She would have liked very much to simply turn and flee – to vanish through the thicket and away like she would normally have done in any other instance. Africa felt such loyalty to her sister though, a bond that flowed still deeper than the frivolous connection of friends; she would never abandon her, not while the roan lingered stubbornly, like a thorn in her side.

Silas! she cried helplessly as she watched the awful stallion strike the air in challenge, but the zephyr was far more lithe on the wind and whirled from reach.

Suddenly Rasta’s demeanour changed entirely from the soft, compassionate soul the dappled mare had grown to love so dearly, to something not for one second anticipated. From her sanctuary beneath Thor’s shadow, she gazed with broadening, stunned eyes as the golden mare retaliated to the comment made to spur their aggravation – he had succeeded beautifully it seemed. As Africa watched grimly, Rasta’s loathing inflated. Come, we can just leave! She wanted to summon her friend from the jaws of the snake, lure her safely back to the borderline of their home; the white froth and tumbling, roaring water.

But something else happened still more unexpected.

Trees all around them began to spring from their soil beds. It looked – from her perplexed perspective – like their roots had simply let go; their branches lifted into the wind like fanned feathers, and great trunks hurled themselves together across the ground. A wall emerged as they piled, one on top of the other, and the one-winged glanced both cautiously and curiously towards Rasta. The shock that was undoubtedly scribbled through Africa’s expression seemed to be dissolving from the palomino mare’s features. In fact, she turned after muttering beneath her breath, to face the grey; to summon her out of hiding.

Guilt was the first thing to engulf her, though it quickly occurred to her that her sister was more than able to hold her own.

Golden-grey lips pressed tenderly against mottled skin and Africa returned to gesture worriedly – not altogether understanding the conclusion to the meeting. She too bid the giant, Thor a humble farewell and turned promptly to drive home through the woods; as quickly as Rasta preferred.