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Post by DawnsComing on Jun 29, 2018 20:28:02 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Breim Plot 602: Decisions Team Leader: Sakura Participants: Rhiannan, Iyasu, Ciel, Imogen 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'DPrompt: Fear struck your heart as you watched the rocks fall down around you, debris littering the city that once stood so proud and tall. While many pockets of Nariah has remained safe many more are still crying for help. Searching through the rubble, you try to pull out whoever you can save; be it young or old alike. As a healer, you are taught that all life is sacred from the weakest of foals to the largest stallion. But as you pull away the rocks you will be forced to make a decision: does the life of one outvalue that of another? You can not save both. Location: Nariah Time of Day: mid afternoon Current Weather: cool, cave weather You do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by gutpunch on Jul 1, 2018 17:11:22 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of Breim
As the earth itself shook and roared, Sakura had been urged by several concerned Help and Watch to follow them to safety within the palace. The new queen had begun to follow them until the sky itself fell. A large slab of rock plummeted between her and the servants, effectively separating them. The dust clouded her vision and she reared up, pivoting on her hooves to sprint in the other direction. Her blessing informed her that her company was safe and uninjured. They didn’t need her, her King didn’t need her, they would be fine; it was her people, the ones screaming in pain and crying for help that required her.
Small cracks littered the ground. Equine all around her were moving into the door frames of buildings, wary of any aftershocks. Others were being lifted to their feet, some were being freed from the rubble itself. She stopped, chest heaving, near a demolished building. Smoke rose up from the debris, signaling that there had been a house or a shop that once stood, and a group of healers had gathered around the rock pile, trying to move the heavy slabs. She couldn’t hear what, if anything, was being said, but the mare could sense that there were two bodies buried. They were struggling against the weight of rock and stone. “Oh, thank Argus,” Sakura breathed, glad that they were at least alive.
It didn’t take long for her to realize they might not last much longer.
With a quick trot, she closed the gap between her and the group. She announced her presence with a surprisingly calm, confident tone, “We need to rescue them quickly.” Briefly, her gaze crossed over the faces of each healer, then down at the rubble. “How can I help?”
word count: 295 |
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Post by fossature on Jul 1, 2018 22:00:55 GMT -6
Quiet.
Nothing but a serene sterile environment, the smell of freshly-brewed coffee heavy in the air. Everything seemed at a standstill; Almost as if he hadn’t really woken up yet. His eyelids were like lead and his breaths became relaxed and effortless as he waited for his coffee to cool. After five minutes or so, he flipped himself off his haunches and onto his back, letting the couch absorb his weight as his legs dangled in the air. His tie felt too tight around his neck.
Ciel sighed a deep, meaningful sigh, emptying his lungs.
Waiting was boring. Usually patients wouldn’t take that long to schedule an appointment or just walk in, but today, business seemed slow. All he wanted at that moment was to hear the sweet ding of the bell when a horse entered the surgery. He idly ran a hoof through his belly fur, wondering if he should trim it. In his bored but relaxed state, he barely had it in him to react in time when the kitten, Junior, rocketed down the stairs and leapt onto his belly, jumping off of him like a trampoline but hitting his soft stomach like a pile of bricks. Ciel recoiled into himself, grunting loudly and scolding the feline, until he noticed how odd she was acting. The tiny ball of fluff was yowling and crying constantly, bolting around and looking terrified. He just watched on with curiosity until Junior begun clawing at the walls, at which point he yelled out to her and rolled off the couch to go and put her in time-out. As he made his way toward her she darted to the side of him, next to his coffee, and started mewing urgently. His intention was still to put her in time-out, however, his attention shifted to his coffee, which was now cooler… and there were ripples on the dark bronze surface, constantly reappearing after they ebbed away. Now time really did freeze, and as he looked into the bobcat’s slitted pupils, an eruption of dust and stone fell from the storey above him. The kitten leaped onto his back and dug in with her claws, dragging him back into reality as he screamed and pivoted on his front hoof, wondering if he should risk it and grab his things. After two pivots he came to a conclusion, and tore up the stairs, not knowing how much longer they would last under his hooves. He froze for a millisecond as he tried desperately to think of what he should bring and what he could potentially be sacrificing.
Pushing past the door and not bothering to lock it, he fumbled with the hood of his cloak and pulled it down to protect his eyes from the falling dust. In preparation, he checked his saddlebags one last time, which were filled with money, supplies in case of injury, and some small personal items that he couldn’t bear to part with. The kitten was strapped to his back, underneath his cloak with her swishing stub of a tail visible, but she didn’t seem to mind as it was warm and dark. He began a gallop to the nearest safe area, his childhood of learning quake drills at school suddenly returning vividly to him, and in the spur of the moment he peered over his shoulder to take one last look at his surgery; his pride and joy. Almost as if it wanted him to see it one last time before it passed onto the next life, the surgery begun to topple and collapse in on itself as a large boulder crashed into its roof. Ciel tripped, but quickly scrambled to his feet and pushed onward, biting his lip and trying not to cry. Not at this moment, at least. As he ran his cloak bounced, and his hood fell back, allowing tiny dust particles to trap themselves in his long eyelashes.
His gallop had slowed to a strained trot as his muscles weakened from physical effort. Bodies shoved past him as they tried to reach safety, and as he passed a small group of Healers he knew only by word of mouth surrounding a pile of slabs, he couldn't help but rubberneck. He tried his hardest to just keep going, to just ignore them and go on, but in the back of his brain he knew they would only be standing there for one reason only. His face contorted as if he’d just tasted something sour as he turned course to the small group, and without showing any sign of acknowledgement, he knelt and begun to use all that remained of his very little strength to physically push the slabs, still too wary of using telekinesis. His thick, shaggy shetland fur kept him hot and sweaty, and he cringed as some sweat of his dripped onto the ground below him.
“We need to rescue them quickly.”
Annoyed and breathless, Ciel witlessly retaliated with, “Nah, we should save ‘em as slowly as possible, I bet they’re nice ’n’ snug in there.” Rising to his hooves, he continued. “Or better yet, how ‘bout we join-“
He cut himself off as he looked up to see who he was talking to. In all his years of doing business with the Royal Family, he had never met the High Queen. Of course, he had heard of her, and seen her from a distance, but he had never seen her up close. Before him, he only saw a gorgeous young mare with a supposed heart of gold- far from any Royal figure. She didn’t seem like a Healer; She possessed more elegance and poise. Immediately, he was smitten, and had to turn his attention back to the pile of rocks to stop himself from staring.
“How can I help?”
Too embarrassed and regretful of his previous interaction to muster an answer, slowly, Ciel once again slid himself onto the ground and pushed, channeling his angry feelings into new energy to save whoever was buried, silently sulking.
WC: 977
OOC: wOO im so sorry my dudes i just got too into it, forgive me for this longboi
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Post by Midnitella on Jul 2, 2018 10:03:15 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
Today was errand day for Imogen, pacing through the marketplace with Doodles perched on her back, she hunted for supplies of herbs for her cafe. The animals at the familiar shop had gotten rowdy, yowling and calling loudly as they fought their confines and the poor owner himself. It was strange, as they usually weren't this loud or rambunctious, and before she could solidify a thought, Doodles started squawking loudly. Ears flattening as she turned to scold him, before he gave a loud crow as the ground began to tremble beneath her hooves. The tents began to collapse as goods began to rattle and crash around her, her heart racing as she began to panic. Her brain fought to keep control over the young healer, who's legs failed to listen as others rushed past her to safety. The bells on her saddlebags jingled as the earth shook, out of place in this panic as much as she was. Her hood came off her head as the wind of rushing equine pushed against her. "GO!" She finally yelled out and her feet scrambled under her, tangling and she stumbled as she turned herself around, taking off as fast as she could to safety. Living this deep beneath the earth, all were taught safe evacuations for these things, and her subconscious led her panicked scramble towards the palace. Dust and rock rained down like earthly hail around her, larger boulders crushing roofs and crashing into the streets. Her trusty rooster had hunkered down onto her back, giving clucks off as she dodged around fallen stones. She came to a halt as a large boulder crushed down on a house beside her, looking up in horror as the sounds of screams and splintering wood filled the air, horses pushing past her in a rush for safety and she ran up to the destroyed home. Again frozen in fear, the ram-horned healer trembled like the earth around her, only able to try to catch her breath before a thought could be found. Her heterochromic gaze fell on Ciel as he arrived, her green eye recognizing him as a fellow healer and store owner. She never had visited, but she had known him through the herd members who were patrons of both his and her shops. Jolting as a female voice spoke, her red eye found the Queen beside them, her blood running cold as this adrenaline rush and panic seemed to reach it's peak as the Queen's gaze fell on them. She had heard her words but it sounded foreign to her. All she could hear now was her own heartbeat as she tried to slow her breathing. Passing out was not an option, she looked like she needed them. The fires had taken all of her bravery it had seemed, as her mind refused to cope with the situation logically. A quick squawk from her rooster companion snapped her to attention, if only to keep her from rearing and running to safety. Her feet danced as she heard the request from her High Queen, turning her head to her as she thought for an answer. How could she Help? Imogen looked now to the home that had crumbled, a new worry rushing over her as she wondered now about the situation. Looking back to the Queen she tried to remember a few of her manners. "Your Eminence, do we know if anyone is inside?" Her voice was as firm as she could make it, though it took all of her will to keep it from trembling like her body.
596 Words | Post 1 |
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jul 5, 2018 22:19:52 GMT -6
Iyasu
Iyasu stopped his work and took a moment to relax his tense muscles. Since his morning visit to Kaia’s shrine he had felt something was off but he could not discern the exact reason. Why did he feel tense? It had been some time since the events of Torrine had affected his mental state... He had no patients with any severe illnesses currently. No quarrels with anyone he could think of. He released a silent sigh. He did not enjoy being wound up without cause. Plus being unable to soothe it with the rhythm of work was adding to his mounting frustration.
He shook his mane out, focusing back at the task at hand. All he could do now was finish working on this salve, and then maybe take a break after to calm his slightly frayed nerves. Perhaps a trip to Cascade's shrine later today would do him some good as well.
As he thought of the peace of the wave mothers shrine he noticed the water in the bowl next to him begin to ripple and he looked at it in confusion. He had not touched anything or moved much. Was she…? However, he soon noticed the stones on his work table vibrating. Only a moment longer of confusion and disbelief before it morphed into understanding and fear of what was happening. Oh Gods... This. This was the reason for his distress. He spun toward his room as the tremors began to vibrate his hooves. This was bad. This was very bad.
He quickly scooped up a pair of saddlebags that he had packed at all times. They primarily held medical supplies, but it had the space for a few gems and some irreplaceable items he owned which he rushed to grab from his bedroom. Thankfully all things were nearby in his small home as the tremors were quickly growing. He was throwing his cloak around his shoulders as he heard screams and horrible cracking outside.
Iyasu could feel his limbs locking up the moment he could fully see what was happening. The fleeing equines and the rocks crushing buildings. The screaming and the deep boom of the cracking earth. Flashes of the fires in Nariah and of the terrified equines of Torrine washed over him. Why was this happening? Had they angered the gods? Oh earth mother why…
He felt his shaking was more than the tremors now. If he could not recenter he would be doomed to join his fleeing herdmates. But he was pulled from his panic as someone in his community stumbled and fell in front of him. He steeled himself, logic driving him forward as he helped them onward. “Quickly now. Seek shelter, and beware of aftershocks.” His voice sounded like it came from someone else. Much steadier and calmer than his racing thoughts. Unfortunate practice he supposed. Later he would cry about all of this once it was done. Perhaps this event would weave into the traumas of the fires and of Torrine and plague his sleep, but not now. For now his logic was keeping his emotions locked up in a back corner of his mind.
The mare stood and barely took the time to nod mutely at him before running onward. He should probably seek shelter himself, but he knew he needed to help those he could first. It was his job as a Healer. If he could help some in this mess it may make up for those he was unable to during the other crises he had experienced.
He had been helping someone else when he saw the large boulder crash into the building. He heard even more screams filling the air. He propelled himself forward, arriving shortly after fellow healer Imogen. He had heard good things about her from shared patients though he did not really know the mare. The thought that her shop may be gone now crossed his mind. As did the one that his home may be gone as well... He shook that train of thought lose as he heard those trapped and began pushing the rubble aside. Another healer soon arrived at the site of the rubble to help. Iyasu was glad for more people to save those trapped.
Not much later Iyasu heard a feminine voice speak. He looked up and was somewhat surprised to see their High Queen standing there. She was a beautiful young thing and he should be bowing to her, but his mind couldn't focus on rank and propriety at the moment, so instead he inclined his head in a kind of bow and hoped it could be excused in their current situation. How could she help? Thankfully he did not have to rack his brain as Imogen beat him to speaking. He looked around as more rocks fell nearby. “Knowing how many we need to save could help us formulate a plan of action.”
POST: 1 | WORD COUNT: 817 |
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Post by gutpunch on Jul 6, 2018 22:09:45 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of Breim “Nah, we should save ‘em as slowly as possible, I bet they’re nice ’n’ snug in there. Or better yet, how ‘bout we join- “ The sarcastic comment didn’t go unnoticed. With a shift of her wings, ruffling them, settling them back down, Sakura craned her head down to look at Ciel. He was much more disheveled than she was, and with the light of any nearby fires, she could tell he was damp with sweat. Sakura thought he looked exhausted, and though she admired he determination at freeing the victims, she still felt insulted by his careless remarks. “In the future, one should always know whom they’re speaking to,” the mare quipped. Maybe she shouldn’t be so critical at a time like this – a giant earthquake had successfully demolished most of Nariah, ruining thousands of lives in the process and possibly ending many more. The city still needed order, now more than ever, with so much destruction and chaos. It had been a gentle reminder to Ciel, that was all. At least Imogen recognized her. A twinge of pity pulled at her heart. The poor mare looked so frightened, on edge, and who could blame her? A part of Sakura wanted to throw a wing over her and draw her close, if only to calm the unicorn’s nerves. The other part, the one also set on edge, anxious as she watched her city burn once more before her, wanted to snap and demand and bark orders. Her attention was drawn to Iyasu, barely catching his small bow. Better than nothing, Sakura thought, quickly dipping her head in response. "Your Eminence, do we know if anyone is inside?" Imogen asked, followed by Iyasu: “Knowing how many we need to save could help us formulate a plan of action.” Sakura might have noticeably blushed if adrenaline hadn’t been pumping throughout her body, already flushing her. “I can sense two horses, alive, in the rubble –” She began before an aftershock rocked the caverns once more. To their advantage, the vibrations had dislodged a few of the slabs, and the smaller quake didn’t last more than a few seconds. “Why are the Gods so angry?” Sakura quietly hissed. Once she found her footing, she stomped her right hoof on the ground out of frustration. “Please forgive me, I’m worried they can’t breathe. Formal introductions will have to wait,” she announced. “I’m going to start removing from the top.” With a careful, yet hurried pace, Sakura climbed onto some of the lower-lying rocks. “Somebody help me lift these. I think… they’re in pockets, between the debris. We can’t afford for anything to collapse in on them.” With her teke, the Pegasus grabbed at wooden beam, and tossed it to the side.
word count: 458 |
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Post by fossature on Jul 8, 2018 6:43:21 GMT -6
“In the future, one should always know whom they’re speaking to,”
Ciel knitted his brow and threw confused stare over his shoulder, tilting his head slightly to the left as he peered at the pegasus. He produced a quiet “Eh?” sound as soft as his breath, as his attention shifted to Imogen first and then Iyasu in order of speaking. Somehow, he didn’t catch on to the non-sarcastic use of ‘Your Eminence’ and misinterpreted the bow as a polite gesture, and scoffed at what he assumed was the pegasus’ large ego. He rolled his eyes back into his skull and heaved himself onto his side, panting and puffing, his ribcage heaving with every strained breath. All his energy was expended; he knew that if he wanted to be any help, he had to rest in order to do so. And so, he lay there and let his muscles lose their tension. I’m gonna be so bloody sore in the morning, he thought as the burning feeling of overexertion made his face grimace. He swallowed, trying to clear away the nagging dark thought of if I actually make it to morning.
“I can sense two horses, alive, in the rubble –”
Before his brain had even interpreted the message, the cold rock supporting his limp body trembled again, sending vibrations all throughout his bones. His ears swivelled to the direction of the slabs, the tone of concrete hitting the ground instinctually urged his legs to fold underneath him and kick himself off the ground to get out of harm’s way, despite being out of range of the moving slabs. Instantaneously, as if the sudden sound of Sakura’s hoof hitting the ground triggered something in him as he landed on his feet, his brain pieced together the information from earlier. His stomach began to knot and sink as the puzzle pieces fit together and he realised just who it was he was talking to beforehand. He couldn’t believe it- the High Queen, here- instead of with the High King?! A cold flush ran through him as he turned to see her in the corner of his eye, an apology tingling on the tip of his tongue. He felt so stupid- he just wanted to crawl into the debris with those horses and stay there.
“Please forgive me, I’m worried they can’t breathe. Formal introductions will have to wait,” “I’m going to start removing from the top.”
Ciel walked away from the group to compose himself with low and sweeping hooves, his silver horseshoes scraping the ground and making small clinks. As he approached a nearby fire, some adrenaline made its way out of his system, and he felt his bottom lip quiver.
“Somebody help me lift these. I think… they’re in pockets, between the debris. We can’t afford for anything to collapse in on them.”
Staring intently in the direction away from his fellows, a series of sniffles ensued, followed by a stifled, pitiful whimper. “Dammit,” He barked at himself, turning his eyes toward the ceiling and squeezing his eyelids as tightly as he could, hoping the fires would evaporate any of the tears that he was trying so hard to hold back. He didn’t want to cry, especially not now, when they need his help, but the horrible feeling from mistreating the High Queen- his Queen- opened the floodgates and allowed for all his emotions from that day to flow free. He felt like he lost a piece of him when he saw his home get crushed beneath that boulder- but the thing that upset him most was that he’d lost one more way for his brother to find him again, if he ever found his way back from wherever he was. Keeping his head high and trying to control his shaky breathing, he tapped his front hoof against the ground in a quick erratic rhythm, giving himself an internal pep-talk to get back in there and help those horses. Trying to convince himself that his emotions were encumbering him, he repeated mentally, I may have lost my home but they’re gonna lose their lives, so engrossed in this mantra that he didn’t react to the kitten under his cloak wiggling and mewling. With one last firm breath, and his focus in the right place, he resolutely sniffed the mucus back into his nostrils and strode back over with his head high, forcing himself to appear put together despite his glassy eyes. Stopping just short of the slabs, Ciel sheepishly readjusted his tie and stood squarely.
“How’s about we make it a competition, huh? You win by movin’ the most, and the loser buys lunch,” He commented to his peers in a voice that was almost raw. He looked over Imogen and Iyasu, with his gaze lingering on Sakura for the next part of his sentence, “-Or dinner, if the winner prefers it! Heh...” He knew they didn’t need extra motivation, but he thought it’d lighten the mood a bit. Gulping the air, he decided to continue without letting the Queen know that he knew who she was, thinking it would be easier for her to forgive ignorance than disrespect. He hesitated as he stepped forward to the trapped horses, not wanting to use all his energy at once again. Getting down to ground-level, he moved his muzzle to the debris and promptly shouted, “Oi, if any of you two can hear me, give us a sign!” Pausing for mere seconds, he muttered, “C’mon, don’t make me look daft,” as more of a statement than a plea, and reluctantly started to relocate some smaller hunks of concrete, remaining hopeful and aware of any response from the stuck duo.
WC: 966
Post: 2
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Post by Midnitella on Jul 9, 2018 10:24:15 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
Imogen tried so hard to calm herself as Iyasu spoke, taking in breaths and counting in her head before slowly releasing them. It was helping her, but not the situation. She finally, for lack of a better term, grabbed the reins of her mind and steadied it enough to think clearly again. The fires the dragons brought still echoed in her head, and made this catastrophe twice as terrifying. She had to help, it was her duty and her passion to help others, and now the Queen needed her to do so.Her clumsy feet clambered on the hard ground to keep her steady as the aftershock shook the earth with one final shudder. As scared as she was, it was a relief in it's own way. The worst had passed, and now they could work uninterrupted.
“Somebody help me lift these. I think… they’re in pockets, between the debris. We can’t afford for anything to collapse in on them.”
Imogen's feet found themselves useful again as she carefully found footing on the lower debris, using her teke to pull out smaller rocks and shattered wood, to easier release the larger pieces. Every stone counted if they were being crushed, and Gen was sure they would be able to help them in time at this pace. They just needed to be sure nothing they removed would affect the station of the largest boulder balanced aloft on the largest beams of the house. Well, what was once a house.
“How’s about we make it a competition, huh? You win by movin’ the most, and the loser buys lunch," She turned to look at the small stallion a bit confused at this for a moment. “-Or dinner, if the winner prefers it! Heh...”
Lifting and pushing aside a large painted plank, she smiled as much as she could down at the glassy-eyed Ciel. Her specialty was mental health, and she had a bad habit of examining others even when it wasn't the appropriate time for it. Now would be a good example, as dust still rained over their heads as the ground settled. Finding her voice again, she decided to help Ceil cope with this situation, and perhaps the others as best she could.
"If that's the case, it looks like you might be buying it." Her voice chimed softly, before she grunted with the force of lifting a large stone and letting it roll down the side of the debris mountain they stood on. Her rooster clucked softly as he watched them work, his claws digging into the leather strap that held her saddlebags in place.
His voice calling into the rubble, she perked her ears for some sound or response, hoping to hear a call for help in the rubble. She was sweating under her cloak from adrenaline and using her strength in a way she wasn't usually required. She wasn't about to give up though, not with lives on the line and her Queen beside her. As she unearthed a large beam she reared up and knocked her ram horns down against the beam. There was a loud crack as she made contact, and she grunted as she reared back again and slammed once more. Gen hoped the beam would act as a lever and bring up more debris and rubble with it, or even create an opening for them to climb into. Another loud crack after another as it shifted only an inch at a time, the pounding making her head swim a bit, but it was gonna be worth it, she knew it. Once it was low enough she could use her legs, that was at least some relief to her now aching skull.
620 Words | Post 2
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jul 10, 2018 17:28:47 GMT -6
Iyasu
Two horses. Alive. Iyasu could feel a quiet sense of relief flood his chest at that announcement. Fewer equines than he had feared they would need to save from the rubble, and less horses meant that it should be easier to help them with who they had. He heard the deep rumble before he felt the aftershock shake the earth beneath them once more. He swayed with it, flattening his ears involuntarily, and silently wondered once more if they had angered the gods. Iyasu wished he knew why this was happening to his herd or what the gods wanted from them… Was there a point to all this chaos and destruction? Thankfully a small kindness was bestowed upon their group when the aftershock dislodged some of the slabs from the top of the rubble.
Iyasu turned as the Queen spoke and watched as she climbed on top of the rubble. If those trapped were in pockets as she suggested then they definitely needed to be careful when removing debris. However, it also meant those horses were not currently being crushed by the rocks. Thank the gods… A very small part of him wondered if they were to thank, but he dared not dwell upon that thought. He may not ever fully understand the whims of the gods, or the reasons behind their actions, but he could never believe that they would abandon their children completely either… His heart trusted that much at least.
Iyasu spared only a moment to glance at Ciel, his heart going to him just as much as the others he had encountered today. He knew all of them were stretched thin right now, both physically and mentally, and any number of things could break that last thread of composure. He himself was trying not to let his thoughts wander to what was happening to his patients, his family, his shop, the young prince Yoru… He knew that for now he had to focus on saving those he could help right in front of him. Perhaps when this was all over, and horses and items were accounted for, they could have some tea and process the horrific events together. As much as one could ever process any tragedy that is...
He felt the ghost of a smile spread across his muzzle at Ciel’s and Imogen’s exchange. It might be a somewhat silly conversation in times like these, to talk of moving rocks a competition, but it was an understandable one as well. Humor and mundane conversations were often coping mechanisms and rather effective ones at that. However, before he could respond to either of them Ciel had called into the rubble and Iyasu waited with bated breath. A response would be nothing short of miraculous right now.
He was startled when Imogen began knocking into a large beam with her horns, but her efforts helped to fill him with renewed vigor. Even though his cloak was caked with dirt and he could feel his sides beginning to streak with sweat he knew that he could do no less than his fellow Healers and his Queen. He had to do everything he could to save these equines. He began pushing some rocks from the bottom with his shoulder, putting his weight into it, while simultaneously he moved smaller debris with his sapphire teke. He hoped his stamina would come through for him here, though he was definitely going to be exhausted by the end of all of this.
He allowed himself a small prayer to the gods while he worked...in the hopes that they may feel some mercy now.
POST: 2 | WORD COUNT: 602 |
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Post by DawnsComing on Jul 11, 2018 14:32:29 GMT -6
The Foal
Ears twitched anxiously, darkness surrounding the child in every direction. From above, she could hear the muffled voices of equine; distant and faded to the point of incomprehension. Pebbles fell down around her as the pile of earth shifted slightly, the dust stinging the filly's eyes. It was all so unclear. One moment she had... she couldn't remember. It was all such a blur.
The voices were speaking again, this time calling out to someone. A whimper caught in her throat and she yearned to cry back, to let them know she was here. But where was here exactly? There was no light, no sense of space or room to feel her way around the minimal area in which she could place her hooves. Shifting slightly to readjust her cramped legs the filly quickly found she could not. A weight pressed heavy against her back and her legs grew numb to the sensation of hard-pressed earth. Clearly, she was not going anywhere soon.
'Help,' her small voice choked, a whisper touching the child's lips. Were they looking for her or someone else? Did they know she was there, even? Panic welled in her chest and she fought to hold back the tears that squeezed from the corners of her bright red eyes. Her mind screamed for 'help' but her voice only choked on the lack of air. Lungs wheezing she did the only thing she knew she could, and hit her small hoof hard against the rock.
click*click*click
WC: 250 | Post #1 |
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 11, 2018 16:06:15 GMT -6
The Grandma
One moment she had been rousing her granddaughter from the bed and getting her ready for school, sending her off, preparing her own tea, and then the walls and roof around her where falling, covering her and driving her whole world to darkness.
As the mare's consciousness came back, it was barely distinguishable. Darkness surrounded her and the dust, debris that filled her lungs caused the elder mare the cough. Wetness damped the roof of her mouth, the taste almost metalic. Body tried to shift but only her front legs responded. A strange weight help down the rest of her, causing her breathing to be shallow and uneven. The bloody hell was happening... Voices trickled in through the dark dirty housing she could only guess was another cave in. Again... In all her time of being alive the last few years had been the most dangerous in these tunnels.
Another cough and the eldery equine went to toss her head, single large ram horn echoing from the impact. The other side of her head felt light, which was strange, they usually felt the same. Coughing again she rasped out a husky "Help..." And winced as some of the rubble shifted and further weighed down over her back. "Can't Breathe...!" Clearly the grandma was finally starting to panic.
WC: 222 | Post #1 |
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Post by gutpunch on Jul 11, 2018 16:54:16 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of BreimAs Ciel walked away from the group, Sakura felt a sharp pang of anxiety. Between lifting smaller rocks and boulders, she intently watched him stop near a fire. At first, she thought the stallion would, for whatever reason, sacrifice himself to the flame, but that wasn’t logical and made no sense. Then again, it made no sense for Argus to allow the destruction of his herd’s home. Sakura wondered if Kaia was the root cause of this, but she couldn’t conjure up any reasoning for the goddess to unleash such havoc. She had even prayed to her recently, asking for her blessing over Sakura’s marriage. Was that the issue? Her marriage to Hajime? Surely not. The Queen cleared her throat, watching the pony collect himself before returning. She offered him a smile, and though she didn’t participate in the banter between him and Imogen, let out a small huff of laughter. Then, Imogen had begun to literally ram the debris with her horns. The cracking noise startled Sakura and she briefly lost her footing. The unicorn collided with the wooden beam repeatedly before it snapped in half. Sakura winced, climbing back up, and could have sworn she felt her own headache start to brew. “Good work,” she commented, using the leverage from the splintered beam to lift a larger stone off the pile. It tumbled down, leaving a trail of dust in its wake, freeing a few more pieces of debris in the process. It was after the stone landed that Sakura’s ear twitched at the sound of clicking. It was much like Ciel’s had been moments earlier, but much fainter. Muffled. Louder, the echo of a ram horn hitting against rock. At first, Sakura thought it was Imogen again, but it had come from inside the rubble. A raspy voice called out, though she couldn’t make out the words, Sakura replied, “We’re here!” Lowering her head down, hoping they could hear her, she repeated herself. She wasn’t sure if it was the same equine clicking their hoof, but she was thankful that at least one of them was conscious. The Queen was about to start lifting more rocks when more rolled down the side, thanks to Ciel and Iyasu’s work on the lower part of the rubble. Firelight filled the small holes, illuminating parts of the victims, but not enough to see who was stuck. Sakura could only confirm part of a leg of one, and the hoof of another. Her heart swelled with confidence. “I see them!” she announced. There definitely wasn’t much room for either to move, much less turn around in, and they seemed to be a few more feet down than Sakura originally thought. “We’re going to get you out! Keep making noise!” the mare called to the pair, wanting to give them even half of the hope she had for their rescue. The mare took in a deep breath through her nostrils as she surveyed the destruction around her. Fires crackled around them, though now they seemed to be dying out, their source of oxygen depleting from the smoke and dust. All she wanted was a moment to think, to figure out the best plan to get them out, but her mind was racked with nerves, and she couldn’t properly focus. “Can you two tell me how deep the debris is on the side?” she called down to the men.
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Post by fossature on Jul 15, 2018 4:56:41 GMT -6
The sharp and sudden noise of something blunt colliding with the debris made Ciel’s heart race at first. He surveyed the immediate area in an attempt to determine whether or not the sound came from more falling debris, but was met with the cool flush of relief when his eyes met the source of the sound- Imogen. Unable to relate to the feeling of being a unicorn and having horns, Ciel watched, unfazed as she rammed her horns- extensions of her skull- into the debris, more with curiosity than indifference. Still moving his share of the debris, albeit rather sluggishly now that his focus was on the unicorn, he suddenly felt compelled to egg her on but kept this feeling internalised as he lacked the energy to shout and cheer. However, when her efforts proved successful, he couldn’t help but feel triumphant for her. He couldn’t stifle his grin no matter how numb his face felt, and it was a welcome feeling. The progress being made on the relocation of the debris now felt productive, and he paused to admire the work that had been done, sighing warmly.
Ciel’s shaggy ears subconsciously swivelled to the debris, detecting noise but not paying attention to it until it grew and manifested into a voice. He felt excitement grow in his gut, and his breathing hasten as his knees weakened. Wait, this means…
His thought process was interrupted by the Queen’s shouts, but from what he had gathered his plan to yell into the debris beforehand had worked- or, at least, that’s what he thought. Suddenly, his weak knees became physically weaker, but felt stronger as his entire body floated from the giddy feeling now filling his brain and flooding his system. At the announcement that they were indeed visible and alive, he contracted an unshakeable desire to see them with his own eyes, to feel as if this was all real. His horseshoes clacked against the cave floor as he tapped his hoof against it once again, this time to keep himself still rather than to focus. He enthusiastically whipped his head around to each of the members of the rescue party, displaying a whimsically joyful expression liken to that of a young foal’s, his face almost saying ‘see, look what I did! I did this!’.
“Can you two tell me how deep the debris is on the side?”
The glimpse of hope now impacting his mood astronomically, he arched his neck over to Iyasu and yell-whispered, “Not deep enough, am I right? Woo!”, throwing his head back in a cheeky wink and dancing around in an off, weak-kneed gait. He continued to laugh hysterically and ‘woo’ as he encircled the debris, twirling and prancing in pure joy, completely uninterested in actually answering her question. Almost bouncing over to Imogen, he bumped her shoulder with his nose in a congratulatory manner, speaking in between catching his breath. “Some bloody good work back there, eh?! Good on ya!” Not done with his joyful and suddenly energetic outburst, he finally sauntered next to Sakura and shook out his mane, cocking a thick brow and clearing his throat.
“Let the hero see his quarry,” He announced in a matter-of-fact tone accompanied by a wry smile, still holding eye contact with the pegasus for a lingering moment before positioning his face so close to the debris that his cheek was pressed against it. His sky-blue eye peered into the darkness through the small spaces in the debris, but he gave up shortly. “I don’t see anythin’, but I believe ya. Gather 'round gang, I’ve got a plan!” He puffed out his chest and quickly added, “-And remember, my plan obviously worked before, so you all should keep that in mind. Just sayin’.” Closing his eyelids to try and focus on putting the thoughts in his brain into words, he continued speaking, slowly and purposefully, dropping the volume of his voice. “Right. Okay. So… we move the debris. Still with me, yeah? Alright- then… we send the peggy mare down there ’n’ she can get ‘em out, then fly out herself, dependin’ on how big ’n’ deep the pocket is. Heh... as she’s doin’ her thing, we three work to free the other one! I know, I know- simple, yet genius.”
WC: 724
Post: 3
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jul 16, 2018 17:15:04 GMT -6
Iyasu
Iyasu could feel a quiet balm of relief spread through his straining muscles as Sakura released a large chunk of debris. His hopes were beginning to climb. Perhaps they really could do this, perhaps they really could save these horses...
He stopped what he was doing shortly after that thought, brows coming together in concentration. Had he heard something just now? It was hard to tell over everything else, but there seemed to be a faint noise coming from under the rocks. What am I...? And then his eyes widened as what he heard dawned on him. The steady click of a hoof against stone. At least one of those trapped in the rubble was knocking against the rocks! Then he heard a louder crack and the muffled sound of a voice beneath the debris and his heart soared. Not only were they alive but at least one of them was awake! His hopes flew even higher as his Queen called down that she could see them.
“Thank you…” He murmured, not quite sure which deity to direct the prayer toward, but feeling overwhelming relief at that moment.
He looked up when Sakura called down from the debris, nodding once, before stepping back to get a better idea of what they were working with.
He opened his mouth to tell her his general estimation when Ciel’s comment startled him into looking at the small stallion. He just stared with wide eyes as Ciel danced around the debris. Just what was he doing? These horses were still in danger. Even though they had gotten somewhere with saving them that fact remained…
He flicked his tail, pulling himself out of his thoughts to look up at Sakura. “It appears to be around ten feet deep your majesty...”
He turned in time to see Ciel bump Imogen before he started climbing up the rocks. He sucked in a breath, hoping he did not shift the debris. Again, what was this stallion doing?
His confusion grew each time Ciel spoke. Hero? And she is the Queen!
He bristled at the way he addressed Sakura, propriety and manners leaking through the panic of their situation.
However, his ears perked at the mention of a plan, as he tried to ignore the second half of his statement. He did not know how many times was he going to wonder what this stallion was thinking…
At the end of Ciel’s speech Iyasu felt his mind begin to turn over what was said. As a thought exercise that plan would work except…
“We do not know how large the horses are that are trapped.” His voice was calm and deliberate, as he worked through the proposed plan. “It could be difficult for an individual to lift someone out of the debris, even with the use of Alya’s gift. And even if those trapped are small enough to lift, her majesty may not be able to fit alongside them to easily remove them depending on the size of the pockets.” He looked sheepishly in his Queen’s direction. Hopefully she did not take that as an insult against her abilities. Charging too blindly could do more harm than good if they were not careful. He allowed himself a sigh. “There are so many unknowns in this situation…” He looked at the debris again, trying to work out what to do. “We could split into two and two and focus on the areas where they are located.” He inclined his head toward his Queen slightly to direct his speech. “Since you saw them you could direct us. We would need to start by giving them more room, and make sure that they are able to breath. Open air would give us a little more time to help them, and figure out how to pull them out...” He distantly processed that his voice, though steady, was saying things a little out of order and he was almost certainly being rude and taking up a lot of their time, but he wanted to speak as soon as the ideas came to him. He lifted a tilting chunk of debris with his teke to remove it from the pile, mulling his thoughts over momentarily. Missteps could be fatal here…
He finally looked toward Imogen. “Do you have any thoughts?”
POST: 3 | WORD COUNT: 715 |
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Post by Midnitella on Jul 17, 2018 10:17:43 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
Imogen's ears rang with a dizzying high-pitched squeal as her head and horns throbbed. The post has splintered under her efforts, sending her stumbling slightly as she righted herself again. Her fuzzy gaze landed on the blur that resembled the High Queen, or rather her and her four identical siblings. Oh that'd can't be right, the flaxen mare thought as she blinked her eyes a few times to help correct them. The muffled sound of the Queens voice sounded like a foreign language to her, but she nodded slightly to reassure her majesty that she at least heard her.
Stepping back a bit to let the Queen use the beam, she stumbled and just let herself sit down on the debris pile, closing her eyes as she tried to let her brain recuperate. Her rooster clucked out in annoyance, but it stood on her now angled back with determination. Mister Doodles was used to her messy composure by now, and would not be thrown easily.
Imogen's eyes opened again, following the larger boulder down the side of the pile with a very disorientated gaze, giving a wary smile as it landed soundly on the cave floor. She looked back up at the group as they all seemed to freeze in place, ears at attention. Something was happening and she needed to get back up. This was no time to rest.
With a strained huff she stood once more, hearing starting to return to her as words came back to focus, having more meaning than the muffled sounds before. The Queen had lowered her head into the debris, shouting into it. Why would she- OH! Imogen's mind seemed to right itself at last as she realized now what was happening. They had found them! Her heads comfort wasn't a useless casualty in this, thank the gods. She wanted to weep with joy, but this was not the time. The horses were still trapped in the now precarious pile, by freeing debris now it could risk collapsing what was left standing on top of them.
“Can you two tell me how deep the debris is on the side?”“Not deep enough, am I right? Woo!”“It appears to be around ten feet deep your majesty...” “Some bloody good work back there, eh?! Good on ya!”Imogen's head swiveled to each one as they spoke, smiling and giving a small laugh as the small healer nudged her shoulder, helping bring her back down to reality a bit. As she watched him prance back over to the Queen, she listened to Ciel's plan with both intrigue and worry. Perhaps in another situation this would be viable, but now was not that time. If anyone was good for going into the debris, it would've been the prancing 'hero', but his stature was not a good one for bringing a full grown horse out.
Looking to Iyasu as he spoke up, Imogen looked back into the hole as he went over his plan. If they were lucky enough to get a lungful of air right now it would be a miracle, and every moment they spoke was just decreasing their percentile of success. She didn't like thinking like this, but she needed to right now. Their efforts could be for not if they wasted too much time. “There are so many unknowns in this situation…”
It was as if he had read her mind, and she looked to their Queen to see her expression in this rough place they now found themselves. With a concerned look, her gaze fell on Iyasu as she spoke out a plan of his own. It was well thought in this panicked situation, and she made note to commend him for it when they were all happily celebrating over that dinner Ciel was going to be making them. An out of place thought occurred to her as she imagined that tiny horse maneuvering around a standard kitchen, or them being over-sized in his small house made for just him. “Do you have any thoughts?”Imogen looked up at Iyasu, blinking a bit. Clearing her throat slightly, she tried to pull a solid thought together. "They need air, for sure." Her voice found itself, soft from her dull headache. "But we run the risk of moving too much debris for one, and collapsing it on the other. Including removing the horses themselves..." Gen's heterochromic gaze moved over the group as she tried to bring a calm over them. "Though if we're careful and swift, we may not have to worry over it. Come now, we're losing time." Her voice was firm, not a shout but a command to help spring them into action. Looking to her Queen, and hoping she wasn't out of line, she met her gaze for a moment. "Guide us, and let the Gods be with us."And let us hope we can save them both.
817 Words | Post 3 |
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 18, 2018 17:48:01 GMT -6
The Foal & Grandma
As the rubble was torn, ripped and cracked away, the figures of the two bodies under the collapsed building became more visible. Hooves turned into legs, into chests and soon heads.
Before their very eyes, An elderly unicorn who had once been the baby sitter for many of the Royals lay connected by a large beam of stone. A crack down its center showed that only one side could be removed leading to the other side caving in. It was too heavy and cumbersome to be moved any other way.
Under the rock on the other side lay a child. Yet she was covered in scales, with two little nubs for horns on her head. Hooves where coven, little wisps of hair on her ankles and chest. A Kirin. But a child.
Both coughed and gasped for help, both begged to be saved.
Who would it be?
WC: 150 |
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Post by gutpunch on Jul 19, 2018 17:55:22 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of BreimWith narrowed eyes, Sakura watched, impatiently, as Ciel paraded and danced about. Out of the corners of her eyes, Iyasu was watching too, and poor Imogen was stumbling around from her admirable efforts. The first remark never reached her ears – a positive for Ciel, quickly negated once he neared the Queen. With a clenched jaw, the mixture of fur and feather on her withers bristled as she recoiled from the pony, drawing her hoof up and away from him to avoid getting any remnants of dirt and sweat thrown on her. Her head tilted, ears now flattened against her skull. Hero? He believed himself a hero when two equines remained trapped beneath the rubble of a building? How dare he. Anger welled up in her chest and burned her throat. Gods, how it would have given her some relief to knock him out with her still-raised hoof. But she knew better. Her mother had ensured that manners were kept, that impulses not acted upon. Maybe he would dart back to the fires and actually jump into one, but it was doubtful. The prolonged eye contact irritated her further. It had been a mistake permitting his carelessness earlier, as the fool now acted as if he was her equal, much less a hero. No. The short Healer was immature, disrespectful. Nostrils flared from a deep inhale. She must restrain herself. There were much more important issues, and they lay underneath, pinned against the cold ground, sucking in dust. She brought her hoof down with a noticeable force. The sound echoed in the pockets below them and was met with more frantic hoof clicking, an audible reminder to be present. After a long blink, her head turned to Iyasu, slightly dipping her head in acknowledgment. “Thank you.” In a much lower voice, “Ten feet.” Ten feet of debris, rock, wood, piping to excavate. At least she had caught a glance of the victims. And, then, Ciel had announced he had a plan, not failing to mention his previous plan’s success. What plan, exactly? Dig? The same plan the entire group had silently agreed on? How-- She was about to open her mouth when Ciel’s own volume dropped, which was unusual for how loud and abrasive he had previously been. With careful steps, Sakura curiously followed behind him, her curled ears pointed forward to listen to this brilliant idea. Until he referred to as “the peggy mare.” Now, the anger boiled within her, and her expression clearly represented it. Iyasu unknowingly calmed the rage burning into her legs and wings. His explanation to Ciel was much more patient, captured what Sakura would have said, should have said, instead of reacting to the blatant carelessness. She would have to thank him later. The Queen wasn’t the largest mare in Breim, nor the strongest, Iyasu was correct. She took another deep breath, forcing her muscles to relax, lifting her muzzle as the taller stallion explained his own plan. It was when Imogen looked at her, briefly meeting her own gaze, asking to be guided through the process that Sakura felt her stomach drop, followed by a wave of icy hot anxiety washing over her. When she married Hajime, she knew what her duties were to include helping the High King lead the herd. She was to produce heirs, to solidify the bond between commoners and royalty, to inspire hope. Even as she was told that she would be looked up to, even as she relished in the idea, Sakura had never expected that her position would demand true guidance so soon. It might have been easier to direct a formal meeting. It was definitely easier to sponsor large scale prayers at the shrines. Instead, her initiation was to direct these Healers in literally saving a life. The realization that they, the ones who had studied for so long to learn of medicine and health, were now relying on her stunned her. When she had found the wreckage, it had been Sakura’s natural disposition to help, and her rank provided her the platform to demand teamwork. It had all been unspoken. Imogen’s request only solidified it all, making everything much, much more real. Emotion had been pulled from her face once Iyasu had concluded his idea. Now, the Queen appeared stoic, calculating, critical. “Continue digging,” she announced, and back to work she went. The debris became easier to lift, and her coat was covered in dust and sweat, but soon the effort from them all revealed the entrapped. The first she noticed was the elderly unicorn, and a loud gasp left Sakura’s lips. “Nana?!” she cried, rushing to the mare’s side, nuzzling into her cheek. She had taken care of the Queen in her early years, and while sometimes felt overbearing and annoying, Sakura always held a soft spot for her. To see her wheeze, cough, eyes watery brought the Queen to her knees. But just as she lowered herself, she immediately leapt back, rearing. Separated only by a wall, Nana laid next to a kirin foal. A demon, but a child, crying just the same. How…? Sakura gulped, backing away. Even with the new existence of adult kirins, she had never actually met one, nor had she wanted to. Now, there was a monster from legends right before her, and she could only stare in shock.
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Post by fossature on Jul 23, 2018 7:15:25 GMT -6
What’s her problem? Ciel pondered, catching Sakura’s less-than-pleased expression. He listened intently to the additions and modifications to his very basic plan, ears twitching at each spoken syllable and nodding his head in agreement despite not actually taking in what they were saying. He was breathing heavily though his nose, his nasal cavity and throat now painful and dried from the smoke, trying to catch his breath from his previous outburst. He felt calmer, now that they were actually formulating a solid plan to stick to, and he let his frame fall slightly lopsided, shifting all his weight to his left side. Suddenly, he felt his whole body stiffen as he remembered Junior was still beneath his cloak, and promptly flipped up his cloak with his nose- to find no kitten there, only loose, chewed-through restraints. With a cursory glance over his shoulder he quickly surveyed around him, only to find no sign of the elusive black bobcat, checking underneath his hooves and around the other Healers.
“Continue digging,”
With that sentence he pushed the thought of Junior to the back of his mind, internally convincing himself that it was no loss and squashing any worried feelings he had about the kitten, thinking they’d be there a while and if she really wanted to be safe, she’d return. Obeying orders, he continued digging, growing weary of physical effort now that his muscles had begun to ache and turn to jelly, and it showed in his pained expression. His head quickly snapped around to Sakura as she gasped and said something he didn't quite catch, and it took him a second to process that they had actually uncovered a survivor. Peeking over the edge of the debris and into the pocket that the elderly unicorn was imprisoned within, he felt a rush of excitement as if they’d uncovered treasure. However, this was also a time of self-reflection, realising that he shouldn’t have been so merry before- that this was only half the fight done. They still needed help. The wheezes of the elderly unicorn inspired him, and he opened his mouth to speak, but drew in a large amount of pure dust in an instinctual startled response as Sakura backed away, seemingly terrified. “Woah, calm down, miss. The old broad can’t be in that bad a condition if I can’t see it from ‘ere.” Ciel’s first thought was that it was some light gore, and she just couldn’t handle it well, and as he searched the pocket he found nothing terrifying- merely a grandmother and her grandfoal, assuming they were related.
“Poor li’l fella. Seems we’ve uncovered a foal on its way to dress-up day as a- what, a dragon?- Argus bless ‘em.” Quickly glancing over the elderly unicorn once again and spying the ram’s horn, he wondered where he had seen a similar shape before. Piecing together what he thought made sense, he elevated his voice into a shout and directed it at Imogen, still keeping a keen eye on the elderly mare for grazes he may have missed in the initial quick evaluation. “Oi, Rooster Lady- You two related? Same horns.”
In his peripheral vision, he saw a familiar dark little blob. Immediately shifting his attention, he hated how relieved he felt when the kitten’s soft brown eyes stared right back at him. He rose to go fetch and restrain her again, but he accidentally caught sight of what she was balancing on- a stone beam. A cracked stone beam. He paused to think for a moment, knowing that if he were to walk across that beam to get Junior it would collapse. Collapse into the pockets where…
“Oh. Oh, no. This is bad.”
Circling the beam to get a view of all angles and how deep the crack was, Ciel frantically tried to figure out a way to overcome this huge obstacle.
“Very, very bad.”
Knowing there was no way around it, but not wanting to accept that fact, he repeated his steps thrice over.
“You all aren’t gonna like this.” Signalling to the beam with a nod of his head, he tried to carefully word what he had discovered. “’S broken. We… We can only save one.” Quickly adding a trailed-off “- Or we could save neither, but I don’t think that’s a good idea… It’s just… a hard decision, ain’t it…” In a lower volume.
He had already made up his mind. Trying his best to seem torn between who they should save, he feigned deep thought by creasing his brow and looking slightly into the distance. The foal. That was his decision, and had been from as soon as he knew about the crack. Like his niece, this child had too much of a future to waste away like this. And he wasn't going to sit there and watch another foal like her die. However, he had to at least look like he considered the grandmother as to not look and feel heartless, and so waited to give his opinion. He wanted to save them both- he really did- but he knew trying to save both would just end in losing both of them.
Speaking up after a solemn few moments, he announced in an even but quiet tone, “I say the foal. Poor thing has a life ahead of ‘em that includes diggin’ holes for fun, not rottin’ away in one.”
WC: 915
Post: 4
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Post by Midnitella on Jul 24, 2018 13:02:08 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
“Continue digging,”
The flaxen mare did not have to be told a second time, using her exhausted body to loose debris before employing her Teke to remove it from the now growing hole. As pieces moved, the little light available showed their new patients, if that was a term to use at this time. She didn't want to say victims, nor casualties, both brought a bitter taste to her mouth. Her and Iyasu had taken the opposite side of the High Queen and the eager Ciel, working carefully and diligently. Imgoen had managed to work her way around the edge, her back to Sakura and their half of the hole.
Gen jumped a little as Sakura shouted “Nana?!”, turning quickly to look at who she had unearthed.
The old unicorn was gasping and coughing under the stone and wood that once resembled a house, missing a large chunk of what she assumed was once a twin to her intact horn. It was not good, but it wasn't unmanageable. As Imogen took in the site of the mare, her heart felt like it had stopped, Ceil's words nothing but a blurry fuzz of noise as she for a moment saw herself in her place. It was mortifying, unfathomable, and for a moment, humbling to the healer.
As Ceil spoke of the second patient, she looked back where Iyasu had been working on freeing the small hooves of a foal. Head and shoulders now poked into the light, wheezing and crying for help all the same as the mare. Imogen's heart started again, fast and panicked as she tried to control her breathing. A kirin, a small babe trapped in what could be it's tomb, but still a demon. Her whole life she had imagined the Kirin as born into the world big, fire breathing monsters, eating misbehaving foals and cooking them alive. Never had she believe for a moment a foal would look like this. Scared, pleading, innocent like all others.
Of course she had heard of Beatrice, Priestess Judith's kirin daughter, but with how often she visited the temple of Kaia, she had never laid eyes on her. Few did. So her imagination was all she had to go on.
“Poor li’l fella. Seems we’ve uncovered a foal on its way to dress-up day as a- what, a dragon?- Argus bless ‘em.”
Imogen didn't have the heart to correct him. Perhaps it would keep him as the levelheaded one now in this crisis.
She still worked to hopefully free enough debris to give this demon a lungful of air. Be it maternal instinct, or seeing her many young patients reflected back in its eyes, she couldn't just abandon this foal. Though she flinched if she made contact with it, and tired very hard not to look at it as she worked. Two decades of horror stories fighting against her need and drive to help others. All others. There was always a silent acceptance that kirins were not like them. Their kind was sub-equine, something too dark and covered in sin to be on the pedestal with the rest of them, so what it usually meant to a healer was 'All others, except Kirin.'
“Oi, Rooster Lady- You two related? Same horns.”
His words echoed her earlier thoughts, though it was less painful than imagining herself in the pile of destruction, awaiting fate. Her green eye looked over at him as she tried to keep an eye on her work, taking in a deep breath, choking slightly as the dust found her lungs. "No, we're not. At least directly. Perhaps our ancestors were." She smiled as warmly as she could to reassure the old mare and hopefully to keep Ceil from feeling too foolish with such a statement. There were, of course, many kinds of unicorns with many variations, some not even resembling their parents, or grandparents. But this was not the place for that conversation.
“Oh. Oh, no. This is bad.” Imogen stopped working as she watched the small stallion pace, looking at the beam he was focused on with some confusion. “Very, very bad.” Her mouth opened to ask a question as she looked back up at the wary Healer, but before a she could inquire anything he answered her question.“You all aren’t gonna like this." Gen looked back at the beam he signaled at, now seeing the snaking cracks that climbed over it with abandon. “’S broken. We… We can only save one.”Her heart sank so deep into her stomach it might as well have hit the floor. She had predicted such a thing, and now here she was, proving her suspicion correct in the worst way. Imogen stared hopelessly at the foal and then at the elder. Torn between her beliefs and her heart, she looked to the Queen again, desperate for an answer. “I say the foal. Poor thing has a life ahead of ‘em that includes diggin’ holes for fun, not rottin’ away in one.”
Gen's ears turned to Ceil as he spoke again, looking back at him as he presented his vote. A vote? Here? The chestnuts mismatched eyes burned as she felt her heart in her throat. Perhaps his ignorance to the situation was what they needed. Looking to Iyasu for perhaps a scarp of guidance from another, she felt her thoughts align on their own. A deep shuddering breath to keep herself calm, she nodded in agreement with Ceil. "No one is born a monster..." Gen's voice shook slightly, both from her now overwhelmed emotions with declaring a death, and choosing a long damned demon over a herd mate. The words she spoke were ones her mother had repeated often, as a long standing Magi at Kaia's temple, she was a beacon of wisdom to Imogen. More so now after her passing in the fires only months earlier. As she saw herself in the old mare, she now saw herself in this child. Though her mother was a Breimian, her father hailed from War-Forged. Though not an Outsider like him, she did see the sting it left to be outcast in what she found to be a large family in the caverns. Outsiders and Breimians alike came to eat her food and speak of their travels, so she had grown to trust at least the few that proved to be trustworthy. In her soft pause she had considered all of this, and looked to their Queen again with a broken heart, her voice soft now but firm once more. "The foal, even if they cannot live here... They still have a right to live."
1107 Words | Post 4 |
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jul 25, 2018 20:10:57 GMT -6
Iyasu
“Keep digging.”
Iyasu did not need to be told twice, as he was heading up the rubble as soon as the words were out of his Queen’s mouth. Sakura and Ciel gravitated to one of the trapped horses while he and Imogen went to the other. As he looked down into the debris he thought the hooves he saw were a little on the small side. Possibly a pony? Or… or maybe even a foal. His chest tightened at that thought. A little one under this...
He shook his head and began to work diligently, ignoring the growing strain in his muscles, putting his mind to the task of removing debris.
Though soon his thoughts began to wander as he worked and he could feel the thin tendrils of worry working their way back into his heart. These horses would be patients at the very least once the rubble was removed. He had no idea who was trapped, or the extent of their injuries. He pursed his lips slightly. Not to mention he still was unsure how they could get them out of the rubble once they were freed…
“Nana?!” He flinched, startled by Sakura’s cry. He looked over to see what was happening and processed that they had uncovered their first patient, and he felt the worry chased out by a surge of hope as he worked on their section of rubble, even as Imogen looked away.
Please gods... Let us save this one...
He tried to shove his emotions back behind a wall again, breathing as deeply as he could manage in an effort to seal them again. Hope could be dangerous in and of itself…
However, as he uncovered the second trapped horse there was a crack in his emotional dam and he almost dropped the large rock he had moved to reveal the foal. He shakily set it down to the side. He distantly registered a somewhat ignorant comment from Ciel about being dressed up as a dragon while he stared at the scared little thing below. A kirin... It was a foal but it was definitely a kirin. He felt his legs tremble. As it cried out, his heart broke a little. But it's so… so terrified… like any foal would be... He was having trouble reconciling the pitiful young one below and the looming demonic beings of the stories. His compassion and wish to bundle the baby against him and soothe their fear fought with his long held religious beliefs. To save all lives, or ignore the life of this kirin.
What game are the gods playing?
A whistling in his ears brought Iyasu out of a spiral as he soon processed his increased breathing. He mentally kicked himself for letting his emotions loose. He huffed and ignored some of the dust as he focused on regulating his breathing. He had a job to do first and foremost.
He went back to removing the rubble around the foal, avoiding Imogen as she helped, and somewhat unconsciously started speaking soothing nonsense to the foal as he worked. Whether to calm their fears or his own he could not say for sure. He just hoped it at least helped one of them.
“Oh. Oh, no. This is bad.”
Iyasu paused within the hole, momentarily forgetting the kirin’s presence as he heard Ciel’s frantic speech and looked up to see the stallion pacing. He took a couple steps up, opening his mouth to ask what the stallion meant, but was interrupted as Ciel pushed on. As he looked at the stone beam he was talking about, and saw the cracks, he could feel the blood drain from his face. He had never thought… or at least with their progress he had not even stopped to consider something might… Maybe not saving them in time, or their injuries being too great. But not this.
Never this.
He looked down at the foal and then took the time to finally look at the elder unicorn.
Only one? We… I can only save one… but if we choose to save one the other we have to… He felt bile rise in the back of his throat, and swallowed hard. Then they have to die…
But who do we save? How do you even choose…?
He heard Ciel’s vote, and paused. A vote may be the only way… even if this was a horrible time and place to be discussing this. Especially now that it was likely those they were helping may have overheard them. However, he was a little more surprised to find that he somewhat agreed with his sentiment. No matter breed… a small scared foal was just that... But killing… He balked from that thought momentarily, physically taking a step back. Not saving their elder went against the values of his herd.
His throat was drying out, and his eyes began to water. He felt one small tear escape and quickly wiped it away. How could he choose…
Gods... Who do I choose?
When Imogen looked at him though, he felt his thoughts begin to pull together. Sorting out and solidifying. He listened as Imogen spoke, and felt a wave of calm bordering on detachment wash over him. His decision solidified.
“All lives are important… even that of this foal…” He shifted. “And they have much life to live…” Iyasu could not help but think of those that were lost in the fires of Nariah. He remembered all the dead he had seen in the battle torn Torrine. Too many dead before their lives were filled.
He sighed before looking at his Queen, head bowed. “This is no easy choice. Choosing one life means…” He took a second to take a breath before pushing past the mental word block, though his voice was quieter than before. “Choosing one means we will intentionally have to sacrifice the other.” He glanced around, letting that fully sink in before continuing. “I am not sure how we want to proceed from here, considering our options…” Iyasu felt his throat constrict as the unwelcome thought of hearing the unicorn’s screams as she was crushed passed through his mind. “I would love to say we could save both… That we could remove them both at the same time or hold the debris long enough to get them out but…” He shook his head lightly, shoulders sagging momentarily. Before stomping his emotions down further. “I am not sure if we should talk to her or give her a calming herb…” He paused, his brows furrowing. “Not to mention we will need to still remove the foal from the rubble itself…” He shifted his weight and felt his cloak slide further off his back. He looked at it and pricked his ears forward, looking at the others. “We could use our cloaks as a sling and Imogen and I could carry them out…” He looked toward the mare, then a little sheepishly turned back to the Queen as he remembered she had not weighed in yet. “Your opinion is important your majesty… considering the choice we are making here…” He let his sentence trail off as he waited for her response to all of this. His emotions had finally been wrangled into a tight box, at least enough that he could get through this for now.
Later would be a whole different story…
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Post by gutpunch on Jul 26, 2018 18:33:18 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of BreimThe kirin was just a child. Just a child. Just a child, a baby, just a child, Sakura thought, the words on repeat in her mind. She was just a child. Herd law deemed her an adult, her years of schooling and lessons in diplomacy made her mature, but she was just a child. Hearing the poor foal’s crying and sniffling irritated her. The Queen was jealous, for she felt the same crippling fear the kirin did, but she couldn’t express it. Desperately, she wanted to scream, to sob until her throat turned to sandpaper that not even fresh honey might fix. She wanted to revel in self-pity as the healers’ words quietly floated around her, muted from smoke and of a tragic vote, yet loud in her ears, almost echoing. Though her body was frozen in shock, Sakura felt like she was floating, observing the scene from above. All, it seemed, were in favor of saving the foal, but none wanted to take responsibility for condemning the elder. Instead, they turned to their Queen. As they should. In any other situation, Sakura would have been pleased by this. She would have delighted in the respect and request for permission. But now, as her brown eyes turned from the child to her old babysitter, watching the injured mare press against the stone and cough through the smoke and dust, she wanted no part of it. Not once had anybody suggested she might have to save one and kill another. Kill. Just thinking of the word left a bitter taste in her dry mouth. She wasn’t meant for this part of leadership. Always, in her storybooks had these gruesome decisions been made by war heroes, not the beautiful princesses and queens. Her mind drifted to the storybooks. They were made for children. Children. The foal was a child. Damn the kirin foal for causing this. Damn it the tiny demon for forcing her hand. Demons played tricks. Was this a trick? If so, it had already ensnared the healers. If so, what a crafty, manipulative thing. Just like the storybooks. Nana had closed her eyes. Her chest heaved. She hadn’t heard the discussion. Sakura could see tear stains cutting through the dirt on her greying face. Her blessing could sense the life in both old and young, though both were clearly tired – she didn’t need sixth sense to know that. With a deep breath, the Queen gathered herself, blinking away her own tears. She didn’t know if they were from sadness or smoke. Her body wasn’t as sore as the others, only her spirit, which clenched in her chest and made her wings shudder. Her mind went back and forth between saving the kirin or the elder for what she thought was an eternity. The healers all had good points; the foal had much life left to live, all lives are important, nobody is born a monster, the foal didn’t have to live in Breim. However, kirins were monsters, that fact was ingrained into Sakura’s very core. It was why they had originally imprisoned them, was it not? Even Beatrice seemed to be kept largely out of sight. Nana had a family. She was wise. She might have been the perfect citizen, the kirin was an outsider. Ignacio’s fires had burned Nariah and now his children walked the streets. And life? What if the kirin died soon, anyway? Then again, she thought, looking at the old mare, she probably didn’t have much longer to live, either. Though her posture was straight, upheld, her eyes were clearly sad. Her anger toward the kirins was right, she knew. Surely it had been their fault that the caves shook and crumbled, destroying her beloved city. She wondered how many were injured, how many died. Personally, she wanted to kill the child. All it knew was pain. Nana knew happiness. She knew joy. How wrong would it be to let the kirin die, to end its suffering? But the wheezing from Nana… It would be cruel to save her, only for her to die soon after. Medicine and healing was not her forte; it was why she called for healers. The angry child within her wanted to scream at them, demand they find a solution, demand they turn the odds of survival. It wanted to lash out, to call them traitors for wanting to save the monster. None of that would help. It wasn’t realistic. The healers knew chances of survival. They knew what it meant to save the kirin. Sakura knew better. She had to be strong. For them, but she wasn’t entirely sure who ‘they’ were anymore. Her people? The healers? The trapped? The gods? Her head never turned to look at Ciel, Imogen, or Iyasu. She stayed, eyes fixated on the trapped. Voice solid, low, and terrifyingly calm, Sakura said, “Give her something to ease the pain. I want her to go to Argus in peace.”
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Post by DawnsComing on Jul 27, 2018 15:05:22 GMT -6
Kirin Child
"Help-"
Her eye's squeezed together tightly, the sudden appearance of light blinded her as the healers pulled away the stones. It pained her, caused the girl's chest to tighten. It had been light before, that brought her here. A flash of blinding white light encasing her very existence until she had appeared on a bed of cobblestone. Then, darkness. So much blindness. From white to black, it was all she could remember.
Slowly, the girl blinked open her eyes, the blinding light now fading into focus. Around her she could see wood and earth, rock and fragments of what seemed to be paper and...equine. They stood before her talking, worry plastering their faces. Some of them seemed to have tears in their eyes, another looking fearfully in her direction. This was no place the girl recognized, no face she felt familiarity towards. Where was she? Why was she here?
The filly moved to stand, shake the ache from her pelt, and find the answers she wanted. But quickly she found she could not. Turning, her red gaze came to lie on the rocks that pressed against her back. Walls of rubble encased her on every side, sharp points of splintered wood facing her like spears.
War
Panic rose in the child's chest, her heart leaping as unconscious memories grew further out of reach. There was something to be afraid of, something she did not remember aside from the fear that lurched in her heart.
Eye's wide with terror the child thrashed about desperately to free herself from her enclosure. Such wild movements caused the pile to shift and sway above, unstabilizing the debris further. Time was running out...
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Post by fossature on Jul 30, 2018 0:40:01 GMT -6
“Give her something to ease the pain. I want her to go to Argus in peace.”
Ciel blinked slowly, hesitating before speaking up. “Not sure what everyone else’s got, but I grabbed some valerian root before… before I left.” He gently nosed his saddlebags in a subconscious motion to show the others where the herb was stashed. However, his face sharpened into something more strained and dire as he continued. “… But I wouldn’t recommend it, if we have somethin’ else- there’s barely enough ‘ere to even slightly knock ‘er out. She’ll just be half-conscious, at the very least… ” His brows upturned into a compassionate, worried expression, searching each face for even a sliver of approval, if only to take the weight off himself for even suggesting they do it while she’s still conscious. And it’s expensive, he couldn’t help but think, no matter how horrible he felt having that thought.
Suddenly, the filly began to rouse, shaking and destabilising the debris encasing her. Junior squeaked a tiny, offended hiss before leaping from the beam and then bounding between Ciel’s front hooves, settling into a sitting position and flattening her fur. However, as the kitten tried climbing his leg to perch on his back, he payed no mind to her and gently shook her off his leg before quickly getting to the debris, shouting on his way there, “Stay still, ‘right? I’ll- we’ll get you out. Just… rest.” Bringing his neck down so that his eyes met hers, he creased his brow in thought and quickly looked to the Kirin, then back at the group. Deliberating for a moment, he groaned in frustration before undoing the bow on his cloak in one graceful motion. He whipped the cloak from his back and draped it on the debris behind her, so that the hood of his cloak covered her eyes. Stretching his neck back in the direction of the group, he trotted over, and in a hushed whisper reasoned, “They don’t need to see this. Maybe it’ll calm it, who knows?”
The urgency of the situation with the unstable debris now heavying his hooves, he continued. “We need to hurry. I hope someone’s prepared to administer it to the old broad- I’ll be busy with the li’l one.”
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Post by Midnitella on Jul 30, 2018 11:01:00 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
“Give her something to ease the pain. I want her to go to Argus in peace.”
Imogen was both reassured with Iyasu's words, and anxious. This was not a good situation, no getting around that anymore. But the Queen's word was final, and though she didn't say allowed that she picked the foal, the intent was there. Gen turned to one of her woven baskets on her side, using her Teke to pull up various bundles of herbs and vials of extracts, looking over each one quickly to find one she needed. She had been shopping before the world had literally decided to fall apart around her, so she was very well stocked at the moment, the weight of her full bags reminding her every moment through all of this. Glancing at Ceil as he mentioned the valerian root, she silently nodded as he spoke. That wouldn't do even in excess, it definitely wouldn't knock anyone out fast enough for this. She guessed that the old mare's adrenaline was high, not to mention her heart rate and her anxiety, but who's wasn't right now honestly. A sedative would be better than a sleep aid. Her thoughts mumbled over her lips as she read over her many herbs and minerals, usually just their name and a soft "no... definitely no... maybe..." as she went. Moving to her next basket she saw the foal struggle in a panic, shifting the debris around it as it tried to free itself. Hoofs slid as the rubble moved, and she stumbled a bit, righting herself quickly as her bells jingled in protest. Ceil moved to aid the foal as she went back to quickly moving through her items. A small smile of triumph found her lips as she found a fresh vile labeled 'Poppy Extract'. She lifted it from it's place, holding it up to read the small script that announced it's uses, just to be sure of herself. Only having used it rarely to help her more anxious or aching patients, she had never used more then a few drops at a time, but there was no telling how much this would take. It needed to be fast, efficient, and if it didn't numb her totally, enough to calm her down to get something else quickly into her system. "I have poppy extract, it's a powerful pain reliever and sleep aid." She announced to the group as she held it out in her light green teke for them to see. Didn't think telling them it was also a laxative was important at this time, nor would it be an issue in this situation. "Though I don't know how much we need..." Her eyes fell on Iyasu, the most experienced healer in their circle. Perhaps he knew? She doubted it, but he would at least have a good guess. Who would need to know how much of anything was enough to immediately knock someone out? Perhaps an assassin, she thought, but no one here was such. Her red and green gaze fell on the now cloaked foal, who's panic could still be seen under the fabric. It didn't struggle much once blind, but there was no doubting it would return once it's sight returned. Her heart pained as she thought of how scared it was, how everyone was right now. In her moment of contemplation, she looked at the rubble beneath her hooves, praying silently to the Gods for help in this endeavor. She dare not to pray to Ignacio of course, but for the foal's safety, she had at least thought his name. It sent a chill over her, as well as a knot of fear in her stomach. The lord over fire and destruction himself never dared to cross her mind, except for maybe the split seconds of fighting to start the fire in her stove. What if this child is my fault? Thought the freckled mare, and though her inner voices fought with irrational and rational thoughts, she blamed herself now for this curse on them. Why else would SHE be here now? Why else would IT be here now?
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Jul 31, 2018 17:20:51 GMT -6
Iyasu
“Give her something to ease the pain. I want her to go to Argus in peace.”
Iyasu felt a shiver run down his spine as his Queen delivered that statement. He recognized the eerie calm with which she delivered it, as well as noticing she never looked at them. Rather she only looked upon the trapped. Though she had not explicitly stated her choice of the foal, the intention behind her statement was there all the same…
His legs trembled slightly. They were actually going to kill this mare. They were actively choosing to kill her… That thought bashed against the stone around his heart once more.
Luckily Ciel spoke before he could tumble down that hole too soon. He turned toward the shorter stallion. Valerian root was definitely an option... It was stronger than more common sleep aids, like lemon balm or passion flower. He flicked his tail. However if he had too small of a dosage for her, the possibility of half consciousness would almost be worse than doing nothing for her.
What could they use? Mulungu or hops could work… though he wondered if he actually had any on him. He was beginning to search through his bags when the kirin filly began to panic. His head shot up and he had unconsciously taken a step back into the hole when Ciel brushed by him and began speaking with the foal.
He creased his brows as he looked at the even more precarious nature of the debris. Time was of the essence now. They would get her out. They had to.
He bowed his head slightly. Argus let my knowledge guide me… Cascade grant me serenity so I may heal… Alya give me protection so I may protect others… Kaia give me strength and hold these stones steady… He paused as the traitorous consideration to pray to Ignacio passed through his mind. For what…? Would he ask for him to avert his gaze? Or to help him save one of his children?
“They don’t need to see this. Maybe it’ll calm it, who knows?”
Startled, he looked up and saw Ciel had covered the foal with his cloak. He let some of his earlier frustration toward the stallion’s behavior ebb, though he felt a prick of annoyance at the use of the word “it.” He gave a curt nod and looked back at the foal. Perhaps they should give something to her to calm her as well. He even had a few pieces of candied fruit in his bag that he could give to her later, especially after the usually bitter medicine… He shook his head. She was still a kirin. He needed to be careful about forming an attachment to the young one. Right now he was acting like she was any other foal he encountered during his work. He had been stupid enough to think of Ignacio while praying. How could he? He chastised himself as he looked back at the elder unicorn. His ears drooped. Though… none of this situation was normal…
His head turned to look at Ciel once more, eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief. Old broad? Iyasu felt his teeth clench slightly. A little more sensitivity would be greatly appreciated in this situation.
He chose to ignore the comment of the small, continuously frustrating stallion and turned to Imogen as she spoke up. Poppy extract! That is actually a good choice. He hummed briefly, tail twitching. “Dosage can be an issue to figure out…” He pursed his lips in thought, watching as her gaze turned to the foal below. It would take a decent amount of the liquid to put the mare under. “Considering her age, and her injures…” He mumbled, working through a decent guess as to what she may need. “My best guess would be at least 50, maybe 60 ml of extract…” He looked at Imogen, guessing that the bottle she held in her teke easily had at least ten times that much in there. Though they did not have the luxury of being able to measure it out in advance. Whoever gave her the medicine would have to estimate how much they had given the mare while she was drinking it, making an effort to try and not give her more than a fifth of the bottle. He winced as the ugly thought passed through his mind that if it was a little too high of a dose it would not be a big issue. Better than being too conscious. He shook his mane out lightly.
Iyasu took a deep breath, before pushing onward. “As this was my idea… I can give it to her.” He did not want to. Gods did he not want to. He wished he was a million miles away from all this. He would consider going back to Torrine if it meant not doing this. More than that though… he did not want this burden on anyone else’s conscience.
He reached for the bottle from Imogen, his sapphire blue teke touching the glass before he looked at his Queen once more. “Do you want to stay up here for this your majesty or…?” He let the question trail off. She seemed to know the mare. Sometimes when you had a patient that was terminal some horses wanted to stay as far away from the coming tragedy as possible. They would find any reason not to be there. He did not agree with that, but he could understand it. Other horses wanted to be right there, a part of every step of the process.
He could not say for sure which one Sakura was in this case, but he wanted to leave it up to her before he went down.
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Post by gutpunch on Aug 6, 2018 1:10:02 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of BreimThe words echoed through her head, overlapping each other, some shouting, some just quick, tiny whispers of an idea. All at once, she felt hollow, yet burning with sickness and disdain. She wanted the heat to be from the fires. Instead, it prickled her skin, and everything felt on edge, ruffled yet muted and damp with sweat. The kirin child’s movements went largely unnoticed. Sakura could only watch – stare – at the old mare. Nothing had hit yet. None of this was real. If it had felt real beforehand, that had been a lie, this was all a lie. In the days to come, guilt would take the lead in her mind, rage on its heels and shame snapping at its tail. Her ears swiveled around, mindlessly listening in to the voices all around her. Time had slowed. Or had it sped up? The sentences and ideas all became one, then separate, then loud and quiet, an unfortunate ambient noise that never seemed to just go away. Maybe the cloak would calm the child, but all Sakura felt was rage. The kirin didn’t deserve calm. She did. Nana deserved it. The entire population sans kirins deserve calm I have poppy extract. I don’t know how much we need. More than enough. I’ll need some. Valerian root? Don’t know what is. Maybe the maids have given it to me before. Maybe Nana gave it to me before. The rubble shifted. So did Sakura’s thoughts. I can’t be responsible for killing Nana and sparing a demon. Is it too late? Can I take back the order? What kind of Queen takes back an order? What kind of Queen kills a child? A heartless one. You can’t be heartless. Ignacio is heartless, a monster, the child is a monster, how dare you allow the child to live. How dare you.Still, her face remained emotionless. Iyasu’s figure had entered her line of sight. His bright blue teke held a bottle, though Sakura wasn’t sure what exactly it was. The poppy or the root? It didn’t matter. Surely they had come to an agreement. And then he looked up again at her, and Sakura slowly blinked, as if waking from a dream to realize it was a nightmare. Only the nightmare was real. “Yes.” The answer was rough, dry. Her throat and mouth were parched. And then, a prayer, spoken just loud enough: “Father Argus, send your most trusted messengers. Collect her soul, do not let it be lost in the darkness. Let her stay with you, safe from dangers known and hidden. She deserves no less for her contributions and sacrifice to your beloved Breim.”Sacrifice. The word cut into her. Nothing about this was right. After the old mare had finished drinking, Sakura descended from the pile of debris. Her movements felt robotic and not her own. What was once a bright, gleaming light of the grandmother’s spirit slowly faded. The pulsing slowed. The Queen didn’t know if it mimicked her heart. She didn’t know if she wanted to know. Her steps carried her behind the healers. Her eyes looked to the side, focusing on a small fire that was slowly burning out. For a second, she secretly hoped it matched the kirin’s soul. Maybe it would be better if they both died. No. How dare you. She turned her gaze back to the debris. Watch. You sentenced her to death. Watch.
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Post by DawnsComing on Aug 8, 2018 12:14:38 GMT -6
Foal and Grandma
The pungent smell of tonic wafted her nose; earthy and sour like raw herbal tea. They placed it against her lips, a technique many nursemaids used to encourage foals to drink medicines they reviled. She could not hear the voices of those around her, a long and drawn out note singing high pitched in her ears. But she knew they were there for a purpose for her god Argus never sent their messengers without reason.
There was a warm touch before her mind began to fade, something gentle caressing her muzzle. She could not quite remember the moments leading up to her current state but simply a moment before. A flash of white light had blinded her, causing her old legs to stagger and lean against her front door. There, in the middle of her front porch was a foal.
Foals. She had seen so many in her lifetime. Each of them unique and each of them open to so many possibilities. She had raised foals that grew up to be miners, magis, and cooks just as she had raised foals who became consuls, royals, and queens.
As the old mare drew a long breath, her life fading from the mortal realm, she smiled. She thought of the foal that had miraculously appeared before her, thought of its potential for the future and its innocence in a world where chaos was gaining a foothold. The herd would shape that child's future, just as it had hers and so many others.
~~~~
Darkness enveloped the filly again, the weight of heavy cloth resting against her head. She wanted to scream, cry out in hopes the strange horses that surrounded her would leave but her lungs were parched and her mouth dry. Dust had silenced her and finally, she relented to her imprisoned form. Perhaps if she stilled, they would forget her or simply lose interest and leave.
'Mama...,' the words touched her lips so briefly she hardly recognized it as her own thought. Before now she had not even known parents existed. She tried to remember their faces, eyes squeezed tight as if the strain would recall what she knew she was forgetting. But she could not.
Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, forming little pale beads that rolled down her cheek. Why could she not remember? Why was everything before now simply gone? Would these forgotten figures come to rescue her or had they forgotten too?
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Post by Midnitella on Aug 10, 2018 13:29:15 GMT -6
Imogen | Healer
“Father Argus, send your most trusted messengers. Collect her soul, do not let it be lost in the darkness. Let her stay with you, safe from dangers known and hidden. She deserves no less for her contributions and sacrifice to your beloved Breim.”
Imogen closed her eyes as the Queen prayed, joining her silently in this final sermon for this fading soul. Her heart ached, she desperately wanted them both to be okay, but not all things in life were so easy. She opened her eyes as the old mare's body slowly fell limp under it's own weight. It was crushing to her, as if the weight of the whole house had come down again, but only on poor Gen this time. Her gaze looked to each of the others around her for this moment of grief, for a moment was all they really had. Perhaps the weight of this was now on everyone around her, from the looks of it.
"Mama...,"
A soft call of desperation from under the cloak sent Imogen's gaze now to the lump still under the rubble. Her sense had apparently been left behind with a time before the great shaking, as she now climbed down to the foal. Perhaps the cloak made it less threatening to her now? Perhaps it was a desperate need to validate this whole ordeal? She leaned down to the draped head of the small kirin and cooed softly to try and help this panicked filly. Filly. The word echoed now in her mind as she now tried to comfort, her mind grasping at the idea that this creature was equine like them.
"It's going to be okay... sweetie." She tried her best to go through her usual speech, but found herself forcing out the pet names now. It was hard to call a long demonized creature words of love and care, but she knew it needed to be calm. It... She... She thought, still fighting decades of hate drilled into her from the fear of centuries past. "You're gonna make it out of here, and then I'll make you something warm to eat, doesn't that sound nice?" A smile crossed her lips, though weakly. It was more at the ideal of this being done and things being normal again- But things would never be normal again, not anymore.
Using her light green teke, she started pulling away loose rubble around the foal, in an effort to make it more comfortable perhaps? She looked up to the two Healers, her eyes burning as she felt a new wave of adrenaline wash over her. "We need to hurry, help me lift the beam so we can get this babe out." She didnt know what part of her was speaking, perhaps her fathers half, since he was very good at thinking on his feet, and doing what needed to be done. "Once we get it high enough, Ceil can pull the foal out to safety, and then we can assess it's condition from there."
Kaia give me strength... and keep this small life safe.
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Post by SunaTheWolf on Aug 10, 2018 18:23:39 GMT -6
Iyasu
“Father Argus, send your most trusted messengers. Collect her soul, do not let it be lost in the darkness. Let her stay with you, safe from dangers known and hidden. She deserves no less for her contributions and sacrifice to your beloved Breim.”
Iyasu felt a ripping pang as he heard the prayer to Argus pass Sakura’s lips. He felt his chest tighten, before choosing to bow his head and offer his own prayer. Argus forgive me… Forgive them… Take this mare home to you… Do not punish her for our inadequacies.
He went to the mare, legs just trembling, and gently pressed the bottle to her lips. He was grateful that she took the extract willingly, ignoring the cloying odor that could put some patients off. Though not a patient long… He felt his jaw tighten. Because you are inadequate. You are choosing a foal. A kirin. She soon drifted off, her body slumping. He closed his eyes as his heart was slowly crushed. He processed as Sakura turned from them, and briefly felt disgust churn in his gut at his actions. Who is the real monster here?
Iyasu shook his head. There was no point to thinking about this. There was nothing that could have been done. They were doing all they possibly could in an almost impossible situation…
“Let her pain be over as she travels to you. Let her soul come home to you.” He murmured, looking at the elderly unicorn one last time.
He slowly stepped out of the hole, stopping once he reached the top. Just for a moment he looked at everyone assembled. He could see the crushing weight of their decision in Imogen’s posture. The grief. She could likely see it in his own. He processed that the time had finally come to free the foal, releasing the debris onto the mare. He looked up and blinked back tears. He distantly realized that there were openings in the ceiling. The sky was open to Breim. His journey to Torrine had made him used to the concept of the sky, but it was just a reminder that Nariah would be altered. That Breim would very likely be a changed nation…
"Mama...,"
Iyasu turned toward the hole with the kirin. The foal. He sighed. Now was not the time to contemplate the state of his home, to be philosophical. A life was still in danger. He watched as Imogen went down to the little one and began to talk to her. A smile ghosted his features as he quietly added, “We should make the meal together.” They would likely need to engage in a kind of camaraderie after all of this. He followed her part way down, listening to her speech. He began looking around at what needed to be done when he heard Imogen talking with more authority. He looked at her and nodded. He was glad to see some of her nerves had faded, though another part of him was screaming that none of them should be comfortable with a kirin. With killing another equine. They should not be comfortable with any of this.
He made sure to crush those thoughts quickly.
He used his sapphire blue teke to move aside some debris, clearing a better space to get to the beam. When he was in a position to push with his shoulder, teke shimmering around the stone as well he paused. “I am ready when you are.”
Gods help us now… Condemn us later…
He quickly cycled through prayers to each of them. Argus for thinking, Cascade for serenity, Kaia for strength, and Alya for protection.
He clenched his teeth, a chilling cold spreading through him as he fought almost thirty years of tradition to consciously add a final prayer.
Ignacio, keep this child of yours alive. Please do not make our sacrifice in vain…
POST: 6 | WORD COUNT: 644 |
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Post by gutpunch on Aug 12, 2018 0:11:27 GMT -6
SAKURA High Queen of BreimHer heart told her to look away. Her mind forced her to watch. The grandmother, her old nanny, took the drink calmly. She watched as her muscles relaxed, head drooping, the single horn propped against the very debris that was her downfall. A smile, and Sakura’s heart tightened in her chest. Iyasu had been the one to give her the tonic, yet all the guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. Her own muscles were tense; anchoring herself to the ground so that bolting, which was usually what she considered unladylike and embarrassing, would not be an option. She continued to stare, unblinking. Truthfully, Sakura thought she would never witness a death, especially one so close in proximity. A long breath was pressed out of her lungs. Comforting words echoed next to her. The foal had cried out for its mother – did demons really have mothers? She wasn’t sure – and the healers had taken to calming the child. She watched this, too, but from a slight distance where the entire scene was before her. The fires had died out. Except for the kirin. Sakura’s hope that the extinguished flame would correspond with the foal was shot. More guilt. How could she wish death on a child? Already she had sent somebody to their grave. Already she had spat in Argus’s face, declaring Ignacio’s spawn more important than Argus’s children. Would he forgive her? How could he forgive her? Silently, she spoke to him, “We will raise it with our beliefs. It will know you as its Father, just as we do. I promise.”With a clenched jaw, she continued to observe the healers. Ciel, Imogen, and Iyasu had all surrounded the filly, no, foal, no, child, no, demon? and she could see their teke grabbing at debris. They pulled it away until finally there was more room. Sweat and dirt and dust clung to her coat, dampening her skin. Crack! A shudder. Iyasu had pushed against the beam, effectively snapping it in two. It was all almost too sudden. It splintered, doubling down on itself from the weight of remaining debris. Stone and crushed brick rolled down. Iyasu blocked any rogue destruction from falling back onto the foal. Imogen and Ciel had grabbed the child, effectively yanking her out into the open. The rocks entombed the grandmother. Sakura could have sworn she heard crushing, but her ears pinned at the idea, and it was quickly ignored. Only a fraction of the now deceased’s horn peaked through the remnants. Sakura could only stare at the healers and the kirin. She swallowed, eyeing the tiny, fragile thing. Her fear, every child’s fear, every Breimian’s fear was right there. Trembling. Scared. Confused. “I think we can all agree,” her words low once more, “that while we tried to save her, the combination of her wounds and the various aftershocks sealed her fate before we could help her. The child was just now discovered to be a kirin. We are not heartless.” A reminder, perhaps. She paused to take a deep breath. “We had no choice.” As the words left her mouth, she regarded each healer in turn. Her intention was plain: Do not speak of the decisions made here.
word count: 535 |
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