| Aurora Basin Mare |
| Mare :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 |
| tay |
Here she perched at the top of the world: ice in her frogs, wind whistling its lullabies into her mane. She inhaled and the air stabbed her lungs; she exhaled plumes of smoke, her face half-veiled until the wind tore that away, too. Howl, then, she thought. Part of her longed to hide within the shadows of a forest – cower at the feet of broad trees, snarl at the crackle of green foliage. Valka knew the deep green of plants and the winding of secret paths. Here, now… she stood alone, tall and dark on a bleak horizon. The sheen of tundra faded into the pallid grey of a morning sky. No end… no punctuation – save her.
She moved, her massive stride a languid gesture of every refined limb. The wind ripped at her mane, pulling long swaths back from her swanlike neck. For a time, she thought of herself as something beautiful and strange – witchdaughter, child of winter. She recalled a time the snow fell against her trembling legs. Now those same legs were strong; she puffed another breath, her head held high. Valka’s single horn rose toward the sky like a crown, and she thought - why not? It was, perhaps, the first time she thought it in truth. Wasn’t she magnificent? Wasn’t every creature here? She ruled the north; she breathed the snow and pounded it beneath her hooves and made it home - home! What a joyous word. A small bound broke the rhythm of her walk. She was a doe now, fleet and lively. She was more wild than a horse, barely corporeal as the earth faded to white around her and the wind promised snow – maybe not today, not tomorrow, but soon.
With the thought of storms in her head, Valka wondered why she bothered walk. What did she want out here? What was such land good for, if not flight? She tossed her head, and heaven rolled against the pale grey of her eye – like so much storm caged up inside her, fighting at the earth. Her hooves beat a hard pulse into the permafrost – 1, 2, run! And she ran, stretching her great limbs to their full extent, teasing the hard strings of her muscles. The black and white threads of her tail fanned out behind her; long coils of mane lapped at her spine. She was moving: no reason, no fear, but the joy of speed. She gave no thought to what lay ahead or behind; she moved gracefully and thoughtlessly, hooves kicking chunks out of the frozen earth.
[ ooc: just messing around; anyone's welcome :) ]
stock credit: elaineselenstock.deviantart.com | hellofascination1991.deviantart.com | burtn.deviantart.com
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
04-22-2013, 10:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-23-2013, 07:32 PM by Murdock.)
Wind howled across the icy Steppe and tore at the drifted snow with hungry fingers, raking great scars across the surface of the earth and tossing frozen snowflakes into the frigid air. Dawn had just arrived, the pale grey sky brightening with a hint of gold as the sun made its way into the sky. It was a beautiful day on the Steppe, and it was the sort of morning that would make someone want to sit and watch the sunrise to appreciate the simple beauties of life.
However, Murdock, or rather anti-Murdock, would be caught doing nothing of the sort. A dark shadow had fallen upon Helovia as the days had lengthened, and though few of the residents had noticed yet, how long would it take to hear of the foul things your doppelganger had been up to behind your back. While the real Murdock was comfortable enjoying a warm Orangemoon morning on the slopes of the Foothills, his 'evil' twin was out roaming the cold and barren north.
To meet your opposite would be like looking into a shattered mirror, where you saw someone who was identical in appearance, but entirely opposite in personality. The Murdock who was currently relaxing in the Foothills was a kind and light hearted soul. He was a mercenary, but he was merciful and gentle and always maintained a cheerful disposition. The anti-Murdock who had arisen from the time-rift however, was the complete opposite.
His dark head hung low, emerald eyes holding a purely dangerous look as they scanned the outline of the mountains in the distance. Snow fell lightly from the pale clouds above, spiralling down in the gentle wind to land upon his black haunches and pale wings. Silver hooves scuffed through the ice-hardened drifts, leaving deep ruts along his winding path toward the ocean. He had no purpose, no direction for his wandering. He was simply there.
A long, hard glare was cast upward toward the angry heavens, his eyes scanning the smudged bodies of clouds into the distance. He hated it. He hated the skies and the snow, the mountains and the last of the summer song birds. He hated flying and walking, and most of all he hated socializing. His face was contorted into a permanent scowl, emerald eyes shaded by dark brows as he scanned the hazy horizon line. For the time being, he was alone. How he hated loneliness.
This place was all but unfamiliar, and so different from the forested lands he had grown up in. The snow crunched loudly beneath his feet as he made his way south along the Steppe, driven by the scent of grass that lingered on the gentle breeze. His wings drooped at his sides, hanging limp across his shoulders while his primaries dragged across the rough snow. His curled mane and tail were tangled in the wind, his forelock hanging messily over his eyes. All he wanted to do was leave this wretched place. Yet, how could he go anywhere else when he didn't know where he was to start?
The sound of hurried foot falls drew his attention upward, his gaze lifting from beneath furrowed brows to take in the sight of a dark mare racing across the snow. She did not appear afraid nor concerned in any way, rather she seemed to be enjoying herself. His lip curled at the image as he gave his head a toss, shaking his infernal forelock from his eyes. "Hang on!" He called out, his voice gruff and annoyed as he took a few unsteady steps after her. He immediately regretted his decision to make his presence known, as he, of course, hated interaction of any sort. He scowled like a petulant child as he trotted toward her, his wings hanging limply at his sides as he approached. "What are you doing?" He asked harshly, flaring his nostrils to look the unfamiliar mare up and down.
( Doppelganger Murdock! :D )
"talk talk talk"
Lift my spirit, take me higher, make me fly,
Touch the moon up in the sky
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Image Credit
| Aurora Basin Mare |
| Mare :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 |
| tay |
04-26-2013, 03:20 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2013, 03:22 PM by Valka.)
She thought of nothing but the rake of cold air through her lungs, the stab of silver knives and the thrust of silver plumes from her nose. Long sheets of hair coiled and knotted behind her, dancing like Medusa’s snakes in ecstasy at the thrill of motion. Perhaps trees offered the comfort of shade, but this plain of ice bred laughter in the dark mare. It surged into her heart, a part of her like the dusting of snow white across her belly.
So Valka ran, and for a while she thought nothing of the dark shape now erupting from the pallid earth ahead of her. She angled toward it anyway, led by a sort of backward curiosity, and in some part she thought of running straight into it – driving the shape beneath her hooves and crumbling its mighty blackness.
Then the shape resolved into a horse.
No – not a horse.
Oh, there was something wrong with it! Some dragging growth hung low from either shoulder. The long tilt of Valka’s stride drew short. Her tail plumed high above her back, spilling dark and pale hair over coiled haunches. “Hang on!” it called her, voice like a leash choking her back – as if she didn’t mean to stop already, and simply thrummed around it lively with energy. The athletic spin of her delicate legs danced around the creature in quick order, and in silence she regarded him with the pale tilt of the grey eye, the wild eye, head lifted so the jagged spike of her horn arced like a crown above the eye. “What are you doing?” the creature asked, and at last Valka stood and puffed the heat of exertion from her lungs. Sweat steamed on the mare’s flanks – almost as if she burned inside.
”I was running,” she said, and her voice cracked dry with poorly concealed amusement. Are you a stupid thing? she wanted to ask, and eyed the clusters of feathers pinned to his sides. ”What are you doing?” Valka tilted her head. Her own ears flickered back and forth; the weight of her mismatched eyes was quick, fleeting. She devoured him with her gaze, hummingbird-swift, and displayed none of the foul temper he spoke with. No – it was more like curiosity inside her, even if he did kill her exuberance. ”This is not a place for one like you,” observed Valka quietly, and her eyes glinted with mirth.
stock credit: elaineselenstock.deviantart.com | hellofascination1991.deviantart.com | burtn.deviantart.com
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
04-26-2013, 09:36 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2013, 09:36 PM by Murdock.)
The look on the dark mare's face may have been one of disgust or irritation, but Murdock payed it no mind. He cared little for the emotions of others, and in fact feelings of any sort were resented by him. Perhaps he had startled her, or perhaps her black little heart found reason to hate him or maybe his entire race; he knew nothing of racism, nor anything of this land he had found himself in. He simply wanted answers and though he doubted the reliability of the stranger, she had a pretty face nonetheless.
He tipped his head slightly to the side as he watched her approach, her graceful gallop slowing as snow sprayed about her heels. He snorted loudly, shaking his head and lifting his chin to meet her level gaze. Her body still shook from exertion, but her mind, on the other hand, seemed sharp as ever as she responded to him with guarded tones. "Running? How positively boring," he sneered with yet another snort, finally lifting the weight of his pale wings to fold them against his sides.
While the true Murdock would have openly greeted the mare and perhaps even asked to join her for a run, this twisted reflection wanted nothing of the sort. She was just another face to him, just another one to be used to acquire whatever it was he wanted and then tossed out into the snow again. He cared nothing for her nor this place, and he would go to no lengths to make a good impression of himself or attempt to build a fragile base of friendship.
He smirked dryly at her question, turning his head away to look out across the grey snow, gradually becoming awash with a pale golden glow that increased as the sun rose above the mountains. It was a beautiful sight, but his charred heart took no pleasure in the scenery and instead he returned his gaze to the slender mare's face. "Me? Why, I have absolutely no idea. Nor do I care to know," he hissed with a hint of venom, taking a few steady strides closer to lean toward her.
He laughed at her next comment, his voice loud and harsh across the flat, pale snow. "No? Well, good observation. I would have to agree with you." He shifted his wings roughly against his sides, his ears swivelling back on his skull as the wind pulled at his tail. "Where the hell am I, anyways? I seem to have gotten myself lost on this abhorrent Steppe". He frowned as he returned his emerald gaze to her face, studying her dark complexion with a hint of interest. Her name however, was of little importance to him and he dismissed such formalities without a second thought. "Perhaps you could lead me to somewhere a little warmer, hmm?"
"talk talk talk"
Lift my spirit, take me higher, make me fly,
Touch the moon up in the sky
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Image Credit
| Aurora Basin Mare |
| Mare :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 |
| tay |
Valka’s ears swept back at the sound of the thing’s voice - boring? Such arrogance dripped from his tone… it landed heavy on her own enthusiasm, sucking the vibrancy from her bones like the rattling wind sucked heat. His voice was empty, his words were empty…a nihilist, like a black hole. She wanted to scream and to eat him.
Instead of screaming or digging her teeth into his flesh, Valka stood calm – poised. Muscles stood out tense as barbed wire underneath her skin. The amusement dried out on the back of her tongue; head tilted, she regarded this creature in silence. As if his approach made no difference, Valka stood unmoving when he neared. Lost? her thoughts perked up a bit. Energetic still, her thoughts and her blood roiled under a cool dark surface. He’d only managed to compress her, pin her down to this frozen earth, and as she eyed his vapid face and the strange, feathered appendages at his sides, Valka’s disdain grew. She might have thought him lovely were he not so crass; a pity, almost, that here he stamped into her mind this first impression of his kind: as no less caustic than the bareheads – perhaps more foul.
Valka’s tail swished. ”You are in our territory,” she said, her tone cool. That dry amusement lingered still, the tilt of her head like a kind of smirk. The gears behind the mismatched colors of her eyes churned swiftly, hungrily. ”Could you not fly away?” she wondered aloud, eyes keen on the furled bulk of his wings. A hint of honest curiosity had wormed its way into her tone. Perhaps he was injured? Or too fat? She dared not inch around to check for fear he learned the angle of her game.
stock credit: elaineselenstock.deviantart.com | hellofascination1991.deviantart.com | burtn.deviantart.com
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
He noticed her ears swing back on her skull in what could be perceived as an act of annoyance, but it did little to change his heart or his manners. He didn't care if he was irritating her; the whole world was an irritation for him and just for once he figured someone else could put up with his presence for a few moments. The crooked, hesitant smile that had formed upon his lips after some reluctance soon disappeared, replaced by a petulant frown that seemed to suit his dark face. He swished his curled, knotted tail against his hocks, pulling his pale wings tighter against his sides to shelter his body from the harsh wind.
The real Murdock would have been heartbroken to see his 'evil twin' creating such a poor representation of his race to this mare, but alas he was not present to do anything about the situation. He would have joined this dark stranger for a run or a frolic without a moment's hesitation, as were his childish ways. However, this cracked and twisted 'mirror' that had arisen from the time-rift was vastly different and quite the opposite, and the last thing he wanted to do was enjoy himself.
"I don't care where I am, sweet heart," he replied with a bitter tone as he fixed his gaze on her once more. "I want to be away from this snowy wasteland just as much as you want me to, but I'm going to need a little help getting going in the right direction." Ever since he had arrived here, he had simply wandered in whatever direction struck his fancy. Snow and ice weren't exactly things he was fond of, but nonetheless the north had seemed intriguing at first. He was ever so wrong.
He blinked against the growing light of the sun as it washed over the grey snow, reflecting off his pale feathers as dawn gradually fell upon the Steppe. A wry smile slowly worked its way onto his lips as she spoke, a dry laugh rolling off his tongue. "Fly? Why the hell would I want to do that?" His expression had returned to one of seriousness, though it hid his true emotions. Honestly, this Murdock had never flown before. He had never wanted to, and so had never learned. He had walked all over this planet, not once desiring to lift off into the cool air and see the world from above. Perhaps he was mildly embarrassed by the fact, but he would never admit it, especially not to her.
"Look, if you're so desperate to get me out of your sight, why don't you just help set me off in the right direction, hmm?" He inclined his head slightly, green eyes regarding her hopefully but still with the same dull interest that was at home within them. He really didn't have any point to his wandering and investigating, but it kept him entertained and distanced from the monotonous company of others. He wanted nothing more to lie down and sleep at the moment, but there was no way he was doing so in the middle of a snow covered wasteland. "I'd just like to go somewhere warmer. Maybe somewhere with trees or grass...You could walk with me and tell me about yourself and this 'place' you call home. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Not that he knew anything about fun.
"talk talk talk"
Lift my spirit, take me higher, make me fly,
Touch the moon up in the sky
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Image Credit
| Aurora Basin Mare |
| Mare :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 |
| tay |
The more the stallion spoke, the more his words grated. ”Then you ought not have asked!” snapped Valka in response to his next statement. Her two-colored tail lashed behind her. Perhaps the best thing would be to leave him here, leave him to starve or freeze… but Valka couldn’t guarantee that any harm would befall the ugly creature, and suddenly she had a vested interest in ensuring exactly that. The mare’s head twisted to one side as she gazed at his wings, wondering if they were even large enough to lift such a heavy form. He certainly was evasive about mentioning them… Perhaps they did not work? Perhaps he had never flown, was afraid of doing so? Valka could understand such a sentiment – no horse was meant for the sky. Still, a nagging doubt clung to her heart, fear that he might suddenly flit away. Ears cocked back in irritation, Valka nodded at last.
“I have little expectation that any time spent at your side will be ‘fun,’” mused the mare, “but I have little desire for you to remain on our land.” She paused for a moment, still watching him. What would Snö do, if Snö were here? Mauja? Valka wasn’t certain. She knew the creature didn’t belong here, but was its trespass worthy of punishment? Might the others… wish to know? Her expression reflected only roiling anger, but behind the asymmetrical gleam of her eyes, her mind rolled and rolled.
Abruptly, Valka turned west, proud head lifted high. She could just see the faint shadow of mountains on the horizon. One ear twitched back toward the pegasus as Valka began moving. Her gait was again languid and smooth, her mind settled as she chose a destination and finalized the decision. Though she had never seen such a creature, some of her fellows surely had… One of them would know what to do, surely. Valka had no desire to simply turn this stranger loose to safety; who knew what he was really doing, sneaking around? She glanced back over her shoulder at him. ”If you move briskly, you may avoid frostbite before you reach safety.”
stock credit: elaineselenstock.deviantart.com | hellofascination1991.deviantart.com | burtn.deviantart.com
| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
Murdock could see how his words and perhaps his very voice grated on the mare, but it did little to alter his mood and presentation. He did not enjoy seeing others suffer or struggle as a result of his presence, but it did little to persuade him to change his attitude. He merely remained as he was, watching her dully with bright green eyes that betrayed the coldness of his core. She was clearly losing patience, and it didn’t strike him that he might lose his guide if he refused to clean up his act. Rather, he simply regarded her with a blatant look of indifference as he awaited her response.
He shrugged slightly at her exasperation, mentally agreeing that her statement was indeed a sensible one though not going so far as to admit he saw it that way. She had every right to be frustrated with him, though it was still beyond him as to why he rarely managed to keep company around for more than a few hours, such was his ignorance. Perhaps he only needed someone to tolerate him and talk to him to get him to let down his walls and open up; however, it was unlikely anyone would bother with such a potentially pointless and hopeless task.
He sneered at her response to his invitation, a soft chuckle shaking his sides. “Perhaps that’s true, but I’m equally eager to get the hell off this snowy wasteland and leave this all behind.” He hated snow as he hated most other things, but he was particularly disgusted by the cold and the way the ice clung to his hooves and caused his feet to weigh twice what they normally did. He had never had a very lively step, but when one’s feet weighed ten pounds each it was considerably difficult to even fake elegance.
It appeared as though the mare had been convinced, however, and without another word she set off across the snow. The pale sunset was left behind him as he turned after her, picking his way across the grey blanket towards God-knows-where; at least she seemed to have an idea of where they were going. The only landmarks he could make out were dark, distant mountains that rose up from the horizon toward the pale sky, but they all looked alike and he could hardly imagine how anyone could use them to navigate.
With an exaggerated groan he heeded her warning, tensing his stiff muscles and breaking into a rough trot to catch up to her. Her pace was light and smooth, her dark body gliding over the snow effortlessly in a way he refused to admit was somewhat admirable. Finally, in a moment of thought he recalled how he had not bothered to ask her name. He kept his eyes on the side of her face for a moment, debating whether or not he wanted to ask such a mundane question. In the end, he decided upon showing some respect and eventually opened his mouth. “What’s your name?” He asked gruffly, the question suddenly sounding out of place as his voice was magnified by the silence.
"talk talk talk"
Lift my spirit, take me higher, make me fly,
Touch the moon up in the sky
|
|
Image Credit
| Aurora Basin Mare |
| Mare :: Unicorn :: 17.1 :: 3 |
| tay |
Gradually, movement eased the temper from Valka’s form. She recalled her reason for being on the Steppe in the first place, and her long stride reached out to devour the distance again. Every now and then she peered at the feathered creature beside her, pale grey eye reflecting a similarly colorless sky. They were, it seemed, the only beasts alive on the bleak emptiness of the Steppe. Only the wind accompanied them, curling through Valka’s long black mane and whistling around the jagged rise of her horn.
She only enjoyed the silence for a moment or two before the stallion spoke again. Though one of Valka’s ears already rested in his direction, she turned to gaze at him more fully for a moment or two, never once breaking stride. He wanted her name? She hesitated from answering for a moment; was this some overture at friendliness? Or was he scheming? Or planning to use it against her somehow, later? Valka eyed him for a long moment, disdain evident in the haughty carriage of her head, anxiety coursing through her veins. She was intent on proving she was not too young for this.
With a little shake of her head, Valka finally responded. ”My name is Valka.” Simple enough. She eyed the stallion for a moment, torn between asking him to reciprocate or rubbing in her dislike by completely ignoring that he might have a name. Deciding on the latter, she allowed the crunch of her hooves to punctuate the silence, kicking her toes every now and then to drive out balls of ice that crowded against her heels. If he wanted a conversation, she decided, he would have to work for it.
stock credit: elaineselenstock.deviantart.com | hellofascination1991.deviantart.com | burtn.deviantart.com
((Sorry there's not much to go on here :\ She plans to take him to the Basin and do... something nefarious, she is not the best planner. Can segue over there if/when you want.))
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