The mare stood sentient upon the hills, her steely eyes tinted with the slightest of teals watched as the sun slowly rose once more over the horizon. Sighing with relief, she allowed herself a quiet moment to admire the view. Ever since the endless night had ended, the porcelain mare had watched every sunset with dread, spending the night hoping the sun would rise again in the morn. It had done each day like clockwork and, slowly, the mare was adjusting the the cycle and once again trusting the sun to rise upon the horizon. Pink and orange hues had tainted her body, painting with vivid watercolours over her blank canvas. Yet she would not idle herself. She had duties, and had to patrol the borders.

Ever since Ktulu left, Artemis had realized just how much the ivory maned creature had done. It was probably because of that reason that the war painted creature had never had a proper conversation, or even introduction, with her. She had taken on the duties herself, for it did in fact seem that very few were bothering and with e herd in its weakened state it was now paramount to their survival.

Artemis was annoyed that it fell upon her shoulders alone, yet she did not show it. Instead she walked in silence, alone, along the border each day, determined to make Apollo proud and to guard the invisible walls as if he life depended on it.

Because really, it was all she had.

As she walked and the day progressed, she found herself thinking of Tharos and those words that had escaped his lips. She tried to pretend she had misheard, or he had misspoke, yet she knew it was true. He loved her, and yet she had not said the same. She barely understood her feelings on anything, let alone love of all things. How could she honestly say she loved him, if her own heart was a mystery to her? Artemis was not one to sugar coat things, nor fake feelings that were not there, yet instead of telling him straight she had simply dismissed it, ignoring him completely.

Was that not worse?

Probably.

She hated herself for it, yet she couldn't take it back now. Instead she put her heart and soul into walking the endless circle around the Foothills, memorising every rock and crevice. She knew it so well that often times she would allow her mind to wander, yet today she was alert with ears pricked and eyes wide. She felt somehow as if she was not alone, as if mindless ambling would not cut it today. And as she walked, it soon became evident that she was correct in her prediction, yet it was not some warrior come to claim a bounty. No, it was much stranger and quite unexpected.

The day was sunny and dry, yet Artemis could have sworn she saw mist, yet it was no ordinary mist. It was shifting and moving, with steady beads of liquid trickling down its body - and it was a body, she decided, for it seemed denser than a simple cloud - and soaking the earth beneath. As she followed quietly, she heard it call out for a name she did not recognise and in that instant, she froze.

A ghost, perhaps?

She had only heard of such things from tales her mother had frightened her wi as a child, yet it seemed a logical solution for the spectral being. Though never had she been told stories of sodden ghosts. Images of her mothers drowning came to mind, sending a shudder down her spine as the idea emerged - the picture was painted into her skull quite vividly. It was a mare who drowned trying to find her lost lover, and s continued to stalk the forests surrounding the hills, desperate to be reunited at last.

She shuddered visibly, pinning her ears down. She could not run, she knew, though the sight of a watery being frightened her. Forcing herself to stay planted, she spoke out; "Lady, do you need assistance? Why are you here?" Her voice was quite meek which was a rarity for the warrior, and she spoke quietly as if hoping it might not hear her and simply leave without a trace.

Her eyes met with the spectral face of the solid cloud. Te silence that lingered after her words sent a shudder down her spine as the creature turned to face her. Te silence was absolute - to Artemis, it was as if the stopped dead. Birds quieted, the river flowing in the distance seemed to fade int nothingness and the wind rustling the trees seemed to run out of air around her. Se felt like she couldn't breathe, that the world around her has sucked e air from her very lungs.

Was it a demon? It didn't do aching for some time, though time felt longer than it was in reality. Some ing about the wide eyes of the creature seemed to evoke some primal feeling that selected between the two. Was e creature just as afraid of her, as she was of it? Her eyes softened for a moment at the thought. She wasn't sure if ghosts could fear, though. They were already dead.

Yet as she watched with white rings eyes, she saw the fluid seep down from her pale body, darkening in patches as the water soaked the earth beneath the legs of the phantom. Slowly, the droplets ran down white, then grey, then suddenly black markings that created the slim line body of a pretty young mare.

A mare. Not a ghost.

Confused, she frowned and took a single step forwards. The fear that embraced her melted away as slowly as the mist had evaporated from the creatures body. Just a horse. Physical being she could fight, that she could injure. Not an immortal after demon sent to drag her into the depths to suck all air from her lungs.

It came to her suddenly the realisation that she was still holding her breath, and she exhaled quickly, vanquishing the dread that had settled in her gut. The mare did, in reality, seem just as frightened. Why? Because she was trespassing and had been caught by a warrior? She smiled softly. Apollo was the Merciful for a reason; if she was no threat, Artemis had no reason to duel. Hr neck lowered in a sign of relaxation, hoping Kahlua would relax also.

She listened carefully, but frowned as the description did not seem to math any horse she had seen in this herd. Se was sure she had at least seen everyone, even if she rarely spoke to them, but maybe she was mistaken? "There is nothing to forgive. You have not crossed the borders." She told the mare, taking a few steps closer. "My name is Artemis. I don't else e I have ever seen a stallion matching that description. As far as I am aware there is only one who is antlered here, but she is a mare." She told her quietly. "I am sorry. It seems you came here for nought. Though, if I do see this...Atka.... I shall be sure to tell him you called looking for him." She told the stranger, silently making that a vow. Artemis took promises very seriously, even if it was to a stranger.

The herd of the mare had no baring upon the white, however it did bring upon her a stab of pain. She remembered the war vividly. I had not been something she had enjoyed, nor wanted. She had been new t the herd, only a few days in and already shedding blood for her 'family' who's names she did not know and who had shorter after abandoned her. Se was no blood thirsty creature, and Apollo had vowed to make alliances not with money, but with friendship. They were mercenaries no more, it seemed. Yet maybe the Edge horses hated her family for that invasion. She lowered her head in shame. Se would normally have simply left, but something compelled her to stay. "The invasion.... I was there, if that is why you look at me with such apprehension. If you see Laila, please, tell her 'V' regrets everything that happened that day. I would not have fought, if I knew I would shed innocent blood. I did not want to hurt her, or any of you, nor shall I hurt the innocent again. He helped me realise that that was not the sort of person I anted to become." She turned away, letting her forelock fall over her eyes. Laila knew her only as the red V faced mare, the bloodied war painted bitch. But Artemis was a kindly soul. To be known as a fear inducing creature saddened her.

For a while, the painted damsel seemed uneasy, yet as words escaped the pale mares lips, the smaller creature seemed more inclined to relax. It was not noticeable at first, and Artemis was so distracted by her own thoughts that she barely realized that the stranger had slowly allowed fear to melt from her as slowly and as visibly as the mist had.Even so, the land has been pretty to see, she commented, and the unicorn managed a small dip of the head. The hills were beautiful, no one could deny that. World's Edge, a herd she had been so close to joining herself, had been beautiful also, however she had not been able to enjoy the view when her vision had been clouded by guilt and war. She also wished so could see it again when it was no longer tainted by blood, but just as Kahlua had been frightened of her, she assumed the rest would have similar views. She was an ex-mercenary who had battered a mere filly because she was ordered to do so. That made her a bad person, did it not?

No, she would never, and could never, return to that place in times of peace. It would likely trigger a fight, if not a war. It was not worth it, even if it might cleanse the memories of that place in her mind.

As she spoke of Laila, she did not realize that the painted mare was approaching until she felt something brush against her shoulder. She span her head, stopping suddenly for fear she might accidentally injure the patchwork princess with her horn, instead throwing her head back. Artemis was not accustomed to touch, and even the faint touch of Apollo's horn during the healing process had bothered her. She took a sudden step back, ears pressed back over her skull. Touch to Artemis was a sacred, if not utterly frightening, thing. To touch was reserved for war and war alone. Her people touched only to shed blood, or to spread their DNA. Yet as she took two strides back, she felt herself calm and threw an apologetic glance toward the stranger. it had been unexpected, but at least her horn had stayed well away from her. She recalled having threatened Castiel when he had tried touching her, and others too. Kahlua was lucky, really, that Artemis was beginning to mellow. Sort of. "No, no, ts fine. I just... Sorry...I..." Clearly flustered, she shook her mane and took a deep breath, exhaling through flared nostrils. "Touch, is not something I am accustomed to. I apologize. You were not to know." She explained, voice as soft as usual, yet strained, hoping she would not be judged for her oddities. "It is probably best you do not wander closer. You are no threat to my people, however I cannot allow you further into our home." She spoke, regaining some semblance of honor, hopefully, as her formal words flooded back to her, replacing the stuttering, jabbering mumbles. "Laila will never forgive me, of that I am certain. But I hope that one day, our lands may make peace. We no longer fight for the highest bidder. Our hearts and our lives are our own once more. Maybe one day, we might become allies, but for today, it is best you leave before I am labelled traitor." It was a half joke. She highly doubted that the Merciful would banish her for chatting to an innocent mare who poses little or no threat to the land. "Still, I hope I might call you friend, Kahlua of World's Edge."


ooc- Sorry for the fail post! <3