.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
10-30-2012, 01:33 AM
|
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.</style> The constant, overbearing presence of others was something I could not ignore. After such a long time separated from the world, this sudden inundation with company was like stepping into a hot spring. It wasn't unpleasant, at least not at first, but it wasn't long before I felt like passing out every time I caught the scent of a stranger. I couldn't bear to remain among the mass of my herd for much longer, not without some respite. And so I had left, called off by a pleasant day and the musky odor of the damp woods. I would have to talk to Mirage soon, about my place in this herd of hers... of mine, I suppose. Kali napped upon my haunches, long tail twitching anxiously by my left thigh as she dreamed. I changed courses, careful to avoid low hanging branches that might disturb her slumber, shivering as the mist thickened briefly. If I focused I could make out the images in her mind, fish leaping in the air as she dove down to catch them with deft claws. In her dream, Akaith flew beside her, laughing as the younger companion struggled to grasp the slippery prey. Poor Kali, she was so unlike me. She adored the life of a herd member, basked in the praise and admiration of those who stood in awe of her blooming majesty. I arched my neck around to nudge her, but she was beyond my reach. "Wake up, bird brain," I called softly, smiling as she yawned and rolled onto her stomach, stretching her pale wings and mewing. Rescued from her dream, she rocked unsteadily as I stumbled over a stone, taking to the air and chirping happily as she rose into the sky, trying to clear the canopy. For her sake, I would try to make this work. From far above Kali sent me a vision of empty space, a pretty field not twenty feet from us that I could graze in and she could fly above. There was something else, too, something she blurred and tried to keep from me as she urged me to follow her. With a bemused sigh I trudged in the direction she'd indicated, wondering who we'd be made to encounter today. I will admit that it came as a pleasant surprise, the sight of Lace resting in the damp grass. I had only met the stallion on a couple of occasions, but he seemed a decent sort, and I suppose if I was doomed to socialize, it may as well be with someone I already had some mild acquaintance with. Kali had already cried out to the grullo's little white, banking sharply and coming in to land beside the dragon, completely oblivious to any sort of respect or courtesy. Limping slightly, I made my way towards the stallion, attempting to mirror my bonded's boundless enthusiasm. "Lace. It's good to see you're on your feet." The gilded stallion had sustained some serious injuries during the fight, if I recalled. Perhaps even worse than the gashes that still marked my chest and barrel. I looked him over critically, onyx eyes taking in the deep cut on his thigh, the golden dusting along his back. So the Sun had subjected him to its wrath, too. My own legs tingled at the memory of flames licking at them. The scars had healed in an ironically starry pattern, and my tail was starting to come back in, metallic and sun-kissed. Kali had approved. Before I could ask the stallion what had brought him here, an outcry in the trees caught my attention. Kali was crying at something, excited, her white fur standing on end as she stared across the clearing. Intensely curious, I followed her gaze, seeking the source of the commotion. There. A dark figure, an... amulet? clenched in his jaw. I felt my own drop against my chest. "What the...?" And then it was gone, and Kali was shooting after it, her growing wingspan making navigation between the barren branches awkward, calling to Fajira and urging her to head it off, thrilled and excited with the passion of the hunt. I glanced at Lace, wondering if he had any idea what was going on, because I certainly did not. [ ooc || RAMBLE RAMBLE RAMBLE. This is what happens when I haven't posted in a looooong time. ] |
