[PRP] Through the Rain [Keep Going & Summer Sallows]

[gooberfeesh]

It was raining. The mossy doe walked through the light pattering of droplets, enjoying the cool feel of water as it danced over her body. Stopping in her tracks, Keep Going glanced skyward and allowed her eyes to slip shut as she absorbed the magnificent sensation. The rain, of course, fell onto her face, yet it did nothing to deter her from maintaining her basking pose. Some might have thought it strange, yet she did such a thing often. Sometimes, she thought, it was nice to partake in the elements - given that they weren't too violent.

A few moments passed like this before she lowered her head and opened her eyes once more. Her hooves took her forward again, sloshing over the muddy ground as she made her way through the swamp; her long tail, saturated with rainwater, dragged behind her. Keep Going briefly wondered if she'd find someone else enjoying the rain; her songbird, Ash Feathers, had taken refuge in the trees until the rain stopped. It didn't seem likely that she would meet someone else, though, considering it felt like she was alone in the area. Perhaps she would be pleasantly surprised.

WitchWalk

I originally had this starter for something else, but I really liked it and would love to write in this setting. C: Hope it works for you!

 

[WitchWalk]

Of all the days it had to be this sort of weather... Of course it would be when Summer Wallows decided to meander into the swamplands for a change of pace. Then again, the Acha should have figured from the dreary looking sky that rain was to be expected. Hailing from the desert, however, there was never much water to be seen out across the rolling sand dunes. If there ever was such sort, it was usually in the form of rather violent thunderstorms that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Usually, Summer Wallows would have seen this rainfall as a blessing! But too much of it would put a damper on his mood, and that's exactly what was taking place right now as he trudged through the mud. Not only that, but there wasn't anything particularly colorful or interesting to gaze at... At least, for the moment. This would quickly change as, while trying to be as surefooted as possible, the Acha slips into a surprise drop hidden below the murky water surface! He finds himself up to his neck in water -- in which he finds most uncomfortable. Surely, this was not his element in the slightest!

" How in the world did this happen?! " Summer Wallows wailed out to himself, feebly trying to find a way to remove himself. He was not as surefooted as he had thought, after all!

G a b y

 

[gooberfeesh]

It was in the midst of her aimless yet enjoyable wanderings that Keep Going heard what sounded like a cry for help. Her ears flickered to attention and angled towards the origin of the shout before she took herself in that specific direction. She hadn't walked more than twenty feet when she saw a rather alarming sight further down the slope of land. Without hesitating for the slightest second, she moved quickly until she was as close as she could get without sinking into the muddy water herself.

"I'll help you! Please try to stay calm!" she called out, hoping that the frightened creature would remain stationary and not flail himself into drowning. Glancing about, the doe discovered a long branch that had fallen from a nearby tree. Swiftly, she bit onto the end of it and worked on maneuvering the other half out to the unfortunate kin, so that he could also bite it while she hopefully pulled him to safety.

WitchWalk

 

[WitchWalk]

The unfortunate Acha did not dare to flail or slosh about too much despite his great discomfort, instead feebly trying to remove his hooves from the mud sink -- to no avail, of course.

But what was this? It seems that someone had heard his dismaying shout and had come to his rescue! Oh... The shame that suddenly struck Summer Wallows could only make his heart sink further into his chest. His rescuer appeared to be a Kimeti Doe -- oh, woe was he! To know that it was a woman to his rescue made him only more embarrassed! He would certainly have to swallow his pride and lay the compliments on as thick as the swamp mud he was currently stuck in if he were to come out alive.

" Ah! Yes, yes! Thank you! " He shouts to the doe before seeing the long branch coming out towards him. Stretching his neck as far as he could from his position without having to take another step forward, his jaws gnash for the branch limbs...!

Summer Wallows missed: only ending up with a few stray twigs snapped between his teeth. He could practically feel the mud beginning to bubble and boil around him due to the sheer embarrassment that radiated through his body. Another attempt was made, but he was just a little too short! He would have to make the attempt move forward and leap for it.

" I-I'll be right there for it! Just a second, now! "

G a b y

 

[gooberfeesh]

Keep Going wasn’t at all discouraged by the poor Acha’s failed attempt in grabbing the extended branch. If anything, she felt all the more encouraged to try and get it to him before he met an untimely - and horrible - fate. The doe edged a little closer to the muddy water cautiously, even though her hooves were very quickly becoming submerged. She would have shouted out to him again, yet the branch wedged between her teeth prevented her from being able to speak. Still, she kept at her task without stopping once.

WitchWalk

 

[WitchWalk]

It had to be done. The leap forward had to be taken, else the Acha would remain there and sink further in the longer time took to pass. Taking a deep breath as best as he could, Summer Wallows trudges forward with open maw and chomps down hard at the end of the branch. He got it, but was already starting to kick his front legs at the lower leveled muck beneath him. Hopefully this doe was strong enough! Then again, Kimeti were larger than Acha.

G a b y

 

[gooberfeesh]

As soon as she felt the other kin clamp his teeth down onto the branch, Keep Going didn't hesitate to start pulling him out of the muck. She moved her legs strongly and dug her hooves into the mud with each firm tug; the doe didn't go anywhere at first, but soon enough she began to slowly succeed. There were a few times where she nearly lost her foothold and slipped back down into the water, but for the most part she was doing fairly well. Just a little more, she mentally coached herself. Soon both she and the rescued Acha would be on higher - and more importantly, safer - ground.

WitchWalk

 

[WitchWalk]

The pull was extremely slow at first. It didn't feel as if the Acha would be freed from the strong suction of underwater swamp mud -- but thanks to the hardworking Kimeti and her surefooting, both of them had gotten onto safer, sturdier ground! Thank goodness.

Upon Summer Wallows' removal from the bottom of the swamp, he was so slicked thick in the murky mud that it blotched out any color and markings he had upon his body. His new color was a generous amount of green and brown for the moment. As ashamed as he was at the sight of himself, there was more important matters at hand: thanking the Kimeti doe.

" Oh my... Thank you, so much, for your help! " Summer pants between breaths now that he is able to safely breathe, " There was no way I would have been able to escape on my own. The waters seem to be quite hungry today, hahaha! This rain certainly must be stirring it's hunger. " He makes a jokeful jab at himself to hopefully ease the stressful situation.

" Please, may I ask what my saviors' name is? "

G a b y

 

[gooberfeesh]

Their combined success led to a feeling of great triumph within Keep Going. She’d never been one to openly gloat or prance around after accomplishing a nearly impossible task; she would have rather quietly basked in a job well done. But for the sake of sharing the Acha’s excitement, she smiled at him and even laughed softly. “You’re very welcome,” she said, acknowledging his thanks before she responded to the second half of his statement. “My name is Keep Going.” Which seemed coincidental since she had gotten the other kin to keep going through the muddy water to make it to freedom.

Now that they were officially away from the muck and stickiness, the falling rain progressively cleaned through their coats and sent the layers of fifth running off of their bodies. Her moss green color and tree bark brown swirls were revealed, along with the unusual length and furriness of her tail. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met an Acha in the swamplands,” she mused with a curious tilt of her head. “You’ve ventured quite far, um…?” She paused here, not knowing his name.

WitchWalk

 

[WitchWalk]

Keep Going... What a coincidental name for a coincidental event that took place, indeed! The Acha found it very fitting. She had all the right in the world to show how proud she was of that little endeavor: a life was saved, after all!

As the pounding rain began to rinse them both, Summer Wallows shook his body like a canine would, trying to shudder the thicker amounts of mud off himself. Just as Keep Going was revealed, so was the Acha with his somber blue-violet base and golden markings. His embarrassment had long since passed. He was feeling much more comfortable now.

" Summer Wallows is my name! " He announces to the doe proudly for no reason at all, straightening up and holding his high, as if to show off, " And indeed, I am an Acha in the swamplands in which your kind usually reside! I have to admit, it seems that I chose a poor time to visit, for I am not well acquainted with such large amounts of water and filth all at the same time. " -- Referring to the rainfall and swamp itself. Indeed, the Acha was well out of his element.

G a b y

Apologies for this response being days late. ||| OTL  

[gooberfeesh]

Keep Going smiled as the Acha proudly displayed himself in front of her. Now that the damp weather had washed away the mud, she could see his brilliant violet and golden colors; he had every right to be proud of them, for they were quite dazzling and impressive. “Yes, I can see—and have seen—how that can be a problem for you,” she agreed with a nod. “The swamplands are always wet and humid, but never this much usually.”

Her long tail swished behind her, sending a flurry of droplets onto the ground. The rain itself seemed to be stopping, or at least lightening up, which gave the doe a good and friendly idea. “Would you like me to show you around, Summer Wallows? I can’t show you everything that's here, for that would take far too long, but I can at least show you our present surroundings.”

WitchWalk

It's totally fine! <3 I've been busy myself~