Leeka had always heard of the Heart Caves but had never been and had never dared to see. Of the few fragmented whispers she had managed to collect by chance about it the young mare had a beggars understanding of the variable tapestry of history tied to it, some of it from years past and some very recent. Too recent, in fact... which draws the question why had she come in the first place. A slight tremor races across her spine like ghostly needle, causing a pause in her steps. The murders . That was all that needed to be said to invoke a grim sense of unease. They had been happening all over Helovia, indiscriminately and without warning. Everyone was fair game to whatever was out there and yet, somehow, it was almost surreal to Leeka, as though it wasn't quite true. But of course, that would only come out of someone who was sheltered and naive, something Leeka was determined not to be though it was hard to deny. She had never left the Worlds Edge before and now, suddenly, here she was. Whatever impulse had overtaken her must have been powerful for she barely recalled the journey, fed by a stone determination to know, do, see something and understand. To at least feel part of this world. Anything was better then just standing around...

But that wasn't an excuse to recklessly trot off and thrust yourself into the middle of the fray, or at least attempt to. Something of which she just accomplished, on some minor level of course, to her own chagrin.

You're tempting fate and wrath and worse, you stupid mare! She inwardly chided to herself, casting a glance over both her shoulders. You're not a sensationalist but you sure are dumb now, if you ever doubted it. Bait on a hook, that's what you are. I hope you're happy.

That may have been a bit dramatic but, hey, she had reasons. Not long ago the body of a young colt had been found in the Heart Caves. A colt. Murdered. The body supposedly had been covered in gashes and bites marks similar to those of a snake bite but that was all she knew and all she cared to think about. Sure, in her old homeland Leeka had known the dangers of pards to younglings and the effects of some snakes and other stinging creature but...The colt was only among the most recent of the deaths, however. So far the toll was up to eight. Eight. Leeka was hard-pressed to put words to how she felt besides a gut-wrenching sickness and a quickening of her heartbeat whenever she thought about it.

Leeka heard the flames before she saw them, felt its heat and wondered of the roaring the cavernous fire made as it erupted from the earth as the Heart of Helovia. Next to it, not that far off, was the cavern, its dark gapping maw a both a stark contrast and equal match for the giant gas-fueled pyre. On a normal day under normal circumstances Leeka would have been in complete awe, dumbfounded in its beauty and eager to explore. While she did have those feelings, they were but a shadow of what they could have been and more over there was an overbearing solemness pervading the air that seemed to increase the gravity of the area tenfold.

'Fitting that beauty is often broken by tragedy,' she thought to herself, observing the area while trying to decide what to do now that she was here. Gazing into those depths filled Leeka with a dreadful unease that made her body cold as iron with her hooves begging to bulk and turn. 'It's just not safe, why are you here? Go back to the Edge.' her thoughts implored. Bravado spent, Leeka was about to do just that when she eyes suddenly befell upon another form, and a distinctly equine one at that, poised before the dark maw of the caverns and looking about to enter. " Hey!" Without thought the mare bolted toward the stranger, driven by an unknown urge to warn them. She came to a stop a fair distance away quite unceremoniously and was a touch out of breath from her sprint. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you," she said, letting a moment drift by before adding " At least, not alone. Haven't you heard?" Leeka didn't bother to explain what she meant, assuming rather innocently that the massive stranger before her was a native and knew of murders.


"Talking"
thoughts

Leeka