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Post by Queerly on Jan 16, 2016 23:24:23 GMT -6
 Even the oldest tomes in Sedo do not recall a time of such terrible drought. While your diplomats plead for aid on other continents, the Sultan takes it upon himself to lead the most dangerous journey: a pilgrimage into the Sear, to beg answers and solutions of the Sky Mother in Her most holy temple.
Event Journal// Located Here
Premise Journal// Located Here
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Plot 001: The Searing Sands! We have so much planned for your little desert-borns, and we hope you enjoy the Chapter as much as we enjoyed making it for you! 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 posts.
- Five posts is the minimum to earn the event AP/CS/FVR rewards. After you've posted five times, you receive 1 AP for every post after!
- Your team is precious. Don't let anyone feel left behind! Try to interact with everyone. <3
- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Once the team leader has posted, you may begin posting as well!
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Post by Dry-oasis on Jan 17, 2016 12:52:59 GMT -6
Osprey decided it would be best to leave Osulas at night to get as much of the cool desert night in the sear as possible. The dual moons lit the group's way to the sear with a gentle, cool caress of wind along their backs and through their manes. As they entered the sear the wind began to pick up ever so slightly, with no rock formations or plant life to slow it down, it just played among the dunes sending the tiny red specks of sand flying everywhere. Osprey looked back at his group while still moving forward, "We'll need to conserve energy, its a long walk and when the sun comes out it will be brutal. Its much hotter here than in the Zuiseset. Also we'll travel along the ridges, or spines, of the dunes. This way we can see which direction we're going easier and it uses less energy than fighting the sands to go up and down the sides." The pegasus continued on, his broken wing was wrapped up to keep from dragging and using more energy, though having it wrapped up was a bit painful, it needed to be done. Checkpoint 1// Your journey begins long before daybreak. The dunes are chilly under the blanket of Alya’s stars, but the cold is preferable to the sear of the sun and burning sands. Osprey leads the way as you embark, your small caravan hoping to find answers in the Sear’s distant temple.
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Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Jan 17, 2016 13:56:00 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine Horse
It was a chilly night that their leader, Osprey, had chosen to embark on their journey into the Sear to the distant temple to seek answers to their drought. Ryder was surprised that he had been chosen to accompany the Sultan and the rest of this caravan on such an important journey, but when he had been asked, he hadn't hesitated. His son's well-being and life was at stake if they didn't solve this problem and find more food and resources. The days had been long and hot, and even with his gift of water manipulation, he hadn't been able to keep what few crops he grew near his home in the Zuiseset alive.
The hippocampus's ears perked up toward Osprey as the leader began to instruct them on the route they would take. His blue eyes scanned the desert around them, glancing up at the stars as he sent up a silent prayer to whichever god or goddess might be listening up there to keep them all safe and to protect the lives of the Serorans. Ryder nodded silently at Osprey's words, agreeing that it would be the easiest and best way to travel through the dunes to their destination. They would need to make as much ground as possible before the sun rose again, and if anyone was thirsty, the air was cool enough that it might be possible for him to draw water from it or perhaps create a small rain cloud since the sun wasn't up to evaporate it. 'We need to succeed at this, figure out what's wrong and what we need to do to solve it. I can't let my son die... not after all the loss and heartbreak he's already suffered recently.' Ryder thought with a quiet sigh to himself as he followed along with the horses beside him.
Word Count: 307
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Post by Kelpie-River on Jan 17, 2016 15:19:24 GMT -6
Saleina | Iron HoofThe buckskin mare shivered as the Seoran night chill cut through her fuzzy coat. Despite her Clydesdale heritage, the mare's body was accustomed to the heat, and her fur was rather thin to compensate for the heat. She supposed, however, that she would soon miss this chill when the sun rose over the Sear, turning it into an oven. The twin moons overhead flooded the sand with moonlight, and for that Sel was grateful. She was sure footed, but the extra light was helpful to make sure she didn't accidentally tumble off a dune or face some other such mishap.
The less work that Sel had to do, the better. Even with her physical strength, it was going to be a difficult journey for them all, and the easier they could make it, the better. She nodded as Osprey explained how the group would cross the desert without straining themselves too hard. Sel could see that Osprey didn't like having his wing tied up, and she guessed that it must bother him some, even though he was barely showing it. Sal herself was not too excited at the prospect of the weather, cold night or searing day, but she counted herself lucky not to have to cross the desert with a broken limb.
Sal's hooves sunk into the sand, her weight forcing her down as she followed her leader, dropping into step near Ryder, the healer. She hadn't spoken much to the stallion before, and he seemed to be lost in thought. Sal decided to follow his lead, her thoughts turning inward to her concern. The land was growing drier and drier, and Sal feared that if they could not complete this mission, the Seorans would have to flee their desert home. As a protector of her herd, Sal would not, could not, let that happen. Whatever it took, she vowed that her herd would not crumble due to a fault of hers.
[326 words] |
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Post by taebun on Jan 17, 2016 19:43:01 GMT -6
Io | Fleet Foot
The night was chilly and beneath the blanket of the glittering stars Io kept herself near the back of their small group. The shock of having been summoned to accompany the sultan himself across the blistering heat of the Sear hadn't quite died down in her mind. At the news she had nearly burst with excitement. But the truth behind the matter was what forced her to keep her composure. Serora needed her help and that was why she was called forth. With her wings drawn close to her sides to help keep out the more sharper stings of the nightly chill she drew in a breath. The pegasi looked up, lavender eyes traveling from one of the horses in front of her to the next. A small smile appeared on her face when she recognized the familiar brown patches of Ryder. She didn't know him all too well but he was a kind and capable stallion and she knew his son, Leif. Io's smile disappeared almost as fast as it had appeared. He must be worried about him.
The buckskin in front of her caught her attention when she moved, pushing through the sand to walk near Ryder. Io wasn't the type to judge by appearance, but based on the mare's size she assumed she must have been an Iron Hoof. Her heart ached at the thought. Salvatore was on his way to Aodh and they would be apart for she didn't know how long. The silver bay lifted her head to the night sky, eyes searching among the twinkling stars. Alya, please let him be safe. Make sure he comes back to me, I beg you. She prayed to the winged goddess quietly, closing her eyes for a few moments.
Luckily she was snatched from her troubling thoughts as Osprey spoke. Her ears immediately swiveled forward, not willing to miss any bit of instruction. Her response, like most of the other's was a nod to confirm that she understood. Io's eyes narrowed in determination as she ruffled her feathers. She was willing and prepared to do whatever it took to make sure they made it to the temple.
[365 Words] |
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Post by thorinoakenshield24 on Jan 17, 2016 20:40:50 GMT -6
Khazada- Fleet Foot
Taking a few deep breaths of the early cool air, Khazada seemed to be savoring them as she knew as well as the other horses it would not last long. This still felt a bit unreal to the dun mare as never did she expect the Sultan to have her accompany him along with the other horses in their group. Granted she knew things were beginning to take a turn for the worst in their herd but for it to be this bad?
Giving a snort as she tossed her forlock that feel over her eyes, Khazada spared a glance at the other horses before she gave another small breath. So far she had yet to interact with any of them and now surely wasn't the time. Though Khazada couldn't help but give the other golden colored mare a curious look as she must have draft blood in her just like Khazada did. One of the Iron Hooves no doubt. Flicking her ears, the dun mare began observing the other horses while trying to keep her thoughts off her true purpose.
The pegasus mare a stride ahead of her must be of her rank which Khazada was sure may be a place to bring up a conversation if the time arose. However the stopped stallion she noticed seemed to be in deep thought though she had no clue about. Probably the state of their home or the trip ahead of them. Never had she gone this way before as she never had the great desire to. And to be honest, even if Alya and Cascade were at odds, Khazada never saw her patron goddess doing this. Cascade was not that cruel to dry up the land such as this. Shaking her head again, Khazada directed her attention off those thoughts before sparing the sky a brief look.
Word Count: 308
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Post by Dry-oasis on Jan 18, 2016 12:19:20 GMT -6
Osprey led his group to the first red dune's spine that shimmered in the moonlight. The breeze gently whipped the stallion's mane around his face as he stepped into the soft cool sand that seemed to almost engulf his whole hoof. While the group escalated to the top, Osprey felt the need to reassure his group that everything would be okay, even though he wasn't positive it really would be or not. He was the Sultan and it was his job to keep his family optimistic and feeling secure in times such as this.
A gold eye peered around his silvery side to meet Io's gaze. Osprey knew she was close to his iron hoof, Salvatore, whom he sent to Valore in search of assistance. "You don't need to worry about Sal, Io. Alyman is very strong and would do anything that is needed to protect him.. and Iscah if need be." his voice was smooth and calming. Those gold eyes then fell onto Ryder, the brave hippocampus that willingly moved to Sedo. "I know you've been through a lot lately my brother, but I promise Leif will be safe." a small reassuring smile graced his muzzle briefly before turning his head back to look ahead. The pegasus spoke loud enough for his caravan to hear, "Step carefully and we shall be there in no time. I'm sure our mother will have the answers to all of our questions."
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Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Jan 18, 2016 14:03:40 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine Horse
Ryder took the other horses' silence as a cue not to speak, but he let his curious eyes wander to the rest of the caravan. He knew at least one of them personally: Io, though their meetings had been brief. He knew that she was a nice, hard-working Fleet Foot, and he was sure that the other mares of their group were also some of the best in their field. The Clydesdale cross, Saleina, seemed strong and powerful, and he was pretty sure that she was one of Osprey's Iron Hooves. The other horse that he wasn't familiar with, he believed her name was Khadaza, looked as though she were strong and capable. Being around all of these warriors was a little bittersweet after his wife's, who had been a warrior herself, disappearance. Their strength and capability was at least a little comforting in this time where his thoughts seemed to be plagued with worry and sorrow, but they probably wouldn't be doing a whole lot of fighting. This journey would have a lot more to do with their inner strength and sound of mind than anything else, and Ryder prayed that he was ready for such a test of strength.
As the group trekked up the first of many red spines of the dunes, he focused on the path ahead and lifted his head when he saw Osprey turn his head toward them, encouraging those of them who seemed to be lost in thought. Ryder offered the Sultan a nod of his head and a small, lopsided grin. "Thank you, Sultan. I really appreciate it." The Medicine horse said gratefully, taking heed to tread carefully on the sand. With these clumsy hooves of his, it wouldn't surprise him if he stumbled here and there along the way, but he certainly didn't want to topple down the side of the dune or see anyone else do so themselves. "Will do. It'd probably be bad if one of us got hurt this far from the temple." Ryder muttered mostly to himself with a slightly nervous chuckle as he glanced over the side of the dark dune.
Word Count: 357
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Post by Kelpie-River on Jan 18, 2016 22:47:56 GMT -6
Saleina | Iron HoofSaleina's ears flicked in annoyance as she struggled through the soft sand of the dunes, her bulk forcing her down into it as if it were water. For once, the mare was glad that she had left her heavy golden armor at home; while she disliked going out without its protection, the weight and baking heat that it would cause were enough to goad her to let it lie at the bottom of its pelt-lined chest at home. To distract herself from thinking about home, her precious armor, and the darkness of their situation at the present time, Saleina chose to look around at her fellow travelers. Though Fleet Feet and Iron Hooves sometimes crossed paths, Saleina couldn't say she recalled seeing either of the mares before. One of them was slight, while the other was drafty like Saleina herself. The buckskin mule mare smirked to herself momentarily, glad to see that she wasn't the only big boned horse on this journey.
As Osprey dropped back to reassure his herd, Saleina couldn't help but notice how easily he pinpointed the problems his followers were facing. He found the root of the issue so quickly, and brought back words to back it. Saleina couldn't stop herself from wondering if he could tell when she was upset, and that train of thought lead to a whole new wave of emotions that rocked the buckskin mare's brains. What would happen if her leader were injured here? His wing was already upsetting him, and he was stuck, earthbound, on the shifting sands with the rest of them. As Ryder pointed out, it would be very bad for one of them to be injured here. Despite the horses surrounding her, whose duty lay to Osprey as well, Saleina couldn't help but feel that the responsibility of Osprey's safety lay on her. It was a bad habit of hers, a god complex perhaps. She knew that she was no center of the universe, but when it came to Osprey, she felt that it was - always would be - her duty to care for her childhood friend. Any slip up, no matter the circumstances, was her fault.
Swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat without her consent, Saleina focused on breathing in and out slowly, trying to calm herself. Getting upset now would only render her unable to aid her leader should she need to, which would only deepen the cycle of crippling fear that gripped her. She hated these moments, when her legs locked up and all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. She feared that one day they would be her downfall, her hamartia. Closing her eyes, Saleina focused again on her breath. When her emotions settled, the mare's brown eyes fluttered open again. She chose to speak, hoping no one had noticed her little 'moment.'
"Our Sultan is right," Saleina said, glancing at her childhood companion and nodding her head in a sign of respect. "If we pick up our hooves, we shall be at our Goddess's temple in no time. And surely Alya has the answers we seek."
[wc: 523] |
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Post by taebun on Jan 19, 2016 3:36:49 GMT -6
Io | Fleet Foot
The silence that hung among them dissipated at the sound of Osprey's voice once again. Io's breath caught in her throat at the mention of Salvatore and she dropped her gaze as if guilty of a crime. Had the worry on her face been that easy to read? With a steady breath she looked up once again and met his eyes for a few moments, responding first with a nod and a small smile. "O-of course. I have faith in them, with all of my heart." The calm tone of his voice definitely helped in lessening her worries. Aodh just didn't hold a very good reputation with her. But she trusted Osprey, she trusted in her brethren. She had nothing to worry about.
Suddenly a new voice reached the pegasi's attentive ears. The buckskin mare. At her words a more confident smile replaced the one before. She knew these were individuals she could trust and assumed that they seemed like they would all be getting along quite well. As they made their way through the dunes, Io had as much difficulty as the average horse. There was a part of her that wondered if perhaps it would be a better idea to fly, but she was the only one in their caravan who was able to do so. The thought of flight brought her gaze back to their sultan and her eyes rested on his broken wing that she knew often dragged along the ground, but for this journey it seemed that he had it wrapped up. That looks incredibly uncomfortable. Her smile relaxed into a soft frown. That injury reminded her of her father who also lost his ability to fly due to years of serving as a pit slave during his capture and time spent in Valore. It wasn't that she doubted in Osprey's ability to endure it for the sake of the importance of this journey, but she just couldn't shake her worry. I fret almost as much as father does. Her tail feathers twitched at the kiss of another cool breeze. She picked up her pace now but kept in mind to step carefully as Osprey had just previously warned.
[369 Words] |
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Post by thorinoakenshield24 on Jan 19, 2016 12:00:48 GMT -6
Khazada-Fleet Foot
Lifting her head a bit higher, Khazada's ears curved forward to listen to the sultan address two of the other horses concerns. However Osprey never brought up his own discomfort as she was sure having his wing wrapped up as it was now most likely bothered him. She admired the sultan for that as from how her mother spoke of their pegasus leader, the herd always came first. Khazada gave a quite breath as she was thankful for that her main concern was for the herd and her mother that was left behind with the rest of the herd. She had no other family members to concern herself over unlike Io and Ryder seeing her father vanish years ago. However even at that small comfort, it was still a rather depressing thought and inside Khazada regretted not trying to reach out to her herd like any normal equine should have. But her worries about changing that hermit habit of hers would wait till this whole task was behind her and they were back home.
The dun mare lowered her head a moment after Osprey warned to be careful though she gave a small snort hearing the other draft crossed mare speak in which Khazada gave a small nod of agreement. Khazada lengthened her stride some as the sooner they reached the temple, the better.
Word Count: 224
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Post by Dry-oasis on Jan 23, 2016 11:07:46 GMT -6
Hoof after hoof the pegasus led his group along the spines of the dunes. The further the group went into the sear the more powerful the breezes became. Though, this was nothing that the desert dwellers weren't used to, depending on the day, they would have to deal with gusts of 60 mph in the Ziuseset. Having his wing up in a sling was something Osprey was not used to dealing with in the wind though. A strong gust could disrupt his balance causing him to try and correct it which sent pain down his wing. But he continued to 'grin and bear it', there were far more important things to deal with currently and the pain was not debilitating, just a nuisance more than anything.
To Osprey, his group seemed to be solemn or stressed with the small amount of talking they were doing. Yes, times were stressful and going through the sear isn't exactly the most fun or easiest thing to do, but Osprey felt like a little chit chat might help relieve the tension and maybe even help them to get to know each other better. Osprey knew that sharing stories, thoughts and dreams were a way to connect. "So have any of you been to Alya's temple yet? If not, have you heard stories of its beauty from your parents perhaps? Or grandparents? Maybe some herd elders? I have been once, shortly after I became sultan and when I could still fly. I can tell you this, it does not disappoint." He grinned to himself though no one could see.
//ooc: sorry it took so long for me to reply guys ;o; I was having trouble with getting the forums to work.
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Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Jan 23, 2016 11:34:18 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine Horse
Ryder walked quietly along the spines of the dunes that the Sultan led them across. It was strangely beautiful here in the Sear. With the moons' casting their eerie light on the sand, it was like they were walking on the waves of the ocean. His attention was grabbed as the wind picked up slightly in their current elevation, and he wondered how the Sultan was feeling with his wing tied up. Ryder had never seen him wear it up like that the few times he had the fortune of seeing Osprey, but he imagined that it probably wasn't at all comfortable especially with the wind tugging at his feathers. Ryder walked slightly closer to the other stallion, glancing over at Osprey before speaking in a low, respectful tone. "How is your wing feeling, Sultan? I've treated a couple of wings before, and I've heard that slings can be uncomfortable sometimes." His eyes hovered over Osprey in concern for a moment before turning his eyes downwards toward his own hooves, praying that he wasn't coming off as disrespectful or demeaning in any way.
He walked carefully on the sand beneath his hooves, thankful that they were traveling at night instead of the searing heat of the day. The normal, hot temperatures were enough to scorch his pelt, but it had only been getting hotter and hotter it seemed. Perking up his ears at the sound of Osprey's voice, Ryder listened to the stallion's chitchat with a small smile. "I've been once as well. When I first moved here to Sedo, the temple was one of the first places that I visited." He remembered the beauty that he had been struck by when he had gone to the temple to pray to the air goddess, Alya, upon his arrival in his new home and herd. It was a memory that he couldn't forget that was for sure.
Word Count: 317
((It's okay, hun! <333 I'm glad that the forums have started working for you again~))
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Post by taebun on Jan 25, 2016 22:53:50 GMT -6
Io | Fleet Foot
Alya's sacred temple. Io's ears twitched as she listened to both Osprey and Ryder, who had responded to their sultan's question before anyone else. "It's always been a wish of mine to see it myself!" She exclaimed but then she quickly ruffled her feathers a little afterward at the realization that she had let a bit of her excitement slip through. But her lavender eyes were still wide and sparkling with awe at the thought of it, especially after Osprey had confirmed that it was definitely worth the while. "I can't believe I am finally getting that chance." This time she turned her head, her gaze sweeping through the members of their little caravan. "It's an honor to travel with all of you," her gaze rested on Osprey last. "Thank you for allowing me this opportunity, sultan."
Behind the excitement of the journey, in the back of her mind, there lurked a bit of doubt. Io knew how dangerous this journey would be. She was still young and had many more years of experience ahead of her. This journey into the Sear would be her first and she was fiercely determined to ensure that it definitely wouldn't be her last.
[204 Words] |
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Post by thorinoakenshield24 on Jan 27, 2016 12:37:14 GMT -6
Khazada-Fleet Foot
Pricking her ears forward upon hearing Osprey mention Alya's sacred temple, the dun mare tilted her head as she heard both Ryder and Io's response to the sultan's question. Honestly she had never come this way before nor did Khazada feel such a pull like her mother or most of her herd had to visit the herd's patron Goddess's temple. That didn't mean her mother had not taken the journey nor had the dun mare not heard tales of the temples splendor. "My mother traveled there once, long before I came to be." Khazada finally spoke, as she gave a quick look around their small group. "Though I have never passed this way before." The whole thought of the swelling heat never appealed to the mixed mare as a place to journey. Even if the temple within was as beautiful as her mother had claimed. Not to mention the danger that her mother often brushed aside but was clearly real. No this was honestly the last place Khazada expected the find her hooves traveling too. But at least she was not traveling alone.
(Word Count 183)
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Post by Kelpie-River on Jan 30, 2016 9:30:49 GMT -6
Saleina | Iron Hoof
Although Saleina had been quite close to the Sultan as a child, she had not always been given the same opportunities as he - due to her mother's overbearing, overly cautious nature. Thus, she had not accompanied her Sultan on his last visit to the temple, nor had she been for herself in the past before. She had, however, heard great tales about the temple from her friends and family, and she was determined to make it through the Sear in one piece so she could see the majesty for herself.
"I have not, either, traveled to the Temple," Sal voiced aloud, her mind on her words as she trudged through the shifting red sand. "But I have heard of its beauty, and I too long to see it for myself," the mare added, pensive, as she glanced back at her companions. It seemed that these horses had so much in common, despite the fact that none of them had close bonds. That type of camaraderie would serve them well in the treacherous terrain of the desert. Who knew what might lay wait for them, or what troubles may cross their path.
Even as Sal thought these things, it seemed that the desert sensed her and chose to comply. All the while they had been walking along the ridge, Sal had been careful of where she placed her dinner-plate sized hooves, knowing that while their size would help disperse her weight evenly over the sand, her bulk in general would send her sinking fetlock-deep into the stuff if she was not careful. In her moment of thought, however, Sal had let her attention wane, and now she placed a forehoof just off the edge of the dune. She stumbled slightly, realizing that she had mis-stepped, attempting to right herself. Normally, it would be an easy task, but as she flailed to keep her balance, she sent the sand around her hooves in all directions, effectively knocking the earth out from under herself.
With a very undignified bray, the mare slipped towards the side of the sand dune, her hooves scrabbling frantically as instinct fought to keep her from falling. At first, her grip reached nothing, and she slid down the side of the dune with surprising haste, the sand scratching at her tender skin beneath the layer of thick buckskin fur. Sal shut her eyes, knowing that the red sands could easily blind her if she did not take care. The stinging particles managed to get inside her nose, however, and when she came to a halt, about halfway down the dune, she had to sneeze them out with a large amount of force.
The pell-mell fall down the dune lasted only a few seconds, but Sal was glad when it was over. Grunting, the mare hauled herself to her feet, shaking slightly, and looked for signs of damage. None were present, save stung nostrils and a few abrasions from the sand, so Sal carefully began trekking back up the dune. It wasn't a far walk, but the mare put every bit of concentration into not slipping back down, so she perceived it as far more grueling than it really was.
Upon reaching the top, Sal stopped and spoke, knowing that if she did not assure her team of her hardiness, they would be worried. "My apologies, Sultan," she said, dipping her head to Osprey. "I do not mean to delay us by taking the scenic route," the mare said, a hint of a smile in her voice. "I will be more careful," she added, glancing at her sides, "where I put my feet." With this, the mare fell silent, deciding that her comrades would either be satisfied that she was fine, or continue to bug her of their own accord. Without waiting for any form of reply, the buckskin mare turned and fell back into step.
[WC: 649]
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Post by Queerly on Jan 30, 2016 14:13:05 GMT -6
Time Lapse// The following three days passed in a blur of sand, sky, and boiling heat that became searing cold at dusk.
On the dawn of the fourth day, [volunteer] is up before everyone else, keeping watch on a dune overlooking the group's camp. All is quiet as Ignacio's sun peaks over the horizon... yet, something is wrong. [Volunteer] can feel it, deep down in their bones and along the prickle of their fur. The wind is picking up, but it blows sourly, and in the distance they swear they can hear a dull roar.
Squinting their eyes, they can just make out the looming mass of a sandstorm... headed for the group's direction!
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Post by taebun on Feb 1, 2016 9:15:51 GMT -6
Io | Fleet Foot Three days. Three full days under the scorching heat of the sun and the frigid nights beneath the soft glow of the moons. During the day her body was thick and sticky with sweat and during the night she swore she could feel the cold ache in her bones. At the start of this journey Io knew her abilities would be tested and that she would be lying if she said that she was handling it all well. At the least the cool temperatures that the cover of darkness brought with it was more comforting than the blistering heat of the day. It seemed Ignacio’s sun showed absolutely no mercy to their small caravan. Nonetheless Io took it upon herself to keep watch over the camp, standing atop a sloping dune that provided a good view of the surrounding area. She’d been feeling restless. With her eyes fixed on the horizon far beyond she had watched the indigo of the night sky bleed into a soft orange glow as the sun began to slowly illuminate the skies. Carefully she stretched her wings above her head, her feathers catching several streaks of sunlight. Suddenly a sharp gust of wind buffed against her feathers, and rather harshly for the force had sparked enough alarm to cause her to lower her wings to her sides, tucking them against her. Io squinted, ears twitching. Something wasn’t right. After several seconds her ears finally picked up a sound that confirmed her suspicions. It couldn’t be. The Screamer couldn’t hold back a sharp gasp before she turned around and carefully glided down to where most of her companions had still been asleep. “Everyone!” Her voice, at first, was a harsh whisper. With her heart pounding in her chest she looked over her shoulder, her ears flattening in response to the distant roar of the approaching storm. “Osprey, sir!” There was a moment of hesitation before she made her way from one horse to the other, gently prodding at them. “A sandstorm is headed our way, we need to go!” Her lavender eyes were wide and she swallowed, trying to keep herself from panicking. There was no way in Alya’s name that they could outrun that storm! [394 Words, 4 Posts]
// OOC: I'm so sorry if I was suppose to wait! ;A; // |
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Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Feb 1, 2016 12:52:58 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine Horse
It had been three days full of the searing heat of the sun on their backs and the dry air sucking out what little moisture had been in them. Even during the night, Ryder had a hard time drawing water of the colder air or forming a small rain cloud to cool them off. The only relief that they truly got was from the cooler night air, though that seemed to be freezing cold compared to the hotness of the day, but it was a lot nicer than walking along the sand dunes with Ignacio's sun burning holes into their backs. Ryder found himself praying frequently for their group as well as the others out there trying to help their herd during this horrendous drought, but he mostly focused his prayers on his son, Leif. He prayed that whatever happened that he would be safe and grow up to fulfill all of his dreams, and he prayed that he would make it back to him after all of this to find him as safe as he had left him.
It was now the dawn of the fourth day of their journey, and Ryder woke from his slumber to a restless, unnerving feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was almost like the hairs on his pelt were standing on end, churning in an invisible current. The Medicine Horse stood up, looking up to where Io was stretching out her wings only to have them get hit by a strong gust of wind. He trained his ears forward, closing his eyes to focus on the sound of the wind. He had never experienced something like this in person but had heard plenty of stories, and the dull roaring in the distance was enough to confirm his thoughts. "Sandstorm!" Ryder cried out in shock just as Io galloped toward them crying out the same warning. Ryder turned his attention to his companions, nosing each of them awake. "Come on! Get up! We have to find shelter." Ryder glanced around them frantically. Where in the world would they run to in order to get out of the path of the storm?
Word Count: 361
Post 4
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Post by Kelpie-River on Feb 15, 2016 20:05:36 GMT -6
Saleina | Iron Hoof
Ryder's call was what woke Saleina on that fourth morning, just as the icy desert cold was warming into searing heat, much like the heat they had known for the past three days. Only moments after he called did Saleina hear Io's voice, as the mare galloped past, trying frantically to wake all of those who were not on watch. Saleina would have liked to think that her reaction time was pretty quick, but in all honesty it felt like an eternity from the time Ryder and Io sounded the alarm to the time that her legs actually started working, and she scrambled to her feet. Turning, she wheeled to follow Io, skidding to a halt beside her leader's side. For the moment, Osprey appeared unharmed, though Saleina worried how quickly he could move with his wing bound up as it was.
"Io's right," the draft mare said, snorting as hear ear flicked back to listen to the low rumble of the approaching sand wall. "We cannot stay here; it will not be safe." Her eyes scanning the horizon, Saleina fretted Despite the open sands, there was nowhere they could go; they could not move quickly enough along the dunes to outrun the storm, and without something to block the winds' forces, there would be nowhere for them to hide.
[wc:223]
[Ooc: Apologies for not posting sooner; I thought I posted a while ago. >.> ]
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Post by Dry-oasis on Feb 25, 2016 10:23:10 GMT -6
Osprey was woken up from his sleep by the gentle prodding from Io and the frantic calls from Ryder for everyone to get up. The pegasus scrambled to his feet as he looked in the distance to see the long wall of red sand coming toward them and engulfing the dunes in its path. Osprey tried to remain calm as he listened to what his friend Saleina had to say, his golden eyes followed her gaze as he was also struck with the fear that there was no where they could go for protection. They were stranded in the middle of a sea of red.
The sultan had no ideas of what they could do to escape the storm but he knew they all needed to stay together. His voice was slightly shaky from the immense worry he was feeling but he spoke loud and clear enough for all to hear, "Whatever happens.. we must stick together, we cannot lose anyone out here. Maybe if we all put our heads together we can think of a way to safely endure the storm as there is no way we can outrun it and there are no rocks or formations to hide behind" The graying buckskin raised his head to look at the dim stars barely visible from the firey sky being lit by that burning sun once more, keep us safe Alya, he thought quietly to himself.
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Post by BlueUnicornJ13 on Feb 27, 2016 8:43:04 GMT -6
Ryder | Serora | Medicine Horse
Ryder felt his heart hammer in his chest at the sight of the cloud of red sand heading in their direction. They needed to run, hide, do something to get out of the way. There was no where to go though. All around them was endless sand and dunes. There were no rocks to hide behind or caves to duck into like in the other more habitable portions of Sedo, and there was no way they would be able to out run the sandstorm. His ears flicked toward Osprey as the leader spoke, and the Medicine horse nodded his head. If they didn't stick together, they stood a chance of losing one another. "We could hide behind one of the dunes and form a circle to protect our eyes from the sand and stick together perhaps?" Ryder offered his idea hesitantly, knowing that it wasn't the greatest plan, but with the sandstorm approaching quickly, they needed to think of something fast otherwise they'd be stuck in the middle of the storm as it passed by them. "When the storm hits, be sure to close your eyes as tightly as you can to keep the sand out of them. We don't have a lot of water to wash them out, and the air is so dry out here that I'm not sure if I can draw water from it." The stallion looked over at the approaching cloud, hearing the roar of the storm growing stronger and louder by the second. 'Please, Alya, let none of us get injured or lost in this.' He pleaded silently to the goddess. Word Count 268
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Post by taebun on Feb 29, 2016 14:04:21 GMT -6
Io | Fleet Foot The scout paced anxiously as she waited for her companions to wake, ears twitching and eyes constantly flicking from their small group to the approaching wall of hissing sands. It was horrible timing. Why now, and most important of all why here? They were in the center of a rolling sea of red sand with not a tree or rock wall in sight. Io's attention switched from the Iron Hoof mare, Saleina, and then to Osprey before remaining on Ryder. His ideas didn't sound half bad, and she couldn't help but suppose that maybe they might have been their only hope. The longer they stood around, the less time they had. Wide lavender eyes fixed on the approaching storm once again before the mare closed them for a moment, nodding in agreement. "That sandstorm looks dangerous," she began, trying not to let her worry sound in her voice. "We definitely can't outrun it." She echoed Osprey's words. Io couldn't decide what would be a better option; finding a bit of shelter behind one of the larger sand dunes and huddling together, or should they move on ahead and try to push through once it reaches them? Would they be overwhelmed? Then again she quickly reminded herself of the fact that there was no way they were going to have the ability to outrun it. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, stretching her wings above her head and flaring her feathers. "If we hide behind one of the dunes and form a circle, like you were saying Ryder, I could help shield us a bit with my wings."[277 Words, 5 Posts] |
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