"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
A journey took him away from his home, and a lost father, a lost cause brought him back. Sahm had spent most of his childhood on a hopeful yet misunderstood mission. His father disappeared, his mother fraught with loss forced Sahm away. He always viewed himself as the weaker one. Never had Sahm felt strongly toward anything- he was a meandering wonderer that found some sort of meaning in the search. The search led him away from Heaven’s Gates and into the mouth of the world. And even though he did not discover his parent, he did discover himself- his confined, quiet, solace self. Sahm had come to accept his apathy and silent nature.
In discovery came a new purpose in returning to his homeland. He missed his mother and sister feverishly, and he was sure they would still be where he had left them. Years had passed and he had aged. His frame was taller, heftier, and far stronger than he had cared for. He always strolled with some sense of weight as if large rocks had bound themselves to the curves of his hooves. Even with all the travel Sahm had not grown accustomed to his adult body. He would have much rather enjoyed blending into the trees, but instead the trees simply faded into the background when his blue-black speckled body came into frame.
The Gates were as he remembered them- beautiful and full of life. He inhaled a large gulp of air and held it for a moment as if he was embracing the full girth of his home. It sent a peaceful stream through his blood, and soaked his joints with familiar warmth. He stood strong, prepared to reunite with his family- or at least what was left of it.
She’s kept mostly to herself since the raid, hiding out in the quieter reaches of the Gates kingdom. There’s no point in her joining the rest of the kingdom - she’s hopeless. She’d been utterly useless in the raid, and has been utterly useless since. A failure, plain and simple. She couldn’t help her kingdom, she couldn’t even help her own mother.
It’s better for the Gates if she just stays out of the way.
Unbeknownst to her, she’s actually taken over many of her mother’s own hiding spots, back from when Fiasko was a child. Though it’s probably better she doesn’t know, it would only depress her further.
On this particular morning she’s huddled in a thick stand of willows that her mother used to frequent (though again, she does not know that). As it does every day, her mind plays over the events of the past year - the raid, her mother’s deal, her father’s disappearance, Sahm’s disappearance …
Her thoughts linger on her twin and for a moment, she almost feels as if she can detect his scent on the breeze. It’s been years, years, since she last saw her father and Sahm. Both of them had disappeared, one after another, without leaving any trace. Where had they gone? Why had they left?
But there’s really no use dwelling on it, is there? The both of them are long gone.
She leaves the willow stand, dark head hanging low. She walks until she reaches a little beach, where she settles back on her heels and stares out to sea. She still feels like she can smell her brother on the wind. She shakes her head, trying to clear the scent, but it doesn’t go away. Her eyes narrow, suddenly confuse. The scent … is still there.
She turns back towards the main part of the kingdom, confused and disbelieving, following the scent to its source. She walks and walks until the scent becomes even stronger.
And then she sees him.
There, amongst the trees, stands Sahm.
Sidra is momentarily struck dumb. Her brown eyes widen as she stares at the brother she hasn’t seen in years. He’s a far cry from the little boy she’d known - he’s filled out, become tall and strong.
The seconds turn into minutes, and still she stares. “Sahm …?” Her mind slowly begins to work, running yet again over the events of the past few years. And her shock turns to anger.
Rage boils up, fierce and hot and spills out of her mouth in a rush. “How dare you come back here after what you’ve done.” She takes a step towards him, her black ears pinned back flat to her head. “You think it’s fine to leave without saying a word, and then show up years later as if nothing has changed? Fuck you Sahm. Why did you even bother coming back?”
Sahm could feel his knees begin to buckle beneath his weight after a period of standing still. He shifted to the side while taking a short step forward. Once realigned Sahm heavily exhaled and intermingled his anxious breath with the wind. It had been years since he had been able to fully fall into a relaxed state, and although he hoped the Gates familiarity would allow him to do so now he simply couldn’t with the thought of his mother and Sidra. He had failed them both in his mission, and not a part of him wished to share the unfortunately news. Sahm had not only left them for what felt like eternity, but he couldn’t even bring back the one part of their family that completed it.
Sahm’s gaze fell from one branch to another further down on the tree that masked his ability to see further into his home, and he would have played hopscotch with the branches for far longer if it wasn’t for the broken silence. Sahm wouldn’t have recognized Sidra if it hadn’t been for the notable twinge in her voice or the sweet scent that gathered with the air and rushed toward him. She had grown just as he had, but she was beautiful. Her feminine curves were new, but her fierce eyes were not. Even though the words she spat and the distance she held were unwelcoming Sahm simply didn’t heed the warning.
”Sidra….” He whispered as his hooves clobbered forward, and he forcefully linked his neck around hers in a strongly held hug. Oh god…I am so so sorry” He whimpered into her tangled mane. Tears lined the rim of his eyes as he held her, his grip only growing stronger with any of her attempt to become free. ”I failed you and mom…I failed you..”
01-23-2016, 01:47 PM (This post was last modified: 02-07-2016, 09:31 AM by Tioga.)
You were automatic, as hollow as the 'o' in God.
It's been a long time and she's not been a good friend. She's not been much of anything save for a silent sentinel at the Gates borders. Overlooking those that come and those that leave, remarking on none.
She's a ways off when she sees him enter, spots him crossing the threshold that is the border line of the Gates kingdom. For a time she is still, as she's been for so long now. If it were not for the need to eat, to drink, to relieve herself, she's convinced she would have turned into a tree. Perhaps she would if she stood long enough but she can not, or is not willing to- and that is what makes the difference.
She watches it play out before her, the heated reunion of kin. Silent as any watcher, unhearing of the words that pass between them but she can read them. Or discern the anger emanating from Sidra as she likely steamrolls her brother with words. The girl had at one time been Tioga's greatest friend, if ever she could claim to have had any. Now they were hardly more than strangers, both bitter and hung up in their own rights. But still, she slowly moves towards the two regardless of who is friend and who is foe. Drab against the beauty of the autumn sky and still green foliage of their kingdom. Plain and grey and dappled against the dark skins of her would be company.
She can't help but stand like a giraffe in their midst, silent as any concrete statue with ears unmoving to the words spoken between them.
"Sahm?" She asks finally, the words awkward now and thick in her mouth. Louder than need be but she hasn't spoken for so long, and she can't remember what words sound like anymore. She can't remember sounds but she remembers the boy. The kind one that humored her with games of chase and hide and seek as a child.
{X}Voudou had entered the Gates this morning with the intent to find Sidra, who she believed to be the last fragment remaining of a broken family, but only rub salt in the wounds and cause mayhem. It had been a long journey, especially carrying around what was certainly not a baby but an ever-growing concrete weight in her gut. On the other hand, concrete doesn't kick as if trying to rip a hole in her side and escape from its prison. Her silky black legs ached, and damp patches of sweat were starting to grow on her chest and behind her elbows, but soon it would all be worth it. Oh so worth it.
{X}The Gates were different than when the vixen had last visited, they were no longer cold and lifeless as they had been just after Fiasko had been ripped from its heart. Now everything was fresh and vibrant, shining once more with the mysterious enchantment that initially hypnotized Voudou into staying. With the first foot she landed here, she could feel the life filling her, travelling up her leg and swirling through her body with a vigor that she missed. But could she live here? Certainly not. Sidra would never approve, and it wasn't worth it to hold a constant battle. Because of the soon-to-be baby growing inside her, Voudou just didn't have the energy, she would raise her child elsewhere, and love and spoil it in all the ways she hadn't done with Geremy.
{X}Eyes darted back and forth between the figures, three different variations of black, each unique. Voudou, though, would never want her impeccable black pelt to be interrupted with splashes of white, or fine threads of hair slowly turning to grey. The scars across her frame were already too much, she wanted to stay as gorgeous as she could, regardless of the stomach that was starting to grow. Now was the perfect time to interrupt. An unwelcome hug, a cautious mare and a pissy princess just waiting for more.
{X}Strutting out into the crowd, neck slightly arched and tail raised into the air, Voudou welcomed herself into the conversation. "Oh would you look at that, the long lost prince of the Gates. I gotta say, you really dropped the ball on this one child, didn't even manage to find your dad did you?" Her voice was snarky and cruel, cherishing any sort of reaction she could get at this point.
Her brother closes the gap between them in seconds, forcing his speckled neck around hers and proclaiming apologies. Sidra stiffens instantly - if he’d thought that the gesture would make her melt against him and forgive all things, he’s a fool.
He’s done too much to be forgiven so easily.
“Don’t touch me!” She wrenches away from him and spits on the ground between them. “Yes. You failed, Sahm. Do you even know what’s happened since you’ve been gone? Do you even know what happened to Mom?” Her teeth snap violently, daring him to try and touch her again. The pathetic bastard probably has no idea that there’s been a raid, no idea that their mother has been a captive of the Chamber for years. And what about their goddamn father? The asshole still hasn’t shown up, no matter how much he had professed to love their mother.
Unfortunately, outbursts of this nature are unlikely to go unnoticed in a kingdom on the brink of war. In the depths of her rage she does not notice when Tioga approaches, but she does notice when a pure black mare joins their little gathering. Oh she certainly does notice.
“You.” She rounds on the mare in a blaze of fury, on the verge of charging the old mare. The black bitch looks as smug as ever, the grin on her face as large as her saggy pregnant belly. “What, the fuck, are you doing here?” One of Sidra’s front hooves paws at the ground. “And why the hell do you care? You certainly didn’t spend much time looking for our father the last time you deigned to grace us with your presence. Get the fuck out.”
Sorrow pierced him through the heart, and he bled. As Sidra pulled and pulled the wound merely tore. With each new tear the blood of regret flooded his chest and forced pressure against his lungs. Once his sister broke from his clasp Sahm felt his head swing loosely to his knees, and he gasped. The spit landed near him, and he weakly closed his eyes. The fierce language that soared toward him pushed his ears backwards, and he continued to struggle for air. No, he did not know what he missed, but he did know he failed- and the continual confirmation of such a fact merely sent him rushing back into his mind. He kept his head lowered and stepped backward. His right leg fumbled and unintentionally twisted into the path of his left hoof, which caused him to nearly fall with his retreat.
Sahm half expected more brutality, but soon the attention was stolen from him. Sahm could hear his sister’s hooves smack the earth, and his eyes opened. Their party of two had doubled, and he hadn’t even noticed. Though the large, dark- familiar mare spoke cruelly toward him and Sidra merely entertained her with ferocity in return Sahm took more notice of the other mare. She had said something, something that Sahm had been too crowded in thought to hear. The more he took notice of her the sooner his eyes softened, and he was able to lift his head. ”Tioga” He said quietly. It was a name spoken more for himself, and with its acknowledgement also came the memories. She was a bright spot within the Gates, and even amongst his sister’s fury Sahm was relieved to see her.
With an initial stumble Sahm straightened his hunched body and sent Tioga a half-hearted smile. He wished he could have instilled words into the smile- words that begged Tioga to not leave him alone with a bitter sister and spiteful mare.
”Sidra…what happened to mom?” He hadn’t forgotten what she had said before the interruptions.
The situation only escalates, Tioga doesn’t need functioning ears to work that out. The moment Voudou makes an appearance she knows all is not well. The smoke colored mares lips quiver in condescending ways, igniting a fire in Sidra. The dappled mare looks between the two, watching the scenario unfold.
She can barely make anything out as far as the conversation goes, though she can discern the moment is heated, the fire is gaining oxygen and growing. Sidra’s body, her movements become fierce, wild. Her mouth is flying at such a quick pace that Tioga only blinks, overwhelmed with the speed and ferocity of the moment. Not too overwhelmed though, her eyes taking in what her ears do not. Her childhood friend is moments away from assault, on the very verge of accosting the friesian when the grey thrusts herself forward.
A blockade. A wall of ash and white between the two mares who would sooner be at each other’s necks like a pack of dogs than any sort of civilized interaction. “Sidra, don’t.” Her attempts at speech are awkward and she can’t be bothered to worry about looking or sounding silly. Her head snaps to look at Voudou then, copper eyes narrowed at the snide black woman. “Just go on then.” she huffs, struggling less to form the words, focusing on the way her mouth moved to make them.
Then there is Sahm, the breath of her name is lost but the smile is not. She dips her head in acknowledgement as she stands between the two females, a smile of her own peeking past her concentration.
Voudou relaxed herself into place as Sidra spun around and spat out angry words, filled with toxic hate. She stood, calmly, a back hoof now half-cocked and a smirk crawling across her maw. She knew what Sidra didn't, she had found Jason, and now his child was growing inside of her. With any luck that glorious blue would pass down to the infant, and Voudou would be able to rub it in Sidra's face till death.
However, now was not the time. The dappled stranger cut in between them, creating a thick barrier of flesh and bone separating the two black mares, clearly more for Sidra's sake than Voudou's. Afterall, why should any of these three care what happened to Voudou? The friesian was a bitch and she embraced it, taking comfort and joy in the hate and suffering of those around her, creating drama just for the sake of having something to do. No, they didn't care what happened to her.
She gracefully ignored the gray mare in her way, speaking once more to Sidra. "You know, darling, you can hate me all you want but you know damned well I'm not the cause of your pain. Soon you'll realize that I am capable of much more than you would've ever guessed." The words flowed easily, smoothly, not even bitter or cruel, but instead eerily calm, matching the emotionless cold behind her dark eyes.
Only now did the raven mare turn her attention to Sahm, the broken stallion who had the nerve to face his sister. "You..." she studied him, eyes moving across his large frame as if he were a pile of rotting trash that someone had left on her doorstep, "You'll be seeing me soon. Assuming the queen bee over here doesn't kill me first." A small glance at Sidra. "Or you. Turns out she holds a grudge almost as well as I do."
With that and nothing more than another quick glance around the group, Voudou twisted her body away, ignoring any backlash from any of the three remaining horses, and pulling herself into the cover of the trees and away from the feud, the cool shade camouflaging her black frame. She could wait. It could wait.
What a fucking idiot.
Sidra can see the pain and confusion blossoming across her brother’s face, and it’s all she can do to stop herself from spitting at him again. Does he not understand the pain he had caused them by disappearing like that? Does he not understand the moments that he missed, and can never get back?
He asks, finally asks, what happened, and a tiny, maniacal giggle escapes Sidra’s lips. “The Chamber raided us Sahm, that’s what happened.” She takes a step towards him, dark eyes now boring into his own. “They raided us and burned everything to the ground. Even the tree.” She takes another step, her voice lowering to nearly a whisper. “And they took Mother. She made a deal with them to protect us, and she’s been their prisoner ever since.” Her voice is barely audible now. “And what did you do, Sahm? You waltzed off on a grand fucking adventure.”
“And YOU.” She wheels back on Voudou, who, for god knows what reason, is still talking. “Can shut up. No one wants to hear your empty threats, you old wind-bag.” The black bitch has turned her foul attentions on Sahm, and Sidra shoves herself forward in between her brother and the mare’s gaze. She can vaguely hear Tioga’s soft voice in the background, but she ignores it. “Didn’t you hear me the first time? Get the fuck out of here.”
And, thankfully, finally, the dark mare turns away to leave.
Sidra’s eyes return to Sahm, and some of the fight finally seeps out of them. “Why did you even bother coming back Sahm?”
![[Image: sidraandsahm_zps0fabjlj2.gif]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/dsl_devin/sidraandsahm_zps0fabjlj2.gif)
![[Image: Tioga.png]](http://s16.postimg.org/ceb0gz0n9/Tioga.png)
