Everyday was just another reminder of what Dragon had lost and what he had left. The winter passed slowly in the Falls, and each day that dragged by made Dragon wonder if he should simply let himself drift off into the ocean. The thought made him wonder if Kyuui had thought the same, or even attempted it. Perhaps her body was just a skeleton sunken in the mud, far below the ocean's top. The dark stallion shook the thought from his head by tossing his mane at the rough wind that blew across the snow. It was a cold day, but winter was supposedly going to end soon, if the seasons had not changed much in length since the stallion had last been at the islands. Dragon had never really minded the cold before, but now it seemed as though age had weakened him enough to the point where he could not enough a brisk wind. He hoped it was simply more rough now than it was in his younger days.

The dark stallion could not forget his chestnut son and he wondered constantly if the boy would ever join him. It would be nice to have some company other than the few horses that bumped into him or glanced his way. With a sigh and a glance at the rising sun, Dragon decided it was time to finish what he had mainly come to the Islands for. With a weak flick of his tail, the stallion raised his head from his light doze and gazed out more fully around him. Horses grazed and dozed like himself, though some moved about to stay warm. Taking a few slow steps, the Mustang lifted his head higher as another gust of wind blew into his face. He had carefully positioned himself so the island was right in front of him and with a slow plod he approached the ocean's edge.

Grass and dirt turned into gritty sand which would easily cling to him. With tentative steps, he moved into the cold water until half of his neck was submerged. He stare at the mountains in the distance until he began to move towards them, pushing away from the land beneath his feet to swim. The cold water washing over him helped power up his eager mood and soon his strides through the ocean were stronger. He was ready to return to his home, and the emotion he had for it was clear; he did not possess mixed feelings as he did when he thought about Kyuui.

The sun had dipped down from the top of the sky by the time the black stallion pulled himself onto the beach of his home. The Ridge still stood tall and proud, mountains stretching up towards the cloudy sky and groves of trees thrived easily. Even in the winter, he could see that they were healthy and strong. He stepped out of the water and started at a fast trot towards the familiar slope he would stand on, mountains growing larger behind it as he got closer. A sudden though struck him, and the black stallion stopped to stand with ears perked and swiveling. His nostrils flared and caught the scent of a stallion.

Someone new had claimed his home, and Dragon wasn't sure how to react.