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  • 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


    It all remains the same- Any
    #1
    Three days had gone by in a swift motion. Bright days bleeding quickly into ink colored nights. The bay found himself enjoying Tephra more each day, but he had promised himself. Three days was all he gave himself to decide. 

     Krigare found himself at the sea as he thought, releasing his lungs of the ash they craved. The salty tang of the air around him clearing his mind, all thoughts other than his decision fading. He found comfort in the azure that lapped at his feet, gray clouds rolling in over their white caps. Crabs that he once found pesky now calmly observed him before returning to their hiding spots beneath the sand. 

    Without the mingled conversation of the equines around him, the chittering of the crabs, or the loud lap of the ocean it was silent. Thoughts screamed louder than words at the bay stallion, his green eyes clouded with them as he watched the sea churn beneath the ash colored sky.

     Tephra lured him in like a trap, the mystery of it captivating him. The main attraction of the land was obviously the massive volcano it possessed, though thats not what he enjoyed most about it. He simply loved the mix of equines that resided on the island.  They all varied so much, weather it was in their colors or in their personalities none were the same. He enjoyed that. No one looked the same.

     There was the Mare who had brought him here as well, someone he now thanked silently for this. She was to thank for Krigare finally finding a home. The place he chose to stay when he wasnt wandering about Beqanna, finding new places to dig around , to meet people. 

     She had introduced him to the place he would always return, no matter how far he roamed in a day. Or how lost he felt. He would return to Tephra, for in three days he had decided. That was all he needed. Three wonderful days in the land led him ot the decision. He was going to stay.
    [Image: krigare_by_voltum-dbctewi.png]
    #2
    Darkness.
    Her entire world was darkness. A deep midnight that enveloped her and made her wonder what god - if there was any at all – would do this to her. Her world was etched in a thick blanket of black; the once vibrant plants, rushing streams, and dancing sunsets were nothing more than a memory…there was only darkness now.  It constantly terrified her…making it easy for her mind to supply her imagination with the pictures of beasts with long fangs to tear through her bones and sharp claws to rip through her flesh. The fact that she was always alone did not help her case, as the mixture of darkness and loneliness ate through her psyche like acid.

    The two things to give her relief in her concealed world were her nostrils and ears. The satellites on top of her head gave her an advantage against the predators who saw her as an easy target, and her snout let her breathe in the aromas around her, giving her some sort of idea of the area she was in.

    However, it was winter in Beqanna. The crunchy snow and dry, icy air masked many of the earth’s less apparent smells. The white mare hated winter. To give herself some kind of relief from the bitter cold, she wandered into a warmer territory.

    The pungent smell of sulfur and ash hit her like a brick. It was incredibly warm and humid, and Zephyr knew where she was immediately – the Tephra. The tall plain grasses tickled her legs, and she could only imagine the beauty they possessed. Her ears flicked, as she listened for the familiar splash of waves. As long as she stayed on the beach, she knew she would be safe.

    Shhhhhh, sploosh, shhhh

    The water hit the sand softly, then retreated back to the sea. Zephyr turned her head to the left, her cream-colored mane whipping in the midday wind. She walked a few steps, then paused.

    Shhhhh, sploosh, shhhh It played on repeat. She perked her ears and continued until her hooves hit the dense sand. Zephyr took a deep breath, letting the salty air caress her. She stared into the nothingness, wondering how beautiful it was. She wondered what the sunset would look like tonight, what creatures lurked in the sea.

    Shhhhhhhh A familiar wetness encircled her ankles. She welcomed it before it withdrew back to the sea.












    #3
    The snows crunching alerted him to her presence, his ears flicked, though he made no move to turn. He glanced to the mare when she stopped on the shore line, her milky eyes distant, blank. He knew, she was blind.

    "Hello."

    He spoke, voice just as calm as the waters that pulled at his hooves. His head was forward, unturning in his speech. Its not like the mare would notice this, so he stayed still. It was not often that others would join the bay at the shore line, though here they were now. This stranger who stood calmly by his side, though he was unsure if she knew he was even there at all.

    "I am Krigare,"

    and he fell silent once more.
    [Image: krigare_by_voltum-dbctewi.png]
    #4
    The white mare stood at the edge of bay, letting the salty sea air fill her nostrils. It was all so calming - the water touching her front fetlocks, a soft breeze whipping through her cream colored mane...she felt at peace; a feeling she didn't get quite that often. She breathed deeply.
    Zephyr wished she could see the beauty that lay before her - the waves crashing gently on the shoreline, a sunset swirled with different hues of orange and pink. She wished she could see what other equines saw...she had wished that since she was a filly. The mare was deathly still as she focused her mind on what may lay before her.

    Crrrch Her left satellite flicked over as she head someone approaching. She flared her nostrils, her body tensing as she side stepped sharply and prepared herself to run if the stranger was dangerous. The scent of a stallion hit her snout, and she bared her teeth in an unflattering way. It wasn't often others approached her, especially males - her milky white eyes were unappealing, her face was in a constant state of either distress or focus, and she often seemed unwelcoming. Although she was a beautiful mare, many horses were too afraid to approach her.

    "Hello," The stallion spoke, his voice deep and velvety. He seemed very calm, and her muscles relaxed slightly. "I am Krigare." His introduction was sweet and to the point. The mare shifted her body slightly to face the direction of the voice. He smelled of ash, so Zephyr assumed he probably lived in Tephra or just hung around the territory. A few minutes had passed, and Zephyr realized she hadn't responded.

    "Um..." She spoke. Her voice was very faint. "I am Zephyr." She said quickly. She felt uncomfortable and anxious. She hardly ever talked to anyone, so for this...Krigare...to simply approach her like it was nothing made her very afraid. She hoped this wasn't some sort of trick.












    #5
    The pale one called herself Zephyr, though despite how kind he was trying to be, she still radiated fear. He sucked in a deep breath of salty air, ears pinning in confusion. Had he said something wrong? She could not see him. Could not see the burly appearance of the bay, or the extensive scars he bared, why should she be frightened?

    "Have no fear Zephyr. I am not here to hurt you."

    He spoke, finalizing the fact by distancing himself from her, even if she couldnt tell, it calmed him to be away. The water slapped restlessly at his feet, begging for him to submerge himself withing its freezing depths.

    " I only come here to think.."
    Krigare whispered this, reminding himself why he WAS there. To think.
    [Image: krigare_by_voltum-dbctewi.png]
    #6
    The sun began to set beyond the horizon. The tides slowly began to change, and Zephyr felt the water lap above her ankles and retreat quickly. The breeze began to grow colder and she shuddered. Night would soon fall, and she'd have to find a safe place to stay; with no herd and no sight, if she could not find a place by dark she would have to lay awake to be safe.

    Zephyr could sense the tension between herself and the stallion called Krigare. The mare listened as the stag beside her took in a deep breath of air, almost in frustration. Zephyr longed to know many things...but in this moment she longed to see this stranger's expression, or to know what he looked like. She longed to know his body language, to have some indication of how he was feeling in this moment. 

    "Have no fear Zephyr, I am not here to hurt you." He spoke softly. His words were long and smooth. Zephyr relaxed her muscles...although she did not fully trust him, she believed what he had said. She listened as Krigare moved away from her. "I only come here to think..." He spoke quietly, almost to himself. Zephyr moved her ears to listen to the water slapping on his feet. She moved ever so slightly closer. 

    "I did not mean to offend you," Zephyr murmured. "I just...I just get scared." She finished breathlessly. By this time, the pure white mare was shivering. "Most horses don't talk to me...so...I became scared when you approached."












    #7
    The mare was shivering, and Krigare was unsure of what to do. He sucked in a breath, taking a tentative step away from the waters, she spoke as he did this, the words like a slap in the face. 

    "I'll tell you what, Zephyr. Come with me to a warmer place, and we can talk more." 

    He spoke, voice soft as the cold wind pricked at his coat. He shuffled in the sand, awaiting her reply, for she had just said she didnt quite trust him. 

    " I understand the whole not talking thing." He whispered, nodding to himself slightly.

    " I do."
    [Image: krigare_by_voltum-dbctewi.png]
    #8
    The sun was almost down. 

    Zephyr knew this, because the pressure behind her eyes went away. The light usually left a strong, pounding feeling behind her milky orbs, a feeling she had become familiar with. When the sun set, however, the feeling slowly went away. She blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust to the sensation.

     The mare imagined the stars lighting up the night - showing the millions of galaxies that lay beyond Beqanna. The breeze was cold on her pale white pelt, despite Tephra's steamy climate. Zephyr continued to shudder, wishing for the sun to wake back up so she could bask in its glory. 

    The stag next to her sucked in a deep breath; and quiet as he tried to be, Zephyr could still hear the soft splashes of Krigare's hooves as he moved away from the water's edge. 

    "I'll tell you what, Zephyr. Come with me to a warmer place, and we can talk more." His words were striking to her - for obvious reasons, she expected him to just run away, or ignore her altogether. 

    Zephyr was unsure of what to do. 

    Should I go with him? She wondered, her ears flicking back in forth in concentration. Her every instinct told her no...but her heart told her otherwise. This stallion was the nicest anyone had been to her in...well, in her entire life. He spoke calmly to her even though she was frightened. He noticed her movements, and offered to bring her somewhere else so she wouldn't be so cold.

    As she thought about this, Krigare spoke again. "I understand the whole not talking thing...I do." At this, Zephyr's lips curled into a sweet smile. She nodded in reply, approaching him slowly until she felt herself at his side.

    "I'll follow you."












    #9
    He reached out to gently tug at her mane, a friendly gesture he found himself doing often. With a small nod, he set off at a leisurely pace. His legs dragged him into the land, towards the heat of the mountain within it. He continued to walk until he reached a small cove of trees, a quiet place for them to talk without the worries of others interrupting them.

    Carefully he moved branches aside for her, pushing away leaves that had fallen to the ground. He had made a nest of sorts, somewhere comfy for the two of them.

    "Are you new to the Tephra?"

    He asked as he worked, finally finishing minutes later. The area was small, and warm as he had promised.

    Now, maybe she would let him get to know her.
    [Image: krigare_by_voltum-dbctewi.png]
    #10
    Zephyr felt Krigare pull tenderly at her mane, and she smiled. She listened as his hooves touched the densely compacted sand, leading him up a slight incline to the soft grasslands. 

    Crrch, crrch, crrch Their hooves played in perfect harmony. The long grasses tickled Zephyr's pelt as they walked. Sometimes, a sticky branch would caress her fetlocks or snag at her tail, and she would gingerly brush them off. As the pair walked, the area around her became warmer. Her pallid coat grew damp with perspiration. This fact didn't bother her though - she welcomed the humid air. The deep, ashy smell of Tephra grew stronger. She inhaled, then coughed; she hardly ever roamed this close to the volcano...for obvious reasons. 

    Zephyr's ears moved forward as she listened to Krigare fiddle with a branch. It cracked under the pressure of his body. The mare listened to the leaves flutter to the ground, the muffled sound of them landing was something not everyone was aware of, but that she enjoyed. 

    Shhhwoosh Krigare had moved the freshly fallen leaves over, presumably into a pile. Zephyr stepped slightly into their private place. She moved her ears, listening to the wind as it moved through the thick trees. "Are you new to the Tephra?" The stallion asked her as he finished his work. The cove was tiny, secluded, and hellishly warm. Zephyr took in a deep breath - she enjoyed this, and she felt oddly content. 

    "I come and go," She told him, moving towards the sound of where he had brushed the leaves. Once she felt the pile, she waited for Krigare to lay. "I mostly wander, but Tephra has become sort of a safe place. Although, I don't think any leaders are aware that I'm here..." Her voice trailed off. How could they know? Many of them stayed closer to where the hot magma boiled over into the sea. She would be incredibly stupid to go there alone...so, she stayed at the beach whenever she decided to come here. "Do you...do you live here?" She stuttered.
















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