could say anything the winged mare was in the area going to scout the suggested path. They were all fortunate to have Camaria on their side as the mares attention to detail was truly the winning factor.
Just before the designated time for rest was up Camaria returned to the group. "The path is clear, both behind us and the one we will take to return to get to the herd. I suggest a stop at the river, you will all need a good drink there. It is only a few extra minutes past the path we will be taking but I don't think we can make it without that stop." She looked over the four Soquili resting, of all of them she was the furthest from exhausted but her part in the rescue had been minimal. Still she wasn't going to leave them until they were safely at the herd...besides she had to get her payment from Ironforge after all. "I'll continue to keep a lookout from the skies and report anything to you." With a nod at Ironforge Camaria turned and took to the air once more. She would be glad to get out of this wretched place and never come here again.
"I will gladly see him suffer as much as possible, denying him death until you give me the word." She knew Pirata would want Agave hunted down and his punishment dolled out, but they had bigger problems on their hands right now and if there were indeed others attempting to free other slaves then Agave would have to wait. Let him think he had won his freedom, for when he least expected it She-Ra would come for him and reign down a world of hate and pain on him. Increasing her pace She-Ra was already formulating a plan of what to do once they reached the mountain, patrols would be doubles, warriors would be sent out in every direction to comb the area and those of the winged variety would take to the skies to act as early warning - something that had clearly not happened today or else this trip would have turned out differently.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:14 pm
Ironforge nodded as Camaria described the route and then left to ensure it was still as safe as it had been earlier - although Ironforge knew even this last check would not guarantee them safe passage. But it was better then going completely blind that was for sure. While the mare was gone the shaggy stallion stood watch over the resting party, eyes sweeping the land around them for any signs of a trailing party.
He was not worried about Camaria, having no doubt that she would return in time for them to move at the designated time and as the sun dropped closer to the mark he had set the stallion began to search the sky for her arrival...just as he had expected she returned and the news was good. Gathering his troops, prodding them to weary feet he pushed them into a steady pace - one that no doubt seemed hard to the wounded and exhausted party but was one Ironforge knew they could none the less keep up with. They had no time to linger and take the relaxing walk back that many of them dreamed of.
As suggested he let them stop at the lake, water being the cornerstone of making back in their current condition. He allowed them time to drink and clean some wounds but that was all before pushing them onward, by nightfall the party had slipped out of the boarderlands around Pirata's territory and as he drove his comrades into the night Ironforge was more then sure they would arrive back at the herd by day break.Finished!
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