[PRP] Impurities ['Ano'i & Kaya Awa]

[The Dawn of Twilight]

This is a PRP involving The Dawn of Twilight's:


'Ano'i


Kaya Awa

[Teepee Link].

 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

The multi-hued stallion dragged himself onto the shore, grinning up at the sky. I made it.

He had been born on a small tropical island just off the main Kawani lands. He had been raised to be good, and kind, and strong. Everyone had always liked being around him, and he'd always liked being around others.
Yet as he grew, stories of the mainland trickled into his sheltered life on the small island. Valiant steeds clashing with monstrous beings that prowled as beast and Soquili alike, breeds henceforth unknown coming to light amidst sandstorms and the failing of magical borders, cold white powder falling from the skies and turning into the purest of rivers... Curiosity has spurned his desire to explore these lands for himself- could the stories be true? If there was truth to the tales, could he be a part of one?
The need to explore had grown and grown, until he knew that only movement would satiate it. A great journey. A swim to the mainlands, bit of exploring, and back before nightfall. How hard could it be, right?

Though he would miss his large family dearly, he had set off with all the good-natured optimism of youth. He had waded into the great water that separated his home from the unknown, and with great kicks propelled himself through the water.

... and he kicked, and kicked, and kicked...

... and swam.

... and swam.

.... and swam....


... until, finally, now, he had dragged himself onto the sandy shore... and reached the first marking of his journey.
Peering up at the sky, he wondered how, exactly, he planned on surviving in these strange lands... and then a seagull flew overhead and he forgot his worries and let his spirits sore.
After all, as long as he could find fresh water and something to eat, nothing could go wrong! ... Right?
 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

Kaya Awa stared out at the waves, watching the gentle cresting of the white-caps as the salty sea broke upon the gently-sloping bank. Standing upon the pale sand, he watched, catching a glimpse of the seaweed that swirled not far offshore and the little rocks and things that were exposed as every wave rushed back to join the whole.
It was... a magnificent sight, to be sure. He was certain, though, that it could not compare to that one thing he searched for, yearned for, above all others.

The pure river.
His namesake.
His reason for being.

He looked up at the sky, watching the fluffy clouds moving gently along.

'Have you ever seen waters so pure that you can see clear to the bottom...
even though that river-bottom is many lengths deep? Water so pure that you have to look twice to catch the movement, to see that the water is there and it's not just thin air? Water so pure your eyes ache if you gaze upon them for too long?'
His mother's voice trickled through his memory, posing those questions that were always answered with a simple, resounding No. She'd asked him, time and again, and he'd always responded with the same syllable... a denial, No... I have not seen waters so pure that you could see clear to the bottom, I have neither had to look twice to catch the movement nor thought it was just thin air, and my eyes have not ached from gazing upon any body of water for too long.
He knew that they existed, somewhere, else his mother's obsession would be... a sham. And he could never, ever, think of his mother as anything less than the dainty, pure, bright creature that she was.

When he was a little older, his mother had told him that she had once seen waters such as these once, and that she had gifted him, her middle-born child, with the name Pure River to serve as a reminder of its beauty. Her mate, his father, had named the his elder brother- first-born son- after himself, and their darling sister, the youngest, was called Orchid after the graceful flower she had so resembled when she was young.

Kaya Awa had grown under the weight of that name, not a mere nod to his heritage or a pretty word... but a reminder, a memory, a vision of purity so rare that even those who actively sought it had only seen it once.

He glanced down at the water's edge, his brow furrowing as less pleasant memories of his family filtered through.

Orchid... oh, Orchid.
His heart clenched even at the memory, and he let a few moments pass in sorrow and remembrance for the beloved youngest-born.

Yet there was another he must grieve.
Wrought with grief, his mother passed away 3 months after her daughter had abandoned her for the great Pasture in the sky. Her last words had been a warning- 'Pure waters run through the lands, sullying themselves with silt and debris until they are no longer what they once were.'

The meaning was clear to Kaya Awa: as he drudged through life, he would be tainted by the ills of the world and transformed... however, was he so pure to begin with? Was change to be feared? But how may one grow without change?
And was he the river of which she spoke, or was it... the one who had so captured her heart?
Perhaps, if he could find those pure waters... a single place in all the lands where the water ran clear and true... that sight would inspire his answer.

He had parted ways with his father and older brother, seeking his namesake in his travels, seeking but never finding.
Streams, creeks, lakes, the great ocean... even rivers, rushing and strong and true... and yet not pure. Never pure.

A flicker of movement drew his eyes, and he watched, lost in memory, as a form seemed to drag itself onto the sand.
Oh, mother...

Where are you?
 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

His breath coming in great gasping shudders, 'Ano'i glanced about at this great land, a grin already on his handsome face.
Sand, sand, lots of sand- boring, he saw enough of that at home- and, ah. A form, pale and almost pure white, there upon the sand.

Stumbling to his feet, he panted a few times to gather enough breath for a greeting.
His eyes wandered a little as he drew great breaths with his lungs, his nostrils aching with the salty air. He'd need fresh water, and soon, before too long- but, for now, he could be polite.
But, wow... beyond the beach, the land seemed to stretch forever, morphing into great mountains and blending into the horizon. Maybe... maybe it would take a little longer than a day, to explore and see all there was to see.
His family wouldn't mind; though he had one in his head, he'd given them no timeframe for his return, only promised to check in next Spring once pestered. They needed at least one solid tether to allow him to leave, after all.
And, if it had taken only a day, imagine their shock and excitement!

His breath now returned relatively to normal- as much as it could be after such a great excursion-, he turned his flaming gaze towards the other.
"HI-!" he called, as a wave broke against his legs and pushed him a little off balance. Turned back suddenly as if to scold it, he felt his blood rush to his ears as he stumbled a bit more. Uh oh.

Blackness closed around him.
 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

Kaya Awa blinked as the stallion fell, watching that bright shining light in the other's eyes fade away.
He frowned, wondering mildly at the wisdom of one who would seem to try and snap at the waves after what could only have been an exhausting excursion.

He rushed forwards, closing the distance between then quickly, inspecting the other with a worried sniff.
He was breathing, there was no blood, only multitude signs of exhaustion and dehydration. He sighed, reaching down carefully to slide the speckled stallion's nose out from the lapping waves, then circling around behind and using his own body to nudge him a little further onto the shore.

Peering down, sighed gently, fluttering his wings- the only reason he could not help this stallion with the healing powers of his Mother's line, and yet testament to his Father's lineage.
Give me strength...

Checking down the beach to make sure the waves were not circling closer, he nudged the stranger one last time- even further upon dry sand- and then cantered away and spread his wings, taking flight and soaring off to a nearby stream.
Though he lacked anything to carry it with, possessing none of the two-legged's trinkets he had seen on others of his kind- and on the bedraggled stallion who had heaved himself onto this beach. But, he did have... well...

Sighing, wondering whether the stallion would thank or curse him, Kaya Awa bent his nose and took a few great gulps of water, blocking his throat carefully and breathing through his nose.
Thus holding his precious load, he took flight a little unsteadily and made his way to the beach. Landing gently, he walked carefully, trying to avoid choking himself.

He stared down at the stallion for a few seconds, hoping that he'd wake on his own, but... nope.
Fresh water, a cure for the salty crust that had formed about the other's nostrils.

He glanced at the sky, then spat, wondering at his own sanity as he did so.

 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

Wet. Warm wet.

'Ano'i's eyelids fluttered as he came around, his mind seeming to wobble from left to right as his vision swam a little, slowly creeping out of the darkness and registering what had happened even slower.
The form of the pale stallion slowly came in to focus, as water trickled down over his face in a refreshing- yet slightly odd- ah, yes, because it was warm- ... drip.
He must have pushed himself farther than he had thought.

He tried to grin, but felt like his cheeks were too heavy to lift. He managed a sort of wobbly smile.
Then he noticed the other's rather dubious expression, almost as if...

The water had been warm. Lacking salt, except for what it carried from his own skin. And... warm.

Recognition dawned slowly, as he realized what must have transpired.
Ah.

Well. "... thank you."
After all, he could have at least packed a two-legger's flask of his own, and now that he was somewhat more lucid he noticed that the other lacked any accessories as well. The only place to transport water had been... his eyes wandered back to the other's mouth.
Yep.

Well, it had actually been... nice. And welcomed; it wasn't as if he had the energy to drag himself off to the nearest source of fresh water.
He watched the other, waiting, still dizzy and yet able to form coherent thought. He licked his lips- so dry...

But he'd made it! And he was here, on the Mainland, to be sure, and there was his first Local and he was... a Unicorn. A healer. And... oh, wings. Well. Wasn't that something?
"I'm 'Ano'i." his voice was still cheerful, if a little dry and rasping. After all, he had just swam across the ocean.
His grin was a little wider this time, his cheeks cooperating from the sheer thrill of it all. Adrenaline, perhaps, if his adrenals had any left to give.
The grin fell again as he licked his lips, seeking moisture, as his body's need for fresh water overcame even his enthusiasm at this new world and interesting new stallion.
"Water?" he croaked, wishing he'd had the patience to wait until the other had introduced himself in turn but his basic needs drowning out his sense of propriety in these circumstances.
After all... he wouldn't last very long here without a drink.
And where would be the fun in that?
 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

The pale stallion waited with a rather pained expression, eyes flickering rapidly across the other's face as he waited any response to his... help. Please, don't be... he let out a relieved breath as the other's eyelids started to flutter, but his features settled into one of grim anticipation as he awaited recognition in the other's eyes.
Instead, he was met with a.... a smile, though it seemed shaky- of course, for he had clearly exhausted himself.

He paused, wondering at the other's reasons for... seeming to swim so far. The amount of salt surely would indicate that he had not been out for a pleasure swim, and the great necklace hanging low about his neck and nestled in the sand seemed... somewhat, tropical. Different. Unfamiliar.
He'd heard of an island- or islands?- just off the coast, it would make sense for some visitors or perhaps... escapees...

Kaya Awa looked down at the stallion at his hooves, concern flickering across his brow but fading a the good-natured light shining even now through those fiery eyes. No, this one.... showed no outward signs of malice. Nor even discontent.
And... '... thank you.'

He'd just thanked him for essentially- no, for actually spitting on him. Even if he'd tried to keep as much of his own saliva out of it as possible, it was still the freshest water to come by so near the ocean and... well...
The stallion kept licking his lips, introducing himself before seeming to give it to his needs and asking for water.

Kaya Awa shook himself, realizing that he'd been staring.
"You're welcome... 'Ano'i." He tried to mimic the other's accent, at least for the pronunciation of that unique name, and then let it go; such niceties could wait. "I am Kaya Awa." Pure river. Oh, irony... if only I could summon such waters to appear now, to wash away the salt and return vigor to your form... "The nearest river is... some distance away. I don't think... if you like, I shall..." he sighed at himself. Out with it.
"It is too far to make in your present condition... if you wait for me, I can bring back a few more..." he clenched his jaw, then sighed "mouthfuls, that you might stand and we might make our way there together?"
Oh, no, he would not abandon this stallion... this bright-eyed and cheerful stallion who thanked another to be spat on, for all that he might be sea-struck.
'Ano'i.

What meaning did his name hold?

But, his curiosity could wait; for now, he had to ensure that the surely aptly-named stallion would not perish on the sand.
His ears flickered, wings flaring slightly as he monitored his own fatigue. Yes. He could make it. There and back, as many times as it took, and with enough to help support the other should he so need.
For, it must be so.

And so it shall.
 

[The Dawn of Twilight]

'Ano'i watched the other, swallowing once- though his mouth seemed terribly dry.
His ears perked a little at the other's careful pronunciation of his name- close! The winged unicorn had even tried to copy the lilting nature of his own island tongue. He tried to grin, but he didn't really have the energy. He was too focused on water.
Kaya Awa. A mainland native, indeed! He seemed to space them out, two names and yet one whole- offered as first name, perhaps, not a middle and a family title, yet there was an unmistakable pause in between.

He'd always been interested in the subtleties of language.

But, for now... yes, that could wait.
He processed the other's words slowly, taking in the halting information as his brain rooted through it for something he could use- something useful.
He shifted in the sands, trying to get his legs more firmly beneath him, and did a sort of odd wiggling crawl a scant inch forwards. He rested his head on the sand again, panting slightly, knowing that he'd have to rise soon or risk damaging his lungs.
If they were not already stripped by the salt.

Even that slight movement, fought so hard for, showed the wisdom in the other's words. 'Too far. If you wait... a few- mouthfuls, that you might stand and we might make our way there together..'
Together? Yes. That would be nice.

He was no accustomed to leaning on others for support, but... for now... his body needed it. Nay, demanded it.
And he would quite enjoy the company of this Kaya Awa, for the stories he would certainly share as soon as ... he licked his lips again.... as soon as he was in a condition fit to converse.
"Thank you." he repeated, locking eyes with the other before breathing out deeply again and trying to shift once more in the sands.
It wasn't as if he was going anywhere, any way.
"I shall wait."