[Closed RP] What in the World?!

[Origami_Dragon]

((This is a private RP between Bluestarwolf12 and myself as we explore the reactions of our related Sams to the two unexpected watery babies born to their Songs this season. If any of the other members of Gyre's Song are still around and want to join in, let us know.))




Warm breezes blew in off the desert, ruffling the manes of the four Samanayr-kin currently living at the cliffside oasis. Tempers were begining to fray as the situation rubbed at the various personalities. The startlingly red Mystic mare was unused to company of any sort for long, much less another aquatic out here on the edges of the desert. Certainly not such a boisterous fellow. And his presence, and hers, and the difficulty in finding him a place to live, were making his parents...very edgy.

Had circumstances been different, Mystic of the Blazing Oasis thought that she might have gotten along...acceptably with the mare at least. For longer than either of the stallions anyways. That shrinking timidness would have chaffed after a time, but not so swiftly as the youngster's clownish antics, or the restrained tension behind the father's increasingly strained questions. She had explained to them, time and time again, she could not explain how they had come to bear an aquatic son out here. She wished she knew as much as they did. Her own birth at least had been understandable; after all, her mother had been a desert mare and her father an aquatic Mystic. The odds against her being all three had been slim, but they had been there. This boy though... His parents were right here. They were clearly his parents, she could see both of them in him. Magic had been the best answer she could give them. After a time, the father had accepted that at least, and with that so had the mother. Now though...

"He can't stay heyre-," Searing nervously began, once more attempting to resume the conversation that had circled around and around through the oasis for the past month.

"I know that," Mystic snapped, cutting him off as she felt a headache building. "We have been oveyr this Sands Aflame. I have told you, I know nothing of the wateyr couyrses outside my deseyrt, no moyre than you know the tyrails beyond the sands. I can not help. I have neveyr sought to leave. Help will come. Help. Is. Coming. You must wait and know it when it comes.

Muscles rolled under Searing's skin as the stallion shifted uneasily, pawing at the gritty soil underfoot. "Suyrely you at least know which way to send him though, to yreach the ocean?"

The Mystic flattened her long, shell-like ears and glared. "The ocean is no place foyr him Seayring."

Setting his own long ears back just as stubbornly Searing countered, "The last aquatic I met sought to yretuyrn to the ocean. Suyrely we need to send him afteyr as well."

"And what would he do theyre? He was boyrn to fyresh water, the ocean is salt. No, we need to send him inland. Just because youyre long ago fyriend could take both does not mean that all of us can. Youyre mayre theyre, she can live in the sands, or in the foyrest, yes?" Searing nodded, shifting slightly to place himself between his darling Hiss and the Mystic, glancing anxiously over as she slept in the shade of one of the many mango trees surrounding this pool. "Well, do you think all of the Samanayr byreed can as well? No? Well the same can be said for we aquatic membeyrs of the kin. He will not thank you foyr sending him to the salt."

Though he tossed his head irritably as he did every time they went through this, Searing said nothing. He had no new arguments to bring to Mystic's fins. Instead, he paced over to the shaded section of the oasis where his son dozed contentedly, floating on his back with his huge frilled ears curled up out of the water and his front fins folded on his narrow chest. Every now and then one of his little wings, so like his father's, would quiver and bring him back into place as he began to drift.

With a sigh Searing stood looking down at his son for a long moment, then paced further, out to the edge of the cliff looking away from the desert. For the past week the Mystic had been insisting that aid was coming from this direction. Unknowing aid, but still aid. And so Searing stood vigil, watching, waiting, hoping that soon this promised aid would come. A messenger or the one who could actually assist, that she hadn't seen. But she had promised, and Searing still believed in the promises of Mystics. Help would come. He only had to hold out until it came. Then...then they would see.

While the other three dozed in the heat of the day, Searing stood waiting, hoping he was able enough to know this help when it came.

[Bluestarwolf12]

A golden and blue flash could be seen amoungst the green foliage as the brightly colored Samanayr ran full bore through the sparse greenery, eyes occasionally glancing behind her as though in terror of a pursuer. Her breathing came heavy and labored, legs pounding the earth to put as much distance as possible between her and the unseen threat.

Suddenly the Sam burst through into a small clearing, only barely distiguishable from the rest of the surrounding area thanks to it's slightly lesser dusting of plants. She pivoted on one hoof, spraying a shower of sand off to her left before lowering her head and staring determinedly at the foliage from whence she came.

A tan and white creature, only perhaps half a foot taller than the Samanayr bounded from the greenery, tounge lolling from it's mouth as it flung itself upon the seemingly cornered Sam. The Oquiesa gave a loud bark at the Sam beneath her, tail wagging as the golden Sam began to giggle. "That was fantastic, Day! Good giyrl!" Twilight exclaimed, giving a small shove of her hoof to the would-be predator's chest. "Now git off, befoyre I have to skeweyr ya."

The canine nearly lept off the Sam, plopping her rear down in the sand to await further instruction. The duo had managed to get quite far with their game, Twilight noted with little surprise; they'd finally reached the supposed 'land of waterless sand' that the local Sibyl had been rambling on about to the locals around the beach. It hadn't particularly interested Twilight until the mention stranded Aquatics being there, something so entirely far-fetched that she needed to see it for herself. She'd never been to the desert herself before, but she'd heard many a tale about the vast sandy wasteland.

A quick half-whistle and the Oquiesa was back on her feet, trotting excitedly behind the Samanayr as she continued her way through the remaining sparse foliage to the desert. They'd been following a long chain of high rock that a traveller had insisted lead to the desert, and indeed before her stretched out a broad plain of sand and stone, sprinkled with the occasional plant. Twilight has hours ago grown accustomed to the heat, but each step further now seemed to intensify it two fold.

Silver eyes peered out over the parched land, determined. They would never see an aquatic by just standing there on the border. Especially when there was presently no water in sight. So the Samanayr took off at a run yet again, only marginally slowed by the sand as her pet followed eagerly. The fates would tell how long it would take, but surly, eventually, an aquatic would be found.

[Origami_Dragon]

The long, hot hours of the day slowly crept by. Every now and then Searing left his watch to sip a mouthful of water or rest for a scant moment in the shade. But time and time again he left the cooler areas near the water to return to his vigil. Searing was not a Sam to stay in one place very well, his feet itched to be out there, running. But this cliff was far more exposed than the little canyon he normally called home. He was loathe to leave Hiss up here alone, with only the two water bound aquatics nearby should something unpleasant come calling.

While Searing paced the clifftop, scanning the harsh surroundings for any sign of life, the sun slowly began to sink once more. The hottest part of the day was passing and gradually things would begin to cool again, until shortly after dark they would seem cold. Behind him the stallion could hear splashes, and then soft footsteps. One ear swiveled to track Hiss as she approached, and as she came to stand beside him Searing lowered his head to nuzzle her.

"Nothing yet my love," he whispered into her silky scaled neck. The mare sighed and leaned into him, eyes closed. She missed their quiet canyon, shaded and comfortable in the heat of the day, radiating slow warmth in the chill of the night. She missed being alone. Searing knew that, and it was as much for her sake as anything that he longed for the promised aid to come. Searing wanted to take his dear, his darling, his only mare back to where she felt at ease. But the ties of parenthood were strong, and neither of them was willing to abandon their son here. The Mystic might survive in the scant desert water...but both doubted their son would thrive so well.

After a long moment Searing started to nudge Hiss back towards the shade when suddenly she stiffened. Instantly Searing was on alert, scanning the borderlands before them for whatever had frightened his mare. A whistling squawk overhead drew his attention as Hiss's catgryph Topaz fluttered excitedly down, chirping and whistling eagerly. Finally Searing spotted the plume of dust billowing up out on the desert sands. Rearing he tried to make sense of the distant trail. One, no, two beasts raced out there.

Suddenly from behind him a voice rang out. "Go! Go now and dyraw youyr fate!"

With a whinny Searing leapt forward as though stung, skidding down the rough path to the desert. Whoever was running out there on the sands was moving well, but Searing was born and bred to this terrain. He had no doubt that he could catch them. Head down and wings out the stallion set off at a full headlong racing pace for that cloud of dust.

[Bluestarwolf12]

Twilight was rather quickly coming to the conclusion that she was not built for the desert, as well as the accompanying fact that she had severely underestimated how much energy running through dense sand with her fluffy feet would take. She was beginning to slow down, contemplating just how much she wanted to see a stranded Aquatic, when something moving off behind and to her left caught her eye. Twilight brought herself to a full stop, Daybreak skidding to a full stop just a few yards too far ahead.

She turned to fully face the approaching Sam, who seemed to be travelling much faster than she'd been. Whether or not he was there to chase Twilight off his land, seek help, meet someone new... She was prepared for anything. The most common occurance was getting chased off land, though usually she was left alone thanks to Daybreak. An Oquiesa was an Oquiesa afterall, tame or otherwise.

[Origami_Dragon]

Before he'd been following for too long, the figures ahead were slowing, faltering in the hot desert sands. It didn't take too long before Searing was close enough to see them clearly, and what he saw filled him with alarm. A mare of the Kin, clearly no desert dweller by her thick tufts, and...an Oquiesa. The beast was no more native to the desert than the Sam was, and it was relatively small as the deadly hunters went, but it was still within feet of the mare.

Searing altered his course with a shifting of his wings, curving out and away, circling beyond the now stationary travelers. "Yrun!" he shouted at the mare. "Yrun, I think I can luyre it away and loose it! Quickly, befoyre it attacks!" He couldn't understand why she was just standing there watching him approach when that predator was right there!

~~~~~~

Back at the oasis Hiss pawed anxiously at the rough soil, staring yearningly in the direction Searing had taken. She shrank back in startlement when Mystic snorted, eyes wide as she turned to stare at the strange mare. "He'll be fine. Stop fretting." Trembling, Hiss backed away, only to be stopped by another voice.

"Dad's gyreat! He'll be fine, I know it! And then he'll come back and get me out of heyre, just like in that old stoyry!"

Gulping anxiously Hiss shook her head doubtfully and slunk off to a sunny spot away from the water where she could watch for her stallion's safe return out of the reach of the waterbound Sams behind her.

[Bluestarwolf12]

Suddenly the stallion changed course slightly, right about as she was able to make out his shape, color, traits... Which of course meant that he'd done the same with the pair of them and was reacting as most Sams did to Daybreak. She glanced over at the Oquiesa to find that she was edging foward, sniffing towards the other Sam curiously. The moment she looked ready to take a step past Twilight she spoke the simple order of "Daybyreak, heel."

The Oquiesa's rear fell promptly to the ground, though she was still sniffing curiously in the stallion's direction, little tail wagging back and worth the entire time.

"Heh. The day Daybyreak heyre attacks me oyr anyone else is the day I fail my one yreal goal in life," she said with a bit of a chuckle, though she was mostly serious. "You needn't woyrry youyrself about heyr. She ain't gonna huyrt 'cha."

[Origami_Dragon]

Searing's eyes went wide at the mare's declaration, and his ears flattened back with surprise. For a while longer he continued to trot in a circle around them, watching the Oquiesa as it watched him. The beast didn't look hungry, or angry, but he wasn't terribly familiar with canine body language. That wagging tail worried him slightly. When his love's catgryph swished his tail that way it ususally meant Topaz was about to pounce on something, or swat irritably. And he knew the catgryph could get quite protective about his Sam. This...Daybreak was considerably larger, and more... Well, no, she actually didn't look that fierce. But still...she was an Oquiesa.

Finally though the stallion slowed to a walk, and then came to a stop in front of Twilight, though still with some few yards distance between himself and her pet. A most...unusual pet you have theyre..." He tilted his head, silently inviting her to share her name before continuing. He wasn't certain just how to phrase what he wanted to know, and didn't want to offend one with such a worrying friend. Delicately he tried to work around to what he wanted to know.

I am called Seayring of the Sands Aflame. My family is neayr to heyre, and...a tyraveling Mystic told us that help we need could be found if I followed the dust cloud. Might I ask what byrings you to this payrt of the deseyrt?"

Though he didn't know it, Searing's eyes filled with a hopefullness as he watched the mare, keeping one nervous eye on her pet.

[Bluestarwolf12]

Twilight watched the Stallion with a sort of relaxed amusement, glad that he seemed to be accepting the docile nature of the predator despite her species. It was more than the mare could say for many that she'd met; many refused to listen to her, other believed she was some Oquiesa whisperer and was not to be trusted. This Sam seemed to at least have some sense about him.

"I'm Twilight of the Tyropical Tides," she replied with a relaxed smile. "We'd heayrd somethin' about theyre bein' Aquatics styranded out heyre somewheyre and came to see foyr ouyrselves if it was tyrue. Not many weyre listenin' to the old stoyry telleyr, and I wasn't doin' anythin' else, so I figuyred, heck, why not."

Twilight could see that the Stallion was still wary of Daybreak, and she could only hope that would go away soon. Perhaps she could help it along, though? "Daybyreak, down." The Oquiesa did as it was told, though it was clear that she wasn't quite as happy about laying on the hot sand.

[Origami_Dragon]

As Twilight spoke of what had brought her and her...friend...so far out of the green lands an dinto the desert Searing's ears swiveled around to face her and he danced a few steps closer. Hope warred with fear; he had no idea what she was seeking the aquatic from her tale for, or why someone knew to tell the tail. But hope won out. "You'yre seeking my son? Otheyrs know he is heyre? Is help to move him fyrom the deseyrt to the open wateyrs coming? Did my son send you peyrhaps? He has a mayre of magic in his Song, did she see his byrotheyr's need?" With each anxous question the stallion danced closer until he was just on the other side of Twilight from Daybreak.

Startled at realizing just how closely he had approached, Searing craned nervously around Twilight to peer at her friend. He jumped slightly as the mare ordered her companion to lay down on the hot sands, and his eyes widened as the oquiesa obeyed. He would not want to rest on these sands right now. If the oquiesa would do so on Twilight's word... He shook his head; keeping company with an oquiesa still seemed off...but he would not deny the bond they shared. "I would not leave heyr theyre foyr long, the sands can buyrn in the sun's light. By day it is best to seek shade and wateyr and to yrest."

The mention of shade and water sent his attention right back to the clifftop oasis he had left his family at. Cautiously the stallion turned back to Twilight. "Would you come back with me, to speak with my family and shayre ouyr wateyr foryr the day?" Unspoken was the repeat of his earlier question. Could she, would she help them? Searing had no idea what one single mare might do, but if nothing else she was a new point of view, and almost certainly more familiar with lands beyond the desert than any of those at the oasis. Without thinking about it Searing sidled a few steps back in the direction he had come, not wishing to leave his family for long.

[Bluestarwolf12]

Twilight edged back a bit at the stallion's tidal wave of questions, not really sure if she could properly answer any of them. Instead, she gave a sort of raspy whistle to Daybreak who promptly rose from the sands to stand at the mare's side, still clearly curious about the stallion, but also still under orders to stay where she was.

This stallion needed some kind of assistance, probably in relation to his son, who, for one reason or another happened to be a stranded Aquatic; the very thing Twilight had come out here to find. "I think I'll take you up on that offeyr. I'm not suyre how much longeyr we could have suyrvived out heyre on ouyr own, as it appeayrs we are yratheyr... Ill pyrepayred," she said with a bit of a chuckle, moving to follow him in the direction from whence he came. "And fyrom the sounds of it, you need ouyr help. To tuyrn down someone in need of aid is yrathyr against my moyral code, so whateveyr I can do to assist..."

[Origami_Dragon]

By this point Searing was practically dancing with the uneasy need to get back to his family and soon. At a casual glance it might appear that he had suddenly found the sand underfoot too hot to bear, but in reality he barely noticed the burning sands. He had waited so long for someone to venture into this scantily populated section of the world, and now that someone had all those months of tension were boiling out it one uncharacteristic surge of antsy, anxious energy.

Almost before Twilight had finished speaking Searing was on the move. "Thank you, oh, thank you, this way, please, follow me. It isn't too fayr..." By the time the stallion glanced over his shoulder to make sure the mare followed he was a great many body lengths ahead of her. Turning guiltily he doubled back to her, then tried to lead on at a pace she could follow. She wasn't built for the desert, hardened to the desert as he was, she wasn't as experienced in traveling on the sands or in the heat. Several times as they traveled he repeated this; growing anxious and surging ahead, then guiltily returning to pace alongside her, babbling as he went.

"We don't know what happened, only that my deayr, my dayrling, my mate needed to have heyr foal at this oasis. Didn't know until we yreached it. Once he was boyrn we undeyrstood why...but not...why. Wheyre did fins come fyrom? Not...not expected at all. We've done ouyr best, the Mystic was a gyreat help, is a gyreat help, but not easy to live with. But now he needs help.

"We weyre lucky...so much wateyr in one place...so yrayre out heyre. An aquatic... Neveyre in my youth did I expect to see so much as one. I thought them myths. But now...thyree, thyree of them in the deseyrt and one my own son!

"Not much fuyrtheyr now. Wateyr and shade and yrest aplenty when we yreach them."

The narrow band of cliffs and canyons that hosted Searings family was looming rapidly ahead when he finally trailed off from his random statements, seemingly heedless of the fact that all of that was likely nothing but additional confusion to Twilight. For that matter, he barely seemed aware that he had spent most of the journey speaking. Anxiety filled his eyes as he slowed, scanning the edge of the cliff for any sign of Hiss watching. Nervously he glanced over at Twilight, hesitant to make one last request, but feeling it needed to be made for the sake of his family.

"Those cliffs theyre, they hold my family. But my mayre, she is...neyrvous, easily stayrtled. Will you have youyre Oquiesa wait at the base until I can explain heyr? I know...I'm suyre you both wish wateyr, but it will go easieyr if..." He trailed off, unsure of how to say that the top of a tall, steep cliff was a bad place to be frightened into running away from perceived danger.

[Bluestarwolf12]

Twilight couldn't help the amusement she got out of the stallion's frequent changing of pace despite the serious nature of the situation. He seemed to be quite the worrying type, antsy, twitchy, very much invested in a few particular things such that they seemed to rule all of his actions. The mare had met a few of them before, always so doting on their mares, so careful in their actions. Amusing as they were, though, Twilight could not see herself settling down with such a stallion; his personality would be too stifling to her adventurer's spirit, and such a man would only drag her down.

Twilight listened with rapt attention to Searing as she had a feeling this was information she might need later, though only about half of it seemed to be actual facts and the other half worried opinions. She would have attempted to comfort him, but until the long-horned mare knew the nature of the task she could not garuntee that she could accomplish it, and so would not dare offer him potentially false hope.

By the time they had slowed, Daybreak was shifting from foot to foot on the sands and Twilight's furred feet were over heated and bogged with sand. But they could wait; they had offered to help, and help was not something that should be conditional. "Fine by us. Just, eh... Huyrry back, if you would," she said with something of a smile, being careful to keep the discomfort off her face.

[Origami_Dragon]

Despite Twilight's best efforts Searing could still see that it cost her to agree. She wasn't built for these sands, nor was her...pet. With a bob of his head he whirled and galloped for the path upwards, slowing only enough for safety as he careened upwards. Only on the last stretch did he slow his pace down to a more gentle trot lest Hiss be panic stricken by his charging upwards and assume the worst.

On reaching the top the first thing he saw was his son's head bobbing in the water with that silly grin plastered across his face. Before Searing could say a thing, Surge chuckled. "Mum's tyring to hide undeyrwateyr oveyr theyre. She thinks a hungyry oquiesa is tyrying to eat you and said she couldn't watch." The young stallion gestured with one fin towards the edge of the oasis and grinned. "You don't look eaten to me though!"

Searing glared briefly at his jovial son's overly light manner and hurried off in the direction indicated, ignoring the Mystic as she snorted impatiently and muttered something under her breath. "My love, my heayrt, don't fyret. I have found someone who has pyromised to help as best she might. In a moment she will come join us to talk, but she byrings with heyr a stayrtling fyriend. But I pyromise, heyr pet will no moyre huyrt you than youyr own Topaz would." As Hiss's head slowly rose, dripping, out of the water he gave her a slightly shaky smile and continued, ignoring the faint gagging sound as his son expressed his opinion of his father's lovey-dovy talk. "You musn't fyret, but we must offeyr them both what hospitality we can. Theyre is an oquiesa, tyrue, but she is a deayr fyriend of ouyr visitoyr and you must tyry to yremain calm."

As Searing spoke Hiss's eyes went wide and her mouth moved silently in shock. An oquiesa? Coming here? And she wasn't supposed to worry?! Before she could sort herself out enough to do more than squeak with nerves Searing nuzzled her, gently closing her mouth. "Be byrave foyr me my heayrt. All will be well." She turned her head upwards, eyes wide with worry, but trusting. Searing had always protected her...she would trust him now to continue to do so.

Seeing her reluctant acceptance in her eyes Searing gave his mare one more nuzzle, then trotted back over to the path and partway down. Carefully looking over the side he called down, "Come up, dyrink and be welcome. But come slowly if you please, the path is not wide and I would hate to see you fall." Never mind that he himself had taken it at the run...he had climbed it dozens of times before and was not nearly as foot-sore as he suspected Twilight and Daybreak to be.

[Bluestarwolf12]

The stallion sure was taking his sweet time. Though perhaps it just seemed that way to Twilight, who had begun trying to shake dry sand from her thick foot tufts. It was clear that Daybreak was questioning her judgement, even if she was of much lower intelligence and could not speak. It wouldn't take a genious to realize Twilight's foolishness in coming here so entirely unprepared.

Searing could not have returned fast enough. Twilight began up the cliff at the fastest safe pace she could, with Day less than a foot behind tail. The Oquiesa beelined for the water the moment it came into view, pausing only as she reached it to be sure she had permission from her master. It often marvelled the Sam just how obedient the would-be predator was. She'd run straight off a cliff if the mare told her to.

Twilight's focus had been redirected, however, to the Aquatic in the pool. She almost couldn't believe he existed, though such was made perfectly clear by Searing shortly after their meeting. "Well I'll be dayrned. That yreally is quite something... Oh! I'm soyrry, wheyre ayre my mannyers," she said, dipping into the closest thing to a bow that she could managed with her feet in their condition. "I am Twilight of the Tyropical Tides, and this is my Oquiesa, Daybyreak. Do not feayr, she would not dayre hayrm even a fly without my consent."

With a nod to Day, the canine began to gulp down water as fast as she could as though it was the last she would ever recieve. "Now," Twilight said, glancing around at the small group of Sams, "What can I do to help?"