’Apollo.’

The voice permeated his dream, stealing his thoughts and focus from the wonderful dreams that had made their home within his unconscious mind. He had been locked in a wonderful dream with Phaedra, running and gallivanting across the white beach of the Endless Blue like two young lovers. Phae’s picturesque beauty seemed even more enthralling, and Apollo couldn’t help but be drawn to her, following every move that she made, watching with loving adoration as the cream, silky tresses of her mane and tail were toyed with by the salty breeze. Oh, what he wouldn’t give to spend more time with her… Yet, the waking world was approaching, snapping him from his doze with extreme confusion.

Lifting his head from his tucked position, legs folded neatly beneath his ebony body, the stallion shook his mane, attempting to clear his mind from the dregs of sleep. Looking around, Apollo’s honey-brown eyes searched for who had spoken to him and summoned him from his slumber. In the Deep Forest, there could only be a few who knew him, and who would have felt the need to wake him. None of the Grey, however, stood about, and a confused and slightly troubled expression tugged at his dark lips. Before he could call out, however, another beckoning floated through the air, causing the overo’s ears to shoot upright, nimble legs pushing himself to his feet. Nostrils flaring, Apollo listened.

’Come to me.’ A demand, yet… Not. There was something odd about it, for no one was about, but Apollo could hear it as if someone was clearly speaking. Was there someone out there?

“Hello…?” He called at last rather timidly, taking one step forward. The moon was high in the sky, renegade rays of moonlight managing to permeate through the thick canopy of the trees. There was little darkness in Helovia quite like the Deep Forest in the middle of the night, but right now, the stallion had a lot more to worry about than his fear of the dark. Besides; he had fought wolves and sea-monsters. “Who’s there?”

No answer.

Looking left and right, honey-brown eyes trying to squint and peer through the darkness, he could see nothing. Nothing out of the ordinary, however… Inhaling deeply to try and steel his already trembling nerves, the unicorn took one step forward, hooves crunching softly against the undergrowth. With one step came another, and then another, and before long, Apollo was wandering through the forest, searching for the voice who had called to him.

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."