Going Under

[[esperanza]]

Going under

The glaring sun peaked in the desert afternoon, showing no mercy to whoever walked beneath it's gaze. Two horses galloped at an unforgiving pace; a stallion with a coat as dark as an endless abyss, and a small, appaloosa mare.

Hooves clacked against stone as they entered the canyon. Her forelock, wet with sweat, fell into one of her dark eyes, but she didn't bother to toss her head. Eyes half-closed, head down, she followed her leader in a dejcted fashion.

Glaring at his ebony pelt, she followed him into the scanty shade that the canyons offered. She didn't know this territory, and she wasn't about to question his judgement. He was, after all, the leader of what they called a band, though they were the only members so far.

The mare wasn't built for the desert. She was a mountain horse, thriving in the cool valleys. The harsh desert climate jaded her.

The appaloosa mare finally lost control and fainted. She went numb as the hard canyon floor hit her head, her vision blurred with dots. For a minute, they decieved her, and she thought that the ebony stallion was someone else.

"Darcia? Her voice a barely audible whisper. Then the blurriness of her vision faded away, and she was staring into red eyes rather then mismatched ones.

Don't want your hand this time, I'll save myself

[[R].ebel]

How could you take his life away?

Thundering hooves echoed through the canyons as two horses ran at full speed on the will of the ebony stallions’. Running through this harsh environment was perfect for him but as for his sole band member, not so much. Maybe it was this reason he was running so much. To train her and get her strong. Or maybe he was just running for his own benefit.

What made you think you had the right?

A thud entered Demon’s ears and he slid to a stop, turning to see Jagura on the ground. With an angry snort, he trotted over to her, slamming his hoof by her head. He barely showed signs of the run, his breath coming easily to him. Angry, red eyes burned into her, never leaving her eyes.

How could you be so full of hate?

“Pathetic weakling… how am I to make this band strong when you are its weakest link? You have no will power… no strength of mind. You are weak. I don’t know why I accepted you into my band. Maybe I thought you could be of use…but now I think you are pathetic! I could feel your uneasiness back there…about facing five horses. Please. That isn’t nearly enough to take me down. What scares you?! Are you or are you not stronger than them?!”

To take away somebody’s life

Demon reared and slammed his hooves down, sending bits of hard rock across the ground. He snorted, his tail swishing irritably, waiting for her reply.

[[esperanza]]

Maybe I'll wake up for once

The agonizing sound of hooves angrily hitting the canyon floor caused the mare to wince. She turned her eyes at Demon's, glaring fiercly.

"Pathetic weakling… how am I to make this band strong when you are its weakest link? You have no will power… no strength of mind. You are weak. I don’t know why I accepted you into my band. Maybe I thought you could be of use…but now I think you are pathetic! I could feel your uneasiness back there…about facing five horses. Please. That isn’t nearly enough to take me down. What scares you?! Are you or are you not stronger than them?!”

Her glare fiercened as she listened to his lecture, full of hatred for this one stallion. Why did she ever trust him? She knew that there was strength in numbers, but she couldn't wait until the day that she could see this arrogant stallion defeated.

The ebony horse reared again, rocks scattering away as if in fear. Jagura was startled again, and she clumsily jumped to her hooves. Any fatigue she had been feeling before had been forgotten in the rage of hatred. The appaloosa mare jumped at Demon's neck, teeth bared and hooves ready, her dark eyes glowing with malice.

Not tormented daily defeated by you

[[R].ebel]

Uncle Sam taught him to shoot
Maybe a little too well
Finger on the trigger, loaded bullet
He hit the stage so full of rage
And let the whole world know it
Six feet away, they heard him say
“Oh God, don’t let him pull it”

Please God, don’t let him pull it
How could you put us through it?
His brother watched him do it

Demon leaped to the side of her attack, ears laid back and red eyes burning like pits of fire. He snorted, pawing the ground and tossing his proud head. He reared, letting out a fierce neigh that echoed through the canyons. It was like a chorus of a thousand of Satan’s demons that you could not see following this evil black stallion. He slammed his hooves into the rocky ground, the clatter ringing through the canyons.


How could you take his life away? (What made you think you had the right?)
How could you be so full of hate? (To take away somebody's life)
And when I heard you let him die
And made the world all wonder why
I sat at home and on my own, I cried alone, and scratched your name
On the side of a bullet

“You think you stand against me, Jagura?! I know you couldn’t have possibly under-estimated me! You want a battle?! I’ll give you a war!”

And in the wake of his mistake
So many lives are broken
Gone forever from a loaded bullet
And no excuse that you could use
Could pull somebody through it
And to this day so many say
“God why’d you let him do it?”

How could you let him do it?
How could you put us through it?
His brother watched him do it

Built much like Duke, Demon had a knack for speed and evasiveness was his specialty in battle but his hits were hard and forceful, another trait like his brothers’. He drove them through, never flinching on impact. A hard drive meant for a hard fall.


How could you take his life away? (What made you think you had the right?)
How could you be so full of hate? (To take away somebody's life)
And when I heard you let him die
And made the world all wonder why
I sat at home I cried alone and on my own,
and scratched your name
On the side of a bullet

With a fierce neigh, Demon leaped for Jagura aiming to use his body to slam her into the canyon wall. He would not stand for rebellion in his band, whether it leaves him alone or not.

How could you take his life away? (What made you think you had the right?)
How could you be so full of hate? (To take away somebody's life)
And when I heard you let him die
And made the world all wonder why
I sat at home I cried alone and on my own,
and scratched your name
On the side of a bullet

On the side of a bullet
On the side of a bullet
On the side of a bullet

[[esperanza]]

Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom

Demon dodged her attack, and Jagura skidded to a stop. She wheeled around, ears pinned against her head; hatred was the only visible emotion in her eyes. She was deaf to whatever this abyss-black brute was yelling at her. The only thoughts whirling through her mind were thoughts of him bleeding and dying, slowly.

Demon jumped at her, aiming to knock her against the canyon wall. While brute strength wasn't her strong point, agility and swiftness were the traits that kept her alive. She sidestepped quickly out of the way, hoping to see him drive his own pelt into the wall. As invincible as he thought he was, Jagura knew that ever horse had their weaknesses--and it was her top priority to discover his. She said nothing; her face unreadably save the obvious rage in her eyes, staring at the stallion cooly.

I'm dying again

[[R].ebel]

Jagura evaded his attack and Demon cut his leap short, forcing his front legs to hit the ground and turn. His back hooves clicked against the wall but he used the wall to propel himself for her without stopping from his first attack. It was all just one motion in a few seconds.

In her eyes, he could read her thoughts. She was searching him...his weakness she searched. But for as long as he had lived only one stallion had managed to discover his weakness...and Demon was about to let it happen again.

[[esperanza]]

I'm going under

Tossing her head, Jagura heaved a sigh. She said nothing, continuing to glare at Demon. The anger in her had died down, and fatigue was about to take her again as the last rays of sunlight sunk behind the horizon. In the canyons, it was already getting darker; the shadows of the two mustangs were long.

The appaloosa mare turned her head to glance at the failing source of light before turning back to Demon. The fire was leaving her eyes, leaving dark, endless pools as cold as stone staring at him.

Drowning[/color] in you

[[R].ebel]

Demon snorted, his red eyes burning in the dimming light. He could tell Jagura was weakening, the anger in her eyes dissappearing but all the same still there. She still needed to learn her place in the band. Demon waited until the sun had dissappeared behind the canyon walls, sending darkness to every corner of the canyon

With an angry snort, Demon charged for her and reared above Jagura, aiming to knock her to the ground with a powerful kick from his hoof.

[[esperanza]]

I'm falling forever

The sun was lost and night claimed the plains. Jagura turned away with head down, ready to wait out the night and letting herself become lost in thought.

If there was one thing she felt now more passionately then anything else, it was hatred for this single stallion. However, the fire had died down--giving her an opportunity to think. For now, she would act as the faithful herd member. obeying his every order. She would lie low and wait. Perhaps she could get to know him--deception and betrayal were the tools that she used more often. If she could gain his trust, she could gain control over him. It always worked that way. The appaloosa mare allowed a small smirk to creep up her muzzle; she knew that he couldn't see her face in the lack of light. And, if chance was on her side, perhaps he could help her achieve her goal...

'No,' she told herself sharply. 'You have to stop thinking about him.'

The leopard-patterned mare brought her head up, turning in Demon's direction. "Forgive me-" she started, but she was cut off by the sound of an angry snort.

She dodged the attack just in time to escape the brunt of his hooves, but they still scathed her withers. Jagura took a few strides out of the way, smirking as she felt the warm blood trickling down her skin. A few scars wouldn't bring her down; her cunning was more powerful then any wounds this brute could give her. Still, the attack was unexpected, and her eyes narrowed in hatred once more.

"Is this why you led us out here?"

I've got to break through

[[R].ebel]

Demon glared at Jagura, her question reaching him. His ever burning eyes suddenly seemed to cool but they were still the burning red. Demon snorted in reply to her question, not giving an answer. He felt something amiss....felt something wrong but his eyes never betrayed him. The black stallion pawed the ground irritatedly and said,

"Just realize where your place is."

[[esperanza]]

I'm going under

"Of course," her voice was quiet and submissive as she replied. "It won't happen again."

Her withers stopped bleeding, and Jagura walked up against the wall, hoping to get some rest. She didn't know why, but being against something made her feel safer for some reason. She couldn't stand sleeping out in the open. She lowered her head, closing her eyes but not quite drifting off.

Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies

[[R].ebel]

Demon
"I cannot lose!"

Demon watched her for a moment, his ever burning eyes never leaving her as she moved close to the canyon wall. The night was moonless, the stars starting to dissappear due to storm clouds slowly rolling in. Demon's red eyes wandered to the sky above them, thier burning gaze never changing in emotion. Then, quietly he turned and walked down through the canyon finding a path that led to the top and made his ascent.


At the top of the canyon wall, Demon looked out over the land, seeing nothing but imagining it all. He had it mapped in his mind and needed no sun to see it all. He could see it clearly in his head. The black stallion blended perfectly into the ever darkening night. The wind picked up, whipping through his black mane and tail. The scent of rain reached him and he knew it would fall soon. Demon's eyes focused on the area towards the Darksun Territory. He would have to speak with Alasdi soon...that herd would be his only hope of success for this band...and possibly for more. Jagura had already showed her true feelings and he knew that she had given herself away by fighting him. She could not be trusted...

A rain drop fell on his head, pulling him back to reality. Demon looked up as the lightening flashed overhead, illuminating the world around him. From below, in the canyon, one would only know he was above them when the lightening would flash and give him away. In another flash of lightening, he was gone.


Trotting down the canyon, Demon moved fast through the rain. He could see Jagura ahead and rushed by her without stopping nor looking back but he called back in an emotionless voice over the thunder,

"Let's go. We're moving on."

[[esperanza]]

So I don't know what's real

Jagura tried to forget about the rain drops soaking into her coat; the canyon wall only offered so much protection from the rain. Lightning flashed overhead, but she kept her eyes closed, resolute on getting some form of rest.


"Let's go. We're moving on." She looked up at the sound of Demon's voice, though she couldn't see in the black night. His hoof beats were galloping away, off into the rainstorm.

With a toss of her head to wake her up, the appaloosa mare began to canter after him. Luckily, speed was one of her strengths, and she had mostly recovered from the battle. The rain irritated her wound, but she didn't let that stop her. In no time, she had caught up to her leader.

She followed his scent, letting her mind get lost in the adrenaline rush of hooves beating against canyon floor, the scent of rain and the sound of the occasional thunderclap vibrating against the plains. Water started gathering in the canyon, trapped with nowhere else to go. It was fetlock deep already. Jagura knew by instinct that it was best to get out of this place as soon as possible, before a flash flood occurred.

And what's not

[[R].ebel]

Demon
"I Cannot Lose!"

~Light 'em up, lay 'em down~

The black stallion's thundering hooves were soon joined by the sound of another and the band was on thier way to safety. The stallion was slightly surprised that she had followed without hesitation but his eyes did not show it. Demon's red eyes searched through the darknes, searching for the way out they had come in. He knew by heart were it was but time was running out. His clattering hooves were soon muffles underwater with the sound of splashing. The water was collecting in the canyon and the rain was starting to fall faster and harder.

~Take 'em out but there's more of us around~

Demon knew this canyon and didn't need to see it, though it would have been reassuring. Though his eyes cleverly hid the worry, he knew that it was dangerous to be here in the canyon during the rains and especially at night when he could barely see. Demon could only see when a rare flash of lightning occurred and that only lasted for a quick moment.

~When wrong is right and right is wrong~

The black stallion knew were he was going: a steep path that lead up and out of the canyon straight to the desrt , the land he knew but getting there was the problem. The water was rising, already up to his knees and hocks but he continued to push through it, not slowing his gallop. He snorted, blowing the raindrops off his muzzle and tucked his under, continually galloping. His breath came short and fast but was from shear determination to get home. Demon's mind focused on nothing but getting to the path. And suddenly, Demon slid to a stop, the water spraying up beside him as his haunches nearly touched the canyon floor and he reared slightly on his back legs. He dropped to the ground and scanned the area waiting for another flash of lightning.

~Oh there's a dead man walkin' tonight~

Lightning flashed. There it was. Straight ahead and off to the right was the steep slope he had been searching for. With a snort, Demon tossed his head and galloped for it, rushing upward out of the water and hearing somewhat of a familiar clatter of hooves. The rains had made the slope slippery but Demon continued on not even looking back to see if Jagura had kept up.

~Walk on~
~Walk on~
~Walk on~