"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
03-04-2021, 01:38 PM (This post was last modified: 03-04-2021, 01:40 PM by Tarian.)
Tarian doesn't venture far from Loess - not during these troubling times - but the altercation with Ashhal had reminded him of something.
There were those outside Loess who might be in need of help (how chivalrous of you, Tarian thought dryly, how very much like Grandfather). So when his patrols around Loess were done, the pegasus took the dark sky. The first few ventures, Tarian didn't go far. The Darkness had lingered for more than a season and death was almost everywhere. Forage had been hard to come by in the autumn and now with winter upon Beqanna, there was even less.
They managed in Loess, but barely.
Life everywhere was scraping by.
And if death didn't come by starvation, there were those damn monsters to worry about.
He knows that they have very little to offer in Loess but he still comes to the Forest often (every few days? nights? how do they measure time anymore?). Most of the time, the Common Landers have a place to go. There had been a weak yearling that was venturing to the Pampas, a place that the colt had heard was abundant in grazing grounds. Surely some must remain, the boy had said with all the shining innocence of youth. A pregnant mare had looked at Tarian with suspicious eyes and so he did the most he could, he spoke the directions to the Southlands and then left her in peace.
When his latest patrol is done and Tarian knows that Lady Oceane is well, he spreads his wings and heads towards the Common Lands.
Tarian lands where the Forest borders Loess. The landing itself it quiet though his attempting at finding enough space to land had not been. His wing strokes had been loud as he circled above, finally locating a clearing in the deep woods that would allow him to touch the ground. He grunts when he does and then lifts his head, glancing through the dark in an attempt to see. Monsters. Another horse. Anything.
The pegasus knows better than to call out. It's the quickest way to draw the creatures in and so the Champion turns towards the River, their still-flowing source of life. But Tarian doesn't hear it bubbling. He doesn't hear it rushing over the stones. He is still too far away.
The stallion finally slows and flicks his ears behind him, to the sides of him, trying to catch the sound (a hoofstep? a breaking twig? the rustle of dead leaves?) that he heard a moment before.
@[Altissima] let me know if you need me to change anything <3
This last year spent in darkness had certainly changed Altissima, and not for the better. It had taken her a long time to realize why she felt so weak - even with her daily ritual of absorbing light she hadn’t realized just how much it had meant to her, just how much that magic had become ingrained within her.
Most days Altissima barely had the energy to walk. She’d been able to escape the notice of the beasts that had arrived with the extended night. Maybe she just wasn’t enough sport for them or maybe there wasn’t enough meat on her bones to keep them interested at all. She hated catching sight of her ribs and hated whatever trick of her eyes made it so easy for her to see in the dark. It would have been better to have wasted away and not have to watch it happen or be so aware of the changes. She doesn't even have the energy to call on her wings to hide her sides away.
Without the cycle of day and night, she truly had no idea how long she had slept for. But upon waking she knew that this would be one of the rare days when she had enough energy to walk, maybe even shuffle around until she could find some water. As if drinking water ever solved any problems - Altissima was willing to pretend, though.
Her pride had faded some time ago and she did not bother to carry her head high as she moved through the forest - pale blue eyes focused more on the ground than her surroundings. The trees around her open and she lifts her head finally, looking to see if she had wandered far enough to find the river. Instead, it’s just a clearing in the forest - and it is occupied.
Altissima’s brain is slower with its thoughts lately but unfortunately it still works just fine. So even though it takes a moment, she does eventually recognize the winged figure and utters the first two words his presence inspires. “Oh hell.”
03-12-2021, 11:28 AM (This post was last modified: 03-12-2021, 11:30 AM by Tarian.)
What had @[Altissima] said the last time they met?
It takes him a moment as well - because his mind is preoccupied with remaining alert for monsters - to remember. But the pegasus has always been quick to remember (especially the things he shouldn't) and when the pale wisp of a creature emerges into the clearing that Tarian has found, their last conversation comes jolting back to him.
A land is not just rivers and grasses.
Well, now it was full of darkness and flesh-eating monsters. His ears prick in her direction as he angles his pale head towards her and tries to better see her shadowy silhouette. Oh hell, she curses and Tarian feels oddly amused. Tucking his wings neatly against his scarred sides (and hiding a particularly gnarly scar from his last round in the Alliance), the Loessian feels his brow rise.
Perhaps she would have preferred a monster.
Within Loess, he says very little. The residents know very little of Tarian's rather dry humor (Lepis had perhaps known but that was a secret she took into the next life). Keeping his mouth shut had also served him well during his captivity in Pangea. He had said relatively little, curiously watched a few of the natives, and then had managed to return to Loess and her canyons unscathed. So why is it with Altissima, he suddenly says so much?
Tarian knows he shouldn't; he should bite his reply back down.
But for some reason, he just can't help himself.
"Been there lately?" the pegasus retorts. "I bet it's paradise compared to this mess."
03-13-2021, 01:18 PM (This post was last modified: 03-13-2021, 01:19 PM by Altissima.)
Rolling her eyes that shift between pale blue and pink (solemn and sick to annoyed) takes more energy than Altissima has, but it’s the only appropriate reaction to Tarian’s words and she thinks this waste of her body’s resources is worth it. The action is followed by a snort. “This is my hell.” She’s exhausted and weak but there’s the faintest trace of fire in her hollow voice - though she doesn't have the capacity to explain whether she means the state of the world around him or his specific presence. After those four words, she has to close her eyes afterwards to regroup and her body sways just a little.
Altissima is determined not to fall over in Tarian’s presence but whether or not every other part of her cooperates with her mind on that endeavour is a different story.
A couple more short breaths and she’s sure she won’t collapse at this exact moment.
There’s no more energy to say more than that, to ask how he’s been fairing in the darkness. She’s using what she has left to remain upright and she knows she’s not going to be able to shuffle away from this spot for a while. If anyone is going to leave from this spot it’s going to be him.
When she opens her eyes again she merely looks at him, tilting her head a little to the side - assuming he’ll fill the silence on his own and (oddly) hoping that he will. At least if she’s annoyed she’s not thinking about how awful she feels, right?
03-26-2021, 12:40 PM (This post was last modified: 03-26-2021, 12:40 PM by Tarian.)
The winged woman snorts and Tarian eyes her pale form, which he has noticed is diminished from their last meeting. Had there been an encounter with one of the creatures, he wonders? He wouldn't deem the white mare frail, not when there is a spark of something still burning behind her color-changing eyes.
She'd probably prefer that he maintain his distance but the shape in the dark sways and the pegasus takes a purposeful stride forward. Those court manners from his previous life emerging in this one. His blue eyes (though she probably won't notice since hers are closed) study her with concern when he finally stops a few paces away. There is something troubling about the way she is breathing, like it is too concentrated, and his days as a soldier emerge again (those memories of horses fainting from bloodloss, collapsing from exhaustion) when he decides to keep her talking, keep her aware - as irritating as she is likely to find it - in the moment.
"No need to swoon in my presence," the pegasus tells her smoothly.
He's baiting her, trying to goad her into awareness. These are troubled times but Tarian can't help but wonder what trouble she has gotten herself into. There are no scars like he has seen on others. It's not even like his time with Ashhal, when a monster had left a deep gouge on the withers of the other pegasus. Despite the exhaustion he senses from Altissima, he can't see any physical wounds or signs of illness (as much as any horse can see these days, anyway). His brow furrows slightly as he reminds himself that even if there were, there was little he could do for the spotted mare.
Other than this. Keeping her awake.
Her head tilts and Tarian decides to keep talking. "Loess gave me a position," he drawls out, expecting her to be as shocked as he had been when Oceane had asked him to become Champion. A far cry from the somber and serious-faced stallion who kept patrol along the Loessian borders. "Ever been?" He asks and tilts his head, waiting for some retort from the fiery female. Most likely not, he thinks, but her exasperation with him is preferable to her passing out. Hoping to stoke some of that fire, he even grins broadly at her. "You might have heard them talking about me."
The comment about swooning earns two flattened ears in response and if there were enough energy for it, she might even smile a little. Altissima doesn’t mind that he comes closer, stopping just a few paces away. Well, okay she’s definitely annoyed about it - but feeling annoyed is its own bliss. She almost wishes he’d come even closer, maybe she could take him out if she falls over.
This image gives her a small boost, and she is able to focus on his words without swaying any further. Oh yes, because she's often hearing stories of him on her travels. Altissima may later think about how no one could have told her about Tarian because she hadn't bothered to interact with anyone after their last conversation until now. Right now, she tries to shake her head though it is barely a twitch in the dark.
She tries to remember if she’s been to Loess, for a moment she thinks that was where she had been born but then she remembers that was Pangea. Too many lands with too many rocks.
“Now I have a great reason to never go there.” She replies in a slow, careful voice - an almost sleepy looking smile passing across her feature as she feels proud to have gotten so many words out all at once. She blinks rapidly for a few seconds, clearing her mind a little further, before asking “Well, what… what’s the position?”
04-14-2021, 05:04 PM (This post was last modified: 04-14-2021, 05:10 PM by Tarian.)
They nearly vanish into the darkness but he sees the flicker of movement atop her poll and Tarian welcomes it - nearly as much as he would the sun, if the damned thing ever decided to shine again. She doesn't swoon against his charm and something in Tarian almost laughs. Of course she wouldn't.
The shadows could attempt to swallow the ground beneath her hooves and Tarian thinks @[Altissima] would still find a way to stand there, just to spite him.
There is more movement. A slight shake of her speckled head but it's a pale shade of the bright personality he remembers from before. But he'll take the toss of her head as a start. The silvery pegasus takes another careful step forward, deliberate and heavy so that his hoofsteps are easily heard. (He's hoping for another reaction, to invite some kind of backfire from the pale mare. Anything is better than her collapsing to the ground. If he has to, Tarian thinks he can engage her in a battle of words to - ... the Taigan swamp is nearby. The smell of bog water could be a rather aromatic path to awareness.)
"Never?" Tarian counters, feigning hurt in his voice.
"Champion," he explains with an easy shrug of his broad shoulders. "Meaning it's left to me to decide who comes and goes through our borders." Not many have come or gone during his tenure but she doesn't need to know that. He just wants her to focus on something and if it's never coming to Loess, so be it. "You should visit sometime," he says.
"I couldn't let you in," Tarian adds with a stifled grin (joking as if he didn't notice the slow and cautious way she spoke, the faraway expression that sees through the shadows), "but it'd be endearing to see you try."
Altissima attempts to take a step backwards from Tarian, to even out the space between them again, but her legs wobble with that slight movement. She can feel her body tilt and without her even wanting it to happen her wings flare into existence where there had only been exposed ribs moments ago. They extend out, helping her with her balance, and she folds them at her sides as she steadies herself.
Her head is swimming worse now than it was before but she stomps a hoof in irritation, willing herself not to faint. Not now. Hold out a little longer. If this darkness persists any longer she’s extremely sure it’s going to kill her, and the weaker she becomes the less that feels like a bad thing. What a sweet relief death might be.
She’ll never admit that out loud, though. Altissima bristles at even the idea of Tarian’s pity.
She's lost track of whatever barb he had thrown her way. It’s a long stretched-out moment before she can string together words again and she starts to squeeze her wings against her sides like she can hold herself up. “I think anywhere that crowns you champion is a place I’d be better off avoiding at all costs.” Not that she had any particular interest in joining any of the lands.
Wait, what had she been trying to do? Right - distract herself. So she keeps talking in that wraith-thin voice “Could be fun though, to see your face when I managed to sneak past.” She tilts her head a little to the side, and continues after a shaky inhale. “Would I become champion then?” He’s close enough he might be able to catch the faintest shine of amusement in her eyes bringing a little life to her.
04-17-2021, 06:30 PM (This post was last modified: 04-17-2021, 06:31 PM by Tarian.)
Well, he certainly got a reaction.
Tarian had been expecting another toss of her spotted head, the flutter of her snow-white ears on the top of her skull. If she could summon some of that earlier flame, he doesn't doubt that she could summon the strength to take a step back. Perhaps she could even summon enough strength to turn on her heels and leave him standing here, allowing Tarian a few hours to patrol the area and lure any monsters away from Altissima.
What he does not expect is for a pair of wings to explode into existence. His blue-eyed gaze drops for a moment as the realization dawns on him. She was a pegasus, like him.
Biting that shock down, his lips twitch at the mention that she'd be better off avoiding Loess. "Oh absolutely." He tells her, thinking that this is the first time they have ever agreed on anything. "The hot springs should be avoided at all costs." Tarian outright teases her, "A horse can enjoy themselves there and I doubt that would be something you could handle." Tilting his head, he tries to look at the shadows again but her wings distract him.
Altissima's voice shakes a little and Tarian is careful to quiet his so that he doesn't drown her out. (He wouldn't mind doing so if the circumstances were different, he tells himself.) "Fun?" he banters back, "Fun would be the look on your face when you don't make it past the first spires." The smile that he had been fighting breaks free, coaxed out by the amusement in the pale mare's eyes. "But I'll make you a bet."
"You sneak into Loess without my knowledge and I'll call myself whatever you see fit."
It's a bet he won't lose because Tarian is certain of this situation: he's certain that she'll never come.
She thinks, in that moment, that the idea of hot springs sounds pretty nice. Nice enough that her eyes deepen to a warm violet at the thought and she’s almost tempted to ask him to take her right now. But she’s not sure she could make the trip and he had just told her he wouldn’t let her in so she doesn’t ask and in another blink her eyes are back to an annoyed shade of pink. She doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
She snorts at the idea of a bet, musing about whether it’d be worth it to try and suffer him if she was unsuccessful. Altissima had never tried sneaking anywhere before. “I can think of some pretty creative…” Her legs give out before she can get any further and Altissima crashes to her knees with a frustrated grunt. Her ears flatten against her skull and the pain clears some of the fog around her head. Not enough to stand again, though, and she instead very slowly folds her legs beneath her like she had been intending to lie down this whole time and her white wings settle around her.
She doesn’t look at Tarian from down here, not taking the risk that she’d be able to read his expression and see if it was pity or delight. If her head were clearer she might know he was playing the same game she was, exchanging words just to keep her rooted in the present.
Instead, her eyes just fix off to the side at the blurry darkness there and she opts to ignore her change in elevation completely.
The words are still slow to get out which leeches them of some of their bite but she doesn’t give up until they’re all out. “The names I’d have you call yourself would not go over well with your superiors.” Did Loess have a queen or a king? If she knew that information it has since been lost along with so much else. Eaten up for whatever scraps of energy or space in her mind she required just to survive. “For this bet - what do you get if you catch me? Satisfaction?”
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