the sun rises (ota)

[brushy]

Who: amaterasu & you! (and some closed prompts)
What: mostly the blooming of the guardian saplings in their designated locations; refer to the page! also a reminder to check ammy's info page regarding her appearance to your character, if you already haven't!
When: throughout may
Where: arouuuuuu--

Content Warnings: plant body horror + harm being done to an animal in one of the closed prompts, monster body horror for anyone who wants to tag with their monster dreams!

[ during the first few daylights of may, amaterasu is diligently at work; she trots almost nonstop left and right to visit the small, green little saplings that would become strong with the sun. it's always so cloudy in trench though, even if daylight is finally upon them after an entire month of darkness. on the morning of the eighth, there is something different about this sunrise; a distant wolf's howl accompanies its ascension as the rays shower trench in a way it possibly never has. it's warm, welcoming, and wishes a brilliant day to all of those who greet it (especially mothers— she's only now just found out about mother's day).



at the locations of the Mental Health and Recovery Clinic, Trenchwood Farm, The Sanctuary and Farther Shores, one may either see the phenomena happening or be drawn to the blooms already in full: the once hardworking greenlings have grown unreasonably fast into reaching trees, bark and all. they're missing something— until it happens. an unseen force encourages them to bloom, and in an instant, the cherry blossoms burst with life, with energy and a powerful, energetic kick into the polluted soil its roots bury in. it doesn't stretch far, but it helps, and it tries its best to maintain the soil and water around it clean and purified. those sensitive to the supernatural will feel a palpable lift in the pollution where these trees are situated, that they are of great origin, important, sacred. animals will naturally be drawn to them, and so will people. for their beauty, for their shelter, and of course, for their purity and bridge to being closer to nature. even those who are not supernaturally inclined will undoubtedly feel at peace under these gentle giants. what's not to feel peaceful about, viewing the cherry blossoms gently hovering in the breeze that greets you under the shady branches?

you might even be there to catch the sight of a white wolf admiring her handiwork. or, perhaps . . . that's not a wolf at all. a woman, a little rabbit, or even a snow-white horse (or, is that . . . a dragon?). it's hard to tell with this shapeshifting blanket she was given, and amaterasu has delighted herself in bringing it everywhere for its comfort (you can tell; it's already pretty dirty, but it's not as if she cares). ]

(ooc: just as a note, amaterasu can either come in her regular wolf-shape or a temporary form, either human, statue or one of the other brush gods! please let me know if you have a preference, to maintain or shapeshift (and the desired shape, if any)! if there is no preference, i will randomize! hmu at @liberos.plurk if you would like to plot further!)

Comments

🐴 cw: plant body horror

[brushy]

[ amaterasu had begun to feel dizzy and unwell when squirted with the blood of plants she hadn’t realized were so nefarious. she’d scorched that very bed, when it all became too apparent, but the wolf mother’s hunt would not last the day. she would fumble and have difficulty finding balance in her once steady paws. she would see the earth spin so wildly that she found it better to rest there, on her back, and watch the sky twirl about as her dolphin omen did— the dolphin swims out of worry though, calling to her, and when she would not respond beyond a seasick groan, the dolphin would gingerly serve as her crutch to take her elsewhere. the closest of the guardian trees was the beach, and with laboring effort, they arrive there. amaterasu is tucked gently beneath the tree’s grace and blanketed with bausphomette’s gift for better rest, as her dolphin omen tries.

under that tree is not a lump of fur, but the massive body of a pearl white mare, shining still, as the sun does, with crisp red markings dawning her flank and feathery wings by her hooves heels. she breathes heavy and in deep slumber— and her mane grows with the roots and leaves of marigolds that dig beneath her hide and threaten to pool out like sores. ]

[dohaeris]

[lady smells her before sansa sees her (there is an element of...horse??), but there's something strange--an odor of flowers and rot. sansa grasps her skirts, already cut above her ankles in the front for mobility, in one hand and runs.]

Lady Ammako!

[sansa kneels beside her. the flower curse--she recalls a cellar door resident ordering her wheeling, flower-covered daughter to 'get in the bath and scrub that off--with salt!' fortunately, they are at the saltwater beach. unfortunately, amaterasu seems to be deeply asleep (and much too big to carry...). sansa peels back one corner of the blanket. lady noses at her horse's face.]

Lady Ammako, a curse has befallen you. You must wake up and get in the water.

[brushy]

[ the horse breathes deep, so very deep . . . but getting nudges with such a wet, chilly nose where a root seems to grow through begins to tickle her, itch the lengthened canal to breathe through— the horse blows air through wet and webbed nostrils, flaring them to catch at least some more air between the vibrating leaves clinging there. a hoof, paddles aimlessly at the ground, her belly expands as she huffs deeply, and with a moan: ]

I . . . Do not like baths.

[ hark! the horse speaks. ]

[dohaeris]

[sansa automatically glances up for an omen, but it doesn't matter. lady licks amaterasu's face very carefully around the...plant matter.]

It's only the ocean, Lady Ammako. It isn't like a bath at all.

[it is probably significantly more dangerous, but perhaps that will make it more exciting? besides, she's quite sure lady ammako is a match for any creature in the nearby waters (perhaps even mariana herself...), once she gets the curse flowers off.]

I'll go in with you, and Lady. It's very nice.

[it's freezing. at least the air is warm. sansa unfastens her gown with a sigh...]

[brushy]

[ her groggy voice pushes and pulls like the very tide when she decides to lift her now-massive head, and force her tired eyes apart. ]

It is Lady . . . Hello, Lady. Lady does not like baths either, does she—? [ this . . . encourages the wolf-now-mare, so her head lifts and stays for just a little longer. ] It should be alright . . . To swim, with Sansa. Hrm.

I am. I am quite dizzy. And floating, look at me. I would almost like to laugh, if horses do laugh.

[ she props her hooves in front of her and prepares . . . eventually! she's not floating anywhere, but the feeling stays. ]

[dohaeris]

[lady has no quarrel with baths, but she yips a wolf assent. she's not above a lie that's kindly meant, either. sansa shrugs off her dress and folds it neatly next to her. her at least her shift has sleeves going to her elbows...she sighs and unbuckles her stays, too.]

The curse flowers make you dizzy, I do know that.

[lady nudges amaterasu's face as sansa takes off her boots. she circles around and carefully noses at her back, encouraging her to stand up.]

I will do my best to help you.

[boots off, sansa sort of scoots over to amaterasu's side, where lady is, and kind of, crouches down, getting her shoulder under the heavy horse's body. she is careful not to touch any flowers with her bare skin, but they're only going into the water anyway.]

Tell me when you're ready to stand, and I will try and push.

[brushy]

[ when horses stand, it's a little . . . well, sudden! it isn't much different from amaterasu, who looks about to sleep if not for her front hooves so positioned before her. in a rattle of silence, the mare stands in what may seem like a stumbling, rigid rise that might as well frighten anyone venturing too close. she is, of course, a horse.

shaking her head and then her hide, she then snorts: ]

—I am ready to stand.

[ a little late on the money, but at least she's up! ]

[dohaeris]

Oh!

[sansa sway a little from the sudden shift in horse weight.]

That's very good!

[she rises quickly to her feet and presses her hand against some free space by horse amaterasu's shoulder. how do you lead a horse without...a lead?she tries to push gently, as if it were the shoulder of a human she was trying to steer.]

Just walk...towards the ocean.

[would she trip if she tried to trot or canter? sansa has never seen a horse unsteady on her feet before...]

[brushy]

[ it turns out that watching an unstable horse trying to remain steady is terrifying. they're large, and the fall in turn feels all the more larger when it happens. luckily for them, amaterasu doesn't fall (yet), but she does stumble to much to one side, then planting in place to hover and station her weight— then she takes her first real step. so far, so good, but god does it look like she could go too far and take a nasty fall at any moment. ]

Here I go. Is that you? Would you like a ride, Sansa . . . ?

[dohaeris]

[sansa is a little nervous of lady amaterasu bellowing her true name like that, but she doesn't dare correct her. how is it that a horse form can speak the common tongue but a wolf one can't? she turns sideways, planting both hands on amaterasu's horse flank and pushing her carefully towards the ocean. lady trots along the other side like a coach dog, trying to keep her on a straight path.]

Oh, I wouldn't dare ride on such an important person as yourself.

[it's an idle platitude as she concentrates on keeping amaterasu steady. sansa could never ride a horse without a saddle, she's not sure it's even possible.]

[brushy]

[ the horse’s tail flicks almost elegantly. she is walking— this is good. the more speed the less dizziness, she sees. so far it’s only a simple, slow moving gait. she wants to lift her head, arch her neck, but finds herself heavy.

(how does a horse talk and a wolf not? blame capcom) ]

How will you keep up with me, then? I am so very fast— I think I would like you on my back.

[dohaeris]

[sansa keeps a steady hand on her shoulder, attempting to guide her towards the sea. lady holds the line on her other side.]

Oh, it's only a short distance to the water, now. I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to ride a horse without a saddle, and I don't think we could fit one over the flowers, but if you care to wear one when you are well, I will ride with you.

[brushy]

[ the horse seems to snort, or chuff at this— but she does chew a bit, idly. a little stumble here, with her weight being pushed, but she fights herself in the decline of soft sand. ]

Oh, very well. I’ll have you know I am a gentle ride.

[ that depends on her definition for “gentle”. either way, the spray of the ocean is close! ]

[dohaeris]

[sansa tries to clutch at her side when she stumbles. horses seem to lame so easily.]

Oh--! Lady Ammako, you must be very careful not to turn an ankle. Horses don't heal so well as humans or wolves.

[she must be unshod, could the sand get into her hoof and cause irritation? she knows sometimes they get stones stuck in there, which have to be carefully removed.]

I'm sure you'd take very good care of your rider, as any lady mother would.

[riding a horse that is a friend does sound kind of...fun, as long as they don't have to go up or down a mountain.]

[brushy]

Yes— oh, these long, bony legs . . .

[ she digs at the black sand a bit, but it's softer here; the tide must have been here earlier, and the crescent shapes of her hooves are leaving marks. what were they talking about? oh— ]

I had a long-time companion I miss dearly— His name is Issun. He would ride on my head and sleep in my fur. It broke my heart to part with him, but I'm proud. He became an envoy, and is a magnificent artist.

[dohaeris]

[sansa smiles faintly, thinking about jon and bran. even arya had seemed comfortable enough in braavos.]

Your friend sounds very accomplished. It's much easier to bear the distance if we know our loved ones are doing well.

[she and lady do their best to bear amaterasu steadily along towards the sea.]

I saw my little sister and brother in the portals last month. I was told they were killed, but they told me they had gotten away. Our smallest brother, too. It made everything so much better. I still hope they'll wash up here, of course. It's miserable to hide, but I'm very glad they're all right.

It would be wonderful if they could meet you.

[brushy]

[ the sloshing is soon met on her hooves— splashing and entering the coming and going of waves, amaterasu enters only enough to wet her ankles in full. should she go out deeper? the temperature doesn't bother her— she's already hotblooded. ]

I would love to meet them. Are they still in danger?

[dohaeris]

[sansa wades into the water, not quite hissing at the cold. she longs for her boots, but she can't risk anything happening to them.]

Yes, perhaps not Bran--he's learning the magic of our world, and he's very well hidden. I don't know where Rickon is, but he has a very capable guard. And Arya--I suppose she's only as safe as I was, but that's better than how we were before.

[she pauses. how to tell lady amaterasu she has to submerge herself without accidentally invoking comparisons to a bath?]

I think you have to swim out deep enough to reach all the flowers.

[which is a little concerning, as sansa has never swam in anything bigger than the hot pools at winterfell...not in this form, anyway. well, lady can probably keep her from drowning.]

[brushy]

Perhaps I could— Oh.

[ splash. with sansa and lady in the splash zone no less, amaterasu takes to falling onto her side by the time the water has hit her hocks. sea foam clings to them as the horse grows a little frantic to keep her head above the water, despite already being soaked by it. ]

[dohaeris]

Lady Ammako!

[sansa instinctively shuts her eyes against the saltwater. when she opens them she darts frantically towards amaterasu's horse's head, dropping to her knees to take it into her lap. she feels the current tugging her from side to side.]

I suppose that's one way to do it.

[she tries to splash water over the flowers on her head and neck, while lady paddles her front legs furiously at amaterasu's side. sansa watches some petals drift away out to sea.]

Just try and keep your head still. I'll hold it out of the water.

[despite that sansa cups a little water in her hand and pours it over the flowers on amaterasu's face, trying to to brush them away as gently as she can.]

[brushy]

[ the horse, despite settling safely, seems to be . . . moaning? or just groaning in a dramatic, displeased sort of way. this still feels like she’s taking a saltwater bath.

she dislikes baths.

amaterasu closes her eyes and does just that, breathing warmly into sansa’s lap and heavily sighing at least once or twice.

it is serving its purpose— the roots that have burrowed beneath her hide is peeling away. the demon petals are losing their foothold. the more she gets better, her tail slaps the water just a little harder each time in sansa’s and lady’s general direction. perhaps, a sign that she is feeling playful, and more like herself. ]

[dohaeris]

[a bath would be warm, and sansa's freezing. she continues to splash water over amaterasu's head and neck, and brush away the flowers as gently as she can. lady attempts to do the same for her legs and torso. sansa eyes lady amaterasu's tail flicking with a faint smile. it reminds her of nothing so much as a cat (but then she's never really paid much attention to the back ends of horses.]

Look, it's working. The flowers are coming off. Soon you'll be able to paddle around, if you like.

[do horses swim? well, she should be able to remember from when she was a wolf.]

You might have to go a little further out.

[brushy]

[ more and more, there was clarity to her thoughts. they weren't so muddled. she wasn't so dizzy. her eyes could open wider to inspect the girl's handiwork. she sees— she sees so much more than she did. ]

Will you come with me? [ she could go by herself at this rate, but there was something more that amaterasu had wanted to do. more and more was she seeing just how diligently sansa was working for her sake, shivering and wet, not nearly as robustly ready for harsh temperatures without a coat on her. ] Hug me tight. They may call it Coldblood, but my blood runs hot. I shall keep you warm.

[ and it is, for the record, hot underneath her skin. it's like touching the wall close to a furnace. ]

[dohaeris]

[sansa laughs a little, shivering, and brushes the last of the plant matter from amaterasu's neck.]

I never knew what kind of blood you had. Your magic is more like the children of the forest, from my world. Or Garth Greenhand! The Tyrells always said they ran warm, too. None of them ever wore a jacket.

[well, except for lady olenna, who was a redwyne by birth. sansa sort of sits down in the sand and wraps her arms around amaterasu's neck.]

You'd like my friend Margaery Tyrell. I think you would find you have very much in common.

[even the support of very powerful grandmothers!]

[brushy]

[ amaterasu will allow her to rest there, for a bit. gather herself, warm up, too. he’s a bit antsy, now that the world has cleared for her and the demon plants are peeled clean off of her. ]

Oh? Is she a mother, as well?

[ she will gather the side of her neck and head to cradle sansa, make sure she’s close. ]