Beyond the night, a rising sun
Beyond the night the battles won
The battles won

Fear and shame now in the past
Pain and sorrow gone at last
Gone at last

Circle renewed, peace will be found
Beyond the night on sacred ground

The river flows, led by the wind
First new breath our journey begins
Our journey begins

Rich voice echoed throughout the slumbering land, accompanied by an invisible chorus of flutes, drums and unseen whisperers. Sunrise had just pierced the icy waterfalls, throwing off a cascade of glittering rainbows and dazzling all who saw. Thin wisps of clouds moved along at a sedate pace, the only dots of white against a mellow gray sky. Soon the sun itself was caught in the dreary mess, the light coming down pale and without its usual warmth. T'was quite frigid out, though no doubt the thick winter coats of fellow equines had kept them safe during the long night. It had been a dark night, snowstorms that never quite reached blizzard level blanketing the surroundings, giving the world an arctic feel.

The Stargazer's frosty eyelashes batted away, and she truly looked for all the world that she was observing something in the distance. Standing on the iced bank of one frozen river that erupted into the still waterfall, Aurora just knew what the scenery was like. Motherly sterling orbs seemed to give the message of a sad smile, that that told the viewer that she did not fight the coldness, merely took it as yet another happening of life. Even the deaths that this winter would surely bring were all part of the great Circle, the wishes of the Ancestors would dictate how this too would come to pass. All there was to hope for was enlightenment, to be given a little guidance when all would be bleak. That was how Aurora felt, at least.

The unmoving mare continued to stand at her spot, having chosen this place for her morning welcome because of the feeling of rightness that the sculptured ice brought. She had not communed with the Ancestors' messenger for many a night now, but that did not worry her. Sometimes whole months could pass before receiving the honor of communication, and even this silence brought its own message; find yourselves and pull through together. As the old saying goes: united we stand, divided we fall. Such an example would be the huddling of the herd to preserve heat, much like penguins did during the greatest blizzards.

But restlessness would come soon, the urge to move about too great to resist. It seemed as if this thought of Aurora's had provoked an action, for surely enough the distinct snow-crunching of an approaching fellow was coming to break her solitude. Lovely.