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Post by bellasuem on Sept 19, 2014 16:12:36 GMT -5
((An RP between BlueUnicornJ13's Ryder and Bellasuem's Delvin, both of the Exile Herd. It takes place during the end of the first week the Exiles stayed on their rented land in Bachelor territory.))
The bay stallion felt himself going stir-crazy. Slowly but surely, he was beginning to loathe this island more and more. First their mares are traded for land, then they're forced to agree to hand over even more if they stay longer than the initial time-frame the Bachelors gave them. He wouldn't even think about how the brutes had asked for their children, too. Monsters, the whole miserable, useless lot of them. He could barely believe he'd felt bad for killing a couple of them all those years ago. He'd jump at the opportunity now, if it was given to him. He may be getting older, but that didn't mean a thing to him yet. He was still perfectly capable, he could feel it.
Not that it mean't a damn thing at the moment. He had been pacing the same patch of land for almost the entire week the herd had been here, and he was itching to get something done. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anything to get done. The Exiles had been restricted to their patch of grazing land, and from what he understood, the rest of the island was off limits. Delvin didn't see himself abiding by that rule for much longer, though.
He finally stopped in his pacing, and stared down at the worn grass with a look of disdain. He snorted and stomped one great hoof down in resolution. He was done being penned up like a hostage. If the Bachelors wanted to take their mares in exchange for a field of grass, he'd make them pay for it somehow.
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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 Sept 19, 2014 16:52:21 GMT -5
Ryder stared blankly at the tall grass in front of him. The way toward new places and things to discover. 'Too bad it's guarded by a bunch of brutes,' he thought with a disdainful snort. His blue eyes searched the herd. Everyone seemed to be okay. A few of them had sores and scratches that probably needed to be looked at for infection, but if he didn't have any herbs, there was no point. He closed his eyes with a sigh, not wanting to see his herd in such need. His heart ached to help them, and then it filled with something else: anger. Anger at the Bachelors for keeping them cooped up here. If it weren't for them, he could help these horses, help his friends and family. For a moment, his mind went back to the days when he had been a killer. A murderer that did the most awful deeds to benefit others. In that moment, Ryder wanted nothing more than to be that horse again. A horse with some dignity and pride that would protect his herd no matter what. If it came down to life or death, he'd lay his life on the line for sure. A steady feeling of guilt and regret had filled his heart during his short time on this island. His first love had rejecting him all because he hadn't admitted that he had loved her. Granted that she probably wouldn't have changed her mind about her feelings for that other stallion, Rowan. The brown paint sighed heavily. He needed to get out of here even for just a little while to do something that might benefit his herd and himself.
He glanced around the group once more, searching for a guard that seemed trustworthy enough to ask for help. Ryder's eyes finally fell on a lone stallion. The red tobiano seemed restless as he stared at the grass. Something about him drew Ryder closer. Clearing his throat as he drew nearer, he spoke. "Hi. My name's Ryder. I'm a scout, and I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me while I look for herbs and stuff," he said, looking at an injured horse. "They could really use some supplies."
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 19, 2014 17:42:27 GMT -5
Delvin halted in his tracks and turned an irritated glare upon the unfamiliar horse. He wasn't acquainted with many of his herd members - and that was intentional - but sometimes it proved annoying. He'd definitely never met this stallion before, but he looked competent enough to go off on his own. A bitter reply was about to leave his mouth, but Delvin thought better of it. It would be unwise to run off looking for a fight, but if he went out with this horse... Well, that was different. He knew this scouting trip hadn't been a mission appointed by their leader, otherwise he was sure there would be a guard stationed to accompany the scout while he searched. All the better, Delvin figured. They could rob the Bachelors of their resources, and if they came across a small enough patrol on their search, all the better.
Delvin huffed and nodded once in a greeting, "Name's Delvin," he said, looking at the horses around them for what felt like the first time in days. He'd been in his own world for... Well, kind of his whole life. The stallion was right about the herd looking worse for wear. "Aye, I'll go with you."
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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 Sept 19, 2014 17:55:37 GMT -5
Ryder almost turned around and left at the stallion's icy glare. He hadn't meant to bother him, but he didn't really want to just walk away from the herd by himself either. This stallion seemed to be the only horse that looked like he was ready to do something about their current situation. When Delvin nodded and agreed to go with him, he almost sighed in relief. If any Bachelor patrols came along, he'd need all the help he could get even though he knew that he could have handled it by himself. Was he feeling lonely or something? .... No, of course not. He had surrounded by horses all the day and night for the past few years. If anything, he would expect himself to want to be alone. No turning back now. This was a done deal.
He nodded at Delvin. "Nice to meet you," he said, mostly out of formality. His blue eyes searched the outskirts of the herd, watching where the guards were stationed, so none of them would see them escape into the tall grass. The paint stallion took a deep breath to calm himself before taking a step toward the vegetation. Now or never, he supposed. "Let's go this way through the grass. It's pretty high, so it should hide us pretty well until we get to the forest just over there. Plenty of herbs should be growing there," he said, thinking out loud to his companion.
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 19, 2014 20:09:36 GMT -5
"Mhmph," he muttered, only half-listening to the other horse's explanation of where they should hide, or where he expected herbs to be. He scanned the herd, picking out where the guards were stationed around the perimeter. They looked rather listless, and he wasn't surprised. Guarding such a small area was hardly a challenge, and they were probably feeling just as on-edge as the rest of the herd. No one could do their jobs, and even if they could, the only thing the Guards could look forward to were skirmishes with their despicable hosts.
He trailed after the other paint, and kept glancing to either side, but he didn't think anyone was going to stop them. And even if they did, they could either come up with an excuse or just try again when the Guards were occupied.
Thankfully, they made it to the grass without any interference. Delvin pushed through the long clumps of grass, but he kept his head high and his ears swiveling. This is the kind of place Grass Beasts loved, and he should know. They were the cause of most of his scars. All that time he spent on the Eastern Island as a lad didn't go on ignored; he learned a lot back then. "Keep your eyes open," he warned the other stallion, "For Bachelors and anything else that might be wanderin' out here."
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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 Sept 19, 2014 20:56:00 GMT -5
Ryder's ears flicked back, and his eyes scanned the area in front of him as the two stallions walked through the tall grass. He could only imagine what could be hiding in such tall grass, and he definitely didn't want it sneaking up on them. His mind flicked to the memory of the day he received the scar on his side. The three long scrapes were ragged and reminded him constantly of how careful he had to be. "I will," he agreed with a nod.
The grass rustled as they walked further and further, but it wasn't long before they had reached the end of the field. The vegetation parted before them, and a pine forest stood where the grass ended. Lush moss and grass grew in the depths of the trees, and a feeling of safety emanated from within the shadows. It looked a whole lot like their old home. The bountiful jungle that had been burnt to a crisp, sending them scrambling to another island where they were certainly unwelcome. Ryder snorted with a grim look on his face. He needed to be strong, not the weak, little stallion he had become since joining the Exiles. They needed him to be a fighter, or at the very least a protector. He shook out his curly mane and took the first step into the forest.
After several minutes of traveling, he turned his attention back to Delvin. Ryder had already found some ginger root, and he carried it gently in his mouth. "Sorry for bringing you out here. It looked like you felt as cooped up as I did," he said around the herb in his jaws.
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 20, 2014 16:08:47 GMT -5
Delvin felt his tension ease just a little bit when they finally made it through the deceiving grassy expanse. A forest was spread out before them, the air damp and the shadows of the trees warping the view of the myriad of plants that grew along their bases and up their trunks. Delvin wouldn't know what he was looking at no matter how hard he inspected or sniffed, so it was no surprise to him when the other paint returned with some indistinguishable root hanging out of his mouth. He looked pleased with himself, so Delvin assumed it was some useful plant or another.
The bay stallion took a deep breath, but all he could pick up were the earthy smells one would expect to find in a forest like this. Definitely no other horses, at least. When the other horse spoke, only in the muffled way the plant allowed, Delvin pinned his ears. He'd forgotten he was even there. Delvin cleared his throat and gave himself a shake, "I agreed, didn't I?" he grumbled, giving the stallion a look, "Wouldn't be out here otherwise."
Stupid little sentimental things like that irritated him. Horses were far to frivolous with apologies and other means of whining. Pointless to discuss, in his opinion. He was here now, and that was that.
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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 Sept 20, 2014 16:22:15 GMT -5
Ryder looked at the other stallion out of the corner of his eye, inspecting the other horse's reactions. He seemed so... annoyed. Was it something that he had did or said? The paint shrugged, shaking out his mane. The air was thick and smelled of damp earth. It was a lot more comfortable here than on the open terrain of the beach or the field that the Bachelors had placed them on. "Well, I guess I just meant thanks for coming," he said, looking away at the forest once more.
The mass of roots and plants that grew around them were slightly hard to navigate especially for a clumsy horse such as himself. He found that his hooves were like magnets to the crawling vines, and he had to pull his legs out of holes on several occasions. The frustration that this island was giving him was building slowly, but Ryder would try his hardest not let any negative emotions show. To keep his mind off these unpleasant thoughts, his attention went back to the stallion beside him. "So... how long have you been apart of the Exiles? I just joined after the fires," he said, trying his hardest to strike up a decent conversation.
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 20, 2014 16:46:15 GMT -5
Delvin sniffed at a few plants as he followed the other horse deeper into the trees. It seemed like a perfectly suitable place to come and nap, he thought, so maybe he'd have to make a return trip another day. Not much sun filtered in through the branches that reached high above the horses' heads, so it was rather cool. A nice change from the sunny fields they were staying in now, and certainly more comfortable than the scorching beaches and burnt-out hills of the Southern Island. Pity the place burned down; would've saved them all the misfortune of ever having to deal with the savages that inhabited this island.
Once again the stallion was reminded of his herdmate's presence, and this time he was asking questions. Delvin sighed. Perfect. He turned to glance at the horse over his shoulder. "Too long," he stated bluntly. However, he feared that wouldn't be enough to shut the other horse up, so he added, "I was born with them. Joined back up about 10 years ago."
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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 Sept 20, 2014 17:12:00 GMT -5
Ryder looked around at the foliage, spotting some passion flower which he picked up as well. He knew at least one horse who'd need this plant: Bryce, his brother. Well, half-brother anyways. Bryce's declining mental state was a cause of concern, and this flower would help with his anxiety. His torn ear flicked toward the horse in front of him as he spoke. Ryder listened intently, nodding. He couldn't really imagine living with a group of horses for that long, but he supposed he'd better get used to it. Delvin's words had a tone of annoyance to them, and Ryder took note of it. Maybe he'd better stop asking questions. With a snort, he returned his attention back to the forest floor. A bored look crossed his face as they continued further and further into the mess of roots of trees. Ryder normally didn't have any problems with horses, but this one was kind of.... mean to put it frankly. 'At least he's company. Sort of anyways. It would've been a lot worse if I'd asked Prime or Bryce,' he thought, thinking of the two horses that he both loved and found himself being hurt by. He sighed. Why did life have to be so complicated?
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 21, 2014 15:13:37 GMT -5
Delvin rustled his nose through a patch of mushrooms, trying to see if he could find a certain kind - the plain white ones that smelled like fresh rainfall. They were probably the only plant he could identify, though he had no clue what their name was, and he'd discovered many years ago he was fond of the taste. His traveling companion, Mirea, had pointed them out to him once, and their flavor was a pleasant change from the constant watery sweetness of grass. Unfortunately, there were none to be found. Delvin snorted, trying to rid his nose of the scent of various other mushroom types. No doubt they'd kill or poison him in one despicable way or another.
He moved on to another patch of mushrooms, but the anxiety in the air was getting annoying. He turned his stoic gaze to the foraging paint and frowned. "Oi, what's knottin' your tail, mate?" he asked frankly. Not one to beat around the bush, Delvin continued to stare as he waited for an answer.
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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 Sept 21, 2014 17:00:23 GMT -5
Ryder rustled through the bushes aimlessly. There weren't very many plants that grew in these parts that he knew. The climate was colder on the Eastern Island, and the plants that he knew grew in warm temperatures. He snorted in distaste and frustration. The ginger root left a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was a taste that he was familiar with. His eyes wandered along the forest floor, around tree roots and up into the canopy. Delvin foraged through a patch of mushrooms that were probably not edible. Ryder would have mentioned something to the horse, but the stallion seemed to know what he was doing. Plus, he was kind of intimidating.
When his companion's deep voice rang out, the paint stallion felt a cold shiver down his spine. He guessed that he wasn't very good at concealing his nervousness. Ryder looked at Delvin's disapproving look with one of anxiousness. He shook out his curly mane, biting down to make himself look less like a silly colt who was scared of everything. "Nothing. It's just.... how do you seem so tough and experienced? I mean I've fought other horses and won, but obviously, I'm still a nervous wreck," he said with a frown, looking at the red stallion with a shameful expression, and he almost immediately wished he hadn't spoken. Now, things are gonna be awkward. Great.
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 22, 2014 10:45:31 GMT -5
Looking at the frazzled paint chew nervously on whatever root he was holding border-lined on comical. He believed the other horse when he said he'd seen his fair share of fights, given the scars on his hide, but Delvin almost laughed at the other stallion's comment. Almost. "Probably has something to do with the fact that I am tough and experienced," he stated. He watched the brown paint's resolve crumble, and Delvin decided he needed to elaborate. Of course, this horse was probably tough and experienced to some extent, too, so this was probably just confusing him.
Delvin swished his tail and regarded the other horse with a look of slight pity. This, of course, was the difficult part to explain. Well, not to explain, but rather to accept. "You have too many connections," he said, inclining his head as if to will the idea into the horse's brain. "You worry too much. And if I were to warrant a guess," he continued, "You're worrying too much about things you have no hope of ever changin'. That's an endless cycle you better rip yourself out of before it," He gave the stallion a pointed look, "Or they, drag you down with them." Delvin was aware this probably sounded more than a little cold to the younger horse, but it was better he learned this sooner rather than later. He didn't have to take his advice, of course, but he might as well hear 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 Sept 22, 2014 18:55:24 GMT -5
Ryder listened intently. The older horse might be able to help him with at least one of the problems he was having. The herd looked down at him like he was just a colt. He thought at first that it was because he was a newcomer, but maybe it was because they thought he was weak. Ryder almost chuckled at Delvin's first sentence, but when he looked at the red stallion's serious expression, Ryder covered it by clearing his throat.
What Delvin said made Ryder's heart sink slightly. Too many connections? Weren't there safety in numbers? Ryder flicked his tail as he pondered further. Almost all the relationships he had made since joining the Exiles had led to him being hurt or worrying about what to say to them. Bryce and Prime were a couple that came to mind immediately. Prime accepted the hand of another stallion after he failed to tell her how he felt. Ryder had asked her mate to watch out for her, and things had been settled nicely and without difficulty. It still hurt him a bit to think that Prime would never truly be his, but they were still friends. His brother, on the other hand, was slowly losing his mind. Bryce seemed to lose part of himself with each passing day after the two of them had killed their father. Ryder was constantly thinking of ways that he could possibly help the deteriorating stallion, but it always lead to him feeling even more anxious and guilty. If Delvin was right though, how could he just get rid of his own flesh and blood? Bryce needed him to be there for him. Ryder was all the other horse had. 'I can't help him though. I can't worry about things I can't change. They're making me weak,' he thought before returning his attention back to his companion. "You're right. I definitely worry a lot, but I suppose at the time I think it's a pretty important thing to fret over when it's really not," he paused with a thoughtful frown. The brown paint furrowed his brows. "What if the horse that's dragging you down is blood related to you? How can you just detach yourself from that," he asked, looking at Delvin with mixture of confusion and frustration. Ryder wasn't mad at the other stallion if anything he was glad that this had finally been brought to his attention. The only thing Ryder was mad at was himself.
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Post by bellasuem on Sept 22, 2014 19:36:57 GMT -5
Delvin waited while the other stallion processed his words. He could practically see the gears in the confused stallions head turning, and Delvin found himself feeling just a tad sympathetic towards him. Life's lessons weren't known for their kind nature. At his first admission, Delvin gave a short nod, "Aye. If you find yourself worryin' about somethin', ask yourself how important that worrisome thing is, and if it really has the power to effect you," he proposed, "Or if you're actually the one givin' it that power in the first place."
Upon hearing the next question, Delvin almost uttered a bitter laugh, but decided to abstain. The other horse didn't look like he was in a state to appreciate Delvin's brand of humor right now. Instead he sighed, trying to figure out the best way to explain this. Ultimately, he decided using himself would be the best approach. "It's easy, once you get your priorities in order," he began, shifting his weight off his back leg to make himself more comfortable. "My mum was a loner. She met my father, an Exile Guard, one thing led to another; here I am," he said plainly, setting the basis of the story. "Being a loner all her life, my mum knew for a fact that she'd never be happy livin' within a herd, so she left me and my father before I was barely old enough to remember," he continued, "She did that because she knew if she stayed, she'd never be whole again." He gave the paint a meaningful look, making sure he was listening to this part. "Folks all too often look at this as an act of selfishness. I know I did, for a long while. But it wasn't. If she had stayed, she would've lost herself, lost her happiness, and turned bitter. What kind of a mother, or herd member, would that've been, eh?" he asked, not really looking for an answer, "Who would that have helped? Not me, not my da', not the herd, and not herself."
Unsure if his little tale had gotten the point across, he added, "They might blame you, at first," he said, briefly wondering which herd member was this horse's kin, "But they'll realize eventually that instead of letting themselves drag you down with them, if they truly are a lost-cause, you made the choice to save at least one of you, and that should give them some sense of peace." He paused, debating on continuing, before deciding it's better to have all the bad news at once. "And if they don't, well, they weren't worth your time in the first place, blood or otherwise."
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