OOC| tempting to draft it and come back later for an edit/spruce, but everyone's so impatient to get a-going! so here goes. crusty rustflakes.
BIC|
Though Gypsy traded enough words with his Bearer to make the travel work, he was torn between the urge to enjoy the ride, desire to converse and ask questions, and the need to check on his bondmates as the land they all were pretty strongly attached to receded farther and farther from them - with rather astonishing speed, considering the smoothness of the ride! Treasure and Avvie were closest to him, and very near one another. They also seemed the most at ease of the two pairs. Both held on loosely, though at times he caught Avvie letting go to stick his face into the breeze of their passage then turn to grin widely at his mate. Treasure's face was graced with a smaller smile, but it never did go away. Fancy had a look of deep concentration, and Sunray looked a bit dismayed. Neither let go. A few times he saw Fancy's wings open the smallest bit, though whether it was in enjoyment of the wind, for balance, or in a fleeting wish to propel herself aloft he couldn't say. All right, mates?
There were a couple nods, a few affirmatives, and Avvie's Sunray's Bearers both pulled forward and passed Gypsy in an effort to keep up with Tribe and her Grokni. Sunray must've made a reflexive reaction, for the race ended there for him. Surprise took over as the entire group dove as one, a deep and melodious voice echoing a half second behind Tribe. Hold! Gypsy followed their instructions just in time and took a deep breath. He braced himself and then could not help but be swept away in wonder at the beauty of their surroundings and the rush of adrenaline that came from diving into the unknown waters in such a way. Instinct kept his body streamlined and moving with his Bearer, and suddenly they surfaced. Was the water a different hue? The landscape sure was different!
Shaking his head to clear his nose and eyes of water, Gypsy breathed deep and looked around for his companions. There was his love, eyes shining with wildness that made her look more goddess than anything else. Avvie broke the surface with a whoop and a laugh, Treasure following shortly after no longer in the hollow of her Bearer but swirling amidst the eddies and whirls around her. She fought the currents with some difficulty as they were rather large, but her grin returned as her Bearer came gently up underneath her, placing her neatly back into its nook. She grinned appreciatively and she could see her exchanging words with her savior.
Fancy arrived, hanging on to the fin before her as though it were her saving grace. Almost as soon as the eddies and swirls eased, she let go and released herself from her bearer, swimming strongly through the water with her wings folded out to the side as though preening like a swan. She constantly swished those wings, drying them he suspected, but likely also using them along her side as slight rudders to navigate the swirling water.
Where was Sunray? It was a few long moments before he joined them, breaking the surface with a launch straight up. Gypsy couldn't even be sure he'd been connected to his Bearer upon surfacing. It was clear the sun stallion struggled with his waterlogged wings, but he made them work, angling toward the nearest outcropping of land in a frenzy. Wellp. Three out of four wasn't terrible...
Avvie cannonballed off of his companion, surfacing to tread water until his new silver-blue friend lifted its great head from the water and met him forehead to forehead in a jovial bump. Treasure disengaged from her rescuer finally, turning to watch the purple form disappear and calling a Thank ye kindly!
Gypsy realized he was lingering. That was truly fantastic, I thank you for the passage. I should love to know more of you and your kind. Forgive my friends their less than graceful demeanor, they are not big travelers and may not have known what to expect. And as you see, they two may be more comfortable in the sky than the sea. Best of currents to you, friend! As he had talked, his Bearer had begin to lower and he now had enough clearance to begin swimming without worry of his hooves coming into contact with smooth whale like skin. He also heard what sounded very like the rumble of deep waves - laughter? - before the blue green form disappeared swiftly into the waves.
Enjoying the heavy feeling of bringing half his body size in water with him to dry land, Gypsy dripped great sloshes of water to the beach as he approached the bondkin before him. He headed for his place next to his Waterlily, brushing her side with his and halting only when he touched as much of her as he could. Avvie did much the same with Treasure, both giggling as they shook water onto the other. Fancy looked at him steadily, then shifted her gaze to Tribe. I do apologize. That took me quite aback, as I can see it did for Sunray. Celsa said it was ok, but I still fear we acquitted ourselves poorly. Gypsy didn't miss the look she shot at her own mate and didn't envy him the scolding he might well receive later. We had no way of knowing, surely. Done again, 'twould be better. I am certain. Treasure reached out with a gentle whuff to Fancy, imploring peace.
My fault, I invited you along and didn't think to get more information or look after you as I normally would for other.... errr.. nonadventurers... He said it not as an insult at all, but the whole situation of bringing others into an adventure made him worry about many facets of their behavior and Tribe's opinion of them as well as their wellbeing. Another glance at Sunray showed him shuffling his wings, though he didn't look abashed. Ahhh, next time Sunray'll know to ask before, eh? Trust Avvie to diffuse the situation if possible.
Perhaps starting their own Circle wouldn't be a bad idea. No rule stated that their Circle couldn't be closely tied with those of his bondkin and Tribe's as well; he knew there were many she cared for deeply that may be in other Circles... The Wandering Path flickered in his mind, and he tried to recall if it came to him from memory of a Circle that already existed or if perhaps that might be the perfect name for one of their own making.
He looked to his lady, his love, to see her reception and what she would make of the wobble.
Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
Re: Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
She tracked the conversation with her eyes as everyone took turns apologizing, her confusion growing with every word. Was she expected to apologize for not giving some sort of detailed account of what to expect? Her heart was too wild for that, if she was to be honest, although she did hold the fleeting thought that for the sake of her Gypsy stallion, her Magpie, she would make an effort.
Whatever do any of you have to apologize for?
It wasn't quite what she had intended to say, but it was what was in her heart. She was not a mare to held duplicity in her heart.
For creatures who are not of the sea, you handled the voyage fairly well. And I found Sunray's dismount rather spectacular! I had hoped for exactly such an expression of airborne joy, once the ocean released us from her clutches. As for warnings; well, if you'll forgive my saying so, that simply isn't the way that such things work. One never truly knows what lays beyond the next bend in the path. Even here, on this island that I have explored for countless days and nights, I cannot say with any certainty what might be around the next corner. It is the way of life, amplified a thousand fold during distant travels.
Rather they knew it or not, rather they were comfortable admitting it or not, it was true. Even at home, there was always a surprise waiting around the next corner; a bondkin who came for a visit, a beast of the realm, a friend from distant lands, something would be there in one moment or away at the next. Surely they must know that, on some level?
Rather you realize it or not, my friends, there is never a need for any of you to apologize for being exactly who you are. You are not of the sea and are not familiar with her dance or the beat of her song, as I am. Gypsy may have some familiarity with her, through his own travels, but he knows far more about the sway and hum of sands and earth than I can, even with my wanderings; it is who we are, and there is no flaw in that, no fault to be found. Our differences make us stronger, each holding a strength that compliments and accommodates for a weakness in another.
She cast a smile to each of them, the bemusement still dimming the usual glitter in her vibrant gaze. Perhaps she didn't fit with them as neatly as she had believed; perhaps she was still without her tribe, without those that would truly understand the wild dance of her heart. Either way, she couldn't understand what was in their hearts.
Perhaps it was best to simply move on. She could give some warnings, for the moment, although even still it was beyond her to grant them a detailed account of what was to come. Life truly didn't work that way, in her experience.
My complimenting strength at the moment is having been to this island before, so I can, at the least, grant you some small warnings. There are portals scattered across the beaches here, oft seen as little more than a shimmer in the air or a sliver of some color that doesn't quite seem to belong; they are subtle, unobtrusive, fitting naturally to the landscape. They move, and are only as permanent as the desire of they who first wished for such a gateway to be borne from the wishing well. Further through the trees the portals are scarcer, and near the peak of the snow-capped mountain they are wholly rare; I have only ever found a scant few that fed out into the snowy storms.
She turned as she spoke, casting her gaze inland, towards the forests and the great, towering beast that once had been a volcano. Tribe smiled as a sharp trill reached her ears; they had caught the attention of the copy birds. Ears perked, she took a cautious step forward, careful to cast her eyes over the sand directly in front of her before setting her hooves back down. The trill repeated, louder this time; clearer.
Cassian! Move your arse! There's treasure a-waiting!
Treasure, huh? Someone must have been on a quest of some kind and passed through this nexus point, a place between places.
Patience, woman! What good is treasure without grog?
What in all the realms was 'grog?'
Cassian! Move your -
The strangers must have spent some time on the same argument, she laughed, and took another cautious step towards the trees. Avian friends! Hear me!
The trilling stopped, and for a long moment silence reigned. A glint sparked in Tribe's eye; she had the floor.
Pass the falls and under the stone, through light and mist to the Well's pure tone.
Pass the falls and under the stone, through light and mist to the Well's pure tone!
A satisfied swish of her tail followed the excited repetition, and she took yet another step forward. They enjoy rhymes, she said in an absent tone of voice, her eyes scanning constantly as she all but danced across the sands. Follow me; match my steps, she called, and pranced ever closer to the trees, her eyes once again bright with excitement as the trilling copy-birds spread the call she'd given them farther and farther.
Pass the falls...
The Well's pure tone...
Whatever do any of you have to apologize for?
It wasn't quite what she had intended to say, but it was what was in her heart. She was not a mare to held duplicity in her heart.
For creatures who are not of the sea, you handled the voyage fairly well. And I found Sunray's dismount rather spectacular! I had hoped for exactly such an expression of airborne joy, once the ocean released us from her clutches. As for warnings; well, if you'll forgive my saying so, that simply isn't the way that such things work. One never truly knows what lays beyond the next bend in the path. Even here, on this island that I have explored for countless days and nights, I cannot say with any certainty what might be around the next corner. It is the way of life, amplified a thousand fold during distant travels.
Rather they knew it or not, rather they were comfortable admitting it or not, it was true. Even at home, there was always a surprise waiting around the next corner; a bondkin who came for a visit, a beast of the realm, a friend from distant lands, something would be there in one moment or away at the next. Surely they must know that, on some level?
Rather you realize it or not, my friends, there is never a need for any of you to apologize for being exactly who you are. You are not of the sea and are not familiar with her dance or the beat of her song, as I am. Gypsy may have some familiarity with her, through his own travels, but he knows far more about the sway and hum of sands and earth than I can, even with my wanderings; it is who we are, and there is no flaw in that, no fault to be found. Our differences make us stronger, each holding a strength that compliments and accommodates for a weakness in another.
She cast a smile to each of them, the bemusement still dimming the usual glitter in her vibrant gaze. Perhaps she didn't fit with them as neatly as she had believed; perhaps she was still without her tribe, without those that would truly understand the wild dance of her heart. Either way, she couldn't understand what was in their hearts.
Perhaps it was best to simply move on. She could give some warnings, for the moment, although even still it was beyond her to grant them a detailed account of what was to come. Life truly didn't work that way, in her experience.
My complimenting strength at the moment is having been to this island before, so I can, at the least, grant you some small warnings. There are portals scattered across the beaches here, oft seen as little more than a shimmer in the air or a sliver of some color that doesn't quite seem to belong; they are subtle, unobtrusive, fitting naturally to the landscape. They move, and are only as permanent as the desire of they who first wished for such a gateway to be borne from the wishing well. Further through the trees the portals are scarcer, and near the peak of the snow-capped mountain they are wholly rare; I have only ever found a scant few that fed out into the snowy storms.
She turned as she spoke, casting her gaze inland, towards the forests and the great, towering beast that once had been a volcano. Tribe smiled as a sharp trill reached her ears; they had caught the attention of the copy birds. Ears perked, she took a cautious step forward, careful to cast her eyes over the sand directly in front of her before setting her hooves back down. The trill repeated, louder this time; clearer.
Cassian! Move your arse! There's treasure a-waiting!
Treasure, huh? Someone must have been on a quest of some kind and passed through this nexus point, a place between places.
Patience, woman! What good is treasure without grog?
What in all the realms was 'grog?'
Cassian! Move your -
The strangers must have spent some time on the same argument, she laughed, and took another cautious step towards the trees. Avian friends! Hear me!
The trilling stopped, and for a long moment silence reigned. A glint sparked in Tribe's eye; she had the floor.
Pass the falls and under the stone, through light and mist to the Well's pure tone.
Pass the falls and under the stone, through light and mist to the Well's pure tone!
A satisfied swish of her tail followed the excited repetition, and she took yet another step forward. They enjoy rhymes, she said in an absent tone of voice, her eyes scanning constantly as she all but danced across the sands. Follow me; match my steps, she called, and pranced ever closer to the trees, her eyes once again bright with excitement as the trilling copy-birds spread the call she'd given them farther and farther.
Pass the falls...
The Well's pure tone...
-
Vineda
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Re: Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
Ooc:
Not a lot of talk, but process was holding us back and that started the Quiet. It has been too long. Postying! Nao! No getting hung up on not knowing the right choice! It will get there. Onward!
Bic:
Gypsy stared out at the sea for a span, lost in thought while time did its peculiar thing and seemed both to slow and yet to race onwards. He often did not overthink his choice of path at a crossroads, but here he was at a loss. He disliked the feeling of uncertainty. The prior musings of a Wandering Path were a stark contrast to this already formed Circle that had no Wandering in it. Wandering Hearth might be a compromise. They were strongly a Hearth, and they could be a Hearth to come home to.
Each of them was perfectly amiable and would undoubtedly acquit themselves well. They had plenty of room to learn, yes. But they were those that would learn and grow. The joining of his bond family and Tribe’s would merge the two families into one large one on some level, given the nature of their Bond. Fancy, Treasure, Sunray, and Avvie had already proven that in their immediate acceptance of his ‘bringing a girl home’. His eyes crinkled with mirth lines at the thought.
His Bondfamily would always be there for him, and now for her. Even disconnected Fleet and hostile Rhyme would consider her their own. Did that mean they should fit to a mold in order to be in a Circle together? To have a Circle to come home to? He was beginning to think not. They would always have his family to come home to, Circle or no. Especially these four.
It might be a longer, more unknown road to travel… seeking out and building their own Circle. But imagine the glory in the ties held between those whose hearts also reveled in the wandering, the adventuring. Gypsy sat still pondering, lost in thought, and entirely oblivious of everything else.
Until his love started to move. It was like a gentle tug on him, pulling his musings back to the present and carrying him along with her. Even oblivious to the entire world around him, he was aware of her presence. His internal compass, his gravity had changed, and he was now joyfully tethered to her in the best way. Whole body shaking, he turned to follow and catch the rest.
Not a lot of talk, but process was holding us back and that started the Quiet. It has been too long. Postying! Nao! No getting hung up on not knowing the right choice! It will get there. Onward!
Bic:
Gypsy stared out at the sea for a span, lost in thought while time did its peculiar thing and seemed both to slow and yet to race onwards. He often did not overthink his choice of path at a crossroads, but here he was at a loss. He disliked the feeling of uncertainty. The prior musings of a Wandering Path were a stark contrast to this already formed Circle that had no Wandering in it. Wandering Hearth might be a compromise. They were strongly a Hearth, and they could be a Hearth to come home to.
Each of them was perfectly amiable and would undoubtedly acquit themselves well. They had plenty of room to learn, yes. But they were those that would learn and grow. The joining of his bond family and Tribe’s would merge the two families into one large one on some level, given the nature of their Bond. Fancy, Treasure, Sunray, and Avvie had already proven that in their immediate acceptance of his ‘bringing a girl home’. His eyes crinkled with mirth lines at the thought.
His Bondfamily would always be there for him, and now for her. Even disconnected Fleet and hostile Rhyme would consider her their own. Did that mean they should fit to a mold in order to be in a Circle together? To have a Circle to come home to? He was beginning to think not. They would always have his family to come home to, Circle or no. Especially these four.
It might be a longer, more unknown road to travel… seeking out and building their own Circle. But imagine the glory in the ties held between those whose hearts also reveled in the wandering, the adventuring. Gypsy sat still pondering, lost in thought, and entirely oblivious of everything else.
Until his love started to move. It was like a gentle tug on him, pulling his musings back to the present and carrying him along with her. Even oblivious to the entire world around him, he was aware of her presence. His internal compass, his gravity had changed, and he was now joyfully tethered to her in the best way. Whole body shaking, he turned to follow and catch the rest.
-
Vineda
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Re: Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
Fancy's silvery grey eyes fixed on and followed the mare with the shifting predawn twilight hues. It seemed some thread of discord had wound its way into their midst, with apologies making her patience wear more than their perceived blunders. She was familiar with the 'on with it' attitude of some of the wanderers at home but had trouble with dwelling in her way on how to make everything better, everyone happy. Shrugging out her muscles, she banished worry over the whole thing. If this mare before her was brilliant enough for their Gypsy, there was naught they needed to snag at. As the singsong tones of Tribe's tune wafted among the mockbirds, those silvery eyes rolled back to check on Treasure.
That green mare was one who danced and smoothed her way through anything. Treasure's face held a joyous smile at the words of the puzzle pieces of different personalities coming together, though she sensed the hint of reluctant resignation that followed. Twas no use in dissecting it all now. We shall see what the afternoon holds. As weather can change in a moment, so can it shift and meld with many layers of depth. She left her mate a step behind with Sunray, sidling close and whuffing gently again at Fancy All is well, dear heart. Try not to worry so much.
Avvie too remained quiet for just a moment, quirking an eyebrow at the whole thing and wondering where they would land next. Shame Shamrock weren't here to joke with. The snow stallion pondered if he would ever see fit to join a Circle, then wished there were more room in the dang fangled things. He heard the end of that musing in Talon's voice and on realizing this, grinned. Having a rather rich voice, he did not have to raise his volume much for the words to carry. He sang in the same melody Mind the skills which ye shall hone, ere ravens pass o'er the empty throne. Who knows if any yet listened - they might well be busy singing the previous rhyme. If he were lucky, a few would keep the old and one or two might take on his and they would harmonize.
Sunray was yet quiet as they passed over the sand, pondering. He was absent minded with the wandering thoughts, and followed vaguely. Without looking where he followed. Until he winked out of sight. Were he not such a bright hued fellow, his vanishing might have been easy to miss. As it was Gypsy saw the wink of his disappearance and Avvie caught the sudden loss of his flare. Both gave a cry of surprise and Gypsy followed his immediately with Waterlily! We've lost one!
That green mare was one who danced and smoothed her way through anything. Treasure's face held a joyous smile at the words of the puzzle pieces of different personalities coming together, though she sensed the hint of reluctant resignation that followed. Twas no use in dissecting it all now. We shall see what the afternoon holds. As weather can change in a moment, so can it shift and meld with many layers of depth. She left her mate a step behind with Sunray, sidling close and whuffing gently again at Fancy All is well, dear heart. Try not to worry so much.
Avvie too remained quiet for just a moment, quirking an eyebrow at the whole thing and wondering where they would land next. Shame Shamrock weren't here to joke with. The snow stallion pondered if he would ever see fit to join a Circle, then wished there were more room in the dang fangled things. He heard the end of that musing in Talon's voice and on realizing this, grinned. Having a rather rich voice, he did not have to raise his volume much for the words to carry. He sang in the same melody Mind the skills which ye shall hone, ere ravens pass o'er the empty throne. Who knows if any yet listened - they might well be busy singing the previous rhyme. If he were lucky, a few would keep the old and one or two might take on his and they would harmonize.
Sunray was yet quiet as they passed over the sand, pondering. He was absent minded with the wandering thoughts, and followed vaguely. Without looking where he followed. Until he winked out of sight. Were he not such a bright hued fellow, his vanishing might have been easy to miss. As it was Gypsy saw the wink of his disappearance and Avvie caught the sudden loss of his flare. Both gave a cry of surprise and Gypsy followed his immediately with Waterlily! We've lost one!
Re: Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
The spark entered Tribe's eye once again as another line was added to the harmonious instructions she had called out. Her intent had been to have the copybirds act as a sort of roadmap for the others, to help them to remember the path while she lead them to the wishing well that would manifest the various portals; to have another join and add to it seemed, to her mind, to be an effort at rediscovering their unity.
Perhaps she had been overthinking their earlier comments. There were plenty of apologies alongside all of the insistence that they would have performed more acceptably with some forewarning, after all; perhaps it was not recrimination she had heard, but only an attempt at excusing their perceived faux-pas.
And it was quite true, as the beautiful Treasure noted, that even as the weather shifted it could also layer into something with new depth. Perhaps this shifting held more depth than she had first realized; if aught else, her companions acquitted themselves admirably as she simply pressed onward.
She checked on them often as she stepped with cautious deliberation, never letting her eyes settle on any one area for long. A glance ahead for these next few steps, a quick peek at her Gypsy as she reached back with her tail to brush against his shoulder; a small touch to check in, to show she was not ignoring him, simply leaving him to whatever thoughts had turned his gaze deep and thoughtful. Another glance ahead, a small shuffle sideways to see how the stunning Fancy was coming along, beauty of shadow as she was having to pick her way along a vibrantly bright coastline towards the cool cover of dense forest.
She had placed emphasis on caution and moving ahead, and they seemed to have heeded her, all of them fairly silent and apparently intent on their walk. The copybirds had only just begun to meld the various tunes, that which she had offered earlier and the warning of ravens guarding empty thrones, when their stillness was broken by small, alarmed cries; and then her wonderful Gypsy spoke the feared words.
Fear not, my love, she answered, and turned smartly on the spot, pivoting in a sharp walking pirouette that twisted her around on her haunches. It was uniquely graceful, although she had no knowledge of such a thing; her focus was on the missing Sunray, not on dancing around her singing Gypsy.
The ripple he had stepped into was difficult to see from most angles, and while she had thought she had steered well around the portal she could tell now that it wasn't anchored as firmly as she would have wished. Not everyone who passed through this islet held the focus required to make their passages with any real skill. It was a pity, in truth, for it was they who knew just enough to cause damage that made things all the more difficult for those who truly knew what they were doing; and altogether perilous for those who knew naught.
To complicate things further, the mild drifting of the portal would make it all the more difficult for Sunray to know how to return; and often, these portals were only meant to be used in one direction, disappearing altogether once the destination was achieved, as far as the one stepping through it was concerned.
Luckily, there was a trick around such a problem, although it was in itself rather tricky. It was also rather dangerous, for if the portal, already weakly formed, were to vanish while she stood astride it, she would be cleanly bisected.
Best not to mention that particular detail, she thought, and slid herself along the line of serians, gently brushing her sides against them as she squeezed past.
If I might ask some small bit of assistance, my friends, she said with an absolute lack of concern designed entirely to help put everyone at ease, we shall have our brilliant fellow back within but a moment.
She reached back as she stepped up to the portal and dug through her tail in the same way she had before; by hiking up one back leg and comically twisting herself into a shape that would make any liquid-boned cat envious. A moment later she surfaced with a great swath of seaweed clutched in her mouth, as well as a rogue crab clutching at her forelock. She never seemed to be able to keep her tail free of the watery kelp and had long ago ceased trying; it was in moments exactly such as this that she found the dank scent to be well worth it, regardless.
With a snort, Tribe tried momentarily to shake off the crab that clutched at her forelock, only to roll her eyes and promptly ignore it as she lifted the same back leg as before and wound one long strand of plant matter around her back hoof. She dropped the rest of the mass a little at a time, shaking her head to allow the tangled mess to stretch into a longer network of interwoven greenery, before finally reaching her neck out to hand the end of it to whoever was nearest.
She had no idea who she was handing it to; she didn't have time to look, or even to thank them. The portal was even still drifting, and there was a very real chance that whatever created this passage wasn't seeking a land that would be considered hospitable for their kind. She had to hurry for more reason than that of the risk of having the passage collapse on her.
When you see me kick my leg, pull, she instructed, even as she moved the last step forward to face off with the drifting ripple. And do not be shy. I can heal from a dislocated hip; what matters is that we get our Sunray back to us.
She was serious. Whatever it cost her, she would get him back here. She wouldn't leave her people behind; not any of them.
Tribe hesitated for just one more instant, the very last second before her nose would have touched upon the sliver of vibrancy that shimmered before her, and tilted one ear back, absently seeking Gypsy, although she had no idea where he was standing in relation to the others; her focus had been wholly on the task at hand. For a moment though, for this last, bare second, she paused long enough to focus her attention towards him as she said And if you would, my love; sing for me. Help to guide us back, for I will ever follow your call across all the realms.
And then she was half gone, her head and shoulders sliding into oblivion. The portal tried to take all of her, reaching forward to swallow her as such passageways were wont to do, rippling down her ribs, across her haunches, devouring one back leg and then her tail - only to stop with the very bottom part of her final leg still floating on the beach, the seaweed wrap still clinging around her hoof.
It burned; every nerve in her was screaming as she was pulled and split and ripped across the realms. Portals such as this weren't meant to act as open doorways; they were only passages between. But if it burned it meant she hadn't lost her limb just yet, and it meant there was still a way back.
This place was better than she had feared; she hadn't landed in the middle of open magma, for instance. It wasn't exactly the nicest of places either, if she was being honest. The dark was absolute; there wasn't a scrap of starlight, not a single moon, nothing but cold darkness that let her feel her breath misting against her cheeks. The air felt open, or at least there was some movement in the air currents around her, so she thought she wasn't underground, and the ground itself felt springy in a strange way she was almost familiar with. It was rather like stepping through piles of ash; Tribe didn't want to stop to think about what that would indicate.
Luckily, the gems that adorned her held a small charm; they glowed in the gentle hued tones of auroras and starfalls, rippling across her twilight hide like a sunset on the ocean. It didn't reach far, and it certainly didn't extend far enough for her to see if Sunray was still nearby; the passage could have easily shifted at a different rate here than it did back on the island. It wasn't even meant to exist here; she could feel that much in the way that her body shook and seized. It was a one-way portal, winking out the moment the traveler stepped into this realm.
But she held it open. It couldn't spit her out all the way, not while she leaned her weight back firmly on that last hoof, digging it into the warm sand, and refused to relinquish the last link to the island she had stepped from.
Sunray! she called, knowing even as she cast the words out that she knew nothing of what might be awaiting in such a dark and ashen place, Can you see me, sugarplum? Come quick, let me show you the way back. Sunray! It's me, it's Tribe! Quickly, now, the others are waiting!
She hoped he was close enough to hear her; she hoped she wouldn't have to find some way to reach further. She hoped that he was the only one who might be listening to her.
She hoped he would ignore the tremor in her voice as her body twitched and tried to buckle. She hoped the leg she had left on the beach wasn't revealing any of the tremors that racked the rest of her.
She needed only to grab him and to kick her leg; the others would help to pull them back, even as she scrambled to force them both through a passage that didn't want to exist.
Please let him be close. If she hadn't been fast enough, if she had lost her opportunity, then she would have to take the long route of finding and retrieving him, and there was no telling how long such a journey might take; and no accounting for the worry that the others would experience. If she could spare them such strife, then she would.
By all the gods, let him be close, let it be that he heard her, let there be a chance to grab him before she blacked out and fell entirely into this realm.
Could she hear Gypsy behind her? Was that him, singing her back to him, to all of them? The sound was a faint whisper, an imagined sigh of wind, but for a moment she thought she could detect something; imagined or not, it was something to cling to, and cling to it she did. It would only be able to slip through the portal along the lining of her own bones, but she swore she could hear him all the same.
Sing us back to you, my love, she thought, straining her ears with all her might even as she called for their wayward stallion. Sing, that I might follow your call, as ever my hooves do yearn to dance to your melody.
Perhaps she had been overthinking their earlier comments. There were plenty of apologies alongside all of the insistence that they would have performed more acceptably with some forewarning, after all; perhaps it was not recrimination she had heard, but only an attempt at excusing their perceived faux-pas.
And it was quite true, as the beautiful Treasure noted, that even as the weather shifted it could also layer into something with new depth. Perhaps this shifting held more depth than she had first realized; if aught else, her companions acquitted themselves admirably as she simply pressed onward.
She checked on them often as she stepped with cautious deliberation, never letting her eyes settle on any one area for long. A glance ahead for these next few steps, a quick peek at her Gypsy as she reached back with her tail to brush against his shoulder; a small touch to check in, to show she was not ignoring him, simply leaving him to whatever thoughts had turned his gaze deep and thoughtful. Another glance ahead, a small shuffle sideways to see how the stunning Fancy was coming along, beauty of shadow as she was having to pick her way along a vibrantly bright coastline towards the cool cover of dense forest.
She had placed emphasis on caution and moving ahead, and they seemed to have heeded her, all of them fairly silent and apparently intent on their walk. The copybirds had only just begun to meld the various tunes, that which she had offered earlier and the warning of ravens guarding empty thrones, when their stillness was broken by small, alarmed cries; and then her wonderful Gypsy spoke the feared words.
Fear not, my love, she answered, and turned smartly on the spot, pivoting in a sharp walking pirouette that twisted her around on her haunches. It was uniquely graceful, although she had no knowledge of such a thing; her focus was on the missing Sunray, not on dancing around her singing Gypsy.
The ripple he had stepped into was difficult to see from most angles, and while she had thought she had steered well around the portal she could tell now that it wasn't anchored as firmly as she would have wished. Not everyone who passed through this islet held the focus required to make their passages with any real skill. It was a pity, in truth, for it was they who knew just enough to cause damage that made things all the more difficult for those who truly knew what they were doing; and altogether perilous for those who knew naught.
To complicate things further, the mild drifting of the portal would make it all the more difficult for Sunray to know how to return; and often, these portals were only meant to be used in one direction, disappearing altogether once the destination was achieved, as far as the one stepping through it was concerned.
Luckily, there was a trick around such a problem, although it was in itself rather tricky. It was also rather dangerous, for if the portal, already weakly formed, were to vanish while she stood astride it, she would be cleanly bisected.
Best not to mention that particular detail, she thought, and slid herself along the line of serians, gently brushing her sides against them as she squeezed past.
If I might ask some small bit of assistance, my friends, she said with an absolute lack of concern designed entirely to help put everyone at ease, we shall have our brilliant fellow back within but a moment.
She reached back as she stepped up to the portal and dug through her tail in the same way she had before; by hiking up one back leg and comically twisting herself into a shape that would make any liquid-boned cat envious. A moment later she surfaced with a great swath of seaweed clutched in her mouth, as well as a rogue crab clutching at her forelock. She never seemed to be able to keep her tail free of the watery kelp and had long ago ceased trying; it was in moments exactly such as this that she found the dank scent to be well worth it, regardless.
With a snort, Tribe tried momentarily to shake off the crab that clutched at her forelock, only to roll her eyes and promptly ignore it as she lifted the same back leg as before and wound one long strand of plant matter around her back hoof. She dropped the rest of the mass a little at a time, shaking her head to allow the tangled mess to stretch into a longer network of interwoven greenery, before finally reaching her neck out to hand the end of it to whoever was nearest.
She had no idea who she was handing it to; she didn't have time to look, or even to thank them. The portal was even still drifting, and there was a very real chance that whatever created this passage wasn't seeking a land that would be considered hospitable for their kind. She had to hurry for more reason than that of the risk of having the passage collapse on her.
When you see me kick my leg, pull, she instructed, even as she moved the last step forward to face off with the drifting ripple. And do not be shy. I can heal from a dislocated hip; what matters is that we get our Sunray back to us.
She was serious. Whatever it cost her, she would get him back here. She wouldn't leave her people behind; not any of them.
Tribe hesitated for just one more instant, the very last second before her nose would have touched upon the sliver of vibrancy that shimmered before her, and tilted one ear back, absently seeking Gypsy, although she had no idea where he was standing in relation to the others; her focus had been wholly on the task at hand. For a moment though, for this last, bare second, she paused long enough to focus her attention towards him as she said And if you would, my love; sing for me. Help to guide us back, for I will ever follow your call across all the realms.
And then she was half gone, her head and shoulders sliding into oblivion. The portal tried to take all of her, reaching forward to swallow her as such passageways were wont to do, rippling down her ribs, across her haunches, devouring one back leg and then her tail - only to stop with the very bottom part of her final leg still floating on the beach, the seaweed wrap still clinging around her hoof.
It burned; every nerve in her was screaming as she was pulled and split and ripped across the realms. Portals such as this weren't meant to act as open doorways; they were only passages between. But if it burned it meant she hadn't lost her limb just yet, and it meant there was still a way back.
This place was better than she had feared; she hadn't landed in the middle of open magma, for instance. It wasn't exactly the nicest of places either, if she was being honest. The dark was absolute; there wasn't a scrap of starlight, not a single moon, nothing but cold darkness that let her feel her breath misting against her cheeks. The air felt open, or at least there was some movement in the air currents around her, so she thought she wasn't underground, and the ground itself felt springy in a strange way she was almost familiar with. It was rather like stepping through piles of ash; Tribe didn't want to stop to think about what that would indicate.
Luckily, the gems that adorned her held a small charm; they glowed in the gentle hued tones of auroras and starfalls, rippling across her twilight hide like a sunset on the ocean. It didn't reach far, and it certainly didn't extend far enough for her to see if Sunray was still nearby; the passage could have easily shifted at a different rate here than it did back on the island. It wasn't even meant to exist here; she could feel that much in the way that her body shook and seized. It was a one-way portal, winking out the moment the traveler stepped into this realm.
But she held it open. It couldn't spit her out all the way, not while she leaned her weight back firmly on that last hoof, digging it into the warm sand, and refused to relinquish the last link to the island she had stepped from.
Sunray! she called, knowing even as she cast the words out that she knew nothing of what might be awaiting in such a dark and ashen place, Can you see me, sugarplum? Come quick, let me show you the way back. Sunray! It's me, it's Tribe! Quickly, now, the others are waiting!
She hoped he was close enough to hear her; she hoped she wouldn't have to find some way to reach further. She hoped that he was the only one who might be listening to her.
She hoped he would ignore the tremor in her voice as her body twitched and tried to buckle. She hoped the leg she had left on the beach wasn't revealing any of the tremors that racked the rest of her.
She needed only to grab him and to kick her leg; the others would help to pull them back, even as she scrambled to force them both through a passage that didn't want to exist.
Please let him be close. If she hadn't been fast enough, if she had lost her opportunity, then she would have to take the long route of finding and retrieving him, and there was no telling how long such a journey might take; and no accounting for the worry that the others would experience. If she could spare them such strife, then she would.
By all the gods, let him be close, let it be that he heard her, let there be a chance to grab him before she blacked out and fell entirely into this realm.
Could she hear Gypsy behind her? Was that him, singing her back to him, to all of them? The sound was a faint whisper, an imagined sigh of wind, but for a moment she thought she could detect something; imagined or not, it was something to cling to, and cling to it she did. It would only be able to slip through the portal along the lining of her own bones, but she swore she could hear him all the same.
Sing us back to you, my love, she thought, straining her ears with all her might even as she called for their wayward stallion. Sing, that I might follow your call, as ever my hooves do yearn to dance to your melody.
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Vineda
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Re: Wandering Hearts (Gypsy and Tribe)
Gypsy had been inclined to jump through the warp himself right off the bat! He was glad Tribe responded with sure action so quickly. And that she was so familiar with the land and its portals. All the other exclamations of surprise and dismay were answered with swift assured certainty to fear not, and hope blossomed. Fancy was beside herself and sidled next to Treasure at the forefront, biting her lip and also telling herself not to simply follow and jump through. No need to make the problem worse...
Gypsy read through the unconcerned tone to the absolute focus on his love's face and the determination in her eyes, and knew how serious it was. A team effort, good that she provided commentary. It kept everyone else focused as well. As she disappeared into that tail of hers, he couldn't help but exclaim, Good gods, mare! D'ya keep the washpot in there as well He'd almost dismissed the sentiment the second it occurred to him, but figured it too would put his mates at ease. Of course he was closest, and it looked to be a ropelike strand she came up with. He looked up immediately and locked eyes with Avvie, tossed his head, figuring it was best to hand it off to him and be available to help in whatever manner would aid most. As he'd hoped, the light stallion came forward instantly, brushing his Treasure absentmindedly. Judging the length of the line swiftly, he moved around the back of his comrade and wrapped the line around the white haunch before passing the tendril to Avvie. Tensions were high despite his love's assurances, yet Avvie still winked at him as he adjusted his grip on the rope. He grinned absently in response, then moved into position again to be ready for anything. No point in causing a fuss trying to keep Tribe from doing something dangerous. That in itself might be even more dangerous.
He saw her ear searching. We've got you, love. And then her request. Ohhhh he'd have to come up with something quick. He wracked his brain but could think of naught but her.
Great heart, strong heart
Warm and stout
Fiery and bold
Lovely is her presence
That fits no mold
His eyes trained on Tribe, he saw the twitches across her skin and winced as he took them for unpleasantness. He sang on.
__
In the depths of the darkness, Sunray was on the move. Had been since he'd first fell into this place. Curses. It was a nasty place, particularly in his mind. It sapped his light, physically and mentally. His biggest concern was the slithery gloppy sound of the pursuing somethings behind and on either side of him. As he'd first struggled to get his bearings, he'd begun to hear first one and then subsequent stalkers. Every time he increased his pace, they pursued and got closer. So he held his breath and kept to a walk, looking for any sort of glow that might indicate a way out. There was nothing where he'd first ended up here, he'd looked. And looked again. It was too dark to look for wavers or shifts, except directly around his feet where his dimmed glow landed. Dimmed it may be, but he felt like a beacon in this dark stifling blackness. It was as though it sucked the light from him. He felt the drain. And then, a call! He was running back towards his enter point long before the call ceased. Coming! I'm coming! It wasn't too far; he'd been attempting to circle and zigzag back and forth in a searching pattern, though the utter darkness didn't aid one in avoiding disorientation. His only help was in the prints on the purple black sandy surface beneath him. The size of the trails alongside his hoofprints was disconcerting - he pictured snakes almost as wide as he was tall.
He caught a glow ahead, dim but also a beacon in this dark. Running in ever increasing bounds, Sunray hardly slackened his pace as he made out Tribe ahead, watching for him. Tribe! Something follows! A great weight dropped from his shoulders. He'd been worried that her call might be some nasty trick of this place, or even a denizen of the land lying in weight with a clever trap. He barreled straight to Tribe, hoping he wouldn't knock the beauty over.
__
- minstrel's pure voice
and wandr'ers spirit true
None in this world shall I treasure more than you...
He knew not where the song would take him next, he had simply wound his love and admiration for his Tribe into a tune. Wait! Was that a kick? Or a
particularly big tremor? Call him antsy, but he'd rather err on the side of caution. Perhaps she could go back in if she needed. They need not lose her as well! Pull! Pull her back!
Gypsy read through the unconcerned tone to the absolute focus on his love's face and the determination in her eyes, and knew how serious it was. A team effort, good that she provided commentary. It kept everyone else focused as well. As she disappeared into that tail of hers, he couldn't help but exclaim, Good gods, mare! D'ya keep the washpot in there as well He'd almost dismissed the sentiment the second it occurred to him, but figured it too would put his mates at ease. Of course he was closest, and it looked to be a ropelike strand she came up with. He looked up immediately and locked eyes with Avvie, tossed his head, figuring it was best to hand it off to him and be available to help in whatever manner would aid most. As he'd hoped, the light stallion came forward instantly, brushing his Treasure absentmindedly. Judging the length of the line swiftly, he moved around the back of his comrade and wrapped the line around the white haunch before passing the tendril to Avvie. Tensions were high despite his love's assurances, yet Avvie still winked at him as he adjusted his grip on the rope. He grinned absently in response, then moved into position again to be ready for anything. No point in causing a fuss trying to keep Tribe from doing something dangerous. That in itself might be even more dangerous.
He saw her ear searching. We've got you, love. And then her request. Ohhhh he'd have to come up with something quick. He wracked his brain but could think of naught but her.
Great heart, strong heart
Warm and stout
Fiery and bold
Lovely is her presence
That fits no mold
His eyes trained on Tribe, he saw the twitches across her skin and winced as he took them for unpleasantness. He sang on.
__
In the depths of the darkness, Sunray was on the move. Had been since he'd first fell into this place. Curses. It was a nasty place, particularly in his mind. It sapped his light, physically and mentally. His biggest concern was the slithery gloppy sound of the pursuing somethings behind and on either side of him. As he'd first struggled to get his bearings, he'd begun to hear first one and then subsequent stalkers. Every time he increased his pace, they pursued and got closer. So he held his breath and kept to a walk, looking for any sort of glow that might indicate a way out. There was nothing where he'd first ended up here, he'd looked. And looked again. It was too dark to look for wavers or shifts, except directly around his feet where his dimmed glow landed. Dimmed it may be, but he felt like a beacon in this dark stifling blackness. It was as though it sucked the light from him. He felt the drain. And then, a call! He was running back towards his enter point long before the call ceased. Coming! I'm coming! It wasn't too far; he'd been attempting to circle and zigzag back and forth in a searching pattern, though the utter darkness didn't aid one in avoiding disorientation. His only help was in the prints on the purple black sandy surface beneath him. The size of the trails alongside his hoofprints was disconcerting - he pictured snakes almost as wide as he was tall.
He caught a glow ahead, dim but also a beacon in this dark. Running in ever increasing bounds, Sunray hardly slackened his pace as he made out Tribe ahead, watching for him. Tribe! Something follows! A great weight dropped from his shoulders. He'd been worried that her call might be some nasty trick of this place, or even a denizen of the land lying in weight with a clever trap. He barreled straight to Tribe, hoping he wouldn't knock the beauty over.
__
- minstrel's pure voice
and wandr'ers spirit true
None in this world shall I treasure more than you...
He knew not where the song would take him next, he had simply wound his love and admiration for his Tribe into a tune. Wait! Was that a kick? Or a
particularly big tremor? Call him antsy, but he'd rather err on the side of caution. Perhaps she could go back in if she needed. They need not lose her as well! Pull! Pull her back!