RUSKE

        Helovia’s northern lands knew nothing of summer. I had never ventured so far into those frigid reaches, but as my hooves bit at the hard ground, curiosity awoke from dormancy. Mountains crowned with ice glittered against the sky like distant teeth, threatening, though I hardly took notice of their ominous shadows. I had seen mountains of this like before, back in Isilme – had once fled to those when I was no longer welcome in my herd land. Helovia’s peaks, at least, remained untainted by the taste of bad memories. I had no intention of scaling them, anyway.

        It was northeast I ventured, with the early morning sun bright and intrusive upon my eyes. For perhaps the first time, I appreciated the long, tangled cover of my forelock. It trapped out much of the light – enough, at least, to allow me relative comfort as I moved across the silent landscape. Nothing was quite so unwelcoming as the far north; though grasses grew up here and there in harsh stands, the land itself was quiet. Bleak. I could not imagine many fools making yearly use of the north. I had been wrong before, however, and deciding at last to break the silence of motion, I turned to blink at my traveling companion – often companion lately, brought in close proximity to myself by the circumstances of our relative use to the same herd. She did seem much more fond of plants than I, but reluctantly, I decided I should try at least to learn some of her knowledge – that I did not already have. I preferred the brilliance of viscera to the mundane task of gathering, but one cannot always be occupied by life’s extremity. And I supposed I might at least get to know the Moon Doctor, as she was my superior – and might perhaps become a friend. Phoenix knew I had few enough.

        “Resplendence,” I called first to get her attention. Though neither of us appeared well built for winter months, I hoped she, like myself, found the cool air tolerable, heated as it was to some extent by summer’s vain attempts at reaching upward. “Do others live so far north?” I gestured briefly at a set of hoof prints, old and faded, as I crossed them. They might be vagabonds, but I wondered... I had met few enough of Helovia’s other herds. Did one dwell up here, so far north? I blinked at the landscape around us as we walked, however, mindful that our task was first to gather plants for the garden and second, or maybe third, to do anything else at all. “I have heard of a moss which grows in climates like this, and can be used in lessening afflictions of the lungs.” I paused a moment, supposing it might sound selfish, as I was the only member of the Edge, to my own knowledge, which had suffered such an affliction. “I thought perhaps we might find some and dry it, in the event anyone else reaches the Edge with an ailment similar to my own. I am not familiar with many northern plants... I may need a description in finding what else we need.” I paused then, tail switching lightly through the cold air, to blink at her and await the Doctor’s own opinion. As she carried the herb basket, and had been in Helovia longer, I was content to defer to her knowledge.

NursE

world's edge

RUSKE

        I will admit: the longer I studied the bleak curve of the northern land, the more I felt appreciation burgeoning within my chest. It lacked the beauty of a forest or even a meadow, but the contrast between empty ground and pale sky was nearly pleasant. A cool wind rippled through the tangles of my mane, a pleasant change from the sweltering heat of Helovia’s heart, and even from the seaside region of our residence. As Resplendence spoke I enjoyed the view, scouring sparse grass and stunted tree for something of use. Meanwhile, I canted an ear back to hear the Moon Doctor’s words, their information necessary though perhaps irrelevant to the task at hand.

        “An invasion?” The small bones in my neck cracked as I turned to face her. “Perhaps they have new leadership?” I wondered. Suspicion grew in my mind, however, and with a scowl I gazed at the peaceful landscape. “Is such a thing a common occurrence?” Idiocy – pure idiocy. I had run from my first home long ago in order to escape exactly that. Now that it crossed my mind, I supposed Kahlua’s goal of peace would be meaningless in a region where peace already flourished. But knew of few so far who seemed the type to march to war without a good reason.

        With a gruff shake of my head, I wandered forward, slowly picking my way across barren soil and dry stalks of grass. Every now and then I paused to kick at rocks, or scrape the ground beneath the dead branches of a small tree. Resplendence acknowledged a similar ignorance of northern herbs to my own. I paused and glanced up long enough to acknowledge this. “Then maybe we ought to gather whatever we can and bring it back. The best course of action in the face of the unknown is to rip its secrets out one by one, hm?” Perhaps the joy of discovery perked up my attentions. With lowered head I crept around the soil, pawing here and there. “Wormwood,” I repeated as I looked. “What do you do with it?” Nearby, I spied a wash of color on a colony of rocks and bent down to scrutinize it with one eye. “Does this look like moss?” Meanwhile, my tail wrung knots in the air behind me, fervent – joyful, almost.

NursE

world's edge

RUSKE

        I listened to her story without remarking on it. Perhaps I seemed cold, but no platitude had ever done true suffering justice – and a note of sorrow lingered in Resplendence’s history, to have been cast from her own herd... My ears twitched, betraying curiosity, as I wondered what for. She seemed far too gentle to have committed any crime. I struggled to imagine her harming anyone – even the most defenseless foal – and nearly chuckled. “Some fools will never be content with what they have.” I settled for vague wisdom on the nature of others, instead, omitting perhaps that I was often one of those fools, but my desires proved intangible – knowledge, rather than land. More useful, in all respects.

        I scuffed half-heartedly at the snow as we walked, every now and then unearthing old grass, bent and withered by a lack of sunlight, before moving on. Calling such a place home might render any man a bit insane; it held a bleak charm, but far from the comforts of home. Perhaps what the Basin needed was a little warmth – a beach, or something of that like. Sun. Sand. It had done well enough for Paladin, in the past – except that he’d run around with his head shoved up the back end of his haunches, anyway. Why were unicorns so constantly daft creatures?

        I found the mossy rocks then, and with the Moon Doctor’s agreement, did the best at scraping my cloven hooves could manage. The basket was a boon, at least. It meant we had no reason to carry the stuff in our mouths – and likely increased our carrying capacity at least... tenfold. Perhaps more. Lifting my damp hoof, I attempted to shake some into the basket, feeling at the same time both foolish and excited – keen to try the stuff, once we were back. I glanced to Resplendence again as she spoke, and noticed a weak smile upon her features – a pleasant expression, in all honesty. She ought to smile more. And speak more loudly.

        I straightened up, tail twitching, and peered across the steppe. “Perhaps.” The darker of my eyes cocked at her more gently, I added, “Do you often do this alone? I think it would become a tedious chore, without company.” Or perhaps my company made it tedious, and that was the reason for her quiet demeanor. Perhaps she often gathered supplies with Alysanne, and they spent the whole time giggling. I couldn’t know. I stepped forward a pace or two anyway, better to hide the mulish expression quickly overtaking my features.

NursE

world's edge