Red and silver collided on a canvas of blackas Ampere flew through the dark. From above the moon gilded her in the gentle glow of sterling, while below the great maw of the heart cast her in the rich light of fire. She cast a weary glance down the at the opening as though expecting another monster to surge out of its depths.
She had since abandoned this as her makeshift home, that paranoia all to real for her.

In the search for a new residence she had seen the mare beside her being taken against her will by the horned one. Thankful for her coloration Ampere was able to blend into the dark skies and look down, quickly realizing the girl's freedom was at stake. Never one to sit back and watch the one gift we are given in this miserable existence, Ampere knew she had to act.
She had followed them, waiting and watching until the moment was right and then snuck in to whisk Shadow away. The victory of it made her giddy now and slapped a smile on her features which had frowned too often of late.
Even more impressive was she hadn't earned any new scars in the attempt! Not one well known for stealth Ampere had given it a shot regardless, less than interested in earning bruises when her front feet still ached from the monster's burns.

The joy of a painless victory tingled in her wingtips as she drifted on the air, her shadow chasing her below while a second one hung at her side.
The shadow spoke.

Ampere simpered at the inquiry, taking a moment to respond as she noisily intook a breath, as if preparing to hoist the world upon her withers.
Like Atlas, Ampere shouldered the great weight of justice for this strange mare.
"We've not met," Ampere confessed, not bothering to share her name. They would likely not continue to meet once this affair was over. "Nor have you seen me before. I saw you though, on the day you were taken by that mongrel." Vhemence entered Ampere's voice briefly as she referred to Zar'roc. She had no previous engagements to him, but he had committed the worst crime before her very eyes and for that she could not forgive his soul.

"It is more than unjust to take the freedom of another unwillingly. It is the worst act to commit... I could not fly by and watch it happen without action." Ampere turned her head to the side, blue eyes meeting violet, proffering a simple smile.

For a while Ampere let the silence settle and her words sink in. Little else was heard but the wind cutting past and feathers rustling against each other as wings shifted to keep them aloft.
"If I can... may I ask something of you?" Her voice was daringly hopeful, but slow, as though cautious. Ampere had this question failed too often to rush it out any more, least it cause another stab in her heart. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.
"Do you know what's happened around here?" Ampere's head turned to watch Shadow's once more, the ocean gaze frosted over with worry and fear.
"The loss of the sun and before that the moon, of the magic in those that once had it - save for some?"

It took a moment for the words ushered from those black lips to sink into Ampere's consciousness. Much like the way you can get so tired you are no longer able to sleep, so Ampere found herself craving so long for the truth, that when she finally heard it, the words threatened to slip past her ears like the wind. For a while she said nothing and to Shadow it may appear as though she had lost herself to contemplative thoughts on the matter itself. The reality of it though was that Ampere's pulse had increased, a nearly visible thump in the line of her throat, while her mind tumbled over itself in a celebratory glance. Eventually that glee spiraled outward.

Ampere cried out abruptly with a raucous whoop, tilting just as suddenly on her wing tip and nearly catastrophically dipping down to the right, slipping just beneath Shadow's hooves. Laughing to herself Ampere tumbled in the air, rolling in the fever-pitch of victory. It was a hollow victory though, only given with that relief of grasping what so long you have been reaching for. The more it drew upon Ampere's thoughts though, the more she realized just what it was Shadow has said, and not just that she had said something at all - a change to the dither everyone else had spouted.
Sobering up Ampere cracked her wings back to her sides, lifting on the opposite side of Shadow now, creases chasing away the happiness from her face.
She speaks of the gods Ampere realized. She didn't know the names to match the descriptions Shadow spoke of, but she knew the implications of the four. The taste on her tongue became suddenly foul and it felt as though a lump formed in the back of her mouth, attempting to choke her.
Is this the evil that child spoke of? Ampere wondered of the crack that Shadow mentioned, shuddering at the idea of it. She didn't know how much she could believe in these Helovian gods, not after knowing so many deities with other names in other places, but she did believe in magic and power.

Whatever was happening was big.

Before Ampere could ask Shadow on it further the mare had begun to circle, apparently thinking their conversation finished after Ampere's ridiculous stunts. She couldn't blame her and figured it would be better to digest what she had learned before prying for more. Besides, she had nothing left to trade the mare any more, she was not obligated out of anything but personal kindness, which although Ampere didn't think she lacked, was certain that like anyone, had limits of.
Ampere followed in her draft, just barely catching the words whipping out of the mare's mouth. One word stuck true, Dragon's Throat that prickled in Ampere's body. She threw a glance down below them, shocked they'd already traveled so far so fast. It reminded her starkly of her hunger and winter-wasted muscles, and the thought of landing alongside Shadow brought a fresh ache to her injured forelimbs. She winced.

Then again, maybe they had a healer? They didn't owe her one, but maybe Shadow was of great importance? Ampere glanced at the dark mare spiraling down, wondering. She was certainly knowledgeable...

"HEY! Do you know, is there a big brown stallion here still? Talks short and slow, with bones in his face?" Ampere shouted down, sailing longer, unexcited about the prospect of landing but similarly wanting the rest and respite Shadow offered.

Gaucho

The name rung true and clear in Ampere's mind at the first couple letters, bringing forth an image of the sweat encrusted ball of bay muscle. She could still remember his smell that day, tainted with the blood of some foe or another, then peppered with the dust from the dunes. It was a heady aroma of earth and strength that wriggled right into the core of her instincts, flipping on some switch that fired up her desire.

How she kept him at bay that day in the pool she couldn't say. She certainly didn't have that same will power now.

A fond smile graced her lips, one that stretched into her ears so that they did not hear the black mare's question. Ampere wouldn't have answered it anyway. It wasn't anything Shadow needed to know and besides, if she was any good at her job she'd already know the answer herself.

The next words of re-invitation did find their way into Ampere's ears however. She shook her head and abruptly was back at the present, the old image of Gaucho dissolving from her minds eye to be replaced with the whipping wind, how rather she'd like his warm body, and the drifting wings of Shadow blurring into the dark canopy of the dizzying sky, sideways as they spun down.
Ampere dropped faster, hastening to keep up with Shadow now who herself was eager to be in the desert.

She would follow her into the borders and past the patrols least she be accused of trespass, but had no intentions of riding in Shadow's namesake. She had a bigger one to roll about in.