The Star the Shines Black

My eyes snapped open and my hand covered my mouth to hold the scream back. The white folds of my cloak fluttered as I tied it around my neck. I glanced at my squad. They all seemed asleep though I knew that Leo, my Assistant Captain, was not. As I turned to leave the tent, a grabbed my long katana as I always do before heading out. The chilly night air tugged on my black hair but made no difference to me as I woke Vice. His white mane and tail stood out in stark contrast to his jet black coat in the moonlight. Without a bridle or saddle, I jumped on his back and galloped to the hell beyond the white tents standing at attention in the night.

"Three years and still no change, Vice," I whispered as I stared out the bare lands of the Shadow Massacre. The stench of blood still hung in the air and the grass refused to grow. I dismounted Vice and stepped over the skeleton of a Shadow Rider, one of the only ten killed. My eyes quickly found my reason for coming. I stumbled across the waste land to the far corner of the battlefield. From my cloak I pulled a wrinkled letter. I can still remember John handing it to me as we ran into battle three years ago.
" Give this to Sarah will you?" he said with a smile. Tears started to fall from my eyes as I read the envelope again.' To Sarah My Love'.
"Three years, John. Does Sarah know you're gone?" I choked out.
"Arya," I whipped around to see Leo's long, silver hair swishing in the wind and his copper eyes watching me carefully. Without saying a word, a clung to him. He wrapped his arms around me and stroked my hair. As I cried into chest, he stared out at my horrifying nightmare. At my first squad, still screaming, even in death.