A terrifying sound met her ears as she shook the head and looked up, rattled and jumbled by the impact with the ground. What met her gaze was not the sight of the moon smiling benevolently at her, but the visage of a giant wolf, black and silver and snarling with such fury that tears were driven into her eyes by the mere sound of it. Behind her the charging beast howled and whimpered in agony as her makeshift dagger punctured a glistening eye, there was a sound of hooves smacking into flesh and it was gone, maybe drawn off to fight somewhere else or find easier targets for whatever savage hungers that drove it. Before her the new, more immediate threat lashed out; Erthë screamed and shuffled backwards to get away, but before she could feel the pain of teeth boring into her supple skin, a dark figure had jumped in between them.

A stern voice, young yet motherly in its own right, addressed her. The filly peeled her seeing eye open, expression frightened and bewildered as she stared up at a black and gold colored girl. She was beautiful and fierce and strong, but even though the child wanted to give her right and obey those herding wings - wings and a horn, just like her! - the legs just wouldn't carry her. She tried once, twice, but each attempt brought her back down to the trampled, bloodstained ground with a forlorn thump... so she sniffed apologetically and remained in place, sheltered and shielded by those dark wings, so very like her mother's.

Around her the battle entered its final throws. In horror she watched how the big bad wolf, the one who had almost bit her, began to take down the rest of the enemies one by one. And when there were none left to fight the Moon Goddess called out a name with commanding voice, and to her astonishment the girl found the beast changing, the massive, hulking frame thinning and shrinking, becoming a young stallion with wings like night and eyes like softly gleaming stars. In the midst of her fear and loathing, a new feeling of awe blossomed. Wide-eyed and shocked beyond words she stared at the man with a constricting feeling in her chest... unable to peel her eyes off until mother's soft voice and gentle touch brought her back to the present.

Mesec, the moon had said. Mesec. Hadn't he been the one standing next to the goddess before the battle began? The moon had called him son, hadn't she? Her head felt jumbled and much too full, the aftermath of anger and shock and fear leaving her quite exhausted. A dark wind had begun to drift through the towering stalks and made them bow and sway, waters of the hidden pools and streams rippling and stirring. It swept over the fallen Wolf, the dead god... and once again she became witness to the unspeakable act of slaughter.

Erthë felt sick to her stomach at the sight of the fallen foe being stripped clean and handed out. When one of the trophies came to a rest before her own cloves she could only stare at it, numb and unsure what she ought to feel. It was a gift from the Moon Goddess, whom she had come to admire so fiercely, but it was also a piece of a corpse. What should she do with it? Wear it, give it away, refuse to pick it up...? It was a part of the wolf she had come to fear so much, was this more a reminder of what she had done, what it had almost done?

The Goddess spoke again, addressing the ones who had attacked her. The child listened with growing interest to her words, her active mind working to fit together pieces of this enormous puzzle. So the people were angry about something? Because this something had happened on a sky island - were there islands in the sky? What was even an island? - and the moon's brothers... wait, she had brothers too?... anyway there would be a chance to meet her at the veins... What veins?

It was all very cryptic and hard to follow but the bottom line seemed to be that the Moon would appear again at some place and answer questions. In her belly a yearning kindled like red-hot fire, a wish to be there and listen too, even if it wasn't to her the lady would speak or explain. Maybe she could be allowed to be there anyway?

She had no time to ask, however, because mother was urging her onto her feet. Erthë stole a last glance at the divine lady, and felt her heart skip a beat when she found the goddess smiling. At her! The gentle wind that swept across the clearing tugged gently at her baby curls, combed through the soft wool of her coat, and a rush of energy surged up from within, enough to bring her to her feet. Almost absentminded she scooped up the goddess' gift in the coils of her tail, the bronze chain jingling softly until she found a good grip on it, and with a last long look at the battlefield she began to follow her mother.

And just as they made to leave, a sparkling, sizzling figure of a wolf - not another one! - shoved its way past the little family. Erthë howled as it bumped into her and sent painful, numbing voltage through her body; Shadow cursed and glared after it, but it had already disappeared in the milling crowd.