[Solo] We of the Sky, the Sand, the Sun

[Nisshou H]

This is a private RP (in short story format) between Nisshou H's Baaj, Sanubia and Bikanel. No posting please.

(Note for RP staff: The queen is an npc. She doesn't actually exist at the shop, nor will she ever.)



Sanubia when she isn't on fire
 

[Nisshou H]

Far to the north, beyond the desert and the plains that stretched past them, a high peak stood alone nestled in the hills. On this peak great beasts dwelled. They towered over the common creatures and were once revered as gods by the primitive people long since dead. Wishing to live up to their status as gods they battled one another for supremacy and the right to rule over all the lands that surrounded the lone mountain. The strongest won the right and all others would bow to their will or else paint the mountain with their own blood. So it was and so it always had been. It was during a summer storm that the mountain’s last king had been slain and a queen rose to take his place in a bloody display.

The new queen was far cleverer than the deceased king. She called for all those who remained on the mountain to fight in a tournament for the honor of becoming her personal guardians. Those that refused would be banished from the mountain or killed if they resisted. Those that won would never want for anything.

Unsurprisingly the day of the tourney arrived and all that lived on the mount gathered to compete. Among them was a young stallion not even three years of age but there was no arguing his strength. He stood equal in height to even the largest creatures on the mountain. He was known to all gathered there for his scrappy fighting and for his strange features more than that. Every creature on the mountain bore unusual traits, claws where hooves should be, lines of spikes down their backs, tails like whips with bladed ends, but the young stallion had come to be known as The Chimera for boasting so many peculiarities. Scaled claws on his forelegs, powerful paws on his hind legs, a thick tufted tail with a sharp spiked fin, and massive leathery wings that could cut through the air like butter. Any of those traits alone would make him formidable but together they made for a lethal combination.

In his first bout he brought his opponent down before the winged mare could even get off the ground. He second and third matches were just as quick. As he worked his way through the ranks with ease, he captured the attention of their new queen. By the time the final match concluded the ground was stained red and The Chimera stood triumphant though far from uninjured. As the queen approached many lowered their heads in respect including The Chimera. She approached him and stopped a hair’s breadth away.

“You fight well,” she said. “Would you also fight for me or should I end your life here?” She lifted a paw and placed it on the back of his neck pushing down.

“I would fight for you, my lady.” He replied softly.

“Your name?” She asked removing her paw from his neck.

“Baaj, my lady.” He replied stealing a glance up at his queen.

“Then raise your head, Baaj, and behold those around you.” She smiled as Baaj did as she commanded and looked at all the others gathered around him. A few looked back questioningly unable to hear the soft words exchanged between their queen and her champion. “You will be my captain, Baaj. Your first task as such is to end the fools that do not know respect enough to bow to their queen.”

-----

 

[Nisshou H]

“It’s hot.”

“You’re on fire.”

“I’m thirsty.”

“There’s no water.”

“Let’s rest somewhere.”

“There’s no shade.”

“Why’d we leave again?”

“They wanted you to kill yourself.”

“Oh yeah. Might’ve been nicer.”

“Faster, not nicer.”

Bikanel and Sanubia had been walking for many nights and days. They tried to do most of their traveling at night to conserve strength under the burning heat of the desert sun but some days, like this one, they had no choice but to leave their shelter. Sanubia was dangerous with her fire but they were not the biggest creatures lurking in the sands and fire wouldn’t save them if they were getting their throats torn out.

To pass the time they’d taken to complaining casually about their situation. To outside ears it likely sounded like Sanubia was being a baby but if they had been around only an hour earlier they would have heard Bikanel bemoaning the lack of rain clouds and the sand getting caught in his fur. It was a twin thing, or so they told anyone who had ever asked. Not that there was anyone left to ask anymore. Out in the middle of the desert they were alone and they were lost. They could use the stars to navigate at night but they didn’t know what lay ahead of them. Aside from the ruins at the oasis the twins didn’t know what was in the desert. They knew not how far the sands stretched.

Weary from travel and overheating from the beating sun the twins climbed up the side of a dune finding it easier to travel along the ridge. Looking out over the sands they could see, far in the distance, what looked like hills when the wind finally stilled long enough for the sand to settle. With no discussion and only a single look they decided to head for those hills. It was their only chance at getting out of the burning hell that was the desert.  

[Nisshou H]

Ever since that day neither twin had been able to catch sight of them. Twice they had made it to the top of a dune just as the sun set only to find, when the air cleared, that the hills were missing. It was as though they had merely been a mirage: a cruel trick of the desert sun baking the sand below it.

Sanubia sighed and hung her head staring out at the barren landscape. They’d been in the desert alone too long. It had been necessity that brought them out of the safe haven that had been their home but the cost of leaving seemed steep. It was true that Sanubia lived on but she was still in danger of dying and now her brother’s life was threatened as well. Sensing her distress Bikanel lay his head across his sister’s shoulders.

“We could go back to those cacti.” He suggested. “They weren’t far and there was a bit of water there.”

“I just want to leave.” Sanubia muttered trying to get her head onto her brother’s back as well but lacking a decent angle for it quickly gave up. “You know, if the sun likes me so much that it wants to marry me… maybe it could send me a way out as a wedding gift.”

Bikanel rolled his eyes. “Don’t joke about that. You know they made it all up.”
 

[Nisshou H]

Sanubia did know that it had all been made up. It had just been a way to kill her and save the herd from whatever danger they imagined she could bring. It didn’t stop her from half-wishing that it was true. If the sun would take it easy on them they might survive this desert. As it was things looked bleak.

“Let’s rest for now.” Bikanel suggested lifting his head and starting to dig into the side of a dune. It didn’t work well but he managed to get a slight indention into the dune to offer a bit more shade. Sanubia took the hint and laid down in the indentation to wait for the sun to set. Once his sister had settled he lay down beside her. In this position he would get for more of the sun’s force but if the heat wore Sanubia out by the time the sun set when night crept in they’d be in trouble.

-----

The sun had only just gone down when Sanubia’s ears twitched bringing her to full awareness in the space of a breath. Someone was shouting nearby. She kicked Bikanel’s back with one of her hind paws as she stood. He grunted and looked at his sister blearily. Sanubia had dozed off almost immediately after laying down; he’d only started to nap half an hour ago.

“S’wrong?” He mumbled struggling to keep his eyes open.

“I hear people.” She replied slowly climbing up the dune they were resting under. That woke Bikanel up and he trailed closely after his sister. They kept low to the ground and very slowly peered over the crest of the dune to see who was making the racket. Sanubia gasped when she saw him.

Across the way there stood an absolutely massive white stallion with leathery wings and a thick lion’s tail that seemed to have a fin. The strangeness of his appearance wasn’t the only thing that had shocked Sanubia, however. It also had much to do with the fact that he was fighting two kalona at once and giving up no ground.

“Give us the jug!” One kalona hissed while the other lunged for his neck. He knocked the attacker back easily with his wings before rearing up to slash at them with his talons.

“We should go.” Bikanel muttered to his sister not wanting to get involved. Sanubia had other ideas. She could see the jug the kalona mentioned and she would bet her life that there was water in it.

“Hey!” Sanubia shouted racing over the edge of the dune. Her blazing feet drew worried glances from both the kalona but the white stallion barely glanced in her direction. Taking his chance he struck again digging in deep to one kalona’s neck. It screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground: alive but bleeding.

“If you do not wish to share your friend’s fate I suggest you leave.” He snarled spreading his wings to their full before the second kalona had a chance to get an angry word in. It looked between the white stallion and Sanubia. Deciding against fighting both of them it settled for glowering at the two before helping its friend up to limp away.
 

[Nisshou H]

“Well that worked out well!” Sanubia said feeling quite pleased with herself. Bikanel, nervous over what his sister was up to, slowly crept down the hill after her. The white stallion surveyed them both briefly before turning to them and flaring his wings.

“You will both keep your distance as well. I do not know what your intentions are but I will not hesitate to strike.”

Sanubia stopped in her tracks as did Bikanel.

“We should go.” Bikanel said to his sister unable to be quiet enough so as to go unheard.

“But we helped!” She glared at the stallion. “You have water and we helped you keep it so you should share the water!”

The stallion rolled his eyes. “You should listen to your kin. There is no water for you here. And I would hardly call a momentary distraction help.”

Sanubia bristled. “Help is help!” She snapped taking a step forward. “We need water! We’ll die without it!” Bikanel covered the rest of the distance to his sister as quickly as he could to stop her from doing anything too reckless.

The stallion stared at the two silently before furling his wings. “I need water as surely as you do. I have miles to go still. I will not give you what you want for nothing. If you want me to share this water you will have to do something for me and prove your worth.”

Bikanel raised an eyebrow. He didn’t like where this was going but Sanubia was right, they would die if they didn’t get water soon. “Exactly what do you have in mind?”  

[Nisshou H]

The white stallion introduced himself as Baaj to the young duo and started to lead them west. Neither truly wanted to follow him but he had the only water that they had seen since the cacti a while back and it was probably more work to get water from a cactus than it would be from this stallion. Probably. Sanubia had been hoping that her flaming feet would intimidate Baaj. It usually sparked fear in people but it hadn’t worked on him. He hadn’t even flinched when he’d seen her. It likely had something to do with the fact that the twins barely cleared his shoulder if they stretched their necks out. The two were used to being petite compared to other soquili, it was just the nature of their herd, but he made them look like children in comparison.

“So what did you want us to do?” Bikanel prodded after an extended period of silence.

“I want you to get water.” Baaj offered continuing to lead the way to some secret location. Bikanel and Sanubia traded looks before Sanubia rolled her eyes and padded forward to come up to Baaj’s side.

“Um, you’ve got the water already. That’s kind of why we’re here.” Sanubia said craning her neck to try and look Baaj in the eye. He glanced down at her and sighed shaking his head.

“I believe I already told you that I have no water for you.”

“You also told us you would share if we helped.” Bikanel interrupted. Baaj frowned.

“Would you like me to explain myself or do you want to keep interrupting?” He asked sourly. Bikanel scowled and rolled his eyes.

“Fine.” He grumbled moving up to his sister’s side so that the three were walking next to each other rather than in a line.

“You will be helping me acquire the rest of the water that I got this jug from.” Baaj said indicating the earthenware jug strung around his neck. “I took it from a group of traders traveling the desert just last night.”

Sanubia stopped in her tracks. “You want us to steal from people?” Suddenly she was having second thoughts about this. Earning water was one thing but stealing was forbidden. All the elders had enforced that rule. Resources were shared and thieves were always treated harshly. There could be enough if people shared but thieves were greedy and meant death for everyone. That’s what they had been told.

“Only if you want water.” Baaj countered. “This is survival. You cannot afford to play nice with everyone if you want to continue living. I suggest you learn that now or leave me in peace.” Baaj continued walking toward his destination but neither of the twins followed now.
 

[Nisshou H]

Bikanel moved slowly to his sister’s side, tails dragging in the sand. “I’m sorry, Sanubia. I knew it would be bad but…” He trailed off. Really this wasn’t much of a surprise. He knew that stallion was bad news but condemning others to death in the desert just so that they could survive seemed so extreme.

“We’ll die right?” Sanubia asked meeting her brother’s eyes. “If we don’t find water we’ll die?” Bikanel nodded slowly. Sanubia stared at the form of Baaj disappearing over the crest of a dune. It didn’t feel good but he was right to some extent.

“Maybe, just this one time we work with him.” Sanubia said quietly. “We won’t take all their water, just enough. Enough to get us someplace better.”

Bikanel considered his sister before nodding. “I think that will work. Maybe he’ll even lead us somewhere better. He flies, he can’t want to stay in a wasteland.” Sanubia smiled at her brother and pressed her head against his shoulder.

“Just this one time. One time to survive and then we’ll stop.”

-----

Baaj was preparing to fly off when he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see the twin two-tails racing in his direction. They were oddly lively for a pair that claimed to be in desperate need of water. He suspected they didn’t actually know what real thirst was. There was a difference between thirst and dehydration and he knew it well. The spoiled children clearly hadn’t suffered a day out of their life.

“You changed your minds.” It wasn’t a question but they both replied by nodding their heads anyway. Strange children. “Then we should stop wasting time.”

“We have a condition.” The boy, Bikanel said stepping forward. Baaj leveled his gaze on the child, this would certainly be entertaining.

“We don’t take more than we need. We only want enough to get us out of the desert.” He said with his sister nodding in agreement behind him.

“That’s it?” Baaj questioned, they both nodded again. “Very well. Now will you follow.” He continued along his way and could hear the twins fall into step behind him. They were very odd children and he wondered how monstrous they thought he was. He had never suggested that they take all the supplies and yet that was the conclusion they came to. There was no point in taking all of it, it would only draw more attention than from a pair of kalona guards.
 

[Nisshou H]

It was broad daylight when the three found the kalona camp. Sanubia had nearly charged right in with her brother trailing happily behind her before Baaj stopped them using his wings like a net. He was beginning to change his mind about the two just being sheltered and spoiled. Clearly they were actually just idiots.

“If we go out there now they will see us, swarm us, and kill us.” Baaj said once he herded the twins back out of sight. He was strong but not strong enough to take on an entire herd stocked with kalona. He’d obtained the water through stealth. Brute force was only needed to keep it. Once the twins seemed to understand what he was saying Baaj proceeded to lay out the plan.

When night fell, Sanubia and Bikanel would distract the guards. Sanubia’s feet would draw more than enough attention without much aide but he also wanted the two of them to shout and make a fuss. While the guards were chasing them about Baaj would slip in, take care of whoever was guarding the water, and fill a pair of jugs for the twins. If everything went well they would be gone within the hour. The twins agreed it was an excellent plan so long as they were able to keep their distance from pursuers. They didn’t think it would be a problem having been bred to move freely in a sandy environment.

They settled down to sleep until nightfall feeling that they were far enough out of sight. Baaj watched in wonder as the twins manages to contort themselves until they were folded up into a single pile of sandy fur and tails. He shook his head before tucking it under his wing to sleep, still standing, like an adult rather than the children the twins continued to act like.

Things went wrong just before sundown.  

[Nisshou H]

Bikanel woke his sister and Baaj up with his stammering. Baaj came to his senses first to find that the young stallion was talking to a trio of foals that that had found them while they were playing. They were trying to push him into trading with their herd.

“No, these are special.” Bikanel was saying about the gold bands he wore on his tails. “And the thing on my forehead is attached.” Baaj had been preparing to step in until he heard that.

“It’s… attached?” He’d thought the twins couldn’t get any stranger but now it seemed they’d somehow adhered gemstones to their heads.

“They’re part of us.” Sanubia said in the midst of a yawn. “We’ve had them since before we were born. They’re rare but you still get a couple every few generations. Not always red though. The last lady had a black one.” Baaj was horrified. He’d thought his own traits had been monstrous but at least he didn’t have stone growing out of his body.

One of the foals coughed to draw attention back to the topic of trading. She asked if there was anything they needed and Baaj nearly knocked Sanubia over in his haste to stop Bikanel from saying “water.” They would never give up what water supply they had left, they would be foolish to do so. And if the guards knew there were travelers out there looking for water they would likely increase the amount watching the supply. It would be bad. He could feel the twins staring at him, confused. He needed to find a way to explain.

“Perhaps you could tell your herd that we are not looking to part with our fine things but we would be interested to trade for more.” He shifted so that the water in his jug sloshed around. All three foals honed in on the sound intently. “The prince and princess will come by around sunset to see your goods, please have them laid out nicely. I will bring the… gifts of nature that we have to offer just after sunset.” The foals ran off excitedly babbling about princes, princesses, and being the best finders leaving Baaj to deal with a very confused pair of twins.

“Couldn’t we have traded for water? They were offering.”

“But he’s not a prince? And I’m a priestess not a princess.”

The twins spoke at once which made it a little hard for Baaj to follow but he got the basics of what they were saying. “They wouldn’t trade for water. It’s worth far more than your trinkets. And the rest was just so they didn’t question our desire to trade our water for trinkets.”

“This is the distraction?” Sanubia asked. Baaj was impressed that she caught on so quick. Perhaps they were not so stupid as they seemed.

“It has to be. They saw us and would tell their elders. If we don’t want more guards-”

“We have to make them think we have what they want.” Bikanel finished and Baaj nodded his head.

Sanubia shifted. “Somehow, this feels worse than what we were doing before.” She murmured.

“Just remember it is no different, only instead of running and shouting you’ll be evaluating trinkets. I’ll find you when I have the water. Just say how little you like everything you look at, and then don’t trade for anything. It will be easy.”  

[Nisshou H]

It had been easy. It had been disgustingly easy. The twins had strolled into the little trading circle the desert herd had set up and browsed quietly through the trinkets they had to offer. The pickings had been slim. Sanubia had spent a long time examining some fine cloth the kalona had ‘obtained’ from humans at some point in their travels. She spent long enough with it that Bikanel was certain she was actually going to make an offer for the goods. Eventually Bikanel was able to remind her that the plan had been to act disinterested in the goods so that they could leave without drawing much attention. Sanubia replaced the cloth on the rug it had been set out on and moved on to look at the collection of colored stones the herd had collected. Bikanel spotted Baaj moving towards the camp. For such a large fellow he was able to move rather quietly. Baaj slipped into a poorly assembled tent that Bikanel suspected familiars must have helped put up as these hooved soquili wouldn’t be able to manage well. Once their new, winged friend was out of sight he joined his sister in looking at the goods. It was easy to act disinterested, aside from the cloth Sanubia had been toying with there was nothing of value here. Certainly nothing worth water or the fight Baaj would put up if Sanubia or Bikanel ever suggested actually trading their water. Well, his water as Baaj liked to clarify. Bikanel hoped that Baaj kept to his word and shared the spoils of this night.  

[Nisshou H]

When Baaj reemerged Bikanel sighed loudly. Sanubia straightened up and took a step away from the goods to frown at her brother in annoyance. She had just found something interesting, it looked like a beetle shell, but it had been dipped in gold.

“I think I’ve seen enough.” Bikanel declared and Sanubia cast him a puzzled look before remembering what they were actually doing there.

“Me too.” Sanubia agreed twisting her tails around each other before wrapping them casually around her leg. “This is a nice collection but…” She allowed her voice to trail off in a condescending tone. Judging from the looks on the supposed traders faces they got her meaning. Some of them looked disappointed, some were angry, one elderly kalona mare looked about ready to rip Sanubia’s throat out for the snub.

“I’m sorry, we will not be trading for anything today.” Bikanel said formerly before turning to leave. Sanubia turned with him and the twins left, their strides perfectly matched. Sanubia moved her coil of tails away from her leg to hook around her brother’s. He allowed one of his to twist about his sister’s comfortingly as they set out in the direction he’d seen Baaj depart. He was tried not to mention that Baaj hadn’t come to find the two like he said he would. Sanubia seemed lost in her thoughts and he didn’t want to burden her with his worries that they had just been used.

Bikanel worried over nothing. The twins had scarcely been walking ten minutes when Baaj appeared on the crest of a dune beaconing the two over. They sprinted over and Baaj didn’t bother to warn them against exerting themselves. They had done well this night and the reward would be their ensured survival through this dead land. Once they were close enough to speak without shouting he revealed the large earthenware jug bound carefully in rope netting to be carried with ease.

“Drink from this carefully. Take what you need but do not spill it. If you spill it, I will leave you both to die.” Baaj said with harsh tones to ensure the twins listened. They both heeded him and approached slowly to take turns drinking from the wide opening of the jug. Once they were finished Baaj sealed the jug with the clay stopper and looked the twins over critically. They were young and stupid. They had no sense to speak of and did not know suffering. He doubted they would be of any use in a fight but as a distraction… the thought gave him pause. Between the girl’s fire and their strange but noble appearance the two could be of some value. He’d had to fight to get the first jug of water, and that had been half full and likely had not been worth the exertion. To get a much larger jug that was entirely full he hadn’t had to do much more than be quiet.

Maybe Baaj could simply fly out of the desert with what they had obtained this night. He imagined he would be fine. But if he brought the twins with him, they may very well thrive.

“I have another proposal for the two of you.”