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Post by chardonnay on Jul 11, 2006 1:51:59 GMT -5
Hues of haze...the scent of dusty clay and rubble...the sound of muffled silence. As she came to, she found herself short of breath, she had to stand. She strained to lift her crest, but landed hard on the pavement as her body quickly fatigued. Her determination forced her to heave herself to her feet.
Standing on weak limbs, her auburn orbs scanned the ruins. A gasp slipped from her maw as she realized what lay before her. Where am I? It took her a few steps before she regained her footing. She lay a saddened eye at what she saw...the only life she had ever known.
She needed to get away, the deadened chaos lay heavy on her heart. Where could she go? Her natural instinct to survive had died long ago when the destroyers had come forth. What else could she do, but to keep walking...walking a path that would lead her to a new life.
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Post by BuckskinSoul on Jul 11, 2006 10:14:28 GMT -5
The black mare did not know what drew her to the Destroyer ruins. Maybe it was an enchantment their previous inhabitants had cast upon their riches in order to continue destroying long after death. Or maybe it was an inherited mindset from her parents. What was most likely, however, was plain and simple curiosity. The bloated mare had never seen the Destroyers- never known their blood soaked hands or their heated chains or their hoof-cracking roads. Seeing the horror they imposed upon the previous generation only strengthened her wonder. What could have hurt the earth so? It was in the midst of these puzzling thoughts when the charred mare her a shuffling. She tensed her muscles, and pricked her leaf-shaped ears. Small beads of sweat trickled down the sides of her large belly. It wasn't heat- nay. It was the middle of autumn and the first chilly fingers were beginning to curl. The mare just got tired easily these days. "Hello?" She called- still seeing no one. Then she turned, and her muddy eyes widened in shock. A mare was before her- but no mare she had ever seen before. She seemed confused, and exhausted, and perilously teetering on the edge of something. The dark-hued mare stepped forward, carefully avoiding shard pieces of trash. "Oh! I am Blackhoof- I mean you no harm. Where did you come from? Do you need help?" Blackhoof attempted to assure the mare in one breath- she did not want to touch the stranger before said stranger trusted her.
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Post by chardonnay on Jul 11, 2006 12:48:07 GMT -5
The mare startled and in great attempt to flee, she entangled her hoof in a twisted chunk of rusted metal. Throwing her hard on the rubble, a shard of glass cut deep into her flank. Her vision began to fade in and out, still conscious, she felt no pain of the embedded glass. She had lived through so much pain and abuse from the destroyers that it had numbed her ability to feel much of anything. She lay there regaining her breath.
I am Chardonnay. I'm from here...where you stand. What has happened? Why does my home lay in ruins?
She heaved herself up yet again. The trickling blood from her wound had now turned into a heavy flow, coating her flank. Holding her left hind up off the ground, she took her maw and nudged the wound.
It's not the worst I've had...
She turned her attention towards the ebony mare. Orbs looking through her, auds paying close attention.
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't have much of a future here anymore, where can I go for refuge?
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Post by BuckskinSoul on Jul 11, 2006 20:32:27 GMT -5
The black mare stepped forward in deep concern. Her mind reeled. Not only did this mare seem indifferent to the tooth of glass that had punctured her flesh, but she seemed oblivious to the current situation of earth. Blackhoof was baffled. The Destroyers had been vanquished years ago. Before her time, even. Could that be what this Chardonnay was talking about. Blackhoof slipped on her mask of authority. "It may not be the worst you've ever had, but it's still worth noting, at least. Please let me cleanse it and lead you to The Camp." Blackhoof had chosen to address the most urgent piece of business first. She wondered briefly if Chardonnay would even register what she was talking about. "I am Blackhoof." Stepping even closer, so that she could feel the agitated mare's breath, she tried to speak calmly. "You say your home was .... here? You speak of the.... Destroyers?" Her voice was even and incredulous.
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Post by chardonnay on Jul 11, 2006 23:25:24 GMT -5
Camp? What is this camp you speak of?
Her auds twitched as her head tilted in confusion. Anguish fell over her, was this mare playing some sick joke. She remembered as if were yesterday. A man throwing that oversized harness over her head. Chains connecting around her body, seemingly making her into some kind of mechanical machine. That cold piece of metal shoved into her mouth as it hit hard against her teeth, sending chills down her spine. The heavy iron weighing her daggers down, so much so her feet could only drag. Those long leather straps that forced her maw to touch her chest, yet gave no leeway to her aching crest that was forced abnormally high. Pulling that obnoxiouslly squeaking wooden cart, always becoming heavier as the day went by. The crack of the whip hitting against her flesh, leaving bloodied wounds.
She shook her head, realizing she had drifted off into what used to be. Now she took a look around, things were much different. Her bloody wounds, were merely scars. Bald spots of where the harness lay, were now grown over. Healing overnight was impossible, the fall of the destroyers had to have been years ago, so why couldn't she remember.
I'm sorry, your name doesn't register with me. None of this registers with me at the moment. From what I remember this is..well was my home. How long ago did the destroyers fall? What has become of our kind now? Where do we go now?
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Post by BuckskinSoul on Jul 12, 2006 11:18:50 GMT -5
Blackhoof blinked slowly. She was quite taken aback by Chardonnay's lack of knowledge concerning current events. Or not-so current. Overhead the sky growled and churned. Smoke grey clouds were conquering the sky and sneering at the creatures bellow. The air was thick and chill with the promise of rain. "The Destroyers were defeated almost ten years ago." She tilted her head. How to explain? "The horses... for many years we wandered This Side... Oh yes, This Side is what we call the Meadow, Mountain, and Forests because most who reside on This Side stay here and do not travel outside of it. But, anyways... we existed in a bleary state of confusion... at least... the first generation did, so I have been told." The black mare looked at Chardonnay with pity dousing her eyes. "Then the New Generation was wrought. That would include me. You see.. we sort of realize,d we could not exist as we were much longer... if we did, it would be all to easy for a new breed of Destroyers to take over once more. Things must be different this time." Pressing her head against her ruffled chest, she chose her words carefully. "It was not just the horses who made this Great Revelation. The wolves, cats, and deer did... as well." A pang of grief hit her square in the face at the thought of her dear friend Whitefire. Their friendship had been severed the moment she spotted the crackling look of opportunity in the white tom;s eyes. "Now there is an order to This Side. Plato is the Leader of the wolves, Whitefire the Leader of the cats, Solark the Leader of the Deer, and...... I the Leader of the horses." Her voice tasted strange. It was odd to speak of herself as such. "I hope that explains things a bit.... now please, at least come to Camp and rest. Oh, right. That's where the horses reside." Blackhoof was anxious to get Chardonnay sheltered, and out of the elements. Her gash did not look good either.
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Post by chardonnay on Jul 13, 2006 12:17:44 GMT -5
Chardonnay stood in silence with a blank look upon her face, letting all of the new found information soak in. How could all of this happen? She shook her confusion off and gave her attention to the mare.
I still don't quite understand, but I'm sure it will come in time. Staying here alone wouldn't do me any good, so where ever you may lead me, let's be on our way.
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Post by BuckskinSoul on Jul 13, 2006 12:45:28 GMT -5
Blackhoof nodded with sweet relief. At least this battered soul still had her horse sense, if nothing else. During the conversation Blackhoof had been able to gain back her breath and refuel somewhat on energy. She swept her thick black tail over Chardonnay's withers intimating that she should follow. The trip back to Camp would be slow, what with Chardonnay's new found injury and Blackhoof's swollen belly. I hope we can make it before the storm. Yellow, abysmal clouds gurgled up above and an icy drop of precipitation exploded on Blackhoof's maw as she struck off into the meadow. (((ooc: I'll post at camp )))
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