|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:40 pm
((A Backstory of a kind, chronicling Ballad's initial arrival into the lands, his first few meetings, and his journey to find his LifeMate, Whistle.))
Well, here was a land he had not thought to see. Though, if he were being perfectly honest with himself, Ballad had not really thought about seeing any land other than the one he and his Beloved had settled in... Since her loss, however, he had traveled through many, chasing the whispers of an indigo-coated mare... With eyes of glowing cyan, and a heart of such beauty and gentleness she outshone the sun and stars...
A mare who did not remember those she loved more than life itself... But that... That was not something he wanted to think about right now...
Ballad snorted and shook his head as he descended from the mountains, moving from the cold heights to the lower lands. There was a cold solitude to the mountains he would not miss, though their sharp peaks and cool-colored beauty was like a balm to his burned and battered soul. Perhaps it was the colors, familiar to him, that aided in the soothing quiet he had found... It had been a long journey to come here, wherever here was...
Great towering cliffs became steep hills. Hard on a horse's feet and back, but worth it if they lead to what he sought... Such steep inclines soon gave way to gently rolling terrain... Easier to travail. Then again into field and forest and glen.
The peace of the sunlight-dappled paths revived him, his markings regaining their old glow. His eyes -for now- remained dim. Searching, ever searching, for the source of light in his life. His only love.
Whistle...
He could feel the darkness in this land, a darkness that indicated his son's presence. Aveshar. The Dark Fayth was always known to his sire... It was Ballad who had sensed his departure before Whistle had returned to find her son missing... It was Ballad who had tracked him to the border of the Faythren lands, and known he had gone away...
And it was to his soul-darkness that Ballad now was drawn. He did not know where his mate and the rest of the family was... But he could find Aveshar. And Aveshar had ever fought Kelakohr and Reykuri, plotted Sunisra's death, and hated his mother.
If any could find Whistle, no matter what state she was in, it was her dark son.
"I am coming to find you, oh nightmare child." Ballad rumbled, his eyes flaring bright with battle silver. "And Fayth help you if you have harmed your dam, Aveshar..."
He snorted and picked up a steady trot, short tail flicking this way and that. Ears pitched forward to catch the sounds of the world around him, his hooves echoing rhythmically in stride, the whisper of his mane and the wind in the trees, the sound of distant birdsongs...
Not close to Aveshar, then... Such pleasantry melted away at the feel of the Kalona... But with the tug of darkness crooning its mad song, Ballad moved through the lands, searching.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:03 am
Searching.
Ballad had been traveling for awhile, and he had not yet found the source of this land's darkness... But each day he knew he drew closer to Aveshar. The Dark Fayth would no doubt have a den, a haven of sorts... Near enough to the free lands that he would be able to collect his treasures.
Ballad snorted. Aveshar's mind was not completely alien to him. He was, in fact, all too like his aunt... Melody. Ballad refused to think of her right now, and her disdain for Whistle and his family.
No doubt she would be proud of her nephew, when she found out... He allowed himself a grimace of displeasure. That was all he needed, Melody coming to meet the nephew that was 'so much like' her... The havoc they would wreak...
"Don't want to think about that, either." He murmured to himself. What you put out into the world had a way of getting back to you... And if that was the case, the last thing he wanted was Melody finding him, or his son.
All he wanted was Whistle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 10:30 am
No Time For Rest.
It had been a long time since he rested... For when he did take time to sleep, she was always there... In his dreams. Calling.
Calling as she had once, so long ago... And he longed to open his mouth and answer... To tell her where he was, so she could step free from the Dreamlands and be by his side once more.
But he could never speak.
And so, he did not sleep...
But the travel through the mountains had been a hard trek... And moving into this new world was tiring in its own... So far he had not yet come across any others... And the birds did not speak to him... And the sly forest creatures darted away before he could ask if they had seen her.
So he moved on in sluggish silence, fighting the urge to rest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 10:41 am
It would be dawn soon... Another night given over to the search... Long hours made longer by the slow thud of heavy hooves... The never-ending search... He was tired, but would not rest... Another day stretched ahead, fingers of pale gold tearing at the dark sky, banishing the stars...
Rest...
His head jerked up, tired eyes snapping wide open and flicking this way and that. Surely he had not just heard her? But no, it was impossible... There was no one around... No familiar indigo face... No laughing cyan eyes.
No Whistle.
You have to rest...
She sounded scoldy, but amused... Like she had when the foals were being foolish... He closed his eyes to bask in the memory of that beloved voice, swaying on his hooves.
Silly... A bell-like laugh and the memory of her shaking her head, tsking at him. You'll never find anything in this condition.. Lay down before you fall down...
He swayed more, leaning his hindquarters against an ancient oak tree. He needed to keep searching...
Rest... Her voice, firm this time. An order.
I don't want to rest. He argued. Not until I find you...
Rest, Hard-Headed Mate of mine.. And perhaps you will find someone to help in the search...
He sighed and sank down to the ground, folding his legs under him and tucking his head down. Maybe just for a little while... So he could dream of her, of happier times...
Maybe... Just...
A... moment......
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 10:48 am
I Am Looking for Someone... You Are!?
***
A light rest and a brief meeting helped him on his way again. Though they hadn't spoken for long, the fact that they were both searching for someone they dearly cared for made him think of Xantir as a friend of a kind. Perhaps a brother in the Quest.
"I wish you all the luck in the world, My Friend." Ballad murmured as he sped his pace up. "May you find your dear Ijn soon."
***
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:24 pm
Ballad moved through yet another unfamiliar stretch of forest, sighing to himself in disappointment and no small amount of irritation.
'Well...' He thought to himself. So far, this search wasn't proving to be very successful currently, was it? True enough he'd met Xantir -a goodhearted stallion but on a search of his own- and explained about his missing love... But now what? Xantir was wise to be so cautious about offering his aid, after all... Aveshar was not something to toy with, particularly in the mood he no doubt would be in once he realized his family was slowly catching up to him in this land. There was a reason he had left, after all...
'We really should at least look for him, Beloved...' Whistle had argued as they had watched the sun rise slowly. 'You know it won't be the same in this land.. He won't find a place so cursed and attuned to him.. He won't have as much power as before.. And evil or not, I do worry about him... As I worry about all of our children, their safety and happiness...'
Whistle loved all of her children, no matter what happened... Not that the blue-coated stallion did not care for his children, for he did, and strongly... But at the end of the day he was prepared to fight Aveshar, and he was not sure Whistle would say the same. At the end of the day, if the Kalona threatened his mother or siblings, his father was prepared to intervene...
He was also not sure how one went about worrying over the safety and happiness of a Kalona. They didn't seem like the sort to be 'happy', perhaps 'pleased' or 'content' or 'amused', but 'happy'? That went against what he knew of the dark species, which wasn't much, but still. Safety? Aveshar was more then equipped to defend himself. Sharp hooves, sharp teeth, sharp words... Horns to fight, wings to fly... What did the stallion really have to worry about anyway? Surely other Kalona would respect him, no animal would be foolish enough to try and hunt him... Though, there were whispers about a race darker and more twisted and evil then Kalonas...
Not that Ballad knew too much of those. While he wouldn't mind learning what danger could be lurking in the woods... He most certainly didn't want to attract their attention or learn anything 'first hand' so to speak. Ballad might not know much about then, but what he did know told him one thing: Skinwalkers weren't the sort of thing one hoped to run into. Not by a long shot.
But no, on the whole, Ballad didn't worry too greatly over his dark son's safety or happiness. He'd rather focus on his missing mate, for the moment. When she was safe by his side again, he'd worry over the rest of the family.
Ballad smiled at the thoughts of his mate, steps lifting and becoming more animated as he moved swiftly through the trees. He had to find her...
Perhaps with the aid of another of the inhabitants of this land? A new friend would not be amiss either...
"Let's see what can be found in this place..." He mused.
***
A New Ally, A New Friend
***
He learned swiftly enough that there was darkness amidst this new world... Not unlike his homeland, in fact. Shadows in the night that scented of madness and evil... Dark figures made more dangerous, more lethal and more cunning by the influence of a wicked god.
He was familiar with such evil, and yet, it was a stranger to him. Different kinds of darkness, and one that was strangely familiar.
So then, he was a grand-father? And from that Son, no less? How interesting.
A Fine Way to Meet Family
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:59 pm
Ballad found himself growing rather fond of the land as he continued to explore. It was not like his homeland, which would probably always hold a great deal of his heart... But this place had its own beauty, its own mysteries. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed the small pleasures in wandering, it made his journey to find his mate easier. Finding new friends who also wanted to aid in his search eased his loneliness... And helped him maintain the faith he'd find her soon.
Not soon enough, but soon.
***
Help Me Help You
***
Ballad slowly followed the lazy twists of the river, holding himself to an even stride when he longed to rush forward. He had to remember that she might not remember him.. Might not remember their past or their family or how much he loved her... What they'd been through together and what they'd worked through when they were apart... He kept telling himself that she might not remember any of it.
And he prayed he was wrong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:52 am
It was perilously close to a miracle that he had not crossed paths -even once- with Aveshar in his travels. Granted, meeting the Dark Fayth's son was probably close enough, though while he was so young Avant lacked his father's subtly and elegance. Aveshar was an artist in the darkest form, his attacks meant something, his kills sent a message.
As did his absence, in a way, Ballad supposed.
He was sure that Whistle had not been treated to the same silence. She'd been in this land longer, and no doubt had had more than one encounter with the Kalona. And though his words might have cut her heart, Ballad doubted Aveshar had actually attacked. There was some strange bond between a mother and her children, even if they loathed everything else about the family... Being carried inside of her, hearing her song long before he could breathe or see or speak... That carried over, in some way. Because of it, Aveshar would have sought her out but not attacked.
No... I would know if he had. And I would know if he killed her... Ballad nodded firmly to himself.
Strangely enough, Tyzaeph knew of Aveshar. Well, perhaps that was not so strange. The Dark Fayth had a way of making an impression, that much was true. Then again Tyzaeph had also known exactly where to find Whistle. Perhaps that meant that the black stallion was close to his mother, perhaps not. Though Ballad had been to Aveshar's territory -the outer reaches of it, at any rate- the Dark Fayth had not been home. Perhaps out visiting his mother? The Song just didn't know. At the moment, it didn't matter... All he wanted was his Lady.
***
As he entered the glade and his silver gaze fell on two indigo coated figures, all other thoughts left Ballad's mind.
Whistle lifted her head, teal eyes brightening at the sight of him. With a laugh she moved forward, her strides graceful and mane and tail bannering in the wind. "Ballad!"
Kelakohr followed after, smiling at the sight of his sire. "Hello Father..."
Curling around his mate with a low laugh, Ballad nosed his son affectionately and then nuzzled his mate. "I found you, My Fayth."
Whistle smiled. "I knew you would."
***
For the next step in Ballad & Whistle's Journey, please see: Building A New Life
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
