Checkpoint: Alpha

R I X E N The first thing I saw when the trees cleared up was a sharp and jagged structure protruding from the earth. A strange bluish glow escaped from a wide crack in its face. The rocky monolith most likely stood a good distance away, but nevertheless it appeared to tower over everything else within sight, indicative of its massive size. The soft, nurturing soil that I had been walking across abruptly gave way to sandy dunes. From what I had experienced, the Rift was made up of so many diverse environments, from forests to meadows to mountains to valleys, more than I had seen in my lifetime thus far. And now, a desert. What more could there be? Certainly nothing within my realm of imagination. Unlike some of the other attendants of the meeting, I hadn’t heard Otem’s call. I had simply been meandering about in the area, as I often did nowadays, when I heard the sounds of voices and decided to investigate. The sand was warm beneath my hooves, a result of the burning Scorch sun ceaselessly beating down upon it day in and day out. Following my ears, I stepped across the dunes, toward the sound of conversation. Upon climbing over the next dune, the source of the voices came into view. They were standing in a circle around what appeared to be two pegasi. It was the first time I had witnessed a true gathering of horses since arriving in the Rift.   I continued to wander nearer in distance to the figures in order to distinguish who each of them were, if I could. Some of the faces were familiar and others were not. At the center, I recognized the pegasus adorned in gold, Aurelia, and the ram-horned mare who had given me the glowing orb, Otem. Standing a short distance away was Kiada, who I remembered meeting at the Tidepools. Among the unfamiliar faces was a golden stallion with a dished face and cerulean eyes, and what looked to be a black pegasus with bright blue markings. Peeking from his thick mane were several blue-tipped nubs for horns. It was an odd group, but that meant that I fit in quite nicely.  Slowly, I stepped closer, my ears swiveling back and forth to pick up whatever hints of conversation the gentle breeze carried in my direction. As I approached, I wondered what they were all talking about. Whatever the topic of discussion was, it looked to be important by the expressions on their faces. It must’ve involved herds, because I was able to discern the word “herd” being tossed around by multiple horses. Not wanting to disrupt their debate or to comment before I knew for sure what they were talking about, I hung at the back of the small crowd, watching as they exchanged ideas through placid emerald eyes.  "Talk." they heard me singing and they told me to stop quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock

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Oh what the heck, Imma just throw Rixen in here!