My Own Worst Enemy

[Saz]

Dragon

After roaming the golden sands for the better part of the day, the sweaty young stallion eventually returned to where the broad spectrum of the herd lay. He nodded a brief hello to his great-uncle and various others before coming to a halt beside his sister. He cast a glance around for a brief moment, taking stock of where everyone was; Ela wasn't too far away, Salem seemingly keeping her company, Kiss and Indra were speaking a little distance away and Altair was playing in the shallows with Indira.

Eden and Azazel were missing, as was Cormorant, so he assumed they were on a training exercise. His father had been gone for a while however, and since Lilian and Tank had disappeared recently without any prior warning he was beginning to worry that they were weak to the enemy and thus an easy target. He was tempted to leave Altair in charge and go looking for his sire, but he knew that if he did he would be leaving the herd in an even worse condition. Sighing softly at the dilemma, the young stallion dipped his head to the cool waters of the oasis and slaked his aching thirst.

Glancing sideways at his younger sister, he nickered softly and nudged her with his shoulder. "You okay, Ren?" He asked softly, mild concern in his eyes as he watched her. He was still somewhat unhappy with her choice to battle, but he understood her reasoning, perhaps more than she realized. "How's training going?" He asked, a wan smile on his face as he watched her. He hadn't realized how much caring for a herd took out of you, and it was beginning to take a toll on his health. With having to patrol the borders daily, occasionally training and also making sure everyone was okay, there was barely ever any time for himself.

Altair

The older stallion laughed, grinning broadly and lowering his muzzle to just beneath the surface of the water before swinging it sideways and showering the little filly in a wave of water before laughing once more. He splashed toward her energetically with a cheeky grin before snapping playfully at her fluffy tail. "Gonna getcha!" He growled playfully, attempting to entice her to play chase with him through the water. It had been a long, long time since he had allowed his composure to slip and relax enough to play with a youngster.

He remembered in his youth that he'd never been allowed to see the foals that had been created from the few romps he'd been allowed. And then once in the wild it had been the same, he was searching for survivors and any of the mares that had managed to entice him were merely brief flings. There had only been two foals of his, not including Indira, that he had met and lavished affection upon. A young colt and a filly. Both from the same mare, one that had enraptured him to the point that he'd stayed with her for three years of his life and when she had died he had abandoned his offspring into the care of their aunt before leaving and never looking back.

It had been a long time since then and now he had a new life, a new family, a new home. And a new beloved. At that thought he glanced up from his play with his daughter and his gaze landed upon Indra, oh how he adored the younger mare, she brought back his youth, gave him hope and soothed his scars. Shaking off his darker thoughts, the grey stallion refocused on the game at hand and went back to playing with the chestnut filly that already had him wound round her hoof.

Kiss

The young mare sighed, "I know... Either way he's still a good friend, and I just hope I never hurt him. He doesn't deserve that. Not with his brother..." She paused, shaking her head in disgust at the thought of the older stallion. "Or his sister for that matter. I once found Zodiac and Mosaic to be great friends, but they treated Salem differently, often excluding him from their games and later of just leaving him out altogether. They were horrid to him, and sometimes I have to wonder if I'm the only friend he's ever really had..." She sighed deeply, shaking her head before glancing toward the patched stallion again.

"I'll leave you in peace now... Thanks for the talk though, it's nice to see you again." She nickered softly, nudging the brindled mare before turning and wandering back toward Salem. "D'you want to go for a walk? I could show you... uh... the desert?" She grinned at the sheer stupidity of the offer, considering there was very little that was different. It was all just sand and dunes, and then the occasional oasis in the terra. She shook her head before nipping cheekily at his mane and taking off at a trot, she paused after a few strides and glanced over her shoulder before calling to him, "C'mon slowpoke." She grinned, a mischievous sparkle in her warm eyes.

[Swede]

The water was refreshing to her parched throat, and at the moment such a thing was heavenly. She had never known anything else. A stranger accustomed to mountain springs might have found the oasis to be stale and lukewarm when tainted by the midday sun, though at night it was icy enough to be almost unpleasant to drink; but in the desert, water was a precious resource, and though she didn’t really think about the matter, she knew innately that without the oasis, the herd would never have been able to survive here. Goodness knew they struggled for food at times, and she imagined the heavier individuals suffered when summer was at its worst. But it was life, her life, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Distracted by the racket caused by Altair and Indira, there was a moment’s delay before Ren noticed that her Dragon had returned. Now there was one who had lost all his sense of fun; he rushed to be a stallion years beyond his age, which at times made her feel unsettled, hardly recognizing her brother in his actions and words anymore. She couldn’t blame him though. Circumstances were as they were.

“I’m fine Dragon, why wouldn’t I be?” she said lightheartedly. “Training is, well, it’s going alright I guess. I’m not very good at much of anything yet, but that’s what practice is for. We were just taking a break, it’s tiring trying to move quickly in deep water.” She paused, eyeing him keenly. “You should take a break too, you know. You’re always so busy running back and forth across the desert, you’ll just wear yourself down. We’ve got to stay in top shape, don’t we? And rest is a big part of that,” she said. Her usual cheerful demeanor threatened to slip for a moment, providing a fleeting glimpse of the dormant tiger caged up in her psyche. However, she continued onwards without any change in composure, and added, “Hey, maybe we can go see if we can find some of that tasty springy grass? That stuff gets all gross and dry in summer so we’d better hurry up before it goes bad… or someone else eats it.”

~

Indira squealed with excitement as she scampered away from her father, her long thin legs allowing her to bound over the water with ease rather than sloshing through it. She paused and glanced over her shoulder to see him apparently distracted. Following his gaze, her eyes landed on her mother talking to that other mare that had arrived a little while ago. Supposedly that one had grown up here, before Indira was even born; it was hard to imagine that time had actually existed before that point. But her dad was positively ancient, maybe even as old as the entire earth, and just as central and reliable in her life. She knew he would always be there for her, as long as the sun continued to rise. Even if he did sometimes get distracted in their playtime.

Eyes twinkling, Indira took a couple of light leaps back towards the grey stallion and booped his cheek gently with her muzzle. “Love you Dad,” she said happily. Then she wheeled around again and ran off with a giggle. From the corner of her eye she could see that Dragon had returned and was accompanying Ren. Her mother, her father, her cousins; these were the central figures in her life, her entire universe, and despite the desert hardships she was happy here.

~

“He is lucky to have you as a friend then,” Indra murmured. “It is nice to see you back as well.” She watched as Kiss ambled back towards her embittered comrade. Though she enjoyed the young mare’s company, it was somewhat of a relief that she had excused herself voluntarily; Indra could feel herself going hoarse again, and her voice would have become frustrating indeed had they carried on their conversation for much longer. She could only hope that what few words she was able to produce had imprinted some level of meaning in her friend’s mind.

She turned her attention to the water where her mate and daughter were frisking about. It was good to see Altair in such a cheerful state; the approaching war weighed heavily in the minds of everyone in the herd, and particularly on the stallions who were tasked with the burden of organizing it. Dragon was a ghost of his former self, and he had not even seen any combat yet; but perhaps it was past experiences which had strengthened Altair’s psyche in preparation for what was to come. Still, she wished that there had never been any need for them, and that perhaps the future would not come, at least not in the form which they all expected. A father and daughter, playing together as the water around them sparkled in the sunlight, siblings enjoying each other’s company, mares having a pleasant chat… these images danced in her mind and presented themselves as an ideal, were it not for the shadow of dread that tainted it. Perhaps, when this was all over, Indira might be gifted with a sibling… but dare she wait til then? After the war, it might be too late for such things; but was it right to bring a foal into a world of fear and chaos? Unbidden, her thoughts drifted to her own youth, and to her mother. Sighing softly, Indra lowered her head to search for the elusive grass that struggled to grow in the baking desert. Life would sort itself out in the end.

~

At last, Kiss was returning. The grey mare, pathetic as she was, had quickly grown to be boring, and this wasteland wasn’t particularly stimulating. It seemed that Kiss thought the same, deeming by her reaction to her own offer; but when a desert was all you had, you probably couldn’t ask for much. Salem smirked. “How exciting, I can’t imagine what all the other sand dunes look like. Lead the way, my lady,” he said with a trace of mockery. As she turned, he shot a sour glance towards the brindled mare in the distance; he was certain she didn’t like him, he could see it in her eyes when Kiss introduced them. Stupid mare; she’d do better not to underestimate him.

Salem snorted softly and moved to follow Kiss. She was her ever-upbeat self, rushing around like a brainless rabbit- an endearing trait at times, horribly annoying at others. With his mood already at a low point, he perceived her in the latter category at the moment, and her offhand comment didn’t help. He knew she was mostly just joking, but resentment burned deep in his chest nonetheless. He bridled the urge to snap at her, however, adopting his usual cynical half-smile instead. “You’ll get heat stroke if you keep that up, you know,” he commented drily, “And then we’ll see who’s really the slowpoke.”

(ooc: Did some figuring and if you want to get really technical, Ela is Indira’s only cousin, but “her cousin’s kids” especially when they are older than her just gets weird, so cousins the whole lot shall be <.<)

[Saz]

Dragon
-

The young stallion bobbed his head a little as he listened to his sister's words, he smiled gently at her words before sighing quietly as she reprimanded him gently for exhausting himself to such a severe degree. "You'll get better, you've got Dad's blood running through your veins, not to mention Mum comes from war stock anyway. We'll survive this." He replied with mildly forced confidence, it was as the days grew longer and the time since they'd seen their father lengthened that he began to doubt the last part. He knew he would do everything in his power to keep Ren, Eden and Azazel as safe as possible, Ren especially. It seemed Eden and Azazel had inherited Ranger's wild spirit more than Ela's gentleness, such as Ren had. He remembered when she had been a filly and Matanza and the dunalino had been just short of a stand-off, and in her naive, gentle way, she had cried out for them to halt their nonsense. It would have been funny if not for the fact that the dunalino had been more than slightly disappointed at the interruption and had teased her in a cruel manner for a few moments after. Blinking slightly, the young stallion almost missed what Ren said next but once his brain caught up to his ears he nodded slowly. "You know what, that sounds like an awesome idea, Ren. Take me to the grass." He grinned broadly, the first true smile he'd had since Ranger left to find a safe place. Waiting for his sister to lead the way, Dragon cast another glance around the small, scattered herd before nodding slightly to himself, they were all safe for the moment, he could spare a little while for himself.

-
Altair
-

The grey stallion watched closely as Indra finished her conversation with Kiss and the dark mare disappeared back to the companion she had arrived with, it seemed they were going for a wander around the terra. He smiled gently at his beloved as she glanced his way before being shaken back to the present by a gentle nudge to his cheek. His head swiveled and he laughed joyously before bounding after the young filly like a colt in spring meadows. He caught up to her easily, dipping his muzzle into the water before bringing it upward and spraying water over his daughter with a broad sweep. "Gotcha!" He proclaimed, before lowering his head and nuzzling her lovingly, "I love you too, sweetheart." He nickered deeply, before cheekily nipping at her fluffy crest and backpedaling out of her reach. His eyes crinkled at the sides as he smiled broadly, his head lowered and entire posture playful and gentle as he engaged his daughter in a round of tag.

-
Kiss
-

She laughed airily and paused enough to look back at her dearest friend, "If I didn't get heatstroke as a filly, I shan't get it now." She winked at him before loping off ahead, she slowly circled back as she thought about where they could go when an idea struck her. "Oh, I've got the perfect place to go, Salem. There's a dune about five minutes walk from here that's the tallest point in the terra. You can see almost everything from there, it's pretty incredible." She grinned broadly, sidling up against him and gently nuzzling his neck. She was silent for a few moments longer, walking in pace with her best friend before she spoke again. "You seem... grumpy. What's the matter?" She asked innocently, tilting her head to the side slightly as she analyzed him closely.

-
Ranger
-

The trek had been long and arduous, they had stopped but three times since leaving the river's banks, once just outside of the White Meadows, again just below Rainbow Ridge and once more as they reached the end of Aspen Creek. The journey had taken three nights and Ranger was almost euphoric at being home once more, he halted as his herd came into view and he knew he was on his lands once more. The sand beneath his hooves seemed to shimmer and shine moreso than it had before as he gazed upon his family, his friends, the ones he protected. Breathing the dry air deeply, Ranger closed his eyes, a broad grin erupting across his face before he reared up and announced his arrival home. The friesian stallion  landed smoothly before glancing back to make sure Joy and her family were close by. "Welcome to the Arabian Desert. This is where my herd calls home. There is an oasis ahead where the majority of my herd is gathered, but some are scattered among the dunes or on training exercises. If you come with me to the oasis, I shall introduce you to everyone and then you may explore as you wish." He spoke smoothly, glancing to each individual before turning on his heel and jogging toward his herd.

In the few minutes it took him to reach his herd, he took in the different scents, the old, the new, the unknown. His anxiety grew as he was unable to sense Lilian or Tank nearby, and there was the scent of an unfamiliar stallion here too. He worried what he would find when he reached the oasis, but the sight of Altair playing with Indira soothed some of his anxiety. He halted and inhaled deeply once more, noting that Dragon and Ren had only just left, and would most likely reappear at some point soon, Eden and Azazel weren't close by but he was sure they were still learning from Cormorant as the black mustang was absent too. Just Lilian and Tank left unaccounted for, it seemed, not to mention the unfamiliar stallion that he had yet to see.

"Ranger, It's good to see you back. And with... friends." The grey stallion addressed him smoothly, coming to a halt in the oasis and smoothly positioning himself between the strangers and Indira. "I trust things went well on your journey?" Altair inquired, scanning the small group behind the friesian stallion.

Ranger bowed his head and sighed deeply, "Unfortunately not, other plans will have to be made. However I met Joy and her young on the banks of the river, and they needed a home. I know our numbers have been running a little low so we have the extra space for more. I'd like you to meet, Harley, El Conquistador, Sport and Joy. Harley, Con, Sport, Joy, this is Altair, his daughter, Indira and his mare, Indra. There are others somewhere around here, I'm sure they will turn up in time." He spoke with quiet confidence before he spotted Ela not too far away. "Ah, the grey mare you see over there, is Ela. She is the mother to Dragon, Ren, Eden and Azazel. Who you will all meet soon, Dragon and Ren are somewhere close, Eden and Azazel are on a training exercise with their mentor, Cormorant. My lead mare, Lilian should show up some time soon..." He trailed off, glancing to Altair who raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Lilian has been gone for a while, she caught wind of something going on in Hunter's lands and took Tank with her to go investigate. No idea what they've found, but I suggest if she isn't back soon that you send someone to search for them. The same goes for Cormorant, Eden and Azazel. They went up the mountain for a training exercise and I'm sure they're safe, but they've been gone for almost a day now." The older stallion rumbled, shaking his head before stepping out of the water and smiling at the small group that was now a part of the herd. "Well then, welcome to the desert. It's nice to meet you all, if any of you need anything and Ranger isn't around just let me know." He nickered sweetly, smiling warmly at the group before turning and striding off toward Indra, he noticed she seemed to have a lot on her mind at the moment and merely wished to make sure she was okay.

Ranger watched the grey stallion leave with a small grin, "Despite his hardened looks, Altair's a bit of a teddy bear when you get to know him. Anyway, I'll leave you all to get settled and see if I can't round up anyone else to keep ya'll company." He snorted, glancing around before jogging off to where the largest dune in his lands lay, that way he would be able to see everyone at once and work out who was and wasn't there.

[Swede]

Ren bumped her muzzle lovingly against Dragon's cheek. Then she turned and strode with ease through the tough shrubs and little trees that guarded the oasis, clambering upwards as the greenery gave way to the hulking dunes the oasis pooled itself between. Pausing on the miniature ridge, she squinted towards the hazy horizon. "I wonder who that is with Kiss?" she mused out loud. "You know, Dragon... sometimes I wonder. So many strangers come and go here, and I realize it's important for the war and all, but... how do we know we can trust them all? It seems like it would be easy for someone with ill intentions to just blend in with the other vague faces that come and go." For a moment, she was silent, but as always, any trace of solemnity was quick to be replaced with cheer. "Come on then," she giggled, plunging down the sandy slope and leveling out at a trot. She had seen some grass to the west of the oasis the other day, and it was always good to be quick on one's toes in case a windstorm blew in and the dunes shifted on top of the fresh sprouts.

~

Indira splashed eagerly through the pond, spraying water in every direction as she evaded her father's mock chasing. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Ranger returning, but also strangers. The filly froze in her play, watching the group uncertainly; as they ambled closer, she discreetly slunk behind Altair, quiet as a mouse as she peered around him shyly. She didn't listen much to the brief discussion they had; that was grown-up talk, and it was inevitably boring. Instead her gaze remained fixed on the strangers, curious but at the moment thoroughly unwilling to approach them. She scurried quickly after Altair as he exited the water and darted from his shadow to her mother's as soon as they got close. Contentedly wedged between both of her parents, Indira yawned, still quite aware of the strangers but feeling less concerned by them while in this safe zone.

~

Indra looked up as Altair grew closer, but it was Indira who garnered her full attention first as the filly rapidly sidled up beside her. She gave her daughter a comforting nuzzle before shifting her focus back to the grey stallion. "New friends?" she murmured hoarsely, flicking her gaze briefly to the strangers which had accompanied Ranger to the territory.

~

She was alone again; the frightening young stallion had wandered off somewhere. Anchored only by her hooves to the sand- and even that shifted if she adjusted her weight- Ela's focus dissipated. The desert stretched out in front of her, miles and miles in every direction, countless specks of sand floating in a parched ocean as they had for hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years. The earth was hazy, edgeless, and blended with the vast sky that blanketed all of existence. Reality was a faded blur, a tasteless web of cotton to stuff the empty shell of her psyche. When the winds howled and ghosts shrieked through time and space, to disappear was her refuge. It was quiet. Peaceful.

~

A place from which he could see all the sand? "I can't wait," he said glibly. Her touch delighted and disgusted him; he couldn't explain why. What was it with this mare? She was so... small-minded, in some ways. And yet every moment without her company felt like a moment wasted. Unless, of course, she peppered him with irritating questions. "Matter? No matter. I got some sand in my eye, is all... all the better to get a closer look at it, really. There's a lot of sand to look at, after all."

~

This desert really was a hellhole; perhaps Ranger and Hunter were more alike than they thought, why else subject one's family to this wasteland? Legend smirked a little at the thought. It would probably piss him off if Legend told him that... Captain Justice down there, so certain that what he did was actually important. "Well don't let me stop you," the dunalino muttered to himself, ambling along casually through the sands. He did not see the Friesian just yet... the preacher seemed to be absent as well. That spook of a mare was off on her own, and had he felt more short-sighted he might have gone down to play with her a bit. But there was no sense in losing Ranger's trust just yet. The main conglomeration appeared to be centered near the oasis, so Legend adjusted course for that direction. There was no hurry; after all, he had pushed a hard pace for miles to bring Ranger this news as quickly as possible, no one could blame the poor loyal scout for being weary and slow at the end of his journey. He wondered if he would be over-doing it by faking a limp; probably. Some soreness was easy to replicate though. And he had actually had a bit of a stumble in the mountains, the fringe of a snowstorm had made for some slippery sleet.

(ooc: kinda quick and dirty but I'm slow today and just want to get things rolling again)