Summer in the jungle was proving to be more than the black mare had expected. Air so think it was more like eating than breathing. Everything stuck to her, dirt clung to her always-sweaty coat, the air clung to her no matter what she tried, and wading into the water only made it worse when she emerged. Everyone told her she would grow used to it, that soon she wouldn’t notice and it would be a welcomed feeling. Kataclysm was anything but a believer, but she should probably give it more time. The mare shook her head with the glowing white tiara of a star; she seemed to have all the time in the world. Time to just exist and have nothing for it. It wasn’t that she wanted anything specifically, but she felt she should have more to show for the time she had been back in Beqanna. Since the mare had been back she had met a few others and been recruited by the Amazons.
The Jungle-dwellers were nice enough; they had accepted her hard exterior and left her alone when she wished it. She still hadn’t officially accepted the offer to join them. She had just done things on her own for so long, she wasn’t sure of herd life. Then there was the whole idea of how herd life had affected her life so far. Even though she hadn’t been born during the Valley Wars, she felt the effects of the twisted mob mentality that took hold. It had affected her greatly. Kat blamed much about her rough exterior on those who caused the Valley Wars. Her mother, if you could call her a mother, had wanted nothing to do with her, and even less to do with her sister. Oswyn spent all her time with Khaos, fawning and dotting over him. He was the same as Kat, except he was born with that iron manipulation thing. The black mare had never met him, Oswyn made sure of that. Kat wasn’t worthy, so she only knew of him, and she hated him for the haughty way he moved around. Kat was barely old enough to be on her own when her so-called mother vanished, which left Kat and her sister all alone.
Kalamity, her sister was technically older, but the young mare remembered taking care of her. She couldn’t remember why the role reversal happened but there was a reason she took care of the older mare. Kataclysm had left her in the end; she had to. She needed to get away from the remnants of the War. Kalamity was more than able, ready even, to go off on her own. She didn’t need her kid sister it had been time. The black mare was off in thoughts of the past, of why she was unable to just be kind and likeable. She was lost in a daydream more often than she was present in the moment these days. Nothing good would come from lingering on the past it was time for action, to find some closure.
Night was almost upon the jungle when Kat worked her way back towards the common lands. The humidity lifted slowly as the trees thinned. The moment she realized she could breathe normally was a gift. Kat didn’t know what she was looking for, but knew Silver Cove held the rusted skeleton of her older brother. Maybe that was what she needed, to spit on the “greater-than-thou” family member that stole her mother away. Kat galloped through the lands, reveling in the humidity free air, and open spaces. He pushed herself hard, to get closer to the Cove, to get closer to her closure.
It wasn’t too long before she had to slow at the forest. She worked her way easily through the trees, as the wooded land was nothing compared to the jungles of the Amazon. Night was upon her now. Darkness was never a good camouflage for the black mare; her glowing star always gave her away. But this time something else gave another away first. Mocking, and bold a voice floated towards her, and Kat froze. Not due to fear, no the voice sent a thousand-one memories flooding through her. Kalamity. How long did she stand there, frozen in place unable to make herself move. Her sister spoke of Kirin, the one who more or less warships the brother Kat so hated. What had Kalamity gotten herself into? The moment of shock had passed, she was either going to turn away, or move forward. She had no reason to avoid her sister- they had been close once.
Kataclysm closed her eyes, and took a fortifying breath before she went forward. A clearing was just a way ahead, and there in the pale moonlight was her older sister, more lavender than she remembered. She looked a little tousled, but the glean in her eye told the black mare her sister was ok. Iron, metallic and bitter drifted to Kat’s nostrils and caused her to wrinkle her nose. So Kalamity had gone to the Cove, Kat couldn’t understand why- maybe she would ask. “Kalamity? I’d know that voice anywhere.” Kataclysm’s voice fell with a chuckle. He was fully in the clearing now, and she moved to the lavender mare, her eyes dancing in the joy of the moment. This was not the closure she thought she would find, but it may be just what she needed. ”Why are you here, in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night?” Kataclysm was surprised she didn’t subconsciously shield herself with sarcasm and curt words. Maybe it was the blood ties between them, or their shared history, either way Kat welcomed the reunion. It could be what she needed.
{ Kataclysm }
Me and God? We don't get along well.