Oh, how the old hag cackles and clacks and flaps and rustles to see Rhoa barge down the center path through the death and doom that he fears so much. Somehow, her beak almost seems to turn up into a smile at his actions. They were crude and rough, but the old hag could tell that he would grow to be something special. While she makes her way towards him, several others converge into the same location within, the two newcomers to the group maybe drawn by Rhoa’s screams or maybe by pure luck of their visions and which they chose. She lands before them all- Rhoa, Tandavi, Faeanne, Desperado, and Sikeax- but it is towards Rhoa that she hops and clatters. On her way, she doesn’t forget to give Sikeax a glare. The mare has fire within her, but the bird woman doesn’t appreciate the yelling.

In as much a whisper as the old hag could manage, she speaks into his ear. “Bravery doesn’t just mean facing what you are afraid, baby horse. You need something else-” Abruptly she stops speaking and begins to hop backwards, as though she is not going to finish her statement. However, as she takes flight to go harass the other contestants, she caws back towards him. “A plan!” Though he is reckless now, she has no doubt that he will grow to be strong and smart, given time.

The three who are left, who have finished this maze on their own, are who she trains her gaze on now. They are the ones who she will decide between. There is Amani, who had followed her directions to separate himself from Sikeax. Then there is Hotaru, who bravely faced the task that terror that had faced her. But when the Hag’s gaze finally falls to Elsa, she knows who is right for the task of caring for the egg she has secreted away. Elsa, who has faced this maze alone for almost the entire time, who has chosen love over other wants and desires, who has followed the directions given to her when they seemed urgent and made her own choices when she was given the chance. This is the mare; the old hag knows.

Flapping her way to the pegasus, the hag lands on the ground and in a flourish of her wings the egg appears in her feathered wing-arms. Half-hopping, half-walking towards Elsa, the hag extends her arms and settles the egg underneath one of Elsa’s wings where it was stay warm tucked up against her body. Waiting until Elsa has a good grip, she releases the gift and hops backwards. “Take care of my child, horse, and it will take care of you.” Cackling and cawing, she takes flight for the final time, flapping off into the distance. If any of the horses were to look back, they would find the maze behind them gone, just a memory.