09-20-2017, 12:32 PM
Raxa felt her hind leg miss it's striking point, indicating that the wolf had indeed managed to move out of the way. No matter, she determined as she got up and reared again to make the fanged creature back away. She could see the emotion in the wolf's eyes; clearly, she was unimpressed with how Raxa had switched to a defensive tactic. It was for that exact purpose though; Raxa had to give herself time, time for the adrenaline to course through her veins and pump her into action once again. If that didn't happen, she'd once again fight a losing battle; it had pretty much started when the two wolves assaulted her, even if not at the same time.
It seemed as if the wolf was preparing to go for another strike, but before any more blows could be exchanged, all efforts were halted when that one word rang out.
"Enough."
Among the fighting of the two wolves and the brindled mare, the powerful, authoritative voice cut through it all like a dagger, causing them all to freeze in place. The bloodshed stopped, Raxa turning her sculpted head to look at the one who had spoken. It had been the cremello stallion, his red eyes boring into the three combatants that had, it seemed in his opinion, started a useless battle that only resulted in wasted energy.
Raxa felt eyes on her, and glanced away from the cremello, seeing that the female wolf was also looking upon the stallion. Her gaze seemed different from Raxa's; it held fury and rage, but it did not seem directed upon the one who interrupted their brawl. Immediately, Raxa knew it was still aimed at her, even if the wolf wasn't looking in her direction. Raxa did not bother herself with looking upon the other wolf; she knew he'd hold a similar gaze just based on how she'd tried to crush him with her heavier weight in a low, under hoofed fighting tactic.
The cremello stallion settled his eyes on Raxa before he began striding towards her. His powerful legs made the ground practically shake with each step, and Raxa backed away from him, not out of fear, but for the simple fact that, if he did decide to join in the fight, she would surely lose more than the blood the wolf had shed. He spoke again, informing Raxa of the hopeless situation she now faced. This knowledge cut the roan mare deeply; it truly showed her how much some horses could be relied on. She did not blame Anahi, for she told the gold mare to run out of concern for her friend. Anahi could fight, but she was not the skilled warrior that Raxa was, or Nitika for that matter, wherever she'd gone off to. If Raxa was having a tough time against these two wolves, Anahi would have been lying dead on the ground by now.
The stallion's gaze went elsewhere, to the female wolf Raxa had been fighting with. The next words he spoke were like an ice dagger cutting through the brindle mare's heart.
"Take her captive. I'll deal with her later."
Without another word, the stallion turned away and headed into Sylva's forest, leaving Raxa to the unforgiving teeth of the female wolf. Though she wanted so desperately to strike out with a hoof again as the creature snapped at her, the adrenaline had by now worn off and Raxa felt the full force of the wounds she'd been dealt. Neither would leave anything more than scars, but the condition they were in right now sent pain reverberating through her body. Her underbelly pained each time she took a step, and this was only further enhanced by the fact that her wounded leg was difficult to walk on. It meant an uneven stride, harder efforts to walk, so with each limping step Raxa's body took, it only served to hurt more.
The female wolf, it seemed, was intent on leaving more wounds behind since the cremello didn't say anything to specify otherwise. Raxa did not wish to be a captive here, but she also did not yet wish to lose her life. If Djinni and the others had been here, to help her defend their beautiful home, Raxa would've gladly done so since she still had something to fight for. Sylva was still her home, but the horses she'd once called friends, they'd left. They'd abandoned their home, all because their leader was simply too afraid to fight for it.
Raxa held respect for Djinni, and had, but it was nothing but a fleeting emotion now. The only thing she could think of the mare now was that Djinni was a coward. A horse who cared for none but herself, or else she would've stayed to defend Sylva against these raiders. In that moment, a new hatred pushed its way into Raxa's two-colored heart; a hatred for her former leader, who had so carelessly abandoned her home in the effort to save her own pathetic skin.
The rage bubbling inside the mare pushed Raxa to walk forward, if only to avoid the snapping teeth of the female wolf. She ignored the words the fanged creature screamed, continuing to follow the simple orders of going forward instead. If she went a way the wolf didn't like, causing her to snap at the brindle, Raxa simply changed course. She did not speak, she did not fight. She just walked forward and allowed the hatred to grow, knowing that from this point on, except in two very rare cases, she would never allow herself to come and trust another again. Not Djinni, not any of her former herd mates, not the wolf snapping at her, and certainly not the cremello stallion.
All she knew was that, if she had to remain here, she'd do her best to stay alive, so that one day, she could quell the rage burning within her.
It seemed as if the wolf was preparing to go for another strike, but before any more blows could be exchanged, all efforts were halted when that one word rang out.
"Enough."
Among the fighting of the two wolves and the brindled mare, the powerful, authoritative voice cut through it all like a dagger, causing them all to freeze in place. The bloodshed stopped, Raxa turning her sculpted head to look at the one who had spoken. It had been the cremello stallion, his red eyes boring into the three combatants that had, it seemed in his opinion, started a useless battle that only resulted in wasted energy.
Raxa felt eyes on her, and glanced away from the cremello, seeing that the female wolf was also looking upon the stallion. Her gaze seemed different from Raxa's; it held fury and rage, but it did not seem directed upon the one who interrupted their brawl. Immediately, Raxa knew it was still aimed at her, even if the wolf wasn't looking in her direction. Raxa did not bother herself with looking upon the other wolf; she knew he'd hold a similar gaze just based on how she'd tried to crush him with her heavier weight in a low, under hoofed fighting tactic.
The cremello stallion settled his eyes on Raxa before he began striding towards her. His powerful legs made the ground practically shake with each step, and Raxa backed away from him, not out of fear, but for the simple fact that, if he did decide to join in the fight, she would surely lose more than the blood the wolf had shed. He spoke again, informing Raxa of the hopeless situation she now faced. This knowledge cut the roan mare deeply; it truly showed her how much some horses could be relied on. She did not blame Anahi, for she told the gold mare to run out of concern for her friend. Anahi could fight, but she was not the skilled warrior that Raxa was, or Nitika for that matter, wherever she'd gone off to. If Raxa was having a tough time against these two wolves, Anahi would have been lying dead on the ground by now.
The stallion's gaze went elsewhere, to the female wolf Raxa had been fighting with. The next words he spoke were like an ice dagger cutting through the brindle mare's heart.
"Take her captive. I'll deal with her later."
Without another word, the stallion turned away and headed into Sylva's forest, leaving Raxa to the unforgiving teeth of the female wolf. Though she wanted so desperately to strike out with a hoof again as the creature snapped at her, the adrenaline had by now worn off and Raxa felt the full force of the wounds she'd been dealt. Neither would leave anything more than scars, but the condition they were in right now sent pain reverberating through her body. Her underbelly pained each time she took a step, and this was only further enhanced by the fact that her wounded leg was difficult to walk on. It meant an uneven stride, harder efforts to walk, so with each limping step Raxa's body took, it only served to hurt more.
The female wolf, it seemed, was intent on leaving more wounds behind since the cremello didn't say anything to specify otherwise. Raxa did not wish to be a captive here, but she also did not yet wish to lose her life. If Djinni and the others had been here, to help her defend their beautiful home, Raxa would've gladly done so since she still had something to fight for. Sylva was still her home, but the horses she'd once called friends, they'd left. They'd abandoned their home, all because their leader was simply too afraid to fight for it.
Raxa held respect for Djinni, and had, but it was nothing but a fleeting emotion now. The only thing she could think of the mare now was that Djinni was a coward. A horse who cared for none but herself, or else she would've stayed to defend Sylva against these raiders. In that moment, a new hatred pushed its way into Raxa's two-colored heart; a hatred for her former leader, who had so carelessly abandoned her home in the effort to save her own pathetic skin.
The rage bubbling inside the mare pushed Raxa to walk forward, if only to avoid the snapping teeth of the female wolf. She ignored the words the fanged creature screamed, continuing to follow the simple orders of going forward instead. If she went a way the wolf didn't like, causing her to snap at the brindle, Raxa simply changed course. She did not speak, she did not fight. She just walked forward and allowed the hatred to grow, knowing that from this point on, except in two very rare cases, she would never allow herself to come and trust another again. Not Djinni, not any of her former herd mates, not the wolf snapping at her, and certainly not the cremello stallion.
All she knew was that, if she had to remain here, she'd do her best to stay alive, so that one day, she could quell the rage burning within her.