[AW] Along The Winding Path

[Ki'irha]

Ki'irha Hooves created thunder as the stallion charged towards her, and her head twisted, taking him in, and her ears flattened against her skull as she danced to the side, clearing a path towards the abomination. She dragged a cloven hoof across the ground, and a snort burst through flared nares as she prepared to take him on as well. He slowed and she braced, standing precariously upon shaking legs, the strength ebbing from her as the remaining stores of adrenaline tried to take hold. But he seemed to avoid her give her space, and her ears lifted from their flattened state as the knight in shining armor that she so desperately didn’t need right now made his glorious entrance. He saw her opponent, looked at it with eyes the same tone as a calm sea, and she watched him rise up upon muscled haunches and he completed her work. The starlit woman remained silent, shifting her weight from side to side as she allowed the battle-lust to release her from its claws. Breathe, a voice within her whispered, and she allowed herself to do that much. Though she remained alert and prepared, she found herself allowing her weary muscles to relax, and she stepped forward. A scowl drew the corners of her mouth downwards as she looked upon the carcass. “Indeed you were. I could have handled it,” she spared him, affect cold and unwavering. That much was sure. She had done all of the hard work, and though he was simply coming to the aide of a fellow soldier, she nearly resented him for delivering the final blow. She looked back to him, finally evaluating his sculpted form, the muscles carved beneath his grey-hued pelt, and normally would have been impressed by the ruby sword that crowned him. He reached towards her, nearly brushing against a wound on her shoulder. She shied, and though she would have blamed it on the pain that blossomed around the injury, she easily would have reacted the same way had she been fully intact. “It’s fine, don’t worry yourself. It’s all superficial.” She reached her own muzzle towards it, and noticed that it was much deeper than her adrenaline allowed her to feel, and her expression softened. “Well, maybe this one not so much.” Stormy eyes found his clear blue skies, and contemplated his words. He seemed kind, but she knew that words were not nearly a good enough indicator to judge a stranger on. Still, she had arrived in the heat of battle, and wasn’t in perfect form, so if he was planning on striking, he had already missed the most glaring opportunity to do so. As the air fell silent and her heart slowed its racing, she began to fully notice her surroundings. It was tranquil here, and the soft smell of salt filled her nose. Perhaps they were near a sea? The wound upon her shoulder had begun to throb, and her leg ached where teeth had torn into her. The stench of death still lingered, trying to overcome the sweetness of air, and suddenly she was filled with the desire to leave the scene of carnage. “Is there water around here? I’d like to get all of this thing’s blood off of me. It’ll be easier to tell you whether or not I need healing if I know what blood belongs to me.” She turned carefully, ready to follow, but ready as always to bite. She would be cautious with what she offered, but she wanted to know more about where she was, and would be willing to share bits of her own past if required. “Where are we? And who are you?”  Still guarded, still weary, the warrior waited to see if her counterpart remained knightly, or would turn into darkness as all that remained behind her had.

@Arluin