The Magical Herd

Leaving the group of abandonned Serians you wander through the hills on your own. It wasn't long till you found a Serian mare doing the exact same thing as you. The chill in the air led you to suspect that she was from the Altar of the Arctic Winds.

She paused as you approached, perhaps a little nervous about your presence. You introduce yourself and try to appear as non-menacing as possible.

"I am Sky," she replied abruptly. She didn't offer any more information, not being one of the friendliest Serians around. As she waited for you to do something, she swished her tail about impatiently. Finally she stamped a forehoof, shook her mane and left you standing there.

You wondered if you'd offended her.

Soon, a small sweet voice caught your attention. "Oh, its really cold here!" she said softly.

Your turn to see a small zebra stripped mare. She looked up at you curiously with wide gentle eyes. "Did you make is so cold?"

You explain that Sky had just been here. You realize as she came closer that she was emitting a kind of warmth, you decided she must be of the Red Sands or the Eternal Sun. She seemed surprised.

"You know a lot about Serians!" she exclaimed in a child-like voice.

You smile and tell her about the others you'd met. Then you point out that you might know a lot, but you didn't know her name. She blushed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." She lowered her eyelashes in embarassment. "My name is Exotic."

You had the sensation of a penetrating gaze upon your back. Your turn around to face the sun, for a moment it's blinding and you're forced to put up your arm to protect your eyes. Something moved, the the light was blocked. At the top of the hill stood a Serian stallion, his eyes narrowed as he gave you a serpent-like look.

"That's Sting," Exotic said quietly, shifting closer to you in her nervousness. "He's a warrior, and not very nice. It's actually been told that he can be downright cruel. The rest of us avoid him, he's kind of creepy and sneaky, just like a snake."

The wind blew and it caused the poof of his mane to rise up a bit, like some creature raising its spines, or like a cobra spreading its hood. Yes, he was very much like a snake. The coldness in his eyes, his motionless form, even the way his tailed curled. And then he shifted and the sun came out in full force, making you blink back tears.

When you could finally see again, Sting was gone.

Instead, a purple mare lay in the grass. Or at least you thought she was purple until she turned her head and you realized that her left side was probably gray! She eyed you strangely, as if she couldn't make up her mind what to make of you...

"We are Polar," she said. You glanced about, wondering who else was there, but then you realized she meant herself but she spoke as if there were two of her. Perhaps there was! While you introduced herself she appeared to have a kind of argument within her own mind. Suddenly she got up with a lurch. "We suggest you try the other hill, perhaps that one over there. We have things we must do."

She then trotted off without a backward glance. How odd?