Name: Dark Hope
Gender: stallion
Personality: He is caring, helpful, and kind, but always seems a bit sad. The reason for this is revealed in the story below.
Story: Dark Hope had been an outcast for as long as he could remember because of the fact that he couldn't talk to humans. His species lived for helping humans, and all the others could communicate with humans. Everyone, even his family, thought he was useless to mankind. With the knowledge that he wasn't accepted, Dark Hope left his home to see if there was a herd of another equine species that he could join. He had just set out when he heard quiet sobbing from behind a tree. He walked up to the tree and peered around it to see a little girl, probably around the age of 6. Nickering softly to her, Dark Hope drew her attention. She was so upset that she didn't seem afraid of him at all. Looking more closely at her, Dark Hope saw that she didn't look well. In fact, she was so pale that he was certain she wasn't too far away from death. He couldn't leave her in this condition, but Dark Hope knew that without help, she would die.
........Even though he couldn't talk to humans, he had still learned a bit on how to help them. Dark Hope believed that his only option was to fly to the clouds and ask them for a fragment of themselves, as cloud fragments could heal any wound or illness. The only reason why he was hesitant to do so was that he knew they would demand payment of some sort. They liked to take magical payment whenever possible, and there was nothing magical about Dark Hope except that he could fly and had a horn. He assumed the clouds would ask for his wings, but he wasn't sure how much power his horn held. He was only able to make it glow, but he thought it might be more powerful in the hands of a more powerful being. Dark Hope didn't want to lose his wings, but he had to help the little girl.
........After reaching the clouds, Dark Hope was not having much luck convincing the clouds to give away a cloud fragment. They usually only gave away cloud fragments to beings that they knew and were about to die. Dark Hope was ready to give up his search at this particular spot of sky when an old grandmother cloud floated up to him. In her crackly voice, she told him, "A cloud fragment you shall have if you will exchange a sliver out of the middle of your horn for it." Dark Hope was surprised at this request; he didn't believe his horn was that special. He was perfectly willing to give a piece of his horn for a cloud fragment, but he was confused. "How will you take a piece out of the middle of my horn without removing half of it?" he asked the cloud. She replied, "I will have to take off half of it, but after I get my piece, your horn will hold itself together." Dark Hope nodded his head and agreed to the cloud's terms.
........Dark Hope wearily flew back towards the tree where he had found the girl. He hadn't known that removing a piece of his horn and a fragment of cloud would take so long. But, as the grandmother cloud had explained, they were removing parts of themselves, so they had to be very careful. He hoped he wasn't too late for the little girl.
........Arriving at the tree, Dark Hope padded up softly, so as not to disturb the girl. He looked at the spot where she had been and panicked. She was no longer there. After he had calmed down a bit, Dark Hope noticed something peculiar. There was no dead body in the area, so the girl might not be dead! He quickly flew back to his home, knowing that there was someone who could help him there. Madame Fortuna was his great-aunt, and could make a window to see another place out of water. As he walked in, she whipped around and said, "You are looking for the little girl, no?" Dark Hope replied "Yes, I am," and requested to see her at once.
........Gazing into the pool of water, Dark Hope saw a white room begin to form. He realized that it was a human hospital room, and that the girl was in the hospital bed. Someone must have found her and brought her there, he thought. Dark Hope desperately wondered aloud, "Can these humans heal her with their medicines?" as he didn't know how advanced the humans were as far as health goes. "Hush, child, the humans may get it right this time," replied Madame Fortuna.
........For six days, Dark Hope almost constantly watched the little girl in her hospital bed. On the seventh day, he looked in on her in the morning, and she was gone. He and Madame Fortuna looked all over the world for her in the water window, but they couldn't find her. She was dead.
........From then on, Dark Hope carried a little vial with the fragment of cloud in it in his tail to remember her. His family accepted him again, as they saw that he could help humans, and was willing to sacrifice for them. Dark Hope always wondered what would have happened if he had gotten back to her before the humans found her. Would she be alive now? He didn't know, but at least he could know that he had done his best to save her.
Extras: Art here! And here!