Cassiopeia

The journey from Helovia's Threshold to the desert in the south was by no means a swift expedition. By flight it took hours. If one were to begin the trek at the crack of dawn their destination would not be arrived at until the moon reigned sovereign in the sky two days succeeding.

Traveling by hoof, however was an entirely different story.

It took days - eight to be exact. Cassiopeia had made the trek before and had been more than prepared to do it again but she had found that it was significantly more enjoyable when accompanied by another. When the hours were filled with conversation they seemed to pass rather quickly. Still, she was relieved when finally the russet expanse of the Dragon's Throat entered her vision. She missed her daughters and although Azzuen had been scarce as of late, his time consumed by his duties as General, he too had been missed by the dame. She wondered what sort of trouble Cirrus and Azulee had managed to get themselves into in her absence. An affectionate roll of her eyes and a crooked grin sidled their way onto her features as the thought reeled through her head. She hoped they hadn't been too rambunctious.

Since first the summits of rock formations shone in the distance, protruded from the horizon, the shadows had grown narrow. The sun was beginning its gradual descent from the sky and it bent the pale azure canvas into an array of vibrant colors.

Cassiopeia's hooves clicked softly on the dull crust of Helovia's Heart and as she gazed toward the massive pillar of smoke which billowed in the distance she peered toward Ree. "The smoke you see over there is from Helovia's Heart," She began. "It's a massive crater in the earth that roils with fire and lava year round. Helovian lore claims that the Gods created Loorien from that very location." It was a superfluous sentiment, really, but something she felt the need to divulge, regardless. What's the use of having such knowledge if not to share it?

Finally the cracked loam merged into the russet stone of the desert and each downfall of her hooves were accorded with a faint clap. The undulating formation of rock at the forefront of the desert spanned before them. The roan matron ruffled her wings. "I'm going to need to fly from now on in order to guide you through." She said, her voice confident. "Just keep following me." She beat her massive wings forcefully, the downward current lifting her svelte body from the ground with ease and soon enough she was airborne, sailing through the air with all the grace of a dove. 'The wave' as this formation had been dubbed was exceedingly reminiscent of a labyrinth. One could become disoriented easily without a proper guide.

In order to make herself more visible against the ever darkening expanse of the sky she called forth a constellation. Not surprisingly, it was Columba, the dove.

The stars which composed its figure grew brighter and soon enough they emerged from the sky and compacted into a much smaller manifestation. It radiated brilliantly: an incandescent cluster of gaseous plumes and cosmea. A thin film of dust careened through the air in its wake as it soared close by the dame of stars and wind.

After surveying her surrounding and identifying the location of the Oasis in the distance she lessened her altitude, flying fairly close to and just ahead of Ree.

In an hour or so, they'd finally be able to rest.

[ ooc ; Here is what 'the Wave' looks like ^^ ]

Leaving the forest she’d stumbled upon behind, Ree had begun the next phase of her journey with the winged mare, Cassiopeia, to guide her. Another page turned in her novel, leaving the blanks open and welcoming, beckoning for their lined to be filled with words and images and stories of this new life that whispered in her ear, a tiny voice on the wind as they traveled. The lingering sense of unease and foreboding despair that she had carried with her the near entire time of her wayfaring had slowly started to fall behind, bits and pieces breaking off like forgotten baggage on the side of a long, lonely road.

With each day that passed, the load got lighter.

The bay mare was tired; the distance she and Cass had managed to cover the past eight days had been a mighty feet to be certain. The trek from the winter woodland to this desert oasis had sent them through a myriad of geographical areas that were stunning and brilliant, each place able to overwhelm the senses with vibrant bright colors and the exotic wildlife that filled them. Things that Ree never would have dreamed of seeing. Things her wildest imagination could never have conjured up. She knew they were drawing closer to reaching their true destination when the desert began to stretch and roll away beneath their hooves, as far as the horizon could see, a sepia saturated world, painted in gentle hues of the setting sun.

Ree made sure to pay careful attention to the details the winged mare gave her of Helovia and its land as they passed through it. At the mention of Helovia’s Heart she paused and turned her golden-eyed gaze toward the rising Colum of smoke in the distance, winding and climbing and reaching its way up toward the heavens like an outstretched arm. She marveled at what it must look like, how searing the heat must be, as if it might have radiated from the very core of the earth itself, and again Ree’s thoughts lingered on the Gods, and who they were, or might be. She was fascinated by it all, and it shown in the way she stared and peered and gaped at everything around her, and pestered Cassiopeia with questions as they went.

She nodded in affirmation as the blue roan took to the sky in order to navigate the labyrinth of rock and stone, as old as time itself, that had rose up out of the desert to meet them. There was something awe inspiring about the ancient, archaic looking structures as they rose into the dark of the night. Ree kept her eyes narrowed on her new friend, so as not to lose sight of her; little did she know that the constellation Cassiopeia called forth would be so bright. In fact Ree had no idea of any sort that the winged mare had possessed such powers, and she watched in astonishment as the radiant figure of the constellation seemed to fall out of the heavens, hovering close to the winged mare and guiding their way with its incandescent lights.

Ree trotted after Cassiopeia, only hearing her instructions just slightly, for she was so busy watching the magnificent show of stars that she had forgotten they were doing anything else at all. The reflection of the constellation danced and twirled in the bay mare’s eyes, a brilliant, beautiful image of gold beneath twisted, tangled black tendrils of hair. Ree was so fascinated that she couldn’t help but trot briskly after Cassiopeia’s gliding form quickly, her questions again ringing against the cool, stillness of the night air, as they had done for the majority of the trip.

"How… did you do that?"

[OOC: So sorry for the wait!]

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