the storm begins -- [OPEN]

[ivy]

The drizzle was thick, small rain droplets carried by a chill breeze. Overhead the clouds were thick, and only allowed a small portion of light through. Their dark mass swirled with turbulence above the scene below. The mare looked up at the sky with her eyes narrowed against the drops of rain. She didn't mind the rain that much, but looking at those clouds she knew this storm was going to be one of her least favorite kinds. ''Wonderful weather..'' she said sarcastically under her breath. Amber shook her neck, water flying in every direction from her soaked mane. The mare's usually soft red dun pelt was slicked from the rain, on her neck was a small white marking, and unsee by others a similar marking was also present on the underside of her barrel. These minimal overo markings she inherited from her father.

Beneath her the ground was sodden as she trotted across it, squelching and sucking mud playing havoc with her hooves as she slid here and there. 'Honey would hate this..' the red dun mused, thinking back to her sister. A cold shiver ran down her spine, the wind was getting stronger. Amber noted a small group of trees up ahead 'Shelter.' she thought immediately, and sped up to a careful canter, avoiding the large puddles and any exposed mud. Her strides were kicking up mud, which splattered onto her legs and stomach. She left a trail of hoof--prints behind in the saturated earth, the only sign she had been this way. But those were beginning to fill with water too. The tree cover was drawing close. The promised cover was drawing closer, and she could feel relief beginning to warm her cold limbs again. A deep rumble from above made her shudder, and she looked upward, the whites of her eyes showing as the thunder sounded. Then, CRACK. Lightning sprung down from the sky at jagged angles, striking the large oak ahead of her. She jumped in fright, already on edge from the thunder. The mare reacted by rearing, a bad move on her part.

Little had she known that she was on the edge of a steep embankment leading down to the river below. The soaked earth could not sustain her weight as she reared, and it began to slip. Feeling this movement Amber took a step back with one of her hind legs while still rearing. She could feel the force pulling her down the hill, and although the entire sequence took just a few seconds, to her she fell in slow motion. She watched the ground below her slide away as she fell sideways down the bank. The mare landed with a thud and continued the speedy descent down the slope, she flailed to try and gain a purchase on the ground but with no success. It was now that Amber looked ahead of her and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the river below, it's raging torrent fueled by the storm which was rolling across the land. She plunged into the icy water, the initil shock bringing her from her slow-motion daze and back into the frightening reality of the situation.

Her hooves could barely reach to bottom of the channel and as she struggled she could feel herself unable to find purchase on the slippery rocks below. Amber could feel herself being helplessly tugged at by a strong current. The mare thrashed at the water with her fore-legs, letting out a shrill cry of fear before her head was partially submerged. She resurfaced, bedraggled, but continued to try to fight her way through the current, striking at the water with her legs. The cold river was eating away at her strength, she could feel the little control she had slipping away by the second. The mare's shoulder connected violently with a large rock with protruded from the river, and she let out another loud whinny but from the pain of the impact. She was now wedged against the large boulder, but she again the relentless current began to drag her down with icy fingers. Looking desperately around for salvation she eyed the other side of the river. The bank was not as steep that side, and in better weather was probably used by horses drinking from the river. The red dun mare coughed and snorted as water entered her airways, scrabbling with her hooves against the large rock, using every bit of her strength to cling onto it for as long as she could.

[ALOKA]

Heavy hooves moved the mighty body of the stud forward. His dark grey coat already beginning to look black from the rain that had fallen upon it. The cold of the rain felt relaxing and he loved the sound of the thunder as it rumbled. This was what he loved. Thunderstorms were something unique and powerful, just like this horse. He walked, almost rejoicing in the weather. His percheron body was huge and stood out boldly, like he was a misplaced giant. Yet he knew this land like it was his own body and he knew that another horse was in the area. Broken Ballad's mind made him wonder why any horse would consider being out in such weather as this near the Carex River. It became a raging ocean when it rained and it was a bad, actually a terrible, idea for any horse to consider crossing it. He had no problem, his huge body seeming to stop the water in it's tracks. He smirked at the thought of taking a swim when he noticed the other horse ahead. A simple red dun with a white marking upon the creature's neck. A quick scent revealed that it was a mare. He walked closer until lightning struck.

It shattered the tree that the mare was walking towards and she reared. "Shit." Was the only word spoken from his maw as she began to fall. He watched, time seeming to slow as she slid and tumbled. He raced to the edge and watched as she hit the water like a rock. A shrill whinny pierced the stormy air as more thunder rumbled. Lightning struck behind the stud, taking down another tree with it. The tree shattered, splinters and bark scratching apart his hide. Blood dripped down his side from a gash and he glanced over at his side before looking back at the mare. She struck a rock and a whinny escaped her again. He instantly sprung into action. He turned and raced down the muddy slope, racing the river to save the mare. He got to the low end, where he would normally get a drink, and he noticed the mare was right across from him. She looked weak, her eyes looked dull. He snorted and looked at the water, guessing how fast the water was. He put one of his giant dinner plate sized hooves in the water and then another. Lighting and thunder argued above and lightning struck the land on top of the hill. The light lit up Bal, making his scar on his right side show. It stretched from behind his eye and down his neck, side, and leg, ending at his front right hoof. He hoped the mare had not seen it as he continued to walk into the water. It soon was almost at his back but he was taller than the water was. He slowly made his way to the mare, the deep gash on his left side bleeding heavily. It stung and burned as the cold water touched it, seeming to want to cause my agony. Soon he was at the rock where the red dun clung for life. A heave and ho later she was upon his back, her head resting upon his crown.

A slow and very painful walk back to shore began. The mare seemed to be breathing deeply and it sounded raggedy. His dark grey coat was black and red as his blood ran over his coat and onto the mare that was on him. He was half way to the shore when he almost slid and fell. The rocks beneath his hooves were full of algae and mud, making them almost impossible to grasp onto but he did. Slowly but surely he made his way to the shore and he put a hoof upon the somewhat dry land. He pulled himself out, the water making one final attempt to pull both horses down but all it did was burn his gash even more. He slowly walked over to some grass and let the mare slide off his back and onto the grass. His legs wobbled like a foal's for a moment as he felt the strength ebb out of them. Blood continued to drip off him and he looked at it in disgust, hating the fact that it wouldn't stop bleeding. He barely paid attention though because the mare before him may need help. He nudged her a few times with his nose and then once with one of his hooves. "Fae?" He asked softly, his voice still booming as he did. He looked at her red dun coat that was covered in water and had 2 white spots upon it, from what he could see. He knew she needed warmth so she quietly ran about, collecting tall grass. He placed it upon her, hoping to provide some warmth and then he shook himself free of most of the water before lying beside her. She was wounded and probably super tired. The least he could do was warm her up before she died from that.

ooc: Hope you don't mind that I saved her. She can totally attack him now if she wants to. xD

[/size]

[ivy]

The icy waters were making her muscles go numb, her legs were turning to jelly and she was beginning to move slowly. Her attempts of freedom from the waters grasp were becoming unmistakably feeble, she was giving up. 'This is it..' the red dun thought, but she was too exhausted to really care. Beneath the water her flanks quivered uncontrollably from the icy waters. Amber's eyes lifted and she looked up at the sky, water blurring her vision. Lightning danced across the clouds as if it was mocking her plight. Over the rushing of the water she heard a deep rumble, it sounded like hooves, but she simply passed it off as another rumble of thunder. Her nose began to dip into the water, and she felt the water trickled up her nostrils. Her legs had stopped moving and she closed her eyes, ready to let go.

She felt as if she was being lifted, Her brow furrowed, wondering why she was experiencing this sensation. Below her she could feel something warm as well. Amber opened her eyes. The water still roared in her ears like a hungry beast, but something had certainly changed. She looked below, wondering what this warmth was. To her amazement it looked oddly like another horse. 'I must be delirious!' she thought, the situation not fully comprehensible to the mare in her dazed state. The water in her system made her cough weakly as the stallion began moving back to the shore with her, her sides heaving from the convulsions. She looked ahead and saw the bank growing closer but her mind wasn't able to hold on any longer, and what she could see simply faded to blackness and her body went limp.

Amber coughed, coming back into consciousness, and water trickled out of her open mouth. She took a sharp breath inward immediately after, feeling the glorious air in her lungs once more. With this breath she could smell something familiar, an earthen scent. 'Grass?' Amber coughed again, her sides still shaking from the cold. The wound on her shoulder wasn't putting her in any pain, she was too numb to feel it. It had however, stopped bleeding and would at worst produce some nasty bruising around the impact site. A soft prodding sensation could only just be felt at her side. "Fae?" she heard, and was confused for a second, then the memory returned to her. Another horse in the river, were they still here? Amber opened her eyes, and saw a huge, dark figure looming in front of her. Behind the equine lightning lit up the clouds and it also illuminated her savior. He was near black in colour, and soaked like her. She watched as he busied himself with the grass, placing it on her, then shaking free the loose water. The mare finally lifted her head weakly when he lay down. ''Thankyou..'' she murmured.

Warmth was beginning to seep back through her. The grass the male had laid on top of the sprawled mare was providing enough insulation for his body heat to add to her temperature. She could hear the river still howling for her life in the background, but it was muffled now. Amber was trying to even out her ragged breathing now most of the water had left her system. Her flanks and hind legs still twitching slightly as her body temperature began to climb back to normal levels. She stirred, feeling more awake. The red dun mare could smell something that made her feel uneasy, and even though she was weak she lifted her head slightly from the ground. It was the smell of fresh blood. Amber now looked toward her rescuer, wobbling slightly as she did this, and her ears flicked back suddenly. ''You're wounded..'' the mare said, her voice wavering as she looked him over for the injury. Amber spied the gash ''Here, let me h--'' she began saying as she made an attempt to move. However this only ended with her flopping back down in the grass before she'd even managed to stand. 'Well isn't this embarrassing.' she thought, feeling pathetic as she lay there like a newborn.

[ ooc - no. no, that's perfectly alright! ;D ]

[ALOKA]

As he lie beside her he was sure she had said thank you but he was unsure. His mind was probably playing tricks on him. He stood up and stretched his aching side, knowing that the wound would scab and stiffen if he didn't move some. So he moved quietly, hoping now to wake the exhausted mare. As he continued to move the thunder and lightning rumbled over head and he smiled as he stopped and let the sounds pound on his eardrums. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing as he let the sounds run throughout his body. The thunder rumbled in his veins and the lightning stabbed at his heart. He loved the feeling and secretly wished it wouldn't stop anytime soon. Bal remained in his own world of thunder, lightning, and rain until something made him open his eyes. His brown eyes flicked to the mare and he moved closer to her, lowering his head to meet her eyes. She went on about his wound and as he went to tell her not to worry she stood up. She wobbled on her legs, much like he had, and then she fell. He smiled softly and leaned down to gently rub her shoulder. "Stay down. You need rest. My wound is just a scar in the making." He shifted his weight to his right side in hopes of slowing the bleeding. He grunted softly as the pain ebbed into his complete side and not just his barrel. Bal began to move again, hoping to keep it from scabbing in a stiff position. His scar on his right side had scabbed and had been terrible to move and shift for ages but he had learned what to do with scabs and he was applying it now.

He continued to walk as the rain slowed and thunder began to fade. Lightning lit up the sky once more before the darkened sky was pierced with the sun. He was glad to see that his coat was returning to the dark and light grey mix it was. Blood stained his coat as his wound began to heal without a scab and he smiled as he stopped before the mare. Her coat was a nice shade of dun, not too bright or dark, and the white suited her coat perfectly. He let her lie there and waited for her to get up on her own. He found a large leaf and put some water on it before placing it near her maw. If she wanted to drink she could without walking too far, which is what she shouldn't do. She should lie down and do minimal exercise for a few days, which would mean that she needed assistance, which would mean she would need him around. He had been alone for a long time and being with any creature would be very nice. Bal walked around and grazed, watching the mare out of the corner of his eye. He kept his tail near her, not out of disrespect but to keep her face free of any insects.

ooc: ahh muse left moi!

[ivy]

The mare lay still and lifted her eyes as he spoke to her. "Stay down. You need rest. My wound is just a scar in the making." Amber sighed. Why should she bother arguing? This stallion was trying to help her, she could see that, but she felt as though he was wasting his time with her here. It was luck he had come along when he did, and it was also by amazing coincidence he had been one of the few equines who would stride into the water to save a drowning horse when they could also become a victim of the strong current. So far she had been lucky, how much longer did she have left until this luck ran out? She looked at the wound on his shoulder, and as she did so she also noticed another marking. The scar began near his eye and ran all the way down to his large hooves. She felt her stomach clench uneasily, wondering what on earth could have caused such a scar. She was on the verge of asking, however impolite that would have been, when Amber felt his muzzle brush gently against her shoulder. Whereas she may have shied away in any normal situation, the mare simply accepted it now. In fact, she found it comforting and i calmed her remaining nerves. She closed her eyes for a few seconds. With the large figure of this stallion watching over her, the red dun mare felt strangely safe.

Amber heard the thunder receding into the distance and she opened her eyes, looking past the stallion and to the sky. The sun had broken through the thick clouds and the rain had stopped for now. She could feel the sun warming the air by a fraction already. Shifting her weight she eased herself into a more upright position, but still she did not stand, not willing to risk embarrassing herself yet again. Her ears perked with interest as the male collected a large leaf which contained a small pool of water, and placed it before her. She smiled thankfully, despite nearly drowning not too long ago, she now felt surprisingly thirsty. All of the coughing had made her throat dry, and she took a sip of the leafs water before drinking it all. ''Thanks.'' she said, smiling and looking around her properly for the first time. The river was a few strides away, and now the rain had gone the waters speed was beginning to lull slightly. Amber watched as the stallion thoughtfully put himself in a position where he could discourage insects from going near her. 'If only i could help him.' she thought, resting her muzzle on the ground in front of her, before taking a cautious bite of the green strands. As she chewed the small mouthful, she looked over herself and at the area she knew she'd wounded on the rock. A small cut could be seen where the initial impact had occurred which didn't look so bad, but around the wound the area had swollen considerably.

The female knew it was going to be sore for a number of days, but at least it didn't seem any permanent damage had occurred. Again she could smell blood on the air, and she looked at the gray stallion. One ear flicked back in uncertainty.''You know, we really should try to move from here. The smell of blood is only going to attract predators, and I don't know how I'd fare in a sudden attack..'' she said, trailing off. Oh great, now he was probably going to abandon her when he realized what she said was true. 'Nice one.' she hissed inwardly at herself. She frantically searched for some way to show she wasn't completely downed. ''I'm going to have to stand.'' She concluded aloud. The mare gritted her teeth, and lifted one foot from beneath her, placing the hoof firmly on the ground. Then she tried the other fore-leg, on the side of her wounded shoulder. She eased it from under her, and carefully put the hoof down alongside the other. The red dun winced as she applied more weight, but decided to grin and bare it. ''Half-way there.'' Amber said as she looked at the stallion, smiling through the pain as she sat there as a dog would upon its haunches.

[ ooc - it's okay xD sorry my post took longer than I said, my computer was being funny yesterday and wouldn't run the internet >.< ]