’They must be here! They simply must!’ The words echo over and over again in her mind as Ayiana makes the short swim from the main island to Atlantis. She had scoured from one end of the island of Tinvuel to the other, not even a dropping discarded on a path, of their passing could be found. Vaguely she remembers uncle Jabari telling her that he spent some time there and though it had been a fragile hope, it had been hope nonetheless. She was careful to avoid others while there, she remembered father telling her about the dangerous horses that called Tinvuel home. On one occasion, she could not resist the urge to stop and watch as a large herd passed by, a flock of foals chasing and romping through the permafrost the center of her attention. The sight made her smile and once more that sore reminder of those she lost tore an even deeper wound in her soul. Sadness.

She turned away from them that day, crystal tears lining her dark eyes as she returned to the cold waters of the ocean, for once, relishing in the shocking cold that threatened to draw the breath from her lungs. At least it was able to draw her thoughts from the recesses of her mind where the happy herd sent it.

For a time, she lingered on the main island, meandering through the meadows and falls, pausing here and there to study the unfamiliar faces but to no avail. No matter how hard she willed it, father was never among them. Castiel was never among them. Jabari was never among them. Dejection was starting to once more take effect when she happened upon Gavriel in the Ruins. Their playful banter had at the very least lightened her heart and resolved her to not allow herself to give up. Even thinking of him now caused her heart to swell and those familiar butterflies to rise in her belly. She had never met another quite like him. Granted, her childhood was pretty sheltered, she had always spent most of her time in the Prairie except for the random occasional visits to the main island with Ryder in tow. The blue painted colt had never complained and in truth he was probably the best friend she had outside of mother and Darshan. Cassiah, well, Cassiah was still a baby and though she was a yearling when father left with her twin, she was just a yearling and Ayiana did not have patience for her flippant attitude. Gavriel was different, he was gentle and unsure of himself, especially for a proclaimed king. Ayiana had not known he lived on Tinuvel and considering hindsight is 20/20, she probably would have considered staying there a while longer in his company. But they had just been children then and well, meeting him now as an adult on her own made the friendship even sweeter. She would have to visit him again soon. At least, that was the promise she had made him. She needed to finish her search.

Salem had been arid and the heat dry and miserable. How any horses could even want to make a home here was beyond her. There were no bright green grasses flourishing the island from what she could see and in truth she did not bother to spend very much time here. Father never mentioned Salem and neither had Jabari, at least from her memory. No doubt they too found the island as unappealing as she did.

Atlantis was different altogether. From Luthien, the island had seemed small and dark in color, as if it was a land of shadow. Father told her it was full of dangers and secrets and that she should do her best to avoid it and the wolves that prowled there. Jabari has spent many years there himself and though he would never go into details with her about his experience, there was always a hardness in his eyes and a firm press of his lips that told Ayiana no matter how much she begged or whined he would never tell her what she wanted to know.

And so, with much reserve she wades through the shallow calm waters that led to the mysterious island of green. Dark eyes gaze up against the bright sunlight to watch as the zephyr winds sway the top branches of palms that lined the shores. Pale lashes blink back the spray of salt water as the waves lap over her golden shoulders, pulling her gently towards the shores. Cautiously she moves her dark eyes searching the shadows that lay behind the edge of the dense jungle and its large elephant ears and costa. It was so different from the Prairie or even the forests of Luthien. The silver birches and tall deciduous trees there were not so tightly packed together and the foliage beneath them to nearly as thick and suffocating. Timidly she stands on the warm white sands, the salt water dripping from her golden coat, trying her hardest to get the stammering of her heart to calm before she takes on the herculaneum task that lay before her. They must be here.