My eyes are so heavy, my feet drag in front of me. I have been walking for so long. I don't remember where I am, and I don't remember where I am going. I just want to walk to escape from the shroud of darkness that has draped itself around me. Out of the corner of my eye I see a shadow move, my ears prick in excitement, I haven't seen anyone else in so long.

"Hello?" I stare intently at the spot where I saw the movement but everything is once again still. The silence is horrendously loud in my ears."Please answer me, please be here." My voice trembles as I call out. I need for there to be someone else here.

Suddenly there are shadows leaping around everywhere, they surround me. Harsh snickering echoes around me "We are here." the shadows move faster and faster, the plants they cross wilt before my eyes.

I am frozen in fear, I can feel the malice oozing from the shadows. They move too fast for my eyes to follow. One begins to slow its circles around me until it slows to a stop facing me. The shadow creature slowly lifts one of its arms and points a razor sharp claw in my direction while the others still circle faster and faster. I break through my fear and spin and run through the shadows, I veer off of the path I have been walking on and crash through my surroundings.

The shadows follow closely in pursuit, I move at break neck speed twisting and turning through the dense forest trying to get away. My breath comes out in great bursts, my chest and legs burn with effort. Just as hope for escape is dwindling down to nothing I catch a glimpse of a clearing up ahead with light streaming from it.

My hooves barely touch the ground as I make a mad dash for the bright clearing, somehow I know it is a place of safety. The shadows scratch at my sides with razor sharp claws the closer that I get to the light filled clearing the more aggressive their attacks become.

The shadows seem to be becoming more solid, and begin to move to block my way to the clearing. I gather myself up and barely clear jumping over the creatures in my way. Once I stumble into the clearing everything goes still. Everything feels light again. My breath catches in my throat as I look around.

Everybody from my past is materializing into the clearing. I see my mother standing with a stallion that must be my father. I remember my mother mourning his death. My human boy isn't far from the two, he sits with a sketchbook open intently watching the pair. There are all of the men who rode with me into battle, along with my fellow horses used as mounts by the military. None of either group had made it out of battle. There are countless others. But there, lingering in the back, facing away from me is Torolf.

I can just see him over the crowd from my past. A pang goes through me as I am hit with a wave of emotion, I don't want Torolf to be part of this. He should not be my past. Torolf was, is, meant to be my past; present, and future. My whole being aches with the love I have for him.

"Torolf!" All of my feelings take control as I call out and barrel towards the stallion. I crash past the others and straight towards him.

He doesn't respond to me calling his name, he just continues to stare straight ahead. I reach out and touch my muzzle to his mid-back. I jerk back at feeling how cold he is before moving in closer to try to warm him. I'm astonished to feel that the spot where I touched him is nearly hot with the surrounding area beginning to warm. I simply stand beside him for a while before he begins to move and finally speak.

"Avarielle," there is so much warmth in his voice, "I thought you'd never come. I mean after all, what is a mare like you doing in a place like this?"

"All of this time apart and those are the best lines that you can come up with?" I am torn between our teasing and my emotions of fear and confusion at my surroundings. "And I have a better question: What is this place? How are you here? You are.." I cannot bring myself to say dead.

"I haven't been able to think or do anything since I have been here. Just stare blankly ahead. Or at least that was it until you got here."

I playfully shove his shoulder, "Aren't you done with the lines yet?"

"It's the truth, so I think I did rather well for being so unprepared." A mischievous glimmer sparks in his eyes, "And it would definitely help if you weren't so beautiful, it kills my creativity." Any reply I could have slips from my head as he gives me a sly wink. "And I don't know what this place is. None of it makes any sense."

"I wish I would have gotten wherever this is sooner." I shiver in dread at the thought of having to face the shadow creatures but it was worth it to be here with Torolf.

"But that is the thing my dear Avarielle," I back away as I see the change in his expression, "I'm not really here, and you aren't either. You don't even have your eyes open."

"You are being absurd. Of course my eyes are open, I am looking right at you."

Torolf's expression softens and he closes the distance between us quickly, he wraps his neck around me pulling us even closer together. "Some things are not only seen with the eyes, my star, in some things the heart sees all. Now open your eyes, but don't you ever forget to look with your heart."


I open my eyes only to quickly shut them again. Torolf is gone. I am alone. It seems almost cruel for the birds to be singing such bright songs. As the birds croon joy back into my ears I hold onto my sadness, I hold onto Torolf.

I let out a sigh and slowly open my eyes. I remember being with Kahlua and another horse. I remember snow, and darkness but now sweat drips from my body. This is such a strange place and I am sure there are so many more strange events to come. I can't help but feel a smile spread on my face at the thought, this seems to be a land that young foals would dream about.

"Kah-" I try to call my friend's name to see if she is still nearby but my voice comes out as a hoarse whisper. It is the sound of a voice that has gone long with no use. I start to stand but I am unable and instead I find myself looking down in astonished horror.

What I thought was simply leaves laying on me is in reality vines that have grown around me. My heart is hammering in my chest. How long have I been here? Panic grabs hold of me and I fight to my feet snapping the vines and uprooting some plants.

Once I am on my feet I shake off the leaves and dirt from my coat and turn my head to look at myself. I have dropped a lot of weight and my coat has lost its well cared for shine. My legs feel unsteady underneath me. The peaceful quiet of the forest is interrupted by the sound of my stomach rumbling.

But first I need to take care of a hunger much more necessary that the one that calls for food, or even water. I remember Torolf's words and close my eyes. I could swear that I feel a familiar nip at my ear along with an amused laugh

"So you listened well Av, but you never have been able to get your priorities straight." My heart drums at the sound of that deep voice and tears well up at that laugh.

I throw my sadness to the wind and laugh along before loping off in search of water. Water, food, and more horses.

OOC: It is long, and not the best.. but I wanted to somehow fill in where I have been gone for so long. Didn't want to start back at the beginning with Avarielle again. Take this wherever you can, I was so unsure about how to open things back up. You can go to Avarielle's page to read her threads before this.