Acidic copper and smoke -- those gut retching textures, they are just hanging in the air above distant hills like a toxic miasma. A shitstorm. I quickly turn my back on their strife; before my heart has a moment to form an opinion ahead of my brain. What right did a complete stranger have to judge? None.
______

A glorious full moon casts her pale fingers upon the browning foliage. It should be noted that as a child I'd always thought she looked like a big, wet eyeball -- silver and blind. As an adult, my opinion hadn't changed. Each leaf is outlined, seemingly glowing; the air around me is motionless. Not a breath of wind to stir the dark canopy. Absolute silence. The hidden crickets and nightlife beasts seem to have finally settled for slumber. Suddenly, 'rustle, rustle, scratch, scratch.'Perhaps not all manner of beast had hit the hay; every so often the startling complaint of a broken twig or bleary cry of an owl would come to reaffirm that I wasn't entirely alone.

'rustle, scratch, rustle.'

Emerald gems with their vibrant, heart melting color inked by this eve, flick to the noisy undergrowth. A smoky shape emerges from that leafy bed; one tiny wet nose is sniffing cool soil earnestly, digging, flicking twigs to and fro. Pink forepaws and their tiny needles are camouflaged by debris. Two beady eyes, blacker then any I'd ever seen before, jerk in my direction. We both regard each other without fear, for a single heartbeat. Though as quickly as he appeared, my company comes to a decision and darts from sight.

Still alone. Still standing. I press my bulk firmly against the sturdy base of a towering ceder, chosen to take shelter from. Both ears crane forward, listening as his faint pawsteps slip further and further away -- until they disappear entirely. My free wing stretches out, extending, then collapsing to nestle firmly against the roof of my spine, each hollow perfectly angled for comfort. The goal is to snag a few hours of sleep before heading back out on the road.

To my unfortunate luck, the stranger made no attempt to cloak his approach. Considering I hadn't fallen asleep yet, my level of awareness was fantastic...knowledgeable long before he skid to a pause and did that slight coughing gesture. While restraining the urge to groan aloud, I made quick effort to ignore this rude intrusion of privacy out of vain hope to be equally ignored. Going as far as to relax these eyelids and slow the exhale/inhale intake -- all for the sake of a facade that wasn't working.

During the awkward passage from foal, to colt and stallion I'd come across a fair share of travelers. Some turned out delightfully more of an irritable nuisance than others. Luckily, the guardian of my youth, mother, always choose her company well and avoided the occasional rabble from random wanderers. She went out of her way to avoid heedless conversation.

Being her outstanding son...I followed suit, or at least tried.

He wasn't fooled by my ploy, or else didn't care. 'Move on', my inner voice whispered uselessly. One creamy ear twitched back as he spoke and the relaxed sweep of my tail became suddenly rigid. Unwise to sleep? Bah, I beg to differ -- resting was a mighty prudent thing to do. Usually others would leave you to it. Apparently that wouldn't be the case tonight...

With more self-control and maturity than I felt capable of, the shutters to my soul fluttered open. A dozen hasty retorts ran their way up my throat and nearly slid free; to my benefit they collide with commonsense. Though I openly frown as his moonlite frame straightes to tower above mine. These narrowed brows scrunch their frustration.

Those pupils had widened automatically as the unseen rods do their important work to absorb the faint, patched light until even the colored rims are inked. Maybe snoring would've been more convincing...Though deep down I felt this meeting was unavoidable; by the look in those callus eyes, this particular individual had nothing else better to do, "Do you..." my mind searched for tactful words, something that would end this conversation quickly. Since rambling off insults would likely extend it, "need something?"

Much to my growing disappointment, another soul is creeping out of the woodwork. To my frayed nerves it sounds like those muffled hooves are closing in for trouble. For one single gut retching moment, a wave of hot panic flutters this heart faster -- wary pools cast a hard glance at my bangled company...attempting to answer a question without words. Was his friend coming for an ambush? The unseen shadow advances, along with my overactive imagination; despite every tendon screaming their choice of fight or flight my wings resist the desire to rapidly unfurl, carry me up and away before these bastards figured out what's what.

Had the overhead canopy not be a net above us...

The base of my skull begins to throb, anticipation. Antlered crown rises a notch higher. I'm socially and emotionally vested to glance over, acknowledge the other, when he breasts into view; though there is no smile upon these lips -- forced or otherwise. Surprise, surprise. A pale youth comes forth, his dappled flesh attractively spilling soft fragments of moon glow and the misty sheen of downy feather slack at his side. Those dull gems locked to mine and all hope of the younger one continuing on his way, vanishes.

Yet thankfully, there is no sign of malice. I spare a sideways view to my first unwelcome...whatever he was. Noting he seems to find the lad unfamiliar.

Oh lucky me...

I hadn't asked for a tour guide. Though a friendly guide was better received than a not so friendly gangbanger. Once the imaginary threat had passed, a crawling itch crept up my spine, (one that only grew the more it was thought about, and denied.) This body had an outstanding urge to bend around and see if the tree we stood beneath was indeed bare boned. Maybe there was a previously unnoticed sign or marker that said in some forgotten language, "Sleep under this tree if thou would like to be verbally mauled by the rude and young. :) Have a cheery night!"

"Uh..." the dusty hybrid was welcoming me (us) to Helovia and he hailed from a place called, 'World's Edge.' Wonderful. Far from delighted, my lips move to offer a dry, "I'm Camon." Acknowledgement alone felt extremely rude, so very gracelessly I tacked on a polite, "Thanks..." Holding the weight in a conversation wasn't my strongest capability. Though since neither fellow appeared to be trotting off anytime soon and curtsey the request of our unnamed company, my mind fishes out a question -- perhaps the only one of any curious significance, "There was smoke rising from the hills north of here...?"

An undeniable frown deepens as feelings of dismay creep closer from being forced to turn for a response from our taller, (unnamed) companion. Distracted, unsettled, I instinctively press more firmly against the rough bark of this old tree we stood beside -- the solid weight eases anxiety. Though it isn't enough to stop one amber ear from twitching back as we (I) listen quietly to the news of war. Hidden Falls, Worlds Edge, and Aurora Basin...Hadn't the other lad said he hailed from a place called, 'Worlds Edge'? Not unkindly, my shadowed stare falls to Ilios with a look that could only be described as unreadable.

The manchild added an unexpected nugget of silence to his demeanor -- despite being curious and welcoming only moments before. I wonder silently as the knowledge hangs between us, 'maybe this kid didn't have an answer -- maybe ignorance struck a personal cord the wrong way?' Who could say for sure? I certainly wasn't obliged to babysit the sensitivities of a stranger...a reasonable reaction would be to place those miniscule concerns aside to make room for more important things.

Hardly a second after the bangled man had finished, a rough,"No,"comes flying out from this jaw. Perhaps it would be the finality in my tone or the angle at which these brows inch higher -- any fool with eyeballs could plainly see the notion of joining anything or anyone was extremely unappealing to me. "I'm not good with..." what word would sound less offensive than the first few that sit front and center, "Others," I decide, unnoticeably pleased with myself. There was zero talent for playing well with peers or the like. Come to think, I didn't have any outstanding gifts... something to ponder about for the road ahead. "Thanks," for waking me up, for forcing me to communicate, "For the information," part of me wished my voice was stronger, gruffer. The other part could care less. "It was...interesting to meet you both." They could claim this particular slice of forest, my toes are more than willing to find someplace less crowded.