all that we have amassed sits before us, shattered into ash
Eight, to her surprise, is the first to find her, and whatever their previous opinions, she is grateful now for his appearance. “Eight!” she cries out in relief, and they hurry towards one another. “I’m fine; I woke up here in the Meadow not long ago.” She looks around and trembles, and her foal rolls in her stomach. “I’ve not found anyone else as of yet,” she admits, and she wants terribly for Flamevein to appear on the horizon. This is a strange, cruel new world where nothing is the same, and she is scared to bring their new child into it. The Valley doesn’t exist anymore to protect it.
Another appears—Thorrun, she remembers—but she speaks only to Eight, so Cress has no words for her in turn. Eight responds to her, though, and Cress perks up at his words. “The magic is gone?” she asks, incredulous. “All of it? I felt that my flames had died…”
Her voice trails off as another joins them, and Cress offers him a sad smile. He’s lost everything, just like all of them, and looks all the more defeated because of it. “I’m Cress,” she offers him as well, and she finds herself relaxing as more of them join in. Soon even Topsail is here, though she says nothing—she cannot speak. This is going to be the hardest on her, and Cress feels her own voice catch in her throat. Oh, Topsail. How is she going to lead if she has no voice to speak for the Valley members?
Another joins them, asks them what happens. Is Cress supposed to speak now? She doesn’t know what’s going to happen; none of them know what’s going to happen. She’s as scared and defeated as the rest of them. “I think the Valley is gone,” she says quietly, and her eyes fall to the circle of grass between their hooves. “So what happens next? I think we should explore the new realm; perhaps we can have a new kingdom. And we should try to find the other members of the Valley, too.”
cress
oxytocin x kindling
musemusemusemuse