PERSEPHONE

Persephone took no notice of Warsaw’s words. This was no time for clever quips or terse words. Sabran had been born almost a month ago, and thanks to a smooth and uncomplicated birth Persephone was recovered and fighting fit, save for the heaviness of her milk. This was the time to fight.

Her teeth clipped the skin on Warsaw’s face before they collided, the wind leaving her body with a grunt of pain. In her peripheral vision, Persephone saw Evren lunging for Warsaw’s other side. If she had had time to consider her, Persephone might have noted how good it felt to have her companion fighting at her side, more united than ever as they railed against their common enemy.

As it was, however, Persephone could barely keep up with who was joining the fray whilst defending herself. Horses seemed to appear from every shadow beneath the trees, to melt in and out of existence as quickly as the leaves that drifted down from the canopy above. Some she recognised as friends, others enemies – some, she didn’t recognise at all.

The chaos was overwhelming. It made Persephone’s ears pound, and her mind felt numb. Everything felt far too out of control.

Then some instinct – survival, fear, love, she wasn’t sure which – snapped her focus back to reality and she reached out with another snap at Warsaw’s neck as he barged past her. She turned to watch as he began to charge away. Instinctively, she took a step forwards to follow him, but her sense of duty turned her gaze back to the chaos ensuing around her.

She saw Rougaru launching himself at Evren, trying to sink his teeth into her painted skin. Fury ignited inside her with a powerful surge. Again, if Persephone had had the opportunity to watch the scene unfold from the outside, she might have wondered if Evren knew before now how loved she was in this Forest.

As fast as Rougaru could turn on his target, he had three other horses headed his way. Indira lunged, trying to intercept him, and Jabari barged towards him as Persephone joined the squabble. She snapped at Rougaru’s face as she approached him on Jabari’s other side as he was attempting to aim a kick in the other stallion’s direction.

When it was possible, she took a step back from the cluster and glanced towards Evren.

“I have to follow him,” she said quickly, her voice sharp and low. Her dark eyes sought her friend’s to ensure her understanding. “Be careful.”

With that, she did her best to disentangle herself from the fight as quickly as possible, and raced in the direction Warsaw had gone. In the midst of the chaos, she could not be sure exactly which path he had taken after he had disappeared into the shadows, but she would find him.

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh