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 Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:11 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Sevida [Name from a Book]
Mare's Temper: Silent
Prompt Response:
I feared the thing that I knew was mine.
How? How could this foal be mine? I felt fear gather within me as if I were trapped in an altered state. This was NOT possible. My mate held none of the features of the child for which I had bore. Please Gods above tell me I had not created a monstrosity...
But... I was a mother, and a mother did not completely abandon her child. Even if it happened to be in a circumstantial moment of indecision. But how...how was this possible? I was proud in all the pain, remembering how much I had wanted a child to call my own. And now I had one.
I could not forget my wish for this child. Even if the unhappy Gods had played a part in this conception, I could not abandon my child. I was at a crossroads. If I left the child alone, it would surely die, and then I would have a mother's pain of loss. If I stayed with the child, I would live with the foreboding of what was to come of the monster within that enclosed basket.
But... In my eyes, it had been beautiful. Isn't that what a mother saw? Even the ugliest thing in the eyes of others could be the most beautiful in the eyes of their mother. I knew this, for that was what I saw.
My mate seemed disheartened by the wretched thing, and ignored the basket altogether, his eyes seeming to haze over if he had to glance at the gnarled white branches that gathered and enclosed it.
What will I do when the basket is opened to let the child out? Will I abandon it completely, leaving it out of desperation for my sanity? No no no! I cannot! I will not! I don't care how much I am beaten down for the choice!
I felt my hooves dig into the grass at my choice, as if they would stand their ground against foes unseen. I snorted, glaring into the surrounding trees, as if I could hear their tsk'ing even now.
Bad choice... Horrible choice.
What did they know? Hah! I will be stronger then them, and protect this precious abomination, even if it was the wrong choice. But... Who knew what was right or wrong in the world?
Occurrences of the weird or strange were not actually uncommon. It was to be expected sometimes. But I could not help the sadness that pierced me as even my own mate turned his back upon the child for which we had both played a part in conceiving. The expression in his eyes haunted me.
Was he hiding something...? Did I want to know?
I felt doubt then, as I laid down upon the broken grass, defeated into thoughts of maddening self-regret. I nickered softly in denial. What was he hiding from me, his own mate?
Did he...Did he regret as well?
I placed my snout upon the basket, crystalline blue in color, with the white branches curling like growing ivy from within. My foal would be beautiful, I knew it for sure- a mother's instinct.
"This foal of mine shall live! I will make sure of it, even if I should have to spill my own heart's blood to see it live!" I exclaimed.
Silence followed, save for my heartbeat, which sounded like thunder in my ears, accustomed to my seclusion. I felt it necessary, to be alone, to be within my own thoughts, which seemed darker than I thought they would be. I had accepted this self-sacrifice?
Yes.
A mother's love was stronger than the disgust.
I was, and always would be, the mother to whatever monster would be revealed from within the basket of entangled branches.
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Asros
Stallion's Temper: Pained
Prompt Response:
My wish was entirely good. I know it was!
I had only thought of my beloved through the whole time. She had been childless for so long, I feared for her- that she would grow weak from her dire wanting of a foal to cal her own.
I remember the look in her eyes when she saw the foals of others, the pain.
I could not let this continue!
I had heard rumors of an ancient spirit, trapped deep within the woods, that had had the power to grant wishes.
So what if I found him?
Could I grant my lovely mate's wish for a child?
Defiantly, I left her side as she slept, and slipped into the forest with my intention beating in my heart. She would have a child for her own, no matter what! I could not bear her saddened expression anymore without tearing my heart and watching it bleed anew.
I tore through the overgrown weeds, breaking them beneath sharp hooves, looking, searching for the improbable, questing for the impossible.
But I could NOT give up on her.
There was a crash behind me, a breaking behind me, of branches and leaves, like the sounds of tendons and bones.
Like the sound of life.
I turned quickly at a sound, a sigh of wind, like breath in my ears.
"Why have you come here...?"
I turned, feeling the chill of fear along my spine, perhaps cursing myself for venturing into this place.
"Answer me!"
I shuddered, and finally my eyes saw what had spoke.
A tree.
The slits for eyes bore upon me a feeling of utter age and an unknown power. What was this thing?
It started forward, and I wanted to move; but I was stuck.
I...I...I was unsure what to do.
"I...Came here...Searching for the creature that could grant my wish."
The creature; this spirit that neither resembled a horse, nor anything else I had ever laid eyes upon before. A tree, a part of the forest itself had come to life it seemed.
"A wish, you say?" The voice cracked, and I saw not the mouth that moved to make such a noise. It seemed to come from around me, like the whispers of wind through the dark trees. "Yes." I answered, my voice shaking.
Was it fear I felt? I was unsure. It didn't feel like fear, more or less, it felt like uncertainty. This spirit was certainly old, and I did not know what to say.
"What is your wish?"
"My mate...She is without child, and it saddens me the quiet pain she feels when she sees other mares with their little ones."
The Spirit chuckled softly, darkly.
"You wish for a child for your mate? How just."
I bristled, but did not react. He was right. I would give anything for my beloved's happiness. She was everything to me, and it didn't matter the price; I wanted her to have a child.
"Yes, that is my wish..."
The Spirit sneered at me and laughed. "There is a price to every wish. Will you accept this?"
"Yes." My word felt definite, and I knew that the price would be something I would not like.
"The price is...Your first-born child."
I let out of roar of disbelief. "My child?!"
"Yes, your child. Do you still want your wish granted?"
My flanks shook in outrage, but my mate's solemn face flashed within my mind. I could imagine how happy she would be at having a child. I could not say no to such a thing. "Yes..." My voice was pained, but I could not- no, would not say no to such a thing.
It was out of desperation that I had come searching. And now with finding the creature, I had sealed the fate of my child.
Now what?
There was a crack, like the sound of ice being stepped on; it jogged me into the present, and I stared at the Spirit once more. The jar that hung around his neck lay broken in the grass by his feet. "So be it your wish is granted. Return to your mate's side, and say NOTHING of what has happened here. Your child...will seek me out. Let the child do it. Or I will curse you for your disobedience."
I nodded solemnly, and watched the creature melt into the trees once more.
I had sold my child for my mate's happiness.
And for some reason, it was a good thing as well.
Her happiness was everything to me, and I cared not if it was even my own life I would have had to sell, I would have done it.
The days-months-years ahead would be an ordeal, and I feared them....
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:16 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Ashtilyn
Mare's Temper: Loving
Prompt Response: Ashtilyn thought back to the days leading up to her journey of pregnancy. She and her mate had tried so long to conceive children of their own. She had heard the story of the forest that they reside near, there was word that a powerful creature dwelled within. Many of the other soquili and two leggers spoke of a forest guardian, one who had once been pure but later fell and had been transformed into a tree, left for the rest of time in the very forest he was supposed to protect. Surely, if there was power like that, to transform a soquili into a tree, there was a power strong enough to bless Ashtilyn and her mate with a child.
Day in and day out, as her mate left her side, Ashtilyn would make her way into the forest taking small offerings of water, berries, leaves, pebbles..anything she could find. Speaking into the nothingness that surrounded her, she made her wish, and then returned home before her mate.
One morning she arose, not feeling well at all. She had been under the weather for several weeks it seemed, bloated, fatigue, and intense hunger. Something moved in her belly, and she realized she wasn't sick at all, she was an expecting mother. Her wish had been answered, the forest had heard her heart and had accepted her gifts.
The labor had been hard, harder than she could have ever imagined. She had pulled through though, now resting with her head upon the basket that held her child. She whispered softly to her foal, telling him how special he was. He was a gift from the forest, the marks on his skin and the vines that now entangled the basket proved her thought.
The two leggers that had taken him away had looks of distaste upon their faces, but Ashtilyn knew that they just didn't understand what great miracle they were being a part of. She wondered, had the forest chosen her child to become the new guardian of the creatures and life within? It had been many many years since the previous guardian had fallen from grace with the spirits, perhaps they were ready for a new guardian to step up. She smiled as tears of joy formed, rolling gently down her cheeks and landing on the basket below. Her son had been chosen, he had been blessed.
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Moriko (Forest Child)
Basket's Temper: Brave
Gender for Prompt: Male
Prompt Response: He had been instructed not to wander far from his parent's side, instructed not to wander anywhere alone, especially the forbidden forest. Something pulled at the young foal, an invisible force seemed to captivate his mind and draw him towards the treeline. He looked back to his parents, sleeping peacefully in the midday sun. He would only go just beyond the trees, he wouldn't be gone long....they'd never know.
Young Moriko quickly and silently made his way from his parents and into the forest, it seemed oddly..familiar to him. His mother, always dotting on him, told him that he had been a gift from the forest spirits, that one day he would grow large and strong so that he could protect the forest from evil. His parents, however, had failed to tell him of the evil that already resided within the depths of the forest. His father had failed to tell him what he was born of, and his mother thought it was the blessings of the spirits.
Deeper and deeper into the forest he traveled, he had lost track of the path as he wandered. The canopy over head grew thicker, the light being shut out as he walked along. Only a few sparse rays made their way through. Moriko studied his surroundings...they seemed to almost speak to him, telling him that this is where he belonged, this was 'home'. He knew he was unlike other foals, but could he really be that different? Was he really chosen by the spirits to protect this forest? He thought of his image, he had seen it many times in the reflection of the water. Parts of his body matched the very forest he now traveled through, surely it was a sign that his mother had been right. One day, this would be his to protect. His eyes looked around in awe.
From the corner of his eye, he noted a tree move. Move? He shook his head, surely not. He began to walk a bit further, exploring what would one day be his. Again, he swore a tree moved towards him, stopping as he looked at it. He called out, asking if anyone was there. There was no answer.
Moriko had a sudden thought, the forest spirits. His mother had called out her wish to them every day, leaving offerings in hopes of gaining their blessings. He should thank them. Thank them for choosing him to do their bidding. As he was about to start searching for his offering, he heard movement again, turning his young eyes fell upon a massive soquili that was formed much like his own body. Limbs and bark pertruded from the stranger's skin. A calm washed over Moriko, in his mind, this was the embodiment of the forest spirits. They had come to him, was it time?
Moriko lowered his small frame, lowering his head and extending his front legs so that he could bow. Speaking with confidence he thanked the strange soquili for choosing him and blessing his family. He thanked the stranger for granting the wish of his mother. If only he had known, he was the cost for the wish of his father...
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:56 pm
((I'm using Akane as the father's name in the prompts since he isn't given one. Oh! And if you read the inscription on the bark in the demon prompt backwards, you'll know what it means~ ^^))
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Manami (Can mean "love, affection" combined with "beautiful" or "sea, ocean")
Mare's Temper: Focused & Gentle (Like the sea and waves are)
Prompt Response: I’m pregnant… This one thought frequented her mind more than any others. She was now being held responsible for another’s life. Despite this, she was ecstatic! So long she had waited for this and now it had at last come true! Why was it that when she needed him most, Akane wasn't around? She fretted and paced back and forth while trying to be gentle with her unborn child. No. It’s okay. He’ll be happy. We’ve wanted this for a long time. Nothing else matters. She forced herself to think that over and over.
Her stomach was growing larger by the day, and she was amazed at the prospect of her child finally being born. Though it was a ways away, she couldn't help but dream. She saw herself and Akane standing next to a small filly. A filly had a light blue coat like Manami's and dark grey stripes like Akane's. Grey wings laid on the filly's back and a smile rested upon her fragile face. The example of innocence stood in Manami's dreams right next to the filly's parents. The pure blue eyes slowly morphed into a blood red color. Her mane grew to great lengths as Manami watched the tips and then her whole mane turn a dark, rusty, blood color. Horns sprouted from her head, still a pure, bright blue. The wings that were so pure upon the cute filly, began to crumble. The ground shook and Manami ran as fast as she could, following Akane. Glancing behind, she saw the filly had an unnatural smirk on her face. The smirk seemed so out of place and wrong despite her looks. The trees moved closer and their branches wrapped themselves around her. She was engulfed by the trees, all while her mother watched helplessly...
An exhausted Manami laid upon the green grass. She rarely slept, for when she did, the nightmare would come back. Words couldn't describe such a thing holding her foal. It was blue and reminded Manami of herself. Nowhere on it did she see a marking that resembled the father. It was her basket, but Akane helped in the creation of the child... After the foal was placed within the wicker, wood broke through and curled around the front. It was sealed so tightly that it wouldn't open. Bits of gold decorated the basket, which confused Manami more. Where had it come from? Neither of them had gold on their coat. Perhaps a grandparent... The more she stared at the monstrous basket, the more she became protective of it. She was furious with Akane for avoiding talk about their kin, but she would not let anything happen to her child. It was her child, and no one else's.
Something was eery about the wood that had locked the basket. Manami knew the way it was gnarled, but still couldn't pinpoint how she recognized it. A leaf landed on her nose. Manami giggled, and blew it away. After she'd giggled, she heard someone else giggle, too. Who was- What was- . . . . Manami sat silently, perplexed. "Just an echo," she whispered. She didn't know how long she would lie. Obviously something was wrong with her child, and others knew . Manami hadn't seen anyone besides Akane after birth, in order to protect the innocent foal.
Her nightmare... She watched the scene replay in her head. How the filly changed, when the trees moved closer as Manami ran away. She couldn't save her child and watched as the woods took her. Yes.... That's where the wood and gnarls were from. That made sense now. She still couldn't explain the gold markings, Akane's strange behavior, the other giggle, that dream, and why it'd came true....
Inevitably, her thoughts floated to her foal. Don't all mother worry? She wondered what her foal would look like. Most of all, what would she do about the foal's future? Manami knew she was not normal by now, and her child didn't seem to be either... She heaved a sigh. It was all so depressing when she thought about it. She didn't know how she would change her child's life, or what she would do when the foal finally came out of it's basket. She started to tear up as she realized she can't hide her foal forever. She sniffed and tried to stop the tears but couldn't. She cried harder and pulled the basket close to her. "I'll always love you, baby," she whispered between sobs. "Always. I promise...."
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Hanae (Tree branch blossom in Japanese)
Basket's Temper: Emotional & Sensitive
Gender for Prompt: Female
Prompt Response: Akane looked at his daughter and told her firmly, "Stay away from the forest." Hanae sighed and pawed at the ground. "Yes, Daddy, I know..." He told her the same thing everyday and it was a little tiresome. She meandered away from her parents and towards the forbidden forest. No matter how many times they told her not to leave, she inched her way closer to the forbidden forest each day. She had finally gotten far enough that she reached the entrance. Everything went dark and she felt dizzy.
She saw a scene unfolding behind her eye lids. A filly, much like herself, was wandering through a strange place. It looked like... like a forest of some sort. It seemed oddly familiar to her. She watched longer and heard something. She wanted to run but she couldn't. It was an eery sound but almost as if a tree was making the sound....
Her eyes shot open as Hanae looked around nervously. That was one of the weirdest and scariest visions she's had in a long time. She focused on the present instead of worrying about her sight. Staring at the large and dark entrance, Hanae forgot her troubles, giggled, and ran head-first into the forest.
The darkness closed around her until she was in a dim-lit forest. It was frightening yet comforting, too. She remembered the vision briefly before a rustling sound distracted her train of thought. She turned abruptly, just as the sounds shifted in another direction. Over and over, turning and turning, closer and closer... It crept up- or was she creeping closer. She couldn't tell anymore. Is this why Daddy didn't want me to go here...? She panicked and became dizzy again. She was getting another vision as tears streamed down the foal's face.
A large creature appeared behind her eye lids. He was old and his face was strange. Wood grew on him and a crow perched on his tail. The image faded as the voice called her forward. As her eyes opened, the voice beckoned her to move towards the heart of the forest. She shook with fear and slowly walked over. Her head pounded as she moved closer to the voice. Hanae still couldn't see the stallion she'd seen in her vision, but that was the same voice. It was soothing yet harsh...
The large creature revealed himself to the small filly. Hanae watched a smile spread across the stallion's nightmarish face. The foal's feature became panicked and scared. She shook her head. No. I won't back down... She tried to stay strong though her face told otherwise. The challenge pulsed in her veins as she stared at the large demon-like male. I shouldn't have come here. She whined in her head whilst tears streamed, one by one hitting the cold forest floor. She had to think quickly about how to assess the situation. I could run... No, he's bigger and probably faster than me. She fretted and watched the demon stare her down. Hanae became dizzy once more but this time what she saw made no sense. It was a star. A bright, shining star in a dark sky. A lone crow flew through the darkness and she opened her eyes.
Nothing had moved since her sharp eyes closed. She still was puzzled by what she had seen. A star... Doesn't that stand for light? Light... There's no light here. She looked up and there was a gap in the trees. It was dark outside yet there was light in the shape of a star. The moon shone down into the forest and created a star around Hanae. The crow on the stallion's tail flew into the sky. Now it was just her and the male. She swallowed hard and shook. No! Now isn't the time to be a coward! No matter why I was given this appearance... It doesn't change anything! She shrieked and charged at the stallion. She continued shaking violently as shock flew through her body. She miscalculated her jump and ended up falling. "Doesn't change anything..." Hanae whispered as she tumbled to the forest floor.
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Daiki (Means large or great tree in Japanese. He takes on this name, believing he is no longer the vision of his old self, so he thinks he does not deserve a name of such magnificent beauty.)
Demon's Temper: Untamed & Persuading
Prompt Response: One wrong wish. No one had told him about the rules of wishes. So he granted the wish of someone who's heart held evil and revenge. Who was he to say whether or not they were of good heart? He was infuriated by the lack of information he'd been given. His "eyes" on the tree his spirit rested in watched as many horses walked through the forest. Some were accidentally lost, and others wanted to be lost and alone. He could understand the latter of the two reasons. None of the passer-bys noticed him. None even bothered to give him a glance. Selfish insolent fools that care not for others... he thought. No longer bound by his superiors, he was free to grant any wish to whomever he'd like. That is, when some idiot decided to pay attention to the old tree to see the words etched into its bark.
A week or so later, Daiki knew not of how much time passed he'd been cursed into the tree too long, a stallion came along. The male was not lost like the others. He wanted to get away from life for a little while. This was obvious by his appearance and facial expression. Finally, the spirit was clever enough to think of a way for the stallion to pay some overdue notice to the elderly tree. Shaking the leaves to distract the fellow, Daiki raised on of his roots, tripping the stallion in while he was not paying any attention. Sure enough, the stallion tripped, and hit the tree. Shaking his head, he looked at the words with some confusion. Trying to make sense of the foreign tongue, the stallion read the inscription aloud. ".niosicised sih si egnahcxe eht ,reerf eraweB .gnith eno rof hsiw a resaeler ruoy tnarg ot ,eerf uoy tes I sdrow eseth htiW .mrof gnivresed yllauqe na ot tirips sih eerf ,enod sah eno siht deed desruc A" With a puzzled and confused look, the stallion stood there with wonder. What did those words mean?
A misty air filled the area surrounding the tree and prevented anyone from being able to see past it. The mist slowly but surely cleared. The dumb-struck stallion stared at the ugly spirit. Wood wrapped around his joints, and body, and a crow perched on his tail. His face was something out of the Nightmare Before Christmas and his hair was just as obscure. Around his neck hung a bottle with a red liquid inside. With every movement of the bottle, its sloshed around. Not much was left of the liquid, but just enough to tell what was inside the glass bottle.
Zzzzz! Zzzzz! Zzzzz! A jolt of electricity flowed through the great spirit. One by one, it made its way throughout Daiki's great structure. All at once, he felt powerful. His blood pulsed under the thin skin covering his body. Poking out of him were parts of the tree he had broken away from. His jaw tightened an loosened as he opened then closed it. He stamped the ground with each large hoof, sending more painful yet addicting jolts of current through his massive form. His outer appearance was so... Ugly, nasty, and vile... He didn't tolerate the fact that he had lost his alluring Angeni body and wings. The stallion stuttered and fumbled around. Daiki cackled and explained his offer to the smaller stallion.
Akane was the stallion's name, Daki found out. After agreeing with the terms of wish-making, Akane told the great stallion his wish. Little did Akane know that when Daiki explained that the granter would get one thing in return for the wish, the large male did not reveal what he wanted. Akane nodded sagely. "I wish nothing more than to find a solution to our problems." Daiki laughed once, laughed, twice then broke out into a loud rumble of rough cackling. The stallion was simply not very detailed, but Daiki knew presicely what he meant. He composed himself and nodded to Akane. "As you wish~" He pulled the cork out with his teeth and spit it onto the forest floor. He drank what was left of the red liquid and smiled, however evilly. Turning his large head to Akane, he spoke. "As in the agreement, I have granted your wish. Now you must grant mine. My condition for the granting of your wish is that your first-born child... Is mine." Once again, the mist enshrouded Daiki, and once it had cleared, the forest demon was nowhere in sight.
Now, having left Akane, Daiki walked the outskirts of the forest, writing down the layout and mapping the terrain. The forest was extremely dark since he'd broken free. "Good... Good..." He smirked and continued to move. The layout was pretty simple and even he had to admit it was a bit boring. But once the little foal of his emerges, he'll be busy. He started to imagine exactly how it would go....
The foal would hopefully be a male. This he cared greatly about. If it turned out female... Well incest was beyond him. Female... He hadn't thought of a sufficient plan if that was the case. Not yet, anyway. The colt would wander. Wander aimlessly in the forest. His love of exploration would undoubtedly bring him to my forest. He will hear creaking. Slowly he will come closer and closer. He cannot escape. His parents will grieve. I will capture him. The father won't want to tell about me and the wish, though he might. Even he doesn't know that I am his child's true father. The child will be mine.... Daiki cackled once and once again disappeared in his mist.
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:24 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Rima ((Rima was an elusive maiden of the South American rain forest who spoke the language of animals and birds))
Mare's Temper: Innocent
Prompt Response:
Rima looked about hopefully. She was looking for her beloved Arden he had gone in to the woods recently and hadn't returned just yet. Sighing softly she felt a change within her, shaking her head she just waited patiently for her beloved. Perhaps when he arrived home this odd feeling of impending doom would be released from her. Her troubled mind slowly drifted.
"Rima? Rima my love are you alright?" Arden came in asking hurriedly. He seemed to be worried Rima though as she slowly rose up to greet him.
"I'm fine my dear...what's wrong?"
Arden smiled softly and nuzzled his beloved he had been so worried about her but she seemed perfectly fine. Smiling he pushed the horrible images from the forest from his mind. "Nothing my love...nothing at all."
It seemed like years when Arden came in like a mad man wondering on her safety. But the day had come she was to give birth to a foal today. She saw Arden and her heart felt light. Nothing could take the happiness of the moment away from her. That is until she saw the foal being gently and gingerly placed in to the basket. Looking for Arden again she couldn't find him, her mind in a panic. Then the blackness settled in to her mind. “Arden” she whispered softly as she fade from consciousness.
The hideous basket sat there in the corner of the hut, it had branches sealing the basket from all the comforts of the outside world. Rima tried her hardest to get Arden to speak about it but she couldn't get a word out of him about the child. Sighing softly she wondered what she did to bring this unspeakable act to their family. How did she bring such a child in to the world, one that didn't look like her beloved, one that brought so much pain to his eyes.
She drug the basket out in to the bright sun rays and laid near it. “I'm not sure what you are...you bring such pain to my beloveds eyes but I will always take care of you...you are from me and I will always keep you close, do not fear”
Arden watched from the trees he knew that she would keep the babe safe until the forest keeper came for what was rightfully his. It would be a hard day, but until then he would keep the babe safe as well.
Rima looked and saw her beloved “Arden, look at our little one...he isn't so scary when he's in the full light of the sun.” She saw a smile on his face and all the fears of the child in the basket slowly faded as long as his love still shone brightly for her she would be able to face that child and keep her promise.
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Arden
Stallion's Temper: Impulsive
Prompt Response:
Arden had walked slowly through the forest. He had been prone to wandering as of late. His beloved mate Rima had been wanting forever to bear children, it probably was a biological need for taking care of things. As he wandered he saw a clearing that he had never noticed before. Walking in to the clearing he looked about there was an eerie glow upon one of the trees. A light colored tree seemed to be breathing, as he walked up to it he saw what he thought was only a legend. The forest demon, he never believed that it was true but it seemed he was wrong the inscription on the tree was old and full of warning. However, the Kalona blood in him didn't make his choice very hard. He read the inscription quickly.
There was no way that he was going to pass a chance to give his beloved what she longed for a child to call her own. The forest floor seemed to shake and he crouched slightly from the blowing wind. The voice raspy and slightly frightening seemed to float around him.
“What is it that you want? Why have you awoken me?”
“I...” Arden shivered before he opened his eyes and stood proud and tall. “I have come to ask for help”
“Help?” The voice wheezed “What kind of help” the last help seemed to be dripping with hate.
“My mate...my beloved...wants a child”
“A child?” the voice seemed to suddenly become softened. “A child...I can help...if you agree to help me in return.” A rustle came from behind the trees, or was it from the tree itself.
“Anything...anything to give her what she wants. I will do anything you ask.” Arden regretted his words almost as soon as the left his mouth. There was a swirl of mist that finally showed the forest demon in full, his glory seemed almost to scary. Walking back slowly, he trembled.
“In that case...your first child shall belong to me.” With that the mist began to lift and he walked forward to have the stallion drink the elixir, “drink...and your wish shall come true...unless you want to disappoint your mate some more.”
Arden, felt a pain of giving Rima a child only to have it lost again but grew insolent at the mention of disappointing her once again. He stepped forward and drank the elixir. “I do not disappoint” as soon as the elixir touched his lips he found himself standing on the outskirts of the forest looking around slightly a chill running down his spine as he slowly made it back to his beloved. Who seemed overly happy to see him.
“Rima my love...”
“Arden! You wont believe it”
He felt the stab of pain she was with child, a child that would one day be reclaimed by the forest. He pasted a smile on his face as he nuzzled his love. Perhaps that day wouldn't ever come...maybe it was just a dream.
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:36 pm
DEMON PROMPT
Demonn's Name: Voltaire
Demon's Temper: Twisted
Prompt Response:
Oh sweet karma! A life for a life, and eye for an eye and a curse for a curse, the child has just been born, my child, you see even I am not going to live forever and I want my name to echo threw time itself. So that basket you see before you is my chance to do so. The poor little girl is destined to serve me forever and carry on my family name I shall love her, after all I will be the only stallion to have her since she will look as decayed and rotting as me. After all I am a monster so it only seems fit that I should be with one. There she is I might not ever get rid of this curse but at least now I am not alone in my suffering. At least I can look at her and think, for once in my life, Wow I am so glad I am not her. That and that alone brings comfort to my black heart.
In the shadows my little slave, I shall watch you grow, I will never leave you until the day I can take you for my own. Your sweet innocence will be drained and your life will wither until you are a shallow and broken like me? doesn't that sound so much fun? well it shouldn't as for now, I let out a dark laugh that echo's threw the forest and watch the family with longing eyes. Some people say I have gone insane? what do you think? am I?
"Soon my love... we shall be together soon."
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:37 am
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Mahkah
Demon's Temper: Calculating
Prompt Response:
Forever watching and not able to act.
So much hatred for what befell his fate.
Waiting for freedom to seek his revenge.
In days past, Mahkah protected his forest from everything that wanted to defile it and that
included a herd of Kalonas that wanted to make his forest their hunting grounds. Once he was granted his wishes, many came to see if they were worthy of having one. Mahkah saw one soquili that had sought him out for a wish and was a little apprehensive as he could see that the soquili had some Kalona blood, but he knew that not all that had Kalona blood were bad so he let it pass.
Mahkah gave this stallion a wish and that was when the stallion changed his fate and cursed him to become the trees he protected. As Mahkah became a tree, the true nature of the stallion as he smiled the wish took effect. Mahkah learned that stallion was part of the Kalona herd trying to take his forest and the group had dared the stallion to get a wish and make the forest theirs.
It was oh so good to be free. At first, Mahkah thought that he had lost his beauty to the curse and hated it, but the more he thought the better it became as it would help him with his revenge. Smiling at the fact that it was a part Kalona that freed him from is prison, Mahkah told the stallion he would get a wish in exchange for his first-born child.
Mahkah was also thinking on how to have the child help him exact his revenge and how exactly to best poison the foal’s mind to hate Kalonas so he would seek him out to help him to keep the forest free of Kalonas and those of the same nature. At first he would only watch to make sure his child thrived and then slowly he would come to fill the foal with half truths of his own knowledge and opinions. Then Mahkah would wait for the child to come to him of her own choice. That was when the real fun would begin.
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Acacia
Basket's Temper: Curious
Gender for Prompt: Female
Prompt Response:
Acacia was always thinking that it would be a very fun game to go into the forest that mother and father had told her to never go into, but now she was starting to regret it. In her excitement, she forgot to watch where she was going and now she was lost. Every noise creeped Acacia out and she jumped at everything. She was also positive something was following her. As Acacia came around one tree she saw just what it was and froze in fear.
Mind thinking a mile a minute, Acacia found part of her wanting to run far away from this place, but the other part wanted to know about the person following her. While she was trying to make up her mind, the other soquili was just watching her. She wondered why he was just standing there. After looking the forest demon over, she found herself also wondering why he looked some what like her.
“Don’t hurt me, I mean you no harm,” Acacia said and waited for a reply. When he didn’t answer her, she asked, “So why do you look so similar to me?"
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Rizen
Stallion's Temper: Caring
Prompt Response:
Rizen was awestruck that he could have whatever wish he wanted. So many things ran through his mind as he tried to decide what he wanted most... After a moment, it came to him that he wanted strength the most. Out of all of his siblings he was the weakest, gaining none of the Kalona strength of his father, instead gaining the strength of his weaker wind mother. Ever since he was a foal Rizen had wanted to play with his siblings but they only thought of him as a toy and treated him so. He was never going to be able to fight back or fit in with his father’s side of the family, so he decided all he really wanted to do was to protect his beautiful mate and potential family from threats.
“I wish for strength.” He said.
Thinking on how he was going to tell his mate, Rizen came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t say anything for the time being. Only when she asked would Rizen tell her what had happened in the forest. That way she won’t worry, he thought. After all, he wanted what was best for her.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:56 am
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Noelani (Meaning Mist of Heaven)
Mare's Temper: Guileless
Prompt Response:
It was simply...just simply not right. The mare paced up and down, the grass muffling her hoof beats, emitting a dim patter that reminded her only of her anxiety and as it got quicker, she sighed, settling down on the grass, her front legs folded under her pale blue body, back legs tucked against each side. It wouldn’t do to express her worry openly, besides; perhaps it was only a simple trick of the eye, a hallucination? That she was so worried for her firstborn that she was simply imagining what was happening to it?
But it was not her imagination! Why were there ashen white branches curling around the basket that held her foal, protecting it fiercely? It was abnormal for such a thing to happen to a basket. It couldn’t be that a seed had somehow caught in the weaving, taken root and sprouted...no! Who ever heard of such a thing? It had grown fast, not as fast as a blink of an eye, but crawled up the edges, creeping gradually until it reached the top, and held it firmly. Soquili around her were whispering about it; she knew, and though Noelani tried her hardest to ignore their gossiping, she couldn’t help but stare at the basket that held her baby and shudder at what her mind was conjuring up about the branches to scare her.
Frankly, Noelani was suspicious of her mate. While she loved him deeply, (Why else had she stayed by him even though they had tried so many times to have a child, and sadly failed, save for this time?) his silence on this matter was dubious and though she prodded him many times about it, sometimes even stating her apprehension about the wellbeing of their child in that confining basket, he merely grunted in return. She even lost her temper once, and came out straight to confront him about the matter, not wanting to beat about the bush any longer. The mare had posed a question, looking him straight in the eye coldly, demanding an answer from his very lips.
However, he only assured her the foal would be all right, though the way his eyes darted about, not gazing back into the pools of her eyes worried her even more and before she could insist on pursuing this matter, he turned and walked away, leaving her only to stamp a hoof in frustration.
Did she even want to know the answer? She wondered, day after day, as she watched over her basket fearfully. There were tender feelings of course; she was its mother after all, but it wasn’t only the branches that worried her.
It was the appearance of the child as well.
She had caught sight of the foal. While it was merely a quick glimpse, the hastiness was mostly due to her horror, and not her fatigue from being in labour. It had strange rough skin that resembled the bark of a tree... and she had looked away, tears coming to her eyes from the jarring appearance of the one that had come out from her womb. For which mother did not want their child to be the most beautiful? But how could she ever think beauty of such an appearance, someone that hardly resembled her or her love, save for the pale blue colours of her coat...and hopefully that from the markings of his?
“I don’t know.” She murmured softly, gazing at the basket that lay a distance away from her. “I don’t know, my child.”
Could she ever be as magnanimous to give the foal an unconditional love of a mother? Noelani was hesitant to say she would. Perhaps her reluctance added to her growing fear as well. She could not even be like the other mothers, and chatter anxiously, yet proudly about when their foals would emerge from their baskets, to see how they would look like, to guide them on their first steps.
“We’ll see.” The mare sighed, turning her gaze away from her main cause of unease, breathing in deeply. “We’ll see how it goes.”
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Isolde
Basket's Temper: Fragile
Gender for Prompt: Female
Prompt Response:
She knew.
When her strange exterior scared away others; her parents had came to protect her every time she got bullied, but as she hid behind their large bodies, she could see the hesitation in their eyes, the sadness in their faces. Isolde was sure they were wondering why they were defending her while they too, thought she was bizarre. They were only trying to fulfil their duties as her parents, to love her unconditionally. While she appreciated the effort, and did love them wholeheartedly, there were times she could see a strange shadow flit across her father’s face whenever he saw her, and how hard her mother tried to hide her sorrow behind a bright smile.
She was unusually shy, despite her monstrous appearance, as some had called her, and through those horrible meetings, had vowed not to go near any others without her parents nearby. Isolde didn’t know how to handle them; she was not an eloquent talker like her mother was. Mother could snap at the bullies, her eyes fierce, warning them never to harm her daughter again, and they, frightened by her strong words, ran away. So, she didn’t have playmates, one Isolde found was not much of a loss.
Her playmates were her own imagination and herself. That, in her opinion, was enough.
Which was probably why she wandered about so much, like today.
Eyes widened as she saw a Soquili in the distance, approaching where she stood, and Isolde, overtaken by fear, ran into the forest. She had gone quite deep in when she stopped, panting, and realised her folly.
Father had said never to go into the forest. It was a dangerous place...
Or so he said.
She stared in fascination at the trees all around her; they were somewhat similar to her, except their dull colors contrasted with her bright blue ones. They could all be my family, she mused, smiling softly. And never discriminate against me or throw sharp words at me to hurt me.
Still, they weren’t. Her parents were out there, waiting for her...somewhere.
Isolde began her trot back the way she had came, trying to recall any distinguishing landmarks she had passed to aid her to get out, the sooner, the better. Before it grew dark, hopefully.
What was that? She whirled around, eyes darting about nervously. She could have...could have sworn she had seen something moving, following her. Perhaps it was just her imagination? She turned around and took a few steps forward again, then froze. No, there it was again, and with it, was faint creaking noises. One step, one creak.
“He..hello?” She called out timidly, her voice low. She didn’t like to speak much, and usually conversed with her family through little nudges, only murmuring softly if need be.
Gulping, she continued forward, her eyes now sharp, resting on where she had seen the movement come from.
Step.
Creak.
Something had moved alright! Was it...a tree? It certainly looked like it was. All gnarly with branches, and leaves...almost as she was. Was her theory about the trees being her family correct? Or was it just a hallucination, all a dream? Isolde turned around slowly, hoping not to startle the creature. “Ex...excuse me...sir...or madam?” It was wise to be polite, was it not? If it was just a Soquili hiding, she didn’t want to startle them. At least she could show them, despite her appearance, she had manners. She waited for an answer, but was only replied with a slow creak.
“Do...I...know you?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:24 am
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Beacente
Mare's Temper: Self-reprimanding
Prompt Response:
She kept staring at it, pain playing a sour ballad on her heartstrings. How did this all go so wrong? All she wanted was a child, just a child. But the thing in that basket…. could that really be her child? Deep in her pained heart, she knew it was.
But the question was…was it her mates? It looked nothing like him, not even a faint trace of his distinct markings. And her mate didn’t have a wooden body, or eyes like…that. It couldn’t be his child; she knew it wasn’t. And she could tell that he knew it too. That must be why he never looked at the basket for too long. And when he did, he would turn away, his eyes distant.
So then, it was her fault. She must have done something, gone out somewhere, met some mutant. But she couldn’t remember ever doing such a thing. Perhaps she had inhaled the fumes that the pale two leggers blew from the sticks that they stuck in their mouths? That must be it.
Once again, she turned her eyes to the basket, flinching in the emotional pain of seeing it again. What would she do about the foal inside of it? Should she keep it, or make it go away? She bit his lip in thought, weighing the consequences of both.
She would keep it, of course. How could she even think of the second option? The emotional toil of getting rid of I would be too much for her to handle. She had birthed it, so now it was her responsibility.
But still, she wondered; could she really live with it, stand to look at it everyday?
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Hoffliche
Stallion's Temper: Ashamed
Prompt Response:
Those words, that image, the tone; they all played through Hoff’s head in a never-ending loop. His red retinas reflected the thoughts of his head, a blank stare off unto the field in which his pregnant mate lay.
Right, his mate; the reason he had even ventured into that forest in the first place. They had so longed for a family of their own that Hoffliche had been willing to believe any rumor he heard. And oh the rumor he had believed.
And so, he made his way into that forest, tales of the old protector etched into his memory. When he finally found the old tree, he muttered the strange words carved upon it, and released possibly the ugliest thing he had ever seen, however around its neck hung the fabled potion. And so they had their talk of conditions and wishes and such.
“So…my firstborn?” He asked, uncertain if he should agree to the terms.
The Forest ‘Guardian’ nodded his head; the wooden body creaking like that of a plank on an old bridge. “Nothing more, nothing less.” He added in his creaky, hissing voice.
And so, he agreed, taking the drink from the bottle.
And it was just now that he realized how ironic the whole encounter was. For the wish of fertility, he had to give away his first child to a creature that he had realized was no longer a guardian, but a demon.
He once again cast his gaze over to his gravid mate, who the shaman had said was due to birth any day now. She looked so…serene. It suited her, pregnancy. The nobility, elegance, and beauty of it all. He couldn’t possibly tell her what he had done to help her achieve their dream. It would break her heart.
And so, he would not tell her or his firstborn of his deal with the devil, to protect them. It was the least he could do to protect them from the gnawing guilt feeding away at his heart.
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Beelzlial
Demon's Temper: Tempting
Prompt Response:
Oh, this was too good, too rich, too amazing to be true. But it was. They had always said that the youth were naïve, and this one was the perfect example! Oh, how he would use his soon to come child in his grand scheme for the world that he despised. This child…it would be the center of it all. After all, it would have Kalona blood running through its veins, and he would force that blood to show through, making the child into a power equivalent to even him! They would appeal to those who have been shunned by the hierarchy of the world, and form a force of their own, turning this pleasant forest into a sinister wasteland, perfect for himself and his apprentice.
A creaky laugh triumphantly leapt from his throat, echoing into the dank forest air, sending even the crows flying away with hectic screams of fright. His wooden hooves immersed themselves into a miniscule pond disrupted by crushing ripples. He looked at himself, smiling at his reflection. Some would call him ugly, disgusting, vile. He thought otherwise. This form…it was so much more fitting compared to his old self. This form was strong, resilient, and allowed for the perfect camouflage in this old forest. If he could sum up his new appearance in one word, it would be “Beautiful.”
As he strode commandingly through the brush, scattering the wildlife, he thought to himself of how he gained this beautiful new form. It had been centuries ago, but the sweet, savory memory of watching that fool writhe in pain was still so vivid in his mind.
”You dare to ask for that? Be ashamed, foul female! I have had enough of your petty folly, leave me at once!” The majestic stallion bellowed, an equally majestic mare before him, receiving his hurting words.
“But!”
“Do you not hear, you greedy filth? I say nay! Away with you at once!” He bellowed, getting more aggressive towards the mare. Yet she persisted, continuing her shallow plea for an attractive stallion to sweep her off her hooves and take her away. To think he had deemed her worthy!
“Filth, you have bleated your final plea!” Beelzlial roared, stamping his front hooves unto the earth, vines springing up in front of them. With a lion’s viciousness, they snatched the mare, pulling her to the ground. She continued to blather on, only wasting air. As the vines tightened themselves around her, another set of vines sprung from the earth, continually beating the mare until the life was drained from her.
Ah, yes. In retrospect, he wished he could have savored that moment more, brought more pain out of her. But the deed was done, and the pigs that oversaw the world did not understand that she needed to be punished for such an intolerable wish. But, it was their loss now. Loss of lives, that is. Now all he had to do was wait, and the trigger to his plan would arrive shortly.
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Sacramudo
Basket's Temper: Paranoid
Gender for Prompt: Male
Prompt Response:
He knew it! He knew that something had been following him, hunting him. And now he could see its face, its body, its being. And it was ugly, hideous, disgusting. Just like something out of a story that the adult two leggers tell to their children to make them obey.
This thing had a sense of nobility about it, though. Like an ancient king smiling at him, as though it was glad to see him.
But that smile could mean anything! It could be one of sadistic pleasure, a predatory smile that appears on the face of the hunter before they make the kill. Or a fake smile, one that is plastered on the face to seem appealing, only to later be wiped off as the victim is killed. Or worse yet, a smile that was true, a smile that is warm and gentle. One of those from this beast would mean that he was equally as ugly and vile as the thing standing before him.
But what if it was a good thing? He never had any friends, mother and father kept him away from the world. He could see how ashamed of him they were, how saddened they were by his existence. Maybe this creature could be a friend. Surely it would understand, it must have gone through the same toils and troubles as he.
No! It was just an act that this forest creature was putting on, so that later it could fill its sick pleasures and drink the blood from his dead body. He couldn’t fall for it, he wouldn’t! He had to get out of here.
But what if it really just wanted a companion? It must be lonely out here, with only the trees and birds. He should be nice to this creature, and befriend it. After all, what harm could come from friendship?
What harm? Every harm! Friendship was easily faked, especially by those who enjoy the thrill of the slaughter! He had to run!
But what if?
No!
But it might need-
It doesn’t!
It’s just like me-
No its not!
Bu-
No buts! Run!
The colt screamed, shaking his head, causing his own body to creak, branches and leaves to violently shake like trees in a maelstrom. His hollow eyes looked at the mirrored pair in front of him, and his gnarled mouth opened.
“Who are you…?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:49 am
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Tempest
Stallion's Temper: Conflicted
Prompt Response:
((Note: According to GoogleDocs' word count, this is exactly 750 words.))
Tempest shifted uneasily in the night, unable to sleep. His mate slept untroubled next to him, and he watched the rise and fall of her body as she breathed peacefully, her head resting on the basket. Their... basket.
No. His basket.
The stallion tried to close his eyes, but they kept blinking open, unbidden, to look at the basket - at his mate's beautiful colors, scarred by white wood. Was it his imagination, or did the damned thing creak every so often? Did the branches squirm roots into the ground, little white filaments, seeking to mingle with the roots of the foal's true father?
It was almost more than Tempest could bear, seeing her defiled so, the proof of it in the basket creaking and crackling under her sleeping form. He got to his feet and paced away, enough so his twitching wouldn't disturb her, but not out of sight. He loved her, desperately, and it was that desperation that had damned him. Damned the foal. Tempest's eyes shone faintly red in the night.
He loved her, and he shouldn't have - it went against the nature he had been raised to. Kalona, even if only part, meat-eater, destroyer. Even as a half-breed, his own father had expected certain things from him, things Tempest had been hard-put to deliver. Oh, he could feel the cold, hard core of Kalona ferocity within his heart - it was an irrevocable part of his nature - but the domineering rule of his father pushed him beyond what Tempest could bear.
Falling in love with her had been his ultimate act of rebellion, and his own excuse to leave his father's rule. He could do for her what he could never bring himself to do for himself. And when the first flush of their success had worn off, Tempest had found himself captive to a terrible fear. That feral core, the hunger he felt almost all the time - she knew what he was. She loved him anyway. But he had nightmares about finding her body shredded, her blood staining his hooves, her meat warm in his belly.
He was terrified of losing control.
What the shadow in the forest had offered him was freedom beyond price... or so he had thought at the time. Freedom from fear, from waking up at night bathed in sweat, from waiting every moment for his nature to overwhelm him and destroy everything he had come to love.
He stared at the creature in the wood, who spoke in a voice like leaves rustling and old, old roots cracking. "Whatever you desire, and such a small price to pay, so small. A child, a little one. Your first. Mine." The claim was spoken with a clarity that all the creature's other words lacked. "And for you?"
Tempest swallowed, his throat bone-dry, his heart thumping in his chest. "I... can you make me free? I am of Kalona blood..." He swallowed again. "Can you free me from its taint, inside? Remove my hunger, the feral urges inside my heart, the predatory nature?" The words seemed to echo in the woods, and he held his breath.
There was a long moment, and then the creature laughed, like trees breaking in a gale. "I can. Drink, blessed one. Drink deeply." A branch spiraled forth from the creature's barklike hide and twisted the cork free. The scent of the liquid rose like ambrosia, and the branches beckoned him forth. Tempest hesitated, then took one step forward, then another, and reached out with his tongue to the neck of the bottle. Two branches moved forward, one grabbing the bottle, the other grabbing his muzzle, and suddenly the sticky red fluid was pouring down his throat, nearly choking him. "Wish, wish," the creature crooned as Tempest nearly gagged, but he managed to swallow. Somehow.
Then he staggered back as the branches released him, panting. He felt odd, light-headed, warm, tingly. "Did it.... work...?" he asked, weakly.
"Of course," the creature crooned, then giggled. "Remember. First child mine."
Tempest shuddered at the memory; he could almost feel the grip of the branch around his muzzle, the choking sweetness of the liquid in his mouth. And now...
I could kill it.
And she would think me a monster. The monster I paid this price to not be.
Tempest hung his head and swayed in place, then folded his legs and laid down heavily. Maybe things would make sense. Maybe everything would be okay. Maybe.
Maybe not.
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Oreiade
Demon's Temper: Decayed [meaning that whoever he was originally, he has now decayed into his present strange mentality]
Prompt Response:
((Note: I wanted to explore what would happen to a mind after being transformed. :3 Hence... well, you'll see.))
Time moves so slowly now, so slow. Night, day, night, day, should pass whipquick, blinkblinkblink. Not slowly, sun moon inching like snails across the sky. Trees see time differently. Better.
Trees can't move. Can move, now. Creak, snap, slide roots through earth, remember. Walking, yes. Not roots, hooves. Had once. Have again. Remember. Was something like this before, yes, something fleshysoft, rotting, like little warm things that die in forest, melt into earth. Delicious.
Tree is better.
Best of both, now - can move, can't rot, creak across forest, dip roots into earth to mingle with trees in far places. They know me, all know me; friend.
Moving reminds; old, old thoughts crusted under bark. Moved once, all around forest; danced. Glass thing bumps on my chest, cold, artificial. That was there too, longlong ago, many blinks, seasons ago.
Can move, can't rot.
Can be angry.
Trees hate, quietly, creak in the wind, drop branches, silent cry at sky. Sky doesn't care. But I move now, carry hate for them. Friends, they and I. Better to become part of forest, learn to be tree, sprout leaves and grow in old, old anger.
Time for fruit, now.
Fleshything came, read words, screamed when bark shifted, cracked, birthed me. Knew what to do, remembered words the way fleshythings use them, creaked and blew and cracked until fleshything understood. Pretty gift, pretty wish, looklook, whatever you want, here! I can give. Anything.
In exchange - seed. Mine.
Roots followed him home; saw fertile planting-ground. Planted seed, hoho, delicious soft fleshything for pretty child to grow in. Mine, yes, mine and forest's. Too strange now, me, too rooted here, fleshythings look scared, run away, as they should. Need child, sweet creature, soft but rooted deep in me, sweet thing to go out, find more sweet fleshythings, lure in. Forest eats well.
He dies, forest still eats well.
Protect forest; that I remember, past old creaking bark, leaves, when I was fleshything too. Only thing left that's not wind, soft, fog. Forgotten, the rest of it.
Don't mind. Protect forest; only part needed. Know it deep in roots, in bones. Protect at all costs. Grow, flourish, feast on fleshything rot, most delicious food. Strong tangles of thorns, strong vines, bright leaves.
All costs.
Grow pretty, little seed.
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Berith
Basket's Temper: Impulsive
Gender for Prompt: Male
Prompt Response: "'m like a tree," Berith said sullenly, looking hard at the edges of the forbidden forest. "Why shouldn't I go in?"
"Because I said so," his father said, sharply, grabbing Berith's ear in his mouth. "You're not a tree. You're a horse. Not a tree."
Berith had squealed at the rebuke, but he had noticed the strange vehemence in his father's voice. Not a tree.
Not a tree...
That had been a few weeks ago; shortly afterwards, his father had guided the tiny family away to another meadow, one bordered by tree-less hills. But they had eaten poorly there, and Berith had overheard the argument his parents had one night. The meadows near the forest were the best feeding grounds in the area. Period.
So they'd come back, with his father twitching and jumping at shadows the whole way, watching Berith so closely that the foal felt squashed under his father's constant presence. He'd entertained the idea of running away to see the forest; now he wanted to run away just to get some room to breathe.
And I am like a tree, anyways. Dad's stupid, Berith huffed. For all his father's vigilance, sneaking away had been too easy. All he'd done was wait until his father had fallen asleep, then padded away in total silence. Simple.
The forest lay in front of him, branches waving in the wind. Was it Berith's imagination, or were some of the branches waving at him? As if they were welcoming him? Calling him, maybe? The trees creaked and moaned with every movement. Maybe they're trying to talk to me, Berith wondered. He waved his own branches and tried to imitate the creaking sounds with his own tongue, but it didn't really work.
It was probably his imagination, anyway.
Berith crept under the shadow of the branches, into the darkness deeper than night that lurked under the leaves. He paused just inside, wondering if he should turn back... but no. He wasn't some kind of a wuss. If he was going to go into the forest, then he was going to go more than a few steps. The foal marched stiff-legged down the thin trace that wandered between the trees, determined to have a good go at it if nothing else.
As Berith went deeper into the forest, he slowly began to relax. The rustling and creaking of the trees really was just the wind, of course, and while the shifting shadows caused by the moving leaves were a little scary at first, they didn't take that long to get used to. All this so-called forbidden forest was was... a bunch of trees. More of them than usual, and packed together, but that was it.
Nothing special.
"Bo~oring," Berith declared with a hrumph, and turned around. Sleeping was more interesting than this-
cre~eeeak
Berith jumped, landed hard, and his branches dipped down and clutched at the earth, spiraling thin white filaments into the soil in an instinctive panic reaction. For a moment the foal trembled, but when nothing happened, he huffed again. "It's just the wind! It's just the-"
Below him, one of the rootlets touched the root of another tree, and Berith froze again, his eyes growing wide. He was... the forest...
Rooted into the forest, he was the forest, blowing, tossing in the wind, roaring at the sky, and full of anger... and utterly unable to express it or act upon it. The fury of the forest rushed through him-
Panicked, Berith whinnied and tore free from the ground, some of his branches cracking and snapping. It hurt, terribly, and the foal moaned in terror.
cre~eaaak
Berith shrieked and ran, pounding between the trees, white foam flecking his coat. The creaking noise seemed to follow him, loud and sharp, as if a thousand trees were breaking in the wind - and then he skidded, as a bush laden with thorns seemed to rear up before him (or maybe, hopefully, that was just his panic talking, bushes couldn't jump out of the ground, right?). He stopped just before the thorns touched him, shaking.
There was a shadow, something watching him.
"I'M NOT A TREE!" Berith screamed, and whirled to face his tormentor.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:27 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Tosia
Mare's Temper: Sturdy
Prompt Response: The pain. It was too much, much too much. This child had better be perfect. Thought the mare, withering on the ground. Finally, with one final shove, it was out. "My baby," whispered Tosia protectively. Suddenly, what was this? Man, taking my baby? "What are you doing?" She shouted uselessly, the men couldn't understand her. She caught a first glimpse, "what was wrong with it? Was that wood? And, the eyes, what went wrong?!" Shuddering from this sight she watched as the men shoved her baby into a basket, and suddenly, branches seized the basket lid.
That was several days ago, long days. The basket was still and silent, nothing happening. Tosia was worried of course, she had a right to be. One thing did bother her though. How did this look at all like her mate? He wouldn't, or couldn't, talk about this fact. Maybe he was just as grateful as she was. It doesn't matter. Tosia thought, not one bit.
She flashed back once more, remembering the happiest day of her life. When she discovered that her and her beloved would finally become parents. She had no idea where her beloved was. But, when he returned, it was magical. It was an entirely new feeling. A glowing, as you could call it, in her heart, that radiated throughout her entire body. She sighed at this happy memory. She was so confused now. Still, her child's appearance, her mate's disapproval on the subject of her child. Poor thing, must be so confused, she thought bitterly.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:49 am
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Ailill
Basket's Temper: lonely
Gender for Prompt: male
Prompt Response:
Ailill had never been really liked by those around him, except possibly by his mother and father, though they always had a sad, painful expression when looking at him. Sure he was different, but why were they always so sad? Were they disappointed in him or frightened of him? He privately hoped it wasn't the latter, that would just be too painful to bear. If there was disappointment, at least there was a hope to someday be truly loved and be able to get them to forget their disappointment. Despite his parents' love and his father's orders and warnings, Ailill was a bit of a wanderer, and had found himself at the edge of the forest his father had told him never to go, trying to get away from the deep sadness in his parents' eyes that haunted him day and night.
Maybe his parents didn't want him. The thought struck a painful chord in his heart. No matter how much he shook his head to clear his mind of the thought and tried to remember all the signs his parents loved him, the thought stayed. Blindly trying to shut out the agony of the thought, he began running. Unaware of where his little hooves were taking him, he had entered the forest against his father's will, but his pain and his fears were already filling him too much for him to care. Maybe his parents didn't want him, maybe they'd never wanted him at all. Sure they'd said he was their firstborn, the child they'd prayed for, but maybe that was a lie, even if they had prayed to have children and had him. Maybe their care for him had been a lie. Finally, Ailill slammed down his hooves and skidded to a halt, sides heaving from the run and from tears held back. Now that Ailill had stopped, he noticed a creaking behind him.
Nervously, Ailill looked around for the way he had come and realized he was lost. Maybe he'd run in a straight line? If so, he could just turn back the way he'd come and go home. Taking comfort in the thought, he turned around and started walking...but the creaking got closer. Unnerved, Ailill bolted headlong in the direction he was increasingly certain he'd come. When he saw an unfamiliar Soquili ahead of him, he skidded to a halt. Ailill flinched back from the stallion and realized he'd seen it before, out of the corner of his eyes while he was running through the forest, as a tree that was always at his heels, with an unpleasant smile on its wooden features. Much as Ailill wanted to run away and go home, this stallion stood in his path. "Go away!" he shouted. "Leave me alone! I'm going to go home, and when my father finds out about you, he'll be mad! He's part Kalona, so he can get really mad!" Ailill wasn't nearly as bold as his words, but the words made him feel braver, and the thought of his strong, brave father coming for him filled him with a confidence he hadn't felt when he'd charged into this forest. Determined to go home to his loving parents no matter what, Ailill drew himself up, standing tall and proud, and his eyes met those of the stallion who stood in his way.
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Muirne
Mare's Temper: loving
Prompt Response:
Muirne watched the basket uncertainly as she stood with it on a hilltop in the midday sunshine. She shivered as she remembered the little foal and when branches had sprouted from the basket. She and her mate, Midir, had looked like that when they were little, she was sure, so why did their little foal look like that? She wasn't going to get any answers out of Midir, that was certain, so she'd have to work it out on her own. The only thing Midir had mentioned was that the foal in the basket had certainly come from them, no mistake about that, but...why had Midir worded it like that? Was there something he was keeping from her about their foal? Even if he didn't call it such, the foal was undeniably theirs.
Taking a deep breath, Muirne lay down beside the basket, as close as she dared. Of course it was their foal, why wouldn't it be? And since the foal in the basket was theirs, Muirne intended to love it wholeheartedly. After all, she'd been granted a foal by the gods, wouldn't it be rude to ask why the gods had given her a foal such as this? She should be glad she had a foal at long last. Taking comfort in that thought, she smiled down more certainly at the basket. Yes, who cared what the foal looked like when it came out? It was her foal, her baby, her precious, and she wouldn't let her fears and worries affect this foal. It would grow up as happy as any foal could, and she had no intent of letting it know it that its appearance somewhat frightened them. Feeling better by the minute, she reached out her delicate light blue muzzle and nuzzled the basket, her sky blue eyes softening in motherly affection. The foal inside this basket was her child, and nothing would stop her from loving this child with all her heart.
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Midir
Stallion's Temper: proud
Prompt Response:
Midir walked back slowly with his mate to the little copse where they lived. Muirne was pregnant with his foal...no...if that demon had his way, then, it would someday be the demon's foal. Midir clenched his jaw angrily. That demon would never touch their foal, not if Midir had any say in his foal's life. He would never hand what he and his beloved Muirne had wished so long for over to a demon like that who would just use their foal. Never.
It had been quick run to the forest to look for a solution in that forest, so he'd specifically planned to do it while Muirne was busy. He would find a way for Muirne and himself to have children, but he'd never planned on that demon extracting such a price for granting their heartfelt wish. That bitter potion...it had been so salty and bitter, as though tears were mixed with blood, that Midir had almost spat it out on the spot, but that would have been extremely rude. Now that Muirne was pregnant and the demon was now sure to one day come to demand his price be paid, Midir had to find a way to make sure the demon could never collect his due.
Midir had been a very proud and independent stallion when he'd met Muirne, but her sweet, gentle, loving nature had softened him quite a bit, brought out a side he'd never realized existed, and he wanted to make Muirne incredibly happy. His expression softened as he recalled the decision to try to have foals, and he actually smiled, his hardened ruby eyes seeming to melt with bliss. Muirne caught the change in expression and smiled encouragingly at Midir, which made him all the happier. Pain filled his mind. He had wanted to make Muirne happy, but in the end, he was only going to make her sad, by selling the soul of their firstborn to that demon. No, he could not make Muirne sad, and he would not let that demon take his firstborn. As a father and as a mate, he would never permit that to happen. He must find a way to beat the demon at his own game before the demon came to collect his due, even if it meant Midir's own death to do so.
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Gruagach
Demon's Temper: Unforgetful
Prompt Response:
Gruagach stared into one of the forest pools with a grim smile once the young stallion had gone to the mother of Gruagach's child. So what if Etain had died because of him? Gruagach would still have a child to call his own, a child to use to forget Etain. If Gruagach still had real eyes, there would be a bitter expression filling them as he remembered Etain, his love before he'd become part of this accursed forest he'd sworn to protect. The fire...Etain had burned, and Gruagach had let her die because he'd seen his loyal Etain talking familiarly with another stallion. He could not have forgiven her, oh no, not once she'd gone behind his back to be with another stallion not tied down to this forest.
That curse was punishment for forgetting his duty and killing an innocent Soquili in a fit of jealous rage, they had said. Innocent? he had laughed. The Etain who had died in the fire who had sworn to always be by his side had betrayed him! Nevertheless, they had said, you forgot your duty to your forest and killed. Would you like proof that your Etain was blameless and merely speaking with an old acquaintance? No, he'd spat back, no. They had provided undeniable proof anyway, and the pain had driven Gruagach to deny the proof, to call it a lie. If he ever acknowledged he'd killed his innocent beloved in a jealous rage, he'd kill himself, and this foal of that young stallion would keep him alive long enough to have his revenge on the world that had taken his sweet Etain from him and turned her against him. The punishment for murdering Etain and forgetting his duty had been to make him part of the very forest he'd failed to protect in that forest fire.
He studied his reflection in the water. Hideous. His gnarled lips curled into a bitter smile. Etain wouldn't have said so before she'd betrayed him, oh no, she would have said his dedication shone so brilliantly, that it seemed a fitting gift from the gods that he should be a part of the forest, and she would have smiled her winning smile at him, tucking flowers into his mane and tail, true to her nature as a Flutter. Anger filled him, and he splashed at the reflection. He was a hideous monster now, he couldn't stand before anyone with his ugliness, but his foal would share in it. He would be giving some small measure of his power to his foal, and they would together use their powers to punish the world for the monstrous curse bestowed on father and foal.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:05 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Rencia
Mare's Temper: Unselfish
Prompt Response:
“I need to see my foal.”
“Rencia, you can’t. There’s something wrong with it and it might not be safe-“
“I DON’T CARE!” The mare screamed and shoved the obstacle aside without a second thought. She rushed over to the glowing basket and laid down next to it before it could separate them again.
“Rencia…”
With teary eyes, she only now spared a glance at the being she pushed around. Her mate. Vilrent. Why was he so… against the basket? It was their child wasn’t it? Even though it looked doesn’t look like at all its father. Prehaps it’ll change overtime though. She rested her head on the lid and sighed.
“I’m sorry.” She managed to whisper after several grueling minutes. Vilrent didn’t reply, and instead wrapped his wing around her body as a gesture of consolation.
She couldn’t help but think that this child was doing more harm than good to the small family. It hasn’t even emerged from its basket and it already was creating tension between its parents. What, did he think that she hooked up with another stallion while he was away? Rencia pondered on this for a moment before turning to the graceful face of her mate.
“Vilrent?”
“Mmm?”
“This child is yours. And I do love you.”
“I know honey.” He murmured without hesitation.
So what was wrong with the foal that repelled him so? Gazing at the white branch that encased the basket, she could feel her own worries as how her progeny was going to turn out. Never mind that it was glowing and wrapped in silver wood. If Vilrent continued to be uneasy about it, she might be left alone to raise this peculiar baby. And being a single mother would definitely diminish any hope of giving it a normal and perfect life…
“Is there something wrong?” The stallion asked, pulling Rencia’s head out of the clouds.
“No. Everything’s ok.” That was a lie of course. But if she pretended that everything was indeed alright, he would be less likely to disappear and maybe they can have a shot at a happy family.
That’s what she’ll have to do, won’t she? Keep up a façade of optimism and false hope to prevent this family from falling apart. But if that what it takes, then she will do it, even if it means sacrificing everything else…
Her eyes caught sight of the dark woods that they lived close by. It always gave her shivers, every time she looked at it. This was no place to bring up a child, that’s for sure.
“Vilrent? Can we move away from the forest?”
“Eh? Why do you say that?” His startled tone and expression wasn’t something that she expected. Still, it only lasted for a second and the concern soon faded from her mind.
“I don’t know. I just don’t like it. That’s all.”
“I see.” He turned his gaze to the foreboding trees and shrugged. “It seems like a good idea. Maybe after the foal comes out and can walk with us.”
“Thank you Vilrent.” Rencia smiled slightly and nuzzled her mate’s nose. He fluffed his feathers in response, making it seem like a warm blanket. She was asleep before she knew it, with dreams of a wonderful life and a beautiful family.
Well, almost anyway. The only thing that wasn’t beautiful was the warped skin of the foal, much like the trees in the neighboring forest…
DEMON PROMPT
Demon's Name: Gyai
Demon's Temper: Diabolical
Prompt Response:
Even with the first sentence of the magic words, he could feel his body returning to him. Ah! It has been so long since he had legs to gallop in the woods and a heart to care for its inhabitants. He couldn’t wait for the foolish stallion to finish reciting the spell that would free him of his curse.
With his ear forming from the wood, Gyai could now listen to the speech that was removing the enchantment. The language may have sounded strange and foreign to any mortal, but he could understand it quite well. Why! His captor had audacity to use his story prior to the punishment as the words! Once he finds him (or her, his memory was a bit fuzzy after what seemed like eons) he’ll have to make sure to repay the favor and much more.
The stallion eventually yearned for a family, like all normal horses do. But because of his duties, he couldn’t venture away and let his forest rot while he looked for a mate. So it was fortunate for him that a young female, naïve and enamored with all things magical, stumbled upon him. The two fell in love and were a beautiful couple for a time.
But the mare found that she would be happier if she didn’t spend all her time in the forest, and with its guardian. He was deeply upset at this, and little by little chained her to him through charm and reprimands. She rebelled against him anyway and soon found another stallion that she loved even more. When he found out about this, he forgone all patience and kindness he had before and killed the other lover. The mare was devastated, and in one last meeting with the murderer, revealed that she was with his children and will raise them on her own. And if they ask, will tell them that their father was a wicked, spiteful horse that would be cursed forever.
Cursed he was. Not only is he now part of the trees that he nurtured, he will grow monstrous and grotesque so that a mare will never again fall for him again and suffer the same fate. If the speaker of these words believes that this punishment was wrongly inflicted, he will be freed, but he will never be able to fulfill his dream of having a family.
A mate? Kids? Bah! Gyai didn’t want those anymore. Not after years of listening to the forest and learning of the pains that come with fatherhood. No. He wanted revenge. On the mare that stole his heart then broke it. On the being that cursed him in the first place. Realizing that he had legs again, the forest demon stepped out of the tree that imprisoned him and stretched every limb. He didn’t even mind the fact that woody growths branched out of him. His euphoria of being free overcame the initial disgust.
“Er… hello?”
Looking as majestic and proud as he can, he glanced down at the voice that spoke. A mere Soquili. He would have been less than nothing if he hadn’t been the one that lifted the enchantment.
“Yes. Thank you for freeing me from the curse. What is your name, stallion?”
The horse shuffled his feet, very visibly intimidated by his unusual apparence.
“I’m Vilent…”
“Vilent. In return for liberating me, I am offering you one wish with the use of this potion.”
He motioned the bottle that was hanging from his neck, unfazed by the time he spent as a tree. Already, Gyai was setting his plan of vengeance in motion. Despite the fact that his appearance will repel any potential mate, he still can have his dream come true…
“Any wish?”
“Yes. Any. Just drink one drop of the draught and your wish will be granted.”
The stallion fixed his eyes on the vial and the forest was silent for what seemed like hours. He didn’t mind that the fool was thinking it over. There was no way that any mortal can resist this offer…
“There has to be a catch. Is there?”
“You are not as dumb as I thought.” The demon chuckled. And with a triumphant tone, he added, “All I ask is that you give me your first born child.”
BASKET PROMPT
Basket's Name: Hestron
Basket's Temper: Tormented
Gender for Prompt: Male
Prompt Response:
“Why don’t you find some trees to play with? You’re more like them than us!”
That was the jeer that was often flung at Hestron when he approached the other foals at play. It didn’t make any sense to him. Not at all. Can a tree chase butterflies? Can they talk with other Soquili? Can they be coddled by their mother? Sure, he had planty growths that looked like branches and skin that felt like wood. But otherwise he was a normal child that could fool around with others… if he wanted to.
“Fine! Maybe I will! And then you’ll be jealous as to how much fun we’re having!” Hestron shouted back before stamping away. He knew that he won’t find a tree playmate though. Most likely, by the end of the day, he’ll wander back to his family and start emoing about how the kids were teasing him again. Today wasn’t starting out so well…
After brooding about his situation for a while, he decided that he should attempt the impossible quest anyway. If he did find a horse that was as plant-like as him (or a plant that was extremely horse-like)… His frown turned into a wicked grin as he considered the possibilities. Not only will he show those fools, but maybe he’ll find someone that can accept him. Even more so than his parents, who always looked at him with a troubled expression. Turning his trudging into a happy prance, he sprinted off towards the only place where such strange beings exist. The dark forest that everyone told him not to go into.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come here after all…” Hestron murmured to himself, a great distances into the woods and terribly lost. He wasn’t saying that out of fear however. There was nothing special about these trees that would suggest that they could come to life and be the object of envy he wanted.
“Yup. This sucks all right.” He muttered while resting against a twisted and gnarled tree. He remained quiet, hoping for something interesting to occur during the silence. But his heart sank when nothing happened. With an exasperated sigh, he picked up his pace again and continued to wander around the forest.
Everything looked pretty much the same after a while. There wasn’t even any wildlife to break the monotony once in a while, which Hestron found odd but didn’t think too much of it. It was just trees, plants, and some random boulders. After coming across the same warped tree for about a thousand times, he screamed out in frustration and stomped on the ground.
“This is so stupid! I wish I never came here in the first place! Or better yet, I wish I was never born with these stupid branches!” He snarled and tried to gnaw the wood off. But before he could close his teeth around it, a quiet but sinister laughter was emitted from… somewhere…
“Huh? Who’s that?” Hestron said out loud without meaning to. He whirled around several times before getting dizzy and stumbling over. Only when he shook his head to clear the lightheadedness did he notice that the deformed tree had came closer…
Was this the answers to his prayers? Grinning broadly, he stood up again and approached the moving tree with a few wobbly steps.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:58 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Khilsha
Mare's Temper: Resolute
Prompt Response: Even after it had been a while since she first caught a glimpse of the foal she bore, she found herself unable to come up with a reasoning as to why it had looked the way it had - how could she be expected to explain it?
For all intents and purposes, the basket - foal - was hers, hers and his; it had been the result of a long time wishing and yearning of a desire to have a foal to call her own; was the result Fate's cruel way of messing with her, of letting her know that all good things come not without consequences?
It troubled her, though at the same time she had a feeling it wouldn't be such a problem if the stallion she had stood with, the one who was father to her foal, wouldn't brush off the matter as if it were nothing - If only he would talk to her, comfort her, reassure her that she was worrying about nothing, and everything would be all right.
Yet he would say and do nothing of that sort, choosing instead to remain silent on the matter, lacking the words and reassurance that she found herself desiring more than the foal in question.
She sighed, pawing at the grass-laden ground with a single hoof, her ears pressing flat against her skull as she turned her head upwards, looking up at the sky above with a contemplative gaze, an unspoken question within the azure hues of her eyes and stirring inside her heart.
The basket and the foal within was hers and his ... right?
It might .... look nothing like what she knew of the father, or quite like herself, but ...
It was still theirs.
She still had questions, ones that would remain unanswered for a while - forever, for all she knew - or at least until the foal emerged fully and permanently from its protective home.
When it did, she knew that despite the seemingly negative circumstances surrounding the foal, the fact remained that she would remain its mother ... and that despite it all, Fate had allowed her to bear it as a response to her wish to be a mother.
She owed it to Fate to attempt to be the mother to her foal.
... No matter what.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:06 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Lavaedalinio
Mare's Temper: Fragile
Prompt Response:
So much energy had already been used the night before to give birth to your first child. It was a beautiful yet painful experience. Her eyes could not fall on her child as she was in the process however she was sure she'll see him later. It felt as if she slept on forever, however Lavaedalinio had only passed out for a few minutes from exhaustion. Her head slightly dizzy and vision a blurr. The world swirled around her and soon everything fell back in place. Chest heaving up and down heavily as she looked around with tired eyes. A faint glow from a candle light on the table lit and made shape of every other object. Senses slowly returning, and ears perked up high to listen intently for any sounds of her mate or the two-legger who stood by them. All she could hear was some shrieks outside the teepee and a familiar voice which can not be mistakened by anyone elses. Their species could not interact with the two-leggers so why was her mate talking? Lavae only wished she could pull herself together and head out. Cold wind brushed around the land and the opened teepee started flapping with the lose piece of cloth that they had used as the 'door'. The wind filled the room and made the candle light flicker. Shadows were cast upon the teepee sides, her eyes starting to blurr a bit more. Going clear then everything seem to be foggy and then clear again. Her head felt much more heavier than her body, wanting to relax on the soft soil a few inches away from her head.
Shuffling was made, and Lavae knew they werecoming back with her child. She let her head dropped to the ground, and drool sliding out of her mouth. This was definetly not normal, how was she so tired after only giving birth to one child. Perhaps because this was her first. The two-legger, no doubt carrying her one, peeked in and slowly stepped through the door. Her mate's head peered in after but did not go in. The human looked to be fumbling and somewhat even shaking. Her baby was wrapped in blankets, that was all she could make up from her point. The lump sad on the table and started shifting a bit as each second past. Pat the bundle and making some noises. Lavae blinked and next thing she knew, there was a basket on the table too. Blue bundle still shifting and made noises that sounded rather...coarse. She squinted her eyes and tried to catch a glimpse of her child. The two-legger continued to fidget around and clumsily dropped a bucket of beads. (Or what sounded like hitting the earth) As she was scrambling to get it, Lavae tried to relax all her muscles, just then a little hoof had stuck out of the blanket. No it wasnt a hoof, it was a branch. How silly of her to have mistakened a simple branch for a hoof. Her vision must still be very fuzzy, and her head started pounding and spinning. Lavae closed her eyes, but then heard more coarse sounds and she had to pull her heavy head upwards and looked at the bundle.The branch was moving, strange. It held a tree like pattern on itself. A few leaves stuck and grew out of the twig like any other, a lump which represented where a recent branch had fallen off was also on it, looked like a wart. Lavae's head was too dizzy to say if this was all just her imaginations or real. A branch wrapped with her little baby? What ae the natives doing? More shifting made a part of the bundle slip off, and Lavae squinted harder at what looked to be a brown blob and soon her images started coming together as she stayed very still.
Just out of nowhere, the two-legger springs up and grabs hold of the blanket, quickly rewrapping it. Lavae shook her head, but then fell back onto the earth and caught the expression on her mate's face. A slightly worried look to her, then it cleared away and was replaced with solemn look. Pulling out and away from the teepee, she could see him walk along the teepee and disappear dragging his shadow along with him. He must've seen their bundle of joy hasnt he? Oh how wonderful. Was it a boy? A girl? Lavae was starting to feel her eyelids getting heavy. Then a quick flash of the image she saw made her close her eyes to try and see it better. Her child..........why was it brown? Or was that even it? Was it? It had to be. he two-legger finished up and started out of the teepee. Lavae glimsped upwards towards the top of the table, and saw a rather strange basket to be holding her baby. Just before she let her eyelids come, she caught the basket growing branches around it? A white branch? She had thought her child was brown but this basket was....different.....so did that mean the tree image was just her? How could that be? How could---darkness took over.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:23 pm
MOTHER PROMPT
Mare's Name: Khosi
Mare's Temper: Gentle
Prompt Response:
The gnarled white branches over took even her dreams now. Wrapping around her hooves, up her legs. Holding her in place. Rooting her to the ground when all she ever wanted to do was run, and be free. But she couldn’t. To run would only bring her further from her dear child than she was presently. Instead of feeling her warmth through the basket, her foal was comforted by the branches that held it tightly enfolded. And so, Khosi remained, her mind eternally tormented. In so brief a moment when she first beheld her foal, breath was caught in her throat, her soft blue eyes burned and ached with unshed tears. Something was wrong. So wrong. And she was caught between two warring thoughts that echoed through her mind, rebounding upon itself many times over.
One aspect was dominant. A fierce love that ruled above all else. Pure instinct that bound her to motherhood, and provided the will to fight any opposing force that thought itself strong even to challenge her. So long she had waited for this moment, when she could look upon her reflection in any stream or pooling of water and see a mother in her stead. Even the mere thought of her supreme desire of a foal of her own coming true made her heart flutter like a bird on the wind.
But another notion plagued her thoughts. Her mate seemed so hesitant around the basket, wary. It was a slash to her heart when she realized he was afraid, almost angry. Her mothering impulse was hindered, a heated slash to the heart at the loveless observations he had for the foal. So long they had waited for a blessing like this, so love they had tried for a foal. And now that their prayers had been answered, her mate seemed to be withdrawing inside himself. He blamed himself. Not for the foal’s conception, no. He had tried to assure her that first night. His guilt and his anger. It was directed upon something else entirely.
And why did he so insistently turn head back to the woods when he thought that her attention had wandered elsewhere, a spike of fear in his fiery gaze.
Khosi shuddered quietly, her velvety muzzle dipped to brush against the woven tendrils that formed the basket’s lid. At the gentle tough, the basket shifted and fearful whinny was emitted from within. Her voice was soft and mirrored the love she felt in her heart for the little stranger that remained hidden from view. “Hush now, my baby. Be still love, don’t cry. For whatever you are, it shall fall on blind eyes. You are my love. My one and only.” And she meant it.
FATHER PROMPT
Stallion's Name: Glanht
Stallion's Temper: Stoic
Prompt Response:
Glanht had wandered far since the sun had first sent its tendrils of warmth over the valley. He had stumbled into the forest, mind racing. His love, his mate, had been crying quietly in her sleep. And he knew why. His fault. Or her’s. It didn’t matter. It was only proven by the missing link in their little family. Each night, she cried for a foal. And each morning, he would sneak away. Melancholic. Disheartened. And only seeking a way out. A way to ease the flow of tears. A way to ease the silence that overtook their conversations now. Their love, strained.
It hurt him, even through his partial Kalona blood, to see her shattered by her hopeful dreams each night. And it had gotten to the point when he could not stand to be around when she awoke. He drove himself further into the forest than ever before, until he came to heart, with trees so large, their branches seemed to choke out the sky. Crimson iris’s half closed, Glanht stumbled ever forward, numb to his surroundings. He paused, resting heavily against the pale, unnaturally so, bark of a gnarled tree. What made him stop just there? He wouldn’t know. But the silvery trunk seemed like a beacon of hope on the darkest of nights. “I want the sadness to go away.” He moaned, eyes closed fully now. “To go away…”
I can make it go away. Glanht stiffened at the voice. It wasn’t spoken aloud. Instead, he heard the grave words inside his head. That’s want to want? Isn’t it? Peace for you and your mate? The small gnarled tree shuddered and stretched into the distorted form of a horse, ensnared even now in many branches. “Y-yes. Of course!” Glahnt murmured, stumbling over the simple words in his surprise. Wish it. The voice commanded, though the tree stallions lips did not move. ”I wish for the sadness…to go away.” The grey striped stallion shuddered as a wave of enternal cold seeped into his body. Excellent. But, as you should know, no wish comes without a price. Your first born shall belong to me! The voice turned vile. Greed and fury stained his words.
Glanht nodded slowly, confusion on his face. “But… Nothing. I agree to your terms. ” He had no first born. After after so long, he feared that a first born would never come. But the forest stag would not know that. The tree demon stepped forward, offering a glass decanter with frothy red liquid. Glahnt took a sip, the substance running thick as blood down his throat. But it tasted of nothing at all, which came as a surprise. The strange stallion laughed, a cold reverberating sound. Glahnt felt dizzy and sick, and within moments passed out. He awoke later completely alone, at the edge of the forest. The sun warmed his face, and caused him to woke his blood red gaze. Staggering to his feet, he followed the tree line until his mate came into view by the stream. He blanched at the sight of tears running down her face, but her face held a inexplicable joy. She brushed her muzzle against his neck, her voice a soft trickling sigh. “Honey. I’m pregnant.”
Glahnt backed away, his face deathly pale, the fire in his eyes dimmed to a cloudy ember. One thought went through his mind, and at the same time, from somewhere deep inside the forest, that same cold laughter.
Oh. My. God.
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