"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
Months passed. His children hit their year mark and Yan was watching them bloom like mysterious, rare flowers in the dark. The Eclipse hadn’t dampened their moods or resolve like it had Yan, and it seemed to have affected his offspring in unusually beautiful ways as much as it’d scarred them otherwise. All three were changing, touched by the darkness and evolving into truer forms of themselves. Memorie came home from an accident positively glowing, and though her punishment had been having to deal with a grumpy sire who’d only just gotten back two other missing foals, Mem seemed unperturbed and unstoppable. Now, she too would always carry a light with her wherever she went. A proverbial beacon to others, like Cheri.
Cheri… the filly was a late blossom. Recently she’d cultivated an obsession with her powers which Yan didn’t intend to stop. She would have to learn by proxy since no better instructor could be found given the circumstances, and figure her unique magic out on her own in the meantime. She was also going through what Yan liked to believe was a growth spurt, or (gods he hated thinking it) the ‘springtime’ of her marehood. Like her dam, crystals had started to sprout from odd places, and Yan felt that Amarine was a better companion to have during those growth spurts than him. She understood, and in a way it might even bring the two closer together.
Reynard, his son, had come home with gleaming oddities too though. He had somehow taken the light from the heavens and spun it around himself, and now wherever he went the young stallion would be accompanied by a star's ethereal glow. Not only that, but Yanhua could see how Rey was steadily growing into his confidence and his birthright. The horns growing out from Reynard’s skull like a proud, bony crown curved sideways and twisted in on themselves in a fantastic arching display. Every season that passed made it seem like Rey was growing taller, getting stronger, and when his son had been put to the test he’d shone through and done well to defend his younger sister against the threat of unseen evils.
All in all, it could be said of Yan that he was the proudest of sires this side of the continent. Despite the Eclipse and its setbacks, his family had come together and remained stronger than ever before, supporting each other through the endless night and all its terrors.
But in the back of Yanhua’s mind was the mountain and the strange fairy, and as time passed that thought grew into a nagging reminder he couldn’t seem to avoid.
They had a quest to complete, a purpose to fulfill. He had started this journey and he would see it through to the end, regardless of measurable outcomes. But, Yan had reservations. He hesitated to put Ama through the ordeal again, considering what they’d already been through, and so with the quest at the forefront of his thoughts and good intentions in his heart, Yanhua strode back from a border patrol and made his way to Borderline’s grove in search of his blue-haired mate.
The air is cold and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This is not uncommon in the darkness that had shrouded the land for what seemed like years now. The only way to tell time was by watching the children grow, so I know it hasn’t been quite a year, despite how long it’s felt, but it’s definitely coming close to that mark by now. I had just woken from a fitful, lonely sleep. There was always a lingering hope that I would wake up to a faint light growing on the horizon, but even that was beginning to fade as each day passed–well, with each sleep, anyway. The darkness persisted.
I hate to admit it, but things seemed to be settling down into some form of normalcy in these dark times. I mean, Beqanna had never been normal by any standards, so this darkness was just the passing of another era here. Or at least that’s what I am learning, the more time I spend here.
Much to my dismay, however, the normalcy also brought with it the changes in my growing daughter. Though she is still small and but a child in my mind, she was beginning to outgrow my mothering and had taken to wandering willfully through the lands of Beqanna. I am unsure of her whereabouts now, but no doubt she was off somewhere outside the borders of Taiga at this very moment. I shake my head, trying not to allow this thought to overcome me with worry and fear. At least Cheri and Reynard weren’t as full of wanderlust as Memorie, though Cheri did bring with her a worrisome attraction to a certain young stallion.
Without light, it fell upon Memorie and me to provide for everyone under the Taigan canopy. It had become second nature by now to breathe life into the grasses that desperately longed for the warmth of sunlight. Despite this, it was a truly wearisome task. The plants gave off an aura of despair and sorrow, which seeped into my bones as well. I can’t help but wonder how Memorie is coping with this, but she had always been strong when confronted with negative emotions, so perhaps she was fairing better than I was. I sigh softly at the thought, the usual sadness settling into the pit of my stomach.
From the darkness, I could hear the soft clip clop of hooves on the soft earth, and then a soft glow permeates the shadows. @[Yanhua]. I could tell by the heavy sound of his hooves. I lift my head and turn in his direction just as he rounds a small bend to enter the little grove where I had taken to sleeping. As he moves closer, I reach out for him, stepping forward myself. I wrap my neck up over his back and press my chest gently against his as a way of greeting my mate. Before I pull back, I sigh gently into his glowing mane. “Hello, my love.” I try to shift my thoughts around so they aren’t as depressing. I don’t want to worry him, but I probably do a terrible job of it.
I step back to look at him, which is not hard given the soft glow that emanates from him. Even without the empathic abilities that him and my daughter shared, I can tell there is a reason he has sought me out now. He seems antsy and ready for his next adventure. We had spoken little of the quest the fairies had given him and Amarine, probably something to do with the toll it had taken on them, but I could tell he had not given up. And I couldn’t help but agree. In this darkness, Taiga could use some kind of lift. In the moments we did talk about it, I could tell he was weary of bringing the jewel encrusted mare on another wild and dangerous adventure, and so I had offered to help in any way I could. “You’re ready.” I say this resolutely. If he was ready, so was I.
Every time he went out, Yan tried not to bring the sights back with him. He knew that the troubles of the world were impossible to bear, that the troubles at home were already heavy enough, but sometimes he couldn’t help it. Everything was changing. It wasn’t just the natural earth that was dying out there, but the fibre of life itself that was getting tangled up by the unnatural phenomena. These creatures - the “monsters” as everyone had taken to calling them - they multiplied like parasites in the dark. Roaches, scurrying out from somewhere the light never touched.
“Long day?” He murmured gently to Borderline, the darkness assuaged for a moment by her presence. She wrapped herself into his neck and Yan leaned into her warmth, pulling her close with a sigh that closed his eyes. He chuckled to himself. Of course she’d had a long day. They’d all been living in a suspenseful hell this past year.
“Yea.” He looked through the dark, trying to make out the shape of her lovely face. There was so much the light had taken with it when it left. “I’m ready.”
The sun wasn’t coming back like they had all hoped. Things only seemed to be getting worse. The mountain? Yan and Amarine had seen firsthand what it was doing to their mythical guardians. The Magic of this world was draining from himself and all the other horses out there, and Yanhua had a suspicion that it was being used to feed the catastrophe that crept closer to his family every hour. Popinjay had given her people a flame, but fires needed feeding. According to his twin Nashua, King Leilan and the remaining northerners were seeking a personal quest as well. Yanhua felt the natural course of things rested on what the fairy had told him: to find an item similar to what he and Amarine had requested, and then bring it back to the mountain’s summit.
“I’ve been wondering where we should start.” Yan reached out through the dark, brushing at Borderline’s forelock with his lips. “Mushrooms once grew everywhere, but that might not be the case anymore. Maybe Tephra would have some hidden away in the jungle. Or Hyaline could have one tucked away in a damp mountain cave.” He sighed, wondering if the warmth felt nice on his mate’s skin.
She smelled of pine sap and humid fog. He shouldn’t be, but Yan was suddenly distracted by how close they were. She’d called him my love.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked Borderline quietly. If they did this - if she said yes - they couldn’t turn back.
While we had survived alright here in Taiga, thanks to Memorie’s and my gift of flora revival, I would be a fool to assume things had been any easier anywhere else. There were times, when I would travel to the highest points around Taiga, that I could see little lights in the distance. I know that the light from Nerine is a fire that burns day and night, something I’d heard whispers of, that Popinjay had lit in order to provide comfort and safety to the residents who lived there. I longed for its warmth on my skin, because even though my winter coat had never shed out from the previous winter, it was still colder than normal, given the lack of sunlight to warm the land. In fact, even now, I shiver against the cold breeze that plays gently with the tassels of my mane and tail.
I laugh, derisively, when he asks if it had been a long day. “What day?” I jest. There is no difference between day and night anymore. Sometimes, when the sky was clear and I could see through the trees, I could see the gentle rim of light from behind the moon where the sun hid from sight, but other than that, it was impossible to tell night from day. Despite the contempt I hold for this eternal night, it is refreshing to be in @[Yanhua]’s presence, and his closeness brings a comfort that permeates the darkness that surrounds us.
Though only few words had passed between us about the quest, I had spent a great deal of time thinking about what would need to happen in order for us to find what we needed. I know that what we seek would be some kind of fantastical, giant, glowing mushroom, and while mushrooms are not exactly flora, I had a gift that allowed me to understand the needs that breathe life into them. Memorie had been the first to truly understand the forest and the plants that she had brought back to life, and she had taught me how to listen to them as well. With that gift, I had searched for the key to finding what we desire. So when Yanhua wonders aloud on where we should start, I have a decent answer to give.
“Well, lucky for us, mushrooms don’t need sunlight to grow!” I give him an encouraging smile, though I’m not sure he would be able to see it all that well in the dark. As he reaches out to brush a lock of mane from my eyes, I lean into the touch, grateful for the warmth it provides, physically as well as mentally. “Mushrooms feed on the gift of life within the forest. There are many mushrooms within Taiga, though none that serve our purpose. I do not know what might produce the bioluminescence in certain species of mushrooms, but I think our best course of action would be to search other forests throughout the lands.” I pause briefly, trying to see his eyes in the dark. The glow of his mane illuminates them ever so slightly. “You know these lands better than I. Where do you think we should start?”
There is a moment of silence between us, in which I could tell he was worried. This was not an easy ask. I know that the last time he set out, his journey to begin this quest, things had been a disaster all around. So I am not surprised when he asks if I am sure. I chew on the question for a moment, though I already know my answer. I step closer to him, pressing my chest against his once more, if only to feel the steady rhythm of the heart beating within his chest, reminding me that there is still a life to live. I rest my head against his neck. “Yes,” I finally breathe the single word into his flaxen mane. I am sure. I am more sure than I have ever been in my life. It was time to accept the fact that the sun may never return, and our little family, our growing family, would need something to look forward to.
Yan guessed it was a good thing that Borderline was here, helping him out where he clearly had a lack of education.
“Oh!” Yan’s eyes widened. He half-smiled, sheepishly. “Yea I suppose that is lucky for us.” The stallion laughed.
Mushrooms grew in the dark, where damp soil and rotten wood mixed. Maybe in some aspect he knew that was correct, but it took Borderline humbling him for Yanhua to realize how focused he tended to be on the wrong things. The glowing horse shook his head and held his mate appreciatively, clearing his thoughts as he listened to Borderline speak. Her suggestion to search the surrounding forests for exactly the kind of mushroom they needed was a solid one; Yanhua felt settled on where they’d begin.
“We should probably start with Tephra’s jungle. I hear one of their islands has seawater that glows when it touches the shore. Perhaps we could start at the border, ask for information, and then hopefully travel freely from there.” Yan peered down at the mare tucked under his chin. Underneath the tangle of his softly shimmering forelock, the sharp blue color of his eyes was warm and steady.
If Borderline was willing and ready to go, then they only needed to inform the family, make plans for departure, and head out as soon as possible. Yanhua felt the urgency of the future, but he could also feel the softness of Borderline’s shockingly blue hair when he kissed it, and could inhale the intoxicating scent of her skin as she tucked herself close to his side. He admitted to himself that he missed this: the easiness between them, the affection. Yan felt something lodge in his throat and he swallowed, tilting his head so that the flat curve of his once-copper cheek rested carefully on the crown of Borderline’s lovely head.
“Between us, I want you to know something.” Yan murmured. “I’m glad we’re doing this together, just you and I.” He explained, hoping she would understand that this wasn’t a slight against Ama. He would never dishonor the friend who grew into the mother of his children, who supported him up and down the mountain despite her own pain. “It’s just that I know things between us haven’t been… perfect. The last time we were alone together, before the Eclipse, I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to find some spark of happiness here anymore. Now I can feel that changing. Funny how the world works sometimes.” He mused darkly.
Considering the circumstance, Yan thought a little black humor was appropriate. Who knew it would take an apocalypse and one little near-death-experience to bring his family together?
Lucky, he says, reiterating my words back to me. And I smile. It is a kind smile, filled with warmth and genuine appreciation, though it has nothing to do with mushrooms. It is a smile that says I feel lucky just to be standing here with him. I press into him as he holds me close, glad for the warmth he provides (especially in these cold times). A lock of his glowing mane falls in my face, and I gently play with it between my lips, wondering if his glow is anything like the glow that would come from a mushroom. That is neither here nor there, however, because I could not just tap into the forces that create that glow as I could with the mushrooms.
@[Yanhua] mentions starting in Tephra, mentioning a glowing phenomenon in the waters surrounding a small island. My only response is nod in agreement, while also thoroughly absorbed in the notion of glowing waters. I try to imagine it, the waves licking at the beach, throwing off a slight bioluminescent glow as they throw themselves in little arcs at the sand. Somehow, I doubt that my imagination could do justice to the amazing wonder that it is, and I find myself excited at the prospect of actually seeing it. And who knows, it might provide some answers into the mystery of the glowing mushrooms that we seek.
As he tips his head to rest his cheek on my brow, I can sense that he is about to say something more personal, not related to the quest. I tip a curious ear in his direction. When he falls silent once more, I allow the silence to engulf us completely, holding his words like a shimmer in the air around us. Then I take a small step back, away from him, so that my blue eyes could look into his (not that I could actually see the color of his eyes in this darkness).
“Oh, Yanhua,” I breathe, brushing my nose against his, feeling the tickle of his whiskers and his beard against my velvety nostrils, “I found happiness here before that in the family that I have built here. Lilliana and Amarine showed me that I didn’t need you to be happy amongst the redwoods.” I pause for a moment, shifting my weight slightly while contemplating my thoughts. “But I, too, am glad that we are doing this together. I am so proud and happy with the life and family we have created here, but I miss having you all to myself.” And I figure that I had better take advantage of that now, because soon, our family would be growing yet again.
