Sceval, Kaeleer (Fourth Full Day in Kaeleer)

[glacial_queen]

For their last full day in Kaeleer, Karla had a special surprise planned for everyone. Well, it probably wasn’t a surprise, per se, as she was pretty sure that everyone had guess what was coming. Because, seriously, you couldn’t have a trio to Kaeleer that didn’t culminate in a trip to Sceval. Not that she told anywhere where they were going, even as they boarded the Coach.

Sceval was a Territory of mostly rolling hills and long grasslands, with some pockets of forests and a small range of mountains. It grew no crops and imported none, there was no plundering of the natural resources, either the ore in the mountains or the wood of the forests. The Blood in Sceval had no need for such things; they were happy to drink only the water that flowed in crystal streams and ate what grew naturally. The Blood in Sceval had no need for jewelry (save their Jewels), for silks and satins, or for exotic perfumes.

It was impossible to say where in Sceval the Coach had dropped them; with no cities or roads, one part of the Territory looked much like any other, save the differences in natural landmarks. Jaenelle had been insistent that this was where the Coach needed to land, and the Coachman saw no reason to argue, even though the area where they landed was completely deserted. “Come on, this way,” Jaenelle said, pointing at a small strip of woods to the west. “We need to go through there.”

The hike through the woods lasted a good half hour, and even then, no one explained where they were going. No one was allowed to dawdle or explore either, and the so-called rest break they got barely lasted long enough for everyone to get a drink from the stream. “Just a little farther,” Karla promised as they spotted a break in the trees.

The tree line ended on a small hillside, so the students piling out of the woods could look down and see for miles. There was a small path leading down the hill, for when they decided to go down and mingle with the Blood of Sceval, who were waiting for them beyond the drop off.

The Blood of Sceval were unicorns.

[You know the drill Have at! Unicorns!]

Comments

The Woods

[glacial_queen]

For the bitching!

The only good thing about this forest is that it’s all first growth. There’s very little ground cover here and a lack of scrubby, tripping plants and vines that often made walking through the woods so annoying elsewhere. However, being on a semi-forced march with no idea where you’re going might heighten the annoyance factor a bit. Especially since the only answer Karla’s giving when anyone asks where they’re going is a smug grin.

She’s betting the first view will be worth it.

Re: The Woods

[trigons_child]

Raven was not good at hiking.

So she totally teleported over the rougher terrain, shhhh.

Re: The Woods

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri had been on worse walks. Much worse, so she wasn't complaining . . . not about the walk, anyhow. The boots she'd put on to keep her feet from getting cut up on unfamiliar terrain still got a tiny grimace out of her. Not as pronounced as it might have been, once -- she'd gotten too practical for that -- but having her toes constrained by shoes still didn't make her happy.

Re: The Woods

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

Katchoo slouched along down the trail with a minimum of audible grumbling; the last thing she needed was, say, Arthur coming along to needle her about it. Hiking. Gah. This had better frikkin' be worth it.

Re: The Woods

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley wasn't asking any questions. She knew what was coming up, as she'd been let in on the secret. So she just had a big smile on her face the whole time.

Re: The Woods

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Who was bitching? Not Gabrielle. This was a pretty nice walk compared to some roads she'd traveled on, and she didn't have to stare at Argo's rump for long stretches of it.

Re: The Woods

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Firekeeper and Blind Seer had grown up in a mountain forest, and so felt little need to complain as they made their way through the terrain.

Except, perhaps, at the pace, which was a little slower than they were used to, especially with the moratorium placed on exploring.

Re: The Woods

[bitchprince]

Arthur, being Arthur, was actually rather fond of hiking.

It made him almost as cheerful as Gabrielle. Well. Almost.

It'd be hard to aspire to that kind of thing. Anyway, he was there, and he wasn't looking too ticked off about it. In the slightest.

Re: The Woods

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

Diana didn't care much for hiking. She really, really disliked hiking with a complaining cat in her backpack.

Re: The Woods

[future_sandworm]

Leto didn't mind a hike through the woods, quite the opposite. He studied the trees around him, taking in this particular environment. Karla's expression told him that there was more important things to be expected though.

Re: The Woods

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

'Dite wasn't bitching. It wasn't that she was enjoying herself; after all, her philosophy had always been 'why walk if you can zap?' But she couldn't zap today, which was weird, so she was walking, entertaining herself with her still new skill with her shields. Morton had gone on to point out leaks, and that she was only building a partial wall, so now when she wanted to bring them up it was like envisioning her entire temple at Olympus rising from the sea.

Which was why she tripped occasionally and glared at the ground. But at least it passed the time.

Re: The Woods

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin was right at home here. Though he did often hop into the stream whenever he could to cool his flippers.

The Cliff

[kindrednotkind.livejournal.com]

For the reacting!

The forest opens up about yards feet above where the unicorns are grazing, allowing everyone to get a good look. This herd has about a hundred unicorns in it. Most of them are various shades of white and silver, from unicorns so pure white they looked wrought from clouds and ice, to a single unicorn the color of pewter. There are a few foals, kept in the protected center of the herd, their skinny legs still wobbly, even as they chase one another around and trumpet in the course of their games. Little flashes of color sparkle every now and again--the sun, catching the Jewel that rests on a ring at the base of their horns.

Re: The Cliff

[trigons_child]

Raven...just stared. "They are so beautiful," she whispered.

Re: The Cliff

[weetuskenraider]

"Force," Tahiri breathed, eyes wide with amazement. The unicorns weren't the most unusual beings she'd ever seen, of course -- the Givin still won for that, as far as she was concerned -- but she'd be hard-pressed to not notice how beautiful they were.

Re: The Cliff

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley just clasped her hands over her gaping mouth as she looked down. She could barely hear over the racing of her heart.

She'd known it was coming, but there they were. And everything was just so beautiful.

Re: The Cliff

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

So after all the hiking and all the grumbling she'd kept to herself, they reached the top of the cliff and Katchoo had to stop to get her breath -- thanks, nasty smoking habit -- and put her hands on her knees, and --

"Son of a $&*@!)#$."

Who knew you could put that much stunned, sarcasm-free awe into profanity?

Re: The Cliff

[svetocha-blooms.livejournal.com]

"Oh my," Dru whispered as she looked down upon the unicorns.

Re: The Cliff

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Unicorns were not, precisely, new to either Firekeeper or Blind Seer. Their first true friend they'd managed to make in Fandom had been one, after all. Still, the herd was an impressive sight in and of itself, eliciting a pleased grin from Firekeeper.

Re: The Cliff

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Ohhhhhhhhh.

Even more beautiful than they'd been in Karla's memory, just amazing. Dinah wasn't into horses that much, but these were special.

Re: The Cliff

[thatsamilkshake]

Francine had a suspicion this might be where they were going, but there was still nothing like the reality of seeing a herd of unicorns, real and alive and not tangled in someone else's memories.

Talk to the Unicorns

[kindrednotkind.livejournal.com]

Following Karla and the SaDiablos down the path towards where the unicorns are. They seem quite cheerful and pleased to have so many visitors.

Re: Talk to the Unicorns

[trigons_child]

Karla had told her one did not need to be a virgin to approach the unicorns, but still, Raven was nervous. She was a demon after all, and that part of her was contrary to the goodness and purity of the unicorns. She hesitantly approached. "Hello," she said softly.

Ride the Unicorns

[changeable-eyes.livejournal.com]

Cause that’s why you came, isn’t it?

Re: Ride the Unicorns

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah had been lost in wonder for several moments as she watched the unicorns and how they interacted and how completely beautiful they were.

She had heard someone mention getting a ride from one of them, but they seemed too sacred for her to even ask.

Other Activities

[glacial_queen]

You’re surrounded by unicorns, but if you would rather read a book or take a nap, that’s cool, too.

Weirdo.

Re: Other Activities

[svetocha-blooms.livejournal.com]

Once again Dru had her battered sketchpad out as she tried to capture the elegant forms of the unicorns on paper.

OOC

[glacial_queen]

...That's all I got.

That being said, if you end the world before this trip is done, I WILL CUT YOU.