| Outcast atk: 9 | def: 10.5 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2hh :: 8 HP: 61.5 | Buff: ENDURE |
| Gaz |
05-22-2013, 11:55 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-23-2013, 12:08 AM by Murdock.)
Anti-Murdock
Murdock wasn’t exactly sure just how long he had been lost on the Steppe, but it certainly had been long enough. He was tired and cold and his mood was ten times fouler than it normally was, and he was desperate to get away from all the bloody snow. Despite having come across a guide upon the barren wasteland, his spirits were hardly any higher even though things were finally looking up. He was looking forward to finding out where exactly he was, and getting back home where he belonged.
He could tell she was glad to get moving again; he still noticed these things, though they mattered little to him. He, of course, was lazy and tired, and his muscles ached with each faltering step he took across the uneven ground. The grey snow was awash with a pale amber light as the sun rose higher into the sky, peeking out from behind the clouds as if to watch them as they made their way across the steppe. The wind that tore at his back was no more welcome than a thorn beneath his skin, but Murdock did his best to ignore it despite the shivers that shook his body.
Clearly this mare knew where she was going, though he still could not figure out how exactly she was able to navigate the barren, snowy plain. He had no idea where she was taking him, either, but he only hoped that she was leading him in the direction of warmer territory as he had requested. For now, he did his best to appreciate the dull scenery and take his mind off the bite of the cold. A mere nod was offered in response to her name, but he said nothing else. It didn’t bother him that she hadn’t asked after his name in return, as he didn’t feel any need to fully introduce himself.
“Where are you from?” He asked finally, breaking the bitter silence with his rough voice. The wind stung into his eyes and he turned his head away from her, blinking against the cold and pulling his downy wings against himself. He guessed her home was not far off, otherwise it wouldn’t make sense for her to be way out here in the first place. Who would want to subject themselves to this terrible weather and less-than-desirable scenery? He certainly wouldn’t.
“And…just where exactly are you taking me? All I see is snow for miles and miles around”. A suspicious frown crept onto his face as he turned back toward her, looking the slender mare up and down once more as if re-analyzing her. Perhaps she was lost, after all. Maybe she had absolutely no clue where they were going, and they were going to end up in the clutches of a foul band of savages. Of course, Murdock was not afraid of such an ending, but he would much rather make it home alive.
He hadn’t yet considered the possibility that she was lying or perhaps leading him into a trap. He was unaware that the gradual change of scenery and sudden presence of grasses and hot springs signified their entrance into herd land, though he noticed a change of scent on the frigid air. However, he was too oblivious or perhaps too stupid to realize where he was being taken and just what kind of trouble he could be getting into. Instead, he kept close to the dark mare’s side, listening for her answer over the dying moan of the wind and carefully watching his step.
"talk talk talk"
(Continued from here)
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 |
For a time, they walked in glorious, uninterrupted silence. Valka nearly managed to ignore the ugly beast at her side, and her spirits danced along with the occasional gust of wind. Already, the mare’s mind spun far ahead to what they might find in the Basin – who they might find. Were she the sort, Valka might have hummed a tune as she sped along, but instead she kept her anticipation to herself and kept one ear cocked to the pegasus, better to hear the next of his inane questions.
The pale grey of the eye nearest the stallion flashed as she tilted her head toward him again, not bothering to look him fully in the face. ”I was born quite far from here,” Valka answered. She thought briefly of her forest home, oblivious to the possibility that he was asking where she lived now. ”It was quite cold there as well,” continued the mare, reminiscing. Some fierce variety of joy made its way into her voice. ”Cold enough to freeze a foal to death in seconds. Not as cold as here, though.” Thoughtful now, the mare tilted her head and eyed the mountains rising steadily ahead of them. Those jagged peaks had become like the warm embrace of family despite her short time here. Her answer to the stallion’s next question came easily, almost cheerfully.
”Do you see the mountains? They mark our destination, more or less. The valley sheltered nearby is far more hospitable than the biting chill of the Steppe.” Valka hesitated for an instant as if to get her bearings, mismatched eyes swiveling from sky to soil to the horizon. She caught the faint scent of green life from further ahead, and here and there noticed old tracks where other unicorns had come and gone. Home. She let out a contented sigh.
When the mare turned toward her new companion, she was considerably relaxed. ”Only a bit farther,” Valka encouraged. She thought for a moment before adding, almost conversationally, ”Is it so different here from your own home?”
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 |
For once, he found himself actually interested in someone. It surprised him how Valka would be willing to subject herself to his presence despite him being something of an ungrateful pain-in-the-ass; he would never have done the same for anyone, and perhaps that was what made him differ so much from her. He simply didn’t care, and couldn’t bring himself to. If he would be hindered or bothered by doing a favor for someone else, he simply wouldn’t do it. He was doomed to a life on his own, but alone was just how he liked to be.
Her response made him wonder about the place she was raised, and just how exactly her upbringing had supplied her with enough patience to deal with the likes of him. He smiled at her annoyance with him, though her mood seemed to change with the subject of their conversation. His own home had been quite warm and pleasant, with little to threaten his small family and his sheltered life. He had never had any friends as a child, and perhaps that’s what had driven him to close himself away behind a wall of petulance and anger.
Despite his frustration with the cold and his current situation, he couldn’t help but notice how her mood had improved as if to emphasize the contrast between their personalities. He found his own anger fading away ever so slightly as he followed her gaze toward the mountains and the valley she spoke of with a new kind of enthusiasm. He was eager to get off the monotonous steppe and toward warmer territory, where he could gather his bearings and set a track for home. Though this new land might be intriguing or inviting to some, he found it foreign and uncomfortable and the last thing he wanted to endure was change.
He wouldn’t call the mare a ‘friend’ or even an acquaintance really, as he refused to let any relationships grow to that point, but he appreciated her tolerance of him nonetheless. Perhaps her happiness was refreshing to him, or maybe even rubbing off on him a little. Though part of him wanted to smile at her when she met his gaze, his face remained stony and cold as if reflecting his frozen heart. Her question invited him to open up to her and share his history as she had done, but instead of being encouraged by her interest he merely became annoyed.
His tail lashed harshly against his hocks as his head swayed to the side, a low grumble sounding in his chest as his hooves slid through the soft snow. Almost there, he reminded himself, though it did little to lift his spirits. “Yes,” he answered simply, casting his gaze up toward the grey clouds before finally deciding to elaborate. “My home was thickly forested and much warmer. I hate the cold.” His tone was bitter in reflection as he thought about the place he left behind. He didn’t necessarily like his home, but it was better than this place.
“How do you stand this weather?” He asked above the wind, turning his cheek away from the blowing snow to glance at her out of the corner of his eye. He doubted he would ever be able to get used to the uncomfortable sensation of his skin freezing, though he imagined it would be more tolerable when one had a thick winter coat. He pulled his downy wings tighter against his sides, spreading out his feathers across his flanks in an effort to conserve heat. “It better be much warmer where you’re taking me. I don’t think I can stand this infernal snow much longer.” Off to the right, wisps of steam rose up into the chill air from distant hot springs. Though water was yet another thing he disliked, he would do anything to get a little warmth back into his bones.
"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
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