a burning eye in a lifeless sky » Annubis/open Posted on February 8, 2025 at 05:37:58 PM by Akkadian
The journey from the Dunes in the south of Salem to the tropical island of Atlantis was arduous. Akkadian had followed the black stallion Lucifer into the shallows and then out into open water. Swimming hadn't been one of his strong suits as a younger colt, but Mazikeen had drilled it into him that he needed as few weaknesses as possible that others could exploit. Determination influenced the boy to practice endlessly, near the point of drowning a few times, but the rigorousness of his efforts paid off now so that he was only mildly winded open finally reaching the shores of Paradise.
His citrine eyes were wide of the sight of such thick and monstrously large vegetation. It was so green here. There were no cacti here with their barbarous needles, no sandstone, no dusty film of sand and dirt billowing in the wind to obscure the white mottling of his spots. Water streamed down the planes of the two year-old's face from the dark mop of his forelock. When Lucifer hefted his black bulk from the water and disappeared into the trees, Akkadian did not follow him. Alternatively, he eyed the broad-leafed boughs and shrubbery for a moment before heading in a different direction up the beach.
At some point, the spotted youngster did turn to face the treeline that ran along to his left. His amber optics took in the lush landscape with an uncertain skepticism. Perhaps, he wondered, there is so much green on the outside that nothing grows inside the borders of the woods, below the crowns of the trees. Self-doubt gnawed at the assumption. Maybe that was wrong. Gods, he knew he had to enter the forest --isn't that what they called massive clumps of these tree things?-- but the thought of being fully enclosed on all sides made anxiety and the frustration that stemmed from it prickle at the skin of his shoulders.
With a huff at himself, Kade approached the nearest of the shrubs, investigating a little before committing to entering the mass of trees. He found nothing amiss with the bush itself, save for the scent of another stallion, and used that result to push himself past the shrub and into the verdant fold of Paradise. The fertile soil beneath his hooves was warm and offered little resistance to his passing. So, after a few long strides, a call left Akkadian's dark mouth. He would seek this other stallion, the one Lucifer hadn't told him about, and determine from that meeting what his next steps would be.