11-16-2017, 09:22 PM
Bragi, a stallion dressed in gold and white, made his way to the black and blue shoreline in the dead of night. He had not yet convinced his limbs that their days of endless wandering were at an end. Not yet. Instead, he often found himself waking at night, certain that he must travel on, to move, to do SOMETHING. And so he walked, picking a direction and seeking whatever it brought him for a few hours. Just enough to sate his wandering legs. Tonight those aimless amblings took him to the sea. He did not know why, only that it felt like the place he ought to be tonight. Perhaps there was some peace to be bought with a moonlit swim, and the steady rush and flow of the waves.
He stepped, nimble as a deer, over driftwood and tangled knotted seaweed. Leaving tracks in the wet sand, he made his way to the watery brim, and dipped one foot, than another, into the cold embrace of the sea. Bragi snorted softly in the moon-bright night. With precise motion, he moved forward, until the water lapped at his chrome-splashed undercarriage. He moved forward yet more, until everything from his shoulders down was underneath the welcoming waters. Dark hair twisted itself into arcane patterns on the glassy surface, growing heavy with salt brine. Eyes half lidded, Bragi, bright and beautiful, felt himself grow calm. He dozed, there in the sea, the rush of the waves pulling him into unsuspecting serenity. He did not notice the sudden silence. He did not notice the far-off rumbling, nor the water's undue recession. It was, at last, the icy drops of rain that fell from clear sky that returned him to himself. With a start, he looked up as frigid rain blew in from the sea. The sea, which he now saw, was a hundreds of feet from where it was before. A noise, first subtle, but growing like a massive stampede reached his elegant ears. He pinned them, as with abject terror he found it's source. Through newly driving rain he saw it. A great wall of black glass, no, water. The sea. It was returning, and with a horrifying vengeance. He could not outrun it, he could not do anything but stand and watch the sky tall tidal wave as it sped along the once peaceful beach. Punishing wings of wind beat him mercilessly. A final, agonized breath, and it was on him.
The world he knew was gone. All that remained was water. Inky, icy, unforgiving water. He could not tell up from down, only that he was spinning, and trying desperately to hold on to his last gasp of air, hoping he could reach the surface before that too left him. A sudden shining darted in front of him, too fast to tell it's form. Golden legs thrashed, as he made a desperate bid to go UP. His lungs were beginning to ache with need, as another silver form rose from the blackness in front of him. This one moved more slowly than the last, and he could see clearly now the shape of another horse, a mare. He knew her name. Maureen. She was mother to him, and his brother. The mother he had watched bleed life out onto uncaring earth, giving everything she had to the brother he had wanted so badly. He had not known it would cost him everything. She was dead, and yet she floated before him now, an anguished look on her face. He desperately wanted to speak to her, to hear her say she loved him one last time. She blinked at him a moment longer, spectral wisps of her mane floating about her lovely, heart-broken visage. As suddenly as she appeared, she vanished, dissolving back into the darkness. Bragi felt the deep wound of loss cut at him again, and his eyes shared their salt with the turbulent waters around him.
His lungs were in agony now, and black stars began to explode across his sight. He was alone, and he knew he was dying. Another vision began to pay itself before him, and this time he knew it was his brain giving out. A mighty stallion, dark and towering, had backed a frightened looking mare against a rocky wall. They were shouting, though he could not hear the words they said. He didn't need to. This was a scene he would never forget, as long as he lived. He watched helplessly as a the great stallion suddenly lost his patience, rearing back, only to come down, hard. His stone-sharp feet had struck out. In one ruthless, calculated motion, he had bashed the mare's skull against the unforgiving wall behind her. She had dropped instantly, her face forever frozen in a mask of pain and surprise. This was the moment his father, Angus, had found out where the son who had killed his mate with his birth, and been born blind to boot, had been secreted away. Where his aunt Saorise had been discovered taking care of the baby against orders, letting Bragi visit on occasion. And this was where his father, who mourned Maureen's death bitterly, and blamed the colt, Hod, for it, had followed Bragi. And the golden boy, only two years old at the time, had unwittingly lead his murderous father right to them. Waves of guilt rolled over Bragi as he watched the scene unfold. It was only by luck that he and Hod had gone off to play, and had been out of sight when Angus had arrived. They had hidden in a thicket of bushes when they started to hear shouting. Bragi had witnessed the horrific scene from there, keeping his brother silent and hoping against hope that their father would not search for them. He had, but in the wrong direction. Bragi and Hod had taken of, running miles away from their used-to-be-home, for two years. They had perhaps, finally found solace.
Vision fading, Bragi hated that this was going to be his final thought. But no. It wasn't, quite. The vision of his father and aunt had not yet vanished. His father had been looking down at Saorise's still form, bright blood and grey brain matter pooling around it. Now, though, the brutal lord looked up. His eyes seemed to cut across time and space, and Bragi knew, deep in his soul, that his father, not some oxygen-deprived vision, was staring at him now. After longer than should have been naturally possible, the darkness finally overcame him. All that was left was a harsh voice in the void, and a laugh like teeth on bone.
"I'm coming for you, Bragi."
A cough exploded from his chest, bringing up a lungfull of bitter brine with it. He retched and wheezed, gagging on a mouth of sand and iron-tasting blood. He could feel more sand clotting his mane and tail, and something was digging into his haunch. He opened his eyes, painfully, and blinked into clear sunlight. A hoarse laugh managed to drag itself from his chest, making him wince at the ragged feel of his windpipe. Oh, but he could feel pain! And he could laugh, and he could feel the warm sun which was currently baking his side. By the gods, he had survived that hellish night! He felt like hell warmed over, but it was so much better than being dead. With a groan, he flexed each leg, and was grateful to find none were broken. He had a rib he was not so sure about, but he could walk, anyway. With another almighty moan, he rolled onto his knees. None of his muscles wanted to work, but he lifted his groggy head anyway to look around.
This was not the shore he had left, that much was obvious. Verdant palms grow along the shore, and loud birds were screaming in the heat. He blew out his nose, and tried to find some familiar scent, but there was nothing he recognized. He turned to scan the visible shoreline, hoping to find... anything. A dark mass about a mile along the beach caught his eye. It was moving. Another animal? Yes, a horse, he realized. They were soon within speaking distance. "Greetings! What is this place?" He called out, to what he now saw was a drafty kind of brown mare. She looked at him a moment before answering. "You mean you don't know either?" She responded, a note of worry coloring her heavily accented voice. It was just then that Bragi saw that she was just as bedraggled looking as he knew himself to be. His stomach plunged with sudden clarity. "There was a storm last night..." He began saying, trailing off at the brown mare's sudden look of recognition and horror. A piece fell into place. He nodded his head, acknowledging the unseen. "I believe there may be something greater than us at work here. And as we don't know what to expect, we may as well stick together, for now. My name is Bragi. We will get through this." He promised.
She introduced herself as Ayla, and they agreed to search the rest of the beach together. It was not a large island, and they were able to circle it completely within the day. By nightfall, they had collected eight more horses, each having been seemingly brought here by a storm, and each having been dropped about equal distances around this strange shoreline. They were five mares and five stallions, each of varying ages and no two from the same place. The other four males, ranging from 25 to 3 years old, were called Noa, Leif, Briar, and Zaq. The mares were similarly spaced in age, with the eldest being a toothless grandmother named Barb. Ayla ended up being in the middle of the mares, with Barb and a tacit mare called Elena older than her, and a lively girl called Juniper after her. Youngest of all was Maggi, a filly barely over a year old. She was still shaking from shock the next morning, as they grazed on salty sea grass and discussed what to do next.
Noa and Barb became arbitrators for the little misfit herd. As time went on, hopes of leaving the island dwindled, but it was a beautiful prison. They explored the tropical land as thoroughly as they could, discovering a wealth of resources. Fresh springs of water rose from the center of the island, creating streams which ran through the lush jungle that covered most of the available land. Shining, golden sanded beaches edged the island, where the new herd spent most of their time. They grazed on the tough sea grass at first, before discovering the tender leaves of an unknown vine. These were sweet and filling, and Bragi and his new companions grew content with life.
He deeply missed his brother, but as months, then seasons passed, he thought of him less and less. Noa and Barb seemed to only grow stronger as they lived on the island, despite their age. This vitality was not restricted to the old timers either. On his diet of clear water and rich plant life, Bragi saw himself and the others become more vibrant and energetic. The stallions were strong, and the mares seemed to almost glow with an inner radiance. Bragi and Briar became fast friends. Close in age, they would race up and down the beach, parading for the lady's favor. The season of loving rolled around, despite the lack of obvious season changes. Blood ran hot and lusty, and the two friends nearly came to blows over the affection of Juniper, whom they had both come to want. Noa and Barb kept careful watch, as a dispute on an island so small would make life difficult for everyone. Things resolved themselves quickly though, when Juniper took it upon herself to solve the issue and brought them both to her bed that night. In another cycle, the herd welcomed a trio of foals, one of which distinctly resembled the golden stallion. It was a period of happiness for the displaced group. Time and circumstance had brought them close, and they had formed a family of odds and ends.
Peace had never been meant to last, however. Bonded closer than brothers, Bragi and Briar we're inseparable. They spent all moments together, waking and sleeping. The night with Juniper had been an awakening, and they did not always seek her when physical attention was desired, though she was always welcome.
It was morning when it happened. Bragi and his sorrel companion had been up late, in turn rough housing and exchanging teasing nips and kisses. They had finally landed together in a secluded cove, out of breath and hungry for each other. Falling asleep against each other later that night, Bragi felt for the first time that he would be completely happy if they never left this island. He came to the next morning blissfully unaware of the absence at his side. He rolled, and woke with a start when he ran into bare sand. Briar was gone. There were not even prints in the sand to mark where he may have gone. It was simply as if he'd never been there. The initial terror this island had brought his herd rushed back to him. He searched the cove frantically, but there was nothing, not every a stray hair to lead him. Not wasting any more time, he took off as fast as his legs would carry him to find the rest of the herd.
He found them, all together in a clearing the group preferred. The first thing he noticed was that Briar was not among them either. He was blowing hard breathes, and struggled to get words out. "Briar... Briar is missing. I think... I think the island took him."
Noa looked up from his breakfast, concern painting his features. "Bragi, that's a very serious thing to say. We've lived here quite peacefully a year and more. Why would something happen now?" Bragi had no idea, and his expression said as much. Juniper, however, seemed to share his worry. The lithe spotted mare moved over to his side, resting her nose reassuringly against his neck. "We should look for him anyway. Briar has never been the kind to run off and scare us. Even if nothing bad is responsible, he might be hurt somewhere."
The others nodded and voiced agreement, and Noa knew better than to argue.
"Very well then. I don't want anymore surprises today, so we do this as a group." The elderly grey stallion commanded, looking to Barb for her consent. The old mare nodded also.
"Briar is one of our family, as much as any of you. We will bring him home." Her words carried certainty, and bolstered the hearts of the family as the set out North to search for their missing one. Bragi and Juniper walked together, their young son between them. Briar was Bragi's best friend, closest companion, and his and Juniper's sometime lover. He would do whatever it took to bring him home safely.
He stepped, nimble as a deer, over driftwood and tangled knotted seaweed. Leaving tracks in the wet sand, he made his way to the watery brim, and dipped one foot, than another, into the cold embrace of the sea. Bragi snorted softly in the moon-bright night. With precise motion, he moved forward, until the water lapped at his chrome-splashed undercarriage. He moved forward yet more, until everything from his shoulders down was underneath the welcoming waters. Dark hair twisted itself into arcane patterns on the glassy surface, growing heavy with salt brine. Eyes half lidded, Bragi, bright and beautiful, felt himself grow calm. He dozed, there in the sea, the rush of the waves pulling him into unsuspecting serenity. He did not notice the sudden silence. He did not notice the far-off rumbling, nor the water's undue recession. It was, at last, the icy drops of rain that fell from clear sky that returned him to himself. With a start, he looked up as frigid rain blew in from the sea. The sea, which he now saw, was a hundreds of feet from where it was before. A noise, first subtle, but growing like a massive stampede reached his elegant ears. He pinned them, as with abject terror he found it's source. Through newly driving rain he saw it. A great wall of black glass, no, water. The sea. It was returning, and with a horrifying vengeance. He could not outrun it, he could not do anything but stand and watch the sky tall tidal wave as it sped along the once peaceful beach. Punishing wings of wind beat him mercilessly. A final, agonized breath, and it was on him.
The world he knew was gone. All that remained was water. Inky, icy, unforgiving water. He could not tell up from down, only that he was spinning, and trying desperately to hold on to his last gasp of air, hoping he could reach the surface before that too left him. A sudden shining darted in front of him, too fast to tell it's form. Golden legs thrashed, as he made a desperate bid to go UP. His lungs were beginning to ache with need, as another silver form rose from the blackness in front of him. This one moved more slowly than the last, and he could see clearly now the shape of another horse, a mare. He knew her name. Maureen. She was mother to him, and his brother. The mother he had watched bleed life out onto uncaring earth, giving everything she had to the brother he had wanted so badly. He had not known it would cost him everything. She was dead, and yet she floated before him now, an anguished look on her face. He desperately wanted to speak to her, to hear her say she loved him one last time. She blinked at him a moment longer, spectral wisps of her mane floating about her lovely, heart-broken visage. As suddenly as she appeared, she vanished, dissolving back into the darkness. Bragi felt the deep wound of loss cut at him again, and his eyes shared their salt with the turbulent waters around him.
His lungs were in agony now, and black stars began to explode across his sight. He was alone, and he knew he was dying. Another vision began to pay itself before him, and this time he knew it was his brain giving out. A mighty stallion, dark and towering, had backed a frightened looking mare against a rocky wall. They were shouting, though he could not hear the words they said. He didn't need to. This was a scene he would never forget, as long as he lived. He watched helplessly as a the great stallion suddenly lost his patience, rearing back, only to come down, hard. His stone-sharp feet had struck out. In one ruthless, calculated motion, he had bashed the mare's skull against the unforgiving wall behind her. She had dropped instantly, her face forever frozen in a mask of pain and surprise. This was the moment his father, Angus, had found out where the son who had killed his mate with his birth, and been born blind to boot, had been secreted away. Where his aunt Saorise had been discovered taking care of the baby against orders, letting Bragi visit on occasion. And this was where his father, who mourned Maureen's death bitterly, and blamed the colt, Hod, for it, had followed Bragi. And the golden boy, only two years old at the time, had unwittingly lead his murderous father right to them. Waves of guilt rolled over Bragi as he watched the scene unfold. It was only by luck that he and Hod had gone off to play, and had been out of sight when Angus had arrived. They had hidden in a thicket of bushes when they started to hear shouting. Bragi had witnessed the horrific scene from there, keeping his brother silent and hoping against hope that their father would not search for them. He had, but in the wrong direction. Bragi and Hod had taken of, running miles away from their used-to-be-home, for two years. They had perhaps, finally found solace.
Vision fading, Bragi hated that this was going to be his final thought. But no. It wasn't, quite. The vision of his father and aunt had not yet vanished. His father had been looking down at Saorise's still form, bright blood and grey brain matter pooling around it. Now, though, the brutal lord looked up. His eyes seemed to cut across time and space, and Bragi knew, deep in his soul, that his father, not some oxygen-deprived vision, was staring at him now. After longer than should have been naturally possible, the darkness finally overcame him. All that was left was a harsh voice in the void, and a laugh like teeth on bone.
"I'm coming for you, Bragi."
A cough exploded from his chest, bringing up a lungfull of bitter brine with it. He retched and wheezed, gagging on a mouth of sand and iron-tasting blood. He could feel more sand clotting his mane and tail, and something was digging into his haunch. He opened his eyes, painfully, and blinked into clear sunlight. A hoarse laugh managed to drag itself from his chest, making him wince at the ragged feel of his windpipe. Oh, but he could feel pain! And he could laugh, and he could feel the warm sun which was currently baking his side. By the gods, he had survived that hellish night! He felt like hell warmed over, but it was so much better than being dead. With a groan, he flexed each leg, and was grateful to find none were broken. He had a rib he was not so sure about, but he could walk, anyway. With another almighty moan, he rolled onto his knees. None of his muscles wanted to work, but he lifted his groggy head anyway to look around.
This was not the shore he had left, that much was obvious. Verdant palms grow along the shore, and loud birds were screaming in the heat. He blew out his nose, and tried to find some familiar scent, but there was nothing he recognized. He turned to scan the visible shoreline, hoping to find... anything. A dark mass about a mile along the beach caught his eye. It was moving. Another animal? Yes, a horse, he realized. They were soon within speaking distance. "Greetings! What is this place?" He called out, to what he now saw was a drafty kind of brown mare. She looked at him a moment before answering. "You mean you don't know either?" She responded, a note of worry coloring her heavily accented voice. It was just then that Bragi saw that she was just as bedraggled looking as he knew himself to be. His stomach plunged with sudden clarity. "There was a storm last night..." He began saying, trailing off at the brown mare's sudden look of recognition and horror. A piece fell into place. He nodded his head, acknowledging the unseen. "I believe there may be something greater than us at work here. And as we don't know what to expect, we may as well stick together, for now. My name is Bragi. We will get through this." He promised.
She introduced herself as Ayla, and they agreed to search the rest of the beach together. It was not a large island, and they were able to circle it completely within the day. By nightfall, they had collected eight more horses, each having been seemingly brought here by a storm, and each having been dropped about equal distances around this strange shoreline. They were five mares and five stallions, each of varying ages and no two from the same place. The other four males, ranging from 25 to 3 years old, were called Noa, Leif, Briar, and Zaq. The mares were similarly spaced in age, with the eldest being a toothless grandmother named Barb. Ayla ended up being in the middle of the mares, with Barb and a tacit mare called Elena older than her, and a lively girl called Juniper after her. Youngest of all was Maggi, a filly barely over a year old. She was still shaking from shock the next morning, as they grazed on salty sea grass and discussed what to do next.
Noa and Barb became arbitrators for the little misfit herd. As time went on, hopes of leaving the island dwindled, but it was a beautiful prison. They explored the tropical land as thoroughly as they could, discovering a wealth of resources. Fresh springs of water rose from the center of the island, creating streams which ran through the lush jungle that covered most of the available land. Shining, golden sanded beaches edged the island, where the new herd spent most of their time. They grazed on the tough sea grass at first, before discovering the tender leaves of an unknown vine. These were sweet and filling, and Bragi and his new companions grew content with life.
He deeply missed his brother, but as months, then seasons passed, he thought of him less and less. Noa and Barb seemed to only grow stronger as they lived on the island, despite their age. This vitality was not restricted to the old timers either. On his diet of clear water and rich plant life, Bragi saw himself and the others become more vibrant and energetic. The stallions were strong, and the mares seemed to almost glow with an inner radiance. Bragi and Briar became fast friends. Close in age, they would race up and down the beach, parading for the lady's favor. The season of loving rolled around, despite the lack of obvious season changes. Blood ran hot and lusty, and the two friends nearly came to blows over the affection of Juniper, whom they had both come to want. Noa and Barb kept careful watch, as a dispute on an island so small would make life difficult for everyone. Things resolved themselves quickly though, when Juniper took it upon herself to solve the issue and brought them both to her bed that night. In another cycle, the herd welcomed a trio of foals, one of which distinctly resembled the golden stallion. It was a period of happiness for the displaced group. Time and circumstance had brought them close, and they had formed a family of odds and ends.
Peace had never been meant to last, however. Bonded closer than brothers, Bragi and Briar we're inseparable. They spent all moments together, waking and sleeping. The night with Juniper had been an awakening, and they did not always seek her when physical attention was desired, though she was always welcome.
It was morning when it happened. Bragi and his sorrel companion had been up late, in turn rough housing and exchanging teasing nips and kisses. They had finally landed together in a secluded cove, out of breath and hungry for each other. Falling asleep against each other later that night, Bragi felt for the first time that he would be completely happy if they never left this island. He came to the next morning blissfully unaware of the absence at his side. He rolled, and woke with a start when he ran into bare sand. Briar was gone. There were not even prints in the sand to mark where he may have gone. It was simply as if he'd never been there. The initial terror this island had brought his herd rushed back to him. He searched the cove frantically, but there was nothing, not every a stray hair to lead him. Not wasting any more time, he took off as fast as his legs would carry him to find the rest of the herd.
He found them, all together in a clearing the group preferred. The first thing he noticed was that Briar was not among them either. He was blowing hard breathes, and struggled to get words out. "Briar... Briar is missing. I think... I think the island took him."
Noa looked up from his breakfast, concern painting his features. "Bragi, that's a very serious thing to say. We've lived here quite peacefully a year and more. Why would something happen now?" Bragi had no idea, and his expression said as much. Juniper, however, seemed to share his worry. The lithe spotted mare moved over to his side, resting her nose reassuringly against his neck. "We should look for him anyway. Briar has never been the kind to run off and scare us. Even if nothing bad is responsible, he might be hurt somewhere."
The others nodded and voiced agreement, and Noa knew better than to argue.
"Very well then. I don't want anymore surprises today, so we do this as a group." The elderly grey stallion commanded, looking to Barb for her consent. The old mare nodded also.
"Briar is one of our family, as much as any of you. We will bring him home." Her words carried certainty, and bolstered the hearts of the family as the set out North to search for their missing one. Bragi and Juniper walked together, their young son between them. Briar was Bragi's best friend, closest companion, and his and Juniper's sometime lover. He would do whatever it took to bring him home safely.