Drifting Forward
Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:12 pm
The travel had been easy, though the preparation had been harrowing. Leaving the home that we had worked so hard to shape and create to the perfect combination of all of us had been difficult to say the least. Years spent searching and then even more spent bending matter had given Drift so many years to think. Months would go by being lost in thought. He had considered himself one of the ones who had come through less unscathed but now, standing back in Sionayra, he wasn't so sure.
It was hard for him to bite down the bitterness that this land brought up. Though he'd been smart enough to realize he was not strong enough to come back in the beginning, now he wasn't certain he'd ever be. "This was a mistake" he muttered, almost under his breath. While he had coped a great deal better than others he now had to wonder if they weren't stronger and better off than he, for dealing with the grief so wholly.
"You can do this" came the soft reply from beside him. Keira had escorted him back and would stay with him until he either signaled that he would be ok on his own or requested that they go back home. She reached out slowly and stroked just behind his ear as she knew it would calm him down. As his heartbeat started to slow he smiled and looked appreciatively at his bonded. Gone was her usual flowing dress and loose hanging curls. Today she had chosen snug leather breaches and a loose linen shirt. Her hair was hanging in a long braid down her back and the combat boots laced tightly gave the over all appearance that she was ready to either do battle or run for her life at any given moment.
His eyes narrowed as he took her in and for the first time he noticed the tension in her body. Instead of holding herself with an easy grace her body was strung tight with tension and he could see her clenching and unclenching her jaw as her own narrowed eyes looked around. She must be just as nervous as I am being back he thought with bewilderment. She was always the rock of the group. Holding everyone tightly together and reinforcing how important it was to stay close to each other and not take harsh feelings out on one another.
The mountain region they were standing on was a beautiful wooded area and it now dawned on Drift that she had brought them there because this was the terrain she felt most comfortable in. Sighing, he knew what he had to do. "Ummm, I think I'd like to go on by myself now if that's ok Keira" he gritted out. He knew that it hadn't started out very confidently, with him cleaning his throat and staring at his hoof pawing the ground. He had finished confidently though, with a stamp of the hoof and staring her straight in the eye.
A gentle smile graced her face and she resumed the gentle scratch behind his ear. "If you're certain you're ready for that then, by all means, I'll return. But, if this gets to be too much for you, don't feel bad at all about coming home." He returned her smile and gave a low bow, showing his acceptance of their agreement. As she turned to leave something occurred to him and he called out to her. "Keira! Please grant one more request and take my ribbon home with you." She started like she'd just been socked "Are you sure??" He knew this was an odd request. He'd always had it with him.
"I'm sure. As much as its going to be strange without it, I cant bear the thought that something might happen to it here. Plus, I know you will keep it safe for me." In truth, he was wanting to reinvent himself and maybe temporarily letting go that piece of the past could help him discover who he was without his past.
Shrugging out of the ribbon she gently took it from him and a few moments later was gone. Spending a few minutes taking some deep fortifying breaths he glanced around at the terrain. Directly ahead of lay a clearing, to the left and right ran the edge of the forest, and behind led deep in to the forest and up the mountain. Hearing the sound of a stream he headed to his right, along the forests edge but still in the thick of the trees. Maybe, just maybe, a nice cool drink would help clear his head.
It was hard for him to bite down the bitterness that this land brought up. Though he'd been smart enough to realize he was not strong enough to come back in the beginning, now he wasn't certain he'd ever be. "This was a mistake" he muttered, almost under his breath. While he had coped a great deal better than others he now had to wonder if they weren't stronger and better off than he, for dealing with the grief so wholly.
"You can do this" came the soft reply from beside him. Keira had escorted him back and would stay with him until he either signaled that he would be ok on his own or requested that they go back home. She reached out slowly and stroked just behind his ear as she knew it would calm him down. As his heartbeat started to slow he smiled and looked appreciatively at his bonded. Gone was her usual flowing dress and loose hanging curls. Today she had chosen snug leather breaches and a loose linen shirt. Her hair was hanging in a long braid down her back and the combat boots laced tightly gave the over all appearance that she was ready to either do battle or run for her life at any given moment.
His eyes narrowed as he took her in and for the first time he noticed the tension in her body. Instead of holding herself with an easy grace her body was strung tight with tension and he could see her clenching and unclenching her jaw as her own narrowed eyes looked around. She must be just as nervous as I am being back he thought with bewilderment. She was always the rock of the group. Holding everyone tightly together and reinforcing how important it was to stay close to each other and not take harsh feelings out on one another.
The mountain region they were standing on was a beautiful wooded area and it now dawned on Drift that she had brought them there because this was the terrain she felt most comfortable in. Sighing, he knew what he had to do. "Ummm, I think I'd like to go on by myself now if that's ok Keira" he gritted out. He knew that it hadn't started out very confidently, with him cleaning his throat and staring at his hoof pawing the ground. He had finished confidently though, with a stamp of the hoof and staring her straight in the eye.
A gentle smile graced her face and she resumed the gentle scratch behind his ear. "If you're certain you're ready for that then, by all means, I'll return. But, if this gets to be too much for you, don't feel bad at all about coming home." He returned her smile and gave a low bow, showing his acceptance of their agreement. As she turned to leave something occurred to him and he called out to her. "Keira! Please grant one more request and take my ribbon home with you." She started like she'd just been socked "Are you sure??" He knew this was an odd request. He'd always had it with him.
"I'm sure. As much as its going to be strange without it, I cant bear the thought that something might happen to it here. Plus, I know you will keep it safe for me." In truth, he was wanting to reinvent himself and maybe temporarily letting go that piece of the past could help him discover who he was without his past.
Shrugging out of the ribbon she gently took it from him and a few moments later was gone. Spending a few minutes taking some deep fortifying breaths he glanced around at the terrain. Directly ahead of lay a clearing, to the left and right ran the edge of the forest, and behind led deep in to the forest and up the mountain. Hearing the sound of a stream he headed to his right, along the forests edge but still in the thick of the trees. Maybe, just maybe, a nice cool drink would help clear his head.