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Family Ties (Dauphin DaGlobster)

Started by DragonSong, November 03, 2016, 01:18:56 PM

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DragonSong

"Hold on," the centaur muttered as she sprang into a gallop behind their guide. Ka's arms wrapped tight around her middle and he ducked his head against her back to avoid the sudden wind.

Dehak was certainly fast, but Bree was built for speed. She caught up to him easily, but decided to hang back a few paces so she was still running behind him, not beside.

DaGlobster

They would maintain that comfortable run for about ten minutes before they arrived at the main camp of the Bloody Brays. As they crested a gently sloping hill, the entirety of the camp and the thousands of centaurs that made their home there were visible.

"There's nothing else like it," Dehak said, sparing Bree a glance.

DragonSong

Bree came to a halt beside him, breathing a little harder than normal but pleasantly flushed from the run. She rarely got the chance to just move like that, even since they'd left Essyrn.

Her eyes widened and she heard Ka draw in a sharp breath as he leaned on her back to peer around her. "Holy..."

"They're all centaurs?" she asked, disbelieving.

DaGlobster

"They are," Dehak said, and he resumed movement, albeit at a relaxed walk.

"We're the last Herd of centaurs on the plains. Before you, I'd thought we were the last in the world, as well," he mused.

"Where are you from, anyways? Apart from Essyrn?"

DragonSong

Bree shook her head. "I don't know," she replied quietly. "I was...very young when I was brought to Essyrn. I don't remember anything before that."

Ka's hands had moved back to her shoulders and he gave them a reassuring little squeeze.

DaGlobster

Dehak hummed thoughtfully, and looked back to the camp.

"Perhaps the elders would know," he said, and as they approached the entrance to the camp, Dehak took his helmet off, letting his hair go free.

He looked back to Bree, eyes shooting over to Ka for a few moments before they returned to her.

"Can I offer you a drink?"

DragonSong

The mare stopped for a moment, eyes widening as she got a look at his face for the first time.

Whoa...

No, bad Bree! He was arrogant and domineering, even her brief interactions with him had taught her that- no being attracted to that! She shook her head quickly, then realized that may be interpreted as an answer to his question.

"Um, no- I mean, yes, that would be...nice." She cleared her throat and pawed the ground awkwardly.

"Smooth, sis," Ka whispered in her ear. She threw an elbow back into his gut, making him huff out a sharp breath.

DaGlobster

Dehak smirked when Bree hit Ka, and he motioned for her to follow. He tied his helmet to his waist and started walking again.

It was clear that even among these centaurs, she was an outsider. That being said, most of the stares she got were curious, some (especially from some male centaurs) more on the "check-out" side. The fact stood, however, that while she might look like all the others, she lacked none of the Herd or Hoof markings that made her stand out as a member.

"The elders will want to speak with you first," he said.

DragonSong

Bree had never experienced anything like this before.

Sure, she'd gotten plenty of stares in her life, but from people who'd seen her as an oddity, an exotic trinket. Never...looks like she was getting now. Even Ka seemed to feel the stares on her, shrinking down to hide behind her back a bit.

"Um, okay..." she mumbled as she trailed along behind Dehak. A centaur nearby shifted, cracking a twig under his hoof, and she spooked like a green yearling, hopping awkwardly to the side with wide eyes.

DaGlobster

"Hey Dehak, where'd you find this one?!" Someone called out, and Dehak dismissed the words with a wave. He looked to Bree, slowing down so he walked beside her.

"Don't mind everyone. The whole Herd's convinced we're the last ones left, they're just surprised is all."

Another thing that Bree might notice was that a startling majority of the centaurs there were both armed and armored.

DragonSong

"R-right." Her eyes still flickered around nervously. "Are you- is there a lot of fighting?" she asked softly- redundantly, perhaps.

DaGlobster

"We fight the plainsmen, mostly in defense," Dehak said. While caravan raiding was a significant portion of their income in terms of new weapons, equipment, and actual money, almost all of the Herd's needs were met either by hunting or from looting plainsmen and eating their horses.

"Everybody here is ready to fight within a moment's notice. There's nowhere safer for a centaur than this Herd."

DragonSong

"Well. Guess it's a good thing we bumped into you then," Ka murmured from his sister's back. He peered around her at Dehak. "Ah- just how safe is it for us of a more...two-legged persuasion?'

Bree tilted her head slightly to murmured, "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, Tani." his hands squeezed her shoulders in silent acknowledgement.

DaGlobster

"I'm going to be honest, many centaurs here will not like your "brother," and even fewer will actually be vocal about it if they do like him. the Herd and humans have a very... spotty relationship." Dehak said.

"As long as he watches his words, commits no crime, and keeps from being a nuisance, he should be alright."

DragonSong

"Hey." Ka raised his hands peaceably and flashed a charming grin. "You'll get no trouble from me. And I'm dangerously likable, you'll see!"

Bree groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "He's really not so bad," she offered weakly.

DaGlobster

"We'll see," Dehak said, not shooting Ka a dirty look but looking like he was making some effort to ignore him. He looked to Bree.

"What other skills do you have?"

DragonSong

Ka opened his mouth and Bree elbowed him again. "I'm a good shot," she said with a shrug. "And I've got some skill with herbs. Gods know I've patched up this idiot enough times that I'm fairly handy when it comes to healing." She jerked her head to indicate her brother as she spoke.

DaGlobster

"A healer?" Dehak repeated, and he looked at her. He smiled faintly.

"Well, your odds of being accepted just drastically improved."

DragonSong

Bree tried for a smile of her own. "Yeah- I find most people won't argue with having a good healer around."

DaGlobster

"We need all the healers we can get. The more warriors we have ready, the better we can defend ourselves," Dehak said. They were headed towards a large tent near the center of the camp. It was a plain brown, but it had depictions of centaurs painted across the surface.

"This is where the elders live."

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