N o t e

Levi's splashing was getting alarmingly closer to the dusty bay. Note snorted playfully, tossing his dark gray mane in an attempt to tame the wild tendrils that fell across his thick nape. He could taste the salt water in his mouth; it was revolting, mixed with the sickening heat of tallsun. To think he had thought of the smell in the air as refreshing only moments ago.

Note reared in the shallows of the water they had reached, not slowing his pace at all. His muscles bunched and full of raw power, the stallion leapt clear out of the water, twisting to the left and away from Levi as he spread his wings only slightly, gaining air and sailing through the air in a matter of seconds. His scar was not visible to Levi, or so he hoped. The amount of time he had spent in the air was enough to propel him a horse length in front of his friend.

There were a number of things Note was expecting from his trick. Surprise from Levi, that was one, maybe some shells would clip his hoof, maybe he would've scared some fish. What he wasn't expecting was the drop off that lay beneath the area he was going to land in the water.

He could see nothing but water. Salt stung his eyes and threatened to enter his lungs as Note made no effort to return to the surface. The ocean was a different world, blue and endless. It was beautiful, but scary at the same time. With endless space came endless possibilities, not all of them ending happily.

Note quickly realized he was sinking, slipping away from his life, his Sohalia and their child. He couldn't - wouldn't leave them. He spread his hawk-like wings, flapping them as if he was flying in the air and not water. Bubbles swarmed from his vigorous flapping as Note rose to the surface of the blue. Part of him wanted to stay under the crashing waves where everything was so much simpler, but he couldn't leave his family or friends.

Legs and wings thrashing, Note's head flew from underneath the water, settling his wings down and using them like flippers under the water. He kicked his legs every now and then, but mostly didn't need to, thanks to his wings. He turned his sharp green eyes to Levi, smirking like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't seen the simplistic beauty of an entirely different world right beneath their hooves.