Lightly crunching the dried leaves beneath her hooves, with her gown soughing against her fur at every step, Algedia wended in a pertinacious motion, as if drawn by an exigency. The forest opened into a clearing, revealing the majestic castle before her. Leaning back against the nearest tree, an oak, many of whose branches grew above her three feet height, the woman glanced towards the heavens. Though it was a bright blue, with wisps of clouds sketching across it, she could picture last night’s stars. To many the glowing, distant orbs just seemed serried together: just a random mass of never-ending dots. Though there were a flotilla of lights in the sky, Algedia had learned the patterns within the mass. Each glistening orb was truly a soul, which in the future would come to join us on Lyndria. And they formed constellations, patterns to guide those already on the land. She was a janissary of Empyreanism. And last night a portent had displayed itself to her. Change would be coming to Lyndria. An outsider, a learner and a trickster* would join with others to create this change.Normally not precipitous, Algedia had felt a certain visceral pull towards the Academy. For an outsider she was: even in her herd she was known as “The Other who Belongs.” For there were very few others of her species, and those who were male satyrs were far too…sordid. She’d become an outsider ever since her gift. Flicking her hair back behind her, the lady walked forward, pushing open the gates to the Academy. She tried to ignore the similarities between this one and her original home, and the memories that came from them.
Entering the large entrance hall, made her suddenly feel exposed and tiny. She lifted up the hood of her cloak, concealing her horns, and pulled the fabric completely around her, almost in a tenuous manner. Her hooves clicked against the hard stone floor as she wandered inside, as if she were wearing heeled shoes of her past day. In a soft voice that was warm and welcoming she called, “Hello?” She started to wander the halls, repeating the call as she did so. It was eerie the silence the castle emitted: almost suffocatingly oppressive. It was actually a relief when she heard the commotion from within an office. In a pedantic attempt to emerge herself once more in the human culture, she knocked lightly on the door, silently hoping the quiet rap would be heard.
((*I’m willing to add anything to the “prophecy” I just thought it might start something anew. I haven’t actually thought of what this change would be. Or who exactly would be involved or important details like that. ))