“Mum! Are you seriously...”

The rest of Brenda’s exclamation wasn’t loud enough to be understandable through the floorboards, not even with one side of his face lying on them. It was enough to wake Dawn though, again, just as he’d finally fallen asleep. At least that’s what it felt like.

He’d rolled off his hay mat at one point and the numb feeling in his right wing suggested that he’d soon regret that. He sighed. This is going to be such a great day. No point in delaying the inevitable. With considerable effort, he lifted his muzzle out of a little puddle of drool and rolled onto his stomach. Prickly fire shot through his wing muscles as he stretched it out with a groan.

As he heaved himself to his hooves, the picture that had haunted him through the night came back once more. They’d left the little family in the cathedral just like they found them. Maybe the decent thing would have been to cover them again, but no one had had the stomach to touch the blankets. He shuddered.

He hadn’t thought to look at the mother and child, but the pegasus had a mark on his flank like Brenda and Father. A triangle of roof tiles and a claw hammer. He couldn’t get it out of his mind.

The stairs were almost too steep today for his still uncooperative legs, and he swayed into the wall two times.

“You look a mess, dear brother.”

“Good morning to you too, Moor,” he grumbled in response and turned to head out the back.

“More like good day, if I may point it out.”

“No.”

He remembered just in time that the tub beside the back door was there to wash one’s hooves after having visited the latrine. So he went around the corner, found the one reserved for drinking and found it empty. Wonderful.

A few seconds later, Salt Marsh rounded the corner. He was carrying two buckets of water, one on each side of his barrel, supported by another one of Moorland's contraptions. It was made of wood and nylon rope. The thing chafed like mad, but it did the job.

“Morning, Dawn!” he said and quickened his pace, tucking in his tail at the same time. “Was just about to refill!”

He watched Salt lower himself to the ground to duck out under the carrier. He could of course have helped him out, but right now he couldn’t be bothered. That Salt didn’t complain about that felt good, in a way. Instead he bowed down and stuck his head into the empty drinking water tub.

“Uhm, ‘awn?” Salt said, the handle of one of the buckets between his teeth.

“Just do it.”

“O- okay.”

The water was cold and fresh and wonderful. The second bucket washed away the last remnants of bleariness, as well as the dust that he’d mopped up from the floor with his mane. He also drank about half of it. He lifted his head again and snorted the remaining water from his nostrils before shaking his mane dry. Much better.

“Thanks, Salt,” he said and touched a wing to Salt’s withers. “Oh, and Salt?” he continued while turning away, “No hard feelings.”

Salt Marsh’s ears perked up and he gave him a relieved smile in return. “Thanks, Dawn. I guess this whole thing with Brenda just really got to me.” He turned back to the tub, sighed, and overturned it to tip out the ‘bathwater’.

When Dawn got back into the lobby, he saw Mother just leaving through the front entrance. The sight before him lifted his mood a little more.

Moorland was sitting at a table close to the window, Brenda’s possessions spread out before him. His elder brother had a pencil between his lips and was engrossed in the Old Folk artefacts. Had his ears pointed any further forward they might have wandered down his muzzle to get a closer look of their own.

To the right of Moorland he spotted the hoof pick, and a slow smile spread across his muzzle. Think of the positives, Dawn.

With a faint creak, the door to Mother’s and Brenda’s room opened. Brenda came out, her face flushed and her good ear halfway back. She stopped up and gave him a sour smile. “Hi. One question about horseback riding and I’ll strangle you, chieftain or not.”

He snorted in amusement. “That bad?”

She rolled her eyes. “How about the very definition of awkward?” She held up a hoof. “No details. Not now at least.” She snorted and shook her head for emphasis. “Anyway. How are you holding up? Mum is worried about you and, well I’ll admit, I’m with her.”

Some of the weariness came back and he sighed. “I’m fine.” He felt his ears droop despite his best efforts.

Brenda gave him a long look. “Sure.”

Her energy seemed to leak out of her and she lowered her head with a sigh. Moorland’s content humming in the background filled the silence between them for a little while.

“Dawn?”

“Yes?”

“I feel like shit.”

He sighed and looked down at the floorboards.

She rubbed the scars on her chest with a faraway look in her eyes. “And you look like shit,” she added after focusing on him again.

Moorland cleared his throat and turned around. “Brenda. I’m aware that you have been through a lot, but I would ask you to mind your language, especially when talking to - or indeed describing - your leader. It’s unbecoming for a member of our household.”

Brenda gaped at Moorland for a second, then snapped her muzzle shut and looked down on the floor as well.

Wonderful. He sighed again and cleared his throat. “Thank you, Moor. You’re both right, I guess.” With a shake of his head he crossed over to Brenda, put a fetlock under her jaw and lifted her head a little. “I need to do some thinking. And I want you to help me with that.”

She blinked away some moisture in her eyes. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” He turned around without waiting for an answer. “Moor? We’ll be gone for a few hours."

Moorland raised his eyebrows, but merely nodded before turning his attention back to his study objects.

Gravel crunched under the hooves of the two ponies as they walked along the winding path across the moorland. A cool breeze whispered in the heather, with just enough force to keep the midges away. The sun shone from a cloudless sky of light blue and warmed their backs.

They had settled into a companionable silence as they traversed the rolling hills. Out here, nothing ever seemed to change. He’d always liked that about being out here, but with Brenda coming along it took on a whole new meaning. Maybe this had been part of her world as well.

Heather turned into old meadow again, with countless patches of cotton grass that swayed in the wind. Straight ahead lay the ruined farmstead where he’d gotten to know Buidhe. A little smile crossed his muzzle but fell away in a sigh. Wonder what she’s up to. Knowing her, she’d done the honourable thing and told Faoileag about herself and Solstice. Why did I have to give Sol that mission?

They paused at the small stream a hundred yards further to the west and drank of the cold and clear water. Brenda lifted her head and snorted, spraying a few drops of water around. She paused and looked down again. It took him a few seconds to realize that she was looking at a still area close to the bank.

“Brenda?”

She sighed and pointed at her reflection. “Still haven’t gotten used to this.” The image rippled apart when she stirred it with the tip of her hoof. “That this is really me.” She took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky.

“It’s only been a little more than three weeks since you…” He shifted his wings about. “Since you came back?”

There was a long pause. “I...I think I’ve lost track of time.” She turned her head to look at him. “So much has happened.”

He gave a humourless chuckle. In late spring a young stallion had stood on a grave mound and accepted the role of leader. A lifetime ago. “We’ll get through this,” he murmured to no-one in particular.

“Hm?”

“Nothing. I guess I’m just overthinking things.” With a sigh he leaned over and nuzzled her under her ear.

She lifted a forehoof from the ground in surprise, gave him a wide eyed look in return and blushed. “I- uh…”

Did I do something wrong? Maybe humans didn’t do that. He’d better avoid it then.

He smiled at her and flicked his head towards the southwest. “Let’s go.” With that, he waded through the shallow water and fell into a trot. They followed the stream southwest, at the base of a large hill that was covered in more of the same, bleak moorland. Every now and then, hares would pop out of the heather and scurry to safety.

Ten minutes further west, the wind began to pick up and carried the smell of saltwater. The ground became less tricky to navigate as the topsoil became thinner and thinner. There was a snort behind him, and a moment later Brenda cantered past.

“There are-” She broke off and raised her voice against the wind. “There are things I love about all this.”

“Example?” he called back.

“This!” she exclaimed and broke into a gallop.

Sun and Moon, she’s fast! Even though she’d only been a mare for such a short time, he wouldn’t have been able to tell if he hadn’t known. Be it small rocks, soft patches of ground or clumps of heather - surface properties didn’t seem to bother her much, once she got going. Brenda would outpace most of them as soon as she figured out what she was capable of.

By the time he caught up to her, the cliffs were coming into sight. He swerved northwest, taking them up the soft incline towards the edge. The more treacherous ground from before gave way to short, coarse grass and the occasional sandstone slab.

To the right, the brown hilltops rose above the island, to the left the land fell away into the steel blue Atlantic. The little mare at his side had her head stretched out, and her ears, back and tail formed an almost horizontal line as she flew along the coast. Even with his longer legs, he had to strain to keep up with her. Her muscles rolled under her coat as her hooves pounded the ground. The wind buffeted his face and tore at his mane and his heart hammered in his chest. It was glorious.

Half a mile later, he slowed to a canter and she followed his example a moment later. Her sides were heaving, but she still turned in a wide circle and went around him. Another short gallop, interspersed with a few bucks, brought her alongside him again. There was a happy grin on her face.

His spot on the cliff edge came into view. “Straight ahead,” he said.

“Should- cool down- a bit!” she replied, still panting from the exertion. She switched first to a trot, then to a quick walk. “Just a few minutes.” She snorted and shook her head. “I mean… that’s what I’d do with a horse after a ride like that. Make sure she doesn’t cramp up or catch a cold.” She laughed. “And now I am the horse, so- uh... do you do that as well?”

The sudden foal-like nervousness combined with her hardened appearance was adorable. He shook his head and laughed. “Maybe I should. You’re the expert here after all,” he replied and fell in alongside her.

She sighed. “I’ve spent so much time already feeling like an idiot. Please tell me when I act like one.”

“Most of the time you don’t, don’t worry. It can’t be easy - even Moor accepts that, even if it doesn’t sound like that to you.”

“Okay. And, Dawn…? Thank you. For giving me a chance, I mean.”

He had to smile at the look of gratitude in those large brown eyes. “Well, Mother told me to keep you around, remember?”

“Wh-?”

He shook his head before she got any further. “And I very much enjoy your company,” he added. Nothing but the truth, he realized.

She gave him a warm smile. A twitch of her ear, followed by a sweet little nicker. Or at least it would have been, if she hadn’t quelled it halfway by grinding her teeth together and shaking her head. “Dammit!” she bit out in a low voice, her cheeks reddening.

“Brenda?” he said, cocking his head.

“Nothing!” she blurted out. “I mean, uh, thank you.” She looked to the side. “So- so what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Well, he didn’t have to understand her all the time. So he just gave a little shake of his head and walked over to his spot on the cliffside. He unfolded his left wing and pointed at the ground beside him.

Brenda sat down with a sigh and looked out over the ocean. For a while, the only sound was the whistling of the wind and the hiss of the waves, breaking against the red sandstone far below. “How many times have you come out here?” she asked and turned her head towards him.

“I stopped counting two or three years ago.” He looked down at the foaming water. “Has it changed?”

There was a long silence. “Not really,” Brenda said in a low voice.

He closed his eyes and turned his muzzle into the wind. “I tried to fly here.”

“Did it work?”

“Nearly killed myself.” A deep sigh. “Never told anybody about it.”

The sound of her hooves shifting as she turned towards him.

“Why tell me then?”

“Because I trust you.” There was a lump in his throat. “And I thought… maybe you’d understand.” He turned his head to face her and opened his eyes again. The wind played with his forelock, strands of hair flickering through his field of vision.

She was looking at the ground, biting her lower lip.

“Brenda?”

“Hm?”

“What am I?”

Another long silence followed. The pressure on his chest lifted somewhat when she didn’t laugh or start shaking her head. Instead she just looked out over the ocean again, her jaw muscles working.

“You’re… a creature from our mythology. A pegasus.” She sighed and looked back at him. “You shouldn’t even exist. But neither should I, nor colourful, talking horses in general.” She lifted her forehooves and contemplated them.

“But where does that leave me then?”

She gave a helpless shrug. “I was a human, so I guess your father was too. It doesn’t make sense… but…” She shook her head in exasperation. “Guess I’m trying to search for logic and reason where there is none.” Dragging her fetlocks down her face, she took a deep breath and continued. “Springtide- I mean- Mum… Ah, hell! Mum! She’s a Fjord pony, one hundred percent, even if she’s green and almost as dextrous as I am. That means…” she trailed off and scraped the tip of a hoof over the sandstone slab she was sitting on.

“Yes?”

A long exhale. “You’re some kind of hybrid. I mean- I mean your whole family is, but… you kinda bred true?” She bit her lip before she looked up to meet his eyes. “You’re really part human. Maybe even the dominant part, or at least as close as you can get.”

He turned his head away and gazed out over the sea again. It felt as if he was looking at the horizon and at himself at the same time. The conclusion made sense, even if it was uncomfortable. Why is that? What the conclusion was built on, on the other hoof, made no sense whatsoever. And that’s that. Father wanted to find others like himself. I did. They were here all along, not on the other side of the firth.

“Dawn?”

“What do I do now?”

“What do you mean?”

He turned back to her with a sense of urgency. “What do I do now? They’re like you. Like- like me. I’ve got to save them.”

“I get that, but… Don’t you have your own people to look after as well?”

She might as well have thrown cold water in his face. He stared at her until she retreated a step, concern replaced by nervousness. He’d spread his wings without even noticing. You wouldn’t understand... With a few uncomfortable twitches he folded up again and looked down at his hooves. “Sorry,” he muttered, the sudden anger dissolving into restlessness. He started to pace in a circle instead.

“Dawn-” Brenda began.

“We at least need to patrol there every few days!” he cut her off.

Clip clop clip clop.

“You don’t even know if there will be more.”

“There will be!”

Clip clop clip clop

“Yes, okay. Sorry. Couldn’t you- couldn’t you maybe put up lots of signs? Tell people to head for Stromness or… or a safe place nearby?”

“What’s a safe place in your opinion? We’d have to make one.”

Clip clop clip clop

“Yes, but- would you stop that?!”

“Would you have had time to read some hypothetical signs while being hunted?"

Clip clop clip clop

“No- Yes- I- I don’t know!”

“That’s assuming they could even run!” He completed the circle and stopped in front of her. “You told me you only figured out how to do it so fast because you’ve studied horses. What about winter? They froze to death, dammit! While we were snuggling up back home!” He almost had his muzzle in her face, forcing her to retreat two steps.

“I’m only trying to help, for fuck’s sake!” She stopped retreating and stood her ground, her tail swishing back and forth and her ear flat against her head.

Taking a step back, he deflated, ears drooping. “Sorry, Brenda.” He sighed, then stood tall again. “Sorry. I’m- but I have to do something!” He stomped a hoof on the ground.

“I still think the signs or that little safe spot are our- I mean, your best bet. You could at least cover three seasons and some territory with that, that’s infinitely better than right now. Where are you going to find enough people for a real base? And you’d have to kick out the dogs. You’d need a whole new herd for that!”

He opened his mouth to shout at her, but snapped it shut again with an audible click. A whole new herd. He swallowed, a chill running down his spine. Faoileag. He’d need the South Ronaldsays. And he couldn’t be less prepared for a negotiation like that.

“What is it?” Brenda asked. When he didn’t answer right away, she continued, “It’s the only feasible thing to do right now. You can see that, right? We could make St Magnus the safe spot. Even…” She swallowed. “Even if we have to clear it first. Bedding, provisions for a week or two, firewood and stuff to start a fire with, maybe leave a note that we’ll check on the place regularly. You’ve got red paint, haven’t you? Paint directions everywh- ”

“Remember Buidhe?”

“Wh-?” She blinked. “That Iceland mare? Dimly… wasn’t in the best state back then. But wh-”

“She’s part of a herd from South Ronaldsay and I’ve got a meeting with them soon. Father wasn’t on exactly the best of terms with them.”

“Is she their leading mare?”

“No, she’s their chieftain’s niece.” He looked to the heavens. “I don’t know how much you heard, but Solstice started an affair with her after I made him my ambassador.”

Brenda started laughing.

“That’s not funny!”

“Sorry!” She tried to quell her giggling. “Sorry. It’s just… that’s like a cheap soap opera. The princess and the wayward emissary in a secret love affair amidst political intrigue.”

“Will you shut up?” He scowled at her. “And what’s a ‘soap opera’ anyway?”

“I’m really sorry.” She bit her lip. “It’s just- I- I’ll shut up.” She made a valiant effort at not grinning. “A soap opera is… uh…” She blinked. “Never mind.”

He didn’t have time for this anyway. “Alright.”

“Couldn’t you at least consider the signs and the safe place? It’d be so much easier and we already have the resources. It could really help!”

He gave her a hard look and flattened his ears.

She lowered her head and tucked in her tail. “Alright, alright.” A deep sigh. “Can’t you offer them something then?”

He took a deep breath. “I have no idea. I should have talked more with Buidhe - or Solstice for that matter. That is, if I’d known what he was up to. Dammit. I bet he knows a lot more than he told me.”

“Don’t you think their chieftain might want to help you when you explain the situation? Then see what he wants in return.”

“What do you think he’ll say when I try to tell him why I need his support? I had a hard time believing you, despite my own father being all the proof I really needed.”

She looked down. “I can see that.” She raised her head again. “But you don’t know what he’ll tell you either. If you don’t try you’ll never know. And you’re just as much leader as he is, aren’t you?”

He turned away and looked out over the sea again.

Brenda walked up to his side with slow steps. She took a deep breath, leaned over to him and nuzzled his cheek. The gesture was halting and the actual nuzzle more of a soft bump, like something she’d just recently seen others doing.

He turned to see Brenda retreating back to the spot where she’d sat before, looking uncomfortable. He gave her a lopsided grin. “Thank you, much appreciated.” So it wasn’t something humans normally did. Well, she’s trying.

“Y- you’re welcome.”

He was grateful for her encouragement, but backing out of this wasn’t an option anyway now. He wouldn’t forsake his own kin.

“Right. I need to talk to Moorland. And Harvest as well.” With a look over his shoulder, he continued, “And you go try and find Solstice for me.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off.

“That was an order,” he said with a sly smile.

She stared at him for a second. “O- okay.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

Author's Notes:

Many thanks to Fistfire and Doppler Effect for working on my half-baked manuscript. Editing this chapter took almost as long as writing it. But - we're getting somewhere.