Force-claiming is allowed here once a week per character, as is blocking force-claims by the Peak/Lagoon (as a whole) once a week. Rollover is on Sundays.
Use caution when the Wolf comes aknockin; Posted on October 3, 2020 at 08:55:41 PM by Rougaru
In his youth,Rougaru had been but a boy wild and carefree under his sire’s rule. In those days, he spent his hours racing the wind and charging up and down the coastline. One day in particular, he would never forget. His mother and sire warned him against wading beyond the shallow surf (though warning was perhaps a much more polite term than the words that they had given him). Being a young, headstrong colt, Rougaru disregarded their warnings and charged beyond the rolling waves, determined to see if he could reach the distant island that lay just beyond the channel. He had been so sure of himself that morning, puffing out his chest and rolling his eyes at the other colts that mocked and taunted him in his abilities. A wiser horse might have realized that the boys were the ones afraid of such a feight, but not Rougaru. He saw it as a challenge.
As the malleable sands under hoof began to disappear with each pounding thrust of his legs, the roll of the ocean began to strengthen in intensity until the young silver bay colt found himself being tossed mercilessly back and forth without control. For the first time in his young life, fear gripped his soul. Like a fish out of water, he floundered in the ocean water, fighting to keep his head above the water’s surface. The waves were choppy that day, and were quick to break over the porous rocks that jutted out from the small island. As a young boy, he had not yet learned to ride the waves, to let the weight of his body be propelled by the water itself. Before he knew it, Rougaru found himself unable to determine the skies over the seas. Try as he might he found himself rolled head over heels, striking his head upon a set of rocks before even the ocean tired of him and spit him out upon the sands.
Wearily he dragged himself beyond the ocean’s reach, his eyes blinking away the crimson blood that trickled from a cut above his brow. His head swam with confusion and he ached from head to toe. Exhaustion swept over him then and despite his best abilities he lost consciousness for hours on end. Only when the loud bark of his enraged sire sounded above him did Rougaru stir. Despite his father’s anger, even a foolish youth like Rougaru could not miss the worry or concern that had burned beneath the mask of fury. For a long time the two remained on the beach, father and son curled tight against the harsh bite of the wind. Yes, he knew what it was like to be lost and afraid.
~~~
The slip of a mare startles at the sound of his voice and instantly Rougaru feels a sense of guilt. He had not meant to unnerve her, though he doubted he would have been able to approach her in her current state without causing alarm. Her hooves flail as she tries to right herself only to drop her muzzle upon the ground once more. Sympathy gleams in his emerald green eyes as nervously his thick hooves shuffle beneath him. ”Sorry.” he murmurs, offering an impish smile.
Dark ears train upon the woman, dark emerald green eyes fixating upon the pale woman’s glazed eyes and forelock stained with blood. Paper-thin nostrils flare as once more he inhales a deep breath finding himself mildly relieved at the staleness of blood in her scent. She lifts her head to meet his eyes, confusion clear. I don't know where I am. Like a dream in his sleep, the memory of his swim across the channel flashes through his mind. He knew what it was like to be lost.
He takes her words as an acceptance of his presence and dares to narrow the distance that separates them. Inquisitive eyes blink against the pale silver-blue light of the moon that dappled her flea-bitten coat in shadow. A single ear tilts sideways as he stretches out his neck to bring his muzzle inches from her neck. Despite his initial concern, there was no warmth of fever to her skin, no foul odor of infection; just the smell of dried blood mingled with dirt, sweat and exhaustion. ”You’ve a pretty nasty bump there.” he begins, his whiskered lips toying the straying strands of her pale mane. ”But no worse for wear I suppose. A hit on the head like that will cause some confusion.” he murmurs his voice gentle and warm despite the biting cold that causes his breath to rise like smoke from a dragon’s nostrils. Emerald green ooids blink against the dark shadows as Rougaru withdraws his head to give her some space, the sudden urge for protector rising. ”You're on the lost islands. The main island to be more precise.” he adds, pausing a moment to shuffle his weight into a more relaxed position. ”I take it that it was not your intention to wind up here huh?” he asks his words trailing as his own gaze turned to the quiet scene surrounding them. For the most part, the common lands were silent, only the occasional eerie hoot of an owl or the soft wuffing blow of a disturbed deer broke the still. ’A far more silent night than the jungle has to offer.’ he thought to himself, a knowing smile tugging the corner’s of his lips upward into the beginnings of a grin. Wind tangled mane of cream and caramel is given a toss as the mahogany stallion gives his proud head a shake, riding the voices of the wolf from the forefront of his mind. ”Forgive me, my name is Rougaru. Do you remember what it is that you are called?” he asks.