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Description
It was an unusually warm autumn morning. After the “excitement” of Anhinga’s capture, the herd was happy to relax by a small stream. The new foals, Dhole and Titus frolicked in the summer-warm water, whinnying back and forth to one another. Percy watched his son--his son!--with eyes full of pride. He wondered if his father had felt this watching him play and his heart gave a pang. He missed his old herd. Maybe he would pay them a visit sometime soon...He was sure Denna would be excited to see her mother again and would travel with him. It would be a fun adventure for the two of them.

Speaking of Denna, Percy stole a quick peek out of the corner of his eye where she was being “wooed” by his Lieutenant. Jason reared up onto his back legs for the mare and picked her some fire-red leaves from the tree above them. Lovingly, he placed the adornments in her mane. A pretty blush colored her white cheeks and she leaned forward to nuzzle him. Percy stopped spying and smiled. He was happy Denna and Jason had found one another. They each deserved happiness. Percy wondered if he’d ever find that kind of happiness for himself…

”Why so glum, sugar plum?” came Pigeon’s sweet voice.

Percy shook his head and put on a smile. ”Nothing, nothing. Just lost in thought.” he said happily.

”Would you like to go on a run with us?” Pigeon asked, kicking dirt with her hoof.

Percy peered around her to see Heron, Sparrow, and Wren. His small smile broke into a full grin.

”Of course I would!” he accepted gleefully. ”Let’s race!”

With a buck, he started running off, away from the mares. He heard laughter and hoofbeats behind him as the mares hurried to catch up. To his surprise, Wren quickly overtook him, flicking him across the cheek with her tail as she passed. The four horses ran for a while, laughing and calling out to one another as they raced. Soon though, an eerie fog began to roll out of the trees where they ran. Percy slowed to a stop and titled his head in curiosity. This fog reminded him of the forest where they found Anhinga...but he thought that had been in a different direction.

Rustling in the bushes caught the horses’ attention. The mares all crowded behind Perseus, peering around him into the darkness with wide eyes.

Out of the darkness stepped...a small rodent?

Percy blinked. A guinea pig waddled out of the trees to greet them. Percy bent his neck to inspect the tiny creature when he heard a high pitched laugh coming from the trees. Looking up, he saw a ghostly mare where no one had been standing a second before. How had she moved to quietly?

”Well, who do we have here? A tasty stallion and a gaggle of mares. How nice.” the mare said in a sing-song voice, baring her teeth in a grin.

”Uhm...well, hello there.” Percy finally stuttered out. ”W-who may you be?”

The mare laughed that strange, high laugh again. ”No one for you to know.” she said as she turned and disappeared back into the fog.

Percy blinked and she was gone. How had she done that?? And when he looked down, the guinea pig was gone as well.

”Let’s...head back.” Percy said uncertainly.

The three mares quickly agreed and the four horses made their way back home, pretending to be racing each other instead of running away.

Description
It was an unusually warm autumn morning. After the “excitement” of Anhinga’s capture, the herd was happy to relax by a small stream. The new foals, Dhole and Titus frolicked in the summer-warm water, whinnying back and forth to one another. Percy watched his son--his son!--with eyes full of pride. He wondered if his father had felt this watching him play and his heart gave a pang. He missed his old herd. Maybe he would pay them a visit sometime soon...He was sure Denna would be excited to see her mother again and would travel with him. It would be a fun adventure for the two of them.

Speaking of Denna, Percy stole a quick peek out of the corner of his eye where she was being “wooed” by his Lieutenant. Jason reared up onto his back legs for the mare and picked her some fire-red leaves from the tree above them. Lovingly, he placed the adornments in her mane. A pretty blush colored her white cheeks and she leaned forward to nuzzle him. Percy stopped spying and smiled. He was happy Denna and Jason had found one another. They each deserved happiness. Percy wondered if he’d ever find that kind of happiness for himself…

”Why so glum, sugar plum?” came Pigeon’s sweet voice.

Percy shook his head and put on a smile. ”Nothing, nothing. Just lost in thought.” he said happily.

”Would you like to go on a run with us?” Pigeon asked, kicking dirt with her hoof.

Percy peered around her to see Heron, Sparrow, and Wren. His small smile broke into a full grin.

”Of course I would!” he accepted gleefully. ”Let’s race!”

With a buck, he started running off, away from the mares. He heard laughter and hoofbeats behind him as the mares hurried to catch up. To his surprise, Wren quickly overtook him, flicking him across the cheek with her tail as she passed. The four horses ran for a while, laughing and calling out to one another as they raced. Soon though, an eerie fog began to roll out of the trees where they ran. Percy slowed to a stop and titled his head in curiosity. This fog reminded him of the forest where they found Anhinga...but he thought that had been in a different direction.

Rustling in the bushes caught the horses’ attention. The mares all crowded behind Perseus, peering around him into the darkness with wide eyes.

Out of the darkness stepped...a small rodent?

Percy blinked. A guinea pig waddled out of the trees to greet them. Percy bent his neck to inspect the tiny creature when he heard a high pitched laugh coming from the trees. Looking up, he saw a ghostly mare where no one had been standing a second before. How had she moved to quietly?

”Well, who do we have here? A tasty stallion and a gaggle of mares. How nice.” the mare said in a sing-song voice, baring her teeth in a grin.

”Uhm...well, hello there.” Percy finally stuttered out. ”W-who may you be?”

The mare laughed that strange, high laugh again. ”No one for you to know.” she said as she turned and disappeared back into the fog.

Percy blinked and she was gone. How had she done that?? And when he looked down, the guinea pig was gone as well.

”Let’s...head back.” Percy said uncertainly.

The three mares quickly agreed and the four horses made their way back home, pretending to be racing each other instead of running away.