Checkpoint: Alpha

R I X E N As Otem spoke, I realized that my assumption on the group’s topic of discussion was correct. They were talking about a herd. Well, a “meeting place,” for now, but a herd was what was on everyone’s mind, including my own. I didn’t know about everyone else, but I had not come into the Rift in search of a herd. I hadn’t even intended to come here at all. But now that I was here... Otem was right. We would need to first establish some sort of meeting place. We needed to put our collective skills together if we were going to restore the Rift and make it our home, which I presumed was the common goal among us all. This was no longer about individuals but about cooperating as a group to achieve success for all of us. To some extent it was true that we all defined success differently, but if together we could do something to make sure that everyone safe and happy, then there was no doubt that was the definition of success. Connection undoubtedly made everyone stronger. I, for one, much preferred having some sort of social network to being completely alone. We were no herd. But coming together was a good beginning. And maybe if we worked together, something even better would come of it. Though I didn’t know for sure how all of the other horses felt, I thought that we should maintain this connection with each other, be it through smoke signals or designated meeting days or something else.  With a nod of my antlered head in response to Otem’s warm greeting, I advanced toward the circle of horses. As I came closer, my green gaze bounced from horse to horse, listening to what each of them had to say with my ears were pricked attentively forward. Still not wanting to interrupt the flow of their conversation, I waited patiently for an opportunity to interject and speak my mind.  Did the sphere of hope count as magic? It was certainly the product of some supernatural force. Other than the glowing orb floating at my shoulder, I had no experience with it. Nor was there anything magical about me. Magic amazed me, but I did not possess it. Unlike Otem, I could not command small forest critters or make plants grow or speak directly into others’ minds. Such things were the stuff of legends in the land where I was born. "Unfortunately I have no magic to offer you." Stepping in beside Kiada and the blue-accented stallion who was called Waker, I spoke up for the first time since arriving at the meeting, my voice emerging steadily from my velvety lips, resonating with purpose. "However, what I can offer to you are the skills that I already have. Even if they are not nearly as powerful as your magic and cannot exactly be used to connect us all, surely they will be useful to our purpose at some point or another." Even without magic, I was determined to contribute in other ways. The last thing I wanted to be was useless. Another gold stallion who I had never seen before introduced himself as Raein. Like me, he did not have any magic to contribute. Up until now, he had looked kind of bored and had not said much. When Raein finished speaking, I picked up the discussion where he left off. "I think Waker raises a good point. Raein, too. I’m not sure that a horse somewhere far away, say from the Unwaritace, would be able to see a smoke signal, even if said signal was very strong. And a fire is a hazard. Maybe there is some other way to use magic to suit our needs." I paused momentarily, as if I had lost all of my thoughts and had to recollect them again before continuing. "If not, it would be a good idea to establish certain days to meet on. Maybe once per moon-phase? That way we won’t have to travel here too often, because I know some of us must cross the entire Rift to get here depending where they’ve been living, and there won’t be too much time passing by inbetween meetings." I suggested thoughtfully.  "Talk." they heard me singing and they told me to stop quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock

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