[PRP] How to heal (Agares and Ziya)

[Fatal Irony]

This is a PRP between these two soquili (Fatal Irony and Uta)

 

[Fatal Irony]

Uta

I decided to give this a start lol. Hope you don't mind! Reply whenever the muse takes you <3

His bones ached. He hadn't moved from this spot in too long and it was wearing on him, but still he stood and peered into his looking pond. What he was looking for, he could not have guessed, but he was fixated, trapped by some enchantment that held him still. The water was still, and only his reflection stared back at him, mocking him. He furrowed his brow and the reflection furrowed its brows. He glared, and the face in the pool glared back at him. His nostrils flared in annoyance and the reflection did as well, causing Agares to let out an annoyed snort.

The pool was disturbed, the image gone for a moment as the ripples moved about the small area.

His bones ached.

Worse, his heart ached. He had to admit it to himself, but he was lonely. He glanced down, tilting his head to better view the sleeping being below him. Daeva, his only companion. He wasn't sure when the lion had turned up or why, but she'd stuck by him. Perhaps she was lured by his despair. He'd never know. Anytime he asks she merely looks back at him with a wry grin and melts into the shadows. He sometimes wondered if she were real or just another in the long line of ghosts that haunted him,

He let out a longer sigh, born of exhaustion and sorrow. He moved away from the gazing pool and stretched his weary bones and muscles, hearing the occasional crack, feeling the relief. He needed a proper drink to sooth his parched throat. He wondered vaguely how long he had stood there staring at the pool, wishing it to show him something of value. Instead it had only answered with his own face. He shook his head to clear it of his darker thoughts, letting the motion carry down his whole body, working out the kinks in his muscles.

He glanced again at the sleeping form of Daeva and decided to let her sleep, the lazy cat. She was always grumpy when he woke her. So he slipped away silently, making his way carefully as to not rouse the beast.

He made his way out of his clearing down a worn path he knew well. It was mostly dirt, the plants worn away by heavy travel. There was the occasional rock unearthed here or there and the soil, with no roots to anchor it, often shifted underfoot. Even in the shifting darkness of evening when the shadows are the deepest and play the most tricks, he could navigate the sometimes unstable terrain with little difficulty. He supposed he wasn't so old just yet.

He found the river easily enough, and bent to drink.



 

[Uta]

Fatal Irony

So sorry for the delay! You know me and how slow I am. . . :c

The delicate flutter had been settled within a small bunch of grasses and wildflowers not far from the stream. She had feasted upon the nectar of the summer flowers, and had tucked herself away to doze within the safety of the tall grasses. While she was more vulnerable as a small flutter, the braided mare also knew she was less noticeable when in such a form. It allowed her to move with stealth, unnoticed by the larger soquili of the land, and that was something she appreciated. Given her current trek was to follow the stream,smallness was a definite boon -- for as water had drawn her to its banks, she also knew predators were lured by water, and often times, the prey it wrought.

So it was, as she drifted in and out of daydreams, the mare felt Agares approach before she actually saw him. A soquili's hooves and weight could be felt within the earth, and the smallest of vibrations could be felt among the plants. So it was, as soon as the grasses began to move, her ears pricked, and her rest was forgotten. Something was out there, and it was getting closer. Excitement gripped the vibrant mare, and she peeked her head above the flowers, trying to seek out the source. Sure enough, it didn't take long for blue eyes to fall upon Agares as he passed and headed to the waters edge. Ooooh! Oh, whoever that was didn't look like an obvious danger -- there was no pelt, no leather wings, no wicked tentacle tail. That was a good sign, wasn't it? They also didn't look like they were covered in blood, or particularly wicked, but Ziya also knew that true intentions could long be hidden.

Hmm.

Her rainbow wings spread, and she considered her options. Did she dare approach? Who knew if he was good of heart, or sound of mind. She was no spring chicken, after all, and she knew there were many shadows and evil within the world. Still, what opportunity might she miss if she simply hid from the world out of fear? She couldn't hide forever, and quite frankly, didn't want to. Though she was small, she did have wings, so if the other was a threat. . .well. . . . perhaps she could make an escape.

So it was, the mare retreated back into the grasses, before focusing upon her magic and encouraging her form back to its natural self. Shrinking took a lot out of the mare, as her blood was not pure. Unshrinking was almost a relief to her senses, like a too-tight rope being loosened on the spirit. At the very least, it mean she didn't have to keep the magic flowing, and could relax a bit. Unfortuantely, Ziya seemed to inherit more kirin blood than flutter. Between the magics of the breed, she found walking upon water was much more natural. Unfortuantely, though, she had no horn to heal and every now and then she left hoof prints in snow. The only thing pure about her was her heart. . . . but that was good enough for her!

Quietly -- as kirins were naturally quiet anyway -- Ziya drifted closer to the waters. "I see I wasn't the only one drawn in for a drink," she greeted softly with a gentle smile. She made sure to keep a distance between herself and the ebony stallion, not wanting him to feel crowded, but also room for her to jump out of the way if things got ugly. "Mind if I join you, stranger?"  

[Fatal Irony]

Uta

Eyes closed he sampled the bounty of the river. The water was cool and refreshing and he drank deeply, feeling the chill as it traveled down his throat. He found the sensation pleasant, if fleeting. Everything that was good in life was similarly brief, he thought, mere flashes of light in the darkness. And there was so much darkness surrounding the stallion, with relatively few flashes of light. He reflected on those brief periods of happiness he had once had often, trying to focus on the good in life, lest the darkness take him completely. He felt it made him stuck, though. He lived in the past, in moments long gone while the rest of the world spun on, taking no notice of him. How long had he spent in the woods alone? When was the last time he'd sought out company? His mother visited from time to time, trying to repair a very broken relationship, but that served to only remind him of the pain she had caused him.

He was used to the sudden appearance of strange soquili; they came and went out of his field of vision silent as the grave. They were, after all, ghosts. They had been his silent friends nearly all his life, coming and going randomly in varying degrees of solidity. In all of his years though they had never once made a single noise, much less spoken to him. That was why when suddenly there was a voice he jumped slightly, lifting his head, mouth still dripping, and merely gaped at her for a moment. She hadn't made a sound in approaching, but was more vivid than any other ghost that had ever appeared to him; she was a true vision - lovely and gentle-looking. Her voice was sweet and calming; he relaxed immediately. He still wasn't sure if she were alive or a ghost, but he was starved enough for attention that he didn't mind either way.

It was rare he regretted his lack of color vision, but looking at the mare's wings he couldn't help but wonder what they might look like. They were multiple shades of gray for him, but he had to imagine they were colorful. He noticed she kept her distance from him and motioned for her to approach if she wished. "Please, it would make my evening to share a drink with such a vision." He still wasn't sure if she were real, but seeing if she could indeed physically drink would help settle the matter. He tried not to stare too conspicuously, though with his blank eyes it could be hard to tell where he was looking. "Where did you come from?" He couldn't help but ask, almost fearing the answer.  

[Uta]

Fatal Irony

The spotted and blotched black and white mare's smile warmed at the stranger -- especially when he all but gaped at her. She had thought she might surprise the stallion given her quiet nature, but his intense gaze, and the dripping water from his muzzle, made for an almost comical scene. Thankfully, he didn't seem particularly aggressive in his surprise -- his ears weren't flattened, his nostrils weren't flaring, and he appeared to be in wont of some company. Perfect! The spirits were being kind to both of them this day, and the brightly colored flutter could only be pleased. How long had it been since she'd last crossed paths with another? Far, far, too long!

The delicate mare didn't hesitate at the gesture; she walked over to him without a second thought, believing the best in the world, and this chance meeting. She walked over the stream directly, ghosting over its waters untouched. As she crossed to his side of the stream, Ziya let her eyes give him a better look; he didn't look young, but neither was he old and grizzled. A stallion in his prime if ever she'd seen one; he had striking silver eyes that were difficult to look away from, and the prettiest markings upon his legs. The bright reds and pinks, and the spots that were entirely reminiscent of stars, made him quite the sight! Colorful, like her, but not excessively vibrant. Surely, this stranger could mean her no harm. . . . could he?

"And it would make my evening, as well," she happily agreed, offering him a delicate little bow of greeting. "I can't remember when I last crossed the path of another soquili. I suppose I should appreciate the quiet, but sometimes one cannot help but wish for a spot of companionship." Particularly of the hoofed variety. Ziya had been on amicable enough terms with a small Kawani tribe as a filly -- enough to get a scarf and some jewelry for her mane -- but she had long since moved on. Lately, the mare had been more and more alone, so Agares made a most pleasant change. "I'm afraid you might not have seen me; for the past few days I've taken up residence in some of the patches of wildflowers not far from here." She flicked her leonine tail, and gave a sheepish grin. "I was small though - and tucked nicely into their petals. Before that I . . . I came from the plains, and before that, the beaches. Every time I think I've seen all of the Kawani, I discover new paths, an new lands, and I can't quite convince my hooves to stop." Ziya had been born a wanderer, and assumed she would die one, as well. "What of you, my fine sir? Are these your lands or are you a fellow vagabond?"