A valley of ghosts....dun dun duhhhhhhhhhh

[yaruka]

OOC: Ok, so this is set about 2 days after the brumby drive, after the men and captured hores have all left. I know we aren't totally done with that thread but since that was supposed to have finished during the "summer" and I'm bored I thought I'd make a thread after it, also I it'll help keep Kossy alive and not so desolate o.O hopefully. Anyways, anyone can join if they want.


BIC:

This place was creepy. There was no other word for it. As Imbrium walked through the deserted gap she couldn't help but feel nervous. It wasn't as though anyone was here-no, it was the opposite really. There was no one here and it was starting to creep her out. A sudden screech from a hawk wheeling overhead made the pinto shy violently, legs ascramble and hooves clattering noisily against the rocks on the ground. When she had calmed down Imbrium froze, listening intently for a sign she had been heard. In any other place she would have been concerned to have created so much noise but there seemed to be no one to hear her here, other than the hawk overhead. Shuddering, Imbrium looked up at the bird of prey, she had the nasty feeling that its screech had been a hunting cry, and she hated to think of what it might be looking to eat. Brushing those thoughts aside, she continued walking through, stepping high but delicately, keeping to the shadows cast by the rock cliffs on either side. The wind picked up, bringing with it the scent of horses and men. The mare wasn’t bothered; the scents were clearly days old, though oddly potent she reflected. Stepping over rocks and rough ground she could tell this gap had recently been the scene of some mighty happening but nothing in her experience could indicate to her exactly what it might have been. She wasn’t really afraid though, after all the scents were stale, and though she walked nervously, at a quick pace designed to get herself out of the creepy canyon as soon as possible, she knew that, logically, she had nothing to fear. Rounding a shadowy bend a rank scent filled her nostrils and suddenly she stopped in horror, staring at a carcass ahead of her, the hawk she’d seen earlier perched a top it. Snorting in alarm she whirled around, quickly racing back the way she’d came. As she ran, fear pushing her faster and faster back up the valley, she felt the wind pick up and again and swirl all around her. Ghosts of horses that had passed through this gap before her seemed to press on either side, urging her faster as though willing her to escape before it was too late. Against her better judgment she let loose one terrified scream of terror before throwing herself up the steep side she only just climbed down. Yes, it was true that this was the quickest way to her intended destination. Still, she thought she’d prefer to find an alternate route. She never should have come here. If someone had stopped and told her what the gap was called she would have had been able to confirm the validity of the title. She had seen with her very own eyes the grisly sight from which the gap took its name.


OOC: well there you go, quite rough but I need to go start some of my mountain of homework so it will have to do for now.

[{ Opal }]

Out of the shadows loomed the ghostly figure of a solitary mare, her head hanging, her eyes half closed in some sort of mesmerized trance. The nearby screams of a terrified horse hardly served to alert the brown mare, and in fact she only twitched her ears at the shrill cries. Perched upon a rise directly in front of the stranger's path, she was sure to be spotted soon, though in fact Tallerk appeared to be more of a ghost than flesh and blood. With a forlorn, mournful expression, Tallerk pulled up her head, her distant gaze slowly raking over to the mare's figure as she struggled up the slope. Slowly Tallerk sighed, turning her head away, not caring what had so spooked the creature. "Oh, my dear, dear filly... If only I could have died with you. If only I had never been born." she whispered to herself, and in the silence it sounded like some eerie warning from the heavens.

Tallerk's heart had been wrenched painfully so many seasons ago, yet the pain was fresh as ever, and all Tallerk wanted was some relief from the horrible guilt she was feeling. Right now the poor mare was actually upset at missing the drive; she had been hoping to be captured, so that maybe man could relieve her from her suffering. But the area was quiet, man long gone, and only this strange mare lay before her. Suddenly Tallerk felt irritated at the clattering of rock against hoof, and she shouted angrily at the intruder, "Will you go away?" With that Tallerk turned her back toward the mare, her muscles tense as memories long gone flooded her tired mind.

[yaruka]

OOC: mwhaha. Imbri is so much fun to rp

Imbrium was in such a frenzied state as she plunged up the hill that she did not notice the other mare standing there until she was practically upon her. For the second time that day she pulled up short in surprise, though this time she quickly relaxed, it was just another horse, no threat to her. But then the brown horse’s words caught up to her senses and Imbri snorted in anger, letting her hot temper get the best of her. “Excuse me,” she said sourly “But I believe I have just as much right as you to be here.” It would have been clear to a more sensitive horse that the other mare was suffering some kind of inner turmoil but Imbrium took the words at their face value. Huffing she moved closer to the other horse- the better to annoy her and directly disobey her wishes. She wouldn’t do anything to harm her, but she certainly wasn’t going to allow the other to have her way. If this strange mare was looking for sympathy she had run into the wrong horse. By now the pinto had all but forgotten the horrible sight she had come across below and settled in to do what she did best, be a royal pain in the you-know-where.

[Ehetere]

Jirrand stood sedentary and silent atop a ridge, watching the two mares below. He could tell that the older looking mare was being annoyed by the smaller one, it appeared almost as if the smaller one was teasing the pretty brown mare. This brown mare had the body of a young mare; but bore an expression of grief and misery that only a much older horse should have experienced. Jirrand felt a lurch of sympathy to wards the brown mare; for he too had experienced sadness and scorn that no young horse should have. In different circumstances; possibly different lifetimes, Jirrand would have marched down there and confronted the grey and white filly and attempted to comfort the sad brown mare; however life had been cruel to him, and there was no way that he would ever be able to have a normal interaction with other horses. If he went down there now; both mares were sure to go galloping away in fear and shock. So Jirrand hung his head and contented himself with watching the two mare from his ridge, well hidden in the surrounding snow gums.

[{ Opal }]

OOC: Well, Tallerk doesn't like her so much. =D

The strange mare's words hurt Tallerk, in some indirect way. It unlocked a volt inside of her, and a fierce anger- fierce enough to be called rage- surged up. With unexpected speed Tallerk kicked out at the brumby, aiming her hooves so that the blow might be as powerful and painful as possible. Now wild, Tallerk released a shrieking neigh, which twisted in volume and shook the rock around them. With that Tallerk leaped away from the mare, her muscles straining as she flew nimbly across the earth. Her mane and tail, wrung with black, streamed out behind her as she unknowingly headed just in Jirrand's direction. As the distance between herself and the mare grew, Tallerk appeared to calm, and slowed to a hasty walk as she headed up Jirrand's ridge. When she finally reached the top her sides were heaving for breath, but a good deal was out of the rage she had felt than out of exhaustion.

Now though Jirrand was quite in full sight, his peculiarities rather visible, Tallerk seemed to not register the fact that he was of the rarest and most secretive breeds of brumby. Instead of reacting normally, Tallerk actually just stared blankly at him, then after a while just shook her head stared off into the distance. She did feel somewhat better after getting out some of her built up anger, but was still restless, still her tortured self. Tallerk hung her head, her eyelids falling. She was just so tired. Not exactly the kind of tired that called for sleep, though she hadn't had a good rest in days, but more the kind of tired that seemed to affect your very mind. All of Tallerk's emotional distress was taking a toll, and a good, peaceful, safe rest sounded wonderful.

[Ehetere]

All of a sudden the brown mare kicked out viciously at the grey and white filly before letting out a whinny that practically shook the canyon. With that the brown mare galloped away - right in his direction. Jirrand was about to run away, but the brown mare had disappeared from his line of vision, since one of his eyes was shut tightly against the sun's glare. Jirrand's ears flicked back and forth, trying to pick up the mare's movements, however the creaking trunks and swaying branches covered any sound that she was making.

Jirrand nervously began to back up into the bush when a dark shape loomed beside him rather suddenly. He shied violently and whipped around to defend himself from some unknown stallion, but all he saw was the brown mare. Her posture was all together dejected, and despite himself, Jirrand asked, "Why is your heart so weary, little mare?" When was the last time he had enjoyed a civil conversation with another horse? Certainly not for many, many months. Jirrand eyed her up warily with his single good eye; at least in the daylight, wondering as to why she had not fled from his odd appearance. He supposed it was the fact that he was here, walking around, in the middle of the day; and not galloping through the nigh with his hooves beating out the rhythm of a thunderstorm.

Jirrand raised his head proudly, prancing on the spot, before approaching the mare's drooped head, and lowering his own so that he could see deep into her loving brown eyes. Yes, this mare had loved before, Jirrand could tell, and lost that love. It was the same expression that his poor mother had worn the day that that spiteful white stallion; certainly not his father, had driven him away from the herd. "It is all right, little mare, you can rest safe, I will not let any further harm befall you."

[yaruka]

OOC: aww, you guys are making Imbrium out to be a bad guy….she’s not. She just doesn’t take kindly to being insulted….and don’t expect her not to find a way back into the thread…it was after all hers to begin with…

Out of the corner of her eye Imbrium caught sight of the other mare’s flying hooves. Ducking her shoulder she leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. Squealing angrily she lunged at the other mare, teeth grazing on air as Tallerk took off in the opposite direction. Imbrium snorted with anger, what a coward. Why start something you couldn’t finish? Ibrium could tell the mare had meant her blow to be painful and that angered her. After all, what had she really done to her? Sure, she’d ignored the snooty mare’s order to go away but she, Imbrium, had just as much right to be here as the brown did. Not to mention the fact that the other mare had started it by blowing up in the first place. A more perceptive horse may have realized that it was Tallerk’s depression that caused her to lash out but Imbrium wasn’t a perceptive being. All she knew was that the mare had savagely and unnecessarily attacked her. Pinning her ears she glared after the brown mare’s retreating shape. She dropped her head to graze, still seething with rage, cropping the grass rather more roughly than was strictly necessary. Then another voice met her ears and Imbrium threw her fine head up, ears pricked forward and gazing in the direction of the snow gums on the ridge above. So she hadn’t been quite as alone as she’d thought. The stallion was obviously speaking to the brown mare and Imbrium snorted angrily. That stuck up brown creature did not deserve his concern after her ridiculous show of temper. But Imbrium’s curiosity was too great to let the stallion leave without introducing herself. She wanted to know what he was doing here, where he was going, what he looked like… Making up her mind to go check it out and simply ignore the brown mare, she trotted up the slope, head held proudly and alert, long tail floating in the breeze like a banner. She would go introduce herself, see what he was like, and then be on her way again.

[{ Opal }]

OOC: lol, don't worry Yar. xD

"Why is your heart so weary, little mare?" Tallerk raised her head up a notch to see the stallion that asked the question. Her lips twitched a bit, forming a wry smile, though her eyes did look a bit hopeful that someone was taking an interest. Most everyone shooed her off, this crazy mare, and she herself had had few brumbies to talk with as of late. "Oh, everything is so wrong..." Tallerk mumbled in answer, shaking her head forlornly, though she herself was a tad confused as to why she was so unhappy. Brief memories of a dead foal and a bitter mother passed through her mind, and she sighed. "She was my only filly, you know." The brown mare finally relented into giving some information, and though the thoughts connected to the words were bitter, Tallerk felt some relief in sharing a part of her past, which had come to affect her future.

When the stallion lowered his head to hers, their eyes met. Tallerk felt an odd, foreign feeling pass over her as she saw some sort of understanding in his eyes. Eventually she realized this emotion was some form of... happiness. A bit of the dark veil within Tallerk lifted as she realized there was some sympathy with this stallion, something that Tallerk could hold onto. The stallion spoke again, and Tallerk listened to his words, nodding wearily as a film of exhaustion fogged her mind. She slowly drooped to the ground, and within seconds she was falling steadily into a deep, much needed sleep. And so, when Imbrium crested the ridge, Tallerk gave no sign of recognition except for a twitch of her ear. Though even if she were awake, Tallerk would have probably not reacted anyhow.

[Ehetere]

OOC: Sorry Yaruka; Jirrand really doesn't like poor Imbrium!!! He is a very sensitive stallion and she really hit a nerve...

There was a rustle in the trees, and Jirrand threw his head up wildly to see who else had decided to come up to his ridge. Was everyone trying to terrify his today? Jirrand just supposed that they knew nothing of his other eye, all anyone saw during the daylight hours was one blue one and not his gleaming red one. However, the form that had appeared over the ridge was enough of a shock to cause him to open his other eye, despite the pain it caused.

The grey and white mare who had been harassing the pretty brown mare had just trotted over; her head thrown up proudly. Jirrand was anything but pleased to see her - why did she even bother to come up here? He would have thought that being kicked was enough of a message to the densest horse to stay away and that they were unwelcome, but this silly young mare apparently didn't take the hint. The brown mare flicked her ears listlessly, but otherwise didn't react to the other mare's sudden appearance. Jirrand blew through his nostrils, an partially annoyed warning, telling the mare to watch herself. Jirrand had always been one for first impressions and this little mare had made a shocker of a one with him. To tease and insult a clearly already distressed mare; and older one too, was just plain childish in Jirrand's mind.

He squared up to her; brining himself up to his full height and glory. He was beautiful enough a year ago to be kicked out of his own secretive herd for the stallion's fear of being overtaken, now his magnificence had grown even more. He wanted to be glorious and strong, but he also wanted to scare her away with his strange appearance at the same time.

Although his vision was greatly impaired in his red eye during the day, his blindness wasn't complete like that of the other Nightrunners', everything was blurry and over-exposed but he could still see movement and that was all he needed to have when he was fighting. Not that he really wanted to fight this mare, but if she had come here to get revenge for the kick the brown mare had given her; Jirrand wasn't going to tolerate her any longer. Tersely; Jirrand eyed the mare and demanded "What do you want?"

[yaruka]

OOC: ah that's ok. He's entitled to his own opinion...still she really didn't mean any harm. And don't forget Tallerk lashed out first...Imbrium won't

BIC:

What do you want? demanded the cremello stallion before her, rather more harshly than Imbrium really thought was necessary. Stopping a few feet from him she raised her head, eyeing him calmly. "Easy Stallion," she said "I mean no harm." Her tone wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t quite oozing with respect for an elder either. Refusing to back away, even though the stallion's body posture was clearly hostile, she added "My name is Imbrium, but you can call me Imbri. I came up here to introduce myself, I like to meet everyone I can.” She waited a couple seconds, appraising the stallion’s unusual colouring. His appearance didn’t frighten her, she didn’t even flinch upon catching sight of his mismatched, somewhat sinister looking eyes. Being a rare coloured horse herself, not much surprised her. Imbrium was far too inquisitive to let an unusual appearance frighten her away.