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Post by August on Feb 19, 2006 15:16:56 GMT -5
Quiet was something that fit well in Astarte, the pretty-as-a-picture maze of snakelike creeks and pileups of rocks with waterfalls trailing down the sides. Water fit well here too, the perpetually dampened ground proved that much. And it was cold, with frigid breezes blowing through every now and then. That trio equaled an unfortunate combination for the land's latest visitor, who hated quiet, water, and cold with a passion. She hated the majority of things that she came across, actually, whether they be other horses, inanimate objects, or even emotions. With her dark eyes she seemed to scan and scrutinize everything, and hardly ever did something meet her approval. Like now, for example. She was dawdling idly along under the shadows of trees, ears perked but making no sounds other than the steady clopping of hooves. Her chestnut coat, stained with dirt from her traveling, was set upon a fairly petite frame. As a filly she'd been awkward at first because of the strange mixture of Mustang and Lippizaner, but eventually she had lost the lanky oddities and had turned out rather well. Her eyes, so dark brown they looked black, were studying the area carefully, and judging by her disgusted expression it had failed the visual test. Her legs carried her like clockwork over flat, moist earth, her ears twisting in all directions to hear water trickling or wind slamming into branches of trees.
Excluding those small noises, the entire place was awfully silent. It bothered her how one place could be so dull. It needed life. She turned her sleek neck in some other direction, watching some tree-dwelling rodent make daring leaps across the wide gaps between branches. That creature had the idea, though she figured it was more to escape the cold than to bring energy to this monotonous place. It looked as if that particular task would be left upon her capable shoulders. She smiled then, riveting prospects already dancing through her mind, ridiculous plans she had no business attempting. After all, she had no idea where she was. Even so, she was going to try. Either that, or lose what was left of her sanity. Springing up, her four legs bent neatly under her, she crouched like a cat and leapt. She sailed easily over a nearby log, landing gently. The ground was mushy and her footing was uneven, and her eyes widened as she felt one of her fore-hooves start to slip. She burst into a canter, jolting forward a few yards until the earth seemed firmer. She flipped her forelock as if to scorn the land.
Now standing still, she came to see that she was standing very near a wide stream. It was too swift and too large to be frozen over by the ice. August suppressed laughter, giddiness brought on by her own stupid actions. She took a few dainty steps until she stood on the shore of the miniature creek. She lowered her head cautiously, and took a long sip. It seemed to freeze her tongue and her mouth. Raising her head quickly in case anyone was watching, she took a look around. Desolate. It described the land-form perfectly. Her ears flattened at the distressing thought of being all alone in the world. In a way, she was. She had been traveling for some time now, rarely meeting up with other horses. She missed talking to them, even if they deemed her crazy. This place had scents from not too long ago, so perhaps there were some residents. Somewhere. Her rabbit-like ears flicked upwards, and she replaced her pitiful look with a reborn smile. Her first mission was to find someone to chat with. It shouldn't be that hard. She gave her limbs a good shake and started along again, keeping her eyes low in case she ran into another sinkhole.
[Yes, I do have a good reason for posting here and not at the claiming grounds. Just ask Sept. xP As for a picture.. Closest thing I could find: www.lipizzaneraustralia.org/pics/proma.jpg]
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Altair
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Aqua Lady of Astarte
Posts: 163
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Post by Altair on Feb 19, 2006 18:06:48 GMT -5
An unfamiliar scent drew Altair away from her rage at Vivian, and it turned to curiousity. The other red mare was not worth her time. Let her leave, she was nothing but a burden to the herd. She trotted over to the source to find a beautiful chestnut mare. Greetings, I am Altair. What brings thee to Astarte? My herd should be here soon enough. She said, her ears perked forward with polite interest. Perhaps they would have a new, reliable herd member. Or she was here to stir trouble. One could never know.
ooc: Museless. Sorry.
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Post by August on Feb 19, 2006 18:21:19 GMT -5
[s'alright. i know the feeling. ^^]
August stopped in mid-step, ears perking up at the sound of another's approach. She glanced up at the figure with her head still drooped slightly. A perplexed frown met her features. Her brain registered a mare. A bay mare. The rest of her thoughts were scrambled, that or tossed away altogether. She paused at the other female's words, especially that odd word Astarte. She raised her head fully, a lazy smile on her face. I'm just a wanderer. She glanced around briefly before meeting the mare's eyes again. Interesting place, this. You the lead mare? She inclined her head, intensely curious. Some would call her way of speech impolite and blunt, but she didn't waste time on formalities, that was all. She looked expectantly at Altair, shivering at the wind that passed through, sending her mane and tail fluttering like banners.
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Altair
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Aqua Lady of Astarte
Posts: 163
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Post by Altair on Feb 19, 2006 20:16:11 GMT -5
Yes, I suppose I am. What is your name? Altair looked around briefly, wondering if Sept was going to turn up soon or not. Perhaps he was taking a nap, as the healing herbs were said to make one drowsy. Vivian was gone, and Flyte was somewhere else at the time being.
A sharp gust toyed with the branches of the trees, and they swayed to and fro. A gray cloud was being brought with it. Rain. Partly what gave Astarte all it's water. And with Spring quickly approaching, Astarte was getting lots of it. One more season and Altair would be at Astarte a full cycle.
ooc: ^^
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Post by August on Feb 19, 2006 20:31:53 GMT -5
She exhaled softly, watching her breath form in front of her. She kept her eyes on Altair, thoughtful for a moment. Her gaze wandered a little before she realized she'd been asked a question. The wind died down as she spoke, making her voice the only other sound besides the waterfalls. August. She said wryly, bored greatly by the tedious exchange of names. As she recalled, this one had already introduced herself as Altair. She swished her tail, transferring her gaze to one of the nearby ponds. She studied it intently, her mind on other things. Her ears were pointed towards the other mare though, waiting for something else to be said, most likely. She wasn't any good with words. She had thoughts, sure enough, wild thoughts that bounced around in the confines of her silly head. She found it hard to put what she thought and felt into words, however.
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September ‡
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Aqua Lord of Astarte
Posts: 201
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Post by September ‡ on Feb 20, 2006 9:59:03 GMT -5
He felt never better, the herbs had kicked in, and everything felt fine. Spring was almost coming and he could feel it in his bones. Astarte was one of the first lands to show the signs of Spring and already the snow was melting. Sept felt... well, as anyone feels in springtime, happy. He had a lead mare and love, one great companion, and a mare he had yet find a friend in. But something else had found itself in Astarte, the very thing that used to haunt his dreams. A part from his past, his best friend. His cousin, August.
Back when they had been foals, Sept and August were abosolutely inseparable. Though May, August's mother, disapproved of her daughter hanging around with such a reckless character as Sept, they still found time for fun. Sept and his brother November had been the heirs of their herd, November more than Sept though. His brother had always been so uptight. Sept was the easy-going one. October and December, their parents, were so vain and had holier-than-thou attitudes, it had been hard to grow up normal. That's why November had broken down in his fourth year because he had done something wrong. He left then. Sept remembered watching him go, like a coyote with its tail between its legs. Frightened. But that wasn't the point. The relationship of Sept and August was a tough one. They would play games with each other but it always ended in a competition. Each one had to better than the other. Sept made fun of her lanky form, which was different since her father was a Mustang. He had been a purebred Lippizan. August got him back one day, but pushing him in a lake unknowingly. But the worst trick he had ever pulled.. Was going into the Forbidden Forest. No one went in and no one went out. It was all because of some rumor of this evil spirit Capricorn. Pish posh. Sept and August had been racing one day, Sept had won, and they arrived at the Forbidden Forest. August pleaded for him not to go in, she was afraid of his well-being. But, he went in anyway. It took about a year for him to back out and show himself. August saw him and tried to kill him, she thought that the spirit would have taken over his body and he himself was dead. It was the scariest moment of his short life. Trying to be killed by your closest relative. So he ran. He ran away and found this place. Plus everything else.
But now, the past was haunting him again. Sept shook his head. Aug? He said tentatively, blinking at her. He looked at Altair, suddenly fearful. His cousin was crazy. She might hurt Altair. He nudged her out of the way slightly, pushing on her with his nose. Aug, it's me. I'm not dead. I'm not possessed. It's just me. Remember?
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Altair
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Aqua Lady of Astarte
Posts: 163
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Post by Altair on Feb 20, 2006 10:10:31 GMT -5
August. September. It clicked in a moment that these two knew each other. It had been a while since Altair had thought of Sept by his real name, but it clicked now. She felt him push her out of the way, and snorted in an undignified way, not entirely sure of his reason in doing so. She stayed silent and let the two have their moment of astonished recognition.
Warm air had finally found its way to Astarte and one of the nearby frozen waterfalls began to crack, ready to burst from its bonds. It would be soon when the waterfalls would be free once more. When she walked instead of ice she struck, it would be the soft plash of water. Spring had just arrived.
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Post by August on Feb 20, 2006 10:15:59 GMT -5
She couldn't hear the waterfalls anymore. There was a dull thrumming in her ears, the pounding of blood inside her head. Two dark eyes were fixed upon the white stallion, widened in shock. Her body shuddered, not from cold but this time from fear. A ghost stood in front of her. Talking to her. Touching Altair and acting as if this was all perfectly normal. It wasn't. In her mind she screamed, but it remained there. Not escaping. Remember? She did. The image of him ambling from the trees, walking even though he should have been dead. Her eyes glittered softly. He could not be alive. He could not be here, more importantly. She wanted to kill him, or rather, the demon that now had hold of his form. He had escaped, however. That was her mistake. She could correct it now.
Mind awhirl, she tossed her head and took a step back. No. She wasn't thinking through this. She couldn't just blindly strike him, he was bigger and stronger. Her chances of winning didn't look good at all. And the mare.. She looked over at the poor brainwashed fool. Did she live in this herd with the demon, become friends with the demon, even.. Love the demon? It was an awful thought. But a bit of sense seemed to kick at that point. She took a deep breath, her ears flattened. She spoke, her tone sweet. I remember. She focused her eyes on Sept. Or the demon. Whichever.
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September ‡
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Aqua Lord of Astarte
Posts: 201
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Post by September ‡ on Feb 20, 2006 10:22:45 GMT -5
Sept snorted, shaking his head. She was lying. She was holding it back. What brings you here then? He asked cooly, looking over to Altair. He mouthed 'I'll tell you later' then looked back at August. Why would I even ask? He added, standing right there, unmoving. You've got a job to do, don't you? His tone became icy. He didn't like this one bit. How have things been at home? Your mom still that disapproving hag she had always been? Changing the subject, hopping from one thing to another. He didn't know exactly why, it was just fun to try to mess with her. Oh, and my parents. You told them how I died? Great, great. Well, let's just say you lied to them.
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Post by August on Feb 20, 2006 11:03:27 GMT -5
She stared at Sept. He was messing with her, like he would always do when they were young. She wasn't a little filly anymore, though. With a snort she took a step towards him, nudging his shoulder with her muzzle. Shut up. You talk too much. She said in a quiet, dull voice, but something in her eyes held amusement. He was the same, really. With a sigh she looked around. Were these lands his? She could ask him.. Or she could just assume. Yeah, she liked the second option better. Looking at him again, she lifted a hoof from the wet ground. Looks like you've been doing well. She said, mocking in her tones.
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September ‡
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Aqua Lord of Astarte
Posts: 201
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Post by September ‡ on Feb 20, 2006 11:15:13 GMT -5
Sept couldn't help but laugh. Exactly. The flesh on his shoulder was warmed by her touch, but something just didn't feel right. Was she toying with him? Or had she finally realized he wasn't dead. Yes I have. But you obviously haven't. He gestured to her matted coat and disheveled appearence. Needing a place to stay? Sept felt that if he was good in his deeds, she wouldn't think he was a demon. Maybe, just maybe.
[wow. short. xP]
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Post by August on Feb 20, 2006 11:25:22 GMT -5
August blinked. He was actually offering her a place to stay. That was weird. She shook her head quickly. She couldn't. Something was just wrong about it. Besides, this place bothered her, what with the waterfalls everywhere. Looking silently at Sept for a moment, she heaved a sigh. For a little while. Maybe a day or so. Pause. Don't think I'm staying forever. She warned, taking another look around. She could find some other place to stay.. She didn't want to be a burden on her dear old cousin.
[horrible. oh well. xP]
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September ‡
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Aqua Lord of Astarte
Posts: 201
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Post by September ‡ on Feb 20, 2006 13:12:53 GMT -5
Sept tilted his head inquisitively. You sure about that cousin? He grinned, taking one step back. Some of the stallions around here aren't exactly that bright. If you know what I mean. But if you insist.. He quit talking, not wanting to bore her. Well, he did want to bore her. But decided not to. Come on. I'll show you around. He turned away, trotting down a trail into the grove of trees and out of sight.
[shortest post. ever.]
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Post by August on Feb 20, 2006 13:58:25 GMT -5
Frowning, she considered it for a moment. Then she started off after him, her eyes wide. The land was pretty in some respects, but not something she could easily get used to. Astarte. That's what Altair had called it. Speaking of her, she was still here, wasn't she? August glanced around for the mare who had been quiet during the cousins' conversation. Hadn't wanted to interrupt, most likely. But if she was lead mare, did that make her Sept's mate? Hm. Now who would ever be good enough for September? It was a curious thought.
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September ‡
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Aqua Lord of Astarte
Posts: 201
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Post by September ‡ on Feb 20, 2006 15:18:26 GMT -5
Sept stopped and flexed his wounded leg. He yawned, looking around. His gaze stopped on August and Altair. Maybe later we could look around the rest of the land, it's really interesting. For now, He yawned again, buckling his knees and preparing to lay down. I think I'm going to take a... nap. He brought his hind quarters down to the ground and shifted about, trying to find the most comfortable position. Finally, he laid his head down and closed his eyes, Astarte disappearing from view. You know what he dreamed of? Pink ponies.
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