The horse stood alone in the heart of the plains.
Beneath the faint glow of the moon, the creature was a study in contrasts: a pitch-black body that dissolved into the shadows, wreathed in flames that pierced the gloom.
While it had appeared as a mere pile of bones during the day, it had now transformed into a majestic black steed. With crimson fire flickering from its hooves, mane, and tail, the horse stood solitary, staring out toward the horizon from which it had come.
"Yo, found you at last. Is this your true form?"
Suddenly, a casual, almost carefree voice broke the silence of the dark plains.
The horse shifted its head toward the sound, narrowing its eyes at the young man approaching him.
"Hey! Haven't seen you since this afternoon. You look pretty different now, but those flaming hooves are unmistakable. You're the Skeleton Horse that was tearing across the fields earlier, aren't you? Don't even try to deny it."
Skull let out a sharp snort at the young man who addressed him with such fearless familiarity. However, even as the horse kept its gaze fixed on him, the young man thumped his chest twice and made a bold declaration.
"I’m Hugo Clay! I’ve come to be your friend! You’re not busy, are you? Let’s have a chat!"
The horse—perhaps it should be called a black horse now instead of a skeleton—wore a dubious expression, as if wondering what on earth this human was talking about. Hugo seemed to have his own internal debate for a moment before addressing the creature again.
"It’s going to get weird if I just keep calling you ‘hey you’ or ‘horse’ forever, so let’s give you a name for now. Let’s see... Since you’re a skeleton horse, how about Skull? Nice and simple."
The black horse let out a low rumble, seemingly indifferent to the concept of names.
"Alright, Skull it is! It’s a cool name, isn't it? Fits your whole hard-boiled vibe perfectly!"
Hugo continued to chatter away cheerfully while Skull watched him with a cold, distant stare, clearly thinking he had encountered a very strange human. Eventually, Hugo shifted to the heart of the matter.
"Listen, Skull. You protected me earlier today, didn't you? That wasn't just a fluke, was it?"
Skull remained silent, offering no reaction to the question. Undeterred, Hugo pressed on with a barrage of inquiries.
"Why did you shield me? You didn't have any reason to go that far."
"..."
"And why did you come here and cause such a scene in the first place? You have to have a reason, right?"
"..."
"...A while back, they found some dead horses not far from here. Tell me... was that your doing?"
At that question, the horse—who had remained stoic and unresponsive until now—gave a slight, visible shudder. Seeing the sharp reaction from the creature now staring intensely at him, Hugo nodded quietly and muttered to himself.
"I thought so. It wasn't you. I had a feeling."
Relief washed over Hugo’s face. Satisfied with the confirmation, he sat down on the grass beside Skull. Still looking up at the night sky, he began to speak to his new companion as if their difference in race mattered not at all.
"I'm a lot like you. People call me trash and all kinds of names. Well, it wasn't exactly me, but because of some things that happened in the past, I’ve had plenty of baseless accusations thrown my way. So, I think I get it. I had a feeling you were being misunderstood by everyone else, too."
Skull stared intently at the back of the human who claimed to understand his plight. Hugo turned around, looking directly into the horse’s eyes—eyes that were no longer empty sockets—and continued.
"If you really were some bloodthirsty monster, I wouldn’t be safe right now. The fact that you’re just standing here proves you’re not a threat. That means protecting me wasn't an accident, either. You’re a good guy, Skull. The only thing I don’t get is why you went on a rampage. There has to be a reason. Talk to me. If things stay like this, they’re going to hunt you down as a dangerous monster."
Faced with Hugo’s unwavering gaze, Skull closed his eyes and pulled back slightly. He seemed to be reflecting on something, but then, he quietly began to walk away.
"Wait—are you leaving? You're staying in these plains, though, right? Then let's meet again tomorrow. Tell me everything then."
A human and a monster; normally, there was no way for two such different beings to communicate. In truth, Skull had remained almost entirely silent and hadn't explicitly tried to convey anything to Hugo at all.
And yet, Hugo was trying his hardest to understand him, desperately reaching out to sense what the creature was thinking. Skull thought he was a bizarre human. At the same time, he realized the feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant.
"You saved me! As your friend, I'm going to pay you back for that! If there's ever anything I can do for you, just say the word, Skull!"
Hugo called out to the horse's retreating back, watching him until he disappeared into the night. Many mysteries remained, but he had taken a vital step forward. Swearing that he would eventually make Skull see him as a true friend in return, Hugo continued to watch the horizon long after the black horse had vanished.