Two steps from hell

[Swede]

Aria made no move of welcome or protest as Hunter bore down on her. Her expression remained distant, as old memories sparked in her mind, happy days and days which she would not- could not- ever describe or share. Long ago, a different Aria had perhaps fantasized of this moment, and would have been delighted- or perhaps horrified- to experience it now. But today… today, Hunter was a fly. He could not break her; it would be like trying to break sand in a desert, something already in million pieces, something you could shift and push and pretend to master, and yet at the end of the day, far too vast to make any difference upon at all. It was not a pleasant experience, not at all; but the pain was meaningless. Bloodied and bruised, she made no shift in her prior tone after he was done with her. “Touched a nerve, did I? And here I was thinking maybe you would surprise me,” she said lackadaisically, “But you really are a one-trick pony. So predictable. And you haven’t lost that short fuse of yours, either.” She turned her head slightly as a stranger entered her limited field of vision, but then shrugged and lowered her head to graze at what little grass Hunter’s presence hadn’t poisoned completely. The question had been directed towards the stallion, not herself; thus she figured she wasn’t obligated to participate in further conversation.

“Oh sorry fairyfoot, did I make you angry?” Rusty snickered at Leto’s vicious reaction. For a moment she instinctively strained against the pull, but then her mischievous and reckless streak made itself known once more, and she reversed her weight completely against Leto, following the other filly’s pull with gusto. A simple trick of turning the tables and using Leto’s own ruse against her; and if it backfired, well, being on the ground just meant it was easier to bite their legs.

[Captain Stumpy]

"Oh, how irritating" Bala said to herself. She was half way through crossing a sandbar when the laps of the lake flowed over the top of the next patch of sandbar. Now the felicity palomino had to to get her hooves wet. Looking behind herself she wasn't in the mood to go back. Looking forward her ears and head lowered to her fate. Carfuly she made the first splash into the water, god she hated water. She shut her eyes and trotted through the rest of it, her tail raised. She was already on the islands shore before she'd realised it. Looking herself over she wasn't pleased about how much water had splashed up her legs and even holding her tail up hadn't protected it from the water either.

BlackThorn heard splashing on the wind. his head raised, one direction he could see Hunter pleasureing himself, the other way hidden by a kink in the beach was a, a stranger. The way she held herself was very atractive to the Black stallion. and with Hunter busy, Maybe BlackThorn could take advantage of this demonic islands morals for himself.

"Hey" BlackThorn said kicking up the sand as he trotted and halted by the smaller mare. "You must be new around here" Black said towering over the smaller mare with a smile. Bala wasn't worried by the large stallion, even at her age she was naive at the possible crueltys in nature. "Yes" Bala answered with a charming smile. "I'm only passing though though" She said, BlackThorn didn't seem to take much notice of her comment as he took another step forward. "Realy? such a shame you could at least hang round for a day or two?" he continued, "Can get abit lonely around here" he murmered nearly under his breath.

[Saz]

Hunter

The dark stallion gritted his teeth as he got little to no reaction from the dark chestnut mare, he bared his teeth, about to lean in and grab the little mare's throat. To force her to see that he was the king of this island. He was a God! He ruled above these petty creatures. He smote them into the dust, he took what he wanted, killed what he didn't. His eye twitched as Mutiny forced herself between them and within a moment was questioning him on who she was. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and willing himself not to smite these two mares where they stood. Once he had returned Mutiny's affections. Once. But that time was not now, and nor would it be again. Now she was just another creature in his quest. Mightier than his pawns, yes, but never as mighty as he. She was a close ally, yes, perhaps a key creature in his domination of this pathetic little land. But her use would come to its end eventually, after all she had already created an heir for him, what more would he get from her? Though Futility wasn't all that he had wanted in an heir, after all, who would wish for a filly to be his only heir? Perhaps before the battle next year he would get another heir from her, one way or another.

His eyes flashed open as he caught Mutiny's gaze, he smirked broadly, Jealous, are we? His eyes narrowed and he moved closer to her, deciding that he would much rather seduce her; after all if she dared to turn against him during the battle then there was the possibility he would have to smite her down, thus ruining his chances for a proper heir. Glancing past her to Aria, the great beast raised an eyebrow before returning his gaze to the dark harlot. "Mutiny, my dear, there is no need for such hostility." He purred gently, his demeanor changing immediately as he pressed his shoulder against the freisian and ran his muzzle down her neck, nipping gently at her shoulder before resuming conversation. "This is Aria, she is an old friend, though undoubtedly she will tell you she has none. Aria resided in the herd that I ran. Our meeting was merely by chance and a reunion among friends. Nothing to worry about." He purred, voice like velvet before he continued to nibble at her long mane.

His gaze turned from the two dark coloured mares and he gazed across the sand at a distant dark figure. He narrowed his eyes as the figure moved suddenly, as though being called. No one spoke to Blackthorn, he had made sure of that. So who was he going to see. The younger stallion disappeared round the bend of the island trees and Hunter automatically stiffened, something was going on and he didn't like it happening behind his back. Swishing his tail, the stallion nodded curtly to both mares, shooting Mutiny a stern look before turning and loping swiftly across the beach. He slowed as he caught the scent of an unfamiliar mare. He scowled as Blackthorn's crossed over and his ears flattened into his mane. He immediately strode round the bend, spotting the pair not far away and instinctively he wished to kill the dark stallion who dared to attempt to take a mare behind his back.

He bared his teeth in a threatening manner and he advanced upon the two, rage flooding through his veins. He halted though as soon as he caught the words between the two and decided that a different approach was needed. Shifting slightly, he immediately smirked, oh this mare would regret ever setting foot on this isle. And as for the black colt... well, he would realize soon enough. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He purred, swaggering toward the pair and bodily shoving Blackthorn to the side to get a good view of the palomino mare. Yes, she was pretty, and obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed, perfect. He bowed his head in a seemingly gentlemanly manner, drawing her into his web of lies. Taking the initiative, he brushed his muzzle against hers, drifting it down her neck and inhaling her scent deeply.

His stormy gaze drifted over to Blackthorn and he smirked darkly, he was openly declaring his ownership of this mare, and nothing would change that. "Do stay, Blackthorn. I need to speak with you once I have properly greeted our guest." He spoke deeply, eyes flashing dangerously, just daring the young stallion to disobey and slip back into the dark trees behind them. "So then, my beauty. What might you be called? I am Hunter, this is Blackthorn..." He paused for a moment, glancing over the powerful young stallion before nodding slightly, "He is my son." He snorted, grinning slightly before nickering deeply and gently lipping the flaxen strands of Bala's mane.

Titan & Leto

The chestnut snarled, wobbling dangerously as their center of balance was suddenly reversed. One of her hooves slipped and she toppled over, but considering Rusty's balance was also leaning against her, it made it easy to pull the roan over. Or so she hoped. Tightening her grip as she slipped and fell backwards, she adjusted herself so she fell on her side rather than directly on her back. Her neck curved forward slightly as she pulled hard on the other filly's withers, adamant to bring her down onto the sand. The only danger here was if Rusty fell on top of her. And who knew, the two year old was definitely stupid enough to do it.


The grey painted stallion flattened his ears at Futility's impertinence, he almost snapped at her before reminding himself that this was training, and although she had a temper and was a little snarky, she took everything deadly serious, so he knew that that she would take his criticisms on board. He sighed deeply, allowing himself a brief smile, her ability to snap from immediate battle to playful sibling rivalry was a little mind boggling at times. But perhaps it was just him, perhaps he was just too stuck inside his warrior personality. Shaking his head slightly he refocused and listened closely to what his little sister said before replying as they both watched the sparring session in front of them.

"Hmm, although their movements are slower than most, and also instinctive, especially on Rusty's behalf, there is some thinking going on behind this. You could learn something from them. Sometimes a bit of surprising instinct is all you need to pull an enemy off balance, just as thinking through your moves works in some situations. Sometimes yanking an enemy's tail or teasing them puts them off, giving you an opening you may not have already had. See! Watch them, look how Rusty switched directions just there, puts the enemy off balance, takes them by surprise. And watch, Leto is going down, but she's taking Rusty with her. Interesting tactics. Childish, yes, but useful in an actual battle, most likely."

He spoke wisely, analysing their movements with ease before glancing sideways at his sister. "You can't just use various movements and evasive actions to win a battle, you also need to use surprise and spontaneity if you can. It'll give you the edge, trust me." He snorted, blowing a short sigh before glancing over his shoulder as Hunter disappeared behind the trees and left Mutiny and a new mare alone on the beach. He swished his tail indescively before glancing back to the brawling youngsters, "Alright! Break it up. That's enough." He called to them, ready to interrupt them and pull them apart by force should it come to it.

Orion

The painted stallion nodded slowly, glancing between the mare, her youngsters and then the young stallion. Sighing deeply at their words, he bowed his head, his gaze lowering to the dark ground. "It's okay. And thank you." He snorted, shaking out his long coloured mane before turning and disappearing in the opposite direction to the small group. Perhaps the dark stallion was lingering on the beach. Only time would tell, and that would only happen if he was able to somehow avoid everyone on this island in the process.

((Moving Scarlett & others to the other thread.))

[lily]

Futility

 

She took a long hard look at her brother, her expression a seizure of repulsion and frustration. Bah, the stupid fool. Thinks he knows everything. He knew nothing. Not how undying rage sinked it's fangs beneath her skin or how the temptress that showed no remorse cloaked her body in it's icy grasps. No. Titan may know a thing or two about moving in war, but as he had stated this was training. It lacked any of the passion or emotion that would surge on a battlefield. 

"Learn from them?" her voice cut through his with defiant slicing tone. "Learn from them?!" she said once more, her voice growing ever louder. "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't know me. You don't know what I have endured." she took a few challenging steps towards him. "and as for trusting you, why would I do that? You're nothing to me. Just some dumb ass stallion who thinks he knows everything because he has been in a few brawls. You look down your nose at everybody and everything around you. Think I can trust anybody? You think I can lead some normal life!?" she bellowed, sweat began to roll of her bodice as the explosion of anger flared from her. 

"Have fun teaching them, but wait, their footwork and 'instinctive movements' are so good I doubt they have much to learn." she spat at him for turning and leaving the beach, in a trail of bitterness.

~*~

Mutiny

Rage curled up in her stomach like a constricted snake, soon, very soon it would be unleashed. An ugly sneer dominated her face, as she slinked past Hunter. Never again would she love, and certainly she no longer felt any type of affection for the arrogant stallion. Those who rose higher than nature intended would be smite down one way or another, it was just a matter of time. Mutiny was sure that Hunter’s time was running out. A violent sense of repulsion ran through her as Hunter persisted to touch her with his disgusting tainted skin. She said nothing and her expression was unreadable, a trait she had passed down to her daughter, her eyes reverted towards Aria. She glanced at the mare for all of two seconds before returning her attention to Hunter.

She watched as he switched, a gentle lover then his transformation into a gruesome predator. They had to be deceiving in times like this, and deceiving was what she intended to be. Her thoughts fled to her daughter for a moment, it pained slightly to know that there was nothing she could do to save her daughter. Not anymore that was. She had been taken by evil as she had, and although Mutiny had no intention of allowing Ranger or that brat of a mare Lilian overthrow the lands, she was also not about to watch as Hunter destroyed everything.

If it cost her, her life then so be it. The menace would be stopped. Her eyes flashed a little as she turned her head toward Aria once more “So then Aria, please to be aquatinted. Shall we be leaving this place?” she questioned with a devilish smirk.

[Swede]

For a moment, Rusty reflexively struggled to remain upright, fighting against the pull on her withers. But then nonchalance took over, and she flopped down squarely on Leto's side. "Pinned ya," she grinned cheekily. At Titan's command she heaved herself back up, quickly to avoid any potential retaliation on Leto's part; a pinned horse could still bite pretty hard. "I gotta hand it to ya, Fairyfoot, you ain't half bad," she said, shaking vigorously to dislodge the dust from her coat which had swirled up during the sparring. Glancing towards Titan, she spotted Futility storming away from him, clearly in a rage. "Geez, Titan, you really pissed her off... Tilly, come back! Come on, don't run off!" Snorting, she glared at Titan. Tilly was her best sister, her idol, fun as fireworks and clever as a crow; clearly, Titan was the one at fault here.

~

Upon being addressed directly, Aria lifted her head, cocking it slightly so as to get a proper look at the one who spoke to her. Quite who this black mare was, she didn't know. Mutiny, he called her. One of Hunter's mares, it seemed, the rare individual who wasn't cowed into docile, fearful submission. The stallion claimed to be as vile and selfishly cruel as ever; yet here was a mare he apparently had not broken. Briefly, Aria wondered how he felt about that. He seemed to be bothered by Aria's indifference to his menacing ways, and yet made no move to threaten Mutiny; was this obsidian mare a new breed then, a creature he was incapable of beating into submission... or perhaps even afraid of? Something to think about later, if she became bored and felt an inclination to muse. It was more relevant now to consider the things Mutiny said; no possible answer felt more desirable than another, so she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps we shall, if it happens. If it doesn't, then we shall not."

~

Three times, she had bolted. Three times, he had knocked her stressed and weakened body to the ground, and snapped at her flanks to force her back up and running in a direction of his own choosing until exhaustion forced her to slacken her pace. After that, Cassandra was obedient; bruised and tired, she found that as long as she moved in the assigned direction without protest, she was permitted to walk and he did not touch her or speak to her. She had long since lost her bearings, and even if she managed to escape now, which was unlikely, she would be unable to find her way back. It seemed, however, that they were approaching whatever destination the stallion had in mind; he seemed more tense somehow, and was starting to crowd her again. They exited the trees, and her heart sank. She had to swim across a lake?

"By that rock," the dunalino spoke suddenly, for the first time in many hours, "There's a sandbar, it goes all the way out to the island. The water will only go halfway up your knees. And then we're done."

Cassandra glanced at the stallion, but he seemed to avoid her gaze. Was he ashamed? If so, his expression didn't reveal it. Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed in resignation, and began striding through the water, convinced she would be neck-deep at any moment. But the sandbar remained consistent all the way out it seemed, as the stallion had said. Nonetheless, it still was a great exertion to slog through it, and when she at least ascended upon the island's shore, she halted abruptly. Her head lowered as she breathed deeply, atrophied muscles aching emptily.

"This is it," Legend said. The painted mare didn't answer; she didn't seem too pleased with the situation. Well, he didn't expect her to be. But she was a sensible one, she shut up and did what she was told once it became clear he would was in far better form and would catch her every time she tried to run. She didn't look like a mare in summer condition, especially since he had found her in the middle of a lush field; but he supposed that if she really did see ghosts- or was crazy, either way- it would take its toll. Dora drove him nuts sometimes, and he wasn't even trying to live a normal life like this mare was.

[Captain Stumpy]

BlackThorn had a shiver down his spine as he head Hunters voice. his ears pinned, he bit his tongue before head said something to get himself on the wrong side of Hunter. When Hunter introduced him as his son, He felt like he'd received a kick in the privates. Rather sedate from the verbal hit left time for Bala to fill the silence.

"Lovely to meet you, I'm Bala" she nickered to the even larger scarred black stallion. "You and your son have a strong resemblance" She continued with a light chuckle. BlackThorn dropped his head in voiceless shame, suddenly the beauty he'd seen in the golden mare was shattered by her careless words. She nearly purred as Hunter touched her and played with her mane.

"If you don't mind.. Sire, I'd like to finish some business on the other side of the island. So if I could be excused?" BlackThorn had finished biting his tongue, this situation was becoming more and more painful for him. He stood to attention expecting Hunter to release him from the situation. Bala couldn't see the tension or pain on the younger black stallion, but she could tell a lead stallion when she saw one and Hunter looked like one hell of a King. "So this 'Island' is it all yours?" Bala asked drawing the attention back to her. Just to make sure she had Hunter's attention she gave a little tug on his ebony mane.

[Saz]

Titan

The painted stallion grumbled dangerously as the young mare retaliated with sharp, harsh words. His ears flattened as he watched her stalk off and then glanced sideways at the two year olds. "Zip it, squirt." He growled, his temper flaring at the young roan's words. His gaze flicked back to Futility's retreating form and he sighed, shaking her head before taking a few steps toward the other youngsters. "I'll go after her. Talk to her about it. You two stay here. And squirt, don't get into any trouble, m'kay?" He snorted, lowering his head slightly and lipping cheekily at Rusty's forelock before glancing at the chestnut filly and nodding slightly. With a soft grunt, the huge stallion turned on his heels and loped after their sister. He quickly caught up to the younger filly, ears pricked forward but frustration swirling beneath his breast.

"Futility." He called to her shortly, slowing slightly as the two entered the trees, she didn't respond and his ears tilted back. "Futility..." He called once more, anger growing before he finally halted as they passed through a small clearing. "Tilly. Stop. We need to talk about this." He spoke with short, sharp words, anger filtering through his tone as he glared at the dark filly. "Do you really think you are the only one to have endured things upon this isle of hell? I have endured far more than you could ever endure. At least here you are accepted, revered, worshiped. I had no such luck when I was your age, and I still don't. The most acceptance I get is from you and Rusty. Your mother hates me and father merely keeps me here to teach you and protect you when you needed it."

A dark look passed over his face and he looked away from her, his silver-blue gaze searching the trees around them for something to vent at. It was all in vain and suddenly his silvery gaze turned back to Futility. "You no nothing of the tortures your fellow horses can put you through. I was, and still am, not wanted anywhere in these lands or the lands surrounding them. My mother hated me, my herd banished me, my fellow stallions sneered at me. You have no idea how that feels, to have such hatred follow you wherever you go." He snarled at her, eyes alight with an unearthly fury. "So actually, I understand. Moreso than you think. So don't ever, ever, make the mistake of thinking I don't know what it's like to be treated differently, to be shunned or to be hated." He spoke, his voice trembling with anger before he swiftly turned away from the filly, he had to direct his gaze at something else before he attacked her in anger.

Suddenly, his anger left him and he just felt tired, sad and lonely. He sighed deeply, gazing up at the sun as it disappeared behind dark grey clouds. Snow had been drifting intermittently throughout the past few days. But today it seemed to reach its peak. Snow fluttered down through the sky, landing upon everything in its path and beginning to create a blank white canvas over the land. He lifted a foreleg, placing it upon some of the snow and then moving it back to its original place, watching his hoofprint appear and then slowly disappear as the snow filtered down. "This is all I've ever known, Tilly. Loneliness, hatred, fear, war. I was never a favored child, my peers took every opportunity to beat on me, my mother and the other adults always turned a blind eye. I managed to slip under the radar until I was three, then I was chased out." He paused, swallowing the lump in his throat and continuing, he had never told anyone of his past. "I fought every stallion I came across, and I lost a lot of battles, I couldn't tell you which ones I got from who or where. Then, I eventually returned to my place of birth. The herd was still the same, but without my peers. A few mares were new and others were gone, but the core was the same. And you know what I did?" He halted then, turning his flaming gaze back to his little sister.

"I ripped them all apart. Bathed in their blood and cleaved flesh from bone. I gave no mercy to anyone. I slaughtered foals, mares, the stallion that led the herd. And then I sought out anyone who had escaped my wrath, I killed them and any who dared attempt to protect them. And you know what? I felt better, for a while. But with each day I live, each day I wake and continue to thrive on the fear and pain of others, my soul diminishes, my conscience wanes. I have little idea of what is right and wrong in the world we live, and after this war, whatever the outcome, I have to wonder, will I survive? Will you? Will Rusty?" As he spoke, his voice grew softer until he was almost whispering. "Because you and Rusty," He paused, closing his eyes as unfamiliar feelings of love and fear rushed through him. "You are my family, Tilly. The only family I have and have ever had. And no matter whether you think I am being a soppy old fool, or if you think I am weak, that emotions have no use... I love you, and I love Rusty. You guys are my sisters, my little sisters. The ones I have to protect, to teach, to love." He shook his head, a rueful smile coming across his face as silence descended upon them. He had just bared his soul to this young filly, told her how much both she and their sister meant to him. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to do.

–

After he had spoken to Futility, she had ridiculed him, snarling and spitting she had fled and he hadn't bothered to follow after her. The island was suitably safe, after all, no horse on this isle would attack the heir of Hunter if he wished to live to see another sunrise. He had inhabited the trees for a while, leaving others to their own devices whilst he stewed in his thoughts and feelings after his confession to the younger filly. What had he truly expected? That she suddenly wake up to the real world, see that she was truly cared for and adored, and become less of... well... a spoiled brat? The huge stallion sighed deeply and shook his head before turning and striding deeper into the treeline, away from the others that called this isle home.

Leto

The chestnut arabian grunted as the roan filly landed atop her, her teeth baring as she readied herself to take a bite at Rusty. But before she could sink her teeth into the roan's neck or shoulder, she had squirmed away and was now watching Titan and Futility argue. Her ears flicked in mild irritation and she got to her hooves, shaking off most of the sand that had embedded itself into her russet pelt. She tossed her head and rolled her eyes as Rusty somewhat complimented her before raging at her older brother. "Whatever, Rusty, leave them be; they'll be a while, so we may as well do something else." She snorted, nudging the other filly's shoulder before turning and gazing across the barren land. "Not that there's much to do..." She sighed deeply and lowered her head before shaking herself once more, attempting o dislodge all of the sand that was on her coat.

At this point in time, she had blossomed into a lovely young mare, evidently still growing; Her beauty was evident, face finely dished, eyes alight with a mischievous flame, legs and body thin but muscular. Her coat, though patched from her winter coat was beginning to show a lovely russet hue, the same went for her tangled mane. She and Rusty made an amusing pair, she was tall, lanky and finely built, whereas the roan filly was stocky, muscular, block-headed with a wild mess of mane and tail. Princess and tom-boy. She looked like she belonged in a desert, not on a barren island like this, and Rusty looked like she belonged in a forest or on some wild plain, running free like the wild spirit she truly was. Smirking slightly, the chestnut filly nipped at Rusty's withers, "C'mon dipstick, let's go bother someone." She grinned wildly, her eyes lighting up with curiosity and mischief before she bolted away toward the sand bars.

Hunter

[/b]

The hellish stallion smirked deeply at BlackThorn as he attempted to make some form of excuse, "Come now, BlackThorn, surely you can spare a day to guide this beauty around the island." He paused, snorting deeply before he glanced away across the lake. His gaze had been away from the petite palomino for the briefest of moments and then felt a gentle tug on his mane, his eye twitched but he withheld any violent urges as he turned to look at Bala. His head tilted slightly as he considered her question.

"I do indeed, this isle had been under my rule for some time, and it has not wavered once. Since my claim was settled I gathered other stallions to help me guard my mares and foals, and also the land. You will most likely come across some during your stay, and so long as you do not pay them any heed they will not bother you." He warned her, eyes glittering with malice as he wondered how much he could tell this idiotic mare and have her believe it. He was distracted momentarily from the golden mare as he watched two young mares bolt out across the isle.

His eyes narrowed slightly and his tail lashed from side to side. The pretty arabian he had kidnapped along with Scarlett would be an ideal mate, and she came of age this year, so perhaps he would take a few moments to see to that later on. It was then that he began to wonder about how his other mares were doing, and as a side thought, how his daughters were. Perhaps if he were to breed any daughters on his isle, they would birth him sons that were strong and bold.

It was then, as his mind wandered over the thoughts of mares, he became suddenly aware that he had a perfectly good creature standing beside him, and that it would be ideal and cause even more torture to the younger stallion that was just aching to be away from him. With his eyes alight with lust and before the stupid palomino could even react, he snapped at her shoulder, driving her a few paces away and into the right position before he reared up and covered her without mercy or respite. Finally, when his lust was sated for the moment, he slid off of her and glanced at BlackThorn. "If you want her, have her. I have other things to deal with." He growled, albeit a little halfheartedly as he brushed past the younger stallion as he went in search of his other mares.

Dora[/b]

With what had happened to Cassandra still running through her mind, Dora had somehow made it back to the isle in one piece. She paced the beach without respite, paying no attention to the others who couldn't see her as she awaited the two equines that could. She glanced up occasionally as a few horses moved from sandbar to island or visa versa, some form of sick hope rising within her as she thought it was Legend. Finally he arrived, still herding the painted mare with him. Her heart stung as she remembered the events, those that she had cause. And now a harsh existence would be inflicted upon this mare, one that no one but Hunter had any control over.

Perhaps she could somehow find a way to communicate with Cassandra's family, to tell them where she was and help them get her back. To right the wrongs she had done. Swallowing deeply, she strode toward Legend and Cassandra before halting beside the dunalino, "Hunter is moving through the trees now, I suggest calling to him. Otherwise you might get other attention." She spoke in a strained voice, as though it caused her pain to speak to the dunalino, not that it was possible.

The last pain she had felt was when he had killed her, and even that had been short-lived. She shuddered and lowered her head, squinting slightly as a sudden, strange sensation came over her; It felt as though she was missing something, and when she thought back to when Legend stole Cassandra, she couldn't remember all of it and if she tried to remember anything that she couldn't it felt as though she was hitting an invisible wall. Shivering again, Dora glanced sideways at Cassandra, perhaps she could ask her about these things, after all, she must know something about it?
[/blockquote]

[Swede]

Rusty's scruffy mane bristled at Titan's harsh tone, but she quickly settled. "I never get into trouble," she answered, tossing her head dismissively before he ran after Futility. "He wasn't really mad at me, anyway," she said confidently, turning to Leto, "He's just upset that he made Tilly upset." She was quickly warming up to the delicate chestnut, growing quite fond of her in her usual puppydog way. "Bah, this island's great, you can always find something. Best friends like us won't have any problem staying busy," she added cheerfully. Rusty was three years old now, though she hardly looked like much of an adult, or even much like a mare. She was the sort only the most desperate stallion would ever go after, and the desperate just couldn't handle her. Snickering, she took after Leto, not naturally as swift as the arabian but making up for it in sheer stubborn determination to keep up. She sensed adventure, she sensed mischief; and oh how she craved it. She was addicted to life, like a weed in a sidewalk crack that has struggled its way into the sunlight and now refuses to relinquish it. To run, to breathe, to feel her hooves pounding the earth and her mane whipping in the wind, it was ecstasy.

~

The mare was pathetic, really. And yet she unnerved him. He wasn't afraid of the unexplainable or anything, that didn't bother him. Most likely she was probably just crazy, anyway; Dora said she could see things, but since when did he really trust Dora? She was probably a figment of his imagination too. But if she really was some kind of seer... if she could speak to ghosts, see past and future... well, there were other ghosts besides Dora, and he didn't really want them gossiping about him. He wasn't really interested in his future, either; what if it turned out that he chickened out and gave up this creed of his? He would never do that of course, but still. He wanted his demise to be the worst kind of surprise, what if she spoiled it for him?

And then... whenever she looked at him, he felt uneasy. Like she could see right through him. His past was his own, and he didn't want to risk anyone else getting wind of it. Turning away, he ignored Dora's presence- the less he had to do with Hunter's new pet, the better, and acknowledging Dora's existence in front of her was probably not a good idea- and raised his head, letting out a loud call to summon Hunter. "Don't worry, you'll be rid of me soon," he said shortly without looking directly at the painted mare. You'll have much worse to worry about instead.


Cassandra lifted her head weakly, but didn't answer. Exhaustion and fear swelled in her throat, preventing any words from escaping, and in any case she had nothing to say. She'd bought her family's safety, but at what price? Only time would tell. This island looked wrong... she thought she could see a red haze hovering over the rocks, and whether that was reality or her, ah, alternative perception, it was thoroughly unpleasant. She closed her eyes, but it didn't help; the endless whispering the corners of her mind only seemed to grow louder then. She hated this place.

~

Aria made few friends and few enemies on the island; she did not take much crap from anyone, but neither did she react if others behaved negatively. She neutralized antagonism with indifference. The dark chestnut mare lay in the withered grass quietly on her own, across the island from the rest. Hunter's retaliation had produced results, it seemed, and though she was not quite as obvious as a mare who had taken care to nourish the life growing inside her, it was impossible to deny that she would be foaling at some point soon. What an interesting world she lived in... years ago when she first met Hunter, this would have been a dream come true. Now? She honestly could not care less. It made her a bit slower, and tired her legs, was all. A nuisance, but not enough to spend time being annoyed about it. She vaguely wondered what Alastair would think, if he came across her now. Would he be angry? Probably. Would he have the guts to attack Hunter? Doubtful. And if he did, he'd get torn apart. Aria shifted her weight slightly, at least able to appreciate some quiet time in the grass to rest her sore hooves, dozing in the sunlight. She rarely slept; if there was anything she disliked, it was the treachery her mind committed when she was unconscious and couldn't control her thoughts. But a little dreamless catnap here and there was alright.

[Saz]

With a frustrated bellow, Hunter answered the questing call of another stallion and ceased his hunt for the mares of his island. Unfortunately in their time on his isle, they had learned of ways to avoid him and his guards, but none had escaped yet. None except the appaloosa who had been so close to Orion. The red run that had run with them was no concern as he had taken all she'd had to offer, not that she gave it willingly. A cruel, maniacal grin flickered over his face before he wiped it away with a swift shake and burst through the treeline like a creature possessed.

Gaze sliding over his familiar isle, he quickly spotted the two equines that weren't regular here and flattened his ears and puffed up his chest to seemed more intimidating than usual. He approached them at a speedy pace, his long, muscular legs eating up the ground between them before he suddenly slammed on the breaks a few metres short of the duo. All was quiet for a few moments as he greeted the dunalino with a cursory nod before focusing upon the painted mare. "This... this is the seer you mentioned?" He grumbled, clearly unimpressed by this mare's appearance. She was skinny and looked like she was about to keel over at his hooves, and not by her will either. He raised an eyebrow at Legend before glancing back at the mare and taking another step toward her, "Your name, girl?" He growled, it wasn't a question, far more of a demand and his tone suggested she didn't want to know what would happen if she disobeyed.



The bay ghost watched on in silence, her eyes glistened with unshed tears and guilt flooded through her entire system. The pure guilt and fear for Cassandra she felt was almost crippling and unable to look on any longer she turned her face away from the scene and took a deep breath before glancing over her shoulder at the dunalino stallion that had brought about her demise. The loneliness that had never been a problem before was beginning to affect her, and deep down some selfish part of her was glad to have Cassandra here, she had someone else to speak with, someone who wouldn't dismiss her as a figure of their imagination or that they were going insane. And she was beginning to wonder if she was going insane, she couldn't remember various things that had happened in recent times, whereas anything she could remember was clear as day.

Her mind whirled with so many thoughts and feelings that she almost couldn't handle it any more, and that was when she changed. With an almost audible snap, her demeanor switched within the time it took a horse to blink. Straightening slightly, she gazed squarely at Legend, moving toward him until she was mere inches away from him. "This is your fault, Legend. And all the things you've done, the horses you've murdered and tortured, their spirits will fester and rise until, at your death, they consume you and their pain and suffering will wash over you. I... I am only the beginning." She hissed harshly at him, her eyes darkening with vicious pleasure at the words she uttered. She let loose a cackling laugh before she prowled past the creamy stallion and settled herself beside Cassandra. "No use closing your eyes, beautiful. Nothing will save you now. Not your stupid cousin, not your brother, not your mother. No one is coming." She whispered in her ear, a cruel smirk flickering over her face as she withdrew her face from the painted mare's ear and she stood there, watching, waiting for the right time to strike.

[Captain Stumpy]

(I forgot about Bala's Pregnancy :/ She can have a foal next spring. I'll creep Monster/Hawthorn into this in a few posts time, when its a little more appropriate)

It was a upsetting sight, one monster taking advantage of a naïve lady. And another monster just standing steps away doing nothing about it. Nanna had taught Black all about bullying, especially when he was so much larger than the two fillies. "When you see bullying BlackThorn, and do nothing about it, it can make you just as bad as the Bully" The memory of the old grey half blind mare flared up in his mind. Black gritted his teeth and buried it away. What did she know? she was born and spent nearly her whole life with humans. He'd done nothing for people. just another face in a paddock before they arrived here. Nanna new nothing of the wild, its not Bulling its proof of power, if you can take it then you can have it. It was always as simple as that.


Bala was is shock, not a word uttered from her mouth. She didn't move till she was sure Hunter was well on his way. Now considering Bala was covered in a not to dissimilar way when she was in the hands of the humanfolk. Her mind took her to that powerless place she felt from her first stallion meeting. She missed what Hunter had said about 'Blackthorn having her' The Palomino watched as Hunter strode off, Then she turned to BlackThorn, who appeared to be in a world of his own. "I think I might stay a day or two after all" she uttered.

Blackthorn's lips curled up in discussed. "I think that's a wise Idea" He said rather soullessly. "Come with me I'll show you too a group of mares, they'll take care of you for the rest of the stay" He continued. On the face of it that statement should be easy enough to complete, but it was usually difficult for any stallion to get near to Hunters mares without death-glares as they move off. Now being one of Hunter's Lacky's who also looks reasonably simular to the great black beast makes getting close to a group of mares near impossible, unless he has a good reason. With any luck escorting a palomino will intrigue the mares enough to let him approach.

Bala Had no reason to protest, the thoughts of her first daughter out on her own had nearly ceased. Not entirely, after all she was a caring mother. But she also lived for the now. BlackThorn snorted and lead the way off the beach and into the heart of the island, through the tree's and shrub-lands, Bala followed taking in the scenery. BlackThorn could smell other horses all around, but then this island had a horrible feeling of always being surrounded. Looking around his eyes rested first on the dosing figure of a dark red mare, one he'd neglected to learn the name of. It was reasonably easy to walk up to a hunter mare while it was asleep. "You!" he beckoned on approach. Hoping to startle the mare just a little. "This is..." He looked round at the palomino mares face, his mind momentarily drawing a blank. "...Bala" BlackThorn couldn't help but notice the red mare was already heavy in foal, perfect match for the palomino they could talk about the joys of pregnancy and cr*p. "My names Bala" The palomino repeated walking up to the mare, BlackThorn rolled his eyes, embarrassed that he thought this mare was even vaguely attractive. "I have things to do" He grumbled turning away, Bala turned to leave with him. "No" he snarled, Bala hesitated, Black cleared his throat. "I have things I attend to, 'alone' " he said slowly so Bala would understand a moment passed then it seemed to sink in as Bala turned to the red mares once more. "This is a pretty big Island isn't it? How long have you been here? How much longer do you have left? *wink wink nudge nudge*" Words fell out of Bala's mouth, She smiled innocently as she spoke. BlackThorn smirked as he walked away, if him attempting to startle her awake didn't piss her off Bala soon would.


BlackThorn walked quite hastily until Bala's voice couldn't be heard anymore. It wasn't long though before someone else's voice's started to ring clear in his ears. The Black stallion had just bordered the sand when he could see 2 of the younger island occupants gallop towards him. "Heh, youth is waisted on the young" he muttered to himself moving from the strub and making himself quite clear encase the fillies were racing with there eyes shut. He kept his eyes on them, it wasn't often he bothered to get too close to the other island occupants. But he was rising of age, and that initial beauty he saw in the palomino mare he was beginning to see in another.

[Swede]

Legend nodded, unfazed by Hunter’s blunt demeanor. “Dunno how she works, but I’m sure you’re good at getting what you want.” It would be interesting for a while, this double bluff. No doubt Ranger would appreciate some tidbits of information about his nemesis and his current state, and as long as this bloody mare didn’t turn out to be a sham and thus a waste of time, surely Hunter would be more than willing to have Legend on his side. Of course it would all fall apart should the two black behemoths ever actually come face to face and Legend was forced to make some sort of public display of allegiance, but in the meantime it would be entertaining to court both factions. “I’d best get back before Ranger suspects something’s amiss,” he said laconically, “I’ll be in touch… have fun.”

For just a second, though, he remained still, not quite as adept at pretending to ignore Dora’s existence as he hoped. The moment her threat had rolled off her otherworldly tongue, however, the dunalino stallion turned away, ambling to the nearest exist. He was more than happy to leave his creepy captive with her new master, but that was not the reason for the secretive smirk on his face. Dora was changing, morphing from nuisance into proper nightmare. She promised him a fate few would wish even upon their enemies, an eternal damnation fit only for the lowest scum of the earth. “I’ll hold you to that,” he muttered under his breath, quickening his pace slightly. He could do nothing dreadful here that Hunter hadn’t already done; this island was useless to him.

~

Cassandra kept her gaze firmly lowered, not out of deference but out of pure unadulterated fear; fear of this stallion, and fear of what images might flood her mind if she looked into his eyes. Merlin. Think of Merlin. You’ll be okay, Cass, you promised. It’ll be okay.

She inhaled deeply, trying to soothe her oxygen-starved muscles so they wouldn’t give out on her. That was the last thing she needed right now. “Cassandra… My name is Cassandra,” she said hoarsely. She clung to the shreds of reality around her, but at this point the… other influences had grown so strong, or she so weak, that it was difficult to distinguish them anymore. The voice of the mare which appeared beside her was as sharp and biting as that of the living, and she instinctively flinched away from the sound. A foolish reaction, she knew that. The physical world meant little to them. They were all in her head.

Cassandra glanced desperately to the side as the dunalino sauntered off. Even he seemed harmless compared to the one he’d left her with. But the harsh voice in her ear… that one was attached to him. Please bring her with you, she prayed silently, Please don’t let her stay here. She knew little about what the dead could and could not do; rules didn’t seem to apply, or only in a haphazard fashion.

~

Aria flicked an ear as if waving off a fly when Blackthorn’s voice cut through the air. It seemed her moment of peaceful solitude was over. She remained silent throughout the exchange, barely listening; but she could gather that Blackthorn had some female companion, and was eager to dump her into Aria’s care. The corner of her mouth twisted slightly. For some reason, the other mares in this herd seemed to respect her; with Mutiny gone, she supposed being the only one who wasn’t terrified of Hunter made her seem like she was important. Usually she couldn’t be bothered with acting like some sort of leader, and the whole herd could drown in the lake for all she cared, but perhaps it would serve some use sometime. A little bit of politics and puppetry might spice up her daily life a bit. Would Hunter be irritated? Maybe. Maybe he’d be amused. He was completely off his rocker, that much was obvious; and in the end, who cared what he thought anyway?

Yawning deliberately as Blackthorn wandered off and the new mare- what had she introduced herself as, Bala?- began to pester her, Aria shifted her weight into a slightly more comfortable position. “It’s the size it is; I’ve been here a while; dunno, kid hasn’t bothered choosing a birthday yet,” she rattled off blandly. Then she stood, shaking off the dust from her coat and stretching her muscles; her joints crackled pleasantly. Once she was standing comfortably, she glanced in the direction where Blackthorn had gone (though in having only one eye to gauge with, she was slightly off), and shook her head. “Gone off to practice his groveling again, I suppose. He’ll do anything to get Hunter’s approval, poor fellow… once I even heard him muttering in his sleep about- oh, well, I’m sure he’d want that to stay private. It would explain why he’s so afraid of the mares though… Don’t mind his rudeness, I imagine he just found you to be very intimidating. It’s tragic, really,” she sighed.

[Saz]

The bay mare watched Legend turn and leave, she felt the sudden and irresistible urge to follow him, but before she did, she grinned cruelly at the painted mare. "Oh, I'll leave... for now... But I'll be back before you know it, sweet cheeks." She murmured, fluttering her lashes mockingly at the mare before disappearing. A few seconds later, however, she reappeared, "Boo!" She cackled loudly, teeth bared in a feral grin as she disappeared for a second and final time.

--

The mountainous stallion grunted in a noncommittal manner and paid Legend no more heed than a raised eyebrow at the admission of hopelessness at knowing how she worked. He watched her flinch with mild curiosity, it seemed she had her own demons and that those demons were already beginning to work in his favor. "Hmm... Very well, it seems we'll just have to figure that out for ourselves, unless you wish to shed any light at all upon the situation, Cassandra." He purred, taking a few steps forward and circling the quivering mare so closely that his pelt brushed against hers.

"Oh, now, now, dearest. You needn't be afraid, so long as you behave and do what I wish... you'll be treated well. And if not... well, I'll leave you to imagine the consequences." He grinned in a lecherous manner, his grey eyes betraying just how much he enjoyed torturing creatures such as her, whether it was just by threats or whether it was by actual actions. "So, let's get down to business. What exactly can you and can you not do? Also, just how detailed are these... visions you get? And when do you get them?" He asked, eyes almost burning holes into the painted mare that stood before him.

And then, before she could answer, he cut her off and spoke a deep threat to her that would shake even the strongest of stallions to their cores. "Just so you know, little one, if any of these answers displeases me, whatever family and friends you hold dear will suffer greatly. I will bring them here and make you watch them suffer through their deaths, and then you will die. And I will tell you now I am not merciful to those who displease me." He growled, his huge face ending up mere inches from Cassandra's own. Feeling as though his threats had properly settled into her mind, Hunter turned away from her and paced a few strides away before wheeling around and staring at her once more. "Well?" He barked, a dark sneer fixing itself on his face as he glowered at her.

[Swede]

(ooc: Skipping Aria for now til stump gets around to posting)

Cassandra's ears swept back in distress; despite the warm early summer air, she felt a chill deep in her bones as though she had been treading icewater for an hour. Her initial instinct was just to mislead him, claim she had some sort of brain disease; a tale she herself could believe easily enough, if it were not for the eerily accurate ghosts and visions she had experienced in the past. But clearly, he was not one to be deceived. She blanched at the thought of him ever getting his hooves on Merlin. There was no choice for her here. Once again, she was a tool, entirely subject to someone else's needs. Her mind was not her own, but merely a gateway to whatever information could be extracted through it.

For a moment, though, she could not speak. Fear choked her throat, throttling her at a time when more than anything else speech was necessary for survival- if not for herself, at least for Merlin. She didn't even know how things, how she, worked. How could she ever describe it? How could she tell someone exactly how to take advantage of her weaknesses, of her curse?

Help me.

I can't... please, go away, leave me be...

I'm lost.

"I can't!" she blurted, shaking her head anxiously. Immediately she took a step backward, a horrified look in her eyes. "I'm sorry- I mean- it's c-complicated. Sometimes they... they come to me. The d-dead, I mean. They speak in my mind, from wherever they are... in the shadows. I usually sort of block it out, but if I go there, I can see them... but sometimes I see places instead, in the past or the future, or sometimes the present, b-but it's hard to know really, it's just a feeling, like in dreams you just sometimes know things even though you don't have any good reason for why you know it. I don't decide anything, they show me what they want, come and go when they want, sometimes they are kind but I just wish they would go away, whenever I think I'm alone they're just there, in my head, I can't.. I can't..."

Her tone disintegrated into wordless whimpering. The shadows had sensed it: she no longer had the motivation to keep them caged in a corner. They languished freely, drifting across her thoughts like a dust cloud, casually eroding her defenses. There was no hurry; this was no assault. They simply reclaimed their old territory, stretching as though awakening from a deep sleep. They encircled her frail consciousness, settling down again to wait; when the other side called, needles of smoke would lance into that soft glowing center, the only vestige of her mind that was truly her own, and flood her thoughts not just with whispers and fleeting glimpses, but the full visions she had once been subjected to.



Always, she had been in the background... useful, but otherwise ignored.  Any resentment she may have once held was gone; the black mare had come down from the mountains, they had presumed she was one of their own, and she had done their bidding without objection.  And when all those glass palaces had shattered, she walked away from the ruins, disappearing into the world once more.  Anonymous, unimportant, alone.  But her gift remained, dormant until it was needed.  And one day, it awakened once more.  She was gifted; the other, cursed.  But still they were connected, and when the other was once more enslaved, she answered the summons.  One does not defy Fate.

Pentacle strode discreetly along the shoreline, coming and going at her leisure, as she always had done.  Cassandra glowed like a beacon in her thoughts, and it was to no surprise to the black mare that the weak little seer was once more subjected to an interrogation.  This one... he felt like Rysen.  Perhaps with a tad less charm, for Rysen had always been careful to be courteous and inspiring when he wasn't tearing someone's throat out, but certainly just as dangerous, just as power-hungry, perhaps even a little more mad.  "She's not lying, you know," she called out nonchalantly as she came closer.  Within normal speaking range, she halted.  "She really has no idea.  She's passive, no control over what she sees."  Pentacle smiled crookedly.  "But I can help with that."

[Saz]

Hunter

The stallion narrowed his eyes at her sudden outburst, his neck arched and his thick black mane was picked up and thrown wildly about by a sudden gust of chilling wind. The distant rumble of approaching thunder made his nicked ears twitch before he took a threatening step toward the painted mare. He inhaled deeply, attempting, for the briefest of moments, to calm his impending explosion, it would not do him any good to kill this quivering wreck of a mare. In fact it would probably damage his hopes of squashing Ranger and his pathetic army into the sand on which they stood. And although Ranger was rather pathetic with all of his valiant heroics, Hunter wanted the biggest possible advantage over the other stallion so when he won it would be all the more glorious.

He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes momentarily and feeling the bubbling ball of anger and murderous rage winding itself round the more reasonable (if you could get reasonable and Hunter in the same sentence) part of his brain. Her whining was beginning to grate on his last raw nerve and he knew it would only be time before he snapped once more. It seemed these days that his temper and patience was getting shorter and shorter. "OH WILL YOU CEASE YOUR TIRESOME WHINING, YOU MISERABLE, SNIVELING CREATURE!" He roared, rearing upward and slamming his hooves down sharply in front of her.

His rage was redirected at the last possible moment as another equine sauntered toward them, 'She's not lying, you know,' came the call from the approaching mare. He gaped at her, did he not have any form of security on this island? Were his minions completely and utterly useless? Quickly his fury that was directed at Cassandra became an internal rage aimed at the stallions he had entrusted to protect his island. Clenching his jaw, the stallion glowered at the new mare as she continued to speak before his brows creased as she added her final piece.

The dark stallion made a vaguely interested noise in the back of his throat as he cast a bemused glance at the cowering, whimpering gypsy mare before his gaze lifted back to this elegant black creature that seemed to hold the answers he needed. Perhaps he should try being charming first, if that didn't work, well, he could always use aggression. Perhaps, if this new mare didn't answer when he asked, his minions would be saved a grueling punishment or possibly even death. For the moment however, the large stud reined in his anger tightly and stepped past Cassandra toward Pentacle.

"Well, well, well. And just who might you be?" He drawled, his steel grey eyes flicking lazily over the black mare with a slight smirk on his scarred face. "How exactly would you know what she does, how she does it and what she can and cannot control?" He raised an eyebrow in an almost charming way. Almost, except for the fact that he was large and brutish, and any amount of charm he exuded was immediately dampened by the slightly twisted scar on his face; and the underlying sense that every muscle beneath his coat was bunched in a way that he would rip your throat out if you did something he didn't like. Hunter was very good at three things, killing, maiming and persuading mercenaries to join his cause; his brutish form tended to help with those things. Charm, Seduction and extracting information through speech however, didn't tend to go over nearly as well; unless he physically intimidated the other horse to the point where they would tell him their deepest, darkest secrets. But, as this new mare was a novelty he didn't want to be rushing into the quivering and cowering too soon... that sort of thing got boring after a while.

[Captain Stumpy]

HawThorn was lazing the day away, He was still keeping a low profile. The other stallions on the island where vicious and he's yet to make a friend, BlackThorn was the closest thing to a friend, but it was a stretch to call him a acquaintance. HawThorn new nothing of the large black stallion, Other than he was always in a bad mood. But not nearly as bad as the others. The lazy Grulla yearling had been given the beach patrol duty by BlackThorn. But the sand was tiring to walk over, and the grass was terrible, not that the rest of the islands grass was a great improvement. Instead he hovered in the thicker brush intending to hide from the rest of the islands occupants. He was probably the only island occupant more frightened by what was waiting for him off the island, than the monstrous threat on it.

Thinking of the true islands Monster, His sire. it was a hard pill to swallow. BlackThorn was pretty brief when he explained Hunter was his sire. The Monster made BlackThorn look like a fluffy bunny in comparison with a cheerful personality. Maple had explained to him that his real sire wasn't very nice, but his limited imagination couldn't begin to conceive the monster his sire really was. Still he wasn't about to forgive his true mother just because his dad was Hunter. She never gave him the opportunity to prove he wasn't like him. For the moment HawThorn was stuck between a rock and a hard place, His own mother threatened to kill him if he left the island (and only being a yearling she could easily take him) But dodging Hunter and his lackeys on there own island for the nest 2 to 3 years was also going to create a bit of a challenge. He had no intention of meeting his sire for a one to one and bonding time.

"You Lazy little nuts!" Burst BlackThorn, "GAHHH!" Screamed HawThorn, scrambling to his hooves with his heart in his throat. "BlackThorn I didn't, I mean. How did you find me?"  BlackThorn Had a face like thunder as he struggled though the low finger like branches into HawThorns little clearing. Blackthorn briefly thought about when Maple, Aspen and himself used to use this location for hiding in. "Don't ask me questions, what have you been doing all day? did you even do the Patrol I gave you?"  Black didn't need to wait for a answer, HawThorn dropped his head and looked away. "Its not good enough Boy" He grumbled looking away from HawThorn. "I'm sorry BlackThorn, I just. I don't feel comfortable here, I don't want to be seen by the others"  HawThorn said quietly in a bit of a whine. "Well that's a unfortunate feeling, you better get over it quickly and grow up, Your one of the mongrel sons of Hunter some of his attributes must be in you somewhere"  HawThorn looked like he'd just been kicked in the face, 'mongrel son' is that all he is? BlackThorn glanced back at him enough to see HawThorn looking rather sorry for himself. "C'mon if I can't trust you to patrol properly you'd better do it with me" HawThorn perked up, that was hardly a punishment to the lonely yearling. BlackThorn lead the way, followed by the still a little miserable HawThorn. "You better start getting a little more noticed Boy, otherwise the others are going to get suspicious or something" Black Grumbled. "easy for you to say your not the littlest" HawThorn Retorted, "Pardon?" "Nothing Nothing!" HowThorn gave a sigh as they continued on towards the beach.


_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_


"Poor Fellow, I didn't know" Bala said blankly, she wasn't sure what her new companion meant when she spoke, but it sounded sad. "I bet your looking forward to having your baby, I know I was. Once I got over the shock of it all" Bala continued to talk with a smile on her rather gormless face. "I had a Daughter, she was beautiful, she had my silver mane and tail, but her fathers red body... don't know where she is now though" Bala looked rather sober when thoughts came to her daughter again, how she could just loose her daughter and best companion she still couldn't understand. Not wanting to stay in that frame of mind for long she looked at the red mare, fighting the urge to ask her why she only had one proper eye, instead asked "Have you thought of any names yet?"

+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+


After breaking onto the sands it became pretty obvious there had been more horses here. BlackThorn scowled at HawThorn when the yearling dropped his head to acknowledge the new hoof-prints and the watermarks up the beach. "I'm sorry" HawThorn whined, BlackThorn rolled his eyes and looked around the beach. "Hunter will have my head if this is a problem" BlackThorn grumbled, he was expecting the prints to go up and into the shrubbery, but instead they continued down the beach. "C'mon Boy keep up now" Black beckoned. HawThorn did as he was commanded, around the next bend however BlackThorn saw relief and disappointment. The Monster King and 2 new mares around him, HawThorn coward back a little at the sight of Hunter not too far off in the distance. "We better go see what this is about" He grumbled, "Really? are you sure, I mean Hunter looks like he's fine" HawThorn said, Black glanced over and HawThorn pushed for a smile, but it came nervously and with a twitch. Black couldn't even be arsed to sigh this time. "Boy take some advice, don't act so cowardly around your sire, he'd rip you to shreds for it" Black said walking onwards. "sure that'll make me feel more confident, great pep-talk Black" HawThorn grumbled under his breath, Though Black's ears where turned to pick up on the odd word.

With legs as long as BlackThorn's, it didn't take long to cover the distance, the closer they got the tenser the atmosphere felt. The duo could see Hunter was on his tipping point from pleasant to monster, it was something about his eyes and his words they never quite said the same thing. At the moment his eyes said mad-man, but his words said self-control. The contradiction would break, it always did. It was just a matter of when. "Sire" BlackThorn said, halting behind a jolty looking paint mare. "I trust your having no problems?" It took a moment for BlackThorn to notice his yearling companion was no longer by his side, but instead by his flank and perched in his shadow. He glanced from HawThorn to the Splash mare, she looked shattered, it doesn't take a creative mind to assume what Hunter could have done to her, the other mare however looked unphased. Odd. 

[Swede]

"Names?" Aria echoed vaguely. Then she realized what it was the other mare was referring to. "Oh, that. No. I don't imagine I'll bother. I'm not so invested as that. This is a temporary condition which I must live with for now, but it won't be long before it's over. And after that, it is no longer my problem." She supposed, objectively, that she was indeed carrying a foal, but she felt no attachment or interest in its future. This wasn't an individual soul, or even if it was, it mattered to her no more than anyone else. It wasn't even a symbol of her love for Hunter, since that had passed many years ago, when she had realized how silly life was and grown up. She didn't owe anyone anything, least of all this foal; carrying it to term was a big enough favor, doing even more for it was just a burden she would get nothing from.

What was real and what was playing out in her mind was unclear; the boundaries between this world and the next fluctuated, and made it difficult to focus on any one thing. Thus Cassandra did not notice the approach of the two stallions behind her until one of them spoke. She flinched at the sound, but paying them any attention was too much for her to be able to do right now. Between the whispers in the head, the horror of her situation, and the mare in front of her, Cassandra had more awful things to worry about than she knew what to do with.

Because Pentacle made it too real. If she was here, then big changes were afoot; she didn't bother taking interest in anything less than monumental. She was a reminder of a nightmarish past, and a promise that such days were going to come again. What little hope Cassandra might have had was extinguished by the mere sight of her, and Pentacle knew it.

The black mare glanced briefly at Cassandra, with an odd mix of fondness and some sort of spiteful disdain written in her expression. She dismissed her quickly however, returning her attention to Hunter. "Who am I? Such complex questions you ask. Let us stick with what is relevant- you may call me Pentacle. And I know of her abilities- if one can call them that, seeing as she herself is useless, nothing but a passive vessel- because we have come across each other before. Another stallion, not unlike yourself in goals and methods, made use of us both. Initially I interpreted his mother's mad ramblings, but when he found dear Cassandra here, he had us... collaborate." Distaste flickered in her eyes for a moment. "I do not have the blessing- or curse, rather- of being able to contact whatever it is one wishes to call it, the other side, the unknown. But I can pick up on the influences of Fate- hence why I am here- and I can pick up on certain messages and signs through a proper catalyst. Cassandra is one such catalyst. I cannot see the things she sees on her own, but through her, I can pick up on what's loudest, what's most relevant. Through her, I can have all the knowledge, without any of the surrounding irrelevant noise that makes her such a whimpering confused wretch."

[Saz]

Hunter

The mountainous stud listened to the black mare's ramblings curiously, his scarred visage twisting as he thought over Pentacle's words. "Let me get this straight, so she," He paused, glowering disdainfully toward the painted mare, "Has the visions, but she also picks up bits and pieces of other events, making it difficult, if not impossible for her to decode them. However you have the talent to decipher each of these such events and find the most relevant parts." He repeated, squinting slightly as it settled into his mind. "So why would you choose to come here? No one comes here of their own accord." He asked, frowning slightly before two figured appeared in his peripheral vision and he glanced to the side of Cassandra, his frown deepening into a vicious glower.

The words from Blackthorn made him smirk slightly, "Boy, I am in the company of two new mares, does it look like I have a problem?" He replied sardonically, his eyes glittering with malice. "Besides, you should know if I had a problem, considering this side of the island seems unusually absent of patrols..." He trailed off, taking a few steps toward the young stallion and his yearling companion. "Tell me, Blackthorn. How, exactly, did both of these mares and an escorting stallion, enter my island without alerting anyone who was patrolling?" He growled, his tone slowly growing darker and more dangerous with each syllable spoken. As he waited for the response from Blackthorn, Hunter glanced at the stocky yearling that was lingering behind the young stallion, using him as a shield between them both. "Come here, boy." Hunter snapped, eyes piercing Hawthorn with a fierce, no-nonsense glare, no son of his would cower in the shadows.

[Captain Stumpy]

BlackThorn's coat prickled slightly at Hunter's question. This eyes however betrayed no emotion. "I'd Misjudged todays patrols" He grumbled coldly, he couldn't help but eye up the mares, now he was this close to them. One was clearly in some kind of distress the other however dark and calm. Something about her attracted his attention. She already seemed accustomed to this island.
"The Boy is taking a little while to... adjust" he sneered, glancing at the coward sheltering in his shadow.

HawThorn, was fighting every urge to run, all he could think was 'run, just run. keep running don't look back' But fear has a unpleasant ability to prevent movement. His wider than normal eyes shot at BlackThorn when he started to speak. Expecting the older stallion to outright say he'd caught him hiding in the bushes instead of patrolling the beaches. When Black didn't sell him out, HawThorn nearly took a sigh of relief. before the monster spoke to him. His muscles tightened. BlackThorn rolled his eyes, he'd done enough 'helping' the colt would have to work himself out of this one.

The silence had lingered just a little too long. "Sire, with your permission, I'd like to take patrols over your border" Black said, standing to attention. "This island is virtually impenetrable, other than this little... incident. Surely a small expansion would benefit any future plans?" he continued quizzically. Anything to distract the monster behind Hunter's eyes. HawThorn still hadn't moved, but the distraction worked in his favour. A very small swell of confidence (or obedience) caused his legs to bring him between the two mountainous black stallions. He looked like a twig between two great oaks, insignificant and frail.





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"Stay Silent Sirius" whispered a Appaloosa, being followed by a pintaloosa foal. Maple had had nothing but nightmares since HawThorn and Aspen's disappearance. Orion and said he would find they're adopted son, and her sister. But he was now missing too. Leaving the nervous appaloosa to raise their daughter alone. It was too much. Sirius was weaned, but still very close to her mother. "I will mum" The daughter answered.
"And if a stranger approaches you?" Maple quizzed. "I run" Sirius answered. "And I don't look back" She continued.
"Good Girl" Maple said, her voice still hushed.

The sent of the water was nostalgic, but for all the wrong reasons. The other side of that water was hell on earth. What was she thinking bringing her daughter to the boarder of hell? She needed answers, was BlackThorn still alive? She didn't even know for sure Orion had stayed this way. He had the idea Aspen would take HawThorn here, but neither of them could be sure. What if she'd travelled all this way, and Orion had just gotten home?

"Is that it?" Siri asked sceptically, it was hardly a horrific sight, just normal water, with normal sands and normal tree's behind it. Maple whipped her head round to see her foal standing beside her instead of behind. "Siri, it might look normal, but that's how monsters want it to look. He wants to fool and deceive, don't fall for it" Maple warned, she lead the way again, breaching the tree's of the main land to get a unhindered view of the island. "Stay in the shadows Siri" She said back to the foal, "Keep alert" She warned.

However the island for all purposes looked deserted. The wind was not in the appaloosa's favour, instead of blowing from the island towards her it was doing the very opposite. Whilst Siri had to take the hard path between tree's and bushes. Maple walked on the beach. Her tail semi-erect, her head high and her eyes desperately searching. Some things had changed, as she walked up the beach, she noticed some bull-reeds growing in the water, even her own sandy path was waterlogged in places. She walked on, temporarily distracted by the change. Her head raised again at the very distant sight of horses on the island beach.

She stopped and snorted a warning to Siri, who stopped in the treeline. Aspen sniffed the air, but nothing, in fact she could only smell Siri. She was too far away to tell any horses apart, She could see 4 dark horses, and one coloured one. Any one of them could be Hunter, or his dark mate or her long forgotten brother. Aspen now felt a lot more alone. "Siri" She whispered, the foal raised her head. "We'll come back when the wind is in our favour, I remember our families scents, but the wind isn't on our side today" Sirius nodded, as Maple came back towards the treeline. "we'll graze in that clearing we passed earlier, the one with the bounders" Maple said, turning her head as the figures became lost amongst the branches.

[Swede]

Aria had eventually lost interest in her unwelcome companion and strayed elsewhere. There were changes afoot, processes she was unfamiliar with on a personal level though she could certainly make an educated guess as to what they were; long ago she might have been frightened by it, but these days it was so much easier simply not to care. If it hurt, it hurt; if she died, then she wouldn't be around to worry about it.

When she left her solitude, she left behind a chestnut colt, shivering in the bushes. Something had sparked in her heart when she first saw him, but thereafter immediately died, replaced by habitual indifference. Why should she care? She strayed along the shore instead, nibbling at the sparse grasses and quickly settling into her usual routine once more.

~

"No one," Pentacle echoed, nodding thoughtfully. "I suppose that does describe me best, yes. Chances are, you will forget my existence when all of this ends; most do. I go where Fate steers me. We are all pawns, I just happen to be aware of it more than most, and accept my role. It may be that I'll be of use here, it would certainly seem likely if Cassandra and I have once again crossed paths. It may also be that you turn me away, or eat a poisonous plant tomorrow, and I'll continue onwards. Or perhaps I'll be struck by lightning, in which case, I still continue onwards, just perhaps not in the physical sense." She paused, her eyes roaming across the two males who joined the little group. Lackeys, most likely; ever warlord had them. Usually, they were more or less disposable and uninteresting, but sometimes even the smallest creature could have great significance. She wondered idly whether great things could come from either of these two, or if they would simply fall into the meat grinder of war and be forgotten.

Cassandra trembled as another stallion approached with a hesitant yearling in tow, and took a step backwards. Her gaze remained fixed upon the ground; as long as she did not meet their eyes, perhaps she would be safe from their pasts, presents and futures and all the pain that every life inevitably carried.