|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:27 am
"I can stand," Meg answered quickly. She too recognized that something strange had just happened, and that they needed to ignore it and get back to their work. She gathered her hooves underneath herself and pushed herself gingerly back up. Her one leg wobbled but the rest held firm. She was soon standing up next to Scythe again, and trying not to pay attention to the warmth she could feel radiating from his flanks.
"Let's see if we can't get to hurrying back now?" she suggested. "Maybe we'll run into someone on the way who can bring a healer to me. Might be a little faster that way." She gave a forced chuckle that didn't fool anyone.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:15 pm
"Yes, there could be foragers out this way." Scythe offered her support again without commenting as she took back her place at his side.They had just started to hobble down the path again when the sound of fluttering wings drew Scythe's eyes upwards. He immediately took a more protective stance around Megaera. Years of training had taught him to never drop his guard at the unexpected.
Squinting upward, he was able to make out a swiftly descending shape with feathered wings. The silhouette was confusing. Was it two soquili? As the figure grew closer, he realized he was mistaken. It wasn't two soquili, it was an angeni! Immediately he felt his body relax. Angenis were a good race and they had nothing to be worried about. Besides, he thought he might even recognize that particular angeni. He seemed like one of the members of the Miakoda herd, long standing friends of the Padmapani.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:22 pm
"Hey, look at that!" Megaera temporarily forgot her pain and embarrassment at seeing the soquili wheeling beautifully in the sky. She was still acutely aware of Scythe's wing around her, but now she had something else to think about. As she watched the angeni landing, she felt a stab of jealousy. She was immediately chagrined by the emotion, but sometimes you couldn't turn off your feelings about something no matter how much you might wish to.
Many of the Padmapani couldn't fly, but Scythe could and this beautiful stranger could. Enviously, Meg watched as he gracefully landed. He didn't seem like the type who would fall into a groundhog hole. She would have believed it if he told her that the mud didn't even stick to his coat in the rain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:32 pm
 Darius had seen the two Padmapani members from aloft. He had originally thought them to be two lovers walking side by side, but then they had ended up in a heap on the ground. That was when he decided to circle down and check on them. It wasn't much time out of his way, and they looked like they might be in need of a little assistance. After he landed, he took the time to identify the Padmapani members. The gold stallion was one he easily recognized, Scythe. Scythe was well-known as one of the sons of the elder protector, one of several potential heirs to the position. The mare was one that Darius wasn't so sure about. The blanket that she wore emblazoned with the Padmapani lotus identified her firmly as a herd member, but she didn't look like she was in the direct bloodline. She was probably a mate, he decided... but a mate of whom? Scythe's? "Hello, there." Darius greeted the two of them. "I am Darius Mattius Cullen, of Miakoda." He gave Scythe his name, in case the young golden stallion had forgotten.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:36 pm
"Darius, of course." Scythe paid no attention to the small fangs protruding from under Darius' lips. As he understood, the Cullens did occasionally drink blood, but only ever from willing sources. Their angeni heritage was much stronger than whatever else might be mixing in their spirits.
A little confused, Scythe watched the angeni. "Is there something I can help you with? You're a long way from Miakoda herd." He assumed it was not unpleasant news, or Darius would not seem so amiable. Scythe didn't know Darius personally, so doubted it was a social call. He glanced sideways at Meg. Maybe Darius was her friend? Maybe he was even something more?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:43 pm
"M'name's Megaera," said Meg, pleasantly. "And it's nice to meet you, Mr. Cullen." The way she said his name made it almost sound like a joke. He was a fancy fellow so she'd give him a fancy addressing. She had never spent much time around angeni and found herself repressing the urge to behave irrationally... like asking him how he manages when he's moulting in all four wings. Feeling heat rushing to her face again, Meg clamped her mouth firmly shut, only to open it again when she realized what was missing.
"And this is Scythe!" It was silly of Scythe not to introduce himself... or maybe he already knew the angeni? But then, why would Darius have introduced himself if he already knew who they both were?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:45 pm
"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," replied Darius before returning to the situation at hand. "I was just wondering if you two were alright." He smiled apologetically at witnessing their misfortune. "I saw you fall while I was flying. It looks like Megaera is hurt?" He peered quizzically down her legs. She was definitely limping and being supported by Scythe.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" He was no unicorn, but there were other things he could do to make himself useful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:22 pm
"Well... If you would fly back to the herd and tell them where we are and what happened, it would be greatly appreciated." Scythe didn't like to impede upon a guest, but Darius had asked so he gave an honest answer. If a unicorn could meet them halfway it would make their journey that much easier.
"They are in the direction of the sun, in the usual grazing grounds... if you know where those are." Scythe gestured briefly with a hoof in the proper direction and gave a brief nod. "Tell alpha Shrivatsa. She is head of the healers, so will know what to do." He expected that Shrivatsa would send either Amitabha or Misaki along to heal Megaera. The two siblings were the oldest unicorns in the herd and the most skilled at using unicorn healing magic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:26 pm
"I'll do so," Darius assured the two of them. "I am acquainted with the Alpha, so can find her immediately." He considered offering to stay behind instead and let Scythe fly to the herd, but decided against it. Scythe seemed to have things under control, and Megaera would probably be more comfortable in the company of someone familiar while she was in pain.
Darius spread his four wings, but paused to say a few words before he departed. "I'll return once I've passed the message, so you know that help is coming." It would not be a long flight and wouldn't be much of an imposition. Darius felt that it was his duty to try to be useful, since he would be relying on the hospitality of the Padmapani herd for a few days.
Deciding that his time would be better spent in getting help than chatting, Darius took to the skies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:31 pm
Scythe squinted against the buffeting air as the angeni flew away. He was greatly relieved by the unexpected encounter. This would simplify things greatly and get Megaera help sooner. He smiled at Megaera as the angeni disappeared beyond the trees.
"You're going to be fine. The unicorns will arrive soon now." Her returned smile warmed him, and he finally felt himself growing less tense. A herdmate hurt was a herdmate hurt, even if the injury was a minor one. His parents had both taught him to take responsibility and that was how he lived. Even though he was not in a leadership position in the herd, and didn't have any expectations to achieve one, he felt a drive to protect them nonetheless. Like his namesake, Scythe would never abandon his herd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:35 pm
The wind whistled in Darius' ears as he raced to Padmapani. There was something joyous about sprinting through the skies, even though it tired him to do so. Angenis belonged in the air. According to the stories, angeni all came down from a paradise in the clouds. Supposedly some still emerged from that place. He had yet to seriously discuss it with the many angeni in Miakoda, but knew in his heart that it was true. They belonged to the sky and clouds.
It wasn't long until he saw an array of brightly-colored soquili beneath him. It was Padmapani! Abandoning grace for speed, he dropped down to one side of the group. It was time for him to carry out his duty as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
