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 Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 6:48 pm
 She wasn't sure how long she had been simply lying there, mute as as a rock since the day she and the others had been led to the grove and oak that now was based in their new home. She was not particularly aloof, but neither was she overly-friendly to most of the other members. She did not go out of her way to make sure she was in another's presence, and more often than not she found herself not able to sleep at night - as opposed to the dreamless naps she had taken prior to returning. The moon did not give her solace, a bright white stone that hung so calmly in the sky. Was she really as kindly and god-like as her herd said? She dared not believe otherwise in fear of losing all hope within her, however small a quantity it was now, but Bree could not help but wonder.
How could any of the gods have allowed the plague to happen in the first place? How could Mother Earth, Father Sun, Lady Moon . . . ?
Bree had hailed from the Eastern herd originally, had risen with the sun with ever-renewed vigor in His light alongside her sister Freeda and brother Sango and single father Danel, had revelled in the various courtships and flirtings with stallions as she grew, had been a happy aunt to her sister's foals (at such a young age to boot!), had even helped name one that looked so much like her it was uncanny . . . had felt the tingles of an uneasy fate in the air, had sensed the despair beginning to engulf the five herds as the plague rose in power and the mortalities grew with it, had felt its heatedly cold grasp claw at her even. But nothing, nothing had compared to watching her own flesh and blood die one by one; the little ones were still too young to combat it, and her family, dear Freeda and Sango and Danel . . .
She didn't wonder why no tear would even bother anymore. She didn't wonder why she came back mute. Bree was a fragile soul, or at least had been, all coddled by the individual herds and her family. Now what was left were broken pieces, and she was making very little effort to move on. It was eve now, and the painted mare was simply standing and looking out over a small hill towards the large oak tree, still as Death.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:31 am
 "evening,evening...not dark,not light...very perplexing!" The dark pony mumbled to herself as she waddled towards the grey mare staring at the oak tree. Yes waddled - it seemed Duska had put on some weight after arriving in their new home. To be expected really considering the bounty of their new lands.
"Sleepless time eh? Little sun mare cannot sleep with death still lurking in her mind?" She continued as she reached the mare, small head and tiny ears lifted upwards to look at her. "Unhealthy!" she pronounced with a flick of her tail and a rattle of the bones tied within. "Closure, Closure is needed" She deduced. "Quickly..an oak branch find!" She further directed in a tone indicating she expected her directions to be followed.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:32 am
It was like a buzzing in her ears, the way her mind was so out of it but her body was still so alert, not allowing her to fully escape the living world. But she faintly recognized the buzzing and allowed herself to drift back into the vessel that was her body, and she turned her head slightly to the side - then down - to find none other than the spirit talker, her bones a'rattling as she conjured up a solution. The oak branch, yes . . . But what good would it do? Had they not had a small vigil already for the dead after they had come to this sacred grove? Or perhaps she had imagined it only . . . So many things were only grasped in her mind these days, she wondered if she was some sort of mad.
But the pony was being rather insistent, and the last thing on Bree's mind to upset the spirit talker of all horses, so she nodded slightly to her and began to trot towards the sacred oak itself. Strong as it was, perhaps - ah, there it was! It was more of a twig than a branch, but it was from the oak and counted, yes? She picked it up and held it firmly in her teeth before turning back to Duska for further instructions.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 9:59 am
Duska was rather pleased when the mare offered no reluctence and went off to do her bidding. But wait what was this that she returned with? A twig?!? A twig to send her loved ones off to the afterlife?!? Surely it was lingering spirits that caused the mares sleepless night's and how was Duska supposed to solve that problem with a tiny little twig?
Giving her mane a small shake Duska motioned for the mare to place the twig on the ground between them.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:17 am
She could sense the displeasure from the small pony, but really Bree saw no point in going through the motions of a ceremony for the dead. She didn't need reminding, thanks. Nor did she see why a twig would be any different than a branch; it was from an oak tree, yes? That should be enough.
Ironic, how the twig's small stature was a manifestation of Bree's own lack of spirit. She placed it on the ground as directed and stepped back, trying to make the twig equidistant to them both, and then dutifully looked to Duska for the next portion. The sun was beginning to dip lower under the horizon line, casting long shadows around them.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:23 am
As soon as Bree put the puny little twig on the ground Duska stomped on it snapping it in half with a speed that was rather surprising for such a fat little pony. "No good!" She spat at the grey mare. "Your family spirits are angry, they need appeasing not further aggravation. Find a better one!" She demanded with a motion of her muzzle towards the tree.
"Quickly! Quickly!" She harried the grey mare - which may seem cruel to those watching but at least the grey was moving now..instead of just standing about despondently like she had been.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:39 am
The outburst made her step back again in surprise, nickering nervously as she tilted her ears back. For a small pony with such girth, she could really be intimidating when it suited her! And the crack of the twig, it jolted the mare to her hooves, and she quickly turned about to find a better branch. Was her family's spirits really angered with her? But . . . why would they? She had been doing her duties to the best of her ability, never raised a problem, never was in the way, never complained - heck, she hardly ever spoke for that matter. For all intents and purposes, she was a model mare, no?
It would be disrespectful for her to not mourn their loss too, so it couldn't possibly be that . . . Maybe Duska had eaten too much. Bree returned with a more sizeable branch and placed it gently between them once more, hoping this would do better, though she braced herself for more yelling.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:55 am
Duska eyes the new offering critically as the mare lay it down - but it was far more proper and she snorted softly in approval. "Better" She told the grey mare as she pulled an antler from the bag of goodies about her neck and began to scratch symbols into the dirt around the twig. She didn't bother telling the grey mare to move when she was in the way but merely shouldered her considerable bulk into the space needed until the symbols were all drawn to her satisfaction.
"A rock!" She demanded of the mare, lifting her head to eye her imperiously from behind her shaggy forelock and feathered cap.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:32 am
Now Bree was beginning to feel a little un-included in all of this, like a tool and nothing more. Apparently her brooding days had made her memory foggy about what was needed in a ceremony like this, because it seemed like a bunch of nonsense now. The oak branch she could understand, but a rock? And yet still the mare complied with only a small nod, keeping her opinions to herself; the last thing she needed to show was a wavering in faith.
Duska had not specified which rock, so it did not take Bree long to find an average-looking stone about half the size of her hoof. Picking it up, she placed it next to the twig - careful to avoid messing up any of the designs, and again stepped back. This time, she gave the pony more distance so that she would not have to be repeatedly shouldered away.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:42 am
Speaking of Duska, he spotted her on the other side of the grove with a grey mare. Bree, he recalled her name as he began to move towards them. The Spirit Talker seemed to be intent on doing something for the mare and Map was drawn towards them. He kept his hooves quiet not wanting to interrupt but if there was any issue that needed taken care of he wanted to be there. Coming to a stop near Duska he looked down at the markings on the ground, the small oak branch and then glanced up to see Bree bringing a rock into it all. Maponus stayed quiet for he knew what was happening and merely waited for Duska to continue.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 12:00 pm
If Duska noticed Maponus arrive she gave no indicator of it, she completely and utterly ignored the pelt clad stallion seemingly intent on searching for something in the bottom of the bag. "Here somewhere" She assured her audience before producing an ah'ha! sound and dropping an acorn on the ground. Acorn's were very special - they were the fruit of the mother tree. Duska picked up the rock Bree had brought her and dropped it on the Acorn.
At least the mare hadn't brought her a pebble! That would have made this far more difficult, the thought made her chuckle a little. With the acorn good and broken apart Duska plucked the shells from the nut meat and put them with the Oak branch and then turned to look at Bree. "Won't sleep, won't speak...won't live" She shook her head at the mare "Wish perhaps to have followed your family? The spirits wish for you to live for some time yet, your family having gone to join the spirits, having become a part of them are angry not because you have done something wrong - but because you refuse to do what we have been put here to do. Live." She motioned with her muzzle to the Oak branch,symbols and Acorn shells "They are a promise to try, an appeasement of sort that tell the Spirits you are aware of your faults and shall work to fix them." She motioned to the small bits of nuts outside the circle and then looked at the grey mare. "So make the promise little sun mare, rise as your element does. Eat the fruit of the mother and remember how to live" she urged the mare.
It wasn't until she had finished this speech and fixed the mare with a serious look that she turned to Maponus "Maponus!" she stated joyfully "Well loved by the spirits is he" She told no one in particular and with a cackle marched over to n** his shoulder. "But much to learn yet as we all have!"
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:42 pm
That . . . that was it? A branch, a stone, and a cracked acorn? Her mind whizzed with trying to remember the exact details of what each meant, but beyond the acorn being a symbol of new life, she was grasping at straws. Was her mind truly so degenerated? And then the corn was being broken, but . . . but was that good or bad? It had to be good, right? Duska wasn't doing anything particular unusual - well unusual for her at least. But eating nuts wouldn't help anything other than her stomach, and she hardly felt the claws of hunger most of the time anyway . . .
And then Bree was startled to notice that Maponus had somehow crept upon them without so much as a sound, and immediately a deep-set anxiety bubbled up in her. She was sure they were growing tired of her; even the most patient horse had some sort of limit, and she was dead sure she was doing something to bother them. But then, that was also assuming they had enough time between the foals and the herd to think of her. She didn't know what was worse to be honest . . .
Were the spirits really angry with her because of that? Because she was alive without living? But . . . but what else could she do? She did not know the other herd members well beyond the formalities of ranks, the foals were like instigators for painful memories - nevermind that they looked nothing like her nieces and nephews, Bree was just sensitive like that - and . . . and . . .
She gave a slow blink, slowed her mind down, bowed her head in shaky greeting towards the alpha, and nibbled half-heartedly at the nuts.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:43 pm
Maponus stood in silence as he awaited out what Duska was doing as well as to see what Bree's response to it would be. The young mare looked a bit confused, a perhaps a bit lost. He understood the loss, so many of the herd had suffered great losses during the plague and some were still trying to full get back on their hooves and Bree was no exception. He had lost his entire family in the plague but had also gained a new one for he had Shylah and their foals, and not to mention a new herd to look over.
"Things take time." He offered to Bree as she began to eat the nuts. "We have all suffered, and we will all rise again. Do not fear that you are a burden upon us, the Spirits wish for you to be here, we wish for you to be here. All you must do is try."
His attention then turned to Duska. "We will never stop learning Elder. That is the greatest gift of life and the Spirits." He glanced over at Bree for a moment and then back to Duska. "Is all otherwise well with Bree?" While odd to ask the question to Duska instead of Bree there was a reason behind it. Firstly he knew Bree would likely say nothing was wrong or remain quiet. Secondly with her deep connection to the Spirits Duska could see things about the mare that Bree herself may not know.
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