"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
As he crosses into the sandy hills of Loess a cloud of airborne sediment fills the skies. It is a tell tale sign of his coming. His icey blue orbs scan the skies for the winged Queen. Not finding her frame stretched across the azure skies he calls out to her. His tone urgent. Desperate even.
Sliding to a stop in the center of the region, his black and silver outline is hard to miss. He waits, even though he is sure this is a dead end. But he has little options...
Imperial
@[Heda] labeling as private so no one else can hear but if anyone else wants to jump in go for it
10-26-2017, 01:47 PM (This post was last modified: 10-26-2017, 08:50 PM by kahzie.)
I V A R i'll use you as a makeshift gauge of how much to give and how much to take
The sound of quick hooves is impossible to miss, especially from where Ivar stands. The tall stallion’s vantage point on a bald cliff offers him an unobstructed view of several miles of Loess’ border. He’s been grazing, fairly relaxed beneath the late autumn sun, but he drops his mouthful as he spots the horse running.
It’s someone familiar, but not that he’s met, and it’s clear from the way the other stallion looks around that he is searching for someone. Heda, Ivar assumes, but the buckskin queen is not immediately visible.
Perhaps there is something he can do, Ivar decides, and descends from his lookout point to meet the silver black stallion on lower land. The scaled stallion’s handsome face is not marred by his concerned frown, and as he stops beside Imperial, he asks: “Is something the matter?”
Closer, his suspicion that this young male is a resident of Loess is confirmed. There are few of them, but Ivar has made it is goal to know them. There is usually a young mare in this stallion’s company, but she seems absent this afternoon.
10-27-2017, 07:13 PM (This post was last modified: 10-27-2017, 07:13 PM by Imperial.)
Son of a Red Eyed Ghost
He hadn't been a resident here long. Only met the ruler once and besides Kuma, he hadn't seen many others. Still he stayed here because this had been Kuma's home and he had found himself liking the peaceful lands and the spotted mare. So when the red eyed stag announced his terms he knew it was unlikely he'd be able to satisfy them. There was no army. No greater powers that he knew of. But maybe they would be willing to help one of their own...
With no one in sight he had called out extra loud. The deep baritones of his maturing vocals would easily reach any in the small kingdom. If anyone was around that is. Icey blue eyes shifted across the terrain until finally a form was seen advancing towards him. Ebony ears thrusted forwards as a question fills the air. Almost too calmly - for the situation - he replies, "It's Kuma. We were in the field and she took off into the woods towards Sylva. I followed her to bring her back but I was too late. They found her, us. Now they have her." He pauses for a moment to gather his thoughts. The memory of her burning plagues his mind. With a disappointed shake of his crown he looks back to the stallion, "She's hurt really bad. They burned her with magic. I couldn't help her. They have powers... And I have none." Disgust stifles his words. He was weak. His father had known this when he was born. He wasn't a ghost like him or a shifter like his mother. His blue eyes dim and fall, "He wants Heda for Kuma's return. Dead or alive..." He knows the news has no good outcomes. But he had to do something...
I V A R i'll use you as a makeshift gauge of how much to give and how much to take
The name that the younger stallion gives him is not a familiar one. Kuma? However, the rest of what the silver-maned horse has to tell him confirms that Kuma must be the brightly marked mare that Ivar had frequently seen Imperial with.
Imperial had called out for Heda, and then for anyone when that call had gone unanswered. Heda should be coming by now, Ivar thinks, but another quick scan of the horizons reveals no approaching buckskin figure. Raising his head, he echoes the summoning of the younger stallion, certain that the queen will be arriving shortly. The scaled stallion returns his attention to the silver black stallion as he continues to speak, detailing an afternoon trip gone terribly wrong.
They should know to avoid Sylva, he thinks.
But no – why would they? They have never been warned. There was no meeting called to warn the handful of Loessans of the dangers directly to the south. The realization has Ivar scowling even more deeply than he had at Imperial’s retelling. This could have been avoided entirely.
While Ivar does not know this Kuma, she is someone that he had promised to protect. He’d accepted the title of General with the knowledge that all matters of security were his responsibility. The General refers to the Queen, of course, but the queen is absent.
“Who is they?” He asks, his voice low, his brow furrowed in thought. “How many? What powers did they have?” Tactical knowledge is vital, he knows; best to gather what he can before Heda arrives, so he can advise her of the best possible actions to take.
She was far away, tending to the far corners of her kingdom when she hears him, the first call, and with a quick and nimble movement the golden queen expands her expanses of feathers and trusts herself off the ground. It isn't often someone other than Ivar calls upon her, surely something must be up, or ever so wrong.
Heda tries in an effort to speed up her rather lengthy flight, getting to the other side of the kingdom was no easy task, especially since she'd found herself tethered to the ground lately rather than exercising the gift of her navy tinged wings. So she had been quite out of practice, and her feathered limbs began to become sore from the lack of use, as they quickly cut through the wind.
Then another call is sounded, one more familiar to her ears, Ivar was calling for her as well int he same direction. Her wings quicken by the second and in no time she is there, in facts is quite surprised by her timing, she thought it would take MUCH longer due to her lack of flying lately. And so she quickly descends, wings gone sore, and heart thundering in her chest, she lands rather clumsily, her wings quickly folding at her sides as she trots up to the duo, her lover and Imperial.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I came as quickly as I could." She reassures the two that she wasn't slacking on the job. Her gaze meets Ivar, he looks concerned, curiosity burned in his eyes. But on the other hand, Imperial stood, his facial expressed rather glum and worried, quite similar to Ivar's. "What's going on? Has something happened?" She asks in a rather frantic tone, as a reaction to their expressions.
All valid questions he intended on answering but as he goes to answers Heda arrives. He knows of her from a short encounter at the borders of Loess. Soon after that meeting he had come across the spitfire pinto mare. His eyes look to Heda as a slight dip of his crown is given before he speaks to them both. "Kuma ran off into Sylva forests. I tried to get her back but we were caught. A white stallion with red eyes and a fire breathing wolf shifter. He burnt her pretty bad. They only allowed me to go get...you," His icey gaze shifts from Heda to Ivar to Heda again as he finishes his sentence with you. "I offered my soul to save her but he wouldn't accept mine... He wants yours Heda." He wonders what they will say. Probably nothing that will bring Kuma's release but he had to try. His weight shifting anxiously on his silver limbs. Wanting to go back and find her but the terms were clear... Heda, dead or alive will save her.
Imperial
Ooc: I'm up for any plot ideas to rescue her but I have a plan B if not. Obviously Heda isn't going to die
I V A R i'll use you as a makeshift gauge of how much to give and how much to take
The thrum of wing beats reaches his ears, and the brown-eyed stallion looks up to see Heda coming toward them. A breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding is released, and he greets her with a smile (albeit a tight one, drawn thin by the current situation). She apologizes for her delayed arrival, and Ivar places his muzzle reassuringly on her shoulder.
“Kuma’s been taken captive,” he manages to slip in before Imperial begins to speak. Ivar pulls back to better hear what the other stallion has to say, his concentration apparent on his face as he takes it in.
“Gryffen,” Ivar says when Imperial is quiet. The boy shuffles anxiously, and Ivar meets Heda’s gaze squarely. “And some new lackey – not Thana this time.” The forest of Sylva is thick with enemies to Loess, it seems; the hilly realm is spread thin when it comes to warriors. He has done his duty, learning what he can about the other lands. Spycraft is not his skill however; diplomacy is not his forte. He is charming, but ultimately selfish.
The thought has him idly pressing his side against Heda’s. Her presence is solid, comforting, and he knows that she will humor him in anything he asks. The building frustration will need a release, he knows, and there is no time to slip away with this on their doorstep. It gives him the bit of patience he needs to think clearly.
“Were you trespassing?” He asks after a moment of silence. That will be important, he knows. Was the Sylvan King within his rights to make prisoners of trespassers? He remembers the thorny wall around Taiga, and knows that even if Gryffen is in the wrong, a madman cannot be reasoned with. Blood will be the only avenue then. Ivar wonders whose blood it will be.
His blue eyes shift to the stallion that seems to be some sort of protector of Loess. The pied stallion tone of concern is appreciated. The question he asks is quickly answered, "Yes we were. She was just playing though and didn't know any better. I got to her too late... Now she's suffering because of me."
His eyes fall in a sorrowed expression. Remembering the flames. The smell of burning hair and flesh. Her falling to the earth in desperation... What had he done to protect her? Nothing.
He narrows his eyes in determination. He would not do nothing. He'd go get her back. With or without help. Looking back to the scaled stallion his voice is no longer defeated, "I must go back to save her. I will not come back until I have her with me, or I will die trying. Id be grateful for you to accompany me. But I understand if you will not." His ebony crown dips in respect and then his silver legs turn him to the Sylva borders once again...
![[Image: dc9b5pd-da224f9b-4062-4ac8-924f-4dd26147...1Y8jmwEofM]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/07886fb6-93e3-433a-98d3-b27bd42023e6/dc9b5pd-da224f9b-4062-4ac8-924f-4dd26147d99a.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3ODg2ZmI2LTkzZTMtNDMzYS05OGQzLWIyN2JkNDIwMjNlNlwvZGM5YjVwZC1kYTIyNGY5Yi00MDYyLTRhYzgtOTI0Zi00ZGQyNjE0N2Q5OWEuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.geTcHHU6VYVUl2A4eZOJJP7O2w_nw1yix1Y8jmwEofM)
