Vespera walks in another mare’s skin, a goddess remade into mortal flesh. Her hair is dull, her coat a plain grey, her eyes an innocent brown. But inside, it is Vespera’s mind that spins and Vespera’s heart that beats like a trapped bird within the cage that is her chest. It is a strange thing, being mortal.
She walks besides @Theodosia, the other horses disappearing behind them. The way to the court isn’t long, but each step seems to take an eternity. For most of the journey she is silent, her thoughts turning over slowly in her mind.
Until the first gopher appears.
Technically he is the second - the first lies on the pegasus’ back - but he is the first of the many to come. He crawls slowly from his hole, watching silently, almost knowingly, as the pair pass.
Then they pass a second, and a third. Before they know it, a whole host of gophers have taken up their trail, wandering along in their wake. As the two horses arrive in the Court, they bring the gophers with them.
“Hello?” Vespera calls, her voice as plain as her outward appearance. Would anyone come to help them?
The goddess of the caretakers certainly hoped they would.
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After the gopher is first discovered, Vespera disguises herself as a mortal to bring the creature to the Dusk Court for healing. As they walk, a few guests join them - it would seem all of the gophers have joined their pilgrimage. What is going on? And what do they want?
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They had pulled him out of the great hall, the two Halcyon cadets with their shorn manes and the bright markings on their wings, but for a few moments the king’s thoughts lingered with Calliope.
Their meeting had begun as unexpectedly and ended as abruptly as their last, and he was sorry for it; when, he thinks, would he ever be able to speak with her fully? Or would it always be like this - his confession, his burning question, and then an interruption?
But all those thoughts are pushed away when he sees the gophers.
It is not at all what he had expected and for a moment the bay stallion only stands, nonplussed. At first his gaze lingers on Theodosia - once again a savior, a helper, and he reminds himself to tell her to get some rest (he cannot afford to lose her, cannot afford to lose any of them). But then his dark eyes move to the stranger, and something in him jumps as at a friction shock.
He does not know her -
does he?
There is no time, though, to wonder; there are stranger things yet to come. At the scuffle of movement, the sea of brown furry bodies, Asterion furrows his brow. Already their halls were full of beasts, of teeth and claw and feathers.
Are you not a beast, too? Cirrus chides him, from somewhere above.
Faintly, Asterion smiles.
“Hello,” he answers the gray mare, and extends his muzzle in greeting to them both. “Come in - all of you - but what is going on?”
if you'll be my star*
10-26-2018, 09:38 PM
Played by
bruiser [PM] Posts: 99 — Threads: 13 Signos: 1,000
The weight of the creature is heavy against her frame -- she is no draft mare, built to withstand heavy loads, after all -- but manageable, and entirely too warm against the small of her back. She’d say it had a fever, if she knew anything about them, but maybe that’s just how hot gophers tended to run?
She had never given much thought to the wildlife of Terrastella before, always so intent on her training and her goals, on protecting the Court she had grown to love wholeheartedly. Even now, as exhaustion nipped at her heels, she carried herself with the pride befitting a Halcyon cadet, knowing that her duty still continued even now.
Their pilgrimage is joined by many others, a small sea of furry brown bodies nearly identical to the one she carries, and she isn’t quite sure what to make of such a thing. Are they friendly? Are they hostile? Well -- they seem friendly enough as they approach the inner court, and there is a wave of relief that washes over her when she sees the figure of Asterion standing there.
“Your highness,” She murmurs in greeting, proceeding past him to an area clear of debris from the rains. ”Mind helping me settle him down?”
Slowly did the denizens of Terrastella return home.
Israfel welcomed them all home, bedraggled and exhausted as she was, an equally dulled Solaris resting upon her chosen-child’s back. They were tired, but they were not the only ones, and so with squared shoulders the Warden shook off her fatigue and went about her promised duties. One by one the Sun Daughter greeted familiar and not-so-familiar faces, for she had not left with the others. She had remained behind, stubbornly, foolishly, not keen on leaving behind the home she had come to know and love.
It would not be robbed away from her, not this one. If Terrastella fell, Israfel would fall with it.
That had been her vow. It was her vow, to Rannveig, to Florentine, to Asterion. To Vespera, to her godly father.
Not again.
Vermilion eyes slowly slid open, her eyelids heavy where they had fallen while watching the odd procession enter their home. Piercing eyes focused on Theodosia, recognizing the remarkable Halcyon member immediately in all her pallid splendor. Her reputation proceeded her. The other individual, however, was a stranger, but Israfel still offered her a cursory look. Dull grey hair, a plain grey coat, gentle brown eyes. She seemed ordinary, but Israfel had lived in Terrastella, in Novus, long enough now to know that even the most ordinary of individuals could truly be the most extraordinary.
There was a gopher upon a pallid back, but within the wake of the two women was an amalgamation of soft, fuzzy brown bodies. It was definitely a sight to behold. A plethora of gophers had followed their downed family, and a pale ear tipped forward in concern.
Gilded hooves drew the Warden closer into the clearing, vermilion eyes flickering in concern as she approached Theodosia as the Halcyon member drifted forward and past Asterion’s bay body. A knowing glance was sent in the Sovereigns way, as well as a respectful nod, but her worry was focused on the task at hand.
“What else do you need, Shield-Sister?” Israfel asked simply, not bothering to beat around the bush. Upon her back, perched between the Sun Daughter’s wings, Solaris’ piercing violet eyes stared at the small brown body of the gopher. Already the phoenix was pondering what could be done to assist such a small, frail life.
’It needs healing. A medic, perhaps?’ Yes. A medic. Gods knew that Israfel herself knew next to nothing about medical assistance or anything of the like. She was far better at inflicting wounds than healing them. Yet in the wake of destruction and the beginning stages of the rebuilding efforts, she wondered how easily it would be to find a healer and drag them from whatever work they might be tending to.
Once more Israfel’s eyes drifted, waiting for Theodosia’s answer. Her gaze rested upon the dull-grey mare, and an ear tipped curiously in her direction. “… And who is your friend?”
over the moaning bones
of those who quit and chose to remain
In the weeks that followed the torrential downpour that more or less pounded Terrastella into the ground, the citadel had become overrun by animals of all varieties - furred, feathered, scaled, winged, omnivorous, carnivorous, and everything else between. It had become almost maddening, and more often than not Atreus had locked himself away, occupying his mind with studying a new concoction or slipping away for varying lengths of time in order to gather components for his next insidious idea.
Today, he was making a return from the latter, a basket grasped by the invisible threads of his mind hovering near his shoulder. It was filled nearly to the brim with fresh ingredients - burdock, calendula, motherwort, passionflower, even a few rocks for grinding and, if one were to remove the stalks and flowers, they might also find the bodies of a few unfortunate salamanders, a frog, a few minnows and a crayfish.
As the potion master crested the final hill that led him back to the citadel-turned-madhouse, he was met with a sight most curious. Gophers, an endless sea of them, followed in the wake of the newly crowned King as though he were some Varmint God, and amongst them were the faces of a few he didn’t recognize. A winged mare with a hide like fresh snow, bright markings coating her wings and with yet another gopher lying prostrate across her back. The other was rather lackluster upon his eyes, a dull grey with nothing at all to make her stand out - he’d found more interesting things stuck to his muddied hooves.
Then, there was of course Asterion whom he’d had the pleasure of meeting with once, and fiery Warden who had definitely caught his eye each and every time he passed her by, but whom he had never given more than a passing greeting.
Although the crimson marked man wanted to turn around and disappear back into the wilderness until things had returned to some semblance of normalcy, his curiosity had unfortunately been piqued and with a hefty sigh, he approached the puzzling gaggle of women, gophers, and Asterion.
“Who is your friend, indeed,” his voice curled as he drew near, coming to stand close to the Halcyon cadet so as to inspect the creature lying across her back. He cared little about leaving much distance between them, their comfort hardly at the forefront of his mind. “You’ve returned with a dizzying amount of them.”
Fiona was slow to rouse when the commotion began, slow to focus on the crowd gathering at the entrance to the citadel and the small creatures that accompanied them. At the sight of the furry animals there was a flash in her thoughts, a flash of red fur and a sound of warning. A rush of hot, hot light and the sound of glass breaking. A shiver broke out across her skin and to hide it the flower girl pushed herself to standing, legs quivering, heart ambling, and followed the sound of voices. She stepped carefully around the sea of gophers, though they only seemed interested in getting away from the outside and into the warmth.
Even her, eyes dark with pain and skin flush with fever, ached for them and no doubt the homes they have lost. You have lost one too said a voice in her head that should not belong to her but does. Fiona turned her head away and looked instead to the others. Asterion, Israfel, a member of the Halcyon, who carries one of the gophers on her back. And then there is Atreus, his golden eyes as discerning as she’s always known them, and the lavender girl only just stops herself from making her way to his side. He had already given so much of his time to her, she did not want to bother him with her presence.
Rather, Fiona makes her way closer to the front to stand near Asterion and the strange grey mare who she does not recognize. A passerby, perhaps? And yet, Fiona thinks there must be more to it than that, for what an unlucky soul to have happened upon this place after such destruction. She is silent as she stands and listens, but oh, is she not always silent? Even her thoughts, however, are quiet. The Champion of Community is a wilted flower, drained and tired and broken, patched together like a quilt but the seams are barely holding her in one piece. But, perhaps, the pique of her curiosity is a sign that there is still life inside her.
11-09-2018, 09:48 PM
Played by
Staff [PM] Posts: 309 — Threads: 165 Signos: 989,640
The gophers settle into the Dusk Court capitol as if it were made for them, taking over the streets and open spaces. They climb across crates and stands and hovels, atypically seeking out the higher ground. Each of them seem to look nearly identical to each other: they’re larger, larger than the typical gopher, their posture hunched and their eyes beady. Each come in various shades of a sandy tan, with a wide streak of iridescent copper connecting their eyes to their tails on both sides of their body. And their tails - as long as a rat’s in comparison to their body, but far thicker.
And all the while, they continue to watch the disguised goddess, and the charge upon Theodosia’s back.
“Is anyone here a healer?”’Or will I have to take care of this myself?’“We need to get to work. Something to help invigorate him again.”
The longer they wait, the more restless Terrastella’s new “guests” seem to become. They chatter amongst themselves, slapping their heavy tails against the ground as if in communication with one another. They show their teeth to any who wander too close, growling menacingly. But they’re just gophers… right?
Almost unnoticeably, a few even begin to dig: crater-like tunnels that oddly enough, closely resemble those discovered in Sussoro Fields after the sinkholes began. Perhaps these strange rodents could be the culprit?
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It is a homecoming, of a kind, though not the one he’d hoped for (but then, what ever was? his dreams seemed such delicate things; they could never hold up to the light of day). Still he feels something like a sunrise to see them all gathering, Israel and Atreus and Fiona, his Champions and Warden of a drowned and battered kingdom.
And a kingdom overrun, too - for the gophers do not seem patient guests. Asterion’s curiosity turns to something more like bemusement as he watches them, and Cirrus, sensing the worry that builds beneath his skin, circles from the sky and settles on his shoulders, turning a dark eye on all those gathered.
But they do not hold the king’s attention for long; when Theodosia asks for his help he steps forward, carefully lifting the creature from her back. A pointed glance from the bay has a bystander hurrying forward, unwrapping a scarf from their neck to use as a makeshift blanket. It’s onto this that he helps lower the sleepy gopher, and Cirrus flutters from his back to inspect it, too.
When the grey stranger asks for a healer, Asterion’s gaze touches on Atreus and Fiona before returning to the mare. Dusk had healers enough - though most were in Denocte or in the hospitals themselves, having worked themselves to exhaustion. But none of them specialized in rodents.
“How was he found? Do we know any of what's wrong with him?” he asks, his attention shifting back to the gopher, but the king only half expects an answer. Easy fixes weren’t the way this sort of thing worked, gods help them. And Asterion is no healer himself. Still —
“Does anyone have any coca leaf?” He knows the plant is commonly used as a stimulant and energy-boost throughout Novus, and he looks up again at the gathered crowd, his dark-eyed gaze half pleading, half commanding. It’s then that he notices the change in behavior of their other guests - a flash of yellow teeth, a low-throated growl, a few tunnels begun.
Someone, at last, is stepping forward and pulling a few sprigs of coca from their satchel to offer to the creature - but Asterion is as worried for his court as he is for the gopher, and when he looks at Israfel he can feel his heart racing as though he were the one who swallowed the stimulant.
Oh, how he wishes for Florentine then! His sister might know how to handle this situation. But the bay thinks only that the kingdom newly set across his shoulders is about to collapse into mud and rodent holes.
if you'll be my star*
11-26-2018, 11:17 PM
Played by
Dingo [PM] Posts: 50 — Threads: 5 Signos: 330
over the moaning bones
of those who quit and chose to remain
Atreus doesn’t turn a blind eye to the commotion around him – he’s fully aware of the rising tension between the gophers and any who draw too near, bearing yellowed teeth that could easily sever a tendon given the right opportunity and provoked enough. Until they venture too near him, he pushes them out of sight and out of mind for the time being, and focuses entirely on the sickly one now lying before him atop a scarf.
Boldly, but with a dose of caution he lowers his head to inspect it further, looking for any visual signs of injury and listening closely for any hints of labored breathing, which could aid them in finding the root of the problem. The grisly grey mare seems impatient, and as Atreus finishes his inspection he hums softly beneath his breath, offering her a cursory look as he passes her by, Asterion’s command on his mind. It’s then that he notices Fiona’s presence, the sight of her causing the poison master’s step to falter for but a moment before he continues towards the citadel. As he slips past, the corners of his lips quirk more upright but he says nothing, disappearing briefly inside in order to fetch a few of his stashed supplies, watching for vicious gophers all the while.
He returns within just minutes, setting a basket down on the soggy ground beside the varmint. Within it lay a variety of herbs: Rosemary, the very scent of which could help ease a mind into coherency and relaxation. Turmeric, which increased blood flow, warmed the body and reduced inflammation upon ingestion. A pinch of Cayenne, its spicy quality enabling the opening of nasal passages, and also stimulating digestion and improving blood flow. And, lastly, a single carrot. Without knowing the full story, it was the least he could try and do.
Taking a branch of fresh rosemary between his teeth, Atreus placed it near the gopher’s head in such a way he could breathe it in. Then, plucking the carrot from his basket, the crimson roan gripped the fine powders of the Turmeric and Cayenne, pressing it sparingly into the carrot so as not to ruin the taste entirely. Once finished, he lowered the vegetable to the gopher in an effort to urge it to eat.
“This should help get the blood flowing better than it is,” he stated as he raised his head, gazing on primarily at the grey mare and then to his fellow compatriots, from Asterion, to Theodosia, Israfel, and then Fiona and the rest. “As well as warm him back up and give him energy. If he requires further treatment, Fiona and I are certainly equipped to handle it.”
Israfel knew that her talents could offer no assistance to the injured and weak gopher. It was not in her capabilities. All she could do was throw her weight around in a formidable sort of way, and that kind of talent had no place here. So, the Warden simply stood vigil, letting her fiery gaze roam over the seemingly undulating ocean of gopher bodies as they drew ever closer. The unassuming grey mare had offered no identity as to who she was, and that was a reason for concern… But Israfel let her be for now, and instead focused on not accidentally stepping on any small brown bodies that might wander underfoot.
“Solaris can offer her flame to help get it warm,” she suggested after a few moments of standing watch, hating her inability to assist but knowing better than to attempt to try. Doing so would only cause things to slow down by inevitably getting in their way, as Fiona and Atreus both seemed completely capable and very in their field. If anyone could help the little creature, it was them.
Still, Solaris took her chosen child’s words as a cue, and ruffled her feathers before drifting down and to the ground. With a cautious look around to ensure that no one was too close to her flames, the Phoenix’s body began to shift in coloration, the pale ivory and gold of her coat slowly morphing into a deep red and orange as flames began to delicately lick along the mythical avian’s feathers. She did not move, yet stood stationary, hoping to provide warmth to the sodden and wretched body of the gopher that they so valiantly hoped to save.
As her bond-mate did this, Israfel’s head lifted and her gaze once more rested upon Asterion. She could see the uncertainty and grief upon his handsome face, and as their eyes inevitably locked, the Warden dipped her head in a knowing nod. It would be alright. They were doing all that they could, and as long as they tried, that was all that mattered. One could not win every war, but they could certainly rally their troops in a way that showed the world around them that they were not a force to be taken lightly.
From her Sovereign, then, the Sun Daughter focused once more on the stranger in their midst. She offered no words to the pale grey woman, and instead held her tongue and her silence. Her words were her own, and Israfel had no desire to waste her breath on an elusive mare such as her.
