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Post by GingerBlues on Dec 10, 2017 17:43:28 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Breim Plot 507 l WF Plot 511: Escort Services  Team Leader: Froya and Doev Participants: Kathra, Hjordis, Fijalahr, Honour, Xia, Iyasu, Marlo 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'DWar-Forged Prompt: After months of gathering resources and planning, the trio has secured passage to the mainland to finally mount their rescue mission. On board their ship, they discovered they were not alone in their mission and the Breimian had also sent a rescue team to save their own Consul. After a bit of deliberation, both parties decide it is in their best interest to work together. Reaching the mainland, the group reaches Torrine just as a mass revolt breaks loose. Find your herd-mates, and get back to your ship quickly before you're captured or worse! Breim Prompt: The Consul Xia had not been heard from for over three months and this had been cause for concern through much of the Palace staff. Scrapping together a rescue party, Breim sent three of its best to find their missing herd member. After making their way to the isles, the small group managed to catch the eye of a passing rogue ship willing to take them to the mainland. Once on board, the small Breim party realized they are not the only ones searching for a missing herd member as the Valkeries are on the same mission. Now both parties have reached the shores of Torrine and amidst the chaos of the island, together they must find the equine brethren they are searching for. Ambassador/Consul Prompt: After six months of being trapped in a foreign country, the gates have finally been opened, leaving you free to escape. Not knowing what to do or where else to go, you follow the crowd of equines evacuating the confines of the prison. Location: Torrine (A few miles outside Inaria, Mainland Aquore) Time of Day: Early Morning Current Weather:Heavy Rain Showers You do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Dec 16, 2017 0:16:02 GMT -6
Iyasu
Iyasu pinned his ears, nostrils flaring, as he felt the rain beat on his back through his cloak. He was beginning to wonder how this was happening and how he had gotten here. These last couple months had been… interesting to say the least. Not only was he sent on a mission outside of his homeland, but he was now working with three horses from another herd. He had experienced the sun's harsh rays and the violence of the wind. He had even seen the vast blue of the sea and the endless sky. All he truly wanted now was to go home. Not in his 30 years had he ever really expected to leave Nariah, let alone the caves of Breim at all. Especially not to leave Sirith on a mission to find a missing herd member in another land! He was no fighter, nor was he the most experienced healer that they could have brought. He had no blessings, and really only had his talent as an herbalist. It didn't mean he wouldn't do his best, just that he was confused by his selection.
He had only recognized their team leader, Doev, when sent on this mission, and that was purely from his dealings with his young patient, Doev’s charge, Yoru. Hopefully the boy was doing alright. He was sad that he would be unable to spend time with the young colt, but he knew he would make up for it. He just hoped they could find who they were looking for, and that he would be able to help.
Thus far he had not lost his composure and had stayed relatively calm, even when they had learned better of the situation in Torrine. But now that he was on the mainland of Aquore... Now that they were walking into whatever chaos was happening here… He was unsure that he was well equipped to handle this. Even with all the help and information that the Valkyries had given them, it seems the plan would not be as smooth as previously laid out. Just what was going on here? Would they be able to easily find Consul Xia or the War-Forged Ambassador?
Iyasu turned his blue eyes on the other members of his group to see what they were doing, paying particular attention to their leader, Doev. Were the others just as confused as he was? What did they think of what was happening here? How were their plans going to change?
POST: 1 | WORD COUNT: 413 |
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Post by Wolf-mask on Dec 16, 2017 12:49:44 GMT -6
Hjordis
With a steely gaze Hjordis surveyed the scene before her. No equine outside of the Talori knew much about the culture, and those that were allowed inside of the country never said anything about the sea loving herd. Whatever previous presumptions Hjordis had about the Talorians was wipe away completely by the vicious fighting between, what she presumed to be Talorian citizens, and some other faction of equine. Whoever this other group was, Hjordis assumed they were the reason Fijalahr had stopped reporting in to War Lord Hira. Well, whatever was going on with this waring country, it was of no concern to Hjordis. She was only here to get the Ambassador and get back to War-Forged territory. The mare would’ve loved to stay and take in the sights of this foreign land, but she had a job to complete. Hjordis side-eyed the Breimans that had hitched a ride with them on the Rogue’s ship. They were apparently here to find their own Ambassador, or Consul as they called it, which was strange to the Valkyrie. The Valkyrie assumed that the War-Forged and Breimans weren’t the only herds that had lost contacts to their Ambassadors within the Talori, but apparently, they were the only two herds that gave a damn about their citizens enough to come and rescue them. The Valkyrie wasn’t sure what to think of the Breimans, she had never heard of Breim forming any kind of army. The mare hoped these equines wouldn’t drag down her and the other two Valkyries. She would help the Breimans make their way through all this fighting when it came down to it, and would even help them find this Consul named Xia that they had talked about, but not at the cost of failing their own mission. “Ok, not what we were expecting. Course of action, captain?” Hjordis looked towards Froya. She’d taken to humorously calling the Valkyrie heading their little operations “Captain” thanks to the Rogues they bunked down with.
Post: 1 | WC:337
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Post by Doot.a.doi.toi.toi on Dec 16, 2017 18:00:36 GMT -6
Doev
The early morning was raw. A gossamer smoke hung breast-high over the beach with an acrid and sour odor that even the torrent of rain had yet to wash away; sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal. Explosives, and recent, Doev thought; in the fires of Nariah, that telltale odor had cut as deeply into his memory as the explosion itself had cut an ugly groove into his face. From the similarities in one tragedy he could better discern what to expect from the next; and here in Torrine, explosives had no doubt carved another groove into the settlement layout, setting back the scientific method concerning his memorization of the crude, rogue-crafted maps to a mere hypothesis rather than a conclusion. Doev reclined beneath the eaves of the forecastle where it opened onto the main deck, and pulled a steadying breath, passing calculations back and forth through his mind behind a cigarette. It was difficult to discern anxiety in the king’s guide through the (seemingly) perpetual worried crease to his brow—the intense stare of that single, predative eye as it arrowed toward the cries further down the shoreline; the voices sounded depleted, disordered, and through the downpour, he could see a small peppering of what appeared to be civilians fighting for the shoreline. His tension then vouched for itself when he straightened and stepped out into the rain at once. It was a revolt, he realized, and the presence of unhindered prisoners proved concerning. He doubted the Torrine wardens had been so easily overwhelmed—not after reconsidering the information the rogues had passed on, however meager. Had the guards been drawn elsewhere? Disconcerting. Doev surveyed for what felt like a full minute before he pitched away a water-logged cigarette he had long since forgotten in introspect. " Safe to say," he drawled in response to Hjordis, his tone distant, preoccupied, and he turned to look down at Iyasu unfathomably. Beneath the noises of the rain and the groaning of the vessel as it swayed in the waves, he murmured: “ it’s going to be bad in there, Iyasu— but we can’t afford to stop. Do you understand?” After three months between Shadow Point and the Isles of the Dead—from the cramped cargo hold of a smuggler’s galley to the rain-beaten decks of the valkyrie's vessel, and despite the alien miseries they'd endured, there had been a kindness to Iyasu’s eyes, always. Even as those eyes stood wide in uncertainty, the kindness was there. Iyasu, as a healer thrown into a scenario where the innocent were equally as likely as soldiers to tally toward the wounded, brought potential complications to which Doev was well aware; he felt it better to behead that bud before it could ever bloom. He might have thought himself callous had he not stepped hard on his conscious at first sign of lending its undue whispers, and Doev drew his mouth into a taut line. He wondered if Iyasu knew his own strength.
“ Do you smell it?” His voice went harsh as it rose above the roaring downpour. “ Black powder explosives— but I’d not trust that this rain has played hell with its efficiency. Nor would I entirely trust what we’ve learned from the maps anymore. Best to bypass what we can, but I’d suggest those who aren’t armed to stay to the center of the group. I’m not going to trust anything in a country or conflict I don’t know enough about.” Doev glanced pointedly toward where their rogue ‘ allies’ had landed to scout ahead. He gathered his cloak in tight about his shoulders, its fur trimmed collar sodden and sticking to his cheeks. A wet grip could turn his sword against him.
“ Froya?” His single eye shifted slightly to hold the valkyrie whole.
Word Count: 624 | Post #1 |
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Post by Ladybro-Meghan on Dec 16, 2017 20:57:51 GMT -6
 Xiaozhi (Honour);Breim | Royal Guard
Go with all your heart.
Delicately and silently Xiaozhi paced one cautious hoof after another, hesitation was pellucid, her hooves hovered for a moment afore meeting the unsettled beach sand. The coffin of a ship felt more comforting than this. Lengthy the seabound journey but familiarity emanated from their time together on the damp, cramped cabins. She craned her slender neck, in a fluid motion, her rosey teke rubbing along the splintering oak of the ship. Doev held little comfort as always, the brute. Yet he was familiar. Calming in that sense. Xiaozhi shook her neck endeavoring to calm the feeling of bugs crawling all over. His enchanting pegasus of a companion wrecked her belly with warm fuzzy sensations. Even being in her presence makes the massive mare unbecomingly squirm. On another note, the breim medic, though not particularly acquainted, trusted the King's judgement on bringing him along. Surely he'll be quite capable in practice. No arguing however he'll be needing an extra protective eye on him. Xiaozhi stiffened. So many heads to keep attached to their respective bodies. The King held so much faith in her, it was a proud thought, but perhaps it was an undeserving amount of faith? Today will be the answer to that.
This unbearable level of thick moisture was unknown to the mare as she disembarked the ship's safety. A once dainty mane now marinating in all the drops from the heavens. The rains gave no respite to the awful heat, unfortunately. Still, she remained a haunting air to the party like a phantom. Even while her neck brace, massive breastplate, and armored mask tinked with each step, all assigned by King Hajime for this occasion. After perceiving Doev's directions, she found a place at his side, Honour gave the silent, plain look: Leave the sizable ones to me. You're the sword and I the shield.
WC: 308| Post #1 |
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Post by ebbarie on Dec 17, 2017 2:07:49 GMT -6
Fijalahr | War-Forged| Ambassador
Little by little, one travels far.
Finally.
He almost couldn’t believe it when the gates eventually opened and hecticness came into the trapped horses. The crowd was flowing towards freedom, many equines were carelessly pushing others aside to come forward even faster. On his way, Fijalahr had to help more than one horse back to its feet.
Standing still for a moment or to fully halt was impossible. He was stuck in the crowd and it knew only one direction, forward.
Even after six months of captivity, he still wasn’t used to being together at one place with so many others. The dark stallion even had developed a slight case of claustrophobia. Now he was snapping angrily, and also a little fearfully, and every horse that came to closer over a longer period.
The challenging climate made things even harder. His coat was like a patchwork rug right now. Some parts short, others longer, as if his fur wasn’t sure if it really was a good idea not to get a thick winter coat. Long or short, his fur was blunt. Not the shiny, well groomed coat he had arrived with.
Closer to the gates, he noticed horses that tried to move the crowd into the right direction, away from the fighting, but without great success.
And before he could even realize it, he passed the borders of Torrine. The scream of an large eagle made him raise his head upwards, looking for the Familiar up in the skye. However, before he could get a glimpse of Laran, something broke free in him. A power that was locked away by the magical barrier of Torrine.
The blessing he became from the great earth mother started to sense the environment and the location of lots of corpses was revealed to him.
Sure, it was inevitable for the Talorians to fight against the Flock, if they wanted their homeland back, but he wouldn’t have thought that the fight had already reached such dimensions. He could hear distant screams and explosions. It reminded him of the Flock’s attack six months ago. Today would become even worse.
All of a sudden, the voices around him became louder, unpleasantly loud. It felt like the horses beside him were all screaming right into his ears. They expressed their fear and anger. Some wanted revenge, others feared for their lives or the lives of family members and friends.
There was even one that wanted to use the situation and pillage the abandoned houses in Inaria.
Why should someone say this loudly?
Lowlander he thought frustrated and to his surprise, the other horses head jerked upwards and he looked around with a confused expression on his face.
Fijalahr already started to realize what was going on, while the thoughts and screams he was forced to hear became steadily louder. The Ambassadors steps became unsteady as he fighted to gain control over the blessing he had never experienced before. It’s power had been growing inside Torrine, without him even noticing it. And know he simply had no idea how to shut out the unwanted thoughts of the equines around him.
Suddenly his eagle was at his side, screaming and with wildly flapping wings. The large bird tried to guide his owner into the right direction, helping him to get a laway from the crowd a little.
After a few minutes, he was finally able to halt a moment, shooing away the horses that tried to convince him to move forward again.
He just needed a moment to relax, as far as this was possible with all the screaming and fighting going on, to get a clear head again.
Laran was sitting on his back, the yellow eagle eyes scanned the environment, making sure that no one would sneak up on Fijalahr while he was still struggling to gain control over Argus blessing.
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Post by Wolf-mask on Dec 17, 2017 12:05:17 GMT -6
Xia
It took all Xia had in him not to completely lose his mind. Yes, he had helped orchestrate this revolt against the Flock that had kept him imprisoned within the confines of Torrine for almost half a year, but Xia was not a fighter. He had no experience in fighting against other equines. Not to mention, thanks to his blindness, the hippocampus had no idea where to go. He’d grown more confident in making his way across the Talorian city by himself over the past six months, but the cacophonous sounds of the Torrine captives all around him screaming and shoving to get away as fast as possible disoriented him. He’d been caught up in this stampede thanks to being at the wrong place at the wrong time and now he had to deal with it. The Consul’s breathing shallowed as he tried to fight his way through the crowd, instincts kicking in and telling him to go with the herd. The only problem was that he had no idea which way the herd was going. He had to rely solely on his senses other than sight. It was a rather short-term solution the rational part of his brain supplied, after all he wasn’t even sure these stampeding equines even knew where to go. The only thing he could tell in the raucous and darkness is when they passed the barrier surrounding Torrine. The Consul could feel a sort of warmth flooding back into him, like when one enters a warm house after being outside on a cold day. It felt refreshing to Xia, it made him breath easier knowing he had his blessing back under his control. However, all good feeling flew out the window when he was roughly shoved by a rather panicked citizen, sending him crashing to the road and falling into the mud. Xia went still as the thundering of racing hooves filled his senses, silently hoping none of them was step on him and break something. Luckily Xia was only clipped by a few hooves after they were done racing by. They’d leave bruises but at least Xia would be able walk this off. As the last of the hooves thundered away, Xia climbed back onto all four feet. He was shaking, from what Xia didn’t now. It could be from the cold rain soaking into his thin pelt and chilling him to the bone, or it could be from the fear completely wrecking his nerves. Taking a deep breath Xia tried to steady himself and get a grasp on his frightened brain. Centering himself, he took in what he could of his surroundings before moving along. The hippocampus could discern petrichor, charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter from the air, all mingling with the smell of sweat covered fearful horses. Mud was clinging to his coat, making him feel sluggish and gross as the rain spread it further down his body. The air was filled with the sounds of war cries, metal striking metal, and the screams of the dying as their last breath gave out. Anxious to leave and no longer skirting the edge of a panic attack, the white stallion trudged forward through the mud. He kept walking, using his hooves to test the ground before him until he heard another kind of screaming. It wasn’t the screaming of a horse, but the screaming of a giant bird. Xia’s ears perked in interest, if he remembered right, Fijalahr’s familiar was some sort of eagle. Anxious to be around someone he knew, the hippocampus surged towards where he had heard the bird. Fijalahr would be able to guide him through this mess after all, and the two of them were in the same situation. “Fijalahr!” the stallion called out, praying to Alya and Argus that he would be heard over all this noise.
Post: 1 | WC: 647
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Post by Quorkbirb on Dec 17, 2017 13:19:01 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie - Provisional War Forged Captain
Even the rain was warm here and it was terrible. The War Forged captain stood with what remained of her original Onean squadron, Hjordis and Kathra; and watched as the last of the hired rogues filed out of the final rowboat. The sand sucked at their hooves as they disembarked and trudged to join the rest of the enlisted pack, the rented ship rocking in the great waves behind them. Stirring up the sea and leaking through the patchwork of what remained of Froya's pelt (something that would have been full and thick by now in her homeland), the rain had been ceaseless all morning. Perhaps it provided some relief from the sweltering sun and incessant insects, but it only contributed further to the high humidity. With air so thick with moisture that even a finless horse knew what it meant to breath water, coupled with pelting rain that kept your head bowed as if in holy vigil, it was doubtless in one's mind that this was the realm of Cascade. This landing had come to fruitation after 3 full months of planning that included coordinating with rogues to provide intel, enlisting a sailing fleet complete with vessel, and building a small brigade of trustless, shard hungry hirelings ready to risk their lives. In all, it hadn't run cheap and Froya almost thought that Fijalahr would be lost to the cull through economy when she began budgeting ... but then the information gathered from rogues early in the operation changed that. A whisper of a camp fiercly guarded by pegasi and overcrowded with captured equine. It seemed likely that this was what kept Fijalahr, but even if the stallion was not being held captive there, it was a development in the Talori herd that could strain the relations with the War Forged and was worth scouting out at the very least. Having hired rogue scouts to find the exact location of the prison, as well as an adequetely covert entry point, the party was about to set out on their mission when a small group of curious equine had snatched their attention. Out of place (and seemingly unsure about their own direction), the Forged approached the strangers and soon discovered their origins and shared plight. Quickly they allied themselves and the Briemans boarded the ship to join forces in the assignment. It was in the early morning (or was it the latest hours of the night?) that they had docked their ship within a small cove near Torrine, hidden from any passing vessels. As the early morning glow filtered through the rainclouds however, scents of battle began to rise from the jungle with a snaking smoke topping the treeline. Immediately their plan had been compromised it seemed, but they wouldn't know what alterations to make untill the scene was before them. Now that the last of the hired infantry had assembled, Froya stepped towards the dark shape of Doev. "I suggest we follow our original plan untill we are right on top of the establishment, so that we can stay hidden from view as long as possible. Even with this chaos as cover, we want to minimize the chance of coming under fire before neccesary. As we get closer, the group should momentarily hold back while Doev and I will rendevouz with Kathra, who will fly ahead to survey. Based on the report, we'll decide how to lead the charge."
She waited for Doev to propose any alterations before turning to give a brief nod to Kathra in order to release her to her objective. Gesturing to the rogues who had originally scouted out the path through the jungle, she fell behind their lead alongside Doev as they moved out. Before all this, Froya had quietly discussed with the Breimans not to fully trust any of the rogues ... and she certainly hoped they wouldn't forget that in the tense situation to come.
Post: 1
Word Count: 653
OOC: Since I don't have her armor detailed out anywhere else, we'll put it here for now. She has pretty much the equivalent to a horse blanket (but more fitted), it's padded cloth armor with a layer of chainmail sandwhiched between.
On her neck is a metal plated neck gaurd and simple leather bracers on her legs. She is armed with bow, arrows, a short sword, and a set of 6 throwing knives.
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Post by ebbarie on Dec 17, 2017 14:07:01 GMT -6
Fijalahr | War-Forged| Ambassador
Little by little, one travels far.
Having his familiar nearby him helped a lot. The dark stallion trusted the eagles instincts and closed his eyes. Laran would warn him if anyone or anything would come to close to him, so he could fully concentrate on keeping that blessing at bay.
Fijalahr evoked the images of Torrines magical barriers in his mind, thick walls, that kept everything in, or out. He needed such barriers in his mind to keep the thoughts of strangers out, and slowly, some of the voices faded. It was hard, especially since the horses around him were highly emotional right now, but at least the screams seemed more dull know.
And then suddenly, his own name echoed through his mind like a whip strike. The voice was familiar, and heavy with hope and despair alike. Only a few minutes later, he heard his name again, this time for real, much quieter and mixed with the noises around him, and not only as thought in his mind.
“Xia!” he called back, both with his mind and voice. Quickly he trotted towards the Consul and softly nudged his dirty shoulder with his muzzle to underline his words. “I’m here.”
Actually the Ambassador had tried to spot the hippocampus in the crowd when the rebellion broke loose, but he was pushed forward in the bulk of horses and have had no chance to find him.
But he was glad to have a familiar face at his side now. Even if he was sure that the Consul wasn’t a fighter.
“We have to find shelter, get out of the line of fire. I have the bad feeling that this will be only getting worse.” It was good to focus on something, it silenced the voices in his head a little, but they were still loud enough to disturb his concentration and to confuse him.
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Dec 17, 2017 19:06:32 GMT -6
 Three months. Three, thrice damned months, in this humid, rainy, hot hell. The Valkyrie was ready to leave, all things considered. She thought back to their homeland of Onea. It would have begun snowing by now, she wondered how Aly and Addy were getting on. Surely they'd noticed her absence by now, she hoped they weren't worrying about her too much. Thoughts also wandered to Hira, was she worried that they weren't back yet? No, probably not. Hira had other things to worry about, besides she had faith in her chosen warriors, otherwise, why would she have responded to their letter with anything less than to continue their mission.
However, they still had a job to do, and so, while she wasn't with her shield sisters planning their next move, she'd set up a makeshift training ground for herself. If anything, her trip to Aquore taught her that not all talorians were swashbuckling rogues, apparently, those on the mainland were somewhat respectable people, if a little too pious for their own good. In the months that had passed, she'd managed to fully control herself as a golem, and had even picked up the form of a snowy owl in the process. Now with the ability to travel quickly on both land and in the air, she felt ready by the time they had managed to find a ship that would ferry them to where Fijalahar was held. A place called Torinne.
However, they would run into something entirely unexpected once they boarded. They, it seemed, were not the only herd who'd been missing an ambassador. They had encountered four equines from Breim who were here for the same reason they were. Two of them were absolute giants, and caused Kathra to wonder just how big those tunnels had to be if the two tall ones, Doev and Honour, as she would later learn, could move about. At least those two looked like they could handle themselves in combat. She had thought upon first seeing them. The other two, well, to be frank she wasn't quite sure. One was slightly bigger than herself, his name was Iyasu, and he knew his way around herbs. A medic then, well, certainly a necessity given their situation. Then there was the pale one covered in feathers, Marlo. Kathra had never seen a Pegasus without wings before, and to be honest, it startled her a little upon first seeing her. But this wasn't the time to be questioning whether or not a Pegasus without wings was normal.
Now the small squadron had landed on the beaches of the Talori mainland, the sun, if it had risen, was not to be seen from the rainy conditions. What was supposed to be a simple infiltration and get out, became a lot more complicated when they noticed the smoke from the ship's deck, and the distant sounds of battle accompanied by the smells of explosives. There was a revolt happening, and that had thrown a monkey wrench on their plans.
All of this led to Kathra standing with her comrades, her gear stowed safely in a waterproof bag. Froya had approached her earlier with the plan for her to scout ahead as an owl, and in order to do that, she had to keep herself bare. Unfortunately shape shifting meant anything worn was shed, if the form was smaller, or broken, if the form was larger. While she could mitigate this by adjusting her straps when she just adjusted her own height, she couldn't do that when taking another form. She slid the bag from her back and gently handed it off to Honour with a look of one trusting another with their most prized possessions. It would be an understatement to say that the mare gave off a weird aura, but as it stood she would have the least amount of trouble handling the bag, and she seemed to ha a similar objective to her own, so Kathra would trust her. With a sharp nod to Froya and Doev upon receiving the orders to go ahead, the unicorn turned heel and started running. Very quickly however, her form shifted. Exchanging feathers for fur, soon a snowy owl replaced the valkyrie as Kathra lifted off into the sky.
As she left her companions behind to follow at a slower pace, Kathra focused on flying in poor conditions. The rain made things difficult for her feathers, not impossible, but it sure slowed her down a bit. As she passed over the forest, the sounds of panicked equine grew louder to her enhanced hearing, and soon the trees fell away to reveal... absolute chaos.
Equine were panicked, pushing and shoving each other out of the way to get further from... looking over Kathra saw the ruined state of what she assumed to be Torrine. Shifting her wings to make a tight turn, she began to scan the crowd of panicked Talorians for any sign of either the blue roan or pale hippocampus ambassador. After several minutes of her circling the outside of the camp, she was about to head back and report that she didn't see them, when movement caught her eye. A couple of equine, one a hippocampus, the other a much larger common horse. They were apart from the main commotion. As she concentrated her circle to around the two, she noted the pale color of the hippocampus that shone through in places underneath the mud. Must have fallen over. Kathra mused. Purple eyes flicked to the larger one. From this distance through the mist kicked up by the rain, they appeared to be a blue roan. A moment later, she saw the great bird sitting on the stallion's back.
That was a bald eagle, bald eagles were natives of Onea, NOT Aquore.
Looks like they're still alive, time to go back. Froya and Doev shouldn't be far away with the others now.
And with that, the white, speckled owl turned heel in the sky and back the way she came, eyes and ears scanning the canopy for her shield sisters and allies.
Post #1 | Word Count: 1015 |
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Post by Wolf-mask on Dec 19, 2017 21:46:45 GMT -6
Hjordis
Hjordis raised an eyebrow at Doev’s response to her statement. She hadn’t expected the gruff stallion to say anything to her, let alone telling her to stay safe. Curious, but the stallion was starting to change her opinion on Breim. She’d always found the Breimans to be a weird group of equines, constantly being stuck underneath the surface of the earth, but she was rather indifferent of the arcane herd. Doev and his party was starting to change her opinion. The two warriors were giants and seemed to be proficient in weaponry. Hjordis appreciated an equine who knew how to handle themselves. Curious, Hjordis observed a silent exchange between the two Breiman warriors. They must be close if they had some sort of silent sign language between the two of them. The Valkyrie shuddered at the thought of facing the two in battle. One glance and the mare could tell they would work like a well-oiled machine, two giants of death. The mare was especially creepy and Hjordis tried to keep her distance from the other mare, even though she severely wanted to test her metal against the other warrior. When Froya started giving out commands, the Valkyrie snapped to attention like a good little soldier. The mare focused on her captain intently. She nodded along with Froya’s words as she doled out the steps of their plan. Hjordis could do this. When it came down to it, the mare would be able to fight with her steel sword in hand to protect their small group, even the Breimans. The mare stepped aside as Kathra took a running start and transformed. Kathra and Froya’s shape shifting always fascinated the mare, but the thought of being without any of her blades in such a form made Hjordis antsy. The Valkyrie watched with fascination as her shield sister’s body melted into a feathery snowy owl. She watched Kathra fly until she was only a spot in the distant horizon, losing her in the smoking ruins of the distant village. Hjordis was silently thankful of her old clan’s mastery of fire and forging. If not, she’d definitely be wearier of possibly charging into a burning town
Post: 2 | WC: 371
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Post by Wolf-mask on Dec 19, 2017 22:02:43 GMT -6
Xia
Like a breath of fresh air, Fijalahr’s words pierced through Xia’s panicked mind. A sigh of relief caught in Xia’s chest as Fijalahr nudged his shoulder to back up his words. It felt more comforting than simply talking to him, something about the physical contact eased the muscles tensing along Xia’s body. It was good to know his friend was still alive and well, if sounding a bit shaky. Xia couldn’t blame the other stallion for being shaken in this kind of situation, where the whole of the Talori seemed to be collapsing in on itself and Turing into a full blown civil war. Xia practically glued himself to the side of Fijalahr, using the fins on his chest to reach out and touch along the flank of the huge stallion. It gave him some way to keep track of where Fijalahr was going and whether he was going to turn at some point. The barbels on his muzzle helped as well, working on tasting the air for any new scents. The Consul didn’t want to be caught off guard, and his sense of smell would be way better than the other equines. He’d act as an early warning system of sorts, it made up for his lack of fighting skills at least. “I agree my friend…Do you have an idea of where to go?” Xia asked shakily, shivering from the cold rain and mud coating him and from anxiety. He was ready to get as far away from this place as he could. Perhaps they could escape into the woods? He was sure that’s where the rest of the Talorian citizens went. “Should…should we run into the forest?” he asked Fijalahr. His mind was too scrambled at the moment to thoroughly think out a plan for them to follow.
Post: 2 | WC: 310
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Dec 20, 2017 0:05:57 GMT -6
Iyasu
Iyasu flicked an ear toward Hjordis. Not expected may be understating it.
He looked to Doev when he spoke. He understood, but that made it no easier for him. He remembered treating those from the fires in Nariah. It hurt that he must ignore that level of pain now, but he was beginning to be much more worried about their Consul and their companions Ambassador in this particular mess. Were they alright? His loyalty lay with his own herd first and foremost, and he would need to stick with that now. He was in charge of taking care of anyone who was injured here and on the journey home. He could not let himself risk the safety of his companions for those they would encounter in this foreign place. He set his features, knowing he could not ignore or hide the pain he felt, but knowing his loyalty had to come first. “I understand, Doev. Our herd members, and allies, are our priority.” And I wouldn't be able to save them all, no matter how much I would want to try.
That thought hurt the most. If the situation was bad enough there would be only so much he could do himself, and that alone meant he had to focus on what he could do here. Doev’s comments solidified his thinking. However, this did not stop him from sending a prayer to Argus and the other gods asking them to protect their group, and as many of those involved as they could.
He turned his head toward Honour as she approached. The mare had made him anxious upon first meeting her, a phantom chill often running up his spine when they were in close proximity. After travelling for this long he was more used to her presence now, though the chill would still come. However, her current armor unsettled him and, much like the armor the rest of their company wore, it reminded him of the precarious and dangerous situation they may soon find themselves in. He tightened his cloak around him. It also made him aware of his own vulnerability within the group.
Froya’s plans drifted to him as he made a final check of his loaned saddlebags. It sounded solid enough to a non-soldier like him. He looked up and watched with some fascination as Kathra shifted into an owl once her stuff was with Honour, but he was soon back to being concerned. They would be moving out very soon now.
Iyasu took a deep breath, pushing away uncertainty. He must call upon the patience he knew he held, the patience he used when treating a patient. Patience yields focus, and focus is what he needed the most now. With that he prepared himself to follow his party into the jungle.
POST: 2 | WORD COUNT: 464 |
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Post by Queerly on Dec 20, 2017 2:07:18 GMT -6
She had been violently ill for the first three days at sea and had spent all the ones that followed with a vague sense of nausea that kept her mood somewhere between foul and humorless. If she regretted her persistence to join the expedition, Marlo did not admit to it. An I-told-you-so twinkled in Doev’s eye when he was not occupied with strategy and disquiet; she could have bitten him. She didn’t, because she was not barbarous and, primarily, she did not trust her mouth enough to open it.
Rendered unable to hold a proper conversation felt like someone had severed the blood to her brain. The characters comprising their merry band of would-be liberators captured her interest: she studied them aggressively, building charactertures out of the sum of their parts and pocketing quirks for scrutiny. Iyasu forgot to eat. Honour was stronger than she appeared. Froya stole glances at her feathers and evidently thought herself slick enough to get away with it. She would have liked to vivisect each and every one of those peculiarities, but she had no voice, and without it Marlo couldn’t peel away the skin to reveal the vulnerable meat. It was depressing, really.
The weather was mirroring her mood. Marlo had stirred shortly after Doev evacuated the cot, and stumbled from the forecastle with a quilt drawn over her back. It was old and bleached of color, smelled of must, but it was warm enough. Yawning, she pressed her shoulder to Doev’s barrel, and surveyed Cascade’s annoyance.
Now, Marlo knew the scent of explosions. Aodhians had pioneered the technology upon the world stage, from theatric pyrotechnics to the less whimsical. Not quite awake and alarmingly accustomed to the casual intrusion of smoke, it did not immediately click that she should be concerned - that is, until the wind carried another scent she knew.
Her stomach twisted, and without ceremony she let the quilt behind as she made a beeline for the rail, retching overboard.
The others were speaking. Marlo scrubbed her lips with a wipe of telekinesis and raised her head to squint against the rain. Her ear craned for Froya’s answer, and once delivered it settled right. Marlo didn’t know why the Oneans underestimated their young girls.
She caught Doev’s eye when he looked for her, and jerked her chin to Iyasu, imparting her choice for what she was taking as an elective buddy system. She judged that the healer was no more adept at a fight than herself, and Marlo was nothing if not prudent when danger was afoot. Let the warriors do what they did best.
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Post by Doot.a.doi.toi.toi on Dec 20, 2017 18:18:49 GMT -6
Doev
Froya left an anticipative pause between strategizing and turning Kathra out on Torrine. “ You should be paying mind to the roads—alleyways—the city walls—where shells are being fired from,” suggested Doev, straddling abstraction and remaining in the present. Albeit that explosives had certainly scattered the cityscape like loose puzzle pieces, their knowledge of the maps could still prove useful where structures remained intact; should she locate their marks, they would require the least-confused route possible, he thought. ‘ Marks’—he backtracked momentarily in judgment of the idiom that had come all too naturally; Doev blinked the memory away before adding a hushed note further to Kathra: “ and check what you can see of our rendezvous point in the jungle. You know why. You know what to do if you’re counting extra heads.” He briefly looked at Honour, trading communicative glances. There was a sense of trust he saw in her eyes, and he saw it pronounced further still in her manner of falling in line beside him; it elicited a terse and broken smile. Then, in taking advantage of having his back turned to the ‘ crew’, Doev whispered: “ keep yourself between our unarmed friends and the rogues on shore.” Looting was a good prospect in this scenario—and there was nothing like a hostage to ‘grease the teke’ and encourage compliance in handing over their valuables and vessel as bonus to the pleasant surprise of chaos. Perhaps he was paranoid, but it had been this inherit distrust that had kept him alive; he knew the rogues through the drawn parallels in his less reputable experiences. Doev turned his face away from her, having noted Marlo and the chill of her sudden absence against his side. Then her vomiting. He acknowledged her ‘ buddy system’ selection with a single nod. “ You’re making it hard to be smug when you look that miserable,” said Doev, his relaxed stride carrying him toward her. A half-smile cut across his muzzle, his mouth parting at eye level. Then Doev reached back toward his withers to pull his fur-trimmed cloak over his head, folded it in half, and laid it across her withers to replace her questionable choice of bed sheets. Marlo, despite her choleric mood over the prior three months, had served as a valuable sounding board to his theories (as always) that offered opinions in seasick groans and glances—a listening ear that allowed him to sweep out his thoughts during his usual bouts of insomnia and midnight awakenings. A certain telepathic had noted once that they ‘ couldn’t imagine how he ever slept with a mind that sounded so similar to a droning hives of bees.’ His solution had become—and had always been—Marlo. In reflection, in the image of her standing there on the deck of the valkyrie vessel amongst the scents and sounds of combat, Doev became viscerally aware of a certain vulnerability that brought a tightness to the chest. “ Don’t make me regret not tying you to the bed with a note, pigeon.” It was worded alike to a continuation of their usual jeering back-and-forth, but the playful tone was gone, replaced with one softer and more solemn. His chin brushed across her forehead to touch at the poll, and before she could see his face, they were apart again. Doev turned his back and walked away without another word, checking the security of the waxed burlap tied wrapped around the hilt of his sword. The snarling Isoba helm was slipped over his head after a brief shake to throw off the rain and belted behind his ears. “ Let’s move.” The helm turned his voice into a deep, hollow rumble.
Word Count: 610 | Post #2 |
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Post by ebbarie on Dec 23, 2017 1:19:59 GMT -6
Fijalahr | War-Forged| Ambassador
Little by little, one travels far.
The relief of the Consul flooded his mind, although he tried to block his thoughts out. He was just lacking experience. It felt like a serious interference in Xia’s privacy and Fijalahr was glad that the hippocampus blamed the Ambassadors nervosity solely on the dangerous situation.
After all this time, being stuck in Torrin with too many other horses, he longed for some time alone, but he tried not to show how uncomfortable he was with the body contact. It wasn’t Xia’s fault and enabled them to move forward quickly.
“I’d say we try to reach the shore, so you could swim to safety, the Flight can’t reach you there, but I can’t guide you in the water. So I agree, the forest would probably the best idea…” the trees would shelter them from the eyes of the Pegasi. To think one would be safe in Aquores jungles however was a foolish thought. From his stay in the wilds, so many months ago when he just arrived here, he knew that it was a dangerous place. Right now it was their best chance.
For a moment his thoughts strayed away, to Keahi and her son. Hopefully they both were safe.
“Alright, we should hurry. Whatever you hear, stay close to me.” he said urgently and moved forward in a slow trot.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Dec 23, 2017 20:14:07 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie - Provisional War Forged Captain
By the time they reached the rendezvous point, mud coated the legs of everyone in the party. The trail had been cleared relatively well only a few days prior, but the jungle was quick to reclaim unguarded paths. The rogues struck down the excessive foliage with sharpened blades so that the group was able to move forward, though their progress was slow and often hindered. The jungle floor had become treacherous with constant rain; housing thick, twisting roots that were too slick to safely step upon, with the earth itself itself churned up enough to become akin to a glue-like slop. Attentive ears swiveled down the train of horses, constantly listening for unseen prowlers, both of the wild and/or equine variety.
Quietly, Doev and Froya discussed their options for attack, depending on what was currently happening at the camp. If the fighting was contained within, they may be able to use the battle as a distraction to enter and extract their consuls; however, if this was a prison break... Well, they would have to charge through the swarming mass of horses, locate their consuls, and somehow manage to escape with everyone intact and accounted for.
While a prison break may have appealed to the tender side of Froya's heart, it would compromise a rescue mission. No matter what, Kathra would surely exhaust her blessing with all this scouting and would need to be guarded by her comrades for her to recover.
As the lead rogues came to a halt, indicating their arrival, Froya bowed her head towards Hjordis before stepping towards the thinning treeline with Doev. Her sister-in-arms would hold authority while she was away, readied with a practiced whistle incase any trouble came about. Still a few yards from where the trees turned to grass, stood an impressively large wimba tree, it's roots warped around a large, crumbling boulder. The boulder was grand enough to be visible from the sky, though less so in the rain. Still relatively hidden from view, the two horses were able to observe the swirling mass of confusion before them. Horses were bloodied from the stampede; some foaming at the mouth, their eyes white-rimmed with fear, and others lay motionless in the dirt, hooves beating over their lifeless bodies as others inadvertently ran over them.
Froya said nothing and simply watched the madness unfold, waiting on Kathra before taking action.
Post: 2
Word Count: 396
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Post by Doot.a.doi.toi.toi on Dec 27, 2017 1:46:34 GMT -6
Doev
Rain drummed on the bronze helm in small sounds almost analogous to a tin roof; biting insects that braved the storm thrummed shrill in his ears; and the otherwise dull green environment flashed with the white-silver of metal as their guides carved through the undergrowth; Doev, setting these distractions aside, selected his observations more consciously from where he (deliberately) brought up the rear beside Froya. He moved smoothly, carrying his concentration like a brimming cup. His eye shifted between the rogues leading them from where it hid in the shadowed socket of his helm. The rogues were tense, anticipatory; he could see it in the manner that the muscles stood taut on their withers, in the hitched stride of their hind legs, and in how they wetted their lips often—too often. Cagey over the chaos? He checked the theory with the valkyries—who had, like the rogues, no doubt experienced similar situations—and when he found the behavior unrepeated, different, his anxiety surfaced and came to nest in his stomach, wringing the membranes. Scenarios swarmed his head like flies. Doev settled his eye on Marlo until his head went quiet. Terra cotta feathers, and how their color had deepened in the rain. Be still. A swan’s neck that arched in the manner of a dancer, and how her throat flashed with a turn of the head. Be still. Bright violet eyes, and how their hue shifted as her gaze moved. Be still. Doev drew a meditative breath and turned his gaze on Froya. He backtracked to recall her words and resumed the conversation once they rerouted, together, toward the thinned jungle perimeter: “ give me a minute. Best to know what we're dealing with from here." There between the interwoven roots of the wimba, upon arrival, Doev began to survey the ebb and flow of bodies that flash-flooded from Torrine. Crowds were a condition of Breimian society, a necessary inconvenience to the narrow streets of their subterranean cities. Breimians navigated such overcrowded conditions without pausing to consider what ingrained mechanism guided them so easily, so effortlessly through the masses—and often without so much as brushing shoulders with the passersby. Crowds, however, were precarious, offering an almost predatory illusion of ‘ safety in numbers’ during a crisis. Panic drove individuals toward an escape route, bodies clotted together, the crowd behind would continue pushing blindly forward, and by the time an individual recognized the danger, it would be far too late to escape that inevitable crush. After another minute, Doev offered his input. “ We can’t charge straight on through that, Froya—” said Doev “— it’s like whitewater: there’s no fighting against it, you can only go with the current. We’re going to lose someone if we try that." He paused a second in thought. " Explosives might have goaded some crowds to scatter; we might aim to use a route that’s been bombarded once we know where we're headed for certain—most would’ve likely cleared out. We’d need to be choosy about what structures to trust, but in the very least, I doubt projectiles would be wasted on an area few would linger in.” A lessening of complications was the best they could achieve at this point.
Word Count: 535 | Post #3 |
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Post by Wolf-mask on Jan 3, 2018 15:26:00 GMT -6
Hjordis
Hjordis glanced at Marlo empathetic ally. Marlo hadn’t been alone in heaving her stomach overboard for most of the trip. At least Hjordis had more chances to get used over her seasickness than the other mare, so she didn’t suffer as much on this trip as she had on her first. Occasionally her stomach would roll with the rocking of the ship, but the Valkyrie was able to suppress the urge to vomit this time around. “It gets better the more you do it.” she offered to the Breiman mare before turning back to her own group. When Doev and Froya started talking intently about the upcoming mission, Hjordis listened to every detail. She may have heard it a dozen times by this point, but she wanted the plan to stick inside of her thick skull. Energy thrummed through the mare’s body as she prepared for the coming mission. She just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible in order to get back home to Skeldr Town. All curiosity of this place had been sapped from the dun as soon as that sea monster attacked their boat and killed her shield sisters. When Doev gave the order for their conjoined groups to move, Hjordis took that as an order from Froya to get moving as well. It was an exhausting trek through the untamed jungles surrounding the city. Hjordis’s was caked in mud up to her elbows, making this humid heat unbearable to be in. This mud was nothing like the mud in Onea, and Hjordis hated it. Hjordis hated this whole country and wanted out. She didn’t trust any of these pirates that they had hired to take them through the back channels of Aquore. Every second she was glancing out of the corner of her eye at the rogues in order to track their movements. The second the rogues tried to pull anything, Hjordis would cut them down. She was already using her own sword to cut down any vegetation in their way, and she would readily turn it on anyone who threatened her sisters. When they finally reached the meeting area, Hjordis gazed in amazement at the tree in the distance. Supposedly this would be their meeting spot with Kathra. Hjordis examined the area, looking for any dangers while also keeping an eye on the two leading parties. She could hear thunderous hoofbeats in the distance, most likely panicked civilians trying to escape the explosions rocking the city. Hjordis watched as her sister moved further into the brush by herself. Hjordis stood ready to assist the other Valkyrie if she had to, ears perked for any whistling. She was in charge of their conjoined group now, and Hjordis wasn’t going to let anything terrible happen to them.
Post: 3 | WC:468 |
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Post by Wolf-mask on Jan 3, 2018 15:49:38 GMT -6
Xia
Xia looked toward Fijalahr with a look of gratitude. He was glad that the ambassador was remaining so level headed despite his obvious anxiety. Xia couldn’t blame him for the nervousness, he was already doing way more than Xia could right now. The blind horse was disgusted that he couldn’t grab a hold of himself at the moment and think of something to help out the two of them. There wasn’t much he could do anyway. The hippocampus could only grit his teeth and rely on the other ambassador as he tried to unscramble his panicked thoughts. Attempting to keep up with the other stallion, Xia picked up his pace and kept close to Fijalahr. Xia chewed at his lip as he sorted through his thoughts. It wasn’t quite working how he’d expected however. If that wasn’t working, then the stallion would just have to keep his mind preoccupied with something else. The only thing he could do right now is chat he supposed. It wasn’t like any of the Flight were going to look for two lone horses. If anything they were going to go after the larger groups. A pang of disgust hit Xia for his selfishness, but he couldn’t help but be grateful the two of them were in less danger. “What...What is the first thing you are going to do when you go back to Onea?” the consul asked nervously. He needed to occupy the silence, and his mind, with something.
Post: 3 | WC: 254 |
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Jan 4, 2018 22:15:10 GMT -6
No, no, no, ah there they were! Kathra spotted the group beginning to assemble in the forests edge. With a hoot to signal her approach the war-forged mare swooped into the canopy, wings tucked in to avoid the branches of the trees, not to mention the vines that could quickly turn her dive into a tumble. Snapping white wings back open, she slowed her decent, before shifting back into her natural form before her allies.
Shaking the wet forelock from her face, she looked at the others. "They're alive, I saw both of them at the edge of the settlement. It's mayhem in there, everyone's trying to leave at once..." she went on to describe to her fellows the state of the panicked equine, the layout of the quickly being abandoned area, and the state in which Figi and Xia both seemed to be in. When she finished the chimeric mare stomped her hoof into the wet mud and took a deep breath to steady herself. This was both because she'd just talked more than she normally did, and, if she was being honest, shapeshifting didn't come without some drawbacks. "If we act fast, we can get them out before the scene becomes too chaotic to act without risking being separated. I don't want to have to go hunting for Ambassadors in this forest." She huffed, lion-like tail twitching in anticipation as she looked at Doev and Froya, before pacing so she'd stand next to Hjordis. The other valkyrie's presence was a comforting factor, even though she had no reason to distrust the Bremians, she was more concerned over being faked out by the rogues they'd hired. If a fight would start between them, she'd rather have her shield sister's back in an instant
Post #2 | Word Count: 294 |
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Post by ebbarie on Jan 8, 2018 12:22:25 GMT -6
Fijalahr | War-Forged| Ambassador
Little by little, one travels far.
The ongoing stream of Xia’s thoughts was boon and bane at the same time. On one hand he felt kinda bad for spying on his mind, but on the other hand it was a great distraction. One part of him concentrated on taking the right way to the wilds, the other part tried to block out the Hippocampus thoughts.
That was way better than listening to the detonations in the far distance.
Xia’s question made him smile grimly. So he wasn’t the only one that needed some distraction.
The real question was if he would ever made it back to Onea. Or Xia back to Breim. Even if they could hide from the Flock, the wilds where a dangerous place. Especially for a blind horse.
Immediately his thinking took another turn. Xia wasn’t the only blind horse in the wilds.
Keahi was also there.
He had to find her and Aisake.
“Back in Onea? Well probably buying a new pelt. I don’t think that my old one is still in one piece, and without my winter coat I’m going to freeze my ass off back home. And then I’m going to tell this story. The story of this unnecessary war. The secrecy of Talori is over. We might be the first Ambassadors to leave Aquores borders with an intact memory. If that’s not something to tell our children in the future!” he even managed to laugh a little.
“And what will you do? When you are back in the underground?” the stallion asked back with a slight smile on his face. It wasn’t easy to maintain the relaxed facade.
It was nice talking with the Consul. Fijalahr just wished that they had met under better circumstances.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 8, 2018 15:25:33 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie - Provisional War Forged Captain
A white shape appeared through the haze of rain and Froya, recognizing the entity as Kathra, stepped out from the shelter of the wimba and into full view of the owl. As the chimera shifted, she immediately became the center of the captain's attention; every word holding potential that could aid in their success.
Turning to Doev, Froya began finalizing the plan with the Breiman. It was surprising really, how well the stallion acted as a sounding board for tactical strategy. As far as she knew, Breim was relatively peaceful and guarded place, not one she expected military prowess to arise from.
Nevertheless, it didn't take long for the scheme to solidify and it was thus: Froya would transform (leaving her armor safely stowed away with Hjordis) and fly with Kathra to the ambassadors. There, the valkyries would fight the crowd to guide Fijalahr and Xia towards a predetermined landmark (a tall tree along the jungle's edge, its body split and forked from a lightning strike). Meanwhile, Doev would lead the rest of the party in a charge, forcing their way through the mayhem towards the tree. The parties would rejoin there and immediately begin the retreat, keeping the ambassadors in the middle of the formation where they were thought to be the safest.
There were many things that troubled Froya about the plan, namely leaving Hjordis alone amongst rogues and freshly formed allies, but it was the most efficient option. The longer they stayed here, the more opportunity they gave for trouble to arise.
Stripped of her weapons and armor, Froya returned to Kathra, hoping that the time it took to relay the plan to the troops was enough for the chimera to stabilize herself. Once her sister signalled that she was ready, the two leapt into the air, leaving behind nothing but a transformative fog of sparkling teke amongst the jungle foliage.
Kathra didn't take long to relocate Fijalahr and Xia, and the two mares slid skillfully through the pelting rain, their bodies transforming just before hitting the ground and slipping neatly into the crowd beside the ambassadors.
Immediately Froya addressed the blue roan. "Ambassador Fijalahr? I am Froya, a Valkyrie sent from Hira to retrieve you."
Post: 3
Word Count: 369
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Post by Wolf-mask on Jan 9, 2018 16:48:07 GMT -6
Xia
At Fijalahr’s response to his question, the white stallion barked out a laugh. He hadn’t even realized that the other stallion was wearing a pelt this whole time. With the rioting, fires, explosions, and six months of captivity, Xia could only imagine what the pelt would look like now. “I am sure your new pelt will look quite stylish on you.” the Consul mused. He had no idea what Fijalahr looked like, outside of being much taller than him and being more bulky. The Ambassador's stature reminded the hippocampus, with a pang of loneliness, of his twin and father. When his question was reflected back at him, the stallion thought for a second of what he wanted to do. There were too many things he wanted to do first, but he could only take one course of action at a time. It took Xia a moment to figure out what he wanted to do first and he gave Fijalahr a wry smile. “First, I am going to berate my dear cousin for leaving me stranded in this prison for half a damn year.” the stallion snorted, his smile contorting into a frown. “I don’t think I ever told anyone, but all of Breim’s consuls are related to the royal family in some way. Distant or otherwise.” he told the other stallion, wanting to get to know the other stallion as a friend and fellow foreign escapee. In the hippocampus’s own opinion, he thought that was rather cruel to those outside of the family. Yes, the common folk relied upon the Royal Family for guidance, but that just alienated the common masses from them. “However, after that I am going to report all of this to King Hajime, and then drown my sorrows in booze and spend time with my friends and family. I can’t believe us Breimans ever thought of Talorians as allies.” Xia said, half jokingly and half serious. He more than likely wouldn’t drink to forget this situation. Not when he could pluck those memories out by his own volition… The stallion clammed up when the thought of the possibility. Xia would never be the same after this, and he knew that deep down. He had done it before, when he was a child and had lost someone dear to him. Whether he had erased all memories of her or had simply locked them tightly away in his mind, he didn’t know. From what he had been told, the loss had made him shutdown. It kept him from taking care of himself, and the stallion knew this would happen again as soon as he returned home. All he had to do was give the information away, and then easily clean his mind of these memories. Xia’s musings on erasing his memories were interrupted by a sudden two loud thumps disturbing the calming pitter-patter of raindrops on soil. A burst of nervous energy took over Xia as his fight or flight instincts took over. To keep from bolting off, the stallion pressed closer to the other stallion, backing up a couple steps just incase he had to hide behind Fijalahr. The stallion’s ears perked when the newcomers spoke. All the energy building up his muscles dissipated as he gave a sigh of relief. He didn’t know what the heck a Valkyrie was, but it was obvious these two were here to retrieve Fijalahr. The hippocampus gave a smile to the, he presumed, mare that spoke to them “I don’t suppose your rescue mission as room for one more?” he asked.
Post: 4 | WC: 603
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Post by Doot.a.doi.toi.toi on Jan 9, 2018 21:03:13 GMT -6
Doev
Their strategy solidified, Doev stomped a hind hoof in acknowledgement before he turned his back and racked away into the jungle weald. He did not know which had struck deepest, Froya’s recognition as she had gleaned him or the sense of honor he had seen applied behind it. Such a thing might have been permitted with another Breimian, but not Doev. Doev was not a tactician, he was a wolf. Little Doev, smelling weakness the way a dog smelled fear; little Doev, vulturous eyes cutting through the herd for the deer with the limp; little Doev—patient, so very patient—waiting, driveling at the teeth to open another throat, to nose into another ribcage filled with coins; little Doev, wearing the skins and antlers he gathered from society, blending in—unseen. Yes, a wolf, Doev thought, and problem-solving—strategy—was hunting. He would make it count. Doev crumpled the analogous thoughts upon reaching the rendezvous point at the jungle clearing. His voice boomed, resonating inside his bronze mask, rendered rasping and croaking as it rose above the thundering of explosives and rain. “ Kathra has located our ambassadors—she and Froya have gone ahead to collect them. We are to rendezvous with them halfway at a lightning-split tree and make our charge together for the shore.” His grimacing bronze face turned to the royal guard and the valkyrie. “ Honour. Take position behind me on the left closest to Torrine—should stragglers from the stampede come our way, knock them aside. Hjordis. Take position behind me on the right aside the jungle. Marlo and Iyasu, stay between them. You two—“ he up-nodded to the rogues as he turned away “— up in front with me. We’re moving.” Once everyone had fallen in line behind him and the jungle thinned, his brisk trot turned into a full gallop as he turned them aside close along the timberline, breaking for the rendezvous point northward. Through the blinding downpour and the roar of battle, Doev strained, and then focused, the world blurring past as he gleaned his environment with a fast and greedy eye; he searched the horizon for the lightning-split tree, trusting that his companions had their eyes set to other complications behind. Then there came a growing rumble of hooves from the rain-fogged beach ahead. Doev heard and turned at once, shouting, “ on guard, Honour!”
Word Count: 394 | Post #4 |
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Jan 18, 2018 19:47:08 GMT -6
With their plan set fully in motion now, Kathra took only but a few more moments to catch her breath before she nodded to Froya. The two mares took off, this time her shield-sisters golden eagle flying next to her own snowy owl.
Leading her friend over the calamity below, it only took a few moments for her to lead Froya to where the ambassadors were beginning to move into the jungle. Looks like the pair had reached them just in time. Tucking her wings into a descent she flared them at the last minute to slow her fall before in a quick movement her equine form popped back into existance alongside Froya. Seeing as Froya took to talking, Kathra meerly followed with a stamp of a hoof in greeting, the ground giving way and splattering mud up her tattooed leg."Kathra, also a Valkyrie sent by Hira." At the words of the pale horse, Kathra offered a warm smile, before remembering he was blind.
"Yes ambassador Xia, in fact, your herd sent some equines of their own to bring you home. We're to lead you both to the others, then back to the shore, where a boat will be waiting to take us away from this accursed place. It's time to come home."
Post #3 | Word Count: 214 |
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Post by Ladybro-Meghan on Jan 18, 2018 22:38:50 GMT -6
Xiaozhi (Honour);Breim | Royal Guard
Go with all your heart.
At once Xiaozhi charged, readied her low head, and with all her might tossed any that stood in the squadron's path. Horses that found themselves in the way became airborne from her raw strength. Even heavy horses were shoved aside easily. A shortsword remained dry and available to her flank clearly unneeded. Hooves thundered in rhythm with the sky's anger in full gallop. Panicking horses broke branches, crushed flowered, and snapped bones in their desperation for escape. Those unlucky enough to fall met with terrible injury. In her pure dutiful determination, Xiaozhi did not let that guilt falter the task at hoof. Bucking away the faceless crowd much like a bull in a china shop. One or two stragglers quickly grew in number. That did not stop the ghostly mare. There was something scary about the fact. Something so dainty in appearance knocking away individuals twice her size, a force that needed guidance to reach its true potential. A shield is nothing without a wielder.
Suddenly a small terrified pony ran under the giant mare's legs. Xiaozhi's expression cracked in failure, eyes wide looking over her shoulder. It was headed straight for Iyasu. If he tripped it could mean a downed comrade for sure. "Iyasu!"
WC: 206| Post #2 |
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Post by ebbarie on Jan 19, 2018 1:21:46 GMT -6
Fijalahr | War-Forged| Ambassador
Little by little, one travels far.
Xia’s laugh seemed so out of place, with a crowd of frightened horses somewhere behind and around them, and the sounds of exploding bombs in their backs. Yet the dark stallion couldn’t resist to laugh es well. It sounded rusty and more like coughing, but it was something.
“I don’t care if it looks stylish at long as it’s warm and hides most parts of the patchwork rug that is my coat right now.” he snorted sarcastically, but with a slight smile on his face.
Hopefully it would also hide his salient ribs. Torrine had done nothing good to his body, nor mind.
The dark stallions ears twirled when the consul told him about his home, and his heritage. “Is that so, huh? Well, I hope you don’t expect me to call you Lord or Sire now” he laughed.
Then he became more serious again, after he felt Xia’s thoughts getting darker. “Don’t overdo it with the booze, okay? The memories are painful, but you shouldn’t forget anything of it. It was Taloris secrecy that brought them into this situation. We can, and have to learn from their mistakes, and the world has to know.” His voice was softer now, but also urgently. He tried not to read in the hippocampus thoughts too much, but he had still noticed that there was something else he wanted to forget. And that he had the tools to do so.
Their surroundings where so loud, that he hadn’t heard the stranger coming. A brown, fuzzy horse, with a determined expression on her face, walked directly towards them. She had no wings, so he doubted that the mare was a part of the Flock. Also she looked odd, with the jungle behind her...as if she didn’t exactly belong here.
Xia’s reaction however caused him to stay alerted. He was ready to shield his fellow Ambassador from any harm.
However, when the thoughts of the newcomer reached him, Fijalahr relaxed his posture a little.
He remained silent for a moment after the mare had introduced herself. During the last months he had learned to be more cautions, and so he checked her words through her thoughts.
She, - Froya, spoke the truth. The stallion however was a little surprised that Hira had sent her Valkyries to retrieve him, and not some Raiders.
To be honest he was more surprised that the War Lord had sent someone at all.
Before he could say something, another horse approached the small group. Another Valkyrie. Another young mare.
Fijalahr stomped his hoove to the ground in greeting, but his words addressed Xia more than the Valkyries.
“I won’t leave you behind, don’t worry.” Although he was talking to the Consul, he was looking to Froya and Kathra.
However his worries were completely unnecessary. Within her next words, Kathra ensured Xia that someone had come to bring him home as well.
And finally Fijalahr managed to relax, at least as much as you could relax in such a situation.
“Home...yes.” he sighed a little tired, but eventually with a slight smile on his face. “Thanks for coming all the way to retrieve us”
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jan 19, 2018 19:30:06 GMT -6
Iyasu
Iyasu had let the driving rain numb his senses as they began to walk to the rendezvous point, but he could still feel the mud that caked his legs. He glanced around the jungle, attempting to avoid eye contact with everyone, but especially the rogues. They made him uneasy. He wasn’t sure if it was just that he barely knew them, or the reputation of rogues in general, or actually something specifically about this group. Whatever the cause, this whole situation was setting him on edge.
But it was when they came into range of the sound of panicked equines that Iyasu could feel his chest tighten. The horror of it all.
He took his time to work through breathing exercises and some mild meditation while they waited. When it was time to head out again, Iyasu felt he had been able to reset his mental state a little bit. He immediately moved into position at Doev’s instructions, settling himself between Honour and Marlo. It was time. He prayed to the gods once again. Prayed for Argus’ intelligence or Cascade’s serenity. Then they were off into the hell around them.
Iyasu kept pace as best as he could, knowing speed was not his forte but also knowing he at least had some stamina. As they entered the throng he watched with a growing mixture of horror and fascination as Honour effortlessly barreled through the crowd that surged toward their group. He watched as each horse came toward the mare before being effortlessly thrown away. He may fear this mare just a bit more. However, soon enough he caught a flash of color under the giant mare’s legs, moments before she called his name. Oh, gods! Time slowed. He threw his head up, stumbling back and to the side in an attempt to avoid Marlo and get out of the pony’s way. His cape pulled, and ripping it off with his teke he threw it at them. It startled them to turn, but they bucked out of fear and he felt their hooves clip his shoulder. He stumbled and felt his neck and shoulder wrench painfully. He struggled, nostrils flaring and eyes blown wide, as his stride slowed. He felt like yelling with joy as he felt himself regain his stride. His shoulder burned, but he was alive. Iyasu turned his head, but couldn’t see the lost cape or pony. He shook his head and extended his stride.
Think later, run now.
POST: 3 | WORD COUNT: 411 |
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Post by Quorkbirb on Jan 21, 2018 0:02:49 GMT -6
Froya | Valkyrie - Provisional War Forged Captain
"Ambassador, I believe you to be blessed with necromancy. If you have the strength, use it now on the fallen equine around us. Their bodies can bolster our number and keep us from being swept away."
There was no delay for pleasantries, no pause to comfort these two who only now felt freedom fresh beneath their hooves after months of imprisonment. Froya's voice was commanding, serious and full of authoritative poise, piercing the roaring turmoil that boiled around them with an overwhelming sense of order. Horses wild from frenzy jostled her, but she stood firm, solid and unyielding like the holy mountain the Forged so admired.
She turned, pointing her muzzle in the direction of the lightning struck tree, merely a shadowed silhouette in the downpour.
"We aim for the split tree. Kathra, guard the Breiman's free side, keep him between the pair of you. Fijalahr, defend our effort as much as you can. Keep your footing and keep together, let's move."
Waiting briefly to watch her orders followed, the captain sprang forward to act as the guiding force, like the bow of a great ship cutting its way through violent waters. Shouldering against panicked bodies, Froya carved a path through the mayhem for the rest of the party to follow. Animated corpses assembled as a protective force around Kathra and the ambassadors, widening their passage and leaving an ample space in their wake that the crowd rushed to fill, the opening clapping shut like the ocean engulfing a boulder in the surf.
As they gained ground, the grey-blue ghost spearheading the treeline in the distance was carved away, revealing the burnt and broken body of a tree. The thrumming of rain on thick jungle leaves grew louder as they approached, broken only by the abrasive distress call of a bird or the deep, chest rattling boom of far away explosions. Behind them, something else was happening. The mob that filled their void became aware of their progress, the natural flow of their path. They saw escape and began to push towards it, desperate and feverish, in the birth of a stampede.
Post: 4
Word Count: 352
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