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 Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:34 pm
 Winter was well underway within the land of the five herds - and this one was proving to be far harder on them then any previous one Shylah could remember and her soul was heavy as she walked through the drifts. Most of those she passed didn't bother to lift their heads and watch her - some of them were too weak to try and others not quite at that point we fussing over their families or mourning losses. Their coats like hers were rough and unkempt looking, their eyes were were watery and Shylah walked not to the chorus of whinnies and whickers...but hacking dry coughs.
Shylah couldn't help but be reminded of her spirit walk, it had been several months since the pairing ceremony which had taken place quite early in the winter season - but the memories of it were clear within her mind. The brown mare wished fervently that what they had seen would not come to pass...and how could it? She had been sick for many suns now and early this morning...Maponus had come down with the mysterious aliment as well.
Maponus. He was the reason Shylah found herself struggling through snowdrifts that normally would have been easy for her, had she not been so weakened by the sickness, she had to go to Divone and ask the Elder or help. Herb perhaps...or a blessing, Shylah would take anything that might help her mate. They hadn't been together long but Shylah already couldn't fathom her life without him.
The chocolate mares mind swirled as she made her slow trek towards the thicket here the Elders kept watch, even from here she could see many more gathered there, waiting and pleading for help, much as she would be. Letting out a deep sigh as she reached the edge of the group Shylah stopped to wait her turn. At least now she could rest for a little bit and her thoughts drifted backwards...to the start of all of this.
It had all begun about a moon ago by her estimation, though she had to admit she'd lost a bit of time in the throes of the sickness. A strange horse had stumbled it's way into thier lands and promptly collapsed. The elders had convened around the sickly horse and determined after a bit of discussion that the spirits wanted them to save this unknown horse - why else would they have sent him to the herds? - After preforming a blessing the visiting elders had returned to their own herds, leaving the stranger in the care of Divone and the others here.
The stranger had died, and shortly afterwards other members of the herds had begun to sicken and fall ill. Some seemed to fall quickly to the sickness - others clung to life more fiercely, Shylah was glad to be one of the ones fighting - and she could only hope Maponus would do the same. He would be she told herself...he was strong and healthy and young. A shifting in the group brought her attention back to the present and Shylah moved forward as a spot opened up, a wheezing cough escaping her as she did so.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:59 pm
 Divone looked up with a deep sad sigh as a dry wheezing cough caught her attention. Her gaze swiveled over the gathered horses until she saw Shylah standing amidst them. Brow furrowed Divone stepped away from the horse at her feet - unless she missed her guess that one wasn't long for this world regardless of weather she helped or not and her duty was to the living.
"Shylah!" Divone scolded the mare as she approached, giving her a critical once over. The appy mare was doing better then some - but exerting herself the way she had wasn't helping. The mare was winded and clearly tired from her trip to the grove. "You should be resting" she chastised her as she drew to a halt and peered at the formerly spunky mare. "Come in and rest" She invited the mare, motioning with her muzzle towards an empty spot under one of the trees surrounding the grove. Nudging the mare along in that direction.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:17 pm
Shylah gave Divone a guilty look as the elder chastised her - the brown mare had been studying under the grey one until the sickness struck and they had become close friends - as close as they could be anyways given Divones elder status. Elders always held themselves just a little bit apart from the others in the herd, it was necessary, so that they could read the spirits intentions and Shylah did not hold this against the mare but counted her a friend.
"It couldn't be helped" Shylah told Divone, her voice a bit raspy due to her time being ill. "Maponus came down with the sickness overnight, he needs your help" She told Divone, letting her desperation for this help bleed over into her words. "I thought maybe...if I told you soon enough, before it got any worse then you might be able to stop it" The mare continued. How many times had she seen an injured horse fall - only to hear the elders say 'if only he'd come sooner' ? Many many times - but that would not happen with Maponus. no Shylah would make sure her mates illness was brought to the attention of the elders as soon as possible. Even if it meant infringing on her own health.
"Please...if theres anything you can do?" She continued to beg the grey mare, though she knew within her hearts of hearts that Divone would help if she could. Their fates ultimately lay in the hands of the elders.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:47 pm
Divone furrowed her brow slightly at Shylah's words, the mares actions made more sense now. Shylah would never have disobeyed a healers instructions unless it was for a good cause and Maponus in the chocolate mares eyes would certainly be considered a good cause. The two young horses had quickly forged a deep bond with one another after the pairing ceremony - a bond far deeper then man of their peers, some of whom were still struggling to get to know one another. That was not unusual Divone knew - some couples took many many moths to grow used to one another after the pairing ceremony. Couples like Shylah and Maponus were the exception to the rule and the Elders always held great hopes for such couples.
"Of course" She soothed the worried mare, trying to calm her before she worked herself up anymore and made herself worse again. Shylah was one of the few who seemed to be getting better and Divone did not want to see a relapse. "I will do whatever I can" Divone promised "Now wait while I gather some things to send back with you" She commanded with a stern look before turning away and heading back to the center of the grove.
She wold need to send some Lobelia flowers, the plant was good for coughs and Downy wood mint for their aches, she rolled the plants in some cool ashes from the sacred fire to obtain a blessing and then so supplied returned to the mare.
"I have brought enough for you both, it should last several days - remember only a little bit of each every day" she cautioned - overdosing on some herbs could be lethal and it was best to caution the herd against eating to much of any such plant, lest they forget which ones were fine and which deadly. "You must get him to rest as much as possible, but you cannot let him stop eating in drinking either, no matter how badly he feels" she continued before nudging the gathered, grey speckled plants in Shylahs direction.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:10 pm
Shylah nodded her agreement to staying put as Divone turned and headed back to the grove. The brown mare was tired and it didn't hurt her feelings any to stay and rest for a bit while the mare gathered things. She only meant to close her eyes for a few moments while the Elder was gone, but she must have fallen asleep because she was suddenly jerking awake to see Divone staring down at her.
"Yes, yes of course" Shylah responded as she looked down at the plant's. She recognized them from her previous teaching and by the soft grey speckles clinging to their leave,flowers and stems Shylah knew they had been blessed in the sacred fire. The chocolate mare could only hope that the spirits decided to help them now. Struggling to her feet Shylah inclined her head in respect to the Elder. "Thank you" she said, gratitude overflowing from her words and eyes "I will make sure he does exactly as you say....and yes I will get some rest myself" She promised the grey mare before gathering up the herbs and turning to begin the short...yet long in her condition...trip back to Maponus.
Slow and steady she told herself, was the way to do it - yes she wanted to return to Maponus as quickly as possible but she needed to save her strength herself, it would do little good to return to him with the herbs only to fall sicker herself. Then who would make sure Maponus followed Divone's instructions? Knowing the tawny stallion he would try to go for help for her...and do himself more harm in the process. No, Shylah must make sure such a thing did not happen.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:27 pm
That after thought worried Maponus again. They weren't together right now. She was likely at the Elder's grove by now, though he wasn't sure how many of the Elder's would be affected by the sickness. Would they be able to preform their sacred duties? He shook his head to free that thought, knowing that in the end they would die, it was what the Spirits had shown him and Shylah.
Shylah. She was a constant presence on his mind. He paced about waiting for her to return. Every step made his body shake in pain. He could only hope that she would return soon with whatever help the Elders, and the Spirits, could offer. Taking a moment to rest against a tree Maponus fell into another coughing fit as his eyes scanned the horizon once more, looking for any signs of his mates return.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:43 pm
"No thanks necessary" Divone told the chocolate mare as she turned and started off - it was her duty to provide such functions to the herds, one that she had dreamed of fulfilling since she was but a wee foal. Of course she had never dreampt she would be seeing the herds through something like this. Divone had never heard of something this terrible affecting the herds and while it did not shake her trust in the spirits....it did shake her, made her speculate on what type of future they might have if this sickness din't abate soon enough.
The grey mare shook her head slightly to ward away such terrible thoughts, her eyes watched the slowly retreating form of Shylah until the chocolate mare was out of sight, headed no doubt to the place she had left Maponus. Divone whispered a short prayer for the two young horses before turning back to the grove and her duties.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:55 pm
Although it didn't make any sense, Shylah could have sword that the trip back to Maponus took far longer then her trip to the grove. The mare wasn't sure if that was because she was anxious to return to him - or because she was getting tired and weaker after exerting herself so much. Perhaps it was a simple trick of the mind and she was just worrying over nothing. One could hope.
Despite how long it seemed to take the chocolate mare eventually found herself nearing the small clearing where she'd left Maponus. The clearing was well sheltered from the wind and the two horses had found it shortly after their mating ceremony and while it wasn't 'home' exactly - the herd itself was home - it was one of their favorite places and they often spent the night here.
"Maponus?" She called out as she broke the tree line, he wasn't laying where he had been earlier and she hoped he hadn't decided to try and follow her to the grove. No...he couldn't have done that she soothed her worries, she would have seen him on the way back if that were the case. Unless he was fevered and delusional...now your just thinking of worst case scenarios she scolded herself. Maponus would be fine, he was around here somewhere he'd just moved. Their vision had shown them they would survive.
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Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 8:31 pm
It was so hard to breathe. Each time he took a breath his lungs felt like they were on fire. But he had to ignore the pain, it would pass he told himself. Closing his eyes he tried to forget about the pain he was in, and how sick he felt, instead he replaced those thoughts with ones of Shylah. Her chocolate brown coat with its dark spots, her already deep connection to him, her beautiful voice. Then he heard her call his name, though he wasn't sure if it was actually her or his mind playing tricks on him.
"Shylah? Shy is that you?" He opened his eyes and took a few weak steps forward. His eyes settled upon a very familiar sight but even then he wasn't really sure. He could be just asleep and dreaming of her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:46 am
Shy turned about as she heard Maponus call her name, her bright eyes flickering among the tress until she finally spotted his splotched tawny hide. Poor Maponus, he looked so terribly ill - Shylah knew sh had looked much the same herself a few days ago and while she wasn't over the illness quite yet she had started to gain some strength back - strength she had mostly used up in her bid to get him help. But Maponus...poor Maponus looked anything but good, her eyes roved over his coat which looked rough and uncared for hen before it had been sleek and shiny, and his steps as he took them were weak and shambly...nothing like the strong and confident stride she'd come to know as his.
Shylah shook herself out of her silence and hurried forward to nuzzle the stallion reassuringly "Yes..Yes it's me' She promised him in a soothing voice. His skin felt hot to her touch and the mare was pretty certain that he was fevered. Divone thankfully had foreseen this and sent something along to help for that symptom of the illness. "Divone sent some herb to help, even had them blessed" She told the stallion encouragingly "But come you must lay down and rest and I will get them ready"
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:13 am
Maponus let out a sigh of relief when he heard Shy's voice and felt her touch. Yes it was her, not a fever induced delusion. He had been so worried about her while she was gone. She was still sick but doing better from what he could tell. She had to be doing better that have made that long trip to the elders and back in these horrible conditions. But she was back now and he could stop worrying about her....or at least worry less. They were together, they would endure he told himself. "Oh Shy I was so worried about you."
His body didn't argue one bit when she told him to rest. Yes he needed rest, he had done far too little of that while she was gone. Wearily he laid down in the thin snow of the thicket they called home. Yes rest, that would do him good and Shylah was here to take care of him. "How are the elders?" He asked her after he laid down. The idea of the elders getting sick was quite worrisome, they were the oldest members of the herd, and while they were spiritually strong not all of them were physically strong. "And Divone is she well?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:27 am
"I will be fine" she told him in a soothing voice "I was worried about you too" she continued as she returned to the place she'd left the herbs so she could call to Maponus, using her hoof and muzzle to sort them from one another while he lay down in the thicket. She was glad he was resting - and would be glad to rest herself once she had finished taking care of him. Once she had separated what they needed, Shylah pushed the remained into a safe spot under the roots of a tree before eating her own and then returning to Maponus with the rest.
Setting them down beside her ailing mate Shylah pushed them towards him with her muzzle "Eat these" She told him "and Divone says to make sure we drink and eat plenty as well, regardless of how we feel". The Elders instructions given Shylah eased herself to the ground beside him and considered his earlier questions. "There is a large group gathered near the Elder grove" She told him after a few moments silence. "many of them don't look very well - though Divone and the others are doing all they can, I only saw three of the Elders, Divone, Duska and Alaunus, I don't know where the others could be" she paused and the hurried one not wanting to worry Maponus though she herself was worried "But perhaps they are out in the field taking care of others, I didn't ask" she apologized "I was trying to hurry back to you"
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:51 am
Map bobbed his head as he listened to Shy recall what she had seen while she was gone. He could only hope that the other elders were out taking care of the sick. What would happen if the herd lost several of its elders? He didn't want to think about it but he already knew the outcome of this disease. Glancing at the herbs that Shy laid down beside him he didn't want to eat them, he wasn't hungry, but if Divone said they needed to eat then he would eat. Slowly he picked up the herbs with his lips and chewed them up slowly. They weren't as bad tasting as the mistletoe berries that had eaten on the day of the pair ceremony, so that was a good thing.
After eating the herbs Maponus let out a small sigh. Leaning his head again Shy he was glad to have her back. He had felt so lost without her there but he had known deep down that the Spirits watched over them and that they would be fine after all of this. "I'm sure they are out taking care of the others." He said in regards to the unseen elders, though he knew that she also was aware of the other horses fate. "Now you need to rest to, you've had a busy day."
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:12 am
Shylah watched to make sure that Maponus ate all of the herbs before settling against him completely. Later she would rouse him so that they could make the tiresome trip to the stream and choke down some grass, they couldn't afford to let themselves get too run down...but that was later, or now, for now they would rest. "Yes, I'm sure your right" She told him as he spoke of the Elders - nether of them had spoken the words out loud but they both knew that very few of their friends and family would survive this ordeal. The spirits had shown them.
But that didn't mean it wasn't hard - and it certainty didn't mean they couldn't hope and pray for the best, that the spirits might change their mind and decide to spare more of their friends and family, which is precisely what she planned to do - as soon as she was strong enough to do it properly. One didn't just babble weak pleas to the Spirits and hope the listened. Letting out a deep sigh Shylah nuzzled Maponus as e lay his head against her before letting her own head dip lightly "Yes...a bit of sleep would be good for us" She told him, but later..later we have to make sure to get up and eat, and dr..." Her voice trailed off as the tired mare's eyes fluttered shut and she slept.
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:54 pm
Whatever Shylah had been saying Maponus either didn't hear it or fell asleep before she could finish. He was sure it was something about them needing to follow the elders instructions about making sure to eat and drink. They could do that later, right now they both desperately needed rest. His dreams were semi-plagued with visions and thoughts of what he would wake up to. Would Shylah still be there? Would she be alive? It took a lot of strength for him to push these thoughts to the back of his mind to let him rest peacefully.
The days went by quickly and soon Maponus was well on his way to recovery. He was feeling stronger again, with much more energy and had gotten his appetite back. Though now he had something else to worry about. Where all the Elders okay? The others in the herds? Well he already knew the ultimate answer to those questions but he wasn't sure how long from the time the sickness first reached the herds that that particular outcome would come to pass. But now was the time to start checking on the others.
He looked over at Shylah, she too had gotten better over these day. The herbs she had brought from Divone were beginning to dwindle but he doubted they needed to worry about them much longer. Taking them now was more a precautionary measure than anything else. "Come on, we need to check on Divone and the others." There was no time like the present to make the trip to the sacred grove.
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