Your Username:
SpartanAmethyst
Equid's name:
Asteri
Her name translates to "Star" in the Greek language.
History:
The first thing that came into Asteri's life was cold. Bitter, freezing cold. It was the last storm winter, and her mother had mated much too early. She was born a scrawny little filly, sickly and weak. The stallion that was her father pleaded the older mare to stay; he wanted to at least try to save the life of his first foal. The mare left anyways, rejecting the foal as she had carried for so long. The stallion was devastated. Looking to the little white filly that lay nearly hidden in the snow, he desperately sought shelter, nudging the weak form into a nearby cave. Though it was pitch black, at least it was dry and protected. Making sure there were no predators, he pushed her into the very back of the cavern, hoping it'd be at least a few degrees warmer out of the blinding snow. After the filly was safe he trotted back to the entrance and stood there, his bright amber eyes staring out into the storm. Suddenly he let out an ear-piercing whinny, a call for help. As the sound died his fine chestnut ears perked forward. Silence. He whinnied again, and this time there was an answer. A mare had heard him! He bounced a few times and snorted, then whinnied again. But before she answered, he realized something: she was too far out to risk coming to him in this storm. The stallion seemed to deflate. They'd have to wait til morning. Slowly he trudged back to his daughter, the foal looking up at him with expectant golden eyes. His eyes.
She snorted, asking for food. "Tomorrow," he nickered. "Once the storm passes, you'll be fed. I promise," he said. He came to lay beside her then, using his body as a heater and also as a shield from the occasional burst of cold winter air that filtered in from outside. He stared at the wall of white, the wind whistling as it whipped past the barren trees and rocky outcroppings. He sighed sadly and laid his own head down. Darkness had since fallen, and with the little white foal already asleep, he could feel himself growing tired. Slowly his eyes shut too, and he fell into the darkness.
~*~*~*~*~
The next thing Asteri knew was sunlight. It was warm, a welcome sensation to the cold air around her. She raised her head and blinked a few times, her stomach growling ravenously. She paid it no mind, focusing on standing for the first time. It was difficult, but she managed. When she looked over, though, she found that her father had been watching her the entire time. The stallion smiled, nickering softly as if to tell her "good job". She shook her mane, her ears perking at the sound of an approaching whinny. She bounced happily for a moment.
"Mama!" She called, rushing to meet her despite her aching stomach. But the mare that appeared she didn't recognize. Her father had since gotten up and come to greet the mare.
"Thank you so much, Aliyah. I'm very sorry about your own colt," the stallion said.
The mare only slicked her elegant dark-dun tail. "It was meant to happen. I don't want another foal to die from the bitter cold. Come here little one," she crooned. "I know your hungry." Asteri was cautious at first, but the promise of being fed was too much to deny. She moved forward to nurse, sighing happily as the warm liquid hit her stomach.
As the months passed, Asteri grew bigger and stronger, her legs longer and her body leaner. When spring came, she watched the births of the new foals curiously, though she knew she could play with none of them. All was peaceful, for the time being.
The last of the winter snow had yet to melt when it happened. With the thundering of hooves, ones much like her own though louder and more echoing, matched the thunder rolling in the clouds overhead. Two-legged creatures that came on horses much larger than them whistled and whipped and threw lassoes at some of her herd. She reared as one barely missed her; at five and a half months, she was ready to be weaned, and put her on their radar. Her father squealed in fury and charged, slamming one of the horses and knocking his rider to the ground. Nudging his daughter up they bolted, running for cover. The mares with newborn foals yet to run huddled in a protective group, ears pinned and ready to bite. Asteri hit the cliffs running strong, bounding up some of the rocks. The fiery chestnut stallion was just about to follow her when something pulled him back, choking and scratching at him. A lasso had found its target around his neck. Asteri whinnied for him, but his only reply was a garbled squeal telling her to run. And run she did.
"I want that filly!" One of the humans yelled, and two took off after her. The remaining three set off with their catches: two mares, another young filly, and Asteri's father.
Hearing the others coming, Asteri looked around desperately for somewhere to hide. There was a patch of dead grass in the snow nearby. Leaping into the thick brush she laid down and curled up, hiding her face with the fan of long hair that tipped her tail. She heard the wranglers run up close to her and their horses skitter nervously; there was something here that wasn't good, at all.
Suddenly there was an earsplitting roar, a vicious sound from the cliff above. "I don't see the rat!" one of the humans yelled. Another cursed as his horse reared and bolted, the mountain lion leaping for the bay horse's haunch.
"Just get out of here!" The second wrangler snarled, urging his horse to gallop after the first and away from the predator.
There was silence then; not even the wind made a sound, the quiet as fragile as glass. "You can come out now," the cougar suddenly said, shattering the thin barrier between them and causing Asteri's heart to race. As she opened her golden eyes to see, she found that he was sitting some distance away with his back turned to her.
"You aren't going to kill me?" She asked, standing up slowly as she shook the snow from her legs.
"I have no reason to," he replied, his voice deep. "I am too old to catch someone like you; you could outrun me in a heartbeat." Asteri slowly approached him, coming to stand beside the old cougar. His pelt was riddled in scars, and she noticed the eye closest to her was a milky blue color; he was half blind. "Do not fret for me, young one. Worry about yourself and surviving another day," he said softly, turning to look at her with his one good eye. "Go back to your herd. Survive. And if you ever seee your father again, tell him old scarface, as he called me, has repaid his debt." The mountain lion paused and stood, difficulty evident in his aged bones. "And when he asks how, tell him of this day." He smiled and slowly padded away, climbing the cliff and disappearing into the high mountain trees.
Asteri watched after him for a long moment before she slowly trotted back down the mountain. The rest of her herd were regrouping, mares grooming their foals in an attempt to comfort them. Aliyah, seeing her adopted daughter, rushed over to the filly. "Than god you're alright, Asteri," the mare said, licking her between the ears and nuzzling the little white filly.
"I'm fine," she said, looking to where the wranglers had taken her father. Her ears tilted back and she looked to Aliyah. Her adopted mother just nudged her towards the herd as the stress finally subsided, the mountain returning to the quiet calm that it had been before. But as the two made their way back to the herd, they were stopped by another mare, one whose scent was very familiar to the little white filly.
"What are you doing with my daughter?" She snorted, ears pinned at Aliyah.
"Your daughter?" Aliyah asked, looking at Asteri. "Lyra she isn't your daughter. You abandoned her and I took the responsibility of raising her. She's my charge now, and has been since the day after she was born."
"That doesn't matter," Lyra snapped. "Come, Ilia," the mare said, raising her head above Aliyah's.
"My name is Asteri," the white filly replied.
"Don't be foolish Ilia. Come now, we're moving to the summer pastures." Both Lyra and Aliyah looked to the white filly, but Lyra's harsh chocolate gaze held no love that Asteri could see.
"No. My name is Asteri, and I move only when my mother moves," the white filly snorted, pinning her delicate ears back against her short mane. Lyra, sensing she couldn't win this battle, snorted and left angrily. Aliyah turned and nuzzled her. "Come on, the summer winds will be coming soon as the grass is always greenest before the others trample it." Asteri smiled and nodded, plodding after her mother as they made their way down the mountain.
Three years passed and Asteri grew into a beautiful mare, her white coat soft and shiny, the black and bay stripes contrasting beautifully against her pure coat. She reared once and took off across the late summer fields after the rabbits that were beginning to get ready for the oncoming winter. Charging straight through them she felt her hoof connect with one, killing it wish a powerful kick. As susual she felt bad about taking the poor thing's life, but she knew it was for the better. She picked the carcass up by the ears and trotted off, a few of the newer members of the herd giving her a strange look as she passed. Cantering up a few cliffs, she laid it down. "Scyrin!" She called. With a low growl the old mountain lion appeared over the cliff, his one blind eye emotionless while his chocolate one portrayed happiness.
"Ah Asteri, nice to see you. A gift?" He asked as he approached her, a limp in his step.
"Of course," she replied. "When you gonna die, old man?" She teased, nudging him gently. He laughed.
"This winter might be my last," he grinned, a few of his teeth broken and chipped. "So what are you up to, hot shot?" He asked as he began to munch on the rabbit's carcass.
"I'm going after my father," she said. Scyrin stopped immediately.
"Asteri, that's foolish. It's been three years, and you're sure to get caught," he said, looking up at her.
"I'm willing to take that risk," she said. "I wanted to give you this before I left.
Scyrin sighed, sitting up. "Stay safe, Asteri, no matter where life's tides take you," he finally said, figuring he couldn't change her mind. They touched noses for a moment before she stood straight and trotted back down, only to find Aliyah waiting for her at the edge of the herd's territory along with Lyra. She stared at them both and nuzzled each in turn; even though she never had much of a relationship with her birth mother, she knew the mare regretted abandoning her. Afterwards she took off into the fields, down the mountains. She travelled for days until she reached the flat grounds, stopping only to eat, drink, and find shelter. Finally she came close enough to see some fort of compound in the distance and she whinnied, testing it.
From inside the compound, two humans had been watching a lifeless chestnut equid stallion. He just stood at the corner of his enclosure and stared at the ground, rarely moving and never showing interest in anything. "What are we going to do with him?" The manager of the adoption center asked.
"There's nothing we can do," the man replied. "I've tried everything. Whatever is up in that mountain that we took him from, his heart is with it." They both went to turn away when a faraway whinny drifted with the wind and the stallion's head shot up, trying to see over the high metal bars. They were surprised when he replied, his own call slightly cracked and broken.
Asteri listened intently until she heard his answer; three years and it was still the same. She bolted forward, her white coat shining in the sunlight as she barrelled up to the bars and nuzzled her father, the two bumping noses and snorting, talking excitedly in little nickers and snorts.
"Well I'll be," the man said. Asteri allowed herself to be caught and put into the pen with her father, where they were put up for adoption only if they would both be adopted together. They didn't have long to wait, either.
"I'll take them," Amethyst said, her long bootcut jeans resting easily around her Ariat riding boots, her black tank top littered with horse hair. Her beige cowboy hat sat perfectly on her head and her golden brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, her blue eyes looking over the equids gratefully. She had just bought a track of land nearby and built a ranch that housed all of her companions and charges. Filling out the required paperwork Amethyst thanked the adopters and led the two equids away. "Firon and Asteri," she smiled. "You two will fit in just fine. And I have a surprise for you," she said happily. The newly dubbed Firon, just happy to be with his daughter, plodded along quietly. Asteri cocked her head as they travelled, first by trailer, then by foot to a place very familiar. Amethyst was on her own horse, a shining silver dapple bay stallion with a star on his forehead. The two were on halter and lead, trailing behind Amethyst and Requiem calmly when they reached home.
"Here we are," Amethyst finally said. They were at the herdlands. Both equids turned to look at Amethyst with a confused look. "You both have free reign to come and go as you please, but do come and see me so I know you're alright, m'kay?" She asked, pointing towards a ranch that lay not too far away. "You both have tattooes on the insides of your ears so if you're ever caught again, they'll notify me and I'll be able to come get you." Pulling them both closer, she removed their halters and motioned for them to go. "I'll see you soon," Amethyst said, turning her horse away. From the brush an old cougar welcomed the both of them home, then plodded down the mountain with Amethyst towards the ranch in the distance. Relieved that they were home, Firon and Asteri made their way to their herd, content to spend the rest of the day with those they had missed for so long. <3
Art:
Asteri alone <3
Story Image 1 WIP <3
^Sorry for the horrible sketches, but I'm about to pass out and I doubt I'll have time to finish tomorrow.^
SpartanAmethyst
Equid's name:
Asteri
Her name translates to "Star" in the Greek language.
History:
The first thing that came into Asteri's life was cold. Bitter, freezing cold. It was the last storm winter, and her mother had mated much too early. She was born a scrawny little filly, sickly and weak. The stallion that was her father pleaded the older mare to stay; he wanted to at least try to save the life of his first foal. The mare left anyways, rejecting the foal as she had carried for so long. The stallion was devastated. Looking to the little white filly that lay nearly hidden in the snow, he desperately sought shelter, nudging the weak form into a nearby cave. Though it was pitch black, at least it was dry and protected. Making sure there were no predators, he pushed her into the very back of the cavern, hoping it'd be at least a few degrees warmer out of the blinding snow. After the filly was safe he trotted back to the entrance and stood there, his bright amber eyes staring out into the storm. Suddenly he let out an ear-piercing whinny, a call for help. As the sound died his fine chestnut ears perked forward. Silence. He whinnied again, and this time there was an answer. A mare had heard him! He bounced a few times and snorted, then whinnied again. But before she answered, he realized something: she was too far out to risk coming to him in this storm. The stallion seemed to deflate. They'd have to wait til morning. Slowly he trudged back to his daughter, the foal looking up at him with expectant golden eyes. His eyes.
She snorted, asking for food. "Tomorrow," he nickered. "Once the storm passes, you'll be fed. I promise," he said. He came to lay beside her then, using his body as a heater and also as a shield from the occasional burst of cold winter air that filtered in from outside. He stared at the wall of white, the wind whistling as it whipped past the barren trees and rocky outcroppings. He sighed sadly and laid his own head down. Darkness had since fallen, and with the little white foal already asleep, he could feel himself growing tired. Slowly his eyes shut too, and he fell into the darkness.
~*~*~*~*~
The next thing Asteri knew was sunlight. It was warm, a welcome sensation to the cold air around her. She raised her head and blinked a few times, her stomach growling ravenously. She paid it no mind, focusing on standing for the first time. It was difficult, but she managed. When she looked over, though, she found that her father had been watching her the entire time. The stallion smiled, nickering softly as if to tell her "good job". She shook her mane, her ears perking at the sound of an approaching whinny. She bounced happily for a moment.
"Mama!" She called, rushing to meet her despite her aching stomach. But the mare that appeared she didn't recognize. Her father had since gotten up and come to greet the mare.
"Thank you so much, Aliyah. I'm very sorry about your own colt," the stallion said.
The mare only slicked her elegant dark-dun tail. "It was meant to happen. I don't want another foal to die from the bitter cold. Come here little one," she crooned. "I know your hungry." Asteri was cautious at first, but the promise of being fed was too much to deny. She moved forward to nurse, sighing happily as the warm liquid hit her stomach.
As the months passed, Asteri grew bigger and stronger, her legs longer and her body leaner. When spring came, she watched the births of the new foals curiously, though she knew she could play with none of them. All was peaceful, for the time being.
The last of the winter snow had yet to melt when it happened. With the thundering of hooves, ones much like her own though louder and more echoing, matched the thunder rolling in the clouds overhead. Two-legged creatures that came on horses much larger than them whistled and whipped and threw lassoes at some of her herd. She reared as one barely missed her; at five and a half months, she was ready to be weaned, and put her on their radar. Her father squealed in fury and charged, slamming one of the horses and knocking his rider to the ground. Nudging his daughter up they bolted, running for cover. The mares with newborn foals yet to run huddled in a protective group, ears pinned and ready to bite. Asteri hit the cliffs running strong, bounding up some of the rocks. The fiery chestnut stallion was just about to follow her when something pulled him back, choking and scratching at him. A lasso had found its target around his neck. Asteri whinnied for him, but his only reply was a garbled squeal telling her to run. And run she did.
"I want that filly!" One of the humans yelled, and two took off after her. The remaining three set off with their catches: two mares, another young filly, and Asteri's father.
Hearing the others coming, Asteri looked around desperately for somewhere to hide. There was a patch of dead grass in the snow nearby. Leaping into the thick brush she laid down and curled up, hiding her face with the fan of long hair that tipped her tail. She heard the wranglers run up close to her and their horses skitter nervously; there was something here that wasn't good, at all.
Suddenly there was an earsplitting roar, a vicious sound from the cliff above. "I don't see the rat!" one of the humans yelled. Another cursed as his horse reared and bolted, the mountain lion leaping for the bay horse's haunch.
"Just get out of here!" The second wrangler snarled, urging his horse to gallop after the first and away from the predator.
There was silence then; not even the wind made a sound, the quiet as fragile as glass. "You can come out now," the cougar suddenly said, shattering the thin barrier between them and causing Asteri's heart to race. As she opened her golden eyes to see, she found that he was sitting some distance away with his back turned to her.
"You aren't going to kill me?" She asked, standing up slowly as she shook the snow from her legs.
"I have no reason to," he replied, his voice deep. "I am too old to catch someone like you; you could outrun me in a heartbeat." Asteri slowly approached him, coming to stand beside the old cougar. His pelt was riddled in scars, and she noticed the eye closest to her was a milky blue color; he was half blind. "Do not fret for me, young one. Worry about yourself and surviving another day," he said softly, turning to look at her with his one good eye. "Go back to your herd. Survive. And if you ever seee your father again, tell him old scarface, as he called me, has repaid his debt." The mountain lion paused and stood, difficulty evident in his aged bones. "And when he asks how, tell him of this day." He smiled and slowly padded away, climbing the cliff and disappearing into the high mountain trees.
Asteri watched after him for a long moment before she slowly trotted back down the mountain. The rest of her herd were regrouping, mares grooming their foals in an attempt to comfort them. Aliyah, seeing her adopted daughter, rushed over to the filly. "Than god you're alright, Asteri," the mare said, licking her between the ears and nuzzling the little white filly.
"I'm fine," she said, looking to where the wranglers had taken her father. Her ears tilted back and she looked to Aliyah. Her adopted mother just nudged her towards the herd as the stress finally subsided, the mountain returning to the quiet calm that it had been before. But as the two made their way back to the herd, they were stopped by another mare, one whose scent was very familiar to the little white filly.
"What are you doing with my daughter?" She snorted, ears pinned at Aliyah.
"Your daughter?" Aliyah asked, looking at Asteri. "Lyra she isn't your daughter. You abandoned her and I took the responsibility of raising her. She's my charge now, and has been since the day after she was born."
"That doesn't matter," Lyra snapped. "Come, Ilia," the mare said, raising her head above Aliyah's.
"My name is Asteri," the white filly replied.
"Don't be foolish Ilia. Come now, we're moving to the summer pastures." Both Lyra and Aliyah looked to the white filly, but Lyra's harsh chocolate gaze held no love that Asteri could see.
"No. My name is Asteri, and I move only when my mother moves," the white filly snorted, pinning her delicate ears back against her short mane. Lyra, sensing she couldn't win this battle, snorted and left angrily. Aliyah turned and nuzzled her. "Come on, the summer winds will be coming soon as the grass is always greenest before the others trample it." Asteri smiled and nodded, plodding after her mother as they made their way down the mountain.
Three years passed and Asteri grew into a beautiful mare, her white coat soft and shiny, the black and bay stripes contrasting beautifully against her pure coat. She reared once and took off across the late summer fields after the rabbits that were beginning to get ready for the oncoming winter. Charging straight through them she felt her hoof connect with one, killing it wish a powerful kick. As susual she felt bad about taking the poor thing's life, but she knew it was for the better. She picked the carcass up by the ears and trotted off, a few of the newer members of the herd giving her a strange look as she passed. Cantering up a few cliffs, she laid it down. "Scyrin!" She called. With a low growl the old mountain lion appeared over the cliff, his one blind eye emotionless while his chocolate one portrayed happiness.
"Ah Asteri, nice to see you. A gift?" He asked as he approached her, a limp in his step.
"Of course," she replied. "When you gonna die, old man?" She teased, nudging him gently. He laughed.
"This winter might be my last," he grinned, a few of his teeth broken and chipped. "So what are you up to, hot shot?" He asked as he began to munch on the rabbit's carcass.
"I'm going after my father," she said. Scyrin stopped immediately.
"Asteri, that's foolish. It's been three years, and you're sure to get caught," he said, looking up at her.
"I'm willing to take that risk," she said. "I wanted to give you this before I left.
Scyrin sighed, sitting up. "Stay safe, Asteri, no matter where life's tides take you," he finally said, figuring he couldn't change her mind. They touched noses for a moment before she stood straight and trotted back down, only to find Aliyah waiting for her at the edge of the herd's territory along with Lyra. She stared at them both and nuzzled each in turn; even though she never had much of a relationship with her birth mother, she knew the mare regretted abandoning her. Afterwards she took off into the fields, down the mountains. She travelled for days until she reached the flat grounds, stopping only to eat, drink, and find shelter. Finally she came close enough to see some fort of compound in the distance and she whinnied, testing it.
From inside the compound, two humans had been watching a lifeless chestnut equid stallion. He just stood at the corner of his enclosure and stared at the ground, rarely moving and never showing interest in anything. "What are we going to do with him?" The manager of the adoption center asked.
"There's nothing we can do," the man replied. "I've tried everything. Whatever is up in that mountain that we took him from, his heart is with it." They both went to turn away when a faraway whinny drifted with the wind and the stallion's head shot up, trying to see over the high metal bars. They were surprised when he replied, his own call slightly cracked and broken.
Asteri listened intently until she heard his answer; three years and it was still the same. She bolted forward, her white coat shining in the sunlight as she barrelled up to the bars and nuzzled her father, the two bumping noses and snorting, talking excitedly in little nickers and snorts.
"Well I'll be," the man said. Asteri allowed herself to be caught and put into the pen with her father, where they were put up for adoption only if they would both be adopted together. They didn't have long to wait, either.
"I'll take them," Amethyst said, her long bootcut jeans resting easily around her Ariat riding boots, her black tank top littered with horse hair. Her beige cowboy hat sat perfectly on her head and her golden brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, her blue eyes looking over the equids gratefully. She had just bought a track of land nearby and built a ranch that housed all of her companions and charges. Filling out the required paperwork Amethyst thanked the adopters and led the two equids away. "Firon and Asteri," she smiled. "You two will fit in just fine. And I have a surprise for you," she said happily. The newly dubbed Firon, just happy to be with his daughter, plodded along quietly. Asteri cocked her head as they travelled, first by trailer, then by foot to a place very familiar. Amethyst was on her own horse, a shining silver dapple bay stallion with a star on his forehead. The two were on halter and lead, trailing behind Amethyst and Requiem calmly when they reached home.
"Here we are," Amethyst finally said. They were at the herdlands. Both equids turned to look at Amethyst with a confused look. "You both have free reign to come and go as you please, but do come and see me so I know you're alright, m'kay?" She asked, pointing towards a ranch that lay not too far away. "You both have tattooes on the insides of your ears so if you're ever caught again, they'll notify me and I'll be able to come get you." Pulling them both closer, she removed their halters and motioned for them to go. "I'll see you soon," Amethyst said, turning her horse away. From the brush an old cougar welcomed the both of them home, then plodded down the mountain with Amethyst towards the ranch in the distance. Relieved that they were home, Firon and Asteri made their way to their herd, content to spend the rest of the day with those they had missed for so long. <3
Art:
Asteri alone <3
Story Image 1 WIP <3
^Sorry for the horrible sketches, but I'm about to pass out and I doubt I'll have time to finish tomorrow.^
(wip)
