"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
The winged girl had stopped dead in her tracks and this should have been an indication for both her followers to stop as well - alas, they don't. Warlight is on high speed, and stops a few feet from the bear; but Clayton screams something about a sister-keeper, and suddenly the bear, wanting to protect her cubs from the assault no doubt, is roaring, rearing, and slashes Clay near his face. RUN!
Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. The warrior-girl races forward; positioning herself between Clayton and the bear. She gives him a shove in Will's direction, and with a loud and challenging whinny, wings spread, rears at the angry bear. She's buying time. Perhaps the bear will be distracted - but she knows it's too bold a move, deep down; knows that one of them will not survive.
And if any of these three must die, then let it be her.
And when she feels the pain of slash and bite she knows it's gonna be her.
Again.
the light you are searching has always been within
Relief - it's the emotion she feels just before Clayton is mauled. Warlight is just about to comment on Keepers cute cubs or maybe whisper a quip to Tähti about Keeper’s bad mood today, and then her heart stops.
The wild animal strikes her friend, and when she sees the wound open in red trails behind her claws, Will's heart begins again, hammering with a force which will surely break her ribs. Isn’t this the sort of situation which draws magic and warriors talents from the gifted? It’s now the time that she should realize she has light beam emissions like her brothers?
But she doesn’t feel any sleeping magic awakening, and like Tähti, she does the only thing she can. As Clayton’s blood spills, the antlered filly lowers her skull and charges forward. Her antlers are small, little more than two spikes on her head and years away from being as formidable as her mothers, but they certainly could do more damage than her bite. The yearlings flat, herbivores teeth would be no match for the sow's thick pelt. But she doesn’t get the chance to test her theory.
The mother bear swings her great claws again, catching Warlight across the shoulder just before her attack can hit. The force throws the lithe filly two horse lengths away from the scene, where she tumbles and stills. Her eyes flutter open, blurred from the pain, just in time to see why Tähti take the full force of the mother bears rage.
She cries out for help, not from her friends, but for anyone who may be near, watching as the other girl sacrifices herself. For the shock or the pain, Will's world is fading, and her head falls to rest on its pillow of stone.
Warlight Soul as sweet as blood red jam
I probably wont write the bear again, just cause i owe so much D:
His neck pounds in pain, blood trickles out from the wound he bore. He was lucky that the strike did not go deeper, it would not take his life, but it would leave a scar. He yells out for the others to run, but as he suspected Tähti and Warlight do the opposite. Will his mistake of thinking this mother bear was Keeper take the life of one of his friends?
Tähti was the first to run over, she places herself between the bear, pushing Clayton towards Warlight. His eyes flick toward Warlight. They were filled with fear and regret. Before he could say anything to her Warlight lowers her head an attempt to ram her antlers into the bear. He would have preferred her to not get involved, but it was too late, the bear raised its paw striking its powerful claws down Warlights shoulder blade. The force of the blow threw Warlight completely out of the battle.
Clayton's eyes grew wide with worry, he runs to Warlights side, his muzzle nudges her cheek Warlight! He yells out her name, he glances to her shoulder that was damp with the red blood of her wound. Warlight are you okay? She was flickering in and out, her attention was not on him, but behind him. His gaze follows to see Tähti, still fighting with a bear Tähti!! Watch out! He yells out a warning as the bear prepares for another blow.
@[Warlight] @[Tähti] sorry it's short, wanted to get something up for yall
When the ink-and-milk splashed steed is not near the crystalline lake, he prefers to monitor from above. Hyaline offers several trails that wind their way up the mountain and, to higher elevations. He felt purposeful as a guardian and, the solitude suits him. Today is much like any other day on patrol. His cupped antennae filter through the summer breezes and chirping birds while his olfactory sense searches for scents of danger. His light blue gaze scans the scene before him and below him until the ferocious roar causes his heart to pound more violently. He draws in a quick breath before spinning on his haunches to face the direction of the commotion. A shrill whinny reverberates off of the surrounding trees and, without a moment more of hesitation, Velk chooses a light canter to drive him through the dense foliage towards the source of the outbursts.
Just before things come into focus, the musk of mother bear floods his nostrils. He hears another panicked bleat and a desperate urgency floods his chassis and his pulse races faster. He grimaces as he dives right, unsure of what he would find or, what danger he might be putting himself into. As things unfold slowly, Velk does his best to focus on the situation. The large beast seems appeased that the threat has been eliminated and, is ushering her cubs in the opposite direction. The young stallion exhales in relief until his gaze rests upon the trio of yearlings. He could not remember if he had seen them before or, if all of them were in fact Hyaline residents. That did not matter right now. These babies needed help, now. He could not be certain that he could help but, something inside told him to get involved.
Striped hooves drum against the rocky terrain as sturdy limbs carry steed towards the group. He assesses the damage dealt and finds the emerald-pointed colt to be on his feet even though crimson gushed from his neck and stained his mahogany pelt. The roaning filly seems almost lifeless and Velk rushes towards her. He sees her eyes closing and her breathing still and, all at once, he winces at not being able to do more. His attention swivels towards the tricolored filly, on the ground. He offers a small smile to the young boy standing protectively over her before he approaches boldly and extends his muzzle to hers. He whispers, "It is okay, dear. I am here to help."
He allows his whiskers to trail down the curve of her neck, to her gouged shoulder. He pauses over the wound. He had no clue what he is doing; however, within seconds, a warm rush bubbles up from his chest. He feels the warmth travel up his bronchioles and down his nose before he exhales directly over the gashes. What happened had never done so before: a pair of rays, the color of the sun, beam from his nostrils and reach out to kiss her exposed flesh. Within moments, the skin closes over the claw marks and the bleeding has stopped. He nudges the filly's cheek gently before he turns towards the colt. He steps around and stretches his magic muzzle out to heal the neck wound. And, again, two sun beams emit from nostrils - like a fire-breathing dragon, except the warmth soothes instead of burns; the light is gentle, not blinding and, the intensity heals instead of harms. Velk steps back as he notes the gash on the colt's nape to be sealed and, no longer oozing precious blood. Light blue gaze flicks to the still form of the winged filly and, his poll dips in disappointment. There was nothing he could have done and yet, he feels so guilty. He mutters a gentle, "There was nothing I could do... I am so sorry."
The bear raises itself on it's hind paws, as well; first, the mother bear seems to want to give her attention to Warlight again, striking her. But the filly flies away by the force of the blow, and sure enough, is followed by the green-tipped bay. Lucky for them, it's an opening for the grey-and-black filly, and she rushes forward on wings alone to kick the bear near the head. You pay attention to me and nothing else now.
That attention comes with the force of rage, and the two other yearlings, now farther away, seem to be forgotten. It means, however, that the winged girl gets the full blow, and a crushing sound echoes through her head as one claw lands on her throat, and another rips parts of her open.
All in all, it's a way worse death-experience than the first time, when she'd unconsciously knocked her head to a rock. It had been almost instant then; now, through fluttering eyes, she manages a grimace that could have been a smile as she sees the mother bear gather her cubs and leave the scene.
Breathing becomes shallow and eyes close tight. Good. She's not gonna survive, like she figured before, but Clay and Will, they are.
A ragged breath escapes her just as another horse-scent enters her nostrils. She hardly recognizes it for what it is, but she feels content in saving them. Then, her mind is blank and empty, and she remains where she is for a long time.
the light you are searching has always been within
@[Warlight]@[Clayton]@[Velk] Do you want to continue this thread, or should we start a new one which would take place a day or two later? Either way, Tähti is not going to wake up today so I won't post her in this thread again I think, unless you're gonna skip over some time in the next posts. This regenerating takes some time xD
A wave of nauseous heat washes over her as all goes dark. She hears the voice of another colt, familiar yet distant, and she falls into something like sleep. This sleep is somehow darker, it holds her and she is content and dreamless.
But there is the sensation of warmth again, only this time it is a cozy warmth, leading her out of unconsciousness and whispering to her that everything will be ok. Will's dark eyes flutter open as Velk draws back, and there is only one peaceful moment where she believes she is waking in her families grotto. But the scent of blood and bear is still thick in the air and the moment only lasts as long as it takes her to blink her eyes.
Craning her neck, Will attempts to look past the colts to spot Tahti. The sight of her crumpled companion causes the bay girl to violently clamor to her feet, splay-legged and wobbly as a foal.
"Help her!" The yearling demands of her older brother, even as her vision is darkening again. But the disappointment which deflates him is not to be argued with, and she knows that no healer can save Tahti now. With fearful eyes, she looks to Clayton and she knows they can't stay here.
"Come on," she croaks, soft and low, all her vitality having abandoned her. Her skull swings again, as she turns to look again to the healer. Gingerly she steps forward, pressing her small muzzle to Velk's cheek.
"Thank you," she murmurs, "I know you did what you could." She gives him a long, studying look before turning to make her way in the direction the had come from - away from the bear and deeper into the mountains.
![[Image: Warlightpageddoll1.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/NMPHtrtV/Warlightpageddoll1.png)
![[Image: clayton_by_cowgirlconrad-dcmmo18.png]](https://orig00.deviantart.net/8f0d/f/2018/254/c/4/clayton_by_cowgirlconrad-dcmmo18.png)
Velk
