[OPEN] Scarred by the past, burnt by the future

Narcissa

The blistering heat and suffocating humidity of the past few weeks had dissolved into cool days and sometimes chilly nights where the morning brought with it glistening frost. In the depths of the forest the refreshing smell of damp and the cool feel of ice bathed the large form that wandered about its underbrush. Cobwebs glistened with frost in intricate patterns like diamond nets ready to ensnare any unsuspecting fly and leaves crunched upon the ground underhoof, their veins made more evident by the silvery coating that shone in the morning light. Despite the cold breeze and the trails of sunlight that did nothing to warm the femme, the day was rather beautiful. Narcissa stood out from this beauty; her roan coat evident against the rich green and brown hues and the muscle that coated her form opposed the dainty nature of the leaves that hung prettily from arching branches. The skull that dangled from the mare’s horns and the pale pink scars that marred her satin spoke of death and destruction whilst this rich forest practically screamed life and vitality. However deep gorges scoured some of the trees like great injuries cast by giant tusks or sharpened horns; perhaps not so dissimilar as the marks that traced Narcissa’s battle history. Nevertheless she looked out of place among the vibrant colours.

Hoof prints marked the soft ground, slightly muddy from the frost and rain but the muscular beast made no attempts to clear her tracks, obviously because it wouldn’t have been easy but also because she was not afraid of what could be lurking in the undergrowth or perhaps following her. The horse’s height alone might deter most predators and a lot of horses from attacking her unless they really wanted a battle or maybe had a death wish. Narcissa continued to wander through the forest, not really doing much other than taking in the sights and smells. She was surprisingly quiet for such a large and heavy creature, a unique grace to her movements despite the rock hard muscle evident beneath the roan fur. Not that she really cared; there was too much on her mind for her to really worry about being silent or about what might be following her. Arrival in Helovia had been interesting to say the least; a storm had plagued her passage and yet at the threshold to the new land she had been met by 3 horses each representing a different herd or group that wanted her to join their ranks. She had disregarded being an outcast almost immediately; not because the representative mare, Paradox, had put her off but rather because the femme needed a herd. Instead she had had to choose between the Aurora Basin and the World’s edge. The decision had been quick though by no means easy. Though she knew little about either, there had been something about Tiamat that encouraged Narcissa to join the Aurora Basin herd, maybe it was her seemingly unyielding kindness or maybe it was that Narcissa missed having friends but either way she apparently had a herd. This still weighed heavy on her mind however for she couldn’t help but wonder what would have been her life had she chosen a different herd.