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+------ Thread: [private] B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || (/showthread.php?tid=24026)
B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Wolfbane - 06-13-2019
ALL THE DOUBT YOU'RE STANDING IN BETWEEN
WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SEEN
WOLFBANE
@[Lepis] @[Aten]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Lepis - 06-14-2019
Lepis had watched him for a while, the slowly shrinking figure against the northern sky.
Then she’d spread her own wings, plummeting down the stone spire atop which they’d nested for the better part of a half-decade. The sky grows dark around her as she travels, but there is enough to see by even when she lands in the redwood forest. The long shadows and thick fog are unfamiliar and rather eerie, and they set the navy hairs along the mare’s spine on end. Despite this, the set of her barred shoulders is firm, and there is no fear in the way she strides forward.
Lepis had seen him slipping through the trees from overhead, and she knows him even with green striping his hide rather than the blue. There is no attempt to hide her approach; though Lepis is small she is pale enough to stand out against the sepia woods. Her blue-grey eyes flick across the extra pair of wings on her husband’s sides, but Lepis says nothing. There will be time later, but for now she is content to follow a half-pace behind him, trusting his senses to guide them both.
This journey has been a long time coming, though the recent flipping of a stone might have suggested otherwise. The destination is less important than what waits at the end of the travels anyway. Lepis is not as sure of what waits here as she was with what they might have faced in Nerine, but she does not worry for a moment that it is insurmountable. Not for her, not for them together. She reaches out, brushing her navy muzzle against a dark stripe of Wolfbane’s coat for a moment and offering him a soft smile.
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Aten - 06-16-2019
Taiga's woods were not very noisy during the night, save for the occasional night predator in search of a meal. There was just enough that the forest did not entirely go to sleep once the sun left the sky, giving the kingdom a vibe akin to that of ghost stories that mares told their foals in order to scare them into falling asleep.
The fog that rolled into the kingdom during the late evening hours only added to it's ghostly appearance, the thick blanket resting at knee height for the average sized horse, causing their legs to develop a humid feel. The residents who traveled the forests at night knew this well, especially the golden king who often traversed the trees during the late hours to make sure things were calm and settled to ensure his kingdom's safety.
On this night, the golden king was nowhere near the stallion and mare who had come into his kingdom, several kilometers down south among the winding trees. His golden coat often took on an eerie pasty color under the light of the moon when it hit him right, so much that he could've been the subject of the ghosts stories like his dam told him many seasons ago. His hooffall was quieted by the layer of pine needles on the trail grounds, but that was also due to his careful consideration.
The night hours required the stallion to be silent to avoid alerting others of his presence, especially if he wanted to sneak up on the source of trouble so he could chase them out. Many days and nights in Taiga's forests had taught the stallion many, if not all, the tricks, and it helped that he remembered what he learned under Ruan's tutelage.
Another reason to keep quiet was that Aten didn't have the guidance of his friend this late. Turul had his own sleeping habits, which included staying awake into the late evening until the moon was far in the sky. At this late hour, however, the falcon had gone off to get his share of sleep, meaning that Aten had to depend on his own instincts to stay hidden. He couldn't rely on his friend to warn him of danger or someone who had found him.
Of course, this was no issue; the stallion had been doing it long before he met the falcon.
The night winds didn't seem to shift much while in the forest, so at first, Aten didn't detect the arrival of the two new horses. Only when he was about a dozen kilometers or so away from them did his nostrils pick up on their scent, and immediately, he was on the alert. Two horses here, this late at night? He usually expected visitors, if any at all, during the day. This was highly unusual, so it stood to reason that Aten was going to investigate immediately.
Picking up a gallop, the stallion raced through the trees, his powerful strides carrying him around each tall redwood with ease. He knew these trails, the twists and turns, so it did not take long for him to cover the distance and spot the two strange horses in the distance. Aten took note that, while in his kingdom, they were not very far from the border. Perhaps they decided to think twice about stroding in unannounced at this late hour? Aten would not have been mad, but he appreciated their consideration.
Able to stay in the cover of the shadows since he knew many places to hide, he took a moment to assess who had come. There were two horses, from this distance, Aten couldn't determing if they were both stallions or mares. They both had wings on their backs, though one appeared to have more than one pair.
The shorter horse had lighter coloring in the moonlight, some portions of it's body masked by darker shading. More than likely, that was part of it's coat, and not just a trick of the shadows. It's legs seemed similar, so either it was the heavy fog, or dark dun markings. Aten had seen both, and knew enough of each to make a good guess.
The other horse, the one with more than two wings, also seemed to have markings, but in a different fashion. It also sported a golden colored coat, though some shades differed that horse from Aten, indicating not quite a champagne color like the king sported.
He continued to wait for a moment, wanting to look from a distance more. He didn't know if he should trust these two horses, for they could mean danger to the horses who lived here. Aten would not put them in harm's way, the Taiga couldn't afford it. But at the same time, the way the two horses interacted, it almost seemed like the taller one was struggling to a degree. It's posture was strained, not quite like it was in pain from a physical injury, but still struggling that it told Aten he might not need to worry about that one as much.
He would not underestimate either, but perhaps, if they meant danger, the shorter one would be more threatening. He needed to play this carefully, and would, even though he would be exposing himself.
With a breath, the golden king moved to be in front of them to block their path, and then stepped out of the shadows. The light of the moon combined with the heavy fog layer and his golden coat gave the illusion of a ghost stepping from the shadows rather than a horse, but his calm, collected voice calling out to them in the night air assured them he was very real indeed.
"Who has come to Taiga's forests at this late hour of the night without announcing their presence? Surely you can see why the forest is unsettled by this arrival," he informed them, his eyes watchful but steel, his expression nearly impossible to read and determine what he was thinking.
@[Wolfbane] @[Lepis]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Wolfbane - 06-17-2019
ALL THE DOUBT YOU'RE STANDING IN BETWEEN
WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SEEN
WOLFBANE
@[Lepis] @[Aten]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Lepis - 06-17-2019
It will be over soon.
Lepis repeats her husband’s words to herself rather than go over the myriad of ways in which it might not be soon at all. She’s done that already, followed the branching and forking paths of what if to their many ends. Not all of them are quick, she has found, but all of them are certain. She has been called arrogant before, and the dun mare knows it is probably true. She knows for certain that she is confident, and she is also quite sure that she is capable of the task that she has set herself.
The forest grows darker around them as the evening creeps in, but Lepis remains on high alert. She’d rather be walking the path deeper into woods than lingering here, but she trusts her husband to lead them to the right spot. Even before he’d changed, she had trusted him. Now, knowing that he has, Lepis follows his gaze the instant it sharpens, her blue-grey eyes searching the shadows. There is nothing there to her weak equine eyes for some time.
Then, even though she’d been anticipating someone, she still startles at their ethereal appearance.
The rational part of her mind reassures Lepis that it is just the fog and the moonlight, and presses relaxation that slows her suddenly racing heart and loosens her dry throat. She has time to swallow again while Wolfbane answers the query, time to look over the champagne stallion that blocks their way deeper into Taiga. He is hard-eyed and determined, and she knows he must be Aten.
Lepis smiles.
Her blue-grey eyes glance up at her husband’s admission of her diplomatic skills and offers him a smile that is equal part amused and adoring. Those attributes leave her gaze when she returns it to Aten, but her expression remains indubitably pleasant.
“You asked who we are,” she says, “My name is Lepis, and this is Wolfbane.” They’ve no titles anymore. That is why they are here, and her steady alto voice says as much. “We are here to take over the Taiga.” It’s a bold statement, and while she does pause for a heartbeat to read his reaction, she does not hesitate overlong. “I’d rather not spill blood, though that’s only because we don’t have to. Do you know why?”
And then, whether he asks why or not, she uses her gift to project a series of emotions one after the other with sharp distinctions between each. Anger, Sadness, Joy, Fear. She lets the last one linger for a moment, intangible in the air between them. If he does not feel them, does not realize how she might wield emotions like helplessness, terror, and inferiority against him and the other Taigans, then at least she is certain he will feel the hoof and tooth and claw of her husband.
“We would most prefer that you remain in an advisory position,” she tells him him, as blasé as if they discuss why the moon waxes and wanes, “We've run kingdoms before, but I'm sure you know the assistance of a long time resident would be beneficial.” The pegasus mare is not physically imposing, and she knows this. Yet there is unwavering confidence in her voice when she speaks and the pleasant smile on her face is not diminished by the determination in her gaze. "But if you prove troublesome, we will not hesitate to oust you from the woods."
@[Aten] @[Wolfbane]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Aten - 06-17-2019
Aten's eyes were trained on the two, now identified as a stallion and a mare duo. The taller one with multiple wing pairs did not identify himself, going off on a tangent about the unpredictable nature of change and how they had simply followed it into the forest. Two of his wings drifted from his body to cover the mare, and he firmly stated that they did not come to the Taiga to enact... whatever it was, out of hate. That they chose to act out of peace, that they had chosen to come here before taking further action.
The stallion's words were setting Aten's teeth on edge; he was already getting a very bad feeling about this entire situation. The other stallion turned to the mare and asked her to continue, Aten's eyes drifting to hers to hear what she had to say.
The mare, unnoticed by Aten, had seemed a slight bit more startled by the golden king's materialization from among the trees, but she gathered herself before Aten could put any thought on it. She shared a smile with the stallion before formally introducing the two of them by the names of Wolfbane and Lepis.
And with that, the golden king's instincts went into overdrive. He'd heard tale of this stallion, his ambitions and recent tasks. He didn't know, or bother to care, what drove him to do half of what he did. All Aten knew was that he'd have to be careful; the fact that Wolfbane had come here, with the mare - Lepis - no less, could only mean the onset of trouble on the horizon.
Lepis' words, the goal of why they had come here, was simple. They had come to take over the Taiga. The golden king did not show any visible reaction, not wanting the two horses to know he was unsettled by their words. Lepis continued, saying they were not here to spill blood, that they didn't want nor have to. She finished with a rhetorical question, one Aten did not care to answer, before the stallion felt an overwhelming pour of emotions flow through his mind.
Anger... Sadness... Joy... Fear... All emotions that Aten had felt in his life, emotions he had confronted to deal with his demons and the shadows of his past. To this day, some still lingered in the deep corners of his heart... but there were others now in his life, those who, unwittingly, were helping him to heal. To mend and stitch the scars left on his bleeding heart.
Lepis said that both herself and Wolfbane would prefer for Aten to remain in an advisory position, that his status as a long-term resident would be beneficial to veteran kingdom leaders like the two of them. She finished this with a vague threat, and Aten resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Did she really think, with those words, that he would be an omega and roll over to show his belly? Clearly they underestimated his tenacity.
However, he knew he could not handle this alone. The stallion reached into the corners of his mind, feeling for his connection with his falcon companion, to try and wake him. Given Turul's sleeping habits, it was not a hard task to rouse him, although the falcon let some foul words fly at being woken from his nap.
Aten gave him a simple task in their limited word capacity, and felt Turul's acceptance before they closed off from one another. Aten let the connection linger at the ready, however, in case he needed to alert his friend of anything else of importance.
The golden king's eyes scanned the mare and stallion, assessing his options. With a calm, clear voice, he spoke in a deep, authoritative tone, "While I admire your willingness to face all options to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, you are not wise to assume you will not face any sort of rebellion upon coming here and stating your intentions to take over this land.
"I show respect to those who deserve it, and had you not threatened to force me out of my home should I not show compliance, I might have even found you two worth it. Taiga's protection was handed down to me by not only a dear friend, but another before her who I hold very close to my heart. You may have run kingdoms before, but your approach to this matter makes me wonder if you've always done so with the best intentions."
@[Wolfbane] @[Lepis]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Wolfbane - 06-18-2019
ALL THE DOUBT YOU'RE STANDING IN BETWEEN
WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SEEN
WOLFBANE
@[Lepis] @[Aten]
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Lepis - 06-18-2019
Her husband’s name elicits a reaction from the champagne stallion, but Lepis chooses to believe Aten is suitably fearful and aware of her own name as well. Wolfbane is a Loessian war hero, but Lepis has been a queen thrice over, crowned while still damp from birth. The dun mare survived the clown king of Sylva when the fiery forest had been truly evil (and not the dim mockery it is beneath the current traitorous leaders). She has buried her youngest son when he’d been killed by the Tephrans, and she is determined to make the Taiga her fourth and final monarchy.
She would prefer that it be done peacefully, but there is something about the firm set of Aten’s shoulders that suggest such a thing might be growing farther out of reach. The stallion strikes her as a bold and determined creature, and surely an asset for any land he calls home. It would truly be a loss for them if he were to be ousted from the forest. It is a loss she is willing to suffer though, as it must be.
Aten does not respond for a moment, and her stormcloud eyes flick across his face, suspicious that his lack of verbal response might mean he is active in other ways. Does he, too, have some unseen gift? She feels nothing beyond the faint midnight breeze, so if he has some trickery he does not seem to be using it on them. Someone else, perhaps? Sounding an alarm?
Even if that is the case, she does not worry. These woods are quiet ones, and they are alone. Sending for help is unnecessary and could not arrive in time to prevent the inevitable.
Aten tells them that they are not wise, but Lepis’ smile does not falter. She has never claimed to be wise, and has been called foolish far more often than not. She’d nearly started two wars; he is quite mistaken if he thinks the resistance of a lonely forest is enough to make Lepis hesitate.
Wolfbane speaks for them both, and Lepis turns once more toward her husband as he speaks. She traces the familiar line of his jaw with an affectionate gaze, her head nodding in agreeably. Agreeable until he mentions their losses at least, and then the faint smile on her navy muzzle draws tight and vanishes.
Her husband offers Aten time to consider their request, but Lepis has been freshly reminded of their reason for coming here and her patience grows short. When she speaks again, it is without the soft and friendly smile, though her words remain crisp and without strong emotion: perfectly reasonable.
”We would prefer you remain in Taiga, continuing to give these woods the same protection you currently do. We do not intend to change the woods, only to bring more life to them.” She has other plans, of course, but they are for the future. Lepis has no qualms about lying to get what she wants, but this is not a situation in which she finds it necessary.
”Your time to consider grows shorter.” she says. ”You have until my patience wears thin” - if the sharp flick of her tail is any indication, the time is short indeed - ”And then we will take Taiga with or without your goodwill. If it must be without, do not think we will keep secret that it was your refusal to hand over leadership peacefully that led to any ills that might follow.” Lepis does threaten, but it is clear from the flint in her gaze that it is not an empty promise. If Aten knows the name of Wolfbane, he knows that he fought on the side of the dragons. A redwood forest is far better kindling than a tropical jungle like Tephra, and Lepis has no qualms about ruling from a burnt throne.
”Will you hand over leadership, remaining here as a valued protector of the Taiga?” Asks the pegasus mare with a finality in her voice that suggests this will be the last time she asks politely. ”Or must we take it from you by force?”
RE: B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten || - Aten - 06-18-2019
"You blatantly underestimate us."
Irony, in every sense of the word. Wolfbane's arrogance was starting to irritate Aten, but the golden stallion continued to listen to both horses speak with very little if any at all reaction. The offer they were proposing that Aten stay here to be a champion for Taiga, in line to take command once again if they decided to step down, was tempting, if only so the golden king could for sure remain here in Taiga.
But was he willing to give up a responsibility handed down to him for something that was of absolutely no guarantee? It was easy enough for any horse to go back on their word, no matter how strong their moral characteristics were. Hell, Aten's sire had done it a number of times, and his siblings had too no doubt.
He had already made a vow to not follow in their hoofsteps, so whatever answer he ended up giving to Wolfbane and Lepis, he wanted to make sure it was something he would not live to regret.
Again, Wolfbane vaguely threatened Aten, stating nothing would get in their way to take over Taiga's land. He expressed his preference, not quite a wish, for Aten to stay and watch over Taiga with them. Lepis went on to continue, stating much of the same Wolfbane did, while adding in what she thought was necessary. Based on how these two had spoken, Aten had determined the mare to be more of the brains, the 'deceiving thinker', of the pair. He could pinpoint Wolfbane as an actor of brute strength and mind during battle. Diplomat, he doubted as much when Lepis could just do it herself.
So, in terms of verbal compliance, he'd have to watch what he said as long as she was near.
Aten eyed the mare and stallion for a few more silent minutes, his chest calmly rising and falling to help him keep his cool. His breath flaring from his nostrils pooled in a light layer of mist brought on by the fog surrounding them before dissipating into the wind as if it never existed. His eyes were cool, calculating, his mind racing to try and figure out what number of options he had out of this situation.
Sadly, he had only two. Take the more foolish route and adamantly refuse to even consider anything they were saying, or play it smart. The second option was of course preferable considering the position Taiga was in; a recovering kingdom called home by four residents, three horses and a falcon. A kingdom that was rebuilding, but needed more time.
It certainly didn't need a hostile takeover like this, especially not if it put Aten's friends in danger. Particularly Lethia, who he had grown fond of as a friend, and Misfit, who he'd come to see almost as a younger brother due to their age difference.
What would he... no, what should he do? Aten's pride was also on the line here, but he could care less about that if he didn't have any need to use it. What pride was there in offering a challenge he could more than likely lose? He didn't have any mystical gifts beyond his shared mind with Turul. True, the bird could be quite useful in combat himself, but Aten, a non-gifted, up against a war king and queen who could both fly and had who knows what else other abilities?
If Aten wasn't considered dumb before for not taking that into account, he sure as hell was now.
The stallion closed his eyes for another minute, sensing that, perhaps, this was the wrong move to make. But this was something he needed to do, and, if need be, he could always escalate matters should someone not comply.
Standing tall, he spoke to both Wolfbane and Lepis, "As you said upon your arrival, you do not wish to shed blood. I'm fairly certain that forcing you to take the kingdom from my hooves throguh battle would bring exactly that, something I wish to avoid as well. But this is not a decision to be taken lightly, no matter what position I may be put in by your offer.
"You say also that you wish for me to stay here, to continue watching over Taiga and remain in line for the throne upon your decision to step down. How exactly do I know that is true? You have heirs, do you not? Who is to say you will not choose to hand it down to them and go back on your word? How long until you decide I am not worth keeping around if I prove to not be pulling my weight, or until my words go against yours and you kick me out for insubordination? And what of my friends, those I love? Will you threaten them if I do not fulfill your requests as Taiga's protector? And why now do you choose to act upon your wishes to take over my home when I was only recently handed the mantle of king?"
The golden stallion took a step back and turned his head away, "Lepis, despite your patience wearing thin, I would appreciate if you allow me to accept Wolfbane's offer and consider this matter on my own. I will come to a decision that will, in good spirits, benefit everyone. I am not one to turn away strangers unless they exhibit violence towards Taiga and her residents. You are welcome to stay here, and I will find you to give you an answer. Until then, I would prefer to be left alone."
Turning his back on the pair, Aten disappeared into the mist as easily as he had come, retreating back into the forest to mull over his options.
@[Wolfbane] @[Lepis]
OOC: So while obviously out of character this isn't a huge thrill for me, I'm interested to see where this storyline will go. I will do a new thread fairly soon here for Aten to give a decision to Wolfbane and Lepis, I do want him to think over it himself in character too. If you'd rather something else happen in this thread, by all means, feel free, but I wanted to let you know of this.