Against The Tide

Chapter One: The Letter

Cabin Arc

     A soft, cool breeze swept through the green blades of grass on the slanted hill. Despite the slightly cooler weather, the sun shined down brightly over a little manmade path that led up the hill. It seemed to be connected to a dirt path on flatter terrain that seemed to go on for miles along the trees in front, possibly leading to a nearby town. Leading up from the first path, a small log cabin sat in front of a thick forest of pine trees. It appeared to be quite isolated, with no other houses nearby.. There were several rocks in the ground, and a few rows of bellflowers planted right against the front of the cabin. There was also a short stone fence wrapped around the property, along with a little picnic table that sat just a few feet in front of the small structure. In the back, there was a small horse stable, with two stalls. One stall contained a beautiful blue roan mare with a black face, a white star on her face and a dark mane and tail. She bore a unique branding on her flank. It appeared to be an S with what looked like simply designed wings sprouting out of either side of the letter. The other stall was vacant, though clearly had been housing another horse at one point not too long ago going by the half-full hay basket and mostly filled water trough inside.

The property, at first glance, would appear vacant. Possibly even abandoned. However, there was a single resident living there. Sitting on the picnic table in front of the cabin was a young woman. She wore a soft, light pink cardigan and a white dress that went down to her ankles, resembling more of a type of nightgown. Her long jet-black hair was tied up in a beautiful ponytail, her bangs were long and she had striking dark blue eyes. Her right cheek bore an old but still notable scar in the shape of a slightly slanted line, right under her eye. Lastly, she wore a dark maroon scarf around her neck. It was old and a bit worn, but well taken care of.

The young woman was sitting quietly at the table, her hands holding a warm cup of tea. She seemed to be patiently waiting for someone's arrival. She glanced down, her expression a mixture of nonchalant and deep in thought. She was staring down a bit blankly at the splintered chips in the aged wood, which had lost its original color after some time in the weather. Although her expression appeared blank, she was lost in her thoughts.

Amidst the thick maze of tall pine trees, not too far down the path from the cabin, a large golden figure rushed through an abandoned trail with loud thundering hooves and growling snorts. Sun beamed through the pine's branches, leaving angelic trails of warmth sprawled throughout the trail. Up top the palomino mount sat a cloaked figure, hunched over in the saddle to allow its mount much more momentum. By the tension in both of their postures, the duo seemed to be in some sort of hurry, continuing to race towards a break in the trees. Beneath the worn fabric of the dark green cloak, the rider seemed to have a familiar set of black clothing accented by silver bands and rings. With only the racing breath of its mount, the two continued in silence, both keeping their glances locked forward.

When they finally reached the break in the trees, the rider pulled back on the horse's reins, skidding it to a full halt. The pale-faced horse bobbed his head and chewed frantically on the bit, shifting his hooves in the ground impatiently as his trimmed tail swished. As his bright blue eyes shifted to adjust to the sun, the rider seemed to fixate on the horizon, pinpointing specific geological features that would help describe where they were. He then reached in his saddle bag, unfolding a letter that had descriptions of the area he had arrived in.

"Easy..." his small muffled voice reassured as the rider turned the horse slightly, allowing his coat to shine under the bright warm sun.

Engraved on his neck were numerous dots and bars. This was a descriptive brand written only in the language few were able to read. On its hindquarters, there was a much more familiar brand. The wings of freedom remain carved proudly into the horse's golden coat, matching the same brand the blue roan mare had, as well as another few bars and dots, labeling the horse with more important information.