Teara groaned contentedly. It was nice and warm. Her servant must
have lit the fireplace. She snuggled deeper into her pillow. For some
reason it was hard and furry. She opened her eyes and jerked awake. Teara
found herself lying beside a huge black stallion. He was kneeling beside
her, as she curled up against his stomach. The nightmare stallion opened
his red eyes and looked at the woman lying at his side.
: You're awake. Good. : he said. Teara sat up and stared at the beast, shock and confusion on her features. Slowly she begins to remember the previous day's events.
"I thought you were a dream," she gasped. The nightmare snorted softly, and nudged her hard with his muzzle.
: Do I feel like a dream to you? : he asked sarcastically. Teara smiled faintly, rubbing where his gaunt muzzle had nudged her.
"Well, no. You seem painfully real. Since you aren't a dream, what should I call you? I can't go around calling you, hey stallion, now can I?" The young woman arched an eyebrow at him, remembering his words as they had left the stables. You are mine now. We are partners.
: I am called Brimstone. I can't call you human. : the stallion answered impatiently.
"I'm Teara. You chose me didn't you?" Teara responded, looking into the stallion's red eyes intently. He met her gaze, coldly.
: In a way. I sent the same signal and call to anyone. You had the courage, or stupidity, to answer my call. Once I sensed your presence I knew you'd come. : Brimstone said, emotionlessly. Teara nodded and reached down hesitantly, to touch the stallion's leg. His leg twitched but other than that, he made no response to her touch.
"You said we're partners. Partners in what?" Teara asked, wondering what this creature could possibly need her for.
: Revenge. I want revenge against the mage who imprisoned me in that stable. Until he is dead, I am tied to this plane. You will help me find him. After that we'll see. : Brimstone explained, voice dark. Teara nodded again and slowly got up, stretching. She watched Brimstone from the corner of her eyes, as he stood as well and snorted. Once she broke off physical contact with the creature, the comfortable warmth she had felt was replaced with the cold of the natural winter season. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivered and stomped her feet a few times, hoping the activity would warm her a little. Brimstone shook himself all over, then pinned her with his crimson gaze. : I can only warm you if we are in physical contact. If I tried to warm you without it I would burn you. : Brimstone told her. : You need warmer clothes and food to live. I need food, meat preferably. : he added.
"Of course. Let me think." Teara looked around, trying to judge how far the stallion had taken her, and where she should be. She was fairly familiar with being in the woods, but not these particular woods. Her father's keep was about a weeks ride north of the Birnok stables, and she was fairly sure the stallion had carried her west a ways. "Let's just head north. I'm familiar with the land that way, and eventually we should find a town." Teara reached for a pouch at her belt and shook it, hearing the muffled jingle of gold coins. "I have enough gold to get us some food and clothing for me I think," she said, grimacing.
" That sounds good. Perhaps you can find out something about my captor while you are in town. : the stallion answered with malevolent pleasure. Teara nods, wondering where her father is now. If the gods are kind, it was he on that griffon I saw.
"Well, let's get started. Would you rather I ride or walk?" she asks, staring longingly at the stallion's back. She knew from what he said, she would at least be warm there. Brimstone snorts again and stomps one huge hoof.
: I'm not injured and we will travel faster at my pace. Get on. : He stood still for the young woman to swing expertly onto his broad back. Once she was firmly on and ready, the stallion began a fast trot, heading north.
: You're awake. Good. : he said. Teara sat up and stared at the beast, shock and confusion on her features. Slowly she begins to remember the previous day's events.
"I thought you were a dream," she gasped. The nightmare snorted softly, and nudged her hard with his muzzle.
: Do I feel like a dream to you? : he asked sarcastically. Teara smiled faintly, rubbing where his gaunt muzzle had nudged her.
"Well, no. You seem painfully real. Since you aren't a dream, what should I call you? I can't go around calling you, hey stallion, now can I?" The young woman arched an eyebrow at him, remembering his words as they had left the stables. You are mine now. We are partners.
: I am called Brimstone. I can't call you human. : the stallion answered impatiently.
"I'm Teara. You chose me didn't you?" Teara responded, looking into the stallion's red eyes intently. He met her gaze, coldly.
: In a way. I sent the same signal and call to anyone. You had the courage, or stupidity, to answer my call. Once I sensed your presence I knew you'd come. : Brimstone said, emotionlessly. Teara nodded and reached down hesitantly, to touch the stallion's leg. His leg twitched but other than that, he made no response to her touch.
"You said we're partners. Partners in what?" Teara asked, wondering what this creature could possibly need her for.
: Revenge. I want revenge against the mage who imprisoned me in that stable. Until he is dead, I am tied to this plane. You will help me find him. After that we'll see. : Brimstone explained, voice dark. Teara nodded again and slowly got up, stretching. She watched Brimstone from the corner of her eyes, as he stood as well and snorted. Once she broke off physical contact with the creature, the comfortable warmth she had felt was replaced with the cold of the natural winter season. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivered and stomped her feet a few times, hoping the activity would warm her a little. Brimstone shook himself all over, then pinned her with his crimson gaze. : I can only warm you if we are in physical contact. If I tried to warm you without it I would burn you. : Brimstone told her. : You need warmer clothes and food to live. I need food, meat preferably. : he added.
"Of course. Let me think." Teara looked around, trying to judge how far the stallion had taken her, and where she should be. She was fairly familiar with being in the woods, but not these particular woods. Her father's keep was about a weeks ride north of the Birnok stables, and she was fairly sure the stallion had carried her west a ways. "Let's just head north. I'm familiar with the land that way, and eventually we should find a town." Teara reached for a pouch at her belt and shook it, hearing the muffled jingle of gold coins. "I have enough gold to get us some food and clothing for me I think," she said, grimacing.
" That sounds good. Perhaps you can find out something about my captor while you are in town. : the stallion answered with malevolent pleasure. Teara nods, wondering where her father is now. If the gods are kind, it was he on that griffon I saw.
"Well, let's get started. Would you rather I ride or walk?" she asks, staring longingly at the stallion's back. She knew from what he said, she would at least be warm there. Brimstone snorts again and stomps one huge hoof.
: I'm not injured and we will travel faster at my pace. Get on. : He stood still for the young woman to swing expertly onto his broad back. Once she was firmly on and ready, the stallion began a fast trot, heading north.