New Beginnings...

[Rizpah||Midnight]

"No, it's fine." he replied, smiling again and nuzzling her softly.

Midnight watched his family in silence, a contented smile on his face.
His ears flew back suddenly, but he kept his posture casual. A deep rumble was coming from the woods behind them. He didn't want to arouse fear in Nevada or Twilight though, so he hid his anxiety for the moment.

"Come on, lets take some of these over to the spring and cool ourselves off." he said, struggling to keep his voice calm and carefree. He trotted leisurely over to the water, motioning for them to join him. He splashed into the water for a moment, looked thoughtfull, and then got back out.
"You two go ahead, I'm going to get a few more apples." he told them. When his back was to them, his eyes darkened visibly. His body tensed and his ears swiveled madly trying to capture the sound again.
As he neared the woods, his nostrils flared wide as they searched for an unusual scent. He reached up into the tree so as not to look suspicious, and pulled down a few apples from a branch, when the purring rumble started again. He dropped the apples and stepped towards it. His skin tingled and bristled as he drew nearer. Something was not right....

[rachel]

Nevada went to the spring and waited for Midnight. She splashed Twilight with the water. Then took a swim. Her black coat was soaked when she got in. She pulled her tail up and made a splash. Then she got out and wondered why midnight was taking so long. "Midnight you alright." she asked.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

Midnight turned his head and nodded curtly to Nevada.
"I'm fine, I'll be just a minute." he said, hiding the stern tone that tried to creep into his normally placid voice.
Turning back to the forest wall he again studied the smell that was so unusual. A part of it smelled like smoke, but a strange odor mixed with it that he had never smelled before. He walked slowly towards the edge of the woods, thinking through all the possibilities.

A sharp, ear peircing sound errupted from the woods, startling Midnight into action. He galloped back to Twilight and Nevada, eyes wild. He stopped abruptly only feet from the, sending a shower of moist earth and grass spraying over their feet.

"I dont know what it is, but we've got to get out of here!" His voice was stern and left no room for questioning. "Go to the talking terrace. I'll be close behind you!" He shoved them in the direction away from the woods and spun on his heels, once again facing the danger. He would let nothing take them from him, nor would he loose his terra to any intruder.

[rachel]

Nevada reared and took off. Making sure Twilight was with her. SHe ran as fast a she could. When she got half way she stopped and turned into direction where Midnight was. SHe reared and whinnied for him to come. SHe wasnt going to leave with out him. Her black ebody body felt fear and anger. She didnt want anything happening to her family. She pawed at the ground and she wanted to know what was wrong. Y midnight was acting this way. She did another powerful rear. She waved her daggers fast in the air. She whinnied loudly. She didnt want anything to harm him or twilight. "MIDNIGHT COME ON!" she yelled. She smelt the air. It wasnt normal.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

"Go!! I'll catch up soon!"

He wasnt going to let anything happen to them, even if it meant his own life being put at risk. He backed away from the forest slowly, keeping his eyes in the direction of the loud crack that had errupted moments ago. He heard noises. Strange noises. The brush moved and swayed, making way for something that was coming towards them. There were more than one, he knew that.

Humans....

The thought struck him like a physical blow. He spun on his heels and bolted after Nevada and Twilight with power and speed. His swift movements caught him up with them just as a small group of hunters emerged from the woodline.

"GO!" he yelled again, shoving Nevada lightly, but firmly in the direction he needed her to go. He looked back breifly, hearing the two-leggers yelling something to eachother.

"Give me the tranquilizer gun!" one yelled to his companion. "And get the lasso!" a bustle of movement in the small group. Midnight rushed to get his wife and foal over the ridge as the first man took aim with a long riffle...

[rachel]

Nevada ran with full speed. Her daggers hitting the ground ever mil. second. She turned to make should Twilight was right beside them.

When she heard what the humans said. She then got scared. She did a barrel turn and went behind Twilight. She ducked her head and scooped her up. So she was on her back. "Hang on." she nickered to Twilight. She jumped over some tree trucks and bushes. She did poles around some sticks. SHe saw a string hanging from a tree. It was a trap. "Midnight we need to be careful. There might be traps around here." she yelled. As the wind blew in their faces and through their mane.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

Midnight thundered along right behind her. He wanted to stay between his family and the danger. His hooves pounded the ground with force and purpose as he paced himself to Nevada's gait. He turned back for a moment, hearing the two-leggers shouting at one another. the voices were getting farther away though, not closer. They were outpacing them by far.
Midnight suddenly ducked into a thick wood, calling out for Nevada to follow. He weaved through the trees adeptly and stopped when they came to a small, shadowed grove. He was still on his land, but at the very outskirts of it. He knew it would take the humans hours to catch up to them, and even longer to know where to look. they would likely go past them many times and never think to look in the forest. He breathed in deeply, letting his heaving lungs take in the pure air. He looked back at Nevada and Twilight. They needed the break. He didnt know how much longer Nevada could have carried Twilight, as big as she was getting.

"We'll rest here." he told them softly. "As long as we're still and quiet, they will not find us." He spoke with surity and confidance, trying to put them at ease when his real feelings were much more tumultuous.

[rachel]

Nevada stopped and turned around to Midnight. She ducked and hid. She started to pant quietly. Sweat came rushing down her body. "Man twilight what have you been eatting" she whispered.

She slide Twilight off quietly. Then walked over to Midnight. She had fear in her eyes. She looked back at twilight to see if she was sleeping or not. She walked over to twilight and tucked her in. She walked over to midnight and nuzzled him. She watched the enterence. She wasnt going to sleep or eat until the two leggeds were gone. She wanted to protected her family like before. And this time she was not going to lose.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

Hours passed slowly as they stood in silence. Midnight turned to Nevada, watching her.

"You should go rest, my love. I'll keep watch." he said in a voice hardly above a whisper. He nudged her in the direction of Twilights little bed of ferns and smiled softly at her. If they had to run again, he would not have her exhausting herself.

He turned back to the edge of the glade and stared intently into the darkness of the night, his black orbs searching for anything unusual and his long auds swiveling for the sound of the humans.

[rachel]

She shook her head. "No, im not going to rest unil they are gone. Im staying right here with you." she nickered. She stood next to him. Her muscles tensed up. Her black neck arched. She nuzzled Midnight.

She looked over with just her orbs to Twilight. To see if she was ok. Then she listened for the humans. One hark forward to listen and one hark pinned back with anger. She whipped her whipcord around a little.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

He looked over at her, touched by her loyalty, but not in a mood to be disobeyed.
"That's not a request. If we have to run again, I dont want you having worn yourself out. If they come, I'll awaken you." he said, his tone still quiet, but leaving little room for discussion on the topic. He nudged her again, a bit more firmly this time, in Twilight's direction. He once again turned his attention towards the forest edge.

His auds pricked forward at the snap of a twig. He caught a scent not native to the forest.
"Back!" he hissed in a whispered voice, concern written across his face. He backed further into the thick of the wood, letting his black body blend with the night shadows. He nipped Nevada's tail, pulling her back with him. Twilight was already well hidden in the ferns beside them.
Returning his attention to the sounds, he watched carefully. Soon, whispered voices in the human language caught his ears.

They come

His ears pinned back on his dark head as he watched. He saw shadowy shapes move slowly past the glade in which they were so well hidden. He thanked God that the humans hadn't the sense of smell that most animals had. If they did, he knew they would be gonners. The shapes passed them slowly, coming within yards of them but never noticing their presence.

He sighed a long sigh of relief when they had passed completely, but he didnt move. He remained in the hidden glade and decided it best not to leave until morning.

[rachel]

She turned and layed down with Twilight to sleep. She curled her ebony tail around her side and snuggled next to Twilight. She was sleeping but she was still listening to everything. Her harks were forward.

When she heard the twig. She got up quietly. When Midnight told them to get back. She followed. When he pulled on her tail she backed up more. She put her head down parallel to the dirt. SHe blocked Twilight from them since they were so close. Then after they left she unblocked her. She still had her harks back.

She turned to the direction where Twilight was. She started pacing quietly.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

"I think we're safe....for now." He said in a whispered voice to Nevada. "we'll stay here for the night and in the morning I'll see about going back." He smiled gently to his mate. For once he was very glad of their dark coats; all three of them. They were well hidden in the shadows of the night; unseen and undetected. He nuzzled Nevada. "Go back to sleep for now. I'll stand watch." he told her, his tones still low and deep. He turned his focus back to the humans, wherever they might be by now. He hoped that by morning they would have given up, but they might need to relocate their main living area. They might come back to look for them there again.

[rachel]

"whats with these humans. What do they want with us." she asked him. She started pacing. She was thinking and this is one of the ways she can get to sleep in times like these. She closed her eyes and rocked her self back and forth.

She stopped and walked up to midnight. "Midnight y dont you sleep and ill watch. I all ready slept and now its your turn. If anything suspitus come near or that i hear. Ill wake you. ok. You need rest." she nickered.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

"No, my love. It's almost morning anyway, I'll sleep when we are safe again. I think they are leaving now." he said softly, not wanting to wake Twilight who was stirring already with the pale morning light.

((Sorry its so short, muse isnt obeying today))

[rachel]

Nevada's neck was starting to get sore. So she moved it from side to side massaging it. She came out where they could see her. Then she watched the sun rise. "Midnight. Do you want to watch the sun rise with me." she asked.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

Midnight noticed her acting as though her neck was paining her and moved forward slowly.

"I'd love to." he said, coming up beside her. He gently massaged her neck with his muzzle as they stood watching the sky begin to be illuminated in the glorious morning light. They watched as the sun slowly rose above the horizon. First as only a sliver of golden light, shooting out long streams of misty morning sunshine across the ground. Slowly after that, the sliver expanded to more and more of the sun, the shy morning sun. The trees around them were backlit by the beautiful, color filled sky light and looked like mere black cutouts against it.

Midnight breathed in deeply, wanting the moment to last forever in his mind. All the beauty and the peace of it, even amidst trouble. The calming morning light was exuberating.

[rachel]

SHe gentle closed her orbs when he was massaging her neck. Then she opened them and watched the sunrise. It was nice and beautiful. The colors glowed on their coats and their orbs were sparkling. She listened to the birds waking up and the trees getting their green leaves. She listened for twilight. She felt and heard Midnights deep powerful breathing. She swished her whipcord around and burried her daggers into the cool refreshing dirt.

She didnt want this moment to go. After everything that has happened. This time was a memory that would last forever in her dreams, thoughts and stories. She looked at Midnight with her orbs and nuzzled him. She loved him so much. It felt like heaven.

[Rizpah||Midnight]

||Sorry it's taking me so long to respond, I've been rather busy, and I have no muse for this post like, at ALL. actually, i have little muse period, but i'm having especial trouble with this one.||

[rachel]

(What dose muse mean?)

[Rizpah||Midnight]

||muse is like...my creativity...my inspiration...basically, I'm having alot of trouble posting anything that's interesting or creative on this thread right now, and i've been so busy with life and with other sites that this one has kinda dropped on my priority list. :/||