There was only one reason for her to follow him: Aedion knew this place. Otherwise, Arithena probably would have taken her leave. She could have explored the Rift, as this place was so aptly named, on her own. Sure, it might have taken a long while to come anywhere close to the stallion in terms of knowledge, but Ari believed in her abilities. She knew how to manage on her own. She didn’t need Aedion to hold her hand. She didn’t particularly favor his personality, either. Not what she’d seen of it thus far. Yet she felt her hoofsteps carrying her in his direction. It seemed that her brain knew what was the better choice. If he was willing to help her, she’d better take it.
And so, with a soft snort, the girl bounded after him without another word, launching into a floaty gait that consisted of strides much too big for her size. Before she fully disappeared from the clearing, she cast one final glance back, as if she were taking a final snapshot of what this place looked like to save for later. She thought it might come in handy, to remember the Portal, should she ever find herself back here again. The the shadows swallowed her whole, and the only familiar place in the Rift was out of view. She turned forward again, focusing on the ground in front of her and trying not to lose sight of Aedion’s figure a short distance ahead. She was very much looking forward to feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her shoulders again. And of course, being able to see where she was going would certainly be useful, no matter where the path ahead might lead.
The Portal
