SHE HAD SKIRTED the Night Court that day, scrunching her face up at the towering unnatural structures entombed behind the Arma Mountains. It was something she had never seen before – buildings so intricately crafted, bricks laid with purpose. The primitiveness of Seasna coursed deeply in her veins, and with a huff the dun mare strode until the turrets were pinpricks along a steely gray backdrop.
The scent hit her first, and then the commotion.
Life was suddenly teeming before her as the unmistakable salty wind of the sea socked her in the face. A rainbow laid at her black hooves, gemstones appearing molten in the torchlights lining the streets. She squinted her eyes in scrutiny as she beheld the bustling streets. Her ears flicked backwards at the laughter and bartering ringing loudly from merchant tables. Sleight of hand and shadowy motives never sat well with the young mare, and she rolled her eyes at the snippets of conversations she caught.
“Oh yes, this is the finest cloak… all the way from Afferna… selected it myself…”
“Only three? This is worth five times as much!”
”There’s a warm room just around the corner…”
She pressed onward, her senses nearly overwhelmed – choked - with the activity.
It was first just a shadow that caught her eye. She paused, quizzical as she stared at the corner of a weathered cart. A creature that appeared to wear stars on its midnight skin skittered between the stands, pickpocketing absentminded merchants, and flashing its needlelike teeth in the firelight as it grinned. Soon, it was moving in a band of three as rosy pink, emerald, and ebony swirled together, splashing coins wherever they went.
Then she felt it, an intruder upon her back. Deftly it plucked one of her shark’s teeth from her mane, dexterous reptilian fingers tearing the cream and black hair that fastened it so before sniffing at the turquoise stone. Without wasting a second, it bounced off of her withers into the nearest maroon canopy. Hydra started, letting out an irritated squeal at the molestation of her personal space.
“GIVE THAT BACK!” she spat, chin raised high as teeth gnashed at the night sky. Her eyes locked on the violet creature in a glare of frustration and desperation. It threw her a haughty glance with amethyst eyes, spouting a tiny flame from smirking jaws before clambering up the nearest sheet and bounding deeper into the market. Without hesitation, Hydra threw herself into a sprint, shouldering passersby with grunts and rage. She knew it was a fool’s errand, but dammit she would try.
The chase was fruitless, at least if one were solely considering victory as reclaiming the stolen memento. Chest heaving, frustration roiled in her chest. To add injury to insult, the scabbed claw marks on her haunches ached, reminding her annoyingly of her past folly in the mountains involving felines and negligence.
That was when she noticed it – a bright glow illuminating the floor. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, this moon at her feet. Her eyes stole a glance at an antlered mare across the way, her coat a swarthy mix of the deepest ocean and the darkest sky. It was when Jezanna took a moment to glance around the gathering that she caught her eye and offered a small smile, anger subsiding just for a moment.
The torn strands of mane where a piece of her father’s parting gift to her had been rustled in a passing breeze. Her attention fell back to the artful creation on the ground, ears pinning against her heated skull.
She was torn between becoming enamored with it and hating it.
The scent hit her first, and then the commotion.
Life was suddenly teeming before her as the unmistakable salty wind of the sea socked her in the face. A rainbow laid at her black hooves, gemstones appearing molten in the torchlights lining the streets. She squinted her eyes in scrutiny as she beheld the bustling streets. Her ears flicked backwards at the laughter and bartering ringing loudly from merchant tables. Sleight of hand and shadowy motives never sat well with the young mare, and she rolled her eyes at the snippets of conversations she caught.
“Oh yes, this is the finest cloak… all the way from Afferna… selected it myself…”
“Only three? This is worth five times as much!”
”There’s a warm room just around the corner…”
She pressed onward, her senses nearly overwhelmed – choked - with the activity.
It was first just a shadow that caught her eye. She paused, quizzical as she stared at the corner of a weathered cart. A creature that appeared to wear stars on its midnight skin skittered between the stands, pickpocketing absentminded merchants, and flashing its needlelike teeth in the firelight as it grinned. Soon, it was moving in a band of three as rosy pink, emerald, and ebony swirled together, splashing coins wherever they went.
Then she felt it, an intruder upon her back. Deftly it plucked one of her shark’s teeth from her mane, dexterous reptilian fingers tearing the cream and black hair that fastened it so before sniffing at the turquoise stone. Without wasting a second, it bounced off of her withers into the nearest maroon canopy. Hydra started, letting out an irritated squeal at the molestation of her personal space.
“GIVE THAT BACK!” she spat, chin raised high as teeth gnashed at the night sky. Her eyes locked on the violet creature in a glare of frustration and desperation. It threw her a haughty glance with amethyst eyes, spouting a tiny flame from smirking jaws before clambering up the nearest sheet and bounding deeper into the market. Without hesitation, Hydra threw herself into a sprint, shouldering passersby with grunts and rage. She knew it was a fool’s errand, but dammit she would try.
The chase was fruitless, at least if one were solely considering victory as reclaiming the stolen memento. Chest heaving, frustration roiled in her chest. To add injury to insult, the scabbed claw marks on her haunches ached, reminding her annoyingly of her past folly in the mountains involving felines and negligence.
That was when she noticed it – a bright glow illuminating the floor. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, this moon at her feet. Her eyes stole a glance at an antlered mare across the way, her coat a swarthy mix of the deepest ocean and the darkest sky. It was when Jezanna took a moment to glance around the gathering that she caught her eye and offered a small smile, anger subsiding just for a moment.
The torn strands of mane where a piece of her father’s parting gift to her had been rustled in a passing breeze. Her attention fell back to the artful creation on the ground, ears pinning against her heated skull.
She was torn between becoming enamored with it and hating it.
H Y D R A
How the heavens they opened up
Like arms of dazzling gold
With our rain-washed histories well, we do not need to be told
Like arms of dazzling gold
With our rain-washed histories well, we do not need to be told
@Jezanna, @Random Events
ooc. Hydra mentions Jezanna so I wanted to tag her, even though we are only doing one post per character for now :)
ooc. Hydra mentions Jezanna so I wanted to tag her, even though we are only doing one post per character for now :)
