I have no idea why the herd's queen calls us to her; I didn't even know there was any such thing as a queen, or a Sultana. In my limited experience of wild horse herds, I thought a stallion ruled with an iron fist, his harem and children behind him. I was wrong, as I am in so many things. Gaucho has a queen, and what's more, he welcomes unrelated men into his herd. Entire men, not harmless geldings like me. There is a lot I have yet to understand about Helovia, even though I have been part of it for several months now.

Apparently, the place also has some evil diseases that I'm not immunised against. The hideous boils only lasted a fraction of a moment, until I reversed into the spark bear (which I still have a burn on my backside from), but the hideous black ooze from my every orifice has hung around decidedly longer. Not only that, but this particular disease has some very bizarre symptoms. Whenever I look at something, living or otherwise, I can see more colours in it that I ever could before. I can see subtle shades of purple in rocks, deep blues in grass, and a plethora of hues in my fellow horses. I have no idea what's happened to me, but I know this black ooze has something to do with it.

The Sultana - a frightening woman who excudes power and is that a skull she's wearing?! - begins the meeting just as I trundle in and take my place near the back. I see Laedere, who brought me here, and give her a wide smile, but my attention is largely reserved for Megaera. She advises healers to be well stocked and ready, and I nod vigorously. I have stashed herbs all across the Throat and across a couple of other places in Helovia, too. I also keep several of the most vital ones tucked in my halter, so they're always close at hand. Another mare speaks, a unicorn with a giant cat by her side who suddenly transforms into a hideous lizard thing, and I flatten my ears slightly - at the creature, not at her. She asks healers to join her after the meeting, as well as anybody with the diseases. I tick both of those boxes. She also suggests visiting healers from other herds, and my ears prick at this. "If you do that, I'd love to come with you. My name is Badger, one of the herd's healers." My voice is somewhat shy, because I hate speaking in front of strangers - or, indeed, doing anything in front of strangers - but if this mare gets permission from the queen to visit other herds, it could teach me invaluable new healing skills. Plus maybe I will be able to cure myself of my strange new eyesight and black goo.