I really should have thought this through. Except, then I wouldn't be me. Which is how I ended up on my horse in the middle of a snowstorm. 

My name is Lena Raven and I'm your average 25 year old lady except I have visions of strange things and sometimes I find myself confused between reality and the dream world. Right now, is one of those times. Three hours ago I woke up from a nap to find the world bathed in brilliant winter sun. The three feet of snow shone like tiny diamonds as the sun danced along it. "Holy Smokes! There is sun!" My cat just looked at me as I tumbled out of bed. "See you later Louie! Don't wait up." 

I pulled on my winter riding pants. I had to jump up and down a few times to get them all the way up. "I guess I put on a few pounds." Louie just rolled over and yawned. "Yeah, I guess you have too. Well, whatever. I've got to go ride Fyre." Down the stairs I flew and almost hit my head on the door but caught myself at the last second. "Yeah, I should wear a jacket." the empty space held my words and I pulled on my navy blue winter jacket. The faint stench of horse rose up and tickled my nose. At the last second I scribbled a note on a scrap of paper and left it on the bench. Hopefully, Alison would find it and not freak out. Who was I kidding; she'll freak out.

"Which she has every right to freak out." I told the wind as it whipped about me. The door slammed shut as the wind rushed into it. My winter tall boots kept my feet toasty as I trudged through a foot of snow to get to the barn. It was small but cozy. I'd happened upon this place when I was looking for a place to live. Alison was looking for a companion and someone to rent her in-law apartment. She charged me one hundred dollars a month and at first I told her she was crazy but then again, Alison worked on Wall Street and made more than five hundred dollars a day. The best part was that she was kind enough to let me board my horse on her property. She drove her horses and went to competitions often enough that having a live in groom was necessary. So, I worked off my board and most of my rent. It was a boon really. The only downside was that I felt stuck. The barn door stuck a little as I slid it open but after a little shove it let the sun in and the horses all stuck their heads over their doors.

"Hey guys, I know it's not feeding time yet but Fyre and I have a little adventure planned." Fyre bobbed her head up and down. A beauty with chestnut fur and a thick forelock. I didn't know how I got to be so lucky. She was a tall horse with sleek fur and an upright neck. A testament to the Trakehner breed. I'd bred for her while I was in college. The director of the equestrian program let me breed one of the school's horses and Fyre was the result. At the time I didn't know what I was doing and I almost sold the filly but at the last moment the deal fell through.

That was four years ago and many bills. Now, I worked part time when I could and paid back my loans. Alison was like the older sister I never had. Two years ago she contacted me via my equestrian director when I was certain I was going to lose everything. I'd been working three part time jobs and barely scraping by. My credit was a wreck and I felt I was going insane. Talk about a train wreck. Now, I had my debt under control and things were starting to look up. Alison urged me to get checked out by a doctor and they informed me I had Narcolepsy. Which, looking back on my life I realize that it made a lot of sense. The only thing that didn't make sense was the fact I had visions and dreams of worlds so very different from this one. The only person who knew about them was four legged and currently kicking the door of her stall. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Fyre knickered at me as I grabbed her groom box. 

"We're going on a quick ride through the woods. Don't you dare dump me." The four year old nuzzled my ear but I wasn't fooled. When Fyre wanted to she was hell on legs. "I love you even when you want to dump me." I put her halter on and brought her into the aisle way to groom her. In a few seconds her winter blanket was gone and I curried her. She leaned into the circular motion of the brush, bright red hair fell off of her in clumps.

"Don't lose all of your fur. It's still winter." After a good grooming I offered her the bit and she took it without a moment's thought. We walked out of the barn and I pulled the door closed. Now, how was I going to get onto the 17hh horse? 

"Come on, Fyre, over here. Stand still." The fence looked sturdy enough as I climbed onto the second rail. Fyre stood still as I slid onto her back. I clicked and she stepped out a bounce in her step. There was nothing better than riding bareback in the winter. The wind swirled around Fyre's hooves and I turned her towards the winter trail. Alison had over twenty acres of trails but we'd only plowed the one closest to the barn.  

The beginning of the ride was fine. We walked at a brisk pace and I breathed in the crisp winter air. My long, mocha colored hair drifted in the wind and a smiled split my pale frozen skin. The wind picked up and behind us something crashed. Fyre jumped forward and I grabbed for her mane. The sky darkened as clouds heavy with snow blotted out the sun. "Fyre, we have to turn around. We can't go any further." I pulled on the rein but Fyre ignored me. A second crash sounded, closer this time. Fyre reared up and I thought I felt myself slipping but somehow I stayed on as Fyre galloped through the snow. She zigzagged and wouldn't stop. I heard something behind us but it couldn't keep up with my Fyre. I stayed on by sheer determination and then Fyre slowed to a walk. She danced in place and I petted her neck. The thing behind us had slowed. I didn't look back. This felt too much like one of my visions. "Fyre, this is just a dream. I'm going to close my eyes and when I wake up I'll be in my bed and you'll be in the barn whinnying for dinner." I opened my eyes and we were standing in the middle of the forest with snow swirling around us. The wind whipped around and Fyre's ears were barely visible. 

"Step forward, little mare. It'll be OK." I said as I lightly squeezed her with my inner calves. She took a small step and then another. I gasped as the air turned liquid. It felt as though we were walking through water and yet we weren't. After a moment the sensation slipped away and I looked back. Standing in the shadows was a creature too large to be a mountain lion but I didn't know what else it could be. It paced along an invisible boundary and I said a silent prayer to whatever god was watching over me. 

"Stop. Stay where you are!" Fyre stopped on stiff legs and snorted as I gathered up the reins.

"Who's out there?" My voice cracked and I swore silently as heard a gravelly laugh off to my left.

"Oh, lass the real question is- who are you and how did you get here? The border has been closed for five hundred years." A brawny man stepped out from behind a tree. He had a square jaw and broad shoulders. He seemed like a man out of one of Alison's romance novels. 

"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be the main character of some novel?" I slapped a hand to my mouth as the words echoed off the slabs of rock that rose on either side of the clearing.

"A novel? What are you talking about? Hey, have you ever heard of a novel?" A second man jumped down from the outcrop of rocks to the left.

"No, I haven't what is she talking about." The second man was shorter than the first. At first glance I thought him nothing but he had a fierce intelligence to his eyes and walked with the surefootedness of a predator. 

"Stop, or I'll kill you." Fyre stamped her foot and to my surprise a puff of smoke rose from where she struck the ground.

"Who are you, lass, and best not lie. More than your life depends on it." The second man peered up at her through the softly falling snow and Lena looked at him.

"My name is Lena Raven and this is my horse, Fyre." 

"You have the eyes of a witch but not the scent. Where do you hail from?" The men took a step closer and Fyre snorted at them. Smoke trailed from her nostrils as they stopped short.

"I hail from River's Glen Farm just down the way. You're trespassing on Alison Grayfield's property. What are you doing here?" The men looked at each other and I swear they were talking to each other even though they didn't speak.

"Alison, you say?" 

"Yea, I said Alison Grayfield. She'll sue you both for coming onto her land."

"It must be time then. This must be the one." The taller man stared at the shorter one but said nothing in response.

"Excuse us, we've been rude. My name is Heath Kingsley and this is my second in command Garrett Swordsman. Come with us, you must be cold."  Fyre shook her head and I agreed with her but the snow wasn't letting up and night was spreading its fingers.

"I'm not leaving Fyre so you can take me to your stables. I will sleep in her stall." Fyre nodded her head and the two heavily clothed men whistled. Two loud neighs responded and the sound of thunder came rushing towards us. I gulped as two large draft horses charged into the clearing. They were at least a hand taller than Fae and twice as broad as she. The horses has shaggy black coats and thick fur feathered their legs. The horses stopped by the men and the two swiftly mounted their horses. Heath nodded to Garrett and Garrett led the way down a narrow and twisting path. Heath turned his horse behind Fyre and I sighed. They were going to box me in. Fyre was fast but without knowing the terrain beneath the snow I wasn't going to risk her getting hurt. 

"Where are you taking me?" The forest was eerie with the twilight spreading darkest among the trees. The snow reflected little light since it was a new moon.

"To the castle. It's not too far up ahead. Are you sure you want to sleep in a barn. It's a bit smelly." Heath chuckled as I turned and glared at him Fyre struck out with a hind foot and Heath's horse let out a snort. 

"Keep back, Fyre likes her space." I ground out and then I leaned forward "Easy girl, this is all just a dream. Bare with me, I'll wake up soon, I promise.