Dawn broke the horizon at last and Black Heart Machine stands with her head pointed to the east, a look of proud exhaustion on her face. It had been an endless and trying night, none of which she’d spent sleeping. Instead the Vulcan Thinker had made the long trek to the Forest, where a stallion called Lyden deemed himself king. She knew Skylar would be there, having recently left the Peak after giving birth to what she could only assume were Lyden’s children. Yes, children. Twins, in fact. The shrill cries of childbirth were unmistakable, and sent a chill down Machine’s back when she had first heard them—reminding her of her own experience bringing twins into the world when she was a much younger mare.

Granted, she did not claim to know Skylar’s circumstances—specifically how she came to be pregnant, or her thoughts on the pregnancy—but what Machine did know was that making the journey from the Peak to the Forest after giving birth to twins was both dangerous and unfair. Thus, the Akhal-Teke mare took it upon herself to make sure that Skylar and her foals made it to the Forest in one piece, following them under the cloak of night. It was only when she arrived there, that the thought of stealing her away from Lyden crossed her mind. The opportunity was perfect, and so she took advantage. Her hope for Skylar was that by leaving Lyden's herd and becoming a Vulcan she might feel less burdened. At the very least, she could certainly benefit from a myriad of strong women watching her back.

Speaking of which, Black Heart Machine had not seen many others besides Skylar and Impazienza roaming about the Peak. Flicking her tail casually, she looked out across their stronghold for any sign of them, making herself available to anyone who might want a word with her.

BLACK HEART MACHINE