the Rift


[OPEN] And This Is How We Break | Kaj

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#1
Quilyan


The world is bright and clear when he opens his eyes.

It is morning. Resplendence is tucked under his wing, leaning against his barrel, her golden eyes still closed in sleep. He smiles slightly, a tucked-away kind of smile, the private grin of a stallion waking beside the love of his life. Rue is nearby, sleeping, just as she was when they arrived the night before. He doesn't want to wake her, not yet. Resplendence, though, he cannot help but rouse as he rises carefully to his feet, slipping out from beneath her, leaving his wing to trail over her side.

She starts, blinking sleepily up at him. "Where - where are you going?" she asks, a hint of panic creeping into her voice. She must imagine he will disappear, never to return, and he feels a twinge of guilt. Still, he has something that he must do, someone that he must find. "Go back to sleep, princess. I'm not leaving the Falls, I promise. I want to find Kaj, that's all." She smiles at him, laying her head back down, probably imagining that her mate wants nothing more than to thank the golden steed for bring Rue home.

He waits a moment, watching her fall back asleep, his eyes softening despite the fury threatening to burst forth from the steel vault he imprisoned it in the night before. He lowers his muzzle, tracing a line across her cheek before turning away. He tries to keep his steps quiet as he skirts out of the garden, picking his way across rocky ground and past waterfalls.

Zarina perches in her usual place on his withers. -This is a bad idea,- she informs him, her mind-speech laced with disapproval. -Kaj is not your enemy. He is your brother.-

The prince snorts. My brothers are dead, he tells her coldly. And no brother would try to gain favor with their sibling's mate.

She chitters angrily. -You don't even know that's what he was doing!-

And what else would it be?

-Hmm, let's see... he's the leader of the herd. Not to mention he sees her - and you - as his friends. He loves her,- she pauses to ignore her bonded's snort of derision before continuing firmly, -But not like you do. This is a bad idea.-

Quilyan ignores her. "Where are you, Kaj?" he mumbles into the roar of the falls.

"Talk talk talk."

@[Kaj]
lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!

Kaj The Aurelight Posts: 381
Hidden Falls Conscript atk: 4.0 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.2hh :: 8 Years 9 Months HP: 69.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Arabella :: Common Zephyr :: Wakiya Brit
#2
Kaj
the Stormbringer

Day broke in solitude, golden statue trembling reluctantly to life beneath the only source of warmth Frostfall had to offer. Tired azures blinked open, little flakes of snow clinging to pale lashes and melting with each leisurely shuttering of his eyes. A yawn broke across his mouth, and wings surged up and out in an attempt at regaining warmth and inspiring further consciousness. Grunting softly, he strode out across the snow, tired limbs aching and heart heavy. He was still coated in grime and dried saltwater, sand traveling all the way up to his belly. Kaj had held true to his promise to escort Ilios and Areli to the Throat, and it had been a long journey that had ended up with very little time actually spent in the desert biome of the Dragon's Throat.

Nonetheless, he was disgusting, and with a soft groan he worked his body forward towards the ever-present roaring of water he could hear all around him. Though thin, treacherous ice had coated quite a few of their waterfalls, some had been spared. With tired limbs and crusty, bleary eyes, the Czar stumbled unattractively towards the nearest water source he could find so he could wash his disgusting body. The water stared cheerily back up at him when he finally stumbled to its shores, and Kaj grumbled nonsensical Dutch right back at it. Sighing and steeling up his nerves, the Czar plunged in, choking on a rather unmanly shriek at the horrific cold that immediately stabbed into his senses. Teeth chattering he forced himself deeper, the rushing water cleansing him rather quickly.

When he could take the icy hands groping at him no longer, the golden boy rushed to the end of the waterfall, wings wide to catch himself as he threw himself off the edge and into the air. It was horrible, a freezing sensation, but at least he was clean and he'd had the foresight not to get his wings wet. Shivering and chattering, he coasted in easy circles, eyes roaming tiredly over the land below. His heart stops in his chest when a hauntingly familiar painted form meets his eyes, standing facing one of the distant waterfalls. It couldn't be. Kaj knew only small snippets of what had happened to Quilyan, only because he had been on the same mission as the painted stag - trying to find Rue. Had someone found him at last? Kaj had wanted to find him immediately, tell him the good news and be the one to invite him back to their new home. But with the invasion, and trying to keep the Falls from sinking, and allies and negotiations...it simply hadn't been possible. But he'd given the word to Ktulu to have her scouts look out for the prince on their patrols. Had they succeeded?

With excitement and brotherly love flooding into his chest, he spiraled into a tight loop and swept down to the landmass Quilyan was standing on. A trumpet of wordless delight arced past his teeth, and he landed heavily, uncaring when his knees twinged unhappily at the roughness. "Quilyan!" he called, eyes bright and lips stretched into a vibrant smile as he raced towards the other winged male. Skidding to a stop mere strides from the boy, he proffered his golden muzzle expectantly. "You've returned! Did one of the Conscripts find you? I told Ktulu to transfer the message to look for you on patrols," it blabbered out of his mouth quickly, feeling as if a burden he'd been carrying for so long was gone with his brother there at last. "It's so good to see you, brother," he breathed at last, wonderment in his azures as he gazed upon the prince, as if trying to memorize his every spot and hair.

OOC here
IMAGE CREDIT

credit bronzehalo
Please only tag starting posts, spars, and threads collecting dust!
Plot with me here!

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#3
Quilyan


It is cold, but that is nothing new. Frostfall has come with a vengeance, coating the very air with a thin layer of frigidity that clings to the steed's pelt, piercing through layers of muscle and sinew into his very bones. On another morning, he might pull Resplendence closer on one side and Rue the other, folding them into the warmth of his wings; but this morning, his only true understanding of the cold comes from Zarina, who has folded herself into a clump of his man in an effort to cease her shivering. She mutters incomprehensibly through the bond, continuing to let him know how incredibly irritating she finds his reckless behavior without actually having to speak with him. He ignores her, dark thoughts racing through his mind to blot out her reasoning.

A shriek startles him, and he whips around suddenly, searching for its source, tense and concerned. The cry did not sound particularly panicked, but months of searching the woods have left him weary and paranoid, the constant worry for his daughter's safety a heavy weight even now. It is enough to momentarily surpass his quiet rage. What if someone needs help? What if they are injured, or are being pursued by an intruder? He does not truly belong here, has claimed no title and promised no loyalty to the Hidden Falls - but does he need to? All who inhabit the land know Resplendence and, by proxy, of his devotion to her. Where she goes, he will follow; where she stays, he will stay as well. He will offer his protection to any here who need it - if only he can find the source of the scream!

"Quilyan!"

It is the owner of the voice as much as its tone that drives the worry from the prince's mind, refocusing him on his mission. Kaj descends, somewhat waterlogged, joy in his eyes as he approaches his long-lost brother.

-He's happy to see you,- Zarina observes.

An act, her bonded scoffs in reply. If he wanted to see me so badly, he could have found me before now.

As Kaj extends his muzzle expectantly, the prince hesitates, considering for a moment that he might snub the Czar's greeting; but in the end he reaches out to bump his own maw against the golden steed's, surprised at the comfort he finds in the interaction. He is guarded, though, and not afraid to let it show. Something in his violet gaze is dark and angry, something in the way he pulls suddenly away displays the tensity underlying his actions. He says nothing at first, allowing the glee bubbling from the Czar to permeate the air between them; for the first time, he questions the validity of his fury.

But he has come too far now to change his mind; he has made his position clear, and to back down is to give way to weakness. The prince falls prey to that all-too-common trap, clinging to his vehement opinion despite the sudden understanding that he had been very, very wrong.

"Is it?" he erupted suddenly, his voice somehow holding more bite than the frigid air. "You made it a bit difficult to find the herd while I was away. One would almost think you didn't want to be found."

You deserted me. You left me behind.

It was suddenly about so much more than Resplendence.

Kaj had betrayed him, left him behind when he would have given anything to remain with their family. He had lost everything, once - everyone he had ever held dear. His entire family had perished (or so he'd thought, until Nasreen appeared again), but he had found a new one with Resplendence, with Kaj, with the rest of their herd. And yet when he had needed them - when he had needed Kaj - where had his brother been?

Making a new family with a new herd in a new land.

Leaving him behind.

"Talk talk talk."

@[Kaj]
lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!

Kaj The Aurelight Posts: 381
Hidden Falls Conscript atk: 4.0 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.2hh :: 8 Years 9 Months HP: 69.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Arabella :: Common Zephyr :: Wakiya Brit
#4
Kaj
the Stormbringer


The air seems to sting against his skin as he stands there before his long lost, finally found brother. He is still wet, though disgustingly cheerful throughout his suffering. Surely he looked like a drowned dog, despite his hulking musculature. The wind was as cold as the water, and though he would likely be accumulating icicles later in the evening, it was well worth the tremulous seizing of his muscles to see his brother in arms returned to their proper fold. He stood trembling before him, shameless, grandeur stripped away - what little it was that clung to him through title alone. Quilyan had always known him as but a man, from the moment they'd first met in the lowly ranks of the field. A brotherhood forged through pain and sweat, jelly limbs and pounding pulses. He'd not portray himself as anything more before the comprehensive gaze of his friend. 

Any pervasive chill is washed away by the warmed breath that meets his own, scents interlocked and shared anew, velveteen muzzle soft against his own. Smile curved higher against pale lips, relief washing over his shoulders and kneading tension away as surely as Valiance's claws had when Kaj had stubbornly carried Rue home over his withers. His family was finally whole and home, safe where he could keep an eye over all of them without worry. 

Comforting blanket shifts momentarily, something recognizing the tension in his brother's face and gaze. Darkness steeped in vibrant pools. Head tilted slowly to the side, smile beginning to dwindle, a candle flame beneath a heavy wind. It vanishes beneath the bite of chilled words, snapping before his muzzle like a savage dog. Kaj flinched away from it, recoiling as if physically struck. Eyes bewildered he stared uncomprehendingly down upon his painted friend, wondering what he had done to inspire such barbarism. 

"There was an invasion," he spoke slowly, caressing the words as slowly on his tongue as they formed in his mind. Carefully. Without knowing what he'd done to spurn Quilyan so, he would have to tread carefully. "I wasn't allowed to leave, and I couldn't find you to inform you after we began our preparations. Then Rue went missing, and you left to find her, and I had to stay and start building. Make sure there was no uprising." How had he failed yet again? It was like deja vu, a flashback to when he'd had a similar heated argument with Resplendence. Why didn't you look for me? Why did you let me leave? Did they think he was all-seeing, omnipotent? He was a mere man, with shoulders too small for the heavy weight placed upon them. Kaj had duties, requirements, red tape that restricted him at every turn. They had always known that, why did they not then understand how he suffered at being unable to run off and find them at his every whim?

"As soon as I could spare the forces I had everyone scouring the land for you and Rue, under the pretense of patrols. I wish we had found you sooner, I'm sorry Quilyan, I don't know what I've done to anger you." Anguished, his ears drooped upon his crown, eyes crinkled nervously at the edges and brow drawn low with emotion. What had he done now? He had tried everything. Apparently his everything was not enough. 

Quilyan
IMAGE CREDIT

credit bronzehalo
Please only tag starting posts, spars, and threads collecting dust!
Plot with me here!

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#5
Quilyan


Zarina is displeased with her bonded, and she is not afraid to let him know just what she thinks of his little temper tantrum.  She shrieks at him across the bond; when she feels him shut her out, she decides that she will shriek out loud.  With an angry hiss, she begins to chatter at him, scampering along his nape to perch on his poll.  She grabs a chunk of his forelock, boxing his ears with her tiny paws, all the while emitting the most horrendous lecture.  Of course, he can't understand her words this way, but surely he will understand her point.  When he grows more annoyed, his rage redirecting at her, she elects to leap the gap toward Kaj, aiming to latch onto a piece of mane and crawl to his poll, muttering dark.

The worst thing is that she feels the stab of guilt that enters Quilyan's breast as Kaj offers an explanation and an apology, the knowledge that he really has no right to be angry - and yet he is still being an idiotic, childish little git about it.  He glares at her, weighing his options for a moment, turning words over on his tongue and seething about the perceived wrongs his brother-in-arms has committed.  Kaj doesn't know what he's done to anger the painted steed, and, truth be told, Quilyan doesn't really know either.

Everything in Kaj's posture speaks to his anxiety over the situation, and as the prince stands before the Stormbringer, he realizes just how much the past few months have been for his friend.  Even the best of rulers can't be the best at everything all the time - and yet, here Quilyan is, berating the stallion for something that wasn't truly his fault.  His lips tightened as he fought with the desire to make amends and the stubborn urge to cling to his anger, his eyes narrowing and his ears tightening against his skull.  After a moment, he sighed, looking down and away from Kaj, allowing his posture to loosen and his fury to abate.

"It's me, Kaj," he admitted finally.  "I am angry, but at myself, and I used you as a scapegoat.  That wasn't fair of me.  I'm so sorry."

"Talk talk talk."
lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!


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