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 Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:39 am
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:54 pm
She shuddered, taking another small step forward. Constantly, she had run. Constantly, fled from the hawk that now perched on her back, feeding on a small rat he had caught. Now she was tired, wearied, and lost. The trees rustled in the breeze as she stepped from one shadow to the next, hunting the rare beams of sunlight that shone down through the leafy canopies. Still, so cold. But resignation had become one of Odile's best friends.
Death. Rothbart brought it to her daily. Teased her with it, taunted her with it until she broke. And she never struck out. Some corner of her mind quailed at the thought of bringing pain to any living creature, even her tormentor. Odile loved seeing others happy. Seeing them peaceful, content, enjoying their little lives day after day.
And she hated it. The corner of her mind that could deal with Rothbart's blood, and his killing, the part of her that longed to take back to the air because it was her right, not something she had to do when the eagle wasn't watching to drive her back down to earth like a naughty foal. That was the part of her that longed to strike back. The part of her that ached, seeing those that didn't deserve happy lives living at peace, as their peace was found.
But... she was not one given the right to judge. No longer could she enjoy the world of the spirits, no longer could she be at peace herself. The eagle that rode on her back was her bane, her punishment, and her only friend.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:55 pm
Selene trotted through the trees, humming. Isis hopped along the lowest branches, awkward on her two legs, but keeping pace rather well due to practice. The hawk sensed the other mare first, and made a quiet noise of warning to her companion, coming down to rest on Selene's head, gripping tightly to her horn with one clawed foot, the other clenched in her forelock. The fluttercorn mare observed the mare for a while, taking careful note of the multiple wings, the unique jewelry, and the hawk that was using the flesh of her back as his gripping post, causing small rivulets of blood to run down her back.
The mare was obviously in pain, yet she made no motions to try and shake the bird from her back. No motions to shy from the creature that was feeding, using her person as a dining table. Instead, it was one hoof in front of the other. One step at a time, she plodded along, slow and steady, like a funeral march.
"You needn't put up with him doing that." the mare said finally, and at her small nod, Isis took off from Selene's mane, flying at the other hawk with a screech, talons out to claw at him, meaning to drive him off of the other soquili.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:10 pm
Rothbart had alerted the angeni to the fact that another approached. But she couldn't work up the energy to care, even with Rothbart's screams in her ear for her to flee, to run, to hide from the other. Odile kept her eyes pointed at the ground, kept forward, not even hissing in pain as the claws dug deeper into her back as punishment for her disobedience.
When the female hawk shot at Rothbart, he held his ground, for a moment, until her talons raked at his face. Then he screamed in pain, relinquishing his hold on the mare and taking flight, screeching obscenities, and insults at the hawk's parentage. Odile pulled her wings in close to her body, not moving, but she did lift her head to take in the other mare.
She was beautiful. A deep blue body, dancing with the stars, and delicate wings that could be seen through. Her mane and tail were a teal color, and her horn was silver. She was... color. Compared to Odile, who looked at her body and saw nothing but monochrome... Her own pale bluegreen eyes went to the hawk who had chased Rothbert off, taking in the similarities between hawk and mare. "You didn't have to do that for me." she said finally, in a low whisper. "He'll come back. He always comes back."
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:25 pm
Selene snorted at the other mare, displeased at the passive response. "You were hardly doing it for yourself." she snapped back, watching Isis harry the other bird, ignoring his crude insults. "And you didn't look happy about it at all. Maybe it wasn't my place, but you don't need to let a nasty little beast like that make you unhappy. He's not as big as you, so don't let him push you around!" the last was punctuated with a stamp of her front right hoof against the ground. "If he comes back, give him what for. You have wings, use them. If you weren't meant to, they would have fallen off. You seen to have plenty of them, so obviously you are meant to fly."
She raised her head, nickering for Isis to return. The hawk let up immediately, flying back and taking a perch on the tree branch above Selene's head. "Just smack him a good one with your wings next time. He'll leave you alone."
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:38 pm
Odile's head ducked, and she stammered out some apology to the other mare when she snorted. "I am used to it by now." she said finally, staring fixedly at the mare's hooves. Now she understood why that strange stallion she had met the day before was staring. When one was... embarassed. Ashamed? It was the easiest place to look.
Nasty little beast? She turned her head, glancing at Rothbart who hissed at the other eagle from a branch above her. "He's my only companion." she said finally, shaking her head. "I couldn't hurt him anyway. That's mean." Though he would deserve it, the little voice whispered. There was a difference between friendship and being abused, and Odile was definitely being abused by the bird.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:39 pm
Selene glanced down at her hooves. No, nothing there. "Look me in the face." she grumbled, moving closer. "And obviously he doesn't like you much, does he?" She looked over the small clawprints in Odile's sides, shaking her head. "Learn to hurt him. You don't deserve this. There is a difference between being nice and being walked all over. It won't be the end of the world should you stand up for yourself." she gave the silver-maned mare a friendly smile. "I promise."
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:53 pm
Odile nodded, looking shyly into the other mare's eyes. "I don't like causing pain." she said finally, shaking her mane. "I'm certain that you are correct, and that there is a difference between courtesy and being abused. I just..." she grew quiet, thinking. Was she letting him abuse her? Perhaps. Would she have stood by and let him do that to any other soquili? Certainly not.
And therein, something clicked. Odile looked at the mare more boldly, giving a firm nod. "Stand up for myself." she agreed softly. She would be willing to defend another, but not herself? No, certainly there was something wrong there...
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:14 pm
She smiled at the mare's newfound, quiet determination. "That's a girl. My name's Selene, by the way. My companion is Isis. Who might you be?" She'd never seen anyone around quite like this mare. She seemed... shy. New, still childlike in a lot of ways. It made Selene's protective instincts flare up, and she resloved to keep a quiet eye on her when she could. Maybe Isis could watch her...
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:17 pm
"Odile." She ducked her head again, then gave Selene a shy smile. "And that is Rothbart. I... Thank you." she murmured, and then turned, fleeing into the trees. She had lasted longer and said more in this conversation than the last, but she was so embarassed!
Rothbart lifted off from the trees, screaming an obscenity at Isis, before following the mare into the darkness.
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