"If Love himself weep, shall not lovers weep,
learning from what sad cause he pours his tears?
Love hears his ladies crying their distress,
showing forth bitter sorrow through their eyes
because villainous Death has worked its cruel
destructive art upon a gentle heart,
and laid waste all that earth can find to praise
in a gracious lady, save her chastity."

An earlier version of herself would have clung to the Icelandic stallion, sucking in the kindness he offered and taking his words verbatim, trailing him like a puppy dog. She would have given him everything in return for the notion that he save her -- keep her hidden, tucked away from the evil ways of the world. But she'd grown colder since then, perhaps a bit wiser too. Trust no one, is what this world had taught her. Rely on only yourself. It was a numb and fruitless existence, but it was rational. It meant survival. No one could save her, nor anyone else for that matter, from that of which they could not control. The Inlet and Dogun were here now, but who knows for how long. Dogun was merely an animal, like her. One day the Inlet could be gone for good just like the Quarry, which broke off from Atlantis and was swept away into the sea. One day Dogun could disappear for good, a meal for a predator or something less heroic... Hell, an unfortunate step down a rocky path. There were no second chances. There was no greater good or spirit looking out for those made up of flesh and blood. You live and you die. What do you do in between is what you make of it, but it will never matter to anyone else but you.

The stallion takes her words literally, perhaps more seriously than she had initially conveyed, but it was the truth. She wanted nothing to do with the ocean anymore. However, she stared her greatest fear in the face every time she wished to leave Tinuvel. Macabre is startled by Dogun's sudden approach, but she does not stop him. She winces, her skin crawling at her withers and up her neck when she feels his touch at first. A chill runs down the length of her spine as she attempts to relax, but can't. Her muscles are frozen in place, tense and ultimately, awkward. "You cannot control the world, Dogun." She speaks, finally, cocking her small head toward him as his muzzle reaches her face. She shivers upon feeling the warmth from his exhales against her, but leans into it, craving it almost. The feeling was so foreign and so familiar at the same time. It made her feel like a child again, momentarily, like she was back in the marsh with her father. She nickers gently to him, almost involuntarily, and presses her forehead against his, closing her eyes for a moment as she attempts to regain her composure. "You cannot stop death from coming for my child."

Saying it out loud was worse than she initially imagined. She could feel the tears welling behind her eyelids, so she closed them more tightly, her breathing becoming heavy as she fought away the guilt and the ugly. It was the truth, the tragic, tormenting truth that loomed over her. It was K1A1 who finally made her realize. She'd known all along, but had pushed the worry aside, refusing to give in to it. But the brief interaction with another one of Dogun's herd was the nail in the coffin, so to speak. She could not deny what was coming any longer. Before long, The Reaper would come to collect on her debt and her son would take his last breathe.

There would always be something to fear.