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 Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:26 am
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:33 am
It was a rough early winter's morning and the reddish mare stood out against the stark white of her surroundings. Her wings were drawn in tightly though the frigid wind persisted on trying to pry them up. Hunkering in some more she trekked forward her claws digging into the snow.
The stallion's eyes were closed. He was crouching beneath a large tree - the largest in the area. I stood on a hill and dwarfed everything around it, a silent sentinel against the deepening winter. The frigid air tugged at his hair, causing it to whip around his face and shoulders in a tangle. His was still as death, his breath slowed to be almost imperceptible, his tail curled around him clutching the empty dish he'd used for tea earlier. He was deep in meditation, the cold air unable to penetrate the aura of peace he'd created around himself.
She paused momentarily, smoke drifting from her mouth as she exhaled heavily. This winter was proving to be much worse than the previous in which she made this journey. Her head turned slightly so that she could check on the basket currently resting on her back. The herbs inside would need delivering soon. Looking ahead again all her bright red eyes saw was white. It seems the snow had begun to fall again in the short time she had paused. Cursing under her breath, the mare moved forward blindly.
He couldn't say what made him open his eyes, to break with his meditation and return to the world of the living, but at that moment he did. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the blanket of white and swirling snow, but despite that his eyes alighted on the bright slash of red below him immediately. He moved slowly and deliberately, feeling all of his limbs individually. He still felt warm, and would for some time due to the meditation, and he decided to take advantage of that and began moving down the mountain to meet the red soquili he spotted below, in case they needed help. As he drew nearer he could just make out that it was a winged mare, but little else.
Her ears perked and she slowed down again. Had she just heard something? It was really hard to tell with the noise of the wind. Her breathing was slow and controlled as her steps were cautious. If something was out there she would have to defend herself and risk loosing her precious cargo. Nevertheless, she was still progressing.
He padded silently down the hill, angling so he catches the mare up and approaches from the side, hoping not to alarm her. The snow covered his paws, but still he'd found some were disconcerted by that particular physical aspect of himself. He didn't wish to frighten her, particularly since the weather was so bad she would have little chance at escape HAD he been bent on ill intent. "Miss, do you require assistance?" He called out as he got close, pausing in his trek to keep his distance. The wind howled in the trees above, but he made his deep voice known.
Having not fully hear him approach the mare jumped slightly from being startled. She carefully turned to look where the deep voice had spoken from. There her eyes alighted upon a green stallion who like herself stood apart from the stark land. How had she missed spotting him? She crunched the snow in her claws prepared to strike should he be foe. "I'm fine." Her husky voice shook a little belying how cold she was.
He saw her immediately tense at his presence, but remained relaxed himself, exuding an air of casualness and calm. He was still feeling warm from altering his body temperature of his previous meditation, but he saw clearly that the mare herself was quite cold. He gave her a warm smile as he reached down and pulled the scarf from around his shoulders with a flourish and stepped towards her, inviting her to allow him to place it around her shoulders.
A deep sigh escaped her. So he had seen through her bravado? Being too cold to keep it up longer, the female moved toward him slightly and nodded her head. "T-thank you..." She muttered softly as she accepted the scarf offering.
His smile widened as he moved forward and wrapped her in his still-warm scarf, his neck brushing hers slightly. He could feel how cold she was, and grew a little concerned. "I hope that's better. It's shaping up to be quite a winter. My name is Constantius. May I ask yours?" He turned alongside her and motioned forward, suggesting they continue walking along her path. He stayed close to her, walking on the side the wind was coming from to help shield her. He wasn't immune to the cold; he was simply cooling at a slower rate. They would need to find shelter soon though.
A soft blush colored her cheeks when she felt his neck brush hers. After the scarf was secured she already felt a little warmer, probably due to his warmth still clinging to the fabric. She hunched down into it slightly so that more of her neck could feel the waning warmth. "My name is Temperance." She stated in her husky tone as she began moving along the path again. Maybe having some company wouldn't be all that bad. Especially since he was just big enough to act as a good shield for her. Of course she had no inclination that he had purposefully positioned himself this way.
"Temperance is a lovely name," he said smoothly, his voice deep and warm. "May I ask what brings you out here in such weather?" He wasn't usually so nosey, but he found talking helped keep the body warm. He was concerned with how cold it was already. It would be a rough winter, but beyond that reality, it was getting late in the day and the storm seemed to be getting worse. He kept his eyes casually looking around for potential shelters.
She gave him a soft side smile while maintaining her forward sight. "For a pilgrimage of sorts." Was the short answer she gave to his question. The full details were something she did not want to delve into. She shifted enough to where her wings brushed the basket making sure it was still stable. Her eyes were beginning to squint as she stared forward.
He couldn't help pondering what sort of pilgrimage would take her so far out into the middle of nowhere, but held his tongue. It wasn't his place to pry into her business. Instead, he asked "How far away is your final destination? It'll be dark soon, and if we're to have a fire we might need to camp soon." He couldn't help a sudden desire to stay with her for the night, to see her by the light of a fire...
"It shouldn't be much farther..." There was a trace of uncertainty in her voice. What if it was much farther than she thought? What if the landscape had changed in the year since her last trek? There were just so many variables. Deep down she knew he was right about making camp, but if the herbs were delayed too long it wouldn't be good. "Just a little farther." She said again but this time meaning until they stopped.
He saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, but said nothing. He nodded and continued along beside her in companionable silence for a few moments. He let his gaze bounce around for a moment, content that he had located enough nearby firewood and potential shelters around that he felt he could let his eye wander. It was then he noticed her claws slicing through the snow. He smiled suddenly, feeling somehow warmer and more content to see that she was like himself. He stole a glance at her from head to tail, taking in her subtle beauty, covered in snow as she was. He glanced at his own back and saw he was beginning to be caked with snow as well. It was coming down even harder now, large wet flakes sticking to his face. "The storm is getting worse... I believe there is a cave not far from here. Do you want to wait out the storm?"
She stopped with a sigh and turned her head toward him, the scarf he gave her shifting with the move. "Yes, let's wait it out, which way is the cave?" He seemed to know a bit about the area so she trusted him to get them someplace safe. As she waited for him to lead the way, she used her tail to knock the fallen snow from the basket's top. Something she had been subconsciously doing for a while now.
He altered their course slightly with a shrug and began using his prehensile tail to scoop up potential bits of firewood, though he doubted much of it was dry enough to catch and if it did they could look forward to a smoky evening. He hoped there was some dried stuff nearer the cave. "It should be just over here." He paused to pull back a thick evergreen branch to allow her to pass, revealing the cave on the other side. It was surrounded by thick evergreens and as a result the snow hadn't yet penetrated the area. Constantius smiled, dropping the wet branches he'd collected and picking up the drier stuff. "Go ahead and get inside and maybe clear a spot for a fire. I'll get some wood." He figured it should be slightly warmer inside and she'd be able to warm up slightly as he tried to get a fire together.
Her eyes had watched his tail as he picked up pieces of wood. When he held the branch for her she quietly thanked him as she passed. The area surrounding the cave was pretty and hardly held any snow. This was a good place to rest. The mare headed on into the cave as he picked up drier wood. Being so used to the whiteness from before it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dark cave. She wondered around it a moment before nodding and then sweeping it out with her tail. When satisfied she left claw marks around the entrance as a sort of threat. "It's ready!" She hollered out as the wind picked up and whistled loudly.
The wind picked up suddenly and he made haste to the cave's entrance. He stepped inside and was immediately blinded by the sudden change in light. He blinked owlishly for a few moments before he could tell what was what in the cave. He dropped the wood he'd gathered to one side of the cave along the wall. "I'll get a fire started, huh? Though I'm sad I didn't collect any food before we settled in." He supposed he was distracted by the appearance of the attractive mare. He set about setting up some kindling and striking a stone against the stone floor of the cave, trying to spark a flame.
Her eyes having been adjusted to the darkness of the cave saw the adorable face he made while he blinked his vision into focus. This led to her giggling slightly. She watched him stack the wood to one side and carefully set her basket of herbs down on the opposite side. It'd not do for them to catch fire. Once done, she turned her eyes back toward him. While he struggled to start the fire she got her first real good look at him. He had paws on all four of his legs much like two on her rear legs. This alone set her more at ease. Noticing that he was still struggling to get a spark, Temperance moved closer to help. "Should I try?"
He couldn't help but to smile at her. He wasn't one for foolish pride, and so he slid the rock he'd been using over to her with his claw and sat back to watch. "Be my guest, m'lady." He scooted over some of the larger bits of branches too, in preparation for the fire they'd eventually get started. It wasn't so cold or bitter in the shelter of the cave, so he was comfortable enough while they waited for a fire to start. He was still looking forward to the warmth. "What do you have in the basket?" He nodded at it casually.
She gave him a warm smile as she picked the stone up with her claw. Carefully she positioned it near the wood then held it down firmly. She brought her other claw up and swiftly struck her talon across the rock emitting a spark. The first spark didn't catch the wood though so she had to do it twice more before the fire actually started. Satisfied she turned to him before glancing back at her basket. "It contains medicinal herbs for teas," she stated softly.
He watched with fascination at her grace as she got a spark to catch. He leaned in and blew on it slowly, adding a few twigs as it grew, letting it get more firmly established before looking up again and catching her eyes. He paused mid-thought, his mind suddenly blank. He blinked and looked away sheepishly, pretending to be more interested in the basket. "Medicinal herbs? I hope you aren't rushing to help someone in trouble?" He hoped no one was in trouble.
The warmth from the fire was already working it's magic and warming her up. "Hopefully not," she sighed before getting comfortable. "Every winter someone in my family brings these herbs to the Kateri Herd. Last winter was the first in many years..." A frown crossed her face as she thought back to her first ever trip and what little remained of the carnage that befell the original herd. A shudder ran through her.
"Are you cold?" He looked at her with concern at the dark look that had crossed her face. "Is this a dangerous herd?" Was she worried about going there alone? And why had it been so long since the last delivery? He added more wood to the fire, slowly cultivating it to a larger blaze. It was almost large enough to leave it alone for a while, but not quite. It's gentle glow danced around the walls and across the mare's face and he watched it with pleasure.
She shook out her head before smiling at him. "I'm warming up, thank you." Still the mare moved to lounge by the fire. "They aren't dangerous no... Unless Unicorns scare you?" The tease made her sound slightly flirty as she pointed her horn more in his direction.
"Oh I'm terrified," he said very seriously, eying her horn warily. His face broke in a sly smile and he added a larger log to the fire and sat back, pleased at their combined efforts in building the fire. "So what does a herd of unicorns need with medicinal herbs? Can't they just use their horns for that?" His smile hadn't faded as he looked at her, relaxing as the fire warmed the small cave.
A soft giggle escaped her while she turned to look into the fire. "Some things magic can't fix." It was a simple solemn statement. She wondered how well he understood the benefits of various herbs in teas? "Do you enjoy tea?" She couldn't keep her curiosity at bay.
He looked at her curiously, sensing something dark hanging over her. What is it she needed fixed? He shifted slightly closer to her. "What sort of things can you fix with herbs?" He was very interested in the idea. He often used meditation to modulate his body temperature and help mend very basic ailments, but he was woefully ignorant in the way of herbs. "Why yes, I am a fan of tea. I would offer to make you some matcha, but I have just run out."
"The magic Unicorns possess can heal many a wound, but some wounds aren't physical. With the help of my families herbs and the special healing magic we can attach to them, those invisible wounds can start to heal." Her husky voice was mesmerizing and soothing itself. She was relaxing around him not feeling threatened especially finding out he enjoyed teas. "Matcha tea hmm? I prefer a Raspberry blend myself."
"I don't know that I've tried raspberry. Perhaps you can make it for me some time?" He added with a grin. He was already hopeful that he would see her again. She had a way about her that seemed natural to him, a presence that was easy and soothing. Was that part of her unicorn magic? He hoped it wasn't some sort of trick. "I'd be interested in learning more about this healing you speak of. Seems like a good thing for me to know, considering I lack a certain aspect..." He nodded at her horn.
"Perhaps." She gave a soft chuckle. The day had worn on her which caused her to start to drift. "It would be nice to have an assistant..." Her voice was very soft, her eyes half lidded. A small nap until the storm passed would be alright. Just a small nap. With that last thought she was gone.
He smiled as she fell asleep, feeling warm and cozy and slightly tired himself. He rose slowly and stepped to the front of the cave, peering out. It was full dark now, and the storm had kicked up. It would be a rough night out there. He turned from the storm, shaking off the bits of snow that had fallen on him, and poked at the fire once more, adding one more good log and curling up himself for some rest
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 3:15 pm
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~
Mare's Owner: UniWingdFox
Mare's Name: Temperance
Mare's Temper: Calming
Stallion's Owner: Fatal Irony
Stallion's Name: Constantius
Stallion's Temper: Tranquil
Prompt Response:
The stallion was taken aback momentarily at being put on the spot, but he recovered quickly with a laugh. His voice was deep and rumbling as he began the tale, "The only thing falling faster than the Night was the snow that was coming down hard, covering everything in a frozen layer of white. A damsel appeared, bright against the white all around her, lost and alone. Enter a devastatingly handsome stallion to the rescue..."
The mare snorted and laughed, amused at her companions retelling. "A damsel in distress, was I?" Her husky voice was full of laughter. "Well then, a striking Damsel, not-so-lost in the snow, found herself face to face with a stranger," she continued, taking over the story. "She was just trying to beat the storm and reach her destination before the trails became impassable. Still, the stranger seemed like he needed some sort of help, and he WAS cute after all..." She shared a knowing smile with him. "So she let him lead her to a cave for shelter."
His deep chuckle rumbled once more, lost in the memory of their first meeting. "The damsel was ill-equipped for the cold; she was shivering from her horn to tail, teeth chattering so hard you could hear it for miles. The dashing hero couldn't allow the poor damsel to freeze to death, so he gallantly removed his scarf and draped it over her shoulders, then used his massing hulk body to block the wind as he whisked her away to a cave to warm her up."
"Was THAT what you were doing? I had no idea why you were walking on that one side. It was nice, but I didn't know it was intentional." She laughed as well, lost along with him in shared memory. "The cave wasn't far," she continued, turning back to the group. "The stallion was even kind enough to collect fire wood, though he seemed a little clueless on how to get it going. The damsel took over and so the two of them were able to share its warmth."
The stallion gave her a mock-glare. "I recall the stallion building it up enough and keeping it fed all night so neither of them froze." He shook his head and smiled. "I recall the hero and the damsel sharing stories around that fire too. He regaled her with stories of his strength and valor and -"
She stopped him with a look and then burst into laughter. "Is that was happened? I seem to recall the Damsel teaching him a thing or two and telling HIM stories. I'm pretty sure the Damsel is the hero of this story. Where would the stallion be without her?"
He looked at her with fondness and said softly "He would surely be lost without her." He nuzzled her gently and looked into her eyes, forgetting everyone around them for a moment. "He would probably still have a scarf though."
Her grin split her face and she laughed loudly at that. "You're never getting that back." She shouldered him playfully and turned back to the group. "The Damsel stole his scarf, holding it ransom against their next meeting. She had promised to give it back when they saw each other again." She leaned towards the group conspiratorially. "I'm not giving it back though," she whispered loudly and winked.
Future Plot Points (Max 3):
1. The two will become travelling healers and spiritual leaders. Temp will use her unicorn heritage and her love and knowledge of medicinal herbs to heal the sick and wounded, as well as peddle her herbs. Constantius will use his knowledge of meditation and teas to help calm and guide others into spiritual awakening.
2. While attempting to reconnect with the Kateri herd, the two will face animosity and possibly open hostility from some or all of the members due to their traumatic past. Temperance will be determined to rekindle the business relationship with the herd and heal their psychological wounds through kindness and persistence.
3. Their bond will be tested as circumstances lend themselves to the loss of their first foal. The winter after they become a serious couple they decide to have a child. All seems well, so shortly before she is due Constantius will go on the usual run of selling herbs, letting her rest in the very cave in which they first met. He is delayed by heavy snows and is late in returning. When he returns she is nearly dead, their child a stillborn, and he must frantically try to heal her - without the distinct advantage of unicorn magic - and with precious few herbs coming off a sale run.
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