[AW] Strangers in a strange land

[Aoife]

Aoife shuddered at the thought of such a vile but fascinating plant, the scent of corpses was something that she had smelled once  and never wanted to again.  A vivid foalhood memory, skipping through the dark pine forest and her mismatched gaze fell upon a rotting skeleton.  A horse, although barely recognisable as one.  Horror coursed through her tiny body and her eyes widened as her little mind raced through the stories her mother told her of the forest god.  She tripped and and went head over heels, and didn’t stop running til she was at her mothers side.  She shook her pretty little head as though the memory would fly right out her ears and leave her alone.  She knew it wouldn’t but it rid her of the thought at least for now.  Back to what was being said, she perked her ears when she realised Anandi had spoken to her.  “Well thank you,” she said with a gracious little smile “the extent of my tactical knowledge is limited but I can be resourceful, I guess that stems from being a head shorter than anyone I’ve ever fought” it was true, she had learned to make use of her small frame and it quickened her mind as well as her neat little hooves.  The bigger horses she fought also often made the mistake of underestimating her, one they wouldn’t repeat.  Although, she suddenly realised, she had never really fought to maim or kill.  That would be an interesting development, one in which she thought her antlers might have potential more than just smashing them into things.  Her pink muzzle quivered excitedly as she thought of meeting new friends. 
Mephisto’s departure made her a little nervous but it was a day of new experiences and she was coming to trust the kelpie mare, she enjoyed a sense of comradery between them already.  “I hope I’ll see you around” she said, returning Mephisto’s nod of farewell.  She turned to Anandi and smiled “I would love to get started as soon as I can, I’m eager to fulfil any role that needs me.”

@Anandi

[Anandi]

It was almost too easy. Too nice. Too sweet.

Anandi, for all her candied words and honeyed smiles, was not made of or for sweetness. She did not have a taste for it (perhaps literally), and in her blood it simply floated, like oil in water, incompatible with the rest of her hedonistic needs.

She walks and talks and smiles. She marvels to herself “this is so delightfully easy. Being here and now with these two,” and she almost believes it. As her hunger hardens to a fist and her ears tilt seaward, as her kelpie thrashes in yearning for blood or fear or even just a sound of discomfort or surprise-- as the blood-slick monster living beneath her pretty silver skin moans: Easy is Painful. Nice is Boring. Sweet is Bitter.

Anandi smiles, careful (always so tippy-toe careful) to hide the sharp edges of her teeth, and as the pegasus peels away she says graciously “Farewell, Mephisto. We’ll talk again soon, I hope.”

Then it’s just Anandi and the spunky little warrior, and the emissary leans into the sweetness that feels so foreign. “Come on, let’s get you settled first. We’ll put you to work tomorrow, after you’ve had a meal and a good night’s sleep.” Anandi's smile reaches her eyes in a rare expression of genuine warmth, and she leads the way further into the court to where Aoife might eat, and rest, and wake the next morning a full-fledged citizen of Terrastella.

A N A N D I

art

@Mephisto @Aoife closing this here but I would LOVE another thread soon with each of you. Mephisto is wonderful and Aoife is a doll <3