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The black coated mare backwings hard as the cliff looms up in front of her. Her hoofs touch safely down. Just in time. Strong gusts of winds go racing across the mountain face. There was a storm on the way. And a bad one. She trots off with a purpose. Maybe a quick snack and shelter. That storm promises to be cold. Might possibly be snow by morning, frost at least. Wings held tightly against her sides as she weaves between the tall trees.

It smells nice in here. I can scent a lot of fresh prey. Her mouth waters at the thought, but she forces her self on. Shelter found first then see if there's time to hunt. Judging by the cliff face where she'd landed, this area was bound to have a significant amount of caves to shelter in. All she had to do was find one. The mare snorts and heads towards a sharp up rise in the land to investigate.

Nothing right out in the open, just a wall covered by vinecrawlers and moss. She continues down the line, Maybe there's nothing here after all. The wind gusts by her, thwarted by the mountain. A movement behind her catches her eye. What this? The solid wall was moving? Darkest turns around to investigate. No, not a solid wall after all. A near solid wall of vegetation growing over a small cave opening.

Darkest rears up and brings her fore-hooves down through the fragile covering. Looking in she sees a sizable cave to shelter in from the oncoming storm. With that settled the mare turns back the way she'd come. Some dinner would be very tasty now.

Well pleased with herself, Darkest trots back towards the cave. From her mouth dangles a small doe. It was going to be a treat to eat. Unfortunately the hunt had taken her further from the cave than she'd hoped. Now it was starting to rain on her. Her ears lay back as at first small cold drops fall across her wings then large freezing drops smack her. Soon after that she was wet and soaked. At least the cave will be warm and dry and I can eat.

Her pace quickens as she spots the familiar cliff face. The doe dangles and knocks uncomfortably against her knees. Darkest gives a soft growl at it and lifts her head higher. With a dash she makes it right into the cave. Not stopping to look around as she skids to a halt and drops the doe. Free of the burden Darkest gives a full body shake to dry out. Cold, wet water flies in all directions; her tail poofs out at the end of her shake. Ah, much better..... wait what is that?! She sees something laying on her cave floor.

Darkest lays her ears back aggressively when the stallion rises to his feet. She looks him up and down, a well built stallion, fleets across her mind. When he speaks to her, she seems indignant. Her voice low and menacing when she responds. "Your space? I care not for your nap, but your space? I think not!"

Her wings come up slightly to mantle, showing the wicked points on the elbows. She takes a couple steps towards him and bares her fangs. "Who was it, do you think, that tore open the vines to reveal this place? I Did! Therefore it is My Space!" Her voice snaps the words. She really didn't want to fight right now, so intentionally left a path to the entrance open. Hoping he would A- see it and want out, or B- take the hint and get out. Her stomach growls at the delay of food to it.

This stallion has balls! Darkest thinks. "Well it wasn't the wind." She tosses her head sending her long mane cascading in wet strands along her shoulders. Looking back over her shoulder she watches the rain and hail come down. I'm cruel, but not that cruel. He must be something if he's offering to share with me. Most would have run squealing out of here by now.

Darkest gives a cold chuckle as she bends down to pick up her doe. "Stay or go as you like." Picking up the carcass she moves to a semi-flat spot before putting it down once more. Folding her legs under her she gradually lays down. Lets see just how strong his will is. This will be fun. She pretends to completely ignore the stallion as she tucks into her meal. Ripping the skin and fur off to get to the juicy meat underneath.

Secretively, she watches and listens for his reaction. I wonder who he is? What is it about him that prevents fear from showing? He intrigues me. Noisily she swallows a hunk of flesh.

Ah interesting. Darkest looks up from her meal and her gold eyes lock onto Areion. "Indeed it does. Any flesh, though we have our preferences. I've met others who eat grass and grain as you say. This is to me as grass is to you. I find trying to eat grass repulsive."

She shifts to a more comfortable position on her side that allows her to look more easily at him. "I have answered your questions, now answer mine. Your name? What brings you out here? Are you not afraid of me? Of what I might do to you?" One of her ears give a slight twitch.

Darkest gets a feral grin as he asks about guilt. "No. I enjoy the kill. The bloodier the better. Feeling bones crunch just gives me a thrill, and the scream of the prey."

"I'm called Flame of Darkest Chaos. You may call me Darkest. Greece... never heard of it. Are there any humans here?" She tilts her head and flicks an ear. "Accident eh?" A dark laugh, "that's what they all say. Running away are you? From shame or guilt?"

A long glance outside at the still drumming hail. "Mmmmm here doesn't seem a good place to be either. A warhorse hm? Been in any good battles or are you just for show?" Her tail twitches against the ground. She studies him quietly for a moment. "Then you’re a- young, b-stupid, c- both, or d- naïve. Which is it? Most around here would know me for what I am. That is why they fear me.”

She shifts her position slightly. “However, I shall be kind to you and give you what you need to know oh stupid horse of Greece.” She pauses with a glint her gold eyes to see if he rises to the bait. I am unusual, but not in the way you think. I’m not ‘just’ a soquili. I am a Mutant Kalona.”

Her head tilts at him. “You are aware that soquili come in different breeds are you not? The water, the land, the flutters, the wind. Well there is a breed called kalona. Evil tempered, mean, down right vial creatures. They have leathery wings sometimes with feathers, others not. Usually they have normal ears likes yours, and horns spiral from their head. Their tails are not normal either, not like mine nor yours. I’m sure you’ll meet one some day. Though do not let your guard down around them.” She smirks and tosses her head so her mane flicks. “If I had been a full kalona I would have attacked and killed you before you had even gotten to your feet.”

“Where I’m from.” She gives a long sigh, “We were driven away so where does it matter we… I come from? What matters is where I’m going.”

"A betrayal hm? What did you do so rashly that this filly had to betray you in?" She seems rather interested by the twitch of her ears.

"What is a warhorse? Is it just a title?" Her head tilts in question. Pressing to see if he's making things up as he goes along. "Humans here are not always pleasant either. You'd do well to watch them."

She gives a snort that sounds like laughter. "What funny names, this Demeter and Poseidon. I do not know them so any advantage you seek to gain from them wont work on me." Darkest gives a shrug. "Perhaps I may not be as old as you, but I've seen my fair share." Her nose wrinkles.

Her gold eyes watch him closely as he mentions only a few kinds of soquili are in this place called Greece. "Interesting. I wonder why others are not there." She gives her head a shake to rouse her out of musing. Laughing, "Aye, I've been called worse. You say that to a pure kalona and I'd bet you'd have them breathing flames down your back every time."

Darkest turns her head and stares out at the pouring rain for a long time. Almost when Areion thinks she isn't going to answer, she gives a long sad sigh. "A few of us. A small herd. Never heard of others who look like us. We're scattered to the four winds searching for new territory. The kalona almost never travel in herds. Those are isolated creatures."

Darkest blinks slowly in fascination. There is something there he doesn't wish to talk about. "So, what did she do after he'd left?" Her head tilts thoughtfully, "I wouldn't think you'd care what happened to her after she left you. Unless your hurt she left you?" She leaves the question hanging.

Her ears flick back in repulsion. "So you let a human ride you. Meh." She makes a disgusted noise in her throat that says he's been lowered several notches in her scale. "IF you knew all that then why would allow one of them to..." She breaks off unable to continue. She would never allow a human onto her back.

Darkest gives a shrug. "Indeed. I doubt anyone here knows who they are. So it is no advantage to you. Hmmm how would it be not to age?" She glances at him through her forelock.

"Pity that. No variety." She shakes her head, unable to imagine such a place. How can one live where there is no change? No mountains? No valleys? No forest? No desert? No I would not like to live there.

She gives a harsh laugh, almost like the mocking craw of a crow. "Not just the kalonas Areion. Nearly everyone." With a sigh she nods, "Yes, yes they are that horrible."