Mauja Frosthjärta

Not everything was lost, at least, or so far out of reach he could never hope to aspire to it. Whatever tethers had held them together had come partially undone, like two lost souls adrift in the ocean, and he was unsure if he dared to swim closer. Who knew what secrets hid beneath the surface? Which shadows that were simply shadows, and which that were monsters? Oh, but he wanted to come closer, to rest side by side for a moment, and maybe he would be allowed to—his first words drew forth the beginnings of a grin, red and blue meeting calmly for a moment, a mere heartbeat. Then Mauja's voice drove the maroon gaze away again, face closing instead of blooming. Mauja exhaled, slowly, thoughtfully, listening to the silence. So there was something there, a thin veil between them, an obstacle. Something Mauja needed to pull down if he wanted to get through, but how? What was it? Was it something he had done? Or simple uncertainty? He knew that he wasn't always easy to be around, for many reasons. He usually gave so little away, it could unnerve anyone. Even now, with worry and caution within his blood his face remained smooth and calm, just that bright cast of kind curiosity in his eyes.

"I couldn't be there anymore Mauja, I'm sorry. Is that why you've found me? Are you here to scold me?" "Oh, Voodoo," the words slipped from his mouth in a rather surprised voice, sneaking through his filters and coming out through the cracks. His face lost some of its wariness, grew softer, a faint, sad little smile curling his dark lips. Had he ever come across the kind to punish others? A harsh ruler? If he had.. then he'd never meant to; he'd always tried to be there, for them, to come with understanding instead of discipline. And maybe, maybe Voodoo sensed that? Maybe it was why he raised his head slightly, looking up, as if looking for that gentle ghost which resided in his bones? Mauja peered down at him through his white forelock; he certainly hoped that was the case.. and that it wasn't just readiness for a blow. He suddenly felt ten years older. "I wasn't even looking for you, I.. I sort of left, too." He averted his eyes to the sea for a moment. It was fairly calm on that night, just lapping at their hooves. "I hadn't planned on it, but it turned out that way, and now I don't know if I can go back." A slight shrug of his snowy shoulders, and he turned his eyes back, heart biting back the uncertainty; if Voodoo had left, too, then surely he couldn't judge Mauja? It wasn't like he'd run away, more like.. like he'd come to a point in life where he found he couldn't go back, and fit back in his old life. Too much had changed, too many revelations and too many things accepted—and that blasted word ringing in his skull. Honesty. He just wasn't sure he could do it, in the bigger picture—live a life without deception? It wasn't that he liked to deceive others, it just.. had been necessary. Was it still necessary?

He forced the thoughts aside, sought for Voodoo's red eyes with his own. There were some pieces of honesty he could give tonight, though, and give freely; sincerely. And he hoped they would be of use for the black stallion. "You have nothing to fear from me."

A million miles from home, I'm frozen to the bones, I am... a soldier on my own, I don't know the way.