Nightingale's Lullaby

[Dusty's Girl]

Hoofbeats rang out in the terra, nearing the river. They were moving at a jaunty trot, a gait that could easily keep a horse moving all day. Then she appeared, a mare of course. White and chestnut, a striking combination it seemed on this one. Chestnut legs and ears, then two patches, one on each side. The patches were unique, almost like wings on the white coat. Her mane and tail were snowy white, gleaming in the dying light. It was summer of course and still warm, her deep eyes staring about this place.

A soft musical hum began to caress her lips as she stopped to watch the setting sun. It was the song of a lullaby that her mother had sang to her so many moons ago. Then her eyes, oh how they started to shine. Like diamonds admist the white face. Closing her eyes, she let herself sway slightly to the lullaby that she hummed, letting her mind wander back to the days of her mother and sire, when she was happy and belonged in a herd. Not now where she was an outcast and shunned. Her coat alone was one to set her apart. No horse could fly and one should not even have the markings of it. And no horse should ever have moonlight in their eyes. Unless they had the spirit of the Nightingale.

[blackcatluvr]

Champ looked at the mare with the white wings trotting his way. She surely was a beautiful, if different, mare. The white markings on her sides that looked like wings could set her apart anywhere.

He heard a musical hum come from this new mare. Mesmerized, he watched her trot closer. She couldn't see him, as he was in the trees, hidden from view, but she might be able to smell him. The mare swayed to the hum that was coming from her, and her eyes, he loved them. They shone like a bright gem, or the moon.

As quietly as he could, Champ made his way out of the trees, and came to stand in front of her. "Hello, beautiful mare with wings and eyes that shine like the moon. May you grace me with your name?" The black tobiano piebald stood proudly, head held erect.

Champ had never seen a mare quite like this before. He had seen many beautiful mares, but this one topped the list.

[Dusty's Girl]

ooc: She has chestnut markings on a white coat...there is no pic for it...hard to find...

She looked to the black and white stallion before her. He was young like herself, but a gentleman so far. But not every stallion was nice. A memory...a vision...A black stallion with a stained heart that stole her and wanted her...wanted her for her visions and a prophecy...She shook her head, no must forget that. This was a new place to start over. Her moon eyes stared at him once more, "I am known as the Nightingale. Who might you be stallion of black and white stains?" Her eyes swung away once more, her sides shivering as if she ached to fly. Her white tail flew over her back, the moonlight staining her pelt silver. While she had been humming, the moon had risen over the horizon and colored the world silver.

Her head raised to the heavens once, her eyes looking towards the moon. Silver washed over her body, turning her coat silver and her chestnut markings a deep red color. She looked back towards the stallion that had approached her.

Fear...agony... moonlight...a foal....She shook her head once more, not now. She snorted softly, closing her eyes for a moment, then opening them once more.

[blackcatluvr]

ooc:whoops, okie dokie.

Champ watched as she shook her head, almost like she was trying to get something out of her head.
"Hello, Nightingale. I am called Champ. What are you doing out here, a pretty mare like yourself, all alone, without a herd?"

Champ's blue eyes went over her strange chestnut markings once more. She certainly is different.... he thought.
Champ watched her look up to the sky. His sky blue eyes followed her gaze, to find she was staring at the moon.
"M'lady, why do you look as if you long to be up in the sky, flying towards the moon?"
Champ remembered his time in captivity, and his eyes lit up with light anger before it faded away.
"Were you held captive, by man? Is that why you shake your head, as if trying to get something out? Or is it something else, something far worse?"

[Dusty's Girl]

Her eyes swung back to him once more, "I was once captive by the natives of the land you could call them. They loved their horses, but I could not stay. I have the Sight and there is something about a prophecy about the mare with the markings of a bird. But it is all nonsense. And the moon is lovely to look at, I wish that I could be closer sometimes. Were you captive once?" Her muzzle pointed towards him, her eyes looking straight at him with intensity.

Her mane fluttered slightly as she took a step forward towards him, her tail slightly swishing against her sides, "And as for being alone? I have no herd, no place to live. I am a drifter for now until one will accept me for who I am, for what I can become." She snorted softly, her chestnut forlock falling into her eyes.

[blackcatluvr]

Champ listened to this mare, Nightingale.
"The Sight? What is that, Nightingale? And yes, I was taken by man when I was a yearling. They tried breaking me, biting spurs into my sides, stinging whips when I wouldn't obey, putting strange tasting silver in my mouth, et cetera. I escaped, thankfully."

"No herd? Who are you, Nightingale? What can you become?" Champ asked. This mare intrigued him, and he wanted to know more about her. Champ looked at the river, the moon reflecting off of its surface. It looked so peaceful, but he knew it could tear down trees and become very dangerous if a flood came. He looked back up at Nightingale. He flicked his tail, hitting a mosquito that had bitten him on his thigh.

[spirit1]

The huge golden dun lightly cantered to the river that this place was known for. Where he had met the one love of his life and soulmate. Now lost. He was back for another reason, mainly conversation, but if a mare was to catch his eye he would surely be a gentleman. Yes, this gentle large golden dun stallion was the one and only Thoroughbred racehorse Rosemont. As he slowed to a canter from his easy breeze gallop he sighted two fellow equines, one mare and one stallion. He just cantered on to the river beside them and tried to eves drop into their conversation. He gulped down plenty a blue liquid. Then swung around lifting his front hooves into the air around his sides to where his hind legs once were. Rosemont then moved a little from the river and chomped down the grass he could see and smell within the moonlight. He had never seen a hunters moon as beautiful as the one above him tonight. "Cacciatori luna" he whispered softly as he watched the moon enchant everything around himself.

[/color]

[Dusty's Girl]

She stood, her eyes sweeping towards the new stallion that had entered the picture. Blood...fire...wolves...She shook her head once more, snorting softly. Her moonbrightened eyes shifted skywards as if checking the moon was still there. Hmm...never had she been around two stallions before. She lowered her head slightly, her tail sweeping her body as she watched both of them in silence. A hoof shifted slightly, moving in the tall grass. Her ears twitched for a moment, waiting and watching.

Her eyes turned back to Champ to finally answer his questions, "The Sight is the ability to see other things, things that I should not see. I hate it and wish that it would vanish. I am not sure what the prophecy holds or what I can truly become, but the other herds say that I have moonlight in my eyes, which makes one insane. That I could become a killer." She lowered her head and snorted sadly. She was indeed an outcast, one doomed to never find love it seemed. Her tail swept over her body in the night, a silver shadow admist the red of her legs.

Her eyes turned back to look at the other stallion, sadness in her eyes. Her heart was full of sorrow as was her soul. A soft snort rippled her nostrils as she let her ears droop and her head towards the grasses. The night was her time, the time when she should be alive and well, but she was discouraged and depressed.

[blackcatluvr]

Champ looked at the dun stallion that had just come into view. He tensed, hoping he wouldn't try to steal Nightingale away.
He turned to the mare as she spoke. "What sort of things? Are they very terrible, things a horse should not be able to see in her mind?" he heard her say that she could become a killer. "Insane? You don't look insane to me. You look frightened, possibly, but insane, no. As for the killer part, I don't believe you could become a killer. Why, how could you become a killer? Because of your Sight, your moonlight eyes? No, those things can't, don't make a horse a killer. A horse becomes a killer by their own accord, not by something that they are, or what they have."
Champ noticed a change in the winged mare's disposition as she finished her sentence. "Don't be sad, moonlit eyes. You could never become a killer. I believe that." Champ lowered his head and lightly bumped it against hers before standing up and looking at the golden dun Stallion.

"Hello, who are you?" he asked.

[Dusty's Girl]

The moonlight hit her eyes once more, her body stiffening and her head flying upright. She shook her head once more, dead horses....pain...suffering...why did she see these things? She let out a troubled neigh before her legs folded quite haphazardly beneath her. She fell to the ground with a thud, tears flowing from tightly closed eyes. She could not, would not let anything happen. Her head hit the ground with a resounding thud and blackness....

In the darkness, she was alone. The stallions were not there...neither was her dead dream horses. Her mother stood above her, nose to her nose. "Nightingale. You have a mission and you have to carry it out...You have to get up and join a herd. Raise a foal and then it will be time...the Moonlight will call you when you are ready. The visions are not really that bad...just foretell the future and the past..." Her mother faded from sight then, leaving her disturbed and rather fanciful. What if she just died here? Then the pain started to filter in...she could feel again...could sorta hear the other stallions... But she was not opening her eyes...she almost could not. Taking a breath in, she tried to open heavy eyelids once more. It was not working at all. Her ears drooped helpless. Was she paralyzed or still in a daze?

[blackcatluvr]

Champ jumped back as Nightingale fell to the ground. He went over to her, asking,
"Nightingale? Nightingale? Are you alright?"
He waited for a response. If there was no response, he wouldn't know what to do. He supposed he would try to get her out of whatever she was in. A dream, perhaps? But why would she neigh like that? It was a troubled neigh, and then she had fallen to the ground. He wondered why that happened to her. Maybe this is what she had been talking about, the Sight she had been talking about. Maybe this is what she had meant when she had talked about the Sight. He hoped what she saw didn't hurt her mentally. He thought it was an unfair punishment for a horse like her, a unique horse.

[Dusty's Girl]

Slowly, her senses came back to her. Oh...where was she? She let her nostrils scent the air as she pulled it deep into burning lungs. Her eyes opened painfully. What happened there? Slowly, she raised her head and pulled herself up onto her chest, shaking her head slowly. Of course, the black and white stallion that she was talking to was still here. At least he still stayed and did not think her stupid.

She stretched her front legs before her, resting her muzzle on her legs, her eyes looking towards the stallion, "I am so sorry...I do not know what happened at all..." A heavy sigh echoed from her nostrils as she raised her head slowly to look up at the black and white.

[spirit1]

Rosemont just watched as the drama unfolded before, after the mare had awakened, he reared up and a loud almost angry neigh pierced the dead silence. Then the mare spoke, so he whispered "Drama follows me like death hangs over you... neither of us can avoid it ... nor prevent it." he reared higher once more and a neigh -sounding more like a scream- pierced the rivers winds. Once he came down from his rear he calmed also. He felt weird. He was an unusual horse anyways but ... something about this place tonight made him not only feel angry but intinctivly scared ! This was a strong musclar tall stallion that was not scared of even the toughest mountain lion or largest pack of wolves.

Slowly this gorgeous dun stallion trotted over to the mare. "You'll be just fine. Might I recommend eating and drinking something then taking it real easy. Preferably, get some sleep." he said with his ears flickering around his crown and weaving through his chocolate forelock and mane. Rosemont moved off a little and reared taller than Alexander the great's equally impressivly great horse. Smoothly he moved ... he spotted mares that he liked ... they had potential to be in his 'supportive' herd.

[/color]

[blackcatluvr]

Champ looked at the dun stallion, forgetting he was even there, before turning back to Nightingale. He looked her over. From what she had told him of herself, he didn't think it was any of the three things the dun recommended. He thought it had something to do with her 'Sight', not that she needed food, water, or sleep. Sleep may have even made it worse, causing her to dream, dream things she didn't want to dream about.
"You do not know? Was it something to do with your Sight?" Champ questioned the mare.

The other stallion seemed frightened. About what, Champ had no clue. The other stallion's body language told him this much, that he was frightened and angry about something. Champ wondered why he would be angry, but he didn't ask. He didn't know this stallion. It surely couldn't have been he was angry because Champ was here. That wouldn't be a good reason.
Champ swiveled his ears back, to listen if the other stallion would say something.

[Dusty's Girl]

As she stood there trembling, her eyes turned to Rosemont, "There is trouble in your herd. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear that something is going to happen in a fortnight or sooner." She snorted softly and turned back to Champ, "Yes, it had to do with my Sight and I fear that things might be happening a bit too quick for my taste." She shook her head once more, her tail flying behind her.

The silver of the moon was starting to fade as midnight took over the River. Her white coat stood out like a beacon, her chestnut spots gleaming like death itself. Of course what she had seen and heard, she was keeping to herself because it was harsh and almost downright scary.

She let her head look between the stallions, curious and wonderful why she knew what she did about the dun's herd. She did not belong to a herd at all, let alone with that herd. Her veil flew into her eyes as a slight wind picked up, lifting her veil and mane.

[spirit1]

The hansome dun had returned to the strange visionary mare with printed wings on her coat. He was less scared now and more nervous, some drama always unfolded in his herd and more often then not it wasnt good! He could not contain himself he had to know more about her, he knew he should not really be gathering more herd members but he was still getting over the loss of three mares he loved dearly, he was intensly perplexed.

"Mare, what is your name ?? ii have seen that wing pattern somewhere before ..." okay so he may have been lying about seeing the coat but he had seen a painting with a mare with that pattern on her coat, his humans were into artistic things, but he spoke with little fear in his voice but it was very strong and deep [[ooc:: like Skandar's ]] the stallion with her gave him little concern he was infact younger than Rosemont, smaller than him too and not to mention had only some of the same breeding ... a kind of mustang in fact.

"What is your name youngster ??" looking at the younger stallion. Some horses could see being called a youngster a compliment others found it hard to deal with the truth and flew off the rails, he figured this stallion was one to think it a compliment. Rosemont however was one that hated being called a youngster. Often or not he was always twice the size of the stallions calling him it! But the past was in the past no matter how much it shaped the future it never changed or made the present.

[/color]

[blackcatluvr]

Champ listened to the two other horses converse. It seemed Nightingale had seen something about this other stallion's herd, something that wasn't good. He wondered what could happen to this stallion's herd. He was lost in his thoughts as he herd the dun ask his name. Startled, he jumped slightly. "Wha-" he thought for a moment, gathering his thoughts and looking back to the dun. "My name is Champ. Who are you?" Champ didn't intend for the question to come out like he was jealous of the other stallion, he meant for the question to merely be a question. It came out sounding like he was jealous of the other stud though. Champ knew it was because he was afraid this stud would try to take away a friend he had made, and Champ liked the mare. Although she had the Sight, she intrigued him.



[[ooc: I almost put this for the sentence when Champ says his name : "My name is Name." xD Wow. I'm tired. ]]

[spirit1]

[[OOC:: according to rules we have to have a posting order and seeing as it keeps changing xD;;
1)Nightingale --DUSTY
2)Rosemont --MOii
3)Champ --CAT
if its okay with everyone participating otherwise we can change it ]]

[blackcatluvr]

[[ooc: hahaha. okay. :] ]]

[Dusty's Girl]

ooc: Sure, so I guess that its my turn to postie!

Nightingale looked from Rosemont to Champ, her eyes seemingly cold in the moonlight. But soon it would be dawn and her time of visions would be over for a day. Until the night once more. She heaved a sigh as an image of a black stallion ran through her mind. Her previous herd was once dark and demented, which is why she had to run. Why she could not be in a herd of any. She had done things and will have to do things that would rend the equine mind insane.

Shaking her head and gathering herself once more, she stood up straight and looked between both stallions. So both stallions wanted her, at least right now they did. "So, stallions, which of you would seek to claim my companionship in a herd?" She snorted softly, reaching out her head to look at both of them. She was oddly enough colored to be coveted in a herd and she was a mare, which could guarentee her a place in any herd. Her tail lashed behind her as she waited for their replies. She would take her time deciding as she knew what had to be done, visions or not.

[spirit1]

[[OOC:: just gonna answer Cat's before you'r dusty okay ... i'll make them intwine somehow ]]

Rosemont looked at the stallion relising he was deep in thought and rolled his eyes as he answered rather stunned. "well... I once was a racehorse legend ... a lifetime ago ... then again why would wild horses know anything about prestigious races ..." snapping his head up and his tone of voice, "I am Rosemont, that legend racehorse ... now wild!" he said with pride in a deep voice semi-American semi-English, but more of a strong English accent this time. Then he looked to the mare that both the stallions seemed to like, although he himself was more like a stud.

The erie night was almost over and the mare was looking more normal, obviously her Sight was becoming inactive of sort. She was something! "I would be delighted to have you in my herd my dear. Although I dont know your name!" he chuckled stretching his long athletic neck out to her with his muzzle touching her own. "But if you wish to go with Champ here, then be my geust ... he will mature to be a kind stud i'm sure. And I will have lost out to an upcoming top notch stallion." he winked over to Champ then looked the mare squarly in her eyes. He wanted to hang around longer to see what the pair of them would say.

[/color]

[blackcatluvr]

Champ listened to the stallion tell his tale. He seemed mighty proud of himself. Champ answered the stallion, "Hello Rosemont. It is a pleasure to meet you." He bowed his head slightly at the older stud before looking at Nightingale. About to answer her question, Rosemont started to talk to her, answering her question. He winked to Champ. Champ replied to Nightingale, "I do not have a herd yet, nor a herd land, but I would be honored if you came with me. I don't mind who you go with, be it myself or Rosemont. There are many disadvantages of being in a small herd, but in time it will grow, I promise you that." He stood, awaiting the reply of the dun stallion and painted mare.

[ooc:yayyy! ]

[Dusty's Girl]

"Herds...Large...Or Small. They all have the same stories to tell in the end. I did come from a large herd and it had many shall we say problems. But then small herds, you have no room for escape..unless you ask for it." She gave a hearty sigh, it was unclear of who she was to choose, if she should choose in the end.

A familiar scream entered her senses as her head lifted in the direction of the Watering Hole, "He is here. He will find me and make me his slave once more. I was nothing but a seer to him, one that could see his future for his herd." She let her head drop slowly, not willing to let the stallions see the disappointment on her face. She knew that if he was to find her, there would be no other stallion for the rest of her life. She just hoped that Rhapsody had made it away while she could.

Her head lifted slowly, "All fate is entertwined in this land, in the hearts of the Equus. Being a lead mare or a follower are two separate things. A lead mare is something that every mare strives for, but the protection of many stallions is what this land will be needing soon. Stallions should started befriending one another and starting looking towards each other to help protect the sanctity of the land, of the quality of life here in Sunshine River." She snorted softly.

[Dusty's Girl]

Darkness had seeped into the land. Darkness in the form of a stallion. A brutal call lashed the land as he speed over the terra, his target in sight. Nevermind that two stallions stood with this mare, no, she was his prize. His look into the future and his next mare to breed to before winter hit. He raced into the terra with amazing speed for a Friesian cross, his heavy hooves moving at such a speed.

He slowed near the stallions and his Nightingale, his haunches lifting him into a rear. Straight towards the sky, he leaped. Screaming her name, he slammed into the ground with ears pinned and teeth bared, "She is mine. I had claimed her years ago and she has had my mark on her ever since. She does not belong with another stallion other than myself!" His voice was loud, deep, and full of bravado.

Nightingale cowered at the sight of her enslaver. Oh how she had wished that she had left with either stallion by now. Visions swam in her head. Dark and rank, this stallion would do anything to take the lives of others. To enslave others. He would be the death of her and her stallion, whomever she chose.

[spirit1]

Rosemont watched the stallion display, he was smaller then Peligrosas. The brave, or foolish, dun stepped infront of Nightingale and spoke clearly to the dark stallion, "It is a mares decision wether she stays with a stallion or not ... obviously she chose not to stay with you and search for another herd!" he said as he arose into a rear taller then the black stallion. Lashing out and staring squarly at him. "Champ would you be so kind as to escort Nightingale to safety while I sort this stallion out..." he said to Champ looking back at him for a mere moment. A piercing call left his maw, a call for his knights and sons; though wether they would come was another matter entirely!

Battlecry was the first on the scene to his fathers aid. He quickly saw what was about to erupt and thus took a cheap shot at the dark stallion, kick in the hind leg. "I'll keep her safe father!" he said as he nudged Champ and Nightingale towards his fathers herdlands out of harms way, her scent would be mixed with his half sisters and other mares.

[/color]

[blackcatluvr]

Champ watched the scene fold out, as if in slow motion. The black stallion had come for Nightingale. As Rosemont told Champ to take Nightingale to safety, Champ nodded, nudging Nightingale to come with him. Another horse came, one that called Rosemont 'father'. Must be his son... Champ thought. He followed the other stallion, or colt still, he couldn't be sure yet. All he knew was they had to get Nightingale away from this place before the black had a chance to steal her away and torment her as she had told him. He whinnied to Nightingale, urging her on to get away from this as soon as possible. He felt a foreboding of evil, yet he knew not what it was going to be. He only sensed something bad was to come of this. Whether bad would be the black killing or injuring the dun or vice versa, or even the black coming after the three of them if he succeeded in injuring Rosemont, something bad would come of this scenario. He just hoped that Nightingale wouldn't get in the clutches of that stallion, and he would try his best to keep it that way.

[spirit1]

[[OOC: Champ & Nightingale need to go to Rosemonts terra .... 'Run My Little Retards Run!!!!' go into that thread and lets continue .... Brught & Rosemont staying to fight, aye Dusty ??]]

[blackcatluvr]

ooc: xD Okay Spirit. And nice title. XDDDD Wow. That seriously made me laugh yesterday. I was like "-stare--stare--stare--....LMAO!!!" Haha.

[Dusty's Girl]

OOC: You guys are nuts. And alright, I will post Nightingale over there...

BIC: Nightingale felt herself being herded by Champ and the other male. Too many horses....Too many visions. Foals cried out to her, mares screamed for help. Fire reined a new terror down on her sight. It was almost too much to bear. Winter white claimed her sight, her eyes taken by the sight of crimson on white, blood pooling on the winter grounds. But who would die? Who would see their life cut short? She let herself be taken away from his black majesty.

Brught launched his forehooves into the air, screaming at the dun stallion. He watched as his possesion was hauled away from him, his own personal visionary. "You have taken that which is mine! That is a crime punishable by death!" His voice was almost a roar as he launched down onto the terra, shaking the ground. With his neck arched deeply and his left front hoof splaying at the ground, tearing at the terra beneath it, he displayed a sheer amount of power. The friesian in him gave him the strength of a draft horse as the mustang in him gave him the stamina and fire that he needed. And it did not hurt that Cryptic's blood streamed in his veins.

His tail lashed out in fury as he raised his head slightly to let a stallion scream pour forth from his muzzle, his ears flat against his skull. He would have his prize, whether it cost this stallion his life or not. He already won over a mare and a stallion that he could call if he needed and his brother was here as well. But he needed no help against the spindly stallion in front of him. Tall as he was, he was Throroughbred and Mustang. Not a fighting type of horse, nor an ancient breed such as himself.

[spirit1]

Rosemont rolled his eyes at the stallion dropping down and leaving an dent in the ground from his weight and muscle hitting the ground. "She is not a posession! And I did not take her if she LEFT you." he said sarcasticly in his English accent. The large dun done nothing to display, he wasnt one to do so in fights, he simply released an enraged cry from his muzzle and fixed his senses on the black stallion. His opponent was not impressing him so far. Rosemonts body was laided thick with muscles, he was pure muscle, which was pure strength but he had pure speed ... best to have speed in a battle, plus intelligence ... something a Friesian was not known for. The Kiger Mustang in his bloodlines was stronger then that of an ordinary Mustang, all his ancestors had speed, looks, muscles, strength and presence ... presence was useful esspecially in the wild! "Nightingale no longer wishes to be with you, And I will fight to keep her safe Black Stallion. I shall not go down easy, so walk away now ... because you cant judge this book by its cover!!" he said staring the foe squarly in the eyes, ears pinned against his skull and intangled into his chocolate mane, tail gently swaying and, what was not tangled with his ears, flew like flames.

[/color]

[[OOC: we are nuts! Thats why we RP xP AHAHAAHA spindly stallion ... do make me laugh Dusty!! ii thought of calling Brught something meaner but ... ii decided against it ]]