the Rift


Erstwhile Ally [Kri]

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#1
Smoke the Wild Rose
March 6th, 2012 at 11:05pm

With the responsibility not only of helping Gossamer run the Foothills
but also find and offer shelter to her old friends and acquaintances,
it was not uncommon for Smoke to venture farther and farther from the
mountains and the Threshold in search of familiar faces wandering the
lands. It was one such day that found her among the meadows where
thistles thrived, pacing around the prickly plants while dark eyes
scanned the near and far distance.

Overhead her dragon wheeled in the winter sun, cavorting in the mix of
chill air and gently warm sun. His wings flashed jewel-bright when
they caught the sun from above, and his voice was raised in merry
dragon-song. He'd been finding dragon-trace lately, and was looking
forward to finding and meeting other dragons, since the only one he
had any contact with lately was Lazulli. Still exciting, but the new
was beginning to wear off.

Dark head shook with gentle amusement at the joyful feelings emanating
from her friend, and Smoke paused to gaze up at him, sharing in his
delight by watching him twist and dive in his airy realm. They'd had
no luck as of yet, finding others, and she was content to take a break
for now... perhaps if she stopped moving for a while she'd be found
instead/



Kri the Resolute
March 8th, 2012 at 1:19pm

Dropping from the Heavenly Fields, I soar through the clouds, flapping
my wings somewhat violently to dislodge the water droplets that clung
to my delicate feathers as I settled into the current below. I had
nowhere in particular to travel, so instead let the wind do as it
pleased, carrying me over the land with a few gentle strokes of my
wings. The blonde hair whipped around my face and neck, the sign that
speed was still on my side.

Even when I did not directly command the wind, it seemed to know me.
It knew my presence preferred the rush of the wind versus the still
calm. Though it meandered where it wished, the speed was still slowly
increasing, pushing me faster and faster. My home, the sky, knew what
true freedom was. The cloud broke farther away from the Fields above,
and soon, the bright sun of the winter touched my frame. The air,
chill in this season, was strangely comfortable in such a radiant
glow, which warmed my back and sides, touched my face gently.

My blue eyes closed momentarily, until I heard the flap of leather in
the air. Eyelids snap open, light partially mussing my sight, until I
see a glimmering blue shape. A dragon, I think to myself in amusement.
With little reservation, I dive toward the smaller creature, twirling
around it in the air, a laugh breaking through my throat. I had not
seen one of these creatures yet in Helovia. It reminded me of the
white stallion, Adalwulf, and his fierce companion. This one, though,
was smaller in size. Surely, it’s friend was around here somewhere.

For the moment, though, I simply set in quick and tight turns, playing
in the air with the happily soaring creature. It was fun to be able to
play in the sky with another. Below, though, in the field of tall,
yellow grass, I see the dark form of an equine. Smiling down below, I
pull up on my wings, straightening out, and begin to glide gently
down. “Hoy, down there!” I call, slowly falling in altitude. I land
gently on the ground below and make my way toward the roan mare, a
pleasant smile on my face for this stranger. “Lovely dragon you have.”



Smoke the Wild Rose
March 12th, 2012 at 9:18pm

She noticed the larger shadow first, wary alarm shooting from her to
him with barely enough time for the exultant blue to take heed and
twist toward the winged stranger before the pegasus dove by and around
him. A startled cry escaped Zaffre's throat as he scrambled to get
himself situated to face the stranger who flew around him with a
laugh. But he quickly realized that the intent was all in good fun,
and he trilled joyfully to have a winged playmate of such size. The
turbulance that came off her wings was immensely fun to manuever in,
bringing excited chirps from the dragon and renewed calm to his
bonded.

The playing ended after a time though, and Zaffre trailed after as the
winged mare glided down to greet the waiting Smoke. "Greetings to you
as well!" She called out in response, watching in curious patience as
the stranger approached from above. It was infrequent that the grulla
got to meet a pegasus, and rarer still for that pegasus to express
such an interest in Zaffre. "Thank you, he is a joy to me as well. His
name is Zaffre, and mine is Smoke, the Wild Rose once of Isilme and
now of the Windtossed Foothills. Might I ask your name?" Ears were
tilted forward in polite interest even as she returned the warm smile.
Zaffre hovered above them both, jade eyes openly curious as he watched
and hoped for more playtime.



Kri the Resolute
March 24th, 2012 at 4:05pm

The dragon is alarmed by my sudden arrival, which is to be expected.
Soon, though, the blue creature catches on to my intent with a renewed
sense of happiness, taking very kindly to my attempts to play with
him. The reptile swirls in the air patterns created by my much larger
wings, and I simply take joy in the beauty of aerial movement. The
roan down below, though, keeps a sharp eye on her bonded and me. With
this sort of call, I start to glide toward the strong faced mare down
below, hearing the smaller drag of air on the wings of my airborne
friend and he trails behind me.

The greeting I bellow out is returned, bringing a large smile to my
face as my hooves connect with the earth below. Carefully bringing my
speed to a slow halt, I walk toward this mare, who watches me
curiously. Large, delicate wings fold against my back, and, whipping
my forelock from my blue eyes with one quick swish of the head, I give
my attention to the lady’s words. Zaffre, I repeat silently in my
mind, even as I look up to the hovering reptile with a smile. My eyes
soon return to the dark face of the lady, Smoke, who has quite the
lengthy introduction.

Still, a quiver in my heart comes from the word Isilme. So, this one
knew of my former home as well. “A pleasure to meet you, Lady Smoke;
as well as you, Sir Zaffre,” I say, glancing up at the blue dragon
above our heads. I recall, briefly, the mare by the name of Gossamer,
also of the Foothills, that I had met within the Threshold. Still,
this darker mare held a much more authoritative and respectful air in
comparison to her paler leader, so I held back my negative judgment
from the prior encounter. “I am Kri the Resolute, formerly of the
Cliffs and now a vagabond.” My eyes glimmer mischievously as I poke
fun at my own situation. Soon, though, I would not be a vagrant of
this land. Soon, my kin and I would have a home to make our own.



Smoke the Wild Rose
March 26th, 2012 at 6:26pm

Manners, this mare had. Smoke approved of the friendly and respectful
greeting, though it did not sit easy on her to be called 'Lady'... it
was far from her to be accustomed to such niceties. Yet Zaffre was
quite thrilled to be acknowledged as such, and trilled back to the
winged mare.

When the mare's name was offered in turn, it was the grulla's turn to
be surprised. The name she recognized, familiar as she was with her
homeland's histories and political dynamics. Dark eyes blinked at the
pegasus for a heartbeat. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Kri. I
am familiar with your past, and am pleased that you are well."
Tactfully she avoided touching on potentially sensitive subjects such
as Cielo and the destruction of the Cliffs in the clash of the
Original's foals. It was not her place to bring up sore topics when
this mare was still homeless all these seasons later while Smoke
herself had found new lands to lay down her roots so swiftly.

"How has your time here been? With so many from Isilme scattered here
now, I am curious about these new lands. I hope to give my old friends
and aquaintances the offer of refuge should they not have found some
themselves." An ear quirked sideways slightly as she watched Kri,
wondering just a bit what this reputedly spitfire of a mare had going
on.



Kri the Resolute
April 1st, 2012 at 3:58pm

“Surprising,” I say, as the mare mentions she recognizes my name. She
had lived in Isilme during my time, which was not very common anymore.
The younger generation had mostly usurped the older, and I found that
it was difficult, even among the refugees I had met, to find a soul
that would recall my precious Cliffs. All the more reason that I would
trust this mare, Smoke.

The grulla had a level of respect in her eyes that I appreciated. Old
leaders were often forgotten, but she had lived during my reign, as
well as that of the horror that the demi-god brats had ruled. We were
both victims of the same history, but I was glad that she did not
venture to speak on such topics. Likely, I would have retorted with a
haughty response about the cruelty of Adalwulf, even before the earth
brat king stood on the throne. Now, however, I kept a pleasant enough
smile about my face as she asked more of my circumstances.

I was curious whether or not I should tell her of my true plans. She
lived in the Foothills, which was not the target land I sought, but
might be put on the table by my kin. To rule her lands out of our
invasion would lessen our options, but give us more leverage. In the
end, her warm-hearted suggestion of refuge solidified my decision. “To
speak frankly, Lady, I have been planning to overrun a herdland with a
band of my kinsmen, when we are organized and strong enough to do so.
I can assure you, though, that no harm will befall my friends.” I
smile more widely at her and Zaffre, but keep a serious expression in
my eyes.

“I don’t intend to let my kind sit out in the cold.”



Smoke the Wild Rose
April 1st, 2012 at 5:36pm

A quirk of humor tilted her ears and warmed her gaze at Kri's reaction
to being recognized. They were not all that different, the two of
them. Stout-hearted survivors that kept moving forward despite their
losses. So what if one bore wings and the other was ground-bound.
Appearances were skin deep.

And it seemed that like-minded survivors had similar intentions as
well. Kri's confession was not all that surprising, given what Smoke
knew of the mare's reclamation of the Cliffs. What she proposed she'd
done before, even if this time was more likely to be more of a
struggle. It was reassuring though to know that the Foothills would be
safe from such an invasion force.

"I understand. And I would like to offer my assistance, however it
might be best used." She had a thought of being available for spars,
as most of the others in the other herds were as ground-bound as she
was, and perhaps opening the Foothills as somewhere to stay to those
who were not as militaristic and sought somewhere safe in the
meantime. "I am willing to give your fighters a chance to spar with
someone who cannot take to the skies as they can, and offer refuge to
your kin if they wish it. But they would have to be approved by
Gossamer as well, and follow the laws of the Foothills." Zaffre
chirped softly, wordlessly volunteering himself as well, since his
bonded had forgotten to mention him in her offers. He knew that the
pegasi would not be used to dragons.


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