dARKNESS, dARKNESS

..BLUE OBSERVED the world around her. Not the Stratosphere Blue of the sky, but the ice blue you could find in glaciers. The shape was black, standing out as sharply as a oasis in a desert. The short, coupled body and muscular neck, marked her as the breed Quarter Horse. The eyes were the calculating gaze of a predator, that which was deciding when and how it should eat you. And it was those you'd see in a veteran of war.

But that didn't mean it was void of any kindness.
She was watching a bird, It was a blue jay, pecking the ground with its beak for food.
The mare stepped out into the clearing, her hoof delicately and silently pressing into the earth.
And yet, it knew her presence, and chirped a alarm as it flew away, out of her line of sight. It's wings flapping, with the desperate urge to flee.

She sighed, soft and melodic. It floated over the air like a feather, like the feathers of the bird that had just flew away into the clear, bright blue sky.
The sun warmed her, and dappled her coat at the same time with light. She closed her eyes momentarily, appreciating the simple pleasure, then opened them again. Her eyes were clear and soft in the sunlight.

She dipped her head to nibble at the grass, then raised it again to watch for predators. Her ears flicked constantly, listening to every sound.
Her name was Sun. It had absolutely nothing to do with her. Nothing at all. But it was her name. And that was just fine, with her.

Her ears twitched, her back tensed for the barest second. Friend or foe, friend or foe. That was the question, wasn't it? Her mind mused.
Frozen blue met another pair of blue eyes.

She remained silent for several moments, observing the stranger. Perhaps this was who she was looking for.
Yes. she almost looked like Ghost.
A soft laugh echoed around the clearing.
"Oh my, you have grown, haven't you." Sun went back to grazing. Upon noticing the confused expression on the Cremellos face, she reacted only with the sarcastic quip. "You aren't stupid. I remember that. Unless you somehow brain damaged yourself.." Another chuckle. "I wouldn't know what you mean about darkness, Maple. This is daytime, isn't it? Or are my eyes deceiving me?"

She laughed in amusement, then dryly, she responded. "Your mother told me your name. And I'm Sun. I know, it's very hard to remember, but keep it in your head, alright? You may have to repeat it a few times, don't worry.." The sarcasm was heavy as the mare stared at Maple.
"I know a lot about you. And no, I'm not going to kill you, if that's your thoughts. I would've already, if I wanted to. You would be lying there, all bloody. And very, very not alive. So. I don't think you need to be afraid of me."

"My mother?..."
The words slipped off her tongue so easily.
She knew my mother...
The thought of her mother made Maple want to run deep into the woods, and stay there. It made her heart feel as though someone had grasped it with their cold bare hands. "Where is my mother?"

"Clearly," She muttered, "but who am I to trust you? Coming here, claiming you know my mother, knowing my name."
Where was her friend when she needed him. Maybe she could just turn around and go running back to him...
Turning her head slightly, she quivered, no.
This insane mare might try to hurt him.

"Yes. Your mother. She's.. missing. I promised her I would take care of you if anything.. happened." There was discomfort in Sun's tone. She had known Ghost for a while. She did miss her friend.

There was a almost irritated sound. "How would I know your name if I didn't know someone who knew you? I do know your mother. Her name was Ghost. She was white. Arabian, of course. Good friend. We traveled. Also, that wound on your leg. Most likely it's from a lyde. It's healing well, but you should roll around in garlic with it. And if it opens up and bleeds, apply a vine wrapped around it to cut off blood flow. Not too much, of course, That would cut off all bloodflow, and then you would have severe trouble walking on it. It could also turn purple."
She observed Maple silently with her strange blue eyes. "And if you think I'm insane, which, yes, you amusing horse, I'm sure you are thinking, I'm not."

Maple froze. That sounded an awful lot like her mother.
"Missing," Maple bit her tongue, what ever was going through her mothers mind, she wish she knew.
"So you know me, you won't kill me, or aren't trying to," She paused and gave Sun a suspicious glance.

Maple wrinkled her nose, "No one would come near me in a week if I rolled in garlic." She flattened her ears slightly, "And yes, it was lyde. And yes, I did think you were insane. Now, well now I just think you know a lot more than I did not."

"Do you mind if we move, this is too close to the Lyde Border than I like to be. I know a clearing a short walk from here," She flicked her ears. This would be interesting, how would Sun react to Oxy? She chuckled to herself before walking past Sun and trotting off towards her clearing. Oxy might not even be there, oh well, at least it was safer than the Lyde Border.

Sun sighed, silence wrapping around her until Maple started to walk way. Lydes. Ah, yes. Those creatures. She had always had a certain opinion on Predators, if you respected them, and respected their territory, they in return, could respect you.
And that had always worked for her, and most likely always would.

She followed Maple like a shadow, her ears twitching every direction, searching the forest for any sounds of danger. Overgrown lizards with mutated bodies could jump out anywhere, and she wanted to make sure she knew it was coming before it did.

Sun observed the clearing silently. She felt eyes watching her and flicked her ear towards Maple.
"What?" She grumbled slightly. "Do I have something in my mane?"

There was the flutter of wings and a screech.
Sun flattened her ears and looked up, as a screaming gold champagne galloped past them. "AAAA IT'S GOING TO BLOODY KILL ME HEELP-!"

A angry mockingbird flew after him, snapping it's beak and chirping a series of learned calls.
"Mockingbirds are either loved because of their music or hated because they are extremely territorial." Chimed a voice in the back of Sun's head. She looked on blankly as the Mockingbird let out a distinct cry and it's buddies joined it in the chasing of the terrified horse.
"Mockingbirds are absolutely unafraid and it is not unheard of to attack things as large as humans themselves. The birds will aggressively defend their nests, and sometimes let out a call which gathers other Mockingbirds to help defend it's home.."

Well.
This was interesting. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad if she got to see this everyday. Free comedy, you didn't even have to work for it. Even better: Comedy of birds attacking other things twice- no, more, it's size.
Life was very, very good right now.

Sun stared blankly at the horse. This was Maple's friend?
Well.

Oxy continued to run around the clearing screaming. The mockingbirds flew after him in circles with angry squawking cries. "IT WASN'T- WASN'T MY- MY FAULT HONESTLY THEY-THEY JUST GO-GOT MAD ALL OF THE SUDDEN REA-REALLY I WAS JUST LOOKING AROUND DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING BLOODY BIRDS-!"
He skidded in front of a tree and began to run away again when the birds gathered around him in a angry screeching mass of feathers. "AAAA THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME HEELP!" He stared at them terrified. Then more lowly began pleading to the angry creatures. "Please don't kill me really I'm sorry I didn't mean anything I was just wandering around- honestly no no don't peck me that hurts really ow- IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT ME AT LEAST KILL ME FIRST."

Maple watched with her jaw hanging open.
She shook her head and sighed.

"I am going to regret this... you better run Oxy!"
Trotting over to a tree holding an empty nest, she flicked up her heels
and kicked it so the nest fell from the tree with a crash.
The birds quite quickly left Oxy be.

Flattening her ears she gaped, what had she just done?
"Oops...maybe this wasn't a good idea..."
She turned and fled through the trees her tail streaming out behind her.
The birds following her.

Oxy just moved out of the way in time when a cloud of dust shot up, a resounding BANG! followed, not even a second after.
He looked up with wide silver eyes as Maple ran away with the bloody birds chasing after her. Oh no, this wasn't good.
And then there was that stranger..
Where was the stranger, anyway?

A black shape flashed in front of the birds, and kicked with her back legs up into the flock. Screeching of birds and alarmed sounds followed as a well aimed blow slammed two of them out of the sky. The birds were only kicked in the head, and apparently not hard enough to kill them, as they laid dazed for a few seconds, before getting up and flying off with alarmed noises.
The others swarmed angrily around Sun as she stood there with a irritated look on her face.
"Oh. Wonderful, aren't you. You've proven you can peck horses. A baby could peck something, you idiots. Go away now. Fly on.. into the sunset. Off you go. Sky. Goodbye."
The birds, who had seemed confused at the offenders lack of running, screeched a few things that, in bird language, could have been well-placed insults and soon flew away, leaving the mare, the cremello, and the gold champagne alone.

Sun sighed and shook her head a little as she followed Maple. "You need a hair-cut.."

Oxy looked at Maple with wide eyes and then back at Sun after they re-entered the clearing.
"O-Oh, hi there! Um.. Nice to meet you, um.. really. Even though this isn't the best place to be meeting people, you know. Ah, you understand, I think.." He grinned anxiously at the other Mare who just stared at him in return with a bemused look.
"Um.. Oh! and yes, love," he addressed Maple, glancing away from Sun. "I'm fine, perfectly fine, thanks to you. Just a few scratches. Minor wounds, really. Bloody birds, I told you they're evil! Attack everyone for no good reason, no good reason at a-all. Just to attack them. Bloody demons. That was very neat, um, too by th-the way. Kicking down a tree. Brilliant, love."

Sun had officially decided and carefully filed away that 'Oxymoron' talked.
A lot.

Maples ears flattened at cut.
As much as she disliked her hair from getting in the way at times
there was no way she would allow it to be cut short.

"I-it wasn't that much of a feat really..."
Maple glanced down at her hooves, her low self esteem pushing the compliment aside.
Her eyes flicked to Sun cautiously then back to Oxy.
She suddenly felt the glade was getting crowded and she let her mane fall over her eyes.

"O-Oxy, I need a word," She said finally peeping out from under her hair.
"You can wash your scratches while we talk," She added, "Don't want them getting infected."
She glanced at Sun, "Won't be a moment."
She trotted off toward the little pond.

Sun watched the two head off and flicked her ear slightly, then turned her gaze off into the surrounding woods. She wasn't going to be a overbearing must-see-wherever-they-go-person,
That was always annoying. Really, really annoying. She never understood why anyone would do that.
Didn't they understand people needed space? Ah, well. Water under the bridge, she supposed.
She would maintain guard over this field. And of course, she would get time to herself as a added bonus.
And that was wonderful, she thought, twitching a ear.

Oxy happily went after Maple, chit-chattering away as they went to the small pond.
"Of course it was, love! Do you see other people pushing trees over? Nope, I haven't even seen a Lyde push a tree down before! I haven't actu-actually seen Lydes, really hoping I don't. But st-still! Great job pushing trees down. Always a good quality in someone, pushing down trees. I admire that in p-people. Um, not rudely pushing them down of course but you weren't which is good love, very good. A-and yes, that's a good idea again, washing these little scratches. Bloody birds probably had rabies. Insane, bloody insane."

Oxy grinned at her. "Dead stick! No, that was a bloody tree love, you don't have to admit it though, it was obvious it was a tree. And you're smaller than a lot of people, and I bet they've never kicked down a tree! You should be proud about that, really.."
He passed her without realizing she looked anxious about the pool of water. He took a breath and plopped down into the water with a splash.
He returned to the surface quickly just as Maple began speaking. What did he think of Sun? Well, the stranger hadn't really said much, but she seemed alright, if she'd went and helped Maple get away from those bloody devils that everyone called birds. Damned creatures.

He began to answer when she went on. She could have done it when I needed looking after most, like when I almost drowned!
Blinking in surprise at the outburst he looked curiously at her, then at the water. But she wasn't done talking yet.
What was she sorry about, saying she'd almost drowned? Was this something people apologized for? He didn't know all of this bloody stuff.

Oxy got out of the pool and the muscles under his coat rippled in order for the water to slide down the skin, much like a dog would shake themselves off after getting in liquid, then peered down at his friend.
"I r-really don't think you have anything to be sorry about, not sure if that's what people do now, um, you know, apologize for telling people how they've almost died. I don't think s-so, but you know, could be wrong. Could be wrong. I-I'm fairly sure I'm right about that, though, just as a side point. forty-four percent positive. Almost all the way. I could be wrong about that too, I think it might be ninety-nine percent positive, but water under the bridge now. A-anyway, drowning sounds terrible love. You don't have anything to worry about now though, you know. And a-about the s-stranger, s-she's alright, I sup-suppose, a little on the creepy-esque side but all good!"
He flicked his ear and glanced around anxiously, which was normal for him. "Anyway, you ca-can tell me anything you want you know, not gonna tell anyone. Ol' Oxy won't give away your secrets. Nope." He looked back at her. "So! Um.. I don't know about you, but I have some good news: The bloody demons back there did not have rabies. I'm not foaming at the mouth or dying. Great thing, love."

"Err-what? No, no, I'm sort of glad I almost drowned, got cursed and what not-"
She froze. Her mouth snapped shut.
STUPID, IDIOT.
That wasn't supposed to have come out.
No, no, no. Maybe he didn't notice? Perhaps?

Quick change the subject!
Yes brilliant idea, couldn't have thought of a better thought myself.
Wait I did think that up myself...err...well...that just clarified that I'm stupid. Wait what am I doing?
Talking to myself in my head while Oxy process the fact I'm cursed!
Genius! Hurry up and change the subject!

"Uhhh-Last one back to the clearing is Lyde food!"

Really? REALLY? THAT'S THE BEST YOU COULD COME UP WITH?
Shut up tiny voice in my head, I was under pressure!

Maple whipped around and began galloping back towards where Sun awaited.
Her hooves ripping up the ground as she ran, her thin neck stretched out.

Yay lets all go running away from our problems. He was going to find out sooner or later.
I was aiming for later. Ugh, I just hope he doesn't get frightened of me.
He's gonna get frightened off when you start talking to air!

Oxy blinked in confusion. She was talking way too fast for his mind to comprehend, and then she ran off.
She was cursed? More interesting to him was the last comment about if you made it there last you would be eaten.
By lydes. Bloody hell-
"AAAAH SLOW DOWN I DON'T WANT TO BE EATEN BY LYDES THEY'RE BLOODY INSANE-"
He ran after her, glanced behind him nervously to make sure there were no Lydes chasing him, almost ran into a tree, and continued running in terror.

Sun raised her head and stared at the trees at a distant scream and the sound of hoof beats.
What the hell was going on? It sounded like Oxymoron who had screamed, not Maple.
Who knew what that idiot had gotten himself into.

Bushes and thorns whipped around Maples long slender legs.
Her tail snagged on a branch and a few of the long silvery strands were pulled out.
She winced; then pushed the pain aside as she burst into the clearing.

"Hi Sun! Just playing a bit of a game nothings wrong it's alright."
She babbled on nervously, "Err in case you were wondering that is."
She shuddered; and trotted over to the other side of the clearing.
Please Oxy don't ask questions, please, oh please forget.

She took her anger out on a small daisy that was blowing in the gentle breeze by glaring at it.

Oxymoron was barely a few seconds behind her. Instead of stopping however, he ran past the clearing.
"AAAH THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO COME AFTER ME NOW YOU'D BETTER RUN-" He was already past the clearing but continued talking. "- IN CASE THEY GO AFTER YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE INSANE BUT JUST UM NEVERMIND! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES."
He almost ran into another tree, instead, he trampled a bush and continued to gallop, truly believing his life depended on out running possible Lydes. He didn't even actually know which direction he was going, but bloody hell, he was going to get there and.. and do something before Lydes showed up.


Sun whipped her head around to watch the seeming crazy Stallion, who whizzed threw the clearing much too fast for her eyes to really concentrate on before he was gone, screaming something about running and Lydes coming after them.
If she wasn't mistaken, he was still saying something to them after he was already gone, since he had not stopped yelling after he had already hit the end of the clearing.
She just couldn't hear what he was saying, if anything, now.

She stared at Maple, then dryly with a tinge of sarcasm, she spoke.
"This sounds like a scary game," she let her legs shake ever so slightly. "Oh look, it's so terrifying sounding that I'm shaking."
The sarcasm ended, she laughed softly, "Honestly, whatever you told him has got your friend on the verge of a heart attack, Maple."