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 Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:26 pm
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:44 pm
Slow but sure, winter’s grasp had loosened around the Kawani lands--within a matter of days, the chill had dissipated, making way for spring. A warm breeze fluttered through the ruby feathered wings of the angeni mare grazing at the fresh spring grasses that had popped up in a little field where she’d stopped to rest. Her coat shone a brilliant red, though clumps of shaggy winter fur had begun to fall out little by little, making way to a sleek undercoat barred with intricate graph designs. Winter had always made Aleksei look a little unruly, but just yesterday a nice native girl had polished the golden baubles she wore in her hair and around her legs, combing through her thick red tresses with adept fingers until Aleksei looked less like a warrior and more like a mare. It was…an awkward feeling. Knowing she was likely not going to engage in another act of violence. Knowing that, while the darkness crept through the night, she would not be hunting down kalona-kind tonight, or any night. This job, this duty, she had done for so long…was finally laid to rest.
It was time for Aleksei to live--maybe for the first time. To be happy. To not have the expectations of duty weighing down on her shoulders like a burden. She was officially free to be herself… If only she knew how. Looks like she’d be figuring it out here soon. Lifting her head, she gazed out over the fields looking for her half-flutter son Domovoi.
Instead, she saw a flicker of black in the forest lining the field, a glow of golden eyes and her body immediately tensed.
X
The shadowy stallion slunk through the forest, leonine tail winding along behind him. Each step was carefully placed as his glowing orange eyes locked on to his target. He’d been following them on the ground for some time, the pair of angel winged soquili. Luckily for him, they were flying low, skimming over treetops as he galloped beneath them. Van supposed it was a foolish action--angeni were known for being powerful fighters. He didn’t want to fight, but he couldn’t get the idea of snatching that ruby angeni’s golden trinkets from her while she slept. Except…she didn’t sleep much. It was rather…annoying. The way the gold gleamed under the sunlight, shining through the forest, illuminating the trees with its reflection… It excited him. Shiny things always did. He was like a crow that way, collecting trinkets and baubles and gems, snatching them away from others while they slumbered, or sometimes when they weren’t looking. He stashed them away, his pirate’s treasure, in a cave hidden from the naked eye. His home. It was compulsion to steal the treasures. Like a tic he couldn’t quite control. Van just knew that he wanted the gleaming strands of gold twined around the mare’s legs like thick snakes. Excitement trilled through him as he crept closer.
Except the mare stiffened, her entire body going taut as she gazed out into the woods. As if she sensed him. Damn it, he was a piss poor thief, that was for sure. He froze, going completely still, wondering if perhaps he could wait her out. He wasn’t a bad guy--he was just greedy.
X
The unicorn had been following them for the past twenty miles. Domovoi was a guardian--he picked up on these things. And normally, his mother would’ve been keen to the sound of hoofbeats as well. These past few days, her head had been in the clouds, off in la la land as she no doubt tried to figure out how to piece her life back together. She wasn’t going to hunt anymore. She’d promised him that. Her entire life’s work, the dangerous stunts she pulled, killing walkers and kalona alike. Putting herself in the heart of danger each and every time… He worried about her, he always had. Even when he was a colt and she was putting him through the rounds. Strength training, running for stamina. He was to grow up as her heir. To carry on the bloodline. But Domovoi was a lover, not a fighter. The sight of blood made him weak at the knees and in the end, he’d broken off from the family. He did it to protect himself. But now it seemed like he was the one doing the protecting.
As Aleksei grazed, completely unaware, he’d slipped into the woods to quietly trail the stallion who’d been watching them. He was cloven hooved--looked to be pure uni, but surely not a healer. His eyes glowed with fire, making him fierce in the shadows. Making him a possible danger and he wouldn’t allow this vagabond to mess up Aleksei’s progress. Flattening his ears against his head, he pulled his wings in tight to his body and barged forwards, hopefully startling the little rogue. “You got a problem with us?” he asked, his usually cheery voice darkened with clouds.
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:52 pm
Van was so intent on the angeni mare, that he didn’t hear the stallion creep up on him until it was too late. As something snagged his flank, he spun around with a yelp of sound and backed away from the bright pink angeni male, who was glaring at him with daggers in his eyes. “I--I can explain. Honestly. I’m just…passing through. And I happened to see you--you seem like friendly enough folk, right?” He knew he was jabbering--he did it when he was nervous, and this was the reason he was a crappy thief. He wasn’t vicious enough to just take. He had to steal. He lowered his ears. “Seriously, man. No harm…”
X
Domovoi snorted low as his wing fanned out and struck the uni’s haunch and the wiry stallion leapt as if he’d just been stung. He began to ramble, his eyes wide and unsure suddenly, though he’d been intent on them--on the hunt--only moments ago. Domovoi lowered his head, tail flicking to one side. “No harm, hm? Then why have you been following us?” He’d thought they’d lost him at one point, but the stallion was dogged. He flipped his mane out of his eyes, steely on him. “I don’t take kindly to stalkers.” Wings flaring, he leapt forwards at the same time the stallion backed away, bolted out from the woods and into the sunlight--into judgment--as he stumbled upon Aleksei.
X
The birds sang from the treetops, a simple song that promised the leaves to unfurl, the petals to blossom, to let spring take root and hold the land hostage, at least until the smog of summertime. She couldn’t block the noises out. Her mind was too cluttered, too… She pinned her ears and flared her wings; the shadows in the trees had stopped moving completely. Maybe it had merely been a mis-sight. Maybe the glowing eyes she’d seen, maybe it had been something else. Damn it, she was losing it… But she wasn’t afraid and she was no fool. Picking up speed, she slid towards the forest, intent on biting whatever was hunting her down.
She heard a yelp of sound and then a bewildered looking unicorn bolted from between the trees--and sure enough, even in the bright of the sun, his eyes glowed dimly. She looked at him long and hard, her own ruby gaze hard as diamonds. The unicorn offered a sheepish smile. “Why are you following us?” she growled out, voice roughened as her wings snapped out, ready to do battle. It was instinct… She had to calm herself, take a step back.
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