[open] no curfew tonight

[Altissima]

It was Winter’s idea to come to the forest instead of the playground. Altissima had never been here before, never really thought to venture outside of her home and the relative safety of the playground. But the owl was curious and eager to hunt within the shadows as afternoon was shifting to evening. It was too late to make their way anywhere for the night, and Altissima was eager to explore the shadows after she had discovered she could see easily in the dark. Surely nothing dangerous would happen to the pair since they could see threats coming in the darkness, right? Shadows swallowed the trees and shrubs but the two spots of white stood out still – pockets of winter in the summer forest. The snowy owl looped away, dancing through the trees and following the sound of small mice scattering about on the forest floor. Altissima moved more slowly, sticking to the deer and equine-made paths that criss-crossed throughout the forest. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but paused now and then as something grabbed her attention – her blue eyes shifting to gold as the shadows began to deepen around her.

image by Reitro

open to any!!

[Erio]

Erio doesn’t realize, doesn’t know, that this is the reason mother remained in Pangea. Her term ended, he remembered, but her absence burrowed a hole into his aching heart. She wanted to stay there, he assumed, and to stay away from him.

Little does he know that a tendril of rekindled passion and curiosity swept through her blood. Little does he know that this is actually his sister – another beautiful one! – and that they share a mother, not a father. Yet even in his ignorance, Erio is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Seclusion has housed him since his descent from the Mountain. His thoughts have been occupied with these waves of magic thrumming through his veins.

Somehow, he pulled bones from far underneath the soil. They were forgotten, alone.
Somehow, he injected life into those bleached bones.

Since then, during the day when his consciousness reigns, the squirrel bones have followed him. They bound eerily at his side, the bald joints clicking against each other. It’s a friend, Erio told himself the first day he succeeded.

A smile curls the thin line of his lips as he glances as the lively skeleton. It continues to walk and hop nearby, its empty eye sockets a dark void that the boy nearly falls into. He shakes his head. ”I’m going to meet her now. I will see you soon,” it says nothing back to him – how could it? – but it satisfies the young hellhound enough to finally turn away. He doesn’t watch as his magic releases and the bones topple over, once again lifeless. In his mind, he imagines the bones springing off to the woods until they reunite later.

”Hello,” his voice is youthful and smooth like the chords of a harp as he watches a snowy owl disappear among the trees. Fascination softens the edges of his canid face. His triangular ears flick back and forth until standing forward when his gaze falls across the girl. They are close in age, yet his size deceives those in his path. Petite, even as a hellhound, he did not inherit the perfection of his siblings or parents.

Buckling his hindlegs, he sits and coils his plumed tail around his paws. ”I’m Erio. What’s your name?” he won’t recognize it – he hasn’t seen mother since she delivered. Another friend, he sees, oblivious to the blood they share.

erio

@[Altissima]

[Altissima]

It’s an exciting thing for Altissima to be able to see in the shadows as easily as she can in the day, though she does not know this is tied to the shifting colours of her eyes – nor does she know that not every horse has the same manner of sight. Her sight enables her to see the horse (?) that approaches her – with a youthful and bright voice. She’s never seen anything quite like him before, which tends to be a theme for her as she travels around Beqanna and learns all sorts of things. At least, this time, she does not embarrass herself by squealing with shock or letting her wings flare into existence at her side in reaction to her surprise. She doesn’t know what he is, but she supposes that it doesn’t matter. He sits a little funny before her and she finds a curious but genuine smile warming those now-golden eyes. The little filly had wanted to find something new, right? “I’m Altissima. But you can call me Tissy, if you want.” It feels nice to offer something a little easier to pronounce, and she’s thankful for Lala and the assistance that the pink filly had given her on that front. She knows she shouldn’t ask what are you and probably shouldn’t ask about anything about his appearance so she asks something else. Her voice is cautious and careful, a girl who has not yet learned whether she should expect a yes or a no. “Do you wanna explore with me? I’ve never been in this forest before.”

image by Reitro

@[Erio]