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Description
There are no words to describe waking up cold. Shivering and wet. Opening your eyes and expecting to see light but instead there is only darkness, unending stretching above you. Worst of all is not remembering how you got here. This is the first night.

Helina woke with a start. It was one of those dreams where you feel you've tripped over something, or slipped off a cliff and you suddenly jolt awake, heart racing and in a cold sweat. Her bed was a puddle of melted snow that had refrozen itself around her, underneath, a layer of dark wet leaves and debris. Panic struck, and she threw her neck forward, heaving herself out of the ice and snow, standing with her sides quivering and breath fogging at her nose. She stood still, stunned, her mind racing to grasp any sort of memory, anything to explain how or why she was in the place. Nothing. Her eyes rolled and she let out a whinny to investigate who was near. Silence. Breaths coming quickly now, she was on the verge of utter terror. She seemed to feel that this was not right, she should never be alone.

Panic flooded her like a fire, blazing through her bones and muscles, igniting them to move. So she did. She bolted through the darkness and the cold. Letting her hooves barley touch ground before striking off again, she flew from the silence, the ice biting at her legs. Helina dodged looming monsters, tall and skinny they were, with hands that reached out to grab her, scraping along her body and tangling in her hair. She called out again, crying into the dark, hoping someone would answer. Would she even recognize their voice? Her heart ached at the prospect. So she ran. Heat burned in her chest while her legs burned from the effort of dire speed. But that warmth was good. It was enveloping like a blanket and she no longer felt the cold.

Peace, Child

Helina's haunches tucked under her, front legs splayed in front, halting her wild run with a skid, snow and leaving flying up around her. Eyes wide and ears swiveling she sought the source of the voice, prepared for a retreat if it's owner meant her harm. Nothing followed except the the sounds of her heavy breathing and her heart beat in her own ears. Dismay crept up in her throat, a seed of uncertainty. Where was the light and the warmth? Then she noticed the warmth inside of her. Was this a reaction to her crazed run through the dark? Or did she really feel warmth emitting from her body? She forced herself to focus, not on the dark, the ice, or the isolation, but on the heat that she felt in her chest. Yes, it was there still, it grew the more she focused, blinding her mind with the brilliance she longed for and with it came a calming peace.

Suddenly curious, Helina stopped thinking about the warmth and turned her attention to a mound of snow in front of her. Just as sudden her inner heat left, replaced by the icy wind on her back instantly beginning to freeze the moist air around her. The chill gripped her body and she was stunned by the effect. She centered herself, calling back the warmth. It flooded back, heating her again and pushing the frigid air away.

She had defeated one of her adversaries, the cold. Helina made the heat grow within her until her body steamed, mist rolling from her back and snow melting into puddles around her. Embracing this power within herself.

What about the voice that had made her stop? If she had never heard it, she might not ever have stopped running, never have felt warm again. Did she even hear it? Or had it just come into her mind? She couldn't tell. Clearly there was no one around her, and the voice had been like a whisper, a faint urgency, to be still, and be calm. No enemy would have done that for her would they? She took a deep icy breath, exhaling a cloud of mist while steeling herself, understanding there was no immediate danger. She had her flame. Maybe she could find this voice and her loneliness would vanish just like the ice was under her feet.

Picking a direction, straight being just as good as any, Helina began to walk, leaving a trail of melted snow and steam behind her.

#Cavitto
Refs:
Horse: [link]
Bg: [link]

Description
There are no words to describe waking up cold. Shivering and wet. Opening your eyes and expecting to see light but instead there is only darkness, unending stretching above you. Worst of all is not remembering how you got here. This is the first night.

Helina woke with a start. It was one of those dreams where you feel you've tripped over something, or slipped off a cliff and you suddenly jolt awake, heart racing and in a cold sweat. Her bed was a puddle of melted snow that had refrozen itself around her, underneath, a layer of dark wet leaves and debris. Panic struck, and she threw her neck forward, heaving herself out of the ice and snow, standing with her sides quivering and breath fogging at her nose. She stood still, stunned, her mind racing to grasp any sort of memory, anything to explain how or why she was in the place. Nothing. Her eyes rolled and she let out a whinny to investigate who was near. Silence. Breaths coming quickly now, she was on the verge of utter terror. She seemed to feel that this was not right, she should never be alone.

Panic flooded her like a fire, blazing through her bones and muscles, igniting them to move. So she did. She bolted through the darkness and the cold. Letting her hooves barley touch ground before striking off again, she flew from the silence, the ice biting at her legs. Helina dodged looming monsters, tall and skinny they were, with hands that reached out to grab her, scraping along her body and tangling in her hair. She called out again, crying into the dark, hoping someone would answer. Would she even recognize their voice? Her heart ached at the prospect. So she ran. Heat burned in her chest while her legs burned from the effort of dire speed. But that warmth was good. It was enveloping like a blanket and she no longer felt the cold.

Peace, Child

Helina's haunches tucked under her, front legs splayed in front, halting her wild run with a skid, snow and leaving flying up around her. Eyes wide and ears swiveling she sought the source of the voice, prepared for a retreat if it's owner meant her harm. Nothing followed except the the sounds of her heavy breathing and her heart beat in her own ears. Dismay crept up in her throat, a seed of uncertainty. Where was the light and the warmth? Then she noticed the warmth inside of her. Was this a reaction to her crazed run through the dark? Or did she really feel warmth emitting from her body? She forced herself to focus, not on the dark, the ice, or the isolation, but on the heat that she felt in her chest. Yes, it was there still, it grew the more she focused, blinding her mind with the brilliance she longed for and with it came a calming peace.

Suddenly curious, Helina stopped thinking about the warmth and turned her attention to a mound of snow in front of her. Just as sudden her inner heat left, replaced by the icy wind on her back instantly beginning to freeze the moist air around her. The chill gripped her body and she was stunned by the effect. She centered herself, calling back the warmth. It flooded back, heating her again and pushing the frigid air away.

She had defeated one of her adversaries, the cold. Helina made the heat grow within her until her body steamed, mist rolling from her back and snow melting into puddles around her. Embracing this power within herself.

What about the voice that had made her stop? If she had never heard it, she might not ever have stopped running, never have felt warm again. Did she even hear it? Or had it just come into her mind? She couldn't tell. Clearly there was no one around her, and the voice had been like a whisper, a faint urgency, to be still, and be calm. No enemy would have done that for her would they? She took a deep icy breath, exhaling a cloud of mist while steeling herself, understanding there was no immediate danger. She had her flame. Maybe she could find this voice and her loneliness would vanish just like the ice was under her feet.

Picking a direction, straight being just as good as any, Helina began to walk, leaving a trail of melted snow and steam behind her.

#Cavitto
Refs:
Horse: [link]
Bg: [link]