"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
It was a new world. Bigger every day, the boundaries that must exist had yet to be found. He knew very little, what he was sure of was definite. He was a horse (usually). Mama was also a horse (always). And they had been walking ever since he was born. At least, that's how it felt. Put out by her lack of success in finding them a travelling companion, she had failed to make it to Hyaline before he had decided to make his appearance. Somewhere between a river and a forest, stumbling silently though lands that did not belong to them, he could sense Mama's relief once they crossed some invisible barrier that meant they had come close to the end of their journey. Blinking up at her dark and light shape, he was glad. They'd been walking forever, and he was tired. A small voice at the back of his mind recognized the desire to curl up in a little ball, to sleep for as long as he could. A soft black nose nudged into his rump. Mama wanted them to keep going. With a little sigh, the cream and pale gold child stepped forward again, finding purchase with his tiny flinted hooves.
"We're almost there. Just a little longer, my dear, and you can sleep." Mama's voice was soft, and carried it's own note of exhaustion, but firm in meaning. He trailed along in her wake obediently. At last, as the afternoon's light began to glow with the warmth of dusk, they arrived. The edge of a vast lake glittered before the pair, flaming orange with the early evening's sun. They had crossed a river, and several streams to make it here, but this was the single largest body of water the colt had ever seen in all of his week of existence. Another nudge, he'd stopped to take it in, but they had to find a safe place to rest. Picking up his feet more lively now, he trotted to keep pace. Mama brought them to a rest at the edge of the water, stopping to drop her head to it's surface. For a second, he watched the muscles of her throat work to swallow. It made him remember his own thirst. The pale child dipped beneath his mother's barrel, seeking the nourishment he knew he'd find there. Tickaani twitched slightly, still unused to the sensation of being nursed from, but let him continue. In greedy gulps, he pulled the milk from her, until his hunger abated and sleepiness took it's place. White droplets clung to his lips as he let himself be herded a little ways from the lake shore, at last nestling into a bed of overgrown sweetgrass. The colt drifted off to sleep, feeling his mother's practical mouth licking the dust of traveling from his downy coat. He dreamed of milk and mother and stalking errant leaves, shadowed figures talking in hushed tones at the edge of his mind.
Tick stood over his tiny form, watching as his ribs moved up and down in gentle sleep. One ear twitched, tickled by a bent blade of grass. He was beautiful, and she was pleased with him. Alert in the falling twilight, she was looking forward to meeting those she had met before, to show off her new child. To rest for a while.
The mother and child paint a pleasant picture below as Solace makes her evening rounds in the sky above her kingdom. New faces never fail to ignite an almost childlike curiosity in Tangerine's daughter, so it is no surprise to her when her weight and wings involuntarily tilt earthward towards the mare and foal.
What does surprise her is the sight of her mischievous ward, sister---, not far off from the two newcomers. A fleeting frown passes over her brown and lips before her features smooth over again. Her relationship with Kumera had turned out much differently than she had naively anticipated and she found herself constantly wondering if she would be an adequate substitute for a mother. She hadn't wanted to be a mother, but the foal needed more than a sister to tech her right from wrong.
Lightly, the young mare lands on the bank, her back hooves splashing gently in the shallows. The summer air is warm, but pleasantly so, and when a breeze crosses the surface of the lake the touch which finds her skin is cool. "Kumera," she calls gently into a stand of wisteria trees. Solace has landed closer to where she saw the girl and the two newcomers stand just after speaking rang. Waiting for her adopted sister to appear she turns to face the mother and her pale colt. "It's a lovely evening," she says sincerely over the short distance between them. "I'm Solace, have you two just arrived?"
She had never seen this pair before, and she wonders how far they have traveled to make it here. Solace believed every mother deserved a safe place to raise her child, and she wanted this mare to know they were welcome before the night fell.
Jealousy wasn't an emotion I was capable of, envy maybe, but jealousy no. Since coming into the land of rolling knolls of greenery I had envied my sisters abilities. How she could soar amongst the blackened, starlit skies. Those were the only skies I knew. Even to look at the daylit morning burned my eyes. Each new day, the sun chased me into one of the many caves amongst the cragged landscape at the kingdoms edges. Only to reveal myself when the moon replaced the ball of fire in the skies.
When again the world became dimlit, I awoke. Rising and stretching with a fanged gapping yawn. I often did not sleep well. The day walkers were loud creatures. Hooves thundered atop grassy plains, a gentle flicker of tail, even the most secret of whispers echoed in my ears. The constant commotion caused deep sleep to escape me. Perhaps it was time to find a new cavern that was farther from the bustling lands...
Creeping from the dank environment I knew so well, my eyes are bright. The slightest of starlight illuminated my surroundings that it could be mistaken as day(to me). I grin happily that my flesh does not burn under the cloak of darkness. My face upturns to watch the stars twinkle brightly. The moon, only a sliver, rises slowly. My freedom these days have grown shorter, and I know I must make the most of my time.
A beating of wings draws my attention as I know who it must be, my sister. When my name carries upon the breeze this is confirmed. Ebony ears twist atop my crown, and I am closing the distance between us. Stepping out to see her beside two strangers, speaking to them kindly. Amber eyes find the pair, one much lighter than the other, smaller too. So far I had failed at my attempt to make friends. The foals of the playground seemed threatened by me. Perhaps they should be, I was not normal.
I stand beside my sister. Looking to her and then to the mother and child. A grin creases my dark lips to reveal my pearly fangs as I attempt my own greeting, "Hello. I'm Kaurma." Stepping forward, my muzzle lowers to the child sleeping soundly. Ears flickering back, then forward again. The day walkers were always sleeping when I roamed the lands. A sighed huff of air left me as my head rose again. Accepting that once again I was to entertain myself this evening...
02-13-2018, 06:19 PM (This post was last modified: 02-13-2018, 06:21 PM by Tickaani.)
I know my way through the night to your door
A mouthful of tender grass was being ground by her molars as they were joined in company. The roaned woman eyed the two new faces with interest, moving on quickly from the drop of spoiled anticipation when she first saw they weren't who she really sought. The two girls who walked up were as opposite as faces could be, but they held similar enough shapes to show they shared some heritage between them. Swallowing her bit of grass in her own time, she watched the two interact as they introduced themselves. Glancing back down at her still-sleeping child, she returned her gaze to the girls. "You, I've heard of. You, I haven't." Indicating first the grown woman, then the child who'd come from the shadows. She nodded at the pale Solace respectfully, her words not unkind. She then gave a harder look to the younger girl, who had been looking inquisitively at the curled up colt. She didn't look much older than him, really. Her eyebrow quirked when the fading light glinted off the nubby fangs peeking from her lips, but she didn't mention them. All sorts of strange folk lived in these lands, her son's father included.
"A nice evening, yes. We couldn't have hoped for better traveling weather. It's been a long journey, especially on the lad. Name's Tickaani, Tick to my friends. And this little one is Imbolc. He hasn't been around long enough to make friends just yet." She commented in a quiet but audible voice. Her gaze fell again to the young girl, who looked so eager for a playmate, yet had left the pale boy undisturbed. "He'll wake up again before you know it. Just tired from the road, is all." She murmured low to the filly. She wanted her son to go play. He hadn't had nearly enough of it in his short life. Turning back to Solace, whom she knew to be the leader here, she smiled softly as she returned her mind to her current business. "I'm seeking friends of mine. A pair of them, actually. A girl called Keeper, and a boy named Ryan. Could use a few words with them, and we'll not bother your hospitality beyond that." She offered with a flick of her tail. Tick had been cursed with itchy feet and a wandering soul, so she knew she wasn't here to stay. But she needed advisement, and her son needed rest. So if the pale queen before them saw fit, this rest would be a wonderful reprieve for the both of them.
Imbolc stretched in his grassy nest, a hush of breath puffing from his lips. He hadn't been asleep long, but even their quiet words must have disturbed him. She looked at him as his eyelashes fluttered, threatening to unveil the baby blue orbs underneath. Perhaps Kaurma would have a playmate here sooner than expected..
02-16-2018, 05:50 PM (This post was last modified: 02-16-2018, 05:50 PM by Solace.)
Solace
The pale mare listens thoughtfully as the newcomer provides some more information about herself. When she mentions the two name's she nods, trying to remember where she had seen the pair last. "Keeper has been doing quite a bit of traveling recently, but Ryan should be around..." She had spotted the mulberry stained stallion from the sky the day before and she had meant to stop to check up on him -but when dusk had fallen another day had passed and she had failed speak with him. Guilt flashes hot in her chest momentarily but it never reaches her face. "If I see Ryan or Keeper I will let them know that you are searching for them. But for now, please make yourselves at home - don't think of it as intruding."
Solace finds herself smiling as Kaurma gently extends her dark muzzle to the sleeping foal - she watches the pair intently. Another child would give her ward the entertainment and life experiences that Solace could not provide. When the young Queen looked around Hyaline, she noticed how many of the mothers spend the majority of their days with their children, and how little she spent with Kaurma. While Solace was no one's mother, she was the closest thing Kaurma would ever have to one - but the kingdom was ever pulling her to the skies.
Maybe a friend could bring the girl out of the solitary darkness.
caretaker of hyaline
@[devin] Just so you know we are talking about you
@[Tickaani]
Adults talk. That seemed to be the only thing they did. Casting sweet nothings into the wind and see where they fall. I had no interest in their ramblings, though I heard it all. Names, locations, happenings. I cared little for the details surrounding the chatter. Even more so as the body curled amongst the brittle grasses stirred. Each slight movement, a flinch in my peripheral view.
My raised crown lowered again to view the being again. Slight hope rising in my chest that it was to wake and wish to explore with me. It doesn't dawn on me that the day walkers had preferences of when they were active and dormant. Just as I had my preferences. Well, more like a will to survive another turn of the world.
I bump my onyx dipped muzzle at the child's neck. Extending a greeting and willingness to engage with him, "Hey. Wanna play with me?" My ears flick forwards to await acceptance or denial from the pale colt. The sliver of moon did it's best to illuminate the colts hide, just as the shadows consumed hers. Only the reflection of it's dim light was found in my eyes and gleamed off my pearly fangs. Even the absent curl of my lips, no longer hid their existence...
02-22-2018, 09:18 PM (This post was last modified: 02-22-2018, 09:20 PM by Imbolc.)
Voices soft as the wind through pine boughs sought to rouse the colt from his light nap. Eyes still clamped shut, a deep breath expanded his thin chest for a moment, in denial that he was awake. With another little sigh, his eyelids peeled open again, and looked into the inquisitive face of a dark girl. Inches from his face. Right there. His icy blue eyes were wide open now, blinking in utter surprise. Still lying on the ground, he craned his neck to find his mother's shadowed form, moonlight illuminating the paleness of her barrel. Everything else was shadow. It was eerie, but he had more pressing things on his mind at the moment. Such as the sort-of smiling girl who apparently wanted to play with him. She was pretty, maybe a bit older than him. He hadn't known enough other horses to think her strange for her rather unique dental situation, or that she seemed ready for anything now that most other creatures seemed to be going to bed. In fact, he pondered briefly, those were things they had in common, sometimes.
His heart fluttered like a trapped bird behind the cage of his ribs. What was he supposed to do?
One more glance at his mother, who paused her conversation with the other grown-up lady long enough to nod encouragingly in his direction, and the leggy boy rose to his feet less than gracefully. With an unsure grin, he nodded shyly. He felt he should say something, but not really sure what, so he bobbed after the slightly older girl instead, curious to see what this playing thing was all about. He danced in place for a moment before batting experimentally towards her shoulder with one little hoof. He waited a moment to see how she'd react.
________________
Meanwhile, Tick was engrossed with her conversation with Solace. As light as her charge was dark, the guardian of Hyaline seemed to glow from within in the silvery moonlight. She was every inch the ruler she had been made out to be. She was slightly disappointed that the pale queen had no further leads on the members of her kingdom, and she suspected vaguely that perhaps this was a ploy to make them stay longer than intended. It was a pretty place, though. The stars up above glimmered and reflected in the still water of the lake, and night birds called across the water. They had time. At the very least, winter was coming. It would be safer by far for she and her son to bide in the safety of a kingdom while the elements raged around them. With a knowing glance, she watched Imbolc step off with the shadow girl, Kaurma. The child had yet to say a word, but she wasn't worried. He was her son after all. He would do things in his own time. With a smile that said she knew she'd been momentarily caught, she turned back to Solace. "I suppose we'll be here just a while longer, then. It will probably be good for the boy." She admitted, almost as an afterthought. She caught the expression that flew across the young queen's face as she glanced at the frolicking pair of foals. It seeme the roan woman was not the only one motherhood didn't fit quite right.
