Post by Ashen on Dec 20, 2008 0:59:35 GMT -5
Location: Harvest Fields, then Rippling Stream
Characters:
Clay - Not all there in the head.
Ooljee - Who came along.
A gentle zephyr is sweeping over the fields, bringing with it a chilled, damp feeling. Following the wind is Clay, approaching from the south. He steps past the fence, at a point where weather and time have collapsed the wood. He lets out a low neigh as he steps into the farmland, ears lurching forward to listen for a response while he looks around.
Ooljee lifts her head, ears flicking forward as she shivers slightly at the feeling that rolls over her. A neigh is offered back towards the voice of another. It takes her a few moments to figure out who it is and she starts to move forward through the grasses towards wherer Clay is after she spots him.
Clay quickens his pace, heading toward Ooljee. His amber eyes are wide, and contain... what? It looks like thrill, distress, and urgency. "Good evening." He says, slowing to a stop once he's within a few feet, and dipping his head lowly. "How are you doing, tonight?"
Ooljee watches Clay curiously an tilts her head. "I'm alright, how you doing Clay.. Has something happened?" She questions, something has been feeling a bit off around the area lately that is for sure. An she hasn't been able to figure out just what it might be.
"I'm doing as well as always." Clay lifts his head back up, stomping a hoof into the grass. "Something has happened, yet I cannot say what, precisely. I was standing at the fringes of the wood earlier, listening. I could hear the mountain crying out. And now... I think it's bleeding." He explains, not stopping to consider if he's made any sense.
Ooljee blinks as she listions and watches Clay curiously. "Bleeding?.." She questions with a soft and unsure tone while she lifts her head to look towards the mountains. "How does a mountain..bleed?"
Clay laughs softly, thinking back over what he'd just said. "Not bleeding like you or I would." He lets out a long, breathy snort. "I could see the water rushing, even at the copse. It nearly came up to where I was standing." He shakes his head, worried. "I don't know why it's happening, but I'm sure it and the crying mountains are connected."
Ooljee ahs at this and nods before she looks towards Clay, her ears flicking forward and then back as she ponders. "So.. what like a flood?" She questions curiously. "How.. far is the water going?"
Clay doesn't know the answer, and he isn't happy about that fact. "Yes, a flood is the best thing to call it. For the water to have bloated so much this far north..." He swishes his tail uneasily. "It seems to have stopped at the edge of the spring, so I don't think it will touch the farm, fortunately."
Ooljee frowns at this and nods slowly while taking in a breath. "Well.. I suppose we're lucky for the time being." She ponders while her tail slowly sways, her gaze turning towards the forest and she sighs before looking to Clay.
Clay is uncertain how to best say what he's about to. "Yes, very lucky. But Ooljee..." He turns around, paces a bit, then comes back around to face the mare again. "I need to find out what is happening. I can't stay here, my spirit won't let me."
Ooljee blinks as she watches Clay, her ears perking forward while she snuffles a bit. "Well.. we're do you want to go?" She questions with a curious tone as she shifts closer to him.
Clay's amber eyes move from Ooljee, to the south, where the mountain peaks are faintly visible over the trees. "To the mountain. I want to see what is coming of this, and if there's anything I can do about it."
Ooljee glances back towards the mountain and then to Clay once more. "What do you think you could actually do to stop a flood?" She leans out to nose faintly at his shoulder. "A flood is a flood, they sorta do what they want.."
Clay tilts his head, shooting a confident grin to the mare. "There's nothing one can't fix with the right amount of ingenuity, and I have that in abundance." But his expression soon grows serious. "Even if what I can do is fruitless, it's still better than staying here and thinking only for myself."
Ooljee huffles at this and lifts her head as she looks back towards the mountains. "When do you plan on leaving?.."
Clay is silent a moment. His head reclines upward and he gazes at the sky, as if consulting the firmament for his answer. "I..." He stutters at length, having to delay his reply a bit longer so that he can emend his resolve. "I'm leaving tonight, alone." He looks down. "It's a foolish task that I'm setting on, so I cannot ask any of you to follow me."
Ooljee is quiet at this news, she didn't think he would actually be leaving this soon. "I see.." Is offered softly while her head lifts to look over the area, thinking.. Her gaze turns back to him. "I'm going with you anyway.. No need to ask."
Clay wasn't planning for her to want to go with him. He'd thought this would just be a goodbye, in case something happened and he could no longer return. "But... what of the others? Don't you want to stay with them?" Not that he *wants* to go alone, he's just surprised.
Ooljee gives a shrug. "The others are across the river now.. There in the lowlands safe and sound. Thunder is around but I've not seen him for a few days. He might be trapped with the rest.
Clay frowns. They left so soon? He hadn't gotten a chance to speak with them. Granted, it is his fault for procrastinating on that. "Hm." He shakes his forelock from his eye... for a few seconds, before it rolls back down into his usual position over his face. "Well, then, let's go." He turns to take several steps toward the opening in the fence, then glances back. "Staying and only speaking of it will get us nowhere. Are you ready?"
Ooljee nods at tis and gives herself a shake before she starts to follow after him. She wonders how far there go, the mountains are a place she's never been before so this should be interesting.
Clay doesn't wait a beat after Ooljee affirms that she's coming. Aiming straight in the direction he plans to go, the stallion begins to trot through the fence and toward the sound and smell of water.
As the two horses approach the stream, the problem is painfully obvious. Water has spilled over the bank, drowning away the grass that has previously been untouched. Clay walks until he's ankle deep in the water, taking a moment to drink. He doesn't even take a full gulp, however, before he withdraws with a disgusted cringe.
Ooljee follows along after Clay a face paces behind as they travel through the bursh towards where the stream can be found. Her gaze drifting this way and that while she sniffs at times as they go. Her gaze turns towards the water that is now in through the grasses as she trods along through it. She peers at Clay a moment. "Does it taste bad?" Well, why else would he make a face like that?
Clay nods, his tongue hanging for a moment, before he finally musters the ability to swallow reluctantly. "It tastes bitter. Something died here recently." His eyes scan the stream, until they find the half-floating corpse of a young rabbit kitten. As he stares at it, another comes into view, and another. There must of been a burrow near that over flowed and drowned the offspring inside. Clay lowers his head, letting out a mournful sigh.
Ooljee makes a face at this and glances around until catching sight of the bodies as well, she frowns and takes a half step back before shaking her head slightly. "I wonder how many others didn't make it out in time.."
"Why do these things happen?" Clay murmurs, although not at Ooljee. He stares down the stream, knowing that this isn't the last tragedy they'll come upon. "We shouldn't dwell on those that are beyond help, we should hope for those who aren't." Shaking his head sadly, the stallion continues on, his spirits now as doused as the land around them.
Ooljee glances to Clay a few moments before she starts to follow after him. "Everything happens for a reason.." She says softly while taking in a breath pondering what else they might find among there travels.
Characters:
Clay - Not all there in the head.
Ooljee - Who came along.
A gentle zephyr is sweeping over the fields, bringing with it a chilled, damp feeling. Following the wind is Clay, approaching from the south. He steps past the fence, at a point where weather and time have collapsed the wood. He lets out a low neigh as he steps into the farmland, ears lurching forward to listen for a response while he looks around.
Ooljee lifts her head, ears flicking forward as she shivers slightly at the feeling that rolls over her. A neigh is offered back towards the voice of another. It takes her a few moments to figure out who it is and she starts to move forward through the grasses towards wherer Clay is after she spots him.
Clay quickens his pace, heading toward Ooljee. His amber eyes are wide, and contain... what? It looks like thrill, distress, and urgency. "Good evening." He says, slowing to a stop once he's within a few feet, and dipping his head lowly. "How are you doing, tonight?"
Ooljee watches Clay curiously an tilts her head. "I'm alright, how you doing Clay.. Has something happened?" She questions, something has been feeling a bit off around the area lately that is for sure. An she hasn't been able to figure out just what it might be.
"I'm doing as well as always." Clay lifts his head back up, stomping a hoof into the grass. "Something has happened, yet I cannot say what, precisely. I was standing at the fringes of the wood earlier, listening. I could hear the mountain crying out. And now... I think it's bleeding." He explains, not stopping to consider if he's made any sense.
Ooljee blinks as she listions and watches Clay curiously. "Bleeding?.." She questions with a soft and unsure tone while she lifts her head to look towards the mountains. "How does a mountain..bleed?"
Clay laughs softly, thinking back over what he'd just said. "Not bleeding like you or I would." He lets out a long, breathy snort. "I could see the water rushing, even at the copse. It nearly came up to where I was standing." He shakes his head, worried. "I don't know why it's happening, but I'm sure it and the crying mountains are connected."
Ooljee ahs at this and nods before she looks towards Clay, her ears flicking forward and then back as she ponders. "So.. what like a flood?" She questions curiously. "How.. far is the water going?"
Clay doesn't know the answer, and he isn't happy about that fact. "Yes, a flood is the best thing to call it. For the water to have bloated so much this far north..." He swishes his tail uneasily. "It seems to have stopped at the edge of the spring, so I don't think it will touch the farm, fortunately."
Ooljee frowns at this and nods slowly while taking in a breath. "Well.. I suppose we're lucky for the time being." She ponders while her tail slowly sways, her gaze turning towards the forest and she sighs before looking to Clay.
Clay is uncertain how to best say what he's about to. "Yes, very lucky. But Ooljee..." He turns around, paces a bit, then comes back around to face the mare again. "I need to find out what is happening. I can't stay here, my spirit won't let me."
Ooljee blinks as she watches Clay, her ears perking forward while she snuffles a bit. "Well.. we're do you want to go?" She questions with a curious tone as she shifts closer to him.
Clay's amber eyes move from Ooljee, to the south, where the mountain peaks are faintly visible over the trees. "To the mountain. I want to see what is coming of this, and if there's anything I can do about it."
Ooljee glances back towards the mountain and then to Clay once more. "What do you think you could actually do to stop a flood?" She leans out to nose faintly at his shoulder. "A flood is a flood, they sorta do what they want.."
Clay tilts his head, shooting a confident grin to the mare. "There's nothing one can't fix with the right amount of ingenuity, and I have that in abundance." But his expression soon grows serious. "Even if what I can do is fruitless, it's still better than staying here and thinking only for myself."
Ooljee huffles at this and lifts her head as she looks back towards the mountains. "When do you plan on leaving?.."
Clay is silent a moment. His head reclines upward and he gazes at the sky, as if consulting the firmament for his answer. "I..." He stutters at length, having to delay his reply a bit longer so that he can emend his resolve. "I'm leaving tonight, alone." He looks down. "It's a foolish task that I'm setting on, so I cannot ask any of you to follow me."
Ooljee is quiet at this news, she didn't think he would actually be leaving this soon. "I see.." Is offered softly while her head lifts to look over the area, thinking.. Her gaze turns back to him. "I'm going with you anyway.. No need to ask."
Clay wasn't planning for her to want to go with him. He'd thought this would just be a goodbye, in case something happened and he could no longer return. "But... what of the others? Don't you want to stay with them?" Not that he *wants* to go alone, he's just surprised.
Ooljee gives a shrug. "The others are across the river now.. There in the lowlands safe and sound. Thunder is around but I've not seen him for a few days. He might be trapped with the rest.
Clay frowns. They left so soon? He hadn't gotten a chance to speak with them. Granted, it is his fault for procrastinating on that. "Hm." He shakes his forelock from his eye... for a few seconds, before it rolls back down into his usual position over his face. "Well, then, let's go." He turns to take several steps toward the opening in the fence, then glances back. "Staying and only speaking of it will get us nowhere. Are you ready?"
Ooljee nods at tis and gives herself a shake before she starts to follow after him. She wonders how far there go, the mountains are a place she's never been before so this should be interesting.
Clay doesn't wait a beat after Ooljee affirms that she's coming. Aiming straight in the direction he plans to go, the stallion begins to trot through the fence and toward the sound and smell of water.
As the two horses approach the stream, the problem is painfully obvious. Water has spilled over the bank, drowning away the grass that has previously been untouched. Clay walks until he's ankle deep in the water, taking a moment to drink. He doesn't even take a full gulp, however, before he withdraws with a disgusted cringe.
Ooljee follows along after Clay a face paces behind as they travel through the bursh towards where the stream can be found. Her gaze drifting this way and that while she sniffs at times as they go. Her gaze turns towards the water that is now in through the grasses as she trods along through it. She peers at Clay a moment. "Does it taste bad?" Well, why else would he make a face like that?
Clay nods, his tongue hanging for a moment, before he finally musters the ability to swallow reluctantly. "It tastes bitter. Something died here recently." His eyes scan the stream, until they find the half-floating corpse of a young rabbit kitten. As he stares at it, another comes into view, and another. There must of been a burrow near that over flowed and drowned the offspring inside. Clay lowers his head, letting out a mournful sigh.
Ooljee makes a face at this and glances around until catching sight of the bodies as well, she frowns and takes a half step back before shaking her head slightly. "I wonder how many others didn't make it out in time.."
"Why do these things happen?" Clay murmurs, although not at Ooljee. He stares down the stream, knowing that this isn't the last tragedy they'll come upon. "We shouldn't dwell on those that are beyond help, we should hope for those who aren't." Shaking his head sadly, the stallion continues on, his spirits now as doused as the land around them.
Ooljee glances to Clay a few moments before she starts to follow after him. "Everything happens for a reason.." She says softly while taking in a breath pondering what else they might find among there travels.