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 Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:13 pm
WP02 - Little Lost Bird.
This weather, this clarity in the air -- it was her time to feel alive. Surrounded by the promising bloom of life and the stir from slumber of winter, Ascent reveled in the life that shook off winter's last grip and began the cycle of life anew.
The Kiokote loved how strong the world seemed to be, to continue after such hardship of the past season, to forage onwards and create new lives and generations to come. She was taken by the need to gallop and see and smell and feel the breeze; she surrendered herself to the day and left her hoofprints in the soft earth, her mane whipping in her wake. The thrill of Spring was unique, and one she took great joy in.
It wasn't until there was a slight discord in the sounds of life that she was drawn from her euphoric run, slowing to a halt when the mournful chirping was near by. The Kiokote turned around a few times and, locating the source of the discontent, she approached it with ears curiously lofted forward.
A bird? Terribly injured, no less!
Drawing in a short breath of empathy, the Kiokote nosed closer to the fallen avian, brows pinched and upturned in distress. What was she to do, alone and with her exuberance set aside?
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:29 pm
Indeed spring was here, and the promise of new birth and life all around the swamp and in the air. And this -- this is what Eve loved. How life was this whole cycle of life and death, and it was always amazing to watch, every season for her is like the first time she's seen such a wonder.
She liked to just close her eyes and walk around, her hooves taking her wherever it may. She listened to the forest, to the grass, to the flowers, even the dead shrubs and the bones buried underneath the earth. But it was obvious she had heard a sound of agony distantly. And this quite excited her.
The grey doe opened her eyes and started trotting faster to the direction of the sound, stopping when she saw a colourful moving flower nosing at the source of the sound. She gazed at this flower curiously, tilting her head to the side, merely observing from a short distance what was to happen.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:38 pm
Ascent didn't hear the Kimeti's approach, but she saw it out of the corner of her eye, lifting her head to regard the female. She seemed out of place, somehow, a creature the color of mist and fog and gilded secrets, but she was lovely all the same. The Kiokote hesitated to say anything, not knowing this stranger's opinions on the matter, but she also knew that waiting might be the difference between success and failure.
Again bowing her head, she gently nosed the weakly chirping bird and turned her sunset eyes to the Kimeti. "You heard it, then?" she asked by means of greetings. Certainly, Ascent had manners, but her thoughts were not of etiquette and impressions.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:44 pm
Ah, the flower speaks!, the kimeti gave the bright kio a small smile. "I did," she replied, voice gentle. "And I heard you as well."
She slowly made her way closer to the injured bird, bowing her head to look at it closer, but not touching it. She would not meddle with situations of life and death, but this flower seemed ... well, with much more life than she normally felt with others. "Will you save it?" Eve asked quietly.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:49 pm
The Kiokote tipped her head slowly in acknowledgement, not quite returning the smile offered. It wasn't that Ascent was unfriendly, but there was something...something that was just off about the doe. It bothered her that she couldn't put her hoof on it.
Flicking her tail, Ascent returned her attention to the injured bird, the likes of which seemed a touch more distressed with the two greater beasts surrounding it. "I would like to." There was still the problem of her not being able to do so herself...
"Would you help me?" she inquired, eyes drawn back to the mysterious doe. "I cannot do it alone, I fear if I tried, I would only incur further pain."
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:57 pm
The doe wasn't bothered the least without a smile in response, that the other was still talking to her already made her want to stay. Her grey eyes followed the long bright locks of the kio to her flowery markings as if she was the one who brought spring! This flower had spread her blessings to the death of winter -- why, the thought excited Eve.
"Ah?" Her eyes went to the others, blinking languidly at her and down to the injured bird, the kimeti feeling such pain from the bird though she was unfettered. "..." The bird wasn't exactly dying just yet -- she could feel there was more life in it at that moment yet it was still a delicate balance.
"What would you need me to do?" she asked calmly, as if trying to figure out what this flower was doing. Perhaps she could see her bring the bird to life.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:03 pm
Ascent really had no idea what to make of the strange Kimeti, but she was soft spoken and willing to listen, two traits the Kiokote could easily appreciate. She nodded once to the other, flipping her mane over her long neck and slowly kneeling with her front legs so she was closer on the level of the bird. Without pause, she caught some strands of her long hair between her teeth and pulled, neatly plucking the auburn threads.
"All I would ask is for you to hold one part of my hair," she tossed her head, and with it, the delicate strands she removed from her mane fell closer to the Kimeti. "I need it taut so I might fashion the rest around the wing. Either Spring will win and the bird will flourish, or Winter will claim one last hardship." It was then that Ascent did smile, a faint but warm expression around the threads she yet held. "All I can do is try to give this life a fighting chance."
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:09 pm
And oh how that flower did smile! Eve couldn't help but smile back, eyes then looking at the bird and back to the strong flower.
"Life is always a cycle, death is inevitable and a death -- can mean rebirth -- perhaps of something ... even more beautiful." Eve said in her soft voice, bowing her head down and taking the Kiokote's auburn locks into her mouth, wordlessly offering her help. It was mostly because she had wanted to see if this female had some sort miracle tucked with her. And perhaps mostly because she enjoyed this indomitable spirit she could easily feel from the other.
"Shhh, little bird. It will all be over."
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:15 pm
"Everything has a place and a moment," Ascent agreed distantly, still a little unsettled by the other's choice of words. "If the MotherFather sees fit to call to this one, it will be so." Their efforts would be in vain or the bird would fly again: it was that simple.
When the Kimeti took hold of the hair, Ascent let her end go over the bird's squirming back, leaning over and seizing a small piece of bark on the grassy floor - perhaps the bird had flown into the tree?. Irregardless, she used her great legs and hooves to all but hold and pin the bird in place, only then retrieving the plucked hair and using a series of craning neck and soft exhalation of air to maneuver the threads. It took a few minutes, but the bark was secure to the wing of the bird, successful only due to the strange female's help.
As slowly as she kneeled, Ascent got back to her hooves, looking to the mist-pelted female. "One last favor, friend. Would you pick the bird up and put it on my back?" She paused, then, a considering weight in her eyes. "In seven crossings of the sun and moon, perhaps I will find you here again...? Then we will see if our efforts have paid off. And if not...the cycle will continue."
Either by the Kimeti's will or her own, Ascent would not permit the bird to suffer if it would not heal.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:41 pm
"Indeed." She replied, rather content with the response of the flower. And with curious eyes she watched the stranger, the locks still between her muzzle and quietly admiring how the other gracefully moved and took care of the little bird, admittedly a little surprised it wasn't a magical spell that was casted. The other sure looked like some kind of goddess of the land.
Eve let go of the hair, quietly obeying the requests asked of her, gently taking the bird up on her muzzle with care and putting it upon the flowery back. This female was one special moving flower, she wondered where she would bring the little creature.
Her ears perked at the words, "Here again? ..." she immediately nodded her head after she said that, smiling brightly. "Of course. Our paths shall cross when the universe sees fit. Thank you for your company, kind, strong flower."
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 5:44 pm
When all was settled and the bird was nestled on her broad back, the Kiokote bowed her head in gratitude to the Kimeti, feeling a little bad for being so harsh to judge. Sure, the mist-pelted female was a little unusual to her, but Ascent wasn't from the Swamp. There were bound to be differences.
"My thanks, gilded beauty. You can call me Ascent." She smiled again, brief and touched with a small bit of apology she felt in her guilt. "Til we meet again, my friend."
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