Lamia forged deeper into the herdgrounds, unchallenged, a skeletal grin on her face as she followed her unblinking eyes, and often more importantly, her nose. There was a faint trace of foal-scent. Or, at least Lamia imagined that there was. Something tender as the fragile, dry spring grasses that clung to life up here despite the lack of rain.
She bobbed and wove through the herdgrounds, finally finding her way to a spot near its center. The grasses were most tender here, and she swore she smelled foals here. But maybe it was just their memory. Her stomach growled and she mirrored it in her irritation. There were no foals here. Not now. Just a spotted grey stallion. Not a foal. Not any more.
But as much as Lamia loved the game of deception, unlike Grimoire, she knew that now was not the time for honeyed words. Now was the time to fight for her family. She confronted this not-a-foal with ears back. She didn't bother with words at all as she charged him.
She's heading for Aspen smile
Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 10:50 am
Aspen was stirred suddenly from his peaceful reverie with the approach of a mare that seemed to have flown straight from nightmares itself. Her face seemed to be not a face at all, but a bony skull. Fire and bones - all over she was fire and bones. She seemed to give the clearing a sniff with a look of irritation (at least... he figured that's what it was - it was difficult to read her expression!)
Aspen staggered to his feat, his heart racing in his chest. There were no foals here now to protect, but never had he faced a ... a creature such as this before. This was no herdmember. The batlike, skeletal wings belied a monster, not a friend.
"You... how did you get here?! You're not welcome here!" He tried to sound bold like his herdmates, but his voice came out barely a wavering whisper.
She didn't respond. He didn't even know if she could talk. She just charged...
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 12:17 pm
The decision of where to direct his attack seemed to be made for him as a soquili with large feathered wings flew into his direct path. His face was determined, but Malfeas could smell the fear and inexperience clinging to him like a bad stench. The whites of his eyes were showing and his ears pressed back. Malfeas didn't hesitate for a moment. While outright combat may not have been the ghostly stallion's forte, he did not shy from violence. If he had his way, he could still visit fear onto this stallion through a thorough demonstration of just what it meant to lose a confrontation.
He didn't bother with words - he almost never did. But he quickened his pace and lowered his head, driving forward like a joust with his icicle-like horn.
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 12:20 pm
Zion had expected... no... hoped that his presence and obvious angeni blood would have been enough to deter the invader. But the blue-white stallion didn't hesitate a moment in his charge. In fact, as they drew closer together, Zion became more and more aware that a collision was going to occur. And... just how terrifying this opponent appeared to be. Unnatural. Demonic.
He swallowed, not daring to back down. This was his home. He would protect it. But... that horn looked awfully sharp. He did his best to angle just a bit, to try to let their shoulders take the brunt of the impact, but Zion was inexperienced, and Malfeas seemed prepared for a side-step.
He lashed out with his head, and caught Zion in the shoulder, blood pouring freely from the fresh gash as Zion cried out in surprise and pain.
Shinoma had caught the movement of the other attacker and adjusted her position accordingly, all the while keeping most of her attention on the mare she was attempting to menace. She gave a slow smile at the actions of the feathered winged mare, pleased that there would at least be some challenge to this little hunt.
She snorted at the clear telegraphing of movement that the mare showed; if she had been her she would have dove at her straight away, and so she was able to move out of the way of this first attempt at driving her back, though her inner monologue caused her to drag her hooves and the mare did just miss her.
She swivelled as she moved, unfurling her wings and sweeping the one nearest the wind mare in a scything motion, hoping to catch her with either the claws tipping the wing or to strike a blow that would throw her off for Shinoma's next attack.
Nymphalidae
Apologies for slow response, been busy & muse went missing XD;
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 1:22 pm
Darkstorm was quick, breezing by the edge of the herdgrounds, rushing to close the distance to the other side of the front. Her heart leapt as she saw them - the particularly strange ones: a dark mare with vividly pink hair - was she spinning? She shook her head, not paying it any mind.
There HE was, though. Her Father. Firestorm - emerging as leader of that pack, an intensity in his eyes that seemed like it was a call for surrender from the rest of these pitiful wind soquili.
She could hear one of them now - the wind rushing through his feathers, following her. Good. She grinned widely at Firestorm, that all but vocalized "Look at me, Father" and pretended she didn't hear her attacker. At the last moment, she flicked her tail, HARD, as she pivoted to the side. The mass of tentacles striking like a whip across the stallion's nose.
((OOC: Attacking Ashfall))
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 1:23 pm
Ashfall pursued the kalona mare, frustrated that she wasn't turning to face him. What was she doing? She seemed to be racing across the herdgrounds, proving that she could and not taking the opportunity to engage other soquili between her and the far side of the territory.
Good. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. He didn't breathe a word, used his silence as his ally, and hoped that she wouldn't notice until it was too late. Ashfall wasn't the fastest of soquili, but he was patient, and his endurance was admirable. And, eventually, she began to slow as she reached the other end of the territory and... Ashfall's heart felt like it turned to stone. There were more of them coming from this side.
But now wasn't the time to flag. Now was the time for action. He charged, holding his breath. Her flanks were exposed and if he was lucky, he could get in a blow before she realized he was there.
Lucky, Ashfall was not.
At the last moment, the mare pivoted and he caught a flash in her eyes of impish mirth.... right before a sting of her cat-of-nine-tails struck him across the sensitive nose. He bellowed in pain and confusion. His eyes stung and shut in an automatic response as he caught an updraft, hoping to take him out of immediate range for a second attack before he could see what was going on.
((OOC: In a fight with Darkstorm ))
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 2:16 pm
Pooka slowed to a canter as she danced into the herdgrounds in the direction that she had wound up, kicking a heel up at the end of each gait cycle. Pooka's ears flopped this side and that as she grinned, trying to pick the most fun looking of all the toys running and screaming about.
Then... there! A high pitched frantic scream from a pale blue-white mare calling for snow or something silly. No, Not snow. Frost.
"FROST! FROST!" Pooka mimicked in a shrill sing-song as she grinned a grin that stretched her face.
What a fun game she could make of this!
Kamiki
Not really going for Frost, but she's shouting his name, just as Flurry was. May or may not be within earshot of him
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 2:20 pm
Flurry felt a tiny fragment of hope as she heard another mare's voice joining in her frantic calls for her brother. Maybe someone was helping! Maybe they saw him!
But as she turned, her blood ran to ice as she saw the mockery of a smil that that... that.. thing had. Flurry hadn't made nearly so much as an effort as her brother had to learn the names and faces of all the other soquili in this massive herd. But that... THAT creature was obviously no Thunderbird. It was creepy. Not to mention the fact it lacked wings.
She gulped and backpedaled a few paces, ears back and tail swishing nervously. "Froooooooossssttttttt!" She positively whimpered, eyes wide as the rabbity monster approached her. Where was he?! She needed saving!
Kamiki
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 2:45 pm
Legion cackled happily as he watched the battle commence. He wasn't as eager to put himself at risk, despite his fearsome appearance. But, he wasn't above taking some cheap shots. The white and pink angeni came into the fray, he wasn't content to just sit and watch.
As he flew into the fray, Legion took action; lashing out with his main mouth and the two "mouths" at the top of this wings. He attempted to bite down hard on the wing of the would-be hero, with the wing-mouths striking quickly like snakes.
Firestorm exploded into the herdground, a vessel of hatred and malice. His eyes scanned the scene before him, looking for a very particular few soquili. He barely noticed his younger daughter, Darkstorm as she clambored for his attention and flew to attack a soquili he didn't recognize but a striking resemblance to his father. That... that almost drew him. Balrog. Was it Balrog? He quivered in rage. But no, he was far too small, and the vivid purple eyes spoke of a different soquili that also earned his hatred. That must have been one of them. One of the NEW ones that the fox had hinted at. More replacements.
Darkstorm was rewarded with the briefest of smiles as he saw them flying to clash. Let's see whose progeny was stronger.
But no... he flew high, scouring the herdgrounds. He wanted Balrog... Stormwild.... but most of all, he wanted a rematch with Thunderbird. He wanted him dead. Wanted his heart. Wanted to make Balrog SUFFER more than even seeing his father killed. See his pride killed and displaced from his herdground.
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 6:30 pm
Thunderbird had been on patrol, as he often was. His keen eyes were sharp in the twilight hours, used to the overcast storms that also blocked out the sun. He flew wide swathes of the hergrounds, and it often took him miles out. He had just been on the return when the sound of cries reached his hears and his heart seized in his chest. Something was wrong. VERY wrong. He flew quickly as he could, heading back, and the sight that greeted him was something out of his nightmares. The herdground was alive and teeming with movement - flashes of colored fur and the sound of flapping leathery wings assaulted his ears.
Attack.
He dove in, the skies already begining to darken overhead as Thunderbird's fury spilled over into the clouds themeselves.
He tried to gauge what to do, where he could be most helpful when he spied him - the pariah, Firestorm. This was HIS doing. With a whinny of fury, he launched himself at the twisted alicorn.
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Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 6:45 pm
Stormcloud had also been out patrollign the herdgrounds, flying in the opposite direction as her mate, Thunderbird. Once ever hour or so, their paths would cross and they would share a smile before continuing on their journey.
Her patrol so far had been mostly uneventful. She had scared off a cougar, but other than that, not a great deal. She was expecting to come in off of her shift, tag in her replacement and bed down with Thunderbird.
The sight that assailed her when she came back around, however, was anything but peaceful. The air had an electric charge to it as she drew closer, but that was far from out of the ordinary. Her first indication that something was amiss was shrill, high pitched whinnies. And there, above her, she saw her daughter, Cyclone in a clash with a monster of a dark dog!
With a shrill whinny, Stormcloud ascended quickly, aiming for the brute that dared touch her.
Kesmi
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 7:07 pm
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Cyclone feared not the death she was possibly flying into as her tail feathers twisted in a manner to turn her away from the stallion as he turned to meet her. Slitted pupils narrowed as she circled around the brute, watching him. Powerful wings keeping her aloft. She was not about to fall to this or any creature that happened to cross into the lands of the Thunder Herd.
"I said leave." She hissed coming around to strike at him again like a bird harassing a smaller one out of its meal "Leave now and I might just let you limp out of here on three legs."
As Cyclone continued to harass the stallion, her ears flicked as a familiar voice sounded upon the approach of her mother. Things could only turn from here, no one could stand up to two mares. At least that was the hope as Cyclone bobbed back and forth through the air, trying to remain a moving target.
-----
Elsewhere, not really close to the action, Zephyros watched from a lonely perch. His day had started out a pleasant one. The sun had been shining and called for a good mood. Well that was dashed as invaders swarmed like flies. Annoying flies that refused to leave well enough alone when swatted away. Shaking out his thick locks, the middle son of the herd leads opened his wings to join the fray.
Seance's coils expanded when the Kalona mare spoke to her. She heard Diogenes barrel in behind her, but she paid him no mind. He was distracted by these two other Soquili, so maybe this one was hers.
"I am Seance!" she said, with a grin that was hard to determine if it was sincere or not. "I am here to take your home," she said, so matter-of-factly and with an oddly friendly tone.
Wynter had moved out of the way of the charging stallion to engage with the mare that had replied to her. For the moment it seemed as if the stallion was busy with another individual. Fury was glad that so far it appeared as if no one had gotten hurt.
Her eyes rose to the skies as they darkened and she watched as flickers of light played amongst them. This didn't seem like the type of weather to fight in but what choice did she have. Fury let her attention snap back to the mare. She needed to drive her out. The mare lowered her head and began to move forward, using her horns to try and herd the mare away. "You cannot take these lands. I won't let you. Leave now or feel my wrath."
