[PRP] A Walk To Remember...(Vlad/Hipelagan/Wither)

[Artymus]

--"Aw, c'mon ya big baby!", Krampus called to the stallion following him. "It's not like there's anything around for miles! Besides, even if there is something, I'll just give 'em the ol' one-two!", he said, stabbing the air with his horns, which made his bone mask flap on and off his face.
--The black pronghorn was as full of himself as ever. His bonded, not so much. Vlad was actually pretty big, and kind of scary-looking, which is part of what led Krampus to talk him into their bonding. But, the real reason was because Vlad was such a nervous wreck, and Krampus had decided he'd needed helping. He hadn't realized that his "helping" really just made things worse...at first. After a while, he'd decided to run with it, and begin scaring the living daylights out of Vlad in the hopes he would toughen up...or fight back...or something. Unfortunately, all he did was cower, or run.
--"B-but, Krampus! W-what if "the ol' one-two" doesn't work? What....what if they eat you?!", Vlad replied, ending his question in a whisper. He didn't want to think about if that happened. As much as Krampus tortured him, constantly popping out from random places to scare him, or putting things in his food, or making spooky noises, it was still better than being alone. Krampus stood up for Vlad when he couldn't (wouldn't) stand up for himself. Vlad knew that his familiar's words and actions were his way of trying to help. If Vlad had to be honest with himself, he'd come a ways since meeting the little weirdo. He didn't jump and scream every time Krampus snuck up on him anymore. Maybe every three out of five.
--Krampus snorted. "Whaddaya mean, "doesn't work"?! It works every time!", the pronghorn boasted. Vlad smiled at that. Yeah, works on their knees, maybe, he thought. He'd never say that to him though. Vlad was actually glad that Krampus had the self-esteem he himself didn't possess. Watching Krampus had made him feel like he could be that way too...one day. Just, not today.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Artymus

Wither gave a long low snort from his nostrils. He was constantly searching for something. The stallion didn't know what it was he wandered for or why. He did know that every time he found something living, he attacked it. He continued to attack until it was either dead or ran away that he couldn't follow any more. He had followed a prey for days sometimes. One of the heads that constantly floated around him, came up and made a soft hissing noise. He moaned back as his white eyes turned.

There was something here. He was going to find it. Wither let out a long, loud moan as he began to move through the forest. Let the hunt begin.
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Over head in another part of the forest, a matched pair darted among the upper branches of the trees. Hipelegan darted and dove as fast as she could. Being much larger than her familiar gave the little hummingbird much better advantage in this field. In a straight out race, she could outpace the tiny hummingbird. Speed was in her element and loving it. She gave a twittering laugh as she dove between a couple tiny branches. "Don't let them hit you in the face!"

Hipelegan laughed as she twisted her slim form among the branches. It didn't matter to the pair who won or lost. As long as they both got to go fast that was all that mattered. The mare was glad her mane and tail were short as the branches tried to reach out and snag her.  

[Artymus]

--Vlad tilted his head this way and that, thinking he heard something amid the din of normal forest noises. He wasn't entirely sure, though. Krampus was still talking, more loudly now, of how he could beat up anyone who tried to challenge them. He stopped to listen harder, letting Krampus get a little ahead of him. The prong just chattered away, talking animatedly, moving this way and that on the path ahead of him as he demonstrated his "skills" to a squirrel in a tree. "Yeah! Hey Vlad. Did I ever tell you I was the strongest in my herd?" The little prong stopped and turned sidelong towards Vlad, puffing out his chest in an attempt to look intimidating. The mask did most of that work, usually. And his tail. But whenever he tried to look bigger, he just looked silly. Vlad smiled, and even though he had heard the stories, many times over by now, he replied, "No, I don't think you did."
--Before Krampus could launch into the tale for the thousandth time, something streaked by overhead. Both heads snapped up immediately, Krampus moving around to defend Vlad if he needed to. It wouldn't be the first time someone had tried to mess with the big goof, and it probably wouldn't be the last. He didn't need to look behind him to know that Vlad would have a worried look on his face. You'd think that a stallion of his size would be intimidating. If Vlad could ever just put a mean look on his face and speak in a rougher manner, Krampus was sure it would solve a lot of his problems. But, he knew the hippogryph was too kind, and honest, for that.
--As they both scanned the sky, Vlad heard it again, he was certain this time. It was...a moaning sound. Was someone hurt? He couldn't pin point the exact place it had come from. Somewhere from his right, perhaps, but it was still a bit farther off. His claws began gouging the dirt in his anxiety. He didn't like this. Things blurring through the sky, strange moans. The sooner they were out of this forest, the better. "Let's keep-", he'd begun to whisper to Krampus, but the little prong shrieked, all four feet leaving the ground as he nearly leapt out of his skin. He'd heard the moaning, too. It had unnerved the usually unflappable prong, and he hated it. Vlad was the nervous nelly, here! Not him! After a few calming breaths, he turned to Vlad, and said "Let's keep moving", his voice softer than it had been before. Hopefully, they wouldn't have enemies on two fronts. Or any fronts. Krampus hated to admit it, but maybe Vlad was right to be afraid of things sometimes.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Artymus

He was not the quietest of beasts when he moved and hunted. Particularly as he sensed he was getting closer and closer to his prey. There was a loud voice coming from up ahead and it egged him forward. Wither let out a series of long low moans. His floating heads, echoing his noises, softer but still clearly audible.

The black stallion came into sight of his quarry at last. He reared up with a loud groan. His dead white eyes now locked onto his prey. A large black and red stallion with feathers, lots of feathers.

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Hipelagan wasn't really paying attention to what went on below her. The pair was usually up in the air, out of reach of anything land bound. She felt they were probably faster than most things in the air anyhow, so she wasn't one to worry. As she came out of a dive and a roll, she spotted a striking stallion down on the ground. His striking black and red feathers easily catching her eyes. She hovered a moment to admire him.

While she hovered, another black stallion emerged from the trees. Something about him sent a shiver up her back. Speed came zipping back to her side to see what the hold up was. Something was about to happen and the pair of females held their breaths.  

[Artymus]

--It was on them before either could think! Krampus and Vlad turned at the same moment, the sounds of moans and breaking brush catching their attention. Vlad took a sharp breath, but it was Krampus who was screaming, his high-pitched keening enough to wake the dead. Although, Vlad was pretty sure that they were about to be dead anyways. Both were frozen in fear, watching their big black scary doom come closer. Underneath the panic, Vlad felt something in his mind trying to take action, trying to fight through the fog of fright and do something. Anything. He had no idea what to do, though. He didn't want to be...eaten? Yeah, probably eaten. And what were those floating things?! Man, this is horrible, he thought. He knew he couldn't outrun this stallion with the glowing eyes, and weird floaty things. Krampus was definitely no help.
--Now that the scream had died off, the little prong stood beside his bonded, shaking uncontrollably, apparently also at a loss for words. Well, at least Vlad wasn't going to have to go out listening to the prong talk smack.

magnadearel

I am so sorry, life ate me. ;-; heart

 

[magnadearel]

Artymus

Some of his prey stood to fight. Some of his prey turned and ran. Some of his prey simply stood there. This stallion was among the latter group. This would be an easy kill for him this day. Sometimes he liked them to try to fight back. He could watch the moment when they realized they couldn't win. Sometimes he liked the chase and pursuit the runners gave him. Depending upon how fast he chased, one could last days. And other times he liked them just standing there. Occasionally these would beg and pled for their lives. Not that it affected him any.

Wither bore down upon his prey intent to rend him limb from limb. He didn't notice the others watching from above.

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It quickly became clear the stallion and his familiar were pretty much frozen in fear. Hipel was glad when the prong stopped his screaming. "Get them to move!" She shouted at Speed. The hummingbird would get to the pair faster than she could. Hipel rowed her wings to get some forward momentum then plunged towards the eerie black stallion. She pulled up and beat around him with her wings to distract and provide time for the others to escape.

Speed lived up to her name. She zipped down towards the two frozen. "Up Up! Fly! Run you fool!" She buzzed around their heads and pecked their ears with her needle sharp beak to snap them out of their daze.  

[Artymus]

--Vlad was broken out of his panic, first by something sharp poking around his ears, and a little voice calling him a fool. He shook his head to ward off this new affront, his mind a whirlwind. Up? Fly? Vlad didn't fly. He'd tried as a foal, but had never gotten the hang of it. But, that was where their attacker wouldn't be able to reach them, wasn't it? It had only been mere seconds, but Vlad felt as if time slowed while he watched their defender trying to give them an escape. He knew he couldn't let this newcomer die for him and his annoying friend.
--Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves (which were eternally shot now, this was just too much excitement for one day), Vlad quickly stepped up to Krampus, and screeched an apology as he reared up on his hind legs to wrap the prong around the belly with his foreclaws. He felt his back claws score the earth beneath him as he gathered his legs to spring into the air, unfurling his wings. Truthfully, he wasn't sure this would work; he had virtually no practice flying. But, he was willing to try anything right now. It was better than just waiting to be torn limb from limb. And eaten. He really didn't want to be eaten. He screwed his eyes closed tight, and leapt into the air.
--When he leapt, Vlad felt something within him kick in. His wings beat against the air furiously as he did his best to propel them away from danger, and with his eyes still shut tight, he called over his shoulder to their rescuers, "HURRY!". He would feel horrible if they didn't get the chance to get away because of he and Krampus, who was screaming hysterically again.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" This was the worst day Krampus had ever had. His hooves were meant to stay on the ground! And now, he was soaring through the air at speeds no prong should ever go, being held onto like a prize ham. He was surprised he hadn't thrown up with how forcefully Vlad had shot them into the air, but at least he wasn't about to be eaten. He was too pretty to eat.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Artymus

uh sorry for the long wait. XD We can pick this back up if you're interested.

There was another voice from up above, but Wither paid no mind to it until a pair of black and red wings beat around his head. At first he was confused. It rush and whirled the wind around his head and blocked his sight, but didn't actually harm him. His floating heads made little noises of echoing confusion. He lost track of his prey and after several moments of no pain, he snapped at the whirling wings. While his teeth closed on empty air, he could feel the feathers brush against his muzzle. He had just barely missed.

The stallion moaned again and reared up to take another snap at the creature now harassing him. This wasn't how it was suppose to go. He was the one who was meant to do the harassing. Between the wingbeats, Wither could sense something was happening with his prey, who was no longer standing there tamely. He let out an angry growl as the stallion and his familiar launched into the sky. Out of his reach. For now. They would have to land somewhere, some time. He would continue to hunt them down. Eventually he would find his prey and finish the hunt.

In anger at losing his prey to the sky, he focused on the creature still beating around his head. It was a mare, using her wings to stir up dirt and leaves to blind him. He snarled angrily at her for coming between him and his prey. Once more he lunged at her wings, hoping to bring her to the ground where he could finish her off instead.

WC: 268

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It wasn't normally like her to be brave or step in for someone else. Hipel didn't understand these feelings and right now she didn't really have time to process them all. She just like being free and flying wherever she wanted to go. Once they were all clear of this situation, she promised herself a long moment to think over what had actually happened. And maybe why.

For now she was focused upon keeping out of reach of the dark stallion and distracting him. It was working a little too well as she felt her feathers brushing against his head several times as he tried snapping at her wings. If he should get lucky and grab one he could easily pull her to the ground and then who knew what would happen. Probably nothing she wanted to find out. Hipel heaved a sigh of relieve as from the corner of her eye she spotted the winged stallion grabbing the proghorn and taking to the air.


Speed buzzed back and forth urgently as the stallion started to move. She watched as he grabbed the idiotic proghorn and leaped into the sky. With them up in the air finally, she could get her friend out of danger. She whizzed around the landbound stallion and jabbed her beak right into his rump. It'd be a lot harder for him to grab her than her friend, which would give Hipelagan time to get away herself without being open to attack. She whipped around and jabbed him again and again.

WC: 255