Riverfall

The Guardian's Dale

[WARNING: SPOILERS FOR STAR STABLE ONLINE'S MAIN QUEST] 

"It's been a long time since we went on a ride like this," said the stallion. I smiled; I could hear the jealous tone in his mind-voice just as easily as I could tell he was happy we were together again.

He wasn't wrong, though. With the activities of the Riders dying down for the moment, I took the time to grow my stables and rear my horses -- which were growing in number at an alarming rate at that, not that it bothered me. The more the merrier.

"You no longer need me," he continued, his long-suffering sigh rippling around his flanks, making my own legs wriggle in return. It was still odd to me to hear him speak so clearly in my head, but then, after so long with the others, it felt a bit pointless to be surprised. I'd met Starshine, after all, and more besides. A lot of things I didn't think were possible, were in fact commonplace in Jorvik.

I hadn't come to this island with the intention of involving myself in interdimensional conflicts, but, somehow, that's exactly what happened. Oh well.

"Not since you got that hussy to ride with..."

This time it was my turn to sigh. I only had myself to blame for somehow landing the most dramatic Star Horse in the bunch. I wonder what it said about myself, since, well, we had a similar personality, didn't we?

I did spend quite a lot of time with Sienna ever since she joined us. For some reason, Hawkblood was irrationally jealous of her -- more than of any of our other companions. I understood, in a way. I was very fond of Sienna -- Hawk might be my Soul Horse, and he was, make no mistake. He was a part of me. But Sienna had a large part of my heart. I understood her, felt for her, like I hadn't for any other horse. Maybe because of her past, maybe because she was so shy around other people...

"See?" he snorted. "You're thinking of her again."

I patted his neck. He was right, of course.

Sad, really, because Hawkblood usually welcomed every horse to our home -- as if he took a special pride in showing off the place and guiding them in the ways of being in the Rainwood herd, I suppose. I didn't presume to understand the way his mind worked, but somehow, he'd never bonded with Sienna. To be fair, she hadn't bonded with anyone really.

But that was a story for another day.

Right now wasn't the time to bicker. We were headed to the Guardian's Dale, a tradition we started together. It was a small way to honor Elizabeth's memory, and we figured it was a good reminder of what we were about to face -- what we went through, and what we would still face. It was easy to forget our fate when everything was good and calm, but being there...

Being there reminded us of what was at stake. What we fought for.

The camp was empty as we passed through it, just ash on the firepit. We trekked up the trail, slowing to walk as if to draw out that moment. For once, we were of a mind, lost in our memories, our minds melding together in that odd way only guardian horse and rider could.

Everytime we went up that mountain, I felt ill with the thought I could've died there and never seen him again. On reflex, I sank my fingers through his mane, threw my arms around his neck, the reins falling limply over the saddle (bad, bad, bad form, Alma).

I couldn't lose him. I couldn't.

He understood, like he always did, nosing my leg even as he didn't miss a single step. We knew this way so well, we could've navigated it blind, but still, there was a heavy presence there. Memories.

I hadn't known Elizabeth for very long, but still. It hurt to think of her.

Slow as we went, however, soon the statues were there before us.

And.

There was someone there.

Usually there was no one there when we visited, but that time... that one time... she was there, as if waiting for us. As if she knew we'd be there.