A bit on the small side

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The mare journeyed through the lush green grass that tickled her hocks. A soft wind blew through the steppe, picking up Coraline's banners and twirling them in a strange dance. The bones that were now woven through her thick mane and tail chimed together, creating a macabre melody that seemed to echo across the silent field. The Griffons sure had done their job well. A days worth of small kills, mainly bunny and squirrel, provided the mare with enough bone for the strange creatures to weave plenty into her locks. But of course, that was not the mare's favorite new addition to herself. Oh no. The necklace that hung from her elegant neck was by far the most glorious piece of jewelry she had ever beheld. Vertebrae made up the main part of the necklace, twisting around her curved neck. From the middle of the necklace hung three rib bones, pointing down towards her feet, stopping just a small bit past her chest. This would become one of the mare's most prized possessions. A kill that was truly enjoyable. Every single bone that made up the necklace undeniably equine.

This was the mare's reason for being in such an open place, she wanted to show off her beautifully grotesque new apparel. Oh how frightened those poor weak horses would be; how jealous the few horses that had as darkly painted souls as Coraline would feel. The mare wore her kills with pride and she wanted everyone to see. But, as far as Coraline could tell the usually over populated steppe did not have any equines lounging around. The mare's ears prick forward, nostrils flared, hoping to catch anything that would tell of the presence of another equine. On the wind the scent of another horse drifted along, catching the mare's attention. And so she followed in that direction. But to the mare's aggravation no form of an equine stretched from the lush grass, there was no sign of who the scent was wafting from. The mare stamped her sharp hooves in agitation, much like a child would when its toy was taken from it. A heated snort resonated from her pristine white nose. If this equine was playing a trick she wouldn't be very pleased. She was the only one allowed to play games.

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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As Coraline made her way through the thick grass movement only a few feet in front of her caught the mare’s attention. A small form suddenly popped up from beneath the cover of the long green stems. The mare’s head jerks up from surprise, a sharp snort resonating from her white muzzle. Ears twitched back and forth trying to catch what this thing was exactly. It is only a horse. Though small. The voices in her head chuckled lightly at the strange appearance at what they called a horse. Coraline’s dainty head tipped sideways, her long horn turning along with it, ice eyes gazing quizzically at the thing. It was, in fact, a horse. Though his size greatly intrigued the mare. He looked fully grown in his proportions, and yet, he was as small as a foal. Oh we do love foals! The mare rolled her eyes at the voices, keeping her attention strained on the strange beast.

Coraline had obviously startled him, the stallion’s form jumping around uneasily, his voice raised as he said hello. A deep, quit, chuckle rumbled through the girl’s throat. He had better be afraid. Everyone must fear us. And so everyone shall. She would make a name for herself. But this tiny creature did not seem to be the one to start off her tale with, he was just too tiny. And so the mare resigned to playing one of her games, though she wasn’t sure which one just yet. ”Why hello. My, my, aren’t you a tiny one?” The mare’s velveteen tone was a played sweet one, though few could tell her faked emotion. Surely he was sore about his size, wouldn’t any stallion be? So, Coraline decided to see if she could push his buttons. An angry horse was a fun horse.

The stallion’s voice once more broke through the silence, though he was much less nervous now. His question struck Coraline slightly, asking who she was. Soon, every horse in Aeon would know her. Fear her. But, that was not now. The mare clucked her tongue at the tiny beast. Watching as he put on a small display. A white masked eyebrow gently rises at the beast. Was he trying to show off? Surely he could not think that such a small thing could capture her attention. Ah no. Few got to keep her attention in such a way. But, she could not blame him for trying. Who wouldn’t want to impress such a beautiful beast? A bell like laughter tickled from the mare’s mouth at this, lips moving upwards to show fanged teeth. Then, her attention was once more on the boy and answering his question. ”Little one, I believe the question is, who are you?” The mare placed her head high, tucking it into her elegant neck, ice eyes staring down her long nose at the boy. The choice of not telling the creature her name was tempting, how fun it would be to tease him with her calling. But, this was not the game she wanted and so the mare gave in. "But, my pet, I suppose I will allow you my calling. I am known as Coraline. Though many will come to call me The Bone Collector."

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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The small thing seemed much more comfortable once he was settled away from the small patch of rocks that he had been standing on. His attention was then easier to be placed on the mare, a fact that she much liked. Any type of attention the vain thing loved. A wide smirk lifted her white lips as elegant eyes dance along the sight of the small boy. He was truly interesting to look at. Had he been touched by the Rift as she had? Or was he a native, born with his strangeness? She wondered these things, but she would not ask. She did not care about anyone enough to ask of their past, of their feelings, of anything about them really. Unless it would help in her games. Eyebrows gently tip at the boy’s words, saying that it was nice to meet her. It had been some time since the beast had met someone with manners. Would she praise him for it? Of course not. ”I’m sure it is, pet.” Her smirk turned severe for a moment and then straight back to her faked sweetness. He was somewhat interesting, but he would have to catch her attention more, or he would lose her totally.

Coraline noticed the boy’s eyes on her, but she noted that he was not truly looking at her. Instead he was looking through her. How dare he?! Every bit of attention must be placed on us. The mare nodded in agreement to the voices, her tail snapping against her body in slight agitation. With a simple toss of her head the mare unleashed a tiny portion of the ice that ran through her veins. The temperature around the pair dropped dramatically. The two’s breath was evident through frost coming from their maws. The grass stalks became laden with ice, weighing them down to the ground, so that the tiny beast was no longer hidden by them. Coraline tossed her head proudly. She was powerful. Soon she would get to use that power against many. They would fall under her powerful ice, freeze solid beneath her gaze. Frost began to settle on the mare, painting her with a snowy glaze. A soft, cold, breeze danced along her body. Taking up her banners in a wild dance. The bones that were trapped in her locks tingling out a macabre song.

The boy’s eyes once more came to the girl and she smirked once more, a bell like laughter rumbling from her barrel. The tiny stallion spoke once more, saying his name, Torrence Kiovar. Coraline tilted her head slightly, pondering over her next move. With a gentle eye roll she once more placed her head forward, eyes glancing down at the creature. ”Well, little one. You sure have been an interesting new little thing to meet.”

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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Coraline’s fierce gaze stayed locked on the tiny beast, watching his features for any sign of remorse. When he finally dipped his gaze slightly the mare let her powers release, stopping the small display of cold; though she allowed what was already around them to stay. She did dearly love the cold. It cooled her anger, something that tended to fly off the chain most of the time. If only she could find a land in Aeon that would accompany her cold. She would flourish in the winter home, instead of growing ever more agitated in these hot island like temperatures. Coraline smirked down at the tiny show of submission. He had better be remorseful. Disrespecting us in such a way. Coraline rolled her eyes silently. ”He did not know…” Her words were whispered up to the voices, such a low tone that the stallion should only be able to hear a wisp of the words. Soon everyone will know. At this the mare nodded her head in proud agreement, her attention then falling to the tiny horse once more.

The creature then opened his mouth to speak, words spilling from his lips. He apologized for offending the mare, a fact that grew her opinion of him slightly. She did not usually accept apologies, it was only asking for forgiveness for something that one wanted to do but knew was wrong. But this stallion was not in the wrong, he had only not known of her, a fact that was her own fault. And so she chose to forgive him. ”Never mind it little one, no harm done. Her words entered a sweeter tone than they had been. This small thing was starting to grow on her. Maybe it was his resemblance to a foal; the mare had always felt drawn to them. The stallion continued to pile words from his lips into the air; saying that he did not make a point of talking to others, adding that he had his own reasons for this. At that statement the mare allowed a hearty chuckle to resonate from her barrel.

”Neither do I, my pet. The other horses of this land seem to be very drab. Though the do provide such lovely games.” A slight hysterical giggle rolled from the mare’s mouth, thinking over all of the many games she had played with the horses in this world. If they played along well, then Coraline would keep them alive for future fun. But if they didn’t? Well then they just fed her lust for blood. ”We all have our reasons. Secrets that we chose to hide, that eat us from the inside out.” A vicious sneer tore open her lips, blood stained fangs shinning under the sun of the grassland. Her carnivorous ways were no secret; every equine in Aeon would know of it, she was not shy of it. They would all fear her for it. But she did have her secrets, ones that she would never let slip to anyone. Ones that tore at her mind more than the voices, that burned at her throat more than the lust for blood, that drove her even madder.

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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The mare watched the small stallion as he spoke of how her words rang true. At this the mare nodded her head, she knew how correct she was; she did not need him to tell her. The stallion’s words then began to trail off; as he spoke of how his secrets were lost in the past. Ah, the poor tiny thing is broken. Coraline rolled her ice eyes at the voices, no need for such a low attitude of him, as of yet he had done nothing to truly set her off; which was saying a lot. But the boy was lucky, losing the memory of his past. Coraline wished every day that she did not know how her past had played out, how she was before everything changed in herself. She hadn’t always been this monster, she had been normal even. Sure, she was a cannibal back then. That was not what made her a monster. It was when she lost control of her thirst, which was what caused her to be damned. As if by a celestial force the wind kicked up, knocking the middle rib of her necklace into her chest, hitting the place where her ice heart used to pump. It was the one bone, the one thing that actually meant something to her. The one kill that haunted her day and night. The day that she fell over the cliff into the sweet blackness of hysteria.

”One would be so lucky as to lose their past. So that it does not haunt their days and nights, playing across their eyelids with every blink.” You still see his face. They were right, those hideous voices who tormented her mind; but she would not allow herself to think of such things. Now was not the time, they had company. Elegant head shakes violently, ridding herself of those ghastly thoughts. As the mare did this a sound caught her attention. There was another equine in the grassland, their hooves carrying them closer. Coraline’s ice eyes slide over to the creature, a blue roan mare made her way over to the pair. Her words cut through the silence, showing that she knew the tiny stallion. As the mare made her way into the group one of her long legs struck out, sending the tiny beast rolling away from her.

Within seconds Coraline’s ears flattened towards her skull, lips ripping away from her teeth, showing sharpened fangs. Maybe it was due to his small size, and the mare’s harsh love for foals; or the fact that her previous memories drug up the emotional self that Coraline used to be… Either way the mare felt protective over the tiny stallion, and this unknown mare had just attacked him. With a swift movement of grace Coraline stepped in front of the mare, teeth bared, horn slightly lowered. A deep, gruff, growl resonating from her throat. ”Wench! If you even think of touching another hair on that stallion’s form I will rip you to shreds.” Angered poison dripped from each word that Coraline spoke. This was no threat, it was a promise. While anger boiled in her blood the mare could feel ice begin to accumulate around herself, the ground about her growing sold; the ice growing ever close to the mare. Coraline was tempted to allow the cold to creep up the other mare’s leg; but for now the mare stayed her anger, choosing to see what her next move would be.

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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Coraline watched with curiosity as the stallion ordered the much taller femme to wait for him at the edge of the field. Alabaster eyebrow rises at the small show, wondering if indeed the beast would listen to him. To Coraline's obvious surprise the other mare trotted off obediently, though she did manage to send a heated stare towards the bone covered mare. At this Coraline gave a hard snort, a wordless good riddance. Lucky for her. She would have been no match for our powers. Coraline nodded her head at the voices that only played in her mind. The mare was lucky that she chose to listen to the stallion, it had been some time since the beast had tasted the blood of equine, and it surely was a missed delicacy. Ears flip from their pinned position to forward, as she turned her attention once more to the boy.

He spoke then, saying that there would not be much time to talk, seeing as his friend was impatient. Friend? No wonder we don't make those. Coraline gently tipped her head at the stallion, ice eyes searching his tiny form. "Little one, you have a strange choice in friends. Though I have little experience in it, for friendship is a foolish endeavor, that wench does not seem to be the definition of that word." Coraline rolled her eyes at the end of her words. This boy would probably not listen to that small piece of advice, he might even become angered at it. But this was of little meaning to the mare. He could react in any way he wanted. He could leave, rid Coraline of his presence and the heated stare from the gaze of the roan mare. These were of little cares to the mare now, her anger had reawakened her thirst. She was craving the sweet metallic taste of blood, and few things could tear her brain away from that want.

The boy's words once more lifted into the air, saying that it was cool how Coraline could freeze things. A light chuckle rumbled from the mare at this. Cool? Cool?! It is far more than that. It makes us who were are. Makes us powerful! The voices were right. This magic that ran through the mare's veins was one of the many thins that made her better than the rest of these equines that inhabited Aeon. "One of the many gifts that the Gods of this land granted me with from the touch of the rift." Coraline watched the stallion once more, surely that those strange colorings and such came from the rift, surely he knew of it. Did he not acquire magic from the rift's touch? Maybe the Gods did not deem him qualified.

~Well I am Death, none can excel,
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.~

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