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 Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:52 pm
He bleated loudly, not knowing how to express that he wanted her to come back in words and unable to rise and pursue her himself - but she was leaving, abandoning him, never to return...
***
Thanatos's eyes sprang open suddenly, their glow bright and strong, as they usually were when he woke from a vivid dream. He scrambled to his feet and looked up at the sky above, which was dark enough to rival his coat, and weeping. Sleeping out in the open even when he could smell the rain had been stupid, but he'd given the most sheltered spot to his mother and hadn't felt like sleeping right beside her. He was an adolescent now, not a child, and he was her only son. It was time to start giving back.
He shook his mane and tail out, and let the cold drops of water wake him. After checking his surroundings for any signs of danger - for didn't he always remember his mother's teachings? - he cantered over to a dark form huddled at the base of a tree.
"Mother," he called, gently, softly. "Shall we get moving again?"
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:53 pm
How were they doing, those two lost children? Alucard and Khalidia had grown up just fine with dams or sires, sure, but they had the shelter of the caves and she had looked after them. Her nest had been made far from the caves in a bid to avoid the vampire, and while few, there were predators in the woods who would find the sweet flesh of a young foal very tasty indeed.
As Thanatos approached her, her initial feelings of gloom gradually dissipated. Either his siblings were alive, or they were dead - they were out of her hands now, and look at how strong and kind and gentle he was growing, like her! No trace of his arrogant, false charmer of a father at all.
She rose from her patch of ground, nuzzled him once, and cast about her in all directions. While Thanatos had looked around for danger, Silarial was looking for something else - an omen, a feeling. Something had been pulling her to travel since the night she vowed never to love another stallion, and it was persistent enough for her to keep pursuing it as long as it was there.
As she looked towards a distant tree that rose far above the others, lightning flashed in quick branches once, twice, three times around it... and yet the tree did not catch fire.
"This way." She replied with conviction, leading the way forward.
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 5:42 am
Mother and son travelled together at a steady clip. Refreshed from his sleep, Thanatos felt as if the wind and rain were with, rather than against, them. His dam had always told him that no matter how strong, how big, how intimidating the creatures of this world were, they were never greater than nature itself.
It was this sense of power that led him to render his decision concrete. When they reached the tree, he would ask for her blessing, and they would part ways. He was taller than her now, and she herself had admitted there was little else left that she could teach him. His mother had always been a loner anyway.
He had his own path in mind - four sunsets ago he had looked down from a cliff they were on and spotted a herd of their kind, running together. A lone snow stallion had run ahead, something long and blue-green streaming from his neck; then two pairs, and then a little group of youngsters just like him, looking just like one of the two pairs. Some deviated only to race back to the group, or playfully nipped each other. How nice it would be, to have a family. How nice it would be, to run with friends. He had watched them wistfully for as long as he could, before the great ball of fire slipped over the horizon, and all was dark.
Besides, Mother had nearly left him once. It was time to repay her in kind.
Thanatos shook his wild mane out of his eyes, which began to glow strongly again. Everything would come full circle.
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 7:38 am
Silarial was absorbed in her own thoughts, barely maintaining enough awareness of her surroundings to make sure they were heading in the right direction. That was one nice thing about having a male around - he could protect her. Self-sufficient from young, the mare couldn't help but give a wry smile. She was getting too comfortable with company.
She wasn't sure how to tell Thanatos that she had to continue from this stage of her journey alone. Apart from that first time, Sil thought she'd done a pretty good job with raising him - here he was now, a healthy, young adult, having obediently listened to her lessons from the first day. Something told her that this had to do with a lingering fear of abandonment, and this was precisely why she dreaded parting with him this time.
Before she realised it, they were at the tree itself, both Kirin stood for a moment, marvelling at the height of the tree before and above them. All this from one seed.
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 7:47 am
Thanatos watched the leaves rustle in the wind. He knew he would think of his mother every time he looked up at a tree during a storm from this point onwards.
Not that it would be easy to forget her. She would be in the rivers and lakes at night, for in the colourless gloom they had the same eyes and aura, and his orange mane made little difference at all. He would be reminded of her every time he crossed a stream on stepping stones. And he would repeat everything she had told him someday, to his own children, to his children's children, maybe even to his mate if she wanted to learn.
"Mother," he said clearly, turning to her. "I am old enough, and I have my own path to walk. May I have your blessing?"
Than rushed through his query, voice wavering oh-so-slightly. He had expected to be emotional, of course, but not for it to show.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:00 pm
Silarial, surprised, could only gape at her son in response as the rain lightened and then stopped. Then she smiled, and gently kissed him on the nose.
So, he had his own ideas... At least we will part ways amicably.
"My son, you will always have my blessing. You have been my only comfort all your life, and it is time for you to take on another role. May you one day have a child who is as good to you as you have been to me.
Tell me..." she said as she pulled away again. "How long have you been planning this?"
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:08 pm
"There was no plan," responded Thanatos, nuzzling his mother once affectionately. "All children have to leave their dams one day, and since you appear to be on a quest... I thought I'd stop following when I decided I was old enough.
You have taught me everything I know, and for that I am grateful."
Something occurred to him then, and he looked down and shuffled awkwardly on the spot.
"Mother... I have one request."
He lifted his head again to face her, hopeful.
"Why don't we meet here again, at this very spot, once every 5 years?"
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:22 pm
"Of course," responded Silarial, genuinely glad that Than had suggested it.
They gazed at each other once, lovingly, and then Than turned and headed down the hill to the west. The mare couldn't help tearing up. Here was her long-held wish for a child fulfilled, grown, thriving, and leaving her.
"Don't forget me!" She shouted after him.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:25 pm
The orange-maned stallion paused, and turned his head over his shoulder.
"I won't!" Thanatos answered, then turned back and hurried away before either of them could change their minds.
The world was his for the taking, now, and this was his first step.~Fin~
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