dARKNESS, dARKNESS

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."

Maple watched with a blank look on her face at Oxy as he ran away screaming.
Well her plan had worked. A small smile played around her lips knowing this.

Maple looked up at Sun leaving the poor daisy she was glaring at to go on...
doing whatever it was flowers did.
"Huh? Oh, it was just a race back to the clearing and I said the last one to get
back would be eaten by Lydes, sorta...yeah..."
Having realized what she'd said; having a bad effect for the second time
that day! Her eyes widened.

"OXY! THERE ARE NO LYDES!"
She flicked up her tail and began chasing after him.
"Oxy! It was just a game! Slow down before real Lydes come out and get us!"
Her back leg trembled slightly from it's wound.
"OXY GET BACK-OUF!"
Her leg gave way, deciding it had had enough running for the day.
She crashed onto the forest floor with a loud thud.
"Oww..." Today was awful. Twice she'd fallen over, twice she'd said something
she shouldn't have.
Idiot. Stupid. Stupid Idiot.
She lay on the ground not bothering to get up and let a little tear slide down her cheek.

Sun came up behind Maple, and helped her to her hoofs. She gazed off at the trampled earth beneath them, where Oxy had ran off to, then flicked a ear. That wasn't good, if he ran too far, he could end up in the darker shadows of Lyde territory. And he was stupid enough to get himself lost, as well. He'd never be able to find his way back.
She sighed, looked at Maple grimly, and gave her thoughts on the matter.
"You can't run, and unless you plan on running and tripping all the way there in great agony, then we're going to have to walk there. I'm not leaving you to chase after the idiot, and I have asthma. I don't know if you've heard of it, but if I run too long, I can die because I can't breathe. Terrible." She flicked a ear, and continued. "The bad news, If he goes too far, he's going to wander up into Lyde territory, and night has to come around sometime. He's too stupid to find his way back here on his own. The good news, He's left a good enough trail for us to follow. And finally, we're going to go now."
She finished speaking, and briskly headed off at a slow trot in the direction of where Oxy had gone.

Arabians are known for great endurance, the Voice in her head chimed.
Stamina and toughness are features that define a Arabian Horse, this trait is most likely earned from their ancestry in deserts Without looking back, she spoke again.
"I just thought of some good news and some bad news again. In this case, the bad and good news is your Arabians. Which means the little idiot could keep going for a while. It also means you can probably keep going at this pace even with that injured leg for quite some time without a rest. If you don't trip too much on your mane." She added lightly as a tease.

--

Oxy meanwhile was still running, and even though he was the one causing branches and the like under him to crunch, he screamed every time one did, in fear of it being a Lyde. The land around him was getting more and more unfamiliar, but he didn't notice. He was too busy running and screaming for that.

Maple murmured a thanks to Sun as she helped her rise, though she could have stayed there all day.
Her leg trembled slightly and she whimpered quietly.

Maple followed behind Sun like a little child.
Her lower lip trembled slightly, she wanted to sob.

Stupid idiot. Hey this could be your new nickname.
if I could find a way to shut that voice up in my head...
Oh Oxy, what have I done? If anything happens to you...

Maple whimpered again slightly at the thought of the stallion being ripped to pieces
by the big lizard-things.

Please, please be alright.

Sun glanced back at Maple, then sighed. "Maple," she began, then hesitated.
"I know he's your friend, but if you look at it as if it's your fault he ran off, then you're not going to be much use to him because you'll be too busy wrapped up in guilt. Just some advice, you know.." She went back to following the crumpled brush and broken sticks under her hoofs.

--

Oxy was already miles away from the clearing, when he glanced back to see if there were any Lydes chasing after him and ran smack dab into a gnarled tree with a smack. "OW- Bloody tr-"
He dazedly looked around and noticed that he didn't recognize anything, and that there were no signs of Maple or the black stranger, what was her n-name? Ah, Sun.

He also noticed there was no clearing anywhere around him and it was going to eventually turn to night.
His eyes widened slightly anxiously and backed up only to accidentally trip on a log and clumsily stumble then fall down.
Wincing he stayed there, trembling faintly with fear. What had he gotten himself into this time?

Maple disappeared under her mane slightly. Though she stopped sulking.
Sun was right she had to go find Oxy before the lydes found him first.
Her hooves crunched on the trampled bushes and plants as she followed Sun along the path.

She contemplated the thought of calling out to him.
Though, that could give them all away to the revolting creatures.
Hopefully they wouldn't run out of light before they were back safely in the open clearing.
This thickly wooded forest was blocking out the sun light, usually she would be delighted to be in the dark.
For once, she feared being without the light of day.
Shame you didn't roll in that garlic. The scent of fear might have been masked.

"H-how far do you think he's gone?" Her little voice whispered to the dark shape the wandered just ahead of her.

Sun glanced around, her pupils widened to take in more light, and she sniffed the air, tasting it to test if there were any Lydes in the area. She couldn't scent anything but the cool scent of moss and damp dirt.
She'd never been one to be afraid of the prospect of fighting, and in this, the thought that a group of Lydes could attack them at any moment did not phase her in the least. She'd been too much for that to affect her.

Battles had begun to be what she lived for. The thrill of surviving, of winning. It satisfied her.

A ear swiveled to listen to what Maple said, while the other twitched in different directions like a sonar, listening for any sounds that could be abnormal in this forest, besides the chirp of birds overhead, and the buzzing of insects.
"I don't know." She said bluntly, "He could be miles ahead of us by now. You never know, but he was traveling fast."

Maple took a deep breath. This was going to take forever.
And by then her legs might have given in.
Flattening her ears she began to pick up the pace; they were loosing daylight.
She created this mess and she would fix it.

Extending her lanky limbs she peered down the track.
Eventually he would have run into something, would he have kept going?
Probably...who knows he might have run beyond the borders of the Lydes territory into the world again...
One thing Maple was sure of; she would never play that 'game' again.

"Ugghhh..."
The weird groan escaped her lips. This was taking far too long.
"It would be so much easier if we could call out."
She pressed her ears further back and they swiveled slightly to catch any sounds that might drift from the shadows.

"Ugh!"
Maple picked herself back up, snorting irritably, after having once again tumbled down.
Maybe Sun was right, she should get her hair cut shorter.
She tossed her head back, sending her mane cascading so it hung over her shoulder, falling gently to sit where it couldn't get stepped on.

Doesn't talk much, does she? A bit of a change from Oxy...

The sound of the the mares crunching hooves on twigs annoyed Maple.
It was too constant. Snap, Snap, Snap.
If they went on any longer this she was positive it would drive her mad.

"Oxy!"
She couldn't take it anymore.
It might be there only chance to find the stallion before it got too dark.
Her call rang out loudly through the trees.
The lydes will probably find us now. If they're not already here...
Oh well I had to do something.

"We are never, ever going to find him are we?"
Maple whispered softly to the creatures of the dark. There were a few figures slipping silently through the trees.
Not lydes, but perhaps some of the lydes previous meals.

They stared at her wide eyed, their lips not moving as if shocked she could see them.
Maple sighed, she wasn't expecting them to answer anyway.
They didn't converse with her often, not unless she spoke directly to them.
Often it was mindless chit-chat. They just walked around as if they were eternally lost.

The ghouls stopped and raised their heads looking up the track.
There was something coming.
Maple froze. Her muscles rippling, not just one, but at least another judging by the sound.
Flash backs of attacks from lydes flashed in the back of her mind.
"Sun, we need to hide."
Her voice hushed, it could only just be heard, hopefully Sun had caught it.
She was trembling now, silently she slipped off the track and into the scrub.
Hiding in the shadows, back into the comfort of the darkness.

Finally came the reply from the dead.
A single word that made her stomach lurch and her heart skip a beat.
"Run."

Sun frowned, glancing at where Maple went off to, then at the area to which the noises came.
She steadied herself, and remained still, her black shape melding into the shadows, disappearing, blending.
The darkness of her coat for once helped her under the canopy of the trees.
She waited, patiently.

The tall, elegant mare stepped into the clearing, her glowing eyes flicked over the area and locked on a shape of another horse. They whirred, focused, she snorted softly.
Oxy came out after her, looking around in a clueless manner. "Where are the-"

The black shape moved and Sun was visible, glaring at Caroline, then glancing unsurely at Oxy. "Who's this?"
Her tone held fake politeness.
Oxy had brightened and looked at the black stranger, Sun. "Oh! She's um.. er.. Nevermind that, where's Maple?"
He looked around for his companion worriedly.

Caroline smiled in a chilly, but diplomatic way, staring down at the Quarter Horse.
The processors had already told her what breed and what most likely of an age the Mare was.
"There's two of you? I'm sorry, let me introduce myself." Her eyes scanned the darkness, trying to focus on another shape, trying to find any source of warmth to indicate a body.
"..My name is Caroline."

This was going to be a game of hide and seek.
Only the hidden decided she never wanted to be sought.
Oxy had reappeared with another.
There was something strange about this horse.
It didn't take long for her or the others to figure that out.

It was preoccupied with Sun. This would be her only chance.

"Come quickly, it will seek you out."

Maple gulped, and regrettably turned and followed the ghouls into the forest.
They walked around her silent, cold shapes of despair.
There were horses of all ages, even a foal.
It was so small and frail, it must have died an hour old.

The spirits stood still until they slowly faded into the shadows.
Maple began trembling once more in fear. She could hear the voices coming from where she had left Sun.
She shut her eyes tightly, trying to escape the world for a few mere minutes.
She pushed against the side of a tree and there was a small crack of a twig as she set down her hoof.

Caroline's ears twitched and moved, and she sniffed the air, ignoring the glaring retort from the Mare who introduced herself as Sun. The Quarter Horse had insulted her about not asking your name.
"I think I know where your other friend is," she purred in a chilly voice, Sun said something under her breath and the trio went off, following Caroline's tall shape.

Yellow light flooded the shape of Maple, in Caroline's case, it flooded the Cremello mare and again, whirred, observing, she smoothly and with a fake sweetness directed her next words towards the Golden Champagne next to her.
"Look there, It's your.. little, friend.." The insult again, was veiled, and Oxy happily bounded forward to Maple.
"Oh hi there love! Look there's a new horse her name is Caroline, she helped me and now we probably should go back to that clearing. You know, because she said there's probably Lydes around here. Just a thought. You don't have to, of course. But it'd most likely be a wise choice. I'm not trying to force you, by the way, It's completely optional, forcing is not wanted or preferred by any means. Ah- and by the way, love, I think you might have mistaken something for those Lydes, didn't see a thing all the way here." He peered at her cheerily.

Caroline stared down at the other horses, now observing the Cremello with curiosity, the [REDACTED] Champagne seemed to be close to. Perhaps, the bumbling Stallion had met this one first, and had therefore developed a closer friendship to them, then this.. rude Black one.
She filed it away in her memory.
This would be so, so.. useful.

"Run, run, run!"
The hiding spirits scattered as if Caroline could see them.
Maple stood glued to the spot, frozen in utter terror.
Her brain screamed for her legs to work, to move, even walk away.
To follow the ghouls into the darkness.
But her long limbs stood their ground holding firmly until the giant mare was standing over her, they trembled.
Now you work you stupid legs!

Dainty hooves, scrambled backwards, ramming her rump into a tree.
Maple winced with displeasure as wood meet bone and tensed muscles, there was a gentle thud.
Then Oxy came forward, she avoided his gaze and stared at Caroline.
What is so odd about her. She's not natural.
Get me out of here.

Still not daring to look at him she lifted her head slightly her ears pinned far down so they disappeared under a sea of
hair. "C-can we go home now?"

Wide blue orbs looked up at Oxymoron,
"I-I-it's not com-ing with us i-i-is... i-it?"
Her hushed voice managed to stutter.

Oxy blinked in concern, although he kept his cheery attitude. "Of course, love, you look sick. We should get you h-home now, of course.."
Confused at her last comment, he answered her unknowingly. "Who? What thing? N-Nevermind,"
He looked at Sun. "C-Can you lead us back to the clearing? Please? And oh, Caroline! That was your name, right? Might as well bring you along since you helped so much!" He cheerily followed Sun, who mumbled something and headed off at a brisk pace.

Caroline nudged Maple on behind them, her movements were smooth and gentle as her voice, any malice was hidden expertly from her. "Come now, little one, along with your dear friends.. Poor thing, you must have had a terrible time.. What's your name?," Her tone was sweet and gentle, the whirring from her optical units was heard faintly.

No, no, no! Not to the clearing don't bring it! No, no, no!
Maple had no choice, it was either go or be eaten by the lydes...
She grumbled and slowly moved forward with the nudge from Caroline.

"M-my name?" A sudden buzz of activity stirred in her head.
She flicked up her head her nostrils flared slightly.
"I think you know what it is already, you might have caught it by now if you'd been paying attention."
A small flicker of her Arabian blood boiled as if giving her name away would kill her.
"If your ears hadn't picked it up, it's Maple."
Her voice was now strong and fierce, it soon faded though and she returned to her shell, trying to hide away from the fearsome mare.

Maybe I am just sick and those silly ghosts were just frightened of nothing...
Perhaps that wound is infected...
Ugh! I don't know I want to be alone. Today is too much...

Maple trudged behind the group trying to stay as far away from Caroline as possible.
Her long mane flowed gently back, she was thankful for that, at least she wouldn't step on it.
The trip home was always shorter and it wasn't too long before a faint scent of familiarity reached her keen nose.

Caroline narrowed her eyes slightly, black, smooth metal surrounded the glaring pinprick of light as Maple went on ahead of her, trying to stay away from her. Anger pulsed her veins, twisted her vocal cords into a cold, metallic tone. "Of course, I must have been preoccupied with all of the finding you to notice." The undercurrent of surprising anger left, and her eyes returned to normal. Her voice changed back to the gentle purr.
"..I'm sorry, I'm just very.. tired."

Oxy bounded ahead of the others and burst into the clearing, looking around happily, then shrinking away from a group of birds pecking the ground, which, was startled by him, and flew off into the trees with squawks and screeches.
"A-Ah yes, there you go, flying.. on away, like g-good little birds, thank you."

Maple followed Oxy into the clearing her ears swizzling to see what Caroline would do. Oh well,
if anything were to go wrong she had Sun. Maybe it was a good thing the black mare had shown up when she had.

Turning her to the side she stared at Caroline with suspicious eyes, "Perhaps if you are tired you should rest."
Though her eyes held suspicion she kept her voice as sweet as it usually was.
"You never know when we may have to run for lydes. Being tired around here isn't a good thing."

She let herself relax slightly feeling comfort from the familiar sights and smells. Her muscles rippled and she shook her body, sending her long hair flying about in all directions. It was a good thing they had gotten back when they had the sky was becoming visibly darker through the tree tops, a few small stars began to scatter themselves over the multicolored sky, waiting for the sun to fully set.

Standing under a tree she watched with inquisitive blue orbs gazing over the glade, pondering if she should tell Oxy that there were never really any lydes. That it all had been a game. Just an excuse to get out of something she wanted to keep a secret.

Perhaps not, somethings are better kept to yourself.

Caroline sniffed slightly, looking around the clearing. It wasn't much, of course, what could she expect from lower life forms as this? "I appreciate the concern," she cooed coldly, "And then delete it, [REDACTED]."
She walked over to Oxy, and looked at her prey with her odd yellow eyes. Then continued in a more gentle voice, deciding to use the obvious fear of birds, and then increase it by four percent.
"You'd better be careful," she said, worry coating over her tone like the hard outside coating of some candies, "Those birds look dangerous, wouldn't want them to alert their masters around here. You know, the Lydes.. Oh, did I say Lydes? I meant, other birds.." She walked off into a corner of the clearing, but did not graze.

Oxy looked petrified at the birds, then slowly backed away. Damned bloody creatures he'd told everyone they were evil.

The cremello mare swished her long tail and rolled her eyes.
She needed some quiet time. Alone time. Yes that'd be good...
Perhaps she should stay can't leave Oxy alone with this...horse.

What was it that made her so different. She smelt odd, she looked suspicious and she acted strange.
Maple slipped through the shadows; if Sun was here to protect her perhaps she could help calm her nerves.

Emerging from the shadows she stood next to Sun silently, her gaze stuck to Caroline; watching, waiting for something to happen. As if the mare would suddenly grow claws and rip them to shreds.

"I'm not one to judge; but she is different isn't she."
It was the first sound she'd made since coming out of the shadows to stand near the black mare.
Letting her ears lie back slightly she flared her nostrils with frustration trying to figure out what was wrong the newest mare to their group.

Sun twitched a ear in Maple's direction, sweeping her gaze across the clearing, then settling back on Caroline. She nodded slightly, observing the other horse, and now turned her attention to Maple herself.
"It's not just you," She said, with a twitch of irritation in her tone, "She's not. She doesn't even speak normally. And look at her face." A ear absently twitched in the direction of Caroline, and she lowered her voice. "Those black lines. They aren't something you'd see on a normal horse. Ha, normal. You understand, though, It's not like this place isn't full of strange horses, but she's stranger."

The little mare gave the black mare a small nod.
"Yes...I know what you mean. At least most of the horses around here are..."
She tried to search through her vocabulary for the right word to explain the odd mare.
"Natural."

That was the word. Natural. Caroline was not natural... What ever it was about her it was not created by nature.
No something was oddly different about this mare. "What ever it is, I don't want to be near her."
She whispered mostly to herself, her voice so hushed it would only just reach Suns ears.
That was, if she was listening. Stepping back she merged into the shadows once more and stalked around the clearing in silence, taking care to only place her hooves on soft ground; so as they wouldn't make a sound. Blue orbs watching this new mare, whose hair was like flames. Bright, dangerous and in some way very pretty. She glanced at her own hair, entangled in twigs and burrs, yet unnaturally long and thick. She backed away into the shadows furthermore. Perhaps the darkness would give her a bit of protection from unwanted eyes.

"Should have run..."
A cold strange voice made Maple shiver in fear. After a moons of getting used to voices of the dead she was never going to be used to them. Nor the presence of them either. "I tried to run, and hide, I couldn't," She whispered back in reply.
"All too well, shouldn't have brought it here."
"That wasn't my decision!" She snapped back. The ghoul looked taken a back only wanting to help. It nodded curtly and turned away vanishing into the darkness. The cremello sighed, and closed her eyes.

Caroline hummed For he's a jolly good fellow, but the normally happy song's notes were twisted, not wrong, but twisted. They made the song sound creepy, although the underlying original remained in tacked.
She felt eyes on her, and she turned her head, her eyes whirring, everything turned into greens, reds, yellows and oranges. Her eyes found a source of heat, and her eyes focused in that direction, zooming in as the colors faded from her vision.
She then glanced around the clearing, and back at the spot.
It'd of had to have been the little Cremello, the bratty Black mare and the anxious, ridiculous idiot were still here.

She considered going to have a little chat with the cremello.

Moving about slightly Maples hoof landed in something with a little splash.
Leaping almost a meter in the air she burst forwards with such speed, anything in her way would have been knocked over.
When she had steadied herself once more she winced and looked back, a little puddle...
Just a puddle nothing to be frightened of...J-just a puddle.
She nodded at her own thoughts trying reassure herself. Stepping over to the little puddle she watched as the ripples slowly diminished and the surface became clear and smooth once more. A young mare stared back at her with wide blue eyes, a small leaf dangled from her mane. Ah-perhaps for once water would be useful. Careful not to get her hooves wet once more she began to pick out the undergrowth that had woven itself into her hair. It wasn't an easy job, nor a nice one, but when she had finished and looked back into the puddle she smiled.