She came unbidden, because she wished to be nowhere else. From the mist she emerged like a breath of winter, a premonition of times to come. On hooves as lithe and delicate as the first layer of ice upon a lake she tread, with easy grace that somehow overlooked the heavy limp in her gait.  With each measured stride the dew froze upon the aged strands of grass, crafting each into a marvel of light and shadow that glistened and sparkled in the soft glow of a bronze acorn in her tail.

Erthë smiled happily as she went to stand by her teacher, and there was a brightness to her spirit as she greeted him that had not been seen for a very long time. Those who had known her before that dreadful day on the Flats would recognize the spirited foal that had laughed so freely with complete strangers, before the dark clouds of grief and pain had enveloped her and dimmed her light. Perhaps everyone else would find it odd, unusual even, to see her so alert and cheerful.

"Long time no see, Alune! It's great to be here again, you look so well!" The young mare reached out to press her neck against his in a fond embrace, confident that he would not be repelled by the coolness of her touch.  

"Is it alright if I sit in? I know I don't hold a rank yet, but there's something I just have to tell you."

Grinning widely at the Seer Erthë awaited his assent before settling herself in beside him, leaving enough space so that there could be no doubt who it was that had called the meeting. As always he made her feel even smaller than she already was, like a speck of a star next to the vast mass of a moon eclipsed. In this case it didn't really bother her; Alune was a goal she wanted to reach, not a foe to compete with. Some day, in a distant future, Erthë dreamed of standing where he stood now and rest assure in the grace of the Goddess.

But she didn't need the title and rank to feel connected to their dark deity. She had a secret now, a secret she was dying to share with her mentor. Truly, she wanted to let the whole world know how blessed she was, how happy she felt and how bright her future suddenly seemed. Filled to the brim with giddy anticipation the young Valkyrie waited impatiently for others to arrive, curious to see how many would turn up. She didn't know how many there were beneath Alune's seat, had no clear picture of just how big part of the herd there was that devoted themselves to the service of the Lady.  

It would be interesting indeed, to learn who she would work with, come winter and her ascension into adulthood.