the last petal falling

[kikukaede]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=000000][atrb=background,http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s205/XxNotSoEmoGirlxX/pattern_140.gif] Spring had come at last. The flowers burst fourth from the warming earth, bathing the world in colour. The sun peaked through the gaps in the treetops, dappling the world below with his soft glow. The forest was alive with the scent of life. Small creatures rushing to and fro in urgent quest to feed their young, the aroma of damp bark and new growth. Deer flitted gracefully through the warm darkness, bright, alert. The tiniest beginnings of saplings had just begun to emerge, little leaves outstretched desperately upward, jealous siblings squabbling with one another. The river and his welcoming rumble beckoned nearby, calling all to rejuvenate beside his calm, cool banks. It was this spectacle, despite only having witnessed it twice before. In youth, all life was wonderful. Haruna trod softly through the trees, stopping occasionally to admire the world around her, smiling. Her golden body almost glowed as she passed under the light sneaking through the gaps of the trees. The sensation was warming, comforting. It felt like years since she had felt the sunlight, smelt flowers. She came to the river and paused to drink, lowering her head allowing her blonde tresses to fall across her face. How peaceful this place. The land sighed with contentment all around. Now this was a place she could really get used to. After travelling for what had seemed such a long time, it was a relief to rest at last, to relax. Haru had been suffering from sense of anxiety recently. Unsure of whether she really had made the right decision in agreeing to leave her home, now lost in the wilds, her determination had faltered. In fact she had merely been seeking a place to rest for a few days before starting the return journey, when she had found this place. Maybe she would stay here, for ever and ever. Another smile, her eyes glazing over as she thought of her mother, her father. This is how she imagined their place, their magical, quiet place. Stepping out into the water, she waded carefully towards the waterfall's edge, feeling the water rush against her legs. The mare looked upward, and the sky smiled back, blue and bright with the morning's glory. Haruna closed her eyes, the same shade as the pines that encased the river, her long eyelashes tickling her cheek. This place already felt like home. If only because she felt, deep in her heart, that once, her parents would have, too. But she would never know. Opening her eyes once more, she stared forward, gaze following the stretch of the river through the trees, observing it's winding path was soon hidden by the thick forest. Still so much so discover, in this already wonderful place! For now however, she was quite alright where she was, basking on the edge of the waterfall in the spring sun. haruna, light mare word count; 481 open to anyone

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[ever]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=3e4b57] Sampson hadn't quite grown lonely in his nice new home yet, but he knew he would eventually and decided to go out and find someone before the loneliness attacked his fragile mind and caused him to force claim some poor innocent little mare. Not that that was neccessarily something he wouldn't do if he wasn't lonely, but the stallion was in a good mood today, he was finally on his way to having that Alpha title that should have been his all along. The grumble of frustration of having to be normal before he could get to where in the world he wanted to be was cut short by a spindly legged fawn tumbling through the bushes and tall grass that grew along side the river. A splash that echoed through the stallion's black harks proved what he had thought was going to happen to the young creature. Straight into the river, luckily it didn't look like it had too strong of a current, the little deer would be just fine and not even two seconds later a frantic looking doe leaped through the bushes. Her warm brown eyes were stretched out wide and her tail was flicked up in order to show off the white fur that grew there. A flicker of a smile grew across the stallion's face at the thought of the relief that the doe would feel once she realized that her young one was safe and sound, but just slightly soaked. The stallion waited until he was sure that the couple wasn't going to come back through the bushes again before he continued on his way, Sampson wasn't quite sure where exactly he was going. But he was sure to find out eventually. The spring breeze played with the feathers that adored his body on his chin and his ankles, while shifting his mane about slightly, offering a sort of relief to the muscular neck that lied beneath the thick black mane. The more the stallion walked and felt the nice breeze the more that the sound of the calm river running alongside of him became more and more tempting. In the beginning he had told himself no, just in case someone from a different herd saw him acting like a foolish child and playing in the water, but as the day grew older the stallion began to care less and less as to what the numbskulls around here thought of him. Tossing his two toned crown once more the stallion gave up and turned abruptly towards the river. Picking up his pace from his slow walk to a quick, slightly chipper trot the stallion headed straight into the river, a slow sigh of content slid off of the stallion's vocal chords as he lowered his crown just enough that his lips could droop into the water enough for a long slow drag of the cool refreshing liquid. A splash just down river brought Sampson's crown straight back up and his icy blue eyes looked around to see a golden and ivory colored mare go towards the water fall that was about twenty feet before him. A slow smile grew on his face as plans of how to get this beauty back to the Valley....and eventuallly under him, crossed his mind. Opting for the more charming, talk her into going path the stallion strode through the water till he was within hearing distance of the mare. "Hello ma'm. Nice day for a swim isn't it?" His deep baritones resonated off of the waterfall as the manipulative, charming side of the many sided stallion resurfaced. He'd be getting this one back to the Valley if it was the last thing he did. "Speech" [Featuring;; Sampson ; Black Sabino w. Rabicano ; Shire ; Blue ; 6 ; 18 ; Lead of Valley of Bones ; No Mate ] [Tag;; Kik w. Haruna ] [Words;; 635 ] [Muse;; Kip Moore IheartRadio ] [Notes;; He can be a softy when it comes to babies xD ]

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[Khar ♣]

[atrb=width,589,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=24282f] Time seemed so fleeting. Years could pass one by as if in just a blink of an eye. Leaving behind only an air of confusion, of unfamiliarity that was contradicting in that it was familiar all at once. It was disorienting in that even Lysander fell victim, feeling as only a mere moment had passed him by since he had made the decision to abandon his search for Valkyrion. Only a fraction of a second as the pain still cut just as deep… two years later. The guilt he bore was unrelenting, increased by knowing it was around this time of year that last he had seen him and that there was no telling whether or not he had survived. All Lysander could go on was the hope that he was not the only one to have fortune smile upon him, that wherever Valkyrion had ended up… he was thriving. With children born of freedom in which their father had never known until now, continuing a line birthed by man but strengthened by their sheer determination to survive despite having ‘worn out their use.’ Perhaps one day, when the years have passed him by and old age set in, Lysander will know the exact fate of his elder brother in the arrival of a son or daughter. It was a pleasant thought, at the very least, even if he knew that it wasn’t likely of happening. No. Lysander had to start living in the present. He had to let these wounds close, once and for all so that he might find complete happiness in what he had here. A son, a herd, and a responsibility placed upon him as Light Alpha. No matter how much guilt he felt over having given up on Valkyrion or whatever fate had led him to such prosperity. If anything it would be for Xanthos. He was a yearling now, growing up far quicker than Lysander cared to confess, and deserved a role model befitting an alpha. Not this simpering whelp he had become over the last few months, pining over the fact he felt he hadn’t done enough to locate his brother. It was over now, no matter how he chose to feel about it, and he had much more to consider. Even if Xanthos would not be the heir to the throne, he still needed his father to look up to. The stallion continued down the river bank, only faintly varying his course northward with a more resolute step. He would return soon. Leaving behind the wallow of depression and remorse he had let himself slip in and this time… he’d try to never look back. He would keep his brother’s memory close, always, but he would not let that same memory dictate his life anymore. Nor would Valkyrion ever wish him to. If he even knew Lysander had broken down for a split second rather than moving on… he would have had his hide. Especially knowing that he had a nephew awaiting his father’s return. The pallid stallion couldn’t help but smile at the thought, his spirits lifting ever so slightly as he imagined his reaction. I will not forget you. The thought flickered and dissipated as the sound of a near voice caught his attention. “Hello ma’am. Nice day for a swim, isn’t it?” It said, their tone deep and resonating off the trees that lined the shore. Lysander paused for a moment, an ear forward in mild curiosity – mainly as he hadn’t seen a soul the entire time he had been away from the Vale. He moved forward after no following words were immediately spoken, making his way around the bend. In the distance, partly shrouded by the mist from the nearby fall, he saw two figures. One of two lighter hues and the other dark and bulky, standing like a brutish mass only a short distance from the other. Undeterred, he ventured towards them. His pace set more leisurely then before as he approached. “Indeed it is, if you do not mind leeches. They are bad this time of year.” Lysander interjected, halting a few feet from the pair. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” He added after a moment as if it were just a fleeting thought that he might be intruding. "SPEECH"

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[kikukaede]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=625499] Startled from the sudden interruption to her thoughts, her gaze searched her surroundings for a few moments before she finally sighted the male - and how could she have missed him! He had to be the largest living thing she had ever seen - dark as volcanic flint with his azure eyes staring at, none other, than herself. Taken aback at first, in part from not knowing the proper ettiquite in which to address foreign stallions - she had grown up exposed only to her 'brothers' of varying ages, and all exchanges with them were informal, jovial. The mare didn't really know how to act around any kind of stranger. Haru's pleasant, easy-going life back home was a curse now more than anything.. maybe she should stop calling it home, she reasoned, as she smiled and nodded at the other, gathering her posture and clearing her throat to speak. "Good morning! Yes, I should think so, isn't it a wonderful day?" Haruna raised her head once more, inhaling deeply the scents of the forest, the scents of her new home. "It felt like winter was set to last forever!" She turned her body as to take a few steps toward him - she felt as though speaking at such a distance was awkward, impolite almost. The mare was so used to the warm welcome of friendly open arms, of a world without questionable intentions. It never even occurred to her that this stallion might be after more than just the pleasure of her company. She was about to speak again, but was cut off short by the arrival of yet another, a pallid male. Light and dark, appearance wise they looked like two sides of a coin. Again, it did not occur to her that their differences in hue might reflect their differences in personality, and alignment. Although she had aligned herself with the Light, and had known her mother was a Dark Queen of sorts, she wasn't the one to assign values to individuals on first meeting based with what 'side' they happened to be born into. Smiling at his approach, she was about to beckon him to join their commune when her ears pricked and she stiffened violently at the meaning of his greeting: leeches. "L-l-leeches?!?" Her shriek was quiet though alive with horror, as she looked down at her submerged legs, then at both stallions in turn, then her legs again, before she moved. In a show of agility normally reserved for life or death situations, she leapt from the river in two arching leaps, sending drenching water all around her, desperate for the sanctuary of dry land. Haruna at once checked herself, sighing audibly with relief when she discovered that she was in fact, safe from the leeches, this time anyway. If the mare was one to ever feel embarrassed, she would have now, but instead she simply laughed. Laughing at herself for her fear, she had been raised to think it was always a good thing to be able to laugh at oneself. If you went through life unable to see unpleasant things with good humour, how could you ever be happy? How could anyone around you ever be happy? "Not interrupting anything no, aside from my swim!" White tresses now dripping, she shook her head to rid herself of some of the excess moisture, before again taking a more relaxed posture, glancing at both males before she spoke again. "Do you both hold residence here? What is the name of this land? It is beautiful.. the sort of place you hear description of in stories.." Tales from long ago, when she was still a child and evil didn't exist. [Words;; 614 approx before I proof-read/edited] [Notes;; using my gorgeous new table that everbum made for me wahh i love purple D;]

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[ever]

[atrb=width,607,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=black] The dark stallion stood still, watching the sunkissed mare's features as they changed at the sound of his baritones from calm and relaxed to shocked and suprised. Her soft green eyes flicked wildly about the river's shores until they finally rested on his massive frame down river. She seemed to hesitate slightly before collecting herself and speaking her reply to his question. His question had been slightly rethorical, but Sampson knew mare's liked to carry on, so he allowed her. "Good morning! Yes, I should think so, isn't it a wonderful day? It felt like winter was set to last forever!" Sampson allowed a low chuckle to slide off of his vocal chords at the mare's lyrics. "Yes it's always nice when spring finally breaks free of winter's grasp."

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The mare grew closer to him, for what reason he wasn't quite sure. Mare's were normally very open with talking to strangers but when it came to closing the space between them it was a tricky subject. But this one moved closer of her own accord and he hadn't even introduced himself yet, the wake created by her legs pulling through the water caused the strands of tail that rested lightly on the water to be drug under and swirled around like a leaf that had somehow been trapped on the river. But before she could speak to him again the sounds of another equine interrupted their nice little meeting. Icy blue pools flicked to the side to see a ghostly colored brute approach and his baritones brought a flicker of annoyance to the two toned brute. “Indeed it is, if you do not mind leeches. They are bad this time of year.” Sampson could almost hear the fear in the mare's lyrics as she stuttered something about the leeches right before leaping out of the water as if her tail was on fire. Sampson flicked his ears and blinked before slowly making his way out of the water. The idea of leeches didn't bother him too badly, they were interesting little creatures to say the least.
That and Sampson had a strange liking for creatures that caused distruction.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” He heard the sunkissed mare's delicate lyrics reply to the ghost like stallion just as his dinner plate sized hooves hit the solid ground, flicking his tail the stallion sent drops of water flying back into the river. "The Lady is right, you are not interrupting anything here." Sampson was sure that he would still be getting this pretty girl back to the Valley, even if she was a light. As if on que the two toned mare spoke up again, her voice chiming on the slight breeze that was running between the trio. "Do you both hold residence here? What is the name of this land? It is beautiful.. the sort of place you hear description of in stories.." Sampson nodded his large crown, he wasn't sure if the ghost owned any land, or even what alignment the creature was. But he turned his icy pools from the tree that sat between the two, flicking them between the two of them once before settling once more on the mare. "These lands are very, very beautiful. You could say I am new here as well, I have only been around long enough to stake my claim on a land and then travel here to meet you on this beautiful day." Rosy lips pulled up in a slight immitation of a smile, or at least the best that the contradictingly colored stallion could do for now, then his blues turned to the other stallion, indicating to him that it was his turn to speak of his existance in Tuathia.


"SPEECH"
[Featuring;; Sampson ; Black Sabino w. Rabicano ; Shire ; Blue ; 6 ; 18hh ; Herdless ; No Mate ]
[Tag;; Kiku w. Haruna & Khar w. Lysander ]
[Words;; 660 ]
[Muse;; -- ]
[Notes;; Yayyyy I'm glad you like it :3 and I love that color purple so pretty and bright. ]
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[Khar ♣]

[atrb=width,589,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=24282f] Lysander stood patiently at the waters edge as he watched the two nameless faces make their way out of the water. The faintest smile tugging at the corners of his lips as the mare hopped out with a display of urgency. “L-l-leeches?!” She had cried out in alarm, and despite his better judgment the pallid stallion laughed. Amused not so much because he had frightened her, that hadn’t been his intention, but at the fact that shortly after she had left the water... her fear dissipated with laughter of her own making. It was intriguing in its own way as most mares Lysander had met would be quivering, still, at the idea of parasites slithering up their legs in search for the nearest vein in which to dine on. Then again, he couldn’t blame them either – the idea wasn’t entirely too welcoming. Slowly, his attention turned from the bi-hued mare to the dark stallion that stood nearest to her, his deep rumbling tones befitting his size assuredly. “These lands are very, very beautiful. You could say I am new here as well, I have only been around long enough to stake my claim on a land and travel here to meet you on this beautiful day.” Oh wasn’t he playing the dashing prince. As the nameless heathen turned to look expectantly at him, Lysander merely stared back – letting a pause drift over the area before he would address the mare’s question. Finally, he took a deep breath. “You find yourselves in Tuathia, specifically… Gelith River. If you were to travel just north along its banks a few hours you’d find yourself in Cheydinhal Vale. My home.” Another pause, as his attention fell back to the mare once more. “My name is Lysander. Light Alpha.” He fell silent. It wasn’t usually like him to pull rank, let alone with new comers, but as he stood there in their company – he found it had just… slipped. Perhaps subconsciously intending to make his male counterpart doubt himself, the idea had merit but was… uncharacteristic of him. Lysander rarely grew attached to the notion of bringing another face to the Vale the few times he had brought himself to socialize – and even now he wasn’t. It was, after all, her decision in the end. Never had any of the incidences where his intentions had been opposite, had he used his title to get it. He blinked. Tilting his head back to the shrouded stallion. ooc;; Wow. I had to stop short... this post just is effin weird for him. o____O'

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[kikukaede]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=625499] The mare had almost sensed the annoyance of the stallion as the other made his appearance, but chose not to notice. Politics, as well as the minds and designs of stallions were often confusing and easier to just let be. For all she knew, the two were already enemies. Perhaps she could reignite their friendship! The embarrassing escapade of her exit from the river aside, Haruna turned her head to attend eagerly to the sound of the dark stag's voice, answering her question with the same composed confidence with which he had approached. He was charming to say the least, and smiling broadly, moving her attention to the pale one as he too, spoke of himself and of his land and rank. An Alpha? Someone so important she would have never imagined to meet in a place like this! Weren't kings meant to sit lofty on thrones, staring down at the subjects with all the contempt that one so kind and cruel harboured toward those below? But here he was, laughing with her. The other stallion was a king too, a ruler of land. Suddenly Haruna felt very small. The world was so huge, full of people so huge and mighty, and she was only a tiny, sparkling drop in that thunderous ocean. She thought of the times when she was young when she had dreamt of a handsome prince who would come forth and sweep her away from stubborn aunts or teasing brothers, but those fantasies had evaporated with age. That sort of thing only happened in fairy-tales. Yet here she was, in the audience of two kings, both as polite and as courteous as one could be. She, so uncultured and provincial, raised far away from royalty with the concept only existing as part of the imagined person of her mother. It dawned on her that there must be a certain way to act, a certain manner to adopt when in the presence of such important individuals. She wavered, and chose that, as always, the policy was to just be yourself. "Tuathia..." She tasted the word on her tongue, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if in thought. "It sounds like... something old but something warm feeling... like the smell of old trees.." Despite her very noisy disruption only a few minutes earlier, the peace of the forest still remained intact. Already she could feel the sun gently warming and drying her wet body. Nodding she looked again to each of them, bowing her head slightly. It was time to deliver a proper greeting. "I am glad to be here, in spite of leeches! I am called Haruna of Springborn" Her bastard's title did not particularly bother her. Some of her brothers hated the title, feeling that all hope for honour vanished without a family name to pass onto sons. Names were not that important, though, or so Haruna thought. It was the quality of character and what you did which granted you real honour. "I am blessed to meet you Lord Lysander and-" green orbs moved to the other, curious. "I do not think we caught your name, Sir" [Words;; 540]

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[ever]

[atrb=width,607,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=black] Sampson wasn’t quite sure why he felt the need to put on the “prince” show for this sun kissed and ivory mare, but whatever it was that made him feel it was necessary it seemed to be working as the mare hadn’t ran off yet and if the ghostly stallion hadn’t appeared out of nowhere then they may have been headed back to his humble abode by now. Instead the two seemed to be giggling and laughing over the thought of the leeches sucking their blood out, a small grin broke out across the stallion’s rosy lips and that would be the closest that they would get to him laughing unless there was something that was truly hilarious, like the ghost getting shut down by the sunny colored mare. The silence that was echoing in the air between the trio brought the two toned stallion out of his thoughts and his icy blues focused back in on the silvery eyes of the ghostly stallion. Damn, even his eyes make him look like a ghost… His thoughts almost made him crack another grin and the thoughts of if the ghost could bleed like a normal horse made it even harder to contain himself. But luckily the ghostly stallion decided then that he could stop being arrogant and answer the Lady’s question. “You find yourselves in Tuathia, specifically… Gelith River. If you were to travel just north along its banks a few hours you’d find yourself in Cheydinhal Vale. My home. My name is Lysander. Light Alpha.” The stallion spoke but shifted his silvery eyes back to the mare at the last sentence, ah so the ghost was trying to win over the sun kissed and snow splashed mare as well was he? Sampson’s icy blue eyes lit up slightly before fading out just as he turned his crown over his broad shoulder to look at the river that had gotten him in this mess to begin with. He didn’t ponder over his thoughts for long before he flicked his tail and turned back to the couple, almost expecting to have turned around to them running off in the other direction. Icy pools regarded the ghostly stallion carefully, taking in the Light Alpha, curious as to if he would amount up to anything other than some stupid sissy who liked to dance through the fields of wildflowers that they lived in. "It sounds like... something old but something warm feeling... like the smell of old trees.." Sampson cracked a smile at the two toned mare, that was exactly what he thought of the lands of Tuathia. At least what he had seen of them already, the place seemed nice and homey and he would have thought there would be enough land that he wouldn’t have to have run into anyone of the Lightest alignment, even though something was telling him that the mare before him was very much so a light as well. I am called Haruna of Springborn" The gears in the shire’s mind turned over themselves, trying to figure out just where Springborn was, or if it was just her father’s title. Either way the words had little meaning to him other than her name Haruna. It was pretty and fit the mare nicely. Her delicate lyrics then resonated once more this time expressing her pleasure in meeting the two males and requesting to know his name. Sampson wanted to kick himself for not having introduced himself in the first place, apparently his manners had gone into the river along with the little spotted fawn who had been playing earlier. ”My apologizes Lady, my manners must have slipped my mind. I am Sampson formerly of Arcadia and now of Tuathia. It is a pleasure to meet you.” The stallion reached out his rosy muzzle to the mare and released a gust of his air so that way they would know each other whenever they crossed paths in the future. Flicking his icy pools to the stallion he simply straightened up and stamped his hind hoove, deciding on being polite to the ghost instead of ignoring him like he would like to do. ”It’s my pleasure to meet you as well Sir.” He ended with the slightest nod of his broad crown, not wanting to give the stallion too much respect, but not wanting to be too much of an animal. "SPEECH" [Featuring;; Sampson ; Black Sabino w. Rabicano ; Shire ; Blue ; 6 ; 18hh ; Herdless ; No Mate ] [Tag;; Kiku w. Haruna & Khar w. Lysander ] [Words;; 762 ] [Muse;; Kip Moore Iheartradio] [Notes;; -- ]

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