Time had passed by quietly in the Throat, and it seemed that the rest of the herd had respected by desires to remain alone to grow accustomed to my new home and become acquainted with them on my own terms. It was similar to living life as I had for years, living on my own or on the outskirts of a clan. There was a strong difference this time around. No longer was I met with bitter glares or snarky whispers, rather an occasional bob of the head or friendly smile. Over the weeks i had become comfortable enough to begin expanding my horizons, deciding to push my fears to the limits and staying out later and later.

Tonight, I had waited for the herd to fall silent under the blanket of stars before breaking away to explore the night. By now, I was quickly adjusting to walking along the sands that my hair left trails in, climbing up dunes with ease save for an uncommon stumble. The moon shone down on me like a watchful angel, lighting my way and showing me the nocturnal world of the Throat. I wasn't particularly sure of what I was looking for, but I had been drawn further into the desert as though the moon herself was calling to me. Auds pricked to catch any sort of sound, every little noise enhanced by the vast silence. For whatever reason, I began to feel uncomfortable as insects that were once singing their songs grew quiet...


OOC: @[Bucephalus]
251 words

"Hello there Morrigan." Bucephalus's voice shattered the silence, the black pegasus standing on the top of the dune she just climbed over, his gold gaze amused, features illuminated by the pale rays of the moon and the gentle gold glow of his bags. He had not been expecting her when he came here for a walk, but to stumble upon her at night seemed rather fitting. If he was correct, she still owed him something...as well as he owed her. His words were cordial, friendly, and held nothing of the fire that had been in him the last time they were on the sands together. No, that fire was kept in check now. He'd not let his facade crack so easily again. "What brings you out here?" Why was he feeling so...distant? He pondered this, rolling the thought around in his head before he settled on a plain truth; he just wanted to see what she would make of it. Rude, maybe. But being stood up for weeks tended to do that to a person. He walked down the dune towards her, a sly smirk on his face. Let her wonder how he managed to sneak up behind her without a sound. It would serve as a reminder. For what, exactly...the stallion didn't know. To be honest, Bucephalus didn't know why he did half the things he did since he came to Helovia. It felt like he was loosing himself, piece by piece, to a darkness he could not name. It was neither a darkness of evil nor a darkness of good. It was just...a void. Would he become a hollowed shell, the facade the only thing piecing him together? The thoughts hardly rattled him; when alone he had been contemplating that very train of thinking rather intensely. It both disturbed and confused him. He had no clue what was driving the change, or what he could do to stop it. The only places he ever felt himself anymore were in the air or working on his new job as crafter. But, now was not the time for such inward thoughts. The black pegasus focused his gaze on Morrigan, ears pricked towards her as he awaited a response. Word Count: 372 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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The sound of a familiar voice caused me to jump, startled by the sudden sound in the otherwise silent desert. I knew the voice well, having been the first to ever welcome me into Helovia and become my closest...acquaintance? It was only natural for me to calm down by the recognition of his tone. How the hell did he find me so quietly? Perhaps it had been his wings, granting him the silence of the wind while his hooves gave the earth a rest from their drumming. While my gaze settled on the speckled stallion, the uneasy feeling was calmed but not vanquished. As Bucephalus began to walk down the dune, a sigh of relief was chased out of my lips and followed by a smile. "Hello Bucephalus, you startled me."
Although his words were friendly and polite, there was a lack of welcoming to them. It had been a while since our previous talk, but I distinctly remembered the warmth in his tone that had been there before. Had I upset him somehow? I couldn't imagine that was the case. The last time he had been upset, a rush of emotions came out like a domino effect. The stallion himself was the first domino, that -at the time- had required me to stop him from falling. Perhaps this was his own way of keeping that domino from falling..."No reason in particular, I simply felt the need too. Like the moon was asking me to follow her...And it seems she led me to you." A friendly smile, an attempt to break this awkward ice once more, was offered to the stallion.
Scarlet eyes fell to his assortment of bags, crown tipping to the side while my forlock fell across my muzzle. That was new...I assumed that it had something to do with his position as a crafter. From my understanding, Gaucho was keeping them busy with a great task. "Interesting..." I muttered before lifting my gaze to match his, locking garnet orbs with gold. A single ear flipped back, remembering our last conversation. He was going to make me ask about it, wasn't he? I shouldn't be surprised, I had such treatment coming after essentially avoiding him as of late. Awkwardly, my throat cleared in attempt to swallow my nerves.
"Well... I believe you owe me a moonlit tour of the desert." Wait, what? Why did my words come out like that? That tone was a little too friendly than I meant it to come off, I hadn't used that husky tone in ages. And why did I put so much emphasis on 'you'? Thank the heavens for a black coat, for underneath my cheeks flushed as red as the orbs that blessed me with sight. 'Don't notice, don't notice...Ignore that...' I pleaded in my mind, flicking my tail as nonchalantly as I possibly could while I waited for his response, up until the ends got caught up around my ankle. Let me just...Kick that away...

He startled her? No shit. That was his whole point of being sneaky. He stopped at her side, gazing down at her with a politely curious gaze, head tilted to the side and ears pricked. The moon asking Morri to follow her? His gaze lifted to see the moon's fullness settled behind them, towards the herd. Uh huh.... He glanced back at her, at her friendly smile. And showed nothing but the same politeness. He remained silent as she examined his bags, a flicker of a smile crossing his face at her look. It was a source of pride for him; enough so that he had included the sun in his morning ritual, a thanks for guiding him to the Throat and everything. Then his brows shot up at her final words. Ohoho? That was a dangerous tone for her to take on when he was like this. Frankly he didn't exactly trust himself to do anything when he felt this hollow. "A moonlit tour. Oh Morrigan, there are many things i could show you." He purred, walking past her and letting the tips of his wings slide under her chin. It was something a mare usually did, but considering Morrigan lacked wings and he was in the right position...he cast a wink back at her, a sly grin on his face in challenge. Could she tolerate him like this? He truly wanted to show her the life of the desert, how miraculous everything within it was. But he couldn't deny that other things plagued his mind, and that the pair were alone were not helping. But he did his best to push that away, his gaze flickered apologetic, then back to the friendly warmth from their previous meeting. A mask atop a mask. Even with the friendliness, there was still an air of the danger. She was a temptation that lured him. He didn't know if it was the moon's fullness or the growing grace in the way she moved across the sands. All he knew was the rough ring of her voice sent a jolt straight through him and buzzed at the back of his mind like a hornet. "Well then, allow me to escort you and show you the world i see." He said, unfurling one inky wing and gesturing to the sands. Normally he'd be dancing across the dunes, every slender leg moving in perfect rhythm to the music within his mind, the music that should be in this place, but was not. So he settled for his usual motion, his hooves shuffling slightly, barely noticable unless one was actively looking at his legs. Word Count: 493 Tags: @[Morrigan]

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Gulp. It was an instinctive reaction to to the shudder that ran down my spine, feeling the hairs on the nape of my neck rise at his feathered touch. What the hell had I gotten myself into? Why did I start this? 'Because you wanted to...' What? With a shaky, heavy sigh I pushed the thoughts of temptation into the back of my mind, knowing better than to cave into the most primal of desires. I knew better than to trust such destructive desires. Lust may lead to fiery passions and delicious feelings, but it could also open a gate to a series of emotions that could get one burned. No, it was best not to touch those flames no matter how tempting they may be. Even so, the thoughts lingered in the back of my mind, glowing embers threatening to reignite with the right care.

Mercifully, the winged stallion seemed to be the first to straighten himself and pointed the way with a single wing. With another attempt at clearing my throat, I followed his direction and began to walk beside him. I wasn't sure what was worse, the daring tones of seduction or the incredibly disconcerting silence that risked following as I tried to think of anything that I could say without it coming out as desperate. While I watched the sands, grains flowing with the wind and shifting the shape of the dunes, I watched a small little whirlwind carry a cloud of dust towards our legs. Entranced with the movement, I was a little disappointed to see the cloud broken by our walk. The disappointment was shortlived however, as I noticed an odd little shuffle the stallion did. Attempting to be as inconspicious as possible, I watched out of the corner of my eyes for a moment before I made a connection to our last meeting.

"You're still...Remember what I told you?" I whispered, though in the desert night the words were as clear as day. Now, I blatantly looked down at his feet then back up to the brute's face with a small smirk. I hoped he could catch on to what I meant, when I nearly yelled at him to dance and sing if that was what made him happy. I was not here to judge him, nor would I dare try to restrict him from what he so obviously craved. Oh, cravings...'No! Don't you dare follow that train of thought, Morrigan. You know where they get you.' How could I help the stallion understand that I felt he should deserve to do what made him happy? To be himself?

I stopped in my tracks, eyes narrowing slightly while lips pulled into a coy smile. "Show me." The words were spoken like a dare, rather than a command. In no way was I wanting to mock the stallion, rather, I wanted him to try and open up to me somehow. It didn't have to be much, and there was no commitment to such an action. "You said that you would show me the world you see, I do recall dancing being a part of it?" Well, this certainly would be interesting. Never in my life had I known how to dance, and I was just now getting the hand of walking on sand. And here I was, asking him to show me how.

Auds pricked at the sound of the wind picking up, playing with my tresses and lifting swirls of dust around us. Just in case the stallion was unwilling to dance in this 'mute' world, an idea sparked in my mind. "I promised you that I would show you the songs I know. They won't be the same, but keep an open mind...Close your eyes, and I will help you hear the music." Two birds, one stone, right? As though wanting to join in, the desert came alive with the sounds that I was sure the stallion only heard as 'noise'. A song from my childhood came to mind as I waited for him to oblige my request.

She followed. A part of the stallion was surprised, the other preening. Of course she'd follow. But why did she? He shook himself of the thoughts, gaze flickering over her before settling on her face. When she reached his side, he began walking, glancing down at her, watching the way she walked over the sand now compared to before. Then she spoke. Remember what she told him? Which part? A puzzled look crossed his face when she looked at his feet, then at him, making the black duck his head to peer at his hooves. Was something the matter with them? "Which part? We spoke quite a bit." He said, ears pricked towards her. His answer came soon enough as Morrigan spoke again, and he lifted his head back up, blinking. Did he include dance? The image of Morrigan dancing... it was... 'alluring'. Okay, honestly the thought of any mare dancing sent a chill down his spine, but not in disgust. No, this was a rather pleasant chill. A chill that was distracting enough that he almost missed her next words. His gaze focused on her, a sly smirk pulling at his lips. "How can i show you to dance if you wish for me to close my eyes?" He hummed, lowering his head to be even with her, gold eyes gleaming with just about every wicked intention running through his mind. Oh, this was growing far from what he had planned when he first suggested this moonlit meeting, and he quite liked it. "How do i know you will behave? What's stopping you from taking advantage of my innocence?" He grinned then, but complied with her request and closed his eyes. Without sight, his ears could hear the sounds of the desert a little more keenly; sounds that calmed him, if only a little. But his attention was mostly focused on the mare at his side, ears pricked towards her, catching the gentle rasp of her breath, the rustle of the sand when she moved. Damnit, not helping. Not one bit. So he cocked an ear back, trying to focused on the yipping of coyote in the desert, or the crickets. Anything but the mare's tempting presence. Word Count: 368 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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"When I told you to dance..." I answered his question with a soft smile, shaking my head slightly. "I will not ask you to be still in my presence." His next question brought yet another smirk to my lips, eyeing him slyly as he teased me about closing his eyes. A light snort escaped from my nares, showing the slightest bit of impatience as I waited for him to do as I asked. "I will follow your moves, I have no doubt that you have the skills to do so with your eyes closed. Plus, then you cannot see me fall." When the stallion lowered his crown to reach mine, I felt the heat of my blood rushing to my cheeks once again. Hiding beneath my forelock, I took a single step backward shyly. What the hell was wrong with me?

Auds pricked at his playful questions, chuckling slightly at his claim of 'innocence' and the risk of my taking it. 'Innocence, my ass... The thought crossed my mind, however I kept it to myself. A sneaking suspicion told me that neither one of us would be able to claim our innocence, as sins could come in many different forms. I knew without a doubt that I was guilty of sin, and was always at risk of repeating them...But, I kept it my response as lightly as I could. Which, let's be honest, was not going very well at all. As the stallion grinned and at last closed his eyes, a surge of courage (among other emotions) swept over me as I leaned closer to him "Well, then I guess you'll have to trust me just a little bit after all..." With a small laugh, I pulled away again as I looked up to the skies.

I sighed as the wind picked up, swaying my body while my own eyes closed for a moment. Never had I attempted to sing the songs I knew as a child, especially anywhere within earshot of another. I cringed at the thought of butchering the melody, but I knew I would have to keep my promise. Too late to go back now. "Listen, let your heartbeat become your metronome...The winds playing on the sand, rough until the sands are lifted to the skies, your tamborine. The crickets, your strings...The buzzing beedles, play a rythm all their own. The coyote, she sings to use in her native tongue..." I was having a difficult time trying to explain what could be what, and I stopped my swaying as I peeked a glance towards Bucephalus to make sure his eyes were still closed. Even I felt like this wasn't going anywhere, surely I sounded like a lunatic for imagining the creatures and desert as instruments of music. "While alone, they may only sound like noise...It's not until you listen to them together, that they sing." With that, I stepped closer slightly to brush my shoulder against his wing, signaling for him to join in whenever he felt comfortable.

The only way I would truly be able to release the song from the desert background was through my own voice now...Lightly I began to hum, resuming my swaying to keep time, closing my eyes to listen to the desert join in as music.

"I stood out here once before
With my head held in my hands,
For all that I had known of this place
I could never understand.

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
the stars are out and magic is here...

I wished on the seven sisters,
Bring to me wisdom of age,
All that's locked within the book of secrets,
I longed for the knowledge of the sage...

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here,
The stars are out and magic is here...

So, the sisters smiled to themselves,
And they whispered as they shone,
And it was from that very instant,
I knew I would never be alone.

While on the hills
The fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here,
the stars are out and magic is here..."

The words escaped my lips in a soothing voice, slow and melodic as I timed the song with the crickets and winds. Garnet optics opened to watch the stallion beside me, ready to mimic his moves whenever the music could take him away.


OOC: Lyrics from "Fires at Midnight" by Blackmore's Night

Oh, she was on dangerous ground now. He could feel her breath as she leaned in close, the warmth of her laugh against his face. A tremble ran through his legs, and he fought every urge to open his eyes to gaze upon this damned seductress in her guise of a innocent. By the time she spoke again, he regained control of himself, although within his mind he was muttering rather irritably at the lure. Forcing himself to focus on her words, his ears pricked. As she spoke, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and focused on the rhythmic thumping, a tenseness leaving his body that he did not realize was there. Then... she began to sing. And for the first time since he arrived in Helovia, the stallion went still. Frozen into place as her lyrics wrapped around his mind, stilling every normal motion he held, until one could almost mistake him for a statue of onyx, marble and gold. On the hills the fires burned at midnight, Superstition plagued the air, Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight, the stars are out and magic is here... He moved. It was small, a sway to his left, a hind foot lifting slowly and grazing the sand. Then his head swung low, each movement slow, drawn out in rhythm with her song. He was not thinking. No, there was no thought. Just song and movement. Hooves barely left the ground, leaving trails in the sand as he shifted, his body inching to the side until his trail left a semicircle. When the chorus ended he went still for a mere heartbeat, then his wings unfurled slightly, the golden tips shifting, caressing the air as once more he slow-pranced in place, a hoof only touching the ground when her voice fell, lifting back up when her voice grew higher. He was only aware of her as a voice, the melody that controlled his body. By the second chorus, he picked up on the melody, and his throat rumbled as he added in his deep voice in a wordless hum, their voices twining together. He was the music and she was the voice. The combination drew the stallion together, and his movements remained slow, repeating the steps for every section of the song; semicircle shuffle for the chorus, slow prance for the verses. Near the end of the third chorus, he opened his eyes to gaze at her, golden irises practically aglow with a mixture of wonder and joy. It was not the same, no. But it was song, it was dance, and it was bringing him to life. He arched his neck as the melody began to grow faster, his steps increasing with hers. But he nearly faltered; the song was unknown, and he did not know how the rest of it would unfold. So his gaze locked on Morrigan for guidance. He did not want this dance to end so soon. "................................................................................​................................................................................​.........................................................." Word Count: 466 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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As the stallion began to move to my lyrics, my gaze fell to his hooves, body swaying as I watched him throughout the first chorus. Slowly, I attempted to mimic him, occasionally stumbling over small bumps in the sand and stepping on my tail. By the time the second chorus had finished, my footsteps grew more graceful, muscle memory recognizing and predicting how to move my hooves without tripping. This time, I accidentally when the opposite direction of where I was supposed too, and quickly I tried to correct myself as I danced parallel to Bucephalus. Auds pricked as he picked up the tune, humming along as I provided the lyrics. With the third chorus, I was successfully able to replicate and mirror the stallion's steps. A broad, proud smile spread across my lips as he opened his eyes, pleased with my progress.

Many stars were long forgotten,
Many faded and became ghosts,
Still my sisters glittered down from heaven,
Always there when I needed them most...

And on the hills
The fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here,
The stars are out and magic is here..."

Throughout the last part of the chorus, we had begun to move as one. There was no him and I, only two halves of a whole dancing perfectly in time and rhythm. As though the earth itself wanted to join in on the fun, the winds began to pick up, the sound of the sands rushing across the ground growing louder. Wisps of sandy dust rose in twirl tendrils around us, joining us in the dance as the tempo began to increase. The crickets chirped enthusiastically, the beetles joined in fervently, and the desert came alive with our dance. As the song picked up, with an intermission that lacked any words, I felt my confidence rise. With a giggle, I broke away from the precise moves that I had been mirroring ever so slightly. I used the same motions that the stallion had taught me, though now I danced around him to the other side while continuing to hum the tune where the words fell. Carried away with the joyous dance, the sounds of nature pushing us on, I could not help but laugh while I danced around him. Never before had I felt such fun! My tassle flicked against his chest as I twisted around before settling down on the opposite side that I had joined him and falling back into routine.

"I stood out here once before
With my head held in my hands,
For all that I had known of this place
I could never understand.

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here,
The stars are out and magic is here
The stars are out and magic is here
The stars are out and magic is here..."

As the tempo came to a slow, my sides heaving with the adrenaline now pumping through my veins, I watched him closely. I didn't know how to end the dance...So, as he relied on me to provide the tempo, I relied on him to provide the closure. As the dance slowed to a stop, the last lyric flowing off my lips, I could not fight back the smile that was plastered on my muzzle while I watched the graceful stallion.
"The stars are out, and magic is here..." With the song finished, I lowered my crown in an elegant bow, extending my right foreleg while tucking the left beneath my chest.

OOC: Final lyrics of "Fires at Midnight" by Blackmore's Night

The music sped up, and Bucephalus tossed his head, a laugh bubbling up from deep within his chest. His Fresian heritage showed it's face as he lifted his hooves in a bouncing prance, speeding his movements with the speed of the music, a wild grin on his face. But too soon, oh too soon, the song slowed once more, and he dropped back down to the slow, graceful shuffle. But he was not left wanting for long, for the heartbeat the verse ended, the song sped up again! He returned to the high-stepping prance, spinning in place, keeping his gaze locked on Morrigan. They shifted into harmony, two stars dancing in circles around each other in an even larger orbit. There was a gleeful playfullness in the stallion as they danced, and when the music began to build his steps grew higher, hooves only on the ground for a mere fraction of a second. ""I stood out here once before With my head held in my hands, For all that I had known of this place I could never understand. On the hills the fires burned at midnight, Superstition plagued the air, Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight, Stars are out and magic is here, The stars are out and magic is here The stars are out and magic is here"" He sang with her, his joy ringing in his voice as their words wound around each other as surely as their dance did their bodies. His voice faded to silence, and when she sang the last words of the song, he bowed right along with her, wings unfurling in a graceful arch, their faces almost touching. His grin was wild, and there was a gleam in his eyes as they rose. Amusement crossed his face as he looked down, then around them. In their dance, he had guided her carefully, subtly, and around them was a large circle from their hooves, and they were at the precise spot they had begun the dance in. He felt light. Giddy. He wanted to toss up his heels and bellow his triumph to the world. So that was precisely what he did. He did not care that Morrigan was standing there; the black jerked away and snapped the air with his wings, a deep whinny tearing from him as he bucked and crow-hopped. It was not the same as Sehrau. But it was song, and it brought him to life. Energy throbbed in his being; he did not want this to end. Bucephalus dug his hooves into the ground, freezing in place for a second before he whirled to face Morrigan, ears pricked and wings half-open, the tips of his feathers trembling. She'd cracked him, and his wildness refused to be chained back up once more. It was out to play, and play it wanted. But... he did not wish to chase her away. Not yet. So he began to hum, his forehoof tapping out a new rhythm on the sand. He was not ready to end their dance. Not at all. "I've been here for a million years Through the joy, through the tears But when I am gone this will go on And the circle starts again... I've watched the mountains rise from dust Saw the gold return to rust I had cried when the oceans died And the circle starts again..." He began to dance, a high-stepping prance, body swaying side to side as he began to move in the giant circle once again, gold eyes focusing on Morrigan, waiting to see if she would join her in this dance once again. Word Count: 484 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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With the end of my song, I beamed at the stallion before me, my muzzle just inches from his own as we bowed. Scarlet gaze glittered with life as I panted slightly, my body not used to this sudden burst of energy. I followed his eyes to the moonlight sand, smile still broad across my lips as I noticed the circle that surrounded us. I flinched out of surprise at the stallion's sudden jolt, staring at the bucking pegasus for a second before realizing it was out of joy and excitement. A light-hearted laugh bubbled from my lips as I watched him, never before seeing someone so thrilled. And it was wonderful. My laughter had calmed into a soft smile by the time he twirled around to face me, ears perking up to the sound of his new tune. As he began to tap his hoof, my crown bobbed from side to side to match the rhythm, swaying while I watched him take the lead.

My gaze lowered to watch his feet, slowly beginning to move and follow his guidance. As I grew more confident and familiar with the new moves, new song and new tempo, my speed began to increase. Twirling around him, I flicked my tassle towards him once again. I tossed my mane out of my way, letting it settle across my back as I twisted and turned with Bucephalus in the sand. But as I turned in place, tossing my crown with excitement in the middle of a high-stepped prance, the weight of my mane left my back and shoulders. Before I could finish my pirouette, my right front hoof landed on the ends of the hair, tightening the strands and blocking my left fore hoof from catching myself. And a-tumbling I went, tripping over my own mane and falling foward towards Buce. 'Oh, shit!' I thought to myself, eyes clamping shut and muscles tensing as I braced for either the crash into the stallion or the sudden impact of the ground.

When I felt as though I had stopped moving, I opened my eyes and sheepishly looked towards Bucephalus. "I'm sorry, so much for beginner's luck..." I laughed at my own faults as I rolled onto my stomach and pulling myself to my feet. Carefully, I adjusted myself to make sure that my hair was no longer in my way. With a large sigh to try and catch my breath, I shook off as much as the sand as I possibly could, though I knew I would not be able to reach all of the grains. Facing Bucephalus, I offered him a soft, genuine smile. "That was so much fun, it's no wonder you miss it."

Damn but Morrigan could dance. He laughed, taking in a deep breath to begin singing the next verses. But before he could speak, out of the corner of his eyes he saw Morrigan trip and begin to fall towards him. Subtly he shifted, using his body to block her fall and prevent her from hitting the sands. A wing folded over her, trapping her for a heartbeat. "I will never let you fall, Morrigan." He hummed in her ear, the words half-sung, his voice rough, before he released her to shake herself clean of the sand. The spell was broken, and back on was the cheery, friendly mask. "That was fun, yes, but still pale in comparison to Sehrau." He said, wings settling along his back. "Come, i think it is time i return the favor." He grinned, gesturing with a toss of his head for her to follow as he turned and began walking deeper into the desert, ears cocked back to listen for her following or her leaving. Either was fine; he had time now to settle himself, smooth himself back down into what he wished others to see. Damn her... mares always managed to crack his mask in some form or another. Honestly he should swear them all off, this cobweb-strung mare in particular(she was alluring; the way she swayed as she danced remained on repeat in his mind), but that would leave him with naught but stallions for company. Yeah no. Not happening. Not a chance in hell. Word Count: 252 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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When my eyes had opened, I was slightly surprised to see that Bucephalus had comfortably caught me, preventing me from slamming into the earth. The added warmth of his wing around me, shielding me from the chilly winter air, caught me off of my guard. For a moment, I had hoped I could stay there, tucked away underneath the safety and warmth of his touch. The desire to press my body against his was a powerful temptation, and the hushed words he whispered sent a shudder down my spine. The shudder spread and electrified every nerve, it was all I could do to keep from physically shaking weakly against him. I glanced up to his golden eyes, watching a little longer than I should have...Regaining my composure as I stepped away, my cheek brushed against his neck softly. Surely he could feel the heat emitting from my blush.

Clearing my throat slightly, a half hearted smile graced my lips as he compared the dance to Sehrau. I knew that it wouldn't be the same for him, and I had warned him of such from the very beginning, but at least it had brought him to smile and laugh with me. That was a part of the stallion that I had greatly enjoyed seeing, but as soon as it was revealed, it had been swept under the rug and ignored. As the pegasus turned away to lead me further into the desert, I trotted to quickly catch up to his side, shivering slightly now that we were no longer moving as rapidly as our dance. The desert had calmed down with us, dust clouds settled back onto the dunes, crickets resuming their usual chant, and the coyote seemed to have moved on to something more interesting. Now, it truly did seem...Silent. The silence merely let me think over the last few moments, the embarrassment setting in as I imagined the plummet I had made thanks to my mane. But, then there was Bucephalus, ever so quickly and gently catching me. 'I will never let you fall, Morrigan.'

Another shudder tingled down my back, hairs standing up on my neck as I realized I was becoming foolish. Such words were based off of trust, such actions led towards faith into each other. Yet, both of us had agreed that trusting each other, or anyone for that matter, was a risk we weren't willing to take. How could I possibly let myself put trust into those words, when even he warned me not too before? I never let on that the thoughts were haunting me, glancing with a soft smile towards the ebony stallion. Yes, I would have to rebuild my wall, lift my guard to it's peak and prepare for anything. I would not, no...I could not trust Bucephalus. But, oh, to hear my name whispered on his lips like that...I wanted nothing more than to hear it again.

His neck still tingled where her cheek kissed his skin; it was with much amusement when he figured the source of the heat of her face. Definitely not fever. As they walked, he watched her from the corner of his eyes. She was dangerous. Any attachment was dangerous. But oh, was it alluring and addicting. It both drew the stallion and repelled him. Ampere held the same love of the sky and the wildness that was in Buce's heart. But Morrigan cracked every facade he threw into place as if his false expressions and words were mere paper in the face of a whirlwind. He couldn't deny it. He wanted her. Oh yes, he wanted to taste of the little mare beside him. But she was so skittish, ever so startled. A wolfish grin grew on his face, and he hid it from her by ducking his head under his wing to sift through his feathers for any loose ones. Bucephalus tended to get what he desired and at this moment, this blip in time, he wanted her. But this game would have to be played out slowly... ever so slowly. He was not used to it, and had no doubts he'd overstep his boundaries in his seduction. But he would have her. Once, twice, maybe more until he grew tired of his game. Then he'd find a new toy to play with. "Tell me, Morrigan. What do you see?" He hummed thoughtfully, glancing at her as he stopped in his tracks, waiting for her to move to his side, gold eyes both amused and curious, his ears pricked sharply at the black mare. Oh how sweet the victory would be....and how sweet her tears. Word Count: 286 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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As we walked, the silence was beginning to grate on my nerves. It left me uncomfortable to be so close to the brute while certain thoughts and ideas running through my mind became rampant. In order to distract myself, I absentmindedly began to hum a tune to myself. I wasn't even really sure of where the song came from, nor what the words were that would or should belong to it. So, the melody came to me, matching the desert atmosphere and playing off of the flowing movements of our bodies from earlier.

Predictably I settled beside the stallion once he came to a halt, peering out at the desert before us from the height of a tall dune. My voice drifted off quietly as he asked me a question. A rather blank expression fell across my face, auds flicking back slightly as I tried to look for anything that would stand out as interesting. Nothing immediately came to my attention. Only the moon casting her cool glow down on the desert and the drop in temperature seemed different to me, rather than viewing the desert during the day. Our dance had been much more entertaining. Thinking back on it, I imagine it was quiet a sight for any creatures that may have passed us by without our noticing. My crown tilted to the left slightly, before giving a sigh. "Sand. Lots of sand." It was true, that was what I saw.

A brow raised and I looked towards Bucephalus with a slightly confused, yet curious look."What do you see, Bucephalus?" I asked, wanting him to point out to me what I must have obviously been missing.

What he saw was a mare of shadow shrouded in moonlight dancing across the sand with a stallion of shadow and silver giving chase. Of course, in reality, that was not the case. His ears pricked at her, and he turned his head to gaze out at the desert. "What i see... I see the desert teeming with life. I see an owl hunting high above us, scorpions sneaking across the ground. I hear the sound of fox kits at play, and crickets trying to attract mates. I can see the cloud of the runnerbirds, and can see the clouds of insects." Then he turned his head, gazing to the west. "Over yonder i see a serpent seeking his nightly meal. If you listen you can hear the small howl of the wolf-mouse." Then he looked down at her. "Finally i see a mare of shadow kissed by moonlight, who claims to see nothing when it is right before her nose." Okay, he was poking fun at her now. With a sly smirk he folded his legs and sank down onto the soft sand, ears pricked as he turned his attention out to the desert. It throbbed with so much life, teemed with it. How could she see only sand? Was that all anyone saw, even the other members of the Throat? He'd have to find out. Letting out a relaxed sigh, the black watched as the fox kits actually came into view far from them, playing amongst the sun-dried carcass of a desert tree, their overly-large ears giving them away. They almost reminded him of Levex and Aeolus in the way they tried to run across the sand, skidding and sliding everywhere, their sharp yips carrying across the dunes towards the two black horses. "Do you see now, Morrigan?" He looked slyly at her. "Or must i show you more how...lively the desert can be." His words were a double-sided knife, and he grinned at her, ears pricked sharp. Word Count: 331 Tags: @[Morrigan II]

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As the stallion beside me began to speak, I let my gaze leave the brute to peer at the desert scene before us. A single ear flicked towards him to better hear his words, but otherwise I was shifting my gaze with narrowed optics to try and pinpoint everything he described. It was like he was painting the imagery before me, bringing the very creatures out from the shadows with his introductions and revealing a world that I had never really taken the time to notice before. When I could feel his gaze settling on me, my crown turned to face him. Auds loosely flicked back, only mildly insulted at his words before giving a snort at him. "I've never looked for such things before, I come from a very different environment. Besides," I paused, a corner of my lips pulling into a smirk while I looked up at him. "I know that I am not looking at nothing."

Looking back to the desert, I focused on the Fennec fox kits that had begun to play within our plain sight. Out of the corner of my eyes, I watched him lay down into the sand, something that I had not expected at all from the winged brute. I smiled at his first question, but my eyes widened ever so slightly with his next suggestive question. 'Oh? Are you still interested in that game?' A brow raised, smirking at his grin. 'You are one to watch my back with...' I thought to myself, reminding myself to keep my guard up around Bucephalus. Even when he was so relaxed in the sands next to me, he was too dangerous to put any sort of trust into. All stallions were...But, there was no use in keeping myself from having any fun, right? In the back of my mind, darker images and memories played while I flicked my tail against him playfully. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" My tone teased back, catching on to his word play. The ice I walked on was quickly becoming thinner and thinner, thank the heavens I knew how to swim.

Suddenly, the night began to catch up to me now that we had stood still for some time. I turned my head away from him, hiding a yawn behind the length of my mane so as not to be rude. It had been a busy, exciting evening and while the rest of the desert may have been just waking up, I was quickly becoming tired. Shaking my head, I looked back over my shoulder towards where the rest of the herd usually lingered. How far had I traveled from them? Slightly awkwardly, I glanced back down at Bucephalus, growing increasingly anxious to return to the herd for a night's rest. He looked as comfortable as could be though, and while I was exhausted, I was torn. I did not want to walk away from him, nor did I want to ask him to come with me. What if I stayed? No, no...I couldn't stay, that was a boundary that I refused to cross right now...Reluctantly, I turned to face the direction of the herd, sighing quietly. "It's getting quite late, I should get some rest." With a soft smile, I looked back to the stallion, wondering if he would follow or stay.

"If you wish to stay, then I bid you goodnight. Otherwise, I would not mind the company back."


OOC: My last post!