"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
He calls out to her This way and she could not help but laugh, she was just in Ischia how did she mix up the directions already. Oh, right She prances past him gently flicking her tail at his shoulder blade. Do show me this shortcut you speak of. a playful nicker escaped her maw.
The travel was long, but Ischia was none the less beautiful as the last time she was here. She had stumbled upon Hod in her adventures. She was excited to be a permanent resident in the kingdom, ready to pull her weight where needed. Some shortcut she jokes nudging his shoulder What is it that makes you love Ischia? she asks as she glances around the kingdom. Was he born to Ischia and held lineage? Was it solely the beauty that the island held? Or perhaps a lover he had lingering.
The journey had been longer than he’d anticipated, even though he found it difficult to complain when he’d had such pleasant company. Josie’s excitement for life was infectious as she teased him on his choice of shortcut and asked him to elaborate on what made Ischia so special to him. There was no easy answer to her question, but he knew that he would try his best to describe the love he held for the island. He smiled and partially extended his wings, showing off only a fraction of their span.
”I guess I’ve gotten used to flying everywhere,” he said apologetically as a breeze rustled through his chestnut plume. He winked playfully, ”Makes long treks a lot quicker.”
That and his ability to manipulate the density of his bone structure…but he kept that bit to himself. Bone-bending was not exactly easy to explain and he didn’t want her thinking that he was some kind of freak. His wasn’t a very common ability and, although he was proud to bear it, he didn’t find himself bragging about it much.
He returned his attention to Josie, ”I’m not sure what makes Ischia so special to me.” He began thoughtfully. ”I was born and raised here. The island has always been like home and, no matter how far I’ve traveled, I always come back here.”
His footsteps faltered as he took a moment to gaze about the tropical forest that made up the bulk of the island. The loud chatter of parrots filled every empty space as they flew overhead, their brightly colored feathers impossible to ignore. At night, the bioluminescent plankton lit up the shoreline with an eerie blue glow. It was beautiful. Suddenly hot in the face, Belgaer found himself desiring to show Josie all the things that made Ischia so wonderful. The way her eyes glistened with pure delight as she took in the scenery around her. He wanted to know what she was thinking – he wanted to know her, more than he wanted to know anyone.
03-29-2018, 10:37 AM (This post was last modified: 04-05-2018, 07:55 PM by Josie.)
@[Belgaer]
Josie
like the dancer before me
She gazes at Belgaer, she scans over him gazing at every spot his body had printed. Her gaze shifts to his wings, they were much larger than they appeared tucked into his side. It was almost as if he read her mind, or perhaps he saw her staring. He slightly stretches his wings allowing all to see a portion of there span. He admits he normally flys through the shortcut and she can't help but laugh I bet it is much faster in the sky, less to look out for. She was always curious what wings were like, Phaedrus, her adoptive father had them. He always tucked her in close with them, in awe of the strength they carried.
The conversation shifts and he tells Josie he was born and raised in Ischia. She remembers her first home, Dale, and her home with Akkadian, the Tundra. It was nice to move kingdoms but had she been born in the Tundra she probably would have never left either. Well I guess Ischia has a dedicated member She could admire that. Her attention flickers overhead as a group of parrots flew, singing in harmony. A smile tugs at her lips as she watches them, it will never get old seeing them. She flicks her gaze back to Belgaer What is the best spot on the Island? She asks, curious to see more of the island, at the same time she enjoyed his company. She had been alone for so long she did not want to be alone anymore. She steps closer to the stallion and looks around the horizon I hear theres a waterfall here, ever been? She was excited to see the waterfall for herself in person.
Walking felt nice and Belgaer couldn’t remember the last time he’d made such a long trek on foot. Since the moment his father had first introduced him to flight, he’d grown accustomed to viewing the world from above. He’d been a very young colt the last time he’d walked the length of Ischia. Having been raised primarily by his flightless mother, she’d been hesitant to see him take to the skies – like many of her other winged children. Time and time again she’d witnessed her children as they drifted away from her, carried by the breeze. Perhaps that was why he continued to return to the island – he never desired to inflict upon her the pain of losing another son. Still, he never would forget how his heart leapt when his father came to teach him how to fly. The joy he found lost amongst the clouds, nothing could compare.
This time, however, he found more contentment with his hooves planted firmly on the ground. The walk had been refreshing, even if he’d forgotten how exhausting it was for him to lug around his large plume. Truly, it was far more useful to him when he was airborne. On the ground, the weight of his feathers made every step laborious. It wasn’t until they were crossing the bridge from the mainland onto the island that he’d decided to thin his bone density to lighten his load.
It felt oddly exciting to reenter Ischia in the company of Josie. Their meeting had been total fate and he marveled that she’d chosen to trust his ability to escort her safely back to the island.
Her laugh drew his attention once more and he smiled in response to it. The reaction was involuntary, and he wondered if she knew just how infectious her happiness actually was. He fluffed his feathers and met her eyes from over his shoulder. ”It certainly makes every journey a little easier.”
He wasn’t keen on bragging upon his abilities, especially when around horses who were seemingly average. There were plenty of other creatures scattered throughout the land that used every opportunity to assert their talents, he wasn’t one.
As their conversation progressed he found himself warmed by her excitement to live on the island. As she inquired upon the waterfall he pointed his nose towards a path just off their left side. ”The waterfall is truly a sight to behold…” His voice hesitated a moment as his steps faltered, allowing her a moment to draw up beside him. ”I could take you there, if you’d like?”
He was easy on the eyes, his body covered in spots, his wings looked soft and gentle but she knew the strength behind them. He was a noble stag, one who was dedicated to the kingdom. He had traits that reminded her of Akkadian, in fact she found comfort in his company. She found herself wanting to know him more, she wanted to know all about him, what was his family like? Did he have a lover? Any foals? She pushes her own thoughts to the back of her mind, perhaps this wasn't the time to ask.
Her gaze flickers back to him as she catches him talking about flying, a small laugh escapes her maw. She had dreamed of having wings, her closest thing to a father had wings. Phaedrus was always loving for Josie, and she always found being snuggled up under his wings the safest spot. She wished she could have been gifted wings in Beqanna but alas she did not have wings and was left to admire others.
She gently flicks her tail, swatting away a fly that pestered her. Belgaer spoke once again, this time he noted the waterfall was a sight to see. Her eyes glowed with excitement, the way he spoke of it, made her yearn for it even more. Dale had water, it was more clear and less of a beach, but she missed being near the water with a waterfall. I could take you he says and her ears perk forward Would you!? she smiles and playfully nips his shoulder. She prances a few steps around him Can we go now?! Which direction? she was acting like a yearling, she was filled with excitement. It brought back fond memories and it was a chance to get to know the spotted stallion a bit more. She was glad to trusted him to escort her back to Ischia, fate was kind to her today.
Excitement radiated in the air between them and he felt her eyes upon him as she danced in place with excitement. She didn’t want to waste a single moment, it was almost as if she’d been sleeping and now she was awake and determined not to miss a single opportunity. He admired her verve and he couldn’t help but raise his wings in anticipation. The waterfall wasn’t too far, and the lagoon truly was a beautiful place to visit. He’d spent many hot summer days as a colt splashing in the shallows with his siblings. The games they would play would always hold a special place in his memory.
He stood still as she traced her eyes along the length of him and he couldn’t help but wonder upon the thoughts that resided behind her hazel eyes.
“I can’t think of reason why not,” He smiled warmly. “The path is a bit steep and the water may still yet be a bit cold for swimming. But it’s beauty is not something you should miss out on.”
Although the day had grown quite warm, the water would still have a bit of a bite to it. Belgaer wasn’t particularly fond of swimming unless the conditions were just right. He angled himself towards the path and led the way onto the slowly declining path. The tropical forest around them grew thicker as they walked and flocks of parrots unused to being disturbed so deep within the fold of the trees complained loudly in their direction. Ignoring them, he pressed on.
It’d been quite some time since he’d last made his way to the lagoon (a name he and his siblings had chosen for that special place). He’d even dare to say that they would be the first visitors since the break of winter. No doubt the place would still be abandoned with most Ischians knowing that the best place to escape the thawing sun of spring was the beach. Josie would learn that in time.
Suddenly, the path grew even more steep and he glanced back at Josie briefly so make sure that she hadn’t fallen too far behind. Rocks poked out from the rich soil underfoot and he navigated around them, kicking a few lose as he went. It was only as the path evened itself out that they began to hear the rumble of the falls. They were close now.
Through a break in the trees, Belgaer could just barely spot the shore of the crystalline lake. He paused and flashed Josie a quick smile of encouragement. “It’s just through there,” he said with a nod. “Go ahead.”
04-08-2018, 07:26 PM (This post was last modified: 04-08-2018, 07:28 PM by Josie.)
Josie
like the dancer before me
She was always ready for an adventure, she missed the water like that of Dale. Of course the water in Ischia was probably not as magical as Dale, she has not seen any spirit animals lingering beqanna lately. The beautiful Sheba that Phaederus had, and Zaphod that her mother had, she was excited as a filly for her own spirit animal, but she left Dale before claiming one. She patiently waited for Belgaer to respond, but surely after a few moments of silence he agreed to bring her. He noted the water was cold, and the path was steep, but the sight was something to see.
She pranced slightly in spot, her excitement grew as he talked about it. She wondered what it would look like, what color were the rocks around it? What color was the water? Was it clear? What did it smell like, salty like the rest of the water on Ischia? Her tail swayed gently "You were such a wonderful guide, I am sure we will be fine going to the waterfall" she poked fun, prancing toward him she brushed against him, playfully teasing the stallion.
She followed beside him, allowing him to lead a few paces ahead. Her ears were perked forward with excitement, she could barely wait. As much an adult she was, she was always a free spirit at heart, like her mother. Zara was always gentle, even when Phaedrus gave her away like a piece of property, no goodbye, just passed her on to another stallion. She peacefully followed, Josie was lucky to break away when she did. She ran away from Dale, right into Akkadians arms, right into the Tundra were she was able to create her own path in life.
She scanned the horizon, taking in all the beauty that Ischia offered. Summer was almost here, but the flowers and trees were at peak budding, the aroma the island carried was sweet with a slight mix of salt from the beach every now and then.The path was steep, and she allowed Belgaer to lead, falling behind him this time. She looked at the ground, ensuring a safe landing at the bottom.
They finally met the plateau, Belgaer looks back with a smile Just through there he notes nodding her on. She prances forward, reaching her neck out, trailing her maw against his flank. She broke into a gallop when she passed him "Race ya!" She laughs as she pounds her hooves into the ground, it only took a few moments for the waterfall to come fully into sight. Her eyes grew wide as the the water roared in her ears, it rushed from the edge above. She slid to a halt at the shore of water that pooled beneath the waterfall. A smile grew on her maw, "Its beautiful!" the water was clear, blue with tints of green. The pool of water was utterly calm compare to the rampaging water that splashed into it. It smelled fresh, unlike the rest of the water that surrounded Ischia. She lowers her maw to the water, it was cold as it slid down her throat, she could not wait until it warmed up, until she could swim in it. She raises her head to find Belgaer, "So... have you any foals?" was she obvious? She really wanted to know if he had someone to call his own, or perhaps he was like many of the stallions in beqanna, just looking for a fun night.
It was funny to him, to look back to the event that had led him onto Josie’s path. The last thing he’d expected on his leisurely stroll through the forest had been the spunky black mare. He’d grown accustomed to his life of duty beside his father. Until the moment he’d laid eyes on Josie, he’d only had the slightest of interests in pursuing a family of his own. It’d always been an afterthought, however, a tickling deep within the depths of his desires. There’d been a hesitation – the truth of his immortality and the pain that came with it. Watching Josie as she danced in place the reality of their eventual fate sent shockwaves of pain through his heart. She would grow old while he remained unchanged. For now, he shook those dark thoughts from his head.
Shockwaves shot through them as her velvet lips traced the length of his flank. The touch had been expected, but so had every graze of their shoulders and every playful nip. He found himself desiring to be closer to her – fighting the urge to lean into her whenever she was near. The feelings that were beginning to bubble up within him were new and foreign to him. It was frightening and exciting all at once.
He watched her as she stepped forward, her hazel eyes growing large in anticipation. He could almost hear her excited thoughts as they tumbled around just behind the warmth of her gaze. In a sudden bound of energy, she leapt forward, challenging him to a race and, as she shot off, he laughed in response. In one single, fluid motion, he propelled himself into the air, his wings kicking up fallen leaves and debris as they stirred up the air around them. Even as she galloped below him it took only three heaves of his plume to carry him past her. As she slid to a halt at the shore he slowed his momentum and hovered over the crystalline lake before her.
It’s beautiful!
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Following her gaze he was instantly accosted by the memories of his childhood. He had spent countless tropical summers bathing in the cooling waters of the lagoons. The games they would play and hours they’d lost themselves within them. Childhood had been sweet bliss and there were times he wished for it’s return.
Jolted out of his thoughts, her next question caught him by surprise. So…have you any foals? He felt the flapping of his wings falter and his rear hoof dipped into the shockingly cold water. Lurching forward he landed deftly beside her once more.
“No,” he answered quickly – almost too quickly. He cleared his throat and clarified as the temperature in his cheeks climbed. “I would like to – I mean, I guess I haven’t found the right person yet…”
He knew he was fumbling his way through his answer and he hoped that she would understand him. Chestnut ears pinned themselves forward, ready to gauge her reaction and he couldn’t help but wonder if she felt the same growing fondness that he did. In fact, he hoped that she did.
She asks him if he had any children, but she was not sure she was ready to spill all her details about her own. Of course she was not ashamed of Ezra, she loved him more than life itself, but she was guilty that she moved on from Akkadian. She still held hope that he would return to beqanna, but she could not wait forever for him. She was finding more and more interest in Belgaer and he made her feel young again, like she just left Phaedrus' herd and she was finding her path in life.
Her gaze drifts back to him when he speaks No he says, he clears his throat almost like his heart was beating fast. A smile grew on her maw, it was sweet, I haven't found the right person he follows up. He might as well as stabbed her in the heart, would he think she was damaged goods when she finds out about Ezra? She could not keep her history hidden from him, if she wanted to have a future with Bel she needed to tell him the truth.
She closes the gap between the two, she presses her maw to his shoulder blade, inhaling his musky odor for a few moments. She lifts her head to find his gaze I have a son, his name is Ezra. the ebony stallion flashes in her mind. He is an adult now, I am not sure exactly where he is, leading his own life I suppose. They had a wonderful life together, but as he became a bachelor he ventured off to his own life. It is bittersweet, to raise your child and watch them go onto there own life adventure, but she was happy with Ezra wherever he was now.
Did she mention Akkadian? Maybe he would think she had a one night stand and raised Ezra on his own. She decides to save the conversation for another time, whenever Belgaer brought it up. She would not lie, but she did not want to bring it up on her own. Although I had Ezra, I have always wanted more. she smiles as she brushes her head against him gently I guess I have also been looking for someone worth while. Her gaze drifts into the water, was she being to forward? What if he did not have the same feelings growing? What if she was pushing the boundary, she would have to leave Ischia out of pure embarrassment.
