Established in May of 2023, we are a realistic wild horse rpg site.
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Or, at least, it felt that way compared to what she remembered, which wasn't much. A small sigh blew out of the filly's nose, ears swiveling as she contemplated what to do. None of these places, regardless how far she walked or called out, sparked her memory. Home could be anywhere, her family could be anywhere, but no matter what she tried nor did it was as if an angry storm cloud held her memory at bay. It was frustrating and frightening all at once. How would her family ever find her when she didn't know which way to go? Did they even live among these strange mountains? How much longer would she survive out here without an adult? She was barely making it by as it was!
"I wanna go home." Tears burned behind her eyes, threatening to spill over as they'd done so many times already. Why had she left her family? Had something caused them to separate? Were they even still alive? Xena feared she would never know the answer to it, but she hoped, deep down, she'd see them again one day. For now she would keep moving forward. It was the only thing she could do until she found her family or, someone found her.
Aveline gazed across the vast expanse of the Moraine Mountains, her brown eyes scanning the rugged terrain. She cut a striking figure, her pale body quiet against the shock of red hair at her mane and tail. She had spent years in these mountains, first as a newcomer seeking refuge and now as the Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Giselle. She knew every crevice, every hidden alcove, but the sight that greeted her now was unlike any other she had encountered.
As she traversed a rocky outcrop, her bright red mane and tail flowing gracefully behind her, Aveline spotted a small figure in the distance. Her breath caught in her throat.
Oh.
It was a babe, the iridescence of the white markings on her rich, earthy coat standing out against the mountain's muted colors.
A trap?
Soft brown eyes cast a sharp gaze across the rocky slopes. Nothing.
Nothing?
Aveline couldn't help but see a resemblance between the filly's coloring and that of their young King, Romeo.
And in an instant, she knew what the old gods required of her.
Approaching cautiously, Aveline noted the filly's evident distress. The filly's pale eyes shimmered like the sun on the snowy mountaintops. "I wanna go home."
Where was home, to her? Where was the mother? There was no trace of anyone else on the wind, and there should have been.
A surge of compassion washed over Aveline. She had been a part of this herd long enough to recognize the gravity of being lost in these unforgiving mountains. Her heart went out to the little urchin, and she felt a deep urge to comfort her.
Drawing closer, Aveline made sure to make her presence known to the little filly, her large brown eyes gentle and reassuring. "Hey there," she spoke softly, her voice like a soothing melody. "I'm Aveline, but you can call me Ava. Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?" Aveline asked, her tone warm and comforting. She knew that understanding a babe of this age could be challenging, but she was determined to help in any way she could.
notes: i couldn't remember who was supposed to meet her and bring her to romeo, but this just seemed 100% like aveline's jam!
So caught up in her thoughts, Xena didn't notice nor hear the mare speak until she quite literally bumped into her. The filly half jumped half stumbled backwards nearly tripping over her legs in the process. Had she hit a tree without noticing? Wide eyed, she turned her gaze upward staring at Ava with a mixture of uncertainty and fear. Where had this stranger come from? Had she appeared from the air itself? Why hadn't she heard her approach?
"I-" Xena took another step back, posture rigid and stiff as if ready to bolt. "Name? Um...My name's..." She paused as if to think, brow furrowing in mild confusion. "Xena? I think that's what it was. It feels like the right name. I don't remember anything else." How long had it been since she last spoke to another horse? It felt weird and her words didn't want to work or process properly. Was she making sense to Ava? Xena focused her pale gaze back on the mare the fear that once held her beginning to wane. Did she know where home was?
"Are you here to take me home?" At the prospect of finally going home the filly's ears perked hope flaring in her chest. "You know my family? Where they are?"
Aveline observed the young filly's initial startle, her heart aching with empathy for the lost and bewildered foal. She took a step back, giving Xena a little more space, and offered her a reassuring smile, trying to put the timid filly at ease.
Ava spoke softly, her voice still carrying that soothing, melodic tone. "Xena is a lovely name, and I'm glad you remembered it. You've got a strong spirit, I can tell."
The spark of hope kindling in the filly's pale eyes, and her repeated pleas for home tugged at the pink mare's heartstrings. She wished she could give Xena the answers she so clearly wanted to hear.
"Let's see if we can figure this out together, okay?" Aveline suggested gently, her brow furrowing in concern. "Can you tell me what the land looked like the last time you saw your family? Was it tall and bumpy like this?" she asked, indicating the Moraine Mountains cutting into the horizon with a sweep of her elegant head. "Could you see the sky, or were there too many trees all around?"
Aveline knew she needed to approach this with care. Xena had been through a lot, and Ava didn't want to overwhelm her with too many questions, but if she hadn't lost her family in the mountain kingdom, then the next most likely place to her seemed surely the Smokey Forest, where His Majesty's brother reigned. And I hear he looks very much like you, too.
She maintained a calm and reassuring presence, hoping to gain the filly's trust.
"Even if you don't remember everything, that's okay," Ava continued, her voice steady and comforting. "If we can't find them, we'll ask around the herd." Then, with a gentle, playful smile, she added, "You know, I think you might bring some luck to our herd. Our King, Romeo, has a coat that looks a lot like yours. He's a good leader, and I have a feeling he'd want to protect you too. I promise you won't be alone anymore, Xena. You're among friends now."
Gradually, the hope that had once sparked in her flickered and dimmed. Like a fire struggling to start only to be smoldered by rain. She didn't know who her family was. Xena's ears slowly fell back, her head drooping in silent defeat. Despite the words Ava spoke that should've brought comfort, Xena couldn't bring herself to feel anything but despair. Yet...a part of her didn't want to give up, wanted her to keep trying. She needed to have faith.
Ava's questions caught the filly's attention her head rising to focus on the mare. "I...I was..." Xena struggled to remember, brow furrowing in concentration. "No. It was hot. There wasn't any mountains, I could see the sky. I think?" This was beginning to make her head hurt. Why couldn't she recall things easily? Whenever she tried it hurt, but Ava was trying to help and she didn't want to disappoint her.
"I fell...in a river. I think it was storming? I got lost and-" A sharp pain stabbed through her skull, cutting off whatever else the filly may have said. Tossing her head Xena furiously pawed at the still healing wound above her eye silently willing the throbbing pain to go away. Why did this always happen when she thought too long? When she tried to remember? Xena felt another wave of defeat settle over her again. "I'm sorry, Ava." The filly both looked and sounded dejected. "Trying to remember hurts my head. I don't know if that's a lucky thing or not." She would never voice it, but perhaps she wasn't lucky at all. Maybe she was bound to bring bad luck wherever she went.
Well, there went Aveline's niggling little theory about Pierce's involvement — it didn't sound like she'd been anywhere near the Smokey Forest when she got separated from her parents. Unlikely that he was the sire, then.
The young filly's despair was palpable, and Ava's heart ached for her. Wherever Xena's family was, if they were truly in a place with no mountains and sparse enough trees to have a clear view of the sky, Aveline had no idea where they could be.
How did she live to find her way here, all by herself?
Tenacious little thing, that was for certain.
The pink mare knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but in her mind there was only one option: help her.
Gently, Aveline stepped closer to Xena, hoping that her presence was a source of comfort. She lowered her head slightly, bringing her warm brown eyes to meet Xena's gaze. "It's okay, Xena," she said softly, her voice filled with reassurance. "You've been through a lot, and it's perfectly normal to have trouble remembering. We'll take it one step at a time, alright?"
She reached out to nuzzle Xena's cheek affectionately, offering her a silent gesture of support.
Only one thing for it, then: they had to find the King.
Aveline understood the filly's fear and uncertainty, but she couldn't bear to see Xena lose hope. With a bright, easy tone, she suggested, "How about we find his majesty, King Romeo? He hears everything that happens in these mountains, and lots of things that happen far away, too. And I'm sure he'd be willing to help."
Despite everything, Xena believed in Ava. She believed in her and the insistent hope she displayed reminded the filly of the sun; warm and bright and comforting. Was this how her mother had been towards her? Xena couldn't recall her mother's face, but the warmth that bloomed in her chest seemed to be a silent sign it was.
"Okay. Thank you, Ava." In what seemed like forever a smile blossomed over the filly's muzzle the despair that had plagued her only moments ago melting away like winter ice. Pressing her cheek into Ava's nose Xena stepped closer to rest her head against the mares chest.
"I don't remember my mom, but I think she's like you. I feel safe with you." The filly spoke after a moment taking some time to realize she was truly safe. She didn't have to be afraid anymore or constantly look over her shoulder. Ava was the blessing she needed and there were no words for how grateful the filly was.
Pulling away after another moment or two, Xena shifted her pale gaze to the mares dark one, her next words hesitant, almost nervous. "Will your King like me? He won't find me strange or say I can't stay? I've never met a King before, but they sound like someone important. Do I need to say or do anything when I meet him?"
The filly's smile was like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds. As Xena pressed her cheek against Aveline's nose and rested her head against the mare's chest, Aveline fought back a sudden choking sensation.
"I feel safe with you."
The emotion threatened to overwhelm her, and she blinked hard, breathing deeply to keep her composure for the little one.
"I'm honored, sweetie. Your mom must be a wonderful mare, just like you."
As Xena pulled away and looked up at Aveline, her eyes filled with curiosity and a touch of nervousness, Aveline reassured her with a warm smile.
"Romeo is a strong but gentle king," Aveline explained, her voice reassuring. "He cares deeply for our herd and welcomes newcomers with open arms, especially strong, brave fillies like you. He won't find you strange, and he certainly won't say you can't stay!"
With that, Aveline began to lead the way down the trail that would take them to the valley where they were most likely to encounter His Majesty. The pink mare walked at a gentle pace, making sure Xena felt comfortable following her.
"As for meeting him, all you need to do is be yourself," Aveline continued. "Romeo values honesty and kindness above all else. I'm sure he'll be delighted to meet you."
With each step, they descended further into the heart of the Moraine Mountains, Aveline whinnying a gathering call now and again when they reached crossroads along the trails. Hopefully, she was guiding Xena toward the answers the little filly so desperately sought.
Feeling at ease with Ava's words the filly was quick to glue herself to the mares side. As the two descended down into the valley Xena took her time to observe the land she was now going to call home. Before, she'd been too frightened to actually take notice of much aside from when she found food or water. Now, she was able to relax and really see the beauty in the land around her. There was still some level of apprehension, but compared to just a few short moments ago Xena was happy. Even a little excited at meeting the King called Romeo.
"What does King Romeo look like?" Hurrying forward so her pace more evenly matched Ava's, Xena tilted her head back to look at her as she spoke. "Is he super tall? Or super short? Is he bald or does he have all his hair? Does he have all his teeth too? Is he OLD? Does he have foals like me?" The filly was relentless in her pepper of questions as her growing curiosity got the better of her. Ava had said the King was nice and now she wanted to know everything before she met him!
Life had been going pretty well for the ivory and russet beast that had come to become King of the Moraine Mountains. He'd successfully managed to claim a few members to his herd and had named a queen. Not only that, he'd also been able to have two beautiful children of his own with his beautiful queen. Life was perfect and he enjoyed every moment of it. The only thing he was missing about his life was his brother being in it. He missed being close to Pierce and hoped to one day be able to rekindle the closeness that he and his older sibling had once had. He had been doing his usual rounds of his lands and listening to the conversations of those around his herd. Though, he hadn't felt the need to interfere with anyone's encounters. Everyone in his herd seemed to be happy and healthy and he was grateful for it.
What does King Romeo look like? A smaller voice entered his auditory range as he continued his rounds. A voice he had never heard before and he wondered who they were and who they were talking to. It was obvious that they were talking about him and it piqued his interest. Abandoning the last little bit of his rounds, he made his way towards where the voice had come from. Is he super tall? Or super short? Is he bald or does he have all his hair? Does he have all his teeth too? Is he OLD? Does he have foals like me? He couldn't help but let a chuckle escape his vocal chords at the sound of all of the questions. He definitely wasn't super tall, but he also wasn't short. He knew he had all of his hair and teeth and that he wasn't that old. Though, not many knew about his children yet. They have yet to be introduced to the herd. As he near the duo, his gaze landed on Aveline and he offered her a smile.
Hello Aveline, he greeted the mare before glancing towards the filly. Who might this little one be? He inquired as he came to a halt a short, yet respectable distance from the duo.
speech
taggedlumihazel words 369 notes sorry for the wait. <3