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 Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 8:06 pm
"Vykeli," Miros answered with a soft smile. The question troubled him a little, although he tried to keep the worry off his face. It wasn't as if Fawn had asked to take on a young foal, but maybe she needed help raising her. It must be difficult, trying to teach a child all the important things about the world and Miros needed to squash his discomfort down as well as he could. Mother raised her foals much differently from the rest of Homewood, he knew that, and it wasn't really his place to criticize how important Fawn considered Vykeli to be in her teachings. Fawn's question almost had Miros giggling with relief, but he held that back too, replacing it with a brighter smile. "No, she probably wouldn't, but she says many nouls in Homewood find our lifestyle to be... extreme?" Homewood zealots, he'd heard them called. His tail swished uncomfortably against his hocks. "But you're right of course, we do need herbs and food for our travels. Everyone has a part to play in healing Vykeli, even those that don't venture far from Homewood." Oh, mother would be so angry if she'd heard him say that. But she wasn't here, and Fawn was, so everything would be alright, wouldn't it? "I'm to go on my first long expedition soon. I'm glad I ran into you before I set off for that." He'd dreaded leaving without getting a proper goodbye with Fawn. He had no idea how long he'd be gone for. Some travelers, such as Wanderlust, could be gone for weeks at a time. It seemed like such a long while to traverse the barrens all alone. "I've found a few seeds, yes, but also a bone! Hopefully it's something the Lifegivers can make use of." The bright sun began to dip lower in the horizon, casting long shadows behind the group. Miros had to squint against the sunlight, tossing his mane until his bangs fell across his eyes. "It shouldn't be too much further to the old garden, I think."
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 2:14 pm
Fawn listened to Miros as he spoke, she had heard rumors of 'zealots' while she was roaming to find seeds and things to help with her garden. Not that she had paid much mind to the talk, only shook her head and continued on with what she was doing. How others lived their lives was their own, she had her own life to live and it wasn't t worry about anyone else's troubles. Frowning slightly she looked at the buck when he mentioned going on a long journey. She supposed that there would be a time that he would go off and do his own thing... Or was this something his mother wanted him to do? Beating back the question she smiled at Miros. "I am hoping that you find more seeds and bones on your journey." She nodded, though would miss his company when he was gone. "And just be careful. They have said that many travelers go missing out here. That is what I heard of one group that they had sent the call for help on." She was worried that something would happen to Miros and there wouldn't be anyone out there to help him. While he wasn't a foal, just sometimes there were dangers that no one could predict and folly befalls them. She could only trust his instincts and survival skills to keep him out of trouble long enough to bring him back to Homewood. Perhaps even back to her? Well... Perhaps not, she didn't rightly fit his dynamic and certainly not to his mother's. But a Doe could dream. Juniper watched as the adults talked. She had been taught not to interrupt someone while they were talking and it seemed that these two always had a lot to talk about. Looking forward as Miros had mentioned not being too far from the garden, small hooves bounced a little with renewed excitement. She would seen see the garden and her Mama turn it green once more. She could hope that someday she could do the same. "Green, green, green. Mama make things green!" She gave in a sing-song voice as she bounced a little. "I hope someday I can make things green again like mama." Though there was really no telling what she would really be blessed with. WC: 383
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 9:34 pm
"Thank-you," Miros said with a bright smile, his chest squeezing tight at Fawn's words. He wasn't used to reactions like that, as if his body were filled with the lightest air, trying to float him away in a sea of clouds. What was it about Fawn that made him feel like this? The answer swirled unbidden in the back of his mind but he crushed it down. Thoughts like that were dangerous. Fawn was a friend, a great friend, and Miros enjoyed her company more than... more than anyone else's, perhaps. But he had a duty to Vykeli and he couldn't let his feelings get in the way of that. It would be nice if she could come on his journey with him. Travelling through the barrens would be long and lonely, and Fawn was right, it was also dangerous. Which was why she shouldn't come. Miros spent his whole life training to be a traveler, to handle the heat and dehydration that came with setting off into the barrens. And now Fawn had a young foal to take care of as well, who definitely couldn't accompany him on a long trip. He had no idea how far he'd need to go until he found something of note, how many nights he'd spend away from Homewood and his mother, his friends. He squashed his fears away as he did with the burgeoning sense of his infatuation. None of it mattered, Miros was going and he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'll make sure to find you as soon as I get back," he said with a reassuring nod. "But please don't worry about me when I'm gone. I'm ready for this." More than ready. He had his gift, he knew now how to use it properly, and he was ready to devote himself entirely to Vykeli. A skeletal speck of twisted, dead branches burgeoned on the horizon, raising like the zombified remnants of the deceased, reaching upward and grasping for a last taste of life. The dead garden! "Look, Juniper!" Miros cried, prancing a little ahead and nudging the foal's shoulder as he passed her. "There it is! Do you want to race to it?" He shouldn't, it was hot and he was potentially encouraging bad form out in the barrens, but Juniper's enthusiasm matched his own, and she seemed brimming with energy.
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 7:37 pm
Russet Fawn couldn't help but frown at her friend and his ambitious ways. While he had asked for her to not worry about him, but she couldn't help it. She had only known him since their first meeting here in the barrens when she was just off her quest to getting her gift. Finding the seed here in the barrens, one that had looked as dead as the rest of the place. Then there was the day that she had found Juniper, something had cracked within herself, something that she had been holding onto since... Well... For a long time now and it was still slowly being chipped away. Other feelings and concerns for others were seeping in those cracks, filling that bubble she had lived in for so long. Shaking her head, she looked forward as the skeletal branches of what were once trees started to poke above the horizon through the haze of the heat. So there was something out here after all. Something that no other botanic had ever stumbled upon? Well, she supposed that others had their reasons to kinda keep away from the area. It was indeed dangerous out here for the inexperienced... Much like herself and Juniper.... She was always glad to run into Miros and his knowing of how to survive the place. "Even if you beg, you know i will still worry. You may be ready and have all that you need to survive out here. There are always that one thing that can sneak up on you." She did point this out, no matter how prepared one is, there is always something that can take you by surprise. He had... May times... Fawn's thoughts were ultimately interrupted by Juniper as it seemed that Miros had also spotted the garden, though he had mentioned it first, she had just not really been paying attention. The foal of course was bouncing around anxious to race to the garden. Talltale whom had all but been forgotten abandoned Miros back to Fawn as it seemed that she was going to follow a little more slowly. She didn't seem to be in any hurry to get anywhere and that suited the Jack Hop just fine. "You two be careful. Juniper, don't stray too far from Miros as you go." Fawn called after the two. "I will Mama!" Juniper shouted back as she pranced a head with Miros, she was looking to race. She had energy to spare and this was something she could do. "Lets go Uncle Miros," She pipped before dashing a head, thing legs working over time to try and get a head start on Miros to try and reach the garden before them all. Fawn can only shake her head at the two before picking her pace up to a trot. It was easy enough for her, she wasn't looking to try and full on sprint, not this time again. Talltale was thankfully silent, really she thought he was just ready to sleep or something. Glancing back at him she frowned. "You alright back there? Been awfully quiet." She said looking forward again as to not run into anything. "Just peachy, I just want to get to this place so I can get my paws on the ground and do something useful." Talltale said with a small yawn. "There will be plenty for you to do when we get there. The garden is just a head and then the real work will begin." She assured him as they drew ever closer, she knew Talltale hated idling at times. Silence was just one way he coped she supposed. WC: 604
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Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:08 am
Miros couldn't keep the frown off his face. The last thing he wanted was for Fawn to worry (really? the last thing? that was a strange thought to have), but he had his duty to Homewood. He'd take extra precautions to make certain he was safe, for her. No needless risks. No flashy outbursts of energy. Unlike now. They were near enough to Homewood that Miros wasn't worried, and Juniper's enthusiasm was infectious. He laughed as she raced ahead of him. Miros chased after her. Here was a dilemma he never thought he'd be presented with. Mother would have run as fast as she could afford to, regardless of Miros' feelings on the matter. She didn't believe in handicapping herself for her children. Showing them what she could do what a teaching moment. If Miros had wanted to catch her, he'd have to pull out all the stops in order to do so, or accept that he couldn't beat her and conserve his own energy. Fawn had already shown him how different she was as a parent. Miros wasn't entirely naive. He'd seen how other parents treated their foals, watched them slow down to allow their foals to beat them in races, play the fool in games so their children had a better chance to win. Is that what he should do now? Miros didn't know, and he didn't have long to think about it. Best to split the difference. He caught up with Juniper in a few strides and kept pace at her side, just a nose-length behind her. That way they were staying close - as Fawn suggested - and Miros didn't need to think to hard about what should have been a non-issue. The garden - if it could be called that - loomed ahead, reaching its dead branches out towards them as if crying for help. The earth around the few scabby shrubs was cracked and dry, and Miros wished he'd been gifted with aqua or atmos instead of vivify. How much more useful that would be out here in the barrens!
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 7:38 pm
Juniper was all smiles and laughter as she streaked forward away from Fawn whom followed at a slower clip. Nimble legs pumped with great energy as she raced with Miros. Her tail flicked slightly as she stumbled a couple times, catching herself and kept going. It seemed that nothing could waver her enthusiasm. As they drew closer to the garden of sorts, Juniper's pace slowed a little. She glanced up at the skeletal trees as they reached up from the ground like great gnarled paws. "This place looks scary." Juniper said as she skid to a stop looking up at the trees. "Was this once green?"She had pretty much stopped just passing the first couple of trees, if one wanted to call them that. Her sides heaved a little from the full on sprint to the Garden, but now she glanced back towards the others. She hoped that her mama could make the place green again, if not part of it. Fawn finally caught up to the rest of them as she glanced around at what was left. There was a lot of dead wood here and twigs that had once held many leaves. Tilting her head a little she reached out and nosed a couple of these lower branches. The bark was rough against her nose and creaked against being moved even in the slightest. This was going to take some doing, but she felt that she could do it. One way or another, she would make the place live again... If for but a little while. "I am sure we can do something to spruce this place up. The barrens are a cruel mistress to living things. But every little bit helps." She nodded looking towards Miros. "So where should we start with all this?"Talltale had hopped down off Fawn's back and was scampering around. Sniffing at places and digging at the ground pulling out small lumps from the ground. It seemed that he was in his element as a small stack of seeds were piled up near where everyone else was. Some looking worse then others, it seemed that they had been here almost as long if not longer then the rest of the old foliage. "This place used to have a lot of plants in it. Wonder what happened to make it all go dead besides it being in the barrens." He commented before sniffing at the air. "Hey, you all smell that?" he sniffed against moving further into the garden to where a few stones were laying in disarray. "Think there was water here... Might still be..."WC: 434
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 6:26 pm
Miros slowed to a trot right behind Juniper, following her gaze to the gnarled, dead trees. "Once, a very long time ago, before the Others came." Miros could imagine this as it had been before, lush and green as Homewood with trees that grew twice. The smell of dirt and pine, the musk of a thick, fresh forest. Miros shut his eyes briefly and let the image overtake him. His ear flicked as Fawn joined them and he turned to watch her. "I don't-" Talltale interrupted Miros before he could finish his thought, a good thing too, because growing gardens was far from Miros' area of expertise. He'd defer to Fawn for that. The pile of seeds the jackhop had gathered was impressive, but the promise of water was even better. "My Mother says the others killed all the plants and used their corpses to build their homes. Whatever was left probably dried up in the heat, but if there's water nearby, maybe this place can start to become a proper forest again." Miros followed Talltale with a flick of his tail, nose low to the ground and nostrils flared wide as he scented for water. The smell was faint, but Talltale wasn't wrong, water was here, somewhere. Anything at ground level would have shriveled up by the sucking sun. "It has to be underground..." Miros tested the pile of stones with a hoof. "Maybe there's a cave system or something underneath this."
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