Nuru shuddered and glanced over his shoulder at his captor.

He could feel the scar on his rump twinging in the chill that settled over the forest. He spent his days exploring the forest, following the mare as she took her daily patrols around her border, and wondering how Jasiri was doing. He missed her. Guilt surged in him every time he thought about the shock and hurt on her face. He wished he hadn't been so scared. He was still the terrified little colt he was back in their old herd; nothing had changed now that he lived here.

The forest was just as beautiful and amazing as he imagined. His favorite pastime was finding all the nooks and crannies hidden throughout the trees. The lush vegetation kept him occupied as he nosed for grass and other fun adventures hidden within the strange new plants. But as much as he loved checking out the foreign greens, his favorite surprise was seeing a small critter crouched in the cover of the undergrowth.

But as the chill continued to creep over the forest as the days passed. He found himself shivering more and nosing for grass instead of adventures as the plants started to grow brittle and die.

He glanced back over at the dark caramel-colored mare again. If he had heard correctly, her name was Menkhet. She seemed fine continuing to live in silence and he was not brave enough to attempt striking up a conversation with her. He felt trapped and suffocated, and more of a coward than he had ever felt before. She was intimidating and absolutely everything he wasn't. He could tell she and Jasiri would get along, if they ever got the chance to meet. They shared so many of the same characteristics.

She had gotten closer. His heart started to beat faster in his chest, and he stared fixedly at a random point on the forest floor. Why did she keep him here? He risked another look over his shoulder and finally shifted his position so he could keep an eye on her as she grew ever closer. A sigh of relief escaped him once she stopped her approach, but he sucked it in again once she spoke.

He avoided her gaze and tried to come up with a response that would please her. "My name is Nuru," he stated quietly. "The forest is wonderful. It's the main reason I came to these islands." He stood silently, wondering and pondering what else he could say. He loved and hated the forest at the same time. His dream had turned into a nightmare he couldn't leave. "I'm sorry I trespassed, but, at the same time, I'm glad I did. This is possibly the most extraordinary place I've lived in." He nearly choked on the last few words. He wanted to see Jasiri, even though he knew she would be furious with his stupidity.