Sohalia

the Transcended

What is this place?

The Transcended wandered through the thickets of tall, hollow limbs, gazing about her with bi-colored eyes.  The plants here were unlike any she had ever seen.  As she passed through them, she found herself stretching out first one wing, then the other, knocking the trees into one another and listening to the hollow whack sound that they made.  She was not concerned about becoming lost; somewhere far overhead, Astraeus soared, a bolt of lightning in an otherwise sapphire sky.  He would find the way out of the labyrinth, would guide her out of these woods.  He would not allow her to be lost.

Not, of course, that she hadn't tried.  It was easier to lose oneself than to face one's shame, at times.  It was simpler to disappear than to be present, and probably better for everyone involved.  But Astraeus was stubborn, and he would not allow her to wander aimlessly; he assaulted her mind with an aerial view of the world, pointing out landmarks and paths, painting a map in her mind with reckless abandon.  She found herself following his guidance while trying to ignore him, ended up tracing the lines of the river he pointed out yesterday, or the meadow he found an hour ago - she could not lose herself, and she felt it both a curse and a blessing.

So Astraeus flew while his bonded walked - an odd pastime for a pegasus, to be sure.  She could have joined him, but these days she preferred the darkness.  They hid her, shielded her from those she might have disappointed.  There were no shadows for her in the sky, not even at night, for the even the gentle gleam of the stars reflected from her ivory coat.  And so she walked, following the darkness deeper and deeper into the forest, any forest, any place that would offer her protection, a place to be alone, a place to be ashamed.

The 'trees' were not truly trees, at least the type of trees that the Transcended was used to.  They provided cover; she could not see the blue into which her bonded swooped, could not find any shred of light beyond the foliage around her.  The light that filtered through was green and calm, attempting to soothe her shattered soul but only managing to deepen her guilt.  She did not deserve this place, should not be disturbing its foreign beauty.  She should go to the Heart Caves (but there were too many memories there, too much she was trying to run away from) or the Deep Forest (but those woods were too well-travelled).  And yet, here she was.

She might have heard the voices, if the hollow trunks around her had not been so densely packed; but as it were, she stumbled into a clearing and was surprised to find two unicorns in attendance.  She halted, startled.  Should she leave?  Should she stay?  She did not recognize them, but still...  When she saw the tiny, newly-hatched creature (or so she assumed, based on the remnants of shall around its feet), her heart thawed, and she stepped forward with a smile.  Astraeus found his way through the stalks to land on her withers, chirping a greeting.

"Excuse me," the pegasus murmured, offering a kind smile to the stallions.  "I do hope I'm not interrupting."  She paused to turn her attention to the young companion.  "Congratulations," she added.  "She is lovely."

"Talking."
--Astraeus.--

@[Name]