Saving you (Private)
Dec 15, 2014 12:30:55 GMT -5
Post by Leaftail on Dec 15, 2014 12:30:55 GMT -5
A role-play between Miles and Savin'
This takes place before the current timeline, Miles finds a loner mare who seems to be in some trouble. With the herd nearby, he's worried about some of the harsher stallions finding her.
Previously:
Miles:
Night was ending. The stars were slowly disappearing against the lightening sky, the suns rays just starting to stretch across the sky. The Bachelor herd was stirring, some horses already awake, others going back to sleep. Miles had been up for an hour already, getting his fill of the grass before the others woke up. He trotted off towards the edge of the herd, not interested in getting caught up in mass of bodies. He let out a soft snort as he found a comfortable area near the trees, far enough from the herd to be left alone, but close enough to still be a part of the mass of horses.
Savin':
A pale spotted mare stalked about, each hoof-step hesitant and incomplete. She remembered sleeping, but then waking up, suddenly wondering if night would have ceased by now. By now, she had woken up twice with the same question.
As of only a few days ago, she had decided to cease from staying inside her little open clearing in the middle of the ashes further south. She had made the brave, but ignorant attempt to explore, travel, find north.
Where she once frolicked without care and knew everything.
North, where was that again? Where was she? She didn't know, it didn't occur to her.
A solemn expression clung to her face.
She didn't know where she was going. Nothing smelled like the north. Nothing smelled like home. This game of trying to find North had come to bore her now, frighten her to be precise.
Through the extent of her game, she had been chased, constantly, by harems of birds, whereas the only trophy she would win were the many tiny slits of red that stained her back. One day, also, she could recall, falling.
Falling down. She was sure it was falling down too, she has never fallen up, she presumed it would be a totally different experience and twice as difficult to feel without something to look at, too.
She was falling down, long.
It felt quite nice.
Good.
Then she hit water.
And ended up once again in land. Immediately, despite her lungs filled with water, she trudged on.
Savin' finally paused as the wind blasted into her face. Her wounds were not new, but the dry flesh still tingled before air.
"You're heaven is trying everything to keep me down here," she looked up to the gradually lightening sky above her. She didn't recognize this new air. She was totally sure she was far from where she began. Ears straight and nostrils flared, she scanned where she was. She could feel the ground beneath her soften and struggle with the roots of trees around her.
She then paused before a tree.
Is it a tree? How far are you from hitting it. She wasn't sure. Just several seconds ago she stepped over what she assumed were it's roots.
Let's stop here for a bit, recalculate what you've done.
Savin' where are you. What are you doing.
"I'm lost.." Savin' whispered as if too the tree before her. " And I'm lost,"
Miles:
Miles had snapped at a few strands of grass that was growing between the roots when he thought he heard a voice.
"I'm lost....and I'm lost..."
He blinked, lifting his head straight up. He stared at the tree was if he were seeing things. Was this tree talking to him? Did he discover an unknown gift of talking to trees? He tilted his head, being shaking it. No, that was a stupid idea. He quickly glanced at the herd and wondered if anyone would notice if he answered the flora back. Eh, they were still waking up, and he was sure they couldn't hear him from here. Miles turned back to the tree, trying to analyze it a bit more before he spoke.
"Lost? How can you be lost?" he asked, his nostrils flaring a bit. If he had been a bit more awake he probably would've noticed Savin's scent in the air, but he had yet to figure that out.
Savin':
Savin' lifted her eyes in front of her, frightened by the sudden voice that broke the silence that blanketed her.
The spotted mare stood there numb like stone. What was that?
Was it the distant object before her. The tree? Was she alone.
For a moment, she had forgotten to breathe to a heart beat.
"What?" she spoke softer now.
You are already lost, don't start losing yourself.
With equal anxiety, she lifted her nose and tried to feel whatever it was before her.
Hard, cold. Alive.
Bark. Yes, this was a tree.
But the voice..
The spotted mare turned around, her flank facing the tree. Pale blue eyes swerved lifelessly.
She wasn't ready to find out the owner of the words. Immediatly, she backed up, hooves felt around, searching for roots in order to avoid them.
She missed one step, and a pale body was heard hitting ground.
Miles:
Miles waited patiently for the tree to respond, his ears perked in curiosity. The tree seemed to stay quiet and not want to return a response, so Miles decided to head back to the herd. As he turned, a thump came from the tree and he stopped, looking back over his shoulder. The sun was finally coming up over the tree tops and he could sort of see a figure in the shade. His nostrils flared as he tried to smell whatever it was, and turned around quickly to face the tree once more after the scent of horse came to him. He pinned his ears back, a glare in his expression. Who was this horse!? Were they coming to spy on the herd?
The blue roan approached cautiously, his head lowered. As he got closer, he got a better look at the fallen horse. He lifted his head almost instantly, his hard expression changing to a more concerned one. It was a mare! A spotted mare that had fallen over, probably due to the trees roots. Panic raced through his chest, knowing that if a more stern stallion got wind of her he'd try to steal her for the Bachelors.
He had to act quickly...
Clearing his throat, he looked down at Savin'. "Are you hurt? You seemed to have taken quite the fall..."
Savin':
Savin' opened her eyes in vain. Her body was placed awkwardly on top of the firm and thick green mass of grass. For a short period of time, before her senses woke up, she couldn't breathe, and a constant ringing burned her ears. It was soft at first, but it grew louder and longer before it finally ceased.
The spotted mare lifted her head, her nose touching something firm. It surrounded her. The skin of roots.
Behind her lay one of the stronger roots of the tree, and another hard object perfectly placed underneath her belly. Her mouth opened, new air replaced the one she lost.
A voice sunk in, but it was blurred with the lack of air. Her nostrils flared desperately in panic.
"Are you hurt?"
Someone was out there. Foolish mare, you are no longer alone. The blind mare shifted her body away from the essence of the other.
"You seem to have taken quite a fall.."
She could not respond. Maybe she forgot how. It rung constantly in her head. The agonizing tune, this tightness, the fear. The cringing in her womb after taking in such a sudden ache. The darkness lengthened and embraced her close.
The voice is out there. It stands before you. You can feel it. Get out of there, silly mare!
The spotted mare stood up and made the attempt to stagger away from Miles, her neck straight. Her eyes failed to find him, but they stared deathly in front of her, staggering to extend the distance between her and Miles.
Miles:
The mare seemed to be in some sort of frenzied state. Miles watched her inch away from him before trying to get up and vacate the area. If she kept struggling, she'd probably trip over more of the roots. Miles started slowly towards her, getting a better look at her. She was pale, with dark spots covering her body. There seemed to be an old injury crossing over her face, 'a horrible thing to have gone through' he though, and her eyes weren't even looking at him. The pale blue orbs were staring straight ahead as if seeing something he couldn't. Just to double check he was alone, Miles glanced in the direction she was looking at and noticed there was nothing there. Huh...interesting.
She must be blind or something. Which, made this situation a little more dire. She had a huge weakness, it seemed, and that meant she was easy pickings for the brutish Bachelors. But, Miles didn't want to just scare her off and leave her to fend for herself...the least he could do was find a safe place for her. There were many dangers on the East Island, the Bachelor stallions were the least her of problems. The giant cats could find an easy meal out of her.
Clearing his throat again, just so she could get an idea of where he was located, he tried again. "Hey...hey, don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you...if you keep backing up, you're going to trip again." he said, inching towards her. He didn't want to get too close, in fear she might start kicking or go into a panic of some sort.
Savin':
The space between them widened, and a stone grey object closed in behind her.
A force within her mind was, ever so slowly, tearing her apart. It was fueled by an ancient phobia, awoken by his voice. Lost further inside was a frail little filly, terrified of the blanket of dark nothing before her.
Savin' stood in this paralyzed state for a while.
don't lose your mind now.. stay away but don't fall.. stop. stop! wake up, foolish mare!
". . . don't be scared. . . I'm not going to hurt you.." the softly spoken words given to her repeated.
The petrification was broken once the spotted mare dropped her head to face the floor beneath her.
She softened her breathing now. Her ears still clung to her skull as she stretched out her neck towards Miles' direction. Afraid, unsure, anxious she was but her eyes helplessly gazed on.
Two dim blue eyes found him, two blue pools that encircled no pupil. Pools of blue and dead pale flesh that quietly burned under the salt of tears that slowly sliced down into her cheek. "Please don't.. I don't want to fall again,"
Miles:
Miles waited for her to calm, the distance between them a little wider than it had been before. It wasn't until she stretched out her neck and he got a better view of her face that his suspicions proved correct. There was a nasty splash of burned skin, and her pale eyes stood out in contrast. It was eerie, and he was a little taken back at first, but his concern for her over-rode any thoughts of her appearance.
She seemed calmer, her breathing softer. He gave a soft sigh of relief when she finally spoke back to him.
"Relax...I'm not going to harm you," he started, not daring to inch forward. "You won't fall down again, I won't let you. Besides, there are only trees and roots to worry about around here, easy to avoid." He paused so she could react, and then continued. "If you can get up, I can help you through the roots and onto a safer path. Take your time, I won't leave you alone. You're in a dangerous land full of things that can hurt you."
Savin':
Her breathing returned to normal. Her lungs collectively rose and fell, but they were tightly held close to her, ready to jump if she wanted to.
She brought in her neck, and took that moment to arch her head across her back to her surroundings. Her ears flipped, they were radars honey-combed with veins constantly consuming information. Radars that paid a fair portion of attention to Miles, and then everything else. A slight breeze slipped through the shielding trees above them and buffeted her mane. It felt nice, in some way, but it still stung. Mostly the eyes, she shut them away.
She was feeling much better now, "Th.. Thank you, Sir.." A small smile slit through, but it was so small. So pathetic. But then she paused and slit er ears
" Like.. what other things should I be more worried about?" She glanced down at her hooves, then returned to his direction. The next act was sudden, one pale hoof drifted forward and quietly placed itself before the other. She was making the brave attempt to close the wide space between them before going on listening.
Miles:
Miles watched as she started to inch closer, though still on the ground. His patience was one of his best qualities, and he let her get her bearings. She was curious about the other dangers of the East Island and Miles took a moment before replying to her. "I don't want to alarm you, but you are very close to the Bachelor herd. If you know anything about us...we don't have the best reputation..." he trailed off, thinking to himself. That could cause quite an alarm, especially if the spotted mare knew anything about his herd. "But, don't worry...I'm not like most of the stallions in the herd. I'm here to help you get to safety and I have no intentions of bringing you to the herd against your will." Miles wasn't sure if the blind mare would believe him or not, but it was worth a try. "As for the other dangers, well...this island is mostly known for big cats and the cliffs that a horse could fall from...but we aren't near any mountains currently, so that's one less thing to worry about."
Miles shook his head. No, he was going to freak her out more now. Stupid...
"But...I promise to keep you safe...and I know it's hard to trust one you just met...and I'm sure trusting a stallion of the Bachelor herd is even less of a common thing these days..." He was babbling now, his own internal panic setting in. He glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure no one had noticed his disappearance. They were still alone.
Miles looked back down at Savin', his ears pinning behind his head almost in shame. There was no reason for her to really believe his words, and that reality was a sad truth he couldn't really look past. "Like I said...take your time to get your bearings...I'm right here."
Savin':
"I don't want to alarm you, but you are very close to the Bachelor herd. If you know anything about us...we don't have the best reputation..." His voice was started to fade away from her, but the words repeated in her head "Bachelor herd," Why did that ring.. she heared another voice softly speaking.
A mother to her filly resting near the death of day, the softly spoken words of a corrupted band of horses just to make sure the filly would never wander again. Yes, she heard very little of them, only stealing away whispers from other lonely mares she had left behind in her wanders. Their stories, however, were all the same. The existence they veiled excited her as she took in each little rumor, frightened and disturbed her. The leopard mare frowned and shifted her ears, but her eyes stared on as she willingly listened.
"But, don't worry...I'm not like most of the stallions in the herd. I'm here to help you get to safety and I have no intentions of bringing you to the herd against your will. . . As for the other dangers, well...this island is mostly known for big cats and the cliffs that a horse could fall from...but we aren't near any mountains currently, so that's one less thing to worry about."
Cliff! She knew that word, knew all about it. Cliffs were the closest thing to heaven she has ever been. Cliffs symbolized the sky, and sometimes the stench of salted water. A little filly exploring the view of enraged ocean from the heights of steep rock. The beautiful feeling of being high, legs trembling, the wind lulling her closer to the edge. Frightening, fascinating. Come down! The foam roared as it crawled up the rock. A horse can fall from them too, she knew. She knew the last thing was doing was falling. Cliffs meant falling from up high. Into the ocean. There were cliffs here too, waiting for others to fall into them. But their falls maybe would not be absorbed by incoming waves, or wet rocks. Those cliffs were too far away for her to care at the moment.
The ugliest words of them all reached her ears like air to her lungs. "Big cats,"
She didn't hear anything else, she couldn't. She was too busy remembering, the bleeding, the screaming. A deafening scream that leapt out of the shadowy green, and with a heavy force took down the frail white spotted filly into the dead grass, claws hooked into tender skin, teeth buried into soft flesh. Blackness followed.
""But...I promise to keep you safe...and I know it's hard to trust one you just met..." He continued.
After the rest the spotted mare stopped coming closer. She was close enough already. She rose her head to face him- helplessly looked for his face, She dropped her head and looked away, "I'm not supposed to be here then. You're right, it isnt safe. I'm sorry but I must leave. I must go back home,"
But where is home, little mare? Silly mare, you sleep with the ones that have left you behind.
Savin' then tried to turn away from the stallion. With shakey hooves she felt the thick verdant ground and found another root growing too close to her. She heavily sighed. Here before her was this stallion who had trapped her, lost in her own darkness. She couldnt possibly follow his gentle voice, after all that was said, she had to get out of this island. But how? She couldn't fall, she was going to cry.
"Promise me?" she turned around again.
Miles:
The spotted mare came closer and Miles got a good look at her eyes. They looked so lost. Her pale eyes danced around as she seemed to be searching for something but couldn't find it. She then turned away from him, speaking to him before turning back around and asking him to promise to not harm her. There was no issue with that, and Miles stood a little straighter, forgetting she couldn't see him. "I promise to get you home, and to not harm you," he replied, the shakiness in his voice gone. She was his responsibility now and he was going to make sure she got as far from the Bachelors as possible. She was such an easy target, it was scary what an aggressive stallion might do to her. If the brute didn't kill her on the spot for her disability, she'd be more of a plaything for the stallions, unable to fight back and easy to knock around. The idea of it chilled Miles to the bone, and he pinned his ears back at the thought of it.
"Well, we better start going...I'm Miles, by the way. Also...where is your home?" He asked, tilting his head.
Savin':
In response to him, the leopard mare tried to smile. It was a weak little smile, could hardly see the change in expression. Someone made a promise to her. She made someone make a promise to her. This stallion promised, to get her home, to not hurt her. It gave her warm feelings, with a faint Ill aftertaste.
"Home?" she repeated. her eyes switched around, they pulled about, poked her mind. Answer answer answer somehow. Home, she had no home. Since the horrible event from long ago, she wandered around her refuge in the Southern Island and lost herself in her own darkness. The least she could remember was the South. It was the place where the memory was conceived. Where fleshed out scars was emblemed and still remained and the two corpses lay like a beautiful canvas on top of carpets of ash.
"I have no home. I am alone," she faced the earth. "I'm from the South," this time it was blunt, forgetting the little he knew of her. She fell from the South, knew the smell of ashes by heart, fell into the ocean. She concluded she wasnt in the same island, East, so maybe she was heading North, what did she know.
"Miles," she mimicked once more. Let the name sink in, remembered.
"I was called Savin'- I mean I think its Savin' but you can call me whatever you want. Its Savin' " she tremble around with the words. "Like what you do when someone cries for help, Save them. Like um.. if you could, you'd save them right?"
Miles:
The spotted mare took her time with answering him, and Miles waited. He was patient, which was rare in his herd, and he gave her time to her thoughts. It seemed that was all she had sometimes and when she answered, he felt his heart break for her. The Exiles had it bad in the recent years, and the Southern Isle seemed to have been lost to all life. Rumors had spread that all that remained were charred forests and sooty ground. To not have a home to go to was depressing, and it was a reason why he hadn't left the horrors of the Bachelors. It was his home, regardless of how he felt for the rules and policies. If he were to leave, what would he have? Savin' was brave to travel the world on her own, something Miles wasn't sure he'd be able to accomplish.
Her voice echoed in is head as she finally gave him her name. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Savin'," he started giving her a small grin, even though she couldn't see it. He paused when she asked him a question and he tilted his head, blinking. "I would do what I could to save them, yes." His nostrils flared as he glanced back at the herd behind him, his heart pounding. No one had noticed he was gone, which was privilege he and the other stallions had over the mares. He turned back to Savin' and said "If you can't go back to the South, maybe I can take you to a safer spot? Get you on your way or something...is there a place you were traveling to?"
Savin':
Savin’ was quite calm now. Her ears were straight and alert, they fell towards him. Attentively. His soft voice, each word pushed out told no intentions of hurt. And not a single sickly sensation of worry or fear followed as promised. All the worries started to fade quickly into nothing, she could no longer remember what it was she was cringing into herself about. This alone was quite alarming. So far there was nothing left to fear.
You’re so disarming.. how could you be so kind..
“Miles,” she mimicked once again, but it was softer so that if any mice were down there maybe they would hear and care. It bounced once again in her head. Rolled out just to make sure it was said with better care, to say it right this time. Yes, sounded better this time. Placed nicely in her head.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Savin’,”
quite lucky to have encountered you so far..
She didn’t respond, for she halted her alertness towards him, and turned her head away.
She was now, already, calculating other thoughts. She pondered how it could still be so quiet and calm and they still alone even now. But she still contemplated answering to her name, her name written with his voice. As quick as they had flooded into her, she shook the thoughts away and turned her attention once more towards Miles.
"If you can't go back to the South, maybe I can take you to a safer spot? Get you on your way or something...is there a place you were traveling to?"
“That is too kind of you..” she tried for another smile. “I guess.. well, I thought I knew where I was heading,” she stared for a while. “But, I fell into endless water. I woke up into soft earth and I recognize not a single smell. Then you found me,”
She repeated the question to herself to make sure she was giving the right words the next time. Her voice chimed that she was no longer afraid, “I was looking for a place up North, I think..”
Night was ending. The stars were slowly disappearing against the lightening sky, the suns rays just starting to stretch across the sky. The Bachelor herd was stirring, some horses already awake, others going back to sleep. Miles had been up for an hour already, getting his fill of the grass before the others woke up. He trotted off towards the edge of the herd, not interested in getting caught up in mass of bodies. He let out a soft snort as he found a comfortable area near the trees, far enough from the herd to be left alone, but close enough to still be a part of the mass of horses.
Savin':
A pale spotted mare stalked about, each hoof-step hesitant and incomplete. She remembered sleeping, but then waking up, suddenly wondering if night would have ceased by now. By now, she had woken up twice with the same question.
As of only a few days ago, she had decided to cease from staying inside her little open clearing in the middle of the ashes further south. She had made the brave, but ignorant attempt to explore, travel, find north.
Where she once frolicked without care and knew everything.
North, where was that again? Where was she? She didn't know, it didn't occur to her.
A solemn expression clung to her face.
She didn't know where she was going. Nothing smelled like the north. Nothing smelled like home. This game of trying to find North had come to bore her now, frighten her to be precise.
Through the extent of her game, she had been chased, constantly, by harems of birds, whereas the only trophy she would win were the many tiny slits of red that stained her back. One day, also, she could recall, falling.
Falling down. She was sure it was falling down too, she has never fallen up, she presumed it would be a totally different experience and twice as difficult to feel without something to look at, too.
She was falling down, long.
It felt quite nice.
Good.
Then she hit water.
And ended up once again in land. Immediately, despite her lungs filled with water, she trudged on.
Savin' finally paused as the wind blasted into her face. Her wounds were not new, but the dry flesh still tingled before air.
"You're heaven is trying everything to keep me down here," she looked up to the gradually lightening sky above her. She didn't recognize this new air. She was totally sure she was far from where she began. Ears straight and nostrils flared, she scanned where she was. She could feel the ground beneath her soften and struggle with the roots of trees around her.
She then paused before a tree.
Is it a tree? How far are you from hitting it. She wasn't sure. Just several seconds ago she stepped over what she assumed were it's roots.
Let's stop here for a bit, recalculate what you've done.
Savin' where are you. What are you doing.
"I'm lost.." Savin' whispered as if too the tree before her. " And I'm lost,"
Miles:
Miles had snapped at a few strands of grass that was growing between the roots when he thought he heard a voice.
"I'm lost....and I'm lost..."
He blinked, lifting his head straight up. He stared at the tree was if he were seeing things. Was this tree talking to him? Did he discover an unknown gift of talking to trees? He tilted his head, being shaking it. No, that was a stupid idea. He quickly glanced at the herd and wondered if anyone would notice if he answered the flora back. Eh, they were still waking up, and he was sure they couldn't hear him from here. Miles turned back to the tree, trying to analyze it a bit more before he spoke.
"Lost? How can you be lost?" he asked, his nostrils flaring a bit. If he had been a bit more awake he probably would've noticed Savin's scent in the air, but he had yet to figure that out.
Savin':
Savin' lifted her eyes in front of her, frightened by the sudden voice that broke the silence that blanketed her.
The spotted mare stood there numb like stone. What was that?
Was it the distant object before her. The tree? Was she alone.
For a moment, she had forgotten to breathe to a heart beat.
"What?" she spoke softer now.
You are already lost, don't start losing yourself.
With equal anxiety, she lifted her nose and tried to feel whatever it was before her.
Hard, cold. Alive.
Bark. Yes, this was a tree.
But the voice..
The spotted mare turned around, her flank facing the tree. Pale blue eyes swerved lifelessly.
She wasn't ready to find out the owner of the words. Immediatly, she backed up, hooves felt around, searching for roots in order to avoid them.
She missed one step, and a pale body was heard hitting ground.
Miles:
Miles waited patiently for the tree to respond, his ears perked in curiosity. The tree seemed to stay quiet and not want to return a response, so Miles decided to head back to the herd. As he turned, a thump came from the tree and he stopped, looking back over his shoulder. The sun was finally coming up over the tree tops and he could sort of see a figure in the shade. His nostrils flared as he tried to smell whatever it was, and turned around quickly to face the tree once more after the scent of horse came to him. He pinned his ears back, a glare in his expression. Who was this horse!? Were they coming to spy on the herd?
The blue roan approached cautiously, his head lowered. As he got closer, he got a better look at the fallen horse. He lifted his head almost instantly, his hard expression changing to a more concerned one. It was a mare! A spotted mare that had fallen over, probably due to the trees roots. Panic raced through his chest, knowing that if a more stern stallion got wind of her he'd try to steal her for the Bachelors.
He had to act quickly...
Clearing his throat, he looked down at Savin'. "Are you hurt? You seemed to have taken quite the fall..."
Savin':
Savin' opened her eyes in vain. Her body was placed awkwardly on top of the firm and thick green mass of grass. For a short period of time, before her senses woke up, she couldn't breathe, and a constant ringing burned her ears. It was soft at first, but it grew louder and longer before it finally ceased.
The spotted mare lifted her head, her nose touching something firm. It surrounded her. The skin of roots.
Behind her lay one of the stronger roots of the tree, and another hard object perfectly placed underneath her belly. Her mouth opened, new air replaced the one she lost.
A voice sunk in, but it was blurred with the lack of air. Her nostrils flared desperately in panic.
"Are you hurt?"
Someone was out there. Foolish mare, you are no longer alone. The blind mare shifted her body away from the essence of the other.
"You seem to have taken quite a fall.."
She could not respond. Maybe she forgot how. It rung constantly in her head. The agonizing tune, this tightness, the fear. The cringing in her womb after taking in such a sudden ache. The darkness lengthened and embraced her close.
The voice is out there. It stands before you. You can feel it. Get out of there, silly mare!
The spotted mare stood up and made the attempt to stagger away from Miles, her neck straight. Her eyes failed to find him, but they stared deathly in front of her, staggering to extend the distance between her and Miles.
Miles:
The mare seemed to be in some sort of frenzied state. Miles watched her inch away from him before trying to get up and vacate the area. If she kept struggling, she'd probably trip over more of the roots. Miles started slowly towards her, getting a better look at her. She was pale, with dark spots covering her body. There seemed to be an old injury crossing over her face, 'a horrible thing to have gone through' he though, and her eyes weren't even looking at him. The pale blue orbs were staring straight ahead as if seeing something he couldn't. Just to double check he was alone, Miles glanced in the direction she was looking at and noticed there was nothing there. Huh...interesting.
She must be blind or something. Which, made this situation a little more dire. She had a huge weakness, it seemed, and that meant she was easy pickings for the brutish Bachelors. But, Miles didn't want to just scare her off and leave her to fend for herself...the least he could do was find a safe place for her. There were many dangers on the East Island, the Bachelor stallions were the least her of problems. The giant cats could find an easy meal out of her.
Clearing his throat again, just so she could get an idea of where he was located, he tried again. "Hey...hey, don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you...if you keep backing up, you're going to trip again." he said, inching towards her. He didn't want to get too close, in fear she might start kicking or go into a panic of some sort.
Savin':
The space between them widened, and a stone grey object closed in behind her.
A force within her mind was, ever so slowly, tearing her apart. It was fueled by an ancient phobia, awoken by his voice. Lost further inside was a frail little filly, terrified of the blanket of dark nothing before her.
Savin' stood in this paralyzed state for a while.
don't lose your mind now.. stay away but don't fall.. stop. stop! wake up, foolish mare!
". . . don't be scared. . . I'm not going to hurt you.." the softly spoken words given to her repeated.
The petrification was broken once the spotted mare dropped her head to face the floor beneath her.
She softened her breathing now. Her ears still clung to her skull as she stretched out her neck towards Miles' direction. Afraid, unsure, anxious she was but her eyes helplessly gazed on.
Two dim blue eyes found him, two blue pools that encircled no pupil. Pools of blue and dead pale flesh that quietly burned under the salt of tears that slowly sliced down into her cheek. "Please don't.. I don't want to fall again,"
Miles:
Miles waited for her to calm, the distance between them a little wider than it had been before. It wasn't until she stretched out her neck and he got a better view of her face that his suspicions proved correct. There was a nasty splash of burned skin, and her pale eyes stood out in contrast. It was eerie, and he was a little taken back at first, but his concern for her over-rode any thoughts of her appearance.
She seemed calmer, her breathing softer. He gave a soft sigh of relief when she finally spoke back to him.
"Relax...I'm not going to harm you," he started, not daring to inch forward. "You won't fall down again, I won't let you. Besides, there are only trees and roots to worry about around here, easy to avoid." He paused so she could react, and then continued. "If you can get up, I can help you through the roots and onto a safer path. Take your time, I won't leave you alone. You're in a dangerous land full of things that can hurt you."
Savin':
Her breathing returned to normal. Her lungs collectively rose and fell, but they were tightly held close to her, ready to jump if she wanted to.
She brought in her neck, and took that moment to arch her head across her back to her surroundings. Her ears flipped, they were radars honey-combed with veins constantly consuming information. Radars that paid a fair portion of attention to Miles, and then everything else. A slight breeze slipped through the shielding trees above them and buffeted her mane. It felt nice, in some way, but it still stung. Mostly the eyes, she shut them away.
She was feeling much better now, "Th.. Thank you, Sir.." A small smile slit through, but it was so small. So pathetic. But then she paused and slit er ears
" Like.. what other things should I be more worried about?" She glanced down at her hooves, then returned to his direction. The next act was sudden, one pale hoof drifted forward and quietly placed itself before the other. She was making the brave attempt to close the wide space between them before going on listening.
Miles:
Miles watched as she started to inch closer, though still on the ground. His patience was one of his best qualities, and he let her get her bearings. She was curious about the other dangers of the East Island and Miles took a moment before replying to her. "I don't want to alarm you, but you are very close to the Bachelor herd. If you know anything about us...we don't have the best reputation..." he trailed off, thinking to himself. That could cause quite an alarm, especially if the spotted mare knew anything about his herd. "But, don't worry...I'm not like most of the stallions in the herd. I'm here to help you get to safety and I have no intentions of bringing you to the herd against your will." Miles wasn't sure if the blind mare would believe him or not, but it was worth a try. "As for the other dangers, well...this island is mostly known for big cats and the cliffs that a horse could fall from...but we aren't near any mountains currently, so that's one less thing to worry about."
Miles shook his head. No, he was going to freak her out more now. Stupid...
"But...I promise to keep you safe...and I know it's hard to trust one you just met...and I'm sure trusting a stallion of the Bachelor herd is even less of a common thing these days..." He was babbling now, his own internal panic setting in. He glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure no one had noticed his disappearance. They were still alone.
Miles looked back down at Savin', his ears pinning behind his head almost in shame. There was no reason for her to really believe his words, and that reality was a sad truth he couldn't really look past. "Like I said...take your time to get your bearings...I'm right here."
Savin':
"I don't want to alarm you, but you are very close to the Bachelor herd. If you know anything about us...we don't have the best reputation..." His voice was started to fade away from her, but the words repeated in her head "Bachelor herd," Why did that ring.. she heared another voice softly speaking.
A mother to her filly resting near the death of day, the softly spoken words of a corrupted band of horses just to make sure the filly would never wander again. Yes, she heard very little of them, only stealing away whispers from other lonely mares she had left behind in her wanders. Their stories, however, were all the same. The existence they veiled excited her as she took in each little rumor, frightened and disturbed her. The leopard mare frowned and shifted her ears, but her eyes stared on as she willingly listened.
"But, don't worry...I'm not like most of the stallions in the herd. I'm here to help you get to safety and I have no intentions of bringing you to the herd against your will. . . As for the other dangers, well...this island is mostly known for big cats and the cliffs that a horse could fall from...but we aren't near any mountains currently, so that's one less thing to worry about."
Cliff! She knew that word, knew all about it. Cliffs were the closest thing to heaven she has ever been. Cliffs symbolized the sky, and sometimes the stench of salted water. A little filly exploring the view of enraged ocean from the heights of steep rock. The beautiful feeling of being high, legs trembling, the wind lulling her closer to the edge. Frightening, fascinating. Come down! The foam roared as it crawled up the rock. A horse can fall from them too, she knew. She knew the last thing was doing was falling. Cliffs meant falling from up high. Into the ocean. There were cliffs here too, waiting for others to fall into them. But their falls maybe would not be absorbed by incoming waves, or wet rocks. Those cliffs were too far away for her to care at the moment.
The ugliest words of them all reached her ears like air to her lungs. "Big cats,"
She didn't hear anything else, she couldn't. She was too busy remembering, the bleeding, the screaming. A deafening scream that leapt out of the shadowy green, and with a heavy force took down the frail white spotted filly into the dead grass, claws hooked into tender skin, teeth buried into soft flesh. Blackness followed.
""But...I promise to keep you safe...and I know it's hard to trust one you just met..." He continued.
After the rest the spotted mare stopped coming closer. She was close enough already. She rose her head to face him- helplessly looked for his face, She dropped her head and looked away, "I'm not supposed to be here then. You're right, it isnt safe. I'm sorry but I must leave. I must go back home,"
But where is home, little mare? Silly mare, you sleep with the ones that have left you behind.
Savin' then tried to turn away from the stallion. With shakey hooves she felt the thick verdant ground and found another root growing too close to her. She heavily sighed. Here before her was this stallion who had trapped her, lost in her own darkness. She couldnt possibly follow his gentle voice, after all that was said, she had to get out of this island. But how? She couldn't fall, she was going to cry.
"Promise me?" she turned around again.
Miles:
The spotted mare came closer and Miles got a good look at her eyes. They looked so lost. Her pale eyes danced around as she seemed to be searching for something but couldn't find it. She then turned away from him, speaking to him before turning back around and asking him to promise to not harm her. There was no issue with that, and Miles stood a little straighter, forgetting she couldn't see him. "I promise to get you home, and to not harm you," he replied, the shakiness in his voice gone. She was his responsibility now and he was going to make sure she got as far from the Bachelors as possible. She was such an easy target, it was scary what an aggressive stallion might do to her. If the brute didn't kill her on the spot for her disability, she'd be more of a plaything for the stallions, unable to fight back and easy to knock around. The idea of it chilled Miles to the bone, and he pinned his ears back at the thought of it.
"Well, we better start going...I'm Miles, by the way. Also...where is your home?" He asked, tilting his head.
Savin':
In response to him, the leopard mare tried to smile. It was a weak little smile, could hardly see the change in expression. Someone made a promise to her. She made someone make a promise to her. This stallion promised, to get her home, to not hurt her. It gave her warm feelings, with a faint Ill aftertaste.
"Home?" she repeated. her eyes switched around, they pulled about, poked her mind. Answer answer answer somehow. Home, she had no home. Since the horrible event from long ago, she wandered around her refuge in the Southern Island and lost herself in her own darkness. The least she could remember was the South. It was the place where the memory was conceived. Where fleshed out scars was emblemed and still remained and the two corpses lay like a beautiful canvas on top of carpets of ash.
"I have no home. I am alone," she faced the earth. "I'm from the South," this time it was blunt, forgetting the little he knew of her. She fell from the South, knew the smell of ashes by heart, fell into the ocean. She concluded she wasnt in the same island, East, so maybe she was heading North, what did she know.
"Miles," she mimicked once more. Let the name sink in, remembered.
"I was called Savin'- I mean I think its Savin' but you can call me whatever you want. Its Savin' " she tremble around with the words. "Like what you do when someone cries for help, Save them. Like um.. if you could, you'd save them right?"
Miles:
The spotted mare took her time with answering him, and Miles waited. He was patient, which was rare in his herd, and he gave her time to her thoughts. It seemed that was all she had sometimes and when she answered, he felt his heart break for her. The Exiles had it bad in the recent years, and the Southern Isle seemed to have been lost to all life. Rumors had spread that all that remained were charred forests and sooty ground. To not have a home to go to was depressing, and it was a reason why he hadn't left the horrors of the Bachelors. It was his home, regardless of how he felt for the rules and policies. If he were to leave, what would he have? Savin' was brave to travel the world on her own, something Miles wasn't sure he'd be able to accomplish.
Her voice echoed in is head as she finally gave him her name. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Savin'," he started giving her a small grin, even though she couldn't see it. He paused when she asked him a question and he tilted his head, blinking. "I would do what I could to save them, yes." His nostrils flared as he glanced back at the herd behind him, his heart pounding. No one had noticed he was gone, which was privilege he and the other stallions had over the mares. He turned back to Savin' and said "If you can't go back to the South, maybe I can take you to a safer spot? Get you on your way or something...is there a place you were traveling to?"
Savin':
Savin’ was quite calm now. Her ears were straight and alert, they fell towards him. Attentively. His soft voice, each word pushed out told no intentions of hurt. And not a single sickly sensation of worry or fear followed as promised. All the worries started to fade quickly into nothing, she could no longer remember what it was she was cringing into herself about. This alone was quite alarming. So far there was nothing left to fear.
You’re so disarming.. how could you be so kind..
“Miles,” she mimicked once again, but it was softer so that if any mice were down there maybe they would hear and care. It bounced once again in her head. Rolled out just to make sure it was said with better care, to say it right this time. Yes, sounded better this time. Placed nicely in her head.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Savin’,”
quite lucky to have encountered you so far..
She didn’t respond, for she halted her alertness towards him, and turned her head away.
She was now, already, calculating other thoughts. She pondered how it could still be so quiet and calm and they still alone even now. But she still contemplated answering to her name, her name written with his voice. As quick as they had flooded into her, she shook the thoughts away and turned her attention once more towards Miles.
"If you can't go back to the South, maybe I can take you to a safer spot? Get you on your way or something...is there a place you were traveling to?"
“That is too kind of you..” she tried for another smile. “I guess.. well, I thought I knew where I was heading,” she stared for a while. “But, I fell into endless water. I woke up into soft earth and I recognize not a single smell. Then you found me,”
She repeated the question to herself to make sure she was giving the right words the next time. Her voice chimed that she was no longer afraid, “I was looking for a place up North, I think..”
Currently:
'That is too kind of you...I guess...well, I thought I knew where I was heading....'
The mare then went on to explain how she had come onto the Eastern Isle, and Miles felt pity for her. She had gone through a lot, it seemed. She was lucky to have made it across the ocean in one piece, and without drowning. Hearing that she was heading north, Miles wondered if her destination was the Olde herd. He wasn't sure how kindly they'd take to this loner, but he knew they would be more forgiving of her presence than his own herd. Dark thoughts flashed through his mind again of what might happen to this mare if she stayed and he shook his head to get rid of them. It was his duty as a Bachelor stallion to turn her over to the herd, but his morals were not that corrupt. It was a rule he'd have to break, and as long as he didn't get caught, he'd be okay.
"To the north it is, or at least to..." his voice trailed off as he tried to figure out where the herd was currently located. He looked around, trying to gauge any landmarks and noticed the Fallen City in the distance. That meant they were near the Great Pine, which was probably one of the most safest spots on the island. Rumors had it that loners congregated there from time to time, so maybe she could find someone she knew there. It was the best chance for her, at least in his mind. "To the Great Pine! That's where I'll take you. It's much safer than where we are, plus it's north and near a landbridge to the Olde Island if you need to cross it."
He felt so proud to have come up with this plan. "It's also not that far off, and you won't have to worry about falling again as there are only a few small hills to cross over before we get there. I'll be your eyes."
The mare then went on to explain how she had come onto the Eastern Isle, and Miles felt pity for her. She had gone through a lot, it seemed. She was lucky to have made it across the ocean in one piece, and without drowning. Hearing that she was heading north, Miles wondered if her destination was the Olde herd. He wasn't sure how kindly they'd take to this loner, but he knew they would be more forgiving of her presence than his own herd. Dark thoughts flashed through his mind again of what might happen to this mare if she stayed and he shook his head to get rid of them. It was his duty as a Bachelor stallion to turn her over to the herd, but his morals were not that corrupt. It was a rule he'd have to break, and as long as he didn't get caught, he'd be okay.
"To the north it is, or at least to..." his voice trailed off as he tried to figure out where the herd was currently located. He looked around, trying to gauge any landmarks and noticed the Fallen City in the distance. That meant they were near the Great Pine, which was probably one of the most safest spots on the island. Rumors had it that loners congregated there from time to time, so maybe she could find someone she knew there. It was the best chance for her, at least in his mind. "To the Great Pine! That's where I'll take you. It's much safer than where we are, plus it's north and near a landbridge to the Olde Island if you need to cross it."
He felt so proud to have come up with this plan. "It's also not that far off, and you won't have to worry about falling again as there are only a few small hills to cross over before we get there. I'll be your eyes."
