Meant to Be [Abba]

[twi]

Kaodran’s big head was cocked to one side, listening. Nothing. He sighed, then laughed half-heartedly, amused at his own furtiveness. It was not like this was some secret mission and neither did he have to watch out for Rama, for these were the neutral lands and were surely safe from attack. Or rather, he was surely safe from attack. He angrily gnashed his teeth, ashamed and infuriated by the way Rama intimidated him so. The fact that Rama had spared his life and at the same time threatened it did nothing to assuage his anger towards the stallion. And yet he was afraid of him, spooking at his own shadow it seemed sometimes.
You have reason to fear him, said Sliene.
“I don’t care. I hate being afraid, it‘s humiliating.”
Every other equine in the land fears him too, I’m sure.
“Doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Kaodran shook his head disgustedly. What was he doing here anyway? Sent to some mysterious cave on some mysterious task by someone he hardly knew. He had chosen to comply, but was feeling used and cast away, at the moment and did not help that he was experiencing that gut-clenching apprehensiveness that only occurs when one is afraid.
He paused to take a bite of the tender new grass, still young and juicy. He chewed thoughtfully, looking around. The meadow he stood in was deserted except from himself and the ghostly figure of Sliene that wavered in and out of focus. He found himself with a sudden longing for companionship, as he always did when alone. He simply was not meant to be a solitary creature.

[Abba]

The light goes out
Thoughts turn to angels
on the run as the night comes in

Rae slid through the word with an easy grace about her. It was a different feeling but she enjoyed it. It was rare that she was so content alone and it was something almost calming in these mannerisms. Her wooden earrings had taken a bit of time to get used to but she felt like that they were a great additive to her already beautiful outside. It wasn't long before she heard a voice talking but with no response from anyone. Was he possibly talking to himself? Slipping through the trees into the forested land she appeared a few feet in front of the stag before she began to recognize him. "Kao!" she said with a slight lopsided grin - her audits perked upwards. "Long time no see!" she mused before heading over to his side and then waiting on his response. It was interesting to see others which she hadn't seen in quite a while.

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
. 159 words
. Got any plot stuff for this to go. when I have a picture in my head I can usually type more ;3[/size]

[twi]

Kaodran blinked in surprise. Was that his own name that floated across the breeze in this seemingly deserted meadow? He tossed his mane unconsciously before trotting airily out to meet the newcomer.
A black form made its way towards him, distinctive white brindle markings glinting in the sun. He pricked up his ears, arching his neck to get a closer look.
“Rae?” he called out, “Is that you?”
He found that he was pleasantly surprised to have stumbled upon his old acquaintance. He had met her briefly, while taking a respite after running from Rama. Oh yes, him. His countenance darkened at the very thought, remembering his shameful escape. He wondered if he had told Rae the reason he had encountered her in the first place. He hoped not, but couldn’t seem to remember. They had parted soon after their initial meeting, Kao quietly excusing himself and galloping off. He was surprised that she was still in the area.

...............
159 words too...how creepy is that? This definitely isn't getting off to a good start. So. Very. Museless!

[Abba]

I can help you out
I can be just what you need
I'll kill myself to make everything perfect for you

The mare bobbed her head quietly with a tiny laugh on her lips. "Yes, yes it is. Long time no see. Surprised to see you have returned to these lands," she mused perking her ears up and gently nudging his shoulder with her maw. "What have you been up to darling? I can see that your little spectral snow leopard still follows you around?" she added with a tiny grin. She shifted around a little bit before allowing her maw to rest close to his shoulder and then she took in a few short breaths. She had heard threats of the war slowly coming towards the north - towards the neutral lands soon after. Herb ones trembled with fear. "Kao... the war? Is it really coming? I've been afraid to leave here. I don't want to be forced to fight. I-I d-don't want to die..." she said, her ears falling slightly lopsided as she lifted her head back up and shook her head.

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
.173 words
.I'm making Rae vulnerable hoping it will make this all go somewhere XD[/size]

[twi]

Kaodran glanced at Rae in surprise? Darling? Since when had she called him that? He shifted uncomfortably, casting a quick look at Sliene. Sliene was no help however, for she just grinned at him, a toothy, feline grin and vanished. He glared at the spot she had been only a moment ago, promising himself that he would have a little talk with the Snow Leopard before the day was over, before returning his attention to Rae. To his surprise she was staring up at him with a troubled expression upon her countenance, so unlike the easy smile she had worn when she had first addressed him. As soon as the words began to flow out of her mouth, understanding dawned. So she was afraid too, probably even more so than he. He felt comforted, knowing that he was not the only one to fear the madness spreading over the land, even if Rae was just a mare.
“Not if we can help it,” he said in what he hoped was a soothing voice. “While I can testify firsthand that the rumors of war you hear are true, that doesn’t mean we have to give up hope. I for one, have devoted myself to the cause of standing up and opposing this madness. An organized resistance is already forming to defend the North Lands. You’ll be safe, never fear because we aren’t going to let Rama take any more land.”
He hoped that the words her spoke were the truth, not just meaningless promises.

[Abba]

So you're taking these pills
to fill up your soul
and you're drinking them down with cheap alcohol

Rae snorted once and looked back up towards his face. "Not if we can help it," his voice was soothing as it floated into her ears. "While I can testify firsthand that the rumors of war you hear are true, that doesn't mean we have to give up hope-" Rae shuddered, closing her eyes. No. God, no. This war cannot happen. It cannot kill everyone. "-I for one have devoted myself to the cause of standing up and opposing this madness. An organized resistance is already forming to defend the North Lands. You'll be safe, never fear because we aren't going to let Rama take any more land," As he finished she shook her head, lowering it gently towards the ground again. Her body shuddered as the wind blew in and sent a chill over the land as the sun began to set. Her body twitched slightly as the fear continued to dwell deep in her heart. "And what's to happen if this so fails? Rama's... He's so different... He's so blood thirsty. He won't stop..." she whispered, her ears twitching behind her for a few seconds and then falling lopsided again for a few moments. "What's to happen if he wins..." and with that last sad, hopeless comment she dropped her maw to her knees and closed her eyes.

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
.259 words
.I hope this makes sense[/size]

[twi]

Kaodran looked at Rae with concern. She seemed so hopeless, so desolate. Had she experienced something to scar in her in the past war? Why she so affected? He cast around in his mind for something to say to her, some sort of a comforting word that would make her stop worrying.
“I know he won’t stop,” he said finally, “that’s why we’ve got to stop him ourselves. In fact, I happen to have some inside information that we might be getting some help in that department, as soon as tonight.”
.He grinned mysteriously at Rae, trying to cheer her up. If only she would stop looking so downcast, her muzzle drooping down as far as it would go. He trotted around her, flipping his dark mane as he was so apt to do, almost without thinking about it.
“Sliene,” he called, “Come here will you? I’ve got a mare in need of some cheering up!”
For a moment he thought that she would ignore him as the meadow remained devoid of any ghostly form, but then she appeared right behind him, only stalking around to face him when he sensed her contact and sent her a mental glare. She yawned and twitched her tail, eyeing Rae with her slitted yellow eyes.
Someone called?
Someone quite important to you, if I recall correctly.
What is it you desire from me, aside from wishing the presence of my magnetic personality?
Kaodran sent Rae an apologetic look. “Just a moment, sorry.”
This is no time to joke around, Sliene. The mare’s upset and I have no idea at all how to comfort her. You’ve been hinting that tonight’s the big night; is it?
Sliene looked at him and then up at the fast darkening clouds above, partially obscuring the moon.
Very possibly.

[Abba]

There's nothing inside
Look at all these shallow people
Telling their lies, look at all these empty people, people

Rae could see that Kao seemed to realize just how affected she was. Her self-esteem was at a low point, and the thought of death just wasn't welcoming to her. If she was dead, how was anyone to ever see her and tell her how much they liked her? It just didn't work in her mind. "I know he won't stop, that's why we've got to stop him ourselves. In fact, I happen to have some inside information that we might be getting some help in that department, as soon as tonight." Raeline sighted and looked up to him as he began to trot around her - his mane flipping slightly in the process. Then he called out to who she assumed was his little ghostly snow leopard. It wasn't long before it appeared seeming unamused - but she couldn't hear what they were saying, in fact they weren't even talking. He turned back to her, giving her an apologetic look to which she gently bobbed her head - looking up to the clouds and backing up under the closest tree. She wasn't a huge fan of rain-storms. They created mud and mud could ruin her coat. Or she could get stuck in it and twist and ankle or something. Dropping to her knees she lay down to see the snow leopard looking up to the sky. Rae placed her cranium atop her legs and then waited to see what might happen from here - a few tears lingered in her eyes, sliding down her cheek towards her maw...

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
.259 words
.Poor Raeee[/size]

[twi]

Kaodran turned around to face Rae, only to find her crying. Almost frantically, he looked back at Sliene, who of course offered him no guidance. What was he supposed to do? He had already tried to comfort her and it obviously had not worked, so now what? Uncomfortably, he swished his tail and looked down at the ground.
“Um…” he began and then stopped, staring down at her in concern. “Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?”
No, no, no, stupid, his mind screeched at him. Of all the ridiculous things to say. Cheer her up? She was obviously quite distraught and here he was asking if she needed some cheering up. Looking at Sliene, he got the distinct impression that she was stifling laughter. Useless patronuses.
He felt like nudging the prostrate mare with his hoof, in an attempt to make her stop it. He hated to see crying mares, especially in situations when he had no idea of what to say.
A crash of thunder sounded overhead and it began to rain. At first it was just drizzling but then the skies opened and the downpour began. Kao hastily made his way under the tree where Rae lay, shaking the water off his coat where it splashed down into the black and white figure below him. Oops.
He saw that Sliene was still standing silently in the rain and almost called out to her to come into the shelter before thinking better of it. Surely a feline like herself would have been the first one out of the rain if it bothered her at all, but as only an apparition, she appeared to be comfortable where she was. He stuck a sooty grey neck out of the tree’s sparse cover to peer more closely at his patronus. In between the sliding dark clouds, a single shaft of moonlight poured down onto her. The leopard was rigid, standing stiffly in the light.
“Sliene,” he called aloud, “Sliene what are you doing?”

[Abba]

And who
said it was cool
to be asking me these questions

Rae looked up to him as he fumbled over words - seeming to mentally chastise himself for what he had said. Just the thought of him mentally punishing himself caused her to give him a tiny smile. And then, the accidental splaying of water over her coat caused her to shiver but her ears perked up a little. The thunder shook through the ground and caused Rae to stiffen up - her instincts telling her to run and then her mind reminding her that it was simply the storm. But, she saw the apparition standing out in the cold. The moonlight radiating down upon her coat in the one single shaft. It was almost enchanting. But Kao seemed oddly concerned about it all. Taking in a short breath she lifted her maw up and then gently nuzzled at his fetlocks in an attempt to calm him down. "She has to know what she is doing - she doesn't seem like the kind of leopard to be the idiot awaiting death in a storm," she said slightly comfortingly as she pricked her ears back up.

[/blockquote]

==into the mind
.183 words
.Rae doesn't know what to do[/size]