Unicorns of the Vale

The summer sea board might be closed, but there is more story to be told for the unicorns Nera, Journ, Cam, and Rhys. This is a closed roleplay for those four characters and their owners, Madgal, Daughterofthestars, and Keahi.

Relief filled every muscle, every bone in his body. He nearly shot straight up into the sky, as if to fly away with her, but he held it in. He looked up and saw the sun was falling in the sky. Soon it would be night. He shivered. He danced in place. He tossed his head. Then he looked back into Nera's eyes and it all came out.

He reared mightily, throwing his bulk into the air and extending his neck to the sky, whinnying with joy and triumph. The love of his life had not rejected him as he'd feared. She accepted him wholeheartedly and agreed to be his mate. He fell down to all fours and bolted, dancing a small circle around her, snorting and bucking.

Finally he slowed, and, when he had her in his sights again, went and nuzzled her, breathing hard into her hair. It seemed like every breath from her body was saying "Yours, yours, yours, yours". How fantastic a feeling. He squealed softly and nipped her gently and then feinted away. He returned and whispered in her ear.

"I'm glad to have found you, too. I'm yours, Nera, forever."

Journ

The pretty lavendar brindle chuckled at Journ's exuberence watching as he wheeled and reared around her. Although on the outside she seemed still and calm inside her heart was racing. For many a season she had come to the sea and left alone, watching her friends and enemies alike peel away from her with mates and lovers. It was saddening to see, and even more so when she met them many a moon later with foals at their heels. But here was she with a mate she planned to spend the rest of her life with finally and she couldn't be happier. Thoughts were racing through her mind of foals and life long partners and it sent the buding through her veins. It was only her upbringing that kept her from following Journ in his whinnying, bounding glee, though it didn't stop her playfully lashing out at him with her tail as he danced past.

When he slowed and came to a stop beside her she breathed a soft contented sigh, arching her neck and gently lipping at his shoulder. She pressed her body against his, almost thinking the heat of the blood racing through her veins would burn him.
"Forever." She whispered back. "You'll stay in the Vale with me?"
She almost feared what he would say. She was willing to leave the vale for him if he wished but she didn't want to. If she was to have his foals she would want them raised in the vale, not want them to make the mistakes Journ had made in his past.

Nera

Cam smiled genuinely when Rhys assured her he wanted her there. She couldn't imagine why, after all that she'd caused. He was being so understanding and gentle. By the time the cream-spotted stallion offered to make a fire, she'd regained her good humor.

"By the beard, Rhys," She laughed, her face a mask of mock insult. "What kind of warrior would I be if I waited while someone else did the work? You aren't the only one with fire-hardened hooves and horn!" She chuckled and set off. "I'd like to help you."

Then she stopped and looked back at him, embarrassed. "Where was this firewood?" She asked sheepishly. A thought of Nera and Journ flitted across her mind for a moment, but she pulled herself back to the present. She'd meet up with them later tonight, she was sure. For now she'd spend her time in the company of this kind stallion.

I'll have to ask him to spar with me sometime. She thought. But for now I'd rather we relax and shrug off the events of the day. Tomorrow will be better.

~Cam

She laughed, not to her friends, not during some game, she was laughing to him and to him alone and Rhys felt his heart sore. He was pleased when Cam made it clear that she would stay in his company, at least for the time being. Clearly she did not find him as repulsive as he thought that she would, or she would have tried to find some other excuse to slip off into the growing darkness as clearly the drama of Smallbird's departure and the interlude with Altimus had not made him wish to send the mare on her way. Why would it? How could he cast blame on her for something that was none of her doing. As far as the saffron stallion was concerned it had not been her fault at all, for he still believed the bay filly had been upset at with him and as for the jade and violet stallion's foul attitude that had been neither of their doing.

As the last dying breath of the remaining sunlight faded away, the saffron stallion turned his single eye skywards to the twinkling stars over head and he thanked Alma for the opportunity she had granted him. For all the hardships she had thrown at him, obviously the goddess had not forgotten her loyal follower, and even if she only intended to grant him this one night alone with the beautiful vermilion mare that would be enough to last him with warmth and happiness for the rest of his life. Even if she scorned him in the morning light and returned to her own companions, at least for this evening he might be able to have her company to himself.

His blood that had been heated during his brief encounter with the other stallion, and as the anger subsided Rhys found himself left lighthearted and anew. How could he not be, now that he had the beautiful mare to himself? He chuckled in response to her own laugh, his single eye dancing deviously as he responded to her statement, his words full of delighted jest. "It's not that I doubt your usefulness Cam, I am just much to afraid you will decide the firewood needs a good splashing like you did your companions this afternoon." His laughter tapered of at the end, and he froze for a moment as he realized he had just admitted that he had been watching her earlier. Surely would not make her uncomfortable? After all, the band had been causing such a ruckus it would have been hard for him to not to have taken note.

He surged ahead, passing the mare at a trot as he chanced an uncomfortable look over his spotted shoulder. "It lies, uh, this way." He had tried to escape further down the beach to avoid looking like the one-eyed haunt watching her and here had just practically admitted that he had been! He hoped, nay, he now prayed, that she would not take his comment with the such severity as he was agonizing over. His tasseled tail flicked against his thick haunch, his ears tipped backwards so that he could hopefully catch the sounds of her traveling behind him and not running very swiftly in the other direction. Nay, he shook his head at himself, surely he was not that monstrous and she not that rude. If she wished to depart his side he assumed that Cam would be very polite and straight forward about taking her leave, much like Smallbird had been. He snorted then as his thoughts changed to young halfgrown. He hoped dearly that she was alright and had found somewhere safe and near companions to spend the night. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her, especially after he had driven out of his presence with his obvious fawning over the red mare.... The red mare who was currently traveling at his flank. He felt his spirits rise once more, for how could he be worried or upset when he was so close to his heart's desire?

So caught up in his thoughts of Cam the stallion did not even realize that he had come upon the very driftwood he had been seeking, and he tripped over the log, nearly falling flat on his face as he went down on one knee and awkwardly threw his other leg out to catch himself. Silly old fool! He chided himself. You can't do anything right this day can you? Hauling himself back to his feet, he cast an indigent look over his shoulder at the scarlet mare, trying desperately to hide his embarrassment as he scoffed at the piece of dried out driftwood. "It attacked me," he stated firmly, his muzzle lifted high in the air in a haughty manner. "Hark, these old logs are dangerous. Count yourself blessed that I was able to smite it before it harmed you." He gave her a stern, serious look, laughter dancing in his single aqua eye.

-- Rhys

And I'm first to post! Let's get this show on the road!

Journ nickered and smiled. "Of course, Nera. I'd not ask to go anywhere were I not willing to have you by my side."

And then only running, and the sight of her before him, filled his mind. Every thunder of hooves upon the sand seem to echo back at him "Yours, yours, yours..."
And every wave crashing on the evening shore, every heron's cry, every whistle of the landward wind seemed to agree. Only her scent, the scents of flowers mindling with the smell of the ocean, and her step, and her footfall... it was all he thought about. Gone was the mindset of his youth. Now there was one. One and only one and one forever. The thought thrilled him. As much as he'd thought he'd loved the mares back home, he'd never considered being with one forever.

He dove into the dark waters to quench the flame that burned up inside of him and pulled up alongside Nera in the shallow waters. He extended his stride so that his hooves came down hard in the water and splashed her.

"Soon we shall dance, m'love! But for now let us play!" He dove and kicked in the surface, hoping she would join. Cam would gape if she saw him now, gamboling like a colt.
He looked up and caught sight of a wisp of smoke - white against the dark sky and sooty where it marred the moon's surface. But his eyes fell back to Nera and he thought of it no more. He was alone with the mare he loved, finally, and he intended to make a fool of himself for her while no one else could see.

/| Journ

(I'm soooo sorry guys. It's been forever and I know you really wanted to do this.)

Rhys was a gentleman, Cam thought. Kind and thoughtful, and with a sense of humor, too. She cast back into her storage of memories for a thought or glimpse of him from when they were barely sworn warriors. She searched her thoughts quickly as she chuckled at Rhys' little show and lowered herself beside him, the side from which he could see her with his singly aqua eye, a comfortable distance away from the quickly growing fire, and just close enough to his spotted side that her ribs barely brushed his.

What she found was nothing substantial. Only glimpses, a fleeting memory of a similar stallion with such an odd golden color. From what she could remember, he'd been a couple years her elder, and of course a couple of years is much more substantial when you are young. She had not been the type of mare to remember which stallion had chased which mare, but she was sure she had never directly met this one.

He seemed happy enough to be with her now, and she was glad. She had a rough personality. She rubbed nerves the wrong way sometimes, just by being who she was, not by malice. It always broke her heart when another unicorn percieved something in her she didn't like being.

By way of occurance, she'd turned two unicorns against this stallion's favor in one night, but he didn't seem to mind. He even seemed to prefer her company to anything else. She wondered, briefly, one of those silly, spur of the moment thoughts, what kind of mate he'd be, and imagined he'd be a good one, before she quickly pushed that thought aside for a later date.

She leaned against him momentarily, half to share his warmth, and half just to see how it felt, as she realized that they'd shared quite a long period of quiet, and she broke it just in case it might have felt awkward to him while she was wrapped up in her thoughts.

"So, Rhys, it seems as if although we both spent our whole lives in the Vale, we know naught of eachother. Tell me about yourself. I'm sure we'll find that if we had been more observant, we could have met sooner!" She shifted her legs into the soft, sliding sand, finding a comfortable position to remain as the smoke drifted lazily from the contented, flickering fire. She turned to Rhys and studied him as she waited for him to speak. She'd noticed that he held his head at a slight, almost unnoticable tilt. It was an unconscious thing in those that had lost an eye. It did not make him unattractive, though. Cam found much more to gaze at than an empty eye socket and some scar tissue. Letting her eyes wander as her ears focused on interpretting the sounds they heard, she saw a strong warrior with a classic, strong-limbed frame. His legs were long, but not too thin, and his barrel was sprung and not too deep. He had a thick curving neck and a strong skull that tapered to a fine, soft-muzzled snout. His ears were curved and attentive, and his mane was neither too sparse nor too thick. His odd coloring was vibrant, but not overbearing like Journ's.

Even more than his physical characteristics, Cam found his personality more than endearing. Journ had no outside flaws, but he was wracked with pride and stubborness. This gentle stallion was humble and sweet-natured, and seemed to understand when she joked just for the joy and the laugh. He seemed to know that she never means to hurt anyone, directly or indirectly.

Maybe she would find that he liked it when she went crazy during a snowfall. Maybe she would find that he'd know how to find her weak spots when she got stubborn and resilient. Maybe she would find that he could respect her as a warrior and love her as a mare.

Maybe she would find more to him than she had ever found in a stallion before.

~Cam
(Not alot of action, so I just made stuff up. It's basically how I imagine Rhys to be. If there's wrong stuff in here, Keahi, just tell me and I'll change it.
And sorry for the wait!)

Having expected her to find a place on the far side of the fire, the saffron stallion was surprised when Cam bedded down beside him, yet he hid his shock well and offered the beautiful mare a soft smile as he watched her intently with his aqua eye. As her vermilion side brushed alongside him, Rhys felt a jolt roll through his spotted body, and he caught his breath suddenly before quickly regaining his composure and sucking in a new gasp of air, her intoxicating scent heavy on it. Surely she had no idea how enchanting he found her and she was not doing this on purpose just to tease him. Of course not, he had to stop himself from shaking his head as he dismissed the thought. The scarlet mare did not strike him as the cruel type who would play such games with another, and he should be ashamed just to think such a thing of her. She sought his companionship, and it was he who was dreaming of more.

Ah, but then again how could she not? Cam was perfect in every way; beautiful and bright, with a bubbly personality and an infectious laugh, cheerful and full of jest. From what he had seen she was sweet and tolerant, yet still bold and outspoken, direct when there was need and with the substance to back up her own opinions and beliefs. She was everything that a mare of the Ring should be, possessing admirable traits that he so rarely saw in the youths of their people. Again he found himself wondering how it was that she was sharing a fire with him on the beach, rather than sitting before a hearth in a grotto alongside her mate. For a fleeting moment he thought that perhaps it was because they were destined to pledge to one another, and as the mare leaned further against him and he felt the warmth from her body pressed up against his Rhys could only hope, and he closed his eye to enjoy the quiet moment alongside her.

When she pulled away from him the veteran stallion found his wishes dashed upon the rolling, green waves. Of course they would never be together, she was too perfect to ever want him as her mate. She could have any stallion she chose, and that was evident by their previous encounter with the young warrior who had intercepted their interlude before the dusk. What would she want with someone as broken and disabled as he when she could have anyone she could find a stallion as handsome in every way as she was beautiful? He could only hope that when dawn broke and they rejoined the courting band that they would continue to be friends so that maybe he could continue to admire her from afar, and he felt his heart sink heavily in his chest. How would he ever cope with loosing her to another stallion, when she found one worthy enough to pledge to? Was it his destiny to forever be alone and plagued with the thoughts of the mares that he would never be good enough for?

When she spoke the bone spotted stallion realized that he had been sitting for sometime in silence, and he hoped that his brooding had not made her uncomfortable. He opened his single eye once more, his heartache melting away as soon as his gaze was once more locked onto her white splashed face. How could he be sorrowful when he was so close to her? Alma had blessed him with this evening in Cam's company and he knew that he should take full advantage of it. He felt a small smile growing on the corner of his white lips as he considered what she had just said and pleased that she was interesting in his life. For a fleeting moment he pondered if it was a coy devise to learn how he got his scar, but he found himself mentally chuckling at that thought. She was a sharp mare, of course she would know that he received it fighting a wyvern, what else could have left such a gash across his face?

Realizing that there had now been a long pause after she had questioned him, Rhys gave his gold and ivory mane a quick tousle before blurting out words so as not to appear foolish. "My parents are Ree and Esura." He halted after he said that, realizing that she had not exactly asked him who his parents were and as a full grown stallion, well within his prime and able to stand on his own merits, it really didn't matter who he was sired by and born of. Trying to save himself he awkwardly continued. "They are herd elders. In the Hills." He knew she would probably have no idea who they were, unless she was familiar with former members of Korr's Companions, and he knew of a number of unicorns that were. Hopefully she would not attribute that family blemish to his character, if she did. "I'm a, uh, warrior." Now he was floundering, completely at a loss of what to say to her about himself, what exactly did she want to know? What could he say about himself that might spark her interest, he was little more than a simple warrior with a more troubled past than he would like to admit to.

Normally a suave and collected unicorn Rhys found himself completely off his game this evening and he attributed that to Cam and Cam alone. He was trying so hard to impress her that he knew he was making himself look even more foolish than if he was not. Here he was alone on the beach with Alma's thousand eyes glistening overhead, facing a warm fire with green waves lapping up the shoreline at his back and he was allowing himself to become the bumbling idiot. He gave his head a rough shake, then attempted to pass it off as if sand had gotten up his nose by snorting harshly before trying to redeem himself. Taking a deep breath he tried to began again, flashing the vermilion mare a charming smile and only resulting in making himself feel even more foolish than before.

Rhys gave a deep sigh and gave his head a slight shake, his eyes leaving the warrior mare and drifting to the fire. "Sooth, I am afraid there is little to tell on my end. I am nothing more than a warrior, and that is what I have always been, ever since my sister... I was a sentry once," he cast a crooked, half-smile in Cam's direction but his eyes did not return to her just yet. "I fought in Ending Fire, but I fear I do not recall much of the battle. I was ambushed by two wyrms and..." he allowed his voice to trail off for a moment before he continued to speak. "When I healed I returned to the Vale, for my dam's sake more than anything." He shuddered when he fleetingly recalled the look of horror on the dappled mare's face after Teki had brought her to his side when the fighting had ended. "I train initiates in warfare now." Another thoughtful pause as his eyes flickered back to the scarlet mare. "And you?"

-- Rhys
(nope, your fine... although after reading Cam's physical evaluation of him I did notice that she didn't seem to notice that he is um, a bit portly, but then again that would only embarrass him if she did lol!)

Cam listened as the stallion struggled to tell her about himself, and held in the chuckle that bubbled from deep within her. Then she felt a little embarrassed. Perhaps he hadn't been quite ready yet for her to ask her such a personal question. She hoped she hadn't made him uncomfortable.

He got a hold of himself, at least a little bit, and affirmed what she had basically already known. He was a warrior, and not much more. She remembered his parents, too, from when she was younger, during that horrible winter. They had supported Korr, but alot of unicorns had, and that didn't mean that Rhys had agreed with them. He'd fought in the Battle of Endingfire as she had, and had suffered the lost of one eye for his people. Very unfortunate, but he was a brave warrior and a pure heart. She wondered how he'd compensated for it when he sparred. She was sure she'd find out eventually. She wanted very much to spar an opponent a bit larger and stronger than herself. For so long her main partner had been Nera, and it was fun and sharpened both their skills, but it was not challenging.

Cam brought herself back to the present when he countered her question, as she assumed he might. She smiled pleasently and stared into the fire that warmed her coat. She noticed with pleasure that her coat was warmed from the side as well.

"Not much to tell on my end either. I too, am just a warrior. I never had a voice for singing lays and I wasn't interested in being a healer. Unremarkable, really, but I take pride in who I am. I too fought in the Battle of Endingfire, and was fortunate in it. I was scratched and stung, but they were small wounds and I was young, so I mostly healed without blemish, though it wouldn't have mattered to me..." She got a far-off look in her eyes. "Sometimes I wish I had been scarred. Unicorns I knew lost their lives, shoulder-friends bore the remains of the wounds they suffered. Proof of their accomplishments. And yet they envied me for something I did not care about, and some stopped speaking with me for something I could not help..." She shook it off.
"But of course, that is in the past. When the battle was won I moved with what was left of my family there, but..." She smiled.

"You will think my reason for leaving is silly..." She seemed disinclined to say it, but just a little prodding from the saffron stallion and she would probably consent.

~Camargue

(Ah, well, I was bound to get one thing wrong. Portly, eh? Well, if Cam can ignore an empty eye socket and giant scar, then she certainly wouldn't even notice a bit more weight, would she?
And I loved your description of her. Spot on.)

Journ laughed as the brindle mare nipped his side. Unlike when Cam did it, he wasn't annoyed. The feel of her teeth on his skin got his blood rushing to his head to burst in an explosion of color. He dashed about in the waves beneath the shine of the wonderful moon, splashing and taking splashes in turn. It wasn't long before his coat was darkened and his mane stringy and wet with seawater. He laughed for the joy of it, and the thousands of sparkling water droplets danced before his eyes as he tossed his head. Tomorrow when he woke, and when the two of them were reunited with Cam, he'd be back to his normal self, but with a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders.

He slowed his prancing, and, panting, turned to the mare he loved. He nibbled under her chin and nickered wordlessly, purely out of contentment. He was tired now, though happy, too tired even to speak. So he chivvied up to Nera and nuzzled her, waiting for her to lead the way. He'd follow her even if he didn't know where they were going.

/| Journ

(occ: um, I didn't know what else to do. A bit of writer's block for this one. Hopefully you can come up with something, Nera. Maybe they'll just sleep until Cam and Rhys have finished their conversation, and then we can timewarp to the last night so that Journ and Nera can dance before we all head back to the Vale? And Rhys has to meet these two at some point as well, which I think would be interesting to rp. What do you think?)

Nera slowed as Journ did, the running and frolicking in the sea had tired her more than she thought it would. Though she soon realised that it had been a long day, they had spent so much of their time flocking in the waves and running along the beach. And with all the revelations that had been sprung upon her since her arrival at the summer sea it was not surprising she had begun to feel so tired. She turned her head to nuzzle Journ in return.
“Perhaps we should sleep?” She suggested, yawning slightly. “The long day has tired me more than a little.”

She turned and started to slowly make her way towards the shore, scanning the tree line for a good place to sleep. She soon spotted one and the brindled mare made her way towards it. The sky above was starting to tinge slightly pink, heralding the setting sun.
“It looks like night is coming soon.” She mused. “We could search for Cam when we wake up? I’d hate to leave the sea without her, and besides I would love to see if she found a stallion to suit her tastes.”

(Sorry, I’m a bit museless right now too. But meeting up with Cam and Rhys sounds like an awesome idea to me!)

When Rhys asked Cam about herself he did so with genuine interest in what she had to say. The saffron stallion found himself wanting to know everything there was to know about the beautiful scarlet mare who had chosen to grace him with her company this evening. Who were her parents, had she any siblings, what were her likes and dislikes, who did she consider her shoulderfriends, did she enjoy sparring and boxing or was she a warrior in name only, how had she fared during Korr's Winter, the battle for the Hallow Hills...? Question after question swirled through his thoughts, be he found himself unable to ask them. He knew how lucky he was to merely have her laying at his side, and he was afraid that if he came on to strongly he would scare her away. After all, he was no longer the handsome, haughty halfgrown he had once been. He was a seasoned warrior, tried and true, with a disfiguring scar lacing across his face and more girth to his barrel than he even liked to admit to. What interest could a beautiful mare such as Cam ever have in him?

Rhys was never one for self pity, and even after the war he had always managed to be certain of himself. He had shrugged off his disabilities and faults, never having a care for what others might feel about his physical appearance. Even with one eye he was an incredibly gifted fighter, and he had proved himself countless times to his peers before and after Ending Fire. Although he had lost the arrogance of his youth, the saffron stallion had always remained confident with an air of charisma. Yet there was something about the mare at his side that made him as uncertain as a wobbly legged nursling. He was humbled by her beauty and grace, and how could he not be? She was more than a catch for any stallion who had chosen to travel to the Summer Seas, this season or any other. Yet here she was, laying beside him with a warm fire burning before them.

With ears pricked forward and single eye resting solely on Cam he listened to everything that came out her mouth. Unremarkable? Had he heard that word right. Had she really chosen to use that word to describe herself? He doubted there could be anything about this mare that could have been judged as unremarkable. Intriguing, charming, or perfect maybe, but certainly not unremarkable. As much as he longed to tell her this though, Rhys champed himself and kept his tongue, instead giving his bone and gold mane a toss, moving his thick forelock from his single eye as he continued to listen to her speak about herself.

He watch her expression as she mentioned Ending Fire, and single eye squinted for a moment with concentration as he studied her. He could read her sincerity in her words, and his heart went out to her over loosing friends not just in the battle, but in the aftermath. He was on the complete opposite side of the spectrum from her, having shunned his family and many of his closest shoulderfriends after he had recovered. He had seen their pity in their eyes, seen their shame as they diverted their gaze from his face lest they be caught staring. He remembered all to well the gentle gasp of shock behind their teeth when they first caught sight of him after he left the healer's grotto. Especially his dam... he knew that Esura loved him wholeheartedly, but he could see the pain it caused her whenever she looked upon him. He missed the dappled mare sorely, but he had always assumed that his separation from his parents was for the best. Had his departure hurt them the same as it seemed to have hurt Cam over the lose of her own companions?

He doubted that she would have ever given a fellow the same reaction he had received from his companions. After all, she had not grimaced when she had seen him, on the other hand by now she was probably used to seeing horrific scars from warriors of their age - they all were. He saw how troubled she was over this, and he wished dearly to be able to reach out and nuzzle her cheek and tell her that it was not her fault that she had not been seriously injured during the war, to be able to explain the emotional pain that one goes through after receiving a life changing wound and how hard it is to heal on the inside when you no longer feel complete.

However the bubbly vermilion mare changed the subject before he could gather the courage, and at her bright smile and trailing words he flashed her one of his own. "Nay, you cannot back out now that you have started to say it. Pray, you must tell me."

-- Rhys
(I forgot how much I LOVE to write Rhys - especially when he is with Cam! These two just make my day.)