Breeding Availability 1st: Used with Mahema Otome's Atal'ai (Mixer breeding) 2nd: Reserved for Katch's Naraku 3rd: Available 4th: Available 5th: Available
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:59 pm
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"Terra is a kick arse character! She makes me want to wet myself.... but in a good way. I love how she is slightly confused about her origins, how her story goes beyond just the Blood-Moon Carnival that she was created for. Perhaps if she finds some answers she want be so 'snappy' but I think either way Terra will remain a force not to be messed with. I love how tefla role plays her and I especially enjoy reading her fights.... after all what is a skinwalker good for if not to fight?"
The carnival, still so full of life, light, and color, still drawing in the crowds despite its gruesome themes, plays on through the night.. While the shows themselves can be quite disturbing, and a few, random soquili seemed to have... Vanished under mysterious circumstances, for most it is a place of fun thrills, and soquili creep in in droves, as if called by a piper.
However, not so for you: you're an Avatar for one of the legends, and have been cursed in more ways then one: you are now a skinwalker, chained and controlled against your will to perform acts, amuse others by tangling into the hair of volunteers in the little side show belonging to the Animal Handler. But tonight... Oh, tonight.. It seems the moon as weakened the control the shackles have over your body, and you will have your escape..
The moon was full and bright. It bathed the land in white and lent an eerie atmosphere to the carnival that sat on the hilltop. Many a Soquili heard the rumors of the Blood Moon Carnival troupe and most seemed to believe what they heard. One Soquili believed in the rumors all too well.
Terra Stryker gazed at the moon with an intensity that no one but herself could understand. It held the source of the power that confined the restless mare to the small enclosure that was her home during the hours where she did not have to perform to the amusement of the carnival goers. Chains around her feet kept the mare immobile most days. However over the past few nights there had been a sense of loss to the enchantments that bound her. Terra had sensed the shift and longed to find freedom. She had to wait just long enough that the Animal Handler would not pick up on the change until it was too late.
A few hours passed in which Terra had put on another two shows of flying around in her bat form performing to the merry tune that was demanded of her before she was ushered unceremoniously back into her cage. Her energy reserves were depleted. A small pile of fresh-kill was waiting for Terra after the show and the mare ate ravenously. Savoring the blood that trickled down into her stomach the mare grinned - how nice of the carnival to restore enough of her lost energy for her to escape.
Sounds of the carnival reached her ears and Terra knew that now was the perfect time to escape. Straining against the chains the mare put all her effort into snapping the restraints.
Snap. Snap. Crack. Snap.
Terra froze. The sounds of the links being torn from the walls was nothing compared to the nickering of excitement that passed through her lips. Her left foreleg rose off the ground and she paused to examine it. Possibly badly sprained or broken. Terra did not know and did not wait to find out. Taking to her bat form she soared out into the open sky and chittered softly. Releasing a sharp blast of pure sound Terra waited for the picture of the carnival to be shaped into her mind. Freedom - it never tasted so good. All those Soquili down there had no idea what was to become of the sideshow that was once her. The picture was now complete in her mind. Banking sharply Terra folded her wings and let gravity win its pull over her body. She angled the fall so she would land roughly at the Midway games. There were a lot of Soquili concentrated in this area and it would only take a fraction of time to subdue a victim. Phasing at last the last minute Terra regained her true form and lashed out at a helpless colt. Her teeth sunk into the colt's flank and with the first taste of fresh blood she felt the infusion of her strength return from that single act of devouring another Soquili's life force.
Time however was short and Terra would not be able to enjoy the pleasure of sticking around. Releasing her would-be-meal she took a short hopping run and shifted. The energy she received from her unwilling meal would be enough to see her clear of the carnival. Then the rest of the Soquili world would learn to fear her name ...
Terra Stryker.
What seemed like moments later a resounding snarl was heard from the enclosure holding the infamous bat-mare. The beast inside raged at the thought that her escape and resulting freedom had merely been a figment of her imagination - a dream.
Comments: I wanted to try an avenue that hadn't been explored yet. I had fun writing this.
The mare sidestepped nervously. Why had she agreed to this? What it possibly the thrill of being accepted by her peers and being included in a group activity? Whatever the reason she felt compelled to set out earlier than her peers. Glancing behind her the vista was transforming into something much more ominous. The moonlight, weak as it was, shone down - barely highlighting the rickety, wooden buildings sitting in the clearing ahead. This was her destination. It was called a carnival of horrors ... the Blood Moon Carnival. The cadence of her hoof beats faltered for a moment as an icy shiver traveled down her back. The mare shook off the feeling before scoffing at herself. There wouldn't be anything here that could harm her.
Known simply as Flicker to her family and friends the young mare was of a curious nature. Why did no one wish to remain too long at the carnival? What would she discover tonight? Flicker gave her tail and mane a good shake before progressing to the carnival entrance. What harm could come to her if she waited just inside? She could even get a feel for the atmosphere before her friends arrived.
Stepping through the arch that marked the entrance Flicker took in the empty appearance of the carnival ground. Where was everyone? She at least expected to see the various 'workers' getting preparations ready for the evening but there was not a soul around. Puzzled by this discovery Flicker sighed in exasperation. Just once she'd like it if things went the way she wanted them too. About to turn around and exit a small sliver of light filtered out from a tent to her left and caught her eye. What was this?
She moved closer to the tent before hearing a cacophony of voices inside. So this was where everyone apparently was.'It's probably an informative meeting,'she mused. Even now Flicker felt a small amount of guilt by eavesdropping on the workers inside. At first take she couldn't understand what was being said but as she continued to listen she realized what was going on and her horror grew.
"We need new attractions. We aren't drawing in the crowds we used to see,"stated a male.
"And just what do you suggest we do about that?"crooned a female's eerie voice.
The silence grew before a voice filled with authority ringed the interior of the tent. "We do what we have always done. We will create new attractions. We will choose from the crowds that attend over the next few nights. Each one of you is charged with singling out a victim and convert them into one of us. Do not be too obvious with your actions as we cannot draw too much negative attention to ourselves."
Murmurs of agreement met the speaker's idea and Flicker stood frozen in mute terror. As she tried to wrap her mind about what she had overheard Flicker's attention suddenly snapped to the tent entrance.
The flaps had been opened and she felt rather than saw the various sets of eyes on her form. There was a moment of silence before Flicker realized her predicament. She had failed to realize that during her eavesdropping workers had silently cut off any possible routes of escape. She pinned her ears back in defiance as the same authoritative voice spoke up.
"Didn't anyone tell you what happened to the Soquili that was consumed by curiosity. They tend to disappear rather quickly around here,"he chuckled softly before continuing to address the other members,"It looks like we have our first new member of the troupe. Who will take this rather inquisitive, but young mare under their guidance?"There was an undercurrent of maliciousness in that one simple question. Moments passed as Flicker once again felt those same eyes scan her, picking out her possible value to them. Finally after what seemed like an eternity a sibilant voice from behind Flicker spoke up."I believe that I will take this one. I have an excellent idea that I wish to test. She will become one of our star attractions. Oh yes, I can see it now."
This claiming broke the trance that seemed to hold Flicker in place and she eyes roamed steadily across those present before she reared. Her hooves flailed wildly as she screamed, "NO ONE WILL OWN ME. I HAVE FAMILY THAT WILL NOTICE I'VE DISAPPEARED!!!"
A ripple of amusement met her statement before the leader's voice penetrated her defiant statements.
"My dear by the time we are done with you not even your family will recognize who you are. It is rather futile to fight your new destiny. You are outnumbered and there is a type of mysticism at work in our carnival. You will find out rather soon what I mean. You formally belong to us now and will forever more."
As the voice spoke Flicker felt her resistance fade. Her eyes closed of their own accord as a strange lethargy came over her. Her limbs would not move when she commanded them too and an anxious whinny escaped from her. An area just below her neck began to burn with a vengeance. The sensation lasted a few minutes and Flicker could do nothing to ease the pain. When the pain stopped Flicker glanced down and saw that a red crescent moon had appeared where the pain had been.
"That mark is proof of my words. You have been assimilated into our carnival and you are now one of us. Now go with the Animal Handler and she'll take good care of you. Oh, and welcome to our family. You will be here for a long long time."
-
Flicker sighed. Being a new addition to this carnival was not at all pleasant. Trapped inside the Animal Handler’s tent day after day was not what she’d expected. The smell of the constantly burning incense irritated her senses. The food that was offered to her was the worst thing she'd ever tasted. It didn't help to try and graze either as nothing seemed to grow on the ground where the tent sat. She was constantly tired and hungry. It seemed as if the troupe was slowly but surely trying to break her spirit. Just how much longer she could go on like this was unknown. To Flicker the answer seemed unimportant. She just wanted to wake from this nightmare.
The night when she had been brought into hellish place replayed itself constantly in her mind. The leader's mocking laugh as she was led away and the subsequent meeting with the Animal Handler. She had been led into an incense-filled tent as rules were outlined for her new life here. Then came the questions. Endless ones about her family, her friends, her childhood and so on. The only reaction from the Animal Handler came when she learned Flicker's name. She had harrumphed before simply stating, "that name will have to go. Don't worry though. You'll be getting a new name soon enough."
This was the fact that bothered Flicker the most. These Soquili already had a plan in mind for her future. It terrified the mare. As she gazed at the moon through an opening in the tent Flicker hoped that somehow she'd be able to find a way out of this place.
-
That had been just a few days ago and Flicker was still trying to figure out just how to escape the carnival. Every time she attempted something the Animal Handler would mysteriously appear and put an abrupt end to her planning. Now she was wondering if it was worth it keep trying.
The young mare was also disappointed by her friends who had shown up the night of her capture. She had heard their voices through the tent and had tried calling out to them to help her. They had not recognized her voice at all when she tried to explain what had happened. Her story was met with mocking jeers before she couldn't take it. A tear had fallen as she turned away from the sounds of their laughter.
-
The moon was obscured by clouds on the final night of the carnival in its current location. Flicker glanced at the sky occasionally as she stood inside the Animal Handler's tent. The black clouds hiding the moon echoed the young mare's feeling of hopelessness. No one had apparently come looking for her here and after the debacle with not being recognized she'd taken to sulking silently. Being laughed at by those that she'd believed to be true friends had hurt the most.
She didn't even realize though that her appearance had changed ever so slightly since arriving here. The carnival's magic had silently altered her looks and speech pattern just enough so that she was unrecognizable. The inside of the tent didn't exactly have a lot of reflective surfaces that one could gaze into. With refusing the food given to her Flicker had weakened considerably. She now appeared to be a shell of the former spitfire that she once was. She didn't know it but all was going according to plan. Flicker sighed as she lowered herself to the ground to sleep. She no longer dreamed of escape. She didn't dream much at all anymore. Sleep was just a refuge from the nightmare she was living in.
-
A shadow drifted across the path of the fast asleep mare and voices whispered ever so softly.
"Will she be ready in time for our next stop?"
"I believe that the idea behind the transformation will be complete by then. It may take longer to train her though to perform. There will be considerable risk once she wakes into her new life but I believe I will be able to completely control her with my magicks. We've done a fine job of breaking her spirit so far. This will just be the last chapter of her old life. Time will be our ally during the metamorphosis."
Laughter floated in the air as the Animal Handler looked down at her next attraction. Soon a new star would rise on the horizon and the Blood Moon Carnival would prosper again. She sneered at the name her victim had given her on the first night."Say goodbye to your old life Flicker. Things are about to change. And just like I promised your name will be the first to go."
A New Friend and a Hellish Transformation
(( Terra's backstory pt 2 ))
Flicker cast an uneasy glance around at her new surroundings. The carnival had moved on from the location she'd been captured from. She'd woken up just that morning to realize that during the night when she had slept the carnival had picked up everything and moved. It was a frightening thought to the young mare. She'd been spirited away from everyone and everything that she had ever known. Now all that she apparently had to rely on was the carnival. What were the chances that they would let her go? Flicker used her hoof to paw at the ground. She knew that answer - none. It seemed as if Barker Hook's words from the night of her capture were a prophecy. She truly did belong to them now. Oh yes. Just because she was trapped it didn't mean that Flicker was the type to be uninformed. She'd heard people calling out names during the time she'd been held prisoner. It seemed as if Barker Hook was the ringleader for the carnival. There was still no other way for her to address the Animal Handler - and frankly Flicker didn't know if she wanted to find out any other names for her. That mare was just plain frightening; everything about the mare screamed danger. Her words still rang through Flicker's mind too. Just how did she plan to go about transforming Flicker into a rising star?
Sighing for what seemed like the thousandth time Flicker berated herself. Why did she have to be cursed with curiosity? None of this would have happened if she had just waited for her friends as she had been instructed. Thick wooden walls made up her new enclosure and she wasn't strong enough to free herself from this pen. Missed meals had taken its toll on her strength. She had actually been transferred to this barricaded isolation for her safety or so it had been explained to her as such. Lately though when the carnie in charge of her meals came by he was always dismayed to see that her meal had been left intact. That puzzled Flicker. Why? Did they actually seem to care now what happened to her? The meals themselves still looked rather unappetizing. But last night ... it had been a dish of oats and barley and fresh grass. Flicker had been too weak to investigate before it had been taken away but she was going to try and get to that dish tonight if it was at all possible. She needed her strength and wits to survive in this hellhole.
When the carnie entered that night though; Flicker was confused. The worker carried a covered bundle in his arms and not the food dish that she expected. The worker grinned at her and roughly dropped the item before retreating and locking her enclosure. The mare eyed the bundle before feeling her curiosity peak as the cloth shifted in movement. This was strange. What was going on? Flicker stared at the bundle as something once again moved underneath the cloth. Feeling helpless and not wanting another creature to be in distress the mare gently clamped the fabric in her mouth and pulled it away from whatever was causing the movement. What she found underneath shocked her. It was a bat. The creature looked like it was uninjured and Flicker couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Why would they leave a bat locked inside with her? Questions whirled around in her mind. What was the point behind this?
Flipping the cloth cover over Flicker caught sight of strange scratch marks and she gritted her teeth as she began to wonder just what was going on. Flicker's gaze flicked between the bat and the cloth before shaking her head. If these people thought that she'd be a part of their carnival ... they had another thing coming. She'd not prance around in front of strangers if she could help it. Flicker sighed and knelt down before gently nosing the bat. While she wouldn't be happy with the choices being laid out for her she could not begrudge the little creature currently sniffing around the walls of their prison. A small smile graced her features as she let her eyes close. A brief sensation of scrambling claws along her skin had Flicker opening her eyes as the bat clambered over her body. She gently shifted her body and watched the bat through heavy-lidded eyes. Maybe having a companion for now wouldn't be so bad.
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