The lights are dazzling, explosions of color against the darkened maze path. Everywhere he looks is a new galaxy, a new constellation, a new light show. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily lose himself and forget his purpose there. The lights called to him, like moths to a flame, their song eerie but strangely captivating. A lesser horse might have succumbed — but Toulouse was not one to lose sight of his goal.
After some time this path, too, proved itself to be another illusion. The stars fell from the sky, melting into the ground so that for one brilliant second, he was walking down a path of starlight and rainbows. But that too faded, and he found himself within a circle of hedge with Isra at its bow.
All the paths converged here — but it would seem that he and one other were the only two to make it this far. The other mare was a brilliant clash of red on black, but Toulouse has eyes only for Isra.
And the ribbons she manifested.
Her words filter in one ear and out the other, heard only in part, like a far off dream. He’s processing the choice in front of him — but really, did he need to deliberate much?
He steps forward alongside the other contestant, the wolf in him determined to choose first. He’s a pace behind her, his hesitation a second longer than her’s — but it doesn’t matter, for she chooses a different one, one blacker than his soul.
Toulouse chooses quite the opposite, one brilliantly bright and shimmering, two colors woven together.
It’s the gold he’s after, his greatest weakness, but he’ll take the silver alongside it.
Toulouse chooses the third ribbon.
there are many paths to tread
enfanir art
