The Magical Herd

After watching the ripples of ^Eilmawen^'s passage disappear, you wondered if there were more creatures that lived in this lake. It was certainly large enough, even the Loch Ness monster might get lost in it. Then you see a dark form moving swiftly just below the surface. Much to swift for it to be the sycorax returning.

Firecracker whinnied and the form, now joined with a smaller one, turned towards the shore rather than pass you by. The smaller one swam deeper, the larger of the two, surfaced.

It was a brightly coloured hippocampus. For a while she just looked at you, her eyes slowly blinking in the bright light of the sun. Then with a twitch of her tail, she slipped slightly beneath the water to nicker gently. When she came up again, you could see a distance off, the smaller form along with another larger one.

*She says her name is Elessi. She has called her mate a foal to join her in greeting you.* You smile as the young one appears at the surface. Not at all the colours of her mother, but when the father appeared, you could see the family resemblance.

After looking brave, noble and as strong as his parents, the little one had enough, and started to splash around playfully. The parents momentarily looked shocked until they saw the laughter on you lake drenched face.

*These hippocampi are the guardians of this lake and protector of all who live in it,* Firecracker explained as he sent some splendid splashes in the direction of Brinoc. Brinoc's father, Gurak, once recovered from his dismay at his son's bad behaviour, joined in, dunking his son whenever he could catch the slippery colt. Elessi continued to keep up her cold, proud exterior, but didn't do anything to stop the two males either. You couldn't be sure, but for a moment it seemed like she smiled.

Glad that the sun was warm and that you would dry quickly. The noise attracted the attention of three more lake dwellers.

Brinoc leapt with joy out of the water, Firecracker introduces you. *That is Wayma and Menos with their filly Dalia. Dalia is a dear friend of Brinoc's.* Sure enough the two of them were getting into mischief as the parents looked on. It was like a family trip to apark's playground.

You say goodbye to the hippocampus families. It was time to move on as the lake was large and it would be dark before you made it to the other side if you stayed any longer.

Just before leaving, Firecracker tells you, *As with most of the other horses here, the hippocampi are not native to the plains. The first family comes from Starluck's Sweetwater Nymphs, the second from AngelFae's Chimera Dreams. There you will find many other freshwater hippocampi.*