[Indi]

A chill breeze ruffled the long grasses of the Open Plains and Melyra could not quite suppress a slight shiver. It was not so much the temperature. Not really. True, autumn was on its way and temperatures were undoubtedly beginning to reflect that from time to time. It made her wonder were going to manage to find a home before that time or not. However, the atmosphere that seemed to hang over The Open Plains was far more of an instigator when it came to involuntary chills. Even though Melyra had not yet spotted any sign of... bodies. Still, the simple knowledge that this was often where foals were left, whether willingly or unwillingly by their mothers was... a disconcerting thought. Certainly it was not a particularly uplifting place to go meandering through. Then again, Melyra was not just meandering through at random. She had a purpose for being here. Just as the scattered members of her family had for being at their various locations in the Free Lands. They had given their word to help look for those who were missing or for any clues regarding those who had attacked Light Royals and that was precisely what they were going to do.

Interesting that at that very same coronation where much had been said about equines who were missing, Melyra's aunt had found a member of the family who had been missing for quite a long time. Though she had never met Sephenia herself, oft enough her family members had spoken of the spotted mare. She knew they had missed Sephenia very much. Undoubtedly it was wonderful indeed that they had found her again at last. Just as it had been for Melyra finally finding her mother, along with family she had not even been aware she had. Now she could only hope that they would succeed in helping to find others who had been lost. Especially the former Light King Aranu, who from what she heard had been lost for many long years. If she could help others reunite with lost loved ones, just as Jeffree had helped her, venturing even into grim places such as this would be well worth it.

Speaking of which... Melyra glanced over her shoulder, fairly certain Jeffree was still with her.

Character;; Melyra
Tagged;; fleabittengray w/Jeffree Star
Notes;; Current-time thread for them ^_^
Timeline;; After the Light King coronation, early fall, midday.

[fleabittengray]

The world was a wondrous place, but it was also a dangerous place. He had learned of the struggles of the Light Kingdom throughout recent years - Kings being taken, going missing, and other such things. It was troubling to the stallion and he very much wanted to help Melyra in her search for answers. The two had formed a close bond over their time spent together in Wild Equines. She was, honestly, his closest friend. Had been since he'd come here. They had been through a lot together, though through trauma they had become even closer. He appreciated her so much. Jeffree hoped that Melyra knew how much he cared for her. It was hard for him to really describe their relationship. She didn't judge him for the way he'd been born, not had. He adored her for that. She was a great woman, a strong woman, and he hoped that this endless search for more equines - like Aranu, for example, who seemed to have disappeared into thing air without a trace many years ago - would one day come to an end.

It was disheartening, wandering through The Open Plains. It gave him anxiety, coming here, always fearful of finding a passed mother and an orphaned foal - or an abandoned one. He would give anything to have children of his own. He wanted to have a family, raise children, but it just didn't seem meant to be... Sighing softly, lost in his thoughts as he watched the tall grasses swaying in the autumn breeze, Jeffree did not realize he had fallen behind Melyra in their wandering. When he came back to the present, blinking the dissociation away, he noticed that was looking back at him. The teal eyed brute smiled at her, walking a little faster to catch back up to her. "This place always makes me anxious," he admitted softly, looking around them once more and giving a small shudder. There did not seem to be any evidence of anyone hidden amongst the grass, but still, being here gave him the chills.

Tagged: Indi
Words: 343
Character: Jeffree Star
Notes: Sorry for the wait! <3 Let me know if I should age Jeffree up a bit, I don't remember how old he should probably be xD
Timeline: 2 years 8 months, early fall, midday

[Indi]

No sign of anything just yet. Neither of clues to the missing she and the others were looking for... or of any on the Plains who might have suffered an unfortunate fate. While Melyra would have liked to find clues to aid the Light Royals in whatever way she possibly could, she was also undoubtedly relieved not to find anything to indicate abandoned foals or unfortunate mothers. Her heart clenched at the latter thought, remembering her own beloved mother. While Mama had not perished in the way that was common in this particular locale, Mama had given her life so that Melyra could live... which was not so very different from what was said to happen here when foals lost their mothers. Not for the first time, she felt the clawing of guilt in her aching heart. That awful wondering... would Mama still be alive if Melyra had never come here, never found her family? Had Warrior lost his mother because of her? Had Aunt Brina lost her sister because of her? Had Perun and Honos lost their aunt because of her? Would the family have been happier and better off if she had never showed up? Of course, Melyra knew that none of them blamed her. In fact, they frequently did their best to assure that she did not blame herself... but the sense of guilt persisted no matter what.

Is that why she had specifically burdened herself with searching about within the melancholy depths of The Open Plains?

On the one hand, she was glad not to be alone here as she watched Jeffree blink before registering that he had fallen a bit behind her. On the other... she felt bad for dragging him to this unpleasant place too. Returning his smile, watching him walk a little faster to catch up to her position, she contemplated apologizing for bringing him along to The Open Plains.

Before she could voice such regret, however, he was admitting softly, "This place always makes me anxious." She could sympathize as he glanced around them and gave a small shudder. In truth, she felt much the same.

'I'm sorry for dragging you here. It certainly is a... disheartening place.' Suppressing a shudder of her own, she admitted just as softly, 'I'm glad I'm not alone, though... it makes me feel anxious too.'

Character;; Melyra
Tagged;; fleabittengray w/Jeffree Star
Notes;; <3
Timeline;; After Naberus' coronation; early fall, midday.