"Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there."
It was curiosity that brought him there, curiosity and a rare kind of boredom.
It had been a few days since he'd wandered into the blistering world – Helovia, he reminded himself again, the feel of it still unfamiliar – and other than the stallions who had stopped him in the Threshold, he'd seen nobody, spoken with no one else.
Forests he'd seen, foothills he'd climbed, beaches drew him in frequently – but the feel of this marsh was something new. It reminded him of Phlegethon, and the feeling made him colder than the weather would warrant; but there was something else, a mystery to the place that his homeland had lacked.
The chestnut's nose and instincts told him to beware, but solitude had brought a strange recklessness into him, and he continued forward, near enough to the mirror-still water's edge. There was the buzz of insects, the low-throated croak of bullfrogs, but no wind stirred the trees, and Gabriel figured himself alone again.
Until there came a splash.
His head lifted, ears swiveling first in suprise and then concern, and through the haze of heat and marsh he made out a dark figure, slender and no larger than a doe. Until he could make out features and the horn on her head he thought it was a deer; once he saw it to be a horse he continued forward. She looked safe enough, for the moment, and he felt his heartbeat slow from it's momentary gallop.
“You're young to be here, aren't you?” he asked, and moved nearer, hooves pulling through the mud, pausing just a moment before bumping his muzzle against her shoulder. It was to reassure the both of them – but Gabriel doubtlessly needed it more than she did.
If Sundog and Quill were here, if he hadn't left them behind – well, they'd be the same age as this filly.
And he wouldn't want them anywhere near this place.
gabriel
| Hidden Account |
| Filly :: Unicorn :: 12 hands :: 10 months |
| Cy |
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The splash sounded and Cypress knew she was in a bad place. If someone had seen her, or found her she would never get to her expected destination. A medium sized stallion stood before her his dark brown eyes glistening. His waves of thought came off of him, like he was thinking about what made the splash.
Although she could see him, he couldn't see her through the curling mist. That covered her up. When he seemed to notice what she was he started to speak, in a disapproving voice. Well, thats what it sounded like to Cypress. "You're young to be here, aren't you?" his voice was deep and handsome. Once Cypress had seen his face she knew his looks were handsome too. Maybe she wasn't in much danger at all.
His hooves pulled through the mud towards her, nudging her on the shoulder for comfort. It seemed to be more for him then her. Replying sweetly she spoke in soft voice "Hello sir, My name is Cypress and yes, you could say I am young to be here..." she drifted off trying to figure out the words to say. "But I made it this far" she ended staring at him with pride and comfort. Now that he knew she wasn't just a filly needing help, or was lost.
Sometime she seeped like it and she hated when others thought she was weak or small because of her looks. At least she hadn't half judged him. Smiling she wiped the thoughts away, awaiting an answer from the chestnut stallion.
wordcount: 260
ooc: Sorry, she is in a bad mood at the moment, usually she is very nice and kind with others. :) Nice rping skills and Gabriel is cute. c:
tags: @[Gabriel]
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Permission for magic or cruelty directed to Cypress at all times. But not death.
"Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there."
Gabriel was a little taken aback when she greeted him so politely. He hadn't expected a young horse prone to wandering to be as well-spoken as the yearling filly, and it was impossible not to meet her smile with one of his own. The marsh was growing less silent around them once more; the croaks and hums of wildlife that had paused when the chestnut had erupted into action had begun again, indicators that all was...well, as well as it would be, here.
She still wasn't completely visible; there were the green eyes, the slender thrust of horn, an impression of light spots visible across her dark body. It lent her the same air of mystery that surrounded the whole marsh; if he had been more superstitious, he might have thought her a changeling – a filly who only acted sweet, who would lure him to a death in the marsh if she could.
But the equine didn't believe in such things. It had been a long time since he wondered what went bump in the night.
He doesn't miss the note of pride and self-resilience that she responds with; it makes the smile linger, because he knows Sundog would have said the same thing.
“That you have, Cypress,” he said, a note of playful admiration in his voice. Then he stepped back from her, allowing her space, and spoke again in his regular tone. “I apologize for my concern. You get older, you get prone to worry.” There's a brief silence, and Gabriel feels momentarily awkward – despite his two daughters, he was never quite comfortable talking to the very young. Perhaps it reminded him just how young the twins were, though they'd never seemed it; more likely, he'd just never experienced much of a childhood himself. He couldn't relate to the joyful optimism they felt.
“Where are you headed?” The red stallion kept his tone casual, not wanting to give her the impression he thought her helpless. In his youth (and now, clearly) he could be found doing the same thing – it's just he hadn't had children of his own, then. Priorities began to change as a parent, even one as distant as he'd been. “I'm Gabriel, by the way. New to all this place.” He offered her a wry smile, noting how vibrant her green eyes were, even in the mist and the sickly yellow-grey light.
gabriel
| Hidden Account |
| Filly :: Unicorn :: 12 hands :: 10 months |
| Cy |
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The filly liked the look on his face. It was different. Cypress thought that maybe if she stepped out of the fog and shadows maybe they could actually get to have a more normal conversation.
Thats what she did. Taking steps closer her hooves trailing in the mud.
She came closer to find he had found his own smile. Then the thinking look crossed into the stallion's eye. So Cypress didn't say anything when he was thinking. She just looked around her, thinking of the animals of the bog, and how many there were right now croaking and splashing and running by her right now.
the thought crossed his face a he was now taking a breath in to speak. "That you have Cypress" the admiration in his voice, the playfulness in his eyes were cute. But Cypress didn't say that. Then he took a step back and spoke again but in a regular voice, "I apologize for my concern, you get older you get prone to worry". He paused as an akward silence was passing between them. Then, Cypress spoke "no need for that sir, its okay"
"Where are you going?" he asked "I was heading towards Endless blue" she said in a mystic voice. "I heard there is just blue, running for miles and miles. Then on the shore there a large crashing waves that you can dodge." The smaller's voice was playful when she talked about it. She wanted to explore the world of Helovia, and this was her way of doing it. "I am Gabriel by the way, new to all this place." He said, a little too late.
wordcount:273
ooc: :) Its all good.
tags: @[Gabriel]
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Permission for magic or cruelty directed to Cypress at all times. But not death.
"Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there."
He wanted to chuckle at her dismissing his apology, because it was so proper and kind and unlikely in this dim, heavy place, but he did not. Gabriel got the sense the filly-mare would not take well to being laughed at, even if it was not at all cruelly. Instead he only nodded, and listened to her describe the Endless Blue – a provoking and fitting name to what could be nothing other than an ocean. Her earnest way of describing it made him wistful.
“It sounds lovely,” he said, and he meant it. Gabriel missed the sea – the crash and roar of it, the whisper and shush of the waves running up along the shore at midnight and receding again, like children trying to see how close they can get to something without waking it. He missed the taste of salt in the air and on the sea-grass, he missed the gulls' constant crying, missed the whipping, fierce wind. More than anything, he missed the way it changed, moment by moment, the colors of blue shifting in a blink, the sky above just as variable, the new worlds that appeared when the tide rose and fell. And for all that, it was perpetual, continuous, timeless, forever the same.
He hadn't known there was a sea here.
“Do you know the way there?” The mist twisted around them both, concealing the path through the marsh – but it had lost it's appeal for Gabriel today. He didn't doubt that he would be back; there were secrets here, dark secrets he felt drawn to. It was something that happened to him when he was alone, the shifting interests to heavier things.
But he was no longer alone, after all, and he looked down at Cypress, wondering why she was here, why she was alone and how long she had been that way. He did not ask these things, though; she'd made clear her intent to be independent, and that was something the chestnut stallion understood very well.
gabriel
| Hidden Account |
| Filly :: Unicorn :: 12 hands :: 10 months |
| Cy |
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"It sounds lovely"
The voice had came after she spoke of the blue, the remembrance flashing in his eyes and movements.
The older of the two had a cheerful look in his eye Cypress just couldn't ignore. It was a slight glint of her reflection. It seemed frail and delicate. That must be why he had asked her of age.
She was young but strong. Which meant she could do different things.
Mist shoved its way towards us, as the stallion asked a question of the blue. "Do you know the way there?" he was asking the question in true sincerity, not because he was testing her, like some adults do. Replying, Cypress let what she knew fly out of her mouth. "I am pretty sure we leave this place and go up the cost, north, and we would be there in no time. If that is what you are asking"
Then thought covered his body again the stillness the same as when he thought before. Cypress stopped and let him think, everyone should have time to do that before a decision. But Cypress didn't think he was thinking about decisions and what-not, she thought he may be thinking of her.
She half didn't like the thought of someone thinking of her. It distracted her into thinking of them. Sighing she decided to say something to break into his thoughts. The voice of the filly glowed out like wind on the moors, "Do you have a family here?" Cypress wanted to know that. The others she knew didn't really have families, usually just herds. But it was worth a try. As she awaited her answer she watched the treetops and listened to the croak of bullfrogs.
This bog was half making her want to puke. But she decided to just stay. Until both their time had ended to speak to each other. So they could just think of their time spent here and how much they enjoyed talking to eachother. Well, that's what Cypress was going to get out of it when she left.
wordcount: 344
ooc: Sorry it kind of long.
tags: @[Gabriel]
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Image Credits
Permission for magic or cruelty directed to Cypress at all times. But not death.
"Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there."
“It is,” he answered her, after she recited the way to the sea. “Thank you.” He'd already told her he was new here; his lack of knowledge of the geography of the place was understandable, though he planned to correct it soon. Hopefully he could learn Helovia without stumbling into places less welcoming than this. He'd heard only a hint of the warfare, bigotry and hatred that darkened some of the herd-lands – he was still ignorant to the division between the species. Hopefully he wouldn't wander anywhere that would kill him.
He shook his head at her question, not at all wistful – it had been years since he'd had any sort of family (with the exception of his children), and months since he'd seen anyone he was related to. Gabriel was used to it; not since leaving his mother had he thought of family as anything but pain, a tie that bound you to bad things. He'd cut those ties.
“I don't,” he said, and thought of the twins. “Not a blood family, anyway. Somewhere here are twin stallions that I am...quite close to.” It was a near enough description of his relationship to them, anyway. Most things with Kostya and Sasha were complex; a death-bog wasn't a place he wanted to stand and talk about them. “I prefer to travel alone most of the time, though,” he added, a little unnecessarily, as traveling alone was clearly what he was doing now.
He cast a glance about them, an ear flicking at the low-throated cry of some marsh-bird. Curiosity and unease still mixed within him, neither particularly winning out. “I'd thought to explore this place,” he admitted to her, “but I may save it for another day. It's not terribly welcoming, is it?”
He was talking more than he generally did, and he wondered -- was it for her benefit, just another example of the father-instincts taking over, or was it for his own?
[ooc] no problem! I tend to ramble, myself.
gabriel
| Hidden Account |
| Filly :: Unicorn :: 12 hands :: 10 months |
| Cy |
11-08-2013, 10:11 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-18-2013, 05:20 AM by Cypress.)
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The words of her own followed with a shake of the copper's head. Then followed words of his, "I don't" pausing, a thought passed his mind then moving on speaking again. “Not a blood family, anyway. Somewhere here are twin stallions that I am...quite close to.”
Ah.
Cypress saw. He had a family, just not a... what do you call it? Family of trust? No, not a family with love? She didn't know. All she knew is what he had told her. For she had just met the handsome stallion. The thinking gaze swept his eyes for a moment, then he spoke again. "I prefer to travel alone most of the time, though". A ripple of something shook through his body. Well, that's what Cypress saw.
This stallion... he seemed different. Why? How was he different? Why did she think about this a long time after she had been told she looked different. But, hey. She was different. And she could express it with her eyes, her movements, her tone. Tons of things she knew about herself jumbled in a knot. Until she couldn't pick something out of it anymore.
The chestnut looked in the direction of a sort of marsh-birds caw. It sounded different than others. Just like what she was thinking about them two. He spoke again of thinking of exploring the place too. Then he spoke of its unwelcoming look. And how he would save it for another day. Cypress knew. This was the natural haziness in the olders that she'd met's eyes. They had forgotten of their days of no worries and prancing in the beautiful lush green fields. The eyes of young glowing gold while in the sunlight. But she knew not one of them she had met had overcome that haze and she would soon have it. Clouding her eyes bringing her into the mature world.
The thought of never exploring. Cypress couldn't go a day without figuring something new out. She loved new. She love old. Just like friends and family. The ones she had lost and yearned for all her life.
wordcount: 349
ooc: Sorry! I put this up a while ago and I forgot to add the tags!
tags:@[Gabriel]
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Image Credits
Permission for magic or cruelty directed to Cypress at all times. But not death.
"Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there."
He was unused to this sort of conversation; usually it was he who was close-lipped, preferring to keep his own counsel, as others spoke to him. Here, though, it seemed reversed, and he wondered why that was. Certainly she had reason to be shy with him; he was a much older stranger who had all but bounded over to her in a foreboding marsh. As for his own loose tongue, well – his daughters would be about her age, now. Gabriel couldn't help but feel protective.
A funny thing, that; and for all the more he looked at her, the more guilt he felt. He'd left them, after all; he didn't even know whether they were still alive. Nor did he, in all moments, even wonder about them. He only continued his own life, followed his own feet and heart and head.
And for all that he was still alone.
She still hadn't spoken, and Gabriel shifted uncomfortable, wondering about the look in her eye. She seemed to study him, searching for something – whatever it was, she seemed to not be finding it, otherwise why would she keep her silence? After another moment he spoke again, the words soft and fading quick in the boggy air around them.
“Well, Cypress...I hope you can forgive me for interrupting your day. It was a pleasure to meet you.” The red stallion hesitated for a moment, and then touched his muzzle gently to the filly's – a parting gesture. Then he turned, away from the marsh and the skeleton trees and the disquieting fog, and he began to walk.
He hoped she wouldn't think him a silly old fool.
@[Cypress]
gabriel
| Hidden Account |
| Filly :: Unicorn :: 12 hands :: 10 months |
| Cy |
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Cypress wanted to gush out all her thoughts and all her history to man. She liked the talk he was having with him. They seemed to be rings of light that just didn't find each other yet. rings of peace. They seemed to connect together. Just like the rings of light worthey of ponder. Cypress looked down at her dark hooves, which she could barely see through the soggy mud and gunk in under hoof. She hated this kind of stuff. But she agreed with herself on wandering the lands of Helovia until she had found a spot to really settle down and live a real life of not endless wandering.
The Stallion spoke breaking into her soothed thoughts. His interruption wasn't like mosts. It seemed he didn't even know he was breaking her thoughts. His voice was calm as usual. It was just... peaceful, relaxed. She liked it. “Well, Cypress...I hope you can forgive me for interrupting your day. It was a pleasure to meet you.” He turned and started crashing away through the murky waters of green and gross gold. She sighed now noticing their time of talk was up, and spoke, her voice sad and yearning. "It was a pleasure to meet you too" she smiled at him. Even though he couldn't see it. "You would never had bothered me Sir Gabriel." The filly spoke the truth. For he was a fun stallion to speak with. Always asking questions. But not too much. His lips shaping the perfect words.
Cypress missed him already.
Her hooves turned the way she had come, for she didn't want to adventure any more through this terrible icky swamp. And with that, she left. Hooves dragging in the chunky and murky waters of this wretched swamp.
wordcount: 294
ooc: Bye! I hope they can meet again! :) And by the way, you don't have to reply.
tags: @Gabriel
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Permission for magic or cruelty directed to Cypress at all times. But not death.
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