Firelight

M U R D O C K His interaction with the frog, though so far unsuccessful, was suddenly interrupted by the low but unmistakeable sound of laughter. Murdock’s chin lifted abruptly, tilting his gaze upward into the long face of an unfamiliar creature. All at once his forelegs scrambled beneath him, sand flying about as his hooves dug into the soft bank and startling the frog who, with a soft splash, disappeared beneath the water’s rippling surface. Once he was upright, though thoroughly disheveled and caught off guard, he studied the stranger closer. The mare’s scent betrayed more about her than her appearance did, for most of her body, though tall, very tall, was hidden behind a shroud of bent ferns. She was of his kind, with dark and mottled feathers just visible behind fronds of green foliage. Her coat was a deep bay, almost black, that was streaked and painted with brighter tones of red and gold that resembled flames licking up her chest toward her face. Her appearance was rather striking, from the little of her he could see, but he swiftly reminded himself that she was not yet a friend, and he should not be so easily coaxed into complacency by looks alone. He held his silence for a moment, lifting his chin up higher so that he might feel somewhat less dwarfed by the gargantuan female and folding his pale wings properly into place. He took no note of her amusement, for to him, speaking to animals was not unusual. Speaking to trees, for that matter, was also not uncommon for him. To Murdock, anything and everything could become a friend and confidant in a time of need, and so he felt no embarrassment at having been intruded upon. Though his body was that of a mature stallion, parts of his mind had maintained a childlike carefree freedom. His ears pricked forward as the amused tone of her voice reached him, and uneasily he nodded his head in response. “Yes, actually...” He paused, unsure whether or not he should share much information with this stranger. She looked harmless, didn’t she? Except her size...”I’m a little lost, in fact. My home is a place called Helovia. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?” His voice betrayed his uncertainty and a hint of nervousness, which he hoped she would not hear. He was a stranger stuck in a strange land, and if this place was her home, perhaps she was as terrible as the dark and twisted things he had seen. She could even be a ghost. He shivered at the thought, glancing down into the pool where the frog had disappeared. There was no trace of it now. He would never get to hear its reply. “Could you, at the very least, tell me where I have ended up?” He tilted his head inquisitively, emerald eyes looking up at her from a face framed by glowing teal markings "talk talk talk" maybe i like that i'm not alright

Image Credit