I made a little story to share :) I hope people enjoy it. It is actually based on me being extremely frustrated while trying to find all of Catherine’s memories in Mistfall. I used they/them pronouns for your horse just bc idk what you all like imagine (ik in game your starter/soul horse is “supposed” to be male). I did female pronouns for the MC to sort of fit the SSO story line
Alonso raced to the site of the incident. The rain slicked the trails. He made sure to keep extra care in the path he chose as he guided Mardy to the emergency. It was hard to see. The pouring rain and wind blinded him as he picked up speed. His ranger uniform was soaked in the short time he had been outside. But he pressed on. This is what he was trained for, why he joined the Jorvik Rangers. It thrilled him each time he raced to an emergency.
What he saw on his arrival to the scene was not what he expected.
Two rangers desperately held onto a crying horse as it bucked, trying to escaped their ropes. He could instantly recognize the horse. It was her horse. (Mc)'s horse. Two more rangers were preparing climbing gear at the base of the cliff. He looked up. (MC) was barely hanging onto a dirt ledge that was crumbling fast under the intense rain and added weight.
"(MC)!" He yelled out over the roar of the storm. She looked toward him with fearful eyes, before turning quickly attempting to climb further up the cliff. The rangers began to panic, shouting at her not to move. The ledge below her began to crumble more.
Alonso jumped off Mardy and ran to the aide of the climbing team.
"No! No, please! I need to get the butterfly!" She pleaded as she furiously tried to scramble to the top.
There was no butterfly. What was she talking about?
"Hang in there!" Alonso called, hoping her panic was the cause of this delusion.
The platform below her gave way, sliding along as rock, roots, and mud tumbled to the ground below. She let out a shriek as her body was taken over by gravity. Alonso had just gotten off the ground, able to angle himself just enough to catch her. He clutched her to his chest turning his back to the cliff-face, shielding both of them from an onslaught of rocks and mud that came falling with her. She was shaking. Her entire body violently quaking. He looked back up to the top of the cliff. She was dreadfully close to a serious injury and, if she fell the wrong way, possibly death. It was good the Rangers were able to get to her so quickly. Alonso dreaded the thought of what might happen if they were even a minute late.
(MC) still shook as he was brought down. She clutched onto his uniform with white knuckles, barely able to catch her breath. (Horse) had calmed down once they saw that their rider was being brought down safely but still tried to break free from the grips of the other rangers.
"Let them go! They just wants to know she's alright." He told them once he had safely returned to the ground. They let go of the frantic horse. Once they were near enough to smell their rider it seemed to calm them down. They were happy (MC) was safe. Alonso reached out to gentle pat them on the nose.
"Don't worry. We're gonna take good care of her."
It was only a few hours later when (MC) had woken up from her exhaustion induced sleep. There was only one thing on Alonso's mind as he tended to her: what on earth was so important that she would risk her life? A butterfly, she said something about a butterfly. Should he bring it up? Would it cause her to go into a panic again?
"Mmm.. hnng..." She stirred lightly. Alonso looked over towards her, preparing a bowl of warm chicken noodle soup. He had never noticed her eyes before, but they seemingly were enhanced by the light of the fire. It was a strange thought that popped into his mind. Surely, the condition of the cuts on her knees and arms would be more important. The observation of the color of her eyes even caused his face to flush, he felt his ears and cheeks warm.
"W-where am I?" She spoke with a very strained voice.
"We're at the Jorvik Rangers Station in Mistfall. I thought it would be a nice place to recover."
"Recover?" She looked around rather frantically.
"Well...yes. You appear to be very sleep deprived, I have not been able to tell if you've attained any severe injuries, and you might have caught a cold out in the rain like that. Plus, Lionheart's foot is pretty badly sprained. We had the vet from Dundull come and look at him. He needs a few days of rest." She looked down, but he saw the glossiness in her eyes. She clearly felt guilty. The situation rendering her horse injured and herself under observed recovery.
"This is all my fault. I'm sorry." She whispered, her voice cracking as she began to sob into the blanket held tightly in her hands. Normally, he was good at comforting people. Trail riders and rangers complemented him on his calming demeanor that helped them through scary situations. But why couldn't he comfort her the same way. He wanted to say something, but he just couldn't think of what. Instead he interrupted her crying with the bowl of soup and sat at the end of the bed. She ate it quietly, hiccupping every now and then as she tried to calm down.
"Why were you out in a storm like that?" He watched her closely, waiting for her answer. He probably shouldn't have asked but he could tell there was something more to the situation.
"Umm...well...It's hard to explain." She muttered.
"You said something about a butterfly." Her face dropped as he said that.
"I-I did?" He nodded at her.
"Yes. I'm sorry if I seem rude. I just wanted to try to understand. You had me- us- very worried." She bit her lip, thinking.
"It's complicated..." She muttered, taking another spoonful of soup. Alonso didn't have a response to that. He didn't really know what to say.
As Alonso pondered what he should say to comfort the poor girl, she spoke up and surprised him.
"I really appreciate you saving me," She glanced up at him with those eyes. His face flushed under her gaze. "I should clarify. It is complicated. It is something very important to understanding my role in this world, but it isn't something I can openly share with others. I'm thankful that you were there for me when I, quite literally, fell."
Alonso swallowed the lump in his throat. The concerns she seemed to be facing appeared to be stress beyond her years. Alonso found himself wanting to help her with that burden.
"I can tell that whatever is going on is very important to you. It is healthy to share that weight. But if you just need someone to catch you, I'd be happy to do that for you." Alonso gave her the best smile he could, his cheeks still burning from her compliment.
She managed a small but genuine smile in return.
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