On a day that was more suited to grounding than flying, there was a pegasus in the sky. Areane had known that this would be a reckless venture (and she could certainly hear her father’s consternation if he had known what she was about, that she was storm-flying), but there had been a feeling in the tips of her wings that had called to her.
A breeze had whipped past her, and the slender pegasus reacted as only a winged horse could: she had chased it.
Her inexperience had shown itself almost immediately. Once Areane had left the ground, she had been left to the mercy of the winds. They blew her towards the North, and then over the angry, churning sea before she was finally able to right herself. Tephra loomed ahead of her, with its beaches and outlying islands flanking the shores. The blue-sheened mare exhaled deeply before inhaling the wind-wild scent of salt and sulfur.
She had thought her storm-soaring almost over when an updraft sent her spiraling up, up, further than she had ever flown before. Perhaps she should have been scared; a more sensible creature might have been (and though there was something akin to fear before the rush of adrenaline claimed her, it was fleeting). Areane spread her wings wide and let the coming storm lift her up while she laughed - a bright, silvery sound against the gray horizon.
Reckless, foolish, these were all admonishments that she expected to hear once she landed.
But for a few short moments, she soared without consequence.
Until she saw it. Another horse in this gray endless sky. Suddenly, the miles all around her seemed to close in as Areane watched the other plummet to the earth below them. She was far enough away that even when she closed her wings and began to dive after the falling creature, Tephra remained small and out of reach. She was still miles from the jungle and try as she might, the wind wouldn’t relent so easily.
***
Finally, the breezes allowed her hooves to touch the ground. Areane was tired, but the image of the horse falling kept her hooves moving. She walked away from the shore, leaving behind the lulling sound of crashing waves and the lonely cry of a seabird. She kept moving, roaming the unfamiliar jungle until that feeling returned - a tingling at the tips of her wings.
I’m not in the mood, Areane thought as another breeze whipped past her, pushing her down another path. The dark pegasus stood firm, trying not to scowl at a sensation that was becoming annoyingly familiar. It was the wind trying to tell her something; a gift from the Old Ones, her father had said.
After the afternoon she had just had, Areane wasn’t sure that she wanted it.
But then, Areane looked up.
There was a mass of… something spinning above her. It took a moment for her to register that it was a stallion stuck in the vines. She blinked and then all her fatigue fled; "Hold on!” Areane cried out (though later she would ask, where was he going to go?) as the realization set in. Her wings flared open, revealing the light blue spots beneath her black forelock as she stared up at the nomad. "I’m going to try and get you out!”
Areane had never done anything like this before. Most of her “creations” had been small, little things that had liked to scurry around Starros to tell her twin that she was nearby. She had never done anything on this scale, and yet, she tried to imagine it. She tried to imagine life into the very vines that restrained the tri-colored pegasus. Her slim sides heaved, and after a few colorful words, they began to twist and coil much like the anacondas she had seen slithering through Tephra.
Another colorful curse that would have made Tarian have her hide, and the slender pegasus tugged on her gift again, trying to pull the writhing thing to the ground.
A breeze had whipped past her, and the slender pegasus reacted as only a winged horse could: she had chased it.
Her inexperience had shown itself almost immediately. Once Areane had left the ground, she had been left to the mercy of the winds. They blew her towards the North, and then over the angry, churning sea before she was finally able to right herself. Tephra loomed ahead of her, with its beaches and outlying islands flanking the shores. The blue-sheened mare exhaled deeply before inhaling the wind-wild scent of salt and sulfur.
She had thought her storm-soaring almost over when an updraft sent her spiraling up, up, further than she had ever flown before. Perhaps she should have been scared; a more sensible creature might have been (and though there was something akin to fear before the rush of adrenaline claimed her, it was fleeting). Areane spread her wings wide and let the coming storm lift her up while she laughed - a bright, silvery sound against the gray horizon.
Reckless, foolish, these were all admonishments that she expected to hear once she landed.
But for a few short moments, she soared without consequence.
Until she saw it. Another horse in this gray endless sky. Suddenly, the miles all around her seemed to close in as Areane watched the other plummet to the earth below them. She was far enough away that even when she closed her wings and began to dive after the falling creature, Tephra remained small and out of reach. She was still miles from the jungle and try as she might, the wind wouldn’t relent so easily.
***
Finally, the breezes allowed her hooves to touch the ground. Areane was tired, but the image of the horse falling kept her hooves moving. She walked away from the shore, leaving behind the lulling sound of crashing waves and the lonely cry of a seabird. She kept moving, roaming the unfamiliar jungle until that feeling returned - a tingling at the tips of her wings.
I’m not in the mood, Areane thought as another breeze whipped past her, pushing her down another path. The dark pegasus stood firm, trying not to scowl at a sensation that was becoming annoyingly familiar. It was the wind trying to tell her something; a gift from the Old Ones, her father had said.
After the afternoon she had just had, Areane wasn’t sure that she wanted it.
But then, Areane looked up.
There was a mass of… something spinning above her. It took a moment for her to register that it was a stallion stuck in the vines. She blinked and then all her fatigue fled; "Hold on!” Areane cried out (though later she would ask, where was he going to go?) as the realization set in. Her wings flared open, revealing the light blue spots beneath her black forelock as she stared up at the nomad. "I’m going to try and get you out!”
Areane had never done anything like this before. Most of her “creations” had been small, little things that had liked to scurry around Starros to tell her twin that she was nearby. She had never done anything on this scale, and yet, she tried to imagine it. She tried to imagine life into the very vines that restrained the tri-colored pegasus. Her slim sides heaved, and after a few colorful words, they began to twist and coil much like the anacondas she had seen slithering through Tephra.
Another colorful curse that would have made Tarian have her hide, and the slender pegasus tugged on her gift again, trying to pull the writhing thing to the ground.