Honey-brown eyes took in the strange surroundings, watching in mild fascination as the beach meet the waves, the water churning and crashing against the white granules of sand. From his spot paces away from the shoreline, Apollo stood, the salty wind tousling his mane in a dance of ebony shadows. His tail, likewise, played victim to the wind’s song, long strands becoming tangled and matted. Regardless, the stallion couldn’t seem to drag himself away from the sight before him.

The sun shone bright on the Endless Blue, the ocean, a place that Apollo had never seen before. Since he was a foal, the Unicorn tended to avoid large bodies of water unless it was for a quick drink. An unnatural fear had always risen in his breast whenever he had been forced to be close to the water, evolving from a nasty spill he had taken in a lake when he was a foal. His old herdmates, cruel and uncaring creatures, had pushed the overo into a lake in good humor, not knowing that Apollo didn’t know how to swim. The memory had haunted him to this day, the feeling of choking and drowning, of his lungs desperately trying to drag in air but only swallowing water instead…

Shuddering, Apollo shook his head to clear his mind of the horrid memories, his crystalline horn catching the sun’s rays in a brilliant display of colors. Despite the terror he had associated then, the Unicorn couldn’t help but be drawn in by the vast ocean. The froth of the waves seemed to speak to him, to call for him to grow ever closer, and almost unconsciously, he did. Black hooves stepped lightly in the sand, his tail swishing and twitching as the nerves began to surface, but still he didn’t turn away. This place, albeit strange, served a purpose… It was the meeting place, between Phaedra and himself. She had told him to come here, and so he did. Why? The overo honestly wasn’t sure.

Then again, when it came to Phaedra, there were a lot of things he wasn’t sure about. Like how the Pegasus beauty had been able to convince him to get high on glowing mushrooms with a few honeyed words and a flirty look. Would there be more instances like that, he wondered? Where he could be swayed to do whatever Phaedra wanted, simply because she asked? It wasn’t that he had a problem with it, but… Sometimes Apollo found himself wondering if he would ever get anything out of their pseudo-relationship. Surely they were friends, at least…?

Snorting deeply and inhaling the salty air, Apollo realized that he had finally stood right in front of the churning waves. They danced before his brown eyes, heavy with muddled thoughts, and ever so tenderly the stallion dipped one of his hooves into the retreating waves. It caused his hoof to glisten in the sunlight, and unwittingly, a chuckle escaped his dark lips. When another wave came upon the shore, the Unicorn did it again, splashing himself slightly but enjoying the coolness that came with the ocean water. Another laugh bubbled from his throat and he tossed his head in sudden joy, mane flopping gracelessly against his neck.

Pushing himself up on his back haunches, the black and white over reared, letting out a nicker of joy. This water was strange, for it wasn’t trying to hurt him… Perhaps he could learn to have fun in the waves, as long as he remained in the shallow end. Heaving himself up, Apollo pushed himself to the side, all four legs landing in the water and spraying his ebony coat with diamond-like droplets. It was in that shallow spot, where the waves gently caressed the white beach, that he continued to play like a foal, waiting for Phaedra to arrive.

[OOC: Here you are, Aud. :D Let the Apollo/Phae-ness run amuck!]

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

Phae was pretty sure she and Apollo hadn't done anything, that night in the woods. She would remember after all; it seemed she and Quilyan were the only ones with any experience with the hallucinogenic fungi. Not that that was something necessarily to be proud of…it simply came with a lifestyle that she and the painted pegasus seemed to share. Regardless, she didn't recall any lapses in time…just some rambunctiousness, some easing of tensions. Of course she had flirted with Apollo, but no more so than usual? Well…maybe a little more than usual.. Her mind interjected, causing the sooty mare to chuckle. Apollo was like…this handsome gentle boy. Whatever real life experience he had, Phae had yet to see. Still, she found she liked having him around, and had no hesitation in agreeing to meet him on the beach.

The beach. Ugh. But why here? She had so many memories that originated here - her crushed fairy tale with Tolio began here, she had even met Levi here! Levi… Her thoughts turned dark, as she considered the grulla stallion. She believed that he had feelings for her…but then watched as he threw himself at another mare, right in front of her! Perhaps he was playing hard to get, or was trying to make her jealous? Either way, that was not the right way to win her affections, especially in light of the fiasco between her and Tolio. Jealousy was absolutely the last emotion she wanted to feel, and his actions had deftly pushed her away from him. Phaedra was flirtatious by nature, and took any and all opportunities to practise her skills on the men that she met - surely Levi would have the brains to realize that any man of hers would need to resist the charms of others? She was a jealous and possessive creature, and would not have her things trifled with.

She forced herself to give up this tirade of thoughts against Levi, turning her mind to Apollo. He would be a relief to her now; he was not boldly flirtatious or flashy like Levi, not arrogant like Quilyan, and not a giant baby like Tolio had been. Right now, his kindness would be just what she needed. Gliding high above, she rested on the warm air thermals as she looked below for his shape. Her companion, Stella, a secretary bird, chirped with delight as she heard the happy sounds emanating from the stallion. Phae turned her gaze in time to see Apollo rearing and dancing in the waves. She smiled warmly, as she tucked her wings to her side, gently spiralling towards him. "Apollo!" She called happily, laughing with a silvery sort of sound as she watched him play. Neatly, she landed a few feet away from him, her great tawny wings dislodging a whirlwind of sand which quickly dissipated as her hooves touched the warm beach.

Her mane and tail had been lovingly curled by the moisture in the air around the Endless Blue, and now billowed around her in pretty waves. Her green gaze sparkled with a genuine amusement as she walked towards the unicorn, tucking her tawny wings to her side as she did so.Her flight here had worked up a light lather on her coat, causing her sooty pelt to appear even darker than normal; her bird-catcher spots looking even whiter due to the contrast. Stella, who hadn't yet landed, hovered before Apollo, tilting her brilliantly coloured orangey-yellow face curiously. She trilled with delight as she flitted around him, before finally landing onto Phae's back. Still, she peered out at the stallion with great interest. Phae chuckled at her companion's antics; "Apollo, meet Stella" Her voice was full of pride as she indicated the chick.

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Dancing and playing as he was through the waves, Apollo was oblivious to the arrival of the one he had been waiting for. Rearing into the air once more, the stallion snorted roughly, forelegs coming down to crash into the churning waves of the ocean. The water sprayed back up around him and he chuckled, tossing his head to and fro in a childish display. All thoughts of Phaedra, the Grey, or any uncertainties that he may have held slipped away like the tide… At least until he heard a certain mare’s familiar, beautiful voice call his name.

‘Apollo!’

Immediately the overo stallion ceased in his childish antics, head snapping up and looking left and right for the said Pegasus. His honey-brown eyes looked confused, however, as he couldn’t spot her, but the sudden beating of wings caused his head to look up into the sky. Phaedra’s brilliant, sooty coat seemed to glisten in the sunlight, her mane tousled from her flight, and the Unicorn was sure he hadn’t seen anything so beautiful in his life. A bright, handsome smile crossed his innocent face and he let out a whinny of greeting, looking positively thrilled.

“Phaedra!” He called, dragging himself from the knee-high water and shaking the sand and water from his nimble legs, “It’s so good to see you!” Where he had once expected to feel humility upon seeing her, Apollo felt nothing of the sort. The next time that he had seen her, he had expected to be overcome with embarrassment from their time in the Forest, when he had been high on those cursed mushrooms… Nothing had happened between the two of them, he was sure of it, but the stag couldn’t help but feel ashamed of his actions. He should have known better, letting their peer pressure gain control of him like it had…

It was only after she had landed, in a brilliant display of palomino hues and cream highlights, that he took notice of the bird that fluttered around, trilling it’s beautiful song. Head tilting slightly, Apollo’s smile turned somewhat unsure, clearly curious. The bird then darted from Phaedra’s side and danced before him, her colors that of a tropical sunset, and he couldn’t help but laugh in good nature as the small creature retreated to rest upon the Pegasus’ back.

Apollo then took a step towards the mare, his ears swiveling forward and head held high. She looked radiant standing there, the humidity of the water causing her ivory mane and tail to crimp and curl… Was it just the light reflecting from the ocean’s surface that caused her beautiful green eyes to shimmer like that? Allowing his head to drop, somewhat, he regarded the bird once more with that same smile.

“It’s great to meet you, Stella,” he said in response to the sooty palomino’s proper introduction, unsure if the avian would even understand what he was saying to it. Looking back to Phaedra, he then spoke to her. “Her colors are beautiful… Where did you get her?” He hoped that it wouldn’t seem like he was prying, for he was just truly curious. If he could, there would be a lot of questions that he wished to ask Phaedra, for he simply wanted to get to know her better.

“I, um… I’m glad that you could meet me here, Phae. How have you been since, well… Since we last saw each other?” Inwardly he cringed at his choice of less-than-eloquent words. Oh, how graceful, stuttering over himself like a love-sick colt with a speech impediment.

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

It's great to meet you Stella

Phae's companion was already started to pick up her bonded's flirtatious nature, and was only all too happy to receive attention. Stella spread her pure white wings, holding on to her chest and bowing over it clumsily. Trilling happily, she began to burrow her way into Phae's mane, wrapping bits of sandy curls around herself. Her colors are beautiful...where did you get her? Stella conjured an image of the Earth God, although her perspective of him was quite different from Phae's. She sent this image to Phae's mind, who in turn nodded to the small chick. "The Earth God gave her to me." She explained, as Apollo could not share their bond. "He sent me on a quest - to either fall in love, or play matchmaker for two who would. " She laughed at the thought - a beautiful silvery sound. Playfully, she refused to disclose which option she had taken. What would Apollo think if he found out she was taken?

Stella, now having access to Phae's thoughts, as the mental bond had returned between companions, brought up images of Tolio - both of him laughing with her right here in the Endless Blue, and yelling at her in the Grove, as well as a ?. The little bird liked Tolio, and couldn't understand why he had refused to play with her. Not wanting to get into the details right now, either either of them, Phae sent back an image of Sohalia and Note together. That's how I got you. She explained silently to Stella, who only tittered and continued burrowing herself. Looking back to Apollo, she shook her head, as if not wanting to play the game right now. "I found a mare, Sohalia, who was seeking a mate. It was actually quite easy to find a stallion for her. She's incredibly beautiful and kind hearted. The stallion, Note, should consider himself lucky for each second he is allowed in her presence."

She tossed her mane slightly, as Stella's burrowing began to itch at her wither. As Apollo asked her how she'd been, she took a tentative step towards him. She didn't want to play games with Apollo, but she seemed unable to help herself. He was so...charmingly innocent she decided finally, also deciding that she liked that quality about him. The way that even speaking to her took a toll on him, was flattering. Taking another step towards him, until she was close enough that she was sure he could smell her sweet cinnamony-lilac scent over and above the salty ocean air, she smiled. "I have been dealing with drama" She said with an arched brow. Stella, ever eavesdropping in her mind, sent a picture of Levi. Phae mentally nodded, returning the image with others: Pluto, Leander, Faelene, Tolio, Tor, Valentine...Stella whistled a low note, and wrapped her wings around Phae's neck comfortingly.

Turning back to Apollo, she let her gaze wash over him, her eyes glittering mischievously. "But I'd rather not talk about that; not when i'm in such good company now." Just as she was about to fully close the gap between them, and press herself lithely against him, she realized how sweaty she had become during her flight. Hmm.. She pondered. She raised her muzzle to his ear, as she had done in the forest, whispering sweetly: "Catch me!" As the sounds left her lips, she leapt away from him swiftly, throwing herself into the waves. She pranced through the sand like a dancer, her knees gracefully compressing and extending as she moved over the surf. Tossing her head back with a silvery laugh, she jumped over an incoming wave and pranced deeper into the water, until she was covered up to her chest. She raised her tawny wings out of the water, using them to aid her into a half-rear. Stella, screeching, dislodged herself from Phae's mane, and glided to the beach. Laughing again, Phae pawed the air, beckoning for Apollo to give chase.

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

He listened in absolute awe as Phaedra spoke of how she had obtained Stella, the beautiful secretary bird. The Earth God himself had done it? Remarkable. The said bird seemed strangely content in cascading herself with Phaedra’s beautiful, creamy mane, and that alone caused the stag to chuckle under his breath. As the mare went on and informed him of just what, exactly, she had to do to obtain the bird, the stallion felt his spirits drop. Phaedra had been required to either fall in love, or cause two people to fall in love in order to receive her Companion…

A helpless feeling of defeat swelled within the Unicorn’s chest. It was almost physically painful to think of Phaedra falling in love with another stallion, giving her heart and soul to an individual that wasn’t him. If she had fallen in love, it was probably with another Pegasus, a gentleman, a fighter, someone filled with confidence… That was far from who Apollo was. He was shy, soft-spoken, and gentle, and would only fight if provoked. Why would she ever want someone like him? Doing his best to keep the self-depreciating thoughts from showing in his expression, the stallion tuned in to what Phaedra was saying next.

The previous helpless feeling soon left him, but not completely, at her reassuring words. So, was she not taken, then? He forced another smile, this one less brilliant than the one before, and when he spoke next he chose his words carefully. “They must be very luck that you came along when you did, then…”

There were so many things that Apollo found himself attracted to when it came to Phaedra. He loved her laugh, and her eyes, and the sooty, earthly beauty that decorated her hide. Her bird catcher spots were, forgive his pun, simply eye catching. There were those in Helovia who were almost too beautiful, majestic and oddly colored, but it was the natural hues that drew him in the most. Her personality, while almost too flirtatious for his level of comfort, simply drew him in, causing him to be compelled to discover more and more about the secrets that the mare contained. She was like a complex puzzle that the Unicorn desperately wanted to solve, but at the same time… The pure mystery that surrounded Phae was also something that he liked about her.

Honey-brown eyes watched as the sooty palomino tossed her mane dramatically over her neck, something that nearly stole his breath, and then began taking small steps towards him. The closer she grew, the more apprehensive he became, but never once did his gaze drift from her beautiful green eyes. Nostrils flaring due to his surprise, he took in the wonderful smell that was her scent, letting out a soft breath on the exhale. It was strangely comforting, her scent, and one he would lock away in his mind and remember until the end of his days. “Drama’s never fun,” he murmured then, making a face and shaking his head, forelock draping over the base of his crystalline horn, “I’m sorry that you have to go through it right now. But if there’s anything I can do, please, just… Let me know, Phae.” For her, Apollo had a feeling that he’d do anything. If she asked him to jump, he’d jump. If she wanted him to kill, well… He’d probably do that, too.

Briefly he pondered what kind of drama she was going though, but before he could inquire more, she cut him off. It must be pretty bad indeed if she didn’t want to speak of it, but once more, he’d respect her privacy. Still Phaedra approached, and just when he expected her to press herself against his muscled frame, she stopped. Instead, with a toss of her beautiful head, she was off, the whispered words of ’Catch me!’ echoing in his ears. It took a moment for him to realize just what she meant, honeyed eyes watching with curiosity as the Pegasus darted into the waves, and with a nicker and a toss of his own head, the stallion moved to follow, haunches pushing off the sandy beach to barrel into the water. He tore after her through the shallow waves, a laugh bubbling from the deep confines of this throat. Oh, how glorious this was! His eyes stayed on Phaedra’s majestic form, taking in the sight of her wings spreading to help her find purchase and balance.

The deeper that he got in the water, however, the slower his pace became, his legs trembling now in slight trepidation. Where she stood, the water was up to Phaedra’s chest, and Apollo was unsure if he’d be alright going in that deep. Currently the water sloshed past his forelegs, occasionally grazing his underbelly, and he looked almost helpless as the realization that he was in the water plagued him. Looking to Phaedra, honey-brown eyes dipped in slight fear, he swallowed, but carried on. Heaving himself over the waves, the salty water splashed around them, and he finally caught up to the sooty mare, a somewhat unsure grin crossing his maw.

Lifting his leg, he pawed at the air towards her in a timid effort to tease, tossing his head and letting out a whinny of joy. Despite his fear, Apollo was surprised to find himself having fun. If he simply focused completely on Phae, then his fear was swept away and out of his mind. Turning on his haunches then with another whinny, the overo pushed onwards, leaving Phaedra behind to continue their game of chase.

“Come on, Phae! Catch me if you can!”

[OOC: Dear God, Aud, I’m sorry… That post royally sucks. XD]

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

It felt so good just to be. To play. Of course Phae knew that Apollo might be alittle enamoured with her, and that was fine. Normally she liked the chase, the thrill of enticing men and then pulling away, leaving them nipping at her heals, begging for more. But with Apollo, her intentions were more pure. She could not help her flirtatious nature, but she had reigned herself in, quite a bit, allowing only enough to make him feel good about himself. For ultimately, as selfish and closed off as Phae was, the root of her flirtation was to make others feel good about themselves. Who wouldn't like to have a pretty mare nuzzled up against them? And what was it to her, to toss a few compliments and stand a little to close? It cost her nothing, and afforded her the protection and excitement of many of the men she met. Still, what drew her most to Apollo was simply his innocence. Or his politeness - she couldn't quite tell which. Was he inexperienced around mares such as She? Or was he merely being a gentleman? Either way, his non-aggressive and tentative approach with her was alluring. It made her feel comfortable around him.

As she watched him propel himself into the waves after him, she thought for a moment she saw fear creep onto his muzzle. Surely he isn't afraid of water? She wondered as he halted. No, it couldn't be? Hadn't she seen him playing in the waves before she had arrived? Well, not in them, but it wasn't as though he was all the way back from the shore, either. For a moment, she could only shake her head at the lengths men would go to appease her. She enjoyed it of course but still, she had never done that for any of them. But you would have for Tolio... the darker part of her mind reminded her. And that was certainly not a truth Phae's conscious mind was willing to listen to.

As Apollo teasingly struck the air in front of her, before charging off deeper into the waves, Phae's heart sighed a heavy, relieved sigh. Yes. Distract me. She thought graciously. Lead me. I'll follow. This sort of willingness to be led, did not come naturally to Phae. She was the instigator, the aggressor, and the winner. She came up with the games, and she led the men, never the other way around. She was far too controlling for that. But there was something so sweet in the way Apollo called to her, Common Phae! Catch me if you can! If it was fear she had seen in his eyes earlier, he had conquered it for her, yet did not make a show out of it. He did not impose himself on her in a cocky-masculine way, nor did he necessarily try and play her flirtatious game. There was something refreshing in that; that he stayed true to who he was, even in the face of a domineering intimidating vixen such as herself.

She tried to leap up and over the waves, but it was no use. She was in too far now, and her buoyancy made it impossible to use her inertia to her benefit. Keeping her wings raised up and out to create less resistance, she pressed forward as quickly as she could, her slender legs moving rapidly beneath her in the water, which only succeeded in causing her to smoothly glide forward. "Hey Apollo, what's that on the shore?" She called to him sweetly. There was nothing on the shore, of course. Phae was hoping that if the overo stopped to look, that she would be able to catch up. She continued to frantically push forward, now swinging her wings slightly above the water, back and forth, to gain momentum.

Without realizing it, a smile broadened on her features as she neared him. A silvery laugh escaping her as the waves tousled her back and forth. The water now rose above her chest and was nearly covering her back. Her tail floated in a sandy tangle on the waves, as the portion of her mane which was in the water splayed out in all directions around her neck. She was breathing quite heavily now, and a pretty blush had coloured her cheeks due to the effort it took to move her frame through the water. Still, her dazzling green gaze remained locked on the unicorn.

[NPC TIME?! :D *cue Eye of the Tiger*]

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger

The wolves had grown wise to the goings-on of the equines of Helovia. They had seen time and time again these beasts flocking to the Endless Blue, prancing and splashing about. It caused rumblings of fury and hunger to churn in their bellies, for the wolves were unable to capture such large prey in such an open area. Though they were fact, the sand was far too difficult to run on, and many of these creatures had wings, or barbs on their foreheads. So, the wolves had struck up a deal with...well. You'll see soon enough.

They had emerged silently, all 6 of them, their actions suggesting a coordinated effort, or some sort of mind speech between them. They were all the same muted grey, though varied in size and bulk. Fanning out, they stood in 10ft intervals on the beach, hungrily staring at the two equines playing in the surf. Still, they made no sound, and didn't appear to be advancing in any way. It was as if they were waiting for something - but what?

Apollo was oblivious to the troubled thoughts than ran rampant through the sooty mare’s head, instead attempting to focus on the push and pull of the waves that collided into his muscled body. His ingrown fear was always present, burning behind the forced calm of his honey-brown eyes, but the stallion pushed himself to focus on the pure joy that he felt when it came to spending time with Phaedra. They were two sides of a coin, she and him…

Where Phaedra was confident, he was shy. Where she was flirtatious, he was modest. They were left and right, black and white, but for Apollo, that didn’t matter. Even if nothing came out of their pseudo-relationship or the flirtatious teasing that Phaedra often sent his way, the Unicorn wouldn’t mind in the slightest if they simply remained friends. That was something that he had sorely lacked all of his life, and perhaps Helovia would grant him such a gift. Already, if she agreed, he could see such a marvelous friendship form with Phaedra… But would she let him be that close?

Glancing over his shoulder as he attempted to leap over the waves, - a truly difficult task, due to the chest-high water and pull of the current- the stallion gave a snort, tossed his head back and pointing his crystalline horn towards the sky, let out a bellowing laugh. It was a joyous, carefree sound, a loud whinny that echoed across the beach, and it told everything that he was feeling. It had been so long since he had been this happy, this carefree, without any worries in the world… His soulful eyes met Phaedra’s own, urging her to follow.

It was the beautiful melody that was Phaedra’s voice that caused his winning pace to falter, his ears dipping back slightly to further hear what the Pegasus beauty was saying to him. The crashing of the waves and the blood in his ears is what made it hard to hear, but alas, the overo was capable of comprehending just what she was saying.

’Hey Apollo, what’s that on the shore?’

Not knowing her true intentions, Apollo’s pace slowed and his head whipped around to face the vast expanse of the ivory-sanded shoreline, nostrils flaring wide. What indeed? If it had been enough to catch Phae’s attention, then surely it must be something interesting. As he stared, his steps faltered and pace slowed, until he was standing still, chest-deep, in the water. His ebony mane lay plastered against the nape of his neck, tousled and knotted in places due to their frantic play, but the notion of it became lost on the stallion when he indeed, spotted something on the beach. Or, the somethings.

Wolves. The Unicorn’s eyes widened once he spotted them, nostrils inhaling with a sharp snort, counting them as they prowled the shoreline. Four, five… Six? Yes, there were six of them on the beach, their beady eyes and gray coats shining in the sunlight. It reminded the stallion of when he had made his mad-dash into Helovia, when he had encountered the pack of wolves just outside of the Threshold’s borer. Yet… The wolves on the beach weren’t quite like the pack that he had encountered outside of Helovia. They had given chase immediately, but it almost seemed like this pack was waiting for something.

“Phae… Wolves!” He called, whipping his head back around to face the earthly Pegasus. The moment that his eyes landed upon her, absorbing her wind-tousled body, sooty coat darkened elegantly due to the water, a strange protectiveness built in his chest, causing the ebony unicorn to toss his head. Was he terrified? Yes, of course… But he was more terrified for Phaedra. While Apollo knew that Phaedra could fight and more than likely hold her own, the stallion didn’t want to take a chance. If she opened her wings and took to the skies, then she could escape the threat unarmed, even if it meant leaving him behind. “I can try and distract them… But do you think they’ll come into water? I’ll fight them off, Phae, so you can escape.”

Unlike many stallions, the Unicorn spoke from his heart. He wasn’t trying to show off his ‘strength’ by taking on a pack of six wolves, or impress Phae with his fighting abilities… Honestly, Apollo’s fighting skills were poor, but the last thing that he wanted was for Phaedra to be hurt. For her, he’d fight. For her, he’d kill.

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

A mischievous glee lit her green gaze as Apollo took the bait, and looked to shore. Ha-ha! She thought triumphantly, pushing herself harder towards him. Gotcha now! Phae again felt that tickling of adoration for Apollo, deep in her belly, that made her smile. Really, who falls for the "Hey Look over there" ? Oldest trick in the book; yet his naive trusting nature made him genuinely look. It was sweet, he was sweet, and Phae found herself relaxing in his company more and more. Hadn't she sworn after the fiasco with Tolio that she would never put herself in a position to become close to another? And yet here she was, fighting the waves and tricking the unicorn precisely so she could get closer to him.

Phae, Wolves! She rolled her eyes as she continued through the waves to him. Yeah right! She thought. If she had been looking at him carefully, she would have noted his eyes widening, and his playful demeanour falling away. Instead, she was took focused on tackling him in the waves, and winning this game of chase. "Oh no you don't, sugar! You can't get me that easily! But I've-" With one last strain, Phae forced herself up and over the waves, sending her body gliding towards him. "-got you!" Her body collided with his in the waves - the buoyancy causing them to move together. Her shoulder was firmly pressed again his, her muzzle below his chin. She noticed almost immediately that his body was not softening to her, and a quick glance up told her that he wasn't even paying attention to her. Confused she looked to the shore, wondering if he really was trying to find what she 'was looking at'. “I can try and distract them… But do you think they’ll come into water? I’ll fight them off, Phae, so you can escape

She felt panic almost immediately. Instinctively she raised her wings, which took great effort given their weight, out of the water.Exhausted by her chase to reach Apollo, she didn't even have the energy to keep them lifted, letting them flop back down. Her left wing, closest to Apollo, fell neatly onto his back. She shook her head slightly, her body beginning to tremble. "A-a-pollo, I can't fly.." She said, unable to keep to tremble out of her voice.She raised one of her sopping wet wings out of the water to demonstrate. "W-what are we going to do?" She wasn't sure at all if the wolves would come in - if the horses were up to their chests in water, surely the wolves would be at a disadvantage if they were swimming after their prey. "We're probably safer out here…"

Phae was suddenly very glad that she had initiated their game, which brought them out here. Had they stayed on the beach, the wolves might have snuck up on them without their knowing, as they did now, only they would be much closer. Phae realized how cold the current was, now that they were no longer moving, and were farther out at sea. Shivering now, she pressed herself closer to Apollo, wrapping the wing which was already suspended over his back, farther around. She leaned her muzzle against his neck, watching the wolves nervously. Would they come out here..? And if they did, what could Apollo and she possibly do? Would they simply wait it out, until the equines were exhausted and either had to come in, or died out in the water? The idea sent another shiver down her spine. Was this how it ended? Floating, slowly freezing in the Endless Blue, with Apollo?


[OOC: Sorry, shorter since I have to post NPC too :3 ]

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Oh no, the wolves would not come into the water. The horses were going to come to them.

At the exact same moment, displaying that odd pre-emptive coordination they seemed to possess, all 6 wolves sat down. The one in the centre, was the largest, although from Phae and Apollo's point of view, that might be hard to tell. He regarded the trapped creatures almost thoughtfully, clearly in no rush. His dark fur ruffled slightly in the breeze, as he sat patiently, head tilted slightly to the side. "You would do well to give this up and submit. As I do not think you will like the alternative…" His words seemed to echo in their minds, as his lips did not open once. Licking his lips now, he looked to the 2 on his right, and 3 on his left, who all seemed to nod, sharing the same amused look. "You have minutes to decide. At which point, if you aren't on the shore, the decision will be made for you." It was odd to hear how polite he sounded in their minds. How patient his mind-speech was.

One of the wolves, a smaller one on the far right, stood up, his head low, growling. He looked to the others, appearing to communicate with them in some way, before turning back to the prey in the water. He took a step forward, and then another, until his paw his the water. The apparent leader, snarled at him, standing up as well. Barking, he flattened his ears against his skull, his upper lip quivering in a threatening way. The smaller wolf, who had advanced forward, slunk back to his position, his head low.

So snared as he was by the sight of the wolves lurking upon the beach, Apollo was vacant to Phaedra’s moves, pushing herself through the waves to playfully bound next to him. The current of the waves pushed them closer together in a completely intimate way. If they had been anywhere else at that moment, he would have stuttered and blushed profusely, or if it had been even minutes before, the brushing of their bodies against one another would have rendered the overo Unicorn completely speechless. Now, however…

Honey-brown eyes only tore from the beach when Phaedra spoke, proclaiming that her wings were no good. Said orbs roved over the appendages, taking in the exhausted, water-logged feathers, and watched with growing dread as the Pegasus ever so gently allowed her left wing to drape across his muscled back. If she couldn’t fly, she couldn’t escape… Their only option may be to fight.

“I agree,” he said, his voice taking on an oddly serious tone, head swiveling back around to face the six wolves waiting on the beach. If they attempted to swim out to try and catch them, the wolves would be at a disadvantage. The current would be against them, as well as their shorter legs wouldn’t allow them to find purchase, unlike the two equine’s who were graced with more massive, leaner frames. Inhaling, Apollo shook his head, crystalline horn glinting in the sunlight. “But how long will they wait? We can’t stay out here forever, Phae…” While safer, they were literally sitting ducks, out in the ocean. Looking back to Phaedra, he regarded her for a moment, the feel of her soft, lovely muzzle pressing against his sleek neck causing his thoughts to falter, but his resolve to protect her to grow. Things looked bleak, but he wouldn’t give up.

The moment that the booming voice echoed across the beach, loud enough for the two in the ocean to hear, Apollo’s head snapped back around, nostrils flaring in growing alarm. If it wasn’t for the water weighing them down, the black and white stag would have stamped a hoof. “We won’t offer you our lives,” the stallion growled out in response, taking charge in a fashion that was completely not him, “We won’t offer you, or your pack of mangy mongrels anything!” He grew quiet, focusing back on Phaedra. Huffing a breath through his nose, he spoke again, but this time much lower, softer, words only for the earthly Pegasus at his side to hear.

“I don’t know what he means by the decision being made for us, and honestly I'm afraid to find out… Phae, if you want, you can rest your wings on my back to dry? Then, you can escape.” It was an innocent question, for as a Unicorn, Apollo knew very little regarding the wings of a Pegasus, or how they worked. Or, also, how long water-logged wings took to dry.

[OOC: Sorry for the poor post, Aud, and the long wait… I shall try and do better! :D]

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

A decision would be made for them? What did that mean? Yes 6 wolves were intimidating, but they were almost completely powerless against Phae and Apollo as long as they stayed in the water. She shivered again, as her body temperature continued to lower; dropping faster now that there playful antics had ceased. She turned her gaze away from the wolves, not wanting to meet their hungry stares. Instead, she pushing her muzzle harder against Apollo's neck, nuzzling him for comfort. As she pushed her forehead against him, she mildly wondered how unicorns possibly repeated this action, without cutting each other into ribbons. Could they not achieve this sort of closeness?

She listened as Apollo challengingly called out to the wolves. Phae could feel the vibrations of his words through his neck as he yelled, and somehow that was comforting. Had she ever noticed anything like that before? When she had embraced Tolio on the beach, not far from where they were now, did she take the time to notice if she could feel him speaking? Likely not - who notices things like that, except when your time is about to run out. Apollo was right, they couldn't stay here forever, nor could they go back to shore.

You can rest your wings on my back to dry. Then you can escape.. She closed her eyes, smiling silently to herself. She nuzzled into his neck one last time, before pulling herself away from him. Her green gaze looked at him solemnly as she shook her head. "It isn't just that...We're in too deep - I couldn't lift off from here. And if we went shallower...well, it would be shallow enough for the wolves as well.." Fear has slipped away from her, as she began to accept that this is how they would die. They couldn't wait out the wolves, and if they went into shore, would they be able to fight off all 6 simultaneously? Surely wolves capable of mind-speech and this much patience and planning would have a fairly comprehensive strategy to take down the two equines.

"Any last words, sugar?" She said with a silvery laugh. If they were going to die, there was no need to do so silently. Besides, it would take hours for hypothermia to finally take them. And in that time, maybe someone would come..?

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

The wolf who appeared to be in charge, the large one, threw back his head roaring with laughter. "Mongrels!" He chuckled, his voice booming in their minds. "Did you hear what he said?" He laughed, looking to the wolves on either side of him for confirmation. Hesitantly, as if they didn't want to laugh at the wrong time, they all nodded, politely chuckling. The one who had previously taken a step into the water, was positively roaring with laugher, as if to make up for his poor decision earlier. The lead wolf glared at him with annoyance. "Shut up you." He barked, his mental voice clear in Phae and Apollo's mind. Turning to look at the two stranded in the water, he grinned casually. "Made a decision, have we?" He inquired, his voice actually quite polite and formal sounding. "Going to go with waiting it out in the ocean, eh?" The amusement in his voice was obvious. "Very well. More of a show for us. Eh boys?" At this, he looked around. Now the grins and nods weren't tentative from the group, they knew what was coming.

[OOC:I'll let us both reply to this first, before the next thing that is going to happen, happens xD We can keep our posts shorter if you want (still over 250 :P ) to move things along. Whatever ^^]

Apollo felt the gentle touch of Phaedra pushing her muzzle deeper into the muscles of his neck, and he let a soft, shuddering sigh escape his throat. It was strange… Merely minutes ago they were frolicking through these very waves, and now, the same waves were threatening to bring a slow, freezing death to the two of them. Oh, there was a reason that the black and white overo detested water… Ironic, that he might die in the very thing that he hated more than anything. The thought was beyond scary, bringing his natural terror of water to the forefront of his mind and causing his heart to beat quicker in his breast, but he kept a hold of himself, for Phaedra. For her, well… He would do nearly anything.

Twisting his neck in a surprisingly bold move, Apollo allowed a small, fearful smile to cross his dark lips. Soulful, honey-brown eyes, while tinged with terror in their own way, focused on the earthly, spotted Pegasus at his side, and ever so gently he brushed his muzzle against her elegant cheek-bone. His neck gave a soft twinge of pain in protest, but he didn’t care. Comforting Phaedra was all he wanted to do, to show her that yes, he cared for her. A lot. And even if they were about to die, he wanted to assure her that she wouldn’t die alone.

In the next few moments, Apollo was glad that he had acted when he did, for Phaedra’s warmth soon pulled away from him. Almost immediately he found himself missing her warmth… Her sparkling voice, always so vibrant, now sounded as solemn as the resigned look in her eyes. If there was one thing that could disturb Apollo more than the thought of dying due to his greatest fear, it was seeing such a look in Phaedra’s eyes. A look like that… It shouldn’t be displayed in someone so beautiful, so lively. It was just all so wrong.

“Oh.” It was all Apollo could say in return for her logical response, disappointment clear in his voice. A rough sigh escaped the bowels of his girth, frustration butting in on the anger that he felt. He had hoped that she could have escaped, that she could have lived on to thrive in Helovia… Honey-brown eyes travelled from Phaedra, back to the wolves, and then back again. The curious part of his mind still wondered just what the lead wolf had meant, when he said that their decision would be made for them… Did he mean the cool water, that would cause them to slowly die? “I guess then… Then yeah, there’s somethin’ I wanted to say.” Embarrassment caused the stallion’s head to lower, averting his suddenly nervous gaze from her face. He wouldn’t dare tell her his deepest secret, but he would tell her his most gratifying one.

“I mean, Phae… Just, thanks, you know?” The smile that spread upon his lips was genuine, yet tinged with melancholy. It was the soft kiss of approaching death that caused him to finally open his locked heart, to allow Phaedra to see his thoughts, devoid of his boyish insecurities. “For being my friend. You, you’re special, wonderful even, and I’m glad you found me in the Threshold and brought me into the Grey. I’m glad that you found it in yourself to spend time with me. All I ever wanted was to get to know you more, to be your friend.” He was assuming, that was true, but there was no time for questions. Did she consider him a friend, in the very least? Maybe, maybe not… Either way, now she knew how he felt, to an extent.

[OOC: Even though that one wasn’t terribly short, I’m find with keeping posts on the shorter side to make more progress. :D]

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."

A pleasurable sigh escaped Phae's lips as Apollo's soft muzzle gently caressed her cheekbone. He's so sweet... She thought, helplessly drawn in by his charming innocence. Her heart surged with adoration at his gesture, so kind and sweet, obviously his attempt to comfort her. And it was working - Without him, her thoughts would inevitably have turned to Tolio, and all the words left unsaid between them. But if she was going to die in these waters, Apollo would be a fine stallion to spend her last moments with. As his honey-brown eyes caught hers, she smiled. She would make sure, if she could, that those eyes were the last thing she saw before the sea and the cold took them.

All I ever wanted was to get to know you more...to be your friend Funny how impending doom brought out one's honest thoughts. Still, Phae thought there might still be something more that Apollo wasn't sharing...She fancied that he might have a little bit of a crush on her. He was likely not divulging that secret, with the minute chance that they would get out of this mess somehow. But Phae couldn't see how that was possible. They were trapped, and soon she assumed they would find out what the wolf had meant by threatening that their choice would be made for them. If they died out in the water, wouldn't the sea carry their bodies out into the endless blue? How would the wolves get at them?

Focusing on Apollo again, her gaze softened. She forced her body close to his once more. She was beginning to feel the effects of the water on her limbs, numbing them as her body tried to protect her against the cold, but also stiffening them and making it difficult to place herself at Apollo's side. Still, she fought until she was once again shoulder to shoulder with the unicorn. Her green gaze had lost none of their sparkle, not even in their last moments, as they held his honey-brown. "I"m glad I found you too, sugar. You're one of the good ones, you know?" She wouldn't say that they were friends, per-say. Phae didn't have friends...Not really. But she was extremely fond of the overo; he had grown on her more and more each time they were together - His boyish innocence, his natural subdued charm, his awkwardness. If she thought it would mean anything to him, she would have told him. But what were mere words, when they only had hours left to live?

She raised her hooves from the sandy ground, letting the current pull her until she was in front of him. Steadying herself, she regarded him carefully for a moment - her gaze running over his features, studying him. Still keeping her demure green gaze on his, she moved her muzzle forward until it was mere inches from him. Breathing his scent, now so familiar to her, she let her own scent waft towards him - sweet cinnamon and lilac. Then, sweetly and gently, she moved her muzzle closer until the soft pink of her lips met his darker features. She held herself there for only a moment, before increasing the gesture, her touch becoming more insistant and passionate. Her nuzzle lasted only a few seconds, but to Phae it seemed long enough to take in each whisker and contour of his nose, to completely memorize his scent once again, and to hopefully, let him know what he meant to her.

Pulling away, her eyes once again met his, and she smiled delicately. Her cheeks filled with a soft crimson glow, as she blushed; not accustomed to sharing such intimate moments with anyone. Wordlessly, she looked to the wolves, almost expecting them to have vanished. But there they sat, all 6 of them, as patiently waiting as they had been when they arrived.


[OOC:. Oops. Longer than I wanted - I couldn't help it! Apollo is so fricken adorable! Also, I like how part of Phae's bottom quote is "Join the Waves in the Ocean". xD]

Join the waves in the ocean?
Or let my soul fade away, in the dark?
Cause I've gone astray,
& all my flowers turned to dandelions.

So. They've decided to stay in the water. The lead wolf, Ivan, thought. Good. I always like a bit of a show before dinner. He thought smugly to himself.

All 6 wolves stood in unison. There seemed to be no mental command between them, it was as if they simply knew that it was time. Ivan tilted his head back, and after inhaling deeply, let out a piercing howl. The note he sang was so beautifully pure, that the other wolves were almost afraid to join in, for fear of missing their own notes, and ruining it. They did not defer however, and one after another they all joined in - howling in harmony, but a dissonant one. The sound was eerie but beautiful. It sounded wrong, causing a feeling of despair and frustration, as if only 1 or 2 of the wolves would have to change their note, in order to make the howl harmonious. But they did not, and the sound continued for what seemed like an earthly long time. The 5 wolves slowly faded away, leaving only Ivan's strong and powerful note at the end. As he let the sound go, it was almost as if it floated upward like a balloon, echoing outward and fading, though never disappearing entirely.

Suddenly, the water around them begin to ripple. Phae and Apollo would soon begin to feel hundreds of tiny fish desperately swimming away from the shore, causing the disturbance. To the right of Apollo, and behind him about 50 yards, the water began to displace itself, as if something very large was coming towards the surface from very far down. The water's surface broke revealing what looked to be a small boat, albeit one in very bad condition. Wrapped around the boat was a large pink tentacle. It splashed the boat around in the water, like a child might in the bathtub. Another tentacle appeared next to the second, and pointed in the direction of Phae and Apollo. Whatever the owner of the tentacles was, it was massive. The tentacles alone looked like they would be able to lift Phae and Apollo out of the water.

Comically, as clearly there were not eyes on the appendages, the tentacle holding the boat seemed to become aware of Phae and Apollo, as the second was, and promptly crushed the boat to pieces, eager to have something else to play with. The two tentacles began to advance towards the stranded horses. On the shore, the wolves patient attitude had dissolved. Now they stood, jumping and pacing as they yipped and barked excitedly. No more mental words came from Ivan, but it was now clear what he meant by it will be decided for you.

‘I’m glad I found you too, sugar. You’re one of the good ones, you know?’

Apollo could scarce believe his ears. The words that Phaedra spoke, while inconsequential to some, meant the world to the overo. It was the closest she had ever come to speaking her true mind towards him, and honestly, he couldn’t have asked for more when they were knocking upon Death’s door. Oh, the things he wanted to say, to do… He wanted to show Phaedra so many things, to tell her about his homeland, despite how much he hated his heard, or what made him the way that he was. He even found himself wanting to tell her of his hopes, dreams, and fears; how the water terrified him, but he overcame that fear for her, or how he was also afraid of the dark, and so took to sleeping in the Thistle Meadow, thoughts of Phaedra’s very own silvery laugh and beauty lulling him into a peaceful sleep. Coming to Helovia, Apollo had been desperate for closure, for purpose, for a place to belong… And as long as Phae was with him, he had succeeded.

His tail swished lightly in the water, the ebony strands dragging across the surface and billowing out in a matted mess. Due to the water and remaining chest-deep for so long, his lithe legs were beginning to grow numb, and occasionally he would shift his weight or shuffle each leg around to try and keep the circulation flowing.

His honeyed eyes watched as Phaedra pulled herself through the water, obviously having trouble, and once more the stallion chastised himself for not being able to do more to help her. With the ocean at their back and the wolves at their front, death was imminent. Still, his gaze never left her beautiful face. He watched with a subdued sort of curiosity as she moved around, turning her elegant body to face him, and what she did next nearly took his breath away. There was a brief hesitance in the way that Phaedra moved closer to him, something that the black and white overo found strange. Never should Phaedra be hesitant about anything, especially when it came to him… For he would give everything, if she so asked. The moment that he felt her muzzle press intimately against his own, Apollo froze, mind reeling with a numbness that had nothing to do with the frigid water around them.

She was… Kissing him? It was soft at first, but as the moment progressed, it became far more intimate and special. His nostrils flared, swallowing her wonderful scent, and after he came back to himself, Apollo returned her gesture with a boldness that surprised even him. His eyes stared directly into hers, brushing his lips against her soft muzzle, soaking in the sight of her beauty and the scent she offered. It was a balm that soothed all of his worries… When she pulled away, he could only stare, immediately yearning for more of her touch.

“Phae, I…” He couldn’t speak. Not of that. “Phaedra…” The words were there, on his tongue! Why couldn’t he simply say them?! Before he got the chance to choke them out, the strangest feeling brushed across his leg, causing his eyes to dart down towards the surface of the water in surprise. Whatever touched him was colder than the water, and sleek, and it took the stag a few moments to realize that it was a fish, followed quickly by yet another one, then another. They moved frantically, as if desperately wanting to escape… Surely fish weren’t scared of wolves?

The answer to everything, however, fell into place the moment that the cracking of wood boomed across the sky behind them. The sound was horrible, and immediately the stallion’s head snapped around, legs shifting and ears flicking back. Apollo’s honey-brown eyes widened in terror, and he took a subconscious step backwards, bumping his shoulder into Phaedra by mistake. “What…. What is that?!” He exclaimed, voice raising a notch in terror. Never, in all of his days, had Apollo witnessed a creature like the one he was seeing now. It’s tentacles moved and coiled in a deadly dance of muscle and raw power, and as the splinters of wood fell from its deathly grasp, Apollo spun on his haunches. “The shore!” He cried, knowing the wolves were there but not caring. He would much rather die by the jaws of the wolves than by the crushing force of the sea-monster behind them. “Phae, we have to go to the shore!”

Lowering his head, he pushed the side of his muzzle against her shoulder, desperately wanting her to move, to follow, to run. Being ensnared and pulled under the surface by one of those tentacles was no way to die. At least with the wolves, they could attempt to fight. His eyes flicked to the shoreline, and the six wolves that were leaping over each other, gnashing their teeth in anticipation for their meal. Steeling himself, Apollo grit his teeth, lowering his head in challenge to the canine’s that awaited them. A fury was born from the fear that he felt, and Apollo tossed his head, horn poised as he began slowly sloshing through the water towards the awaiting wolves.

[OOC: Um… Long post is long. XD But, it kind’ve wrote itself, especially with the Phae-kiss. :3]

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."