w.hat }{ would he C A R E

[♫ §kY ☼]

Sky had run off again. The first time, she'd stayed within the fire kindom's boarders. Now, she hadn't seen that blasted stallion that held her captive in days. It was time to move. She hated him with a firey passion that consumed her soul. Of course, getting out of Agni-Kai had it's draw-backs. She had to go through Resheph's terra, and she was always in Shattered's. Shattered wasn't that hard to get along with. Sky had found an understanding with that particular stallion. Yes, she was hot-headed and hard to get along with, but he was passive and didn't really care.

Resheph, on the other hand, treated her like a toy, something to play with. He was a total asshole to every mare he met. Well, that's what Sky thought anyway. That was yet another stag she couldn't stand. And then, after those two, there was Saint's Art: her captor, her own personal king, the stallion she had to bow to. The flame that was always within her suddenly ignited at her hooves. Every thought of Art gave the fire more life. She was walking through an area that looked as if it'd been burned over and over again. An anguished scream came somewhere from her left. Like most animals, she had the strong feeling that she shouldn't be here. This was a place of death. The scream suddenly cut off, a loud crunching resounded.

Sky shook her dome and continued walking. She was here becuase the chances of her running into someone else were slimmer than none. Besides, Art was probably going to kill her anyway, so why not make it a quick death? The buckskin mare tossed her mane once more. The last thing I need is to run into a stag I know... a deep sigh stretched her barrel. Of course, the fire stallions didn't particularly get along, but she was sure if she ran into one, it wouldn't turn out good.

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

Darkened trees met the stallion’s orbs. Single left due colored with striking contrast, his pelt marbled with the golden color of ripened wheat, or other more common plants that could not be named. It was here in this dark place, a place of eerie feelings and well-placed fear the stallion had wandered into. A place of death, and consuming doubts, dark secrets. Shattered knew little of this place, though it seemed to harbour knowledge of his kind. Fire raging, destruction. He could see it in the corner of his mind, what those previous benders must have done must have been like to create such a place. To tune a forest into a graveyard, life to death.

His winds gave a rush of air, heaving a small sigh at his ever crowded mind. Unneeded, unwanted thoughts passing through his conscious. Creating possibilities, dangers of this land or unknown secrets. Something valuable beneath all this age old ash and burnt flesh of flora, was that possible? The hefty Brute gave a shake of his boa, tossing his troublesome silks from his skin. Eluding their ever persistent ways in covering his eyes. It was then he wondered vaguely if he could simply burn the hairs away, only a little to allow him sight without the problem. Though he knew that if he could be bathed in flame and come out without a scratch, then there really was no way to do that. Maybe air could do them justice? After all if it could lift great boulders of stone into the sky then why not slice a bit from the top?

Shattered chuckled at his own thoughts. Once so full of death and darkness, carelessly switching over to how he needed a trim. His limbs brought him forward without to much trouble, his instinct pretty much revealing hidden holes or sunken spots among the charcoal scattered burn. His orbs quietly took in their surroundings. How thick and lush this place must have been, for even with all greenery brought to nothingness the splinters of mighty trees still seemed thick. Almost passable for a spruce forest.

A new scent slipped upon him, and his auds brought themselves about in recognition. A small smile sprout about his mug and feeling quite buoyant for some reason set about a two-beat to this well-known stranger. “Sky!” He called, catching sight of her unmistakable buckskin pelt. It wasn’t hard to see in such clear airways. He came to a halt a short distance from the mare, respecting her dislike of him, most stallions actually. “I see your doing some exploring of your own. Unless this is a regular visiting place of yours?” The stallion was in a good mood today, and not so tightly formal. Besides, he knew her well enough to be slightly casual. But he was still on guard, for it seemed impossible to drop it here. He didn’t like this place, but the mare would never know of that. Not to mention his buoyant soul. No, all she would see was a welcoming face.

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[♫ §kY ☼]

Oh no... A scent of smoke entered her nares. The mare took a deep breath. It was smoke alright, but it didn't have the same scent as her surroundings, or even the fire at her hooves. She tossed her charcoal mane and stomped a dagger. That was not a scent she was wanting to smell. That kind of smoke only came from another fire bender. Of course, one glance around, and any educated horse would be able to tell that it was fire benders that had destroyed this once luscious forest, but Sky ruled out that it was one of those beings.

That had happened years ago. In the fire kindom, there was at least ash upon the ground. Here, there was nothing, only the charred earth and burnt stumps that were once tall trees. The ground was so that nothing would ever grow again. This was an accursed place. No animal in their right mind would be here. Probably why I am... she thought bitterly. Sky had no intention of going towards the stranger, but for some reason, her pillars brought her to a stop.

She took another deep breath, trying to get under the overpowering scent of fire. Surely she knew the horse. Almost imediately, her ears and dome drooped. It was Shattered. Of the fire stallions, excepting Manifesto, Shattered was by far the best. There was a reason he was king. Hold up. I'm not on his lands. I don't have to respect him! The thought was like music from deep within her mind. Suddenly the world was a little bit brighter. Her head came up as the fire king stepped into view.

A smile crossed her features as he stayed back. That was the only reason she found that she actually, might possibly, maybe, kinda, sort of, half way, almost liked the stag. Of course, she'd never admit it. He was a king. He was proud. And, he wasn't about to let anything that she could dish out get to him. But most importantly, he respected her. Granted, if they got in a fight, he wouldn't walk away without a scratch, but she was fairly certain Shattered could outdo her on the battlefield. He was the fire king, remember? Sky, in turn, approached him.

The stallion appeared to be in a good mood. Odd, that. This was a place of death and destruction. Why was he so chipper? The confusion never showed on the dame's face as she dipped her head to him. "Good evening, Shattered," she said. Yes, she respected the horse. In no way did she fear him, but his passive dominance was something she didn't usually see. It was worth her respect even when she didn't have to respect him. "Exploring? No, no...more like running away in terror. So...what are you hiding?" She was refering to the reason he was entirely to chipper to be in a place like this.

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

Shattered felt concern as the mare spoke, but not dared let it out upon his face. He knew that Sky hated to be pitied or worried over, it cut down her pride and not to mention temper. And the last thing the stallion wanted was to slash the throat of their already uneasy…acceptance of each other. Or more, her acceptance of him, even if she didn‘t necessarily like it. He, personally, accepted any horse for what they were, nothing more nothing less. What else could you do? What more could you ask of them anyway? They simply were who they were. And Shattered had never found a reason to push their ways from themselves. Even if it was a cruel practice, or blood gorging ways. Even if he hated the being to the point were only dark waters churned inside him, where no amount of thoughts or strategies bubbled to the surface. He gave his mane a quick shake, dispelling the flying vermin upon his boa and crown, and in turn lifting his mind from such troublesome thoughts. This was Sky he was dealing with, she could hurtle a good amount of cusses but words had never hurt him.

“Well nothing here, you couldn’t hide anything here-” His words faded off, his orbs trailing the broken land. He felt such shame burn within his gut. To think Fire benders, possibly some of his ancestors had committed such a thing. And all for the sake of their own moments of practice. “Perhaps I’m just happy that the first words I share with you aren’t thrown at me like thorns.” He gave Sky a small smile, his lanterns returning to the tough little mare. His words held no hidden meaning, simply stating, like the tone suggested that he was grateful for such a thing. Grateful for the simple fact of Sky allowing him the pleasure of a normal talk. Well normal for their standards. “Not such a fitting place for such emotions…” The Stallion brought his hindquarters about him, sound and scent telling him a while ago of the merciful release of life. Though the question of right or wrong still unknown to himself.

Limbs brought his form closer to the jagged rocks, the beginning’s of a simple place made of a simple matter. Nares unwillingly brought in the thick scent of crimson diamonds, and the sudden wave of cold nausea when you know you shouldn’t look, but you do. Body, twisted and mangled lay before him. Bones no doubt broken, though the unknown truth still lay upon the stallion’s mind. A fatal snap? Trauma? Blood loss? All these different versions of death, and the cause coursed through him. His crown gently lowered, brushing his soft plush against the young one’s crown. It’s innocent face, laying upon crimson looked…So peaceful. Orbs closed to the last moment’s of terror, façade brought to the point of relaxation. The knowledge of death, and its release must have coursed through her thoughts. Smoothing her troubles away, into nothingness.

“She looks…peaceful. I wonder if she truly got the end she was wishing for…” His verses were not but simple whispers, and his own mind asked the questions, relaying them over and over. Would he get the end he wished for? Would Sky? Did anyone get their true, desired end? Even if you felt happy, felt relived. There must be one little thing, buried into the depths of your very soul. One you could never retrieve for if you were to remember. Everything would be lost, the easy way out, lost for eternity.

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[♫ §kY ☼]

Sky's initial reaction was an eye roll. Big suprise there. The wench always had either a hateful comment or rude gesture to show her displeasure in just about any situation. The scars on her pelt were a perfect example as to how often her alagator jaws overloaded her mockingbird butt. "Sure you're not hiding anything." She rolled her eyes again and a mildly irritated flick of her tail dispelled those annoying insects that plagued the world. "You're too obvious..." His next lyrics changed her expression though.

She went from mildly annoyed, to almost laughing. "Well, if his majesty would prefer my usual array of insults and curses..." her smile changed to a malicious grin. "Nah, I don't feel like it." She shrugged and turned away from the cliff he was headed toward. This wasn't the first time she'd been here. This was one of the first places she'd found when crossing into the valley. It's scent of death hadn't frightened her at that time either, but what she saw did.

She'd long since figured out that if a horse decided it was their time, to leave them to it. Don't interfere, and don't look. She viewed chosing the easy way out as cowardly and would never be accused of doing so. She openly sighed. "Ok, yeah. You're an idiot. Why on the gods generally green planet would you want to go towards there!? She chose to kill herself. That's all there is to it. There's nothing to see, and there ain't a damn thing you can do." She shook her head.

Shattered spoke again, his lyrics getting a slightly more animated response from the mare. Her eyes widened and her limbs went stiff. Utter disbelief was her only emotion. Did he...but...he...what? she thought. Yes, he'd actually just said that. "Forgive me...but did you just say she looks peaceful!? Where's the peace in committing suicide?" Sky was at Shattered's side in an instant. She obviously saw a completely different picture than the seasoned stallion. In Sky's eyes, there was a young mare that had just jumped off a cliff, her mangled body now laying before them. There was nothing peaceful about it.

"She's young..." her voice was barely above a whisper. The sight had stirred something within her. "Entirely too young to need this," she nodded at the cliff. Her head drooped a little. Why did this kind of thing happen. Yes, in a way, she did look like she was at peace. Or at least, as close to peace as one can get after being so deranged as to wish for death. Sky had to turn away. What if she could have done something for the poor filly. The chances were slim, but there. "I doubt it. This can't be a desired end. She'll never smile again."

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

“Really Sky” His orbs travelled to the mare and then back to the fallen creature at his flints. “I think I’m hiding everything I need to…” Once more his orbs lay upon the saddening sight, and hearing Sky’s next phrase stirred something in him. A bout of annoyance and frustration. “call me what you like, you’re mind doesn’t seem to be able to grasp the deeper hold of things. Maybe that is why my motives are rejected, who knows.” Shattered wasn’t screwing around now, his voices was set into cold indifference. And frankly he didn’t give a shit if Sky tried to beat the crap out of him. He knew he would win, and he wasn’t in the mood for complications. Muddled thoughts flashed about his mind and he brought his front hock upward, slowly, and dutifully. Dark, vibrant liquid seeped from the earth’s dead layers bringing upon the scent of burning blood and soon flesh as the creator’s power slipped about the sleeping child’s remains. Burning it to nothing within moments, and as the last burst of steam and stench leapt from the soil Shattered’s flint touched down lightly, the dangerous substance now eradicated from sight.

“Once more Sky you overlook important details” he hissed, orbs flashing slits to her simple remark. “You only see whats on the surface but you can’t and won’t dig deeper. What you see is what you believe, and you refuse to see it any other way!” Pure, unfiltered anger lashed through the stallion and his spat words laced with contempt for this naïve fool before him. The simple way she thought, the simple way she came up with these pathetic excuses to scorn others. And yet there was no real intelligence behind all this. Yes, word games and clever phrases were her specialty. Something that meant nothing in this world, something not got you no where. At least, no where in intellect.

Something snapped. Like a barrier released, and Shattered froze. Hardly daring to breathe. It seemed like slow motion that he began to draw in breaths, and even then it didn’t feel real to him. He had been robbed of his calm demeanour, the one thing that held all his emotions in check. And the reaction, something dreadful. His breath was laboured, not by pain or loss of breath. But the shame and regret smothered him like flames, liquid flames. His power, his gift. And his curse. Sky’s soft words only made him feel worse for his actions and his orbs closed, snap shut with the intent to not open. Maw firmly clamped, and crown bowed in his own disgust.

His orbs opened, maw took in quivering breaths and crown rose. He would not dwell in such stupidity of his actions. “This isn’t what you see. Her and then me, you know little of the world and of us. What we truly are.” His head turned back, lanterns glowing with a cool steel gaze. “And I doubt you ever will.” With an unnatural grace he pulled his limbs from the feeling of hardened lead, his heart from the shadow. His mind, from himself.

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[♫ §kY ☼]

Sky froze. She'd never seen Shattetered as he was now. At their first meeting, she had mistaken his calm demeaner for weakness. At their second meeting, she'd realized that he wasn't weak, just calm, cool, and collecting. He saw a side of things that most horses didn't. Now, with his temper blaring, she was completely shocked. "My mind doesn't seem to be able to grasp what?" Sky's voice was by far the lowest it had been in years. She had just been called unintelligent in about five different ways.

The mare was pissed. When he had burned the corpse, she'd been disgusted. The scent had threatened to kill her nares. When she had first looked at the filly, she'd felt sorrow and almost remorse. But now, she only felt pure, unbridled anger. In her mind's eye, Shattered was begging for mercy at her feet already, but outwardly was a different story entirely. Sky's anger ran so deep as to make her voice calm, and the flame at her flints unnoticable. Underneath her calm appearence, her hatred was consuming her soul.

It had been a long time since Sky truely spoke her mind. She figured there would be a time and place for everything. If there was a time to speak without filters, this was it. "I will never see the important details?" Her voice was low. The questions were more like statement as they dripped like venom from her maw. She was calm...for now. "I am unable to comprehend things on a deep enough level? I of all the elementals in the valley?"

Her voice was begining to rise. "How dare you pass judgement on someone you don't know!?" She wasn't screaming...yet. "You, Shattered, just melted someone's body! If anyone loved that filly in any way, they'll never know what became of her! If I had the ability to control lava I would've made a grave for her. I sure as HELL wouldn't've destroyed the only memory of her! Yet, I'm the one that doesn't understand the deeper things in life."

The buckskin was in front of him by now. She felt nothing but absolute hatred for him. There might've been a little bit of shame within her when he first started speaking, but by the time he'd finished, she felt absolutely no respect for the king of Agni-Kai. "You are obviously not near as mentally stable as I once thought. I took your calm as a hidden power, something that I've never seen in anyone else, and I respected you for being able to hide your emotions so well. I had no idea that you were insane. As for the world around me, I see alot more than you give me credit for.

"You just destroyed the memory of the dead, but I'm the naive one." Sky was close to destroying him at this point. The flame at her hooves was nearly as tall as her whithers, the heat licking up her slight frame. "What I know of this world is that there is little we can do in the grand scheme of things. I've spent my fair share of time thinking about life and it's disadvantages, and how this is bad and that's terrible and all that shit! You know what I got from it? Life is life! It doesn't matter how small and insignificant, it's still a life! That filly just took her own, and now there's nothing. You hear that? NOTHING to remember her from exept a scorch mark on the earth." She shook her head in utter disgust. "But...I'm the one that can't see a deeper side to things."

Again, Sky. Was. Pissed.

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

“Why are you suddenly protecting someone you never wanted to see in the first place? Do you think any friends of hers would want to see her body, broken and mangled, torn into bloody shreds by the claw and teeth of some predator stalking these blackened forests? I ‘am no earth bender, fire does the only thing it can and that is destroy. You yourself, The first time we met you were burning down trees without a second thought. And yet suddenly its unthinkable because fire destroyed some deceased creature that held more resemblance to us then simple trees?” He remained motionless as she continued to repeat the sentences he had said in his heated frenzy. He didn’t answer to them, staring her full force in the face, eyes hard and emotionless. “And your wrong about her memory. I have it, you have it. The ones who loved her and cared for her they have memories. How is a body, devoid of life and a soul a memory to cherish. And if the one who wants to know of what happened, if they are determined enough they will find us. They will find us unless their hearts fail and they give up because its ‘hopeless’.”

More lyrics spewed from her maw, and he could feel the emotion. It barrelled its way into his chest, didn’t she know already how much simply seeing that body had hurt him? And yet she was calling the shots on her life, she herself had said they couldn’t do anything. She hadn’t been prepared to do something that had needed to be done. “Do not pass judgment on you?” His words held an eerie tone. “And yet you stand here, calling me mentally unstable when I merely shouted out my thoughts once? Do you not go into unneeded frenzies every time we meet? You won’t ever shut up, you won’t ever stop talking, saying needless things.” His voice was calm, and steady and he was holding on to his thoughts quite well now. They raced about in his mind, but his heart feared he had gone to far. Everything was lost, everything. Including himself the one he knew himself to be. “But yes, maybe I did speak harsh words to you. You seem to see more, and yet. You didn’t think about it, or speak of what you saw until someone had made you mad!? Kicked you in the ass!?”

He was losing himself once more, but he couldn’t do that. Not after what had already happened. He must atone for what he said, and yet he couldn’t. Was it that…he didn’t want to? Or that he simply just couldn’t? “ So, you see life as life?” He grew quiet, the wind brought him the ever cleaner scent of the space about him. The stench was leaving, and yet his stomach wasn’t settling. “But life isn’t simply life, I’m not talking about what’s involved with life. Disasters or disadvantages. I’ll tell you what I saw when I looked at that filly. And if you don’t want to know then to bad I‘m telling you anyway!”

“When I looked down at her I didn’t see the blood, yes it was there but that’s not what I focused on. I focused on her, her face, and what might have been going on in her mind when she did all that. Her eyes were closed, so when I looked at them I couldn’t see the look of terror. The terror one’s eyes hold when they know they’re going to die. Her face wasn’t stretched in a scream, or terrible one of pain. It looked relieved and relaxed. When I thought about what might have been going through her mind? Revelation, and the knowledge that death was, for her a savour from the pits of hell. She was committed to doing this, and actually felt relief at the hands of death. Because it freed her, from everything. Why would I want to see her freedom, degraded by bears or the effects of time? I did what I thought was best.” There was silence then. Cold hard silence.

“I know there is little we can do. I know every life is a treasure. But not every life is gifted to our kind, there’s life in trees and plants and yet those are expendable to us?” He went silent once more, his limbs quivered and his head was held low, but not upon the ground. “I never simply think of a life as memories, a friend of others. All your talking about is how I degraded her memories. Things are more then just memories in the end.” There was shame, regret, hatred, and frustration churning inside him and even Sky would have been surprised to know how hard it was for him to keep it all inside. “We don’t think the same way…This was bound to happen.” He whispered. It was true, they both had been doomed to hatred when they had first met, they simply didn’t understand what each others way of thinking was, why it was cause, how it was affected. Not to mention their personal goals and ways were destined to crash. It was total Ciaos.

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[Sadikika]

V e r a

I had no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.

My steps were slow, leading up an ashy path, filled with the smell of death that sent a cold feeling through my bones. It didn't feel right here, and I was debateing on turning back around and going to look for Shattered elsewhere, but I had a scent of him right there, just very faint. I lifted my crown swiftly, catching the scent again, and my elegant dance moved along in a bee line for him.

My nares were correct in his scent, and I saw his dappeled coat from a distance, shaking my mane to clear my visionaries of my blonde locks. I was too focused on Shattered in the heat of the day, to relize there was a mare next to her, and when I looked closer I relized there expressions, mad and ready to blow. I did a quickstop not too close to Shattered, looking back and fourth between the two equines, waiting for my signal to back off.

I was where Shattered could see me, but he might be to mad to notice, and I stood tensed for a minute, thinking of my options if a fight broke out. I could probaly run farther away, waiting it out, since Shattered was the king of the Fire benders, and no matter how good this mare was, she couldn't beat Shattered. I hoped a fight didn't break out, I didn't enjoy my friends suffer with wounds, but I wasn't good at stopping fights, or even just fighting.

My tassels shifted back and fourth, my head copying it and looking between the two posed for battle. I kept my mouth shut, waiting for Shattered to notice me first, incase he was too upset to talk. I finally noticed the charred land, the ashes falling off the couple of dead trees even left, and the cinders crumbling under my flints as I shifted m weight between pillars.

I momentarily thought about the drought, blissful that it had ended soon, and now water was scarce, but quickly becoming known in a few areas. He was right, when he said that the lands weren't always burning through the skin hot, and that there was, at the very least, bunches of jade greenery in many places. I was secretly relived by the change, gladly taking the time to explore the herd lands now that it wasn't a battle every step.

Nor had I time to love, but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

There was nothing but eerie silence. Shattered and Sky stood facing one another. Stock still and both bent on some serious battling if it sprung out. It was torture within the stallion, anger had taken over for now but guilt, pain, sorrow, every emotion imaginable was pent up inside him, wanting to burst free now that a shard had been lost from the window. He was out of breath, not from moving for he hadn’t moved a muscle from his stance, head low but threatening, eyes cold and hard, his whole being intent on the mare, this thing in front of him. This equine he hated with such a turbulence of water and fire. Hate and anger, the two most common emotions to be released first. For there was so much of this substance within the world, the bottles would always fill up. And soon overflow, drowning out all other emotions.

The sound of flint patching the ground sent warning signals to his mind, but despite his heated heart the cool of his mind won out and he didn’t take his eyes off of Sky. Unwilling to show the furious mare a chance to hurt him even further. For he had suffered something far more terrible then physical wounds that day. Mentally, he was collapsing. Despite of what he told Sky, that it was simply an outburst, she would guess fueled by impulse. He wasn’t completely full-proof. Who could be? He wasn’t the type to normally take and bottle his emotions and his mind, though greatly exceeding the normal tolerance for such an act he had his boundaries. The filly had been the last straw, and coupled with Sky’s words he had shattered. Literally.

The sounds advanced, and Shattered could feel his mind wander, he wanted to know who it was. And make sure it wasn’t who he thought it was. Of course, it had to be her. His stomach tightened with such a spasm of dread he would have nearly doubled over if he could, forgetting about the problem in front of him he crown tossed to the side, looking back to see the startled form of Vera. One and perhaps the only horse he had met that he felt completely safe with, completely safe with when they were alone. If she was here there was a good chance something could happen to her, and she was above all else on his him-to-her priority list. “Vera.” He whirled about, bringing his shaking limbs beneath himself as he sent himself towards her form.

“Why did you follow me?” He demanded, without his calm demeanor all his emotions ran wild, and until they could be captured once more Shattered could not be compared to his usual self. He could be dangerous, impulsive and altogether unreadable at times. That’s when his anger and hate were first pushing out, after this entail time he wasn’t much different from other equine. Nothing special, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. He still had his head, and his power, but not It’s binding effects upon him. “It’s dangerous out here, why did you come!?” Vera knew nothing of this change, and Shattered was centrally nothing like she knew him to be.

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[Random]

[&]Death hewn daggers dug harshly into the charred soil of the darkened forest, the large stag’s muscles rippling underneath horribly marred coat. Crimson stained his mahogany coat, from what reason he couldn’t even spell. Maybe the tree he clipped a moments time earlier as he galloped full force into the forests maze, or from a previous encounter with one of his feisty vixens. All he knew was that with every forceful stride he took pain washed through his bod, letting him know he was still alive and kicking. Don’t be fooled though, it was hardly enough to immobilize him or anything of the sort, just a scratch really. He has had much worse, believe me. This could be told quite easily but the numerous amount of scars that riddled his hide, now gleaming with perspiration from the exertion of his run. It was still summer and pretty damn hot out, no amount of shade that the forest provided could change that.

[&]The dark chasms that Resheph used as oculars gazed out at the soot drenched trees that were coming about him at an alarming speed as he charged them unflinchingly before shifting his large bulk out of the way at the very last moment Yes, it was probably that tree that caused the shallow wound on his haunches. Basically he was playing a dangerous game of chicken, one where the trees where his opponent and unfortunately they do not back down when confronted with a massive beast charging at them. Angry voices and raging screams shifted his attention away from the stationary trees, his twin spires perking to catch the words of the two arguing equids. The voices sounded vaguely familiar, though they were distorted by the pure rage laced in their harsh words.

[&]Picking up his already swift pace his muscles strained to force some more speed out, the beast now dodging the trees with ease as this was not his focus anymore. Fire forced itself onto his obsidian flints, though his prints were not marked by charred grass as usual for the forests floor was barren of any evident greenery. Fire benders most likely killed off any plant life, and also accounted for the barren skeletons of the trees. One would think green would be the main color scheme for a forest, but not for this one. With such a name as ‘Black Forest’ it would give most a clue. Nevertheless the hellion’s flints were fully engulfed in flames, and their greedy fingers even slivered up his pillars and licked at his haunches. He left a trail of fire in his wake, though with nothing to burn off of on the path he was taking it merely died down as quickly as it had appeared.

[&]A sickening crunching sound was heard as the hessian’s daggers struck the skeleton of some poor soul, though he took no notice to it. The only thing that bothered him was the fact he wasn’t there when the equine gasped its last breath, for everyone knows that’s when they show who they truly are inside. No matter though, that was in the past and he was focused on the near future. Which hopefully included either annoying the shit out of someone, capturing another whore or beating the shit out of someone. Resheph’s not choosey, he’ll take whatever he can get really. Nares suddenly took a deep intake of breath, letting the scents swirl around in his nasal passages to convey what exactly he was about to get himself into. The stench of ash and death was the most dominant, though he pushed past this eerily appealing scent and searched for more.

[&]A stallion…and two mares. Well maybe he could get the best of both words, whores and a movie…or errrrr a fight. Unfortunately though as their scent grew stronger as he neared them he realized the stallion was Shattered, the dreadfully dull Fire King. Yaaaaaay. Though to bring his mood back up he found out the one mare was Sky’s undeniable scent. The vixen who was claimed by the bastard that named himself Art-who Resheph held a mixture of disgust and respect for. Hadn’t seen him around though, so she figured Sky was fair game which was always an appealing thought. The other vixen was undistinguishable though, a stranger. Eh well, he took what he could get. He’d make the best of things, that was for sure.

[&]Once all three equids were within his cold, blackened visionaries he slackened his pace. Striding suavely right to Sky’s side he surveyed the scene that he had come upon. Shattered looked angry, which was a delightful change. Sky also looked that way, no strike that. She looked enraged, but that was just like her so no surprise there. The stranger, who just happened to be surprisingly appealing in the ‘oh so innocent angelic virgin’ type of way looked scared shitless. Probably just arrived and was ‘so startled’ by the heated atmosphere and stench of burnt flesh. Wait, burnt flesh? Mmmmmm. “Ahhhh, you are fortunate. The stench of death always puts me in a good mood,” he offered, accompanying his words with his signature wicked smirk. Tossing his tanged tresses he looked down-quite literally-at the pure tension that resided between Sky and Shattered. Ah, well better break the ice, sooner better then later.

[&]Reaching down to Sky’s level he placed his enamels against her nape, softly at first so as to not break the skin but as he moved down her spine he pressed harder and harsher until he could of sworn he saw his beloved crimson. At that he promptly removed himself from what he hoped was beyond retaliation area and parted his maw to speak a few lovely words. “Oh Sky, you don’t know how much I’ve missed you. Has that bastard been treating you well?” he asked with words seething with sarcasm. And he was, of course, referring to Art. Though as his occs drifted toward Shattered he tilted his skull a bit then refocused attention on Sky. “Or has Shattered converted you to one of his butterflies and rainbows groupies?” he inquired, though quite doubted this fact as the previous argument was no doubt was between then two. Apparently he got there too late though, as they were only wallowing in tense silence. Except when the marbled King snapped at the angel-like vixen, so worried about her safely and and all. Utterly disgusting. “Care you tell me what I missed? For afar it sounded very exciting,” he laughed, directing his question more to Shattered but not really caring who answered. He should have probably been less informal to his King, especially in his seemingly delicate situation. But then again, that just wouldn’t be Resheph.

[♫ §kY ☼]

Sky hated herself, but she listened to every word that came from the king's lips. Every single word burned itself in her memory and aided to the fire that was beginning to consume her. Very shortly the entire area was going to be aflame. She was litterally going to expload. "I DON'T speak of the things I cannot change! I hide every emotion but anger and irritation! It leads to a very simple life. One I am not ashamed to say I love! I watched my own mother die, Shattered!"

She was panting now. "It was my fault. I was the reason she went insane. I was the reason she was kicked out of the only place where she was safe! I stood there as she took her own life, completely unable to help her! I should've done something...anything." Her voice had lost it's edge. Never before had someone gotten her to speak of this. "The fire that destroyed this forest, the fire that everyone thinks I can control so well... I wasn't even a yearling..." She shook her head and tried to calm down.

"That is why I am the way I am. No foal should have to watch, completely helpless, as her mother choses to give her life becuase she can't handle it anymore." She glared at the stallion before her, much calmer now. "I have nothing more than a few moon's worth of memories worth of my mom, and very few, if any, are happy. If there was somewhere I could go...and see that yes, she was real. She's not a figment of my imagination...it would give me an inner peace that you couldn't fathom even if you tried."

Her voice was now barely above a whisper. She had spoke her piece, and now she was extremely vulnerable. Suddenly, another mare walked into view. The way Shattered rounded on her pulled Sky out of her memories. He was definitely not himself anymore, and it was probably dangerous to be anywhere near him. She immediately backed up. This was not a good place to be standing. The buckskin looked the stranger over. She was delicate, dainty, and very feminine. Sky was able to muster a smile in her direction and a nod of welcome.

And then there was Resheph...

Sky's head came up and her auds swiveled toward the bastard. Her shoulders immediately drooped. What was this? Some cruel irony that the gods had decided to add to the games? Silently, she surveyed the area for Art. That was the only dickhead missing from this scene. The mare knew that if she backed away from the aproach of the stallion, it would be a sign of weakness, and that was the last thing she needed with Resheph. She was vulnerable enough.

Which proved itself as soon as his ivories delicately touched her boa. Her head drooped and she relaxed to his touch. Yes, she was a mare. Thankfully, the pain settled in, and she was back to her usual bitchy self. "Resheph..." she said in a voice thick with lust and adoration. Her blackened pillars carried her bodice to him and she ran her muzzle down the under side of his neck to bite playfully at his shoulder. "What can I say? Art left me quite...unsatisfied..." The brute had never seen her like this, and it was going to be quite a fun game to play.

She stayed as close to the stag as possible, always touching him in some way. "Oh nothing, handsome." The wench was talking about what the gamma lead had missed. "The king and I only had a slight...disagreement." Her voice hadn't lost it's lusty twist to it.

[Sadikika]

V e r a

I had no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.

Shattered turned around to face me, after a short moment of tense glaring. I was shook out of my thinking as he snapped at me, my eyes showing some whites as my heart skipped a beat. I had never seen any king, especially the calm and collected Shattered, break down into an unstable equine like he was now.

The buckskin mare gave a half-hearted smile it seemed, and nodded in my direction, my crown returning the gesture, glancing at her for a minute before the smell had crawled up my nares, and my stomach churned with disgust. I let my visionaries wander over the terrain slowly, and stopping as they came to Shattered's legs, which they took a minute to wander up to return his gaze and answer his questions. My harks were folded back a small amount, my fear of this new shattered king showing in my posture and facial features.

"I'm sorry, sir, I was looking for you." I bowed my tiara of long, creamy locks, my voice shaky, and the tips of my mane just hovering above the ashy land. My harks pricked at the noise of another's flints strikeing the ground, my head slowly rising from the apologetic bow, and staring questioningly at the stallion. Another fire bender, who seemed to be of either dominance or more self-esteem than needed.

The other equine strided across to come to a halt at the mare's side, thoughts of maybe this mare being in a herd under the power of him, or friends. I just stood in questioning silence as he surveyed the scene, and decided to flirt with the buckskin. She flirted back, and the churning sickness in my stomach worsened as the two played.

The stag tilted his head away from the mare, shooting a glance at the king, and throwing an insult along with it. My eyes narrowed in disgust at the stranger, who I seemed to already take a disliking for, but I kept my mouth shut for now. My throat was still caught up with surprise and fear from when Shattered snapped at me.

If I had said anything to the stag, it would have come out rough and shaky, I had still not caught up with my sanity in this situation.

Nor had I time to love, but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.

[FireFlyDragon]

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrows
Shattered
No tomorrow No tomorrow

Shattered felt the mare's surprise and immediate regret, but she had nothing to be regretful about. He forced his maw to close, his orbs to halt their crazed look. He didn't wish for anyone, especially Vera to be scared, scared of him. His nares brushed along her grey hide, silky plush skimming her shoulder, though it was done hesitantly. Shattered wasn't one to be in such contact, he was young still and had little experience with his feelings. At least those that were contained for the other being. "I'm sorry." He whispered, unwilling to allow words to pass from his lungs. Afraid that they would be like the previous in tone and sharp edges.

His limbs brought him closer to the femme, her presence already calming his speeding heart. A voice, seemingly far and distant caused his auds to flicker from their stations. Back to where Sky had remained, though as his orbs refocused she had moved. Her verses were shaky, and by the way her tones made his heart quake he knew this was a very rare story. And possibly never told, he would cherish that. Even if it was spoken out of impulse. He didn't trust himself to speak in response, but his orbs held a soft note. Not of understanding, for he knew not of the emotions that ran through her form, he knew not of what that would have felt like and he doubted he could muster up such a ramble of thoughts. What must have been going through her mind, so many different possibilities.

His crown lowered with such a subtle sway of his silks that he hardly seemed to move, but he hoped Sky saw the regret of his upbringings. He always tried to keep such pains of others hidden, if the holder wished for them to stay in the shadows. He could not bring himself to move from Vera's side, his daggers felt of hardened metal, rooting itself deep into the rocky ground. And deep into its heart.It was then another came, brought upon the small gathering with dark daggers. It was none other then Resheph, the testy gamma stallion. Arguments seemed to draw him and his disturbed personality. He was one of the last horses he Shattered wanted to see. He could hold his distaste though, for the mean time. He showed minimal respect, for he wasn’t on good terms with Resheph or his emotions at the moment, and he found it difficult to really show the stallion anything. At least anything that could be deemed polite.

Sky was showing a much different approach to the hellion then their previous encounter would deem. She could be called seductive even, and it sickened Shattered to the marrow. He respected Sky’s proud nature, even if it fueled his anger and annoyance. Seeing her like this, creating such a venerable thing in her stead was pathetic, and against her completely. At least, all that Shattered respected her for.

“Nothing of the sort Reshpeh.” He spoke, orbs unable to betray his thoughts at the stallion’s second to last verses. He didn’t bother to answer the brute’s question. He would answer any question that needed an answer, and one that desired one of the latter. He wouldn’t try to make Resheph atone for his lack of respect, it was clear he wouldn’t change his ways. It didn’t matter to the splattered stallion anyway, he was king and he didn’t see the stallion as any real threat. Reshpeh, Shattered guessed had no real ambition for anything other then insults and sex. He wouldn’t do anything, to worse for words. Overall Shattered wasn’t worried about the stallion, even if he should have been.

His thick boa snaked from Sky and Resheph, allowing his orbs to gaze upon the silver mare at his side. His lanterns tinged with soft edging. He had startled her more then previously assumed. “Shall we go?” He questioned quietly. He didn’t want Vera to be exposed for to long a time with Resheph. The cocky stallion might get some ideas in his skull, if not already fathomed.

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[Random]

[&]Dark occs shifted between the three equids equally, surveying their reactions to his sudden arrival. He found no warm welcome from the normally gracious stag, instead finding only cold recognition. There was quite obviously something bothering the King, though with his arrival everything seemed to quiet down. Well wasn't that convenient, as soon as he thought he had found something worth wasting his time on everyone returns to normal. Well...perhaps not normal but the mood was definitely shimmering down much to the mahogany stud's dismay. Tattered cords thrashed at his marred hide, signifying his distaste for the lack of excitement present in the air. Though thankfully Resheph's few remaining anchors to sanity were not broken as a few surprising factors came into play. For example, Sky suddenly throwing herself at him in a rather whoreish fashion. Which he decided he could get use to very quickly.


[&]As her bodice moved closer to his hulk he found himself utterly confused, her plush softly grazing his scarred serpentine. He almost expected her to suddenly clamp her shining ivories down on his throat, leaving him at her mercy as she laughed hysterically at his stupidity. And for this, he didn't let one muscles within his mass to relax and was prepared to react instantly if she started doing something fishy. So focused on what threat the little femme could pose on him he didn't get to enjoy the sensuality she was imposing on him. Nevertheless the way her maw slid down his boa ever so slowly did make his heart beat elevate, enjoying the feeling of it pump harshly against his rib cage as he took in a deep breath of her tantalizing scent. Aparently now deciding to test his self control she proceeded to purr a few seductive verses into his awaiting harks, and he slowly started to believe that perhaps she didn't have something up her sleeve and perhaps she was just crazy. Which was something he could certainly deal with, for some could say he was a few clowns short of a circus himself.

[&]"Ah, I knew he didn't have the balls to handle a mare such as yourself," he laughed shamelessly at his own joke before smoothing over his features to finish his lyrics. “But babe, I can assure you I’ll satisfy you and more,” the hessian spoke alluringly as his boa reached down to enable his velvets to skim the length of her soft hide. Inescapably lingering at her hindquaraters as he let his nares take a small breath in, her scent swirling around in his nasal passages temptingly before he brought his skull back to its normal height in one swift and sudden upsweep. He had made his point inescapably clear, and if the normally bitchy little wench was still within this seductresses body he was sure to bring it out with that gusty move. He didn’t have time to waste on facades and lies. Games, though, was right up his alley. Too bad he probably just ended the game. Oh well, there was another vix in the same vicinity. Sky wasn’t the only wench he could screw.


[&]Though the other future whore would come with a little baggage. Namely her undeniable chemistry with the presently crazed fire King. The way his nares ran tentatively against her ivory hide so gently, like a colt with his first crush as he‘s discovering all these new ‘feelings‘. Or wait maybe…was he a eunuch? Blackened abysses glanced downward at the brute, though were disappointed when they found he was not, in fact, a eunuch. Well then he just really needed to learn the meaning of aggressive passion and possibly put it into practice. But if Shattered wasn’t going to man up, Resheph sure would no matter how much this would definitely push the usually calm steed’s limits.


[&]“I can’t believe I’ve been such a complete bastard, ignoring you and such. The name’s Resheph and your little King is right,“ he spoke nonchalantly as he took one powerful stride toward Vera as he looked down upon her, smirk already clouding his features as he prepared to finish his menacing lyrics. “All sort of barbaric and dangerous beasts roam these woods, searching for an innocent maiden to defile and than drag back to their ashen lands where she would most certainly be doomed to the life of a whore,” he forced back a chuckle as he kept a straight face, minus the smirk of course. Leaning his skull down to rest just mere inches above her ivory crown he let his nares breath in and out deeply, letting the small puffs of air bounce off her crown and back to his mug. Letting her regain her personal space he took a confiden step back to Sky’s side. “Though don’t leave just yet, I’ve only just arrived and the funs about to start!” he broke out into a full blown laugh, letting his mass heave in pure, unadulterated laughter. Orbs now decided to glance downward in the tawny wench’s direction, trying to gauge whether he should torment her again or should he continue with aggravating the two secrets lovers over there. Only time-and the threes equines reaction-would tell.