Vertigo holds her breath as the young otter pup plops beneath the water's grasp. The sudden explosion of water as the creature blasts out of the water causes the mare to drop the vine she is clutching between her teeth, her mouth now open in awe. What the hell just happened? It hovers in the air, its black wings flapping ominously. Then, it attacks one of the flaying mares, then it dives towards the gray antlered female.

The draft mare is still frozen, disbelief written all over her face. Then, before she can dodge or even think about it, the creature's barbed tail strikes her. It hits her skull, where her antlers and her head merge. A shrill cry escapes her jaws, the attack causing her hooves to lose their grip on the mud beneath the river's currents. She falls, the water taking her a few feet before she manages to right herself again. Standing, the mare shakes, her fear over taking her again.

This is the bear all over again. Her injury begins to bleed, the life source trickling slowly down her face. Shaking her large head, Vertigo is on the move. I am not weak. I will not be a victim. Her features are full of anger. Anger at being fooled. Anger at being caught off guard. Her large frame trudges through the water, her adrenaline making it easier for her to fight the current.

“Hey!” She yells, trying to draw the attention of the flying beast away from the rest of the group. She leaps from the water's grasp and onto the bank. Ve turns and faces the dragon, her teeth bared. The blood from her skull continues to trickle down her face, the slow trickle getting a little faster as she snorts and paws the ground. Her large hoof slams down on the earth, her eyes flashing with anger. She wouldn't be a damsel in distress this time. No, this time she would fight back. She'd show this vile thing that she was nothing to mess with.

The large mare watched the small otter family out of the corner of her eye, making sure that they stayed out of harms way. She was glad to see the gray antlered female was there with them. She was sure that together, they could take this beast down. After all, it was seven against one. She snorts again, shaking her antlered head, trying to keep the blood from running into her eyes. Nothing would stop her now. She was large, angry, and a force to be reckoned with.

"Talk."

[Vertigo is hit on her head by the dragon's tail. She finds her way to the river's bank and challenges the beast.]

I rage against the trials of love
I curse the fading of the light