PERSEPHONE

Persephone often walked the stream that ran around the Forest, marking the path between her land and the wide, open plains of the Prairie on one side, and on the other, the close, twisted brambles that led into the dense Thicket. She had heard by now that Ruger had left the land, but Persephone had yet to introduce herself to her new neighbour – to ascertain whether they were someone she and Shamwari could rest easy beside or not. She had delayed the task until after she had given birth, wanting to make a less vulnerable, less pregnant impression on the stranger, just in case they should prove to be worrisome. Today, however, it appeared the task would be brought to her instead.

Eadaz was a couple of months old by now, and though she remained physically dependent on her mother for now, the girl was headstrong and independent. She preferred to follow her sister off into the Forest at every opportunity, and she would have followed her far beyond that, there was no doubt, if Persephone didn’t keep a tight rein on her. The girls were allowed to roam the Forest and the Prairie freely, but elsewhere was out of the question without their mother, or at least Evren or Shamwari.

She could not help but remain cautious, after the war.

It was as she passed by the stream that afternoon, having left Eadaz in Sabran’s care after her feed, that Persephone caught the stranger’s scent. There had been a time when such an event intrigued her, and worry was no more than a flicker in the back of her mind, but the war had changed that. Slowly, however, she could feel herself beginning to relax, and the Forest seemed to follow her lead. The spring had melted into summer, and brought with it warmth and green and life – new foals in the herd, and the comforting hum of the wildlife returning to the Forest once more.

She followed the scent downstream until she found him. He was around her height, but his build was broad and solid, all muscle and hair from head to toe. She eyed him as she drew nearer, noting the way he stared upwards, towards the golden light that filtered through the leafy canopy above. He did not wear a calculating expression, nor hold himself in an aggressive stance – a good a start as any.

She blew a breath of air through her nostrils to draw his attention, if he had not already noticed her approach, and came to stand a few feet before him.

“Hello,” she began simply, with a small nod of her head. She did not quite smile at him, but she allowed her expression to remain calm and open. She was trying to relearn not assuming the worst of strangers, particularly men, but she would not be a wise leader to welcome one with open arms before she had even got the measure of his speech.

“I am Persephone, leader of the Forest. Can I help you?”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh