the Rift


[PRIVATE] Open the Gates {Xanthos; Private; NPC}

Sulwyn Posts: N/A
Unregistered
:: :: ::
#1

When you are ready, I will surrender
Take me and do as you will


A crisp frostfall breeze pounds against the back of the silent wanderer, making it even more difficult for the little mare to navigate through the mists. The milky veils all around her were starting to become disorienting and, with help from the other elements, had managed to get the mustang completely and hopelessly lost. Frantically the wraith began to toss her head from side to side, charging forward and into the shrouded curtains of fog in a desperate attempt to get through them. All that Sulwyn wanted now was to see some other color -- anything but the white that hung over her head and pressed at her hooves -- but as she plowed her own path in the freshly fallen snow she could only make out an endless horizon of milky tendrils. Panic settled in comfortably on the mare's slick back, urging her into an increasingly desperate charge with its constant spurring against her ribs. Golden eyes rolled back inside her head and her nostrils flared to the size of giant saucers; her lungs pounded the ground and her hooves fought for air and--

Her mind completely fell to pieces.

Stop. Just stop. The quiet plea was barely registrable in the whirling carnage of her consciousness. The walls that she had put up around her feeble crown had burst into flames entirely due to her distress, cutting off her rational thoughts from the rest of the world. All that the spooked mare had managed to do was force herself to halt her frantic attempt at escape, and she just stood there; legs locked and splayed, head down low to the ground, eyes wide and limbs trembling with fear and shock. The silver equine couldn't even bring herself to stand in a more comfortable pose.

"Have I gone mad." The words came out as a whisper, much less a question than they were an observation. Her naves worked laboriously to take in the oxygen from the air as her mind attempted to right itself.

It didn't take long for the little mustang to realize three very obvious things:

One-- that she was lost in the fields of her own home;
Two -- that she fiercely longed for the comfort of company in her current state of unrest, and;
Three -- during her flight through the mists, she had managed to stop beside a tall, gnarled, and misshapen figure which, unbeknownst to her, was the very shrine that her devoted Queen and fiery brethren had constructed all those seasons ago.


Truth do you hear me?
Don't try to come near me
So tired I sleep through the lie

Image Credits

Xanthos Posts: 99
Outcast
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16hh :: 9 Buff: NOVICE
Azel :: King Cheetah :: Quantum Leap Adoptable
#2
SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO LOSE EVERYTHING
TO FIND OUT THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN RUNNING BLIND


A light drizzling of snow had stopped just a short time ago, leaving a thick lay of snow across the ground and a sprinkling of white across the backs of those who called the Edge home. The thick line running down the length of my own is barely visible, and my normally dark mane is now frosted over. From afar, I could only imagine that my crystalline horn would be nearly impossible to spy against the snowy backdrop. Azel, with his thick coat of yellow and black, was much easier to see even when he was curled up and halfway buried in the snow. Silently I thanked Kasai for managing to tire him out.

Today I had found myself near the very cliffs my home had been named for. I was alone, knowing that Romani was busied with patrolling the borders and warding off any daring intruders. I'd been told of their influx as of late, and I trusted my beloved to help put an end to the foolishness of trespassers. Even I, terrified and heaving for every ounce of breath, had been wise enough to stand at the borders and await the arrival of an escort, despite the invitation of the Weyrleader herself. For a moment I paused in my grazing, a gentle smile pulling at my lips at the memory.

Before I could go much deeper into the thought of those days seasons ago, a frantic pounding of hooves caught my ears, and instantly I snapped my head up to investiage. By the sound of it, whoever it was was headed straight for me. Even Azel had been pulled from his restful dozing, rising to his feet and scampering to my side. Exchanging glances, I captured the curious and somewhat worried expression in the eyes of my best friend, but with a wave of comfort I assured to him that all would be well. Our Protectors wouldn't allow an enemy to get this far into the land, leaving the only culprit to be a member of our own family.

Moments later, I spot her, the grullo mare who not only shares my coloring to an extent, but my rank as well, coming to a halt and standing at a distance from me. For a moment I am tempted to raise my head and call a greeting to her, for perhaps she hasn't noticed me quite yet; but as I take a closer look, I can see that she is clearly in distress. Without a second thought I moved my feet, picking up into a steady trot and knowing that Azel would be right at my heels.

"Sulwyn?" I spoke up as I drew closer, slowing to a walk and then a halt, leaving the comfortable distance of a few yards between us. My tone was soft and gentle, for the last thing I wanted to do was frighten her more than she already was. I knew not what has frightened her into such hysterics, but pure worry glazes over my predatory gaze as I watch her. "Are you alright? You act as though you're being chased." Seeing that this wasn't some intruder coming to shove us over the cliffs, Azel seemed to have regained his bravery, stepping closer to the silvery mare and stopping just feet away. He lets out an innocent mewl, as if echoing the words previously spoken by me.

"blather blather blather"



NPC Posts: 298
User-based Random Event
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#3
It was with much grumping that a seagull emerged from a hole in the shrine that day. He had been previously used to the warmth of the Dragon's Throat, to survive winter, but the nuisance of guests the Throat was hosting had caused him to promptly leave, find a new location. The Endless Blue had been a familiar haunt for a while then, but as the season turned, he sought out an area that would provide him with warmth all year round. Too lazy to make a nest for himself, the fire's of the camps of the herdland on the cliffside proved attractive, and so this little southern bird made himself quite at home in the stone shrine, that had plenty of holes to hide in. The tendency for dragons to appear was unsettling, but none had attempted to eat him, (or at least, they gave up pretty quick after he squawked too much and pecked at their noses).

But now he was to be disturbed by hooves beings. Pushing at the snow that had formed an insulation layer around his little hole, the bird chirped indignantly, tilting his tiny head sideways at the two strange creatures, wondering what on earth they could possibly want with his home.

"Why don't you bugger off!" He shouted angrily, flapping his wings to cause drifts of snow to fall all around him. Though his wings moved quickly, if they used their eyes well enough, they might spy a strange spot upon one of them, a spot caused not by a darkened feather but a substance far more thick, dark, and permanent. Puffing his feathers up to look almost thrice his actual size, the bird grumbled impatiently as he looked at the strange hooved creatures that seemed to dominate this territory with dark, beady, judgemental eyes.

Sulwyn Posts: N/A
Unregistered
:: :: ::
#4

When you are ready, I will surrender
Take me and do as you will



The mare's empty stare remained transfixed on the snow laden earth all around her, even as her fellow wraith approached. The only indication that the grulla had heard his soft voice at all was a subtle flicker of an ear, and the quiver of her porcelain lips as her brain took in the words, but refused to process them. Billows of steam rose to join the mists from her quivering nose, and the long fur that coated her body was now beginning to harden and crystallize from the cold. She was numb not from the low temperature of the season, nor from her freezing coat slick with sweat, but from the poison that had managed to spread itself in the latticework of her veins -- her fear of the unknown.

Although she appeared to be as motionless and as empty as a long-forgotten carcass, one stream of thoughts had been successful in its infiltration of her mind: What is this spotted cat doing in my home? And why do I have a visitor? I wasn't expecting any visitors, I--

Suddenly, the world began to start turning again.

Warmth flooded through the ashen architecture of her body like water released from a dam, and after shaking out one creaking limb and then the others, Sulwyn slowly began to regain herself. The chilling breath of Frostfall snatched at her silver tresses as she turned her painted face into the wind, towards her similarly colored comrade, and she had to scream into the rushing sound of the wind, "I'm alright, Xanthos. I lost my bearings, was all!" Her voice is ripped from her mouth almost as soon as the words are said, however, and the little mare vexatiously presses against the dying wind, her elbows dampening from the snow as she plows a path through the wet substance.

"I lost myself for a moment there, Xanthos. I'm sorry if I hadn't appeared to be myself." With the tempest long behind her, the grulla was able to speak in her usual timid tone, her golden eyes averted from his face, analyzing the peculiar mound of... of rock beside them. Her squinting pools are not able to discern much from the structure other than the fact that it is not natural, and as her lips move to question the grullo about its history with the land, an annoyed squaw radiates from someplace overhead.

The frantically flapping form of a seagull -- partially concealed by the tendrils of fog -- comes into view as the mare cranes her neck upwards, and a look of hurt quickly washes over her face at the bird's words. Although she is sorry to have disturbed the poor bird of his peace -- and rather guilty, too -- Sulwyn simply refuses to voice her apologies aloud, not thinking that he deserved to hear them after being so rude.

"We may as well let the bird be. I don't care to be around him any longer." The wraith shifts her weight to prepare to leave, but not before she pulls her gaze away from the squawking seagull does she notice the thick black spot underneath one of its wings. She thinks nothing of it, however, having only met with the living producer of such a substance only once before, and her mind now directing its attention to the pressing matter of navigating the desolate white world once more.

Her thick silver banner sways in the returning breeze and she turns her head back to Xanthos, her eyes landing on the cheetah standing nearby, and softly nickers, "Come, noblemen. Let us get out of this cold."

{OOC: Forgot to mention that the companion in this table is not present with Sulwyn currently. Just love it too much not to use it. <3 Also, Sulwyn probably sounds like the worst wraith ever in this post, but I thought that Xan would see the relation to the black dot better than she would.}


Truth do you hear me?
Don't try to come near me
So tired I sleep through the lie

Image Credits

Xanthos Posts: 99
Outcast
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16hh :: 9 Buff: NOVICE
Azel :: King Cheetah :: Quantum Leap Adoptable
#5
SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO LOSE EVERYTHING
TO FIND OUT THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN RUNNING BLIND


I was worried when my fellow Wraith gave no verbal response to my question, although she had awarded me the flickering of a single ear, so I supposed that that was better than nothing at all. With each second that ticked by, however, I only felt myself growing more concerned with the welfare of the silver mare. Just as I took a step closer and opened my mouth to speak further, though, she seemed to snap out of the daze she had fallen into and, with a stretch of each of her limbs, she finally spoke.

She claimed that she had merely lost her bearings, but how could that be? She'd called the World's Edge home long enough to know where she was by now... right? Or had she meant it in another way completely? "It's alright, Sulwyn," I assured her with a gentle voice, "Just... If there's something more, I don't want you to hesitate telling me. I'm happy to listen if you need it." Was it out of turn that I had said this? I'd be wrong to say that I knew my rank-sister very well at all, and I hoped that she wouldn't mind my blunt asking. Maybe this would be our chance to finally learn about one another.

As I awaited some form of reply from the grullo, we were interrupted by a sudden flurry of noise. Flapping, squawking, and then... it spoke? Even Azel looked terribly confused at the conundrum, cocking his head to one side, looking up at me, and then moving closer to the bird. I allowed him to step closer to the bird, but I remained where I stood, examining the creature. Upon its wing was the strangest black muck, dripping and staining the area around it. Almost immediately I felt as though I had been kicked in the barrel. Ink.

"Wait," I called out to Sulwyn, hoping she wouldn't mind the simple command, "There's something on his wing..." It was the only explanation I haralded as I began to approach the gull, ears tipped forward in curiosity. Had I truly gone mad, or was I really seeing what I thought I was seeing? I slowed to a halt just feet away from the shrine of the Edge, hoping that the cranky gull wouldn't mind my approach in the first place.

"My apologies for disturbing you, Sir," I said with a small dip of my head, forever wary of the proximity of my horn at the creature I was speaking to, "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Though, I must ask..." Again my eyes fell upon the inky spot of black, concern shining in my golden, predatory gaze. "What, or where, did you get that from?"

"blather blather blather"



NPC Posts: 298
User-based Random Event
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#6
The little bird was very much put out. He watched with chuffed satisfaction as the one without a horn protruding from her forehead turned to leave, smugness radiating from him. That is, until the horned one seemed intent on continually ruining his winter slumber. Was he to be put to an interrogation now? Eyeing the cheetah nearby, the gull huffily puffed his feathers up large again, aiming to make himself larger than the feline's mouth - surely then it wouldn't try to eat him, yes?

To his credit, the unicorn was at least a little bit polite, earning a sharp scowl from the bird (he should be grateful the little winged rodent was giving him the time of day, really). His wing? What about his wing? Tilting his head, and holding out his wing, the bird looked questioningly at it, wondering what on earth this land dweller was on about. As he beheld the inky stain, he squawked loudly again, seemingly in surprise - though it was no surprise, he knew it was there, he had just.. forgotten temporarily. "That!?" He shouted at no-one in particular, huffing and puffing as he wandered about the rock with the air of one greatly offended by a misjustice done to them in the past. "A cheeky little black bird came to me, didn' she? Thought I was a handsome bird, rightly so!" He laughed a terrible tittering laugh at the memory, before becoming quite serious.

"Then when I made to groom her, I was covered, wasn' I? Sticky, filthly, wet, heavy, disgusting stuff. Well, by rights, I got bloody angry, didn' I? Chased that little black bird all aroun' my home. Black spots like this appearin' everywhere. Was very rude!!" It was difficult to tell just exactly what he was calling rude - himself or this strange blackbird he mentioned, but still the story continued. He was nothing if not willing to complain about how difficult his life was. "Chased her for mile, didn' I? Taught 'er what's what, what? Left 'er sulkin' where them marshes are, nothing but a puddle of the sticky stuff. Disgusting." He seemed to turn his nose up at the thought, shaking his little beaked head from side to side as if to clear it from his memory.

"Right now, clear out, or I'll chase you away too!"

Sulwyn Posts: N/A
Unregistered
:: :: ::
#7

When you are ready, I will surrender
Take me and do as you will



"Wait."

The little mare composed of dust and charcoal turns to study the stallion, her golden eyes softened with shame. It had not been her place to bid the feline and his master to leave, but he had done so anyways, if not in a friendly manner. The pair of them had never formally met before, but the admiration that she held for the grullo seemed to have been sufficient enough to plant the seeds of camaraderie. Metallic orbs glance over his pale coat as silver legs move to provide warmth, and an ember of pride in her companion slowly begins to burn deep inside her breast. Without him -- without either of them -- the herd would be filled with gaping holes. It was their duty to protect their family from others like them in ways that their more offensive kin could not, and the sun-branded fae was relieved to know that Xanthos was on her side. He didn't flaunt his strength, nor did he force himself upon any given argument, but his influence and power -- although subtle -- were always known. He was a leader that Sulwyn could be proud of following, and she respected him not only because of his superiority, but because of his tender soul. The ashen mustang was glad that she had chosen the path of the shadows. Speaking of shadows, what happened to the other stallion? The one that painted the earth bla-

Realization struck her like the force of a freight train. Was that what Xanthos was getting at? "There's something on his wing." The clouds of doubt in her mind instantly cleared, and a pair of golden pools gazed up at the ill-tempered gull, staring at the blob of ink affixed to his wing. So that was what he was getting at. She felt like a fool to have overlooked something so unique to their rank-brother.

The femme trained her flickering audits on the squabbling bird, trying to memorize each of his words as they passed through them. Some of his story was hard to make out -- she was only just realizing how strange it was to be conversing with a seagull -- but the meaning was easy enough to apprehend: Ink had met up with this nuisance at some point, had experienced the same harsh treatment they were now receiving, and had flown to the marshes south of these cliffs. A shiver crept through the mare's thick coat at the prospect of adventure, but more so out of fear than of excitement. If she could lose her head in the confines of her own home, than what would she do if she had to leave them?

But... If Ink was in need of help, then they couldn't just leave him there.

Summoning up what little courage she had in the quaking vault that was her heart, Sulwyn paws at the snow nervously and wickers, more so to Xanthos than to the bird, "Thank you, kind sir. I think it would be in our best interest to escape these numbing mists and travel southwards. Unless there is something that you require?"

Golden eyes are cast downwards again, for the little wraith does not want to sound as if she is the one giving orders. Her only desire is to compensate for the lack of knowledge she had shown before addressing the bird, and this was one of the only ways that she was able to do so.

{OOC: Pooey post is poo. Just trying to allow you to post.}


Truth do you hear me?
Don't try to come near me
So tired I sleep through the lie

Image Credits


Forum Jump:


RPGfix Equi-venture