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The morning was fresh and cool; the sanctuary of blue sky awash with the pastel promise of the warm, clear day ahead. Africa arrived early, having departed the safe embrace of her desert homeland while stars still shimmered aloft the blackness of the night sky. Descending with artful grace, the young Pegasus’s wings dipped through the high swirling currents of air which had given her passage to Helovia’s scenic rim much ease and speed. The wind as she passed in gentle downward spirals dragged thick long forelock from her eyes, kindly aiding her decision to alight within the narrow sliver of a treeless gap. As neat solid hooves pushed collectively into the supple loam, Africa glanced about her, and further into the fringe of trees where strangers often lingered at length, calculating their next move. The Threshold seemed eerily quiet, even as the sun’s early warmth soaked through the flimsy autumn canopy of needles, and bruised foliage.
Through the bitter breeze, rang the beckoning whinny of another, and even as Africa lifted her fluttering nostrils to reply, the slip of her frosted breath upon the air was swallowed by the unmistakable thud of hooves ‘racing’ against the littered floor. The young dapple grey’s face dropped abruptly so that her ears could pick the direction of the moving horse. A voice shattered the silence betraying the route of the traveller- “Hello!”, and Africa slipped forward curiously to find the cause of commotion. It would not be a difficult task, as the same voice peeled through the subdued forest once more. “I am Accalia, part of the Assassin band, and you are in the land of Helovia.” Forward, she thought privately while eavesdropping and continued a weaving path through the lean maze of trees. “But we do not have to kill anyone...” The stranger, Accalia continued apparently and Africa wondered if there were actually anyone receiving the ramble of information, as it was spilled so generously. “But we are truly in dire need. Our leader has been captured, and our numbers are starting to dwindle. I truly need someone to help me round up the other herd members and get back our beloved leader” It was the first Africa had learned about ‘Assassins’ and her eyes narrowed as the pair appeared through the clutter of trees before her, standing across from one another in a clearing.
Though she chose not to dwell on all that had been so freely revealed (from Africa’s perspective, there seemed to be very little threat in so few numbers and an imprisoned leader), she thought the mare quite foolish for the careless slip of her tongue. Perhaps she would offer her learning to Midas when she returned home next. Africa paused before the protection of cover began to dwindle overly, listening conscientiously as the second horse- a dark hued mare, began to speak. “Are you finished?" An unusual, wry smile wrapped around her upturned muzzle, and it did not fit the softness in her eyes comfortably. She could not see clearly the expression lathering this mare, but as she finally found room to issue her thoughts on all that had been spoken by Accalia, Africa noted a quite open frostiness lacing her voice. “My name, if you were wondering, is Manami. I come from a land called Angbar which is needless to say very different from Helovia and so I wonder. Is it normal for complete strangers to talk about the troubles in their herd before finding out whether or not that other equine is a spy?”
Intrigued and not deterred for a second by the stranger’s direct, perhaps cautioning approach, Africa continued on finally. The dark mare continued as the Pegasus slipped confidently from the tree line, issuing a gentle wicker to indicate her approach. “"I'm afraid that if you want me to join the Assassins you'll have to give me some very good reasons.” “Hello, Manami... Accalia.” The grey greeted them simply, not pretending that she had not been witness to the conversation already had. “I’m Africa and I come from Dragons Throat.” Modestly, she offered a warm glance to each mare.
"Thinking. Speaking. Acting."
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