COIKA
dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight
Nato had lead Coika to the caves, and she’d so rudely fell asleep on him in the Sunken Falls. Who could blame the mare? She’d travelled weeks to the Threshold through bitter cold, sustained a rather irritating wound on her shoulder, was overwhelmed with the discovery of unicorns and Pegasus, and was lead to warmth. She’d woke with a roaring hungry stomach and a curiosity whose thirst must be quenched.
The mare rose to her feet and glanced around the room to find herself alone. She breathed a heavy sigh and shook her head. Of course, she thought. It wasn’t so bad, she supposed, except that she had no real clue where she was. The journey with the unicorn stallion had been a blur; they’d galloped the entire way, and Coika didn’t know if she would be able to retrace her steps. For now, the caves offered safe haven, and she’d not take that for granted.
She paced through the stone halls, each step echoing hauntingly. She turned a corner and at the end of her new path she noticed an eerie glow. Her pelt twitched nervously as she stood, considering her options. Visage turned to look back the way she’d come, then back to the glowing chamber ahead. She snorted and continued on. Whatever was in this glowing room couldn’t be any worse than the biting cold beyond the cave system.
As she ventured deeper, her steps no longer echoed. She stepped upon spongy ground, surprising her considerably. Her nose lowered to investigate and took in the sweet scent of edibles. Food! she thought. At last, she’d have something other than ice to satiate her hunger. She bit and pulled hungrily. It would be reasonable to say that the mare had been starving. Her heart jumped in excitement as she gorged herself. She didn’t remember a time when anything had tasted so good!
Her visage rose for a moment, ears swiveling and globes searching for any other life. Surely she was not really alone in such a delightful, hospitable place. But where was everyone? "Hello?" she called out, listening for any answer.
"talkie talkie talkie"
nothing scares me anymore
After Adele had been greeted by so many unfamiliar faces in the Threshold she had felt it necessary to seek out what little family she had. Aaron had known who she was, but did not explain how. Their meeting was cut short by the darkness that plagued Helovia. And so the red and blue mare was left wandering the caves with Vera, trying (and utterly failing) to rebuild her life. She had gone over every second of her life that she could remember before now, but it was all a blur of ice and horses without faces. She knew not of who she had been before now, but she would do her best to find out.
Adele's opalescent belly rumbled in the crisp air of Frostfall, for the cold found it's way to the caverns despite being underground. She huffed, and turned to the dragon perched upon her back. 'I don't suppose you know where to find any food here, do you?' She asked quizzically, already knowing the answer.
'Sorry,' Vera mumbled through the bond, casting her ivory orbs to the ground. Adele sighed and picked up her diamond-like hooves, moving at a steady trot through the caves. If they couldn't find any food, then they'd at least find some other horses to show them where to get it. Even better, the horse could tell her who she was.
The mare's journey led her to a glowing room. It looked promising with a soft stream winding around many different plants that Adele had never seen before. Once again, she turned to the only being that she could rely on for advice. 'I wonder what it is,' Adele spoke to Vera, leaning her head down to sniff a clump glowing mushroom.
The small dragon chirped, swooping down off Adele's neck to take a closer look at the plant. She crawled to the clump, reaching out to nibble on a small piece. But she immediately spat it out.
'It's not doing anything for me, but I'm pretty sure you can eat it,' Vera choked, swinging her tail from side to side as she turned up her head in obvious disapproval of the mushroom.
Adele playfully rolled her eyes at the dragon, a smirk rising upon her lips. She decided it would be better to eat the mushroom than starve to death. The mare tentatively picked at the plant before realizing it was actually pretty good. It wasn't her normal grass or anything, but it was better than she expected.
In the midst of her mealtime, Adele heard a questioning "Hello?" sound throughout the cave. It was feminine and obviously equine. 'Another horse! Vera, she might know us!' Adele spoke excitedly, picking her head up and trotting towards the sound of the voice.
Now it was Vera's turn to roll her eyes. 'We met like five other horses in the Threshold and only one knew you, I'd say the odds are pretty low that this mare knows us,' Vera spoke bitterly as she shot into the air to follow her bonded. Adele was too excited to pay much attention to the dragon, though.
Their short journey through the cave led them to a mare not even a hand shorter than Adele. She had a dark mane, dark legs, though she was graced with an ivory-colored bodice. A remarkable contrast to Adele's own red and blue body and mane of fire.
Vera came to rest on Adele's withers as her bonded studied the new mare with a smile on her features. "Hey there, I'm Adele," The red and blue mare spoke welcomingly, flicking an ear back at the small, pale dragon on her withers, "The dragon is my companion, Vera." Adele's voice was sheepish as she introduced Vera, noticing the other mare's lack of a companion. She wasn't ashamed of Vera at all, she just didn't want to look as if she was superior to the mare because of the dragon. The red and blue mare was unaware of how many horses were bonded to a dragon, and the last thing she wanted was to be seen as insanely different because of Vera. Or because of her mane and unlikely colored body.
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COIKA
dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight
Coika listened, audits swiveling and globes searching for any sign of life. Click, click, click. The echo of hoof beats met her, and visage snapped toward the opening of the chamber, audits perked in wait. Her ebon tail slapped nervously at her legs, and weight shifted uneasily at the sight of an orange glow from the hall growing brighter with each click. Fire. Fire? She pondered, lipping at the moist air. She readied herself, prepared to flee if need be. But, with a glance around, she quickly realized she had nowhere to flee.
The flames came forth, but they took the form of an equine. Coika’s ears pinned against her skull as she danced in place. A kind voice rang out, ”Hey there, I’m Adele.” Coika’s head shook, sending her mess of mane flying. She prayed this mare wouldn’t come too close. It would be horrendous to be set ablaze. Sharp hooves pawed at the spongy moss and heavy snorts quickly came, firing hot breath like bullets. Wings, horns… They didn’t mention anything about fire, she thought, silently cursing herself for not demanding more information about this new, strange world she’d entered from the unicorn and Pegasus. Dragon!? She suspiciously eyed the scaly little beast that the flaming mare claimed as a companion. She didn’t bother to ask what “race” the mare was – she’d be forever known in Coika’s mind as firey one. She’d not even bother to comment on her appearance. It was what it was. Did she even know she was on fire?
She finally collected herself and stood poised with her head high. "Coika," she stated simply. She hadn’t been expecting anyone to answer her call. Now she hadn’t a clue what to do or say. Perhaps she should have taken Elsa a bit more seriously on the home bit. In a place like this, it may have been favorable to find a stable homestead with faces that would become familiar.
She motioned toward the ground. ”There’s food here,” she said, wondering if the flaming mare had been as hungry as she. ”Where am I?” she suddenly questioned in a rather bold voice. ”First winged horses, then horses with giant horns growing from their faces, and now… I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re on fire and there’s a winged reptile on your back.” She didn’t understand it at all, and some enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
"talkie talkie talkie"
nothing scares me anymore
Adele hesitated at the sight of the mare's pinned ears. She guessed the other girl was nervous or scared of her. This meant a couple things. First of all, the mare didn't recognize herself or Vera. It wasAdele didn't see herself as one to be so easily feared. Unless the beings who resided in this region were all judgmental equines. What a shame that would be. If her family was the same, then would Adele be outcasted by them as well?
The mare pushed the thought out of her mind, it was far too horrid to be thinking about at the moment. She focused her attention instead on the other equine standing before her. Adele took a step back from her, tucking her head in the midst of her hesitation. She kept a gentle look upon her features, it was reassuring and sheepish.
"Coika," the mare spoke simply, holding her head high. Adele picked up her own head at the change within the mare. "That's a really pretty name," Adele complimented with a sincere smile, her blue-orange eyes glimmering in what little light there was in the caverns.
”There’s food here,” Coika's speech was once again very straight forward. Adele nodded at her words, turning to a cluster of mushroom glowing a couple feet away from her diamond-like hooves, leaving Vera in a perfect view point to gaze at the stranger from her perch upon her bonded. The dragon studied the mare carefully, but found nothing too interesting about her, especially since she didn't know who they were.
'Let's just leave,' Vera huffed through the bond, eyeing the exit they had their back turned to. 'I haven't even gotten a chance to study the mushrooms, Vera! We're not leaving yet,' Adele argued, sniffing the florescent vegetation. Vera fought the urge to give a growl to her bonded. Although she'd never do so with an unwelcome audience.
"All the food there is seems so strange, though. Like those mushrooms - they pulse with light. I wonder if they're special, laden with qualities you can't get from ordinary blades of grass..." Adele's voice faded, her eyes sparkling with delight, sparked by interest in the subject. She found herself constantly yearning for knowledge. It was an instinct. The mare couldn't control herself when it came to asking questions.
”Where am I?” Now Coika was sounding much more bold than before. Adele swiveled a crimson ear back to the mare, picking her head up as she continued to speak, though the red and blue mare herself stayed silent. ”First winged horses, then horses with giant horns growing from their faces, and now… I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re on fire and there’s a winged reptile on your back.”
Adele laughed at the mare's words, giving her a sympathetic look. She understood how confusing Helovia could be. Luckily for Adele, she had spent a bit of time in a herd before coming here. She knew a portion what was going on.
"You're in Helvoia, the Heart Caves to be exact. This land is plagued with magic, horses here have developed it within themselves and learned to control it. They've also learned to live in harmony with a select few creatures here, creating a bond with them. The bond allows communication between species," Adele explained, turning to Vera. The dragon understood her bonded all too well. The ivory reptile leapt into the air, her actions were fluid, the light making her seem like snow in the dim lighting. She came to hover beside Adele, pale white eyes focused on Coika.
"Some of these creatures are ordinary, such as a bird or snake, but others are not. They are not usually found wandering around in forests, for they are spoken of mainly in fables. But here, they're anything except stories. They're real, like Vera. She's a dragon, gifted with the ability to breathe fire," Adele smiled, happy to share what little knowledge she did have with the mare. Vera chirped along just as gayly, a huff of smoke rolling from her nostrils.
"And my fire...I - I can't explain it," Adele faltered, a frown creasing her delicate features. "I lost most of my memory some time ago. I don't know if I was born this way, or cursed to live like this. The fire is harmless, though," The red and blue mare stated simply, adverting her eyes from Coika. It was shameful for Adele to know so much about everything other than herself.
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COIKA
dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight
That’s a really pretty name. She nodded silently at the mare’s compliment. Coika had never thought of her name as pretty or, for that matter, anything other than a name. Of course, she hadn’t heard enough names in her life to have much to compare it to.
Coika found it odd that Adele was so analytical of the available food. Yes, it was strange, but food was food – especially in the dead of winter. Though Adele’s considerations did mildly pique Coika’s curiosity, she doubted that she’d ever think about it again. If nothing else, the mushrooms and mosses were lovely to look at. She noticed the firey mare’s excitement in her questions and tilted her head, wondering how anyone could be so concerned about the properties of food. Adele’s questionable tendencies were dismissed easily enough.
As Adele laughed, Coika thought bitterly toward herself, Perhaps I should just keep my mouth shut. Seems I’ve done nothing but make a mockery of myself since stepping foot in these lands. But Adele was polite enough to explain what she knew. The words meant little to Coika, but they were appreciated nonetheless.
Her expression grew slightly concerned as the mare explained that she’d lost her memory and couldn’t explain herself. Vivid globes glanced away momentarily, then back to the firey mare. A brow quirked at the claim that the fire was harmless. "It doesn't burn at all?" she questioned, her curiosity truly captured now. Ebon hooves gently padded across the mossy floor a few steps, then halted. She wanted to test this idea -- to have proof that the flames were harmless -- but she recalled previous reactions to her curiosity and decided not to push boundaries anymore. "You poor thing," she sympathized. Sure, she was in her own predicament, but she couldn't imagine not even really knowing anything about herself. She'd not judge the mare on this. Surely she suffered enough without any judgmental or presumptuous minds in the mix.
"Do you have a home?" she questioned, unsure of the purpose of such question. Coika hadn't grasped the concept of "home" and certainly didn't have one. She had no ideas of where she could go, much less of where this new face could seek refuge. As far as she could see, she'd be spending her days in this cave system. Granted, she wasn't actively seeking a place to call home, either. "It seems there's much disarray among these lands," she commented, remembering the words of Nato and Elsa.
"talkie talkie talkie"
nothing scares me anymore
To Adele's surprise, Coika's expression turned concerned as she explained what she knew about herself. The mare had shown such little emotion throughout the meeting that it almost shocked her to see the fem display such a perturbed attitude pour from her. It seemed Coika actually did have some sense of morals.
Or perhaps she just didn't care about the other things Adele had spoken of. They were both possibilities to be considered.
"It doesn't burn at all?" Coika questioned, genuinely interested in this subject. Adele smiled shyly at the words, ears flicking back nervously as she shook her head. "It's completely harmless," She stated with a flick of her flaming tail.
As if on queue, Vera moved from her hovering position next to Adele's shoulder to land upon the mare's withers. The little dragon crept up her bonded's nape, claws softly digging into her skin for grip as moved through the flames. The pale reptile stopped by Adele's ears, letting her tail hang over the side of the red and blue mare's neck. Her ivory eyes watched Coika advance towards Adele, uncertain about what she thought of the new acquaintance. She seemed distant..or nervous. It was impossible to tell, as well as infuriating for the dragon who must know everything.
'What do you think of her?' Vera questioned through the bond, voice edgy in Adele's mind. 'What is there to think? We barely know her. She seems nice enough,' The mare answered, hardly batting her eyelashes at their conversation, relaying no special actions to hint at the fact they were speaking. They had developed quite a connection, one that required little effort to make unnoticed to the eyes of others.
"You can touch it if you want," Adele smiled, understanding how curious the mare must be. She seemed intrigued by the subject earlier, and it wasn't as if Adele cared about others touching her flames. They had proven to be pretty effortless to care for.
"You poor thing." Coika was now being sympathetic. Adele shrugged at the words, turning her head away from the mare, as if slightly embarrassed. "Oh, we manage," Adele laughed softly, bi-colored eyes wandering across the cave walls. They weren't particularly interesting, but she was too mortified to look at Coika.
"Do you have a home?" The mare questioned, causing Adele's gaze to amble back to Coika. "I - I don't guess so," Adele stuttered, shaking her head slowly. "We're drifters, Vera and I. We roam Helovia and call it home, but we don't always have a place to actually dwell each night or anything," Adele explained, her thoughts suddenly consumed by notions of home. She resided in Helovia; that made it her home...sort of...yet she had no secure place to sleep each night; no area to come to rest her head after a long day. Helovia was seeming more and more like a prison with every thought Adele conjured.
"It seems there's much disarray among these lands," Coika commented. Adele's attentive gaze looked at the mare with a dour expression, the normal bright blue dulled by her own thoughts. "You don't know how right you are."
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