"The others among the sojourn to the sea found him and coaxed him back to the games on the sandbar below. He smiled then as someone called him 'Shadow Lover,' for the name rang true. The pale rose and white-dappled one was always a shadow upon his happiness, and still he loved her with his whole being.
"Summer ended and Kemoc returned to the Vale unpaired once more, to the herd's ringing disappointment. They chided him now. As Winter came, even Prince Arden called him 'Shadow Lover.' Kemoc found himself spending increasing amounts of time near the Pan Woods, away from the teasing voices. When Spring finally broke Winter's grip, he asked permission of the Prince to forego the next mating sojourn at the Summer Sea, and was flatly denied. Kemoc's band of admirers became annoyed when news of his request reached them, and quickly transferred their attentions elsewhere. Now he spent most of his time alone, bothered only by his own treacherous thoughts.
"The pale rose mare haunted him, danced through his dreams and begged him to join her. Again and again he tried, but the dawn-colored warrior mare always thwarted his escape and pressed him away from the dappled one. He slept little now, afraid of what his slumber might next bring him.
"Spring nearly over, the unicorns prepared for the Ringdance to celebrate the mating sojourn once again. Kemoc entered the dance unwillingly, footing the steps mute and staid; no shouts of merrymaking upon his tongue. When it was done, he curled up in the new grass with the others and lay still, uninterested in the singer. Some of the fillies giggled shyly at him, but he made no response-already lost in sorrowing dreams.
"Those same fillies were later reminded of the 'Shadow Lover's' reputation, and paid him no mind on the morrow as they loped toward the Summer Sea. Kemoc kept to the outside of the band. As the oldest member he was supposed to lead...but he had no one to impress, unlike the new participants and those intent on impressing a certain beautiful someone. He wisely left it to them.
"His head shot up from its study of the ground at a kite's sudden shrill. The others stopped, bewildered by the sound. No bird could be seen, but as Kemoc's widening eyes traced its path, a single red feather floated to earth. He snatched it up in his teeth, and continued to the Sea with his band.
"Upon reaching the shore, Kemoc immediately extracted himself from the festivities and returned to his old haunts upon the cliffs. There he stayed, nibbling and tugging at the feather until it stayed put in his mane near the withers.
"Evening came, and with it the sweet scent of Night Roses. Kemoc followed the scent to a small bush covered with the misty-colored blooms. He thrust his head in among the thornless stems and breathed deeply, recalling once again the dream...and her. Sadness broke over him once again, and desperation at the thought of her. I wear thy feather, O gentle one. Do not run from me again. I...I am a Renegade too, in my way.
"Quiet laughter broke the spell of the Night Roses. Kemoc sighed and untangled his horn from the snarled twigs, preparing to explain himself to whoever had seen him.
" 'Hail, companion. I have just been enjoying the scent of the Night Roses. They do not grow-'
" 'Aye,' a sweet voice interrupted, 'they do not bloom upon the Plain. 'Tis too harsh a clime for them. I come here at Summer as well, if only to sniff the roses and gaze upon the dancing Southlanders.'
"Summer ended and Kemoc returned to the Vale unpaired once more, to the herd's ringing disappointment. They chided him now. As Winter came, even Prince Arden called him 'Shadow Lover.' Kemoc found himself spending increasing amounts of time near the Pan Woods, away from the teasing voices. When Spring finally broke Winter's grip, he asked permission of the Prince to forego the next mating sojourn at the Summer Sea, and was flatly denied. Kemoc's band of admirers became annoyed when news of his request reached them, and quickly transferred their attentions elsewhere. Now he spent most of his time alone, bothered only by his own treacherous thoughts.
"The pale rose mare haunted him, danced through his dreams and begged him to join her. Again and again he tried, but the dawn-colored warrior mare always thwarted his escape and pressed him away from the dappled one. He slept little now, afraid of what his slumber might next bring him.
"Spring nearly over, the unicorns prepared for the Ringdance to celebrate the mating sojourn once again. Kemoc entered the dance unwillingly, footing the steps mute and staid; no shouts of merrymaking upon his tongue. When it was done, he curled up in the new grass with the others and lay still, uninterested in the singer. Some of the fillies giggled shyly at him, but he made no response-already lost in sorrowing dreams.
"Those same fillies were later reminded of the 'Shadow Lover's' reputation, and paid him no mind on the morrow as they loped toward the Summer Sea. Kemoc kept to the outside of the band. As the oldest member he was supposed to lead...but he had no one to impress, unlike the new participants and those intent on impressing a certain beautiful someone. He wisely left it to them.
"His head shot up from its study of the ground at a kite's sudden shrill. The others stopped, bewildered by the sound. No bird could be seen, but as Kemoc's widening eyes traced its path, a single red feather floated to earth. He snatched it up in his teeth, and continued to the Sea with his band.
"Upon reaching the shore, Kemoc immediately extracted himself from the festivities and returned to his old haunts upon the cliffs. There he stayed, nibbling and tugging at the feather until it stayed put in his mane near the withers.
"Evening came, and with it the sweet scent of Night Roses. Kemoc followed the scent to a small bush covered with the misty-colored blooms. He thrust his head in among the thornless stems and breathed deeply, recalling once again the dream...and her. Sadness broke over him once again, and desperation at the thought of her. I wear thy feather, O gentle one. Do not run from me again. I...I am a Renegade too, in my way.
"Quiet laughter broke the spell of the Night Roses. Kemoc sighed and untangled his horn from the snarled twigs, preparing to explain himself to whoever had seen him.
" 'Hail, companion. I have just been enjoying the scent of the Night Roses. They do not grow-'
" 'Aye,' a sweet voice interrupted, 'they do not bloom upon the Plain. 'Tis too harsh a clime for them. I come here at Summer as well, if only to sniff the roses and gaze upon the dancing Southlanders.'