follow your fire

VALKYRIE She stood in the storm The rain beat down, as irrepressibly as the words which spouted from the slim maw of her company. Valkyrie didn’t particularly want the attention of this goddess (or any other such authority for that matter). She didn’t want to talk and she didn’t want to listen. In fact, she was quickly growing impatient as the divine creature presumed to understand her viewpoint, and what she wanted to do most, was slip from the cover of the overhang and leave Halyven for good; if only there had been room to squeeze past. It was clear to the pale-coated pegasus that Hope perceived nothing, and even as the other’s petty argument in support of masculinity brushed her flattened-back ears, the obstinate young Shieldmaiden grew more rigid in posture. “Ugh,” she grunted, I don’t want your help… It occurred to Valkyrie, all of a sudden, that the goddess was breathing down her neck, standing so close that she imagined she could feel some degree of magical energy prickling the hair follicles along the length of her spine. Her shoulders shuddered, fighting the soothing, enticing warmth that seemed to leak through the labyrinth of her pulsing veins. I wish these halfwits would believe me, her thoughts complained as she struggled to force the lethargic-weight of her eyelids apart. Almost instantly, tendrils of the Rift’s infamous black smoke (attracted by the moment), appeared to rise from the gravely, grey earth and curl upwards around her white legs like inching vines. As the looming shadow thickened and the deer-deity’s presence spread unnervingly (unwelcomely) through her core, she moved to step away, to break free from the burden of snowballing apprehension. Lean legs, however, resisted the urge of the sinew which bound them, for the neat, tan-tinted hooves at their end felt now leaden. It took such ridiculous effort to pull each free from the ground! What in the name of the Shield? As her eyes narrowed downwards an eerie, cold voice filled her mind: “The darkness is hungry, feed it before it feeds on you! Rip a Galeae’s brow-shield from its head…” "A Gal-" The stream of Valkyrie’s disconcerted question cut off suddenly and her gaze widened in surprise. “…eae,” she finished fast, testing the sound, for she could have sworn it now possessed an unexpectedly manly depth. There was no mistake about it, her voice had grown heavier, resonant, and the startled Shieldmaiden pursed her lips anxiously. She glanced at the shadows with anger renewed, what have you done to me? It didn’t immediately occur to her that the outwardly warm-hearted and smooth goddess, could have played any part whatsoever - …or had she?   With eyes ablaze and her meatier body trembling, she sought Hope’s luminous face. “What did YOU do!?…” splendidly baritone words shouted, accusing the other bitterly, “…you and your stupid Rift!” Valkyrie was terrified, furious, quite prepared to launch forward and attack. As she did though, clenching down wider hindquarters, then hurling herself rashly towards the smiling goddess, her hooves failed to rise at the rate she’d expected (that was normal). The pallid creature fell fast, tongue flattened to the palate and she landed throat first in the mud with the heat of humiliation boiling through her face. Bruised, filthy and with her pride properly battered, the adolescent ascended shakily with her tail clamped sheepishly between tingling sweating haunches. Her bloodshot eyes swam grimly across the puddled floor as she turned with agonising slowness to retreat, and as she left Halyven with tendrils still attached, Valkyrie promised silently, bitterly, that she’d return to avenge the travesty of this fateful day. and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.

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@Hope