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Description

Word Count: 2,258
Activity: stat training-stealth-for: SunSplaash, Shyloh
Season: Fall
Seasonal Prompt: --
Location: forest, Caputalis Isle
Herd Member(s): SunSplaash, Shyloh
Lead Stallion: SunSplaash
The change in atmosphere is immediately noticed by SunSplaash as he rouses from his sleep. Zynnia's warmth does nothing to ease the sudden dread that pools in the pit of the stallion's stomach as he lifts his head from her back.
He looks out across the clearing, out at his herd. Everyone is still sleeping in the early morning hours, the sky still a pale gray as the sun is still rising, hidden between the trees of the forest.
As always, SunSplaash's eyes roam over his herd, immediately taking note of who is there, counting heads.
Shelly lays not too far away under the low-hanging branches of an oak tree, both Stardust and Beetle curled up together and sleeping soundly. Shyloh is not too far away from them, curled neatly around herself, her chin tucked against her chest.
Alarm rises in SunSplaash's chest as he quickly takes note of his two missing herd members. Both Twila and Silhouetet are both missing, nowhere in sight of their clearing nor can he catch a glimpse of them through the forest beyond.
Slowly, SunSplaash stands, careful not to wake the sleeping mare beside him. He walks out into the main section of the clearing, tipping his head back to breathe in the crisp morning air around him. But the scents of Silhouette and Twila are stale, meaning they had been gone for quite some time now.
Shit.
Something had happened.
Quickly, SunSplaash trots around the outside of the clearing, ears pinned back as he breathes in deep breaths of air. He searches for any trace of bachelor, or of any predator. But there's nothing. Only the stale trail of Silhouette and Twila disappears out into the forest.
SunSplaash looks back at his herd, heart picking up speed in his chest as the familiar feeling of panic slowly burns in his legs.
Something's wrong. He can feel it right down into the pit of his heart. Deep down, his instincts poke irritatingly at the front of his mind.
Regretfully, SunSplaash lets out a loud whinny, calling to his herd, waking them. Immediately his herd all stir, Zynnia snapping awake, turning sleepy eyes towards her lead. His foals both shift against each other, stubbornly refusing to wake up, though Shelly nickers to them. Shyloh snaps awake as well, quickly pulling herself up to her feet, eyes wide as she looks through her long forelock at her lead. Rook appears from a nearby tree, his wings fluttering loudly as he finds his spot atop Shelly's back.
"What's going on?" Zynnia's the first to ask, pulling herself up to her hooves, and shaking out her mane.
"Both Twila and Silhouette are missing," SunSplaash replies, talking quickly as he tries to calm his nerves. "Something's wrong, I-I need to go out and look for them."
"Are you sure?" Shelly asks gently, as she remains standing by both of the foals, who still refuse to wake up in the early morning.
"Very. Their scents are stale, a-and-I just have this feeling something bad's happening." SunSplaash explains anxiously. "Do-does anyone remember what they were doing last night?"
It's quiet amongst the group. SunSplaash grits his teeth anxiously, his eyes flashing from each of their faces.
"U-um..." Shyloh's quiet voice gently breaks through the tense silence. She lifts her head, though still avoids SunSplaash's eyes as she talks. "I saw them talking at the outer edge of the clearing...I-I don't know what about but...Twila looked angry and...and ran off into the forest. Silhouette followed after her."
"Did you see which way they went?" SunSplaash asks urgently, stepping closer to the mare. She tenses, dropping her head once more to hide behind her forelock.
"I think so? It-it was dark..." She stumbles over her words, retreating in on herself at SunSplaash's urgency.
SunSplaash takes a sharp breath, turning his head to look behind him at the far end of the clearing. Why was he not watching? Not paying attention? Why hadn't he made sure the entire herd had settled down for the night before allowing himself to fall asleep?
Frustration burns in his stomach as he looks back at his herd, helplessness crawling up his legs. But he can't fall subject to his own thoughts right now. Silhouette and Twila are still out there.
"Here's what we're going to do," he finally says, forcing his voice to be steady. "Shyloh, since you saw what happened and where they went, I want you to come with me to help search for them. Rook, I want you to come with us too, I need eyes from the sky. And if we run into trouble or if something happens, you can be the messenger."
"Sure thing boss," Rook dips his head respectfully, his raspy voice taking on a serious tone SunSplaash had never heard from him before.
Shyloh is quiet, though there's an uneasiness through her body that SunSplaash takes an immediate notice of.
"What about us?" Shelly asks worriedly. "And the foals?"
"Both you and Zynnia will stay-"
"No. Absolutely not, I'm not letting you go off into the woods alone." Zynnia immediately interrupts, her eyes burning with determination. "Not without me. You can't."
SunSPlaash's face softens, and he flashes an apologetic smile at his lead mare. "Please, Zynnia, especially now that you're pregnant. You-I don't want you getting hurt. It could be dangerous out there, we don't know why or what caused the two to run off like that."
"But-"
SunSplaash steps towards her, gently pressing his face against her own. He breathes in everything that she is, their eyes meeting. She's scared, her ears angled back as she leans into his gentle touch.
"I'll be okay, and I'm not going to be alone. Rook and Shyloh will be with me. I promise you everything will be okay. We'll find Sil and Twila and we'll make it back here as quickly as we can."
Zynnia takes in a sharp breath but says nothing more.
Reluctantly, SunSplaash steps away from her. She's very clearly upset about the matter but doesn't argue any further.
Shelly walks over to stand beside Zynnia, a gentle smile on her face as she brushes her cheek against Zynnia's neck for support.
"Right. Let's move out then. Shyloh, I'll take your lead on this," SunSplaash directs his attention at the red mare. She gives a feeble nod and makes her way through the group as she walks towards the edge of the clearing.
Rook leaps up into the air, spreading his wings as he soars up into the sky, circling slowly overhead, just above the tops of the trees.
SunSplaash follows Shyloh as she leads him to the edge of the clearing.
"Here, they were standing," she says, lowering her head to sniff at the ground. "There are impressions in the grass...leading off into the forest."
SunSplaash stays quiet as he lets Shyloh do her thing. She trots over towards the bushes, her brow furrowed with concentration.
"The ends of the branches are broken here," she sniffs at them, gently brushing her nose against the poky edges. How it doesn't make her sneeze will forever be a mystery to SunSplaash. "It looks like they went straight for quite a bit."
"Lead the way," SunSplaash says, and Shyloh simply nods back at him.
He takes one last glance over his shoulder. Shelly and Zynnia are now huddled under the tree with both of their yearlings, who are much more awake than they had previously been. Beetle is standing, talking to both the mares while Stardust is still lying on the ground. Her piercing blue eyes stare back at SunSplaash, and it's the last he sees of his herd before following Shyloh into the depths of the forest.
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"Here, it's easier to see the track in the mulch. It's dried now, but I'd say with how deep and torn up the ground is, they were both galloping for quite some time," Shyloh expertly explains, her nose sniffing at the ground.
SunSplaash follows her gaze as the tracks lead deeper into the forest. He then glances above his head, where he can just barely make out the dark feathers of Rook between the canopy of the trees around them.
"Let's go then," SunSplaash says anxiously. He follows behind Shyloh as she quickly leads them along the tracks. The both of them walk at the side of the tracks, not wanting to walk over them and ruin the trail.
Twila and Silhouette's sents are both still stale. They had gone through this way quite a while ago. How had SunSplaash not heard them? How had he been so blind to what had been going on right before his very eyes?
He continues to beat himself up, using his own thoughts as the pointy tips of rival hooves against his brain. And the quiet does nothing to help his spiraling thoughts, as he grits his teeth to the point his jaw begins to ache.
It's quiet between the both of them as they continue along the trail. He wants to talk to Shyloh and get to know her a little better as she's still a complete mystery to the stallion. She's very quiet, soft-spoken, and so far has obediently gone along with everything. She had intrigued him the moment he laid eyes on her through that thick fog of painted horses, as she had shyly approached him.
Awkwardly, SunSplaash clears his throat. "Where'd you learn to track things so good?"
Shyloh raises her head, ears perked forward with surprise. "W-well, um...I kinda taught myself."
"Really?"
She nods. "Mhm. My mother...well, I kinda had to fend for myself. My mother was...was an older mare. It was just us. I had to teach myself about our surroundings, about the forest and the marshes where I grew up. Found my own food, kept myself company, taught myself what was dangerous...I learned how to track so I wouldn't get lost, since I knew my mother wouldn't come looking for me."
SunSPlaash listens intently. Her voice is quiet, yet very sweet and gentle. If they weren't in their current situation, he would allow her words to lull him into a state of calmness. But his anxieties and worries about whether or not Silhouette and Twila are okay keep him worked up, his muscles coiled and his legs tense, prepared for anything to jump out at them at any moment.
"Sounds like you had it pretty tough," he says after Shyloh grows quiet again.
She shrugs, looking back down at the trail they're walking along. "It was at first, but...well, growing up like that, you tend to learn how to be grateful for the little things you have. It's...well it's kinda silly, I guess, but...I liked to watch the world around me. Just...simply....be, you know?"
"Wouldn't that get boring?"
Shyloh giggles. "Not at all! It was my favorite thing to do. I could simply find someplace comfortable and just...watch. It was peaceful."
SunSplaash smiles. "Maybe...maybe sometime you can show me?"
She lifts her head, blue eyes wide. She looks surprised again before a shy smile takes place on her face, and she quickly looks away again. "I-I'd like that very much."
SunSplaash smiles back, before taking a deep breath and breathing it out, changing the subject. "Are we getting any closer to them? We've gotten pretty far from the herd..."
Shyloh stops, lowering her nose to the ground once more as she inspects the tracks, sniffing as she does. "The scent is still old...but we are making some progress. Actually..."
Shyloh trails off as she lifts her head, looking ahead of them. She quickly trots forward, and SunSplaash follows quickly behind her. She suddenly comes to a stop, and if SunSplaash hadn't been paying attention, he would've run right into her.
The mare lowers her head again, her long mane and forelock dragging along the churned-up mulch. "Look, one of them continues on up ahead, while the other curves off towards the left."
"What?" SunSplaash moves up to stand beside Shyloh. And, true to her words, one of the trails continues on forwards, while the other curves off towards the left. "Why did they split up?"
"I don't think they did...for a while now the tracks have been overlapping. I think Silhouette lost track of Twila, and in the darkness took a wrong turn."
"You can tell which is which?"
"Yes. See the weird veiny imprints? Those are from Silhouette's feathers at her hooves. Twila doesn't have any, and so her tracks are more clear."
SunSplaash takes a deep breath, shaking his head. Of course, something like this had to happen. Why couldn't these things be easier?
"Should we split up?" Shyloh slowly asks, lifting her head to meet his eyes again.
SunSplaash shakes his head. "No, I don't want to risk anyone else getting lost out here, especially with how dense the forest has grown. I think-I think we should look for Sil first. She's a lot younger than Twila, and hasn't been out on her own very much."
Shyloh nods, before lifting her nose to the air. "Right, then...w-wait..."
There's an immediate change in Shyloh. Her body tenses up, eyes widening as her ears ping forward. Her nostrils flare, and she nervously shifts where she is.
"What's wrong?" SunSplaash asks anxiously beside her, lifting his nose to the air. But the only thing he can smell is the muddy mulch and the smell of the forest around them, almost completely covering up the stale scent of the two mares they're looking for.
"Somethings w-wrong. I-there's-I smell blood."

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~References Used~

-Poses
-i.pinimg.com/564x/3f/59/c7/3f5…
-i.pinimg.com/564x/89/4c/6d/894…

-Background
-None Used

Description

Word Count: 2,258
Activity: stat training-stealth-for: SunSplaash, Shyloh
Season: Fall
Seasonal Prompt: --
Location: forest, Caputalis Isle
Herd Member(s): SunSplaash, Shyloh
Lead Stallion: SunSplaash
The change in atmosphere is immediately noticed by SunSplaash as he rouses from his sleep. Zynnia's warmth does nothing to ease the sudden dread that pools in the pit of the stallion's stomach as he lifts his head from her back.
He looks out across the clearing, out at his herd. Everyone is still sleeping in the early morning hours, the sky still a pale gray as the sun is still rising, hidden between the trees of the forest.
As always, SunSplaash's eyes roam over his herd, immediately taking note of who is there, counting heads.
Shelly lays not too far away under the low-hanging branches of an oak tree, both Stardust and Beetle curled up together and sleeping soundly. Shyloh is not too far away from them, curled neatly around herself, her chin tucked against her chest.
Alarm rises in SunSplaash's chest as he quickly takes note of his two missing herd members. Both Twila and Silhouetet are both missing, nowhere in sight of their clearing nor can he catch a glimpse of them through the forest beyond.
Slowly, SunSplaash stands, careful not to wake the sleeping mare beside him. He walks out into the main section of the clearing, tipping his head back to breathe in the crisp morning air around him. But the scents of Silhouette and Twila are stale, meaning they had been gone for quite some time now.
Shit.
Something had happened.
Quickly, SunSplaash trots around the outside of the clearing, ears pinned back as he breathes in deep breaths of air. He searches for any trace of bachelor, or of any predator. But there's nothing. Only the stale trail of Silhouette and Twila disappears out into the forest.
SunSplaash looks back at his herd, heart picking up speed in his chest as the familiar feeling of panic slowly burns in his legs.
Something's wrong. He can feel it right down into the pit of his heart. Deep down, his instincts poke irritatingly at the front of his mind.
Regretfully, SunSplaash lets out a loud whinny, calling to his herd, waking them. Immediately his herd all stir, Zynnia snapping awake, turning sleepy eyes towards her lead. His foals both shift against each other, stubbornly refusing to wake up, though Shelly nickers to them. Shyloh snaps awake as well, quickly pulling herself up to her feet, eyes wide as she looks through her long forelock at her lead. Rook appears from a nearby tree, his wings fluttering loudly as he finds his spot atop Shelly's back.
"What's going on?" Zynnia's the first to ask, pulling herself up to her hooves, and shaking out her mane.
"Both Twila and Silhouette are missing," SunSplaash replies, talking quickly as he tries to calm his nerves. "Something's wrong, I-I need to go out and look for them."
"Are you sure?" Shelly asks gently, as she remains standing by both of the foals, who still refuse to wake up in the early morning.
"Very. Their scents are stale, a-and-I just have this feeling something bad's happening." SunSplaash explains anxiously. "Do-does anyone remember what they were doing last night?"
It's quiet amongst the group. SunSplaash grits his teeth anxiously, his eyes flashing from each of their faces.
"U-um..." Shyloh's quiet voice gently breaks through the tense silence. She lifts her head, though still avoids SunSplaash's eyes as she talks. "I saw them talking at the outer edge of the clearing...I-I don't know what about but...Twila looked angry and...and ran off into the forest. Silhouette followed after her."
"Did you see which way they went?" SunSplaash asks urgently, stepping closer to the mare. She tenses, dropping her head once more to hide behind her forelock.
"I think so? It-it was dark..." She stumbles over her words, retreating in on herself at SunSplaash's urgency.
SunSplaash takes a sharp breath, turning his head to look behind him at the far end of the clearing. Why was he not watching? Not paying attention? Why hadn't he made sure the entire herd had settled down for the night before allowing himself to fall asleep?
Frustration burns in his stomach as he looks back at his herd, helplessness crawling up his legs. But he can't fall subject to his own thoughts right now. Silhouette and Twila are still out there.
"Here's what we're going to do," he finally says, forcing his voice to be steady. "Shyloh, since you saw what happened and where they went, I want you to come with me to help search for them. Rook, I want you to come with us too, I need eyes from the sky. And if we run into trouble or if something happens, you can be the messenger."
"Sure thing boss," Rook dips his head respectfully, his raspy voice taking on a serious tone SunSplaash had never heard from him before.
Shyloh is quiet, though there's an uneasiness through her body that SunSplaash takes an immediate notice of.
"What about us?" Shelly asks worriedly. "And the foals?"
"Both you and Zynnia will stay-"
"No. Absolutely not, I'm not letting you go off into the woods alone." Zynnia immediately interrupts, her eyes burning with determination. "Not without me. You can't."
SunSPlaash's face softens, and he flashes an apologetic smile at his lead mare. "Please, Zynnia, especially now that you're pregnant. You-I don't want you getting hurt. It could be dangerous out there, we don't know why or what caused the two to run off like that."
"But-"
SunSplaash steps towards her, gently pressing his face against her own. He breathes in everything that she is, their eyes meeting. She's scared, her ears angled back as she leans into his gentle touch.
"I'll be okay, and I'm not going to be alone. Rook and Shyloh will be with me. I promise you everything will be okay. We'll find Sil and Twila and we'll make it back here as quickly as we can."
Zynnia takes in a sharp breath but says nothing more.
Reluctantly, SunSplaash steps away from her. She's very clearly upset about the matter but doesn't argue any further.
Shelly walks over to stand beside Zynnia, a gentle smile on her face as she brushes her cheek against Zynnia's neck for support.
"Right. Let's move out then. Shyloh, I'll take your lead on this," SunSplaash directs his attention at the red mare. She gives a feeble nod and makes her way through the group as she walks towards the edge of the clearing.
Rook leaps up into the air, spreading his wings as he soars up into the sky, circling slowly overhead, just above the tops of the trees.
SunSplaash follows Shyloh as she leads him to the edge of the clearing.
"Here, they were standing," she says, lowering her head to sniff at the ground. "There are impressions in the grass...leading off into the forest."
SunSplaash stays quiet as he lets Shyloh do her thing. She trots over towards the bushes, her brow furrowed with concentration.
"The ends of the branches are broken here," she sniffs at them, gently brushing her nose against the poky edges. How it doesn't make her sneeze will forever be a mystery to SunSplaash. "It looks like they went straight for quite a bit."
"Lead the way," SunSplaash says, and Shyloh simply nods back at him.
He takes one last glance over his shoulder. Shelly and Zynnia are now huddled under the tree with both of their yearlings, who are much more awake than they had previously been. Beetle is standing, talking to both the mares while Stardust is still lying on the ground. Her piercing blue eyes stare back at SunSplaash, and it's the last he sees of his herd before following Shyloh into the depths of the forest.
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"Here, it's easier to see the track in the mulch. It's dried now, but I'd say with how deep and torn up the ground is, they were both galloping for quite some time," Shyloh expertly explains, her nose sniffing at the ground.
SunSplaash follows her gaze as the tracks lead deeper into the forest. He then glances above his head, where he can just barely make out the dark feathers of Rook between the canopy of the trees around them.
"Let's go then," SunSplaash says anxiously. He follows behind Shyloh as she quickly leads them along the tracks. The both of them walk at the side of the tracks, not wanting to walk over them and ruin the trail.
Twila and Silhouette's sents are both still stale. They had gone through this way quite a while ago. How had SunSplaash not heard them? How had he been so blind to what had been going on right before his very eyes?
He continues to beat himself up, using his own thoughts as the pointy tips of rival hooves against his brain. And the quiet does nothing to help his spiraling thoughts, as he grits his teeth to the point his jaw begins to ache.
It's quiet between the both of them as they continue along the trail. He wants to talk to Shyloh and get to know her a little better as she's still a complete mystery to the stallion. She's very quiet, soft-spoken, and so far has obediently gone along with everything. She had intrigued him the moment he laid eyes on her through that thick fog of painted horses, as she had shyly approached him.
Awkwardly, SunSplaash clears his throat. "Where'd you learn to track things so good?"
Shyloh raises her head, ears perked forward with surprise. "W-well, um...I kinda taught myself."
"Really?"
She nods. "Mhm. My mother...well, I kinda had to fend for myself. My mother was...was an older mare. It was just us. I had to teach myself about our surroundings, about the forest and the marshes where I grew up. Found my own food, kept myself company, taught myself what was dangerous...I learned how to track so I wouldn't get lost, since I knew my mother wouldn't come looking for me."
SunSPlaash listens intently. Her voice is quiet, yet very sweet and gentle. If they weren't in their current situation, he would allow her words to lull him into a state of calmness. But his anxieties and worries about whether or not Silhouette and Twila are okay keep him worked up, his muscles coiled and his legs tense, prepared for anything to jump out at them at any moment.
"Sounds like you had it pretty tough," he says after Shyloh grows quiet again.
She shrugs, looking back down at the trail they're walking along. "It was at first, but...well, growing up like that, you tend to learn how to be grateful for the little things you have. It's...well it's kinda silly, I guess, but...I liked to watch the world around me. Just...simply....be, you know?"
"Wouldn't that get boring?"
Shyloh giggles. "Not at all! It was my favorite thing to do. I could simply find someplace comfortable and just...watch. It was peaceful."
SunSplaash smiles. "Maybe...maybe sometime you can show me?"
She lifts her head, blue eyes wide. She looks surprised again before a shy smile takes place on her face, and she quickly looks away again. "I-I'd like that very much."
SunSplaash smiles back, before taking a deep breath and breathing it out, changing the subject. "Are we getting any closer to them? We've gotten pretty far from the herd..."
Shyloh stops, lowering her nose to the ground once more as she inspects the tracks, sniffing as she does. "The scent is still old...but we are making some progress. Actually..."
Shyloh trails off as she lifts her head, looking ahead of them. She quickly trots forward, and SunSplaash follows quickly behind her. She suddenly comes to a stop, and if SunSplaash hadn't been paying attention, he would've run right into her.
The mare lowers her head again, her long mane and forelock dragging along the churned-up mulch. "Look, one of them continues on up ahead, while the other curves off towards the left."
"What?" SunSplaash moves up to stand beside Shyloh. And, true to her words, one of the trails continues on forwards, while the other curves off towards the left. "Why did they split up?"
"I don't think they did...for a while now the tracks have been overlapping. I think Silhouette lost track of Twila, and in the darkness took a wrong turn."
"You can tell which is which?"
"Yes. See the weird veiny imprints? Those are from Silhouette's feathers at her hooves. Twila doesn't have any, and so her tracks are more clear."
SunSplaash takes a deep breath, shaking his head. Of course, something like this had to happen. Why couldn't these things be easier?
"Should we split up?" Shyloh slowly asks, lifting her head to meet his eyes again.
SunSplaash shakes his head. "No, I don't want to risk anyone else getting lost out here, especially with how dense the forest has grown. I think-I think we should look for Sil first. She's a lot younger than Twila, and hasn't been out on her own very much."
Shyloh nods, before lifting her nose to the air. "Right, then...w-wait..."
There's an immediate change in Shyloh. Her body tenses up, eyes widening as her ears ping forward. Her nostrils flare, and she nervously shifts where she is.
"What's wrong?" SunSplaash asks anxiously beside her, lifting his nose to the air. But the only thing he can smell is the muddy mulch and the smell of the forest around them, almost completely covering up the stale scent of the two mares they're looking for.
"Somethings w-wrong. I-there's-I smell blood."

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~References Used~

-Poses
-i.pinimg.com/564x/3f/59/c7/3f5…
-i.pinimg.com/564x/89/4c/6d/894…

-Background
-None Used