EIPURA by ABBY HORRELL Footsteps thundered across the forest floor as Eipura fled on her horse. Her ragged breaths matched the snorting of her horse, Cyclone. Hands clenched tightly on the reins, Ei begged Cyclone to go faster. She didn’t know where they were going. They just had to escape. They had to get away. Ei counted her Cyclone’s strides in her head, a way to calm her mind. "One two, one two..." She trailed o . Ei patted Cyclone’s neck to calm him down and reassure him. She knew they would have to stop soon, so they wouldn’t get too exhausted. Eipura decided they would stop in the next town for the night. After getting supplies and a couple of hours of rest, they would continue on. Cyclone’s shiny gray coat glistened in the sunlight of the setting sun, clumps of grass flying through the air with every step. His muscles flexed as he ran at full speed towards their next destination. He whinnied when he saw the large stone wall come into view. As the two suns began to set along the horizon, making the sky bleed pink, yellow, and orange, they made it to the edge of town. She slowed her Cyclone to a walk and pulled her hood over her head. Ei walked Cyclone through the town, weaving through the centaurs, elves, and merchant humans. She sighed in relief when she saw a motel with a small stable connected to it. Her horse could have a place to rest. It wasn’t ideal; normally Cyclone preferred to be in a pasture, but it would have to be just for the night. Ei tied Cyclone to a post outside the motel and walked to the door. The bell on the door jingled as she opened it, and a small sprite greeted her, zipping around her head. Sprites didn’t speak, so this one dragged her to what seemed to be the front desk of the hotel. The
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