Kaelyndra
Xla'Lanan felt his skin crawl, something he was not accustomed to. His ears swivelled around on his head, but he couldn't make out anything. He shouldn't have had a problem locating the source of his worries, as it was still midday, getting late, mind you, but he wasn't blind. He snorted and wheeled around.
Still nothing.
Then, very faintly he thought he could make out the sounds of laughing. It made his stomach churn and his teeth grit. Whatever it was, if it tried anything, he'd kill it. Then again, he might have been going crazy.
At long last he gave up, the strange premonition fading from his mind. However, his feet were less inclined to stay in the same place and so they propelled him forwards and out of the small canyon he'd been in.
It was customary for Xla'Lanan to be away from home. He didn't think Yi or Ka much liked him there, and certainly not Mordre. The queen was quite partial to him, but Mordre, afterall, seemed to share some special connection. He was of magic, why shouldn't he? So, knowing Mordre's needs, the queen sifted Xla'Lanan out of the crowds and sent him on mundane tasks that he was only too willing to oblige.
It was coming back from one of these journeys that had put Xla'Lanan at the bottom of the formentioned cliff, and therefore place of Undine's fall. She was well ahead of him by now, it would seem, but Xla'Lanan had always been a runner, and quickly caught up to the blue female, assessing her wounds with hatred.
"What the hell happened to you?" he accused, not her, but no doubt the Reya that did it. He scanned the skies, ears pinned, tail flicking. Whoever they were, they must have had some properties of power on their sides as well. Perhaps a speaker of the dead? It would explain the eerie feeling that passed. That was not good, not good at all.
TawnyAngel
Internally, the blue and white tactician cussed. She had hoped that there wouldn't be anybody about to see, that she might have time to come up with a decent reason for her fall. "Xla'Lanan," the mare acknowledge with a respectful bow of her head. "I was making plans to get rid of the last of those Aeri hanging around the edges of the queen's lands." The paint mare raised her amber eyes to the place she had just dropped so gracelessly from and shuddered. "Something... spooked me and I fell off the edge up there."
Well, she probably looked a bit of a fool in front of the royal advisor now but it didn't matter all that much. Better than letting him think she was a coward or a flighty fool than nuts. Admitting she'd seen a dead Reya was not wise, not wise at all. She liked her position thank you so much and didn’t want it taken away for being ‘unstable’ or some such. The Reya had been real. She was sure it had. She’d always been very sane, why would that change now?
Undine flexed her right wing, wincing as the appendage complained at her. "Not my most graceful moment ever," the usually agile Jala muttered as much to herself as anyone else.
Kaelyndra
Xla'Lanan nodded, but she hadn't answered his question yet. When she moved her eyes, he followed them with his own, staring at the cliff edge with some malice.
"I'll tell you what spooked you," Xla'Lanan growled towards the cliff. "Some damn magic user playing tricks on us."
In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if it had been Mordre, having a little fun, and it turned nasty. People had to entertain themselves someway at that age. The red male shuddered with the thought.
"Fear never is," he affirmed her statement on grace. As far as he was concerned, it meant run and nothing more. However, he didn't back down or run from much. Afterall, most were afraid of the unkown, and he found it horribly intriguing.
"I'll tell you what spooked you," Xla'Lanan growled towards the cliff. "Some damn magic user playing tricks on us."
In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if it had been Mordre, having a little fun, and it turned nasty. People had to entertain themselves someway at that age. The red male shuddered with the thought.
"Fear never is," he affirmed her statement on grace. As far as he was concerned, it meant run and nothing more. However, he didn't back down or run from much. Afterall, most were afraid of the unkown, and he found it horribly intriguing.
TawnyAngel
So. She wasn't going to get away with vagueness then. Well hang it all them, let him make of it what he would. "It looked like a Reya," Undine replied, folding her wing up again as best she was able. "Black thing with blue flames about it... It said it was dead. I don't know what to make of that to be honest though it could well have been a magic user I suppose." Why would the illusionist want to do that to her? No, he was reputed to be a sensible sort; he wouldn't have risked injuring a valuable herd member.
So, either it really had been a spirit tied to the moral plain or there was a rogue magic user about. ...That or for some reason she was being disposed of. No. That didn't make sense at all. Her work was good, very good and her loyalty beyond question. Anybody that knew her knew she would never betray the Katilenuck. In any case, there were more sure and subtle ways to get rid of a troublesome mare than to make her think she was seeing dead things and counting on her both falling and the fall being fatal.
Undine shot another look up at the ledge, ears set slightly backward. "If it was a trick," she muttered. "It was in exceedingly poor taste, and or malicious..." Was it possible that the Aeri had an illusionist? No, their own weaver of reality would surely have picked up on that.
So, either it really had been a spirit tied to the moral plain or there was a rogue magic user about. ...That or for some reason she was being disposed of. No. That didn't make sense at all. Her work was good, very good and her loyalty beyond question. Anybody that knew her knew she would never betray the Katilenuck. In any case, there were more sure and subtle ways to get rid of a troublesome mare than to make her think she was seeing dead things and counting on her both falling and the fall being fatal.
Undine shot another look up at the ledge, ears set slightly backward. "If it was a trick," she muttered. "It was in exceedingly poor taste, and or malicious..." Was it possible that the Aeri had an illusionist? No, their own weaver of reality would surely have picked up on that.
Kaelyndra
Xla'Lanan didn't like the sound of any of this. It was far too off. Honestly, who went around seeing dead Nequus? It had to be an illusion. The dead stayed dead. She was not necessarily off her rocker, but she was applying strange reason to perfect logic.
Unless the speakers of the dead had a way of animating them at times? It made his head spin.
"We'll have to tell the queen about this," Xla'Lanan growled. She might have been afraid of getting her position knocked, but his first and foremost priority was to report everything that was wrong to the queen. As far as he was concerned, her word was honest enough.
"Trick or. . . " he made a face. "Dead Reya, in either case, we can't have such things lurking around to spook more Katilenuck off cliffs." There wouldn't be any left to defend us, if that was the case.
"So, it never touched you, then?" He looked her over for bite marks, hoof slashes, anything, but could only see the remains of a battered fall.
Unless the speakers of the dead had a way of animating them at times? It made his head spin.
"We'll have to tell the queen about this," Xla'Lanan growled. She might have been afraid of getting her position knocked, but his first and foremost priority was to report everything that was wrong to the queen. As far as he was concerned, her word was honest enough.
"Trick or. . . " he made a face. "Dead Reya, in either case, we can't have such things lurking around to spook more Katilenuck off cliffs." There wouldn't be any left to defend us, if that was the case.
"So, it never touched you, then?" He looked her over for bite marks, hoof slashes, anything, but could only see the remains of a battered fall.
TawnyAngel
Undine shook her head. "No, never touched me. Just scared me enough to make me slip up, whatever in hell it was." The paint mare sighed and turned her back on the ledge; dwelling on it wouldn't help and the red stallion was right. The Queen ought to be told about such strangeness.
"You're right," she agreed aloud. "If that happens again, the next Jala might not be as lucky as I was." She’d damn herself if she let it side and one of her own paid the price for it. She'd just have to suck it up and tell her strange truth.
Sighing to herself, the amber-eyed mare set off at a slow, limping walk towards the centre of the herd lands. “If it was some intruder with magic,” Undine muttered as a twang of pain ran along her ribs, “I hope it gets caught soon and that something really inventive is done to it.” Willing to accept it could have been a magic user she was but the paint mare still couldn't entertain the idea that it had been their own illusionist. None of the damn situation made sense in the slightest. The tactician stumbled at step, snorting as she recovered herself. This was not a good day.
"You're right," she agreed aloud. "If that happens again, the next Jala might not be as lucky as I was." She’d damn herself if she let it side and one of her own paid the price for it. She'd just have to suck it up and tell her strange truth.
Sighing to herself, the amber-eyed mare set off at a slow, limping walk towards the centre of the herd lands. “If it was some intruder with magic,” Undine muttered as a twang of pain ran along her ribs, “I hope it gets caught soon and that something really inventive is done to it.” Willing to accept it could have been a magic user she was but the paint mare still couldn't entertain the idea that it had been their own illusionist. None of the damn situation made sense in the slightest. The tactician stumbled at step, snorting as she recovered herself. This was not a good day.
Kaelyndra
It could have very well been an illusion, then. If it didn't actually inflict any damage upon her perhaps its only valuable tool was the fear of others. If that was the case, would he target someone else, or Undine again, just for the fun of it? Run her into the ground, say?
It didn't make any difference to him, she was young, pretty, and in need of some assistance. Nasty dead Reya or no, she couldn't get very far in her current condition and she was vunerable. Granted, he'd be a sucky body guard, but he could talk tough, and he wouldn't hesitate to protect a fellow Katilenuck.
All the mares in the world could beat him to death, but they couldn't take his spirit, or malice.
He chuckled at the word, inventive and nodded his head in agreement. As to what to do next, he wasn't sure. It probably would be better if she didn't move, but what else could they do?
"I hope you don't plan on going very far?"
It didn't make any difference to him, she was young, pretty, and in need of some assistance. Nasty dead Reya or no, she couldn't get very far in her current condition and she was vunerable. Granted, he'd be a sucky body guard, but he could talk tough, and he wouldn't hesitate to protect a fellow Katilenuck.
All the mares in the world could beat him to death, but they couldn't take his spirit, or malice.
He chuckled at the word, inventive and nodded his head in agreement. As to what to do next, he wasn't sure. It probably would be better if she didn't move, but what else could they do?
"I hope you don't plan on going very far?"
TawnyAngel
The tactician paused and blinked somewhat dazedly. “Well I was supposed to be reporting soon in any case so I thought I’d go and report this.” It made sense, right? He’d just said himself the Queen ought to be told. “Who knows where that thing has gone to, might have gone off to prey on someone else already.” Surely the sooner it was known of the better.
Flexing her sore wing again, the blue and white mare turned back to face the royal adviser properly. “What do you recommend?” She was feeling a bit too shaken up to mind much what he suggested and he ranked far higher than she did in any case. The red Jala was no idiot though and Undine trusted him not to decide on something stupid.
Flexing her sore wing again, the blue and white mare turned back to face the royal adviser properly. “What do you recommend?” She was feeling a bit too shaken up to mind much what he suggested and he ranked far higher than she did in any case. The red Jala was no idiot though and Undine trusted him not to decide on something stupid.
Kaelyndra
"There are a few caves and crevices dotting the way down here," he began, trotting ahead to get a good look at the looming cliff wall that stretched not to far in front of them. There was a deep canyon in one, and there were probably several shelters in there. Not a good place to be during the summers monsoon seasons, but for the next month or so they were on solid ground.
"You won't do us any good with an infection." He bit his lip for a moment, and then came upon something. "I'll talk to the queen. I should imagine she'll come down to speak to you herself, or send someone else to do so." He gave her a careful eye. "In the mean time, I'll send a doctor, and stay around for the night, just in case it decides to come back."
"You won't do us any good with an infection." He bit his lip for a moment, and then came upon something. "I'll talk to the queen. I should imagine she'll come down to speak to you herself, or send someone else to do so." He gave her a careful eye. "In the mean time, I'll send a doctor, and stay around for the night, just in case it decides to come back."
TawnyAngel
“I...” The amber-eyed mare smiled slightly and bobbed her head, setting off alongside the red Jala. “Yes, that makes sense. Thank you Xla'Lanan. I’m not usually this muddled, I promise you.” The mare gave her superior a wry smile. “It seems that falling from great heights isn’t conducive to clear thinking.”
Amber eyes swept around the immediate area and the paint mare found herself listening intently for any abnormal sounds. Oh wonderful. Now she was paranoid, too. That wasn’t going to be of any help to her and she needed to get her planning done. Well, that could be done once the doctors had seen to her and she had calmed herself a little. Right now, she didn’t trust herself to make rational decisions. A few hours delay wouldn’t hurt and, with luck, that amount of time would be enough of her mind to stop spinning.
Amber eyes swept around the immediate area and the paint mare found herself listening intently for any abnormal sounds. Oh wonderful. Now she was paranoid, too. That wasn’t going to be of any help to her and she needed to get her planning done. Well, that could be done once the doctors had seen to her and she had calmed herself a little. Right now, she didn’t trust herself to make rational decisions. A few hours delay wouldn’t hurt and, with luck, that amount of time would be enough of her mind to stop spinning.
Kaelyndra
The canyon took the sounds of hoof-falls and threw them all about, sending them careening into Xla'Lanan's ears at various random points and almost giving him a start. If it weren't for the fact he'd never seen it, he would probably have gone hunting for the cause of this situation at that very moment. However, he had enough wit to realize that wild goose chases weren't going to solve anything and Undine needed a solid place to sleep for the time being.
He didn't have much of an answer for her statements, for his head was too pre-occupied with his surroundings.
"Mmmm. . . " he answered her and rounded a jut out of the red cliff.
The deeper in they went, the more burrowed out the walls became, until there was practically a whole cave on the left and right of them, but no ceiling above. The pebbles and rocks had become soft sand, as well, ground away by hundreds of rushing flood waters.
"Will this do?"
He didn't have much of an answer for her statements, for his head was too pre-occupied with his surroundings.
"Mmmm. . . " he answered her and rounded a jut out of the red cliff.
The deeper in they went, the more burrowed out the walls became, until there was practically a whole cave on the left and right of them, but no ceiling above. The pebbles and rocks had become soft sand, as well, ground away by hundreds of rushing flood waters.
"Will this do?"
TawnyAngel
Undine repressed a shudder at the echoing sound of their steps. It was a canyon. Canyons echoed. This she knew. There was nothing there to worry about. Yet she couldn’t help the nervousness that was creeping up on her at the bouncing sounds. The tactician frowned at herself as she limped along beside the red stallion. She was tactician Undine, a mare of logic not some daft filly that spooked at shadows. The Reya; dead, illusion or otherwise, would not have hold over her mind.
Having decided this quite firmly, and striving to execute it, the curly-maned Katilenuck came to a halt beside Xla’Lanan and looked about at the spot he’d picked. “Yes,” she said after a moment, turning to him with another smile. “It’s perfect.” Hard for anyone or anything to approach without being seen. That would be good for her frazzled nerves. “Thank you Xla’Lanan,” the tactician concluded with another smile and a respectful dip of her head.
Having decided this quite firmly, and striving to execute it, the curly-maned Katilenuck came to a halt beside Xla’Lanan and looked about at the spot he’d picked. “Yes,” she said after a moment, turning to him with another smile. “It’s perfect.” Hard for anyone or anything to approach without being seen. That would be good for her frazzled nerves. “Thank you Xla’Lanan,” the tactician concluded with another smile and a respectful dip of her head.
Kaelyndra
Xla'Lanan gave her a warm smile and turned to go, there was nothing more he could do here and the original intent was to meet the queen and warn her, afterall.
He hoped she wasn't busy with royal business or any some such.
He hoped she wasn't busy with royal business or any some such.
TawnyAngel
The paint mare watched him go in silence, hoping that she wouldn’t be stuck here by herself for very long. She was fairly sure that her paranoia would take the chance to resurface if she was by herself for long. So. Time to keep busy.
Taking a deep breath, the battered mare scowled down at the sand under her hooves. Drawing out little patterns in the dirt all the time and having to scuff over them when she wanted to move them was a pain. Time to plan a better system.
Amber eyes alighted on a small pebble that stood out from the fine graininess all about it. Ah… Yes, now that was a good start. Undine smiled faintly to herself and allowed her mind to wander off, designing little markers to represent friend and foe that she could poke about as she planned the movement of soldiers against foes of the Katilenuck.
Taking a deep breath, the battered mare scowled down at the sand under her hooves. Drawing out little patterns in the dirt all the time and having to scuff over them when she wanted to move them was a pain. Time to plan a better system.
Amber eyes alighted on a small pebble that stood out from the fine graininess all about it. Ah… Yes, now that was a good start. Undine smiled faintly to herself and allowed her mind to wander off, designing little markers to represent friend and foe that she could poke about as she planned the movement of soldiers against foes of the Katilenuck.
