!! Time of Dying « Shady »

[Abba]

I'm still alive but barely breathing
Just praying to a God that I don't believe in

The rust-colored mare was curled up beside the now slightly flowing river. The rain had flooded the river and now you could very easily have a good source of water and a soothing way to fall asleep. Dawn was breaking and the sky was filled with crimsons and violets, reflecting off of her coat. Her wound was scabbed over currently, but it was definitely going to leave a nasty scar. Her maw underneath her too front legs that were slightly bent up. Her tail curling up around her as a gentle breeze fluttered with the tifts of her mane and forelock. Slate eyes closed as she stayed in her slumber. She shifted around once more before allowing herself to fall right back into her dreamless state. Her audits shifted around, still taking everything in but not daring to wake up yet as she was content in her slumber. Soon, nightmares began to take over, darkness filling her mind and the shaking of the world as the rocks fell. Whimpers escaped her mouth and she ducked her head even tighter towards her chest, her front right leg bent and over her poll. "Help. No. Please. Make the shaking stop... my side. No. Stop! Help!"

[/color][/size] she said, thought it was low and a bit hard to understand as she was completely enveloped in her dreams and nothing was really knocking her back into the real world. She could even feel her wound stinging and burning as it had that night, thought no pain was actually radiating off of it as there was nothing to irritate it. Nightmares are the worst. And this was but her third one in her short life. She did not approve of them. And she wanted them gone.
They had grown much closer. Both of them were over the incident - the little incident of which she had completely forgotten. He had been nuzzling her a bit more and she was most definitely still affectionate towards him, as he was returning it.
[/blockquote][/center][/size]

=====Into the mind======
. 351 words
. pandora
. go shady goo

[lady shady]

LAOCH

Laoch strode through the dewy early morning grass, moisture clinging to his inky legs and dripping from his fetlocks. A stray flower brushed against his hind leg, trailing across the thin scar that graced it, a reminder of the adventure in the cave. He had awakened and gone for a quick breakfast and a gallop while Repla slept on. Now, he headed towards her to wake her as the sun peeped over the horizon.

It had been a pleasant few weeks with her here, though at first he had been unused to sharing the space with such a different type of creature than usual, eventually, they had managed to get comfortable again with each other. She would sing to him in the evenings, and he would smile hearing that beautiful voice. Having to share his little paradise wasn't such a bad thing.

Besides, he had decided that with time, Repla would come around. The decision had initially even surprised him; usually he would leave mares that didn't want him quite well alone, but Repla was somehow different. Maybe it was because they had come so close, or maybe it was because she still seemed interested in him--no, he'd assured himself that this thought wasn't conceited, last week, he had given her a friendly nudge, and she had responded with a nuzzle that had been, in his opinion, a bit more than friendly--but whatever the case, he had decided that it was a new day with Repla. They hadn't spoken any further on what had happened between them that silver night, and he was willing to let bygones be bygones.

He approached Repla, lying on the ground next to the stream. Tapping her gently on the mane, he spoke. "Good morning, my dear"

--behind the post--
no idea how many, sorry
Done from the iPad

[Abba]

Repla slowly pulled her head out of it's deep hold against her chest and she shifted quietly. Her head gently lifted up until she shook out her back, her audits perked forwards towards him. "Well, morning stranger." she said with a smirk, gently nuzzling his cheek before she precariously pulled herself back onto all four legs and then completely shook out her coat from the dust. Her eyes showed the fact that she had had a nightmare but she was gently pushing it out of her mind. "So what shall we do today, my warrior?" she questioned, nudging his shoulder happily.

[/blockquote]

==Into the Mind
. 106 words
. Pandora radio
. just did 2 manips in one day... o.o[/size]

[lady shady]

LAOCH

"Well, morning stranger." Repla rose, shaking the earth of of her spotted hide. She touched his jaw tenderly before asking, "So what shall we do today, my warrior?"

"What shall we do today indeed," he responded affectionately, rubbing her forehead where the hairs grew in a perfect little spiral. "Well, what do you feel like doing today my dear? It seems that we've done almost everything that this little valley has to offer. We've gone for lengthy gallops, feasted on this delicious grass, stood in the brook together, had a little adventure in the cave, and we've explored nearly every little nook and cranny there is here. So, what shall we do today indeed?"

He smiled at her playfully, bobbing his head. It felt good to relax with her, here he was always so different from his usual quiet, contemplative self. "But if the lady doesn't have any immediate ideas, I can think of one more thing you haven't seen yet." Repla tilted her head quizzically, and his smile turned mysterious. "You'll like it, I know you will. It will be perfect for a warm day such as this, too." With that, he turned and began to walk in the direction of his surprise, looking back over his shoulder to make sure she was following. When he saw that she was trustingly moving along after him, he paused and waited for her to catch up. He laid his muzzle on her shoulder when she reached him, and they strode on together towards the cliffs from which she had come. "Now my dear, we'll have to climb a little, but the view will be spectacular."

With that said, he stepped back, allowing her to go first and clamber up before him. Loose rock rained down from the cliffs as they made their ascent, but they managed to make it up safely to a little plateau. Despite the flinty stone that composed the plateau, tenacious little pink flowers grew from the cracks, and long grass and moss spread out beside them. "Look at that view," he told her, heart swelling at the sight of his little kingdom. Well, his little kingdom as long as Oser didn't show up, but he hadn't for years, so why should he now? And a little kingdom without a permanent queen. What a funny kingdom it was, a perfect little piece of land with a temporary king and even more temporary queens.

He smiled at her again, then spoke. "All right. Now the fun part begins. Close your eyes, my dear, and follow me." Obediently, though hesitantly, the roan did so. "Wait a moment, let's move farther away from the edge...there." Laoch positioned himself so that her muzzle lay along the inside of his hip before he led her forward. They walked along for about a quarter of an hour like this, and the mare's unwavering trust never failed to astonish him. He found that he trusted her too. Despite all of the mares that had enjoyed this valley with him, he'd never brought another to the place where he was bringing Repla now. They all had been more interested in the things they could do at the bottom of the valley, much more earthy things...but he knew Repla would find as much pleasure in this surprise as he did.

The roar of rushing water met his ears. The plateau widened, spreading out into a little grassy field dotted with delicate pink and yellow wildflowers. Before them, an enormous waterfall poured from above, sending a rainbow mist up in a cloud above their heads. A great rock rose from the middle, branching the fall in two. One half, the smaller, weaker one, poured into a protected pool on the plateau at the end of the little field. The other half, larger and filled with power, dropped downwards, its roar growing ever fainter. Laoch had never discovered where it ended; it certainly didn't seem to be feeding the little stream far below them in the large meadow. "Repla, open your eyes now," he directed gently, twisting his head back to see her face when she saw the extension of the paradise they were roaming. "Magnificent, isn't it?" he breathed, feeling a surreal, otherworldly sense as he gazed around him. Behind him, the panoramic view of the mountains stretched out, adding to the extreme beauty of the place. "I thought you'd like it," he said simply, looking at her happily.

--behind the post--
783 words
longer than usual, no? You have to give me at least 500 for that one, Abba.

[Abba]

Repla followed him, images of the sight from the plateau still in her mind as she rested her maw against his hip. The rhythmic movement of his steps kept her calm as she moved along, her tail twirling around the random rocks which were strewn across the path, causing her to nearly trip a few times. But, she immediately caught herself. Slowly she began to hear the sound of water rushing down. It was getting louder and louder the closer they got and soon it was roaring in her ears. She could feel grass under her flints as she shifted a little bit closer to him. Mist began to dot against her coat, darkening it in random spots by a few shades. Her audits perked forwards as she heard his voice. Her orbs opening and shock filling her features. She looked upwards to see the mist forming a rainbow. She allowed her gaze to trail downwards until she fell upon the rock dividing the waterfall, one stream pooling quietly into this bowl in the plateau creating a beautiful, relatively calm area for water. The other half cascaded down the rocky area roars filling her mind, getting softer the farther down it got. "Oh. Laoch. It's so beautiful!" she said, gently nuzzling his neck, "I don't like it, I love it." she finished off, standing a bit closer to him and finally looking downwards at the ground. She could see the wildflowers popping up all along the ground, blowing a bit in the wind, some of it starting to die off as Autumn blasted through, willing life to follow in it's grasp. But yet, this grass and these flowers seemed to be putting up a good fight against Autumn's hold. "Is it all yours, my warrior?" she asked, lifting her head up and allowing her shining eyes to look at him, her head tilted a little to the side.

[/blockquote]

==Into the Mind
. 330 words
. Pandora Radio
. No fancy coding because I'm doing it while I'm supposed to be doing homework...[/size]

[lady shady]

LAOCH

Repla's face was alight with pure joy, and it filled him with even more pleasure to see her reaction. "Oh, Laoch, it's so beautiful. I don't like it, I love it," she breathed, running her muzzle down his neck in appreciation. Her eyes were wide as she took it all in, and he knew that he had made the right decision in bringing her here. He took a few steps forward, leading her more towards the center of the little field. He had just lowered his head into the fragrant grass to seize a clump when she asked him a question. "Is it all yours, my warrior?"

Was it all his? He certainly wanted it to be--no, not all his exactly, he wanted to share it with a family someday, all his seemed lonely. But he knew that as much as he wanted this little valley as his own, it belonged to Oser. Even if he never came back, Oser still held the rights to this land by virtue of being an Alpha. "No," he replied quietly, "it's a kingdom without a ruler, with neither a king nor a queen who cares to visit and inhabit it. I am simply a wanderer who calls it home, but lacks the right to make it truly mine." He sighed softly. "It doesn't matter. I never stay in one place for long anyway." Hearing himself finally say it out loud, he realized that everything was so temporary for him. Mares, land, what he did with his time--it was all so temporary, unfixed, uncertain.

"If I had the choice, though," he continued softly, gazing off into the mountains, "If I had the choice, yes, I would want this land. Not all for me, for I can use it well enough alone without ownership of it, since it is rather a hidden valley, but for myself and someone who cares for it as much as I do." The words surprised him; here he was sounding all soft when his use of the valley had never been for anything other than his own pleasure. Did he really want to share it? But as he looked at the gentle red mare beside him, staring back at him with those big, trusting eyes, he realized that he did.

--behind the post--
405 words
N'AWWWWW he's falling in love with her! <3

[Abba]

Repla nodded her head, with a tiny grin. Her audits perked forwards. As he moved forwards she also did so, allowing her flints to lift and clack up against her upper leg as she kept her body moving. Upon reaching the center of the field she looked around, all the way around so that she could see the panorama of the mountains behind them. "I understand that," she whispered quietly. She allowed her muzzle to touch his for a few seconds, flicking her tail she allowed it to wrap around her and his legs. Then, she allowed her maw to drop down to the grass and seize a few pieces of it and began to munch on it, still quite amazed with the whole fact that it was there. Something this amazing shouldn't even exist but it did. As she ate she looked at him quietly, love swimming around in her eyes as the mist continued to flick into her coat and continually darkening it in random specks. "Love you..." she whispered under her breath as she looked away, so low no one except herself could hear. Then, she turned back to him. "Anyone particular in mind?" she asked quietly, this time loud enough to hear.

[/blockquote]

== Into the Mind
. 213 words
. Pandora Radio
. Eating lunch so xD[/size]

[lady shady]

LAOCH

It was quiet for a moment after his explanation until Repla broke the silence with a reverent whisper. ""I understand that," she told him softly. Then she did something that surprised him. She reached out and touched his muzzle with her velvety one. The world stopped. There they stood, facing each other, eye to eye, nose to nose, one inhaling as the other exhaled, breathing the same sweet air as the other. Laoch's deep brown eyes searched her slate ones. They were alight, alive with a gentle energy that had not been there before. Or had he just not seen it? His own orbs met her gaze calmly, though the the hint of an unspoken question lingered in their depths. Then it happened. One of them inhaled at the same time as the other, and there they were, breathing simultaneously, inhaling and exhaling to the sam rhythm, sides moving up and down perfectly in sync with one another. It was as if their bodies had melded into one living creature at the place where their nostrils were touching. They were one, perfectly in tune to one another.

And it was over as quickly as it had begun. Repla dropped her head, those same velvety lips searching amongst the fresh, windblown grass, those same beautiful slate eyes torn away from his. Laoch looked away. What had just happened? She twined her tail around his back legs, tickling him with her unspoken invitation to come closer. He obliged, allowing his side to bump gently against hers. He lowered his head to graze next to her, but as he did so, she turned her head away. She swung it back quickly though, this time with a question on her lips. "Anyone particular in mind?" she asked quietly.

Did he have anyone in particular in mind? He thought back, through a list of mares whose names he couldn't seem to remember. Black, bay, chestnut, paint, appaloosa, grey, and even golden bodies galloped through his mind, but his brain only paused at one. She was a smaller mare, gentle and innocent, who laughed easily and sang more easily still. Her spotted red coat reflected the light of a thousand crystals in a cave. And her eyes--those beautiful slate eyes--were staring back into his right at this moment. Repla.

He closed his eyes for a moment, unsure. Did he want this? Or was it just his desire speaking? But this feeling...it wasn't like how he had felt with the other mares, it wasn't like that, no. Still, he didn't know. He turned to her, the question still in his eyes. "I...don't know," he responded truthfully. "I don't know."

But he did know, and something inside of him was screaming at him to take it back, to tell her that he loved her, to tell her that he wouldn't want to ever leave her. He bit it back though, because he wouldn't lie to her, wouldn't lead her on, wouldn't tell her things that might persuade her to give him what he had wanted. He would leave her, even if he couldn't imagine another day without her at his side right now, he would leave in the end. He always did. He would get bored with her, like he had with all the others, and he would leave in the early morning light while she slept. That was what would happen. It always did.

He choked down a mouthful of the sweet grass, unfamiliar with feeling so conflicted. He needed to get away. Just for a moment. Get away from these feelings, away, away, away. He lifted his head. "Come, Repla," he told her, changing the subject. "You've got to try the water. There's nothing like it." He walked to the basin, pausing to take a long sip of the cool, clear water before wading in. The cold water flowed around his fetlocks, tugging the grass from his long hair, washing away the mud. He moved further in, wading to where he was knee-deep under a small section of the waterfall. He stood, allowing the water to wash over his dark body, soaking his skin as causing a slight chill, despite the hot day. Closing his eyes, only one image came to mind: that of two injured horses pressed together in a late summer storm, rain pouring down their bodies as the mare shivered and the stallion supported her. Now it was his turn to shiver. He was cold, and he needed Repla.

--behind the post--
794 words
AWWWW. He loves her, but can't recognize the feeling.

[/size]

[Abba]

She was to try the water apparently. And so the mare obliged, moving in a floating fashion over the grass until her hooves hit the water and it splashed up around her. The water went up to her chest, and she just bent her neck so that her maw reached the water before taking a long sip, feeling immediately refreshed. Her eyes closed for a few moments she allowed the sun to warm her back, the heat staying intrapped in her red coat. When she opened them again she saw that he was shivering under the water. Inching closer she bumped into his side before resting her cranium on his withers, unable to lay her neck over his back because she was so short. Gently and quietly she began to massage at his stiff shoulder muscles, careful not to do anything to cause any pain.

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
.245 words
. On phone cleaning my tall boots
. Had explain how i wanted the ribbons hung in my room. Lol[/size]

[lady shady]

LAOCH

Something warm pressed against his side, and he opened his eyes in surprise. Repla had moved underneath the waterfall beside him, and she had begun to massage his shoulders, tense from the climb and from confusion. But how could there be any confusion about Repla? She was all he could ever ask for.

What she was doing felt good, it was relaxing the tight coils of muscle and sending his mind back to simpler thoughts. He went to lean against the rock underneath the side of the falls, but his body met with empty space. He ducked his head, poking it underneath the curtain of falling water. Behind the water was a little hollowed out space, just big enough for two or three horses. He smiled and nudged Repla inside without a word, watching the sheet of water distort the sunny world outside. The roar and drip of water made merry music in the niche, and they stood there, pressed up against one another, hidden from the world. She continued to massage, and he laid his head across her back, arching his neck and pulling her into a light embrace. A sudden beam of sunlight shone through the falling water, throwing rainbow patterns onto the gentle roan's coat. The sudden beauty was too much for him. "Repla, he murmured, "I love you."

--behind the post--
229 words
he went and said it.