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 Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:38 am
Where it all began... It started many years ago. It's difficult to recall how long ago that fateful day was. A chance encounter and I fell foul to the brutal hands of those cold and desolate spirits. There was one Elder who had spoken of such spirits, spirits that had lived lives of little luck and had since turned their bitter nature to that of vengeance as they passed on into a life beyond the reach of those who were alive.
It was on that day, that I fell pregnant.
There is little doubt in my mind that this beast I encountered could be the most amicable and pleasant creature when he desired. Whatever means were needed to attain what he sought, he would employ. However for those unfortunate souls who denied him in much the same way I did would find that this 'gentle' nature would soon be replaced by a dark and uncaring phantom.
I stood little chance...
Over those passing months in which the beast had fled I was left with a burden that I could scarcely bear. As my belly grew, so too did the jeers and stares of the herd that already lived in a world enveloped in shadows of suspicion and status. I was already of a low birth and the unfortunate circumstances of my pregnancy simply lowered me to something that could barely compare to mud.
I suppose in a way, I grew bitter too and perhaps the child growing inside me felt it. It wasn't his fault, he had never asked to be born and nor had he asked to be graced with the beasts 'finer' features. It was most unfortunate that he had been, no doubt if he had been born to look like me he would have been safer but I did little to strengthen his resolve and protect him either.
I was ashamed, for in my eyes I had sired a monster that had destroyed my life.
I ignored the bullying, the remarks and the constant jeering from the foals who took pleasure in 'greeting' what I coldly referred to as my spawn. I realise now how cruel and utterly horrid I had been but it is all too late now. The once gentle and playful nature was battered, it began to hide and slowly the 'spawn'...my son, transformed into something different. He wasn't a beast, but he wasn't a child any more either. He grew quiet and secluded - he wasted away into an empty shell.
I wasted his life and only one other saw that as well.
Perhaps if I had been a better mother the events that were to follow would have never happened but at no more than two years in age my son finally lost control. He lashed out, he snapped and in doing so the devil within that had remained dormant so long emerged. He harmed no one, but the effects were enough to cause him to be ostracised further and I could do nothing...
From that point on they saw him as a beast. His strength and ferocity were undeniable but his battered and broken soul made him weak. He could be sacrificed, he was expendable and the herd saw him as such. Should conflict occur he would be first to enter the field and should he die then there would be no loss.
I begged to differ.
So did another.
I am grateful for her sacrifice for she did what others could not. She told him to runaway. He was so young but she was right - if he remained with the herd he would have been killed but if he ran then perhaps the spirits would favour him. It was in the dead of night that she led him to the outskirts of our territory and in the dead of night that she pleaded with him to run as fast as his legs could carry him.
He did so, but she was executed by those of the herd who considered her actions to be unfaithful.
She has always been sorely missed.
I hear now from scouts that there are whispers of my son in distant lands. However these whispers do not speak of a monster, so much as a Guardian and protectorate. They are not words that I would have associated with my son when he was born but as I look back on the mistakes I have made and the things he used to be...it is certainly plausible.
These scouts also bring more alarming news.
My son is moving, or so they claim.
There are claims he has left his safe haven and makes his way for these reaches once more. Waves of fear envelope the herd, the leaders and those who touched him quiver at the news that he is still alive. But a part of me...just wants to see how my baby is. Though he may not love me, may not forgive me for my neglect, to look into his eyes just once and to know he is alright would mean everything.
Although another part of me fears for what he may do should he arrive...
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:56 am
 .[Part One]."No place like home..."
He had said his farewells. With each sad smile, with words of safe travels ringing in his ears, he now flew across the endless skies. He had chosen now to take the leap of faith that had avoided for many years. It had taken a number of factors to do such a thing though - first and foremost had been his adoptive mother and his mentor. Both had always told him that he couldn't hide forever but there was another one he couldn't admit to anyone or anything.
Bella.
He could no longer deny that something was there. The flutters in his chest couldn't be silenced, that anticipation of a smile as he watched the emotions flit across her face couldn't be ignored. Bit by bit she had chipped away at his barriers and somehow she had placed herself snuggly within him. A long time ago, as a colt he would have proclaimed her to be a witch, an evil nymph who had cast a spell upon him but now...
No, things were different.
Long ago he had caused many females to run from his monstrous appearance and yet Bella had endured so much more. She had endured his bitter arguments, his abuse and more alarmingly his touch. She had seemed to want it and worst of all, in those moments he had wanted to let her have it. However, the problems that had always lay within him had resurfaced at that moment and he had fled. This was of course an action that had ruined everything.
He had never been able to express himself. He'd never known who he was, why he existed and he had never been comfortable in his own skin. Years of abuse as a foal had served their purpose. There were times when he vaguely remembered being a babe, when he had giggled as any other but these memories were obscured by many more that were of foul content. The giggling child that should have been had chosen to hide away because that giggling child had never been wanted.
But now it was almost as if he was wanted.
The spirits had played their part well and he had been thrust into the limelight more than once. Quickly he had found himself in charge of two tiny fillies, he had protected many more and now he had unmistakably fell for another. They had moved their pieces on the board with far more finesse than he had moved his.
They had won.
He'd always sworn he wouldn't allow himself to be vulnerable and yet...
He shook his head as he glided through the air currents towards his goal. Thoughts a muddle he could do nothing more than accept the challenges made by his adoptive mother, his mentor and by the spirits. There could be no more running and no more hiding. If he was to have exactly what he wanted, if he was to be truly happy then he would have to answer the questions that had plagued him all his life.
This instilled him with dread given that the first of these questions came from a place he had fled from. However, there was no avoiding it and consequently he found his form swiftly approaching his destination. Inch by inch he grew nearer and he would shortly touch down on lands he hadn't seen since his youth.
Would they still have the gall to laugh now?
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:03 am
1.2
It was different than how he remembered, everything was smaller and quieter. He assumed (quite logically) that this was due to the fact he was significantly taller but all the same... There were things he recognised, little locations that stirred memories deep within. While these locations were now desolate due to the nature of the nomadic herd he could still recall what each represented.
He had chosen to land not long ago, folding his great wings against his sides as he began to explore each place in turn. The scents, the sounds, each tiny little thing had to be sampled in the hopes that something would happen. As of yet the results had been unsuccessful and he idly drifted across these aged lands. Time became irrelevant and with a critical eye he surveyed his surroundings as he progressed forward.
There was nothing here, no sign.
Nothing.
He flexed his wings in discomfort. He had never enjoyed being out in the open for fear of being ostracised and yet here he was for the second time in so many days...in plain sight. His great wing span and glistening horns stood out against the lush green grasses, his crimson sash much like blood draped across his ebony coated head and back. To an onlooker he was every bit the haunted monster, to an onlooker he was a threat.
It was unsurprising that those who did see him, made their way swiftly to their homes to inform their family and friends of that which lurked within the plains...
~~*****~~
"It's him!" Prancing from hoof to hoof the stallion appeared anxious. The sight of the hulking beast on the plains had done a lot more than unsettle him. Some might have called this a guilty conscience given that this hulking beast was not so much a nightmare to him as a creature from the depths of his memory.
"Don't be silly, why would that thing come back here?" Waving a hoof, his companion was dismissive as he returned his gaze to the females situated nearby. He had a point, there was nothing for this 'beast' and a welcoming party wouldn't be sent...truth be told an angry mob would probably be more inclined to greet him instead.
"Revenge?" He'd always been a bit negative, his painted features twisted into an expression of obvious discomfort.
"The damn brat was weak in the head, just say 'boo'," Hell it had worked before and he had little time to prance after a monster. That being said if it impressed the mares...
"You didn't see him," the voice of the first stallion became husky and fearful, "He is truly huge, his horns could gore you from afar!"
"List -"
"BEAST!" It was a mare's voice and caught the second male's attention in a much more effective manner than the stallion could have ever hoped for. Her eyes wide, her form trembling she had come to a halt in the middle of the herd. It was with a quivering lower lip that she spoke again, "S-so c-close...he, he just s-stared at m-me a-and..."
"And what?"
"I ran a-away, he was going t-to -"
"Eat you?" Azumoth's tone was cool as he cut through the grasses before him and his daunting form became clearer. Head held high, he was significantly taller than any 'whelp' that may have been in his presence. It was truly a small world and while he had expected it to take many days to locate these soquili he had been blessed with an alternative. "You haven't got enough meat on you to be a decent meal."
"What did I tell you?" The first stallion murmured as he watched the mutant soquili survey the herd with a raised brow and a critical eye.
"He's a lot bigger than I expected," the second confessed.
"That and I prefer seaweed anyway," Azumoth mused in a reasonably audible tone, dismissing the behaviour from the female that was something he would have deemed to be predictable. "Where is my mother?
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:31 am
1.3
I doubt she would want to see her greatest mistake...
There was a time when those words would have wounded him far more than he could have anticipated. Unfortunately for the herd he had grown accustomed to them and thus, it was with a bemused smile that he dismissed their comments and remained in place. All anxiety, all uncertainty had been replaced with a silent resolve the moment he had entered this place and had seen those eyes.
He would not be swayed.
It was a given that they would do all in their power to return to the way they had been. Fearful of how he appeared, how big he was and how calm he was...Well, they had always been a herd of suspicion and uncertainty. If you did not rank, you were worth little time and effort. Those of a lower rank were expected to obey - something like him should begging. And yet he refused.
He even smiled.
It was unsettling behaviour and defied the believes encouraged by the Elders. Growing up even without Azumoth within their midst they had used him as an example of what not to aspire to. He had been belittled, lies had been spun and assumptions made to the point that none were prepared for the truth that they were expected to face now. A battered soul he may be but when given a purpose he was simply too strong...or was it that he was numb to it all?
"I'm right here..." the silence was broken by the soft and uncertain voice but it was unmistakable. Shifting his amber gaze to fix upon his mother, he was meant by those very same eyes. If there was one thing he had inherited from his mother, it had been them. Granted few could say that his had ever glowed with any form of compassion but that warmth...was definitely not something he recalled.
"I desire to speak with you," stating the obvious but he was intent on elaborating. He had his purpose, he had a few reasons for being here but as a matter of principle he was going to ruffle a few feathers. Consider it his way of gaining control though some might argue he already had that. "It is about my sister and your attempts to mate her off..."
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:34 pm
1.4
Such conversations were not often to be had within a herd dominated by status. What those of a low birth were told to do was expected to be obeyed. There were no argues, no heed or acceptance of their wants and desires to the point that unhappy unions were created. It was to prevent inbreeding they claimed, to prevent the most royal of blood from mixing with the common but on this rare occasion...things were different. By some obscure strike of luck the spirits had granted his sister the opportunity to 'marry' a male of rank.
Azumoth was uncertain of the circumstances but regardless of what they might have been he would be the first to refuse the request. He recalled his sister, her feisty behaviour had caught his attention but her similarity to his mother had been the final blow. A while ago she had come to him, had been determined to find out what the beast was. She had told no lies when she claimed her family had suffered due to his birth but when she had met him she hadn't quite understood why. He had come to his conclusion in those moments that she had been raised a little differently from him.
However, despite her strong nature the news had reached her ears of the plans of her own herd and she had been distraught. Seeking solace with her friend, she had been advised to hide for a little while longer in these lands but scouts had a way of locating fugitives. Thus she had come to his Grove once again as most seemed to do and he had accepted her without question.
His acceptance of those in need had become habit.
It was somewhat different on this occasion though, as she was family. Their bond had been an uncertain one for much of her time in the Kawani but the long she stayed within his sights and the more accustomed he grew to her - the more they came to understand one another. She was not as strong as she claimed and to run away, to defy the very rules set in stone by her herd had taken more than simple courage. He had chosen in those moments to take yet another under his protection...he simply couldn't help himself!
Thus he found himself here and while he had questions about his own life, it was his sister he now chose to discuss with the 'beasts' that stood before him. His mother, while she seemed to have changed to a point was still incapable of denying the ways of her herd and so while she knew of her daughter's unhappiness, she simply couldn't fight to protect her. It was spiralling out of control and descending into much the same problem as she had endured with him.
Sort of.
The words "No" were not in the vocabulary of those beneath the Elders and their immediate families. It was therefore no surprise that when the words drifted from the lips of the mutant, they were taken back. Such a simple word had been spoken which such force and conviction that they had been left speechless. A spluttering elder here and there simply served as entertainment as the stallion's eyes darkened and his resolve strengthened.
Surrounded by enemies in a now foreign land he would not deny to himself that he was uncomfortable but another part of him, that darker side, thrived on the sudden surge of power. They were unsure, they were scared and completely unaware of his true strengths. Their warriors assessed him, the elders attempted to toy with him and yet the games were thrust aside. He was older now, more cynical and definitely not stupid.
"It is her duty to mate, she should regard it as an honour," at last one of those ranked soquili chose to talk and it was with cool regard that Azumoth listened. He may not have liked the herd but that didn't mean he had to be quite so rude just yet. "It is rare for one of her class to be granted this opportunity."
"Opportunity or not, she does not desire it," Azumoth stated darkly, deliberately unfurling his wings and giving them a suggestive flex. It was a calculated move, one that served to force a greater distance between the curious and the stupid. The glossy leather wings glistened in the sun's rays, revealing every scale and sharpened spike upon them...just another weapon in his arsenal. "No means no, tradition means nothing to me."
"She is not yours."
"No?" Azumoth allowed a bitter laugh to escape his lips and sauntered towards the stallion. He gave into his darker side and in doing so his expression became sharper, more dangerous and he was certainly not receptive to arguments.
"Born and bred here, she is ours."
"So was I, look how that turned out."
A silence followed, the sly smirk creeping onto his equine lips as he waited for a smart retort that never came. To his right, he was fairly certain that his sister's potential mate stood and to see a foul expression on his face made it all the better. Azumoth was in no doubt that his sister was pretty but he wouldn't permit her to be a trophy or a toy.
"With all due respect men, she is mine and has been since she came to me," he could have been accused of sounding possessive at this moment but he was over protective and always had been. Once a part of his family, you were always a part of his family and he would fight over that matter for as long as he remained standing. "I speak because you will not listen."
"She knows her -"
"Place? I have heard this all before. No means no, she will not be a toy to him."
"We will retrieve her."
"You can try." Azumoth's lips creased into a grin, the fangs bared in their own silent challenge. No needs words were required, the expression enough - if they entered his Grove, they would never come out alive. It was really quite simple.
"She will come herself, she knows what will happen if she does not." At last the suitor spoke, approaching the mutant in such a pompous manner that Azumoth required most of his self restraint not to gore him on the spot. "Surely you are aware of just how low your family are? We can do whatever we please to them..." He flicked his gaze towards Azumoth's mother who seemed to flinch.
"You would force her here under duress?"
"It is her duty."
"I do not take threats well."
"Says a coward."
"Boy, you have not the slightest idea what a coward looks like," Azumoth snarled quietly, fangs still bared as he pressed his muzzle against the suitor. He chuckled then, eyes darkening considerably at the scent of the stallion...ah yes, he could smell flowers, a well scented stallion but nothing that declared 'warrior'. "Do you know what I do to those who threaten those under my charge?"
Yet another silence followed.
"How fast can you run? I very much enjoy the chase...the blood tastes so much sweeter." Azumoth purred, his tone jeering yet so soft only his chosen victim could hear. "As you race through the trees, pulse racing and lungs tight - fearful of that which lurks in the shadows. I pace after you." He allowed the images to seep into the males head before continuing, "When you can run no more I will appear, I shall tear you apart limb by limb and make certain that you remain alive until I rip the beating heart from your very chest."
"You wouldn't."
"Try it."
A direct challenge and one that was met by a sharp intake of breath as the suitor back away abruptly.
"My sister is under my charge, no amount of duress will result in her return..." he took this moment to look at his mother and then he saw it. It wasn't the same as Moppet's eyes, but he could have sworn he had seen pride gleam in the depths of the amber orbs. "And should you exact any harm upon her friends...or our mother," he spent a few moments considering his words before he caught sight of a glorious little creature hidden in the crowd.
No more than a few days old, the new born foal hid between the mother's legs and stared at him wide eyed and oblivious. A rare and exotic little creature, her tiny feathered wings had yet to sprout, but her beauty was unmistakable - her value and rank were unmistakable.
It went against everything he stood for, but he could play this game too.
"The newborn shall be your penance."
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:06 pm
1.6
"You stand to make many enemies, Azumoth..."
It had come at last, his threat had caused a flurry of activity and no sooner had the words been uttered than the tiny newborns had been removed from sight. The mares had fled and the stallions had given their distance. There had been no guarantees that his sister would remain untouched, nor had their been promises that his mother or his sister's friends would remain safe but he had given his word and would keep it if necessary.
Thought they were of the impression that he would murder a child it was incorrect to assume as much. His threat had not been to kill, simply to take the child into his care and into his charge. That which they deemed so valuable would be removed from their sights and their treasure, their bargaining chip would be gone. There was no doubt the tiny newborn would be just that and it was an unfortunate life to lead but he could not adopt the world.
However now the stallion stood with his mother, alone and fully visible to all those within the area. Distance had been granted, privacy some might say but suspicion had once again flared up...his mother would feel it, he knew that much but it was her decision to endure it.
"I believe I have had the same enemies for quite some time now, they simply forgot I existed," the stallion replied softly. "If you cannot make the stand, I will..."
"What they do hurts, some of us are not that strong but I am glad you protected her."
"And you could not?"
"Do they appear to listen?" The mare's smile was somewhat weary as she tilted her head to the side and stared up at the stallion that had once been her baby boy. After he had fled, her memories hadn't so much faded as been reviewed and her own feelings had been reassessed. The tiny horns on his head had seemed cute, his leather wings clumsy... Now though, he stood before her as an adult and possessed a haunting beauty. She had been a horrid mother but someone, or something had been kind to him.
"We tried to avoid it, I advised she act in the most uncouth of manners but they said she could be 'taught', that she could be educated to act in the most appropriate manner."
"I see," and he did, his expression darkened considerably at this. In the eyes of this herd anything could be re-educated. It took a bit of force, plenty of blackmail and a lot of duress but anything could learn to be what they wanted it to. It was understandable that those born into it simply knew no different but at the same time...
"Is she safe?" She couldn't avoid asking the question any longer. While she had been crushed that Ashura had chosen to flee at such an inopportune time she had admitted after many months that it was for the best. The scouts of the herd had struggled to find her, the leads they had heard turned out to be false and while no news of her welfare touched her mother's ears...no news was good news.
"She is," Azumoth confirmed a small smile lining his lips, "She is where few can reach her," he explained, referring to his own home and the rather protective nature of the forest's residents. He was well secured in the knowledge that his companions would launch an assault on any stranger that entered the forests in his absence.
"And no suitor?"
"The day a suitor manages to get through my defences will be when the underworld freezes over," Azumoth hadn't meant to seem so sharp, but the renewed glimmer in his eyes made his mother crack a smile. He couldn't for the life of her figure out why either.
"You sound like a father."
...Ah, well about that.
"Funny you should mention that..." Azumoth murmured somewhat begrudgingly.
"...You're a father?" his mother was equally surprised.
"Sort of..." Ah yes, how was he supposed to confess that in the last few years he had come to adopt two very beautiful fillies as his daughters? It was a somewhat complex situation but also a laughable one to an extent - one such as him didn't seem the type to adopt. "I adopted them."
She wasn't sure how to respond to this.
"But that is not why I am here," he shook his head to dismiss the thoughts of home from his mind and pulled a face.
"No, I did not think so."
"Was I really that much of a burden?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:58 pm
1.7
"What your father did to me left a sour taste in my mouth, I never had much to begin with," his mother struggled to find the right words to express how she felt but he listened. Perhaps when he was younger he would have stormed off, furious that she had been so selfish but the years had been hard and the lessons well learnt. He couldn't ignore the truth now.
"My family were of low rank and an impure pregnancy simply made this worse, I was made out to be nothing..." she explained gently, lifting her gaze to focus on the stallion. He'd grown to be so strong and while he had that haunting orb lodged in his chest his mighty features looked more like her father's than that of the accursed beast who had touched her - if only she could have been stronger for him. "I was so young at the time, weaker then than I am now though that's hard to believe," she confessed.
"At the time, I hated you...You made my life hard." Her expression faltered and no longer capable of looking towards the stallion she began to pace from side to side. Soldiers slumped in defeat, her mane made every attempt to hide her haunted expression from view. "You were a heavy weight to bear and when you were born with those features...the whispers and the jeers were like gashes, each deeper than the next."
"If I could have done things another way I would have but at the time, it was easier to pretend you just weren't there. Even when you cried out, even when you tried to ask for my help," she paused in her pacing and shook her head, a soft sigh escaping from her lips. "You were defenceless and I let it happen."
"Bit by bit a little piece of you seemed to die inside, you changed...you became empty," at last she lifted her gaze again and turned to find the stallion's gaze still fixed on her small frame. "I think it was then that I began to realise that I'd made a mistake but by then you didn't even want to be near me. You tried to hide and they always found you. It wasn't right but I couldn't fix it either...I didn't know how."
The images were vivid in her mind, the run up to that faithful day when one elder had made her stand and paid for it with her life. The agony of a guilty mother had been felt, the elder had never quite fit in but the sacrifice she had made wasn't something Azumoth's mother had delighted in. More than once she had wished she had been brave enough to do it herself.
But perhaps it wasn't her time, perhaps that the spirits had long since known that in the future she would get the chance to say her piece.
"She did though, she was so brave and when she told you to run my heart was crushed. You ran as fast as your legs could carry you but in a way I was glad because you wouldn't have to feel the pain that you had since you were born."
"I wasn't a good mother." She stated flatly, "But that doesn't mean I didn't realise my mistakes. I just never knew how to say I was sorry, saying 'I love you' after so many years of neglect..." she shook her head again and snorted bitterly. "I'm glad you found kindness elsewhere though, you look well."
"Raccoons are good with their paws."
"What?"
"My adoptive mother is a raccoon," Azumoth explained softly, a small smile lingering on his lips as he recalled his mother's antics. He could just about remember when she had found him, she'd had her little kittens with her at that point - siblings he hadn't seen in many years but from the get go she had refused to listen to his refusals and had swiftly entered his life.
However, as he listened to his birth mother's words a tiny part of him could recall the memories she spoke off. When she had described him as a shell, that had been the time when he realised he wasn't wanted. It had been better to pretend he couldn't feel the pain, it was better to be numb and so he had chosen the life of a recluse. As a babe he had tugged at her tail for attention...he'd seen those eyes.
But now she said she was sorry?
It was undeniable that the expectations of this herd were hard, even families were pitted against one another and yet those words, the truth within them stopped him in his tracks. She hadn't denied she hadn't wanted him at the start, but eventually... Moppet had been right, a mother's love always prevailed eventually. She wasn't strong, she wasn't courageous in the most visible of ways but she had changed a little...the very fact she had suggested Ashura misbehave was enough to show that.
"Did you ever wonder?"
"If you were alive?"
"Yes."
"At times I did, but given the whispers of the herd I sometimes suspected it was better if you weren't...Not so much now though. You have turned in to quite the adult."
"It seems black is the in colour at present," he replied smoothly, making direct reference to the number of soquili who had cooed at his appearance. He had never been flattered by the attention but the vain part of him, that darker side smirked at the quality of his glistening coat.
"Azumoth you need to be careful," her tone changed abruptly and her expression grew grave as she lifted her head. Her amber eyes gleamed with resolve and ignoring the now enquiring gazes of her herd mates she focused solely on her son. "While there are whispers of your existence, there are also whispers of your father and I would have no desire for you to see him."
"My father?"
"For a while these lands were quiet...undisturbed...but something has stirred him. He is a devil, please be on your guard..."
"Where is he?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:10 pm
1.8
No promises had been made - his herd were incapable of it but he had given his mother one thing he never thought he would. Uttering the location of his grove to her, he had granted her the chance for solace if she chose to run. He would never think poorly of her for fleeing either but at the same time this had been her home all her life.
Unfortunately, while he had taken into account his mother's words and her declaration that she regretted her lack of care...this could not stop him from making his decision. His mother had only been a small part of the problem, while she had carried him and he had burdened her with his existence had it not been for the beast that had sired him the problems would never have been there in the first place.
...But what type of creature could be like that?
He had always known how his mother looked, had admired her pretty coat and amber eyes but he hadn't been like her. Tall, strong and with features considered to be monstrous by all but a few he had wondered just how horrid his father had looked. How much of a beast had this thing been to force himself on a mare, to sire a foal and to curse it with looks that would destroy its life.
No words could deter him as he flicked his gaze warningly to those of his herd. A renewed reminder of his existence and his own sworn oath to exact his revenge should they try his patience. Regardless of his mother's request which would probably echo Moppet's he had chosen to approach the scouts of the herd and enquire.
They were right to be wary but they gave him genuine information. It had surprised him at first and then he had been reminded of why they had acted in such a manner. He had been sired by this beast and therefore he had the same strengths, correct? What better weapon to send into the fray than that...hey, and this time he did it willingly!
He was to fly far to the south where the tree resembled overgrown ferns and the heat was overwhelming...
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:37 pm
 .[Part Two]."Swallow your pride..."
To the south lies a land of abundant beauty. To the south lies a land lay many treasures and yet the dangers that lurk in the impenetrable forests mean many never return. It is your life that you choose to take into your hands should you choose to enter. None will come for you, none will save you...no matter how loud you scream.
He'd heard it all before, some might argue that the same had been said about his Grove. With the exception of the heat and the peculiar smells one could say it was a perverted form of home. Nevertheless, as he had touched down on the foreign soils his coat had begun to sweat and consequently he had fled into the shade of the peculiar shadows cast by even odder trees. To say the heat assaulted the senses was an understatement, it positively battered them.
Exhausted from the travel, it was no wonder he had chosen to rest in the shade though the logical part of his mind drove him to move forward now. Never in all his life had he experienced such heat - the Kawani lands had been horrid in the spring, he had struggled with the plains in the summer and now he was here! In these moments he had to agree with the words spouted by passersby and by those within his accursed herd.
Whatever lived here was truly from hell.
Closing his eyes, the stallion continued to breathe deeply and shifted his weight uncomfortably as the crimson sashes rubbed at his coat.
"You know, if you removed those it would not be quite so warm," the feline purred from above his head causing his head to dart upwards in response. A bemused feline smiled back at him, his shocked expression clearly offering some measure of entertainment to her otherwise quiet day. "With a coat like that, one could say you are not from these parts..."
It was a wonder he could understand her foreign slur but he did and slowly shook his head. By the look of her coat she was made of fire, her coat glowed much like flames and he squinted to gain a better look against the cat that was otherwise clouded by the sun's rays through the broad leaves of the trees.
"You would be right," he replied quietly, twisting round to glance at the crimson sashes that had been a part of his life for many years. They had been given to him by his siblings, careful strapped to his back, sides and head to keep him warm as a babe but they had become a part of him as he grew older...to lose them now...
Argh, but it was so hot!
"So why explore such reaches when your coat desires colder climates," her tail swayed back and forth as she continued to survey the male. Having already eaten and more inclined towards more tender meat she could safely say he was not a potential meal for her but he was an object of curiosity. Not quite like something she had seen before but not far off.
"Call it a quest."
Now this perked her interest and thus she leapt from the tree to pad towards him.
"Oooh, is treasure involved?" she purred, seating herself before him as she continued to watch him struggle against the heat.
"Depends on what you view treasure as," he growled.
"Are you sure you don't want to take those off...?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:54 pm
2.2
"Well I think that I should be the first to welcome you to the -"
"Why are you still here?" Heat was not his friend and placed him in a foul mood. The company of a meddling feline was not something he was likely to embrace at this moment in time and yet here she was. Seemingly oblivious to the horns, the wings and the fangs, she paraded around him in much the same way as his children and his mother did. Where had the days gone when people ran in fear?
"Do you even know your way around this forest?" Still prancing round his side, she trotted around his front and found herself to his left. "Do you even know what you are looking for?" So full of questions and yet each was logical as they drifted deeper into the unknown and the stallion showed no sign of taking the most obvious routes. Rather, he was cutting through forest that didn't really need to be chopped away at.
"I know what I seek."
"Yes, we all know you seek treasure but you don't know where it is do you...?"
"You are very persistent."
"I call it being hospitable," the feline retorted, smiling as the stallion at last heaved a sigh and came to a halt. Amber eyes fixed upon her golden eyes, he could do little more than stare in a disgruntled manner. Of course, it wouldn't be like her not to smile back in return. At least she was safe in the knowledge he had a brain in there...somewhere. "Think about it, at least for a few moments."
Truth be told he had to think about most of the things she said, he barely understood her accent.
"You are in a foreign land, you know nothing about it and you prance around it in a silly manner," she began, pouncing forward so that she could stand in front of him yet she was permitted to maintain her distance. "You ignore obvious paths because you do not know they exist, you refuse to ask for directions and why?"
Wait, this was a universal question.
"Well obviously it is because you are male," and there was the predictable answer that infuriated so many of the male species across the world. "But there are times when even you're lot have some common sense and thus I put it to you to consider the fact that asking for help may not be so bad."
"From a cat."
"Yes."
"That looks like she is made of fire."
"...Your point?"
"I believe the spirits put you in front of me on purpose."
She pulled a face at this and simply shook her head. He was incredibly proud and very cynical, it would be enough to drive any woman spare but the idea of finding a dead horse in her forests didn't make her very happy. Unfortunately it wasn't so much this sense of duty that made him follow, if she was entirely honest it was more the boredom and curiosity...but still, she could tell white lies.
"Bet I could help."
"And you would want a cut?"
"Mmm...maybe?"
"No." It was short, sweet and straight to the point landing the cat with a verbal slap to the face. She blinked at this before groaning and held up a paw as though to make an oath.
"Sir, I know more about this forest than you do...I would sooner you did not die and cause a bad smell. Now I know where I am going and you do not, so perhaps if you would swallow your pride I might be able to help you."
He stared.
"Free of charge of course," she added. "Because I'm nice like that."
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:27 pm
2.3
"So let me get this straight," they were once again progressing through the forest at an albeit slow pace but he was considerably more comfortable. This feline, who referred to herself as 'Sui' had been a surprisingly good guide. Choosing the coolest routes, they had stopped more than once to bathe and during this time he had been persuaded to lose the garb in the process. Thus, he was much lighter and much happier.
The trees hadn't gotten in the way as much either.
"You are chasing after someone."
Correct."
"But you don't know what they look like and you don't know their name," she could see a number of problems with this. The first was the inability to identify the aforementioned creature in anyway, shape or form other than to know that he was a soquili too. The second was a lack of knowledge in terms of his location and the third link directly to the first two given that she had absolutely no leads. How the hell was she meant to find anyone or anything without knowing what she was looking for! "Foreigners are strange creatures."
I know he is my father," Azumoth offered coolly, as though this very statement should have answered all his questions.
"Right so he looks like you?"
"I would assume so."
"Well I guess I can work with that," she murmured as she brushed passed another set of ferns and approached a clearing. Some might have argued it was a Grove but he suspected it was yet another pool. Sui definitely enjoyed her rest, she was rarely in a rush and thus a nice relaxing bath never hurt anyone even if it did happen to be every thirty bloody seconds! He supposed he couldn't complain though, she had been a pleasant host so far and he couldn't fault her for that.
"I know he has horns, I did inherit them after all."
"Mhm," she had her connections but finding out information quickly in such a large forest was difficult. News travelled but some would say it wasn't fast moving and took many a day to reach the ears of the one who needed to know the information. That was unless luck struck and a passing parrot happened to know information - unfortunately, she didn't really get along with parrots very well.
Actually, she tended to eat them.
Thus finding out information generally came as a slow process to the feline though she did pick up hearsay now and then while she was pretending to be asleep. Birds often had a habit of letting their guard down when they assumed the feline was dozing and so they rested, gossiped - the usual activities of a social creature.
"Reckon he's got a shiny bauble too?"
"Pardon?"
"That thing in your chest."
"I...should think so?"
Mmm, well in a way this opened doors to her. She rolled onto her back and twisting her lips into a thoughtful expression she cast her upwards towards the canopy in thought. She heard a few murmurs of something like that but it had been years ago. There had been nothing since then so maybe it had just been in passing? Oi, men always made things so awkward and complicated.
"You're not the sort to come prepared are you?"
Azumoth at one point may have begged to differ with the feline but recently...he would have to say she was right. Therefore he said nothing.
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:54 pm
2.4
"And you said I was lost..." The stallion was fairly certain they had been going in circles for the last few hours. Unsurprisingly, the previous rest had been one that had lasted through the night. He had been unaware of the time but the feline evidently knew when it was time to call it. The rest had certainly revitalised him but it hadn't stopped the bickering.
For some reason he just couldn't stop.
And neither could she!
"I am not lost, I am making creative choices in terms of which route to take," Sui responded calmly, padding down what looked like the same pathway yet again. Perhaps it was that everything looked the same to him in here. There were so many sounds and smells that he was easily confused but she was fairly adamant she knew where she was going - even if he had seen the same tree about six times today.
"That certainly is a new one," he mused doubtfully, trailing after the feline as she took another turn. However, instead of going right (again) as he had predicted she took the left path this time and at last he took note of the fact that there was something different about this one! He could see different plants, maybe she had even figured it out too. Either that or she had been walking in circles on purpose.
If this was the case, he would kill her in her sleep.
Painfully.
"Hmph, put your faith in me foreign one and I shall find your treasure. I am better than any devilish hound from your realms!" She cooed. She wasn't exaggerating, but at the same time she had never encountered any sort of hound and had merely heard of them in passing. They were good at finding things - the birds said so...but she was better at finding things and she could damn well prove it.
Even though you are going in circles."
"I am making CREATIVE choices!" She declared, glancing round briefly before quickening her pace. Weaving in and out of the trees, the pathways became more obscure and the foliage thicker. The further she moved into this part of the forest, the softer the voices became and then...he saw it. Towering high above his head was a building of the oddest golden colour - it was quite unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
"What is -?"
"Don't stop, keep moving...odd two leggers have strange eating habits," she explained quickly as she darted into another set of trees and forced the soquili to trot after her. He wasn't even granted time to look at the humans as he thrust himself into the forest and made his way deeper still. "They eat pretty much everything," she added once they were suitably far from the odd structure.
"I see..."
"Mhm - but we're heading this way. You can swim right?" She assumed so given he hadn't been afraid to bathe before but he hadn't encountered any rivers quite like...Ah, but then it struck her. Why would a creature with wings need to swim, it was no wonder he was looking at her as though she had sprouted a second head.
"Yes, I can swim." he answered without the slightest hint of sarcasm.
"Good!" She announced as the thundering of the raging water became audible in the distance. "...Unfortunately I can't."
"What?"
"Can you give me a lift?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:51 am
2.5
"So I said that he should really consider investing in a new pool..."
How long had she been talking for? Azumoth wasn't entirely sure but the weight upon his back had never disappeared alerting him to the fact that a certain feline had taken up residence. He had only agreed to carry her across the river and yet she had chosen to remain for an extended stay. To say it was somewhat uncomfortable was an understatement given his wings didn't have the usual freedom they were accustomed to.
"Well the next day, I discovered that he'd gone and found himself a new pool!" She burst into a fit of giggles at this, though quickly became disappointed when she discovered there was little to no response from her companion - who hadn't been listening at all to a word that came out of her mouth. "You're no fun."
"I have heard that line before." Azumoth replied coolly, continuing to move through the forest at a leisurely pace. Given he hadn't the slightest idea where he was supposed to be headed this pace was ideal as the feline could simply inform him of when to turn. However, he would be have sooner had her drop back down to the ground and walk. Unfortunately this little desire was unlikely to happen.
"Maybe you should consider working on that then," Sui cooed, coiling her tail lightly around his wing as she peered further ahead. They had long since moved away from the human settlements and were now so far into the jungle that she was forced to recount memories and locations she hadn't seen since she was a kit! Luckily, she had a fantastic memory and was able to recall them in ample time to the point that she drew no suspicion.
...She was good like that.
"We need to go that way," she pointed her paw out to the left at an angle that was easy for this particular 'mount' of hers to see. He grunted, flicked his tail and gave a nod. At least she knew what she needed to do to be understood even if she was becoming more and more sloth like by the minute. "Eventually you should see another of those weird trees..."
"The golden ones?" They were talking about the pyramids of course, but neither was aware of the fact that these were actually temples. Nor were they aware of their meaning to the humans that often remained nearby them. "Were you not afraid of the last one?"
"Yes well, this one is a little different."
This he would like to see!
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:07 am
2.6
There was something much different about it, this fact could not be argued as both equine and feline stared up at the towering golden 'tree'. Neither was awed by the sight, the looming shadows cast upon it by the thick canopy surrounding it made it seem almost foreboding. Unlike the previous temple, there was no indication of any type of settlement and what creatures should have been about didn't even appear to exist.
The place was completely deserted.
"Strange, it used to be busier than this," Sui purred, leaping down from the back of the horse. Stretching lightly, she flexed her claws just a little and began to pad towards the temple. It wasn't long before she came to a halt, lowering her muzzle to the ground to sniff at it for any signs of recent life. So far though, she could detect very little other than her newly found companion.
"Humans?"
"No, humans didn't visit this one often..." The feline hesitated as she return to the side of the stallion and beckoned for him to follow her around to the other side of the temple. Again, there was little to see and no signs of life - no indication that anything had even passed through recently and this confused the feline a little more than she was accustomed to.
"There used to be animals...everywhere!"
"Time changes everything." Azumoth observed.
"I'm not that old," she growled in a disgruntled fashion. It was then that she heard the gasp, swinging her head round to catch sight of what had caused such a reaction and what she found was not something she was had ever expected. Behind her, now knelt her companion - scarcely capable of supporting himself he had been forced to the ground by some weight she couldn't even see.
"Are you -?"
"My c-chest," he heaved painfully, biting back against the pulsing.
"Huh?" Her ears pricked as she observed the wide eyes of the stallion and then they caught that glint. Within his chest the orb that so many associated with him had begun to glow so fiercely that one could have said it had caught on fire. "Oooh...oh dear, what do I do?" She cooed uncertainly, creeping forward to nose at the pulsing object.
"Running would be a good idea..." An unfamiliar but most certainly male voice replied.
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Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 3:26 pm
2.7
It was never meant to be so easy - he'd never planned for it to take such a short period of time for him to track down the beast that had spawned him. Yet, here he now knelt by the hooves of his father and quivered at the weight now pressing down upon his shoulders and chest. For a creature such as him, who prided himself on his self control, to find that he had now lost it was not so much painful as utterly terrifying.
He had already decided as his muzzle rested so close to the humid soil, that it would not have been quite so bad if his companion had chosen to talk. Her smart comments and aggravating behaviour would perhaps have made things bearable. Unfortunately, said companion had now chosen to retreat...hiding deep within the foliage in an attempt to cower from the ethereal orb that glimmered from the depths of the shadows.
So this was his father.
A creature steeped in cruelty, a being who had taken pleasure in taking what he believed to be 'his'. It had been through this creatures brutal acts that this very mutant had been sired and yet... Even through the shadows, Azumoth could see the warped horns and the ghostly wings - while they may have been fierce some there was something hauntingly beautiful about their overall appearance.
Was this how he was perceived, or was he simply a monster?
His brow furrowed and he struggled against the weight that continued to crush his form. He was positive there was nothing on top of him and yet the orb upon his father's chest seemed to utter soft words to the orb that remained pressed against his own. But of course, Azumoth was nothing but a boy to this stallion and thus it was no surprise that the orb within his chest would adopt the subordinate position to that of the orb that remained suspended from the thick chain on his father's neck.
It was a sense of de ja vu, as his father gained pleasure from his kneeling form he too recalled the numerous times in which he had gained pleasure from the cowering form of the pitiful whelps that had disturbed his peace. Ah the irony of it all, some might call it Karma in the given circumstances but regardless of whatever it may have been it was a pain in his a** (and he wasn't kidding).
"I always knew that the spirits would adopt my way of thinking eventually," the voice became clearer and muffled steps could be heard. Approaching at a slow saunter, the true extent of the warped features of his father became apparent...and yet...Even as Azumoth forced himself to look upon the face of the stallion that had sired him he was disgusted to find that he could see absolutely nothing wrong.
On the contrary, his father was everything that those mares, those disgusting little whelps had sought.
Feather wings. Glorious hair. Handsome Features.
He could list the qualities for days, completely disregarding the personality of the beast given it's utter irrelevancy to the majority of mares that he had encountered. No, his father was stunning to behold and it led Azumoth to question why he had been cursed with the features he had instead.
"They granted you permission to explore, to see the world for what it 'is', but ultimately they knew things simply wouldn't fit," his father tisked softly, lowering his head to inspect the piled up form of Azumoth. "Not in your current state at least, lacking in prowess and poise."
"At least you lack your mother's pitiful form and blessed with mine instead," chuckling, the stallion began to circle his son before nudging lightly at the orb with his hoof. "At least that alone gives you potential..."
"My mother was beautiful," Azumoth spat defensively, his eyes flicking warily towards the stallion.
"A mother who cannot raise her son, nor recognise his position in society - is nothing," the stallion responded coolly, raising a brow as he moved away from Azumoth and took the opportunity to assess the situation. Here lay his son, a sorry excuse for a creature with absolutely no confidence or strength. He had no poise, no social skills and those horrid wings needed a ridiculous amount of work.
But there were benefits to this...
"And a son who cannot claim the mare he wants is not worth his salt either," the stallion chuckled and simply shook his head, canting it to one side as he observed his son. "You choose very delicate creatures, boy - but allowing them to make the decisions is poor form."
"What?"
"She does not love you, but then again...why bother giving her the choice?"
"I do not -"
"Follow?" The stallion chuckled again and released a sigh, "No I did not expect you to but the blond mare really is quite a catch..." He paused briefly and mulled over the words in his mind. "Ah, Bella - yes?"
By the manner in which Azumoth froze, he knew he'd hit the right spot.
"If you will not take her, I will. She will not object of course, she cannot."
"You will leave her be!"
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