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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 1, 2018 0:07:42 GMT -6
 War-Forged Faction ThreadPlease 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.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your faction is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'DPrompt: By now the familiar sight of a bunch of giant Silverwood trees where previously there had been none is nothing new to the majority of Oneans. Interesting maybe, and at times annoying, but not new. Reports of strange tracks and cries heard in the trees is, however, and a group of you has found just such a set of tracks. They lead from the forest to your homes and then back again but odder is that they seem not so much like tracks of an animal, but something... else. Almost as if the plants themselves were moving. But that's ridiculous, right? Suddenly manifesting trees notwithstanding. Should you investigate further? Location: South of Skeldr Time of Day: Morning Current Weather: Foggy, drizzling This thread is open to all characters in the War-Forged Faction!
You don't have to register to join in!
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Post by fynli on Jul 2, 2018 20:09:53 GMT -6
= Saoirse =
1 | 204“Diarmuid!” Saoirse’s voice echoed through the woods as she called for her son, ears flicking back and forth in hopes of picking up his calls. “Diarmuid where are you!”
Her oldest child was curious to a fault and she considered it a blessing and a curse. He’d begged to do something adventurous like his father heading to Sirith but both his parents had insisted he stay put. He certainly wasn’t happy about it. The mysterious tracks leading to and fro from the Silverwood didn’t help the boy’s attitude and as soon as his mother’s back was turned, he ran off to follow them.
Now Saoirse was trekking through the misty undergrowth, a lantern held out in front of her. She didn't like the feeling she got from these woods, something was here that made her skin crawl. Despite her frustration at her son not listening to simple orders, she just wanted him home safe. Those tracks didn’t belong to any animal she’d seen roam these lands and knowing that her boy was out on his own scared her. Who knew what was really out here?
“Diarmuid!” she called again, pausing once more in anticipation. No answer.
When she’d find him, he was so grounded.
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Post by loveboxer123 on Jul 3, 2018 9:18:06 GMT -6
= A V O C A D O =
"And no one escapes this place. So you’re gonna die anyway..."
WC: 556| Post #1Ava’s stomach turned as she looked to the mists around her. Her fellows were searching these woods too. But Ava was still technically recovering. But fuck that, she wanted to see what was happening.
Her ears twisted every now and then, trying to find what was causing her unease. Ava grunted softly, glaring into the trees.
“Whatever you are, I am not scared of you” She said, mostly to reassure herself, because she was very scared. The chimeric mare entered the thick wood, ears becoming flattened as her paranoia spiked.
Diarmuid!
The unicorn startled, tossing her head back, before looking into the trees. Someone else was here. Searching for..something, if the calling of the name was anything to go by. The young Valkyrie inhaled sharply.
“Whos out there?!” Her voice was pitched sharp with anxiety, an instinctual fear of the darkness around her causing her to raise one back hoof warily. She breathed softly, before beginning to trek into the wood, keeping an eye on the strange tracks she could see out of the corner of her eye. Something was out here. Something alive. The silvery light of the trees and their nettles washed her in a soft light, that glinted off her horns.
No one ever said Ava was the smartest cookie. Which was why she was currently walking towards a voice she didnt know. The mare shook her mane, brushed her braided forelock back, and continued on, having to push due to her smaller stature
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Post by PaganStars on Jul 3, 2018 12:10:29 GMT -6
Uriel These broken limbs are worn and tired
But our words are not yet written
Our ember still burning inside
  
x | x
Wandering through the giant forest, Uriel almost felt delicate. It was strange; they were so used to being the largest thing in the room, all horns and spikes and jagged edges. But walking through this newly created forest, head tilted up to look at just how impossibly high these trees went made an air of calm wash over the kirin. Anger dwelled under the surface, snaked through their bones but something about this forest tamed it.
Disturbing the fog with each step, Uriel recalled how the locals had been talking about strange tracks in the wood, unfamiliar and stange in every way possible. It had intrigued the Kirin, calling out to them. So now Uriel slowly drifted between trees, head tall as they searched.
But then other voices had called out and Uriel felt that anger swell once more.
But they pushed on, soothed by the call of the trees.
Clad in their shining armour, face obscured by their veil and the sparkling train following behind them, Uriel wondered if they looked like a ghost walking through the fog. Maybe these other horses would think so, Spot the glistening fangs and piercing blue eyes. They’d run in terror and bring a smile upon Uriel’s face.
That wouldn’t be so bad, now would it.
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Post by Dream-Lark on Jul 3, 2018 12:56:05 GMT -6
Wintera | Outcast
It was a drizzly, foggy morning, but instead of being busy inside the tavern and forge, the small figure was standing and staring a selection of trees. Silverwood, they were called. Taend was off with some merchants, and since she wasn't to handle the Frozen Horn by herself, she followed the rumors out to here. She was intensely curious why such a stand of trees kept arousing suspicion, how they could have simply appeared from nowhere like rumors stated. Then again...hadn't she?
With a sigh, Wintera moved forward, ears swiveling as she heard a voice calling. It sounded like it kept calling the same thing again and again, a name? An different voice answered, and a splash of color against the trees showed a unicorn moving toward where the first voice had been shouting. Pale eyes regarded the unicorn (was that Avocado?), and the direction of the first voice, before turning to regard the trees for a long moment. She didn't really want to move closer to Ava... Had that...long tail flocked behind her, scaled glittering in the early light as the kirin moved forward several paces, toward the trees. Was there a figure in amidst the fog? It looked...large and ghostly. A shiver ran down furred and scaled back, not sure she wanted to investigate the Silverwood anymore. And yet...the unknown called to her, begged to be understood as her own appearance in this world couldn't be. Post 1 | WC 242 |
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Post by misttheelf on Jul 3, 2018 17:04:10 GMT -6
Starla frowned as she made her way through the drizzle, Enki bouncing ahead of her along the trail. The black mare was immensely worried of what may be - No, what was lurking in those Silverwood trees... She was curious, yet worried as she made her way there. These tracks were just too strange... too odd, in her opinion. So, after locking her shop, for she didn't know how long this could take, she headed towards the trees, Enki following, and sometimes bouncing ahead a few paces.
Starla's ears swiveled as she heard others call for someone, and another voice responded. It seemed like she wasn't the only one investigating the odd stand of trees.
To be honest, a feeling of dread set in, with the calls from others, and the downtrodden weather being the notable cause, to Starla at least. She sighed as she made her way towards the trees, humming slightly to calm her nerves... She needed to be as steady as Kaia's earth to see what was truly going on, after all. Being rash could lead to disaster... And that was something she did not wish for.
WC: 189 Post 1
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Post by Royaltrix on Jul 4, 2018 9:45:54 GMT -6
Berdgis "Not all of us can do great things,
but we can do small things with great love."
 1 | 569 On dreary mornings like this, the Caenna would normally bide her time in the temple, compelled to recite her prayers to Kaia until it became second nature for the mare to call upon them without hesitation. But alas, it seemed today would be another day wasted for practicing due to her attention being drawn to her newfound neighbors; the Silverwood trees. Upon their first appearance, Berdgis was both awed and wary of them. Never in her life did the mare expect to experience the legendary myth tied so intricately into Kaia, but it seemed fate had other things in mind for the simple mare. But still, their sudden appearance raised many warning signs in her mind. Why now of all times would the infamous Silverwood trees make their presence known to the world? This thought alone painted her face in fear, tears naturally pooling in her hazel eyes with chapped lips from fear-induced nibbling.
Despite being more-so secluded from the buzz of Skeldr Town, Berdgis learned of the rumors surrounding the trees from both concerned parents and blissfully unaware students. Of course it would be inevitable that the children would chatter endlessly about the trees, their curiosity about the fabled trees becoming a constant topic of discussion. At first, Berdgis indulged in their curiosity with lessons centered around the legends of Kaia. But there's only so much she could express about them before it became boring for her students. So instead of keeping to herself in her temple, the mare decided to expand her knowledge by venturing further into the Sliverwood trees, despite how much she feared venturing into the unknown. But if her students wanted to know about the trees and Kaia, then the tiny mare would muster up all the courage she could in order to provide for them.
As she traveled further into foggy woods, Berdgis couldn't help but feel smaller than she ever has surrounded by looming trees. She kept her head low, her eyes sweeping back and forth constantly as fear clawed at her throat; silencing her cries as tears unabashedly formed in her eyes. The mare had no idea where she was going, only trudging forward through the woods by following the rumored strange tracks everyone spoke of. Whether she was following the right tracks or not, she wouldn't know but it seemed to work in her favor as her sensitive ears twitched towards loud voices echoing through out the woods. Maybe she should call out towards them too?
When she went to step towards the voices, she raised her head and prepared her voice to shout when someone suddenly collided with her chest with a loud thwack, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Looking down, her eyes fell upon a young unicorn with golden horns staring right back at her in equal confusion. Even though there was throbbing pain in her chest, the Caenna easily slipped into her role as a care-giver and frowned gently at the child before her. "Are you alright? What are you doing out here all alone?" her voice oddly firm despite the rising anxiety bubbling in her chest. While waiting for a response, she heard a voice call out a name, almost with a hint of finality to it. Diarmuid.
Taking matters into her own hands, she shouted back to the searching voice. "Hello?" she paused, baiting her breath before she continued. "Is this your child?" |
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Post by fynli on Jul 4, 2018 16:32:58 GMT -6
= Saoirse =
2 | 309There were others in the forest. Saoirse immediately picked up on the distant calls of other horses, or at least she hoped they were members of War-Forged. The thought of cultists lurking around here made her skin crawl and she prayed to Kaia that those vermin wouldn’t dare to step foot here. It only made her anxiety peak as she wandered further, calling out her son’s name again.
Someone called back.
Judging by the accent, they were pure Onean. Saoirse cantered towards the voice, not caring for grace or subtly as she crashed through the undergrowth. She almost sobbed in relief as she saw a somewhat familiar mare standing next to her boy.
Diarmuid looked surprised to see his mother but ecstatic nonetheless. “Mommy!” He bounded over to her, waving his toy sword proudly without the fear of the future consequences to his impulsive actions. “I was trying to track the strange prints outside our house and-” he stopped when he saw the icy look on his mother’s face, lowering the sword slowly.
He was in trouble and he knew it.
Saoirse looked towards Berdgis and gave her a weary, thankful smile. “Thank you so much for finding him, he’s not supposed to be here in the first place.”
“But-” Diarmuid tried to cut in, only to be silenced by another sharp glare. His ears fell back, brows furrowed in an scowl that was far too common these days. “I just wanted to do something cool like dad,” he grumbled, falling in beside his mother.
Saoirse took a deep breath, glancing around the woods. “Do you have any idea what’s in here?” She muttered to the caenna, flicking her ears back anxiously. Everything felt off about this place, even if Kaia had willed it into existence. There were many things that Kaia worked mysteriously with, this was no exception.
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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 4, 2018 20:25:19 GMT -6
 Hira
War Lord
Hira was used to feeling small, these days. Once Onea had seemed packed full of equines her size, but recent years had seen an influx of veritable brutes, something she blamed on the increased exchange of culture between the Forged and Aodh.
Or maybe I’m just getting old, the pony thought grumpily to herself, standing at the threshold to the forest and looking as far up as her neck would comfortably allow. Her retinue was milling about some distance from her, but Hira wasn’t listening. Or at least, she wasn’t listening to them. If she held very still, if she closed her eyes and dug her hooves into the earth and just breathed… then she swore she could hear… something. Almost as if the trees whispered to each other, though there was little wind. Perhaps it was just the rain pattering down from above, but Hira could not deny that she felt a pull, and that it emanated from the trees.
So, with a quick glance to make sure she was relatively unobserved by any who might object (so mainly, Alistair), Hira flicked her tail and stepped lightly into the trees. She had never been one for idling on her hooves while there were things to be done, after all. And she knew her Valkyries were somewhere within as well, accompanied by Grigori. Hira grinned briefly at the thought, before casting her gaze around. She allowed the hood to fall back from her head: the trees did an adequate job of catching the drizzle, and she didn’t like the way the fabric limited her vision.
Though the day was overcast and foggy- indeed, fog twined itself almost with intelligent design through the undergrowth- once within the trees, Hira noticed that the light seemed more… luminous, as if the trees themselves emanated a gentle glow. It made her feel odd, but not unpleasantly so, and Hira made her way slowly forwards, stopping finally at the base of a towering tree, split into two trunks some 25 strides or so up. Strange tracks marked the damp, mossy earth and Hira frowned, leaning down to examine them further when sudden shouts rang eerily through the trees, and the pony’s head whipped up, hammer loosening in its strap at her side.
Tracks momentarily forgotten, Hira walked cautiously forwards, following what was now the definite strains of a conversation.
“Hello?” she called, more a challenge than a greeting as she pushed through a pair of large verdant ferns, head still held high to avoid the splash of water drops.
Post 1 | 410 words
Badge by Chipo-H0P3
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 5, 2018 13:56:21 GMT -6
FAELAN
The Silverwood was there to protect Onea, he had been told.
Sounded like a load of manure, if Faelan was honest. The forest, as if it was a living beast, grew with unnatural speed, and seemed to move. He had been to the edge of the woods near Skeldr Town a good few times, and it felt like it was a little bit different every time.
The strange tracks just outside his door had been the last straw. Last night he had decided to go investigate, loudly announcing his intentions to Mert, and that he wanted to set off right away, so when they got deep into the woods, it would be dawn.
If it made the strange sounds and mysterious tracks cease, all the better. People of the town would sleep soundly again.
Mert, of course, wanted to accompany him.
Camping near the edge of the forest several miles from Skeldr Town, they ate a simple breakfast before heading in. The dawn turned into a morning, and the forest seemed to go on forever.
Cold, wet air filled his lungs, but Faelan was determined now. The Silverwood forest would reveal its secrets, he would make sure of it.
The morning was soggy and wet, the mist thick above the lush spring grass. Birds sung in the branches guarded from the drizzle, but otherwise the world was quiet.
Faelan entered the forest first, his head held high and proud, and it was as if the sound stopped. The drizzle broke on the silver pines above, and the forest was more dry than the open plain outside – still wet, but not notably so.
Faelan found the track again, and nodded to Mert, heading in that direction. There were hoofprints in the grass and undergrowth, cloven and otherwise, telling of other travelers who had come this very same way.
Somewhere, far off, someone was calling.
A name? He couldn’t quite pick it up.
It seemed the tracks would lead them in that direction regardless.
He could hear others moving in the woods, words spoken even as the calling for someone subsided. They all seemed so far away, yet so close, echoes against the Silverwood.
“Bitterbreeze, scout ahead”, he told the wolf, who let out a quiet grunt of agreement, and headed into the forest ahead of them.
Word count: 385
Post #1
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Post by tarriedsea on Jul 5, 2018 16:09:56 GMT -6
 Mama told her to stay with Alistair. She could come with them to see the trees, but she had to listen to her uncle. She huffed. Mama was always so busy.
It would have been more fun with Grigori here. Her brother had insisted on joining the Valkyries for the day. She thought she would be fine alone, but upon stepping out of the Fortress, she felt out of sorts & vulnerable without her brother by her side. A shiver ran down her legs.
She stuck to her uncle's hocks like a burr until she saw her mother step into the forest. "Hello?" her mother's faint voice called out, facing the gray mist.
Suddenly, mama looked so alone next to the giant trees. Without thinking, Anika sprung from her uncle's side. She skidded to a stop just short of Hira's flank.
It felt colder here in the forest. Was mama going to be mad for her disobedience? She just wanted to feel safe by her side. Missing Grigori was bad enough. And something here felt so weird and out of place. Anika shivered again and pressed herself to Hira's belly. |
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Post by PaganStars on Jul 5, 2018 17:26:43 GMT -6
Uriel These broken limbs are worn and tired
But our words are not yet written
Our ember still burning inside
x | x More and more voices began to ring among the trees, some ever so close, some so far away that Uriel could barely make out what they were saying. Maybe no one was saying anything and it was merely the wind playing tricks, luring in those who ventured alone or too deep.
Uriel continued forward none the less, slowly retrieving their glaive from where it was strapped to their side. They inspected it for a moment, catching their shimmering reflection in the metal before holding it out beside themselves. Uriel would not be caught unguarded.
The dew was cold against their skin as they continued, a shiver travelling along their spined back.
But then something was moving a handful of paces in front of them, Uriel’s attention drawn instantly. Their slitted eyes narrowed further, fangs poking out ever so barely.
A silver haired Unicorn stepped through the brush, calling out and then suddenly accompanied by a foal who glued themselves to her side. Uriel felt the familiar twist of disgust in their gut, lessened so by the fact that it was a unicorn in front of them… but only slightly.
It was Awkward, made more so by the fact that both had weapons held and prepared for a fight. What was Uriel to say?
“Who are you” was a good enough start as anything.
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Post by loveboxer123 on Jul 5, 2018 18:00:24 GMT -6
= A V O C A D O =
"And no one escapes this place. So you’re gonna die anyway...."
WC: 179| Post #2Ava’s head shot up at the voice, nearby. She knew that voice. That was her War Lord. The valkyrie pivoted, tail slicing through the air behind her as she made the push through the brush in front of her. The forest never yielded much ground.
Eventually, however, she pushed through, ears twisting to listen to the voices in the distance. She spied the brown coat, then a voice from the forest.
Who are you?
Immediately, the mare launched herself from the brush, putting herself between Hira and the figure. All she could see was a silhouette. It could have been anything. A tall unicorn. Or a kirin, such as the one from the last patrol they went on. Either way. Green narrowed at the brush, before she gruffly spoke.
“War Lord. Are you harmed?” One leg was lifted. Poised. Like a hound ready to attack. Ava would protect Hira with her life and now was no exception. Despite not having a weapon.
Her horns and hooves would have to do, if it came to such.
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Post by Moose-On-Ice on Jul 6, 2018 21:04:57 GMT -6
|| COLBORN || 
Gods forsaken spooky stories, this probably was all from some kid thinking they're cool for comin' up with a tale told around a fireplace... This probably was all Apana shite. Jaw set in a firm line, pipe clenched in his teeth, Colborn stared at the large trees. Maybe he wanted to believe this was nothing more than a child making up a story, but the repeated accounts of the trees popping up, and them actually existing in front of him told him otherwise. The Craftmaster moved to the base of one, knocking his metal hoof on the base. Hmph. Yep. It was real alright
Leaning back slightly, he quietly puffed his pipe, tasting the tobacco in his mouth while tilting his head up to look at the tops of the trees. Even if this was some sort of... Faked prank by maybe a reality manipulation or a plan manipulation holder, the strange tracks were enough to cause concern for Járnsmiðr and the Jarnaskr who lived there, especially with them leading up to their homes and back. It was enough to cause concern for the Craftmaster, after that run in with the pale Kirin. He'd come out of his forge to look into the problem himself, for good of Járnsmiðr.
Heaving a sigh, Colborn's ears twitched, picking up faint sounds of voices. Damn, was his hearing gettin' worse? Bah. Shaking his head, Colborn pulled the collar of his fur and leather coat up higher on his neck before slowly walking into the forest, his head low, brows furrowed deeply. At the very least he could see if this whole kerfuffle was because of some punk kid thinkin' it would be a great prank. His grey gaze flicked to the damp earth below his hooves. Hmph. At least the softer earth felt better on his achin' feet than standing on cobblestone all day...
Quietly following the tracks, minding his own business, Colborn's ears flicked at more shouting. Who the hell was deciding to have a fuckin' party in these woods? It was... Unsettling enough to simply be here, with the way the fog lit up, the rain drizzling... Shivering, he grunted quietly. No reason to get unsettled by this shite. He was too old to waste worry on somethin' like this.
"Gods fuckin'... Brush!" He growled to himself, shoving his way through the forest flora to follow the tracks.
Word Count 397 | Post 1
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2018 12:51:51 GMT -6
MERT
From the comfort of Irileth’s house, a trek in the woods had seemed like a great idea. Now, in the foggy and eerie forest, not so much. It was wet and the atmosphere made his hair stand up, the mist filling his lungs in a manner that wasn’t entirely comfortable. While Mert was in decent shape, he was no match for Faelan, and was much shorter of breath much sooner. Trying his best to hide it didn’t exactly help, either.
There were tracks and voices calling here and there, the trees muffling the sound and the fog making it impossible to point the direction exactly. The voices sounded like regular equine voices, though. Nothing too creepy, hopefully. Or maybe that was the point. Mert clutched his bow tightly with his teke, feeling slightly comforted by the strength imbuement it had.
When they finally could make out shapes of equines through the fog, Mert had had plenty of time to psyche himself up. He instantly clung closer to Faelan at the first glimpse of anything, their sides shortly touching.
“Sorry, I slipped”, he muttered, a bit embarrassed, trying his best to demonstrate how slippery the wet footing could be. Despite this claim, he did stay somewhat hidden behind Faelan.
Word count: 208 | post 1
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 7, 2018 18:07:01 GMT -6
FAELAN
More voices, closer now. Silhouettes moving amidst the fog. They all looked like equines, however – as they got closer, he could make out the familiar outlines of horns and wings, and… Antlers? That wasn’t familiar at all, but he had heard of kirins at this point, and he knew enough of them to figure that anything horse shaped with an antler crown was probably one of those weird lizards.
Mert was even closer to him now, and stumbled into him. Faelan suppressed a sidestep from the surprise, and instead looked at Mert with the kind of calm and reassuring he didn’t really possess, but wanted to project anyway.
“It’s okay Mert. You’re safe with me”, he promised.
Ahead of them, Bitterbreeze had stumbled to the scene of Hira, Anika, their loyal Valkyrie Avocado, and the kirin Uriel. Assessing the situation, the arctic wolf let out a signal howl, and snarled in a warning manner at the strange, antlered shape of Uriel, the like of which the creature had not seen before.
Following the sound, Faelan soon broke through the fog onto the scene, eyeing first the kirin – or what he could make of them through the fog – and then the closer figures of the War Lord and her foal, as well as one of the Valkyries.
Faelan had seen her around town and knew of her rank, but could not recall her name.
“War Lord”, he greeted, stomping his hoof with youthful bravado. He wanted to ask what their leader was doing here with a foal and so little guard, but held his tongue. Faelan had heard stories of Hira’s battle prowess and was not eager to question her, even if his dad often spoke of the mare leader derisively.
Cautiously, he too turned to face the kirin, all while keeping Mert close to him.
“Come out to where we can see you”, Faelan hollered at the kirin, or anyone else hiding in the fog for that matter. He stood as tall as he could, chest puffed and hammer at the ready.
Word count: 342
Post #2
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Post by Royaltrix on Jul 9, 2018 18:53:45 GMT -6
Berdgis "Not all of us can do great things,
but we can do small things with great love."
2 | 408 After the Caenna called out towards the searching voice, the response she waited for was not what she expected; thundering footsteps crashing through the foliage only to burst out right in front of her and the child. It was a unicorn mare, who Berdgis could only assume was the child's mother, her crystalline orbs wildly searching before settling upon her son with overwhelming relief. Berdgis stood by watching the pair, the child darting immediately towards her with obvious excitement only to be silenced by his mother's icy glare. Berdgis felt her heart-strings be tugged tightly by the sight, sadden to see the deflated shoulders of the child take form. The mare felt compelled to comfort him, her nature as a Caenna to encourage his curiosity about the world coming forth. But for once, her mind won over her body's natural reaction with the assumed knowledge that he'd disobeyed his mother.
Once the mother was done with scolding her son with unspoken words, the Caenna shifted her weight nervously as the mother turned her icy orbs towards her. Her assumption that her son had been defiant was confirmed in the weary, but grateful smile emitted on the unicorn's face while she thanked Berdgis. Unwillingly, a blush blossomed on the mare's cheeks from the acknowledgement; her nervous energy overpowering any minimal control she had over her face. "I-It's no problem! I'm glad I was able to find him before something bad could possibly happen." she smiled, before lowering her head to be eye level with Diarmuid, nerves momentarily forgotten in the face of the young unicorn. "There's nothing wrong with being curious about the world or what your dad does," she drew a breath, strengthening her voice as she continued. "But I'm sure your mother knows best when or where you can do this." she finished, motherly tone uniquely trademark to the Caenna.
Raising her head hesitantly, she wasn't sure whether or not she'd stepped out of line in front of his mother. Glancing away, her hazel orbs wary as she nibbled her nips anxiously before responding to Saoirse's equally anxious query. "I'm not entirely sure what dwells in these woods..." she trailed off, an uncontrollable shiver wracking her body from a combination of her frayed nerves and the unnatural air of the woods, "but if there's one thing I know, it's definitely not natural or normal." she whispered, slightly curling into herself as more voices echoed throughout the woods.
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Post by misttheelf on Jul 9, 2018 20:57:46 GMT -6
Starla grew more uneasy as she walked further into the strange woods, continuing to softly hum an old lullaby... She could ear others, their voices growing louder. Perhaps she was nearing someone else, or perhaps a group? That would certainly ease her a bit.
Suddenly Enki dashed off, startling Starla. "E-Enki!" She called after her, rushing after the Irish wolfhound. Enki barked happily at the chase, running until she nearly crashed into another mare. The brown pup looked up at the mare and barked happily, sitting down, before looking at the other two nearby and tilting her head.
"Enki!" Starla said as she came into the clearing with Berdgis, Saoris, and Diarmuid. "Don't run off girl..." She said, breathing somewhat heavily. "Oh, uhm, hello." She bowed her head to them. "I'm, sorry if Enki startled you all..." She trailed off, looking at them, with a small smile.
She wasn't happy with Enki running off, but well... Enki had led her to others. And that was good, in her opinion. She really didn't like being alone in this strange forest.
WC:179 Post 2
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Jul 10, 2018 2:47:12 GMT -6
If she were being honest with herself, then she would admit that she was pretty terrified. When the giant Silverwood trees had first sprouted in the low-lying farmlands, she had dismissed the news, thinking it wouldn't ever come to be of her consequence. But they had spread within the matter of a few nights, and now her once-familiar Skeldr Town itself even had a few new neighbors in its nearby woods. She had no clue how dispersed the tree population was beyond the treeline, but from the way that others talked, she knew there was a decent number of them.
The townsfolk got used to their new neighbors quickly enough, but Kiger still wasn't comfortable enough to consider herself the same. But she couldn't stick to the safety of her home forever--a merchant needed wares, a craftsman needed raw materials. She hated the idea that she might be the only one still second-guessing the appearance of some dumb trees, magical or not, so she eventually made up her mind to don her cloak and saddlebags to go exploring.
She rather wished she'd chosen a different day, or that she'd made up her mind sooner or later because today the mountain was drizzling. The humidity trapped by the low-hanging rain clouds made a fine fog that became more and more obstructive the further down the mountain she went. The Silverwood trees began to outnumber the normal trees until the War Lord's Road looked as if it were flanked by an even mix of both. Somewhere along the line, she decided to take a small side road that ended up leading her right into the middle of a particularly thick grove of the things. And still, the rain carried on.
Kiger stepped lightly over a knotted root, half expecting it to come shooting up to entangle her, but it didn't. Up close, the Silverwood trees looked a lot like most other trees, perhaps best-resembling birch without the stripes. Also, they were a lot thicker, like oak trees. She picked up a few patterned rocks, wiped the moisture off with a rag, and tucked them surreptitiously in her saddlebags.
The further she went into the grove, the more she heard voices. Kiger wasn't sure if they were beasts or other horses, or maybe she was just hallucinating. She saw shadowy shapes moving about, and a mix of unknown tracks mingling with hoofprints. Then she started hearing a lot of shouting echoing through the fog. That sure sounded like other horses.
Kiger peeped out from behind a huge bush and suddenly saw the strangest confrontation.
Is that...the War Lord?
WC 436
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2018 18:43:01 GMT -6
MERT
Mert was thankful that Faelan could at least pretend to be calm and sure of himself, when Mert was rapidly losing all of his confidence. Not that he had had all that much to begin with, anyway. A part of him wanted to beg Faelan to take him home, but he suppressed that desire.
He was startled by the wolf’s howl in the distance, and his head spun immediately towards the direction. His breathing came out in anxious huffs, and he hurried after Faelan even if he wanted to just freeze in place. He sure as hell wasn’t going to be left alone for even a second.
He had not expected to see quite this company, and stared at everyone. The kirin was creepy, and he discreetly made sure Faelan stayed closer to that thing than he did.
Mert’s greeting stomp was a lot meeker than his friend’s, and he didn’t have the strength to pull himself together to pretend otherwise. He knew that the War Lord was likely going to recognize him, but he wished she didn’t. He would get into so much trouble with Irileth. ‘Going camping’, he had told her. Quite the camping trip this was, for sure.
Mert also wished Faelan hadn’t hollered out, and it took all he had not to glue himself straight to the Raider’s side. Instead, he held his bow tightly, eyeing the company while staring into the woods. He was so focused he actually jumped a little when Kiger came from behind a bush, and it took a moment of staring before he lowered his weapon again. His heart was racing, and he hoped that no one had noticed. If he just shut up, maybe no one would.
Word count: 287 | post 2
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Post by Dream-Lark on Jul 14, 2018 11:15:13 GMT -6
Wintera | Kirin Outcast With a deep breath, the kirin slipped further into the woods, following the tracks and voices she heard calling. They seemed to be rising and falling, some holding notes of alarm or anger. She saw hooves in the snow, paw prints, and other odd tracks smudged out of recognition. At least her coat and scales would help her blend into the fog a bit... With an uneasiness borne of being around a larger group of equines she didn't know, Wintera eased closer and closer to the group, instantly spotting a kirin and then the form of Avacodo. The rest she didn't really recognize, though she thought one of the shorter mares present might be the War Lord...Taend had given her Hira's description before, saying it was important she know the information. Pale eyes widened a bit as she studied the scene, scanning all the figures and the few canines present. The small kirin peered out from behind a tree, trying to remain hidden behind some undergrowth. She was suddenly feeling afraid and insecure, though she wasn't the type to be shy. Those present seemed to be holding aggressive stances toward the kirin and Wintera...didn't really want that directed at her. After all, Taend had already told her that her kind weren't exactly welcomed with friendly smiles. WC 218 | Post 2 |
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 17, 2018 19:16:00 GMT -6
FAELAN
More shapes in the trees. Faelan felt the unease creep, but tried his best to keep his head cool. It was this darned, strange forest that made him feel like this, of course. Normally he was the bravest Raider anyone could ever hope to meet, and now he even had extra responsibility – protecting Mert and the War Lord.
When Kiger joined them, Faelan gave a brief, spooked glance, before recognizing that there was likely no danger. Regular equines could be dangerous too, of course, but there were quite a few of them here already, so he wasn’t exactly worried about a single opponent.
There were still voices further off, the ones he had originally followed. Faelan wondered who they were, if they had a different reason to being here.
Faelan was just about to focus back on the shape ahead of them when the branches rustled ever so slightly to their side, and he whirled around to see an antlered face peeking at them. Faelan raised his Warhammer at the stranger, but then realized that they looked quite… Well, not small per say, but they certainly didn’t look terribly intimidating either. Afraid, more like.
“Don’t hide from us, and we won’t hurt you”, he promised, still rather loud but not quite as aggressive sounding as with the other kirin.
Word count: 219
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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 21, 2018 0:39:31 GMT -6
Hira
War Lord
Hira had barely gotten the words out of her mouth and had only caught the vaguest hint of an equine standing in the mist, before the shrubs across from her seemingly erupted and transformed into a shape she knew very well indeed. Simultaneously another form Hira knew appeared out of the forest and attached to her side like a palomino burr.
Hira huffed out a quiet, exasperated, amused puff of air.
“I am fine, Ava.” But her green eyes had not wavered from the figure in the mist, who had yet to take a step closer, and Hira was acutely aware of Anika at her side. She did not lessen her grip on her hammer.
“I am Hira,” she called to the figure, surprised at the lack of recognition. “And I am wondering,” the pony continued, as Faelan and Mert shoved into view, “how many of us are lurking here.” She cut her eyes away from Uriel briefly, tapping a hoof in greeting even as she looked back towards Uriel. She could still hear brief snatches of conversation, and what sounded like hoofbeats, though it was hard to tell. And under all of that… she still felt the pull of the forest, and its life thrumming through the earth beneath her hooves.
Faelan’s words made Hira’s gaze move again, and she too caught sight of the face half-hidden in the foilage. Earth and stone, there were more equines cavorting about than pebbles in a stream. Again, Hira was aware of Anika at her side, but the War Lord wasn’t truly worried. She doubted any Vagabonds or equines of otherwise malicious intent would be making quite so much of a racket.
“Well,” Hira said finally to her impromptu audience. “I was following some interesting tracks.” She paused, her pale gaze rather pointed as it roved over the raucous group around her. “I can’t imagine anything non-equine is in the vicinity, so.” She nodded her head once, apparently finding this to be a suitable farewell, and turned to go.
CRASH
Something moved fluidly and rapidly through the trees just behind where Wintera was hiding. It- whatever it was- moved too quickly for identification, but Hira thought it might have been green. It definitely wasn’t equine. And, Hira noted in the moment of ringing silence that followed the creature’s exit, it hadn’t attacked them, either.
“I have been proven wrong,” Hira observed finally, eyes bright as she looked deeper within the trees, into the paths unmade and unknown. “For that alone I’m going to find out what it was.” And with a flick of her tail and a glance from Anika to Ava with an implicit watch my back for the Valkyrie, Hira was marching deeper into the trees.
Post 2 | 453 words
Badge by Chipo-H0P3
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Post by Dream-Lark on Jul 21, 2018 10:04:32 GMT -6
Wintera | Kirin Outcast Frame shrank a little as she was spotted, a figure whirling in her direction and a war hammer raising. Cloven front hooves lifted from the ground, about to whirl and run off, when the stallion lowered his weapon and called out instead. Wintera breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing a little bit, and chiding herself. She supposed she did look like some common thief, skulking in the shadows like some no good vagabond. "Apologies," the kirin murmured as she stepped around the tree, pelted figure coming more into light and sight of the others, thought she kept her distance, and tone didn't sound entirely...sincere. She noted with pride that she had indeed identified the War Lord correctly, for it was Hira before her, with a foal attached to her side and Avocado hovering protectively nearby, not to mention the other equines all gathered together. This really was turning into an interesting outing...though Wintera had initially hoped to investigate these odd woods on her own. The short mare sighed, though the action turned into a squeak and jump when something crashed through the trees just behind her. With a whirl and a snort to regain her composure, Wintera cast through the woods with her gaze, but couldn't catch sight of the figure at all, it had moved so quickly! Suddenly she was beginning to rethink her decision to look about the Silverwood, but if the War Lord was going to keep going...she might be unarmed, but if Wintera stuck about this group, she'd be fine and could keep going, right? That one stallion had said they wouldn't hurt her, and Hira hadn't really given her a second look, which though it stung her pride, made her feel a little more secure she wasn't going to be skewered or smashed by a hammer. WC 304 | Post 3 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2018 20:28:20 GMT -6
MERT
Another kirin appearing didn’t make Mert feel any less spooked, but this time he didn’t startle quite so badly. He saw Faelan’s Warhammer raise, and raised his own bow alike, just in case. It lowered just as soon, but Mert stayed more aligned with Faelan’s hip rather than standing side by side. He just wanted home, pretty much. This had been a terrible idea and all of this excitement made him feel lightheaded.
Hira’s voice was grounding enough for him to manage some sort of focus from equines appearing left and right, and he meekly wondered if he and Faelan could just sneak out too, if their War Lord left.
No such luck, however, as something crashed and moved too fast to make sense of. By the time Mert’s bow was raised, the thing was gone. His heart was beating so painfully he feared he would pass out. If he made it back home in one piece, Irileth would have his ass for this.
Mert glanced at Faelan almost desperately as Hira announced she was going to check it out. Mert knew, instinctively, that Faelan would want to go too, but if there had been crumbles of courage left, there was no longer none.
“Faelan…” he murmured quietly, in a pleading tone, even if he knew there was no way they were turning home now.
Word count: 225 | post 3
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Post by Moose-On-Ice on Jul 24, 2018 15:35:59 GMT -6
|| COLBORN ||
Muttering to himself as he slowly, but steadily, marched his way through the brush, Colborn found himself following the sound of voices as best he could. Stepping out from within the dim, barely lit bushes, the Craftmaster's gaze flicked between all the parties gathered. Iron eyes tempered and steeled at the sight of gleaming antlers and scales. Kirins. It had to be fuckin' kirins. The corner of his mouth curled in distaste, a sour feeling on his tongue that was not from the tobacco of his pipe.
Was he perhaps a bit biased towards kirins? Maybe. He wasn't afraid to admit it. Yes, he did praise Ignacio, he was the one who stoked the fires for the blacksmiths, but he'd yet to have a good encounter with one of the fire lord's supposed children. The only one he'd encountered at all, was a pale, blue eyed fuckstick who broke in, roughed him up, and stole from him. Fuckin' thieves and zombies, the lot of them. Looking to the brown unicorn, he grunted quietly, moving towards Hira. At least there were some familiar faces here, aside from the scaly bastards. Ears flicking, Colborn stopped some distance from her and the rest, preferring not to get into the middle of a crowded group like that. Listening, he raised a brow, but said nothing,teeth clenched onto the end of his pipe. Tracks. Hm. Was it possible it was just more scaly bastards?
The crash made the old blacksmith twitch, head jerking up, carefully looking around the perimeter. Ah, hell. He wasn't a fighter... Gaze returning to Hira, his brows again furrowed deeply. He didn't doubt the war lord's strength, but should she really be going alone? Fuckin' hell...
Word Count 286 | Post 2
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 26, 2018 16:30:47 GMT -6
FAELAN
The kirin came out of hiding, which pleased Faelan, and he turned his attention back to the War Lord. In this strange atmosphere of foolhardy bravery and fear, he really wanted to get instructions from his leader, wanting to trust that the older mare knew what do, that Hira would direct them and lead them to either discovery or safety, whichever came first he supposed.
Of course as a Raider Faelan would protect everyone here as necessary.
Didn’t mean he wasn’t a little scared.
Then, a sound, and movement.
Too fast to really pick up, it was gone before he could get a look of it. An equine it was not, that much he was sure off.
But what was it then? He didn’t know of a creature native to Onea that moved so fast, and he had thought he knew Kaia’s creatures pretty well.
When Hira moved to follow whatever it was, Faelan of course lined himself up to follow her. Mert’s desperate plea made him give a confident smile – far more confidence than he actually had in him at this point – and he flipped his head a bit so that his hair tussled down in a wild look.
“Come Mert, you can be my lookout”, he promised, softly pressing his body against Mert’s to get them both moving again.
He saw and understood that his friend was scared, but they had come this far already, turning back just seemed stupid.
Another unicorn came out of the woods, an older one, but Faelan simply raised an eyebrow at them and followed Hira with his weapon at the ready, while also herding along the less than excited Mert.
Word count: 278
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Post by PaganStars on Jul 27, 2018 13:12:05 GMT -6
Uriel These broken limbs are worn and tired
But our words are not yet written
Our ember still burning inside
x | x Pressing forward through the underbrush, Uriel listened as the warlord explained who she was. Interests piqued, Uriel fully revealed themselves though they were still surrounded by the dense fog. The threat from the smaller one almost made Uriel laugh aloud, the kirin holding back the sound “You couldn’t hurt me if you tried,” it wasn’t a threat, more of a fact. Turning, Uriel was almost shocked to see another Kirin crash through the brush, their heartbeat quickening. Were they a true kirin like Uriel themselves, or one of the false ones that pranced around ‘blessed’ by Ignacio.
Uriel had stepped towards them, far more interested in them than the warlord when something had crashed behind them, their glaive coming free once more. When the sound passed, Uriel continued to drift forward to the other Kirin who was seemingly going to tag along with this group, only for another stallion to appear. Uriel gave them a once over before falling in line with the second Kirin.
“Hello… I am Uriel, child of Ignacio,” their words were filled with a steely tone, but their body language was almost relaxed “Are you a true Kirin?”
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Post by tarriedsea on Jul 27, 2018 13:22:13 GMT -6
When Hira vanished from her side, Anika's instincts pushed her to trot along for a few strides. But when it became apparent that Hira was going without the intention of bringing along her daughter, Ani stopped mid-stride.
She hadn't noticed the flash that Hira went chasing- she happened to be on the opposite side of her dam- but she heard the crash. Could be anything.
Tears began to swell in her eyes. Where was mama going? Why couldn't she go too? She turned around to look for Alistair, but he was nowhere in sight, and some strange horses were beginning to creep out of the shadows.
Frantic, she spun around, looking for someone she recognized. The weirdness of this situation was prickling the hair on her back, and she didn't understand why she felt so uneasy, but her mind went into panic mode.
And suddenly there was one not so strange.
With a leap she went flying toward Colborn as fast as her legs could take her. The old stallion was always kind to her, and though he was rough enough for her to be mildly terrified of him on any given day, today he was the only safe thing she could see.
She nearly fell into him & pressed herself into his chest, head nestled into the crook of his neck. He was warm. What was it mama said he did? Make music with fire? He was as big and warm as a bonfire. That's all she knew. |
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Jul 27, 2018 21:26:45 GMT -6
Kiger froze when she realized someone had spotted her. Maybe she wasn't as good at hiding as she thought, considering her height. She lowered her head to the side and flattened her ears in what she hoped was a submissive gesture until Mert relaxed their stance at her. Still, tensions seemed to be running high. A curious shape had attached itself to Hira, but from her vantage point, Kiger didn't have a good view. It didn't seem threatening, so she shrugged to herself and dismissed it. Her face subconsciously flushed with embarrassment when Hira made her statement, but the War Lord had a point. As she held her breath, she was able to make out a fair few tittering voices in the background, some still distant. It sounded like half the War-Forged must be out here, combing through the forest.
The mist cleared for a moment, allowing her to get her first truly good look at the proceedings: on one side was a kirin dressed in decorative armor who looked not at all friendly. Although the mare had a wicked-looking weapon partially drawn, it seemed like they weren't planning to use it now, for which Kiger was secretly glad. It would rather suck if she suddenly got caught in a fight between strange equines. Luckily, Hira's introduction appeared to have satisfied everyone gathered in the vicinity.
The merchant tilted her head in curious surprise as another kirin appeared, drawn out by the brazen young raider standing near the War Lord. (Being a skittish horse, she had to admire both their guts.) This one was much shorter but just as strange, however, they immediately seemed less threatening than the big one--Kiger wasn't quite sure if it was their size, attitude, or just straight up lack of weaponry that made her feel that way, but it did serve to calm her nerves significantly. Or rather, temporarily at least.
There was a resounding CRASH echoing through the forest, almost as if trying to defy the herd's expectations. The loud noise made her stumble backward, even though she hadn't been going anywhere. Jerking her head towards the source--far, far over the short kirin's shoulder, she spotted a shapeless shadow flash briefly in the mists. No way it was a horse--no horse moved that fast, and she knew some fast folk. Something was still nagging her mind as she remembered where she was. The Silverwood trees. The tracks.
A few others appeared from the brush as Hira began heading in the direction of the shadow, all of them clearly intending to follow. Did she want to follow too? Kiger wasn't sure, but at the moment, following seemed better than being alone, now that the owner of the tracks has appeared...
WC 455
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