Early morning sunlight wafted over the sleepy land in pale shades of yellow and orange. Soft pinks tried to fight their way toward the ground but with little success. I had risen with the sun hoping to kiss the moon goodnight but my tired eyes could not force their way through the darkness in order to see and so sleep had claimed me for hours more. My body still ached and though I still feared the loss of my wings, a certain reality became more and more apparent as the days passed. They had rotted and fallen limp along my sides. The skin, though still intact had begun to decay and shift away from the bone. It was an unsightly thing to witness, but on a good day, the wind would carry away the scent of sickly flesh. Even my bloated stomach told of eerie tales sang by the devil’s children as I rocked along the frozen ground above their reaching hands… Hell had come to claim me, I just knew it.

But it did not deter me from my duties because I owed too much to my family and if death held me close in its grip, then I would do all for them that a good stallion could. However, the contrast between the soft morning light and the way my body desired to give way beneath me was a ghoulish image. Surely the devil and his underlings would spare me this day, this singular day that I wished to make my own since the events in the Steppe. I was ill, but not incapable, right?


As the Threshold loomed tall before me, I hesitated at its gates before forcing my way into the barren landscape. As always, the land was heavily travelled and sodden beneath numerous sets of tracks both native and foreign to Helovia. The softened ground made traversing the narrow paths even more difficult on my tender bones, but I pushed onward in hopes of defying the demons that sought to contain me. My thoughts were still and empty though and the only sounds of life around me were the trees creaking to life beneath the healing powers of the sun. It would be some time before they bloomed with fullness but spring was on its way promising relief for everyone dazed by Winter’s spell.

Though I thought myself distracted by the idea of life itself, I was compelled to forget the notion in favor of a strong scent drifting through the dead air. This aroma was very much alive in spite of the stillness that invaded my journey. I hesitated a moment, wondering if approaching would cause fear in the heart of another at the sight of me, but I was here… and there was no avoiding my appearance any longer. It had gone on for nearly two weeks. Things weren’t looking any better; in fact they had grown gradually worse.

Tracing the fragrance that struck me as distinctly male, I trailed it into a small clearing to my left. I rumbled upon my ascent, but I knew that in most cases this did little to set a panicked soul at ease. So when I parted the tree line in hopes of standing a good distance away, I finally laid eyes on a small inky stallion with curious grey dappling. In truth he was a feminine creature, designed with more technique than I, but a virile specimen nonetheless. With piercing blue eyes, I was struck by how stunning the stallion was that I was almost fooled into thinking he were female were it not for the obvious signs of a stud. “Welcome to Helovia. I assume you come looking for a place to reside?” I paused to give him time to think and possibly adjust to my presence before moving on. “I’m Thor and I come from the World’s Edge, a herd land within these parts. I think I can help you friend, what’s your name?”

I’d seen such an expression before: frightened, unsure, or maybe even mortified. But it didn’t faze me as much anymore, even when my eyes lit on Cetan to find the terror residing deep within. My size was something to marvel, not that I held a candle to Archibald the Dauntless; he was surely more intimidating than I for he was a warlord after all… I used to question why I never saw him in the Threshold and I suppose now I knew why. That look of fear that I saw wading within those icy blue eyes was enough to make my stomach turn. I didn’t think myself a ferocious beast by any means and that anyone would feel that way toward me meant that they couldn’t have been very worldly. It takes travelling and discovering to become at home with the strange sights in life these days and it was clear that this lad still had a little learning to do; never mind the fact that I came here to teach him of his options… With a little more hesitance than before, I dipped my face low so that he might see that I came in peace, but of course the action held serious consequences for me.

My shoulders seared with white hot pain as my neck extended away from the sensitive flesh of my spoiled appendages. I could not bring them up or away from my sides anymore and they hung lifelessly there until I once again straightened back into position. I tried desperately to hide the agony that flourished through my body but I couldn’t deny the wincing discomfort that reached for my eyes. “It is indeed a pleasure to meet you Cetan.” I watched cautiously as the stud took another moment to absorb me in his mind the way a child would, however, I couldn’t help but smile at his efforts to appear at ease when it was clear that he certainly wasn’t. I didn’t try to soothe him with my words and instead remained motionless before him, a statue of power and grace.

After what felt like an eternity, Cetan finally found his voice and vacated the silence that previously paid homage to our conversation. He was a meager fellow, but clearly intelligent as far as I could see. He thought through most of his answers and considered the ramifications of every word. I enjoyed that about him and when he attempted to test my resolve, I made sure to set him straight on what kind of creature I truly was. “I don’t believe you need help, but a little direction never hurt anyone. You’ve come to the claiming grounds and I have come to claim you, should you find my offer up to your standards.” I paused to look at him directly, my eyes never faltering in their certainty. “There are four herds, of which I mentioned before- the World’s Edge where I call home, the Dragon’s Throat, the Hidden Falls, and the Aurora Basin. Each land is made up of a different set of personalities, but I’m here to educate you on the Edge, thus I represent them fully. We can provide you shelter, a family, and a shot at equality. I don’t demean any of the other herds so if there’s one that interests you more, I’d be glad to answer any questions you have.”

I paused to let the information sink in. There was a lot to be considered here and I knew that he would take the time he needed to make a decision before rushing headlong into something he was unsure of. I shuffled to rest back onto my rear quarters so that the pressure of standing did not contribute to the pain shooting through my back. I spent most days in this way, trying to evade the symptoms of a mysterious illness that I’d contracted a little over a week ago. My devout love for my home always drove me past the threshold of pain or anger or humiliation. The love of my family kept me alive when I felt like dying… surely this stallion would understand the kind of life the Edge would inspire.

The familiar rushing of the wind whispered at my ear and though it made me tremble in remembrance of the Steppe, I was quick to shrug free of the cold embrace like an impatient child. My muscles seized weakly in protest but in a moment’s time I was finally able to face Cetan with a determined gaze. His skittish personality did little to remedy the situation as he mistook nearly every action to be a threat and even as he jumped and blustered at my attempts to soothe him, I knew it was going to take more time and effort than my physical well-being was willing to give. I was more than ready to bring my task to a close as my body began to hum and sing from the pains of illness, but as the words began to translate from thought to sound the crunching of ice and frozen turf silenced my attempt. Irritation made my cheeks burn and my teeth clench in response to the damp scent of the Basin as it wafted through the barren trees, presumably clinging to the skin of one of their members. I’d yet to turn my eyes to face the intruder but morality would not let me beseech he or she out of respect for the neutrality that ruled over the Threshold. This was neither my place nor my temperament to lash out at any of all inhabitants of such an equal land… but I had found a loophole where frustration was involved.

However, upon laying eyes on the graceful creature that wandered seamlessly into our midst, I became more enthralled with him than agitated. I’d never seen the likes of him, but his posture and the way he seemed to glide across the icy swells was enough to intrigue me into spellbound tolerance, no matter the circumstances. Though ties with the Basin were still hazy in my mind, I knew that there existed some neutral agreement between their way of life and my own in the Edge. I had no intentions of disrespecting Kahlua or Kaj in the name of “recruiting” especially not after all they had done for me.

Upon his entrance, the charcoal stud nodded to Cetan and I with the valor of an aristocrat which made me wonder if he was indeed just that... or perhaps he was seated in power or maybe just titled? However, with my attentions only temporarily swayed, I allowed him into our company with a swift toss of my head. This was not a competition by any means, though I knew that meetings such as these often ended in a bloodied word battle sprayed along the walls of our respective herd lands. But that was not my technique nor would it ever be and so with my tensions caged within the pain of sickness and a growing exhaustion, I gathered myself to stand upright and face the two stallions with a little more integrity than I’d ever thought I could possess. Hiding my suffering had become a game that only I could play, but at least I was determined to win…

Though Torleik’s introduction only proved to solidify my assumptions of his residence, there was a sinking feeling in the pit of my gut that made a half scowl turn my lips towards the hell that wreaked havoc on my body and plagued my mind. I should have known that I would face opposition trying to pull a horned creature from the Threshold in the wake of the “Unicorn Supremacy” that flourished in the Basin. It had always been my assumption of course, considering I’d never heard as much from the lips of a Basin animal, but this incident cemented my beliefs without a trace of doubt… But civility had forsaken me and though I did not want to lose this meek, horned stallion to the land of ice and snow, there was clearly nothing I could do to avert his opinions of me and otherwise… “I am Thor of the World’s Edge. It is of a great kindness that I have met you Torleik.” Thought I felt weary and perhaps a bit uncertain, I turned my interest back to Cetan in the hopes of turning him away from the North. “I’d like nothing more than to extend an offer for your company back to the World’s Edge should you seek it. However, if you hold any doubt then I think it would be wise for me to take leave. The cold of winter does not spare even beasts like me…”

At least part of what I had said was true. Though, I would never clarify of which sentiment that was…