The Plague (Dommie)

[Fervenplaga]

Standing by the murky shore, the very tips of her black hooves being lapped at pulled in, by the steadily moving waters of the lake.
What strange phenomenon caused the waters to move in this way? Like the sea?
They were questions that many people would consider, had they stepped up and sat themselves of the mud that surrounded the Prism Lake.
But the way of the tide did not cross the beast’s, which stood, like a statue, next to it, mind at all.

Staring white eye was fixed upon the surface of the murky water; mouth contorted into an odd, manic smile and long, streamlined tail twisting into impossible shapes and patterns. Slowly a boney leg was raised into the air, and pushed into the waters. The Plague’s second leg came next, then her whole body, gracefully easing herself into the murky depths, her eyes narrowing against the wet on her pupils.
Her tail, last into the water, was thrown into the air, and slammed against the surface, breaking the effect of silence and pushing the River Mistress into the water.

At around 10 metres deep, Prism Lake was excellent to explore, if one had the courage. Not many did however, as it was known to most that creatures such as the Plague hid down on the lakebed, ready to strike, like lightning.

The beast pushed her hooves through the water, swimming like a sea-lion would, her white eyes glowing faintly under the light of the vague sun above the water. Content, she blew a stream of bubbles through her nostrils, contorting herself into strange positions under the water-pressure.

The Plague will follow.

The Plague will strike.

The Plague will conquer.

[Domnopalus]

At the same time on the other side of the lake, which was a considerable distance away and hidden by foliage, a great splash was made as a streamlined creature with a manic grin that matched descended to the depths of the Prism Lake. This creature feared no plague, and feared no entity found in or related to any and all kinds of marine life.

Six stark-white eyes searched the water, as they always did, and bubbles streamed from his nostrils and from between his needle-like teeth. He stayed toward the bottom--his body was conditioned for pressure--for that was the best place to hunt from, and in any case carry out any bidding the Swamp Lord was to do.

But there was a disturbance in the water he had not felt before, today. Perhaps it was a matter of consequence—perhaps he and the disturbance had not been in the water at the same time until now, and that it was here for many times before now. It was there now, though, and he needed to find it. He settled to the murky bottom, and scanned the water above with his acute vision. Every now and then he’d catch the edge of a silhouette in the distance disappear behind something, or out of sight. Each time his eyes narrowed and his head jerked in that direction. Were those…hooves?

Finally, this was becoming too much of a game for him, and without any kind of warning, the beastie bolted out of hiding in the direction and scent of the strange creature. Opening his sharp jaws wide, he came upon the creature before he could see it; from the side.

At that instant—the last instant—her scent hit his nostrils. Immediately he changed his direction and looped over himself. He was in shock, though his face was locked in an intense, insane grin. It couldn’t be----that scent was like his own.

[Fervenplaga]

Movement.

Though many, many things could not distract the Plague of her drifting, movement was one of the few things that did. Her white eyes widened as she jerked her head instantly to one side. This movement was green…maybe it had just been a bit of long river-weed… But no! There it was again. Stock still, apart from the steady beat of her hooves, she slowly moved her eyes about her. The silence was absolute, so absolute it made even the blue equine somewhat uneasy.

Then it all fell apart, in a series of rapid and ‘impossible’ events. Her head darted to the left, as the pressure built up from the fast moving creature nearby hit her. Those jaws… They were so like her own..but this was no time to compare smiles. She twisted in the water, as a crocodile would do to dislocate its lunch’s leg from its body, and prepared to bite into the other’s mouth. If she did hit, the two would be locked together, one horizontal, the other vertical, struggling. But as it happened, the male swerved away before the Plague could really see him.

She was about to dart after him, to finish what HE had started, but then, from the movement the male had made, the scent floated through the water and hit her flaring nostrils. He froze.
Never…

She stared at as much of the creature as she could see, her breathing heavy, though her mouth, like his, was in her usual, sarcastic smile.

[Domnopalus]

The two monsters were locked in an insane stare for a long moment, their complimentary manic grins tightened and ironic for the situation. A pair of equally stark-white eyes met his own set of six.

“You…” was all the Swamp Lord could say—or rather, breathe—in his deep, dark voice.

He remained focused on her but began to circle her in the water slowly, moving to different angles as to compare her whole composure to himself. Finally he stopped directly in front of her, and looked her in the eye.

He tried to squeeze words out of his mouth, as if struggling to remember: “F…f..fer…..The Plague.”

[Fervenplaga]

Fervenplaga’s grinning head lowered as he became suspicious of what the male, who seemed so familiar, would think of her.
He seemed so close to her, like an invisible thread was connecting them. Though this invisible thread was one of great mystery to her. She didn’t know what that thread was.
It was gone from her mind.

She watched him carefully as he circled her slowly in the water, every now and then she would twist her body, 1. to get a better look at him, and 2. to make it harder for him to see all of her.

F…f..fer…..The Plague

The Plague… How did he know of that term? Did he know about the famines she had caused? Just as the plague had done so many years ago? Even if he did, it didn’t mean much to her. It was those first ‘sounds’ he had made, before he had mentioned her alias. F…f..fer… He knew her real name.
That was something not many a person knew of.
But how?

Those green scales, that glitter in his six eyes, the orbs on his body, like hers…
Then it struck her, it all came flooding back.
So much information hit her in one go that she flinched in the water, darting back a little, before shaking her head and swimming near to him.

This time it was her turn to circle him. Her smile was fixed, but her legs shook with shock and surprise.
“]Domnopalus…its been a long, long time. ”

[Domnopalus]

”Domnopalus…it’s been a long, long time.”

Finally, at these last words, he relaxed. His grin almost became a frown in relaxation, though he was not in the least, sad. Everything came back to him; flashes of the lab, the pain, the hate, the love that an older sibling has for his younger, and the promises that they’d get through this together. That was forgotten in the interim; between the near end of their testing and the increased intensity of the experiments, and when they released themselves. That was a painful blur now. But he looked at her and said in his dark voice, “It certainly has, Fervenplaga, my sister.” There was a moment’s pause, and Domnopalus continued, “Come, let us go to the banks. We will have easier conversation there, and not lose so much air.” With that, he spun towards the edge of the lake, intending for Fervenplaga to follow.

Elegantly he pulled himself onto the bank, the water easily dripping off of him. He stood under a tree that marked the edge of the wood behind the lake. They would be undisturbed there.

When she followed, he looked her directly in the eyes. “You look well,” he said. He was concerned that she would have felt negative effects from the testing, or had gotten hurt in the time away. “I have heard of a plague that has swept the land time ago. I know doubtlessly that was you. How proud I am…” he continued. He looked at the ground in remembrance. Now he would have to remind her of the painful days. He lifted his head high and assertive. “It is hard to forget the pain that has been inflicted. Doubtlessly, something must be done.”

In that single sentence he conveyed everything he needed to, to her: the fact that justice needed to be served for their pain and that he’d been working against them for so long now. He knew she understood, and in that sentence was the implied request to join him.

Their power would be extreme between the two of them, now.

[Fervenplaga]

Fervenplaga breathed a bubbly sigh of relief as she realized that her brother remembered her also.

Come, let us go to the banks. We will have easier conversation there, and not lose so much air.

“Of course.” She spoke obediently, and pushed herself through the water after him, scarcely believing that what was happening was real.

As her head broke the surface, she took in an instinctive breath of air. The air burnt her throat and chest as though it was hot fire, not icy oxygen.
She swallowed the searing pain without giving it much though; it had
Become an everyday misfortune for her.

You look well.

“As do you, brother.” Her voice was half a yawn, as though she was tired from the swim, or the shock. Though this of course was not true, it was a habit of hers to yawn at random moments.

I have heard of a plague that has swept the land time ago. I know doubtlessly that was you. How proud I am…

“I am glad. How does life treat you recently? Has anything happened worth re-telling?” She followed his gaze to the ground now, looking at the resemblance in the shape of their legs, and their scales.
Oh, what horrors Galt had inflicted upon them, though, of course, not all of these horrors were worth giving up.
She could hardly remember being a…horse…just spending her life grazing, eating grass. It left a foul taste in her mouth, even now, after all these years, just to think about it.

It is hard to forget the pain that has been inflicted. Doubtlessly, something must be done.

She looked at Domnopalus with interest, her solid, white eyes staring at him. “Of course, and yet, Dom, yet, would you have rather spent your life an ordinary horse? I wouldn’t. But the pain…oh the pain…we could have broken free as horses and then we could have swum…as ordinary unhurt horses.” Her first view changed instantly. “You’re correct. They’re monsters. They must be killed, tortured…”

She looked away, and up at the darkening sky. “They must be infected.” The Plague would soon be tugging at the hearts of the scientists.

The Plague will Strike.