Post by sibber-chow on Feb 4, 2010 1:59:52 GMT -5
Chapped kissers lipped at the barren turf. Grass was sparse, and Orpheus was sure to only eat the bare minimum – sparing the rest for his mares. This winter had been especially harsh on the Inferno territory. The young stallion could not remember a winter where the land had been so void of foliage. Spring was nearing though and with it came new life and hope. Suddenly, a cross wind glided across the hellion’s spine. His crown shot up and a bitter nicker tumbled from between his lips. His mother had returned, and she was close. The lead was puzzled as to how the mare had gotten so deep within his territory without his notice. However, he soon made assumption that it had to be the wind which had protected her scent up until now. Tuula and the wind were much greater allies than the gales and Orpheus.
“Orpheus, please, hold your attacks,” the mare murmured weakly. Her visage became clear – as if she had merely appeared from thin air. Her body was frail now; no longer was it swollen from holding a baby within. And, it became obvious for there was a babe… no two… at her side. Eyes narrowed as Orpheus tried to reason why the mare had endangered not only herself but also her foals by coming here. What bothered him more was what the Era did next. Her head jutted down, pushing one of the defenseless babes gently in his direction.
The hellion showed his discomfort with a disgruntled moan. Tuula merely returned his noise with a whuffle, pointing her snout at the young foal who Orpheus now saw was a male. Further notice was then taken to his markings – he had the markings of a paint, soft beige like his own, and teal splashed his left cheek. And then, he saw two magenta stripes stretched across the underbelly of the child, exact match to Cheza’s.
The stallion gaped at the young foal with intrigue and utter confusion. How could it be? This foal was a nearly perfect mixture of him and his former mate. But, how? Confused eyes of both the foal and the stallion looked towards Tuula.
“He is yours. Yours and Cheza’s, son.”
“B-but, how?”
The mare walked towards her son and his colt with her own babe tagging along. She explained to her counterpart about how the wind had informed her, about the deer who initially took in the babe, about the premature birth of her own foal, and about her hiding in his land for weeks now.
“Orpheus, I need to return to my home, and I need to take him with me…” she was cut off by a bewildered snarl escaping from the hellion’s lips. “Orpheus, please, he is far too young to go without milk, and I am the only mare around who is producing.”
“Then you will stay here and feed him,” came his sharp demand.
“Orpheus, the winter has been harsh this time around and your territory does not have the foliage to sustain everyone. I have to feed three; plus there are your mares – some who are pregnant!”
Snarling again, Orpheus conceded. “You will return him?” He said with a nearly pathetic tone in his words. Tuula gave him a quiet, yet reassuring nod. “Fine, take him back until he can be weaned.”
“One more thing, Orpheus. I will need you to escort me back to the Era’s homeland.”
“What? No! Why?”
“The three of us will be vulnerable to all sorts of prey, son. You know this…”
“I cannot just leave my mares, they will be vulnerable too… that is how Ch- cheza… I left her here alone.”
Sympathetic eyes watched her son as he spoke. “I know son, but you took care of that threat. Your mares will be safe. They are together at the moment; the wind tells me that. They will protect each other; you need to think of your foal, too.”
The decision hurt Orpheus’s every fiber, but he gave a solemn nod. He had to do what was right for his and Cheza’s only descendant. He would be going to a place he had told himself he would never step foot upon… unless it meant war.
OOC|| I will be posting in the Era lands soon as well as replying to other posts soon... I have been pretty swamped as of late! Sorry, guys!
“Orpheus, please, hold your attacks,” the mare murmured weakly. Her visage became clear – as if she had merely appeared from thin air. Her body was frail now; no longer was it swollen from holding a baby within. And, it became obvious for there was a babe… no two… at her side. Eyes narrowed as Orpheus tried to reason why the mare had endangered not only herself but also her foals by coming here. What bothered him more was what the Era did next. Her head jutted down, pushing one of the defenseless babes gently in his direction.
The hellion showed his discomfort with a disgruntled moan. Tuula merely returned his noise with a whuffle, pointing her snout at the young foal who Orpheus now saw was a male. Further notice was then taken to his markings – he had the markings of a paint, soft beige like his own, and teal splashed his left cheek. And then, he saw two magenta stripes stretched across the underbelly of the child, exact match to Cheza’s.
The stallion gaped at the young foal with intrigue and utter confusion. How could it be? This foal was a nearly perfect mixture of him and his former mate. But, how? Confused eyes of both the foal and the stallion looked towards Tuula.
“He is yours. Yours and Cheza’s, son.”
“B-but, how?”
The mare walked towards her son and his colt with her own babe tagging along. She explained to her counterpart about how the wind had informed her, about the deer who initially took in the babe, about the premature birth of her own foal, and about her hiding in his land for weeks now.
“Orpheus, I need to return to my home, and I need to take him with me…” she was cut off by a bewildered snarl escaping from the hellion’s lips. “Orpheus, please, he is far too young to go without milk, and I am the only mare around who is producing.”
“Then you will stay here and feed him,” came his sharp demand.
“Orpheus, the winter has been harsh this time around and your territory does not have the foliage to sustain everyone. I have to feed three; plus there are your mares – some who are pregnant!”
Snarling again, Orpheus conceded. “You will return him?” He said with a nearly pathetic tone in his words. Tuula gave him a quiet, yet reassuring nod. “Fine, take him back until he can be weaned.”
“One more thing, Orpheus. I will need you to escort me back to the Era’s homeland.”
“What? No! Why?”
“The three of us will be vulnerable to all sorts of prey, son. You know this…”
“I cannot just leave my mares, they will be vulnerable too… that is how Ch- cheza… I left her here alone.”
Sympathetic eyes watched her son as he spoke. “I know son, but you took care of that threat. Your mares will be safe. They are together at the moment; the wind tells me that. They will protect each other; you need to think of your foal, too.”
The decision hurt Orpheus’s every fiber, but he gave a solemn nod. He had to do what was right for his and Cheza’s only descendant. He would be going to a place he had told himself he would never step foot upon… unless it meant war.
OOC|| I will be posting in the Era lands soon as well as replying to other posts soon... I have been pretty swamped as of late! Sorry, guys!
