Running in the Forest

A/N Another prompt from "Make a Scene" for the Opadrolympics I'm actually drawing the Cognitive Realm! It's going to take a looong time to get in all those beads, but it'll be amazing when it's done. It'll be the first true-to-form drawing of Shadesmar, too there's another drawing but... it's more conceptual than sticking to how the books describe it.

If you know about spren from Stormlight Archives, shoot me a note. I'd love to roleplay some of this (this part wasn't in my original story plan - not that there was much of a plan) but I don't know if people who didn't know about this stuff would feel about me introducing it. As you can see if you look at my girls' refs, I'm not exactly following the Knights Radiant orders, but the surges are the same just paired differently. Bobby is... he's not a storm spren like the dark storm spren in Words of Radiance, but he's not a mindless spren, either.

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Dream
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    With a clap of thunder Melody entered her dreamscape. Does everyone know when they're dream? This time, though, the clouds were replaced by swirling mists. Melody could sense... power and vague concepts in the mists, their forms ever swirling. A tree, a stick, a few mountains, their mountain... the mountain they were on? A tall, deep red and dull white figure plods through one of the thicker mists.
    "Rain! It's so good to see you again," Melody whinnies. "You wouldn't believe all that's happened. I've found-"
    "We have precious time, remember?" Rain quelled her inquiries with a dull look, swishing his tail. "Danger's approaching from another world. Whatever is happening with your breed seems to be quickening its pace, and we need to find out what that is. I know I told you to come find us, but I will come to you and then we need to search out other Padros and a handful of Draco Stryx. Not all have spren guiding them. In fact, most don't, but those few are the key to-"

    With a flash Melody woke up. "But the key to what?" she whispered, stamping a hoof and flicking her ears slightly. The damn stallion it seemed could only enter her dreams at the end of her sleep cycle. He always left her with more questions than answers. What was this danger? Did it have something to do with the strange spren in the storm? Why did only certain Padros have spren while others didn't? What even were Draco Stryx? Snorting, Melody shook her head. She would have to wait for Rain to find them before her questions could be answered.
    Seeing her little sister had not woken up yet, Melody set out to find enough breakfast for the two of them. Still mulling over what Rain had said, the mare didn't notice how far she had wandered from the cave until she found herself looking up at the sun nearing mid-day. With a start, she wheeled around, slipping a little in the drying mud. It would be a long walk back up to their cave. Hopefully Chance was still sleeping and didn't think Melody had abandoned her. That would be bad. Gathering up the apples and grass in her mouth like a chipmunk would, Melody raced back up the mountainside, glad that she chose the easier path. She still slipped a few times, hooves sliding back as her feet hit too-wet grass or a slick patch of rock.
    After what felt like an eternity, Melody finally made it back to their cave, sighing in relief that Chance was still asleep. Sticking closer to the cave this time, Melody grabbed some more grasses and apples so they could have a mini feast.
    The snap of a twig behind her put her on high alert, ears swiveling and nostrils flaring. Something was rummaging about just outside their cave. Slowly turning, Melody spotted a massive... bird? It looked like it might be roughly her height from ground to shoulders in comparison to ground to her head at a normal carriage. Its face looked like an owl, but Melody didn't know of any owl that grew to this size. Its length, too... Was that a tail! Startled Melody skittered sideways as, indeed, an even longer, thin tail with big feathers at the tip slithered a mere foot away.
    Not good, not good. Carefully picking her way around the bird, Melody headed back to the cave where Chance was up, eyes wide as she no doubt heard the beast outside.
    "It's going to be okay," Melody nickered. She frowned as the filly started shaking. "Really, we just need to get past that... thing. Should be no problem for you!"
    Melody grinned as Chance managed a small smile. Once the filly was up, they quietly made their way to the deep shadows near the mouth of the cave. The brown, black, and white owl creature was still rummaging about in front, but it didn't seem to be looking for them at least. Once the creature had made another pass, Melody motioned for Chance to go out first since it wouldn't be able to smell or hear her.
    The golden filly silently slipped out of the cave, and Melody saw her form shimmer before just becoming a vague distortion as she passed the creature. It looked up. Melody's breath caught as it looked straight at Chance, but after a moment of sniffing it went back to its search. What could it be looking for? Shaking her head, Melody turned her attention back to the shimmering form and let out a small sigh of relief as she saw Chance re-emerge just a few feet on the other side of the creature. The filly was panting heavily but otherwise seemed fine.
    With baited breath, Melody waited for the creature to make a pass again before slipping out of the cave. Shuffling forward, she kept a sharp eye out for twigs and loose rocks, anything that could alert the creature to her presence. Melody heard a rumble and looked up. Right into the creature's curious, pale green eyes. Squealing, Melody swiveled on her haunches and galloped away from its face, making to round the creature before it knew what was going on. With a snap its black beak grabbed a mouthful of her tail but the hairs riipped free, making her wince. Melody surged ahead, skidding into a sharp turn as it slammed an earth-and-grey colored wing down right in front of her. Nose tickled by the feathers, Melody scrambled to round the creature, only to come face to belly with it. Skidding to a stop, Melody wheeled in a circle, hooves barely skating the ground as she sought escape. Its beady eyes stared at her as its neck twisted at an odd angle.
    "Ikiuzlu, what have you found over there?" a bright voice called out. The creature raised its head and rumbled something unintelligible in response. "Alright, alright, I'm coming. Just hold on-"
    The creature lifted its tail, and Melody surged towards the opening, eyes growing impossibly wide as she side swiped a pale two-legged with golden hair and almost pure black eyes.
    "Run!" Melody neighed as she passed Chance, bumping the filly with her snout to get her moving. Hearing clawed feet pound behind her, Melody risked a glance back at the creature. The two-legged was hanging onto its feathered, black neck. The human shouted something at the oversized bird, but it shook its snow white head in determination, speeding up. They were gaining on Melody and Chance. Thinking fast, Melody focused on sending a pulse of lightning to the bird, and sure enough, a bolt of yellow lightning shot towards the bird's face.
    The moment it connected, a heart wrenching scream pierced the air. The bird's feathers stood on end, the ends frazzled and even a few burnt feathers falling off. Melody would have felt bad for the creature if it hadn't probably been trying to kill them for lunch! A loud thump and a tremor through the ground left Melody feeling relieved that the bird was down for the count. Not knowing how long that would keep the bird off is feet, Melody and Chance galloped down the mountainside, the earth now sloping more steeply.
    They didn't stop until they were both out of breath, Chance on the verge of collapsing after her display back there. "You... you okay?" Melody panted. Chance nodded, leaning against an old oak tree as she waited for the dizziness to go away.