Finding Something Familiar
Seasonal Prompt/AW
06-04-2020, 09:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2020, 09:10 PM by Kamilah.)
Winter had become very comfortable in the lands. It's chilling grip took hold of all life and smothered it with below freezing temperatures and layers upon layers of snow. What was once a beautiful, roaring waterfall surrounded by lush, crisp vegetation, was now a frozen river surrounded by dead wood, leading up to a glacier with muffled sounds of water flowing beneath the ice. It had been such a bitter cold day, that standing still was no longer an option. The mare had simply started early in the morning, her mind foggy as the cold was all she could think about, and did not realize her journey had lead her to the falls until the scene was already upon her. Arctic blue eyes lifted from the ground she walked on and widened at the scene before her; waves of water frozen in mid air, layers upon layers of ice that ended in sharp edges. Though a waterfall as grand as this never truly freezes completely, as some of the roaring falls remained moving, condensed into a singular stream down the center of the waterfall. Small clouds of steam could be seen from the moving water, though Kamilah would not be fooled; the water was not warm like a hot spring, but rather the air was simply so cold, even frigid water seemed hot compared to it. Most of the life that surrounded the watering hole seemed to have migrated elsewhere, the once boisterous forest was now silent spare the cracks of shifting ice and the occasional snow pile falling off a tree. It was such a depressing season for the mare, though it never use to be. Between the puffs of air, she could almost see the members of her old herd, recalling how the youngsters use to play in the snow and the adults were kept warm huddled together. It was a much easier time then, and it caused an ache in the roan's heart every time she was reminded of just how far she had fallen since then. Once a queen, now a loner. But that wouldn't be entirely true, now would it? Since arriving to these deprived lands, Kamilah had run into several lone equines, each unique and carried their own talents that could be useful in a herd. She simply needed to find a way to convince them all together. Perhaps.. a party of sorts.. a celebration of their kind when spring would return and the lands of the Dancefloor replenished. It was a warming idea, but as a brisk winter breeze blew over the mare's thick coat, ruffling her hair in the process, she became aware of just how far away spring would be. Suddenly, there was a commotion by the falls, the sounds of screeching and scraping that could only mean bad news. On first instinct, Kamilah had been prepared to flee the area, save her own hide, but the cries that continued to echo through the wood were not that of a blood-thirsty beast; they were devastating pleads for help. "P-Please... h-help.. me." Kamilah was torn; while on one hoof she knew better than to risk herself over a stranger, but on the other, there would be many sleepless nights if she simply ignored a call for help. You've done it before... a tiny voice would taunt from deep within, begging to relive memories the mare would rather forget. She would snort as she shook her head violently, frosted mane whipping across the air as she did so. No. This time would be different. Kamilah would do better.. she had to be better. Turning back towards the waterfall, the roan woman would approach slowly, cautiously, with her ears constantly flicking towards the slightest sound. If this was a trap, she would be prepared to bolt at the first sign of danger... that much she was certain. But as the mare came to stand by the edge of the ice, she met the eyes of no one, the area seemingly empty. Had she imagined it? "Y-yes! O-Over h-here!" A shaking voice would call, causing the mare to squint at the falls, peering through the ice more closely. Sudden movement had the mare stomping her feet, her nerves causing her to be jumpy at even the slightest thing it would seem. But much to her surprise, the creature pleading for help was no predator she could fear. Shuffling out from behind the frozen streams came and brown feathered bird with a creamy underbelly and bright russet tail feathers. "P-Please h-help m-me. I-I'm f-freezing." His words were soft and came from a chattering beak, making his speech incredibly pathetic for Kamilah's ears. She sighed, looking down at the ice before her, with even fiber of her being telling her it was not safe. "I-It w-will h-hold y-you." An encouraging call from the bird, sure, but it only frustrated the woman further. "Why can't you just fly to me? Or better yet, fly south! Like the rest of them." She grunted, narrowing her eyes at the suspicious creature. It didn't make sense. If he was not built to weather a winter so brutal, why hadn't he migrated with the rest of the flocks? "C-Coyote b-broke m-my w-wing." He would provide proof of this as well, shuffling to show a dented wing that looked rather painful to the mare, but not a death sentence. Kamilah would huff in response, her puff of air blowing out a crisp cloud before her face. Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Kamilah would carefully place a single hoof onto the ice. For a moment, nothing had happened, but as she moved to place more of her weight onto the surface, a groan could be heard. Immediately the mare backed off, not wanting to plunge herself into the waters for some helpless bird. "It will not hold my weight." She would argue, narrowing her eyes up to the clawed bird. "I-It w-will." He would assure once again, his smaller form rattling with the cold. Kamilah had to admit, the bird didn't look so good, and she would not have enough time or energy to waste trying to find another way around. With a dreadful sigh, she would attempt to place her hoof back on the ice, forcing her limp to stay while the ice groaned once more. But that was all it did, and soon she would find the courage to place two hooves onto the platform.. then three.. then four. Soon enough Kamilah stood just feet from shore, but on solid ice. It was a exhilarating feeling, to be standing on water, something the exiled queen had not felt since she was but a foal. But there was still a task at hand, and the roan woman was to waste no time in achieving her goal. In her first step across the ice, her hoof would not hold the same traction as she expected, and soon her leg shot out from under her, causing the other three limbs to flail in attempt to re-balance themselves. It was no use! "Oh no, no, no, NO!" Kamilah cried out as twelve-hundred-pounds of horse was skating across the ice on wild limbs. No matter how hard the mare tried to pull herself together, it would seem the ice had hold of her hooves and would scoot them in opposite directions. It would appear hilarious to any of her friends, that much she was aware, but when all four limbs suddenly slid out from under her, and Kamilah came to a crashing thud on the ice, all humor had left her body. She would groan softly as her body would continue to slide across the ice, gravity finally being kind to the mare, as she slid to the other side. The red-tailed hawk who had called out to the mare, squawked gleefully before jumping from his icy cave and onto the mare's rump. His sharp talons dug softly into the mare's rear, causing her to grunt and whip around to face the bird, about ready to tell him off and let the coyote's finish him, when she saw how he desperately clung to the tendrils of her mane. The hawk would wrap himself in her locks, tugging them tight to his body before he would lay down along the withers of the mare's shoulders. Even as her belly laid pressed against actual ice, Kamilah could feel how chilled the bird was, and how her body heat was slowly thawing him. Huffing hair from her eyes, the roan lady would carefully push herself upright using the bank and made a point to get a few yards away before she would stop and turn to face the bird. Wide golden eyes would look up past the small nest he had made in her hair, the amount of relief and graditude shown in him was unlike anything Kamilah had ever seen. "Thank you, ma'am. I would have died if you did not come." He would whisper, his voice triggering a previous conversation she had with her stallion friend. He carried with him the companionship of a familiar... perhaps.. Kamilah was called to the falls.. because this bird was meant to be hers? A cheerful glint would shine in her blue eyes as she peered back at the hawk; a large enough familiar, with aerial prospects that would be useful for spotting predators.. not to mention the talons.. surely those would come in handy in a fight? Her mind raking through all the possibilities, she had not been aware she was staring at the creature like a crazy mare until the hawk rumbled it's chest in a sort of coughing manner, pulling the mare from her thoughts and back to the conversation she desperately needed to have. "Well it was not for free, I assure you. I am willing to aid you; offering protection and aid in healing your wing until you are able to once again soar the heavens. But in return, I want you to agree to be my familiar. You will accompany on my travels until I am no longer in need of your assistance." She declared, though the immediate reaction she got from the hawk was nothing short of disgust, the mare would tilt her head back towards the falls. "Of course, if that seems unfair to you, I would be more than happy to drop you back off to your icy grave." This had the hawk turning it's head back towards the peak, giving it a terrified glance before turning back to Kamilah. "Very well. I will accompany you. But don't call me your familiar. My name is Percy." With that, the mare simply would nod her head before turning and beginning the journey back home to the Dancefloor, a successful smile on her lips while she began to trot. "Kamilah" / "Percy" |
Current time: 11-23-2024, 06:17 AM
Powered By MyBB, © 2002-2024 MyBB Group.
