the waiting game //repost

[Black Thorns]

I don't mind pain
Pain, it comes as a release to a troubled soul...

A sudden, unexpected weight slammed into Song's side, catching the mare off-balance and throwing her strike off target and to the ground next to the mare before sending her down to the ground. She'd expected the stag to attack her, though not attempt to knock her over. As she feel to the ground the stag struck out again, slamming his hooves down on her flank and forcing her back down as she attempted to rise again. She had the disadvantage, now; she wasn't deciding how this fight would go- and that, my dears, is not a good thing. The sharp hooves caught her flank and shoulder, tearing open the flesh on her scapula. It hadn't gotten to the muscles yet, however; the filthy being hadn't struck there that hard yet. The pain shot to her brain, adrenaline pulsing through her veins. Thick, sticky crimson blood streamed down her pale grey coat, turning it a deep red. Song pulled her front half of her body up as the stag ripped at her body with his teeth, her entire coat- save her hindquarters, which she was sure weren't entirely saf yet- crisscrossed with both of the animals' blood. Before she was entirely steady on her feet, the stag kicked out at her once more- though he missed her by merely a fraction of an inch. Song lashed out in retaliation, feeling her hooves connect solidly with his shoulder as she kicked out at him with her front hooves. Yes, this was a good fight; she had an evenly matched opponent for once, one that knew what the heck he was doing in a fight. As soon as she landed she was met with a hard blow to her chest, a rib cracking and breaking beneath the pressure. Her breath was knocked out of her, sending her staggering backwards as she gasped for air. What was she doing? She had lost her head, and therefore lost her upper hand. This wasn't a good thing, not at all. Song lurched forward as soon as air reached her lungs- hopefully nothing was pierced with the broken rib- and attacked the cremello stag Keanu with her sharp frontal teeth, tearing into his shoulder and pulling away quickly, ripping the flesh open and watching the blood drip from his wounds. Her chest heaved with the strain on her wounds- especially her shoulder, though she hadn't torn the partially exposed muscle yet- a fresh bought of pain from her rib passing through her brain with each breath. The air stabbed at her wound with each passing moment; she'd never had muscle exposed before, and the next time she was it that was the only thing there left to tear apart before it reached her bone. She wasn't sure how she would handle it, then; she was so very frightened. There was no-one here or nearby who would help her to clean it and take care of her when she couldn't move... Would she simple die out there? Die out in the open, covered in her own blood?
Song didn't know, and with each passing second, each stream of blood, this possibility seemed to grow even more likely.

--behind the post--
545 words.
No real muse.
Poor Song!

[aPPY]

» Song attacked Keanu again, her teeth ripping into his pelt much in the same way his had just done to her. He cried out as the skin ripped, twisting his head and trying to bite the mare again but only grasping air. The blood streamed down his leg and pooled on the ground before he jumped forward, barreling into her again and twisting to kick out with his hind legs. Her shoulder was badly wounded and her breathing was ragged. She was surely in a lot of pain, but still holding strong although he could see her focus starting to waver.

» He risked a short glance at Raine and was relieved to see that she hadn't suffered under the grey mares hooves. He didn't want to kill Song, just hurt her and he could tell that she was very hurt even though she continued to fight. Her pride was too large to just give up. His own body was throbbing with pain but it was nothing to be seriously worried about. A few really deep wounds that would take time to heal among the other scrapes and scratches. He would be fine in a few months as long as he didn't obtain any major injuries. Perhaps he could put the mare in a position in which she had to leave, or else face further injury to herself. His mind thought quickly for a way to do this successfully, giving Song no other choice but to accept his offer.

» Keanu turned again, pivoting in the mud and slinging his weight onto the mare's back, one leg completely on the opposite side while the other pushed against her open shoulder. He stretched his neck out, his teeth grasping her flesh as he tried to keep his balance, his leg trembling under his weight but holding for the most part. He breathed deeply, his angry breath blowing into her bloodied mane. "Enough," he said, his voice muffled because of the skin between his teeth. "I don't want to kill you," he huffed, pushing harder on her shoulder. "I will release you if you promise to leave without a backward glance, and you will live." His nostrils flared as he steadied himself, hoping the mare would take this offer and leave. He leaned against her grey form, his knee and lower leg pushing against her exposed shoulder muscles as he tightened his grip on the flesh between his teeth.

word count » 410
a lot of this is just filler.
i was finished at just over 200 words,
but my personal minimum is 400, so i just sort of rambled.

[Black Thorns]

Song's body froze as she felt the stag slide over her body, her body screaming out as it supported both the weight of herself, the stag, and the pressure upon her wounded shoulder. She couldn't move, as she was paralyzed in pure, unbearable fear. The only other time that this had happened it had been her first cycle.. and she didn't know, and he hurt her and he pressed into her and he wouldn't stop no he just kept it and it hurt and she didn't understand... Her neck was caught in his teeth as he dug into her flesh to keep his balance.Too much like him... too much... He look like him and he felt like him and he grabbed her neck for balance... He blew into her mane... She could almost hear the false words of hope and love and care whispered in her ears, the lies... He promised her it wouldn't hurt, and he promised her he loved her and that she wanted it but she didn't want it and he said she did cause she let him smell the scent but she didn't know what he was talking about and then and then and then... "Enough," said Keanu, his voice muffled by the neck he was mutilating, cutting it open with his jaws. "I don't want to kill you," huffed Keanu, pressing against her shoulder, the exposed muscle screaming out in pain. Her leg began to tremble with pain, something she didn't like.
"I'm not going to hurt you, love... You'll like it..."[/i]
"I will release you if you promise to leave without a backward glance, and you will live," offered Keanu; an ultimatum. What did she choose? As he pressed harder into her shoulder, her mind snaped back to reality with the pain. This wasn't that stag! This was Keanu, not him...
"N...o," she gasped out, "No... no... NO!" she cried, pushing her weight onto her front legs- though her shoulder screamed with pain- kicking her back legs up in an attempt to shake the stag, though her legs moved hardly an inch off of the ground. Her body pulsed in a maddening beat, refusing to let her give up. She kicked up in a fury, each kick getting up slightly higher than the one before it- though she could only get a foot off of the ground before her legs couldn't take the weight and forced her back to the ground. Her body screamed in pain, though she still tried desperately to kick the stag off of her body. Off... He needed to get off of her! The filithy bastard! Daring to hurt her, to hurt her and pin her and... and.. and... Song cried out in... Fury? Frustration? Pain? All three? She couldn't tell as she tried to lower her had for stability- though it was kept yanked up by the bleeding grip Keanu had on her neck.
She was sure to die, now...

--behing the post--
520 words
Song is having flashbackssss
Fight fight fight![/size]

[aPPY]

» The mare screamed out, repeating the word no over and over. She started to try to buck, finding it difficult under Keanu's weight. He struggled to keep his hold on her, having the upper hand as long as he did. It didn't appear as if she was going to let up any time soon. What was he supposed to do now? She hadn't accepted his generous offer, and continued to fight against him. He didn't want to hurt her any more than he already had but she was leaving him no choice.

» He pushed at her shoulder, his knee sliding into the red flesh, the muscles giving under the force he put behind it. He grunted as he released her neck and pushed himself off of her body, jumping back a stride and lashing out with an outstretched hoof, aiming for her shoulder. He couldn't help but wonder why she had froze the way she did, completely paralyzed. He hadn't done anything too drastic to cause such a reaction in her. Maybe it was the pain? The pain he had put in her shoulder? He didn't really think so, but it was possible. Perhaps it was something of deeper meaning, his actions reminding her of something she carried with her from day to day. He would be the one to know about the burdens that some carried.

» He stood some distance away, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. He kept his eyes trained on Song though, waiting for her to attack him once again. If he truly reminded her of something in her past, he knew that she wouldn't just give up as he had hoped she would. Perhaps that was the reason why she had attacked him the first time, in the clearing. It made sense, in a way, some deep internal wounds that were opened when she saw him.

» Keanu's own energy was draining quickly, his body trembling as he stood there, threatening to give out on him. He knew that his pelt was covered in blood, both his and Song's, quite possibly not a cream colored hair in sight. "Song," he started, desperation in his voice, "please..." He sighed, his body shuddering as it fought to stay upright. The adrenaline was fading away, the pain crashing down down on him and rolling through his body in waves.

word count » 401
poor, poor keanu. :(

[Black Thorns]

Song screamed out in pain as the hoof connected to her shoulder, ripping through her muscle and nicking the bone beneath, tearing apart blood vessels and tendons as he went. Tears fell from her face as he tore through her body, blood running down her pelt- she wasn't even sure if she had a touch of grey anymore- before pooling beneath her. The stag watched calmly, it seemed, as Song fell to her knees. Her body seemed to take everything in in slow motion- the pain, then the blood, then Keanu, then that she was falling... Her own heart beat louder, louder, unbearably loud in her ears, drowning out all other sound possible for her to pick up on. Her breathing.. her blood pounding through her veins... That was all she could hear, now. Her eyes were wide, searching around for her mother. Where was everyone? They seemed to disappear, here. The smell of summertime rushed through her nostrils, and she was clumsy, disproportionate, young... "Momma, momma please..." she whispered, delirious in the pain, "Momma please he bit me and it hurt please... why am I all red..." Her voice was hysteric, rising in volume "Momma please it HURTS!" Song cried out, her head finally dropping to the ground with the rest of her body before she raised it again. "Momma? Momma! MOMMA!" she yelled, desperate. Where was her momma? She was here just moment ago, but now everyone was gone, done, gone and now she was older, maybe two, yes maybe two... And she was running and she hurt her shoulder and she was looking for Annie, Annie knew what to do when people got hurt.. "Annie where are you?" she called, craning her neck in all different directions to search for the blue roan, "Annie! Annie, I hurt my shoulder what do I do...?" she called, looking for the mare. She had been racing her, trying to see who was the fastest- though Song always won, which she never really let Annie forget. "Annie it hurts, please, and it's bleeding lots and I don't know where a stream is...!" Then, now, she was three, and it was wintertime. There was a bunny rabbit... She wanted to catch the bunny, that's all. Not hurt him, just catch up to the little white rabbit. She'd been feeling strange all day, and her colt-friends had been looking at her oddly, but she couldn't figure out what, exactly, was happening. Song was running and she was chasing the rabbit, ans she smelt something, another horse, but the scent wasn't familiar- perhaps she was trespassing on another herd, which wasn't a smart thing to do. Luckily enough the rabbit changed directions; Song lifted her tail happily, holding it out like a banner as she ran- Annie was nice to teach her to do that, the little Arabian- unknowingly to her releasing her scent in a more concentrated form. Song closed her eyes for a moment, loving the feel of the wind on her face as she plowed through the snow. However, when she opened her eyes, she couldn't find the rabbit anywhere. Where was he? "Come here, Mr. Rabbit!" she called in joy, looking around for the little one that had escaped her.
"You won't find the rabbit, love," murmured a large, muscular stag as he emerged from the trees, "He's run off already..." The stag trailed off, approaching song. Song cocked her head in curiosity at the stag. Who was he? Certainly no one she had met before. He was large, much bigger than her- 18 hands at least! His body was nothing but muscle, and his coat was a pale cremello...
"Who are you?" Asked Song, flicking her tail to shake off the snow. She was clueless as to what the stag was doing; she had no idea.
"It does not matter, dearest,"[/i] he replied, his hot breath now on Song's face. His scent was pleasant,though a bit too musky, she thought absentmindedly as he touched her muzzle with his affectionately. "Well, my name is Wind Song, but you can call me Song if you want to," she replied cheerily, though touched with a bit of confusion. Why was he touching her? She pulled back from his touch, though he was warm and it was so very cold outside... The stag nuzzled at her cheek, moving his head down her neck and back up. Her colt friends did this sometimes when she was sad, and so did her filly friends, but only when she was sad or upset, not when she was happy or confused... Why was this stag trying to comfort her? She didn't understand... He moved down her back, her flank. None of her friends or parents did this; they just hugged her or nuzzled her for comfort. The stag soon got to her hindquarters- very strange, that was. Not soon after that the stag bit her- not hard enough to break the skin, but enough that she knew he had meant to.
"What are you doing?" she asked, finally, "Why did you bite me?" The stag chuckled, not replying. Her muscles twitched in annoyance- even though he was warm, she didn't want him touching her anymore. Song moved away from the stag- he laughed and looked up at her.
"You know you want me to,"[/b] He murmured huskily, stepping back over to her. Song was scared of this stag- she admitted it- and so she did not move as he returned to caress her once again. Want him to what, exactly? Bite her again? No, she didn't want him to bite her, that wasn't particularly pleasant... The stag returned to her pale body, before tugging at her tail with his teeth. "Ouch!" Song cried, "That hurt!" The stag looked up at her as Song looked back, flicking her ears back for a moment before letting them move fowards again. "Why do you keep hurting me?" The stag shook his flaxen mane, telling her to turn around and look the other way... Song could only obey him, as she didn't want to argue with someone so much bigger than her. Soon enough, she felt a sudden weight on her body. "What are you do-" her voice was cut off as the stag pushed into her, without her consent. "Stop! Stop!" she cried, trying to move away- but she was pinned beneath his body, she couldn't move... Why was he doing this! The stag pulled at her mane for support, muttering in her ears fake words of love and comfort. "No! NO! Get off of me, you disgusting pig! I don't want it I don't want it I DON'T WANT IT GET OFF STOP NOW PLEASE NO OFF-!" the stag silenced her with a yell, telling her to shut up and she knew she did; why would she have let him even touch her or get near her or release her scent if she didn't? Song let out a quiet whimper, tears falling down her face and melting the snow below. The stag was off of her soon- though, to her, this seemed to go on endlessly, this torture... As soon as he was off he left; Song turned and fled... Cremello, cremello, he was a cremello, strong and stag and musky... Song looked up, her eyes meeting with Keanu's- though, to her, that stag's- eyes, as he asked her please... please what? "HOW DARE YOU, HOW DARE YOU, HOW DARE YOU SPEAK MY NAME!" she screamed, struggling to try to get to her feet and out of the snow. She must have fallen and hurt her shoulder again when she was running. "HOW DARE YOU AFTER WHAT YOU DID! HOW... DARE...YOU!"

--behind the post--
1325 words
Muse is still gone, but delirium is fun.
Now... Let's see how Keanu reacts- and if Shady brings in the stag during this whole ordeal... [/size]

[lady shady]

Oser
I wandered lonely as a cloud…

Oser stopped when he heard it. Many stags would not have been able to pick up on the barely perceptible noise, but he could. He was an Alpha, and though his senses were naturally strong because of this, years of paranoia let him hear things that he shouldn’t be able to. Almost out of habit, he stopped to listen. He hadn’t scented a stag, and the hoofbeats were much to light for a larger equine, so it wasn’t him. The panic that had been rising in his chest was dead before it reached his brain. As he stood there, now merely curious, he scolded himself. What had gotten into him lately? He’d gotten rid of his paranoia, the war was over, he never had to see Panic again. Panic. He spat the name out in his brain with a sort of a cold fury that was reserved for this stag and this stag alone. No. He mustn’t think this way. He was in the far west now, and didn’t have to worry about him. Not now, anyway. It was a beautiful spring morning, not sunny, but with a light drizzle that made the forest smell fresh and cast dewdrops on the ferns around him. He observed this, enjoying the scenery as he stood there, waiting for the fellow creature to reveal herself. He had decided that it was a mare. The light steps, he felt, could only belong to a mare, a stag would have a much heavier tread. Though, he mused, it also could be that he just wanted it to be a mare. A little female company never had done him harm. He smiled to himself as his suspicions were confirmed when a lovely little gray mare burst through the trees. However, her demeanor changed instantly when she saw him. She had looked so pretty and flirtatious coming towards him, and then…suddenly it seemed as if her eyes had opened and she had truly seen him. Those big brown eyes, so captivating, had grown wide with fear, as if she recognized him, and she fled without a word. He almost pursued her, but felt sorry for the poor thing, he hadn’t meant to scare her. She certainly seemed as if she had known who he was, but he had never seen her before in his life. Strange.

Oser decided to continue on his way, inhaling deeply and enjoying his freedom. It reminded him of the day he’d first discovered that there was another like him, another Alpha. Zoet. He knew it should be painful thinking about her, after all, she had been his mate, his partner, his queen, and now she was gone, separated from him forever. But they’d been so young. They’d never had any foals together, almost bound simply by what they shared rather than love. Not that he knew this. These thoughts hovered in the back of his mind without him being aware that they were there. Thoughts like those were rooted deep, and it would take something pretty powerful to make him realize that in reality, he had never truly loved. For now, he went on thinking that simple attraction was the most he could feel, and he told himself that he was happy this way.

Making his way down leafy green paths, he listened for birdsong. Birds had been chirping when he had first come across Zoet, and this forest reminded him so much of that first day. Pricking his ears, he listened, but was met with nothing but an eerie silence. Shaking his head, forelock falling in his eyes, he listened again. There had to be a bird around here somewhere. Stamping his hoof, he was about to continue on, irritated at the birds’ apparent refusal to cooperate, when he heard the screaming. Trotting forward, he faintly heard the pounding of hooves against hide, the desperate murmur of a stag, and the agonized calls of a mare. Oser picked up his speed, swiftly moving towards the battle, feeling a sense of responsibility to protect those on his lands. Arriving at a large clearing, the first thing he stumbled upon was a black mare, soaked in blood and apparently unconscious. Drawing in his breath sharply, he lowered his head and moved his nose over her, gently examining her to see how badly she had been hurt. Oddly enough, it seemed as if she had not suffered many major wounds, but her head and neck were covered in crimson blood. Whose blood was this? She seemed to be breathing, so her gave her one last brush of his muzzle before turning his attention toward the angry and desperate cries up ahead.

Moving forward, he came across a cremello stag whose milky pelt was covered in blood. Before him was a gray mare, also clothed in a crimson coat, writhing on the ground as if in unbearable pain. His heart went out to her, she looked like a broken little bird that had fallen from its nest much too early. She was injured, hurt beyond what he had seen in years. What had caused this? He swung around to have a look at the stag, who was still on his feet. Had he done this to her? It was obvious that he had been attacked as well though, the blood was everywhere. Blood, blood, so much blood. For a moment, he stood on a battlefield, watching as his brave warriors fought and fell around him and he knew that is was his fault, his fault, but he was so numb he’d almost stopped caring. As he eyed the stag, he sized him up. He didn’t look like the type to do this willingly. What had driven him to fight her? Or had they both been attacked, and had he been defending her? Though thousands of questions surged through his brain and pressed at his lips, he said nothing as he took in the gruesome scene. All of them needed help, and it was his duty to see that they were protected. Jerking his head at the stag, he asked, ”Do you think you can make it to the river?” If they did not get these wounds clean soon, all of them faced danger from infection. He’d already torn apart the island, and he didn’t want their pain on his head as well. No. Not on his watch.

--behind the post—
trying to hurry xD
got to 1000 words again, YAY!

[/left]

[aPPY]

» Keanu backed up a few strides as Song seemed to go into hysterics. Her legs buckled underneath her, causing her to fall to the muddy ground. She started to cry out for her mother, complaining that if hurt. He lowered his head in shame, knowing that it was he who caused this pain. She dropped her head before lifting it again, unable to decide what to do. She screamed for her mother, loudly and unexpectedly. Keanu jumped, sucking in a breath as his whole body screamed in protest.

» Then Song started to call out a new name. Annie? He snorted quietly, focusing on staying on his feet as the grey mare seemed to be completely lost in her past. Was she traveling through her memories, as he had so many times before? He thought that was the most reasonable explanation for her incoherent mumblings. He just stood there, unable to help and knowing that she would probably snap if he even tried. Now she was... chasing a rabbit? He sighed, closing his eyes for a few moments as she whipped through these memories, only half listening now. He barely followed the more calm conversation that poured from her lips, her voice no longer yelling and echoing through the trees.

» Keanu opened his blue orbs again as her voice rose a few notches, and then a few more and she yelled for someone to stop. He took a small step forward, his ears perked and listening. yes, this was the key to everything. Why she had acted the way she did from the very beginning. He backed the step he had taken, adding another as the pieces fit together in his mind and the realization dawned on him. The poor creature, no wonder she had done what she did. Her mental scars probably reached deeper than his own.

» Keanu jumped again as Song seemed to come back to herself, confusing him for the stallion that had haunted her memories. There truly was nothing he could say or do at this point, there was no way she would listen to anything he said if he tried to make her realize that he was not who she seemed to think he was. He began to grow unsteady on his feet, his vision blurring around the edges and things appearing brighter than they should. He shifted his weight, spreading his legs out to balance his shaky form. He lowered his head and took a few deep breaths, he couldn't pass out now, he just couldn't.

» Soft hoof beats reached his ears and he slowly lifted his head. There was a grey stag standing next to Raine. He took a shaky and unsure step forward as the stallion turned towards he and Song. That was a good sign, at least Raine appeared to be okay to this new comer. He sucked in another deep breath, trying to calm his nerves at the appearance of yet another equine. He hoped this one was friendly in nature, or at least not hostile as Song had been.

» The stallion seemed genuinely worried for them as he asked Keanu if he would possibly make it to the river. Ah, so there was a river nearby then? Keanu took a careful stop forward, wincing as the pain shot through his body but happy to see that he still remain on his feet. He sighed, a slow and shaky out take of air, "How far away is it?" he asked, unsure of how loud his voice actually was and hoping the stranger could hear it. He didn't know how much longer his legs would hold him, but it was worth a shot to at least try. If he didn't make it, then it would be terribly unfortunate. But if he did, it would be worth the excruciatingly painful journey.

word count » 642

[Abba]

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be, we're all okay and not to worry
cause worry is wasteful and useless in times like these

Riane's body moved a little, her head tilting up at the blood began to cake and dry upon her face. It was not a good feeling, and it made her sick. Just as when she had killed that stag. That one poor stag. A stag that she had never meant to harm. And it was all because he had messed with her. Messed with her way too much. She couldn't handle him anymore. And now, she couldn't handle the smell of blood. It reminded her too much of the blood which had covered both her body and his. So now she fainted at it. And this caked feeling was beginning to freak her out. Pinning her ears back she shakily got to her feet, wincing in pain as her back and ribs protested. She was currently fed up with this whole situation. Looking to Keanu and Song she froze. Blood. Everywhere. Immediately, she backed up, but a bit to far and slammed her hindquarters against the tree. It was then that she saw the other stag and she cocked her head. Her ears still pinned in pain and memories, but her eyes showing nothing but the fear and the concern. She had been awake long enough to hear about getting to a river. "I'll try and help..." she said to Keanu before looking back to the Stag. If they could just get the scent of the blood away from her she would be fine. Perfectly fine.

[/blockquote]

---Behind Post---
.280 words
.I am searching for my muse
.but so far, I've had no luck[/size]

[lady shady]

Oser
lost and insecure
you found me, you found me

[/i][/right]

The cremello stag, greatly weakened by the second as blood poured from his many wounds, took a breath before asking how far it was to the river. ”Not far” he responded briskly, now stepping away from him and towards the mare, who was still screaming in delirium. Honestly, he did not know exactly how far the river was, it was close enough for him to hear and to smell, but he knew that his senses allowed him this privilege because of what he was. This was his territory, but he hadn’t wandered to the far west in quite a while. However, the stag would be fine in the end; though he was a bloody mess right now, his wounds appeared shallow for the most part, and he was in no danger of infection as long as these scratches were washed out soon. Trying to decide how they would get the injured mare to the river, Oser glanced around. This strange stag could help him shift her--if she tried to help them support her, they might manage to get there. However, no sooner had he thought this than the mare renewed her screaming with a fresh burst of energy, directing angry unseeing eyes at the cremello stallion before him. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea to have him so close to her, especially if he was still unsure of what exactly had happened…but what other choice did he have? The solution came in the form of the black mare, who had awakened and approached the pair of stags. She offered help, and he knew that they would need it. ”Go on to the river,” he directed the pale stallion, pointing his muzzle to the east edge of the clearing. “You will hear it soon, and we’ll be right behind you. Those wounds need to be tended, and the water will lessen the pain.”He spoke with the authority he had used with his warriors in battle, the injured ones were always so brave. But as the war had gone on, his voice had lost the reassuring tone and the concern as he had stopped caring…Stop it.he ordered himself again. The war is over, and you care for those you are responsible for once again. You know what you’ve done, but you know what to do. Help those who need it now.

Now, he sized up the mare before him. Though she had the delicate build of an Arabian, she still would be able to help him move this mare, she seemed strong enough. He knew that he didn’t have time in a situation like this, but he couldn’t help appreciating some of the finer features of the creature before him. Her hide, though caked in blood near her face, was appealingly smooth on the rest of her raven body and shone as it stretched taut over her well-muscled hindquarters. Her legs were straight and even, ending in dainty little hooves. And her hair…though her mane was soaked in blood, her tail fell in luxurious tresses that kissed the forest floor, brushing it lightly and gently. Pleased that he had, after all, come across a little female company, he nodded to her charmingly, forelock falling over his deep brown eyes once again. ”We’re going to have to get her to the river as well,” he told her, ”Will you help support her once she’s on her feet?”. Moving around to the other side of the mare on the ground, he looked down at her, calculating where he would be able to help her rise. Something in his chest twinged as he gazed into her pained eyes, yes, she seemed so helpless…the image of the wounded baby bird fluttered into his mind again. He must protect her. Not just because it was his duty as an Alpha, but because he needed to see her whole and well again. Snorting softly, he moved his muzzle under the mare’s neck, hoping to encourage her to rise. Her skin was warm and smelled of blood and salty sweat, but underneath, he caught the scent of the dewy forest and the clean aroma of the wind, which must have surely been fondling her mane as she moved through the trees. Pressing gently on her neck, he murmured, ”Do you think you can rise?”

--behind the post--
two mares? Oser’s in heaven!
Haha, not sure how Song’ll react to him touching her, can’t wait to see what she does.

[/left]

[Black Thorns]

Song struggled to rise, the scent of another stag reaching her thorugh her delirium. Her legs slipped from underneath her, sending her crashing to the ground suddenly with a cry of pain. Where was she? All she knew was that she was hurt, hurt by a stag, and oh she hated stags, she hated them so much because they hurt her so much... Wintertime must still be around, because she was so cold, so very cold... Her muzzle was coated with it, and the snow banks fell higher on her body.,.. rising to her knees... her upper legs... her chest and shoulders... her neck... her head.. She was going to die, going to die here frozen and alone. She let out a scream, muffled by the snow around her- but there was no snow. She was wet and sticky and bloody and hurt, hurt badly... Something stung at her body, but she didn't know exactly what it was. Her neck rose up, searching out around her for where she was. A forest, but a clearing in the forest... There was a mare, a dark mare, black and very sleek, though she was bloodied... How was the mare hurt? Her mind recognized the mare for some odd reason- something with storms, strangely enough- and it also registered some type of dislike for the mare- but why? She was never hurt by mares, mares only helped her, not like her colt-friends when they wanted to playfight or that...that... thing. That thing, that thing that stood infront of her... She struggled to bring her front half from the ground again, her shoulder unable to support any weight or move properly, yet she still forced her body onto her front half, until her legs gave out and splayed apart, sending her flying back into the mud. Tears slipped down her face. She hurt, he had hurt her and now he was going to hurt her again... Her head flew up, defiant against the pain, screaming out at Keanu- an incomprehensible stream of curses and names streaming from her mouth before her head dropped to the ground again, salty tears running freely down her pale head, stinging the open wounds as they traveled. She couldn't cry. Song wouldn't let herself cry. All she could do was fight back, fight the stallions that could be a threat... Hurt those who would hurt others. Surely that was a good thing, something that would be a benefit? The colts and stallions around her as she grew use to bit at her- playfully, yes, but it hurt nonetheless- did all stallions grow like that? Did all stags grow to only hurt the others around her? Yes, yes they did! She couldn't let them... couldn't let them hurt.. her.. anymore... The voice of the new stag reached her ears, low and... comforting? To her this wasn't comforting, this was even more of an irritant than his scent was- his scent, male and sweet but not too sweet, and the slight bit of muskiness that was sure to entice any mare that came along- but no, no she couldn't like stags, she couldn't like anything about them. Her mind drifted between here- the real life, the place with those other horses she couldn't remember- and her wintertime nightmare of memories. Song was suddenly brought back fully to her surroundings as the barest brush of an animal touched her shoulder, sending her screaming in pain. Anything hurt it worse, now, even the air around it. She was in Hespierae, the far west... Keanu. Raine. Sheba. The names and the horses came rushing back to her brain as another horse touched her- that scent, that stag scent... Her shoulder screamed in pain as his pelt brushed it when he pressed on her neck, murmuring gently into it. "GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU FILTHY BEAST![/i]" she screamed, snatching her neck as far away from him as she could. She couldnt move any more than that, though- her neck screamed when she moved it, and any other movement hurt her other parts of her body.... "I... I can do this myself!" she cried defiantly, refusing to let the stag touch her any more.[/size]