Mistress Kel'der ran Huugaan hard. Huugaan relished the distraction. Nervous energy seethed within and the sprint allowed it out. Running blind was liberating. Huugaan had not run this way for some time and she was enjoying the onanistic nature. She felt alone, it brought her pleasure, she had no direction.

Except of course she did. Mistress kept the pace up with the girlthrash. Tugs on the bit guided her and the odd warning prepared her for falling or rising terrain.

Huugaan became aware of the relative silence. She could hear her own breath and footfalls. She could detect two or three other ponies too. But there were none of the other usual noises. The rattle of chains, canteens, the slap of leather or the jingling of loose tack. Everyone was buttoned down tight and running silent.

Eventually, Huugaan was pulled to a stop. She simply stood, breathing hard. Blind in her hood there was nothing else to do. In time she became aware of others stood around her. Soft breathing of ponies, the murmured chat of their riders. Then she heard her owner talk to her sister.

"Kor, do we have reports from the scouts yet?"

"Sister, we do. It's a pioneer camp who have hired mercenaries to defend them. About twenty armed guards for as many wagons. The picket is finished and they're building something within. It could be they're creating a fort."

"Damn, I need to see. This sounds worse than Haakhaar reported. Forts turn into towns and humans spread out from them. We need to nip this in the bud."

The girlthrash and the reins guided Huugaan a short distance. Then her rider dismounted. Huugaan stood to attention, alone in the dark awaiting her owners return.

When she heard her owners voice though she was in animated conversation with her sister.

"Kor, I have to do this."

"No, you don't. You're acting chief. Dhon! Dad's unlikely to get better. Maach! You could be chieftess by now. Order someone else to do this."

"Which is why it has to be me."

"It's too dangerous. The cost, even if it works, will be high."

"Kor, I'm doing this. Just be ready to come charging in as soon as you see the sentries drop. As you say the cost will be high. That campfire, in the centre, I'll head for that. Get to me as quickly as you can."

"If dad was here..."

"Dad isn't. So it's down to me. I have Huugaan. She's the strongest mare in the clan. We can do this. Now I'm going to need more quivers. Go get me four while I prepare."

The sound of Kor mounting Kaal reached Huugaan's ears to be followed with the command to kneel by her owner.

Mistress removed the helm and bit and unlaced the hood. Huugaan had expected gloom but, when the hood came off, it was easy to see. The moonlight shone bright and Huugaan marvelled at the sights of the clear night in the forest. It was beautiful.

"Gorgeous, the camp below is heavily guarded. You and I will be attacking first, the rest of the clan will follow after."

"Yes, Mistress," if the overheard conversation had not helped this was making things worse.

"I'm going to paint some extra powerful charms on you. These are not the usual sort. These have strong effects and are used at a price. The first is a glamour. Any who look at us will refuse to see us. They will look away and not remember what they saw. The second will make us fast and strong. Time will seem to slow. Both will leave us very tired. I'm riding you in off the reins and with an untethered bit. If I don't get the chance to wipe my charms off I need you to lick them off. Do you understand?"

"I think so, Mistress."

"We look after each other, my brave pony, and we'll get through this."

Kor, on Kaal, returned and passed Kel'der the spare quivers. Kel'der gave Huugaan the bit to bite down on but did not secure it. Then mounting her, guided her down to the edge of a clearing. Huugaan saw, left and right of her, many goblin riders crouched in the shadows.

Her Mistress jumped down and produced a low flat jar of white paint. She looked over at Kor, "As soon as you see the first sentries drop, you charge."

"See you by the campfire," responded Kor.

Mistress dabbed her fingers in the paint and started to draw on Huugaan's torso. Suddenly the moonlight changed red and nearly as bright as day. Everything shimmered, as if through a heat haze on a scorching summers day. Yet, as everything shimmered, everything was still too. Nothing moved. Huugaan looked at her Mistress and realised she was moving. Just very slowly. She was painting something on her own chest. As soon as she finished she moved normally once more. She leapt aboard Huugaan's saddle.

"Quick, my beauty, run to the gate of the camp."

Huugaan obeyed her Mistress. Marvelling at the red and gold world around her. Her stride seemed long and it took some time to kick off from each step.

Mistress let loose an arrow. It seemed to fly too slowly. Before it had found its mark Mistress let fly with another. Huugaan continued to lope towards the gap in the picket. Mistress fired arrow after arrow, finding targets all along the border of the stockade.

Huugaan reached the entrance and saw the campfire in the middle. She started for it. The people in the camp seemed frozen in place. Some were turning now to look at the falling guards. Felled by Mistress' arrows as they passed. None looked at Huugaan. Those that faced her looked away. Huugaan felt invisible as in a dream.

As they neared the fire Huugaan's legs turned to jelly. She staggered but kept her feet. Mistress leapt from the saddle as Huugaan dropped to her knees. Mistress fired three more arrows then turned to her wilting mount. Kel'der wiped at Huugaan's chest. To Huugaan's shock Mistress disappeared.

Huugaan shook her head. Where was her Mistress? She looked around. Screaming people were running in all directions. Mistress had ridden her here. Where had she gone? At the start, hadn't she said something about forgetting?

In a flash of inspiration, Huugaan closed her eyes. She shuffled forward on her knees and felt something. She bent forward and rested her face on her Mistress's body. Huugaan spat out her bit and started licking her owner. When she tasted a chalky bitter substance she redoubled her efforts.

When she ran out of spit she risked a peek. Mistress Kel'der lay supine before her. Huugaan threw herself across her owner to hide her from the screaming people.

Turning to look about her she saw many goblin riders charging about the stockade. Her love, her beautiful Kaal, was running straight for her. A man tried to grab Kaal's chains only to find Kor's half spear. Kaal kicked out at another, bending her assailant's knee backwards. She was magnificent thought Huugaan as she slid into unconsciousness.

Huugaan awoke to a splitting headache. The sun was too bright and the ground seemed extra hard. She sat up and looked around her. There were smouldering fires all around. Mistress Kel'der was gone. An A-frame had been erected, ten or more girls hung upsidedown sobbing.

"Hello, sleepyhead." Huugaan spun to see Kaal beaming down at her. A bandage on her left thigh caused her instant concern.

"You're hurt!"

"A scratch."

"My, Mistress?"

"Fine and with Mistress Kor."

"How long?"

"Half the day, Mistress Kel'der awoke only recently."

"We won?"

"Too well."

"I'm sorry?"

"Political problem. The young fillies have been hung up. But their families surrendered. Mistress Kel'der won't slaughter them for the pot as has been done in the past. Says it'll cause a war. They're going to be escorted to Anzeg."

"What's the problem?"

"The families are understandably upset at leaving their daughters behind to become ponies."

"Perhaps they should have considered that risk before moving into goblin land."

Just then a commotion drew the two fillies attention.

"I just need to see for myself," said Kel'der.

"It can wait. You need to rest. The mare is fine," responded Kor.

"Oh! Damn."

Huugaan looked at her owner confused. Her Mistress was just staring at her. Mouth agape and eyes wide.

"I warned you there would be a cost," sniggered Kor.

"What's going on?" Wailed Huugaan.

"Oh, nothing to worry about, my love," murmured Kaal. "Just that charm your Mistress used on you... Now, I should add here I think you look quite fetching... It turned... It turned your hair snow white."

"WHAT?"