the Rift


Big Ideas Have Small Beginnings [Herd Meeting]

Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#1
tembovu
The Tallsun heat was ferocious this year. The mists provided a small relief, though they seemed to trap heat as the days wore on. Even the Elephant King, despite is love of heat, was beginning to find it slightly oppressive; like a physical force that weighted his actions. He had liked dry heat, but this heat was humid and dense.

A soft sigh of relief pushed past his thick nostrils as he slipped beneath the awning, lavender canopy Johnny had woven for the Edge in their trade. Proud pine poles erected the cover, holding it aloft to provide shade in the clearing alongside the Edge’s freshwater lake. It was immediate relief the moment shade hit his buckskin hide, the patchwork of chocolate-colored sweat cooling in the lilac-hued shade.

He paused for a moment at the edge of the awning, head swiveling and raised to look around him. Perhaps this would have been the time to hold a meeting on the cliffs with the cool sea winds… but a gentle, intermittent breeze lofted across the surface of the lake and beneath the canopy. And the herd members should see the evidence of their trading with the Basin, should they not?

So, with a great, deep bugle and a earth-quaking rear, the Elephant King sounded the call to gather over the herdlands, “Edge, gather!” Mbwene, in all her matriarchal wisdom, bathed in shaded shadows of the lake, great ears fanning herself against the intrepid heat.

The King smiled at her, before turning his attention to await the Edge to assemble. Excited anticipation bloomed in his broad chest—it was always a source of pride for him to see their ranks gathered in one place. So often were they spread out over the Edge or over Helovia for their tasks. But to see all together, in one place—it was a fine sight, indeed.

the elephant king

Mandatory seasonal herd meeting!
You have a week (7/19) to respond.
Please allow @Elsa to reply first.
:D

Please tag Tembovu.

Elsa the Icebound Posts: 644
World's Edge Protector atk: 6 | def: 10.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16.2 Hands :: Six (Frostfall) HP: 73 | Buff: BULK
Edgar :: Plain Zephyr :: Arctic & Wakiya Klare
#2
Elsa,
Feel lucky for what you have, when you have it. Happily ever after doesn’t mean happy forever.

She can't go, she doesn't want to go.

Her life had once again been thrown into a downward spiral and she had no way to clamber out of it. Just hearing his voice made her cringe in pain and agony. Pain he would never feel for her. And chances were- this mysterious lover would make an appearance. Just like a queen should, she would arrive shoulders squared, with a smile on her face and not a hint about what was crumbling down inside of her.

Edgar was perched silently on her head as they moved towards Tembovu's call. Her steps were heavy, and both of them knew she was trying to delay the inevitable from coming. Quietly she approached him, not getting any closer than she needed to. No one had arrived yet, and so she stood in silent stillness. He knew well enough what was going on with her- and she knew he'd have to accept her cold demeanor. For one, he was the one to bring it back. Edgar only offered the small elephant companion a nod, he still liked the creature despite her bonded. Then they both went back to praying that soon someone would arrive to take the horrid pressure off her shoulders.

So many unsaid words threatened to roll off her tongue but this was neither the time or place to do that. Tembovu had said his piece, and she wouldn't force him to listen to a plea he'd never give a second thought to. Looking off into the distance, the Edge seemed more and more foreign than ever.

"talk"
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  • Any force can be used against Elsa.
  • Please tag any posts that involves Elsa.

Alysanne the Devoted Posts: 641
World's Edge Queen atk: 7 | def: 10 | dam: 3.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16 hh :: 11 years HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Hemlock :: Flammulated Owl :: Heal & Cypress :: Great Horned Owl :: None Sarah
#3








A meeting.

A mixture of that old joy and excitement and uncertainty caused her stomach to twist in knots when she heard Tembovu’s call, interrupting little else but her thoughts. She missed being exciting for meetings, missed enjoying being surrounded by the living bodies that composed of the herd. They had been growing in number lately but it only made Alysanne nervous.

Herds shift and change, they grow and they die, and prosperity made her worried that a fall would come soon.But she resolved to not let that dread affect her today. At least not yet when it was her own worries causing it.

So she followed the call, surprised that it hadn’t come from the cliffs this time but a clearing in the woods, near the small lake. Her green eyes quickly caught onto the fact that only their monarchs were there so far.

Alysanne didn’t enjoy the idea of being there first but she wasn’t about to hide and pretend she wasn’t approaching just to avoid anyone. She had said that she would try to be civil, after all! So long as he didn’t pull any more stunts. The next one, undoubtedly, could involve removing the ornery Alysanne from her position. Well, hopefully not - she still hated that someone out there might think that she was ornery. She hated even more that there were justified reasons for such a view. One day, perhaps, that would get smoothed over.

For now, she just hoped that her sister, her daughter, or her friends showed up soon and Alysanne was not left standing there on her own, facing their king and queen of fire and ice.

Her quick trot slowed to a more cautious walk as she entered the violet canopy, standing close to the edge - for she was wary of it collapsing on them and wanted to be able to retreat quickly if that happened. The shade was pleasant enough to encourage her to stop when most of her body was beneath it. After turning a critical eye on this new, strange structure, she then turned to the two monarchs and offered them (both!) a bright smile that was genuine too. “Hello Tembovu and Elsa. I hope you are both well?”


Alysanne

art by duskbeguile
please tag Alysanne in replies
[Image: alysanne_by_schwartze-d89se15.png]
made by the lovely tamme
non-life threatening physical force is allowed at all times, but preference is to be checked with beforehand for any injuries

Hera Posts: 50
Outcast
Filly :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 Months
nickel
#4


In the last couple months things had began to change, not only in the world around her but also her body as well. Her long gangly legs began to grow to even more awkward things that looked disproportionate to the rest of her body, her horns had grown out from the small little nubs that they had been when she had first arrived and last but not least the fuzzy layers of her coat were beginning to fall out in clumps. She was a real mess to look at making her feel all strange and self conscious, were these normal things that happened to everyone she wondered silently to herself trying to make her coat look somewhat presentable. Between the caked mud and the missing clumps she felt like hiding away where nobody could see her, bathing had not helped and no matter how much she tried to pick at it she only made it worse.

Hearing her daddy (adoptive) call out for the herd to gather a small smile broke out across her face. It had been awhile since she had seen him for he had been too busy with work to make time for her much to her disappointment. Shaking off the last of the wet mud she had found by the river she headed down to where the meeting was being held to find much to her relief only a few others there. Cantering over to the gentle giant she had come to know as her daddy she reached out to try and pull gently at the long tendrils of his mane with a playful smirk across her face. She was still young enough not to worry so much about the grown up issues so coming to these meetings was only because she had to. Playfully swatting her tail towards Mbwene the filly finally settled down wishing that there was some remedy to this heat. Maybe later she could go play in the ocean again to cool off, ya that would be fun.

Hera Speaks


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Lourdes Posts: 9
Outcast
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16.2 :: Five
wren.
#5


I'M  BIGGER THAN THESE BONES

This was what herdlife was like, Lourdes supposed – answering the call of a King and Queen she’d yet to lay eyes on (though it’d only been a few days since she’d arrived). She couldn’t say that Mauja hadn’t warned her. It was hot now, the thickly woven forests of the Edge acting like a blanket to hold in the heat. This had never been Lourdes’s favorite season. Still, it was nothing compared to the crowd she imagined she’d be enduring in a few moments’ time. The order of a King didn’t seem very optional and although she’d made a point to stay on her own, she knew the forests were teeming with life.

The trees began to dwindle, giving way to a small patch of clearing that preceded a glittering lake. There was a structure erected near the water’s edge and the young witch could see a small gathering formed beneath it. That was enough to bring her ghoulish grin into a downward scowl. Lourdes didn’t like crowds and she didn’t like close quarters. Still, her legs were dutiful in carrying her forward. She had enough good sense to keep her attitude to herself. For a second, the mare loitered at the mouth of the awning, casting a dubious glance toward the poles that held it up, though the promise of shade won out in the end and she stepped beneath the lavender cloth.

To the ghoulfaced mare’s dismay, she’d managed to be one of the first to arrive and thus it was nearly impossible for her to sneak in and hide in the back. Still, unabashedly, she chose to inhabit the empty corner, shoving herself up against the edges of the awning and pulling her wings tightly around her as if to ward off the presence of others. Her gaze shifted forward then. The King was massive and Lourdes found her eyes lingering on him thoughtfully. The Queen was just as majestic, though she contrasted sharply with the large stallion. She was shimmering with frost and Lourdes couldn’t help but be envious of her in this heat.

As an afterthought, she offered the King and Queen a nod, her gaze then finding an interesting patch of ground to focus on, hoping all the while that she looked unassuming and uninviting to any stranger that might be tempted to make neighborly small talk.


a note | ---



please tag lourdes in all threads | force/magic permitted | permission required before serious injuries occur
Ascended Helovian

Mauja the Frozen Light Posts: 1,392
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 17.2 :: 14 HP: 79.5 | Buff: HUNTER
Irma :: Snowy Owl :: Terrorize & Diego :: Eurasian Eagle-Owl :: Rage Neo
#6
like breaking diamonds with your hands
“Edge, gather!”

No, no, no, no no nononono—

Just, how about no? No? No no? Fuck double negation, couldn't "no no" just mean ALL OF MY NO? Or, how about, waiting to call a meeting .. until tonight? When it was less cripplingly hot? Fleetingly, his ears pressed against his neck, and he made at least five different colorful insults aimed at Temobvu's intelligence (or lack thereof, really). What was the reason of dragging them out in the harsh sunlight, through the dense, damp heat of the Edge—when he probably could perfectly well have waited until the day's heat had been bled into the darkness?

The Edge was quite the calm place even on summer nights—beautiful, too, when the stars and the moon glittered upon the banks of fog, and the fireflies came out to play. Now.. now, it was just a weird, ugly mixture of absolutely dry and kind of moist at the same time. Mauja sighed, long tail slapping against his sweat-gray flanks. It was almost bearable where he was right now. Almost. He was near the dead-drop into the sea, standing in the shadows of a small cluster of trees, and had been quite busy trying to forget he existed when Tembovu cried out to remind him of not only that, but of his duty as well.

He closed his eyes. The last meeting—had it only been a season ago?—had been a disaster on his part. And since then...

The healing scar at the point of his chest tingled. Black skin had knit over the hole Tembovu had left there, but the fur had yet to regrow. He hoped its location, and the fact that he was covered in other black, albeit hairy, spots, would mask the truth of what it was.

Harsh sunlight greeted him as he stepped out of the shade. Mercilessly it beat down upon his topline, and caused his blue eyes to narrow into slits. He hated these hot, southern summers. They didn't even have the decency to be short! They dragged on, and on, and on, just like his dramatically agonized jog through the warm mist hanging like sheets between the trees. Even though he cheated, and loaded his veins up with tiny crystals of ice, it barely helped, and it was with quite an unimpressed expression that he found the location Tembovu had chosen instead of the breezy cliffs. It was—uhm, it was—well, he didn't know what it was. A lavender fabric, much like the one the Weavers of the Basin made, draped between pine poles set deep in the ground, casting shade upon an area next to the freshwater lake.

Mauja fought down the urge to kick a pine pole over. He wasn't even sure why it was tempting, but it was.

Warily he crept to the edge of the shadow the thing cast, and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light beneath it. Alysanne was there, along with Ghoulface in the back. Some yearling mare he didn't know. And, of course, Tembovu and Elsa, fire and ice, pride and .. chill? His eyes narrowed again, mind trying to sum up the dregs of a conversation held between a Queen and a General, but the words in the gentle snowfall eluded him; had something happened, though, or did she just have a bad day? It just felt, different, like a slow, insidious shift, a shadow subtly cast.

He exhaled thoughtfully, tail slapping wetly against his flanks again, and remained where he was—mostly outside of the cover, because he was a dumb ass like that.
angels, they fell first, but I'm still here

Imani Posts: 16
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 5.0
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 14.3 :: 6 HP: 62.0 | Buff: NOVICE
Rien
#7

The southern plains where Imani had grown up were as likely to have humid summers as wet ones, and most often were a mix of both.  He couldn't say he terribly enjoyed the oppressive humidity of the Edge at the moment but at least he was used to it.  Still, he'd become practically nocturnal.  The nights were simply better.  Today he'd found a cool, muddy hollow beneath a tree and it was there he had chosen to try and sleep through the worst of the day's heat.  That is, until the Elephant's trumpet had woken him from his uncomfortably drowse.  

For a moment, some contrary part of him almost ignored it and put his head back down to sleep.  Then with a grunt the odd-eyed stallion thrust his stocky legs beneath him and rose from his wallow.  Mud had dried along his sides but still clung wetly to his legs, belly, and chest.  He didn't bother to hurry.  Eventually he broke out of the trees and blinked in the un-dimmed sunlight, pausing for a moment.

He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the lilac structure that had risen on the side of the lake.  It just seemed out of place in the natural beauty of the Edge.  He could see shadowed shapes gathering beneath and with a huff he made his slow way to them, knowing he would be grateful for the shade once he reached it.  He didn't try to knock the mud off his shaggy coat- it was still sort of cool, dammit, and he'd take what he could get.  

So it was an unself-conscious and slightly irritated Imani who walked under the awning, accompanied by the quiet rattle of the bone beads that hung over his shoulder.  His thick mane was matted with sweat, the dust-colored hair along his top line darkened until it was somewhat hard to tell where his stripes began.  For the first time, he laid eyes on she who was Queen to Tembovu's king. He did not see fire and ice standing side by side.  He saw a man and a monster.

Korofi

The small stallion's ears laid tight back against his skull and his lups pulled back from his lips in an ugly grimace.  His odd eyes rolled, flashing white all around as he looked about the pavillion and saw another monster standing there in the shade, and then another lurking back in the shadows, waiting.  His body suddenly hummed with adrenaline, caught between fight and flight and yet paralyzed by the fact that no one else seemed to realize the danger.

Of course not.  

The Elephant General bedded Korofi

He could hear distantly the screams of the dying and his nostrils were filled with the scent of dust and sweat and blood.  His eyes flicked to the spotted stallion, then the young filly, almost a plea.  Then his gaze landed briefly, wildly on Tembovu full of fear and anguish and accusations.

With a sharp intake of breath that hissed between his teeth and a rattle of bones he wheeled and plunged from the tent, finally breaking from terror-stricken paralysis.
Imani

OOC: So... I initially forgot that Imani is prejudiced against pegasii.  And by prejudiced I mean thinks they're all monsters.  Sorry about that >.>

Ravel Posts: 15
Outcast
Mare :: Equine :: 16.3 :: III
Eshye
#8
Since her time coming to the Edge, Ravel had taken to weaving between the trees of the forest as if pacing, absentmindedly waiting for the arrival of her brother. As the days continued, however, the ritual seemed to blend into more calculated weaving, as if memorizing the forest. When she was capable of quieting her mind, she tried to teach herself the intricate patterns and where the thickest groves sat, where the clusters of roots lived. In time perhaps she could move somewhat gracefully between the trees, but during that Tallsun she still struggled. With everything. Sorrow, though more often than not unwelcome, was becoming a frequent visitor and yet she still felt so very lonely at times. Her heart ached constantly, and she had a quiet fear that she would never be the same.

She often contemplated her purpose. What if he didn’t come for her? What if it was just her, there, and that is all she would be? What would she do then? What good could she do there, hiding at the edge of the world? How long was too long to wait for him? He’d told her not to seek him out, but would she have any choice? It was a curse, after all…

The King’s voice was loud in her ears, silenced her thoughts. Long, slender legs wove her in and out of the trees, blind eyes unblinking. She moved at a brisk walk until she drew near. She slowed, taking tender steps as she heard the words of Alysanne. Although she thought she felt the presence of others, it was eerily quiet, and she kept quite a bit of distance between them and herself.

In that moment, she still felt the weight of loneliness and the lingering kiss of her unwanted companion, sorrow.
★ harm her if it pleases you,
but death is not ready for her yet

Nyx Posts: 292
Deceased atk: 7.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 6.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16hh :: 11 HP: 72 | Buff: SWIFT
Dominus :: White Lion :: None Snow
#9

It must truly be a sign of her world-weary nature that she is not surprised when she discovers she is pregnant.

Not even a little bit surprised. As her sides start to swell, she simply gives a resigned sigh and a harsh, humourless laugh at her own misfortune.

This is what happens, though. This is what happens when she lets her eye for a handsome man take over her sense of logic. And oh, was he handsome! Her skin still tingles from his touch, and her wounds have only just begun to heal from their fiery fight. He was a worthy opponent and an even more worthy lover, and somehow she just can't bring herself to be as disgusted and disappointed in herself as she'd been last time. His strength, his ability...if that passes down to his children, then she should be honoured to carry one. Or two. It best not be two!

There is potential brewing in her stomach, she can feel it. What else could come from the loins of the Wildfire but embers? In addition, this time it's summer's burning hand which grips her instead of winter's frigid claws, which is horribly uncomfortable but less likely to have her wasting away to nothingness from starvation. And she does not intend on running away this time. As far as the rest of the herd will know, this will be her second pregnancy in three years, which is not unusual at all. The truth is it's her third pregnancy, but none need to know that.

Her king's call finds her grazing, and she quickly turns to heed it. Her belly is rounded and firm, as she's around halfway through her pregnancy - fighting is a no-no, so she's a pretty damn useless General. She meanders through the crowd with her head held high, however, as if daring somebody to question her on her state. If they do, she can just say she's been fostering herd relations with the king of the Throat. There's some new, unfamiliar faces, who she casts sidelong glances at, but the main body of her attention is reserved for Tembovu.

NOW HER HAND IS RAISED, A SWORD TO PIERCE THE SUN
WITH IRON SHIELD SHE DEFENDS THE FAITHFUL, LET CHAOS BE UNDONE

unicorn: iconian fonts.dafont lion: jonathan s harris.dafont

Other characters have permission to use magic/violence against Nyx at any time.


Oizys Posts: 134
Aurora Basin Soldier atk: 7.0 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6.5
Mare :: Hybrid :: 17hh :: 2 HP: 73.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Ker :: Philippine Eagle :: Curse Snow
#10
I WON'T BE LEFT DEFENCELESS, AS GOD IS MY WITNESS
I'D RATHER BE


D A N G E R O U S

Her first herd meeting....somehow, she is not filled with glee at the thought. She prefers her own company, and spends the vast majority of her time outside the Edge. But needs must, so with considerable reluctance she stops what she's doing (which is practicing with her spark creatures) and turns towards the cry.

A mighty stag made of electricity runs alongside the grey filly as she stampedes towards the meeting, her stout legs extending beneath her to devour the ground. The stag crackles next to her, much to the continued consternation of Ker. The eagle has not forgiven Oizys' newfound magic for shocking her, and gives it a wide berth wherever possible. She soars on the gargoyle's other side, her sharp blue eyes furrowed into a frown as she casts occasional furtive, hateful glances at the sizzling creature.

Eventually, the youngster arrives amongst a sea of other horses. She's dying to send her stag into them, watch them scatter, but she resists temptation - instead, she lets the shock-beast sizzle into nothingness. Closer she prowls, her eyes flickering to the king first (she thinks it abhorrent that any other man but Father could be king, although she concedes that this one is adequate enough) and then to the unfamiliar faces in the crowd. She's searching, however, for Enyo. The bitch has not seen her twin in ages, and she is beginning to fret. She does not know how to function alone, without her womb-mate, and her blackened young heart beats that much less when her sister is not here.

Mother is, though, and the filly frowns as she draws alongside the grey mare. "You're fat," she observantly points out, her voice an unpleasant sneer. Oh, she suspects why Mother is fat, and it makes her insides crawl. It must be Father's - the ironheart would not let any lesser male mount her, would she?

And all males are lesser compared to Father.


[ the gargoyle queen ]
OIZYS IS ALWAYS RATED M FOR STRONG LANGAUGE IN HER POSTS




Dacianna Posts: 55
Absent Abyss atk: 5.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Unicorn :: 15.1hh :: 4 Y/O HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
imi
#11
Dacianna wilted noticeably in the blaze of Tallsun. Being of a mountain, the sun was sometimes seared a similar intensity, but not often and it mostly rained a lot. Weather liked to stick to the peaks of mountains like a clingy lover. Yet here, in the forests and mists of the Worlds Edge, the glowing orb above was unforgiving and the heat lingered, robbing her of any chance of feeling good in it. Her mane stuck to sweat patches on her neck and her red sash was uncomfortable to wear. Often she removed it for a time, hanging it on a nearby tree to allow herself a small respite before placing her head back through the loop, and laboriously ushering it down her neck. She swore that one day she would probably hang herself by accident trying to take it on and off—the final act of Dacianna, death by accidental suffocation. The roan wouldn’t get rid of the trinket, however, it was a gift from her dam and it was the only piece of her dam she had left. The rest of the trinkets were more like golden chains that Daci had simply grown used to.

It was another blistering day when Tembovu called the herd to attention and Daci smiled. Not the cliffs this time? Was the yellow Elephant growing bored of the horizon that could be seen from the edges of their herd? Still, she was intrigued to the new setting and set off to the gathering.

After a while she found the designated area by the cool looking lake, which Daci felt like swimming in, and piece of cloth held on four poles. How long had they had that? The scholar gave it a curious look before continuing onwards; noticing she only really knew Alysanne and Mauja so far of those gathered. Happily, she went to stand next to the Moon Doctor underneath the edges of the canopy that shaded them from the fiery beast above and she offered the paint a smile before nodding her head to both monarchs.
Dacianna
Image Credit
Don't let the curtain catch you, cause you've been here before,
The chair is an island darling, you can't touch the floor
--------------------------
force permitted / please tag me

Sacre Posts: 274
World's Edge Emissary atk: 5.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16hh :: 5 Years HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Inari :: Red Fox :: Heal & Ríona :: Common Kitsune :: Electric imi
#12
Sacre;
How long had it been since he’d gathered at a meeting?

His nerves felt worse than how he felt when he was attending his very first herd meeting. He missed Roux, but especially on days like this when he felt like he needed the familiar red presence of his twin. He stayed close to his foxes, feeling the need to cling to their gentle friendship and camaraderie. As he travelled through the Edge territory he still felt out of place. It was a herd whose history with his own family was long and arduous—battles, kidnappings, and hostility. Sacre, for whatever reason, had never found harmony with the Worlds Edge, no matter who lived here. Borne from sheer pig-headedness and loyalty to Mauja, the Fox Boy had returned to the misty land, but now he wondered if it was the right thing to do. He often thought that maybe he should have given in to lust and followed home the beautiful Nymeria. Let her whisk him away to the Hidden Falls…

Alas, his decision was done and Sacre was determined not to run away this time. Not without trying.

When he arrived at the meeting, the first thing he noted was the familiar weave of the canopy that sheltered them from the glaring sun—it was northern work surely! He smiled at the memories the construction inspired into his mind, but soon he turned his attention to the two who commanded here. Tembovu and Elsa. One a giant and the other like the Frostbreath horizon. Sultans, Lordships, Kingdoms… Sacre had met many figureheads, many legends; he had served great horses in his young years. He wondered, in comparison to those, how these two would compare.

Feeling awkward and out of place, he went to stand next to Mauja, taking refuge in the familiarity of a friend who was the closest to family he had in the absence of his twin. Inari and Ríona lingered near him, but were far more interested in the other companions who turned up with their bonded.
there's something lonesome about you
kaydeniro & larfsalot @deviantart | subtlepatterns.com


There's something wretched about this
Something so precious about this

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Arah Posts: 343
Outcast atk: 7 | def: 10.5 | dam: 3
Mare :: Unicorn :: 15hh :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Wynter :: Royal Griffin :: Draining Clutch Frostie
#13

She would not miss this herd meeting, while her past punishment hadn't been all that bad she still felt the disappointment for missing the last one. Wynter stirred as Arah gently nudged her, stretching and rolling onto her feet. "Tar ceann beag, leis an gcruinniú." The griffin stretched her wings and then slowly the two made their way through the Edge towards her King's call. As they weaved through the bushes Arah hummed softly to herself. She stopped to nibble at a patch of fresh grass, her appetite had increased recently. A smile curved her chops as Wynter urged her forward not wanting to be late. So the ivory pair made their way through their homeland, their pace fairly leisurely. Their home at this time was absolutely stunning and surprisingly it wasn't too hot.

Eventually they broke into the gathered herd and the doe tilted her head back. Was this a new addition? Something was very familiar about the structure. The way it was crafted - she studied the details. It was familiar to the weave of the northern crafters. Surely it was northern work! In any event it did the job of sheltering them from the glaring sun quite well. The doe shifted into a more comfortable stance, while her golden eyes searched eagerly through the crowds. They didn't land on the one she'd wanted to see, disappointment flared through her chest. Tilney had yet to arrive so she flicked her eyes towards her King and Queen. Tembovu and Elsa still reigned, one mighty the other frosty. In truth she'd had very little to do with her Queen but she smiled warmly at Tembovu. They'd grown quite close during her time in the Edge, she quite enjoyed him company.
Arah rolled her shoulders and shuffled her hooves, once again quickly growing uncomfortable. A frown creased her brow, it must be the angle hat she was standing on. Wynter gently cooed at the others gathered, hushing only when the doe bent down and gently nuzzled her.

Returning her gaze to those gathered she smiled at the familiar faces. So many from all over had gathered here, they'd once again become apart of the herd. It was nice to know that she wasn't the only one who'd come here for a fresh start. Agin shifting slightly closer she focused her gaze back upon her King and Queen, waiting for the announcements.

Arah
I hope all will be well. 
We must be patient; but I cannot choose but weep to think they would lay him i' th' cold ground.
And I ain't afraid to die, I’m afraid of going to hell.

✽ Force and magic permitted. ✽
✽ No fatal or permanent damage. ✽
✽ Please only tag in opening posts. ✽

Tilney Posts: 288
World's Edge Moon Doctor atk: 4 | def: 9 | dam: 6
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.2hh :: VI HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Peatree :: Lesser Fruit Bat :: None Neverrmind
#14


The kings call aroused Tilney from quite a beautiful dream. It had began quite frightful, standing close to the cliffs of the edge concealing himself behind a great old oak, but from what? An enemy? It turned from quite a frightening episode into a game of hide and seek in fact; Tilney was being chased by two delightful fledgelings. The pair of foals chased him between trees, both cackling with a joyous, soul-lifting laughter and calling him father. Their names were a mystery and for some reason in this dream he could not see these foals; they could be ghostly entities for all he knew. 

Today was a glorious Tallsun day, though ever so hot. He had taken to resting in the shade of his tree on most sweltering days, and the afternoons were usually spent either with his love Arah, teaching Ultima, or chatting the day away with Glasgow. 
The meek voices faded after the booming call of the Elephant King intruded. Tilney stirred from his slumber, golden eyelids peeling off of his emerald sight givers. A meeting; he wondered if the moon goddess would make an appearance this time? He had not had the pleasure thus far, and he was more than keen to meet her.

After launching himself up onto those clay split hooves, the gilded lad reached to his flanks and preened away the grass and dirt that had buffed into his sleek coat; he had to look presentable for the meeting of course. Dancing around the lake, Tilney caught sight of another of his friends.
"Mbwene!" was his call to the bathing elephant. With a cheer and a laugh, Tilney jumped into the water just inches beside the kings bonded, causing a mighty splash that he aimed to 'devour' the calf-like creature. Snorting and giggling, the bronze moon doctor gave a swish of his tail and nudged his grey friend, picking a near by lilly flower and offering it to her to tuck behind her ear. "I must attend the meeting, see you soon!"

Those efforts to clear the mud and grass from his pelt had been quite in vain, seeing as now he was covered up to the chin in dam water. He was dripping head to toe, and his tail was one large slick of hair. Marching shamelessly into the meeting, a smile plastered widely onto his face as he gazed over the herd. All looked so healthy! Nothing made a moon doctor more proud. There was quite a crowd gathered by now, so Tilney decided to spare Tembovu and Elsa the hellos today as they probably were getting so many, and he hardly had to look before his eyes caught the familiar sight of his love. Walking directly to Arah, Tilneys smile only grew. 
Tilney took his place at the sages side, his verdant gaze finding hers easily. "good afternoon" was his whisper before he looked ahead at the group, waiting for the meeting to begin.



Art by mockingale @ DA


WOOOOOOOooOOOoooO TILNEYS 100TH POST!!!!

Wander or Leave
turn in to winter lights
☀︎


Graasvoel Posts: 97
World's Edge Artificier atk: 3.5 | def: 7.0 | dam: 8.0
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.0hh :: 6 HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
smitty
#15

"fear the Vulture and it will come. fear nothing and you are the Vulture."

He heeds the trumpet that shakes the very hoof beneath his large, feathered hooves. It was impressive, to be certain, though it leaves an ugly taste in his mouth. It is reminiscent of Ontrou, his father, who had expected every whim and thought of his attended to by a great audience.

So it was with narrowed eyes and wary demeanor that the vulture appears from the forests. His heavy body is drenched in sweat; truthfully he finds no relief in the shade and very little at night. The bright tawny of his coat is darkened to dingy copper, thick mane plastered to his great hefty crest. He’d found the long, hot days to be much damper than the plateaus or the pleasure desert. But the heat was the same, as the thin air of the mountains did little to buffer the sun’s rays.

A curious glance was spared the the small elephant splashing in the shade, along with the antlered (much more impressive than the horns of Dorobians, he thought smugly), copper man dashing around it. A glance travels around, noting with a brightening expression, that there were plenty of women gathering beneath the lilac tent.

Perhaps these meetings wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

His eyes particularly stay on a roaned woman, stockier of frame than some of the lithe mares present; but the vulture preferred more curves than angles— it gave better leverage to hold onto. Her body is brushed with white, though her legs and face are deep blue in color. Again, antlers sprout from her brow, while gold bangles adorn them. He is intrigued, heavy limbs carrying him closer to woman who was deliciously slick with sweat and standing alongside another lovely, spotted winged woman.

But, before the man can fully approach the mare who so fully stole his attention, a small, striped creature dashes past him. His ears sweep forward, nostrils flared—another Dorobian? Fleeing in fear? His starkly white-masked face cocks, turning to follow the terrified retreat of the smaller stallion. What had him spooked? He hovers, part of him wanted to follow the creature, but most of him wanting to approach the roaned woman.

And absolutely none of his attention was focused on the fact that this was a meeting, not a social hour, meant for business.

- - G R A A S V O E L - -


He's like SUPER eyeballing pretty @Dacianna but then gets distracted by @Imani leaving.

Please tag Graasvoel in all posts.



Ultima Posts: 57
Outcast
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16.3hh :: 4
Snapdragon :: Turkish Andora Cat :: None Kairi
#16
ultima
The call went up. In the distance, she heard feet beginning to move, wings thriving as they coasted on the hot, buoyant air. If the act of merely existing in this weather hadn’t been a challenge, Ultima would have laughed, bitter as black coffee.

It was too hot to scream. It was too hot to even think about screaming..

She’d dragged herself into the dappled shade hours ago, her slim figure puddled at the foot of a gargantuan sycamore, and had spent it all counting minutes, counting seconds, waiting for that infernal sun to fall off the horizon. The blue-black shadow was much cooler than the over-bright clearing surrounding it, but even the earth was steaming, and where the sun filtered through the leaves it burned her skin. Eight or nine hours to go, she thought dully, the heat crowding her brain. It took her five seconds to recognize the summons as it slung out across the Edge (‘That’s … Tembovu. How is he even …’), and twice as many to work out what it meant.

Ultima sat up straight, a swathe of hair drooping into her face, and the forest went spinning. Her legs felt newborn, weak and so light she was sure she’d lift straight off the ground.

“Wh… wh?

After a short but arduous trip to the lakeside, she saw the crowd of people already gathered into the pavilion and felt the world wobble again. “Til— Tilney,” she croaked weakly, spotting his antlers – and Arah’s – over the hips and shoulders of the other folk. But it was noisy already, with chatter and calls to the King and Queen, and the heat was a roar and her head, and she doubt he heard. Turning her face very, very carefully, she sighted an elm not too far from the procession and hobbled towards it. Passing Mbwene, Ultima managed a shallow little curtsy – and sagged against the tree’s trunk with a heavy exhale.

Probably,’ she thought, head swimming, ‘I am probably going to die.
command me to be well.


bleats at @Tilney
she's fine, it's fine
please tag ultima in all posts!
force/magic a-ok, shy of killing/maiming her!

Glasgow Posts: 127
Aurora Basin Apprentice atk: 3.5 | def: 10.0 | dam: 7.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 14.3hh :: 11 years HP: 66.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Skylark
#17
I’ll taste the devil's tears
The scarred Glazier was oh so close to being late to the meeting. She heard the call, but she was so far focused on practicing the magic that coursed through her – trying to master it, even if that wasn’t a possibility, the scarred mare was going to at least try it – to immediately leave at Tembovu’s call. But when she had finally broke her concentration, the glass pieces had shattered. She was frustrated at this, at the distraction that caused something she spent so long working over to completely break into shards of even more glass littered upon the ground. So her heavy feet dripped in blood carried the mare across the Edge to where the call had come from.

Many had gathered, a few with familiar faces. Elsa, Tembovu, Tilney with Arah, Ultima that she most recently met. She scanned the area from her place in the shadows and noticed the spotted stallion who had once been her Queen. Now she didn’t have to hide, and she only hoped he wouldn’t mind her quiet company. So she trudged along the sides of the gathering to find a spot beside Mauja. She dipped her head to her King and Queen with a curiosity of what this meeting was called about before letting her glassy gaze drift across to Mauja with a soft smile creasing the scars on her ashen lips. She nodded to him a silent hello before looking straight ahead and paying attention to the shift in the emotions of this meeting as opposed to the last. She looked over further, then, to the ebony and crimson stallion on the other side of Mauja and she offered him a small smile as well if he happened to look over and see.

"Talk."
Drink from his soul—
but i'll never give up you.
Glasgow
image | coding


Omg its horrible but anyway, Glas stands somewhat close to Mauja and nods in hello to him and Sacre as well as Tembovu and Elsa.

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#18


tandavi & natraj</style>
</style>
Fire dancer flickers through the sparse evergreens, the penumbra of a memory, the echo of a ghost. She recognizes the call - recognizes a hundred other calls within it, a history of familiar voiced summoning them to attention - and is drawn to it like a moth to flame, carefully, fluttering, her footsteps muted on the bed of fallen leaves. She has clung to the tree line since her induction here, hung upon the bark like so much moss; she does not know how like she is to her mother in this way, a moon-struck figure on the periphery of the herd, a silent observer bathed in gold. Were anyone to tell her she would likely be struck, speechless with the implications, overwhelmed by something she did not care to acknowledge.

Instead of dwelling on her family she drifts away, leaving the safety of solitude for the press of bodies, the promise of faces she does not know. It is strange, still, like falling into a dream you could swear to be real, were it not for the fact that every face is a stone; it is strange to look around and see other figures than those she remembers, smell other bodies, taste new magic in the air. Yet it excites her, too, for here she is fresh- not Tandavi the Fire Dancer, not the daughter of Rishima, niece of Mirage- here she is nobody, nothing, eager to rise like a phoenix from the earth, to spiral and flicker into someone new. This place is her home but without ties to family; it is both old and new, familiar and strange, and though she knows it it does not know her.

She drifts into the meeting confident in this knowledge, secure in the safety of her anonymity, except-

-Except then she sees them, and her security and confidence vanish like smoke, leaving naught but a copper filly, her eyes filled wide with surprise.

Natraj sees the foxes first, while Tandavi sees the owls- and while the Fire Dancer balks and signals alarm, her brother bounds forward like an unleashed kite, an unspeakable glee swallowing up the girl's dread. He darts toward Inari and (the immensely attractive, all-grown-up) Riona like a bat out of hell, pouncing without hesitation upon his oldest friend, tails waving their frantic excitement for all the world to see. His joy pulls his sister like a magnet, but still she lingers back- afraid of Sacre, afraid of Mauja, afraid of the ghosts of her past which have suddenly risen like mist form the earth, spilling through her nostrils and threatening to choke her where she stands. What is Sacre doing here, in a place that must bring back nothing but nightmares? And Mauja- had he come back here to stomp upon her family's legacy, to reclaim the land after burning Mirage? Would they see her and hate her, out her for her history, drag her in front of this gathering and proclaim her Tandavi, the failure, the one the Qian left behind?

No- Sacre wouldn't do that to her, the girl was sure, and Mauja...

...well, Mauja doesn't even know who she is, and the copper child is not about to spill those beans.

Carefully she steps forward, an aureate ear on the unfolding meeting, and a copper one on the menagerie of foxes, owls, and two men. A hesitant smile creeps onto her lips, something childish and shy; it matches the tentative patter of her heart, the memories of friendship and secrets bringing a soft flush to her vibrant face. Silver tail beats an anxious rhythm against her golden hocks; her gold-dusted body curves around him, shy and careful, eager to touch but unwilling to get to close, lest he ups and disappears.

"Sacre," she murmurs, her alto voice low and bright. "What are you doing here?" Her words are not an accusation; instead they are filled with wonder, with hope, with eagerness for his easy smile and expectation of his vibrant eyes. She walks around him, hoping that perhaps she will go unnoticed by his spotted companion- perhaps the fire dancer can become a shadow, a shade, invisible to all but her friend.

Through his gleeful thoughts Natraj barks a laugh. You, a shadow? You're literally on fire, all of the time.


image | code

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


Lyanna the Windswept Posts: 313
World's Edge Queen atk: 7 | def: 11 | dam: 4.0
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.2 :: 5 years HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Kyra
#19

i am a leaf on the wind

She’s nearly late to the meeting. In truth, she hadn’t even been in the Edge when the call went back. She’d been in the Threshold, where she spends a good number of days, though so often returns empty handed. What was is that Ashamin and the Unbound offered that was so tantalizing? That promise of freedom just oh so slightly different than the freedom of a herd? Or something else entirely. She was vaguely tempted to try and hunt the stallion down and ask him. But then again, perhaps it was the sort of thing one couldn’t really put into words. Or the sort of thing someone like her (so used to life beneath a monarchy) couldn’t fathom.

Either way, he kept making off with all the potential recruits and it was getting to be slightly old, which meant it was high time to head back to the Edge. Like always, she flies, the skies warm but the wind still cool high enough in the sky. From here, she can see the herd gathering beneath the shelter, so she skips the border entirely and makes her way to the center of the herd via the sky. It’s sort of a pain to land between the forest and the gathering horses, but she finds a spot a reasonable distance away where she won’t run into anyone.

It hasn’t been all that long since the last herd meeting she attended, though she feels more comfortable this time around. She’s starting to learn the members of the Edge, though there’s still so many she doesn’t know. It doesn’t take her too long to find Alysanne, and she makes her way into the Moon Doctor’s general vicinity, feeling more comfortable somewhat near her friend than elsewhere. Though she also spots Glasglow, and Tilney. Beside Tilney, she can’t help but notice the pale, antlered mare beside him and the way she shifts around like she can’t quite get comfortable. And the way Tilney stands beside her.

Could it be?

She’s not sure, in truth, having no first-hand experience. But it’s not like she’s never had any experience, and she tucks the thought away for later. Perhaps she’d seek the white mare out and try to see if there was anything she could do, assuming she was even right in her guess. But for now, there was a kingdom meeting to attend to. So she turns her attention to Tembovu and Elsa, offering them a brief nod, and waits to see what they have to say.

watch how i soar.

lyanna


Please tag in all posts
Magic use/power playing is okay, but check before serious injury/death
Image by Kiki

Rohan Posts: 132
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 17.0 :: 8 years HP: 66 | Buff: NOVICE
Éomer :: White-tailed Eagle :: Scream Reli
#20
All hail the outlaws
It almost seems like the last herd meeting had happened only yesterday—shouldn’t it be too soon to call them to gather once more?

Then again, the large stallion muses as he turns from the Edge’s borders, time has been all but nonexistent for him lately. The last several months are a blur, the days coming and going, only to pass into the abyss—a black hole that swallows any sense of time or direction. He has accomplished nothing since his most recent promotion, and while it is in his nature to roll it off his shoulders, Rohan can still hear his father’s voice burned into his mind: “You have failed yourself! You have failed me! And you have failed your people! You are a disgrace to this family!”

—Caught up in soft lips, glittering eyes, and blushing cheeks once again, falling too eagerly into the trap of his own reveries and ensnared by fantastical adventures, and the fatal promises of what-could-have-beens—

Despite his best attempts to convince everyone and himself otherwise, Rohan can’t quite shake the heaviness of failure from his shoulders. His father couldn’t (just couldn’t) have been right about him all along—the day such a tyrannical, cruel scoundrel proclaims the truth, will be the day this world crumbles and is swallowed by hell fire. If only the past didn’t cling to him like the bony claws of a vulture (but perhaps it is not his father’s disappointment that haunts him).

That is not a thought the Warlander is keen to entertain; with his thick tail lashing around his hocks, he urges himself into a canter. Pale hooves strike the packed, dry earth harder than is necessary, his stride gathered and tense. By the time he reaches those already gathered, sweat darkens his flanks and neck, with the lavender shade of their new canopy offering little relief. Being built for the colder climates of the north, this heat is seemingly unbearable for the hairy stallion; his irritation clutches to this annoyance, if only to distract him from more pressing problems.

“Speech.”
rohan
Lost souls in revelry, Running wild and running free.

image credits
[Image: 57c5195f31f1b_by_relibelli-db9li1z.png]
please tag Rohan in all replies!
magic & force is permitted, excluding death or permanent injury.


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