the Rift


[PRIVATE] all those wiggles!

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#1
Ranjiri
{
"Grief never ends, but it changes. Its a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."

It occurred to me as I stood in the middle of the meadow shivering that I really wasn't meant for the cold. My coat was too thin from living for so long in the Throat so I had little to insulate me against the onslaught of snow and frigid wind that buffeted against me. I trembled as I stood and the snow gathered around my hooves and up my legs, a testament to how long I'd been standing in that one place. Each breath I took burned my throat and each exhale was a cloud that made frost cling to my whiskers...

I should have stayed home, but I had needed an escape. After telling Cera about dad I just ... I needed to get away. I needed to clear my head. I needed to be alone again even though I had been alone for so long. And... I guess I needed to think a little bit, too, about what Cera had said about my memories and about his. Was it really okay for me to keep that memory about how dad died? Was it right for me to get rid of it and pretend like it didn't happen? Would it be disrespectful to get rid of it...?

I just wanted all of this to pass. I wanted to to be finished with all of the pain and the grief. I wanted to be able to just ... I don't know. I wanted to feel okay again. I didn't like feeling so fragile. Or so lost. I wanted to be able to sleep without being plagued by nightmares. I didn't want to feel so angry deep down inside about an invasion that I couldn't control and an outcome that I also didn't have any control over.

I just ... I wanted to be myself again.

I snorted and I could feel the tickle of a tear rolling down my cheek so I ducked my head down to rub against my foreleg. The last thing I wanted was my tears frozen to my face... no, I suppose that was wrong. The last thing I wanted was to be frozen in place and that's what was happening. I could feel the cramping in my muscles and it was painful to force myself to take a step forward, but I did. And I took another step and it occurred to me that at the rate I was going I'd be frozen solid before I ever made it out of the meadow and back to the Throat.

@[Destrier]

"."

ooc://

weather: uhh ... heavy snowfall but not quite a blizzard?


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Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#2



Frostfall seemed to have a rather unforeseen affect on young Merlin. The usually meek, reserved dragon all but embraced the cool, sometimes unforgiving chill of the season, while Suli sulked about and did everything in her power to stay out of the inclement weather. Honestly, I blamed the differences in their abilities for the way they reacted; Suli's breath was of the hottest fire, while Merlin's was that of the most raw freeze.

The said green dragoness was most displeased as we made our way from the Falls to the center of Helovia, crossing the frozen streams and trudging through snow drifts, some of which were up to my chest. Even with a coat that had grown long and thick, I couldn't ward the cold off completely, but I was far from miserable. I'd suffered worse winters in the mountains of Vallhea, but that was when I had been much younger and more... insulated, you could say.

Our destination was one that really didn't exist. I'd wandered away from the Falls with the intention to see how the rest of Helovia had fared against the relentless, unforgiving force that was Frostfall. Coming to a brief halt to survey the snowy meadow before me, I could see no tracks, no signs of anyone having come through recently; the snow was fresh and had covered anything too old, but in the heart of the meadow, it hadn't built up to anything like the drifts collected around the edges of it. I was certain we were alone, until my eyes scanned further one way and in the distance, I spied a black figure standing stock still. Suli and Merlin were both quick to pick up on it as well, as the green dared to peer her head out from the mass of my mane, and Merlin took perch upon my head in between my ears.

Sociable as I was, I began to approach but kept an err of caution. Helovia had proven to me more than once that not everything could be as it seemed, but as I drew closer, I could see that they were trembling. Worry pooled in my gut and concern trickled across my face. This winged and horned filly of ebony, ivory and gold looked young, but more than anything, she looked absolutely, undeniably miserable.

"Hello," I spoke the simple greeting as I approached, baritone voice soft. My head was held evenly with my withers in an attempt to appear as non-threatening as was possible, as the last thing I wanted was to scare the other off. "My name is Destrier; do you need help?" It was impossible to predict what kind of response I would receive, but I hoped it to be a positive one.

"You look terribly cold, miss." Through our bond I communicated to Merlin to go and gather what wood he could find, a request that he was more than happy to fulfill as he leapt from my head into the air to begin his search. Looking back to the filly, I offered her a gentle smile. "Please; let us make you a fire."

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You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#3
Ranjiri
{
"Grief never ends, but it changes. Its a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."

Sometime between the first step I took and the second ... or maybe it was the third I stopped because the cold just made my muscles hurt too much. I thought about the Basin and I couldn't help but wonder just how anyone could choose to live in something like this. Why, when there was sun and sand, warm breezes that were cooled by the ocean? Maybe I would feel different if I had spent far less time in the Throat, but I'd been shaped by the climate and my life there. The heat was comforting, the sand could be an annoyance at times, but I think would take that over snow if given the choice.

"Hello."

I was shaking too hard to even flinch at the sound of his voice, but my heart still felt like it leapt up into my mouth. I turned my head toward the stallion, but before I could say anything to him he was introducing himself and asking if I needed help. "..c-cold." I stammered as he told me that I looked terribly cold. I was cold and miserable and did it make me terrible that I wanted to press myself against his side and suck up all of his body heat like a giant sponge? Did it make me rude that I couldn't move my mind past just how cold I was to be able to even utter my name or a 'hello' in return? My brain had to be just as frozen as the rest of my body was.

His dragon flew away and the sudden movement made me flinch, but then he was asking to make a fire for me and, honest to god, I could have kissed his hooves right then and there. "Please..." I muttered  shakily. Oh god, a fire. I needed the heat so terribly that even thinking about it was enough to lift my spirits just a little. "Th-thank you..." 

But I was so ready for some kind of warmth right then that I found myself moving toward him. My movement was jerky and awkward, but I was trying my hardest to get closer to Destrier so I could press against his side. "I'm so cold." I was whispering even though it was obvious. 

@[Destrier]

"."

ooc://

weather: uhh ... heavy snowfall but not quite a blizzard?


Credits

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Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#4



I felt my heart sink at the response I received; the girl couldn't even manage a proper greeting, only stammer out a single word.

'Cold.'

She didn't need to speak anything else. I didn't want her to, as it was painfully clear just how difficult even the simplest of things were for her. For a brief moment I wondered if I might've come too late, if she would collapse and leave me before I could get her warmed back up, but I was quick to block such thoughts from my mind. Paternal instincts were quick to kick in, even if she was far from being a foal, and as she began to take stiff, tentative steps towards, I was quick to follow up with the action.

Stepping sideways until my side brushed up against her own, I came to stand parallel to her at her left. The cold which gripped her leaked through my thick coat, scraping at my side like icy fingers. That alone was nearly enough to make me shiver, so I couldn't even begin to imagine how she must be feeling. Like something close to death, I imagined.

'I'm so cold.'

Normally I would have reserved such closeness to those I called family, my brothers and sisters in arms and the like in fear of causing discomfort, but this was different. Her gentle proclamation was all the reassurance needed to know she wouldn't care. Carefully, as though her frozen frame might crumble, I laid my head over her neck so that it pressed into the right side while my mane draped over the left. "It's alright," I spoke tenderly, reassuringly. There were countless things I wanted to ask, like why she was here, if anything ailed her beyond the extreme cold that had settled in her being, if there was anything more I could do... But first and foremost, she needed to warm herself. "Focus on warming up; we've got you. You're safe now."

Soon enough, Merlin had gathered a small collection of twigs and small branches, piling them as well as possible against the wind. It wouldn't last long, but at least it could be started while he went to fetch more. An audible grunt could be heard from Suli as she made her way out of the tangle of mane and runes and dropped to the ground, her lips twitching back in clear displeasure at the cold of the snow beneath her clawed feet. If the situation had been any different, I might have cracked a chuckle at the way she stepped much too high through it. Parting her jaws, the little green exhaled a jet of flame strong enough to start a strong, steady fire before she, too, took to the skies to assist her brother in gathering more kindling, building the fire up and up before it was a roaring, crackling blaze.

And I continued to stand by her side, unmoving, relishing in the heat myself and waiting patiently for the frozen stranger to thaw.

image credits


You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#5
Ranjiri
{
"Grief never ends, but it changes. Its a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."


I didn't have to move far because the stallion, Destrier, took it upon himself to shuffle closer to my side and press against me. The only problem was that my wing was in the way and was blocking him from getting as close as I needed him to, so I lifted it and draped it awkwardly across his back and hoped that he wouldn't mind. I didn't feel his body heat at first and I guess that was because I was so cold. We only stood there side by side for a short time before he draped his neck over mine and I turned my head to press my cheek against his chest. If the situation had been different, if I had not been so cold I wouldn't have accepted such contact, nor would I have sought it out but at that moment I was insanely grateful for it.

"Its alright. Focus on warming up; we've got you. You're safe now."

"Th-thank you." I stammered again and I shut my eyes as I stood there because I was beginning to feel his body heat seeping into my own frozen frame. I only opened my eyes again when I heard the crackling of fire and I don't think I'd ever seen something so beautiful. Fire. Warmth. It assaulted me and I guess my body didn't know how to react to heat from Destrier and heat from the fire that his dragons (how did he have two?) had made for us. I stood there in silence for some time, watching the flames and the dragons as my body and my mind both thawed.

I don't know how long it took, I just stood there soaking up as much of the warmth as I could get, but eventually I could feel how my mind was a bit clearer. I remember thinking that I wasn't going to be leaving the Throat until Frostfall was over and there was not a single snowflake sticking to the ground that didn't belong there. And I thought about how lucky I was that Destrier and his dragons found me when they did, otherwise I'd just be a frozen statue.

"...I'm Ranjiri." I finally murmured because I still hadn't told him what my name was. "From... I live in the Dragon's Throat." I thought that that would explain my lack of any significant winter coat because you don't really need one living in the desert, I guess. I mean ... yeah, it gets cold but not this cold. "You're really warm." I murmured as I began to realize just how much body heat he was giving off. It was almost like he was fire.


"."


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Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#6



For what seemed like a long while, we stood there in silence. The crackling of the fire and the popping of the wood as it burned were almost comforting alone, drowning out the forlorn howl of the wind as it continued to blow. Suli and Merlin continued to fetch what kindling they could find, piling it near the fire until they were satisfied with what they'd managed to scavenge. Only then did the two dragons settle, Merlin nestling down into the snow by our feet, and Suli wrapping herself about my fetlock. The little green peered up at our sudden company with blatant curiosity in her purple gaze, but surprisingly, she remained quiet.

Feeling her wing shift so that it lay across my back, I didn't shy away even though it was a strange feeling, instead allowing her to step as close as she needed or wanted to. Against my own skin, I could feel the girl beginning to finally warm up, and I exhaled a soft breath of relief; we hadn't come too late after all. Thank Jörð...

She spoke, then, revealing her name and where it was she had come from. Ranjiri. Dragon's Throat. While I had never ventured to the Dragon's Throat myself and my knowledge of it was limited, I knew it was a desert land void of such bitter cold no matter the season. That explained why she was in such a poor condition considering the season, bearing a slick coat of summer rather than an insulated one suitable for Frostfall.

"I'm Destrier," came my response, and as I spoke, I lifted my head from over her neck, just enough to judge if she wanted to move or adjust. The last thing I wanted was to make her uncomfortable in any sense of the word. Then, my eyes shifted to the two dragons in our company and my smile softened. "And the two terrors are Suli, the green, and Merlin, the black. We came from the Falls."

Here, concern laced itself across my expression, and when I spoke, my tone was affable, as though I were speaking to my own flesh and blood. "If I may ask... What are you doing so far from home?"

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You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#7
Ranjiri
{
"Grief never ends, but it changes. Its a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."

He introduced himself as Destrier from the Falls, but I remained quiet because I was too focused on feeling the warmth from the fire and his body seeping into my muscles and bones. It was like my body was coming back to life. I could feel the dull ache in my muscles that I guessed came from being so cold for so long. When he introduced the 'two terrors' as Suli and Merlin I looked down at one then the other... the green one that was watching me. "How d-did you get two?" I asked the question that had perplexed me while I stood frozen and watched as they'd built the fire.

"If I may ask... What are you doing so far from home?"

"I..." And my voice died in my throat because what was I supposed to say? Would it be appropriate to lie and say that I'd been patrolling and got stuck in the snowstorm? Or that I'd gone out for a walk and got lost? Or should I tell the truth about how I was horrible and wanted to be alone and got stuck out here? That karma's twisted sense of justice finally caught up with me led to me being half frozen and miserable? Would it be okay to just say that I didn't want to talk about it even though I may have owed him some explanation, especially after he'd saved my life?

He'd saved my life.

"I uh... I did something bad." I whispered because I decided that I owed him a little bit of the truth, at the very least. "...and I wanted to be alone... and I got stuck out here..." Even though he'd lifted his head up a few minutes before to allow me to move, I guessed, I stayed where I was. I kept my face hidden from his view mostly because I didn't want to see any judgmental look as I whispered "I'm horrible."

"."


Credits

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Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#8

Hold me 'cause I'm sure I'm hated
Promises, they are overrated
Wait just a while, while I'm

When she asked how I had come to be graced with not only one, but two dragons, surprise trickled across my features. Honestly, I wasn't sure how or why I had been so blessed, but I wouldn't change it for the world. In a world filled with doubts and uncertainties, pain and suffering, ups and downs, Suli and Merlin were the only two things constant in my life, the only beings I could truly rely on no matter what happened.

"I'm... not sure," I began, pursing together dark lips as I grasped for the right words. "I am lucky, there is no doubt about that. They both were only eggs when I got them. Suli was gifted to me by these winged beings in the forest." For showing kindness to gargantuan spiders and even offering them hospitality throughout the winter in my then-home of the Edge, rather than trying to chase them out of Helovia or even kill them like others had. "And I found Merlin in the World's Edge near the stream, about to roll in." Another show of kindness, I mused to myself, and for it I had gained a friend for life.

Our conversation was not to be based entirely on fond memories, however, and as Ranjiri began to speak, my brows furrowed with concern.

'I did something bad.'

'I'm horrible.'

The bitter pain that laced her voice bit into me. She was but a child, at least from what I could tell, far from something horrible in my eyes. My curiosity was certainly peaked, not because I wanted to hear all of the juicy details, but because I wanted to help her. That was all I ever wanted to do.

When she remained unmoving from my embrace, I again laid my neck over hers, tucking my chin ever so slightly in what I hoped to be a comforting gesture. "You do not need to tell me if you do not wish," I spoke, my voice soft and gentle, like that of a father comforting his child. "But if you want... I am here to listen and help."

As though to remind us that she, too, was here, Suli shuffled closer to Ranjiri and gently butted her head against her leg, and wrapped herself around her if she so allowed.

With a soft, almost breathless chuckle, I corrected myself.

"We are here to help."

Drowning in denial
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You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#9
Ranjiri
{
"Grief never ends, but it changes. Its a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."

"You do not need to tell me if you do not wish. But if you want... I am here to listen and help."

He was nothing more than a stranger and there he was offering to help me even more. He already was warming my nearly frozen body, his dragons had built a fire, her was giving me comfort that I needed and ... and he was still offering more. Why? I felt a bump against my leg and I looked down at the green dragon as she curled around my leg and then Destrier was saying 'We are here to help.' What did it matter why he was there or why he was worrying himself over me? All that mattered was that someone cared, right?

"I watched my dad die..." I whispered because I was scared to say it any louder. "In the Basin... I watched." But it got worse. "He was buried in the Falls, I went and I watched again." And it continued to get worse. "I didn't tell my brother..." I shook my head then because I knew how wrong I had been not to tell Cera. "I let him think dad was alive. I avoided him. I let him think that I was mad at him and that I hated him." But I could never hate Cera. It hurt knowing that he could even think that.

"I ... I was trying to protect him." I tried to explain. "I didn't want him to know. I didn't want him to hurt like I was. I was just trying to protect him." I repeated. "But... he made me tell him. He wouldn't let me go and I tried to get away and I ... I attacked him. I made him bleed." I'd hurt him more than if I would have just told him in the first place and I knew that and I hated myself for it. "I'm horrible. I deserve this." I looked at the snow, the frozen ground, the icicles hanging from the trees and as I did so I pulled myself away from Destrier because I didn't deserve his warmth or his comfort.


"."



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