Ryski Reflection

[CrhisaHoa]

~Name~
Ryskaeli MoonRunner
Often known as Rysk, occasionally Ryski

~Species~
"Unicorn"; more specifically, a dragon-horse hybrid

~Gender~
Female/Mare

~Alliance~
Good

~Age~
Seven

~Human Age Equivalency~
Eighteen

~Mature Adult at Age~
About five or six years, in her current form

~Appearance~
Visual guides: Post-arrival dream
Ryskaeli retains much of her Akhal-teke conformation, which predominated above the Arabian and Thoroughbred in her blood. In accordance, her limbs are deceptively delicate, fine-boned but well-muscled, with small hooves and long, thin pasterns. Her figure overall is slim, most notably in body and ribcage - much like a greyhound - but with a deep chest that stores large lungs and a huge heart, and hidden muscles provide greater flexibility of spine and torso. The long, slim neck of the breed is only enhanced - as many of her features are - by her Unicorn nature into an almost draconic appearance, though it's stronger than it looks. Her head is long and thin, with a dished profile, long ears and a taper to a narrow, slightly romanized muzzle capped with large Arab-style nostrils.

Her tail is set low, but unlike your average horse, the muscle and skin has been extended until it's longer than her body, thin and whiplike and incredibly mobile and surprisingly strong for its size, being as it is a muscular hydrostat. An external tongue as a tail, if you will. Hair grows all along the top and sides, starting short and fluffy at the base and growing longer as it goes, petering off towards but still obscuring the tip. Her pelt is more fur than hair, much like a wolf's in the winter with two thick layers to insulate and protect, but remains sleek and shiny as any well-bred equine's in the warmer months.

Her mane is thick and long - though not so much it drags on the ground when her head's down - with a forelock of the same that gets in her eyes and obscures the base of her horn and ears; its color, a rich, dark chocolate with subtle highlights from the sun, matches that of her tail. A thick dorsal stripe a few shades lighter than her mane lines her spine entire, expanding into a blaze and muzzling mask on her face that's broken only with two gold-tan dots above her left lip; creeping tines of color mark shoulder and flank, four per side with the larger of each pair on the outer ends, and the rims of her ears.

Her legs are each marked with the same chocolate hue, fading gracefully into the metallic sheen of her light golden-tan body halfway above knee and hock, and lightning into a caramel shade as it nears her fetlocks. Light feathering fringe her pasterns, slightly thicker on her hind legs, with faint dark streaking. Three hooves are of dark chocolate, while her left fore remains a lighter gray-tan, with a wide coronet band above of light gray-white. Large, slightly fore-set almond eyes are nearly all iris, with storm-gray pupils edged in dark emerald that transit to light, leaf-belly green. Her crystalline horn, long as her skull and needle-sharp at the tip, matches the spring hue of the eyes between which it rests, with the darker tone blushing thin but bold in the recesses betwixt each coil.

~Personality~
Quiet and withdrawn, Ryskaeli is a loner more by circumstance than choice, though perhaps the one-person-bond typical of Akhal-tekes has had a hoof in holding her back. She doesn't seem to fit in with any crowd in particular, be it horses or unicorns, and by nature has always lingered at the fringe. Though shy and almost painfully polite among newly-met folk, she opens up and can be quite chatty and playful once she feels accepted, which has occurred but rarely. The unicorns who originally found her taught her about the Creator who made them all, and has seen nothing in all her travels to refute what she was taught.

She's kind, always ready to lend a patient ear or steadying flank to any with a need, and, when comfortable with another, would prove to be incredibly affectionate. Her curiosity knows no bounds, and, though she tries hard to contain the bulk of it around others with varying degrees of success, after the initial surprise will most often will be found asking flurries questions with an earnest glint in her eye rather than turning tail when presented with something new, whatever it may be. When backed in a corner, though, or her ire fully aroused, Rysk will give no quarter, and expect none in return.

~Abilities~
While Rys is not especially magically gifted compared to some of Deep Forest's residents, she nevertheless has her own skillset to offer:
Telepathy
Though with a mind sharp as her horn, and well-versed in not only memorization and mental categorization, but also self-hypnosis for concentration and self-diagnosis, Ryskaeli's Telepathy is lukewarm at best. Communication and detection of other creatures - be they 'dumb' animals or 'sentient' beings - work well at short ranges, beginning to peter off after about a quarter mile. Defensive techniques are her specialty, however; primarily for herself, but if she has a close relationship or is touching another - and at times at close range without either, in extreme cases - she's quite handy to have around.

Healing
Rysk has a generalized knowledge of herbs, basic first-aid, essential hygiene, and bits and bobs of information she's picked up at random during her travels. Where she's shown particular promise, however, is in energy healing. Every living thing gives off a bioelectromagnetic field, an energetic aura that takes either training or an uncommon natural sensitivity to not only detect, but to work with. Rysk, as many of her fellow unicorns, has both the natural sense and the training; as such, she can sense - sort of a sixth-sense combined with sight and, sometimes, hearing - another's basic and sometimes detailed emotions, imbalanced energy in part or whole, and a bit of their mental state (sleeping, hyperactive, centered, etc.).

With this knowledge, using primarily her horn and sensitive muzzle and tailtip, Ryskaeli can help guide the energy back into balance, therefor aiding in correcting the problem, be it mental, physical or emotional. Similarly, with this energetic manipulation alongside self-hypnotism and her acute senses, Rysk is able to very accurately diagnose herself, as well as mildly increase and to a fair degree consciously guide her own physical healing, with varying degrees from small aid and little effort/focus to more extensive lengths with great focus and meditation. She can also lend her own energy to others, though it's most effective if she's touching them, particularly if it's one or more of the aforementioned parts. This can be emotional energy, such as subtle dispersion of anxiety into peace or optimism, or physical energy, such as giving a temporary boost to a sleep-deprived or fatigued individual.

Illumination
Ryskaeli's horn does more than focus her energies for Healing and Telepathy. It provides a constant source of illumination: though difficult to see in broad daylight, the crystalline structure nevertheless produces a soft, constant glow, a result of the high concentration of energy within and around it; essentially, it is her aura made visible to even the most untrained eye, aided by the fact that it rests where her "third eye" or Crown Chakra would be. Combined with her sensitive eyes, it ensures she will never be left in the dark, although it will be weaker in strength and size when she is physically and/or mentally exhausted, or unconscious; on the flip side, it grows stronger and larger with strong emotion or concentration, or when she's channeling energy through it for, say, Healing, and on rare occasions of extreme circumstance has been known to produce a brief, blinding radiance. The colors vary with her mood and physical condition, though the default - her signature or 'fingerprint' colors, if you will - is a bright yet mellow gold and spring-leaf green, matching her physical coloration in more vivid hues.

Physicality
Along with her 'magical' abilities, Rysk is in peak physical condition, and her equine ancestry of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Akhal-teke have combined to give her incredible speed and endurance, including the grueling mileage under harsh conditions her Eastern kin are famous for. Her legs are tough, strong and resilient despite their appearance, and pack quite the kick - though she still has some work to do on aiming - which, in hand with great agility and sharp hooves, nigh-unbreakable horn and strong teeth, make for a solid defense in a pinch; her specialty 'Flurry' combination is anything that comes to mind, 'dirty' or not, and executed as fast as possible - which, though generally unrefined, can be a sight to behold.

Her spine is more supple than a normal equine's, and her body as a whole are more flexible than they appear, particularly her neck and tail, which can be compared to a tongue or elephant's trunk in mobility and dexterity. Her digestive tract has also undergone a necessary alteration due to her increased size and activity levels: Her main diet remains herbivorous, with an inclusion of fruits and nuts, but a few carnivorous molars and sharpened incisors allow her the extra protein of fish and the occasional red meat. Her saliva appears to have minor antibacterial and coagulant properties, as well, which have proven quite useful for minor wounds and even bug bites, and her respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems are much more efficient. Her senses are more acute as well, particularly hearing and sight, the latter very human in quality and further trained to detect the bioelectromagnetic fields both within her environment and around other beings.

Her lineage can be closely traced back to the great Thoroughbred racehorse Secretariat through her sire, Simply Searing: Though this has had little impact on her aesthetic appearance, internally it's a much different story as it's passed on to her what is commonly known as the "X-factor". See, the average adult horse's heart weighs in at about 8.5 pounds; however, the x-factor, a gene found in the x-chromosome, changes things around and causes this organ's size to increase. Secretariat had the largest to date - it was estimated to be around twenty-two pounds - but, under the influence of her Unicorn physiology, Ryskaeli's heart would probably weigh in at at least twenty-five pounds, very possibly more, though nothing is sure without a more in-depth examination. Though Rysk isn't really aware of this particular fact - at least not on a conscious level - the fact that she can never seem to satiate her hunger is hardly as hidden!

~Disadvantages~
Telepathy
Her will is strong, but nevertheless her mental defense is not perfect - she's really not very old in the grand scheme of things, after all, and she's still learning about, well... Everything, just about. She's still learning what the different 'vibes' of a mental signature mean - old or young, male or female, cat or dog? - and has yet to gain much practice in picking out individuals from crowd. Her range is very short, though continual training might show a gradual increase as she grows older, and there's no point in crafting a defense for another if they fight her at every turn.

Healing
Her knowledge of healing is still very basic, and she often has to fill in the gaps with guesswork and common sense. Deep Forest, obviously, will have, if not totally alien flora, at least a much wider variety than good ol' Terra, and more, there's no guarantee that all inhabitants will fall under the same rules of energy and physiology that she's been taught. All in all, Rysk still has quite a bit to learn in the Healers' arts, though not for lack for enthusiasm. Lending energy of any sort will also drain her of her own, though, and too much will induce headaches, weariness or sleepiness, body aches, and mental/emotional swings and breakdowns, depending on what it is she's doing. Extreme cases in other Healers have been known to lead to fainting and/or collapsing altogether - though she's not yet experienced it herself - and of course the symptoms will be reduced or exacerbated according to her own current physical, mental and emotional state at the time. And of course, the extent of her self-healing capabilities are also limited: though effective, the greater the injury or complexity the more focus and time she will need, which likewise requires more rest as the mental strain and forced healing can drain both mind and body just as if Healing others, though to a lesser degree.

Illumination
The light of her horn has little usefulness beyond just that, illumination, and indeed can be counterproductive, constantly broadcasting her emotions and occasionally her physical state as it does. The times it has brightened to blinding have been rare and far between, usually during extremely stressful situations: The first time was when she transitioned from horse to Unicorn, though she was not conscious for the event, and the most recent was at the end of the dream that somehow landed her at the Edge, extending into the first few moments of awakening before fading back to normal.

Physicality
Ryskaeli really isn't a fighter by nature, and unless defending another would rather flee or talk things out than fight, if given the choice. When she does find herself in a physical conflict, she's far more defensive than offensive, and is far from an elite fighter even then. And while she's fast, an increase in speed is also an increase in possible injury, and it would be difficult to navigate at high speed through undergrowth or uneven terrain, despite her experience in traveling through mountainous regions. Her endurance is just that: The ability to endure harsh conditions for an extended period of time, including the strain of running. That doesn't mean it's enjoyable - except the running, of course; racing a cloud or her shadow is a game she's played since she was a foal - or won't eventually take a toll on her health. And with a heart of her size, and with her high activity levels, it'll hit her harder than it might otherwise to go without food for long. Think about it - with such a huge machine in him, is it such a mystery why Secretariat ate as much as he did? And is it any wonder, with an even larger organ to feed than her many-greats-grandsire, that Rysk would need even more? The protein from fish cuts the sheer amount from what it would otherwise be with only grains, but her requirements are still quite high for her size.

~Family~
Sire: Simply Searing, Thoroughbred, descended from Secretariat
Dam: Ryskela, Akhal-teke/Arabian cross

~History~
Born to a Thoroughbred sire, Simply Searing, and an Akhal-Teke/Arabian dam, Ryskela, Rysk was carefully bred to be a star. Her bloodline was meticulously plotted, plans laid out for two generations past on her dam's side while possible sires' potentials were screened and scrutinized with strict, almost ruthless standards. Though they'd have preferred a colt, it was true, they still had high hopes for the filly, and had backup plans in place if that fell through.

Thankfully, her owners were quite pleased with how she turned out, and were excited beyond belief that maybe, just maybe, they might be able to revive the quality and drive in horses that they believed to be lacking since the great Secretariat, they having been great fans and supporters of the beloved racehorse. As Rysk approached the yearling mark, she proved to have a speed and endurance beyond any of her peers, and the beginning of her career was eagerly anticipated.

And then came the storm. A great thunderhead, and on the heels of its unleashment a tornado. Not the greatest by any means, but nevertheless it tore through the pastures as if on a rampage, wreaking destruction upon tree and fence and earth alike. It passed the house with little harm, and instead tore through the fields for what seemed to be hours but was truly only minutes before ripping itself apart as quickly as it had formed. But the damage was done. Fences were down, and the horses, spooked and whipped into a panic, scattered to the four winds. Most were eventually recovered, but alas, Rysk was not among them.

The filly had fled, swiftly overtaking her fellows only to leave them in the dust. She ran for miles, first in terror, then for the sheer thrill of running without restraint. Eventually, though, even she tired, but even then kept on, something drawing her ever closer to the mountains ahead. Only when she had reached the lowest slopes, sheltered by the leaf and limb, did she halt, collapsing beside a stream in exhaustion.

When she woke, there surrounding her were more horses - and yet, they were not. Their tails were long, and curled about their flanks like a cat's. Their limbs were long and lean, lofting them higher than any equine she'd ever seen. Their coats were of normal patterns and colors, yet the hues brighter, more brilliant and vivid than any she could recall. And above their kind, knowing eyes were spiraled horns the like of which she could only compare to a goat's she'd once seen, but bright and shining and colored as jewels to match their eyes.

Feverish with fatigue, dehydration and the final dregs of adrenaline wearing off, Ryskaeli drifted in and out of consciousness for several days, never more than semi-conscious and rarely for more than a few minutes. When she finally, truly woke up, she found her thoughts clearer, and the dark stone walls of a cave greeted her - definitely not what she remembered when she'd fallen asleep!

But it wasn't pitch dark as she'd expected, despite the lack of sun or moon and the distinct feeling of tons of earth pressing in on all sides. It took a moment, she still disoriented from sleep and remnants of fever, for Rysk to realize that the light was originating from her - specifically, the green cone on her forehead. It was a lovely thing, really, a spring-green crystalline spiral that darkened to forest in the twining grooves.

She was calmer than she expected. Accepting. It felt right, to have this horn between her eyes. Felt right, to be able to move her tail, feel it sliding up her flank with the soft sshh of silken threads. Felt right, even, to see clearer detail ahead, and less to either side. This was what she was supposed to be, had somehow always known it, and now that it was everything was fine. More than fine. Perfect.

They came for her not long after. Introduced themselves - Telepathically, of course; she was still young, even for the horse she used to be, still was in a way, and had no knowledge of spoken language beyond squeals and trumpets and whinnies - and told her what had happened. She'd fallen, tripped over a root - funny, she could have sworn she'd laid down on her own power - jostled her head on another root. They'd followed her mindprint, known she was one of them when they'd saw her - untaught, unawoken, but kin nonetheless - and had treated her, healed her with herbs and soothing energy, and once assured of her wellbeing had freed the part of her that, had she remained under human care, would have withered in the dark of her soul, never to be seen nor heard nor felt but for the faintest flutterings of intuition and thought that would have been considered but a miracle or unnatural intelligence.

After all was said and done, after four years of learning and growing Rysk left the safe haven of her fellow equids, curious about the world she'd known and cared so little of before she'd woken in their care. Staying hidden, fleeting glimpses all the two-foots ever caught, the mare journeyed north, staying to the mountains where safety and beauty reigned supreme. She met others like her, both before and after they had changed, become aware, but never did she feel truly comfortable in the others' company. Her heart searched, longed, sought something she knew not what, but would know when she found it.

Perhaps soon, she'll find what she seeks...

~Anything Else We Need to Know?~
~"Simply Searing" And "Ryskela" are fictional, obviously, and Ryskaeli's former owners' opinions are theirs alone, and present simply for plot and motivational purposes. The reference to the X-factor and energy fields are true facts - though some might dispute about the energy stuff - and the self-hypnosis is based off of some reading/research I've done.
~Ryskaeli's design is actually one I adopted from Boribaby on DeviantART, here; I altered a few features to fit my version of Unicorns, is all, and otherwise she is aesthetically unchanged.
~And yes, Ryskaeli is, essentially, a Christian. It's intrinsic to my characters, but it's not going to be a bash-over-the-head type thing; rather, more of a point of reference to her thoughts and personality and how she views the world. Not entirely sure that made sense, but oh well!
~This is getting long, however: I have not yet made up my mind if it's a sure thing or not, but I may have Ryskaeli slowly assume more of her dormant Draconic traits as time goes on. Perhaps even over the course of the plot, if I can get her involved. Either way, any changes, whether by genetic emergence or natural increase in abilities by experience, will be altered and made obvious in her bio, and if/when I make the decision to begin the change I'll run it by an Edge mod beforehoof.

~IC (In Character) Entrance~

She'd found a cave. A storm had brewed itself into a frenzy far above her head, and when its belly ripped itself apart in a torrent of wind and water and lightning, she'd fled to the mountains like any sensible creature, streaking across the forest floor and up onto the rocky slopes with as much skill as any mountain goat.

The cave was deep, with a small stream as its tongue and cascades of water its curtain to shield it from the chaos that was the current Washington weather. A tilt of the head at the mouth carressed her tongue with the subtle sweetness of pure rainwater awash in minerals from its swift journey downhill, then with hard snort to clear her nostrils of stray trickles Ryskaeli ventured inside.

A deep breath brought the scent of fox and bear, but old and stale, and the mare allowed herself to relax and shake her pelt free of moisture, turning her head to nibble away the more matted clumps of shedding fur. Much as she liked the protection it gave her from the lingering spring chill, it was also very itchy if left too long, and she'd rather face a few shivers than be a twitchy, insomniac mess every night.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Rysk took one last, cautious whiff, and caught the strange scent of alien plants on a warm breeze.

And it wasn't coming from where she'd entered.

Ears pricked, she stared hard into the darkness, training all her senses and focus towards the interior. There. The faintest rustle of leaves reached her eardrums, and, warily, the mare moved, stepping one foot after the other into the deepening shadows with great care.

Barely had she left the dim twilight of the clouded day behind her than she tripped and fell into oblivion.

~*~

Gray.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but fog, shifting from white to silver to gray and back.

There was no light here, yet she could see perfectly aside from the blasted mist. Shadows and shading, yet no highlights. Fog, yet no moisture. She stood on solid ground, yet felt as if she were floating.

Where was she?

Still, there was a strange sort of sense to this odd not-world. It was a dream, she knew - she'd always known her dreams - but this time, she could control only her own self, and yet still was unable to resist the force pulling her ahead, through the endless monochromatism.

It tugged and cajoled, benevolent and warm despite its mystery, and, helpless and unwilling to resist, she followed its lead for a timeless eternity.

Finally, the power released her. One small hoof reached forward cautiously, and a gentle ripple responded, marking the edge of what appeared to be a pool from the nearly identical ground. Or what passed as such, in this strange, drifting landscape.

A glimpse of color drew her eye, and upon leaning over saw what could not be mistaken for anything but a reflection. No ripple or irregularity marred the pristine image, and she could well have been looking into the newly-cleaned barn's mirror of her youth.

Then her hoof brushed the 'water''s edge once more, and when the unexpected torrent of miniature waves cleared, she froze in shock.

The new 'reflection' was very clearly herself, but yet... Not. It had her slim green horn, to be sure, her large emerald eyes, copper-dun body and chocolate mane and muzzle clear to see. But everything was too long, her skull too narrow. Her mane finer, her tough, dainty hooves now slim, clawed paws.

She opened her mouth, and saw none of the grinding teeth of her kind, but the fangs and incisors and carnassials of a hunter, a predator. A shift of stance to see her side revealed withers too high, a back too sloped and feathered down the spine. Her tail brushed the water by her hinder hooves, and its reflection mirrored the movement, but with too much length and muscle to spare and not enough mane. A body set too high on too-thin legs.

And yet...

There were her markings, the sickles that viewed from above would form a crescent that had earned her the nickname of "MoonRunner". The dark stockings of her legs reached the same equivalent as they did upon her true form, and there was her little silver band above her hoof; here it marked the keratin within its grasp a lighter milk than its soil-hued fellows, and there it had a similar effect on the paw and claws. Her mane, though elongated down her spine, remained its same rich cocoa shade, as did her muzzle and dorsal stripe.

For whatever reason she could not comprehend, Ryskaeli knew she was looking at herself. At what she might become.

Curious now, she stretched her head down to the surface, watching as her reflective counterpart mirrored the action, perfect yet alien.

The two visions touched at muzzle and horn, one of the here and now and the other of the there and then...

... And with a blinding pulse of light from her horns, real and reflected, the world melted to darkness.

~*~

Many yards from the outermost Edge of the Woods, a bright, golden-silvered glow built in a hollow sheltered between the roots of a tree.

It lingered for several long moments, gentle and warm in the cool night, and when it faded there rested peacefully in its place a young, pretty dun-patterned unicorn mare.

Eyelids flickered and nostrils fluttered, hooves shifted and ears twitched, but whatever it was she dreamt, she did not awake when the dew settled, nor when the birds and their fellows beheld the sunrise with trilling song.

The dream had ended, but the awakening had yet to come.

[Roose Hurro]

It was not just a good morning, it was a beautiful morning, too. Clear, fresh, and filled with a promise of soon-to-come warmth. Dew still present. Birds... being birds. Perhaps even a few bees buzzing about the clover, as male followed female through the trees. Ahhh, what a sight! His eyes followed the swish of her tail's tuft, while all four of his nostrils flared, and by doing so, took in her wonderful scent. Admiration, as his gaze wandered over her.........

Well, whether on twos or on fours, her hips always swayed just so. A dance he found quite... attractive. Didn't matter how many times he'd watched her in this way, every time was like the very first. Like a dream made real. Yes, this morning they paced through Deep Forest towards this very particular grove of fruit-trees, him and her both with empty bags slung across their backs as they four-legged it through the cool morining dew. Her in the lead. Him, following. Her, fully aware of the effect she was having on her mate. Him, enjoying the view. The scent.

The touch.

He batted playfully at her tail's tuft...

... "Sweetness... are you sure you want to risk waking the new arrival? You know, given how the sun's barely been up?"

"Sweetness" stopped, quick enough, her male almost crashed into her backside...

... "It would be rude for us not to see she is welcomed. She could be frightened, finding herself all alone in a strange place."

Yes, these two had been aware of the new arrival's biosignature ever since they'd woken, themselves, about an hour past. They'd already had plans to gather fruit in the early morning hours, so waking up and finding a new, very strong signature not very far from their goal... well, why not make a small detour, and see this new arrival properly greeted?

After almost face-planting against his mate's right hip, the male had to stand on twos for a moment, to compose himself, before he settled back to all fours, and moved up to his mate's side, to brush shoulders with her...

... "True. It would be rude of us." A glance about... "Seems we're the only ones close enough right now, anyway...." A Cheshire grin...

... "I wonder if she'll like some apple pie........."

[CrhisaHoa]

Rysk felt herself drifting, in that in-between state of not quite sleeping, not quite conscious. The dream was still vivid in her mind, and despite the pleasant lethargy she forced herself to sequester the event in her subconscious, carefully constructing pathways of the ridiculous so that she might easily lead herself back to it for later perusal.

Dreams like that were meant to be remembered, after all.

Task done, she let herself wander, thoughts drifting across the mental landscape of her inner eye with no thought or reason. Vision had always been her primary mode of experiencing the world around her, with touch and hearing a close second. This had many upsides -

- and unfortunately, its downsides, as well.

This particular experience started with a small, tiny - similar adjectives; now she knew she was out of it! - brown bird, unusually ordinary considering the extraordinary land it lived in. This particular little avian thrived on the insects found in old, fallen logs, which if left long enough in the sun can become a bit bleached, so it is perhaps not so surprising that it should mistake the prone mare as one of these dead logs.

It perched on her horn, giving an inquisitive chirp as it studied the crystalline material - likely wandering how this little bit of green had survived on such an "old" thing - before hopping down to the thick-locked, bark-hued strands of mane. One beady little eye was cocked to the side, and upon spotting the strangely identical twin holes further down the 'branch', flutter-skipped down the bridge of bone for a closer inspection.

Now, this little birdy, had it been on good ol' Earth, might have been determined as a distant relative of the famous Picidae, or woodpecker, family. And indeed its structure and biology could be drawn in comparison, though as dead wood tends to lose its rigidity when compared to its living state their methods need not be quite so... Violent, perhaps would be the word, as their starcrossed cousins.

So a gentle, exploratory peck, meant to test for hollow tunnels and state of decay, would be quite light compared to a woodpecker's. However, bark is still bark, and what would be a lovetap on a stump is still quite a different feeling from when one finds their inner nare on the receiving end of such a test.

So really, Ryskaeli cannot be blamed for the rather forceful sneeze that sent the bird on its way in an explosion of feathers and shrieks of displeasure.

The sudden pain in her nose and the unkind assault on her poor ears startled the unicorn something fierce, and within moments she found herself on her hooves, ears back and swinging her head about groggily to try and find the source of 'attack'. There was nothing, of course, and as it tended to do her mind quickly cleared, registering first the hot slip of blood down her lip as it welled from her nostril, then the ache in her head.

Next came her surroundings, and she could do naught but stare. Sure, they weren't the giant redwoods down south she'd heard tales of, but they were still far larger than your average pine or maple in Washington. So, obviously, somehow she was no longer in Washington. But if she wasn't there, then where was she?

A breeze drifted past, then, bringing the scent of earth and leaf and wild things, without any hint of the metal and smog that tainted human lands. A deep breath cleared her head of the last threads of sleep, even as it filled her sinuses with the subtler clues that told her that, despite its keen visible similarities, this was, without a doubt, an alien land, and she did not belong.

But figuring out where she was - or rather, where she was not - was the easy part, simple enough that a foal could do the same with enough thought.

The question, then, was how did she get back?

((... Aaaand lame ending. Bah. *Punts it farfaraway*
But yay! Person! FriendPerson! My reaction when I first saw thine reply? "OOOOH! ROOSE!" Was fun. Good to see you, Roose! =D))

[Roose Hurro]

The breeze drifting past shifted a bit, bringing with it the scent of citrus, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, all mixed together in a strange musk. All wafted in with everything else the breeze brought with it. Yes, Spring... another scent of Spring, care of two individuals very much in love. Very...

... "My Love..." This, from the female... "She has awakened."

"My Love" moved ahead of his mate, his eyes focused as he snorted, ears alert...

... "Sounds like that bird wasn't too pleased, I'd say." The scales of his forehead badge had taken on a slightly reflective glow, a shimmer visible in the tree-made shadows of this early morning, out here on the Edge's verge. A grin...

... "We should hurry, before she runs too far..." With that, he dashed ahead, very light of foot, slipping into Unnoticeability as he did so. His mate shook her head, then followed in the same fashion.........

A few moments later.........

Male and female came upon the sight of a very unusual unicorn mare, who hadn't run anywhere. And who had probably, if her ears were sharp, heard those last few words, given the pair approaching hadn't really been all that far away, to begin with.

The pair?

Well, not wanting to just rush in and cause a potential scene, given this new arrival's... newness, not to mention her present state of mind, evident in her biosignature... well, this pair, without a word, slipped from fours to twos and then slipped behind a tree before they dropped their Unnoticeability. Under the circumstances, they felt it best to let this particular new arrival initiate contact, so...

... heh, once under cover behind the tree, they simply hugged, and no longer tried to hide any noise they might make while... ahem!... "making out", as the saying went. After all, a bit of innocent affection didn't need the backseat of a Chevy, did it? No... no... none of that!... no reason to traumatize the poor unicorn, but they had to do something to attract her attention, without startling her too much, without making it too obvious they knew she was there. They'd learned to be more discrete in their adult behavior, in all the time they'd lived in Deep Forest, this little show, just that. Though the affection... the love they felt for each other... was quite real.


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((ooc)) Your ending is just fine. And thanks for the warm welcome, been away from this place way too long! Thanks... ((ooc))

[CrhisaHoa]

((No problem! Been AWOL too long, myself.
So sorry it's taking so long to post, but the past week or so has been a little crazy trying to get things done in time for the quarter/spring break at school. Next week's not looking much better, as we'll be packing and moving. No guarantees I'll be able to post before next weekend >.< Sorry, Roose!
A couple changes/clarifications in Ryskaeli's Healing ability have been made in both categories, as well as an additional note in "Anything Else"; new content is highlighted in green.))

Indeed, Rysk had had no thought to migrate from where she'd woken - at least for the time being. Where she was appeared to be safe for the moment, if the presence of drew on her fur and the length of time it represented was to be any judge, and the strange world and the sting in her nose brought caution to the fore over curiosity for once. A snort cleared the blood from her nares, spraying a fine crimson mist on the moss-patched ground at her hooves, and a long tongue flicked up to clean her muzzle of the remnants.

Ears flickering rapidly, the mare stood stock-still, dilated eyes widened and nostrils flared to their limits as Ryskaeli took in as much as possible about her new environment.

Surprisingly, the differences between this world and Earth were fewer and subtler than she'd expected. The trees were large, yes, but very much alike to the deciduous and coniferous species with which she was familiar, and the plants were similarly easy on the eyes. Birds were small and feathered, unnamed critters rustled in the underbrush, insects droned and she even thought she heard a frog. It was only when she looked deeper that the alien traits began to appear at the fore - subtle nuances in color and foliage structure, in shape and plumage, in notes and tones and melodies and chitters, even a slight difference in the strength and hue of sunlight, the taste and scent and weight of the atmosphere - so that, if she allowed her mind to relax and drift, Rysk might even forget she was no longer on Earth.

All in all, the mare decided, not such a bad place to end up if one went world-touring. Especially as, if the similarities to Earth was anything to judge by, it meant that a foreigner such as herself would have a much higher chance of finding the essentials of life, namely edibles and clean water.

It was as she began losing herself in her musings that Ryskaeli became aware of what she could have sworn were voices, coming from somewhere to her left and behind. Delicate ears swiveled in an attempt to locate the origin, and a snort of nervousness thickly overlaid with curiosity escaped, alongside a twinge of pain she made a mental note to attend to at the next available opportunity.

Nothing. Not even a murmur.

And then quite suddenly there was the unmistakable sound and scent and sense of presence, and the abrupt switcharoo from nothing to something sent the poor unicorn into the air in startlement. A twist of her hips in descent and pivot of her hinder end upon landing spun her around to meet the source head-on, instinct sending her horn low in defense with ears pinned in caution.

Again, nothing, but only of sight; this time, there was quite enough to feed her other senses. Intelligent curiosity once more overrode ancient self-preservation, and with high, quick steps Rysk sidled her way around the tree, appeasing her primitive instincts by keeping a good dozen yards between her and the... Source of the 'other', whatever it was.

Her hooffalls were light and soft, muffled by years' worth of loam and moss and wetted with dew and the spring shower - for there was a definite sense of the new season tickling the edge of her mind - that must have fallen at some point before her arrival, by the puddles in roots and hollows and quiet squelching beneath her. It did not occur to the young mare to call out, as she had no reason to believe that if, indeed, the things she was hearing came from intelligent beings, they would speak in any language she could understand, and even Rysk had enough sense to guard her mind in this strange land.

((Whoot! Finally, hath come the time and muse.))

[Roose Hurro]

((ooc)) Short and sweet... ((ooc))
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Though still on their "honeymoon", this male and this female were far from newlyweds. They had already known each other for some time, before they bonded as mates, and would soon celebrate their thirteenth aniversary together since starting their WorldWalk. In all that time, they had become very close. Knew each other quite well, inside and out. Mind. Body. Soul. Affection came with ease and no need for words. She knew what spots to touch to relax him, and he knew just what to do in return.........

Her, both hands slipped under his shroudruff as they hugged, to gently caress.

Him, gentle licks with warm wet tongue over neck and shoulders, as he returned her hug, hands cupped over the small of her back.

Both, with tails entwined.........

Her, giving the new arrival a warm smile as said new arrival walked around the tree and into her sight...

... "Welcome to Deep Forest, Young One........."

[CrhisaHoa]

There was really nothing else Ryskaeli could do but stare.

It wasn't the display of affection that caught her off beat, though it was a bit odd to think that otherworldly species would have similar methods as the human couples she'd occasionally come across. Nor was it their appearance, though it was a definite point of interest she intended to pursue at a later date, if given the chance. She'd been expected aliens, after all.

No, none of that was what ultimately stopped her in her tracks. It was the simple, unavoidable fact that when they spoke...

... Well, one didn't generally expect aliens to speak a language they could understand.

A snort was the mare's immediate answer as she tried to unravel this puzzle. The oddest thing was, she decided, was that she couldn't tell you if it was English - of which she was, if not fluent, at least moderately competent in understanding, though speaking was a bit more difficult - or her own peoples' tongue.

Head low, ears pricked as far as possible and eyes wide and attentive, Rysk allowed herself a nervous swallow before replying, ever so hesitantly, with a very quiet, "Thank you." She paused, then added, a little louder, "What - er - who are you?" That seemed reasonable. And not as demanding as 'Why the blazes can I understand you, an alien?" might be. Or any number of other queries she wanted to fire.

[Roose Hurro]

The female unentwined her tail from her mate's, and gave the unicornish female a wave of her tail's tuft, a closed-eyed nod and another warm smile in response to her thank you. Then gave her an answer to her question...

... "I am Thoee..."

The male of the pair displayed remarkable flexibility by simply tilting his head way back, so he could look her way, then giving her a big, upside-down grin before he said...

... "And I'm Deen" He also waved his tail her way, though he had no tuft to show off. Only his quite colorful and partly unfurled shroudruff feathers.

Heh... as for expectations, those simply hung in the air between these three, very much open to question.........

[CrhisaHoa]

Rysk blinked. Why would one want to close their eyes when smiling? Wouldn't they want to see who they were smiling at? Maybe it was a cultural thing... Humanoids were just so strange. And with similar types of flexibility, it would seem - she'd tried bending her head straight back like that, once, and could hardly move it the rest of the day due to the kinks in her poor, abused neck.

Well, anyway, the mare decided that it would only be polite to give her own name, even if the lack of language barrier was exceptionally puzzling. "I am Ryskaeli," she responded, taking a few more steps forward as her head rose, tail flicking gently in a friendly gesture. She stopped, still a few yards off, but close enough to study their alien features with a cocked head as she considered her next words. Her curiosity was brimming, and caution would not hold it back for much longer.

"You said this was... Deep Forest, aye? Are your people the natives here, then? Or are you, er... Visitors, like me?" Easy enough, and covering a few details she felt most important to know. Better to ease into it while she could, because once she really started...

... Well, let's just say Rysk can be just a little overwhelming in her enthusiasm, at times.

[Roose Hurro]

Hmmm... humanoid Thoee and Deen were not!

Nism were naturally very flexible creatures, moreso than any humanoid form, like cats, able to lick any part of their body. Though they were also in no way feline in form. More dragonoid, really. Sleek and graceful. Very... wild. Yet obviously civilized, despite certain missing clues. And yes, alien.

Thoee had closed her eyes not as part of her smile, but as part of her nod, indeed a cultural thing, a show of trust. A gesture of respect. Deen? Well, his gesture had been just for the fun of it. Normal, for him. A way to make his show of teeth, his grin, less threatening. Ahhh, yes...

... one final hug and mutual nuzzle before they separated from their intimate embrace, brushed down some mussed fur, and considered their guest...

... "Yes, this is Deep Forest..." From Thoee.

... "Heh... you could call us visitors who've gone native. Been here awhile, enjoying our first WorldWalk together." This, from Deen, as he stood hip to hip with his mate, their tails re-entwined. Thoee, one hand cupped to her muzzle, to hold in a soft giggle, Other hand still under Deen's shroudruff.........

[CrhisaHoa]

To be fair, Rysk had never seen any non-'animal' creatures aside of humans and her own unicorn kin, and so, when coupled with the upright posture and the very human-like behavior she first saw from the Nism, she can hardly be blamed for her mis-analysis.

Interracial differentiations aside, the mare's natural inquisitiveness pressed her forward another few steps, head bobbing as she took in their response. "WorldWalk?" She latched onto this unknown term with startling intensity, the rest of the information seemingly washing right over her, set aside for the being in favor of this new train of thought. "Are you just from another land, then, and exploring the rest of your world? Or do you mean exploring different worlds entirely? I mean, obviously there are bound to be others, if there can be this one and Earth, so..." Voice trailed off as she realized she'd come closer than she thought, and now was practically standing over them, neck arched to look down and horn invariably pointed at them in what might be considered a threatening manner.

Hastily, Ryskaeli backed away, ears slanted back and horn blushing shy peach and muddy, nervous orange. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to crowd like that, I just... Uh..."

[Roose Hurro]

A simple unicorn horn presented no threat to either Thoee or Deen, so it was not taken in that way. Though Deen almost made a comment about puting someone's eye out, as his head went back a bit, just in case. Heh... certainly wouldn't want to upset Ryskaeli with an unpleasant accident. Regeneration or no, losing an eye would really hurt.

Thoee... well, she couldn't let Ryskaeli feel this way, so she moved forwards, bowed, and placed her right hand on the young unicorn's chest as she settled to her haunches...

... "Heart, Breath and Warmth, Young Ryskaeli...." Her tail's tuft brushed the other female's left shoulder as she gave her a warm smile.

Deen?

He also moved closer, his grin now rightside-up, as he patted two finger against one side of his muzzle...

... "Let's see... WorldWalk... hmmm. You're familiar with what's called a honeymoon...? Heh... yep, my Sweetness and I are wandering the universe, 'newlyweds' just enjoying life and exploring... with each other. A tradition our people follow, to visit other worlds, just the two of us depending on... supporting each other as mates... strengthening our Bonds."

A look to Thoee, a lick between all four nostrils as he sighed...

... "All that romantic stuff."

Thoee's tail swept in his direction, its tuft teasingly out of reach as she giggled...

... "My Love can be... very romantic."

[CrhisaHoa]

The mare stilled at Thoee's touch, ears pricking back up to catch her words. Her kin had similar sayings, phrases of greeting and parting and reassurance, and the familiar cadence eased her mind. The response to the tail-brush was instinctive, Rysk's muzzle lowering to nuzzle the other's cheek as her tail swept forward of its own accord, pressing lightly against the warm hand on her fur as the tip curved gently over and around Thoee's forearm for several long moments before dropping once more.

The kindness and warmth shown by the Nism - not that she actually knew their race, of course - finally wore down what little wariness the unicorn possessed, and all caution was at last abandoned to the early-morning wind. Ryskaeli listened to Deen's explanation attentively, nodding vaguely when appropriate. Oh, she was paying attention, all right, but the very human terms for mated couples went right over her head. She understood the gist by the time he was done, though, so all was well.

The lick drew her eye, and for but a moment she startled, skin twitching and ears flickering, horn glinting neon yellow. Then it was gone, though the strange but vivid bout of deja vu the number of Deen's nostrils invoked lingered on for a while longer. So similar to that mysterious reflection in her dream...

The famale's mirthful vocals called Rysk back to the present, and with a blink she refocused just in time to hear Thoee's comment. She'd said little since her hasty apology, and decided it was time to end her uncharacteristic silence. "Belated congratulations," she whickered, "it seems you two are wonderfully matched."

Whatever she might have said next was interrupted by a sudden, explosive snort hastily aimed away from them; a futile attempt to ease the itch of dried blood in her nose. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, "blazin' bird thought I was a tree or something and tried to crack my skull open." One foreleg was stretched out, and a fierce bout of scratching ensued. The itch eased, but didn't disappear, and a wince was seen when the abused skin bled again beneath the cracked scab. Brilliantly green eyes raised to the Nism with an equine version of the famous "puppy-dog eyes". "I hate to be rude, but you wouldn't happen to know where I could find some water, would you? This is driving me nuts."

((Not my best work, been terribly museless lately. Still, 'tis something. You're positively spoiling me with such quick replies, Roose =P))

[Roose Hurro]

Neither Thoee nor Deen had time to comment before Ryskaeli turned and produced an explosive snort... before she tried to rub away the irritation, her nasal injury reopened in the attempt. With her helpless-puppy expression so intent, Deen couldn't help but note how much her eyes nearly matched his own in color.

Thoee?

She didn't fail to note the sight and smell of blood. Already so close, Thoee didn't have far to move before she reached up, gently cupped the young mare's muzzle in her scaled, clawed hands, and...

... "Relax, Young Ryskaeli..."

With those soothing words, Thoee's hands moved swiftly yet carefully... very precise in their skill. One claw inside, two out, all three tracing quick patterns, very light, brief taps to certain nerve-points as she focused. In just a matter of seconds, both hands cupped Ryskaeli's muzzle again, while Thoee touched her forehead scale-badge between both equine nostrils. A warm smile as she let go...

... the mare's pain and discomfort, gone. Though the wound remained, no longer bleeding.........


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((ooc)) More than just "something"... and I hope I'm not spoiling you too much. ((ooc))