Princess Of The Flame |Dota: Dragons Blood|

Part 9.

|Skylana|

We stopped for the night in the heart of a forest near the Enclaves. We must be cautious of the dangers that lurked within those woods. My father had told me of how dangerous certain tribes of Elves could be while others were peaceful.

I rested under one of the many tall trees, a small fire going to keep us both warm. Ava laid down at my side while nudging her head against my shoulder. I would only chuckle and rub her nose. If those men had managed to kill her back in that town, I would have lost my only friend left...

Ava was a strange horse from the start. She belonged to a horse farmer in a village my father and I were traveling through. The now mare was only a foal when we met. I remember my father was conversing with the farmer and his wife when I saw my horse. Her stunning black coat and blue eyes were what made me fall in love with her.

Of course, I had to pet the foal while my father wasn't watching. He had a horse of his own already and had shown me how to care for one. For everything he has done for me I am thankful. The sheer amount of joy I felt when he told me I could have her was unfathomable. If something were to ever happen to her, I don't know what I would do...

Leaning against my mare, I closed my eyes with a sigh. Ava moved her head away and would go still. She would sometimes sleep standing up, other times sleep while laying down.

My body would relax and I went to sleep.

~

The next morning, the fire had gone out and the sky was clear of clouds. It appears we are going to have a pleasant ride today. I stood up and stretched out my arms, grunting while doing so. Ava stood from her sleeping spot as well and shook herself off, whining and bobbing her head.

"Easy girl. Don't worry, we're leaving right now."

I picked some leaves out of her mane and climbed onto her back. She was clearly antsy about something and that worried me. Whatever she could sense that I could not must be close. We must be off anyways. According to the map, we should be nearing the dormant volcanic by late the next day.

With a whip of the reigns, my horse took off into a gallop. I would keep a sharp eye through the trees above and below for any possible threats to us. Predators, Elves, wild Dragons although unlikely. My eyes could not see anything out of the ordinary. But that never always meant you were safe.

Just then, I saw a puff of black mist pass through the treetops and vanish. My eyes widened and I immediately pulled back on the reigns. Ava whinied loudly and stood on her hind legs, stomping her hooves down. Looking around for the black mist, it was nowhere to be seen.

I had never heard of such a thing from anyone. Had my eyes been playing a trick on me? Was what I saw real? My mares ears were flat and she stomped her hoof. Someone or something was here, she could sense it. I trust her word.

"Who's there?" I called out.

There was no answer. They were hiding.

"We mean you no harm, I only pray to Mene that you let us pass through."

I heard a tiny gasp come from a tree to my right, looking towards it.

"I know you are there, you don't have to hide from me."

The leaves would rustle in the tree, a figure peeking out from behind the trunk. It was a girl. Her braided hair was white and her eyes a beautiful blue. She looked to be no older than myself truthfully. The girl dawned a black cloak that covered her ears, but I knew she was an Elf. A peaceful one, otherwise she would have attacked.

"Was it you who was following us?" I ask.

She nods.

"What is your name?"