"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
like a heartbeat drives you mad, in the stillness of remembering what you had, and what you lost
The sun has already begun to set, its dim light bleak beneath a thick layer of haze that carries low across the vibrant plain, illuminating the emerald stalks of vegetation in its splendor of lilac and auburn. The humidity is palpable, and a faint grunt of irritation emerges from her throat as her long legs carry her away from the shallow waters’ edge and onto the densely compacted sand that lay across the long, sprawling beach. A pause is taken to outstretch the length of a wing towards her waiting mouth, as her blunt teeth pluck and gently preen the pale feathers that line the hollowed bones, tucking each back into place with precision.
Her hazel eyes cast a glance behind her, as her darkening pupils narrow and observe the feminine form following closely behind. A faint smile, insincere but offered as a gesture of good will, tugs at the corners of her pale, whiskered lips, before her gaze is cast towards the daunting volcano dredged in the center of an otherwise obscure island, tucked away along the coastline. With a gentle toss of her cheek towards the peak, her long and graceful legs emerge from the salty brine of seawater, her pallid skin painted a darker hue from the dampness of the water that had required a precarious crossing (in her mind, at least – she did not often cross the shallow waterway, choosing to fly instead).
A gentle breeze carries throughout the plain, as the lush and lively stalks of greenery sway and whip against her skin, and as she can feel herself sinking slightly into the soft, fertile soil, her attention is drawn once more to the smoky female near to her. ”Come – Magnus should not be hard to find; welcome to Tephra.”
Alas, there he is – a beacon of mottled, golden light, perched along the crest of a hilltop – his dark, unreadable gaze peering out along the horizon where the sun has tucked itself away from his prying eyes. Soon standing mere feet behind him, she stirs the coarseness of her voice by clearing her throat, the line of her brow risen as she observes the tense ridges of muscle along his posterior, trying to stifle the smirk that threatens to arise.
”Magnus, I have brought a familiar face to you. Come say hello.”
Ellyse
I don't know if notating where he's looking is power playing, but if so, catch me outside. :|
Also, I played with a little timeline fluidity - set prior to Ellyse's current pregnancy, in summer.
The trip is long and hardy for her sore joints, each step more agonizing than the last. But eventually, as slowly as it was her body began to awaken, stretching out every aching limb, her nerves beginning to welcome the pain awakening her slumbering senses. An itch running along her hind legs, as she worked her under used muscles.
As the sun began to disappear on the horizon, painting a masterpiece within the sky with vibrant colors. It reminded her strongly of home, Heavens always had the most beautiful sunsets in beqanna, and the best spot to view it was always beneath the mother tree. The vine like branches always glistened in the last light of each day, it was always breathtaking. But now it was gone. But all she can do is think about it.
As they trek through the sea water, her smokey limbs now fully drenched in the brine of Tephra's tropical waters. The mare grows slightly jealous of Ellyse's wings even though the pale mare decided to guide her through the wet terrain rather than using her gift to avoid being wet. This forces some form of admiration of Ellyse for Kena, the mare had showed her so much kindness and had comforted her in her vulnerability. So far Kena owed so much to this mare, her kindness was appreciated and hung in the back of her mind as they finally stepped upon the fertile volcanic soil of Tephra.
A smile widens across her velvet lips, as Ellyse welcomes her, and Kena knew it was only right to thank her for her kindness. "Thank you Ellyse, for bringing me here." The inky maidens cobalt gems meet the pale mare, with an expression of gratitude.
And as the golden silhouette of a familiar face looms over the hillside, that sweet smile of hers widens, as she emits one word, sweet and honey laced, "Magnus." Relief weighs upon her facial features, relaxing those azure eyes of hers, as she meets face to face with an old friend.
howling ghosts, they reappear in mountains that are stacked with fear
He is surveying the land when he hears them arrive, the sound of their hooves tapping against the rich soil and causing him to stir, his handsome head swinging upward and then over his shoulder. At the sight of Ellyse, his black lips curve into a genuine smile, gold-flecked eyes warming. She is not alone though, and although there is much he wants to share with the pale gold mare, he knows this is not the time for it.
So, instead, he turns his attention to the other, confusion crossing his features momentarily as he studies her face, trying to place her. When he does, he remembers their singular encounter at the meeting, the one where the transition of power had gone so disastrously. She had been kind and it is not in Magnus’ DNA to begrudge her the decision to back Zeik so he doesn’t bring it up. Instead, he just gives a warm smile.
“Welcome!” He steps down from the small knoll he had been standing on, coming near the duo. “It is Kena, correct?” He reaches out to brush his lips against Ellyse’s neck, a welcome greeting to both the Head of War and mother of his children, before he reaches over to bump the velvet of his nose against Kena. “I am so glad that you were able to find your way here.” He had searched for so long to find those who had called Heaven home and to guide them here after the Reckoning, but he hadn’t been able to find all of them. So many had slipped through his fingers; to even know one more was safe was a relief.
Stepping back, he motions toward the island that unfolds around them, the massive volcano overtaking the sky and staring down at them. It was beautiful and powerful, but most importantly, it was home.
“This is our home now,” he said with a grin. “Would you like to see more of it?”
like a heartbeat drives you mad, in the stillness of remembering what you had, and what you lost
The warmth of his smile is enough to cause a stirring in the pit of her belly and a pulsating jolt in the deepest part of her chest, and she is barely able to swallow it before his dark eyes are searching her own – but the slightest smile tugs at the corner of her own mouth; impossible to suppress. Words need not be spoken – such a simple, fleeting exchange is all that is needed between them, and quietly she wonders how he had managed to so easily burrow into her core, interlacing with her wild heart and fierce and furious mind.
Finally, she averts her eyes, instead studying the soft lines and delicate ridges of the dark, sooty female standing near to her, watching as her already saccharine smile somehow becomes sweeter, and her voice exudes a silky warmth that almost finds its way beneath her own skin. A flicker of amusement can be seen in her gold-flecked eyes, which move between the two, studying the hard, strong features of one and the feminine, mellow attributes of another.
A chuckle is stifled, poorly at that, upon seeing confusion wash over his handsome face – but it is brief and ephemeral, and soon the same slow, burning warmth is restored within his simmering gaze, as the broad grin worn along the darkened line of his mouth reaches his eyes. Kena, he utters with recognition lacing through the two syllables, and the very same breath is suddenly against her own neck as his whiskered lips press gently against her golden skin – it burns there, stirring memories of another time, another place, distracting her from the moment.
”I wouldn’t go so far as to say she found her way here,” she muses with a soft laugh, ”I had some small part in it.” A pause, and her own lips press affectionately along his withers, tasting the salty brine of the sea and the musk that lingers on the surface of his skin, where beads of sweat dissipated beneath the sweltering sun of day.
”It is warmer here than it ever was there,” and she can hardly bring herself to say it – Heaven, where Magnus’ heart has always laid – a distant memory, now. ”but the sky is often bare and bright with color, and the sea is a shallow relief when the heat gets to be too much. The volcano is active – be careful near it, there is cooling magma in patches all around it.”
A pause.
”It isn’t what we once knew, but it is home. I think you might come to like it, Kena.”
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