The powerful black stallion remains a mystery even to those closest to him � and they were few and far in between. For some months after the terrible losses he kept so close to his heart, he traveled with his one remaining herd member, seeking a place where she would finally be safe. She herself was unaware of the great tragedy, not in the way he was � she was too young, too young to comprehend the darkness of the deaths of the Herd as he could. Of course she missed her mother, and at first asked of her and her elder brother. But the early memories of the young are easily shifted and rarely long-term, and slowly all but the vaguest remembrance of them faded from her mind. Black Knight blamed it upon himself. He was a magnificent stallion in his prime, and a fair and wise leader of the Herd had he been. Had� The terrified whinnies haunted him like the endless whistling of wind. The rolling, frightened eyes of the mares as the water rose, rose higher and higher over the lush green grass that had attracted them to the small outcrop of land at the bank of Great River. The pathetic huddle of the foals in the center of the crumbling island, the roaring waters of the flash flood. They were burnt into his memories and there was nothing he could do to quench the flames or the scars they left behind.

*Black Knight was settled upon the overhang, proud head raised occasionally to scan the length of the ravine. The way down had been easier than expected, so even the mares with or in foal were safe, and now they grazed a few steps below Knight. The Winter had been long, and this fresh green growth of Spring was still rare enough to be greatly appreciated by the hungry herd. Knight could not help the smile that touched his face as he watched his daughter. She was very young and still suckling, so unlike her mother and the other adult herd members engaged in grazing, her main concern at the moment was of course � play. She was the youngest of all eight foals, and was gambling with a young colt who often was mistaken for her double. Both were the only white foals, so they stood out. Of course, Knight�s mate Keira was also white � likely where their daughter had inherited it from. Knight laughed to himself as he watched from the high overhang � a point chosen so he could watch for dangers to his herd � Breeze was the youngest foal, but by no means could she have been said to be shy. She darted around her playmate and nipped teasingly at his quarters. He uttered an indignant squeal and reared onto his slim legs, while she shied away and bucked joyfully. Knight�s eyes suddenly snapped up, a snort uttered as he sniffed the ear. His long ears twisted forwards, to one end of the ravine. It had been an almost nonexistent sound, it was so soft� but Knight would have sworn he had caught the faintest sound of rushing noises� The next instant the water rounded a corner and crashed headlong into the herd. Panicked whinnies and terrified calls rang out as the herd members lifted heads from the grass - and were dashed away in an instant. Wings opened but none were given the chance to take off. Foals open their mouths to scream to their dams for help, but water poured in and the cries never made it to the air. Knight had frozen instinctively as the water tore towards his herd. Only when the desperate note in his mate�s voice rang out did he leap, again instinctively, to the place he had last seen his daughter. He landed a second before the torrent hit and was swept straight off his feet. He opened his wings, trying to slow himself, and the force battering him tripled instantly. He was swept side-on, managing at last to get his head above the surface and suck in oxygen. The roar of the water filled his ears. The sheer force of the current had instantaneously rendered him as helpless as a newborn to fight this massive outcry of nature. The flood held him, pinned him, overpowered him effortlessly. Then the tiny, frail little body was swept against his side. He knew who it was. Grinding his teeth, he fought to bring his wing down over her, to protect her fragile form from the debris already ripping into his side and legs. He uttered a scream of pain as he finally got the wing over her and the force of the water dragged it downwards, bending it at an unnatural angle and straining every muscle, tendon and bone to the limit. Knowing her head was underwater, he gulped in more air and plunged his head down, ignoring the pain as a passing rock swiped his muzzle, struggling against the supreme current. How he managed to turn his head that far, defy the strength that was undefiable, he never knew. But as he felt Breeze�s narrow neck under his muzzle he pushed upwards with all his force. Her head broke the foaming surface and although she was nearing the point of unconsciousness, air flowed once more into her lungs. Knight was nearing the point where he simply could not have fought any longer, when the water would have overcome him, sapped the last of his strength and filled his lungs, taken away the protection he gave his daughter and left her to die� when it was over. Knight lifted his head slowly, heavily. They had been swept to the other end of the ravine, a good mile or further. Water still trickled over the ground under him, the remnant of the flood which had filtered away into the underground springs. Harmless now. Blood flowed from the wounds on Knight�s legs, over his ribs and on his muzzle, dampening the ground further. He and Breeze were wedged into a mere crack in the ravine wall � he had barely felt the impact as he crashed into the rocks, his body numbed by the temperature of the flood, which had been a few degrees above freezing, a build-up of melted snow collected above one end of the ravine, held in place by a blockage of flimsy branches packed with mud. Knight had had no way of knowing the danger that hung over the heads of his herd. Oblivious to his own wounds, his eyes scanned his daughter, nose nudging her gently. Coughing, she lifted her head, young eyes staring with wide terror at their surroundings � but she was unhurt. Knight felt the crushing weight on his heart lift momentarily. His daughter, his beautiful filly, was alright. She lifted her own frightened violet eyes to his, her tiny muzzle meeting his bleeding one* ~Daddy hurt!~ *Knight blinked back his tears and lowered his head over hers* ~No, no baby. Daddy�s alright~ *The tenderness in his voice was choked with pain, but still an emotion no other but her would likely ever hear. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, wincing from the pain in his ribs, form his strained wing. Slowly, Breeze followed suit, her dainty golden hooves keeping close to her sire. Side by side father and daughter looked out upon the scene. Broken branches, trees, and boulders half the size Breeze was lay littered across the ravine floor. But there was no sight of any other living thing. Knight did look, of course, leaving Breeze for a short period while she slept, limping down to the end of the ravine. Dark, gaping holes led down to the underground springs. He could hear water roaring far, far below where he stood, and his heart was heavy with grief to think of the fate his herd had suffered. He knew he would never seen any of them again. Breeze as everything� his reason for going on, his pride and joy, his very soul. He would have to find somewhere for her now, somewhere safe, where she could once again laugh and play with her own kind. For he knew � never again would he laugh or play as he once had, too haunted by the memories that were now so painful for him. And never again was he to lead a herd � for fear he would fail them as he had the last.

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