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For some reason the mares tone soothed her slightly. The dark mare had an air of sophistication and tranquility that somehow rubbed off on her. Though she could still feel her heart beating painfully hard she began to feel a little calmer as the mare spoke to her. Aoife nodded as the mare instantly deduced she wasn’t a local. I really must seem like a back woods little hayseed Aoife thought to herself with some bemusement. Terrastella! She had heard of it but didn’t realise that’s where she actually was. Aoife had her own beliefs, the mountain tribe knew nothing of the deities of Novus, just as they knew very little about the actual land itself. They worshipped the ancient ones as they always had, although Aoife had no real idea how to explain the odd and often chaotic and terrifying deities of her homeland. “Oh she sounds wonderful! My people just have the horned god, he eats horses if they don’t sacrifice enough food to him.” Realising how odd and barbaric that made her seem she hastily added I’m not sure I believe it but some horses like to I guess” which was true, she’d always been sceptical. But she liked the festivities, burning giant straw totems and dancing in circles through the pine forest on full moons. The mare put a name to her face, Mephisto, although even without it Aoife was beginning to feel less like a stranger. It was her next sentence that jolted Aoife back to the reality she’d been trying to avoid. What was she going to do?
“I’m going to be honest with you, I have no clue. I came here start again I guess, in a place where people see me differently. Now, as I know, they see me very differently.” she felt a small lump in her throat as she thought about the funny stares and hushed giggles she’d heard from taller horses as she passed through their territories. But Mephisto didn’t seem to be having her on, she seemed genuine.
