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Balé stumbled out of the cave, confused and disoriented. Where was Nayati? Had she disappeared? If she had, where had she gone?
He didn't know how much time had passed but the pounding in his head and general grogginess told him it must have been a while. Everything was as he remembered it but somehow it had all aged. Had he laid there alone for that time or had Nayati left at the beginning? Was it a day or two, or many days? Weeks even? He looked back into the cave from a few paces outside, it was evening now. The pink and purple hues in the sky did little to soothe him. Now not only was he alone, but he had no idea what was going on, or what had been going on, around him. While he lay there time passed by him and, now that he had abruptly awoken, there was way of knowing how much he had missed.
He ventured away to try and find help. It was beginning to darken and he hadn't a clue if he was even okay. The poor colt, who was already naturally uncoordinated, lost his footing on the small hill and fell on his side. This wasn't a good sign, he was only fifteen or twenty feet from where he'd tried to leave. His long white legs eventually gathered underneath him. Sluggishly, he tried to get to his feet, some legs moving faster than others. Head swaying and leaning from side to side, he could hardly keep his bearing. The colt squeezed his eyes together in pain, his head was throbbing. Not knowing what he looked like he assumed it wasn't a pleasant sight.
Doing the best that he could, he tried to make his way back to the center of the land where other horses might be that could help him. This was his new family after all? And wasn't a family supposed to help each other? Nothing would make him more happy than having Nayati there with him but something told him that she wasn't going to come back. A small tear escaped his left eye; he hoped she was okay. He had promised he would look after her and now what has happened. Disappointment ran through his entire body. Why couldn't he have been there for her? So many thoughts and fears raced through his head, the poor fatigued foal almost couldn't handle so many things at once.
He saw the place that Romani had first brought him to and where he met Nayati shortly after...surely that must be the center gathering place of the land. From a distance he thought he saw a few faint shapes that could have been horses, he hoped they were. He limped and swayed closer to them, barely able to stay on his four legs.
The hill started to become more steep and he, unknowingly, started to pick up the pace. Moving faster and faster, though still walking, he used all of his will to reach those who he hoped were at the end. Finally his body couldn't move anymore. From simple underuse it collapsed underneath itself and Balé was powerless. It was all he could do to keep himself conscious much less moving.
Laying on the ground with no cover, no help, and darkness approaching the colt was in desperate need of help, and he needed it soon.
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