[sorry, on phone.] @[Vulture]

I trudged along in my infamous gait, the tranter (I would explain what that meant, but you will likely just not inderstand). I didn't know where I was, or where I was going, but I was north. This is where I was told not to go. I was gold not to go here by my sultan, My-dus. My (for short) was a startlingly dazzling stallion that was in charge. Of course, since he was my leader I was supposed to follow his every direction, but in this instance I didn't. If something goes wrong, I will be the example for every young or old member of the 'Throat'. I hoped nothing would go wrong. What if I did something brave here, and I would be looked upon as 'the mare who conquered'. As always, I would probably not get the fame I desired sometimes.

So, I just trantered along, looking at my the scenery around my alabaster and gold bode. Everything was covered in piles of snow. This was like a desert. Everything seemed empty, but it was really just vibrating with life. Instead of sand, there was snow. Maybe this was the biggest difference, but I didn't mind the swap. Frozen water didn't scare me a touch. As I went on my merry way, I could feel the snow cleansing my sun-baked pelt, washing it with heaven's frozen tears. I liked it here.

To my right were miles upon miles of white plains. To my left were mountains, small and large. In a rather large mountain, there was some sort of cave. Of course, I had to investigate. I turned my body into that general direction, and meandered over to the cave and halted by it's entrance. I could see inside the dimly lit room.

The walls, roof, and floor were made if polished ice. In the center of the cave were stalagmites and stalactites that looked like worms falling from the ceiling and growing from the floor. It was beautiful in here, and I sensed no danger nearby. What was out here that was so menacing?

I turned away from the cave and walked back out onto the snowy field. I wanted to frolic out here before exploring any caves.

Vulture He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold I am not the type to venture north. Just like heat, I loathe the cold, but this is an exception. Blood stains my body, but it has long since dried, it reveals of my recent prey. A stallion, tainted with wickedness and sin. He is my first target since arriving in this disgusting heap of rock called Helovia. He is the first of many that will die by my horn. These monsters shall be vanquished. My flame and drive has been relit by my need for their blood. Before I finished off that stallion, he gave me but one hint as to the location of another. He had thought information would result in mercy. I merely laugh. North he had told me, head north and I would find the Temptress. I can already begin to decipher who this ‘Temptress’ is, I know it in my bones, she is the bride of my Sin. He shall lose one of his most beloved followers. The abomination will be pierced with my horn, and her blood will spill upon the snow. Today, I, Vulture, will make a difference in the world Then I see her, a coat so light, and wings spreading out from her body. Why this temptress possesses the boy of a child is beyond me, but I can see the power behind it. Let others see innocence, when she is truly a vile being of malice. There is no hesitation, my need for her blood to spill swells inside of me. First I will pluck those wings, I will shatter them, completely cripple that loathsome creature. “Your Sinner betrayed you little whore,” I say, my tone gleeful. I am excited; I am ready to sever the head from this little filly’s body. Oh yes, I will taste of her blood. I pace about her, and I watch her, scanning her with a hungry gaze. My pale eyes narrow as I decipher where I shall cut first. “Hm…” I whisper, my eyes fall upon those full wings. They have to be the first to go. Yes, they must be severed from her body and trampled into the snow. Maybe I could even plucked a few feathers to decorate my hair as a trophy. Oh yes, I am not the type for trophies, but this would be an exception made. This death is of great significance, she is the very bride of my enemy. “Time for me to play,” I purr, “And time for you to die my sweet Temptress. I’ll send you back to the depths of hell. Give your beloved my regards.” I stop my pacing and lunge toward the filly, my head is lowered, horn aiming toward her left wing. My blood is shooting through me as I anticipate what blood will be dripping into the snow, I want it. Most of all, I want her to suffer, because I had to suffer. I had to suffer because of her. So now, she will be ripped from this mortal body and given over to my horn, which is craving her flesh already. and so by degrees – very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. @[Aurelia]

Image Credit

[MUSEEE MARVELOUS MUSEEEE. Around 600 words! I love Vulture so much. I also love how he confuses Aurelia. :D]

I do not here the stallion deciphering the torture I would receive. I only hear a faint howl of the wind before all is silent. I began trantering again, moving slowly in my awkward trot canter gait. Could I make the tranter an actual gait? Was it already a gait? I doubted some horse would've come up with such a smart word, so I took all the credit. Smiling to myself, I continue on.

Then... I hear a menacing sound. Well, maybe it sounded fine, but in my ears... It sounded like a machine screeching it's sirens. “Your Sinner betrayed you little whore,” Perhaps I would've thought this sentence to be fine, but the menacing tone behind the words scared me. My body drifts to a stop and I spin around, facing my opponent. "You are a sinner, whore." I tried to act tough and mean, and I let my words ooze an eerie and cold tone. "You want to growl at me? I'll show you my bite." I had to fight the urge to add 'meanie' to the end of my sentence. I did not know what a whore was, but I was guessing it was not a polite term, considering this horse was using it. I did know what a sinner was, but who is my sinner?

As the stallion pondered about what? I did not know. I did not move either, I would not shy from this. This would be my chance to prove my worth, and survive. I could not be oracle until I proved myself. I can't be oracle, now that Africa has taken that goal from me. I was bitter about that slightly, but I still loved Africa. I could see now, we are more like sisters than anything. I have confessed my nervousness around boys and stallions alike to her. I could only confess that to a sister, right? Could I confess to her that I was nervous around older boys, not just kids my age?

“Time for me to play, and time for you to die, my sweet Temptress. I’ll send you back to the depths of hell. Give your beloved my regards.” Who was my beloved? Was it Gaucho? I had no true feelings for the stud, I just thought he was... attractive, but we could never be, for he was much older than me. I did not want my innocence raped away by an elder, or did I?

I realized I was in danger once he stopped pacing and lunged at my left side. Instinctively, I lift both my wings high into the air so I am a verticle line. I recoil my body to the right, but it doesn't do much. I turn to face my attacker head on. Then, I feel the pain. I kick out as hard as I can, hoping to kick his body somewhere.

I do not dare look at my flank, which is no doubt butchered up. I can feel three spots of pain. A small pain spot on my shoulder point to elbow, another near my barrel, and the last on my hip. I know I am wounded with three, red, cuts all horizontal and almost making one line across my entire flank. Luckily, I have skin separating the cuts from each other, or else I might've seen my guys splayed on the floor.

Damn stallion... I open my wings and charge forward, away from him. Though my wings are vulnerable, I feel faster this way. I know I am not fast enough, so I start flapping my wings to take longer, faster, and bigger strides. Is this crazed stallion chasing me, or is he glad I've decided to leave?

Vulture He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold The little bitch bites back. She dares to call me a Sinner. I feel rage pent up inside me and I crave her blood all the more. She throws threats back at me, but I don’t fear her. No, I fear nothing. I know she fears me, which she should. I am the sin slayer, I am the destroyer of demons. This girls blood will be spilt upon the snow and I will relish in it. No, I will roll in it so then my dark body matches my red marking. When I go in for the attack, she faces me head on. At least she doesn’t appear to be a coward, unlike so many sinners that cower. As my horn strikes her flesh, satisfied warmth fills me, but then it fades when she turns and strikes back. The little bitch hits my shoulder, it hurts and all I do is grunt. No cry will escape from my lips, all she does is make me even angrier. I will crush her beneath my hoof. I watch as she begins to run, and she spreads out those wings. Now, I know it is time for me to pluck the bird’s wings and permanently ground her. I surge forward after her, my horn lowered. I will not let my prey go so easily, no, she will die. I will make sure of this. “Run all you want, but catch up and destroy you,” I call after her. I push my muscles harder, shifting my gait into a full gallop, and I try to gain up on the mare. I attempt to swing out my horn towards her right wing, I want it to snap from her very body and fall into the snow. It could make quite a lovely gift to one of my ‘ladies’ back at the Asylum. I am sure they could always appreciate something like that. Especially if there is a bit of fresh blood still, I know particularly Eris favored that. “You’ll just make this more painful for the both of us,” I call over to her with a sing-songy tone. “All you’re doing is gradually making me angrier, which will only lead to a slower, more painful death.” My tone shifts to dark, and malicious. It reveals how badly I want to destroy her. I gallop and try to pull up in front her, and then stop, hoping to block her bath and trap her so I can finally finish her off. “Accept your fate Temptress. I am the hunter that will finish you, you know your fate is inevitable.” I laugh again. Adrenaline is pumping through m veins, I have t strength I need to make one final slash and dispose of her. Today will be an indescribable victory . "blah blah blah." and so by degrees – very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

Image Credit

I know he is speaking.

I do not hear him. I hear adrenaline pumping through me, but I do not have the testosterone not muscles to fight this demon back. I feel the snow crunch under my hooves. It makes a nice crrrrrraunch sound. I can hear that noise again and again and again. He is behind my rear and getting closer, quickly. I flap both of my wings once.

I feel my body rise into the air some, but it is no use to try and fly.
He has caught up and passed me, so I slid to a stop as he circles around to face me.
There was some distance between us. Should I try to fly away? "I have known no colts in this land. Leave me be!" I am almost crying. I grind my teeth together and try to think of a solution.

Was there a chance we could be friends? "Before you murder me, tell me about you. So then, you may torture me." I had to give in. If I fought against him he'd make my end that much more painful. "I will be your slave, even." I looked at my wings. He had managed to get no feathers off, but I knew that was what he wanted. "You want to ground me? Well, fine." I turned my head sharply to the left. Would I really allow myself to become his slave? I bit into a group of small feathers at the base of my wing. I yanked hard on the inch long ivory feathers. Almost rudely, I threw them on the ground in front of him.

I couldn't stay, could I? Had he already told me where he was from? I could run now. I could be free. Ever so slowly, I lifted my wings so the touched at the tips. My body was turned slightly, I could get away.

I galloped forward, past where he had been. My wings flap down and I am airborne. I only stay approximately four or so feet above the ground, but I am fast. I flap my downy wings a lot, scared I will fall to my death if I do not. I would not fall as a bird who has had it's wings clipped, but soar like an eagle. I could not be killed, at least not now.

I ascended into the air slightly, still scared for my life. I had practiced take-offs a little before I had entered here, but never actual flying. I could see green up ahead. Rolling hills, mountains, and green. How good it would feel to roll in the grass and embark on adventures in the Throat.

Wait, why was my side cold? Oh no... The blood. I could feel it dripping down my left flank. My curious head looks to the left and I see my entire under-wing is cracked in blood. I can fly no longer, so I descend onto the land, free.

[oh nos! Aurelia was too frightened and ran away! Perhaps when she is two they can actually spar? I guess I cut this short some, but do not fear... Vulture has left quite a mark on Aurelia, both emotionally and physically. <3]

A caw of distress and dread carries upon the wings of the wind, across fresh buds of grass and flowering meadows, of crystalline ice and pristine contours of snow. The world is tainted. Traitor. For you see, doll, on this eve, a act of treason has seeped into snow, glinted red with spilled wine. A sedition, betrayal, an act of deceit against the Asylum's promises. A breach of faith, traitorousness, veiled in allegiance, devotion and loyalty, sweetened intentions of blood and gifts, a lèse majesté presented as the Trojan horse, a vile creature of murder that hides among their ranks, breathes high treason and comes forth to cause mayhem and destruction to her people, a foreign act that has found its home among her brethren. A vulture, come to rip flesh from her Queen's bones and lap fresh wine into it's grotesque stomach. It disgusts the Seeker, an abominable act, depraved, shameful, it brings shame to her people, and the pretty maw turns up in a condescending scowl, or at least she thinks it does - her expression is cold as Stygian ice. It's hilarious, the Seeker who seeks Death, causes carnage and destruction to view a act as such despicable, and yet she finds no amusement in her position of self-righteousness, a statue upon the tainted snow. Traitor. Little beings flit and flutter, voices drone and echo, and she does not move. She does not attempt to aid the girl, does not attempt to fight for her, not when blood stains the ground, and not when the dove takes flight to the air in fright. I know who you are. The Seeker is a dark smudge against the pristine Earth, in view, a speckle of darkness upon a robin's blue egg, in clear view, in sight of both squabbling beings, if one would grant her a glance, too encompassed in their own blood lust to see anything else. Traitor. And with a indifference to her step, the Seeker turns, allows fate to take place - if the girl dies, she does not know, does not look back, does not spare her attention for one second as she slips away across the frozen tundra. The Seeker is gone. Was the Seeker ever there? That's up to the chickens across the white sands. She has a Queen, two of them, to attend to. And a Traitor to put to waste. :: Posting with permission from baylee and Selkie! Circuta</style> who's the killer in the crowd -</style>

Credits
AHMEDBAKIR : VENOMXBABY : GALAXIESANDDUST : SALSOLASTOCK</style>

Vulture He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold I watch her cry, and plead. Images flash through my mind, I see myself. Please, just stop. I’ll be good, I’ll do anything just stop please, I blink, and in that moment I realize she is gone. At my feet are a bunch of feathers. I can feel something sliding down my cheek, and then I realize I have been crying. How did a moment of victory shift into a moment of weakness? How did I let the girl go? A loud scream escapes from my lips as I look up at the sky. “Why can’t I ever win?” I scream to the heavens. “Nothing in this life has ever gone right for me.” I kick up a wave of snow. Then I walk toward the puddles of blood in the snow. An innocent, wounded because of my blinding bloodlust. I know the Sin, and I know that it’s bride wouldn’t be so weak. She wouldn’t plead or beg for mercy. I lay down in the snow, in the puddles, and I bury just stare at what I have done. “I hope you’re happy Nero.” I can still feel the tears slipping down my cheeks. “I stooped to your level. I reached your level of low, I wounded a child.” Violence comes easily to me, I have no restraint in that department, but I swore to myself never to harm an innocent child. I vowed to never inflict what had been inflicted upon me. Stupid boy, how many times have I told you? Please, I promise to be good.. I’ll do anything! I can see that eye staring at me. It’s cold and hollow. “Please, go, just leave me alone.” I whisper, “You can’t torment me anymore, I killed you remember?” My eyes are shut, and I shout. I know my grandfather’s spirit is near. He is laughing at me. When I open my eyes, I don’t see him, but I know he’s there. He’s here, the monster that always lurks in the back of mind, the creature that torments me in my slumber. For a split second, I see him. That dark figure looming over me, and my eyes widen in terror. No! No! NO! In my ears his heartbeat rings. Louder, louder, and louder, I can stop it. I stand up, and scream loudly. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up! You’re dead, I killed you. I watched your blood spill onto the ground.” I close my eyes tightly, and when I open them again, he’s gone. My expression hardens, and I narrow my eyes. I have to leave. I can’t stay her, I can’t let myself remain in the place where my grandfather’s spirit lies. I have to find the Temptress, I have to find Sinners and destroy them. I walk toward the abandoned feathers, I pick them up and carefully place them in my tail. They will be tossed aside once I leave, but for now I will let them be a reminder. A reminder of how this place is destroying me, it is destroying the Sin Slayer. I glance out at the cold wasteland in front of me, I know I can find my way out of here. I just have to go the way I came, the Threshold. My hooves carry me there, at full speed. and so by degrees – very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. Italics are past Vulture and his Grandfather

Image Credit