How did it come to this?

To what?

Look at them, Akaith. Look at how they come, with hope in their eyes and ears open and willing to hear my voice. Look at the devotion they show, the strength and love with which they cling to one another - to us.

Not all of them.

No, not all of them, my dear. But they all have potential, and I hope to help each of them realise that. How did I get here?

On your feet.

Akaith!

The banter was silent, playful, coated with love and devotion shared between dragon and equine. The golden one flittered above the gathered, who grew in numbers with each passing moment, who all accepted the announcement of the great Thor rising in ranks, who celebrated the adjustment of Aaron's rank, who requested changes of their own. Mirage admired the keen enthusiasm her members held, and would do her best to accommodate them all. She was quite surprised, at the way the youth of the lands showed a willingness to learn, and acknowledged each of them with a kind smile and a gentle nod of her crown to show that she had heard their requests.

Ink's communications were not lost upon her, she did intend on speaking of the Throat - the request he weaved about his drawings did bring another thought to the forefront of her mind, and Kaj's offering of taking him there brings another small smile to her shadowy lips. She was pleased that they seemed already so comfortable about going to the Throat, for very soon, all of them would need to know both lands as well as their current one. The subtle hint of ivory amongst the outskirts of the meeting reminded her of Hellena's eternal presence upon the lands, and the warning that the Seer gave to her in the depths of the mists just the other night. Yes, there was much to be done.

They continued to arrive, and it was brought to attention just how many they had become, and what diversity now existed within her home. They were a collection of misfits, outcasts, former leaders who had chosen instead to respect her rule, wise, older creatures who offered their knowledge to the lands, young, proud souls willing to be shaped into something grand, all in the name of- what? The World's Edge? Mirage? The mare was forever proud of those who called her their WeyrLeader, for she would never force them to do such, but at the same time, she would never deny them the chance to. The mare with liquid gold eyes hushed the crowd with a subtle shift of her posture, Akaith gave a low warble as she flew above their heads, before landing upon her back, and then, her voice was summoned from the depths of her throat once more - she hoped she did not neglect anyone.

"All who have arrived here are welcome here." She began, hoping to instil upon those she may not have known intimately the fact that this was their home, as much as it was hers. "The time for celebration is short lived, though I am glad my decisions are so well received." It was a curious thing to wonder, what the mare would have done had the reception to her news been different - a prospect not worth pondering on for too long however, for Mirage lived in the present, not in the 'what if's of a situation.

"My kin, our time of peace, whilst blissful, will not be everlasting, even though our goal as the Qian is to always try to restore its hold. It is the way of the world to always descend into chaos, it is up to us to restore the balance that holds the world steady when such events occur."

"Several things have been brought to my attention, several threats to our balance, our peace that we hold dear."

"There is a stallion, who has named himself Tio, claiming to be in preparations to take over the Dragon's Throat. I have seen this steed with my own eyes, and while his following is not large, the fact that he has followers at all is something to be concerned about. An insult against the Dragon's Throat is an insult against us, for we are one and the same family, if under different titles - if any of you have information on his actions, do not hesitate to inform your Spectre, or your WeyrLeaders."

"There is another group who have named themselves the Assassins, led by the unicorn mare Ignita, whom my brothers have had dealings with. We do not know for sure who their target is, but they have been caught trespassing upon our lands before. If you do not recognise someone who walks in your home, call for the attention of a Protector immediately."

"As I have stated earlier, I must remind everyone that the Dragon's Throat is our sister herd, they are run by Kri the Resolute and Sumati the Sinbird, and we welcome those who call themselves Throat as readily as we welcome our own members. Because of this relationship, we have been planning to send members to become familiar with each of the lands on a regular basis - Ink and Kaj, you will be the first of these members. Represent the Edge well, learn as much as you can, and return to us once one season has passed."

"The Dragon's Throat have also given us information on the former residents of this land. The Qian invaded the World's Edge with the aid of the former Foothills and the Throat - and while the lands remain open to any who would accept the ideals of the Qian here, the former residents have found a home to the north, the Aurora Basin. Even before that, however, they accepted only unicorns into their midst. At first this was seen as nothing more than a harmless preference as to who one would associate with, but it has been brought to light that they are planning something far more sinister."

"They seek to dominate and destroy any who are not unicorn. We must be wary for the strike that will come - their exact numbers are unknown, but in my time there as prisoner, and with what we have been told since, they are too great for us to hope to make a strike against them. All we can do is prepare, fortify, and strengthen our forces. The trees of our land provide a natural border - I ask our new Glazier to learn the limits of his new magic to further reinforce a wall about our borders, similarly to that under construction in the Throat."

"We stand upon the lands of the Moon Goddess, and she has delivered to our Seer a warning. As if we do not have enough mortal dangers to plague us, we are told that times ahead will be full of trials. Those of you who were here a year ago know what I mean when I speak of the unbearable TallSun we endured - a heated season wrought with fires and scorching droughts - it was a reminder to us all of our mortality, a demand of respect brought about through fear and violence. I remind everyone here that we are not Gods, and it is they, through their benevolence, who allow us to reside here, their humble creations. I know not what the future will have in store for us, but the advice given is to know your friends intimately, know who you can trust, and who you cannot. Learn a unique fact about each of your comrades here, and as many as you can about our friends in the south, so that if you are presented with difficult circumstances, you can know when you have a true friend by your side."

"In light of the many requests by our youths to learn the ways of their senior members, I propose a new rank for those enthusiastic, willing youths - that of an Acolyte, so that they may study beneath their chosen mentors, and learn the art of the ranks they might desire in the future as soon as they want."

"We are a family here, and families forgive together, they grow together, they learn together. We have all come from different walks of life, and while it is often difficult to look past initial judgements, I wish to remind everyone that you have been accepted here for both your perfections and imperfections - I ask that you do the same for your kin."

It was a lengthy speech, broken up by pauses to allow the newest set of information to settle, before more was proffered. It was spoken with her strong, vibrant voice that seemed to reach into every corner of the land. Her accent made it known that it was the DragonHeart who spoke, her passion lending her speech wings so that it may be heard and understood by those even with a less firm grasp upon the language. Upon its finish, she bowed her head once more, looking to each of them, to her brothers and sister, to those tied to her family not by blood but by the Qian. She hoped she addressed everything fairly. She hoped that she was a suitable leader for them, her faithful followers. What would she be without them?

Nothing more or less than what you are now.

How so, my love?

You are Mirage. You have always been Mirage.

I suppose you are right, little queen.

I am not little!





[ ooc : Posting order is not strict in this thread, feel free to post out of order a response if you so desire. I will get to the rank updates as soon as I can! ]

Words of congratulations filtered from many members of the herd, but a few voices stuck out above them all. His mother voice was heard above them all, followed by the joy filled whinnies of his two newest sisters Sakura and Takara. Next was their father Torasin, a long time family friend and as it now seemed almost lover to his mother. Aaron was not sure how to feel about this, but was glad his mother seemed happier at least. Gossamer too, arrived later and congratulated him as she nuzzled his forelock fondly. Aaron beamed with pride at the position his had earned. Finally the three year old knew what place he belonged in, even if he could switch to protecting at a moments notice.

It was only then that Paladin arrived. So he was not going to stay with his backstabbing daughters in the Foothills? That was truly a surprise to the painted draft. The former leader spoke of those that may hold transgressions against him... Well it was true many among the herd could, himself included. He had taken the Foothills from Gossamer only to hand them to a group of three, two of which the herd Barely knew... Thing had not improved for the Foothills since. Now his daughters group the Grey had taken over kicking out all who did not agree with their ways. He took note of the obvious glances the older stallion threw both himself and Gossamer. The only thing Aaron held against the former leader was allowing a trio so weak to rule and therefore leading to the Foothills downfall. However he had no issue with him being in the Edge as long as he did not go after Mirage or Thor positions. Should that happen he would have a problem with him. Rhisima arrived and spoke before Aaron could speak up. She seemed to almost shush Paladin about the possible issue and Aaron did not feel like now was the time or place to bring up such things.

Mirage spoke again, telling of new threats to not only the Dragon's Throat who were the longest standing ally of the Qian, but of a possible threat to themselves. Two more outcast bands, two more chances they or their allies could lose their homes. She also asked him to begin plans to build a wall much like that of what the Dragon's Throat had in mind. He merely smiled and nodded at first, as she went of to say both Ink and Kaj would be among the first to travel and learn about the layout of Dragon's Throat. Rhisima also seemed to want to go with them, and Aaron had the want to go as well... If the Dragon's Throat crafter was building a wall, perhaps he could learn from him or her to better build a wall for his own herd. It was at this thought he raised his own voice once others had quieted. "I to would like to travel to the Dragon's Throat once the first group returns, so I can learn more about building a wall to protect us. Also to maybe help the Crafter there build their wall faster and stronger since they have an threat to their home already, perhaps in exchange for help with our wall as well."

He left it at that for Mirage to either agree or disagree with, whichever she many choose he would respect. However the young paint felt it was best to help their ally protect themselves first in order to better protect themselves later. Everything he did was for the good of this herd, of the Qian, his family. There was not a one.. Well almost not a one he would not die for that stood here now. Ok maybe he would even die protecting Paladin too... Maybe. His ears swivel around to catch the voice of one of the newest wraiths. This was the same stallion that not to long ago held Mirage as his captive only to later release her. He turns to face the unicorn, listening intently. The Plague? So this was what the racist bastards who had held his mother for so long were up to... They would take the Edge back over his dead and rotting body. This was their home and he was going to do everything in his power to stop it.


"something to say"

I am curious to see just how many members of the Edge have accumulated since the last time a meeting was called and I am not wrong to assume that it has been many. In fact, I am surprised to find our numbers so increased that even I am a bit baffled by the onslaught of new faces. However, there is something that I see in each of them that is very much the same… It is a devotion that I am envious of, though painstakingly proud of. Each of them looks upon the Dragonheart with a respect that even I feel for her. She has come to deserve her title because she has served the Quian well. I turn to gaze at her with the same admiration that I see within the eyes of our onlookers. Would they ever feel the same veneration for me or would I simply rise and fall a mere bystander to their walls…? I fear for so much and feel for so much that I am helpless to ignore the awe that washes over me in her shadow. I want to serve them well; I want to make the Edge proud to call me their WeyrLeader. I just needed to find a way to do such when we stood upon the Threshold of yet another war. Only this time, it would appear that it’s a bit closer to home…

Looking back out into the masses, I recognize many recruits that I have welcomed to the Edge myself. Crven, Sulwyn, Dúchanar, and even Bernadette are all in attendance and their support is so valued that I cannot help the pitiful smile that parts the tenseness between my lips. I feel so proud looking upon them that I am more than grateful that I took the time to visit the Threshold as many times as I did. They were becoming a part of my family and proving their worth far beyond what I had ever expected. When Sulwyn took the chance to speak up above the crowd however, I was more than compelled to hear her request. Her gentle voice above the dull roar was enough to make me turn my head and nod slowly. She wanted to become a Wraith and I would never dream of stopping her in the face of her desires. Whatever she needed, she would have, and I could safely say that I thought just as much for the rest of the herd. I wanted to be able to give them whatever they asked of me and more. After all, how could I deny them the favors when they had allowed me their trust? “Sulwyn, I believe that you would make an exceptional Wraith. I’m sure that Ink or Xanthos would be more than willing to accommodate your questions should you ever have any. I am also here if you feel you need my help. I do wish you the best in your endeavors.”

A gentle smile followed my spiel and I dipped my head low to the mare in hopes of finding her satisfaction granted. However, she was only the first of many to voice their concerns and requests. I wanted to see to it that every one of them were answered, at least if I could help it. However, before I could find my attentions motioned for anyone else, I noticed the beautiful face of Tamira pushing through the crowd. I looked desperately for Essetia at her side and when I was unable to find her, I could feel my heart drop to my stomach. I wasn’t sure where she had gotten to until I heard those high pitched screams above the murmur of curious conversation. I knew that she would be at my side soon and when she finally was, I was quick to reprimand her for her saucy display. She chuckled at my scorn and then finally settled by my side until her patient mother had reached me as well. Tamira’s soft touch was all that I needed to feel at ease under the pressure of what lie ahead and I longed to keep her by my side and when she seemed to sigh into me, noting her place by my side, I felt as if I were suddenly floating. She whispered into my ear in congratulation and the sensation made my heart warm. “Thank you my love. You have done so much to encourage this day and there is nothing that I can do to repay you for such a favor.”

With my mate and my daughter at my side, I take another glance back into the sea of faces, hoping to regain the courage I once had upon fighting for the title of Captain. I had made it here on my own merit and over time, I would prove myself in spite of my name. I was gentle, but that did not mean that I could not deal with the hardships that came with ruling the Edge. I had my own family and Mirage to guide me and I planned to use their strength to encourage my own. I would not back down in the face of the future and I would not let this herd down. However, just when I thought that my self-motivation had stolen my attention entirely, I noticed that everyone had fallen quiet around me. What I found was an avid Ink, marking the grasses with his words. It was an incredible thing to witness as he colored the blades with his intent; I was completely riveted to each swipe and when he had finally finished, I watched as the small dragon that he had drawn come to life. It lifted from the ground and flew swiftly toward the stallion’s throat. I inhaled swiftly at the crude display, but his message was clear. He intended to travel to the Throat and he underlined this point by creating a mystic mare that greatly resembled the infamous Kri. I looked to Mirage in hopes that she would grant him this wish because I knew that our alliance would only be strengthened by the merging of our herds.

When I feel as though Ink has efficiently made his point, I think briefly about his motives to travel to our sister herd. I knew that no matter what he planned to do that it would be worth his while, but I could safely say that I was interested anyways.

Many others appeared before me and offered not only congratulations to my new promotion but to Aaron’s as well. I feel that he is certainly the perfect candidate to become our new Glazier and I cannot help but beam with pride at such a choice. When Torasin steps forth to offer the paint his compliments, I smile at the pair. However, he does not forget to acknowledge me as well and I am glad to have found a friend in the Moon Doctor. “Thank you Torasin, though, I feel that I must thank you as well for guiding me so long ago when I felt that I had no path upon which to travel. Your words have done much for me and allowed me to fulfill my potential. Also, I must add that I never got to congratulate you on becoming Moon Doctor- you were certainly made for the part my friend.” With that, I bowed slightly before him before glancing up to find Dúchanar in his wake. He was definitely a diamond in the rough, but I was proud to call him my brother nonetheless. His words were few, but I was sure that I could sense the meaning behind them all the same and I smiled into those eyes of icy Blue. “Thank you brother, it means a lot.”

Still more came and flourished amongst the growing masses. I was nearly overwhelmed with the amount of horses I saw before me and still I felt calm. Tamira’s warmth reminded me that I had many things to move forward for and I would be dammed if I didn’t do it for her and for myself. Kaj, Gossamer, Kiara… they were all here, they were all names I knew and personalities that I had come to respect, but when a large ebony stallion with a crimson tipped blade atop his head stepped up, I couldn’t help but feel the intensity of him. He was obviously from the Foothills but I wasn’t sure why he spoke of tension behind his presence. However, I found that everyone was worth a second chance and so thusly decided that his assertions would be recognized for what they were. He posed no threat and wished to help the Edge, I couldn’t fathom a reason as to why he would be unwelcome even if whatever existed in his past was not so becoming of his future. “If Mirage has no problems with you residing with us then I would hope that you can now call the Edge your home. Welcome.”

However, after feeling so optimistic about becoming lead, I hadn’t been prepared to hear what Mirage revealed next. News of the Assassins hadn’t been very new to me considering I had met one in the Threshold, but they hadn’t seemed to be much of an issue. I hadn’t found an opponent in the Buckskin stallion that had come to approach Crven about his band, but instead an ignorant fool that knew nothing of what he spoke. But, if Mirage thought them to be a threat, then I would be sure to watch out for newcomers throughout the land. I didn’t want those little sneaks rummaging through our gardens when the lights were out and therefore took it upon myself to start patrolling the borders at night when my herd was sleeping peacefully. However, it seemed that threats came in pairs because the Assassins were not alone in their attempts to wreak havoc throughout Helovia. But they had certainly become the least of my worries. The mention of the Basin surprised me because I knew that they were a formidable adversary after they stole Mirage from the Quian, but I had no idea that they intended to invoke genocide on all other species aside from the Unicorns… War was in the air and while I was reluctant to admit it, we had to get ready. Ink had been right to travel to Throat because Mirage had motioned for our warriors and otherwise to train across our borders. I would certainly join them at some point because we had much to consider in light of recent events. We were gaining in numbers, but now we had to hone whatever power we had into a well-oiled machine. Battle was not a friendly creature and I did not want to go into its den without weapons when its yellowed teeth were clearly bared.

“Xanthos, your information is most helpful. I think that we need to be prepared for whatever comes our way. The Basin and these Assassins certainly pose a threat and now is the perfect time to train with the Throat. Aaron is right to ask for their help in building a wall because we can use all the help we can get. But we must remember that no matter what lies ahead, we not only have each other to rely on but we can rely on our sister herd as well. We will be ready when and if conflict knocks on our door and I have faith in everyone standing before me; we will not fall.”

Thor