Val_4: The New Creature

The New Creature chapt. 4



         Valerie woke up after what felt like a very long time, feeling more peaceful and rested than she could ever remember feeling before. For a moment she just kept her eyes closed, enjoying the quiet and the way she felt. Moments like this were rare and to be savored. Any minute Mrs. Roady would be knocking at the door, demanding that she get up and come to the breakfast table to join the family. She'd have to get up, scrounge through her closet for some clothes and go face the chaotic household.

         This felt much better. She could almost imagine that she heard leaves rustling in the softest kind of breeze and water moving somewhere far away. And there was someone singing nearby in a pretty, lilting way.

         That voice was familiar too. Oh, of course. Jesse had left her tape of the Mystics playing and that was Lila singing. Valerie sighed. She'd just been having the strangest dream about Lila. No wonder, if Jesse had kept the tape on all night again.

         Just then the voice stopped singing and spoke to her, "Get up, Val. It's time to catch up to the others so we can eat something. I'm starved."

         Valerie frowned. That was funny. She'd never heard Jesse's tape do that before.

         Someone nudged her side gently but firmly. "Come on, Val. Up! Get up! Get up!"

         Another voice spoke, John's. "Are you sure she's okay, Twi? She's been out for an awful long time now."

         Valerie's eyes flew open. "What in the world are you doing in my room?" she yelled and then slammed her eyes closed again as soon as she caught sight of Twilight. She spoke through gritted teeth. "Oh, no, this is a dream. This is not allowed to happen." She raised her voice, "Jesse, come turn off your tape! Now!"

         Twilight nudged her in the side again. "Yes, John, I am sure she is alright. Merely more stubborn than a person has a right to be. Why don't you go on out to the road? I'll bring Valerie in a little while."

         "Okay." John sounded very uncertain but Valerie heard him going away a moment later. She cracked one eye open just far enough that she could see the bushes swishing back behind him. If she didn't focus her eyes she could pretend she hadn't seen what she knew she had. She squeezed her eyes closed again.

         Then Twilight was speaking to her. "Come on, Val. Get up. 'Courage is a virtue the young cannot spare'. I don't remember who said that but he knew what he was talking about. Buck it up, Val. Open your eyes."

         "I don't want to." Valerie glared at Twilight without opening her eyes. "Go away. You aren't Twilight. I don't know who you are or what I took before I went to bed but I am staying right here until we're all through with this and then I'll find out what I did last night so I can never do it again."

         Twilight laughed. "You didn't take anything last night, Val! You know that very well and you're doing this just to be stubborn. Now, open your eyes and get up before I have to get creative."

         "Go away!"

           "No!"

         Valerie shifted slightly. She could feel grass beneath her, thick and long, and there were leaves rustling above her. At least it was a pleasant hallucination. She wondered if most people got into arguments with elements of their hallucinations.

         Twilight nudged her in the side, harder this time. "Get Up!"

         "I was enjoying this until you started talking." Valerie informed Twilight. "Why couldn't you just stay Twilight?"

         Twilight sounded faintly irritated now. "I am Twilight." She stated flatly. "In fact, I'm more 'Twilight' this way than I was before. As you would see if you ever looked!"

         Valerie couldn't help it. She cracked one eye open again and looked up at Twilight's face. Twilight was glaring down at her, her lips pressed tight together in annoyance. Valerie grinned and closed her eyes again. Okay, maybe it wasn't all hallucination.

         "Why should I?"

           "Because... Because I said to!" Twilight stated and then started laughing. "So there!"

         Valerie opened her eyes and looked straight up. She was looking up at a circle of treetops edging the cerulean blue sky. There were a few wisps of white cloud floating past, very high up. Then Twilight leaned over her, blocking out Valerie's view of the sky.

         "Now look at me."

         Valerie reluctantly did so and then found that her stubbornness and the smoldering rebellion in her chest melted away into wonder as she looked.

         Twilight's face had not changed much except that the shades and colors were more defined than they had been back on earth. She was clothed in a loose tunic of pale lavender color that left her arms bare and a belt, from which dangled a sword. And supporting her upper body was the legs, sides and back of a horse. That half of her body was white, shimmering and sparkling like a field of new snow with the sun on it. Her legs had a violet cast to them and her tail was as black as midnight, thick and full.

         From the horse part of her back, on either side of her backbone and just behind her shoulder, huge wings stretched forth. The feathers looked smooth and soft, the same color as her body, but they gave the impression of immense strength.

         Valerie looked back to Twilight's face. "Alright, this is beyond the spectrum of reasonable events. Are you going to look me in the eye and swear to me that this is not a hallucination?"

         Twilight held up her hand. "I so swear, quite solemnly and with a good deal of certainty. However, if you wish to continue feeling like this is a dream until you can accept everything about it, feel free."

         "Accept everything about it." Valerie repeated.

         "Yeah." Twilight shifted, apparently trying to retain a sober expression but her irrepressible grin was breaking out. "Yeah, don't faint or anything but go ahead and take a look down at yourself."

         "One question before I do this." Valerie said.

         "Yeah, what's that?"

         "Why?"

         Twilight blinked slowly. "Why look or why did it happen?"

         "Why did it happen?"

         "Because," Twilight thought slowly for a moment and then grinned again, "It wouldn't be half so fun if it didn't, Val."

         "Seriously," Valerie propped herself up on one elbow and looked up at Twilight expectantly.

         Twilight grasped the sword hilt and knelt down, then, with a strangely graceful, rolling movement, lay down with her legs tucked neatly up beside her and her wings folded on her back. It was interesting, Valerie thought, watching how a centaur moved.

         Twilight started gently slapping the sheathed sword against her side as she began speaking. "Valerie, I'm not allowed to tell you very much, that part isn't my job and never has been. I'll tell you as much as I can. I am one of the warriors of the Circle, one of the wanderers. My earthly allegiance is given to Lady Dawn of Malyia and it is for her that I took this task."

         "What task?"

         "To bring you to her," Twilight raised a hand. "And before you start asking me why, I'll say this, that's one of the things I'm not allowed to tell you."

         Valerie scowled. "That's stupid."

         "Sensible really. It's dangerous for someone to try and explain something they don't understand. I don't understand everything about you and your history. And it's really none of my business." Twilight got to her feet again and moved away.

         "You'd better stand up now. Take a look at yourself in that pool over there. An alteration isn't half so bad as you think, Val."

         Valerie looked down. She was now expecting to see a change and the shock didn't hit her nearly so bad this time as when she had seen Twilight for the first time. It was less of a jolt than a feeling of affirmation when she saw what the alteration had done to her. Her legs were gone. In their place were four flinty hooves and the compact, muscular body of a horse with the powerful shoulders melding smoothly up into her hips. About six inches apart, her wings grew from her back, the feathers soft and gentle against her fingertips with hard muscle and sinew beneath.

         Valerie was black where Twilight was shimmering white, with a flaming red tail. Her right foreleg was also crimson, almost to the knee.

         She pushed herself upright and cautiously reached out to run her hand down over one foreleg. Well, she could feel that. Curiously she pinched her shoulder, and immediately felt that as well. "Ouch."

         Twilight was watching her curiously. "What was that for?"

         "Just wondering. I've never done this before."

         "You'll get used to it," Twilight said. "After a while."

          Valerie ran her hands over her wings, watching how the feathers rippled under her fingers. "Twilight, I didn't know centaurs had wings."

         Twilight flicked her wings, like a shrug, as she bent over to pick up their cloaks. "Most people on Earth don't. Centaurs only went to Earth in their natural form a few times, no more than a dozen certainly. They hid their wings carefully beneath cloaks, packs or shields. You see, a centaur's wing is one of its greatest assets, but it's also one of the few ways that a man can gain an advantage in a fight. If a man can get a good hold on one of your wings, Val, and he has any knowledge of what to do, he can have you pretty helpless in a short period of time. A harsh grip on your wings is worse than a joint lock by a long way." 

         Valerie awkwardly folded her wings on her back, surprised that they seemed so small once they were tucked up.

         Twilight shifted restlessly as she watched Valerie, trying to be patient. After several minutes she said, "Think you could hurry up a bit and stand?"

         Valerie ignored the mild request to hurry. She had decided to take her own time to settle into this form. She flicked her tail and the brush of it against her legs made a gentle shiver run over her skin.

         "Interesting," Slowly and carefully, moving each hoof separately, she got to her feet. She was much taller now and it was a strange feeling, but not unpleasant. She lifted her wings, stretching them over her head and then out to the sides, enjoying the feeling of strength and power.

         Twilight walked in a circle around her, studying her carefully. "Yes. You turned out very nicely, Val," She gave Val a grin. "I hope you're a good runner."

         Valerie looked at her suspiciously.

         "You're a beauty, Val. Those guys out there don't stand a chance. Just watch. You’ll see what I mean."

         Valerie shook her head. "Naa. It's you they'll be after, Twilight. You're prettier."

         “Well, there’s a lie for you,” Twilight watched her with a grin and put her hands on her hips. "Even if it were true, I’m already spoken for. They're out of luck. But, really, don't get me wrong. You'll be well noticed wherever we go. You're quite a beauty. Why didn't you ever..."

         "Beauty," Valerie snorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Yeah, right! You're joking."

         Twilight shook her head, a twisted smile on her lips. "Not a chance. Take a look, Val," She nodded to the pool. "I apologize. Your glasses got broken when you fell."

         Valerie automatically reached up to feel for her glasses and blinked when she found they were gone. "Then why can I see?" She glanced around, half expecting to see everything turning blurry before her eyes. Her vision remained perfectly clear.

         Twilight shrugged. "Apparently you won't need them while you're here."

          Valerie stepped over to the pool Twilight had indicated and bent over. Faintly reflected in the surface she could see her own face. Her eyes studied the reflection in perplexity. The features were the same she had seen every other day of her life. She had expected to see some change, but there was none.

         She gave Twilight a withering glance as she straightened back up. "I’m a beauty, eh?" Her tone was biting.

         Twilight rolled her eyes in exasperation. She put her hand at the back of Valerie's head and pushed her forward to take another look. "You can be so blind when you want to be, Valerie Ann, and your glasses have nothing to do with it." She pulled Valerie's hair away from her face and held it back. Then she pointed down at the reflection. "Look, a strong face but feminine, pretty lips, nice nose, gorgeous eyes. They're clear, bright blue, like sapphires or smoldering maluni. I haven't yet seen a real smile off you, but I'll bet it's stunning too," She released Valerie's hair and it swung forward to brush her cheeks. "Your hair is such a pretty color. Alive. Red is the color of valor and strength. It suits you."

         Twilight stepped back. "You were beautifully made, Valerie."

         Valerie looked down, soberly regarding her reflection. A voice in the back of her mind whispered 'argue, don't let her win even a little, don't give in!' but she longed to let it be true. For a long time she struggled with it, studying her face and seeing the things Twilight had pointed out while the voice whispered, picking out all her faults. Finally she straightened up and shrugged. She spoke none of the arguments in her head, but she shook her head. "I don't think so."

         Twilight looked exasperated again. "You are so stubborn! I tried for four months to corner you, you know. I never met someone so hard to find and talk to."

         A wry smile twisted Valerie's lips but she said nothing in reply.

         Twilight tossed Valerie's cloak to her. "Here, I already adjusted it so it'll fit a centaur. You and John are going to Tsarl with me. Shay has already gone on to Malyia." A grin tugged as her mouth. "He's got a girlfriend and has for the past month or so been suffering acutely from the lack of her company. He'll meet us when we get there."

         "Where did Starsong go?" Valerie asked as she studied her cloak to find out what 'adjustments' Twilight had made. It looked like she had done nothing more than split the cloak up the middle of the back. Valerie shrugged, swung her cloak around her shoulders and fastened it. The split caused the cloak to fall smoothly on either side of her back so it would not hinder the movement of her wings.

         "She soaked up several hours of sunshine and returned to Kethya. She has her duties."

         "What do they do there? Starsong and Moonsong, I mean."

         "They are gatekeepers. They make sure that people who are not supposed to cross from world to world stay where they are supposed to be. And, folk who have been called to other worlds usually need guides to find their way. Gatekeepers also do that. They are good at helping people find their way. No one else I’ve ever known has been able to navigate so accurately by the stars of Kethya. The stars there shift unevenly, you see. Only the gatekeepers know how to find their way by those stars."

         "Mmm." Valerie nodded.

         "Unicorns aren't the only gatekeepers, either. They come from every kind of creature. Often it seems to run in bloodlines, from father to son, but not always. The Chief Gatekeeper is Secra. She judges those who have abused the use of the passages between worlds and those who have committed crimes across several worlds. She's a good person to remain on good terms with. I only met her once. She's not much for social occasions." Twilight commented dryly.

         Then she looked at Valerie. "Are you ready to go yet?"

         Valerie frowned a little. There was something else she wanted to ask about. “Why did Starsong want to come here anyway? She said something about wanting to see something. What was it?”

         Twilight seemed to be taken off guard momentarily and her lips moved as she sought for words. “Uh… well, it was…just to see if, um,” she winced a little. “Well, she wanted to see what you’d look like altered.”

         “Huh? Why?” Valerie asked blankly.

         “Well…cause you kind of reminded her of someone we both know. You’ll probably get a lot more of this from a lot of people, Val, but you really do look a lot like…her.”

         “Who?”

         Twilight’s expression became unreadable. “You’ll see. But you’d better get used to hearing it from people.” She flicked her wings and asked again, “So, you ready to go?”

         Valerie nodded, pushing aside her confusion. "Yeah."

         A grin blossomed across Twilight's face. "Come on, then. Follow me!" All her muscles bunched and she leapt upwards, her wings beating the air.

         Valerie didn't think. She followed. Her powerful legs thrust her into the air and she soared upwards. A wild exhilaration pounded fiercely through her blood in time with the wide sweeps of her wings. The air tugged at her hair and swept over her body as she left the trees below. The sun warmed her as she exulted in the feeling of the free air.

         Twilight was circling above her and she shouted down to Valerie. "Come up here, Valerie! You can see more."

         Valerie felt like grinning. She started to climb towards Twilight and then glanced down at the lands spread out below her. Anxiety hit her like a blow in the stomach and panic rushed in, chilling her to the bone. She'd never flown before. How was it done anyway? Her wings floundered, their steady beat lost.

         Twilight was suddenly before her, floating easily on the air. "Relax, Valerie. You know how to do it. Just relax."

         Valerie reached out to Twilight and clutched hard at her wrist. "What if I fall?"

         "Then you hit the ground really hard. Probably break a couple of legs. Ribs too." Twilight stated bluntly, her violet eyes serious. "But, if you relax, you won't fall. Come on." She tugged, trying to free her hand but Valerie clutched tighter.

         "How'd you know I got scared?" she demanded.

         Twilight laughed. "All the air within five strides of you tasted of it, that's how! Let go, Val. Take a couple of deep breaths and follow me. You can see a lot more from higher up."

         Valerie forced herself to let go of Twilight's wrist and swallow her fear. She followed Twilight higher and slowly the painful tenseness began to run out of her as she realized she knew how to use her wings.

         "See there." Twilight said, pointing off to their right when she finally paused. "To the west lie the mountains. It's in the heart of these mountains that the countries of Lumina and Schumal lie; Lumina northwards and Schumal more southerly. Right now we are in Pelesia, near the southern borders. To the south of us is the country of Varian and there are countries beyond that before the southern seas begin. We don't usually have to go there. There are a lot of cold deserts down that way and it's fairly unpleasant. The Dabh Mountains run in a line that's mostly parallel to the coast, but farther south they curve east to meet the sea. It's beyond them that the deserts start."

         They turned and looked northwards. Twilight's eyes gleamed as she spoke. "There, to the north, is Malyia, where we are going. That's where I was born and raised, Valerie, Lady Dawn's country. A little farther north and east is the land where Jadrin was." She sounded sad when she spoke of that country, but she gave Valerie no further comment on it.

         Valerie looked everywhere. The mountains in the west were tall and forbidding, their towering peaks shining fiercely with snow while the foothills at their base looked green and pleasant. To the north and south the lands stretched out farther than she could see, in the north green and cool looking in the warm light and to the south thickly forested and broken by craggy hills. Valerie's eyes shone as she saw villages and towns with roads going between them and farms dotting the countryside. She strained her eyes and thought she could barely see the country Twilight had called Malyia, and the one she'd named Jadrin.

         She frowned a little. There seemed to be a shadow over the horizon northwards, a darkness that hung low over the land.

         "Twilight," Valerie asked. "What's north of Jadrin and Malyia?"

         "Oh." Twilight's voice sounded cool and there was tenseness in it that Valerie had never heard before. "That's Telliath." Her tone was final. Obviously she was not willing to discuss this other country.

         Valerie shrugged and turned to look at the sea. From above it looked like a turquoise sheet of fine silk, gently moving with a silver and gold sun sparkle endlessly shifting across its surface.

         "A peaceful sea," She murmured softly, smiling to herself. The description seemed to fit the sea very well. "What's the sea called, Twilight?" Valerie asked, looking over at the other girl.

         Twilight glanced over at her and her eyes were bright and shining. "The Sh'ian Sea." She said her voice full to overflowing with her inner joy. The chill that had touched her when Valerie had asked about Telliath was now completely gone.

         She came over closer to Valerie. "Can you see the city by the mouth of the Spearhead? That's the river." she pointed towards the coast.

         Valerie looked in the direction Twilight indicated. "I think I can see it. Strange how it seems I see better here without my glasses than I ever did with them before."

         "Not strange at all, Val. And it's that city we're heading for. We'll meet Rainsilver there."

         She looked around, laughing softly as her eyes shone. "Ah, this is my world, Val! So beautiful, isn't it? Sometimes, Val, it's as sharp and piercing beauty as a new forged blade. Other times, soft and easy and quiet, light like a song you've never heard before. Splendid and glorious or deep and quiet, things you keep in your heart forever and other times so bright you have to tell. We call this world Neulria. It means ‘world ruled by the sky’ or ‘sky ruling’. It got the name because the sky catches and holds things.”

         Valerie frowned. “Holds things?”

         Twilight nodded. “Emotions, the prosperity or famine of a country, the blessings of the Master… all such things are reflected by the sky. It keeps things more than other worlds. That’s why most of the centaurs live here. It’s easier to fly. The sky welcomes us.” She spread her arms wide, embracing the air around her. “Neulria is the Master’s gift to winged folk. Sometimes it's so full up here, full of everything, joy and grief and laughter, you feel like your heart will burst wide for feeling it. And then, sometimes it can be fierce and terrible."

         Her eyes grew soft. "Like the sea, Val. So peaceful now," She gestured to the east. "But if a storm should rise, as they do here, within minutes, almost out of a clear sky, then you'd think it was trying it's best to kill you." She glanced over at Valerie sometimes as she talked but the rest of the time she was looking at the world around them as though she was starved for the sight of it.

         When she had finished, she paused for a long moment, her lashes dropping to conceal her eyes. Then they flicked over to Valerie and were the sparkling eyes of the Twilight she was most familiar with. "Now that I've scared the daylights out of you, what do you think?"

         "It's beautiful, Twilight," Said Valerie sincerely. She gazed around and frowned slightly. "It's so beautiful and strange. I used to dream about places like this, pretend that they were real. And now that I'm here it's... I'm here but it's different. But it is beautiful, so much clearer and brighter than Earth."

         Twilight nodded, smiling thoughtfully. "Well, I'm glad you like it, Val. I wanted to be the first one to take you up, you know, just to see your face when you saw it all." She glanced downwards. "But, we'd better go on down before John gets too worried."

         She began gliding downwards gracefully then she swooped back up. "Oh say, Val. You know the basics of flying without my instruction, but I'll have to teach you about currants, elevators and the wind patterns and stuff. I can explain it later, okay? But we'll take it pretty easy for now."

         "Fine," Valerie sighed gratefully. Her wings were beginning to ache.

         "And we'll have to lay off on the flying for now, right?" Twilight grinned.

         "Yes." Valerie admitted. "I ache all the way to my waist."

         "I thought so." Twilight chuckled. "It always takes me a while to get back in the swing of flying. My wings are already starting to get tired too." She laughed softly and went on downwards. Valerie followed her and soon they landed gently on the road that ran near to the trees.

         John walked over to them, his wings folded awkwardly on his back. His body and wings were black, like Valerie's. "Hey! Why didn't you wait for me?"

         Twilight folded her wings serenely and answered, "I was eager to see my world again. This is the world I belong to. I may be a wanderer but that does not mean that the ties binding me to my world are any less strong."

         "Like our world is Earth?" asked John. Valerie rolled her eyes hopelessly at his overpowering desire to understand.

         "Earth is your world." Twilight nodded. "And however much you may enjoy your stay here you will soon come to understand the strength of your bonds to your own world. No creature can be happy forever outside of his own given world."

         "So Val and I won't be staying here," John said, glancing over at Valerie momentarily.

"We'll go back and live in Earth."

         Twilight shook her head. "You’ll stay for a while but not forever. You will return to live your life in Earth. In time this will be Valerie's home."

         "Why?" inquired John. "She's from earth just like I am."

         Twilight's mouth closed and she suddenly appeared uncomfortable. She winced. "Umm. Well. That's one of those things I wasn't supposed to tell you." She sighed. "But, I guess I've already talked too much in that direction. Val was born here and she has a place, just as I have."

         "Valerie was born here?" John was shocked. He studied Valerie, as though expecting her to be different.

         Twilight nodded reluctantly. "Yes. But don't ask me anymore. Please?"

         John was unwilling to let the subject drop but he conceded to her request. "Okay, what about you?"

         "Yes. Who are you here?" Valerie asked curiously.

           "Here, I am Twilight; the daughter of Sir Lemuel and Lady Aurora, a daughter of stars. I am a servant of the Lady Dawn, Queen of Malyia. I am a wanderer."

         "What's your job?" John asked.

         Twilight began walking east, following the road. "So far, my job is to obey my elders, serve the Lady Dawn and carry out her will and follow the Lord's word. You will find out more from Rainsilver, because in that you've had a part and will have more, I think." She began trotting gently.

         John kept up beside her, asking questions, which she answered agreeably. Valerie followed a few strides behind them, listening and learning what she could. They jogged companionably over several hills and a fresh breeze caught them, smelling faintly of the sea and carrying another scent, sweet and spicy.

         John sniffed curiously. "What's that smell, Twilight?"

         "Pelesia's main source of income is from their spice trade. Pelesian ships go to lands all over the world, selling the spices. That particular smell is the saet nuts. Usually you want it ground, but you can also buy it chopped or in whole nuts. Not that you want to try and eat a whole nut." She grimaced. "It's worse than a spoon of pure cinnamon."

John smiled slightly. "Hmm. I am forewarned." He inhaled deeply. "It smells wonderful though."

         Twilight nodded. "Saet is one of my favorite spices, especially sprinkled on hot bread. It's delicious." She smiled contentedly. "It's so nice to be home. You wouldn't believe how much Earthen air smells bad after Malyia."

         They came then to the broad top of another hill and looked across a gentle valley to another, taller hill. Through the valley meandered a wide, shallow stream with the sunlight flickering through it to the gravel at the bottom. Grass grew thick and lush across the valley bottom and towards one end there was a stand of young trees. Wind rippled the grass, making them move in welcoming waves, inviting them down.

         Twilight leapt in a playful buck, obviously feeling the pull of the valley. "What a place to stretch our legs!" Her eyes laughed over at Valerie and John. "Race ya'. It's 'bout time you learned to gallop." She half reared as she hurled her weight forward and down the hill, her hair whipping behind her.

         Valerie crossed her arms. "Ah, that's nice. It's about time, huh?"

         John shrugged. "Might as well. At least it's grassy here. Not too many rocks."

         They glanced at each other and then began to jog gently down the hill, after her. They followed, side by side, silent for a little while.

         After several strides, John spoke. "What do you think, Val?"

         Valerie stretched her right wing. "Well, about what part of it?"

         He waved his hand broadly. "I mean all this. Isn't it weird? Who would have ever thought of something like this happening?"

         "It's not weird," Said Valerie thoughtfully. "strange, different, wonderful, unexpected, terrifying, but not weird. I'm not sure it I like it or not."

         John grinned. "I love it! This is cool, extremely confusing, but nice. There are adventures here, Valerie, mysteries, wonders and beautiful things. Can't you feel it?"  His shining eyes came around to look at her.

         "Terrifying," Valerie said dryly. "I'm not sure what I think yet. Something- about it, something almost hurts."

         John's look of delight was replaced by a faintly worried frown. Then Twilight called from ahead of them.

         "Come on, you guys, hurry up!"

         Valerie was uncomfortably aware that she had said something about what she felt behind her defenses. She was glad of the excuse to hurry and leave John behind as she picked up her pace, shifting from a jog into a canter as she reached the valley bottom. Curiously she quickened her strides and plunged into the shallow stream, her hooves throwing up a spray of water that drenched her. The wind of her speed tugged at her hair and the thrill of it was soon pounding through her blood. She lunged up the hill, struggling to go even faster.

         Twilight met her halfway up the hill where the road leveled slightly before going up the last steep slope to the top. "I beat you." Twilight greeted her, smiling.

         Valerie came to a skidding halt and leaned forward, her hands braced on her forelegs. "Whatever." She panted, trying to keep a grin from spreading across her face.

         Twilight laughed. "See why Shay and I were so eager to come back home?"

         "Oh yeah. No kidding." Valerie straightened up and looked back across the valley, her sides still heaving. "It's the strangest feeling, Twi." She glanced over at the other girl.

         Twilight was smiling back over at her. "I know. That's the way it always is." She nodded down towards John, who was splashing slowly through the stream. "I don't know if John is finding it so wonderful though. He was meant for two legs and is finding four rather difficult." She chuckled softly. "He will sort them out, but it will take him some time; longer than it did for you."

         They were quiet for a moment, waiting for Valerie's breathing to return to normal. Finally Valerie looked over. "Are we going to have to go back?" Her tone was strangely flat, as though she knew the answer.

         Twilight nodded slowly. "Unfortunately, yes. Someday we'll come here to stay forever though."

         "When?” The flatness was still in Valerie's voice.

         Twilight shrugged. "I can't tell. No one can."

         Valerie considered that thought for a split second only before shoving it from her mind. But her suspicions had been confirmed. This place was no different from any other home she'd ever known. Hers for only a short time, only long enough for her to relax and start to hope and dream before it was snatched from her grasp. She turned the conversation away.

         "Is it painful to have to revert to two legs?" They turned and started up the hill, still talking.

         "Not quite painful. Almost. It's like wearing a shoe that isn't quite tight but is very snug."

         "I never knew anything else, but you did. How did you stand it?" Valerie inquired curiously. 

         "Forgot about it as much as possible," Said Twilight. "It's not so bad when I'm riding or when I run. When we get back I'd advise you to do the same thing I did; find something that eases it a little and forget it as much as you can."

They then came to the top of the hill and Valerie was jolted by quick surprise when she caught sight of what was awaiting them.