Erin was trembling now, shaking like a leaf. At that moment, the only thing that kept her from running back through the gate and abandoning her friends was her absolute terror of Malachite, her inability to turn her back on him. She shrank down as he approached, instinctively making herself as small as possible. As ashamed as she was of her cowardice, it was all that kept her hooves rooted firmly to the ground. 