07-31-2015, 02:46 PM
Destruction.
Devestation.
Two words that perfectly described the end results of the fires that had swept through Beqanna.
Throughout the ngith the remaining embers lit up the smoke filled evening sky and cast a soft orange glow of the small remaining group up on the mountainside. Throughout the night, ash fell through the sky, dotting the blackened land in what looked like foot upon foot of gray colored snow.
Standing slowly Leiland found himself making his way throughout and around the unknown faces, watching them all as they sobbed away theirs sorrows and wallowed in their woes for the losses they had acquired throughout the time of the fires. Hours had already passed and he had tried to conjure up the ability to cry more, but he was unable to do so. The numbness that shock brought on had overtaken him. Then not soon after followed the lack of emotion and then the lack of fear.
Mothers and fathers were without their children. Sisters and brothers without their siblings. Even children without parents. That's what they all were. They were a remaining few without anyone familiar to seek out comfort from.
All they had left was each other.
That was what they would have to come to terms with.
It came all too quick. The excruciating heartache and realization that they would never hear their loved ones voices, or feel their kind touches ever again. Most of them shuffled around endlessly, constantly shedding their tears of sorrow and instead of joining them he stood back and watched over them all. It was an almost endless sorrow that flowed through the group. He watched them for weaknesses, for their strengths. He knew that soon he would need to band together with either all or few in order to survive and he was determined not to make the wrong the choices.
( The Gray Stallion )
Elijah, the man of smoke and cloud.
He had first caught Leiland's attention because he too stood off to the side, watching the others. Words never left his lips and when others approached, seeking comforting words or solid advice, he chose to stare at them all and then walk away into the patch of trees that still dotted the mountainside.
It took the first week of Leiland watching just him for the silver boy to find his way over. With sure steps and a blank face he stood next to the man without a word, glancing over at him a time or two before relaxing slowly. Days passed and Leiland continued to do this. Approach and stand, then separate. Over and over the process continued until finally one morning Elijah looked over and spoke with a deep voice, lacking of any emotion. "You think you're different then the rest of these other assholes. Well, news for you kid, you're not."
With a quirked brow and a slight smirk Leiland found himself slowly looking towards the man and without reaction, he found himself whistling through his teeth. Slowly he turned his head back to the milling group before speaking up quietly, "Maybe not. But I will make it out of this alive."
Maybe this had been the answer that made Elijah look over at the younger boy with an understanding mind. Maybe it was the way he handled himself in high moments of stress. Maybe it was the way Leiland reminded him of himself when he was younger. Either way after the boy had answered so boldly, he found it upon himself to allow the boy to remain at his side. And as the weeks passed he allowed a small friendship to grow. Quietly looking after him and teaching him where to go in order to find food and water.
Over time their friendship grew.
The older man became a father.
The younger boy became a son.
Together they began to work as one.
( The Black Mare )
Juliet, the woman of sugar and spice.
It was during one of their scavenges that Elijah and Leiland came across the dainty beauty. Somehow she had managed to free her coat of all the ash and grime. She shone with elegant grace and when she turned to look at them her broken smile held a dazzle that made Leiland's heart skip. For the first time in weeks he had found beauty in the darkness.
Glancing at Elijah, he stepped towards her and spoke a soft and lingering "hello."
"Hello," she responded in a sing-song voice. Dark eyes following the silver boys movement, she stepped towards him muzzle outreached and soon they came together, blowing softly in unison into each others nostrils in a common greeting amongst their kind. With a grin he turned back towards Elijah and gestured for the father-like figure to join him. Yet when he turned around he was no longer face to face with just the black mare, but another man. Fury set in his stony face.
She was the sweet and sour.
She was his every desire.
He was her rock.
He was her fire.
( The Chestnut Stallion )
Elliot, the man of copper and hate.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The copper man rumbled quietly, "don't you know boundaries?" Leiland stared at him in faint surprise before wiping his face completely of any and all emotion. He barely noticed the quick approach of Elijah while he first looked to Juliet and then to Elliot. "I was just saying hello. Wouldn't you think it strange if I were to just ignore a woman who was alone while our home is in the state it is in? I have no ill intentions and I am sorry if you got the wrong impression." With a slight huff he made eye contact with the man, refusing to break it. He waited for what seemed like hours until finally he saw Elliot relax and the tension, for now, left the air surrounding them.
"Just watch yourself boy," Elliot stated in a matter of fact tone. Turning away from Juliet, Leiland, and Elijah he made his way towards the tree line. "I'm going to patrol our little area. I will be back soon."
He was a mystery.
He was an Enemy.
He was the devil's right hand.
An extremely jealous man.
( Together As One )
He wasn't sure when or how it happened. But the four of them had somehow come to the conclusion to stick together. Their small band had become a united front and even though occasionally tensions ran high, mostly between Elliot and the rest, they found themselves working alongside one another in peaceful unison.
Day by day they grew stronger. Allowed their wounds to begin their healing process, and brought laughter and joy to one another. Though Leiland soon realized that it was all too comfortable. It was all going too well. That if there was one thing his mother had taught him while growing up, it was that when things became too perfect so to say, that was when a storm was brewing. He knew things would soon change and so did Elijah. But instead of voicing their concerns, they shared knowing looks in order not to worry Juliet and Elliot.
Leiland felt like a spring that was wound too tight. He could feel it in the air, pressing harder as the days came and went. It was coming. It was coming. It was coming.
Yet what it was, he wasn't sure. He found himself next to Elijah, body tense, his heart racing before he forced himself to speak, "It's not over." As soon as they spoke is when they heard it. That first blood curling scream. Exchanging glances they burst forward and into the trees away from the safety of their little clearing, running side by side, followed close behind by Juliet and Elliot.
Here and there they darted around the unsuspected bush or tree until finally the burst through the treeline. They quickly came to sliding halts when they saw the other groups gaping out at Beqanna. "Stay here," Elijah growled at Elliot and Juliet, "You boy, come on." Nodding, Leiland helped Elijah to force through the crowd until they came to the ledge and looked out in search of what the others were seeing. "What in the hell?" Leiland muttered and Elijah shook his head slowly in disbelief. For once he didn't have answers for the silver boy that had become so much like a son.
( Run )
The earth began to break and crack and out of the ash and bone rose creatures like anyone had ever seen. Their twitch like movements and quick pace were something told in the horror stories Leiland heard whispered through the Amazons by the warrior women. The smell they brought with them was worse than that of rotting death. They carried it with them as they rose by the hundreds, seeking out any living creature that remained below.
In horror Elijah and Leiland watched them rip the tiniest of creatures apart and devour them quickly before moving on to the next and then the next until finally there was nothing left.
Then it was though the devil himself had pointed at their mountaintop. In complete sync they all began to turn towards the trails that led up the mountainside and suddenly Elijah's voice ran through the creatures guttural screeches and screams. "Boy. We must run!" Backing he rammed himself into Leiland, knocking the silver boy out of his trance as he watched them creep and crawl up towards them all. "We must get out of here." With a nod Leiland spun on his back legs and began to run, once more pairing with Elijah in a burst of speed as they ran through the panicked group of other horses towards Elliot and Juliet. "Run!" Leiland shouted. "They're coming! Run!" Ears pinned, he snapped his teeth at the two and watched them both turn.
Soon they too were running, darting back into the trees further up the mountains path. As they ran the sound of crushed bone, painstaking screams, and tearing of flesh filled their ears. It was nothing like they had ever heard before and it was nothing they would ever forget for as long as they lived. It seemed like hours that they ran but it was only minutes before the horde began to close in and with burning lungs, Leiland found himself glancing behind. The air was full of their putrid stench and ever stronger now. They were coming. They weren't going to make it. And he could feel himself slowing. The scabs over his burns were tearing apart and blood was beginning to drip down his legs.
The smell of it seemed to drive them to go faster. Inch by inch they began to close and with desperation he pushed himself harder, focusing on the sound of Elijah's hoofs heating the solid earth beside him and the figure of Juliet's frame bolting ahead of him alongside Elliot.
"Elijah!" He gasped. It took only seconds to realize the gray stallion had come to complete halt yet Leiland found himself yards away before he could stop himself. Turning around he yelled desperately inbetween coughs, "What are you doing you stubborn fool?!"
With a smile Elijah nodded sadly to Leiland before calling out with care, "I am old, my son. I will do the best I can. But you must go." With shaky legs Leiland took a step towards Elijah, watching as the horde moved closer. "Run boy. Go." Calm was his voice when the gray man turned towards the horde, and before Leiland could see him taken down by the oncoming wrath, he turned quickly, and began to run. He ran harder than he ever had before, following the instructions of man who had became more of a father than he had ever known. The only one he had felt true familial love for in so long. It took only minutes before he heard the grunts and kicks of a fighting warrior, before he was taken down in forced silence. Then Leiland forced sound of the gray man being torn apart to be blocked from his ears as he continued to run. Soon he came alongside the other two, a look of pure rage written across his face.
Anger. Hate. Despair. Loss.
It all drove him harder.
He used it to push Elliot and Juliet on. "Don't stop!" he shouted. Together they found themselves darted through through trees and towards their only escape. What would happen next they didn't know. All they had to do was keep running. Maybe then, maybe, they would find themselves able to escape.
Maybe Elijah's sacrifice made of love for the silver haired boy would be enough. Or maybe it wouldn't. Only time would tell.