The Magical Herd

You continue through the hills, but it seems like there weren't any more Serians out here. As it started to get dark you got a little worried that you might be lost. As night fell, you were certain you were lost, you hadn't come across another creature for what felt like hours. On the positive side you didn't think there was anything out here to hurt you. As you were tired, you found a sheltered spot to curl up for a nap.

You woke to the sound of birds singing and the sun shining again. It felt like you'd been asleep a long time, more than days, more like months! You hoped it wasn't the case, your family would be worrying about what happened to you.

As you looked around, you realized you were not alone, a strange Serian was studying you with curiosity. You try not to make any sudden moves, those taloned feet looked dangerous!

"I didn't expect to find a human here..." the mare narrowed her eyes at first menacingly, then like as if she was trying to recall something. "There was a time when I had a home with a human I think...it was a long time ago, but that home was swallowed up by darkness..."

YOu make a sympathetic sound, hoping that it wasn't the mare who was the source of said darkness.

"SunBlind then found me, offered me a new place to live, where there would be other Serians...but she didn't mention humans."

You explain that you are just a visitor here, a very lost one.

"My name is Shadow. I seem to be lost as well as I haven't found any of these other Serians SunBlind spoke of."

You get up off the ground as it was clear that this mare was more frightened and lonely than dangerous. You tell her about the other Serians you encountered and suggest that you travel together to find them again. Shadow didn't seem to want to do that, her painful past was warring with her desire to not be alone again, even if the sun was bright and there wasn't a, well, shadow to be seen anywhere other than herself. In the end, she agreed to come with you.

The pair of you wander for a while unti a whinny could be heard in the distance. It didn't take long for the brightly coloured stallion to catch up with you.

With a flamboyant rear he skidded to a stop, a bit grin plastered on his face. Shadow scowled, she might have been looking for other Serians but this stallion who acted like a colt was clearly not to her tastes. He tossed his strange mane.

"At last! I was told there would be many Serians here but until now I haven't been able to find any. SunBlind told me it would be more interesting if I explored the Hills myself and find the herd on my own but I was beginning to think I was the only living thing here other than a few birds and bugs."

The dark mare relaxed a little. These two weren't going to be best buddies anytime soon but at least she sympathized with his loneliness.

"My name is Flash," he said and nodded as each of you took a turn introducing yourselves.

The sound of water splashing drew the attention of all three of you. Glancing about a little anxiously you decide to go investigate, the two Serians following. You didn't expect Shadow to be so cautious, and even Flash seemed to be one that would be driven by curiousity, but maybe being new to the Realm they didn't know what to expect. But you suspected...

And were right! In a wide stream there was playing another fish-taled Serian. You recalled that you'd be told they were all the offspring of one Serian named Harmony that did not live in the Hills but rather in the Serian homeland of Sionayra.

She was busily playing what looked like a game of tag with some fish when Shadow snorted in derision, causing the fish-tailed mare to dive under the water in surprise. She reappeared a few moments later, rising just enough to peer across the surface.

You explain she had nothing to fear, and at the mention of her half-siblings you'd met before she relaxed visibly and smiled. "I am called StarShadow. I just arrived here in this Realm after drifting in the dark waters of the void." The land-bound pair nodded knowingly.

Just then there was a furious bubbling of the water a short distance away from StarShadow. She drifted closer to the bank, avoiding the turmoil in the water. Then from the surface burst the head of another aquatic Serian

You only needed to catch a glimpse to know this was no descendent of Harmony. He was strong and fierce, no delicate fish tail on this one. He glared at the gathering, his tail thrashing in the in the water.

StarShadow let out a small cry of joy, which surprised everyone except the newcomer, who just snorted as she darted over to nuzzle his face. "I'm so glad you made it too Mystic!"

The two landbound Serians glanced at each other, putting their differences in personality aside. It was certainly an odd pairing those two. StarShadow noticed the confused looks and laughed. "Oh no, I'm already in a Circle, so it's not like that, no. It's just we found each other in the dark waters of the void, and while he's not exactly one in need of friendship, there is being a loner, and there's being well and truly alone. The void has that effect on Serians. I'm sure he can now go back to being his old, surly self again."

The warrior Serian still scowled but his tail had stopped thrashing. It seeemed he was indeed happy to be out of the void even if he was going to have to share the waters here with several other Serians. With a toss of his head, he leapt up and dove back down beneath the surface, not a word having passed his lips.