Ordinary People // Open!

[Athena]

all the pain & the truth, I wear like a battle wound... A L D A B E L L A She felt way too small to be where she was standing. The land around her was so big, so open. It seemed to engulf her and send her into a frenzy where she just wanted to run and run, never casting a glance back behind her. Then again, that was nothing new, that's all she had ever done. Run, run, run. That's what she was known for. Every time she opened her eyes, she had a small breakfast, then she was off, leaving the past and the rest of the world behind her as though it never mattered in the first place. Now, she was in some beautiful scenery where there was plenty of grass patches and a beautiful soft, clear sand. With every step, her pale hooves sunk deeply into it, it being surprisingly soft against her skin. A light nicker of amusement brought itself from her throat and she struck her leg out, watching as sand erupted from where her hoof struck the ground. Chocolate brown eyes widened and she pawed wildly at the ground for a few moments, a small squealing whinny freeing itself from her throat. After she had finished her playful scheme of digging in the sand, her eyes caught sight of what appeared to be an opening alongside the cave. Her head cocked to the slide just a little bit and then she nickered lightly, her vocals being noisy in her excitement, before she pushed into a trot and made her way toward it. It was a cave in fact, one protected by boulders and the water. But, with the low tide, she was able to squeeze her small 15'2 frame inside, almost slipping on the wet and smooth ground. She continued to follow it down away before she began to feel rather trapped and claustrophobic. Her head swiveled around and this time, the whinny died in her throat. The light seemed to disappear quickly and she fumbled back a step, slipping on the water and landing straight on her butt. Dumb-founded, she sat there, hind legs under her in and front legs between them in a sitting position with her brown eyes wide and confused. She would have looked nothing short of ridiculous to anyone who might have been around, then again, she didn't hear or smell anything besides the dampness of the save around her. Finally, her mind caught up to her and she heaved herself back to all fours, carefully judging her steps as she slid along the ground. After a little more walking, she brought herself to a dark corner and stood there, large head lowered almost completely to the ground and back pushed against a wall. This was her way of being able to watch every corner, that way, no one could sneak up on her and she could rest for a little while. She liked the dark and tight spaces, even if they did make her nervous, no one without good night vision would be able to find her, as well as the damp smell masking her scent. It was a good technique and one would need it when they are on their own for so long. Lucky for the chestnut appendix, she had been alone long enough for it all to come out naturally and without thinking. W O R D S 550 T A G Open! N O T E S Eh, kinda crappy, but, whatever ~ so ashamed, so confused...

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[revolver]

Senna had never before frequented the sea. Being bound always inland, the ocean was something of which she had never seen but always heard. As her hooves sunk deeply into the loose sand, she realized with wonder that the stories could not do justice. Her mane tangled lightly with the sticky texture afforded by the salty air, her breath tasting savory with sodium as she inhaled. She allowed her eyes to close as she sighed softly, the ocean breeze cooling her skin against the heat of the summer day. As she opened her eyes again, she stared out at the water with a subdued wonder, schooling her features against the slack-jaw expression that wanted to take over her features. Beautiful did not suffice, did not adequately describe the landscape before her. She was transfixed by the deepest blue of the water, waves crowned with a delicate white foam that stretched across the damp sand where water met land. The sound that greeted her was like a rhythmic whisper, in time with the waves and soothing her into a lulled, relaxed state. Her mind quietly prodded at her reverie in reminding her to be more alert in such a foreign land; beauty did not stave away the hunger of predators. She heeded her own advice as she gave her head a gentle shake, tugging her stare from the water to her own feet. She was black against the white sand. She stuck out like a sore thumb, and obsidian silhouette against a bright ivory sheet. This was not a place to be, for a stranger in a strange land. Although...her senses did not detect a dangerous presence. No fear, no panic...only the light, wavering scent of other horses that had previously passed through this beach. Surely she could allow herself a short moment of relaxation. She had traveled so far, after all, to reach this new land.

She moved her head to the left as she brought her gaze to another feature of the beach: a cavern, small and narrow. The waves wicked against the entrance, white spray intermittently dampening the exterior of the cave. The black tint of the stone appeared a deep purple as a blue tint reflected from the water, shimmering in the sunlight like a dark gemstone. Her legs were already moving her towards the cave before she could even consciously will them forward herself. As she strode up towards the entrance, her brows lowered into a concentrated stare as she squinted into the dim light. She nickered sharply, startling slightly as her sound echoed back to her. It sounded quite deep, like it extended further than one might think. She lifted a forelimb to carry herself forward, but hesitated. 'When has walking into a dark, UNKNOWN room every benefited anyone?' she thought starkly as her lips formed a tight line, her curiosity battling with common sense. She had absolutely no clue what lie with those shadows. There could be poisonous snakes...really, who knows what else. Bats? She had no intentions of contracting...whatever disease she had heard of coming from mammals. It began with an "R"...rabies, was it? Yes, rabies. That sounded terrible. She turned to face the blue horizon instead, her side to the cave entrance as she reveled in the coolness of water lapping at her belly, cold and refreshing. Aside from the occasional squeak of bats from deep within the cavern, she could hear nothing else. She heaved a sigh as she allowed her consciousness to wane; this appeared to be a good place for a small nap. She would just rest her eyes for a moment.