Fire In Our Blood || Closed

Idalia || Mountains Outside of Espeor

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The wind seemed to whistle softly through the trees. The scent of the air was sweet, but tinged with smoke. Not from any disaster, but rather from the city that lay behind the flame colored mare. Here, the trees spread above her, and soft moss grew beneath. There was something magical about Espeor, she had to admit. 

Idalia didn’t quite know why she had decided to visit her sister, Avia. The mountains were far from where her small herd normally roamed, but she had been there once before - at the birth of Khaalida’s twins. Mother had made them all go, both to see Avia but also to celebrate. In a way, the family had grown, Idalia supposed. While they were not related by blood, Avia was one of them now. 

A soft snort came from the mare as she stood in the forest, just looking around. Part of her could understand why Avia left. Khaalida’s city of Queensbreak was gorgeous, crafted from glittering stones and ores. Every building had something magical about it, Khaalida’s own star-blessed power seeming to surround one when in the city. The young mare's power amazed Idalia, and she took a moment to close her eyes, the flames that stood in place of eyes winking out momentarily as she stood, sightless. 

While part of her was still angry at Avia for leaving, she had been glad to spend time with her sister. The adventures apart had strengthened Avia, and while Avia seemed to have an air of sadness around her now, there was also a maturity that Idalia envied. 

And now that Mother was gone, Idalia had taken the opportunity to leave, no questions asked. She felt bad for leaving Elara with Eadwine, but Elara was old enough to take care of herself. And Datura, well she was normally alone. Idalia didn’t want to admit it, but she knew she often forgot about her other sister, sometimes on purpose. But she didn’t feel too bad; Datura just hid in her cave away from anything she could kill, and Eady was often just… cold to Idalia. It led to many fights between them. It was too easy for the fire-hearted mare to nag Eadwine, and Eady’s cold reactions only prodded her on. Elara was the youngest, but often tried to be a peacekeeper. But being tiny compared to the others, and rather delicate, Elara couldn’t do much. So Idalia would find ways to annoy her sisters, and Eady would freeze them all out. Datura would hide, and Elara would try… but ultimately give up on trying to find any peace between the group. Only Avia had been loved by them all, in their own ways.

They were not the closest group of sisters, that was true. 

But now Mother was off on quests to gain land for them. A home, like the one that Avia had found for herself in Espeor. Avia had left them, and it felt like their delicate balance of peace was gone with her exit. Idalia didn’t think a permanent home would help anything. 

Idalia didn’t know if she would ever feel at home. But opening her flame eyes, determination settled within her. She was a mare on a mission. 

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Flame graced hooves left a trail in her wake. Smoke rose from each step, scorched marks in the ground from where she stepped. Idalia was looking for answers, and she was determined to get them. Mother had said that Idalia’s father had been with her only a night, much like Idalia’s other sisters. But Mother had given her a description, and her time in Espeor had given her a better bearing of where to start looking. There were rumors of a small herd, one of which being her father, wandering near the Mountains. Idalia had left and kept track of her direction, heading toward where they had last been seen. At one point she thought she saw two flying figures in the sky above her. Idalia paused, watching them pass. They almost looked like the lead mare and stallion, but Idalia wasn’t certain at the distance. 

So Idalia took a chance, adjusted her direction to match that of which the pair had come from, and continued on. The day turned to twilight, and Idalia began to pick up on scents, a mix of them. They seemed to be close to each other, intermingled. A herd perhaps? Idalia couldn’t help but notice her entire journey was guided by chance. It was a chance that the Quirlicorns of Espeor had a general idea of the other Quirls in the Mountains. It was a chance she spotted those two flying figures. And chance again that she now found herself following a trail of herd-scents. At one point, two of the scents, one feminine one masculine, seemed to split off, and disappear, perhaps into the sky. Her determination renewed, Idalia felt she was on the right track, and followed the remaining scents into the twilight. 

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The sky was starlight above her, the breezes cool. Doing her best to stay hidden from sight, Idalia watched the small herd. There seemed to be three stallions, and one mare. The two younger ones seemed around the same age, and for a moment Idalia wondered if she had a sibling. But the thought quickly passed; they looked nothing like her, and if Idalia remembered correctly, the lead pair had twin boys. The mare seemed to keep a distance from the others, and well the other stallion…. Idalia’s eyes couldn’t help but keep drifting to him. He matched the description she had been given… of her father. 

Idalia realized she had never even asked his name. 

With a soft sigh, Idalia turned away, retreating for the night. As she left a snap seemed to split the night. Looking down she saw a twig she had carelessly stepped on broken beneath her hoof, smouldering slightly from the heat of her hooves. 

Shaking her head, Idalia picked up her pace, hoping she wasn’t heard and would have more time to prepare to meet her father. 

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1,100 Words - +4 Chimes

4 Chimes Total for RP