&& brighter than sunshine

[aPPY]

Soft footfalls can be heard as his feet sink into the dirt with each stride. The painted stag was trotting slowly, almost pausing in mid air as he scanned the trees around him. A voice giggled, a small gangly form jumping from it's prior hiding spot and immediately disappearing into a different one. He paused, eyeing the spot and smiling to himself, stepping in that direction. A laugh bubbled from her throat again and he stepped in the direction it had come from. Just jumped to the side, appearing on the other side of the tree. She shrieked, immediately bursting into laughter. "No fair, I couldn't stop laughing. Retry!" Karuk shook his head, "You must learn not to laugh then, my dear," he smiled, turning to the side. "That's enough games for today though, I'm sure your mother is worried at our absense." She giggled again, swinging into a trot. "Tell me the story again, daddy?" she asked, looking up at him expectantly as he walked next to her. "You never grow tired of this, do you?" he asked, smirking. "No! Of course not!" she said, giggling and pushing against his shoulder. "Tell me!" He sighed, "Alright. Well, one day I was walking through the forest, one much like this one; though on just the other side of the river, and I happened to meet an interesting painted mare..."

Karuk shifted, blinking lazily as he slowly woke. He was laying beside Shika, her side brushing his own as they breathed, her neck curved and her head resting against his shoulder. His own face was laying next to her forelegs, his nose nestled against her chest. Her heartbeat rang clearly in his ears and he sighed contentedly, closing his eyes and just listening to the thumping for a moment. He then pulled away, lifting his head and yawning silently. Sunlight flitered through the roof of their shelter, painting the dirt on the ground with an array of yellow spots. They had found this spot almost two weeks ago, several trees haven fallen across a slight dip in the ground, creating a cave like section. Harmless ivys and other twisting greens had claimed the area, spreading over the dead trunks in an intricate latticework. The shelter protected them from the snow outside and the bulk of the wind, giving them the chance to easily keep warm in the the far reaches of the Southern lands.

He shifted again, turning to look at Shika's head against his shoulder. He gently touched his nose to her forehead, inhaling and then exhaling, ruffling her forelock. He gently nibbled at her ears, the appendages flickering to the side as she moved in closer to him, tucking her head in the crease where his shoulder met his barrel. She sighed softly as he stopped his pestering, resting further. He smiled, turning and yawning again. He could hear the beginnings of forest life waking up as well, chirping softly in the winter cold. Most of the normal creatures that roamed were hidden in their homes, hibernating, or had migrated to a colder region already. Some brave souls had chosen to stay in their homes though, to brave out the cold until Spring rolled back around. He could hear Kilton milling about along the tree trunks above them, his talons digging into the wood. He poked his head through one of the larger opening, twisting his head to stare at Karuk. He squawked, dropping a few loose blades of grass from his beak. He seemed to chuckle before pulling back, continuing on his way. Karuk huffed, rolling his eyes.

The bird seemed to find it funny that there was hardly any green left here during the Winter. They had stayed in the middle regions during the colder months, finding it much easier to survive rather than searching through the snow for grasses as he had when he was younger. Of course, Kilton never had much trouble finding food where ever they were; mice thrived almost anywhere, as did other small rodents. Karuk pulled his hind legs up underneath him, carefully getting to his feet. Shika continued to sleep soundly, though he knew with the absence of his warmth she would wake soon enough. He gently shook his body, a light layer of dust falling from his winter coat. He silently walked from the shelter, stretching his legs out and squinting as the sun bounced off the white snow and blinded him for a moment. The cold air was refreshing and sharpened his senses fast, sending him into a state of awareness before settling at a happy medium. He inhaled deeply, smelling the scents of the forest and smiling to himself. He stepped a few strides away, lowering his head to nose at the snow on the ground, revealing the slowly yellowing greens underneath. The snow hadn't been here quite long enough to kill everything yet, you just had to dig deep enough. He plucked a few blades away from the earth, chewing silently as he closed his eyes, sighing into the ground. He was content.

// 852 words

lalala. <3

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[deshy]

The soft sound of bounding foot falls fall in the distant, mixed with that of another, more stronger sounds. She could feel them reaching closer, their voices rearing louder as they neared in upon her hiding place. the sound of Tingling bells filled the air, someone was having too much fun. A small smile played at her lips, as she turned in the direction they arrived. She saw his blad face first, standing out from the green shrubs, beginning to grow along the bare branches. The sign that spring was here. She stepped forward ready to greet him, as a small painted form sprang from the shrubs, that tingling resounded from earlier, this time more sharp. She pulled away from the bounding energy, the poor thing had gotten her uncanny ability of unblance. She place her nose to the delicate feautres along the fillys face. Capturing her balance before she fell to the ground, knowing all too well of the actions. She turned then to him, his bald face closer than she had anticipated. She grazed his cheek, sending a shudder through her bones, a smile sprang to her lips as she took him into a futher embrace.

Shika lay in the dusty ground, shrouded by that of a few fallen logs, creating a place where the snow did not touch the ground. A few plants still grew in the darkened hole. Her head rested agaisnts his shoulder, his scent always filling the space in her lungs as each breath she inhaled. She could hear the feint mufflings of something moving in the back of her mind, The the soft touch brushing along her forehead, a tickiling snesation ran across her ears. They flicker as she shifed a little pulling the warmth closer to her, inhaling more of his woodsy scent. She felt the backs of her eyes burn as light filtered through into the little cornor they were laying. The soft murmur of the forest wakening pricked her ears, the sound of birds chirping away. She heard the loud squwarking of another near by, this one more ferral, a larger bird. Kilton. More than likely, he nevr strayed to far from Karuk, alwasy keeping an eye on his friend. Though Shika was here to do that same now, she would protect him in anyway she could.

Shika reached out for Karuk, of the warmth that radiated of him, suddenly feeling the cold air rushing in. Though she came up empty in her grasp for him. She felt around blindlessly, hoping he had just moved further out from her reach. Though only finding she were alone. Her heart began to race as panic stuck in. He had promised he would never leave her, why was she alone right now! She sighed rolling over and openeing her eyes. At first the sun blinded her, the morning light more intense as it rebounded of the white blanket that covered the south. Blinking away the brightness, she pushed to her front legs, only to find that she had rolled deeper into the small cave like area, banging her head along the logs. "Ouch! stupid things!" She exclaimed fallening back down into the dust with a thump. A small dust cloud puft up around her shape as doing so. She slid herself so that she were closer to the opening, where the tree's stoodhigher. Once again she rose to her front legs, then pushed up with her hind, this time actually managing to stand to her full height. Stretching like a cat she paced out into the forest, hoping he hadnt gone too far. Just a little off to the right she found the beautiful guy shoveling the snow with his maw, If she hadnt known him before she possibly would never have sen him, for the most lower of his body, and the bald face made him blend into the snow. Shika carefully made her way over to him, her stomache groaned in protest, piening for the food that lacked. They hadnt really eaten too well the past few weeks, for the snow covered too much of it now, the last few bits of greenery dwindling away. She brushed up along side Karuk, then lowerd her nose to his, playfully nipping his wiskers."You said you would never leave me, why did i wake up to find you had gone?" She smiled, knowing he would take the joking tone she spoke with. She was so glad she had found him that day, walking into him, she really had walked into the perfect guy. Now together, just like fate had done for them in the early days of summer. She pushed at the snow, in the same spot he was, stealing the small roots that protruded through. Her stomache graoning once more as the miniscule food hit her empty stomache. "We need to move from her for a few days, i'm so hungry Karuk, So much so that i even think of eating Kilton at times" She laughed giving the bird a hungry stare, hoping to ruffle his feathers a little. She smiled to Karuk, then bent down pushing her nose deeper under the snoww, hoping to atleast find some more roots. Dig child! Dig! The voice sounded in the back of her mind, and just like it had said she began pawing in the earth, she pushed at the snow, making a small enbankment, untill she finally made a larger patch of ground appear. Some dead plants lay there but amist that grass still grew, fresh and green, like that of a springs meadow. She pulled at it hungrily, making sur that Karuk too got his share. "I forget all those survial trainings my dad put me through, at least it comes back when we need it most." She smiled into his side, then playfully pulled at his ear.

...:.994

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Sherlock holmes <3 [/right][/size]

[aPPY]

"Ouch! Stupid things!" Karuk's ears perked and twisted to the side as he heard Shika finally wake from her slumber. A small smile played at the edge of his lips, amusement at her clumbsiness. Her muzzle brushed up along his side as she stepped beside him, nipping at his nose whiskers. "You said you would never leave me. Why did I wake up to find you had gone?" She asked. He turned to look at her, a smile on her face. He smiled back, gently shaking his head and blowing into her forelock. "I never left, my dear," he said assuredly. She lowered her head, pushing at the snow as he had been doing just a few moments before. He could hear her stomach protesting, wanting more food though there wasn't much there. "We need to move from here for a few days. I'm so hungry Karuk. So much so that I even think of eating Kilton at times." Karuk smiled with his nose pressed against her shoulder, feeling her body rock slightly as she laughed. He agreed, they needed to find a much easier place to sustain themselves.

"I forget all those survival tranings my dad put my through. At least it comes back when we need it most." She smiled back at him, playfully tugging at his ear. He nodded, "Yes, but pretty soon there will be nothing left." He grimaced, seeing the situation at its entirety. What were they supposed to do in the dead of winter, when the snow fell so fast and clung so thickly they would be trapped, confined to their shelter with no hope of going anywhere? He knew the weather would get this way, it always did this far South. It was only a matter of time. "Though," he murmured, "There is no place safe for us to go without getting closer to the boundaries, closer to where he is sure to be. We can't risk that." He buried his face against her thick pelt. He had lived in the area that now bordered the Eastern lands and he didn't want to be any closer then they were already. He knew that Ramaskith was angry and he didn't want to be subject to his wrath.

He sighed softly, not knowing what to do. The food here was dwindling and they were limited on what access they had. The South would be covered in snow in just a few short weeks, all plant life dead and gone, offering no sustenance for their bodies to life off of. They almost didn't have a choice. He wanted them to be safe, but would their physical needs rule out over the need for safetey? Being safe wouldn't help them very much if they suffered from starvation. "What do you propose we do?" he asked, gently rubbing his muzzle back and forth across her pelt, the long hairs tickling his nose. The prospect of leaving didn't settle well with him, but he would do what he must to make sure that nothing would happen to either of them.

With the prospect of Ramaskith starting the wars again, would the boundaries disappear? The lines hazy with the threat of destruction. What would they do then? He had met Shika in the North originally, so what did that mean? Would they be able to take shelter someplace else, under the protection of someone else? It seemed like a sound enough plan, given their predicament. He believed there would be plenty of resistance against the power crazed equine, hopefully enough to bring him and his followers to an end, a stop to all of this madness. And, he most certainly wasn't going to fight again, he had promised he wouldn't, and in staying here alone, what would they do if Ramaskith marched up to them? They needed protection. They needed help. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that they couldn't stay here. There were so many possible outcomes and none of them were good. They were vulnerable here, rabbits hiding in their den as the fox waited outside. They did need to move, not only for the lack of food, but for the lack of safety and assurance of life. He was starting to find that some of his promises were contradictory. He had said he would protect her, yet promised not to fight. What was he supposed to do, stand there and let someone slaughter them? Most certainly not. Though, he wouldn't go looking for trouble as he had before, only doing what he must to keep the first promise. He hoped that was what she had meant. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?

// 726 (794) words

hohummm. xD

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[deshy]

"I never left, my dear," She smiled deeper, knowing he would never leave, he had promised after all, and he didnt seem the kind that would so easily break that. She pulled on his ear again. "You left me in the hole on my own, so you did leave me." Her voice was light, joking with him. "The air runs thick with war, destruction, and it scars me Karuk, another war, so early, i thought i would atleast see my sixth birthday before the next" She sighed resting her chin upon the dip in his back. Reveling in the warmth, his woodsy smeel, and the feel of his touch upon her shoulder. Hoping that everyday would be like this, that this moment would last for eternity. Right now that was unpredictable.

"Yes, but pretty soon there will be nothing left." she sighed, she knew he were right, they couldnt last much longer here, but it were the only safe place, the only place where none would travel over the borders. She pushed her nose into his mane, inhaling more of his smell, and also a few hairs, causing her to sneeze as they tickled the inards. "Though," he murmured, "There is no place safe for us to go without getting closer to the boundaries, closer to where he is sure to be. We can't risk that." She sighed lowering her head. Touching his chin with her delicate face. They truely were stuck, if they moced from here out of safty who knew what could happen, perhaps Rama would be waiting for them, walking right into his graps, and then, then they would be dead. But if they didnt move from here, they would more than likely starve. They couldnt afford that not now, not while she were carriny their future child. She had to choose,They had to make the right decision, stay in the furthest southern parts and possibly die of starvation, or to move out and risk running into the war and taking the chance of dying ouyt there also. No matter what outcome they both ended in death, or a possiblity of death. She dropped her head lower, so that his chin lay against her forehead. She truely felt like giving up, to sucumming to the world right at this moment. Though that would not help them at all. Hold it together Shika, dont give up, you can just give in now, you have Karuk, you have a life growing inside of you. She sighed, she knew what they had to do.

"What do you propose we do?" his words filled her head, seeming to be thinking the same as she. She shuddered a little as he ran his nose along her pelt. Why was he so good at that? the comfort he gave her like no other. "we have to move out, its our only hope.." she spoke emotionlessly, knowing it was for the best, but a huge risk it would be all the same. She turned her head to watch as he ran his nose up and down her pelt. "Its a risk i know, but soon i will need to be eating a hell of a lot more and staying here now, just wont be good enough. We could move to the north, and hope that the golden mare would help us. I have heard of a protecter that wonders these lands also, maybe we could find him, if we band together with more that do not want this war, we should find safety, protection even. I know you said you would protect mer, but... She gulped finding the next part hard to say, hoping he would take it into offense. ..Your not enough Karuk, just you, protecting me, and the unborn child, by the time it starts i may not even be able to help you much, i'll be a dead weight. She placed her nose under his throat, gently touching him there, hoping her would understand where she were coming from. If they were to leave they had to do so now, leaving any later would cause too much of a problem. She has the pure will of survival, thats all she needed, despise the lack of energy they both shared.

Shika burried around in the ground again, finding what food she could manage before they headed of into the unknown. Her stomache rummbled, a short sharp pain stug through her side. She nipped at her stomache were it had come from, hoping to be rid of it, though it just came back again a little later. "Karuk..?! she called a little paniced, hoping he hadnt strayed to far, though knowing him he would always be in watching distance, always keeping an eye on her. It felt good to know that she had someone always watching her back, she just hoped that she could do the same for him if the time ever came. The pain sunsided a little, though she still wanted to take it up with Karuk. She was scared, she didnt know what to expect, this would be her first. She had managed to keep herself away from other equines in the past years, never having to worry about being mated unwillingly. Though this was much different, she had known she wanted it. As she glanced up noticing a small dark green bush with small red berries growing amongst the leaves. She moved towards it, the berries seemed so juicey, deliscious. She reached out for it, wanting to take a bite.

...:.950

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Poisennnnn dont let her eat it D:
the tight feeling in her pit is just the baby growing and pinning for food XD [/right][/size][/justify]

[aPPY]

She seemed to be thinking of the same things he was. "We have to hove oy, it's our only hope..." He nodded slowly, coming to the same conclusion. There was nothing truly safe about staying here except the distance. Ramaskith knew there was an Alpha here, and he would move in to attack. If they were here when he did, they would have no chance at all. ""Its a risk I know, but soon I will need to be eating a hell of a lot more and staying here now just won't be good enough. We could move to the North and hope that the golden mare would help us. I have heard of a protecter that wonders these lands also, maybe we could find him. If we band together with more that do not want this war, we should find safety, protection even. I know you said you would protect me, but..." She paused and he lifted his head to look at her. "You're not enough Karuk. Just you, protecting me, and the unborn child. By the time it starts I may not even be able to help you much, I'll be dead weight." He nodded once, finding Shika's nose against his throat. He smiled at her, "Yes, I know. I was thinking much of the same."

She turned away, digging at the ground again in search of food. His gaze lingered on her, worried, before stepping away and doing the same a few feet away. There was nothing of substance where he dug, the grasses yellowed and damp from the moisture, all nutrients drained. He sighed softly, shaking his head. No, they couldn't stay here any longer. "Karuk?!" The panic in her voice made him immediately turn to look for her, seeing her standing where he had left her. "Is everything alright?" he asked, quickly taking a few steps toward her. She began to reach for a small green bush dotted with red and he jumped forward. "No, no no no." He said franically, sliding in front of her and lightly pushing her head away. "Don't eat that," he said, suddenly out of breath, "It's poision." He took a glance at the plant before gently nudging against Shika's shoulder and leading her away from it. He gently shook his head. "No, we can't stay here." He sighed, so many thoughts running through his head at once.

The safest place other than the South would be the North. The East and West were going to be key items in this war, and although the weather would be better, it was most definitely not worth that risk. In the North there would be the other Alpha mare, Rasta, and anyone who remained in that area. He didn't think that very many would venture forth into the South, especially at this time if year. And hopefully when Ramaskith chose to invade, there would be no one here to meet him. He took a few steps forward, turning to face Shika. "If you think we should leave, we will. We can try to brave it out here but," he paused, glancing at the snow covered ground and silent trees. "As we have already said, we can't possibly hope to last out here alone." He shook his head. "I will go wherever you go," he said, staring at her. If they chose to leave, they would need to do so soon before it snowed again. Before the wars begun again and they actually had a chance to making it.

// (598) words

So do they leave then? For the North?

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[deshy]

"No, no no no." She froze, trying to make undersatnding of his sudden outburst. He gently pushed at her head, turning her from the plant. She sturggled trying to move back to it, it looked so tasty. "Don't eat that," he said, suddenly out of breath, "It's poision." She sighed, giving in on struggling, letting him guide her away. "Im sorry im such a burden at times, But im so glad your here to help me with that." She smiled back to him, feeling a little sorry that she had to be such a handful. "No, we can't stay here." He seemed a little lost in thought as he spoke the words, but he was to, right. They couldnt stay here, it was too much a risk. SHe rubbed her head along his shoulder, trying her best at comfroting him this time. He truely did seem worried about their safty, though he tried his best to hide it, to be strong for her. No, that wasnt good, he couldnt be so worried about her, he needed to think about himself at times, especially if he had to fight. She suddered at the thought of that, knowing that it could be the inevatable.

"If you think we should leave, we will. We can try to brave it out here but," he paused, glancing at the snow covered ground and silent trees. "As we have already said, we can't possibly hope to last out here alone." He shook his head. "I will go wherever you go," She noded, knowing he would, though she too would go everywhere he went, spend as much time together as they could. "Then we leave Karuk, and we make that journey now" She spoke her voice full with certainty. She could feel that it was the best choice, the right choice they were making. She could feel that there was something good to come. Not just the baby, but something before that. She glanced up into teh sky looking around then turned and made her way north. "This way.." she smiled at him, pulling on his mane, pulling him the right direction.

[aPPY]

"Im sorry im such a burden at times, But im so glad your here to help me with that." He shook his head, smiling at her. "You are no burden," he said, lipping at her shoulder, "You just make life a little too exciting sometimes." He grinned, laughing shortly.

She nodded in response to what he had said. He hated leaving so suddenly, but there really was no choice in the matter. It was the only safe choice for them. "Then we leave Karuk, and we make that journey now," she poke clearly, the decision solid in her mind. She glanced at the sky, assessing their location before stepping off. "This way..." He stepped after her, his nose trailing up her side as he moved to walk along side her. Kilton suddenly appeared from the trees, gliding forward with a satisfied caw. Hopefully this would be the right choice for them, and he had a feeling that it most certainly was. It was better than just sitting here, waiting for someone to come; whether it be someone with good or bad intentions.

// idk/lazy words

short post. but oh well. new thread? /not even a page.
lol. but since they're leaving *shrug*
I've got it started already, actually. ^^

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