Drowning And No One Cares...

[ϞSymreeϞ]

"What?!" Aysoli nearly shouted. "Well, if it's his right to know them then it's my right as unofficial aunt to make sure they know the reality of situations." I looked at her, and she continued stubbornly, "Well, do you think he'll be fair in his portrayal of others?"

The portrayal of others? What was that supposed to mean? That Ylrae would spread lies about me? I would have shared in her anger, but instead I found myself agreeing with him, with the stallion who had, until five minutes ago, been my mate. I had left him, without a word or a clue, it was true. I had had my reasons for doing so, but I wasn't sure that I could tell him the truth. But at the same time, he suspected the prince of going after me. He had suspected it all along. I should have known that I could trust him to believe me. Now that I knew that he could be trusted, it was too late to bother. Why fight for a stallion that had already moved on? Why fight for one that forgot about me as soon as I wandered out of his sight? Didn't he trust that someday I would return to him? Apparently not.
I ignored her question, unsure of how to answer. I didn't think that he would lie to her, or anyone else about me. I didn't think that he would dare to try and turn my own foals against me.

Ylrae's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Are you calling me a liar, Aysoli? Despite whatever you may think of me, I have retained my honor. You live a life cursed with worthlessness and heroics. Who are you to judge me?"

My eyes lit from within with a thinly veiled fire, "Stop it," I snarled, "Both of you." I didn't think that either one of them heard me.

"Come on Feneri, lets go somewhere else. Then you can explain to me the crazy reasoning behind your decision."

Crazy? First I wasn't in my right mind, and now I was crazy!? My burning gaze turned on her. I may have been in a bit of emotional distress, but I was not crazy.

"You've always liked my crazy uncle Ridgero, right? Well, your foals should have a chance to meet their favorite aunt's favorite uncle before they go to the royals."

Ridgero? What did he have to do with this? My gaze softened in surprise. "Yes..." I had always liked him. But she wanted Aeron and Avan to meet him? Now?

"Favorite aunt?" Ylrae sneered, looking a bit startled, but I could read further into his mind. Aysoli and I weren't sisters, not by blood at least. Aysoli was more of a godmother in his eyes. Despite his comment about the life she led, Ylrae had always been kind to Aysoli, secretly respecting her for her courage.

"Yeah, since I'm their only aunt, I have to be their favorite. We going, Feneri?"

I smiled slightly, and glanced from her, to Ylrae, and finally to the gleaming chestnut ribcano mare that stood in silence behind him. I wished that I could come up with some fantastic closing line that would leave the mare speechless, and Ylrae wanting to come running after me. I couldn't think of anything good enough to say. What was there left to say when your world was falling apart at the seams?
"Lanthros awade, Ylrae."
May the king watch over you.

"We can talk later?" He asked, eyes looking slightly bloodshot. He caught the hidden meaning in those words. Lanthros saw everything, which union would be honored in the great king's eyes? The union of flesh and blood, already manifested in Aeron and Avan? Or this new union between he, and the untainted beauty behind him?

I nodded, "Yes.Later."
I turned steadily, refusing to meet the mare's beseeching gaze, and moved off into the forest, Aysoli by my side.

[Shanza]

Aysoli trotted forward, shaking out her mane. They were traveling through dense foliage, and the tall bay slowed down for several reasons. Her mind was whirling with fear and anxiety, and she was worried for Feneri's situation. Not sure how to begin, she just launched into her speech. "I'm sorry, i just sorta panicked. When he started treating you like that, I just wanted us all to get out of there before something bad happened. Are you really going to talk to him later?" She looked over at her friend, concern showing plainly in her features. "What if he apologizes and wants you again? Will you take him back? You do realize if he abandoned you once he can again." She ducked her head away, not wanting Feneri to see her guilt. "I can understand if you hate me, you know. I was the one to convince you to not tell him. I still think it would have turned out worse for everyone if you told him, but is he worth it if he moved on and chose a mate within three months?"

She sighed, looking around at their surroundings. "Do you still want to introduce the foals to my only uncle? It sorta voids the whole 'favorite' thing, but I like him enough to call him favorite. It makes him laugh. I can understand if you don't, but I think they'll like him and him them. Besides, he's a huge legend buff, so if there's anything to know about the foals he'll know it." She glanced over at Feneri again, cautiously optimistic. "He might even know a few loopholes for the Unkicia rules."

Avan raced ahead, splashing through puddles, and Aysoli wondered vaguely where the eagle was. Unlike the panther, who was always relatively close but hidden near the colt, the eagle would be nearly invisible in the sky. Aysoli often wondered how the eagle always managed to get to the filly in time to prevent some catastrophe, given that she was so often so far away. "If you want to talk to Ylrae alone, I can watch them if you want. I am their favorite aunt after all, if only by default." She grinned at her friend, hoping that their friendship was still intact.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Aysoli slowed, and I could tell that she was thinking of what to say. I slowed with her, waiting for it to come as we trotted under the green canopy. I watched Aeron practice slinking in the shadows with his jungle cat, smiling to myself as he glanced in my direction. God I would miss him.

"I'm sorry, i just sorta panicked. When he started treating you like that, I just wanted us all to get out of there before something bad happened. Are you really going to talk to him later?"

I looked at Aysoli, waiting for more. When she spoke, it all came in a flood, particularly when she was worried.

"I can understand if you hate me, you know. I was the one to convince you to not tell him. I still think it would have turned out worse for everyone if you told him, but is he worth it if he moved on and chose a mate within three months?"

"Do you still want to introduce the foals to my only uncle? It sorta voids the whole 'favorite' thing, but I like him enough to call him favorite. It makes him laugh. I can understand if you don't, but I think they'll like him and him them. Besides, he's a huge legend buff, so if there's anything to know about the foals he'll know it."

"He might even know a few loopholes for the Unkicia rules."

"If you want to talk to Ylrae alone, I can watch them if you want. I am their favorite aunt after all, if only by default."

I offered a kind smile to my friend, and nudged her shoulder with my muzzle. "I know that you're trying to protect me, but yes, I plan on talking to him later, without miss drop dead gorgeous standing behind him. I dont hate you, Aysoli. We did what we had to, and it probably would have been worse if I told him. Even if he does want me back, which I doubt, I'll say no." I sighed, casting my gaze to my hooves. "I sorry that you have to deal with this. I suppose that I'm in love with the stallion that I left behind, not the one I came back to. He used to be worth it."

I brushed lightly past her, plastering a grin on my face, "Lets go see Ridgero, I can come back later and take you up on that foal sitting offer."

[/color]

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Very little was known about her, the strange mare who came from the peninsula. She was soft spoken and polite, kind and gracious. A few were suspicious of her at first, fearing that she came as a spy from the Jyvn. Her lack of Tattoos marked her as an outsider, and yet she seemed to belong in every nook and cranny of their forest.

She looked at home when she was first discovered by Ylrae while on his shift for lookout. It was a shift that would have been Feneri's, but she had vanished. It was popular belief at the time that she had been stolen by the Jyvn along with her best friend. He had been thinking of her when he spotted Hyrokkin for the first time. She walked with a proud assertiveness, graceful and feminine, but holding the air of a mare who was not to be messed with. Her every movement, every swish of her chestnut tail, every flick of her ears, demanded respect. It was only after she stopped to graze that he was able to take in what was first noticed about most mares. He noted the slender planes of her face, the wide, brilliant shape of her chocolate brown eyes, the powerful, feminine curves of the muscle on her shoulders, legs, rump. She was put together like a piece of artwork, and in the four and a half seconds that he gathered this, he already knew that she was twice as beautiful as Feneri had ever been. He knew that she was an outsider, that there was a slight chance that his mate could come back, but he wanted her, and he hated himself for it. His instincts told him that this mare was trouble. He should have listened to them.

She came with Ylrae to the heart of the tribe, and presented her story, claiming that she had come from the peninsula, seeking here what she had not been able to find there, love, family, respect. She claimed to have been born as an orphan, and sold into slavery for three years before escaping. She wove an epic tale, told so convincingly, so professionally of her travel here, and asked to be accepted into the tribe.

The prince had taken a liking to the beautiful young mare, and so convinced his sire and dam to give her a chance at a new life here. After much debate, it was agreed that she could stay, but that Ylrae would watch over her, and teach her their ways. She willingly agreed to this condition, and followed the stag around as he completed his duties.

Many stallions tried to distract her, to make her come with them to learn the ropes, but she politely refused every advance, even the prince had no choice but to walk away with a simple 'no thank you'. Her beauty was so stunning that she simply couldn't blend into the shadows. She was watched, intentionally or not, by most members of the tribe. The prince had no opportunity to pull off a stunt like the one he had tried with Feneri.

For months, Hyrokkin followed Ylrae like a silent shadow, helping where she could, but mostly staying quiet. He would ask her the occasional question, but still felt the desire to have her, as he had once had Feneri. As the weeks wore on, he found himself relaxing more and more around her, and he began to trust her, to confide in her his fears for Feneri, his worry that she would never return.

Hyrokkin was the perfect listener, and helped him to come to terms with Feneri, whatever it was that had been her fate, she made him feel that he could handle it. She made him feel strong, powerful, able to handle what the world threw at him once more. As he discovered this, he started letting his guard down, allowing himself to feel again. By the third week, they were rarely seen apart from one another, always laughing, racing, weaving through the trees. He didn't think that he had ever felt so happy.

Hyrokkin knew that he felt more than happiness. It had all been a part of her plan. She pretended to be surprised when he rested his muzzle against her coat for the first time, when he groomed her neck, her shoulders, with the intimacy of a life-mate. She faked shyness when she first started grooming his coat with the same sort of sensual strokes. She would allow this, but she would not allow the stallion to get his true desire full-filled. She did not want a foal, not just yet anyway. After-all, he had broken one such vow already. He would have to earn that privilege with her.

As much as she had tried to prevent herself from getting attached to the silver bay paint, she could feel herself falling for him. It was a very small wonder to her as to why this other mare, Feneri, had chosen him, he was charming, incredibly handsome, and genuine. He had no secret standards, no hidden agenda. He was sincere. She wasn't.

When they had awoken in his family's grotto, neither would have dreamed that this would be the day of Feneri's return. Hyrokkin awoke slowly, feeling the warm rays of sunlight as they hit her coat. Even though it was not yet summer, the rays held the same vibrant warmth that spread from those few points to every corner of her body. Consciousness tugged at her eyelids, but she stubbornly sealed them against the growing light. She turned her muzzle slightly, and took in the strong, musky scent of Ylrae's coat. He lay propped up beside her, his barrel leaning gently against hers. She could feel the beat of his heart, and the steady rhythm of his breathing.

Hyrokkin gave up the fight against wakefulness, and her eyes slid open, just in time to catch sight of Ylrae's sire as he walked towards them. The stallion grinned at her, gesturing towards the trees in a pointed manner. Obligingly she stood, taking care not to jostle the sleeping form of- she didn't know what to call him- her boyfriend? Her mate? Her friend? No, they were more than just friends, a blind creature could see that much with a naked eye.

She followed Ylrae's sire deeper into the woods, just out of earshot from his son. Once he stopped, he turned to face her, a bright smile gracing his features. Both father and son looked so much alike that there was no mistaking the relation. She had looked nothing like her sire...or her dam. Politely, she returned his smile, "Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Hyrokkin, my dear,"he returned with a smile. "I apologize if I awoke you, but I just wanted you to know that as far as I'm concerned, you have more than proven yourself here. You will always have a home here with my family and I."

Her mouth opened slightly in surprise, "Why thank you, sir. I cant tell you what that means to me..."

"No thanks is necessary, dear one, in fact, I think that it is I that owes you thanks, and my son. You see, I did not think that he would recover when his mate was stolen by the Jyvn. I thought that he would go after her, or torture himself with thoughts of her return. This tribe has lost so much already, we couldn't afford to loose a fine warrior such as Ylrae. Plus, he was all that Veirial and I had left. We weren't strong enough to watch him starve to death. We weren't strong enough to watch all of his talents be wasted in a state of permanent depression. Then you wandered into our tribe, and into his life. I think you know it already, Hyrokkin, but you saved him. You resurrected parts of him that I believed to be dead and gone forever." He sighed, giving her a look of such genuine gratitude that she almost felt sick.

"It was hard for my mate and I to watch him court Feneri. Don't get me wrong, she was a nice mare, but she was so strong, and so independent in ways that were grossly unfeminine. She also could be too stubborn for her own good, I'm afraid to say. But she was wrong for him. We knew that he would get attached to her, and mistake her stupidity in the face of danger for bravery. We tried to warn him, and Feneri's sire and dam venomously opposed their union, but their relationship continued. Then one day, we learned that they had ignored our wishes, and had mated. All hell broke loose after that, and he probably told you the rest, but my point is, that it has been a joy to watch you with our son. We feel that you truly care for him, but your so much more mature than Feneri, we know that you would never hurt him." The stallion cleared his throat before continuing.

"I know that he asked you to be his mate last night, that he wishes to claim you before the eyes of our tribe. I can not make this decision for you, but I wanted you to know that he did this with my blessing. I want you to be a part of his life for the rest of your days. I already love you as I would love my own daughter...please say that you'll be his?"

Hyrokkin smiled, inclining her head slightly to the elder stallion." It means more than I can tell you to hear those things from such a wise unicorn. You are right about me, I do love your son, and nothing would give me more joy than to be joined with him forever. I have already given him my answer, we are to be bonded at tonight's ceremony. The elders have been informed and are preparing the dyes for our new tattoos as we speak."

Ylrae's sire gave a joyous whinny, and pulled her into a tight embrace, squished between his neck and chest. "May the stars bless you this night, Hyrokkin, you'll not regret your decision."

That afternoon, she and Ylrae still had not left his sire and dam's grove. They lay side by side, and the stallion groomed her with a gentle intimacy that left nothing to the imagination. She knew that he would have taken her then and there, had she allowed it. Silly stallion, she wouldn't let him have it so easily. She rested her head against his shoulder, allowing her eyes to slide shut under his gentle touch. "I love you, Hyro," he whispered in her chestnut ear.

Something about the way he said it made her think of Malglo, and how he had once held her beneath trees like this, made all the more romantic by moonlight. She had wanted so badly to be tied to him in some way that would never permit him to leave her. She had counted every moment with him as a gift. He seemed too amazing, too handsome to be a mere mortal, he had seemed a bit too perfect to be real. It caused her a real, physical pain to know that she had once lay like this in his firm, unshakable embrace, but it hurt much more to know that she would never again feel the rush of his coat, brushing against hers, never see his lips spell out her name...

She twisted away from Ylrae, her eyes wide, tortured by her angel's perfect voice telling her that he was a tracker for the Academy, and that her magic wasn't sufficient to gain acceptance into their program. Her heart raced, and she felt as though there was no longer enough air in the atmosphere to satisfy her lungs. It felt like breathing water, or sand. Malglo was gone, and she would never see him again.

Ylrae shot her a quizzical look, and lurched awkwardly to his hooves, worry etched plainly across his face. "Darling, what's wrong?" She closed her eyes and shook her forelock over her face, hiding the few tears that had managed to escape her barricade. "I'm sorry," she stammered, "I must have dozed off, my love." Even to her own ears, the words sounded like a lie. He stood half a pace away from her, looking slightly confused and uncertain.

"Are you alright?" he asked, "Was it a nightmare?" Slowly she nodded, feeling her eyes clear, she looked back up at him. "I can fix that," he said, looking her in the eye. There was a handsome smile stretched across his lips, and he surprised her with the intensity that he closed the space between them. His muzzle lingered sensually at her throat, and then he traveled the line of her neck to her shoulder, and the twin swells of muscle on her chest. Hyrokkin lifted her head and his muzzle traced parts of her that she had never before allowed him to reach, the underside of her belly, and the dry teats, that his foal would one day suckle...

Someone said Ylrae's name, and he turned away from Hyrokkin, eyes wide with surprise. The stranger was a liver chestnut mare with silver tattoos. Her eyes followed the smoky black line of his Cheshire tattoo before meeting his eyes.

"Feneri," He said quietly, "You came back." He rushed towards the mare, wrapping her in a heavy embrace between his neck and chest. His muzzle left a lingering kiss on her cheek. The same muzzle that had just wandered the lines of Hyrokkin's body. Angrily the dark chestnut mare shoved him away, glancing at the ribcano's form, still looking shaken from her "nightmare."

"Who is she?" Feneri asked, indicating to Hyrokkin. Her voice was flat,as though she did not want to hear the answer. The ribcano felt a sharp stab in her chest, feeling as though she should have known that the stranger would be Ylrae's mate.

Ylrae took a step back, smiling, "Feneri, this is my chosen, her name is Hyrokkin."

"What the hell?" The liver chestnut asked him softly, "Why did you do this to me!?" She shouted, bearing her horn at his exposed throat.
Hyrokkin twitched involuntarily, and felt her muscles tense, ready to launch herself at Ylrae's mate.

His smile faded, and he batted her horn away from his throat. "Calm down, Feneri," he ordered, "I didn't do anything to you. You've done all of this to yourself. You left me, remember? Without a word. I thought you'd been captured, taken by the Jyvn, along with your friend. I was going to make us official that night. I was going to make you my own forever, but instead you chose to run off. Who was it that you chose to replace me? I heard a rumor that it was the prince, he snuck off from here often enough. I thought that he was just looking for you, but apparently it was more than that."

The mare slapped the flat of her horn across his face, but in the same instant, he spun, kicking at her with both hind legs. Hyrokkin felt a sense of pride in the stallion that would soon be her mate. He didn't take anybody's crap.
Feneri fell to the ground, crumpling in pain from his kick that had hit home. He leaned over her, one hoof pressed to her throat, and teeth barred," I don't owe you anything," he spat.

Hyrokkin rushed forward, pulling him away from his mate, "Dont do anything you'll regret, love," she told him softly, gesturing out into the forest behind Feneri, where her foals stood in half shadow, ready to protect their mother if they must. "Your foals," she said angrily, standing, "Twins, and Unkicia. I have them only until their weaned. Then they become property of the King and his queen. In case you're wondering, we are over, but you are still their sire. You have every right to know them."

Feneri's friend made a few comments, but Hyrokkin scarcely heard them, her eyes were trained on the young foals half hidden behind them. Their gazes held no fear, only a warning. She studied their perfect coats and immediately could see the resemblance that they bore to Ylrae. She could not help but imagine what her own foal would look like, standing there in the shadows. Instead of a foal, Malglo's image became a blood red stain in the trees. She hurriedly glanced away, knowing that dream to be lost. She and Malglo would never produce a foal.

* * *

Hyrokkin stood at the edge of the main clearing. Her heart raced, sending tiny tremors of elation, and a bit of fear through her body. The elders had been fussing over her all evening, and had woven her chestnut mane and tail with flowers and raven feathers. In any other environment, she would have felt ridiculous, but here it made her feel like some sort of exotic princess.

Everyone smiled when they passed her, congratulating her on her binding to Ylrae. They were the procrastinators, the last to filter into the clearing, where the King and Queen stood, making speeches about Ylrae and Hyrokkin. The king started with his opening remarks about the painted silver bay stallion. His eyes were wide, holding a light of joy that she had not seen before, for it was mixed with a strand of greed, as though this ceremony was held for his benefit alone.

"Ylrae, son of Grenjak and Veirail, has earned his place in this tribe as a full member. He has long impressed me with a wisdom beyond his years, an astonishing skill for combat, and a fierce loyalty and commitment to every member of this tribe." Hyrokkin's eyes met Feneri's from across the clearing. "He is a fast friend, and an indispensable Alli. His light shines in so many places, and yet is marred by a single black spot that unfortunately soiled his name, and his honest reputation. In the past, we have viewed the mark of the Cheshire as one of lust, uncontrolled hormones. We have seen the ones who bore these marks as dangerous,and untrustworthy. However, I do not believe that this stallion is dangerous, nor do I believe that he is particularly lustful. Ylrae is a unicorn of great passion, as is apparent in every aspect of his life, not only his love life. The act that earned him this tattoo was irresponsible, no doubt about that, but it was an act done under the most passionate emotion we possess.

The things that had always impressed me about Ylrae, are the same things that impress me today.In the past three weeks, he has learned of grief, of sorrow, of letting go. He had the wisdom to see that all things happen for a reason, and he had the outstanding courage to let another into his life. Ylrae, this night belongs to you. May it bring you the happiness you have always deserved." The clearing erupted into stomps of agreement and pleasure, and several equines shouted Ylrae's name to the heavens.
The king walked up to the painted stallion, and touched noses with him," Go forth, son of Lanthros, and prosper."

The Queen stepped out from behind her mate, and beckoned to Hyrokkin. She strode out from the shadows with a poised and confidant gait. Her gleaming chestnut coat soaked up the moonlight, and a strange hush came over the clearing. All eyes were trained on Hyrokkin. Equines parted like the sea before her, revealing the Queen at the heart of the clearing, along with the King, and Ylrae by his side.

The queen smiled at the young mare in a way that was meant to be reassuring, but held a secret contempt as well. The queen was used to being the center of attention. "Hyrokkin came to our tribe, an outsider, an escaped slave, in search of a new life for herself. The moment I first laid eyes on her, I could tell that she was a mare of great quality. She held herself proudly, and moved with an effortless beauty that no one could have taught her. I remember thinking to myself that she was exactly the sort of mare that we needed around here, but my own doubts held me back. As admirable as she seemed, I wasn't certain that we could trust her. I needed a chance to look deeper.

As I watched her with Ylrae, it became clear to me that we had not made a mistake. The mare had a caring, strong heart that had fought and survived many battles. She was a true friend, never abandoning him in his time of need. Her loyalty to him was all the reason I needed to accept her into our lives. Her soul is the beating heart of this tribe, the constant urge to keep going, to keep living. It is her undying drive that the tribe will value most as time moves on. Hyrokkin, this night is yours. Cherish it as your first night as a member of this tribe. Cherish it as your first night as Ylrae's mate." The queen strode forward, touching noses with the beautiful young mare. "Go forth, daughter of Gwyverth, and prosper."

Hyrokkin rushed towards Ylrae, and he caught her in a tight embrace, clutching her close to his body. Over the heads of the cheering equines, and the deafening roar of their shouts, Hyrokkin watched Feneri turn and run, hard and fast towards the trees, where two small shadows waited.

[Shanza]

Aysoli watched the twins sleeping in the shadows, as Ridgero walked up to her. The pied stallion was slightly odd-looking, with one blue eye and the other black to match his near-black coat. His left shredded ear and several scars on his neck didn't help his appearance, but he said they gave him 'flavor.' Aysoli certainly agreed, but the flavor lent more towards the 'possibly-crazy-slightly-delusional-and-paranoid' look rather than the calm but tough look she was certain he wanted. Upon first sight most assumed the burly stallion had achieved his scars though fights with other equines, but Aysoli knew better. Ridgero was the gentlest unicorn she knew, and twins seemed to sense it as well when they first saw him. They had spent a long time jumping around and playing with him when the odd group arrived at Ridgero's home, with him letting them mess around and goof off. The foals' protectors vanished into the shadows, and they finally reappeared when the twins settled into sleep. She didn't know if they had left to hunt or were just lurking out of sight, but both the cat and the bird seemed to regard Ridgero strangely.

Of course, everyone regarded Ridgero strangely. There wasn't anything about him that wasn't strange. Although Aysoli was an odd-ball in her family, everyone was somewhat long-legged and fast. In contrast, Ridgero was short, standing at barely fourteen and a half hands, and he was solid. His frame was packed with muscle that warned even the most determined fighters that he wasn't someone they wanted to mess with. The white splashed across his frame was jagged and abruptly stopped at his barrel. His head and neck were a meshwork of black and white, while his rump was pure black. He was certainly the oddest color that Aysoli had ever seen, and combined with his abrupt and rude attitude, easily deterred even the most friendly of equines.

"Sorry I couldn't help your friend," his voice was deep and rich, and he spoke quietly to avoid waking the foals. Aysoli shook her head, partly out of denial, and partly due to her continued amazement at his cultured voice. When he wanted to, he could hold herds at attention just by talking. Of course, he never wanted to.

"It was a long shot. I think she knows there isn't anything much we can do. Unkicia foals always are raised by the royals." The tall bay mare gazed sadly at the twins who had become so much of a center of her life the past few months. She knew Feneri would react badly when they were taken away, but she didn't know how badly. She desperately wished that her friend wouldn't sink into a depression, but at the same time knew it was very likely.

"So you're watching them? For how long?"

Aysoli smiled; for all the times she had heard her uncle defend his hermit way of life, she knew he got lonely. "I'm watching them for as long as she needs me to. She has a lot to process right now." Her mind rolled back around to Ylrae, and she snorted in anger. "I can't believe he kicked her! After all he put her through!"

"Shush, the foals, remember," Ridgero murmured.

"Hump." She lowered her voice, and continued. "Well, I hope she can talk some sense into him, although I doubt it. And there's no way I'm going to let that jerk corrupt these foals."

"With ya there, hun."

"It's a pact, then." She smiled again, nearly laughing. When Ridgero agreed with something, he went all out. His next sentence confirmed her suspicions.

"I know this great water plant, Tunicosa, it grows near the edge of the swamp. Grind it up and spread it over his best grazing area and he'll be out by noon. It'd be great. No odor, no taste, it's just absorbed into the existing plants. Excellent side effects too. Delusions, delirium, hallucinations; he'll think he's going crazy. Minor cramping, bloodshot eyes, and a swollen tongue also occur. The effects last for roughly two weeks, depending on how much is eaten."

"How'd you learn this?" Choking the words out, Aysoli could barely stifle her laughter.

"Uh, I accidentally ate a plant. Hey, I didn't know it was bad, AND it looked good. It looked like mint."

She shook her head, quietly rolling with mirth. He was insane, but at times he was oddly brilliant. Unfortunately, it appeared that this wouldn't be one of those times.

"So when's your friend coming back?"

Smiling at his quick topic change, she answered him, reminding herself to be quiet. "I don't know. Before the bonfire I imagine. She has a few things she needs to discuss with Ylrae, without his mate there. I think it'll take awhile."

"So we'll settle down and wait."

"I suppose so. And watch the foals sleep."

Ridgero smiled.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Images from Ylrae's mating ceremony haunted me as I stumbled through the woods. I could see that bright, familiar happiness flooding through his eyes. It was the way that he used to look at me, what he used to see hidden somewhere in my eyes. I was past feeling pain at this point. What was done was done. I couldn't change it. I couldn't change what he felt for Hyrokkin, I couldn't say some magic words that would make him love me again. I wasn't sure that I even wanted him back. The Ylrae I knew would never have kicked at me. He was a gentleman through and through. I would have gone with a barred horn after the creature that had dared to change him, but I knew that that blame was mine, and mine alone.In my mind's eye, she was walking through the crowd again, gliding towards Ylrae and the King and Queen. She didn't even look real, it was like watching an angel come to earth to walk amongst mortals.
Every coat seemed to dull in the presence of her's, but when Ylrae embraced her, the fit was like two missing puzzle pieces, coming together at last. He alone seemed worthy of such a beauty as she possessed.I tripped and fell to my knees, scraping my barrel on a tree trunk as gravity carried me down. I lay there for a moment, trying to ignore the tears that stung at my eyes. Ylrae could never see them. I would never give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry...over him. I had just left Aeron and Avan with Aysoli and her crazy uncle. I felt glad that they didn't have to see me like this. Aysoli would go postal and try and murder Ylrae in his sleep. I didn't want to begin to ponder what sort of torture they had in store for him. This brought a smile to my lips, and I finally regained my hooves, struggling to stand as a newborn might. I would get through this. I would survive it. I was strong, and independent. I didn't need Ylrae, and I could survive without my foals. I smiled sadly to myself, wondering which of the two was a bigger lie.

I came to the edge of a grotto that had been waiting for the next mated pair. Ylrae and Hyrokkin would live here for the rest of their days. They would breed, and their foals would fill the wide space around them, held safe in the clutches of the trees that surrounded it. I had no more tears left to shed. In the end, this always would have been his decision. No one fought their union. No one tried to force them apart... I wondered what was wrong with me.

I stood at the edge of their grotto and took a deep breath, not daring to enter the ring of trees. It would be too much for me to bear. I closed my eyes and called out his name, softly, but also with a ring of authority. It was late...so very late. He would impale me on his horn for awakening him at such an hour. That much at least, was still mine to demand. I had the right to demand that he talk to me, that we settle all of this now, before it tore me to pieces.

A few minutes later, Ylrae came out of his grotto, blinking at me sleepily. He looked happy. His mane was tousled and tangled , and dried sweat lingered in clumps on his back and his chest. I could smell Hyrokkin on his coat.

"Feneri," he asked, "What the hell?"

"We need to talk," I told him, "Alone."

His smile pulled into a frown, and he shook the sleep from his limbs. he shot me a look of disdain, "Let's get this over with."

He walked off through the woods, and I followed at a safe distance. We walked much further than I would have expected, but I did not ask where we were going. The set of his shoulders and the length of his stride kept me silent, but I easily kept up. It was a piece of cake after following Aysoli through the swamp. We traveled in silence for almost an hour before he stopped in a clearing with a sheer rock face on one side, and slippery pebble footing that could spell death for one who was not careful enough. I recognized the place immediately.

He took a deep breath and turned to face me. His eyes were a bit softer now, more reminiscent of the stallion that I had fallen in love with. "Do you remember this place, Feneri? This is where The jyvn found their way into our lands. You were on lookout, standing atop that rock. They came in so swiftly, so silently. You were taken by surprise, and had no time to sound the alarm, you fought them admirably, better than most could have dreamed to fight, but there were too many. Eventually they overpowered you, and you lay where I stand now, at the mercy of a unicorn's horn. You were bleeding, I remember wondering if you could survive with those injuries, but I saw the way that you met that stallion's eyes, evenly as thoguh even at that moment, you did not fear death..."

Wordlessly he traced the curving arrow of my Aaiswika with the tip of his horn. "You were so brave. I wouldn't have jumped in the fight if you hadn't spat in that stallion's face, and told him to go to hell. He wanted you to tell him where to find the tribe. I watched him slash at your shoulder and belly, but you didn't break, you didn't cry out for help or mercy. I knew then that I had to shake my fear. I had to save you, and Feneri, I have never regretted that decision."

I blinked, stepping away from the touch of his horn, "Why are you telling me this?"

He sighed,"Feneri, I have to know. You have to tell me where you went, and why you left! I- Feneri, I thought that you were taken, that I would never see you again, you must understand that? I- I never fell out of love with you, darling. I never got the chance to say goodbye. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was in shock, love, I didn't know how to act, but now I do. You need to tell me everything."

There was once a time where it would have meant everything for me to be able to tell him, but now I related my story with a sense of detachment, knowing that it wouldn't change a thing. "When my sire and dam found out that I was with foal, they sent me to a cave for confinement. They told everyone that it was for my own good, that I must be given the space and time to think about what I had done."

"I remember," he murmured, "You were so thin when they let you out."

I nodded and continued, not looking him in the eye. "My sire and dam made a pact with the prince and his thugs. They wanted him to cause me to miscarry, and to make it look like a natural occurrence. They beat me, but were careful not to cut my flesh where anyone would notice. The prince used his magic to hold me still, so that I could not fight back." I lifted myself into a half-rear, revealing the thick network of scars on my underbelly. I felt certain that it was a gruesome sight indeed, a healer had never tended to it.

"Every day, they would beat me like this, all the while, telling me that I was dirty, unworthy, lower than the scum beneath their hooves. Every night, the prince's guard would leave, and he would mount me, place his own poison inside of me. Every night he would tell me that it was his child that grew now, and not yours. For a time, I believed him. They did not beat me for the last four days, but the prince's nightly ritual continued until the end.

He was convinced that the life that I carried belonged to him, so the night before the Bonfiere, he told me that he would claim me as his mate, that he would tell everyone that it had been a hoax to protect me, that he was the sire of my unborn foals. He was certain that the life I carried would prove this much.

I couldn't let him do that to me, or let him hurt you that way. I was going to run to you before I left, let you know what was going on, but we determined that it would be too dangerous. I left to give birth to my foals, to stop the prince from claiming their lives. Now his sire and dam will have them instead." My voice went hollow. "That's what happened, believe me or don't, it's the truth. I don't see what good it will do now."

Ylrae rushed to me, his body pulling mine into a tight embrace. His body heaved in silent sobs, and I felt his tears soaking into my dark coat. "Feneri," he cried softly,"Feneri, you know too much."

I knew too much? What was this about? I struggled to break free of his embrace.

"Feneri," he said, "It wasn't your sire and dam that tried to cause you to miscarry. It was a deal between the prince and myself." He looked up at me, and his eyes were red. "I messed it up though, I got caught up in the moment, I was never supposed to breed you. My job was only to convince your sire and dam that I had already done so. It was helpful that you didn't have to play along."

I let out a squeal of terror and fought to escape his touch, his scent all around me. "Your lying!" I moaned, "Your lying to me!" He traced the line of my throat with his muzzle and released me. I scrambled back a step, and them my muscles locked in place. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to. Fear and dread filled my heart, and I stared in terror at Ylrae. He wouldn't. He wouldn't do this to me.

"You see," the prince said, stepping out from the shadows, "I knew that you would have twins, that they would be Unkicia. I thought that It was I that would have to sire them, but I was wrong, it was Ylrae. You see, in exchange for helping me claim the foals as my own, I offered him my unique services, to be used as he wished for a year. Should his new mate prove...difficult..." The prince smirked and moved around my body. "It's such a shame," he said,"That you would have to open your big mouth about it all. Whom else have you told? Your little worthless friend, Aysoli?"

I didn't need to answer, he already knew.
"You know," he said, "I really didn't want to have to kill you. I wanted you to stand by my side as queen one day."
I spat in his face, and told the pied stallion to go to hell. "I will never be your queen."

He slashed his horn across my chest, and I closed my eyes, moaning softly with the feel of the pain. He walked around to my rump and mounted, completing the deed in a matter of seconds. He cut and slashed at my body, but we were too far away for my screams to be heard.

His magic released me, and I collapsed in a heap on the ground. sides heaving, lungs fighting for breath, and my heart breaking the speed of light. My foals. My foals. He couldn't kill me, they'd die!
As if he'd read my mind, the prince lowered his head to my level and said, "Don't you worry about your foals, there are plenty of mares to nurse and wean them. There have been a few deaths this year, right around this spot. They'll all think that the cougars got you, and then dragged you off to their den. You'll feed them much longer than a nursing colt."

"And when they find my blood on your hooves, prince?" I asked in a voice that was much stronger than I felt.

He laughed and told me firmly, "They wont."

I screamed in pain as he and Ylrae pushed me along the rocks, and towards the face of the cliff that would drop me to my death. They held me for a moment at the edge, and each sliced their horns through either side of my cheek.
As I fell, I tasted the blood of a gruesome Chelsea Grin.


OOC: No worries, I have an Idea, she doesn't die, but Is rescued by my Felix or someone else from the Jyvn xD

[Shanza]

Aysoli jerked awake again. The moon had risen in the night sky, and it's light hid the stars surrounding it. The tree tops glistened with silver as the leaves rustled with a soft night wind. She shook her black mane out, determined to block the worry and fear from her mind. Feneri should have been back by now. She should have been long back. Her pied uncle dozed on the other side of the foals, a coughing snore interrupting his breathing every few seconds. The twins were curled up around each other, the jaguar gone and the eagle sleeping in a tree. She was worried how the meet went with Ylrae, and what went wrong.

Snorting, she spoke quietly into the night. "No. Nothing went wrong. She'll be alright. She'll come back. The foals need her, she knows that." A faint movement caused her to jerk her head around, but it was only the jaguar slinking back into the small clearing. Disaster scenarios started to race through her mind, and she tried to quell them with no success. She sighed, and tried to fall back to sleep.

The next morning dawned to Aysoli tired and fretting. She hadn't been able to fall asleep, no matter what she tried. Ridgero slowly wakened, but wasn't concerned with Feneri's absence. The foals woke to their hunger, and Aysoli didn't know what to do. "We have to do something!" The eagle shrieked into the sky, beating her wings in agitation. The jaguar started to pace the clearing, his tail wiping back and forth. "They need milk. Where is Feneri?"

"She'll be here, I think." Ridgero said uneasily, watching the cat pace. "They do need food, don't they?"

"Yes!" She burst out, her fear and frustration getting the best of her.

"Ok, I'll go find Feneri, you find the foals food." With that, he turned, and vanished into the forest with a flick of his black tail.

"But, Ridgero, wait! I don't know what to do!"

A faint call echoed back to Aysoli, but didn't give her any answers. "You'll know what to do!"

Growling with annoyance, she turned to the small foals. Fear and confusion filled her eyes, and was echoed in theirs. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and slowly regained control of herself. Wing beats flapped past, as the eagle dropped something on the ground in front of the foals. Aysoli curled up her lip in disgust at the bloody mouse. The foals bent to sniff it, but backed away, shaking their heads.

"Well, apparently you two won't be any help." She sighed, glancing between the eagle and the cat. They were great for protection, but apparently knew even less about foal nutrition than she did. Mumbling to herself, she brainstormed where she could take the foals with Feneri missing in action. "Well, Charisma might be able to help. She has a foal who's just about done with suckling. She might have some milk to spare. Krishshal and Talient also might be willing to help."

Turning quickly, she shooed the foals in the direction of the main tribe area.

* * *

Before leaving the clearing, the jaguar glanced up at the bird. The eagle puffed up, and shifted back and forth on the branch. Glaring at the big cat, her feathers smoothed out as she spoke to him. <What? It's what we eat, isn't it?> Spreading her wings, she glided after the unicorns. The jaguar rolled his eyes and followed.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

The night had started out as inconspicuously as could be expected. The moon was full, shedding light upon the shadowed land that flowed smoothly beneath the dappled gray pegasus. The air hugged and blew past his sleek wings, and flowed flawlessly around his streamline body. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his body soak in the feel of the cool, after- midnight sky.Who needed a horn? Those poor, grounded creatures had no idea what they were missing. A smile curved around his chiseled lips, and the muscles in his wings pumped powerfully, lifting him ever higher in the sky. Once he was satisfied, he twisted mid-air and his wings folded tightly to his flanks as he fell into a dive.
This, he thought, was what made it all worth the battle. This feeling of limitless freedom that no one would ever take away from him. Let them try, he thought, just let them try and take this away! The dappled gray stallion pulled sharply out of the dive, and felt the wind catch under his wings, lifting him higher once again. He smiled, curling in one wing, allowing himself to spin wildly before righting again, a few hundred feet away from his previous position.

This stallion was a Jyvn by the name of Felix. Among his own kind, he was an average stallion, not considered wildly handsome, but certainly too comely to be called plain. His features were a bit sharp and angular for traditional beauty. He would not be the first stallion in a crowd to catch the attention of mares. He was more like that unremarkable creature that few ever noticed...until they actually met him that is. His crowning glory, and conversation starter was the shining black burn on his shoulder. It stood in stark contrast to his pale coat, and attracted more attention than he wanted to welcome. He didn't like telling the story, and hadn't told anyone in the past two years, but as interest peaked, everyone eventually found out from someone that had dragged the story out of Felix near the beginning. They say that some wounds heal with time, but this one was stubborn and remained, both in his heart and on his flesh.

After they heard his story, he was followed by stares filled with sober admiration. Mostly he would look away in disgust. He did not want to be admired for escaping, he did not want to be admired for surviving where his sire and dam had not. He wanted to be respected for his bravery now, his courage in the face of danger, his boundless loyalty to his tribe, and every member in it. He did not want or expect praise for his past actions. He saw every moment as a chance to prove that his life would not be wasted. Two lives had paid for the price of his. He would not gamble the sacrifice for anything less than repayment of those lives, and the protection of his tribe. He loved life to much to fold under the pressure of loss. He knew better than most, that life moved on.

His name meant luck, but luck was a fickle thing. It wasn't steady, it had it's good days, and it had it's bad. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Felix, is that he didn't want his luck. He would gladly give it to someone who needed it more than he did, if he could. As it was, tonight, he would be glad that it decided to show up.

Felix had been flying for a few hours when he spotted the unicorns standing in the large, rocky flat that tapered off to a thin, perilous cliff. Silently, he aimed a course for an adjacent ledge that overlooked the flat. He flew high, in the light of the silver moon to avoid detection, before perching delicately on the shallow ledge. He watched with mingled curiosity and terror as the three forms stood together, for one brief moment, talking, before a piercing scream cut though the night.

Even from his distance, the plea for help was faint. He knew that it would go unanswered. His ears pinned, and his silvery blue eyes glinted dangerously.Don't act, a small voice urged him. You don't know what's going on. Hold your ground, just for a few moments more. He took a deep breath and settled, his hawk-like gaze piercing the night.

He watched as two figures ganged up on the third, and her screams echoed with devastating urgency to his perch. He had seen death, and abandonment by tribe mates,but never this degree of treachery.He had seen abandon and starvation, but this sent his blood into an ugly froth. He had found all of those other creatures after they died. He had a chance to save this one. His only regret was that after this torture, his heroics would seem more cruel than anything. It may have been kinder to leave her to her fate, but his mind was still squirming with the sickening sound of her screams. The two that tortured her would be lucky to escape with their lives.

Felix's muscles tensed, and a war cry rose in his throat, cut short just before he released it. The two had backed away, and their companion crumpled to the loose shale. He froze, watching for a sign of movement, a sign of life. He saw the figure squirm weakly, and the two pushed her along the rocks, letting loose the last of her strength in a scream that sounded, an unearthly declaration of her pain.

They held her at the edge of the cliff for a moment, and Felix's eyes widened, not quite believing that they would dare to let go. He had underestimated the brand of evil that was at work here. Their horns lowered to her face, and his heart skipped as her dark form fell from their grasp. After a moment's hesitation, Felix was airborne, and in a full dive, trying to surpass the dark form of the mare's body. He swore, swerving to avoid an outcropping of rock that she had barely missed. His heart thrummed rapidly in his chest. "Come on!" He shouted, "Come on!" He had to catch up, he had to- what would he do when he had her?

The dappled gray pegasus had no time to think about it. The next moment, his teeth grasped her mane, and then her crest as the hairs pulled away from her flesh. Once he had a good grip, he back-winged with more force and energy than he had ever before attempted, tasting the mare's blood as he did so. For a moment they slowed, but the mare's weight was too much, and she slipped from his grasp, falling fast towards earth.

"S***!"

He dove after her again, this time focusing on the earth, more and more quickly approaching. He wasn't going to catch her in time! Felix pulled out of the dive, and focused all of his energy on the earth below, calling his magic to do as it would. He closed his eyes, uttering a prayer to whatever god existed at this hour of the night, and angled slowly to the ground, hoping that he wouldn't find just another corpse.

Felix didn't have to look long to find the mare. Or at least, he couldn't imagine her being anywhere else. A strange, milky white orb of energy hovered just above the ground, flowing in a liquid state around the form of an equine, dark with her own blood. He sniffed at the substance, and noted with astonishment that it indeed was milk. Felix shook himself and touched his muzzle to the orb.

The magic shattered and the mare fell the few remaining inches to the ground, coughing and sputtering weakly. In a few heartbeats she fell silent, her body unmoving, save for the gentle rise and fall of her flank.

He waited, watching her for several moments before he dared to approach. He touched his muzzle gently to her cold coat, and stared in disgust at the gruesome cuts that extended from her lips, and grew along her cheeks. "Hey," he said softly, "Hey, you still with me?"

For the longest moment, there was no response, and he wondered if she would still die, even after all of his efforts. Oh god, he thought,have mercy, she's so young...

Just when he had almost given up, the mare's eyes snapped open. Her cinnamon eyes widened in surprise, and she took deep, rattling breaths, fear apparent in her every fiber.

The pegasus took a step away, seeing for the first time, the strange curving arrow tattooed on her forehead. "It's OK," he told her softly. "My name is Felix...I'm here to help you."

Her neck shifted slightly, as though remembering his touch mid-air. He lips mouthed his name before her world faded to black.

[Shanza]

The foals were feisty in the mid-day sun, romping and jumping all over the place. Aysoli, however, was arguing, once again, with Rozalk. Rozalk was a tough, ornery mare who guarded the way to any official action. She was the one you had to get past to present anything to the Royals or to the Council. Unfortunately, she didn't think that Feneri was missing; she was just delinquent.

"She would never leave her foals this long; she knows how much they need her!"

"She's running away from responsibility, and depositing her problems in your lap. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because I know her! If she ran, she would take the foals, and likely ask me to come along! She loves this tribe too much for that. She would never abandon them like this, never!" Aysoli snorted, glaring at the mare. Jittery with worry, she stomped and flung her head, unable to hold still. "Why won't you listen to me? She's never done anything like this before! Think, why don't you, think!"

Rozalk looked up at her, her disapproval quite apparent. "Never done anything like this before?" She shook out her mane, a slight smile tugging on her lips. "What about when you two vanished for three months, with nary a word?"

"That was MY fault!" Aysoli exploded, half rearing and hitting the ground with force. Her horn, longer than most, sliced through the air getting dangerously close to Rozalk's face.

"Watch it!" Rozalk sprang backward, barely avoiding getting sliced open.

"It took me forever to get her to agree; she was torn up with the fact she couldn't tell anyone!"

Rozalk looked Aysoli up and down, her expression slowly getting serious as she realized Aysoli wasn't joking. "You're saying that you're the reason that Feneri vanished last time?"

"Yes," she drew out the word, exasperated. Everyone knew that she was the impulsive one, the reckless one, the out-of-control-crazy-mare-who-lost-her-parents-and-used-it-as-an-excuse. Even though it was whispered, it was hidden, she saw the looks, she heard the broken off talks. In a tribe where the outside world was ignored, only gossip existed.

"Please, just talk to them. Feneri might be aching with the loss of her foals, but she would never let it interfere with their well-being. She might go off the deep end after they're taken away, but not before. Never before."

Rozalk sighed. "Alright, I'll talk to them in light of your statement, but I'm not promising anything."

"Thank you," she sighed, wondering if to speak of the other thing she was thinking. "Will the Prince be involved much? Personally, I think he's too young to truly know the right path to take." She smiled sadly. "Even though he has had much more training than we have had, he is still mine and Feneri's age."

Rozalk nodded. "Your request for the Prince's role limited to observance will be granted."

"Again, thank you." She bowed her head, backing away. As she turned, she wondered where in the world was Ridgero?

[ϞSymreeϞ]

The stallion hummed absently to himself as he walked, a deep, off key tune that would make even a kind creature cringe. The saving grace was that the melody was hummed softly, and a ways away from any creature who could complain. He was short in stature, but powerful, with muscles and a fine network of scars that any warrior would envy. Ridgero would have been a fine warrior too, had he the patience and stomach for such things.

His pied near black coat shone in the dappled light beneath the trees, and abruptly he stopped whistling, breaking into a trot. The shadows danced now across the chaotic spray of white on his forequarters, and along the solid set of his rump. His expression hardened and focused on something far in the distance. Mix-matched blue and cinnamon eyes narrowed, and slowly a smile crawled to his lips.Tunicosa. Soundlessly he strode towards the dark stalks of the plant, cutting it carefully at the stem. He held the stem gingerly between his lips, giggling madly around the stalk.

"Grind it up and spread it out,spin three times cant smell it out!
Nothing to see, nothing to taste,
good to eat and not a drop to waste!
Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Spoiled princes make rotten kings,
just a lick, see what it brings!
Delusions, delirium, hallucinations-
let him try his incantations!
Minor cramping, bloodshot eyes,
let them see what's really inside!
A swollen tongue to complete the mood,
The recipe for perfect destruction,
See your prince now how rude!"

Ridgero stifled his laughter and broke into an easy canter, still humming the song to himself. The prince would never see it coming, but he deserved it, yes, that much was true. But there was another that would eat from the tainted grass if Ridgero had his way.
He snorted angrily. In his day, unicorns and pegasus did not take mates and cast them away so lightly! It was disgraceful! It was disgusting! But did you see a mark of shame on Ylrae's back? No. you only saw the Cheshire tattoo that the king had publicly given pardon to. And why! So that the slimy B****** could do the same to that beautiful new mare!? That stallion needed to be gelded for his crimes before he could hurt someone else...too bad there wasn't a plant for that.

He grasped the Tunicosa more tightly between his lips. It would have to do. If it was the only justice that he could give to Feneri, then gladly he would do so. At the thought of the young mare, Ridgero frowned. Where was she? She wouldn't have left her foals willingly...he had seen the way she looked at them, the way she tenderly muzzled their brows. She would fight anyone who tried to take her away from them, she would not allow herself to be kidnapped by the Jyvn, or taken by the hungry cougars that prowled the cliffs. She was too brave and too fierce to be taken down by them so easily. But if all of this was true, where was she? One mystery at a time, Ridgero,one mystery at a time. All would turn out for the better. Feneri would return, all that remained to he and his niece was to care for the twins until she did.

Ridgero slowed as he reached the edge of the best grazing area, and hid in the shadows, deftly crushing the Tunicosa between his hooves. Silent as a shadow, he sprinkled the flakes over a wide area of grass to which the prince usually grazed. He took the other half of the stalk and continued on to the hollow, so recently claimed by Ylrae and his new mate. It was quite a walk to this hollow, so the stallion picked up a canter again, covering as much ground as he could with the stride his 14 hand body provided. No one would dare bother him as he worked. Even if one were to spot him crushing the Tunicosa over the grass, they would say nothing to the superiors. Not everyone believed that he was not a bloodthirsty warrior.

He smiled to himself, it was true that he could cause serious damage to an enemy, but it was boring and unnecessary to fight within the tribe. Why resort to muscles and broken bones when one could make a royal look insane with just the taste of a rare plant? Finishing the deed, Ridgero quit the grotto, and set out leisurely to find Aysoli, his lips still tingling with the weight of the Tunicosa.

[Shanza]

This was possibly the worst idea in a long and lengthy history of bad ideas. Aysoli couldn't quite believe she would actually approach the stuck-up and obnoxious mare, but there wasn't much in the way of alternative options. Belchara had always been one of the worst of the other fillies in snide remarks and legs that always 'accidentally' ended up in her way. Ever since she was a foal, Aysoli had promised herself that she would never come to her for anything. Time, however, has a way of changing things and making certain that you're destined to break your promises. So now she was going to one of the mares she hated and despised, because she would have milk for the twins. Because Feneri wasn't back yet, Aysoli had to look for alternatives before the Royals interfered. That meant asking for favors ahead of time. If she had the problem taken care of before it was even brought to the Royals' attention, then they would have no reason to mess with a good thing. There would be time for Feneri to make it back. From wherever she was.

Aysoli had left the twins in the shadow of their able protectors, and quickly made her way across the main clearing to where Belchara claimed residence. The black and white pied mare stood in the shadows, her head hanging at her knees. Aysoli paused, looking at her with concern. She knew Belchara wasn't eating, but the sight of her forlorn composure struck home. Aysoli knew that feeling, she knew how it felt not to want to keep on living, to keep on fighting. Her apprehension and fear slowly melted away as she stepped closer. "Belchara? It's Aysoli." The mare didn't acknowledge her presence, but she expected that. "Dieltho aln Lanthros. Cral til int soalntaln." Lanthros watches you. We are here for you.

"I am so sorry, but right now, you are needed. We can't, at the moment, track down Feneri, and her foals need milk."

The mare raised her head, glaring at Aysoli. "How can you come here and say that?" She hissed. "Feneri has no idea of what true loyalty to the tribe is, and you expect me to step in for her? How dare you."

"There's another aspect of our culture that needs to be heard, and listened to. Under the guide of Lanthros, we shall not let any suffer or want if we have the ability to prevent it." She took a deep breath, and continued, "The foals need your help, and you can prevent their suffering. I know you just lost your foals to a cougar, and I know I can't begin to understand that. However, I do know how you're feeling. I've had to cope with that for most of my life. So, if you can, please consider helping these foals in their time of need. Please." Aysoli backed off, and the pied mare just watched her go. She would come in her time, if she would.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Two and one weeks had passed since Hyrokkin's binding to Ylrae, and that same wonderful and terrible night, the murder of Feneri. A few equines had set out as search parties to find the young mare, but all had returned clueless and disheartened. The majority of the tribe, Hyrokkin noticed, seemed not to care at all that the liver chestnut unicorn was missing. A surrogate had been found for her foals, and they thrived on the milk. Aeron and Avan seemed to be the only thing worth fussing over. Most had long assumed that the mare had perished, but Hyrokkin knew for a fact what had befallen Feneri.

The ribcano mare shook herself, continuing on her march towards the lookout point. Her left hip felt heavy with the weight of her sun-star tattoo. It was skillfully etched to her flesh, the shape of a beautiful cupped flower. The ink was a glossy and metallic gold in color, only adding to her great beauty. Or at least, that was what she had been told. Ylrae was very fond of the tattoo, mostly because it made her forever his own. Hyrokkin herself did not know what to think of it. It made no difference to her, whether she belonged to the stallion officially or not. The tattoo was part of something larger. It gave her acceptance in the tribe, and responsibilities that allowed her to get away from Ylrae.

She had a home now, a mate, new friends...and all of it was a lie. A home that wasn't her own, a mate that did not even know her real name, and friends that feared her or envied her beauty. What sort of life had she gained? And for what? Perhaps to prove to herself that she was over the bay Alarion stallion that broke her heart? Hyrokkin refused to allow herself to stop, refused to allow herself to wonder what she was doing in this strange place. She was a part of this tribe now, a mare of the Gywverth. She would do her duties, allow them to consume her, and perhaps someday, she would forget the face of the one who drove her away.

Hyrokkin shook herself and glanced down at the narrow path that she followed through the trees. It looked much less sinister by daylight, but she could never forget the scene by light of the silver moon. Not three weeks past, she had followed her mate unbidden down this same path. She had fallen asleep by his side in their grotto, and pretended to sleep on when Ylrae was awoken by Feneri's call from the edge of the trees. She took care to not even stir as he stood and stole away from her with the mare that he had once loved.

More curious than angry, the ribcano mare followed at a safe distance behind the oblivious unicorns. Her eyes never strayed from the dark form of her exotic mate, occasionally wandering the line of his strange tattoo. They must have walked for an hour before the forest opened up to the large, rocky cliff face. Hyrokkin stayed in the shadows of the trees, careful to stay out of sight, but within earshot. She listened to the mare's story, why she had left, why she had not said a word to Ylrae. Hearing her voice, the ribcano mare could feel the pain and broken love in every strange, musical note. Even for a member of the Gwyverth tribe, Feneri was strange and ravishing. Most of it came from her voice, which sounded as though it belonged to another world, or at least another time.

Hyrokkin had expected Ylrae to forgive the liver chestnut mare, to apologize for his disloyalty, and for binding himself to the strange new mare that no one seemed to know anything about. She had never guessed that her mate was capable of the treachery that next occurred. Ylrae pulled her in a close embrace, and told her that she knew too much. Hyrokkin had then watched the prince come from the shadows, admitting to everything that he and Ylrae had planned. The ribcano mare did not need to watch what came next to know that it would. No one revealed their every secret to someone unless they planned to kill them.

She watched quietly from the shadows as the prince raped and cut the dark chestnut mare to shreds. She did not turn away as Feneri's bloodcurdling screams pierced the night, nor did she move to help. What would that have accomplished save her own death as well? She turned away just as the stallion's dropped her off of the cliff, so it was all to turned backs, that a dappled pegasus flew into a dive after the mare.

Hyrokkin stood now beneath the same canopy of trees, staring out across the rocky surface of the cliff side. The stones were pale and gray everywhere save where Feneri had stood, and had been dragged to the edge of the cliff. In those places, the gray stones were stained red.

The ribcano mare took a deep breath and strode out of the shade of the trees, walking to the edge of the cliff. She picked her way through only the gray rocks, avoiding the ones of blood. A dead root, barely clinging to the cliff-side stood erect, proudly holding it's flag of deep red hair from the liver chestnut mare's mane. Tangled on the thick strands of hair was a single raven's feather, stained with blood. Hyrokkin glanced away from it, knowing that her mane must have caught on the root just as they dropped her, and the blood on the feather would have to be from the twin cuts along her cheek. The prince and Ylrae had not touched the scene since the mare's death. This spot had been retired as a normal lookout knoll since the Jyvn had found a way up the sheer rock.

This cliff just happened to hold an abundance of sun star flowers, that would be needed for a binding that was set for this evening, the first since her own binding to Ylrae. For a moment, Hyrokkin hesitated, and then spun, sweeping several flowers from the earth as she broke into a dead run, racing as fast as the wind would carry her towards the heart of the tribe where king, queen, and elders would be ready to receive confirmation at last of the dark chestnut mare's death.

At a run, the hour hike took a mere fifteen minutes. On her way down, she passed several bemused looking equines that glanced at one another as she passed, asking if everything was alright. As she kept running, they must have decided that all wasn't well, and followed after her. She tore into the tribal center, the heart of the forest, and slowed at last before the king and queen, whom had been grazing peacefully with the elders.

Hyrokkin slid into a clumsy bow, sides heaving, she deposited the flowers, miraculously intact, at the queen's hooves, and with shaking legs, drew herself back up to full height as the queen flew to her side, "What is the matter dear? What is wrong?"

Hyrokkin drew in a few gulps of air before replying to a rather large crowd of onlookers, "It's Feneri, your majesty. I went up to slate-cliff to gather sun stars for this night's binding, and when I arrived, there was dried blood scattered among the gray rocks. There was so much of it, that it stained a great deal of the rocks red. I went over to the edge, and found a few red hairs of mane length tangled in a root, along with a raven feather stained with blood. The cougars must have attacked her. She must have fought back and they both went over the rocks. Even if she survived the encounter, she lost too much blood to have survived with her injuries. It is as we feared," Hyrokkin finished, voice shaking,"Feneri is dead."