L E A N D E R The gilded Warrior made his way across the snow spun expanse of the Oasis, as he so often did. The great Blood Tree loomed ahead of him, it's ancient presence a reminder of his entrance into the herd. Since then, the sands had become a comfort to his hooves, the scent of the lake calming to his often troubled head. It was amazing how quickly one could fall right into place, as if they were meant to be right where they were. Fate must have had some hand in guiding him here. A wistful belief, maybe, but one the tall brute had always believed. White silt dusted in weaving tendrils along massive hooves as the charger moved onward through the terrain. For the moment, he was not on patrol, not trailing some wide-eyed newcomer in his wake or stumbling in from battle, ripe with wounds. He was driven by a different purpose now, and one that had been needing attention for some time. It was Kri he sought now, his leader, the authority of the herd. In the past, high figures had often been objects of scrutiny for the tawny stag. But Kri was different somehow, and not just for the novel fact that she was a sole female leader. The petite mare held some sense of strength and solidity that he could only dream of. It was as if she were cut from granite, stoic and hardened by the earth's shifting skin. Leander had only seen her briefly a few times, but the experiences had somehow been enough to endure his respect to her wholly. With searching golden orbs, he slowed his sandy frame into a halt. "Kri?" Tones rang out into the foliage, knowing the faithful leader could not be far off. |
Hidden Account |
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14.3hh :: 10 Buff: NUMB |
Boom Boom! |
KRI the Resolute</style> My friends, I am only flesh and bone, but I won't let you die alone.</style> I am only made of flesh and bone. |
Hidden Account |
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.3 :: 8 |
Epona |
L E A N D E R Standing near the base of the relic tree, the stallion considered the array of questions that had been sweeping through his mind like the snows across the Throat. The battle of the Edge was foremost on his tormented head, above even Faelene, though the dark mare was tied into all his worries now. He'd seen the ex-King Mauja in the Threshold, blatantly trying to pull unwitting Unicorns into the remnants of his defeated band. They were holed up in the thick cold of the North wilds, apparently regrouping and healthy enough to seek recruits. The knowledge had left a bad taste in his mouth, ever fueling the hunger for another attack on the foolish brute that Faelene followed so dearly. Trouble was on the wind, Leander knew all to well. The racist Unicorns would not let one defeat prove their wrongs. No; the sick of mind were never so quick to take the right path. Drawn from his musings, white lined orbs caught a flash of umber sheen in the skies. With her usual aura of steady assurance, his leader descended from the blue. She was a dart of muscle and flaxen silk as she flew to meet him on the cold ground. A beautiful mare, if you asked him, though to ever tell her would be a mistake. For she was a leader, and that power did not come without the massive strength of wit and body he knew she had. It had sparked curiousity that Kri took no mate, no one to share her heavy burden of responsibility and decision making. Only the whole of the members of the Throat, many of which were probably too preoccupied with their own goings on to think much about the solemn sultana. Jouncing thick cream locks, the charger dipped his head in a gesture of great respect. "Hello, Kri." He spoke with husky chords and a gently raising crown. "It is good to see you well after the battle." A smile of warmth found his lips, the victory of the endeavor not far from his thoughts. Taking a step closer to his petite ally, Leander continued. "I have not gotten the chance to speak much with you in my time here. Will you talk with me for a while?" He asked her with the understanding that someone in her position would often be too busy for light conversation. Hopefully the henna matriarch would have time enough to spare. After a patient pause, the golden draft decided to relay his recent findings. Kri might already have caught wind of Mauja and his horde's doings, but the matter was something that needed discussion. "I have some information that may be of importance. In my last patrol of the Threshold, I encountered Mauja. He was out trying to lure a new member into his group. They've taken refuge to the North, or so he said. It sounds like the ex-Edge Unicorns are regrouping there. I fear they may be planning retaliation against us and the Qian." |
Hidden Account |
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14.3hh :: 10 Buff: NUMB |
Boom Boom! |
KRI the Resolute</style> My friends, I am only flesh and bone, but I won't let you die alone.</style> "You as well, Leander," my voice says, almost automatically in response to the formalities of tongue. It was odd that the crown of Leadership had bent my skull to fit, arranging my personality to fit the demands I thought otherwise impossible by my brash nature. It is in the eyes of this stallion that I see respect reflected out toward me, standing before him as a ruler and not as a soldier. This is a hard lesson to take into the gut, to stomach. As much as I would demand respect, I often preferred to think of myself as an equal to my herdmates, at least on basic levels. Military should have told me sooner this was not possible. |
Hidden Account |
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.3 :: 8 |
Epona |
L E A N D E R Without hesitation, the russet leader seemed to take the offer of company well. He expected she'd turn him down, surely concerned with more important things. A grateful smile laced his lips, maybe curled with a touch of pride that he was getting to speak privately with Kri. But the joy soon gave way to all the thoughts and worries that plagued him. It often seemed as though Kri had to handle all the herd's problems on her own, for many of her followers were more than content to sit idly by. Frequently, he wondered how all of the other ranks were managing. The soldiers were undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, as Mauja and his band had found out. But were the other levels of the Throat just as strong? Kri's reassuring words did ease his fears, if only slightly, and he respected her thoughts well. Cream hair flounced about his crown, nodding in agreement to the leader's assessment. She brought up the name of the Foothills, a group he'd herd mentioned not so long ago. With the slightest trace of irritation falling into his expression, he recalled the buckskin colt from the Threshold. "I know little about the Foothills, though I met one of their soldiers in the Threshold the other day. Ricochet. He had only insults for the Throat." Gold eyes had hardened, glancing from the sands to the matriarch. "It took some resolve on my part not to teach him a lesson then and there. Are we on good terms with the Foothills, Kri?" Of course he knew better than to go about causing trouble with the other herds, but Leander was not going to let the young stallion's pride go unhindered. One day, he would teach the boy how to speak to his elders. But this was not the time nor place to linger on such things. The stoic lady Kri would certainly not be impressed with any angry outbursts from her warriors. Weighing on the golden's mind throughout the budding conversation had been a piece of information. He'd been feebly telling himself that whatever he and Faelene had was not some dark secret. But with Faelene and the rest of Mauja's band now at obvious odds with the Throat, knowledge of their meetings had grown in importance. Silently, he vowed to keep the matter to himself unless knowledge of it was vital to the safety of the herd. Speaking of it without reason could be a powerful mistake. "Mauja's group will probably not attack our herdlands. But they may try to attack us when we are out of the Throat and most vulnerable; our young and solitary members may be most at risk." Memories of his own youth shuddered through his mind, of a horned beast lashing at his own haunches when he was far to young to fight. A grimace flashed over his features, betraying the normally solid exterior. |
Hidden Account |
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14.3hh :: 10 Buff: NUMB |
Boom Boom! |
KRI the Resolute</style> My friends, I am only flesh and bone, but I won't let you die alone.</style> Interest floods my face as I note the irritation which grows in the golden expression of Leander's at the mention of the Foothills. I would have easily let him know of my own irritation with the herd, though it was not the herd so much as a black and white dun idiot with eyes spewing crimson. Paladin the Valiant, the usurper of the throne of Gossamer, attempting to call upon ties we had no set. There was effort taken to hold the snort in my chest as I thought back to our encounter, but now was not the time to let my temper flare in the face of retrospect. Now, the betrayer's children had emulated their father by abandoning the Throat. They say the apple does not fall far from the tree, but the bereft of Ophelia's services had still shocked me; Ktulu had always been uninterested in herd affairs. |
Hidden Account |
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.3 :: 8 |
Epona |
L E A N D E R Thankfully, the sultana didn't seem to think less of him for his anger towards Ricochet. Maybe she was even appreciative of it; he was a soldier after all. It was in his job to fight and kill. Still, he knew that starting problems with another herd would be a regret, especially with the Unicorns lurking to the North. Despite his apathy for the buckskin, Leander knew that the Throat's bonds with other herds would need to be strong. There would be chaos in the future. Lined pools laid intently on the leader as she spoke of relations with the Foothills. The words disappointed him. Was the new neighboring lead really bad enough to require their ties to be cut? In the face of battle, one less ally could be enough to cause defeat. With a look of neutrality, the stallion spoke. "I understand. I do worry for their safety as well, though, for Mauja's group is much closer to their land. Maybe we could send a diplomat to speak with them? There may be some good in that herd, even if it does not come from their leader." He spoke with careful, hesitant words, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. He was addressing his matriarch, and there was no telling if she would be offended by the forwardness of his suggestions. His gold frame stood in a relaxed, somewhat submissive stance, and a soft smile still hung on his lips. "I could go speak to them, if you wish. I tend to have a way with words, and would be able to defend myself should they become hostile." Again he glanced at those azure eyes, wondering what she'd make of his proposal. The lady's next words had his grin broadening. He was beginning to like her more and more, even if she was not the completely rigid, stoic creature he'd thought. "I would have done the same, but I feared it may cause conflict between us and the Foothills. Though I do plan to find him again, when teaching him respect will not cause any problems for the Throat." He responded, the shine in his own pools not so different from Kri's. Their talk soon sombered again, and it was too hard to keep a smile when thinking of Mauja's group. The knowledge that Faelene still lingered in it was just another worry on his mind. The flaxen lead agreed with his suspicions, though she seemed much more at a loss as to what to do about it than he was. "You could assemble the herd for a meeting, and warn everyone about the ex-Edge's possible whereabouts. You could also encourage the citizens to travel in pairs whenever going outside the Throat, for safety. They would be able to disregard the warning, but they would at least be more informed. Making sure the soldiers are aware of where a possible attack may come from may also be beneficial." His tone was again cautious, though unwavering. He half-expected Kri to become cross with all his advice, to assume him arrogant or overly confident. Although he meant his suggestions only for the good of the herd, speaking to a leader so freely was not something he was used to. |