[Theres.Only.So. Many]

[ƒωєє...♥]

[There can only be so many]

Hey, welcome to Ragnorok, just wanted to say, I hate your guts and I want you dead. Seth knew only too well the words that would lie behind this stallion’s welcoming as he stepped onto the land, something similar to the thoughts in his own head as Sulphur, the first stallion to join his own herd had approached, head held high, crimson eyes dancing in amusement, he was all seeing, Seth had thought, teasing, he could take him down in one minute but he stood there – laughing.

There was nothing that could disguise the scent, Seth knew there was only one who had been here, the same young, earthy fragrance that brushed the lands he had passed through. Riofitz, he had heard the rumours, the heir to Ragnorok from past generations, he who was the almighty, stuck up egotistical spoilt child, by the sounds of it. But Seth thought they would get along just fine…like an old aunt and a grumpy child. Don’t you want your red sweater darling? Nothing.

[/lies]

It was the same, if he closed his eyes, he could pretend the sun was there for a moment, turning his inner lids aglow and beating against his blood-ridden pelt, the ground felt the same beneath his hooves, the hard, rocky stale-grey earth that crumbled away from his steps, and if he could imagine her…

He had forgotten Devine’s scent, but it wasn’t difficult to pretend, selecting a random aroma from the distance and pretending it was her…he almost believed it, opening his eyes again, suddenly shaken by the loss of the pretend roan, snapped back into reality, this was not his canyon, the rock did not glow red and pools of water had gathered in the crags, the sun did not burn his eyes and though there was no vegetation, there were no strange spined cacti cracking through the earth.
It wasn’t home, but it was the closest thing…

[/tears]

He hadn’t lost his mind, Seth didn’t fall as easily as others, but the world had always seemed so heartless, there was nobody out there controlling fate, if there was, they held a grudge against him. Sometimes it was easier just to laugh at the world, hurt it back.

So if he chose to mock the world, in a way, it was his sense of humour that was so deranged, there wasn’t much to laugh at, he had lost too much, loved ones, fights, at times his mind, and then he was left, empty, confused, unsure of what to do, he had always had to escape, from running from his father as a colt to leaving Sabyth behind.

[/broken hearts]

But this would be different, he could tell, he had decided, he would live to stay in the shadows, the bass line of the new herd; unnoticed until he was gone…There would be no more love, no more memories, and he would try, try to be amused to himself, without voicing his opinion, he could do without the fights, they could go too.

[/shattered dreams]

He picked his hooves up over the ground more carefully than he usually had, as if it were made of glass that could shatter at any moment, he stopped at the furthest point, were the ground had crumbled away and gazed out across the land.

It was as if his vision was a camera, panning out across the landscape to show what he had not seen before; The Quagmire was beautiful…in it’s one twisted way, if it could be ugly at the same time, if the drop below him was breathtaking and the haze of white fog that clouded the rock was eerily serene, then he could see the beauty in the place, beyond the random pools of slime and the dull grey rock, a place that looked as though it had once been a war field, as if explosions had caused the strange rises in the landscape and the lack of vegetation, though he knew as good as anybody the story of the hurricane.

[/deaths]

He was bored, already the lack of others was getting to him, no grass to keep him occupied and Riofitz’s scent was still playing with his mind, Seth suddenly felt useless, lost. He was in the wrong place, alone and more than likely unwanted, he could have stayed with Sabbyth, but he wished more for Devine…all those years ago…he needed something, and suddenly the idea of a conflict with the dark king was inviting.

[before you open up…

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[[ Bav™]]

[

[/font]CHAINMEUP ] [/right]

;;RIOFITZ

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What is that god damn repulsive smell? My nostrils creased before flexing; snort brushing past the paper thin nares. So I was no longer alone. Thank fuck. I was beginning to think this land would remain empty and how disappointing that would have been. These god almighty lips of mine stretched into a deep smirk as long legs struck beneath me. If it was entertainment you sought, then you would most certainly find it here.

I let the sharp wind tear round the corners of my bodice, ruffling the fine hairs on my chassis and snapping my ebonite tendrils into knots about me. I kept to the shadows of the sparse trees, dipping in and out of visibility as I slunk my way towards the beloved quagmire. Was there ever such a place of such bog and mud? I could already feel the earth dragging me down, like the demons from hell swamping my legs, trying to drown me. The squelching grew more rapid as I picked up a snappy trot, lifting my appendages as far from the ground as possible. My harks sat eagerly, anticipating the shitty and more likely pathetic form that would soon cross my optics. No doubt all have a very well formed opinion of me. No need to be jealous. I lifted my shoulders and hitched up my bulk. I am fucking gorgeous. I know I mean appear as though I am spoilt, but I was far from it, I was not given this place you moron, in fact, it does not even belong to me. Yet. As for being a ‘child’ I am far from it as you shall soon discover.

You were not especially hard to miss. Eyes whipped over your form and a chuckle rose deep from within me, rumbling from my baritone throat. You had been broken. I could see it in you. You allowed a wench to give you a heart and with it, you were a fool and you were useless to me. When I take this place over I need strong stallions on my side, not whimpering mortals who had been bewitched by the seductively sly being of a femora. We were all better off without hearts. Without hearts we can be selfish. Don’t deny it; we all care for self preservation, but with it comes selfishness. Without hearts we are free to be the m*th*rf**k**g stallions we are. We are the kings.

So start acting like it.

“You make me laugh.” Words were harsh, slicing through the air with a bitter coldness. I spoke from your left, still hidden within the faint depths of the last cluster of trees edging onto the deadly swamps. Grow a backbone and get over your prissy little she devil, whomever she might have been. Mares are only good for one thing, sex and providing heirs. Other then that they are pretty much useless, spare the ones that can sit and look pretty at my shoulder. My brows momentarily knotted and my mind was taken elsewhere. I really needed to find some of these said mares. But that could be done later, for now, I had this bastard to contend with.

You want entertainment, then you come and get it.

|| Lots of swears, sorreh, I couldn’t help, Rio is in one of those moods.

[ƒωєє...♥]

[So here it comes, the sound of drums]

He sensed Riofitz’s presence long before his scent touched his nostrils or the drumming of his hooves reached his ears, he knew he was coming before he moved to the edge of the cliff to watch the stallion’s form move across the land below him. And with the King lurking behind him, he allowed a cheeky smirk twist the corners of his mouth, hidden from the other’s eyes.

Oh, he was not afraid of him, but then, he had only seen him from a distance, he had not heard his thoughts and threats, the only things he knew about the stallion were told to him by others, and yet, they could so easily be rumours.

You shouldn’t misunderstand Seth, he did not think himself superior to the dark king, and he did not plan to fight, he just expected it. He didn’t come here to put the bastard in his place or to mock him, though he wasn’t going to stand back and let him prance (for Rio seemed that sort of ego-as-big-as-the-earth, drink me in horse) all over him. Seth, as so many others before him, was just looking for a place to start afresh, and if it meant being ruled over by this prat, so be it.

You make me laugh

He stood there for a moment, letting the alpha’s words hang in the air between them, thinking he really ought to reply but enjoying the tension that was building. (Or that would be his excuse for the time it took to think up a witty reply.)

“I’m glad to have amused you.” He replied, his voice emotionless, toneless. Seth’s rule number one never let your enemy see your emotions. He turned to face Riofitz, taking in his dust-choked pelt and his eyes, hidden by a few strands of forelock. He certainly didn’t look amused.

He was young, Seth guessed he could have only been three or four years old, and no doubt this was his first herd. Seth tried to hide a grin as he realised, this stallion would be inexperienced, naïve. How funny it would be to see this tuck up brat make mistakes, how frustrated he would be if he lost control...

He drew his gaze to meet the stallion’s again, when he did not speak, Seth paused, he should introduce himself…should he begin with a classic mocking bow, or just say his name like some well-known villain to scare his ass off? Dream on…he’s not that stupid…

“So…the infamous Riofitz” he said, his eyes boring into the alpha’s, God only knew…if he didn’t speak now…he stood, waiting, preparing words in his head and rolling them over and over in his mind “I’m Seth…”

[Here come the drums, here come the drums]

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[[ Bav™]]

;;RIOFITZ

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Honestly, you are funny. But I don’t get it, I am confused. Are you tolerating my inflated ego? Are you honestly going to let me continue playing this stupid narcissistic fool with his head up his arse? Inside I frowned, but to you, my visage remained dubiously plain. I was trying to push you, to see how much entertainment you might be, but you reply so boringly. Such disappointment.
With fresh, anew eyes I watched you in a different light. Just what were you expecting to find here? Finally a frown creased above my pondering pools. You are not the fool I took you for. Lungs filled, nostrils inhaling the dead scent of the terrain, before blowing my carbon dioxide back out as a sigh. I could drop the guise, act the norm, but would that really make me feel any better? Probably not.

Weight shifted from hind to hind, I couldn’t make up my mind how to stand so I let my long, dark legs move as I strode closer towards your bay form. My shoulders sagged into their sockets as I moved, ebonite banner swishing nonchalantly about behind me, a few strands slicing at my flanks and sheath, already I had relaxed more, the swagger still sat upon my face, but it coursed with a new profound ease. Now that I had determined how little the chances were of having a good old fight, I could instead determine what the fuck it was you wanted in this shitty land. Audits moved about my poll, swivelling constantly, homing in on the faint sounds of the wind breaking twigs and the sparse rodents crawling in distant shrubbery. This place was a mere shadow of its former self, and so, apparently, were you.

Your words broke the silence I had left and I obliged by listening patiently. Amused me? Hah. Jowls moved till they displayed a smirk. Oh but I did absolutely adore your indifference. All darks had to be emotionless at all times right? Very original. I also wasn’t aware that I was a celebrity. The infamous Riofitz, had a nice ring to it didn’t it? My dial shook slowly, moving away the strands that still, persistently fell over his eyes. You flatter me Seth, however flattery gets you nowhere when I am concerned, you had to do better then that. Looking on the bright side, at least I didn’t have to bother introducing myself.

“And, Seth, what is it you want?” Words were harsh, but flat, as though it were some great effort to even bother speak them. Yes, this question probably had a very simple question, but I still asked it. By guessing I presumed you wanted to do no more then reside upon this land, a fresh start. Unfortunately, whatever your answer was, there wasn’t much I could do.
This land belonged to nobody. Yet.

[/blockquote]

[ƒωєє...♥]

[this ain't a song for the broken hearted]

What the hell are you doing? Seth’s gaze searched the stallion, uncertainty wading through his thoughts; Seth’s first opinion of Riofitz had been what a goddamn smug son of a bitch he was, but no one who wasn’t wrong in the head would stand with that stupid smirk on their faces for this long. No, there had to be something else, just a hunch, but – was the little bugger scared of him?

He couldn’t help it; a genuine smile broke across his face, and gleamed in his eyes, so that he had to turn his face away to avoid a kick in the jaw. In no way did he underestimate Riofitz, he had been in his position oh-so-long ago, but it was still fresh in his mind, Seth didn’t want to appear like Sulphur had, a new male to his land, arrogance all over the place, and at first Seth had seen him as a potential threat.

Seth studied the young stag before him, he didn’t care for leadership anymore, he didn’t need the hassle of fights or slutty mares looking to glue themselves to a high-up stag, or heirs or protecting a load of horses who told themselves they were demonic gods. Riofitz didn’t know any of that yet, but Seth guessed he had the potential to be a good alpha; he seemed to have the self-confidence, anyhow.

“We seemed to have misunderstood each other,” he said, grinning almost formally, god, if he’d been human he would have shook the sod’s hand. He looked him up and down again, but not for his own benefit, “Are you the alpha?”

[no silent prayer for faith departed]

OoC;; Sorry. It's vereh short.

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