Tall Trees, Long Shadows (Open)

the Rift

Tall Trees, Long Shadows (Open)

Aryel Posts: 229

Dragon's Throat Soldier

Mare :: Pegasus :: 14.4 :: 4

FennecFyre

#15

11-30-2012, 08:34 PM

Aryel
I'm through accepting limits / 'cause someone says they're so.

Aryel listened, enraptured, to the bird's tale. So it was true. There was a battle here, and between three armies, no less. She blinked. There were three herds to this day. Surely history wouldn't repeat itself on such a disastrous scale? Suddenly, combat didn't seem so glorious. It only served to rip apart lives.

But what angered her was the god's dismissiveness of the whole matter. Dozens, maybe hundreds of horses had died in the war, and only the Earth God thought to honor them in any way?! "Arrogant immortal bastards." she muttered, laying her ears back. It sickened her. But she listened until the story was done.

So there it was, the story of a war fought for nothing, were each side only lost lives and gained grief. Aryel looked at the ghost with new respect, and sympathy as well. "Rest assured we'll remember your story for as long as we live, and pass it on." she said. Realizing it was now time for her to deliver a tale, she shifted, unsure what to say.

Suddenly, recalling an old story the foals of Redrock had been told, she spoke.

"I doubt this story is as true as yours, but it is similar. One big herd lived in a bountiful land, where they never went hungry and predators were rare. The herd leader was a bay equine, and his brother, second in line, was a solid white pegasus. The younger brother coveted the crown, and began spreading discontent among the herd. Many of the horses were light-colored, palominos and whites and chestnuts, while the others were dark, blacks and bays and greys. The white brother began creating rumours that the gods had spoken to him and told him that light-colored horses, especially pegasi and unicorns, were superior. This was foolish, of course. All horses, whether they have wings or horns or hooves, are equal. The herd became divided, and fell to arguing, then to scattered fighting. The final bloodspill occurred one afternoon, when an argument between a dark horse and a light one turned to blows. More joined in, and then more, until the whole herd was one big battle. The two brothers fought as well, exchanging vicious blows. The combat continued until sunset, when every horse in the herd lay dead, except for the white brother. He had killed his older brother and stood as the victorious king, but he was king of a dead herd and his own lifeblood was gushing out of a mortal wound. Collapsed on the ground, his vision went dark as the first carrion birds began to circle. Supposedly, the field they warred on is still strewn with bones, and you can hear the wails of the dead on the wind."

Aryel shivered, then paused, recalling what the elders would say afterward. "And so horses must never fight for foolish reasons. Pelt color and species matters not, and never will." She looked at the others, hoping that her story hadn't seemed too childish.

"blah blah blah."

Some things I cannot change / but until I try I'll never know.

Thanks for the good times, and no hard feelings for the bad times.

Vicer and Aryel's new threads never happened.

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