Exile Plot 002 : Defending your Homeland

Galloway - Scout - Exile

The sounds of Khazada coughing up the ash made Gallow feel bad, but he couldn’t think of anything else to really surprise the bears. He nodded at Khazada and gave her a smile. "Better late then never huh?" He chuckled and flung another hoof at one of the bears. Finally, one of the bears had had enough. He turned tail and lumbered away releasing disgruntled roars at his partner telling him he had enough.

Gallow watched as Khazada chased it farther away, giving it a few more last minute kicks and curses as it disappeared into the night. Gallow knew it wouldn’t leave the island, but at least it would mind its own business when the herd moved back onto their rightful land.

As Khazada followed the bear until it disappeared over the hill, Gallow jumped in with Delvin to attack and drive away the other bear. His heart was lifting at the sight of the first bear leaving and the fact that the end of the mission was nearing. Even though the fact that this group of horses would split up and go their different ways. He felt great having made some actual friends and didn’t want to loose them after everything. He glanced at the bay paint stallion, his breath uneven with each hit he threw at the last bear and the two horses, Outlaw and Amarante resting at the cope of dead trees, and the dun draft charging after the retreating bear. This was a great group of horses who were strong and admirable. Of course he never wanted to loose these new found friends.

With Delvin pounding away at the other bear who seemed more stubborn and intent on standing his ground Gallow joined and tried to kick the bear in its sides by circling it. He hoped that with two horses attacking it from all different sides would finally knock it down a peg and send it fleeing into the darkness.

The bears bellows was becoming obnoxious so Gallow screamed back right into one of its tiny fuzzy ear. The creature stopped bellowing and shook it’s head looking out around it kind of dazed. Gallow rammed his shoulder into the bear’s shoulder and started moving the large creature backwards while it was still dazed. He hoped with Delvin, Khazada and himself this last bear would be gone lickety-split.

Post: #12
Word Count: 398
+1 TP

Amarante - Scount- Exiles

Amarante blushes at his comment, she was far from innocent so she knew what he meant by that statement.  'But there is a time and place for everything.' she though getting more comfortable. She wondered briefly if she should rejoin the others  after this. She could help a little while outlaw  rested.  She giggled to herself, swatting him with her tail. "Your supposed to be resting not making comments like that." she said jokingly. She giggled moving her tail while he finished trimming it. She stood there looking at him, assessing him to she ifhe was well enough to leave alone. He was still bleeding but it couldn't be helped. His best chance was to get to the medic soon as possible.

"Outlaw, I'm going to go help the others. We will get you help soon." she said. She assessed her leg, if she didn't run to quickly she wouldn't hurt it much more. She cantered towards the other, noting one bear was gone. If she got to them they would have no problem taking out the other bear. She was wounded too but not as badly as outlaw, and though her should wound burned she ignore it, When she got to the fight she reared to her full height, screaming at the bear to leave.

219 words

Khazada-Guard-Exiles

Despite being exhausted as she was and out of breath, the draft mare lengthened her stride just as she finally reached Delvin and Gallow. Once again Khazada slid on her hindquarters, sending another wave of ash at the remaining bear. With her ears pinned back, Khazada snapped her teeth at the beast before she struck out with her hooves again, the adrenaline in her veins keeping her going at that moment. Her whole neck, shoulders, and chest were stained with sweat from her efforts but Khazada continued to lash out with her hooves, her amethyst gaze only showing her own fury she had that this bear hadn't turned tail and retreated.

However Khazada didn't miss Amarante join in. Not wanting the smaller mare to risk getting more injured then she already was, Khazada gave the smaller mare a forceful push away from the bear just as the draft took her place. "Get back to Outlaw! Your not fit for this!" Khazada ordered, giving Amarante a look, as if daring for her to argue. She was sure she came across being rather bossy about it but Khazada didn't wish to see the smallest member of their group turn out like Outlaw. And if that meant making her stay out of the blunt of the fighting, then so be it. But as a guard, she wouldn't let the smaller mare get even more hurt then she already was, and besides Khazada had strength and height over the mare if she had to use it. Though Khazada hoped the mare would see reason with what the draft was trying to do.

(Word Count: 269
Post #14 +1 tier)

This time, the oddly marked Guard did notice Amarante's blush. It was very faint to him in the dark, but it was still there. Just barely. A weak chuckle left him but wasn't directed at the smaller mare, for he didn't feel how he used to. He didn't see the blush as an invitation, but only as an instance. Outlaw sighed as he remembered the last time he took that very expression as an invitation, and paid the price. Bitterness engulfed his chest for a moment, gripping his heart and making it ache as the scene of the rejection played through his mind. It wasn't a lovesick 'woes-me' ache, it was a good pain. It hurt, but that pain taught the Guard a lesson that he had to be learn. Don't lead someone on where no love could ever blossom.

When the horse standing above him replied to his innuendo, all he did was smile and small nod. "Right right...resting." he murmured, his ears flicked backwards and his dark brown eyes downcast. The stallion definitely felt more than a little under the weather by now, and not just because of the pulsing gashes on his once beautiful face. Those negative thoughts coupled with the voice making itself known once again on top of the fuzzy feeling was enough to make him irritable and indisposed. But he kept it to himself, for Amarante didn't deserve to be lashed out at. She had only tried to help him this entire time. Well...until now. The young Scout announced that she was going to help finish off the last stubborn bear. Outlaw parted his lips to object to her departure because the thought of being alone ailed him though he would never admit it, but before he could say a word she was already off without a breath's hesitation. Now his ears flattened and he pushed up against the tree she propped him up on to try to get comfortable now that he lay in solitude to watch the fight he should be participating in.

All alone and covered in blood once again. What a pretty picture, albeit a familiar one. chided the snarky voice in Outlaw's head, instantly reminding him of when he had fought his own father and left the Bachelors. That was the last time the voice managed to take control of him before that night. The air rushed through his nostrils in frustration as he replied inwardly, Shut up. Thinking about that isn't going to help, it's in the past and there's nothing I can do to change it. The voice sighed wistfully, sarcastically as it continued, Oh I suppose you're right. But you know, if you never left this would never have happened to you. You could've been loved by many a mare back on the Eastern Isle, but instead you're living on a land ravaged by fire and permanently marred. No self respecting Exile mare would be interested in a stallion with such repulsive marks on his face. This time the snort that left the injured horse was angrier. Outlaw was almost ready to ram his head against the tree to attempt knocking himself out completely cold so he wouldn't have to listen to this anymore. But doing that in this state would likely kill him. Even the audacious stallion knew that. You're the one who made me go at those bears like that rather than get them to chase me or something!

While Outlaw was arguing with some part of himself, the second team seemed to have finished off the second bear. They would be over soon to help him up so they could go home, with luck that is.

That's where you're wrong, Outlaw. I only offered that option up to you...you are the one that took it.


Word Count: 635
Post #: 15
+1 Tier

Delvin - Scout - Exiles

The bay scout stood on all fours again, sides heaving as he watched the beast lumber away into the burnt forest. It was about bloody time, stubborn oafs, he thought, giving the fleeing bear a snort for good measure. Khala and the rest of the herd would be happy to hear there were two less Ash Bears roaming around on their territory.

The stallion couldn't say he was happy, however. Outlaw had nearly lost his life, and Amarante didn't look in good health either as she limped away after her stunt on the rocks. Khazada, Galloway, and himself weren't any worse for wear, though he suspected they'd all be sleeping like the dead tonight. Delvin gave himself a hearty shake, attempting but ultimately failing to rid his coat of the ash and gore that covered it.

"Gallow, how is Outlaw?" he asked the spotted stallion, giving the younger horse a look that conveyed a deeper message. Would the ambitious guard make it or not?

"And how about the rest of you, eh? That wasn't an easy fight by any means; you should all be proud of yourselves," he continued, looking over the rest of the team. Setback after setback seemed to be hitting the Exiles lately, but somehow they were all still standing. And now they were one step closer to regaining control of their island. Delvin could only hope the other teams had had comparable success.

"We need to be gettin'  back before mornin' comes around," he continued, "Let's go see if we can figure out how we'll get Outlaw back."

(266)

Outlaw's visible deep brown eye observed the conclusion of the long, strenuous brawl with confidence and hidden concern. He found that the more he filled his mind with other horses rather than what would happen to himself, the less inclined the voice was to speak. Distancing himself from himself made the situation easier to cope with for the time being. Nothing was stopping him from taking care of his own issues when he was by himself later on. His tense posture against the burnt black tree he was leaning on finally relaxed a little as the second bear turned tail and began lumbering away after it's counterpart. The Guard wanted to get up and chase their sorry asses not just off The Southern Isle, but off the very edges of the planet and out into space. But obviously he was in no position to do such a thing, laying there covered in his own blood. How he longed for it to be something else's. But Outlaw blinked rapidly for a few seconds to clear his thoughts just in time to see his team making their way back over to him. They're coming back. We can finally get back and tell Khala that those bears won't be coming back anytime soon. If they are strong enough to support me...I don't think I can walk that far by myself. What am I thinking. It's just walking, I can do it myself. the stallion thought to himself as he lurched to his hooves as carefully as he could manage as to not crack the somewhat clotting blood.

But as he stood there awaiting the fatigued horses to reach him, his visible eye narrowed. Galloway and Delvin were murmuring to each other with their heads close together, their ears flicked in his direction. They're probably talking about how to get me back in this state...All this blood loss isn't good for traveling. thought Outlaw to himself with a sigh. With his luck he'd pass out on them and they'd all have to take turns dragging him back. Just the thought of him getting dragged though the ash and getting even more covered with the stuff was enough to make his frame shiver. Finally, the other horses reached him and asked if he was fit to walk.

"Yes, I can walk. I'll be fine." the stallion assured the fellow Guard with a smile. None of the others had spoken to him yet, so until they did, Outlaw decided to save his strength and stay quiet. However before the party managed to make it so much as thirty lengths, Galloway spoke...of two Peridium that were following them. And they seemed to be after him! The scent of his blood seemed to be too much of a temptation for the starving beats. Outlaw's black tipped ears flicked backwards in frustration at Galloway's order...the order to surround and protect him from a scruffy moose and her little wretch. As the new wave of predators approached the group, the strangely marked stallion's nostrils fluttered with a soft snort. His visible eye narrowed and made contact with the eye of the mother Peridium Moose. The look he gave her was a threatening one, an aggressive move especially for him. One that almost dared her to lunge and try to hurt him. It would seem that Outlaw was having none of the nonsense he had received from the bears. There was no way he wouldn't land a blow in a second fight now that he was on his hooves and able to move.

All of this was fueled by the infuriating fuzzy feeling in the Guard's mind that distorted his way of thinking. He no longer seemed to want to avoid the inevitable fight even in his critical condition. His body language reflected this, even when no words confirmed it.


Word Count: 639
Post #: 16
+1 Tier