I am not the resident expert on Helovia; there's still many lands I have not explored, even in my shameless eternal search for food. I barely know my way around the place, let alone the hidden nooks and crannies that only longtime residents could possibly find. So a new land appearing is far from life-changing for me, because as far as I'm concerned, it could have been here all along. Still, it might have new food that I haven't yet sampled, so it's best all around that I go and investigate.

My paces are a bit faster now that I've lost some weight, and the spring air has invigorated me. I break into a hearty trot, practicing all the long, flowing strides that the humans had me do, on repeat, for hours. My mane and tail are long and tangled, and coupled with my weight loss, I could easily pass for a born-and-bred wild horse...except for the tattered leather halter on my face, which has endured the elements without a fuss. It shows its wear though, and I fear it will soon disintegrate. It is my only memory of a time I loved and hated in equal measure, and I would be loathe to lose it. It marks me as different, as outcast, telling of the fact that I had not been born out here in the wilderness...if the fact I'm not a ball-swinging stallion doesn't give it away, of course.

The trees begin to turn red, and I find myself dribbling a bit. Perhaps they're a new flavour of tree. It is, perhaps, too optimistic of me to think they may be sugar-flavoured trees, of course, but anything that doesn't taste purely like tree would be a welcome change. I continue to trot forwards, given a second wind by the sight of something edible, but I'm soon distracted from the foliage by a waterfall. No waterfall like I've ever seen before, though. This one is blood-red, and I find myself gawping.

And oh, spirits, the horses. I have never seen such a vast array of freaks in my life, and I've lived with humans! I slow to a walk, swinging my head side to side to take it all in. I feel suddenly faint at the sight of creatures with markings that are even more elaborate than your common-or-garden Helovian, and I wonder where these newbies have come from. On the plus side, though, I'm no longer the weirdest beastie in Helovia! I stand where I am, my hunger forgotten, oggling the newcomers with awe and shock in my eye. ""