• Logout
  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "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


    The Family I Always Wanted [Wander]
    #1
    Clayton
    Every Story Has Two Sides


    He has had so much going on lately, his brain is so confused. His heart aches for Warlight, but he knows that it is a dream he should stop chasing. She was occupied with Raul and didn't even know that he loved her, all these years. 

    He had met a few new equines in the Cove since he left Warlights hip, and it has helped him leave his quiet shell. He ventured out to the forest, the first time he has left the Cove since his diplomatic visits to Taiga and Ischia. 

    He did not really have an end goal, mainly just to get a chance in scenery, maybe find someone to recruit. As he trailed through the dense forest his eyes found someone of interest. His head tilts as a young filly comes into view, she has horns identical to his.

    He had met other horned equines, but never one that had the same exact horns as his... She has to be...Fathers... He quickly chased after the young girl Hey! Hey You! Stop! He hopes he doesn't scare her, would she even know about him? He has not seen his father since he was a couple weeks old, though it did not surprise him that he had another child. 


    @[wander] <3
    Reply
    #2
    (it is no secret that Mandan has been rather prolific as a father; an absent one until the return of his beloved beautiful Exist. now he understands family and the meaning of it. but that can never erase the mistakes of the past - all the sons and daughters he’s left to fend for themselves, which is why his children are the fierce wild ones of the world)

    Wander is ecstatic; she has escaped father’s careful watch and snuck beyond the Pampas’ borders. There is a deliciousness in being so deceptive and downright sneaky. The apricot child gallivants through the Forest as carefree as a bird in the sky, her brain relatively devoid of most thought as she runs along the paths.

    She is an elfin slip of a girl that has small spirally horns atop her head. The trees lean down to grasp those infantile horns but she shakes her head free of their fingers, whinnying shrill and fierce at the tree-monsters before taking further evasive measures. Wander throws herself down the trails at breakneck speed, giggling and neighing until she is loud enough to bring the stars down out of hiding.

    The girl zips by the stallion, not even noticing his green-on-bay coloring that is similar to her own apricot-bay or the impressive set of horns on his head that could easily rival father’s. Her ears catch the clatter of hoofbeats behind her and she swallows a thick lump of initial fear that soon turns to the giddiness of leading the chase. He’s bigger, with a longer stride and will catch her with ease so she gives up and turns to face him, blowing hard as she finally looks at him.

    Wander gasps; he looks just like father! She knows that Mandan has had other children - her beaked brother is proof enough of that, and she hadn’t been oblivious to the recountings of history and their bloodline. She’s just surprised to see one so perfectly matched to their father, that she hadn’t expected to encounter one of their ilk this soon. Wander clamps her mouth shut, but gives him a shy smile.

    “You look just like him.” she states simply enough.

    @[Clayton] ❤️
    Reply
    #3
    Clayton
    Every Story Has Two Sides
    He runs after the young girl, who was clearly in her own world. He yells after her, his legs gaining speed with every stride. After a short chase she comes to a halt, and he skifes to hus own halt.

    She seemed slightly shocked to see him, and with a shy smile she speaks You look just like him . He cocks his eye to the girl Who Mandan?! his tone is eager, though he already knows the truth. There pelts are similar, though Claytons is darker, and there matchin horns were a dead giveaway. They could pass as full blooded siblings, though he is fairly certain she is not his mothers.

    My name is Clayton, I suppose that makes me your brother. He wastes no time, Keeper had gone off once again to her own life. He had yearner for a family of his own, after being turned down by Will, this may be just what he was looking for.

    He was afraid to pry into her life to much, she was young after all. If he lacked presence in her life, like he had his own, she may be sensitive to it. But his curiosity led him to inquire anyway Is the old man around still? A sly attempt at asking without looking for to much detail. 

    .

    @[wander]
    [Image: clayton_by_cowgirlconrad-dcmmo18.png]




    Reply
    #4
    She considers him calmly; trying to figure out which one he was in the long rite of half-siblings her - their - father has told her about. He must be the green mare’s son, knowing about her father’s attempt to sustain a herd in the time before Exist came along. Her mother changed everything about the bay stallion, and held no grudges against him for his former dalliances. 

    But this boy doesn’t look old enough to be from before Exist’s time in their father’s life and she worries at her lip over that thought. Wander just cannot imagine that Mandan has been unfaithful until she figures out that he’s older than Auric, which means he comes after the twins but before the current crop of Auric, herself, and her mother’s swelling belly.

    “Yes,” she answers gently, even though she can see it in his eyes that he knows exactly who she is talking about. For a moment, she wonders if her horns will be as spirally and sharp and long as his are. Maybe one day, when she’s less awkward knees and wobbly legs and all grow up. She leans in close for a sniff, the kind that can easily commit his scent to memory for future identification.

    Not that she could ever forget him now. Addax horns tend to stand out. So does hair as green as the leaves on the trees in springtime. She cannot help staring, especially when her eyes find the scar on his neck and a lump rises in her throat - she knew of their sister, the one that preferred her bear shape over her original form. Well, father said it might not be so simple as preference and more like a hard-to-escape-from curse.

    “Did sister give that to you?” she has to stretch her neck a little after taking enough steps to bring her close enough to trace part of the long scar with her lips. Wander plants a little kiss upon the scarred brown skin before stepping back to look at him again. “I’m Wander and he’s around.” she adds with a chuckle, not knowing that father hadn’t been, well, a father to Clayton.

    “Haven’t you seen him?” she might be new in the sense of age - not very old - but she had the sneaking suspicion that this older brother might not exactly have known a father’s love and affection, and that ignited a teensy hot fire inside her that became a raging ball of anger and injustice directed towards their father. 

    @[Clayton] ok so everyone would know Keeper, mostly in her bear form but she’s like the family historian lol
    Reply
    #5
    It was an odd feeling, Keeper was the only true family he had. Both his mother and father were not in the place to raise a child, he didn't complain though, Keeper was the best 'parent' he could have asked for.

    Yes she responds, confirming his suspicions. She was one of Mandans, his sister , a smile tugs at his lips as he gazes over the young filly. When he finds her gaze once again he finds her staring at the scar that drapes down his neck. His perfect brown pelt blemished with his pink skin underneath. The memory of Will and Ilma flashes before him, the bear he mistook for Keeper, the reason for his scar.

    Did sister give you that? The words run through his ears, removing the memory from his mind. His eyes grow alarmed as he stares at her No! Never! She would never hurt me , he pleads, he would never drag her name with ill intentions. This was from a wild bear, a simple mistake. His eyes glance over the scar, a simple mistake with a lasting impression.

    A sigh of relief escapes as he settles back on his young sister, she introduces herself as Wander and notes father is around. A smile tugs at his lips, some may be upset at the fact they were not worthy of there fathers love, but Clayton is just happy Wander gets the relationship he always wanted. He was older now, and the desire for his father had simply faded away.

    Wander, he says her name with a smile. She asks if he has seen father and he shakes his head No, not since I was younger than you. I didn't know he was even around still. He never even receiver a visit, from either parents. Small details now, after he was a year old the desire for his parents faded. He accepted Will and her family as his own.

    Still he could not help but wonder where he was living now a days, had he settled down? Or still living the herd life. He chooses his words carefully for the young girl Where...where do you guys stay?   He could not freely pick the kingdom up from her scent, though it was a nomad one. They must be in one of the new lands, but which one, he didn't know.

    @[wander]
    [Image: clayton_by_cowgirlconrad-dcmmo18.png]




    Reply
    #6
    His alarm is… well, alarming. She backs up a step and ducks her head; she hadn’t meant the assumption to be painful to him but they all knew that Keeper kept to bear-shape more often than not and accidents could happen. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs, face still downcast as he pleads and explains and she begins to understand better. It had been a simple mistake; one that had lasting consequences as his wild eyes show.

    Wander lifts her face back up to him, after reaching out to give him a sisterly brush of affection to the spot just below the scar. She smiles back, happy that there is no anger in his face at the fact that she got to flourish beneath father’s attention and he had not. It must have been fun to have Keeper raise him though! Fun, but hard. A bear is probably not the best mother to a colt but he looks as if he’s managed to do well for himself.

    “Oh,” she manages a little sadly. What had that been like for him not to ever see father again? How horrible! She felt a hot rush of anger burn through her little apricot breast towards Mandan. He should have taken better care of his children! Wander was growing indignant and thinking of storming off to find her father and confront him about this older brother’s abandonment.

    “He’s been pretty wrapped up in mama. They’ve been apart for some time but he found her again, or maybe she found him?” she hasn’t puzzled out the logistics of it. Just that theirs’ was the kind of love story that she hoped for. Without all the time apart, wandering lost and alone, yearning forever. Wander didn’t want that much of it, just the happy fairy tale of being in love. She’s too young to know that nothing - even love - is free of trials and tribulations. That’s just life.

    “The Pampas for now,” she responds happily. The green of his hair reminds her of her favorite pair of eyes that belong to a handsome colt that also happens to be her best and only friend. “Where do you live?” Wander is genuinely curious since she’s never been anywhere else but there and now, here in the forest with him.

    @[Clayton] sorry for the late reply! 
    Reply
    #7
    His plea to protect his sister seemed to have startled Wander. She apologizes and he gazes blankly for a moment, No! Its okay...I just..she was good to me. He was still slightly awkward, unable to put his feelings into words.

    It doesn't seem to scare her off for long, the young girl comes closer, brushing his scar. He turns to gaze at it for a moment, he gained the mark through a terrible incident. If Tahti hadn't come back from the dead it is possible he wouldn't feel the same about it. But when he is reminded of it, he remembers friendships that bonded close together that day.

    Though most of them have dwindled off...and one left him heart broken. His gaze flicks back to Wander as she speaks, oh . A sad response when she hears the father they share was only apart of one of their lives.

    She stayed quiet for a moment, but quickly ran to protect his name. She says that he had been wrapped up with her mother, and for a moment he wonders where that leaves his own mom. But he just laughs in response, It's okay Wander, I had a good life, and I'm glad he was there for you. It was true, he has had a fantastic life in Hyaline and the Cove with Keeper and the others. All he could ask is that Wander got the family he never had.

    He inquires about where they were living and to his suprise she notes the Pampas. It wasn't too far from the Cove, he can only wonder why father hadn't chosen the same home as his. But his thoughts vanish when Wander asks where Clay lives. The cove! He responds as a smile tugs at his lips. The thought of his kingdom makes pride swell in his chest.

    I'd love for you to visit Wander, and I will try to visit you soon. Perhaps father will be happy to see me. Or perhaps he would be mad that his bastard son appeared to his new mate. None the less, his father owed him this much.

    @[wander] I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! PLEASE FORGIVE ME, either way I figure because so much time has past, if you want to start a new thread? Clay can come to the Pampas and visit the family? Or Wander can come to the Cove
    [Image: clayton_by_cowgirlconrad-dcmmo18.png]




    Reply




    Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)