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 Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:18 pm
Leaning back only slightly, a coy smirk drew on her lips.
Well well well, it seemed the tadpole was angry at something. Meridah wasn't entirely sure what had gotten his fins so twisted, but the more she silently watched and observed she noticed he was detailing her body with his eyes. Had he never seen scars before?
Yet, there wasn't a whole lot of time to think about it, as his motions deliberately and boldly blocked her path...
...and that was not acceptable.
A loud breath escaped, her body tensing with exception of the lame hind leg. While she was not keen on the idea of having to physically press the issue at hand with a stallion who was now that she took note a considerable size in comparison...she'd do what she had to do.
What was some more scars.
"No, i'm not. I'm making her a stronger body. Brazen with tokens of victory...honor to the dark one." A wild smirk. "the Lord will be most pleased, my body here belongs to him and him alone. A fine one it is..."
Her body...HA. What a joke.
"Don't be dumb." Meridah sneered, making a motion to the left only to realize he would block her whatever way she took. She simply wasn't fast enough in her condition to get around him...damnit. "I got lost...." She reasoned, feeling her brows lower. "I was leaving this stupid beach till you got in the way!" She stomped her good hoof, hoping maybe he would back up and let her through; feeling the oozing of warm liquid running down her cheek from her scorned expressions opening the little clotting it had accomplished.
"MOVE." She snapped her teeth in his direction, but once again stumbled thanks to her back leg. Looking back she'd noticed for the first time just how many scars she had back there; although some were just a short fading blemish against her dark pelt.
She was unable to remember where she even got most of them....strange, but perhaps it was the demon beast she was saved by Beelz from.
Yeah...that made sense.
"Look what you're doing.....leave me be and go back to where you came Vooduh." She taunted, knowing damn well what his name was...but oh - did she just want to lie down....but it was clear in her eyes that she was fading in strength and resolve. Her body just couldn't take much more of it before it would fall to the sand and not move till morning.
She had to make him leave before he saw that weakness.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:47 pm
He watched that coy smirk emerge, and his ears pinned backwards once more.
He twitched as she breathed, noting that one hind leg was worse than he had first thought and moaning inwardly. Meridah... what is she doing to you.
Strength was not built by tearing flesh away and letting it mend anew. Muscles formed by being pushed to their max, ever so gently ripping so that they might re-form a stronger whole.
This was taking away pieces, making holes.
He'd been sore, he knew the strain of pushing himself so hard and pitting himself against the currents that he ached for days on end. But it was a good, satisfying, ache. Not that of one who had taken a beating, rather one who had soared with all around them and only clashed enough to improve.
So many scars... reckless.
"There is no honor when darkness consumes all." he stated, his retort composed of short and biting syllables. A far cry from his hesitant stutter, for he was certain now.
Light, dark, balance. Honor was something positive, something true, akin to morality and justice. Honesty, fairness, merit. An entirely dark being knew no honor, for acting constantly despicable was merely perpetual... he stopped himself there. It was not his place to judge, or assign value to one's personal beliefs. But he would not, could not, accept that self-sacrifice without reason beyond appeasing some 'lord''s whims was... right.
Right and wrong, ultimately, were not up to him to decide. He could argue, place his opinion forth, but in the end...
This was wrong.
He watched as she tried to move past him, ignoring her insult, and then felt his anger shatter as the exertion of trying to move past him caused a fresh well of blood to ooze forth from her cheek.
He wanted to wipe it away, make it all better, expel the sour filth and allow her inner light to radiate forth once more.
But he couldn't do it alone.
"If you're so injured, so lost that you wound up here... would it not be better to stay put until you have enough strength" he paused "to make it back?"
Whatever her plans, this scheme dictated for the pleasure of some unknown Lord that caused her to mutilate her body, surely pushing herself too hard and dying on a beach wasn't part of it.
He winced at the thought; if it came down to it, if she threw herself at him.... he'd have to let her pass. He couldn't fight her, he couldn't control her (a queer light flickered in his eye as he considered using his weight to stop her from moving on, but he knew that laying atop her would only exasperate her wounds- and she wouldn't lay still if he tried)... She stumbled back, and he twitched forward as if to support her. But she recovered, and he stood still.
She spent so much of her time telling him not to be dumb, would she really be simple-minded enough to try and press on when she had already- admittedly- drained more of herself, merely by seeking to evade his physical blockade?
When he met her eyes again, his expression was un-guarded, pleading. Searching for something, anything in those eyes that remained of the filly he once knew.
Please.
... Don't leave me. ... Not like this.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 10:42 am
This time, it was her turn to let her anger boil.
How dare he preach at her like he knew everything, darkness wasn't honor? No, the ones of the 'light' were too weak in body and mind to do what needed to be done; to stand up for something they believed in. The clan of knights ruthlessly attacked the family of the swamp; they had their differences but to invade their homes when they had done no wrong..
It was deplorable.
...or so she was told.
She believed this with all of her corrupted being.
"Shut up!" She snapped, the fire in her eyes burning in their darkness swirling depths. "You speak of honor, what do you know! Where were you when your beloved died? Where were you when she was crying for you!" A stabbing blow, truthfully she didn't know what happened to the filly he spoke of - the true Meridah. Whether she cried, fought, was maybe still alive....she didn't know. She didn't care. It was cruel to say such things so she utilized one of her best weapons - her mind to make it so.
"I will belong....I'll slaughter them all myself if I have to!" She hissed, "No amount of pain will stop me." Her teeth clenched, almost to the point of cracking under the pressure as she pressed her body out of the stumble to get back into a solid stance...but it was in that moment when he'd twitched forward in a purely instinctual response to her fumble that it felt like lightning struck her body; eyes widening and glazing over as if she'd lost herself completely for a moment in a motionless silence.
It hurt. It hurt all over.
Her eyes were so red, so swollen from tears cried in silent solitude.
She wouldn't cry in front of him, she wouldn't allow him the pleasure of her weakness.
A dark shadow approached and she felt her body tense from past experience, her ears and head lowering as the pounding of her heart became erratic and nearly rib cracking in intensity.
She could see the shadow's insane grin, sadistic as it was sinister.
Silently shaking, she cowered against the firm object she was laying against; staring up at such a formidable foe. The shadowed figure twitched forward to lash out at her - pain was inevitable as she braced for impact.
As quickly as she went into trance she broke out, and broke out with a explosion of intensity. "DON'T HURT ME!" Meridah screamed, eyes coming out of the fog with horror plastered on her face; not seeing Voda as she was seeing someone else. Reality and Vision past was too skewed together to make sense which was which. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Her voice cracked, the gnarled vocals laced with pain as she stumbled, falling to the sand in a heap and luckily not breaking or twisting anything in its stead.
Her breath seemed to catch as the emotional outburst tolled on her psyche; not having noticed that she'd begun to cry as tears fell to mingle with the blood on her cheek. She stared ahead, blinking as she was slowly starting to come around again.
What the hell was that?
It was almost like she was seeing through the eyes of someone else, but that couldn't be right. She had no powers like that....maybe she was just going crazy...but never had she experienced an episode quite like that; and truth be it scared her.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 5:56 pm
He had been prepared for more empty, barbed insults.
She started off along the same lines, and then... she tore at his soul.
He had been here, as he had been here every night, waiting for her to return come morning. She had been .... 'safe'... with her family on the shore. He had been physically incapable of staying with her, that night... that dry night before the storm.
Time together, time apart. Such was their existence, at the time... Meridah's time, shared between her family on land and of the sea.
She hadn't died.
And if she had cried.... she was beyond his reach.
But, not now.
He stared at her hissing promise, her talk of slaughter and destruction. Her vow to persevere through the pain, and then.... he watched as her eyes glazed and she seemed to move far, far away.
Was it the pain? Was she light-headed with blood loss, did she did...? He took a step forward, brow furrowed in concern.
She exploded, her scream joining with the horror on her face to slam into his conscience and leave him breathless. He drew his head back, though his chest remained close, anchored by his forelegs that refused to retreat- not from her.
"I would never hurt you." he whispered, his voice earnest and soft. His skin pricked in warning, telling him that he had indeed been on land for most of the night- and it was time, time to go, time to return to the water... but home was here.
"... and i'm not going anywhere." He sunk to his knees, making himself small, drawing his fins close to his body even as his nose reached out tenderly, seeking to comfort her... and yet not daring to make any movements, not after.... whatever that had been.
"I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving you."
I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. Stolen away in the night, taken by the family's nemesis, one who called himself 'lord' and yet lorded over only pain.
Had she reacted to him, a full-grown male before her, his posture drawing out some fear-driven reflex in her, or had she been screaming at something in her past? There were too many scars that were too old for her to scream so at the events of this day, despite her torn and bloody form. He knew, with dread... this was not the worst her body had endured.
And he hated that she had to endure it at all.
He turned his head sideways, pressing himself against the sand, swallowing against his dry throat.
Home.
Decision made long ago, he squirmed closer, trying to keep his movements non-threatening.
"Friends are forever... Meridah, please.... let me help you."
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:11 pm
Shallow breathing slowly became steady, a normality settling into her body once more as she laid there; her eyes coming back to a dark vibrancy. She'd only been able to stare as Voda began to move..
...move lower into the ground like she.
At first his words were muffled, her body coming out of that trance like state she'd been; something about hurt. No...this stallion wasn't the one. There was no way he'd be able to twist himself into so horrifying.
Even when a tadpole became a frog there was no threat.
While the episode bothered her immensely, there was other things she needed to worry about right now. She needed to rest, to get better so she could be fit to continue the mission. There wouldn't be an attack without the information she'd provide, she wouldn't claim her spot if she didn't...
No. She would. Belonging meant everything to her.
"I know...you wouldn't." Dark tones spoke coolly, but she made no movement to lash out at him or evade his approach. Her good cheek thankfully rested on the sandy beach; saving the blood stained one to dry out in the air. "You're too weak for that."
He was too nice...too. Even she could tell he was an emotional little weakling; whomever she saw was a monster - a true monster of the depths of the underworld. Voda would maybe be able to startle a mollusc. Maybe
Although she wished to move, wished to make her escape into the woods to settle down for the night...Meridah was going no where. Not for the reason that she didn't want to, ohhhhh she did, but her body was incapable of summoning that kind of strength now. She was at the mercy of Voda; even her own head felt like it was weighed down by three bison's. Although she really desired to lash out and try and verbally push him away...she'd begun to realize the futility of it all.
The only way to get rid of him was to avoid this place all together, which well, she'd have to remember for next time.
"Nothing is forever, you know." She said dully, staring at him intently. "Why do you keep trying to hold onto something which isn't there? Was she really so important?" Did this Meridah belong? She wondered, it seemed even in death the one she pretended to be had it better...
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:43 pm
He sighed, staring into those eyes that were so familiar and yet belonged to someone else.
At her retort, he ceased attempting to make physical contact with her, seeing that the flicker- whatever it had been, however scary the memory that plagued her- was gone.
She was in there, somewhere. But getting through to her... would take time.
"Strength isn't measured in the ability to cause harm, rather the ability to restrain oneself and defend only when absolutely necessary. Needless death is an atrocity, and neither pleasure nor loyalty are reason enough to kill." he'd formed some pretty strong beliefs, in all that time he had to think quietly to himself. He'd seen and heard things he'd wished were not true, and though he'd lost some of his wide-eyed naivety he remained somewhat of an idealist.
Not all were so pure.
Regardless, his words were somewhat muffled, as he'd pressed himself fully into the sand and didn't bother to lift his head to speak more clearly. She would only lash out at him, anyway.
Her last comment jolted him upright, and he glared intently in the face of her dull stare.
"I may not be able to promise forever, because who I am may not endure after this body dies- but for as long as I remain myself, for as long as my conscience is in-tact enough that the memory of the promises we made when we were young remains- and for a time after that- I will be your truest friend." his gaze was smoldering. "I am holding on because you're not gone, you were taken- and whatever was done to you, you are in there. Whoever you are pretending to be, whoever you became under the hooves of whoever hurt you, I know my best friend when I see her." Even cold and bleeding, seething and screaming, he'd know her.
"That may not be an Ultimate forever, and you may cuss and call it a sham, but for a being to promise an eternity- that promise comes from somewhere so deep inside, that enough of who I am may linger on even after death to hold true to that vow. And if death is the true end of everything in me, then I have kept the promise still, for I was yours as long as I was me."
He knew she might not remember much, but she had scared him and he was tired and dry. His throat ached a little- he never spoke this much, even to Phoenix, and he needed water.
Buy maybe... she needed him more.
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:29 pm
"Who said it was senseless." She growled, her eyes narrowing slightly. He didn't know. He couldn't know how it felt. She felt like spitting at the word senseless, she killed for reason. Always a reason. Be it to help her get stronger, to defend the family, to bring the justice on those horrible knights. She wouldn't kill for no reason at all...
Even to rid herself of Voda for the sake of her mission...would have been for something right?
When he jolted she found herself with her eyes slightly widening as she listened, a bit taken back by everything he had so say but it didn't show as much as it should have on her face. He was so serious, so bold and intent to get his point across that she couldn't find the will to allow herself to scoff him off or even insult.
He'd keep such a thing...past the great beyond? Her mind churned, allowing such information to sink in, to let such words resonate within her. Even for something so silly as promises of the youth?
"May it be...Vod-tadpole, You can hold on to your promises and I can hold on to mine." She all of a sudden looked uncomfortable, as if she was laying on a sharp rock - but really, his words left a weight in her soul she couldn't shake. "Promises to one's self are important too." Meridah knew nothing of what having a best friend felt like, or really any kindness. While she had been fortunate to be saved; it was also very difficult to be a part of the clan. There wasn't tenderness that she had seen in her travels of families so close and loving....there was a goal. There was safety, there was a dark bond. It was all she knew of the world which had chewed her and spit her out as a nearly dead foal on the brink of death's opening; dragged back into a slow healing by the swamp dwellers.
She owed them everything, a promise to see forth their desires, to follow her own desires to be a part of them rather than just with them.
Her eyes slid back to him, a sobering seriousness about her settled in to how she spoke and how she came across.
"Would you die for her?" Meridah inquired, truthfully curious about it. He spoke of death...but was he truly ready for such a step? She was ready to die, if it was her fate for her dreams to be realized. "What would you do to get her back. What happens after? If she were to be here right now -" Since well, she did not believe him and his nonsense that she were her. "- what would you want from her? I don't believe friend cuts it. She has to have some kind of value than a title....other than a promise."
Meridah wanted a place, somewhere to rest her weary heart. The clan would be just that....it would be home.
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:09 pm
Vodadragan's eyebrows popped up at her nickname for him. Was that meant to be insulting? His name had been given to him by unloving parents, and it had only been made special by the filly who spoke it with such care.
Whatever promises she had made... were they merely to prevent herself from enduring further pain? She seemed... empty... for all her bile.
But, perhaps she was just tired.
He stared at her silently for a few breaths, considering. "Sometimes, when a promise is made with actions attached, one should focus on the intent rather than the phrasing of the promise to hold true..." What could she have promised? The horrors she had described earlier?
Why was she doing it? They couldn't have twisted her so far that her answer would be 'for fun', or 'because I can'... perhaps, then, to be valued?
"There are many ways to achieve the same goal, and some that can be achieved without sacrificing oneself in the process. If the goal itself was bloodshed, chaos... perhaps that is not so worthy a pursuit, after all." No matter whose blood, no matter the 'value' placed on their passing... a promise to shed blood, even one of revenge, was... soul-destroying.
Who would remain, to keep the promise to?
He met her gaze with a similar seriousness, that familiar thoughtful expression filtering back over his features.
He could not, truthfully, imagine a circumstance in which his death would ensure Meridah's safety. He could not imagine a scenario in which she would ask him to give up his life; their purpose was a life together, not a life spent apart or a life given up for nothing. "Whatever she needs of me. One who would propose such a thing- a life for a life, perhaps- should not be trusted. To die knowing that the promise of such a one would not be kept... that would be difficult, though if there was any way for my life to ensure her safety and happiness... then, yes, I would die for her." he stated it simply, with the kind of bald honesty that he would often spew in much shorter sentences as a foal.
He looked at her with a half-smile on his face. "I don't... want... anything from her. Other than her safety, and her happiness. I think, perhaps, this is the difference between you and the Meridah I know... she would understand that." Oh, there were many tiny differences, small and subtle or bold and practically bashing him over the head with every breath. But that was the underlying truth, wasn't it... she didn't understand.
Perhaps, even, she didn't know.
His eyes wandered to the sea.
"I told you once... " He took a deep breath. "I want to find a home. Somewhere to belong, with someone to belong with. And I told you that, were it too far from you, it could never be my home..." his throat was so dry. "I may want to be with you, to spend time with you, to feel your touch and the comfort of knowing we are together... but if you no longer want that." he paused, turning back to search for his Meridah in her eyes. "There's nowhere for me."
Phoenix, yes... He would linger on, for Phoenix.
But in this scenario, if he were to sacrifice himself to save Meridah... Phoenix would have her Mama back.
He used to experience such pleasure from beautiful underwater scenes, gorgeous landscapes... collecting them, like memories, and taking no souvenir other than that, returning time and again.... and yet, with Meridah gone, he couldn't enjoy even his favorite spots, because his mind was always spinning- where are you?
Turning back to her, his golden eyes held something unique and terrifying for those who had never felt it before.
"I think that the question is not who you would die for... dying is easy. It's scary, and terrifying, but making that snap decision and then just fading away or throwing yourself at an opponent you can't beat" speak to your audience, right? "that's... easy. Living is hard." Memories, torment, sacrifice, friendship, loss. Life was tiring. Breathing, eating, searching, making everything work out when your whole existence felt like it was falling apart. Life, in all its glory, was so much harder than just... giving up.
He stared at her, his gaze penetrating and calm.
"Who would you live for?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:01 pm
Don't you think i've thought of that? The only way I can....is kill the knights.
No amount of loyalty, good deeds or otherwise would allow her to be a valuable part of the clan...it just didn't work like that. There was no life for her outside it, she was cast for dead before when she was young and on her own...so who could say it wouldn't happen again as an adult. The world did not want her, and the one thing which had brought her back to life would be what she clung to with all her being.
"You do not know me." She murmured, closing her eyes for a moment; only to open them back with the same dull gaze. Partially tired, partially trying to not show she was being affected by his words.
There was one thing she wasn't expecting though.
It was such a bold selflessness. To put so much at risk, even in a circumstantial folly as their conversations of what if for really...nothing, and to him everything. Her own ideals and dreams were purely selfish for her own benefits...but his, his was different. Yes, he wanted things...but it was things to really benefit both parties. Both their happiness, both their comforts...would the clan be happy to have her? Or would they just accept it begrudgingly because she helped them defeat the knights?
As she listened further she felt more and more lost - confused.
She knew of no such thing - the last time they spoke there wasn't much said, really.
When did they have such a conversation, the daft fool!
"Well you are sorely mistaken - I don't want it because I am not her!" She snapped in her confused irritability before she realized something strange. Things were a bit...blurry.
She was crying.
Meridah didn't know when it had started, but they wouldn't stop rolling down her cheek. Was she going soft? Was she jealous he'd say such things about the female she was impersonating?
Who would she die for?
Turning her face away the best she could, she knew he'd have seen. Another notch in his you're my best friend crap she imagined. Living was hard, there was times when she was healing she wished she'd have died to save herself the pain of learning to run, learning to move with her scars and wounds. Meridah didn't though...something made her push on and push on she did; she wouldn't have been here today if she was to give up so easily. The mare knew she'd beat the knights, she had the skills, she had the drive and the reasoning.
She didn't want his gaze to penetrate any further.
"I don't know..." She whispered, was it for her Lord? No...she survived to be at his side. She lived for the sake of living....not living for someone.
I live, and i'll die for love.
For you.
Damn tears....as she tried to move her leg to wipe the tears to no avail - why was she even crying?
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:24 pm
He watched her still.
No, I don't know what you've been through... I can guess, but i'll never have been there, never felt what you did and never truly understand what you're going through even now... but I know who you are, deep inside.
She looked away, so he watched her profile. In the muted light, golden eyes lingered still, following the path of her tears as they trailed down her cheeks and hit the sand.
Something else stirred in him, pure instinct. Leaning forwards, he placed his head beneath hers.
Even her tears would not be wasted.
He would be no good to Meridah if he dried up here, on this beach, speaking to the pretender in her skin... it wasn't much, and he'd need to visit the ocean soon, but it was... enough. For now.
Eyes now closed, his skin accepted her tears with fervor.
As he had to be enough, for her.
I'm here.
"When you know... " he licked a drop of moisture that had trickled down to his lips, unused to the warmth despite the familiar saltiness. "... living won't be so much of a chore. It won't be training, or denial, or endlessly driven pursuits without self-knowledge..." He tilted his head a little, allowing what tears that remained to fall upon his fins and trickle down as far as his thirsty skin would allow.
"It will just be... " his eyes opened "... you."
and me.
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:17 am
It came without warning, without cause in her mind when distance had closed between the two bodies on the sand. Meridah's eyes widened as she could feel his face below her own; her muscles tensing with such intimate proximity. She'd never been so close to anyone before like this, not without being the one to initiate it with dark intent but never one who'd gotten this close to her without her consent.
She couldn't move.
Instead she found herself biting her lip, his scent was so strong so close and it pulled at her emotions. Like...this wasn't the first time they were so close like this.
This...couldn't be true though, the only time she'd gotten so close was several days ago. It wasn't the same as this feeling though.
Not in the slightest.
Her head made a miniscule motion to lower, but she fought with her own muscles....something deep inside was drawing her to him like a force of nature itself. There was no use. With tears still freshly draining from tired eyes, washing away a streak of the blood on her one cheek; she lowered her head to press her uninjured side against his.
She sighed, faintly in a sense of relaxing against his touch - all gone the next morning as she stiffened and wretched her head back. Things got weird again, and she couldn't figure out why. "I will get what I want. Goodnight." She huffed, turning her head away from him as she laid it on the ground; closing her eyes and although she seemed to be tracking his movements with her ears they soon slacked.
Falling asleep with the lull of the sea and the breathing of the stallion.
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 12:32 pm
Voda smiled gently, feeling the pull of sleep now that his skin was just-sated-enough. Like this, so close, it was almost... enough to forget everything that had happened, like they were just two foals on the beach once more.
And then he stirred as he felt her withdrawing, a pang of sadness rushing back with the memories of all that had transpired since their youth, and he sighed as she huffed and withdrew even more. Laying his head back on the sand, he watched her from beneath heavy eyelids until she drifted off to sleep once more.
Remember who you are. His eyes sunk closed as sleep claimed him, too. And i'll do everything in my power to help you.
* The night past uneventfully, as though nature itself were once more seeking to offer the pair a respite as it had when they were so young.
As the sun rose, daylight trickled down over their sleeping forms, providing perhaps warmth and comfort for the sleeping mare and tingling discomfort for the Kelpi stallion at her side. *
He'd inched closer during the night, moving to embrace her even in sleep. So he was carefully wrapped around her, as much as she would let him, when the sun's gentle fury woke him.
The skin of his back and legs was aching and sore, and he knew it would not be long before it started to shed and crack. Though the moisture of his friend's tears had saved the flesh of his head and his delicate fins, even she had not cried enough to replace the ocean. At least, not in a single night.
He brought his nose close to her, his breath warm against her side as he sought to awaken her as gently as possible... but, her injuries... he glanced in concern at the congealed blood, hoping that the family had a healer in their midst- even if she was... her-but-not-her.
Untangling himself with a dry, rasping cough, he gazed longingly at the ocean and then at the mare with aching tenderness.
"I'm not leaving..." he whispered, his voice cracking on the last word "... you." He reached down, and nuzzled her gently, withdrawing slowly as his hooves had already begun to move towards the sea.
Wait for me.
Stumbling his way down to the shore, he moved towards the water that would allow him to stay a little while more with Home.
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:14 pm
The rest of the night had been so peaceful, so calming as her body found rest like nothing she had experienced for years. Instead of waking numerously at night, feeling aches and pains and discomfort no matter what position she be in; none of this returned on this eve.
Funny, since her body had every right to be sore from the battle of yesterday against that Kalona.
She's only woke once, or so she could have sworn she did. The distant mountains to the east were slowly lighting up in shades of blue from the back of the eve, and her backside had been warm...so warm. She'd not bothered to find out why this phenomenon was taking place, there was so much peace resting in her soul that she knew it was alright - whatever it was.
So she slept, slept even so as the sun began to shine down on her dark pelt making her even warmer to the touch.
Not as warm as something tickling her in gentle whisps it seemed.
An ear had flicked as there were sweet words whispered, a gentle caress before the shifting sands moved down towards the beach. Awaking from slumber with an eye cracking open her head lifted slowly, carefully, from the sands and turned to gaze upon the kelpie as he retreated to the sea.
I'm not leaving His voice had whispered, and she felt her eyes soften uncharacteristically. It was dangerous for a kelpie to be so dried...had he stayed by her side the entire night? Not even sneaking down for a quick soak?
Why....
He was stupid for not doing so while she was asleep, instead waiting so long to be so parched when she had the chance to flee. Immediately she'd rose as quiet as she could, slipping across the sands with a gentle limp to her step.
However...she didn't flee up the hill like she planned...no, her body would not allow her such luxury. Instead she made her way to the treeline, lamely laying back down in a sore fashion on the cool grass in the shade of the tree. Glancing back to the sea, she felt her cheeks heat up in a blush, perhaps in anger...perhaps something else as she huffed and turned her head away.
Maybe she'd wait....a little longer.
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:42 pm
The stallion slipped into the water, relief washing over him as the ocean's waves welcome him back.
Sliding onto his belly and then crawling forwards one hoof at a time, he slid down the tidal zone and into the deeper waters, taking one large breath before submerging himself completely.
Ahhh... His skin drank in the water thirstily. Holding his breath, he rose his nose above water only to let the waiting eyes on-shore know where he was before dipping below once more.
If only he could summon storms... but, only for him, a personal raincloud that would not affect the lives of any others or cause too much trouble... just enough to soak, so he could stay with her longer.
He drifted gently, letting the current sway him back and forth as he gave himself over entirely to genetic need.
He knew that he should stay in the water, but.... Meridah was waiting. And he wasn't sure who would greet him today- a flicker of memory, or the lash of the present.
Home.
Poking his nose above water, he moved towards the shore, looking to where they had spent the night- oh- ah. He spotted her by the tree-line with relief.
He smiled slightly, then looked down, confused, wondering why he was moving backwards.
Frowning at his legs, he sighed. Not yet. His tail had started to wiggle around excitedly, almost as if it were trying to pull him backwards by its sheer exuberance. Feeling rather embarrassed, he knelt in the waves and let them roll over him for just a little longer- just... one more... alright, fine!
Rising, he moved carefully to avoid spilling a drop, making his way up the shore with a calm that belied his feelings.
Couldn't they just... linger in the night? Together, warm, snuggled close... Like it used to be?
But, the sun rose, and time moved on, and she...
As he approached, he gazed at her profile, gold eyes searching.
"Good morning." ... and she could barely look at him.
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Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 7:19 pm
A breath was released as her head lazily would steal a fleeting glance to the stallion, but if asked she would relentlessly deny; only to say the sea was her subject. The crashing waves on shore sent a familiar chill down her spine, only diverting once or twice when the kelpie would pop his head out from the depths of the dark vast ocean.
Well, as soon as he emerged to land, her head had snapped away to make sure he was none the wiser of her...well, observing.
"Hmph."
That was about as close to good and morning as he was going to receive, but it did not stop her train of thought on the main question running through her mind. To stay...
to go...
Surely she was already late and the family of knights were going to wonder where she was, and if she was alright. Did he tell them, his presence hadn't gone unnoticed, but perhaps he'd made light of his intentions to them. His fears realized...or maybe she quelled them with her display of such shameful justice of winning without death.
She wouldn't be in such a world of hurt if that was the case but she supposed the only way she would know for sure was to head back.
Meridah knew, despite what she wanted, she couldn't avoid his eyes forever. She wouldn't put it past him to walk around her in circles to get her attention, what a pain he was turning out to be. Ever so slight she turned her head, just enough so she could see him in her peripherals. Despite her earlier harsh charade against him at any and every opportunity; the more she watched, observed, and truly thought about it.
He wasn't that bad looking of a stallion.
For an annoying tadpole.
Him and the real Meridah had met as foals...if she recalled correctly; she gave an absent thought that if she was still alive if they would be something more than friends. Friendship often didn't last forever...it could change, evolve into something more. Besides, she doubted if either found love elsewhere that third party wouldn't be thrilled at such a bond. "Mor...n." Barely above a grumble she felt her cheeks flush up again at such a train of thought, but really....she had nothing else to really think about while she was stuck here with him- waiting for her conscious to let her to back to her mission and her leg to stop aching as badly as it did.
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