The Predator Horse

Epona, the leader of the herd had a mighty White Stallion by the name of Tan Seren as her second in the herd. The third in the herd was his sister, a Black Mare by the name of Sephira, who thought that she should be the second in the pecking order and not the Stallion. And so it was that Sephira became jealous of Tan Seren's position and decided that she would find a way that she could become more important and higher up the pecking order.

So Sephira journeyed the Otherworlds always afraid that at any time a predator would come and that she would need to run. Sick of always having to keep watch over her shoulder, Sephira decided that she would seek out the Sukand of Mahr, a Swineherd of great power beyond the Veil. Sukand not only had great power but he also had a black heart and he was determined to seek vengeance on the peoples of the Otherworlds by making them suffer. So he taught Sephira the arts such that she could invade the dreams of her predators and, not only scare them away, but also start to consume their essence.

Sephira was most pleased with her new ability and tested it out at once on Sukand. Weeks later Sukand died a blubbering wreck and Sephira was pleased for now she was no longer prey but was now a predator herself. Sephira returned to the herd lands, along the way causing devastation in her wake, the consumation of Sukand's power causing her hooves to flame and set alight the grasslands that she travelled through.

Sephira knew that her power was mighty and she let out a mighty whiney to challenge the authority of the surprised Stallion. Sensing that something was wrong with Sephira, Tan Seren began to flee through the Otherworlds. Sephira began to drain her rivals dreams knowing that there was nowhere that Tan Seren could run that she could not enter his dreams and take what she wanted.

Laughing as Tan Seren began dying, Sephira realised that she now had the chance not only to become second in the herd, but now to become the leader of the herd. Everything that dreamed was now inferior to her and all she had to do was take to it.

Epona saw the power that Sephira had gained and knew that if she were to fight much of the herd around her would be decimated. So Epona fled and found the trickster God Lugh who was sitting idly by a rock with a fishing rod. Epona explained her dilemna to Lugh, and Lugh suggested a way that she may deal with Sephira permanently.

So it was that Epona allowed Sephira to find her. Strutting up confidently to Epona, Sephira demanded that Epona bow down to her might and become her second in the herd. So she tried another tack.

"Of course mighty Sephira I will bow down to you, but only if you can prove yourself greater than any of the Gods or Goddesses."

"Pah" Sephira spat "They are nothing to me now!"

"Then you will be able to venture to a place called Albion and wrest the mightiest of weapons from Anwnn (his hounds) and take them to the Cave of Korabann to defeat the Elder One and forever be the most powerful being in all the Otherworlds."

"This will not trouble me" Sephira snorted "I will be back shortly, so leave all the sweetest grass for me or you will be crushed."

"Of course mighty Sephira" Epona said as the dark mare cantered off. Sephira quickly took possession of the Hounds of Annwn through their dreams and headed into the Cave of Korabann which was dimly lit." Once inside she suddenly heard a clang above her as Epona sealed her into the cave with a magical seal that could only be broken by the power of the Gods."

Epona had no time to gloat and quickly headed to find Tan Seren. He was dying and his spirit was about to leave. Epona was upset and summoned her young Priestess on Albion to attend her.

"Meghan" she said "Find a newborn of the tribe and a horse that can take Tan Seren's spirit and perform the ceremony of bonding to attach my mark to both of them. Link the mark's together so that Tan Seren's spirit is bound to the babe's and that Tan Seren will always return with the babe. In this way my lovely Tan Seren will always be in the world to watch over the seal and stop Sephira from escaping."