"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
She watched the landscape change below her as the autum wind sunk and swooped between her opal feathered wings. She had spent alot of time the last few months taking to the sky. No matter the weather, rain, sun, clouds, wind or silent it had been her source of peace with the changes of becoming a mother. A mother to a child with abilities she didn't understand. She loved her but the shifting between equine and lion seemed to hold her at arms length from her child, simply because she didn't understand.
The wind had tucked her forelock back between her eyes as she maneuvered west towards the coast. She could see the towering volcano that not long ago erupted from her tom, devouring Tephra beneath her.
Her eyes scoured the land below looking past the ashened land finding rest on a set of islands not far off. Her mind wondered back to a dark and stormy day shared in an alcove with a man who shared his life with a small companion much like his daughter.
She shifted to the right, her large wings folding and opening beneath her. As she came close to the island she dropped her head, her body following with ease. As she came close her eyes sparkled in the sky's blue mixed with the soft white of the floating clouds.
Her hooves landed softly on the beach, sinking under her weight. She perked her ears as she scanned the beach and the tree line waiting for anyone to meet her.
Today the resort is silent, the usual scene of soft and small clouds painted across a vast sea of bright blue sky that goes on for miles with seemingly no end. There is a constant hum around the edges of the island, mainly due to the sea that gently crashes against the sandy banks of the island, his home is serene and always quiet, though everything remains in motion, the ignorant eye may be unable to notice the hundreds of birds that migrate from island to island or those that nest high in the forest canopy, calling toward their mates and responding to their chicks, there are also many different species of animals, though most tend to hide away, either high up in the trees or in the shadows, never seen.
With his silence comes a gift, the hum of the ocean changes and the parrot's calls suddenly dim down until they stop calling altogether, now there is only the sound of rustling trees as the crisp, salty ocean air lashes around them, moving through the Island.
Someone must have arrived.
The stallion's ears perk up as he moves toward the beach, his companion yipping and howling joyously as he runs ahead.
When they reach the beach, the hum of the ocean becomes clearer, no longer filtered by the rustle of trees or moving foliage. His suspicion has been right when he notices the familiar mare standing on the beach, he smiles and begins to move toward her.
"Hello again, I believe we have met before?" he says quietly, his posture dipping slightly in greeting.
"What brings you to the resort today?" he asks gently, taking a comfortable stance on the soft sand.
His companion quickly rushes toward the mare, already beginning to sniff around.
She doesn't wait long, but while she does wait she closes her eyes out of habit to listen to all of the melodic sounds of the island. She sways her head to the white noise of salt water against stone and sand. Her head bobs slightly to the cacophony of birds that trail in and out of the trees behind her, she notices when it becomes quiet almost eerily so.
Her ears swivel in lost concentration. She had never been one to worry about what may happen when she wasn't paying attention. Though since becoming a mom, that had changed but by a minute difference. Felicitey trails into her mind, how she would love to see this place.
She opens her eyes and scans the sea infront of her and then turns to inspect the island behind her. A smile pulled to her lips as the familiar stallion and his companion made their way to her and greeted her.
Yes, we have, the weather was not so good that day. she teased as she looked towards the bright blue sky painted by clouds white and soft.I was just getting my thoughts in order while the weather was nice, and decided to take you up on your offer to visit. I hope you don't mind. she shifted her weight and shuffled her wings slightly as the small fox dashed around her. They were a curious thing, companion animals. My daughter has a monkey. she said to noone inparticular, looking down at her hooves
The stallion nods as the memory springs to his mind "Ah, of course, that was a rather unpleasant evening" he frowns, his expression quickly switching as he moves closer to the mare "Well, welcome to the resort, we always love visitors" He smiles warmly looking over her wings, he had always been curious about flight, to him it seemed like a wondrous thing, to soar above the clouds with no limitations.
"Must feel amazing to fly" he grins, she had mentioned something about gathering her thoughts and he felt like he could take her mind off of whatever she needed for a while.
"I've always wanted to see what is above the clouds, how far up one can go before they burn" he looks up toward the sky, his jaw relaxing as his muscles pull him down.
His companion quickly joins his side once he is done investigating the mare "A monkey? They are curious wee little things, well, provided they are actually little. Mine joined my side randomly, but as soon as he met me we seemed to be bonded, but not just any normal bond" he smiles looking at his companion as he sits down to rest.
"What do you think of the resort?" he asks additionally with a warm smile, by now the sun was at its highest point, the heat now slowly becoming unbearable as it starts to shine through the thick canopy of the jungle behind them.
Her sky blue eyes watch him as he traces her wings with his curiosity. For show, thought today she was not as vibrant in moods as usual, she tilts her wings just enough so that the sunlight dances gracefully across her opal feathers. It is definately freeing to be able to take to the sky. Though it is easy to get lost in that freedom, sometimes I find myself not wanting to find my hooves against solid ground.
The sky was in all its vastness her escape from reality. She had always found it hard to settle in one place or stick around to really know the pleasures of the ground. Even with the birth of her daughter, she dances to the sky often. As she thinks of this her smile drops.
Her attention is drawn back by his voice and talk of monkeys and companion animals. My daughter was born to hers waiting for her, it was the oddest thing. she said absently resting on the memory only for a moment. They too seem bonded, and I am grateful. She is deaf in one ear and he seems to look after her in ways I could never. It must be nice to never be truly alone. a small smile to her lips follows a cock of her head as she proceeds to take in the beach they stood upon. The jungle seemed dense and crowded, almost suffocating compared to the sky but it was in fact beautiful and breath taking. Your home is beautiful, quite different then the sky you wonder after. I would not mind touring it with it's most trusted resident. she shrugged, sweat beading along her hide as the sun climbed it's way across the sky. Maybe the jungle would provide some protection against the heat.
He smiles warmly as her wings glisten brightly in the sunlight, his crimson-red eyes dancing over her wings, studying them with increasing intrigue "I can imagine so, I can only dream of such freedom. I too would like to just lift off someday and never touch the earth again, to soar above the clouds and feel the breeze up there. I want to fly to the moon or touch the stars, though I imagine that is quite silly" he smiles, looking toward his companion who looks quite confused and rather bored.
His heart was set on flight, he wanted to explore the skies and travel to lands through the air, to experience storms from above and to touch the sky one step at a time.
His attention shoots back to the mare as soon as she begins to speak, his blood-red eyes settling on her as she speaks about companions once more "That sounds lovely, the bonding between our companion animals is truly something I don't think I will ever completely understand, but I do know he looks after me as much as he can, whenever he senses danger or doesn't like the look of someone he is first to intercept them and lecture them" he speaks softly, this time his companion walks quite confidently, brushing his fur against the stallion's legs.
His gaze shifts toward the closing tide as she speaks again "Of course, there are a few things to see, like the structures for example, maybe you could help me decipher what they mean" he tilts his head as he poses the question, he would be happy to provide the mare with a tour.
The stallion throws his head back as he begins to walk away toward the jungle "I think you will love it" he smiles enthusiastically.
She listened as he talked the reds of his eyes pulling her in. How much did she take flying for granted? Things had changed when she became a mom but her daughter was old enough now that she shouldn't feel so ashamed, though she would always feel ashamed for not being there the way she needed the last year. The storms sure are amazing from above. she thought wistfully. He talked of his companion and she watched the small fox. He looked uncomfortable in the heat. How loyal must they be to be put in situations they didn't ask for? This realization gave her a new level of respect for the small monkey that accompanied IED her daughter and she nodded in understanding.
I would love to see these markings you talk of. she said softly as she followed him off their current position on the beach. Have you been here long? she wondered. It seemed quiet, peaceful, but also lonely.
