PERSEPHONE

Persephone watched her friend with concern as she stood there, frozen. She could not tell what was going on inside Evren’s mind, but she guessed that it was something troubling. Persephone was quiet and patient, and eventually a mutter came from the mare’s lips.

Her statement was quite correct. Although they had only parted from the sea’s cool grasp a few minutes earlier, Persephone could already feel pinpricks of sweat threatening their way across her body. The air, hot and dry, even felt strange in her lungs. It was a far cry from the lush climate of the Forest.

Persephone nodded I agreement, but said no more to distract Evren as she set their pace and direction, with growing confidence it appeared. The sandy ground soon turned had and stony beneath their hooves, put Persephone pressed on beside her companion without complaint.

At her question, Persephone turned her gaze to the ground, scouring the land ahead of them, but the earth was so hard and dusty any impression made must have been cleared almost immediately. She shook her head, careful not to look disheartened for Evren’s sake.

“Good idea,” she replied, as they made their way towards the water source. A smart thinker, even in a crisis.

Persephone was reluctant to talk much as they walked – there was little encouragement or comfort she could give without repeating herself, and she got the impression that Evren was focused on their search. Instead, Persephone fixed her gaze on the horizon, watching out as, eventually, the oasis came into view – a small flash of green and blue against the desert. Her ears went forward as she watched it carefully. After a moment, a flicker of movement caught her eye. She squinted a little, trying to make out if that was a figure she saw by the water, or the shadows of the sparse shrubbery playing tricks on her eyes.

“I think I see someone…”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh