The Magical Herd

If you had hoped she would lead you into light, you were wrong. Instead the atmosphere became even more dark and oppressive. You were beginning to question the brilliance of you idea to follow the mare when she stopped near a shadow deeper than the rest.

He looked towards you, then back at the mare. She merely shrugs. "It followed me home like a lost puppy. Its too skinny for eating, not even any fun for hunting. It just lies on the floor and whimpers. No chase, no nothing." She snorts again.

"It's afraid," the male said in a deep somber voice. You shivered, you'd seen enough movies to know that you don't mess with anyone with that kind of voice. Not if you don't want to be a mindless slaves for the next couple of centuries.

The female shrugged. "Yeah, and I can smell it sweating from here."

So sorry, deoderant hadn't been high on your list of things to bring on this trip....

"Hmph," the male replied. "Fortunately it stands downwind." He made a playful nip at the mare, or at least you thought it was playful. Maybe he was reprimanding her for bringing back strays. Just in case, you keep quiet about the smelly insults. Better to be insulted than to be dinner.

Again they merge with the night. This place being worse than the one you left, you decide to follow again. The stallion dark form had completely disappeared, but the mare was still visible if you kept pace with them.