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 Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:02 pm
Players:
Drashi
Crown Cullen
Sengdroma
-------------------------------  Drashi had done as his alpha had asked, he had round up the herd for Io and Chandra and done his best to conceal the truth. Little Crown had already asked where Maion was -the boy was very excited about the prospect of getting to train to be a future protector under the blessing of the alpha.... and Drashi was also curious about how the young colt would do. It was clear he was full of hero envy were Maion was concerned.
Very few of the herd had asked any questions, they had just assumed it was that time of the year where Maion and Sengdroma took their yearly trip to renew their vow.... though the absence of Maion had already been noted by many, especially after the way he had been guarded the pregnant mares personally. Drashi was worried... he wouldn't lie about that, but if he could help Sengdroma find his father then he would do it in a heartbeat.
That was why he found himself standing at the bank of the Lake watching the sky darken. Night fall was fast approaching, and so was their time to depart.
He turned to Sengdroma, his mother, she was quieter than normal but Drashi didn't know what to say or do to help her. So, instead he kept the conversation practical. Drashi could handle practical. "What preparations remain?" The boy known as Sonnet -and in Drashi opinion far to... to.... male... for his sister Chandra to be hanging out with- have woven them each a basket to be worn around their neck, of course Drashi was currently wearing both to save his mother the added burden, he could see it in her eyes that she had the worry of the world on her shoulder... and he could only begin to understand how she felt. Her mate was gone. Taken by a force they didn't know or understand. Her herd needed her but she knew in her heart that she couldn't leave Maion alone.
How did one prepare to fight a faceless enermy?
"I collected some apples, berries and sweet grass earlier." He stated, trying to distract himself and his mother. They were currently in the baskets around his neck. Practical. Everything would be ok if he could just keep thinking practical.
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:06 pm
 Looking up from her silent thoughts, Sengdroma nods to Drashi and offers a pleasant smile. Her heart was heavy, but she knew this was not the end... This was not how her story was to go. "Drashi," she looked up to the sky, "He's out there, I can feel him..." she didn't care if that sounded silly or not, but she could feel him on the wind. Taking a moment more in silence before moving, she took a deep breath then made her way to her feet. She smiled as he showed her the preparations he had gathered. "I'm proud of you Son. Know that your father is too, for keeping the children safe." she nuzzled him, lingering for a moment longer than normal. This very well, could be her last adventure... "Do Io and Chandra have things under control? Everyone calm?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:30 am
Drashi wanted to believe his mother, wanted to hope that beyond all things she was right..... but he had seen his fathers injuries, had seen the blood and the pain, but even then he had continued to fight. Still, Drashi feared the worst. His father was dead, and his mothers hope wasn't going to bring her back.
"Thanks...." He mumbled, the sadness evident in his eyes as he tried to focus on his mothers words. "I only did my duty..... I was ordered to protect them and protect them I did.... but to do so I failed him." He wanted to cry. The guilt he felt as leaving his father refused to shift. "I am sorry!"
He turned his head, unable to look at her and the kindness that was his mother.... he would never forgive himself if he cost her her lifemate. Without Maion she would become consumed with a grief far worst than what he had felt when Arianna left him..... he hoped she was right, hoped despite fearing the worst....!
"Yes." He said at last, forcing himself to the task at hoof. "Chandra was telling the young foals a story when I left. It seems many of the herd simply believe it is that time of the year for your trip.... though I dare say some have noticed Maion's absence." Practical. He could do this... he hoped.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:26 am
"There is nothing to be ashamed of, Son," her cheek met his as she spoke softly, "Maion would not have wanted this any other way. He would lay down his life for our herd, our family. There was nothing more you could do at that time," she nuzzled him gently before taking a step back to look at him. Even in the center of this tragedy, she could not help but to smile at Drashi.
Though Drashi was not her son by blood, he had become just an important part of their family as the children she had bared. She knew that the loss of Maion was hitting him just as hard as it was the girls and Mal.
Quietly, she took what may be the last look at her herd members, her home...Her smile fell from her face as she faced the bitter truth. She may not return.
"It's time," her eyes moved over to Drashi, "Take me where you last saw him."
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:39 am
"Yes alpha" Drashi said, comforted for the moment by his mothers gentle reassurance, without her he was sure he would be in a worst state.... and it was clear he wasn't holding up too well right now either. He sighed, for her he would be stronger. He had set his protectors up to cover all the duties, he had never left the herd while Maion was also absent before... but his duty was to protect the alpha -not that she needed him, but an extra set of eyes wouldn't harm. He just hoped he had done enough, he had ordered Aether to watch over everyone and to go to Scythe if needed. Though Drashi was praying it never came to that he was thankful the herd had such a strong allie, and allie that would happily take in those that needed it should the Miakoda Herd fall.... though he suspected his sisters were too stubborn to allow such a thing to happen.
He turned, about to show his mother the way when he heard something. Automatically his head turned in the direction of the noise to see Crown Cullen running towards them.
After talking to his mother he had come to the conclusion that giving Sengdroma one of the rare Moon flowers would make her smile, he had been told how Maion had carried the seeds one by one from the mountains to this lake so that his flightless mate could see them. They glowed ever so slightly under the moon and only opened at night.... interesting, all the other flowers he knew of grew in the day not at night.
He had spent a good hour trying to find the perfect one to pick, and now had it in his mouth as he raced towards his alpha and Drashi. A wide grin peeled on his lips.((To make it easier for me #07c07f ))
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:44 am
Sengdroma's head shot up as she heard movement nearby. Her eyes fell on the young Crown Cullen racing towards them. She wiped the bitter expression from her face and replaced it with a smile so that she could meet the foal without alarming him.
"Crown!" she nickered and lowered her head slightly to greet him with a nuzzle. "What are you doing, Little One?"
She spotted the moon flower in his mouth as he drew closer, her smile broadened.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:52 am
"For you!" He chimed, after placing the the moon flower at his alpha's feet. He beamed at her, hoping she would like his gift, in his opinion it was the nicest of all the ones he had seen, but with it only just starting to turn dark not all of them had opened. Still.... it was the thought right?
Either way he wiggled his rump and hoped she liked it, "I wanted to wish you a safe trip!" He couldn't wait for Drashi and Maion to return in particular, then he could get some training under them. He was still overjoyed at the idea. "Have fun!" He said, with all the niavity of a child.
It took all of Drashi's will power not to wince at the colts energy, he had no idea that they may not even return, yet the gift he had brought was sweet.... perhaps just what they needed, a reminder of what they were fighting for. At least in part.
Drashi couldn't speak, he simply leaned down and picked up the flower that was starting to open carefully, before moving to his mother and tucking it in her hair, near her ear -in the way he had seen his father do many times before. Then he stepped back, gave an approving nod and started to walk in the direction of Maion's last location. He would wait for his mother a little way away.... he just couldn't be around Crown right now out of fear for revealing the truth.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:56 am
Sengdroma smiled at the young colt and has her son placed the flower in her hair. She knew why he had walked away, but said nothing. Looking down to Crown, her voice cheerful as she could make it.
"Why thank you, Crown!" She preened a bit for him, "It is the most lovely moon flower I have seen. I can't wait to meet up with Maion to show him the gift you have given us!" she gently lowered her head to nuzzle the colt, careful not to shake loose her flower.
"We will have a lot of fun, but we will be back soon!" she bobbed her head. "Now you run on back to your mother," she motioned for him to return back to the herd, "We don't want her without her protector!" she winked at the foal, offering a light hearted laugh for his benefit.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:11 am
Crown just heard the magic words. His mothers protector. He beamed at the idea, nodded to Sengdroma before whispering a brief, "Thank you" and skipping off back in the direction he had come.
He hummed a song, allowed the melody to lift his entire soul as his spirits flew high. In that moment Crown Cullen felt like he could so anything!/Drashi waited a little way away from the colt and his mother, turning only to watch the boy skip away happy. In many ways Drashi envied the boy..... not a care in the world, a romantic notion that everything always worked out and the good guy always won. Reality was much different... he just hoped the boy wouldn't learn that too soon.
Drashi allowed his eyes to drift to the sky as the first of the night stars was visable through the darkening sky.
"Star bright, star light.... first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish this night......
....Bring my father home safe."
He closed his eyes and focused with all his heart and soul. He wanted everything back to normal, his father safe, his mother happy and his herd healthy. Surely.... just this once, good really would trumph over evil?
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:16 am
She waited until Crowns rump disappeared into the distance before she turned and made her way back to Drashi. She paused for a moment, "I pray they remain naive to the situation..." she said in a low tone. "On our way," she began walking again.
Sengdroma had spent the last few hours at their lake meditating, readying her body and mind for what was in store for them. Now that they were on their way it was time to find out the details.
"Drashi, you said you were attacked by a beast," she turned to look at him while they walked along, "What did the beast look like? What are we up against?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:30 am
Drashi heard his mothers hooves on the dirt and turned to greet her with a soft bow of his head, there was no need to be disrespectful, and of all the herd members his mother had definatly earned his respect over the years. He tried to smile, but knew it came across slightly forced.
When the question reached his ears he wasn't at all suprised; "I didn't get a very good look... I have never seen one before, wings like bat;" He said remembering the wings on Io's familar, "but with horns like a bull." Drashi had seen the cattle kept by two-leggers, and although he usually kept a wide birth of them he had been curious by the strange four legged creatures. "Snarls and teeth..... leather looking skin.... beasts." He closed his eyes trying to be more helpful, but the truth was Drashi had never met a Kalona before... let alone two. "There were two of them... father and daughter I believe... playing a game." That was what hurt the most, they hadn't been targetted because their predators were hungry... but because they were bored. A game... his fathers death was all a game? NO! He roared at himself, he had to believe his father was alive... even if his chances were slim.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:34 am
"Kalonas..." she signed a breath of relief, at least it wasn't skinwalkers. Hooves and horns she could handle, but she feared the claws of the skinwalkers.
Her stomach turned when Drashi said they were playing a game. Her mate's life is in jeopardy because damn kalonas go bored?! She was furious. She would find those kalonas and rip their wings off with her teeth if she could get ahold of them.
She repoised herself, trying to stay calm. "We stand better chances with Kalonas, all hope is not lost. And perhaps, if they were playing a game, then maybe killing Maion isn't part of the fun..." she could only hope that like some other kalonas, that these two were just out to scare the hell out of nearby soquili.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:45 am
Drashi should have realised what they were, but they could have been anything... he had heard mutants roamed this land as well, how was he not to know it had been one of them? He shook himself, he had to focus, the fact that Sengdroma seemed suddenly more hopeful lifted his spirits.
"I hope so." Was all he said, he wanted to believe, wanted to hope... but he didn't dare do so fully, knowing it would rip open his heart if he lost his father.... Drashi had lost too many people to those playing games. He knew he couldn't bare to lose another.
"This way...." He said as he started to lead them down the same route they had gone earlier that day. The intention had been to simply show some of the foals the borders and those animals that were under the Miakoda herd's protection He was suprised that Crown didn't think the worst.... after all he had seen Maion take the hit, had seen him order everyone away. But perhaps the colt believed Maion had some magical power that he didn't want to use in front of everyone..... at least that would keep him innocent a while longer, he had to be thankful for over active imaginations... at least for now.
They followed the meadow from the herd land, travelling near the forest.... Drashi didn't want to go near the forest, remembered what had been lurking in the trees for them. Still he carried on. "We came this way." He said as he continued, stopping only at the point they had been attacked. "Maion took the hit here...." Drashi motioned his head towards the dirt patch on the ground. He had been forced to wash the blood off the ground earlier so that it didn't attract anything else unwanted here. "My guess is he either was dragged or managed to get up... maybe to attack. He came this way." Drashi moved along the path the blood had been earlier that day.... all too soon it ended, leading them into the common land....it was anyones guess where they went. "This was were the trail ended. I tried flying... saw nothing. I scented nothing. I saw nothing. I guess they could have made him fly.... but he was in bad shape it would have been slow and I hadn't been gone that long...." At least he didn't think he had.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:59 am
Sengdroma stopped once Drashi began to speak, her eyes taking in every detail of the scene. She moved in closer to inspect the dirt patch, looking in all directions. There were no tracks in the ground, but the grass was not disturbed enough to have had Maion's large body drug through. His weight alone would have damaged the ground, not to mention his wings or hooves.
From the corner of her eye she saw a small movement in the bushes. A single white feather flitted back and forth as the breeze blew. A feather from Maion's wings, his scent covered it. "Drashi!" She called to her son as she removed to feather from the bushes. "This way," she began to push her way through, her eyes open for anything that could help her track them.
"Look for feathers, hair, broken limbs, loose dirt... anything...."
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:06 am
The fact his mother had managed to find the smallest of white feathers surprised him... he had looked for what felt like an eternity for anything that could give them a clue and found nothing.... perhaps being distressed and guilty really did impair his judgement? He would have to try and get over that... once they found their father.
"Ok..." he called his mother as he followed, eyes peeled to the ground for more clues.
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