Chilly winds floated dark wings higher towards the sky streaming through low floating clouds. She was flying from the south upwards where the smell of the ocean still clung to her skin beneath her coat of blue roan spotted with white that looked as if speckled from a paintbrush. Her coat is still long from the retreating winter that was slowly releasing its hold onto the land. She loved the ways that the sky had on her coat, caressing the hairs with the beat of her wings. Dark blue feathers twitched and danced like piano keys to some silent symphony. Her legs appeared to have been dipped in pearly hues that turned into a dark blue that faded into a speckled white and blue body. She kept for forelegs tucked up to her belly although her hind legs hung somewhat freely. Enjoying this solitude of the heights without anyone around was a particular trait of hers that she quite coveted but had its draw backs.

At first things were easy to differentiate in the murky fog that she sees the world through. The trees were low and she easily managed to glide above them. She could see what appeared to be rocky outcrops and rolling hills but as she drew more north things became flatter and then they began to rise towards a white background. She thought at first they must just be clouds and she tried to go lower but she could sense the ground was right beneath her and lifted herself upwards the chill of the mountains. Her wings beat heavily as she traveled through a ridge where the dark cliffs rose of either side of her. She tried to figure out a landing spot nearby but failed at every turn.

She had grown tired some time ago as she had entered the frostbreath and was growing weary now as every time she tried to land, she realized it wasn’t flat. Her mind raced as she felt she was seeing death right above the next ridge. Her breath ragged and coming out hot through her nose and lips. She screamed in a strained and high pitched tone in a final attempt to draw attention to herself as the muscles in her wings quivered with fatigue and she aimed for what appeared to be a path running along the side of the mountain. She come down hard on her hooves but the gravel was loose and her weak legs gave way beneath her. She came down hard onto her shoulder where her wing emerged before smashing into the ground and she heard something crunch as she slid into the rocks of the side of the mountain. The pain shot all through her body. Her side was raw from siding on the rocks. Blood bled from capillaries beneath the skin. Running warm at first but quickly growing cold as it ran down her face, neck, side and her wing. She laid there still for a while catching her breath. She refused to move a muscle as to avoid the shock that it would surely produce. Time ticked and her muscles began to recover but she still lay there.

Help

She spoke the words softly and barely audible as they quickly disappeared on the breeze that seemed to comfort the swelling tissue of her side. She finally pulled her legs back beneath her body and tipped herself back onto her belly. Immediately she felt dizzy and he vision almost went black but she fought from losing all consciousness.

Astrid you can do this

She tried to pull her right wing back towards her body but it was too much for her as it caused her to whine in agony. Something must be broken where the socket joined into her shoulder. Her face twisted as she pulled her left wing over her left side to protect from the elements and bring some sort of comfort similar to curling into a fetal position. Her mane was ragged and knotted, some rocks fell from the hairs as she turned her head to look around her. Blood slowly paved a path through the white on her face and down her chin where it then fell to the ground. How miserable she must look right now. The better question would be with no one knowing where she is and no home for her to be missed, what is she going to do now? She told herself just to remain strong and to hold on. She will be fine. She will be ok. She will make it through this. She will persevere.


"Talk."