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 Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 4:48 am
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 5:33 am
XXXXXXX[Sylph Forcas]
They were bored and unchallenged, in fact it would have been safe to say that every one of the scouts and guards on the summit was in a similar position. The summit had defended its position for years, had built its defences and made itself out to be impenetrable - as a result, the soquili that lived on this mountain had lived in a state of peace. The guards and scouts had never stopped their vigil, they were ever watchful, but as the years had drifted onwards, no one could deny that on many days they felt like they were simply travelling in circles for the sake of it. With most of their conflicts taking place in the lowlands, targeted and focus-fired down before they could reach the summit, that left everyone else with little to do.
It had left many of those who monitored the borders to question what purpose they now had, and more than once Sylph had been required to push them towards hobbies. Some had developed relationships, others had sought out adventure and then there were those who simply focused on their hobbies. It had been successful to a degree, with each of the stallions occupied in their own right, but it still wasn't quite what they had been trained for. It wasn't what they lived for...
Alas, just as they had all begun to sink into a state of idleness, the fates had decided to grace them with something of note. Evidently the skinwalker plague was enough to tip the balance in the favour of the darker aspects of nature and more was required. It had initially come as gossip to begin with, rumour and whisper that stated that a dark force was on the move... one that could cause havoc and chaos. While it seemed to have no inclination to head towards the northern reaches, that didn't mean that it might turn its gaze on the summit once it was done with the lands below.
Unprepared to listen to the rumours, Sylph had done what was logical and had sent his nephew to the skies. Esper had disappeared for a considerable amount of time, but eventually the black stallion's nephew had returned. Much to Sylph's distaste the rumours had also been found to be true, worse still, his nephew spoke of a large number of Kalona, all massing into one great herd; one unlike anything that had been seen before.
Unfortunately he had been unable to confirm their intentions as he had been unable to draw close, suffice it to say that his angelic wings would have caused too much of a risk at the time... but it was for this reason that Sylph now exhausted his resources and called a meeting that he rarely did...
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 5:42 am
XXXXXXX[Azumoth]
A summit like this one had not been seen since the patriarchs and matriarchs of the original summit had stepped down. It had been on that day that Ambroise and Elizabeth had taken the reins and now led the firebirds that he had become so familiar with, and indebted to, over the years. On that day, Sylph had also taken up the reins to lead his own line, though at the time his son had not found a mate. So much had changed since then, what was once familiar to him had been adapted and stances had been softened. There would have been a time when he would have resisted such changes with ferocity, but as he had observed his son and Sylph had shown he was worthy of his rank, Azumoth had realised that perhaps it was time to place his trust in him.
At the behest of his mate, Azumoth had taken an even greater step, and despite his own better judgement, he had permitted Sylph to lighten the restrictions he placed upon the line. While none of his children or grandchildren had yet to toy with these lighter restrictions, he had no doubt that it would happen eventually. Oddly enough, as the months had drawn on and his offspring hadn't yet tested these restrictions, he had begun to loosen up to the idea. His mate hate always had a way of making him see with greater clarity, she'd always had a way of showing him the light...of inspiring compassion.
...Of granting the benefit of the doubt.
In a manner of speaking, Azumoth surmised that a combination of factors had settled his concerns within his own family. Between his son's reassurances, his mate's affections, and his 'corrupt' grandchild, Suppression; he had realised that perhaps not everything was as it seemed.
Alas, it was with a certain amount of irony that he now found himself on the summit to discuss a threat that he had doubted would ever come. He had assumed that the walkers were more than enough of a scourge on the planet to keep the Kalona at bay, but apparently balance was still swayed in the favour of the light. Thus, the elder stallion strode towards the summit, eventually finding his son upon the precipice overlooking the lands below - ah, but even from here they couldn't see the outlying threat.
They had chosen their home well in some respects.
"A pensive stare for one so young," Azumoth observed wryly. "You are worried."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 5:57 am
XXXXXXX[Grencia]
"Should he not be?" Grencia's rich and dulcet tones joined the summit as the stallion landed delicately on the precipice. It had been with considerable concern that Yei had allowed him out of his sights, and only then it had been with assurances that he would let her know what the 'chaos' was about. Suffice it to say that the peace and tranquillity of the summit had been taken for granted by many who now lived here...and now to have a summit called of scout, guard and warrior alike, gave cause for concern. Grencia had not been left completely in the dark, for he too had herd the rumours of a stirring herd, however they additional details had not yet been bestowed upon him.
"Not since the crowning of our children, have we had such a gathering," Grencia observed, his brow lifting as he moved towards the pair of darker stallions. He afforded a bemused glance at the remaining icicles that began to melt under the presence of his warm coat; ah, but even up here there were some things that could not escape the phoenix's heat. Then again, he would argue that he was doing the summit a favour given that it was technically summer and the ice should have been long gone by now!
"I can only assume that things are not as they seem any more," he added and finally drew to a halt as he cast his gaze down into the valley below. From here everything seemed normal, untainted, though the herds below them might have shifted and changed, the lands had always remained the same. There wasn't even so much as a hint of the skinwalker plague from this height.
...It was really no surprise that the summit was so very out of touch with the rest of society.
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:04 am
XXXXXXX[Ambroise]
"Either we have a considerable problem that I am unaware of, or this has something to do with rumours and walkers," Ambroise wasn't far behind his father, and given that the stallion was much closer to Sylph, he had been aware of the ever changing threats and undercurrents below. While he might have sought to keep the Summit well guarded, he had also kept abreast of the rumours as well... and as they said, there was no smoke without fire when it came to rumours. Sylph had already touched upon some of the issues with him, enough to confirm that while the walker plague still existed, there was now a greater threat to consider.
Initially Ambroise had suspected that the walkers had multiplied, but Sylph had quickly dismissed this idea, having reassured him that Tempest seemed to be keeping their walker in check, though he couldn't comment on the others that existed beyond their scope. Alas, that was a topic of discussion for another time and Ambroise would no doubt touch upon it with Sylph at a later date. While they may not be here for the walkers, it was still important to keep abreast of the issue...even if Tempest was proving unco-operative when supplying them with information.
"If it is to do with the walkers then I sincerely hope you managed to track down your wayward brother, Sylph," he cast an apologetic gaze towards Azumoth, aware that he bordered on rudeness at the reference to Tempest, but he had made his views on the stallion all too clear. If the walker threat became a problem then they needed to be ready and the cream stallion's secrecy would do them no favours. "However if it is to do with rumours, I would hope that the appropriate scouts are nearby...?" he flicked his gaze towards Sylph who provided him with a curt nod of reassurance.
Ah, but Ambroise should have known that Sylph would ensure that every able-bodied male was here...
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:12 am
XXXXXXX[Tempest]
"You never were one to mince words, Ambroise -" the voice was no more than a faint whisper, and yet it would have been recognisable to them all. Rich in its own right, with a hint of a hypnotic vibe, it belonged to the 'wayward' stallion that the herd often held with such contempt. It wasn't that they didn't care for him, on the contrary they all cared deeply for him, but his refusal to cooperate and allow them to provide aid had ruffled more feathers than most cared to admit. While they all recognised the deep and unbridled courage of the stallion, it always took considerable effort to find him and to receive the necessary information from him regarding the skinwalker threat.
Even now his presence on the slopes would have come at a considerable surprise, and if Azumoth, Grencia and Ambroise's reactions were anything to go by, they hadn't even believed it possible he would show. Alas unbeknown to them all, Sylph had managed the impossible in summoning his brother home. Had it not been for Conduit's urgings, then Kiyoshi would never have heeded Sylph's words, yet he had and in doing so he had located the cream stallion.
Unsurprisingly the stallion looked a little worse for wear, and the battles with Syntyche had taken their toll with multiple, cuts, bruises and healing wounds upon his form. However the fierce gleam within his eyes remained and while he might appear battered, he held himself in a way that indicated it would take more than a few hits to bring him to his knees.
"Sylph I have no idea what you said to grandfather," he lifted a brow as he regarded his brother with curiosity, then promptly shook his head. "Regardless I would request that you make this gathering as swift as possible, while I have assurances that Syntyche is indisposed, I cannot guarantee she will be for long..." he drifted into silence, opting to ignore the critical stare of his father as Kiyoshi was mentioned. Suffice it to say that his grandfather was not someone that Azumoth cared to acknowledge.
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:19 am
XXXXXXX[Penance]
As a stallion who had lived in relative peace and quiet with his mate since as long as he could remember, it had taken considerable persuasion for Penance to attend this meeting. He had long since argued that he had rested his laurels and placed the protection of the herd in his brother's hands, however by Sylph's choice language, it had become all too apparently that he didn't give a rats a** what laurels had been laid to rest. As this matter concerned all individuals and the threat had the potential to be devastating if given a chance, all able bodied stallions on the summit were required to attend - that meant even a family stallion like Penance had to pull out his old armour.
Admittedly he was rather out of practice and while he retained some muscle definition from keeping himself active, he wasn't nearly as powerful as those who trained daily. Consequently he couldn't help but fix a bemused smile to his lips as he regarded those who were already present at the summit, a brow lifting at those with some of the more defined muscles. There would have been a time when the stallion was capable of taking them on, but now he suspected he would have lost in a very dramatic fashion. Ah, but did this mean that he was going to have to change his routine and take a crash course in any new techniques that had come about?
He was both intrigued and exasperated by the possibility...
"Tempest, Sylph, Grencia, Ambroise," he gave each a nod in turn before regarding his father and providing a warm smile. A quick bow of his head and then he murmured, "Father," before returning his attention to those around him. It was still early and already the numbers were growing, evidently Sylph hadn't been joking when he implied that he wanted them all here.
"If this gathering is anything to go by, it seems we may not live in a state of peace any longer."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:27 am
XXXXXXX[Resynn]
He had set out later than he had intended, and the hawkstrider suspected that the meeting may have already begun. He was aware that the vast majority of the summit were particularly good at time keeping, yet he wouldn't have put it passed them to start early. As he drew nearer and heard the sound of voices, the hawkstrider had assumed that his assumptions were right. However as he rose above the slope and glided towards the precipice, he noted that not everyone was here yet - evidently it had simply been chit chat, though some of their tones used by the individuals involved indicated that one or two phrases may have been choice.
Nevertheless the hawkstrider didn't take long to land, his hooves pounding against the rock as he came to a heavy landing. He then settled his wings, gave himself a shake and proceeded towards the gathering where there were occasional murmured discussions between individuals. Unsurprisingly, Sylph and Ambroise appeared to have lapsed into some deep conversation, each with matching expressions that belied that they were troubled by some sort of development.
Perhaps it was this one...?
Resynn had no doubt he would find out soon enough and with a small and breathy sigh, he moved to his place, making himself comfortable beside Penance and Tempest who had been in a brief, but pleasant conversation with one another. Evidently Tempest's tremulous relationship with his family didn't always flare up, then again Resynn had never been privy to the in depth details on that score... even Shizukii had been relatively oblivious despite her friendship with Ashura.
"You are a long way from your charge, Tempest," he observed, lifting a brow at the cream stallion. "I did not anticipate that you would be joining us; a missive seemed more logical..." he mused and then shook his head. "Not that I am unhappy to see you, I am relieved to find you still stand, it just seems peculiar."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:54 am
XXXXXXX[Tempest]
A shadow of a smile appeared on the cream stallion's lips as he glanced at Resynn. He knew very little of the stallion, with the exception of recognising him as a seasoned warrior, Tempest hadn't been around enough to get to know him. What he did know, and what Resynn knew of him, stemmed from occasional conversations with Shizukii or from the missives that the herd occasionally received to reassure them that Tempest hadn't yet fallen in battle. Nevertheless, it seemed that Resynn was the only one who appreciated the significance of the priest's work and his observation that Tempest was a long way from his target would have been worthy of applause.
"I appreciate the concern," he replied with a small chuckle, though he also afforded a shake of his head. "You are not the only one to question my purpose for being here," he murmured, keeping his voice low so that Sylph and Azumoth were unable to hear his remarks. While Penny's ears flicked on occasion, indicating he was aware of the conversation, his older brother had always seemed much more relaxed and less inclined to rage at the slight thing. "Yet my grandfather was adamant that I attend, he implied that it was of great importance..."
Ah, now at the reference to Kiyoshi, Penance's brow did furrow.
"I can only surmise that it has some relevance to my own duties, otherwise he would not trouble me with this journey," he added and tilted his head to the side, regarding the hawkstrider with interest, after all, even Resynn had been required to travel quite the distance to reach them - he lived quite a ways across the slopes!
"Then again it is rare for my brother to exaggerate, so I would assume that despite his flaws he is genuine in his concerns, if he were not he would not have summoned every single one of us."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:04 am
XXXXXXX[Resynn]
Resynn nodded in agreement as Tempest made reference to Sylph's nature, it was definitely rare for either him or Ambroise to order such a gathering, and often they preferred to send messengers out with the relevant information. It seemed that on this occasion the dark stallion wished to stress the importance of the information he had received, and it had been for this reason that Resynn had made haste despite the issues that Shizukii and he had been discussing at the time of the messenger's arrival.
Unsurprisingly, as with all things in his life, these type of events had a way of interrupting him during a rather significant or important moment. Much as he had wanted to ignore the missive, even Shizukii had noted the unusual language contained within and had encouraged him to seek out answers. In her own words, she could wait and they could discuss what they needed to when he returned, after all she had waited this long already... It wasn't the most delightful of expressions that he had heard from his mate, but he appreciated the sentiment all the same.
As such he found himself here, casting a glance towards the wayward and notoriously vague plague hunter that stood beside him.
"I would not have come if I did not have reason to believe that the information could have been communicated another way," he murmured and released a sigh. "The gods know they always pick their moments, usually during the most inopportune time for me," he muttered, a touch grumpy, with a tone enough to cause Tempest to chuckle softly by his side.
He provided a scathing look towards the stallion.
"If only you knew..."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:09 am
XXXXXXX[Penance]
The black stallion had been attempting to grant his brother and Resynn some privacy, but at his brother's laughter and Resynn's rather wry tone, Penance had afforded a glance towards the dubious male. It seemed that lady luck rather enjoyed throwing curve balls towards everyone when they were right in the middle of something of importance. Admittedly Penance hadn't been doing anything important, he'd been perfectly comfortable in the company of his mate, but there had been more than one occurrence of fate deciding that he did not have time for pleasantries and had to move immediately.
...By the sound of Resynn's tone, he had clearly been interrupted at a critical moment.
"I am sure that if it is a matter of great significance the information could have been relayed through other means," Penance remarked and then shook his head, a frown appearing on his features. Now that he thought about it, his assumptions weren't strictly correct given that Sylph had almost dragged him out by his tail when Penance had refused to attend this particular meeting... up until that point he'd never known Sylph could be quite so forceful!
"Scratch that, you probably would have ended up with a lecture, this is far easier," he murmured and then released a sigh. "Let's hope it's quick, eh?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:21 am
XXXXXXX[Lil Tut]
It would have been a lie to say that Tut had wanted to attend this meeting. He'd been given such an earache by his father when Sylph had discovered he'd been tracking Tempest and as a consequence, spying on his estranged great-grandfather. However after his ear had stopped throbbing and his father had 'forgiven' him, they had sat down and had a series of conversations about what Tut had been up to, and more vitally, how he'd done it. It had become apparent very quickly that Tut had the unique ability among the family... He was capable of stealth.
As a soquili who was significantly smaller than the rest of the family, he was lighter on his feet and had the ability to slip passed most entirely unnoticed. Sylph had surmised that he had only been discovered by Kiyoshi through a number of factors, one including smell, which ultimately would have grown stronger the longer that Tut had remained. However, when on the move Tut had abilities that were most definitely of use, and despite his lack of combat expertise (frankly he didn't have a knack for close combat), these skills could be used to the advantage of the herd...particularly if he was given the opportunity to develop them.
Alas, with the revelation that he was good at something, he had then fallen under his father's radar with considerably more gusto. He couldn't necessarily get away with his light hearted regime now, and sure enough, in the middle of one of his excursions he had been tracked down by one of the birds who often carried his father's missives. Much to his chagrin the cream stallion had been summoned home and there would be no excuses, no ifs or buts, he was required to come home immediately. He'd never even heard of where he was supposed to go originally, and it had only been after directions from a bemused Conduit that he had found his way up.
And what a climb it had been.
Mother of the gods!
Ah, but he wasn't surprised to discover that he was one of the last there, he'd gotten lost and that was his excuse, but his time keeping had never been up to par with the rest of the males in the herd (although Penance might give him a run for his money). Consequently the stallion elected to duck in unnoticed, shuffling up to take a position beside Grencia for purely selfish reasons - the stallion was warm and it was rather bloody cold this high up.
Now were they missing anyone else, or was he the last? A quick glance and he initially suspected that he was last, but as he counted he noted that one more 'cream' coat was missing. It seemed that his cousin had yet to arrive and that in itself was most peculiar...
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:31 am
XXXXXXX[Grencia]
Grencia had been relatively quiet as he stood beside Azumoth, occasionally exchanging pleasantries and gossip with his friend, yet as others began to filter in he began to take a quick headcount. They were filling up nicely with a vast number of individuals in attendance already, but by the looks of things they were still missing a couple. He shook his head at this, how long were they expected to wait before proceedings began? If he had his preference they would begin now and then provide additional information as and when the others showed up, perhaps a separate meeting for them if it was required.
He had held his piece for a considerable amount of time, but as Tut had arrived (the least punctual of the group), he had to note that at this point he doubted anyone else was going to turn up on time. Given he was the only one unlikely to die from prolonged exposure to these temperatures, it eventually came to the point that the phoenix had little other option other than to subtly encourage Sylph and his son to begin proceedings - if the rest turned up then they turned up, for the time being the pair had stressed that this meeting was of the utmost importance and to delay it was illogical.
"Sylph," he interrupted the conversation between his son and the dark stallion. "I believe it would be appropriate to advise us as to why we are all here, if any more attend then they can be caught up in due course," the stallion remarked and raised an inquisitive brow. Alas, he managed to hide a small smile of amusement as a few individuals sigh with relief.
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:42 am
XXXXXXX[Sylph Forcas]
He was late...
Sylph closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts and temporarily dismissed the missing Esper from his mind. No sooner had Grencia's voice cut through his conversation with Ambroise than Sylph had been reminded that time was of the essence. Granted they hadn't started too late, one or two minutes was hardly worth mentioning, but as the vast majority of those now present had turned up early, they had all been waiting for quite some time! Of course he shouldn't have been surprised that one of the eldest stallions had made this observation, frankly he was more shocked that it hadn't be his not-so-subtle father instead!
"Of course," he said at last, sucking in a deep breath as his thoughts came into focus and he gazed at the assembled stallions in his presence - soquili of all shapes and sizes, strengths and weaknesses, and inherent (if not quirky) capabilities. It had been no surprise that the summit had been so peaceful under their watchful gaze, but it was now impossible to be complacent, there was simply too much at stake... or there would be if they became a point of interest.
"I apologise for the rather abrupt summons, I am aware that many of you had other responsibilities or plans for this afternoon," he glanced between various individuals, including Tempest and Resynn, before he continued to address the herd. "I am sure that you are all too aware of how peaceful and enjoyable our home has been as of late - if anything it seems that the valleys below have forgotten of our existence."
"While this has worked to our advantage until now, it has come to my attention through the eyes of our scouts that while we are safe for the time being, a threat emerges in the valleys that should not be ignored," he took a breath and cleared his throat. "It would seem that the walkers are not the only thing that now plague the valleys," he glanced pointedly towards Tempest as he spoke, an indication that this might be why he had summoned his brother to the summit.
"A great herd amasses in the valleys, compromised only of Kalona, and based on the ground that it has covered and the carcasses it has left in its wake, it would seem that their intentions may not necessarily be pure..."
Another pause.
"As far as I am aware they are unaware of our existence, if anything our isolation has proved to be to our advantage, but we cannot afford to be complacent."
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:47 am
XXXXXXX[Tempest]
Tempest's lips drew into a thin line at the revelation that he had more to contend with than just Syntyche. He already had his hand's full with that accursed beast and now he was being informed that there were more potential obstacles? He was a creature of marked patience and extreme tenacity, but he sincerely doubted he would tolerate any individual who stood in the way of his duties. While he might have doubted that Sylph had 'required' him at this meeting, it now seemed apparent that he did in fact, need to be here. If any thing, the cream stallion required further information at the very least.
Since their observation had their intentions been identified? How many were there, how large were they, were they pure? There were so many questions that needed to be answered so that Tempest could discern whether or not he faced an additional threat in addition to that of Syntyche. Suffice it to say that he would have no issues disposing with a kalona, they were no bigger than he was, but he would rather they didn't get in the way in the first place!
It may have been a rather large assumption, but Tempest had already heard rumours and musings regarding the distaste Kalona had for Skinwalkers. He had no doubt there would be some with such little intelligence that they would attempt to steal a 'kill' for the sake of glory and pride. Granted he would happily watch them die and then step in to silence the walker in question, but when it came to obstacles, they were something he could do without.
"How many are there?" he enquired darkly, his expression positively smouldering as the cogs of his mind turned. "And where are they?" he continued.
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