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 Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:37 am
 A cold wind blew through the skeletal trees, and seemed to blow right through the Soquili plodding through the hock-deep snow. Snow. Wyrsa had decided that she hated it. It was white, and bright, and it took away all of her nighttime advantages. It was deep enough that it slowed her down, forced her to make noise, and her hooves left clear tracks in it.
And it was so white that she couldn't blend into the darkness.
The mare's thoughts were so centered on how much she hated snow, that she forgot to be alert to her surroundings.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:43 am
The older woman had no time for mischief, she had no time for games.
She hobbled her way through the forest, her dark red eyes glaring at the world. There certainly wasn't enough chaos, enough evil in it. Far too much goodness and love. That would have to end, if she had any say in it.
People like Princess Soquili sickened her. Caring for others made that person weak. To be strong, you had to be alone. You had to care only for yourself and nothing more.
She paused for a breath by one of the trees in the neighboring forest, then her eyes narrowed as she saw an approach dark shadow.
What did we have here?
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:47 am
The wind picked up, but Wyrsa caught no unexpected scents on it, being upwind of the human woman. She shivered and then winced with pain. Her wounds from her last encounter with Tloc hadn't fully healed yet, and they ached tonight, stung by the cold.
Well, she wasn't going to find much good grazing. The mare decided to find a shelter for the rest of the night. Even though it would mean having to graze in the - ugh - daytime.
If anything, snow in daytime was worse than snow at night. It blinded her, and made it impossible to venture out into the fields where she knew there was more browse. Wyrsa truly hated snow.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:51 am
Her eyes narrowed and attempted to focus on the silhouette. To confirm her suspicions, she stepped forward, drawing closer to the creature. Ah ha! It was a Soquili, just as she had suspected, and a dark one at that. And were those injuries in her side?
What a perfect opportunity to release more chaos into the world.
"My poor dear," she cooed, her voice raspy and aged as her arms outstretched to the wandering creature, "Come here to old Uyoiwaya. Let her tend for your wounds. Tell me, girl, who would harm such a pretty as yourself?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:58 am
Wyrsa's head jerked up as she turned to face the human that had suddenly appeared by her. How in the world had she not noticed the woman? She wanted to be suspicious, to be wary as she normally was, but the mare was cold and tired.
And it certainly hadn't hurt that the woman called her "pretty" and offered to tend the stinging wounds on her flank and neck.
The Soquili came a few steps closer to the human. "It was a Kalona," she answered quietly, the anger she still felt at his...his attitude toward her and all ground-bound Soquili layering her voice. "But at least I marked him as well," Wyrsa continued, satisfaction in her eyes. Oh, it had been sweet indeed, to taste his blood with her tiny fangs. She gave a horsey smile at the thought, baring those same fangs.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:09 am
The creature moved closer, and with each step taken, the old woman's smile grew larger, unable to contain herself. She hadn't had fun like this in quite a while; it always brightened her moody spirits to have her fun with the Soquili.
The ancient tongue of the horse was no stranger to the old native, who knew and had learned it well, opposed to the foolish natives of the village.
Outstretching her hand, she gently pet the taller mare's back, reassuring her of her presence. "Kalona? And you survived, pretty? You must have a lot of hate in your heart for a creature to do such harm to you.... don't you, now? Hate is good, hate makes one strong."
She gingerly removed the small pouch from her side, and opened it, her wrinkled hand dipping into it and retrieving a small amount of powder. Withered fingers began to massage it into the Soquili's skin, being careful to include some of the ashen powder into the fresh wounds. "Old Uyoiwaya will make you feel ten times better, my pretty." she told the Soquili, her evil heart not particularly caring if the horse felt better or not. She wanted madness. She wanted more things wrong with the world, to show the world that goodness would not prevail. She would have her way, as she always did.
Whispering a chant to quicken the curse, she said one final word before stepping back and eyeing the mare who had expected her to aid her. She had aided her, but probably not nearly any form or fashion that she had expected it to come as.
"There now. Feeling all better?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:15 am
"Hate?" the mare replied. "Hmm...I suppose you could say that..." she trailed off, thinking. The woman's hands were warm on her hide, and the massaging felt good. Unthinking, Wyrsa leaned into it a bit, and relaxed in the human's presence. Maybe they weren't as bad as she'd thought...
A timeless moment later, the Soquili looked back at the woman and shook herself a bit. The wounds felt...different. They weren't stinging quite as much, nor in the same way.
"A bit," she replied, craning her neck around to look as best she could.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:20 am
"Good, good!" the old human cackled, "You will feel much better very soon, I promise you, pretty. Now, let this old woman go back to what she was doing, and you go have your fun."
She gathered up her pouch and turned to hobble off, only briefly glancing back towards the dark beauty. "And if you see your kalona again, pretty, tell him old Uyoiwaya sends her greetings."
With a grin, the evil woman disappeared into the forest, knowing fully well to get herself hidden and away once the power of the corpse powder took its full effect on the young mare. Her job was done, and she couldn't wait to hear of the havoc caused by a fresh new skinwalker mare let loose upon the world.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:30 am
Wyrsa watched the human go. There was something about the whole encounter that was just a bit too...off. She shook the thought off and firmly scolded herself for being afraid of a little thing like that woman. It wasn't even like she'd met any other humans and could compare the meeting.
And none of this stupid introspection was getting her any closer to a place to escape the biting wind for the night. But at least it wasn't stinging her wounds like it had. That was the best part of the encounter.
It didn't change the fact of the snow though. The mare regarded the fluffy white stuff with an expression of distaste before stomping through it. She knew it wasn't any creature, couldn't feel pain, didn't think...but it sure made her feel better to make every step go down to the dead grass beneath. She smiled again, baring her fangs to the cold.
It was a relief, still, to find the downed tree, only buried in snow on one side. The lee revealed some dirt and grass, enough to make a warmer bed. Wyrsa settled down to sleep.
Her slumber was not restful, however. She twitched and moaned as a coyote chased her 'round and 'round in her dreams, blood dripping from its teeth and claws. And Wyrsa knew that the blood was hers.
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