I’d thrown open the gates, pushed them wide and welcomed in so many new things, so many great things. I’d decided that “new” was a good thing. It brought a sense of excitement to my life and if it meant stepping outside of the many boundaries I’d confined myself within, then so be it. I needed freedom because the taste of it on my tongue was… intoxicating. The Edge allowed me a blank canvas on which to paint my life and now that I had been allowed to start fresh, I wanted to draw my future in deep greens and blues and greys. I didn’t want to recall the yellows and reds of the past because that’s not who I was anymore. I didn’t expect success to come quickly and fate certainly didn’t seem willing to make it so either.

Winter’s misty breath swept up around me in vague, ghostly apparitions that danced alongside me as I retreated from the World’s Edge and headed towards the east. The Threshold had been on my mind for some time considering the restless feeling that stirred anxiously inside my heart. I needed more to do, more in my line of vision than it now stood to reason. Wasting my time away observing the way FrostFall had changed my home from a sanctuary of emerald glass to ice and mirrors did little to soothe the feeling of disquiet blooming from my head to my hooves. The soft curves of the land had been transformed into rigid, sharp edges that were draped in crystalline frost. The Edge was still a thing of immense beauty, but now it lacked its former depth. The surface was I could see anymore because the cold had robbed my home of flourishing life. We had all grown stale.

Before me, shadows grew tall between the dead trees of the Threshold. I wondered where their spirits were laid to rest when the cold stole their souls and ran like hell into the night. The snowy ground had been turned to muddy trails of ice and trampled dirt that intersected at various points until no certain path remained. I wondered which one would lead me where I wanted to go or if I really had any certain destination in mind. On a whim, I followed a narrow passageway that bent sharply to and fro beneath powerful oaks and birch trees. At one time I could imagine that this particular route had been dense and completely shaded away from the naked eye which made it that much more alluring to my curious mind. What lost souls had travelled this corridor into the unknown? What did they find on the other side?


I had to find out.

No birdsong drifted through the treetops which made the Threshold feel eerily vacant and lonesome. But faint scents of possible friends and foes flitted about around me, each new fragrance becoming more enticing than the last. It was as if the claiming grounds were still trying to sing songs of past summer nights, but its voice had become strangled and numb. However, a constant aroma found its way across my path on more than one occasion and within moments, I had made the decision to seek it out, hoping that curiosity wouldn’t kill this cat.

As I trailed the mysterious ebb and flow of this new, erotic, fragrance I started to doubt my own sense of direction. That is, until I caught the soft muffling of a feminine voice in the distance. However, the creature that came into view upon my final ascent into her company caught me off guard. Her ivory hide looked as if it were splattered with dark paint that mimicked the midnight sky. As I stood to marvel at the wonder that was this mare, I couldn’t help chuckling to myself shortly after. For this was no mare at all, she was still young, perhaps as young as Essetia when I’d last had the chance to see her. “Would you say that you’re in need? Of help, I mean.” An amused smile parted my lips as I stepped closer with my head lowered in respect so that the youth would not see me as a threat. “I’m Thor and as it appears, you’ve stumbled upon what is called Helovia.”

Thor

Tallis had no problem letting his bonded aware of his dislike of the Threshold and while it was well founded Eva still found it mildly annoying. They seemed to have the same argument every time she decided that it was time to search for someone who needed a place to call him. If Tallis had his way she would never leave the Edge. He was always scared that there was someone like Ampere lurking around the corner just waiting for her chance to attack for no good reason. "Stop being a worrywart." Evangeline sighed as she looked up to her companion. "We haven't seen hide nor hair of her since she attacked us here." That wasn't enough to ease the dragon's dislike of the forest or his discomfort with being there. Without another word he flew ahead to scout and make sure that the black and blue pegasus wasn't lurking nearby.

Several minutes passed before Evangeline heard from Tallis. 'Thor.' The stallion's name made the orange mare's ears tilt forward and her head lift a bit. "Where?" 'Not far. Keep straight.' The dragon was quiet for several minutes before she heard from him again. 'Mares. Don't know one. Other was at beach. Glow.' Despite being alone Evangeline nodded her head, knowing which mare Tallis was referring to. The one they had both startled with their arguing a few weeks back before Frostfall had set in.

'Gonna sit.' As Tallis informed his bonded of his intention she got a flash of Thor's broad back and she frowned. "You better behave yourself, Tallis." She told the dragon. "So help me if you misbehave." 'Be good. Eva worrywart.' Evangeline snorted at the dragon's remark and rolled her eyes. He was getting far too cocky for his own good, but he was pretty damn cute in her biased opinion.

"Hello." The autumn mare greeted the gathering as she arrived. "Thor, good to see you again." She offered the big stallion a smile then looked to Sikeax. "You as well." She couldn't remember the young mare's name much to her own annoyance. Finally her gaze moved to the newcomer and she offered a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm Evangeline. Welcome to Helovia."

"."

autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower

Faces upon faces filed in around me making me feel trapped within the small clearing of theThreshold. What was this? Was there an evident lack of new blood to keep my sister herds afloat? I recognized Sikeax from the Throat and recalled her youthful presence in the Deep Forest, but I still doubted her as a friendly acquaintance after the small spat we’d shared in the shadows of dusk in the southern lands. She’s introduced herself in her common way, just as she’d introduced herself that day in the forest. I held no prejudices for the young girl and yet I felt the underlying competition between our mirrored presences in the claiming grounds. However, I did not long for the tension climbing its way between us; after all, were we not alliances? I’d still yet to prove if the contract held between the Edge and the Throat after the absence of Mirage and Kri. I felt that was something that needed to be presented when I next gained the company of Kaj or Kahlua. As it stood, it was still a question in my mind.


Before I could recover from the arrival of the pale Throat representative, I recognized an all-too familiar flash of orange in the trees above. However, my mind could not register its meaning before Tallis had taken a front row seat upon my waiting back. The little dragon knew no boundaries and though my skin seemed to crawl beneath his curious claws, I tried desperately to hide the shock and confusion at becoming something of a perch to Evangeline’s bonded. The relationship we shared was a troubled one, but I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my blackened lips as I felt the reptile clamber his way toward my shoulders in order to bury himself beneath the thick chords of my mane. The sensation was eerie and made me shudder beyond the chill of FrostFall and when I’d had a moment to glance back to the twilight colored mare, all I could do was offer her a quirky smile.

“Evangeline… I wasn’t sure if you had it in you to venture away from the Edge.” I couldn’t help teasing my fellow companion in spite of our guest, because I was almost certain that these terms concerning Helovia held absolutely no bearing on her understanding. However, I was only human (or horse in that respect) and I only possessed so much formality. After all, I was by no means a rigid man. I couldn’t imagine that anyone would appreciate another for their stiff personality or their ability to be so unfeeling. Yet once again, as I had thought to address the stranger with kind, informative words, another creature made his way into our company.

The other stallion was obviously from the Basin and his manners projected just as much which made me chuckle to myself, though I tried my best to remain somber. His arrogance was comforting in spite of my dislike of the Basin’s entire existence because, at least I was no longer the most dominant in this pack of females. They often made me uneasy in great numbers because their gender alone was enough to manipulate and individual such as myself –hadn’t Eva recently recruited me to pull a cart to build fires in our home?- to do as they deemed fit. However, I had little to offer him other than a languid nod. But as it appeared, I wasn’t the only one who found his entrance to be discourteous and undoubtedly hurried... Astarea as I’d learned, cared little for the banter of our Helovian natives and I had no intentions of pushing her after such a tiring day. Comically enough, I couldn’t blame her for feeling overwhelmed by so many unfamiliar things and faces.

Patiently, I waited for the twilight girl to find her bearings before I cleared my throat hesitantly. I had no reason to rush her or press her for anything other than a promise of friendship at some point or another. If she wished to find shelter and a family in which to nurture her, I would offer her just as much as any other. But there was no telling what kind of life she’d come from, no way of telling what ambitions she upheld… and to make things worse there was really no way to understand those things about her with so many creatures here, ready and willing to convince her about which path was best. I had two choices: I could stand here and recite the many reasons that I thought the Edge to be the best herd land in Helovia or I could offer her what every other monger here wanted to offer her and let her decide for herself. The World’s Edge was not for everyone and I didn’t expect others to see the magic I’d witnessed within those crystalline walls. “I come from the World’s Edge- a herd land within Helovi-, and I stand before you now hoping to offer you just as much as Sikeax and Thranduil here. Essentially, there are four main families in which you may find refuge and each is just as exciting as the last… but when I stood in your shoes, waiting to find definition and purpose, the World’s Edge had given me that.” I paused to glance at the faces that surrounded me. I had once chance and once chance alone to make my point before leaving this young mare to make her decision. “Astraea, I could explain all that I’ve come to know about this land, but it would not be enough. It is the experience that decides your fate. However, my family is one to support and lift me in my endeavors and they have never failed in doing as much. We pride ourselves on the development of each other.”

At that, I glanced toward Eva and considered Tallis resting dazedly between my shoulder blades on the brink of sleep. These two were my family and I’d accepted them as such some time ago. We tolerated one another, dealt with each other’s pain and suffering, beamed and smiled with praise when another succeeded… Was that not home? “I offer you a place in our family Astaea, a place within our home where we will push you to great heights. The World’s Edge has much to offer to you, but I will leave you with your own path to consider. Should you want to come with Evangeline and I, you will become part of us, a sister to protect and a sister in arms. However, if there is any doubt that you hold for us, we will take our leave and wish you the best along your path.”

Thor

It was not uncommon for more than one herd to be vying for the attention of a newcomer in the Threshold, so when another stallion from a different herd showed up Evangeline was not surprised. Her ears tilted forward and she watched him as he approached and began spiel immediately offering her warmth and shelter. Her nostrils flared and she breathed in, detecting the faint scent of both the Basin and the Throat. Intuition had her leaning toward the stallion being from the Basin and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of warmth and shelter the Basin could possibly offer. It was frozen year-round and with Frostfall already sinking its claws into every region of Helovia it was only common sense that the Basin had only become colder and would continue to get colder. Thor's voice brought her out of her musing and she smiled. "I'm not the homebody that you seem to think I am, mighty Thor." Eva said in response to Thor's teasing.

Her head turned as the newcomer spoke, chastising the horned stallion for offering up a home so quickly then introducing herself. It was, perhaps, a bit rude the way the herds went about recruiting new members. It became routine and completely impersonal. Each herd tried to make itself out to be as attractive as possible to garner the attention of the newcomer without truly considering where that individual might want to live. She wondered how many horses were disappointed when they got to the herd they had chosen and found it to be nothing like what they thought and vice versa.

"What kind of landscapes do you prefer?" Evangeline asked after having waited for Thor to finish speaking. "Our own home, the World's Edge, is forest, while the Dragon's Throat is a desert oasis, and the Basin seems frozen in eternal winter." She would have liked to have spoken of the Hidden Falls to give the mare and idea of what the area looked like, but the last time she had been there it had been known as the Foothills. "Each land has its own unique beauty and individuals."

"."

autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower