she's got a pretty face,.

but no heart to match

Held up in the process of drinking, filling her stomach with sweet aqua that hit her hard. With eyes shut, her ears prick upwards with alertness, seeking more songs and poems to bask in the cool temperatures that gather atop the island. Soon, a ride on a cloud would be in order to take her down, home sickness running nasty fingers over her chest in attempts to make her return. Small scrapes that dot her honey shade hide are the reason she's decided going back isn't so warm sounding. Mountain lions never played around, and if they still haunted the canyons, she'd run no risk. It was only wise.
Pulling up a small head up, blue horn barely giving light in the broad daylight with fat, fluffy, cotton ball clouds floating in an endless blue sea, a gaze drifts lazily. Golden rings glimmer in various locations near her, but when words wave her in, her legs obey, sweeping the earth beneath chocolate stocked pillars.
Greeted with another pond and a turtle that speaks, her head slips off to one side with the weight of confusion. More rise up to join her, and as it yells, the confusion fades away. A race? She's never taken part in them, but as the hornless come more, her presence seems almost unwelcome. Adrixaura was born hornless, she was half of their kind.
Coloured ebony and alabaster, a mare she recognizes from the party is one of the first to catch in the spirits. Was this one usually this high? There is no time to think as her own body springs to action, bolting with her strides trying to burst her forth after the rest. Ears flicker back, not in aggression, but instead to the winds from irritating the inner parts of her small ears.
The first few rings come with the pack she's sure she's running with, watching as the dual tone looks back to see who has come with. Encouragement is in her gaze, seeing the whole race is a game, but instead of taking it lightly, it is taken as she views the others doing so.
Others do not seem to be doing so.
The male she studied in the Heavenly Fields was there as well, small white dragon coming along with him, was there. Roots had come the ground below her gray, cracked hooves. A loud gasp rises out of her lips, encouragement replaced by surprise. Shortening her strides to avoid stumbles, a single hoof clips one, a small stumble has her slowed before she could regain balance.
This really isn't a game.

OOC: Bringing Sikeax in since she's Uniquine. Stumbles on a root Lace has brought up, but regains her balance after a stride or two.

darren criss. @ shine

The golden girl appeared in the crowd, a silent observer. Out of the horses already here, she only recognized Lace, the stallion from the Rotunda. On a regular day, she would have approached the stallion and greeted him, but today was.. different. At first, she had not noticed the turtle, but as the turtle's voice rang out into the air, she very much noticed him. She realized why today was so different when her caramel orbs caught a glimpse of the golden hoop up ahead. After noticing the hoop, she spots the line of yellow flowers. A race? she wonders idly. With a feminine prance, she carries herself to the line of flowers. She figures it is a starting line, but she has never seen a starting line up close. When she was little, she would watch the colts dig a line in the dirt and race around like thoroughbreds. She had never participated in their games, but she wishes she had now that it seems she'll be racing. With worry embedding itself deep in her gut, she swallows hard and listens to the turtle.

"Gather, friends!" He demands in a friendly way In a way that you could still turn him down. Had he said Get over here, she would've been nervous, but seeing his friendliness (at least that's what it was in her eyes) made her trust him enough to walk over. "Those with equine blood in their bodies may race through these rings. Show honor to your gods by putting your heart into the race. The first around the island is the winner." She wanted to honor her gods, so she would race today. She hopes to make the Hidden Falls proud. She will win this for her home, and if she can't win, she can only hope someone from her herd can. She smiles for a moment, finally realizing her equine blood can come in handy at a time like this. She also realizes that she is an arab, built for speed and endurance. She was ready for this race, but not ready for the magic that came with it.

Once the words go is uttered, all the horses take off in a flurry of colors. Someone or the gods use magic to summon roots from the ground. She tiptoes through them and resumes her steady, yet fast paced, gallop. With the ring ahead, she moves quickly, easily covering much distance. She was built for this.

With the change of the season yet again the grey found herself seeking out the peaceful abyss of the strange island in the sky. She had no clue how it had come to be or what it was supposed to be for but it was so beautiful. The only thing that she couldn't figure out if she liked it or not was the ride up on the fluffy clouds. While she had done this multiple times now she still felt on edge thinking that any moment she could drop to the ground and perish. Perhaps it was just the fact that she had never been able to experience anything quite so exhilarating and dangerous before. As her hooves finally settled into the island's soil she sighed a breath of relief thankful she had made it in one piece. With her colts growing up so fast it was hard to take time for herself and let her enjoy some of the things she enjoyed. Well today was different, she was going to let herself spend the day up here to relax and unwind. Seeing a small group beginning to form her curiosity brought her over to where the gathering was just in time to hear the turtle speak before announcing the start of the race. Excitement bubbled in her veins at the thought of participating in something for a change. As soon as GO was heard she found herself throwing herself forward in a mad dash towards the first hoop. It had been so long since she had given herself the chance to run like this but it felt so good! Stretching her long legs and tossing her head joyfully she slowed to a fast canter so not to burn herself out so early in the race. Eyeing the rest of the competition she tried to place herself with them so she would not get to far ahead or fall to far behind. She was out here to have fun but winning never hurt either. Setting her goal to cross the finish line first she powered on with a renewed sense of purpose. Now all she had to hope was that the weight she had put on while carrying twins would not slow her down. Shortly into the first part of the race chunks of wood seem to sprout from the ground before breaking off to create hazards on the course. Flicking her ears back in annoyance she can't imagine why someone would want to purposefully sabotage the course. Lifting her feet higher she lowers her head slightly so that she can navigate over each piece while trying to maintain her pace. She may not be the fittest opponent but she had the scope to navigate difficult terrain, it sure as hell came in handy running away from larger horses. All she could do was push forward and hope that she did not take a misstep. Brisa speaks NOTES: --

_{Table by Moonstone Designs}

The tail end of the flying race is witnessed with slightly horrified wonder by the painted stallion who wanders mostly without aim across the island, trailing after a stream of scents that seems stronger this way than the others. As he watches the final pegasus sweep over head, he understands why – the winners must already be there, and whoever came to congratulate them, and while he is normally not the most social of creatures, he is drawn to the gathering for some reason he can’t understand. His glass trinket for the God of the Earth is now tied into the dark strands of his mane, his mission to find a shrine set aside for his desperate need to explore the strange and beautiful island that he had been levitated to. It catches the light and sends blue and green ribbons of light across his chocolate coat, thoroughly saturating the white patch across his shoulders – and as he takes notice of a gathering of horses rather than pegasus aligned in front of a row of dandelions, it shifts and sends a stray beam directly into his eyes. "Crap!" he mutters, blinking savagely after tossing his head to the side to shield the glass from the sunlight, picking up his pace to a trot to close the distance between himself and the others. He recognizes some, one in particular drawing high interest from him – mostly because he hadn’t seen him since the darkness, thinking he had gone missing with the woman Dragomir had frequently seen him with and had ruled along side for a time. Smiling the grin of one who has seen a well received phantom, he slips into the line and manages to remove his eyes from Lace to look over at the turtle, taking in his words with a rising interest. A race for the grandeur of the equine species? It sounded like the first thing that was truly made for him since he’d taken up his job with the glass. Grinning happily and anxiously looking to the land ahead, his skin tingles and his heart races with anticipation until the turtle gives his shout. The large stallion bolts forward as soon as the clear is sounded, his large frame obvious as he sends his hooves driving downwards in a hope to keep up with the others. That he may just be the biggest guy there hasn’t dawned on him – thank goodness. For the time, he’s a part of the fray, charging to the pulsing drums of his heart and the pride that resonates with every vibration of the earth up through his hooves, the wind like a gentle embrace as it whips through his mane. And then, the roots came into his path. He watches them snake up from the earth with his blue eyes wide, speed faltering for a moment as he gathers his weight up to jump over them, clearing a large batch in the first leap and having to make a second one, stumbling ever so slightly as he lands, not used to using his large frame to leap and bound over obstacles he hadn’t planned for such as the common place bound over the broken wall back home. Angling for the first loop after regaining his speed after the roots had assaulted, he gathers his focus in the little time he has and leaps through the first enchanted hoop, his heart soaring with much more grace than his bulky body. Dragomir

Transported via cloud to a strange island in the clouds, he slinks through the trees, cherry trees with faded pink petals breezing in the wind. Somewhere deep inside his heart skips a beat as petals blow past him, dark nose raised to the sky as a deep breath is taken in, the fresh scent of the world around him making his body loosen, eyes closing as a call rinds out, running through the branches of the trees. Perking interest in the beast, he walks to the source of the voice, a large turtle standing before a line of yellow flowers, indicating a starting line. Others have lined up, and the beast lets a smirk crawl across his features. Lining up with muscles tense, the being awaits the time to run. When the turtle releases them, he lunges forward, barreling forth with the surge of equines and hybrids alike. Hooves clash with the earth, colliding with the ground with great force as he continues to push himself forward. Glimmering golden rings basking in the sun's yellow light line the path, solid grey hooves propelling him forward. He tries to conserve his energy, not to waste all of it now and save some for the end of the race. He closes his eyes, finding that magic that grows deep within him. Before him two trees began to move to his left and right, he slips past them with his nostrils flaring and chest heaving. Vines along the ground slither about, his hooves beginning to dance over them, leaping over the nasty roots that writhe along in the grass. He feels one hit his ankle and his gait falters, body lurching forward before he catches himself, shaking it off and moving on. He wanted to win this race, it's unclear why he wants to, he just does. Maybe to prove to someone he isn't that weak, daft and ditzy tiger boy from seasons ago. Maybe he just wanted to prove he was strong, that he was a true beast that could dominate all those below him. Maybe he would earn some respect from those beneath him, maybe they would fear him because of his threatening stare and razor teeth. "Talk talk talk" - uses his tree magic to move 2 trees onto the path- Tingal

_{image credits
table by whit}

tandavi & natraj</style> </style> She has seen the movement of muscle in the sky, been caught in the breeze left behind by their wings. She follows the noise of laughter and fun, drawn to the joy as a moth to flame, enraptured by the shrill outcry of her peers. Onward they race, and she watches them jealously, longing for a world with her in the air, a reality where she might spread great wings and feel explosions of atmosphere beneath them. Others have gathered, watching the sport: few she can recognize; many she can't. She waits for the victors, pleased and proud when her herd mates pull into the lead, but does not draw near to offer congratulations. Instead, she prepares to slip away, a waif of a girl in the sea of a crowd. She does not anticipate the declaration of the turtle, the announcement that it is her turn next. Hesitant, she flickers to the starting line, standing some bodies away from Lace, and when the creature cries Go! she is moments behind, legs moving sluggishly as she tries to comprehend just what she has gotten herself signed up for. Somewhere behind her Natraj howls; he has opted not to run, too small and to easily caught underfoot. Limbs surge uneasy, quickly finding their stride, and before the girl is fully aware a peal of laughter flies from her lips, drawn from her throat by the wind in her hair. She feels Lace's magic spread out through the ground, and is able to avoid the uprising of roots, leaping indelicately over a particularly nasty bunch. The next surge of power is not familiar enough; trees part before a great orange beast, and then, how strange, return to the path. Staggered she swerves, narrowly avoiding the newly placed giants, unable to keep herself from stumbling, surprised. Still there is good which comes from this strange occurrence: she can feel the brute's power in her veins, and she thinks that perhaps it shall be useful later in the race.

image | code

Destrier and Suli</style> A call came, and we were quick to answer. What we had not been expecting was for the owner of said call to have come from a turtle, speaking word of a race. My brows furrowed deeply over bister eyes as I took in the scene before me; a turtle, erecting a race, a line of bright dandelions creating a clear starting line, and several others gathering who had come before me. For a few moments I pondered sitting out and watching the debauchery, as my body and joints had seen much better days and I certainly wasn't built to race... But what would be the fun in sitting out, and who said I must win? Even if I had opted to sit out, I wasn't sure Suli would have allowed me to do so, as I could feel the dragoness begging to go and practically bouncing upon my head in excitement. So with a deep breath I made my way to the clearly marked start, and as the command came to go, I surged forward, leavings flying clods of dirt in my wake. Racing had never been and never would be my forte', considering my bulk, but I had always enjoyed the friendly races and obstacle courses set up by Bran and his many friends in Vallhea. We would race about the mountains, scaling steep inclines, leaping over ditches and streams, fallen trees, or even Bran's own friends when they were feeling particularly brave. But this would be different, I knew, because Helovia was a place of magic and unfairness. There were several I recognized and knew, such as Kahlua and Lace, Brisa and Dragomir, and a buckskin mare I recalled from the celebration of the Edge and our patron Goddess. The rest are strangers to me, but for the most part, it seemed this would be a relatively friendly race. Suli had taken to the skies above me, breathing a joyous, hot flame into the air which billowed and parted as she cut through it. My focus was on the path before me, however, and it was a good thing it was; roots came up from the ground, sprouting and reaching for my feet, threatening to send me crashing to the ground. Ears pressed back in concentration as I leapt over them, landing safely back upon the ground, only for more to come snaking out of the ground and trip me in my landing. I stumble, legs working quickly to regain my balance and speed faltering, but only a second later I was on the move again, deciding it best to keep in the middle of the pack for now if I were able. Another obstacle comes before us in the form of two trees, but they are much easier to dodge than the roots. Shifting my weight to one side, I pass them by, albeit closely, and power forward with eyes wide, ever searching for what was to come next, which seemed to be a hoop that guided us along the right path, which I leapt through easily. Suli seemed to have her own plans, and with a mischievous, toothy grin, the dragoness stooped from her place above me and went about snapping at the ears of our opponents, going once for the striped boy and then for Dragomir, though the latter is done much more playfully and without harm. "Speak."

x - x

It seemed that there was a trend developing in her life to always be somewhere at the right moment when things got interesting. Still in awe of the mysterious floating island Leeka couldn't help herself but visit again, if just to find out what new festivities were unraveling. And what a fair it was. The young appaloosa mare had joined the fringe of spectators watching the aerial race as best she could from the ground, not particularly cheering for anyone, but enjoying the spectacle nonetheless. It was still rather difficult to grasp the concept of a winged horse and Helovia seemed to have many of them; why even the Edge was lead by one of there number. This had been as close as she had ever been to one of their kind, however, and as they flew above Leeka couldn't help but be a little envious. What was it like to fly? It must be a kind liberation that couldn't be contained in a sentence, or so the mare mused, but what baffled her more was how, despite the cumbersome appliance of the extra appendages, they managed to be so graceful. I bet two-legged things wonder the same thing she thought, laughing inwardly at herself. Leeka tried to imagine what the muscles would feel like on her back and tested flexing a mental wing in her head, envisioning its great length and weight hanging off her side with mottled feathers stained after her own fashion, but the sensation was all wrong, clumsy even. Making a faint frown Leeka sighed, resigned to her ground-bound state, which was just fine in her books.

A sound caught her attention, notably the words equine blood, drawing her minty glazed sight to land upon the form of a...turtle? Leeka stared for a few moments, tilting her head ever so slightly and slowly while her jaw hanged limp in astonishment. Of all the things she'd seen so far, this was definably the weirdest. Stranger still was that it was addressing all those in attendance to start what looked to be another race, this time for the ground-bound types. Helovia, what a strange world you are indeed.

Gathering her feet Leeka made way toward the line of yellow dandelions, noting the presence of a few of her Worlds Edge kin, particularly Kahlua and Dragomir. This'll be fun. In her chest her heart began to beat faster, anticipating with baited breath the start of the race. She didn't so much know about the glory of all equine's but she wasn't about to go light on the competition, not even in the Queen's presence. The spark of competition was beginning to make her hotheaded and eager to prove her stuff. At the very least she could not end up in last place - that would be too embarrassing. Perhaps her goal should be to place in front of one of the strangers here; there was quite a number to pick from. Yes, a rival would diffidently up the stakes a bit but the turtle didn't give her much time to overlook the assembled group and make her mark before its voice rang out, beginning the race in a thunder of hooves. Her choice would have to be made on the fly.

Startled as much as surprised, Leeka leapt into a gallop, pushing so hard off her hindquarters she literally propelled herself into the air for a few feet before touching ground. Quickly, appaloosa mare established her stride, aiming to take a spot somewhere off the outside of the main pack to keep some space to herself. It wouldn't do her any good to be blocked in and the logic seemed to work in her favor as suddenly roots sprung from the ground, lacing the land with wooden tripwires. Unsteadily, she manages to leap and weave through the maze, not quite stumbling but losing some speed and gained ground in the process after a few clippings. Thinking herself clear Leeka tries to increase her speed and make ground, only to find her way cut off by mammoth trees. Trees of all things! The mare could only just skid around the bole of one wooden trunk and was so close she had just a fleeting moment to notice its texture before having to shy to the left to avoid the other.

Just where had that come from?! Was that part of the race? If so, why weren't they warned beforehand? Could it have been magic? Infuriated, Leeka glares at those around her, looking for a possible culprit. The cast is so alien to her it was impossible to tell who was to blame but whoever they were she was wholly set on not allowing them to win. If only she had her magic, the one seeped into her bloodline, the scales would be even, there may even had been retaliation, but her magic slumbered yet and so was useless. Still, despite all the mayhem there was one thing she managed to notice and that was the grey grulla stallion. Only he had seemed to have had no trouble with the roots, in fact, they had seemed to have sprung behind him in his wake. That was enough for her.

With determination Leeka's cool green eyes locked onto the distant form of the grulla stallion ahead as she crossed through the first ring.

She had found her rival.

Character Name || Roll

Kahlua || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 2 (2)
Lace || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 4 (4)
Sikeax || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 1 (1)
Drom || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 5 (5)
Brisa || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 2 (2)
Dragomir || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 5 (5)
Tingal || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 6 (6)
Tandavi || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 6 (6)
Destrier || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 5 (5)
Adelric || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 4 (4)
Leeka || 1d6 rolled for a total of: 1 (1)

Admin notation | Character Name | Event

+2 | Kahlua | Gentle hearts bring good graces from the gods. The queen hopes not to be in last and she is rewarded. She gains TWO PLACES.

0 | Lace | Lace was once the fastest, but it seems his bones have grown old. Either the use of his magic or the age of his muscles slows him. He remains in the same position.

+1 | Sikeax | Perhaps Sikeax could have been the fastest, except for her stumble. The hybrid is fast, but speed is hindered by obstacles. She gains ONE PLACE.

-1 | Drom | The arab mare is cocky and though she is built for speed, Lace's roots seem to grab her hooves just right. Between the roots and Tingal's trees, the mare loses ONE PLACE.

+2 | Brisa | Brisa's strategy pays off. High, flashy steps carry her lithely over Lace's traps. She surges ahead, gaining TWO PLACES.

-1 | Dragomir | Dragomir is a talented crafter, but his jumping ability leaves something to be desired. He still has time to make up the distance, but for now he loses ONE PLACE.

x | Tingal | Poor Tingal, it seems he will not win this race. When he closes his eyes to conjure his own magic, Lace's becomes his downfall. His hoof catches on one of the roots, sending him off course and around the first ring. Tingal is ELIMINATED.

x | Tandavi | Tingal's trees are tricky. While Tandavi dives around them with skill, the snaps of Destrier's dragon prove an obstacle she cannot avoid. She stumbles around the outside of the first ring and is ELIMINATED.

-1 | Destrier | The brave warrior knows himself well- a steady runner but not the fastest. While he dives around the roots and trees, the others are able to pull ahead of him slightly. He loses ONE PLACE.

0 | Adelric | The child who brings his fawn to the race with him does not have limbs long enough to avoid all of the obstacles before him. Between roots and trees and snapping dragon teeth, Adelric has difficulty gaining speed. He remains in the same position.

+1 | Leeka | Leeka's strategy pays off. Away from the main fray, she is able to focus on the roots and avoid Suli's snapping jaws. She gains ONE PLACE.

---

The equines race well, but with so many focused on speed and not agility, the turtle conjures up a silly trick in his mind. Just ahead, giving the horses just enough time to process what they are seeing, the ground disappears. In its place, a series of clouds take its place. "Have faith," he calls out, his voice magically enhanced so that all of the equines might hear over the pounding of their hooves. "The clouds will hold, if you trust them." With many different paths visible, twisting and weaving together, the image is reminiscent of stones over a riverbed. Each cloud is large enough to hold the horses for a stride or two, so that they might have enough speed and strength to jump to the next. Below the clouds, there is nothing but open air, although a feeling seems to permeate that air that even if one of the horses should fall, the ground will reappear to catch him. Do the horses have faith in their gods and the turtle ambassador of this race? Time will tell.

---

Round two begins here for those who were not eliminated! You have 72 hours to post.

Kahlua Of course so many others would come to the race, ready to run and show their spirit. But the queen was not upset, rather she was invigorated. She was only glad, as she glanced back behind her, to see that Lace's tree roots were all sprouting up away from her hooves. And moving trees, that was curious indeed, but something more pressing was suddenly on her mind as she turned back forward. Where there used to be ground just a few paces ahead, there was suddenly... clouds? A panic overtook the painted queen's mind and she found her hooves compulsively digging beneath her to try and stop. Some race this was turning out to be. However, the voice of the turtle was suddenly in the air. Have faith? How could she have faith when there was no ground and only clouds?!? And yet, though her heart pounded with fear, he had said this race was for the glory of the gods. Stopping now would be a dishonor to the Moon herself- an affront the queen was certain she could not afford. So, gritting her teeth and squealing out of pure fright, the painted queen let her body continue to surge forward and she lept from the ground onto the nearest cloud. She was almost certain she was going to fall to her death. However, just as the turtle had promised, the clouds held her hooves. What a strange, strange day. So, her fright aside, the queen slowed her pace so that she might concentrate on picking the best path through this strange cloud maze. One stride, jump. Two strides, jump. One stride, jump. The going was tedious and curious, but in time the queen actually found that she was having fun- as long as she didn't look down. Now just to hope that none of the others would feel the need to use their magic while they all danced precariously across the cloudy ground. here comes the sun

Image Credit

LACE</style> before the sun sets GLORY </style> He felt rather pleased with his little joke. Not taking the time to look back himself, the dragon made up for his own lack of attention by continuously peering back over a scaly shoulder to rapport whenever a horse stumbled or struggled to move away from the roots. Her throaty warbles sounded suspiciously like cackle and Lace could feel her mirth resound within himself, washing away what little doubt that might have remained about the good of participating in this race. Too busy gloating over his own quick thinking, the grullo didn't even see when the change in landscape occurred. One moment there was solid ground waiting to be conquered and the next, the sky had descended and nothing but clouds remained. Much like Kahlua before him had done, Lace slammed on the breaks so suddenly that he actually sat down on the hocks, earth and grass shoveling up around the hooves in his panic to stop. Fajira screeched at him, so did the Turtle - what, faith would let them walk on the clouds? Well that was just shitty, Lace couldn't have any less faith in magic; this could be a race for gods or a bowl of carrots for all he cared, he just wanted to run. Nostrils flared as he walked closer, carefully reaching out a leg to pat the cloud and make sure it was sturdy - so if he didn't have faith, would he fall through? Would he have to stop here and forfeit and give up? Horse after horse passed him by as he hesitated, Fajira growing more and more agitated by the second. Lace bit his lip, feeling the guts churn in fear and panic and unease and "Close eyes! I guide you, just come on!" Well. He could have faith in his dragon. She had never let him down before. Taking a deep breath the stallion closed his eyes, doubled back to regain his speed and jumped, sure that he would fall through and keep falling down and down until he hit the black rock beneath the island and even his magic wouldn't be able to save his life then... But instead of nothingness his hooves met with something rather solid, and encouraged by this he kept going, soon building up into a steady pace that, for all its strangeness, still would allow him to cross the course guided by his beloved dragon's "little left, little right, jump, run, jump". It took its sweet time, but eventually Lace too passed through the second hoop; considerably less chipper.

x - x

A smile curves on her lips as she manages to steal into a higher position, taking a small amount of glee in her achievement but that glee doesn't last long as the terrain ahead makes a horrifying change. The clouds descend as an angry flock, swallowing the land and transforming it into an extension of the sky itself. Instinctive fear overrides her senses and Leeka digs her feet in deep into the earth, uprooting the grasses like pieces of shrapnel as she slides ever nearer to the perceived edge just as a few others do. She had almost stopped entirely when a voice boomed overhead, momentarily silencing her inward cursing at nearly falling off a virtual cliff and fingering-pointing at the silver grulla, believing his earlier cheating to be the cause for this sudden change. The mare thought that this meant the end of the race but thou-and-behold it was simply another phase." Have Faith" the turtle cried, "The clouds will hold, if you trust them."

That went against all possible logic, but you know what, that's just what she did. If only because she couldn't preventing her momentum from pulling her forward that is. Leeka was still too new to the land to accept the Gods that supposedly ruled Helovia and hardly considered herself a worshiper, but in that moment as she used the last of her motion to launch herself over the gap and into the clouds, screaming, she wholeheartedly prayed to the Gods, whoever they were, to not let her fall. She was a ground-bound being for a reason. Could they spare this ignorant soul?

It seemed they could, or at least that the turtle had not lied in any case that the clouds would hold. Landing on the first of the wisps Leeka just stood there, forgetting about the race for a few moments and caught her breath, which came in hyperventilated droughts. She was now in the middle of the sky.

The Sky.

How comforting it would be right now to have wings.

Dazed, it was only when a flicker of motion in the corner of her eye caught her attention and brought the young mare back into the present, her cool green gaze trailing after the leaping forms of Kahlua, the silver grulla, and another bay appaloosa unicorn she did not recognize bouncing along the wispy paths. The race was still on. At once a flame rekindled in the mare's chest as she picked up her pace once again, more determined then ever to prove her worth in this wonderland of a race. However, just bolting through wasn't going to get her anywhere and to miss any of the clouds, Leeka didn't even want to dare to think even though she didn't feel any higher then before, strangely enough. Still, Leeka choose a cautious pace over speed, making her jumps as precise and clean as possible as she headed for the next ring, striding through its center with baited breath.

The clatter of his hooves beneath him takes on a more even flow as the distance between the ring he has just cleared and the next is realized to be over a field of what seems to be nothing but clouds, born above the shimmering magic that had swept the earth into a void that now could only be cleared by bounding from one puffy surface to the other. The turtle explains as much, and while the stallion is not so bold as to approach them with the courage of some of his peers, he does trust in the turtle and the task at hand is a noble one, and so he continues in his somewhat lumbering dash towards where the precipice begins, easing his pace as he approaches. Only now stealing a glance about him in the last twenty feet or so before he’d have to jump and he’s sure the ground is clear before him, he looks up with a frown to note that he and Destrier have fallen behind the others. Ahead he sees their Queen and another mare he met once while working, the irony slipping past him in his frustration to be failing once again. Holding his ears to his head as if it will allow him more speed and agility, he awkwardly paces himself and leaps onto the first suspended platform, feeling the familiar and odd magical solidity of it under his four hooves before moving to the next, trying his best to keep his speed as high as it might be under such strenuous circumstances; blessedly, the others had seemed to see no reason to use their magic when the path was as tricky as it was, and no branches, roots, or trees came rising from the earth or thundering down from above, but it was still not easy. He wobbles every now and again to gather his balance, but he hopes that his powerful lunges make up for his less than profound jumping abilities as his works his way fast as he might toward the next golden hoop, the occasional clink of his glass trinkets against one another and his jostling body sending thrills of pride through him that quicken his pace and deepened his drive. Dragomir

she's got a pretty face,.

but no heart to match

More bodies, eager to participate in the running, join with her, stumbling across the roots that she finds difficult when maneuvering her small hooves over. Her stumble is followed by many others who face the same fate.
Some fade away, dropping their numbers as they become scratched away. Some still stand, the Grulla male who she is sure rose the roots is still within. He falls behind her as she surges onward. Spirits rise, becoming more playful in her task. A thin smile spreads across her features as blue eyes bare amusement. Previous feelings are replaced by the sound of her thoughts telling her she's done well.
Before her, the small numbers setting the pace are skidding, clouds rising in front of their eyes. Cera's words are still fresh to her mind, every word that he passed onto her with the unique feeling of flight burning her fear.
Leaping forward as they halt in fear, she has every bit of faith in her invisible wings that she can fly, that the clouds can hold her weight when it is placed beneath, carrying the strain of her trust. The cushioning feeling that strikes the frog of her hooves is odd at first, but she lunges forward for the next, a light, feminine laugh bursts from her vocal cords.
So this is what flying feels like.
"Hurry up!" She yells, laughter still spraying from her with her trust gathered within her hooves while her body jumps, soars, fucking flies to the next cloud. The next ring seems closer this time, with the wind stronger in her locks and proading her watering sights.

darren criss. @ shine