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Post by saintpumpkinmuffin on Jun 16, 2015 19:22:09 GMT -5
August was enraptured in Little Bird's melodic words. As she drew to a close, the colt perked his ears, thirstily trying to absorb the last bits of tunes. He blinked in awe. "That was really pretty--" he whispered, but stopped shyly as he heard Keziah speak up ahead of him. He'd been so focused on how lovely the song was, he hadn't even thought to listen to the lyrics. Keziah looked to her mother for answers, and August's heart dropped a little bit. It was silly of him to think of her now, of all times. Sighing, he smiled sadly at Little Bird. As much as August cared for Little Bird, he was jealous to see the filly could walk alongside with Magdalene when he hadn't walked along with Velma in years. He tried to remember what it felt like to be naive enough to believe your mother would always be there to protect and teach you. He couldn't.
The thick, moist air only seemed to thicken as the group continued. The figures of the other horses were becoming the only distinguishable things around him. The young lurker snorted nervously. August picked up his pace to walk closer to Magdalene and Keziah. He startled a bit when Keziah's voice broke the quiet again.
"T-the witch?" he asked, looking more at the filly's hooves than her face. He was much to shy for that. "I don't know her either, i-if it makes you feel better." August's mouth broke into a shaky smile. "But she can't be too bad, if Little Bird trusts her."
Words: 260
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Post by queerly on Jun 18, 2015 16:39:31 GMT -5
As Little Bird's voice rose in song, Magdalene's ears tipped back to listen, tuning out the unpleasant noises of muck and sloshing water. She would need to hear the song only once to know it by heart. Her had been memory honed to a near-perfection after so many years of astute observation and professional skulking. But what good was knowing it when her voice grated like asphalt against flesh? She doubted her singing would calm anything, least of all testy, venomous snakes. At least Little Bird can sing, she thought grimly. Those lyrics, though... those were a mystery and a half. They spoke of war and purity, all wrapped up in a pretentious package. Had the witch learned the song from Olde? What in the hell was an Aphelion? The entire song sounded like pretty nonsense. Magdalene's tail lashed.
Keziah spoke up, echoing Magdalene's internal question, and her mother wasn't surprised. Keziah had a thirsty curiosity that needed daily watering, else she wilted and grew irritable. Where Magdalene was content to muse and puzzle things out on her own, Keziah was the sort to seek answers aggressively, experimenting with the world around her and always quick with a question. Magdalene tossed her a glance, expression softened. She hoped she would never grow out of her wonder.
They pressed on. Magdalene was content to let the others speak while she herself kept her eyes ahead, scanning the monotonous stretch of fog. It was almost startling when little August ventured closer, fracturing her attention between vigilance and curiosity. She'd told the colt to stay close to Little Bird, but she didn't see any reason to correct him. He was still within range of an adult, and so long as someone was within easy range of grabbing him before trouble grabbed first, she didn't much care where he walked.
"Why does everyone else seem to know her...?" Keziah asked, and August's shy voice rose in reply, assuring her that he'd never had the pleasure of meeting Ba'Yagu either. Magdalene blinked as realization washed upon her. The mare turned her head, squinting at him, her critical gaze subtle in the way a lightning bolt was subtle. Specifically, the lightning bolt that had set the South on fire.
August appeared to be some sort of draft, freisian perhaps, which meant he'd grow up big and reasonably strong. He was sweet but lacked a backbone, which he could and likely would grow out of, given the hardships of surviving on one's own. Most importantly, he was a loner, which was the ideal. In fact, it was all that she would accept for a potential match. The Protector would die before she let Keziah be absorbed into a herd. No, that was out of the question.
Big, strong, sweet and a loner. Magdalene's gaze narrowed and shifted to Keziah, contemplating. She'd need to keep this all in mind, revisit it when the mission was over and done with.
"We've seen the witch before." The mare reminded, gaze turning forward again. Magdalene had never let her daughter get too close to anyone at the Great Pine meetings, but Ba'Yagu had been there, a burgundy wraith with silver hair and milky eyes. The Protector had not trusted her, resenting the secrets she kept. But then she had unlocked her gift, and Magdalene had been forced to think twice. "I don't pretend to understand her, nor do I fully trust her. But she needs our help, and so help we will give."
The minutes dragged into hours. The little group covered miles of marsh, muddy up to their bellies and itching from the attention of ravenous bugs. Magdalene's body was shimmering with a sheen of sweat, her forelock limp and sticking to her face. The conditions were miserable, and though she didn't express it aloud, she was grateful when their hooves finally hit sand. The mare pulled herself from the murky swamp and shook like a grassbeast, flinging water in all directions, her mane slapping against her crest. She could smell the sea on the wind, and hear the distant crash of waves.
They were close.
"Come," She murmured, eyes darting up as Castor's shadow flitted through the fog, "And be careful where you step. I imagine we're not far from the landbridge, now, which means we are not far from the snakes that guard it."
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blueunicornj13
Exile Herd 
We don't have a choice to stay. We'd rather die than do it your way.
Posts: 265 
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Post by blueunicornj13 on Jun 18, 2015 20:39:03 GMT -5
At August's baffled expression and hushed whisper, Little Bird chuckled, smiling down at the young colt. "Thank you, August." She whispered back, thankful that at least one horse was happy to hear the little tune. It wasn't every day that you got to hear music though she definitely wouldn't want to offer up her talents unless she absolutely had to. Singing in front of others was like exposing parts of you that you wanted to keep private. Or at least that's what Little Bird thought of it. But this was going to be a dangerous mission, and they would need that song to get over to the island. At Keziah's inquisitive questions, her ears perked up, snapping her mind pack to the present. "To be honest, I have no idea what Aphelion is. She never told any of us what the song really meant... or at least I never heard her say anything about it. The Witch can be a bit... guarded." Bird admitted, remembering the short time she had spent with Ba'yagu and the other loners on the strange, new island.
When August walked forward to travel closer to Keziah, Little Bird thought for a moment to interject, but she bit her tongue. He was close enough to someone that he could be protected from any predators or other dangers that the marsh might hide. Plus, as she thought about it, August had said that he had been away from his mother for quite some time, and if he had been away from her, did that mean that he hadn't seen a horse around his age in that long as well? Or had he even met anyone his age before? As a foal, Little Bird hadn't had very many friends... actually, she hadn't really had any. Her father had kept her on a tight leash, and her sole and most important task was to train to compete with the stallions that she might have to fight one day and become the strongest Ranger she could be. Hearing August trying to comfort Keziah, Little Bird couldn't help but chuckle quietly. Perhaps the two of them could be friends once all of this was said and done. She knew that August certainly needed other horses to talk and play with. The roan mare remained silent as the Protector told her child that she had in fact seen the Witch before. It wasn't odd for her to show up at the gatherings at the Great Pine, and that was actually the first time that Little Bird had seen the mysterious mare, weaving the smoke around her into the different shapes of the stories that were being told. The thought brought back memories of her father and their trips to the Great Pine together. He would often tell her stories of his own adventures as they traveled as a way to deter her from her achy hooves and tired legs. The mare sighed quietly, shaking her head to rid herself of the memories. She didn't want to think about her father... not right now.
Time seemed to drag on... and on...... and on................ and on. The marsh never seemed to end, and the fog covering the landscape around them certainly wasn't helping in figuring out where exactly they were. Sweat covered her body where the mud and gunk didn't, and her curly mane stuck uncomfortably to her body and face. Occasionally she glanced up to August, making sure he was alright before looking around them.
Finally, Little Bird's hooves hit the sand, and she heaved a huge sigh of relief. "I never thought we'd make it out of that marsh." She said quietly, taking a deep breath of the ocean air that blew towards them. The waves crashed on the shore, sending droplets of sea-spray in their direction. The roan mare nodded at the Protector's words, walking steadily down the beach. Her brown eyes drifted toward the oriole brother that flew above them. It wouldn't be long now before the landbridge was in sight, and then the real mission would begin.
Word Count: 678
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Post by dawnscoming on Jun 19, 2015 19:16:59 GMT -5
Keziah's brow furrowed as she thought back to the times she had gone to the Great Pine, the small clearing filled with loners of all shapes and sizes. Mentally, she searched their faces finally settling upon a dark mare with bright blue eyes. She HAD met her before; or seen at the very least. The witch had always been mysterious and odd but nothing that stuck out in Keziah's young mind. A small smile crossed the girls lips as her mother spoke the chivalry Keziah knew her for. No matter the horse, the white mare would always aid a cry for help.
It was Magalene's subtle glance backward that caused the grey mare to turn her head, falling on young August as he approached. His earlier words had been kind in an effort to comfort her confused mind. He deserved a thank you, at the very least. Casually, she slowed her pace to fall in shoulder to shoulder with the dark colored colt. "So you never went to the Great Pine gatherings?" she mimicked her mothers reminder, trying to think of a time when she would have seen August in the crowd of loners but drew a blank. "I've only gone a few times, myself," she added quickly. If August had indeed never gone, she didn't want him to feel bad about it.
The sky was thick with clouds, disguising the time of day it really was. Keziah was not quite sure how long they had been tramping through this dank marsh but she was sure as hell sick of it already. Thankfully, she began to feel solid ground beneath her hooves as the thought crossed her mind. Heart leaping, she picked up the pace, prancing onto the misty beach and washing her feathered legs in the surf. Once satisfied, she spun around leaping back to the older horses with a giddy smile. It didn't matter where they were going now, as long as the marsh stayed long behind them.
"Which way now?"
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Post by saintpumpkinmuffin on Jun 20, 2015 16:42:07 GMT -5
Magadelene corrected her daughter, reminding Keziah of memories that August himself didn't share. Neither of them said anything to the colt as Keziah quieted up for a moment. August turned his eyes away, feeling Magdelene's own orbs boring into him. He chewed the edge of his lip nervously. Suddenly he regretted stepping forward, suspended in between Little Bird and the other two mares. He just felt rather... awkward. Panicking, he realized perhaps he spoke out of turn. He was about to flee back to Little Bird's side when Keziah's body suddenly appeared next to him and he jumped.
August quirked his brows as she asked about his own experiences with the Great Pine. It was a tree that had been mentioned to him in his past, and that Little Bird might have mentioned to him when explaining the lives of Loners. The forgetful colt, however, couldn't seem to pull the image of it to mind. Yet, he smiled when he spoke, glad for the company. August was observant enough to note that the older foal was trying to be nice with her patched on comment. His grin widened, albeit a cautious smirk. "I've probably been there. I used to live nearby," he said. "But I don't remember any kind of gatherings or anything. It's okay, I'll have to go with Little Bird sometime, when this is over." He glanced back at the ranger as he mentioned her, and with a dawning realization he knew just how lucky he was that she happened upon him that day in the city. Besides Tamera (and perhaps Vera? in the right circumstances), she was one of his closest friends. Not that he had many vying for the spot.
The time passed rather slowly from there on out. August had hoped the walk wouldn't be too much longer. He found this terrain difficult and wet and the bugs were miserable. I was born here? the colt reflected, scrunching his nose up in disgust. The Olde Island was much cozier than this. To his dismay, the walk lasted what felt like an eternity. Without his cold blood genetics, his unexercised limbs wouldn't have been able to carry him all the way to the beach. But he'd made it, and let out a small sigh as his soppy hooves hit sand. "Me either," he agreed with Little Bird, to whom he'd fallen back to since his brief word with Keziah. Speaking of the gray filly, she danced into the ocean rather excitedly at the sight. The lurker followed after Little Bird and the rest, but watching Keziah with a baffled expression. Such playful antics were foreign to him, and the colt suddenly wondered if he was far too boring and serious to be a foal.
The oriel glided along easily, occasionally spiraling up and down in the sky to let the horses below catch up (and also, of course, for his own amusement). Pollux and mother Ba'Yagu always nagged him about his childishness, and Castor could almost imagine Pollux now, reprimanding him for being trivial in such a dire situation. But poor little, dreamy Castor had decided that he was doing his best, and his loners were making great progress. Mother Ba'Yagu was powerful, yes indeed. He wasn't too worried she couldn't handle herself, especially since they'd be there to help her soon.
The swamps below eventually gave way to grass then eventually sand. Beady gray eyes sought out the figures below, and he could make out the Protector, Magdalene, quite easily, like a patch of snow on an otherwise gray world. Counting them up, he discovered all the horses he'd gather were there. Beating his wings, he pulled ahead, scanning the ocean. In the distance, he could make out the bridge, and if he squinted, the snakes. We're drawing closer.
Circling back, the horses had made their farther down the beach. Spiraling down and giggling, he landed on Magdalene's head and lowered into her forelock like it was nest. He didn't give her a chance to complain before he tweeted rhythmically, "The bridge is just up ahead; have you practiced the song?" The oriel glanced around the horses expectantly. "You'll have to use it before long."
Words: AN EVEN 700
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Post by queerly on Jun 23, 2015 9:10:02 GMT -5
"Keziah, be careful... watch for snakes." Magdalene called as her daughter cantered off, thick brows drawn into a furrow, creating a prominent crease between her eyes. With all the worry her life inspired, the mare was bound to wrinkle prematurely. Were she the vain sort it might have bothered her, but Magdalene was content with letting her appearance be the one thing she didn't fret about. Vanity was a waste of energy, or so she'd always believed. She'd tried to instill the same thinking in Keziah, but, well. Not every lesson would stick, and as her child returned to her with freshly cleaned fetlocks, Magdalene couldn't help but roll her eyes and smirk.
"Come." She instructed. Without the muck to slow her down, Mags was free to break into a canter, however graceless it was with her short, stocky legs. The Protector let her ears keep track of her group while her eyes watched the sand in front of her. If the oriel brothers were to be believed, there were serpents nearby, little monsters that packed a powerful and venomous punch. "Keep your eyes on the ground. If you get bitten-"
Her warning was cut short as Castor landed upon her head, startling the mare so badly that she gave a little buck. "Castor." She hissed, tone scolding, but the oriel was already speaking over her with his soft, dreamy voice. Magdalene frowned as he reminded them of the song. She did remember it... remembered every word and the tune, in fact. But when it came to singing it, she doubted her voice would have the desired effect. It simply wasn't soothing, and she'd never been good at carrying a tune.
"My voice isn't meant for such things." She admitted. Her thoughts turned to earlier that morning, when her fellow Ranger had sung the song, her sweet voice bringing a spark of beauty to the dismal marsh. She didn't dare turn her head to look at the roan, but her ears flicked back, listening for her long-strided canter. "Little Bird... you crossed the landbridge alone, so I assume only one singer is needed. We will rely on you to get us across, if you are up to it."
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blueunicornj13
Exile Herd
We don't have a choice to stay. We'd rather die than do it your way.
Posts: 265
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Post by blueunicornj13 on Jun 28, 2015 10:16:33 GMT -5
Little Bird felt the sand shift under her weight as she walked across the uneven surface. The mud of the marsh still coated her legs and belly from where the muck had crept up and splashed her. Ugh! If she were to never set hoof in another marsh ever again, it would be too soon. While traveling and seeing new places was something that she always dreamed of and getting a little dirty had never bothered her, Little Bird decided that the Outland Marsh was someplace that she never really wanted to see again. There had to be better, prettier places in Chevalin to see that didn't involve getting covered in a thick layer of mud.
When the roan mare heard August talk about accompanying her to one of the Loner meetings at the Great Pine, it brought a smile to her face. She'd definitely make sure to take him to the next meeting, and perhaps she could teach him a little bit more about the way loners lived their lives and the different types of loners such as lurkers and thieves. It would sort of be like having her own little apprentice.
The Ranger's mind was brought back to the present as she heard Magdalene call after her daughter who had taken off for the water. Part of Little Bird wished to follow after her and trot through the breaking waves to wash off some of the mud that caked her pelt, but Bird contained herself, continuing on their walk toward the landbridge. She didn't want Q or Magdalene to think that she wasn't mature enough to handle this situation; she needed to act like an adult not like a foal... at least for now. When Magdalene broke out into a canter, Little Bird followed after her, gracefully carrying herself over the sand, and as Mags instructed, she kept a close eye out for the snakes that might be slithering around nearby.
Her brown eyes flicked toward the upcoming shape of the small oriel as he fluttered down to nestle himself into the Protector's forelock, and Little Bird had to stifle a chortle at the sight of Magdalene's obvious distaste for the bird in her mane. Her ears swiveled toward the spotted mare in front of her as she admitted that she didn't think that she could sing the song and had left it up to her to sing it alone for their safety across the bridge. "I can do it. I think can sing it loud enough so that everyone stays safe. We might need to travel a bit closer together to make sure no one gets left behind and bitten though, or perhaps, August, Keziah and Q can tag along after I begin." Little Bird added, casting a small, playful smile back toward the silent stallion. Goodness, how boring it must be to be so serious all of the time. "August, once we get to the bridge, stay close to me from there on out. I need to be able to get to you as quickly as possible if something happens, okay?" Little Bird looked down at the colt beside her, keeping her tone as kind and lighthearted as she could while also stressing the importance of her words. She didn't want to frighten him, but she needed him to understand that this could be a dangerous mission, and Little Bird couldn't imagine the guilt she would feel if something were to happen to the young horse.
Word Count: 580
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Post by dawnscoming on Jul 1, 2015 21:23:50 GMT -5
The young mare narrowed her eye's as she watched the oriel's decent, its brightly colored feathers shinning in the dull skies that blanketed the beach. It's wings shimmered lightly, catching Keziah's curiosity and a deep need to collect it bubbled up from a dark place. She had always been fascinated by shiny objects, much to her mother's dismay. It had even gotten her into trouble a few times. But that was years ago, back when wild foal imagination and recklessness ruled all. She wasnt that kind of mare now, she needed to grow up. Or at least, that's what she kept reminding herself.
Shaking the thought away, the grey mare bounded forward to retake her duty as Magdalene's 'wing-man.' It sounded better in her mind than just being a tag along that the white mare would not let out of her sight. She wanted to grow up and have adventures; something Mag's sorely disapproved of. And yet, there was still a small part of her that wanted to stand beside her mother forever. Maybe one day, as equals but that would be a long ways off.
Keziah's attention returned as she heard LittleBird speak her name, nodding slightly at whatever it was she had missed. The conversation filled in the details enough for a small lump to form in her throat. She didn't sing! Especially not in front of a bunch of strangers. They would defiantly all be eaten if she tried. Teal eye's cast a momentary glance towards her mom. Magdalene was no songbird either meaning they would be relying on Littlebird for this whole operation; unless August or the large dark stallion was well endowed with a beautiful voice. That, however, she doubted.
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Post by saintpumpkinmuffin on Jul 2, 2015 15:40:36 GMT -5
As the talking oriel landed down on Magdalene, August's face lit up, curious and charmed by the little creature. It still struck him as fantastic when distinguishable words left Castor's beak, although he'd heard it before. It seemed he wasn't the only one who found Castor fascinating. August caught Keziah staring at the bird herself. He couldn't quite read her expression.
The colt smiled in amusement as he heard Magadelene grumble and gripe about the bird's choice of landing space. After the dappled mare exchanged words with Little Bird, he was certain he heard Castor tweet something about 'hang around for moral support' in that rhyming why of his. Meanwhile, Little Bird turned to him. August nodded knowingly. The colt was smart enough to recognize that the roan was putting up a lighthearted facade for him, but August appreciated either way. She didn't have to be brave for the both of them; he wouldn't be a burden. As if to prove it to himself, August lifted his head higher and began humming very quietly the tune of the song, preparing himself.
The group was practically on the bridge now, and the light hissing of the water dwelling snakes was easily distinguishable from the sound of crashing waves.
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Post by queerly on Jul 2, 2015 23:16:13 GMT -5
The landbridge was nearly upon them. Through the shroud of fog Magdalene could see it, a sliver of land stretching into hazy oblivion, flanked on either side by squirming serpents.Their heads glittered oddly - were those gemstones? The Protector slid from a canter into a dead halt, spraying sand and, somehow, managing not to dislodge the oriel perched in her forelock. "Little Bird, come here." She called. She didn't take the eyes off the water as she spoke, tracking the glimmer of scales. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands of the little monsters drifting on the tide, squirming across and under one another. Just one bite...
Thirteen years worth of maternal instinct welled in Magdalene's throat. Why did she bring her daughter to this place? Keziah was her world, and two seasons ago she'd been all that mattered. Now Magdalene was, what, tromping across bogs and snake-infested bridges with her in tow? For strangers? The Protector shook her head. Now wasn't the time to second guess herself. Beasts knew when you were anxious, or so the nugget of Loner wisdom went.
"Little Bird, you'll be behind me. Keziah, August, you two will come next. Stick side by side where the bridge is wide enough, and single file when it gets thin. Q, you'll be at the end. Does everyone understand?" At their collective affirmation, Magdalene edged closer to the bridge. The snakes nearest began to hiss, some raising their heads from the sea to regard her.
"Start singing." Magdalene instructed. She took a breath, held it... and stepped out on to the bridge.
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blueunicornj13
Exile Herd
We don't have a choice to stay. We'd rather die than do it your way.
Posts: 265
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Post by blueunicornj13 on Jul 3, 2015 8:07:55 GMT -5
Little Bird caught the nervous glance that Keziah gave her mother when she mentioned her singing as well to the deadly snakes that they would be passing, and she couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "I was only kidding, Keziah. Don't worry. I'm not going to force you to sing, but if you feel up to it, I'm sure we'd all appreciate your help." She explained, hoping to ease the young mare's mind a tad. When her eyes shifted down toward August, she saw the colt's head lifted high and proud, and the sound of the song drifted toward her from his soft humming. Part of her wanted to protect his innocence, to not let him see how truly dangerous this mission truly was, but the other part of her had a feeling that he was a tough kid. His mother was absent in his life, and he had lived in the Olde city alone for who knew how long. Maybe she wanted him to have a childhood because she knew what it felt like to not have one.
Her brown eyes turned from the colt at her side to the ocean as the distinct sound of hissing underneath the sound of the waves crashing on the shore filled her ears. The scaly, shimmering bodied of the snakes could be seen, writhing in the ocean waves on either side of the landbridge. The Ranger snorted quietly and stopped when Magdalene halted in front of her. As the Protector called her forward, Little Bird obediently trotted to the other mare's side and swiveled her ears toward the spotted mare as she gave instruction to the group. "Yes, I understand." Little Bird affirmed, following closely behind Magdalene as they began walking closer to the hissing snakes.
The command to start singing wasn't needed, Little Bird had started the tune as soon as she had seen the snakes regarding them when they had stepped foot on the landbridge. The roan mare lifted her voice high enough where all the snakes around them would hopefully hear but light enough to charm them into not biting any one of them. She focused her attention on every word and note of the odd song she had learned from the witch, and as she watched, the snakes peered up at them with slitted pupils only to slither back into the sea as the song hit their ears. Little Bird could only hope that her voice could stay strong enough to keep this up. The landbridge wasn't exactly a short one, and she couldn't just stop singing to rest her voice. 'Please, don't let me fail and get one of my teammates killed.'
Word Count: 447
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Post by dawnscoming on Jul 9, 2015 19:35:13 GMT -5
Littlebird's light tune grew louder, rising over all the horses ears as they stepped one-by-one onto the thin line of earth that raised just above the water. Keziah's step was tentative as she approached, her muscles tensing as she began to notice the squirming bodies of the snakes beneath the waves. Her ears caught the sound of the ripples as they moved through the water with ease, light flicks of their tails causing small splashes to echo in the misting beach. But there is was again, the notes that hung in the air. She could hear the mares song, sweet against her tense pelt and slowly Keziah began to relax. The serpents were making no attempt to move over their hooves, content with the shallow waters as their bodies wriggled rhythmic to the little tune.
The adrenaline was slowly beginning to course through the mares veins, her steps more confident as she followed closely behind her mother. Again, she cast a sideways glance toward August, flashing him a quick smile before looking back to study the singing mare. Could it be that a song could calm a snake? She had never heard of such a thing until today. Carefully, quietly, she began to match the little tune; a hum forming deep within her throat. She kept is low, quiet, so it was barely audible beyond her own ears. But it made her feel more at ease, despite.
Beyond the song and the feint splashes of serpents, there was peace; a nearly unbearable silence as the small group moved over the bridge. The young mare leaned forward, straining to see beyond Magdalene's back end for any sign of new land but the mist was thick and desperate to hide it. It caused her to snort with frustration as she settled back into her place with a scowl. She was used to walking, that was not the problem. Ever since she was a small filly, she remembered traveling over the islands, through forest and desert, mountains and plains. One could even say she enjoyed it, the journey and the adventure. But today was far from her usual ground, fraught with nothing but mud and empty scenery. She would rejoice when they found land again but for now, all she could do was wallow in her boredom.
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