Look down, the ground below is crumbling
Look up, the stars are all exploding
The eerie wind whispered through the gentle weaving which bound the reeds together into Africa's hand-crafted Dragon-suit. Beneath, her warm skin prickled as the strange, rushing breath touches against it, cooling the sweat which stains the hidden grey dapples a coaly sort of black. The young horse's only wing clenched tightly against the flapping cloak, sleek and glossy in the unnatural half-light, all feathers flattened with nervous tension. She was not frightened- more anxious as she trekked carefully along the beaten path which curled on (endlessly it seemed), into the east of the vast, creepy cornfield.

Occasionally, more often than either Africa or Silas would have preferred, haunting cries and other grim sounds peeled through the thick, intimidating silence surrounding them. Silas stood rigid where he remained, though soon after they had turned onto this path he had clawed into a more elevated position atop his beloved's pointed, clothed withers. Bravely he held vigil there, searching always around them for any flickering movement, or any sign that these wretched noises were unnervingly closer than presumed. With little other option, and the corn closing snuggly together at their rear, the friends continued on cautiously.

Soon they stumbled upon another fork. Through a reluctant sigh Africa questioned aloud, that trail which seemed to turn northward. "I can't see more than darkness Silas…" The young horse groaned; peering intensely through squinting rows of thick black lashes. She turned then towards the other option which guided them in the opposite direction to the south. Both she and the Zephyr's breath choked as they gazed suspiciously down through the narrow gap in the corn. There, a horrid red haze seemed to illuminate the path and Africa began to shake her head definitively. Silas too found no appeal down that course, and was relieved when his friend turned back NORTH and stepped past the fork, to continue that way.

Naturally, the night-dark creature felt more at home and as they descended into the thick cloud of darkness, a trail of dusty starlight streamed behind him. All around them, sinister laughter echoed as though from the maze itself.