[PRP] A Rising Storm (Vasire, Casalure, Widowmaker)

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

((This is a private RP featuring the following ponies of myself (~Latonia de la Courtel~) and DarkenWoodWolf.))




Teepee Links: Latonia // Darken

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

The crackle of frost under hoof made the filly wince, freezing for a moment as she waited for the disapproving chime of the nearest adult. When no one called her back she stepped forward again, sinking now and again into pockets in the snow or crackling over ice crystals buried in the fluffy white. It was starting to melt away, slowly, as Spring extended gentle fingers over the land. Overhead the branches were quivering, dumping the white weight of ice crystals and snow onto the ground as they prepared to unfurl green shoots or delicate buds. Some of the heartier vines already seemed to be awakening, snaking bright-green and quick over still-slumbering trunks as though they hoped to gain an advantage before the trees awoke in truth.

“I can’t wait for spring to spring.” The filly muttered as she skidded across a sheet of ice and half-fell into a snowbank. “It’s hard enough to disguise a trail in winter when you can count on snow to cover it… But in spring you have to worry about falling through ice and leaving a clear trail and making too much noise and… So many things.”

Evading the disapproving gaze of her family was becoming more and more of a challenge, but Casalure Duskbringer managed because she was (for the most part) a highly motivated filly. For all that wandering was a well-known trait in the family, it wasn’t precisely approved when expressed by the foals outside of their relative’s protective watchfulness. But wandering within the family territory was terribly dull, when there wasn’t a puzzle or a game involved, and Cassie had already solved the ones her mother and elder brother had left for her to find.

She was pretty sure Zei had solved a few of his own, and maybe she’d be upset that she hadn’t found those clues, once she discovered whatever his rewards had been, but there was no guessing that right now. Besides, Zei was alright, as brothers went. He deserved his own entertainments, particularly if he could find them before she did.

“Though, it may very well have been Adamant that did the finding? For who really knows anything about Adamant, aside from Zei? Not like he would tell, anyway.” The filly sighed and cast a glance upwards, searching for the dusk-blue and soft-green jay that was her constant companion. “Talfryn? Where are you, anyway?”

She’d sent him off to seek out Arioso and ask if her nephew would visit to share some stories with her, but he had yet to return with the answer. Which probably meant that Arioso was wandering too, and making life difficult for Tal, but that couldn’t be helped. Likely enough he’d catch up with her in time, he was familiar enough with her wandering ways.

“Hurry up, Tal, or you’ll miss the adventure.”

Word Count: 472

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

“What to do with myself today? Trekking through a frigid nowhere certainly wasn’t the entertainment I was hoping for.” No longer under his mother’s watchful eye or his father’s tutelage, an ill-tempered and restless Widowmaker meandered his way through the woods, rumbling in annoyance each time his hooves sank into the snow and he found himself up to his hocks or knees in frigid white. Snapping his tail in annoyance he dragged himself out of yet another mushy, chilled pit and scrabbled to firmer ground. Ahead of him a path curved out of sight, largely snow-free. With a pleased grin the colt lifted a foot to stride forward, and promptly found himself half-buried in a freshly fallen load of snow.

“Oh for the love of-!” The colt snarled, dragging himself free of the biting white crystals and shaking flakes out of his mane and tail. “I hate this stuff, and this place. Perhaps I should have stayed to the fields until the snow was gone, found rabbits to terrorize or something…”

The sound of hoof steps down the trail made him pause, canting his head to better focus on the direction. They were light strides, though not as quiet as paws, and without the rasp-scratch he recognized for claws. Ahead and around the curve, by the sound of it, coming from the direction he’d been headed to and not the one he was from. So then, a child of whatever herd lived here? Or a traveler from somewhere else. Either way, it might be entertaining, if he could be free of the white mush and get to whomever was out there.

‘Maybe they’ll be entertaining enough to make me forget the cold…’ Widowmaker mused, flicking his tail and narrowing his white, glowing eyes. He tossed his head, his blood-red and shadow colored horn slicing through the air and glinting in the weak sunlight. ‘Or I can make them be entertaining enough, perhaps…’

Slinking off of the trail to lurk behind a wall of bushes, Widow crouched slightly and fixed his glittering eyes on the bend of the trail. The quiet sound of steps was slowly increasing, which meant he wouldn’t have to wait long before they came into sight. He’d need a few minutes to come up with a plan of a kind, though that was quickly derailed when the filly stepped into sight. She was all soft colors and glowing eyes and conveniently distracted.
He wondered what blood would look like spilling down her shoulder and staining her coat. ‘Maybe she’d be more interesting as a practice to hurt and heal… Since she’s not a unicorn and it’s not like she could take care of herself.’

Stepping out of the brush, he grinned as he watched the filly stumble to a halt. “Hello… Who are you?”

Word Count: 467

 

[DarkenWoodWolf]

Vasire loved many things about himself, that much was true. Right at the moment, he was overly fond of his paws. He was traveling alone, as he always was, but he was aware of how the Soquili with hooves floundered in the snow, sinking in, cutting through the powder and the ice. Where they faltered, he found himself moving with ease. His paws spread wide, the fur keeping him from sinking. He could prance over the drifts and the banks and slide smoothly over the ice without a single misstep. It was a delight to watch older, heavier, or more 'fleet footed' of the Soquili he had come across, fall when he did not.
Maybe it was a little mean, but it was funny, and he could laugh if he wanted. Sometimes it was all that he wanted. To laugh, to have a reason to laugh. A real reason to laugh.

It wasn't like he had anyone to laugh with, being alone for as long as he could remember. And most others didn't find anything funny in his sense of humor. It made him stay away from those he might have found companionship with, maybe even kept him from finding a family of his very own to cling too. Most of the time, he liked being free of the constraints of family, of their expectations, of their rules.
Still, some time, it was just hard to be alone, at least as alone as he was.

Shaking himself out of those thoughts, he knocked into a tree, letting the snow fall on him, relishing the bite of the cold and wet, letting himself shiver before he shook the snow off. It clung to him, though, and he had an idea to roll around in it, cover himself in white so he could be invisible to everyone. Not that he expected to see anyone, but maybe he could spook some unsuspecting adult. It would be amusing at the very least.

After he had managed to get as much of himself coated as possible, save for his very bright horns. But those could be mistaken as very bright trees, perhaps. He was grinning from ear to ear. though, amused despite everything else.

He would have his fun. Possibly. Maybe. Vas spied a trail of broken snow and decided to follow it, hoping it would lead him somewhere fun, at the very least. He stalked the trail silently, making up stories in his head about who he was following, trying to make the things he was seeing make sense. His quarry, if he could go that far, was small, like him, so maybe a foal or a Usidia or something. Hooves, he thought, not paws like him, not as much grace in the snow. How interesting.

Vas moved as quietly as he could, eager for something to happen, even though he knew that the trail he was following could be hours old and he would never see the one who made it. Still, it was thrilling to at least pretend.

Word Count: 506  

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Cassie sighed to herself as she floundered and flailed and surged her way through yet another –chest-deep patch of snow. Finding clear, solid ground uphill was a blessing, allowing her to stop and shake the clinging crystals and flakes from her coat. Her breath steamed warmly, a soft silver cloud just past the end of her muzzle heralding the fact that spring was taking its sweet time in doing anything of help.

“Can’t hardly hide a trail, can barely sneak, chills all over.” Cassie grumbled under her breath, snorting and stomping to get some feeling back in her feet. “Definitely need practice with this, maybe Arioso can tell me how. But ugh, practice definitely means a lot more of me being cold! Thank goodness you’re on the way out, winter, I’m tired of sinking every time I take a step. At least if I had paws or claws I could spread ‘em out and walk over the snow… But no, with hooves you sink. With hooves you have to wade through it. I hate this fluffy white stuff. Clearly it was meant to-”

The sudden sound of a stranger’s voice made her spin, sending a cascade of snow flinging off her shoulders and tail. She was face to face with a Unicorn colt, her age or younger by the look of him. Still, he was muscular enough, probably used to forging through the snowbanks, built stronger than she was. Then again that could be because he was older, or a colt, or with draft or warhorse blood… Compared to him, Cassie was slight, graceful like her mother. Delicate.

‘Well, not graceful in snow, but momma says that takes practice.’ She admitted in the back of her mind, eyeing the colt’s white-glowing eyes with apprehension.

His eyes weren’t kind like the glows of her family, caring cool light to lead her home. This was different, frigid like the ice under hoof, biting. Between that and the fact that his horn was night black and blood red, she felt tension course through her. He didn’t seem like a friend, even if his coat was shades of wheat and gold and he didn’t overly appear dangerous. But he was, she could almost feel that he was, marching like ice ants all down her spine.

A low note of music, angry and discordant, verging on violent.

“I don’t speak to strangers, excuse me.” She murmured briskly and stepped sideways away from him, refusing to give her back. “This isn’t your homeland, you should go before my herd mates find you. They do not take kindly to trespassing.”

It was a weak bluff at best. Casalure knew she too was outside of her herd territory, and though the land was unclaimed that merely meant that all matter of folk were free to wander here, dangerous or not. Claimed territory might make a Skinwalker or a Kalona hesitate if they meant idle harm but feared the strength of a herd… But neutral lands between claimed territories were free passage for all, and she was right in the middle of that with no allies on hand.

Great.

Word Count: 520

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

The filly was so busy grumbling and muttering to herself that she didn’t even notice him at first. He let her shake herself free of snow, idly noting the glowing of her eyes and hooves and the strange markings scattering her coat, before he spoke. The moment his voice registered she froze, eyes wide and startled. So then, prey. She had already marked herself as such, timid or weak or young, whatever it was, she was scared of him. Good, she should be. Most things in the woods right now should be. He was the son of a proud Kalona stallion, a long-standing family. Warriors. Hunters. And she? She was obviously nothing. Lesser. Weak and scared and timid and so alone. Even as she tried to convince him otherwise, he only curled his lip and sneered at her.

“Foolish little filly.” He laughed softly, white eyes glinting as he drifted a stride or two closer. He didn’t want to spook her into a chase just yet. The best sport were an entertaining mental and physical challenge. First he needed to ascertain if she’d be of use in the former, before he spurred her into the latter. “These here are free lands, unclaimed lands. Used by traveler and hunter alike, these paths are for all who wish to wander. There are claimed lands and held territories some leagues in either direction, this is true. The herds in this area are somewhat varied, mixed blood for the most part, and settled in their ways. Sufficient to hold their own territory. But even they do not mind those who do not mind them, when it comes to the free lands. So where have you wandered to that you think it’s close enough to offer you protection now? I wonder, I wonder.”

He took a few casual, drifting strides in her direction, making a show of glancing around. “I see no marks on the trees indicating this territory was claimed recently, which means this trail is still part of the free-wandering paths that wind between the lands claimed by herds. Certainly there is no protective adult waiting for you in the shadow of the tree then, because they always expect places such as this to be safe. To be free of threat, of harm or danger. But still, the do not often let foals wander for Skinwalker and Kalona and the like are a mobile lot. Yet, here you are, alone and unaccompanied. Why is that?”

He paused, tilting his head and grinning at her wickedly. “Do they not miss you, yet? Will they not miss you, if you simply vanish and never return? Why don’t we go play then, and see if anyone comes looking for you at all? I don’t think they will.. I doubt they’ll even notice if you’re never heard from again.”

Word Count: 472

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Wading her way through wintery sludge, Casalure Duskbringer paused to consider some of the herds she’d seen at a distance. Several of them wore caps or coats of feathers or fur, insulating themselves against wind and weather. Perhaps she’d have to look into getting one, if the winter snows insisted on lingering and hindering her spring wandering. She couldn’t stand to be trapped for two seasons, and until she learned to walk on air, the snow would tell tales too easily as to where she’d been wandering. Mama could catch her way easier in the winter than the late summer or fall. So she’d work on getting better at sneaking, and she’d hope for spring to hurry up already.

Of course, all that slid to the side as she stood poised in the snow hock-deep and faced with a stranger. A stranger that didn’t seem all that kind-willed, and instantly made the flesh down her spine creep. Flattening her ears, Cassie narrowed her own glowing eyes at the stranger and scooted sideways another step or two.

“Free lands or not, my herd mates will find me. They are not far behind and that is all you need to know.” She snapped. “So you should go away, and mind your own business. These lands may be unclaimed but that doesn’t mean you can hunt or hurt just because you will it so. You are not welcome here, and you should go back to wherever you came from if all you want is to have your way. This is not a place for you, and you shouldn’t go threatening just any traveler you come across. You might find yourself in over your head.”

She shifted restlessly, moving around and away from the colt as he spoke. “The whole of my herd wanders here regularly, so you should not use territory markers as a measure for such a thing. These lands are unclaimed by virtue of convenience, a good path between other held territories. I am a citizen of this place, a child of these herds, and therefore friends with those beyond my own family’s borders. You should trust that you are outnumbered and know better than to make any aggressive gestures. I will say it again, simply, so that you can be sure to understand. You should leave this place, and not return. There is nothing for you here.”

His words made her stiffen, eyes narrowing in a glare. “I will not play with you, I am not a toy. My family most certainly does know where I am, and they can easily find me. I don’t want to play with you, I just want you to leave me alone. Go away, and leave me alone.”

Word Count: 454

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

With so tempting a target, Widowmaker couldn’t quite help but pausing to consider the logistics of the matter. The filly was right there, standing alone, a tempting and easy target. She had no horns or spikes, no wings with which to flee him. Her hooves were dainty, regular things, with no sharp points or clever claws. She was, in most things, utterly ordinary. Possibly approaching dull.

But the glint of her eyes and the shine of her hooves were intriguing. Her eyes weren’t solid like his, but they gleamed bright and cheerful. Perhaps she inherited it from her kin, perhaps she was blessed by the spirits. Either way he was intrigued, wanted to know more about her and her kind. Separated from the band as she was, it didn’t much matter who her family was. If he could get her far away from here, beyond what she knew, there was a chance he could avoid and evade them entirely.

But how to manage it?

He grinned when she glared, toothy and taunting, and moved when she moved. It was easy to keep pace with her, to keep himself between her and the way they had come, hopefully where her herd remained. He could hear no sound of heavy hooves, no crack and snap of branches bent by the passage of larger bodies. It doesn’t seem as though she speaks truth, as though her family or her herd is following her. It’s more likely that she’s frisked off, left them behind and is trying to bluff him off. Or stall for time. Or both.

“You’re a foolish thing.” He sneered again, grinning wide and wicked. “I don’t think I shall listen to you, as you are not strong enough to make me. So my business is whatever I make it, and currently that includes you. And if there is no one here to enforce any law, then I can certainly do whatever I wish. So there is no need for me to leave, and every reason to stay.”

Widowmaker moved as she moved, hemming her in against a convenient trunk, driving her backwards into the un-ruffled snow and further away from the path she had left behind. She was easy to herd, wound up and defensive and sniping at him, so he gave a taunting grin to keep her riled. Maybe he’d snap his teeth at her to see if she startled, but for now he merely lashed his tail in short, cat like flicks.

“If the game are here, it is reason enough for me to stay. Currently annoying you is a highlight of my travels, and you’re so foolish it’s unwise to leave you alone. Heavens know what you’d do if left to your own devices. Walk right into a Kalona’s jaws, perhaps? Or a Skinwalker’s claws. Which is not to say that you won’t if I remain, because I certainly wouldn’t stop you, but it would certainly be entertaining to watch. If you’re going to be an idiot and march into the jaws of death, the least I can do is spend an enjoyable afternoon watching.”

Word Count: 518

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Cas did her best to stand straight and tall and stare disapprovingly at the colt before her, eyes narrowed in a glare as he swaggered closer. He moved with confidence like a predator would, used to hunting and being feared. She knew his type, knew stallions a dozen times scarier than he was. He was just a foolish foal, trying to pull something off when he felt opportunity had knocked. He couldn’t possibly know where or who her family was, but it wasn’t a far off guess to think she’d shaken them and gone out for a romp. So he wasn’t as clever as he wanted to be, but he wasn’t so stupid that it would make her life easy.

‘Mores the pity, really.’ She thought to herself with a flattening of her ears and a flick of her tail. ‘Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re the smartest one in the group, unless you are for sure the smartest one in the group.’

One of her brothers had taught her that… and it seemed like wisdom that was easy enough to recall. This one seemed clever but then again, she didn’t want to make the mistake, so. Well, she’d be extra careful, and remember the wisdom and advice of her brothers. And maybe, once she got out of this (if she got out of this), she’d be a little more careful with her wandering. She probably should have learned her lesson from the stories Arioso told, but mostly they just sounded like sweeping adventures when her nephew recounted them. And, well? Casalure wanted sweeping adventures of her own, preferably without a formidable opponent as Aveshar… Perhaps also with the added benefit of an ally, like Arioso had. But for now she was on her own, against someone relatively her same age, so it was up to her to handle this as best as she could.

‘Preferably without becoming lunch or a cautionary tale.’ Cas added with a snort. ‘Mama would never let me down. And she’d probably blame Arioso, which would make me feel bad. He gets into enough trouble on his own, he probably doesn’t want my help.’

Backing and skittering away from the colt, Cas did her best to keep her fearless expression and remain out of his reach. Keeping her haunches away from him and refusing to give him her back at least cut down his options to attack, if he wanted to charge her it would be head to head. Though for now, he seemed to prefer verbal sparring and attacking her confidence. Let him try, she had it in spades.

“You’re rude and out of your depth.” She sniped back, eyes narrowing. “This is not your homeland or your territory. You do not know me or mine, and you have no right or reason to speak to me as you do. You should go on your way and leave me and anyone else you come across alone, as we do not deserve to have to deal with the likes of you. Go home, whoever and whatever you are. Go back to people who have a whisper of a care for you.”

Word Count: 527

 

[DarkenWoodWolf]

Vasire was so intent on following the path that the sound of voices ahead actually startled him. As much as he had hoped, he didn't think that he would find whoever it was who left the trail. Vas knew he moved quicker than those that had to push through the snow, but still. He shook himself out of habit, slightly annoyed that most of the snow had fallen off of him already. He wouldn't blend in at all unless he took another roll in the snow.

His curiosity, though, was piqued and he didn't want to wait. It might mean running away from something big and scary later, but he had paws, he could fly over the snow. Sort of, anyway. So, sneaking as quietly as he reasonably could with his desire to know what was happening, Vas moved off the path slightly, moving around to flank the Soquili talking. Just because he was curious didn't mean he was careless, after all.

At first, all he saw was a fair colored Unicorn colt, apparently talking to a tree. Vas pinned his ears back at his tone, at what he was saying. Whoever it was that he couldn't see was obviously in some sort of trouble. This did not sound fun at all.

Creeping a little closer, he took note of the colt's white eyes, sparing a brief thought to wondering if the other was blind, but the colt certainly didn't act like he was. Interesting.

Of course, any and all thought of the colt fled when he saw who he had cornered against the tree.

She had glowing eyes too, the filly, but they were different. Alive with fire and annoyance at this intruder on her day. The markings on her pelt glowed too, but he only spared them a quick glance. It was her eyes that captured him, and suddenly he was very very unhappy that the other pale-eyed colt was the one who had her attention.

Stepping out with an exaggerated swagger, Vasire pasted on his most winning smile, the one that made even the angriest adults falter for a moment, just long enough for him to get away from them.

"Now, I think she said to leave her alone." He drawled, stepping forward, paws making no sound on the snow. "If the lady wants to wander in the woods, it's no business of yours, eyeless. No business of mine either, but...," he laughed softly. "Here I am."

Vas was still advancing, slowly. So so slowly.

"So why don't you walk away before she makes you hurt, hmm?" He had no doubt the little filly would make the colt hurt, even if she didn't win the fight. She did not look like someone who would go quietly into that good night. Vas found himself grinning instead.

Word Count: 468