A New Era
Asa
08-09-2024, 03:43 PM
Bloodthirsty. Aggressive. Barbaric. Rapacious... Just a few of the words used to describe Asa. Words spewed from the velveteen lips of the very herd to whom she'd pledged fealty. Well, she had a few words for them in return. Cowards! Weaklings! Cravens! Curs! Faint-hearted recreants, all of them! How dare they order her to leave? Was it their plan to feed a foal to the wolves and bears and wildcats every season? Was it their plan to roll over and show belly like some worthless dog every time danger showed its biting face? Asa's own dam had been stolen away by predators. She'd come to learn to fight honestly, her skills honed with expert care to prevent such things from happening ever again. And yet the herds stallion refused to see the benefit of having one unafraid to shed blood; unafraid to receive scars and wounds to protect the group. The rest of the horses were more sheep than equine, going along with whatever he declared was law. It was revolting. Every ounce of Asa's being bridled against such mindless sheepishness. She could never be that blind. The theft and murder of the latest foal had been the final straw. With Uruk, son of the lead stallion, at her side, the pair went and eradicated the threat. Not only did they kill the wolves that took the foal, they killed other predators as well to send a message: No meat-eater was safe. Rather than be greeted warmly and given thanks for their revenge, both horses were shunned. SHUNNED. Cast out for defending their home and it's young. Asa had laughed right in the stallion's face. This was all a joke. After she and Uruk turned and began to leave, Asa could hear the crashing of brush behind them. What a hypocrite... Uruk's father had sent a party of horses after them to hunt them down. To. Hunt. Them. Down... Just like they had done with the wolves that had stolen the babe. How did that make any sense? Though she was considered the aggressive one, Asa knew that she was no match for several sets of hooves at the same time. The older horse steered their path through rocky terrain, through mud and streams. Anything to try and shield their scent. It was all to no avail. The hunting party was still right on their tails. Asa could feel the white hot fury bubbling within her belly. She wanted to turn and breathe fire at the lot of them. She had done just that, turning to face the band, when Uruk spoke. It seemed as though he, too, was feeling enraged. Feeling slighted. "Go. I'll entertain these ones," the woman's voice ordered, her tones dripping with venom. As Uruk thundered back towards the herd, the sleek, shadowy form of Asa cut through the murky mist, her long, pointed antlers appearing to release tentacles of steam as the mist swirled around them. Three draft stallions faced her, spitting out vile vitriol as though they hadn't known her their entire lives. Asa bared her teeth, one hoof stamping hard upon the earth in warning. A warning that they didn't heed. Just like one unaccustomed to fighting, the males came straight at her. The first was an easy kill, silvered antlers sliding right through flesh and into his throat. It left the man kicking and bleeding out on the knoll. Served him right. "Your death will make the grass grow," the rosette dappled mare growled out. Fiery eyes fixed on the next stallion and she snarled in kind, "Your death will make the wolves sing." As he rushed her, a big, russet colored draft, Asa lashed out, sharpened hooves slamming into one knobby knee with precision. The stallion screamed as he crumpled to the ground, his knee hyper-extending. Asa wasted no time. Rearing up, she brought both front hooves down with all of the power that she held. The man's skull crumbled to dust beneath her might. Two for two. The last stallion hesitated, his blue eyes wide. He danced nervously on legs more slender than the previous two. Asa shook out her dark mane, taking a step towards the man. "Your death will simply make me happy," she informed him, silvered lips pulling back in a grin as he turned and began to run. Fast though he was, Asa was faster. She didn't have all of that draft bulk to cart around. The mare was on his tail, teeth biting into his hindquarters and coming away with blood. The stallion squealed and turned, spinning on hind hooves to face her. Idiot... Asa didn't stop when he did. Instead, she used her momentum to spear the belly of the rearing stallion with her antlers. A tine snapped off from the effort, but it was no matter. It would only make the rack sharper, more deadly. The stallion fell backwards with a thunderous thud, his legs flailing. A putrid smell filled the air. Oh... she'd hit something vital! Asa left him there, groaning and kicking up tufts of grass. His death warrant was signed. She didn't need to stick around to watch him go. The blood flecked mare, hearing screams of horses in the distance, made her way towards them at a quick clip. She arrived in time to see Uruk dispatch his sire with a horn through the eye. As the lightning struck man declared his victory with a triumphant neigh, Asa stalked forward. "Uruk The Strong. Uruk The Conqueror!" Her declaration and naming of the young stallions talents was clear that she was rallying for him. Asa would swear her fealty to Uruk in that moment. Or... as much fealty as he could manage to hold. The gore marked mare shook her antlers at those who appeared as though they'd scraped together enough backbone to speak. Pieces of hide and brain still stuck to those antlers and the sight of this silenced any who might speak out. Asa trumpeted loudly, rearing on hind legs only to slam her front hooves into the knoll with a resounding thud. This was what power looked like. This was what aggression and bloodthirst looked like. Those that had the gall to stay would remember it or they would meet the same end. WC-1046 Total-2149 "Asa"
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