Family Ties [Open]

[Deleted]

Eydis

'Gods save me...' Despite the seasons finally shifting from Summer to Autumn, the desert was still nearly unbearable. At least to the thickly muscled roan mare that now made her way across the shifting sands. Her large hooves acted almost like snow shoes to keep her from sinking too far into the loose granules but climbing and descending the various dunes was still enough to leave a heavy sheen of sweat on her neck, shoulders, and chest. Even though it was still just mid-morning, Eydis was roasting. 'I'm not cut out for this.'

A wild hair had struck her a few days ago and she had left the comforts of the free lands to come south. And for some reason that led her to the desert. The first day hadn't been so bad. She'd enjoyed the heat compared to the Autumn chill in the north but now she was miserable. Sand stuck to her in all the wrong places, her thick black mane and tail were coarse and frizzing from dust and the heat, making her even warmer, and she was tired of getting sand in her nose and eyes whenever the wind picked up. What kept her going had been the promise of an oasis waiting somewhere ahead of her. At least she'd hoped the horses she'd passed had been honest and not sending her to her death. She swore if they had played her false, she'd find them and smash their skulls in.

The large mare stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other horses here. Tall and heavyset, she didn't have the lithe build of a desert horse nor the thickness of a mountain horse. She danced the line between the two, although perhaps leaning towards the heavier side. She could be seen as an imposing figure with thick, feathered legs and a well-muscled neck and chest. She was not what one would imagine if thinking of your average, pretty mare. She had gained that trait from her father, she knew. Although she'd only met him a few sparing times, she could easily see the family resemblance between the two with the slight Roman curve to her nose to her god awful temper. Not to mention the humor and usually kind nature. She was her father's daughter, as her mother had always said.

Finally by late afternoon she'd reached the oasis as promised. As soon as she saw the clear water glimmering in the sunlight, she used the last bit of energy she had to gallop headlong towards it, hooves sliding and spraying sand as she went before finally leaping gracefully into the pool with an enormous splash.

[Silver]

How could having everything you wanted lead to feeling so lost? Juno crossed the sand with a head full of confusing feelings. Her lithe body was hardened by the sands and molded by the desert sun, and she was what most would call a beauty. Her eyes could pierce through the soul, some said, and she was the most headstrong out of all of Angelus’ children. She also had no desire to simply be a princess, traded off to the other herds of the homeland. She knew what she wanted, and she knew that somehow she would get it...but then, there was the matter of her mother. Nakita was the First Wife of the King, and yet her mind was as frail as a flower. No wonder Angelus had picked Regina for his Queen rather than his mate.

She was also confused about the feelings that bubbled always around the surface. They concerned Tonto, in all of his quiet, handsome glory. Juno glanced back at the canyon wistfully; it was a constant reminder of him, the red stone and the crevasse that rested just beyond them. Juno sighed and turned back to her destination - the Bridonna Oasis. It was the home of the main part of the desert herd, and one could often find the entire herd resting at its shores. And yet it was autumn, so the desert was cooling down. The mares would often find their own private oasis’ if only just to get away from the constant noise and attention of, well, everyone. Juno was looking forward to home though. The past few days had been more than stressful.

She was almost upon the very large span of palm trees and its very large watering hole when she heard the splash. The filly chuckled to herself, thinking that perhaps Lacey and Andromeda were frolicking in the water. Easing to a trot, she maneuvered around the palm trees and shrubs before coming to the water’s edge, where she was greeted with a sight that she hadn’t expected. A very large horse was bathing in the desert herd’s watering hole. A very large horse that she’d never seen before, what was more. Drawing herself up, Juno gazed at the stranger. “You’re a bit large to be native,” she commented flatly.

ooc: so juno came in instead of angelus. xD
word count: 380+
tag: eydis
muse: sam tsui

[Deleted]

Eydis

The water was cool but not unbearably so. More than anything it was refreshing. Eydis was nearly feeling herself again as she felt the sand run free of her coat and the water soaked into her mane and tail. She was not deep enough to have to swim and instead trotted about, enjoying the water cresting about her muscled chest. She paused at one point to drop her mouth to the water and drink. Initially she hadn't realized how thirsty she was until the water hit the back of her throat and suddenly she couldn't stop sucking it down until it felt as though her stomach would burst. Finally lifting her dripping muzzle from the surface, Eydis looked about the area for the first time. When she first arrived, she had been so focused on the relief that awaited her in the pool that she had never even given a glance to the surrounding area.

Thankfully she hadn't blindly charged into a meeting of the herd here. That would only have been a little embarrassing. Turning and walking back to the edge of the pool, she took in the sights and sounds that the desert oasis had to offer. It truly was a beautiful and peaceful place. It more than made up for the trip that had been such a pain in the ass to get here.

Before she could step out of the pool, however, the roan mare heard a voice and stopped. Looking about, she saw a pure black filly stepping out of the brush. It was glaringly obvious that she was made for this place. A petite thing with skinny little legs. The lack of meat on her bones would require less sustenance and make her much faster. Eydis would crush her if she sat on her. Her ears flicked back and forth as she listened to what the filly had said. 'Calling me fat, are ya, twig neck?' She thought, bristling slightly. Eydis was not a delicate mare, she had known for a long time. She had also known that her frame was not one that was entirely desirable to the majority of stallions but it had never bothered her. She knew it was something that she could never change. And she'd even had the luck to meet a stallion that had appreciated her frame when she was in her younger years. Together they'd borne a son, but Eydis did not like to think about that part of her past. All that mattered to her was that it had occurred and perhaps another stallion would prove himself worthy.

Realizing she had gone on a bit of a tangent in her thoughts, Eydis searched for something quick to say. "What a phenomenal observation, child."

'Nailed it.'

[Silver]

Juno’s ears flickered at the comment that was so glaringly snide. It took all of her strength to refrain from a snarky retort, but she was supposed to be representing her herd. She was representing the King of the Sands: her father. The filly was determined not to let him down. Slowly and delicately she picked her way closer to the shore. Her head was slimmer and her nose curved in the opposite direction of this mare. Juno was curious; she’d never seen such a large horse before. Sure, there were those in the herd who were bigger boned than she was, but none to this degree. Tonto forgotten (for the moment), she tilted her head in an effort to see the other equine better.

“Child?” The word was so unfamiliar to her now that she repeated it as a question. With Nakita in such a delicate place, Juno had been more of an adult in her small family that her own mother. It was unusual for anyone to call her a child, not when she was around her own family. Slowly she was growing into her curves, and she was not far off of participating in the dream ritual that was required of all followers of the Black God when they turned three. Sure, she wasn’t looking forward to the scar (her father had one on the inside of his own leg), but what had to be done would be. The filly stopped walking just before the edge of the water and regarded the strange equine. “I’m a child in body, rather than soul,” she clarified. “May I ask what you’re doing in my family’s oasis? It’s supposed to be rather hard to find.” This was true - the Bridonna Oasis was located in the middle of a large stretch of desert; horses without having adapted often didn’t make it this far. Juno looked again the the mare. Perhaps there was something special about this giant if she managed to make it all this way on her own.

ooc: ---
word count: 340+
tag: eydis
muse: ---

[Deleted]

Eydis

'Brat.' Was all that crossed the mare's mind when the filly responded. While she wasn't exactly expecting a golden carpet to be laid out before her for her arrival she'd at least expected a more polite conversation than what this was turning out to be. First the black creature had called her fat and was now trying to tell Eydis that she, the filly, was wiser than she looked. Eydis laughed outright laughed at that. Trotting from the water now, still smiling, she took a better look at the filly. She was coming to the cusp of adulthood but it was all in body rather than mind from what she could tell. It would take quite a few various experiences for Eydis to consider her a true adult, should they meet again after this.

Shaking the loose water from her coat, Eydis straightened with a snort and fixed the filly with her brown gaze. "You say what you want but so far it's apparent to me that you think a bit too highly of yourself. Maybe when you've had a few more years I'll believe you." She stayed calm and matter-of-fact. She had no intention of starting a fight with a babe but it was also not in her to cater to a horse with too much pride no matter the age. You get more flies with honey than vinegar or whatever old proverb applied to this situation. "As far as finding this place, I'd heard tell of its existence and a few passing nomads were so kind as to give me directions. From there it was up to me." 'Why, do you think I'm stupid along with being fat?' Her ears flicked back just long enough for the thought to pass through but otherwise stood neutrally.

[Silver]

This mare was downright confusing. Juno cocked her head to the side and blinked a few times, utterly confused by the sarcastic tone that had leaked into the mare’s voice. She hadn’t been insulting - stating things as they were was something that she’d done for her entire life, and never had a horse reacted in this way. The filly ignored the jibe about her maturity, knowing that the mare couldn’t ever know what she’d been through and what her thoughts were like. It was curious though, that the mare had actually found her way to the oasis on her own. Sure, directions were helpful, but the Bridonna was the only one of its kind for miles - which was why it was so protected from others. Most horses couldn’t make it from the nearest small oasis to the lush foliage of this one, but not for lack of trying. It was simply too far without water for most horses to make it. There was a trick to it, but a horse had to make it though the mirages in order to find the real place instead of getting lost.

The fact that a mare with so much on her - who would probably require loads more water to sustain her - had made it to the Bridonna... Well that was impressive. Juno bobbed her head with respect. “You must be clever to have made it here without a guide. Few horses ever do.” She relaxed into a standing position, cocking one of her hind hooves to rest it. She was well aware by now that the mare hadn’t expected someone like her; that was usually the case with newcomers. They never wanted to chat with a princess - instead they wished to speak with a king. “I suppose you were expecting my father, rather than me,” she said. The idea that her father might have been less inviting had crossed her mind, but new horses never thought that. They wanted always to meet the king himself.

ooc: ---
word count: 330+
tag: eydis
muse: ---