For the latter half of winter, her soul was beginning to grow heavy and restless. Somehow the grandeur of a herd had worn all its pretty details, from the simplistic hopes of joining a new family, of intertwining with new friends, of… reaching out to find a haven of comfort. Perhaps the Throat’s security was the only comfort to Ru, perhaps it was better than none, but inevitably it made the winter longer with its short and brief days. The nights no longer full with the promise of stars, pending the coarse winds and the churning sea that seemed to reflect her unease. Wrought with storms and the cantankerous, bitter freeze beyond the dunes.

She was to urge herself onwards, believing that it was silly of her to have faith in the strangers about her. They had owed her nothing. And like the travelers she had met upon her journey towards Helovia, they cared little for the meanderings of a silly girl. It was hard without the comforting words of an elder, or the gentle guidance of a mentor. There was structure to this herd, ranks and pursuits of rank for which Ru held very little knowledge of. And thus, lacked the motivation of desiring one or the other. If she were curious, perhaps there would have been the will to seek out those in their respective positions; the task however, remained impossible for the time being.

The youth walked soundly upon the Throat, trailing a path along the shores –as she made habit of recently. Though, a new development was beginning its course; both irritating and aberrant, to the degree of consuming the girl with a startling shyness. It started with an itch, a relentless and most foul itch; it tormented her until she could bear it no longer. She sought the palm trees, and rubbed the back of her neck with all her heart’s content along their bark – until the itching eased, and the skin throbbed instead. In the short course of a day or two, she’d shed all of her mane and the fluff of her forelock. The short, bob of a tail at her rear end wasn’t even spared the embarrassing changes. She waddled down the coast with her wings slightly spread out near her head, annoyed and reluctant to face any or all that might witness the balding features.

Though it was hard to hold its position for so long, and she was forced to fold her wings back for a rest. Ru’s coral eyes scanned the terrain with a hard glare; expecting to meet the curl of a grin, or the prying curiosity of a stranger. Surprisingly, she was caught by the trail of night splashed across the sky. For a moment she forgot of her ugliness, and paused with a budding air of wonder as she gazed on. She barely recognized the source of ethereal night, hanging in the sky, stark and endlessly shimmering from its portal – universes away, tapering in the sunlight. The youth let out a soft puff of air, as her eyes finally locked upon the nearly porcelain creature hovering – now – in circles. Swallowing her pride, she began moving in its direction. A chill reminding her, crooning and cajoling with the pinch of her appearance.

When she arrived she stopped short of the epicenter. Hoping that she was not noticed, she clung to whatever cover was afforded; the sparse, spindly limbs of some bushes, a few rocks – though hardly large enough to completely block the girl. It was as if she’d stepped upon some sacred dance, nearly interrupted the greetings of two long lost lovers. Capturing the stallion ahead, as he lifted himself into the air – gleaming upon the stage, elegant and poised. The sheen of his silver coat, stark against the sun-kissed sands provoked her curiosity. Her grunt ushered forth, a coarse, misshapen voice as her gaze eventually rested on the spiraling stranger. Seemingly just as elegant, otherworldly in the breadth of her stars, the showering of comets blinking above.

Perhaps she would stay only a little longer, investigate a little further – for the sake of resisting the urge to flee. To twist from their discourse, finding refuge in the edges of the sand, and the roar of the sea.