[Fin] Delivery ((Gwendolen, Dita and Lycoris))

[Nisshou H]

This is a private solo RP between Nisshou H's Gwendolen, Lycoris and Dita. Scarlet Wing is featured as a side character. Do not post please.

Scarlet, Gwendolen, Lycoris and Dita

 

[Nisshou H]

Gwendolen paced anxiously by the edge of the woods. Where was she? Her bright green eyes glanced at the sun, it was well past it's high point. Had something somehow gone wrong? It was fetching some spare blankets from the two-leggers, what could possibly go wrong?

She stopped pacing and turned away from the village, it was well past the meeting time. At this point Gwen had to face facts, the mare she had made the arrangement with wasn't coming. Right now she had more pressing problems than collecting a few extra blankets for the sick and wounded her mother tended to.

"Miss Scarlet, why don't you head back? Can you make it on your own?" Gwendolen asked keeping her voice calm and soothing. She had thought that a bit of exercise would help the mare but the further along the trail they got the worse her condition grew. She received no response. Scarlet just continued looking about wildly as though something were going to spring out of the trees at them.

"Miss Scarlet," she tried again getting closer. "Do you want me to cast the spell over you again?"  

[Nisshou H]

Something about this place was familiar to Scarlet and the closer they got the more she felt it. There was so much that had happened that she didn't want to remember so she didn't remember it. Now it felt like those things were fighting against her. They wanted her to know and see what she didn't want to see. There was a dull sort of roaring sound in her ears as she looked about frantically. She should run. Get out of her and back to some place safe.

She stopped looking about when she heard her name and a familiar face. Gwen. Sweet little Gwen. The spell? The magic one? Scarlet nodded her head slowly. The spell that calmed her. She wanted that very much. More than anything right now.  

[Nisshou H]

Gwendolen nodded her head and took another step forward. "Alright, Miss Scarlet, I'll cast the spell now." She lowered her head and lightly set her horn down onto Scarlet's shoulder. She took a deep breath and then slowly began to chant, "Wind that blows across the plains, sun that warms the land, water that cleanses grant me your powers. Give me the strength to stop demons. Aid me now." Then she focused on the little healing magic she had. There was no wound to heal but it was necessary all the same. Once it was all done Gwen took a step back and straightened up. Scarlet looked calmer, that was good, she hadn't figured at the trick yet.

Really all of the magic was fabricated. She couldn't seal demons. She could barely manage to heal cuts. What was important was that Scarlet believed that she could do it. So long as Scarlet believed in the "spell's" power it would have an effect on her. Gwendolen hoped that Scarlet never found out that this magic was a hoax. She didn't imagine that would go over well.

"Now, Miss Scarlet, can you make it home? I think I should go check on those blankets myself before giving up. Mother needs them. Can you do that for me?" It was like talking with a child but it seemed important to continue. It was comforting to the mare even if most her age would find it condescending.  

[Nisshou H]

Dita exited her grandmother's teepee or at least her grandmother's human friend's teepee. The number of relations her family had was staggering and it seemed to be becoming harder and harder to keep everything straight in her mind. The young mare sighed and stretched her neck. These meetings with her grandmother were getting longer and longer as she drilled information she deemed important into Dita's mind. One day she would be the one instructing young guardians of the village but until then she had to wait patiently and learn no matter how long the lessons went on.

How long had that meeting gone on for anyway? It felt unusually long. She turned her face toward the sky to locate the sun. She'd promised to meet a healer's aid when the sun was at it's high point. Dita felt the blood drain from her face when she finally located the life-giving orb. It was already well into it's descent.

"Oh no..." She said in a guilty panic before dashing back into her grandmother's teepee. She ignored the puzzled looks from Lunathiel as she began snatching at the extra blankets she had been gathering. Moving as quickly as she could Dita settled them on her back to transport before departing for the woods at a brisk trot. She hoped that Gwen was still there. Dita would feel just awful if she missed her.  

[Nisshou H]

Gwendolen watched carefully as Scarlet Wing departed for home. She seemed to be doing alright though whether it was the effects of Gwen's "spell" or just the knowledge that she was leaving whatever scared her was up for debate. "Spirits watch her." She said quietly praying that Scarlet would make it back unharmed. Already she was having second thoughts about sending the mare off on her own but she needed those blankets. The ones they had been using were wearing down and Gwen wasn't sure how much longer they'd last.

Once Scarlet's form vanished into the thick of the forest Gwendolen turned her attention back to the village. Should she go investigate? Maybe Dita had forgotten about their deal. Gwen nodded her head. That was probably it, she had forgotten and needed a nudge to get moving again.

With determination she marched to the edge of the trees once again only to find a familiar light-maned figure coming her way. "Dita!" She called stepping out of the shade to make sure she was seen. "You're very late. What kept you?"  

[Nisshou H]

Dita perked up at the sound of her name and hastened her pace when she saw who had called out to her. Gwen had waited for her. She didn't seem particularly pleased that she had to wait though. Dita was in for a scolding from a mare her own age she just knew it.

"I'm so sorry!" She called back struggling to get to the fluttercorn without dropping any of the blankets. It took a few minutes but she finally closed the gap enough for them to speak without shouting. Now she had a chance to explain herself. "I'm really very sorry. My grandmother's lesson ran a bit long today. I didn't think it had gone this late though..." Dita eyed the setting sun. The sky was just starting to change colors.

"I'm ready to go now though my mother knows where I'm going so everything's fine." She offered Gwen a smile. It was strange to Dita. Gwen seemed so similar to Dita and yet the fluttercorn seemed to handle everything better. She was so responsible and sure of herself. Dita wondered if one day she might be that confident in her abilities.  

[Nisshou H]

A slight frown tugged at the corners of Gwendolen's mouth. Why had Dita chosen a day in which she had lessons to meet up instead of a day in which she was free? The fluttercorn opened her mouth to ask before deciding against it. In the end, as inconsiderate as it was, it was no longer relevant. Dita was here with the blankets and that was all Gwen needed.

"Come on then." She said turning back to the trees. It was a bit of a walk back to her mother and if they wanted to make it before nightfall they would have to get moving. "You should probably spend the night with us. I've heard talk of beasts in the area and there is safety in numbers." The moment the words passed her lips her thoughts turned towards Scarlet Wing. What if she encountered some foul creature out for blood? It had been a bad idea to send the mare off alone. She was defenseless.  

[Nisshou H]

That was it? Dita was caught off guard. She had been expecting at least a small lecture over her behavior and an order to improve herself. "O-of course." Dita stammered following after Gwendolen carefully. She couldn't think of anything else to say, she could only follow. Some leader she was turning out to be.

~*~~~***~~~*~

Night had fallen more quickly than Dita had anticipated and by the looks of things it had come before Gwendolen had imagined as well. They were well into the woods by now but Dita couldn't see any signs of a gathering place like Gwendolen had described nor could she scent any other soquili. Wherever they were they weren't where they were meant to be by now.

"Perhaps we should rest here for now and finish the journey when the sun rises?" She suggested coming to a stop. It wasn't just worry over what might be lurking in the shadows that prompted the suggestion; it was also exhaustion. The blankets weren't heavy at first but after hours of walking their weight and the heat of them was wearing Dita out. "It's a warm night, they should be okay with the old blankets for one more night, right?"  

[Nisshou H]

Lycoris raced through the woods like wildfire over a dry field. Her hooves bit into the earth and propelled her forward so quickly it didn't even look like she was touching the ground at all. She could hear them though. In the distance she could hear them and she wouldn't stop until she could hear them no longer. The cries of the beasts that looked like her until they transformed. Their cursed name: skinwalkers.

These must have been new to their pelts as they reeked of blood and were soaked with it back to hoof. They were clumsy in their transformation as well and had given her a solid lead that she held steady still. She had just sped around a gnarled tree when suddenly she found herself pitching forward. This was it. She was dead. She could see the pair tearing down the path towards her when something odd happened. The larger of the two suddenly turned and closed it's beastly maw around the other. The strangled cry that came from the other spurred her to get back to her feet and race on again praying that the larger one's new meal would spare her of the same fate.

Lycoris ran on until the shadows were thicker than the sea thinking about the demon beasts to help her move. So it was true that they could not cooperate for long. What a wretched fate they had to be cursed beyond help. She did not slow until she was certain that the wretch and the former ally it had slaughtered were well behind her. She had a cursed fate as well to continuously run into such demons. Would she ever find a safe place to stay?  

[Nisshou H]

Their progress that evening had been slow for two reasons. Firstly Gwendolen had been moving more cautiously in order to check for any signs of a struggle out of worry for Scarlet. She had seen none. The second reason had been Dita and her blankets. At first she had been able to keep up with Gwendolen easily but as they moved deeper and deeper into the woods unforeseen troubles kept disrupting them. Dita would stumble and the blankets would have to be shifted or a tree would snag and remove a blanket entirely and have to be retrieved. In the end they had only made it three-quarters of the way there.

Gwendolen sighed. Dita was right, it was time to call it quits for the night. Tomorrow she would persuade Dita to allow her to share the burden of the blankets no matter what Dita said. "Yes they'll be fine for another night." She agreed. "Set the blankets down over there, well collect them again in the morning." It was okay to stop, she told herself. If anything would have gotten Scarlet she would have seen some sign of it by now.

Just as she was reassuring herself about the mare's safety she heard something snap in the distance. Her head swiveled to face the sound. What was out there? "Dita...keep close." She said backing towards the mare.  

[Nisshou H]

Dita didn't need to be told twice and she strode over to a thick tree root to drop the blankets. It was an instant relief and also a slight shock to her system. She hadn't noticed the layer of sweat on her back when under all those blankets but with them gone the cool evening air felt like the breath of winter himself. She shivered and moved to free a cover to pull over herself when a snapping sound drew her attention. From Gwendolen's words and actions it appeared that she had heard it as well.

Dita straightened up, blanket forgotten, and moved to Gwen's side. She focused her steely eyes into the darkness watching for signs of movement. Silently she prayed that it was only a rabbit or fox. As it drew closer she could tell it was larger. She caught flashes of color in the tree. In the dark whatever it was looked blood red.

Dita swallowed and prepared herself for the worst: an attack.  

[Nisshou H]

Her legs felt like they were made from stone. Adrenaline no longer pumped through Lycoris's veins and she could feel the exhaustion of her flight taking hold. She stumbled along the rough path, likely only used by goats, looking for a place to rest. If she didn't feel so vulnerable where she was Lycoris was certain that she could close her eyes and drift off right then.

After a few moments she made her way past a few bushes and out onto a large, well-worn trail that seemed to be occupied by a pair of mares. Lycoris froze ever muscle in her body tightening with the instinctive urge to flee. The only thing stopping her was the fact that they seemed as startled to see her as she was to see them. That and neither looked to be stock from a violent breed.

Lycoris swallowed and looked between the pair waiting for them to make a move.  

[Nisshou H]

Gwendolen froze in a similar way when the other mare appeared and judging by the sound of Dita's breath hitching Gwen determined that she was in a similar state. No one moved a muscle. It looked like every one of them was waiting on someone else. Finally Gwendolen worked up the nerve to say something and break the silence. "Are you alone?" She asked the stranger glancing about at the trees surrounding them. If she was alone then there was no threat, or at least not one she could see. She appeared to be nothing more than a regular mare and a tired one at this.

"We won't hurt you if you don't try anything." Dita added hoping to ease the mare's mind somewhat. This was a tricky situation. There was no telling what the mare's intents were. She didn't look like she was after a fight, she looked like she was ready to collapse, but there was no telling. Gwen was right to ask if she was alone. Who knew what sorts she could have dragged along with her. Dita was only sad that she hadn't been the one to step up and ask first.  

[Nisshou H]

Lycoris jumped slightly when the fluttercorn's voice broke through the silence. Was she alone? It took a while for the question to sink in but once she did she nodded her head. "I...I think so." She said quietly looking nervously towards the trees. These two seemed nice enough, they said they wouldn't hurt her, they should be warned. She swallowed and looked at the pair. All she wanted was to rest but if she said something she doubted she would get that luxury.

No, never mind that. They had a right to know what had been after her. Just because she stopped hearing it didn't mean it wasn't still pursuing her. Her heart began to beat faster at the thought. It could still be after her following her scent. If she stopped to rest it might kill her in her sleep. Why hadn't she thought of this before? Her tired mind could have lead her to her own doom.

"Skinwalkers!" She exclaimed finally feeling adrenaline kicking in once again. "There were skinwalkers after me! We...we shouldn't..."