For the second time since she had returned to any state of mental steadiness, since Midas the Ascended had plucked her from the wrath of a Frostfall blizzard, Africa and Silas paused beneath Sky Island. The morning was bright, no white laced the sky and a warm wind swept up from the deep-south and tousled thick fiery tendrils draped ornately around shoulder and hock.

No unexplainable stirring in her soul had called the one-winged mare out of hiding this time, and she knew well that any from the desert realm of the God of the Sun could set their scrutinizing eyes upon her – she remembered the islands effervescent atmosphere, a hive more active than the honey home of a bee. Some weight had been eased from the Starry-Eyed’s shoulders however. Satanic Silk, the leathery-winged stallion had discovered her whereabouts early the week before and it had come as no surprise the nature of his visit. He had been an anticipation stinging her thoughts, plaguing her mind, but now that the truth had come to fruition and she was still standing, still breathing, and still quite safe bedded where the Gallant’s fine army stood guard, there seemed to be less apprehension about it all squeezing her heart.

Time healed all wounds.

White cloud gathered beneath her steadied hooves, materializing from nowhere to lift the weight of the slender Pegasus and whisk her flightless form away through the air. It was a phenomenon she still found unsettling, unnerving, but to avoid skewed balance Africa quelled the natural urge to swing out her lonely wing. In no time at all she (with Silas gliding then by her side), was being placed delicately upon the lush, sweet grasses of the island. Her kind transport dissolved promptly on arrival and Africa drew a very deep, pensive breath, and bewildered her sweeping gaze scanned rolling hills and the narrow valley nestled snug between.

Her eyes settled upon a curious (though familiar) silhouette far down in the distance and intrigued, distracted immediately from any anxiousness, her long sooty ears tipped forward. Interest grew still more as the Earth turtle attracted a crowd, and though she was not overly keen on throwing herself yet into a sea of bodies, the Starry-Eyed knew that the strange, otherworldly creature was the host of activity, of games. A light snort rattled by pumping nostrils and coal-black knees in the same moment, started forward.

Zephyr and mare wandered down through the swaying field of soft emerald until they noticed better the evergreen rising above the Earth Turtle – the tiny lights glistening where shadow fell beneath flimsy green foliage and still more inspiring, the merry chorus of jingle bells welcoming them forward. A soft, encouraged smile slipped across thin lips and she stepped forward to join those gathered (some familiar, many more not), legs swinging to the tune of the festive music.

- Merry Christmas my lovely Helovian friends :)

Africa