Ice blue eyes opened to the world for a brand new day. Venari had sought refuge beneath the canopy of a large oak tree on the outskirts of the meadow. He had wanted to investigate the building during yesterday's dusk, however he had found he did not quite have time to do the search justice. Stretching out his forelimbs, Ven yawned, the bones of his jaw clicking loudly at the tension created. He then shook out his entire body, curled mane landing to rest upon his emerald antlers. The stallion took no notice of such menial things and paced forwards into a walk.
Straight ahead of him and not too far away was a grand building. Just before his sleep last night, he had run into a complete stranger who confirmed to him that this was in fact the 'Dawn Court' - he was intrigued to discover more about the eerily quiet building. The stag thought, of all places, this court could be a good place to discover a relic. After all, equines of old inhabited these stone walls, thus potentially leaving something for him to find. The crisp morning sun shone upon his back, warming him from the particularly cold night. He looked to the sky and saw only a few clouds; rain shouldn't be bothering him today.
A short walk later and Venari found himself staring at the outer stone walls of the building. As orbs scanned the brickwork, he found a familiar name written in the stone; Oriens. Tempus had introduced Oriens as the one to rise the sun and the soul to control the dawn court. From the tales, Oriens had been the trigger behind Caligo's anguish; he had been her final hope and he had let her down. With a sigh, the stallion continued his walk around the court, eyes frequently scanning all about him. He hoped to uncover some more secretive facts about the court as he searched; Venari was an avid learner and wished to find out more about the foreign realm.
*
TAGGED: Open
NOTES: Just walking the perimeter of the grounds, feel free to spot him whenever o3o
TIMELINE: Fourth relic location, second day
It took more courage than she thought that she had, to be standing in the middle of another Court. Since her arrival into the lands, Novus as she now knew, she had been hesitant to wander far from the safety of Dusk Court. It had been simple luck that she had found them first, and that their Goddess Vespera’s teachings of motherly concern had ushered her into the fold. The red roan let her feathered limbs draw her further into the unfamiliar territory – the small silver bangle on her hind making the slightest of sounds. It was her hooves that made the most noise upon the floor of the grand building. Her morning had begun early, and she had taken her time in exploring the fortress and searching for more of the relics that had made quite the rounds within Novus. It seemed that everyone was looking for them, or at least was beginning to hear of them. What power would they contain? Or was it merely another story meant to stir the hearts of the greedy?
Satisfied with her exploration of the fortress, Inara moved out of the building, out into a courtyard and eventually out on the outside of the building completely. She walked slowly along the outer walls, not really looking for much of anything but instead taking the time to appreciate the beautiful scenery. It seemed this realm was full of beautiful sights to see, and it made her wish for a pair of wings with which she could see it all. Walking, as it turned out, was quite the trek – and yet she felt a sense of invigoration and self-reliance by going out on her own. Ivy scaled the walls in places, it’s vines entangling upon the stone as nature attempted to reclaim what was hers. Inara was looking up when she heard the sound of another’s step, drawing her crown down from her inquisitive gazing. Her emerald gaze landed on a stranger, a stallion with vibrant striping and horns that sprang from the top of his head.
Her ears flickered forward in interest, but the shy mare that she was, she carefully stepped out of his path so that he could pass her by. The splashed mare lowered her eyes as he came closer, seemingly on his own walk – and she did not want to cause offense if he was part of the Dawn Court. She could not say that she had seen him before, new as she was to the land. He was dark as the night, save for the brilliant teal striping that seemed luminescent upon his skin because it was so bright a color. He looked more like one of the deer, than an equine with his lithe build. Inara gave the slightest nod of her head, her own indication of respect. Her ears had flattened back, the crest of her crown not quite as high as she dropped her eyes again to the ground.
The black bird had once again flown the coop, spending almost every minute of every day searching high and low for this so-called relic. Damascus's motivation was not to gain any kind of power from it, nor to be blessed by the gods - he genuinely just wanted to be the first one to see it, to pluck it from it's earthly tomb and return it to Tempus if need be. Another grand motivation for his exploits had been simply to get his paws on it before that spooky grump Kaladin had. The boy had become unconvinced that that brute was more entitled to possession of such an atrifact than he - King and beggar alike, Damascus was certain the gods shone upon everyone and took no favorites. That Kaladin was surely kidding himself if he claimed a bounty meant for anyone and everyone, and having not completed the task at hand.
It was quite unike Damascus to feel so bitter about another, in fact he'd never disliked anyone before, but truly this mousy brown chap of the dawn court had been getting on his nerves - popping up everywhere with claims to a prize he hadn't earned. The nerve. Suspicion and mystery surrounded the whispy stag, an unsettling kind that had driven Damascus to be wary.
Damascus landed in Delumine upon the riverbank, his hooves but a few paces from the first sets of stone holding the Dusk Court to it's stature and glory. It was a beautiful building, though it's spires and peaks did frighten the dark one ever-so-slightly - To get a wing or your tail caught on one of those mid flight would make for a horrible end.
His morbid thoughts were abruptly shaken from his crown as a pair of equines fell into his gaze; a male boasting one lofty rack of antlers, and a female he recognised from his own court (though did not know the name of).
Striding forth with a glomping, heavy pace, the gangly colt was upon the pair in no time with a curious bellow of greeting soon to follow. "Hallo!" He had cheered, stopping with little grace upon the turf. "I Damascus. House of yours?" He came to ask, once again looking up at the flush stone walls. "Go inside we look around?"
Venari's pace continued in an idle walk, the antlered stag taking in the sights all around him. This relic quest was beginning to take over his life, his fragile mind grasping at the opportunity to so easily insert himself within the community. By now, it appeared that a lot of the local equines were also partaking in the same quest, meaning that they could come together and search as a group, making the feat easier for all. He had yet to meet someone truly violent or hostile in nature as a result of this quest and that fact pleased him greatly. The soft dawn light bounced from the historic brickwork as his orbs settled on some more etched markings. He halted, taking in the foreign words. They looked like a different language, meaning he couldn't make much sense of them. Regardless, he tried to stare at them in the foolish hope that they may morph into his native tongue, or that he would begin to understand them. He tilted his head and then moved on with a small inward laugh. Of course they weren't going to change. Maybe one day he would understand the scribblings.
He carried on with his walk around the perimeter, eager to find something to make all this time worthwhile. Yet, in his gut, he knew this would be a futile location. Ven shrugged off the doubt and carried on with his quick scanning and steady pace. Forming in his peripheral vision was another figure. The initial blurriness of the other spooked him somewhat, the stag reacting in a halt and a mini rear, his forelegs curling beneath him for a fraction of a second. As all four feet landed on the ground, Venari shook his head in annoyance of himself; what a way to start an encounter. Before even properly seeing the other, he spoke out to them in an apologetic tone. "Sorry, my mind was elswhere," he began to explain as his orbs landed upon the stranger.
A scent wafted into his nostrils, indicating that it was in fact a mare. Upon a glance, she did appear more slender than others he had met, fitting in with the smell he had just registered. Her framework was a light roan, freckled with a few darker spots and tovero markings. Her head was a darker roan in hue, along with her legs. The height she reached was just short of his own, but only marginally so; it still meant he looked straight ahead instead of up or down. "Greetings, my name is Venari," he spoke softly to her, nodding his head in a sign of respect. Overall, her demeanour appeared reserved and submissive and he tried to match it with a calm and soft approach of his own.
Catching his gaze was a familiar stallion this time. He boldly approached, introducing himself as Damascus. The towering figure should have felt threatening to Venari, but it was hard to feel out of depth around such a bubbly character. From previous encounters, the stag assumed he meant no harm and was just as invested in the quest as he was. It was good to see him around so often, perhaps the pair could bond a little from their same intentions. "Hello again, Damascus," he said with a smile and a bob of his head. "I'm Venari; out searching again I see?"
*
TAGGED: @Inara & @Damascus & Open
NOTES: Inara and Damascus are so adorable, I loved reading these replies <33
TIMELINE: Fourth relic location, second day
She flinched, taking a brisk step backwards as the stranger lifted off the ground -- a flash of memory slicing through her consciousness. It was all over in less than a moment, but it was enough to leave her unsettled and nervous. Her ears swiveled and twitched, her nares flaring as she tried to assess the striped stallion. She remembered a time when she had been forbidden to linger around the opposite sex, save for her own sire. He would have been furious to see her now, cavorting with strange males. Inara shook her father’s image away, returning her attention to the ebonite -- his tone apologetic as he spoke. ”Oh.” She said softly, glancing up to meet an icy blue stare. ”I-I didn’t m-m-mean to uhm…” She didn’t wish to offend him by assuming he had been frightened of her, she was hardly worth a fright.. ”s-s-startle you.” He introduced himself, and she tucked his name away for safekeeping. She would want to remember it, just as she kept every single thing she learned. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she worried that she would go back to her life of imprisonment and she would need the things she learned now. Otherwise, the hysteria would find her. ”Inara. My n-name is Inara.” The roan was about to excuse herself and depart, feeling embarrassed and unsure of herself when another appeared -- one that she did recognize from her home Court. Damascus. His name had been a whisper in the Court since his arrival, and somehow Inara was not surprised to see him -- even if she were too shy to say hello to him. He was a traveler, just as she was, although his large wings carried him much further than her feet. The dark stallion was young, and rumors swirled around him like leaves caught in an autumn wind. The scars of a terrible fate, and a ring of gold in his nose -- he was something to see, to be sure. And it seemed that the two of them had met before, this...Venari and Damascus. Perhaps. Inara stood idly by during the exchange, her gaze traveling back the way that she had come. The mare offered a timid smile, bowing her head in the their direction. ”I t-took a l-look i-i-inside, but I didn’t f-find anything. M-m-maybe I j-just didn’t look well enough.” She offered, the whip of her tail slashing against her hinds. ”I...I should go.” She said, offering a slight nod of her head. ”V-Venari. D-D-Damascus.” She began to move forward again, her pace hurried as she sought to flee the scene.
@Venari @Damascus She’s shy, and it’s fine to let her go ^^ Tis just her personality.
Ah, home at last. The warm glow of the Dawn Court's lands danced across Kaladin's skin, comforting and reassuring despite his recent failures. As much as he had committed to denying having a home at the Court, there was a pleasure to the familiarity with which he strode now. Off in the distance, the Rapax river purred along the banks, a thin silver line on the horizon. He relished in the smooth yet somehow still wild-embraced architecture of the Court's lands, admiring the glimpses of ingenuity and advancement that had led to the construction of such a admirable fortress.
After his brush with death in the Arma Mountains, Kaladin had been afraid he would never feel warm again. And yet, the sun peeking through the clouds had touched upon him as he entered the Court's lands, and he'd been somehow reassured that despite the rather catastrophic events of the week now passed, there was still hope on the horizon - meager as it now seemed. The Court's familiarity served as a reassurance on multiple fronts - he knew his way about the castle and the rumors encompassing this, and thus could be sure there would be no relic found here. He would soon find himself amused when he set his eyes on a now-familiar winged silhouette, along with another he was sure he'd seen somewhere before - along with a completely foreign roan doe who's stance and demeanor told Kaladin she was uneasy amongst the towering men.
He approached, the familiar stonework serving as fodder to his confidence. He had spent the day alone, so now his treacherous body pulled him towards the travelers in search of company. Oh, how these mortals relish company, he thought. If they lived long enough, the would learn that mankind can only be the source of misery. The only person to trust is yourself Despite these thoughts, however, he painted on a loose smile of hardly concealed sarcasm. The people of the Courts, he'd learned, seemed to smile to signify honorable intentions upon encounter. It was an uncomfortable expression, and it felt as false as wearing a mask. He wore it anyway, if only for their benefit. If one could benefit from lies.
He stepped directly in front of the anxious roan doe, and he found himself almost pitying the creature. He'd been like that not so long ago, he realized - easily frightened by the world and nervous on every step. He peered at her curiously, all etiquette abandoned for analysis as he allowed his frigid gaze to clash with her honest one. "Careful," he found himself murmuring. It was a tone he'd learned when speaking to his patients. "Off so soon? Rather quick to be abandoning such a vital quest." he lowered his voice further, so that only she could hear. "Life is too short to run away from it, you know. " Stepping away from the mare, he lifted his eyes to the two men standing near. He inclined his head to Damascus - they had met enough times now that the young man had earned himself a level of respect in Kaladin's mind; at least for his determination and kind nature. Flying in storms and hiding beneath trees during lightning were not on the list.
He glanced to the second stranger, an antlered creature lined with green, rather unremarkable but for his odd coloration. "I suppose I must welcome you to Dawn, Damascus and uh...whoever you are."he tipped his head, amberglass eyes daring for conflict, "But you are here on futile hopes - there is no relic on these grounds." If there were, he thought, I would already be free of this mortal form.
@Inara @Damascus @Venari
