"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
Though she knows that winter has the rest of Beqanna tightly in its grip, the Jungle remains warm and humid – and isolated biome. Though she has always preferred heat to cold, the black and white mare has found herself missing the turning of the seasons. She has never intended to stay here for long, just until her children were grown. They are growing every day, foraging for their own sustenance and no longer replying on their mother for everything. It is bittersweet, watching them grow, but Dorne is proud.
Though she has seen the tattoo on her daughter’s chest, the appaloosa mare has not yet had the heart to speak to Ephrelle about it. Today, she has decided, it is time. Raising her head, she beckons both of her children with a strongly-voiced call. When they are beside her – both tall, strapping young things – she nuzzles them affectionately, nibbling at Roe’s red mane and tugging gently on Ellie’s black hair.
“As you both know, I came to the Jungle only to raise you in safety. This is not my home, though I can see that you – Ellie – have chosen it to be yours.” She gestures to the vine and blossom on her daughter’s black breast, but there is no judgment in her voice, only affection. “You are both old enough to decide what you want to do with your own lives.” Perhaps not-quite-yearlings are a little young, but Dorne believes (like the rest of her family) that their bloodline is stronger than the rest, and that they are capable of more than most other horses.
“I’ll be leaving the Jungle today. I’m not sure where I’ll go – probably to explore the lands outside of Beqanna.” The decision has been a long time coming, and while she will miss her children, she will always return to them. “I love you both very much, and I am proud of the young man” (she looks to Yronwood) “and young woman that you’ve become.”
Ellie is not terribly far away when she hears her mother call. She’s been standing beside the slow river, watching the dragonflies skim over the surface and contemplating going swimming. At Dorne’s summons though, she turns away and makes her way through the undergrowth.
Arriving beside her mother, the roan filly tucks her head beneath her mother’s for a moment, smiling happily as she does so. Though she has grown more independent with each passing day, she is still at ease with open affection. Mother has not mentioned her tattoo yet, but as she begins to speak, Ellie realizes that Dorne is not as upset about it as she had worried that she might be. She exhales the tiniest of sighs in relief, but it disappears as Dorne announces that she is leaving. Ellie is about to ask ‘where?’ when Mother says that she does not know, and the green-eyed filly turns to her brother to see his reaction.
“Are you going to leave too?” She asks, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. Though she knows that stallions have no real place in the Jungle other than as manservants, the idea of losing both her brother and her mother is more frightening than she’s willing to admit.
He, too, comes quickly in response to their mother's call. He nuzzles Dorne respectfully after she lips at his mane and smiles at her, glad as always for the times that their tiny family unit is together. The spotted boy listens with pricked ears as their mother tells them that she is leaving, not having expected this news. It was true, they always both knew that their parent was not going to pledge herself to the Jungle, that it was a stopover for her before they were born and as they grew and still needed her. Apparently, she judged them mature enough to no longer need her presence and guidance. Were they ready? Roe believes that they are; they will have to become ready even if they are not. Dorne had always raised them to be more mature for their ages than a typical foal of their age might be, and thus he takes the news in stride with nary a tear or distraught words of protest. His voice trembles somewhat though, as he speaks. "We love you too, Mother. Thank you for all that you've done for us. " Hearing how upset Ellie sounds as she addresses him, he quickly steps to her side and presses his reddish cheek against hers. "Hey, I'm here. I don't know if I want to always be in the jungle, but if when and if that day comes, it won't be for awhile. But I love you sister, and even if I'm not living here, I will still be in Beqanna and we will see each other often. "
06-08-2015, 08:57 AM (This post was last modified: 06-08-2015, 08:58 AM by Dorne.)
“Make me proud,” Dorne tells them both, reaching out for one last embrace. They already do make her proud, of course, they are capable young horses and she cannot imagine that anywhere in Beqanna or beyond that there are finer yearlings. She’d done well – even without the aid of their father – and she is proud of herself as well. “You’ll be fine,” she reassures Ephrelle.
“Goodbye,” she says one last time, and then turns and disappears into the jungle, heading further south than she’s ever been.
[just wanted to wrap this up so that Dorne can head on out ]
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