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Post by tenebria on Mar 27, 2024 18:18:41 GMT -8
Lorcán leapt over a fallen log and charged further into the forest, his mental map guiding him accurately towards the bend in the trail. But to the buckskin apprentice crashing along behind him, it seemed an endless torture path. Galmúr was breathing heavily as he raced to catch up to his mentor, barely able to clear the large log that the gray stallion easily soared over. And then suddenly Lorcán swung to the side and slid to a fast halt. Galmúr planted his hooves in the dirt hard as he attempted to pivot and stop at the same time, ending up sliding almost into the other side of the forest before he brought himself to a halt, breathing quite hard as he glanced to his mentor sheepishly. "And that is why you must keep your senses ready at all times. If you had been paying attention, you would have seen my weight shift earlier" the gray stallion admonished slightly, before brusquely motioning him forward. "Take the lead, let's see if you remember this trail" he said. Galmúr gave a nod "Yes, Lorcán, i'll watch more closely next time" He promised as he moved ahead.
Stormflash slid up to Sugar and the old donkey, suddenly wondering with slight apprehension if the blabber mouthed filly had said anything. Putting on a gleaming smile, he grinned at Sugar. "Of course I wouldn't leave you! I wasn't sure if you'd actually find Nacho like you wanted, so of course I came back to find you once I finished the patrol! I wasn't about to let you try and figure our way out of this forest on our own!" he said in an almost warm tone.
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Post by wingfeather on Mar 29, 2024 12:03:58 GMT -8
It was only a few minutes cantering from the wood to the scouts area and when they got back Myth was already there with a happy winny of greeting to Artemis, ''I heard you got to go on your first patrol,'' she said in a congratulatory manner. ''I did,'' Artemis said back with a smile, ''but its not like it was one of any real importance, besides there was a bigger circuit that goes around us.'' ''Well, it is a start,'' Myth pointed out with a laugh. ''That is true,'' Artemis said laughing along with her friend.
Nacho rolled his eyes when the Stormflash wasn't looking and mouthed what he was saying in a mocking manner, ''well then Sugar, if yeh don't need me to show yeh the way out, I suppose I should begin my patrol,'' he said sneezing.
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Post by Abbster on Mar 29, 2024 12:41:54 GMT -8
Sugar nodded, thanking Nacho for the advice he gave her. “So why exactly did you need me to talk to Nacho?” Sugar asked Stormflash as she trotted beside him. Sure, she still hated his guts, but he was being relatively nice to her for some strange reason. With a shrug, Sugar just continued trotting along.
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Post by tenebria on Mar 29, 2024 14:43:42 GMT -8
Galmúr moved quickly past his mentor and set off down the path at a reasonable pace, keeping himself alert. It had been at least two days since he'd done the patrol, and he was already having to search his mind for the rocks he had chosen, as he knew it would be coming up soon. The forest was already behind them in fact, as they had taken quite the drastic shortcut through the woods.
Stormflash gave a slight stiff nod to Nacho, then turned and trotted off. Finally they were out of hearing, and he pinned his ears, glancing back at the filly with a slight glare. "None of your business" he said with a snort. Who did she think she was?
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Post by wingfeather on Mar 30, 2024 7:45:24 GMT -8
''What did you do today,'' Artemis asked. Myth made a face, ''oh you know, fought off some wolves and a couple of rogue stallions, the norm.'' Artemis laughed, ''hey hold on...arent they supposed to be leaving tomorrow?'' ''Ya... I think so, but I can't quite remember, it was either that or the day after,'' Myth answered contemplatively. ''I can't wait till we get to chase them out,'' Artemis said pawing her hoof and gouging a furrow into the ground in the process. ''Same,'' Myth said with a grin.
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Post by Abbster on Mar 30, 2024 12:20:45 GMT -8
Sugar snorted. Can't believe I was nice to him. She thought. Maybe I will tell his mother what he ended up doing. Sugar smirked to herself. Yea. She thought. Yea. I will do that. I'll tell Stormflash's mother that he talked to the rouge stallions! Of course she wouldn't believe me....so I need some horse who will....ARTEMIS AND GALMUR!
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Post by tenebria on Mar 30, 2024 16:07:34 GMT -8
Galmúr cantered over the increasingly rocky trail, and already the silhouettes of the rocks were coming into view. Suddenly a crashing sounded in the bushes beside him, and the buckskin apprentice slid to a halt, letting out a whinny of shock as he half reared. A snarling thick furred maniac looking wolf leapt out of the camoflauging grasses, jaws wide. Fighting wolves in a battle was a distinctly different situation than being ambushed by one, and Galmúr felt as though he were frozen for quite a few seconds. Until suddenly the huge creature collided with his neck, its fangs scraping over his throat, just missing their hold. With a trumpet of pain he reared again, throwing it off, and slammed his hooves downwards with an angry thrust, half rearing again to pound his hooves against the tawny fur, until he was sure it was over. Breathing hard from the adrenaline rush, he looked over to see his mentor calmly watching him. "We were downwind, I scented him at least ten yards back. And next time keep yourself focused, you got in your head for far too long" Lorcán advised with a frown. Galmúr flattened his ears slightly. He'd been focused so hard on the trail, he had forgotten to expand his senses to the surrounding area. Suddenly the pain from the teeth marks on his neck flashed through him and he winced, gritting his teeth. Any wounds were his own fault. He knew that. With a firm nod to his mentor he turned and broke into a canter down the path, determination and steel will flashing in his eyes. He would not fail again.
Stormflash's ears pinned at the smirk that flashed over the filly's face. With a strong side thrust he slammed his side into her and whirled to face her. "If you are even THINKING about telling anyone anything, you'll be sorry" he hissed warningly.
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Post by wingfeather on Mar 31, 2024 17:38:51 GMT -8
Treth trotted up suddenly breaking Artemis and Myth's conversation, ''Artemis I think you have rested enough, we need to work on your endurance.'' Artemis looked at him, she was still tired from last night... would she be able to go on an endurance test? She drew a breath and nodded, ''alright lest go.'' Treth nodded, he liked the determination, ''lets begin,'' he told her.
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Post by Abbster on Mar 31, 2024 19:04:19 GMT -8
Sugars ears flattened a bit. “I’m not going to tell anyone!” She said. Stormflash scared her. More than Sugar would like, all she knew was that he scared her. Sugar looked around and saw Gus with his family. “To make this not look awkward, can I go?” She asked Stormflash
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Post by tenebria on Mar 31, 2024 19:50:17 GMT -8
Lorcán watched the emotions flash over his apprentices face, and satisfaction filled him as the last look was one full of pure will. He knew his apprentice would not forget this lesson. And Galmúr certainly would not. His mind was focused now, his path clear as the moon on a clear night. His ears flicked as he listened to the sounds around him, nostrils flaring as he took in the scents the wind brought him. His hooves clattered over the rocky path as he sped up slightly, swerving around the first large rock, and plunging through the maze of landmark rocks, the path burned into memory.
Stormflash gave a sneer at her compliance, pawing the ground slightly. "You'd better not" he said in a low tone, leaning closer. Hearing her words he glanced over slightly and took a small step back, his eyes burning into her for a few moments before he gave a jerk of his head. "Go" he said shortly.
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Post by wingfeather on Apr 1, 2024 15:32:51 GMT -8
Artemis could already feel her legs begin aching but she didn't say anything, she could survive a small run. ''Alright,'' Treth said briskly, ''let's begin at an easy trot. A quick run around crabapple trail should be enough.'' Artemis nodded firing her body up. ''Good lets begin,'' he said setting the pace.
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Post by Abbster on Apr 2, 2024 12:00:20 GMT -8
Sugar didn't dare thank him. She still hated him for everything. Sugar just turned and raced to Gus and his family. She was about to burst. "Woah, Sugar, slow down there" Creampuff said as she came galloping up. "What on earth is the matter?" Oreo asked. Sugar blinked. "I promised I wouldn't say anything." She said. "If I did, he said he'll come after me" Sugar said. "Let me guess, Stormflash?" Gus asked. Sugar nodded. "Alright, well you don't need to tell us anything, just take a breath and calm yourself down" Oreo said, trotting over to nuzzle the young nervous filly.
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Post by tenebria on Apr 2, 2024 13:20:24 GMT -8
Galmúr surged around the first landmark rock, adjusting his course, then wincing and slowing slightly. With faster speed, came more movement of his neck, and with this, came more pain from the fang marks gouged into his skin. They had begun bleeding lightly, and he could feel the red liquid flying against his coat as he ran. But he knew better than to complain, if it was a dangerous wound, his mentor would have told him. He had to swerve suddenly as he realized his attention had wavered a moment as he had focused on his own pain, and he quickly altered his course once again, the steady hoofbeats of the gray stallion behind him following.
Stormflash glared after her, tail swishing, then turned and trotted off, although he glanced back a few times. If that filly said anything... he truly would hurt her. He wasn't scared to do it. He could always blame it on the stallions if need be. In fact, with them around, he had a lot more freedom than he had thought. A smirking grin crept over his face as he made his way over to his mother. Time to tell her about the "patrol" he had studiously gone on.
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Post by wingfeather on Apr 2, 2024 14:31:20 GMT -8
As they began trotting and swiftly getting faster Artemis could feel the fatigue she had earlier begin to melt away, this was her element, running. Soon the two horses sped up to a gallop. Artemis was so elated in the sense of freedom she felt from the ground rushing beneath her feet and the wind whipping her long dark mane around that she actually started to pull ahead of Treth, ''oh ya,'' Treth yelled over the rushing of wind. The race was on.
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Post by Abbster on Apr 2, 2024 14:59:49 GMT -8
Sugar relaxed a bit. "I should get back to Cinnamon, see if she needs help" Sugar said. "I'll come with you" Gus suddenly said. Sugar looked at him, surprised. "You will?" She asked. "Yea." Gus said. "I will" Sugar shrugged and then began to walk back to Cinnamon with Gus. "I know you want to be with me" Gus suddenly said. Sugar froze and she looked at him. "Wh...I..." Sugar stuttered. "Sugar" Gus said. "I want to be with you to, but you're the herd healer's apprentice" He said. "It can't happen" He said. "I know" Sugar said as they continued walking. "I wish it could, but I know that it can't" Sugar said to him as they reached Cinnamon. "Thank you" She said to Gus. Gus smiled and trotted away after nodding to Sugar. Sugar stared after him.
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