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(( This is an RP between Echo's Song/Terra Stryker [tefla] and Dradneos [Makette] ))



The thicket was quiet. The mare inside glanced up at the entrance before sighing softly. It seemed that Dradneos was still out on the prowl. In Echo's mind she understood the stallion's desire to further his bloodline. The situation stung her heart but there was nothing she could do about it. He did promise that he'd return after finding what he was looking for and then, maybe then, there was a chance at a happy life together.

Rising to her feet Echo let her thoughts wander as she paced to the thicket entrance and poked her head out. The night's quiet was interrupted by a sharp snapping noise and the sounds of something heavy passing through the woods. Drawing her head back into the thicket Echo frowned. What exactly was passing by? It sounded like another Soquili but the footfalls did not sound like Drad's tread.

Echo's Song once again paused to listen to the sounds outside. Absolute silence reigned and this made the mare more uneasy then relieved. Usually if there was silence like this it might that danger was still nearby. The objective for the mare was to either listen to her instincts and flee or risk being caught in the thicket. There was only one entrance and it was this made the desire to flee even stronger. Composing her nerves Echo paused just inside the entrance before edging out of the protective enclosure. Her sharp gaze took in the darkness of the surrounding forest before pricking her ears forward.

Just what has she heard outside? She couldn't see anything as of yet and the lack of any sort of light dampened her ability to clearly locate whatever it was that had silenced the forest. Placing one hoof on the ground and moving forward Echo progressed through the forest keeping all her senses on alert. She did not realize that her journey was being observed by cold, calculating eyes.

Terra Stryker watched the mare emerge from the enclosure with calculating eyes. Her eyes glanced to the thicket's entrance waiting for another Soquili to emerge. After waiting a few minutes with no one else leaving Terra's grin, if possible, grew wider. Now she sidled from the shadows tracking the mare's movement before debating changing forms.

Almost immediately the idea was nixed. Where was the fun in hunting if you couldn't do the task without cheating? Terra could taste the anticipation of the hunt now as the mare paused and turned her gaze behind her. This was the thrill that the batwalker had been looking for since leaving the carnival. This was what she was created for. Flaring her wings she allowed the mare to catch sight of her. It was time to up the ante. The chase was on.

Terra Stryker laughed as she followed the mare. The sound was chilling. It had begun. Her senses came alive as she darted between the trees tracking the mare's movements. She kept her energy level in check as to wear out her prey and not herself at the same time. The way that her target was running in between the trees was no hindrance to Terra. Even if it was she could always shift now that the chase was on. Her quarry had engaged the game by fleeing and now all rules were up in the wind.

Snickering softly Terra realized that the mare was starting to flag. She'd run too fast for too long. Now all she had to do was hold back and wait patiently for the end result. Shifting her weight from side to side Terra debated silently with herself before allowing her form to blur into that of a large bat. This would throw the mare's judgment into possible believing that she was safe. Then Terra would strike. Landing in the branch of a nearby tree Terra silently watched her prey.

Terra snickered in her mind at the mare's action. Feeling herself safe for the moment she'd dropped her guard to graze. That mistake alone had Terra salivating with the chance to sink her teeth into this Soquili. How could one so rapidly forget what was at stake? Shifting her wings silently Terra lit from the branch and flew just a little higher then before. She'd strike first in this form. It'd be more of a surprise and the fear that would be present would be just delicious to savor.

Allowing her wings to angle in a position that would give her speed and a forceful impact Terra began her dive. With any luck her first impact would incapacitate her victim. Bracing for the jolt Terra shrieked with glee before gravity sucked her down the rest of the way.

With a powerful jolt she careened onto the mare's back and sunk her teeth into the skin she found below her. Hooking her claws into the mare's side enabled her to hold on tightly without being dislodged.

Terra felt the mare's movements beneath her as she remained lodged on her victim's back. A flash of puzzlement ran through her mind before she realized just what was going to happen. The mare was going to attempt to pin her to the ground under her crushing weight. That just would not suffice in Terra's mind. Disentangling herself from the mare's back with seconds to spare the bat screeched angrily. She had almost been crushed. The only good thing about her predicament is that now the other mare was struggling to get back on her feet.

Seeing red Terra resumed her larger form before charging at her victim. Subtle it was not. However the sheer momentum and a little bit of surprise worked in her favor as she bowled the mare over again. The desire to end this fight rose in the batwalker and she grinned savagely at her downed prey. This was what she lived for. This feeling of heady power as she held another's life in her hands to do with what she wished. Her wings flared open before she slashed at the mare's side. The scent of iron rose around her as she laid her anger out at the world on the mare that she had downed. Too soon her boredom set in and she glanced down at the unconscious mare before smirking.

Cleaning off the blood from her clawed wingtips Terra savored the taste of victory before merely walking away. She'd let this one live - for now. She'd been marked and would forever bear the shame of it.

The stallion, who'd had to take a round about way to get to the clearing because of a pack of mountain lions, surged into it, eyes wide with panic. He skidded to a stop, hooves scrapping at the ground. He looked around, mane whipping around his head.

Echo, where was...

Grey eyes snapped to her form and a very scared whiney rolled from him. The scent of blood was thick in the air around her.

Was he too late?

"Echo?" he said softly, walking to her form and nuzzling her very gently. He licked at the wounds, but it didn't seem to help. "Echo?" he asked again. "We need a healer... Murmur! Our son of unicorn blood. He should be able to help..." He hoped he'd gotten there in time.

The stallion charged off at a sprint, screaming Murmur's name to the heavens. Dradneos was never known for his compassion but Echo had changed him deep down, and he would not loose her. Not loose the mare who'd given him a set of children who showed his genes in unique ways, even better than his father Erebos had told him to spread them. His hooves pounded the ground; Murmur was never that far away, but the unicorn son always seemed to know how to hide.

"MURMUR!"


The son in question was not all that far from the clearing, though far enough to not hear what happened with his mother. His tail flicked side to side as he sat on a little outcropping, his markings glowing in the light. An ear flicked at the sound of hoof beats, and a very strained scream of his name. He turned his head at the sound got louder and let out his own whinny to tell the one he was here.

His father barreled around the corner, skidded to a stop and preceeded to babble something about how Echo was hurt and he was too late and Murmur needed to come and and and--

"Ya need my help Dad? Well lets go!" Murmur surged to his feet and jumped off the ledge, sprinting towards the clearing. The pair of stallions rushed inside and Murmur held back a gasp of shock at his mother's form. The unicorn trotted over and began the labor intensive (at least for him) process of healing her, Drad watching over his shoulder.