Ace now walked very briskly through the darkness. The crow had left him anxious, and he’d let it get to him and grow in his mind. He was becoming paranoid of his surroundings; every eye peering out of a hole in the tree was some demon that had come to possess him, the simple outline of a bush in the darkness was a huge wolf, waiting to pounce and sink it’s white teeth into his flesh. His pace quickened to a trot. Ace snorted and flicked his tail. He was being ridiculous, he knew he was. This stallion was no coward, afraid of the dark, trembling at shadows like a little foal, but he just couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that pervaded him ever since he saw the black eyed crow in the little glade. It must just be because I’m nervous about finding a new herd, he reassured himself. “I am not afraid” he said aloud, as if trying to prove it to the imaginary demons lurking in the trees, or the wolf prowling around him that was not really there. He made himself slow down; he’d end up crashing into a tree at this rate.

Ace did calm down, and the demons and wolves and evil creatures disappeared too, but he was still on edge, and sweating quite a lot, even in the cold when some snow still lay upon the ground. His cerulean orbs flicked quickly from side to side, in front of him, on the dark ground, scanning the area for any sign of movement, or danger. His ears twitched, trying to pick up on every sound. Brittle twigs crunched underneath his hooves, a bat flew past, he could hear the beat of it’s wings, and something else. He could hear footfalls that did not belong to him. He nervously flicked his tail and carried on, promptly quickening his pace again. His breathing got heavy. There was something close by. Ace was about to stop when it touched his side. Ace reared up in the air and let out a shrill whinny. He was going to kick out when he realised it was a mare.

Embarrassed, he cleared his throat “Er, my apologies first of all miss.” His breathing was still fast and he could feel the little beads of sweat that had formed on his grullo coat. Antheia had unusual white markings on her dark pelt, and a striped black and white horn to match. “Antheia, my name is Ace, I’m afraid I’m out of a home at the moment. World’s Edge you say? I’ve heard many tales of the horses that live there. Is it true you have a dragon captive in your woods, that helps fight your battles?” he smiled. Stories were indeed passed through the lands of Mirage’s ability to form into a great golden dragon, but sometimes they were twisted. “It’s possible you could help me. I agreed with my friend that I’d join the Dragon’s Throat herd and meet her there, but I am yet to find a horse from there, maybe you know of one?” Thankfully he had calmed down now, and the sweat evaporated by the breeze.

Another voice sounded from behind. A pretty cremello mare that was smaller than Antheia stepped out from behind the trees. Her mane and tail were long and silvery in colour, and Ace noticed a shining white mark on her haunches. In fact, since her coat was so light, her whole body seemed to glow and stand out in the dark. Border, wha- vibrations? Ace thought, looking down at his hide, then back up the mare, confused. He let it drop and smiled warmly at the mare, unbeknown to him that she could not see it. A Dragon’s Throat resident, at last, he thought. “Hello Rasta, my name is Ace. And these?” he gestured to his aching wings “Gift though they are, they can be a nuisance sometimes, especially in tight spaces like this, they always manage to get caught on something” The stallion had already managed to collect several twigs, countless leaves and almost a birds nest while in these woods.
“I’m glad you offered. It would be a pleasure to join Dragon’s Throat, thank you.” Finally, he would have a safe place to stay, a home, and surely his best friend would not be too far behind him. “It’s certainly been tiring, but mostly I’ve had no trouble. Have you lived in the Throat all your life?”