I do agree, the anatomy and design is just wonderful.
Would a role play now be alright then? As a fair warning, my replies can be rather slow- I'm rather ill. But I'll definitely reply when I can.
Here's my character's biography, to allow you to be more familiar; http://endlessforest.org/community/biography-sabel-conneciton-issues
annd... here's my post c:
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A small figure with an elongated, fluffy tipped tail and mane was running rather gallantly through the rain, water and mud flying through the air as her hooves struck the ground. Any particularly deep or large puddles were leapt upon and played in. Her mane and tail seemed to move through the air as if they were in water, with the speed she was moving it. The longer strands of her mane either struck to the rest of her fur, hung down sopping wet, or were all over her face. Slipping and tumbling over onto her face, the black and white deeracorn burried it deeper in the mud with a giggle. It felt cold, smooth, and lovely on her skin. Her ears flicked away water resting on them, and as she lifted her head, the pond came into view. Of course some of the lilly pads had gone deeper into the water due to the rain weighing them down, and the water level had risen. But that was not what intrigued her. No, there was a bird-like creature resting near it. The water simply rolled off of their feathers- as if it could not touch them. Sable scrambled up and curiously trotted over to where they were laying, tilting her head as she bent down and around to get a better look at them. They were a bright white, with a long neck and large wings. A smile came to her face as she gently prodded at a loose feather at the tip of the wings- it was soft-looking and floaty. Batting at to slightly with her tail , she found that it gave in and slowly fell from the rest. "Oooohh.... pretty..." she giggled.
The cob was resting among the reeds by the pond, enjoying the deafening sound of rain as it assaulted the oversized puddle. His ears were folded lazily against his head so as not to damage their inner workings if he stayed long, and his head rested curled under a slightly-tilted wing. It was almost impossible to see where the neck ended and where the head was in the jumble of white feathers as long as his black-bead eyes were hidden beneath the prominent brow.
Water rolled off in streams from the stag, little rivers falling off of him as if he were one of the trees around them. This torrential downpour seemed to want to cleanse the forest for a new beginning, as well as soak everyone through that didn't have a weatherproof coating. Cygnus was very happy to have his, so that he didn't have to attempt to squeeze his 6.5 foot tall frame into one of the many crowded dry places. The thought of that almost made him puff up... but something else catching his gaze actually did: a creature getting close while he was thinking.
The rain was gently cleansing her face of the mud the curious forest-child seemed to be covered in. Cygnus did his best to remain stone-still as she approached, allowing her to have the first contact. Prior interaction with other creatures here taught the swan buck that he was indeed a frightening thing to behold here, and it would be best to allow the other to approach him instead of being bold. He almost sighed out loud when she giggled and began to play with one of the feathers that must have partially dislodged when he puffed in agitation. She even called his feathers pretty. This stirred pride in him.
The swan dared move, his disproportionately long neck uncurling to full length at 3 feet. "Well thank you." He smiled from a long, deer-like muzzle. "You have a wonderful tail yourself, miss." He managed a return compliment. She sure had an odd tail, almost like that of the unicorn he visited a long while ago in the world of the kings of man. Beneath his wings, about a third of the way from their end, a feather coated deer tail twitched in happiness. With gentle eyes the stag scanned his new acquaintance for more unicorn-like signs, as well as awaiting a reaction to himself.
Sabel's attention turned away from the feather as she heard a reply from it's owner. As he moved, his form seemed to only grow larger. This made her happy- that meant more feathers to go around, and that they could talk and maybe be friends! He seemed rather shy and well spoken. She nodded in agreement at his compliments. "My mother had a better one- it was longer and completely white!" she said happily, her tail wagging in the air and slapping water everywhere. She shook out her fur and laughed. However, it was hard to move with all of the water weighing her down. stumbling a bit, a white beam of light slowly faded into view, enveloping her body. The point where it began, her forehead, formed a sharp horn. The water already on her began to evaporate, but this little shield didn't last long- rather, it abruptly vanished. thus water pour back onto her and she lay spread eagled on the ground, laughing. "What's your name? I'm known as sabel." she stated, lifting her head up and blowing her mane out of her face.
Cygnus' brow lifted. So she wasn't scared? Sabel's boldness was almost amusing. He watched and listened to her little voice, noting the pride when she spoke of her mother. Maybe this place isn't all that different from the place where men live, since there seem to be more similar creatures... his thought was cut off. The young'un just used magic. He could tell she was a young one, more because her magic didn't last long. Before he could stick out a wing to shield her from the water she had pushed from herself, the little unicorn-deer had become victim of her own magic, sprawled out in the mud. Momentarily the cob shut his eyes hard so as not to laugh along with her. He opened them again as she spoke.
"It is nice to meet you, Sabel. I am Cygnus." The rumble of his voice carried a bit of mirth left over from his repression of laughter. Carefully, he stretched out a massive wing, thankful for his own size at the moment. He held the appendage like a roof over the female. The sound of rain hitting his huge flight feathers was similar to that of rain on a tarp, and kept the area beneath it equally as dry. The stag craned his neck to peer underneath, his face falling into shadow as he looked to see if the little one was alright. He suddenly felt a cold spot where his wing had once kept him warm. The downy feathers where his wing met his side fluffed in an attempt to correct it. "Is the rain bothering you, Sabel?" He queried, attempting to mimic a method of interaction he had learned from knights so as to not scare her off.
The feeling of the rain pelleting her body subsided at the shadow of the large creature's wing fell over her. Sopping wet, she sat up to see his face coming into view and grinned. "Thank you very kindly. Not anymore, it's not!" she stated her tail flopping around in the mud. Her eyes brightened as he told her his name. "Cygnus... I haven't heard a name like that. It kind of reminds me of the sky and stars." she replied thoughtfully, putting a hoof to her chin. "My mother and father told me my name means dark fur... others say it means mourning." she explained. Her ears raised and twitched, flicking away water. She also noticed his mouth and nose were very shiny. Very, very shiny. Putting her face up close to it, this part of his body seemed to appear more solidified and sculpted. "So shiny..." she said, staring. Then she shook her head and laughed. "Have you been here long?"
The best smile one with a beak could muster appeared on his face, mostly near his eyes. She was a very smart little one. One brow raised in question at her name's meaning. She was certainly challenging that with all of her might. "I think you have knowledge you don't realize. I was named for a constellation in the night sky." As he spoke, he gave the enraptured creature glimpses of more shiny, hard surface inside his mouth. The only soft thing in there was his tongue, and even that was roughened to help tear at and mash vegetation.
Gently his head swayed from side to side at her question. "I have not been here long. I flew over here four days ago and decided to land here to wait out the snow from the other day. Have you always lived in this forest?" Here he grew more curious. Was she from somewhere else, maybe from one of the places he'd been to?
More importantly: Was the weather always this erratic?
Sabel giggled at this. "I'm not usually the brightest firefly in the forest. I'm surprised that I was that close!" she replied. As he opened his maw and allowed her to view the inside, his tongue stuck out as the most interesting part. So she poked it with a hoof. It was very soft, squishy, and well... wet of course. Squishier than hers anyways. She laughed at this. She tilted her head at his remark, pondering his question. "Before my mother and father allowed me to leave the count of years since I was... 'born?... was 234... and I was born here... it's been a very long time since they vanished." she replied with a shrug. "I age and develop slowly so sometimes it's not easy to remember or think about things."
Her tail drooped a little, thinking of her mother and father. She was beginning to forget what they sounded like... what they used to do. However, as her mother had taught her, it was not good for your heart to dwell on things that made it ache. She looked up and smiled. "Do you want to know the forest better?" she asked softly.
She had poked his tongue. It was difficult, but he managed not to twitch or cough. Her hoof tasted like mud, but that wasn't much different than he would endure later when he preened the mud off of his belly-feathers. After she removed her face and hoof from the 'danger zone', the cob snapped his mouth shut. He listened to her little speech. Two hundred and thirty four years? She behaved so fawnly, yet was two hundred and thirty one years older than the stag. It was not much different than the unicorns from the kingdoms, but it was always a surprise to hear the ages of their children.
"Well you are quite a bit older than I am. And in the case of this place, you are also wiser. I would love to know as much as I can about this forest... and who better to teach me than you?" His eyes smiled again. Over Sabel's head, the stag's broad wing shifted slightly to thwart the oncoming breeze that threatened to send him airborne. He would hold it there as long as the rain continued to pour down on the pair. It seemed to be lightening up a little bit, but was that his imagination?
Sabel giggled. "I've always wondered if I would not die early. Even at the age of sixteen… even at the age of five… I felt old. I longed for my younger days. My naivety." she said with a chuckle. "I may still be naive yet. But like my mother I have not encountered the feeling of regret- and I do not regret my aging. In a sense, it's very peaceful… knowing one day I will grow old in body and mind." she said, her voice having an older tone to it. "But it gives me fear for the long years that await me. Life may not be long, but it can feel like forever- even a day can."
She smiled at his compliment. "To me, there is not much to be wise about. Maybe because I have not experienced the dangers my parents sheltered me from. But this place- this home, has always been lovely. It has few dangers to me, if any." she explained. Her smile widened at the growing interest and amusement in his eyes, as it seemed. Feeling the wind pick up, she stood and shook herself off. "Alrighty, follow me!" she giggled, beginning to run through the rain. Mud kicked up behind her as well as water, and her soaked mane flew out wildly. She knew the distance from her home was not far from the pond. In fact, the giant old oak was just barely in view from here- and that made her heart skip a beat.
Her instant change in demeanor startled him. She is not something predictable. Cygnus made a mental note of this. As he listened, he grew more respect for her insight. Sabel was definitely an interesting being. She was quick, too, and he had to jump up to follow her. The stag leaped to four hooves and dashed after her. His eyes squinted to avoid being blinded by the downpour. The rain rolled off of white feathers in rivulets. Mud that coated his stomach and legs moments before seemed to rinse off in the weather.
Sabel was not hard to keep up with once he caught up to her. Very quickly, though, they found themselves drawing nearer to the largest oak that the cob had ever seen. It was so wide that even he could have easily walked in with room to spare. The opening at the front was tall enough for him to not need to dip his head to enter. Inside, the oak seemed dry. "This is an amazing place, Sabel." He spoke, steamy air rising from his nose and mouth.
Sabel was surprised that the stag had caught up to, and was no in front of her. THen again- he had wings. His body must be light and agile…. it it were as heavy as it were graceful, he would not be capable of flight. As he entered the oak, she skidded along the mud attempting to stop- and her tail curled in front of her legs instinctively. Bad move. She tumbled over it and went skidding through the mud head first into the oak, sliding under the stag. As the large amount of mud she'd built up slowed her impact, she lifted her head and shook it rather violently, spitting and coughing. She had a crooked grin on her face however, and it was hard not to laugh. "It always has been! I forgot how much mud was built up over the old tunnels in the tree." she explained. "After I left it for some time, and deer began to use it for a resting place, the soil built up quite a bit… you can even see small plants growing around the insides." the doe said, crouching low to the ground and poking at a budding flower near the base of the tree.
Glancing up, she found that his standing for towered over her still. Yet it was not as intimidating as she would have imagined it to be- standing up. he looked dainty, graceful. His legs were thing and his neck a sleek sheen of snow white feathers, with a slightly muddy tint on the underbelly due to his resting position. She poked her tail outside and shook it off to avoid getting anymore mud on her new acquaintance. It was much better not being overweighed by the pouring rain. ANymore and she would have probably been stuck in the mud.
It was never boring when the unicorn deer was around, it seemed. One minute Cygnus was admiring the oak's beautiful cavern and the next a muddy gray being was sliding underneath him through the mud. He shielded his face as she shook, a low rumble of laughter echoing through the tree along with the dull splat of mud droplets hitting various surfaces. Her smile beamed like a little light in the tree's shadows. He fluffed up the feathers on his body and gave a light shake to remove any leftover water, which wasn't much. He then took to exploring the tree with her.
It wasn't very hard to reach close to the ground with such a long neck, but for Cygnus it meant spreading his legs out a bit past their normal position. His method of reaching the ground was kind-of like a giraffe when he was standing up. "It looks well-used. Look at how the plants mainly keep to the corners and areas where deer don't easily fit." The grasses and dandelions inside the tree lined it like a giant, beautiful bedskirt. Years of traffic in and out of the Oak made the dirt inside a tamped-down area full of many well-used hollows. He wondered where the tree's usual inhabitants were. The storm should have brought them all running for cover. Maybe there were other hidden places they could use to wait out the rain that created a drum-sound outside to accompany the... wait, the oak was humming?!
"Is this tree more than just a tree? It's humming... almost as if it were sentient." The swan-stag's nose made a noise as it tapped the tree when he sniffed the smooth inside wood.
Sabel nodded as the usual hymn of the tree became more noticeable, louder, and thrumming though out the ground. its lovely sound vibrated like a soft song. "Ah, I'm not sure why. My mother told me that this home... erm, tree, is alive. That it is 'mother forest' singing." she explained, leaning her head against the tree. However, and idea popped into her head. One she hadn't had in a long, long time. The soil was very soft right now, and she could probably dig through it to get to the entrance for the tunnels that lie quietly beneath it. She hoped that roots hadn't grown very close to the center.... that might cause problems. Thus the doe began digging and pushing up mud. It came up much easier than expected, and then the ground beneath her gave way. She gave a squeak as she went sliding down into the newly created hole, some water trailing after her. Tumbling around as the inside became wider and larger, she found that the roots had avoided growing in the tunnel, though some poked through the walls. It was very dark though.... although a light peeked through the far end. She followed it, and found a large cavern-like area filled with glow worms. And well, unfortunately their glowing excrement formed large puddles on the ground. Looking back, she wondered if the large deer could fit his body, or even his neck through the hole she'd made. "You're missing all the fun!" she called up.
The ground crumbled away beneath the little unicorn doe. Cygnus almost grabbed for her, but she was gone too quickly. He nearly panicked, shoving his face into the hole and searching for the doe, only to find that she was completely comfortable with her current situation. He grew confused again. "You are... okay down here... right?" The stag dared go no further. He was terrified of confined spaces where he couldn't spread his wings. Even now his wings were half-spread above the underground tunnel, showing agitation.
Cygnus quietly looked the doe over to make sure she was alright, his long neck extended into the tunnel slightly.
Seeing his concerned demeanor, her expression became rather reproachful and appologetic. "I'm all right, no need to worry. I think it's you we need to worry about." she laughed gently. Shaking out her fur, she clopped back over to where his head was poking out. He didn't seem to like the idea of going down here, obviously. She should have anticipated that. "Feather fluff, you all dry and fluffy up there?" she asked playfully, using her hooves to push his head back out.
TO be honest, she hadn't expected the ground to give away so easily. In her haste she'd been too excited to really notice if she'd been hurt during the fall. Any injuries she may have acquired would probably come to bite her in the butt later. it would also not be very easy to get out, since the ground was muddy and wet.
Two muddy hoofprints adorned his cheeks now. Feather fluff? He laughed a little, still hinting nervousness. "Very dry, mayhaps a little... fluffed." He peered in at her still, head moved from the hole. "Will you be able to come back out?" He noticed the slick mud as he had stepped back, feeling it move like little eels between his toes. Covered in mud as she was, Cygnus worried for her. Injuries wouldn't show beneath that layer of earth attached to her fur.
Cygnus straightened and shook out his feathers. Now wasn't the time to be phobic. He knew that. The oak looming above and the hole lurking below, he waited for her reply.
"Ah, I'm afraid not until it gets dry. though it's been quite a few years I'm familiar with what its like down here, although the glow worms are well... there are more of them than way back when." she giggled. However, she winced feeling a pang of pain snaking down her spinal chord as well as her ankles and neck. She crept back down into the hole and lay her body on the soft, muddy earth below her. "I apologize, I wasn't very careful in my erm.. excitement." she giggled, her lip twitching between a frown and a smile.
Maybe he was correct. The stag carefully got to his knees as if offering a prayer to the gods, stretching himself deep into the cavern below the oak. Once his neck could reach no further, he smiled at the injured female. "Well then we will just have to pull you up, yes? It could take days to dry out down there. Just relax and stay limp." A gentle smile rimmed his black eyes in wrinkles. Gently the stag took hold of the fur between her shoulders in his hard jaws. It would be the only place he felt he was sure wouldn't hurt her to be lifted by that he could reach. Even then it was just barely attainable.
White wings spread wide shrouded the pair as the struggle ensued. Mud was kicked up in all directions as two huge feathered wings aided in creating backward momentum. Squelching noises filled the cavern as the cob skidded backward, what seemed like miles of neck slowly emerging from the hole in the ground. He grunted, slipping and sliding. Once, then twice, they almost fell back down into the cavern. Cygnus felt the sides of the tree touch his wings as he gave one mighty flap. He hastily folded them in as Sabel finally emerged from the hole. The stag set her down as he tumbled backward, landing hard on his rear end and then rolling to his back. He lay there just outside the entrance, panting a little and staring at the tree's massive branches above him.
Sabel nodded and did as he instructed, allowing herself to lie still. When she felt his maw closing in on the nape of her neck, the skin seemed to stretch- as if it were made to be grabbed. Whenever he seemed to struggle with lifting her, she pushed at the ground with her hooves to offer better leverage. And as he was finally able to pull her out of the tunnel, flinging mud everywhere, she flew out of the hollow of the tree and landed right next to him on her back. "WEEEEEEEEEE- oof!" she giggled, groaning a bit as her back ached. She sat up and gently nuzzled the stag up. "You're rather strong for one with such a fragile looking neck." she stated with a soft smile. "Though one shouldn't judge appearances."
Glancing back at the tree, she began to help Cygnus up. "Are you alright?"
I am, Toya. Though I am more excited for Jin that her set made it in.
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The sky was so pretty between the leaves, the clouds rushing past. Cygnus' head lolled to where his friend lay next to him, speaking. He replied. "It's the wings. They give me quite a bit more muscle than you'd think. Hah. I am just fine." His breath hitched a moment as the ache began between his shoulders, signaling that he may have hit the ground pretty hard. He felt bruises begin to form just above his tail as well. It might be difficult to groom his back for the next couple of days, and flying would be out of the question until the muscles healed a little. What he wouldn't give for a hot spring right now...
Gingerly he rolled to his hooves. "Quite an adventure." He rumbled, laughing as he peeled a bit of muddy fur from over the doe's eye. It indeed was quite a time to have had. Cygnus hadn't had that much fun in a long time. Still, he looked the smaller creature over for signs of open wounds. He had to make sure she was okay.
Sabel laughed rather nervously at this as she saw him moving rather gingerly. The muscles he'd landed on would probably be quite tender now. As for her, the most damage that had been done were scrapes and bruises. Nothing to cause much alarm, though it would be painful to move. And at the moment she still wasn't very adept with her healing magic- the rain and her state of mind didn't help much. She required clarity and concentration- both of which she currently lacked. "I have one every day." she replied, her long tail flopping around rather happily. As he looked her over, her tail plopped onto his face carrying mud and rain water with it. "No need to worry about me silly, especially if you happen to be in pain." she told him. She sat up, but decided not to stand. Attempting to do so with her ankles aching like this probably would only damage them further. And well, she wasn't very good with pain. Hard headed, but not invincible. It was kind f ironic- seeing as she was alright with diving head first into mud and into the trunk of a tree, yet something like a small bruise would make her uncomfortable. It was embarrassing, but as she understood it, natural. SO there wasn't really anything to be ashamed of other than being thoughtless.
"Your wings are quivering." she stated, pointing a hoof to where his shoulder blades and wing bones were. Though it was slight and hardly noticeable, the feathers and muscles quivered every now and then. "Did you damage them…?" she asked softly.
Cygnus shook the mud from his face and smiled. They are quivering? Apparently the tingling in his shoulders was from his wings shivering. Oh. "I landed on my back, but I am fine. They should be fine here in a few moments, once my body realizes that I did not cause it more damage than a little extra adrenaline." He fibbed a little. Sure, the shaking would stop soon but he wouldn't be able to use the wings for awhile and would likely have to sleep with them wide open to prevent them cramping shut. Not having his wings in the forest would not hinder anyone, but it would be odd not to use his extra appendages.
Once the animal was sure that his companion did not bleed anywhere, he made an inquiry: "Should we probably clean up? There was one place I did see in the golden forest over that way... the water looked really clear. I mean... if you are up for a short walk." That fountain... It was a good place to go, but the stag wondered if his companion could get up. She seemed to be moving as gingerly as he was. Maybe her legs had gotten hurt and he could not see because they were tucked beneath her?
Sabel chuckled. "Alright, but be careful." she told him softly. She bit her lip as another pang of pain his her legs, her attempt to stand once again defeated. She nodded. "That would be lovely. THe direction you're inquiring… it's De Drinkplattes yes?" she asked. Using her tail, she managed to push her hind quarters up to make it seem as if she were standing. It was also rather good leverage. SLowly trotting over next to him, she flicked her ear with a smile. "Shall we?"
ahh he's so...beautiful *u*
Thank you. I am so lucky to
Loiters noisily
Jacklo's Characters/Hub
Discord: Daddy#4977
*throws cookies at the noisy
Such a beautiful concept.
Would love to meet him one day.yiiis.
I do have a roleplay thread
Thank you <3
I love the design and writing
Image © Alhnna
Amaz did a wonderful job with
Whenever you'd like, Cloud.
I do agree, the anatomy and
Would a role play now be alright then? As a fair warning, my replies can be rather slow- I'm rather ill. But I'll definitely reply when I can.
Here's my character's biography, to allow you to be more familiar;
http://endlessforest.org/community/biography-sabel-conneciton-issues
annd... here's my post c:
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A small figure with an elongated, fluffy tipped tail and mane was running rather gallantly through the rain, water and mud flying through the air as her hooves struck the ground. Any particularly deep or large puddles were leapt upon and played in. Her mane and tail seemed to move through the air as if they were in water, with the speed she was moving it. The longer strands of her mane either struck to the rest of her fur, hung down sopping wet, or were all over her face. Slipping and tumbling over onto her face, the black and white deeracorn burried it deeper in the mud with a giggle. It felt cold, smooth, and lovely on her skin. Her ears flicked away water resting on them, and as she lifted her head, the pond came into view. Of course some of the lilly pads had gone deeper into the water due to the rain weighing them down, and the water level had risen. But that was not what intrigued her. No, there was a bird-like creature resting near it. The water simply rolled off of their feathers- as if it could not touch them. Sable scrambled up and curiously trotted over to where they were laying, tilting her head as she bent down and around to get a better look at them. They were a bright white, with a long neck and large wings. A smile came to her face as she gently prodded at a loose feather at the tip of the wings- it was soft-looking and floaty. Batting at to slightly with her tail , she found that it gave in and slowly fell from the rest. "Oooohh.... pretty..." she giggled.
Image © Alhnna
Tracking.
The cob was resting among the
Water rolled off in streams from the stag, little rivers falling off of him as if he were one of the trees around them. This torrential downpour seemed to want to cleanse the forest for a new beginning, as well as soak everyone through that didn't have a weatherproof coating. Cygnus was very happy to have his, so that he didn't have to attempt to squeeze his 6.5 foot tall frame into one of the many crowded dry places. The thought of that almost made him puff up... but something else catching his gaze actually did: a creature getting close while he was thinking.
The rain was gently cleansing her face of the mud the curious forest-child seemed to be covered in. Cygnus did his best to remain stone-still as she approached, allowing her to have the first contact. Prior interaction with other creatures here taught the swan buck that he was indeed a frightening thing to behold here, and it would be best to allow the other to approach him instead of being bold. He almost sighed out loud when she giggled and began to play with one of the feathers that must have partially dislodged when he puffed in agitation. She even called his feathers pretty. This stirred pride in him.
The swan dared move, his disproportionately long neck uncurling to full length at 3 feet. "Well thank you." He smiled from a long, deer-like muzzle. "You have a wonderful tail yourself, miss." He managed a return compliment. She sure had an odd tail, almost like that of the unicorn he visited a long while ago in the world of the kings of man. Beneath his wings, about a third of the way from their end, a feather coated deer tail twitched in happiness. With gentle eyes the stag scanned his new acquaintance for more unicorn-like signs, as well as awaiting a reaction to himself.
Sabel's attention turned away
Image © Alhnna
ALL THE FEATHERS!
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Cygnus' brow lifted. So she wasn't scared? Sabel's boldness was almost amusing. He watched and listened to her little voice, noting the pride when she spoke of her mother. Maybe this place isn't all that different from the place where men live, since there seem to be more similar creatures... his thought was cut off. The young'un just used magic. He could tell she was a young one, more because her magic didn't last long. Before he could stick out a wing to shield her from the water she had pushed from herself, the little unicorn-deer had become victim of her own magic, sprawled out in the mud. Momentarily the cob shut his eyes hard so as not to laugh along with her. He opened them again as she spoke.
"It is nice to meet you, Sabel. I am Cygnus." The rumble of his voice carried a bit of mirth left over from his repression of laughter. Carefully, he stretched out a massive wing, thankful for his own size at the moment. He held the appendage like a roof over the female. The sound of rain hitting his huge flight feathers was similar to that of rain on a tarp, and kept the area beneath it equally as dry. The stag craned his neck to peer underneath, his face falling into shadow as he looked to see if the little one was alright. He suddenly felt a cold spot where his wing had once kept him warm. The downy feathers where his wing met his side fluffed in an attempt to correct it. "Is the rain bothering you, Sabel?" He queried, attempting to mimic a method of interaction he had learned from knights so as to not scare her off.
The feeling of the rain
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All da shiny stuff
Image © Alhnna
The best smile one with a
Gently his head swayed from side to side at her question. "I have not been here long. I flew over here four days ago and decided to land here to wait out the snow from the other day. Have you always lived in this forest?" Here he grew more curious. Was she from somewhere else, maybe from one of the places he'd been to?
More importantly: Was the weather always this erratic?
Sabel giggled at this. "I'm
Her tail drooped a little, thinking of her mother and father. She was beginning to forget what they sounded like... what they used to do. However, as her mother had taught her, it was not good for your heart to dwell on things that made it ache. She looked up and smiled. "Do you want to know the forest better?" she asked softly.
Image © Alhnna
She had poked his tongue. It
"Well you are quite a bit older than I am. And in the case of this place, you are also wiser. I would love to know as much as I can about this forest... and who better to teach me than you?" His eyes smiled again. Over Sabel's head, the stag's broad wing shifted slightly to thwart the oncoming breeze that threatened to send him airborne. He would hold it there as long as the rain continued to pour down on the pair. It seemed to be lightening up a little bit, but was that his imagination?
Sabel giggled. "I've always
She smiled at his compliment. "To me, there is not much to be wise about. Maybe because I have not experienced the dangers my parents sheltered me from. But this place- this home, has always been lovely. It has few dangers to me, if any." she explained. Her smile widened at the growing interest and amusement in his eyes, as it seemed. Feeling the wind pick up, she stood and shook herself off. "Alrighty, follow me!" she giggled, beginning to run through the rain. Mud kicked up behind her as well as water, and her soaked mane flew out wildly. She knew the distance from her home was not far from the pond. In fact, the giant old oak was just barely in view from here- and that made her heart skip a beat.
Image © Alhnna
Her instant change in
Sabel was not hard to keep up with once he caught up to her. Very quickly, though, they found themselves drawing nearer to the largest oak that the cob had ever seen. It was so wide that even he could have easily walked in with room to spare. The opening at the front was tall enough for him to not need to dip his head to enter. Inside, the oak seemed dry. "This is an amazing place, Sabel." He spoke, steamy air rising from his nose and mouth.
Sabel was surprised that the
Glancing up, she found that his standing for towered over her still. Yet it was not as intimidating as she would have imagined it to be- standing up. he looked dainty, graceful. His legs were thing and his neck a sleek sheen of snow white feathers, with a slightly muddy tint on the underbelly due to his resting position. She poked her tail outside and shook it off to avoid getting anymore mud on her new acquaintance. It was much better not being overweighed by the pouring rain. ANymore and she would have probably been stuck in the mud.
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hhhhhnnngggg
HURRRRRR I love your avatar
I love your avatar and signature :3
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Sodapop!
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It was never boring when the unicorn deer was around, it seemed. One minute Cygnus was admiring the oak's beautiful cavern and the next a muddy gray being was sliding underneath him through the mud. He shielded his face as she shook, a low rumble of laughter echoing through the tree along with the dull splat of mud droplets hitting various surfaces. Her smile beamed like a little light in the tree's shadows. He fluffed up the feathers on his body and gave a light shake to remove any leftover water, which wasn't much. He then took to exploring the tree with her.
It wasn't very hard to reach close to the ground with such a long neck, but for Cygnus it meant spreading his legs out a bit past their normal position. His method of reaching the ground was kind-of like a giraffe when he was standing up. "It looks well-used. Look at how the plants mainly keep to the corners and areas where deer don't easily fit." The grasses and dandelions inside the tree lined it like a giant, beautiful bedskirt. Years of traffic in and out of the Oak made the dirt inside a tamped-down area full of many well-used hollows. He wondered where the tree's usual inhabitants were. The storm should have brought them all running for cover. Maybe there were other hidden places they could use to wait out the rain that created a drum-sound outside to accompany the... wait, the oak was humming?!
"Is this tree more than just a tree? It's humming... almost as if it were sentient." The swan-stag's nose made a noise as it tapped the tree when he sniffed the smooth inside wood.
Sabel nodded as the usual
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The ground crumbled away
Cygnus quietly looked the doe over to make sure she was alright, his long neck extended into the tunnel slightly.
Seeing his concerned
TO be honest, she hadn't expected the ground to give away so easily. In her haste she'd been too excited to really notice if she'd been hurt during the fall. Any injuries she may have acquired would probably come to bite her in the butt later. it would also not be very easy to get out, since the ground was muddy and wet.
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Two muddy hoofprints adorned
Cygnus straightened and shook out his feathers. Now wasn't the time to be phobic. He knew that. The oak looming above and the hole lurking below, he waited for her reply.
"Ah, I'm afraid not until it
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Maybe he was correct. The
White wings spread wide shrouded the pair as the struggle ensued. Mud was kicked up in all directions as two huge feathered wings aided in creating backward momentum. Squelching noises filled the cavern as the cob skidded backward, what seemed like miles of neck slowly emerging from the hole in the ground. He grunted, slipping and sliding. Once, then twice, they almost fell back down into the cavern. Cygnus felt the sides of the tree touch his wings as he gave one mighty flap. He hastily folded them in as Sabel finally emerged from the hole. The stag set her down as he tumbled backward, landing hard on his rear end and then rolling to his back. He lay there just outside the entrance, panting a little and staring at the tree's massive branches above him.
Sabel nodded and did as he
Glancing back at the tree, she began to help Cygnus up. "Are you alright?"
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I bet you are thrilled with
I am, Toya. Though I am more
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The sky was so pretty between the leaves, the clouds rushing past. Cygnus' head lolled to where his friend lay next to him, speaking. He replied. "It's the wings. They give me quite a bit more muscle than you'd think. Hah. I am just fine." His breath hitched a moment as the ache began between his shoulders, signaling that he may have hit the ground pretty hard. He felt bruises begin to form just above his tail as well. It might be difficult to groom his back for the next couple of days, and flying would be out of the question until the muscles healed a little. What he wouldn't give for a hot spring right now...
Gingerly he rolled to his hooves. "Quite an adventure." He rumbled, laughing as he peeled a bit of muddy fur from over the doe's eye. It indeed was quite a time to have had. Cygnus hadn't had that much fun in a long time. Still, he looked the smaller creature over for signs of open wounds. He had to make sure she was okay.
Sabel laughed rather
"Your wings are quivering." she stated, pointing a hoof to where his shoulder blades and wing bones were. Though it was slight and hardly noticeable, the feathers and muscles quivered every now and then. "Did you damage them…?" she asked softly.
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Cygnus shook the mud from his
Once the animal was sure that his companion did not bleed anywhere, he made an inquiry: "Should we probably clean up? There was one place I did see in the golden forest over that way... the water looked really clear. I mean... if you are up for a short walk." That fountain... It was a good place to go, but the stag wondered if his companion could get up. She seemed to be moving as gingerly as he was. Maybe her legs had gotten hurt and he could not see because they were tucked beneath her?
Sabel chuckled. "Alright, but
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