|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:13 pm
Lightning crackled in the distance. According to the calendars that humans kept, it was meant to be winter. You never could have guessed it from the weather. The past few days had been as hot as early summer, and Xaijin had sensed something unnatural about it all. She normally loved the heat, but now something about it was unsettling.
She stood atop a high rock and stared at the storm with a furrowed brow. Lightning storms were something else that she usually reveled in. How could she not, with her electric affinities? Her bristled fur often crackled with static electricity and today it did so vigorously. But how could she appreciate a storm like this, if it was unnatural in origin? It was false lightning in a false summer. She blew out a stiff breath past pursed lips. She was more disturbed than she'd like to admit.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:18 pm
Mina too had been out in the strange weather. Unlike Xaijin, she enjoyed it without reserve. She didn't know what caused it and frankly didn't really care. It might be some rogue angeni who was bored and wanted to play with the weather. That was as good an explanation as ever.
Whatever the reason, she'd let herself relax in the strange wintery heat. She'd finally been able to bask in the sun, a habit she'd missed in the days since it got too cold to lounge. The storm stirred her from her indolence, making her eye the horizon with irritation, yet uncertainty. There was something a bit odd about that storm, she had to admit.
Over the tall grass, she caught sight of a stranger watching the storm from atop a lofty perch. She ordinarily wouldn't have bothered with a stranger, but something pulled her over this time. When she reached the mare, she eyed her, saying, "It isn't safe to stand like that, you know."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:20 pm
Xaijin wasn't surprised by the stranger, seeing her coming from ways away. However, she was mildly irritated to have her solitude be infringed on. A cursory look told her that the mare was a mixed breed, cerynei and something that was probably a kalona. She didn't look particularly strong, so Xaijin wasn't particularlly interested.
"I'm fine," she growled, fixing her eyes back on the horizon. "You go hide if you're so worried." She wasn't going to run away from a storm, unnatural or no. She was lightning herself. If she ran away from it, she would be running from herself. She couldn't suffer cowards and refused to become one herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:23 pm
Mina twitched a little at the mare's tone. She didn't like being talked down to. Right now she was literally being talked down to, being so much lower in position. The mare on the rock stood like she was pretending to be brave. What was the point of being brave at a time like this? It didn't matter if you defied the storm. The storm didn't care.
"You don't look like you can fly," she replied, archly. "That will make it harder to get away quickly when the storm catches up with you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 7:55 am
Xaijin twitched. As she did, her bristly fur rippled along her back. The movement caused little sparks of static electricity to snap between her coarse and bristled fur. She gave her head a small shake and her sunglasses settled lower on her face, letting her look the mare directly in the eye.
"Does it really look like I'm worried about running away?" she asked cooly. A flash illuminated her, followed quickly by a rumbling boom. The storm was growing closer, faster than she'd predicted. Nothing about this storm was normal. She could see anxiety in Mina's eyes, but she refused to back down. She knew her own strength and speed. If it really became necessary, she could bolt from this place faster than a rabbit with its tail on fire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 7:59 am
Mina could hardly believe what he was hearing. The mare clearly had some sort of death wish. Or maybe she was just a thrill seeker. A gust of wind tousled through her mane and tried to lift her folded wings from her back. The wind was heavy with moisture and she could tell that the rain wasn't far behind.
"Come on!" she repeated, voice growing more edged with nervousness. "You need to get down from there and into shelter!" As if the storm itself wasn't bad enough, sometimes these storms could bring worse things with them. Things like tornadoes. Like hail. Like darkness that fell upon day and darkened it to black. She wasn't sure why she was even trying, but knew she couldn't afford to try for much longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:03 am
Xaijin had had enough. With a hissing growl, she struck at the mare with one out-flung paw. Xaijin was strong and kept her claws sharp. She caught Mina across the face and left a small red line where one of her claws caught skin. Most of the blow was more of a slap, but blood would flow.
"Go!" she snarled. "Go and leave me with the storm!" Part of herself was ashamed for losing her temper like this. She tried to only fight those that really challenged or threatened her. She wasn't generally in the habit of bullying random mares that were harassing her. It was the storm that was doing it, making her short-tempered and erratic. She couldn't help herself. This strange winter storm was striking to her core.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:09 am
Mina bolted instinctively. She hated herself for obeying her instincts like that. She should have stayed behind and defended herself to the abrasive mare. She should have shouted at her and demanded to be respected. Instead she did none of those things, just running off like some poor frightened filly. She seethed with shame and humiliation. For a moment she thought she might even be crying, but then she noticed the rain.
The rain was coming down. It had started off slowly, but still with thick drops that pattered against her. They were already starting to come faster and more frequent, heralding a deluge to come. Bitterly, she knew she had to find somewhere to shelter herself. It was unlikely that she'd find a cave around here, so she'd have to make due with a thick patch of trees. Leaving Xaijin behind, she hid herself from the storm as best as she could.
~ Fin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
