It had been several lonely weeks since Kasabian had disappeared from the Ridge and what was left of his herd had slowly drifted apart. Marlena had hung around for a while, hopeful that he might return, but once another stallion began to take control of the territory she knew that it was time to go.

She had had enough with settling for whoever came along next when her first choice had let her down, and the time had come to make a change. She no longer had Kendry at her hip, and so she was free to wander as she had once done so freely and so widely. Her time on the Crossing had been refreshing, but she was out of practice and she had struggled to make friends.

Marlena had contemplated going to look for Kendry in the Lagoon, but she didn’t want to burden him with her troubles unnecessarily. Once she had sorted herself out, she could tell him all about it properly and laugh at her own foolishness, but until then she wouldn’t bother him. Besides, it was hardly impressive to have your mother show up unannounced in front of all the other colts and stallions in the group.

And so she had made a decision: she would go to the Peak.

Marlena didn’t know much about the Vulcans, she reflected as she looked up at the steep, rocky ground that lay before her, but she knew that if she joined them she would no longer have to rely on a single horse to provide the stability she wanted in her life. She did not mistrust men, but all the ones she had met so far had let her down in one way or another, and the mares she had lived with so far had not been much of a constant or even interconnected group.

It would be nice, she hoped, to spend a little time with her fellow woman.

So she began the climb, moving slowly but steadily, her huge hooves uncertain on the uneven ground but her strong legs determined to pull her upwards. There was no one at the very bottom of the mountain, but Marlena hoped that she would run into someone as she made her way up.

CLYDESDALE MIX / SMOKY CREAM & BIRDCATCHER SPOTS / 18.0HH