||= 21 Guns

[Black Thorns]

September could hardly believe herself, coming back into the lands she had sworn never to revisit. Yet she needed to know, needed to feed this burning curiosity inside of her. Was it true? Was a war right around the corner? She knew that there was only one way to be sure- and that was to speak to Lord Ramaskith himself. Years had passed, years, but she knew that her Lord would remember his armies leaving him. He would be sure to punish her, to beat her, bleed her, torture her until she begged for death. She had betrayed him, abandoned him, left him for dead- and the Lord did not appreciate those who betrayed him. She remembered clearly when her only lover had betrayed the Lord, and exactly how her Lord punished him. She could only watch in horror as the ground stained red...

September was different, now, she reminded herself. September is not a young fool.

Her footsteps were near silent as she walked, her head held high. She would find Ramaskith- and she would decide.

Would she pledge herself- or would she kill him?



--behind the post--
short and ickyyy. not even 200 words. but. yeah. :3

[aPPY]

Ramaskith happily hummed to himself, walking through his lands as preparations filtered through his mind. The war was in sight, and his world was just over the horizon. It was all right there, within grasp, and this time he would hold it close, taking it an shaping it for all eternity. He would show those nasty Alphas what a true leader was like. He would show them not to laugh at Ramaskith and to respect his wishes. Though, those vermin wouldn't last never long to realize what a great leader he would be, for their traitorous hearts would be ripped from thier chests and put on display for all to see. As a reminder to obey the Lord, because the Lord is everywhere and he will punish. He smiled, picking up pace to a lazy trot, his patience wearing thin with waiting. But he knew, once he did strike, it would be of perfect timing and the rabbits wouldn't know what to do as the fox chased them down. He would eliminate them all.

He paushed, his ears flickering as he heard someone approaching. Someone wished to speak to the Lord? A tall, bay equine was coming towards him and he turned to face her. He picked up a trot, quickly advancing to meet with the creature and question her intentions. She was quite tall, almost as tall as he, with not a marking to poision her dark pelt. He smiled, nodding in awknowledgement. "May I help you?" He asked, staring down at her with his multi-colored gaze. "You would be wise to state your actions before traveling any further into the unknown, longues tailleur étrangère."

// 280 words

lalala.

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[Black Thorns]

"May I help you? You would be wise to state your actions before traveling any further into the unknown, longues tailleur étrangère," he said, staring down at her.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Or what, you'll tear my heart out and let the vultures pick at my remains? It's not like you haven't threatened it before. Nevertheless, I heard word of war."

She paused for a moment, squinting. Something was different about Ramaskith, something... Oh, she didn't know what was wrong, exactly, just that it was. Something was off.

"Lord, I simply came to confirm if this was true or not." Of course, should it be true, a side must be chosen... And who would she choose? If it was Ramaskith, he was certainly prepared, trained, ready; but he had lost, before. Shouldn't that make him even more of a vicious fighter? Surely he must detest her, anyways; and Oser would be the wiser choice? But he would be so entirely unprepared!

She glanced down at the slight silver flecking across her coat, betraying her age. She was getting older, most certainly; but she had survived the war and would be able to fight again. She still had all of her training, she still remembered the motives and the tactics of her opponents.

"And should it be true... I have fought with you before. Well enough that I'm not rotting away, obviously. If you wish, I am indeed a willing warrior, if an old one. Just ask, Lord." She straightened, pulling herself taller and looking him in the eye. "Just ask."

[aPPY]

Ramaskith glared angrily at the insolent mare, stepping forward and snorting. "You will learn to address the Lord with respect." he said, fighting the urge to kick the peasant. She seemed to remember her place for a moment, addressing him with the proper title and voicing her question. He nodded, standing a bit taller as her height made him a tad angry. "It may or not be a fact, though that information is classified." He replied emotionlessly. What was she wanting with such information? To go and warn the others so that they could prepare for his domination? No. Surprise was the only element he had, and his whole plan relied on that very fact. No one but his warriors could know of what the future held. "And should it be true... I have fought with you before. Well enough that I'm not rotting away, obviously. If you wish, I am indeed a willing warrior, if an old one. Just ask, Lord. Just ask." He tilted his head to the side. "Fought for me before, have you?" He feined intrested for a few moments, eying the older mare. Then he snapped back, anger in his eyes. "Then why have you failed to serve me these past five years, warrior? You ran with everyone else? I don't need deserters to fight for me, madame," He spit the words into her face, throwing them like bullets shot from a gun. "I don't need the unloyal to pledge themselves to me once again, for if they had really believed, they would have stayed behind when I failed the first time. So tell me, useless peasant, what can you offer me that no one else can? What makes you so important that I should trust your allegiance once again, as I seem to have once before. Tell me." The last came out as a growl as his body trembled with the effort it took to keep from striking the traitor dead right there. How dare she return?! How dare she ask for forgiveness?! After leaving him behind like everyone else did. No one deserved to live. Everyone that had crossed his path and did him wrong would die a horrible, slaughterous death. And he yearned for the chance to do the deed. It was so close, yet so far away. Just a bit longer and it would all be his for the taking; this land and those lives. Why not start now?

// 411 words

ramaskith is angry.

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[Black Thorns]

"Fought for me before, have you? Then why have you failed to serve me these past five years, warrior? You ran with everyone else? I don't need deserters to fight for me, madame," he spat in her face. September's eyes flashed, adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Watch your mouth, Lord," she spat, "Perhaps I left because you brutally tortured, then murdered, my mate in front of my face, laughing whenever I pleaded for you to stop. And yes, he was on your side!" Her words were like venom, as she "forgot" to mention her lover's betrayal.

"I don't need the unloyal to pledge themselves to me once again, for if they had really believed, they would have stayed behind when I failed the first time. So tell me, useless peasant, what can you offer me that no one else can? What makes you so important that I should trust your allegiance once again, as I seem to have once before. Tell me," Ramaskith growled, forcing himself not to kill her.

"Oh, I know at this very moment that you are, indeed, planning the war. It leaks off of you. You're a terrible liar, Lord. What's to stop me from telling Oser? What's to stop me from telling all of your precious army the truth about you? That you care nothing for their lives? That any promises that you have made will never come true? That you won't listen to them, even when listening to them would have let you win the war? That you're nothing but a self-centered, stupid, good-for-nothing average stallion with no hope, no future? You're lucky that no-one has killed you yet. We thought you were dead! We thought you were gone! You and your mate- we believed you both killed! Nobody could find you. Nobody could prove it false. They told us that anyone in the east was to be punished! Who wants to die, Lord? Who?" she paused, stepping back and recollecting her thoughts. "Who else do you have that knows and remembers their enemies' tactics, their MO, everything about them? I can tell, now, that you don't even remember." It was a stretch, that last sentence- she knew that he should remember her. He didn't remember a thing.

"In case you were wondering, Lord, my name is September. You rather liked to mock the name."

[aPPY]

Ramaskith fumed. How dare she talk to him that way?! September she said her name was, yet of course he would never remember it. He lurched forward, pounding into the mare and quickly pivoting and thrusting a hoof into her chest. He was not going to stand there and tolerate her words! And she was a fool if she thought he would. So she wanted to join him again? She wanted to fight for the cause? Perhaps she should focus on living to do the task. He didn't care about her supposed mate. Nothing mattered because he couldn't remember it. He could always ask Sona later, but right now, this mare was pushing his buttons and breaking them. He was not going to be walked over and be called such things. They weren't true; nothing but a batch of lies that September had produced in order to get some reaction out of him. He snorted loudly, rearing and he turned and pounded his hooves into her spine, pushing against her body in an attempt to ground her. She was almost as tall as he, but he was younger and stronger. She had started something she would surely regret by the end.

// 204 words

heh. >.>

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[Black Thorns]

September's breath let out in a quick rush as she felt his powerful hooves smash into her chest. She'd forgotten how strong he was, how she lacked the strength she had once had. Nevertheless she whirled around, striking out at his barrel with all of the force she could muster, feeling flesh sever beneath her. She regretted not a word she had said- oh, may he believe them lies, may he believe her a traitor- she cared not in the slightest. He was a dirty liar, a selfish bastard with no concern for others. He deserved every word she threw at him. It was hardly a moment after her blow that he slammed into her back, her knees buckling beneath her as she fell to the ground. Obviously, she had not retained as much information as she had thought. Letting out an "Oof!" as she hit the ground, the rolled to her feet with a bit less ease than she should have. Snaking her neck forwards, she dug her sharp teeth into his shoulders. She reared up in the air, letting out an ear- shattering battle cry as she charged at him, barreling into him and attempting to knock him to the ground. It was past time for him to be knocked down a few pegs.

[aPPY]

Ramaskith narrowed his eyes at the mare, that she had the audacity to attack him. She let forth a cry as she lunged toward him and he stood there, pulling himself up and locking his legs as he prepared for impact. Her body collided with his, yet he did not fall. He had to take a step backward, though only with his hind end to prevent the momentum from causing the reaction she so desired. He snarled. "Madame, you are quite mistaken if you believe you can best moi." He jumped forward, immediately pushing into the flesh that was still in contact with his. He brought his forelegs up, pushing with his hind and then falling back to the ground. He snorted loudly, his eyes rolling as he jumped forward, a hoof extrended and slashing against the mare's pelt, followed by his teeth. He seemed to growl, pivoting almost faster than the eye could follow and striking with his hind end. He let his momentum carry him back around, rearing up and striking again. "You will be right to learn your place." He snarled the words, taking a few steps back and waiting to see if she dare challenge him again. If she did, it would be best to kill her now, before she had the chance to surprise him later.

// [lazy] words

THERE.

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[Black Thorns]

You sad, pathetic man!
See where you've brought us to!
Our ideals die around us-
And all because of you!

The mare kept her body immobile as his attacks rained down upon her frame, bracing herself from his deadly blows. Should she try to slip by his flailing hooves, she knew that she should surely be damaged far more than he was planning to. She made not a sound as the blood trickled down her skin, the threat of death not all too frightening to her. She snorted at his arrogant words, rolling her dark eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, my place?" she asked mockingly, her statue-like form suddenly animated once more, "It's not as if this king before me has more than enough arrogance for the entirety of Forma Silvestris!" She spun, striking out with her hind legs and feeling her legs connect solidly with his flesh. Hissing, she spun around once more and lashed out at him with her front legs.

"Go on, you fool! Kill me, bleed me, beat me like a slave!" she creamed, striking out at his face, "I don't care!"

[aPPY]

"Oh, my place?" the mare dared ask, "It's not as if this kng before me has more than enough arrogance for the entirety for Forma Silvestris!" She turned, kicking at him. In his fury at her words, he made no move to evade the attack, only burned with more hatred when the kick hit home. She turned back around and lashed at him with her forelegs. He felt no pain though, for he was past that. He felt nothing but anger and the need for someone else's blood to spill. Though that seemed what she wanted. "Go on, you fool! Kill me, bleed me, beat me like a slave!" She yelled the words at his face and he stood completely still, eyes narrowed and ears pinned. "I don't care!" He snorted, like a statue coming to life. "And that, madame, is why I waste no energy on such an act any longer. I refuse to grant you exactly what you wish. You ask that I bleed you and kill you? Bah! I refuse to be ordered around by such a peasant. Because you ask me to, I will not, and you must live in your misery much longer if the Lord refuses your death after such insolence. One's desires can only be met if there is something gained in return. You say you do not care, but do you really?" He took a step forward, not afraid of her feeble attempts to injure him. "Do you really not care whether you live or die? For one to think that must have given up on life long ago and only wishes themself dead; so then the though of such things does not bother oneself. You would like to join t'amour, no? And what shall I gain if I grant this wish? For you can give me nothing from the land of the dead." He spat at her, eying the mare with fury though a restrained fury that would not be let loose. He would save such actions for the war; she, this traitor, was not worth it.

// 311 words

rama will not kill the traitor; only make her suffer in the mere fact that she lives. and she lives without the mate he supposedly disposed of and refuses to grant her what he sees she truly wants. he must gain something from the act of killing her if she so insists.

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