Orangemoon was a good time to travel; its cooling breezes helped to keep fatigue at bay for the mare and the eagle on their journey north. The Sun, it seems, had slaked its fury during tallsun and now was content to be a guide and travel companion for the pair as it rose and set above their path. The last time the mare had come this way it had been a race, a rescue, and she had come to these lands bathed in sweat and worry only to be met with ill grace. Now she was not alone and both she and the adolescent raptor held a steadier pace though the air. It would take a good deal longer but that would mean she would arrive with enough energy to complete her task.

Outside of the home that she had so recently been raised to rule, this would be the first test for Megaera… She had earned the respect of her herd and now she was tasked to face the leaders of the three northern tribes to reaffirm alliances after the recent political upheaval. The task required diplomacy, a level head, patience, and decorum…Gaucho had picked Meg. She had, on two previous occasions, briefly met with previous leads from the Basin and the Falls and at both meetings she had been aggressive, abrasive, and impetuous. Her lack of any political weight had let her slide from those encounters without any consequences, but with every mile she passed, the rookie Sultana reminded herself that this time had to be different, that she had to be different.

Since Gaucho had named her to lead the Throat with him, Megaera had worked tirelessly to reform herself. The faith that the Wildfire and the Sun God had placed in her was a heavy responsibility to shoulder and that weight itself had begun to change the mare. ‘The Sunspear', as Ampere had named her, had to be different from ‘Meg’. The Sunspear had to be bold, had to be wise, had to be strong. She had to speak for her herd, lead them, guard them, and as the Sun God had told her, protect without destruction. She had to become The Sunspear.

Evening was just starting to darken the sky when she slipped through the trees and touched down on the bank beside a rushing waterfall. Behind it, she knew, was a tunnel that lead into the Falls and as Africa had showed her, the bay pegasus tucked in her wings and plunged through the falling waters. Once through the deluge, she stopped to shake the water from her feathers and steel her resolve. Gwaihir followed her with a small splash and an angry little screech and the pair made their way out of the tunnel and into the Hidden Falls. They didn’t move too far into the land, but stopped themselves in a small clearing just beyond the entrance. She had been given the names of the conquering Czars but both were strangers to her and it seemed unwise to venture further on her own. They had taken this land by force, she she had no reason to expect they would not defend it likewise.

Always quick to sense her nerves, the large, dark eagle settled himself upon Megaera’s back. Young as he was, the bird had always been the calm one of the pair, the steady one, and Meg was so very thankful to have him here with her. ”My Meg.” came his voice in her mind “Meg fine…Meg good…Meg calm.” His words were broken and childish but the surety that flowed from the bird was not. For a moment the mare waited, breathing deeply, wrestling back her nerves and cloaking herself with confidence. I am the Sultana, damn it! I can handle this! Then she reached for something else inside her, something deeper. She gave it a good sharp tug and let it go, shooting into the sky a pillar of light, gold and pure as the sun itself. It shone bright for a several seconds and then diminished, leaving the mare and the eagle to wait in the still evening silence.


"talk talk talk"
Tags: @[Kaj] @[Archibald]

The minutes seemed to creep as Megaera waited for someone to answer her call. She was sure that someone would have seen her signal, it was surely bright enough and even if the two she sought did not come, those that did should be able to direct her to them. So she waited in as much silence and the rumble of rushing waters would allow but as the seconds dragged her nerves began to creep their way back in. On her back, the eagle ruffled his rich mahogany feathers in irritation; he could feel the nerves of his bonded but as much as he cared for the mare, he had little patience for such things. Long wings stretched over her folded ones and flapped to emphasize the message he tried to pass through their mental link. “My Meg. no nervous!” he scolded before Meg turned her head around to nip gently at the bird on her back.

As Gwaihir had known it would, the little flame of defiance that flared in the mare at the young birds attitude was just the thing she needed. Despite her affection for Gwaihir, she still felt quite motherly towards the bird and was damned if she’d do or feel anything just because he said so “Hush.” she mumbled at him, but she was already changing her posture, holding herself higher and no longer focusing on the doubts that had plagued her journey north. Satisfied, Gwaihir settled, comfortable and still upon her back to wait with her.

The rustle of wings above her had Megaera looking up to see the golden buckskin hurtling in her direction. She tensed as he descended, prepared to defend herself. Ampere had said the invasion was well over but perhaps more fighting had sprung up. Perhaps were the new inhabitants so very defensive of their territory that none would be welcome. The stallion landed and the soldier in Meg immediately had her dark gaze flicking over to size up an opponent. He was just as tall and broad-chested as Einarr, and at any other time she might have rolled her eyes at that. Did ALL these stallions had to be so fucking BIG? She was not as fine boned and delicate as her mother’s people but by Helovian standards it seemed she was destined to be on the small side, much to her endless frustration.

For a moment the tension seemed to sing through the air, both parties unsure but then the golden beast broke the silence with an apology and the flicker of danger passed. Megaera saw the stallion begin to relax and she followed suite. Her muscles relaxed but her legs remained strait and proud, even without conscious intent, making her as tall and dignified as the rookie Sultana was capable of being. She waited, watching the stallion with a steady, measured gaze, inwardly flinching at the mention of her magic. She should have considered the effect it might have on those unprepared for it but it it was so strange to this sun worshiper that any light might be an ill omen. He spoke again before she could and announced himself to be one of the two she had come here to seek.

The Sunspear smiled then, (perhaps this would not be quite so difficult after all), and lowered her head in a respectful greeting. “Well met, Kaj. I am Megaera, Sultana of Dragon’s Throat.” It seemed odd to introduce herself as such, but she spoke well enough. “I am the one who should apologize; my own herd is used to seeing my signal, but I should have considered that it might be alarming to others. I am sorry to have caused you any disquiet.”

Megaera paused for a moment, almost puzzled by how easily the words came to her. It had always been easy to admit her own mistakes after the fact, it was the foresight no not make them in the first place that came hard. She had always considered herself a soldier, a mare of action instead of words but with no one her to fight perhaps she could begin to fit different mold. “I have come to seek the new Czars of the falls and offer my respects. I hope that all are well recovered after your efforts.” She was not entirely sure how she felt about the events that had transpired over the post season and it was not her place to judge, but she was sincere in hoping that all had settled in the northern herds. She did not appreciate the idea of neighbors at war if conflict might spill needlessly into the Throat.

Dark hooves scraped over grass as the Sunspear shifted her stance, and the eagle swayed upon his perch before giving and irritated little noise. ”Don’t like.” he interjected, fixing his sharp golden eyes on Kaj in a thoroughly disapproving glare. Meg couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “You never like anyone.” she returned, thoroughly amused. She moved her muzzle to gesture towards the eagle, "This is Gwaihir. I am afraid you’ll have to excuse his rudeness.” A grin spread across her features, humor breaking through the dignified armor she had built.


"talk talk talk"