"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The unicorn was cautious as she picks her way over the land. It was not hard to find the stallion who had offered her a home by following his scent. Yes...he had a rather 'unique' smell but it was better to use it to find the way to her new home rather than just hoping for the best.
The pale mare notes the various scents and sounds as she walks, painting a picture in her head. There were birds and water ways and even the dew of an early morning. She feels the earth soften when she stumbles down an embankment to slosh through glacier runoffs and the squish if sand turn to pebbles. But it is when trees break open that Lucie knows she has found the promised home. A small call bursts from between smiling lips as blind eyes look out blankly, lobes moving rapidly. "Fart? Fart, I've made it!" The sightless mare follows the call word simple, excited words.
Somehow Fart had managed not only to find one lovely lady to live with but two! Really, he almost couldn’t believe it and some days he still thought it was part of a dream or some sort of alternate reality like he had been in before with Grumble. Oh Grumble, if only he could see him now. Fart was sure that his friend would be proud of him, would praise him and pet him and tell him pretty words. Actually Fart was almost feeling proud of himself believe it or not. There was a tiny part of him letting himself feel glad about his own accomplishments, allowing himself a sliver of hope and happiness.
It was nice here in the forest, quiet and secluded from the world. Of course there were the everyday sounds of nature, of birds trilling in the trees and the trickle of water from a stream. Sometimes he would hear the gentle scurry of a rabbit, or the crash of bear but he let them be and thus they seemed to do the same. Of course there were things that weren’t so pleasant and cheery about forests but he had so far had to do very little about them. He skirted the borders day to day, looking and smelling around and if a predator got too close he kept keen attention on the situation. Of course he had Seraphina to help him out with that and thankfully they were a good team and a fine match to ward of danger from their home sweet home.
Soon enough there was a routine to it, a schedule almost if you will. Wake up, have some breakfast, trace the borders, North to East to South to West. Of course in between all that were more stops to snack, find a drink, chat with Seraphina or mark certain trees with his smell to make sure others knew this spot was taken, it was spoken for. Today is the same except for it isn’t, as Fart is taking his stroll around the herds territory he finds the bright splendor of white that is Lucie. A lovely unicorn that he had come across, a lady with sightless eyes but a gentle and kind heart. He smiled wide though she could not see it, then he called softly to her, a gentle whuffing noise before he greeted her with a, “Lucie, hello Lucie. I am coming to you now.”
Life had formed a pattern once more, and she found that it provided a small comfort to her. The land that had been so new was now familiar and she found that she enjoyed exploring it. Many days she would begin from above, a quick scan of the land to ensure nothing was remarkably amiss. Then she would spot her green companion and land nearby (never too close as she did not want to startle him) and join him for breakfast. Afterwards he would meander away on his rounds and she would become better acquainted with her home from the ground. It was a terribly simple life compared to what she had been accustomed to before, but there was contentment to be had.
She found that Fart was growing stronger, perhaps from all the exercise, or maybe because by joining her to eat he kept to a more usual regime, or possibly because he simply felt better. She couldn’t be sure, but he definitely did not look quite so scrawny as when they had first met. There was also a look of satisfaction in his brown eyes that had been absent before, and secretly it made her happy to see it.
She had noticed there were a couple of times he had ventured out, but she had not really questioned him about it. She assumed he was looking for others to offer his home to and she left it at that. She enjoyed that he had a mission and that he was dedicated enough to work towards it. But when she spots the beautiful creature that stumbles into the forest she feels shocked somehow. She can only stare for several moments while she tries to understand that her quiet life has just changed.
And then she hears him, calling out to her. Of course he would know her, he had invited her here after all. But she was so beautiful, so sweet in appearance and bearing… it made her question herself. She had never been much in the way of looks, taking more after her father than her mother. And the premise behind this herd was for creatures that didn’t belong elsewhere; did that truly make her a monster? Her golden eyes glance down at her talons and feathered limbs anxiously. What was becoming of her that such things bothered her so?
Hawk eyes flick upward to watch him approach her with his awkward smile that she had come to appreciate. They seem such a ridiculous pair to an outsider (and true she does not know the girl personally) but to her it seems that they make a great match; both sweet and somewhat innocent. Perhaps she would not make such a good companion now after all.
But she has promised to protect this place, and that makes her necessary at least. Somewhat reassured in her role, she approaches the pair and notices the glaze over the female’s eyes. Ah, that was why she was here. The hawk mare glances at Fart furtively to see if she can catch any hint of what he is thinking, but failing she simply clears her throat a little to announce her presence to the new girl. “Lucie was it? Welcome. I’m Seraphina.” Her voice is soft but authoritative, because that was the only way she could mask whatever confusion was playing out in her brain.
