On Pheonix Wings (Quest)

[<3Kodi]

The whole mountain smelled like danger, death and the acidic tang of ash. Everything around it was dark and grey, gloomy with no life. Why would anybody come here? Because they had to, that's why. Either that or they were just as dark as the rock around the Burning Peak. Why then, was a young Paso Fino mare slowly picking her way along a cliffside path leading toward the lava fields? Because she had a goal in mind and when Rowena set herself to something not even the creepy tasks of Komi could set her away from it. She was determined to show that old windbag she was worthy of a shape-shifting power. The only problem was he had obviously known her fear of fire being as she wasn't good at hiding that particular fright.

Rocks at the edge of the path tumbled away into darkness making Ro stop for a moment and listen to the descent. Light though she was, the black-coated mare doubted that was making much of a difference if the path decided to give out. She had been skirting the edge of the Burning Peak around the base heading for the lava fields on the western side in hopes of finding Komi's blasted chunk of coal. She had had to go about halfway up the Burning Peak and was now descending on the western side and saw the faint glow of the lava fields not two hundred yards away.

Forcing herself to move forward, Rowena swallowed her fright as she felt the heat brushing against her ebony pelt. Well....technically it wasn't fire...it was liquid rock...really hot liquid rock.....not fire....

Ro kept repeating that in her mind, trying to make herself not shy from the thermals that rose from the heated plains. Wearily the mare descended onto the rock field, looking down at a stream of lava that trickled down from the mountain. Skirting around it, the light fem picked her way wearily along the edges of the pits in search of coal. Catching sight of a rock pile a few yards away, Rowena wearily made her way toward it, nearly leaping out of her skin as a bubble of lava popped not a foot from her hooves. Practically galloping to the rock deposit, Ro pawed at the rocks with a hoof. A layer of hardened lava covered the rocks underneath and it wasn't lava rock that Ro needed.

Rearing up, Ro struck the rock once or twice with her front hooves to crack it. Using her muzzle the dark-colored mare shifted aside the lava rock and let out a sigh of relief. Under the lava rock was a small deposit of coal, as rich and dark as her pelt. Rearing up again, Rowena struck the coal with her hooves to break it into smaller pieces, giving it about three good whacks before going back to all fours. Using her muzzle again the mare sifted through until she found a decent piece. Trying to ignore the taste, Ro picked it up with her teeth and stepped back, flicking her tail. Turning away from the deposit, the fae began her trek back toward more civilized lands, still struggling to ignore the molten rock bubbling sluggishly all around her and the heat lapping at her ebony bodice. This was what Komi wanted and he'd be lucky if she didn't shove it down his throat.