the sun turned cold [Scorch]

[Everclear]

“I was born there (in the Amazons). Long ago...My mother Alex served as Lady to… to the Queen, in her time.”

The words still ring in his mind as he follows Scorch north, across river and dell to the slowly darkening landscape of Nerine. It is not quite the jungle that he remembers, although there is something fertile in the volcanic sand and the salty air that reminds him of days gone past. The Jungle itself had been rather close and muggy, dampening his blackish coat when he had been young. Nerine feels more open, airy with the northerly gusts from the ocean, and he lifts his chin into the wintry breezes as they walk onward.

He reflects momentarily on his childhood among the herd of mares, when he was still too young to be rejected and still doted-upon by his mother. He had adored her; he had wanted nothing more than to protect her and to see her smile. She had always given him such kindnesses in her quiet and gentle way, somehow always leaving him wanting even though he’d known she had loved him. When he had been granted his immortality, he had cried on her shoulder upon realizing that he would then outlive her and that he would have to face the whole of the world utterly alone from that point forward.

The gift of everlasting life had been rare in those days, but perhaps he would find some solace with kindred spirits now. After drawing a heavy breath of the ocean air, Everclear looks back at Scorch and twitches one ear in curiosity. “How is it that you know of the Amazonian ways?” he asks over the gentle brushes of the waves and the slightly crunching sand beneath their feet.

“And…” he pauses and holds his tongue for a moment, glancing up at the cliffs and grayish beaches ahead of them. “And how did you come to be burnt so completely?” He wonders if she will answer this question at all but he decides there is no harm in asking, now that they are alone.

E V E R C L E A R

@[Scorch]

[Scorch]

WATCH THE FLAMES CLIMB HIGH INTO THE NIGHT

As they walked away from the meadow, north and west towards home, Scorch couldn't help but to allow a pleased expression onto her face. Arthas had been short and rather uninteresting, in her mind and least, and it felt good to be the one who got picked. Or at least, she got picked first; and it did mean something. More than that though, she felt a connection with Everclear; ancient and unlike those she shared with others who called this new land home.

Immortality was a new trait among the many that Scorch hosted, one that though she did not know of directly, she knew was there all the same. Once, she may have had the same adverse reaction to such a gift as Everclear had during his childhood - but once one dies, the fact of life in any shape or form is seen exclusively as just that: a gift. Even if it meant watching her children die, Scorch would be grateful; and with her ghost-whispering, death was truly no separation.

Their hooves crunched the snow in tandem, but the sound of his voice brought her out of her revere. Perking crisped ears, Scorch almost snorted derisively - no wait, she did. "Old soul, do you not recognize mine?" She quirked a brow, smirking. Before she managed to elaborate further, Everclear started up with a tentative . Further intrigued, Scorch awaited his final question, and again laughed quietly upon its delivery.

"One question at a time, or I'll never shut up," she joked easily. Casting her molten red-yellow gaze out across the cold saltwater sea, she gathered her thoughts momentarily with a deep inhale. He asked hard questions, and she needed a moment to find the right answers.

"About forty years ago - more, I think - I was born to the Desert Queen Katriel. She gave birth to triplets on the Jungle's border, where the Amazonian Queen Echion found her. There was a blood alliance at the time, and everyone had it out for Echion because she wasn't a part of the blood alliance. Oh, and Echion had just given birth to twins that very day. So while Katriel slept amidst her children, Echion went and switch her two for two of Katriel's, knowing that they would be better treated by the Blood Alliance empire. That meant that I was raised a Jungle princess - but I was largely neglected, because of Echion's secret. It wasn't until the day she was murdered by her blood daughter, Tivona, that I found out about my true heritage."

Inhale; exhale. "From there I went a little awol - but my husband Hestoni rescued me in my misery and brought me back to the Jungle. I was already a sworn sister by then, so if he had not helped me back on to my feet, I would have been marked a traitor." Turning, she presented the very small marking she'd won in the Beqanna games: a red flower, with a small green vine. She was the only one in all of Beqanna to sport the ancient marking - even if it but memorabilia.

"From there, I lived to see three more Queens ascend the Jungle throne before it finally fell to me. It was my life's purpose, to lead; I wanted to make my mother Echion proud. And I did. I lead the Jungle for years, but died in childbirth as a dramatic finale to my reign. Hestoni died with me. I was brought back some years ago, perhaps to help revive Nerine and to lend it some Amazonian flare. So, that's how I know of the Amazonian ways. I sorta lived them, my whole life."

Ah, god, on to the second question. She shrugged as if to say I warned you. "As for your second question - I was picked to participate in a quest by a Faerie called Loki. Lots happened - but in the end I had to fight a dragon, and I caught fire, but in the dream I was immune to it. Upon awakening however, I was really on fire... And had I not run head first into a body of water out of pure luck, I would have died." She chuckled. "I used to be bay roan, with green eyes - now I am this." Her eyes flashed all kinds of colours before settling once more on their typical red-yellow.

Glancing into Nerine's depths, she paused a moment before administering her own question. "Those are my stories; now what are yours, Everclear? You come from a line of Amazonians more ancient even than my own."

Scorch

Once Khaleesi of the Amazon Jungle

YA ASKED FOR IT. @[Everclear]