"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
05-16-2023, 12:41 PM (This post was last modified: 05-16-2023, 02:21 PM by Famkee.)
Listening to thoughts inside a tortured mind wasn't exactly new to her. Believing them held a different weight, in a way she thinks it's what's kept her pushing through the veil, fantasizing of a prettier picture behind the deception. Frightening as her newly found gift had introduced itself, making peace with it had proven just as difficult. Cursed with past torments, now she's to learn of future affairs to add to the already fragile teetering crevices, cracking to reveal parts of herself long thought buried. Her younger self would turn a blind eye to the present fears, bothersome enough but easily worn thin if she tried. Trying, as feeble as it might sound, letting it all go would mean starting over, detached from what and who she was and that was petrifying enough to tether her.
The only difference from listening to the past and the future is the unknown, the uncharted faces, places and the feelings they brought. At least her pain was familiar, these abstract visions influenced not only foreign visuals but the loss of control. Trying to harness her clairvoyance might as well have been a battle not even the warrior could tame. Were the sprites and spirits of Beqanna only here to taunt her? Flashes of a landscape unexplored by her, yet challenged by an equine also exploring his gifts prompted weary legs to travel. Finding him wasn't as difficult as she thought, she could see his whereabouts, the faces he sought familiar to him. Becoming accustomed to seeing future events and bleeding them into the present tangled it's fearsome claws around her ribs, but maybe this was a path for growth, exploiting her unease and transforming it into an opportunistic favor, after all this was her gift and if she was going to use it she shouldn't be afraid of it. She can't be afraid, anymore.
The Dale's scattered mountains spilt the valleys with their grace as she walks through the trees, she can smell the lake placed in the center of the lowland. Her mouth is parched as she tries to shift her teeth, the thought of actually seeing him where she found him inside her head seems far fetched, but the hope of seeing him in the flesh dries her throat. She hates him for this, making her stretch this gift, possibly too soon. The idea that she could be wrong makes the mare tense. Having faith crawls around the back of her mind though, and for a moment the thought of being right prevails. His familiar scent is tangible, it's there inside her nose, sure she could imagine it, but the hoof prints faintly disturbing the leaf litter below didn't lie. His scent is the only thing familiar here, despite what she's already seen of this land inside strangled perceptions. She's quiet, unsure if he's alone. Famkee isn't the friendliest in the beginnings of relations.
Her ebony mane catches the snarling vines, golden pelt still unassuming in its camouflage, like a tigress stalking prey, blatant in the open but perfectly concealed in the mess of the forest. She's an assassian as he becomes visible to her eye, his dark pelt, wings that look a bit more established on his back, and a horn put to waste that is, until she teaches him how to make use of his weapon. A massive part of her wants to wake up the sleeping giant from her past and put her knowledge to wield in the practice of another. The swelling of the scheme fuels her steps forward, even though she prefers to wait in the cover for a few more moments to admire the stallion. The gravelly sand surrounding the lake is nearly as black as her legs, quite a beautiful contrast to the crystal clearness of the water. As she approaches, a small sly grin finds it's way to her mouth, followed by an ever slyer greeting, the words drip like honeyed sap. "Assailant."
More and more, the water calls to him with her sweet, dulcet melodies. More and more, he is vulnerable to her beckoning, so he wends his way to the central lake without hesitation. He takes his time, still not quite confident in the various paths of the Dale, but the gentle humidity and unique scents eventually lead him to his destination.
The sunlight bounces dazzlingly off the water’s languid ripples, almost too much for one’s eyes to handle. So he lets his eyelids fall as he steps into the lake’s cool embrace, a welcome refuge from the midsummer heat. He sighs quietly, allowing his senses to absorb and process the many sounds and sensations in greater detail.
The subtle rushing as small waves lap at the shore and his body, the uneven pebbled ground he stands on, the occasional quick grazing touch of an aquatic creature slithering past his legs. The pitter-patter of softly padded feet gamboling through the lush flora, the sharp tearing as the herbivorous creatures sate their hunger. The monotonous clicking and thrumming of flying insects, the rustle of winged feathers chasing a quick snack, the insistent harmonies of both warning and delight cried out into the air.
A soft, stealthy tread that is eventually unable to avoid the conspicuous grinding of sand beneath hooves.
His ears flick rapidly in the newcomer’s direction and his nostrils flare slightly as his mind begins to filter through the scents, attempting to match them to his recollections. The obvious ones, such as the wet earthy smell of the lake itself, are quickly pushed aside, but he cannot detect the smell of the unknown creature somewhere behind him. Then, a mild breeze kicks up from just the right direction and delivers it to him.
There are only a handful of others that he’s met thus far, but it still takes far too long to pull a name from the depths of his mind. As it comes to the tip of his tongue, she calls out to him. He whirls, as much from surprise as from pleasure. He hadn’t realized she was quite that close. As the scattered droplets settle back into the lake from whence they came, he makes a small noise of satisfaction before moving quickly to greet her.
“Ah, so you found me after all.”
A smile dances in his eyes as he stretches his neck toward her, letting his muzzle brush lightly against hers. He is genuinely pleased to see her. He hasn’t exactly been worrying about her, understanding that she is fully capable of protecting herself, but he has been wondering what has been keeping her. But then again, he knows she is still unraveling the full potential of her clairvoyance, so perhaps that is the reason for her delay.
“Was there much trouble in finding your way? I am glad you made it. Welcome to the Dale, by the way.”
assailant
"The comfort zone is always the most desirable place to be. But in settling for comfort, there is a price to pay and it comes in the death of ambition, of hope, of youth, and the death of self." -Simon Barnes
Something that should make her swell with pride, a meaningful type of excitement and yet she finds herself wallowing back down to disappointment. Should it be so easy to locate him, a stallion she's met only a handful of times, nonetheless she's ridden with resentment that she couldn't use this gift to find her twin, lost still. She tries her hardest to seem thrilled with seeing his face again, but the emotion seems to fall flat not reaching her features for the dark stud to admire. Must she be so cynical?
It appears that even magic has it's limits, her naivety, her hope that just maybe this gift would grant her a new beginning to past mistakes, but as usual Famkee falls too deep into her former life, ruining what's waiting for her inside the present. After all in her defense, the past is what shapes us into who we are, it's up to her to harness the power to decide how to grow, how to deal with what she's been given. A warrior, afraid of her own shadow, how painfully ironic. She opens and closes her lips like she wants to tell him the truth, squeezing the words. "I wouldn't say it was without difficulty, in fact it's infuriating." Her dark tail slaps her flank in annoyance, teeth sharply gritted with a subtle clench of her jaw. "It could be too early to tell, but it seems I'm still to learn how to find other lost beings of importance." A deep inhale accumulates in her chest but she doesn't let it release the tension, grasping at the fact that if she continues to fail what does that make her?
Her breath remains stuck as he takes the liberty of their closeness and ever so softly connects his muzzle to hers. Black tipped ears desperately want to flatten on impact, a knee jerk reaction she's had for physical contact from the opposite sex that has never shown kindness in the slightest. She's never been afraid to reject, but in this moment she doesn't feel distaste rotting in her throat, instead the warmth is pleasant. She doesn't fall into his touch like she wants to though, still tentative in his boldness, her reaction remains not as hostile as she would have thought. Instead she looks a bit awkward, never once feeling comfortable in any sort of intimacy. Though she knows he means well, it doesn't stop her from dragging a step backwards. He's saying more words of welcome but it's all fuzzy inside her head.
"T-thank you," She clears her throat lowering her head to the waters edge to hopefully drench the newfound dryness of her tongue. She doesn't keep her eye off him, golden eyes narrowing in on the expanse of his legs still halfway submerged. "It's quite peaceful, do you live here now Assailant?" Raising her head back to his eye level, the first genuine smile finds her lips, one that travels to her eyes. "How are the wings coming along?"
It is not difficult to notice the tension in her body, the repression in her voice. He is slightly disappointed, having already come to think of her as a friend and hoping that she might have come to reciprocate in the time that has passed. But he refrains from commenting or showing any outward indications as she finishes her statement. He sighs for her as her breath catches and draws back when she does, granting her more of the space that she seems to need.
“I am sorry if I pushed you too hard. Perhaps it is just easier to find someone you’ve more recently interacted with. I doubt this is something that can be mastered overnight..”
His neck stretches toward her again, wanting to offer a comforting touch, but he quickly withdraws and tucks his chin as close to his chest as possible. He wants to help her, but he finds himself wondering if she will ever accept it, so he lets the silence swell between them once more.
But not for long. His voice is quiet, tentative. “I know it’s easier said than done, but give yourself some grace.” He blows out a soft breath, hoping that she will meet his eye and find the sincerity. “I’ll do what I can to help.”
The awkwardness of the moment captures his tongue again, so he shakes out his wings to send any remaining traces of water flying into the air. His face crinkles when she asks of his living arrangements. His eyes drift to the scenery that lies behind her, not quite sure of what his answer truly is. Still, he gives one anyway.
“I haven’t made up my mind, though it is a lovely place to settle down.”
He is pleased when she meets his eye again, and even more so by the smile she gives. The mention of his wings elicits a gentle laugh and he extends one to look at, then tucks it at his side again so that he can repeat the motion with the other one.
“They’re quite nice. There’s a certain kind of freedom in flight that I’d be loath to relinquish now that I’ve found it.”
In keeping with the topic, he uses the still extended wing to gesture to the waiting Dale as he also moves to exit the water.
“So, what would you like to do or see next?”
assailant
"The comfort zone is always the most desirable place to be. But in settling for comfort, there is a price to pay and it comes in the death of ambition, of hope, of youth, and the death of self." -Simon Barnes
Famkee has always appreciated the simplest of things, perhaps it was a flaw, but it made things far less complicated. Taking notice was easy with him, the subtle understandings of space, the cogs twisting behind eyes that almost felt pity. It's the last thing she wants him to feel, but she hasn't really given him much choice in what to feel. A large itching part of her wants to erase the weakness she's shown, something she's forever been distracted with. Vulnerability sat beneath her pride, impatient, desperate. He remains just as firm in his willingness to try and shatter her walls, and if anything she commends him for it. His wishes to free her, as sweetly as they sound on his voice, are cast along the breeze, always there but never tangible.
"It's not your fault." She's sincere, rigid around the edges. It really wasn't, she needed this wether she liked it or not.
He is something to treasure in his innocence, despite being an immortal, paving way through grievous conditions and hardships, he prevails with a certain dexterity she finds difficult to understand. She shows her thanks in a transparent nod of her head, the smile that had formed around her mouth continues to stay there. Though it's short lived, her brows pinching in a sort of confusion, a earnest curiosity morphing her pretty face. Her voice is soft, yet bares a quality to it, a charming ring in the ears.
"Why are you so kind to me?" Her face falls again, down and down into an interrogative path. Though still practically strangers, he treats her like a long lost friend. She doesn't know if it's her, being so closed off to the world, or if he's just always been this way. Despite that the compassion makes her shift in her skin a bit, she finds that somewhere it's soothing, refreshing in a strange manifestation, tingling her limbs in the best kind of practice. Kindness, empathy, tenderness, all sought from loved ones, from friends to family, to lovers. Famkee wasn't granted with any of those things, her only purpose was to serve, to fight and to complete tasks at hand. A robotic sort of existence that she found comfort in. Now that she's been left alone with this mentality, it begins to rot her sense of self, her sense of worth.
Thankfully he provides a distraction, his set of powerful wings and his newfound partnership with them. She is happy to know that he's learning the pathways of the skies, something Famkee could only dream of. "I'm having trouble finding a place to settle into as well, so many changes have shaped the lands, i wonder if i pick one, it will be swallowed by the seas or claimed by a storm." She chuckles a bit too lightheartedly given the circumstances of Bequanna's recent affairs. "Do you have any siblings Assailant?" She thinks of her brother in this moment, wonders if he'll ever reach her line of sight again. Something to shove down for another time, after all it's what consumes her thoughts. She looks to his horn, manifesting her own golden light to slither up the serrated points of hers, the sunlight travels to her eyes, glowing a radiant halcyon. "You know," She pauses, scanning over the expanse of his wings, pondering how pegasi would be more efficient in battle, she feels as though the heavy pinions would just get in the way. "You still have yet to explore the uses of your other gift." A sinister grin grows around her lips, one that is hopeful, desirous. An eye for an eye, he tests her capabilities, she would be delighted to test his. This is what she was made for, it's all she's ever known. She may not be one of affection, or wisdom, but the taste of blood on her tongue, the feeling of succession, power, it's a drug she's long since been deprived of.
![[Image: EOU990v.png]](https://i.imgur.com/EOU990v.png)
Famkee [Fahm-key]
