Skylar had not thought her reunion with Lyden would be short but she had packed her bags nonetheless and had brought her children back with her to the Peak where they had been born. Just as before she had taken her time, allowing the girls to rest upon the shores of the other islands along the way until the mother and two children had finally reached the Crossing. Unlike last time Skylar did not stop as she had done upon the Forest shores but instead had climbed the Mountain as she followed the fading scent of Black Heart Machine. Skylar had never heard of the mare before but the Vulcan had for some reason chosen her to steal and the painted woman was curious as to why.


The climb up the familiar trail was much easier this time than it had been last time with the added weight gone from her limbs. But Skylar took the rough trail slow anyhow due to the two children she led up the mountainside. Moonshine was doing fine and even seemed about to burst with energy. The little girl was so adventurous and appeared more capable of the travel that Skylar was. But the painted mare was more worried about her other child, Meradith and the weakness that the mother had shared with her daughter.


Finally when Skylar reached the Peak’s higher ridges, the mare stopped to rest. Her breath came out heavily but her eyes were bright as she looked around for the black figure that could only be Black Heart Machine. Skylar’s body appeared rough with her flanks sunken in and her ribs starting to jut out from the wear those twins was taking on her body. But she would not leave them, not even one, in the care of another woman. If she brought them into this world then she was capable of taking care of them.


Finally Skylar spotted the dark mare and began to make her way over to the warrior woman. The painted mare appeared calm and even curious as her ears stayed forward and her eyes studied the aged face of the Vulcan. “Sister” Skylar greeted when she had reached the other mare. “It is good to be home again. But tell me, why did you bring me back?” she asked.