DOTW is a semi-realistic wild horse role-play game aiming to keep it simple. We expect a minimum of 200 words for every in-character post, and reward you with a tight-knit community who love roleplaying and are always eager to make new friends. After an 18 month hiatus, DOTW is ready to write a new history.
Hey doods, don't mind that I've been a little absent lately. I'm reading loooooots of manga <3 but I'm definitely online every day, so don't worry about having PMs or questions or joining posts go missing! I am catching them all :)
What a year and what a night What terrifying final sights
I n d i a n a
The winter had been a hard one; they always were. Perhaps not so for the herds and harems, when they had the pleasure of company to ward off the cold, the safety of numbers to ensure a place to graze, but for a lone mare or stallion, the winter months were the hardest. The chill and scarce food had picked off some of the weaker creatures this year, and Indiana was silently relieved that she'd made it through another year. It had come close to disaster a few times for the grullo mare, and it was showing: the line of her ribs just visible, coat lacking its usual shine. It was fixable, she knew - a few weeks of grazing would have her back to perfect condition again, but for now, she would have to deal with the fact that she was perhaps not quite as appealing as she was the rest of the year. The ordeal had, however, put her in a horrendous mood, and she'd chased a smaller mare from her chosen feeding spot before settling into her morning of disgruntled grazing. The creek hissed softly a few yards away, the first dragonflies of the year flitting from plant to plant. As foul as the brown mare's mood was, she could appreciate that it was a miracle she had made it to this year's spring. Ripping the grass from its roots somewhat more roughly than necessary, she forced herself to consider the fact that she might not have any choice but to join a herd by the time the cold months came about again.
Indiana wasn't really an antisocial lady; she quite enjoyed the company of a smart mare or two. The thing that bothered her most about herds was the stallions. Prancing about and arching their necks and mounting any mare that looked their way. Indiana lifted her head, flicked her thin tail. The morning sun glanced off of the white blaze masking half of her face, the marking still as eye-catching as it was when she was at her best condition. Indiana had never personally interacted with a stag for any great amount of time, but the stories she had heard were enough to put her off the idea for the time being. Pacing toward the creek; water-rocks slippery and smooth underfoot, Indiana paused to take a drink of the shallows, before moving forward into the deeper water; only deep enough to brush her belly, but enough to make her feel a little more awake; a little brighter after all these months of darkness. Dragging her tail lazily back and forth in the current, the mare cocked a hoof, and, eyes half-shut, settled down to stay here in the fresh water for awhile. This had been the first winter that Indiana had truly suffered for - even as a filly, she had enough family to keep her warm when the snow was pouring from the sky. Since leaving her herd, however, she had found herself severely lacking in both knowledge and insulation, and had spent many a night curled up beneath a scattering of frost and snow. It had been times like those that she particularly missed her herd. She was truly pleased that the snow had melted and the sun had reclaimed the earth.
He had traveled a long way from home, to forget his mother and to forgive his father. Perhaps he was asking far too much, maybe it wasn't in him to forget lest forgive the crimes of other people; but he had to try, even if it meant running for the rest of his life. It, of course, wasn't the best solution in the trial of attempting to uncover answers, and many a time the youth questioned his departure from his birth land. However: it was far too late to ponder over such thoughts now - for his steady trot had come to a walk, and thus a halt. There was neither rhyme nor reason as to why Gabriel had come to a standstill in this present landscape of precipices and forestry, other than the fact he was tired, though he did conclude that it was not somewhere he would wish to inhabit. The ivory-splashed stallion was more of an ocean soul - he had always admired it as a child, with the salt-spray settling on his tongue and the wind toying with his mane in a state of fervent impatience. A sigh. He did miss the sea, and the sand, and it made his heart twinge with nostalgia... when suddenly he spied a flicker of movement up ahead. Gabriel snorted softly, his expression cold but open. This girl in the water, standing as if she had not a care in the world - didn't she know she was being watched from afar? The stallion licked his lips; a drink was needed, though of course that would mean he'd have to approach this stranger, and such an idea made his lip curl. But heaving a second sigh, the painted equine thudded closer before leaning to take a sip from the liquid below.
What a year and what a night What terrifying final sights
I n d i a n a
Indiana stood still for long enough that the river fish began to emerge from their hiding places within the weeds and rocks, never venturing close, but flitting through the water near enough for her to watch. She did so with only vague interest; any other day, she wouldn't care to even glance at them, but the sun's fragile new warmth had soothed her bad temper and relaxed her patience with such small joys as this. Breathing a sigh, the grullo mare glanced around herself, eyes roving lazy across the treeline. She certainly didn't fear intruders, but was quite enjoying her time alone and wouldn't want to be interrupted, again. Seeing nobody, she looked back to the fish at her feet, only for them to scatter. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, she decided that now was as good a time as any to leave the water; one could only be entertained by unimportant creatures for so long, after all.
Wandering back into the shallows, Indiana shook herself, hooves sinking slightly into the silt at the river's edge. The water had, if anything, accentuated her poor condition - her coat stuck to her sides and brought the juts of her ribs into clear relief. Turning to head out of the water and back to her grazing spot, the mare caught sight of another creature: gold and white, with icy eyes that she wanted to stay away from. He headed toward her - no, towards the river, it seemed, and dropped his head to drink. Indiana appraised him for a moment, distaste clear in her expression. She had little experience with stallions; in fact, she couldn't recall ever holding a conversation with one, but her herd had taught her well just how beastly they could be, and she deigned to stay out of this fellow's way.
This proved problematic, however, as the male was stood almost directly in the way of where Indiana had intended to mount the bank; the melting snow had left most of the earth muddy and unstable, with only a few areas safe to climb. Unfortunately, the closest one was being blocked by this orange brute. Indiana glared at his lowered head for a moment, ears flat, before speaking. Her voice was bold, clear, though held a slight waver as a result of her winter-borne weakness.
"Excuse me, sir." The mare said, a note of sarcasm evident. "You're blocking the only way onto the bank. Would you be terribly opposed to moving out of the way?" She was...polite, enough. She wasn't one to start fights for the sake of it, but her previous patience was running out. The previously pleasant water felt suddenly very cold, and she wanted nothing more than to be out of it.
If it's been a while since I've replied to a thread, I've probably forgotten it's there.
Water pooled on his tongue, cold and fresh where it had recently flowed down from the mountain streams above. His thirst at last quenched, the stallion snorted - watching the liquid ripple away in waves. It reminded him of the hours he would spend down at the ocean's side and listen endlessly to the tide, where he could escape from his mother's deadening sadness, and re-imagine the way his father would look down upon him with eyes that were approving and warm (except the only glance Fate had ever given him was one of apathetic disinteret.) But that would never be, and it was time to move on from such dreams; his life would not be spent wishing after hopeless fantasies. Shaking out his tangerine, silken tresses that slung around his crest, Gabriel snatched a glance in the direction of the stranger... only to find that she was standing almost in front of him.
The man raised a brow, muscles solidifying slightly. "Excuse me, sir you're blocking the only way onto the bank. Would you be terribly opposed to moving out of the way?" He stared for a moment, before shrugging and turning to stalk away from this narrow-eyed girl. "Better, Princess?" Gabriel threw the words over his shoulder, his dull tone emanating a sprinkling of bitterness. This mare had no reason to worry, that as for sure. His interest did not lie in attempting to steal her for himself, nor charm and allure; no, Gabriel had never had a way with women. Or anyone for that matter. Three years old and not a friend in the world - nobody to confess his troubles, not a soul to share a smile with as the stars rose into the wintry night sky. But the truth was that he had never cared. His thoughts were enough to keep him warm in the darkest of dawns, I don't need anyone.
