[aliyaah]

Amaranthine Wars

This is a thread between Liath (Raven) and Sanctio (fleabittengray). 

Prompt:

Two soldiers face each other at the top of Nomalanga’s great waterfall. Even without the threat of battle, the ease at which one of them could lose their footing and plunge into the pool far below is dizzying. Dare they do battle at such heights? Or will they simply talk it out and walk away?

This thread can become a battle should you so choose. 

Please ensure you have read the information regarding the plot here. At least three posts from each roleplayer are required for this thread for it to be considered as complete, however further posts are encouraged. Thread should be completed no later than September 1st, 2023.

[Raven]

Water rushed past at a dizzying speed, as the small mare stood on the edge of the river. She could see the edge of it, the sound of the waterfall filling her ears, as she watched the water speed past. The sound of millions of tons of water pouring down onto the rocks below drew her to the very edge, where the wind almost dragged her small frame off the edge and she was forced to retreat. Not before she saw the rocks below. Deadly, it likely was, to fall. She wondered, vaguely, if that was how other's who'd come here had died.

It was hot, and even beside the river, she felt her coat stick to herself. The blue roan splashed and spotted coat was darker than it normally was, curiousity having drawn her here. Getting a lay of the land. If she was going to have to fight, then she might as well as know exactly where. She didn't know if she was going to, but she'd learned enough of the ways of the land, to know that a war was brewing, and which side she fell on. She might not claim am alliance, but she didn't much like the idea of being on the side of those who kidnapped. So she shifted, carefully, away from the edge, and back towards the river, taking a cautious step towards it. It was likely to be safe to drink, and that was what she did. Not a lot, but enough to help sooth the heat that seemed to have overwhelmed her on her way here. There was a temptation to step into the water, but she knew better. It would carry her off in an instant. She was small, after all.

Her gaze flicked about her, ears following, looking for predators, curiosity keeping her in place. She wondered at this place, this wild jungle that was deadly and dangerous. It wasn't the kind of place she'd choose to live in, admittedly. She didn't know where she'd live, but here? Here wasn't it. Too hot. Too sticky... to dangerous. Someday she'd like a foal, after all, and this was no place to take one, muchless raise one.

Her gaze swept back over the edge of the jungle, something making her tense. She moved carefully away from the edge of the water, unsure why she felt nervous. Perhaps it was just the air, heavy and wet, or the sound of the water rushing too fast over a cliff just behind her, but she felt tension. She was tempted to leave, but she was a defiant little thing and she wouldn't let a bad feeling ruin her exploration. So back towards the edge of the cliff where the wind had been, moving cautiously. She wanted to see more, to really understand what was below. She assumed a lake, but she couldn't really see beyond the sea of green.

Tag: fleabittengray
Notes: I'm sorry this took so long, I hope it's alright!
Words: 485
Timeline: Some time after coming to WE

[fleabittengray]

x

SANCTIO

made by remi of rilla go! and adoxography

With his encounter with the Helkaer mare on the beach still fresh in his mind, Sanctio was even more skeptical about exploring the Free Lands right now but that wasn't going to stop him. It was a more difficult for his large 17.2 hand figure to navigate the thick foliage of Nomalanga than it had been to move about on the open shores of the beach, but even that did not deter the Clydesdale from pushing onward to explore. It was hot here. Humid and sticky. The air was heavy and he had to work for every breath of oxygen that he took. It was not a place he was familiar with, nor one he would want to stick around in for very long, but he'd heard about a waterfall hidden deep in the rainforest that would make this trip worth it. To distract himself from the heat and humidity, the large draft stallion hummed and sang softly to himself. Despite war being present in Wild Equines, he was still in a good mood today, and he wasn't about to let war stop him from feeling joy and happiness.

It took some time of traveling before he heard the telltale sound of rushing water. A smile stretched across his face and he quickened his pace, carefully weaving through the trees and other foliage. The sound of a waterfall grew louder and louder and as he emerged through the trees, he was surprised to find another equine already there. A mare smaller than himself. He came to a halt, ears perking forward as he looked at the stranger. Seconds ticked by but Sanctio didn't show any signs of hostility, only mild surprise. "Hola, amiga. I was not thinking another would be here!" he greeted her, chuckling and dipping his head while keeping his eyes on her (just in case). "Would you mind if I joined you here?"


Raven w/ Liath
316 | Sanctio
Sorry for the wait!
8 years 6 months, spring, mid-day, about a week after his war thread with Sly

[Raven]

The sound of a large animal moving through the brush was swallowed by the waterfall, barely audible, and lost to the little mare. Not intentionally. She had been searching, but the water was loud, and she couldn't help but be drawn to the spray. It was cooler here. She heard a voice and swung around quickly, ears swinging back with a loud snort. Her gaze locked on the intruder. He was big. Much bigger than her. Not that that surprised her any. Most horses were, but his thick build told her he could easily hurt her if she wasn't careful. Her head came up a bit, ears pricking forward as he spoke. He wasn't being aggressive at least.

"I didn't think any other's would be here either." She mused loud enough for him to hear, before her ears fully swung forward and she nodded, though she was still tense. She watched him carefully, her thick hair falling over one of her eyes. She was splashed and spotted in white, but the dark roan coloring still came through, at least around her head. She shifted to the side to indicate which side she was alright with, her left. She was stronger on that side. "I am Liath." She added gently. She wanted to watch the water again, but the big horse meant she couldn't, so she stayed still, watching and waiting. He wasn't being threatening... yet.

Notes: I'm so sorry this took so long!
Tag: fleabittengray
Words: 200+

[fleabittengray]

x

SANCTIO

made by remi of rilla go! and adoxography

The smaller mare eyed his much larger frame warily, but Sanctio did not blame her. She was a mare alone in Nomalanga, no one else seemingly around for miles, possibly, and he was a stranger. A large, muscular stranger who could potentially very easily overpower her. Her life could end right here, right now, on this spring day in the rainforest. However, Sanctio wasn't like that. A man of the Light alliance, the bay brute would rather offer her friendship and not violence. Sure, they may be in the midst of a war, but that did not mean everything needed to lead to violence, right? He kept his distance for now, watching her with kind dark brown eyes, though even the draft brute was slightly wary. He knew better than to underestimate someone just due to their size. She would be able to maneuver much easier in this terrain, for instance. She had speed and agility, in theory anyway, on her side. He would just have the brute strength and stamina.

"I didn't think any other's would be here either." Sanctio's ears twitched forward, his tail swishing against his flank as he chuckled. "No, I did not think so. I do not think this waterfall gets many visitors, sadly." He shrugged, giving a polite grin. She was tensed for a moment before she motioned for him to approach. He took note that she wanted him on her left side. Was that her stronger, more capable side? Was there was sort of defect - deafness or blindness, perhaps - on her right side that she did not want him to notice just yet? He came to stand beside her, keeping a polite enough distance between them. "I am Liath."

He had not expected her to give an introduction, causing his smile to widen. "Mi nombre es Sanctio," came his own introduction. "What made you decide to come to this place today, Liath?"


Raven w/ Liath
319 | Sanctio
notes
8 years 6 months, spring, mid-day, about a week after his war thread with Sly

[Raven]

Liath was always careful, when it came to other's. A mare, alone, had to be careful, after all. This stallion, however, didn't seem threatening, beyond his size. Which she knew was hardly to be ignored, but didn't always mean danger. She watched him still, as he spoke. She glanced at the waterfall then back at him. "It's a beautiful sight, and sound. Though I can imagine the heat keeps most away." She mused easily, smiling at him a bit. An attempt at friendship. War might be brewing, but she wasn't without manners, and if she was to be honest with herself, she wasn't fully sure exactly what the war was over. She knew the basic details, but she'd only just arrived as the events were happening. Assumptions could change her mind, after all.

"Sanctio. Well met." She spoke his name slowly, mirroring how he'd said it, catching the words before it and being a little confused. She'd not heard them before. Pretty though, they were. She looked around at his question. He dwarfed her as he stood on her left side. She'd turned to look at the waterfall in question. "Curiosity. I am relatively new to this place, and I wanted to see what I could see, really. Yourself?" She smiled again, shifting one of her back legs to be a bit more relaxed, at least for the moment.

Words: 229
Tag: fleabittengray w/Sanctio

[Raven]

fleabittengray Bump! <3

[fleabittengray]

x

SANCTIO

made by remi of rilla go! and adoxography

He was used to getting looks due to his larger size. At one point in his life, before being Cleansed by the Versai mare, Allocen, he had been a danger to others. He'd been a Dark brute, but meeting Underoath and having a chat with him about converting to the Light Alliance had changed his life. It had been a wild ride since then, especially once Oath's crimes had been brought to light, and now Sanctio was alone ruling Desolate Earth while Oath lived in exile. His once best friend, now an enemy to be attacked on sight should he ever set foot in the Light Kingdom again. It hurt to know that Sanctio had unknowingly been an accomplice in his dark deeds. Sanctio had sworn to never allow anything like that to happen again, if he could help it.

Liath kept her eye on him, for the most part, but Sanctio was completely relaxed. "It's a beautiful sight, and sound. Though I can imagine the heat keeps most away." He chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. "Si, the heat here does tend to keep most away. One of the least explored Free Lands." A grin spread across his muzzle then, sighing gently. "But it does fascinate me, since it is so unexplored and unknown by the general public." His tone were accented, and Spanish words made their way into his speech without him even realizing it most of the time. "Sanctio. Well met." She pronounced his name perfectly and it made him smile. Not everyone always got it on the first try.

"Curiosity. I am relatively new to this place, and I wanted to see what I could see, really. Yourself?" His feathered appendages shuffled in the damp earth underfoot and he looked over at the waterfall, quiet for a moment. "Much of the same reason. Curious, though I have lived here in Wild Equines for several years now. But I do like to continue to explore the world."


Raven w/ Liath
339 | Sanctio
notes
8 years 6 months, spring, mid-day, about a week after his war thread with Sly

[fleabittengray]

Raven Bump!

[Raven]

"Least explored free lands." The last bit of that sentence rumbled through her head for a moment. Liath liked places that no one went, that no one wanted to be. There were mysteries there. Interesting things to poke at. She'd have to muscle through the heat, she supposed. Her small size wasn't any more of an advantage than his was here. She might be able to slip into areas he couldn't, but she'd get overwhelmed by the heat arguably faster. She let herself relax, just a little. He wasn't being threatening, and she'd been around big horses her entire life.

"I agree," she mused. "Makes me wonder what else is in there." Her gaze moved away from the roaring water to the waves of green and darkness. She tilted her head a little as he spoke. Learning new things was a good thing, admittedly. She wondered about this strange tall stallion. And if she'd have to face him on the battlefield. She shifted a bit. Being coy had never really gotten her anywhere, had it?

"I hate to ruin the mood, but I do have to wonder... What's your take on the brewing war?" She perked her ears towards him, head tilted towards him, back left leg relaxed. The right one, however, was not locked, quite ready to move if she needed too. She didn't want to get herself into trouble, but she was curious. She wanted to know why people chose sides. Her reasons were superficial and she knew it.

Words: 251
Tag: fleabittengray
Notes: I'm sorry this took so long to respond too!

[fleabittengray]

x

SANCTIO

made by remi of rilla go! and adoxography

Though the large behemoth was relaxed and seemingly at ease, he knew better than to truly let his guard down. This maiden may be smaller than him, but he did not ever underestimate someone due to their size. It was all about training and experience, which one could not tell simply by the appearance of another. So he kept one ear flicked toward her, a casual side eyed glance occasionally cast her way they they chatted deep within the vast green jungle. His hide was beginning to dampen more and more with sweat but he worried not about it. It was still spring time, and he would not have to fear of freezing to death once he left this terrain. Those worries would come in several more months. For now, his only worry was figuring out just what Liath's intentions were. She could, after all, be an enemy.

"I agree, Makes me wonder what else is in there." Her gaze traced the contours of the greenery around them and Sanctio chuckled lightly, following her eyes and looking at the foliage. "Wild cats and monkeys, I am sure," he spoke, his tone playful but honest. Dangers lurked in those depths of the jungle. For all they knew, they could be being watched now from the dark shadows by some predator or another. A moment of silence, the mare shifting beside him. Sanctio remained still. The question she asked was expected, of course, but he still debated best how to answer it. "I hate to ruin the mood, but I do have to wonder... What's your take on the brewing war?" A deep breath was taken by the brute and then he exhaled, slowly turning his head to face the woman.

"I am aligned with the angels, but I can understand the... attraction to darkness. I used to live inside that very darkness myself." He paused, thinking back to his time as a Dark brute. Oh, what shame he's brought upon himself. "It is easy to get caught in the web of violence. Not to easy to untangle yourself from it."


Raven w/ Liath
349 | Sanctio
notes
8 years 6 months, spring, mid-day, about a week after his war thread with Sly

[Raven]

The mare had never seen a monkey, but she knew about wild cats. She tilted her head, thinking about monkeys. "What do monkey's look like, I wonder? I've heard them, and heard other's speak of them." She tilted her head back to normal, as the stallion watched her. She wondered what else was out there. Interesting things, honestly. She was almost curious enough to leave, but for now... She stayed put. That would be rude and she wasn't here to cause more trouble.

His answer told her quite a bit. Utopia. She tilted her head again, ears flicked towards him, as he explained himself. She had chosen the darkness, but not because of her own darkness. That she'd settled with long ago. She didn't claim to be dark or light, there was no point. Pretending you could be anything but both was... silly, in her mind. Still, she had no reason to fear him just yet. "It wasn't the darkness who kidnapped first." She pointed out softly. "Anyone can perpetuate violence. Angels are just as likely to cause pain as a devil." Wasn't that the truth. Violence was the way of the world, and even angels knew it. She was curious, however, if he'd chosen the light because he had too, or for good reason. "Why align with the angels then?" She rather thought it was obvious that you sided with the first wronged, but she could be wrong, she was alright with that.

Word: 244
Note: Wow I'm fail at responding, I'm so sorry!

[fleabittengray]

x

SANCTIO

made by remi of rilla go! and adoxography

Though Sanctio claimed to be of the Light alliance now, he saw no harm in befriending those of other alliances. His allegiance would of course always remain to the Light Kingdom, but so long as someone was civil with him, he saw no reason to not be civil towards them. He'd seen what extremism could do to someone, after all, and he did not want to go down the same path. "What do monkey's look like, I wonder? I've heard them, and heard other's speak of them." Sanctio chuckled a little, answering with humor, "They are hairy, and often walk on two legs." Of course, there was much more to monkeys than that, but he really wasn't too incredibly knowledgable on them. He'd only seen one a handful of times.

But the lighthearted conversation eventually became chatter about the war. It became clear that the two of them were from opposite sides, but Sanctio saw no reason to launch into violence just for the sake of it. "It wasn't the darkness who kidnapped first." To that, he shook his head. "Rasa declared war because the Underworld kidnapped her former Lord, Nehemiah, who has become lost to the Mist, now." There was no judgement or argument to his tone, just merely stating facts before he quieted himself to listen as she continued. "Anyone can perpetuate violence. Angels are just as likely to cause pain as a devil." And that, of course, was true as well. "Ah, si, si. But as angels can fall, so, too, can a demo rise." Perhaps the wording could be better, but his English wasn't always the best, even to this day.

"Why align with the angels then?" A curious question. He saw no reason to lie about his decision. "I do not agree with the ways of the Underworld. I cannot understand wanting to support them, though many do. I agree that the Versai should not have killed Xerxes while he was Dark King, and I have sympathy for that, but holding a grudge poisons you. I do not think it is right to harm those that are innocent, and the Underworld is known for that. They are known for darkness and corruption, and I made a promise to myself and my Royals that I would not let myself become corrupt like that one that came before me. I promised to be better than that, and to help others. That is all I want to do." His long speech finished, he then turned the question to Liath, quirking a brow. "And you? What made you pick your side?"


Raven w/ Liath
432 | Sanctio
notes
8 years 6 months, spring, mid-day, about a week after his war thread with Sly

[fleabittengray]

Raven Bump!