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Post by Jennycallie on Jan 2, 2019 19:06:37 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to War-Forged Plot 702: Hunted Team Leader: Lark Participants: Alyshia, Addeva, Froya, Kelby, Nott, Sochi, Ales Please keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Prompt: Weather witches had speculated, perhaps desperately, that the advent of summer might bring an end to the alarming tremors that were shuddering through Skeldr. But the geological activity has, if anything, grown worse. More alarming still, reports have come in of strange sounds beneath the earth, sounds that no tremor should ever make. Resources are stretched thin, but the War Lord has finally allocated some personnel to searching for the source, if any, of the mythical creature reports. Your group has been tasked thus, and sent to the site of a recent tremor, one bad enough to open a rift in the earth, perilously close to some essential crop fields. Skeptical or not, you have a mission to follow, and as you explore the rift it becomes clear that while there might not be a mythical creature, something strange is going on: the rift opens up into a clear path, leading deeper into the mountain side… and into darkness. Location: East of Skeldr, near the farming lands Time of Day: Mid-morning Weather: Cool, windy, just beginning to rain. I bet it's dry inside the earth though, isn't that nice? You do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by tarriedsea on Jan 3, 2019 20:01:22 GMT -6
 Lark War Forged | Shield
"Hmph." Mist started drizzling onto their backs, beading on Lark's whiskers and eyelashes. He squinted up at the sky- so gray and bleak through the treetops- as light rain patted his face. Wasn't expecting it to rain today.
He took a cursory glance back at his group- a large handful of Valkyries and a Raider & Scout for good measure. Wordlessly he pointed his nose to the right, nodding toward a winding dirt path along among where the trees grew more sparse. The small forest they'd traversed through opened up shortly after this, and they should arrive at the site of the tremor immediately after.
At least that's what Ales said. Lark was...unfamiliar with this part of Onea. They had traveled for hours, leaving early this morning before dawn to ensure they'd be back before sundown. And sundown was Lark's strict deadline. He wasn't prepared to guard the group from an ambush or attack in the darkness. Sochi could be useful, but Lark wasn't too familiar with the stallion. He had to trust Hira's word on the Raider's prowess.
The summer had been pleasant, save for Hira's kidnapped child and the mysterious tremors reported from across the continent. Lark had been preoccupied with the former before being charged with this trip. He was never truly fond of the colt, but the child was Hira's, and it was his duty to protect her blood at all costs. The past few months he spent avoiding the War Lord as much as possible, instead burrowing himself into the work of finding her son.
And came up empty.
Maybe this was a good task to embark on, Lark thought, to get his mind off the issues that plagued Hira and more on the issues that plagued her herd. The tremors had been worrisome, sure- but Lark had never felt them, nor heard the strange sounds reportedly grumbling under the dirt. He had been skeptical of the reports. Everyone was on edge now with the Flanks and the Cultists and the war. Group panic could make them hysterical, and Lark wasn't one to believe in the shaky word of a frantic farmer.
"We're close now Ales, yes?" They had stepped out of the trees into a dip in the hillside, flanked by more small forests on both sides. The air smelled of summer pine and fresh rain. Post #1
WC: 392
chibi by the fantastic fynli |
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Post by kerarose on Jan 3, 2019 22:11:25 GMT -6
Interacting with: Froya, other Valks, anyone, really
Even as the rain seemed to make others in her group of travelers upset and weary, Kelby took extra time to splash in the puddles. They adored rain, and whenever a summer squall had rolled through when she was a filly, Kelby had been the first among her father's many children to race outside and play in Cascade's torrents, rolling in the water and getting herself covered in mud. Well, until the storm picked up and Mama called for them to come inside, or Father ran screaming out into the mess, asking Kelby (or, rather, "Elisabetta") why they were wed and muddy, and berating them and denying them dinner. There were many nights in the spring and summer where Kelby's rumbling belly kept her up at night.
But harsh punishments from Father had never deterred her love of rain showers. She had originally been guarding the rear of the group, since her antics caused her to be a bit slower in the task at hand, which was walking mile after mile to reach the spot of a big tremor. She had heard of tremors out by her Father's lands in her letters to Mama, and she worried what her former home might look like. She just prayed that her mothers and siblings were safe. As for her father, she simply didn't give a damn.
Spotting Froya's cream-colored tail in front of her, she picked up her pace to reach her friend. "Heya, Froya," she called, smiling wide. "Enjoying the trip? Or is Cascade's rain too much of a downer?" She brushed up against her friend and mentor's hide, a friendly nudge and offer of company in this long hike. "It may be raining cats and dogs, but as long as it doesn't reindeer, we'll be fine." They smiled widely at their joke, a small chuckle of laughter leaking through. Kelby had always adored puns- though some equines groaned, it made all of them smile, and that was what they loved to do.
As Lark turned onto a winding path, Kelby's smile fell and their feet stumbled a bit. They knew this path. They knew it because it was a path that they had run about three years ago, away from a promised-to-be-brutal marriage and her gods-damned Father. She froze for a second, her legs unable to keep moving, before running up to stand very close to Froya, pressed as close as socially acceptable for comfort and guidance. She tried to bring the light back into her eyes, and to those that didn't know her well it probably appeared that nothing was wrong, but those who knew them, ate, slept, trained, and laughed with them, they probably knew.
And Kelby didn't like it one bit.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 4, 2019 13:40:38 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie
When they had set out, Froya fell into formation just behind Lark; shadowing his right flank and surveying their perimeter. It wasn’t pleasant doing so, it was never pleasant working beneath Spylark. The stallion was blind; he saw through a film of the past, hued by old, broken ways. A certain disregard was weighted in his gaze when it fell upon the Valkyries. Froya saw it; had felt on her back for over a decade. He saw a weaker variety, built for brood and not for battle. 15 years of sword service to Hira had improved his vision of Froya, but nevertheless he would look to raiders before turning to the herder. Gilded amber eyes flicked to Sochi and Ales, the former a Raider a few years her junior and the later a young Scout; brother to Alyshia and Addeva. Froya knew Lark would look to them before any of the capable mares, despite Ales’ young age. Frustration and discontentment brewed in her belly. Yes, she hated working under Lark, but she would dismiss her personal misgivings for the success of the mission. Today she would call him Captain, and she would serve him well.
Her attentions returned to analyzing the forest around the group, ensuring no suspicious sight or sound was missed. Wind rustled green summer leaves above their heads and wet grass licked at their heels. There was no sign of other equids about, but Froya kept her guard up and senses keen. Kelby’s jovial voice carried up from behind her and the older Valkyrie acknowledged her with the flick of an ear as the younger boisterously pulled up against Froya’s side. She ignored her joke, though appreciated it’s singularity instead of the torrent that was typical of Kelby.
“Remember Kelby, this is a mission, not training. Lower your voice.” she reprimanded.
The corner of her eye caught Lark’s nod and she obediently turned to take the indicated path, Kelby at her side. As they snaked along the dirt trail, however, her companion gave a start and paused. Froya slowed, ready to turn and scrutinize whatever the other mare had noticed. Instead, the dun broke from what appeared to be a trance; darting back to Froya’s side and huddling there.
“What is it?” she said, concern and confusion quietly sparkling in her eye. She looked outward, between the trees, and strained her ears. As far as she could tell, the forest still held no ill will.
Again she regarded Kelby, silently, and ushered her to keep moving. It wasn’t typical for insecurities to become so apparent in them, a suspicion of the cause crept into Froya’s mind. She wondered if Kelby had suddenly found the area familiar … she had mentioned they would be near her homeland. Looking back, she gave a short, soft whistle to draw the other Valkyrie’s attention. Little Addeva’s eyes met hers and Froya jerked her head at Kelby’s unguarded side, signalling to the zonkey to post herself there.
Likely they wouldn’t meet anyone that would concern Kelby, but if the shield sisters could quell her anxieties then they would. No sense in letting her worry needlessly, it would dull her senses and dampen her performance amongst the team. Their companions would ensure their safety, in mind and body.
Post: 1
Word Count: 545
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Post by dotarari on Jan 4, 2019 16:04:06 GMT -6
  
N O TT
Valkyrie
"Bare those teeth and snarl, baby."
... ...
Another mission. A mission that can't go wrong, not like last time. I mean, it's just more of a scouting mission, right? The young mare thought. Her head felt heavy when she lifted up her gaze towards the group, weary eyes moving from one other member to the next. She was among fellow Valkyries, a shield member, a scout, and a raider. There were familiar faces and there were not so familiar faces. Nevertheless, they were here on the same task as much as she was.
Tao fell in behind Nott, nearly becoming her second shadow. Nott was thankful he was with her after what had previously happened when her former group had unsuccessfully lost Grigori to the cultists. Tao was there the comfort her after feeling horrible about loosing her War-Lord's child, always knowing to never leave her in her own thoughts. Her knees still hurt a bit after having them kicked at.
Feeling the light drizzle fall upon her snout and gear, and getting caught up in her lashes as well, pulled her from the past. With the possibility of it going to rain all day, Nott thought they might want to be careful when they do arrive at the open rift. The ground will become soften by this rain eventually. Rain always held a weird affect to everyone around them and the Valkyrie held rain as a symbol of gloom and sorrow. Following the direction that Lark pointed them to take.
Catching a sudden glimpse of the dun named Kelby freezing for a moment, Nott whisked around her, not wanting to cause a collision. She glanced over at her seeing what made her do that, searching for anything on Kelby's facial expressions but found nothing. Shrugging it off, Nott acknowledged the Raider and the Scout, silently trying to avoid the numbers of the Valks. Taking their sight into amusement, fell back towards them.
"Hey, how does it feel to be surrounded by Valkyries?" Nott lightly jabbed, her voice coming out soft and a little monotone. It was still morning despite the pace they were going but she was mindful to keep her voice lowered, as Froya mention to Kelby.
......
Word Count: 365
Post #1
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Post by notadonkey on Jan 4, 2019 19:06:33 GMT -6
 A small smile could be seen on the tiny Valkyrie's face for the majority of the trip as she walked next to Alyshia, occasionally bumping into her whenever she looked up at the dappled sunlight kissing her face through the trees. Addy couldn't believe how lucky she was to be with two out of three of her siblings on a super awesomely important mission such as this one. She hasn't ever had a mission with Ales and she was really excited to see him in action, especially now that he "grew" wings. One of her favorite things to do was watch him fly around like a madman with Jaggy, though she tried not to think of the exact circumstances of how he got them.
Continuing to trot next to Aly's left flank, she glanced at the other members of their party. Addeva knew each one of her shield sisters, including Froya (the zonkey admired everything about her and therefore reminded herself every 20 minutes to be on her best behavior and to not stop to look at every passing plant like she normally would). The Shield, Lark, she has only seen once or twice and wrote him off as one of those stallions who is Grumpy All The Time. However, he must be the patrol leader for a reason, and Addy trusted Hira's judgement... And she liked his braids. The only complete stranger to her was Sochi, the raider. She didn't have much of an opinion of him as of yet, but he seemed okay.
She shook her mane of the drizzle that accumulated on her pale fur, not minding the rain as it brought the wonderful smells of the world around them. As they stepped out from the trees, the rain became a bit more apparent without the leaves shielding them. But Kelby's sudden halt made Addeva swivel her ears forward and glance around, expecting something out of the ordinary to emerge from the trees much like the cultists in the odd forest she explored a few months ago did. She looked to her group mates as the party continued, sensing the slight confusion of what just happened on their faces. A soft whistle brought her attention forward once again, and she nodded to Froya as she gestured to Kelby's unguarded side. The zonkey trotted quicker to catch up to the bigger mare, and made note of the other Valkyrie's sudden change of emotion.
She decided to try to get their mind off whatever was bothering them. "Hey Kelby, what do you like most about the rain?" She asked in an almost-whisper to keep her voice down. "Is it the smell? I love the smell! Or maybe that it's a signal that fall is coming and all the leaves are gonna turn pretty colors?" Addeva began bouncing on her hooves as she asked, floating a little higher each time as she fluctuated her density control.
Word count: 486| Post #1
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Post by ShadowWingsforever on Jan 4, 2019 22:38:03 GMT -6
 Sochi shook his tail out as he followed at the back of the group. He still wasn't entirely sure what to think of it, mostly mares. Seeing as they were Valkyries, he was hoping they were strong and that they wouldn't be a liability. Still, he wouldn't speak out about his thoughts. If Hira thought they were strong enough, he would trust her judgement. He didn't have much choice.
He didn't like the coming weather. Rain meant mud, and despite his childhood habit of rolling around in it to disguise his cremello hide, he did not enjoy the process of cleaning all the mud out. It often took longer than he wanted it to. He was hoping it'd die out soon.
He knew one thing for sure, he was new to this group. He didn't know any of the members here, and from the looks of it, they knew each other well. He was going to be the outcast of the group, or that was how it seemed with the mares moving about. One of them seemed distracted, but then seemed to recover. He hoped that wouldn't be a recurring theme. He wanted all ears paying attention, all eyes trained. He wasn't sure how much he liked the chit chat going on, but it would have to do. He couldn't really hear what they were saying, but he could see from their body language that there was chit chat happening.
As soon as he heard Nott's comment, his ears pinned back. He stepped forward, stomping a little, annoyed, "Don't start a conflict where there needs to be none." He kept his voice low but deep, wanting to get his point across.
Post #1 | Word Count: 281 |
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Post by Svantanon on Jan 5, 2019 1:58:49 GMT -6
 It warmed Alyshia to see her comrades in good spirits.
Lately that had been hard to come by for all of them, what with all the hell being thrown at the Forged at once, these days. Between the Bloody Flanks, Digend’s dogs, Aodh’s petty war with the southern desert and now these unexplainable quakes, Onea was quickly being stretched thin in the steadily growing chaos. It was hard not to get cynical about it in one’s exhaustion and worries. It was easy to forget that there was still joy to find in their increasingly complicated lives. To remember to smile and laugh once in a while.
For Alyshia, that joy was in getting to travel with nearly all her siblings, this time. She and Addeva had gone on plenty of missions before, but this was the first where they were accompanied by their brother, Ales. She loved seeing him so eager and excited about being teamed up with them, and the playful cheer that ricocheted between him and Addy. It would have been nice to have Adair here as well, but he had his own assignments to tend to, and the Valkyrie was happy for her older brother, as much as she missed seeing him around.
Much like Froya, Lark’s pointed recognition of Ales’ presence didn’t escape her, but she wouldn’t have expected anything else from the grizzly stallion. And in any case Nott’s playful jabs at the raider in their party was compensating enough. It wasn’t her fault he was taking it so personally.
Granted, Alyshia wasn’t going to express any real emotion until Kelby let loose that gods-awful pun, the kind that would have sent Twin howling in laughter. Aly, however, made a brief but amused pffffft that was brushed off as soon as she heard Froya remind their armsister to be cautious. Addy fell back, then, speaking quietly with Kelby as the group marched onward.
It was only a matter of time before they would come across the opening in the mountains that had resulted from the rifts in the earth-- a literal hellhole for them to explore. Aly still wasn’t entirely sure that there’d be anything majorly out of the ordinary in there, but nevertheless she’d come prepared. Sparse armor covered her limbs and neck, and her bear pelt draped over the sword that hung from her belt, outlined by the faint blue glow that emanated from her form.
Whatever may lie within, she was ready.
Post #1 | Word Count: 412 |
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Post by houndflash on Jan 5, 2019 10:12:23 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
Ales trotted with the rest of the group, a happy little twirl in his step as he was along side his sisters in a true mission for once. It wasn't too often that the Scout got to see them while he was out on the job, and now they were all together (with some other horses, of course) to try to figure out what exactly happened with these earthquakes. Ales had witnessed them first hand, and one of the believed aftershocks was one of the reasons he was now able to fly, if he believed correctly, so he knew the dangers that came with these fissures.
"We're close now Ales, yes?"
The newly made pegasus scout flicked his ears up as the question registered in his brain. "Yep, not too far now." He responded to the Shield, speeding up so he was closer to Lark than the rest of the group. "Jaggy and I flew over the area the other day to make sure that the fissure didn't, ya know, go though a house or something." The scout flicked his head towards the golden eagle that was flying above them. Ales' ears flicked back at the Valkyries conversations, slightly confused at one of their calling out about a lot of the group being Valkyries. Ales decided to ignore it, and pulled back to the side of Aly.
Post #1 Word Count 227 |
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Post by kerarose on Jan 7, 2019 11:33:21 GMT -6
Interacting with: Froya, Addeva, anyone who wants to!
Kelby's ears flicked back and forth, listening for every single sound in the woods that could be heard over the rain. Every second her heart skipped a beat, as she thought she saw glimpses of her father's bay form and ragged, green-and-red horn in the darkness. Their steps no longer carried the easy grace and cool swagger that they always did. No, in their mind echoed all of Father's taunts that he had yelled to them when they were strictly a she and called Elisabetta, expected only to learn healing and cooking and cleaning and eventually being married off to another Raider.
No, the confident mare was gone in the face of her recessed memories.
But, as always, Froya knew what to do. With a soft "what is it" Kelby felt safer. Here was a mare who listened to her, and knew her well enough to see when something was wrong- something Mother, Mom, and Father never did.
Shaking herself slightly, they pulled away from the mare's hide. "I just didn't realize that we'd be getting this close to Father's lands," they said, hiding the waver in their voice. "I just feel like he's watching me, you know? Like any second he's going to scream my old name and drag me back by the ears."
A soft whistle from Froya had Addeva pulling up alongside her. She listened to her questions, all about the rain. Apparently, her splashing in the puddles hadn't gone unnoticed. "I just love the water," they said, their voice quiet, but more sure. "Mama taught me about Cascade, about her healing and her love for her equines. So when it rains, it's like she's showering us with blessings. So why not dance in the rain?"
She smiled at the smaller, younger mare, brief, but genuine. "Are you excited to be on a mission for Hira?"
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Post by tarriedsea on Jan 7, 2019 15:12:04 GMT -6
Lark War Forged | Shield
The land opened up to a treeless patch where a massive, uprooted fissure dragged through the earth. It laid there like a behemoth, silent and terrifying. It looked like someone had dug a massive sword into the soil and churned up a deep groove of dirt and clay and flora. The visible dirt had already begun to darken in the light rain.
Oblivious to Kelby's apparent unease, and tuning out the chatter behind him, Lark cut the Valkyrie's conversation short. He glanced back, not making eye contact with anyone in particular.
"Spread out and assess," he barked. "Be watchful."
He didn't succumb to the rumors of a mythical creature causing these ruptures- it was too fantastic- but either Kaia's earth was shifting to devastating results, or someone was doing this. Someone with the power to uproot Kaia's earth with apparent ease.
And the memory of Holmsa's warped graveyard of a town shuddered in the back of his mind.
As they dispersed to investigate, Lark moved toward Froya. "Watch the ground- sinkholes aren't uncommon in places like this," he said lowly, nodding toward the zonkey in particular. While Froya was young, she was one of Hira's most trusted trainees. Lark expected her to supervise the Valks as needed.
"Sochi!" Lark called, now moving to the Raider's side. He nodded toward the fissure. "What do you make of this? Have you seen anything like it?" Post #2
WC: 244
chibi by the fantastic fynli |
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 7, 2019 20:13:24 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie
Froya nodded along as Kelby spilled her worries, only occasionally glancing her way; otherwise she kept her eyes on their group or their surroundings. A tilted ear caught Nott’s remark, but it took practiced self control to not turn her head to glare at Sochi when he barked defensively. She knew it was best to ignore him, criticising the Raider’s reactiveness would only stir up trouble and there were important matters at hand. “Well,” she said to Kels, speaking tenderly “he can’t touch you with us here. It would be foolish of him to try.”Addeva slid into place beside them and began discussing the rain, easily sweeping the conversation away from Kelby’s woes. A gentle wave of relief washed over Froya’s mind, knowing that Kelby was reassured and now properly occupied with her shield sister. Turning her thoughts away from her sister’s plight, she allowed the mission to fully consume her focus again. ____ The treeline broke and the light was momentarily dazzling, even filtered through the gray clouded sky. Monstrous and overbearing, it was immediately obvious that the gap was not the work of an earth manipulator. Froya thoughts turned to her brother’s golem, massive and tearing through the earth. Gaster was a behemoth, but she didn’t think even he could create such a rip in Kaia’s earth. If some lindworm, surpassing the size of legends, had tore this fissure into being … why would the servant of Kaia leave her earth mauled? Why would the creature not seal the wound upon their retreat? Lark’s call interrupted her pondering. She gave a curt nod, ready to move on but halted briefly as he moved towards her. He voiced his thoughts and Froya’s eyes flicked to follow the path of his gaze. A laugh wanted to rise up in her, but she suppressed it cooly. Of course he would doubt the zonkey. Small, young, and female; a prime candidate for Lark’s skepticism. Yet the Shield had trusted her brother so readily, when the two were born of the same year. At the very least, Lark was consistent. “A good point. We’ll take the east ridge.”
Briskly, she trotted over to her peers and relayed that they would take the easterly ridge; unless one or two of them wanted to join the men. She doubted this, it wasn’t necessary in a noncombatant mission and the two stallions had already proven their sour attitudes. Nonetheless, she let the offer hang in the air as she continued on. The senior Valkyrie suggested that Addeva should lead their group around the rim, her dual blessings of density control and earth manipulation should keep her safe if the earth were to give way. The remainder of the group could follow behind a safe distance. She looked down at tiny Addeva and a bit of mirth twinkled in her eye. A mere filly to Spylark, but Froya had seen this filly take down fully grown stallions and bind them for marching. A tough, talented little thing with gifts she knew how to utilize.
Post: 2
Word Count: 507
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Post by Svantanon on Jan 7, 2019 22:12:42 GMT -6
Alyshia’s shoulders tensed at Kelby’s brief remark. She hadn’t heard too much about the Valkyrie’s life before serving under Hira, but what little she’d gleaned didn’t make her fond of their father in the least. She considered saying something a little more… aggressive about it, but when Froya beat her to it she settled for something less antagonistic.
“... Addeva and I are lucky to have a father like Edmond. He and Hira don’t always… see eye to eye. Necessarily. But he’s always supported us, and only ever wished for our happiness, no matter the paths our lives have taken. ...He’s even let us take friends and fellow Valks over to our place to spend the night,” she added with a small grin. “Might be hard to believe, but he makes a decent cook, too. You could join in, next time, if you’d like.”
She fell silent as Kelby and Addeva’s conversation took off, focusing on the patrol’s surroundings as they continued to progress on their journey.
The fissure-- when they finally reached it-- was as impressive as it was unsettling. Much like the others, Alyshia scrutinized and pondered and puzzled over the sight, but to no avail. She couldn’t think of any creature that could leave a tear so great and devastating upon the landscape. Say what you would of lindworms, but they were at least tidy with their grand entrances. And she’d never seen any big enough to do something like this.
In addition, it was hard for her to believe that it could truly be the work of Kaia. She had seen the goddess’ rage, firsthand, and even then, Her own damage to the earth was repaired effortlessly as if the destruction had never been there. There was no reason to harm Her people like this, to throw them into fear and unease.
The unicorn puffed out a sigh. Sometimes earthquakes were just… earthquakes.
She nodded as Froya got the group’s inspection started, and followed behind Addeva as Poofkin tailed her with cautious pawsteps. This was bound to be a lackluster mission, but at least it could potentially put the people of Onea at ease.
Post #2 | Word Count: 352 |
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Post by houndflash on Jan 8, 2019 10:05:03 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
“Spread out and assess, be watchful.”
Ales blinked as Lark had snapped out the order, him and the other raider veering one way around the fissure, the group of Valkyries (And his sisters) heading the other. Ales debated going with each of the groups for a moment before ultimately just opening his wings and just taking flight above the chasm, keeping both an eye on the two groups, as well as the ground below for signs of anything strange.
From the air, Ales have a light chuckle as he heard the Shield give a warning about sinkholes to everyone on the ground, something Ales wouldn’t need to worry about as often anymore. Realigning his thoughts, the scout flew down a little closer into the fissure, just enough to see deeper into the walls, but not deep enough that he couldn’t manevour out quickly if a rockslide or other unpleasant event occurred. It almost looked unremarkable until a soft screech from his familiar caught his attention and Ales’ eyes caught sight of a tunnel hidden in the sides of the wall.
Ales swooped down to get a good look at the tunnel, making sure it wasn’t just a short hole that looked far deeper than it was. Ales glanced down into the abyss of the cave before gliding back up to where he could see both groups.
“There’s a tunnel over here!”
Post #2 Word Count 240 |
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Post by notadonkey on Jan 8, 2019 15:54:49 GMT -6
Addy was extremely interested and listened to Kelby, continuing her bunny hops as she did. The zonkey did not know much about Cascade, in fact she was the goddess she knew least about due to her upbringing. Kaia and Alya were the two she knew most about, Kaia being her patron, though she knew quite a bit about Argus and Ignacio because of Edmond and Aly respectively.
Cascade though, Addeva knew next to nothing. So she smiled as Kelby lit up as she spoke about the water goddess. "Wow, I never thought of the rain that way." The valkyrie looked up to the sky, "Thanks for the rain, Cascade! You're making the plants and the forest happy and I really appreciate it!" She giggled.
Addeva looked back to Kelby, "Of course! I always want to make Hira proud so I gotta work super hard and--"
She was cut off as Lark suddenly barked orders. The zonkey stopped bouncing and listened to his orders, her bubbly-ness gone as she saw the massive rip in the earth. Blue eyes widened as she looked across the rift, trees and boulders thrown aside from whatever powerful thing did this. But what could have caused such a thing?
Large ears pressed to her skull as Lark continued his orders, catching his eye as he told them -- her specifically -- to be careful condescendingly. The young mare frowned. Don't kick him in the face don't kick him in the face don't kick him in the face-- she thought to herself as she followed after Froya, Casper right behind her tail.
She gave the senior Valkyrie a determined nod, agreeing that she could most certainly absolutely definitely do this. Addeva took the lead, stepping lightly and feeling her way through the edge of the ridge by tuning into the ground beneath her. At some points she halted to go around an area, at other areas she told the group to tread lightly.
Ales' voice echoed through the rift, “There’s a tunnel over here!”
The little Valkyrie looked down to see that her brother was right. An opening that looked like it led deeper into a cave was way down there. Addeva looked back to her shield sisters and then back to the edge of the cliff. It was a long, long way down. "Stand back guys!" Addy lifted her front legs into the air, and with a grunt she slammed them down, jutting pieces of the earth from the edge of the fissure to create a smooth ramp towards the cave. She frolicked as she and Casper began the decent down her creation, excited with the new discovery and not so much caring if Lark doesn't want them down there. "Let's check it out!"
Word count: 457| Post #2
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Post by ShadowWingsforever on Jan 8, 2019 20:56:01 GMT -6
Sochi stomped forward from Nott, satisfied with his response. He was more concerned about staying on alert. He did not have the time to argue with a Valkyrie. Right now he had one simple goal; to assist Lark and figure out what was going on.
"Spread out and assess. Be watchful."
Sochi's ears shot forward and so did his gold eyes. As they walked forward, he took in the sight before him. A large gaping wound in the earth. Had Kaia done this? Was this some sort of anger she was expressing? He was not sure how much he believed in the mythical creatures they had discussed.
Despite the impressive and somewhat shocking site the fissure was, he wondered if maybe Kaia was trying to reach out to them, but for what reason, and with what emotion, he was unsure.
It could also not be Kaia, but he did not know what sort of being would be responsible for a wound this size.
"Sochi!" He jerked his head to face Lark, who was darting over to his side, "What do you make of this? Have you seen anything like it?"
Sochi looked back at the fissure and slowly shook his head, "No, I have never seen a wound in the land like this. We should investigate it before setting foot inside, if we can go inside."
He stepped forward, glancing back to invite Lark to walk with him as members of their group were already beginning to move to investigate. He wished they would wait and not go off on their own. He didn't want a confrontation, but he also didn't want someone dead.
He looked forward and felt his hide shiver. Addy was heading down into the fissure, and the only thought that crossed his mind was that she was going to die. He rushed forward, bolting full speed. He came up to her side quickly, "What the hell are you doing! Stop and wait for Lark's orders before you go running to your potential death!"
Post #2 | Word Count: 337 |
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Post by dotarari on Jan 8, 2019 22:14:01 GMT -6
N O TT
Valkyrie
"Bare those teeth and snarl, baby."
......
A sly smirk formed on the grullo's lips, her eyes gleaming from the comment. Just the reaction she was expecting. Nott knew better than to start petty conflicts among group members but she did enjoyed seeing what she can pull from someone. Watching Sochi storm off, Tao gave off a low chuff at his owner's foolishness. The Valkyrie always admired how her snow leopard knew when she was up to no good, despite not being able to converse with him. Swishing her tail in slight disappointment, her expression went back to her usual bored, poker face.
"Spread out and assess, be watchful."
That was all she needed to begin what Hira sent them out for. Getting a good look at how wide and how far the land was destroyed by whatever caused it, Nott came to a conclusion that this might be indeed a mythical being or Kaia being upset with her children. It was down right freighting. There's no way someone was capable to do this but with how things been lately, it could be just someone toying with their abilities. Whatever was going on, the answers laid underneath in the erupted tunnels.
Nott moved over to the rest of her sisters, not wanting to lingering around the men any longer than she wanted to.
"There's a tunnel over here!"
Shifting her ears towards Ales' voice, the mare turned her attention toward the Scout and seeing Addeva create a ramp for everyone to use. About to make her way towards the ramp, Sochi's scolding Addy. Rolling her amber eyes and sighing heavily at the young stallion's attempt to making sure Addy didn't hurt herself.
"Men..." Nott muttered to herself. But the Raider did have a point, wouldn't want to start off their mission with an injury and they needed to hear from Lark give the a-okay to venture down. "As much as I hate to agree, please be careful Addeva. We wouldn't want to loose a valuable sister."
This was starting to get unsettling with how inviting the tunnels were turning out to be. But that's what makes it so exciting at the same time, she thought to herself. "Froya, do you want to go ahead and venture down with Addeva and Ales? Kelby, Alyshia, and I can continue surveying up here?" Nott suggested.
......
Word Count: 399
Post #2
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 9, 2019 11:55:47 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie
Froya waited until all her sisters had walked on before taking up the rear of the group. Addeva was quite far ahead of her now, but she kept a close watch on her to make note of her chosen path. A misstep from the trail Addeva had tested could prove detrimental. Eyes drifting upwards, her gaze met the gliding shapes of Ales and his familiar; examining the fissure from above. Likely, they would spot anything of interest before the two ground parties. Across the way, she could see Lark and Sochi discussing the sight before them. Briefly, she wondered if either of them were voicing concerns about their Valkyrie companions while they were out of ear-shot.
They had walked a ways, snaking around patches of ground Addeva determined to be questionable, and were nearing the far end of the crevice now. Suddenly, a shrill cry filled the air and Froya’s ears swiveled to face it’s direction. It had been Jaggy, Ales’ eagle, notifying his master of a peculiarity in the earthen walls below them. Soon after, Ales’ voice reached the two groups.
"There's a tunnel over here!"
Watching where the pegasus indicated, the group of mares congregated along the rim above where the tunnel should be. Ever so carefully, a few of them leaned over the edge to gain a visual on the cave. It was difficult, they were very high up and the walls were very sheer, but indeed there seemed to be some sort of cavern burrowing into the cliffside. Once again Froya’s attention turned to Addeva, ready to suggest her blessings, but the zonkey already knew what to do. Obeying her order to stand back, Froya retreated from the ledge and rejoined her sisters. Already she could see the stallions rounding the canyon, closing in on the tunnel’s location. Addeva’s tiny form rose up, her front hooves crashing down on the ground and the earth jutted out according to her command. A ramp crafted from Kaia’s earth was skillfully built and Addeva began to descend mere moments after it’s completion, eager to explore the discovery.
“Look on from the outside,” Froya called after her “wait to enter until we join you.”
The sound of rushing hooves met her ears and the Valkyrie’s gaze rose from Addeva’s back to find Sochi hurrying their way, shouting. She understood his concern, certainly, but wished he had continued to choose his path carefully. Addeva’s sisters were ready to assist if she called and it would most troublesome if the white stallion found himself caught in a sinkhole due to his urgency. Nott murmured her misgivings, Froya imagined her peer’s golden eyes rolling and sympathised. Luckily, Sochi arrived without incident and Lark trailed behind him. Their squadron reassembled, Nott suggested a plan of interest and Froya nodded intently as she spoke.
“Yes, that sounds appropriate to me.” she agreed, taking a single step forward before pausing to reconsider. “Although,” her eyes darted to meet Alyshia’s before traveling down to mark the blue hued glow emitting from her chest. “Alyshia’s most recent … acquisition should be quite useful in the dark of the cave. Come, light our way.”
Striding smoothly to the fresh ramp, she halted at the crest and allowed Alyshia to pass her. Meanwhile, she regarded Lark from the corner of her eye. Would their Captain oppose?
Post: 3
Word Count: 556
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Post by Svantanon on Jan 9, 2019 12:46:42 GMT -6
Ah, a cave! Alyshia's ears perked forward as Ales relayed to them his find. A cavern linking directly to Onea’s cause for concern sounded promising. It could potentially provide a lot more answers to their questions-- or at the least- more information-- than aimlessly wandering their land’s newest miniature canyon. “Good find, Ales! Can you see a safe way down?”
Addeva, however, was one step ahead. Alyshia couldn’t help smiling to herself, proud of her little sister’s quick thinking and the gifts she’d been blessed with. She did raise a brow at the raider’s scolding panic, but there wasn’t much to be done about that. Addeva was… well, already down there.
Nott’s plan was perfectly reasonable, but the unicorn had to suppress a tiny sting of disappointment. It wasn’t often she got to explore strange terrains, but if she was needed up here--
“Although…”
She paused and tilted her head just slightly, puzzled by Froya’s stare.
“Alyshia’s most recent … acquisition should be quite useful in the dark of the cave. Come, light our way.”
Ah… she hadn’t thought of that!
“Of course,” Alyshia nodded before she gestured to her snow leopard. “I believe that’s doable!”
She descended Addeva’s carefully summoned path, Poofkin close behind, before making the final leap down. Passing Sochi, she added “I wouldn’t worry too much. She floats.”
Alyshia made no move to enter the cave without her sisters-in-arms, but she did stop just at the opening, taking in what details she could pick up from the dull sunshine and the glow of Kaia’s gift.
Post #3 | Word Count: 265 |
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Post by kerarose on Jan 9, 2019 13:25:51 GMT -6
Interacting with: Froya, Nott, Sochi, Addeva, Alyshia
Kelby smiled at Addeva's praise for Cascade. Mama had always taught Kelby about healing, as she was a Medic, and loved both the Earth Mother and the Wave Mother- Kaia for the ability to give life, and Cascade for the ability to save it. She passed this love onto them, and seeing another praising their goddess made Kelby's heart soar. The mare might be younger than her, but with that younger age came a boundless appreciation for life that Kelby loved to see. Kelby heard Alyshia's offer to join them, and they nodded. They loved good food, even if they weren't such a great cook themself. Turning her attention back to Addeva, she smiled at the young mare's enthusiasm. Addeva was going on about how hard she worked to please Hira when the fissure came into view, and her words were cut off by Lark's orders.
The fissure loomed ahead of the small party, massive in both its size and destruction. Kelby was shocked. Surely our great Earth Mother wouldn't do such a thing? she thought. Cautiously, she stepped forward, following Froya and the other Valkyries over to one side of the gap in the earth. They stepped carefully, their hoofsteps quick, but sure. She would not let herself fall in- she would not be a burden to those around her. She had to prove herself with this mission.
She heard Ales' cry from above, and peered down into the darkness. Sure enough, hidden in the murky depths was an even darker abyss, leading into the mountain. Immediately, Kelby's heart began to race. This was what they had come for- exciting adventure in the service of their War Lord!
However, she did not see an easy way down the cliffside. Having no useful talents or blessings, and her lack of wings, made it difficult to discover a way down, so that this adventure could continue.
That is, until Addeva reared up, and slammed her hooves down, and a smooth path into the shadows was formed. "Neat trick," they said to the Valkyrie, sticking their tongue out and winking. "Let's go explore!"
They were about to follow Addeva when Sochi's voice rang out. Clearly, the stallion was upset that the mares were going in first- or, at least that's how Kelby saw it. With a brief chuckle, they yelled over to the other side. "Relax, you big grump! Addeva's fine, she's talented and blessed. Besides, she's smart enough to not do anything stupid." Mumbling under their breath, they added, just loud enough for the Valkyries to hear, "Damn stallions. So overprotective all of the gods-damned time."
She moved then, but before she could put one hoof on the path, Nott's voice rang out. Stay up top? But she wanted to go in! Oh well, they thought, since I don't have a blessing or anything else useful I might as well stay up here until they deem it safe. With a quick, near-silent sigh, she joined Nott, nodding to her and Froya as the others descended into the dark.
Sending up a quick prayer, she continued around the edge of the fissure, hoping the team below would be quick to deem it safe. They really wanted to see inside.
Keep them safe in your domain, Earth Mother. Keep them from harm and injury, Wave Mother. Let them breathe freely, Sky Mother.
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Post by tarriedsea on Jan 10, 2019 12:27:01 GMT -6
Lark War Forged | Shield
With Sochi's confirmation that the fissure was unlike any other natural disaster, Lark trailed behind the Raider, inspecting the overturned rock and soil. Though small, his steps were notoriously heavy, and he remained a fair few meters from the crater's edge.
The Valkyries bustled ahead of him on the opposite side, with the zonkey at the helm. Lark huffed and sighed and shook his mane, shifting his saddlebags. The mares were Froya's call. If they wanted to embark on a suicide mission at the declination of his advice, so be it. Ales called ahead, something about a tunnel in the crevice- that could be a clue.
Lark had never witnessed a Golem with his own eyes, but he knew from stories that the creatures were kind to Kaia's earth and swam in it fluidly. They would not leave a wound like this- not unless something was terribly wrong.
Hesitant to admit it, even to himself, the scene gave him chills. The fissure was a monster itself laid naked. Battle no longer scared him; his experience from younger days of fighting the Flanks eventually numbed his senses, and he attacked like a strategist. Keeping the mind clear was the surest way to survival. War made sense.
This did not. The mares would never see a spark of fear in his eyes, but his confidence trembled with every step. Seeing the goddess's earth scorned was confusing and wrong.
Lost in his thoughts and finding no clues along the west edge, it wasn't until Lark was nearly upon the Valkyrie group that he registered what was happening. The sound of rock shifting snapped his head up. A handful were halfway into the crevice. Panic spurted in his chest.
"STOP!" he roared, half-rearing. He thunderously pounded his forehooves and pinned his ears. What the fuck were they doing?
"What godforsaken reason do you have for climbing into an unexplained and potentially unstable fissure?" He had to lean over the edge to see the descended mares, and caught glints of their eyes in the semi-darkness. Not only was it a breach of his supervision, it was stupid. "Kaia won't swoop in to save your asses on account of personal foolishness. I don't care if she carved the tunnel herself."
Sochi looked just as concerned as him, which fueled him. He wasn't about to lose a fraction of the valkyries to a dangerous earth. Hira had enough to worry about these days, and taking undue risks in places like this was foolish. He gritted his teeth. "Get back to the surface now." Post #3
WC: 434
chibi by the fantastic fynli |
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 10, 2019 15:24:37 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie
Froya tilted her head inquisitively at Lark, looking quite unimpressed.
“What reason? Hira’s orders, yours even. ‘Investigate, assess’. A tunnel was found, we made a secure access point. Addeva ventured down to survey the entrance, she wasn’t permitted to go further. We were going down to evaluate in order to determine our next course of action.”
Her words felt weighted, the slightest tickle of an accusation. Clearly the stallion thought them a group of dolts, incapable of self defense or acute observation.
“Addeva is blessed with earth manipulation, more attuned to Kaia’s earth and its movements than any of our party. Without her we wouldn’t have our entrance, without her we could not have navigated this ridge so easily. The stability of the tunnel will be simple enough to gauge with such familiarity.”
Notably, she remained standing at the beginning of the descent. She did not venture downwards, but she also did not return to where the remainder of the party stood. Rather, she simply turned herself to face Lark instead of the canyon; her head held proudly.
“Alysia holds light and possess force fields. She would be able to illuminate the cave and allow us better ability to investigate. If there was a collapse, her shields could guard herself and I while Addeva manipulated a path out. They seemed the most appropriate to utilize given the circumstance. Though, perhaps I have simply been foolish in my evaluation.”
Her gaze was steady, hard, and void of emotion; firmly locked with Lark’s gray-green eyes.
“What would you suggest instead, Captain?”
Post: 4
Word Count: 259
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Post by Jennycallie on Jan 10, 2019 16:37:56 GMT -6
Honestly, you probably should have listened to Lark, crusty old curmudgeon that he is. Then again, you had been tasked with exploration and discovery... what a conundrum.
Something went click in the darkness. Only, it wasn't total darkness, anymore.
As the Valkyries already within the earth milled around, their hooves made the distinctive sound of hoof on stone- smooth, polished stone. A path, a road even, half buried in the tunnel. And along the walls, dipping deeper into the earth, softly glowing crystals and plants. They seemed to beckon, almost to glow faintly in time to Alyshia's chest.
And deeper in the earth, almost inaudible, a low sound resonated once, twice, shivering up through the earth and into the assembled equine's hooves. It could have been the earth, shifting.
It could have been. The long gouges on the tunnel walls, however, suggested otherwise.
To listen to Lark or not to listen, THAT IS THE QUESTION
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Post by notadonkey on Jan 10, 2019 17:52:47 GMT -6
She stopped briefly as the white stallion ran up beside her telling her to stop, but only offered a smile at what Aly said. "Yeah! I'll be okay!" She pranced further down the ramp, and just for added measure she did one big hop-float and twisted in the air, landing on tiny feet before continuing down.
After reaching the bottom, Addy made a little skip and a jump as she hopped off the ramp she drew from the earth, making sure to keep Froya's instructions in mind by just looking around and inspecting the entrance of the cave. She looked at the rock formations carefully, feeling the texture with her teke and tapping into the earth. The cave felt deeper than she originally thought and her curiosity was raging within her to check it out. Addeva glanced at Alyshia as she joined her and grinned at her sister. "Isn't this awesome?? I really really really want to check it out, what's taking the others so long???"
But Lark's booming voice echoed down into the crevice, and she looked up to see his angry little head poking out from the side. The zonkey looked between Lark and Froya, entirely torn between listening to the patrol leader or the senior Valkyrie.
She couldn't help but have a sense of pride wash over her as Froya explained her gifts to Lark. Kaia herself told her that she was worthy of them and hearing it also validated by the elder Valkyrie made her little heart happy.
But before she could listen for a reply from Lark, a low rumble from beneath the earth caught her attention and drew her to turn around once more to the mouth of the cave. The walls...were now lit up by faintly glowing crystals. "Aly..." she tried to catch the mares attention and gestured to their now lit path. Looking between her and the walls, she gaped. "A-Aly! Look! The crystals...they're glowing with you!" Her eyes were filled with wonder. Alyshia's glow was given to her by Kaia, and there was no way it was a coincidence that these crystals were glowing with her. The cave was even more inviting, causing Addy to take one hoof step into the cave. The stone on the floor was polished, almost like a worn pathway.
She's gotta tell the others about this.
Addeva raced to the foot of the ramp. "Froya!" The little Valkyrie called out, trotting up half way to meet her and the others so they can hear. "There's a pathway leading inside, and the walls are almost...alive with plants and glowing crystals and--" She paused a bit. "I heard something coming from the earth."
Word count: 448| Post #3
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Post by Svantanon on Jan 10, 2019 19:27:51 GMT -6
She was no fool. And in her time with the Valkyries, save for that frustrating night with the pit trap, she had never been made to feel stupid or incompetent or in any way ill-fitted for the tasks given to her. Hira’s army of mares enjoyed a frequent and steady independence from the other protectors and fighters of the land, often being assigned on patrols with one another far more than they saw scouts and raiders and anything in between, the old irritable elders who scoffed at their ambitions and doubted their strengths, and the young headstrong stallions who took it upon themselves to be amused and endeared by trained warriors who neither asked for nor deserved this outlook.
In short, Alyshia had grown accustomed to enjoying her day without Larks.
It was with cool but seething eyes that she turned to face him, breathing in and parting her jaws as the urge to let what she felt and thought at the sight of his infuriating nose ring nearly got the better of her.
Perhaps fortunately for her, Froya beat her to it. Alyshia clamped her teeth shut, ears pressed flat and luminescent eyes narrowed as the Valkyries’ real authority put this thick headed man in his place. He spoke not to air headed fillies, but to equals. The asshole could always take it up to Hira and get his skull cracked in by her personally if he had a problem with mares trying to get sh-t done.
But as Froya finished with her rhetorical ultimatum and waited, tensely, for Lark’s response, something… in the darkness… clicked.
Still poised at the mouth of the cave, Alyshia whirled around to confront the source of the noise only to find that the darkness had retreated. Before her was no longer a veil of shadows but a polished stone path, lit softly by sparkling geodes and plants that had no business blooming so deep within the earth.
The unicorn’s brow furrowed as she took in the steady swell and fade of their light. It pricked something at the back of her mind, drawing her in with its eerie sense of familiarity and a bewildering twinge of deja vu. Her eyes widened, then, and her posture straightened, the memory rushing to the forefront of her thoughts as Addeva echoed the same observation.
“...But more than anything else, you, Alyshia, resonate with the earth. See how your heart beats in time to me, here in the Starscape, where all veils and mortal trappings are cast aside.”
She listened, vaguely, as Addeva relayed to the others what lied within. Her little sister’s impatience from before-- something Aly had initially responded to with an apprehensive squint at the path ahead-- was now contagious. She glanced at the zonkey with an incredulous smile on her face before turning forward again, the urge to run inside now almost impossible to ignore.
The realization that she wouldn’t be needed anymore as a light source, that they would all be able to see one another easily in the glow of the flora without huddling close, was what finally emboldened her to take that first step.
“This is Her work, Froya!” she half muttered, half called, as she settled for a brisk walk down the underground path. "We have reason to be here, I'm sure of it."
Post #4 | Word Count: 532 |
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Post by dotarari on Jan 12, 2019 21:04:18 GMT -6
N O TT
Valkyrie
"Bare those teeth and snarl, baby."
......
Her eyes shot wide open, nearly jumping out of her skin when she heard Lark yell at her fellow sisters. Oh how she hated how demanding he was, with the way he spoke felt like someone drew arrowheads down her hindquarters. Yes, he had every right to be concerned because for all they know, this could be a godawful trap they were walking blindly into. Nott shifted her gaze towards Froya, seeing how unfazed she was by his new orders.
Their group leader needed to have a bit more faith in Hira's Valkyries, but judging from how him and Froya acted towards each other, there wasn't going to be a chance. Hearing the older Valkyrie provide enough reasons for venturing in, Nott was still conflicted. She didn't know if she should listen to the patrol leader or join the party that's already near the opening. She knew her orders were to 'assess' and that was basically what they were all doing. And yet, her heart decided for her.
"Lark, with all due respect, Froya makes a convincing point. My fellow sisters-in-arm had made it far enough to still be here today. And our War Lord did in fact, told us to investigate. She wouldn't send us out here without knowing how fully capable each and everyone of us is. We should be thankful that we have Addeva, Alyshia, and Froya's have their blessings or we wouldn't be able to do this. But then again, I'm merely a naive, foolish mare who just follows her War Lord's words without batting an eye, so who am I to speak, hm?" the young Valkyrie spoke. Before she ventured down with the others, completely changing her mind about surveying up top, she felt a low rumble shooting up into her hooves. She looked at the ground in slight disgust or just merely offended at the sudden sensation she didn't want to feel at that moment. Mother Kaia, just WHAT are you doing? she scolded in the back of her mind.
Jerking her head up at Addeva's comment, Nott glanced over Froya and tried to stare directly at whatever the other Valkyrie mentioned. If the Zonkey did in fact heard something coming from the earth, then she was ready to unsheath her sword and protect them. And if Alyshia said the Great Earth Mother did in fact create this, then they were indeed meant to be here.
"Well, that settles it. I'm right behind you Alyshia, since I know you'll be here to bring us light in our darkest hours." Nott gently teased.
......
Word Count: 441
Post #3
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Post by kerarose on Jan 13, 2019 16:09:38 GMT -6
Interacting with: Lark, the Valks
Kelby's ears pinned back at Lark's words, his scream for the mares to not do what they had come to do. In that moment, he appeared so much like Brandr that the typical inability to move or think began to take over Kelby's body and mind, but they refused to let that happen. They fought back.
Straightening and facing the stallion, pinning her ears further against her head, she spoke, the words loud and forceful. "We are here to do a job that our War Lord sent us out on," she said, stamping her hoof. "We are just as well-trained as Raiders and Shields, some of us carry blessings from the Great Earth Mother and other members of the Pantheon, we are loyal to Hira beyond everything else, and we fought tooth and hoof- perhaps harder, even, than you and Sochi did- to gain recognition as warriors because of our being born mares."
Their head cocked to the side, questioning. "Do you truly think that we have not taken precautions in exploring this cave? Or do you doubt Hira and her training so much that you consider us mares unfit to be on this mission?" They spat the word, as he no doubt would back at them, given the chance. The stallion must be truly stupid if he doubted the training, hoof-done by Hira herself, that they had endured for three years, and what the other Valkyries had endured for longer.
They straightened again, standing tall. "I know my purpose for being here, and I will act professionally, since it is clear that, since you view me, view us, as lesser, that we can never be friends, not like I am with these Valkyries." Kelby nodded to each of her sisters-in-arms, a grin on their face. "But you, screaming at us for doing what we are supposed to do- you are not professional. You sound so much like my Father that it sickens me, Lark."
Her tail flicked from side to side, the only movement betraying her anger at being told what to do by this stallion. "Treat us with the same respect as you would a fellow Shield, or Raider- because we are their equivalent- and you will receive our respect in return. Besides, you never know- one of us might be promoted to Shield one day. What will you do then, when the mares you deemed unfit are protecting their War Lord, hm?" Kelby's typical cocky grin returned to her face as they winked at the stallion. "Think about that for a bit, will ya?"
Nodding at Nott, and then Froya, they descended into the depths, leading the way that the Valkyries always did.
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Post by ShadowWingsforever on Jan 13, 2019 16:57:26 GMT -6
Sochi's ears twisted to hear Lark and his anger. The response felt appropriate, Lark was the group leader and everyone was blatantly disregarding him as such and going off on their own. It annoyed him to the bone and made his hide quiver from the tension he felt. It was like the start of a battle when he squared off against someone, only there was no one to square off against, and he could not battle anyone here. He was going to have to find a way to calm his nerves.
He also felt like smacking his head into the walls of the fissure. This entire argument of stallion vs mare was so stupid right now. They did not need to fight and bicker about such issues at a time like this. This was a time for exploration and strategic planning, not running around willy nilly and screaming about what stallions said.
He stepped forward with the group of Valkyries, but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the clicks of hoof against stone. What the hell was going on? Was this Kaia inviting them in? He felt so, but he didn't want to fuel the Valkyrie's fire. He looked back at Lark and gave a soft nod, despite his order, the Valkyries were continuing in, and he was going to go with them. He was not going to sit around and watch them head into the steady glow and wait atop with Lark.
"Lark, I am following them." Lark would understand his intent. He would understand he was not trying to disobey his order, and that instead he was trying to find a middle ground. Or, at least, that was his hope. He bowed his head and sighed. They needed to stop dividing themselves, and they needed to unite, and he felt the only way for that to happen was to hear them and continue on.
He looked back at the mares who were descending and stepped forward after them. He wanted to snap and bark at everyone for their comments, but if they wanted to get anything done, he was going to have to ignore it and follow. He did not doubt later there would be a serious discussion about this behavior. He stayed at the back of the group and kept his pace slow, an ear trained to listen for Lark, and an ear trained forward.
Post #3 | Word Count: 400 |
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Post by tarriedsea on Jan 15, 2019 9:10:42 GMT -6
Lark War Forged | Shield
His rage simmered with each voice that spoke against him, but his years of leading young headstrong colts made him wiser than to engage directly. The only one he half-considered was Froya, but her words were poisoned with sass and he could only roll his eyes. He sighed, bored, and lifted his head.
Until Kelby's monologue pushed him over the edge.
"Our War Lord will be hearing about your inspiring drivel, not to mention your lack of respect," he snapped, smiling cooly at her. The mares usually didn't threaten him nor make him feel inferior, they were just irritating. And this one was a new Valkyrie with little restraint for her own impulses. Her desire to take a stand was cute. Everyone wants to be the hero, after all.
He stepped down the ramp into the crevice, ignoring the shivers that ran down his spine as sunlight began to dull. "Halt," this time his direction more contained and professional. The party had begun to explore the strange tunnel, and some organization was necessary.
"Naturally we will investigate, my concern is the resilience of the wound. Alyshia take the front, I will follow. Addeva beside me. Froya behind me. Kelby at the back."
He shuffled to the front, ignoring eye contact with everyone. He didn't have the energy to observe the glowing rocks and plant life- now that his authority had been tested, he needed to retain order if they hoped to make it out of here. Despite his primal fear at the strangeness of this entire cleft, and the protests of the valkyries, he intended to keep everyone alive.
Alyshia's inner glow ebbed in time to the tunnel life and Lark, lost in thought and curiosity, watched it for a moment before shaking his head and planting his feet.
"Let's go." Post #3
WC: 309
chibi by the fantastic fynli |
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 15, 2019 15:23:10 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie
CLICK
Froya spun to peer down the ramp, readying for something sinister and saw a gentle glow grace Addeva and Alyshia’s faces. Addeva relayed what she saw and Alyshia confirmed it to be of Kaia before stepping into the shelter of the cave. Froya’s ears briefly fell flat, she wished her sister had waited for at least a few others to confirm her observations before proceeding. She wasn’t about to reprimand her now, not after the confrontation with Lark. Addeva remained where she should and Froya knew she would call if something happened.
Facing the those who remained topside, the Valkyrie listened as her sisters voiced their concerns and worries. Sochi’s voice joined them, not necessarily in support, but in agreement to descend. Finally, Lark spoke again and began with a pathetic snap at Kelby. Their War Lord would hear about this disobedience, he said, hanging the statement above their heads like a heavy stone. Hira would probably laugh, she thought, and the idea tickled her.
She let Lark, Sochi, and Nott pass her, waiting to descend side by side with Kelby. Her shoulder brushed comfortingly against the younger’s; she had noticed Kelby said Lark reminded her of her father … and Froya knew how hard that could be for her sister. Staying close to Kelby, she halted at the entrance of the cave and took in her surroundings.
Trillium sprung from the base of the gem encrusted walls, spilling out from nooks and cracks between crystals. Tendrils of ivy curled and reached like little fingers, hooking around the stems of surrounding plants and miniature pillars of precious stones. Wherever they could get a hold, clumps of ferns clung to the periphery and fungus foamed outwards in glowing tiers. Froya watched as a fiddle head slowly unfurled, splaying out its fronds and boasting its curious luminescence. The cast was familiar and her mind turned to the Silverwoods; reminded what it was like to be present in their silver veil. Last, her eyes fell on Alyshia’s glowing heart, watched it thrum in tune with the flora and minerals around them. She wondered if the Silverwoods would mimic the response; she stored the thought away in her mind to discuss with Alyshia later on.
Lark commanded, some snarkiness still hung on his words, but he seemed mostly recovered and back to his senses. Good, she wanted his mind forward and on the mission instead of dawdling on the idea of helpless, reckless mares. She left Kelby and fell into her assigned place smoothly, the floor clicking quietly with her well placed steps.
“The light is reminiscent of the Silverwood.”
Post: 5
Word Count: 436
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