Q U I L L Quill never knew her tongue could feel so dry and swollen. She was young, she had always been cared for, she had always had food to eat and water to drink. She had not yet experienced the gnawing hunger that came when food was scarce, or way your cheeks stick to your teeth when everything in your mouth is dry and tacky from dehydration. Or at least, she had not until today. It seemed this stepping out journey was not just a mental test, but also a physical one, and as the stallion shifted his shoulder (was that the gentle sloshing of water she heard from within the canteen?) she could not help but let her eyes wander... She did not allow herself to be distracted for long, though, he was speaking again. Her eyes drifted lazily back up to his and she noticed that he looked different now, more distant perhaps… had she done something? His words explained. Some of the other members of her herd might have responded with something profound- Many blessings come in disguise, or Solis does not have to be flashy to be present, or something similar. She had a different style, though, and pushing this stallion didn’t seem to be the right response. She simply nodded understanding. Time and patience were so often better teachers than force, and for now she had plenty of the first two. Then the sloshing water caught her attention again, the paint indicating that the canteen was decidedly the source of the sound. His offer was kinder than she could have hoped for and she stepped forward a step as he reached down to grab the bottle. Except she stopped short, and suddenly, ears pricking forward and her head lifting. Magic. She was suddenly stuck in an impossible situation, a paradox between her spiritual and physical needs, staring at the canteen as the stopper was removed and the container hovered gently in the air. “I… I…” she stuttered stupidly, her mind trying to process too many thoughts all at once. She was dehydrated, she needed water, but every atom her in her body told her to stay away from magic. One use, one moment of letting her guard down, would lead to others. I’ll use it just this once, never again. Right. And then, what… the next time she was a little thirsty it was ok, and the next time she just wanted a drink it was no big deal, and pretty soon she would be walking around willy-nilly, using magic for every little mundane task, greedy for the power it gave her, lusting after attention from others who were impressed with her abilities? No, she couldn’t, she wouldn’t… could she? Her dry tongue itched for the water hanging there, sliding around inside of her mouth, begging for the relief it would bring, raging inside her mouth that she would die without it. Well, probably not die, not yet anyways… she would suffer, but she would get better. This was a test. This was Solis showing her the evils of the world, giving her a choice- stay true to herself and her morals, or give in so readily to the temptations of the world. She had to stay strong. Her elders, her parents, her herd… there would be days or weeks of silence if she gave in now and reported it, and she certainly would have to report it… His next words drew her frozen mind back from its processing. “Quill,” she responded softly, brow furrowed in confusion. “I go by Quill. It’s a pleasure to meet you Roshan and Bandit.” Her eyes drifted back to the canteen just briefly before returning to Roshan’s face. “I couldn’t take your water, I’m not that bad off, and besides, I really need a good cleaning,” she said with a gentle laugh, the sound a little strained, her body still yearning for that sweet, sweet liquid. “I was trying to find some sort of watering hole anyways, perhaps you could take me to one, I could get a drink without wasting your supplies…” The excuse was a weak one at best, if she drank his water they could simply refill it at the watering hole she was requesting, but… she was finding that she wasn’t all that quick on her toes right now. She shifted uneasily on her toes and began to walk past him, hoping he would turn and follow, not question her. Her faith was strong in her own head, but out loud… Out loud she was afraid that she was fall prey to her baser desires. Solis forgive me, I am weak, she sighed to herself. A truly strong individual would be able to say aloud that magic was not to be touched, something that existed but that only served the desires of humans and not the gods. She was not that horse, not yet… “My herd sends their young on a coming of age trial. This is mine. I have no physical destination, I am simply to go into the world and see what is out here, and return when I feel I have learned l enough to help me better serve the group. I think I have a lot to learn…” |
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