White December

It had been quite awhile since she had found her egg. She had begun to grow restless with anticipation, wondering just when life would spring from it. What if it didn't? Panic suddenly seeped through her veins as she paced around the nestled object, it being covered in leaves and flowers, even some strands of her tail that she had ripped out to keep the thing warm. Had she failed in her mission before the thing could even begin to thrive? Steel eyes were staring down the creamy egg, soft grey speckles littering the exterior as it remained entirely still, lifeless, as eggs were. Snorting softly, her feathered hooves made their way around the egg once more, before her massive bulk was bringing itself to the ground and curling around the nest. With tender maw brushing ever so slightly against the egg, she could feel warmth radiating from it. A small smile, although very slight, then pressed out from her muzzle, and relief was evident in her gaze.

She had grown rather fond of the little thing, even though it never spoke or cuddled her, never followed at her heels when she traveled, it had been a constant that she grown dependent on. Its silent present was enough, and her eyes shut so she could simply take in the moment to enjoy it. As she did so her mind reeled back to the previous days; the trials they had to commit to the Earth God for the flood, and then the flood itself that washed the land anew. Why, she hadn't been sure, she hadn't been very attentive to all the happenings of Helovia, but it had obviously helped quite a lot with the summer heat. Her mind also wandered to Rostislav, and the last time she had seen him he had been in a rather weak state. She only hoped that he was alright, and she ignored the slight concern in her chest, in favor of beginning to nap next to her beloved egg.

"Speech"
Text
Thought

{WC: 335
Tag: Rostislav
OOC: Uber sucky, I'm sorry! Egg will hatch in the next post <3 )>

I huff and puff, working my way down the path that leads into my homeland. Why did I choose a herd that was going to give me such a goddamn workout? Coming home after a hard day should be relaxing, not taking such a toll on my joints. Damaris snorts, rolling her eyes at me as she walks behind me. Of course she thinks that I am a grouchy old man. But I'm not so old, and only a small amount of grumpy. I think. Damaris shrugs off my grump and runs ahead. I heave after her, trying to not think of the pain in my cheek that was left by Elsa. A formidable foe, the Falls Mason, and I need to make sure I don't underestimate her. This spar was much better than our first, when she had me play the fool. The air burns the wound that laces my jowl, but I try to focus on Damaris as she squeezes her thoughts into mine. 'Ahead! December!' A flash of the mare hovering over something appears in my mind, a strange but welcome intrusion. When did Damaris become able to do that? No matter, having her vision splurge into mine provides us even better communication than words might.

I pick up my pace and surge forward, catching up with the blackened hellhound. She leads me forward to find December, the large grey mare that I partnered with when the Earth God was replenishing the earth. I see her kneeling next to some sort of nest, and I wonder who's catnap she is disturbing. Indistinct grumbling rolls through my mind - Damaris showing her disapproval of my accusations. I try the best I can to silence my thoughts and approach the mare to see that she's actually guarding - an egg! A smile spreads slowly over my jaw, and Damaris ruffs gently at December. "Aha - look what you have found, Comrade!" Of course I know what it is, or at least in general, because of Damaris standing cautiously by my side, not wanting to make December nervous. "Is it hatching soon?" I press my nose closer, but not so close to invade the space of the mare and her egg.

WC:
Tag: @[December]

Rostislav

more than a drunken fool

White December

She had almost fallen asleep, the peaceful day and the warmth the egg provided against her cheek a comfort. Almost. The sound of rustling caught her attention, ears flicking in the direction of the sound while her eyes remained closed, only assuming a fellow herd member was passing by. Only when the noise grew louder did steel eyes look out, and the faint ruff of the mutt was what she heard before seeing her. Without a second thought dials pinned to her skull, eyes narrowing and teeth baring to warn off the potential predator, until she realized it was the familiar hellhound that had been at Rostislav's side. Relaxing her expression back to its usual pose, she nodded to the dog in apology, before shifting to look at the following male. At the sight of him she blinked, before slowly bringing herself to her feet, abandoning her precious cargo quickly to investigate her friend. Without thinking, her face approached his, moving it closer to fully inspect the scratch along his cheek, along with the nick in his ear.

Her breaths were soft, and she tried her best to avoid breathing on him, taking in the damage thoughtfully. Eyes flitting to and fro, she deemed that they would heal with time, and that nothing serious was to be made of it. With that in mind she pulled away, turning herself back towards her egg and flicking her ears back to him, speaking in her usual tone as she began to make herself more comfortable, "Get in a little spat did we?" Her ivory build landed with a minor thud next to the nest, eyes back on him as he asked her a question, a shrug soon gracing her withers. She had no idea. She didn't understand how things like this were supposed to work, and so she could only look at the creamy specimen, nose softly touching it again to let the creature within know that she had returned, should it worry. She didn't know if it felt emotions yet when inside the chamber, but she couldn't help but feel that she should assumed it could, just in case.

As if in response to her touch, a minor twitch caused the egg to wiggle. Pausing at the sensation she stared, looking at it for a moment in an attempt to see if she had been hallucinating, or if the creature was finally ready to enter the world. There was nothing, and she was about to deem it all in her head when another abrupt wiggle brought her back, staring intently as it began to rock back in forth. It kept an even tempo, rocking to and fro a few times, before an abrupt crack filled the air. Without thinking December was standing, pacing frantically (as frantically as she could look with her stoic expression), waiting with baited breath for life to emerge from the shell.

A few more cracks, and constant wiggling, the egg seemed to explode, pieces of the debris flying in every direction, only to reveal a small, hooved bundle of fluff in its wake. It had long ears and neck, its fur a slightly ashy grey color, with a short tail and thick coat, almost like a sheep's. But, this wasn't a sheep, something different, and December couldn't fight back the tender smile that curled on her lips. Steel eyes softened as she gazed down at the little thing, instantly in love with the wet bundle. Without thinking she began to clean it, him, removing the birthing goop and excess shell, and attempting to clean the soft fur that lie beneath it. Her warm breath was gentle, and calm against his skin, and she could suddenly feel another presence in her mind, one that obviously wasn't her. With each stroke of her tongue, a warm sensation filled her, one that didn't originate from her, but from him.

He took comfort in her work, enjoying the warmth and tenderness she offered, and she couldn't help but feel her own joy swell within her. He responded to it almost instantly, opening large brown eyes to look up at her, staring deeply into her gaze before letting out a soft bleat. It was the bleat that made her fall in love with him. A smile, so soft and tender, and so very strange looking upon her maw, formed instantly, and with a few more licks she deemed him clean, taking the time to use her muzzle and encouraged him to stand on his own, to let him get used to his little cloven hooves. How she loved this boy already, with his mule-like ears and large brown eyes, but what should she name him? He needed one, for he obviously didn't know one for himself, otherwise he would have told her; wouldn't he? The minutes felt like eons as she searched her mind for something, anything that would suit him. She was not good with names, never had been, and so thinking of one now was quite the challenge.

"Carl," she mused, dark eyes watching the llama finally grasp the concept of standing, and nod his head definitively. When the word escaped her, he instantly looked up to meet her gaze, watching with a rather stoic expression. The fact he had held one so well, just like she, caused another small smile to grace her complexion. This was most likely the first and last time she would ever smile so much. They looked at each other for what felt like ages, both refusing to break the stare, but also just taking in who the other was, imprinting the image in their mind and tucking it away into their memories. The small contest ended however, when newly name Carl blinked his large eyes, before letting the smallest of snorts to escape him, and moving beneath December's bulk, where he leaned against one of her legs and sat, staring at the company and watching intently, not entirely knowing how to react to them.

The mare only stared at him, watching his every move, not daring to shift from her position once he was comfortable. She had felt nothing like this before, not for anyone. The feelings she had felt when with Miykael were the closest she could describe to this, but even then those were more intense and fast, something that she didn't know if it would last forever. But this, this feeling she had with Carl, that was something she knew would live beyond her life. Without thinking, her muzzle dipped down to the little llama's face, tenderly brushing against it and breathing him in, enjoying the scent of him and what he was, feeling finally complete, in her own way. Finally remembering that she had company, she lifted her head smoothly, meeting Rostislav's eyes for only a moment, before looking back down to Carl calmly, "This is Rostislav. He is a friend of ours. His companion is right there. That is what you are Carl; my companion."

She nodded after that, letting Carl inspect them both briefly, before returning his attention back to her feathered limb. Brown eyes were intent on the specimen, flicking to and fro before seeming to flicker as a decision had been made in the babe's mind. Without another thought, tiny jaws opened, before clamping tightly shut on a part of her leg, digging in to leave quite the mark. A shot of pain rose through her leg, causing a surprised groan to escape her, and she could only watch as the llama tumbled back suddenly at the pain he had felt too, watching in surprise as blood trickled down her leg. He was fascinated by the red liquid, it now stained on his ashy muzzle, and because of the connection in their mind, December noticed it too, staring at him in utter bewilderment. Just what the fuck was he trying to do? It was then that she could sense it, the primal need for sustenance coming from the smaller creature, it nagging in his mind and making him thirst for something to eat. But why had his first reaction been to try and eat her damn leg?

Moving herself slightly to the right she circled him, watching him keep her gaze as she did so, before looking around for something for him to eat. Surely he could eat grass by now, he had teeth, so why didn't get go to try that first? Snorting, she lowered her head, brushing a few blades of grass with her lips and watching him intently, tugging a few and beginning to chew to show him how it was done. When she swallowed her mouthful she nodded to him, speaking in that deep matter of fact tone, "This is what you eat. Not my leg."

"Speech"
Text
Thought

{WC: 1464
Tag: Rosti
OOC: Carl has made his way into the world people!! Also wtf dat word count. )>

Her concern comes out in the form of what seems like sarcasm, but I don't mind. Yes, my cheek burns like the fiery pits of hell, but I won't admit it to her. I have too much pride for that. So I shrug in response to her question, not bothering to give an audible answer. She lies down next to her egg again, and gives me a shrug as well. 'Idiots.' Damaris murmurs in her head. I fight back a smirk - she's quite right and there's no denying it. But again, I won't give my companion the satisfaction. The egg begins to wiggle, and I watch it with passive interest, more intrigued at December's reaction. And I'm not disappointed: the mare rises and begins to pace back and forth, but shows no emotion on her face. It's a paradox of emotions, if there ever was one.

A smile slips on my lips when the egg finally hatches, and I recognize the animal that appears. Not what I expected for a Helovian companion: a llama. I'd seen them once or twice in Russia, and found them to be one strange ass animal. December names hers Carl. .... Carl .... I stare dumbfounded at the plain and silly sounding name, but then, December is named after a month, according to the humans of Mother Russia. A strange sight appears - a smile on the mother's face. December looks up at me then back at the llama now curled around her leg. She introduces me to the ll-- to Carl. "Aye, and this is Damaris." Not like the llama can necessarily understand me. Companions don't really communicate with others, only their bonded and perhaps their own kind.

The funniest shit I could ever imagine happens: the llama tries to eat the mare's leg. I can't help it - I burst out with a deep chuckle, and I think I might hear Damaris give a barking laugh, too. Fuckin' llama tries to eat the horse's leg. Make this a damn feature film and it'll be comedy of the year. I shake my head and as my laughter subsides, I comment, "Looks like you've got yourself a handful there."

WC:
Tag: @[December]
TL;Read anyway bitches.

Rostislav

more than a drunken fool

White December

The pain had finally begun to subside, now only a gentle throb as the red liquid stained her grey feathers black, and her eyes never left the little creature, watching as he only stared blankly at her when she taught him how to eat, and the way the cogs in his mind seemed to turn to process the events that had occurred. Their staring contest had been interrupted by a chuckle, causing December to shoot a look at the smaller brute. Though her face remained the same, her eyes burned with a sudden intensity, as if she were trying to penetrate his very soul. The nerve he had, laughing at her and Carl, just because he didn't understand.

Even if he had, she knew he wouldn't do it again, because he had felt the pain as well, and he had learned that the two were connected. He was reluctant to accept it, this she felt stirring within her, but he did, and at the feeling of her sudden annoyance towards Rostislav his pale ears suddenly flattened against his tiny skull. Returning to his feet, Carl mimicked December's expression flawlessly, eyes intense but face unmoving as he stared down the man, the emotions he felt with the mare intermingling with his own malicious personality.

He wouldn't attack him, no, because that would risk pain again like it had with his bonded, so he settled for the next best thing. Working his jaw expertly the llama filled liquid into his jaws, before sending it flying in the direction of the unicorn. Whether or not the spit landed on the intended target didn't matter, Carl had made his point, and with a light whisk of his tail he walked calmly to the grass next to December's muzzle, pushing her face out of it and beginning to dine upon the blades.

The mentioned mare had stopped her staring when she felt the shift in Carl, and had witnessed the entire scene unfold before her. It was her turn to laugh now, it coming out gruff and raspy, but obviously full of amusement as she couldn't help but admire the little thing's audacity. Her eyes were filled with light as she straightened her posture, stepping towards her comrade slightly to address his earlier comment, "I disagree, I find him to be fine just the way he is." Her eyes dropped back down to the little bundle again, a small smile returning to her expression and love filling her gaze, before she tenderly nuzzled him, savoring the moment even as he tried headbutting her away. He would get used to it, and she would get used to him. All that mattered now was that she wasn't alone anymore, she finally had someone in her life that would remain forever, that literally could not leave her behind. As morbid as the thought was, she still couldn't help but be happy, and so grateful to the Gods that they had blessed her with Carl.

"Speech"
Text
Thought

{WC: 496
Tag: Rosti
OOC: Omg I love him. Forgive me xD )>

December doesn't like me laughing at the pair of them. Orly? She needs to lighten the fuck up because I'm going to laugh whenever I damn well want to. I go quiet, and yes, it IS because of her stern look, because I am giving her a grumpy one in return. Stuck-up bitch. The little llama baby (what the hell do you call them anyway?) decides to SPIT AT ME. The spit lands a few feet in front of me, not coming close to actually hitting me. It's the principle of the matter that really gets my goat, and what seems to be a frown settles on my face. Damaris is no longer laughing either, and though she would normally scold me for being grumpy, she is clearly not impressed by the llama baby either. Spitting Carl. I guess llamas do that? It doesn't matter, his cuteness is fading. Where I was previously intrigued by the egg, the hatching, the little llama's birth... I'm becoming more and more disinterested. The llama goes to eat, and December watches it while defending her baby companion. 'I disagree, I find him to be fine the way he is.' Of course it went over her head that I was giving him a compliment. So be it; mares can be so simpleminded, really. I gather myself up and let out a long, heavy sigh. "Well, this was fun, but I think I have some.. stones.. to stare at. Enjoy Spitting Carl." Damaris has already turned and started walking away, trotting.. running.... I give a last goodbye nod and turn, following my own companion to go stare at stones. Or something. ROSTI OUT.

WC:
Tag: @[December]
Sorry.. Rosti didn't want to play December/Carl games

Rostislav

more than a drunken fool