The Lady in the Dark

[Yuki |Daku|]

Velcroft
Fearing the Dark

Nares flickered as a deep breath was taken in, the air circulating the beasts lungs was rancid, smelling not only of rotting vegetation but also carcasses. This place was almost like a graveyard, the unstable ground falling into sinkholes of black water and swallowing those careless enough to step into the void. Nares flared as the oxygen deprived air was released back into the world, creating a puff of fog before the creatures face that danced away in tendrils before dispersing. This land was cold and heartless and it wasn't only the starless night sky that made it seem so empty. The strong moonlight falling from above made the thick wisps of mist seem alive, moving over the dark water and boggy land like a beast, lurking, waiting for its next victim. Why was it that everything seemed to appear this way? It was as though the world was against the said beast, throwing her around like she was an origami puppet, placing her in this swamp to see if the water would soak into her and she'd fall apart.

Tired muscles twitched under her dark hide, dislodging the vampire insects from her body as he felt the light sting of their bite though they were persistent and simply returned to their feast. Slowly the beast began to move, legs weighed down by the muck that clung to the long hairs covering her hooves, the land trying to suck her down into its depths. She really didn't like being in these lands but she couldn't remember how she had come to it. Right now it all looked the same. Every bare tree that had yet to bud this spring was clawing hopelessly at the sky, creating long eery skeletal shadows across the ground that in turn reached for the femmes own shadow, like demons reaching for her soul. There were flickers of light around her from when the plants shifted to show water and the captured the moonlight. She was half expecting a giant serpent to raise from the seemingly sturdy ground before her and bare its pearl fangs.

Each step she took was shaky and calculated, the tip of her hoof pawing at the vegetation, making sure it wouldn't dance away from below her before her weight was placed upon it. She knew she would die in this land. She shouldn't have left her herd, she should have put up with the physical and mental abuse they threw at her. She was less scared of what they could, would, do to her than the secrets this land hid. The howl of a wolf broke the femmes concentration momentarily, her skull raising instantly, harks flickering in concern. They didn't sound near, it was an echo from the many valleys nearby. Her broken concentration lead to a possibly fatal mistake.

A scream came instinctively from her throat as she fell forward, her hoof braking the water plants that looked like an innocent part of land. Putrid tasting water filled into her mouth as her skull was taken under the surface, the sudden hit of cold shocking her body. Her legs kicked instinctively below her as she struggled to the surface, feeling reeds tangle around her limbs and making moving difficult. She was going to die here she could feel it. As her skull broke the surface she gasped for air, welcoming the stench of death that plagued the land. Panic was beginning to take over as her over-active foal like mind started to imagine monsters grasping at her legs, trying to pull her down once again. Her fore hooves beat at the surface of the water, sending water plants darting away from her until she felt them hit stable ground. She pushed her hind legs harder, trying to kick out of the grip of the underwater plant monster until she managed to struggle up onto the bank.

Her legs felt like wet paper below her as she collapsed, legs partially folded below her as she rested her skull upon her knees, body shivering violently from both shock and the cold seeping in through her wet coat. Was she still alive? She was certain she would have drowned. Maybe she had died and was just in hell. Earth hued orbs looked down at the black hole of water before her, slowly being recovered by algae and plants. Her gaze was drawn to a flash of bleached white, feeling her breath hitch in her throat at the sight of the skull sinking back into the depths, disturbed by her frantic escape before it was completely covered by vegetation, the only evidence of her struggle with the land her wet, exhausted body. This brush with death was definitely going to impact her thought on this realm.

Words: 788
OOC: Poor horsie[/blockquote][/size]

[sinistra]

Moss grew like a parasitic plant, creeping and reaching with hungry, slimy tentacles for what little dry, sturdy ground there was. Its nasty fingers were covered in slime and rotting plant growth whose life had been choked and strangled out like a candle's light by the moss itself. Mud coated the banks and almost every watery ground, under the moss and occasionally over it. It ugly palor gave off the scent of rotting fish and snake and every other reptilian creature that could possibly survive in a stifling marsh such as this one. The few trees who had fought their way through adolescence now clung to life, covered in hanging moss and grubby invasive plantlife. Snakeskin decorated the gleaming green rocks, twisting around a patch of cattails. Barely three feet away, an empty turtle shell sat alone; its plain brown surface slowly being eaten away by decomposers like beetles.

Each stone sank into mud and made a disturbing loud sucking sound as it was drawn out of the stuff. Paperthins flared in disgust, the ashen stag tested each step with a careful tap, knowing that if he stepped onto unwieldy ground, it would probably be his last mistake. Quicksand was his worst fear and dying in this muddy hole that stunk of death was an even greater terror. Sinistra struggled to keep from inhaling the stench and cursed mentally as he slipped on a muddy patch of moss. Catching himself hastily on an ancient tree, the black stag tried to remember why on earth he had come to this place. Disgust making him want to retch, he stood up on long pistons and glanced around. This is suicide. His mind declared and Sinistra knew it well enough. Even if he had tried to leave a trail to make sure he wasn't going in circles, the chances of him actually getting out of this craphole were pretty slim. Pricking his harks, Sinistra listened hard. He could hear nothing except the squelch of mud and the occasional burping sound of a toad's croak. He wasn't exactly sure if that was good or bad. Silence meant that nothing threatening was coming but it also meant that no one was coming to help him either.

The ashen stag shook his large crown, sending drops of moisture in every direction. His long, normally flowing mane was draped limply over his slender neck and broad shoulders. The wetness collected into droplets sprinkled across and throughout his long tassles. They twinkled and blinked in the shallow sunlight, giving the impression of crystal drops in his tassles. The pale sun rays gave off very little light and hardly did the job given to them. The amber orbs squinted in a vain effort to see better in the dim light. Suddenly, a wolf's howl sounded a condemning tenor, making Sinistra wheel on his hind stones. Slipping on the mossy ground, he slid into the water and instantly began to thrash about, sending water into the air like a waterspout in fast forward. His front stones found purchase and Sinistra pulled himself from the foul water, now dripping with muddy water. He bared pearly teeth in a predator's gesture of disgust. A sigh blasted from his lips and the soaked stag shook like a dog and then instantly checked to make sure no one had seen him do such an immature thing. Sinistra laughed at himself, checking to see if anyone had seen him in a swamp that was isolated and had no intelligent lifeforms. At least, as far as he could tell.

Testing the slippery surface with cautious stones, Sinistra made him way down a tiny trail where grass grew tenatively. Huge ferns grew and Sinistra was thankful was for a color change. Anything seemed better than the almost lime moss green or the dull mud brown. The black lips carefully tasted a fern frond and the stag decided he liked it. Munching on the surprisingly tasty greens, Sinistra inhaled through flared paperthins and snorted. He could smell the scent of a lost mare, wandering around rather clumsily through the muck like him. Sinistra quickly picked up the pace and rounded a small hill just in time to see a black horse like him fall flailing into the water. Instantly, he leapt forward to help her and sank into the foul water. Sinistra struggled to reach the surface and with much effort and flailing of his long limbs, the black stag pulled himself onto steady ground. He found himself standing over her and felt worry stab into him when he saw her head fall to her knees. Sinistra pushed gently at her neck with his nose, aware that he was dripping water onto her. "Are you alright? That was quite a spectacular fall, m'lady. Can you get up?" He nudged her shoulder with a worried nose.

[Yuki |Daku|]

Each indrawn breath was shaky and it was a struggle to push the air through her closing throat. If her body wasn't paralyzed in shock she would have been sobbing from the fear that jump started her mind into a confused puddle. Did she really deserve everything that life was dishing toward her? Maybe it was because she refused to follow the dark religion, her inbuilt morals weaved into her mind from a long forgotten relative or mutation of personality never allowed her to be as emotionless as the others. Her eyes closed to block out the view of the realm that just attempted to steal her life from her, plummeting her into a word of darkness where her min could twist reality and make experiences more horrific then they truly were.

Her body was still shaking violently, muscles convulsing under her sodden hide in a vein attempt to warm her. The cold bit at her as though it were attempting to suck her life away, just like the many vampire insects that were currently sucking away her blood. Her whole body was in pain. She hadn't registered how tight her muscles had cramped within the freezing water due to her panicky attempts to escape but now that she had nothing to do by lay there, under the cold watch of the silver moon, pondering whether or not she was going to die of some chilled illness over the night, she could feel everything. Her lips parted, her throat wanting to release a desperate whine, begging the world to be kind to her for just one night though no noise came. Her throat was so strangled that she couldn't find her voice. Now she could feel the numb sensation of her hot tears of hopelessness trickling over her frozen cheek.

Her skull was throbbing in pain, creating a sharp ring in her harks so she didn't hear the other approach her until she felt a sudden heat upon her nape. Her skull shot up in fear, the white of her eyes catching the moonlight as a wave of light-headedness hit her heavily from the sudden movement. Her skull fell to her knees once more, optics hidden behind lids as she rode out the dizzy sensation that made her body convulse and her hearing drum. Finally her mind fought away the alien sensation, slight rational thought coming back to her. Momentarily she forgot about the hot sensation upon her nape before she felt it again, this time upon her shoulder. Her skull shot up once more though this time it didn't fall away dizzily due to the blood already having rushed to her mind. She stared up at the dark figure above her, taking a few moments to register that it was another equine. What was it doing here? Was it real or was it only her mind creating an illusion that she had been somehow lucky enough to have another stumble upon her though now the question was was the other here to help her or further her pain?

Her earth hued eyes were almost pleading as she look up at the other, confusion evident in her facade. She hadn't heard a word that the other had spoken, the ring in her harks drowning out any noise though it was slowly subsiding, allowing her to hear the sickening sucking of the mud and chilling calls of the swamp birds. She didn't speak, she was somewhat afraid to speak and risk the possibility that the other evaporated into nothing and proved her fear of them being nothing but an illusion true.

Word Counts: 597

[sinistra]

Sinistra jerked in surprise when she whipped her head up at their contact. He danced away on uneasy pistons, not sure what to do. She seemed almost frozen between life and death and there was no way of bringing her back to consciousness. He ad glimpsed the glare of white in her half-lidded eyes and winced slightly, his dark facade showing the concern he felt for her. A simple equine presence had her scared and she could not even raise her head from her knees. Sinistra felt intense worry as he stared down at this fae. It seemed as if every breath was a painful struggle for her. That isn't good. Her muscles were twitching and shuddering as if she was trying to warm herself. Indecision made the great stag stomp a heavy stone into the ground and, upon hearing the sucking burp of the mud, he yanked the appendage out. Globs of mud hung onto his legs and Sinistra hardly paid attention, which was surprising for him.

Worry and concern for the struggling mare in front of him dominated his every thought. Knowing now that him touching her wasn't going to help, Sinistra wasn't sure what to do. He shifted his weight uneasily and jumped when her head came up again and her blinking orbs fixed their gaze on him. He was stunned by the pleading in them and had to wonder what had happened to make her so fearful and anxious. How had she fallen into such a mess as this place? Had she been driven here, or had it been her own choice? Either way, her orbs was begging for kindness and that made him certain that she had been badly treated before, probably beaten in submission many times. His orbs widened momentarily and a flash of yellow-white caught his attention. The amber gaze flashed behind the fallen fae and saw a skull slowly sink below the surface. A horse skull... Good grief. Perhaps that was why she had panicked and had started thrashing around. Glimpsing a skull while you were sinking in a swamp wasn't exactly a confidence booster. The ashen stag turned his gaze back down to the ess and caught her eyes again. The intense confusion was slowly seeping out of them and it seemed that she was slowly regaining her senses.

Sinistra let a sigh of relief explode from his paperthins, still flared in disgust from the stench of rotting flesh and mud. His skin twitched constantly to ward off the indomitable insects that seemed to buzz their way into everything that could still breath. Warily, the harks pricked, trying to catch any sounds of invading predators such as wolves or any other creepy monster that might live in one of these crap holes. Tension seemed to fill the air, along with the stifling humidity which continued to collect in his heavy tassles. The wetness that clung to his skin, the foulness of the air, the water, the insects that swarmed around him and the mare made Sinistra want to retch. It all disgusted him, every bit of this crappy place he had stepped unknowingly into. Glancing back down into the ess's pleading orbs, Sinistra decided that it might be worth it to get her out this place. He tried yet again to talk to her, hoping he got something in return. "M'lady, are you alright? This isn't the best place to get stuck in, no?" Deciding not to touch her again, the stag continued. "

[/b]I won't hurt you, I promise.[/b]"[/blockquote][/size]

[Yuki |Daku|]

He was real, she was sure that if he was just a trick of the mind he would have snapped and fallen just to further her fears or if he was a trick of the moon light, a combination of shadows to create a dark form reflecting herself, he would have flickered like a ghost. His presence seemed to allow the hazy fear that gripped at her mind disperse and rational thoughts began to take over. If he was still here after her fearful reactions and shown weakness for the situation then he must have at least pondered upon helping her. At the beasts words she shook her head slowly, trying to ignore the lingering headache that created ringing in her ears and lightly blurred her vision. She didn't want to be here, she would give anything to have gone back in time and avoid this place though those were only hopeful wishes, thoughts that never truly helped her, just placed her in a deeper pit of despair.

Her fore hooves moved below her once more, mud covered daggers digging into the soft yet stable earth below her as she pushed against them, ebon legs shaking violently with exhaustion and effort as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, wincing at the pain that shot through her cramping muscles, trying to make her fall back to the ground. She wouldn't allow them to make her wreak again, it was her body and she had to take control of it, if she didn't she was sure she would freeze and die forgotten in this hellish place. She looked back to the beast whom seemed generally worried about her to some extent though her abused mind wouldn't let her accept it. Her long dark locks, sun bleached at the tips, were heavily matted to her nape and entangled with vegetation that refused to let her go. "I just stumbled upon this place....I guess I wasn't paying attention" Her voice was somewhat strangled as she forced it through a closed throat. She wasn't suicidal, she didn't come here knowingly to let the land suck the life out of her. No, it was one of those common lapses of concentration that had dragged her here like a gravitational force.

She could feel her muscles start to cramp into the position she was sitting and she knew she had to get herself standing if she ever wanted to escape this land alive. She lowered her skull once more to place her weight upon her forelegs and struggled to get her hind legs out of the earth that had started to suck them down. She felt this alone was sucking more energy out of her than the struggle with the black water, especially with the thick mud and reeds stuck determinedly to the long hairs upon her pillars and making moving much more of a chore. Eventually she had her hooves under her, somehow managing to stay on the tiny piece of soft land and not falling back into the waiting water. "...Do you know how to get out of here?" She asked the stag quietly, staring into the water before her as she strained her harks to hear the stags reply. Her heart was pounding painfully within her chest as she feared the beast would turn his back and make her struggle to escape this land.

Word Count: 563

[sinistra]

Sinistra could only imagine what had made a mare so fearful and what had brought her here? Had she been suicidal? Was she still trying to be? He cocked his crown slightly, not knowing what to say or do. He couldn't and wouldn't just let a mare to commit suicide even if it was her own business anyway. The ashen stag hated to see anyone in intense distress and knew better than to deny it, to himself or anyone else. From the way she stared at him, it was as if he looked like a ghost. He glanced at himself and had to grin. Mud splattered across his legs, his coat was sopping wet, and his stones looked so out of proportion by mud caking to them that they could have been brown-grey ragged blocks of stone. Streaks of green were dashed along his belly and shoulders, as if a painter had flicked green paint on his clean picture accidentally. Clumps of hair had been frozen hard inro brown spikes by drying mud and gave his belly and leg hair a punkish look.

Sinistra inspected himself with an air of aggrieved pride and bemusement. Then he switched his long tail and turned back to the ess in front of him. She wasn't in much better condition. In fact, she was much worse so he had nothing to worry about. All of this went on in the back of his head as he contemplated what to do and if it was too late to do anything. Either way, he would try. Just as the stag was drawing breath to speak yet again, she started to draw her mud-coated pistons to try and get up. She winced and Sinistra started forward instantly but held himself back and let her get into a sitting position by herself. His instincts were ordering him to go forward and help but it seemed his touch frightened her and so he watched as she drew herself up. He had to feel admiration for how she pulled herself out of the sucking mud and clinging vegetation. ""I just stumbled upon this place....I guess I wasn't paying attention." Sinistra blinked in surprise as her raspy voice came out and his orbs inspected her face for a moment before he chuckled in his deep voice. "I suppose after being here for only a few minutes, it would be easy to lose yourself in the beautiful surroundings anywhere else."

The ashen stag had to watch as she struggled oh so slowly to her feet. He noted the trembling muscles and longed to tell her that he would help but held it in. Her question brought him back to reality and his answer came quickly. "I think so..... I left some kind of trail behind me so I suppose following that would get us out." He paused for a second before hurrying on. "Here, this way." He gestured with his coal colored crown up the small hill and then seemed to notice just how hard it would be for her to get up it. Sinistra wasn't sure whether he would get lost if he went around the hill, but didn't want to find out. Plus, he wasn't going to leave this lost ess all alone in the darkened swamp with legs that could barely hold her up. He sighed and asked with the hint of a pleading tone to his baritone voice. "Please, let me help you." Sinistra said and then added. "And I don't even know your name."

[Yuki |Daku|]

The mares lips thinned slightly in worry as an unnearving silence settled between the two. She had obviously made a bad first impression upon the stallion, after all she had let herself get distracted by a common sound and made a complete fool of herself and topping that off she probably contracted some sort of deadly disease from inhaling and swallowing the water. Okay maybe she was being a little paranoid with the last part but she did knew she was more than likely going to get a cold infection if the effects hadn't started to show. Such a grand first impression indeed. Her harks flickered to catch his words, straining herself to hear him through the lightening though still consistent buzzing in her harks and allowed the smallest trace of a smile grace her features. She'd find the most lifeless desert picture perfect after her run in with this place.

As the beast continued to speak it seemed to serve her some sort of comfort. Even if he did turn on her when her guards were down and acted alike the equines she had grown with she felt comfortable following him. If he got her out of here then she would be within his debt. He would have saved her life so she owed it to him. Her muscles cramped heavily as she pulled her hooves out of the sucking mud, slowly getting ready to move off after the beast when he began to lead off. She nodded her skull lightly as he spoke, her smile becoming slightly more evident. "Thank you, I owe you my life" Her voice was still somewhat strangled though there was genuine gratitude weaved into the rough words. "I was named Velcroft" She stated almost automatically in reply.

[/blockquote]

[sinistra]

Sinistra stared into her orbs and tried not to blink. It was a little hard but he could manage it without much trouble. He wasn't sure what the purpose of doing that was but he liked to look into other horses' eyes to see what their intentions might be. Surely, there was nothing this fallen ess could possibly do to him except stir pity and make him long to help her. And that's exactly what is happening, you great dolt. He told himself with a small sigh. He was way to gullible. Sinistra hated those horses who refused to like anyone and found fault with everything. While he himself tried to make friends at every first encounter, he was not to easily forgiving with those who insulted him or those he favored. Another fault of mine. He thought regretfully. Then he shook his great crown, thrusting such distasteful thoughts into the back of his mind. He need not concentrate on them now for what really mattered was the poor female who was struggling to remain on her feet.

The large stag shrugged his muscular shoulders, letting the sinews twist under his silky skin. His neck muscles bulged as he curved his neck in an arc to watch the fae curiously. Why did she not speak? Did he scare her with his witless talk? Amusement colored his mind and he almost laughed at himself. Of course it did! He noticed that her harks pricked to catch his words and that the smallest ghost of a smile graced her lips. It gave her a decidedly prettier look than when she had gazed at him, frightened and pleading desperately for help. Sinistra smiled back though his smile was broad and kind, with no hint of fear. The blackened features tightened slightly was once again, he wondered who might have done something to her to make her so anxious. Anger flashed like lightning in his orbs, making their calm amber depths glow with terrifying force. One stone hit the ground and dug into it fiercely before he calmed like a morning's storm, dying down to a soothing rain. His fury at brutes who beat mares into shivering beggars was frightening to see. But he averted his great crown so that the last dying remnants of his anger could not be seen by the ess though she had probably seen the worst of it burning deep in his orbs.

He felt the cold stab of concern that he might have scared her with his sudden flash of rage and that thoroughly doused the fading embers of his passionate anger. His orbs, calm now, turned back to her with the signs of apology glowing in them. "I am sorry for that sudden temper tantrum. I hate to see any ess frightened into submission by brutes. I am not sure whether that it your case or not, but I won't ask. You deserve privacy." His words were calm and quiet. Their purpose to soothe could have been done with the simple quietly touching tone of his voice as he watched the mare in front of him. Sinistra bobbed his great crown in reply to her thanks. "It was what anyone should have done. I would only ask that you come to Twin Peeks so that you can rest and regain your strength. No one will ever come near you if you desire peace and privacy. If it is company you desire, I have one pretty ess, called Ghita, who I hope will be joining me in my realm. There is clear, clean water that you can bathe in to washe away the stench of this place and warm sands to comfort any itching. Cool shade is provided by many a palm tree and there is a place of rolling hills where you can run as free as you please." He watched her hopefully and then took in the name Velcroft. "Velcroft..." He tried it out for himself. "It is definitely unique... and pretty. Just like its owner."

[Yuki |Daku|]

It seemed everything about the dark fae was a fault so she didn't think upon it. Whenever her thoughts wandered to herself she tried to distract herself for any questioning of her personality always bought up a past she willed to forget. She couldn't stop herself from mentally imaging her old herd when she looked toward Sinistra. It wasn't his fault by the way he acted or held himself though his pelt right now, dirty and unkempt, reminded her of the beasts she had run from. Lids covered her eyes as she tried to calm herself, ridding the unwanted thoughts from her mind. Why did she only have limited control over herself? She was never allowed to think for herself so when she ran she had no idea what to do and now her mind ran rampant on her. She would have to train it, forcefully set in a master slave relationship with herself for right now she was nothing more than a reluctant puppet to the object she should be controlling.

As her eyes reopened, the slight control she had over herself was overridden by memories. The anger she saw in the beasts eyes as he looked upon her made her cringe visibly, her skull lowering in a submissive manner though also allowing her to watch his muscles, hindquarters ready to push her away if he lashed out at her. Her harks were pinned against her nape which was arched away from him, keeping her skull just out of his reach. What had she done? Was it the weakness she had shown? She knew they would have beaten her if she showed weakness in her family herd, that if she couldn't outrun them at first though they wouldn't have bothered to save her if she lay on the verge of death. She had learnt to rely upon herself, fleeing from any sign of danger though she would never stoop so low as the beg for forgiveness from those bastards, which ultimately lead to just another beating. Her optics moved up to his as she saw his nape muscles move, his eyes showing a cautious barricade with fear behind them though there was no longer the burning anger but a somewhat apologetic look which made a confused expression cross the femmes face. How had he not lashed out at her? If she had done something wrong then she expected him to try and put her back into her place. Even though she knew she'd try her best with her aching body to avoid any hooves or teeth it was still an expectation.

Her harks flicked forth uncertainly to catch his words, her tense and aching muscles relaxing slightly as he apologized though she was still somewhat cautious. How had he picked up on her past so easily? No actually, how could he have not picked up upon it. She treaded on eggshells around him even though he had not done anything to deserve such cautious actions from her. "I'm sorry if I've acted inadequately" She muttered her apology almost sheepishly as she nodded her skull once more. His offer sounded too good for her and the ingrown doubts about anything good happening to her prevented her heart from skipping a beat in excitement, instead it felt heavy with guilt. She deserved no such thing though she had pledged she owed her life to him so she would happily follow him. "It sounds like a wonderful offer" She stated with a slight smile, nodding her approval. She turned her head away as she smiled foalishly at his words, she would have blushed if she was able to, instead she looked back to the beast. "I don't believe I know your name either" Had he given it but she was not listening? If that was the case she could appear ungrateful though she didn't want to have to call him 'beast' or 'stallion'.

[sinistra]

Sinistra winced. His anger had a worse effect on her than he had thought. Her corona had shied away and lowered into a submissive position and she tensed as if she would have to run away at any moment. In her widened orbs, he saw fear but what surprised him was that she looked almost expectant. Does she think I'm going to attack her? He thought with growing despair. What have I done?! The black stag wanted to go and knock his crown repeatedly on the nearest tree. How could I have been so incredibly stupid? Surely after seeing how frightened she was, surely I could have controlled myself? But no, my righteous temper took over and now look what I've done!! Trying not to stammer out an apology, he let his earlier words do the talking for him, even as he stood there and hated himself for being so stupid and blind to her fears. He taunted himself and decided that he would have to make up for his ignorant actions.

"I'm sorry if I've acted inadequately." Velcroft spoke and Sinistra shook his crown furiously and spoke. "Nay, Velcroft, it was I who acted without consideration of you and in my ignorance, I frightened you. Truely, I say now, please forgive my shameful self-conceited temper for being a hellion and not seeing how that would effect you." His words were almost pleading, or as close as they could possibly get without making him seem slavish. His amber orbs begged for forgiveness and he was almost startled at how fervently he wished she would do so. Did she mean so much to him already that he wanted her forgiveness so fervently? Sinistra shook his mighty crown and dismissed the thought quickly. But she was already smiling and saying that she would like that. "It sounds like a wonderful offer." Relief washed over him like a wave of water. Now she could heal and rest safely inside his lands, without worry of anyone ever attacking her again. He would never allow that to happen, ever. The very idea made him- Get a grip! His mind ordered and Sinistra calmed down quickly.

"I don't believe I know your name either." Velcroft spoke again and Sinistra noticed that she turned her head away before she spoke. He felt a little worried but pushed it away. She would come with him to his safe homeland and she would have nothing to worry about. "Sinistra, Lord of Twin Peeks." He said it automatically and then quickly told her with a grimace, "But no "lording" me at all, please. As far as I'm concerned, we are all equal so even if I'm alpha there is no reason for me to be Lorded all the time." He laughed and then shook his mighty crown. "But we'll need to get you out of here first, of course. We'll go slowly, all right?" He then moved so that he was out of her way. She could leave the little patch of land she stood on and then he would help her around the hill.

OOC; Maybe we could bring in some wolves or something for some action.... I'm a little low on muse right now.

[Yuki |Daku|]

She further began to relax as he spoke though the wince before his lips began to move confused her. Was he experiencing pain from some prior encounter with the land before he came across her? It was the only logical thing she could match a wince with. Physical pain. Warm earthy optics that seemed frosted over with suppressed emotions and thoughts.Had there ever been a time where her optics were warm and loving, actually fitting with her hidden personality? Most likely not. Ever since she was born 'weak' emotions had been looked down upon so she had to quickly learn how to place a permanent shield of unemotional stares upon her facade. Her gaze connected with Sinistra's as he apologized, the pleading tone and begging optics rose a variety of emotions and thoughts in her. Was he being genuine with her or trying to lure her into a trap she was already deeply caught in? It was difficult to tell since she had never had anyone act in such a way toward her though that soft fuzzy feeling within her that made her feel safer made her believe his words and she nodded her acceptance of his apology. For some reason she felt she could trust this stallion. Possibly because he had put himself in danger to make sure she was okay or because he was the only creature upon the earth that had showed kindness to her and she enjoyed that feeling, maybe both reasons.

A Lord? Was he simply a herd leader or did his title stretch further than that? He had perked her curiosity as well as fear and a feeling of safety. So far she had only encountered brutes whom refereed to themselves as lords and any attempt of force claimage had resulted in her fleeing. She had managed to escape most of the muscle bound creatures with sheer speed alone though often used the cover of darkness to melt away if she had come across a more intelligent or speedy creature. That was where her fear had come from. What if they got back to his land and he turned, becoming brutish and claiming her like an object? Well if he did that then there would be a level of protection for her from predators and other stallions so she had to feel safe with that didn't she? Her attention was drawn back to the stallion and she nodded lightly. Going slow sounded good to her but also the faster they got there the sooner she could rest. The muscles of her long, slender pillars shook violently as they began to pull her forward, hoofs digging into the soft muck below her with a sickening squelching noise before she pulled them away with a sucking pop.

Subconsciously she moved closer to Sinistra as she walked slowly beside him. She felt her shoulder muscles flinch as her shoulder brushed against the stallions barrel, a sting of heat seeming to course through her. It burned for a moment and she almost expected to smell her coat singeing through the stench of the swamp though that feeling slowly numbed to a comfortable warmth. She allowed her shoulder to continue to brush against his cloak, stealing his body heat and using the touch to be able to follow him accurately while watching where her hooves fell. Harks twitched as the call of a wolf reached her once more though it didn't get the reaction as last time. It didn't sound as though it had grown any closer though the vastness of the swamp made the call stretch, occasionally bouncing off the thick trunks of old trees. She was slowly relaxing more, ignoring everything around her except for where the stallion beside her moved and how the land reacted to her standing upon it. Everything seemed to be getting better, if only for the moment as she allowed her guard to lower slightly. It seemed that was a mistake often. Due to her lack of concentration on the world around her, the sudden weight upon her right side caught her by surprise, her reaction time slow as she squealed before shielding to the side and straight into Sinistra. The numbness of her body prevented her from feeling the pain from the bite marks upon her flank where the creature had attempted to get a hold. A flash of gray showed in her peripheral vision, another before her and she could feel her heat thundering wildly within her chest.

[sinistra]

Sinistra tried not to stare at her for long periods of time for that might disturb her. But he could not help it. Velcroft fasinated him with how bravely she faced her fears and how she had slowly come to trust him. It was a gradual process that he indulged in with delight. She was a creature of great distrust and seemed to move carefully, ensuring that every step she took was safe. But Sinistra wondered if that was all she was, cautious and quiet. He longed to be the one who would lift the veil that she had created around herself and glimpse who she truly was inside of a shielded face. That was something he would have to work on, make sure that she had everything she could possibly want and keep every promise he made to her. Sinistra would place himself as the prominent member of her personal herd and he would do anything and everything to win her trust and affections. It would not be too hard. He could guess what she would want. Protection, a sense of safety, comfort, the presence of friendly horses who required nothing of her.

Sinistra would provide all of this for her and would grant anything in his power to give what else she wanted to her. Velcroft would be safe with him. The ashen stag decided that he liked that idea and smiled gently at the black ess as she stepped with trembling pistons towards him. She shook with such painful vibration that Sinistra nearly stepped forward to try and press himself against her in hopes that it would calm her but knew that would not work in the way he would want it to. Half of him wanted to touch Velcroft and tell her that she would never suffer at any brute's hooves again and the other half wanted to keep his distance so as not to frighten her. The midnight stag knew better than to press forward like that. It would only frighten her and his work to earn her trust and acceptance would be totally ruined. A small sigh blasted out of his widened paperthins as he sniffed the air to taste for danger out of habit. His distracted mind didn't recieve any of the important information and his pricked harks did not catch the wolf's triumphant howl. Sinistra's attention was on Velcroft and concentrated on little else. She dominated his eyesight and he blinked, seeing little besides her black bodice.

Sinistra jerked when her shoulder brushed against his barrel but smoothened the motion by dipping his crown courtiously to the ess as he walked slowly. His long pistons took shorter steps so that she could easily keep up with him. Whenever she touched him, he felt a tingle of electricity race up his spine and burn an imprint of the feeling into his mind. The black stallion guided her with careful nudges, allowing his velvet nose to bump her shoulder occasionally so that she did could avoid large rocks or holes in the squishing ground. A frog's croak echoed loudly in the silence but the quietness was soothing to him. Stepping past the moss covered trees and following the trail he had left in case he got lost was easy enough but for guiding Velcroft with subtle gestures. Suddenly, Velcroft squealed and plowed into him, knocking him down as a flash of grey flew over her. Sinistra scrambled to his hooves and struggled to keep from groaning. They were surrounded by a pack of seven or eight wolves who snarled and growled savagely at the two horses. Quickly, Sinistra stepped over Velcroft's fallen body, splaying out his legs so that no wolf could come near without entering his striking range. The black stag trumpeted his challenge to the predators, his deep throaty bellow echoing as the wolves howled in return, crowding closer and closer with menacing jaws and terrible, slashing claws.

[Yuki |Daku|]

Velcroft could feel her blood racing through her veins, heating her skin to the extent where the muck and water upon her cloak was beginning to dry, tendrils of heavy mist rising from her body. It seemed feeling had rushed back to her, so suddenly that pain rippled through her body more intensely than ever. It started at the gash upon her side, like a searing pain that radiated through her body, clawing at her with sharp nails of fire. She vaguely registered Sinistra's large frame looming over hers, her mind temporarily paralyzed by the pain. She had gone through too much today and her body wasn't able to keep up with everything. One moment she is frozen and emerged in water, the net she seems to be on fire. A slight whinny passed her lips as she raised her skull, her poll brushing against the stallions chest as her optics moved over the pack of predators that surrounded them. They seemed at home on the non-trustworthy ground of the swamp, as though they had created it themselves. "What do we do?" She asked shakily, struggling to get her fore hooves under her in an attempt to get upright. She had encountered wolves before though she had always managed to flee successfully though now she was surrounded and even if she attempted to run she would either be eaten alive by the swamp or be caught by the wolves before she managed to reach her full possible speed.

Her muscles twitched as she rose to her fore hooves, her hindquarters still upon the ground so that she was sitting below the stallion, her withers against his chest and her skull below his. The movement made her flank tense angrily, her eyes closing in a wince as more blood was pushed from her veins and slowly trickled over her dirty coat.

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[sinistra]

The baying was incredibly loud and menacing as if it was a secret weapon that caused fear in enemies. In a horse, it usually should work as they are prey animal and fleeing is the first reaction to fear. But Sinistra was not running. Not without Velcroft. The savage wolves would be on him in a second anyway. The canines seemed unwilling to come any closer to his dangerous hooves. Hoping they'd scare, Sinistra's war cry seemed to bloom like a red cloud in the misty atmosphere. Its power exploded, echoing as the mud and trees acted like a wave bouncer and sent the sound back. Its deepness and anger was explosive. The wolves wavered and Sinistra saw several tails start to flatten as the ferocity started to go out like a wavering flame. Quickly, Sinistra took a careful step forward and reared, showing his dangerous hooves. It was the wrong move. Standing over Velcroft had made him hard to approach. Now, even if he was still protecting Velcroft, he had just brought back the hunt for the wolves.

Fire came into their hideous eyes and two wolves lunged at the same time, going for the black stomach. Sinistra sidestepped in a rear and struck one as if came down. The stricken wolf didn't get up but its partner howled and came on. Sinistra stepped over Velcroft again to find she was trying to sit up. He stood over her yet again and half-reared to strike at the oncoming wolf. He missed and the predator went for Velcroft. Intense flaming fury almost blinded Sinistra and he lunged, grabbing the thing with his teeth and flinging it away. It spun twice in the air before crashing into a tree. With a groan, the tree started to lean in their direction. Several loud cracks sounded like gunfire and the tree started to fall towards them. Sinistra backed up hastily, telling Velcroft to do so as well. "Back up, back up!" He neighed, tossing his crown to add emphasis. Before she had time to move, the tree was falling. Sinistra stood like a protective mother over Velcroft and waited for the collision. Instead, he heard howls of pain and looked up to realize that several wolves had been pinned down by the tree. Obviously they had been so intent on their prey, that they had not noticed the falling tree. Mud squirted everywhere and Sinistra winced slightly. That would help their camoflage, having mud splattered over their pelts.

Sinistra heard her question and realized her position was right beneath him. He could talk to her easily. "Maybe if I confront them and fight them, you might have a chance of getting away. That's my main concern. Follow my trail that I left and if you cannot make the distance, than by all means hide. You should at least find somewhere to hide in the mud so they cannot catch you. I'll follow you." He gave her a smile and then turned to face the wolves. They had regrouped but were down by three members. Their baying was weaker and he could see hesitation marked in their nervous movements. The stallion bellowed again and lashed his long tassle. He advanced two steps forward and saw their reaction. They were more cautious now and he would have more leeway if that was truly so.