07-27-2015, 11:03 AM
 Tyrna If we don't make it alive, well it's a hell of a good day to die
The night air danced coolly along Tyrna's dark skin. The breeze tousling her starlight mane and ruffling gunmetal feathers. She stood alone, perched precariously along a high ridge to gaze out over her kingdom. It all felt too good to be true, but after all the blood, sweat, and tears that she had poured into the land it couldn't be. Ruling a small but prosperous kingdom with her love at her side was the dream she had as a child to help her sleep at night, and now it was a reality. She had spent years shaping her home into what it was now.It was her safe haven, her pride and joy. At last she had found Utopia. Launching herself from the peak she was standing on, the steel woman tucked her wings and dove, unfolding them at the last minute before flying off to find her consort. She loved the power and strength that she carried in her owl like wings. The freedom she had now was incomparable to anything she had felt before they had found their slice of paradise. She remembered the long but relatively uneventful journey like it happened mere minutes ago. It had taken some time for the Falls to fully regain its power. As the magic in the waters had grown so to had her wings, and with them the need to explore and carve out a piece of the world for herself. She wanted to live a peaceful, quiet life away from her demons and the politics of Beqanna, but she knew she wouldn't last on her own. The wolf in her head had lain dormant for months and through her dedication to the Falls she had gained the ability to heal and grow things. It was then that she decided her time had come. The day she had been set to leave she tracked down Contagion. He was quiet as she told him of her plan to leave but in the end he agreed to go with her. They traveled from their comfortable home in the Falls, and spent the months it took to reach the coast getting to know one another better. They took their time, no reason to rush and not wanting to risk unnecessary injury. Looking back it was one of Tyrna's favorite memories. They whispered sweet nothings to eat other and swapped their darkest secrets. Through it all the be a in her head stayed quiet leading her to believe it would stay that way. After a month of slow travel and simple companionship the adventurous couple reached the coast of Beqanna near the Gates. Without a backward glance they had started the hardest part of their journey. Contagion's wings were not built for flight but using the power the Falls had given her, Tyrna had been able to heal his wounds and make his wings grow stronger allowing them to fly together. Luckily Tyrna had been able to shoulder most of his fragile weight and use her large powerful wings to help him glide. When the street of flying became too much for his body, they would spend the night huddled together on foreign sands. Again they took their time, not wanting to settle somewhere any less than perfect. After a month of hopping from land mass to land mass they found it. Rising out of the sapphire ocean waters they found home. Tyrna was the first to suggest landing on the tiny island and they were due for a rest stop anyway. She wasn't sure if it had been the sparkling, white sands or viridian forests that drew her eye. They spent the first night sleep under the stars and the next morning planning their new life. Together they had explored the island taking stock of the abundant flora and fauna. The climate was mildly warm and slightly balmy and perfect. They spent the first week exploring. Finding the best watering holes and tenderest grasses by day, and sleeping peacefully under the stars each night. They a small mountain glade surrounding a rushing waterfall and decided to claim that place for themselves. The inhabitants they encountered were friendly, stocky ponies, if somewhat rudimentary in nature. Predators were few and what little they encountered Tyrna had been able to chase off earning her the respect of the small scale herds. Months passed and using her powers of growth Tyrna was able to make the plants and animals flourish. She spent her free time teaching the scattered herds to speak her language and uniting them into larger herds to further aid in their survival. It wasn't until Tyrna slew a giant leopard that had been plaguing the ponies ,that they agreed to unite into one society under her guidance and eventual rule. Contagion had also adapted well to the environment. His unique build delighting and entertaining the locals. They lavished him with love and took special care to keep his glass frame intact. She was a kind and just queen helping the land grow and cultivating new pastures to expand the population. Her talents made her respected but her new outlook made her beloved. From shore to shore all of the creatures in her domain were happy and healthy, following her word like gospel. Since the beginning of her leadership the mortality rate had dropped and herd health was at a high. Even the woodland creatures that shared the island with them were happy and healthy and followed her as she went about her day. As it was the night air was a welcome relief. The days in paradise had become increasingly hot and muggy due in part she was sure from the mountain in the middle of the island. From her vantage point, drifting in the midnight sky, she was able to easily locate the waterfall that was the jewel of her kingdom, and her home. Over the years she had grown and shaped the overarching trees to form a cozy love nest for her and her love. Their tree house was made from wisteria that she had coaxed from the ground providing a romantic atmosphere year long. Riding the currents, Tyrna drifted down, landing on a rocky ledge outside the tree house. There had been some recent disturbances, foals missing and strange paw prints, within her borders which was why she was out so late patrolling. Now the steel queen was just happy to be home. She could hear the hints of gentle snoring over the roar of the waterfall and a smile lit up her face. Ducking her head under sweeping flowers and tucking her cumbersome wings tightly she crossed the threshold to her favorite sight in the world. Curled up, lying on a bed of soft moss was her love, her glass man, her Contagion. She could see in the dim moonlight the rise and fall of his chest and gave thanks that he lived another day. At his side, covered protectively with a paper wing, was the source of the snoring. A tiny bundle of long legs and delicate features, their son. The colt was a beautiful combination of her steel and Contagion's glass. The boy was dark and solidly built like her, but graced with tiny paper wings reminiscent of his father. Tyrna spent several heartbeats just looking at them and letting the feelings of peace and love wash over her. For the first time, as she crossed over to lay beside them, she felt like she belonged. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but it was the howls that woke her first. In the distance, an unearthly song rang out and chilled her blood. It had been so long since she had heard the voice of a wolf and immediately she was terrified. It had been years since the wolf had left and the thought of it coming back was enough to set her scrambling to her feet, heart pounding with adrenaline. It was then that she noticed the orange glow beyond the leaves that comprised her roof. There had been small earthquakes over the years, originating from the base of the mountain. Tyrna was concerned at first , but was reassured by her people that they were normal and happened fairly regularly. Within the last month the earthquakes had increased in magnitude, irritating the wild critters of the forest more than normal. Tyrna had brushed it off as an anomaly and life went on. Now she was paying for her casual indifference. The sky was mottled bright orange and bruised purple, beneath her feet she felt ominous rumblings, and through it all the frenzied howls. Frantically she looks around her house made with love, looking desperately for her partner and son. Of course they are nowhere to be seen. She assumes they left before this all started to spend time together. A frustrated roar rips it’s way up her throat as she takes a running leap of the edge of the ledge. Her wings snap open before she hits the ground and she is off looking for the two most important people in her life. The air is hard to fly through as she makes her way across the sky. Chock full of smoke and ash, Tyrna can hardly see a foot in front of her. The howls are louder now both on the ground and more terrifyingly ringing in her own head. A voice she hasn’t heard in years is reawakening, drawn to the surface by it’s haunting brethren. All around she hears the sounds of panic and stampedeing accompanied by harsh screams from the dead and dying. Tyrna makes for the ground quickly. Ahead of her the quaint little mountain is spewing ash and smoke, rock and flame. It’s not a full blown explosion but it is soon to be. She is running now. Galloping as hard as she can, her voice hoarse from screaming and her lungs burning from drawing in smoke. “Contagion! Thyras! It’s mommy! Where are you?!” She is running on repeat as she pounds down what were once peaceful trails and meadows that had now become fields of slaughter. Everywhere she turns she sees the wolves. Wolves that had previously gone unnoticed and unobtrusive were everywhere. They snapped at the weak and the young, herding them into more manageable and fearstricken positions. Poised for the kill. A grim determination fills the steel queen. The beast inside her delighted in the chaos and slavered at the slaughter. This was the perfect bloodbath. Tyrna could feel the ripples start under her skin. She was running out of time before she would be joining the fray. The time of the beast was creeping closer upon her as she thundered after her family and the sky lit on fire before her. With a thunderous boom the top of the mountain exploded in fire and brimstone. Molten rock raced down the sides to engulf the surrounding area in a nightmare. Added now were the screams of burning animals to the symphony of slaughter. It was an absolute massacre. The further into the forest she ran, the slicker the ground became with the blood of her kingdom. She almost tripped as one of the mares she had befriended ran screaming across her path, on fire and missing a chunk in her side large enough to see bone through. Entrails were scattered along the ground miked with scraps of fur and the odd limb. Bursting through the undergrowth she saw up ahead Contagion and their son. They had been cornered between a hungry pack and the encroaching lava. Contagion valiantly tried to stave of the pack as they snapped at his heels attempting to separate him from the colt. Tyrna could see the hope spark as soon as her love spotted her. She would protect them just as she always had. Their brief moment of eye contact was enough however. Contagion letting his guard down was just enough for one of the wolves to duck in and snap at his hind leg. With a sickening shattering sound and a horrific scream, the love of her life fell to the jaws of the wolves and all of her worst fears were realized. She watched helplessly, still too far away, as the terrible beasts crunched their way through glass skin and snapped hollow bones. Her son tried to run towards her while the wolves were distracted by the easy meal. Tyrna unfurled her wings hoping to gain ground as she ran and glided towards her boy, here baby, the last piece she had left. They were nearly within reach of each other when a stream of magma crashed down and swallowed her son before her eyes. Paper wings burned instantly, and he didn’t even have time to scream. With a grief crazed cry Tyrna jerked awake. Her throat felt raspy from crying and yelling but that wasn’t all. She was back in the Falls where she had first began her strange journey, but the world was still burning. She quickly stumbled from her cave to see that the forests around the waterfall were burning merrily and the waters themselves had started to dry up from the heat. Tyrna attempted to launch into the sky to break free from the smoke and flames, but looking down she saw that her once glorious wings were back to barely feathered nubs. In a blind panic she ran calling out for her family. “Contagion! Mom! Help!” She could feel the blind panic as it clawed at her throat and the wolf was oddly quiet. She screamed for Contagion as she ran hoping against hope that she wouldn’t lose him again. Cresting a small rise on the outskirts she finds a small band of survivors gathered and milling about in shock and panic. Quickly she makes her way through calling for her friends and family, but she soon realizes it’s futility. They aren’t here. She is alone, surrounded by strangers. So the girl of wolf and steel does the only thing she can do. She watches her world burn. Silver dapple sabino|Mare|Andalusian Hybrid|Falls |