Flitter laughed, and swiftly chased after him, not catching up, but gaining. "Should we continue with our pranks?" she asked.
Rosy pulled her cloak closer around her shoulders as she walked towards her house. The path through the forest was always sinister at night, even though it was one of Rosy's favorite escapes in the day.
(That's perfectly fine, was just wondering!) Frozen couldn't remember how many years it had been since he last set foot in Vanhoover. He was out, now, soaking in the night air crisp from the rain that morning. He gazed up at the moon and stars, recalling the legend of nightmare moon. In a way, she was his antithesis. Princess Luna had wanted her freedom and dominion, but had turned to evil where Frozen was desparately clinging to what little conscience he posessed.
Pulling a watch from her saddlebag, she winced. She was late, and he'd be angry. She quickened her pace, and her cloak slipped from her thin shoulders. She turned, and her horn glowed, as the cloak rose from the cold ground and resettled over her body. It was too big, she knew, but it kept her warm, and that was the important part.
Frozen paused. In the dim moonlight, he could just barely make out the figure of a grey mare walking through the forest. Where was she going so late at night? Equestrian woods were usually dangerous, especially at night. Frozen took the form of a unicorn stallion and stalked her in silence. The least he could do is ensure she makes it to where she is going safely.
Rosy stepped carefully through the woods, and felt like there were eyes watching her. She waited for a second, and then began walking again. Her horn glowed and the light illuminated her face. She was cute, but the fact was distracted by the dark bruises on her jaw. She squinted from the sudden light, and the magic streaked forward, illuminating the path.
Somepony had hurt her, that much was obvious, he wondered who could bring themselves to hurt such a pretty mare. He had to know; It was no affair of his, but he wanted to know who marked her thus, so he followed in silence.
Finally, Rosy broke through the woods, and a small cottage appeared at the top of a hill. She sighed. The windows were dark. Maybe he wasn't home yet. Maybe. She hurried up the hill to the house, and she opened the door tentatively. "H.. Hello?" she called out into the cold house. She placed her bags down, and she stood in the doorway. "E.. Ed?" she asked into the empty hallway. "You're being ridiculous." she chided herself. "He's not home yet." But she couldn't bring herself to move in.
Frozen, this mare's temporary shadow, slipped into the treeline nearby. Whoever this Ed was, she feared him. He could feel it emminating from her. He tried his best to resist the urge to feed on her fear.
She stepped inside, and heard a voice. "About time you got here, Rosy." it said. Her veins turned to ice, and her pupils dilated. She turned, and he was sitting in the living room. He was just as handsome as the day she met him, but his dark eyes weren't warm as they were that first day. She smelt liquor, and resisted the urge to run.
Frozen slipped up to the window, peering in as he watched the two. The one within was clearly inebriated. The mare was still giving off massive amounts of fear, which made him cringe. He got the feeling he would have to intervene.
The stallion stood up quickly, and Rosy recoiled. "Where were you, Rosy?" he asked quietly. "I.. I just went to get groceries, Ed." she said, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. The stallion heaved a sigh. "Rosy," he slurred. "Rosy, I don't think you're telling the truth." Rosy's ears lowered. "No, I am, Edgar. I promise." she said fearfully, gesturing to the bags in the hall. "Then.." he said, almost gently. He reached a hoof out, almost as if to caress her face. Rosy stood uncertainly. He raised the hoof, and smacked her. "What took you so long?" he yelled. Rosy held her own hoof to her face, to her eye, and backed away. With a muffled sob, she turned and fled through the door, and ran back down the hill.
Frozen turned and followed the mare. He wanted to deal with the poor excuse for a stallion, but decided the mare's safety was more important. He dashed down the hill, through the trees, following her.
Rosy ran through the trees, her cape flying out from behind her as she dodged branches and leaves. After a few minutes, she slowed, and tears rolled down her face. "Sh..hh." she said to herself. "It's okay, Rosy. He's just drunk. He didn't know what he was doing. Sh..." She wiped the tears away, and gently touched her hoof to the injury and winced.
Frozen slipped out of the tree line, standing before her. "Excuse me miss?" He said ever so gently, "Are you alright?"
Rosy flinched s if a bomb had gone off behind her. When she saw tat it was only Frozen, she calmed, although her ribs expanded and contracted rapidly. "Oh! Oh. Hello, sir. Yes, I'm quite alright. I just ran into a branch, that's all." she said. Her face had a large welt on it, and her eye was already bruising. "Really, I'm fine."
"Well, forgive me miss but I saw the stallion you called Ed strike you, with my own eyes. That's why you're running is it not?"
