She screamed into the night when at last she just could not take it anymore. The entire time she had tried to stay by Ailill and Roisin, had tried to obey, tried to put on the brave face Siobhan had when the mare was forced into the waves. As the night started to climb, the filly gave into her helpless anger. For the first time ever she screamed at Ailill and did not even feel bad at the look of deviation on his face. She turned away from all of them and galloped through the thick green trees of her home. She ran blindly until the sand of the beaches forced her to stop. Even there, she screamed again, her head flying and small hooves pounding heavily into the ground. Her thin chest heaving, she glared into the rolling waves as though they had been the ones to do this to her.

Frustration consumed the young body completely, there was no room in her heart for more than one emotion at a time. This was the second time a mother had been taken from her and she had been left behind. She had Ailill and Roisin, but it was still different. It had been Siobhan’s face that had come from the mists to bring her here, and it was Siobhan’s face that she could remember instead of the white features of her mother. Unable to scream again, Akadi choked back a sob. The waves crashed, she swore she could almost see Nereid’s face in the froth, but it turned to Siobhan’s smiling features instead. No… come back… the lost filly whispered, her voice engulfed by the water. Tears dripped from her chin, adding themselves to the salty sea the spread over the horizon before her. She did not know what to do, or how to handle the surge of emotions that overwhelmed her. All she knew was she wanted the only mother she had ever known back and she cursed all that had taken the mare from her.

Clenching her teeth, her breath quickened again. With a glance behind, her heart pounding, she sent a silent apology to Ailill and stepped hesitantly forward.

This was the only time her resolve nearly broke. There was something about facing the deep water, alone, that made her pause. As if something she did not know she knew warned her of the danger, but also of the exhilaration. Smothering her fear and trying to recall her driving anger again, the young filly took bold steps forward. She was going to find a way to get Siobhan back, even if she had to do it herself.