07-26-2017, 04:08 PM (This post was last modified: 08-03-2017, 03:03 PM by Otem.)
there are no markings on her country roads
no signs that show the way back home
Pandora glided in lazy circles high above her bonded. The owlet was still young, but old enough that she could easily hunt on her own. Her keen eyes scanned the terrain below, trying to spy something that looked edible. This was no easy task however given that the flora and fauna here were dramatically different than those in Helovia. Even so the owl's instincts had not failed her yet, even when they had guided her towards small creatures that looks hostile and inedible.
On silent wings the owl dropped, her talons outstretched aiming for a creature that vaguely looked like a squirrel. Pandora's talons dug deep into the flesh of the creature, silencing its screams of terror immediately. Rising up off the sand, the owl returned to her bonded to eat her meal.
Otem's gold and burgundy eyes stared out towards the horizon. The rain had dissipated somewhat, but the line where the sea met the sky was still hazy and distorted by the moisture and humidity in the air. Every now and then Otem would think she spied a land mass in the distance and her heartbeat would quicken. Kaos couldn't have destroyed Helovia, could he? It was still out there somewhere. It had to be. The thought that her home was gone, rather than a place she simply couldn't get back to, was devastating.
And so, she continued to stare out into the bluish expanses, allowing herself to believe that Helovia was somewhere out there.
Black eyes gazed down at the sand as his legs propelled him forwards. He had gained and lost everything, everyone in a heartbeat. Now he found himself alone and lost in some strange world with a god that had murdered most of his family. Mother had abandoned him moments after his birth and his siblings were unknown, besides one. His sides heaved with the effort of controlling a sob that tried to rip free. How was he supposed to function when he had barely started to learn how to interact with his own father. He had rarely spoken to anyone besides his father, and he had no idea how to speak with strangers.
With lead laden hooves he shuffled down the shore to lost in his own world to pay attention to the utopia blooming around him. Maybe one day he would be able to hold himself high, to enjoy the wonders around him. For now he would search for a band aid to patch his weeping heart. He thanks the stars that mental wounds did not show upon his skin. A ripple coursed over his light grullo hide.
Something moved ahead of him catching his eye and causing him to look up. Surprise tingled over his hide to see a beautiful filly standing gazing out at the sea; an owl with it's prey sat at her hooves. Silver dotted eyes took in her horns and wings and flinched as an image of his father flashed into his mind. Shoving the past away he stepped forward nervously.
His voice was still high with his youth, but hinted with the bass it would one day hold. "Hello, I'm Kyros." He looked up at her allowing his forelock to fall over his eye. He looked like a very shy teenage boy that had no idea what in the fuck he was doing. Unsure he stepped to her side, making sure to leave her some personal space between them. He turned his gaze to the owl and nodded thoughtfully, trying to hold back the thoughts of his grandmother's falcon. Trying to distract his wondering mind he turned to look at the gold splashed lady beside him.
there are no markings on her country roads
no signs that show the way back home
Otem's thoughtful contemplation was interrupted. Like her mother, Otem was not a fan of small talk or really prolonged social encounters of any kind. Unlike Isopia however, Otem was incredibly good at acting as if she enjoyed them. The girl could come across as bubbly and polite just as easily as flapping her wings. And so as Kyros appeared at her side, maintaining a respectful distance, the autumn-coloured filly flashed the boy a warm smile and nodded her ram-horned head in greeting.
"Hello Kyros, I'm Otem. And this is Pandora-" The filly motioned towards the owl at her hooves. Although Pandora was normally quite polite, at the moment she was also awfully hungry. Briefly the feathered creature looked up, hooted a quick hello, and then returned to her meal.
"I used to come here all the time. But it's so weird to stand here now and not see the Dragon's Throat on the other side of the water..." Otem mumbled, hating uncomfortable silences. She pulled her gold and burgundy gaze away from the rolling ocean to look at Kyros. For a moment she thought that she maybe recognized the boy, but the feeling faded. It was only his colouring that she recognized. He was a descendent of Ilios, just as surely as she was a descendent of the Earth God. But was he a son? Or a grandchild like she was? "Your markings-" She began, and then immediately tried to swallow the words. Hadn't Ilios been killed when the portal had been opened? Otem had been so focused on her own mother's death that she often forgot that others had lost parents too. Otem coughed uncomfortably, unsure where to direct the conversation now that she'd mistakenly steered them down the dead parents path.
He was sure her smile was meant to be pleasant, but it almost felt like she was teasing him; his heart clenched at her apparent happiness. How could anyone be happy after all that had happened? He lowered his eyes trying to hide the broken part of him. Velvet lips toyed with the silver collar laying against his breast absentmindedly. He glanced up at her as she spoke introducing herself and the owl at her hooves. He nodded unsure what to say to that. How many people had he met before? Clearly not enough to have any idea what to say.
She quickly went on, steering the conversation for him. Tension slowly oozed from his body as she spoke, laying her own troubles on the table. It soothed him somehow to see that she wasn't as happy as she had first appeared. Maybe he wasn't as alone in his depression after all. He had been to the Dragon's Throat; father had raised him on the mostly deserted island. He shied from the thought and turned his eyes towards the ocean once more. "I grew up there, after the herd split up..." His vocals died before he could say anything else.
They stood for a moment two wondering souls reminiscing on what they had lost. Her last words were a whip lashing at his side. His flinched his head turning away sharply. Black orbs slammed shut his ears flying to the sides at his pain. "So you knew of my father." His voice was barely more than a whisper she would easily miss if not listening closely. Silver sides expanded several times as deep breaths were taken. Silly child didn't realize that fire grew fat on air. Swallowing roughly he opened his ebony eyes and gazed boldly at her. "He and the rest of my family died when the portal opened." His voice caught and he cleared his throat roughly.
He stood silently his eyes trying to peer into her eyes, finding it odd and beautiful that her eyes were two colors. Suddenly felt inexplicably out of place standing next to the pretty filly. "Uh, do you want to see something interesting?" He paused for a moment to hear her response before turning his eyes to a wad of dry leaves laying on the shore. His eyes closed for a moment while he focused drawing his magic to the surface. Fire sprang to life devouring the fodder with joyous cracks and snaps. Satisfied he turned his silver dotted gaze to the golden hued lady beside him. "Pretty neat, huh? I haven't really tested it out to much, I don't want to hurt anyone with it." He glanced back at the flames making sure they weren't going to spread out. He certainly didn't want to burn this world down as well. "Do you have any magic?" His voice was a little brighter now that he had something else to focus on. Maybe being around others wasn't such a bad thing.
08-06-2017, 12:58 AM (This post was last modified: 08-06-2017, 12:59 AM by Otem.)
there are no markings on her country roads
no signs that show the way back home
As the boy mentions that he is from the Dragon's Throat as well, Otem feels the desire to shrink away into a cloud of smoke that will take her far away. She feels both embarrassed and rude for having not immediately recognized him as a member of her herd. Well, her old herd (although were they still herd-mates, even in this place? Would the Dragon's Throat survive it's relocation in space and time?).
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up...It's almost like I keep forgetting it happened, as strange as that sounds. My mom died too ... but sometimes I still look around for her, like she is still going to be there when I turn around..."
For a moment she fumbles, searching for something to say. Although Otem's grief feels monumental, the boy says that he has lost his entire family. It's like she can't even comprehend that ... she couldn't feel any worse, but surely she would if she had lost more than just her mother? Even so, that idea seems impossible. She swallows hard, searching for something to say, but the boy fills the silence, and Otem feels a surge of love for him in that moment.
He directs her gaze towards a grouping of leaves that suddenly catch fire. If he hadn't warned her, she would have sprang away from the sudden blaze, but because she assumes this is the thing that is interesting and under his control, she instead stares intently. A smile spreads across her face as she nods in agreement, and then nods a second time to his later question. "Whoa. And yeah I can .. It isn't so interesting as that though-" Otem concentrates, and the area around the scorched remnants of the leaves suddenly bloom with life - plants spring up more quickly than nature would normally have allowed, and the greenery suddenly blossoms with brightly coloured blooms. "And then if you drink the nectar inside...it makes you see things." She concludes humbly, shrugging her narrow shoulders. Otem doesn't mention her ability to create earth sprites, for if she did, it might seem like she was showing off. Especially if this boy only had one magic.
"Fire is really neat. All my magic is earth-related." She says with another nonchalant shrug.
"So...do you think the herd will reform? Are there even herds here? Everyone just seems to be wandering around.."
He listens to her silently his black orbs closed trying to rein in his emotions. He didn't know what it felt like to keep looking for his last parent. He knew Ilios was gone, and there was no point in looking for him. He sighed softly before opening his eyes and gazing at the older girl, "It's okay, you didn't realize. I'm sorry for your loss." He gazed into her amber eyes before shaking his head trying to clear his thoughts. How could he have hard feelings against someone that only kind of understood. He was sure many others would make the same mistake. This was just practice, even if it did rip the scab off allowing pain to weep through.
He turns away and calls the magic that had passed through his family. His grandmother had been blessed with fire and thus named her first son after the sun. A small smile slide over his face at the thought. Maybe they weren't truly gone after all. The colt turned to look at the girl proudly. He grinned at the smile on her pretty face and his ears pricked at her words. He turns to look back that the remaining embers black eyes flashing with the coals.
Plants suddenly sprang to life blooming brilliantly before them. Laughter burst from him as he turned to look at her. "We would make quite a pair." He chuckled and shook his head once more before her words sink in. "Make you see things?" His head tilts curiously as he watches the mare for a moment before turning back to the flowers. His hide itches, but he fights it off. He doesn't need to go out and start seeing shit. He can only imagine the first things he would see; his family.
A shudder passes over his young frame as he rips his gaze away from the flowers. "Fire is kind of a family trait for me." He shrugs as well to him it isn't anything special. "Earth magic is pretty cool, I mean you can follow pyromaniacs like me around and regrow forests." He chuckles softly trying to joke around. "It really is cool though, especially since it makes you see stuff. Think of the possibilities." He lets his voice fall away lost in thoughts of magic and wonder.
Her question brings him back to the present. Maybe he was reading to much into it, but she sounded worried. He steps closer extending his muzzle trying to brush her shoulder gently, "I don't think their are herds here, yet." He paused eyeing her for a moment before turning to look back over the water. "I don't think everyone would rejoin if it did. So many members lost people, and being all together again might hurt to much." He closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath, "I'm sure herds will be made at some point though."
there are no markings on her country roads
no signs that show the way back home
Although Otem can appear friendly, she is not one for making friends. She believes that no one will ever be able to truly understand her, and if she ever let anyone see the darkness that swam inside of her, surely they would hate her for it. And so she cloaks herself in smiles and polite conversation. Thus, as the boy says they would make quite the pair, Otem feels herself internally bristle at the suggestion, even though she knows it was meant harmlessly. "Yes." She answers with a gentle sweep of her wing over the plants. "What is seen is different for everyone ... one day I hope to be able to control it. Then I can make others see what I want them to."
He mentions fire being a family trait, and her ram-horned head nods in immediate understanding. She is of the earth, as he is of the flame. "Yes. Earth mage is like that for me too." Otem swallows hard, not wanting to dwell on thoughts of how her Grandfather was the one she blamed most for all of this, or to be reminded of the mother she no longer had. He mentions regrowing forests and her bi-coloured gaze lifts and brightens. "If only I was that strong! Maybe one day ... " She muses, thinking of what it might be like to heal the scorched earth after a pyromancer had gone through. "Maybe if I could, fire wouldn't be thought of as so destructive, you know?"
Kyros is as uncertain of what the political landscape will be as she is, and Otem finds this both comforting and disappointing. "I just ... I feel like something needs to happen, y'know? We can't all just keep wandering around. I mean, I was attacked by a herd of ... of..well I'm not even really sure what they were. But I can't really warn anyone to stay away from them, because everyone is just going around!" The filly's wings thumped against her flanks to help emphasize this point, but her shoulders shrugged to further indicate that she didn't have a solution.
"Did ... did the rest of your family make it through?" Otem hesitantly asks. It's quite rare for her to meet someone her own age who she isn't related to. And although family is a bit of a sore topic for just about everyone, she asks nevertheless.
Floating Key
