The Kingdom of Seven Stars - Encounter at the White River - [Sign-UP]

[Laebenal]

Laebenal started to lie on the ground and stare the wilderness again.

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade looked up at Liaisa with tears glistening through the slits in his visor.  "It's ok?  I fear for the loss of my friends...," he said, then turned and pointed to Laebenal.  "She mourns the loss of hers!  I am not the one in need of comforting..."  He stared sadly at Laebenal, wishing death had never existed in the universe.

[Chirp]

"It's the way of things. We couldn't cherish our lives if there were no end to it. I know you fear death and you are acting gravely different than usual. You may be able to push a boulder around, but at this exact moment, she is much stronger than you are." Liaisa nuzzled Grassblade, then continued. "Believe me, you are in much dire need of comforting. Do not think of death too much. If we live our lives fearing death, we'll never have lived at all."

[Bravo 658]

"It's impossible to take from my mind," Grassblade sobbed, burying his face into Liaisa's hooves.

[Chirp]

"I know it is. Just don't let this one thought dominate the others. I don't think anypony would like to see you like this." Liaisa got up and slowly walked away. She turned her head back to him to say one last thing. "I'll give you some time to mourn over your hypothetical loss of friends, if you really have to. Just remember, we're still here. You can cry about the possibility of losing us, or you can enjoy time with us until it actually happens."

[bleyd]

dont worry i am lose all my friends too i undestand you

[Bravo 658]

Though the thought itself lingered, Liaisa's words held unbreakable wisdom.  Grassblade elected to rise up and follow her rather than cry in the sand.

[Chirp]

Liaisa didn't look back to see whether or not Grassblade decided to continue his mourning. She approached one of Grassblade's good friends, Samuel. "Greetings, Samuel. It seems our friend needs some distraction from what's currently on his mind. His cheerful attitude cannot cope with death, apparently."

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade smiled at Liaisa's concern for him, and felt obliged to do something in return.  As she spoke with Samuel, he began putting together a new sand castle not but a meter behind her.

[bleyd]

can i help you?

[Bravo 658]

With haste, Grassblade held a hoof up to his lips--then felt foolish for doing so to the blind pony.  He whispered, "It is a surprise for her... keep your voice low.  If you like to craft sand, I'll gladly accept your help.  Simply take care not to knock parts over when you're feeling them."

[bleyd]

D D start to build ,but he do a marvelous delorian time machine.

[GalvinRoe]

Liaisa didn't look back to see whether or not Grassblade decided to continue his mourning. She approached one of Grassblade's good friends, Samuel. "Greetings, Samuel. It seems our friend needs some distraction from what's currently on his mind. His cheerful attitude cannot cope with death, apparently."

  Good guard Sameul; faithful guard Sameul, hardly did the request reach soft gracious ears as his expression turned grave and forlorn. "My dear lady! What speak you? Our kindly Sir Grass has been stricken with melancholy? Take me quick with no bound haste, for our friend of laughs and smiles we shall restore, restore to that state he rightfully holds, strong, above all others."

And Sameul's eye's did transition into melancholy, themselves, for but half a moment before stalwart determination gripped his body in stony dedication. And forward with confident stride, did he take, and urge Liaisa forwards he did. To speak with Grassblade his mission true and such a mission he would not fail.

* * *

[Story - Half Verse]

  The queen's eyes a-glitter with new unnatural brilliance and perception seemingly redoubled, her kind eyes lay down across yonder silken plain and saw her a sight thrice disheartening. A band, not small in size, of strange creatures did find themselves in the twilight of this far off land. Their skin as black obsidian and something different about their eyes, but these creatures . . . their continence, it held similar to another she knew quite well. . . These creatures were of pony make.

The fair leader made quick her call, to warn and prepare her congregation, true. For never before had ponies of such glossy darkness made themselves aware to her; not in all the archives in Queen's Grace, not in any story of merchant or traveler. Such things that appear from nowhere, they brought great fear to the queen, such change was but another painting of the world, current. The unnatural darkness; the pony of fire; these things that could not as yet be explained and the queen felt herself on the brink of a precipice. Everything was changing and soon would it not catch her people?

And through her shouting and warnings she caught sight of that hoof, so pearlescent and fair; for but a moment her voice lost vigor as foreboding struck: the very essence of change had struck her already. 

[Chirp]

"Thank you kindly, good knight." Liaisa said happily and turned around. "Our friend should be. Oof." She didn't expect anything to have appeared behind her as she spoke, but a sand castle happened to suddenly be there. It caught her off guard and tripped over it. With her nuzzle on the ground, she looked up at Grassblade, coughing from the sand stuck in her mouth. "It would appear our friend's doing fine again already."

She got up and with a quick sweep of her horn, the dirt came flying off her and back on the ground. "Terribly sorry about that. But perhaps we should stop making sandcastles and rather focus on our journey ahead."

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade rolled over in a laughing fit.  "Y-yes, perhaps attention would be better-spent on more steadfast things than structures of sand!" he said, spirit now fully lifted.

[Laebenal]

"These ponies are a bit odd, but wait. Did something move out there?" Laebenal thinks and tries to see if there's something at where she is looking.

[GalvinRoe]

[Story Half-verse]

And soon the cry rang around the camp, and echoed forth from many mouths: "Be warned, take care, bring hooves to ready! Strange moving in the distance, just river beyond! The queen has seen and the spotters confirmed, shadows ride  the twilight . . ."

Wide eyed panic amongst the village recruits and softly inhaled dread from veterans around. Panic and fear swam through the camp, a physical force brushing across spines and playing on hair. Stemming from the creatures in the distance. Silhouettes, shadows on the white, white powdered desert trudging forth with tiring accuracy. Hoof falls meticulous and almost synchronized. The forced shifting of sandy gravel audible even at this range.

Then the shadows gained focus, the desert haze losing it's hallucinogenic effect as the distance closed. Ten, twenty, two hundred creatures marching in almost military formation; marching, straight for the river.

[Laebenal]

"There is something. And it seems like it is nothing nice." Laebenal thinks and stands up growling at the shadows.

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade donned his helmet and took up his wing-shields.  "Come, friends, prepare a phalanx about the camp!  We must not be caught unprotected!"

[Chirp]

" 'Twould appear these newcomers do mean us harm. I hope our training was sufficient for this." Liaisa mumbled to herself as she crept closer to Grassblade.