Dawnlark Plains [BWP] long since i saw you, so how have you been?

Out on the plains, the wind picked up its pace, dancing along a ridge of spiny tussocks. For now, that gentle summer wind was kind – give it two months, and the green landscape would be entirely unrecognizable; a dry and cold expanse welcoming of winter.

Bighorn sheep had moved from their lofty spires to the flatlands below, their eyes rolling and bodies tense; something had uprooted them from their high abode, and the herd was scattered and panicked to be so brazenly out in the open. Underfoot the ground shook and the herd bolted – the thundering of their collective cloven hooves sounding more infernal than whatever beast stirred below.  

by @Indra

 it was only a matter of time before atwood would outgrow the familiar sights of elysium; even the most beautiful sight grows stale with familiarity. he slips away from his brothers and without hesitation crosses the borders, only pausing once he's nearly out of sight. a thrill runs through him at the thought, and then the thrill continues, and suddenly it is not the feeling in his body but the shaking of the ground underneath his paws.

and just as suddenly he is not alone, as the pounding of hooves overwhelms the air and rumbles the earth. atwood, young and frightened, does not know what to do--he takes off in what he hopes is the opposite direction, not, in his panic, back towards elysium, but at random, trying desperately to avoid being crushed underneath the scattered stampede.

Whatever small comfort he may have found in his initial return to Swiftcurrent Creek has vanished with time, and truth be told, he cannot remember if it'd ever been there at all. Maybe he'd imagined it. Either way, he finds he can hardly bear to stay within the borders any longer, and slips away ignorant of what the day will bring him.
He doesn't notice the other boy in the distance as he wanders the plains; he's too focused on the ground, the glinting grass rippling like water beneath his paws. He wonders if @Helios would see it too, if he mentioned it, or if it is another thing to add to the list of ways in which he is different. But then the ground starts to rumble, and it only takes him a few moments to realize that this isn't just him. Mostly what gives it away is the stranger bolting in his direction, pursued by a scattered crowd of... something. Something big and terrifying, which is all Zephyr really needs to know. He can't quite will himself to move, though — not until the dark boy passes him, and he finds himself following, thinking the other knows where he's going. He doesn't have time to question his assumption, but he likely wouldn't realize or care that it's wrong anyway.

tiiiny pp, can change if you like!

in his panic, atwood nearly barrels into the other child, noticing his presence only when he topples over in his attempt to skirt what he had, at first, assumed was a large rock. "oh! he cries, startled, scrambling to his feet, but does not stop -- belatedly he realises the other boy has followed him, too. over his shoulder he calls out "we need to get out of the way--" for the hoove-beats are closer still, faster than two small boys. atwood, at least, has never been charitably described as 'athletic.'

before them, all around them, is only flat earth. desperately atwood pivots, shoving hard against the other boy with a shouted "that way!"--toward, roughly, the mountains, looming in the near distance with the promise of cliffs and rocks and places to climb to get out of the fucking way.

is it alright if i start something for them @ emberflame? & prob something at scc too. we can keep the emberflame thread short!

He nearly stumbles himself when the boy scrambles to avoid running into him, but he recovers from the shock quickly. He's so focused on trying to keep up with the other boy, he barely registers the words directed at him, though he manages to make out some of the meaning. His heart sinks a little with the beginnings of the realization that the other child is as clueless as he is. He ignores it for now — and finds himself distracted anyway by the impact against his side. Hey! It slips from him automatically, even as he turns in the direction he'd been shoved. He starts to say more, but the gravity of the situation is still bearing down on him, so he decides to shut up and run for now. The mountains do look rather welcoming right now.

yes that sounds great! we can go ahead and fade this one?

atwood ignores the other boy's shouted protest and holds his focus on getting to the mountains, getting away, at least, from the danger. he lowers his head and runs, losing himself in the motion--it isn't until they reach the ridge that he will finally come back to himself and take stock of the situation entirely.