Goennec Pen #: 5
Name: Everest
How would you use him: I'd draw lots of pictures of him on oekaki and in real life, get art of him created when I get enough good pets, I'd write stories based around him and maybe if I get time use him in the rp
Define your Goennec:
~Personality~
Normally a humble and quiet Goennec because of his past he can sometimes show a defiant side if he's standing up for what he believes is right. He tends to be nervous and skittish around others especially rams, as a result of this he doesn't have good social skills and prefers to keep to himself. If he ever sees a young Goennec being ganged up on by others its age he will intervene without judgement, often gaining him a bad reputation with the mother ewes. He has underlying courage that stays hidden most of the time under his sullen exterior. He doesn't like getting close to anyone for fear that he might betray them even if it's for what some might consider the greater good.
Likes:
Running through the long grass in spring, across the dead leaves in autumn and leaping through the snow in winter.
Solitude
Kids
Order
Play fights
Hunting
Dislikes:
Migration
Bullys
Confrontation
Noise
Big crowds(he can stick smaller crowds though)
Unessacery bloodshed
Predators
~History~
The underdog(or undergoennec xD) since birth because of his parentage and appearance. His father was a arrogant, bullying, self-centred ram who expected the ewes of the herd to obey his every whim, though shortly before Everest's birth a group of young rams-only a few years into adult-hood-murdered Everest’s father. Though this was a great relief to the majority of the herd the murder of one Goennec at the hooves of another was considered base treachery and the rebellious group were outlawed. A year later a disease swept through the herd killing the frail elders and kids, among the dead was Everest’s mother. Now left alone in the herd he was shunned for his father’s reputation and begrudgingly taken in by his mother’s sister who had kids his age. When the elders died the banished rebel group seized their chance and returned to the herd, they were welcomed back warmly by most and crushed the spirit and drove the fight out of whoever defied them. Everest was one of the unfortunate ones that tried to stand up to them but they cracked down hard on him as they recognized him as the son of the reason they had been banished and destroyed the spirit, fire and courage within him, leaving him to be forever shunned and looked down upon. But if that is true forever doesn’t last as long as we all think…
~Story~
I hate migration, I mean it’s bad enough being teased and laughed at when we’re not migrating but at least there I can escape for a while and have some peace and quiet, but when we’re migrating I have to stay with the herd or they’d run off without a second glance-so I need to stay with them however much I hate it. They constantly push me and shove me and try to trip me, I can’t hang back they slow up to stay with me, I can’t outrun them-well I could but overtaking the Prime or Prince would lead to a sound thrashing, with me as the target. We finally stop for the day in the long grass at the edge of a small forest. I’d love to sit and rest but as “omega”(as the sneeringly call me) I need to locate a water source and take the elders and mothers to it to drink. I have to do it with a “partner” of course- partner being someone who makes me mess up on purpose to make the herd hate me even more and then being punished with a few sharp kicks in the ribs.
I wait at the edge of the forest while someone is assigned to come with me on my search, I press my muzzle into the long grass and snuffle around until I find a dandelion which I quickly unroot and eat. I hear a Goennec approach and my head snaps up. I’m thoroughly surprised when I see a slender pretty grey ewe weaving through the crowd towards me. She stops beside me,
“Everest right?” She asks kindly in her sing-song voice. I nod and lead the way into the forest stumbling over my hooves, still staring dumbstruck at her. She pranced up beside me a befuddled look on her pretty face,
“What’s with the look?” She questions sounding slightly hurt.
“Sorry,” I reply quickly, “It’s just usually they send a male soldier with me to make sure I don’t step out of line,”
“Well the prince instructed my father to go but he’s twisted his leg so he told me to go in his place, but I’m just as strong as any male soldier my age! Although if you’d rather me go tell the Prince or the Prime you don’t want me here I will,” she ended on a defiant note.
“No, no don’t, look we’re already far enough away from the herd there’s no point going back now,”
I raise my muzzle and scent the air, “This way,” I announce confidently, trotting ahead. However she doesn't follow immediatley choosing instead to test the air herself.
"No it's actually this way," she calls after me.
"Sorry, but I think I'm right,"
"Fine but when the Prime finds out you disobeyed a Soldier's orders I shudder to think what will happen to you" and with that she heads off into the thicker trees. I hang my head realising that she's right so I follow her at a slow pace.
After a few minutes we reach a small pond. I quickly taste the water for quality while she gallops around the edges searching for potential threats.
“OK, I’ll stay here and you run back and bring the elders, kids and ewes,” I tell her.
“Excuse me, but I’m the soldier and you’re the peasant, I’ll stay and guard while you go and get them,” she stamps a hoof to assert her authority. I open my mouth to send back a retort but I think better of it and bow my head quietly before I take off back the way we came.
As I thunder along I find my thoughts straying back to the grey ewe I had just left by the watering hole. Her sleek fur and mohawk, her pale gold eyes, her delicate hooves and paws-
My train of thought is suddenly broken as I nearly crash into the group of elders, kids and pregnant ewes already assembled and waiting for me to take them to the water source. I right myself with a clatter of my hooves and paws, quickly apologise to the two elders I had knocked over, toss my head to show them to follow and canter back along the path for the third time.
***
As the herd are settling down for the night the Prime climbs gracefully up on a fallen tree to make an announcement,
“Myself, the Prince and all soldiers will be going to raid a nearby herd shortly,”
Mutterings started in the crowd below him and spurred on by impulse I bark out,
“Why do we need to raid them? They’ve done nothing to us,”
The Prime’s eyes flare furiously and with his fur standing on end, he dives off his perch and launches at me. I react as soon as I see the threat by lowering my head swiftly, stopping the Prime in his tracks as our horns smash together reducing the damage that would've happened to me. But now he’s even angrier at my defense-no one in this herd is allowed to defend themselves against the Prime as he supposedly knows whats best for the herd. A group of toughened, well muscled, soldiers(mostly rams but one or two ewes are present) and the Prince all encircle me to prevent my escape as the Prime begins to mutilate me with his horns, teeth, paws and hooves. Some of the others join in for sport darting in every few seconds to slice open my flank or pummel my unprotected underbelly, but at the end of it I’m still lying bruised and battered in a heap on the ground.
I watch the soldiers walk away to raid the unsuspecting herd before I even try heaving myself up and limping over to a clump of grass where I can lick my wounds and hopefully sleep. I roll around painfully, my wounds causing me all sorts of discomfort.
Eventually though I do fall asleep but my dreams are haunted by horrible scenes:
First of all I'm standing in the forest and a short distance away that same grey ewe stands with her back to me although now she’s talking to the Prince and they’re laughing at me,
"I mean who would ever agree to be in his harem or be his mate," she sneers in a cold high voice with a flick of her silky mohawk in my direction.
"Yeah," the Prince agrees before taking a step closer to her, "Speaking of that it is the Siv would you like to be in my harem?"
"Nooooo," I yell but I hear my voice getting fainter and I feel as though my body is being dragged backwards.
***
I hear a squeal of pain and I whip around to see the Prime pummeling a kid while another ram holds down a ewe that seems to have given up struggling and is wailing for her kid.
Furious tears spring to my eyes and I charge forward straight at the Prime, but when I reach him I simply run through him and the whole scene morphs into coloured vapour and floats away.
***
I awake suddenly shivering and shaking, but my instincts tell me it wasn’t the dream. I need to go and warn that herd, even if I'm considered a traitor and the Prime kills me-I won't stand for kids being killled. I look around to make sure those who remained behind in the herd. I crawl away as fast as possible waiting until I'm far enough away so I can stand up fully and gallop after the raiding party.
***
As soon as I catch up I circle around them so I'm approaching the unaware herd from behind. 5 minutes later I burst into a clearing where a large group of Goennecs are sleeping. I skid to a halt as a ram and a ewe come up on either side of me,
"State your business stranger," barks the ram.
"Look, I know you might not believe me but my herd has sent a raiding party to attack your herd,"
"Why would a ram betray his own herd," snorts the ewe, "You're most likley here as a ploy to get us away from your herd's grazing land, don't worry though tell your Prime we're only passing through,"
"No you don't understand if they come and you don't have defences set up they'll slaughter you, even the kids," I say in a desperate tone. I see something soften in the ewe's eyes,
"Bane, inform the Prime and round up the soldiers, I'll gather the elders and the vunrable and take them to safety," She turns to me, "For your sake I hope you're telling the truth,"
I nod and follow her as she rounds up those of the herd that cannot fight and then help her lead them to safety deep within the forest before I canter back to my own herd.
***
When I return I have the strangest feeling of impending danger. My head shoots up and I spot the problem.
The little grey ewe is lying nearby being cared for by the ewes. A huge gash runs from her left shoulder down to her flank and although most of the blood has been cleared it still looks fairly nasty. I look around and notice other casualties of the battle.
A queasy feeling stirs in my stomach, this is my fault.
But before I have time to dwell on my guilt I spot a far bigger threat lurking between the ancient oaks of the forest- a massive grizzly bear at least three times my size if not more. I see it lurch forward towards my little grey ewe and I immediately make up my mind, her life matters more than mine and it might help make up for turning your back on your own herd whispers a small voice in the back of my head. I shake my head violently from side to side in an attempt to silence the voice. Fine but you know I'm right...
And with a growl I dive forward and intercept the bear, my horns smashing into its chest and my wide hooves coming up to rip into its stomach. It snarls and grabs my head in its massive forepaws but I thrash my head causing my horns to smack into its jaw with a resounding crack.
It lets out a roar of pain and lumbers back into the forest and with adrenaline still pumping through my veins I charge after it,
“Everest come back!” I hear the familiar but faint sing-song voice call. Hearing the worry in her voice I make a sharp turn and return to her side.
***
As it happens the Prime and his followers were killed in battle and now a much less tyrannical male is in his position and I’ve been promoted to a high-ranked soldier. Yet shortly after the battle that's affects had such an impact on my life that little grey ewe passed away in her sleep, apparently her wound became infected and I never even learned her name.
However a small amount of poisonous guilt still resided in the back of my head. If I hadn't told that other herd would she still be alive?
I didn't belong in this herd anymore so as soon as the sun rose I galloped off into the distance in search of a herd that might accept me.
Art-
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=453057I don't think I did his markings justice but I did my best.
