THE child of earth and stone had been more than thankful for the rest granted to his cracked and moulding body at the former herd land of the Hidden Falls. He had no idea what the beautiful gilded woman had spoken to him, or that it even was a land reigned by the very woman who had lead him through the trees. One thing he had learned was that the Mara was a friend - she was kind, unlike many canines and felines he had come across in his time. A Mara's body was very warm too, as the colt had also learned upon sleeping next to it. Were shapeshifters - or Maras - common in this land of god's and monsters? Geronimo was yet to learn much about the woman he wandered with, still having no real clue on what to call her.

His small hooves had begun to drag by the time they neared the edge, his pale head ducking low to the ground as he trailed at the two-toned woman's hocks; though, not for long. The scents of others began to fill his nostrils, his head soon lifting  from the forest floor as the smell of thousands drowned his senses. More like him! More!
"Heyaa heyaa!" He came to bleat, wishing to draw Ranjiris attention. Should she cast her gaze his way, the child made an exaggerated display of smelling by casting his nose skyward and inhaling with force so to communicate that he could smell something of interest. Not a moment to lose, the excited colt allowed his feet forward into the underbrush and ferns ahead of the tattooed mare, nose bounding along the ground as he had seen the bison do.

The mist called to him, begged him to come closer as if destiny itself had spilled it over the twisted roots and pine needles. The Mara was gone, racing off through the fern and fog,
and while he child desperately wanted to bound on after her, just one step ad indicated that his hooves felt heavier than he had thought. The adrenaline was wearing thin.

It was then as the child was stumbling back to the radiant woman that a stag emerged from the mist, causing the child to turn his head and gaze in awe at the strength of the man he saw. "Geronimo!" He would shout, one that echoed throughout his whole body and caused him to jump on the spot. His wings expelled from his sides with a great WHOOSH, the feathers spreading wide and bright as they defied the wind.