The first's mind rejects this limited body; kicks and bucks within its boundaries. And the mind of the hunter trapped inside cries out, sending forth his hidden blindness and tainting the vision of the oldest of his ancestors. He has never known of Cem until now, and the bright, blinding white of his ancestor's coat as he envisions it, the endless wisdom that he holds and his strict, iron rule, are too much for the impressionable colt. His bonded chases after him, searching for his mind in the dark and shadowy maze that has become the home of so many separate consciousnesses. Cem runs through unfamiliar territory, fading in and out of blindness as he fights the younger mind and each time prevails. He is older, far more powerful than any other of the family line. He is the beast with no father; the one who simply was.

And he gallops now across dirt his descendant knows well but he feels new and fresh beneath him. He feels alive again after such a long time and does not wish to let go of the sensation. He treats all other minds like revolutionaries; insurrectionists to be subdued beneath his power. He commands them leave him be and each one falls away to obey save for that of the dark hunter with struggles and bites at the bit.

Cem skids to a stop as a violent silver overtakes his vision and blinds him entirely, narrowly avoiding a rockwall as it sidles up alongside him and doing his best to not trip on the vines that threaten to snare this unfamiliar body. He knows the two figures before him from his descendant's memory, and takes advantage of the knowledge. Enveloped in the darkness of blindness, he takes his steps carefully and reaches out with a powerful motion to the elder brother. He is focused and sure of each step closer he takes, even in blindness, and lets his scent guide him closer to Casimir. He does not touch the stallion, for Cem is not being of affection, he merely stands tall and proud beside him- silent.

Manhattan lies, panting, beside her possessed master. Cem has run far, perhaps to avoid her, perhaps to find Knox's siblings. She senses a curiosity of the intelligent new soul resting in her bonded's body, and feels his desire to learn from the two siblings- to understand what they are to Knox. But he will learn nothing from the remains of the Colt's mind, for the colt feels nothing. He must learn from the brothers themselves.

And as it is not like the very first of them to speak, Cem stands a tall, silent, and menacing figure in the body of the robust colt. Let them speak to him; let them teach the eldest of them all something new.

Recognition dawns on Casimir’s face despite the fact he cannot see him, voice and scent acting as a mark that the older stallion could read like body language. Surprise is evident on his face despite the empty blindness of his eyes. It has never bothered Kipp, the image of those sightless orbs. Muzzle, white as snow, moved towards his skin to acquaint himself with Kipp once more. The yearling allowed it, basking in the presence of the one brother that didn’t terrify or anger him. Anger was something he kept very well hidden, mostly because he didn’t recognize the emotion himself. It was well buried beneath fear and obedience, but someday when he was older he would most likely discover the emotion. Until that day, Casimir would be his safe haven. The one he could turn to, the only one aside Evers and Emerson he actually enjoyed being around. Teasing tone makes Kipp laugh, a sound that turns more masculine with every season he experiences but still remains a light-hearted giggle of youth. It is true he has spoken rather ironic words but Cas doesn’t seem bothered by them at all. Conversation turns slightly worried and somber, though no less a happy reunion than before. ”Emerson and I were trying to find you all! It wasn’t easy to follow you. I haven’t seen our other brothers…Mother is the same from what I can tell,” he responds easily, for he has very conflicted emotions about Mother but will not lie to the blind man.

Another approaches, and at a pace that startles Kipp. Immediately he recognizes the dark coal form of his other brother Knox, but something is far different about him and the colt is worried for him. There is something very wrong with Knox, and he is both worried and afraid. He is not much older than Kipp, but Knox is far different from Kipp’s happy and curious nature. Distracted from his worried inspection of Knox and the panting, exhausted Manhattan, he almost misses Casimir’s curious question. Turning to face him, though blue eyes remain on the brother that stands in silence. ”It’s…it’s Knox, Cas.” Turning towards the ebony youth once more, concern on his soft face. ”Brother? Are you alright?” Worried gaze moving from Knox to Manhattan, sighing softly at her. Whatever was wrong with Knox, her physical appearance worried him. Sharp bite drew him from his thoughts and he yelped to himself, knowing better than to go against the ingrained nature not to make a sound when in pain. A spider went crawling back down and dropped off into the grass. Kipp sulked to himself as he felt a tiny throbbing where the bite had come from, hardly more than the size of a needle but it was still there in the back of his mind. He had half a mind to crush the creature but would never do something like that. That, and he didn’t know where it had gone anyways.

      

The first listens intently to what happens around this body. A faint nagging of a hunter reminds him of Casimir's blindness and brings to the mind an image of the white draft. Manhattan, gathering the energy to rise once more, flashes images of Kipp as he approaches, and begins to flood Cem' mind with images of the surrounding. The eldest stands still and intent, soaking up the knowledge that the young retriever shares with him. He can sense, too, her tentative manner. She is nervous in his presence, irked by the unfamiliarity of the ancient and powerful mind she is suddenly forced to connect with in the absence of this body's proper mind. The ancient being, remembered as a cremello, breathes in with a deep and shocked surprise as Manhattan sends forth a final image; that of Knox. A handsome young lad, Cem thinks. But he finds the recesses of the mind almost empty, as if Knox is hiding from his ever-curious, ever-seeking desire for more.

The colt who belongs to this form is stubborn, Cem notes with a disgruntled sigh to himself. Still, even trapped in blindness, he lifts his head proudly. He hears the nervous, questioning voice of Knox's older brother, (Is this draft then Cem's own ancestor? Surely it must be so.) but allows Kipp to introduce him. Introduce him falsely, of course, as Knox- but introduce him nonetheless. Cem ponders his next course of action- wonders exactly what is best given the circumstances. Should he pretend to be this Knox? No, he will learn nothing then. They will assume he knew all and tell him nothing new. Besides, why should the ancient and powerful deign to act as if they are young and weak?

But it is more than Manhattan's subsequent growl that corrects the elder. Knox is not weak, anything but. Cem can sense magic that even the colt has yet to discover deep in the recesses of this body. It is a blessed form to be sure, with plenty of potential- it simply isn't as wise as he.

And so, standing as he was before, stolid and unmoving, Cem speaks. He does not feel any need to move forward, as displays of affections will have been reserved for true brothers- if these siblings have a relationship as close as that, even. No, Cem reveals himself as he is. "I am not your brother," the stallion says in a voice that sounds ancient and low, even coming from the lips of this young stallion. "Casimir and Kipp, yes? Tell me of your Knox." Cem continues unblinkingly, looking on into shadow with blind and silver eyes, beginning to push away the incessant nagging of the lost dog. Surely they will react- cry out and create an upset. But Cem shan't give them the courtesy of knowledge.

Just as he shall learn, so will they.

[[Sorry for the wait, you guys know I was busy.]]

Eyes that belong to his older brother do not find them in the way Kipp is used to. In fact, he is more looking in their general direction than anything. Kipp was far from an idiot, taking careful notice of the differences in his brother's behavior. Manhatten seemed worn and nearly dead on her feet beside him, which made him worry for her. Knox would never have driven her to such lengths, surely? The link between bonded creatures was incredibly intimate, surely Knox would suffer just as much? Her growling also makes him uneasy, for she seems almost angry at Knox. If he even is Knox. Though that question was answered when his brother's mouth moved and words touched their ears. It isn't the voice he knows, and a shiver went up his spine at the sound of it. In fact it gave him a bad taste in his mouth, something sour and angry. Who had taken over his brother? Why? Did they mean harm? Would Knox ever regain control?

Casimir moving was what finally stopped Kipp from staring at Knox, trying to figure him out. Though he doubted Knox-not-Knox could see. Kipp knew the signs of blindness, having been raised right alongside Casimir. The lost, directionless look in his gaze was obvious. But Cas moving to protect him was something they both ended up doing, usually. So the unicorn pressed forth to let their bodies touch, telling Cas where he was without words. Silently supporting him, saying he would be there if a fight or an argument broke out. Kipp didn't know how to go about this new, unknown soul. Was he easy to anger? A threat? Softly and deliberately he spoke, keeping his tone calm where Cas had gone a bit twitchy. Kipp was trying his hardest to keep his cool. "Why do you wish to know? You are currently inhabiting his body, that does not set us in the best mindset to be giving information. How do we know you won't harm us, or him?" The soft shake in his voice was nearly unnoticeable to anybody but him and maybe Cas if he was listening hard enough. He was actually on edge, but he hid it well despite the shake in his bones that Casimir could surely feel. Why did someone like this take over his brother? Why did they strike in such an intimate fashion, if that was their intention?

      

The first looks into the abyss with the most disdainful look possible. It is strange- as if the face of the hunter is not suited to such expression. Even Cem himself, normally so sober, is surprised by the surge of feeling. Surely it is the influence of some other ancestor, frowning down upon these descendants from above. "Your hostility will do us no favors, youngest one," the stallion speaks from Knox's blinded and exhausted figure. He can tell from the voice trying so hard to be strong and the one so obviously weak who was who. Strange, he thinks, that the younger sounding voice is the more powerful one. Is the other one weak- worthless?

No- very few are ever truly worthless.

"I wish nothing but to learn of this descendant whose body I find myself confined within," Cem speaks firmly and lawfully as he lifts his head and opens his mouth slightly to take in the scent of the air, as if he were a cat. Manhattan, somewhat subdued, has sat to rest beside Knox's body and Cem's mind. Still she watches warily, ever so unsure of what thoughts rest in her master's possessed mind. She longs for the brothers Kipp and Casimir to shake Knox from this waking nightmare.

But she knows better than to think the brothers, to whom Knox has little emotional connection, will be the key. Cem learns from her knowledge and applies it to the scene before him. He understands very suddenly the twisted relationship of these 'brothers'; still, he must know more. Into endless shadow, he speaks: "Surely you two can give an old ghost something to whet his curiosity."

[[worst rp partner ever. I'm trying to regain muse so hopefully this won't happen again.]]