<.xXx.>.Survival.<.xXx.>

[ღRedwoodღ]

Iris growled. She was being left behind and just used to kill? but then, Allura jumped in front of Ares. Iris, already mad enough, pushed herself against the mare, using all her strength to push her out of the way.

"This is my battle, you drama queen, wretch!"

She yelled, using all her weight against the mare. Why was this mare so stupid as to get int he way of Iris? She'd pay as well!

iris reared from the side of Allura, aiming for her back, using all her strength the fall on, but not to kill. She was saving the kill for Ares.

[Apollo]

Not even a second glance was thrown at Allura's wounded form. Audits pinned harder at Allura's words and orbs of ebony caught a flash of black, then Allura in front of Iris.

Snorting, the stallion continued pounding toward the mares, seeming as what was seconds were hours. Hooves struck down, ripping the soil from the earth. He would get revenge, for all she put him thorough.

Then Iris bared down upon Allura.

Orbs flashed with rage, not at Allura, but the mare that dared hurt...her.

Suddenly a string inside popped, or was either mended.

"Get away from her!"

The lyrics echoed across the hills, a scream of rage. Throwing down his front limbs, the stallion stopped mear inches from Allura, kicking off, he rounded her form and turned. Muscles bunched and his whole form lunged toward Iris.

Was it the new....or the old?

[/i][/center]

[ღRedwoodღ]

The crimson stallion yelled loudly, but Iris could not hear his words, but she didn't care. But suddenly the Crimson stallion made a swift move at her, unavoidable, hitting her square, between the stomache and the chest.

Everything went black for about 5 seconds.

10

15

20?



The air in her lungs rushed out deeply, and she felt a strange feel in her stomache... it first felt cold like ice, and then like electricity. Then it burned with pain. She couldn't figure what was happening, and it happened in only 30 seconds.

She coughed, and sucked in to get breath. Pressure yanked at her lungs, not filling with air... or was it? One lung wasn't working. She breathed out, and looked. Blood was pouring from her mouth hard. She coughed and stepped back, thinking this was her death. Ares is a murderer!

She thought looking at the blood that fell from her mouth. She sucked in, feeling liquid and oxygen mix. She looked up darkly, and roared in anger, rearing. She flexed out, aiming toward the head of the Crimson killer. She felt like poison was seeping through her brain like liquid led. It strung into a design, and she felt like she could not lose this fight.

[Allura]

Allura's black figure stood motionless, stunned. She had been sure Iris' hooves were going to pound into her back but Ares's had knocked her away. Slowly, she breathed a sigh of relif and glanced over to the crimson stallion and chestnut mare.

She saw that red liquid poured from the mare's mouth, coating the ground. Iris screamed in rage and struck her hooves out towards Ares head. Now was Allura's moment to pay him back.

Allura became a shadowed blur of body and limbs as she galloped and reared before Iris's striking hooves. The height of her rear ment that the forelegs met her powerful shoulder squarely and threw her off balance. She went over hard and struggled to stand. Her shoulder throbbed and she turned her neck to glance at it with worried pools. Blood ran down her silky black coat and puddled on the ground. She winced as she stepped forward.

"Oh get off it!"

She hissed, her eyes narrowing darkly.

"Kadaj's dead, killing Ares won't change that! Go back to your foal and take care of him or I might have to after your dead!"

She stood drawn up to her full height, every muscled in her body flexed and ready. She was sick of this mare and everyone else in the world, exspecially herself.

[/center][/color]

[ღRedwoodღ]

Iris thought nothing of her words. Should a murderer go free, with no punishment?! He needs to pay! She thought darkly. The thought of Ares living would haunt her and Kadajs death would haunt her. No life was worth living like that.

You don't understand. You've never been through the death of a mate

She said darkly, head down sort of, but red eyes eyeing the couples every move. She couldn't fight alone, but there was no time to go for help. Who'd help her? Her son would, but still... She'd never put her son in the position. She had to stay. But if she died, her son would go to... The most caring person she'd ever met. Maybe Ares lied to her... She'd give him to her brother. He'd take care of him.

Coughing, she stepped around the black mare and crimson stud, and made another attack at Ares. Her red form cruved into a pattern, making it look like she was about to attack Allura, and ran in between them, and Gave a harsh buck. She backlegs flexed out toward the stallion's neck, between the head and neck.

[Apollo]

Ares stumbled back as he regained himself from the pressure of their forms colliding. Shaking his cranium, he looked up. What he met froze his body. Blood was pouring from Iris's mouth. Orbs widened, terrified at what he had done. He had meant to just tackle her away, not...

Then she screamed and her body plummeted toward him.

The world seemed to slow, almost stop. Then a flash of black went before him, then was thrown to the ground. Suddenly the speed was returned and he turned to look at Allura. Words failed him, and he looked at her shoulder. The ebonite mare's lyrics ran through him. He was stunned unable to add anything together.

As he stood there, Iris started to speak then a cough was let into the silence. Orbs were transfixed on a puddle of blood on the ground where Iris had been. Scenes flew through his head. Suddenly their was a flash of red to his right.

Move you Idiot!

Ares turned and saw hooves heading straight for him. Orbs widened, and suddenly everything went black. His form was thrown into the ground harshly, and a stream of blood went down his face.

Wake up!

Come on!

Allura needs you!

[ღRedwoodღ]

These wounds won't seem to heal,
This pain is just to real,
There's just too much that time cannot erase.

When you'd cry I'd wipe away all of your tears,
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears,
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me...

Iris felt a thud under her as the crimson stallion fell. Blood fell from her mouth, thick and oozing as she muped over the firgure. Was he dead? ... She didn't know. But at this point, she didn't care. It looked too late, she wasn't sure. All she knew was she had her revenge, and now she had to return home to her son, and tell him they were moving. Away from their herd and everyone else.

She walked slowly around the laying stallion, breathing hard, blood scruffing her thoat, and the dark feeling of her colapsed lung. She felt dizzy. She walked up to him, very close, eye to eye. She looked at him darkly and snorted, as if to say that she was satisfied. She got up and began to walk away from Allura and the stallion. Now, Allura would know what it is like to have a death of a mate.

[Allura]

Orbs watched with horror as Iris struck Ares down and his roan form lay motionless, then they filled with a new blaze of rage and determination. With a whinny so filled with hate and pain that even Allura herself cringed in agony at the high pitched thunder, her black form rose and fore limbs pawed wildly at air. Then they came back to the earth and Allura streaked after Iris.

As her shadowed form drew even with Iris's red one, she spun quickly and kicked out her back legs. Two dagger sharp hooves streaked straight towards Iris's side, the same side with the injured lung. Allura's aim had always been quite sure and the chance of a miss was doubtful. If they struck it would surely mean Iris's death and Allura's revenge.

[/center][/i]

[ღRedwoodღ]

Iris heard the beats, and knew they'd come. Thinking without even looking, she side stepped, not fast enough. Black streaks slashed out, digging into her ribs. It did not cut, though, thankgoodness.

Iris felt her side flump, and she growled at it. The impact forced blood to flow harder from her mouth. The damaged lung was getting worse, and the feel of a bruise appeared.

Iris knew that she could live this and gallop off, and it'd be over. She'd have revenge. But she needed one more thing, to make sure they'd never bother her again. Iris galloped foward, making a barrel turn. She galloped a good 10 feet away and began toward the Black form. She leaped into the air, at a show jump, but a little low and early, to make sure she'd hit the mare with back and front hooves, and then she'd gallop away, her aim was true.

[Apollo]

The stallion was unknown to the actions going on around him. Eyelids pulled harder down as a voice echoed within his mind, telling him...

"Come on wake up.
You have to. It isn't your time, you still have Allura. Wake up!"

Eyelids pulled down harder, and a hard breath escaped his lungs, almost a groan. Orbs of ebony opened and the smell of blood was hot, it was on him. The faint, tickling feeling ran down his face. It left what felt like water, but was to sticky and warm. Vision was still blurred and he made out the streaking form of Allura rush toward Iris and hit. Then Iris seem to run then...

The stallion struggled to his feet, still wobbling and locking beneath his weight. Hooves struck down and moved his form toward them. He had to make it...

Rocks and soil flew as the stallion lunged between the attacker and the one he would gladly die for. Four blows struck him, pain shot through him, but he didn't move.

When Iris fell back to the ground, his lyrics came out hard.

"Don't under estimate me Iris. I could of gladly cracked your skull. Now, what are you some kind of monster! I wished not to fight Iris, I wished not to kill Kadaj! Your crying fake tears Iris, fake."

After his voice died down, he turned his back upon Iris. Blood streamed down his face. Orbs turned to Allura, hard and serious. Would that monster attack someone with their back turned?

[ღRedwoodღ]

His voice was ignored. She was mad now. First, he kill Kadaj. He could've backed down, you always can unless the gun is at your head. In this case, Kadaj must've been attacking for his friends sake. A true stallion to his words, a true friend. He fought for revenge to his friend, and she could not let him be killed in vain. There is always a way to escape. Always. You just have to look.

But Now, she felt like telling that to this stallions face. He'd no clue. None! What true pain was. All he knows is physical pain. Nothing more! She thought madly. But she was already at Allura. Quickly, she skidded hard. Her neck yanking back. She looked at the stallion, walking over at a fast rate, while saying so darkly, he voice low, and fast.

"You are the monster here! Your the only killer I see! And heres a thing you need to learn."

She jerk, eyes into his, only half a foot away.

"In the Wild, you bite, you get bitten back. I underestimate No One. I wasn't the one on the ground blacking out. I would've killed you, but I am not as sick as you are."

She growled darkly. She turned quickly, mane lashing out, and began to walk away, a good pace, feet hitting the ground hard.

[Allura]

Slender black form braced itself for the coming blow, muscles flexed, hooves dug in. She gritted her teath and waited. But the hit never came. Instead she turned her cranium just in time to see a red blur lunge beside her and 4 hooves come down firmly on Ares's back. Iris fell away, and Ares remained standing.

The next second they exchanged lyrics. Her audits pinned as Iris finished speaking and started to walk away. Allura was beyond the point of stopping this fight. She wanted to see Iris dead, and she wanted it to be because of her. She gathered her quarters beneath her and spun, taking off a ground swallowing canter that soon drew her abreast the retreating form of red. She swung her hips and brought her hind quarter up against the mare's, making her's swing out and her body turn, but not causing her any pain. Now Iris's side was facing her, not her back.

"When I said the old me was back, I ment for good."

She voiced, then smirked.

"So you're not leaving unless it's over my dead body."

With that she reared up and using a great deal of strength, spun around so that her back hooves faced Iris and her forelegs were still in the air. Then she brought her back limbs into action and kicked them out at Iris, aiming for her cranium. As her forelegs touched the ground again, she drew back her back legs, not sure where they hit, and kicked again. She repeated this a few times, hoping that atleast once, she hit her mark. Iris's skull.

[/center][/i]

[ღRedwoodღ]

When the kicks came out, they were unexpected. by now had her back to all of them. She felt a rush of air go by her. Another. And Another. Iris's rear hit the ground into sort of a sit as her head went higher and higher, trying to avoid the kicks, getting 7 kicks in the maw. She felt like her jaw had chipped, jaw in remained in tack and in place.

She shook her head harshly, and got up, not even attacking back. She looked up, saying,

"If you will go low enough to attack when a horses back is turned, then live with it, thats a big enough a bite back."

She wasn't angry anymore. She was just now struggling to keep herself from crying again. She spoke again, now calmly, but forcingly.

"You seem to have your old self and your new self mixed up. Before you even think of fighting me, pick a side or you'll go skitsafrentic. Choose Ares, or go back to your old self for no darn reason."

She said, and once again, turned her back on both of them. As she went, she thought about what Ares had said about the fake thing. She wanted to go back and tell him off, but that risked her Dieing. No, she did not fear death, but her son's life. He was like cement. His dad's leaving left a huge hand print in his life. His moms death would be another. And soon, everyday would just be another hand print, wether it's a finger print, to a hand print, it's still going to be there.

(Ooc//Just as a fill in, Iris wasn't walking like showoffy, she was walking off tired, and she wasn't swinging her hips. Also, Ares didn't block the attack with his back, Iris stopped and walked up to the stallion.

[Apollo]

I live a miserable life

The crimson speckled stud did not move, watching the mares feud. Audits pinned and Ares turned walking off from them. The thundering of hooves were vibrated through his audits as Allura charged after Iris. He heard everything. Snorting he turned his cranium. Orbs were hard, he hadn't wanted to kill Kadaj. Suddenly one thought came to him. There was only one he wanted to talk to now.

Everyday a new strife

Bear. He needed to explain, to tell him to explain to Iris. It was odd, he needed to speak with the one hated the most. Sighing he turned his cranium back to his path and continued along. If Allura really cared she would follow, and leave Iris. He utterly no longer cared, he loved her yes but it was all to much.

Nothing ever goes right

He walked along, his limbs shaking weakly with each step. He had many wounds, and this newest one was the worst. If he had been one mear inch off he would be dead right now. Soon his form just became a red dot in the distance, it was Allura's choice to follow.

Always another fight

[Allura]

Ooc//: Redwood I ment that ALLURA swung her hip/hind quarters into Iris, so that she TURNED Her SIDE to Allura, not her back.

[ღRedwoodღ]

Ooc// Oh

[Allura]

I found love in you,
I find truth in you,
I see light in you,
And it horrifies me.

Sad orbs watched Ares's retreating form. Allura couldn't decide what to do. Should she follow, or finish with Iris?

*This could be your last chance.*

Allura thought to herself, then her slender,black limbs began moving her slowly after Ares.

*You love him. You need him. He's shown you that you're not completely heartless, he's shown you love, light and truth. Atleast give it one last try*

She raised her head in determination and her pools gleamed with newly found reasurence. Yes, she loved Ares. She needed him and wouldn't give him up without a fight. Her shadowed form broke into a swift gallop, her hole heart going into it. Her limbs became blurs as she raced after Ares. It seemed she ran for hours, but finally she drew up beside him.

"I still love you!"

Her lyrics broke breathlessly.

[/i]

Nothing can save me from myself
You keep me safe
An angel like you
Can never fall
Heaven I found
Right in my arms
[/center]

[Apollo]

So, had he dodged everything life had thrown at him? Not at all. Many feelings were inside him...that he couldn't explain, couldn't chart. What was the true meaning of Love, was it just Pain, or a Lie? How should he know, it brought him so much happiness and pain. Was the meaning of life, death? It was odd how two so much different things could be so...alike.

Orbs raised, ebonite gaze focused on a bird. What would it be like? To fly, to fly away from everything? It must be wonderous. Shaking his cranium lightly, gaze moved back to the ground. Orbs were electric with mixed feelings. How did he really feel about Allura?

The sound of thunder seemed to approach from behind him, unfaded the stallion walked on. So, she had followed. When he saw the fleeting glance of shadow to his right, Ares turned his gaze away slightly. Audits started to pin slightly, but he refused and they stayed laid back lazily. The sound of her lyrics echoed into his audits and gaze moved toward her, straight into her own. He had no clue what his held. No idea. Emotionless perhaps?

"I hate you, but then again I love you. Does that make any sense?"

His lyrics were soft, simple. His ebonite gaze had moved off the mare and were focused once again on the soil. What were his feelings? It seemed his mind was in other places, not here.

[Allura]

My dreams have all but shattered,
My heart is far from full,
My hope is slowly fading,
And my life is surely wasted.


The roan brute avoided even glancing at Allura, whwich she knew was not a good sign. When he spoke his voice was simple, soft, but his first 3 words stung sharply.

*I hate you...*

*But then again, I love you.*

*Does that make any sense?*

Her mind swirled, thinking about the few,short words. No, they didn't make sense, did they?

Her gaze clouded with confusion as she stared helplessly at the stallion. How should she respond, how could she respond to that? It didn't make any sense, but then again, as her black form stood unmoving, silently thinking, she found thta maybe it did.

It scared her, that after everything she'd gone through, everything they had gone through, it might truly have been for nothing. It may already have become to late to save the relationship they had struggled with. First it started, then it became shakey, unsure, then it seemed it was fixed, but then it became ruined and now, now what would happen? Would it fade a way altogether? Could they fix it for good?

Her posture wasn no longer bold and self assured like normal, it was weak and hopeless, unsteady. Her eyes had lost all their flare and energy. Allura knew she looked like a wreck, but she no longer cared about her appearance. She knew she was now clinging to life by one, single, slightly unstable, thread. Ares.

She raised her fine cranium slightly from it's lowered position, but her boa held no proud arc.

"I don't know. But I think maybe it does."

She didn't know what else to say but knew right away that probaley wasn't enough. She turned away, embarrased. How could she ever have been so stupid?

[/i]


And I'm starting to think,
That maybe,
Love Isn't for me.[/center]

[Apollo]

The roan brute was silent, as his harsh, though soft words sunk into Allura. Orbs looked up at her, filled with mixed emotions.

The silence scared him. Utterly it did. Cranium rose and his gaze was more onto Allura's form. While she thought of his short, simple words. He was thinking of something much more complex.

Did he love her? Of course, why couldn't he.

She left you there in the rain, dieing.
She broke your heart, many times over.
She was the reason of Bear's departure and Kadaj's death.
No wait....all those things. You had done.

His heart seemed to miss a few beats. What had he truly done? All those things he had pinned on Allura, Bear, Iris, Kadaj...when he was the real one it should be tacked to. He left Allura, breaking her heart. You made Bear leave, killed Kadaj, and tore Iris. And Vincent, he killed his father. Orbs grew somber, what had he truly done?

Posture grew weaker, boa hanging and audits flattened. When Allura's vocals echoed within his audits, Ares raised his cranium and looked at her shying form. Then something inside him, seemed to just...well...mend.

"You want to know what it means? I was lost, confused. Though now I've realized everything..."

His lyrics were soft, caressing. Orbs softened and he reached out, unsure, but nudged her side gently all the same.

* I'll protect you.
Cross my Heart
And hope to Die...

[/i][/color]