|
|
Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Mar 28, 2017 18:46:13 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine-Horse
Everything seemed to spinning into utter chaos. It seemed that in recent months Hireath had completely lost its mind, including the desert herd of Serora. Their food and water supplies had hit an all-time low and many horses were dying of starvation, dehydration, and other illnesses that horses were catching due to their weakened bodies. Ryder had been working overtime to keep the patients that he had alive, but he was at the point of exhaustion. When Ryder had almost lost hope and Serora made a deal with Aodh to exchange Vagabonds for lifesaving supplies like food and water, Ishmael showed the herd the oasis. It had been a godsend and provided enough water and food to keep everyone away from death for at least a little while... that was until a kirin was found on Serora land and rumors of war against Aodh swept through the herd.
Worry clouded Ryder's mind for the few he considered close, and he did his best to keep his son as close as possible despite the young stallion's dismay. There was so much danger out there for Serora as a whole, and he was beginning to feel as though it wouldn't be long before the peaceful herd was dragged into battle. Along with the worries for his son, Ryder couldn't help but grow more and more concerned about Jinni, an Iron-hoof that he had befriended before all of this ruckus had begun. It had been so long since he had last seen her, and worry bit at him and twisted his stomach for her safety. Ryder had met her soon after he had lost his wife and life-long companion... or at least he had thought their relationship was as long as life, and he had grown quite fond of their friendship and the time that they were able to get away from their long work hours to see each other. He'd written letter after letter to her to ask how she was doing and if she were alright only to crumple them up and throw them away. As he thought of it now, maybe he should have sent them. At least then she would have known he was still thinking of her.
His toucan familiar road on his withers as he trekked through the oasis. He wandered aimlessly in circles, allowing his thoughts and worries to run rampant in his mind as the midday sun warmed his back.
Word Count: 405 | Post #1
Tagging: taebun
|
|
|
|
Post by taebun on Mar 29, 2017 2:46:33 GMT -6
Jinni | Serora | Iron Hoof For the months of late Jinni had been pulled away from her usual lifestyle and thrown into the fray of chaos that seemed to have shrouded over Hireath. With the new additions to Osprey and Abram's little family, she had been doing nothing but keeping watch to make sure no harm came to them. It had been exhausting and the dark mare endured more than her fair share of sleepless nights, but this was what she had been groomed to do and regardless of how difficult things may grow, she would hold her ground and stand faithfully with her herd. With the rumor of war looming on the horizon the warrior knew the situation wouldn't quite yet settle. The world had been shook with the sudden arrival - revival to be more precise - of the fire god's kirins. The only thought those scaled creatures brought was a boiling hatred for the northern herd; the Aodhians. Trouble could always seem to be traced right back to their golden city. Serora was a herd of peace and she dreaded the thought of that peace being shattered.
Midday. Most would seem crazy wandering out into Sedo's sands with the sun high and hot in the sky. But today was a slow day and Jinni finally managed to steal herself from her work. Her mind was in disarray. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess but nevertheless her chest was tight with worry. Beneath her worry and beneath her fear there was also guilt. Her attention had been so strictly focused on the sultan and his family that she had previously left her apprentice, and more importantly Ryder's son, Leif, into his father's care in order to keep him out of harms way. Death or even mild injury wasn't something she would dare risk, especially on the child of the stallion she thought so fondly of. Jinni could only hope she hadn't lost the respect of her apprentice. It had been so long since she had seen either of them. Why hadn't she at least tried to get a hold of them earlier? Her busy schedule couldn't possibly do as a proper excuse.
The mare came to a sudden stop as she approached the oasis. A familiar white horse - a finned one at that - caught her immediate attention. He was here! Jinni's ears flicked forward and her face melted into a relieved expression as a smile finally found it's way onto her features. Thank Alya he was alright. He didn't look harmed from what she could see. There was a part of her that wanted to rush out and greet him but she stopped herself. Instead Jinni walked forward, her short golden tail flicking excitedly behind her before she quickened her pace to a trot. "Ryder!" She called out to him, barely able to hold back the happiness swelling in her chest at the sight of seeing him again. "Ryder, you're alright!"
Word Count: 495 | Posts: 1 |
|
|
|
Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Mar 30, 2017 12:06:44 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine-Horse
Kirins... war... hunger... There was so much going so wrong for this peaceful, little herd, and Ryder found himself question why Alya would allow this to happen to them. Why would she allow such hardship to happen to her herd? Why would she allow them to be forced to go to war against one of the most powerful herds in Hireath? Ryder let out a heavy sigh, thinking of all the bloodshed and trouble the future held for the Serora. With war on the horizon, he knew that Leif would try to fight. He was so much like his mother in that way. Even if Leif was a mere apprentice, Ryder knew that he wouldn't be able to keep him from the battlefront, but if anything were to happen to his son in all of this, he didn't know what he would do. He'd already lost so much... if he lost Leif, or anyone else he loved for that matter, Ryder wasn't sure what he would do with himself.
The midday sun was hot on his back, and he felt sweat begin to form on his pelt the longer he was out there. There was little movement in the normally crowded area surrounding the oasis. Not that Ryder was very surprised by that. No one in their right mind was out in the middle of a summer day in Sedo. Despite the heat, his tireless thoughts kept him moving and thinking of what to do if any of these future possibilities came true. Maybe he'd be able to convince Leif that he needed help defending injured horses while he worked on them so that he was at least close by. Ryder shook his head, stopping beside the small body of water that laid in the innermost part of the small oasis. 'Please, Alya, keep everyone I care for out of harm's way. I wouldn't be able to bare it if any of them got hurt.'
His eyes closed for a few moments as he prayed, but at the distant sound of someone calling his name, Ryder lifted his head toward the outskirts of the greenery to see a familiar dark pelt. Could it really be? "Jinni!" He called out, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. She was here. The hippocampus turned and trotted to meet her. It felt like it had been ages since his lips had formed a smile, and as he got closer to her to see her unharmed and her brilliant smile, he couldn't help but grin happily in return as relief and happiness flooded through him.
Ryder stopped once he had reached up to wrap her in a hug, letting a sigh of relief escape him. After the surprise of seeing her again slowly disappeared, a sudden thought crossed his mind that Jinni might not necessarily want to hug him as much as he wanted to hug her, and he offered her a sheepish grin as he released her and took a step away. "I'm so glad that you're okay. I was worried that something had happened. So much... craziness has been going on." He rambled before forcing himself to pause. "It's a relief to see you."
Word Count: 532 | Post #2
Tagging: taebun
|
|
|
|
Post by taebun on Apr 2, 2017 21:18:16 GMT -6
Jinni | Serora | Iron Hoof The mare's face only brightened when her joyful greeting was returned. How she had longed to see a familiar face - and Ryder's brought her all the relief she needed. Jinni didn't expect the sudden embrace from the medicine horse but she returned it nonetheless. Although this was the closest they had ever been, aside from her unforgettable river incident, she couldn't help but find it familiar. When Ryder stepped away so did she, pinning her ears lightly against her bald head as her lips formed into a small, shy smile. "I can say the same." Jinni stole a deep breath before releasing it in a sigh. "I.. I tried to find the time to see you again." She confessed in an almost murmured tone. "Unfortunately it was nearly impossible..." The warrior couldn't deny that she had missed him dearly. For some reason she couldn't truly understand, he was the thought that kept her up at night. Looking up at the blue of the sky and it's very reflection on the surface of the Ziuseset reminded her often of the blueness of Ryder's eyes. Her head had been full of such silly things as of late. But are they really all that silly?
Jinni looked away for a moment, her golden eyes that burned like molten gold finding the distant horizon to the north - to Eithne. "Ryder..." her voice was quiet at first and she turned her gaze back to him before she continued. "There are rumors of war on the winds." The dark mare spoke softly, but her expression didn't betray the real fear and worry that she felt. Decades, centuries of piece were on the brink of being shattered. Jinni knew what her work required. She was bred by her parents to be a strong presence in the herd; to be an impenetrable iron wall like her family before her. But war would tear apart families, friendships and maybe even herds themselves. If she was to lose her family, or anyone she loved for that matter, she wouldn't know what to do with herself. But the idea of keeping everyone safe, of protecting ever life, would be unrealistic and near impossible.
"If war ever comes to Sedo, I would like Leif to stay with you." Her brow raised in a soft expression but there was sadness in her eyes. "He's a strong and brave colt. He has enough spirit and courage for all of Serora." A chuckle of amusement escaped her at the thought of her spotted apprentice. "But I could never forgive myself if anything happened to him - or you, Ryder."
Word Count: 442 | Posts: 2 |
|
|
|
Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Apr 5, 2017 15:22:07 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine-Horse
He could only pray that Jinni didn't think any less of him or was completely mortified or embarrassed by his sign of affection. To be honest, as he thought about it, he wasn't exactly sure what had come over him. He wasn't normally the type to run up and hug someone, but maybe it had something to do with his growing fondness for her. She'd been a ray of sunshine in his dark world that had been created after his wife had left him (not that she had known about that little part of his life), and he had to admit that he didn't worry this much about someone unless they meant something to him. Ryder couldn't help but think that he was just being silly though; she'd never think he was anything other than a friend. He was nothing special, and if anything, she probably thought he was damaged goods and hurt from a past love experience that she didn't even know about.
His train of thought was thankfully derailed as Jinni broke the silence between them, and his ears swiveled toward her to listen intently. Ryder offered her a small, comforting smile at the sound of her soft sigh and murmured confession of how she had tried to see him but hadn't been able to. He knew all too well how life interfered with things you wanted to do, and if anything, her job was even more demanding of whatever free time she might have. Defending the Sultan and his family was of utmost importance, especially in times like these. "It's alright. I bet you've been insanely busy. I can't even imagine how crazy things have been protecting the Sultan with all of this craziness that's been happening." Ryder said, hoping to make sure she didn't feel guilty about not having seen him. If anything, he felt guilty for not trying harder to somehow communicate with her. All he had to do was send a silly letter! "I-I tried sending you a letter... but with all of these horses falling ill from hunger and thirst, I didn't have much time." A guilty grin formed on his face at the thought of all the letters he had tried to write to her only to throw them all away. At least he knew that when he eventually worked up the courage to write her in the future, his toucan familiar could fly it directly to her.
His eyes focused on her captivating, golden orbs that seemed to flicker like fire in the midday sun as she turned away from him. The concerned expression on her face caused a worried frown to form on his face. "Ryder... There are rumors of wars on the wind." Her voice was quiet, yet strained with fear and concern. His blue eyes flickered to the ground as Ryder flicked his tail around his hind legs. "I feared that the rumors were true..." The Medicine-Horse sighed quietly, feeling his gut twist nervously at the thought of their near future. The Serora had been at peace for so long. How would they fare against such a powerful force like Aodh? Ryder could only do his part and heal the injured that this war would create, and he would have to put his faith in Alya that she would give them the strength that they needed to quiet Aodh with as little fatalities as possible.
His gaze lifted at the sound of Jinni's soft tone and saw the sadness in her eyes. "If war ever comes to Sedo, I would like Leif to stay with you." Ryder blinked in surprise. Leif would be mad and upset that he wouldn't be able to fight for his herd like he wished so much to do, but he couldn't shake the feeling of relief he got that Jinni wished for him to stay behind. "He'll be upset that he's not being called to the front lines, but I certainly appreciate you allowing him to stay with me." Ryder muttered and gave her a grateful nod of his head. Maybe he'd best tell him that his mentor had asked him to stay behind and protect the wounded that Ryder would be taking care of. At least then, Leif would be less likely to run off to war.
Her next words stopped him in his tracks. She didn't want to see him hurt? A small sigh escaped him as he glanced away with a sheepish expression. "I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt either... I know that it's your duty to fight and protect the herd if this war does happen, and I'd never wish your fellow Iron Hooves to go to war without you at their sides. I just... I just wish there was some way to guarantee your safety." He admitted coyly with the hint of a lopsided grin pulling up the corners of his lips.
Word Count: 818 | Post #3
Tagging: taebun
|
|
|
|
Post by taebun on Jun 12, 2017 10:31:22 GMT -6
Jinni | Serora | Iron Hoof
As he spoke the bay mare's ears twitched, thinking thoughtfully on every word. It was difficult to know for sure what the near future would bring. But Jinni would certainly be lying to herself if she wasn't the least bit worried. Their herd had always lived in peace after what was left behind as the result of the chaos that reigned during the God's War. Now it would seem that they have brought war upon themselves without the help of their gods. With a flick of her short tail Jinni's golden eyes found the sky. For a small moment she was quiet, relishing in the familiar breeze that blew across the sand, carrying with it a cool touch from the waters of the oasis. It brought pain to her heart to think that anything could happen to their beautiful home; that harm may come to her loved ones. Her purpose was to protect and no doubt that is what she would do with all of her might and being. But on the other hand she was only mortal and she would bleed like one.
After almost a minute of silence the mare finally shook her head, fixing a smile onto her features and moving her gaze in order to look upon Ryder's face. She was determined to focus on something else today, something that would hopefully not just keep her mind off of things, but perhaps even his. Jinni turned her head towards the glittering surface of the oasis, ears pinning lightly against her head as a thought came to mind. "Say... Ryder," she began in a quiet tone of voice at first, one ear flicking towards him. No weaknesses Jinni, this is a fear you should have gotten over when you were little. "May I ask a small favor of you?" The warrior turned her attention back towards him, brow raised in a soft expression, displaying her obvious unease.
"Will you teach me to swim?"
Word Count: 337 | Posts: 3
|
|
|
|
Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Jun 22, 2017 12:56:00 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine-Horse
The talk of war and hardship made Ryder want to vomit. His stomach turned flips and turns that he had never experienced before as he worried about his family's future and the future of the herd that he called home. He would have never thought that Serora would be involved in anything violent, and the thought of the people of Sedo fighting against brutish warriors and their blood spilling of these lands brought a sadness to him that rivaled the sadness he felt upon the loss of his wife. One could only hope that this war wouldn't bring too much death to their home, but, as a Medicine Horse, Ryder would make sure anyone under his care was safe and their wounds were taken care of.
The silence that fell over them was a comfortable one. Hardly ever did Ryder feel awkward or nervous around Jinni like he was around other horses (other than the times his mind drifted to thoughts of crushes and romance and worrying for her), and it was a true blessing to have someone to talk to... especially in times like these. It gave him relief to know someone well enough to actually be able talk about his opinion on things, and it was comforting just to be in her presence and listen to whatever she wanted to talk about.
The wind rustled his messy mane, tossing it into his face and making him tuck some of it behind his ears to keep it from covering his eyes. The smell of plant life was abundant in this oasis, and with his blessing, Ryder could feel the water in the spring a few yards away from them. He didn’t notice how Jinni’s ears pinned against her head as if she were fighting some sort of inner turmoil as he gazed out over the greenery around them… one of the last sources of food and water for their herd. It wasn’t until her quiet voice broke the silence that he saw the hesitation on her face. The hippocampus gave her a concerned look, wondering what was weighing on his friend to trouble her this greatly. “Of course. You can ask me anything of me.” He responded, his ears swiveling forward with interest in what she would say next.
"Will you teach me to swim?"
A small sigh of relief escaped him before he tried to silence the sudden rush of air that had built up in his lungs as he had held his breath in anticipation of her request. Ryder had thought it was something terrible, something having to do with war or something similar. "I can teach you how to swim." Ryder muttered with a small smile, tilting his head toward the body of water in the distance. He'd taught so many horses in Sedo how to swim, being a rare hippocampus in these arid lands. Being taught from him was one of the safest ways to learn since he could easily and quickly dive down to retrieve them if something were to happen or even use Water Manipulation to keep them afloat as they learned, and he never had a problem teaching someone how to swim. "I can use my blessing to keep your head above the water as you get the hang of it... but I'm pretty sure the herd won't take kindly to us using the watering hole here as a swimming pool." His head turned toward the horizon, studying the landscape with the trained eye of a traveler. "The Niurros isn't too far from here... if you don't mind the walk that is." He added with a lopsided grin as he turned his blue eyes toward Jinni.
Word Count: 616 | Post #4
Tagging: taebun
|
|
|
|
Post by taebun on Jul 13, 2017 3:43:00 GMT -6
Jinni | Serora | Iron Hoof
The feelings and thoughts that had been occupying the warrior's mind for the past several months had been rather melancholy. There was no reason for her to dwell on such sorrowful thoughts. But that was the reason she had wandered out here to the oasis in the first place - to find some sort of peace amongst all of the chaos. She wouldn't be a true Seroran if she didn't believe in peace; that perhaps there could be another way. That was all just speculation for now. At least for a little while she would have free time to do whatever she pleased and for once she refused to spend said time alone. Jinni had found herself quite fond of not only Ryder's conversations, but his company. The stallion's presence brought her the peace and tranquility that she wanted and needed especially during troubled times such as these. She had come to learn that she was happiest at his side.
"I know I will be safe with you," Jinni mused in a light tone, casting her eyes down to the ground beneath them before she began walking, her short golden tail flicking behind her.
Despite the cooler air within the oasis she couldn't deny her excitement at heading out into the desert again. There was nothing in the world that could ever compare to Sedo's landscapes. When she finally raised her head again he managed a quiet, soft sigh as her golden eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Jinni's chest ached at the thought of being brought away from here. As of late she seemed to have no control over her thoughts and her worries were only getting worse. She'd been suffering through many sleepless nights throughout the months but of course she would never admit to it. As an Iron Hoof she was a pillar of strength and now, well - her gaze turned fondly towards the spotted hippocampus - she had something much more precious she needed to protect.
Word Count: 339 | Posts: 4 |
|
|
|
Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Jul 30, 2017 12:36:49 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine-Horse
A small smile settled over his face at her gentle tone, and he thanked the gods that he hadn't started blushing like some kind of fool. He had to admit that he had grown quite fond of Jinni since finding her half-drowned in the Niurros. She was like a breath of fresh air among all of the hardship and anxieties that he had suffered through the past year. From losing his wife of twelve years to an upcoming war that threatened not only his herd but also everyone that he cared about, Ryder had experienced a turbulent time until recently, and he often wondered if his shift in emotions and determination had anything to do with her. Perhaps she and Leif had finally been able to show him that life wasn't all about just living day to day and that he could enjoy himself and love again.
The hippocampus tilted his head toward the horizon, indicating where he was headed before setting off away from the oasis. "The river is about 3 miles away from here... though I'm sure you already know that." He said with a lopsided, embarrassed smile. Of course she would know exactly where everything was. She was a Iron Hoof. If he could smack himself after saying that, he would have. 'You're so smooth.' Ryder complained to himself, turning his blue eyes to the arid landscape around them. As they got further away from the greenery of the oasis, the stunning rock formations that were found all around Sedo became to rise of the orange dirt.
Turning his attention from the scenery back to Jinni, he said, "How have you been? I'm sure with everything that's going on, it's been stressful. I never would have thought that kirins would start popping up out of nowhere or Serora going to war against Aodh." Ryder frowned, his brow knitting together with worry. It felt good to finally have someone to talk to about all of this though. He loved Leif, but the young horse didn't quite understand everything about the world quite yet, and worrying him with his own thoughts wouldn't do any good.
Word Count: 356 | Post #5
Tagging: taebun |
|
