A wobbly colt wandered around the dark forest, jumping at each sound. Hoots and strange noises filled the air, one noise made the colt spring forward, his aqua blue wings dragging behind him.

He bleated into the night, searching someone. He didn't know who it was, but he did know that he wasn't supposed to be alone, someone was supposed to be at his side and keep him safe.

A roar suddenly filled the air, making the colt jolt forward and tuck his tail. He heard heavy footsteps and looked over his shoulder, but he only saw a black figure, pushing over trees and continuing to roar.

The colt whinnied as he continued to run, his little heart beat like a thousand drums. He didn't understand what this feeling was, it made his blood rush through his ears and his heart pound; he didn't like it.

Another ear shattering roar erupted from the black figure, making the colt look over his shoulder again. He whinnied again as he saw the dark figure gaining on him.

He looked forward again and tried to run faster, but his strength was slowly giving way, and his heavy wings weren't helping.

Not knowing what to do he turned down a path sharply, hoping that would throw the creature off, but it continued to follow with a long stride.

The colt began to tire and breathe heavy, tears flowing down his cheeks. He looked up at the trees frantically, hoping to see some way to get out of this. But his thoughts were too scrambled by fear, exhaustion, and sorrow.

The colt suddenly felt the sensation of the creature behind him, but before he could react he felt something smack against his rear, sending him flying across the path. He landed and screamed when a horrible feeling shot up his leg. His hide stung as bad as his leg and he wept.

The sound of thundering footsteps made the colt look up. His breath sped up and grew hot as he saw red eyes, leathery black scales, pearly white teeth, and dripping drooling face staring back at his. It hissed and growled as it inched closer, it's long, sharp claws rattled as it hit the ground.

The colt shook and watched the creature rise up into the air, his long, slender, scaly neck curving. It bared its fangs and prepared to strike, drool stringing from its teeth. The colt closed his eyes, not wanting to watch the creature strike.

The black figure's head then dove swiftly at the foal, his jaws open to grab the colt.

The colt awaited its fate. But a screech made him open his eyes. He gasped when he saw, what looked like a stick with feathers on the end of it, sticking out of the creatures eye, blood rolling down its cheek. The creature swung its head and roared, as if it could get the thing out of his eye.

More of the strange sticks flew at the creature, driving it back.

The colt turned his head to see what was making these sticks, and saw strange creature wearing furs on their bodies. They walked on two legs and held strange things in their paws. The stick was thin and curved with a string attached to it on both sides, and a strap of animal fur was wrapped around the center of the stick where the creature’s hand was.

The leader of the group, a large, thick male, was shouting commands and firing more sharp sticks at the creature until it let out a mighty roar. It backed away and whipped around, bolting back into the darkness.

The colt watched it with a strange sense of relief, but pain still raked at his body.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps walk up behind him. He turned his head to see the leader of the group standing over him, a pitiful look on his face.

Before the colt could stand to run, the creature scooped him up in strong arms, pulling him close. The colt felt strangely safe in the creature's grip.

The creature barked more orders at the group as he walked away, looking down at the colt. The colts head rested on the creature's arm, his nostrils flaring from pain, but he continued to stare up at the creature.

He had a look in his eye, a look that made that feeling the colt was looking for vanish, a look that said, “I've got you, you're safe now”.

Aniya sat at the table, scribbling colors onto a piece of paper with her hands. She was trying to draw a Kihlari, but it look more like a bunch of scribbles of colors.

Frustrated, she threw the pastels across the table, her eyes filling with tears.

“Aniya? Oh my dear what's wrong?” Aniya's mother, Isai, said as she walked over and wrapped her arm around her.

“I can't draw Kihlari!” Aniya cried, burying her face into her mother's sleeve.

Isai hugged her daughter tightly, “Oh Aniya, you can draw Kihlari. That's a beautiful picture”. She picked up the thin piece of paper, “Is that your Kihlari?”.

“No, this is just a Kihlari. My Kihlari will look prettier” Aniya said, wiping her tears away.

Isai smiled and kissed her daughter on the head, “I know it will…”.

Suddenly, Aniya heard the front door open. She turned and saw her father walking in the door, his back facing them.

She jumped down from the chair and ran to her father, “Daddy!”. She wrapped her arms around him with a tight hug.

Her father, Toran, grunted when his daughter hugged him, “Whoa, be careful sweetie, I have precious cargo” he said with a laugh.

Aniya broke away from her father, “What kind?” She said with a cocked head.

Toran smiled and turned, revealing the thing he held in his arms.

Aniya gasped when she saw, there, in her father's arms, a baby Kihlari. His coat was a pinto palomino, his eyes were a bright blue, and his wings were light aqua. He had large bandages on his flank and one around his front leg.

Aniya could hardly contain herself, “He's so cute!! What's his name??”.

“Anything you want Aniya….he's yours” Toran said. He walked over to a cushion by a fireplace and set the colt down, which looked around curiously.

Aniya walked over to the colt with a wide smile on her face, “Really?” She breathed. She gently reached out her hand, and began stroking the colts neck, making him lean in with pleasure.

Toran chuckled, “Yes”.

Aniya looked the colt up and down, deciding on a suitable name for him. She looked at his face, seeing a zigzagging blaze that streaked down, fading into a soft pink on his nose.

She beamed with joy, “Blaze, your name is Blaze” She said, continuing to stroke the colt. “We're gonna be best friends Blaze...I'm gonna spend all day, every day with you. I will never leave you alone, and you will be the happiest Kihlari that has ever roamed Mavelyn”.

(Thank you for reading! Chapter 1 will be coming soon 😄)