Til Death {open}

[RalphieDaMaster ;)]

Her long, luxurious white tail dragged on the ground, through the burrs, through the rivers, through the mud, through the dirt. Oddly enough, her tail was the best telltale sign of where she was, is, and will be. It showed physical and emotional signs of these things.

Olympia trudged slowly along through the mud, pulling hard each time she lifted a hoof. The deep mush had a suction effect on her legs, straining her muscles. The fae looked ridiculous. Royalty such as her should not have this appearance, yet, you could not recognize her high authority. Her long, thick mane hung in mats along her thin neck, her tail stuck together and whaped her legs each time she took a step. No fire still held it's home, only embers, in her down-shifted chocolate orbs. Her ribcage and hips were prominent, as were her shoulder blades. No stag in his right mind would even take the time to stop to talk to her, nor would she respond.

Making her way across the lands had proven very difficult. Olympia's leg got stuck in the mud. Pulling harder, it unlatched, her sickly bodice falling forward. Legs in a tangle, she lay there in a heap, suctioned into the mush. Trying to pull herself out, she strained her muscles, pulling some of them. After hours of struggle, she had loosened herself enough to drag her dyeing boyce out of the mud hole. Striding weakly over the solid ground, her sides heaved, body covered in mud and perspiration. Once the fae stepped foot on the grass, she let herself drop, falling unconscious immediately.

[Hidden]

Nikko wandered through the lands. He had no clue how long he'd been wondering; after his herd died he just walked- letting his feet take him. You could see his ribs a hair; he had scars up and down his body. All these tell tale signs that he was a fighter. He slowly trodded along the land, until he picked up the sent of a mare.

He spotted a mare laying on the ground and smirked. He picked up a trot and towards the mare he went. A few strides away, he stopped. Hello there darling. His voice had a slight sarcastic tone, but was soothing at the same time. Nikko walked a circle around her, until he realized that she wasn't conscious. He sighed.

Better not leave her here where all the ghosts and goblins can get a sweet mare like her. This made him chuckle. He swished his tail at some flies and soon dropped his head to the grass and began to eat; waiting for her to awake from her slumber.

[RalphieDaMaster ;)]

Harks flicked, tail swished, nostrils quivered. A noise made it's way through her ears to her brain, slowly registering as another equine. Her eyelashes fluttered, gradually coming to. The flare of bright sunlight scorched her umber orbs. Olympia moaned in agitation. Moving her bodice away from the source of the blinding light, she opened her eyes once more. A dark figure clouded her blurry vision. Blinking some, her eyes cleared, now being able to see the stag. Who was this? Could she find help? Wait...no. She didn't want help. Why was he here?

W-what do you...want? Olympia's voice cracked and stumbled, weak from her suicide mission. Exhaling heavily, the fae gently set her head on the soft grass, watching the brute warily. Her ribs stuck out through her skin. She was a skeleton of a horse. No muscle adorned her sickly boyce. She was to weak to stand. A fallen light.

[Hidden]

Well that took you a while. Nikko let out a mrrow of laughter. His head did not once move from eating grass. His eyes had a bright sheen to them, a spark so to speak. Even though he was thin, he wasn't as skinny as this fae on the ground. I guess the most gentleman like thing to do is introduce myself. I am Hidden Knight, leader of the Dark lands. And you are....? His voice trailed off...

Nikko lifted his head off the ground for a second to look at the mare. Her skeleton was frighting, and the mud on her legs told him a story that he did not wish to hear. Yes, he was dark. But he had a heart. Best get up now before the sun sets and the mountain cats come down looking for easy prey. His voice had an educated tone to it, perhaps it was the way he was brought up. Or perhaps it was all the things he taught himself.

Letting out a snort, he took a few steps closer and gently nudged the base of her withers. Come along. There is plenty of food and shelter back at my caves/ He waited for no answer and started to simply walk away. After a few steps, he stopped and turned around, waiting for a reaction.

[RalphieDaMaster ;)]

Her lifeless eyes widened. Dark? Had he been the one to kill her herd? Had it been his herd?! The fragile fae's breathing heavied, scared by her current situation. Did she want to reveal herself to him? Have him kill her off now? Or should she pretend that she is who she is not? She could survive that way. He would figure it out eventually; what with her lightness and all. She would be killed either way. Best to keep it short. Olympia didn't wan to survive anyway.

Sighing, she made her decision. You are the leader of the darks. You would be surprised to hear I am of the lights. Olympia, only heir of the deceased light leaders. Therefor, I lead the lights. Her words tumbled out without a hint of weakness. While speaking about her side she would never show weakness. She would show her pride and fight for it.

His other words sunk in. Realizing her was right, the sickly mare stood, bones showing in full. Olympia's pathetic body looked somber against his healthy one. Was this what she wanted the lights to be represented by? While the darks had a completely okay stag to show them? Motivation coursed through her shrunken veins and arteries, pressuring her to fight; to live. She would fix herself. She would be the pride of the lights. She would thrive.

[Hidden]

Nikko sensed she had something to talk about, but now was not the time to tell stories. When her breathing heavied, he knew what she was thinking about. No, he couldn't read minds; that was what all the light horses think about when they meet him or any other dark horse. He laughed a bit at that thought. I am not surprised that you are a light horse. How could a beautiful creature be dark? His eyes kinda glazed over. Unless you met my lead mare. With the spark back in his eyes, he lowered his head and turned around.

As she stood, he was taken aback. A gorgeous mare that stood in front of him, a sack of bones. He wondered what happened, but again, now was not the time. Come along. You couldn't put up a fight even if you tried. He was blunt and truthful as his eyes traveled over her body. He told no lies. Nikko knew she couldn't fight. He sighed.

Just for laughs- I will not kill you. I have no intentions of. But come and lets talk on the way to my land. He started to walk away again and this time, he didn't stop and look back.

[RalphieDaMaster ;)]

She knew no dark this polite. He was different somehow. Well, leaders should be slightly different, right? Taking a step, she stumbled, barely catching herself before falling to the solid ground, probably preventing breakage. He was completely and utterly right. Fighting wasn't even in her vocabulary now nor would it be in the near future. Barely being able to walk, the fae would just be a huge hinderance to the lights and an easy target for the opponents. Fights were not for dying equines.

You are very much correct on that account... Olympia spoke softly, saving energy. Falling into slow, agonizing steps, she followed behind the odd dark stag. No one would think for two very different beings to be civil, to help, to be with each other. Under normal circumstances, Olympia would detest this abruptly, never setting step with a dark. This was different, though. This brute did not act hostile towards her, did not force, did not kill. Why was this? Olympia never understood the way of the darks so she would never understand this.

Dragging her mangled bodice along behind him, she let her mind wander. Your lead mare...what is she like? When he had spoken of her, he had seemed odd. Olympia didn't quite get how different, but different all the same. She understood the deep bond between lead stag and fae. This is what led to her endless journey; her suicide journey. A horse could only bear so much burden. Losing a partner was too much for her. She had lost it.

[Hidden]

As the fae got up and started to walk with him, she kept asking questions. Once she got to his lead mare, he stopped dead in his tracks. Again, his eyes glazed over. Nikko sighed and shook his head. Come along. He started walking again.

He wasn't like other darks. Not power-hungry. Not blood-thirsty. He doesn't kill for the fun. He has a heart. He has feelings. Believe it or not, he was all of those at one time; but as the years drag on, so does your soul. His head reeled flash-backs of pain, torture, hostility, blood, sadness, tears. Nikko remembers that day clearly...

The sun shone parallel to the ground. The flies gathered around any type of food they could find. That meant constant tail-swishing, which is energy. The ground was brown, lifeless, sandy. He looked over his herd from the hill. Three mares, a foal, and his lead mare. She was walking up to him, her ribs shown like a demon trying to get out. Once she reached the top, she gently nuzzled the dark bay stallion. Hello my darling. He smiled and nuzzled her back. Nikko, what can we do? Clover is about to die, for Aphrodite had no milk. We need to move. Her voice was stern and alarmed. Nikko pricked his ears up and looked at those lifeless skeletons down below. He sighed and dropped his head and as soon as he did that, the foal fell to the ground. Nikko and the lead galloped down. Aphrodite cried out. My baby! Why must this happen! She wailed as all the others gathered around. Nikko tried to comfort the mare, but all was done. His mind was made up. His voice boomed above all the crying, Tonight, we move. All the mares had a reassuring look on them.

Nikko shivered. After that night, the mares kept dying off, one by one. There wasn't enough food to be found and slowly it was just him and his lead mare. She was a fighter, and he loved her for that. But just fighting wasn't enough...

He glanced over at Olympia and back to the front. This will not happen ever again. He thought to himself.

[RalphieDaMaster ;)]

She was startled by the sudden rhythm change as the stag stopped. Olympia stopped also, feeling somewhat bad that she had sparked something so strong that he had actually stopped in his tracks. Her eyes dropped, embarrassed. I'm sorry. I know how you feel...

He charged against her wills. She had warned him not to, begged him more. Nobody would listen to he this time, they were furious. Even as lead mare, the rest of them had ordered her to stay away as they fought. Against them, she would not argue; so she stayed out of it. Hearing of news that it had ended, she was ecstatic. She thought that for certain they had won and the darks had lost. She hoped and would not live if they didn't. The equine delivered their devastating news, puncturing her straight through the heart. Totally lost and hopeless, she had dropped to her knees weakly, losing all will. The horse had tried to comfort her, but she would not listen. No horse could bear to lose their partner. It was a devastating blow. Being a very light horse, she was emotional. Throwing away her life, she rewarded her friend and their partner with the lead role of the herd, setting off to the wilderness.

Now she had found herself dying, only to be saved by the leader of the darks. How ironic. Irony was one of the only thi gs she could still feel. Olympia felt emotionally dead, body living as soul strayed away, lost and lonely forever. Did she want to live?

[Hidden]

Nikko snorted. I doubt that. He said underneath his breath. His mind swirled with all the thoughts. Could he ever love again? Let alone a light? She has to prove herself. She might not even want to stay with me when we get back. That thought devastated him, being alone in those caves. That's why he came out here to these lands. The light, the grass, the birds, the flowers. Everything was over welming coming from a deadly drought.

OOC: I'll make a post in his herd land, okay?