.:Wild Ways:. -- The Pasture

So dark had become these days. Pain in her heart had made the warrior weak as she had nothing more to fight for. Her own condition had been caused by her own foolishness. Leaving her home, her love, her daughter and ending up with no path leading back to love. Each rib was visible beneath a shaggy crimson cloak and a dullness that had never before ventured into her gaze was now making itself comfortable. Now only three names crossed her mind: Sniper... Desert Princess... Liliha...

What were the faces that these names belonged to? Her mind couldn't put the eyes in the right place or the exact colour to their coat. She knew them in her heart though but her heart had turned cold again. Sage was back to her old vicious self in her solitude. An icy glare mixed with a blazing fury but a dullness that showed her spirit was nearly depleated. Hope was a thread slowly losing fibres as she wandered. The beating against her chest was slowing and becoming weaker day by day and it was becoming harder to keep voids open and alert. Hearing was not as great as it had once been but life would not yet leave her old bones.

A cry was heard... and a voice. Her mind was playing tricks again... but no. That was the voice of her love's son... and the cry was... it couldn't be... could it? Dark eyes worked their way open and spotted what for so long she'd needed to see. Her adoptive daughter. The one who had given her a purpose. The one who had given her something to be proud of. Though she never had shown it, she was proud. It was Liliha, at last!

Light chased the dullness from her eyes and her spirit shot back into her body. Old bones became new and she raced up the hill as fast as her legs would allow her. The only thing that slowed her down was the ache in her leg. Her only reminder of her encounter with the tigers had created a limp that would never fully disappear.

Raspy cry was given as throat was sore from going so long without use and water. Could this all be real? Was it only a dream meant to torment the aging mare upon her waking?

It wasn't. Liliha was actually here and apparently in even worse shape than Sage, herself was. And General was here as well. Surely he would lead the two mares back to their beloved protector, Sniper. But wait... Liliha had grown. She was no longer a filly and age had taken her youth. Liliha was a mare now! At that, Sage gave a nod of approval.

Subject	Author	Date
Sweet	Liliha	18:10:52 12/30/04 Thu
-- , 18:35:38 12/30/04 Thu .:Wild Ways:. -- Sage, 22:23:28 12/30/04 Thu