B e l o w Z e r o
the cold never bothered me anyway
The ocean seemed to have come alive at some point throughout the night. The waves quaked with energy brought to life in the wake of a storm. The song it serenaded was a wild story that harmonized with the very beating of the Treader's heart. Everything about the ocean seemed to call Bel back to those familiar depths. And even now, having been on Novus for beyond a year, the aquatic equine still couldn't resist the draw. She'd walked back to the sea to stare out at it: wondering what had encouraged her to return.
Yukime curled around her neck, lean and agile body draped over her dorsal fin and flattening part of it down. The serpent pressed her head up against the mare's neck as the ice at her crown cracked together, 'Aren't we swimming, Below Zero?' The Ice Carver had asked with a distinct eagerness, her long tail slapping gently against Bel's barrel. A fond smile had crossed the Treader's muzzle at the use of her full name - considering it a miracle to have gotten that far with Yukime. The serpent had not been eager to call her by her given name. Now that it was in use, Bel hesitated to try to get her to shorten it to her nickname.
Bel's muzzle lowered, gently bopping the serpent's shoulder, cautious of the sharp icicles at the creature's collar. "Have patience, Yukime. We'll dive later." She assured as her hooves carried her along the beach, gently kicking up sand in her wake. The calmness of the ocean was rivaled only by its natural movements, the tide rolling in with crashing force against some of the rocks. The splattering of saltwater crusted her lower limbs, wetting her fur and slicking it down.
The breeze carried the scent of salt and brine, reinforcing the sights and smells that sung to Bel like a siren song to a sailor. It encouraged her to dive, to explore, to take to the reef, and hunt for a lunch that was more than just grass and amphibians. To taste seaweed and fresh fish on her tongue, and filter the water through her gills, and lose herself in the beauty and bounty beneath the waves.
The distraction was needed to keep her on land, and the lady of the waters was eager to be drawn towards the mass in the distance. First thoughts had been of a fish or shark that had beached itself, or perhaps a carcass of a meal from a predator of the seas. What she wasn't expecting was what she found. The figure was in the shallows, gently being tugged by the waves and pressed closer and closer towards the shoreline. Mane and tail splayed over the waters' surface, and body showing the stress of being at sea for a while - and wounds that seemed fresh.
Bel and Yukime jumped into action. Yukime slid free of her perch atop Bel's back and cutting her way through the water, intent on checking the area for anyone else and keep predators back. Bel herself approached the figure, taking stock of the mare and her condition. Her powerful fluke slipped under the mare's form to pull her further out of the ocean and onto dry land.
Bel looked the figure over, trying to discern her next course of action, keeping her main set of eyes on the mare. At the same time, the smaller second set looked towards the ocean for Yukime. The serpent didn't leave her waiting for long, returning after ten minutes, 'No one else seems to be around. A few sharks were circling, but they got peppered with ice and changed their minds.' Bel grinned faintly, but nodded as she moved towards the washed-ashore figure and gently nudged her to try and rouse her, "Hello?" She kept her tone soft, unassuming and non-threatening, even as the vowels seemed to elongate similar to a whale's song, but lighter on the air. The song was an effect of being so close to the water-rich air above the condensation of the ocean.
Bel's muzzle lowered a second time, this time pressing gently but steadily against the other's shoulder, "Miss, are you alright? Can you hear me?" The Treader asked, pitching her voice just a little higher as Yukime watched on from the shallows.
"Bel"
Yukime
@Naida
Notes:: Washed ashore. From the Ocean. Sounds like something Bel and Yukime would totally be a part of.
Yukime curled around her neck, lean and agile body draped over her dorsal fin and flattening part of it down. The serpent pressed her head up against the mare's neck as the ice at her crown cracked together, 'Aren't we swimming, Below Zero?' The Ice Carver had asked with a distinct eagerness, her long tail slapping gently against Bel's barrel. A fond smile had crossed the Treader's muzzle at the use of her full name - considering it a miracle to have gotten that far with Yukime. The serpent had not been eager to call her by her given name. Now that it was in use, Bel hesitated to try to get her to shorten it to her nickname.
Bel's muzzle lowered, gently bopping the serpent's shoulder, cautious of the sharp icicles at the creature's collar. "Have patience, Yukime. We'll dive later." She assured as her hooves carried her along the beach, gently kicking up sand in her wake. The calmness of the ocean was rivaled only by its natural movements, the tide rolling in with crashing force against some of the rocks. The splattering of saltwater crusted her lower limbs, wetting her fur and slicking it down.
The breeze carried the scent of salt and brine, reinforcing the sights and smells that sung to Bel like a siren song to a sailor. It encouraged her to dive, to explore, to take to the reef, and hunt for a lunch that was more than just grass and amphibians. To taste seaweed and fresh fish on her tongue, and filter the water through her gills, and lose herself in the beauty and bounty beneath the waves.
The distraction was needed to keep her on land, and the lady of the waters was eager to be drawn towards the mass in the distance. First thoughts had been of a fish or shark that had beached itself, or perhaps a carcass of a meal from a predator of the seas. What she wasn't expecting was what she found. The figure was in the shallows, gently being tugged by the waves and pressed closer and closer towards the shoreline. Mane and tail splayed over the waters' surface, and body showing the stress of being at sea for a while - and wounds that seemed fresh.
Bel and Yukime jumped into action. Yukime slid free of her perch atop Bel's back and cutting her way through the water, intent on checking the area for anyone else and keep predators back. Bel herself approached the figure, taking stock of the mare and her condition. Her powerful fluke slipped under the mare's form to pull her further out of the ocean and onto dry land.
Bel looked the figure over, trying to discern her next course of action, keeping her main set of eyes on the mare. At the same time, the smaller second set looked towards the ocean for Yukime. The serpent didn't leave her waiting for long, returning after ten minutes, 'No one else seems to be around. A few sharks were circling, but they got peppered with ice and changed their minds.' Bel grinned faintly, but nodded as she moved towards the washed-ashore figure and gently nudged her to try and rouse her, "Hello?" She kept her tone soft, unassuming and non-threatening, even as the vowels seemed to elongate similar to a whale's song, but lighter on the air. The song was an effect of being so close to the water-rich air above the condensation of the ocean.
Bel's muzzle lowered a second time, this time pressing gently but steadily against the other's shoulder, "Miss, are you alright? Can you hear me?" The Treader asked, pitching her voice just a little higher as Yukime watched on from the shallows.
"Bel"
Yukime
@
Notes:: Washed ashore. From the Ocean. Sounds like something Bel and Yukime would totally be a part of.
![[Image: i-jTNwWx8.png]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BelowZeroNovus/n-X9d9fZ/i-jTNwWx8/1/e09fb6c3/O/i-jTNwWx8.png)
