Mikhail had never seen stars before. His mother, at one point, had tried to describe them to him, as they nestled for warmth beneath the barren trees of the Lagoon one harsh winter. 'Little specks of white light scattered against a sky as dark as the sea. They glow, and glimmer, and sometimes, they fall.' He had always wondered how a star could fall from the sky - but he knew there were things in this world he would never know the answer to, and this was one of them.
After his mother's departure, he often remembered her words when night came and he found himself wishing he could look up to the sky. Or at least, he longed to hear the gentle tone of her voice lulling him to sleep, as she had all those years ago when he was still a spindly-legged foal. But many seasons had come and gone since then, and he knew there was no retrieving what the past had laid claim to.
On this particular evening, Mikhail found himself far from home, trying to ward off the homesickness that plagued him through the cold and lonely hours. The commons had been quiet through most of the night; although others lingered like he did, none had wandered his way. At least they served as a reminder that he was not completely alone here. Although most came and went without taking notice of him, he was used to it. His entire life had been spent living in the background, and so it was nothing new.
So when the steady thud of hooves on frozen earth came closer and closer, he was confused. Who, he wondered, would take the time to spy him among the grasses and trees? Unless of course, he was unnoticed. Fearing what might happen if another should stumble upon him unexpectedly, he stepped forward, head raised and opaque eyes fixed forward, hoping to appear less vulnerable than he actually was. "Hello?" He called, hoping to warn of his presence.