Apollo's peace was short-lived. Another soul was about, enjoying the heavenly Isle and making his way towards the stallion's make-shift sanctuary, and for the briefest of moments the overo thought that it was Midas. A second look confirmed otherwise, that while although this winged stallion was a black and white paint, he looked nothing like his Golden brother.

'Where are your wings?!'

The exclamation admittedly took Apollo by surprise. Wait. What? Normally individuals started a conversation with, 'Good day', or 'Hi there!' Maybe even a 'Fuck you,' if they weren't the cheerful type. Apparently not this fellow. "Um... My wings?" The Merciful questioned back, honey-brown eyes briefly glancing to the egg nestled against the fur of his splotched barrel before refocusing back on the newcomer. "I'm afraid I don't have wings, young brother. Perhaps you have me confused for someone else...? I'm a unicorn, not a Pegasus like yourself." For emphasis, Apollo dipped his head, bobbing the proud, jeweled crown atop his head.

There wasn't much else to say on the matter, but not because it was an end of conversation, but because something interrupted them. It was something evil, something wrong, a thick, inky mist-like substance akin to oil, that put a stop to their riveting exchange, and never in his life had Apollo felt so sick, so raped in any way than what he experienced next. The darkness incarnate that lurked upon Helovia flooded through his body, freezing his veins, stealing his breath and seeming to pause his heart mid-beat. For a moment darkness robbed the stag's vision, a terrible light-headedness making him wonder if he may pass out... But just as soon as the terrible, abhorrent, painful sensation had began, whatever force that had possessed the stallion moved on to its next victim.

The egg.

With terror and pain lacing every fiber of his being, Apollo's eyes sought out the tiny creature that Father Earth had entrusted him with, and with a growing sense of horror and dread, watched as the dark, oily-mist infiltrated the hard, protective shell of the egg, causing it to quake and crack.

"No," Apollo whispered breathlessly, both in terror and from the after effects of that damned darkness, the winged male completely forgotten in his fear, "No, no, no, no!" Too soon! It was too soon! The slumbering creature within didn't have enough time to grow! The monochromatic overo remained laying upon the earth, nuzzling the egg, terrified out of his mind. Did he fail? Was the innocent creature going to die? The God of the Earth would never forgive him! Tears of helplessness, dismay, and panic stained his gaze, blurring his vision.

The egg shifted against the unicorn's side, the cracks spreading as the tiny creature inside was disturbed from its slumber. It quaked, shifted, and continued to crack, until abruptly, a tiny black paw emerged from the cracking shell of the egg, followed by a small, muffled 'mew?'

Apollo swallowed and glanced only momentarily towards the stranger that had come upon them, before he lipped at the egg, attempting to help the little creature within greet the world. As he helped pull the hard shell away, it became more and more obvious just what had been growing inside; a tiny, runt of a kitten, black as the night, slowly tumbled from the remains of the egg shells, wriggling about and shifting, a bleating, terrified cry leaving its tiny mouth every couple of seconds.

"Peace, my little ball of earth," Apollo whispered, nuzzling the creature with the velveteen fur of his muzzle, "My little Zola. You're safe now." The kitten was tiny, small, and so very helpless as it wriggled around upon the earth. Experienced eyes of a seasoned medic roamed the feline runt, and despite the crude way of its forced hatching, there seemed to be no physical issues. That alone brought a bit of relief to the overo.

Concerned and fear-filled honey-brown orbs glanced once more towards the winged stranger from before. "Are... Are you well, my friend? That damnable darkness got you too, did it not? Are you feeling well?" Apollo was a medic; blessed by the Spirit Stag with healing, earthly magic.