"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
10-18-2015, 05:39 PM (This post was last modified: 10-18-2015, 06:01 PM by Lena.)
The mare, aimlessly wandered through the field her long flowing gold encrusted mane shimmered in the sunlight. Her mane whisped at her shoulder, as she picked up the overwhelming aroma of stallions. Tossing her head, Becca pivoted the other direction, towards a weeping willow all in it's lonesome. Striding forwards ever so softly, she let out a bellowing nicker as she tossed her head once more as she reached the enclosed solitude of the shaded willow tree.
Lowering her dark chocolate cranium, her ears perked to the sound of faint vocals of song birds resting way up in the canopy, of twisted branches and long hanging vines. The long flimsy branches placed upon her flank filtering down around her body, as she began to graze. Plucking blades of grass from the vegetation below her hooves she let out faint dainty snorts.
Becca heard the shifting of hoof steps through the overgrown grass, turning her attention towards a shaded silhouette. Her chocolate ears perked, at the build of the horses closely deciphering that it was indeed a stallion. Rising her head she bellowed a welcome, " Hello, my good sir." her golden encrusted tail swished back and fourth as she so patiently waited for an answer.
you and I both know that the house is haunted and you and I both know that the ghost is me
He is in the field, as is his usual routine, when he heard the call. Caught off guard, he lifts his heavy, scarred head, ears twisting atop his skull to find the source. It is then that he sees the mare, and his lacerated lips rise into a ghost of a smile. “Hello,” he calls back, making his way slowly over toward her, the autumn sun dappling his golden back. It was not often that someone reached out to him here; he was usually the first to greet. Magnus found that he didn’t mind it though. It was rather refreshing.
It only takes a moment before he is near the other mare, and he smiles easily. “My name is Magnus,” his voice is husky, deep. “Are you enjoying the field today?” Most didn’t, he knows, but he has always found that this is one of his favorite places to be. It is a place of infinite possibility—a place where souls get a chance to truly forge their future. The decisions made here should shape their lives, and he always felt honored to play even a small role in that. If they chose Heaven as their home, it was all the better.
Silence falls between them after he says this, but he does not mind that either. The golden stallion had always been comfortable in the quiet. It was easy to stand near someone when you had nothing to hide and no hidden agenda; it was just easy companionship in his mind. So he did not force anything, instead watching her with his gold-flecked eyes, inky tail flicking at his sides lazily as the afternoon rolled on.
Her silver dappled coat glinted in the sunlight, as she shifted her weight allowing all the vines upon her flank to return to the stance of hanging within blank space. She stared at him for a moment as if ignoring his small talk, tossing her golden streaked mane. Taking in the moment of silence she began to recognize multiple flowers at the base of the tree, one of which reminded her of her birth place Lilac.
Mentally side tracked, she seemed to be staring blankly at the stallion, her golden encrusted forelock swept over her left eye. Thoughts of resting within the violet toned Lilacs as a foal caused her to snap into reality. Tossing her head, Becca snorted, " I'm Becca." she paused blankly staring up at the golden stallion. " Yes it is quite wonderful in the field today, yet there is an abundance of stallions." she remarked sharply.
Turning towards the Lilacs, she glanced up at him her chocolate muzzle grazed the dainty violet toned flowers. Glancing up at the stallion, watching him stand there blankly caused an awkward silence to rise in a thick cloud. " How are you? " she questioned, quickly muttering under her breathe, " And I'm asking a complete stranger." she snorted directing her full undivided attention upon him.
you and I both know that the house is haunted and you and I both know that the ghost is me
Magnus is not oblivious to the tension in their silence, although he would be a fool to say that he understood it. Instead, he simply watches her patiently, not saying a word as she gazed toward the flowers, and not flinching at the sharpness in her voice. “Indeed, the field does tend to attract stallions,” is all he remarks, his voice husky as he laughs quietly. “myself included.” He rolls his scarred shoulders for a moment before dropping his head a little, expression somber, “I do hope that I am not bothering you.”
Shifting his weight a little, the warrior considered her for another second before nodding. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Becca.” One obsidian-tipped ear swivels toward her in contemplation as the stallion considers her question, not hearing what she murmured under her breath. “I am well today. I enjoy meeting newcomers in the field.” There is truth laced in his words. He did truly love this part of recruiting, even in situations where the tides did not flow in his favor. He was a social creature by nature.
“I suppose the better question though, is how you are?” He pauses, one corner of his lip rising in a roguish smile, “And what you are looking for, if anything at all?” Most people came here to find a home, but Magnus knew that there were also those souls who simply wanted sanctuary, or companionship, or even just a purpose. He always did his best to help guide them toward just that.
Becca stared at him quietly, shifting her shoulder blade into a comfortable position as she nipped at the hanging vines, " I don't think your bothering me." she spoke curtly lashing her tail at the few flies that wished to land upon her hind appendages. Thoughtfully she lowered her head to tend to an itch upon her left front cannon bone gingerly eyeing the Lilacs.
Lowering her head once more the mare nipped at few blades of grass tenderly plucking them from the ground. Snorting she glanced up at him, " And it's a pleasure to meet you." she spoke daintily. Allowing a grin to spread across her lips as she listened to him quietly and patiently. As she seemed to get mentally side tracked going off on small mental tangins of her foal-hood. One of which strangely reminded her of her strong minded father who's stubbornness merely saved both her mother and herself in the long run.
Becca stared at the stallion quietly, still mentally spaced out she flashed into reality to hear his question. Tossing her head to shake the thoughts out of her mind she spoke briskly, " I'm good, I could be better." she flashed a smile. Swiveling her burgundy ears towards the sounds of multiple stallions in the distance, possibly warring over mares or frantically arguing about some unrelated topic. " A herd, or perhaps a dashing stallion." she teased directing her aqua hues into the distance of loud whinnies.
Cautiously she strode closer to the trunk of the willow as if leaning her barrel upon its hard rugged bark, to aid a scratch as most lazy mares would choose as a scratching post. " May I ask, what you are doing in the field?" she spoke gingerly. Dipping her head towards the soft breeze provided by the willows vines heading towards the coast.
you and I both know that the house is haunted and you and I both know that the ghost is me
He laughs and the sound is husky and genuine, rolling from his mouth with ease. “How unfortunate for you that a rather un-dashing stallion.” Self-deprecating humor, although Magnus did not necessarily suffer from a low self esteem. He just often didn’t think of the matter at all. He was built strong, which had meant he was able to protect those he loved, and that is all he cared about. “And I’m not even a herd stallion.” Not that he hadn’t considered it before; it seemed appealing, the idea of a small herd surrounded by female companions in a peaceful corner of the world. It had just never felt like the right time.
Magnus was born a warrior from a warrior King and Queen. He had been raised in the Jungle, before fighting in the Chamber and being promoted to its Lord. He’d gone on to lead the Gates as its Commandant and then its King before fighting in the Dale’s army. His resume was that of a soldier, and an often skilled one. The quiet life of a herd stallion, despite its appeals, had just never been for him.
Smiling, he watched her move toward the willow, his attention never leaving her. “I live in a beautiful place called Heaven’s Gates. I like to come to the field to see if there are those who would be interested in calling her home too.” He pauses for a second, “I do feel obligated to tell you that we have recently suffered from an attack, but it has been peaceful for almost a year now. We do not anticipate any future violence.” He pauses, almost bashful, “I can tell you more about if you’d like, or I can help you find a nice herd if that is what you’d prefer.” Matching someone to the right home was always important to him.
10-20-2015, 08:15 PM (This post was last modified: 10-20-2015, 08:34 PM by Becca.)
Becca smiled watching the stallion allow a laugh to escape from his muzzle, " Am I mistakened?" she teased, " Or is there a quite dashing stallion in my presence?" she chuckled. Striding forwards the young mare began prancing around as if challenging Magnus into a game of chase like a foolish filly would. Tossing her head playfully as she lashed her golden fleeced tail, Becca wasn't one to fool yet she felt strangely overly comfortable around Magnus.
Slowing to a halt she strode back to him tossing her head, " No, herd?" she spoke gingerly the words poured out of her lips like whisky. " I don't mind, a kingdom would be more inviting. " she smiled, " Plus there is less competition for stallions." she added with tease like tone. Briskly nipping at multiple vines she smiled briefly, " Sounds beautiful."
Becca knew too well the life of a kingdom for she had once joined one, a home to call her own. Yet, it seemed their loyalty to mares was not rested she simply fled at the sign of aggression along with multiple mares. It seemed as though the kingdom was creating a hierarchy based upon the male gender, where there was no Queen, no feminine build up in culture. Causing most mares to flee at any given point, and one of these mares was her.
" is that an invitation?' she grinned lashing her golden encrusted tail.
(Sorry for the late post, I had an extreme amount of homework! )
you and I both know that the house is haunted and you and I both know that the ghost is me
Magnus couldn’t help himself from laughing at her teasing, and he ducked his head in response, one corner of his lip rising into a crooked smile. “I’m not sure about the dashing part…” his husky voice trailed off, and he laughed again, golden head shaking, “but I appreciate the compliment all the same.” His expression remained bemused as she started to prance, clearly playful and enjoying herself. He himself was not prone to such light, frothy moods, but he enjoyed them in other people. Magnus rather liked to surround himself with good-natured people; it helped to keep him from brooding for too long.
“For many people, kingdom life is ideal. It always was for me at least.” He tilts his head to the side as he watches her, the shadow of the smile not leaving his face. “And Heaven is indeed very beautiful. Very green.” His heart wrenches as he thinks of the one area of the kingdom that was not as green—the place where flames and bitter poison had taken root. The place where a once grand tree had watched over it all, or so he had been told. The Mother Tree was both before and after his time, although he had been told plenty about her by the current residents. “I am biased, but I think that it is the most beautiful of places.”
He took a step forward, drawn forth by her teasing and winking and laughter. “The invitation is open for as long as you want it. I’d be honored if you chose to call Heaven home.” He hoped that she would.
Becca couldn't help but smile, tossing her head " Oh please, you can say that all you want." She spoke softly, she did have a liking for him for being as kind as he was as most stallions would simply shove her towards their herd or kingdom, making the only choice for her to decline was to challenge the brutes, which she mainly won again and again perhaps of luck or was she stronger than she looked? She wouldn't know, yet the possibility of her raging hormones was possibly the reason.
She listened to him quietly fluorescent eyes locked with his," The more you describe it, the more I long to come with you." She smiled. Allowing her long golden forelock to cover her right eye, Heaven sounded more beautiful than she imagined, perhaps heaven was better to be her new home than some silly old herd, which she now vaguely had any interest in having any part in a herd at the moment.
Watching him step forward she lifted her head perking burgundy ears," hmmm..." She thought silently the Gates of Heaven seemed to be waiting for her as if hailing her name. Just the thought of them made her excited perhaps having a change of scenery would be nice, she didn't need some lousy lead stallion to be bossing her around in a herd. Striding towards him she spoke kindly, " Yes. I'll gladly accept you invitation, and return with you back to your lovely kingdom you call home." She smiled, her body tensed with excitement She had finally found a home, a place to call her own accompanied with a kind stallion such as he, Magnus.
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