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The evening seemed to be drawing in quickly across the Dragon’s Throat, like a blanket woven with the loose threads of blue and purple twilight. Midas had chosen a later time to gather together his clan, and for that Africa was more than grateful. Although the sun had not slipped beneath the rolling, blue-black ocean to the east, it was far from the desert now; its shine less ferocious and its warmth a weakening stroke. The air held the heat though, and probably would all the way through to the new morning’s first light. It clung tightly to the one-winged Pegasus, drying the sea from her cleaned coat so that streaks of crusty salt residue severed the soft shape of her mottled-grey dapples; the bitter, brackish stench of it betraying the self-indulgent bath which had been had.
A mild wind blew suddenly along the crumbling white waves, falling across the golden shoreline in droves. It did not offer much in the way of relief though, only ruffling the damp lace-work of feathers which covered the young mare’s wing and shoulders, tousling the long, locks of mane draped all the way up her neck and dragging lazily at the mass of waterlogged tail which cascaded down across pointed hocks to spill over the moist sand beneath.
Africa drew a breath regardless, turning fluttering round nostrils into the meek draught and it swept the fringe from her large almond-shaped eyes.
The dappled horse’s sharp perception was right on cue and Aurelia divulged in short that yes; she was frightened of the ocean- water in fact, as that had been the embodiment of the question asked. The girl glanced by Africa to eyeball the frothing liquid which had provided for her some feeling alike to that of pure ecstasy. She smiled apologetically, it had not been her will to startle the child, nor escalate her fears; and rather than telling her that such a phobia was silly, she lowered her nose to brush against the gold patterned girl caringly. “Each to their own...” She breathed calmly; soothingly against the glowing warmth of her friend. “I also have fears; things that haunt my dreams and worry my heart.” Still smiling tenderly, Africa lifted her face away and peered down across the young, aspiring face before her. “Perhaps you would prefer to cruise the dunes?
Tell me so I don't make that mistake again, does anything else worry you like this?” Considerate always to the needs of her kin, the grey led the young Pegasus away from the water’s edge, and upwards through a dune which skirted the oasis.
It was a higher ground, and she thought perhaps they could camp there for awhile and chat; watch the first of the night’s dazzling star show and share the glory of their lush sanctuary basking in the glow of the distant, unattended fire of the diviner.
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[O] top of the social ladder, fell hard [Open - Africa]
