T I L N E Y
When a brontide rumbled upon the mountains and warm raindrops kissed his cheek, that was wen the weary patriarch began to stir. How and when he had arrived in the Viride Forests of Novus was a total mystery, one that was just as unexplainable as how he had entered and left the Rift. It seemed, though, that finding loopholes in their universe was incredibly taxing on his body - or so he had observed since falling through time and space twice now; first from Helovia to the Rift, and now from the rift to Novus.
The first thing the stallion felt was lonely. Truly, deeply, and inexplicably isolated. Soon he began to associate this feeling to the absence of Peatree who's bond seemed to have vanished entirely, a bond forged by nothing but the most beautiful magic. The little bat was gone.
Lifting his head from the dense forest floor was a great effort, especially when ideas of Peatrees demise had begun to hook into his mind. Was the little fellow dead? Or worse, was he lost forever? The poor creature had never lived a day without hanging from Tilney's antlers or nesting in his mane.
It was as the flaxen physician sat up against the trunk of a towering oak, blinking in the sight of a rainy golden hour that he observed a strange message scrawled in the dirt not far from where he lay. A stick had been used to carve words out of a muddy patch in the forest floor, and all in the language of Tilney's homeland - one he'd taught to Peatree.
"I go" it read "Look I for Arah, Jude, Byron"
"Returnsing one day soon"
A sigh of relief passed roughly through Tilney's nares as he viewed his bonded's message, both overjoyed that the little creature was still among the living but also saddened to read that he had gone alone. A few more weeks or months and Tilney was certain he would find Maude - then they could return to Helovia and search the debris for any sign of their other loved ones, though truthfully, Tilney had all but given up hope. Helovia was in ashes; not a soul had survived.
It took minutes, perhaps even part of an hour for the exhausted and malnourished stag to ascend to all four hooves. His next priority as finding water, shelter, and food that was edible.
