Word of the abduction reached Cineviam not long before the king decided to set out after his daughter and her captor. He could always stay behind and help protect the territory and those that remained within but seeing only a handful of individuals at Mauja’s side, he decided to increase their number by one. Like the Doctor, the ash stallion had not had the pleasure of meeting the princess. Her name engendered thoughts of a delicate crystalline figure – a filly sculpted of ice – when he wasn’t envisioning her as a miniature Mauja.

Snö needed to return home.

Not only to ease the mind of her father but every day that she remained a prisoner, the less The World’s Edge would command respect in Helovia. If the kidnapping acted as a catalyst to strike a war between The World’s Edge and Dragon’s Throat, then it would be important to present a strong front to the enemy. Despite how the thoughts of warfare spiked his blood, Cineviam hoped that in this special situation, matters would be resolved peacefully. Hairline fractures spider webbed across the Frosthearts glacial façade, leaving the cinderbeast uncertain of how the leader would fare if things did not go smoothly.

Under a hard blue sky and glaring sun they marched through Thistle Meadow in the direction of Dragon’s Throat. A breeze picked up, fanning through the tall grass, which streamed like waves of golden fire along the gentle slopes. It piggybacked two strong scents straight to them. One of which he thought familiar, which Mauja’s blasted roar confirmed his suspicions that it belonged to Snö. Cineviam suddenly fell several lengths behind his companions when the king led a charge straight for the pair on the horizon. Less emotionally involved, his brain immediately made the jump to trap. His crimson eyes scanned the surroundings warily. Thistle Meadow was far too open to hide a large host from view, but a well-placed few could be hidden in the dips and knolls of the land. So he took it upon himself to investigate those in question and made sure no one would be falling upon their flanks and cutting off their retreat.

It didn’t take him long but he missed what Mauja and d’Atagan had said. He hoped nothing vital had been exchanged yet as he slowed to a stately walk behind his herd members and finally halted off to one side for a better view. “Is it only you?” he asked Kri curiously, his tone one might use when greeting a stranger at the threshold. He saw no reason to be hostile yet, but Cineviam thoroughly disliked surprises.