stars in the water [ srei ]

[Deleted]

tainted love

    Hope and elation flooded through her for a brief moment before dying at the mercy of depression and hatred. For just a moment she'd thought she'd seen her brother, or perhaps her eldest son, in the reflection of the water and the potential that she was not alone was too great. When it proved to be a warped impression of herself in the water it thoroughly crushed her to find that she was still as alone as ever.

    Just breathe, Taint. She shook her mane, staring down into the crystalline waters of the cove. Her ears turned back to her skull to vanish under her black and white mane as she hung her head. There, under the rippling waters, wriggling five plump fingers was a vivid, pink star. How had a star fallen into the water? How was it moving? She tossed her head up and back to stare at the sky overhead, turning a shade of intense purple where the blue-black of night and the crimson-gold of morning merged in a jagged center line.

    Stars glittered in the sky, glowing alternatively brighter and dimmer where they hovered over her and the earth. If they were up there then why was this one down here? She turned her gaze back down, curiosity getting the better of her, and waded into the water. Brightly painted fish scattered and her leg trembled at the sudden shock of a stinging jellyfish grazing her flesh. Spring tinted the air with the delicious scent of rain. She hesitated, watching the nearly invisible jellyfish squirm away from her before stepping towards the starfish. Finally, with the salty scent of the ocean permeating her own body now she plunged her head under the water and reached towards the star-shaped fish, grasping it and pulling it out of the water.

    Pink, plump fingers flailed in the air where she clutched it, slapping at her face and grasping nothing. She snorted, dropping the starfish when the salt water and fish tickled her tongue. She shook her mane and glared at the fish as it sank back to the sandy floor of the cove. That was definitely not a star.

@starafter89

post - thoughts - "speech"

[Deleted]

Oh man, this whole place was sand. Sand, sand, sand, for miles and miles it seemed. A few bits of grass dotted the hill side, but other than that, nothing. Absolutely nothing. Might as well go take a few steps into the ocean water, while I was here, try and find some sort of life form. Anything. I'd been alone for too long, I had to find something to hold onto. I was young, nothing could stop me, I was basically invincible. I could do anything with my life. What I really wanted to do though was lead. I felt like I was fit for the spot. I was smaller in height but I was stocky, I had pretty admirable power, not the fastest either, but my strategy was that to be impressed upon. My focus however, not necessarily  the best. I had a tendency to loos...

BAM I hit something with a hard thud. I shook my head, looking at whatever I'd hit. Oh. Apparently it was a mare, beautiful one too. Her color was that of a paint horse, nothing like mine. She was a beautiful darker brown and white coloration, with black points. Ah, what was that coloring called again? Oh yes, bay. A bay with paint coloring. Wow, she was a looker. Oh, I guess it was rude to stare. Well, I really couldn't help it, she was so beautiful. Her right eye was a very dark blue, I hadn't been able to see the left yet, since I crashed into her right. She also had a medicine had, but unlike my black one, hers was brown like her body. She also looked remarkably older than me. Pity, I personally think she was quite my type; looking wise. But I really wasn't the one to go mainly off of looks. Sure, they played some role into my mare selection but it certainly didn't dominate. Her scars flawed her, but one's flaws made you. 

Ugh, I was loosing focus again. "Oh, I'm so sorry pretty lady! I'm Cadet, but please call me Cade." I shuffled my hooves slightly, a little unnerved that I would loose my concentration so long I'd run into someone. I'd never done this before! What if I'd hurt her? Oh, my first sign of horsemanity around here and I felt like I was already going to ruin it. Perfect. Just perfect. Always count on Cade to come in and ruin everything!

OOC NOTES: i'm sorry you had to read this terribleness, lol.

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❤ fishtail ☿

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[Deleted]

tainted love

    The soft glow of warm light on the waters reflected back against her body, and into her eyes, until she was squinting, having a hard time seeing what was around her. Great, just great. She lifted her head in an attempt to shelter her eyes, drawing herself from her thoughts just a hair too late.

    The solid thud of a body into her side threw her already unsteady balance over the edge. With a strangled cry of shock she crashed to the side, her body sinking into the cove waters and down to the sandy bottom before she could react. Light and dark blue eyes stared up through the clear waters at the stallion that had crashed into her. Finally, finally she started thrashing at the waters and pushed herself back up to the surface, gagging and swallowing as much air as she could, snorting sprays of water back out into the air with each breath.

    "What in the world is wrong with you?" she demanded, pinning her ears and glaring at him, when she could finally breath again. What was wrong with men? One's too busy trying to kill her and the other is - well I guess drowning her however inadvertently counted as trying to kill her too... Men. She snorted, shoving her legs under her body and standing again. Salt water swirling down off her body and back into the cove waters beneath her.

    Pretty Lady? She laughed, shaking her mane at his words and turned to retreat from the waters lest he try and knock her down again. "Cadet? I'm Tainted Love... Taint is fine, though." she snorted, again, trying to get more salt water out of her system, sneezing when the snort did nothing. Sand sprayed up and away from her as her wet breath rushed out across the surface of the beach. "What in the world were you doing, Cade? I supposed drowning me was unintentional." she gave him a sideways glance from her pale eye, in its white frame, sizing him up. Except for the crop of dark fur on his ears he was as alabaster in color as most of her own body. What were the chances of that? Huh, come to think of it he was stockier in build than she was, too. Where she had arabian mixed in her genes to dilute and soften the stock of the Paint in her he looked to be paint only, or maybe a mixture of stock breeds.

    She turned to face him, her tail dragging across the surface of the water and lighter eye squinting against the harsh reflection. Hmph, he wasn't bad looking. A bit young, or younger. But then she was never good at judging ages. Hell, she even missjudged her own age in her reflections despite knowing she was a full 8 turns over. How ridiculous was that? She twitched red ears up towards Cadet, curious about him only because he hadn't tried to kill her quite as the draft stallion had. Drowning her wasn't the same as trying to cleave flesh from bones because she 'didn't know her place'. 

post - thoughts - "speech"

[Deleted]

Ugh, I was such a flake! I wasn't ever going to grab a mare to call my own acting like such a baboon all of the time. Hah, especially not this one. Well, I guess I could try and make up for it, but I highly doubted it, mowing someone over and almost drowning them wasn't the most pleasant way to start off a conversation. I'd already fiddled around with my gawking and replied too late. I'd most likely already blown my chance. Well, I guess I'd better make as much good as I could of this. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "I think it would be easier to list the qualities that weren't wrong with me," I charmingly replied, my voice a deep, harmonic sound. It was the usual though, the outside, the charming person, the winner. The one I had started to become before my foster mother had let me know the truth, who'd taken care of me, who'd gotten me to where I was. In a way I was glad that she'd pushed me away from my father and the herd. In another way I wasn't. I wanted to be a leader and I would've inherited the herd had she not told me the real truth about the herd and my 'real' father. 

When she heard the words spoken from my mouth after she'd arisen, she shook her head at them. I thought this was due to the fact she thought she wasn't pretty. Well, in all honesty, she wasn't. She was extravagant, ordinarily  beautiful, dashing, the list could go on. It was odd she didn't know it. Most of the mares knew they were pretty and flaunted it to the extreme. I could handle this, but I'd had quite a bit of practice. Those sorts of things certainly didn't come easily. Dealing with arrogance was a common occurrence. I honestly wished it wasn't, but I'd never tell anyone else that except myself. I took a quick glance around, looking at the sandy hills surrounding us, the sliding tracks and hoof prints I'd making coming down and some of the tussle marks she's made in the sand from my shoving. It's not like it was that hard anyways. Psh, I hope she wouldn't make such a big deal like I know some would, or else it would totally ruin her beauty.


"Cadet? I'm Tainted Love... Taint is fine though." The melody came running from her pink tinged maw and it was as beautiful as her hide. She snorted, nothing coming from her nostrils, she sneezed, her whole, lithe, bay body working in unison to remove obstruction from her nostrils and lungs. Well, I sure hoped she hadn't swallowed too much water, jeez, with all this snorting and sneezing she was doing. Then, the song came again,"What in the world where you doing, Cade? I suppose drowning me was unintentional." Oh. Oh, she was talking to me. I was also genuinely pleased she'd used my nickname Cade. Most horses you'd shoved into the water certainly wouldn't call you any sort of pet names or nicknames, so that was certainly a good sign that she was a tiny bit of forgiving horse, hopefully. If I had any chance to impress her, that is. Mares didn't mean everything to me, but I just felt sort of attracted to this one, for some odd reason. Gah, I didn't even know her! Maybe I was going insane, it was certainly young for that though.

Oh. She was waiting for my response. Quickly, I spluttered out, "Well, you see I was just walking along here, thinking to myself, I didn't see you there, I'm so sorry. I hope we can still be friends! I haven't found any source of life other than myself and the occasional random animal..." I trailed off, looking up from the ground into her darker eye, noticing her judging glare. "Oh... sorry I'm rambling."

OOC NOTES: sorry for the WIP, I had to suddenly leave my grandparents' house.

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@fishtail

[Deleted]

I step out of the darkness that my life became

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485 words, @starafter89 with CADET
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    She stared at him with what could only be described as a bemused look. Stammering, rambling and blabbering would be good ways to explain what she heard coming from him. The lack of animosity - such a lack! - had the drenched mare relaxing bit by bit as he nattered away at her. One would think the sky was turning green the way he carried on! She laughed, unable to help herself.

    "Pardon me, Cade, but I don't do 'friends' very well. I never have." she admitted to him, dipping her head ever so slightly to him. "If you can tolerate a brusque attitude and those oh-so-awkward moments where I don't know what the hell to say then, by all means, call us friends." she sighed, softly, finally able to breathe fully without expelling water from lungs or nasal passages and shook her body off, sending water flying in a fine mist. "I do not recommend walking around without paying attention, Cade. Running either. You never know what boogey-men you might run into." case in point the still open wounds on her body. The salt water stung them and it wasn't until she thought about it that she realized just how unpleasant that feeling was. That's it, I will never again go to the beach.

    A slight scowl crossed her features at the thought but vanished almost as swiftly as it had come. Her attention returning to the moment and the stallion at hand. Her ears twitched in thought as she watched him before finally she let more melodic tones tumble free of her lips. "Do you have a home, Cadet?" she asked, feigning curiosity with ease, and ill with herself at how easy it was. Had she really been that well suited to the dark alliance that pretending she cared was so easy? Or did she care and only pretended she was pretending? Oh what fun that would be! A pretend pretender pretending to pretend! No, she decided, she couldn't care because that would be too hard.

    She was tired of caring. Tired of being there for others. Tired of having her heart ripped out and trampled every time she turned around. First in the revelation that her brother wished to forgive her- and her unwilling to accept it. Then the near loss of her first born, who looked so much like Erastos. Then the ever present tramp, Maxim, haunting every waking moment, and sleeping moment, she had with Incognito. Losing and finding her twins only to lose them again to a foolish promise she'd made. Finally winning Incognitos love only to lose it again- really, she had had enough with the entire I care, you care, I cared you didn't care business. She sighed softly, her eyes darkening with the sadness that overwhelmed her in a sudden onslaught of turmoil and ridiculously unnecessary self-pity.
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image by Poisons-Kiss

[Deleted]

She looked at me like I was crazy, a fool maybe. Oh, if I thought I had even the slightest chance I was doomed. She probably thought I was the weirdest thing on planet earth, sheesh. I couldn't even talk without jumbling up my words. I guess that's the effect she had on me. Made me think twice, second guess myself. I usually wasn't like this, either. I was confident, bold, a leader. Ugh, I was just putty in her hooves. Why? Why was I falling for someone I'd barely met? I was too young to know what love was, let alone start a family. Or was I? I was old enough to have my own land, why wasn't I old enough to like someone. I know I didn't love her yet, but I could like her, right? I had the right to my own liking and disliking. It was my choice. I decided I quite liked this female, so far. I guess I'd have to stick around her then, if I was going to start liking her, getting close to her, possibly even loving her. I made the decision then I'd be devoted to being with her often, making a loyal from from her, and possibly eventually loving her. I honestly wondered if she was attracted to me, like I was to her. I'd obviously noticed her glances, the way she looked at me.

"Pardon me 'Cade,' but I don't do friends well, never have." Oh, the words crushed me for some reason, like a spear piercing into my heart. Just when I'd decided to try and devote to being with her, she up and told me she wasn't a friends type of person. This unseated me for some reason, and I my head away slightly, looking off into the distance, holding back my feelings, trying not to let her see I was upset. A man like me shouldn't get upset so easily. I was societies' definition of a man, born and raised, why couldn't I act like one?! The more I got frustrated with myself, the more upset I got. Then the alto-tone came again,"If you can tolerate a brusque attitude and those oh-so-awkward moments where I don't know what the hell to say then, by all means, call us friends." Oh, again. I thought she'd said it in a snooty way, but in turn I'd been far to sensitive yet again and taken it the wrong way. Pish posh, this was great news! I excitedly went to answer,"Well if you can deal with a uuber-sensitive, bi-polar stallion then you can call us friends." I wasn't trying to imitate her, merely trying to make a subtle joke, maybe a slightest attempt at flirting. Haha, me, flirting.

"I do not recommend walking around without paying attention, Cade. Running either. You never know what boogey-men you might run into." Well, it appears she made a joke too. I doubt it was an attempt at flirting, like mine was. She probably didn't have even a teeny tiny bit of interest in a stallion like me. She probably already saw me as just friend-zoned. I sure hoped not. Oops, I forgot to reply again. I was just gawking. She must think I'm a total perv. "Well, I loose concentration fast, I can't help it sometimes, especially in the presence of such beauty." Oops, the words just flew from my lips before I come scold them back down my throat. Well, I guess whatever she'd say couldn't be too bad.

Oh no, the harmonic sound came again, probably going to cause me more distress than a mare in labor. "Do you have a home, Cadet?" This took me aback, I thought some sort of sarcastic comment would follow, but none came. Then, she seemed to ponder her words, taking a more quizzical look upon her dainty white face. I admired her crazy blue eyes, taking in the details. One even looked lighter than the other! The right looked darker. Well, that was weird. But I was always one to observe details better than another, I guess that's where my intelligence and strategy came into play when I was fighting. Dang, I keep forgetting to answer! I stuttered out,"Oh, well uh, no, I don't. I'd love one though." I shot her my best charming look, hoping she'd possibly like my cheesy humor and pathetic attempts at flirting.

OOC NOTES: haha, he's so cute. I am gaining muse for this quickly c:

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@fishtail

[Deleted]

I step out of the darkness that my life became

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441 words, @starafter89 with CADET
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    It took great restraint but she suppressed another sigh as he prattled on. Watching him and trying to keep her expression from shifting to dull. She'd had more experience dealing with the egotistic maniacs of the dark alliance she'd grew up among than with male chatty-cathy's. If he wasn't careful she'd start calling him that to herself.

    Op, too late. Chatty-cathy it was. 

    She turned one ear back against her skull, keeping the other trained on him to hear what he had to say. Giving him a skeptical look. "Just don't cry on me for no reason, Cade. I don't do well with criers." admittedly she didn't do well with any sort of emotional expression, really, especially the stronger ones. Except hatred and rage. Those two were her specialty but no one needed to know that. It was better to be balanced on nothing than to be known as a violent type. She wasn't exactly the violent sort, not always.

    His next words had her tempted to raise a non-existant eye brow. "uh-huh..." was all she uttered. The tones implying she didn't quite believe what he said but had no interest in pursuing it. There really was no need to argue over something so silly. Instead she smiled at him and turned the conversation to less of a personal direction. "Well, I'm hoping to claim a land in the Kingdom of Altus, soon, if you'd like to join me there Cade."

    The offer was more to get him out of harms way, at the moment, than out of any emotional attachment to the stallion. She wasn't too sure she really wanted a chatty-cathy following her around anywhere, let alone one that would be struck by cupids arrow to be a love-sick puppy dog. Oh god she'd die if she had to deal with that! It was bad enough watching her sons grow up and got soppy over a girl across the way. She didn't want to deal with breaking anyones heart now. Or was it that she was afraid of hurting her own heart?

    "if all goes well I will have the lands tonight. A lake deep in a valley. It's hard to miss. The lake is black." she swished her black and white tail against her hips. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get out of here before the sand decides to realize I'm still very much drenched and add to my discomfort by clinging to my flesh..." she hesitated and smiled shyly at him. "I supposed I will see you later, yes?"
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image by Poisons-Kiss

[Deleted]

Wow, it seemed like I was for sure boring her. Fantastic. I just get talking and talking, what was wrong with me? I was never this talkative. Maybe it was from the way I was brought up, always talking. My father didn't stand for blabbing, she should just tell me to shut it. It might hurt a tiny bit, but I would shut it, for a little bit, at least. She shot me a skeptical look, then spoke, "Just don't cry on me for no reason, Cade. I don't do well with criers." I wasn't going to cry, at least I didn't think so. Maybe she thought so? Or was she using that sarcastic side again? It was definitely hard to tell, but I'd reply kindly anyways. "I don't cry. If you see me upset, I don't cry, I get angry. If I ever get upset and you're there, say something to calm me down, it usually gets worse from there." Ok, so maybe I was starting to get a little bit fired up by her words. It was time to cool it down. My self control was maybe a C-plus, definitely far from being perfect.

The mid-tone notes came again, ""Well, I'm hoping to claim a land in the Kingdom of Altus, soon, if you'd like to join me there Cade." Well what a coincidence, I was of Altus allegiance also! Perhaps I'd join her, for the sake of company if not my own personal greed for her. "Sure, I'd be delighted to take you up on that offer." I cut my words off short, worried I'd start rambling again. She apparently wasn't the typical mare-yacking more than myself. I could learn to deal, she would probably get me to become less sensitive too, with her cynical nature. She seemed to think for a second, possibly regretting inviting me to her herd land. I could deal with this, who'd want someone so talkative with them. One who didn't talk much didn't want one who talked a bunch. I was obviously not what she thought was her type.

"If all goes well I will have the lands tonight. A lake deep in a valley. It's hard to miss. The lake is black." A pitch black, mucky lake, definitely what sounded attractive. But that was besides the matter. It was a home, and I needed one. Thank you for the offer, I'll be sure to take you up on that." I'm sure she was about to leave and then the ending words came. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get out of here before the sand decides to realize I'm still very much drenched and add to my discomfort by clinging to my flesh..." Well, this was sounding like she wanted to leave, I'm sure. When she said she was drenched still, I took a closer look at the details of her. She had scars on her, wow. I guess I wasn't that observant to notice them earlier. They must be hurting her, some of them looked quite recent. "Again, I'm dearly sorry for unintentionally drowning you." The words were cut short from what I wanted to say, I wanted to say how deeply concerned I was, but I held it back, for my own sake.

She hesitated, mellowed her tone, then spoke again, with a shy smile on her face. "I suppose I will see you later, yes?" I was thoroughly taken aback by this, after she'd almost bluntly ignored my compliments and I thought she was going to argue them. She'd shown little to no interest in my flirting but all of the sudden she'd hinted her own? "Oh... uh, yea. Yes you will." I gave my best on-command smile, my spirits boosted a billion by her beautiful smile.

OOC NOTES:did you want to end the thread with this reply and you can post her pregnant in the herdlands and he comes to see her/ formal joining thread?

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@fishtail