M A G N U S
 ELEXZRA and Magnus were not so different. They both seemed to be hiding their exhaustion from one another, though the black mare did a much better job. The spotted boy listened carefully as she spoke, telling him the meaning of their daughter's name. "I like that" he mused, with a soft and contemplative smile. There was a part of him that was surprised by her choice of name given her own thoughts on companionship. He hoped the girl would live up to her name and that some of it might rub off on Elexzra. While he somewhat enjoyed her some of her abrasive nature, he couldn't help but think she might be happier if she let her guard down and gave others more of a chance; they might pleasantly surprise her.

THE black mare seemed to notice his discomfort and to his surprise, tried to block some of the wind's chill. Perhaps she was a lot softer than the defensive walls she put up or more likely, she just wanted him to recover so that she could finish the job without giving any credit to nature. He was pleased when she agreed to his suggestion to relocate and quickly (as quickly as he could manage), limped towards the thicket. He kept a close eye out  for any signs of danger but they appeared to be safe for now.

THE bite of the wind faded in the midst of the tall pines. Magnus' blue eyes looked out at the area around them while the black mare and their daughter settled into grass. When his gaze fell back to the pair, Amity was almost asleep but Elexzra seemed to be fighting it despite her now obvious exhaustion. "How are you feeling?"

ONLY THE STRONG WILL SURVIVE