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Post by Harlequin on Jun 18, 2020 15:19:44 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon Like a shadow in the night, the onyx stallion strode with wandering purpose, careful strides along unforgiving ground as he explored the mountainous canyon. He aimed to keep his mind as blank as possible as he travelled, focusing on his surroundings and the environment more than his own mind and body. He traversed rocks, small cliffs and dangerous pathways to get here, to get away from his past. His appearance was haggard, mane and tail knotted dreadlocks from lack of care, his coat was dusty with clumps of old mud and grime. Nowadays he cared little for anything, especially himself. There had been a time when Dragon took great pride in his appearance, when he had cared for himself, his family and there was even a mare that had stolen his heart. He still dreamed of her, of the times before the war when he trained with his siblings and then, when the ghosts of his past deemed fit to haunt him, he dreamt of their deaths, the ones he witnessed and the ones he killed himself. When those dreams came to him, and the nightmares haunted him, he was overtaken by his anger, his frustration and his self-loathing. He hated himself for the crimes he had committed, but he hated his father more, for forcing him into this life. And in doing so, his father had taken away any chance of happiness and love. Dragon realised he was brooding again and shook his head fiercely as though it would help get rid of the intrusive thoughts. He glanced around at the canyon he was in and grumbled quietly, because he hadn't been focusing he wasn't sure how exactly he'd gotten to this point, he looked over his shoulder and could just make out his hoofprints and examined them for a moment. He had two options, turn around and retrace his steps, or continue forward on the path he was already on. As he considered his options, nature made the decision for him and thunder rolled overhead. The black stallion cast his gaze upward and appraised the blackening clouds just as thick, fat raindrops began to fall down around him. Well that's that, I suppose. He mused to himself, before continuing deeper into the canyon, unbothered by the rain that began to soak him and his surroundings. The sky was a dark grey and rumbling ominously, occasionally lit by lightning by the time he reached a tunnel that was set into the steep canyon cliffs. Dragon inhaled deeply at the tunnel entrance, taking in the petrichor and closed his eyes for a moment, allowing a brief moment of pleasure that the scent brought. He then realised the scent of rain masked another, one distinctly equine and his ears flicked back, tail swishing in irritation. He wasn't the only one here, but he didn't particularly feel like catching his death in the rain or being struck by lightning any time soon, so he'd just have to suck it up and hope he didn't end up nose to nose with some idiot who thought they could be his friend. Exhaling his irritaion, the stallion strode into the dark tunnel, allowing the darkness to swallow him until he was far enough from the tunnel entrance to be fully sheltered from the storm. Notes and things can go here
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Post by Enchantress on Jun 20, 2020 11:37:06 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody Harlequin | 405 words | NOTES: Rusty with this gal ^^; Not far off, another figure was making her careful way towards the canyon. Unknowingly, as this was the ungulate's first time stepping hoof in this area of the Ringed Mountains. She had just come from the vast meadows in Hidden Hearts, and was on her way the mountain when the sky began to grow dark. Glancing up, she saw to her dismay the dark clouds gathering. Guess I wouldn't be able to go up the mountain today. Slender limbs carried the young mare on a different course, one that led towards the Dead Ends Canyon. She knew that there were caves there - she could find refuge there from the upcoming storm. At the first few drops of rain, Dream Melody spurred her legs to a run. She did not mind getting wet in the rain, but proved cumbersome and inconvenient. Her Akhal-Teke and Arabian lineage blended nicely together in mixtures of sturdy endurance and sure footings, topped with the delicate grace and fire of her ancestors. She was like a water nymph, but without the hue or moody temperament. The innocence and beauty of youth was etched over this lithe creature. A lightning streaked up above her, briefly illuminating the way to a cave up ahead. Immediately the mare entered the rocky enclosure, grateful for its protection as the rain began to fall more heavily. She stayed deeper in the cave, letting her eyes get adjusted to the darkness. Before long, the lull of the rain made her eyelids droop, and she would have fallen asleep if it were not for an equine thundering straight into the cave. Holding her breath, she watched warily as a stallion entered her cave. He, too, seemed to be seeking shelter from the storm. She tensed as he sniffed the air. He seemed to have caught her scent, judging by his body language. She shrank back, as if that would do her any good. However, it probably would be best if she just showed herself. It was too late to run out, and he was blocking a good part of the entrance. Not that she was going to run out just yet, but just in case. After all, one could never be too careful. "The storm also caught you, I see." Her remark was soft, barely audible above the patter of the rain outside. She kept an eye carefully trained on the entrance, just in case anything happened.
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 20, 2020 12:23:39 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon "Ah, so she speaks..." He mocked lightly, sneering as his eyes adjusted and he was greeted by the appearance of a dunskin mare quivering toward the back of the cave. He appraised her for a moment, she was pretty, devastatingly so, and in another life he would've spent his time trying to woo her. But now... now he just wanted... well, what did he want? Peace, a home, quiet. He wanted quiet, from the anger in his heart and from the dreams that haunted him most nights. Dragon snorted slightly, grimacing as his thoughts took a deep path and so he turned away from the mare to stare broodingly out of the tunnel. After some silence and a few cracks of lightning that illuminated the cave, the dark stallion spoke, "Storms are forces of nature, they'll catch anything in their path, much like predators." At his last words, he glanced over his shoulder and fixed the mare with a dark grin, it had been a while since he'd come across another equine, especially one as pretty as this mare before him. So he was bored, and she presented the perfect oppurtunity to play, even if he just wound her up and intimidated her it would be fun. Occasionally when he played with someone like this, he would find himself riddled with guilt and sadness, and then they would be overcome by his anger and self-loathing, it was a cycle he couldn't, and didn't want, to break. Dragon smirked a little at the mare and stepped toward her, he could see how tense she was, ready to run away, "Such a flighty little bird... He teased, watching her with malice, "What's your name, little bird?" His words were low, threat lacing each syllable as he halted a few feet from her, suitably cornering her, like a cat would a mouse. Dragon is feeling mean today! It's been a while since I've RPed his base character so it might take a bit for me to really get into his head!
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Post by Enchantress on Jun 20, 2020 18:02:57 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody Harlequin | 323 words | NOTES: No problem, same here! The silver dunskin mare froze at the low voice. It did not sound friendly, and neither was his stance a welcoming one. Well, it seems like her fears has come true, and at the worst possible time, too. Dark hazel eyes scanned her surroundings warily, hackles raised and tensed. "I see." She murmured politely. She was honestly at loss at how to reply to that comment about storms and predators. Outside, lightning flashed at dangerously low altitudes, and the thunder rumbled menacingly. Almost as frightening as the stranger inside the cave with her. This was not going well. She was a sweet and tender soul, one who had no desire to fight or be fought. Indeed, she was like a newly caged bird, disoriented and frightened at her current plight while also desiring to find a way out. As long as the stallion did not block the way to the entrance, she could slip out. However, he had stepped closer, and could easily reach her in a few long strides and corner her. Her mind whirled at all the possibilities that could happen. All of those did not end well for her. At best, she might get out of this alive, hopefully unscathed. At worst...she did not want to think about it. Was it just her imagination, or did the dark stranger look like some kind of demon from her nightmares? "M-My name?" She lowered her head submissively, but like heck she was going to give him power over her. "What good is my name to you, sir?" She was not accustomed to dark-minded ungulates, and thus did not know how to effectively respond to them. She was carefully watching his every move, judging the distance around him and to the exit. If she was fast enough, perhaps she could dodge him and get out. However, now she was faced with a choice. Which was safer: the storm outside, or the storm inside?
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 21, 2020 6:19:52 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon The dark stud paused at her words, smirking widely, "Well, that's what is polite in situations where you meet a stranger, Little Bird..." He cooed softly, watching her with mild amusement, she was so tense, so frightened. All alone. "So tell me, Little Bird, why are you alone out here? So far from safety and protection of big mighty stallions?" He taunted, flexing his neck and body proudly as lightning struck in the canyon, illuminating the cave once more. As he looked over her quivering form, he realised why he had the urge to intimidate and belittle her, she reminded him of his mother. The cowering shadow that failed to protect him from the war created by his father. He sneered at the silver dunskin and promptly span away from her, moving back toward the entrance of the cave like a caged tiger. Gods, he couldn't escape his thoughts, or his past sometimes, no matter how hard he tried. As thunder rolled over head, he stared out of the cave, musing over his past. He had loved his mother, tried to protect her but even she became a victim of his father's crusade for righteousness. He exhaled heavily, a wave of sadness flowing over him, the anger leaving his body. He rolled his head, trying to loosen the scars on the right side of his face. They still gave him bother on the daily, especially in weather like this. Without looking toward the mare he spoke once more, "You should really toughen up, Little Bird, this world eats up flighty creatures like you..." Dragon shifted so he was resting against the cave wall as he watched the rain comedown thickly, the storm seemed far from letting up, if anything, it seemed to be getting worse. The black stallion realised this meant he would be here in the cave with this mare for at least a little while longer, until the storm let up enough to travel in, so he weighed up his options, either he could continue to intimidate and mess with her or he could ignore her for however long it took for the storm to lift. Of course, there was a third option, strike up a conversation, but the last time he did that... it ended badly for all involved. He swallowed at the memories that tried to resurface and pushed them back, focusing on the rain in an attempt to calm the storm that raged inside him. Notes go here
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Post by Enchantress on Jun 21, 2020 22:15:41 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody He was taunting her, and she realized that. One part of her shrank at the obvious dark aura the stallion was giving off, but another part of her wanted to snap back. "'Tis none of your business!" Her bold words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. If he was fishing for her outbursts, he had certainly won. Peace, Melody, peace. She breathed out of her nose slowly. He had not moved to touch her - yet. Which was a good thing. If it was only words that he planned to throw at her, she should be all right. At least, that is what she figured. Truth is, she had been sheltered all her life, and only recently ventured out of her home herd. Now she sorely wished for the same protection she had been fighting against. Why, just that morning she had felt stifled under the ever watchful gaze of her parents and herd. She would not mind that protection now. Alas, there will be none to rescue her, it seems. He had spun back around to face the entrance of the cave, startling her and making her half-rear at the suddenness. Thankfully, her action had been masked by the loud patter of the rain outside, so he could not have heard it. Besides, he seemed deeply disturbed about something. "Who are you?" She ventured bravely. She was slowly inching her way towards the entrance, though slowly, as she did not want the other equine to catch on to what she was doing. He was blocking the way now, but she figured she she could distract him by talking. She opened her maw to say more, but he beat her to it. His tone had changed, taking her by surprise. What he said about her flightiness was true, although she was not going to acknowledge it. "How do you know?" She took a quiet step closer. "Tell me, what have you seen in the world?" Despite her level tone, a hint of curiousity had slipped through. Indeed, she had often wondered what it was like in other lands. Her life had revolved solely around her home herd, and nothing more. Though she was a timid soul, it did not stop her thirst to learn more about the outside world.
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 22, 2020 16:20:34 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon So the little bird had some fire, but she was curious too, too curious for her own good. Her words had stilled him for a moment, and he fought himself before the memories of the battle rose and he was swallowed in fury once more. Dragon laughed darkly, it was without mirth and the kind of noise that sent chills down spines and prickled the hairs on the back of your neck. "Who am I?" He paused, tone black and his face curling into a cruel smile. "I... I am Dragon." He let his name hang in the air like a warning before turning his head toward the mare as he was backlit by a lightning strike. He waited for the thunder to roll overhead and stepped closer to the mare, watching her keenly with a sick grin. "I am the thing only nightmares dream of, the kind of bed time story your mummy and daddy told you to scare you straight..." He paused, mocking her openly and took another step closer. "I've seen things not even your nightmares could conjure up, Little Bird." He sneered at her, turning his head so she had full view of his severely scarred neck and head. "I was raised a soldier, at three I had killed and maimed my enemies, and at four I gained these scars because my own father refused to protect me on the battle field. I watched as my family was slaughtered by colts the same age as me, and I destroyed them." His voice raised toward the end of his proclimation, body stiff and almost quivering as he remembered the moments so vividly he could almost smell it. He allowed his words to sink in and stalked forward until he was nearly nose to nose with the mare. Dragon dropped his voice to a hushed snarl, "I have no one, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Now tell me, Little Bird, do I scare you?" He practically growled out the question, eyes never leaving hers as the thunder and lightning continued to rage outside of the cave. Feel free to kick him and run! Again with the whiplash!
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Post by Enchantress on Jun 23, 2020 15:08:55 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody Gone was the brief moment of sadness - darkness has relapsed, and once again Dream Melody shivered at the gathering shadows. Dragon. Certainly fits him. She did not say it out loud, lest she incur more of his attention. As the lightning flashed behind him, his full outline could be seen, a taunt and imposing figure. She could even see some scars on his pelt, ugly gashes from who knows how long. One side of her was drawn to pity the poor soul and his sad history, but the other side of her warned of her immediate safety. She was already halfway out the cave, but he was getting too close for comfort. She backed a step, but he continued to press her. Instead of becoming more frightened, though, she was getting a little annoyed. Who did he think he was, this brute? She snorted, a puff of warm air barely visible in the cool air. "Excuse you." However, that did not stop his progress towards her. She heard more of the malice in his voice than the actual words. The perlino mare stiffened when he basically shoved his nose under hers. Enough was enough. She shielded and half-reared, forelegs held high in the air. When she came back down, she aimed to hit the stallion with her momentum, then spun and ran out of the cave for dear life. Her every nerve was tingling as she exited her refuge and out into the pouring rain. Immediately her pelt was soaked, and the cold water made her shiver. At this point, she was willing to face the thundering storm outside than the raging maniac inside.
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 28, 2020 14:01:51 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon She surprised him with her anger, and as she reared upward defensively he tossed his head and one of her hooves striking the side of his cheek, stunning him slightly and enabling her to shove past him and out of the cave. Dragon shook his head fiercely, a snarl curling his lips as he blinked rapidly, clearing his head and pushing past the pain that sparked up the side of his face. The mare hadn't drawn blood, but he knew it would bruise. No matter, he had survived far, far worse. With a terrible grin and another malicious cackle, the stallion span and sprinted after the mare, the chase was on. It had been some time since he had stretched his legs and his blood was up now, longing for a good chase. "Run Little Bird! RUN!" He roared, the rain soaking him once again as he spotted Dream Melody. His dark legs stretched forward, eating up the slick ground as he gave chase to his plaything. Thunder rolled overhead once more, lightning striking the cliff above with a sharp crack sending earth and rocks tumbling down into the canyon Dragon chased his prey along. The dark stallion leapt to the side, slowing his stride slightly to avoid the obstacles that rained down from above. The thunder was all but deafening and the rain so thick that he could only just make out the dunskin mare he pursued. He couldn't tell you what his plan was if he caught her, but for the moment, it was fun to terrorise the locals. Just a short one for now!
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Post by Enchantress on Jun 28, 2020 16:14:45 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody Lightning lit up the darkened sky, illuminating the way before her. Dream Melody did not need to look back to know that the stallion was chasing her. It was like something out of a nightmare, an enemy on her heels while a storm raged on around her. The heavy rain had made the ground slippery and dangerous. On one or two instances the silver dunskin mare felt her footing give way, barely catching her balance before she could slip out of control. It was too close for comfort, and all she could think about is getting away from this crazed brute that was hot on her tail. Seriously, what was up with this stallion? Had he gone mad or something? She would not doubt that something terrible must have happened to him, otherwise why would he act like this? Back there in the cave, he had hinted as something painful in the past. Perhaps she was too soft for her own good, but she could help but feel pity for the poor creature. She jumped over a particularly wide puddle. However, because the ground was so slick, her footing was not as solid as she thought, and her rear legs missed the edge. The lower half of her body went down into the puddle, coating her already wet pelt with a layer of mud. Scrambling back up, she hoped that it had not cost her too much distance. As she ran, thoughts flew in her mind. Why she was being chased in the first place was beyond her. What has she done? Had they met before and she had somehow slighted him? Or was he just a bully thirsty for attention and action? If it was the latter, then why was she giving in to that desire? Why indeed? Overhead, there was a fallen log that was blocking her path. Instead of jumping over it, the female spun sharply to the left and continued her run. She risked a look back, wondering if her sudden change in direction had thrown her pursuer off her tracks. At the very least, it would widen the distance between them.
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Post by Harlequin on Jul 9, 2020 16:03:42 GMT -8
If this is to end in fire we should all burn together Dragon The black stallion kept his gaze locked on the mare in front of him, trusting his instincts to get him through the chase safely as he sped up to a reckless pace. He began to gain on her, his longer legs eating up the slick ground beneath them. The rain pelted his face and coat with what felt like bruising force as he chased the dunskin mare through the canyon. Another lightning strike illuminated the path ahead briefly and he grinned as he saw her stumble and fall however she was quick to rise and gain speed once more. The fall had cost her distance though and as Dragon charged through the puddle with a feral grin, ignoring the cold mud that coated his chest and legs from the splash he had made. He managed to get within biting distance and snaked his head foward, teeth bared, aiming for her left flank when suddenly she swerved. Dragon skidded as he realised, too late, that she had turned so sharply to avoid a large log that was blocking the way. He attempted to backpedal in an almost comical manner as his forward momentum carried him right into the log. A thud that was loud enough to be heard over the rain echoed out as his back legs went out from under him and he bounced off the side of the log. Snarling under his breath he scrambled back to his feet, panting slightly as his right side ached from the impact of hitting the slick ground so hard. He took off once more in the general direction that Dream Melody had gone, ears pinned firmly into his mane and body tensed in anger as he charged after the quickly fading mare. The sky had continued to darken so light had become scarce, making it even harder to see where his quarry had disappeared to in the storm. Dragon let out a frustrated, dangerous snort as he slowed, coming to another turning that the mare could have taken. He paused mid-step, sniffing the air and examining the ground for any trace of her. Ears straining for the distant sound of hoofsteps, the angered stud glared around at his surroundings, desperately wishing for another lightning strike to reveal the mare to him. A sharp crack of ligtning struck a lone tree nearby and the whole thing erupted into flames causing him to flinch sideways in surprise. As the canyon was illuminated briefly, Dragon thought he saw a figure disappearing into a tunnel further up the path and victory surged through him. "Found you, Little Bird." He growled out, before taking off toward the tunnel entrance. Sorry for the delay! Up to you if she escapes him and he encounters someone/thing else!
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Post by Enchantress on Jul 12, 2020 18:55:21 GMT -8
[googlefont=Great Vibes] Dream Melody Harlequin | 402 words | NOTES: The end—for now haha Dream Melody has never been chased before, in a literal or situational sense. In an odd way, it meant that she was something worthy of being chased after. However, she was sure that this was not the way she would have wanted it to turn out. She could hear the heavy panting of breath behind her—was it her own breathing, or was it from her pursuer? At this point, all she could feel is the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the slosh of mud beneath her hooves—the desperate flight of a bird from its predator. Once again, her hooves almost slipped, but she caught herself just in time. One small mistake...there is no knowing what would happen if she slipped again. Her dunskin coat had splotches of mud all over it, and on the spots that were not covered in brown were soaking wet. She was a sight to behold, and not a very pretty one at that. But her appearance was the last thing on her mind right now. Her little twist back there had worked. She heard an impact as the brute apparently crashed into the log. She would have smiled at her clever little antic back there if she was not so pumped up. Right now, she needed to put distance between her and him. Lightning flashed behind her, and she swerved off the path, hoping that the light had not given her position away. With a last surge of speed, the mare pushed herself as she cleared a few more low shrubs, thus bringing her out of Dead Ends Canyon. The rain had lessened somewhat as she exited the canyon area. She was exhausted from the run, and it was only fear that had kept her going. She slowed down to a trot, then down to a walk. Was he still behind her? Her delicate neck curved back as she checked. Her eyelashes batted away some raindrops as her eyes strained to see through the shower. It seemed like she had lost him back there. Hopefully for good. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. Her heart was still pounding from the unexpected frenzy, and taking a few shuddering breaths, tried to calm herself down. Whatever happened, she was definitely avoiding going out by herself for a while, and she would be avoiding that specific area of the Ringed Mountains for a long, long time.
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