Ktulu

The dark forest had always felt like home, moreso than any herd land ever had and ever would. It was in that forest that she had found her companion, had raised her son, where she had fallen in love with the woman who had easily stolen her heart. It was where she had met the stallion, who would also find his place in her heart. The woods was filled with bittersweet memories of a time that had been better.

But both of them were gone and now she and Eytan were alone once more.

Ktulu had bared her heart and soul at the Veins of the Gods, had cried her tears until she had none left, had screamed her anger until her throat was raw, had beat her hooves against the ground until her legs ached and now she was hollow. She had nothing left inside of herself save for a broken heart that crumbled more with each aching beat.

She wanted to die. She wanted the pain, the heartache that she was feeling to stop. Time and again she selfishly willed her beating heart to beat its last, but no amount of willpower could stop it. And so her pain continued and she and Eytan pressed on and continued existing in a world that they no longer wanted to be a part of.

How many times would they have to lose those that they cared about? Mother, Father, Hototo, Arichibald, Lakota, Aodaun. Everytime they picked up their shattered pieces life knocked them right back down into the mud again.

When would enough be enough?

When Loretta found her Ktulu thought that the dog was little more than a figment of her imagination, her subconscious conjuring up something that she cared about in an attempt to make her think maybe life is worth living. She stared at the dog, her ears tilted back in a display of stubborn refusal to acknowledge her as something that was very real. But the barking was incessant and irritating, drumming on frayed nerves until she finally reacted.

"GO AWAY!" The mare screamed, her body lunging forward so her hooves slammed into the ground where Loretta had been. But when the dog didn't dissipate, like imaginary things should have, Ktulu charged again. This time, though, she chased Loretta through the forest only to stumble to an awkward stop when she was led right to Archibald.

What?

She blinked, expecting him to disappear completely, and when he didn't her shock turned to anger. 

Why was he suddenly back?

"What the fuck do you want?"

"."