"Perhaps it is a human thing, to look upon such beauty and fail to encompass it."
~ Robin McKinley (Pegasus)

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"You guys have steeds for pets?" I asked, both envious and incredulous as I stared at the two pegasus before me. One was a complete shade of pure white, while the other was more of an ocher shade with a brown mane. They were both stunning yet I couldn't help but remember Mr Blackwell's pegasus, Storm, who was, by far, the most beautiful one.

"I don't," Vanessa reminded me. "I still need to pass my tests and get my ID before owning a pegasus."

"ID? You need an ID to ride a pegasus?"

"Well, yes. It's not like we have cars in Morlea. Their mechanisms don't work here. We do have bicycles but they're slow. So, people prefer pegasus and horses. And, no, you can't ride an animal without a license."

"Wow. It's almost like getting a car. I was learning to drive you know," I said, almost wistfully. "I was saving money to buy a Volkswagen Beetle before...everything happened. It seems so mundane now, learning to drive when I could fly in a winged horse."

The ghost of a smile appeared on my face as I gazed down at the city of Morlea spread out before me – appearing a bundle of maze with twinkling lights. The back of the Fort loomed behind us, an intimidatingly large palace standing at the peak of a hill. I remembered the first time I had flown up here with Mr Blackwell and Storm. It seems like years have passed since then.

"You ready?" Josh asked, snapping me from my thoughts. He was done with fitting the saddle on his white pegasus and was looking at me expectantly. I nodded and moved towards him.

"I'll help you up," he said. He bent down to his knees and held out his joined hands. I tilted my head in confusion. He sighed and said, "Put your feet on my hand, silly, and climb up."

"Oh," I said and flushed. I did as he said and in a second, I was sitting atop the white horse. Josh quickly climbed up behind me. I was acutely aware of how his muscled arms formed a secure cage around me as he took hold of the reins. I tried to make myself as small as possible so that I wasn't blocking his view and it was easier for him to control the reins.

"Stop it, stupid," Josh said, chuckling. I could feel his laughter rumble through his chest. "You don't have to shrink yourself. You're already a midget as it is."

I blushed furiously. "I'm not that small, you know!" I huffed indignantly. "I'm 5'4!"

He didn't reply because suddenly a voice yelled, "Hey wait! Where do you think you're going?"

Kace and Vanessa looked over at us from their own pegasus, alarmed. Josh cursed behind me colourfully.

A tall, lanky guy appeared in front of us, panting as if he had come running. He didn't look too old, probably in his early twenties. "What are you all doing out of bed?" he asked. "You aren't allowed out here! And where are you going?"

"That," Josh drawled in a voice that could make you annoyed and furious just by hearing it, "is none of your business."

The guy's nose flared in anger. "I've been given the responsibility of security and I'll not allow you kids to run off somewhere under my watch!"

"Quite a competent job you're doing," Josh said, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Why, if I had to take a guess, I'd say it wasn't just us who were sneaking off. Dressed in all black with dirt in your clothes and ruffled wind hair, I'd say you just returned from somewhere. Secret lover, maybe? Or is it--?"

"You don't know anything!" squeaked the guy, although his voice betrayed his shock.

"Ah, how about I make you a deal?" Josh suggested pleasantly. "If you don't open your mouth, we won't open ours. It'd be a shame really to go to Mr Blackwell and tell him how our guards have been lacking in their job."

"Y-you...how dare you! Get down from that horse immediately!"

"I don't know. It is quite a pleasant night. Don't you feel a midnight ride would be just the perfect thing? Maybe you should go and do that with you secret girlfriend? Or is it a boyfriend? Or dear god, is it a transgender goblin? I've heard they can be--"

"That's it!" he yelled and brought out a long javelin from his back. "If I can't talk you out of it, I shall use force!"

I could feel Josh smirking behind my back. I felt him tense as he clutched the reins tighter. "Kace, man, you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," he said, although he sounded hesitant.

Josh whipped back the reins, making the pegasus neigh loudly. Just like that, the pegasus started running, directly towards the guy who looked shocked and scared enough to pee his pants.

"Josh!" I yelled as the wind slapped my face. "What are you doing?! The pegasus is going to run him over--"

Before I could finish the sentence though, the guy screamed and dived out of the horses' way, barely escaping as they spread out their long impressive wings and took off into the night.

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I was flying again and let me tell you, it was no less impressive than my first time. I grinned as my hair flapped around, the wind almost bitingly cold. I spread out my hands and felt myself leaning against Josh's chest unconsciously. He didn't complain though so I gathered it was all right.

The light of the moon and the stars washed the city below in a silvery sheen. I found myself entranced, its beauty like a fairy tale. The air was fresh and crisp too, unlike the air of my own town which almost always felt clogged and dirty. I sighed disappointedly as the pegasus glided down towards land, the ride ending way too soon, as all good things do.

We landed right at the edge of the forest, the lake water still and glowing behind us. The pegasus neighed again as we landed. Josh fed it some sugar cubes and patted its mane.

"Good job," Josh whispered to the pegasus. "Wait for us, will you?"

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Her," Josh corrected. "Her name is Winter."

"Winter? Because she is all white?"

"Well, maybe. But I actually found her in a particularly freezing wintry day, wounded and hurt. I was 14 at that time, I think. I took her with me. She has been with me since."

"Why, you almost sound like you were kind," I teased.

He glared at me, although he was smiling.

"You know, now that you say it, I realise it isn't really that cold for October. In my town, it had already started snowing."

"Yeah, winters come late here--"

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" called out Kace. "Come, we must go! It's already dawn!"

Indeed, a thin line of light had appeared at the edge of the distant mountains, like a necklace of pearls. Josh's hand casually settled at the small of my back as he urged me forward, right into the forest. The trees were tall with broad trunks and gnarled roots. A thick canopy plunged the forest in darkness, sporadically broken free by a line of light streaming down, dust particles dancing in them.

"Where are we going?" I whispered, a tiny bit of fear sipping into me at the unfamiliar surroundings, although Josh's hand on my back was reassuring.

"You'll see," he said.

After a while, an eerie mist enveloped the forest. I heard the unmistakable sound of rushing water. I rushed ahead, curious. The trees spaced out and cleared off to show a small ravine. The stream running between the steep slopes was clear enough that I could see the rocks and the plants below it, although the mist was even thicker here, forming wispy trails and giving it a ghostly feel.

"Whoa," I said, my eyes wide.

"Look over there," Josh said, coming behind me. I looked over where he was pointing. I realized it wasn't exactly a ravine. I had failed to notice in the dark that the river emerged from a small hill that caved inside to form a tunnel. However, the entrance to the cave was covered with a blanket of vines and ivy. It almost seemed like the mist was emerging from there too, as it formed a thick cloud right near the entryway.

"Don't tell me we're going inside that cave," I said, my eyes wide.

"Oh, but we are," Josh said, grinning

~**********~

Josh: Vote if you think cars are boring. Pegasuses are way better!