Leaftail
Bachelor Herd 
"I'm going to make everything around you beautiful and that will be my life."
Posts: 48 
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Post by Leaftail on Jul 17, 2015 20:24:00 GMT -5
‘Make fure you dun flip, Icaruff…’ Melia had told him and Icarus attempted to give the filly a grin, but realized she wouldn’t have been able to see it. It was really dark, like so dark he couldn’t see anything. “I gots it…I thinks…” he replied, glancing downward into the dark trying to see his legs. There were small rocks under his hooves and he was really kind of proud of himself for not slipping on them. Suddenly, something wet brushed his left side, making Icarus jump and bump into Melia. “Wats that…” he said, pinning his ears back. The colt’s bravery from earlier was slowly slipping away.
Miles pinned his ears back to listen to the foals when he heard Melia call his name. “What’s wrong?” he asked through Abel’s tail hairs, before Melia made him aware that the passageway might not be big enough for the two foals to be standing side by side. Even though he wasn’t a big horse, he felt the cave’s walls every few steps or so. He wasn’t sure if it was from him swaying as he walked or if the passage way was slowing thinning. If that was the case, the foals needed to be one behind the other.
Ebony called out about a low rock and Miles lowered his head for a few steps until he was sure he passed under the rock. The foals would be fine, but…”Careful…low rockth!” he called back to his mate and the others. Something dropped onto his back and started to crawl, making Miles shudder in attempt to get it off of him. It seemed like the group was going to run into minor problems here. Unsteady footing, narrow passageways and now bugs…
“Ifth the wallths geth too closeth...Icarusth geth in fronth of Melia so youth two can walk easier…” Miles told the foals, thinking it would be better to have the smaller of them in the front so Lotus wouldn’t have to bend too far.
“Are weth there yet!?” Icarus called, shaking his head. He wanted out of this tunnel, and away from these slimy walls. Suddenly, he could see again! An orb of light slowly moved past him as it headed towards the front of the group. He looked behind to see his mother concentrating and gave her a quick smile. Turning back around, he noticed the walls light up as the orb passed by each horse and his ears and heart dropped. Bugs were crawling up and down of all shapes and sizes. The colt had never seen so many in one place. Wait…what was that hanging from the ceiling!? A furry-winged creature disturbed by Casper’s orb opened its eyes and dropped from the rocky ceiling, flying away from the line of horses to find a darker area to sleep in.
Icarus bumped into his dad’s back legs, trying to stay close to someone he knew who could protect him.
The blue roan stallion felt Icarus and shook his head. ‘Poor thing…’ he thought, happy to see again as Casper’s orb went past him too. “Keepth ith upth Casper!” he called back to his mate. He was awed by her gift and was grateful that it was coming in handy.
Word Count: 538 | Post 15 | +1 Tier
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Post by ponybones on Jul 18, 2015 10:35:52 GMT -5
(( Congratulations! You are nearing the end of your plot - please post just one 'summation' post for your character following this to wrap up your character's role in the Objective!)) |
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Post by ponybones on Jul 18, 2015 11:34:12 GMT -5
Sheva's brows were furrowed in determination as she put one hoof in front of the other, feeling out the impenetrable darkness in front of them, the first to explore the unknown that lay ahead. She didn't fear for her life so much as she feared failure, making the entire train turn around again, if they ever even reached a part in the tunnel where that was physically possible, for the walls had started to close in quite tightly now, scraping against her sides and taking hairs with it. More than once her soft fleshy nose found a stalagtite piercing down from the cave's roof, which she either broke off or warned those behind her about. In the end, she was cold, and bleeding from various wounds, sensitive parts of her body swollen from the beating the hail had provided earlier. She smiled slightly hearing the others talk to one another, and hope rose like a bird within her chest - these few were going to see freedom...or at least that's what she figured Cain had intended, now that she had a while to ponder it. However she hoped the budding 'herd' would not be left to her for long - responsibility like that, she wasn't sure she could take, especially with the political climate as it was, and Klaus so ominously showing his face. The mare swallowed hard, trying not to think such negative things. She shook her head free of the thoughts and plunged forward.
Her crimson eyes had almost got used to the total blackness when suddenly something shimmered out of the corner of her eye, and an orb of light came dancing before her. As it passed, it revealed insects that Sheva couldn't care less about, and animal droppings that the mare knew even less about. What it showed, was life was possible...but for an equine? Her answer came soon enough at a dead end. The orb illuminated enough that there were no offshoots, and the ceiling was vaulted enough to allow Lunar Ravens and bats to roost above. "Please no..." Sheva whispered to herself, pressing against the walls as if they would simply crumble at her will. Her ear, pressed against the rock, heard the noises of the outdoors, the pattering of the hail, perhaps softened to rain, on the rock face. They were so close. Sheva dropped to her knees, a guttural scream escaping her in frustration, tears slipping from her eyes. As her tears fell and the orb's light flickered, she saw...something, maybe a root, suddenly jut out from the wall that opposed her. It was alarming, and caused her to jump back to her hooves, and the growth immediately stopped. "What in the world..." Bat-Sheva muttered, staring at it as if she wished it to move again...and it did. Another root sprouted and dug into the rock. She backed away from whatever witchcraft was occurring, as much as the group behind her would allow, her eyes wide with fear. "Do you see this?" She whispered to Niya, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, the sound of it overwhelming the scratching of the thousands of legs of the millipedes crawling above them, the squawks of the ravens.
When the root was in her peripheral vision, it stayed still, and her heart started to calm, but when she watched it with her full attention, the thing began to grow rapidly, weaving throughout the crevices of the wall. Swallowing her fear, almost literally with the lump that had formed there, Sheva forced herself to put all of her attention on it. Vague recollections started dancing behind her mind, a meeting with a grey-maned mare that she swore was a dream, the flash of power transferred. Sheva found her eyes clenched shut without remembering how she got there, and then, the wall crumbled with a deafening crash, boulders rolling towards them at high speed as a gust of fresh air and the sound of soft rain rushed to them. "Get back!" Sheva yelled, pushing herself against those in the line behind her, using all of her weight to shove them backwards and away from the dangerous force of the rocks. However, ss they finally settled, Sheva let out a little breath of triumph, her whole body quivering with excitement and use of her...gift. Her gift. The thought was foreign and strange, forbidden to her for so long. More unbidden tears streaked down her cheeks at the merry realization, however it was short lived as the ravens all suddenly flew from their roost and out the new hole, the bats following frantically. Her ears swiveled and she heard the roar of disaster - the rest of the cave was falling, its integrity having faltered when it lost this supporting wall. "Everyone out!" She screamed, her eyes frantically trying to find safe places to put her hooves, as the fallen boulders looked like a death trap for any horse.
Sheva about reached the exit, finding the path, but realized the small young ones would not be able to leap most of these on their own, there wasn't enough time. "Miles, grab Icarus!" She yelled as she stepped aside, allowing the other adults free access to the exit. As the group moved in a frenzy, Sheva grabbed Melia by the crest of her neck and flung her on the back of Abel as he passed, knowing he was strong enough to make the hurdles for two. She helped any that needed assistance, feeling the ground quake beneath her hooves. "Let's go!" She bellowed, before making the last jump herself, feeling a falling rock just graze her side, but then another - which drove directly into her hip. She cried out, feeling the bone shatter instantly, and with her last ounce of adrenaline, Sheva's unwounded hind leg forced the rest of her free of the collapse and out into the cold.
As she lay there, the rain softly kissing her face in a haze, she looked around at where they had exited - a cirque, in the middle of the mountains, enclosed and untouched by equines before. As winter was upon them, vegetation was low to the ground and scarce, however there were tall, proud pine trees that offered ample protection from the elements, hugged up against one of the far rock walls. Of all places to be trapped and wounded, this was certainly the most beautiful, but with the way back collapsed, trapped was certainly what they were. As consciousness faded, her gaze landed on the crumbled pile of rubble she had created, and from the top of it, grew a single wild rose.
Word Count:// 1110 | Post 16 | +1 TP |
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NaporieRizia
Bachelor Herd
Servatis a periculum. Servatis a maleficum.
Posts: 96
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Post by NaporieRizia on Jul 18, 2015 12:38:55 GMT -5
The large mare was not usually closterphibic, but such a tight, dark cave could make anyone feel sick. She streigned to see anything ahead of her but all she could make out was the light rump of the mare in front of her. She being so tall certainly wasn't any help at the moment either. Though after hitting her head once on a low-hanging rock she made sure to hold it down her nose down to her knees as she carefully shuffled over the cave ground. Her sides brushed the sides of the cave painfully no matter how she tried to adjust or shift. She was just too big to simply walk between the narrow way. To say the least, things seemed to have gone from miserable to worse. The only thing she could be thankful for was her agility. She wouldn't say she was some goat yet, but she was quite steady on her hooves and on this slick ground that was very useful.
Niya was quite distracted by the narrow walls and low hanging ceiling that she hardly noticed what was going on around her. It wasn't until she saw the little speck of light that floated over her head and lit the way ahead. Her ears flicked and she shifted to tilt her head, looking back at the others in wonder of such a thing. We're one of them doing it? She didn't get much of a chance to think on this though when Sheva stopped in front of her. Her attention was drawn forward again and that was when she saw it - a dead end. Her ears pinned back, momentarily refusing to accept that they were trapped but as the spotted mare in front of her fell to her knees she was faced with the reality. This was it. They were done. Certainly they couldn't go back, not in this narrow of a cave. They could hardly move as it was, let alone turn around. They could perhaps back out... But that would be tiring and dangerous. Did they really have a choice though?
Niya let out a quiet shriek of surprise when Sheva cried out. Just then the mare jumped backwards, bumping her nose. She threw her head up in reaction as she took a few careful steps backwards, grimacing when she slammed her pole against the hard Rock above them. Stars danced about, momentarily clouding her vision. She was asked if she saw that... Whatever that was she didn't know, too busy shaking off the pain in her head as the sounds around her echoed about. She may have blacked out a moment, but it wasn't long. The next thing she knew the spotted mare was pressing against her, urging her and the others back. She stammered as she backed, her hooves dancing on the hard slippery ground, almost causing her to sit on her rump at one point.
One moment they were moving backwards and the next they were being ordered to move forward. Everything was all happening so quickly that the dazed mare could hardly make out what was happening. Frightened she jumped forward, hitting her head once again. She bit her lip to hold back a cry, a small trickle of blood dripping down her chin. More orders were being called out but she couldn't make out any of them. All she could think about was getting out. Fear ran through her body, telling it that she needed to escape. The walls on either side reached for her and the rocks falling from above threatened to strike her already throbbing head. In front of her was a way out now though and she took it. Lunging forward she took several unsteady strides before she regained her usual stability. Her large hooves rolled over crumbling rocks and her hide brushed the sharp walls.
Suddenly there was a low-hanging stone in front of her. At her speed there was no chance of going around or dodging it. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact but it never came. Peeking one eye open she suddenly remembered. Idiot how could she forget about her gift. She'd used it not long ago. No longer jumping over the large holders that stood in her way she ran through them. With one more jump she leaped forward, flying out of that wretched cave. She stumbled as she landed, tripping and falling over. She rolled once before she stood up. Emerald eyes were wide as she looked back at the place she had just exited, hoping, praying that everyone made it out safely. "Is everyone alright?!" She called between deep breaths, scanning the area to do a mental count of the bodies present. As she did so, she noticed where they were. A beautiful place, yes... But she saw no way out. Trapped? But they couldn't be... Could they? A wave of fear ran through her once more, causing her whole body to shiver at the idea. They were trapped!
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Post by cactussis on Jul 18, 2015 17:31:39 GMT -5
Melia tried to step closer to Icarus, hoping that the space between both of them and the tunnel’s walls would ease. However, she could hear soft scraping noises as the rocks brushed against the adults. Its cold touch escaped no one, it seemed. Melia figured she thought the same as everyone else: it better not get any crowded than this, if they wished to continue.
Precious light suddenly made its presence – but not from a crack on the wall or an opening in front of them, but from behind. It moved closer, gently passing by as it reached further ahead to light the way of their leader, as well as Casper exclaimed in the back. Cas knew how to make floating lights? She had done that? Melia had had no idea! Once the light had stopped blinding her – even the dimmest of light pained her sensitive eyes at this point – it was still a dark underworld that met her eyes. Insects. Bugs and moths that had hid in the shadows was disturbed by the light and revealed as the group slowly passed by and unfortunately had one or two of them fall upon their wet coats. Melia tugged a little more onto Miles’ tail as they walked on, watching the moths clumsily flutter their wings above their heads with mixed feelings.
It should not have stopped so abruptly, now that they had found life inside. Nocturnal life, but life all the same that hid and survived from the weather they had escaped. But apparently there it was – a dead end. Melia did not personally see it, but the adults had stopped and a devastated howl echoed painfully across the tunnel as Sheva dropped to her knees far ahead. Melia would never forget that terrible sound, or how she tried to press herself away from Miles and Icarus in a desperate act to see – to reach – the crying mare.
“Mama?!”, she cried anxiously, grunting as the tunnel was too tight to allow her passage without difficulties. A moth got stuck in her mop of wet hair as she hugged the wall determinately and she tried to shake it off without much success. Damn this cave! Damn this tunnel! No wonder she had never been in one before – this was horrible! What would they do now?!
Surely there had been no other choice but walk back – literally backwards – if her Mama had not found something there by the dead end’s wall. At least Melia thought it was something she had found, until the cracking sound of rock deafened her ears and she was suddenly pressed against Lotus as the group recoiled.
A silence before the storm emitted and blissful light shone through the cave’s newly created exit, offering a glimpse of the world outside and the smell of rain and wet rock. Melia bumped her muzzle against Icarus’ shoulder to see if he was okay before a terrible rumble growled from within the tunnel and blue-eyed ravens as well as bats screeched as they made their escape – Bat-Sheva hollered they would have to get out as well.
Suddenly there was no time to lose! Everything happened in slow-motion, yet so fast and the happenings around her became a blur as Melia fought with the others to rush to the exit in time. She thought she had told Lotus to hurry, she must have. But her memory faded as panic arose and her hooves had trouble fumbling their way across the boulders. Falsely did it feel like she was the last to go when she climbed onto the giant pile of rubble and she sobbed by the time her foster mother suddenly grabbed a hold of her and threw her as if she was light as air onto her brother. Melia yanked whatever she could get a hold of on Abel – whether it was his mane or actual skin, she could not remember – in order to keep herself from slipping as she in one moment was still inside the crumbling cave, and in the next outside.
The ground was hard and unpleasant once she let go and fell. She tumbled together with the sound of painful thuds and wet grass squishing underneath her weight, before she finally stopped and blinked suspiciously with her eyes, uncertain whether nothing was broken on her. She saw the mountains above and a drop of water touched her eye as she stared directly at the sky, realizing that it was indeed raining. Her eyes rolled exhaustedly, wishing only to sleep for a little, little while before she would have to face the reality that this place, wherever and whatever it was, would be their new home when she awoke.
| Word Count: 781 |
| Post: 12 | +1 TP |
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Leaftail
Bachelor Herd
"I'm going to make everything around you beautiful and that will be my life."
Posts: 48
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Post by Leaftail on Jul 18, 2015 18:02:17 GMT -5
As his son’s question echoed in his mind, Miles hoped they would be out of this tunnel soon. He didn’t know how to answer him, seeing as the train of horses still kept moving. He couldn’t tell how long they had to go, as his view was blocked by the horses in front of him, but the glow of the orb told him that it was finally reaching the front of the line. Hopefully that would help Sheva in guiding them easier through this passage. Though, as soon as the thought flitted through his mind the horses in front of him slowed and stopped. Miles pinned his ears back as he couldn’t see what was going on with the front of the line, trying to keep the on-coming panic from taking over him. Now was not the time to show his son that he was afraid.
Icarus almost walked into his father as the blue roan stopped, and he tilted his head. “Whas going on?” he asked, before spitting his dad’s dark tail hairs out of his mouth. “Why did we stop?”
“Dunno yet…just stay quiet, I’m trying to listen…” Miles replied, flicking his ears forward to try and catch Sheva’s words. Seconds ticked away and they felt like minutes, and soon the horses in front of him were suddenly backing up, as if frightened by something. “Icarus, Melia, back up…” Miles instructed to the foals as he tried to keep from stepping on them.
Icarus did as he was told, though as soon as he took a few steps Sheva’s voice rang out. ‘Everyone out!’ The little foal blinked and he looked up to his father, who’s expression slowly changed from stoic to shocked. “She’s not kidding guys, let’s go! The tunnel is caving in!” Miles said to the back of the line, twisting around as best as he could to get the foals in front of him. They needed to be in front so that they weren’t left behind. “Icarus, go with Melia! I’ll be right behind you!” Miles started, before looking to Lotus and the others. “Grange, get Lotus and Casper out! Watch your footing!” He trusted the champagne stallion to keep his mate and Lotus safe. With that, Miles twisted back around to come up behind the foals.
Sheva called out to him to get his son, while she appeared and grabbed Melia, tossing the filly onto Abel’s back. Miles obeyed without question, grabbing Icarus by his scruff and tossing him onto his own back. Icarus screamed in terror as the walls started to crumble around him, and let out a yelp when he was lifted off his feet. As he tried to cling to his father, he looked back, his eyes frantically searching for his mother and Grange. “Come on mommy!” he called, hoping his voice would help her.
Miles twisted around the fallen boulders and ducked his head as lunar ravens flew from their disturbed perch. “Icarus, keep your head down!” he said, as another raven flew past them. Just a few more strides…
With a strong leap, Miles and Icarus blasted out of the tunnel. As Miles landed, and as with Niya, he felt himself stumbling over his own legs, his momentum sending him sliding across the ground until his front legs gave and he tumbled over. Icarus yelped and jumped off his dad, kicking Miles in the side to keep his father from falling on him. Miles felt his breath leave him for a moment, and once he stopped rolling, he took a moment to breathe and let the world stop spinning.
“Mommy! Uncle Grange!” Icarus called, scrambling to his feet.
“Icarus..stay here! I don’t need a rock falling on you!” Miles shouted, shaking his head and getting up. Icarus ducked his head and waited until he could see his mother and the others. Sheva brought up the back, though it looked as if she was limping. He then looked around, noticing the tall trees that kept them protected from the rain that was falling. The tunnel had caved in completely; there was no going back now. The colt looked frightened as he realized he really wasn’t going to see Felicity or Taavi or any of the other Bachelor foals again. Once he found Casper, he raced up to her, finding comfort between her legs.
Word Count: 723 | Post 16 | +1 Tier
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Post by paperwingsranch on Jul 18, 2015 21:49:22 GMT -5
Casper pointedly ignored the strange and creepy creatures her light uncovered in favor of forcing all her energy and focus into maintaining the light and walking forward. Her concentration faltered --causing the orb to flicker slightly-- as the train of horses in front of her stopped. No, it couldn't be a dead end, could it? The palomino's ears pinned in fear at the thought, knowing she would be unable to bear it if it were true. Unfortunately for her Sheva's cry confirmed all of her fears, causing her stomach to roll with a terrified nausea.
She swiveled her head around to look behind her, blue eye wide and fearful, and scraping her muzzle on the cave wall in the process. Though before she could even get another breath into her now over-working lungs everything began to move, and quite literally too. At Sheva's yell Casper stumbled back awkwardly, though it didn't take her long to be grateful for the spotted mare's warning --even if in her startled state she'd lost control of the light and the orb was whisked from existence. It hardly mattered anymore, Casper knew they had somehow, by some miracle, found a way out.
Her relief at this realization was extremely short-lived however, as almost immediately it was obvious the cave wouldn't hold up much longer. Casper's first instinct was to find Icarus and get him to safety before anything else, and she stumbled forward --exhausted from the use of her still under-practiced gift-- to try and find her son. She was soothed slightly by Sheva's order to Miles to simply carry the small roan, and a sight escaped her as she saw her mate move quickly out through the newly-opened hole with Icarus is tow.
Getting herself up and out was a whole other thing. With vision only on one side Casper had always found it difficult to find her footing on difficult terrain as she couldn't always see where she was putting her hooves down. She stumbled on the way up the rock, but soon found Sheva there to push her forward and out into beautifully fresh air. The scarred mare heaved several trembling breaths, legs shaking as she panted in her exhaustion. She was vaguely aware of the fact that she was bleeding from several wounds scattered across her pelt from various hazards they had encountered, but couldn't bring herself to care. What were a few more scars after all?
She looked up and around herself then, seemingly just noticing where they had all emerged. The grass and plant life beneath her hooves was short with the winter chill, though she was sure it would all look quite wonderful come spring. All around them stood tall trees which reached gracefully towards the sky which still seemed intent soaking them straight through. She could only hope none of them would fall sick because of it.
It was in that moment Casper realized a very important detail about this strange sort of mini-paradise they'd quite literally stumbled upon. There was no way out. The only way in --that was visible at least-- was now nothing more than a crumpled pile of stone. One that had nearly killed them all at that. That thought brought a slight sharpness back to the mare's tired mind. Her gaze was quickly cast about her as she mentally took stock of who was there, only relaxing when everyone was accounted for.
As it was, however, that small adrenaline rush was the last bit of strength she could muster lest she collapse. Which would be a bad idea as she suddenly found the place under her belly be taken by a small --and most likely frightened half to death-- colt. She noticed too that Sheva had fallen, and seemed to be unconscious, but the palomino was sure that if she tried to take a step towards the other mare now that her legs would give out. Needless to say she didn't fancy the idea of having her son escape falling boulders only for him to be crushed under her.
"Hush baby," She nickered softly, though Icarus hadn't said a word to her, as she leaned down to nuzzle at him comfortingly, "everything will be alright now." She hoped she sounded convincing despite her shaking limbs. She looked up again, catching her mate's eye and smiling softly at him before doing the same to Grange; glad that if they were trapped, at least they were all trapped together.
words: 741
post 14: +1 tier
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Post by gingerlisous23 on Jul 19, 2015 17:15:03 GMT -5
As if one bug wasn't enough, she could hear hundreds of them crawling about the cave walls. She struggled to stay strong for them. She was suppose to be brave. The last thing she wanted to do was to show her big brother that she was afraid like a wittle filly. She shook her head pressing to move forward.
As an orb of light was shining through, it gave her heart a leap of joy. Finally! They can see! Yet the shadows of bugs and bots didn't make the happiness last very long. A lump formed in her throat making her freeze from talking or even whimpering. The mule never seen so many in a tight spot...talk about being claustrophobic.
The line stopped as she looked about in confusion "Weth here?" She asked confused. Then the scream from her mistress made the Mule go in a full panick! She haven't heard her like that before! Something must have gone terribly wrong! "Mistressth??!! Mistressth??!! " She called out for her lady. The molly couldn't move from her spot as the ground shook a bit "Whath...Niyath! Wasth going onth??" asking the mare in front. She peered about seeing only what the light provided. ROOTS?? Not much reaction was made from this new ability as she was shoved back into Abel. "Uggh! Whats happening!" Letting go of Niya's tail as she shouted. Everything was moving so fast!! The molly only heard the next order as the whole cave seemed to be crumbling about as a exit was made known to the others. The falling of the rocks made the mule follow the others as the foals were taken. The others moved as fast as they could to get out.
Her face soon met a lunar raven as it hit her face from the disturbance. The little creature clung on as it started to peck towards her eye. "OW OW!! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!OW OW!! GET OFF!" She screamed as rock fell against her side just cutting over her old scar making her wail in pain. Though adrenaline took over as the mule made it across stumbling onto the outside just as the tunnel was caving in. Throwing herself to tumble to the others, the raven was crushed by the weight of her body. The creature gave off its last breath laying on the grass bleeding from its mouth.
The bird was dead, finally.Ebony's right eye was bled from the pecks. The wounds were't severe...The bird only aimed an inch from her eyeball. So her sight was saved; but left with puncture wound. It throbbed as she struggled to get to her feet. The molly shivered looking about with one eye as her right closed. The soft cold rain washing away the blood trickling down her face and shoulder. The mule was partially "Wh-where are we.." she murmured. This place...so unfamiliar. Definitely not the fields of the bachelor lands anymore. The mule took a minute before she started looking frantically. "Abel!..abel!...Madam!..." Where was her family??! Seeing the others it lifted the weight off of her chest. Everyone was safe...injured some..but safe..
"Madam!." Finally spotting Sheva as her tired body slowly walked over to her side. "I'm coming...madam...I'm...coming..." The emotional toll of the event was so much for the mule's small frame. Her ribs clenched with her aching breath smoking into the cold. At least the trees provided a safe haven from the worst of the weather. Yet even with that couldn't stop her from falling just a foot from her lady brood. "..Madam...I'm...here..." she rested with eyes on Sheva's feet.
Post 8: 614 words
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