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  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "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


    Keep your dreams in check; Kagerus, anyone!
    #1

    keep your dreams in check

    For whatever reason, Rouhi had decided to walk along the shore after departing from the forest, his mind set on exploring more of the east and to meet new people in his quest. Perhaps he just wanted to enjoy the scenery for a while. His openly friendly personality driving a desire to meet new people, something he wasn't always able to satisfy in his younger years.
    The stallion was quite excited, surprisingly he was not tired by his previous encounters or the journey at all, perhaps too driven to even care about it too much for now. Of course this did not matter now, right now all he had to do was get to the Silver Cove, a place he had been hearing so much about for the past week or so, a safe-haven for those who needed it. Maybe once he was there he could even figure out why he was unable to re-birth, a question that had been on his mind since he had entered the forest.
    As his legs trailed languidly through the dusty sand the stallion's imagination began to wander like it usually does, his mind creating ideal scenarios of how his conversations should go, perhaps weird to the naked eye but perfectly normal for Rouhi and his fear of being lonely, he never wanted to make mistakes that could render him being alone.

    The stallion could not help but watch the scenery as he passed through, water slowly rolling up into a wave only to crash into the damp sand, Rouhi stepping over the dampened areas of sand that rogue waves must have hit. To his left was a wonderland of trees, different types decorating the side as he walked by, his eyes seemed to dance over the green flora, skipping along each tree as he studied their barks, picking out the old tall trees and the young saplings that were fighting to gain sunlight, the larger trees cowering over them, blocking them off.
    The male moved off to the side, walking in the cool ocean, the waves violently slamming against his grey hocks. With a smile, Rouhi lowered his wingtips into the water, dragging them in the water and then lifting them above himself, allowing the small drops of cool liquid to disperse above him, dropping over his hot body as he walked.

    Below the canopy lay a forest of flowers, the colours all gleaming at Rouhi as he walked by, inviting him in with open arms, small animals seemed to scuttle by as he changed his direction, his soft nose raised in the air as he scented the sea breeze, salty air drifting into his large lungs as he inhaled deeply. Along with the various scents of animals and flora also lay the scent of water, his legs changing the course almost instantly as soon as he was able to identify the scent correctly.
    As he moved into the forest he was greeted by the sounds of various different species, their calls ranging from large deer to small squirrels in search of food. Rouhi slowed himself as he entered the dark forest, his pelt instantly darker as he went in further, only his eyes piercing the dark canopy above.

    The stallion had to be close by now, the scent of water was becoming stronger with each step, the lush scent filling his nostrils with joy, but he did not rush. Instead, he took his time wandering through this undiscovered wonderland, taking in all the scenery there was to see, his steps slow and heavy as he walked through the deep and dark forest growth, slowly making his way toward the water.

    After a couple hours of walking, the stallion had finally arrived at his destination, he circled the teal pool as he looked for a place to sink his muzzle, his legs trembling slightly as he tried to control his balance over the slippery mud. Once close, the stallion lowered his stiff stance and began to drink the cool blue liquid, his dry muzzle breaking the surface of the water, taking in large amounts to satisfy his growing thirst, after drinking the stallion turned around and walked a couple centimetres forward, his nose lowered to the ground until the high blades of grass were touching his soft, damp muzzle. 

    The grulla man started to graze quietly, while he grazed he couldn't help but notice another scent. For now, he kept quiet, his eyes attentively searching the green expanse for any signs of life wandering around, Rouhi eager to engage anything that moved with friendly motives, or perhaps more.
     

    Rouhi

    @[Kagerus]
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    #2

    { and in my dreams i've kissed your lips a thousand times }

    Things are quieting down in this kingdom of mine; almost too much so. But I remind myself that everyone is out on their diplomatic trips, not having had the convenience of a teleporter to escort them to and fro. Eventually they will trickle back in, and although I may only see half of them due to my yet quarantined state, I will find reassurance in the knowledge that all is well in my quadrant of this world.

    Briefly, my mind goes to Solace, the thin lids of my eyes falling. We communicate briefly in the dream-state, accustomed by now to the feel of each other's subconscious. I tell her how much I miss her, and she responds likewise; and although I smile for the hearing of it, I know in my gut that I need more. I need her here, next to me. While we abstained from having another child this fall, I still yearn for her closeness, physically, emotionally, and sexually; but I shall have to be patient for her return, as she has been for mine time and time again.

    The quiet sound of hoofbeats rouses me from my angst. With one sweeping motion, my eyes turn towards the sound, nostrils fluttering in an attempt to catch the scent of whoever it might be.

    A stallion.

    The voice in my head causes an immediate grin to split my lips, and I nicker lowly for my familiar; more than likely, however, the stranger she has identified as a stallion will probably take the sound to be meant for him. I don't stress over that though, already intent on going to greet the newcomer; but first I lower my antlered head into the long grasses, watching carefully as the camouflaged leopard stalks towards me. With a loud, rumbling purr, Panthera tilts her head and rubs it affectionately against mine, running the length of her surprisingly tall body against mine.

    I've missed you, I think to her. It gets lonely here.
    I know that, but I had business elsewhere.
    Not making more kittens that will attack my future children, are you?
    Certainly not.
    The big cat gives a haughty huff, though the purring lets up none. Or at least, I've stashed them elsewhere. Maybe where they can eat some Loessians.
    Panthera!
    I am only joking, horse. Now go meet the stallion.


    Reaching out and grabbing her fluffy ear between my teeth affectionately, I quietly thank the gods for the return of my friend before turning to do as she has instructed me to.

    Shortly, the sight of a young, handsome pegasus greets me. I issue another friendly nicker, hoping to calm his nerves should he have already scented the predator who stalks alongside me. With great interest, I study the gorgeous white markings atop the grullo's coat, figuring that he must be about the triplet's age, though I've never seen or heard of him before. Without much wait, I halt before the grazing creature, hoping that the vision of me shan't deter him too greatly of friendship.

    Nearly his height, my similarly painted figure would be a normal sight were it not for three things. First, the clouded leopard print markings which cover the entirety of my body; second, the great, branched prongs of my antlers, which speak much of prowess and dignity; and lastly, the ugly scar which stretches from my right ear to left nostril, marring what would otherwise be a perfect beauty. Oh, and the loudly purring leopard who has lazily plopped on to her bottom next to me is also a bit of a big deal.

    "Hello there," I say without much pause, the faint hint of a smile stretching my innately kind lips. The sound of my voice echoes faintly across the pond, and my obsidian hooves clatter gently against the pebble-strewn earth as I shift my weight. "I am Kagerus, and this is Panthera. Welcome to the Cove - have you come far?"

    KAGERUS


    Caretaker of The Sanctuary
    Lover of Solace
    Immortal, antlered Dreamweaver

    [Image: kag]
    dreamweaver
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    #3

    keep your dreams in check

    The air is sweet, a melodious symphony of flora raising the thickness of the air in total, Rouhi sucking in the cool air with delight, his eyes glancing at his reflection in the water for a moment.
    The stallion is content with his surroundings, his wings comfortably placed beside his tender stomach, resting atop his daubed coat. For now his gut does not push him to fulfil his desire, but the more he thinks of it the more his mind tortures itself, binding it to a constant evil that lived within him, for a moment the stallion tensed up, an unfamiliar scent echoing through the undisturbed flora, small creatures perking their bodies, scanning the small lake and scuttling off in a hurry.

    The stallion's large neck accompanied his body's rise into the air, small pieces of grass falling from his muzzle, slowly drifting downward in a costive manner. Rouhi's ears perked, he could hear movement and it was not of a singular creature, the footsteps rumbled through the forest, alerting his ears as they stood perked atop his head.

    After a while the two statures emerge from the deep forest growth, his body remaining untouched as he curiously stared, his icy eyes fixated on the leopard. While this was not an unusual sight in these lands Rouhi still exercised caution, thankfully there seemed to be a mare that accompanied the animal, her calm demeanour causing no fault in Rouhi's movement, allowing him to remain calm and positive.
    Soon enough the mare is close to him, his attention peaked at her large antlers, the last time he had seen such impressive tines were on a Red Deer, one that liked to follow Rouhi, picking up after his scraps.
    The female looked rather familiar, fitting a description he had heard of back in Hyaline, but before he can give it any thought the mare is already speaking, a smile dimly lit on her muzzle. After her greeting the stallion nods quietly, offering a small headbob toward the creature sitting nearby.

    The mare introduces herself as Kagerus, of course. He had heard of her back in Hyaline, it was hard not to of course, the grulla man allows her to finish before he speaks himself, his soft lips curling back as his throat trembled "It is a pleasure to meet you" he begins softly, his tone riding along the soft breeze between them, writing its own melody "I reside in Hyaline. Well, recently anyway" he pauses for a moment "I have mainly been exploring" but he does not reveal why he does so, his desire driving him to explore, to find people he could be friends with, people he could love and trust. A curse that kept him hidden in his own mystery, shrouded in curious pain, "I am Rouhi" he adds to finish his speech, his words falling silent after his own name, the sound of the forest returning to them.

    His head turns quietly to the other creature, his eyes blinking for a moment as he studied its body "It's nice to meet you too" he didn't know if it understood him but the pleasantry of exchanging greetings was there anyway, his smile spread widely as he returned his eyes to gaze upon the mare, his stance languid as he waited patiently.
     

    Rouhi

    @[Kagerus] <3
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    #4

    { and in my dreams i've kissed your lips a thousand times }

    To his credit, the stallion does no more than lend a cautious eye to my familiar. Trusting of him, I initially judge; but I quickly change the label to observant. After all, I would not be so calmly approaching if Panthera were anything but a trusted ally. Smiling benevolently, I return the dip of my head to his, and my leopard flicks her tail indifferently. Privately, of course, I can tell that she likes him, too.

    When he speaks, it is with a soft, effeminate voice. My ears perk at the rare sound, so used to the abrasive rumble of hyper masculinity; whoever this kind mannered fellow is, I welcome him. He smells of Hyaline though, so he must be fitting in fine there - and how well that is, too, considering how under staffed Kensa and Litotes are over in their third of the East. Shortly, the stallion reveals that yes, he is from Hyaline. He also introduces himself as Rouhi. Without missing a beat, the handsome young fellow turns to greet Panthera in turn - making sure to cover all of his bases.

    Moved by his kindness (and maybe looking for a little fun), the feline creature next to me rises from her sitting position, and blatantly strides up to Rouhi. Watching with a cocked brow and a warning to my cat to be nice (though she truly doesn't need one), I lean my weight in a hip and wait for the interaction to play out. As tall as a pony, Panthera needn't stretch far to brush her muzzle against the stallion's, playing horse with the performance of the ritual greeting. After a moment, a low-pitched chirp vibrates in the air between the two, and the leopard promptly falls into a heap, content to oversee our meeting from her lazed position.

    "She says it is nice to meet you too," I translate bemusedly. Shaking my head with a chuckle, I lend Rouhi a mildly apologetic glance before continuing. "Rouhi, then - it is lovely to hear that you have found your way to Hyaline. That land used to be mine and Solace's kingdom, before the arrival of the plague - it is very dear to my heart." I pause, my expression melting into a bittersweet nostalgia, which is quickly discarded with a shake of my head. "When did you arrive there? Were you born in Beqanna? If not, what do you make of it thus far?"

    KAGERUS


    Caretaker of The Sanctuary
    Lover of Solace
    Immortal, antlered Dreamweaver



    "@[Rouhi]"
    [Image: kag]
    dreamweaver
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    #5

    keep your dreams in check

    The grulla stallion had guessed his gingerly behaviour wasn't going to be a surprise, after all, who wouldn't exercise caution at the sight of a predator, especially such a careful being like Rouhi.
    His focus now remained on the creature as it approached him, his head stuck in place as his body tensed, unsure of how to react toward the animal, even though it was him who had greeted it in the first place.
    Rouhi's eyes follow the animal as it lays down close to them both, his watchful eye returned to the antlered mare as she begins to speak, a smile sliding across his face as his soft tone radiates into the air "I'm glad" he laughs, quite happy about the fact that the animal was happy to meet him, maybe if it was hungry then it would have been a completely different story.

    Her apologetic expression makes its way to him as she speaks once more, giving mention of Hyaline, Rouhi using the pause in the conversation to speak "I am not surprised. It is a very beautiful place" he could go on and on about how wonderful he found it, all the flora and of course, the trees.
    With a bemused smile the male pauses to allow her to continue, her face brightly lit as she asks him a question, his own face stuck in thought for a moment before he is able to answer, his answer rather timid this time "I arrived quite a while ago by now, I'm not sure quite when" he shakes his head for a moment, the concept of time was a hard one to remember, especially with all the other things going on.
    "I was not born in Beqanna no, I come from outside it" he smiles as he pauses to breathe "I must say, this is quite a mysterious place, filled with surprises around each corner" just like flaming horses that randomly exploded in the middle of busy fields.

    It was quite a nice change from all the exploring he had done in the past couple of weeks, his mind forcing him to glance at the sleepy animal again, his body still wavering toward it, instincts still not allowing him to turn away.
    But he had to portray trust in the conversation, place a firm grip on himself, allow himself to wander for a moment, his body slowly turning away from the large animal.
    His heaving breath was visible now as the cold evening rushed in, sweeping the floor below, sending shivers down his spine.
    Rouhi didn't particularly mind the cold though, it added a rather interesting change to everything, especially in the way it smelled.
    He raises his head slightly, his nostrils moving to pick up the scents that came in with the wind, mostly picking up the scents of flowers again, as per usual of course.

    But it was not time to think of flowers, for now, there was a conversation to concentrate on. The stallion lifts his posture as his lips begin to move, a question waiting to be released from the tip of his tongue "What was it like to have Hyaline under your rule? I expect it was rather tasking" he asks, his head gently tilted in question as his voice carries to the mare.
    He allows a pause before he continues "I admire your rule, I have heard many things about you and this place. It's rather intriguing and rather lovely" he nods.
    It was true, Rouhi had found a place he was quite happy in, his confidence still held high, perhaps only because of the presence of another.
    It didn't particularly matter though, Rouhi would love to work to earn his place here, wherever he felt safe he deemed a place he would try to help with.

    The stallion patiently awaits the mare's return of words, his head returning to rest as he finishes his sentence, his posture remaining languid once more as he stares around himself, some stars already beginning to shine from high above, quite a curious sight to watch.

    Rouhi

    @[Kagerus] Sorry this is rather messy!
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    #6

    { and in my dreams i've kissed your lips a thousand times }

    When the boy agrees with my assessment of Hyaline's beauty, I cannot help but to smile; it warms my heart to know that the next generation is appreciating her the way I did, with enough gusto to ensure that the Sanctuary will continue within the heart of the kingdom for a long, long time. For as long as I am alive, anyway, I intend for this scheme to continue; the hurt and broken of Beqanna deserve somewhere beautiful to come to. Those people, and this land, are my life's calling.

    With a gracious smile shimmering gently upon my dark lips, I listen intently to Rouhi's svelte explanation of his arrival to Beqanna. He says it was a while ago, though he doesn't appear a day over six years old - a baby, compared to me, who is in turn a baby compared to many others. In the end, his freshness to Beqanna is what lends him youth, for with immortality, age ceases to be a topic of controversy at all. With time, Rouhi will be no exception to that rule. Anyway, he is already doing better than some who come through and are shocked by what they find; he mentions the mysteriousness of the land, and the surprises it is filled with.

    His next communication, however, is nonverbal. With a last lingering glance to the predator napping at his hocks, Rouhi pivots his hips and faces me more squarely, illustrating with his body a kind of trust which would grate horrendously against any equine's instincts. Although he needn't show such trust to me, especially on our first meeting, I meet his eye with my own, which twinkle happily. A dip of my head shows that I acknowledge his gesture; and I silently chastise Panthera who has teasingly mentioned eating the kind stallion for all his niceties. Be quiet, cat, and have your nap.

    Smiling secretively, I shift my weight in preparation to answer Rouhi's questions. "I deserve little admiration, my friend; I am but a servant to the Sanctuary, and along with my wife, the woman who has been entrusted to take care of it. I'm glad, however, that you like it here; as a Hyalinian, you are welcome in the Cove at any time, and are one of my own subjects by extension. Thank you for your service to us thus far; it has not gone unnoticed." I am referencing his bringing in of a recruit, and his efforts in the kingdom visits which took place a month or two back. 

    "As for having Hyaline under our rule, it was a breeze compared to what we handle now. One kingdom is a handful, but we had the luck of curating a pacifist nation; now, with three lands to account for beneath a single banner, things are much harder to juggle. But Solace and I have the politics of it figured out for now, and you have already done your part by participating in Hyaline, and I have no doubts that you shall continue on that path."

    KAGERUS


    Caretaker of The Sanctuary
    Lover of Solace
    Immortal, antlered Dreamweaver



    "@[Rouhi]"
    [Image: kag]
    dreamweaver
    Reply
    #7

    keep your dreams in check

    The male's attentive ears turn in a shallow manner to pick up the mare's voice, she speaks to him calmly, explaining that his lavish admiration for her was not needed.
    A smile decorates the silken corners of his muzzle, his ears rotating to pick up the antlered female's voice.
    The word friend radiates through the palace of opulently rich flora and grass, reaching the colour on his hocks as he moves into a comfortable position, his smile still glued onto his face as he looks toward the mare.
    She pauses before continuing in her speech, now speaking of the kingdom once again, his own self coming into her play of words.
    "Thank you. It sounds like quite a handful, I'm willing to help out any time I am needed" his words carry leisurely as he stands perked in preparation to move.

    Unfortunately, the luxury of exchanging conversation was usually quite short, especially for the ones who loved to travel, always switching destinations, living abroad.
    "I will have to be going now" parting words are rather tough, a resistant clamp with a steel grip, holding in each word, his throat throbbing as they prepare to leave "It was a pleasure to meet you" his smile expands as he speaks, his soft tone lifting cheerfully "I hope to meet you again someday, I will try my best to help in any way that I can" he is ready to turn away now, the parting complete, ready to move on and continue living, leave a new companion behind.

    He glances backward once more as he begins to leave, his resting legs collecting forwards as he increases the pace. Silence now floods the expanse that unfolds before him, the flora once again singing in movement as his eyes scan ahead, he was unsure of where he was going to go now, but wherever he went, the silence seemed to follow in pursuit, an eerie quiet and fits comfortably into every single space it finds,

    Nobody is listening to you...
    But the silence...yes.
    The silence is as a...friend.
    The silence is your best friend.
    Enjoy it.


    Rouhi

     @[Kagerus] This is horrible but here
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