The Portal
Finally, a clear night reveals the glittering sky Taivas had been missing since arriving in the Rift.
The patterns of those celestial bodies is rather unfamiliar in this new land, and she wonders just how far she had travelled from the Fields in the East. The shaman had despaired briefly after coming to this place, broken and battered with a venom soaking the earth, but began to understand more and more the nature of the Rift simply by listening. Listening is a skill the girl excelled at, never having been very skilled at conversation.
Whether by choice or some unconscious inhibition, the starkissed maiden had never been a social girl. She rarely made friends in her homeland, for the lack of speech granted her a widely accepted label as "distant". When she was growing, many of the foals thought her rude, and this led to Taivas retreating even further into herself. Listening became her default setting, and thus her bond with the world around her grew strong.
A capable girl, she learned to seek the spirits for aid faster than her peers; while this brought pride to her parents, it only aided in the growing void between herself and the other children. As a result, most of her companions back home were instructors.
Here, in an unfamiliar land, Taivas focused on learning of the land by listening to the pulse of the earth, the tastes on the wind, and the whispers of the water. The natural heartbeat of the Rift was weak, suggesting some unseen (or rather all too visible) malady. Because the disturbing feeling of illness seeping up from the earth, she spent most of her time flying or standing upon trees, waiting for something.
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Waiting...
That is why, from her perch atop a tree on the outskirts of the Portal, she sees him falling from the sky - a silhouette on the pale face of the moon, careening toward the claws of the trees. Her ear flickers, hearing the telltale crack of a branch as the he hits the canopy. Alarmed that her eyes were not deceiving her, the girl lifts herself easily into the air and attempts to find the fallen pegasus.
Flying just above the treetops, she might look like a small silver lantern from below. The glow of her coat is dim in comparison to the fair moon above, but from the position of the dreary shadows below, quite noticeable.
The hole within the branches glares out at Taivas, revealing a small patch of snow below and freshly snapped wood. Carefully, the girl drops down below, feeling the hungry air of the Portal reach out and touch her skin. Fortunately, it knows her already, so the ferocity of its hunger does not fall upon her. The newcomer is likely not as lucky.
The crunch of icy snow accompanies a gush of air as her wings soften her landing. Deep ocean eyes scan the surroundings, seeing the gleam of crimson on crushed snow. Looking further, she sees the shape of a stallion balanced precariously against a tree - quivering.
The girl nods in welcome, walking slowly toward him as to not cause more panic. Taivas recalls all too clearly her first few moments in the Rift. The sensation of being watched and the disorienting lights of the Portal left the weight of a boulder in the pit of your stomach. Her head motions in the direction of the blood painting the snow. "Are you badly injured?" she asks, with a voice light and gentle.
It never occurs to her to introduce herself.
The focused and clear eyes of a physician peer out at his form, seeking the source of blood. Surprisingly, he appears wet, as if moments ago drenched by a rainstorm. Her surprise and confusion do not appear on her face, only a faint glimmer of concern reaches past the otherwise passive exterior.
""
The patterns of those celestial bodies is rather unfamiliar in this new land, and she wonders just how far she had travelled from the Fields in the East. The shaman had despaired briefly after coming to this place, broken and battered with a venom soaking the earth, but began to understand more and more the nature of the Rift simply by listening. Listening is a skill the girl excelled at, never having been very skilled at conversation.
Whether by choice or some unconscious inhibition, the starkissed maiden had never been a social girl. She rarely made friends in her homeland, for the lack of speech granted her a widely accepted label as "distant". When she was growing, many of the foals thought her rude, and this led to Taivas retreating even further into herself. Listening became her default setting, and thus her bond with the world around her grew strong.
A capable girl, she learned to seek the spirits for aid faster than her peers; while this brought pride to her parents, it only aided in the growing void between herself and the other children. As a result, most of her companions back home were instructors.
Here, in an unfamiliar land, Taivas focused on learning of the land by listening to the pulse of the earth, the tastes on the wind, and the whispers of the water. The natural heartbeat of the Rift was weak, suggesting some unseen (or rather all too visible) malady. Because the disturbing feeling of illness seeping up from the earth, she spent most of her time flying or standing upon trees, waiting for something.
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Waiting...
That is why, from her perch atop a tree on the outskirts of the Portal, she sees him falling from the sky - a silhouette on the pale face of the moon, careening toward the claws of the trees. Her ear flickers, hearing the telltale crack of a branch as the he hits the canopy. Alarmed that her eyes were not deceiving her, the girl lifts herself easily into the air and attempts to find the fallen pegasus.
Flying just above the treetops, she might look like a small silver lantern from below. The glow of her coat is dim in comparison to the fair moon above, but from the position of the dreary shadows below, quite noticeable.
The hole within the branches glares out at Taivas, revealing a small patch of snow below and freshly snapped wood. Carefully, the girl drops down below, feeling the hungry air of the Portal reach out and touch her skin. Fortunately, it knows her already, so the ferocity of its hunger does not fall upon her. The newcomer is likely not as lucky.
The crunch of icy snow accompanies a gush of air as her wings soften her landing. Deep ocean eyes scan the surroundings, seeing the gleam of crimson on crushed snow. Looking further, she sees the shape of a stallion balanced precariously against a tree - quivering.
The girl nods in welcome, walking slowly toward him as to not cause more panic. Taivas recalls all too clearly her first few moments in the Rift. The sensation of being watched and the disorienting lights of the Portal left the weight of a boulder in the pit of your stomach. Her head motions in the direction of the blood painting the snow. "Are you badly injured?" she asks, with a voice light and gentle.
It never occurs to her to introduce herself.
The focused and clear eyes of a physician peer out at his form, seeking the source of blood. Surprisingly, he appears wet, as if moments ago drenched by a rainstorm. Her surprise and confusion do not appear on her face, only a faint glimmer of concern reaches past the otherwise passive exterior.
""
So seize the day 'Cause you have come so far
Watched a million frowns turn into smiles
Lost all track of time Felt the energy of a million stars
You'll feel love again after the rain
Watched a million frowns turn into smiles
Lost all track of time Felt the energy of a million stars
You'll feel love again after the rain
Taivas
