the Rift


[OPEN] everything we touch turns to gold

Själ Posts: 112
Outcast atk: 5.0 | def: 8.5 | dam: 5.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.0 hh :: 4 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Ansgar :: Plain Griffin :: Draining Clutch ChaoticMelodies
#1
Själ
The brilliant red of the Blood Falls slowly gave way to the greener hues to the south, and with the rubies waters fading further into the distance, the princess found herself more at ease.  She had been uneasy there for some reason, as though she could sense souls trapped in the waters, trying to reach the treasures beneath the surface; as though she had been trapped, enclosed by the crimson tint all around her; as though she might never escape if she stayed long enough.  Greens were calmer, more familiar, and with that familiarity returned the sense that she had made the right decision to return to Helovia.

Ansgar bounded through the undergrowth some way ahead, no doubt hunting for a wandering meal.  The little griffin could move as silently as the cat that made up her latter half; she enjoyed the land as much as she did the air, and she could kill just as efficiently regardless of her approach.  Today was  grounded sort of day, one where she would slink into the leaves, waiting patiently for the next passing rabbit or squirrel, and then pounce.  She would hook into their back with her claws, kill with one clean snap to the neck, and then parade proudly back to her bonded, knowing full well that the princess would not share in the meal but wanting to show it off all the same.

The girl barely noticed as the trees began to thicken, the canopy overhead swaying gently in an autumn breeze.  At some point, she realized that she was traveling into ever-more-narrow lanes,  with the foliage more densely packed.  It would be difficult for her to find her way through the trees were she to wander off the beaten path; but then, she had nowhere to be.  The straightforward nature of the labyrinth was almost a welcome distraction for the girl.  She had nowhere to go and no particular plan, but she knew she would end up somewhere eventually.  Perhaps that somewhere would be more interesting than the one she had left.

"Talk."
--Ansgar.--
Själ

Pixel by Reli <3

Please tag Själ in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

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Hearth Posts: 22
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16hh :: 8 (FF) HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Locks
#2
Hearth
Little light, little light,
How far will you go tonight?
Be it far or be it near, tonight I'll never fear.



Curiosity is what lured me and it is curiosity that keeps me here, for never had I'd seen such a strangely arranged woodland put together so...purposefully. That is the impression I feel, but who am I to infer what may and may not be, in fact, natural? My eyes have never seen the like of these plants before, especially these tall, tannish sticks, so what experience do I have to judge from? None, which makes this all the more enjoyable, for a traveler of the world am I and  found somewhere new have I. There is little more wondrous then the surprises of the bounded earth, for as time has proved again and again, there is always more to see. Still, this place is peculiar to my memory of woodlands and it comes upon me as a bit of an after thought that, perhaps, winged kind like myself do not thrive here, especially those with heavy feet.

 My red body wades indolently through the still waters of a narrow creek , breaking its serene perfection as I pass, my feet raising from the sucking clay as I press through the huddled stick plants, which make a peculiar hollow sound as they spring back in place and clank into one another. My presence is well marked by this cacophony of makeshift song and I cannot recall precisely when the path had narrowed so to this point, as by now my sight was all but crowded in by the hollow wood trees and the sparse leafage they produced. The tube trees weave so thickly together the sky is hardly visible but in meek ribbons of blue in the canopy but I worry not for its apparent disappearance, for I knew the sky always and forever remains above as the earth remains below, whatever it might be hidden by. My great wings, however, shift and flex themselves restlessly now and again, unused to lying still at my side, willfully agitating the vegetation to instigate yet more sound for fun or extending themselves to clear the path ahead while I nip and tear at various plants to test their flavors.

My maw grasps at a nearby cattail and I chew at it thoughtfully when I suddenly break out into a reprieve as the path opens to a more accommodating width for me and my eyes are drawn instantly to the color of jet black and white born stark amidst the lively green of the verge and tan of the hollow trees. I find myself in the presence of a stranger, a mare and young by the looks of her, for she did not seem her full height, and horned. A smiles curls faintly at my lips at this, recalling my apparent penchant for encountering the horned folk in this land. A flutter of motion draws the attention of my gaze to something more beside the young mare and I find a small beast formed of both a bird and feline. My head cocks, tilting my fetlock clean off my face as I consider it and find myself smiling even more. Some may have been frightened of it but not I, for I am Hearth, traveler of the world and a creature of footed earth and winged air. It would be silly to think only I and my ilk were made so, for at the horizon the earth and sky touch in union and we are an embodiment of this truth, to show the connection of all things. So it is known to me.

Peering at these two also reminded me of Sacre, the one I called the Fox Mother, for he too was in the presence and friendly to an uncommon beast. I heard it mentioned once they called it a " bonded". Strange, these natives of Helovia but undeterred do I remain and fear none of their customs. Returning my attention to the young one before me I bow my heavy head in greeting.  "Well met, little one. I suggest a cattail if you're one for trying. The cold has sweetened them. " It is a causal statement and friendly, I think, to say this. Youths often talked of sweet plants and looked for them as a game back in the Distant land, to their parents chagrin at times. I nonchalantly chew the stalk of the cattail in my mouth, savoring the sugar in it. " I am Hearth, " I say kindly after a moment,"What of you?"

"Talking"
@Själ
@ Själ
vaya on flickr
suicidecrew | larfsalot
on deviantart
  • Permission granted to harm Hearth and use magic against her, but withhold from dismemberment and death.

  • Also, please tag Hearth in Threads!

Själ Posts: 112
Outcast atk: 5.0 | def: 8.5 | dam: 5.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.0 hh :: 4 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Ansgar :: Plain Griffin :: Draining Clutch ChaoticMelodies
#3
Själ
They wandered further, the girl and her bonded, aimlessly picking their way through the thick copses and abundant brush. The griffin bounded ahead periodically, as though to scout the way; it was, after all, much easier for the little cat-bird to weave through the leaves and stalks than the unicorn. Själ followed in her own way, albeit more slowly, gazing at the natural, foreign beauty surrounding her. How had she never found the hidden jewels of Helovia before? Why had she never wandered farther than her mother's northern wastes, searched for more than ice and snow and legacy?

The thought of Psyche brought the taste of bile to the girl's mouth. Once, she had worshipped the ground her mother walked on, coming to Helovia to search for her rightful place as princess. Psyche had been the DarkEmpress, Queen of the North - even though she had grown paranoid and scattered in the months leading up to her second daughter's birth, she had passed on stories of her time as a leader, a pioneer, a crusader. And Själ had believed her, hung onto every word, craved the legacy that her mother painted for her.

And when her mother had disappeared, and the princess had come to find her... she had been dead, her stories faded into oblivion. The girl's mouth twisted angrily as she remembered her abandonment. She had found no answers as to why her mother had left, what had killed her, how she had been able to leave her daughter alone in the world. Why had Psyche never told the girl of her father, of her sister, of the world within Helovia's borders?

Why had she left her alone?

Sensing her bonded's turmoil, Ansgar bounded back into view, crooning softly. The griffin, always more feline than avian, flopped onto her side in front of Själ, twisting and rolling to expose her belly in a stretching arc, making a noise somewhere between a chirp and a purr. The princess smiled, and then laughed, lowering her nose to rub along the griffin's exposed stomach. The fur and feathers mingled softly against the tender skin of her maw, calming the filly; the griffin batted gently at her face playfully, careful not to scratch the girl. Själ giggled again, shaking her nose back and forth, encouraging the griffin's playful behavior.

Approaching rustles brought the girl's attention back to her surroundings. Själ raised her head as Ansgar rolled to her feet, shaking the dust from her wings. A large, dark form was emerging from the hollow stems. The unicorn backed a step warily; the griffin arched her back, tail lashing in warning. The pegasus mare that stepped into the little clearing was indeed darkly colored, but streaked with light; her voice was kind and welcoming, and the filly halted her retreat, her ears pricking forward curiously. Ansgar sat and began to preen, eying the newcomer with caution.

"Thank you," the girl said slowly in response to the mare's offer, reaching out to nibble daintily at her own cattail. The mare was right - it was sweet, more flavorful than grass, particularly at this time of year. The filly chewed thoughtfully, vaguely noting that she had come across many more pegasi in this land than she had her own kind. She did not share in her mother's racism; in fact, she knew nothing of it as yet. One day, no doubt, she would hear the stories, and then the friendships she had made with winged ones would be all the more ironic. But for now, she remained blissfully unaware.

"My name is Själ," she offered. "Do you know what these trees are?"

"Talk."
--Ansgar.--
Själ


@Hearth

Pixel by Reli <3

Please tag Själ in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Själ?  Visit her plot page here!

Hearth Posts: 22
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16hh :: 8 (FF) HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Locks
#4
Hearth
Little light, little light,
How far will you go tonight?
Be it far or be it near, tonight I'll never fear.



Själ. It reminds me of a faint chill, but not an unkindly one, the sound of it lingering in the air for just moment as it rolls off the tongue. "Själ," I practice the name aloud, musing over it. " A pretty name. What of the pardcat? Does it too have a name?" I ask, directing my gaze over to the little beast. It was grooming itself but I was all too aware of how it watched me cautiously. A smile warms on my maw as the young mare tries a cattail at my suggestion but I nod my head sideways when she inquires about the plants, relenting the fact I knew nothing.  "

"It is the first I've seen of them myself but this I must say. They make a most amusing sound and are quite springy."  One of my great wings extends and brushes against a small number of the exotic plants, encouraging a chuckle from my lips as they sway and clack. " They grow in peculiar groves as well. Never had I thought plants could be so..." I search for a word to describe my thought, pausing for a brief moment. "... Contained " I sweep my gaze into the canopy and then to the apparent paths ahead and behind. "It nearly cries to be walked through in a... certain way...but the way is lost. Have you noticed this?""

My words sound thoughtful even in my ponderous voice, denoting the joy I felt in my company. It is an experience I am growing more accustomed to in my stay of these lands of Helovia.

"Talking"
@Själ
OOC Sorry for the wait
  • Permission granted to harm Hearth and use magic against her, but withhold from dismemberment and death.

  • Also, please tag Hearth in Threads!

Själ Posts: 112
Outcast atk: 5.0 | def: 8.5 | dam: 5.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.0 hh :: 4 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Ansgar :: Plain Griffin :: Draining Clutch ChaoticMelodies
#5
Själ
The pegasus mare repeats the girl's name back to her, as though wanting to taste it on her tongue. The princess had noticed the wide variety of names throughout Helovia, or at least those that she had found; she wondered at the history behind all of those names, all of those faces, all of those empty titles. She knew of kings and queens and empresses that roamed here, only they didn't have the lands or the subjects to back up their claims. The thought of royalty - specifically, of her mother - brought a bitter taste that the cattail cannot seem to rid from her mouth. She let it fall to the ground before her griffin, who looked up at her with an enquiring chirp before beginning to paw gently at it.

"Oh, her name is Ansgar," the girl supplied quickly as she realized that she had forgotten to introduce her companion. They had spent so much time alone that the princess often forgot that the griffin was not simply a part of her imagination, a little piece of her that materialized because she needed to feel... well, less lonely, to start. But it was indeed fact that the little creature was very much real and very much in need of introduction. As though to prove the point, Ansgar pounced upon the discarded cattail, rolled onto her back to toss it in the air, and chased it across their little clearing. She ended up catching her prey in front of Hearth's hooves.

The pegasus stretched a wing as she spoke, setting the trees nearby to clacking. The sound startled the griffin, who raced back to her bonded, only to peer out from behind the girl's left fore. The sound of the trees was oddly hollow, but not in an empty sort of way. It was, as Hearth had said, quite springy. The princess decided that she liked it. "They aren't contained," she protested, "or, well, not in the way you mean, at least. They sort of contain themselves, don't they? It's almost like... the trees have shut everything else out. The paths... they aren't easy to navigate, but surely they lead to somewhere?" She paused, thoughtful. "I don't think this forest was here, before. I thought if I just kept walking, then maybe I'd find something I knew."

"Talk."
--Ansgar.--

@Hearth
OOC ;; no worries! :D
Själ

Pixel by Reli <3

Please tag Själ in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Själ?  Visit her plot page here!

Hearth Posts: 22
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Pegasus :: 16hh :: 8 (FF) HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Locks
#6
Hearth
Little light, little light,
How far will you go tonight?
Be it far or be it near, tonight I'll never fear.


I'm humored by Sjal's surprise when I asked for her companions name and the later antics of the little creature with the fallen cattail. I had bent my head low to observe the cat-pard when she came near but the moment was shortlived as my great wing caressed the hollow tubes and frighten Ansgar off. No matter, it was easy to spy the falcon-likeness and spotted coat even behind the young mares skinny legs. A question was rising in my head about just what her kind was called but the voice of Sjal stole it away from my attention and I hum thoughtfully, more to myself then to her. She had mentioned in passing that this forest may not have always been here and my ears give a slight twitch at that comment, but I say nothing. Strange happenings was very well the norm for this named land, that I've come to accept. Before I would never have thought of others who bore the weight of horns on their brow rather then the heft of wings on their shoulders, yet here I find them as many as those with and even others without either horn or wing. Everyday there is something...unexpected. It invokes a feeling in me, a powerful draw that I'm unable to resist and has caused me to linger and forsake my pursuit of the horizon as is my faith. Many times I've left it all beneath my shadow in the early light only to return again beneath the moon's own eye.

" I'll take your word for that in this unusual place. I cannot say much as it is, for it is outside mine own reckoning, but mayhap there were never paths to begin with. Nature does not build them; you may only ever wander forward on a path of your own making. Still, the nearness of it all steals away any sense of proper direction here on the ground, I confess. Though 'lost' is a word only to those who are not where they wish to be. As a traveler of the world, I am only where I am. It is my place..." I pause, turning my gaze back onto my dark companion.

" You say you are searching for something familiar? Is there something to be found here? Or are you not where you wish to be,young Själ?" I stress the one word with a slight pause, letting it hang in the air for a moments breath as my own heavy head tilts to the side.  I realized as a winged creature I was far from bound in this place but Själ was not. With only her hooves to bear her through, kinds like her had  no choice but to continue onward once they entered too far these wetlands. But I, of course, knew nothing of her reasons for being here at all and it was not my intention to pry. But between strangers it couldn't hurt to ask and if guidance was what she sought I would not mind to have my shoulder beside hers for a while. It has been too long since I last had someone to call a 'friend'.

"Talking"
@Själ
vaya on flickr
suicidecrew | larfsalot
on deviantart
  • Permission granted to harm Hearth and use magic against her, but withhold from dismemberment and death.

  • Also, please tag Hearth in Threads!

Själ Posts: 112
Outcast atk: 5.0 | def: 8.5 | dam: 5.0
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.0 hh :: 4 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Ansgar :: Plain Griffin :: Draining Clutch ChaoticMelodies
#7
Själ
Ansgar, sensing no hostility from the mare, emerged slowly from behind her bonded's forelegs, sinking to her belly and stalking slowly forward.  The griffin's tail flashed from left to right along the ground, her shoulders wiggling up and down - and then she pounced forward, chasing her bonded's discarded cattail toward Hearth.  Somewhat near the pegasus's hooves, she caught her prey, crushing the delicate stalk in her teeth.  When she was satisfied that it was, in fact, quite dead, the griffin flopped onto her side, twisting to groom the fur along her right haunch.

The thoughtful voice of Hearth was calming to the wandering filly, and she found herself considering the words that flowed forth with an unusual amount of interest.  The princess had been searching for her path for some time, but perhaps the mare had a point - perhaps it was up to her to create her own path.  There wasn't already one that was hers - nature would not simply show her the way.  Wasn't that the point of life, after all?  Wouldn't a simple road to the end just be too easy, too quick, too painless?  Wouldn't it just be so... lacking?

"I don't... know," the princess answered hesitantly.  "I felt like I was going somewhere, but I don't really know where that somewhere is."  She gazed into the trees, lost for the first time.  She had felt so sure of herself, so positive that she was moving toward something or someone, but she had ended up in this endless forest, wandering towards or away from who-knows-what, and where had she even been headed, anyway?  What had she been so determined to find?

What was out there for her, anyway?

Didn't she have to create her life for herself?

"I suppose... I suppose I set out to get through this forest, but now that I'm here, I don't really know where I'm going. I don't know if I'm going anywhere, really." The light filtered through the stalks surrounding the pair in a gentle green glimmer, filling the princess with calm. "Maybe you're right," she added thoughtfully. "Maybe there aren't any paths after all. I think I'm happy here, even if it wasn't where I set out to go. Do you ever have a destination in mind, in your wandering?"

"Talk."
--Ansgar.--

@Hearth
Själ

Pixel by Reli <3

Please tag Själ in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Själ?  Visit her plot page here!


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