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 Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 6:50 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:03 pm
It was almost beautiful, Antony thought hazily as he slowly sank to the ground. Excruciatingly painful, but beautiful all the same. As the world slowed around him, he could see the whirling clouds of dust, kicked up by innumerable hooves. He could see the flying manes and tails of the Soquilis closest to him. He could see the fierce expressions on everyone's face, occasionally shifting with the same amazing slowness to shock or horror or whatever other emotion a change in the course of their battle inspired. He could even see a graceful arc of blood...his blood...curving up and forward in front of his eyes, seeming to raise higher as he sank to the ground. Remarkable.
In the same slow fashion, he could see and feel the Kalona stallion pull back from his shoulder, tearing a mouthful of Antony's hide with it. How large was that wound, he wondered hazily, and how much blood had he lost? Was it recoverable? Did it even matter at this point, when the world was moving so slowly around him?
The stallion locked eyes with Antony as he fell, and with a slowness Antony couldn't tell whether was brought on by the stopping of the world or a deliberate attempt to taunt, swallowed down the mouthful of flesh. He really ought to be upset about that, Antony thought, but he couldn't seem to feel anything right now other than pain. Pain, and a lazy awareness of the beauty of the world around him...
That, and the fact that Loveless was going to be very, very upset with him. Very upset with him indeed, he reflected as he watched the stallion rear up on his hind legs...
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Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:41 pm
~~~Earlier~~~~ Antony had been silent for so long that Corsant was afraid his father was going to have some sort of attack. It wasn't like his father to be so silent and stoic, especially not on the heels of such significant news. Then again, to his knowledge his parents had never had to face the idea of any of their children facing such incredible danger as they know knew Azelle had seen. Now, Antony had to face the reality that his youngest daughter and child had gone forth in an attempt to infiltrate the Kalona herd and gain information on their movements. As a half-breed Kalona, this was an incredibly dangerous undertaking; while none of them knew exactly what was motivating the Kalona herd, it was obvious they took pride in their race. And there were no Kalona of that nature who looked fondly on any half-breed. Corsant would have been much more alarmed at Antony's behavior if he wasn't feeling rather numb at this point himself. Had it really only been the night before last that they first became aware of the presence of the Kalona herd? The tension and anxiety felt as though they had been with him a lot longer. ~~~~ Corsant could still recall, vividly, being woken by his father in the pre-dawn hours the night of the Massacre. Antony, being further east and having a tendency towards light sleeping, had been woken by a strange sound carrying on the night breeze some hours earlier. it had been relatively steady, but fluctuated in pitch and volume. He had been puzzled by the sound, and had quietly slipped off to investigate. But it hadn't taken many miles of travel before he had finally realized the sound for what it was: Screaming. Antony had pressed on, but had moved northward out of the forest into the foothills rather than heading straight east towards the noise. Eventually, concealed by the terrain and in possession of an amazing vantage point, Antony had been able to witness the tail end of the Massacre. It was beyond nightmarish, and it had hard-pressed Antony to remain aloof. His tender heart ached for the people and Soquili who had been taken by surprise, and the sight of the destruction and sound of their screams would be seared in his brain for he knew not how long. But he had a duty to his family first, and there was nothing he could do for the people below. Silently, he had returned the way he had come, and further, to rouse his son, explain what was taking place, and lead him back to assess the situation and bear witness to what was happening. Alone of his six children, Corsant still dwelt nearby. Antony wanted to seek out and find all of them, but he didn't even know where the other five might be. For now, he could only pray to the Spirits to keep them safe. ~~~~ Father and son had seen something horrible that day, and had promptly fallen into heated discussion on how best to deal with it. They had told Loveless, of course, and had passed the news on to other friends to pass on to other family members and acquaintances. But in the end, Antony had determined what was best for them was to wait. Even including Loveless, who Antony was loathe to see in combat again but knew he couldn't deny, they were only three; even an amazing three would be hard pressed to survive long against mob such as they'd witnessed. ~~~ But that was earlier, before they had learned that Azelle was involved. Perhaps other family members had gotten involved as well. Either way, Antony wasn't content to just stay back and wait. Turning to face his son at the end of his long silence, Antony had squared his shoulders. "I need to return to the overlook, and reassess the situation. I will ask your mother to stay here, in case any of your siblings come to find us, and I would ask you-"Without allowing his father to finish, Corsant cut in firmly. "You're not going without me, Dad. I have just as much right to look out for Azzie's safety as you do, and it's too dangerous for you to go alone."Antony regarded his son for another long moment. Of all his children, Corsant was the one who had connected most with his combative heritage, but only ever as far as the actual fight. None of the children had been lighter of spirit or cheerier of mood than Corsant, even when he had someone else's teeth at his throat. It had been almost maddening at times, how Corsant seemed determined to avoid feeling or expressing any serious emotion. Antony hadn't seen that side of his son since the night before last. The stallion who stood facing him now met his gaze with a mixture of concern and stoicism that Antony found almost as unsettling, in its own way, as anything else they were now facing. He could only hope that would not be a permanent change, as no one deserved to lose their innocence in such a violent way. Though he couldn't say this situation had forced Corsant to grow up. As they stood together, Antony could see that Corsant was taller and broader than he himself, and Corsant had Kalona horns to boot. He had always been the pride of Antony's sparring class, and although they had never faced true life and death combat, he knew Corsant was as prepared for this as he himself. So it was easy for him to nod in agreement with his son, saying simply, "We'll both go."
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Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:56 pm
Much had changed in the scene since Antony and Corsant had silently surveyed the scene of the Massacre. Returning by their previous course through the foothills, they had come upon a much smaller, but equally fierce battle raging between several dozen Kalona and a band of Kawani Soquili. It was a bloody rampage, just as before, but unlike last time, it was not one-sided. This time, both sides fought furiously, both sides apparently forewarned of the existence of the other. The fight was much closer to their home than the Massacre, and both father and son realized the Kalona were, inevitably, attempting to spread their domination.
~~~~
They didn't have to join in. From a purely technical perspective, it wasn't their fight. More to the point, they had told Loveless they were only going to scout and assess the situation, and avoid fighting if at all possible. Antony hadn't fought a true fight in years, and Corsant had never yet faced a real battle. But neither one of them had made any excuses. Later, Corsant would be hard-pressed to say whether there was any true conversation, or whether there was simply unspoken agreement. But the end result had been father and son both launching themselves into the fray, wings extended and teeth bared.
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Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:10 pm
Adrenaline was a powerful force. Corsant knew he ought to be afraid, that this was the 'real deal'. Since the early hours of yesterday morning, he had been haunted by the horror of what he had heard and seen, terrified of the possibilities for himself, his family, and all those he cared about. He had practically lost his senses over the thought of his sister meeting this same enemy.
Yet now, as he lept into the fight and charged in at his first opponent, he felt no fear. Perhaps it was his years of training and practice, his confidence in himself and his abilities. Perhaps it was the understanding that this was for real, and he couldn't allow himself to be distracted by anything, including his own fears. Perhaps it was his drive to protect his home, or avenge the fallen. Perhaps it was simply that after all the rage and and silence and tension, he was finally allowed to act out in the a way in which he most strongly connected.
Whatever the reason, Corsant was a fury, and from the very beginning, he was unstoppable. His long blond tail was a beacon to the Kalona, drawing their attention and just as quickly their ire, for the tail served as a proud banner of his half-breed nature. And he welcomed their rage, welcomed their attacks. Years of training with his father, practicing with his siblings, and refining his down-and-dirty maneuvers with his pure-blooded Kalona mother now saw their reward and he kicked, bit, stabbed, slammed, and lashed his way through his opponents. His long hair became bloody, and his body sported multiple new gashes, but he didn't care. He would prevail, and no amount of insignificant injury would slow him down...
He had just whirled around an attacking Kalona's fangs, driving his shoulder spikes up into the attacker's throat, when he, for the first time since the battle started, caught sight of his father. Antony had his back to Corsant, but Corsant had a perfect view of his father falling, a Kalona's muzzle at his throat and a gush of blood shooting upwards as he fell...
And that's when the world went black.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:10 am
~~~~
"Such a serious face for one so small...perhaps you wish to share and unburden your mind, yes? Perhaps then you might be able to enjoy yourself on this walk as you ought. Or have you reached the age where you no longer find enjoyment in the company of your father?"
"Papa...am I dangerous?"
"My, such deep musings! No wonder you have such a serious face when considering such serious subjects. Perhaps you will tell me what makes you wonder such a thing, and we shall chat, yes?"
"Well, when Dodger and I were playin' yesterday, he said he hadn't told anyone about me, not me specifically, on account of I'm a Kalona and Kalona are dangerous. He said he wasn't scared of me, but that maybe he wouldn't be allowed to play with me anymore if anyone knew. Does that mean I'm dangerous?"
"Such a question is a very complicated one, my Antony, and not one you can answer with a clear 'yes' or 'no.' So let me start by asking if you think you're dangerous. For that matter, what do you think dangerous means?"
"Well...dangerous means you hurt things, right? And I don't hurt things, not even to eat 'cause I don't like meat like Mama. So I don't THINK I'm dangerous, e'zactly. But can't I be dangerous and not know it? I'm a Kalona, right? 'Cause Mama is a Kalona?"
"Exactly correct about 'dangerous', Antony, but not completely correct about the rest. Your mother is a Kalona, yes, but I am not. This makes you a half-Kalona, because only half of the parts that physically make you you came from your mother. She gave you your coloration, your teeth, and your wings, but you also have my tail, my hooves, and my lack of horns. Only time, and growth, will tell if you are as large as the Kalona, as dainty as a wind, or somewhere in between. You are unique. However..."
"I do not regret the circumstances that lead to you and your siblings being born, my interactions with your mother, or your existence. Unfortunately, your mother's race has a higher than average inclination towards violence. As you yourself have noticed in your little wrestling matches with your brother and sister, fangs, horns, tail lashes and wing spikes can hurt a lot more than headbutts, bumps, and biting with flat teeth. Biology has made it easier for Kalona to hurt others and, by association, be dangerous."
"So...I am dangerous?"
"Having the tools is but one piece of the puzzle, Antony. To be dangerous also indicates a willingness and eagerness to use them. You are a gentle child, and you always have been. Didn't you just now say you don't hurt things, not even to hunt?"
"Yes..."
"You are half Kalona, and you have two of the Kalona's most powerful weapons, your teeth and wings. But you, unlike many others, have made a conscious choice not to use those weapons. Your very nature means you, my Antony, are not dangerous. You are no more dangerous than your friend Dodger."
"Really, Papa?"
"Really. However, you must always be mindful you have these tools, so that you never use them hurtfully in error. And beyond that..."
"You look awfully serious too, Papa. Does your tummy hurt?"
"My tummy is fine, but there is one more thing. You and your brother and sister are growing up, and there are some things of which you need to be aware. Your mother, as we have discussed, is a Kalona. She is a wonderful creature, your mother, and much more open to life's experiences than many of her kind. Although we know it is wrong to have predjudices against anyone, it is extremely important you understand the Kalona race, as we previously discussed, can be dangerous. More to the point, they can be very dangerous to anyone of partial Kalona blood."
"You mean they would be dangerous to me and Neve and Nicky? Why??"
"There are certain things that we must wait to tell you until you are a bit older, I'm afraid, and the 'why' is one of them, Antony. However, it is important you understand caution should be used if you ever encounter a Kalona who is not your mother, especially if your mother is not with you. Until you are full grown, I would encourage you to hide or leave the area, if you can leave silently. When you are bigger, or if you are in company with an adult, then we can potentially determine if interaction is possible."
"This is very confusing, Papa. I'm not dangerous, even though I'm part Kalona, but I should treat Kalonas like they're all dangerous?"
"Precisely."
"I don't know if I get it."
"Life can be a very confusing thing, I'm afraid."
~~~~
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:31 am
((all quotes from this rp)) ~~~~
"Oh, boys, let me introduce you to the next blondie. This is my daughter, Loveless. Loveless, this is Guilian and Antony. We were just out for a stroll, Loveless enjoys actually going out into the open, unlike the boys who, are taking their mothers influence it seems. Heartless and I have noticed something very interesting from these children. Since Heartless isn't very good at expressing emotion, all of our children seem to dominate in one more then the other. Loveless has, quite a lot of Anger.."
"Nice to meet you, Loveless; you must be very proud to have Ariston for a father, seeing as he's such a cool guy and all."
"My daddy is the best, I'll be the best too. Antony are you fearsome? You have the same wings as me, ya know."
"Extremely fearsome. Don't I look it? Good thing I look it, though, because I can't really act it. Being fearsome is all well and good, but I prefer being friendly. It's more entertaining. And I sure do, although I think that my wings have a bit of an edge on yours right now."
"Whoa your wings are big, I hope mine become big. My teeth still hurt, it sucks. You like being good? I like being good, sometimes, if I like the person. But my, being fearsome is just much better, you know. I think its more fun. Its natural for me, its weird. One Kalona was teaching me about hunting, I think her name was uh.. Miss Izusa. I dunno. My dad gets mad when I get angry and talk like that but, he will just have to deal!"
"Izusa, huh? Did she have three horns on her head, spikes and tendrils on her tail, look kind of shiny, and have runic markings that look like these on her?"
"You you your...Izusa's son?! Sorry for freaking out but, your mom is so strong and scary, she is cool. I am just so shocked, I wouldn't have seen Izusa like that! Has she taken you to hunt at all? Its thrilling."
"Izusa's my mother, though I didn't really inherit the 'scary' thing. She tried, but even though I look a lot like my mother, I guess I'm more like my father when it comes to things like hunting. He doesn't hunt, and neither do I."
~~~~
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:52 am
((All quotes from this rp)) ~~~~ "Antony. Why hello. I spotted you so easily, lucky me."
"Loveless? I see that time flies faster than I realized, though that seems to have done a greater number on you than me! Not quite so small as you used to be, to state the obvious...but height and all that aside, it's great to see you again. How've you been?"
"Are you always this friendly? Its exactly how I remember you. 'It is great to see me again?' But, how do you know that this will be great right off the bat? I am aware of your optimism, though I will never understand it. I am not sure how I really think about it. And I have been on my own since I grew up. The second my wings could carry me I left, and since then I have been alone."
"Alone, eh? Well, I can understand that in a way, seeing as I myself basically bailed on things when I was old enough to be on my own. Hopefully the freedom has been agreeing with you, not that I doubt that it has."
"Freedom? You think I left where I was born for freedom? I chose this way of life because its how I should be living. Why, is freedom something that you desire, Antony? Because, freedom can mean many things you know..."
~~~~
"How is your family, then? I wouldn't know about mine, I left them, see. And, it was only to better myself and my breed. Are you still fighting with your sister or whatever? If she bothers you so much, why not just kill her?"
"Because I don't believe that bloodshed is the answer to all of life's problems. I might think Neve is a b***h, but that doesn't mean she has any less right to life than I do or anyone does."
"Bloodshed is nice, though. You haven't done such a thing yet, correct? Its nature, dear. Of course, in my own opinion I find many not worthy for life and its gifts, but once my eyes were opened to how I should be as a Kalona, I find myself most happy. Now, why so quiet all of the sudden? Do Kalona scare you?"
"Wrong. My mother attempted to introduce all of us to hunting, even Nic who lacked the fangs. I never saw the point or felt the rush. And as for me being afraid of kalona...I'd have to be at least half afraid of myself then, wouldn't I? I don't fear kalonas on their own, Lessy, but I DO fear what they often let themselves become."
"Why do you fear something so great? I don't know why you assume that Kalonas 'become' anything, we choose it. Does that mean you find me disgusting? But alas, why do you ignore something that you were blessed with, dear Antony?"
"Becoming is not necessary an involuntary action, Less; you can choose to become something as easily as otherwise. And while it's too early to make a clear and educated decision, I'm beginning to think that I do. Hardly a blessing, under any guise. Or have you forgotten I'm a 'half-breed'?"
"But don't you see, your hate for your half Kalona side is so silly. Instead of praising something, you are shamefully ignoring it. You are resisting it, and completely putting it aside as if it is not there. I am quite aware of what you are, but I couldn't resist coming down here for a friendly chat. I do what I please, and I don't find you worthless. Does that sadden you? Should my opinion be different? You never answered my question, and I don't like waiting. Do you find me disgusting Antony?"
"You can't ignore what's beneath notice, Less. I hate hunting, abhor killing, and find bloodshed to be senseless. I enjoy the company of all types, and couldn't even begin to tell you what I see wrong with that view...but I concede you are different. As for whether or not you disgust me, I believe I already answered that, but whatever. This chat hasn't been long enough for me to make an educated determination...but yes, I'm pretty sure that you might just disgust me. How could you do anything but, when you have such a blatant disregard for life?"
"Hunting is so thrilling and amusing, and watching another die is just brilliant. Time stops for another, and it is a powerful gift. I think this life is fitting, especially since my father uses his pride falsely. He is supposed to be a sin, and yet, he isn't evil enough. Maybe all of the things he hated, all of the emotions he disregarded, got shoved into me. But, I don't find that a bad thing, as I said, I am quite content. If I am to fill this roll better, then I will make him just as proud by doing it. And, you may be a half breed, but you should know I am quite stubborn enough to do what I want. Killing you doesn't suit my tastes right now anyways."
"I don't doubt you're stubborn, Lessy; that much I already knew. It's great that you don't feel like killing me, but beyond that...you're definitely a conundrum."
"But Antony, why aren't you being optimistic? Didn't you say earlier that you can make anything optimistic? This is a pretty rotten situation, so why not make it better? How disappointing. If you are going to be something, then so be it. Be your bubbly whatever self, I could give a damn in my tastes. But don't change yourself in the presence of me. That is just shameful you know.."
"Obviously I was wrong; there are apparently some things that even I can't make into something positive."
"If that's really what you are going to say to ME, then I am disgusted at this point. Why are you so disappointed in me, Antony? Just because you don't approve, doesn't mean it should always lead to disappointment. Did I ever say I was disappointed in you?"
"What, so I'm supposed to be thrilled? 'So you're a murderous bloodmonger who has no respect for the things I hold dear? Sure, how's the killing treating you', is that what you are expecting? You don't have a problem with me, I shouldn't have a problem with you? I couldn't be anything BUT disappointed at this turn of events, and frankly can't see a way to be anything BUT upset, given the circumstances."
"I guess I wonder, why do you waste so much emotion on me? If it is so bothersome and hard to think about- then don't think about it at all! Its a great method, you should really try it."
"Because it's what I am. Goodbye, Lessy."
~~~~
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:02 am
~~~~
"Feh. You don't even begin to understand the enormity of what you're asking, even if you weren't a b*****d half-breed. As though you would be able to retain anything, even if you were to keep up. You're already a stallion full grown, bad habits engrained. What makes you think I have any interest in taking on such a lost cause as teaching you to fight?"
"Because I'm not a lost cause. I never learned to hunt and I never learned to fight, true. But I did learn to get out of the way, and I have quick reflexes and good memory. I can do this, and I will be a student worthy of your instruction."
"Proud words, but hardly anything I wouldn't expect to hear from another in your position. How do you handle pain, boy? How do you handle intimidation, fear? Will you listen to everything I say, follow my every instruction as though your life depends on it? Because I warn you, if you intend to be my pupil, it will."
"I understand."
~~~~
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 12:49 pm
((All quotes are from this rp)) ~~~ "Loveless...you look terrible."
"Thanks. I'm not gonna do anything.. if that's why you are being so stiff. I'm sorry."
"Thanks, I suppose. And if I'm stiff, then that's hardly a surprise, is it? It's not every day that you encounter a Soquili that would be more than willing to rip your throat out because of your parentage."
"That won't be happening, I assure you. Especially to you. I haven't done that in months, you know. I know I have never talked to you like this.. but I want to try. I wouldn't trust me either."
"I'm sure that your assurance is all I need to soothe my nerves...oh wait, it's just the opposite. And I wouldn't know, as a matter of fact, since tailing you for fun and profit has never been a part of my life's goals. Trust is only the tip of the iceberg, Loveless. But if you want to talk like 'this', you can start by telling me what the hell you think you're doing. If this is some new mind game of yours, I can tell you right off the bat that I am not interested in playing."
"What happened to your chipper attitude, and your constant smiling face? If you want to take whatever emotions you have in your mind out on me, then I understand. As punishment, I think it is legit enough. But if you are spewing a new attitude out of nowhere, and reclaiming yourself as some 'badass' in front of me, then I am highly disgusted. I know I am not one to talk, pulling this.. attitude of mine out onto you. But I am afraid I have no other options, and this is how I, want to act. But you? This is incredibly random. Mind game? No, I am afraid not. Though I am sure that my talking is strange enough as is. What are you doing, Antony?"
"You know, there's a funny thing about chipper attitudes, Loveless. It's rather hard to hold them around people you don't care for, and even harder to hold one around someone that has obliquely threatened the lives of those you care about. You might not appreciate the value of Soquili life, but my best friend, my siblings, my FATHER are all included in that class of Soquili that you have made very clear are little more than cattle. You've always been a smart mare, it shouldn't be that hard for you to see the connection. But fair enough. You think I'm acting out of character, I think you're acting out of character, we're both off-center. Fair enough."
"Didn't you know? I'm not very smart, or brave, or confident. I'm not any of those things at all. I'm quite the opposite of my father. Hurting others it really sucks you know. I only attacked this couple once, and then I failed. I flew away, but then saw a Unicorn from the sky rushing over, and I knew then that they would be fine. I've seen the couple a few other times, and they still looked happy, even after all of that. What else could I say? Disgracing my father and myself is bad enough, I figured you wouldn't be impressed."
"Do you expect me to challenge this statement that hurting people sucks? Because I'm hardly going to argue."
"My actions were.. terrible Antony. I didn't want to hurt you, so I had to get away from you. As much as that is twisted in its own way, please understand. My intentions were for the better, I could never hurt you or Guilian...Its going to be a long road from here.. but I think it will be better. I don't know if I deserve a second chance, but hell, I am going to try."
"Look, Loveless, I REALLY don't understand what you're saying. You could never hurt me or dad, so you only talked about hurting us to my face? Tried to get me to hunt, to kill, to 'embrace my inner kalona', all with the ultimate knowledge that you couldn't hurt me? I can't say I understand any of this, not really, Lessy."
"You don't have to understand right away Antony, but I appreciate that you are giving me the time to speak"
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 8:02 pm
 She had been patient for as long as she could. It wasn't in Loveless' personality to sit and be idle about anything. It was hard enough that something felt terrible in the air. She was antsy and sore at the thought of even sitting still. She had promised Antony she would not get involved. What a stupid agreement to keep them calm... There was so much panic earlier with Antony and Corsant that she, too, didn't even consider the situation.
She had no idea how long she waited before she came to her senses and realized she needed to go after them.
Like a snake she slithered through the forest, using her dark figure to her advantage. As fast as her heart was beating, she remained silent. Half of her wanted to rip the world to shreds, while the other half of her wanted to scream. She knew she should have been there to support her boys. She should have stepped up so her children didn't have to. This whole situation wasn't fair. And of course it had to be Kalona...
What if I was out attacking innocents? What if I was on the other side?
It was a horrible thought to even digest. As much as it pained her, if it wasn't for Antony she'd be one of the monsters terrorizing the land, for a purpose she never understood. This is why she should have been by his side. No one understand this horror as much as he did.
Her anxious thoughts were interrupted with hoofs and shrieks in the distance. She slowed her pace and decided to tread slowly. The last thing she wanted to do was blow her hiding spot. If she was discovered by the enemy, her first reaction was to 'play on their side'. She had always been blessed with Heartless' scary appearance, especially when she rolled her eyes into a hard glare.
Her strategy to survey the situation kept her confident, and it grew harder to remain silent the closer and more pumped up she felt to the gathering of action around her...
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 11:18 am
"I could not be more proud of you, Tony. It is not a choice I made in your position, or is it a choice I feel I could ever make, but I am proud of you. The important thing now is for you to be committed to your choice and be the best partner you can be."
"Thanks, Dad. I really think this is the right thing, even if I'm terrified. Is that weird, do you think?"
"You are speaking of monogamy, Antony, so please forgive me if I can't say whether or not you concerns are normal. But perhaps if we look at what it is you find terrifying, it will help, yes?"
"I don't really know if I can make it that simple. I love Lessy, I know. And I plan to be the best father to our children I can be. It'll be a challenge, I'm sure, but you managed to survive raising us. I think what I'm most worried about is...this."
"Ah...so that is what concerns you? You are worried about the genes?"
"Ironic, huh? I mean, I think I've done a good job living the right kind of life. And Lessy has had some challenges, but she's really turned herself around and I know we can be committed to raising the kids with the right kind of attitude. But what if that darkness can't be avoided? What if it comes out just because of what we are?"
"Antony, you are only half Kalona. More to the point, Loveless is full Kalona, yes? As is her father. Yet her father is my best friend, and one of the kindest creatures I know. We will not speak of Loveless' dark times, but were they not largely occurring after a period of rebellion and poor role models, Ariston excluded? This is not something which occurred simply because of blood. Are not there mean regulars, or hostile flutters? You are no more inclined towards violence than any other, and I know you and Loveless will do well together."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad, but I'm still terrified."
"Well, just give yourself a little time. You'll be surprised at how much you'll learn from your own children..."
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 1:57 pm
Something in her heart pulled her forward. There was this demure feeling that she was supposed to be somewhere, and she was meant to be in this fight. Why didn't she feel it before? Rather then remain cryptic and hide amongst the forest, she knew she had to unveil herself to whatever horror and violence was going on. Sure, it may have been awhile since she was in a serious fight. But her aid would most likely be helpful to any bystander, as she was already late to the chaos that had occurred earlier. She had to find her family. Enough was enough... the rage was building in her.
Her preparation to enter the battlefield was not well digested. All around her she saw violence, and good versus evil was hard at play. It was time to get into action, and she was ready. Her appearance was not unnoticed, and unfortunately for her, she had neglected to remember she could easily look like the enemy. When an Alicorn charged her way, Loveless reared on her hind legs to stop him. "NO, I fight with you!" Her quick instinct was enough to diffuse the situation, but not enough to draw attention to the real enemies.
An injured Kalona mare raced up to her tracks, screaming "TRAITOR, TRAITOR." Loveless was at the advantage due to the other mare's large leg injury, and she started to lose herself as she felt her first jab go forward and also get received on her own body. Blood for blood, the pain was equally distributed amongst the fighters. This was what war was, and she had always been ready for this even if she had locked that away years ago.
As much as anything hurt right now, nothing was as painful as the way Anevay used to train and abuse her...
"You are weak." Was all Loveless responded with as the familiar code word with Anevay, and within moments she sank her teeth into her prey's face and dragged her to the ground. The blood was salty and gross, and a nice reminder of why she was on the side she was. She had to keep that part of her alive in this fight.
Let yourself go. You can return after you find your family...
The monster inside her spat out the remains of the other Kalona mare, and Loveless raced forward feeling and distributing pain, fighting with everything she had. All she could see and feel was red. She lost her emotions and feelings, and felt her actions more and more. So much rage for what Anevay and the others had done to her, what they had made her feel. This was her redemption. This was her time to let it out and fight for the right side, FINALLY. Oh it felt so good.
Until it all came back to her because she saw him. She saw so much blood. So much pain. Everything she had hoped to stop...
"ANTONY!!!!"
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 2:22 pm
The world still moved with excruciating slowness, and Antony could hear and feeling everything and nothing at once. As he fell, moments in time flashed through his mind; his first meeting with his childhood friend, the first time he ever learned he might be dangerous; meeting his father's best friend, the completely un-Kalona Kalona Ariston; meeting Loveless the first time, meeting Loveless the second time, when everything almost fell apart, meeting Diabetia and learning to fight...the third time he met Loveless, when everything got better....parenthood, lifemating, all those years reminding his family how much they were loved, how much they should never let their blood define them...
He remembered teaching his eldest to fight, which became a ritual with all six of his children. He embraced their peaceful nature, but always lurking in the back of his mind was the fear of what could happen, both to them and by them. Anxiety had dogged his steps when he debated teaching the kids, and when he finally started it was on condition the children never tell Loveless the extent of their training sessions. They almost never spoke of Loveless' dark times, and Antony had never wanted to risk hurting his lifemate with reminders of a painful chapter from their past.
He sank to the ground, dropping first to his knees, then folding onto his side. One wing came up with the same slowness as the rest of the world, pressing against the gaping wound in his neck. It really hurt.
More memories raced by as he watched with a detachment as the Kalona stallion reared up on his hind legs, forelegs extended in preparation for a full stomp that Antony knew he ought to try to dodge, but couldn't really bring himself to attempt. It was easier to lie there, and to watch.
Their second set of children, an unexpected joy. Their "adoption" of his nephew after learning the boy was basically alone, and Antony's shock that anyone could be so callous and not even have being a Kalona to blame on it. His youngest son taking to fighting with an almost terrifying intensity...
Corsant.
Antony was snapped from his dazed contemplations by remembering he hadn't come here alone. Corsant was here as well, somewhere in this mass of blood and noise and chaos and carnage. Antony coughed, tasting the salt of someone's blood, and was looking around for a sign of his son when he heard the anguished sound of his own name and locked eyes with his lifemate.
Yes, he was definitely in trouble...
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 3:53 pm
Her world was split into two feelings right now. The first had to do with the fact she had never prepared herself for losing Antony. They were far too young and the world had been very peaceful up until today. The agonizing sadness was enough to make her, too, fall to the ground. A part of her wanted to be that dramatic...
She decided to choose feeling number two, which was simply rage towards the situation. Perhaps it was the same rage her enemies were using, or perhaps it was something stronger. Once she realized feeling number one would hold her back, she knew she had to run towards Antony, and destroy whatever was destroying him. This moment was seriously the worst. She had no control right now, and she made a huge mistake by not coming and supporting Antony and Corsant. If she were here with them earlier, what if the situation was better?
Antony's eyes looked so horrified. It hurt so much. Was he in shock from the pain, or from seeing her? She didn't want him to feel more stress because she was there. She needed to end this, now.
Without hesitation she galloped towards Antony. She would not be there in time for his next hit from the Kalona, and that stressed her out more. She dodged through bodies and other fighters clashing.
She had one target and she didn't care how big the other Kalona was. She would bring him down if it meant her going down with him.
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