Silence. I am surrounded by it. Nothing but the sounds of our breathing. Even that barely audible in the heavy night.

"You should be resting, you have to be sharp tomorrow Avarielle."

"Torolf, I wish to be a star," I don't look back to see the stallion's reaction, "I cannot bear another day of this battle. I believe that the stars are able to keep their glimmer for centuries because they only come at night. They see the world differently from the sun. The sun boils and rages from what it sees in the daytime; war, pain, lies, hate. But the stars remain soft, the world looks different at dark. Even hardened soldiers are innocent looking in sleep, the darkness cloaks the harshness of life in a blanket. I want to see life like the stars. If I see one more battle I think that I will lose my.... 'glimmer'."

The stallion stopped walking towards me. The only movement is the high grass lightly dancing at our hooves.

"Avarielle." he says my name in a choked whisper and he still doesn't move towards me. So I go to him, the wind picks up and pushes me towards him I go into a light canter.

I get to him and wrap my neck around his, he flinches before softening and returning my embrace.

"You weren't meant for this life Av. You can't harden yourself like the rest of us can. You should be dozing off in the sunshine with some little girl braiding flowers into your mane."

We both lay down together.

"Then I wouldn't have met you." I look up at him from under my lashes.

"I remember the day you got brought into camp for training. You were so quiet and withdrawn from the rest of us. You seemed so vulnerable," I flinch at being described that way, "Not in a bad way," he laughs, "I guess I just couldn't resist a pretty filly. Not very often do we get a good looking mare around here, before we had you all we had was the cook's nag. Although I may have chased after once or twice."

I cannot help but to laugh at the image, "Shush Torolf, she is so sweet. You would be lucky to snag a mare like her."

"I felt such a need to protect you. I didn't know what from at the time. I stood close by while you slept, grazed as close by as I could without making you uncomfortable. I longed to have you notice me. Then when I got in that fight with the older horse and he knocked me to the ground you ran in and stood over me protecting me from that final blow." I lift my head and crane my neck in a show of mock strength and pride. "Avarielle, you are a star. You have been my shining star in all of this."

He reaches over and places his muzzle against mine I feel tears well up in my eyes. We lay in that way for a few moments, treasuring the moment before he begins to stand.

"Stand up Avarielle." His voice and eyes have suddenly turned to flint.

"Torolf?"

"Just do what I say," he barks, my head spins at his tone. Never before has he talked to me this way. Never had I imagined he ever would.

I pause for a moment and he pins his ears back. Once I get to my feet I take a few hesitant steps towards him and he lunges at me pushing me away from him.

"What are you doing?!" Hurt and confusion saturate my voice.

He charges at me hooves striking out hard against the ground, but I can't get myself to move from his path. He barely slows as he reaches me, throwing himself up into a rear pawing the air above us violently.

My beloved Torolf looks as fierce as what his name implies. When I still refuse to move he begins striking at my legs, forcing me to move back.

I beg for him to stop, tears overflow from my eyes. He continues his attack forcing me to flee from the camp.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

My heart shattered as I drove off the one bright thing in my life. I answer her question long after she is gone.

"I'm protecting my star."


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Standing hidden in the edge of the forest my heart aches. I watch Torolf stand by himself with his head hung low. I want to go to him, but I fear his reaction.

I spend days like this following behind always hidden away in the forest. One morning I wake up to silence. No morning bustle. I look out from the forest to see what was left from an ambush. The enemy must have attacked early morning before everyone had woke.

My heart runs wild as I crash through the massacre, how could I have slept through this? While dodging the few remaining men Torolf is my only thought. He is my only need. Every fallen horse I see is him. Every groan, every ear shattering cry comes from his lips.

And then I see him. He is laid on his side facing away from me, but I can see his breathing is labored and he is covered in sweat. I slow to a walk trying to prepare myself for what I might find.

"Torolf."

"Avarielle?" His voice sounds tight, forced. "Just can't stay away from me can you?" The stallion has a smile in his tone, but it all still sounds off.

"Stand Torolf." I need to see him get to his feet. His answering silence makes my blood run cold. "Stand up!" I desperately nudge at his back with my head trying to roll him up onto his feet.

"Avarielle!" he says my name through clenched teeth. "It's my leg. It's broken. You need to go."

I fall to my knees. Everything inside of me breaks. I lay my neck across his. I can feel his racing heartbeat against mine. Together as they always should have been.

A human's footsteps approach, I snake my head towards them baring my teeth. But another comes from behind.

"Go! You know there is nothing you can do, even if you run them off it will only happen slower Avarielle. This is what I want. Please go."

I squeeze my neck harder against his, one last embrace, before I numbly stand. I don't feel the wind as I race across the field. I don't feel the lush grass brushing at my legs. I feel the anger of the boiling sun.

I run away from the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. I run away from the glinting of the raging sun on sharpened metal. I run from the sound of Torolf's scream.

I run to where I can find dark. I run to find the innocence of stars.

I run for weeks. I run through the day and night. Rarely stopping for rest. When I sleep Torolf gallops in ahead of me dashing through the trees urging me to follow. I find the same landmarks in my waking runs. And I follow.

After nearly a month of running I can feel a change in the atmosphere. The land seems quiet, a feeling of reverence fills the area. As I walk further in I am surrounded by darkness with strange trees lighting my path.

I lift my nose to the strange lights and let out a snort jumping back after feeling a strange tingle. I put my nose on it again and let out a happy squeal of laughter at the strange trees.

I see familiar movement in a nearby opening. A stallion rears and lets out a joyous call before vanishing. I have found where Torolf thought I belonged.