I turn to check on my companion, ever present behind me as we search for the unnamed who fled our presence during the worst of the extended Frostfall. For the first several days tracking him was blissfully easy due to the snow he left impressions on, but as the weather shifted to allow the sun its turn to play it became difficult. The language barrier between Hildegunn and I only complicated matters as I could not ask her thoughts on giving up the search…but I would not trade her faithful company for anything. All I have ever known is how to be alone while pretending it does not affect me and searching, tracking, my brother Rift. To have the compact, lovely mare as a companion is a first and though I wonder why she pursues this stallion with me, I am beginning to count her as a friend. Friend.. I think the word before whispering it to the warm air, tasting the foreign word, “Friend.”

Blackened peaks twitch back to catch the sound of fading steps as Hildegunn slows.

Relentless in my endeavor to locate the confused man I realize I may have pushed too hard with too little rest and sustenance. A singular goal filled my thoughts leaving the absence of all else save the constant checks to assure my friend’s safety. Endurance is a well documented trait of my desert heritage, something I easily forgot the cold-crafted Hildegunn does not possess. There is a reason for her stockier build versus my narrow one and dark lids drift closed in troubled shame. Graceful legs slow to match the pace of the one behind me before coming to a complete stop just out of her sight. The absence of sound from her direction tells me she has decided to pause and I, in my guilt, stop as well. Shifting so I face the area she stopped in eyes scan the area ever on the watch for danger, strangers and an unnamed chimera.

It is during this scan I begin to despair fearing a loss of trail and the light in a blue-gray gaze dims.

My attention is ripped from the emerald forest to the now rumbling path as Hildegunn’s familiar steps call it there. The sound of my name from excited lips brings this melancholic form to meet with her before she reaches me. Quick to continue she speaks in the tongue I have scarcely dented but I cannot miss the word “han” when it falls from her mouth a second time. Han…he There is no other I know of that would bring such excitement to the mare’s voice except the one we seek. Eagerly, as hope crashes against reinforced barriers, I softly reply. “Han er her?” Hoping the words are correct in my rushed state I join her shifting gaze before eyes catch the sight of him. Seeking the mare’s  cocoa gaze I find her once more on the prowl for breakfast (or lunch? I have not kept track of time, it may even be dinner)

“Hildegunn!” my turn to nearly shout as charcoal limbs move to where the beast stands attempting to remove the band circling his midsection.

Hesitant steps bring me within range of his reach as relief for his survival begins to fall away upon review of raw, torn flesh where that infernal band lay. I do not need to wonder why he attempts to grab it and quietly I breathe out, “Chimera, would you like some help?” Too late, I realize I called him by the name I gave him when he failed to introduce himself those many nights ago. Delicate lips twitch into a small smile at this even while an indifferent mask struggles to drop into place. Mental fingers take this moment of indecision and stretch toward that darkened room where all emotion is locked away. The little girl of my memories screams, begging me to follow through with the small steps I begun to take toward regaining all I lost; in essence the entirety of myself.

Mental fingers fervently grasp at the wooden barrier, finding purchase on a loosened plank and beginning to tug before I quickly regain that ever present control.


"speech"

OOC:haha you know I don't mind powerplaying and you're right, Vu would not stop for many food breaks. XD  

I doubt I will ever know the reason why I felt such a desire to ensure this chimera’s safety those dreary weeks ago but I do know that it became a small adventure for the lost girl in my head. Even now I sense the child I was pushing stubbornly against the crate I shoved her into just eight months into my existence; the night my mother left. This journey with Hildegunn forces me to drop the neutrality worn as a shield every day just so we can communicate through gestures and expressions. The child inside nearly screams in frustration when the sun sets, our efforts still and the façade erects itself back into place. Admittedly it is growing increasingly difficult to easily push it back to the forefront and that is something I will need to face..but for now, I remain committed to these small measures.

Pitch-black lips tilt upward in the slightest and rarest traces of a smile.

His accented chords sing to my ears and I nearly chuckle knowing it must be surprising to see Hildegunn and myself again. Should I tell him? I ponder the possible outcomes of revealing our mission to recover his presence but quickly realize the risks outweigh the benefits as far as my mind can see. Cerulean eyes turn to my companion as she joins us, eyes widening a fraction at her current state. A sibling suffers from the allergies that also appear to plague her a surge of affection and concern warms my heart. We will have to seek out water for the Frostfall meant mare to cool off and ease what symptoms she can. Eyes shift and land on the nameless once more in time to see hints of confusion constrict his temples. Unsure as to the cause I can only stare back into his lilacs as they bore into me...though my gaze is far less penetrating.

A darkened mask solidifies against unspoken inquiry as cerulean eyes dart away.

An internal audit quickly suggests that perhaps I am perceiving his gaze as more than what it truly is and internally I squirm at the thought he may know we tracked him. My eyes find his as charcoal lips part to form a semblance of response and possibly an excuse for what some may deem stalking. Breath stops before it can be expelled in speech at his soft words. Shock lines my face for a moment, he appears such a proud beast, but swiftly I recover and morph my features into a passable version of politeness. I never expected to hear him wish for assistance, not after the careless words he threw at the end of our first encounter. “We-no I- needed to know.” Quiet voice leaks out as I step to his proffered side. It is not fair to include Hildegunn in my obsession as she merely followed and put up with my military-like march. I owe her for putting up with this. Inky lips part to reveal ivories as they close on the cord and use a combined chewing and tugging method to free his previously unseen wings.

While ivories pull and wrest a midnight mask lies on the floor baring a lost girl for the entire world to see.


"speech"

OOC: FREE WINGS.   

I hear the birds calling out in their love language during their twisting dances but for once, clear eyes do not turn excitedly to them. All my life winged creatures have fascinated me but the idea of uncovering previously hidden wings on this chimera intrigues me more than even the birds…the birds whom the majority of my life I have conversed with. His brusque, perhaps harsh, words reach out to me and to my shame I flinch a hairsbreadth away and ignore the question. Fear that his pride may chafe the way this horrible cord does imprisons my tongue as focus is forced to the task. As the cord begins to fray my excitement over his status as a pegasus  begins to grow and obsessively ordered thoughts begin to fall to the floor of my brain. Just one touch…a single feather.

Cerulean eyes gleam in ardent desire to stroke newfound feathers with darkened lips.

I begin to scramble as lips tempt all known reason and stretch over the cord stopping millimeters from a freed feather. Lids slide closed even as my mouth is dragged back to its task and ivories resume gnawing until as last I feel it give and slide down. Indolently hooves carry my slender frame a few steps away to the lost girl’s bitter disappointment. I can see her face, a younger version of mine, as she chokes back a sob and never before have I felt so thoroughly broken. Chest tightens uncomfortably for the first time in too long to measure; charcoal feet slide further away. Eyes turn to Hildegunn in barely concealed uncertainty but she appears to be so intent on her examination of the now ruined binding I doubt she notices. Thankfully the stallion’s eyes seem to remain closed while curtains are drawn over the room where the broken girl cries.

Auds prick forward as the lilting language flows into a tattered brain.

Pitch-black head dips down in agreement, features carefully masked in the life-saving neutrality I wear so frequently. I watch as he moves from our group to stretch out those gloriously bird-like wings and as he does so my feet slide forward a fraction involuntarily; a slight spark returning to now clouded eyes. He calls out announcing his name Sean and posing a question. Before I respond to his jumbled pronunciation of Helovia I look at Hildegunn and speak, “Hildegunn” to draw her attention. Gesturing with a half-socked leg I continue, “This is Sean” and lips curl upward in a slight smile enjoying the sound of his name on my tongue. The nameless is now named. Cerulean gaze returns to Sean and the barely formed smile grows at the thought of saying his name a second time. “It is nice to finally know your name. As for this land, it is called Helovia.” I stop here for a breath and to sort through the files in my mind of all the locations I have been to or at least heard of. “I have not heard of it. Is that where you are from, Sean?” A small mental thrill at the name rolling off a pink tongue.

Charcoal hooves step toward him as sparked eyes peer markedly at three-hued wings and the sobs of a broken girl ease into silent admiration.

Just one touch…a single feather…


"speech"

OOC:   

Oh to take flight as birds so often do…

I know he is speaking in my direction but all I can do is watch as a memory rolls across my mind’s eye; though it is hazy through the lens of youth. One of my sisters, Reverie, and I are roaming around in the area our mother marked as safe for us to play in. I cannot be certain but it must have been at least springtime if not summer because I can still recall the sun’s warmth from that day. Reverie! Look over here! This sibling often indulged my whimsical nature and came to my side to peer down at a small red-breasted creature laying perfectly still on the ground. What’s the matter with it? A tiny black hoof gently prods at it as Reverie whispers the truth of its state; it is dead, her voice somber. My slim form visibly droops as downcast eyes fill with tears and yet before a tear can fall to the earth the creature stirs and peers up at its audience before sluggishly darting into the skies. With widened eyes I squealed in delightful fascination and my sister informed it that the bird must have been stunned. Bird… and thus a love for birds grew in my child’s heart as I eagerly soaked up all known knowledge on them from my family.

Cerulean eyes brighten as a mask falls to the side for a broken moment in time.

Loose dirt and sticks shaking draw my focus back in time to see Sean soar into the sky much like the bird from my memory; sluggish but determined. My gaze tracks him through the overhang for as long as possible, pure delight radiating from blackened features until I can no longer see his chimera form. Hildegunn’s soft voice sends my attention her way and I quickly speak to reassure; though she may not understand, she hopefully at least recognizes my tone is not one of distress or concern. “He is coming back.” Excited eyes seek out hers and I continue, “His wings are magnificent, Hildegunn, are they not?” I desperately wish we could communicate freely but the road to mutual understand is a slow, unpaved, journey…I know someday though our vocabularies will catch up to one another.

Lips curl upward in a rare effortless smile as eyes train themselves back to the sky.

At that moment I watch Sean circle back to return to our group and anxiously watch for the grace that seems to permeate from all winged creatures as they descend. I am hard-pressed to keep my lips clamped shut and the laughter at bay as I am humorously disappointed by his landing. What can only be felt as his own disappointment to me while he speaks cracks an already tattered heart. I take a step closer to him. “Oh Sean, I am sorry to be the one to tell you.” I very nearly continue with an inquiry to see if he is all right but I stop myself…how could anyone be consider well under these circumstances? Even I can relate on some level as I feel lost the majority of the time; unwanted and alone, so completely alone. Hildegunn’s voice drifts over me and I pick up on a few words that I have learned in my time with the sandy mare. Du..you….hjelpe…helping I do not quite understand what she is attempting to convey but even a blind man could tell by her sweet pitch she means only the best for the defeated stallion. I nod in her direction not doubting for even a moment that I would agree with her if I understood. “Is there anything you can remember about your journey?” Inky head swivels back to Sean, eyes far less animated than before.

Weary heart beats sadly as a darkened nose is offered to the chimera.



"speech"

OOC: