THE DOVEKEEPERS {o / joining}

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Sunshine, it seemed like a distant memory, thick heavy grey coating the sky in its blanket of humidity. Rain was closing to a fall now, heaving the air so it grew so weighted it could fall. A breeze brought the clouds through the sky, dancing through the trees so they twisted and turned, readying a fall but never breaking. The leaves, dried by the august air, clung their best onto the branches, battling to stay on for the life they had. Yet many of the leaves broke, rapidly being pushed by the ever-growing wind that pulled them through the sky till they fell to the rocks on the bottom, or the thin narrow dirt paths that lay empty expect for their fellow fallen.

You could suppose the thin lengthy figure counted as one of the fallen, legs pulling itself up the steep sloop towards higher land from the crashing rivers that lay beyond him. You could assume he was a disgrace, eyes bagged from the sleepless nights yet still standing on his heaving limbs. You could call them a weakling, it would fit him well. You could call him a dovekeeper, though he went through hell.

It didn't matter his title, his name, the place he came from- it was rather the place he was going that held interest. As the clouds darted slightly, light gently bathed the land, still dim yet awaiting the next dark grey to fill it. Color, sunshine, it flooded down for a moment, illuminating the tired face of a white-tailed deer, freckles coloring his face like fireflies. Eyes, one grey the other blue, blinked at the bleak nearing autumn. Upon his back lay a bird, small and a warm grey, a dove to be exact.

"We will be there soon, Emelia," an older voice, despite his younger appearance, made silence vanish upon its tone. Lifting his head to the slightest, the deer neared the top of the hill, his hooves barely powerful enough to break into the sprint he wanted so desperately to try. Yet it still took a few more heaving steps till the frame stood, illuminated in the dim sunlight, on the top of the hill overlooking a village filled with noise and commotion. Holding his breath, the deer swiveled his head to look at the dove upon his back, eyes shining in true excitement. "We made it, after all this time," breathing out the words, the light delicate head turned back to the overview of the town. They were someplace he could call home, and that was all he needed.

You could suppose the thin lengthy figure counted as one of the fallen, legs pulling itself up the steep sloop towards higher land from the crashing rivers that lay beyond him. You could assume he was a disgrace, eyes bagged from the sleepless nights yet still standing on his heaving limbs. You could call them a weakling, it would fit him well. You could call him a dovekeeper, though he went through hell.

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A voice, strong and traced in age, called out from the deer's side. One heartbeat, two- soon the creature was towering over him. Choking on the breath he didn't know he was holding in, Lalit languidly shifted his head so his eyes could view the creature. A horse, stallion to be exact, with a muscular black build and what seemed like leadership vibe off of him. Name and business? They hadn't quite decided what to say, something he should have decided upon the weeks and months it took to get here yet his voice held silent upon the stallion's view.

Finally plucking the courage from the heart of his weak thin bones, the lad's voice chirped up from the overwhelming awkward silence the two shared. "Lalit Godiel Baratheon," the deer veered his ears towards the bird upon his back whilst keeping his eyes fixated on the stallion in front of him, not wanting to catch himself off guard in the new land. However a tang of worry struck through the horse-like creature when the older male questioned why he had come. Lalit- well, he always had a reason, he always had a drive, there was no way he would have made it here without the motivation it gave him. "I'm here in search of my father, Duncan Baratheon and acceptance into the Baratheon house once again." The deer had heard no news of his father, he hadn't heard of his death or if he was alive- all he knew was that he was part of this land so there the deer stood. If his father remained alive upon the fields, he would hope to see him after all those years alone in the forest. Yet if his father lay in the purgatory he would wish to see the grave he sat upon. Nevertheless, he still wished to join the house after being captured from the land and help a hostage. Not in a hurry to wonder the lands for another two years, he awaited the response of the stallion, giving little to no notice to the feline that stood nearby.

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Still awaiting the note upon his father, the voice of a feline brought up conversation from beside him. Feline, grey pelt with wide curious eyes that blinked at the deer, a heavy dampening vibe burning off of her. For some reason this made the deer feel uneasy, taking a step back as she spoke her knowledge on the subject before introducing herself. Typically if he had known her or been in a safer situation he would have given a greeting but that moment he found himself clinging the words in his throat, not allowing them to come out. Instead the lengthy creature gave a tender nod before turning towards another oncoming voice.

'I haven't heard that name in forever'. So he did know his father? Lalit veered his head towards a canine who had followed up on the situation, pelt of warm colors and eyes of a mixed brown, his voice telling the fallen name of Baratheon. Lalit's name, his surname now fallen, what had happened since he had been gone? This brought a pain of worry to strike through his mind, dripping anxiety into the cracks like water rushing through the grains of loose sand, swirling them around in a haze. His family was fallen, was his sibling even still alive? The deer could barely tell, heterochromatic eyes turning to meet with Emelia upon his back. So this was his current family now?

A few longing heartbeats passed, his ears draining from the hush until the horse spoke up again, this time revealing his name. Exodus, like the bible? Taking a moment to ponder on how given such a name, he felt the dove upon his back shuffle her feathers in appreciation of the voices bringing her comfort. Yet the comfort was short lasted, the stallion by the name Exodus finally giving word of his father's location. It processed for a moment or two in his head, hooves shuffling together in the grass. So he had come here for nothing? Nothing at all? No, that wasn't true- he had come for something and if that wasn't the reason then he just had to find out what was. "So he bares no grave or remembrance?," the deer asked, raising his neck from the poor posture he held a moment before to appear the slightest bit more stronger despite how weak he clearly looked. Yet his words were soon to be forgotten upon the acceptance of himself, the noting of his new home- wait, did he just say 'this house'. Typically you would find the deer eagerly asking if the stallion too lived as a baratheon but exhaustion had riddled him till he could only give a nod and a proper "thank you sir, it means a lot and I wish I can help bring glory to the house again."