The evening was young, dusk settling in like an ominous warning. And a warning it was. The dark Kalona mare stood quietly in hiding within a group of close together trees. To any passing soquili, they wouldn’t have seen her, at least, until it was too late. The large leaves obscured her form almost perfectly, especially to the untrained eye. Planning, so much planning to be had this evening.

Proserpine had her orders. She knew what she must do.

With a cloven hoof she traced patterns in the dirt. A map of sorts of the surrounding area. An x here. An x there. A circle there for a nearby herd, of a food source. And a star where she knew where the Shadow lived. Where she knew she had to return after her orders were carried out. Prosperine licked her lips subconsciously. The Shadow knew best. The Shadow knew what had to be done to purge the dangers in the kawani lands. Proserpine was more than happy to be a conduit for the Shadow’s calling, for the Shadow’s whim.

The Shadow always knew best.

Proserpine shuffled her wings which lay tightly against her sides. Two current targets were given to her by her Shadow. A unicorn mare made of pinks and whites. A striking contrast against the grass of the plains where she was told the unicorn lived. Word from her Shadow was that she was alone now, having gotten into a fight with a stupid young, bullheaded stallion. Such a stupid mare. She would have no idea what hit her. The perfect target.

She would go second Proserpine decided. Just so word could reach her that she was next. Instill the fear. Instill stench of death. The Kalona mare would have a feast that night. But only after she brought some back for her Shadow. The Shadow must always have a piece of the spoils.

Her second target, a mare the color of a cloud on a rainy day. Dappled, not quite pure white. Littered with spots of gray signifying her fall from grace. Proserpine snorted, grace. There was no God other than her Kalona. And better yet, her Shadow. Her Shadow knew all. Thus this mare would be the first. The first of many to come. Knowledge that she was not quite alone would possibly be a hindrance. But Proserpine was a patient mare. The Dapple couldn’t always be with someone.

But those mares were not the final target. Oh no, her Shadow had much more sinister plans to bring to pass. Proserpine knew of a mare colored in deep royal purples. A mare who was exiled from where her Shadow lived. A mare that her Shadow despised. A mare that her Shadow wanted to completely and utterly destroy. But alas, this mare was not going to come out of hiding easily. Oh no, this mare knew how to play the game. So her Shadow planned these two targets out. Attack the target and bring out the final targeted mare.

And then the real battle would begin. Proserpine grinned as she stared down at her plan. Her sharp teeth gleaming in the evening light. She may be the conduit for her Shadow. But if she did well her Shadow would, no doubt, honor her successes. And Proserpine would succeed. Failure was certainly no option. Therefore she would do whatever it took to execute her Shadow’s will. It was the only way.

And so her plan was set, to which Proserpine stepped out into the fresh evening air. No moon at all. Excellent. Her Shadow and Kalona had blessed this night.

’Do not worry my Shadow. I shall not fail you.’