The tricksters way | Africa,Open

the Rift

[OPEN] The tricksters way | Africa,Open

Africa the Starry-Eyed Posts: 727

Deceased

Mare :: Pegasus :: 16 :: 6 (Tallsun) Buff: NOVICE

Silas :: Common Zephyr :: Roc Riven

05-05-2013, 06:04 PM (This post was last modified: 05-05-2013, 06:13 PM by Africa.)

Look down
The ground below is crumbling
Look up
The stars are all exploding

This was a terrible mistake...

The night grew no warmer as the freshly introduced duo journeyed north, although, as Africa navigated them well clear of the smouldering heart of Helovia, the frost crunching beneath their mismatched strides was lost. They travelled all through the remainder of that moonlit night, stopping rarely so that they might reach the target sooner, rather than later.
Personally, the anxious grey might have preferred delaying the inevitable trouble she was allowing herself to be pulled into; the imminent danger did nothing to comfort the expanding belt of guilt around her girth, nor the bubbling concern in her stomach for the safety of herself, and her herd-sister.

The night grew late and the hours of daylight loomed as they passed with a quickened, though still gentle stride through the meadowland north of the ‘Heart’. For the most part, they ambled along through the biting waters of a swiftly flowing stream chattering about the soon to be enacted plan, following its northbound course to the right as it spilt into two suddenly before them. The soft shifting sands bedding the watercourse cushioned Africa’s weary tread, her pasterns aching and not well accustomed to such primitive, earthbound trekking.

When the first hint of dawn slithered with pastel shaded breath across the distant horizon, the dapple grey mare and her ice-white companion were slowing before a significant break in the forest. She knew they were at the westernmost edge of the Threshold- having herself, passed by the area on many occasions in the last month. In fact, not far from where they paused to catch their breath, a gully descended into a lush, hidden waterhole; a pool fed through an underground spring whose cool, sweet water was never sullied by the sun’s rays. It was deep below the mainstream forest, obscured by an almost impassable rock wall- slippery with lavish slime and moisture. Africa knew where it was though. She spent many hours fussing over shade-loving flowers, delicate and unmarred even as autumn bruised the forest canopy, and shredded leaves from their lofty perches.

Now, she could not help but wish it was one of those simple, lazy days...

By late afternoon, a sheer blanket of cloud-cover had fused together to obscure the inviting blue of Africa’s adored sky. It added to her disguised disharmony, though she appeased Sinuhe’s high-spirits with appropriate chortling and prattle. They were skirting the base of a great lofty mountain range- far from anything familiar, or homey. Africa began to question herself for agreeing to come, the stress glowing unavoidably through the unsteady churn of her cautious gaze. Her wings were held ajar, not that she intended to abandon the white horse and the quest to scam the sworn enemy; her flight instinct was far greater than the urge for her to confront and fight. She felt foolish now, and her posture slumped slightly as the weight of her defiance against Kri’s very clear warning drained her buoyancy. She lacked the self confidence to raise her objection though, and maintained a reserved level of regretful quiet.

Never the less, she continued, always obligingly and imprudently selfless on this occasion.

Apparently Sinuhe knew where to go- that troubled Africa a little also, and she guided them through the Steppe confidently, perhaps even arrogantly given the task at hand. It was bitterly cold there, and pale yellow eyes glanced upwards to observe the distant white capped pinnacles just beneath the blanket of thick cloud.
They turned suddenly left while flanking a iced wall of dark, murky granite and she was surprised to find a concealed entrance of sorts, opening onto an extremely narrow path which continued upwards into a mountain. To her left, a smooth tall wall arched around to shelter their heads; to the right, the same style of wall rose to only half the length of her cannon bones- she noted diligently that should a foe come meandering down the mountain pass which they so brazenly began to follow, she could easily leap from the edge and ascend. She whispered carefully to Sinuhe who strutted ahead, that she would hang back reasonably so as not to associate them should such a situation occur.

Night had well and truly smothered the land, and Africa shivered uncomfortably, her coat thinned naturally for life in the desert, as a frosty breeze hugged wickedly around her. The path began to descend steeply, and ahead Africa could just make out the glowing ghost-like swish of the other mare’s tail vanishing behind each curve in their route- there would be no moonlight to aide her wide eyes tonight.

Sinuhe paused where the snow-covered path widened slightly, though Africa was careful to remain hidden, curled tightly against the groove of biting cold rock-face. Perhaps her dappled colouring would assist in her concealment, though if she was unlucky enough to be approached from behind there would be little defence available. As such, she pinned one black-rimmed ear tightly towards her rear, listening maybe more carefully in that direction, than that of her now whispering companion. A strange valley lay ahead in the darkness, and although Africa could not readily see it, a wind funnelled upwards from its depths, buffeting the young Pegasus’s face with a chaos of unfamiliar scents. She was actually quite terrified, fraying nerves balancing across a knife’s edge; each ligament tensed in apprehensive waiting.

"I will be at the first cave on the left. You will be able to see my white figure on the ground and maybe a neigh. Stay low and behind the trees if you can and wait till whoever it is, is engaged in conversation before scaring them." Africa held her pumping breath, so that she could hear the instructions being delivered. Suddenly, the white mare collapsed to the ground to roll in the hoof deep slush. "Bit weird yea but it helps with scent covering....Well, I suppose I'll meet you there." The idea did not appeal to the dapple grey mare, and she tilted her face in awkward acceptance, not for a second willing to copy. Not a chance...
Sinuhe scrabbled to her feet, turned and trotted from sight down the remaining stretch of path- Africa turned, and sprang over the slight edging wall between the wide spread of her powerful wings.

It was dark, and Africa had to fly at half the elevation she would have preferred just so she could track the glowing white mare below. She tried her best to glide for the most part, circling across the wildly swirling winds above the valley which had been trapped by the steep surrounding range. She watched nervously as the familiar unicorn paused between forest and mountain incline, though she was not close enough to make out the playful pawing of her hoof. Around she wheeled again, continuing similarly as she tried to always keep her herd mate in view.

"Thinking. Speaking. Acting."

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