I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed______
___________'Cause you broke all your promises

It’s been a while.

Quite a few years ago now, there was the fire. No one even remembered how it happened, but everyone Asta knew was separated. For days it burned, until there was nothing left but the smoking, charred pieces of trees sticking out of the ground and a terrible smell that hung in the air for weeks. And the smoke, it burned everything. Her eyes, her lungs, her nostrils, it all stung every time she blinked or breathed. Asta was lucky, she had managed to escape without harm. Others weren’t, and she even saw a few very unlucky individuals when she dared to venture back in.

Her family has been disbanded in all of the panic. Balthazar was nowhere to be found, but she did eventually find her mother. Again, some were not so lucky. Izarra wasn’t one of the worst by any means, but her mother had gotten singed on her right flank, causing the golden color to be dark and blood stained, although the wound had begun to heal just a little thanks to the salt water that everyone ran into. They stayed together for some time, and Asta would go off some days, leaving her mother to go see if anyone else had resurfaced to their part of the island.

One day, Izarra was nowhere to be found when Asta returned. She called out. Nothing. At first she didn’t worry too much, but as time passed and her mom was still absent, she began to worry. Some time later, she wasn’t sure how long she’d been searching, something washed up on shore. There was no mistaking her mom’s dazzling color and unique scent. Racing closer, the sight what she assumed but still hard to comprehend. Izarra must’ve gone too far in the water and gotten thrown against rocks, because she was soaking wet and there was blood around her head. And there was no response. There’s nothing quite like seeing you mother, dead, and there was nothing you could do to help it. She was too young, it shouldn’t have happened.

But here she was now, back in her old home. She had stopped by the Meadow to see what was going on now, and met some new horses who she hoped would become friends. However, while she was there she heard about this “silver haired stallion” at the Peak. While she never knew her father much- it was a difficult time for him when she was born- she still remembered a few endearing things about him. No matter what would ever happen, her family would always be her family. Izarra, Balthazar, and Sandman (although she only saw him when he was very little) meant the most to her.

Hearing this news amongst the other things that trickled here and there from the Meadow, Asta went to the Peak next, not caring that the sun was beginning to dip by the time she arrived and soon the cold air around the mountain would send her looking for shelter for the night. The golden painted girl had never been to the Peak before, but it was long known that it was where the strongest mares ruled. Asta, like her mother, was always a romantic and wanted rather to find a traditional family, but there was no doubting it would be quite an interesting time getting to know any of the inhabitants here.

Cautiously, she stood at the border to the Peak. Not sure what the rules were here since she had been gone for so long. She raised her head to sniff the air, wondering if anything was familiar from her memory. Not sure if anyone would come around, she nickered, just a quiet sound so as not to alert any predators, hopefully, but if anyone else was around that they might also be curious enough to come forward. She stood straight on all fours, alert, eyes and ears flicking in every direction at the slightest sound. She was a little nervous with the encroaching night, but she was determined to see if the rumors were in her favor.



A S T A
Balthazar x Izarra; mare; 9; mixed; amber champagne sabino; 16 hh; played by mustang; html by shiva