It had to be a dream. She could feel the wind caress the skin ever so softly, felt it tug at raven feathers as the wings stretched wide towards the sides, carrying her through the cool spring air. It felt like a dream, one she had seen so many times before in her sleep. They had made waking up into such a bitter affair, a disappointment that stole the pleasure of each day and made it harder and harder to focus on the necessary duties she had to do.

But had any of her dreams ever been this vivid? The raven stared transfixed at the horizon as she circled over the Oasis, almost twisting her neck in each turn so as to keep the eyes locked to the east, where the stars had begun to pale. Finally she became so dizzy that she had to lower herself towards the ground, the landing stirring up sand gravel not far from the spot where another mare was standing, the painted girl the shade remembered to be called Onni... Kri's daughter, wasn't she? She too were reacting, the entire appearance of the pegasi altering and taking on a soft glow that almost seemed to mirror that of the blushing sky.

Was it really... but it had to be. Never before had her eyes stung like they were now, as Shadow turned her attention back to the east and the fleeing night. Never had her eyes watered like this in her dreams, nor had she been able to feel how the so familiar chilly night air became replaced with a touch of liquid, intangible warmth, a searing ray of blessed light that slowly, steadily returned color to the desert and the world around.

"Welcome home" she heard the paint say, and the raven joined in quietly with the greeting, shivering with happiness and relief as she followed the rise of the sun over the horizon. "It really is happening" she murmured breathlessly, eyes glittering with a mirth she hadn't felt in such a long, long time. A smile curved the corners of the mouth, only slightly at first but growing larger as the feeling of joy expanded in the chest. When she finally couldn't hold it back anymore Shadow began to laugh, a warm joyous sound that rang out across the lake. Her own, private, very personal way of greeting someone she hadn't even known she missed.