There was a strange feeling that caused my creme eyes to open. A heartbeat, a strong one in fact, and it came long before the earth started to shift, spread, condense, and form into the shape of a winged equine. A large bulking form radiating from the ground until it started to move forward, a warm breeze shifting around my frame as I lifted my head to glance in the direction of his movement.

A long way? Perhaps. I hadn't really noticed, I had just kept moving. I had needed to - I had always gone and walked far to clear my head in my old lands, and I supposed that now wasn't that different, except I had ended up at a shrine and actually decided to have put my faith in something I had no proof had existed. I opened my mouth after swallowing and allowed my silken chords to reach the air. "I... I suppose so. The distance didn't bother me too much, a simple way to clear my head..." I explained, still feeling the calming heartbeat radiating from his flesh. And then, I could hear him humming, a silent thrumming vibration mixing in with the heartbeats that pulsed the image of my world. But, the thrumming was doing something strange. Hues were coming into my pulsating vision. Vibrant blues, deep greens, gorgeous reds, indigo and golds. I turned my cranium left and right, my jaw falling slack in amazement. The shrines, the waves that rocked around the ground, the towering giant with the expansive wings and the colours of the earth that Taj had told me about so long ago reflected in my vision.

I peered up to the sky, blinking and taking in the blues and the brightness of the sun - the star, the one I knew Taj was, the only light in my life. Yes. If he was dead, which I hoped with all my soul that he wasn't, then he would be watching over me from that burning orb in the sky. It's warmth gave me comfort, and that along with the heartbeat vibrations from the stag before me I felt at peace for the first time since entering these lands. "H-how?" I question, unable to form a complete sentence at my shock at the ability of sight. "The heartbeats... are you... are you the soul of this land? Of this place with the ability to strip one of everything?" I inquire to stop, to drop my head in respect.

And he is speaking, baritones just as comforting as the heartbeats he created by mere presence. A bird, one from before. My hawk! My red-tailed hawk! Was that why I had come? I nodded my head instantly, turning my cranium toward my left haunch and finally catching sight of the marking that Alleo had told me about not that long ago, the one that no one had mentioned before the lands. It was now, that with the shape and design I saw that I realized perhaps the tearing of my soul had resulted in a marking in his memory. I took in a shuddering breath, squeezing my eyes shut at the tears that were welling in my eyes at the mere thought of the pain and abandonment of the broken connection. "Yes. I suppose deep down it was. He was a part of my soul, and when I crossed into here to try and escape those who desired to have me as a prisoner of war he was ripped. I lost my other half. I am alone, really..." I whispered, my eyes opening as I looked into his green eyes, finally able to lock onto a gaze instead of pretending like I was from the years past, the many, many years past. "I came in hopes I might be able to find a part of myself I lost, to not be so alone..." I finished, falling silent and allowing my heartbeat to match the simple, calming rhythm that the creature before me had created...

I glanced around tentatively. I still couldn't believe I was really taking in all of these hues. I forced myself to store them in my memory. I needed to be able to remember this, this miracle that was occurring before me.

He was laughing, I could not only feel it, but I could actually see the way his feathers moved against his hide and the way his face crinkled with each laugh. The sound forming in my audits all too simply for such a gorgeous action, one I had never been able to truly see with all of the colours to go with it. He spoke once, before sighing and explaining exactly what he was, and who his siblings were. I nodded my head, storing the information in my skull. I supposed that made sense then, the flames and the mention of the Sun God that had been floating around the Throat during their herd meeting. "One of the souls, then. You'd have to be to create the consistent heartbeat that I've only felt present when some sort of good is happening..." I whispered, before explaining the hawk that was still stuck in my mind.

But, as I spoke of it things weren't connecting just right. In my lands, when a Daemon (companion to these) had passed, it made the soul weaker, more plausible toward death. Perhaps this was one of the reasons as to why I could feel my body aging. My eyes gazed at his, noticing his frown and the silence as I shifted uncomfortably in my spot.

And then he spoke, but the words he said were not comforting, as much as probably wished for them to be. There was a sadness in his eyes as he explained the fractured bond, and said it wasn't in their capacity to change. Once more, my eyes trailed to the marking upon my haunch. "Sir, I didn't want to believe he might be dead - I had no proof a marking of his was actually on my body..." she whispered, "But I don't believe a bond is broken - I believe something not only fractured it, but then killed him. I had heard stories of some receiving markings on their hide to match their Daemons in my old land - it was a sign they were weak, that part of their soul is gone. I didn't know, till now, that this marking was present. And when I was told... well I didn't believe that of which had told me..." Tears flooded toward my eyes as I lowered my head, unable to meet his gaze.

A soft sob escaped my lungs as I felt my heart stopping, in and out, from the anxiety of realizing I was truly alone, not just in these lands, but with my soul. No message would get back to Taj, or my child. No one would find me, nor care, as much as my hawk had done. "I suppose, if nothing can be done, that I shall at least thank you for this sight, even if it might be fleeting. I couldn't understand why everything had... stopped. But, he's dead. I know that now - I know I'll be alone-" a tiny sob broke through. "If there is nothing you can do, filling the hole or otherwise I understand, but if there is anything you can do... I will do anything... It seems no one where I live can understand the blind, wingless mare... If there is anyway to connect with something that could learn to understand me as my Hawk had... perhaps I won't feel so alone..."

I stopped and shook my head, the world hazed behind some tears as I looked up at his looming figure. "My apologies. I didn't mean to ramble with my thoughts. It's just... a shock," I finished, forcing myself to lock my tears back, sniffing it away in order to keep my outer appearance calm.

Perhaps the world would fall apart.

Perhaps the world would stitch itself back together...

He waited, he let me ramble, and for that I was grateful. I'm not positive how I would have responded had I been stopped and told to 'build and bridge' and 'get over it'. It was not that simple. But, I can infer that it might not have been the prettiest of scenes to lay sight upon.

Through a hazy gaze I sniffled and peered up at his leering form. The sight... it was amazing. The one thing I had never had, and now I was finally seeing the world. It was my life, and now I was getting to see it in colour instead of vague shapes of vibrations as they wave.

His voice breaks my train of thought, as he says that the hole can be filled. He speaks of ripping the memories from my soul, and I instantly cringe. No. I want to keep his memories. They are what had made me... well me. And another way, one that might be better. I nod my head, swallowing once more as I blink the tears from my eyes. Grieve until the end of Orangemoon, and retain this sight. My audits perk up only to hear that I will go mute. I bite my lip - I have gone and lived well without one sense for a long time and survived, I could manage without a voice. My thoughts must rest on my hawk - I doubted that they wouldn't, after all almost everything was a reminder of him, even the way the wind was blowing was a reminder.And then, the final part of the task, finding those who had lost or come close to losing a companion come TallSun. Once I have done that, I could return here to see where my soul was then.

I see his tail flick as I run through things in my mind. I could not live with myself - losing that portion of me. No. It would have to be the second option, for I still wanted someone who would understand me like no other - only something that was bonded to my soul could provide.

"I... Thank you, Sir. Thank you so much. I cannot imagine who I would be with those memories ripped from my soul, and it's only right that he is honoured and grieved over. I will be mute, and find those three you requested me to find if it will get me closer to finding someone who can understand me..." I pause, taking in a deep breath. "Thank you..." I whispered, peering up at him as my form seemed even smaller than before.

Perhaps the world could stitch it all back up....