Déjà Vu - Printable Version +- HELOVIA || The Way to the Sun (http://helovia.com) +-- Forum: Out of Character (http://helovia.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1) +--- Forum: Archives (http://helovia.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=11) +--- Thread: Déjà Vu (/showthread.php?tid=1461) |
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Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-24-2012 He had a distinct feeling that he had come across a place such as this one before. It was many years ago now, but still the memory of that time was as vivid in his mind as thought it had happened yesterday. He had been younger then and more optimistic, more... opportunistic, as well. Cocky, cheeky like any young stallion and with the illusion that he was immortal, that nothing could bring him down. Oh, it was many years ago, but not so many that Lace didn't remember the trembling excitement as he set foot on the threshold to a new realm. Even now as he gazed warily around the unfamiliar surroundings he had to shake the feeling of homecoming. This was not Isilme. The scent of passing horses in the air might be familiar, the tinge of magic that prickled his skin might be similar, but it was not the same. It smells like home the White one protested from her perch on his whithers. The slender tail coiled back and forth and tickled his sides teasingly, but he could feel the tension in her small body as she gazed intensely up ahead, just as cautious as he was. "Don't get your hopes up" he muttered, as much to the little dragon as to himself as he slowly padded deeper into the forest. Did he even want to continue? Lace wasn't sure. He had bad memories of the last place that smelled of magic and horses at the same time. Good ones too, granted, but they were all overshadowed by the all encompassing sense of guilt that left a pungent taste in his mouth whenever he began to reminisce about the olden days. If it hadn't been for Fajira's gentle but persistent comments about wanting to find others of her kind he wouldn't have agreed to continue this way. The forest and the base of the mountain was gently guiding them deeper in, pushing them southwest in a way that was almost unnoticeable to someone who wasn't paying attention. The air was thick with the scent of horses, winged and horned ones, and it didn't take much searching to find traces of hooves beneath the thin carpet of freshly fallen leaves. It was too much like the Gateway. He had roamed in this kind of area before, trying to recruit newcomers to the heard and sorting youngsters from the old, warriors from common dreg and gently guiding, manipulating them into joining the cause of his leaders. He'd been through it before, but unlike last time Lace had grown older, more cautious. He wasn't about to be swayed into any kind of action before he knew more about this place... And besides, it was for the sake of the dragon he had come. The only thing he needed was to find other dragons, if there were any - he didn't have to mingle with other horses. It would be best for everyone if he didn't. Quietly mulling the stallion treaded deeper into the new land, warily regarding the landscape that surrounded him. The sun was low on the heavenly arch and the worst of the heat was beginning to fade for the day, throwing long shadows from his dark hooves as they quietly placed down onto the ground, step after wary step. It wasn't that he was afraid, not at all. The silver grullo stallion knew his own strength more than well enough and had yet to grow so old that he avoided battles altogether. It was more that he didn't want trouble. Hopefully they would be able to come and go without anyone noticing, but if his hunch was correct and this place was indeed as familiar as he thought... Well, then at least he wasn't going to let anyone take him by surprise. It helped that they were two pair of eyes keeping watch. The White didn't even need his silent suggestion to take off from his back, deftly throwing herself into the air to scout from above. Their minds were connected, their hearts beating as one, and nothing could surprise them. At least, so they thought as they cautiously picked up the pace and trotted forth, following a well treaded path that led deeper into the woods. RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 08-24-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-25-2012 It was Fajira who reacted first to the new presence. A burst of excitement exploded through their connected minds and threatened to block out any word of caution Lace might have to offer, he could feel his heart beat faster in response to her. The inky nostrils flared as the grulla raised his head, ears twitching at the sound of her pearly trills as she flitted through the canopy up above, the voice full of greeting in a language he probably never would understand. At the same time a form released itself from the shadows before him, and it took most, if not all of his experience and self control to not jump high at the sight of the mare that suddenly appeared in his path. Lace halted, stopped dead in his tracks and breathed out heavily, desperately trying to regain what little composure he had left. Ha, so much for staying alert. If this had been an ambush he and the White would be overrun by now and no amount of experience in the world could help him when faced with several opponents at once. This mare, however... The stallion swallowed the brief irritation and turned to regard her with amber eyes that peered from below the silvery curtain of the forelock. A moment to listen in the wind and look around them gave away that the two of them was alone, aside from Fajira and what appeared to be another dragon. He amusedly set aside the feeling of mirth that belonged to his scaled companion as she greeted the golden dragon and tried to focus, gathered his thoughts; after some consideration he nodded politely to the shadow mare in return of her greeting. "Greetings for you as well, and well met, my lady. We have come to seek some company for Fajira, the little rude white one up above. It has been a long time since she greeted another of her species; I would never have thought that we would be able to find one so soon." He smiled faintly, the tone of his voice noticeably affectionate as he mentioned his bonded. A quick glance above their heads showed the shimmering white little dragon as she circled around the golden queen in bold excitement, happily chirping and telling the much larger female about everything that had happened to them the past few weeks. If unstopped she was likely to keep going until she had told their life stories as well... He was happy for her sake, that she so easily had been able to find a kin, but aside from sharing in on her joy Lace didn't pay her much heed. He focused on the sooty mare in front of him, and without letting his guard down he took a moment to look around, the white tail swishing casually around his haunches. "Helovia, huh" he murmured in an attempt to pull her into a conversation. "You know, this place feels very familiar somehow. It reminds me of a place some ways to the east from here, a land that had a forest quite similar to this one; also riddled with the scent of horses passing through. Have you perhaps heard of it? Ah, and my name is Lace, by the way." RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 08-25-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-26-2012 Accepting the silent invite from the shaded femme, Lace fell in beside her as she walked, allowing the mare to control the pace and the direction. He was aware that she guided him further into the lands, but for the time being he allowed it. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go, neither was he in a hurry to leave. Fajira wouldn't allow it for one, and it had been some time since he actually had a civil conversation with someone. The rogues and strays he normally associated with never had much to say about subjects beyond food, shelter and war, and it was pleasant to listen to her voice. The more the stallion listened he also began to realize that they had more than the bonded dragons in common. He didn't let anything show on the outside, but the mention of Isilme and the creatures that had infested the lands made his heart almost skip a beat. Thoughtfully he nodded and offered a brief smile as she revealed her name, but the eyes were absent as he spoke, following the frolicking dragons in the reddening canopy without actually seeing them. "I never thought I would hear anyone speak of Isilme again" he murmured quietly, as much to himself as to Mirage. "I spent some time there some years ago, not very long, but at the same time long enough to mark me with both happiness and sorrow. Fajira was entrusted to me there..." And there he had also committed the gravest sin in all of his life, both before and after. The grulla spared a glance towards the black mare on his side. What would she say if she knew that he had turned his coat to the wind once, betrayed those he called family and sold them out for something as feeble and uncertain as a safe haven? He didn't know, and he didn't wish to know either. The words burned on his tongue, wished to slip past his sooty lips and leave his sins open for scrutiny and judgment. But he didn't say anything, instead allowing silence to fill the air - well, at least as much silence as they could get, with Fajira being so loud. If you keep talking that much you'll scare her away he teased with a silent nudge to her mind. He waited a moment for a reply, but was only greeted with a snobby silence - and the noise only grew worse for a moment before the White actually lowered her voice a bit and paused every now and then to give the Golden one a chance to make herself heard. It seemed to be the only leeway she was giving though, because she didn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon, and sheer joy was still overflowing in her interaction with the other dragon. Lace chuckled quietly at her for a while and shook the elegantly chiseled head. His attention was focused on the surroundings for a moment, but then he turned to Mirage again with a gleam in the amber eyes that was at once both scrutinizing and kind. "So what brings you to this Threshold, Mirage? I suppose it's not really any of my business, but it seems a bit strange for a mare of intelligence such as yourself to simply be loitering about. Are you looking for something?" RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 08-27-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-28-2012 The sound of their footfalls were silenced by the dry earth and the aged grass that cloaked the ground beneath. For every breath he could scent the fading greenery around them, the subtly acrid smell of the dragons and the warm gusts that drifted from the mare by his side. In many ways it was a pleasant walk, nothing short of a stroll in this cathedral of mimicked fire, where the golden rays of sunlight granted a sense of nobility to even the smallest of details. The arching of the tree's branches, the strands of hair that persisted on obscuring his vision. The subtle nuances of warmth in her voice, as she spoke of her friends and family. Lace listened quietly where he strode beside her, his shimmering metallic coat lending even further depth to her shadows as they contrasted against one another. Once she finished he allowed the quietness to drag out, only frowning slightly with sensitive ears twitching at the sound of the playing dragons. "Tell me, Mirage" he said eventually, the voice deep and soft, but with a heavy undertone that reminded of tiredness. "How far would you go for your Qian? No doubt you would fight for them, that much I can tell. I can see it in your eyes, I hear it when you speak; you would go to great lengths for them, and it is only right and just..." The stallion halted and turned his masked head towards her, a graveness resting in his eyes as he met gaze, unhesitating. "I don't know anything about these lands" he continued, "but I know what must come from the quest you have set yourself on. Can you say for certain that it will be better for your kin to live in a land won through combat? Fire feeds from fire until there is nothing left. Are you prepared to make the world burn for their sake?" He looked concerned where he stood, statuesque with the contours of muscle and bone painted by silver and sunlight. Yet the blood that ran in his veins was red still, and he had bled more times than he wanted to remember. For food and water, for beliefs, for vengeance against sins committed. All those causes, and yet he had not found any that justified all the violence that he had seen. It gave nothing, aided none and would only ever give temporary respite before it all turned to be thrown back into your face. Once you started a war it would never stop, and the hatred caused would end up consuming your life and all the happiness one should have been able to find. All this he knew, and yet he wasn't trying to stop her. If she wanted to fight for a land that she might not need then that was up to her. Lace didn't want to commit himself to the role of warrior again, had no desire to join in with yet another futile war that had nothing to do with him. He wouldn't even try to talk her out of it; all he wanted to know was whether she had the resolve it took to make her loved ones bleed. It would come down to it, sooner or later. He only hoped that she would realize it now, rather than when these unknown souls needed her to be strong and unwavering. RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 08-28-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-28-2012 He didn't back down nor did his eyes avert from her gaze, even though he felt the strength of the soul that resided behind those gleaming orbs. Another time he might have been tempted to let himself get drawn in by the passion with which she spoke her cause. He might have allowed her to push him into discussion, and ultimately convince him that her ways was the right one. It had happened before, upon conversing with involved horses that cared about something so much that their souls seemed to catch on fire. Now, however, the jaded knight didn't feel like testing his wits. He felt no desire to win this competition of words, nor did he have anything to prove by trying to change her mind. He had asked his questions and she was answering them in turn, with a force he hadn't fully expected from this otherwise so soft spoken dame. Calmly he faced her, like a rock that allowed upset waves to wash over it rather than dragging it along at their pace. He smiled faintly at the shadow mare, the gilded eyes still disagreeing with her but without contesting her words. "By all means. You need to do as you see fit; be still, Mirage, I'm not accusing you of anything." Apparently he had pushed some buttons there, and Lace found himself rather curious as to exactly what it was that she had gotten upset about. Was it that he didn't hesitate to question her, or was she actually doubting her own actions? The words she spoke held truth in them however, and if he ever had been a judge of character then the quiet little shadow wasn't one to speak of things she hadn't thought through carefully. "Just out of curiosity... Is there a scarcity of land that makes you contemplate going to war, or simply a desire for one place in particular? No need to tell if it's too disclosing an information. I am naught but a stranger in strange lands, and it is truly none of my business..." His composure was the same as before, the distance in his movements and voice as exactly measured as when their gazes first connected. Lace only moved to accommodate the added weight when Fajira came tumbling down to rest on his back, quietly complaining over how his discussion had robbed her of her playmate. The little White clambered around on his back for a while, lying down and settling down only to restlessly try to balance out on his neck along the narrow ridge from where the pale mane cascaded; her balance had room for improvement though, and the way she dug her claws into his skin to remain mounted on him caused the seasoned soldier to grit his teeth from discomfort. RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 08-28-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 08-28-2012 Ah, how tempting it was to allow her beautiful word to soften his guard. She was skilled with words, dear Mirage, and Lace quite enjoyed listening to her voice. Was she aware of how persuasive she sounded? Maybe it wasn't something she could control. He himself could not quite chase the image of another mare that threatened to overlap with her, one equally strong of mind and with a resolve that once had persuaded him into the protection of a family he had never met. The resemblance was striking, but as much as the grulla enjoyed the thought of running by the side of someone like Aera, it also pained him. Once bitten twice shy, they said, and in his case it was only too true. He allowed the smile on his darkened lips to grow as she finished, shifted his weight and began to walk forward once more. His nose touched her cheek briefly, an offer of camaraderie as much as an invite to pick up their stroll. "It would take more than a few words of honesty to put me off anything" he reassured. "We would most likely remain in the lands even if you had; Fajira has been longing for company of her own kin for a long time now, and I personally have grown tired of roaming for a while. It is always nice to have a fertile place to linger on, especially now that winter is beginning to approach." It would be a while still before the real chill would come, granted, but it was an excuse as good as any to remain without committing himself. As far as Lace was concerned their stay would not be long; come spring he would head off again, in search for something that he hadn't yet caught sight of. The stallion figured he'd know when he found it; that elusive something that could put his mind at ease. "But tell me more about Helovia" he continued, trying to ease himself away from the subject of the Qian. "What kinds of areas are there, do you have a lot of predators?" He didn't want to be the subject of recruitment, or rather, he didn't want to have to outright decline any offers. A closed gate would remain closed, and Lace was loath to burn any bridges. If there was anything he had learned during his years on the road, it was to take offers when they came and when they suited his own purposes. RE: Déjà Vu - Mirage - 09-04-2012
RE: Déjà Vu - Lace - 09-04-2012 Together they watched the black and her gold, watched and listened as they walked by her side through the forest. A sense of serenity slowly grew within the mind of the stallion, a sensation that might have spread from the imagining of the lands he had yet to see, or maybe from the feeling of contentedness he could feel in his bonded. She was happy to be here, and that feeling soothed his own unease and reluctance. Lace caught himself almost relaxing where he walked, with the white tail swaying casually by the hocks and head nodding gently for every well-placed, graceful step. He knew it probably wasn't wise to let his guard down in the presence of Mirage. She was a passionate personality and a born leader, something he always had held a weakness for. No, with her skill in choosing words and interesting personality that was at once clearcut, sharp and ever elusive, he would do best not to trust her. He had no doubts that she would use him for her own purposes if she ever was given the chance. But I still think I like her he admitted to the White. Fajira laughed quietly in the secret place where their souls connected. Spider-silk-on-black think too much she told him and stood up, balancing skillfully on his whithers as she stretched the wings with almost feline laziness. Sometimes it is best to simply follow and see, not plan so much. Worry when you have a reason, not because you think you have to. The lithe dragon flapped her wings and allowed herself to glide out into the air, greeting the gold once more with a purring melodious cry that sang of affection, admiration for the golden beauty and a peaceful serenity that was but an echo of the feeling that lived in her mind. Lace was given only a glimpse of the emotion before the dragon gently withdrew her mind from his, leaving only a soft touch to remind him that she was still there. The grulla watched the winged lizards thoughtfully, without thinking matching his pace with Mirage's. As always the wisdom of his comrade had surprised him. She was probably right, but it was easier said than done not to think, to analyze and speculate about reasons, the meaning of actions and plan for future events. It was in his nature to think; not even the thorough drilling into a soldier he had received as a colt had been able to erase this trait. He caught himself sighing heavily and quickly shook the masked head to throw away the philosophic mindset that was beginning to set over him. Taking a deep breath, he savored the scent of sun and earth and trees, tried to bring himself back to reality and the necessity of things. The stallion nodded in acknowledgment of the mares words as she finished talking, grateful for the description of the lands, however vague it felt. It was better than nothing, something to go by when he set out to explore. But that was, indeed, something he preferred to do in his own and Fajira's company. Better to see and hear with his own eyes, without the company of someone that might be prone to prejudice - Lace didn't want anyone to color his mind before he had a chance to create an opinion of his own. For a time longer he walked with the shadow mare, allowing the peace of the day to guide his thoughts as she guided him through the forest. Eventually though he slowed down into a halt, a hint of regret appearing in the golden gaze before it was turned into calm determination. He would not follow her further than this. Not this time, not yet. "It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Mirage" he said with warmth in the voice. "Perhaps we will come across one another again some day? I wouldn't mind delving deeper into the topics we have touched upon today, should you ever find the time." There was a mildly teasing tone to the voice of the silver coated equine as he glanced over at the mare, and a hint of challenge in his eyes. She was welcome to try persuading him again, if she so wished. Maybe she would be able to change his mind; maybe not. Either way he wouldn't turn down a visit, and should she need him he would at least listen to her before deciding what to do. For now though, his mind was still too filled with old ghosts, too occupied with guilt and shards of broken illusions to allow acceptance of the offer she had not made but that had hovered in the air during the entire time. The soot-legged warrior stepped around slightly so that he faced a different direction than the mare. With a sorrowful sound the White bid farewell to her newfound friend and came flying towards him; Lace gave the strange black mare a final smile and nodded politely, then flicked the tail and leaped forward into a short canter with only the echo of words lingering behind; "Until next time, then." |