My sides still rubbed from the straps that had once fastened round my waist, strapping my wings down so tight to my sides that they would sweat in the heat of the ring where I had been forced to leap though fire rings, stranded above ground level on a small podium. My eye's dart round wildly. What if there were more humans? More of the two legged beasts? More whips? More straps? More fire? I panic, my ears flatten against my skull and my eyes rolling back in fear. I bolt forward, my head lowering down then being thrown back up with a wild whinny. My mane and tail stream out behind me like a stormy sea. Soon my body is sweated up round the top of my legs and my underbelly. I felt sick. I didn't want to stop running, nor did I want to continue.
Eventually I have to stop and I almost collapse. I fall onto my front legs which bend, as if I was bowing in the ring except with less grace and more of a thud as my weight falls down on my knees. I recover though, throwing my head back, my body following in a rear, my front legs kicking about wildly. When my hoofs land firmly on the ground my nostrils flare and I snort. I stamp a back hoof as a lone fly buzzes around and I flick my tail. Where was I? Why was I here? So alone? I hated being alone. I had always been alone in life unless you can call countless monkeys and three elephants and a pride of lions friends. I shiver. I wasn't cold, in fact I was far from it, I was scared. Worried. Alone.
The threshold was finally starting to find a place in my heart, while I was soaring freely through the sky. I shut my stormy blue grey eyes, and while my heart thudded, I felt the wind play with my feathers, rocking me gently, having its current guide me through the air. It was times like these that made me feel that I was the queen of the world, and forget all the troubles of my past. As I was drifting away again, I looked over the mountain tops, seeing the beautiful fields, and I knew one day I might even reside there, but for now, I was captured in this moment. Looking below me, I saw another lad, and curiosity struck me. Who must he be? I wanted to find out who he was, but at the same time I wanted to be completely cautious. What happens if he's here to hurt me, or another opponent to strike down.
With a straight face, I started descending from the sky, when I saw the lad break down and fall straight onto his knees. Confusion struck me, and I was wondering what was happening to the lad? Was he okay? He flailed around some more, and I was anxious to see what was troubling him, so I took a dive closer, and swooped down, directly in front of him, gracefully and quiet so I wouldn't terrify him. "Hello there. Are you okay?" I questioned, concerned and raising a brow. "I'm Storm. And you are?" I questioned him while he was still on the ground.
I totally forgot that some could fly.
I had wings yes, but it didn't mean I could fly. They had been strapped to my sides for most my life with a strong metal buckle that numerous of times I had tried to take of but I had never succeeded. How long had it been since I had seen wings? Sure I had seen my own but ever since I was snatched away from my home by the two legged. I couldn't even fly. There were foals who could fly better then me and I should be able to fly. I'm a Pegasus. I need to be able to fly. I stagger back as the dark misty Pegasus glides down.
"Hello there. Are you okay?" I raise my head sightly, my ears slightly back but not flattened against my skull like they had been during my wild gallop. "I'm Storm. And you are?" If I could of I would of flown away; I couldn't fly. If I was not as worn out I would have galloped away; I was worn out. Everything seemed to be against me today. I felt as if I was suffocating. Suffocating in a large, roomy forest with light seeping though the leaves of the tree's. I lower my head slightly, she hadn't threatened me in anyway so maybe I didn't need to be so defensive. Green orbs are fixed on the mare. My jaws are clamped shut and my voice box twisted so I couldn't say anything. With my head lowered past my shoulders and my ears not as far back I take a step back. I was unsure of everything. I had stepped away from her but not in such a way I looked scared. To be honest, I didn't know what was going on in my mind.
I gave a strange look to the lad, and thoughts started arising in my head. What's wrong with him? He looks at me with fear in his eyes, and his ears lying low on his head. Although not completely threatening me, I felt challenged and took a step back, my eyes flashing in a warning manner if he were to attack. All my muscles tensed, and my ears locked back in a threatened position. I stood there scrutinizing his every move. I then saw him step away, and pity gripped me. Something must have made him this way. I folded my wings tightly against my sides, letting my ears reside to their normal positions, and I walked towards him, but still far away enough to avoid any kicks or bites from him. "What is it lad, you can't fly?" I asked playfully, trying to get him to speak. He still seemed frozen in that position, and then felt very bad. What if he really couldn't fly and I just made it worse. This strange new feeling came to me.
Sympathy. Compassion. I was anything but feminine like. I was built for right and flight, to mess around, to be wild and free, and not by being bound by the duties of a mother, but I felt horrible for the lad, and my eyes even softened up a bit, just like the tone of my sassy voice. "You can talk to me, you know. I don't bite", I said with a smile. With my fiery personality, I felt the need to bring him out of his abused, introverted shell. I knew there was something going on with him, and though I wasn't nosy, I was determined to find out what was troubling him to a point where he couldn't speak. "I'll be your friend", those words slipped out, but he did seem like he was in need of one. I flashed another smile, but instead of a joking, playful one, this one was sincere and full of kindness.
She approached. "What is it lad, you can't fly?" My ears flick back intensity. A grin danced on her face. Did she know what she had said? Did she know how much it hurt? It was like a dagger in the heart. A complete stranger had already comment on me not being able to fly. Of course she only meant it as a joke but she didn't understand. How was it funny? It burnt me inside. Thoughts started rushing round my head and I wonder if I am going mad. You can't fly. Foals can fly higher and faster then you can. Your just a stupid, tame circus pony. I felt sick. What if I was going mad? What if I was hearing voices, or maybe there my own thoughts...that i'm doubting there my own?
Her voice softened, as did her smile. "You can talk to me, you know. I don't bite." My ears don't move but my head dos lift slightly. "I'll be your friend." I couldn't tell if I liked her or not. She seemed kind but...when she had make the playful statement I felt as if I hated her. My ears turn forward ever so slightly and I shake my head, pushing out my wings to hopefully say 'No, I can't fly.' Weather the mare would understand or not I didn't know but it was best I could do considering my voice box had knotted it's self, as normal. I take a small step forward, I was barely a hoof closer but still, it was something.
I saw a burning hurt flicker through the stallions eyes, and then I felt hatred steaming off of him. I instantly knew I must've hurt him. So he doesn't fly. I was curious to know of why, but I stood there, watching him awaiting what he would do. He seemed very mad at me right now, and with my smart ass mouth, I didn't want to say anything else that would hurt the lad. I then saw him signal me with his wings that he couldn't fly. I felt sickened. What, or who had deformed him in such a way that he would ever be able to spread his wings, and fly. That was truly hell on earth. I then saw him raise his head slightly and take a step closer to me. I smiled. It was a minuscule step, but it was still an improvement.
I looked at him in awe, and then started speaking. Despite the fact he was a total stranger, I was now devoted on helping him learn how to fly. I had to let him learn how to fly. It was obligatory, but first I wanted to see what was causing the fact that made him stop speaking and flying. "What.....what caused you to stop flying and speaking", I said in a concerned tone. I looked at him with wide, curious eyes. I had to get to the bottom of the cause in order to teach him how to fly. "Have you ever flown before, because..I'm willing to teach you how to fly", I told him, giving him a pleading look.
"What.....what caused you to stop flying and speaking." I look down at the ground. The image of roaring flames flicker into my mind. The image of me, with my wings strapped to my side, trotting up the steep ramp that was hard on my hoofs. The final seconds before the words 'JUMP' enters my ears and I leap though the hoop. Fire crackles in my ears but because of the suspension of the act, no one could see my ears flat back. My back legs fold up and I feel the heat burning all around me and I outstretch my legs, ready for landing. The pound of my hoofs against the other podium ramp marks my landing and relief surges though my as I jump canter down the ramp, snorting. The roar of a crowd fills my ears.
That is what caused me to stop flying and speaking. The cruelness of the ring master, and the support of the unknowing crowd.
The thing was, I couldn't tell her any of that. I couldn't tell anyone. My brain simply wouldn't allow it. I couldn't tell her that I humped though fire with actions but...I did know other tricks, maybe she knew what a circus was and what they did and maybe, she would know the trick was one from a circus. Taking around ten large steps back I shake my head then trot forward towards her then, a few paces away, I do a sudden, but perfect, spin on my heels with my front legs hovering around a meter of the ground then, when I am turning back to face her, I push up into a full rear. When my hoofs come in contact with the ground though I take a step back away from her as I had done before. That was all she needed to see and that was all I could tell her.
My stance is still defensive but in a slightly friendlier way. "Have you ever flown before, because..I'm willing to teach you how to fly" She seemed to want to help me. I nod slowly, not to sure what to do with myself now.
The lad seemed to be contemplating when I asked him what caused him to be the way he was. I felt horrible for him. Something must have really scarred him to make him this way. His pensative face met the ground, and I felt a rush of pity. What was this? I did care about others, but not to the point where I would act completely motherly. All of a sudden the lad took a step doing an impressive flip. My eyes were widened, and my mouth was agape, watching the lad. "H-how did you do that?" I said. I tried to copy him, but instead, I landed straight on my rump, while my hooves flailed in the air. Embarassment rushed through me, and heat rose torwards my cheeks, but I brushed it off as if it were nothing. "You saw nothing", I muttered, but with a playful edge. "Who taught you this? I won't mock you", I told him walking closer to him.
When I offered him the teaching of flight, he nodded his head, and I flashed a smile. "So let me teach you some steps first," I looked towards a higher ledge. It was still pretty sort, and if he couldn't fly with that ledge, he would safely land on the ground. "Come, follow me!" I told him. "You can trust me", I said to ensure the rest of his safety. I wouldn't let anything happen to him.
And back to timid little me.
It was a one of performance. Never did I want to have to do it again, never. If anything, I wish I could forget the tricks I had been taught; I couldn't though. They were in my head. I could do them all with my eyes closed with each hoof being placed just as perfectly as they would be with my eyes open. I watch the mare. She seemed to be trying to do the trick but soon she was down on the ground. We were all there at the start I suppose only she had a choice weather she wanted to try it again whilst I hadn't. I would have been forced for hours on end till I got each trick perfect. At the end I would barely be able to touch my food and my legs would collapse from under me onto the hard ground which just had a few clumps of hay scattered round.
"You saw nothing." Although she spoke with a serious tone it was also slightly jokey. No one had said something to me in both the tones at once and I was baffled at what to do so I just offer her a small smile. After my nodding agreement in her teaching me to fly she offers me a smile to and soon tries to help me with my flying problems. "So let me teach you some steps first," I look up to where she is looking. A ledge. Not high but still, a ledge. Did she expect me to try now? "Come, follow! You can trust me." I take some small steps towards her. Waiting to see if she would make me try to jump of the ledge.
[Not sure if you wanted to continue here, or make a new thread somewhere else?]
As I spoke out of embarrassment for the trick I tried, and failed at, I saw the stallion give a small smile. I stared wide eyed for almost a moment, and I relaxed to my normal position. He actually smiled. That was truly an improvement in my eyes. I gave him a wide, encouraging smile and led him along with me. "don't worry, I won't make you try right away," I said, sensing his discomfort. He seemed timid, and scared, but I was determined to bring him out of his shell. I didn't feel deterred any more. I was first to walk onto the bottom of the ledge. I didn't try prying into his private business anymore. I guess he would tell me if and when he was ready.
"To fly, you kind of have to believe. Shut your eyes at times and spread your wings. Feel it in your heart, and with a strong jump, propel your self forward, and with one powerful flap, launch and maintain yourself in the air", I told him, giving him a visual. I ran a little bit, and with one powerful jump, I was in the air. I swiftly pushed my wings in a strong downwards motion to create lift, and I was airborne. I felt like flying high into the sky, and getting lost in the clouds, but I had a major priority to teach the lad flight. With a sharp turn of my frontal body, I landed back down on the ground in front of him. "To get used to the feel, I advise you to softly move your wings up and down, softly, and then gradually stronger", I told him. I hoped he didn't loose his sense of feel in his wings, because then that would be a truly complicated problem.
I flapped my wings up and down, to demonstrate to him, but without a powerful run, jump, or flap I couldnt be in the air. "You know", I added in a soft voice, full of unknown compassion I though I was incapable to have, "I really want to teach you how to fly. But you really have to believe", I shut my eyes and opened them. "Now you try," I said softly. {no occ's allowed. I got in trouble. ^.^ don't want you getting in trouble. We can speak In a pm}
|
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
