The Aftermath.
Apr 6, 2016 17:27:22 GMT -5
Post by Saz on Apr 6, 2016 17:27:22 GMT -5
Ranger
The sun blazed down on the lone stallion, his herd was still residing in the barren hot lands of the desert and he hoped that they were still as safe as when he had left them. It had only been a few months since the war between he and Hunter had come to a head, they had met in battle in the deserts known as Sandstone Hills, it had been fierce, bloody and altogether an unpleasant affair. He had come away with serious injuries to his left hind leg, but he had survived, and Hunter... well he had not. But the physical injuries weren't the only things Ranger came away with, he had lost children in that battle, nieces, nephews... and friends. It had been a bloodbath, with Hunter tearing down anyone in his path until he and Ranger came face to face. But it had to happen. It had to be finished. He had to protect his family... well, what was left of it. He had lost track of Scarlett over the months prior to the battle, knowing that Hunter once had her, but unsure of where she had gone after she escaped. But he wondered if perhaps it was best to leave her be, he had already caused so much damage to his family, so much pain, and so much suffering.
He exhaled heavily, he had been gone for only a few days, needing to check that Hunter was truly dead, needing to search the now empty lands for any sign of survivors from the battle, from Hunter's army. He needed to know that his family was no longer in danger. His mane and coat were dusty and matted with set mud and old blood from the battle and from the subsequent eradication of Hunter's followers, but still he limped onward, steadily eating up the ground that kept him from his herd. Slowly the terrain changed from rocks to sand, and soon he could see the figures of his family in the distance and he breathed a sigh of relief, speeding up into a stiff trot and then a jerky canter. The older injuries didn't pain him too much in a walk or even a trot, but his need to see his family overrode the pain with each cantering stride he made toward his herd.
Eden & Azazel
The brother and sister pair lay side-by-side in the cool shallows of the oasis, the sun beat down overhead and thankfully had positioned itself in the sky so that the small forest surrounding the water supply gave them shade. They sat in silence, basking in the quiet peace that had settled over the lands since the war. They had both survived, but not without their injuries, Azazel was sporting a nasty scar across the left side of his face, it was still slightly scabbed in some places, with fresh pink skin peeking out from the bits that were flaking off.
Eden had come out of it mostly unscathed, scars here and there, and she knew that it was because she'd had Ren, Azazel and Cormorant with her throughout the battle, no doubt they'd all done their parts in keeping her safe and unhurt. But it was the mental aftermath that she struggled with the most, she was unsure of how to deal with it so she kept it mostly to herself, becoming withdrawn and quiet to deal with not just the raw emotional pain of losing so many friends and family members, but also the strange hollowness that came with taking the lives of horses that were the same age or maybe younger than her. To be the ending to so many lives that day was a horrific feeling that she never thought she'd get over or let go. It was made worse by the fact that she felt that she couldn't seek advice from Cormorant, her mentor, her... well, he wasn't allowed to be her anything... He had shot her down on that day they were trapped on the mountain, just before the final battle, and she had understood why, but the distance between them had grown as she had attempted to stop herself from feeling they way she felt about him. In an attempt to keep herself alive... but she feared it hadn't worked, and the longer she kept her distance, the stronger her feelings grew, the more she wanted that stallion to be her friend, her lover, her partner.
The two young horses were roused from their thoughts at the call of their father, they rose to their feet simultaneously, whinnying their reply and smiling at their sire as he drew closer, slowing from his jerky canter to a jog and then a walk. They greeted him quietly, glancing toward where Altair and Indra were stood, deeper in the shade of the oasis before they moved away, resuming their silence in the shallows of the oasis.
Altair
The old stallion exhaled softly, his head resting on his beloved's back as they stood in the shade of the oasis. Today was one of the hotter days in the desert terra and thus it sapped the energy levels of its inhabitants. It had been an exhausting few years for the now older stallion, 19 years this spring and feeling it every cool night in the desert. He had been thinking of suggesting to Indra that they take Indira on a little tour of the combined territories and perhaps find somewhere of a more... moderate climate. But that would wait, he needed to be sure that Ranger was home safe and that the rest of the herd were stable before he even spoke of leaving. It wasn't a sure thing anyway, he hadn't even spoken to Indra about it. The thought had merely been knocking about his head since the culmination of the battle between Hunter and Ranger's forces. He wanted to live out the rest of his days in peace, he wanted his daughter and his beloved to be safe and to have their own, stable place. Perhaps he could suggest to Indra that they find another mare to join them, and even try for a colt at a later date.
After all, that would mean they would always be protected and in a more secure place if they left Ranger's herdlands. That being said, since the war the desert had been strangely barren of equine life. Perhaps it was just the absence of all the hustle and bustle after the battle, or maybe Altair was just feeling the calm after the storm so to speak. He hoped it was the latter and that soon the calm would bring life with it.
The grey arab blinked from his haze at the sound of nearby horses, immediately on alert he shook himself a little and gazed around the dunes until he found the source of the noise. It seemed that in all of his daydreaming of a life with his own little herd, Ranger had returned and was greeting Eden and Azazel. He paused, glancing over the dunes to see if he could spot Dragon, Ranger's oldest surviving heir, the young stallion had been mostly silent now-a-days, spending most of his time caught up in his thoughts roaming the desert, patrolling, protecting, wandering. It was at these times that Altair could see Ela's influence on the stallion, but he had to admit, when you grew up in a battleground constantly looming over your head, drifting off was sometimes easier than coping with reality. With a low exhale, he nickered a tired greeting to Ranger, unwilling to break the silence that had fallen over the small herd.
Dragon
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
The dark stallion plodded along to the sound of his own hooves, it was easier to be in his own company at the moment, what with the blood that he spilled with his own hooves. He felt on edge all of the time, restless in himself and unable to sleep without dreaming of the horses he had killed or injured. Horses that were the same age as him, so similar in build and yet they were mortal enemies without ever having met before. He knew that, logically, it had been kill or be killed, but that didn't make it any easier, nor did the sympathy he got from anyone he spoke to about it. It wasn't sympathy any more, it was pity and he hated it. He felt like his world had closed in on him, angry and alone and so twitchy that everything had gone so wrong in such a short space of time. He had snapped at Eden and Azazel the other day, and until he had walked away and gotten some distance from them, he hadn't felt any guilt, only anger. But he knew his anger wasn't directed at them, or anyone else he had snapped or snarled at. It was Ranger he was angry at, it was him who had essentially forced them all into a situation that they didn't want to be in. Sure, at the beginning they had agreed to it, but what were they to know what war was truly like. Sure, they had a vague idea, it was all blood and death, but until it happens to you? You have very little clue what impact it can truly have. The young stallion snorted angrily, shaking his head and picking up a trot to see if he could work out his frustrations with a long run. Hopefully by the time he returned to the main herd he would be much calmer than he was now, if not, who knew what would happen.
The sun blazed down on the lone stallion, his herd was still residing in the barren hot lands of the desert and he hoped that they were still as safe as when he had left them. It had only been a few months since the war between he and Hunter had come to a head, they had met in battle in the deserts known as Sandstone Hills, it had been fierce, bloody and altogether an unpleasant affair. He had come away with serious injuries to his left hind leg, but he had survived, and Hunter... well he had not. But the physical injuries weren't the only things Ranger came away with, he had lost children in that battle, nieces, nephews... and friends. It had been a bloodbath, with Hunter tearing down anyone in his path until he and Ranger came face to face. But it had to happen. It had to be finished. He had to protect his family... well, what was left of it. He had lost track of Scarlett over the months prior to the battle, knowing that Hunter once had her, but unsure of where she had gone after she escaped. But he wondered if perhaps it was best to leave her be, he had already caused so much damage to his family, so much pain, and so much suffering.
He exhaled heavily, he had been gone for only a few days, needing to check that Hunter was truly dead, needing to search the now empty lands for any sign of survivors from the battle, from Hunter's army. He needed to know that his family was no longer in danger. His mane and coat were dusty and matted with set mud and old blood from the battle and from the subsequent eradication of Hunter's followers, but still he limped onward, steadily eating up the ground that kept him from his herd. Slowly the terrain changed from rocks to sand, and soon he could see the figures of his family in the distance and he breathed a sigh of relief, speeding up into a stiff trot and then a jerky canter. The older injuries didn't pain him too much in a walk or even a trot, but his need to see his family overrode the pain with each cantering stride he made toward his herd.
Eden & Azazel
The brother and sister pair lay side-by-side in the cool shallows of the oasis, the sun beat down overhead and thankfully had positioned itself in the sky so that the small forest surrounding the water supply gave them shade. They sat in silence, basking in the quiet peace that had settled over the lands since the war. They had both survived, but not without their injuries, Azazel was sporting a nasty scar across the left side of his face, it was still slightly scabbed in some places, with fresh pink skin peeking out from the bits that were flaking off.
Eden had come out of it mostly unscathed, scars here and there, and she knew that it was because she'd had Ren, Azazel and Cormorant with her throughout the battle, no doubt they'd all done their parts in keeping her safe and unhurt. But it was the mental aftermath that she struggled with the most, she was unsure of how to deal with it so she kept it mostly to herself, becoming withdrawn and quiet to deal with not just the raw emotional pain of losing so many friends and family members, but also the strange hollowness that came with taking the lives of horses that were the same age or maybe younger than her. To be the ending to so many lives that day was a horrific feeling that she never thought she'd get over or let go. It was made worse by the fact that she felt that she couldn't seek advice from Cormorant, her mentor, her... well, he wasn't allowed to be her anything... He had shot her down on that day they were trapped on the mountain, just before the final battle, and she had understood why, but the distance between them had grown as she had attempted to stop herself from feeling they way she felt about him. In an attempt to keep herself alive... but she feared it hadn't worked, and the longer she kept her distance, the stronger her feelings grew, the more she wanted that stallion to be her friend, her lover, her partner.
The two young horses were roused from their thoughts at the call of their father, they rose to their feet simultaneously, whinnying their reply and smiling at their sire as he drew closer, slowing from his jerky canter to a jog and then a walk. They greeted him quietly, glancing toward where Altair and Indra were stood, deeper in the shade of the oasis before they moved away, resuming their silence in the shallows of the oasis.
Altair
The old stallion exhaled softly, his head resting on his beloved's back as they stood in the shade of the oasis. Today was one of the hotter days in the desert terra and thus it sapped the energy levels of its inhabitants. It had been an exhausting few years for the now older stallion, 19 years this spring and feeling it every cool night in the desert. He had been thinking of suggesting to Indra that they take Indira on a little tour of the combined territories and perhaps find somewhere of a more... moderate climate. But that would wait, he needed to be sure that Ranger was home safe and that the rest of the herd were stable before he even spoke of leaving. It wasn't a sure thing anyway, he hadn't even spoken to Indra about it. The thought had merely been knocking about his head since the culmination of the battle between Hunter and Ranger's forces. He wanted to live out the rest of his days in peace, he wanted his daughter and his beloved to be safe and to have their own, stable place. Perhaps he could suggest to Indra that they find another mare to join them, and even try for a colt at a later date.
After all, that would mean they would always be protected and in a more secure place if they left Ranger's herdlands. That being said, since the war the desert had been strangely barren of equine life. Perhaps it was just the absence of all the hustle and bustle after the battle, or maybe Altair was just feeling the calm after the storm so to speak. He hoped it was the latter and that soon the calm would bring life with it.
The grey arab blinked from his haze at the sound of nearby horses, immediately on alert he shook himself a little and gazed around the dunes until he found the source of the noise. It seemed that in all of his daydreaming of a life with his own little herd, Ranger had returned and was greeting Eden and Azazel. He paused, glancing over the dunes to see if he could spot Dragon, Ranger's oldest surviving heir, the young stallion had been mostly silent now-a-days, spending most of his time caught up in his thoughts roaming the desert, patrolling, protecting, wandering. It was at these times that Altair could see Ela's influence on the stallion, but he had to admit, when you grew up in a battleground constantly looming over your head, drifting off was sometimes easier than coping with reality. With a low exhale, he nickered a tired greeting to Ranger, unwilling to break the silence that had fallen over the small herd.
Dragon
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
The dark stallion plodded along to the sound of his own hooves, it was easier to be in his own company at the moment, what with the blood that he spilled with his own hooves. He felt on edge all of the time, restless in himself and unable to sleep without dreaming of the horses he had killed or injured. Horses that were the same age as him, so similar in build and yet they were mortal enemies without ever having met before. He knew that, logically, it had been kill or be killed, but that didn't make it any easier, nor did the sympathy he got from anyone he spoke to about it. It wasn't sympathy any more, it was pity and he hated it. He felt like his world had closed in on him, angry and alone and so twitchy that everything had gone so wrong in such a short space of time. He had snapped at Eden and Azazel the other day, and until he had walked away and gotten some distance from them, he hadn't felt any guilt, only anger. But he knew his anger wasn't directed at them, or anyone else he had snapped or snarled at. It was Ranger he was angry at, it was him who had essentially forced them all into a situation that they didn't want to be in. Sure, at the beginning they had agreed to it, but what were they to know what war was truly like. Sure, they had a vague idea, it was all blood and death, but until it happens to you? You have very little clue what impact it can truly have. The young stallion snorted angrily, shaking his head and picking up a trot to see if he could work out his frustrations with a long run. Hopefully by the time he returned to the main herd he would be much calmer than he was now, if not, who knew what would happen.