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 Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 9:37 am
She knew she probably shouldn't be so excited. But this was typical for her; she wanted to help people so much that she didn't really think about the danger to herself. Certainly it would probably get her in trouble one day; but that is what she felt she was here for. It was her purpose; to help people! Maybe, she wondered, the spirits would protect her if she continued to do the right thing.
In her private little thicket she opened her bad and began to fill it full of her medicine. Herbs, and bark were the most of it, though she did make sure there were plenty of other things. Just things that make Soquili happy; preserved blue berries, brightly colored flowers, and little peices of sugary hard candy she had traded before with the Kawani people. Candy always seemed to make people feel better; that's why she loved to go by Candy.
Her familiar, Pixi, clucked anxiously around her hooves. "I'm sorry little one," she told her. "But this may be dangerous. I would feel much better if you stayed here and kept safe."
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:36 pm
Time to be brave. she told herself.
You can do this. she told herself.
Mirari took the steps towards the supply thicket one hoof at a time. Yes she scared. But this was something that had to be done. She could make her fathers proud; both of them. Obviously her father, Sequoyah, thought she was capable. That's why he asked her, right? As opposed to her other father, Xandir. He was such a gentle soul.
She came into see Wicahpi pulling apart the blankets and nodded her approval. "Are you scared?" she asked her brother, tilting her head just a bit, some of her curls falling around her face.
"I am," she admitted, gathering a few supplies of her own. "But excited, too. Have you have been up there? The Thunderbird mountain?"
She looked off in the distance, through the trees, at the ominous smoke that was lifting off the mountain. "Ever wonder exactly what happened? With them and father? I've heard a few whispers, but I don't feel like I know the whole story."
She didn't know if she ever would. It hardly seemed to matter, though. After all, she was happy and their family lived in such harmony; why shake the hornets nest?
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:49 pm
She skipped off after Mirari, fluffing her wings and tossing her mane. The adrenaline was already pumping in her veins as she did so, the cloud of smoke overhead not worrying her as much as it should.
"There's a history?" she asked Mirari, hearing her talk to her brother. She didn't have much of a sense of privacy, her family gave her no real reason to. She had never lived anywhere that required lies and such; everyone was one big happy family here; or so she thought.
Little Seibel didn't know how the herd started; even the real connection between them and the Thunderbirds. She knew, through various stories and tribal knowledge, that some very powerful Wind Soquili lived up there, and that Sequoyah - their herd leader - had family up there. It never occurred to her that he was banished or kicked out just because he didn't have wings.
It was fairly ironic that she did, all things considering. She was born with wings even though neither of her parents did. She didn't exactly know her mother, but her father would give her no reason to doubt him when he said so. Learning to fly had been difficult, but at least her uncle Xandir was there to help her.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:03 pm
"Alpha," he said, his voice darker than most. "We should head out now, before dark. I advise we leave right now on hoof. The winged ones will be quick to catch up with us.
He tossed his shoulder, thick mane and gave his daughter a nod of his head.
I will take the lead, with Sequoyah," he said, looking over the recruits that volunteered to help him. "Your job is to be on high alert; if you see something, say something."
He looked them over - the last thing the Valley Herd was a herd of warriors. Some of them had never even left the herdlands at all. "We're going to try and help where we can. Use your strengths."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:06 pm
She knew her father well. She could read his tone; he was scared. Maybe not the trembling-in-your-skin kind of scared, but the worried, heavy scared he got from having to protect all the Soquili joining them on their journey. As fearsome as Sumi-e was; Calligraphy has never seen him in an actual fight. She was unsure if he was as tough as he appeared to be; or if people just assumed he was vicious because he looked vicious.
But perhaps that's part of the point. If you can scare your enemies away before ever having to lift a hoof, then its better for everyone. Following her father's lead, she trotted up behind him and the Alpha, holding her head high. Maybe some a distance she would look a bit intimidating.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:12 pm
"Candy, they are calling for us," Louvre said to the young mare. "Are you ready?" He helped her pack the last few things into her medicine bag, and walked with her back out to the edge of the herdlands, where Sequoyah, Sumi-e, and Calligraphy were waiting. "My job is to look after you," he explained to her. "Just take your time and helping anyone who is hurt." He looked up at the horn on his head, suddenly hating that he didn't know how to heal properly at all. But there was supposed to be some natural talent, right? "Maybe you can show me how to use this thing?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:20 pm
"Okay, I'm coming," she said politely to Louvre. "Now look here, Pixi," she said in the closest thing the sugary sweet little mare could muster. "Amitorlin and the others will be happy to look after you. Don't you worry about a thing, Little One, I will be just fine."
She grasped the leather straps of her medicine bag and wiggled it over her head. "Really? You really weally want to learn?" she asked. She looked over at her colorful companion, and his unused appendage. "Well, I have to be honest," she said, "I've never been professionally trained myself. But it should come to you pretty easily."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:17 pm
"Daddy, I'll be okay," she said, momentarily forgetting about the talk of the Thunderbird Herd history and coming over to console her father. "Really, we're just looking out for the really brave ones," she tried to comfort. I'm going to be way up in the air - where there are no scarey skinwalkers or anything."
She obviously didn't know that some skinwalkers could fly.
"We just have to see what's happening. I'll be back before you know it!"
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:25 pm
Versailles stood in the thickets, watching over the sudden rush of activity. He heard Mirari, Wicahpi, and Siebel talking about the history between the Thunderbird Herd and the Valley Heard and scooted closer, his ears swiveling around to make sure Sequoyah and Xandir weren't listening. Not that he was going to say anything untoward, or that wasn't truthful, but still.. Best the gossip stayed contained. "Sequoyah's mother is the Alpha of the Thunderbird Herd," he said softly, looking pointedly to Wicahpi and Mirari specifically. "I don't know the details, but Sequoyah's father is not Balrog, the other alpha. He left, or was asked to leave."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:29 pm
(Wicahpi)
"Really?" Wicahpi gaped, trotting closer to Versailles to listen to the hushed tones. "You mean... my grandmother is the Alpha of the Thunderbird Herd?" he asked with a look of disbelief. "I mean, I've only heard the rumors but I've heard they incredibly powerful. Could it be?"
He looked to his sister, Mirari, to gauge her reaction to the news. A tingle of excitement began to quiver through his body - would he meet her? The actual Alpha? What would he do? Should he care? His gaze then traveled over to his family speaking in the distance, a burning curiosity forming in his belly about the reasons Sequoyah decided to leave.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:41 pm
"I didn't realize it was that close," she admitted, looking between her brother, Wicahpi, and Versailles. "Wow, our grandmother," she said to her brother, looking wistfully up the looming mountain where the smoke plumes were rising and dissipated into the air.
"I hope she's okay," she admitted. "Do you think we'll get a chance to talk to her?"
She followed Wichapi's gaze over to their parental trio. "Do you think father would be mad?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:17 am
Dahlia made her way to the supply thicket; they were getting ready to leave and she wanted to make sure they were all set. When she came up to her mate, she leaned against him, listening to him talk about the Thunderbirds. She has never met them; she wondered what it would be like. Sequoyah didn't talk about his mother much, but when he did there was never any malice; maybe just a slight tinge of melancholy.
"I can't imagine Father being angry at us for wanting to meet our grandmother," she said to her younger sisters. "But we have other things to worry about right now."
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:22 am
"Okay, let's go," Sequoyah said, looking over his herd. He held his head high and took a deep, calming breath. He was scared about leaving his herd, leading them into what could be dangerous territory when he had tried so hard to keep things peaceful and drama free for his family.
But it was time to lead - and that's what he was going to do. He nodded to Sumi-e and gave him a small, thankful smile. He gave him strength, and he appreciated that.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:28 am
Sumi-e nodded back to his Alpha. "Calligraphy, I will take up the rear," he said to her. "You should stay up front, close to Sequoyah. Follow his lead, my dear, and I will take the rear. I will let you know if anyone has trouble keeping up."
He nuzzled his daughter again; even more so than his Alpha Sequoyah was doing, he has to make sure that he didn't let any of his internal insecurities show on the outside.
"Let's go," he said, in a booming voice which seemed almost alien to the rest if the herd. Sumi-e rarely talked at all. But when he needed to, his voice was deep and rattling; commanding with an intimidating edge.
He took a few steps towards the supply thicket to make sure that Dahlia and Louvre would keep up wit the group.
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