The Threshold, despite being the gateway to Helovia, was pretty much no man's land. It belonged to no one, and the plants here grew as wild as those who wandered here from the outside. Typically, only two types of souls wandered here - foreigners in search of a new beginning, or Helovians tasked to recruit those who came with nothing to call their own.

Today, the blue was one of the unusual ones. Normally she cast herself here like a comet. Fast and fleeting, in and out, leaving on her own or with another in tow. But today she walked leisurely with a friend by her side. Picking her way down a footpath carved by many before her, she listened to and spoke with the antlered fae, doing nothing other than simply enjoying her company. Their voices and laughter filled the air, the warmth of their conversation mingling well with the brightness of the Tallsun day. The canopy above them sheltered the pair from the glaring sun, but rays that had broken through dappled the trail they followed. Birds chattered in the trees, paying no mind to the two as they swooped down to catch insects that fluttered too close.

The star girl was at peace. This was her first Tallsun here in Helovia, and it suited the land marvelously. But as they laughed and carried on, little could prepare her for what they were about to stumble upon.

"I'm not sure about you, but I could use a nice drink." She smiled, eyes glittering in a sliver of light. She turned her head, looking through the rows of trees. "I think I hear a stream down there, perhaps we can take a look?" Breaking away from the path, she forced her way through the thicket that bordered their trail. It became easier to navigate the farther into the labyrinth of trees she walked.

She caught herself short, however, four pillars straight and rigid, head high, ears perked. Stormy gaze scanned her surroundings as her nostrils flared, pulling in deep breaths, tasting each scent she dragged in. Something wasn't right. Past the smell of the lush greenery, deeper than the decay of debris and earthy soil, another scent rested stagnant. The smell of disease and death, tinged with blood. It was faint, but present. She wasn't naive enough to believe that this wild land didn't claim plenty of lives for its own. But this stench was fresh. Her eyes locked on the direction she believed the scent was coming from, hoping the mild breeze wasn't distorting the location. "Enna," she called over her shoulder, her voice mutating suddenly from its previous warmness to a tone of caution and hardness. She switched from friend to warrior, readying herself for whatever may lay in wait. "Enna, do you smell that? Something isn't right."

She slowly continued forward, steps precise and purposeful. She was unsure if the healer would follow her deeper into the forest, but if she did, Ki'irha would be sure to keep a watchful eye. The smell grew more and more obtrusive until they came upon its source. Shying back, her nose wrinkling in disgust, the midnight girl looked over the bear. An ugly death had taken the creature. It's fur was in mats, body racked with disease. She had seen enough rabid animals in her time to assume that's what this was. But the blood that pooled around the beast was grotesque, as if something had bled every drop from its body.

Scowling, she made a wide circle around the fallen bear, until she was able to see it's throat. Something had killed it, though it must have been a dumb creature to take on a rabid bear. She shook her head, lips still turned in a frown. Where there's one, there's more. And she wanted to be gone from this place before more showed up. But as she turned to leave, another trail captured her attention. Hoof prints, left in the dampened soil, trailed away from this creature. Blood mingled with the steps, as though the owner of the trail was bleeding as well.

Looking back at Enna, Ki'irha shrugged, and began to follow the trail of blood stains and hoof prints. Soon enough, they came upon a small pool. But now, the pair was no longer alone. An antlered girl stood by the water. An injury spread across her shoulder, and an angry one at that. Perhaps it was something Enna could help with? Stepping into the open, the corporal spoke. "Hello," she called, "We come with no ill will. You look injured, perhaps we may help?" Falling silent, the buzz of the insects filled the gap in conversation, their chorus deafening in the Tallsun air.

Talk
OOC// oh my goodness, this post got away from me!
@Sartura @Enna ~

He crashes through the thicker parts of the Threshold, seeming to have lost the deer trail he was following. Not that he moved much quieter on the slight deer-path, for his immense bulk needed open plains, truly. Regardless, he jovially meandered destructively through the Threshold, enjoying the midday heat of Tallsun. Oh how he would miss it come Frostfall.

Thick ears flick forward, catching voices that were muted by the oppressive hotness. Following the sounds, he comes to creek thinned by the long days of evaporating sunshine. At least the flowing water meant a break in the thick trunks. Stepping into the gentle current, he followed the curling creek towards the (now feminine-sounding) equines. Splashes accompany every step of his gargantuan hooves and sweeping strides.

As he rounds a bend in the river, his deep blue eyes alight on Ki’irha, a unicorn mare ever-present at the Threshold, like himself. The other was Enna, a once sassy mare— whose gentle words he caught belied a seemingly change in her previously pert nature. He nods in greeting to the two Basin mares. Then, his azure gaze then trace the direction their eyes pointed, towards the newcomer.

He studies the mare of average height, but unique tresses and already impressive antlers. He was fond of antlers, and nearly begrudged his own massive horn for them. Nearly. Though the colorful locks were striking against the silver of her coat, it was the festering wound on her right shoulder that caught his undivided attention. “How’d you manage that?” his deep voice rumbles to the newcomer, “Or should I ask how the other man looks?” Humor rumbles in his tone, for those antlers of hers look like they could pack a meaningful punch. He glances at them pointedly as he grins at his own joke.

He then glances at Enna, waiting to see if her magical healing would work on the mare. It had not worked on the battlefield, when he had last seen her attempt to use it. Though, at that time, she was trying to heal god-inflicted wounds. Not a task for a mortal.

“I am Tembovu, of the World’s Edge. I second Enna’s welcome,” his low voice rumbled as the water rushed around his hooves.

The earthen doe's caution was not undeserved. Ki'irha had the tendency to be brazen and unhindered by things that should cause her to hesitate, and deep down that was what drew the corporal to her friend. Enna was many things that the star girl was not, and Enna was many things that Ki'irha admired. So it did not surprise her when the earthen mare held back at the aura of danger around the dead bear, though it did catch her off guard when the doe surged forward to heal the mare without question. The role of healer suited Enna, and despite the pain that could fall upon a gentle heart, the kindness she shared and the warmness she offered certainly made up for any weakness one could find.

Ki'irha watched Enna work her magic. Skin was mended, and most of the foul stench of disease was doused from the air. Rank magic was a wonderful thing. The unicorn stranger, silver and black with ombré waves, seemed defensive at first, and even when relaxed there was still a tenseness that clung to her. Enna introduced the pair, diplomacy shortening the space between them, sharing pleasantries that hadn't been quite appropriate prior to the healing. The star girl dipped her head in a shallow bow, a sign of greeting and respect to a fellow unicorn who seemed to take on a rabid bear with ease.

Like clockwork, in walked the stallion who seemed to follow her everywhere in the Threshold. She smiled at the buck, shaking her head. Voice soft and gentle, she spoke briefly to the stallion, a laugh light on her voice. "Seems I can't take a simple walk through this forest without seeing you, sir. I suppose without you, it just wouldn't be the same." She winked, before turning her sterling gaze back to the newcomer. In her distraction, she missed the sudden defensiveness of the mare, missed her dip a rack of swords towards the stallion.

She leaned back, lionine tail coiling around a rear cocked hoof. "Sometimes the fight comes looking for us," she mused, "But I am impressed with your abilities. It's not often such a fight ends as cleanly as this one."

"There is no need to thank me, Enna did all of the hard work. There is nothing to repay, at least not to me." She shrugged. What was there to repay? The stranger was injured, and she was a crowned sister. It was the right thing to do. The star girl had no reason to think otherwise.

"Well, Sartura," she continued, "It is lovely to meet you. I share Enna's sentiment. Welcome to Helovia. I promise you rabid creatures are not a frequent problem here" Her mind wandered briefly to all the disease that had riddled the world during the opening of the rifts. She shook it from her head, like trying to wake from a bad dream. But those days were behind them, at least the blue girl hoped. "Where do you come from? You may still need time to heal. Your injury was bad, and though I do not know much of my friend's magic, your body may still have work to do. If I may be so blunt, I can offer you refuge, either a permanent home or a temporary place to heal and get your bearings. The Aurora Basin is a wonderful place, and is especially beautiful this time of year." The antlered newcomer had a strength to her, a strength that would flourish into something the Basin would need.

Talk
OOC// @Enna @Sartura ~
@Sartura @Enna ~

He smiles lopsidedly at Ki’irha’s greeting. “Indeed it wouldn’t,” his low voice rumbles in amusement as he agreed with her jesting words. Though shifts his attention back to the newcomer as Ki’irha addresses her.

His brows raise as the new mare, ‘Sartura,’ reacts so violently to his appearance. They raise further when reveals that it was a rabid bear whom left such wounds on her. “Gods, a rabid bear? That’s one too many to see in a lifetime,” indeed, after the Bear God battle, he had seen enough bears, period. Then he feels her yellow gaze studying him, weighing him in whatever mental scale her life had created. It is not an uncommon occurrence— for the stallion has lived his life at such an enormous size. Though it did not always stir the hair on his neck, as Sartre’s owlish stare did. Evenly, calmly, he met her boring eyes.

Enna’s healing magic worked (had he known she could heal?), before she turned her sharp tongue on him, pulling his attention away from the antlered grey. “I see your tongue’s not lost its edge, Enna,” his low voice hovers on the edge of rebuke, “Though I’m sorry to hear it lose its amusement.” His deep blue eyes stare pointedly at her for a few moments longer than necessary, the usual convivial air gone from his voice.

“Though I do happen to recall that the Edge lacks the Northern chill of the Basin,” a faint smile glimmers on his face— aimed towards Enna— as he swings his head back Sartura. “It lies to the west, on sheer sea cliffs that are quite magnificent to see. I, too, am happy to offer you a home within my lands,” his grin grows as his rumbling voice stops. He lowers his head slightly, so as to not tower over others while in conversation, and cocks a hindlimb in the flowing waters.

A single brow rose when the blue caught a sharpness in her friend's words taking the place of any playfulness that would have fit in otherwise. The chill of her shoulder towards the elephant seemed to rival the cold of the north, but only for a moment before the doe returned to the newcomer. What had she missed in her absence? Or perhaps the mild blossom had a bite like nightshade. Everyone has their secrets.

"Selfless, perhaps," the star girl shrugged, brushing off the comment, "But I will be sure remember your offer in the future, as long as it still stands. It is never a bad idea to have favors saved up." It was true. A favor owed could come in useful, and the blue had no qualms in having debts to collect.

An ear flicked towards the buck, and as he spoke of the World's Edge, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the place she so often heard Tembovu describe. It sounded beautiful, despite the obviously dangers that were present in a land that gave way and dropped steeply to an unforgiving sea. In secret, it was a place she desired to visit, to at least see if it held the wonders he always seemed to promise. "The Basin is chilled, sure, but we have plenty of fire and spirit to keep the frost from settling into our bones. And Enna is right, this time of year has shown the most beautiful and unusual of flora. It's nice." She nodded gently as she shared the views of her home not only with the new girl, but with the the stallion, as well.

When the grey mare denied his invitation, she couldn't help but smile. "Wonderful," she began, silver catching the yellow gaze of Sartura. "It will be a pleasure to lead you to the north. It is a long journey, but well worth it." She turned her head towards Tembovu, catching his eye and winking. "Better luck next time, darling," she said playfully. It was odd, that the handsome stallion seemed to be met with such hostility. But she had no reason to mirror the other mares' sentiment, so she left their meeting as pleasurable as it had started. She turned on cloven toes, beginning to lead the trio out of the forest and safely home.

Soon the Threshold was far behind them, and would remain until it called her name again.

Talk
OOC// @Tembovu @Enna @Sartura  ~