Many moons had sailed by since the one-winged mare and her night-loving companion wandered with true conviction through the spindly arms of the Threshold’s ancient forest. A task had been set, far more significant than she thought herself worthy to accomplish- to founder new structure, new life, and help it prosper beneath the proud gaze of her Lord, the God of the Sun. Beside her was set Ampere, the feisty blue Pegasus mare, and all differences had been forced aside for the sake of their common goal. Africa neither sought gratification, nor notches in her belt of esteem (not that such existed anyway); she wished simply to appease the patron of Dragon’s Throat, and bring before him success.

Pastel yellow eyes roved through the haggard old trees, searching constantly for any trace of movement, a sign of life. Silas soared high beyond the reach of her gaze, drawing in a world that only those blessed with the advantage of flight would ever realise. It was he, the star-speckled Roc Zephyr who saw him first- a stallion as black as the feather’s glossing his own back; galloping across a sea of snowy-white. Glancing to the rough wilderness spread behind the stranger’s reckless path, the avian could find no sign of any danger; no wolf to spook the born-prey heart of an equine, nor fire to singe the feathers of his beloved’s kin. Only the bleak shadow of a forest trapped through winter’s bleak grip loomed there.

The bird began to spiral down towards the land in long, broad circles, sending forth a silent message to the mare he loved so dearly, who had by then paused to note the drum of wild hooves. ‘Brethren...’ their bond stammered, the dappled creature’s mind filling with the stark illusion, written by the eyes of the bird. ‘Take care.’ Long, black tipped ears danced forward when suddenly the thrash of the unknown’s stride ceased altogether. With eyes narrowing behind rims of mascara-black lashes, she strained her focus to find the flimsy shape of another ahead, his form a contrast before the cold world lying as his backdrop.

Silas swooped into a tree between them, watching with a wary gaze as his beloved, began to ease forward along the path that would unite her with the Pegasus stallion.

Africa stepped with due diligence, a creature wearing the scars both physically and emotionally of a foolish history. He appeared like any other- as generally they did, and she paused not far with raised fluttering nostrils to test the air between them. Before sealing the distance remaining there between she called to him; a sound both as delicate as the wind stirred by butterfly’s wings and careful as a mother-doe before her newborn’s first step.