the Rift


After a gathering [ Rishi]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#1
OPHELIA
I'LL ALWAYS BE YOUR PREY.


All of her friends were alive, and her heart was no longer plagued by sorrow and her memories were a tome of history unless she actively sought them out. Bright and happy, she resumed her exploration of the forest. Hoof prints and broken grass alerted her to the fact that others had been here, a large group it seemed. She wondered why. Plotting against the Throat perhaps? If she were to bring such information to Kri, she most certainly would be rewarded with the title of 'sleuth'.

Ophelia stopped to chew in the grass, closing her dualing eyes and inhaling deeply. Any scent that was left behind simply reminded her of the forest, and she punched out a frustrated breath through her nostrils. She lifted her head once more and tossed her crimson and white mane around her neck, sighing out in the darkness. Being solitary suited her, but this forest made the loneliness more apparent.






Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#2
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

The forest loomed above me, ancient trees in long-lasted companionship doing their utmost to mock my loneliness. Despite Mirage's best efforts, the gloom which had settled over me still lingered like a dedicated shadow, refusing to be fully banished by the bright glow of my sister's affections. Fortunately, it was weakened enough that I could slip back into my shield of detached calm.

It all made me feel so very weak.

Slightly dejected, I continued my wandering, slowly meandering beneath the shadowy pines. Dark hooves kicked at loose rocks and fallen leaves, nostrils sought out the musky scent of moss and dirt, inhaling deeply and enjoying the medley of aromas that accompanied a walk through the woods. Snort breaks through the air; I pause, ears swiveling to grasp the sound, left hind poised to take a step, crown raised; indecision marking every line of my moon-bitten form. A part of me yearned to flee in the opposite direction, to continue basking in my loneliness and sink deeper into self pity.. and yet I knew perfectly well how stupid of a decision that would be. No matter who I encountered, the distraction from my own funk would be a welcome change.

Hoof veered left, body wrapping itself around the block of trees that hid this stranger from my sight. Flickers of white pierced the growth, a splash of red; I turned a corner, and there she stood. Pretty little thing, ivory and crimson - for a moment, I regretted my decision. The last thing I wanted was to burden a child with my despondency. Still, I could not well turn around and flee now. Crown raised slightly, a gentle smile placed upon my lips. "Hello," child. I bite the word off, though. I remember being called a child, years and years ago. I remember hating it. Instead, I nod respectfully to her, keeping my dark eyes on her face. "What brings you here, alone?" I am curious, for this does not seem the place for a solitary child to wander, and the sigh I had heard was filled with discontent. A step is taken, lessening the abyssal distance between us; pale threads lash at my hocks, a nervous habit I cannot shake. Secretly, I fear she will run from me, leaving me alone. Even more secretly, I hope she will not.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#3
OPHELIA
I'LL ALWAYS BE YOUR PREY.

Ophelia turned an ear as a rustle of grass and a strange sent captured her conscious. She turned to see a darker shape taking form through the shadows, and she stood still, not showing a sign of fear or desire to run. She had none. Perhaps it was foolish, but her traumatic memories from Isilme could not let her fear the unknown anymore; instead, she embraced it.

The shape turned into a dark colored mare with silvery accents, and Ophelia smiled kindly back. Was her scent one of the ones that sat in the clearing she had previously stumbled upon? A meeting perhaps? She said hello, and Phi nodded, pondering her question thoughtfully. "Thinking and exploring," she replied honestly. "I am trying to learn every land here so that I can better serve my herd. Kri said that she would give me the title of Sleuth, so I am trying to make sure that I will do a good job."

Ophelia wondered if this new mare would tell her a secret that she could bring to the Sun God? She turned her head to the side softly. "What is your name?" she asked curiously.






Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#4
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

"A young explorer?" I murmur, smile tugging at the sides of my mouth, dark eyes softening in the presence of her earnest openness. She spoke of Kri, so I assumed she belonged to the Throat. The girl seems so young to have such focus; at her age I was a wild thing, running rampant across desert sands and trying to keep my brothers out of trouble. The memories are pleasant ones, and I relax as they flood back, mood lightening considerably.

Thoughts flow outward, away from my own mind and back to the little white mare -"And what will you do as a Sleuth, I wonder? Find out all our secrets, and use them for your own diabolical purposes?" Voice is suddenly serious, eyes narrowed and suspicious; only the twitch of my ears and the slight tilt of my eyes give away the good-natured intention behind my words.

She asked my name, and I gave it without complaint - "Rishima. And yours, little sleuth?" I shift my body, muscles rippling beneath silky hide, for once no longer sweat-soaked. The pleasant shade of the deep trees is relaxing, the chirping of birds radiant against the soft sounds of rustling leaves and moving water. Gaze is cast about the clearing, nostrils stretching to capture the aromas that permeated this sheltered place. "What sorts of adventures have you had in your explorations?" I ask, kind gaze back upon her crimson-rimmed form. I am always eager to hear stories, and from my experience, children are often eager to talk.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#5

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?


Ophelia smiled softly and nodded in response, looking over the darker mare. She was very lovely, and she almost felt guilt knowing what she was going to do. Perhaps they could be friends? Wouldn't that be lovely? The Sun God would never hurt one of her friends. He was kind, gentle. Perhaps he was simply lonely? She could understand that emotion, even being surrounded by such wonderful friends and family.

She listened to the mare's question and shook her head, smiling. "I have no plans of my own," she replied gently. "I only with to help protect those I love from the darker individuals who inhabit Helovia." Her expression darkened slightly. From those like Nyra. "There are those who are evil. I... I have... experienced it myself." The memories flooded back in full force, and the filly winced, shaking her head to try and rid the backs of her eyes from those images...those emotions.

Ophelia took a deep breath. Rishima was a pretty name. "Ophelia," she replied softly. "I am the daughter of Paladin the Valiant and Soleil the Virtuous. Ktulu is my twin sister." The birds chirping in the trees was lovely, and she smiled, looking up at the sun filtering in through the ancient trees. "Adventures?" She thought aloud, recalling a few.

"Well, when I arrived here from Isilme, I was very... sad. So, I secluded myself to the snowy mountains. There, I discovered who I was and found a purpose. After rejoining my sister, I became a part of the throat and realized that my talents lent themselves to becoming a sleuth." She paused for a moment and hummed thoughtfully. "I have what others tell me is a unique mind. I can remember everything down to the last detail, which... often makes my life difficult.

"I helped my sister, who was crippled, escape Isilme when the shades were chasing us, and we befriended the Earth God. He healed my sister's legs. What about you?" she asked with a smile. "Where did you come from?"

CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#6
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

A pale smile drifts across my face, quiet and subtle against the expression of understanding I struggle to maintain. Her intent desire to protect those she held dear was admirable, yet the shadow that passed across her pretty face led me to fear that her experience with the evils of the world was not to be taken lightly. It seemed that everyone in Helovia had suffered some heartache, too young and too soon. I would that I could have kept this child from seeing what she had, but I knew that was not possible.

I forced my sour mood away as she spoke again, smiling at the girl as she gives not only her name but lineage and sister, too. It was good, then, that she had the comfort of family - I could only hope, for her sake, that her Ktulu was as wonderful as my Mirage.

I listened to her tale, only the sound of whipcords slashing anxiously through the air as an interruption. What struck me as truly interesting was how she described her memory. The idea of such clarity, such constant remembrance and vivid imagery... "I can see how such a talent might serve as a double-edged sword," I murmured, curious to know more of this odd gift, yet grateful I could not relate. There were too many things I remembered as it was, too many faces, too much pain.

Darkened, saddened, I barely caught her question, her explanation on how she helped her sister. A barely perceptible start snapped my crown up, smooth motion raising me up to fuller height. "I came from many places before here. I have traveled a long time." There is some degree of weariness in my voice as I reflect on all my journeys, all the the joy and pain I had endured. I sigh deeply, turning onyx gaze back on the little mare, letting a tired smile return to worn lips. She does not need to see this.

"I suppose, if you search back through the years, I come from a place called the Path of the Moon." Oh, yes, the Path- how long had it been since I left that wonderful place? In some way, it was still home, for it was where I was born, raised. Gaze wanders, seeing something the filly could not, the full moon above desert sands, the softly flowing waters and my brothers racing ahead as I pursued them. "It is a land where the sun never shone. Can you imagine, little sleuth?" A faint smile threatens my composure, wistful and nostalgic. "I did not see the light of day until my second year."

A laugh tears itself from my lungs, sudden and soft, and I turn back to Ophelia with a rueful smile. "Perhaps I shall meet your family sometime. Do they all reside within the Throat?" Curiously, I tilt my head, inviting her to tell me more. I have enjoyed her tales thus far, enjoyed the quiet of her voice and the innocence of her youth. Already I could feel some attachment to the crimson kissed child, some sense of caring that was both pleasant and unfamiliar. Ophelia seemed the sort of child I might one day call a young friend.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#7

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?


Ophelia nodded solemnly. Her gift was like a double edged sword. When the dark mare started, so did Phi, her nostrils flaring and her ears swiveling on her skull. What was that? She stared at Rishima with question, blowing out her tension on one, large breath. The joy and the pain was easily perceptible on her sensitive face, and Phi smiled softly in return. "Did you enjoy most of your journeys?" she asked curiously.

When she spoke of a land with no sun, Ophelia could not help but feel her heart constrict. A land where her glorious god was over shadowed? Cast out and lost? What a terrible place, but in a certain way, it must have been beautiful. "That sounds lovely, but sad. Do you miss it there? Why did you leave?" she asked, deeply curious on her own.

She laughed, and Ophelia tilted her ears back curiously, dual colored eyes boring into her talking-mate. Rishima was strange, but Phi quickly decided that she liked her. "No, my parents live in the Foothills. My sister and I live in the Throat. My father is a warrior there, but at one time, my parents ruled the Tides of Isilme. I... I sorely miss it." Absently, the small filly tossed her crimson and white mane, staring into the darkness of the forest.

"Often I feel lost here. Do you feel the same way? Having traveled for so long?"

CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#8
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

Did I enjoy my journeys? I have to pause at the question, thoughtful, uncertain on my own sentiment. Rhet. Elijah. Jezzi. Cruel names like knives, memories that sting. And right behind them, chasing the moon, seeing the world's end, endless nights and seas of gold. "There are always joys to be found," I replied cryptically, wondering if the filly would understand. Every event has a silver lining, even if you cannot see it.

"I left twice- once, because my home was destroyed. Again because wanderlust seized me and my siblings." I smiled, adding dryly, "It has yet to pull its claws from me." How many years had it been since I called a place home for more than a year? Far too many. More than this child had been alive. I wonder if she calls this place home now, Helovia and the Throat. From the sad fondness in her voice when she speaks of Isilme, I have to believe that she does not, not truly.

I follow her two-toned gaze into the woods, wondering what she was seeing. The murmur of her voice plays against my ears, her question one that confuses me, but I somehow understand. The silence sits between us for a moment as I contemplate the idea. "Yes and no," I at last offer, aware of how unhelpful the answer is. "I have been so far, for so long... I think it is a long time since I was found." But I was close, here, once more among my siblings and having finally found a mentor in the Moon goddess, despite her disappointing refusal to take me as her daughter. It was interesting to me, the idea that this moon was not my moon. It deserved some further thought.

It could wait, though.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#9

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?



Ophelia gazed deeply into Rishima's eyes as she replied, understanding the meaning behind her words. Tragedy. Heartbreak. Pain. Fear. Dotted with moments where the sun decided to shine and bring increments of joy that seemed to make it all worth it. Phi knew the pain of having one's home destroyed. Everything she knew and many whom she loved still lay, unburied in Isilme. Just like herself, Rishima was a wanderer, hooves never finding purchase and still in love with a land that was broken and dead.

"I understand," she said quietly. "My home was destroyed by wicked shadows of the fallen. Many passed into darkness with them. Most died. We had to flee, and their bodies still lay there, unburied, uncared for." Her tone was almost a whisper, sorrow tinted by a necessary numbness. "Even though I cannot go back, and even though the memories from that place are horrible, I cannot help but feel it in my bones. I knew every inch of that land."

Nothing stirred in the forest but her own memories, and she turned back to Rishima, countenance undisturbed. The silence that lingered between the words was a comfortable one, and Phi was a patient creature, content to simply observe, learn. Once again, her words resonate true in Ophelia's own soul, and she smiles softly. Absently she wondered if when she was as old as Rishima if she would feel this way. Part of her figured it would be true, the rest prayed that it wouldn't be. "I have found that meditation, studying and exploration have made my heart grow quite fond of this place," she offered kindly. And the Sun God...

"I meditate on the things that I would never tell others, secrets of my soul. But I have come to terms with most of them now, like my memory."


CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#10
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

She speaks with such wisdom, the a weight that no child should have to bear clear in her tale, yet she bears it with a maturity so quiet and strong that I want to shake her, to tell her she does not need to be such an adult when she is merely a child. What sort of mischief had I induced when I was her age? And after? The foolishness of youth was a gift to be treasured, and it saddened me greatly that she found herself so entrapped by life's sorrows, so early.

Listening to the chime of Ophelia's voice, the soft gravity of her gentle speech, I felt old.

I turn my gaze back on her at the mention of secrets, somehow unsurprised by the idea that this filly holds darkness in her heart. What does she meditate on, and why, when forgetting is such a more welcome concept? But perhaps this is another sign of my age, that I can relinquish the past, events and secrets of my youth - I dimly recall being a child, when secrets were all that mattered, when everything left a lasting impression and experiences were to be hoarded and brooded upon, examined for hidden meaning and kept as companion to justify the short life I had lived as having value. Now I no longer judge others by their experiences, their tales. Memory is, I have found, an unreliable currency of exchange.

Still, there is a burning desire to explore the child's hidden thoughts, a curiosity coupled with compassion that drives me to offer a shoulder in comfort.
"Ah, little sleuth, but sometimes telling others of your trials are the only way to truly understand them." It is an open invitation, the promise of a sympathetic listener should she desire it, one who would never use the tales against her, merely offer the perspective of age and perhaps wisdom - or simply listen in silence. But I know the quiet gift is hypocritical; what secrets I myself hold, I am ever reluctant to release, even to my own darling sister. A gentle smile accompanies my words, soft dark eyes searching hers for some sort of trust. I shift my weight, bright tail slashing at the air behind me, still quietly intent on young Ophelia. I will help you with your burdens, little one, if only you let me.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#11

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?



To most, memory is unreliable. The mind, in order to protect itself, changes the truth into something that the conscious can understand and handle; it invents motives and fabricates reasons. Often, it even shuts out the feeling of pain. This ability is precious, and Ophelia does not have it. She does not even possess the normal instincts which tell her to flee from danger and fear the unknown. Instead, her mind is a veritable encyclopedia of her life, remembering everything.

The offer Rishima gaver her, to listen and understand, reminded her so much of her sister that emotion rose in her throat. Ophelia swallowed hard as deep, unending love filled her chest to the point of breaking. She took a deep breath and exhaled, closing her eyes and thinking back to her first tragedy. Perhaps the first was the strong sense of injustice.

Ophelia's eyes snapped open. "When I was younger, my friend, Adele, found a dragon egg. She was only a few months older than myself, and I was very young. I envied her, but I was happy for her. I helped her catch and kill small animals to feed the dragon when she hatched, but when we returned to her herd land, I had to sneak in. Then, I did not understand why an equine herd would be threatened by my horn when I was so young; now I know that it was ignorance, injustice," she said quietly.

"The sneaking still bothers me." Ophelia shifted her weight, resting one of her hind hooves to relax. She trusted Rishima. If only the dark mare would offer her the same trust. Despite the Sun God's request, she would only give up a secret that could never be used against her, as Ophelia valued Rishi's trust.

The young mare's eyes darkened then. "One of my darkest secrets, however, is that I find myself wishing that Ktulu was still crippled - then she would need me again." Admitting that aloud was one of the most painful experiences of her life, and the filly turned her face away in shame.

"What about you?" Ophelia asked gently.

CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#12
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]
She speaks of heartache, of envy and disappointment, and I listen in silence, both surprised and touched by her sudden willingness to confide in me. My own black gaze held compassion as I saw her eyelashes flutter shut and a great surge of emotion cross her face. Dear little child. My mind is still as I wait, body shifting to stand open, vulnerable, welcoming. Why did I feel such kinship with this filly, why did I feel care instead of detached curiosity? The conondurum threatened to draw my thoughts back in on themselves, to shut me down; luckily, Ophelia's soft voice distracts me from my own mind.

The injustice of denial is one I am all to familiar with, and even more so the cruelty of bigotry. Sadly, there was no reassurance I could offer Ophelia, only sympathy for her distress. Some believed that in time, racism would die out; the world would become just. But I have never believed it. "You will find those who fear what they are not no matter where you go." It is no comfort, only a fact, calm and tragic. There is a tiredness in my voice, an edge of uncomfortable familiarity and a whisper of a story I have no desire to tell. Instead, I step forward through the fallen leaves, and press my muzzle against the ivory child's shoulder, a rare physical offering of solidarity and support.

But she is not finished, and as she utters her final confession, my breath catches. I draw away, dark eyes focused on her pale face, and for a moment silent threatens to swallow us whole. A chord has been struck, something deep and painful, something I do not want to examine. Yet she has confided in me, and I owe her a return.

Quietly, softly, darkly, it is released. "I understand. Empty empathy? Uncomfortable comfort? No. There is a broken sincerity in my voice, a hesitant honesty. I do understand.

"I too have a sister - a younger one." There is loneliness in the knit of family, a painful tightness in the breach of those ties. Every moment I spent in the company of those closest to me held the seeds of bliss, as did the sanctity of their memory. "She is dearer to me than anything in the world; no matter how far apart we drift, we always come back to one another." And yet every instant held too a pinch of latent agony, a clinging sense of urgency and a fear for its end, for I knew that it would end, and that our worlds, while inexplicably intertwined, would cease for that moment to directly overlap. "But my little sister has grown up, and now she commands the love of many, while the bonds I make are few and fragile." My sister never truly left my side, yet was never truly there - not the way she had been when we were young and all we had were each other.

"There are times when I wish things were as they once were - that my little shadow was just a filly, counting on me to guide her through the world." Black stare is focused on the trees; a wistful expression dances across my face, the masks I wear weakened as I remember my little Mirage as an eager child. I watch her age into a gangly foal, a graceful yearling, a shadowy mare.

Unchecked, a smile softens my face. I turn back to Ophelia, black eyes gentle as they caress her own two-toned gaze. "There is no shame in longing to be loved, Ophelia." My voice is serious, inky tiara lowered to gaze evenly at her level. "But always remember, the truest affection is that which comes without a price." Mirage no longer needed me, but she would always love me, and I her. We would always stay within each other's hearts, bound forever by a sisterhood deeper than blood.

Abruptly I sigh, a deep exhalation erupting into the dark of the woods, tension I did not know I held slinking away from tired muscles and tight shoulders. The confession took something out of me; I feel a bright sting of vulnerability, as though a great gaping expanse had been carved into my chest. Nobody knew of my latent uncertainty. Now, Ophelia did. I wondered what other secrets she would extract from me, before the evening's end.

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#13

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?



Ophelia nodded to the mare, understanding what she meant. She had found the racism in Isilme, but it was also present here in Helovia. The young filly sighed. Like all young individuals, she wanted desperately to change the world; the world that refused to change. Still, Rishima was not saying more on the matter and Ophelia wondered why. Certainly the darker mare did not intend to listen to all of her stories and only offer sage advice?

The silence after her final admission to Rishima was terrifying. With a slow inhale, she held her breath, muscles tensing in case she had to run and hide her shame deep in the forest. What she spoke was something horrible, but she thought this dark mare would understand. But what if she did not? The words she spoke made Ophelia wince. They did not hold a convincing tone, and the pale filly kept her eyes cast downward, ears tilted to the side.

Why did she say anything at all? When Rishima explained her bond with her sister, Ophelia could not help but smile just a little. Ktulu was bold and brave, eager for action and rational. The young mare commanded attention with her sharp coloration and strong presence. When she explained that she wished that her sister was younger, Ophelia stared out vacantly into the distance, feeling the emotion in her heart cool. The heart simply could not take that much shame and embarrassment.

The advice was helpful, but not a comfort to her at this moment. Still, the filly politely nodded. "I understand," she murmured quietly. "I know I am loved. I... desire to be needed." She had to force out those words, not entirely sure that she should speak so frankly again.

But knowing that she felt similarly about her sister did help. Knowing that she wanted things to be like they were before... to be needed and counted on for so many important things. Something about Rishima made her want to explain so much more about how she felt about her sister, but she held her tongue for now. Ophelia was never one for explaining herself anyway as she was more of a listener.

"You and your sister sound similar to how I feel about Ktulu," she offered gently.


CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#14
[Image: Rishheader.jpg]

There is a flatness in her voice, a seeming disappointment that I cannot quite establish as true or simply my own worried projections of her disapproval. It has been years since I was called upon to guide the young, and as that venture ended in heartache and disaster, I could hardly find any surprise in the faulting of my motherly instincts. Yet it would seem that I had not completely ruined my chances to help the sweet Ophelia, or lost her open trust. As she confesses her desire to be needed, I cannot help but smile wanly. To be needed is not as nice as it may seem. I kept my ties loose, my threads frayed, simply to avoid being needed. I skirted upon the edges of interaction, outside the boundaries of relationships; I sought not to hurt, and not to help with misinformation, misguidance. It took me outside of my comfort zone, to be confronted with this child's needs, her pain and her doubt, and yet I could not let down that hopeful face. She did not need to know of my own desire to not be needed - besides, had I not been like that at one point? Eager to help, to guide, to have my sister and brothers need me?

Once. Long ago.

"Others will need you, little Sleuth. Why, even now, doesn't the Throat need your expertise?" I smile at her, forcing comfort and reassurance into my gaze even as the words feel bland against my tongue. But thought has failed me, and I have nothing more to offer. Life is hard, little Ophelia; but you already know this.

She questions the relationship between myself and Mirage, pointing out similarities? Were we similar to these two fillies, the pale child and the other I knew not? "Perhaps we are," I intone, darkly accented tones gently suggestive, easing her out of her shell and willing her to open up further, "But I still know little of you and your sister." It is true; I know only of the fear of loss, which is a constant thorn in the sides of family, her concern that the twin has outgrown the other. Did we bear any similarities? My voice grows soft as I reflect on the ties held between my shadow and I. "In the case of Mirage and myself," I begin, distracted by my thoughts, a shadow of pleasure in my eyes, "We have always been close. She is two years younger than I, and although we are not sisters by blood, we are dear in our hearts." There is a ferocity, a vivid passion for the sister I adored, that marks sincerity in every line of my facade. "We have twin brothers, my age, and so we would have to unite in our defense against them. I taught my sister to play, to question, to explore; and now, I watch her blossom. She is a social creature, my Mirage, a charismatic leader. She is adored, and it is... hard, sometimes." Now, bitterness, the pale ghost of envy for what Mirage had gained. A deep breath, a fierce exhalation into forest air. I turn to Ophelia.

"I wish I could care as easily as she does, but I have been hurt more than she knows. I have broken the heart of the stallion I loved; I have seen the colt I cared for mauled by bigots and beasts." I spit the words, a heavy hatred suddenly blooming within my heart. Hatred for them, for him, for myself. Hatred for the world and its injustices. Hatred for my failure, my fear. "Mirage has found love, and she will soon have little foals running around her heels, no doubt. I only with I could do the same... that I could reforge ties. But I fear my old age has left me bitter, and I have abandoned the thread of our conversation!" The confession is ended with a false laugh, a sudden desire to redirect the conversation away from my trials. That I had said so much, revealed so much, to a filly I barely knew... it left me mildly disconcerted, suddenly self conscious.

[ yeah... I got nothin' better xP ]

[Image: Rishifooter.jpg]
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#15

               OPHELIA                

Just one beat of your heart, and stranger than fantasy

I knew from the start you had to be the place for me


Is your love strong enough?



Rishima then offered words of kindness, and Ophelia weighed them honestly. "I suppose they do; I need to report to Kri at some point soon," she said absently. And that was the extent of the slight reassurance that Phi had not made a complete fool of herself - that her words were not disturbing to her new, dark friend.

Ophelia could possibly speak more about her and her sister, but the topic was problematic now. Perhaps that would change, because Rishima began related to her about Mirage. The young, bright filly caught on to the expression of envy that crossed the dark mare's features, having seen that look many times before. Perhaps what she needed to realize is that she could see more about others in their expressions than their words.

"Ktulu and I have twin brothers as well, both younger though. She is so powerful and charismatic. I often find myself envious of her confidence," Ophelia said, hoping that provided Rishima with an open forum to speak honestly with the little white filly.

When he spoke about sustaining more hardships, Ophelia's brows knit together in soft concern. "What happened with the stallion you loved?" she asked, very curious about this since the young white filly had quite an active crush of her own. "Also, a foal? Was he yours?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Rishima had revealed so much of her heart to her, so Ophelia would hold it close to her heart. The young filly would use only what she had to to please the Sun God's request. "Perhaps you will." Ophelia said when she was talking about wishing to have foals and love of her own. "This land is large, and there are many." She smiled. "Were I a stallion, I would find myself lucky to love you," she said with a bright smile.

CREDITS




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!


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