Force-claiming is not allowed here. This is a peaceful, neutral area meant for socialising.
Thames
We've been here almost a week now. . . The thought weighed heavily in the brindled stallion's mind, casting a bit of shadow on his otherwise quiet, perhaps even pleasant afternoon. Dove gray ears twist against the gray tendrils of his mane. Their time in these new lands had been quiet so far, but that was not a surprise to him. The rose-riddled male had been taking extra lengths to ensure that they were not disturbed. It had been an arduous journey.. At least it had been for him. Blue eyes shift their focus from the rolling meadow before them to the dark bay mare, his sister, a few lengths away. She hadn't said a word. Not one on the long trek to these lands they'd never heard of. Not a word when he'd guided her out of the remains of their tremor-ravaged homeland, the land that He shifts his weight then and looks away from her as discreetly as one can manage. Then he shakes his head, as if to try and disperse the anxiety and grief that had risen up in his chest. The words that managed to come from her lips were hoarse and broken up by her sobs, but Thames soon came to understand just what had happened. The tremors that had rocked the land so violently caused the cliff beneath Aura and her twin brother Aspect to give way. By some miracle, their mother and father managed to snatch the then three-year-olds out of harm's way, but not without condemning themselves. His eyes shut tightly. The death of his parents had been a huge and unexpected blow, and Thames felt it sorely, especially now. She hadn't spoken since they'd left that cliffside. . and he was trying not to worry. The stallion breathed deeply and tried to emulate what his sire might have done in this unforeseen circumstance. He would have given her space, right? The space to process, the space to breathe.. Surely she'd speak again. Gray ears splay at the thought. Yes, he tried to reassure himself. Of course she'll talk again. Another breath to steady his somehow unsteady legs. She just needs time. How much time did they really have though before someone broke the silence and breached their company? They couldn't stay in this meadow forever; he knew that. It would be far better if they had somewhere to go, but these were strange lands. He knew nothing of this place, the other islands, and who lived here. It was daunting. Straightening himself, Thames looked north. Regardless of his trepidation, they needed to settle somewhere, at least for the time being. "We need to go, Aura," he says softly, hoping this is the right move. "I don't know where, but we can't just.." The unformed words stick in his throat, but Thames isn't exactly sure what he would have said next anyway. He only knows what he's been taught: that they needed safety. They needed a home or at least the promise of one. "We have to start over." | Aura
His eyes.. They're on me again; I just know it. I don't react. I've learned this last year how to keep a straight face around him for the most part, schooling not a muscle to move while under careful scrutiny. I try not to ever show that I notice him watching me. I know he's waiting to see if I'll break down again, but I know he's just trying to take care of me the best he can. I wish I could voice my thanks to him. How do you possibly thank the person who took you from the brink of death? I lift my head from the grasses I've been pretending to eat, trying to straighten out the guilt that's gotten tangled in my throat. He had had his own family there in the mountain highlands. Did he know what happened to his mares and children? Gods, I wish I hadn't thought about that. Before I can muse any further, Thames shakes his head. I can hear the strands of his mane whizzing against his neck. I can practically feel his growing anxiety as he shifts. I know we have to go somewhere. I'm also pretty sure he doesn't know where we are or really where to go if that is the case. That thought doesn't scare me as much as it should. He's my big brother. He'll figure it out. Right? Cuz I'm the alternative, and.. "We need to go, Aura..I don't know where, but we can't just.." "Can't just" what? Live here forever? Die here? I look away hard. I practically strain my eyes with the effort. "We have to start over." I know he's right. I know he is, but how can I do that? How can I start a new life when I'm in shambles? How can I start a life when my mom and dad aren't here to see me live it? How can I do anything but wait for the ground to swallow me up, too? He just doesn't understand.. It should have been me.. |