The dark beast’s words poured pure fear through Izumi’s veins, and when she turned to Khyber to beg him to take her home, that she would just belong to one of the brother’s, she realized that he had already written her off. The smirk he offered her was of no more comfort than his words. “Please…” she whispered, but she wasn’t sure if he didn’t hear or just ignored her. The deal was already done, and she was signed off as someone else’s problem.


That was a season and a half ago now. Izumi had since learned her surroundings and how easy they were to navigate. There wasn’t a vast number of stallions to hide from, only one, while she avoided the other. Despite how much easier it was than the Lagoon, the painted mare missed her mother and sister with a pain she didn’t think would ever ease. Perhaps it was the loneliness that allowed it to remain a gapping hole in her chest. She was too afraid of being found by one of the stallions to find out.


But she had to face that fear eventually.


It was late afternoon when she picked up his scent. Although it lay everywhere in this territory, Annubis’ had been this way recently. Izumi’s heart thundered in her chest as she followed his tracks through the sand, weaving through the vegetation as she trailed after him for a while. Did he know he was being followed? Izumi had learned long ago how to keep quiet and be unnoticed, but it was still strange to be walking on the sand sometimes, rather than the bog of the swamp.


When they grew closer to the beach, Izumi’s heart began to thunder in her chest. Soon there would be no vegetation separating them, and she would either have to turn back, or face her fears. Pausing just on the edge of the growth, she peeked out of her hiding place to look at the silver buckskin. For some reason, her heart began to race in a different way, though Izumi could hardly begin to understand it since she had always been taught to fear stallions.


Doing her best to swallow down her fear, she raised her chin and stepped out into the open after him. Her dapples seemed to glow in the sun’s evening light, and her body had taken on more of a mare’s shape than a filly’s with her time spent in the dense jungle. But as soon as Izumi stepped out, she faltered. She hadn’t even thought of what to say. Stupid! “Atlantis has beautiful sunsets.” She called out to him, though wasn’t sure that was any better than silently staring at him.