His head jerks in the direction of the mare as her chime-like voice dances across the distance and caresses his ears. The blue rimmed appendages are tilted forward as if he is waiting for her to speak again and when she doesn't he simply nods his head in approval. The young stallion watches the even younger filly for a moment before his gaze returns to the mountain that had been his home. The mountain is now consumed in darkness and those blue rimmed ears of his tilt back against his head. It is easy for him to forget about the darkness that was the reason he came down from his home, but he will always be reminded when he looks there and sees it. An all consuming blackness that makes ice form in his veins and his chest constrict with a fear so great that he fears that his lungs will cease their function.

A flickering light appears in the sky and Vadim's gaze is immediately drawn to it. It appears frantic as it flies toward whatever herd land lies to the North East. He thinks it is the Foothills, but there is no way for him to be sure without following it. A part of him wants to be unconcerned and go about his business, but something baser and more primal lights a fire under his feet and the need to run and follow becomes to great to ignore. The stallion steps forward then stops and looks at the youngling that had joined him a few short minutes before.

Vadim snorts and stomps a hoof until she finally looks at him and he tosses his head upwards, toward the ball of fire and light that is flying North East. He looks at her and nudges his head in the same direction and then he takes off, his cloven hooves pounding against the earth. Weather or not the filly followed he wasn't sure, but he ran until he felt as if his lungs and heart would burst and then he pushed himself some more, the fear that he remembered from seeing the blackness driving him onward.

Through the Foothills he runs, but he is not the only one that is running. He, however, is the only one running in the wrong direction. He stops and looks upward, the bird is now flying back toward the Thistle Meadow with the horses following her. The stallion takes only a moment to catch his breath and then he is off again, following the group of frightened horses that are following what would become a beacon of hope.

@[Nayati]

"."

Vadim

Master, Master, you promised only lies.