Glory [ Mandatory Herd Meeting!]

the Rift

Glory [ Mandatory Herd Meeting!]

Paladin the Valiant Posts: 153

Deceased

Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 hh :: 15 Years Buff: DANCE

Tamme

#24

08-29-2012, 10:28 PM (This post was last modified: 08-29-2012, 10:28 PM by Paladin.)

I WANT TO FEEL THE PAIN AND THE BITTER TASTE
OF THE BLOOD ON MY LIPS, AGAIN

Paladin watched the storm erupt before him with an expression of disappointment, mild irritation and exhaustion. Perhaps, had he not been in so much pain, his temper would have been riled, and the noble stallion would have lashed back with his strength and experience. Now? The stallion could not help but watch as if through someone else's eyes, someone who did not care anymore, someone who was in too much pain to give a flying fuck.

With a deep, heavy sigh, the black dun leveled his crimson eye at Ricochet and shook his head slowly. He stopped. Pain in his crest erupted, causing him to wince. "You were listening with your emotions and not your skull, making your position perfectly clear," he said, his tone flat and matter of fact.

"Perhaps if you had listened at all, you would have realized that I was calling for a dialogue with Smoke that could in fact reinstate her as a lead." The black dun then watched as the healer sucked the life out of the ground around her and yelled something about not fighting and family. No more hurt? Really? Because he was standing there bleeding, barely out of the thick of a challenge, and she wanted no one else to hurt? Paladin's expression soured.

Paladin wanted to sarcastically tell Ricochet that he had something on his mouth as mad froth dripped from his lips, but he refrained in case the stallion found another reason to lose his already needless temper. "I am in pain. I am tired. This spat is completely needless as I have never been a stallion who would turn away talking to anyone about discontentment." With a sad crimson eye, he grunted. "Either you choose to delude yourselves into thinking lies or you honestly believe that I am the type who would deny Smoke the right to calmly, rationally and respectfully speak about her desires in this herd."

The black dun stallion grimaced. "I am disappointed in myself that I did not appear kind enough to each of you that you think I would want this power for myself without considering those who have done so much. I wanted more for this herd, and I had hoped that you would as well. There is no need to allow anger to rise up over a matter than can easily be solved with rational logic. I believe, and still do believe, that Smoke is a true gift to Helovia, as I have stated before."

With a grunt of irritation, he stared into the distance. "I am disappointed that this matter was not handled with the rationality that I know you all possess. You treat me as a creature who I am not, and I will not allow these lies about my personage to continue." Paladin turned to Smoke, his expression calm and saddened once more. His eyes were tired, exhausted. Shock was beginning to set in, and his muscles trembled despite his best efforts to appear in control. "If you wish to speak with me further, I encourage your openness. I simply ask that you give me a night to rest and allow the tension of this moment to fade before we discuss. You are important and valuable to this herd, and I did not mean disrespect."

"You have my deepest apologies." The black dun stallion began to limp slowly from the middle of the fray, wishing beyond every desire of his heart that Soleil could be here right now. She was his strength when he was weak. She was his happiness when he was sad, and she was taking care of their children. Suddenly, Paladin stopped and turned to face Ricochet, his expression fierce. "I can forgive much in the light of temper, but I cannot forgive you for calling Soleil such cruel and malicious names when she is not even present. I expect you to apologize to her, regardless of the outcome of tonight, because what you did was not only a mention of discontent with a lead, but cruelty against another who is not even here to defend herself against your slander. I had hoped more from you."

The stallion limped forward, again, thirsty and desperately needing something to drink. All he wanted to do was lay down and make the pain stop. Did he want to lead a herd full of such cruelty? Who would ignore another's pain because of their own selfish actions at a matter easily resolved? The sorrow that filled his heart at the state of mind in this herd was crippling.