Heaven's Wings

Event: Nordanner RNG Mini Show - Week 9 -
Horse: A3751 - Lakewood's Heaven Calling
Handler: Joanna
Chosen Familiar: 'Wings on the Water'/Ardium, in the form of a Barn owl.

Glitter present for bonus: Joey's earring and anklet as well as the faded horse profile on her sweater. (I like to think its a really old on and the glitter wore down in repeated washings, as it does ^^)

*Note that I've chosen for Heaven to not take on any physical differences, and her familiar is also largely natural in appearance.
(The owl is also intentionally bright compared to everything else )

(For the purpose of the story only, this takes place just slightly in the future - April 24th, to be specific. I thought it was poetic that she find a familiar the day she turns a year old )

Full size cropped image Here:

...

Story Time...

It was already dark when Joanna turned the old VW camper up Lakewood's winding, hidden drive. But despite the star-studded sky blinking warmly down between the gaps in the trees, it was not quiet. Even from the Courtyard, where she pulled up and cut the engine, she could see the floodlights over at the yard casting a merry glow into the evening air. It felt like a secret rendezvous of some kind; the way the spark of brightness was sheltered away by the woodland, and yet Joanna knew this had been arranged for at least two weeks. That was when she'd received the cryptic text asking her what she thought of carrot cake (eww, mostly).

She reached over, prodding a half asleep Eric and making him start as she snatched a sweater from behind the front seats. Her brother yawned, raking a hand through his mop of dark hair as he looked out the window, registering where they were.

Joanna shrugged off the smart cardigan she had been wearing and pulled the comfy sweater over her head instead. Beneath it she still wore the form fitting, iron grey dress that she'd put on that morning. Their mother's assistant manager at the Country Club had been in a car accident and easier than trying to pull in a temp, Joanna had been able to fill in for the day - practically growing up around the place meant she knew the regulars just as well as she knew what had to be done. Still, it was with some sense of gratefulness that she kicked off her heeled shoes beside the clutch. However well she knew her mother's work, her father's side of it on the Club's polo yard would always be where she was most comfortable.

With Eric back to wakefulness, they made their way from the Courtyard and down the path to the yard. Joanna may have had a long day at the club, but Eric had been tied up in a Football tournament for school since before noon. Unlike her, he'd had time to return home and change, but he was arguably more exhausted. Still, he'd refused to miss this.

With the weather taking a dawdling but persistent turn into spring, more of the horses were starting to live out again. The Timekins, Kiwi, Romany and the heavy Faime horses were not in their boxes, though the night had drawn in too low to make them out in the fields. The miniatures; Celta, Nemo and Kaloua were all loose in the farmyard now that the chickens had been shut in. Both of Austin's little sisters were running around with them, their giggles lost in the music from the old radio that filtered out over the farm. The front barn doors were closed, horses rustling around in their beds behind them, but as Joanna and Eric let themselves through the little gate to the stable block, she could see the sliding door to the tack room stood open.

A hodge-podge assortment of chairs was arranged outside the stables - some that Joanna recognised from the kitchen, including the moth-eaten wingback armchair Chess usually claimed. All the dogs were there - including Twitch's spaniel, Isla, and Austin's old, half-deaf Jack Russell, Bagel. Austin's mother was chatting to Twitch's as they hovered by a fold out table of biscuits and drinks; Daryl and Becca were having a lively debate over by feed room, both unable to keep from smiling. Chess was sitting up on Casta, who was tethered on the yard, his golden bioluminescent shooting stars glittering on the black liver canvas of his coat. Not far from him was Kairi; her spray of blue glowing markings standing out just as strikingly.

A cheer went up as the gate swung shut behind Eric and Becca waved her over.

"I'm so glad you made it – when you called and told me what happened I didn’t know if you’d be able to get here. What happened with the accident? Are they okay?”

Joanna nodded, waving her down as Eric headed over to Kairi. “It wasn’t Toby’s fault,” she said. “He was rear ended and the airbag deployed when they veered into the centre reservation. Mum got a call from his boyfriend just a couple of hours ago and he’s okay. Concussion, sprained wrist and a couple of lacerations… might be some whiplash by the morning, too. I’m covering tomorrow but by Wednesday Mum’s back up should be in place. Sorry for the short notice today.”

It was Becca’s turn to wave her away. “God, no, don’t worry. Loving the dress code, though.”

Joanna glanced down at herself, taking in the faded glittering horse head on her sweater and the pencil style skirt showing beneath it, down to her bare feet. She shrugged, offering a sheepish smile.

“Forgot to put a change of clothes in the car.”

“We at least have some spare boots you can borrow.”

But Joanna shrugged that off, too. “Maybe later. This is actually pretty nice after a day wearing three inch death traps.”

Laughing, Becca turned to indicate the archway to the new block behind her. “Sounds like you’ve earned a break. Heaven is still out with Camber. Austin just went down to fetch them, but if you catch up he’ll hand her over.”

“Where are Twitch and Alec?” Joanna thought to ask, noticing only then that they weren’t on the yard.

Becca smirked, and – clearly having overheard -  Daryl shook his head in amusement. “They went to the Circle to put out Kiwi’s late night hay over twenty minutes ago,” she said.

“Good for them,” Joanna laughed. “See you in a bit.”

Calling back to Eric that she was going to fetch Heaven, she hurried through the barn, Becca waving after her.

The new block – built a little over a year ago now – fitted neatly at the back of the original stable and barn. A set of double doors at the end faced south with a side entrance through the stable yard. It wasn’t quite as large as the old Barn, but the roof was made from clear corrugated sheeting. Now, as with most nights, it made the barn feel cosy, even as the aisle was gently lit from the muted glow of the moon and the stars could just be seen between the ridges.

Heaven’s halter was gone, but her box mucked out and her rug thrown over the open door in readiness.

Doing an about turn, Joanna made her way to the double doors and slipped out. The dissonance between the atmosphere just the other side of the stable block and here was jarring in the best way. The music was just slightly muffled, the warm light only just spilling over the gabled roof, and the buzz of conversation like hearing it through water. Here the breeze ruffled the trees, squirrels dug through the earth at their roots and owls cooed into the dark. A few floodlights left on were powered low, the cool white light reaching just a little way down the paths away from the heart of the Farm.

Joanna took a deep breath in and started for the fields.

Austin spotted her first. He was just letting Camberwell out of the gate when she stopped at the fence.

“Everything work out okay?” he asked her, handing over Heaven’s halter without prompting.

“Some small injuries,” Joanna confirmed again. “I’m covering tomorrow when I’d usually be on the Polo yard but I should be back here by Wednesday. How’s it been?”

“A bunch of them are out now, so that makes morning yards quicker. Daryl arrived early to catch up with Becca about Opera and he’s going to be around next week to help us do all the worming. Several have been ridden, Chess convinced Vacancy to just trot over a pole and at this point Twitch could go to the Olympics for Goat Catching.”

Joanna snorted. “Who was it?”

“Hershey.” Austin shook his head, patting Camberwell’s neck as the Peafowl Faime filly shuffled impatiently in the gateway. “I’ll get her back. Heaven’s all yours. Oh, and I swear I saw a barn owl out here on my way down – took off when I got closer, though. Keep an eye out; they’re getting rarer by the day so if there is one around, we could think about setting up an owl box.”

“Noted,” Joanna nodded. “See you in a few.”

Austin clicked his tongue and steered Camber away. They were quickly swallowed by the dark.

Heaven had already made her own way to the fence.

Her soft chestnut coat was muted in the shadows, but the plumes in her mane and tail were as bright as ever. Her ears pricked forwards, breath puffing out in greeting over Joanna’s hands.

She was a year old today.

Joanna remembered the night she was born vividly; the inky black mare pacing the foaling box, the way the tiny filly had spilled into the deep straw, all knobbly joints, pale golden down and legs too long for her to handle.

She still had a long way to go. She was croup high again, still gaining inches in staggered jumps, and her legs were still too long, her hooves small. But she’d grown into her knees and hocks and been putting on muscle tone nicely, even with simple ground exercise on a lead rope. Plenty of time in the field helped, too. She had an ever changing set of companions to improve her social skills as much as her physical tone. Her mane was also getting thicker. It would grow long enough to lay flat eventually, but in the meantime, now there was enough of it, they would introduce her to pulling and cutting, should it ever be needed later in life.

The Nordanner yearling tossed her head, raking her teeth against the bolt on the gate in a clear indication of impatience.

And why not? She was missing her own birthday party, after all.

Opening the gate, Joanna slid her halter up over her nose and tied it off when it was behind her ears. She was beginning to grow into that, too.

It was peaceful as they trekked back up to the yard. The indigo sky, mapped with stars was clear, but it was strangely not cold – not yet, anyway. Joanna picked her way through the long grass at the edge of the fence, where it was soft under her bare feet. Heaven’s hooves made muffled sounds as they fell, one after the other, rhythmically on the path beside her.

 

They were just reaching the edge of the floodlight’s furthest reaches when Joanna stopped.

Heaven pulled up beside her, ears swivelling as if to question her.

But for a moment, Joanna didn’t know why she’d stopped. A sound, a brush of air…something she couldn’t quite name.

And then she felt it again; a flutter in the breeze. Something light and delicate.

There was a shape in the sky.

It turned in an arc above them, then curled down. Despite the direct line it made for them, something about it felt gentle and careful.

A flash of snowy white wings, a pair of large, round eyes, and then the feather-down legs ending in sharp, curved talons. The wings curved upward, the tail forwards and the legs reached forward, claws flexing at the air in a way that was instantly recognisable.

A bird of prey. A bird of the night.

Joanna twisted to the side, raising an arm automatically to shield her face, even as she realised this must be the same bird Austin said to look out for.

But it didn’t claw at her.

The talons flexed over the thick fabric of her sweater sleeve with a strange caution; finding the gentlest way to grip.

Awe and surprise, not to mention the unfamiliar weight of a live bird, had her arm lowering, her mouth already tugging into an amazed smile. The owl let its legs sink, the wings slowing as its bulk came to rest on the perch offered to it.

Heaven let out a long, slow breath beside Joanna. It was an exhale that quivered through her nostrils and across the still air to ruffle the silk smooth feathers of the bird.

The owl shook itself in response, like a dog might shake off rain, and then its head twisted.

It didn’t seem concerned with Joanna much at all, beyond appreciating the landing place. Its eyes were firmly on Heaven, and the filly seemed equally entranced in return.

It was definitely a barn owl. The undersides of its wings were snowy white, their shape broad but strangely swan-like in elegance. It had a heart shaped face, typical of its species, with speckles on its sides. But it was not totally white. The owl’s head and back were pale tan and cream, smudged and spotted with soft greys that continued up the outside of its wings.

Heaven took a step closer, her loose rope swaying gently between them. She stretched up her nose and very, very gently set the end of her muzzle to the owl’s belly. She exhaled again, and then drew in a deep breath.

Joanna raised an eyebrow at her, but stayed silent.

Something was happening here, and she was wise enough to recognise that while she might be a witness to it, it did not truly involve her.

The owl curved over Heaven’s nose, stretching its body up her face. Its weight rocked on Joanna’s arm. Then, just as affectionately, it tweaked the strands of her forelock with its beak.

Heaven didn’t flinch. She held still, eyes riveted on the owl. 

Then it was simply over.

The owl lifted up, finally turned its liquid black eyes to Joanna with an expression of absolute softness, and then spread its wings.

The air rippled. The bird took off, making sure to release Joanna’s arm with the same infinite care it had taken when gripping it. Owls were silent hunters, and it showed in the way it spun once on the point of a wing without a sound, before heading for the woods.

Joanna let out a long breath, feeling like she’d been holding it for the past several minutes. Heaven watched the empty sky for a moment, then shook herself, looking like she was confused again at why they were still not moving.

Joanna heaved a sigh, rubbed her on the neck and started forwards again. 

That hadn’t been normal; that much she was sure of. But exactly what had just happened was beyond her. She didn’t think that was the last of the owl, at the least.

It might be a good time to tell Austin to get a box for it.

...

So...the plan was for this to be a speedy job, on account of it being an RNG entry...but it started going off track when I realised I couldn't draw owls for toffee, so I wanted to study up and actually get it right...at which point, I guess I just decided to really apply myself to all of it. So this took hours.

And I had to do a little story about this, too, because - milestones

Hopefully I haven't gone too wrong on how familiars/their Nordies might interact (especially as a first meeting). The way I saw this playing out, is the owl finds Heaven and introduces itself, but their bond builds up gradually, over time, rather than just sticking together constantly from the first moment.

Background was actually entirely painted first, this time (other than a basic sketch). Characters were painted afterwards just from the sketch with no lineart. A combination of greyscale shading and colour shading. No refs for Heaven or Joanna, but I used a handful of different photos to help put together the owl, though none were referenced directly.
I have always done my own stars by hand before, but this time I did use some new brushes I found (something I've always wanted to try). They can be found here: Lost In Space Brushes - PS7+
Photos used: Barn Owl - Barn Owl Stock #2 - Australian Barn Owl 01
This was also pretty useful: fav.me/da69a9l
Art and characters copyright to Tattered-Dreams
Nordanners and Familiars belong to Cloudrunner64
Do not take, copy, edit, redistribute or manipulate.