She doesn't get today anymore. The air is warm here as sand flies up her legs with each stride. There was this odd need for her to get her ass back home, to feel the heat that baked the desert like an oven. Every member of the Dragon's Throat was sort of like a baked good. Some of them are Honey Buns (she could sort of call herself that, she looked like one and tried to be nice), some of them were burnt cakes that not even a homeless man off the street wanted to touch. Beggers couldn't be choosers, and they were nothing closer to beggers, but sometimes you need to take what comes to you. Her mother had dealt the babe a difficult lesson in taking what was offering itself to you even if it didn't look that good. Kri seemed that way towards her father and her, but if the small winged mare came across the filly now, then there could be a chance she could see that Sikeax was making every attempt to make herself useful.
Passing the border, she feels the pull release her and break off into the desert sky. Clouds hung overhead with their throats roaring, thunder threatening the land with promises of rain. If it rained she'd never get out of the heat because when it rained, the heat only got worse. Her newborn days were in the snow and cold, therefore she was more likely to be better off in the Aurora Basin where it snowed year long than here. This home was actually easier for her to accept than that place. When you've seen the bad side to two herds and a good side to one, you can get the feeling of home in that single good.
Her pace is lessened, her gallop brought down to a slow trot. Each leg extends outwards, her gait less awkward though it lacked the usual bounce of happiness she carried. She was more calm and collected. Her thoughts were firmly into place as there was the smell of salt water from one of the beaches that held off the southern border. This was more of the western border than the southern one, but her directions were lost and confused. There was much to home she had yet to find, but there was always a place for her to hide herself off to.
This special place was just a tree, not the special tree that everyone here knew about, just a tree. While she was used to palm trees around the oasis, this tree, stubborn like she was, came along to tell everyone that if you find a way, you can do it. Finding it was an accident altogether. She had been wandering about on one of those endless nights, looking for a silver glow that would tell her of her favourite company. When she didn't find it, the tree found her and kept watch over her while she slept. Now, it was a place for her to go to when she didn't want to be surrounded by all her new family members, listening to her issues and keeping her company when she needed someone. It also held as a good place to hide any of her herbs and favourite plants to eat when she couldn't find any here.
Heavy raindrops fell upon her, the first to hit her body giving her discomfort that showed with a cringe. Her spine rattled and she jumped a bit, kicking up her heels to hurry up and ge underneath her lovely hardwood tree companion. It stood tall and waited for her, and though she showed no amusement on her face, it was nice to be here. Lightning crackled above her head, giving the final reason to get up under there.
Beneath it, she sighs, easing her bones and falling to the dusty earth in a huff. Her breath is knocked out of her lungs but she refuses to complain. Each eye flutters, eyelids heavy as she stares out towards the sea. It is nothing than a quarter mile from where she is at, wild and reckless as winds kick up and toss it around like a rag doll. The water is active today, and a swim now wouldn't be so welcome.
In one of the roots was a hollow hole she'd also been lucky to discover, filled with what treats she could discover. This time of year, if she was to leave the Throat again, she could find apples and bring them back here. It'd be a welcome treat, but as she slips her muzzle into her cookie jar and pulls out a leaf, chewing and savouring the taste, that idea is gone. She needs to stay home more often, and this would clearly be the beginning of that.
OOC: Open thread. Anyone is free to come in <3
If you could hear me then, can you hear me now?
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Image Credits
Africa the Starry-Eyed Posts: 727
| Deceased |
| Mare :: Pegasus :: 16 :: 6 (Tallsun) Buff: NOVICE |
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Silas :: Common Zephyr :: Roc
Riven |
AFRICA Diviner for Dragon's Throat
The first squall of Orangemoon plumed progressively above; billowing grey and stark bursting white, mushroomed far into the heavens, meshing across the vast blue arc to suffocate viciously the burning sunshine which floundered now with wilting intensity. A wild wind swept sheets of bitter surf from the churn and froth of southern ocean waves, its gust relentless and swelling as the humidity of the day clung defiantly on through the straining afternoon. Thunder rumbled restlessly through the atmosphere, groaning and grumbling as the burden of impending rain grew too heavy to bare and far in the distance; well off the sandy shoreline-threshold of the desert, the first hints of lightning ricocheted violet through the looming black mass of storm.
Africa stood there, hooves lost beneath the surging sea current, with brooding pale eyes riding the brutal toss of waves beyond. She had not seen weather like this, the violence of seasonal shifts and the flooding torrents of rain undoubtedly to come for a long, long time, and even though the oppressing weight of the day still drew channels of salty sweat across her dappled coat, the promise of rain filled her with unbridled hope.
She wore around her shoulders a sodden mass of silken cloak- grey green in hue, with a slippery shimmery texture (although this was quite missing while the mare was so soaked). It clung heavily to the curves and fine lines forming her graceful physique today, though the pummelling wind rattled its loose edges aggressively where they draped right down to her knees. Around her neck too, buried beneath willowy, thick veils of mane and bunched fabric; tucked snuggly between the pulse of her fleshy breast and the sturdy leathery straps holding the robe, two amulets were hanging upon delicate golden chains. They were both treasures and protection, glinting as the last of the choking sunlight was relayed from the angry waters below.
The fury as it built around and above her was both as terrifying as it was breathtaking, and frequently Africa found that her breath had been held; her concentration skewed, her wondering eyes entranced. Even when the large balls of water began to plunge from the sky, she could not draw herself from the scene unfolding- it was the shrill, impatient beckon of her mate, her life and her soul, who pulled her awake at long last, and together they fled the onslaught of giant droplets an a windswept flurry of flung sand and unruly flailing hair.
Hooves danced to playfully the frightening melody of the rains pounding patter, of the roaring thunder overhead and the vibrant crackling light as it peeled in warning through the dense blackening cloud cover there. Though heritage promised haste and agility, to cross through slippery dunes, her imagination wandered tirelessly to the presentation she had witnessed by the God of the Earth a month before; perched upon the cliffs to the east, conducting the symphony of nature- his element and his world. She wondered as they went, long lean legs spilling forward, faster and faster ahead of the cascade to come, if this were a presentation of their Lord, the beautiful and powerful architect of their land; whether she should rise beneath his show and celebrate the majesty of his power instead of fleeing its ferocity to hide.
Silas drove her on and the angry flicker of rain bothered fire danced too far ahead- they were not going to make it home before the green curdling clouds unleashed their gush of ice.
In unison they turned instead left, powerful wing thrusts and undulating legs carrying the thrilled, adrenaline fuelled bodies towards a lone tree- large, and growing boldly in defiance of unrealistic odds. It would do, and the mare and her bonded fell beneath its open arms gratefully. Silas fluttered to find roost among the lower of its old woody limbs and Africa found herself face to face with another seeking shelter, perhaps; a young horned creature who she had not before met.
A quiet smile, open and apologetic, spilt through her expression and the one-winged mare said, “Please don’t mind our intrusion, we were not going to make it home. I’m Africa, and this is Silas.” She chuckled light-heartedly, glancing upwards to her bonded who was cleansing beads of water from his star-speckled, black tail, one long elaborate feather after the other. Outside, the downpour grew heavier and about her feet arrived cubes of white ice whose weight would be supported by the Gods no longer.
Through the curtain of hail Africa could see the shadow presence of the ocean, and took for herself a vast, contemplative breath.
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Fate would always have her have company, a weary soul that shared home with her who sought out companionship just for a short amount of time so that their soul wouldn't be held down with a heavy weight of loneliness. Growing comfortable and settling her young bones, her new company comes out from the storm with their pet along side them. She offers a smile when the greeting is polite, thin lips taking their new position well.
"I don't mind at all. We're all family here, aren't we?" This she recalls from when she had come to the desert and named 'Little Sister' by the lead. In her previous band, her birth band, everyone was seen as family members even if her mother wasn't much for that idea. "I'm Sikeax, but you're free to call me Sia. It's nice to meet you both, Africa and Silas." Her eyes shift to the bird, not taking much attention the fact that the mare could be more suspicous than most. She'd seen those that have a hate filled heart, and the voice that falls out of the mare's mouth is not one she's seeing hate come out of. The bird draws in her thoughts, drawing her brows together if she was to have one. Horses lacked eyebrows, and if you've seen one with them, give a call.
When she looks over to the cloaked, there's something different about her. She can't point it out, and it'd be rude to ask. Her eyes linger, a leaf hanging from her lips in the most unlady-like way, but who said she had to be lady like? Manners kick in for a moment and she finds good use of them.
"Would you like to come lay with me? I've got some sweet tasting herbs from out of the Throat, you've free to have some if you want. The storm could hold us here for a while." Said storm was taking home by surprise while it lay upon the ground, grabbing it by the wrists and pulling them to it's feet upon tired legs, and shaking it about. The waters offered waves that made an uncomfortable impression upon her. She was going to ask something when lightning crackled and ambushed her, rattling her own bones. Winds took to the idea and hit the trio with a sucker punch.
Her hair is thrown about and blown into her face. It reeks of herbs and every scent they've ever offered to her. It makes her noise crinkle up and she sneezes. For a girl that was young and smelt constantly of herbs, her sneezes never put her to up on a shelf to look like a proper thing. If you caught her outside a diplomatic mode and out and about in the wilds, you'd find that one chick that never seemed to settle down. She had energy, and when it couldn't released in a normal way, it came out in the most unneeded ways.
It sounded more like a mixture of a screech from the bird than a sneeze. With that she could of passed it off and tell Africa that Silas had found something to make a racket about, but no, her head swung forward and for a moment, her glowing horn caught itself of a tree root and took some bark off. The bark promptly went with a gust of wind and left them while she sat back and frowned with wide eyes.
So much for good first impressions, but I can play this off real cool like. Just be natural.
"So, how about those boys back at the oasis? See any cute ones?"
It wasn't exactly the best way to play off a sneeze that would make a T-Rex turn around and make a confused expression at, but she gave a half-hearted smile and tried to make it seem like she wanted to have a fellow girl who knew exactly who had the cute butts and the good hair, sexy eyes, and a voice that makes a girl go "Oh god, I've just got to have that one!", and then probably hit him on the head with a rock some night and rape him for a good looking baby. Don't get me wrong, there's girls like that everywhere, though Sikeax kept herself away from that. If her father was to find out(and he would, he had that daddy sense that told him about it), she'd never hear the end of how boys will get you pregnant and then ditch you with the kids.
If that conversation was ever to happen, she always had her mother's reasons because Daddy fucked up at the start and a little bit before that.
She giggles a bit, not putting too much into it because that was just so awkward and oh my god why did I even say that. While she's giggling like a little school girl over a royal mess up, she finds that thing that was placing the mare off to her. The cloak did a lot to hide her features, but where feathers hung low on one side of her body and the other didn't, she saw that the mare had only one wing. This means absolutely nothing to her. She'd seen the fatal mess up's that come with birth, probably nothing more than a birth defect. It'd be rude to ask and she holds her tongue back from it though her mind, begging for knowledge and slapping away the hands of politeness, tells her to ask a little bit about that wing.
Instead, she finds an easier route to go down.
"Do you mind if I ask how you and Silas met?"
If you could hear me then, can you hear me now?
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Image Credits
Africa the Starry-Eyed Posts: 727
| Deceased |
| Mare :: Pegasus :: 16 :: 6 (Tallsun) Buff: NOVICE |
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Silas :: Common Zephyr :: Roc
Riven |
AFRICA Diviner for Dragon's Throat
The champagne stranger, young and wielding upon her small face a glowing blue horn, seemed unbothered by the wave of rain soaked hair, silk, sand and feathers. A warm smile invited Africa still closer, further from the torrent which surged in windblown sheets beyond the tree, and she obliged willingly. The old hardy tree which seemed so misplaced in the brutal desert bore hard nodules upon its trunk and the dappled mare lifted her wing to rest by the curve of her spine so it did not crush between the pressures of her resting weight against the woody surface. When Sikeax introduced herself the Oracle smiled down warmly across the filly and nodded her pale face, the last channels of water trickling readily with each bounce down the velvet smooth space between her nostrils. Ungratefully the sand repelled the fluid and it lingered in a bubble upon its grainy top before seeping slowly beneath.
Sia spoke again after a moment spent studying Africa, and the humble grey answered without concern- she too had already allowed the tactful sweep of pale eyes absorb the figure and form of the younger, and held little contempt for that natural simplicity of curiosity. “Thank you Sia. I must say I haven’t sampled many of the Throat’s herbs.” She paused for a moment to consider the delicacies she had tried throughout her Helovian ventures and chucked softly. “I figure I’ve eaten just about everything else around though, fruits, mushrooms and bark.” With a light-hearted sigh to conclude the wash of her delicate voice, Africa let her knees fold and her weight sink into the still-warm bed of soft sand near to Sikeax. Certainly the girl could be right about the weather, a ferocious growl echoed through the heavens and in the same second the world around them was lit by frightening electricity.
Both the filly and the mare fell into a somewhat dumbstruck silence, unable to compete with nature’s violent clash outside.
As the thunder dulled once more, the bubbly blue eyed Unicorn (that is how she appeared), lifted only to surrender to a vigorous sneeze. Africa wondered if those gangly legs propping her minor mass up might buckle, but they remained steadfast and sturdy and the young grey let slip the long breath she had held in anticipation when Sikeax regrouped, frowning with innocently gaping eyes. A gentle laugh lifted through the noise of the continuing storm, and the Oracle’s kindly eyes closed for the unfortunate humour of the moment. The filly had followed almost directly afterwards with the smooth strike of random conversation- the topic of which Africa had probably never before considered; or not from the perspective of a preadolescent anyway. “Boys?!” She choked between fits of unstoppable giggles.
Her company smiled then; and the gesture broke into fits of childish giggles- the mild-mannered mare was glad the frown had been distracted from her sweet expression.
As the carefree moment waned, both expressions stiffened a little though smiles seemed to linger in place of the cordial manner which had begun the interactions. Africa’s warm gaze watched while Sikeau again let free her eyes to wander the length of her frame and the one-winged Pegasus closed her eyes to relax simply, while the need for words mattered little. The girl was good company, and she was glad that such a character dwelt in her homeland. Soon enough, the young voice broke the silence and eyes peeled apart as her light grey face lifted to view the trees healthy undercarriage where Silas had finished his cleanse. “We met a lifetime ago.” She began thoughtfully, her mind overflowing with affection for the little avian above- unquestionably, her time in the Basin felt that far from her now.
“I was nesting up north, just when the first fresh flakes of Frostfall had begun to spill across the tundra; it was a lonely time I admit, there were no familiar faces where winds colder than our southern ocean pummel the land. Solitude can wreak havoc on the mind and sour the heart, and after many nights I was suffering in just that way- without my family and without the comforts we have here at home. For many days I did not rise to bathe, to eat or to drink, and when a light crust of snow had blanketed my hopelessness there came a strange cry; one which caused my heart to burn with life. I was too weak to answer his call but he stayed none the less- perhaps he felt that same flame lit inside his own chest.
Silas left me only to forage and gather berries, and collect those sickly, tart Tundra weeds which sustained us through the remaining length of our stay. He tended me with the love and care of a mother; the same sentiment that a lover should serve his partner. We have never been far apart since, and I don’t think my heart would beat without the thrum of his pulse inside my head. It is like we were made for one another- in fact, I suppose we were. That’s what they say about these incredible bonds. That the ties were forged through time, even before both are born and that their lives will be forever intertwined.” Africa’s tender voice trailed away as her reflections and thoughts overwhelmed her mind. Perhaps her experiences, the knowledge that had been hidden in the crevices of her shrewd mind was far greater than she had truly believed. This was the first time she had really been asked to share part of that insight, and she had astounded even herself.
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