Username: Lady_Ourania Character name: Thane Temper: Impertinent Personality: A brash boy eager to prove himself wherever possible, Thane has always resented his isolated upbringing. Unlike his sister, he had no trouble concocting elaborate fabrications to fill his days, including ones in which he played the hero of the narrative. The self-appointed protector of his family's lands, he often patrolled the boundaries with a sense of purpose, intent on any changes in the area. Every rustle in the brush was an encroaching army, and the occasional interloper was met with all the stiff formalities a colt his age could muster.
As an adult, Thane still has a tendency to bluff and lie in order to cover his tracks or, more rarely, to entertain others. One consequence of playing it so fast and loose with the truth is that Thane's reality sometimes becomes steeped in his fiction, until even he has trouble backtracking. He envies his sister's attitude, and her ability to make the truth sound as worthy as his world of lies. In spite of some of his less savory characteristics, Thane really does want to live up to others' expectations of him. He loves to engage well-traveled strangers, even if he's not particularly good at it, in order to hear their stories and incorporate them into his ongoing tapestry.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. He'd overheard someone saying what a blessing the rain was, how it would quench the fires, soothe the angry spirits that had nurtured that bitter spark of heat in the first place. Except the water never seemed to stop, the pelting rain a constant backdrop which threatened to deafen him with repetition. When the sound had finally changed, transmuted into a low, rushing note, Thane had almost been relieved. Then the deluge appeared all around him, a white-capped monstrosity battering the familiar into submission. He'd caught a glimpse of that roaring terror rearing up, the way it swept across the landscape with a leveling hand, uprooting trees and drowning boulders. That wave wanted to crush his bones and suck his teeth out of his gaping mouth. Its eagerness to destroy mirrored the fire that had preceded it, twin elements intent on finishing the task set to them. And his last coherent thought before that wall of water overtook him was simply, Some blessing.
Thane woke by degrees, sensations slow to register as he fought his way back to consciousness. His first impression took the shape of a numbing chill all along one side of his body, the kind of pin and needles distraction that could be hiding worse wounds. Thane shuddered and jerked sideways, the mud sucking at him as if to stay his motions. His thoughts were as waterlogged as the rest of him, swimming from one distant island of illogic to the next. It was a surprise, though not necessarily a pleasant one, to still be alive. He hurt in a thousand tiny ways, scrapes etched and obvious against the pale parts of his coat. Added to that was the flow of something wet and sticky along the side of his face, too warm to be residual water. But none of the aches appeared to be immediately fatal, and he would take what small mercies he could get for now.
The swampy scent of his surroundings hit him next, followed closely by the reek of decay. The receding waters had left tiny corpses strewn alongside the splintered forests, furred and feathery figures twisted under debris. Some of them must have been carted down from the north, their plumage and coloration entirely unrecognizable to him. It occurred to him then that they had been dragged from their homes to die in an alien place, their bullied, bloated bodies left to rot. Shivering, Thane forced himself onto his feet, only to have his hooves sink into the damp, pliant earth. His limbs shook, but ultimately held his weight, even as he stood there, undecided on what to do.
Something about the sight of all those dead little animals stirred an indescribable emotion up inside of him. It mimicked panic and the welling edge of grief, linked itself to a memory that slipped coyly around the blurred dark inside his head. When he tried to focus on it, the sinuous idea slid further away, and no amount of internal pursuit seemed to bring it any closer. But Thane at least understood that he was supposed to be looking for something, an important something, no matter that its identity escaped him. He slogged forward through the mud that had been his homeland since foalhood, ignoring the steady pulse of a headache which threatened to send him skidding down the water-crafted embankment. He would find them, this soft, fogged over thing that rose up out of the bedraggled landscape like a phantom. The water had taken enough: it would grant him this last quest.
He's out there somewhere, isn't he?
Username: Apotropaics Character name: Andrea (Strong, brave; named in the hopes that such qualities would bless her.) Temper: Ingenuous ("Free from reserve, restraint, or dissimulation; candid; sincere. Innocent." Ref.) Personality: Carefree and bright as a filly, she bumbled about with all the grace of an itchy bear. Her imagination often ran away with her in the family's secluded home, and she would weave great stories of far-off adventures without ever embellishing the truth. She was comfortable making up a tale entirely, but something in her nature utterly refused to lie. Coordination came with age, and she learned to navigate even gnarled roots amidst dense forests with ease. She favors trinkets with a foreign flare, and those she has loved longest all have names. About her legs are Ella and Emma, twin passion. Her great necklace is Aura, after the lights of a distant land. And Leylah graces her luscious locks.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. Andrea shut her eyes against the storm, bracing herself for impact while silent pleas broke through her peaceful fantasies. Her imagination was no defense against fire, nor water, nor anything real- and wishing had never made a threat disappear. She understood the cycle of rebirth from a practical standpoint: renewal of life, how nutrients from a Being now dead were incorporated into the soil and nourished the next generation. She knew that life was limited, that age and illness and even an accident sometimes stole it away. Everything dies. Sometimes, for one thing to live, another must perish. Such was the truth of grim reality: predator ate prey, prey consumed plants... and critters among the roots and soil would one day break down what remained of all. And so on. But this... fire, water, burning, scalding, rushing, beating- this did not seem natural. Forest fires turned all to ash, but were typically contained, limited by the constraints of a combating wind or simply fading away when they ran out of fuel; a raging river could often jump its banks in a heavy storm, rushing free before carving a new channel. But this had gone on too long, at too great a rate of destruction. And now? Chaos reigned. She couldn't run from it, couldn't escape it, couldn't deny the harsh truth. Please... Her eyes flung open as adrenaline rushed through her veins. Her black mane whipped at her face, stinging her soft skin as silken tendrils tangled themselves mercilessly. We will survive. She wouldn't beg, wouldn't plead, she had to make it happen. Retreating into fantasy was not logical, could not stand against the torrent of natural disaster that flung itself ceaselessly against everyone in its path. The charms of Ella and Emma danced wildly in the joining winds as Leylah threatened to be torn loose from her wild mane, and she lowered her neck against the wind to keep Aura close to her heart. Her mane obligingly coiled itself about Leylah in a giant tangle, carried back and forth by great gusts in fierce battle, forming a bee's hive or a midnight cocoon. We will endure. We, my mind and body. We, my brother and mother- my father- my family. We, the inhabitants of this land. We may suffer losses, but We will endure. "I am alive!" She screamed it in defiance, though the sound of her voice was drowned out by the howling wave rushing towards her. She turned, shielding herself and her beloved memories against the onslaught- clamping her mouth shut and holding her breath as the water engulfed her, she finished her proud utterance in silence: And even if I am not alive when this is done, I will join the fallen to nourish something new.
....and then they found each other again! Write a small in character reply between the pair when they finally find each other again. What happens? How do they feel? Have things changed? How? Let your imagination flow free!
As chaos gave way to fragile hope, two souls drew near.
Andrea moved slowly, passing with deliberate care through what she now viewed as a giant graveyard. The last puddles had begun to evaporate from the great flood, and ash from the larger villages had been washed downslope by the torrent and settled on disturbed soil- now, all was being absorbed into the land's new beginning. She drew a great breath and released it carefully. Her lungs no longer ached from drawing in water in place of air, her bruises had begun to heal. But her head was ringing still, and her pace was due in part to the ache in her temples. The steady throb made it hard to think, though she still remembered some things.
Stories created by a foal in need of comfort. Places to run away to when things got scary, a warm body pressed against hers amidst crashing thunder and lightning splitting the sky. The whispers of her youthful voice, scrambling through syllables to keep up with her racing mind. A distant land where lights of many colors dance across the sky. Shimmering waves of snowy terrain, with trees that are ever-green. Ever shining, never dull. Enough food to eat, to sustain, but no belly-aches! Because everything's healthier up there, and storms are few and far between. A land, a name... gleaming like a jewel amidst a sea of desert sand. Aura. Gentle, welcoming, gently embracing with a cool and soothing touch. A land embodied near her heart.
The mare moved on, comforted by the presence of her precious cargo but longing for something more. Something ... simple. Before all the complications, a vision of warmth and affection- a happy little island amidst a sea of loneliness. A feeling that wove through her core and created a steady pulse of need. Her heart beat- friend- she breathed- us- she moved- together. And yet she was alone, save her jewels. She had been almost full grown before her tales had physical anchors upon her form. The jewels had come slowly, with time, much as a dawning realization or careful revelation. Her collection had grown, and with them came maturity. She no longer created epic fables to distract herself from reality. She embraced the truth, without hiding from it in fantasies. But, right now, after... that... was it so wrong to want a little simplicity?
Harmless little truths. Hungry. Tired. Ache. The sun rises. The moon reflects sunlight. I am alive.
As she walked, a gentle tinkle echoed through the still dawn.
She tilted her head, wondering what seemed off, then gasped as she realized the absence of cool metal against her left leg. Emma!
It started as a grain of sand, tumbling restless and gritty in the echo chamber of his skull. Slowly, it had begun to gather other fragments to itself, the sharp edges of it polished on sensory images devoid of context. There were splashes of sunlight and warm, honeyed laughter that had no apparent origin; tickling blades of green at his muzzle alongside a series of blue, unblinking eyes that reflected his own image back at him. Thane waited it out as the days turned into weeks, his battered body gradually healing even as his mind struggled to find a foothold. He would pause mid-stride whenever that burgeoning kernel threatened to roll into the forefront of his thoughts, silently compelling it forward. The resultant pearl of an idea was frustratingly unfinished, providing only the barest whispers of evidence. Yet there was something distinctly feminine to the hints, a perfumed, cultured edge that lingered forever outside of his reach. He was Thane, and he was looking for a girl who mattered. It grounded him, to remember even that much. Still, the image of who that mare was, her age, her relation, and what she resembled, was more difficult to conjure. But it was enough. It would have to be enough.
His second breakthrough came in the form of a tinkling sound beneath his hoof. When he lifted it to peer into the loose soil, something sky-colored glimmered up at him, enticing even in its tarnished state. A little jostling proved that it was mired deep, requiring a careful touch to excavate it. Thane was surprised when he realized that the gem was not alone, embedded in a length of gold with mud-encrusted metal tassels. When the entirety of it came free, he drew in a sharp breath, brow furrowing as he examined the intricate details. The sight of it, whole and elaborately wrought, rang harmonious with the half-formed silhouette he'd been following for miles. The urge to dip his head was overpowering, and he lipped at them until the stones were passably clean. When he could get a decent grip on it with his teeth, Thane tossed the object back along his shoulders, the gems catching the light as they settled into place. It was a precarious perch, but so long as he was careful, it would stay safe.
Thane continued along at his altered pace, pleased with his discovery and what it implied. He was in the right area. She was nearby, he was certain of it. His very marrow sang with hope as he continued onward, intent on the next water-swept hillock. Soon, the pearl encouraged. Very soon. When he saw her, he would know her immediately. Such conviction carried him down the slope, ushered him through the cobwebby dark that had been growing around his peripheral vision.
It was a testament to his pride and distraction that, some hours later, he nearly stumbled right into a mare coming from the other direction, her head held low to the earth. He leapt away on instinct, the great necklace on his back skidding dangerously until a sharp shrug of his shoulders righted it. The stallion's expression flickered uncertainly before settling into a scowl, irritated that he had been so careless. It had been a while since he'd encountered anything living, most of the smaller varieties of creatures either drowned or relocated. The mare in front of him could have just as easily been a threat, something hungry or angry enough to take it out on him. That she looked slight and as exhausted as he did hardly excused such tunnel vision.
A second look served to reinforce his initial impression. Hunks of dark, stiff hair obscured the mare's features, but he was fairly certain he must have startled her just as much as she had him. Her coat, too, was streaked with the same mud that seemed to have settled permanently into his skin. In short, they both looked pretty rough, even without the addition of his expression. To add insult to injury, there was no ringing familiarity in her haggardness, nothing that lit the banked fire in his belly. "Sorry," he offered after an awkward beat of silence, more because it seemed appropriate than because he meant it.
Her head had been down, searching frantically for the missing twin, as the shape came upon her. Cloven hooves, ebony swirls upon a sea of white... Could it be? He moved away just as suddenly as he had appeared, and she blinked quickly to register his presence in her ringing mind before peering up at him. Her eyes were large and wide, with surprise or as if she were trying to make sense of the world by seeing all of it at once.
Though her view was partially obscured by mud-crusted locks, she saw enough of that familiar face for her spirits to instantly brighten. "Oh, thank you." she murmured, moving forward to rejoin her beloved brother. She wanted to rest her aching head on his, share breath in greeting. Her eyes scanned him quickly- he seemed whole, if not entirely well. Something about him felt a little off, and he was carrying himself oddly. Her left leg felt empty, and her gaze fell upon his back whereupon a shimmering golden- oh- Emma! She laughed for the first time in a long while, with sheer relief; her lost brother had brought back the missing piece of her heart! Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes began to close as she leaned forward, fully trusting in him to catch her head as it fell. "Took you long enough."
Her stare unnerved him the longer it went on, the color of it reminding him of all the suffocating water he'd so recently escaped. He had to glance away to breathe freely, an odd pressure pooling his chest that he could not readily identify. And so he missed the relief as it broke over her face, the way it transformed her from a dirt-streaked filly into something approaching incandescence. Thane did not expect laughter, let alone gratitude. To hear them both drew his attention back forward, perplexity beginning to wriggle its way between the gaps in his memory. What was she thanking him for? That half-meant apology he'd issued just a few moments before? He felt a pang of embarrassment on her behalf, a hot burn that touched the sunspot at the base of his throat. Expressions had been difficult to read ever since the flood had knocked his head around, but the one she aimed his way now was far too complex to decipher.
Which was why he could not have anticipated the step that brought her nearer, her eyes sliding shut as she stretched into his space. For a second, Thane stood in place, frozen by the unexpectedness of it all. Her words, and the implied fellowship laced within them, was what ultimately broke whatever enchantment her gestures had cast. Thane startled away, his back hooves catching on a fallen tree branch, further destroying the peace of the moment. The jewel-studded armband slithered off his shoulders and dropped, lodging itself once more into the muck with a discordant clatter. Yet he couldn't spare the precious object a glance, too busy righting himself after his backpedal had nearly sent him sprawling. "Look," he started, "I don't... I wasn't-" Thane sucked in air between his teeth, frustrated with how clumsy his tongue was when he most needed it. "Were we supposed to meet?" he asked finally, eyeing her warily from beneath his filthy forelock.
She felt herself falling forwards and shifted her weight back, confused and a little hurt by his rejection. Her eyes opened again at the snap of the branch and the rattle of Emma falling into the mud. She let out a small cry and lurched forwards as a sharp pain shot through her head, her body protesting the sudden movement. "Why?" she accused, her voice small and weary. He... it didn't make sense! None of it had made any sense, and it was so hard to think when she was still so bedraggled. She took a breath and steadied herself, ignoring the frustrated tears that had welled into her eyes. Thane wasn't... well, no, he was being himself, he just didn't seem to know who she was! "Thane..." His name was her plea for recognition. "What's wrong?"
For a disoriented moment, Thane thought that the mare was trying to attack him. The gentle drift of her head toward his was cut short, quickly followed by a more aggressive approach when he pulled away. He bared his squared off, herbivore teeth at her on panicked impulse, aware of every weakness in his legs and neck anew. She was smaller than him, if not by much, and it would be a toss up as to whether or not he had recovered sufficiently to protect himself. But it was the ground she was intent on, not him. The trinket, he realized with jolt. It seemed of similar make to the ones that she wore all over her person, and a perfect match to the bracelet that clasped high around her right leg. The muck had hidden their glint, and he'd been too busy trying to read her face to notice them until that moment. Their presence flustered him for reasons he couldn't name, the clotted injury near his temple stinging and pulling in warning.
When she turned back to him, her tone wracked with recrimination, he once again found himself at a loss as to how to deal with her. His mouth opened, tempted to invent something clever enough to buy him out of this strange, emotionally-charged exchange. Then she named him, and his jaw stayed hanging open, his eyes rounding in shock. "How do you know that name?" he asked, voice sharp with the same fear that was filling his throat in a choking billow. "How do you know my name?"
Her confusion turned slowly to understanding as she examined him once more, carefully cataloging all his evident nicks and bruises for potential internal damage, everything she had missed in her first fervent assessment. As his jaw hung open, she noticed the injury on his precious head. Far too near the soft tissue, a blow like that... dawning realization struck her at his next question. "I am your sister." she said slowly, her voice suddenly calm against his panicked retort. When all else turns to madness and confusion reigns free, the truth serves as a blessed beacon for those who can still see. Her tone rang with certainty, the clear and untarnished resolve of one entirely secure in the authenticity of one's proclamations. "I know your name because our parents named us both, because we called each other by our given names throughout our foalhood."
She searched expectantly for the brother she knew in those stricken pale-emerald eyes.
"Thane... I'm Andrea."
Her composed, meted out sentences made his ears tick back little by little, a tempest raging just beneath his skin. She claimed association, blood ties to him, an entire life lived alongside each other. But wouldn't he remember her? Wouldn't he remember having a sister? Thane shook his head to keep his entire body from quivering, afraid it might give him away. The pearl that had led him now proved to be the source of all his doubt, a terrible counterfeit with its luster cracked and flaking. Nothing made sense after he'd woken up that first time. There was only his name, and a fractured sense of purpose to guide him. She could be lying, a dark part of him whispered, could be an imposter. Maybe he did have a sister, and this one had picked the jewelry off her cold, dessicated corpse and adorned herself with it. But that didn't explain how she knew his name, how she knew him at all. It had to be more than that, he mused, a plan too sophisticated for him to recognize in his current state. Maybe she was acquainted with someone who had described him, who had named him.
"Andrea," he murmured, letting the name roll around on his fuzzed-over tongue. Nothing in him latched onto it. If there was a trigger to bring it all flooding back to him, nothing in their discussion had touched it yet. But she seemed so sure, so unflinchingly confident. And what was he, anyway, that someone would bother lying to gain his companionship? There were glaring, empty patches in his brain that the water had picked clean, and he could not ignore them, no more than he could ignore the mare - Andrea's - entreaties. If she was a liar, she was a good one, practiced and flawless in her presentation. But assuming that she was some con artist taking advantage of his forgetful state, it might help to go along with it. He could learn something useful, even find who he was truly looking for.
"I'm... your brother," he tried experimentally, watching her all the while. He might have been a little handicapped just now, but he could pretend with the best of them when it was necessary.
Hope tugged incessantly at her heartstrings as he said her name. "Yes." she confirmed, longing for the powers of a Unicorn or at least knowledge of the healing arts. She knew that head wounds took time to heal, and memory loss was a common ailment among the old-aged, but the two combined in a young stallion- her brother, no less!- was distinctly unsettling.
His declaration had been somewhat halted, as though he were still uncertain of their undeniable relation. Perhaps patience was her best ally now, for she had wielded truth like a weapon and now had to let it sink in. Her lip quivered slightly and then pursed as she glanced at Emma laying in the muck.
The last place she wanted to be right now was underwater, but practicality won out over fear. Now that they were together, now that they were all found, it was time to recover completely. "We need to bathe."
He gave a shuddering nod, one that answered her careful affirmative while also solidifying his plans. If he granted this Andrea some slight reciprocation, even superficially, she might make a mistake somewhere down the line. It wouldn't happen all at once - she seemed far too competent a performer for that - but if he could piece together whatever scraps of information she unwittingly dropped, he'd be in a better position to remember on his own.
That burst of resolve wavered when she brought up the necessity of a bath. The thought of water in any concentration larger than a puddle made him hear the rumble of the incoming flood all over again. A little hydrophobia was natural at this point, but his suspicions surrounding the mare hardly helped matters. Still, if he demonstrated any kind of reluctance at the suggestion, she might catch on and act in kind. So he made a quiet noise of agreement, and steeled himself for what was to come. The price was nothing compared to what he stood to gain.
But that small show of acquiescence still seemed insufficient. He needed to alleviate her misgivings through a more concrete means. With that in mind, he tracked her gaze back to the half-sunken bracelet that he'd dislodged in his surprise at the beginning of their meeting. Her constant glances in its direction, not to mention how heavily the other accessories hung about her, indicated a sentimental value associated with it. Thane stooped down, straining the scabs along his neck once again to pluck it free. A slight shake rid the exterior of the worst of the mud, and he offered the glittering treasure out for her to take. The gesture was intended to seem thoughtful, even affectionate. Still, Thane accepted that he could only do so much, given his occasionally traitorous facial muscles. With any luck, that too would be healed with time.
Noting his lack of words and flickering expression, she reached for his peace offering in solemn gratitude. She exhaled briefly when their nostrils were near and drew in a small breath, unable to resist that small reassurance. She would carry Emma until they could find a two-legged willing to mold the metal back into place; arching her neck, she touched the twins together before tucking the loose band safely among Aura's chains.
Her headache didn't seem so bad, now that the world was creeping slowly along the path to normalcy. She wanted to believe that her brother's gesture had been a note of his returning memory, but she had known him far too long to miss his little facial ticks. With a weary sigh, she put doubt aside and clung firmly to the comfort of togetherness. "Thane... I'm glad you're here."
The brief intimacy they shared when he handed over the bracer left Thane feeling a little unbalanced. It was all a trick, an act engineered to make him believe. But even he had to admit that Andrea could be very convincing in her tenderness. He watched in silence as she brought the trinket to its double, reacquainting the two of them through light contact. On that stage where the inanimate mimicked life, he assessed his state of mind. The mare he'd pursued and the one who had claimed him were still disparate, nothing to connect them but the insistence of a stranger. His mind remained splintered, mocking him with inklings of ideas, but little else. Perhaps exposure to another living being, even one he could not trust, would help him recollect all the scattered pieces of self. It was an irony that he could appreciate, no matter that it only accentuated his brokenness.
Andrea's voice brought him back to her present actions, the gravity of the occasion forcing him to choose his words. "I'm glad we're here," he said at last, startling himself by meaning it. The flood had taken away too much already; the least they could walk away with was their lives.
Fire burns, water destroys. Light guides, ripples soothe. A reunion, though trials unending- Two souls move.
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:25 am
Lost a lady. Where can she be?
Username: Noga Eldritch Character name: Valdur Temper: Blunt Personality: In the time after the disasters struck, the stallion’s personality was severely affected by the lack of memory. From what he remembers, Valdur lacked all knowledge or recognition of his family, his friends and loved ones. Most of his personality and emotions faded due to the trauma, leaving instead a very open individual. Without knowing what insults are, he speaks honestly now, lacking the tact to understand situations. His happiness does not show openly, or he, himself, is not quite sure what ‘happiness’ is, was, or will be. Even with his sense of belonging dulled, he still feels incredibly lonely at times. Bothered by this, he seeks interactions with other horses and of his people, what little remained after such tragedy.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. When at last he came to, he attempted to at least think of how it happened to end up in such a state. It was not long after that the fear took hold of him and he merely ignored such hardship. The rumbles and bright flashes lighting across a dark sky, painting the images of terrible nightmares into reality. A sudden rush of water sweeping him away, before nothingness and the satisfying calm of a new morning rose.
Valdur remembered only such nightmares, such wrath from the heavens. As he observed around the area he once called home, he noticed nothing seemed familiar to his eyes. The people wept, the horses were frightened yet carrying the same burdens. A weird sensation held his heart, as he failed to recognize anyone, rather, any emotions lingering there still.
He knew that his loss was probably great, personally and involving others. Burdened by his newfound personality traits, he wanted to try to understand their pain, their emotions, to know his family, who was left at least. Valdur was puzzled with these feelings and the fear that held him captive. Still, he felt hunger, his stomach growling very briefly. Bewildered, he casually looked around before becoming very confused, without showing, on why the two legged things around him were laughing. All that helped to sedate his awkward feeling was an apple; the one piece of food that now made him addicted to such sweetness.
He's out there somewhere, isn't he?
Username: Natelie Character name: Kiyomi Temper: Shy Personality: The great fire and now the flood have caused loss and misery. Because of this Kiyomi had panicked to find her lover. In her hurried search for him, she took a fall and hit her head causing memory loss. Kiyomi became even quieter, lacking self-confidence to recognize her surroundings, making her seem skittish. Finding this missing piece of her memory will take some time. She longs to find where she belongs again and pick up everything that was lost to her.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. Kiyomi had been swept away from her herd. She had been under water too long. Struggling to a dry piece of land she heaved up and slowly shook the excess water. She made her trek back in the direction her heart was calling her. Having lost her memory, upon her return to the soggy grounds she couldn’t recall faces or the lack of some she knew. It was like she was stepping onto their lands for the first time though pain wracked her heart upon seeing the devastation left behind.
She could not recall a thing. There was no telling if her family survived, had she any to begin with. She must have had something to tie her here. No one was paying her any mind as they grieved for their losses. She was at a whole new level of lost. Tears trickled down her cheeks. There was a need for help that reached farther than her own issues. She couldn’t help herself so the only logical thing now was to help others in any way she could.
....and then they found each other again! Write a small in character reply between the pair when they finally find each other again. What happens? How do they feel? Have things changed? How? Let your imagination flow free!
Kiyomi slowly trotted away from one soquili to reach out to another. While she was open to help, it took her awhile to work up the nerve to approach. A pair, one a human the other a soquili, were picking up remnants of the past to put in one pile. She watched from a distance. Nothing picked up had any recollection to her. It was hard to piece together. ‘..Is anything here mine,’ she thought to herself, staring at objects and torn pieces of teepee. Turning away with tears starting to sting her eyes anew, she bumped straight into someone. She involuntarily let out a surprised sound before she managed to step back and quickly apologize in a squeak of a voice, “I’m sorry.”
He had markings much like her own and others that were currently scattered around the lands. Somehow bumping into him had stopped her tears from falling. “I.. should have looked..” she murmured, taking another step backward from him. He hadn’t looked menacing or given her any reason to move away and still she couldn’t fully retreat from his gaze. She must have looked a mess herself, her hair still damp and crimped instead of flowing in waves down towards her hooves. Mud stuck to her fur in a few minor places.
In the days following such phenomenal events, there was a wide range of emotions hanging upon the damp air. The sorrowful tears seemed to make each breath heavy with small dewdrops of water. A void so wide where burnt materials laid, spread to ash and mud within the damp puddles of water riddling the ground below hooves and feet alike. The young stallion knew not what exactly he was missing, nor the emotions of relief or sorrow that held true in the faces of those around him. Somehow, it bothered the now emotionless male, wandering lost to merely understand such basic things.
When he had walked quite a ways from his last memory of their camp, before his trauma began, he spotted a warm colored mare, deep within her own melancholic feelings. Stopping in his tracks, he merely stared at her, his lackluster eyes seeming to focus just a bit. It was strange, a feeling he felt but did not know how to react exactly. She turned abruptly and bumped against him headlong as if he had not been standing there at all. “Be careful, geeze,” Valdur’s blunt voice seemed to show a bit of his lacking of tact, the ease to let others know simply how he was feeling.
Somehow, he felt a bit lighter, though he assumed it was merely an assuming feeling. Deciding to play upon it, he remained there to watch the mare closely, his eyes never leaving her.
Kiyomi stared back at the gruff stallion before averting her gaze. She had already apologized and yet he gave no reply that he even heard her. They were at a stalemate. She nibbled at the inside of her lower lip nervously while being stared at. “I am.. just a little lost” she said taking a step to the side to turn away from him, questions running through her mind a mile a minute. She might have known him at some point and that was the cause for her added confusion currently. The long dark bangs hung over her eyes, shading his vision, helping her to move away a little further. A step at a time, she wasn’t going fast. “I’m... Well, not lost but conflicted. I can recall so little of my life,” she admitted to him.
The mare had surely made the young male become lost in dull curiosity. Her lowered voice, her mannerisms, body language, and, most of all, her sorrowful sort of shy personality hidden within her gloomy, hidden eyes. Valdur let their silence intertwine, the occasional drop of water falling down from the barren trees above making the slightest “Pluck!” of sounds between the two. That lone green eye, staring upon the flustered female as she admitted that she knew nothing.
It was at this point that his eyes narrowed as he watched her, speaking still quite roughly, “Did you hit your head?” Part of his words felt like they would be riddled with sarcasm, although the stallion did not intend for it to come off that way. As quickly as his interest in her came, it died down with her ever skittish motions around his sense of what he knew to be normal. Valdur stared a bit more towards her, merely observing with a blank stare. Silence emerged forth once more, before he made a slight sound, “Ah.. I don’t recall many things. What is it you are looking for?”
Although the tone of his voice failed to change, it did feel a slight amount different. He knew he did something considerably bad towards the other, given her reaction of his initial question. Like a foal once more, he failed to know what exactly was bad or caused her to withdraw from him even more. Valdur stared at her more, confused in his silent demeanor.
She stared, stunned for a moment. She tried to understand why he asked her in such a way. It made her more flustered as she went on to explain, “Well no.. I mean maybe. I’m not sure what happened. I just pulled myself out of water and.. came here.” She wanted to duck away before his next response, in case the next one was far worse in attitude. Despite her feelings she stayed, tied in place. There was no way to get information if she ran off. ‘Have I always been like this? Will he even know anything about me worth staying for?’ she questioned herself in their second awkward silence. Her ears twitched to the sudden sound of his voice again, once more asking a question in the same tone that she did not understand. “Anything. My family, if I had any.. but you don’t seem to know me and since I don’t.. really recognize you, I guess this will do no good in finding them.” She exhaled a long sigh, not to be rude but feeling greatly disheartened.
Valdur calmly just kept his stare upon her, letting a bit more silence creep up between them. The way she looked was more than enough to ensure a feeling of wanting to know more, to protect once he knew what that was once more. He seemed to tilt his head a bit as she sighed, confused at her expression, deep with regret this time. Flicking his tail, he opened his mouth, all before pausing again, getting his thoughts in order.
Once he was sure of his decision, he would have this stuttering female follow him. After all, after the bright flash within his memory, he was sure she was almost the same in having nothing more to lose. “Ah… If we stayed together, we’d be able to remember more,” his one statement gave a clear reading that, like her, he had little memory remaining. He picked up an apple from the ground near them and ate half, nudging it to her, partially out of curiosity, but the other half of him wanted to share that one piece of fruit.
Username: vollyballrocks91 Character name: Koda Temper: Vigilant Personality: Koda is a very laid back kinda guy, he doesn’t worry about things too much because everything will work out in the end. Don’t mistake “laid back” for lazy though, he’s no stranger to hard work since he feels it’s his responsibility to keep himself and his sister alive since their parents died. The two of them became extremely close and came to rely on one another. He’s extremely protective of her and feels it is his duty to watch over her and make sure she’s safe. This means safe from not only typical dangers, but also those pesky stallions who dare to sniff too close to her. He teases her constantly but it doesn’t take away from how close the two are.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. A fog filled his head. That was the only way to describe the feeling as he slowly came to. A dense fog. Filled with sounds of crying, shouting, and rushing water. Koda had somehow managed to wash up on the bank of the river, coated in mud, and matted dirt in his fur. The fog continued to lift slowly, but the sounds remained the same, and everything came flooding back to him. How many were lost? Are any homes still standing? His body shifted, knowing he needed to get up and try to help those who needed it, but everything hurt. Bruised, battered, and cut up all over his body, he felt it more than saw it. It doesn't matter, get up. Others needed more help than he did.
He was ignored for the most part, others fleeing around, caught in a panic. They didn't seem to notice him, or didn't care to check on him. Doesn't matter, they have more important things to worry about. Dizziness took over once he finally pulled himself up to a sitting position. Someone rushed by, shouting a name of a loved one, it reminded him of... "Anya." A croak of a whisper emerged from his mouth. His sister. She wasn't here. Have to find her, have to save her. Protect her. Despite his wounds and being lightheaded, he pushed to his hooves and stumbled through the mud. He called her name, over and over. Others shoved by him, but he was focused on one thing.
He had to find her.
He's out there somewhere, isn't he?
Username: Summer Raven Character name: Anya Temper: Inquisitive Personality: She's the typical little sister - she's curious, adventurous, albeit a bit clumsy, and at times she think she's knows everything. She's not conceited, but she wants the chance to live her own life, and so she'll fight for something to the death, if she believes it right. Even if it means getting down and dirty.
She's always willing to help those that need the little extra help, however, because she's aware that her home-life and her lifestyle is much better, or could be much better than some others, and she's all about the little guy. You have a big bully you need to have a talking to? Count on Anya.
Although she may dislike how protective her older brother can get, she recognizes and appreciates how much he's done for her, and because of that, the two of them have the best possible relationship. They'd do anything for each other.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character.
Mud. Wetness. Dirt. It was...everywhere. It was...stale. The very first thing she remembered before it all went bad was how it smelled. The smell of water could, at times, be calming but this...this was stale. Like it had been swelling up for months and months, and now it covered the ground she held so dear. Rust - that's what she thought of, the only thing she thought of, as she came to, and she couldn't quite wrap her mind around what had happened.
How long had she been out? Where was she? It was evident, by the screaming, crying, and scrambling around her that she was not anymore where she began, and she thought....how did she get there? And then, all at once.....water. A flood. The waters seemed to calm down as best they could now, and all that was left in its wake was destruction. Anya opened her eyes, and the sight in front of her was enough to keep her immobile. How could...how could something like this happen? And so quickly? One minute she was arguing with her brother and the next -!
Koda.
So many bodies rushed by her as the dizziness died away, and her eyes darted from one figure to the next, desperately searching for her older brother. What happened to him? When the flood hit, they were on opposite sides of the land and well, who knows how bad it was where he stayed? Did he know? Was he out there, already looking for her? Was it....hours? Days? Since they last saw each other? She had to...she had to...
The screams that filled her ears were overwhelming, and her thoughts switched from Koda to the destruction that surrounded her. Koda was out there - he had to be - and they'd see each other again....but for now...she'd have to help others. Yes...she'd keep herself busy, and hopefully, hopefully happiness would once again fill her heart.
....and then they found each other again! Write a small in character reply between the pair when they finally find each other again. What happens? How do they feel? Have things changed? How? Let your imagination flow free!
Where was she? Koda stuck close to the river bank, hoping, praying that she would be there just as he had been. There were bodies, dear God, the number of bodies was overwhelming. Now he too was one of the many rushing by unmoving forms without stopping to see if they needed help. Without stopping to see if they were alive. What if it was Anya? His heart shattered, his whole body practically buckled at the thought of his beloved little sister lying cold, muddy, and dead among the rest.
As he searched, he couldn't help but think about the last time he saw her. She was so beautiful, his baby sister, sometimes he thought she was blind to her own charms. Ever the protective brother, he kept those who would use her, harm her, or… well any who just looked at her the wrong way, far from her. She was mad at him. Would that be the last thing he had of her? Had she left this world hating him? Again he almost fell to the ground with grief and guilt. He doubted everything he had done now. Was he too protective? Would she have been better off if he let her be? Would she still be alive if she hadn't stormed away from him? He replayed their altercation in his mind.
Endless time seemed to pass as she lied there, staring blankly at those who panicked around her. It seemed almost pointless to move, to get up and continue on with life after all this sadness and despair that surrounded her. The question, how could this happen, came flooding back into her head, and the only thing she could think of was, because that's the way life was. She would have to deal, just like everyone else, and if that meant she had to deal alone well....
Father had always told her to be strong. And strong she'll be. Getting up, albeit slowly, the mare bee-lined for an older looking unicorn who seemed to make his way around the surrounding area, asking those who cried if they were in need of assistance. She heard what one of the younger mares had been screaming - her brother, her precious younger brother had been swept away by the water, and she couldn't find him. She thought him dead.
And that's when she remembered Koda once more. Anya too, had a brother who was missing, and what became of him? Surely by now he was searching the ends of the earth for her....but for how long? How long would each of these Soquili look for loved ones before giving up? Would Koda? Anya frowned, as the memory of their last encounter, their fight, entered her mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I’m not going to argue with you, Anya. Stay away from him, he’s bad news, and you’re surely not going on some trip with him.” If anyone could glare daggers, this little mare could, and luckily for him she couldn’t or else he’d have more holes than Swiss cheese. “We’re not going that far away, it’s just across the fields and past some forest. Nakai said there’s a new delicious fruit in that area and I want to bring some back.” Oh I bet he told you that. That stallion may have fooled Anya, but he saw straight through his shallow skin. No way was he going to allow him be far away AND alone with his sister. Hell would freeze over first. “I said no, Anya. If you want to go on a trip then we can plan one, but not with him.” "You're not the boss of me, Koda. It's just fruit, and it's not that far away. I'll be back before nightfall." Ugh he could be so infuriating at times. Why wouldn't he let her be herself? He couldn't protect her forever! She got it, she really did - their parents were dead and they were the only Soquili that each other had in the lands, but Nakai was a friend, and she trusted him. He wouldn't - couldn't - lead her astray, could he? "No, Anya. Now stop arguing." Try as she may, he wouldn't budge. "Fine! Whatever! You're so mean! The absolute worst!" She stormed off, irritated that she couldn't do what she wanted to do, and always had to do what he wanted to do. Whatever. Ugh, she'd get him back one day! “I love you too darling little sister, most precious gem in the land, you better bring back something good for dinner or you’re not eating” he called after her as she stormed away. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes and shake his head. She’d thank him later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He’d rolled his eyes. Rolled his eyes and practically laughed at her disappearing form. Did she know how much she really meant to him? He had called after her in jest, but of course he loved her. She knew that, right? He never said it as often as he should have. He’d tell her. Every damn day from now on if that’s what it took to bring her back.
How much time had passed since he woke up? Minutes? Hours? It had to have been hours, at least, since the sun was darkening in the sky. It felt like years. There was no sign of her. He’d even worked up the courage to start checking bodies that lay motionless. Sighs of relief left his body when each one turned up not being Anya, but it still meant she was missing. Cold, achy, and exhausted her continued searching, his hooves ever trudging on through the slurry of mud and dirt.
Until, something caught his eye down near the water.
She wasn't in love with Nakai - that was silly. No, she simply enjoyed his companionship. And Koda didn't seem to appreciate that. He always thought him a bad influence on the young mare, and it made no difference what Anya said. But Koda stood as her father, both loving and protective, and she loved him for that. Oh, god she loved him. He was her flesh and blood, after all!! She shouldn't have stormed off in such a childish way, but she was mad. It was about time he let her grow up.
But now it was everything the mare could do not to break down and cry for his protection. She needed him, with every inch of her soul, she needed him. She needed to hear him tell her it was going to be okay.
The mare continued to assist the older unicorn stallion in gathering what food could be salvaged for those that needed it, and it kept her body and her mind busy. She was filled with anguish and regret, but it did no good to let it kill her. She needed to move on - she needed to fend for herself, and for those that needed assistance. Needed. That was the word that kept flooding back to her. It was no longer about want or desire, it was about need. There were those less fortunate than her, and although her body ached with bruises and cuts, she was still alive, she was still able to walk. So for now, she'd be helpful.
Anya had been searching along the bank of the river for some fish that could be used as food, when something caught her eye.
Koda couldn’t explain what propelled him to investigate the object near the water. He should be looking for his sister not digging up lost trinkets, and yet an unknown force told him to look. He nosed through the mud, uncovering the item, and this time he really did crumple to the ground. It was one of her charms. He always thought it was so silly for her to wear those little trinkets of hers, but she never took them off. Now here was one of them staring up at him, practically laughing at his failure. His world was shattered. She can’t be gone…
Although it was a tragic sight, it was also a miracle, to see the shape and form of a fish - unharmed and untouched by the massive flood. It was salvageable. It was food. Even if it wasn't enough to feed a village, it was enough to feed one, or two, of those Soquili that still lingered in the camp, close to death. She'd do whatever it took to see them feed, and comfortable, no matter what their outcome happened to be. It brought a smile to her face as she picked up the fish in her mouth, and trotted carefully back to the camp. There had been so much destruction, and so many things - both living and not - that had been destroyed and yet, this fish was untouched. A gift from the gods, perhaps?
Just as he was about to break, about to mourn what he was sure had been lost, he heard a small cry. When he peered over, he spied a small injured mare amongst the muck and she seemed to be struggling. Not Anya. But she still needed help and he had wandered far from where the survivors had gathered. Tucking his sister’s charm amongst his own necklace, he rose once again to go help the mare. “Don’t worry, you’re alright. We’ll get you back to the others.” Maybe he could save someone else’s sister…
It took a while to bring the poor girl back to the ‘camp’ where everyone was gathering. Someone pointed him in the direction of the healing area and he gave a nod of thanks, ushering the mare along. “Almost there and someone will help you.” They finally arrived and someone met them to look her over, and seeing as he wasn’t family, he left her in good hands fully intending to go back out to search. Even if it lasted all night, his sister deserved a proper-
"Here ya go, this is for you." She mumbled, looking into the eyes of an older mare whose leg had been broken among the chaos. The look that the mare gave Anya in return swelled up in Anya's heart, and she couldn't help but feel like this is where she belonged, for now or forever remained to be seen, but it was perfect. If only she could have her brother by her side.
He was out there still, she was sure of it. He wouldn't just....perish with the earth, that wasn't his nature. He was out there, searching, and he'd find her. It was their thing, right? Get into petty arguments and then make up and be siblings once again? There was no way he's just.....leave her.
Anyway, the older unicorn that appeared to be in charge of the healing place, nodded in approval of Anya's little gift, and she smiled in response. She couldn't heal, she couldn't do much with what the two-leggers were doing, but she could help, in any way she could. She would stay here until he came. She knew he would.
There she was. Standing there, dirty, hair tangled and matted, and offering help to others who needed it. He was overcome with emotions. So many things rushing through him so rapidly. Relief, lingering guilt, happiness, and the overwhelming need to sob and thank the gods. He started moving toward her, slow at first as if he was sure she might disappear and he would be lost again, and then moved quicker. Her name spilled from his mouth on a hoarse cry filled with immense emotion and she turned. Now he sprinted, practically colliding with her and pressing his nose into her fur. He was coated in mud and they were both a mess but he didn't care. She was here. She was still here with him. “I thought I lost you..”
And she was right.
Her heart fluttered, and for a moment she felt she may fall over. There Koda was - in all his warrior-brother glory - rushing toward her in full force. Was he real? Was any of this real? At first, she hesitated, unwilling to find out that it was just a dream, until his face hit her coat.
And he was real, she was sure of it. "Oh, Koda! Look, you're alright!" Anya squealed, and turned her body so that their noses were touching. He looked strained, like the years had finally caught up with him, and it saddened her. Had her disappearance been the cause of this apparent stress? She was stupid - so so stupid - she should have listen to him. "I'm so sorry, Koda. I was so foolish. I didn't think, I didn't know...."
“Here.” He pulled off the trinket he’d found and handed it over to her. “I thought you were-“, he couldn’t even finish that he thought she had been swept away, left for dead somewhere. It was still too painful a thought. “I told you these things were ridiculous. Look, it almost made me think you were gone. It must be a sign that they have to go.” He managed a smile, back to the usual teasing and he just wanted to see her smile again.
The tears that continued to stream down her face were now mixed in with a laugh. Really, after all this, he was concerned about her trinkets? "I'm your little sister, Koda....nothing would have happened to me." Nosing the trinket, she put it back in it's proper place, and looked back up into her brother's eyes. "Look at this place, Koda....look how sad it is. Could we....could we stay here? You don't want me to leave your side, I'd...I'd never leave this camp. These Soquili needs us, Koda...."
And, just like old times, she pouted her lower lip and moaned, "pleeeeease?!"
He couldn’t say no to her, not after everything that had happened. With a sigh he just smiled at her. “Alright. We’ll stay. We’ll make a new home.” None of that mattered though. They were together again, that's what he cared about. Somehow he felt that their bond was much stronger than before now. If they could survive this, they could get through anything.
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 2:09 pm
EDITED: Added the Temper of Loyal to Sequoia's Temper <3
Lost a lady. Where can she be?
Username: Sesshiyasha Character name: Lakota Temper: Fierce Personality: Lakota is a naturally protective and fierce boy. He is terrible at masking his emotions. Others are usually able to read him without much trouble at all. He looks for the bad things to happen to him. He is constantly haunted by the nightmares from the flood. He has these nightmares where someone is screaming and he can't get to them. He can hear the screams and the cries but no matter how hard he fights through the water and the wind, he can't reach them. This troubles him greatly. It causes him to constantly wonder what his life was like before the flood. With the amnesia he can't remember his life before. His dreams just leave him with even more questions. He feels drawn to the river. He has been told the river was never there before. He lives with his small herd of refugees. He loves every member there, but he still can't help but feel like hes an outsider of the herd. Hes protective, gentle, and fierce when it comes to the herd. He would do anything for the members of his new herd. He would die to protect them from any form of danger if he had to. He will though eventually cross that River and find out what's on the other side. Hes determined, but will it really give him the answers he's looking for, or will it leave him with even more questions?
((I have really fallen in love with this story line and would like to put together this refugee herd, if that's a possibility))
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character. Everything was calm, He could feel the Stillness and the uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. He could feel that something was coming, and he didn't like the feel of it. He started to walk back towards the herd, as he looked over the grassland and bits of forest around him. The land was flat, but normally it didn't retain much water. As he continued making his way to the herd, he could feel the first small drops of rain. He looked up to the dark clouds covering the sky, and sighed. It would be another rainy day. He continued onwards, and when he got to the herd he saw her, his best friend in the world. She was the single other that he was close to, it was often hard for him to be himself when he was around the others, but with her, things just fit. He knew that they shared just about everything together. She had even told him which stallions she liked. They had shared many happy times together. The Rains had gotten steadily harder, and now were fat fast falling drops. He sneezed as one of them hit him straight on the nose. He shook his head and glared up at the clouds. He walked over to Sequoia and Nuzzled her affectionately. He was still happy, even though he was now soaked. He tossed his mane to get the wetness out of his eyes. "We should go and find shelter in the trees Seq" He said as he looked back to the storm clouds. The rains and the winds were getting steadily worse. After she nodded they traveled off in the direction of the forest and figuring they would take refuge in the cover of the forest.
After about an hour had passed there was so much water that the land had already started to flood, He could already tell that they really needed to head for higher ground, but the land all around them was flat, which meant there was more of a chance for flooding. He saw a crack against the sky as lightning struck and shook the world around him. He was still uneasy and he knew that they weren't safe where they were, but there was no where else to go. The fear and the unease was starting to eat at him. The only thing he could do was hope that the rain and the winds would stop soon. The rain was falling in heavy fast sheets as it covered the land. He saw the sky light up again and heard a crack from behind him. He looked behind him to see one of the largest of the trees falling, And it was falling towards them! His panic arose into his throat as he yelled to Sequoia "We need to run... and Run now!" He said as he set off at a run beside her, he was using all of the power in his legs to propel him across the muddy forest, and was hoping he didn't snag a root and tumble down. There would be no chance if he fell on his way out of the forest. He kept getting slowed down but the sticky mud that was under his feet. He kept pushing through it and making sure Sequoia was always in front of him. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. "RUN!" He urged her as he saw her look back at him. He heard the crashing as the tree was falling, it just kept getting closer until he felt the spray of water and leaves as the tree landed just feet behind him. He slowed down to turn his head and look at the tree and to make sure nothing else was back there. He saw that the water was rushing behind him. The tree that had fallen must have been an intricate part of the Lake that was on the further side of the small patch of forest. He could see the water rushing up and covering the tree and picking up old logs and other debris on it's way towards him. He focused on the path in front of himself and continued to push himself harder. His muscles were starting to ache, but he ignored it. The adrenaline pumping through his veins was what he focused on. He wasn't about to let this storm beat him.
He kept running, and the water kept pushing it's way closer to him, the land was already flooded so there was no stopping the current of water. He just kept running forward, hoping for some sort of escape as he felt the water on his haunches. The icy tendrils of fear raged through him and he flared his nostrils in rage. He wouldn't be beaten by this water. He kept running and kept spraying mud with every step of his hooves. He had to be covered in mud, and on a normal day that would have bothered him greatly. However, at the moment he was more in fear for his life. He saw Sequoia ahead of him, and could still make out her form as she continued to run from the water. He saw Sequoia up in front of him, he could still make out her form as she continued to run away from the water. The rain never let up and just seemed to get worse. His eyes stung from the force of the rain, and it felt like he was being pricked by thorns as it struck his body.
A log that had been swept away by the water swept up behind him and knocked him from his feet. He fell backwards over the log and flipped around in the current of the water. He was entangled with the log, and could feel it pulling his tail and mane while fighting to find the surface of the shallow, but swiftly moving water. Even though the water was probably only six feet deep, it seemed like it was a vast lake that he would never find the top of. His legs hurt from the running. He could feel the log beating against his body. He finally kicked against the ground and manged to reach the surface. He took in a deep breath just before getting pulled back under to be forced along with the log once more. He took a hard blow to the shoulder, and then one to the head. He fought once more to reach the surface as his lungs started to burn. He needed to be able to breathe. He forced himself up and broke the surface of the water once more. As he took a breath the log was forced on him once more, this time another blow to the head, this one much harder and his body shuddered with the blow. His whole body was screaming, and his head felt like it had gone through a battle. He couldn't manage to keep his eyes open and slipped into an uneasy unconsciousness.
He awoke to being prodded at, he couldn't seem to get his eyes to open. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up into the eyes of another horse. Someone was there, and they were saying something, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. His whole body was sore and he had no idea where he was. He tried to turn himself over to get to his feet and his world spun away from him. He heard something that sounded like a calm 'Easy' in his ear, but he didn't know the voice. He looked up to the other again as he laid there for another minute before trying once more to get over to where his feet would at least be under him, not sprawled out like he currently was. He tried really hard to focus on what was going on around him. There were others around him, it wasn't just this one. He couldn't put together what was going on, or what had happened. He knew it must have been something important because he could hear the hesitation and the sounds of fear in the voices of the others. Slowly, very Slowly he managed to get to his feet. He looked to the others and they walked over to him. They started asking him questions about an incident called "The Flood", where he came from, even what his name was. He tried to think, but all he could come up with was nothing. It was like his mind was blank and he hadn't existed until this moment. His eyes went wide and the tendrils of fear gripped him once more. None of these others seemed to know him. Where did he come from? Did he have what they had called a herd? What was his name? He had no idea what any of this was and it was all very confusing for him.
He heard one of the others whisper as an older, gentle looking horse walked passed them 'Elder...' so he assumed that was her name. That same horse had been walking towards him. She walked up to him and put her head on his shoulder. She spoke softly and soothingly to him. She told him that it was okay, he had probably taken a few blows to the head and had amnesia. She said it would more then likely sort itself out in time, and that for now, they would call him Lakota, the Friend and Ally. She told him that he could stay with them and they would try their best to help him figure out who he was. He nuzzled Elder back and laid his head on her shoulder. His body ached so much. He just wanted to go lay down somewhere and recover. He had so many questions with no answers. He had no way of knowing when, or If, any answers could be found. He just prayed Elder was right and things would sort themselves out in time.
He's out there somewhere, isn't he?
Username: Draconian_Peacock Character name: Sequoia Temper: Loyal Personality: Sequoia is loyal to those she knows and will fight for what is right. She is a bit stubborn,but has reasons for when it shows and at times she does have a gentle side to her as she can be seen hanging around with the small foals during some point of the day entertaining them as best she can.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character.
It started out as a warm sunny day with a few clouds painting the sky. Sequoia was out by the young ones entertaining them the best she knew how. They didn't seem to mind what little mistakes she made, they were enjoying the attention they were getting and loving it. She to loved to entertain them, it brought great joy to her and gave her stories to tell to her friend who she was suppose to be meeting up with soon. She looked away from the foals and looked around for him and saw he was not that far away. So she told the foals she would see them again tomorrow. She went up to him and nuzzled him affectionately.
The sky soon began to change the clouds grew thicker and darker with every second. The wind picked up to where it was much stronger. She felt something hit her in the ear and looked up at the sky, it was beginning to rain. At first it was small drops of cold water and warm air and then they began to get bigger the faster the rain fell. Her ears twitched with the sound of a voice that she registered as her friends voice suggesting they get to shelter.
An hour soon passed by as they stood and watched what the rain was doing and the mess it was bringing with it and again her ears twitched at his voice and the words of them needing to run. As fast as those words were said, was as fast as they were already running away from the rain and the flooding waters. They were running to find a place of safety where they could wait it all out, but the rain was getting heavier and the wind even stronger that Sequoia put as much force as she could in to running as best she could. She could hear him telling her to run once more and when she looked back he had disappeared in to the dark waters that were now following close behind her. She could hear the leaves rustling and the wind whipped at her mane and she felt the wet coolness of the waters trying to play at her hooves. Her legs were starting to get tired and she was also starting to get tired. She kept fighting on and running as fast as she could and before she knew it, it all went black. The water had manged to catch up with her and swallow her in one giant gulp. Not even giving her enough time to take that much needed breath of air.
Sequoia had found herself on the edge of the river bank when she woke up. She was sore and her hair was matted every which way it could go. She even found twigs and algae stuck in it from being thrashed about in the river. When she went to get up she could still feel the wet coolness from the rivers water on her lower legs. As much as it felt good, she wanted to get up and figure out where she was and if any others had come to the same shore as her.
It seemed like hours when she finally got done looking about. Sequoia made note that there was not a single one from her old herd with her on this stretch of land. Her thoughts of her friend, who she had been separated from, soon came to mind and she was hoping beyond all hope that he was safe and sound some where dry. The thought of never seeing him bothered her as he was the closest friend she had and one she didn't want to lose.
....and then they found each other again! Write a small in character reply between the pair when they finally find each other again. What happens? How do they feel? Have things changed? How? Let your imagination flow free!
Lakota was determined he would get across the river, he had come here every night since the flood. He couldn't tell how many moons had come to pass since the floods had come and swept the land into an uproar and uprooted his very life. Who was he kidding. He couldn't even remember who he was, let alone what happened before "The Flood". All he could remember was waking up covered in the mud and dirt and grime from it. He had been told by the band of refugees that had formed a herd and had taken him in that he had been found under a giant log and they had figured him for dead. It seemed everyone had been surprised when he was still alive and asleep under that log. The pulled him out and figured him for a normal Paint stallion. He was that caked in the mud that it just wouldn't come off his pelt. It was like he was a brand new person. No memories, no past, and not even the same pelt. It had taken time for the mud and the grime to wash away, and then he found his true tribal markings under it. The others were surprised that he had the coat he did since it was so different from the condition he had been found in. He loved the Herd he had come to know, but he was still drawn to the river. It was like it begged him to cross it, to go exploring on the other side of the river to see what was over there. Carefully he waded his way into the river, it went up to his ankles and he kept his gaze on the far side of the river bank. He would reach that edge, he was determined this time. He threw himself into the river kicking and thrashing against the force of the river. He wouldn't let the current win against his strength he was stronger then this. He was going to master this river. He thrashed and kicked and pushed himself through the river's current until it seemed that he was almost to the other side. He lost his footing on the ledge and wound up being pushed down the river. About twenty feet down the river he pushed himself back up to the surface of the water, throwing his head above water and breathing deep as the panic had started to set in. He wanted out of this river, and he wanted out now! He kicked and thrashed and rode on the strength given to him by the adrenaline that was now coursing through his veins. He kicked down onto the side of the river bed and found stable footing and put his other foot in front of the other and kept making his way through and finally onto the far bank. He laid on the bank panting and soaking wet. The water sliding off his coat as he laid there catching his breath. He didn't even care if some predator found him. He was just happy to be out of that river. He half chuckled to himself, as much as he could muster. "I made it.... I actually... made it across...."
What seemed like months was only a few weeks and Sequoia was starting to lose hope of ever seeing any one from her herd again. The thought that they all might of drowned came to mind. As well as the thoughts that they found another land and forgot all about her also came to mind. However she wasn't going to let these thoughts get to her. She was better than that and knew something was bound to change. Just as she thought that she rounded the corner of some trees and came upon something in the water, at first it looked like a lump of rocks, but on closer inspection it started to gain more details. She soon realized it was a stallion from her herd and not just any stallion, It was her closet friend from the herd. The one she got separated from, the one who she could tell anything to. She shook her head, she figured it was just her mind playing tricks on her once more.
He laid in the wet mud and let his heart beat return to normal. The stress of the water against him, pushing him, in addition to him going under had done a wonder on him. He didn't even care if he got muddy again. It was worth it to be back on land. Even muddy land. He laughed to himself as he thought about the reactions the others had shown when they realized he wasn't a paint horse. He had grown to love the little herd of survivors that had adopted him into it. They had given him the name Lakota as it meant ally or friend. They had accepted him as that. He laid there for a while longer before he slowly tried to get to his feet. His legs were shaky as he rolled onto his stomach and started to put his legs under him. Even more shakily he got to his feet and stumbled a bit. He caught himself and started to look around. It was slightly different on this side of the river, but it wasn't too different that it surprised him. After all, It was the same area just split by a river. He had heard some of the others talking about the time before "The Flood" but he couldn't seem to remember. Everyone assured him that his memory would eventually come back to him, but he wondered about that. He still wasn't sure it would. He walked towards the trees since cover was always a good thing. Especially seeing as he didn't know what kinds of predators where about. He entered the trees cautiously, his ears pricked to see if there was anything hiding in the trees. He had no idea what to expect from this new place. Tentatively he whispered to himself, "It's definitely interesting.... Exploring a new place..."
She watched as he got up and began to move around, she didn't want to spook him and so stayed behind some trees hidden from his view. At the first glance she knew it had to be him,but at the same time she wasn't sure and wanted to believe it was him. However doubt was pulling at the edges trying to make her doubt it could ever be him and she tried to push those thoughts away, she wasn't going to let them get the best of her. Sequoia was stronger than to doubt herself and her memories. She was to stubborn to let such a small thing get the best of her. Though she had been tricked by her mind before. As much as she didn't want to spook him she had to, she wanted to...no she had to make sure it was him. She needed to know, she had to believe it was him and before she knew it she was trotting up to this male and began to nuzzle him in the same affection they showed one another before this flood.
He heard the sounds of the other before he had seen her. He blinked a couple times looking at her as she trotted up to him, and before he knew it she was nuzzling him. His mind raced with questions, and before he knew what his body had done, he had stepped back away from her. "What are you doing?" He said in an surprised and somewhat spooked voice. It wasn't every day that a Mare would just walk up to him and nuzzle him, especially one he didn't even know. He just looked at her, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. "Do you always go around nuzzling strangers like that?!" He said still shocked that she had not only come up to him, but had done what she did. His mind couldn't grasp the concept of it. He took a step back towards her and looked down at her. His mind still racing thinking 'What the bloody hell was she doing?! She actually trotted right up to me and did THAT?!' somehow he fought with himself over the fact that a random mare would never just randomly go up to stallion and start nuzzling him like they were either close friends or lovers. All he could manage to do was stand there and stare at her in disbelief.
She felt and watched as he took a step back and what came next took her off guard. He was not only surprised by what she did he also was upset at her like he never knew her. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of this.. she knew it couldn't be true,but here he was her closest friend and yet he couldn't remember her and it hurt, the one stallion she could tell anything to and here he was with that disgusted look on his face. She backed away from him so she could look at him better, " Your joking right. its me Sequoia, you know your friend ", she was hoping with all hope that he was joking and this was all just one giant scheme he thought up. 'what to do..,is he truly making a joke of this and of us or is this really what is going on' she thought to herself as she continued to look at him.
He watched her actions, all of them as his mind raced and wondered. He was still trying to process what had just happened. Along with what she had just told him. She was his friend, but how was that possible? He didn't know anyone, and to his knowledge so far, no one knew him. He was alone when he was found and he had been alone ever since, except for his herd. His eyes glazed for a minute as he thought back to the herd he had left on the other side of the river. He wondered for a minute if they were alright, would they miss him? He would have to return to them sometime soon. His eyes focused once more and he couldn't stop staring at her in disbelief. "I am not joking and I have no idea what you mean by your my friend..." He said as he turned his head to the side, still looking at her, but now he felt the need to introduce himself. "I am Lakota, I am a friend and an ally to the refugee herd." He hadn't met many new horses, because of this he had no idea how to act around this mare. She puzzled him, but he didn't believe that she could be telling the truth 'She could just be saying this so that I am more willing to take her back with me...' He looked her over once more, and decided that she was probably living out here on her own. That was no way for anyone to live and his expression softened just slightly for her. He was still planning to keep his guard up around her, who knew what she was capable of.
Her heart sank at his words. How could he forget her and there friendship? What could of happened to him when the water took him from her? 'How could this be... I don't understand this.' She looked at him some more her expression changing to that of disbelief and confusion."How...How do you not remember me..." she said this with a small stutter. She was upset by all this and didn't know what to do. She took a small step back from him in disbelief. She couldn't quite grasp what was going on and it was bothering her. 'He even has a new name... What do I do now' she thought to herself and then opened her mouth to speak once more. "I'm Sequoia as I said once before... You were with others of our herd" she said this while looking at him as well as at the trees every few seconds. Her eyes brightened a bit at the thought that the others had managed to survive the flood.
He felt a pang of guilt wash over him. He hadn't meant to hurt this mare, but he had to figure out if what she was saying was the truth. She had told him her name was sequoia again. 'Sequoia really is a beautiful name...' he thought to himself. He watched as she took the step back away from him. He wasn't sure if it was hurt or if it was embarrassment from her actions that made her look so broken. He took a tentative step towards her. He had no idea how to comfort or console this mare, but he should at least try. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he closed it again. He had no clue what to say or what to do. He watched for a bit longer as she seemed to harden against his gaze. He thought about what she said another moment. He had a herd that he had belonged to? Maybe this mare could give him some of the answers he was searching for. He shook his head. 'This could all just be a fabricated lie to lure me in... who knows what she could be planning.' He still didn't know if he should trust her or not, but he was tempted to. He could see the hurt in her eyes. He could almost feel it. It made the guilt run deeper through him. Maybe it would be okay if he took her across the river and back to the herd. Then if she was lying then his herd would be there to help him run her off. His compassion called out to him to take her with him. He felt that no one should be alone. He debated this for a few moments longer before he spoke. "It seems like your alone here... you could be in danger from an attack..." He said it briskly and with a touch of sternness to his voice. "If you want to... I could take you back with me... we could see if the herd would accept you..." he looked away from her now. He still wasn't sure he was doing the right thing by asking her this, but the guilt and his compassion had pulled him into feeling like he should. He hoped against all hope that he was making the right choice.
She looked away from him for a moment before glancing back to him. The pain clear in her eyes as her mind raced. 'I am alone here and have been for awhile,' she thought to herself. She didn't like the fact that she had ended up alone. In addition to the fact that now her closest friend couldn't remember anything bothered her greatly. She knew that if she went back that some of the other refugees could possibly remember her. Which in turn might be able to help her to restore Lakota's memories. She silently prayed that things would sort themselves out. "Yes I am truly alone here... So far you have been the first I have seen in awhile." It hurt to think back on how alone she felt. How she thought she might not see anyone again and now here he is standing before her. She is grief stricken by his memory loss. She open her mouth and then closed it contemplating on what else to say to him. She opened her mouth once more to speak, "Your willing to take me back with you...? I suppose that would be for the best... Then maybe we can see if they remember our herd." The thought of seeing the others excited her, but still she had that one unease she had felt still nestled deep in the back of her mind. Constantly reminding her that he wasn't the same stallion as before. As much as she wanted to see the others, she wanted to go back with him. She wanted to help him get his memories back to the best of her abilities.
He was surprised to hear both surprise and pain in her voice as she had spoken the question of taking her back with him. He had made the offer and made his decision. A part of him was relieved that she wanted to go with him. He liked the idea that the herd might remember something about his old herd. Maybe then they could answer some of his questions. He was excited about this news. He pawed the ground with his left hoof gently in anticipation of getting some much needed and wanted answers. His eyes sparkled with the excitement. He cursed himself feeling insensitive. He showed signs of being excited when he had wounded this mare emotionally. He should show more control with his emotions. It was one thing the others said he was very bad with. They could always tell what he was thinking. He shook his head to clear it for a moment. The thoughts of who this mare could really be sunk into his mind. She could be anything, a liar or a thief, he had no way of knowing. He looked to her once more, the excitement still playing in his eyes. "We should probably leave... They will be wondering where I have wondered off to this time..." He said as turned to head back towards the river. They were headed back to his herd. Back to the place that he called home. Even if it was different from his old home. This was the home he knew, the home he loved. His mind was still playing on the idea that he knew nothing about this mare, but he was getting the feeling that she wasn't as evil as he first thought she was. He would still have to be cautious around her, but if they were friends before, then he wanted to at least try and rebuild that friendship. This was his new beginning, his new story, and his new place. You could call it his rebirth.
Username: Shi Berry Character name: Saorsa – Scottish Gaelic name, meaning “freedom.” Temper: Loyal Personality:
The older half-sibling, Cronan's first child. His mother was Cronan's original mate, before Nenetl and her mother came into the picture. The stallion is loyal and headstrong, traits received from his mother. He has a high sense of justice, strong views of right and wrong. When his father, Cronan, had an affair which ended up getting the other mare pregnant, Saorsa stood firmly by his mother, for she had not done anything wrong. When his father proceeded to bring that other mare with that other child into their lives, Saorsa's obstinate belief that his mother deserved better caused the young colt to blame Nenetl, the product of that affair, his half-sister. He could not understand Cronan's fatherly obligations to Nenetl, even though it would be wrong of Cronan to abandon the new foal. Unfortunately, his current mate didn't agree with any of it. She soon left because of this, leaving Saorsa with Cronan, the second mare, and little Nenetl. Suddenly, Saorsa's mother was gone for good. Killed by a Skinwalker.
Young Saorsa grew bitter and belligerent, refusing to accept the event as a grand misfortune and unable to blame the Skinwalker which slaughtered his mother. Instead, in his mind, Cronan, the second mate, and Nenetl were to blame for forcing his mother to leave. The second mate was brought into their lives due to the production of Nenetl. If Nenetl had not been brought into this world, Cronan would have let the second mare go without incident, and Saorsa, his mother, and Cronan could have lived together in peace.
Before the flood, he saw right and wrong in black and white, and carried a strong sense of morality. As such, Saorsa longs to prove himself a better stallion than his father, diligent and strong in ways he did not see his father to be. As such, he is dutiful, hardworking, courageous, and unwavering in his resolve. However, at times he takes these traits to extremes, showing himself to be willful and severe.
After the flood, Saorsa is calmer and far more considerate. He can see good intentions behind questionable acts, such as how his father wanted to raise his second child and take responsibility for his actions rather than abandon the newborn and new mother even though it certainly would have been easier. Now, he has a sense of purpose to unhesitatingly care for the family he has left. Many died in the flood, and families were broken if not lost altogether. He knows he is lucky that his little sister survived, and he will be there for her for the rest of their lives. His morality and diligence still remain, and he knows he has faults to accept and work through.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character.
It was cold.
The young stallion shook his head with a snort, observing the area around him. This place had a familiarity to it that Saorsa could not quite place, however, it was unusually wet, or so he thought. This certainly was no swampland, yet before him lay large pools of murky, muddy water lined with dense patches of long grass, trees reaching up to the sky as though begging for something to save them from their watery graves. Now that he thought about it, he was unusually wet as well. He turned his gaze to his form, taking note of the varying shades of brown and green staining what he knew to be a white and black coat. He did not remember swimming, granted, he did not remember much… With a blink, he forced his reluctant body to his hooves. He ached, his head more than anything else. He had to move, though, this much he knew. Night was coming swiftly, and he could not stay out here in the dank grass with those ominous clouds looming overhead, threatening to bleed, forcing the water to rise again...
Again.
“The flood…” he finally concluded. This time when scanning the area, he viewed it with clarity. This was the valley he grew up in, that which he had called home since the day he was born, the place he longed to leave. He cursed this place… No, not the place, something else. Something about this place was wretched, though he could not put his hoof on it.
No matter. Now was not the time to brood. He needed to leave for now. Turning, he ambled off in a direction he believed would lead to higher ground, though he needed to maneuver around the lakes between him and the hills. Gazing out at the expanse of water, he noticed a dark form drifting close to the grass. Curious, the stallion approached it in order to investigate. A horse, from the looks of it, another Soquili. Green eyes narrowed, scrutinizing. Its face remained submerged, but the necklace around its neck was all he needed to determine the identity of the corpse. “Dad?” He reached out with a hoof, prodding his father’s body, praying for some movement, feeling as though the corpse would reanimate with some encouragement He knew better, but knowing is very different from feeling.
With a sigh, he moved back from the waterline, turning away from the body of his father. It was then his eyes rested on another form adrift in the water, one which he assumed to be his father’s second mate from the long, ebony tresses and tanned coat. He remembered that accursed feeling he associated with this place. He hated his father and his second mate for their actions which caused his mother to leave, concluding that had she not left, she would have never encountered that skinwalker. Who could blame his mother for leaving? She had remained faithful and loyal to her mate and family, yet Cronan could not manage the same. He had brought that other mare into their family, taking her as a second mate, all because of that child with which he managed to impregnate her… That child.
“Nenetl?” He called out. He had not seen a sign of her yet. Despite the acrimony he felt towards her, he could not find it in his heart to leave her out here with a chance that she might still be alive. He had cursed the three of them, yet, now that ill will befallen them, he felt more guilt than anything else. These Soquili, despite their flaws, had tried to love and care for him, even though he spent every ounce of energy he had making it difficult for them. He never formed a relationship with either the second mate or his younger half-sister and only saw the demon which led to his mother’s demise in his father. Now two of them were gone, as he had wished for the longest time. It was funny how quickly desires could backfire, for now he wished he had spent more time loving them as they had loved him.
He had a chance of redemption, for Nenetl might still be out there. With both urgency and purpose fueling his steps, he turned back from where he came. “Nenetl?!” He continued to call out. Surely she would hear him. She could not be gone, too.
He's out there somewhere, isn't he?
Username: ~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~ Character name: Nenetl – Nahuatl name, meaning "doll." Temper: Tolerant Personality:
The younger half-sibling, Cronan's second child! She's the result of an affair that Cronan had. This mare is probably one of the calmest characters you'll meet. Meeting with others and forcing chatter is an awkward thing for her, and Nenetl, being fairly quiet, prefers to just enjoy peaceful company and only speak up when she feels the need to point out something. Nenetl is not the type to fight or yell unless she's seriously riled up, choosing to turn her shoulder and simply give others the silent treatment instead. She's definitely not the loudest or boldest Soquili!
As far as family goes, Nenetl's feelings are fairly neutral towards her parents. Like any child would, she loved her mother and father. Father brought her and mother in, and the two were always there for her. And Saorsa's mother? Well, she didn't get a chance to know her. Then her half-brother, Saorsa! Back when they had been fighting, Nenetl had tried to be accepting and tolerant of her brother being the way he was. She could understand the resentment towards the rest of the family the colt must have felt due to their father’s infidelity which drove his mother away. None of it was really, Nenetl’s fault, though, as Saorsa made it seem. For the longest time, she tried to form a relationship with her older brother, but his grudge against her made it so damn hard. The initial smiles and offers to play soon went away as Saorsa's behavior continued. The levy finally broke when Nenetl, being a curious young thing, had been admiring some jewelry one day - jewelry that had belonged to Saorsa's mother. Saorsa saw this and, fueled by both his negative feelings towards his half-sister and the death of his mother, naturally assumed that she was going to take them for herself. He confronted her and an argument ensued, a furious one that involved Saorsa snapping at his sibling and Nenetl struggling to tell her side of the story. Their father and Nenetl's mother soon broke up the fight, nudging the foals away and calming them down, but the damage was done. This fight was the final straw, and it caused a rift between the two half-siblings. Nenetl knew she had not done anything wrong, for she had not truly wanted to take the jewelry for herself; however, her brother’s unwavering bitterness towards her for matters far out of her control naturally made the filly start to dislike him back.
This continued on and on until the fire and flood.
At first, after the flood, she was hesitant to grow close to him. But now, after some bonding, the two have grown close and Nenetl couldn't ask for a better brother. They're both siblings and traveling companions! And, honestly, Nenetl considers him her anchor in the flood. He's the only family she has left, after all. Having family around was - and still is - very important for her. This poor girl recently discovered, during the aftermath of the flood, that being left completely alone is one of her biggest fears.
How did they feel about the incident with the flood? Write the reply in character.
Oh, how her head ached! Nenetl woke up slowly, blinking her eyes - once, twice, three slow times - before rising to her feet... Well, she tried, anyways. Her vision faltered, a clear view of her hooves one moment and then a quickly blurring scene of black and tan the next, and the mare stumbled as she rose, falling back down into the sparse grass. No, this wouldn't do. She needed to rest a little, recover. During this pause, Nenetl began to realize some things. She couldn't remember anything from before she awoke, but... hm. Things were off. Very off. Her entire body ached, like she had been tossed and trampled. Her hooves and fur were caked with... mud, both wet and dry? Where had all of that come from? And ugh, it felt like she hadn't taken a drink of water in ages! What on earth was wrong with her? What had happened? Exactly how long had she been out for? It was obvious now that she had not simply fallen asleep or taken a nap, that was very clear. Nenetl frowned, ears flicking back as she eyed the field of dying grass and singed earth. No, she never would have chosen to rest in a place like this, the remains of a field that had been touched by the fires from a few months back.
And then, suddenly, it hit her. She was... alone? Nenetl gave a shake of her head as she started to move and investigate her surroundings. Oh no, she couldn't be alone. That was silly! Someone had to be around.
Carefully placing each step as she moved through the field, not wanting another spill like before, she began to call out in hopes someone would hear. "Hello?... Mom? Momma, are you here?” No reply, nothing but the faint hooting of an owl from the nearby woods... Well, this was odd. Maybe her father was around? Her father had to be near, he always kept close, especially after the fires had happened. "Dad?... Hello?” Again, Nenetl received no reply. Her breathing quickened and she had to force down a worried cry that almost escaped her. He was around, she was sure, so there was nothing to freak out over. She tried once more, voice wavering a little."Is anyone out there? Hello?” Still no replies. Now she was concerned. Something was wrong. No. No, no, no. It was night time - very late, it seemed - and she was alone. There was no real fear over the fact that it was dark out, she could deal with that just fine. But being alone? Not having her family around was truly frightening. They never left... father or mother or her half-sibling, Saorsa-
Saorsa! He had to be around!
He wasn't the nicest, especially towards Nenetl and her mother, but the mare was positive that her half-brother wouldn't just up and leave. Frantic now, she made her way out of the grass and into the woods, a place she soon recognized. This was a place she knew! She and her family had often rested here!
She shakily called out her half-brother's name as she moved through the woods, but it quickly developed into yelling, both out of sheer frustration and fear. It was an odd thing, the usually calm mare speaking with a voice this loud. "Brother! Saorsa, where are you? Saorsa?" On and on she went, calling out for him in panic. Her throat hurt from all of this yelling and shouting, but she wouldn't stop - no, couldn't stop until she found someone. "Saorsa, please! I need to talk to you, it's something serious!" All of these unanswered calls were beginning to weigh heavily on Nenetl, and she couldn't help but cry. "Saorsa, please! Please... I know we've had our fights, but please- I can't find mom and dad!" She felt so damn helpless and separated and scared. She was scared. "Saorsa? I don't- I can't find anyone and I'm alone and I need help, please! Don't leave me here.. Please don't leave me alone!"
....and then they found each other again! Write a small in character reply between the pair when they finally find each other again. What happens? How do they feel? Have things changed? How? Let your imagination flow free!
Faintly, Saorsa heard someone. The voice sounded far off, but it was there.
Starting off towards the source of the voice, he too began to call out. The voice, from what he had caught, had sounded feminine... so it might be Nenetl! "Hello?" Calling out as he moved, his treck soon brought him to the start of a thicket. Was this... Yes! This was where he and his family had often rested! This realization encouraged the idea that this stranger, this other Soquili, just might be his half-sister. "Is someone out there? Hello?" There was a chance it might be Nenetl, he had to find this other Soquili and be sure of it! "Nenetl?! Nene-..." he paused, his urgent gallop slowing down to a walk as the sound of someone crying caught his attention. Pushing his way through a dense patch of brush, Saorsa called out once more. "Hello?"
It felt like she had been crying for hours now. Nenetl couldn't stop the tears though, they just kept falling. As soon as she'd calm herself down, the thought of her family or being left all alone would cause her to start all over again! She was so worn out now, both physically and emotionally. Feeling no urge to move or continue anymore of her calling, the mare had plopped down at the base of a tree a few hours ago and had chosen to remain there the entire time. "W-why haven't we found each other yet?" Nenetl mumbled, eyes shutting tight as she tried to hold back tears. "What happened..."
Then, with the rustling and snapping of twigs and leaves, someone else was there with her. She had been so distracted by herself that she hadn't noticed this other Soquili's approach!
Her eyes widened, mouth falling open just a bit in surprise before another hiccup came from her. "S-Saorsa?..." It was him, she'd recognize those markings anywhere! She wobbily rose to her feet, unable to control the relieved smile that appeared. "Brother, it's really you!"
"Nenetl?" Yes! It was her!
Saorsa felt a smile tug at his lips before he gave snort and shook his body, quickly removing the bits of leaves and things that had stuck to his coat. Satisfied with that, he moved to give his half-sister a gentle nuzzle, something he wouldn't have ever done before the flood. It felt a little odd, sure, but it also felt like the correct thing to do in this situation. "I'm so glad that I finally found you. I've been looking for hours now! I thought I might have lost you to the flood, like dad and-"
.....Ah. She probably didn't know about what had happened to her mother and their father.
"The flood..." Ears flicking back, he tried to figure out how to word things. He was finding this to be quite the difficult task. "I managed to find some others right after I woke up. Dad and your mother. I... well, it was too late." The stallion sighed, hesitating before he pulled back from the nuzzle, lightly brushing some hair away from her face, a comforting move. At least, he hoped it was. "We lost them to the flood, Nenetl. We're the only ones left."
The... flood? The flood! Suddenly, it all made sense. The mud on her coat, the injuries she had, everything.
The news of their parent's deaths struck Nenetl. She was silent at first, eyes cast downward as she tried to figure out what to do. But she couldn't find the words. Their father, her mother, dead. Gone. Lost, just like that. She wasn't alone now, sure, but now her parents were gone. It was just her and Saorsa now. Unable to help the tears that came once more, the young mare tucked her head under her brother's, hiding her face from view. It was quiet sobbing that came from her this time.
Deciding to step up and be a brother for once, Saorsa had remained there the entire time, allowing his younger sibling to cry and lean against him. He didn't cry, there was no sobbing, he didn't feel the need to pinch his eyes shut and hold in tears... nothing. During the silent period that they stood there Saorsa didn't really feel anything. Perhaps he'd cry later? He didn't know right now. He couldn't figure out how he felt about the entire situation yet.
After some time, Nenetl had stopped her crying. When this happened, he finally stepped back. "Sister, I think we should... go. Let's find somewhere drier to rest. Somewhere else." Staying here wouldn't be good for either of them at this point, he felt. "Lean against my side if you need to. I'm here."
"I think that would... be best, brother." Nenetl felt tired, more tired than she had ever felt before. Taking up her half-brother's offer, she moved to his side, pressing just her own shoulder against his for now, nodding quietly. "Let's go."
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 4:11 pm
The contest is now closed. Thank you for all your entries!
We know you want to string us up for making you wait so long, but y'all made this a tough decision!
Thank you so much for entering, everyone. We really enjoyed reading all of your submissions and seeing all the interesting ways you connected these two.
In the end, though, only one entry could win, so without further further ado, congratulations to Novablu and .Tortured. .Pumpkin.!
Please remember that the events in your entry must remain backstory and not be RPed, according to our RP rules. Otherwise, we're looking forward to seeing where these two go. Congrats again!
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:41 am
No way. O____O Thank you soooooo much! *can't wait for Nova to get on*
.Tortured. .Pumpkin.
Backwoods Garbage
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Apotropaics
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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:47 am
Congratulations you two! whee
Thank you for judging, Sam and Syao! heart
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:46 am
Congrats everyone and especially our two winners! There were so many amazing entries, we really had to toss lots back and forth to narrow this down smile *chuckles* You all rock!
