Chernobyl

Steely eyes searched the faces, as none of them had quite caught her attention just right. The doll was delicate, cool, and serene in her approach. Like a shadow, she slipped in among the crowd to muse silently within their borders. She recognized Psyche in their midst but did nothing to catch her attention. She was not one for conversation if it was not required. However, when she saw Myrddin within the depths of the mass, she approached slowly and nodded. “My Haruspex, I do hope you’ve been well. It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you.” It was true; she hadn’t done much in the way of socializing after achieving her title as disciple. But she had her isolated nature to blame for that. She only hoped that she would be able to make it up to him at some time. She felt as if she owed it to him to do her best to serve his authority as she rightly should. As she realized the shinning amulet tangled within his silvery mane she whispered a line of congratulations and then left him to revel in his glory. After all, she had come with the intent of learning a bit more about the Basin and their real purpose in gathering.

Like a scavenger her eyes roved the group, picking out random creatures that caught her eye. A lone wolf stood in their midst and the sight of him made her cringe. She hadn’t realized that she would one day have to call one of them her “family” and the idea came as a shock to her. He spoke of news from the Throat and it did littler in the way of entertaining me. At least those fools would have some sort of distraction to keep their prying eyes away from us, those ignorant cowards.

A bay stallion was soon to follow and his ghostly horn was enough to turn her head. She watched as the magic light of the Basin lit his face beneath the apparition of danger that floated upon his brow. Part of her wanted to question how such anomalies were possible, but of course she would do no such thing, not in this life anyway. He seemed cool and sophisticated but one could never judge another’s character by their cover alone. A small filly and then a mangled looking brute, a brindled stud and a queer looking colt- it didn’t end. They came in droves, one by one appearing from the dark depths of the forest. She was quickly becoming tense and nervous, overwhelmed by the size of her own herd. Perhaps she would have been better of rejecting herself in the Threshold… but where would that have led her anyway?

Their faces began to blur as they came, and she lost count after five, maybe six? Her shoulders were pulled tight, forming an uncomfortable peak at the base of her neck. If she was to understand her purpose, she knew she would have to stay, but knowledge came at a price for everyone and she was certainly trying to pay the bailiff now as she hung close to Myrddin, the only animal she had really come to know from the Basin aside from Psyche herself.

However, she started when she recognized Lena from the crowd, a silent force full of wisdom and power that she had never really witnessed the mare put to use. She did not come close which perhaps wasn’t such a shock, knowing how the mare was so conservative. She nodded to her, uncertain about whether or not she would even know or recognize her. She wasn’t searching for friendship now, just looking for a step toward a more solid sense of belonging as she stood so fresh before her elders. But just as soon as it had started, she realized, it was ending. Perhaps it was just as well. She had showed her elegant face, learned a few things about the threats consisting around her herd and now- now she was free to return to the shadows that existed around the land until she was but a mere relic of imagination once more.

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away