Alysanne

Frostfall had been hard this year but, so Alysanne thought, it had been manageable. Even in the temperate Edge they had experienced bitter chills – and she had been thankful for company on those long nights. The blessing of the floating island had been one she would not fail to thank the gods for – that place alone was a saving grace as it never seemed to be touched by the harsh climate that snow and ice create.

Oh, it was a beautiful season! But reality often threw it into a harsh light.

On that particular late Frostfall day, Hemlock had been leading Alysanne to nowhere in particular – he simply wanted his bonded to get out of the Edge and reacquaint herself with the forests of Helovia. It wasn’t very likely that they were going to find some herbs that they could harvest and bring back, but it didn’t hurt to look.

Besides, he had the ulterior motive of keeping her busy so she wouldn’t go wander off and find someone he did not care for her to be friends with. Like that healer mare – who was alright he supposed – with the retched dragon. Or, even worse, the retched, fumbling lover stallion with the silly fox.

Or, worse than all of them, that other retched, sad lover stallion with the pretty star-bird.

Why couldn’t his bonded find suitable mates and friends with equally suitable companions?

Alysanne, having been lectured on the matter all morning, followed her owl to spare herself from hearing such opinions about her friends.

During their stroll, they were sought out by the previously mentioned pretty star-bird, Eliana, who was making enough of a fuss that Alysanne wasted no time in following her – fearing what they would find whenever they reached their destination. The fear did not dissipate upon discovering the pair laying on the ground – Mikey doing what he did best and doing whatever he could to help the old mare who seemed to have come out this side of Frostfall with some difficulty.

The genuine concern that had come from Mikey was echoed in Alysanne as she came forward and looked between the two – trying to figure out where she should start with helping.

Thoughts of the Moon Goddess pushed into her mind but she couldn’t refuse to help. Not this time!

Spring-green eyes focused on the mare and she made a decision – they could help her find some hearty food to get her energy up but that slush she was lying in was worrisome. “Hey there, I’m Aly. Now, I know it’s pretty comfy underneath the wing of my friend Mikey but what do you say we move over to that dry spot? Just underneath those pines right there?” She moved easily so that she was standing on the other side of the mare, feeling the icy impact of the slush even as she stood in it, ready to help.

Just as she knew it would be for Mikey - it wasn't even a question about whether to help this mare or not. Of course she would! The fact that they were strangers did not factor in the slightest.


@[Sheba]